Giving

This was on my flip calendar this morning and it reminded me of a conversation earlier in the week with an old friend.  I ran into him at the grocery store and we were catching up talking about a variety of topics.  He told me a story that I had never heard, regarding when he started into business.  He is a very successful business man.  When he started his business, he ask the Lord, "how do I make money?"  Very simply he heard, "help people."  He got started and was doing well and sat down to write his first check and asked God, "ok, where do you want me to send this" and God said, "did I say anything about money."  This man is in a profession and he said he started looking at the people who came through his door and asking himself how can I help you today, not looking at them as how much money will I make off of you today.  He gave me examples and he truly went the extra mile to help people, doing things he didn't have to do.  His business skyrocketed.....went totally out of the park.  It was more than he ever dreamed it could be.  Now as we are standing and talking, I can't tell you the number of people stopping to say hi, patting him on the back, waving and smiling from a distance.  I smiled to myself and thought you are a rich man no only in wealth but in the people who love you because you have given of yourself. 

I heard a man speak one time on giving and he said people who see an act of kindness get as much benefit (it raises their endorphins) as the person doing the act.  I believe this to be true.  Last weekend, I was at Wal-Mart and pulled into a line.  I just saw a little boy checking out and a lady was behind him and then me.  When I pulled into the line, I heard the cashier say something about needed more money.  Then I heard the little boy, kind of frantic, saying," I know I had 9 dollars I must have dropped one, I don't know what to do."  I asked, "how much does he need" and the cashier said, "97 cents."  I never have any cash but I had just had a garage sale and I had a ton of change.  I gave her 97 cents and continued to get my items onto the counter and I turned around and this little guy was standing next to me and he threw his arms around my waist and hugged me and said, "thanks lady for helping me."  I almost cried.  I told him I was so glad I was there to help him and I also told him that we all need help sometimes.  When it was my turn at the register, the cashier was grinning from ear to ear and said," I'm so glad you helped him."  I said, "it blessed me more than it did him." It actually made my day!  My youngest daughter has told me many times that she loves to give and that her motive is selfish because she knows how good it makes her feel to help someone and she gets more out of it than the receiver.

There are many ways to give but I feel this is the most important and the hardest and it is giving of yourself and your time.  I promise, I'll end with this last story.  It is about Mother Teresa, whom I greatly admire.  She was at a function and gave a speech and when she was finished a man came up to her who was very wealthy and told her he wanted to give her some money and she said no.  They talked and once again he told her he wanted to give her some money and once again she said no.  He told her he wanted to help her and what could he do.  She said, "you really want to help me" and of course he said "yes."  She said, "I want you to get up at 4 o'clock tomorrow morning and go to the streets of this city and find someone who is sitting alone on the street and love them.  Let them know that you really care about them. That's how you can help me." 

It's easy to write a check and I know there are people who need money, I'm not down playing that but there is something special about showing up for someone in need, doing something for someone that money can't buy. As Mother Teresa says, "there is a famine in this land and it is of love."

Let's go out and Love somebody this weekend!

Tomatoes and More Tomatoes

After I heard the weather forecast this morning, I spent the day taking down and putting away the last little reminders of summer.  I haven't seen any hummingbirds in about a week and I read that they are usually all gone by the end of October so I cleaned and put away our feeders until next spring.  Then I filled up the wood box with wood for our first fire in the wood stove which might be tomorrow night.

Then I tackled the tomatoes.  I have a ton of green tomatoes, actually about 20 gallons.  I got them all picked, washed and dried and laid out on newspaper in the breakfast room.  I want some to ripen and I have never made chow chow so I'm thinking of trying my hand at making some and I'm going to look at some recipes for tomato relish.  I still have lots and lots of blossoms on the vine and I left a lot of little bitty green tomatoes.  We've had lots of good food this summer and will continue to eat tomatoes for a while, which I love because those at the store don't measure up.  I'm ready for a rest but will be ready to start all over again in a few months trying new varieties and old favorites.

I wish you could see with your own eyes the beautiful shades of green on all these tomatoes.

Another Idea for Old Windows

This is another old window that was picked up by the curb.  I want to create the effect of walls, so I need a window. And this window will have a window box under the window where I can plant flowers.  On the left side of this window, I have planted two crepe myrtles that will eventually fill in that space and on the right side of the window I will drill holes at random places in the post that is holding the window on the right side and insert dowel rods and I have collected colored bottles for quite some time and these colored bottles will go on the dowel rods.  There are supports on the window right now but those will be taken off.  In the spring, I'll post another picture with the window box on so you can see the finished product.  I am using a good size window here but you could use a smaller one and if you have a bare spot in a flower bed this would be cute.  You could also plant a flowering vine to grow up one size and drape it across the top.

The last picture is the future spot for our cooled frame.  Since it has rained, I plan on starting to dig it out over the weekend.  Will keep you posted with future pictures as it progresses.  I'm going to use several old screened doors for the lids and we are going to put in clear hard plastic where the screen is located.  This location is on the south side of this building and it will get good sun light during the day.  On days that it is sunny and warm, I will raise the lid a little to let how some of the heat.  In the early evening, I will close the lid so nothing will freeze.  I will be growing mainly greens in my cold frame. 

I get a natural high with this weather.  I absolutely love it and I know you do too.  Have a super day!

John Muir Quote

Happy indeed they who have a friend to whom they can unmask the working of their real life, sure of sympathy and forbearance. 

Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie

I'm catering a ladies luncheon tomorrow and for dessert is this wonderful apple pie.  This is my husband's favorite apple pie.  In fact, he got the recipe for me years ago from Good Morning America.  They were having a pie contest and this was the winner.  I hope you will try it.  It's rich, crunchy and delicious.

1-9 inch pie crust, unbaked
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 cups thinly sliced apples (I use granny smith, but the recipe suggest pink lady , Fuji, golden) I usually cut at least 6 to 7 apples per pie.
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup caramel topping

crumb topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

Slice apples and cover with sugar, flour cinnamon and salt.  Toss until covered well and place into unbaked pie crust.  Stir together brown sugar, flour, oats and cut in butter.  Sprinkle over apples.
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes remove from oven and cover edges with foil and bake another 35-45 minutes.  I usually go 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with pecans then drizzle with room temperature caramel. If your caramel has been in the frig you may want to warm it a little so it won't clump.  Sometimes I need to cover the edges of the crust so it will not get to brown and other times it does just fine.  My oven is getting old so just watch the crust and if you think it will get to brown then cover with foil.

Happy Sunday!

Donuts were in order this morning, so on my way to the donut shop I passed a garage sale.  I had to stop and the lamp was my great find.  This will either be a gift or I will sell it.  I have some ideas for it so I'll show you when it's complete.  Hopefully, it won't be in two years! :)

Tidbit of info:  I hope this will help you, it did help me.  I was watching the food channel and someone said to cook your pasta for soups before you add the pasta to the soup and that it keeps the pasta from soaking up so much of your broth.  I have had that problem a lot and so today I cooked my pasta before I added it to this wonderful Italian Vegetable Beef Soup.  This is a great soup and I have posted it before.  I was trying to find it so, if you were interested you could go there for the recipe and I couldn't readily find it so I will post it again.

2-3 pounds of stew meat (I usually cut the large pieces of stew meat in half)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 carrots, sliced
2 medium zucchini, sliced in spears
2 cans diced Italian tomatoes
1 can Great Northern Beans
1 handful of pasta
1 can beef consume
l 32 ounce beef broth
3 cups or 3 handfuls fresh baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste

Wash the meat off and then cut large pieces in half.  Brown meat and garlic in about 3 tablespoons of oil.  When the meat is brown drain off grease.  Then add broth, carrots and tomatoes and let cook for about 10 minutes.  Then add zucchini, beans and let this cook about 5-6 minutes.  Lastly, add spinach and cooked pasta.  I had little bow tie pasta on hand and that is what I used today. Stir well and it's ready to eat.  I always make mine ahead and let it sit for a couple of hours so all the flavors mix together. 

Wonderful Cake for Thanksgiving

We all like our pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving but you will have to try this wonderful Marbled Pumpkin  Praline Cake.  It is delicious and I wanted to show you the picture because their presentation is so attractive.  They used sugared pecans, kumquats, and bay leaves.  I have seen fresh bay leaves at Indian spice shops or a Mediterranean deli may also carry them.  Closer to the holidays some stores start to carry kumquats. But just the spiced whipped cream icing makes a lovely cake.
Here's the recipe, I hope you will try it.

Pumpkin batter

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
3/4 cup buttermilk

Cream Cheese Batter

2 (3oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Pecan-Praline Filling

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup half and half
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla

Spiced Whipped Cream

2 cups heavy cream (I used 3 to make sure I had enough)
6 tablespoons of powdered sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Prepare Pumpkin Batter:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 3 (9 inch) cake pans.  Line bottoms with parchment paper, and grease and flour paper.  Combine 2 cups flour and next 6 ingredients in a small bowl.  Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar and next 3 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy duty electric mixer until blended.  Add pumpkin, beating until blended.  Add buttermilk beating until blended.  Gradually add flour mixture beating at low speed just until blended after each addition.  Pour batter into prepared pans.

Prepare Cream Cheese Batter:
Beat cream cheese and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy electric mixer until creamy.  Add eggs, beating until blended.  Drop cream Cheese batter by heaping tablespoons onto pumpkin batter in pans, and gently swirl with a knife.

Bake at 350or 25 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean.  Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes, remove cakes from pans to wire racks and cool completely (about 40 minutes.)

Meanwhile, prepare Pecan-Praline filling:
Bring 1/2 cup brown sugar and next 2 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly.  Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved.  Whisk together half and half and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth; gradually add to brown sugar mixture, whisking constantly.  Return to a boil, and boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until thickened.  Stir in pecans and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Cool mixture 20 minutes.

Spread filling between cooled cake layers.

Prepared Spiced Whipped Cream:
Beat heavy cream at medium speed with electric mixer for 1 minute.  Add powdered sugar and next 2 ingredients, beating until soft peaks form.  Spread frosting on top and sides of cake.

(note) If you are making this for the holidays and you make cake the cake put in the filling and cover it with a cake dome until the next day.  Then ice the cake on the day you are serving it and keep it in a cool place.  Also, when frosting the cake, apply a thin layer (a crumb coat) over the top and sides first before applying the rest.  The thin layer seals in any crumbs and makes the rest of the frosting easier to apply.

This is a wonderful cake and I think you will love it.  It's worth all the work.  This is a cake from a fellow Okie from Bartlesville who won second place in a Southern Living cake contest.