MerryHeartCrafts.comMountain Momma… Country Living

Here are a few pictures of some flowers that are blooming around our house now.  I am pretty sure these are called violas.  I so enjoy their tiny bright blooms.  So cheerful.  Purple and yellow are my favorite color combinations for flowers.

Yesterday, we made strawberry rhubarb jam.  I had enough rhubarb to make a rhubard pie as well.  The recipe I use is :

1 cup rhubard- finely chopped, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 cup sugar, 2 tbsp cornstarch and 2 eggs well beaten.  Combine all ingredients and pour into 1 unbaked pie crust.  Bake at 350 degrees until done.  It takes about 45 min in my oven.  I have made this pie for about 25 years.  It is a family favorite.

Today was friends day at church.  We had a great day.  Probably about 70 people in total.  Our numbers usually run in the 40′s.  We had some really good music, a good sermon from our pastor and  a great fellowship meal afterward because you all know how much we like to eat.  I took pinto beans, green onions and a peach sauce pie.   We won’t be having evening bible study tonight so we plan on just relaxing this evening.  The girls and I will be traveling down to Jessica’s tomorrow to watch the boys.  She will be having an ultra sound tomorrow to (maybe) discover if she will be having a boy or girl.  This all depends upon the baby’s cooperation of course.  

Enjoy your day and God bless.

Today has been kinda a resting day.  So much has been going on here lately, I thought the girls and I needed a day to rest.  Of course, as all you know there is no such thing as a completely resting day.  Especially during the week.  Anyway, I decided as I was resting to make a cherry pie.  I used the cherries we picked over the weekend.  I put about 3 cups of pitted cherries and about 1/2 cup sugar.  I brought this to a boil and let it boil down some.  Then I thickened it with 2 tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp. water.

Then I made my pie crust.  The recipe I use is:  1/4 tsp. salt, 1/3 cup milk, 1/2 cup oil.  Mix all this together, then add 2 1/3 cups sifted all purpose flour.

Then I divide the dough into 2 parts for the bottom crust and the top.   I must warn you though this next picture is not too pretty.  I have never been good at rolling out pie crust.  I want to be, so I keep trying.  Maybe someday.

The finished product.  I know it doesn’t look too good but I believe it will taste great.  Especially with that homemade vanilla ice cream I’m making.  We are also having pork tenderloin, pinto beans and mashed potatoes. I think I will have  cornbread with this.  Today for lunch I had my first batch of wilted lettuce and green onions, so I had to bake cornbread to go with it.  Now, where I from they would have said a “mess” of lettuce and onions but I didn’t want to confuse those of you who do not understand mountain talk.  For you all who don’t know what this is, I’ll explain. First pick the lettuce and onion, fry some bacon.  Then you wilt down the lettuce and onion with the hot bacon grease.  Add a little salt and enjoy with cornbread.  Hubby likes pinto beans with his. Anyway you fix it, it is good!  My ice cream maker is finished, so I must go.  Take care and God bless.

My first post on the Mac without assistance.  I believe I can do this!  I thought I would share a picture of my clematis.  I think it is very pretty this year.  Very exciting day today.  We will finish language for the year.  Yeah!  I will be spending most of my day washing clothes.  The wringer will get a work out today.  We have had rain all week.  I put off during the laundry hoping for sun today.  We’ll see.  Right now it doesn’t look too promising.   The wringer is kinda fun to use though and I am getting faster at it.  It requires more attention than the automatic machine.  Last nights supper was baked chicken, green beans, stuffing, sweet potatoes and home made rolls.  Watermelon for dessert.  I am experimenting with using less salt in our food as I have been having some high blood pressure issues.  I marinaded the chicken in a Mrs. Dash marinade(no salt).  It was really good.  I have a cookbook that tells how to make different types of seasonings.  The other night I made a taco seasoning to use on our chicken tacos. (Chicken was on sale this week at our local grocery)  I did not put any salt in the seasoning and honestly could not tell it was not there.  Here is the recipe I used:  2 tsp minced onion, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2  tsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp crushed dried red pepper, 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp dried oregano.   If you want to use salt, the recipe calls for l tsp.  As I said, I used no salt and could not miss it.  I got this recipe from my (and Jessica’s) all time favorite cookbook.  ”Mennonite Country-Style Recipes & Kitchen Secrets” by Esther H. Shank.  This is a marvelous cookbook.  If I had to choose only one cookbook to use, it most definitely would be this one.   Well, my friend the wringer, is calling to me.  Take care and God bless.