WITH SUEZ - How do you spend time with friends and loved ones?

 

        Okay, who has ever drunk a soda from a glass bottle that had peanuts poured into it?  Who remembers stopping at the roadside market for a Nab?  Those are just two of the things my brother and I talked about a couple of weeks ago.  This is the time of year when many family members reunite for a meal and some time together.  Perhaps many of you are looking forward to visiting parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc., in the next few weeks.  In today's world, distance and circumstances may separate family and friends, but that's what makes reuniting so special when the opportunity arises. I hope this piece brings you a chuckle or two.

glass soda bottles

     So, getting back to my brother, I dedicate this piece to our recent and in person conversation by sharing some of our fond memories.  What I was surprised to learn is how much of what we talked and laughed about all came back to food.  We began with the soda and peanuts.  Even as a young child, the first time I was told to pour my peanuts into my soda bottle, I thought it was a bad idea.  However, doing so provided us kids with fizzy, sweet and salty slurps which we enjoyed for a while.  (We did not continue the habit very long.) Then next was the Nab (shortened from Nabisco) which became the name for a cracker/peanut butter packet first made by this company in 1924.  (See link below) When my brother and I were young, a "Nab" could be the cracker packet, or something else that more or less held you over until dinner.                                                             ( www.southernfoodways.org/a-nab-is-a-nab/ )     (Please remember if I provide a link in an article, it is only to share information.  I do not benefit from doing so in any way.)



     We reminisced about being invited INSIDE our neighbor's house on Halloween to choose homemade treats directly from the platters on their dining room table.  I remember the elderly couple next door offered the best frosted brownies ever!  I chose a brownie once and it was wrapped in a piece of waxed paper and handed to me.  I did not make it home with that brownie!

     Also special were our grandma's caramel apples. 

Caramel apple

I remember coming home from school and watching her melt the caramel, put the popsicle sticks in the apples and dunk them in the gooey sweet concoction melting in the top of her double boiler.  They were sticky and swell, but also a sure fire way to get us to eat a red delicious apple.  Smart grandma!

     Then there were our pecan trees.  We had several which produced sometimes copious amounts.  We kids learned to pick up pecans.  (Don't laugh.  This is a learned task for a small child who's looking up instead of down, which was ME!!!)  We also had to crack pecans and pick out pecans.  Honestly, just being around pecans so much in the fall is how I learned to eat them plain, because sooner or later I did get hungry.  I even learned how to crack two in my hand.  Now I probably couldn't squeeze my hand hard enough to crack even one.  After the chore of getting them ready to eat, there would be times, like for company, when our mom would roast some in the oven with just plain old margarine and salt.  Probably not the healthiest, but oh my gosh were they ever good!

Pecans

     We also talked about being glad that we learned to eat certain kinds of vegetables because they were prevalent.  My brother's favorites then and now were the small legumes: field peas, crowder peas, black eyed peas, and purple hull peas.  Then there were butter beans or limas, whether small or large, speckled, white, or green.  He still loves the peas.

Crowder peas

      I asked my brother if he remembered the time our mom dug a hole in the back yard, made a charcoal fire, and smoked a beef roast in that pit.  She had gotten the idea from a friend.  After she dug the hole and built the fire, she put a grate atop the coals.  Next, the roast that had been slathered with plain yellow mustard and wrapped in aluminum foil was placed on the grate.  Then our mom raked the displaced soil and grass over the entire hole, covering the meat and smoldering coals.  I remember looking at it and thinking our dinner was going to be dirty!  But it wasn't, and my brother agreed with me.  That roast was delicious.

      There was another time, he reminded me, that we ate Sunday dinner picnic style on the floor of my parents' bedroom.  Unusual I guess, but it was summer and they had just installed a brand new window unit air conditioner.  Pretty smart idea on a hot day and a fun change of pace.

      Outside of food, I could tell this next memory was a favorite of his.  My brother referred to it as the infamous ride through the yard.  Our sister was near driving age at the time, and as yet without her license.  However, she talked my brother into riding with her through the yard in our dad's old Nash Rambler.  The car was parked in our driveway in a spot at the front of the house, with the front end headed toward our side yard.  She, with my brother in tow, basically drove the remaining distance across the front yard, made a right and headed down the far side of our pecan trees into the back yard (where our mom was sitting in a lawn chair reading the paper).  She turned around the farthest tree and they headed back up the other side of the yard, returning to where they initiated the ride.  I was in the back yard playing and saw the car; my sister holding the wheel and my brother with his eyes wide and holding on.  All I could do was stand there with my mouth open.  Mama jumped  up and threw her paper in the air.  To my sister's credit however, she didn't hit anything and both of them survived their wild ride!  

      Many Saturday nights were spent in front of the television with out entire family.  Watching tv when we were very young was more or less an event.  We would sometimes invite a particular family over from our neighborhood to watch with us.  They would enter our home with a freshly baked treat or two; something usually warm from the oven or just frosted.  And, you could always tell they had changed into nicer, clean clothes for the visit.  Programming would start with "the Lawrence Welk Show."  It was a musical variety show with singing and dancing and Mr. Welk conducting his orchestra.  I believe now watching this show helped me to appreciate different musical styles.  The latest program of the night would be the western show, "Bonanza," before it moved to Sunday night or "Gunsmoke."  I remember several times falling asleep before the evening was over.  I wish I had mentioned to my brother how we used to play a game where one of us would hum the theme song to a television program and the other would try to guess the name.  The theme to "Bonanza" was always part of the game.

     We had the childhood where we knew our neighbors and walked to and from elementary school.  Sometimes my brother would play catch in the front yard with our dad, sometimes Mama instead.  He also remembers when he was a little too close to the house when he threw the ball!  But he did bring up when all five of us would play baseball after supper using the pecan trees as bases.  Now that was fun.  Our dad would pitch and we probably had more than enough chances to hit the ball because he was so patient. 

     So thanks for the memories, brother.  Here's wishing at least a day of reminiscing for all of you!







 

ABOUT ORGANIZATION - Our home may not always be the neatest or the most tidy, but I do know where things are.  I can't help it.  I was raised that way.  "A place for everything and everything in its place," is attributed to Benjamin Franklin, but was often said by my mother and grandmother during my growing years.  As I grew older and I remembered hearing that phrase, I assume it was initially said to get me to clean up a mound of Barbie dolls and their various clothing pieces or my stuffed animals.  Words from Ben surfaced again if I misplaced something that needed to be returned to school.  Then later when I didn't put things away in the kitchen or wash my dirty dishes from baking, I wasn't allowed to do so again until I followed through with the necessary returns and cleaning.  

     Mean?  No.  Strict?  Maybe, but honestly I wouldn't be happy today if someone went in my kitchen and left it with ingredients still out, gooey food smears and crumbs on my counter along with dirty dishes in the sink.  Would you?
     I am glad I was taught to put things away.  I can actually remember thinking as to the best place to put my dolls and toys.  I have always thought of putting my things away as more of a task in my favor because I AM THE ONE who gets to make the decision as to their location.  
     Once I learned to put away things it didn't take near as long to find them again and get dressed, ready to walk out the door with shoes, coat, hat, gloves, umbrella, book bag, or whatever.  Then I was able to keep up with my things at home, as well as at school, then in my dorm room when I went away to college, and at my places of employment and later my own home.  This organizational habit that begins when you are very young can most certainly carry over into adulthood.  It can help with your focus for the day, the week, the month, the year, etc.
     Now, I know there are people who can find things in an environment that is not always organized.  I applaud them and admittedly am not one of them.  I have even read where some people are more creative in their workplace at a less than neat desk area.  I KNOW this is not me, but that's okay.  

   
AND STUFF - On the flip side of this, I may know where my stuff is, but I'm also constantly noticing how much of it we have.  Why?  I attach more sentiment onto things than I should.  So organization is one thing, but getting to a point where I have too much cancels out that skill.  That is why I take time to periodically go through boxes, stacks of books, clothes, shoes, dishes, knickknacks, etc.  This is not always easy and yes, sometimes I have to make myself.
     For example, recently I was cleaning out items from our kitchen pantry.  I keep shopping bags tucked away on the floor in the back along with other items only used periodically.  I noticed the bag holding them was bulging so I snagged it and pulled it out to sit on the floor and go through it.  Here's where I tattle on myself.  Part of the bulge was used packing paper, oversized plastic and nicer folded bags from department stores, and plastic souvenir bags from trips we'd taken maybe 10 YEARS AGO!  In good condition or not, I know we really do not need all of this.  Sometimes I remember things I've heard about people who lived during the Great Depression.  In my family, I know from the stories, that they tried to find a use for everything instead of throwing it out. I guess that became a learned behavior for me.
     Anyway, getting rid of what we are not wearing or using makes me think of Marie Kondo's book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  What has stayed with me from her book is, and I paraphrase, if you come across something you own that doesn't bring you joy, then you should get rid of it.  Well, I guess my behavior of giving things a second chance has changed now to, "Do I have any further use for this."  Whatever works, right?

     

     FLOUR & FLOWER

     This is a picture of a bran muffin I made recently.  Made with bran cereal, this recipe was nothing fancy and nothing new.  But it was the addition of raisins and chopped pecans that made the muffins unique.  Yes, what one adds to their baking can change the outcome in flavor, texture, color, crumb, etc.  Add-ins are definitely popular now.  I recently read a recipe by Tracy Benjamin in the August 2018 edition of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine for Hippie Banana Bread  that included chopped nuts, dried fruit, and olive oil to name only a few of the ingredients.  Since then I have made it about five times and really like it.  Does it still taste like bananas?  Sure it does.  So you must ask yourself, are you a purist or are you adventurous.  Can the regular banana bread eater accept a little added something in his/her favorite breakfast bread or snack?  Try adding a handful of something you like in your next baking effort.  The range of possibilities is long.  You might be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

Bran muffin with raisins and pecans.

 

     The flower above is Celosia or Cockscomb and has become one of my favorite flowers.  I especially like this vibrant reddish pink color in late summer and early fall when other plants are waning.  I have both varieties like this one that reminds me of a brain or a cauliflower, and the other which resembles the headdress of a rooster.  I get many seeds from these beauties every autumn.  They are a good addition to a landscape with extra space that might need more color in late summer until frost.

     I remember how much my grandmother loved morning glories like those at left.  She would sit in her chair on her screened-in back porch and look out at her fence covered in them.  I guess I get her love of this particular vine.  I have them each year.  These seem to be liked by hummingbirds that are nearby and something that appears to like nibbling on the leaves.

     I was happy to see these zinnias doing so well this year.  The seed for these came from what I saved from last year's blooms.  It was the first time I have ever saved seed like this.  It is even more special to me since the very first flower garden I had included zinnias.  I have already started snipping dead head zinnias to save the seed for next year.










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This writer may make references to books, articles, authors, etc., in her writing, but it is only to share information with the reader.  She in no way accepts any compensation for doing so.

SUPPORT AND KIND WORDS     "Have I told you today how beautiful you are?"  There it was......the question.  Hearing it always made me blush and duck my head, even at five years old.  Just about every time I ever saw Dr. A for an appointment, he asked that question.  Of course after responding I would always be at ease, no matter how sick I actually was.  He could give me any manner of shot (injection) or prescribe the yuckiest of medicines, and I would take it because the nice man said I needed it.

     Dr. A was so kind and had such a gentle manner.  I remember he would talk to me about things I liked or what I liked to do.  Before long he learned I liked flowers and one day gave me a glass paperweight from his desk because there was a painted flower design in its center.  I was shocked!  I also still have it.  Now every time I look at the paper weight I think of Dr. A and how smart he was at making connections.  A seasoned physician, Dr. A probably figured out just how to reach patients many years prior to me. But I believe he was really that kind of person.  Isn't it amazing what a kind word will do?


     My Grandmother Margaret liked taking care of people.  In her lifetime this included her stepbrothers and stepsisters, her husband and their two children, their grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  Outside of her family she had a nursing career for many years at the local hospital and later served as a sitter for children of friends and also the elderly.  My mom used to tell me that all her school-age friends liked my grandma because she made them feel so welcome when they visited.  I'll vouch for that.  I will always remember my grandmother as warm and friendly.
     When I grew old enough to ride my bike to her house a few streets over, it was such a treat to visit her.  Of course there was a bit of spoiling going on.  Haha!  I would ask if I could have a snack of some kind and she would reply, "You can have anything you want."  If she had it, then whatever it was became yours.  My grandmother allowed me one day to pull out a large box of old black and white photos from her closet.  There were printed faces in there I had not seen before; some in matted paper frames and others loose.  She allowed me to look at them, even allowing me to dump them out in a pile.  (Can you imagine the mess?)  But she sat there with me while I asked about each one.  It was Grandma doing this over and over that helped me learn a lot about the maternal side of my family (not to mention, all of their names!).
     Grandma was also a very good listener.  I'm sure she didn't always agree with all of my thoughts, (as I well remember her laughter) but she let me express them nonetheless.  I admit that she and her home were sometimes an escape when I was a teen and my mom and I did not see eye-to-eye on things.  I would use Grandma as a sounding board.  There were certainly times when I was wrong and she would set me straight.  But she had this way of softening the sting by explaining the behavior of others that made anyone listen, especially teenagers.  Though I might be disappointed or had hurt feelings, she made things easier to understand.  I always left her house happy.

     Grandma had a lot of wonderful qualities.  One thing I will always remember is her saying that I could be whatever I wanted to be.  So......."if only I could be as supportive and caring as you, Grandma."

FLOUR

     I have been baking for local farmers' markets for five summers now.  Granted, not a long time, but enough for me to learn that more people are looking for baked goods that have alternatives for all-purpose flour and regular sugar.
     I was recently reminded of some tips associated with baking substitutions when I reviewed a Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Fall Baking issue from 2014.  I have used a couple of different kinds of gluten free flour.  One seemed to be more grainy than the other.  BH&G says to use more liquid in recipes that call for GF flour because it "absorbs more moisture." I did not know that or somehow I missed learning that fact.  Actually when I did use that particular grainy GF flour, I DID use more moisture because the batter was stiff.  I also read that one should use smaller pans when using nut flour.  BH&G says it does not rise as well as whole wheat flour.
     When substituting regular sugar with an alternative, "add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for every 1 cup sugar substitute used in a recipe."  BH&G says this will "boost the flavor."  Also apparently using a sugar substitute keeps your baked goods from rising as much.  "Achieve more height by switching from 9-inch pans to 8-inch pans with 2-inch sides," BH&G says.
     Lastly, this BH&G issue supports using banana, canned pumpkin, or applesauce as a fat substitute.  Banana and canned pumpkin can be used as a fat in cookies and also provide their flavors.  Canned pumpkin and applesauce can be substituted in cakes and quick breads.  I can already vouch for using applesauce as a fat in quick breads.  I do this a lot when a recipe calls for a cup or more of oil.  Somehow that much oil alone does not sound appealing.

applesauce

 

     FLOWER

     I was lucky enough to catch a swallowtail butterfly on one of my zinnias recently.  Boy, do I have a new respect for nature photographers.  Waiting for the exact time for this butterfly to relax his wings just so I could take this picture was a little challenging, especially thinking I would scare this one away.  I have always read and heard that they like bright colors.  The orange was the ticket that day.

     I have been really lucky with basil this summer.  I have started so many plants just from taking cuttings from what I already had.  It seems that all one has to do is turn around twice, or go to bed and get up the next day and the basil has grown a foot!  One can see how this plant is beginning to flower in this photo.  If you see this make sure to pluck the bloom away or cut it off.  The basil leaves become bitter if you allow your plant to flower too soon.  Rest assured I snipped off these blooms so this plant could continue to grow.

     The above photo shows two types of sedum.  This plant has succulent leaves and flesh-like stems.  It can grow in shade, but does well in sun.  The lighter green plant has a bloom that begins white and turns to pink.  The darker green variety has a dark pink-colored bloom.  Both have grown in this flat bird bath container for several years.  That should tell you that sedum can live through the winter and return each year, thus it is a perennial.

  

     SUMMER, KIDS, A DOG, AND A CARPET -- A childhood memory popped into my head the other day.  My mom worked as a secretary for a carpet manufacturer.  Periodically the company would allow their employees to purchase remnants at a lower cost.  My mom got the idea that our boxer needed carpeting in the new doghouse that she had just finished building herself.  Yes, I remember Mama liked home projects.  She was handy with tools, having learned from her father in how to use them.
     But first came the house.  Back then appliances like refrigerators and stoves came in large wooden crates.  My dad was the supplier as he was able to acquire enough empty crates from store owners for the proposed new rectangular dog home.  For most of one weekend my mom pried wooden crates apart, totally dismantling them.  Then she measured, sawed, and hammered together the pieces until they actually resembled a decent space with a flat roof and even a window. While all this was going on my sister, brother, and I HAD to be outside with Mama because, HELLLL-LO... had we stayed inside with her outside, well, not much producing would have been accomplished.  It was also summer and good weather, which to my parents meant kids should play outside anyway.  Truthfully, Mama was pretty smart in allowing us to be around to help (??) her.  My brother and I were each given an extra hammer and were allowed to build our own space with random unused wood pieces.  Instead of eventually getting annoyed with each other, we got to whack a few nails of our own.  That kept us busy with our imaginations, for sure.  Our older sister actually did help Mama.  In between the hammering and sawing, my brother and I made and delivered Kool-Aid, cookies and popsicles.
    All of our time and effort was for Penny.  She was a beautiful dog with her naturally floppy ears.  I remember her coat as the same color of the coin.  Penny had white on her stomach and white on the back of her neck in the shape of a vertical bow tie.  The only other distinction was her cropped tail.  Boxers usually have their tails cropped because they are really not attractive.  Because the boxer hair is short and somewhat course, the tail would never appear to fluff out or to be of any use.  Now, I only see it as something that would have been in the way. (Even though when I was little I thought it was so horrible to cut off some pet's tail!)  Penny was a good dog and would mind fairly well.  We soon learned, however, that Penny had a mind of her own.

This is not Penny, but this image reminds me of her.

     When Mama returned to work the next week she soon was able to purchase the carpet remnant.  I only remember it was a brown color and she brought it home rolled and tied on top of her car. It took my mom and dad together to carry the carpet to the doghouse on that Friday afternoon.  Both began immediately nailing the carpet down on the floor with specialty carpet tacks.  It took a little while, but they both got the carpet secured. Then they secured the roof before dark.  Finally the doghouse was finished.  I remember it sat up on concrete blocks and included a little step up for Penny.  Late that same night we all heard it raining and we wondered if Penny was in her house snug as a...(boxer)...in a rug.  Were we surprised the next morning!  Yes, we all could tell Penny had spent the night in her new home and was safe and dry from the storm.  We also knew that she either disliked the color brown or Mama's decorating ideas since the new carpet had been pulled up and dragged all the way out of the new doghouse!  There it laid, wet, muddy and disgusting on the ground.  I wish I could have seen Penny yanking up that new carpet piece with her mouth and dragging it piece by piece outside!  From then on, my parents let Penny decorate her own house.

FLOUR

     Focaccia, as pictured below, is a flat bread made with olive oil.  It can be eaten as an appetizer, or it can accompany a soup or stew.  Honestly, focaccia is so darn good that you will just like to make it to eat it, no matter what it accompanies. 
 

     
There are several recipes for making focaccia online.  It takes a short amount of time to make this delectable bread and very few ingredients.  Most of them you may already have at home.  There are some variations where one could add in herbs (which I recommend), or olives or bits of onion, for example.  The choice of how simple or how involved you want to make your focaccia is up to you.  I have made one recipe twice in the past two weeks.  My husband loved it both times.  Yes, focaccia might remind one of pizza, but it is so much more in its simplicity.  I used the recipe from Adam and Joanne Gallagher of www.inspiredtaste.net,  and do not gain anything except the joy of sharing this knowledge.  Their focaccia recipe called for using olive oil, yeast, water, honey, flour, garlic, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and salt.  So do some looking around and experimenting.  It can be fun and delicious at the same time.

FLOWER

Squash vine borer

     This is a very yucky picture of the squash vine borer that eats its way up your zucchini and/or squash vine.  The plant invariably withers and dies leaving you very disappointed.  I came upon this mess recently when I went out to my garden to see what I could harvest.  That day it turned out to be a worm-like larva!
     This creature hatched from an egg laid by a squash vine borer moth.  The moth came from a cocoon that first housed a squash vine borer from last year.  Over the winter in the cocoon, the larva became a pupa in the process of yet more change.  When spring arrived, the newly developed moth emerged from the cocoon and laid eggs at the base of my plants.  Then the damage began.
     It's been a while since I grew zucchini and yellow squash.  At the time the eggs were opening and the larva began burrowing, I was just so darn happy that my squash looked good.  That was a short-lived feeling.  Next time I will be more observant.      
    

     

     This is the FLOUR & FLOWER blog, but this time I will first take a side trip with this post...haha.  

     I thought I would write about traveling.

     For my husband and me, we have always thoroughly planned our vacations, primarily because both of us worked and had only a certain amount of time we could dedicate to travel.  I know we could have hopped on a plane to arrive sooner, but instead have opted to drive everywhere.  Why?  Both of us like to view the scenery along the way.  We even took many family trips by car and tried to teach our children to appreciate this as well.  Grant it, the miles begin to wear on a person after a couple of days.  I remember a long car trip to California when I was eight.  My mom and dad would switch off putting either my brother or me in-between them in the front to allow our older sister only one other passenger in the back with her.  We would not have made many miles with all three kids on the back seat of our Oldsmobile.  My husband and I try to choose a destination that is possible in a one to two-day period.  Also, he enjoys driving and actually does relax during the process.  Traveling in this way also provides more of an opportunity to talk and share things between just two people or the entire family.

      

This is a live oak tree.  It was part of the scenery on a trip we made to Georgia.

     The only thing I have considered changing now about our way of traveling is to have a day or so that is unplanned.  That's right.  Just get in the car and go.  Don't use a map.  Let what you see rule what you do.  Take the first turn you meet.  Stop for lunch in a small unknown town.  Spend the afternoon antiquing in a new area.  Or just take an alternate route to your chosen location.  Choose a place to spend the night along the way that is new to you.  Eat in one of the local restaurants.  Walk in the downtown area.  Enjoy riding bikes in one of their parks.  
     I remember once my husband and I chose to spend the night in an unknown town.  Then the plan was to get up the next day and continue driving to our designated spot.  We decided that evening to eat in one of the local restaurants, not a chain.  We learned from reading a poster there that a band concert was to be held that evening in the town gazebo.  We could easily walk to the concert after our meal.  The concert was really enjoyable and concluded a fun evening, just because we tried something different.

     So that's just my two cents worth.  Whether you travel by car, plane, ship or whatever; enjoy the time you have together.  My wish would be to take an entirely unplanned trip in the future.  I wonder where we would end up?

FLOUR

Lemon Balm Herb Bread

     I found a recipe for Lemon Balm Herb Bread recently and made it this week.  To me, it is more like a cake.  It is light and really lemony with lemon zest and lemon balm and includes a thin lemon glaze on top.  This is what I would call a real (hot or iced) tea bread.  It would also be great with coffee or even a glass of milk.  Anyway, I  wanted to share this and have gained nothing from it but the joy of making it myself.

Lemon Balm Herb Bread - taken from A Celebration of Herbs, published by the Memphis Herb Society 1991.


2/3 c. melted oleo or butter          3 c. flour
2 1/2 c. sugar                                    1 c. sweet milk
                                              4 eggs                                                 2 tsp. grated lemon peel (zest)
                                             1/2 tsp. baking powder                   1 c. chopped nuts (I did not use.)
                                             1 tsp. salt                                           4 tsp. chopped fresh lemon balm
                                             1/2 tsp. almond extract
Glaze:     6 tsp. lemon juice and 1/2 c. sugar

     Blend oleo and sugar well.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Add almond extract.  Sift dry ingredients and add to mixture alternately with milk.  Stir in lemon peel and nuts last.  Bake in loaf pans for 50 to 60 minutes in 350 degree oven. (It took less time in my oven.)
     Glaze:  Heat lemon juice and sugar until sugar dissolves.  (I heated the ingredients in the microwave.)  Pour over hot bread as soon as it comes from the oven.  Let cool for 10 minutes and remove from pan.  Makes 4 small loaves.  Delicious sliced thin and spread with butter or cream cheese.
     

 & FLOWER

                                                 
     Below are Annabelle Hydrangeas.  I have three large bushes of these.  The Annabelle is also known as a smooth hydrangea, wild hydrangea or sevenbark.  For about a month I have been cutting several of these and taking them to farmers' market with me.  Most people like them and comment about how they are different from the traditional mophead blue and pink kinds.  Several ladies have asked about whether a cutting will root in order to make a new plant.  One woman wanted to root a cutting by placing it atop the ground and braced by a rock.  Others wanted to know if a cutting would root in a pot.  I am familiar with weighing down a living branch on the ground until a new plant begins to grow.  I am more confident with taking a cutting, dipping the end in water then rooting hormone and putting it in a pot filled with soil.  I think either method would work.  One would just have to remember to check on the progress of the branch that would be weighed down for rooting.  The cutting would have to be checked on for proper moisture and lighting.  Too much of both could cause the cutting not to root.

Annabelle Hydrangeas

A COMBINATION OF FLOUR AND FLOWER PICTURES

     Recently I made the sugar cookies that you see below.  They are considered not crisp, but chewy.  After the dough comes together, one simply takes about a tablespoon of dough, shapes it into a ball, and rolls it into sugar before placing on a cookie sheet.  Then lightly press down on each cookie with your fingers.  I have two sizes of scoops that I use for baking.  I used the smaller one for these cookies.  They were rolled in a decorative sugar with larger granules, but regular sugar is fine.  I found the recipe on the Internet.  It is a simple one that included butter, sugar, egg, flour, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. They go really well with a glass of lemonade!

Chewy Sugar Cookies

    

Pink and white Clematis

     These pretty pink flowers are something I look forward to seeing each spring because they are so striking.  I don't know how long I have had this Clematis, but it continues to be a favorite.  Last spring I actually remembered to trim it back after blooming as it had suffered some dryness over the years.  It had also gotten so large and disfigured from being dry.  Seems like I always forgot the correct time to trim it back was after it had flowered because it blooms on old wood.  Then it would go another year in a repeated cycle of growth and getting drier.  Truth be told, it probably needed a new layer of mulch before now as well.  That should prove to you how hardy it is though. All of that color is worth a little mulch, fertilizer, trimming and watering.  Don't you think?

     The photo below left is lemon balm.  I have grown it for many years to the point now that it pops up in a lot of places.  This happens because I have had several pots of it or I have just planted it in the flower beds.  Invariably a piece or two will find itself left behind and it roots!  I wanted to grow lemon balm to put the herb in my baked goods.  It can also be added to salads, fish or poultry dishes. I have recently found a cookie recipe that includes chopped lemon balm.  Now baking those will soon be on my agenda!

Lemon Balm

Lily of the Valley

     The photo at right was my lily of the valley for this year.  These diminutive white bells are very special to me as they were part of my wedding bouquet.  I never saw them actually growing until my mother-in-law to be showed me those she had in her front yard many years ago.  When I saw them, I knew right then that I wanted them included in my flowers at our approaching wedding.  However, we were told by our florist where we were getting married that lily of the valley would be more of an expense than we realized.  Because they did not keep these flowers on hand, purchasing them and having them shipped in at the precise time would be costly.  So, I had to drop that idea.  Boy, was I surprised on our wedding day when I reached in the box to pull out my bouquet and my pink roses had tiny lily of the valley stems accompanying them!  My mother-in-law had actually talked to our florist and arranged to pick her own lily of the valley just prior to hopping in their car to make the trip to our wedding destination.  Those fragrant beauties will always be special to me.  And I had the bouquet dried and still have it!

Magnolia in bloom

      At left is a Magnolia flower in bloom.  I grew up around Magnolia trees and always enjoyed them when they bloomed each spring -- especially their scent-- aahhh!  The unfurling of the flower is indeed a process.  The blossom has just opened in this picture and all but a few of the petals resemble the shape and size of an individual salad bowl.  We had a Magnolia tree for several years when we first married.  When raising one in your yard, there is always the decision of whether to allow the branches to grow from the ground up, or to trim the branches so as to be able to mow underneath the tree.  I remember playing underneath huge Magnolias that still had their branches growing from the ground up.  It was like having your own dark green tent to hide underneath.

      At right are white azaleas in bloom on a nature trail we visited recently at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, AR.  This is a very beautiful floral nature trail exhibit.  It is nice to be able to enjoy our natural surroundings at outdoor exhibits and parks while getting exercise.

FLOUR

     As far as bakeware goes, my supply runs from old to newer and glass to aluminum.  I have not bought or been given any of the silicone pieces that are so popular now.  My friend swears by the ease of using the silicone.  I, on the other hand, still have two of my grandmother's glass Pyrex pie pans.  I don't make pies often, so these do not get used much for baking.  They do get used for holding leftovers at times; especially slices of meat or meatloaf.  I cannot seem to part with them just yet because of all the times I used to watch my grandmother place a rolled out crust in one of these pans.  

     My current baking stash is described piece by piece below.  Most of these are for legitimate baking.  Some pieces have alternative uses as well. Some of my most unique pieces are pictured at left.  Standing on end at left in the back is my spring form pan.  Then my large bundt with miniature muffin resting inside.  Then below spring form is my bar pan, then fluted tart pan, and miniature bundt, at bottom right.

     Angel Food cake is my husband's favorite.  I do not make one often, but I need the pan when we want the cake, soooooooooo...it IS important, especially if you want the round shape.  Angel Food has always been his favorite for birthdays.

     For special occasions, I sometimes use my large bundt pan or my two that are medium size that are actually made into one piece of bakeware.  Each cavity of this medium piece has its own design.  Usually I make one bread or cake batter and divide it between the two shapes.  I also have two pans with eight individual bundt cavities each.  These shapes are good for making the tops and bottoms of miniature pumpkin cakes.          

 

     Cookie sheets are prevalent and used often, sometimes for cake recipes.  They are often used for roasting vegetables too.  Sheet pan meals in the oven are popular now and would make a good vessel for this idea.

     Loaf pans have probably been used the longest in my kitchen.  I have six that measure 5 x 9 inches each.  I have one more measuring about 4 x 8 inches.  I began using loaf pans when I was a young teenage baker.  My dad's favorite baked good was his mother's nut bread.  I began making this simple loaf.  It was slightly sweet and buttery and always, made with pecans.  Don't worry.  I have updated my pans since then; and they remain busy.

     Muffin pans get used a lot here on weekends.  Every Saturday for the longest time was the day for trying a different muffin recipe.  What didn't get eaten got carried over into the new week which made good snacks.  I have a couple of regular size pans, one large, and three miniature.  I have since acquired a pan similar to one for muffins, but with eight rectangular indented spaces just right for individual bars.  I use it for miniature bread loaves.

     I have two 12- inch pizza pans that I have literally had FOREVER.  To this day, I still use them for warming bread, baking refrigerated biscuits, roasting vegetables, AND...baking pizza.  I would not get rid of them for anything.  My grown children will find them after I'm gone and shake their heads.

     I have one spring form pan that has been in my possession for quite a while.  I first thought it would only be used for making cheesecake.  Not too long ago I contemplated getting rid of it because I wasn't using it.  I mean, how many cheesecakes can you make and eat without taking on that round shape yourself?  Now I see some bakers on television using their spring form pans for one layer cakes.  I love that!  I'm glad I kept mine.

     My tart pan has a fluted edge which makes a pie crust, crumb or puff pastry look special when presented on a tiered plate.  Considering its two pieces, pushing up from the bottom of the pan releases it from the side.  This allows you to cut your pie or tart slices without competing with the side of the pan, giving you a clean slice.  Apple tarts are good baked in this pan.

     I have two 13 x 9 inch glass pans.  I do not make many sheet cakes anymore.  These get used mostly for brownies, bars or for something besides a baked good...like a casserole, any casserole.

     I look through my bakeware occasionally and sometimes get rid of things that are not being used.  I mean, who has that much space?  I would be down right dangerous with unlimited kitchen space.  Besides when I get rid of one, I can go out and purchase another!  Right?

& FLOWER

     We visited our daughter recently.  She lives farther south than we do and often there are other flowers, shrubs, or trees growing and/or blooming there that we don't have in our area.  One such blooming plant I saw was Wisteria.  There, the Wisteria was growing as a vine that had wrapped itself in and around trees along roadsides and in wooded areas.  I realize some people might see this as a nuisance plant if it got started in their yard.  However, I was delighted to view these beautiful lilac colored blooms since winter's cold (in our area) has decided to hold on much longer this year.  I even found some Wisteria in a wooded area near a parking lot where I broke off a few pieces.  It would really be neat if I could get it to root.  And I have already dipped the pieces in rooting powder and planted them in an empty pot.  Maybe this WILL work!

Wisteria bloom

   
     I have recently had both of my African violets blooming, as you can see from the photos below.
                                                                                                               

     The white one with pinkish tips I have had for a while.  I enjoy looking at the lacy edges.  Its center stem is getting rather tall.  That means this plant would probably benefit from being repotted this year, possibly a little deeper.

     The violet at right has bloomed out mostly with off white flowers all winter.  Some of them have just the tiniest bit of purple on the edges.  I was first concerned with these blooms after I brought this plant inside from its time outdoors on my front porch.  When it was living outside, it bloomed and the flowers were mostly all purple!  Amazing what Mother Nature can do.

     I am looking forward to when the outdoor temperatures will remain in the fifties at night  That is when I know my indoor plants can remain outdoors.  They all seem to do so much better then. 

Using Stored Ingredients/Experimenting/Signs of Spring

FLOUR

     I've gone most of the winter without baking very much....to my husband's dismay.  But lately I  wanted to get back to making some favorite quick breads and muffins....and maybe do a little substituting and a little experimenting.

Muffins made with fruit combo

     Recently I pulled out some frozen fruit from a section of our freezer I've designated as FRESH.  That means I purchased it that way or made it from fresh ingredients to use later.  On this particular day that freezer section also included grated lemon and orange zest, tomato sauce, applesauce, pumpkin puree, lemon juice, and basil leaves.  The fruit was a handful of blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries that had the look of  "save me now," or else they would soon end up in the trash.  So, I added them to a basic muffin recipe, you know, flour, sugar, egg, milk, oil, baking powder, salt.  I also added the frozen orange zest and stirred just until combined.  After about 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees, I had breakfast.  It's gratifying to be able to use what you have to make something delicious and to also know exactly what you are eating.

     Next, about a week later, I decided to follow a banana bread recipe I found that used brown sugar instead of white.

Ripe bananas best for making bread

I was not hesitant at all because I really like brown sugar.  This bread turned out really well.  The batter was a light brown color as was the finished product.  Its taste was richer, probably due to the molasses in the brown sugar.  Even though I didn't this time, I usually cut the amount of sugar in my recipe because I believe bananas are already sweet enough.  Some might be surprised to learn that banana bread is not my favorite, as much as I bake it.
     I'm sure one could swap out the sugars using any banana bread recipe or other bread recipe.  There have been times when I have even used different flours.  I may not have enough all-purpose to complete a recipe, so I add in whole wheat or cake flour to fulfill the quantity.  Sometimes I change up just to say I tried something different. 
     Lastly, just this week, I made blueberry muffins that included a small amount of cornmeal along with the flour.  They "stand up" a trifle more than the average muffin, due to the cornmeal adding a little stiffness, but these were outstanding.

Blueberry Muffins with cornmeal

  I used a basic blueberry muffin recipe,  except I took out one half cup from the total amount of flour and swapped it for one half cup of  cornmeal.  Or I suppose one could use their regular cornbread recipe and just add your blueberries to that.  Either way...yum, yum.  These are really good  Great for breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner.
     Enjoy experimenting and, if you are like me, using up your winter stored ingredients.  Have fun!

& FLOWER

     Well, just like in many other places, winter is still hanging on here.  Just when you think Spring is about to literally appear - especially because the daffodils and jonquils are opening - another cold snap arrives.  Hopefully this is temporary...as I say while crossing my fingers and toes!

Daffodils

However, the abundance of birds in the neighborhood, the greening of the grass, and buds on the trees are a sure sign of what is to come.  And, I am excited about that.  I really enjoy the newness of Spring.  I even enjoy the vibrant green, clingy weeds that think they belong in my perennial bed.  Eventually, I will go in every year and pull them out, despite their awesome color.

     Spring appears in the form of Tulip trees opening in our area. 

    

And, as in other areas of the country...the budding of trees.  This one is a Possum Haw.

     This is my favorite blooming shrub; a flowering quince.  I had one real quince form and grow on this shrub during last year's growing season.  It was the first one I had ever seen.  I love the coral color of the blooms, but also appreciate the fact that it appears first in our yard.  This one blooms in time with the average Forsythia bush.