Goodbye Old Friend

When I was a little girl Grandma Doris made almost all of my clothes. She was a self taught seamstress. She sewed on a Pfaff sewing machine that was purchased in Germany when my dad, who was in the USAF, was stationed there. When Dawn and I were little girls we wore dresses to school. Everyone did. We weren't allowed to wear pants to school until I was in the 10th grade. If it was cold we could wear pants under our dresses. Thankfully, the winters in San Antonio were fairly mild, especially by Nebraska (where we now reside)  standards.

Mama always had her machine serviced at Grome's  Sewing Machine Co. in San Antonio.

When I was a girl I did not fully appreciate my mother's talent. There were times when I longed for store bought clothes. Now, as a mom and grandmother, I truly admire what she was able to teach herself. She never graduated from high school. It wasn't even until she was in her 40s that she got her GED. Yet, she was able to teach herself how to sew and use a complicated machine. For its time (late 1950s), her machine was pretty fancy. It had the ability to embroider designs. She figured out how to use it on her own. I stand amazed at the clothes she made for Dawn and me. Looking back, I wish I would have appreciated her more.

Mama made sure that I learned how to sew. It started with Homemaking classes in Junior high school. That's where I learned the fundamentals. From there I went on to make many of my own clothes, including my own wedding dress, as well as clothes for my own daughters. Somewhere along the way I stopped. Perhaps because I couldn't find time but more likely because my skills couldn't keep up with the newer patterns.  I had a very basic machine. That machine hasn't worked for years. So when I decided to start sewing again I got out mama's machine; the machine she used to teach me. The last thing I sewed on this machine was a lap quilt for Aunt Gail when she was going through treatment for breast cancer.

The old Pfaff stop working in the middle of this quilt. I had to finish it on Natalie's machine. Sadly, when I took the old girl to the shop I was told that her parts were no longer being made. They put her back together and I brought her home and set her on a shelf in my secret room where I can look at her and remember...

New Year's Resolution

The thought of a new year reminds me of one my favorite quotes from Ann of Green Gables, 

“Tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes in it...well with no mistakes in it yet."

― Angelica M. Stacy

I love the idea of the new year being fresh with no mistakes in it ... yet. And, I love the idea of making it my own. This year, especially, the new year brings a freshness that I have not know in long time. I have retired from my job at LPS and am reentering the world of being a stay at home mom/grandmother. I was a stay at home mom for 18 years before becoming a special education para. I only ever worked part time yet the job afforded us the opportunity to send our girls to college without incurring any lasting debt. Since our youngest daughter graduated from the University of Nebraska a few weeks ago I decided to retire.

I am going to post a list, in no particular order, of New Year's/retirement resolutions that I hope to accomplish this year. 

1. I am looking forward to rekindling my love of sewing, especially quilting. I want to explore the idea of sewing clothes for my grandchildren. I used to sew many clothes for my daughters when they were little but I am out of practice and I fear technology has far surpassed what I used to do with my old Pfaff sewing machine. 
2. I am going to participate in SSMT. My first verse is Ephesians 4:31 "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice."
3. I am going to keep up with this blog. After all, I started it to leave a legacy of sorts for my daughters so if I want that to happen I need to get after it.
4. I am going to read more. I have a long list of books I want to read.
5. I am going to spend time each morning studying the Word. I just started a study on the book of Ephesians.
6. I want to be more intentional about the time I spend with my grandchildren; perhaps even do a few sewing projects with them. 
7. I am going to make a menu every week and stick to it. We had gotten into the habit of eating out too much. Now that I am at home I plan to cook and bake more.
8. I received a fitbit for Christmas. I plan to do my best to walk 10,000 steps every day. 
9. I am going to be a better listener. I am learning that I don't need to always  have a response at the ready. Sometimes all that is needed a willingness to listen.
10. I am going to declutter the basement. I have a tendency to hang onto things. My mother never kept anything. I think that is why her home was neat. I am very sentimental. I am going to be brutal about getting rid of stuff. If I can preserve a memory with a photograph then I will. (Time will tell if I will really be able to do this.)
11. I am going to organize our family photos, a very daunting task. I have tried and failed before; out of sight, out of mind has become my motto. That is sad for one as sentimental as I.
12. I am going to grow a vegetable and flower garden this year.
13. I am going to travel with Mark. We will celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary this year. We are going to plan an anniversary trip; perhaps to Yellowstone National Park.
14. I am going to learn more about how to use my camera and take more photos.
15. I am going to plan a vacation for our family.

There you have it. I don't usually make resolutions but I think that 2015 is a good place to start. Check back here to see how I am doing. I wish you all a very blessed new year filled with love, happiness, laughter, and all the things that make your heart flutter.

Pumpkin Muffins

       When I think of fall I think of pumpkins. Pumpkin muffins to be exact. Natalie loves all things pumpkin and she loves these muffins! These muffins are especially pumpkiny and spicy. It seems to be that either you really like them or you really don't. When Grace was in college a few of her A Capella friends spent the weekend with us. Whenever we have overnight company I usually do a little baking. I baked these muffins for her friends. Her friend Jake happened to be one of the ones who didn't especially like them. He didn't know it until he tasted them. He was trying to be tactful about it and was holding his muffin with only one bite taken in his hand on his lap. So it looked like he had eaten it. That is until Daisy grabbed it out of his hand and startled Jake. Did I mention you either really like them or you don't? Well, Daisy really liked them. When I apologized to Jake for Daisy's behavior and offered him another muffin he politely refused. Lesson learned - you can't please everyone but you can always please a Labrador.

Pumpkin Muffins

1 can of pumpkin

1 box of golden raisins (it makes a difference- the golden or white raisins look pretty in this recipe)

1 cup water

4 eggs

2 1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup canola oil

3 1/2 cup flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Soak raisins in the water. Do not drain.

Combine eggs, pumpkin, sugar, spices, salt, and oil. Beat well. Stir in raisins and water.

Combine dry ingredients and then mix together with the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

Spoon batter into greased muffin tins. (Actually I use cut little paper liners. it makes clean up so much easier. I use an ice cream scoop to fill them.)

Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Yield about 3 dozen muffins, give or take.

And this dear daughters is what your pumpkin muffins will look like if you are absent minded like your mom and leave out the baking powder and baking soda. I guess that's what happens when I try to blog and bake on a school night. They are still pretty tasty even if they aren't light and fluffy. 

 

Pumpkin Muffins: Take 2

This is what they are supposed to look like.

Making Pizza

     When you girls were little I used to make homemade pizza on Friday nights. In those days we lived in the burbs on the northwest side of San Antonio. Daddy worked for an insurance company that was located in north central San Antonio. It was 20 miles away give or take depending on which route he took. With the city traffic it was at least half an hour one way. Sometimes he took the VIA bus. Although the bus saved wear and tear on our older cars it could take him quite a while to get home. This one Friday he was running pretty late. I don't remember the exact details but for some reason I went to pick him up at a bus stop at Bandera Road and Loop 410. This was way before cell phones so he must have called me from a phone booth to say he missed his connection. I was in the middle of making pizza but I stopped what I was doing and went to pick him up. Katie was in middle school at the time. She decided to help me by rolling the dough out on the pans. (In all honesty I don't remember if she volunteered or if I asked her to do it) I came home to a dented pizza pan and dough that was not rolled out. I guess the dough was being stubborn that day and she felt the need to beat it with a rolling pin. I still use that same pizza pan today.

You can see the little dimples.

Pizza Dough

Here is the recipe I used that day. I got it from my Mama Ann.  Lately I have been using a "new" slightly different recipe I found in Pam Anderson's Cook Without a Book book)http://threemanycooks.com/recipes/meaty-mains/pizza-dough/ 

4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup oil (I used olive oil)
1 tbsp yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water

Dissolve yeast in the water. Add the oil and then the rest of the ingredients. Turn into an oiled bowl and let rise in a warm place until about double. You'll get a feel for it. I usually turn the oven on to preheat and the set dough on top of the stove because it is warm there.

After it has risen divide into 2 balls. Then grease your pizza pans and spread the dough with your hands until it reaches the edges. This might take a little doing but you can do it.

Next I prebake my dough for about 5 minutes at 450. I've tried skipping this step but in my conventional electric oven I've found this works best for me.
When that's done you spread the sauce on top. I have a confession about the sauce. I used to make homemade pizza sauce. When Daddy and I were first married there was a pizza place called Mr. Gatti's Pizza. We loved their pizza. One day I noticed they used Contadina pizza sauce. Some years back I realized I could buy Contadina pizza sauce at the store. No brainer. So that's what I use.

When y'all were kids I used to put Jimmy Dean sausage, mushrooms and black olives on our pizza. Sometimes to change it up I would substitute pepperoni. I put the mozzarella cheese on first and then the toppings. I bake it at 450. I put one pizza on the top rack and one on the bottom. After about 9 minutes I switch them and bake another 9 minutes or until it looks done. Then Daddy cuts it and we eat it.
Now a days I don't use any meat. Our toppings of choice are mushrooms , black olives, green olives, onion, and jalapenos (if the grand kids aren't around). This combination makes a pretty tasty pizza pie.

There you have it. Homemade pizza.

How NOT to Make Cherry Pie

        Daddy and I had not been married very long when I decided to make him a cherry pie. Cherry pie was and still is a favorite of his. Grace loves cherry pie as well. I made my crust from scratch and carefully assembled my cherry pie. I baked it to perfection and was so proud to present it to him. I anxiously awaited his compliments because I just knew he was going to love it. Funny though, no compliments sprung forth. I couldn't leave well enough alone so I asked what he thought of my delicious creation. He had the nerve to say that it wasn't as good as his mom's cherry pie. As I live and breathe I can say it is nothing short of a miracle that we are still married. I was devastated. But, you know what? I dusted off my pride and asked my mother-in-law how she made cherry pie. Turns out she didn't use canned cherry pie filling. Ouch!  From that day on neither did I!
 So here is my recipe for cherry pie:

Pastry for a 2 crust pie

1 cup of sugar

1/3 cup flour

2 cans of pitted tart cherries, packed in water and drained

1/4 tsp almond extract

2 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 425

Mix sugar, flour, cherries and almond extract

Line a pie plate with pastry and then pour in the cherry mixture. Dot with butter. Cover with the second piece of pastry. Seal the edges and flute. Cut slits in the top to allow the steam to escape.  Bake until golden brown and the juice begins to bubble up through the slits, 35-40 minutes. Cool and enjoy. Your husband will love it. Mine does!

*This recipe was adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook New and Revised Edition Copyright 1978

Note: When I was a full time homemaker I used to make my crust from scratch. This modern grandma is busier than ever these days so lately I have discovered that Trader Joe's makes an excellent pie crust which can be found in their freezer section.

What I didn't know in my early years of marriage was that my mother-in-law was a pie maker extraordinaire. As time went on I began to realize that she was no ordinary pie maker. Pies were her specialty and we all looked forward to them. Sadly, Mama Ann is no longer with us but the memory of her delicious pies lives on.

"2007 - These are the last Thanksgiving pies my mom baked this side of heaven. She had very little use of her hands by then, so I know it was very difficult for her. My mom made the world's best pies - we all started craving them every year weeks before Thanksgiving." -Gail Knuth Clayworth