Kuksa On My Mind

I know, you are by now tired of my love of a good snow storm.  It really was a perfect day for me relaxing, going through a book, knitting and every few minutes looking at the computer screen to watch Liberty and her faithful husband taking turns setting on the two eggs.  The first egg is due to hatch on St. Patrick's Day and the other a few days later.  I wonder if the Game Commission will name them something to do with the winter storm or to the holiday of green.  It is so interesting to watch them, when I hear their calls it means they are ready to change guard.  This morning Liberty was covered in snow, she eventually shook it off, rolled the eggs and shortly after Daddy game to take her place.

Another pair of socks will soon be done.  A book about Shinglehouse is in the making.  My friend Ron is working on it with me.  Hopefully we can gather a few or more good stories or memories from others that grew up in the Shinglehouse area during the 50s, 60s and 70s.  So if you did and have something you would like to contribute we would greatly appreciate it.  So far we have had a great time remembering things that had long ago been forgotten.  The more we remember, the more we remember, it just keeps going on and on.  My husband has some great stories of fishing and hunting frogs on the Oswayo Creek.  He was great on ice skates.  When I was 15 and we had just started "going steady" he asked me to go ice skating down by the bank.  My mom bought me beautiful white ice skates, mittens and a hat to match.  Off I went thinking I would be skimming up and down on that ice looking mighty good.  Dick took off and I set off to follow him.....down I went and it was all down hill from that first fall.  I couldn't keep my ankles from tipping over and when I did it was a slip, slide and down I would go.  That was the first time and last time I ever put those skates on.  You can say I know when I am not good at something and get out while the getting is good.  It probably relates to the fact I never was athletic and had no desire to be.  Just as I never caught on to clay throwing.  For 6 weeks I attended the class and for 6 weeks the instructor kept telling me, don't give up you will catch on.  HAHAHA, no I won't and no I didn't.

The UPS guy was out and about today.  He delivered a package, wood carving knives.  Yep, another crazy thing I want to try.  Watching a youtube on winter camping (yep, I want to) in a tent, the guy was using a beautiful wooden cup/bowl with a handle called a kuksa.  Pine because it is a soft wood will be my first try, then hopefully on to Birch, Maple and Cherry.He mentioned it and said his next video would give a demonstration on how to carve one.  I was hooked at that moment.  There probably is not too many youtube videos I haven't watched on the art of carving.  Off to Amazon and order two knives suggested for beginners.  Tomorrow off to the basement to practice holding the knives, suggested by my husband!  Pine because it is a soft wood will be my first try, then hopefully on to Birch, Maple and Cherry.   #imacrazygal

A kuksa, there are many styles, all so beautiful!

The knives, made in Sweden.

Something I haven't made in a long time, Texas Hot Sauce.  It is in my cookbook and was the recipe my mom used at the Biergarten back in the 1960s.  We had them for supper and each bite we were both saying,  I forgot how good this sauce is.  We did for sure!  I think it has been 15 or more years.  Why I have no idea.  I googled Texas Hot Sauce and did not find a recipe like moms.  Most added so many seasonings it would be over kill.  Hers is simply cinnamon, cloves, paprika, salt and pepper.  The recipe is easy to make and so darn good.  It will make you think of the Wellsville Texas Hot Sauce. 
I use all beef skinless hotdogs.  Nathans brand, it doesn't matter what kind you use as long as you like them.  Chop the onions very, very fine to be put on top and of course a yellow mustard too.  Remember to steam the rolls or you can do them in the microwave.  I haven't been this excited over something I make for quite a while! 

Della's Texas Hot Sauce on a hot dog and steamed bun. 
Friendship Cottage Cheese and Baked Beans, what is
not to love on that plate?

Once you stir in the flour cook until the desired
thickness.  We like ours thin and pourable from a spoon.
Mild mustard is dry mustard in a can.  You can use
yellow bottled mustard in its place.

Texas Hot Sauce, make sure you break the ground beef
in small pieces as it cooks in the water.  Nothing
worse than big chunks of burger in the sauce.