Sweet Sunflowers

This has been a good year for beets.  I still have a half row left to pull for pickling and roasting for an occasional supper.  Tonight I will be roasting a few with garlic, butter, salt and pepper.  All  I do is scrub them really good under running water.  Cut the stems leaving a half inch length (they won't seep out the beautiful red beet juice leaving some stem length on), cut off the root, not too close to the beet, same reason as leaving a half inch of the stem.  Put in aluminum foil, pat of butter, sliced clove of garlic, coarse salt and pepper, bake until tender.  Time depends on size of beet.  I like beets no bigger than my fist, bigger ones tend to lose their rich flavor.   We like pickled or Harvard Beets not plain canned ones.  Roasted beets are so good, much different than plain cooked in water!  I first had roasted beets when Dick's mom would fix them.  Even at 17 and a fussy eater I didn't dare tell her no I didn't want any.  You remember the first time you went to your boyfriend's house how nervous you were?  Me too, plus I was invited for Sunday Dinner!  Eat in front of them, very nervous.

Here is what we do with the left over pickling juice once the beets are gone.  We pickle eggs.  I'm not a fan but all the men in our family love them.  Especially in the fall and winter.  Hunter's supper is a a good time to plan on pickled eggs and deviled eggs.  Hunter's supper is the Sunday before the first day of deer season.  I love it.  The stories get taller and more detailed every year.  Everyone has their favorite hunting or trapping story to tell, what gun or bow is the best, etc.  None of us get tired of the stories or the food!

Here in NW PA it has been a cool, wet summer and from the temps last night it's getting what some are saying "cold'.  I will agree on cold, for the first time this summer the windows are down and the doors closed. The only window open is in the bedroom, I do like a cool/cold nights sleep.   On my way to PT (full range of motion, 2 more sessions) in Shinglehouse this morning I was thinking (hard to believe),  it's going to get nasty around the area by December into Spring.  In the cold, snowy winters here there are always less smiles and cheery voices when out and about. I am already hearing from people comments like, I'm not ready for winter, it's too soon to be this cold or I just want some good, hot summer days!  What to do?  Absolutely nothing we can do other than set our mind to what we can do to ease the pain.  For us we usually get in the car and head to a city like Erie, Corning (my favorite), Hornell or Wellsboro every couple weeks.  We snoop in stores and try to find a mom and pop's cafe or bakery for a late lunch/supper.  If we can't there is always Wegman's  cafe.  Corning is always my pick for a day out.  Market Street has the Old World Historic feel, beautiful and well kept.  We never spend much but occasionally I hit some good clearance sales at the Corning Outlet Store, Bass Outlet and Van Heusen Store.  The first stop is the bakery for coffee, dessert and people watch.    They have  the best connolis.  The first time I had them was at Wellsboro's "Dickens of a Christmas"  which happens each year the first of December.  A young couple was selling baked goods from their home based business.  The next year Amber and I made their stand our first stop to buy our favorites before they were sold out.  The third year they were not there.  Through investigation we found out they had opened a bakery in Corning, NY.  The name of the bakery is Walker Cake Company they are on FB, if you want to drool over beautiful sweets here's your chance!  They also have a website, www.walkerscakeco.com  ♡enjoy♡

Speaking of sweets, remember the flower cookie cutters I bought in Angelica last week?   Today was a good day to give them a workout with a new sugar cookie recipe I have wanted to test.

Sunflowers are blooming around the house so
sunflower cookies to celebrate.

Butter Cookie Recipe.  They held their shape while baking.  Some cutout cookies don't and they never look like the shape they are suppose to be.

In mixing bowl beat 1-cup of butter, until fluffy, add 1-cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1/2tsp of almond extract, beat.  Add 3 -1/4 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda that has been sifted together.  Gently beat until mixed well.  Refrigerate for two hours.  Roll to 1/4 inch thick on floured board, cut desired shapes and bake in 400 degree oven until done.  Time depends on the size of the cookie. They have a buttery taste and not a crispy cookie.  The less you beat cookie dough, cake batter or work biscuit dough the more light and tender the results.  Bread dough should be mixed and kneaded, the longer the better to get the gluten working.