Busy Days....

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but for me this time of the year always means a lot of cooking, canning and freezing. My days are filled from beginning to end. I have even had a little helper for the past couple of days.

Not having any daughters of my own, I am so glad to have a sweet little granddaughter to teach and show how to be a good "keeper of the home". She loves to help out in the kitchen...."Meme I do it", she says. So sweet.

This week we have been canning and making savory jellies. I love savory jellies. They're perfect for crockpot cooking.

Yesterday she helped me make some banana cupcakes and frost them with peanut butter frosting. She's so precious!

Today she is helping me with some laundry. It's so funny how eager they are when they are young isn't it?

Today unfortunately, she is going back home, but before she leaves I think we'll sit down for a little tea party and enjoy some of those cupcakes we made!

Blessings,

Julie

Food, Glorious Food...

This weekend my husband and I did a bit of cooking. My husband loves to cook, and he is an amazing one at that!

We get peaches from "the peach man" every year, so that we can make some wonderful things with them. Look at these yummy peaches! You probably can't tell from the photo, but some of them are the size of small melons.

I always make peach jam, peach pie filling, and I also can a few. This year I only did the jam and pie filling, though, since I still have quite a few canned peaches from last year.

Here is my recipe for peach jam....

Approx. 14 ripe peaches
1- 1 3/4 oz. box of sure jell
2 tbsp. lemon juice
5 1/2 cups sugar

Peel, pit and coarsley grind peaches.

Place peaches in very hot water for 30 seconds

and then put them into ice water

and the skins will peel right off.

Measure 4 cups and put into large cooking pot. Add pectin and lemon juice. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil hard for 1 min., stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Quickly skim off foam with metal spoon. Ladle at once into hot, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4" headspace.

Adjust lids. Process in boiling water canner for 5 min.
Makes 7 half-pint jars.

Here is a picture of our peach pie filling...

Just some peaches, flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix it up good and put into hot sterilized jars and place in boiling water canner for 10 min. Oh, so yummy!

This is what my wonderful husband made us for supper last night.

Sliced potatoes and onions just before they went

into the oven.



Haddock Au Gratin

Fresh green beans from our garden with sliced onions,

slivered almonds and a maple glaze.

Homemade brown bread.

And for dessert...homemade peach crumble.

Yes, it was all very delicious! The leftovers will be good for lunch today, too.

Blessings,

Julie

August Keeper's Meeting...

We had our monthly Keeper's of the Home meeting last night and it went great! So well, in fact, that I forgot all about taking pictures! OOPS! I guess I'll have to do better next month.

Last night Janice and I split everyone into 2 groups. We had 14 ladies in all. Janice showed everyone how to make and can homemade dill pickles, and I demonstrated how to make your own homemade household cleaners. We all learned a lot and had so much fun!

For a sweet little snack, I made some homemade peachy
oatmeal squares and some applesauce cake. Everyone loved them, so I thought I would post one of the recipes for you.

Peachy Oatmeal Squares

Crumb Mixture:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup quick oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 sticks melted butter

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. almond extract

coconut (optional)

Filling:

3/4 cup peach preserves, (or any other kind you like)

Preheat your oven to 350*.

Combine all crumb mixture ingredients in a large bowl. Mix till crumbly. Reserve 3/4 cup of the mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture into bottom of a greased 9" x 9" baking pan.

Spread preserves to within 1/2 inch of edge. Cover with remaining crumb mix. Sprinkle top with coconut if desired.

Bake for 22-25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Don't they look delicious? I can't wait for you to try them. They're great in the evening with a hot cup of tea. I'll be enjoying one later this evening while my husband watch's his ball game.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Blessings,

Julie

Our Trip Back to the 1800's...

I know I already have a post on this, but I just think it's worthy of a second trip! I think my husband is getting a bit tired of going here, but he was a good sport on Saturday and took me back again. I married a great man! It's either that or I trained him well. LOL!

Here are just a few of the pictures I took while visiting the lovely village of Kings Landing.



Slicing fresh cucumbers and tomatoes

from the garden.

 Don't you just love these colors?

This poor horse was sweating. It was so hot!

This is my favorite picture!

This is the Hagerman House. It was once owned by

my husband's uncle's family, Ralph Hagerman.

While we were visiting, I got to sit down with a couple of ladies while they taught me how to make a hooked rug. It was so much fun. Another lady taught me how to properly make a penny rug. I can't wait to start my own!

I hope you enjoyed all the lovely pictures. It's truly a magical place. You really are transported back in time when you visit here.

Blessings,

Julie

And the Winner is....

ME!!! I entered two of my jellies at our local fair and won two first place ribbons. I am so excited! I have never won anything before. I need to send out a HUGE "THANK YOU" to Faye from The Blessed Hearth for posting the recipes for these wonderful jellies on her blog...dandelion jelly and apple blossom jelly. I would never have made them if she hadn't. They really are award winning recipes!

Blessings,
Julie