November 9th and Looking Toward Christmas

See?  We've kinda already had Thanksgiving at our house - 

but we'll have it again - modified.

Sarah was home last week - a whole week.

Monday through Yesterday, Tuesday.

She rode the train.

That's right.

From New Orleans to Birmingham and back again to New Orleans on Amtrak.

It's like a car ride and the cost is about the same as gasoline for the car.

I would like to get with the city planners in Birmingham and suggest that they dip into their budget and give their train station a makeover.  

It needs it badly.  Sarah had warned me.  She said the New Orleans Station is pretty nice but the Birmingham Station was a bit of a shocker.  

So we had Thanksgiving on Thursday, last week.

Laura Beth drove home with John and Ada.   

Scott had to stay in McDonough and work.

This little guy and his friends were all over my house all week.

and the pink chair (can you see it?)

stays by this tree.

Luke, Ellie, and Ada use it to get themselves up in the tree.

So far Ada is the champion climber.

She goes up and up and Luke is very impressed.

Ada has a little bit of "monkey' in her.

Like Curious George.

I never stopped to take a lot of pictures.

But Sarah took some on the last day

which I've just seen

and the colors are brilliant.

So I'll close with Sarah's images.

We're moving into active days, aren't we?

I want my brain to absorb these warm colors which will evolve into Christmas reds and greens and glitter 

and then like a screeching halt

the world turns gray and still and cold and often damp.

Snow might happen.  Freezing Rain.

In all of these seasons and days and hours and minutes,

how do you live?  How do I live?

I want mine to count for eternal glory.

I so want it to count for that.

Fall Meal with Recipes

Since I haven't posted in so very long -

and still can think of nothing -

Today I have been cooking for family and for someone who's had surgery - to take a meal - and naturally I select some of my favorite recipes if I'm taking to someone -

Pictures with Recipes:

In this picture I'm cooking apples in apple cider, all from Crow Mtn.

It's that time of year.

Apples from Crow Mtn. - and their apple cider.

Also - I'm perking coffee on top of the stove.

It's its own kind of flavor.

Authentic.

Brunswick Stew

(Recipe below)

Cookies.  Easy.

Delish!

Cake Mix Recipe, compliments of Kate,
with her two blogs here and here.

Recipe Below.

And Buttermilk Cornbread.

In an Iron Skillet.

Recipe from any cookbook.

Okay.  Recipes Below.

Brunswick Stew

original recipe came from this link

I made a few changes.

My adaptation to that recipe:

THE SAUCE

In a medium saucepan, over low heat, 

combine 1 3/4 cups catsup, 1/4 cup yellow mustard, 1/4 cup white vinegar.  

Blend that until smooth and add:

1/2 Tblsp. chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, 

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1/2 oz. Liquid Smoke, 1 oz Worcestershire Sauce,

1/2 oz Tabasco Sauce, 1/2 Tblsp. Lemon Juice

Blend that until smooth, then add 1/4 cup dark brown sugar.

Heat thru, stirring constantly.  Don't boil.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups of sauce.  

(set aside - to be added later)

THE STEW

In a 2 gallon pot, over low heat,

Place in the pot

1 large bag of frozen hash brown potatoes (frozen cubed potatoes)

1 large onion, diced

2 cans(14 1/2 oz each) chicken broth

1 lb. baked chicken

8-10 oz. smoked pork

(easy way to do this, purchase rotisserie chicken and use that meat, 

and for pork, purchase at local BBQ place)

Bring to a rolling boil, stirring until potatoes are near done, then add:

1 - 8 1/2 oz. can early peas

2 - 14 1/2 oz cans diced tomatoes

The prepared sauce

1 bag of frozen lima beans

1/4 cup liquid smoke

1 - 14 1/2 oz can creamed corn

Slow simmer for 2 hours.

Yields - 1 gallon

APPLESAUCE

I used the apple cider from Crow Mtn.  And I sliced LOTS of apples - peeled and sliced - to fill up a large boiler.  Bring those apples in the apple cider to a boil.  Add about 1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice - or Cinnamon.  Cook and simmer until right consistency.  When I removed these soft cooked apples I tasted and knew they needed a perk.  NOT SUGAR.  but ... a dash of salt.  yes.  Salt.  Not too much.  Not too little.  A dash.  At least 1/8 tsp.  Salt definitely brings out the flavor in ANYTHING.  

Once done with cooking I stirred in 1 tsp. vanilla flavoring.

COOKIES

Any Cake Mix (for these I used the spice cake)

1/3 cup of oil

2 eggs

Add in whatever.  1 to 1 1/2 cups of add ins.

(for these I used 1/2 cup white choc. chips, 1/2 cup toffee bits, 1/2 cups chopped walnuts)

Bake 9-10 min. at 375 degrees

That's it.  FALL MEAL.

No White or Pastels After Labor Day?

Really?

No more flip flops?  No sandals?  Is that the rule?

Here it is at 7:00 pm and I've been reading a few blog posts and there is that continuing theme of no more summer stuff after labor day.

I hope the weather pays attention.

Seriously?

I can't slip into my yellow sandals? which usually sit outside my back door -

I used to know all of that and pay close attention.

I don't think the rules are as hard and fast as they used to be.  At least that's what I'm saying and sticking with.  Honestly, I don't care that much.

I was just reminded of my childhood and going downtown with Mom to the shoestore where we shopped.  Suddith & Bethune - and later it was Lambert's.  We bought fall shoes for fall & winter and Easter shoes for spring and summer.  School shoes and Sunday shoes for fall - but I only remember Sunday shoes for summer.  What did I wear to school after Easter?  I know I wore sandals and flip flops in the summer.  Oh, and keds.  I wore keds to school.  Without socks, probably.

I don't think I ever bought any clothing item outside of Evergreen, AL when I was growing up.  I don't remember it.  Unless, it was in Troy, AL and we bought it at Rosenberg's - a very fine ladies' shop in downtown Troy.  I know my grandmother bought Mary Ann and me our Easter Dresses from Rosenberg's when we were 6 and 4.  Mine was dotted swiss.  Perhaps Mary Ann's was too.  When I was  a senior I bought my prom dress at Rosenberg's.  It was so expensive that my uncle paid half for it as my graduation gift.  Total cost of the dress?  $55.00.  Too expensive for Mother and Daddy to buy as one purchase for Prom - and "The Miss Evergreen Beauty Contest".  I confess.  We had that.  Sorry.

I'm rambling - but Labor Day in September is so different compared to the past.

It rained all day today - as in flooding.  Charlie worked in his office all day since the Courthouse was closed for Labor Day - so that he could get a lot done.  Labor Day defines nothing for me anymore in terms of seasons changing.  What the rain has done is probably make things a bit cooler - or at least less hot.  I'm so glad for that.  I'm looking forward to fall and winter.  Usually I'm not looking forward to cooler weather.  I am very glad for fall and winter this year.  It's been such a hot summer and a very very - well - not a summer for vacations and recreation.   A tedious summer.  Detailed.  Details.  Blessed.  Abigail was born.  Laura Beth and Scott had major changes, for which we are all grateful.  Kate came(from Wake) and went(to China) and came(from China) and went(back to Wake).  Sarah visited but she's deep into New Orleans.

Good grief!  I'm rambling.

But tonight?  I am enjoyng the sound of rain all around and all over us.  We're very wet outside.