Where there is love.....

I've been ignoring this blog for a bit whilst I work out some housekeeping chores (web hosting, etc.).  I'd much rather write than housekeep.  But yet, everything that strikes me compels me to write about it.  Last night, Big Steve and I (and Pearl and Elsa) sat outside in the very late last rays of the sun, to thank God for His blessings, and to appreciate the fact that the lightning bugs were giving us a wondrous display.  Who needs fireworks when you have God's glory to soak in?

At any rate, I just went out to check my mail and was greeted with another blessing.  Earlier this year, due to a misunderstanding, Big Steve pulled out the hedge on one side of the house.  I had explained to him that our neighbor was concerned over the unsightliness of that portion of hedge.  He took it to mean that the neighbor wanted the hedge gone, and so he tore it out.  I was HORRIFIED!!!  And yet, we came up with a plan.  Now, here at the Haney Place we live a very low-budget lifestyle.  And so it was important to choose a replanting that would suit, and fit into a frugal budget.

So God heard our plea.  Big Steve was able to find a first year (small, early) rose of sharon.  I have always loved that rose of sharon, and dearly wanted one for years.  So in it went, with no fanfare, and not much thought to its after-care (all things considered, there is always a lot going on her).

So....considering it was planted in the city, on the street, without a lot of after-care....I present the blossoms on my rose of sharon!!!



Then I turn around, and am face to face with some sweet and wonderful morning glories...must have been planted at some time in history by Mrs. Newton (God rest her soul)...and again, I am faced with beauty in my world.

Finally, upon my return to the house, I take note that Pearl, one of the best dogs ever, was keeping guard, standing watch, seeing to her mommy's back.  I thought she was in the other room, chewing her ill-gotten tupperware and watching Dick Tracy on TCM....but no, she's ever watchful, always on duty...

So I'm surrounded, on this first day of my stay-cation, with life and goodness.  And I decided to thank God today that where there is love, there is life.  Even right here in the heart of a city.

Horseradish

So.........choke, choke, gasp.....we prepared some horseradish tonight after our day jobs.  After we got home, Big Steve dug up a few roots, and then while he was out procuring himself a chipper/shredder from Craigslist, I was cleaning, grinding said horseradish roots.

My batteries for my camera ran out, so I had to use my phone.  Ain't technology great?  At any rate...you gotta dig them there roots:

After you get those roots, you gotta peel and cut them up.  You need to grate them.  You can do this with a grater (only if you have a death wish --I kid you not) or you can do it in a Vita Mix blender like we did.  So you trim and grate those roots, and be DAMN SURE to add some white vinegar.  Those roots have a protective instinct, and when you cut or grind them, they give off something similar to the skunk in a protective nature.  I'm not kidding you.  If you don't believe me, just try it for yourself, you darned fool!

So............................grind it up real good and add some white vinegar/water.  You know when it's right.  BELIEVE ME, you'll know when it's right.  Then pack it all into jars.  And you've got yourself the freshest, most wonderful horseradish you could ever know.

Introducing Big Red!!!

I don't care how many people I spoke with this past week.  The response was always...?????....

So YES, we made a conscious decision some time ago to add to our family responsibly.  And we waited and waited for just the right addition.  Big Steve has repeated over and over again - I CAN"T BELIEVE I'M IN A HOUSE WITH TWO DOGS AND TWO CATS - I COULDN"T LOVE THIS SITUATION FOR ANYONE BUT YOU...  Ahhh...the love of a good woman...means the love extends to rescue animals, foster kids, but I digress....

I am so proud and happy to announce that today we added a most precious member to our family here at The Haney Place..BIG RED!!!  OMG - how awesome is that name, anyway?  At any rate, for those who are wanting more info...here is tonight's video.  Mind you, it's our first night together...even so...

Bless him...I think he may have just attempted to unseat Big Steve...this is another video, lol!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thehaneyplace/7033780825/in/photostream

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

This is the easiest cake recipe in the world.  It's moist, quick and barely even heats your kitchen in the warm weather.  Tuck this one away.  It's not my recipe -- I'm not sure where I found it.  But way before the internet, I made it for my kids when we lived up in the Adirondack Mountains.

Just two ingredients:

Angel Food Cake Mix
One Tall Can Crushed Pineapple

Mix together well (about 1 minute) with your electric mixer.

Pour into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees until it's done (you already know how to tell when a cake is done).

Moist, light, sweet but not too sweet.  Dessert as good as it gets.

Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Pie

Wow - we had this tonight, as the crowning glory to a wonderful meal.  Simmered country ham with home grown horseradish, potato pancakes, homemade applesauce, a lovely melange of green beans, wax beans and baby carrots, and finally the piece de resistance, a caramel pecan pumpkin pie.  Everything was freshly made from scratch, including that classic pie crust.  The pie took a few more minutes than I'm used to, but it was a day off from work after all, and the guys really seemed to enjoy it.

If you know me at all, you know I especially appreciate vintage recipes.  This one is from 1939, and I got it from Better Homes & Gardens All Time Favorites (1999).

1 single crust pastry
2 slightly beaten eggs
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1/4 cup half and half or milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 Tlb. butter, softened.

Prepare pastry and line pie plate.

In a large bowl, stir together eggs, pumpkin and half & half (or milk).  Stir in the granulated sugar, flour, lemon peel, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.

Pour pumpkin mixture into pastry lined pie plate.  To prevent overbrowning, cover the edge of the pie with foil.  Bake in a 375 oven for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, pecans, and butter until combined.  Remove foil.  Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over top of pie.  Bake for 0 minutes more or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean and topping is golden and bubbly.  Cool on a wire rack.  Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours.

Enjoy!!!

Christmas Fudge

This is another heirloom recipe.  Something my family has been making for as long as I can remember...meaning more than 50 years.  I remember as a young lass sleeping in an upstairs sparest of bedrooms, just off the dearest of non-scary attics, realizing that my mother stored her beloved fudge in a wonderful gold and white fruitcake tin in said attic.  I don't know how many years I stole and enjoyed this fudge covertly.  Just suffice it to say it happened multiple times.  And my mother was a wonder of housekeeping and bookkeeping.  Which means I was an equal wonder of cover theft (or else my mum just forgave me and moved on, but that's neither here nor there).

Christmas Fudge

In a large pot (or bowl) break up and mix:

12 oz german (sweet) chocolate
12 oz semi sweet chocolate (just use chips)
1 pt. marshmallow fluff
2 cups chopped nut meats

You'll need a strong arm, or a willing fella.  Which makes this a very romantic Christmas recipe.

So while you're strong-arming that in a bowl, the more delicate of the pair shall do the following:

In a heavy saucepan, mix and then boil:

2 Tlb. butter
1 13 oz. can evaporated milk
4 1/2 c. sugar
1 pinch salt

Just stir it up, bring it to a bubble, and stir it for 6 full minutes (at the full bubble).  When it's all done, pour it into the chocolate/marshmallow mixture and strongarm it once again:

So strong arm it all together, and push it into a nice big pan.  This makes a wonderful amount of fudge...more than enough for a family, but never enough to share. We sent all of our first batch with soldier packages.   We've got some post Christmas soldier packages to send out, and even so, there's plenty of good, mellow, creamy sweet fudgy goodness for everyone.

To me, if there is fresh fudge, it MUST be Christmas!

Figgy Cookies!!!

Oh bring us some figgy pudding
Oh bring us some figgy pudding
Oh bring us some figgy pudding
Oh bring them right here

Oh bother (sorry, that's Pooh, not Dickens)

I have  no idea what that line in the classic carol talks about because I've never researched or baked a "figgy pudding".  I honestly don't care.  I know I should care because a baked pudding is enchanting, and I do have some cooked figs in the fridge tonight.  But I do care about figgy cookies.  Because they are really and truly awesome.  So for tonight it's figgy cookies -- for Christmas weekend, who knows!  With Google, many things are possible...

And we DO have a recipe for figgy cookies tonight.  It's not anything-free, but if you're like us, you'll adjust and adapt so that you can enjoy this and every recipe, no matter what your dietary restrictions may  be.

This is a sacred (more than 50 years in my family) recipe.  Use it or not as you wish, but it must not be lost, so I'm sharing.

So......My Nonny's Fig Cookie Recipe

1 cup dried figs (chopped)
1/2 cup water
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup margarine (that's what the recipe says, we use butter)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cup flaked coconut

Cook water & fig.  Cream margaring, sugar.  Add egg & vanilla.  Add cooked figs, flour, baking pwder & salt.  Roll in balls and in coconut.  Press down center with half pecans. 

Now a few notes of reality.  I cooked my figs this year in the crockpot, covered with water while I was serving at my obligatory day job.  When I got home, I shut it off and cooled the figs, then drained them and added them to the recipe.

Another thing, even if I could find margarine, I wouldn't use it.  It's unhealthy.  OKOKOK, I already know.  White flour, brown sugar, none of it is healthy.  But I only ever use butter.  That's just me.  I STRONGLY suspect my mother wrote margarine because she was a child of the depression.  At some point, margarine cost 10% of what butter cost.  Yeah, well, do whatever you need to do.  If you use "spread" you're throwing your money away and you'll waste your time and ingredients and your recipients will think you're a really lousy cook.  These cookies are awesome with butter.  I can also remember them being awesome with margarine, but I don't really think you can find "mazola, corn goodness" margarine any more, so don't even bother.

Another note, that was a "depression era" amount of coconut.  You'll need a lot more.  Trust me, it's worth it.

Hugs to you all tonight, I really hope that you appreciate this insight into the culinary history of us humble folk here at The Haney Place.  Thank you all for your continued support, despite our recently sporadic publication.  We truly do appreciate it.  We are so encouraged by the fact that folks do find our posts helpful and informative. 

An End - And A New Beginning

We've been quiet for a while.  It's not that there hasn't been plenty going on.  For a time, I decided to forego the blog to make time for another writing project I've been working on.  Well...as it just so happens, I don't think it's the blog that's taking up my time.  Also, there are so many times I've thought "I need to blog this or that".  This blog has a life of its own.  Even for me -- at the very least it's an archive of me and my family.  Recipes, moments, good times, food, food, food....  well.....

At any rate, a chapter closed this past week with the passing of Big Steve's dad.  He had been quite ill for some many months.  Even so, it's so hard to say goodbye.  Once again today (as has been his habit for the past several months), Steve ran the course of the NYS Thruway on his way home from his parents' house, and this time, he brought a remembrance.  So I took a picture:

Some cards and well wishes, along with some really fragrant flowers from a memorial service.  My own plants add a bit of symmetry.  This is a remembrance of someone whose art was much too far-reaching for me to even try to represent in this blog.  This is our dining room right now.

So on to the kitchen, and what greeted me this afternoon as I passed through.  I'm torn between being sorry that it bloomed so early, and will be gone by Christmas, and then the beauty of it flows through me, and God's beauty knows no human season.  I was so overcome by its glory, I hope this digital photograph shows something of the newness of life that I felt.

If I was a real photographer, I would have staged it with proper lighting, etc.  But then it wouldn't have projected exactly the simple, yet exquisite beauty that I enjoyed while entering my kitchen this afternoon.

At any rate, I guess I'm back to blogging.  Thank you so much to everyone who has inquired where we've been and fear not, Christmas baking and merry-making is in our immediate blogging future.

Thanks so much each and every one of you who has stuck by us this far.  It humbles us to realize what an effect this silly, simple little blog has on people.  Thanks again.