Walking the Red Brick Road

A photographer's journal and life in rural America

Posts Tagged food

Packs a party punch

Jul 4

Posted by Roxie in art shows/craft fairs, beverage, food, recipe | No Comments

With my reception hostesses Avis and Krista

Krista made the cookies and I made the punch for my Artist’s Reception. I wanted red punch for the holiday season (and because red is my favorite color). I got out my mother’s Hall County (Neb.) Extension Cookbook and found this recipe from Mrs. Frederick Pfell. Of course, we amended it to suit ourselves.

Party Punch

Printer-friendly PDF
1 large can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 large can frozen pineapple juice concentrate
juice of 2 lemons
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 quarts water (less if using ice)
1 package cherry Kool-Aid
1/2 t. cherry flavoring
1 T. maraschino cherry juice
drops of red food coloring
maraschino cherries
orange slices

Add all but cherries and stir together. If possible, make frozen punch ring ahead of time. Float some maraschino cherries and orange slices in punch as garnish.

Enjoy! We did.

You may buy pictures from the photo album links at top left of this page. To subscribe to this blog, go here or click on the orange and white RSS logo on this page. To follow me from Facebook, click on “Follow This Blog” in the Networked Blogs box, also on this page. Or like my Facebook page. Or you can follow me on Twitter.

GHTime Code(s): nc 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sheepish

Jun 23

Posted by Roxie in alberta, animals, big game, canada, lakes, mountains, photos, scenery, travel | No Comments

Bighorn sheep

Sometimes a great photograph comes from simply being in the right place at the right time with the right gear. This is one of those times.

We were approaching Jasper National Park of Canada when we stopped to look at some bighorn lambs along a lake.

Bighorn lambs

We shot several pictures, then turned toward the van. The adult sheep had come down from the hills and were so close to the van that I could have touched them. I’ve never been this close to a bighorn and was thrilled. I hit the shutter button as fast as I could. I was afraid they’d leave before I could get good shots.

hungry bighorn

I needn’t have worried. They were uninterested in us. They seemed to be saying, “This is our dinner. Watch all you want, people!”

Bighorn on the rocks

When we finally left, this sheep turned to look at us as if to say farewell.

No wonder the zoo felt anticlimactic.

You may buy pictures from the photo album links at top left of this page. To subscribe to this blog, go here or click on the orange and white RSS logo on this page. To follow me from Facebook, click on “Follow This Blog” in the Networked Blogs box, also on this page. Or like my Facebook page. Or you can follow me on Twitter.

GHTime Code(s): nc 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ole’s Big Game Steakhouse & Lounge

May 11

Posted by Roxie in animals, big game, food, nebraska, restaurant, travel, video | No Comments

I’ve seen references to Big Ole’s Big Game Steakhouse and Lounge, Paxton, Neb., and I’d seen their I-80 sign many times. Every time I passed their Interstate 80 sign, I’d think, “Someday I’m going to that restaurant.” I’d always been curious what the place was like, so persuaded Hubby to stop. Now I know.

I don’t have a picture of the I-80 sign because we were heading home from North Platte on Highway 30. Steakhouse is about a block south of Highway 30.

Food was standard meat-and-potatoes restaurant food. The animals make it famous. The variety of them is simply jaw-dropping. Ole bagged all but one of the Big Five, rhinoceros the lone exception. Rhino’s absence is hardly noticeable because so many other animals are represented.

Look for the baboon at my video’s end. He was our favorite.

For more on Ole’s, see the first part of this video:

GHTime Code(s): nc 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My new exhibit site

May 7

Posted by Roxie in art, art shows/craft fairs, blizzard, kansas, music, photography, snow, travel, video, weather | No Comments

Above video is of my new exhibition site, Aberdeen Steakhouse/Shirley Opera House, Atwood, Kan. We enjoy hearing live music here and eating good food.

A couple years ago, we went there for my birthday, even though I was very dubious about the weather forecast. Hubby was sure we would be all right. We drove home in a blizzard. We ended up taking shelter at his family’s farmstead because we couldn’t see any longer.

That’s how much we like this place.

If you are from this area, attend one of their concerts and support culture in Northwest Kansas. While you’re there in May or June, buy one of my pictures!

To subscribe, go here. To follow me on Facebook, click on “Follow This Blog” in the Networked Blogs box.

GHTime Code(s): nc 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Peach pie mashup

Apr 18

Posted by Roxie in baking, dessert, food, peaches, pie, recipe | No Comments

Sour Cream Peach Custard Pie

Hubby wanted a peach pie for supper last night, so I got out my Peach Custard Pie recipe. I was almost through making the filling when I realized that we had no milk. Hubby had no desire to make a milk run so I searched for Plan B.

I reached for my mother’s Hall County Extension Club Cookbook, which is full of tried-and-true recipes. One was Sour Cream Peach Pie. I was not about to start over, so we took pieces from that recipe and ended up with a delicious new pie.

Sour Cream Peach Custard Pie

Printer-friendly PDF

Ingredients:
! baked pie crust
3 C. sliced, peeled peaches or 1 qt. sliced canned peaches
2 beaten eggs
1 C. sour cream
1/2 C. sugar
3 T. baker’s patent flour
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. peach flavoring
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ginger
1/2 t. cinnamon

Method:
Layer peaches in baked pie crust. Combine all other ingredients and pour over peaches. Weave pie crust lattice over top and brush with egg wash. Cover pie crust edge with foil to prevent overbrowning. Bake at 400 degrees 15 mins. Remove foil and bake 350 degrees 15 mins. Pie is done when toothpick inserted into middle of filling comes out clean.


Mary’s Pie Crust


Ingredients:
2 C. flour
1 t. salt
2/3 C. plus 1-2 T. shortening
1-7 T. water

Method:
Stir together flour and salt. Cut in shortening until dough forms pea-size chunks. Add water a tablespoon at a time until dough clumps. Roll to desired size and put into pie plate. If pie recipe calls for baked shell, bake at 450º for 12-15 minutes.

Yield:
Makes 1 single-crust pie shell.

GHTime Code(s): nc nc nc 

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Irish soda bread

Mar 25

Posted by Roxie in baking, bread, food, quick bread, recipe | No Comments

Irish soda bread in cast iron pan

Hubby is part Irish and loves to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. This year we made Irish stew and Irish soda bread for our celebratory dinner. I thought about baking scones, but I didn’t much care for my recipe. I had heard of Irish soda bread and decided to try it.

Recipe came from SimplyRecipes.com. It cautions baker not to over-knead. I fear I did so. The dough was still “shaggy”, but Scooby-Doo was missing. (I think I kneaded it to a smoother consistency than I should have.)

If I make this again, I intend to substitute craisins for raisins. Currants would probably taste good, too.

GHTime Code(s): nc 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Plum delightful

Sep 8

Posted by Roxie in canning, garden, plums, recipe, trees | No Comments

jars of plum spread

Wendy’s plum tree produced fruit this year and she wasn’t available to pick them. So I picked them and made them into Plum Delight Spread. I obtained the recipe from Cooks.com. Their name says “preserves”, but we think it’s more of a spread. Recipe features more than just plums, where a regular preserve recipe would have plums only. Of course, I’m always tinkering with recipes. Friend Debbie says I “make recipes my own.”

Here is my own version:

Plum Delight Spread

Printer-friendly version

2 qts. plums
4 1/2 c. sugar
grated rind and juice of 1 1/2 lemons
3 c. raisins
grated rind of 1 1/2 oranges
1 1/2 c. finely chopped nuts
1 tsp. butter
1/2 package liquid fruit pectin

Wash plums, cover with water. Cook until tender. Remove blemishes, peel, seeds and cut up. Measure 6 cups pulp. Add sugar, lemon juice, raisins, grated orange and lemon peel. Cook until thick and clear. Add butter and nuts, then pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary. Pour into hot sterilized jars. Hot water bath for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude if necessary.

Yield is about 7 half-pint jars.

Cooks.com’s recipe does not include hot water bath instructions, but I’m rather obsessive about canning food safely. I want no pathogenic bacteria in my canned goods.

I am so grateful for the opportunities God has given me to provide food for the winter.

GHTime Code(s): nc nc 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I relish my relish

Sep 2

Posted by Roxie in canning, cucumbers, food, peppers, recipe | No Comments

Tasty Cucumber Relish ready to put in jars

I have never eaten any relish better than the one below. It requires a lot of work, but is worth every bit. We’ve put up around 50 pints this year. Hubby says we have enough for three years. Bring on the hamburgers and hot dogs!

We’ve been blessed with lovely rainy weather for two years running.  Rainy for the semi-arid High Plains, that is. Only God knows what kind of weather next year will bring. Let’s make relish while the rain continues.

Unfortunately, our peppers are late this year. They are still too small to use. Considering the massive amount of peppers needed in this recipe, we were very disappointed that our peppers were so slow. We started numerous peppers because we knew we needed to make relish this year. We’ll have to freeze whatever peppers we don’t use.

Tasty Cucumber Relish

Printer-friendly version

Vegetables
6 lbs. grated cucumbers, peeled
1 grated white onion
2 lbs. grated carrots
10 grated medium bell peppers (if possible, include some red, yellow and/or orange peppers for better color)

Mix together. Since we almost always have to double and triple this recipe, we use two large plastic storage containers with lids. We pour the vegetables straight into the container from the food processor.

Brine
1 T. turmeric
1/2 C. salt
8 C. water

Mix together. Turmeric is used in dyes and rapidly creates stains that are very hard to remove. Protect your surfaces!

Pour brine over vegetables. Stir well, cover and let sit for 3 hours. Drain. If you are using storage containers, do this in the bathtub. Scoop vegetables from one container into another with colander, pressing out liquid each time. Cover with water and lid, then let stand for 1 hour. Drain, using above process, refill with water and drain again.

Syrup
1 T. mustard seed
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves
2 t. allspice
2 C. brown sugar
4 C. cider vinegar

Mix and bring to boil, then pour over vegetables. Let stand 10-12 hours.

Boil before filling prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Make sure liquid covers vegetable mix. Process in water bath for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude if necessary.

Makes about 7 pint jars. The number of peppers used in the recipe has a rough correlation to the amount of pints.

GHTime Code(s): 787ab a7686 4e21e nc 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Food in our tummies

Sep 1

Posted by Roxie in canning, cucumbers, food, garden, green beans, peaches, peppers, raspberries, tomatoes | No Comments

freshly-canned jars of peach jam

About all I’ve gotten done in the last few days is canning: Plum-raisin spread, relish, peach jam and green beans. In consequence, my back aches, but I keep telling myself the pain will be worth it when we eat our produce this winter. Our tomatoes are finally beginning to ripen and our peppers are nearly ready to pick. When they are ready, they’ll go into jars as well.

I’m not putting up any more cucumbers. We have enough relish now for three years of eating. Our church has a produce exchange every Sunday morning and whatever cukes are left are going into that.

The peaches come from the neighbors’ tree, which is loaded. I hope to can more of them.

Then in the winter, we can sing “Yummy, yummy, yummy, we’ve got food in our tummies!”

GHTime Code(s): ee7cc 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Life is like a bowl of cherries

Jan 10

Posted by Roxie in baking, dessert, food, recipe | No Comments

cherry nut dessert

This is one of my favorite desserts but I haven’t made it in years. Hubby’s parents gave us some cherries they had frozen and we forgot to put them away when we got home. By the time we recognized our omission, they were thawed. When I was asked to make a dessert for a funeral dinner, I decided to make this one in order to use those cherries. Recipe comes from Kitchen-Klatter Cookbook, which sadly is now out of print. It is a wonderful cookbook. If you ever happen upon one, buy it.

Abigail’s Cherry Nut Dessert

Crust:
1 C. flour
5 T. powdered sugar
1/2 C. butter (DO NOT substitute)

Mix well together and pat down in well-greased 9×13-inch pan. Bake 15 mins. in 350-degree oven. This dough won’t look like enough to cover the pan, but it does. Keep thinning and spreading it until it covers the entire bottom of pan.

Filling:
2 eggs
3/4 C. Splenda
3/4 C. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/4 C. flour
3/4 t. baking powder
1 t. vanilla flavoring
1/2 t. cherry flavoring
1 1-lb. can pie (sour) cherries, well-drained (reserve juice)
1/2 C. nuts, finely chopped
1/2 C. coconut

Beat eggs well, then add remaining ingredients. Mix all together, pour over baked crust and bake 30 mins. in a 350-degree oven.

Sauce:
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. Splenda
1 1/2 C. cherry juice (add water if necessary)
1/4 C. lemon juice
1 t. almond flavoring
1/4 t. cherry flavoring

Blend sugar and cornstarch, then add liquids. Cook over medium heat until thick and clear. Pour slowly over filling, covering the entire surface. Top with whipped cream if desired.

I tried making it with margarine and it didn’t taste quite as good. That wasn’t as bad as the time I tried butter-flavored Crisco instead of the butter. Usually, this dessert gets devoured. Not that time. I never did that again.

Since I’ve made this for a funeral dinner, we won’t get to eat it. Not to worry: I’ll make it for Wednesday night’s potluck. If you’re coming to that, then you have this to look forward to.

GHTime Code(s): 0f3ec nc 

Tags: , , , , , , ,