Saturday's Simple Joys

It was a full and busy day today at the library with a steady stream of patrons visiting.
It is always a joy to be working in such a great atmosphere.
This has been a very busy week for me, with most days being gone for work,
appointments both doctor and physio, birthday celebrations and outings with friends etc.

Some of my simple joys of this past week include:
♥ taking my friend L out for her birthday in Fergus and celebrating the gift of friendship
♥ having a wonderful time with friends in Mount Forest and enjoying the gift of laughter
and bonding over crafting.
♥ making progress on my knitting project despite the busy week.
I think knitting could become addictive as I tell hubby 'just one more row'
♥ milder temperatures and noticing the sounds of the birds
♥ being part of a great church and our daughter being in an awesome youth group
as we spent time with parents and teens on Friday evening...so much fun!
♥ Baking for tomorrow's family gathering at our dear family D&M, in the Niagara area

I just had to share this photo of my messy sink for my friend B who thinks my home is perfect.
Ask my hubby...he can assure you that it isn't:)

I have included the recipes for you, both of which I highly endorse...so good!
My friend S emailed this recipe to me after I sampled it last week at a potluck...
...it was so easy she told me:

PUFF PASTRY
72 soda crackers
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding-prepared with milk
1 large container cool whip-1 litre
1 tin pie filling-blueberry/raspberry -
ED SMITH brand OR -approx 2 cups fresh fruit
Prepare:
In a 9x13 pan....
put 1 layer soda crackers
half of vanilla pudding
1 layer soda crackers
half of cool whip
last half of pudding
1 layer of soda crackers
last half of cool whip

Top with pie filling or fresh fruit.
Refrigerate over night before serving.
If you like you can double the pudding
and put 1 more layer after the last
crackers.
Enjoy!

And this one is... well...The Best!

Canada's Best Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients

2 2cups cups(500 mL) (500 mL) all-purpose flour
2 2tsp tsp(10 mL) (10 mL) baking powder
2 2tsp tsp(10 mL) (10 mL) cinnamon
1 1tsp tsp(5 mL) (5 mL) baking soda
3/4 3/4tsp tsp(4 mL) (4 mL) salt
1/2 1/2tsp tsp(2 mL) (2 mL) nutmeg
3/4 3/4cup cup(175 mL) (175 mL) granulated sugar
3/4 3/4cup cup(175 mL) (175 mL) packed brown sugar
3 3eggeggs
3/4 3/4cup cup(175 mL) (175 mL) vegetable oil
1 1tsp tsp(5 mL) (5 mL) vanilla
2 2cups cups(500 mL) (500 mL) grated carrotcarrots
1 1cup cup(250 mL) (250 mL) drained crushed canned pineapple
1/2 1/2cup cup(125 mL) (125 mL) chopped pecans

Icing:
1 1pkg pkgcream cheese, softened
1/4 1/4cup cup(50 mL) (50 mL) butter, softened
1/2 1/2tsp tsp(2 mL) (2 mL) vanilla
1 1cup cup(250 mL) (250 mL) icing sugar

Preparation:

Grease and flour 13- x 9-inch (3.5 L) metal cake pan; set aside.

In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. In separate bowl, beat together granulated and brown sugars, eggs, oil and vanilla until smooth; pour over flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Stir in carrots, pineapple and pecans. Spread in prepared pan.

Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven for 40 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan on rack. (Make-ahead: Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Or ovenwrap with heavy duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks; let thaw before continuing.)

Icing: In bowl, beat cream cheese with butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Beat in icing sugar, one-third at a time, until smooth. Spread over top of cake. (Make-ahead: Cover loosely and refrigerate for up to I day.) Tips:Set timer for 5 minutes less than the time specified in recipe, check cake then for the following signs. If the cake is not done, return it to the oven to finish baking.
When is the cake done:
A fully baked cake will spring back when touched in the center. The cake also draws away from the side of the pan, and a cake tester (a toothpick of skewer works well) inserted in the center comes out clean. Also trust your sense of smell: the fresh aroma of butter and sugar wafting out of the oven can be the signal to check the cake.

When cakes emerge from the oven, their structure is set, but the set is still fragile. Let cakes stand in pans on rack for time specified in each recipe, usually 15 to 20 minutes. Run knife around edge of cake, then place rack over pan and invert cake onto rack to cool completely.

(image found online as mine is still in the oven:)

Blessings on your weekend everyone!

Quiet Beauty of Winter

It has been a quiet, relaxing day today at home getting caught up with the laundry, baking, cleaning, making some phone calls, working on my course assignment and enjoying a brisk afternoon walk with my daughter. Although I left my camera at home, I did take these winter scenes yesterday on my walk with hubby. One of my resolutions is to walk daily for fresh air and exercise, and so far I have been doing well. I feel less tired and more energetic. I have appreciated each winter day and find that as I take in the quiet beauty of winter, I have come to embrace the season more and am so thankful for the reminder once again, that each season has its own beauty and treasures.

In the stillness of the garden:

Walking through a cathedral of trees:

Rambling fence lines:

Stone foundation:



I can't resist saying this:
It's a jungle out there!
Don't these snow formations on the trees
look like snakes?
I love it!

Evidence of wood peckers:

Hmm...wonder what is in there?

One of the cottages along the lake:

Even the swings are still;
awaiting the carefree days of summer:

We have been eating plenty of oranges, both naval and mandarin,
perfect for a healthy snack along with freshly baked bran muffins:

My recent vintage find c. 1948
It has been a long time since I have played scrabble,
but I enjoyed several games this afternoon
with my daughter.
Although our words are not very articulate...
practice will make perfect!
I was excited to play seven letters in a row with a
favourite word of mine: vintage!

During these winter evenings
we have enjoyed reading
as well as watching videos
in our family room,
including more travel videos of Italy by Rick Steves.
We are still brushing up on our knowledge
of the country along with its food and cultures.

Winter is the time for comfort,
for good food and warmth,
for the touch of a friendly hand
and for a talk beside the fire:
it is the time for home.
~Edith Sitwell

Grandma's Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

Just one more post on Grandma's kitchen, where so much domestic goodness took place in the heart of the home. I am not unrealistic or naive in thinking it was all good 'back then' compared to today. I have read many books on the Great Depression, both here in Canada and abroad, but have come to this conclusion:
The housewife was resourceful and creative with a 'make-do' attitude. I am always amazed when I read about how little the families had, and yet what wonderful memories they cherished.
We have so many modern conveniences that I couldn't imagine doing without, yet I think we have lost some of that frugal resourcefulness...
Which reminds me, that is another of my resolutions this year:
~To become more resourceful and creative
~To 'eat the pantry down' or 'make do'
~to remember that many of the cherished memories of days past were spent at the kitchen table

My hubby teases me that I have too many favourites...flowers, tea cups, books, musicians, authors, artists, recipes, etc.
But I truly love Mary Cook, a gifted story-teller who is a 'favourite' author of mine right along with Gladys Taber. If you have never heard of Mary Cook, and enjoy good old-fashioned stories of times gone by, you must read some of Mary Cook's books. I just love her descriptive details and the humorous way she can tell a story. Here is just a peek at one of her books and an excerpt from one of the many columns she wrote for several newspapers and her CBC Broadcast series in the Ottawa Valley, Canada.
Mother may have been ready for winter inside the house. Every window had been stuffed with pieces of flour bagging, the braided rugs were in place, and the barrels of sauerkraut, pickled herring, and dill pickles were batted down. There was enough wood stacked in the summer kitchen, close to the back door to see us through the winter. The smoke house was full of hanging meat.

Yes, the inside of the house was ready. But inside Mother's heart, she never quite accepted that winter was upon us.

One night we would go to our beds, frost would be covering the grass in the yard, but snow would have yet to arrive. And then we would get out of bed in the morning, and there it would be. Mounds of snow would have fallen through the night, and you could see only the pump and its handle, the cement platform would be completely covered, and the only tracks in the snow would be Father's as he plowed his way from the house to the barn for his early morning chores...
You can read more excerpts from Mary Cook's columns here

More wonderful stories of the depression era can be found in this Reader's Digest book:

And some great stories and hearty recipes
can be found in these 'favourite' library cook books
(you can read reviews at Amazon)

Apple Pie Making by Janet Kruskamp

GRANDMA'S CHOCOLATE CHIP-OATMEAL COOKIES

1 c. shortening or butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
2 c. oatmeal
1 cup coconut(opt.)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped nuts (opt.)
Beat first 7 ingredients in mixer until creamy.
Add flour and beat at low speed.
Stir in by hand oatmeal, chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

My hubby came home from his job a few years ago, with a wooden box laden with vintage goodness for the kitchen. A customer wanted to get rid of the lot and asked my hubby to take it home for me. Although I don't use many of the items and haven't even been able to identify some of them, they bring me a sense of old-fashioned comfort and nostalgia as I reflect on what the tools may have been used for and by whom. I also adore the vintage apron with the morning glories, an old-fashioned flower; a 'favourite' of mine.
This morning I was up early to make Grandma's old fashioned bran muffins as well as the oatmeal cookies as I am leaving shortly to spend the day with middle daughter.

May your days be filled with domestic goodness
and the joy of time spent with family and friends around the table.

In Grandma's Kitchen

Recently I came across a poem that has hung in many kitchens in the past generation. It reminded me again of the importance of making the kitchen the center of the home with each meal prepared as a service to my family and to those who grace our table.
It makes me feel nostalgic and sentimental to reflect on the days when the kitchen truly was the epicentre or heart of the home and the dining table was where great conversations happened over a hearty meal.
It was a time of coming together, sharing the events of the day, and offering encouragement to one another around a comforting and nourishing meal.
Life has gotten so busy for many families, including our own. I think that is why
I cherish the Christmas season so much.
It is such a joy to be gathered around the table with family and friends, making me so grateful for those special times.
It is my renewed desire to make each meal a pleasant event around our dining table as I create special memories for my family and for all those who grace us with their presence at our table.

God bless my little kitchen,
I love its every nook,
And bless me as I do my work,
Wash pots and pans and cook.
And may the meals that I prepare
Be seasoned from above
With Thy great blessings and Thy grace,
But most of all Thy love.
As we partake of earthly food,
The table before us spread,
We’ll not forget to thank Thee, Lord,
Who gives us daily bread.
So bless my little kitchen, God,
And those who enter in,
May they find naught but Joy and Peace,
And Happiness therein.
Author: M. Peterson (1944)

I have mentioned Gladys before in a blog post recently as I admire her gentle reflections and astute observations of the world around her. Gladys Taber (1899-1980) is the author of 59 books and was also a columnist for the Ladies Home Journal entitled, Diary of Domesticity.
She is a kindred spirit in her love of country life, nature, good home-cooked meals and being a keeper of the home.
You can take a visit to Stillmeadow here

“Traveling is all very well if you can get home at night. I would be willing to go around the world if I came back in time to light the candles and set the table for supper. I cannot conceivably influence the world's destiny, but I can make my own life more worthwhile. I can give some help to some people; that is not vital to all the world's problems and yet I think if everyone did just that, we might see quite a world in our time!”
"At Stillmeadow, there is no predicting. (the time of our meal) But in the end, we always manage to sit down to a candle-lit table and the rib roast is not overdone and the Yorkshire pudding is crusty and tender with rich juices bubbling at the edges and the salad is not wilted. I even have remembered to take the cheese from the refrigerator so it has become room temperature, and I did not park the fruit bowl on the radiator! When everyone takes that first mouthful and breathes a happy sigh, that is the time I relax and become the gracious hostess. My hair may not look like a Vogue illustration and my face is shiny and I never did find time to slip into that fresh frock, but I am a very happy woman."
~Gladys Taber

The ordinary arts we practice every day
at home are of more importance to the
soul than their simplicity might suggest.
~Thomas More

No matter where I serve my my guests,
It seems they like the kitchen best.

Bless this Home
Ella Miller

Bless this home, O Lord, we pray
Guard it safely night and day,
Bless the family living here
Bind them close with love and cheer.

Bless the food which is prepared
And each guest with whom it's shared.
Bless the children through the years
Guide them in their joys and tears.

Bless the Mother - tender, kind
And the Father by her side
Bless their pure and faithful love
Making home like Heaven above.

Bless this home, O Lord, we pray
Where we live and walk and play,
Bless us all that ever we
May live O gracious Lord, with Thee.

Grandma's Apron

Tina at The Quiet Home shared a post this morning that reminded me of a promise I made to my sister S which I will now fulfill. At our annual family gathering in November, my mother handed us the following poem and asked us to read it to all of the family following our meal. She thought it was translated from dutch, but she was not sure where the source came from. I promised to make a copy for my sisters, but will post it here for all those who love aprons.
For the girls in my family, enjoy Grandma's Apron:

Grandma's Apron

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears…

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.

After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men-folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.

Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.

I never caught anything from an apron…

But Love!

(Author Unknown~all images found online)

You can read more about aprons over at Apron Memories

The Beauty of the Apron

Time for Tea
by George Goodwin Kilburne

The Little Helpmate,
by George Goodwin Kilburne.

Mrs. Sarah Canon, Wearing a White Apron,
Watching the Chickens Eat Their Feed

The Milkmaid by Jan Vermeer, 1658

Woman Standing in the Snow, Holding Holly in her Apron

A Young Woman Picks Flowers in a Country Garden,
and Stores Them in Her Apron

Of Blustery Days, British Tea and Bread Pudding...

British artist John William Waterhouse 1902

We awoke this morning to a foggy, rainy and windy day of the blustery sort.
The pretty snow scene I posted about several days ago now looks like this:This day had the makings of a perfectly wonderful puttery sort of stay-at-home day which I have done, although I will be leaving for work shortly.
I did want to post this recipe because at my british tea on Sunday, I served cucumber sandwiches without the crust as is proper for a british tea. I shared that with the crusts of the bread I like to make bread pudding. Actually, my daughter who is in India presently, makes one of the best bread puddings....she would have gladly made one for us, but alas, she is too far away so I made one this afternoon. It really isn't complicating and the aroma is just wonderful as it fills the house with spices. You can modify this recipe if you like. I added cloves and a pinch of nutmeg to bring out the cinnamon flavour. I also added an extra dash of pure vanilla as I didn't have rum in the house, and sprinkled sliced almonds on top.
My hubby and girls will be pleased when they come home.

Rum Raisin Bread Pudding

Ingredients

* 3 cups milk
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 3 tablespoons rum
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 7 (1/2-inch) slices bread, cubed or torn
* 4 eggs, beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large saucepan, add milk, butter,
vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar,
rum and raisins and heat until warm.
Simmer and stir until sugar dissolves.

Into a large bowl add the cubed bread
and pour in the hot milk mixture.
Let sit for 30 minutes so the bread absorbs the milk.

Add the beaten eggs to the bread and milk mixture and stir.
Pour bread pudding into a buttered 1 1/2-quart baking dish
and bake for 50 minutes. Serve topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Added: My hubby surprised me by coming home early today to do some office work, so he was eager to sample the bread pudding along with a cup of tea. His verdict: excellent and delicious says he:)