And it started like this....

Through some interesting zigs and zags I ended up on All In The Family.  First I started in Allrecipes.  Then in 2011 I relented and joined FaceBook.  Got added into a group that I later watched implode.  Some of that group reformed and I asked to join it.  It had its ups and downs.  2012 they held a secret Santa exchange.  What the heck and why not, I thought.  I had a lot of fun with that.  Georgi was my secret Santa and I enjoyed getting to know her.  2013 it was just a card exchange which was still fun.  I love getting fun mail, know what I mean?  By the time December 2014 rolled around the name of the group had changed and so had some of the members.  Again a card exchange was suggested.  That year I was so not in the Christmas spirit so I thought about it before I decided to make cards and join the list.  I'm glad I did.  I'm not terribly crafty but I do try hard.  Making those cards and thinking about who those cards were going to go really cheered me up.


Anissa with her contests.  I sat and watched while she showed us her motel room and proved there was nothing up her sleeves.  I believe Angie won that time but it was still a fun positive thing for me to think about.  Sure I thought about other people from the group.  One was definitely Toni Marsh.  While I will never have known her like Tempi, Marj, Liz or Bettina, I will never hear Styx "Come Sail Away With Me" without thinking of her.  I'm glad I had a chance to tell her that in her card that year.


AITF helped generate some much needed positive thoughts in me then.  In 2015 I tried posting a good thought for the day but that didn't really catch on.  Then a thought occurred to me.  Why not a "What did you have for Dinner?" post.  Prior to this Georgi used to post about dinner but at this point the pain in her back made it so she couldn't. Who knew it was more than a wrenched back?  So I asked if she cared if I did a dinner post.  Oh yeah, I freely admit to stealing the "What did you have for dinner?" idea from none other than Lilly Dory, one of our newest members.  I had enjoyed her AR posts because I always know what I had for dinner but arriving at the final dinner decision may change dramatically during the course of the day.


So on this anniversary I would like to thank all the dinner posters-the regulars and the not so regulars.  Hey, even if you aren't there every day I'm glad when you do stop in.  Even though I really enjoy the food porn, trust me, it doesn't really matter what you had for dinner.  For me it is like stopping in at a friend's and having a cup of coffee ( which I'm usually doing when I post), catching up and starting the day.  You have shared recipes.  You have taught me things about food I did not know.  I'm pretty sure for every 100 things I know about food there are about 1000 I don't.  You give me ideas for when "what's for dinner ?" is just a blank empty space.  Best of all you make me laugh and give brightness to my day.


This last year hasn't just been about food.  I'd like to think I've gotten closer to some of you.  How can you not when you share loss?  Be it a dear family member, friend or a beloved pet.  Sympathized when the daily grind of Life has gotten to you.  Sent prayers to those with health concerns.  Celebrated the arrival of new lives with you.  That is how family is supposed to work.  No,. it doesn't matter that we aren't really related.  There are some of you that I talk to more than my own sister.


Thanks again for being here and enjoying with me the daily dinner posts.  You've all brightened my days.  Happy Anniversary Everyone!!

WANTED: A Collection of Cooks, A Flock of Friends, and a Gathering of Gardeners.

Yes, you are wanted and invited on June 10 thru the 12th, 2016 for a party.  Back in the day it was called a roundup.  Sadly, the Allrecipes that inspired  then aspiring , good home, and professional cooks to try and meet face to face for a meal, lots of fun food and otherwise filled conversations doesn't seem to exist.  At least not for me anymore but I'm not letting that stop me!  I have met some of the best people because that site whether it was there or later on FaceBook.

The first roundup.  Magnolia Blossom drove 8 hours and arrived on a cold wet night.  We were strangers then.  We moved onto killing phone batteries with our conversations until we upgraded phones.  Yeah, we can talk that long.  I'm telling you when food and friends (ok so there could be adult beverages involved) get together connections happen!


Because of that first gathering there were more.  Uh yeah, cause we had such a great time at the first one. My dear friend, Brenda, who'd stayed over started planning the second one the day after until she realized she was planning a party at my house but that didn't stop her. Lol.  For me it was like having family for a holiday party.  Fun, laughter, food.  Except my family rates really high on the dysfunctional scale and that day no one bolted as soon as the dishes were cleared nor was there forced mandatory conversation by those still in attendance.  It was just filled with people who wanted to share time together.

Another lovely group of people in this photo.  That was #3.  There have been 5 gatherings here.  I took a bit of a break from AR and the last get together was June 2014.  I noted today with a bit of surprise that I haven't blogged since 2014 either.  I suppose its because several things caused me to be disillusioned with AR then I had some pesky health issues.  Glad to say my doctor is happy with me and my health now.  Sorry to say AR has not had the same luck.  Returning to the site when I thought to get back into the "groove" of things on AR, I found some dramatic changes.  I do appreciate those that, like Lily Dory, who keep posting on the site.  I applaud your efforts.  And yes, Lily, I did steal your "What did you have for dinner?" idea to use in another FB group I'm in.  I truly thought your idea for the post was brilliant cause I always know what I had for dinner.  I really enjoyed reading your posts and getting supper ideas so I stole it, started using it March 2015 and would like to say your "what's for dinner?" is a hit in my little group too.  I sure have fun posting and seeing what everyone has made.


So anyway, June 10, 11th and 12th, 2016 you are invited to come to the middle of the Midwest for 3 days of food and fun.  Friday the 10th afternoon/evening I will have hearty appetizers available for those that have traveled to be here.  I know!  After years of hearing Missouri dogged by friends of the past, I'm always amazed people are willing to come here.  We do have cool stuff here those people just must not have seen any of it.  Pryde's, it is THE place where any type of cook can walk in and go "Oh, wow!".  The WW1 museum is the top rated of it's kind.  There are all kinds of historic sites.  Jesse James grew up not far from here.  The Pony Express started just north of us.  Remember this was the gateway to the West.  Oh, and we have lots of vineyards to visit too.  Now Saturday at 1pm will be the BBQ lunch.  No, you don't have to bring anything just arrive safe and sound!  I provide several kinds of BBQ and sides.  I generally don't make potato salad or deviled eggs and in the past Mi Being Mi/ Sheila or the bean lady as my son calls her has always brought the baked beans.  We eat, we talk, we go look at the pond and the horses and generally have a lot of fun for several hours lasting into the evening.  Leftovers are available.  Sunday for those left and that wish to come,  I supply a nice breakfast brunch.  I know, I know you might want to take me out to breakfast but trust me brunch here works best.  Besides Magnolia Blossom has to get her smoked turkey sandwich to go for the trip home.  Oh wait, she is staying longer this time.  Eh anyway, brunch here is best.  Trust me.


My email is cathillcafe@yahoo.com if you are interested in details.  We have several rooming options here.  One is the Downy House http://www.downeyhouserental.com/ which has already been reserved by two people so email or msg me if you would like to talk to them. 
http://www.super8.com/Super8/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=08472 this motel is 15 minutes south of me and was declared reasonably priced and clean with a pool by those that stayed before.  This is a B&B in town http://www.pinkrosebudbandb.com/.  For those with campers or that like camping http://www.claycountymo.gov/Parks/Smithville_Lake/Camping this is about 15 minutes as the crow flies.  In Liberty, MO there are all kinds of restaurant chains and motels if that suits your needs better.  This is the airport site for those that fly http://www.flykci.com/  Several have flown in before and can share their experiences if you wish to be connected with them.


May 2016 give you peace and fun filled journeys wherever they lead you.  Hopefully, one of your journeys will find you here.


Best Wishes,
Cat

A Hill of Beans

I know, I know a roundup blog was promised then an end of summer blog for those that wished to see what happened at the roundup and then how I spent my summer.  Well, it is rather funny about all that.  I thought I had a roundup blog covered by asking someone else to do it but evidently their attempt at one was foiled.  And then came the epic battle of the weeds, extremely tall weeds and an extremely large amount of them.

I began my foray into taming my wild garden right after the roundup.  The focus on that was all consuming but I was going to get it conquered this year.  I'd imagine anyone who has pulled weeds from sunup to sundown knows just how mind numbingly tedious it can be and how one's mind can wander off.  During one of those long mornings a scene from Alice in Wonderland entered my musings.  The one where Mad Hatter tells Alice, "You used to be much more muchier.  You've lost your muchness."  I suppose I was wondering if anyone had wondered if I had lost some of my muchness due to my absence this summer.  The answer is no, mine is still quite intact.  However, I did have plenty of time to question the muchness of several others.  Some of whom I found sadly lacking.  I do wonder if they really had any at all?

 Yes, that was behind all those weeds.

This was the end result and where my fingers have been from June until now instead of on a keyboard.  So where is the roundup blog?  Coming.  But a hill of beans sort of made their way to the front of the line.

So I didn't really have a hill of beans but a 20 lb bag of fresh dried pinto bags.  I received this really cool gift of food because my son visited Addie in Colorado earlier this summer.  I sent her and her in-laws what I hoped were thoughtful gift baskets for putting up with my son for a week.  Addie's basket was a silly assortment of candy, jerky, Campbell's soup and one of those sleep masks you can chill.  I called it my new parent care package since her baby was due any day at that time.  The in-laws had never been to MO so I sent a BBQ basket filled with rubs, sauces and one of our favorite smoker recipes.

During that week Addie and I chatted back and forth.  One day she asked if I knew what to do with pinto beans.  I thought she wanted a recipe but their little town has a bean packing plant and her DH got a bag to send back with Ryan.  Awesome!  Oh yeah, I had recipes.

This one is from Steven Raichlen
http://www.primalgrill.org/recipe_details.asp?RecipeID=18&EpisodeID=4      My DH bought a new smoker this year and he was just dying to use it.  He'd seen this recipe on Primal Grill and wanted to try it out.  The beans were excellent.  I did some tweaking because for just the 3 of us we didn't need that many servings.  The 2nd time which is what you are seeing in that photo I used my Colorado pinto beans.  We were doing a brisket that day and ribs for another dinner.  I decided my Charro bean recipe wouldn't suffer from being smoked either so I put a small batch on since there is plenty of room on that new smoker.

This is why the bean blog made front of the line.  I was asked for the recipes on the beans.  Um, when you write down recipes in this manner

it makes it kinda difficult to just shoot one to the person requesting it.  There are probably 20 recipes in that photo.  Yes, I know I am trying to train myself into writing them down in a notebook cause I will not remember what I did nor will I ever find those scraps of paper when I need them.  Don't worry, Terry, that tomato soup recipe is in that group.  I just need to translate it into a usable form for you.

Since I really didn't alter "The Best BBQ Bean" recipe too much I'll let you use your own judgment on what will work for you.  The charro bean recipe requires a bit more explanation.  I swear I saw a blog about them on Allrecipes by a member I haven't seen in years.  To the best of my recollection she was describing what she had while on vacation.  What she described sounded deliciously different so I thought I would try them.  Naturally I did what I always do when trying to find a new "to me" type of recipe.  Googled.  A lot of recipes.

My first attempt was not well received but I was working with "scraps".    I used  sausage and some leftover tomato sauce from another dinner and seasoned it with what seemed to be the core seasonings.  The second time I had what my DH calls "fresh" ingredients with the exception of the one he didn't see go in.  I forgot to get any kind of sausage while shopping and it seems the more popular bean recipes have a spicy meat in them not ham or ham hocks.  I surmised that my homemade salami would not only be spicy but would count towards cleaning out the deep freeze.  Yes, I did cut the salami up really small and yes I did call it sausage for the W'2s (refer back to the "Whatever" blogs) benefit.  They loved it and Alan thought it would be a good idea to take leftovers home.  No, I don't have to worry about them ever finding out.  The DH and DS have never read any of my blogs nor do I think they will ever start and Alan doesn't even have a computer so I am good!

 This link is a starting point for the charro beans.
http://www.patismexicantable.com/2011/04/cowboy_charro_beans/
I just love Pati on public TV.  She is so happy and fun while sharing her recipes.  I truly suspect after reading many bean recipes that there are as many variations to this dish as there are cooks making it.  For this household it pretty much goes like this; pinto beans cooked in homemade chicken stock, cumin, chopped garlic and onion, oregano, tomatoes either canned or fresh, chopped jalapenos or other spicy pepper dried or fresh to taste and some type of mildly spicy sausage.  As far as smoking them, we did them several hours on the smoker.  They went on several hours after the meat.  I just checked whenever the DH opened the lid to make sure they weren't drying out.  and of course sampled to see how the smoke flavor was going.  Let me tell you they are GOOD!

I hope you enjoy these recipes if you try them and enjoyed my first blog back after my summer hiatus!

Middle of the Midwest 5th Annual Roundup Invite!

It's here!  Year number 5.  I can hardly believe it.  Since that first year when Magnolia Blossom drove 8 hours on a dark cold rainy night in November

to what was a stranger's house to now, five years later when we can't wait to see each other in 5 months and anyone else that would like to come.  YOU are invited to join us on June 6th, 7th and 8th, 2014 at my house for food, fun and the chance to meet other AR members.

I know I haven't been around very much these last couple of months due to a couple of pesky health issues plus I decided to start a major spring cleaning New Year's day which hasn't stopped yet, but that doesn't mean I haven't been noticing how many AR cooks there are in the Middle of Midwest.  Now if you are saying to yourself, "well, I would like to go but I'm shy.  I won't know anyone.  These people all ready know each other."  Trust me, we didn't know each other either at first but that didn't stop us.  Magnolia Blossom has even blamed me for all the other out of state roundups she has attended over the years.  She said she had so much fun at our first she just kept on going.  Shoot, she even went to Hawaii and Mi Being Mi joined her and the others.  If you do feel shy or maybe big groups are a little overwhelming, don't worry.  I have 20 acres here and there are many

gardens to check out if you need a little space from the group.  One of us returnees will make sure you are having fun and everything you need!  Those gardens are partly the reason for the major inside spring clean.  I want to have the perfect gardening year this year!  So when Spring gets here I'll be out there spring cleaning!  Also, I can guarantee you won't met any nicer, more welcoming people then those that have been here.  Now can I guarantee who will be here?  Uh no, that I can not do.   As hard as I try to stay on top of things there have been 2 years where surprise guests have shown up.  I still say, Mr. Mike Harvey, my mouth didn't open as wide as an anaconda when mauigirl showed up on my doorsteps  with flowers.  Granted it did take me a few to figure out who she was.   Unlike when I got this text last year 

from xraybarb or gammaray as l like to call her.  Rather clever of her to be sending me photos of her with her beautiful grandchild.  Said grandchild lives in AZ where gamma was supposed to be.

What can I guarantee?  While Missouri's weather can be unpredictable, it won't be near as cold in June as it has been this January.  There will be plenty of food.  Friday evening for early arrivals we will have hearty appetizers and if I figure out the new wood burning oven we might even have pizzas.  Saturday lunch will be served at 1:00 pm and it will be

BBQ with all kinds of sides.  Sunday brunch will be served.  Yes, Mags I will make those Hot D cinnamon rolls again, I'll just make some plain ones for my bratty kid.

I can also with absolute certainty guarantee there will be lots of laughter and much conversation about everything under the sun.  From cooking to water bills, you name it we will discuss it.

We forgot last year's group photo so this is year #3's. If you would like to be in year #5's because we aren't forgetting it this time just email me at cathillcafe@yahoo.com and I will give all the info you need to come and have a fantastic weekend with us.

Confessions of a Confounded Cook: The "F" word.

As always, when the old year ends the weather allows me more time to look out my window in quiet reflection.  I like to think about what I am thankful for.  Some thoughts are serious and considerate.  Others are amusing and entertaining.  At least to me.  Here's an example.  I am really thankful I finally labeled what kind of cook I am.  It gives me a measure of comfort to know I am a confounded cook.  Really, it does help!  I'm also thankful that Mike Harvey and other like-minded people will not be dropping by this holiday season feeling forced to share one of their favorite holiday foods.  Yes, I am talking about the "F" word.  FRUITCAKE!

A little background is necessary first.  Dear Mr. Harvey innocently posted what he felt to be his perfected fruitcake recipe last December.  He simply wanted to share his success with other fruitcake lovers.  Of course, being a friend of his I stopped in for a read.  Mind you, not that I was going to try his recipe.  I was happy to accept his word that he had finally fulfilled his quest.  Hey, I can relate to that desire to once and for all tweak a recipe into delightful perfection.  Now, Mr. Harvey may have misconstrued an innocent remark of mine about disliking that perennial holiday cake.  I must say the poor man probably never dreamed his blog would generate 259 comments and quite the running dialogue.  I went back today while typing this and re-read some of the comments.  Doc Simonson, really candied Lima beans?  You were getting a little scary there.


The blog was a lot of fun last year and I asked Mike again and again to post a repeat this year.  OK, on my part it was the comments that made the blog so much fun and why I wanted a repeat blog!  I might be able to safely say I wasn't the only one that enjoyed the comments either.  Unfortunately, Mike's lovely wife, Linda, has been having some health issues and Mike has focused his energy into her well-being.  So instead of Mike discussing his beloved fruitcake in a blog this year he asked me to write something about them.  Yes, even if I am a confirmed fruitcake disliker I believe I can do justice to the subject at hand.  If you would like to see Mike's former blog for the comments or if you'd actually like to look at his recipe here is the link-
http://allrecipes.com/cook/13101603/blogentry.aspx?postid=292136

Taste testing was out of the question so I thought I would do a little online research about the subject batter.  Knowledge is always a good thing to have don't you think?  I was surprised to find some rather interesting facts about our holiday cake.  The earliest known recipe dates back to ancient Rome.  Dried fruit and nuts seem to be all that recipe had in common with today's versions.  Once the cake landed in the Middle Ages honey, spices, and preserved fruits are added in.  It's quite evident this historical cake recipe has under gone many transformations over the years given available ingredients and which country is making it.  One of the more unexpected facts I found was the number of countries claiming a unique fruitcake interpretation.  Depending on where you live you'll be using:

no alcohol to large quantities of alcohol, eaten only at Christmas or Halloween to eaten all year round, heavily iced with marzipan and sugar to no icing, rich and dark to light colored, lots of spices to little spice, dried fruits vs. candied fruits, nuts or no nuts.  The choice of alcohol used is as varied too.  Rum, brandy, sherry, whiskey and wine all make their way in these various recipes.

I included looking at several recipes just for the US as part of my research just to see what our fruitcake makers were cooking.  Here you can find almost as many variations in just our country alone.  The one that caught my eye needs a bit of back story first.

Last year when I had the mini roundup in October 2 attendees exclaimed their surprise at seeing pigs out in the field.  Magnolia Blossom and I thought they meant the hogs were running loose down the highway.  No, they were out in the field.  It could have been the wine at lunch that made calling these pastured pigs free-ranging pigs so amusing.  So imagine my surprise and the chuckling when I found this recipe.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/free-range-fruitcake-recipe/index.html
Can you imagine, Free Range Fruitcake, Magnolia blossom?  I can only wonder how far a Free Range Fruitcake could fly in a fruitcake chunkin' contest.

No matter how interesting my fact-finding was, I still felt like the unnamed character that Sam-I-Am pesters with his green eggs and ham.  I feel I've hear it all.  "Oh you will like this fruitcake this one is-less dense more like cake..more like bread less like cake..."  Or "this one has less nuts..different kinds of nuts...no nuts"  And then there is that fruit factor.  While reading about the different types of fruits used, I wondered if dried fruits would make any difference to me.  Then I remembered that one of my husband's favorite cakes is a spice cake laden with raisins.  I made it once 10 years ago so that answered that question with a nay!  I also ran across this term, glace cherries.  Having seen the term before and assuming it meant frozen, I looked into it.  For those that weren't sure either-1. having a smooth glossy surface 2. covered with icing or sugar.  In other words, maraschino cherries kicked up on sugar steroids.  That brought a shudder out of me to think of maraschino cherries cooked even further in a sugary syrup reduction.  At the end, Dr. Seuss's poor pestered character relented and found he did like green eggs and ham.  The same, however, will probably never be said for fruitcake and me!

To be well rounded with my research, I decided to include some data from a group of friends.  Now, we know that Mike and his lovely wife love their fruitcake but what about others?  My findings varied.  Some disliked their dense round disks of cake enough that they used them to feed the squirrels.  Others like AR member Candice, who considered herself most fortunate to receive a Harvey fruitcake, hid hers in her bedroom.  I won't say where in case any of her children are reading this.  For those that have met Candice, it is hard to believe that dear sweet lady not even sharing a Harvey fruitcake crumb with her fruitcake loving relatives.  In all fairness, she did say there was other fruitcake available she just wasn't sharing Mike's!  I'll put her down as a fruitcake fanatic, I believe.

So in conclusion, I believe the fruitcake is here to stay.  Forever invoking passionate debates.  Inviting spirited discussions of likes and dislikes.  With that being said, there is one thing we can probably all agree on this holiday season whether fruitcake is a welcomed or dreaded addition to your table.  Family, good friends, being happy and healthy are the most important things during the holidays.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

 

Confessions of a Confounded Cook: The "L" Word.

Yes, I admit it.  I am a confounded cook.  I am frequently bewildered and confused in the kitchen.  That room also gives me numerous occasions to utter mild oaths.  All because of that dreaded "L" word.  And this isn't even a new or recent occurrence.  While revisiting an old blog post, "Totally Torqued Tuesday", the realization of how often my guys cause this condition became quite apparent.  Couldn't help but notice that the real reason for the blog sprouted from twigs aka that breakfast cereal that was frequently blogged about right about then.  Still dealing with the guys and their food requirements is an endless quest.

Now in all fairness while re-reading that blog it became obvious they do spur me on to challenge my culinary skills.  After all, if I hadn't been trying to WOW them with a new dinner idea that particular night I might not have used my salad spinner to "dry" off my homemade hash browns.  A  big thank really goes to PBS for airing Graham Kerr's cooking show.  The one where he used his creative culinary talent  to reduce the fat and calories in his favorite recipes.  He was using his spinner to evenly coat his mixed salad with dressing giving it the entire flavor while whirling off all the excess.  Serendipity does play a role in my kitchen because I just happened to be looking at my spinner when I remembered that show's segment and thought, "ah ha!" 

While providing something "fresh" every night has expanded my culinary horizons like I just shared with you, the "L" word still causes a conundrum.  Yes, years ago my darling DH announced he was going to the local gas station in search of a hamburger.  He needed to eat something "fresh".  I know I should have known I was doomed when a greasy hamburger procured at the gas station was preferred over humble portions of food that might have rested in the refrigerator for a day or two.  YES, I am talking about LEFTOVERS!  Go figure, you make something "fresh" everyday and those confounded things are bound to appear! 

Many wise cooks out there give their families 2 choices for dinner-TAKE IT or LEAVE IT!  so why can't I?  Because years ago I made the same mistake people sometimes make about cats in trees.  I was a afraid my poor guys would starve so I catered to them.  My BAD!  Way back when it hadn't occurred to me I'd never seen a cat's skeleton in a tree.

You know what?  I have found my way of getting even.  It might even be sneaky.  It could be thought of as underhanded and it does generally confound me but I am learning how to elevate my leftovers to new reformed heights.  Hence, my confession, I must hide what I am doing from the guys.  If they have any inkling they are getting leftovers grumblings and rants can occur.  You would think I was trying to kill them.  Given I was an extremely picky eater and my Mother would have throttle me, I didn't complain about dinner I simply didn't eat it.  My mother enforced that TAKE IT or LEAVE IT dinner choice.  However, I did know where the peanut butter and crackers were and could help myself later.  IF I sat thru dinner and helped with the dishes afterwards.

That is why I feel so compelled to share what I can only describe as a truly "L"inspiring moment which happened a couple of months ago.  I had help, of course, and where I can name my sources I will.  It all started with my last roundup.  Namely the pulled pork leftovers.  Which were quite good at the time and do freeze well but how do you repurpose it?  Again.  Thankfully, I wasn't the only one suffering with this dilemma. Someone, I cannot for the life of me remember who, posted on AR asking for recipes to use l/o pulled pork in.  Like I wasn't going to check that thread out?  Don't even remember how many recipes were suggested but one stood out, Chili Verde.  Hmm, what is that?  Even now I'm not sure which particular recipe was suggested but I believe B'Nana recommended one and I went looking to see what was in it.  You might know how it goes, the whole idea of the recipe sounds great but...  It won't work tonight or they won't eat that but just maybe I could use some elements of that recipe to tweak what I have into something they will love.  Ok so actually I am going for just eating it and not whining!  And not leaving anymore leftovers!

To disguise some leftover chicken one night I had experimented with a salsa verde which caused me to create this recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/personalrecipe/63753470/spicy-green-tomato-sauce/detail.aspx.  Never had or made it before but again the idea sounded good.  Better yet, different.  Everything needed was right out there in the garden and clean plates came back.  So did I remake my l/o pulled pork into a chili verde?  Not exactly.  I still feel that is really doable since I don't sauce my pulled pork till it hits the table.

However, I had a Roast Cubano waiting to be cooked in keeping with the "fresh" thing.  Given that this blog has been in the works for awhile and I wanted to share links, I looked up my recipe.  I had been attributing it Emeril for years.  Boy, does it pay to look up stuff!  I'd been following a mental recipe which had evidently dropped some stuff.  Like orange juice and where it was from.  How I got the recipe still confounds me but luckily it is still out there on the net.  Yah, cause Emeril had nothing to do with it.  It is from Better Homes and Gardens http://www.recipe.com/pork-roast-cubano/?recipeId=1620333776 and it is really good IMO.

This is a Monday thru Friday trip thru our dinners but this is how the leftover nirvana came to be.

When I have a chance in the morning, I check out Lucky Noodles post “what did you have for dinner”. Again I do not remember who posted this recipe as what they had for dinner
 http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Delicious-Black-Bean-Burritos/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=delcious%20black%20bean%20burritos&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe%20Hub
But I thought it looked good.  I had black beans to cook and the fridge had cream cheese that needed to be used.  I did have to add Italian sausage to the beans since the guys can't go meatless.  So now I have leftover seasoned black beans.  Now since this all happened in the same  week we are back to serendipity again!  Earlier with the grilled Roast Cubano, I made http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-bacon-wrapped-corn-on-the-cob/detail.aspx.  for a side. So now I have leftover corn & bacon, beans, leftover chopped tomatoes and pork.  We'd had some side salads and the kid can't eat tomatoes unless he is at his Grandma Jennie's house hence the l/o tomatoes.

Well, what do you do with those items?  You Google!  Maybe I could do a casseroly type of thing and hide everything!  Remember they can't handle seeing leftovers being revisited!

Looked at 4 sites or more and stumbled over one that was topped with a corn pudding.  Hmmm, what if I use the leftover corn in the corn pudding?  I can always use the bacon chopped up on top ;)

This lead to more googling to compare corn pudding recipes.  This is what takes me so much time some days.  If I am not familiar with a recipe or ingredient, I will spend time reading reviews and recipes to see what they have in common.  For me, it rather helps to weed out what I don't want or can't use.  Remember I have the picky W-2's.  Refer back to the "Whatever" blog.

Ah but this day I got them and I would like to present to you the successfully hidden leftovers from not 1 but several meals!!!!

I give you "Pulled From the Pantry Pork Casserole".  Yeah it should be pulled from the larder if you want to be technical but it doesn't sound as good.  And yeah, it ain't so pretty but it worked :)

In an 8x8x21/2 qt baking dish layer in this order:
2 cups cooked l/o black beans
1 1/2 cups shredded Roast Cubano
1/4-1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese (needed something "fresh")
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa verde (leftover from earlier chicken dish)
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

Top with Corn Pudding for a crust.
 (this is a combo of recipes using what I had)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup baking mix (made my own- 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt ( used my homemade seasoned salt) and 1 T canola oil)
1/2 cup milk

Mix together and add in corn kernels from 2 ears of l/o bacon wrapped corn on the cob.  Reserve bacon.  Spoon over casserole and top with leftover chopped bacon.

Bake @ 350 for approx. 45 mins.

Not only did they eat it they went back for seconds.  If they only knew how many leftovers they got that night!

Now for you, Mr. Harvey, cause I promised.  Due to all the cooking, I need low fat low cal snacks.  Low sodium is a bonus too.  If any of you are like me, if it doesn't satisfy you the first time you just keep on grazing.  Not a good thing after 50.

So what can you make with these things and an oven?

Spicy crunchy popcorn that is low fat, low cal and hits the spot.  I do not like chewy air popped popcorn.  But when I found that I could have 3 cups of air popped corn vs. 1 cup oil popped corn which do you think I was going to pick?  Nope, neither.  Remember air popped is chewy, I want CRUNCHY!  So I ordered a citrus sprayer, yeah they do really work.  Went to Bed, Bath & Beyond and the little gal there said "we only have that online.  I can order it for you and you can use your coupon.  There will be no shipping."  I must go back and thank her!

Why a citrus sprayer?  To wet the popcorn that I'm going to bake after air popping it.  It has to have something on it to get Mr. Mike Harvey's wonderful spice blend to stick to it.  Yeah, I am out hence that empty container with the green lid.  With much experimenting which is still going on, I have discovered if you spray lime juice on air popped corn and coat with seasoning (Mike's has no salt, he did a blog about it in his corner of AR on his "Life...It's Why We Cook." blog.  I am almost 100% sure.  I am almost positive we spoke about it and he said, "good memory, Cat".  Well, I can't find it as I type this blog but Mike has a wonderful spice recipe that I do know!)

I am still tweaking this but after popping and spraying with the lime juice then carefully coating with seasonings, I bake the popcorn till it is crunchy.  I can't give you times and temps cause at this stage it is still an experiment but I am getting a snack that satisfies me.

Till next time when the Confounded Cook confronts the "F" word, I hope you have a family that can eat leftovers or that you can craftily hide yours too!


 




 
 




 

 

 



  



  




     


  
 

The Middle of the Midwest Roundup is done!

June 23rd was the last day for food and fun for the Midwest Roundup gang.  Can I say the yard and gardens were weed free?  Nope.  Can I say the house was perfectly clean and decorated?  Uh huh.  Can I say that everyone that wanted to come, made it?  'Fraid not.  But what I can say is the people that came once again made it a fantastic weekend!  Good food and laughter filled conversations were the norm.  I might add the food was even served on time.

Friday night hot wings, Ryan's Reverse Popper dip, Baking Nana's http://allrecipes.com/personalrecipe/63616340/south-of-the-border-shrimp-gazpacho/detail.aspx (with a couple of tweaks from me), my infamous cheezy crackers, guacamole and Mike's addictive snack mix rounded out the appetizers served to Pattycakes and her DH, Mike & Linda Harvey, Magnolia Blossom, and Mi Being Mi .

Ah yes, and one other person.  After my surprise visitor last year, I was indeed rather suspicious about another "Julie" being pulled this year.  I even asked if I was getting another surprise guest.  Unfortunately, I asked the "PIC" (partner in crime) of said guest.  When my first car load arrived I happily greeted them in the driveway.  They had hidden their stowaway behind one of the bushes in the drive.  We proceeded into the house and I received a text.  Now this person had mailed goodies( some really awesome cookies!) here and had been texting me all day with photos of her lovely grandbaby.  Note to anyone wishing to make a grand surprise entrance these 2 methods work quite well to divert suspicion.  When I received one last text from her my jaw dropped again.  Mr. Harvey swears the only thing he has seen open wider is an anaconda.  Humf!  My husband was rather startled because I went right for the front  door cause I knew she wasn't behind me!

Yep, x-raybarb/gammaray, pulled a Julie.  After much hugging, laughing and a little catching up, the cancer walkers set off for their relay.  Pattycakes and her DH stayed behind and visited us for the evening.  What a delightful couple!  I am so glad they could make it.

Sat. was our big lunch filled with The BBQ dude's wonderful BBQ.  Can't you almost smell that now?  We rounded out our meal with coleslaw, "What's for dinner, Mom?" excellent soft & fluffy hamburger buns ( I just love those, they always turn out perfect) and Mi's Killer baked beans.

Pattycake's DH and Alan hit it off and keep a lively conversation going.  My child is accidentally in orange too.  He'd gone to work that morning but made it back for lunch.

The ladies had their own lively conversations while waiting for it to cool off for a tour of the gardens.  Bane the cranky dog is keeping watch.

Later in the evening my DS rode the horses down to visit. 

Pattycakes, I hope you show your DH this photo.  Joe is happily licking MB's hand to make sure he got all the treats!  No teeth!

Even though some of us stayed up into the wee hours chatting, while others chose to get some sleep, breakfast Sunday morning was served on time!

Cinnamon rolls, sourdough English muffins, quiche courtesy of my girls, bacon, cantaloupe and fruit juice from my orchard made for quite a nice spread.  Mr. Harvey even learned that cold brewed coffee is quite tasty!

Again this year we had a lovely time meeting new people and seeing old friends.  The conversation, food and laughter flowed.  And yes, there were presents. 

For those that sent things, thank you.  Julie, your spice rub smells so good and thank you for the gift bags.  Lady Sparkle, can't wait to try out those wine bags.  Barb, loving those cookies! 

For my hostess gifts, thank you very much.  I love that cat bottle of wine!  Pattycakes, thank you for the books.  Barb, the towels and apron are really cute.  Mi, thanks for your wine bags and making the sangria!  Magnolia Blossom didn't get a "faux toe" of yours, LOL, I'm gonna get you and Barbie girl!

Sadly enough the weekend had to come to an end.  Even sadder the next day I got to go pick up 160 bales of hay for the pasture pigs.  Mi's sangria helped after my poor BBQ dude and I got all the hay home.

For those of you that couldn't come, we missed you and we are sorry you didn't make it. 

Never fear! 

Barring Life getting in the way, a date has already been set.  Yep, once again I will host the 5th annual Middle of the Midwest Roundup the first weekend in June!  So for those of you that said "maybe next year", here's your chance!

Till next year!

((HUGS)) 
    Cat

Dear Addie: A Mother's Day Thank You!

It's been such a long time since I first met you.  Can I say I knew you very well?  No, not until you and a certain someone were in 9th grade.  I got to hear so much about you back then.  Even as a teenager you impressed me.  And then when I needed you most, you were there.

Hard to believe it was 2 years ago that I was urged buy a dear friend to get on Facebook so I could keep in touch with my Navy bound son.  Who was one of the first people I tried to "friend"?  You.  You asked if you knew me and I told you yes.  That wasn't quite true because you only knew me as your one time BFF's mom.  Still you accepted me.  I was quite grateful that you kindly helped me navigate FB and get through that difficult time.  Trust me, sending an only child off to the military takes a whole lot of help.  Not only did I need you but a whole host of friends.

Then the boy came home and I figured our "friend" time was done.  You're young.  You have your friends, school and work.  Yet, we still found time to chat.  Then a boyfriend came along and we didn't talk as much.  I'd think about you every so often and bounce a msg to you, just to say "HI".  You did the same, just to keep in touch.  When you asked for advice I tried to give you my best.  When you needed an ear or shoulder I gave it and you did the same.  When you came home for Christmas, I invited you to lunch.  I confess I rather wondered how our visit would go.  After all my son keeps pointing out how ancient I am and you're so young but I knew you were just the one to give me some much needed help.  And you were, generously giving of your time and expertise.  We had a great visit and shared a nice meal.  We even exchanged gifts.  No, I haven't had coffee or cocoa in your cup.  It sits on my kitchen window sill and reminds me of you.  I wish you lived closer so we could go thrift store shopping and then have lunch.  Like I once did with my mother and sister.  I so miss those days but Mom is no longer here and my sister has moved away.

Even though they say blood is thicker than water, on a day when I felt less than loveable and quite angry with the world, you proved the saying doesn't have to be true.  Adopted Dear Daughter, thank you so much for the lovely card and all that it said!  With much love, Addie, I'm afraid you are stuck with me dear!

Middle of the Midwest Invite #4

It's on!  June 21, 22 and 23, 2013 the 4th Middle of the Midwest Roundup will be held!  And anyone that would like to attend is welcome!

I can hardly believe that 4 years ago several people who met thru All Recipes got together for lunch at my house.  And then some of them kept coming back yearly!  Yes, we have had different people every year for the roundup and each year has been different.   I wish I could say it was my improving hostess abilities each year that adds new people but when you mix good food, laughter, conversation and wonderful people, the hostess job is a snap.  And yes, sometimes the hostess here does snap.  Could be why my dear friend, Magnolia Blossom, and first time co-hostess sent me these.

I do believe she & a co-conspirator sent another such package to a BBR ( Been Before Rounduper, I refuse to use Old timer to designate those of us that have been here before :).  He got all hot stuff in his due to incendiary nature.

Last year Mr. Harvey or Mr. Hotstuff and his lovely bride attended the roundup.   It was great meeting the quick witted Mike but as some of you know he has battled cancer so when he goes somewhere he tries to support any cancer awareness event in the area.  Last year, he rallied those that come and they attended a cancer walk.  He has done the same this year.  I will let him post the info but it will be the Friday night before the Sat. lunch here.

Let's only hope since I pushed the date back for our get together that we won't be wishing we could see these!

For those that don't know Missouri weather, you never know what you will get.  June could be really nice or really HUMID.  Don't worry we have air conditioning!  And the pool will be up this year.  And lunch will be served on time!  Magnolia Blossom and I proved it could be done when I had the Oct. mini roundup for those that couldn't but wanted to come in June.  Yes, we did it served lunch exactly on time!  So what we forgot some of the stuff in the fridge.  It was still a great lunch and the conversation flowed as it always does.

So for anyone that would like to come but feels like they might be out of place with all of us BBR'ers (Been Here Before Rounduper's), don't worry about it.  The BB faces are great to see but new faces are so welcome.  Feel like you might be overwhelmed in the crowd?  No worries, there are 20 acres here.  Step outside, look at the gardens or the wildlife.  A BB'er will make sure you have everything you need and we won't let you feel left out.  Trust me, the conversation will flow and the laughter is sure to follow.

The menu is the same as before, BBQ.  Lunch will be at 1:00 on Sat.  Friday night's menu hasn't been decided.  It depends on who is coming in and staying with me and if the cancer walkers have time for a stop in.  I do have limited space for ladies only in the RV but I do have it and those that have stayed in it seem to like it.  There are lots of motels in the area.  There are B&B's here.  There is even a house in town to rent but that goes fast.  I tried to get it last year and a wedding party had snapped it up.  This is an historical area for those that would like to extend their stay and see some of the area.  There are quite a few wineries in the area too for those interested in visiting them.  We have some really neat food places to visit in Kansas City.  Sunday will be brunch and the plan is to have it here also.

So, I invite anyone that is interested to email me at cathillcafe@yahoo.com, head your message "Midwest Roundup "so it doesn't go to Spam.  I will be more than happy to give any info you would like about the area and the Roundup.  And no, I don't actually know who will be here this year, I didn't last year.  You never know who will show up at these events.  Ah, but the surprises have been most awesome. 

So again I say, The 4th Annual Middle of the Midwest Roundup is on!!!  Can't wait to see the BB'ers and any new faces that would like to come! 

We will have such a great time!  How can you miss with faces like these?

    :)(:
Cat Hill

Garden 2 Kitchen: Sugar & Salt Go Herbal!

Earlier this year when I had the MO roundup, I wanted to make something really neat for the cooks to take home with them.  Gifts from the garden, so to speak, but what to make?  The year before the cook's gift was a potted herb in a one of a kind pot.  I had envisioned full lush pots of happy herbs just waiting to be used.  Not quite an epic fail but not what I expected either so I decided to look at other herbal gift ideas.  Flavored sugar and salt seemed doable.  Two simple ingredients with some herbs thrown in.  What could be easier?  I just needed cute jars and a recipe, which I was sure I could find on the Internet.  Turns out everyone has their own idea of "how to" and "how much" when flavoring salt or sugar.  After much reading, I decided to go with the food processor for incorporation and winging it with the herb amounts.  I knew exactly what I wanted my end result to be so how much trouble could it be
 or sugar. After much reading, I decided to go with the food processor for incorporation and winging it with the herb amounts. I knew exactly what I wanted my end result to be so how much trouble could it be.

With the salt, it was just a matter of adjusting the herb amounts.  I wanted a nice strong flavored salt that would add that burst of garlic and oregano to bread sticks or pasta or anything else for that matter.
The sugar I made a small miscalculation in the drying procedure resulting in one large piece of minty rock candy the first time.  Well, the salt pretty much dried on its own so why wouldn't the sugar.  Alton Brown could tell you the molecular "whys" but I'm going to share with you the "what I did's" so you can make these simple recipes to use for yourself or for gifts.  Plus, I have 2 extras to share,  both of which I find rather exciting.  Ok, so exciting might be a little strong but one I found very useful and the other, well, just plain interesting from an herb grower's point of view.

Let's start with the sugar since I forgot to get pictures of the salt for some reason.  It is the same process for both.

Minted Sugar

Wash and dry 4 cups of fresh mint leaves.  I left the stems if they weren't too tough.  Use your salad spinner to get the mint dry.  In a food processor, add all the mint.  Add 1 cup of sugar and pulse in the food processor.  Add 3 more cups of sugar, one cup at a time pulsing in between each addition

Here is where I went wrong the first time. I put my wet sugar on my solid trays in the dehydrator just as I did the salt expecting the same result.  A nice granulated substance that made the garage smell
like a pizzeria.  Not that I expected the sugar to have the pizzeria smell, just for it to return to its small granulated form.  That will only happen if you do this to dry your sugar.

1.  Turn your oven on to 200 degrees F.

2.  Line cookie sheets with foil for easy of handling when finished drying.  I did enough sugar at once that I needed two cookie sheets.

3.  Place both trays in oven and watch carefully.  Take out one tray after 5 minutes and stir with a fork.  Return to oven and immediately repeat with second tray.  When the #2 tray goes back in take out #1 and repeat.  This takes several minutes but you want that sugar dry.  Trust me.
 

If you are wondering why I used so much mint when other cooks recommend a sprig or two tossed in with several cups of sugar and allowed to dry over a period of time.  Because I wanted to make these.

Touch of the Tropics Tea cookie
http://allrecipes.com/personalrecipe/63416445/touch-of-the-tropics-tea-cookie/detail.aspx

I wanted to make up a new cookie recipe showcasing the mint sugar to share with my cooks for our dessert.  I figured a sprig of mint wouldn't cut it if I wanted any kind of mint flavor in my new cookie recipe.  Yes, I know mint extract can be overwhelming when used in excess but the herbed sugar isn't.  Besides, I wanted to be able to see the flecks of mint in the cookie and I thought it was cool that
the sugar turned such a lovely shade of green naturally!
  
My DH likes takeout garlic bread sticks.  He has never quite come out and said it but the implication has always been there that my homemade bread sticks are a pale comparison.  Not anymore!  Using a blend of my oreganos (I have 5 varieties), chives, garlic and garlic chives I made a herbed finishing salt that I use for more than garlicky bread sticks.

Garlic Oregano Salt

These measurements are not precise but I think everyone can use their own judgment where their taste buds are concerned.
2 cups rough chopped fresh chives & garlic chives

3 minced cloves of garlic

3 cups rough chopped fresh oregano, your favorite flavor.  I just happen to like a blend of mine.

Pulse the herbs and 1 cup of kosher salt in food processor until blended well.  In a bowl, add 4 more cups of kosher salt and your herbed salt.  Either use your oven at 200 degree F to dry your salt or your dehydrator if you have solid trays.  The salt doesn't have to be stirred, as it does not turn into one solid rock hard lump.

I have used this salt in and on everything.  I really like the salty burst of herbed flavor it can bring to my plate.  Salty foods are one of my favorite things: however, we all know we should watch our salt
consumption.  Since I try to not use much salt while cooking, I find that at the finish a small pinch of this salt really perks up whatever I'm eating.  Be it pasta or a baked potato.  And my garlic bread sticks finally have won over the DH.

I'm pretty sure this salt gives my infamous cheese crackers and extra boost too.  Just ask the ladies that have tried them.  I don't like store bought cheezits now that I have perfected this recipe.  And no, I haven't updated the one that is in my recipe box yet.  It is on the list of things to do.

 
Onto the new and exciting stuff I have just learned about.  Recently there was a discussion on Facebook about washing your face with olive oil.  Hmm, I seemed to remember my cousin saying something about that several years ago.  What really caught my attention was a comment in this
discussion about using an olive oil sugar scrub and how this friend really liked it.  Well, I have seen
sugar scrubs before and didn't think much about them but since my friend liked it I thought I should check it out.  So I looked at different websites and the links for the olive oil wash.  Found a recipe for the scrub and thought, hey, why not?  Then I thought why just use plain sugar?   Why not use my minted sugar while I was at the experiment.  I knew peppermint worked for your stomach and in aromatherapy for headaches so I looked at skin care uses.  It's reported that spearmint is healing in the bath and when decocted strongly heals chapped hands.  Applemint and lemon balm are soothing and cleansing in a facial steam.  All right then, got them all covered my minted sugar has applemint, lemon balm, spearmint and peppermint in it.  I used this recipe-
http://michellephan.com/blog/post/diy-sugar-and-olive-oil-scrub

The smell of mint when I mixed this together was nice.  Mint being one of the few things my nose will pick up.  I was rather afraid of smelling too minty so I used this one day when I wasn't going anywhere, just in case.  Yes, it is a little messy to use but in the nice warm bathroom that mint smell
was so soothing and I wondered if headache sufferers might not benefit from this scrub.  *A word of caution, if you do try this recipe watch it in the shower, the olive oil can make your floor a little slippery!*

I was shocked at the results after using the scrub and showering as usual.  My skin has become so dry this winter that I have been using what amounts to axle grease to alleviate itchy and dry as the Sahara skin.  Minute I am out of the shower that nasty stuff would have to go on and then the 20 minute wait
for it to absorb.  Yuck and I would still have dry patches!  After using the scrub, I was not itchy and I could use my lightweight summer moisturizer.  I have been using this about 3 times a week for 2 weeks now and I am happy to report this is so working for me!  I've also been experimenting with washing  with olive oil too.  Again, a note of caution because not everything you read on the Internet is true, shocking I know.  You can always do your own research and I certainly encourage that, but I'm sold on doing this because along the way I read about honey and sugar's benefits to the skin.  Both are humectants meaning they bring moisture to the skin.  Honey has claims as an anti-oxidant and sugar is said to contain alpha hydroxy acid.  Sugar is supposed to be a milder gentler exfoliant too.  And just think you can add whatever herb or essential oil to your own homemade scrubs that might benefit your skin to its fullest or your nose.
 Now for my 2nd exciting discovery!  I know I should maybe get out more.  Follow me along on this quest and see if you don't find this just a little interesting.

The dear lady that came and helped in the garden recently (you met her on the WWOOF blog) brought along and herb for my collection.  She called it broadleaf spearmint.  Ok, it smelled like mint
BUT it was growing wrong and its taste had bitter after notes unlike any of my mints.  I was pretty sure it wasn't a mint.  But what was it?  I questioned her as to where she got it.  She thought maybe a private sale, maybe a nursery.  She had the plant a long time.  She used it to make tea.  There was something about this plant that reminded me of something else.  It was irritating that I couldn't think what.

First off, I googled because I wanted an answer.  I came up with several different types of mints but this plant didn't match any of these.  If you are wondering why I was so sure it wasn't a mint, remember I said it was growing wrong?

This is applemint.

This is peppermint.

You see how both plants have a straight stem with many leaves coming off that stem?  That was my first clue.  Any of the mints I have here and what I saw on my search grows that way.  This plant's
leaves grew straight off a woody rootstock on individual stems rather like a violet.

Was I able to find out what the plant was quickly?  Nope, took me two weeks.  Had I the patience, I could have looked page by page in my tried and true herb book (The Complete Book of Herbs by Leslie Bremness, I highly recommend this as a good basic herb book) and found it.

I brushed up against this plant in the sun room one day and again was taken by its minty aroma so back to the quest I went instead of on with the chores.  That and I had been looking at my Shasta daisies thinking their leaf pattern was oddly similar.  I plugged in the correct search phrase, finally,
and found a chat forum where someone asked almost the same question.  There were several suggestions there and on of them rang a bell.  So I looked it up and sure enough, there it was.
 

Alecost/Costmary
Chrysanthemum balsamita (Tanacetum balsamita)
It is called Alecost because it does have bitter notes to it and was used in brewing ale.  Cost derives from the Latin costum, meaning spicy oriental herb.  Alecost, well, spicy herb for ale.  Costmary is Mary's or women's spicy herb.  Common names for the herb include balsam herb due to its smell, Bible leaf as it was said to repel bugs from bibles and its smell could keep one alert during long sermons.  Mint geranium is a misnomer because costmary is not related to the mint family (Labiatae) or the geranium family (Geraniaceae).  Another interesting fact I found was that originally this herb was always classified as Tanacetum balsamita but now is becoming more widely known as Chrysanthemum balsamita.  Why?  I didn't find the answer to that one.  There is so much to learn about the classification of plants.

Plants and herbs can easily be mislabeled when common names are used or they came out of great great grandma's garden and have been handed down.  Information can get lost.  Luckily, for my friend this wasn't one of the herbs that was used long ago but is now classified as toxic.  For me, it was exciting to learn about this herb.  Herb lore has interested me as far back as grade school.  Too bad I didn't know how fascinating I would find it when I was in college and could have studied it more in depth.  However, a dear friend recently told me you can always learn, you don't have to go to college for that.  Lady Sparkle you were right because I have been learning.  And there is so much to keep learning.

I hope you enjoyed today's journey through my garden and into my kitchen.  Until next time, may your garden whatever size it may be, help set your table.  Or supply your cosmetic needs.