Oh, gosh, I’ve shared this recipe before but it’s worth sharing again. For Terri, who requested it. Lois is a student of mine who is a creative, careful cook and baker. Any recipe she shares is so good, and always tested. Here’s her lovely coconut pound cake, in detail. That’s so you’ll have excellent results. Wouldn’t this be nice for Easter? COCONUT POUND CAKE 4 … Continue reading Lois Boekley’s Coconut Pound Cake
I feel like a modern pioneer. The past few weeks we’ve been tapping maple trees. And we harvested gallons and gallons of sap. Guess how much maple syrup we got? Well, here’s a hint: it’s a 40:1 ratio. We boiled sap from morning to late afternoon, and watched it turn from clear to a golden brown as the water evaporated. Our bounty of maple syrup … Continue reading Maple Syrup Time! Tap those Trees!
Ron Wilson I have a shamrock that I’ve had for years – it was given to me by a friend who got her start from our pastor. That’s what I love about the friendship of plants! Mine is indoors now but lives outdoors in the shade during the summer. Here’s some fun information about this lovely green plant, from Ron Wilson. Mar 12, 2021 Okay, … Continue reading Shamrocks!
How are you going to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Regardless of your ethnicity (even I’m a bit Irish on St. Pat’s Day!), St. Patrick’s Day is a day of fun and joy of all things Irish. And green. St. Patrick was a real person, born in Britain. He died in the late 5th century AD. The Patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick had a significant … Continue reading Dublin Coddle for St. Pat’s Day
As many of you know, Thursdays are my day to chat with Matt Swaim of the Sonrise Morning Show/Sacred Heart Radio. Today we talked about chickpeas – a staple bean in Bible days. CHICKPEAS Chickpeas are not mentioned specifically in the Bible, but we know that it was a staple in the cuisine of that era. Cultivation of the chickpea began so long ago that … Continue reading Chickpea Vegetable Stew for Lent or Meatless Days
This is for Vickie who wrote: “ 30+ years ago someone gave me a starter for Sour Dough Bread and it was the BEST ever. I used to make 3 loaves a week to keep and give away. Well, life got in the way and I had to stop. Now that I’m retired, I would love to get back to making this Bread. How do I … Continue reading Simple Sourdough Starter
Medjugore BreadNo Knead Fasting Bread Fasting on bread and water has a long tradition in Catholic spirituality. It’s a personal devotion and goes back to Biblical times. A good spiritual discipline, fasting on bread and water is a way to connect with the meaning of Lent. This is the topic Matt Swaim, Sonrise Morning Show, Sacred Heart Radio, talked about this morning. Fasting … Continue reading Fasting Breads
As I write this column, another winter storm is predicted. I took a photo of the outhouse when I went outside to feed the “girls”/chickens. All I can say is, I’m sure glad we’re living today and not years ago when all along our country road, outhouses were essential. So were cook stoves that used wood as fuel. I guess what I’m getting at is … Continue reading Diner Style Salmon Patties Amid a Winter Storm
Guess what I woke up wanting to make today? Orange marmalade! All because of the windfall of thin-skinned, super juicy oranges friends Bob and Bert brought me.If you’ve never made orange marmalade, I hope this recipe makes you want to try. I’ve actually got 2 recipes for you: one a classic stove top recipe and another cooked in the crockpot. Here’s the deal: check out … Continue reading Orange Marmalade – 2 Ways to Cook
Here on our little patch of heaven/farmette, the snow, though treacherous to maneuver through, is quite beautiful. Here’s some photos I took. Continue reading Outhouse, Gardens in Winter Wonderland
