Thursday

70°f/21°C this morning, hazy. The Canadian smoke is making its way here, with the worst of it expected tomorrow. Warmed to 95° in town but only 88°here at home.

We left around 9 this morning to pick up a 1950s formica table in Parkersburg,  about an hour away. It looked like it was in great condition, and for $50, it was perfect to go with those 4 aqua chairs we refurbished recently. On the way up there, the seller messaged me. The table had been left out in the rain, and since these old tables had particle board under the laminate that meant the particle board had swelled, raising up the edges of the top. Did we want the table for free?

Well, since we were already on the way, we said sure. It didn't look too bad when we got there, but by the time we got the table home, more of the edges had started to swell. I was doubtful that it could be repaired, but Larry thought he could do it.

So here it is now, and I think he's right!

One edge is repaired, and tomorrow he can remove the clamps and do the other side. How cool is that! I need to order replacement caps for the legs and then it should be good to go.

When we got home, I jumped right in to making sweet pickle relish. It's time-consuming, but one batch made a two-year supply, and used up all the peppers and cucumbers we had just picked.  

It was supposed to have some red peppers in it as well, but I didn't have any, and with this weird bacterial thing going around, I wasn't going to buy any! I use this on sandwiches, in deviled eggs, chicken and ham salads, and in potato salad. So delicious. Simple recipe: finely chop about 3 cups cucumbers, 2 cups peppers, and 1 cup onion (I did this in the food processor), salt and cover with cold water for 2 hours. Drain. Mix 2 1/2 cups sugar, 2 cups cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp each celery seed and mustard seed, bring to boil. Drain the veggies,  removing as much liquid as possible. Add to the boiling mixture and cook 10 minutes. Jar up and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. 

Then I went out and watered with Miracle-Gro because my poor flowers are suffering in this heat, and Larry did more weedeating and mowing. So that was our day. Not exciting, but productive. Tomorrow morning I have a LOT of zucchini that I will make into zucchini pineapple,  and maybe shredded some to freeze for zucchini bread this winter. 

Next week our weather looks more reasonable, so I hope I can get some tilling done and some late crops planted. And, I hope, tidy up my poor flowers. 

Did I ever mention how much I hate July? I am sure looking forward to a break in this heat!

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Wartime Meat Recipes

I have had this little book for about 10 years. It was in a recipe box I got in an auction. I still have the box, but thought this little book was worth a post.

I suppose the government, and the American Meat Institute, wanted to encourage cooks to use less familiar and less costly meats so tgat the better meats could go to the soldiers, because most of the recipes in this book use meats we would probably never consider today.

The introduction:

And a few recipes:

Ummm, yuck?

This one actually sounds pretty good. I would have thought tenderloin would have been expensive, though.

My mother made tongue a few times,  and I made it once, but my recipe was more like pickling; the tongue actually tasted like ham, and that's what I told my boys it was! They still talk about that.

This would be good, I think. I might add more seasonings.

I actually like liver, so I might try this one.

Ummm, just no. Cheap and filling, I am sure, but no.

There are a few copies of this little book for sale on ebay for around $20. Here's a link to one (not mine; I may sell mine one day, but not yet), just in case you're pining to have a copy of your own! And if there's interest, I'd be happy to post more of the recipes. 

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Randoms

68°f/20°C. Still dark so no idea what today will be like, except hot.

Yesterday was a good day. I got my vegetable soup made after we returned from town, 7 quarts plus enough for dinner.

And we had our first Monarch butterfly!

My favorite lily has such delicate colors. No idea of its name. 

Inside, I found my little glass birds and put some of them out. At one time I think I had 20 or 30, but gave the blue ones to my sisters, and I took others to the booth yesterday. I kept my favorites, though.

We got this big boy moved into our booth yesterday. Heavy!

Little glass birds and a few other things, in the booth.

We had lunch with friends while we were out, and picked up a can of mustard seeds for the cucumber relush I plan to make today. So it was a nice day, even if very hot (90°). 

Now, what will today bring? 

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.