Rescued & Recycled

        It was a pre-spring like weekend so I took full advantage of the warm weather and got a couple of DIY projects crossed off my to do list! A couple of weeks ago, I spotted a old whiskey barrel in a burn pile, so I asked the owner if I could have it, I could but when I tried to load it, the whole thing fell apart like a blooming onion! But, I picked up all the pieces and a light bulb went off brightly! The bottom was in great shape considering it had been a planter but I was visioning a new cutting board! My handy man sanded it down to new grain for me, and after a few applications of mineral oil, it came to life! A new life as a bread board! I love the end result and I'm on the hunt to find more! As for the rest of the barrel, those parts are tucked away for other uses, nothing goes to waste!

     It was also a good time to paint, and if you've used chalkboard paint, you know it's best to apply it outside! I bought this vintage bread box at a yard sale many years ago, only paid $2 for it but hid it in a closet till inspiration hit, and it did! I've also wanted to paint clay pots for my herbs, and since my rosemary cuttings from last fall needed transplanting, and I had the chalkboard paint out, that task was complete too! So, I guess you can say, my kitchen made  out this weekend, and do did it! We are back to winter this week but so much closer to spring and more projects, there's always one more project!

Winter Sowing

   
               Like many, I'm ready for spring and gardening but I've recently learned that we don't have to wait for the ground to warm up, all you have to do is bundle up, brave the cold and start seeds in the winter, really? Yes, you can get a jump on spring planting right now! I'm sharing a friends post from her site on winter sowing and I'm curious enough to try it!

Winter Sowing: Get a Jump on Spring

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

Many gardeners know the benefits of planting crops, such as garlic, in the early fall and winter months, but did you know that many common herb, flower and vegetable seeds can be treated this way, too? Winter sowing is the age-old practice of planting seeds directly in the garden sometime between late fall and mid-winter. Because they are living organisms, seeds have the ability to sense the environment around them, which allows them to determine when weather conditions are just right for germination. As a result, winter sown seeds often germinate earlier, have higher rates of germination and have less problems with seedling diseases such as damping off. They also tend to grow faster and stronger than their indoor-sown counterparts, which allows gardeners to get a jump on the growing season.

The origins of winter sowing lie in the simple and natural processes that seed-bearing plants have used for millions of years. Once a plant’s seeds or fruit are ripe, they either simply fall to the ground or are eaten or otherwise carried away by various creatures and eventually wind up on the ground where they spend the winter in a dormant state, germinating only when conditions for the growth of the new plant are just right. This is how nature gardens.

Of course, it didn’t take long for humans to recognize this natural processes and learn how to effectively mimic it.

I’ve been practicing the art of winter sowing for over twenty years. Normally, I simply sow the seed where I would like the final plant to grow, such as in an existing garden row or flower bed. When the seedlings emerge in spring, they are thinned and/or transplanted as desired.

This method has several advantages over starting seeds indoors, including less time, money, and space. Winter sowing also frees the gardener from many of the early spring chores, such as cultivating and sowing, which are now done in the slower months of early fall and winter, depending on the climate. Simply plant the seeds as directed on the seed packet and cover with a light mulch of straw or chopped leaves to help keep the soil – and the seeds – in place, and to maintain consistent levels of moisture and temperature.

           If you'd like to read more about winter sowing and gardening in general, check out Jill's great gardening site at Show Me Oz, a fellow Ozark gardener and friend! 

Treats for the Sweets!

            Wake up your Valentines with red velvet waffles, start the day off right with a festive breakfast that comes from a cake mix. The secret is out, you can make waffles from any cake mix, just prepare the boxed mix as directed and pour into your waffle maker for a easy and pretty dish, served in bed of course.

 
      And don't forget the kids, these simple store bought wafer cookies are just dipped in almond bark then rolled in pink candy hearts and fun sprinkles. Pretzels, marshmallows, and popcorn balls are just a few other treats that can be done this way for the same sweet effect.

     Food is love and there's no better way to show your loved ones just how much you care by cooking for them. It's what memories are made of, recipes handed down that have become traditions or family keepsakes are true gifts of love. So romance that stove and spoil the family and friends with homemade treats for the sweets! And don't forget that red velvet cake from scratch for dessert!

Red Velvet Cake and History

   
          With Valentines Day less than a week away, I thought I'd make something extra special for the holiday of love, and homemade is one true expression of that emotion so let's make a red velvet cake from scratch! But first, have you ever thought about where the red velvet cake came from? Or why it is red? I had to find out, after all, a  good baker always wants to know these things, so here goes. Red velvet cake has been dated back to the late 1800's when John A. Adams started up a extract company after his wife wasn't happy with a plain vanilla extract, along the way with too much red food coloring in storage,  Adams invented the  red cake, by adding 2 bottles of the red dye to a cake recipe that was smooth as velvet and marketed it as "The Cake of a Wife Time" with free color recipe cards in grocery stores all over the mid west and parts of the south. The cake became a sensation.  There is also a urban legend surrounding this cake and even some believe it was invented by Russians who used beet juice for the coloring. But no matter what story you believe, the red velvet cake is one of the more popular cakes requested with many other foods invented from the master. Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cake Recipe

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 oz. red food coloring
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or three 8-inch round cake pans.

2. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.  In a small bowl, mix food coloring and cocoa powder to form a thin paste without lumps; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go.  Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

4. Make sure you have cake pans buttered, floured, and nearby.  In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda.  Yes, it will fizz!  Add it to the cake batter and stir well to combine.  Working quickly, divide batter evenly between the cake pans and place them in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check early, cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. To remove the cakes from the pan, place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, then gently lift the pan.  Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting. 

Recipe Notes: *Sift cake flour once before measuring, then sift again with the other dry ingredients per recipe instructions. Wear an apron and be careful with the red food coloring–no matter how hard I try, I always end up staining something!  As you’re mixing the cake batter, use a spatula to scrape down the bowl frequently throughout the entire process.

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz. cream cheese (2 packages), softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
pinch of salt

With an electric mixer, blend together cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Turn mixer to low speed and blend in powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract.  Turn mixer on high and beat until light and fluffy. Use immediately or refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.  If refrigerated, the frosting will need to be brought to room temperature before using (after frosting softens up, beat with mixer until smooth).

Recipe and photo from Pinch my Salt

Quick Sourdough

                Beware, I'm a weather whiner, with every right to do so! We are not used to nor are prepared for the winter we are having, with that being said, I'm sitting here on day three of cabin fever and missing work. The house is clean, laundry done, online art class caught up and the urge for comfort foods keeps me in the kitchen, not a bad place to be with the oven on and coffee in hand. Last winter was mild enough that I didn't feel the need to bake bread, and that's a shame, I should be making bread at home more often, much better for us, and I need to work on this. So, I'm starting by making a quick and overnight sourdough starter that allows you to use it the next day, if your like me and just can't wait! This recipe is easy and fast to put together, just keep in mind, with sourdough there are some rules that you must follow: always use glass, stoneware or plastic containers and mix with plastic or wooden spoons. NEVER use metal, it will only counter act the process. Keep your starter in a warm, dry place. I keep mine on top of the fridge where heat rises and seems to work for me. Your starter will double in size so make sure your container is big enough. And don't forget to feed your starter!

Quick, Overnight Starter

2 pkg. dry yeast
4 c. lukewarm water
4 c. all purpose flour
Dissolve yeast in a small amount of the water. Stir flour into remaining water and add yeast mixture. Mix well and cover. Let stand in warm place for at least 6 hours or overnight. Starter is now ready to use in your favorite sourdough recipe.

    That little book above " Sourdough Cookery" has been in my collection since 1983 when Mother Earth News got me hooked on sourdough pancakes, now a Christmas morning favorite but the book is loaded with recipes for all things sourdough! Almost a lost art, but once a way of daily life, so treat yourself to the best bread in any kitchen, or pancakes, waffles, cinnamon rolls, cakes, muffins....good stuff!!

January Jinx

             I'm tired of complaining about the weather, it seems to the normal thing to do this winter, with odds worse than the Super Bowl, I'm aiming for a touch down of spring! If you remember my January hutch, all decked out in snowflakes, well, I think I jinxed winter! It's being relentless, one wave after another of cold, wind, snow, sleet, ice and cold, did I say cold? Super cold! Another one for the record books, but I'm not impressed with all these records being broken? Will our weather ever return to normal? To boost it along, I hid all my snowflakes yesterday and dug out the Valentines, dressed up the hutch for the new month with high hopes for a kinder month....then it happened, mid morning, snow......with the promise of more twice this week! I give up!
     It's hard at times to remain positive, and I'm still trying. Worry sets in over the price of propane and a possible shortage, I never would of imagined that electricity would be cheaper than propane , oh how I long for wood heat again! Will we make it, I'm sure we will, but a person tends to get down, in my case, I feel like a slug this winter! But, I'm keeping busy, holding onto the thought of spring and getting my hands planted in the warm soil again! Happy thoughts!