Nostalgic Homemaking

My blog has moved!

2008-12-15T10:03:00.001-08:00

I've moved! The new blog (same gooey filling) is at Wordpress.

See you over there!

Random Recipe Monday - Snowball Potatoes

2008-12-15T08:23:00.000-08:00

Apparently, I laughed a little too soon about the snow. We had another two hours of snow in the afternoon, which didn't add up to much but which did add plenty of ice. The road is still iced up today and Mama doesn't drive in the snow/ice, so I'm homebound. No Donner Party moments ahead though; I have some stuff in the freezer. I think a nice meatloaf might be in order (much to NR's sadness, I'm afraid). But perhaps I can tempt him with some snowball potatoes.

I haven't made these before but they do remind me of the klub that I still need to make for Dad - although with cheese inside the potato instead of ham (and they are baked, not boiled - alright they are nothing like klub). Of course, NR doesn't love mashed potatoes or cheese so on second thought, he might not be a fan. Then again, he is a sucker for advertising. The chance to eat snowballs for dinner just might be too much to pass up.

Potato Snowballs (by Ingrid Hoffman)

Ingredients

* 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 2 ounces Oaxaca or any other soft white cheese, cubed
* 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
* Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Put potatoes in a large pot and fill with water until potatoes are just covered. Add the 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are very soft, about 40 minutes.

Press potatoes through a potato ricer or pulse in a bowl with an immersion hand blender until they are mashed. Let sit for a few minutes until just cool enough to handle.

Cut the white cheese in 1/2-inch cubes.

Prepare a baking sheet with foil wrap and coat with vegetable spray or rub with oil.

Put bread crumbs in a small bowl.

While mashed potatoes are still warm, form into 2-inch balls and insert 1 cheese cube in center, then roll into bread crumbs and place on cookie sheet. Wash hands and dry after every third ball so the potatoes will form evenly and not stick to the bread crumbs in your hand. Quantity should make about 10 balls.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, serve immediately.

Recipe found at foodnetwork.

Oh the weather outside is frightful...well, no

2008-12-14T12:12:00.000-08:00

At last, the big snow of December 2008! It's come to our neighborhood at last. If you blink, you might miss it, so look closely.

Though it doesn't look like much, I must say that it is slippery enough for danger. We watched a girl sliding down the street (as if on ice skates) hurt her leg badly enough that the paramedics had to come. We also saw the dumbest woman in the world get out of her sliding and still in "drive" car to assess why she couldn't manage to get up the hill. Naturally, she fell and the car started rolling away. Luckily, she was unhurt and the car didn't careen into the injured girl, which seemed highly possible. But it was tense there for a few minutes. Oh and I forgot to mention: she was driving a four wheel drive Lexus wagon. I wonder if it is just the snow that brings out the silliest in people.

Bioluminescence, Tudor ghosts and Jane Austen the Sleuth - all before my coffee

2008-12-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

I tend to get up before everyone else in my house. No matter how late I go to bed, I'm up first and I usually have an hour or so to myself. Typically, I spend it on the computer, surfing. I follow up on random thoughts, check out obscure news, add books to my library "to read" list - the usual kind of stuff.

But today I was a bit weirder than usual. I started with checking airfare rates to London and tour packages - mind you, there is no way I'm going to be able to go any time soon, but what the heck, I can dream, right? BTW, British Airway has $1100 tickets if you are looking to fly in May. There are also some great tour packages to Derbyshire here.

Ok, so that little jaunt led me to reminisce about a family vacation many years ago to Hampton Court Palace (Henry VIII's old digs). So I pulled up the website and prowled around there for awhile. Interesting photos and articles about the palace and a reference to a recent ghost sighting. Wait, what? I didn't hear about that.

So, off to youtube to find the CCTV video of the ghost. . Even a guest at the palace that day saw it so it must be true, right?

A little more reading about other spots we saw on our family vacation (Tower of London, villages in Southern England, Stonehenge - it was an amazing trip) got me thinking about visiting Derbyshire - the gorgeous scenery in the latest Pride and Prejudice movie. Well, since I won't be traveling soon I thought I'd check the library for any books on the subject. That search found me a series of novels where Jane Austen is the detective in murder mysteries. Yeah, there really is no historic person left in the world who hasn't been turned into a sleuth. Ben Franklin, Elizabeth I, Jane Austen...I'm sure there is a Dolly Madison or Prince Phillip mystery out there somewhere in the world.

Ok, so at this point, I'm thinking about England, ghosts, Regency England and of course, Christmas. This leads me to do a little surfing on Christmas past and I read a little about the Twelve Days of Christmas (boy that song is annoying), which leads me to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, which leads me to an article that explains how bioluminescence could be why his nose glows so bright. So I guess that magic that makes him fly can't handle glowing nostrils.

It's an hour later and I've seen Henry VIII's ghost, learned about glowing reindeer noses, added a likely cheesy novel to my "to read" list and planned a vacation to England. What did I ever do before the Internet? All I can say is God Bless Al Gore for inventing it.

Eggnog - not just for getting drunk anymore

2008-12-09T08:40:00.000-08:00

Have you tried eggnog? Of course you have. Everyone has, right? What about real, bonafide, full of liquor eggnog? It is potent stuff. I assume all the liquor is there to kill any germs from the raw eggs but still, a little dab will do ya. Personally, I'm more of a virgin eggnog drinker myself, though a tiny dash of rum is a nice addition. The grocery store variety is ok with me - no worries about uncooked eggs there - even if it does have a zillion calories per glass. It's still such a holiday drink that I can't help buying at least one quart.

Which, unless you drink it all, leaves part of quart hanging out in your fridge after New Years. So what to do with the stuff? I wondered that myself and here are some interesting alternatives to guzzling down the nog:

How about an eggnog cupcake with bourbon caramel cream cheese frosting? Or perhaps a stack of eggnog pancakes on Christmas morning or New Year's Day?

Had enough sweets? Ok, what about chicken with eggnog cream sauce or eggnog sweet potato gratin (same link). Perhaps a slice of eggnog bread would be good with the chicken.

But, in the end, if you just want to just drink your nog, and you are feeling extra friendly toward those kind folks at the liquor store, here's Martha Stewart's very own recipe. (Be sure to read the disclaimer at the top of the recipe; it does call for raw eggs.) You'll need plenty of bourbon, rum and cognac on hand.

Cheers, everybody!

Cranberry-Apple Crisp, why yes Mr. Darcy

2008-12-06T12:25:00.000-08:00

As much as I tout the wonderful taste that is pie, I have a soft spot in my stomach (one of many) for crisps. Crisps, crumbles, buckles, cobblers - all the fruity goodness that is covered with some kind of blanket of crust. Sure pie is popular, friendly, wonderful to dance with - like Mr. Bingley from Pride and Prejudice (ok, maybe not the dancing part) but crisps have more depth. They are crisp, tart, warm but with an outer layer to protect them, a Mr. Darcy of the dessert world. Ok, yes, I have been watching Pride and Prejudice and reading the book, what of it?

Not to lose an opportunity to find my culinary Darcy, I thought I'd give a cranberry-apple crisp a try. It was recommended by Cook's Country, which I'm always partial to, and it has cranberries, which I love. So why not?

The ingredients are in my fridge right now, waiting for me to get off this computer and get to them. I'm behind schedule today, what with watching the Keira Knightly P&P again this morning (no, it isn't the six hour Colin Firth splendor but it will certainly do). Right now, I have to run off to Home Depot for a reindeer for the front yard (NR's request) and search out some ham shank for the klub. But I swear, after that, I'm ready for Darcy...er....the crisp. Honest.

*

Wow, I need help.

*Photo found at the New York Times

Klub? Yep, klub.

2008-12-05T10:56:00.000-08:00

On Thanksgiving night, my father reminisced fondly of a dish his Norwegian uncle used to make - klub (sounds like cloooob). He remembered Uncle Oscar and Aunt Alma inviting the family over for a big batch, probably around the holidays. As with all Norwegian food, I was scared to ask what it was, but the two helpings of stuffing and gravy gave me fortitude. Klub, my father informed me, is a boiled potato ball/dumpling that has a bit of ham in the center. Nordic humbau, if you will. The potato isn't mashed or shredded, it is riced into tiny bits, to which a bit of Crisco or some other greasing agent is added. This mixture is wrapped around the ham bit and boiled slowly in a pot of water. Or that's the gist of it any way.

I told my dad that I would make some klub for him. Maybe it was my current Scandinavian Christmas fixation that pushed me over the edge or the Princess cake in Martha Stewart's December issue, but whatever it was, I agreed to give klub a whirl. Now, I must admit that this dish doesn't sound good to me. It has several strikes against it in my book, but I'm game to give it a whirl, provided I can find a recipe.

Now, you'd think finding such a recipe would be easy in this age of the WWW but those that I have found, I haven't liked the sound of. Some call for beef suet (no way) or pork hocks or salt pork (no thanks). I checked out a Scandinavian cookbook from the library, filled with just about every recipe known to Viking...except klub. Finally, I did find a recipe for Potet Klub that might fit the bill. It comes from the "Midwest's Number 1 Roadside Cafe" so how can you argue with that? I'll probably try it over the weekend and I'll let you know how it goes.

If anyone has tried this (Auntie R I know you have), please feel free to share your thoughts on what makes good klub. I hope salt figures into your equation.

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies

2008-12-02T08:34:00.001-08:00

I personally have never had a sugar plum. I'm guessing they are dried plums dipped in sugar, but really I have no idea. I do like the sugar plum fairy, as in the ballet, The Nutcracker, but I don't know how similar the SPF is to the food.

Yesterday, I had a chance to see pint sized plums in action at my nephew's ballet class. He and the rest of the dancers (all girls) were rehearsing for their Winter performance. I should mention that they are three years old. Imagine an unruly line of tots in tutus and one strong boy in black tights and you can imagine how wonderfully fun it was. There was plenty of squirming and sillies while they tried to move into second position. Their upcoming recital is to the song What a Wonderful World (Louie Armstrong version) and it was absolutely precious to see them flapping their butterfly arms while they shouted out the words. They might not have been dancing to Tchaikovsky, but they were sweet nonetheless.

So these little dancers got me thinking about sugar plums. What are these elusive treats that inspired the ballet dance? I did a little recipe searching and wow, there are clearly no firm guidelines for what gets labeled a "sugar plum". I found pieces of candy mixed with chopped pineapple, cherries surround by oatmeal, breads and cakes. It's doubtful that most of these concoctions would have even been available in 19th century Russia. So what is the real deal? Well, I have found a recipe for drying and sugaring plums, updated from a 16th century version. For those interested in drying their own plums, check it out here. I also found an interesting discussion about a dried fruit and nut version, inspired by Turkish candies. Given that The Nutcracker has an exotic local, maybe this is what Tchaikovsky had in mind when he wrote the music.

So the dried sugared fruit or the nut/fruit concoction - I don't know which is the real "sugar plum" treat of Tchaikovsky and Twas the Night Before Christmas. I guess the only visions of sugar plums dancing in my head will be those little ballerinas/ballet dancer working on their pirouettes.

"You are a good housekeeper, Mommy..."

2008-11-30T12:05:00.000-08:00

"You keep the flies out of the house." High praise from my eight year old. I guess I should be glad that he notices anything that I do around the house.

Last night, we decked the halls (or started the process, anyway) and put up our tree. I'm still working on how to get the outdoor lights strung, but here are a few snaps from the living room:
NR's Candy Canes
Our kitty under the tree - love the green and gold eyes
Close up of the mantle
My Scandinavian heart garland

The girl's got it

2008-11-28T08:46:00.000-08:00

I've been a long time fan of Rosalind Russell. Ever since I first saw her in His Girl Friday with Cary Grant. She was the only Auntie Mame for me (forget the Lucille Ball version) and I absolutely loved her in Gypsy, even if her singing was augmented by another.

Yep, I think Roz was one class act - beautiful, hilarious, strong and sassy, and above all she had a spirit to carry through, in all her roles. Even in the comedic ones, maybe especially in the comedic ones, that spirit is there.

My sister reminds me of Rosalind Russell. Not only is she also beautiful, hilarious, strong and sassy, but most especially she has that same spirit. Nothing can stop her, nothing can hold her back or get her down. She is absolutely the embodiment of Auntie Mame's adage to "Live, live, live" and no matter what, that spirit will see her through.

Bee, I thought you could use a little lift to defy gravity. Love you.

Sailing, pillaging and baking - it's a viking thing

2008-11-26T08:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, so the Vikings weren't bakers; no room for a puffy hat on top of those horn helmets. But they did sail and pillage and generally roam the world, bringing back treasure to the Norse homeland. One of those treasures was cardamom. You know, the spice. You gotta hand it to those hearty seafarers that they managed to make it so far in their big dragon headed boats; depending on who tells the story, they picked up cardamom in India, Constantinople or somewhere in the middle east. And you thought they only discovered America.

So cardamom makes its way from Viking ships to Scandinavian bakeries. Quite an interesting tale, I'm sure, but we'll save that for another day. The point (and yes, I do have one) is that cardamom is a very popular spice in Scandinavia, particularly in baked goods. Myself, I really like cardamom. I'm not sure I could accurately describe the flavor to someone who hasn't tried it but think "sweet", "aromatic" and "pungent" (wikipedia's best description). Weirdly, it works in sweets as well as Swedish meatballs and even Indian curries (the land of its birth).

So, yesterday I baked up a coffee cake for breakfast, featuring cardamom. Inspired by my Scandinavian Christmas projects, I thought a wedge of this cake and some good coffee (thanks, Mom for the great "Royal Vinter") would start me off right. Sure enough, the cake was great from the oven but even better in the evening when hubby had it for dessert. I upped the salt in the recipe and I used ground cardamom, rather than pulverizing fresh cardamom pods, but otherwise I made it as is. If you need a nice coffee cake to take to the neighbors or when you go out pillaging on the seas, you might give this one a try.

Ya sure you betcha, it's Christmas (almost)

2008-11-24T09:02:00.001-08:00

I said this a few days ago but I'm excited to put up my Christmas tree. Some years, I really dread doing it and I put it off until the last moment. That's a stinky, Grinchy, Bah-Humbug kind of attitude, huh? Yeah, well, I have small streak of Grinch if I'm not careful.

But not this year. This year, I'm in the Spirit - spike the egg nog, Auntie Mame on roller skates, capital S kind of Spirit. I'm also inspired by those countries that know a thing or two about snow, the land of my forefathers/mothers - Norway. Yeah, the spirit hasn't completely made me crazy; I won't be sampling lutefisk or donning the St. Lucia crown of burning candles. But I will be adding some Scandinavian spirit to the festivities this year. What makes it Scandinavian, you ask? Plenty of red and white, heart motifs, snowy stuff and gnomes, of course. Well, that's my version anyway. I suppose someone in Stockholm might have a different perspective, but this is my interpretation.

I'll be conjuring up a few decorations and posting photos in December but I thought a little inspiration from Flickr was in order. There are some amazing (and mundane and weird) photos on Flickr, as well as some things that inspire me for Christmas. Here are some of my favorites:

2008-11-24T09:01:00.001-08:00

The gnome knows...
Originally uploaded by DesignMinistry

The gnome knows....says DesignMinistry on Flickr.

2008-11-24T09:00:00.001-08:00

heart
Originally uploaded by Ravenhill Designs

Handknit Norwegian sweater transformed into a felted heart. Look for Ravenhill Designs stuff on Etsy.

2008-11-24T08:59:00.001-08:00

Christmas in Sweden
Originally uploaded by Vif

"Christmas in Sweden" by Vif on Flickr.

2008-11-24T08:58:00.001-08:00

Spotty heart
Originally uploaded by cowshedboutique

A Beautiful Norwegian Christmas Garland, Posted by cowshedboutique on Flickr.

And have you met my house?

2008-11-22T15:08:00.000-08:00

Manderley, Pemberley, Twelve Oaks...Fictional houses (or more likely estates) have names. "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." is one of the best opening lines from a novel (Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier) in my opinion. Part of what makes that book so great is the personality of the home. Mr. Darcy has Pemberley and Ashley Wilkes has Twelve Oaks. People in fiction live in houses with character, full of characters, and I think some of it has to do with names.

Real people live in houses with names too, though they tend to be more of the Martha Stewart variety (her home, Cantitoe Corners, not only has a name (albeit less poetic than Manderley) but also a sycamore tree as her motif). I think it is safe to say that most houses don't have names, let alone motifs, and I think that is a shame. Why should only the rich, those living on estates and with multiple places to call home get the fun of naming their house? Why is a rambler or split level or condo any less worthy of a moniker? Probably because we the owners feel silly calling our home by a proper name. There seems to be something pretentious, something fictional in calling a house by a name, right? Maybe that is because the only houses we know of with names are either fictional or belong to people who might have a reputation of being a bit...well...pretentious. (Sorry, Martha, but you know it is true.)

And I say again that is too bad. For all that our homes do for us and mean to us, you'd think they'd rate something better than "the house" when we talk about them. Even cars often get names from their owners, but houses not so much. Well, why not buck the trend and find a name that really suits your place. You could go hog wild and pick out a motif and fix up some notepads in Print Shop - something goofy or silly or even serious.

Why on earth would I do that, I hear you saying, you curmudgeon you. And I respond with Why ever not? Lord knows the rich get to have enough fun as it is; we of the more modest incomes can have some freebie fun ourselves. Besides, with hard times showing us all just how important our homes are, making them just a bit more personal and a bit more welcoming is no bad thing. And just to help you out, here's a little list of names you can freely claim as your own (I'll tell you my choice at the end):

Miss Equity
Dorothy (there is no place like...)
Fawlty Towers
Hatfield (or McCoy)
Ramblin Rose
Ponderosa
Bedlam (sometimes that's the only name that fits)
Cozy Hole
Bag End (or insert your favorite literary reference)
FixerUpper
Sheetrock
Falcon Crest (or whatever 80s TV show floats your boat)

Me, I'm leaning toward Fanny. My house has a great fan window over the front door, but beyond that the name just makes me think of baskets of yarn, a fat kitty, books everywhere and a few cookies tucked away, just in case. That about sums up the house perfectly.

I knew there was a reason I voted for him....

2008-11-19T16:30:00.000-08:00

Glad to know the next Prez and I share a fondness for cupcakes. I wonder what kind they were...

Oh and speaking of pie (weren't we?), don't miss this great essay about pie at the Huffington Post. I love the phrase Sentimental Americanism. Who knew pie is the salve that can heal our wounded nation. Well, duh, right?

Isn't it December yet?

2008-11-18T11:11:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what it is about this particular November but it feels like it has been exceptionally long. That's silly to say when today is only the 17th but it just feels like November has stretched out. Not that I'm bursting for December to come, I'm not. Don't get me wrong; I love December. Sort of. Preparing for Christmas is always a lot of work, especially when you are penny pinching. As much as I love enjoying Christmas day, the prep work leading up to it can be daunting. Especially when I put a lot of pressure on myself to get it right.

I always have this list of things I want to do, things that seem important and if I don't get to them, I'm disappointed. I wanted to make advent wall calendars this year for the kids; don't know if that will happen or not. I am still finishing up homemade presents, though I'm in better shape this year than I was last year. I want to really deck the halls outside with lots of lights but that is easier said than done when 1) you are afraid of heights and 2) you live in a two story house.

This year has an added challenge (or opportunity, if you have a good attitude) because I'm spending half of each day homeschooling NR. We're going to looking at different holidays, learning about Hanukkah and more about Christmas. We're going to talk about the winter solstice and Kwanzaa and just generally be really cognizant of each day during December and what it means to different people. That means I have to have my act together. Not only do I have to have the information but the activities, stories and songs that go along with it. Yeah, that's going to be challenging.

I could reduce the celebrating - forgo the Victorian high tea that I'm looking forward to, skip the local Christmas craft fairs, steer clear of the twinkling lights tours. Sure, that would free up a lot of time. But isn't it the special stuff that makes December, well, special?

So I'm not rushing toward December but I am looking forward to it. November has always felt like a placeholder month for me anyway. Sure, Thanksgiving is there for we Americans but as soon as Halloween is done, I start looking toward the evergreen boughs and Santa hats. Anticipation is 9/10ths of Christmas anyway, in my book. No, I won't get those stuffed "Twelve Days of Christmas" ornaments done in time for this year but maybe they'll be ready for next time. I just need to keep reminding myself that Christmas doesn't have to be perfect; we just need to be present and living in the moment.

Sunday Snaps

2008-11-16T10:30:00.000-08:00

A new tea cozy joins his owl brethren.

Meatloaf basics

The stock for French Onion soup to come

NR's "Lion and Camp Bufulo" reminds me of Picasso.

Everybody needs a hero....

2008-11-13T15:05:00.000-08:00

We all have people we admire, right? Sometimes for big things (Barack Obama) or smaller things (that nice lady who let you cut into line with just those two items). And sometimes, well...there's admiration that goes a tad beyond. I'm not talking stalking or channeling Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs - nothing too nutball, you understand. But I admire just a tad beyond a wonderful blogger named Alicia Paulson. Alicia's blog, Posie Gets Cozy, has a zillion fans so I am just one in the crowd, but I really enjoy her point of view, her wonderful craft projects, her beautiful photography, and her way of making each moment seem special. I mostly lurk on her blog, but I visit often and I daydream about being able to sew like Alicia, take photos like Alicia and generally be like the Oh-So-Talented Ms. Paulson.

You can imagine my captured heart's delight when I saw months ago that she had her first book coming out in November (see my link in the widget below - it's been there since preordering). With much delight last night, I opened my copy of Stitched in Time, delivered from Amazon. You know how some things just take you away? Like good books, favorite movies or even a long soak in the tub? Well, reading through Alicia's book was a little mental holiday and I enjoyed every minute of it. It's packed with gorgeous photos, adorable projects and just the kind of domestic bliss that I crave. I've even completed one of the projects for a Christmas gift and I'm working on another.

She'll be in town in December for a book signing and I plan to go. I've never had (or wanted) a book signed before but I really would like her to sign this one. Yes, I know it is a bit weird to be so interested in a total stranger, but that is the great thing about blogging - you get to know people just by reading their posts and looking into their lives.

So Alicia, if you stumble upon this post, thanks for having such a great perspective and a fresh look at homemaking. Best wishes with the book.

Book Review: Martha Stewart's Cooking School

2008-11-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

Whatever your opinions about Martha, the lady knows how to cook. No flash in the pan is she; her many years in the culinary spotlight have proven her skill. Still, when I am looking for recipes, I don't usually check her website. I guess I have the impression that her food is fussy, that it takes exotic ingredients and that it is expensive to make. Martha's new book is changing my opinion.

Martha Stewart's Cooking School was just published in October, yet my wonderful library already has a copy. I'm glad it does because it has given me a chance to dig into this huge book without paying the list price of $45 (though Amazon has it on sale right now, so that's a good thing).

Written with an eye toward mastering the basics, the text covers the differences in certain chopping techniques (like what a medium dice really means versus finely chopped - yeah these things do matter if you want consistent results), when to use certain knives or herbs or kitchen equipment. The book begins at soup and each recipe is geared to teach you a different skill or to serve as a basis for moving on.

I made her version of beef stew (albeit with a little tweaking for family dislikes) and it turned out very well. Ingredients were added in stages, rather than all at once - which makes sense. The potatoes don't need to cook as long as the beef or they will get mushy. And true with all stews, it was even better the next day.

So if your library has this new book, I would recommend giving it a look. You might not take everything to heart but you might just rethink your take on Martha Stewart and her cooking.

Random Recipe Monday - WWII cake

2008-11-10T08:25:00.000-08:00

Veterans' Day is tomorrow. Right now, the population of new veterans seems to be growing and the population of old veterans declining. No matter the war front, we are grateful for their service and I hope everyone can thank their veterans or remember the ones that are now gone.

In that spirit, I thought a recipe from the past might be interesting and for those who are lucky to still have WWII vets in their lives, perhaps a bit nostalgic. I found this recipe at recipecurio, which is a new site to me but one I'll be checking out frequently - she has done a great job preserving older recipes.

This particular recipe was written in the time of rationing so you'll notice the absence of butter or shortening. Not such a bad idea from a cholesterol standpoint anyway. I think the "milk" should be whole milk though. The cake recipe is called "spring beauty" but lemon flavor in November sounds fine by me.

SWANS DOWN’S SPRING BEAUTY CAKE

1 cup sifted Swans Down Cake Flour
1 teaspoon Calumet Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons hot milk.

Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder and salt, and sift together three times. Beat eggs with rotary egg beater until thick enough to stand up in soft peaks (5 to 7 minutes); add sugar gradually, beating constantly. Add lemon juice. Fold in flour, a small amount at a time. Add hot milk and stir quickly until thoroughly blended. Turn at once into ungreased tube pan and bake in moderate oven (350° F.) 35 minutes, or until done. Remove from oven and invert pan, 1 hour, or until cold. Remove from pan.

CCR and Chicken Fried Steak

2008-11-06T15:34:00.001-08:00

It is a rainy gray day here. Not the kind of oh-look-it-is-raining-let's-get-out-the-galoshes kind of day, but the man-is-it-pouring-where-is-my-teakettle kind of day. Days like this inspire the comfort food craving in me, but for some reason I'm also channeling a bit of southern drawl too today. I've had Creedence Clearwater Revival on the brain and a hankering (how's that for southern) for chicken fried steak, with gravy, thank you.

While looking for economical meals that aren't all casseroles (not that there is anything wrong with that, but sometimes a girl wants meat), I stumbled onto a country fried steak recipe in my favorite southern cookbook, Screen Doors and Sweet Tea (see widget below for the link if y'all are interested). The beauty of country fried steak is that cubed steak is cheap cheap cheap but tastes great. Throw on some mashed taters and white gravy - mmmmm, sounds like some fine eating to me.

So that's what's for dinner tonight. Unfortunately, I can't find a link to Martha Foose's great recipe (the benefits of buying the book, I guess) but I suspect that Paula Deen's version might just work as well. I'm using cubed steak in mine.

Here's a little CCR to enjoy while you fry up those steaks....how Fogerty found pants that matched the leather sofa he is sitting on is beyond me...

Taking the day

2008-11-05T16:08:00.000-08:00

I'm taking the day to just let last night's monumental results sink in. Amid the daily stuff of preparing math lessons, drying another load of clothes, putting away dishes and worrying about the thinness of my wallet, I find myself stopping to smile, to tear up, to remember some of the most amazing words I've heard from a politician.

I don't think there will be a more important election in my lifetime. I will not forget the images from last night and the pride on all the faces in the crowd. Whether you supported Barack Obama or not, last night was historic and has changed the history of America.

Oh look at me, getting all Olbermann on you here. So I'll hush up and get back to making my lentil soup. But really, let's all take the day to reflect on this. What a difference 24 hours can make.