Vickie Can Cook!

Haha!  I do cook, really I do!  Today, I made a  big cauldron of chicken vegetable soup AND used up some bananas that were ripening too quickly - made them into banana/nut bread.  I rarely show you a recipe and what I'm cooking. I'm usually half-way through before thinking, "Duh, Vickie, you could have blogged about that."  Well, today I remembered.

Easy - soup is easy.  Slow-cooked 4 chicken breasts with onion, garlic, celery, bay leaves, salt and pepper - your basic chicken stock.  After the chicken was done, I added carrots, potatoes, some leftover broccoli, some green peas, and simmered until the veggies were done.  Season to taste.  Wish I'd have had some mushrooms...  Oh well, it turned out great - that's what we had for supper tonight!   I had that going for most of the afternoon...

I always have some bananas that I wind up putting in the compost because we just don't eat them up.  I crave them when they're not here, but when we have several I don't eat them as much. Plus, I don't like them when they start getting dots on them.  Somewhere between barely green to yellow - that's when I like 'em!  I had some leftover pecans in the freezer, too, so...   (by the way, they are called puh-KONs, in case anyone wants to know, not PEE-cans or pee-CANS... just sayin' )...

Ok, Banana Nut Bread.  I've tried lots of different recipes for this - it's everybody's favorite and I'm sure you've got your own favorite recipe.  Mine comes from Dr. Payne's wife.  Dr. Payne was mine and Tony's pediatrician when we were kids.  Then, he was also MY kids' pediatrician until they were all over 18.  I'm so glad he didn't retire until they were all grown!  He really knew all our family history!  I've had this recipe for probably about 30 years.

BANANA NUT BREAD

             3/4 c margarine (or butter)                                       2 c. sifted flour

             1  1/2 c. sugar                                                          1 t. baking soda

             1  1/2 c. mashed bananas (usually 3 large)             3/4 t. salt

             2 eggs beaten                                                          1/2 c. buttermilk

             1 1/2 t. vanilla                                                             (or cheater buttermilk)

                                                                                             1 c. chopped pecans

                                                                                                             (or walnuts)

Cream margarine and sugar thoroughly. Blend in bananas, eggs and vanilla.  Sift flour, soda and salt together.  Add to banana mixture alternating with buttermilk.  Add nuts and stir well.  Bake in a greased and floured 9x5x3 inch loaf pan at 325 degrees for 1 hr 15 minutes.

Now, following are some pictures showing my progress.  NOTE:  I usually split up my dough into 3-4 small tins.  Today I used 3 small tins and it almost ran over the edges!  Also, towards the end of the cooking time, I place a piece of foil loosely over the tins to keep the edges from getting too done.

Above - some ingredients - the sugar, butter, eggs and dry ingredients were already mixed - see?  I almost forgot to blog about this today!  Thank goodness I caught myself before it was too late!

Above, just used cooking spray (didn't need flour) and I always cook things on another pan just in case something spills over!

Above - have already added the eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla.  I'm adding the dry ingredients now...

Above, now for the pecans!  Some of those go missing before they make it into the batter...

Ready to pop in the oven!

Be sure and eat some batter before it goes in the oven - it's really good.  Better yet, let's just not cook it at all - let's just eat the batter!  I've eaten raw eggs all my life and it hasn't hurt me yet!

These little boogers nearly overflowed the small tins, and the edges are kinda crispy - my favorite part!

Ok, after they've cooled a bit and pulled away from the tin, I up-end them and let them finish cooling.

One I'll keep out for us to snack on, and the other two will go into the freezer to be enjoyed another day, OR to give to someone who just needs cheering up a little bit!

There ya go!  Hope you enjoyed it.  I usually make a bunch of small loaves during the holidays, but it didn't happen this year.  I guess better late than never!

PS - I just visited my friend, Tara, at her blog New Day, New Season. Please go over and give her a cyber hug and some love - her daddy has been sick for a long time, and now he could go either way.  She's really hurtin' but she's strong.  She and her family need your prayers. Thank you so much.

Review of the State of the Union Address

A short video from Rep. Louie Gohmert from Texas on the President's State of the Union speech last night.  Judge Gohmert is a well-respected conservative Christian man from East Texas, a lawyer, an Aggie, and an extremely intelligent and well-educated man.  Take a look at his take on the speech and hear what he has to say about some of the issues.  I trust this man's opinions implicitly.  He has many YouTube videos where he talks about different issues.  He's "good people" and I hope that he runs for President someday.



ATTN: Linda Jo of Linda Jo's Obsessions shared a way to back up your blog! YEA, THANK YOU LINDA JO!  Here's the link ~~~~  http://www.thesitsgirls.com/education/blog-tips/how-to-back-up-your-blogger-blog/ . After you back up your blog ~ Go see Linda Jo - She is a wonderful paper artist and one smart gal!!!  She's working on Valentine's and they are awesome!

Blogger Woes

What's happening with Blogger??? 

Last night, I FREAKED OUT!!!  I was blog-hopping, and all of a sudden my blog just disappeared!  Then, I tried to log back in, and I couldn't find my blog!   So I went to my South Light Art Blog and I was able to see Sand Flat Farm again, but I couldn't log in.

Then, I was re-directed to another page where it was denying me access, and it said I might be violating the Terms of Service????  What's that all about?  It gave me a place to contact Google, which I did, via a comment thingie, and I went through this procedure several times.  Then, on another page it made me supply a phone number for security reasons. 

I was finally allowed to get back on my blog after much freaking out and wringing of hands. Even Tony was concerned!   Does anyone know what that was about?  It all appeared to be a true Google Blogger page with all their usual stuff on there and their Google favicon, etc. 

My question -  is there a way to back up one's blog to a  flash drive or another place so it can't just disappear?  I'm all EARS!   I would HATE to lose my blog after all this time. I'm going on 4 years now, just like many of you, and I don't wanna lose this journal of the last few years of my life!!!   HELP!!!

Gypsy

Mind if I gush about my dog for a few minutes?  I got Gypsy a few months ago after much debate about what I wanted as a farm dog.  She was actually a stray that someone was trying to find a home for.  I feel so lucky to have her!  She was used to being on her own, a little wary, very food possessive, but still friendly enough that I thought she might work out here on Sand Flat Farm.  She had a rough dirty coat and was stinky and skinny, so I know that she'd been fending for herself for awhile.  But I decided to take a chance on her anyway.

She just got back from the vet.  I waited a little bit to see if she was going to stay here before I forked over $200 for vet care.  She's an active herding breed and she's an outside dog, so I just didn't know.  Evidently, she likes it here, and I'm proud that she has adopted ME as her person.  She has come to trust me, even with her food, altho I still feed her by herself because I don't want her biting my chihuahua.  I guess she knows she's going to get plenty of food now and she doesn't have to fight for it.

She just back from a 2 day stay at our country vet's office.  Gypsy got her shots, her heartworm/parasite tests, and she also was spayed while there.  She's a little sore today, but doing so well.  I've kept her in the house since yesterday morning, but today she wants out.  She's housebroken and all that hair keeps her quite warm so I don't really worry about her being out in the cold.  I've seen her lying out in the middle of the pasture sound asleep on some of our cold days (which haven't been many - it's 80 degrees out today!)  She loves the water and gets in our pond and loves to just run, just for the sake of running.

We concluded along with our vet that she's probably an Aussie cross - probably with Border Collie.  Either way, she loves her exercise and just because she had surgery doesn't keep her still.  She minds well, and when I'm outside (and while she's inside) she and I are inseparable.  I think we've bonded.  She wants to be close to me, she's a "leaner".  I have to really watch her when we're walking because she has to be touching my leg and I really don't wanna take a tumble tripping over her.  I'm sure some leash work would alleviate that problem.

Gypsy's a great watch dog, too.  She lets us know when something is amiss or there is a stranger walking down the road or an animal comes near the house.  But she's not a yapper.  I've really grown to love her.  When I went to pick her up from the vet, he came out with her and told me what a really nice dog she is.  She was good for the staff and did what they wanted her to without complaining.  They bathed and dipped her before her surgery so it wouldn't be so hard on her after.

She tries to talk to me.  She whines and makes little noises at just the right appropriate times and we have long conversations.  Something funny she does is HOWL whenever she hears a siren.   We can hear a siren and either Tony or I will say, "just wait," and pause expectantly, and then we'll hear Gypsy break out in a heart-wrenching howl.  And she'll howl til we can't hear the siren any more.

I think we've got a keeper.  Right now, she's lying on my feet napping, Bug by my side.  Gypsy may feel pretty lucky to have found a good home, but actually I think that I am the lucky one. Don't ever be afraid to adopt a rescue or a stray.  Sometimes, they make the best dogs because they are SO grateful to have someone to love them.  Ok thanks for listening!

Beginning Again...

Beginning again - beginning to paint more on a full-time basis in 2012.  To start with I'm doing a commission for a friend.  It's a good way to kick off 2012, and get me back into "paintbrush overload"!

With that being said, I'm announcing the first post of my new Art Blog -

"SOUTH  LIGHT"  --- 

A little painting, a little instruction, and a lot on my mind...  Please take a look, honest critiques are welcome, and if you find anything that you can't live without, email me.  This is not a selling Art Blog, but some things will be for sale at times.  Come and see what I'm working on over there - just got my first post done!

Thanks for your visit!