Country Thanksgiving

                     

For most of us, that's a National Holiday, offering some a chance for a short holiday and a day to cook and consume huge quantities of food. 

This idea is just in from my sister in Belen, NM. June wrote:

"I like reading your blog. Here's how I use zip lock bags. I keep quart and gallon size always. I make broth from chicken, turkey, etc. bones. I measure out 4 to 8 cups of broth and put it into a zip lock bag. I label the bags with the quantity, 4 cups; date; and contents, chicken broth, etc. I freeze the bags flat. When the bags of broth are frozen, I store them on the bottom shelf, standing like library books. The same works for spaghetti sauce, apple juice, etc. My freezer is orderly and I can access the broth, etc. easily. I freeze 1-4 cup lots of roasted jack o'lantern/pumpkin, left over gravy, red chili, etc. in quart bags. I label the bags, contents, quantity, and date; freeze them flat and store them in the freezer door."  Thank you, June .. some great ideas just in time for great food and their left-overs.

June also had a nice Christmas gift idea, which I've added to the Christmas, Country Style page. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, whether you live in the country, or simply wish you did.

© 2011 Cat Brennan  © 2011Cats Country Place

Country Quiche

Quiche! It's what's for dinner - or breakfast - or lunch.  I needed to use up some cottage cheese, so I went 'net surfing and found a quiche recipe that included a small amount of the curds and whey, but it didn't quite hit the mark.  I played with it, added a few ingredients, left out and/or changed the amounts of a couple of items and voila!  This is one Very Good Quiche.

The recipe makes a full 9" single pie crust quiche. If you don't make your own crust, use either Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust (2 rolls per box) or Marie Calendar® frozen pie crusts (2 crusts per package). Both are large enough; the 'cheapo' or store-brand frozen crusts do not have enough capacity.

Just click on the page above, Cat Food, where you'll find my recipe for Two Cheese Green Chile Spinach Quiche.  It is Cheese-lishous!!!© 2011 Cat Brennan © 2011 Cats Country Place

And, to get an apron for your young chef, check out my Etsy Shop ..

http://www.etsy.com/people/catscountryplace

Country Holidays

Hello Country Pumpkins!

I am so glad that Halloween is over.  I got very tired of all the stupid stuff on television and especially all the junk in the stores. Now, I can breathe a big sigh of relief and get on with the important things in life, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Both of these events inspire me to think outside myself.  Giving thanks is such a wonderful way to live and many different studies prove that being Thankful is tantamount to happiness and even good health. 

Here on the east coast, the trees are beautifully clad - really stylin' - with their leaves dancing in their new fall costumes; delightful skirts of yellow, brilliant tunics of red, burgundy, pink, plum and capes of orange. These paint-box colors are set in a backdrop of some-still-green trees and a few brown ones too. 

By now, I'm sure you're aware of how much I love Christmas ... ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS! 

My sewing machine and cutting table are busy, very busy. And no, I'm not going to tell you what I'm making for Christmas gifts this year; one of my grown children suggested that I do just that..NOT!!

That same daughter sent me her Whoopie Pie recipe that she got from a website. I'm going to post it here just because it's fun .. if you're feeding a crowd, this may be just the thing. It's an Amish recipe and credit for the recipe follows:

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:

4 cups white sugar

2 cups oil

2 cups cold water

2 cups milk, plus 2 tablespoons vinegar (home made "buttermilk"?)

2 cups cocoa

8 cups all purpose flour

3 eggs

4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Directions:
Mix together. Batter will be thin. Using a small scoop, drop scoopfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 400 to 450 degrees for about 10 minutes. Makes approximately 45 to 50.
Icing for whoopie pies
Ingredients:
8 pounds confectioner’s sugar
6 pounds shortening (Alpine shortening recommended)
2 cups water
3 tablespoons vanilla
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
Directions:
Put together in mixer and beat until fluffy. This should make a 5-gallon pail three-quarters full. Use cold water in the summer when the shortening is soft and hot water during the winter when it’s cold and hard. If you want peanut butter, put some in. Makes more than enough icing for 150 whoopie pies.

website: http://www.somdnews.com/article/20111021/UNKNOWN/710219825/1075/whoopie&template=southernMaryland

I guess I'll have to pass ... I drilled holes in the bottom or my ONLY 5 gallon pail, painted it green and planted Morning Glory's in it.

Have fun until next time.

© 2011 Cat Brennan  © 2011 Cat's Country Place