He's a fruit cake...lover

Have you even known a man who loves fruitcake?  Well, I have one.  It may be his German heritage, or the memories of his mother's stollen, I don't know.  It is just that he will pick up that fruitcake at the Dollar Store if he sees it! It sends shivers down my spine when I see that in the grocery bag thinking what on earth holds it together and how does it keep so long?  SCARY.

Today I received one of the Australian Women's Weekly magazines that I ordered from Amazon.  I wondered how they were still publishing that glossy wonder every week money wise.  I think I have received part of the answer.  They cut the size down to pocketbook size but kept the glossy, rich look and content.  Andy was thrilled to see the issue, reprinted in a small size, of Christmas Cakes and Puddings.  It is filled with the most luscious fruitcake pictures and recipes that simply make me want to rush Christmas...and I NEVER want to rush Christmas. In the back of all their issues is a chart for conversion of dry, liquid, and helpful measures so that we can have the success of these lovely delights. I adore this 'cookbook' as they call it.  Chuck full of wonders.

I am devouring Mariah Stewart. She can write those beach novels where you know exactly what is going to happen but still wait with anticipation, and then she can write the most hair-raising crime novels that you have seen in print. I have read 20 of her books so far and there are probably 20 or more left.  I will be so sad when I reach the end of her offerings.  I love my Kindle and it is so refreshing not to have to wonder how to get rid of the books that are read.  The library is overflowing here, so it is pleasant to have found a solution and Kindle Paperwhite is it. (And, it leaves more room in my cookbook library for more cookbooks.)

Have a great week-end.  It is one of those gentle rain days here that make me want to bake.  I leave the kitchen door open and move around the kitchen in a bubble of contentment.  Life is good.

Beth is away this week end to Brooks' Ranger School graduation in Georgia.  What a man to have gone through the rigors they put the men and women through to achieve this goal in the preparation of keeping our nation safe. Bless his heart.

Plans-a-poppin

Booked, scheduled and assigned.  All seven northern women are ready for the frivolity in New Orleans the second long weekend of November. ( Now all I have to do is stay on foot and alive to enjoy it.)  We are looking forward to a non-stop flight to Nola and comfort in the luxury of the  Claiborne Mansion. Cleo, the owner, has given us 'birthday rates' because she liked Andy, Mike, Adam and me when we stayed there one November and she is also looking forward to meeting more of our family.  We have most of the main house and are secretly hoping we are her only booking for this time because sometimes we are a bit game-time loud but not reckless. I am looking forward to those Meyer lemons that are as big as softballs and sweeter than any lemon that I have tasted.  Her tree is loaded with them and she sent me home with a large bag of citrus delight.

This is a really busy summer with Stacy and Matt's wedding and the holiday celebration here at Many Branches the day after.  Matt and Stacy will be well on their way to a honeymoon, but the family will celebrate the occasion and Labor Day the day after the wedding.  There will be more showers and events before the wedding so there is no lacking of events in our lives this summer. The Cincinnati Lechlers have booked hotel rooms to stay over the night of the wedding (because all of our beds will be full) so they can zoom into Cooke Rd. for an all day affair.  Mike and Beth are hosting the rehearsal dinner and those plans are perking at the moment.

Writing about lemons, I noted David Lebovitz's recipe for ginger tea and thought it might be good in a gin and tonic as well.  I'll try that this week. Thank you, David.

Fresh Ginger Lemonade

1 quart (1l), about 4 servings

I like mine with lots of ginger so I use the larger amount indicated, but feel free to use either. If you think you'd like it less-sweet (although I don't find this too sweet), you could reduce the sugar to 1/3 cup (65g). If you wish to use a liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar in place of the sugar, I'd try starting off using 1/3 cup then tasting it, adding more if you wish.

2 to 3 ounces (55-85g) fresh ginger, unpeeled

3 cups (750ml) water

1/2 cup (100g) sugar

1 cup (250ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1. Cut the ginger into thin slices (no need to peel). In a small saucepan, bring the water, sugar, and ginger slices to a boil.

2. Remove from heat and cover. Steep for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

3. Strain the ginger pieces from the sugar syrup and mix the ginger-infused syrup with the fresh lemon juice in a pitcher. Chill thoroughly. Serve with plenty of ice.

Ode to corn on the cob

The last of the 4th of July festivities and the events thereafter are now in the distance and corn on the cob is on my mind.  Pam gave me a de-stringer for corn which works very well.  It's a simple brush that is well constructed and with no fuss does the job with a little elbow grease.  There are several corn recipes in Cook's Corner today and some I have made variations of and some seem interesting enough to try.  We have gone through about four dozen ears of corn since the season started and we are finding it delicious this summer.  However, I have rarely found an ear of corn that I didn't like.  Some used to say if you are walking from the field with a load of corn and an ear falls to the ground, leave it, just rush to husk the bounty and leave the droppers because by the time you go to pick it up it won't be fresh enough. As haughty as we are about food and recipes nowadays, that seems even more extreme to me.

We had a summer place on the river in my hometown.  It was a wreck when my parents first bought it many years ago.  So bad that there was a handled pump in the front yard which was not discovered for several weeks as the area was cleared.  My mother, Elizabeth, was a master at fixing up and decorating a place.  I remember going with her to Zanesville to the wallpaper store, yes, a store just for wallpaper, go figure.  We got into the odds and ends bin and bought nearly the entire bin to decorate the Spook House...called the Spook House because Pearl and her sister Edna were known to still keep house there even though they had long departed the planet. Paint was a must and so all the trim in the house was white and all the rooms were wallpapered.  I was teaching at the time and Andy and I and our boys would go down on weekends to get the place ready and to sit in the sun to tan.  One day I asked Mother if I could bring my class down for the weekend and of course, she agreed that would be fun for the kids.  I had talked about the Spook House so the kids were prepared for something dark and spooky but were surprised to find a cozy ,pretty, old house on the river to enjoy a weekend of fun and fun we had!

Another adventure at the Spook House took place every summer for four or five years.  Andy worked with a man who grew corn in a big way.  Once a summer he allowed Andy to take our station wagon to the field and fill it with corn on the cob.  We loaded the family and off we would go to the Spook House where Mother would have a fire going outside with pots of boiling water and tables covered in paper, and knives for getting the corn from the cob, and bags and coolers--it was a big production with everyone getting their fill of corn on the cob before the work took over.  We froze the bounty and lived the experience all winter long as we consumed the corn. (We did the same in cherry season and the Cincinnati Lechlers were a part of that adventure.)

Great holiday with family

Ready for the 4th~

Writing this post is about all I am good for today.  Thank God for Beth and the Cincinnati ladies who did a bang up job clearing everything away and leaving lovely surprises here and there for me to discover as I move around today...a coconut pie in the frig, a bottle of Bourbon Cream for my coffee,  a destringer for corn, hand towels for the powder room. The gang also brought lots of good things to eat!

 The big red egg got a real working out with Tom as the griller.  I re-love that grill and intend to use it more.  It keeps the heat for hours and the food is so tasty.  I've missed the charcoal infusion. While everyone was still eating I put several ears of corn on the grill and was it good! But since everyone finished eating I have a ton of it left over and just now discovered a good recipe for creamy corn soup which I intend to use when I can once again face the kitchen.

Wow! It was hot on the 4th.  Most guests stayed in the pool for the day.  There were games of cards and dominoes going on and a few men shooting golf balls, but nothing too strenuous. It was a full day with two full meals and we sent them home with leftovers so they do not have to cook.

We had such a good time with Joe and Glenda who came three days early before the party.  We love having them visit.  Tomorrow my niece, Nancy, and her husband come for the night because their granddaughter is playing ball in Columbus. Never a dull moment around here.  Also, Andy's class at OSU resumes tomorrow.

If the corn soup turns out, I will send the recipe.  It's the one on The English Kitchen today, so I haven't tried it yet.

Note:  Forget the corn soup; While taking off the roasted kernels I could not wait so I tossed them in a skillet with onions and butter, salt and pepper and a bit of siracha, slapped the skillet on the stove for a couple of minutes and Andy and I polished it off before lunch!  Yes, it was that good. ROAST YOUR CORN ON THE COB.

Chocolate cake at its finest and easiest~

People who read my posts know that chocolate is not my favorite thing, so why I tried this simple cake is beyond me.  Maybe it is because there are four ingredients and no mixer involved.  Maybe it's because it has a can of cherry pie filling coupled with chocolate.  It is NOT a dump cake which I do not care for at all.  It is a silky delicious simple no named cake.  It is 3:00 am and I am writing you about this cake that I baked for the second time yesterday.  Joe and Glenda are coming for a few days through July 4th and I can't wait for them to try it, if there is any left.  If not, I can throw it together in minutes. I found it on the internet Feb. 8th, 2013 and marked the recipe outstanding, so here it is.

For the cake with no name:
1  2-layer size devils food cake mix
1 tin of cherry pie filling
1 tsp almond extract
3 large free range eggs beaten

Oven 350; buttered 13x9 inch baking tin and lightly dusted with flour tapping out any extra. Put all cake ingredients into a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until they are well blended.  Pour into the prepared pan.  Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the optional frosting:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
5 TBS butter
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine the sugar, milk, and butter for the frosting in a saucepan.  Bring to boil.  Boil for one-minute stirring constantly.  Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips, stirring until they are completely melted and the mix is smooth.  Pour and spread over the warm cake and allow to cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.

You can use a tub of store icing instead of the above, but I would not.

Women's Weekly Cookbooks

I read a cooking blog from the UK this morning and it triggered memories from my many, many trips to England in search of antiques.  I stayed at the Barkston and across the street was a bookstore.  Now these were not leisurely trips with tea and crumpets (unless you had them in hand and on the run or standing up in a field.) These were totally working trips and if I saw the sites it was in passing and on the move.  However, some Sundays there was little to do in the way of shopping so I would calm and sooth myself at the bookshop across the street. It was a chain bookshop and really well staffed and stocked.  One lucky day I saw a pile of sleek, thick, lovely what I called magazines but what was really called weekly cookbooks from Australia.  They were glorious and as it happens they still are.  Yes, this company is still producing WEEKLY these lovely cookbooks and they are just stunning in color, in correctness (each recipe having been tested three times before publication)  And, the good news is, you can still buy them.  I have maybe thirty or so back as early as the 1980's and I am sure they were producing far before I found them. Today the box was ticked again and I got on Amazon and started buying those that I thought I didn't have.  Now Amazon won't let you buy what you have already bought because they shoot a warning at the top and it reads the date you previously purchased the item, saving me some money.  I do love Amazon and I love these Women's Weekly cookbooks. So google and enjoy.  I know in the 500 posts I've made I wrote about this before, but I am certain people have forgotten this subject with all the recipes floating the Internet. The picture of the clafouti at the top of each of my posts came from the Women's Weekly cookbooks.

Fun is afoot

 Flag Blow Wind 

Party season at Many Branches has started with Joe and Glenda arriving Saturday and staying through July 4th celebration here.  We are going to make it less about the food and more about the company.  Simple and help are two words for the next few weeks.  Can you believe July 4th is upon us already?  I have been a slug just hanging out and reading, reading, reading.  I found an author that I am enjoying and I think she has about 48 books on the market and I have only read seven so far.  Mariah Stewart is her name, but, she is going to have to take a back seat now that company is coming.

We have also tied up the November birthday celebration venue in New Orleans.  Emails have clogged the Internet getting that set.  Planes have been booked, suites have been saved so we can relax until November where that is concerned.

Then there is Matt and Stacy's wedding the 2nd of Labor Day weekend and the party here the next day.

Life is good. 

High tea

Beth has thoughtfully reserved a high tea event for our trip to New Orleans in November.  Seven northern women are meeting in New Orleans and at least that many ladies, from there, will join us for a long weekend birthday celebration.  It is Beth's birthday and my 80th,  Windsor Court where we could not get reservations to stay because they are already booked up, will have us to tea, however.  It is a grand occasion with champagne to start and then tea and cakes with tiny sandwiches.

Devon style (cream first) or Cornish style (jam first). Although cream tea etiquette suggests the two halves should not be sandwiched together.

II remember very well the airplane trips home from several weeks of antiquing over one hundred times.  Once the plane took off from London the crew always offered scones, jam, and clotted cream.  I really loved this, but it was difficult to eat it because I worried about my connections home with 15-20 trunks, boxes, and bags.  It was an ordeal. Will they all arrive together, how would customs be, will I make the connection that I so longed for?  After all the best part of a trip is coming home.(With a lot of booty.)

These pictures are from the link The British Tea Party.

Great British Tea Party

@GreatBritishTeaParty

Great British Tea Party

@GreatBritishTeaParty

Claiborne Mansion

I have been neglecting this blog something fierce, but now I think I can get back to concentrating on it a bit.  Lately, the ladies in the family and I have been planning a birthday celebration in New Orleans in November.  I don't know what is in New Orleans that is so attractive in November but everything is high priced and or booked already.  Luckily I thought of the Claiborne Mansion where we stayed one Thanksgiving holiday and also where Alyssa's graduation party was held.  As soon as I thought about it I emailed Cleo, the owner, and she became as excited at the prospect as I. An all ladies sleepover for several nights in the luxury of a New Orleans mansion. What could be better?  She offered the entire main house and we were off and running.  Emails were flying and plans were afoot. Flights are booked and we can now settle down a bit and enjoy the summer ahead.

Comfort & Tranquility

Claiborne Mansion showcases beautifully appointed suites with queen size beds and spacious marble baths. Views are charming with two upstairs suites that open onto a balcony overlooking Dauphine Street and the Park. All original marble fireplaces remain and each suite is air-conditioned with individual thermostats, allowing for the utmost comfort in this historic setting. Additionally, we offer a set of adjoining rooms which combine to create a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom suite that is perfect for families or two couples traveling together.

I tried to use a picture from the ad, but could not, so you can look up Claiborne Mansion to see if you would be happy to stay there if you visit New Orleans.

I must say all is not rosy here.  Since the extreme hacking of our accounts, I can not get Amazon to work and I am Kindle deprived.  I can order, but they never arrive on my Kindle.  They go into order purgatory and remain unrescued.  I have a favorite new author and am eager to try her Dead series, but noooooo.  I suffer on.  On the other hand Netflix has been very good to me.  I am currently watching Cable Girls...Andy's Aunt Pinky was one of these women in Cincinnati years ago. I finished House of Cards; loved it. Watching Escape to the Country collection watching people look for homes in the UK--they never seem to buy, however.  Slow to make decisions.  Better Call Saul was interesting. REIGN, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEE IT YOU ARE MISSING A GOOD VIEWING. The Paradise is good too. Loved the Tudors.  Crazy about Doc Martin. I liked the Borgias... Well, not like them as people because they were despicable, but as a series.  Have you seen Chocolat? And, I can't forget Suite Francaise.  Well, these titles should keep you happy for the summer.

Birthdays in New Orleans

Saturday morning outing to the farmers' market with friends.

Beth and I have birthdays in November.  I will be 80 and she will be considerably younger.  We came up with the idea of getting with the ladies of New Orleans, Ann and her sisters, and Beth's sisters and then I thought let's invite the Cincy women, And the Florida women, Johnna and her great sister. So the clans have merged and we are wide open to frivolity. November is a long time away, but plans must be made and anticipation must be experienced.  We are leaving our husbands and the dogs behind.  One place to look forward to is the Rock and Bowl.  It is a night club of sorts with a bowling alley and a live band that is just great.  I can't remember the food, so I think it is basic pizza, but I am not sure.  The bowling is fun to watch and at my age watching is what I will be doing when it comes to flying balls and flipping pins.  The music of New Orleans gets everyone in the mood to party and that is what we are looking forward to.  We will dine out every night so no one will have to cook, even if they want to.  We will have high tea at the Windsor Court where I hope we will stay, but that is to be considered.

Ann and I had such a good time when she was here for a few days.  I am eager to see her again.

We are having Chinese take out tonight but I have boneless ribs in the oven to be paired tomorrow with several kinds of beans and whatever else I can come up with.

Life is good and getting better.

Cook's Corner had three recipes using tater tots today.  I am not opposed to taking help when I can get it and I actually like crispy tater tots especially when I have a crowd for breakfast.  I must admit breakfast is the meal I dislike cooking because getting it all out hot and at the same time is a problem for me.  Now I fix Nate's a carryout breakfast every work day morning, but I can get really creative with him and he likes the surprises he finds...salmon with scrambled eggs, Bob Evans zesty sausage, and eggs; fritta with many things from the fridge; every day is a surprise. I bought a big supply of Chinese carry-out cartons and they work so well for breakfast.  I bought the ones with no wire handles if they need to go in the microwave (which I do not own.) I got them on Amazon (sigh); I have not been able to use good old Amazon since the hacking but the bank and I , today, came up with a solution so I may be back on in a few days. Anyway, there are fifty sturdy paper cartons for $13. and they work a treat.

Chicken bacon Ranch potato tot casserole

1 tsp. veg. oil
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese blend
12 package (1 ounce) Ranch dressing & seasoning mix
1/4 tsp pepper
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 bag (32 oz) frozen potato tots
1/3 cup chopped bacon
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
 1/4 cup sliced onions for topping

350 preheated
13x9 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray
In a skillet cook the 1/4 cup of green onions until tender.  
In a medium bowl stir onions, soup, sour cream, milk, 1 cup cheese, 2 tablespoons of dressing mix and pepper until mixed well; stir in chicken.
Place half of the frozen potatoes in a single layer on bottom of baking dish. Spoon and spread chicken mixture on top of potatoes; sprinkle 1/4 cup of bacon on top.
In large plastic resealable food-storage bag, add remaining tots with remaining dressing mix; seal and shake bag to coat.  Arrange over casserole.
Bake 40 minutes.  Top casserole with remaining 1 cup cheese and 1/4 cup bacon.
Bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and potatoes are browned.  Top with tomatoes and green onions