Ham and Eggs

Pea Soup Project

Yesterday my daughter visited and brought with her a ten pound ham shank because it was taking up too much room in her small freezer. OK. She asked me if I would make my "famous" pea soup with the bone. OK. Then she asked me if I would save some of the meat for making ham salad sandwiches. OK. She told me I might be able to cut off a couple of slabs for her as dinner entrees and to keep a couple for myself. OK.  At about 3pm I put the ham in a roasting pan, after digging that pan out of the deepest under-counter cupboard there is in this old cabin. (I thought I wouldn't need it until next Thanksgiving.) I used a turkey oven bag and it was ready to carve around 7pm. It came out beautiful! I'm very sorry that I was so involved that I didn't take a picture of it on the platter before carving. * I set aside two pieces for our dinner - which I had not yet even begun. Then we ate dinner. I finished cutting it up, packaged the edible slabs and chunks, and proceeded to strain the bones and remnants in my old colander over a large old bowl. The broth was then poured back into an old 6 quart pot, I added water to the top, added the bone and set it to simmer ALL NIGHT LONG. 

* This is not my photo but it looks exactly as mine did after it was baked.

This morning, the total brew was poured again into the colander, straining down into the large bowl. I had to have help. While I held the colander over the bowl, (in the sink, of course) my husband poured in the contents. Those bones now were bare as bones can be! The bowlful of rich brownish broth was then poured back into the pot and the potful was put in the refrigerator. After about 2 hours, I removed the pot, took a slotted spoon and skimmed off all of the white fat layer that had floated to the top. There was a lot and it was removed totally and easily.  

After rinsing the package of split peas, and chopping up two onions, the soup has been started. It will simmer all day long. There will be no need for further straining as it will become a smooth, kind of thickish gruel. No lumps or bumps. I'll then add pepper and leave it to others to the salting.  I will freeze portions and keep a few for myself. 

While the soup was simmering, we - get that - we dug out the old grinder and all of the chunks were processed. I fed the beast, he turned the handle. The result was three fairly large containers of ham - ready to be made into ham salad, or used for hash, or added to casseroles. Wish I could share a bit with you as well. There is enough. I packaged the remaining dinner entree slabs and that is that!  Soup simmering. Ham and soup project complete.

Did I tell you that she also brought over another dozen of those wonderful home-grown eggs? Well, I already had one partial and one full box so what do you do when you have extra eggs? You boil the oldest bunch and make egg salad for sandwiches. Oh, and egg-potato salad with three potatoes that were already cooked and just waiting to be used in some way. We had eggy potato salad for lunch. YUM! I'm tired now. I too am old.

The cleanup is extensive, but who cares? It will be worth it. Come for a visit. It sure smells good in here!

P.S. = PEA SOUP at 6pm with homemade sourdough bread.

The entire batch yield was 4 quarts.

Communication Situation

Communication Situation

I'm writing about this to perhaps lighten or somehow ease thoughts of everyone regarding the awful pain and suffering so many folks are experiencing because of the horrible events that have happened this week. My thinking is that maybe your attention will be diverted for just a little bit and maybe my silly situational story will move your thoughts to a better place for a moment.

Usually, my husband and I travel about 30 miles about every two weeks to grocery shop. It's important to us that we also pick up our preferred soda and Walmart is the only place that sells it.

For about four times last year and then again last week when we went,  they were out of the soda - completely out. I made the mistake of not calling first to ensure that a supply existed.

This time I called first and the beverage manager said there was plenty on the shelves but she would also hold a case for me. When I asked how many were in a case she didn't know, but thought there was six. She asked when we were coming and I told her we'd be there in about an hour.

We arrived at the store, and went our usual ways - me with my cart to shop for groceries, he with his cart to shop for soda and other sundry items. The usual routine is for us to meet at the checkout nearest the door we entered. Whoever if finished first, just waits, sometimes by sitting on the provided bench.

He was finished first and after I checked out and we started to exit I noticed that his cart didn't hold very many bottles of soda so I asked him if there were more on the shelf. His reply was that the ones we buy were gone and there was no one to check on the case that was being held so he just checked out. My answer was that I'd go to Customer Relations and get someone to bring my case to me there. 

BIG Mistake: I could have suggested that he take his cart to the car, unload and then come back in because I'd stay in the Customer Relations area. I didn't suggest it. I assumed that is what he would do. 

SECOND BIG Mistake: Never assume.

The Customer Relations Manager contacted the person to whom I spoke on the phone that morning and she came to the area. She told me she'd be back with the soda for me and I asked her if there was more than one case available, would she bring back two and she said she would. I sat down and waited and waited. Finally she showed up and was looking like a wild woman. She told me she had brought back two cases on a gurney, left the gurney for just a moment to help another customer and when she returned the cases of soda had disappeared. She wondered if I had it. She couldn't believe someone had taken them right off her cart! WHAT? I just told her to never mind, I had waited long enough and was going home. She marched out of the area where I was waiting in search of who took her soda. I think you know what is coming............

As I was heading for the exit, I passed the checkout near the door and THERE HE WAS! CHECKING OUT TWO CASES OF SODA. All of this time, I thought he was waiting for me either by the door or by the car. Then....the woman who had brought it up from the back area spotted him and confronted him. She had NO idea he was a member of my family. I high-tailed it outta there!!!

I stood in the parking lot and he finally arrived. When he unlocked the door, I entered and just sat there. After unloading and taking the carts to the proper area, he entered the car and gave me heck for not helping him unload! (I usually do.) My mouth was sealed - TIGHT! I was so angry and so humiliated and so embarrassed that I was afraid of myself. I really wanted to rip him up and down with my words of contempt - but couldn't. 

All the way home I worked at getting myself under control and after arriving, helped unload and then put it all away, but still kept from saying anything about the incident or my feelings. It's my way to hold things in and I must say I did well, knowing I would cause more trouble. I'm usually a patient person and not angered easily, and he is impatient and flares up very easily. You know what I mean - oil and water. After 52 years, we haven't "killed" each other, so I guess this communication situation will prevail for a few more. 

I'm still waiting for an apology but those are rare. I truly believe that he doesn't even realize that he made a fool of himself, a fool of the store employee and embarrassed and humiliated me.  I'll get over it. In a while......

There! Did I make you forget real pain and suffering, even for a minute?

Day 11 Bean

Life.....

Day 8 Bean & Bug

Well I first took a photo of the bean plant and it's still growing. I then went back to drinking my morning coffee. 

Do you see what I see? Guess I need to remember to rinse out my cup before pouring my coffee. I ALWAYS do! Well, not always. Lesson learned.

When living in an old log cabin we will have these days. Nope, I was not "freaked out" ... just surprised. 

Cookie Time

I have 4 partial jars of peanut butter and need to use it so............

How the heck I got so much pb I don't know, but think I must have brought a couple of jars back from SC to be sure we had some! I have creamy, chunky and natural varieties and will mix them.

I also have 2 half full bags of light brown sugar! Although I much prefer to use dark brown the light will just have to suffice. I think I overbought the light for the past holiday baking projects.

The old recipe is one I have used for years and it always turns out just fine. If I want chewy cookies I bake them for 9 minutes. If I want crispy cookies, I bake them for 11 minutes. Yes, there is a real difference and I use a timer.

This is my lunch

This is my husband's lunch

Peanut Butter Cookies from Grandma's Recipe Collection

Sift together - 
2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

Blend well before adding flour mixture -
1 C peanut butter
2 C brown sugar
1/2 C butter (1 stick) I said BUTTER!! (don't melt!)
2 eggs

Add -
1 tsp pure vanilla
1/2 C whole milk 

Cool dough in refrigerator for a bit, then teaspoon 12 scoops to an ungreased cookie sheet. I don't press them into a ball and flatten with a sugared fork, because I don't feel it is necessary.

Bake - 350° oven 9-11 minutes depending on how crunchy you like them.

After baking, let them rest a bit before removing from sheet to cool further on paper bags. 

Makes about 4 dozen, depending on size.

The Turkeys are Coming!

Click photo to view larger

Yesterday afternoon my husband looked out the kitchen window and saw a rafter of turkeys in the field next to the treeline on the hill  across the lake. He tried counting them, using his binoculars but they were intermingling and so he just guessed there were about 50-100.

Soon after, I looked out and saw that there was a small number on the road, down from the hill and snatched my camera to catch them.

Because it was raining so hard, I had to stay in the carport, and zoom in. I don't have the capacity in my camera or knowledge to really get great pictures, and as soon as the hens saw me with my white sweatshirt (I know they did) they ran for a few steps and then flew far away into the woods behind the cabin. 

Dummy TOM just ran along the dam road! He RAN down the bank in a panic and disappeared! It was funny! 

Updates and Outdates

The cable guy came this morning because we had a power outage last night and the box wouldn't reboot. I spent over 45 minutes on a live computer chat with our service and, finally, she told me we need to have a man come. DUH!

It seems that, since my husband finally bought his new 46 inch flat screen TV, much to our surprise the cable box became outdated. We simply could make that old box function after a small power loss. (It was actually about 2 years ago the box was put in so husband could watch car races on a channel he can't get otherwise.)

I hate it when old things don't function as well as new things because they once did and new things just don't care! Am I making sense? Well, maybe not. I don't function as well as I used to either.

One end result is that the new box doesn't accommodate both the VCR and the DVD players. Only one of them can be hooked up at a time. Oh, the choices the man of the house here has to make!

The cable man just got out the door and had started up his truck when my husband discovered the hand remote control wouldn't jump back to the channel that he was on before moving to the one he was currently watching. Caught him just in time! There was a bit of panic in husband's voice as he darted to the front porch waving his hands.

Now we have a new cable box, a new remote control and a new TV. Whoop-de-do!

And.... his remote headset plays in stereo. It never did. 

YES! We rejoice with all of the wonderful changes. YES! (If we say so, it must be true.)

Day Four Bean Sprout

I am growing a MONSTER!

Day Three Bean Sprout

Now I'm becoming a little worried that it will grow too big and fast before I can move it outdoors! Still way too cold here. I don't have a trellis yet, either. Maybe an old wooden roof ladder will do? WHAT HAVE I DONE???

Maybe This is My Bean!

http://www2.greenculturesg.com:8080/articles/feb07/feb07_swordbean.htm

It could be! The lady said it came in a gift can. 

I found these pictures on the internet. 

MAYBE.............

Day Two Bean Sprout

It burst open this morning! Only 2nd day since it popped out of the ground. Isn't that wonderful?
Ah, the mysteries of Spring......

The Mysterious Bean Vine - Continued

 Monday, November 12, 2012

Mystery Seeds

When at the campground in SC this past September and October I noticed that another permanent resident had a vine in her side yard that intrigued me. It was a bit scrawny and grew from a hanging pot and twisted around the shepherd's hook.  The lady seemed to never be at home whenever I passed by, but once I caught her coming in.  I asked her what kind of vine she was growing and she didn't know. She received the seed in a gift can which called it a Jack in the Beanstalk, with directions of how to grow it. She threw the can away! She then told me that in the summer it produced a lovely large purple flower. I never saw the flower. 

Actually, the reason it attracted my attention was that there were only two hanging long seed pods on the bare stems and I wanted one. They looked like giant pea pods.  So.....I asked her if I could have one when they had dried. 

One morning I discovered MY pod on my porch deck. Whoopee!!!! I did see her later on that week to thank her. She told me that several others were stopping by when they saw those pods and she was afraid that someone would pick them and take them away so she beat them to it!  She kept one and asked me what I was going to do with mine. I told her I would dry it, open it, save the seeds, and next year plant them to see what vine it really is. I also told her I would try to accomplish, by internet research, its identification.

I was afraid that, because they hadn't dried on the vine they weren't ripe enough to pick, but just decided to dry the pod and reap the seeds anyway. So I did. When the pod finished drying in my PA home it really rattled and was tough to open. BEANS! I have purple/pinkish beans! 

I have spent hours trying to know what my precious seeds are. I have just about given up and hope that I can plant them and have them sprout and grow and produce flowers and more wonderful ten inch pods.

UPDATE

 Well, here you are! I gave 2 to my daughter, one to a friend in Canada, and I kept 3. Only ONE germinated, but it looks good...so far.