Homemade Crackers - Quick n' Easy

Well, it's day 69 and I'm behind on the blog again.  I haven't been able to do much because my back is not happy with me standing so I thought I'd share a very old Southern Cracker Recipe that takes no time at all to prepare.

I made my crackers small, about 2" x 2" and they shrank a little more as they dried.  But they are delicious with either sweet or savory toppings.  You should have all ingredients on hand so give it at try.  I think you'll be glad you did.  Here you go:

Sift together:  1 cup All-Purpose Flour, 1 tsp. Baking Powder and 1/4 tsp. Salt.
Cut in 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) Butter to the texture of coarse meal.
Add 1/4 cup Milk, all at once and stir until dough forms a ball.
Turn out on lightly floured surface and knead gently, 8 to 10 times.  Roll to 1/4" thickness and cut with standard biscuit cutter. (I used my pizza cutter to make square crackers because my biscuit cutter is very large.) Place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and split the hot crackers in half with a sharp knife.  Return to oven, cut sides up, and bake another 4 to 6 minutes.

I turned my oven off, opened the door and let the sheet of crackers remain in the cooling oven to dry out thoroughly.  The taste and texture is much like that of Sailor Boy Pilot Bread, Alaska's favorite cracker and if I had made them large and round they would even look similar. They are great.  I'm getting ready to eat a bunch with cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly.  Sorry I didn't think of that in time to get a photo.

Cheese Straws - Recipe

Day 55 - Cheese Straws...it's a Southern thing!

Suggestion:  Serve in votive holders wrapped in team-color ribbon

Making party plans for the Super Bowl or looking for alternatives to the grocery store assortment of crackers...try the easy Southern art of baking Cheese Straws.  The dough mixes up in nothing flat and they bake in 5 to 7 minutes.  You can make them spicy hot or just enjoy the cheezy goodness...and the best part is that they are cheap - cheap - cheap!

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose Flour

2 cups grated sharp Cheddar Cheese

3/4 cup Butter

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

1/2 cup Cold Water

For zing, add 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Powder OR add 1 tsp. Louisiana Hot Sauce to the Water

DIRECTIONS

Combine dry ingredients.  Toss with cheese.  Add butter (cut into small pieces) and mix thoroughly until well combined.  Stir in water, a little at a time, mixing to make a stiff dough.

Divide dough into 4 pieces.  Roll one piece at a time into a long rectangle, 4 to 5 inches wide, until it is about the thickness of a pencil.

Cut into strips.  A Pizza cutter works well for this.

Place strips on a greased (or sprayed) baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven at 400 to 425 for 5 to 7 minutes - until golden brown.

Note: bottoms should be slightly browned.

This recipe makes enough to completely fill a gallon size Zip-Lock bag.

They are wonderful served plain as snack crackers but can also be used with dips.  Try a spicy Creamy Horseradish or cool Cucumber Dill.

Day 39 - Hospital

Since my doctor was to be on call at the local hospital today, he suggested that I come in through the E.R. for a chest X-Ray and to report on reactions to yesterday's meds.   Yes, the image showed the Pneumonia as well as what the doctor termed as 'remarkable healthy looking lungs'.  Hurray for that!  Some of the meds remained the same, dosage was fine-tuned on others and a couple more were added as well as another shot. 

But the best medicine of the day was the bag of Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies that Hubs made a special trip to the store to get for me.  So, with cookies in hand, a warm blanket, milk for dunking and a serious belief in a better tomorrow, I am ready to settle in for the night.

Tomorrow I'll share the reason for counting UP the days of my life.

Day 38 - Hello, Pneumonia

Didn't want it.  Got it anyway.  Much prefer the treatment for Spring Fever.

Sharing some of my "Springtime around the ol' homestead" photos with you.

But this year a Spring Tonic and a good Seed Catalog didn't quite do the trick. 

I prefer Burpee's to breathing treatments and Gurney's to prescription antibiotics... and, of course, the Henry Fields Catalog to the ER. 

So, if there is no post on Day 39, my appologies in advance and I'll be back as soon as I can.

It rained a bit last night and was 80 degrees here today.  So the weatherman is with me in being completely out of sync with mid-January.

May we all be well.

Day 37 - Still Thinking Spring in January - - - Cold Frames

Today's warm and balmy weather only serves to intensify yesterdays dreams of Spring.  Knowing how fickle the weather is and remembering the loss of so many seedlings to late-season freezes over the years, I've begun to consider the possibility of building a "Cold Frame".   After a little research, I'm leaning toward this design found at "Instructables".  It makes use of old, discarded windows and I happen to have some.

Then there was this super-sized one posted by the TV show "This Old House".  It could even be made using old French doors.

But I think my favorite site is this one by "Dummies".  The instructions are perfectly detailed and quite elementary.  (Besides, I like the little bunnies.)

But, if you are not so handy with a hammer or just don't have the urge to build, like I do, there are several sites that offer lots of easy-to-assemble kits like this Mini Green House.

If you have even grander visions for getting a jump on the weather, I found an online catalog offering all kinds of kits for cold frames and greenhouses and you can shop by brand or size or type or usage.

I might be stuck indoors and not feeling one bit better but I can still enjoy the open windows, the warm breeze and busying myself with lists of things I want to do once Spring shows up for real.

Day 36 - Seed Catalogs

Well, the days are getting longer and the temperature is getting warmer.  Actually 'unseasonable' warm.  It was almost 90 degrees here today.  The sun was shining and it was like the heavens were calling, "Come out.  Come outside to play."  

Unfortunately I'm still too sick to go out to play but I did make it as far as the mailbox in hopes of being blessed with a Seed Catalog or two but no such luck, no Burpee's, or Gurney's, or Henry Field's.  Still, a body can only take so much television so I hunted in all the usual 'stash' places until I found some of last years catalogs.  My "I want" button was immediately pressed and I filled the margins with check marks as if I had good sense...or an unlimited budget. 

I'm certain that the marketing teams who arrange these pages filled with photos of colorful blooms and mouthwatering fruit are aiming their message directly at people like me...stuck indoors, impatient for spring and perfectly willing to spend a few dollars now as some sort of emotionally satisfying proof that spring actually is just around the corner.

Day 35 - Light Up Your Life

Since I'm still sick, I'm taking the quick and easy way out in today's post by featuring a couple things from the past.  Just click on the wording to follow the links.

MAKE OLD CANDLES NEW AGAIN

EASY TO MAKE OLIVE OIL LAMPS

 

These are very simple projects with easy-to-follow instructions.  Enjoy.  I hope to be on top of my game soon.

Day 33 - Organizing for 2013

Since organization saves time and 'time is money' and especially since I've spent two days looking for something that I carefully put away and now cannot find, I thought getting better organized might be an appropriate place to start a new year.  I found these images inspiring and hope they will trigger ideas of your own.

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The following are links to some ideas I thought were clever or useful...like camouflaging a storage box with book spines for your library shelf.

An organized way to store bed linens, especially those for children or guest rooms.

I would never have thought to create shoe storage using PVC pipe and a little Gorilla Glue but, wow, it works.

And, thinking about using tubes for storage, how about this idea of using toilet tissue tubes for cable storage.

This is one of my favorites.  First of all, what a great idea it is to know the height of things to be stored when building shelves for them.  Just the photo alone is informative but the blog post actually walks you through the build-out of a pantry.  The LINK is worth a peek.

None of the above photos or ideas are mine but I do plan to put a couple of them to good use.  If you have organization tips of your own, please share them in a "COMMENT" below.  Thanks.

Day 32 - Make a Table - Idea Starter

If I could take pictures of the things in my mind, I'd show you how this simple table construction technique can be adapted to several styles of decor.  Mine is a thoroughly rustic coffee table, long and slender, with no square corners.  It doesn't even have parallel sides.  It is made of old deck boards that are joined with metal plates screwed to the back (bottom).  

These particular legs are 1 1/2" standard, threaded, 'black' pipe painted with RustOleum 'Rust' Metallic Paint.  They are attached using plumbing flanges which take the threaded end of the pipe.

Pipe for legs comes in a variety of diameters, some much larger than the ones I chose.  Flanges are available to fit each size pipe.  Coffee tables, side tables, or even book shelves can be made using this simple and relatively inexpensive technique.

For a Shabby Chic look, an old door could be used for the top...even an old cabinet door for a smaller table.  The legs could be painted white, then scratched and sanded.

For a Country Cottage or Farmhouse look, new boards can be used for the top, painted and sanded or antiqued.  The legs could be painted Flat Black or a Rubbed Bronze.

For an industrial look, any smooth surface top would do with heavier legs and the whole table painted with something like a Hammered Silver. 

It's just such an easy to make 'something from almost nothing' that I wanted to share the idea.

Day 30 - New Year: New Food Plan

Breakfast is a good thing, or so I've been told.  Don't know why I rebel against it so.  At any rate, this perfect one-egg, super slick and very cute little omelet pan from World Market makes it more appealing.  

And, being inherently lazy, I have sauteed enough vegetables in advance to last for several days.  Now, breakfast happens almost as quickly as beating the egg. 

By adding a grapefruit, whether cut to eat or squeezed into juice, I can feel healthy for hours.

One thing that has worked well for me over the years is keeping nuts and berries to satisfy the munchies.  I refilled the coffee table candy bowl with almonds and get to snack on pecans and walnuts whenever I am adding them to Hubs muffins.

Sometimes, just making a task easier, makes the difference in whether I will keep up with it or let it slide.  Now a vegetable omelet is almost as easy as a Pop Tart and my new snack is as easy as grabbing a cookie.  Yea me!  No big resolutions just tweaking my life a little.

Day 29 - 'Love' on Barnboard

I've had these two, 28" pieces of old, barn wood for a very long time and have always known exactly what I wanted to do with them.  

Somewhere in the wee hours of last night, long after Hubs had turned in, I pulled out paint and brushes and set to work.  The painting was the fun part and a good start.  Now the actual 'work' begins.  There will be sanding and protective coats of poly to apply and more sanding and more poly and hooks to add to the backs.

Eventually, they will be nice pieces of wall art and will end up on our Etsy site.  We've had a shop there for a while.  As usual, it took me ages to get the hang of setting it up but I'm so glad I did.  The little shop gives us an opportunity to play at making things without having to find places to put them.  Right now, the inventory in the shop is a bit depleted because of holiday purchases and I need to spend a day or two with the camera in order to add other items.  The little shop won't make us rich but we are 'still finding cash' as the result of it and the continued activity helps bring enjoyment to our days.

Day 28 - Old Woman, Old Wood

I stayed up too late last night and woke up too early this morning.  Made the mistake of falling asleep with the radio on.  Imagine how much fun it was to be awakened at 5:something this morning to a high-decibel, blood-curdling scream not far from my ear.  I might have jumped higher except that the scream was followed by two men loudly laughing their heads off.  I have no clue...and, no, I didn't throw the radio but I have reacquainted myself with the "Sleep" button.   

So it is a strange day today; too cold to be outdoors, says the woman from Alaska.  I thought to start an indoor project but even extra coffee could not deter me from a nap.  Up again, I figured out what I would do and got some old boards brushed clean.  Tomorrow we'll see what they've turned into overnight.

Day 27 - New Years Resolution Revolt

Always time to smell the roses

OK, so I'm running a little behind on this New Year thing and trying hard to catch up.  So here's how I came up with today's post.  It began last night as I was thinking about New Years Resolutions and wondering whether or not I'd make one more attempt at keeping something - anything.  Finally, since health has become a priority to me; I sat down at the computer to gather my thoughts and make my list.

1.  LOSE WEIGHT,  2.  EXERCISE MORE,  3.  EAT "HEALTHY"  

Oh, yes, that was the exact moment a voice on the radio caught my attention; I mean, really caught my attention.  I started typing notes as I listened attentively for all of about 60 seconds.  That's when the interview ended.  It had just been one of those little news 'blurbs' and not only did I not catch the name of the man being interviewed; I couldn't even find his name on the show's website. 

But I trust my notes and here's what he was on the air to report:

1.  LOSE WEIGHT 
We, who struggle with weight issues have been told for years that a BMI (Body Mass Index) between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal, ideal, the goal we should shoot for.  In addition, we have been told that if our BMI falls between 25.0 and 29.9, we are considered "Overweight", while a BMI over 30.0 puts us officially in the "Obese" category.  NOW, to confuse us further, especially people like me who have only recently begun to understand the whole BMI thing in the first place; NOW, a new study claims that 30 - 34.9 BMI is not only an acceptable level; it may actually lead to a "longer life cycle".  While being 'underweight' (the BMI we've been told to achieve) can put us at risk should we become ill and lose additional weight. Hummm.

2.  EXERCISE MORE  

That was such a shocker, and since I was at the computer anyway, I thought I'd look up some information on 'Exercise'... you know, it's that thing we pay good money to do because we no longer hang our wash on the line or cut our grass with a push mower or till the ground for our food or go outside with our children to play.  Here's what I found...and there is more documentation on this Link to 'Exercise and Healthy Eating' than you can shake a stick at.  Check it out.  You will be amazed.  I was. 

3.  EAT "HEALTHY"

With my list of good intentions obliterated and my idea for today's post vaporizing, I was completely bummed and headed to the kitchen, my normal destination when I'm 'bummed'.  "Coffee?"  "Not good."  "Wine?"  "Better not."  "Chocolate?"  "I gave it all away because of the 'weight loss' thing."

Well, that did it; I burst out laughing.  How many times are the 'experts' going to change their minds?  Coffee: bad for you; oh, no; it's actually good for you.  Wine and chocolate, the same thing; yes, no, yes.  I wish they would make up their minds.

Then it occurred to me, I don't really care what they say.  I think they have just about ruined us.  Life is no longer easy and it isn't as much fun as when I was raised...in the '40s and '50s and '60s.  Back then, everyone smoked, we ate white bread, kids got 'play in the dirt' dirty, cars didn't have seat belts and babies were carried in our arms.  Reckless, I know, but you know what else...I only remember 2 kids in all of high school who were overweight and they wouldn't even be considered 'chubby' by today's standards.  We almost never went to the doctor and I never knew a kid who went to jail...not for anything!  Hummm.  But then, 'back then' I was a kid and today's kids will probably look back with exactly the same thoughts.

Still, today's life seem to be filled with too many 'do's and don'ts', too much stress, and too little fun and laughter.  Oh yes, Laughter turns out to be one of those things that is really, really good for us and no one has changed their mind on that...not even "them".  

So my Resolution for 2013 is to stop worrying about the do's and don't's, to relax more, to have more fun and to laugh more often...not to live foolishly but to live fully...and, I hope, for a long, long time.

Day 26 - New Years Day - Do Over

The Vertigo is gone.
So is the sun.
It began raining late last night.
It may be gloomy outside but
as my house returns to post-
Christmas normal,
it's becoming spic and span
bright inside.

You may remember that I talked about downsizing Christmas decor.  I've done a better job than even I had expected.  I have gone from nine 33gal. bins plus 3 large boxes containing trees to just one much smaller bin, and my best organization idea yet. 

For $16, I bought a 'clothes closet' at Walmart.  It is 36" wide x 19 1/2" deep x 63" high.  By a stroke of luck, it is as wide as 1 and 1/2 egg boxes.  Yes, there is such a thing as a half egg box.  ('Egglands Best' come in the smaller boxes.)  So, here's how this works for me:

My steel frame, fabric covered 'closet' easily holds 2 large (30dozen) egg boxes and 1 small (Egglands) box.  In one of the boxes, I have 2 small, fully decorated, trees with misc. decor fitted into the spaces.  The other large box and the small one are packed as usual with the trappings of the season.  

One great thing is that the lighted mantle garland fits neatly at the bottom, just in front of the boxes and provides a base for the 16 large large ball ornaments that annually hang from my Hickory tree.  They seriously filled a single bin on their own.

But the very best, most time saving, thing of all is that I didn't need to compress and package the larger trees; they just stand in place.  I have managed to save time in unpacking, decorating and storing away as well as making my life, and especially the Christmas season, easier and less stressful by reducing excesses and redundancies.  Still, I have retained creative flexibility by keeping just enough to change color palates and themes from year to year when I feel the urge.

The entire 'closet' fits perfectly behind the door of my little studio and only one, small and light weight, bin needs to be taken to the garage.  Eventually, as the studio is finished inside, there will be ample storage space to include it as well.

So here I am, on the second day of a brand new year, feeling pretty good, with plans to clean the heck out of the house and reclaim my workspace from the clutter of package wrapping and the uncontrollable tendency to let things accumulate when you don't feel well.  Then, it will be on to doing taxes, planning to rearrange a few rooms and waiting for spring.  Ooh, spring, my favorite.

Day 24 - Dizzying Start to 2013

Awoke this morning to greet the new year.  Stepped out of bed and fell back in.  Uh oh - Vertigo.

Am being VERY STILL and holding my own.  Not what I had in mind for today but who knows, it might disappear as quickly as it came.  Will write more about this day if the Vertigo-goes.

Well, 8 hours have past and the loss of balance has lessened but tremendous weakness and a slight sense of nausea has set in.  Got a long nap but it didn't do much in terms of making me feel better.  Will certainly check in with my doctor in the morning and trust that I will be able to report back to you in the afternoon.

In the meantime, have yourself a wonderful first day of this brand new year. 

Day 23 - Going, Going, Gone!

Day 22 - Goodbye 2012 - Remembering and Moving On

I'm in the middle there somewhere.

When your children are in their 40's and 50's and your grandchildren range in age from 4 to 24 and two great grandchildren will soon become three great grandchildren, you cannot look ahead without looking back.  If you are a teenager, do not hurry.  If you are in your 20's, do not worry.  If you are in your 30's or 40's, your best days are still ahead.  If you are in your 50's, you are a little late for a mid-life crisis, so buck up.

I am incredibly blessed with family.

And blessed to have a pool for those, I love, to enjoy...

and knowing that their memories will include learning to swim in my pool.

If you are in your 60's like me, especially since I will join those in their 70's this year, my suggestion is that you don't allow anyone to discourage you from looking back and remembering the 'good old days'.  As for me, I'm grateful to be able to count them as 'good'.  The past is a wonderful place to visit but none of us should want to dwell there. 

I'm blessed to be surrounded with God's little creatures.

And I especially appreciate this Cardinal who nests, each year, in the Rambling Rose just outside my window.

 My great hope is to be able to look back at 2012 and refer to it as 'good old days' as well.  So on this last day of 2012, I plan to do a great deal of remembering and counting my many blessings.  Tomorrow, along with cooking up my Southern dose of New Year Luck, ham bone and black eyed peas, I intend to do a great deal of looking forward. 

But looking backwards, for a moment now, affords me the special opportunity to appreciate the abundance of food with which my family and I have been blessed because I well remember a time when we were hungry...and I don't mean didn't have enough to eat, I mean real, food-less, hunger.  I'll share the story one of these days.

Independence Day affords me many opportunities to look back happily as family has gathered at my house summer after summer...one of my very favorite things and I look forward to it every year.

  And, I will attempt to explain why I started counting UP the days of my life.

I love the little studio my son built for me.

I love that we can pull off summer themed parties in February....

...and growing things...

and stormy days at the beach...

and the fact that my Hubs is so easy going...

and that spring always arrives...

and that I find beauty in the way light plays among simple things...

and I love bubbles!
May we all be blessed in the coming new year!