Thursday, October 27, 2011

FIRESIDE COMFORT FOOD ON A SNOWY NIGHT: Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

Yesterday it snowed all day and
 we got about 8 inches at our house!



Blue Jays and Rocky Mountain Bluebirds come to my back door to squabble over the nuts and inside I decided to make some true comfort food.  Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes work for comfort.  Nearby the woodstove was fired up and cozy!

This recipe is so yummy and easy.  That's important - yummy and easy!  Here is what you will need for your meatloaf:


1.25  lb lean ground beef and 1 lb of ground turkey, 1 cup of chopped mushrooms, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup quick cooking oats, 3/4 cup of dried chopped parsley, 1 medium onion, chopped well, 1/2 tsp dried sage,1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  I purchased a meat loaf pan which is basically 2 pans with the top one having holes in it for the juices to drip into the bottom pan. I like this pan.  They have them at the grocery store or any discount market.


In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until well blended.  Place this thick mixture into your butter loaf pan. Bake until loaf is firm and browned - about 1 hour 15minutes.

Remove from oven and let sit 10-15 minutes. You will be serving this with mashed potatoes and gravy.  I sliced mine and froze 1/2 right away for later use!


Now that I have made this gravy, I recommend doubling the recipe as we like a lot of gravy and could have used more!

Recipe for gravy:  3 Tb butter, 1 small onion chopped, 1 cup chopped mushrooms, 3 Tb flour, 1 can of beef stock - 1 1/2 cups, salt and pepper
This gravy is wonderful and so easy - you will use it often!  In your saucepan, melt the butter and saute  onions and mushrooms in it.  After the onions begin to brown, add the beef stock and stir in the flour and whisk it nicely to combine and reduce lumps.  Keep stirring into a gentle boil and reduce heat as it will thicken nicely.
Salt and pepper to taste and after you make this you will never need to buy any of those little brown gravy packets again.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

WHO'S THAT IN THE PUMPKIN PATCH?


I guess the inevitable has happened.



Monday, September 12, 2011

PUMPKIN COOKIES FOR FALL

Here is a perfect recipe for your Fall Afternoon Tea Party - you won't be able to stay out of these and your kids will love them too!


I originally got this recipe from Bev Meller:


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter the baking sheets which you will put in the refrigerator.
 Ingredients: First of all blend the following together: 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp lemon juice

In a large bowl mix these together: 2 1/2 cups sifted flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ginger, 3/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon. After combining these- mix with above 6 ingredients.

 Now add these: 1 1/2 cups of canned pumpkin, 3/4 cup nuts and 3/4 cup raisins. Keep the cookie sheet cold before dropping heaping tablespoons of dough on it. And chill dough between each batch.

Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool cookies on waxed or brown paper.

Now for the icing 1/4 cup canned pumpkin, 4 Tb melted butter, 1 lb (which is 3 3/4 cups) powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, pinch of salt. Wait till they cool to ice. Icing can be thinned with a little milk if too thick. Makes around 5 dozen or more.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

SUNDAY CELEBRATION - The Ten Commandments

My Mother in Law just sent this plate back with my husband for me.  I found it interesting that it says "state flower" since D. C. isn't a state - but a district.   Do you know the Ten Commandments (by heart) that God gave to Moses ?



Saturday, August 27, 2011

WELCOME AUTUMN BACKYARD TEA



You know when fall comes you can feel
a change in the air.  It isn't fall yet
but we feel a change.


 I have set up a little tea table
with some favorite old issues
of Victoria Magazine which has
always been my all time favorite.


Help yourself to some
cinnamon tea:



 My garden is just over 2 years old
and it makes me very happy.


I will soon be missing it
as we will face the snow
of winter.


This particular issue of Victoria
really interested me because my
friend and I got to visit that
unusual shop, Bellochio near
Berkley, California.