In Your Easter Bonnet

With all the frills upon it!  Ahhhhh memories, mom would sing this while getting me ready for Sunday school.  She loved to sing songs, The Old Rugged Cross, And He Walks With Me and Mistress Shady.  Has anyone heard the song Mistress Shady?  The only time I have was from mom.........so I "googled that" (in house joke).  At the bottom of this blog I posted what Mr. Google said.  Back on track, I do jump it frequently!  The dress and coat were hand made by mom with a purchased hat, gloves and patent leather shoes.  I have a picture for every young year of my life.  How times have changed.  The song still plays in my mind about this time of the year but the outfit is quite different.  No frills or patent leather, they have been replaced with rubber boots, (they are decorated), my gloves are no longer little white ones but leather and the hat is a big wide brim to block the sun. I enjoy my outfit just as much as the little frilly ones of long ago.  As a matter of fact probably more.  We went to the farm store in Hornell, NY, the other day.  One of those "smile all over" look what I bought kinda shopping sprees.  They had rubber boots on sale.......my size!  Garden gloves that look like they will save my hands from becoming "farmer hands" by the end of summer. They have leather padded palms, never had them so hoping it's as good as it sounds.  I am ready!  The store also had peeps for sale.  It's a good thing Mr. B. was with me or we would be adding to the laying flock.  The last time we raised meat chickens I said, NEVER AGAIN!  Never say never, we are getting an area ready for........yep, more meat chickens.  They are by far the best to eat with such a tender buttery taste, so here we go again.  If anyone would  like to learn how to pluck and clean a chicken let me know.  There is room for 24 people to learn with hands on experience of course. ;)

Cheryl's spring fashion pick ♥

My son emailed me a couple pictures today of his homemade beef broth.  I'm sure he knew mom would be envious and just had to show me what I'm missing.  He had some good fresh beef bones and took advantage of not wasting them.  It does take time but is well worth the delicious broth.  If you happen to buy beef from a farmer make sure you tell them you want the soup bones.  You can get soup bones from most stores, they use to give them away,  now everything comes with a price but so worth it.  Toss the bones with cooking oil, put them in a shallow baking pan with chunks of onion, carrots, celery, garlic cloves and thyme sprinkled in. Stir frequently, you don't want it to burn.  The shallow pan allows browning on all sides, same when baking other meats that you want to have a crispy crust or browned. Bake them at 350 until they are well browned.  Next put them in either a crock pot or pot for the stove top, add salt and pepper,  cover with water and simmer for 6-8 hours.  Strain and you will have the most awesome rich beef broth ever.  If you like French Onion soup this is the ticket.  Not salty or greasy.  I like a good French Onion soup but not the salty watered down version that without a doubt was made with bouillon.....icky!  This also is delicious for beef au jus and dipping a crusty roll in.  I'm thinking the "kid" did it, I'm wanting some of that broth.

This is after it was baked, ready to cover with water and simmer.

Some of the broth, as you can see little to no grease.
That's the way broth should be.

Cheryl's French Onion Soup:

2 large onions, sliced

• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups  beef broth 
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices of baguette
• 1 (1/2-lb) piece Gruyere or Swiss or both is really good!
• Melt butter in sauce pan, add onions and saute until tender.
• Stir in flour until dissolved
• Slowly pour broth in stirring, add salt, pepper and 1/4 tsp of dried thyme and 1 bay leaf.
• Simmer, sometimes I add 1/2 cup of wine.
• scoop onions and broth into soup rocks, put sliced banquettes on top and cheese on top of bread.  Put in broiler but watch closely until cheese is bubbly and slightly brown.  
• Enjoy the best Onion Soup!  You will never be satisfied with a restaurant version again.

The Song "Mistress Shady" is an old folksong. These are the words:
Oh, Mistress Shady, (go up the scale D-E-F#-G-down to D)
She is a lady, (go down D-C-B-A up to E)
She has a daughter (go up D-E-F-F#- down to D)
Whom I adore (D- down to C- up to D- down to B)
I used to court her, (up to D-E-F#-G- down to D)
I mean her daughter, (D- down to C B-A- up to E)
Every (F#- down to E)
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday afternoon at (all on D)
half past four. (up to E-F#-G)
First , sing the song as it is written. Next, sing the song again, then repeat the days of the week without taking a breath in between. Every time you sing the song, add a week without taking a breath between the weeks. Challenge yourself to see how many weeks you can sing without taking a breath!