Eighty Two

It started out to be a day with new snow on the ground and still coming down. Our plan was to go grocery shopping as usual, every two weeks. We don't travel during bad weather as we can always go a day or two later, but wouldn't you know it suddenly cleared up and we left for the 29 mile one-way trip. After arrival home and putting it all away I checked the phone, and sure enough phone message greetings were left with promises to call later. The calls did come later in the day. Earlier nice cards had arrived via snail mail. I received a couple of e-mail messages saying the card was in the mail, sorry to be late, and quite a few greetings in private messages on Facebook. I really appreciate these cards and greetings no matter what methods were used to convey them to me. Thank you all friends and family!

Today I purchased a container of large cinnamon buns that looked soooo good! The checker put the package sideways instead of flat in my cloth shopping bag. Of course, it was one of the last ones I opened when we were home putting things away. The container had leaked out gooey sticky stuff all over the bottom of the bag. I washed it and put it by the propane heater to dry when only the fan was blowing and the fire was out. I forgot about it until I smelled something burning - well melting not actually burning. Yikes! What a mess then! Apparently it had sucked up to the front and stuck. Guess we'll have to wait until June when we have the heater serviced and see if the technician can get the stuff off.

We split one for lunch and they sure were tasty! 

Now I must tell you about a special card that was hand-delivered! My brother-in-law and I have exchanged birthday cards for many years. He bought one, mailed it and two days later it was returned to him for postage due; $3.00 postage due!

It seems that it is a surcharge for non-bendable cards according to his postmaster.

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How are “rigid” letter-size greeting cards priced?

Greeting cards can be classified as “rigid” if it cannot bend and is less than:

• 11-1/2" x 6-1/8" x 1/4" thick 
• 3.5 ounces

If they meet these conditions, they will be charged the standard postage rate, plus a non-machinable surcharge.

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Did you know that? The card was great and I really appreciate his efforts to get it to me!

This card actually measured 81/4" x 53/4" I don't know what it weighed.

 When I pressed on the spot, "press here" it played  "Feels Good" as the dog scratches his neck and his ear swings when bumped by his paw.  Funny!

Well, I wagged my tail very hard today!

To view the buns and heater larger please click on an image

2010 January Washout

I put this together 4 years after it happened and will never forget what a mess we had eight years ago.  There is a large catch basin at the side of the road just behind the tree but it clogged up fast and caused all of the mess. 

Every year we are thankful when time passes without another winter sudden thaw.

Aftermath Mar 21, 2017

Reality is setting in...

I'll bake a cake and it will go away!

please click on image to taste cake

One minute 40 second slide show below

It Was All Worthwhile!

We both like anything lemon, me especially. When a Facebook Friend posted a recipe I just HAD to try it. Here is what they said about it on the site: 

"You might know it as something different, but this pie is basically magic, in that you make only one batter, but as it cooks it separates into two distinct layers: a filling that’s like a delectable lemon custard and a coconut top crust that’s crispy and offers the perfect contrast to the filling. This dessert is ridiculously easy (plus, clean-up’s a breeze!) and we promise your whole family will love it…get the little ones to help out and watch them be amazed at the results!"

Lemon Impossible Pie
1 HOUR TO PREPARE, SERVES 8
INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole milk
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, optional 
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, and lightly grease and flour an 8 or 9-inch pie dish.

2. In a large bowl or mixer, beat sugar and eggs together until thick and ribbony, then mix in melted butter and milk.

3. One by one, beat in eggs, waiting until each if fully incorporated before adding the next.

4. Mix in vanilla extract, lemon juice and zest, then gradually mix in flour until just combined.

5. Fold in coconut flakes, if using. (Note: if not using coconut, only add 4 tablespoons butter.)

6. Pour batter into greased pie pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until center is just set, but still slightly wobbly.

7. Remove pie from oven and let cool completely, then refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.

8. Once chilled, slice, serve and enjoy! 

http://12tomatoes.com/lemon-impossible-pie/ 

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IF you did it step by step, you would discover that #2 says to beat then mix.....etc.
WELL....#3 says to beat eggs ONE by ONE..... Heck! I did it wrong!!!! I beat all 4 eggs with the sugar and mixed in butter and milk FIRST!  THEN, at step #5 I didn't FOLD in the coconut flakes as instructed, I poured them in with Big Red running on low.  THAT was WRONG and caused my next carelessness. 

Anyway, when it was all put together and ready to go into my 9 inch glass pie dish, I went to turn off my Big Red Workhorse and...are you ready?...Turned it UP!!!!! OOPS! WENT THE WRONG WAY ON THE LEVER! FULL STEAM AHEAD! That wonderful horse bit me! I must have been ignoring him for too long. 

W H A T  A  M E S S!!!! They said clean up would be a breeze! It took us both about an hour with towels, rags and changes of dishwater to get the job done - in the kitchen! During the cleanup I took a minute, poured the remainder of batter into the dish, stuffed it in the oven and just plain couldn't stop laughing! I reminded myself of Lucy trying to keep up at the chocolate factory. We first had to decide where to start! Cupboards, floor, windows? Me?When the kitchen was back in order, this baker had to jump into a hot shower, because my clothes and hair were beginning to harden with that batter. Imagine eggs, sugar, milk, lemon, and coconut flakes coming at you like a whirlwind.

End result - IT WAS ALL WORTH IT! 

Oven off- Pie set but wobbly 

Cooled and settled down to go to refrigerator 2 hours.

Please click to taste

Just Follow the Sugar Trail

I got it into my head this morning to go through my recipe boxes and throw away ones I don't use. There's no sense in keeping recipes if you don't ever use them, is there?

Oh! Oh! I found one for which I have the ingredients already on hand and I didn't have the heart to throw it away without trying it - at least once.

Click on photos to view larger

I started out melting the butter and the peanut butter in a medium sized bowl. When it was totally smooth and hot, I tried to add the sugar. Wrong! The bowl wasn't large enough to enable me to stir it in. I had confectioner's sugar ALL OVER THE PLACE!

Messy me - I have to clean up my work area as I bake so it was a cleanup I did. Well, then the logical thing to do was to reheat the pb and b mixture with the unstirred white messy stuff on top because it has already cooled down. FIRST, it all had to be transferred to a larger bowl, so another mess was created. The stirring process was labor intensive for me - it took muscle. I don't have muscle.

The end result was a nice pan of fudge on the counter, cooling and ready to cut and EAT! EAT! I love peanut butter. I love candy. I'm glad you weren't there to see me.

Don't try it - it's too much work. I may throw away that recipe. After that workout I'm going to go and bag up my dried apples now to relax.

Peanut Butter Fudge:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups sifted powdered sugar

Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with buttered waxed paper. (I used Release foil.)
Combine the peanut butter and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for about one minute. (It took more than one minute.)

Stir. It should be all melted now. You can also do this on the stovetop if you don’t like to use the microwave. (I figured that it would be easier to wash a bowl than a pot so I microwaved it.)

Stir in the vanilla, then the sifted powdered sugar. (Yes, make sure it all is in a large bowl and prepare to do a lot of stirring!)

Spread in the prepared pan.

Chill for about two hours then cut into one-inch squares. (Easy to say - one inch!)

All packed except for the crumbs. I won't share the crumbs.