And another thing…

I looked at the blog(s) today and noticed that I have not posted since, well, forever.

We are still here.

Much canning of tomatoes and assorted veggies, a big ol’ batch of apple butter & apple pie filing, and canned butter (oh yes, you can do that) has taken a big chunk of time.  There was also the clay oven we build that took a few weekends, see here.  Then, I just got tired…

Oh!  Also, I decided to try knitting.  Just another thing to do.  Boy, am I having trouble with tension.  The end of my rows are fine, but the middle seems to be just really so tight.  Any suggestions on that?

Hopefully, things will start to settle down to a more normal pace and I can post a bit more frequently.

Except for, you know, that whole holiday thing…

<sigh>

Technorati Tags: canning, clay oven, Knitting, tomato, tomatoes

I made two batches of frozen custard over the weekend - one with maybe a 1/4 cup of the coffee syrup (mentioned in a post here) added to the custard base and one plain vanilla.

We really enjoy the frozen custard much more than the Philadelphia style.

The recipe I like best is from ‘The Ultimate Ice Cream Book’ by Bruce Weinstein.

Just remember to keep the heat low-ish and keep stirring to keep the eggs from curdling.

Vanilla Ice Cream - Custard style

1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, beat sugar and salt into the egg yolks until thick and pale yellow.

Bring the half and half to a simmer in a medium sauce pan. Slowly beat the hot half and half into the eggs and sugar. Pour the mixture back into the sauce pan or a double boiler and place over very low heat. Stir with a whisk or wooden spoon until the custard thickens slightly. Remove from heat and pour through a strainer into a large bowl (I use a stainless steel ‘third pan’ - I think it cools more quickly). Allow the custard to cool slightly (10-15 minutes) and stir in cream and vanilla. Cover** and refrigerate until cold or overnight.

Stir the chilled custard, then freeze in your ice cream machine. Ice cream with be soft and ready to eat, or transfer to a freezer container and freeze for firm ice cream.

** I do not cover the custard while it is still warm. Partially cover, leaving one end uncovered until cool!

Technorati Tags: Frozen custard, ice cream, recipe

I need a recipe.  Desperately.

Did I mention that a few weeks ago we bought a Cuisinart SupremeCuisinart Supreme Ice Cream Maker?  Well, we did.

Cuisinart Supreme

We had an ice cream maker.  We also had two that were powered by our KitchenAid stand mixers.  They all worked great, but having to put the bowl in the freezer cut down on the spontaneity of the thing.  We were always taking the bowl out to shove in a roast or an extra loaf of bread or, you know a couple of Thanksgiving turkeys.  We never remembered to put the thing back in.

Did we need this?  No.  Did that deter me?  Ha!  Obviously not.  It’s ice cream, for goodness sake!

I remember the ice cream makers my folks had when I was a kid.  First the hand crank type that took about 4 pounds of rock salt, 20 pounds of ice and seemed to take forever.  Then the electric type.  Still the 4 pounds of salt and gobs of ice cubes.  Not too much faster, but at least your arm didn’t get tired.

This baby has a compressor built in — it’s always ready!  Like an ice cream maker on Cialis or something.  And it’s quick.  Making a frozen custard is about 30 minutes.

It’s not inexpensive.  Dennis gulped - hard - when he saw the price, but he decided after the 2nd batch that he loves it.  I sometimes see him petting it and whispering sweet nothings into it’s vents.  But that’s another story. It’s definitely worth the money, I have had always been pleased with other Cuisinart products, and well, you know, it’s kinda cool.

Anyhoo…. I made frozen yogurt a few weeks ago and I just threw it out today.  I don’t think either of us ate more than a couple of bites.

Maybe it was the yogurt I used, I don’t know, but it was just too tangy.

Does anyone have a good Columbo style frozen yogurt recipe?  Or maybe advice of the best yogurt to use when make this frozen desert?

Thanks!

Technorati Tags: Cuisinart Supreme Ice Cream Machine, Frozen custard, frozen yogurt, ice cream, ice cream maker

I posted earlier that we had planted a veg garden this year.  The plants are doing great despite the hot weather, but we have also had quite a nice initial show from our flowering plants this month.

I love the first blooms of the year.

This is the iris that got smashed when the pear and  pine tree fell on it a couple of years ago.  See that story here.

Bearded Iris

Peony

Peony

Wisteria

The wisteria we planted the first year we moved in bloomed a good year before it was supposed to.

We’re blessed with good soil - not green thumbs.  And boy, do we appreciate it.

Technorati Tags: blooms, flowers, garden, peony, rose, roses, wisteria

We have a couple of great places around here that makes the best apple fritters. If you time it just right, you can get them still warm, with that goopy, oozy glaze drippin’ all over your fingers. One day, I’ll make them from scratch, but it’s just so darned convenient to buy them…

From the Arm & Hammer 1933 Booklet:

2 cups sifted flour
3/4 teaspoon Arm & Hammer or Cow Brand Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs, well beaten
1 1//3 cups sour milk
2 tablespoons shortening, melted
2 cups diced apples

Sift flour once, measure, add baking soda, salt, sugar and nutmeg. Sift again. Combine eggs, milk and shortening. Add to flour mixture. Beat until smooth. Add apples. Drop by spoonsful into deep hot fat (375 degrees F.) and cook to a rich brown, turning frequently. Serve hot with syrup. Serves 8.

I know I haven’t posted in a while - since December - but there you go. Murphy’s law. It’s a killer.

We had quite a crappy end of the year and I have been hiding under the covers until I was sure the bad mojo had gone.

I’m still unsure.

As you may or may not know, my Mom died in September. That pretty much set the tone for the next several months. It seemed we were just getting our equilibrium back and looking forward to Christmas when Dennis sister passed away on Christmas eve. She had been battling cancer for a long time, and doing pretty well. But a week before Christmas we got word that she was on a downward trajectory. We were fortunate to be able to visit before she died.

Christmas was a pretty low-key affair. My dad came out for dinner as did Dennis brother. Neither of my brothers come home. In fact, neither of my brothers sent gifts…or cards. I believe they called my dad, they did not call me.

And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

So, as you can imagine, we were anxious for the year to be over already.

Since January 1st, the weather has been bitterly cold, the snow keeps falling (not enough to give you an excuse to stay home from work however), we’ve fostered two sets of puppies (I want to stop smelling like pee), the fuel oil bill came (yikes!), my house is so dusty an archaeologist would go looking for grant money, the kitchen remodel has been stalled since November … you get the idea.

Hopefully we will shake loose some time and get the blogs purring again.

I am not counting on it.

I created this presentation for a friend who has a dog rescue organization.

So I got it stuck up my craw a few weeks ago of getting a white artificial Christmas tree this year. I saw a beautiful, heavily flocked tree at a local greenhouse and loved it. Of course, at over $400, it would never be mine. So, I scoured the internet and some local stores and found a passable substitute. It was tall enough, pretty enough and affordable enough. I had just purchased a beautiful 9 foot artificial green tree in October at Hobby Lobby. It will ensure we always have a tree that is tall enough and slim enough to fit in our on-the-small side room.

Even though the trees were 30% off in October, it still cost a nice chunk of change, so I had to go … thrifty… on the white tree. I decide on a brown and copper theme, bought some beautiful copper ribbon for the topper and, you know, a few new ornaments to fill it out (that grown you hear is Dennis, reading the part about a few ornaments).

I grew antsier and antsier to put that tree up. I had to see it. I persuaded Dennis to retrieve the revolving tree stand and the box labeled - Ornaments, Transparent and Copper from the attic. No stuff, no dinner - that kind of persuasion.

It went up on Sunday. It spins. It is pretty. The 9-footer goes up this weekend!

The tree being decorated:

The ornaments:

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

We were determined not to do Thanksgiving this year. Hours of prep, tired bones, and over too soon. Over course, that’s exactly what we did. My dad came out for a (quick) meal — I swear he has his coat on before he has finished his last bite.

It was strange setting the table for three. Mom’s corn bread stuffing was on the table, but she wasn’t at the table.

I have a feeling holidays won’t be the same any more.

Happy Thanksgiving. Please give thanks for the ones you love.

You may remember the distraction we had last spring around here. See post here or take a quick look below:

A cute snuggly puppy (and his brother!) who sat on my lap and let me cuddle him.

That was six months and 45 pounds ago.

He’s a very sweet boy, but he is a big ol’ puppy who doesn’t know his own size & strength. He loves playing tug o’ war with his brothers and loves digging. In. the. mud. See below. Take a good look at those front feet.

Here, let me help you!

Here’s the evidence of his extreme puppyosity:

Although he doesn’t sit in my lap anymore, he still lets me cuddle him — when he’s done with all the playing that must be done on any given day.