Getting in the Spirit... Focusing on the Reason

I just can't help myself.  I've set my Pandora to Christmas music.  It's calming and uplifting at the same time.  I have a new favorite that I wanted to share.

There are 27 days until Christmas Eve.  I'm right on track with where I'd like to be.  I have a few Christmas cards to write.  I'm done shopping.  I'm wrapping presents for about 20 min. each evening so there's no big rush, and I have all of the materials for the gifts I'm making.

This week/weekend I plan to focus on finishing up the projects I intend to use as gifts.  That might include making that batch of pumpkin butter and the batch of apple pie jelly.  We'll see how the weekend goes.  We'll also start celbrating in earnest.  The advent calendars will come out, and the first candle on the advent wreath will be lit. 

I feel so relaxed this year.  It's not just being ready early.  It's also having a clear plan and being organized.  I'm also decluttering as I go - thank you Fly Lady, so my house is getting cleaner and more peaceful each day.  I don't know about you, but a house without a lot of stuff, and with that stuff in the right place makes me relaxed.

Yesterday the kids and I did cookie baking number two.  We made Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread cookies - a recipe from Jane at Thy Hand.  I follow her recipe, but I double it.  These are my favorite cookies.  We also made Rice Crispy Treats.  I think you all know about this one, but just in case you don't, here's a link.  I love being in the kitchen with my kids, but it does drive me just a little bit crazy when they keep munching on the ingredients.  I swear they wash their hands every time they stick their little paws in their mouths.  But, no matter how many times I remind them that we are baking for other people they just can't resist.  Anyone have any ideas?

Eating the sugar is half the fun. 

Licking the butter is the other half.

Falls Ridge: Hiking in the George Washington National Forest

It's a chilly morning here.  The wood stove is heating up, and the coffee is brewed.  The sky looks like snow, and I'm dreaming (and hoping) for the day when I'll look up toward the mountain and won't be able to see it because it will be covered by a snow storm cloud heading our way. 

 

The mountain has had snow once this fall already (result of Sandy).  So, a few days after that storm we hiked to the top.  We had a great time playing in the snow, and a taste of what (hopefully) is to come. 

 

The Falls Ridge trail is one of our favorites.  We almost never see anyone else out there.  It's got great views.  It's fairly short (4 miles) and we can usually do it in a few hours.  It's steep so you also get a great workout.

 

To get there find the town of Jerome, VA.  When you see the church turn right onto Dellinger Gap.  Follow that road to the end (it will turn to dirt).  Cross the creek and you'll see the trail.  Follow the Fat Mountain Trail first, then head up the mountain to Falls Ridge.  There is a short spur trail halfway up the mountain that takes you to the falls.  Eventually you will make it to the top of North Mountain and the junction of the North Mountain Trail and the Stack Rock Trail.  Stack Rock can be followed down if you want to make a loop. 

 

Our kids are used to hiking steep trails so this is a good choice for them, but this is probably not the best choice for little kids or ones who aren't used to hiking.  

 

 

Farmer Dan, Soccer Boy and Reading Girl create a cairn to mark the trail.

The woodsman on the steepest part of the trail.

View of the village of Jerome, VA

Wintergreen

Snow!

Getting Daddy!

American Chestnut burr

 

My Dad was really excited to find this American Chestnut burr.  He said that the trees don't usually grow big enough to produce seed pods.  Maybe they will eventually come back from the blight.

American Chestnut Tree and Leaf

At the top

Another View of the village of Jerome

Life of Pie



Four Pies for Thanksgiving

Sometimes I have a hard time making decisions.  This was one of those times.  I'm bringing the pies for our family Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.  A slightly less adventurous  crazy woman would have made plain old pumpkin just like Grandma has done for the past 60 years.  But, I have a small addiction.  I'm guessing that some of your suffer too. 

 

I can't stop reading, clipping and trying new recipes.  I also have a really hard time making decisions about desserts - they all just sounded so good. 

 

I started this process on Sunday.  I baked down a huge Cushaw pumpkin (a gift from my dentist - love living in the country).  Then yesterday I made a double batch of pie crust.  This afternoon I tossed all of the pulp into my Vita Mix and let it churn it into silky smoothness.

 

Then I started baking pies.  The whole house smells fantastic.The kids were really irritated with me because I wouldn't let them taste anything.  It didn't even take that long because I had a lot of the prep work done.  Now, I only have one problem.

 

Which one do I eat tomorrow?

Step 1:  Roast and remove skin

Step 2:  Puree in blender or food processor

Step 3:  Pies!

 

 

Pumpkin Pie from Jane at Thy Hand

Sweet Potato Pie another great one from Jane at Thy Hand

Pumpkin Chocolate Cheese Cake from the Simply In Season Blog 

and one non-pumpkin

 

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan

This one came from our local steak house: Joe's.

 

It was the easiest pie to make - also the least local and least healthy.  But it had a wonderful heady smell.  I had to stop myself from taking a shot of bourbon while I cooked.  After all, it was only 2 in the afternoon. 

 

Put 2 oz. of chopped baking chocolate and 1 1/2 c. of pecan halves on the bottom of a pie shell.

 

Then Mix together

 

1/4 c. softened butter

3 eggs

1 c. sugar

3/4 c. dark Karo syrup

 

Add  1/2 t. vanilla,  3 T bourbon and 1/4 t. salt

 

Pour mixture over nuts/chocolate.

Bake at 350 for 45 min.  May need to bake 15 more if it is not quite set.

 

What was on your table?



Pictures from our trip to Plimoth Plantation

Click here to view these pictures larger

State of the Garden: November

Soccer Boy hopes to turn these into bird houses and instruments 
He was inspired by the Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra. 

The garden is pretty much closed until February.  Spring Garlic and onions are planted, and there are some spring greens growing under row cover - I won't even peak at them until after ski season.  A bit of Swiss Chard and a handful of beets and parsnips are lingering out there- we havn't had a really hard frost.  We'll be eating them soon. 

I do have two small canning projects - pumpkin butter and apple pie jelly.  I'll probably do those two this coming weekend, so I can be really, truly done by the beginning of December.

The gourds were the last official big harvest.  It was a good year - but even thinking about next year tires me out.  Isn't winter amazing - by the time the spring rolls around I will have forgotten how much time I spent out in the garden, and I'll be just itching to get out there and get my hands in the dirt. 

Harvest Tally 2012

Canned

14 1/2 pints Grandma's Strawberry Rhubarb Jam:
14 quarts peaches
21 quarts nectarines
40 pints salsa
80 quarts applesauce
4 pints and 16 quarts tomatoes
12 pints dilly beans
6 pints pickled green tomatoes
6 pints horseradish beets
6 quarts apricots
9 pints pickled hot peppers
9 1/2 pints beet relish
6 pints pickled beets
9 quarts spaghetti sauce
20 pints apple butter
2 quarts pickled rosy turnips

Frozen

16 loaves zucchini bread
3 gallons swiss chard
5 gallons corn
3 gallons green beans
6 gallons peaches
6 quarts blackberries
6 quarts blueberries
6 quarts tomato juice
3 quarts peach pie filling
6 pints whipped winter squash
2 gallons cauliflower
1 gallon broccoli

10 gallon bags of premeasured and chopped soup vegies ready for the crockpot
4 pans Chard Enchilladas
4 pans Garden Enchilladas
4 pans mac and cheese
1 pan zucchini Italian casserole
1 peach pie
2 pans Mommy's Recipe (chili cornbread casserole)
8 quarts chili
2 quarts broccoli cheddar soup
2 quarts kale potato soup
2 quarts autumn harvest vegetable soup

25 apple dumplings

Root Cellar

2 bushels sweet potatoes
1 bushel potatoes
4 bushels winter squash (gift from the laundry fairy and bought at pumpkin patch)
4 long braids garlic
3 braids onions (red, yellow and white)
1 5 gallon bucket of beets (layered in sand)
1 5 gallon bucket of turnips (layered in sand)
1/2 bushel parsnips
1/2 bushel white sweet potatoes
1 bushel pink lady apples (bought from local orchard)

Fermented

2 small crocks sauerkraut
1 small crock kimchee

35 to the 24th

Yesterday I wrapped the out of town gifts that need to be mailed and got them into a box.  I got out the kid's Christmas and Hanukkah books and we officially kicked off the holiday season with a reading of Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins.  Note:  we have no Jewish ties, but we think it's important to expose the kids to other religious traditions - Hanukkah is one way to talk about, and appreciate Judaism.

Today I addressed and wrote about a quarter of the Christmas cards, and the kids and I baked (and froze) two kinds of cookies.

This week I plan to:
1) Order the remaining few things I need online
2) mail out of town gift packages
3) wrap presents that belong at the farm -the kids will help with this- they'll decorate plain brown wrapping paper (saved from last year's packaging materials from items ordered online)
4) take said presents with me when we go there for Thanksgiving so they can sit in my mom's house instead of mine
5) Decorate the kitchen and the living room with the family on Wednesday afternoon.  This way the house will be clean and ready for Advent when we return.
6)  Buy the few things left on my list when I shop with my sister on Black Friday.  I'll also stock up on some clothes the kids need because the sale are good.
7)  Start wrapping family gifts and addressing more cards on Sunday.

So far I'm on track to just be able to enjoy the holiday with my family.  Today's cookie baking session was a perfect example.  By just doing two varieties there was no stress, and not too much clean up.  The kids and I had a great bonding time, and I didn't feel like I was chained to the oven for hours.

Here's what we made today:

Jan's Lemon Bars

Cut together and spread in greased jelly roll pan.
2 c. flour
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes at 350

Mix together:
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
Spread over the top of the baked crust and bake for 20 - 25 min. at 350
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Cut when lukewarm.

Mrs. B's Monster Cookies

So called because of the monster amount they make.
(We cut this in half - 200 cookies just seemed CRAZY!)

Cream together:
1/4 c. vanilla
1 doz. eggs
1 1b. margarine
2 lbs. brown sugar
4 cups white sugar
Then add 3 lbs. peanut butter

Mix in 18 cups oatmeal
8 t. baking soda
1 lb. M&Ms
1 lb. chocolate chips
1 lb. walnuts
2 c. raisins

Drop by tablespoons on greased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes.  These are a softer cookie.  They're gluten free, and they make a lot. 

Mountain Pies and other Fallish Things: Hiking and Camping at Trout Pond, WV

 

The weekend is a gorgeous one here.  It would be a great one to be camping.  We often go late in the fall because it's quiet and you pretty much have the place to yourself.  This year we went much earlier.  Camping has got to be one of our favorite family activities.  It's cheap, highly entertaining and you get to spend quality time together without being distracted by electronics and house work.  Fall is probably my favorite time to be out there. 

 

We love going to Trout Pond.  It's a campground in the National Forest in West Virginia (near Wardensville.  When we camp we always make Mountain Pies for dinner.  They're super simple and you can come up with all kinds of great combinations. 

 

Before you start,make sure you have a really good cooking fire.  You want nice coals here - not flame.

 

Here's the basic idea...

 

1)  Butter the outside of two pieces of some kind of bread.

2)  Put sauce and toppings of your choice - not too much - on the non buttered side of one slice.

3)  Cover with the other slice (butter side up).

4)  Spray a mountain pie maker with cooking spray.

5) Put your pie inside the maker and then cook for about a minute each side until toasty. 

6)  Eat!

 

Here are some of our favorites:

 

Pizza: white bread, pizza sauce, canned mushrooms, diced onion, diced green pepper, pepperoni

Greek:  mini pita (slit open on one side - fillings go inside) feta cheese, Greek olives, peppers, red onion

Mexi:  corn tortillas, refried beans, salsa, shredded Mexican cheese

Grilled Cheese:  a variety of cheeses

Breakfast:  English Muffin, slice of ham, a small amount of scrambled egg - pre-scrambled works best, sliced of American cheese

Dessert:  Pie Filling (apple, cherry, blueberry) and a piece of chocolate

Pumpkin Pie:  Libby's pumpkin pie filling (not just canned pumpkin) one marshmallow

 

Practicing the fine art of fire poking.

 

We also took a great hike with our friends around the back side of the campground and then around the dam.  It was a gorgeous day.



Witch Hazel  - I think....

Rockcliff Lake, - Trout Pond, WV

Wild edibles:  Winter Green and Birch Twigs

We're pretty sure this is a Leatherback - the kind of mushroom Mushroom man brings us.  Just to be safe, we didn't pick it.

 

We love taking our pop-up camper along.  If the site is level then we can have it up in about 15 min. Plus there's a lot more room than a tent, and we're in better shape if it rains on us.  I don't think we'll ever go back to tenting.  

We spent a rainy morning playing Forbidden Island: an incredible cooperative game.

Have you taken your family fall camping this year?  Where are your favorite places to camp?  We're always looking for a new adventure.