Seeking next door neighbor

FALLen angel autumn display. No one in my neighborhood found it funny.

Who would you like to live next door?

You know, the person who you wouldn't care popped over unannounced? Someone who has similar life priorities as you and the same sense of humor? And didn't judge?

I love that scene in Stepford Wives when Bobby commented on Joanna's messy kitchen. Since all her neighbors had turned Stepford, complete with immaculate homes and shallow personalities, Bobby commented that Joanna's sticky kitchen was a "home away from home."

I totally get it.

My mom had a good friend. Let's call her Carol. Carol's house always appeared lived-in and she was a riot of good times. She also wasn't consumed by creating a spotless museum for her family.

I'm still looking for my Carol. In my neighborhood, it's unacceptable to have laundry on the dining room table and the rusted running board from the Jeep in the side bushes.

Here's one lady I wouldn't mind as my next door neighbor: Nancy. She loves her family, cooks, creates, and has a great time with her grand-babies. I can imagine she would be a blast to hang out with.

Who is your dream next-door neighbor?

What a day

My kitchen is a mess, but I don't care right now. 

Hooray for the post-Thanksgiving couch crash.

Let's not think about Christmas season quite yet. Just a couple more days of no cooking and basking in leftovers, please.

"I'm so exhausted," says Kitty Baby, "Wake me when it's time to open presents."
 

This post was shared on this neighborly website:

Sarah Did It!

Soldier on, Thanksgiving preparers!

This drool-worthy vintage ice box is at the apple picking farm's little market.
Today, the day before Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for modern fridges!

If you are cooking like a whirling dervish today, I'm twirling alongside you in spirit.

Thanksgiving Eve begins with glorious hums of "Over the River and Through the Woods."

As the day progresses, a new song is composed: "Holidays Shouldn't be This Much Work."

The evening gets darker as does mood. A screamo rendition of "You People Never Appreciate Me" breaks out.

I hear ya.

Here's what's on my Thanksgiving Eve list today:

Make a pumpkin pie
Make a pecan pie
Make Jell-O
Peel and chop potatoes for tomorrow's mashed potatoes
Store potatoes in cold water with a bit of lemon juice
Cut apples for tomorrow's apple crisp
Store apples in solution of half lemon juice and half water
Prepare ham glaze for tomorrow
Clean little fridge
Chill wine
Freeze extra pumpkin puree
Wash light load
Wash dark load 
Wash dish towels
Put laundry away
Tidy the house so it actually looks festive
Find something easy for supper
  (Current sandwich plans are being met with violent opposition)

I'm sure your to-do list is similar.

For those hosting dinner tomorrow, you are in my thoughts. 

Soldier on, Thanksgiving preparers!!

A Thanksgiving foreshadowing?

I hope my cooking slump goes away before Thursday.

Trying to be frugal, I decided to make the kids marshmallow krispy treats for their lunchboxes. Only I didn't have enough marshmallows. And it was really early in the morning.

I took the eight or so marshmallows (probably leftover from a campfire night) out of the fridge. Their rock-solidness should have been my first sign.

I added some butter. I don't know how much. It was early.

Then I microwaved it. I do remember how long I microwaved it, actually. 

TOO LONG.

It was gunky, sticky and brown. It kind of smelled good for a while, like s'mores. 

Then it didn't smell so good.

Poor kids. I ended up sending chocolate chips for their lunchbox "desserts."

Thanksgiving? We'll see what happens. 

Bad boy pie crust

For years I used a traditional, stuffy pie crust. I tried not to upset it too much. Always walking on egg shells and all that.

However...

I've fallen head over heels for a more thoughtful pie crust. I know relationships require sacrifices, but this recipe is so understanding. It has a different texture, so it might not be for everyone. 

It's kind of a bad boy.

In case you can't commit to just one type of pie crust, here are both recipes...

Old-fashioned pie crust:

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 1/4 cup shortening

1 Tablespoon salt

5 Tablespoons cold water

1 Tablespoon vinegar

Mix. Use as pie recipe directions indicate. 

Makes two double layer 8" pies. Store extra in the freezer. Warm up to room temperature before rolling. 

This dough works better after it's been chilled. And if you don't work it too much. And if you baby-talk to it. And look the other way if it comes home late.

Love of a bad boy pie crust:

 

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2/3 cup vegetable oil

3 Tablespoons milk

Mix. Use as pie recipe directions indicate. 

Makes enough for one double layer pie. It is VERY easy to get along with. It is a bit moist and may have a different feel than other doughs, but that's what makes it so easy to love. 

Swoon.

This post was shared on these neighborly websites:

Creating My Way to Success

Mad in Crafts

The Prairie Homestead

Flour Me with Love
Vintage Wanna Bee

Adventures of a DIY Mom

Learning the Frugal Life

Growing Home
Fresh Eggs Daily 

Honey popcorn for snuggle time

 

In the mood for something warm, sweet and salty with crunch? 

Honey popcorn is it!

Ingredients:

2/3 cup unpopped popcorn

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons honey

salt to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Get the popcorn popping in an air popper.

Melt the butter.

Add the honey and stir.

 

In a large mixing bowl, pour the honey butter over the popcorn. Stir to coat.

Spread on a baking sheet. Try to evict the old maids as you go. 

Take a hike, old maids.

 

Bake for about 6 minutes.

Sprinkle with salt before serving. 

Snuggle time!

This post was shared on these neighborly websites:

Learning the Frugal Life 

Handy Man, Crafty Woman
Frugally Sustainable
Fresh Eggs Daily Blog 
Robyn's View 
Natural Living Mamma

 

Pumpkin seeds four ways

Got some pumpkin seeds on your hands?

Then, you're on the way to a frugal, tasty snack!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Quickly rinse and dry about 2 cups of pumpkin seeds.

Mix the seeds with 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of oil.

Now, choose a flavor:

Sweet with a kick:

Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

Curried:

Add 1 tablespoon curry powder.

Onions and garlic:

Add 1 tablespoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon onion powder.

Sugar and spice:

Add 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 tablespoon brown sugar.

After stirring in the additional spices, spread the seeds on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Allow to cool and salt to taste. 

Eat as a snack or toss on a salad. Yummy and healthy!

This post was shared on these neighborly sites:

Adventures of a DIY Mom
Learning the Frugal Life
Growing Home Blog
Handy Man, Crafty Woman
Frugally Sustainable
Robyn's View 

Mark time and then some

Having been a "flag girl" in high school, I am aware of the trials, sacrifices, drama and exhaustion accompanying the activity.

These days, flag, rifle and sabre lines are called "guard" and have their own activity, winter guard, of which the band is not invited (tee hee).

Expectations are more demanding now. Lines are straighter, tosses are higher and the guard smiles now. 

Competitions are ALL DAY LONG. I mean, the day starts at 5 a.m. and bedtime may not be until 4 a.m.

Competitions are such long affairs, it seems the seasons change. One arrives in summer, sporting a light jacket. A sweat attack occurs in the afternoon--everyone wishes they'd worn shorts and halter tops.

The sun goes down. Flags and rifles fumble due to cold-numbed fingers. Spectators watch the awards ceremony wrapped in blankets. Some parents cause near riots at the concession stand for the warmth of a cup of hot chocolate to hold. 

Trash can fires are considered.

These competitions are the rewards, the icing on the cake. They are the big deals for which bands have been preparing since the heat of mid-summer band camp. They are the reason high schoolers arrive an hour early to school every day and stay late for practices nearly as often.

To say marching band is an extreme sport is an understatement.

So...a salute to the bands (and parents) in the throes of marching season.

It's tough out there!

Apple pie claims victory by intimidation no more

Do you feel making pies should be left to blue ribbon winners at fairs?

Throw this notion out with that uncooperative batch of pie dough!

Try this:

You-can-do-it apple pie

Start with the pie crust..

Pie Crust (You'll say, "This crust doesn't hate me!") 
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons milk

Mix the above ingredients together and work it with your hands to make a big ball of dough.

Take about half the dough and press it evenly into a greased pie plate. Keep the remaining half nearby.

Apple pie filling:
6 apples, washed, cored, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Place the apple slices inside the formed pie crust.

In a saucepan, heat the butter and flour together to make a paste. Mix in the remainder of the ingredients (sugar, brown sugar, water and cinnamon). Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down, but keep on the stove, stirring every once in a while. Don't keep the heat on longer than 5 minutes or so.

That is just enough time to...

Roll out the remainder of the pie crust dough on a floured surface. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes. Lay them on top of the apples in an attractive design. (Extra dough freezes well.)

Pour the stovetop mixture over the top of the apples and the cookies on top. Just pour, pour, pour--making sure not to overflow or splash.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 and bake for another 40 minutes.

You might want to place a sheet a foil under the pie plate to save your oven from overflows (mine did  not overflow--probably depends on the size of your pie plate.)

This post was shared on:
Robyn's View -- Foodie Friends Friday

Improvising Halloween

Tonight, trick-or-treaters will be trolling the streets looking for glowing porch lights.

I am assured our porch lights are not capable of shining. Don't know details, but there is some technical problem.

Dang.

How will the little creeps find their way to our goofy Toosie Pop ghosts?

I decided to create a living room setting outside our front door--chair, end table, laptop tv and CANDY. Fortunately, there is an outlet where I can plug in a lamp.

I worry some little ones may think it's a set up. From the street, a harmless looking mom. Up close she turns into something scary.

That is so not me, but they don't know that.

Have no fear little ones. 

The porch lights are broken, that's all.

Necessity is a mother (of invention)

Perhaps you dashed from the house this morning, running a little late. 

Same here.

If the car wasn't sleeping in a toasty garage, you were probably faced with annoying snowflake-shaped frost stuck on the windshield. Everybody knows frost laughs at windshield wipers and is more frustrating to remove than day-old chili queso.

Ice scraper in the car? Surely you jest. That's like keeping sun block in the beach bag or batteries in the flashlight.

Not everyone was a Boy Scout.

Anyway, it was one of those mornings when time wasn't on my side. And then...I had to endure a taunting from sarcastic windshield frost.

You know what works well in a scraping emergency? 

A box of gum. 

Not the gum...just the box part. Resourcefulness struck back at frost and a ticking clock to boot.

Soon a dusting of frost will seem like a polite acquaintance. It's almost time to scrape packed snow and ice from the car. 

Yes, this year I'll think ahead.

Where's an old CD case?

Cheap trick-or-treats

Handing out candy for mobs of ghosts and goblins can really be a hit to the wallet. Even the off-brand stuff is expensive in quantity.

Here are some unconventional things I've done to save at Halloween:

1. Bake cookies. I know. I know. This is so taboo nowadays. The world is a creepy place and parents don't know if they can trust baked goods from some random house. But give me a chance to explain...

What I did was make sugar cookie pumpkins with piped-on decorator icing. I placed one sugar cookie in a Halloween plastic treat baggie (the kind at school parties), tied the baggie shut and attached a tag with my name and address.

The parents knew where the cookie came from and, honestly, I didn't even care if they pitched the whole thing, because the cost to me was so incredibly low. The whole project was probably less than $5--and we get LOTS of Halloweeners here.

2. Crafts/games. One year I ordered some ghost crafts from Oriental Trading. I think these are intended as school projects, so you get 20+ individually-wrapped pieces for one price. I can't remember how much these were, but when I did the math comparing these to candy, the crafts were cheaper by a landslide. Plus, they offered something bulky, intriguing and non-sugary.

3. Tootsie Pop ghosts. Just drape a Kleenex around a Tootsie Pop and tie at the neck with yarn or ribbon. Add eyes with a Sharpie if you want...or not. These aren't that big of a deal, but at least show some effort and look festive in your treat bowl at the front door. 

4. Pretzel bags. I'm sure you've seen the small bags of pretzels in the candy aisle at the store. The bags are decorated for Halloween. I bought a big tub of these one year thinking the parents would appreciate something without sugar and the kids would like something BIG in their bags. 

Eh...I was kinda wrong. Kids don't want pretzels. At least that was my experience. However, when you compare these prices with candy prices, I do believe the pretzel bags are less expensive. Proceed at your own risk. :)

Here's hoping we all don't break the bank this year!!

Free ranging fruit

Once upon a time, a pumpkin was spotted, stem clipped, in a stark nearby field.

Bright orange popped against autumn-pale farmland stripped of its non-pumpkin crop.

Back home theories abounded: perhaps the pumpkin was stolen and ditched by a thief lacking the strength to carry it home; or maybe the large fruit was catapult fodder. No indications of smashage, though.

The situation was so...weird.

I decided to snap a photo of the lonely guy. His vibrant optimism juxtaposed within such a bleak landscape.

So I went back to the field.

What should I discover...

 

but an additional pumpkin keeping him company!

Dear mysterious feral pumpkin and companion, will your stories ever be revealed?

Carrot bread; pretty for fall

Carrot bread - Yum!

I made this carrot bread yesterday and it was delicious! Its oranginess makes it appropriate for an autumn treat.

It only took about 20 minutes to get it into the oven, and that included shredding the carrots!

Here's the recipe:

Carrot bread

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup shredded carrot (about 2 carrots)

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 egg, beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a loaf pan.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.

Add shredded carrot. (I just made short shreds with a veggie peeler.)

Mix the brown sugar, milk and butter in a bowl.

Add the beaten egg.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan.

Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pan for about 10 minutes and then on a wire rack. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!