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.

I guess this is why I always gain weight in the winter.  There’s just something about winter that makes me want to bake and try out new recipes.  This pumpkin cake and cream cheese frosting recipe came from my (and Jessica’s) favorite cookbook.  Mennonite Country-Style Recipes and Kitchen Secrets.  If you get an opportunity to own the cookbook, it is fantastic.  I don’t think I’ve made anything from it that was bad.  All has been good.  I made 15 bean soup for church last night.  It turned out really good.  I basically follow the instructions on the bag except  I add some browned sausage and hamburger to the recipe.  Also instead of canned tomatoes, I use spaghetti sauce.  It is a very affordable soup.  If I didn’t miss count anything, it will feed about 20 people for about .50 cents a serving.  Pretty good huh.  I’m always looking for ways to feed my family inexpensively but healthy.  Sometimes these two words do not go together.  You know,  like at Wendys.  Do we buy the $1.00 chicken sandwich or the $5.00 salad?  Depends on the cash flow this week.  Honestly though we very seldom eat out, so the $1.00 chicken sandwich is a big treat for us all.   Well speaking of eating, time for me to cook supper.  Tonights menu-sauteed (fried) cabbage with hamburger, potatoes, onions, garlic, green peppers, and spinach.  It’s a one dish meal, inexpensive, healthy and delicious.  Of course a meal like this has to have cornbread with it.  Remember I grind my own corn to make the cornmeal, and of course for the dessert, the pumpkin cake.  Gotta go, I’m getting hungry.  God Bless.