This is Bella...

Bella is an 8 year old Rat Terrier.  Duane is taking care of her while his friend is on vacation.  And now I get to take care of her over the weekend while Duane is at work.  He will bring her home at night, but I get to play with her during the day here at Doggie Day Care.

There are rules involved with watching Bella.  No feeding her French Fries.  Or spaghetti.  We must toss her toy every fifteen minutes so she can play 'Fetch the Toy.'  Bella is allowed to lay on the back of the sofa so she can watch the world go by in the street below.  I must share my recliner with her at nap time.

Duane didn't bring any doggie treats with him, but I found that Bella dearly loves my home canned chicken cubes.  She is now my very bestest friend forever.

Poor Bella spent the first half hour this morning staring at my kitchen door, waiting for Duane to come back.  She is now on my lap, helping me write this post.

I think we're going to get along just fine.  :)

Ah, Spring.......

Duane posted these pictures on FB this morning.  They were taken just a few blocks from our apartments where he is house sitting and puppy sitting for a friend.

And these represent the prevailing attitude here today.

Sigh.

Getting Ready and More Mixes

We have a storm rolling in.  The clouds already look ugly and the temperature is dropping.  West of us are expecting blizzard conditions.  Here we are looking at rain, sleet and snow starting this evening and continuing until Friday.

So this morning I made sure my dirty dishes were washed, dried and put away.  My washer and dryer are running and will continue until my clothes basket is empty.  Nothing worse than a sink full of dirty dishes and a basket full of dirty clothes if the power goes out.  Several 5 gallon buckets are ready to fill from the bathtub before the water pressure goes away.  Thankfully I have plenty of home canned food on the shelves that can be eaten right out of the jars if need be.

So in between washer loads I have been working on making more mixes.  The following are ones that I use most often.  I expect that many of you are already familiar with them, but here they are anyway.

Homemade Bisquick Mix

9 Cups flour
1 3/4 Cups instant dry milk
1/3 /cup baking powder
4 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 Cups shortening

Whisk together the first four ingredients, blending well.  Add the shortening and cut it into the dry ingredients.  You don't want to see any lumps of shortening.  I use my hand held electric mixer for this step.

Store in an air tight container.  Shortening is used because it doesn't need to be refrigerated.  I make up several recipes at a time, keeping one in the cupboard to use and freezing the rest.  If I am going to make a mess, I want to do it only once within several months.  :)

To use:  Combine 1 Cup of mix with 1/4 cup water for biscuits and dumplings.  Bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned on top.

Admittedly, biscuits from scratch are better, but these work well when I want biscuits quickly or when I am making them to pour stew or gravy over. 

Beef Gravy Mix

1 1/3 Cups dry milk
3/4 Cup flour
3 Tablespoons beef bouillon powder
1/8 teaspoon thyme or 1/8 teaspoon celery powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon sage or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

(Note:  When this recipe and the next one call for choices, I put it all in.)

Mix well.  To use:  Whisk 1/2 cup of the mix into 1 Cup of cold water.  Stir constantly over medium heat until slightly thick.  2-3 minutes.

Chicken Gravy Mix

1 2/3 Cups dry milk
3/4 Cup flour
3 Tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/8 teaspoon pepper or 1/4 teaspoon onion powder or 1/8 teaspoon paprika

Directions are the same as for the Beef Gravy Mix.

I dehydrate lots of different vegetables including potato slices.  I slice the potatoes thin using a mandolin slicer.  The slices are blanched in boiling water for 3 minutes, cooled down in very cold water, drained and then spread out in a single layer on the dehydrator trays.  I dry them at 135 degrees.  The time varies according to the kind of potato and the weather, mostly humidity.  I use the following recipe for using my dehydrated potatoes more than any other.

Scalloped Potato Basic Sauce

1/3 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons nonfat dry milk
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon onion powder or 1 Tablespoon crushed dried onions
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Makes sauce for one recipe of scalloped potatoes.

To use:  Place 3 Cups of the dehydrated potato slices in a medium sized casserole dish.  Sprinkle with sauce mix and dot with 3 Tablespoons of butter.  Stir in 3 Cups boiling water.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Cubed ham or bacon bits or cheese can be added for flavor.

Note:  I wasn't completely satisfied with the results from baking the scalloped potatoes in the oven, but find that they turn out well when cooked in a crock pot.

Stuffing in a Bag

3 Cups bread crumbs or small cubes
(Note:  I make my own by slicing bread into small cubes and drying it on cookie sheets in a 200 degree oven.).
1/2 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 Tablespoon onion powder
2 Tablespoons dried celery slices or 1 Tablespoon celery powder
(Note:  I found the celery pieces didn't rehydrate well.  I used my little coffee grinder to turn dehydrated celery into powder, so I get the taste of celery but not the hard pieces.)
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon sage (I like more so I double the amount.)
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered chicken bouillon

Combine all ingredients in a zip lock bag.

To use:  Bring 1 1/2 Cups water to a boil with 1/4 Cup butter.  Stir in contents of the bag.  Remove from heat and cover for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork.

I use many of my dehydrated vegetables for soup.  To avoid having to haul out several bags of vegetables every time I want to make soup, I put several pint jars of soup mix together at one time, and then it is just a matter of grabbing a jar, dumping into a crock pot, adding 2 quarts of water and letting it cook all day.  There are many recipes out there for soup.  I tend to follow a basic formula:
2 Cups of vegetables
2 Tablespoons of either beef or chicken bouillon

Sometimes I use dehydrated mixed vegetables.
Sometimes I use just potato cubes, carrot cubes and celery pieces. (Celery rehydrates well in the crock pot.)
Sometimes I put together vegetables that appeal to me at the time, including dried onions and cabbage.
If I want a beefy vegetable soup, I add either dried tomatoes or a couple Tablespoons of tomato powder and a Tablespoon of beef bouillon.
If I want chicken flavored soup I skip the tomatoes and use chicken bouillon.  A couple of bouillon cubes can be used instead of powdered bouillon.
If I want meat in the soup, I just add a pint of my home canned beef or chicken or pork cubes.  Or maybe ham or turkey.  Or whatever meat is leftover from supper the night before.  The combinations are endless.  And the soup is really good.  Beats the heck out of soup that comes in a can.

I saw it had started to snow about an hour ago.  That wasn't supposed to happen until tonight.  My green fuzzy blanket is folded over the arm of my recliner.  My Kindle is fully charged as is the battery in my laptop.  I'm ready for you, Mother Nature.  :)

Homemade Mixes

I am working on cutting back the amount of money I spend on groceries.  Over the years I have tried making my own convenience mixes and I spent the better part of today replenishing part of my stock.

This first recipe isn't a mix, but it is a substitute for one.  I love chocolate milk and have in the past bought Nestle's Quick or Ovaltine for that purpose.  Prices have gone up and I just can't justify paying that much for an indulgence.  So I made a batch of chocolate syrup, similar to Hershey's.

Chocolate Syrup

1/2 Cup dry cocoa
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1 Cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Sift cocoa.  Whisk into water over medium heat.  Add sugar and stir to dissolve.  Bring to a rolling boil and stir constantly for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in salt and vanilla.  Cool.  Store in fridge.  Will keep for several months.

I have stopped buying brown sugar.  I make my own, usually 4 cups at a time.  For every cup of granulated sugar I add 1 Tablespoon of molasses.  Using either a stand mixer or a hand held one, I stir the sugar and molasses together on a medium speed setting, scraping the sides of the bowl now and then, until they are completely combined.  I can't tell the difference between store bought brown sugar and my homemade.

I am getting low on laundry soap, so I made another batch.

Laundry Soap

1 bar Fels Naptha soap (I use whatever bars of soap I have on hand - 1 bath size bar or 2 smaller bars.)
1 Cup Washing Soda
1 Cup Borax
(Washing Soda and Borax can be found in the laundry soap section of the grocery store.)

Finely grate the soap.  Stir in the Washing Soda and Borax and blend well.  Use 1 Tablespoon per washer load.

I dearly love a cup of cocoa in the evenings or sometimes I will have cocoa and toast for breakfast.  This isn't the Swiss Miss type of cocoa, but more like what Mother made by heating milk and adding cocoa powder and sugar.

Hot Cocoa Mix

5 Cups dry milk
3 Cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 Cups cocoa powder
1 Cup dry coffee creamer (like Creamora)

Sift the ingredients together and mix until well blended.
To use, stir 1/3 Cup of the mix into a mug of hot water.
Toss in a few mini marshmallows for an extra treat.

I know that the Jiffy cornbread mixes are fairly inexpensive, but I like the taste of my homemade mix better.

Jiffy Cornbread Mix

4 Cups flour
4 cups yellow cornmeal
2 Cups dry milk
3/4 Cups sugar
1/4 Cup baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and blend well.

To use:  Beat 1 egg and 1 Cup of water together with a fork.  Stir in 2 1/3 Cups of the mix and 1/4 Cup melted butter.  Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes.  This makes an 8 x 8 pan of cornbread or 12 corn muffins.  Good just buttered but even better with a little honey drizzled on.

That was enough for one day.  I have a few other mixes to make, but that will keep until next week, as I have other projects going that need to be finished.  I store all my mixes in canning jars, well labeled, so I don't accidentally try to wash a load of clothes with cornbread mix.  Don>t ask.  :)

I like to have convenience foods like mixes on hand, but don't like paying the prices in the stores.  And by making my own mixes, I know what is in them.  Win - win!

You haven't heard from me because...

most of this week I have been a lazy bum.

Thursday I had an appointment with my doctor.  Medicare wouldn't pay for part of my oxygen unless I saw my doctor, face to face.  So I did.  I suspected he would use this visit to do the usual blood tests that come with a visit and I was right.  So I found out I am healthier than I was 6 months ago.  I have lost 36 lbs. within the past two years.  I was able to drop one of the meds I take daily.  The swelling in my feet is reduced.  I still need the oxygen, but hey...you can't have everything at my age.  But I don't have to go back for a year.  That works for me.

The best part of the day was having time with my youngest daughter who took me to my appointment.  There was enough waiting time for conversation and that was a good thing. 

When I have a day that includes stairs and walking hallways and in and out of a car, it takes a bit to recover.  Friday was mostly spent reading and napping.  I pretty much stayed away from my computer.  Sometimes I just need to get away from Crazyland in the political world.  I usually follow the news so it was lovely to ignore it all for a day.

Granddaughter Boston called me.  She is spending her Spring Break week checking out colleges with her parents.  She told me all about the ones she had visited and so far really likes a smaller school not far from her home.  She is looking to take classes in business and finance.  She will be a high school Senior next fall and I'm glad she is getting a head start on making her choices. 

Son David and family stopped in on their way home from visiting another college.  They came bearing ice cream.  It was really good, but the most fun was getting caught up on what the three grands had been doing.  And hugs.  Hugs are good.

When they called to see if I wanted them to pick up anything for me on their way to my apartment, I had Maddie Mae's afghan spread all over the kitchen table.  I had been sewing all the granny squares together and had to gather them all up and hide them so Maddie wouldn't see them.  The kids usually don't check this blog unless there is something their Dad tells them about, so I can post a picture soon. 

Not much else going on here in my little corner of the world.  I saw that nasty word 'snow' in the forecast for next week.  I have David's permission to stop praying for snow now because his customers are clamoring for the spring clean-up work his company does every year.  I hope this forecast is wrong.  It is time for lilacs - not snow! 

Things Are Looking Up

God never closes a door but what He opens a window.

Duane stopped in a little while ago to tell me he found a job.

Duane spent many years cooking in restaurants.  He saw an add for a bar and grill that needed a cook.  He applied and got the job.  It helped that he knows the manager.  He knows the manager because he has worked for him before.  Both of my boys have worked in this establishment at one time or another over the years.  The manager told Duane that he was about to call Duane's brother to get Duane's number, to ask if he would like to work there again.

This is a nice place.  I have had dinner there with my kids and grands several times.  It has been in business longer than I can remember and is a place where you can take your young children for a meal.  And it is only a block away from our building.

One of the perks is that Duane gets one meal every day he works.  They make the best pizza in town.  I have been promised some of that pizza now and then.  :)

I am really happy for him.  He has been working since he was in High School and not being able to work was wearing on him.  He is nearly finished with Occupational Therapy and is going to Cardiac Therapy two or three times a week, but that will not interfere with his work schedule.  He no longer needs to worry about transportation or driving on snowy, icy roads to get to a job. 

Life is again pretty darned good!!

Long Ago April

Many years ago, this mother of four youngsters was working in one end of her house when she heard an awful crashing, banging sound come from the other end.  It was followed by children's voices yelling, "Mom!  Come quick!  Jill fell down the basement stairs!"

I rushed to the basement door, peered down to see my oldest daughter sprawled at the bottom of the stairs, covered in blood.

Flying down the stairs, I reached my daughter, only to be met with a chorus of, "April Fool, Mom!!"

My ketchup covered daughter was laughing, as were her siblings.  They had tossed a couple of kitchen kettles down the stairs for the noise and had positioned Jill at the bottom, looking like a bloody discarded rag doll.

I let them live, although at the time this was debatable.  They all grew up to be fine adults.  But I always wished that each of them would someday have a child who would come up with a similar April Fool joke.  :)