Monday-  Baked potato bar that we didn't have on Super Bowl Sunday

Tuesday-  Pork roast, macaroni and cheese, green beans

Wednesday-  Spaghetti or goulash, apricots

Thursday-  beef patties in gravy, mashed potatoes, applesauce

Friday-  Chicken tacos and corn

Saturday- MIL

Magie and her family were coming over today for the game, except the youngest got sick.  Too many people around her yesterday, spreading germs. So I made the buffalo wings for the four of us.  We have a lot left over.  Didn't make the baked potato bar, maybe Monday night.

1/2 cup flour

1 t garlic salt

dash of fresh pepper

couple dashes of smoked paprika (I seriously like this stuff)

Mix these together, coat chicken wings (I made 18) and put on cooking sheets covered with foil which has been sprayed with oil.  Put in refrigerator for an hour.  Melt 1/2 cup of butter mix in 1/2 cup of steak sauce, add splash of balsamic vinegar, dip wings in butter.  Bake 400* for 45 minutes.  Remove from oven, put some shredded cheese (I used three cheese blend) and put back in oven until cheese melts.

I used a flat cookie sheet (2 of them) and the rubber hot pads kept slipping off of the sheets.  Should use sheet with raised sides next time.

I recently "met" Gail on the blogs.  Her daughte is exploring colleges for this fall.  It got me to thinking about colleges.  My boys have a ways to go, Andy's in 2nd grade and Alex is in Kindergarten. My husband and my brother's wife went to the University of Colorado, Peter in the Springs and Nancy in Boulder.  My brother went to Western State. My mom went to McPherson College and my dad to Bethel (I don't understand that one)  You have to understand that Mac and Bethel are arch rivals of my alma mater, Bethany College.  Bethany College or BC for short, is located in Lindsborg, Kansas.  Lindsborg, being settled by Swedish immigrants has maintained that Swedish feel to it, and the college has as well, which is why it is the Bethany Swedes. It's a very nice college, very music oriented.  Every Easter the college performs Handel's Messiah.  Palm Sunday as well.  They have professional, like the Met, opera singers doing the solos. BC is affiliated with the Lutheran church.  Every freshman, at least when I was there, had a required class of religion to take.  Myself, I took World Religions.  We spent like half the semester studying Islam. I actually ended up with a degree in Sociology/Adm. of Justice.  Lindsborg also celebrates Hyllingsfest every other year in the fall, coincidentally during BC's fall homecoming. So if you are traveling through south central Kansas, get off of I70 and go visit Lindsborg and BC, it's well worth the visit.  BTW, Alex will be attending BC.  Andy will be going somewhere he can study palentology, he's crazy for dinosaurs.

 Monday-  Ham and bean soup, spinach and duck egg salad

Tuesday- Boiled shrimp, rice and beets (I like beets but no one else in the family does.)

Wednesday-  Spaghetti, green beans

Thursday- Pork roast, mashed potatoes, peaches

Friday - Sausage and saurkraut

Saturday - MIL

Sunday - Super Bowl party- chicken wings, pizza and don't know what else, just mostly not very healthy

We had this on Friday night.  Peter thought it was a little sweet so next time, I'll decrease the sugar. Add more vinegar.  I used balsamic.  The recipe calls for tomato sauce, but I used diced tomatoes, worked okay. And the boys liked it, especially Andy, but then he's not the picky one.

1 1/2 lb ground beef

1 c. dry bread crumbs

1/4 t pepper

1 t salt

2 eggs beaten

1 t minced onion

15 oz can tomato sauce, divided

Mix together beef, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and eggs.  Add onion and 1/2 sauce (or tomatoes). Form into loaf.  Bake at 350* for one hour.  At last 10 minutes, pour topping (see below) on loaf and finish baking.

Sauce:

Rest of tomato (sauce)

2 T brown sugar

2 T vinegar

1/2 sugar

2 t mustard

Fred Trimmer is a retired principal at Flagler School District.  He submitted this recipe for a RSVP cookbook.  His wife, Shirley, passed away a couple of years ago.

3 large onions

1 lg. green pepper minced

1 lb ground beef 

1 c. uncooked rice or 2 c uncooked noodles

1 t. chili powder 

2 t salt

1/8 t pepper

1 can tomato soup

1 can water

In skillet, cook onions, green pepper and ground beef until meat is no longer pink. Add rest of ingredients and put in a 8" covered casserole dish. Bake at 350* for 1 hour.  Remove cover last 15 minutes. Can also use mushroom soup or can of tomatoes instead of tomato soup.

This is what we had for supper last night. I left out the green peppers, didn't have any, and added smoked paprika.  I put smoked paprika on lots of things.

Tonight we are having porkchops.  I need to find a recipe for baked porkchops.  Also having fried potatoes, cut with my birthday present of a food processor. With cottage cheese. And peaches (in a can).

My parents gave me a cookbook for Christmas.  I thought I would share some of the helpful hints that I never heard of before.

* Fresh lemon juice will remove onion scent from hands

*When frying meat, sprinkle paprika to turn it golden brown

*Scaling a fish is easier if vinegar is rubbed on the scales first

*A few drops of lemon juice added to simmering rice wil keep the grains seperated

*Boil all vegetables that grow above ground without a cover

Our school is having a contest to see which class brings in the most food for the church's food pantry.  I'm hoping that my boys' classes don't win.  Someone will be upset if his brother wins the ice cream party.

And it's time to start thinking about Superbowl party food. Sadly, the Broncos aren't playing, so we will probably be rooting for the Colts. Staying within the AFC.

I really wish we had spell check on the entry page.

It was a busy week.  Wednesday night I was selected to fill a vacancy on the school board.  It's a two year term with the possibility of election at the end of the term.  We are in the process of selecting a new superintendent. 

Thursday I volunteered at the school after having lunch with the boys. We had chef salad for lunch.

Friday and Saturday was pantry day at the church.  (Check out the website for Antioch under links)  Magie was sick so things were more hectic than usual without her to keep stuff under control. Missed  you Magie so get better soon.

Sunday Peter and the HOA president finally fixed our road (See The road home entry, sorry I haven't figured out how to set links to previous entries yet).

On this Monday, the boys and I are going to my parents house to get my camera and then on to Burlington to see some friends and take the boys through the children's museum at Old Town.

Tuesday Eliza, the Westie, goes to the groomer. If Magie is well and Granny is well enough maybe we will have our birthday luncheon.

Wednesday, I am going to get a load of grass hay. The dealer lowered the price by a dollar a bale (yeah) so I'm going to stock up.  I'm also getting my hair cut that day.

Thursday I volunteer at the school.  We are having stromboli's for lunch.

Friday I may go pick up another load of hay and then take a nap.

So what are your plans for the week? 

We didn't have the turkey on Sunday, have to brine it for 24 hours so we are having it Monday night.

Tuesday - Turkey enchiladas, butter beans and cranberry sauce

Wednesday-  I'm bringing something home from the deli as I have a board meeting starting at 6 p.m.

Thursday- Goulash and baby spinach salad with chopped eggs.

Friday- Puff Pancake and bacon and eggs.

Saturday- MIL

Sunday - Pork roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, Peach crumble cake

1 lb. hamburger

3/4 c rice

1/3 c tomato sauce

 1 diced onion

1 T parsley

1 t salt

1/2 t garlic powder

Mix together, form 2" meatballs. Spread can of tomato soup on bottom of frying. Put meatballs in pan. Mix 1 T worchester sauce, 1 c. tomato sauce, and 1/2 c water, add to meatballs.  Squirt dollop of ketchup on each meatball (how many times do you see the word "squirt" in a recipe?) Cover pan, simmer on low 45 minutes.  Remove lid, cook additional 5 minutes to allow sauce to thicken.  Serve over rice.

You know what they say about best laid plans?  They tend to fall apart.  Magie and I were planning to go to eastern Colorado today, pick up my camera at my parents and take her sewn grocery sacks to a gift store. Nope, not happening today.

All five of the kiddos are sick with temperatures and coughing. I'm not mentioning any names but Andy says that one of his classmates came to school the other day with the same cough.  Magie's oldest borrowed a stuffed animal from one of that families kids.  And so now ours are all sick.  And I can't get the grape flavored cough syrup open so the boys are having the nasty flavored stuff. I may have to sit on Alex to get him to take another dose.

The ducks are winning the egg laying race against the chickens, percentage wise at least.  I have five ducks, three chocolate muscovys and two Rouen hens.  I'm thinking one of the muscovys is a drake leaving me with a total of 4 hens.  One of the muscovy hens is on the weaker side tho. 

I have at least 10 hens who are old enough to be laying.  Today I got 1 duck egg and 3 chicken eggs.  The birds live together, eat the same food but the ducks, percentage wise, are still outlaying the chickens.  Yesterday I got 3 duck eggs and two chicken eggs.  And no Ameraucana eggs in three days (I have two of those hens).  The birds have a heat lamp and their water hasn't frozen inside the coop in several nights so I know they are staying warm enough.  One of today's eggs came from Gracie.  She's an older cochin cross that I don't expect much from.  And did she make a ruckus when she laid her egg today.  I was out in the coop when she did the deed. Sound seems amplified in the coop.

So any suggestions on what I can do to boost the egg laying?  Most of the layers are one year olds or close to two. And this time of year I know it isn't snakes.  And I'm not finding bits of eggshells so no one is breaking the eggs and the dogs can't get into the pen/coop.

On Friday I'm going to get my camera from my parent's house so then I can take some pictures of the muscovys.  I'd never heard of chocolate muscovys.

This is a strange week.  Something going on almost every day.  Today I took the African gander to the auction.  He sold for $6. I also took a bunch of Magie's chickens, mostly bantams, to the auction.  This week's menu sort of reflects the idea that the sun is shining and it's in the upper 50's and quite frankly, I don't feel like cooking much.

Monday- Pork fried rice (made from leftover pork roast from MIL's Saturday night supper), sweet potatoes and applesauce

Tuesday-  Round steak, baked potatoes, green beans

Wednesday- Andy's Special (spaghetti)

Thursday - Crock pot stew (I have a meeting for the school board) so the guys will be on their own.

Friday- Salmon patties, macaroni and cheese, apricots

Saturday- MIL

Sunday- Turkey, dressing, corn, cranberry sauce- I fix the turkey in a brine for several hours before roasting. The dressing is just a mix so don't be impressed.

Peanut Butter Bars

1 yellow or chocolate cake mix

1 cup peanut butter

1- 12 oz package chocolate chips

1 c soft butter

2 eggs

Put all ingredients, except chips, in large mixing bowl. Mix for 2 minutes. It will be thick. Fold in chips. Bakein greased 9x13 pan 350* for 25 min. When cool frost with chocolate frosting. Cut into bars.

It really helps me, at least, to write down the menu for the week.  I hear that some people can actually do a whole month.  I'm not that organized. So anyway, this week's menu:

Monday- Ham and cheese omelet (made with leftover Christmas ham, chicken and duck eggs), cranberry sauce

Tuesday- Beef stew and biscuits (Peter has an HOA meeting so he will be late)

Wednesday- The Andy Special - Spaghetti

Thursday- Baked chicken with homemade french fries (Peter gave me a new food processor for my birthday and it has an attachment for making french fries.)

Friday- Salmon cakes, green beans and rice

Saturday-  MIL night

Sunday - Sausage gravy over biscuits

Applesauce Bars

The boys and I made this today after church.  Andy measured a cup of raisins and they both helped with the icing.

1/4 c. oil

1 can applesauce

2 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

1 t. pumpkin pie spice

1 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla

1 t. baking soda

1 t. cinnamon

1 cup raisins

Put oil, sugar, applesauce and vanilla in large mixing bowl. I use my grandma's brownie mixing bowl. Blend well.  Sift dry ingredients together, add to creamed mixture. Fold in raisins, pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350*. You can make powdered sugar glaze or do what we did, can of cream cheese frosting.  Freezes well before you frost.

I've posted recipes, animal stories and boy stories.  Now I am finally posting a crafting story.  Okay, not so much a craft but more of a requirement when you live in the country and the cost of propane is sky high.  Chickens in the Road had posted a blog about making firestarters so I thought I would give it a try.  I added cinnamon to mine because sometimes our firewood doesn't smell so great.  And the wood that we bought for 5 cents a pound is so fresh cut that we can barely get it to burn. There's a reason it's five cents. And the wood that doesn't smell so great sometimes, comes from the pile of scrap wood someone gave us years ago and has been sitting around the property.  It originally arrived to build a garage.  Do you see my garage? No, you don't.

Anyway to make firestarters, take a cardboard egg carton (I have plenty as the chickens haven't been laying until just recently. and the ducks have started to lay) Fill the egg holding spot in the carton (what are those things called anyway) with dryer lint.  I asked my mom to save me her dryer lint as well.  I also stuff in used fabric softner sheets.  That's right I use a dryer in the winter.  The winds blow so bad here that the clothes would be in New Mexico if I hung them out.

Melt some old candles over a simmering water bath.  Again, mom is saving old candles for me.

Pour the melted candles over the filled egg cartons.  Let dry.  I put the top of the egg carton underneath because otherwise the candle wax might leak through and get all over the counter.

It doesn't take long to dry and soon they will be lighting up the firewood. One hopes.

 I had taken pictures of the process but I LEFT MY CAMERA at my parents house. And I really miss it.

So the new year has begun.  We spent the day at my parents house in eastern Colorado.  My brother and his wife were also there, along with their excited dog, Jasper.  They rescued Jasper about a year ago from the shelter. He's pretty nice and well behaved.

My parents gave me a couple of cookie jars and salt and pepper sets which I collect.  I'd like to show you the nativity jar they gave me but I LEFT MY CAMERA at their house.  Magie and I will have to make a trip to Burlington to put some of her homemade shopping bags on consignment at the Old Towne gift shop and pick up my camera and the large roasting pan I also left.  I had the stuff gathered but then Dad had to take family pictures before we left, I hate having my picture taken. Magie donates part of the proceeds from selling the bags to our local food pantry. If you'd like to purchase some bags, contact her via her blog (located under Friends). And tell her happy birthday - it's today.

On a sad note, when we got home I found Solomon, our juvenile Chantacler rooster, dead.  I hope this isn't a sign of a bad year forthcoming. But the other animals were glad to see me, I was only 2 hours late in feeding them, and do they let you know that they are just starved.

We spent a quiet New Year's Eve, even with five children running around.  Magie and her family came over for supper and then we worked on my blog for awhile.  Check out my new avatar.  Magie set that up for me. It's Sage, our lead doe.  She's due, we think in February.

The Addaman group made it to the summit of Pike's Peak and set off the fireworks at midnight.  We can just see the fireworks from inside the house.

A coyote came sniffing around at least twice last night.

We made pulled pork sandwiches, mashed potatoes, peach cobbler from Magie's home canned peaches, carmel corn, homemade bean dip with chips.  I meant to send the ginger ale green tea home with Magie, she likes the stuff. Me, not so much.

So today we are headed to eastern Colorado to have Christmas with my parents. It's about a hundred mile drive.  We are taking a ham, it's been cooking in the crock pot all night.

Today is Magie's birthday so go to her blog and wish her a happy one.