Tuesday, January 31, 2012

RED STEW AND CINNAMON BREAD HUM


WELL LAST NITE I MADE THIS RED STEW I USED TO MAKE IT WITH LAMB YEARS AGO AND I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE SOME BEEF STEW MEAT AND I THOUGHT WELL IT'S A COLD DAY AND STEW WOULD FIT THE DAY...BUT I DIDN'T WANT THAT SAME OLE BROWN DREARY STEW. THEN I REMEMBERED THE LAMB STEW I USED TO MAKE WHEN I WAS JUST LEARNING HOW TO COOK. MY FIRST HUBBY USE TO BRING THESE LIT LAMB RIBBLETS I CALLED THEM. I HAD NO CLUE WHAT TO DO WITH THEM AND OUT OF THE BLUE I MADE IT UP...WELL I DID..LOL HE WORKED FOR A MEAT COMPANY HE DELIVERED MEAT AND WOULD ALWAYS BRING DIFFERENT THINGS HOME...ANY HOW ..HERE'S THE RECIPE I DID LAST NITE
Red Beef Stew

7 large pieces of Beef Stew Meat Cut into small pieces I made three to four pieces from one large piece.
One cup or so of flour
One half of Yellow Onion Sliced (Medium size)
One quarter piece of a Large Red Bell Pepper sliced into small slices Turn the quarter around and slice the small part.
One large Bay Leaf
Tomato bouillon about one teaspoon full
A dash or so of Laurys salt
Pepper
salt
A couple dashes of Laurys garlic salt the one with the parsley in it
One small can of Tomato sauce.
Two large large Potatoes cubed
Three large Carrots cut in two inch then sliced in half
One can of cut Green Beans
White wine
Water
oil
Dutch oven

Heat some Oil in a dutch oven pan, Put salt and pepper in the flour and then flour all the pieces of meat. Add them to the pan with the hot oil letting them brown turn. then add the onions and stir everything for a few minutes let it cook and stir again. Add pieces of Red Bell Pepper. Cook a little bit. Then take a few tablespoons of the left over flour and sprinkle it on the meat after everything is browned. Mix flour in well, let cook for a few minutes stirring around well...so you cook the flour, Take several cups of water adding a very small amount to start with, ( so you don't make lumps) mix well, add a little bit more than more water etc... in between add the can of tomato sauce. The wine maybe about 1/2 cup or so. Add the Bay Leaf Laurys salt, Laury's garlic salt, Tomato boullion. Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer cooking for about one hour, then in the meantime get your pototoes ready peeled and cubed Your carrots. After the hour and maybe 15, 20 minutes add your carrots let them cook for 20 minutes then add your potatoes let them cook for another 20 minutes and then last add your green beans drain most of the water out..sometimes If I think the gravy is too thick I will add some of the green bean water...let heat through and then your all finished serve with white rice if you like .... I HOPE YOU TRY IT AND LIKE IT AS MUCH AS WE DID....
NOW TO THE CINNAMON BREAD I HADN'T REALIZED TILL YESTERDAY THE RECIPE WASN'T WRITTEN TO WELL...SO SORRY FOR THAT. I HAVE MADE IT BEFORE AND HAD NO PROBLEMS THIS WAS A RECIPE FROM MARTHA MAGAZINE, SO I NEED TO RETRACT AND LOOK IT UP. I MADE IT YESTERDAY BUT SEEMED TO HAVE A HARD TIME FOR IT TO RISE, THE YEAST WAS PERFECT THOUGH SO I DIDN'T GET IT...

AND I COULDN'T GET THE LAST CUP OF FLOUR INTO IT...IT WAS JUST CRAZY BUT IT CAME OUT GOOD ANYWAYS AND TASTE JUST FIND THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THOSE MOM THINKS CAUSE IT WAS JUST TO DARN COLD! MAYBE ... BUT I WILL RECHECK IT FOR US...


I ALSO TRIED OUT THIS SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE

I BROKE IT DOWN TO MAKE A SMALLER BATCH...I THINK I LIKE IT AND THEY WILL BE GOOD FOR THE VALENTINE TEA PARTY FOR THE KIDS TO DECORATE WELL EVERYONE FOR THAT.


I GOT MY PATTERN CUT OUTS DONE. THEY ARE FOR EVERYONE TO MAKE A SACHET OR A MIMI VALENTINE PILLOW THAT'S WHAT WE WILL BE DOING. I THINK IT'S BETTER TO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO AFTER EVERYONE EATS. MY LAST TEA PARTY I TAUGHT EVERYONE HOW TO EMBROIDER WE HAD FUN. I'M JUST HAVING 12 PEOPLE 13 INCLUDING ME. I THINK I PRETTY MUCH HAVE EVERYTHING THAT I WILL NEED. I HAVE THE TABLE CLOTHS AND LINEN. THE DISHES AND TEA CUPS. THE FAVORS, I PICKED UP SOME RED HOT WHEEL CARS FOR MY LIT MEN GUEST, AND SOME PINK GLOVES FOR THE TINY LADIES AND VALENTINES SOCKS FOR THE BIGGER FOLKS. I BOUGHT THE CANDY, THOUGH I THINK I MITE BUY A FEW MORE. I THINK ALL I NEED IS SOME RIBBON AND SOME LAVENDER AND STUFFING. ALSO THE FOOD ITEMS.
A PRESENT FOR MOM...CINNAMON BREAD...WISHING YOU A LOVELY EVENING MY FRIENDS WITH LOVE ...JANICE NITE NITE

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Ready for the lit journey home....sharing....



Good morning wonderful Saturday......
Well, I'm definitely ready to pack up my things and head home. i want to get started on my Cinnamon Bread. It's funny lately I haven't been wanting to stay much at Mom's I feel annoyed with it all.. I suppose it is that my house is nice and clean and quite.. and no one bothers me. Well the people up stairs did, but since the landlord and us had a talk things have gotten pretty quite now. I can relax, I just have so many thing I want to do. The other day I picked up the sand paper I needed and a tube of wood filler and I bought this little tiny glass jar of blue paint for the panels. O I'm talking about my cabinet I want to re-do, I have a rose stencil I want to use to make blue roses on the panels of the cabinet. I wanted to buy a gallon of white enamel but o my they wanted 38.99 for it So even Vee was like Mommie go somewhere else. It was just a small neighborhood hardware store by where I took Mom to the Lawyers at. O and One of my favorite little stores there closed down. I was so sad to see it closed. That's where I had just bought some tiny Christmas ornaments and some beautiful earrings and a few other items. So so sad she had been there for a very long time. I also went to the Goodwill on the other side of Town after dropping Mom off and got a few things, some lovely Blue and White Ralph Loren Sheets for $3.49 each...and I even found the two pillow cases to match, they were $1.99, bran new...I also found two tea cups, but they are newer and originally came from Ross, called Church hill, made in Colombia..
They look authentic though....but I like them anyways..You know blue and white are my favorite colors.....

The sunrise is so beautiful this morning...I wish I could take a better photo and show you....well Vee found another Pooh bear Piggy bank at the Goodwill, I just love Pooh and his friends...don't you ???


I'm also finishing up my lite blue and white doily for my Bedroom, I'm just putting on the edging and it will be finished and then I have to finish up the beige and red one which I'm at the end as well...

My blue and white doily...


I thought this was so sweet and tiny rose made out of soap it says not for use....pretty....
Lastely here are my Ralph Loren Sheets and one quilted pillow sham...

Well I have packed up my new sheets and my other things in between writing my post and it's all ready to go...Just going to pop in and take a shower and I will be on the way home and will arrive in 15 minutes by car,...lol It's really not far, it's just that with my panic and all it takes a lot to do just that...wishing you a grand lovely weekend, may we all be bless with many more days to come ... with Love Janice........


CINNAMON BREAD RECIPE BELOW IN YESTERDAYS POST (just in-case)

Friday, January 27, 2012

Can't sleep the garden and Cinnamon Bread....


Well it's only 4 am, I can't sleep anymore I have tossed and turned all nite. I wish just once in a while I could sleep soundly all the nite through... So terrible I can't remember the last time I have slept good...

I was going to plant a winter garden but when I got sick I couldn't but I still have a few things growing ... like some Collard greens, Green onions, Carrots, Swiss Chard and tons of pansy's which I just love...........




O and I still have some snaps dragons growing the garden is so strange usually all is dead from the winter's cold......hummm go figure. I have been cleaning up a little bit, I don't want to over due myself so a little at a time. I want to get some seeds started and I thought I would do it this weekend, my sister said the weather was suppose to be nice but this morning is foggy foggy you can't even see out at all...so idk if that's nice weekend is going to be...So then I'm thinking I mite just stay in and bake some bread if I can find the one I want to bake. I want to bake Cinnamon Bread...ha ha I found the recipe on my myspace blog...so here goes for you



Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Makes two loaves
1 tab, plus 1 1/2 tea active dry yeast (two 1/4 ounce envelopes)
2 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees )
3 tab plus 2 tea honey
4 tab unsalted butter, melted, plus more for bowl, pans, and brushing
7 cups all purpose flour, plus more for surface and dusting
4 tea coarse salt
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tea ground cinnamon
Directions
Sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup water. Add 2 tea honey. Whisk until yeast dissolves. Let stand until foamy, about 5 mins. Transfer to the bowl of a mixer filled with the paddle or dough hook attachment. Add butter and remaining 1 3/4 cups water and 3 tabs. honey. Whisk flour with salt, add 3 cups to yeast. Mix on low speed until dough comes away from sides of bowl and forms a ragged, slightly sticky ball. Butter a large bowl. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky. about 5 mins. shape into a ball. Transfer to prepared bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough stand in a warm place until it doubles in volume ( it should mot spring back when pressed) about one hour. Butter two 1/2 by 8 1/2 inch loaf pans Punch down dough, divide in half. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tea ground cinnamon. Roll out each dough half into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle ( about 8 by 10 inches) lightly brush with water and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar mixture, leavign 1/2 inch border all around edges. Starting with one short side. tightly roll dough into a log. Seal edges with finger tips, and tuck ends under. Transfer dough seam side down, to pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Brush each loaf with butter, or dust with flour for a rustic look. Preheat oven to 450. degrees. Drape loaves with plastic and let stand until dough rises about one inch above tops of pans. 45 minutes to 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees, Bake rotating pans after 20 mins, until tops are golden brown. about 45 minutes. Transfer to wire racks. Let cool slightly, turn out loaves and let cool completely before slicing. Enjoy.


Have a wonderful weekend my friends, God Bless........with love Janice

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Spending Time At Home....


Been home a lot, just been staying there instead of coming over to Mom's been working a little bit on my bedroom. I have been putting up a border and decided to leave my Room Blue and White for now. I Love Blue and White my Dinning Room is Blue and White and My Kitchen has a lot of blue too. I love Blue Glass....

I guess I just like all blues specially the old blues....


I made this thing last nite with Peaches and Pears...o my it was so Yummy..I forgot to bring the recipe though will bring it next time...It tasted especailly wonderful warm o,my
It was suppose to have been just peaches but I had two pears that were getting soft so I said why not so I wouldn't waste them.... It did just fine and I added less sugar than called for and that did fine too.
I added a little bit of milk to mind to eat instead of Ice Cream which I'm sure would have been divine.... o, my

Ready for some Tea ????????

Yes I like Cream sometimes in my Tea... Well I have a lol of photos more to show you I just haven't had a chance to get them. I really want to show you the things I have gotten for the Valentine's Tea Party...shortly I will promise....


Here is my African Violet It just bloomed and it looks so pretty. Well I'm hungry and I'm off to make some lunch....I hope you are doing well and I will be back soon...with love Janice

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Rainy and working on the Tea Party...Thrift store finds


Been busy lately running around doing this and that....Finally got my things delivered to my house. My mattresses, cabinet and shelving..I'm so happy finally finally...I got the shelving in my room and I decided to not put the cabinet in the room without painting it. It really needs to be washed down and painting but I have big plans for it. I will take pictures of the before and after. It was my B-day on the 15th and Vee my daughter decided to make me a cake, she did a great job I think. It was really sweet of her to think of her mommie....I had a quite B-day, I really didn't want to do anything. Well in between that all I got to go to Redwood city to the Saver's there...I enjoyed myself, I found a few nice things...a pile of plates.



I found five nice large dinner plates, which there had been more but there wasn't well least not in that pattern. I love the blue and white bowl with the lacy edging on it.
Aren't these so cute they are little tiny. I thought they would be good for the my granddaughter's to use. I thought I would start looking for them to have their own things for Tea Party...
I found only two of these rose soups bowls..I also found some linens some kitchen curtains and a lace runner..I thought it was a great day cept for my sister locking the car keys inside the car... but over all it was good...Today I told Mom to the doctors for a check up and review it went well...going home to stay for the Friday and the weekend want to work on my room..My new mattresses are so comfy and cozy I just love them.. Thank you brother.....well I mite be here on Saturday not sure though wishing you a great day and weekend to come..O by the way the Tea Party preparations are going well..

With Love.....Janice

Friday, January 13, 2012

Planning for Valentines Tea Party


Well good morning, it's a early morning 3:30 a.m.,I couldn't sleep anymore. My brain is working away for the planning of the Tea Party for Valentine's Day. Yesterday at Safeway they had the cutest Valentine Socks and I thought these would be a great favor wrapped with a piece of candy and a pretty ribbon. So I purchased the socks and bought two bags of candy...I just need to buy the ribbon and some small socks for the little girls. Then I must of kept thinking of this Red Tea pot at the Tea shop... So I think I'm going to buy it if I have enough money left. I have some white cups and saucers it will be nice together...So I will have to see. My sister was here yesterday and the day before she came down. We spent some time together. It was nice I like having my sister around...we went to get our toes done yesterday it was nice. I sure hope she moves back home....

Here is a picture of the one Tea Cup I bought the other day at the Tea Shop, I love the roses they are so pretty....I like the fact that it's a larger cup. I thought it to be unusual. Some tea cups are very small in size. Well what are you plans for the weekend...? Idk what I'm going to be doing sister is suppose to come back tonite cause she is going some where to watch the 49 er game on Saturday...So she will spend the nite with me. I'm thinking if it's nice I will do some more in the garden. Mom said we are suppose to get some rain. I would like to clean up some more before that happens. I also want to plant some seeds in some pots for spring.. My house is clean except my room. I need to work on that. I need to dust. but other than that everything else is done.. So I think that's all for today...wishing you a great Friday and a lovely weekend full of love with blessings....Janice

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Dreaming and Wishing.....and thinking...


Well to start with this morning weight watchers is up and down...I can't considerate.. So I been going off and on....still trying though not going to give up..I'm hoping that some where along the line I will just kick in and fly...wink...
Well I'm at Mom's and I awoke around 6 am...And starting thinking how I wish I could have a small cottage home with a yard around it...maybe a two bedroom. Then I thought Mom's house is a two bedroom cottage but the garden is below in the back. But I'd really love to have a cottage on a flat property...but you just can't have everything. I can't decide what to do today, most likely I have to mustard up some strength and go do what I need to...I'm having difficulties with my daughter Vee...she is about to be 18 and is getting on my last nerves, like you would think I never taught her anything. But children these days don't seem to have much manners or respect. I feel sad at times and bad at other times...So I just try to tell myself one day she will understand what I'm saying to her. But in the mean time I have to find my own way alone. I have been spending the last few days trying to find strength to go to church alone...But just haven't gotten there yet. So I think much prayer is needed to receive help. The elderly sister that I study with came by with her daughter the other day. She is so thoughtful always trying to comfort Vee she dropped off a letter for her. Course Vee didn't read it ... I was thinking that maybe her daughter will help me as far as picking me up...I was thinking its so silly Church is like Three blocks away..But if you understand panic then you would understand the difficulty for me to get there alone...So I was thinking to ask her...then I thought well should I. . . So I just have to do it. all she could say is she can't then it's back to prayer again. Through my surfing this morning I found this scripture I think is was On a Blog called Vintage Rose.




You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;

I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,

in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.

Psalm 63:1-4

I really like it so I thought I would share it with you...I'm kind of in a wishy washy mood today. Yesterday I made these I thought delightful cupcakes, from Mary Janes Farm magazine, (there in the post below) Blueberry Ginger cupcakes, yummy...but today I feel idk what...lol....

Valentines Day is around the corner have to get busy and get the Tea Party plans finished and get busy...maybe I should just go home to finish up my laundry it looks like another good day to hang out clothes and maybe I should plant some seed in containers...spring will be here soon....wow I don't even know where winter is???
wishing you a great day...with much love Janice...........