The Dam

Lyman Run Dam, the ice fisherman a little dot on the far right.

The weather has been down right frigid and the wind relentless in our little Clara Valley.  Saturday I never left the house and Dick only to do the morning and evening chores.  Sunday it was time to warm up the car and head out for a ride.  I knew where I wanted to go so with warning I said, take a hat and gloves.  Even Quincy was excited to get in the car, he does not like being left which has me believing he has separation anxiety.  If I leave he's ok but let Dick leave even if I'm home with him and he still goes into a "do not move, do nothing" mood.   I can't believe we treat him like a human but we do.  So off we went for a few hours.


We try to share the driving, that way we each have the opportunity to look around for animals and just enjoy the view.  My turn to start out by way of Coudersport, Denton Hill, Galeton and my destination, Lyman Run Dam.  It's beautiful every season of the year but winter is my all time favorite.......NO WORRY, NO RATTLE SNAKES!  I can walk as far as I want and enjoy the view.  In the other seasons my eyes are looking down and slightly ahead on the ground.  Regular snakes are bad enough but a Rattler, good Lord I would probably never be the same if I even lived through the moment.  One summer we took our camper to Lyman Run, a huge and I mean huge Rattler was killed by the bath house.  I had the kids in the car waiting while Dick hooked the camper up and away we went home!  Young and naïve, Dick knew there were rattlers there, I didn't.  We never went back.

 It was so nice Sunday, all white, lake completely frozen, clear blue sky and the sun so bright it let the barren trees cast long blue/gray shadows across the snow.  What a day to enjoy!  On the ice was one lone ice fishermen setting on his little stool waiting for a bite.  We were too far away to see if he was having any luck and I'm glad we were.  After all for this sportsman to be on the ice with air temperature at 5 degrees and probably lower than that I have a feeling he was loving what he was doing.  The beauty, peace and quiet is 50% or more of his enjoyment.  Maybe I'm a dreamer but I would like to think he was setting there reflecting on his young life right up to present day with a big grin on his face.  Looking across the lake and taking in the view made me relax and be so thankful for the day and this beautiful area we live in.  The creation of it all is far beyond imagination.



The spill way.

Dick took the wheel once we left the Dam and took us up through the Susquehannock Forrest that comes out to the junction of Rt. 44 at Cherry Springs.  It is a winding road with some sharp switch backs, beautiful scenery.  We were surprised not to see animal tracks along the road.  Once we got on Rt. 44 north back to Coudersport another surprise.  They have a very nice groomed snowmobile trail along the edge of the road but not one snowmobile track to be seen.  The snow isn't real deep but there is enough to ride the trail.  Maybe because by the time we did get snow the temperatures dipped below zero.  It turned into not such a nice view,  gas and oil drilling, clear cutting the beautiful trees on several hilltops.  Not what I like to see.  I know it creates jobs, I get that but I don't like how much of the forest is being ruined.  I think of pictures from long ago when all the hills were bare from cutting wood for the factories in our area.  Double sword for sure.

Have you ever ate or even heard of mush?  As in cornmeal mush.  We had it a lot on the farm.  There are 2 ways I fix it.  I make a pot of mush which is simply water, cornmeal and a little salt cooked to a thick consistency.  Then either pour it in a greased bread  pan or spread it on a greased cookie sheet.  The loaf goes in the refrigerator overnight and will last about a week in the frig.  Of course that never happens around here because we eat it for breakfast a couple times.  I slice the loaf in 1/4 or 1/3 inch slices, dust flour on it and fry in oil until crispy on each side.  Then drizzle maple syrup over it.  Add a couple fried or scrambled eggs and that is breakfast. To bake I spread it after cooking while it is hot on a greased cookie sheet, bake at 375 until crispy but soft in the middle. Break it up in a bowl with butter, salt, pepper, warm milk over top and of course maple syrup.  You can buy mush already made at the Shop and Save in Coudersport or the little store next to Hess Tire in Andover.  It is as good as homemade.

I like to watch cooking shows (no surprise), read recipes from the internet and go through all my cookbooks from family, friends and the ones I can't resist when I find one for sale.  What made me laugh was the time a chef introduced a fantastic recipe using.......tada...... mush.  Of course he didn't say mush he called it polenta loaf, I say mush!  He showed several ways to serve this wonderful alternative to pasta and potatoes.  He sliced and fried, he sliced and just warmed it or he put a spoonful on the plate hot from the pan.  Then he would add all kinds of sauces, meat or seafood over it.  He even mixed cheese in it or grated it on top.  You would have thought it was the best thing since air conditioning.  So all these years I have been eating and fixing "5 star" food and didn't even know it.


What is nice lightly dusting the mush with flour stops it from holding the
grease.  Place paper towels on a rack to get what ever oil is left on it.
Remember a rack keeps fried food crispy,  draining on a solid surface
allows the hot food to sweat on the bottom.
 

Tuesday breakfast, fried mush drizzled with maple syrup,
scrambled eggs with chipotle chile sauce canned last August and
toasted leek biscuits with hot pepper jelly.  That jelly is the frosting
on quite a lot of things around here.  My friend, Valarie gave me
the recipe a couple years ago.  We make it every fall.  Please don't
think we eat like this every morning, it was miserable weather this
morning and just seemed fitting to have a hardy breakfast.
 

The blog I wrote about "every once in a while",  I have been proven wrong!  Yesterday the hubs decided to make his famous dry rub ribs.  Wow, that is 2 meals in 3 days he has fixed.  Makes me wonder.....what's up!?!  They are delicious so no complaining.

I pulled some leek butter from the freezer we made last April.
It worked great for the biscuits instead of lard and of
course leek butter and hot pepper jelly on top. 

Every Once In a While

Maybe every 6 months the husband mentions he would like to try a new recipe and fix supper.  Well, you don't have to say it twice.  I love setting on the couch working on my "at the moment" project.  Of course if I'm counting stitches I can get a little "bitchy" when he keeps asking me questions about where something is or how he should chop, slice or dice something.  In all fairness what he asks is what I do out of habit or 51 years in the kitchen plus 16  years of watching and learning from my mom.  I do give Dick credit for at least wanting to try "every once in  while". 

A few days ago he started searching recipes he had been saving from Pinterest (yes!  he loves Pinterest)  which is a good thing because he does find some nice projects for around Cook'n by the Creek.  Once he found the one he was looking for he copied it and asked what we had and what he would need to buy.  Absolutely nothing, we had all the ingredients including a pound of Texas Bay x-large shrimp.  I did help him clean the shrimp, it is a nasty job and I like to make sure the vein is out of the shrimp completely.  He shelled and I deveined.  Back to the couch I went.  He even made the Jasmine Rice all by himself, no help or asking how.  The man read the directions, how about it?
The house was smelling might fine about 10 minutes before everything was ready.  From the orange zest (he did zest the orange) to the thyme is was a wonderful combination.  I didn't get the dinner call until it was ready for me to set down and eat, even with a glass of Niagara Wine.  I could get use to this kinda treatment but won't.  Remember this is an "every once in a while" occurrence.  Let's see, we would be in rough shape if I had the "every once in a while" attitude.  Lucky us, I love to cook, bake and eat. 

Dinner prepared by the husband complete with wine and beer.
He did get lucky!  Tonya Peck delivered a surprise that just
happened to top of the meal.  Fresh Cream Puffs, what better
ending another glass of wine and a Cream Puff.  The filling was
delicious.  Request for the recipe sent.

Let me tell ya, the shrimp in the butter sauce was delicious.  So much so that it is in the recipe box for the next time we have shrimp.  I'm also thinking it would be great with Scallops or a white fish such as cod or haddock.  I bet chicken would be could this was too.  Yes, it was that good and I will share it.

Brown Sugar Shrimp with Orange Butter Sauce:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 tsp thyme
1 TBSP brown sugar
zest of an orange
1 cloves of garlic minced fine
1-2 pounds of cleaned shrimp
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium skillet heat butter over low heat, add thyme, brown sugar and stir for 5 min.  Remove from heat and stir in orange zest, pour into a bowl and let rest while you prepare the shrimp.  In the same pan add garlic and saute for 1 min or until it is soft.  Add shrimp and cook for 3-5 min.  Strain sauce and pour over shrimp, simmer for 1 minute. 
Serve over rice.

Happy Valentine's Day, if you are in the Northeast extra sweets might help you stay warm or a bottle of wine.  If you are in need of a good one give Niagara a try from Lakewood Winery in Watkins Glen, NY.  It is sold in some liquor stores around the area.

Setting by the Fire

This morning I woke to a star filled sky, just what I like to see.  It soon ended while having coffee and checking out the news around the world and FB friend's news which is also from around the world.  Looking up to see if the hub was going to pour our second cup I realized I couldn't see the neighbor's house.  White outs have been frequent the last couple of days mixed with big white fluffy clouds and clear blue sky.  It is quite a picture to enjoy.  The wind has picked up and now blowing gusts of snow from the Pine Trees, also another beautiful thing to watch.  The birds are chowing on the suet and seed in the bird feeder.  Dick placed 2 Christmas trees under the feeders and the birds love hiding in them and eating seeds that have fallen under them to the ground.  Simple little gestures to keep the critters happy.  The hens are not happy, snow on the ground and they are hoed up in the barn picking around the hay bales and dirt where they can.  This too shall pass, spring is just a blink away.

The day before is a day I look at the weather, if it's going to below the 20 something mark it usually means the oven will be lit for baking.  Yesterday I made some Sour Cream Cookie Dough, placed it covered on the back deck overnight so it would be ready to bake with this morning.  Since there was a half a box of raisins and few a dates left from Christmas baking I made a filling for some of the cookies.  Mom and Gramma Gross baked these frequently and also Eleanor Stavisky.  I use Eleanor's filling recipe.  This is a nice time for me to set at the table, watch the oven, back field, feel the warmth and enjoy the flames from our gas fired stove and write letters or a blog. It's a peaceful morning, just me, the dog and my thoughts.

 A hot cup of Maple Tea and a cookie, ( a sample, wouldn't want to give them away and not be tasty) while writing a letter to my cousin.  Joan lives in Florida now with her husband and twice a year we handwrite letters to each other to catch up on the "Gross Clan".  Email and FB work but there is nothing better than opening an envelope and reading a letter or card.  More time, effort and thought go into it with a personal touch.  Much easier to tuck away in my drawer for later enjoyment, even years down the road.  I still have letters from Dick in college and our sons when the first went into the Army.  Treasures.


One sample wasn't enough, two cookies will do.
Happy Valentine's Day!

One more plan for my "me" day......browsing through our Jung Seed Catalog.  Last night we watched a few garden shows on YouTube and decided to try a couple suggestions from the "Elegant Backyard Gardner".  He is an older man that reminded me of my dad, Uncle Orville and Bill Stavisky.  Great tips that we wrote down and book marked him on our favorites.  We watch a lot of nature, garden, travel and documentaries on YouTube.  Long ago we gave up on Dish and Direct TV.  Way to expensive to get the 3 channels we watch, the other channels were a waste for us.  It is nice to pick what we want to watch with NO commercials.  We also have Netflix which is ok for the price but YouTube has everything we need.  I like the quilting, knitting and crocheting tutorials.  Very nice to get me out of a bind.

Well the last batch of cookies is in the oven.  I have two tips about rolled cookies that Eleanor gave me many years ago and it does make a difference on the last few batches.  Especially if it is a large batch of dough.  When you roll out the first batch and cut with the cookie cutter, put the scrap dough aside and do not use it in the next batch you roll out, always use fresh dough.  In the end when all you have left is the scraps from all the roll outs start using it and in the same manner as you did with fresh dough.  This way minimal flour is being added to each roll out.  Using the left over dough as you cut out each time just makes the dough get thicker, tougher and dry cookies.  I hope that makes sense to you, a little confusing but if need be, message me and I will try to explain it better.  The other tip is keep the dough cold!  Refrigerate over night (when it's below freezing I put my dough outside in a cabinet) once you start rolling the dough put the extra back in the frig.  Cold dough does not suck up the flour on the floured board like warm dough does.  Less flour in cookies, pies and cakes is best and the less you touch the dough the softer the end product. 



Date and nut filled, sugar crystals and strawberry drizzle.

I love the large sugar crystals, they remind me of  when the sun shines on
fresh fallen snow, little diamonds glistening.

A Pocket Watch

How many still carry a pocket watch?  My husband does and did for years, then it stopped working so he bought a traditional wrist watch.  About 2 years ago he started having problems with his little finger getting a catch when he would bend it.  Lucky it was in the summer months, he usually doesn't wear his watch because of working outside.  About a week after he took it off his finger got better and he blamed the ordeal on the watch around his wrist.  I'm sure that was the problem since it has never happened again.  He never put the wrist watch back on and kept carrying it in his pocket.  For Christmas this year our granddaughter (she likes gramps best) bought him a new pocket watch.  I tried to get credit for the gift since I had suggested it when she inquired about a gift for him.  If it isn't enough that she has him wrapped around her little finger, hand and whole being this just sealed the deal.  His face said it all when he picked the pocket watch out of the box and read the engraving.  She did good!  He has always called her "Hammer", apparently she likes the name.

Because a little girl loves her gramps.



Do you know what the little pocket in the front just above the big pocket of blue jeans is for?  That's right, a pocket watch.  A watch fob is hooked to the pocket watch and then hooked to a loop on the jeans or a belt.  I'm sure many have no idea what the little pocket is for, at least the younger generation.  I use mine to stick a Tylenol in if I think it's going to be needed without carrying the bottle in my purse.  Of course a good many have gone through the wash too.

That little pocket watch pocket.

Well here is a great tip for all of you that eat farm fresh eggs.  I mean the ones that are less than 3 weeks old.  The store bought eggs range from 1 month and could go up to more than 4 months old.  That's the truth.  Remember the disease last year that led to hundreds of thousands of chicken being euthanized?  Well when the put out the recall for the eggs it went up to 6 month dates on the cartons.  Ewww.....If you are hard boiling store bought eggs you probably have no problem peeling them.  For farm fresh eggs it has always been a nerve wracking time and getting nice smooth peeled eggs for deviled eggs was maybe 50% nice and 50% not able to use.  Here's the trick that I did yesterday for the first time!  18 eggs, 5 unusable and that was the first five that was trial and error.  Once the eggs have boiled for 20 minutes leave them in the hot water.  In a wide mouth quart jar put about 2 inches of cold water.  Add a hot egg and shake the jar about 6 shakes, no more.  When you take the egg out it will already have started to lift the egg shell away from the egg and enjoy peeling that egg.  It worked great for me.  Now after about 4 eggs I dumped the water and added fresh cold water to the quart jar.  Success with beautiful smooth eggs for deviled eggs.  I liked the brown eggs better than the white eggs because I could visually see when the shell was coming off.  Do not keep shaking thinking the egg shell will all come off, it does but by doing so it breaks the white of the egg. 4-6 shakes at the most.

You can see how the shell came off.

First batch, 18 eggs, 13 smooth, 5 not. 
The 5 first trial and error.

I am going to confess to a failure, my fault.  I put the egg yolks in my food processor, mistake!  I thought what a quick way to get the egg yolks creamy smooth.  Unfortunately adding the mayonnaise only turned it into oil...remember if you have ever made homemade mayonnaise the key is not to over beat.  So the first dozen eggs went to the chickens.  Had I not had success peeling the eggs I would not have made the second batch. 

My cousin's granddaughter messaged me another way that is suppose to make peeling fresh eggs easy.  I will be giving it a try this week and post how it works.  I love when people "pass it on."  Thanks Emily Kellogg, another gal that raises chickens!  Must run in the family.

The Hanky

I never gave much thought to the hankies my husband has carried every day since we were going together 52 years ago.  My dad carried one daily, his were blue or red, the ones we call bandanas now.  Dick carries white ones, which takes more care to keep them white.  After all who wants someone to see their husbands off white, dingy hanky?  Every morning he lays a fresh one on top of his wallet for the day.  There have been a few times we have headed down the road and shear panic hits him when he says, I forgot my wallet and hanky.  Seriously I believe he is more upset over the hanky than the wallet. 

Now I am curious when and how did the hanky come about?  I do know women carried them long ago too.  Mrs, Feig was my 6th grade teacher and she always had one tucked up her sweater or blouse sleeve.  It would gag me watching her wipe her nose or mouth and then put it back up her sleeve.  Remember I have a very weak stomach and that was a very weak moment for me.  When I saw her reaching for her handkerchief as ladies called them I immediately looked away knowing where it would end up for it's next use.  Blahhh  Ladies handkerchiefs were very fancy way back when, lovely lace edging or embroidery on them, thin and not very big.  Maybe so they would fit up their sleeve!  I never acquired the need to carry one, I like disposable ones.

You may wonder how I got on the subject of hankies.  It came about on our last trip to MD to see our grandchildren.  The little 5 yr old had a runny nose and he hates to blow it, his excuse, it makes his eyes water.  We would say, go get a Kleenex......he would look at us like we were from outer space.  Finally he said, what is a Kleenex?  I went and got him a couple and he said, those are tissues!  It's all in the presentation.  They call them tissues and we say Kleenex.  When we bought them years ago it was about the only brand so of course they were Kleenex.  In an emergency Dick pulled out his hanky and Cash was completely taken away with that wide eyed look.  He asked, what is that?  So Dick proceeded to tell him it is his hanky and then the questions kept coming.  Why do you carry it and do you throw it away.  In the end Cash decided he wants hankies to carry.  I think it sounds much easier to pull it out of your pocket than be told to go get a tissue/Kleenex.  So, that is how I started thinking of hankies.  As always it doesn't take much for my mind to wander to the most unexpected subjects.

One thing for sure, hankies/handkerchiefs have been a life saver for many.  They are used for happiness, sadness or to wipe sweat from the head.  Everyone of our grandkids have had the hanky used on them at least once in their lifetime and much more probably for some.  What ever causes that tear to fall usually ends with a hanky being offered (at least in our family) throughout the years. They have carried us through and always appreciated but never acknowledged for their greatness. 

Of course I had to google handkerchief history and found several interesting articles dating the hanky all the way back to the Ming Dynasty and documentation all the way up to our time.  At some point in time hankies meant wealth and royalty but the one documentation that awed me with a smile is what they meant to our our military.  Many handkerchiefs were imprinted with maps of the countryside where bombing missions were carried out.  Should these young men have the misfortune to be shot down, they literally held an escape map in their hands. Hundreds of hankies were printed during both WWI  & WWII for soldiers to carry and/or give as mementos.  Our military intelligence always amazes me.  We are protected by the finest, God Bless them.

Today turned into a wintery, blustery day.  Just what I like, if it's going to be winter then let it snow.  Friday is usually Icelandic Haddock or Shrimp at our house.  It is hard to find seafood products from the USA but there is a little store across from the Charles Cole Hospital that prides itself in just that!  The shrimp from the Texas Bay and the Icelandic Haddock from Canada which is close to the USA.  I refuse to buy food from China, Thailand or other Asian countries.  The next time you buy garlic powder check where it is from, most brands including McCormick are from China.  Walmart sells a brand from Texas and that little store across from the hospital has it from the USA too. 

Ok back to supper, it was haddock tonight with steamed broccoli and seasoned rice on the side.  I always rinse the fish and pat it dry, leave it between paper towels for about 30 minutes to get all the moisture out.  Flour seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, old bay and a little garlic powder is what I roll the fish in, then dip it in buttermilk and then back into the flour.  Fry until golden brown in what ever oil you like, I prefer lard, solid Crisco(only if desperate) or grape seed oil..  Canola oil and the others leave fried foods too greasy for me.  After fried lay the fish on paper towels on a rack until all of the fish is fried.  The rack keeps air flow under the fried fish, if you drain it on a solid surface the bottom of the fish or what ever you fried tends to develop moisture that takes away the crunch and makes it soggy.  A little tip for crunchy fried foods.

Homemade tartar sauce, mayonnaise,
horseradish and chopped sweet pickles
canned last summer.

 

Out to Lunch

Actually, way out to lunch.  First thing this morning a walk in the woods was put into the plans for the day.  While Dick did his morning chores and tore a little more of the camp down across the road, I packed our lunch.  Simple but ya know when we are eating outdoors it all tastes good.  Especially after a long walk back in one of our favorite valleys.  Quincy was excited to hear the word "walk."  We don't mention it until time to go out the door.  Dogs are smart and he is no exception, the minute we start putting on our walking boots and clothes he gets all nervous pacing from me to Dick. 

11:30 was set for departure time.  An hour walk up the valley, lunch and home by 3pm. That gives us time to wander off into the woods for exploring.  The day was warming up close to 35 degrees and by the time we sat for lunch the sun was shining through the trees making beautiful long shadows on the snow.  Where we eat is almost to the end of the hollow, 3 hills come together to make a bowl shape.  It has long been my favorite spot, the view of the 3 hills is long and straight up.  If the day wasn't enjoyable enough we were in for a shock and awe moment.  Just as we got to the log (table for food) a huge bird took off  down the ravine  just 10 feet from us.  My first words "what is that" then I thought Turkey Vulture (Buzzard) and  knew immediately that is was an eagle.  It would fly maybe 20 ft and land, then take off again for another few feet.  I had my camera but what good is it when I am beyond excited?  It was an immature Golden Eagle, it's beak was black giving us the clue it wasn't an immature Bald Eagle.  Dick thought it might be injured because it didn't leave in a hurry and flew low to the ground.  Eventually as we started to follow it, it took flight and left.  Not hard to figure out once we looked to where it had flew from that the carcass of a dead deer was there.  Not much left of it.  The snow was well packed down from all the visitors coming to eat off it.  We had seen several coyote tracks on our way up in.  This is why we like winter walks when the snow in on, we get to see what is traveling in the area.  Nothing can compare to that Golden Eagle today, it looked too big to be flying much less between trees and branches.  Flight is amazing.  What a day!
*Just heard from my daughter adult Golden Eagles get white feathers mixed in during the winter months to help them blend in with the winter surroundings. 

.

Sun shining down the hill, soon will be
setting then the woods will cool down.

My two guys leading the way.  Yes one is
packing, never leave home without it.

Ham & cheese with spicy mustard,
juicy little clementines, a few fresh baked
Oreo cookies (kidding) and hot cocoa.  One of
 the best restaurants around, with a view.

Last night was the hubs birthday and his choice for his celebration.....ham and bean soup, fresh baked buttermilk biscuits and peach cobbler for desert.  The ham bone with a little meat on it from last weeks dinner worked great for making the broth for the beans.  In the pot it went with some finely chopped onion, celery, garlic, a couple bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Once the meat had fallen of the bone it was discarded and the beans added.  This will be lunch or supper for a few days.  Dick likes to butter Salt Rising Bread and pour bean soup over it.  Remember I'm not a soggy bread kinda person so I pass on that, soup in the bowl works for me.  The peach cobbler was the way I always make it.  Pour 1 qt and 1 pt of peaches with juice in the bottom of a baking dish.  Put it in a 375 degree oven while mixing the batter to pour on top.  The batter is from a recipe book I bought in Mrs. Bosak's Home Ec class way back in 1965.  Ha, that is 51 years ago!  Seriously, it does not seem possible.  The cake is called Penny Wise Cake because it only takes one egg and not a lot of expensive ingredients.  This is also the recipe I use for Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Apple Cake and Blueberry Cake.  As you can see the page is well worn as other pages with recipes I use often.  Thank you Mrs. Bosak.  I do not use cake flour, just all purpose flour.  I bought cake flour once and did not see a difference.  The key is not to over beat cookie or cake batter, it makes the finished product tough.  Bread you have to knead and beat to get the gluten going, biscuits NO, lightly mix them for a light and fluffy biscuit.

Biscuits and beans, sounds like a cowboy
supper.  Apple butter and blueberry/rhubarb
sauce makes the biscuit almost like desert.

Who would have thought when I bought
this recipe book it would be so important
in my "housewife life"

A little worn by it does say Penny-Wise
Cake.

Peach Cobbler

The birthday guy gets a big bowl with
double vanilla ice cream!

Remember take time to "pass it on"

How Do You Like It?

Pizza that is!  All day I was thinking what to have for supper.  Usually by the end of breakfast I pretty much know what the evening meal will be.  Today not so, I was crocheting hearts and little heart doilies for Valentine gifts.  About 2pm I realized I was getting hungry and no plan for supper.  One thing I do not like to do is drive the 12 miles to Shinglehouse or Coudersport for ingredients.  Make due with what I have and that is exactly what I did.  Pizza was on my mind, let's see I have yeast and flour so crust, no problem.  Plenty of spaghetti sauce that I canned last Sept. and rifling through the frig I found, salami, onions, olives from the deli bar (3 varieties) a half a ball of fresh mozzarella, garlic and that should do it.  At the end putting the pizza together I decided, no red sauce instead melted butter with garlic would be the sauce.  Must be the humidity was just right for dough because it was pliable and easy to press out very thin.  We are not thick crust pizza people, the thinner and crispier the better for us and that is just how it was tonight.  Now it was good but nothing like the outdoor pizza oven.  We both decided when the temperature reaches 50 with no snow or rain for a few days the oven will get fired up.  Once it is fired we like to have at least 12 hours of no rain for it to cool down and not get wet.  We keep the "little baby" covered in bad weather, even in the summer.

It is always a happy moment when the pizza
slides off the pan for cutting.  Check out
the new pizza cutter, it is the favorite tool
of the kitchen!  Works like a charm.

That kitchen window has offered me the most beautiful views for the past 17 years and tonight was one of those "wow" moments.  Of course the camera is always close, I never get sick of sunsets, sunrises, clouds, animals, whatever that window offers it is always welcome.  There is something about looking over the fields and hills in the "dead of winter."  Speaking of winter, I want snow (yes, I have said it frequently in the last few weeks.)  I am looking at pictures on face book, having friends update me on their accumulations and even getting so desperate I have searched the web for pictures.  That is sad, not a flake from the storm.  Our son has had more snow in MD in the last few years than us.  Old El Nino better straighten his act  up before next winter. 

My view tonight.

Not a tv antenna, for the township truck to base radio. 

Tonight is a full moon, if the clouds move out it should be a bright winter's night.  It is called the "Full Wolf Moon".  It is quite interesting how the full moon of January got it's name.  I wonder if coyotes howling at night  means the same thing.  Dick tells me that the coyotes howl when there is a full moon because they are out hunting and then try to locate their pack.  Either way it is a horrible howl that makes us set right up in bed.  Then Quincy starts barking, now we are all wide awake.  A few shots into the night usually scares the coyotes off.

Here is a short video about the Full Wolf Moon.  https://youtu.be/TvPQ2ax8rA4

Learning to Horse Trade

Left to right, Kent, Dick, Enos and his son.

Get the deal done. 

Not really trading a horse, that it what the "old timers" called making a deal.  Off  Gramps  and  (Kent) set out to do today. We have been friends with an Amish guy since he was 22 years old.  It was 17 years ago we hired him to cut a few pines and saw lumber out of them for the barn.  Every morning and afternoon we drove to a back road near Friendship, NY,  bring him to and from our house to work.  He was amazing to watch, just a wafer thin young man that moved logs and rolled them onto his portable saw all by himself.  At noon he would come to the porch to eat his packed lunch.  Of course I always had extra baked goods, potato chips and pop for him.  He loved talking about what he had read in magazines and newspapers and was most interested in our sons military careers.  During the visit today he asked Dick and Kent, "what do you think of Donald Trump?  He added that he likes what he reads about him.  Amish do keep up on World Affairs.  Quite the guy and most enjoyable.  He knew how to operate the truck radio and had his favorite stations, his favorite country singers and music.  While he worked I kept the radio on the porch so he could catch a tune when his saw wasn't humming. 

I took my crocheting and sat in the car while the guys went in the saw mill,  Enos Mast now owns.  Guys love to talk business without a woman around, I didn't mind it was only 18 degrees out so the car and crocheting kept me quite happy.  I did have my camera ready to snap a picture or two.  Dick and Kent had a good visit and talked over ideas and plans for a small cabin they plan to build this summer.  They also caught up on family news.  Enos will be the guy to cut the lumber.   If you happen to go to the Potter Country Lumber Museum,  Enos is the one that cut the huge timbers for the frame work.  He is the only one in a wide area that can cut the large beams.  He has also sold his beams for a building in NYC.  It's not hard to figure out why, his talent and the fact he is one of the nicest men to do business with.  Very fair with his prices.  His motto, I make what I need for a good living, why would I try to out price myself.  Good business men understand what they have to be.  Honest, loyal and put out a great product.  No short cuts. 

It can get cold being a "horse trader"

This will be where our logs are milled.

As they guys came out of the shop office I was excited to see the oldest son of Enos and Sara.  A tall thin guy just like his dad was and is.  Of course the same smile too.  The first time we saw him he was 1 year old.  We were dropping Enos off from a days work at our house and this little guy stood on their porch with a dress on.  Dick said, you got a cute little girl.  Ha, Enos laughed and said, it's a boy.  Then he continued to say they keep boys in dresses until the are potty trained.  Easier to change their diapers.  Well this guy is now 18 and works just as hard as his dad.  Enos and Sara have 6 children
.
I did have time to make the tarts promised the day before.  The filling was Blueberry/Rhubarb that was made last July.  Unlike a jelly or jam it is more like a thick sauce and not as sweet.  The rhubarb gives it a refreshing slightly tart taste while the blueberries add their mild sweetness.  A nice combination and so good on hot buttermilk biscuits or Salt Rising Bread. 

All ready for a 375 degree oven.

Ready to eat,  sometimes I sprinkle with
 confectioner sugar or drizzle a bit of vanilla
glaze on.
Check out the fresh eggs, the girls
are working overtime on these
cold mornings.
 



The Big Valley

The Big Valley at the head of Alma Pond.  I was happy to get
a picture of the storm moving up the valley.  Alma Pond is about
where the snow is starting.

Like the night before, yesterday morning was no exception.  I woke up looking out the window,  the clouds had parted and the stars were shining bright.  The Big Dipper was to the right towards the East giving me a perfect view.  I am always looking for shooting stars, ready and waiting with a special wish.  In the last month I have seen 4, amazing what gives me such pleasure, a little shooting star.  Well, none yesterday morning and the clouds pulled over quickly.  A lazy look at the clock suddenly changed to an "oh no" moment.  I had set the alarm for 6 am but apparently the volume was turned down and it was now 6:20 am.  I had to be at the eye doctor in Wellsville at 8 am.  By this time we were both in 5th gear.  Just like a well oiled machine Dick made the coffee and warmed the car while I showered, hair and make-up was done.  We did it and was out the door by 7:55.  Now you may wonder why so early to leave when it is a 35 minute drive.  The roads.....not knowing if the plowing and cindering had been done plus School buses and people heading to work would make for a more cautious trip. 

It was 4 degrees, the fields on the Eleven Mile looked cold and lonesome with the wind blowing and some heavy snow coming down.  It made me think, where are the wild animals?  Are they cuddled in a nice warm spot away from the frigid elements?  I would be.  I know animals have special protection against the harsh weather but it still saddens me to think of them out there.  The few cars we passed caused a few seconds of white outs.  That is no fun only seeing white out the windshield.

By 9:15 we were headed home.  Dr. Cook and his staff are efficient and prompt!  The temps had warmed up to 8 degrees and life was starting to appear.  At upper Eleven Mile I spotted a very large bird soaring and at times flapping its wings.  I knew immediately it was an American Bald Eagle from the wing span.  They are huge.  It followed along side us for quite a ways and then veered off to the right heading back towards Alma Pond way.  Bald Eagles are making a great come back in our area and for that I am happy.  We have spotted them often in our travels and 3 times in Clara Valley.  It doesn't matter how many times I see one or two I get just as excited for the next one.  Bald Eagles like to hang around open water to catch fish and also keep an eye on open fields for little mice or what ever is a good meal.  Yes, even my chickens could end up as a meal for the large birds of prey.  We have a pair of Red Tailed Hawks that "hawk" the barn yard now and again.  A shot from the gun scares them away for a few days.  We would never shoot them, after all they were here first.  We saw deer gathered around a few deer feeders that a people have put out.  Life in the "dead of winter", survival of the fittest.

Still in NYS we pass the turn to the right that takes me to my favorite place.  Alma Pond is so peaceful, quiet and beautiful no matter what time of the year we go.  On a hot summer day setting by the water under the shade of the trees is a great way to cool off.  The fall with the changing colors of leaves and watching them fall into the water and drift away, peace.  Then the "dead of winter" can also be just as nice.  The pond is frozen over with drifts of snow, it is total quiet beauty.  Spring brings all the ducks and geese back to build nests and raise their young.  No matter the season there is always a simple pleasure at Alma Pond.  Deer, turkey, ducks, geese, Osprey and the pair of Bald Eagles that raise their young every year there, fishermen (even ice fishermen), people enjoying kayaks, there is a lot to enjoy there.  I had the opportunity to kayak on Alma Pond.  I loved it, once I was over the fear of tipping it over.  My daughter took me and was patient in teaching me how to get in and out, not to tip it, how to turn right and left and how to stop.  Not too bad for my first try and it was relaxing so I would call it a successful first voyage. 

Supper tonight was tossed salad, a tomato and fresh mozzarella salad and beef/mushroom pie.  Remember the roast beef, gravy and fried mushrooms we had the other night?  Tonight it went in a pie crust with a can of sweet peas on top and then the top pie crust.  Sprinkle a little paprika on top and it looks pretty good for left overs.  One thing I don't like is wasting food, like I tell my husband....if there are leftovers I guarantee you will see them again.  Remember I call leftovers "the free meal".  It smells like it will be worth the time and effort.  The pie crust was made with my precious lard.  With leftover crust tomorrow I will make Dick some jelly tarts, one of his favorite treats.

Meeting last night so no time to let the pie cool
 a bit before cutting,  still very good!

On a Cold Winter's Night

When I wake in the middle of the night it is possibly my best time to think out plans for the next day, week or even months ahead.  Last night was one of those nights.  With a few inches of snow freshly fallen everything looked white, pure and peaceful.  I am so lucky to be able to open my eyes and see the view looking down Clara Valley with our lawn, fields, hills and the beautiful White Pines that stand so tall and majestic just off the lawn.  To my surprise the stars were out too.  Considering the fact we had snow squalls predicted it was an added pleasure.  Soon though the stars disappeared and the snow began to fall again.  This was a very productive awakening.  My mind wandered to spring and getting the garden ready to plant.  One thought, have people start saving their newspapers for us.  We layer them quite thick between the rows and especially around the asparagus. It also works great when planting your summer flowers to avoid so many weeds invading the beds.  This method not only cuts down on weeding but also by the end of garden season has mulched making the soil light and fluffy.  The hard part is shoveling dirt on top of the papers so they won't blow away.  Somewhere I read that it is called lasagna gardening pertaining to layers of news papers, dirt and fresh mulch.  Hard to believe as I watched out the window I was thinking of the garden,  mulching, planting and where and what was going to be planted this year. We always rotate where the veggies were planted the year before.   Either way it is nice to have a free open mind with little to no worries in the middle of the night. 

Back to those big old White Pines.  About 15 years ago I met a man at the eye doctor's office.  He was in his late 80s.  We started talking (of course, I love to talk) and one thing led to another, he asked where I lived.  When I told him the biggest smile crossed his face.  He said, Doc Stevens farm!  Yes! He said he would fork hay from her field onto a hay wagon with his dad.  They drove a team of horses and wagon from Hebron over Moffit Hill ( he called it by the name we all grew up knowing, Nigger Hill).  He then mentioned  the stand of White Pines and the size of one in particular that was on our property so long ago.  When travelers would ask directions they would always say past the Giant White Pine.  I told him when we moved here the first thing we noticed was a hollowed out stump that was huge and where it was.  He was sure it was the stump of the famous Giant White Pine.  Fifteen years later and there is still most of the outline of the stump very close to the ground.  Maybe this is why I like looking out the window at the Pines, how many have passed by looking at the same view  over a 100 years ago that I look at everyday and every night.  That is a good feeling.  Our horse barn is built from lumber sawed out of some of the Pines, always a reminder of what was and is.

Remember that beef roast I did in the pressure cooker Sunday?  Here is our plates for Sunday night's supper.  Dick likes hot roast beef sandwiches,  I do not like bread when it gets soggy so my beef and gravy is on the side with a slice of country white bread.  Mushrooms fried in butter with just salt and pepper for seasoning.  I prefer wild mushrooms but that only happens once a year.  I gather them for about a week, once there is enough for a meal it is close to the end of finding mushrooms in the pastures.  If you like mushrooms you would really enjoy the wild ones.  They have a wonderful rich taste that farm raised mushrooms can not compare to.  My mom would take me gathering in our farm pastures on Horse Run.  Dad would not eat them, he never quite trusted if they were good or deadly.  No problem, all the more for mom and me.  Never pick mushrooms unless you know the good ones or trust someone that does. 

The sweet potatoes seem to be extra sweet this winter.

Today we headed to Wellsville for a visit and lunch with our friend.  It sure was nice to travel up Eleven Mile and the back River Road enjoying the snow and even a few drifts in the road way.  Every once in a while the sun would peak from the clouds but mostly the wind was blowing and a few snow flakes falling.  It was 10 degrees at the top of Eleven Mile, always one of the coldest areas around.  We also saw several deer in the fields pawing for food.  Must be a storm coming, at least that is what many say when deer are out browsing during the day.  By the time we got to Wellsville it had warmed to 13 degrees.  A nice visit and lunch with a nice guy makes a cold winter day more enjoyable.  I love winter, but how many times have I said that?  Many and probably many more.  The other saying, there is no place like home and that's the truth.  To top off the trip we were able to see some spectacular clouds and sun coming down Eleven Mile.  The weather really doesn't effect my day, rain, snow, cold, etc. they all offer something beautiful.

                                                           Take my breath away sky.

 Remember no matter how small the gesture, "Pass it On" someone will appreciate it.




What day is it?

What day is it?  That is the question frequently asked by one of us.  Retirement does that, everyday is the same and believe me I am not complaining.  Life is just the way we like it at Cook'n by the Creek.  The only demanding schedule is the animals in winter time.  Their alarm clock is working just perfect.  By 8 am the horses are standing at the gate looking towards the house.  I can almost hear them thinking, come on it's time for breakfast.  This morning was no exception.  They were munching away on a round bale and like an inner alarm clock went off they both left it and moved to the gate.  It's time to get the day going.  Dick is doing barn chores and I am finishing the last of my coffee.  The best part, my mind said.....time to write a blog.  I love these times when my mind and fingers connect.  What better place to be than on the couch looking out the glass doors to the view that takes my breath away, one of the nice things  about an open floor plan.  The other is if I'm in the kitchen I get to see and talk to everyone.  The not so nice thing, dishes need to be done immediately otherwise the living room and dining room get to see a messy kitchen. 

As I do a blog I can keep an eye on
the great outdoors and horses.

Snow is predicted to hit this afternoon.  We are hoping for enough to get the snowshoes out tomorrow.  January 17, 2016 and still have not had enough snow to get out and enjoy.  Today might be the day.  Dinner will be roast beef cooked in the pressure cooker which will take about 30 minutes for a 2 pound roast.  It will be fork tender with a beautiful rich juice.  I dust the roast with a little flour, salt and pepper, brown it and then pour about 4 cups of water over it.  Then throw in some onion, celery and carrots.  The vegetable will be so soft that a fork or potato masher will blend them into the juice to make it a little thicker.  If you have never used a pressure cooker please don't be afraid of them.  The pressure cooker will make cooking meats so much faster.  Who can get a roast fork tender in 30 minutes? 

Since I am on the food subject (always in the morning because I have to plan for the evening meal) I will tell you what we had yesterday.  Saturday was also a day of R & R.  Some days we just need to regroup, rest and get ready for whatever is thrown our way.  Lunch was just a plate of salami, ham, Swiss Cheese, a variety of olives, crackers and a spicy mustard.  I might have had a few pieces of chocolate too (such a sweet hound I am).  Saturday night supper was pork schnitzel, potato cakes and green beans.  The schnitzel is nothing more than pork loin pounded thin, dusted with flour, salt and pepper and fried in butter.  Now, the potato cake is a recipe that our exchange student from the Czech Republic showed me how to make 30 years ago.  Wow that doesn't seem possible. He said they are sold by street vendors in his country.  Very easy and very tasty.  The hardest part is grating the potatoes on the fine side of a grater and not grating your knuckles.  I grated about 2 cups, adding 5 TBSP flour, a little salt and pepper, 1 tsp of dried marjoram and one beaten egg.  Mix all together and drop by large spoonful into hot oil.  I used canola because my lard supply is dwindling and would rather save it for pie crust.  Fry until golden brown on both sides.  They can be topped with any sauce you like.  I'm a sour cream type and the husband likes my chipotle sauce which is spicy and sweet.  I like applesauce also but didn't get it out of the freezer in time to thaw. 

Potato cakes with sour cream,
pork schnitzel with a little
Chipotle Sauce.

Lunch for two.

Time to get on with the day, a little crocheting, cooking and watching for the storm to pull in.  Do I trust the weather forecast?  Not really, they have been wrong so many times.  It might just be easier to head out on the porch and give a sniff up the valley and down the valley like my oldest brother always said he did.  Either way that air will smell fresh and clean, nothing better than good old country air. 

The King Cake

Every year at this time I see posts from a young man that grew up in Shinglehouse.  When I worked at the Market Basket he would come in frequently running errands for his mom.  Steve's smile and wit reminds me so much of his mom, Jannie.  There are just certain people that can make your day or ruin it when working behind the register.  Jannie and Steve made the day.  Ok, so Steve makes the famous King Cake which is the start to Mardi Gras.  I have looked at his pictures and thought, I'm going to make a King Cake.  Well this year was the year.  He even gave me the link for the recipe he uses. 

The King Cake

Up bright and early this morning because the hub had an 8:30 am dentist appointment which means he leaves at 7:30 or earlier....he is always early out the door.  Me?  No, I have it figured right to the minute hoping no delays along the way.  I did the chores, I was surprised at 8 above it was not that bad.  Of course by the time I grain the horses and hens, put half the hay in their stalls, carry half out to the pasture and fill the water vessels it is enough to feel a little sweaty.  I even had time to take some pictures out back.  There was a big flock of geese making a lot of noise.  I think they were giving the leader hell for waiting around until the temperatures dropped to single digits.  Maybe they will turn around and come back by week's end.  It is suppose to be back in the 40s.  Like the stock market, what goes up must come down.  Our horses and hens are lucky, Dick has a heater in both water vessels.  It proves to be worth the extra $ on the electric bill not having to break ice 3 times a  day.  The horses drink a lot of water this time of the year.  Hay and grain is dry so they have to make up with more water intake.  During the summer the grass is full of water so they drink far less.  Either way the morning was brisk and oh so clean to smell.  I love fresh air at Cook'n by the Creek. 

Clara Creek still running but ice around
the edge.

Sun just coming up over the hill, 8 degrees.

Once the chores were finished I started the dough for the King Cake.  Not really a cake it's like a sweet bread dough made with yeast.  The dough is quite sticky once the final kneading is done.  This makes for a very light and airy finished product.  The texture is lighter than regular white bread dough.   I have a feeling it would make some nice cinnamon rolls too.  The recipe filling calls for pecans, brown sugar, flour, butter and raisins.  I like raisins but the rest of the family does not.  So like I usually do (don't follow rules) I substituted chopped dates.  I put every thing in the food mill for a couple spins and then spread it on .  The end result is great and I don't have to see noses wrinkle up and say, "raisins".

So thank you Steve West for the recipe and motivation.  Single digits and what better time to smell homemade goodness all through the house.  This afternoon we had a fresh brewed cup of Jamaican Me Crazy and a Slice of King Cake.  Let me tell ya it was worth the time!  Since it made two big loaves one was delivered to the neighbors. 

The King Cake is frosted or sugared with the colors Purple for justice, yellow for power and green for faith. The cake often has a small plastic baby (said to represent Baby Jesus) inside, or underneath; and the person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket has various privileges and obligations.



A slice for me!

 So today was Cajun or New Orleans style food.  Yesterday was homemade Mexican with beef taquitos, refried beans, seasoned rice and of course quacamole.  Did you know quacamole or sour cream can cut the heat from spicy food?  We are quacamole fans rather than sour cream.  Either way it is a fun way for a meal to add a foreign flare.

Mexican night! 

One more tip.  When a dough recipe calls for scalded and cooled milk you do not have to scald the milk if it is store bought.  Just heat it to the temperature the recipe calls for.  If you buy your milk raw and fresh from the farm then yes scald and cool it.  So many dough recipes were written long ago before pasteurized milk hit the markets.  Scalding was their way of killing bacteria.  Now ya know.