Strange January

We are having strange weather for January. No jacket or sweater needed yesterday. But that's supposed to change today. We're living in a mixed-up season. I have been mixing up a few things inside the house.

I posted this picture on Instagram explaining that my brown pottery collection started back in the 70's. I kept adding a few more over the years. Mine are very inexpensive but rich in memories.

 The cross Christmas gift was hung in the hallway. 

Made Mom's chocolate pie twice this week.

You can find her recipe under the label recipe.

It's so good, warm or cold.

Takes Me Back

I haven't made this pie in a long while. How I loved my mom's pie! I have shared this recipe before, but it's worth repeating. The crust is what makes it special.

 Love the recipe book she put together for me.

Love seeing her handwriting.

Lazy Saturday Schedule

 No plans for today. Letting the day unfold on its own.
 And so far it's off to a lovely start. 

 First, a wonderful phone conversation with a dear friend.

 Secondly, two banana nut breads turned out just like the recipe said they       would. I had clipped a recipe from Tuesday's Commercial Appeal and tried it this very morning. 

 Corkey and Jason sampled the cake before it had a chance to cool. They gave their approval.

I sampled the banana bread after our simple lunch of bologna, tomato, and pickle sandwiches. YUMMY! Actually it tasted identical to a family recipe I have used. But this newspaper recipe required no buttermilk.


Now I'm writing this blog post.  Later I plan to read.

Below is my newest flower painting. I hung it on a wall all by itself.

Recently at our Goodwill Bargain Center I picked up a couple of old books for a dollar each. I placed them under the wooden bowl I found in Indiana. The one has a beautiful cover.

Happy Saturday!

Helpful Hints

Another week has flown by, and I am trying to process the fact that half of 2011 has already passed. The holiday weekend was pleasant but quickly over. On Monday the Fourth we sat down to enjoy ribs and chicken from the grill, potato salad, baked beans, and butter crunch chocolate pie. My mom gave me the pie recipe years ago. It's the crust that makes it special. 

Butter Crunch Chocolate Pie

1/2 cup butter

1 cup Gold Metal flour

1/4 brown sugar(packed)

1/2 cup nuts(pecans)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients with hands. Spread in oblong pan and bake for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally until light brown.

 Press hot Butter Crunch in pie pan and shape shell. Pour hot chocolate filling(Jell-o Cook and Serve 50z box) into shell. Let filling cool and set. 

Now on to the real reason for this post. I'm sharing five simple solutions that work for me. You may decide "It's a good thing" as Martha Stewart would say and use one of these simple hints.



a rock as paperweight

   a flower frog as pen holder

 wooden mug stand as bracelet organizer

 baskets as handy storage containers 

 empty tissue box to store plastic bags

I think my favorite is the last one. This tip was shared in a Simple Life magazine. I keep one box on the top shelf of the bathroom closet. When I need to empty the wastecan, I reach for a bag. My other box stays in the utility room closet near the kitchen. This ingenious system keeps many grocery store bags under control. 

Comfort in a Cookie

I needed a comfort food today to rid myself

of a bout of depression. Oatmeal raisin cookies

came to my rescue. A few years ago I took the lid

from a Quaker Oatmeal carton, glued buttons around it, and kept the tried and true recipe up in the cupboard. Countless times a batch of these moist and tasty cookies has helped a sour mood disappear. Thankfully my outlook improved after

feeling productive in the kitchen. Hugs, Sandy

Favorite Recipe

This cake has been made by me countless times. I owe this version to my friend Carla. There's a recipe on the Duncan Hines box for Sock-it-to-me cake, but I prefer this one that Carla gave me way back in 1971.

Carla's Sock-it-to-me Cake

1 box Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Butter Recipe Golden

3/4 c. Wesson oil or Crisco oil

1/2 pt. sour cream

1/2 c. sugar

4 whole eggs

1 Tbsp. butter flavoring(McCormick's is my 1st choice.)

Mix all the ingredients together.

Grease bundt pan. (I usually spray with Pam.)

Pour 1/2 batter into pan.

Sprinkle top with 2 Tbsp. brown sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon.

Then pour in other half of batter.

Bake 1 hr. at 350 degrees.

* This cake is a family favorite at our house. I promise it turns out great every time.

Soggy Saturday

Peony

Iris

Geranium

Yesterday I snapped a few pictures of blooms...good thing because last night and today those same blooms got pelted with lots of rain. In the late afternoon we ate pizza, watched the Kentucky Derby, and devoured a warm egg custard pie. Here's the recipe used by my husband's mother and later passed on to us -

Egg Custard Pie

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of milk

3 eggs

1/4 tsp. of nutmeg

1 tsp. of vanilla

Mix eggs and sugar until creamy

Add nutmeg and vanilla

Scald milk (do not boil)

Add milk to other mixture

Pour into a thawed unbaked 9" pie shell

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes

Reduce to 325 degrees and cook about 20 minutes