Spring Has Sprung

This is the view just outside our deck in the back yard.  Yesterday evening it looked like a river was running though it because rain was pouring down.  This morning is cloudy and a cool 64 degrees.  I grabbed my camera and headed outside. 

back yard

this little guy didn't want me to get very close.

wood pecker

Yeppers, Spring is busting out at the seams here.  

Starting a Sweet Potato Using Slips

There are four basic little things you need to start growing sweet potato slips.  A sweet potato (of course), water, a wide mouth jar and toothpicks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspect several potatoes for little buds like the one pictured above.  This is where the slip will start to grow.

As it grows it will get greener and will turn into leaves.  The potato will also have other places on the top  and side that will sprout and grow.   It may take a week or so for the potato to start growing roots and sprout.  I set my potato in a sunny window and keep the water lever the same at all times. 

When the length of the sprout is ten to twelve inches long you will need to dig a small portion of the sprout out of the potato.  Plant the slip as soon as you plan to cut it.  It won't take long for the slip to adapt to the soil and take off.   Last year I had vines as long as 15ft. and they were everywhere in the garden.  The vines make a great ground cover or cover crop to keep down weeds and keep the soil shaded.

I think this would be a great project for kids to do. 

Have a great day!!
Teresa

Our Neighborhood Wolf

Her name is Sky.  She is a Timber Wolf and we think she is so beautiful.  She is well mannered, house broken, loving, smart, and playful.  Sky is somewhere around 11 or 12 yrs. old. 

Sky and Jake

The black lab is our dog Jake.  They are playmates.  Sky can get kinda rough when playing but that's the way Jake likes it.  This pic was taken last year.  She thinks I'm dinner!  Look at her licking her chops!  LOL  

Sky and B.

She is so sweet.  I know that sounds strange, a sweet wolf, but she is.   The 2 pictures above were taken a few days ago.  B. let her come inside the house for a little while (the little dogs did NOT like her being here)  and now she thinks she should come inside every time the front door opens.  

She really suffers in warm weather because her fur is so thick.  My dogs have a coat but she has fur.  Isn't it strange that they are from the same family of canines and yet so different.  We live in an amazing world.

Quilt Blocks for March We Be Learning Beginner Bee

This is the earliest I've finished a monthly block.  This one was fun to make.  I was afraid of points and triangles ( yikes, I still am).

Wonky Star #1

Very Wonky Star #2

I really didn't like how this one turned out but I'm not tossing it.  I'll keep this and use it in the monthly quilt block I'm making for myself.  The only thing about finishing the block so early in the month is that it is a long time until the next month.  

Quilt Blocks and Bees

January Block for Bee Member

I joined We Bee Learning Beginner Block Bee in January of this year. Try saying that real fast 10 times.  LOL   I really didn't know what I was getting into or what to expect but I must say I have really enjoyed being a member of this group.

Each month we make a new block that has been selected by one of the members of our group and when we finish the chosen block we then mail it to the member who selected it.  What a great way to get a quick quilt!!!

February Block 2012 made identical block for myself

My Jan. Block 2012

I decided to make an identical block for myself and that way I will have a quilt for every month.  Isn't that cool!!   This month's member chose a Wonky Star Block for her quilt.  I have never made a wonky star but I'll give it my best shot.  

Have a great day!!

Our Newest Addition

I have been in New Mexico visiting with family and friends.  A very special family member arrived on Feb. 6th.

Dreaming of Angels

Her name is Rebeka Raey, and she is a red headed little darling.

Sisters watching over sister. 

I truly love being a grandmother (Mimi).

Something I've always wanted but..........

never thought I should buy because it was expensive.  It's a 24 Qt. canner.   It is Big.  I've had my eye on one at WM for over a year now.  The price for the largest one at WM was $64.00 and it was only a 16 Qt.  I found this one on sale at Tractor Supply for 49.99.   I'm so tickled to have one now. 

24 Qt. Canner

I have always shied away from using a canner because they could be potentially dangerous if not used correctly.  I also have a Ball Blue Book of Preserving.  It contains 124 pages of canning information and recipes.  So I'm feeling somewhat liberated. 

I like using the water bath method too but there are somethings I think I'll need a canner for. 

Do you use a canner?

Bird Brain Designs

Bird Brain Designs  is having a giveaway so check it out.

National Peanut Butter Day

I love everything peanut butter.   Cookies, sandwiches, cake, smoothies and with a spoon.  So in honor of PB
check this out.
National Peanut Butter Day Recipes - Peanut Butter Recipes - Delish.com

What my B. wants my B. gets

Today is B.'s birthday.   So I thought I would make him a coconut cream pie rather than a cake.  We like pies better anyway.  First, I needed to make a pie crust.

I like to make pie crusts and I just happen to have a very good recipe that makes 2-3 crusts.  And I thought I would share it with all of you.   And I thought I'd do a tutorial while giving you the recipe.  This is not a family recipe.  I found the recipe on Food.net.

These are the ingredients:

3 C. flour
1 t. salt
1 C. crisco shortening
1 egg yoke      save the white for a meringue
1 T. vinegar
5 T. water
4 sheets wax paper


Directions:


1.  In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and crisco.  Cut crisco into the flour with a pastry blender

Crumbly pastry

     or fork until mixture is crumbly.

2.  In a small dish, add yoke, vinegar and water; blend well with a fork.  Add liquid to flour mixture and blend well with a fork until dough is thoroughly incorporated then use your hands to work it

together to form a ball.  Divide the dough in half to make 2 balls.  Place one ball between 2 sheets of waxed paper and roll it out with a rolling pin; rolling it a little larger than the size of the pie pan.  Remove the top piece of waxed paper and then gently flip over the dough onto the pie pan. 

Trim excess dough off.  Repeat with second half of dough or freeze.  Bake according to pie recipes.

YUM YUM!!

4.  NOTE:    You can get 3 pie crusts out of this depending on how thin you roll your crust out.  I like a thicker crust. 


The coconut pie was delish!!   Happy Birthday B.!!

Another Baby Quilt

I wasn't going to make another baby quilt but when I saw this fabric
I caved in and bought it for our little Rebecca, who may be here a
little earlier than expected.  I haven't finished it yet but I'll get it done

in a couple of days.   The first photo just doesn't tell much about the fabric.
The second is much better.  It's a simple pattern using 4 colors and there are 4
pieces to each block.  It was a lot of fun.

These are  some blocks I made a couple of years ago.  I love the colors combination and I'm happy with the blocks.  So why haven't I put them all together and made them into a quilt???   I don't know!  I drag them out and look at them every so often and then put them back into the fabric box.   Maybe I really don't like them after all??


Do you have unfinished quilts lurking in your home?

Warm Weather

Jan. 16, 2012

Here in central eastern Oklahoma , a January day is not a normal day with
temps at 70 degrees. Yesterday the temp was 67 degrees.  Normally B.
and I are bundled up like a couple of eskimos when we head out which
is typical for this time of year. 

B. spent most of the afternoon outside working on the boat.  If this lasts much
longer our fruit trees will be blooming.  That's not good.  ughhhhhhh!

Is this the resolute of EL NINO OR NINYA ??  Global Warming??   Some
atmospheric episode we don't know anything about??  Or is MOTHER
NATURE messin around with our minds??  I tend to think the latter my friends. 

I wonder what tomorrow will bring.  

Ranch Chicken Thighs

This is a quick and easy recipe.  The chicken is tasty and juicy, with a light crunchy crust.  You won't miss the skin!!

Ingredients:


1/2 C. dry breadcrumbs

1/4 C. grated parmesan cheese

2    T. yellow cornmeal

1/2  t. italian  seasoning

6     chicken thighs  (skin removed)


1/2 C. bottled ranch dressing

Directions:

1.  In a shallow bowl, combine crumbs, parmesan cheese
     cornmeal and italian seasoning.

2.  Dip chicken into salad dressing, then coat with crumb
     mixture.

3.  Place chicken ibn a greased 13"x9" baking dish.    



4.  Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until
     juices run clear.

Ranch Chicken Thighs

I used boneless thighs because that's what I had on hand.  


They won't take as long to cook either.  B. doesn't really care


for chicken but he likes this recipe.  On the other hand, I would 


rather have chicken than anything else.




How about you?  Do you prefer chicken, pork or beef?

From Sara at SEW SWEETNESS

Free sewing pattern, made using Pellon products.
Check it out.

It's been a few day since I've posted anything.  But I've been busy sewing and putting
together a quilt block for a bee I've joined.  It is called:
Flickr: We Bee Learning Beginner Block Bee .  If you have time
check it out and take a look at some of the great looking quilts some of the
ladies have made.

This is the first ever quilting bee I've done.  So you can  imagine my excitement.
I am NOT a pro but some of the quilts and blocks that these ladies have
made look very professional.

I have also put together a simple apron.  My bestie K.  was nice enough to be  my model.
That's my baby Pedro Garcia.  B. (DH)  named him.  More about him in another post.

I'm going to make pot holders out of this fabric and maybe a apron to.




Have a great day!!

INDIAN TACOS

Just like everyone else I love comfort food.  Although, it's not always good for you.  Which is the case for this recipe.   Normally we don't eat any fried food but we are today.


Indian Tacos

 Pinto Beans (brown beans) cooked

Seasoned Hamburger:

1 pound ground chuck or sirloin (cook and drain fat)
 Taco seasoning  or season meat yourself
(garlic, salt, pepper, onion etc.)

Frybread:                                                            Accompaniments:

3 C. flour                                                             grated cheese
1 T. baking powder                                              chopped tomatoes
1 t. salt                                                                 onion,  olives
2 t. sugar                                                              green chiles
                                                                            salsa and sour cream
1 T. powdered milk
1 T. margarine
1 1/2 C.  Warm water

Vegetable oil


The beans are cooked.  The ground meat cooked, seasoned and fat drained.

For the Frybread:

Mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and powdered milk.  Add margarine and mix.
Add enough warm water to make a soft dough.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a heavy skillet, heat 3/4 -inch of oil to 375 degrees F.


Pat or roll out dough into about 6 (1/4 to 3/8-inch thick) rounds.  Slide into hot oil
Puncture once or twice.  Fry until golden brown.  Flip the dough over and fry other
side to golden brown.   Drain on paper towels.


Spoon  some beans and meat onto hot bread and  top with your choice of accompaniments
listed above.

My camera won't let me change the date on any of the photos I've taken.  But I did make this pot of beans today.    YUM!!

This is what the frybread looks like after frying.  Be sure to drain them on a few paper towels.

I promise you that the frybread is under the all that stuff.  I did add salsa after taking this picture.
Have you ever eaten or made indian frybread?