Wednesday night in June...

Good Evening sweet friends.. 

Welcome to the Blessed Hearth on this Wednesday night in June.. 

I find it so hard to believe that we are actually almost past Spring and into Summer.. 

I was scanning the headlines before writing this and saw a girl had posted a video of her little veranda greenhouse in P. E. I. today with snow gently falling.. 

It has been record low temps here in Eastern Canada and farmers have lost thousands of seedlings due to frost and lots of blueberry plants have been killed too!

.. 

We have not put much in yet except for our Celeriac and I think it can take a bit of cold.. 

Won't know till next trip to the farm.. 

Otherwise all is well here.. 

Have some new valances on the kitchen window above for Summer... 

Have been enjoying my new kitchen cleaner we made at Keepers.. 

I added some lemon peels and let it set for a week or so and really love the scent and the job it does.. 

Rosemary-Lemon All-Purpose Cleaning Spray

• 2 sprigs rosemary
• Peels of 2 lemons
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups white vinegar

In a one quart jar, combine rosemary, lemon peels, water and vinegar. Allow to rest 10-14 days in a cool location to allow oils to infuse.  Strain lemon peels and rosemary and transfer liquid to a spray bottle for use. If desired, lemon peels and rosemary may be placed directly inside the spray bottle. The scent will intensify over time before breaking down and the bottle will look great sitting on the shelf.

Today I finished up a batch of Apple Blossom Jelly..

Terry had picked me the blossoms and this time I added a cup and a half of apple juice and I think it turned out lovely.. 

I was just getting done when in walked my sweet husband with a bag of these.. 

He said this would be the last time I could get more so I better make another batch of Dandelion Jelly.. 

It sells so well as it is so tasty.. 

So this afternoon I got them ready to make the tea and will make the jelly tomorrow.. 

Dear old Charles kept me company.. 

He seems to like to sit at my feet.. grin.. 

We have been busy doing spring jobs like I mentioned last time so nothing much new around here... 

I did promise you the bread recipe last time I posted .. 

So.. Here it is.. 

The name of the cookbook I found at the Thrift is.. 

Old Time Favorite Recipes.. 

The complete menu cookbook.. 

Sorry, I forgot to take a pic... 

It is sort of like a magazine.. 

Anyway.. 

Applesauce Raisin Batter Bread.. 

3 cups of flour, divided 

2 T. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt 

2 tsp. apple pie spice.. (I just used 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg and 1/3 tsp. allspice.) 

1/4 ounce of active dry yeast (I used 2 tsp. instant yeast)

1 1/4 cups of unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup of honey 

2 T. butter

1 egg 

1/2 cup of raisins

In a large mixing bowl combine half of the flour, brown sugar, salt and spices and yeast.. 

Heat applesauce, honey and butter until very warm 130 degrees F. 

Add to flour mixture with egg beating very well on low speed.. 

Stir in remaining flour and raisins.. 

Spread batter into a sprayed 9 x 5 bread pan.. 

Cover loosely with waxed paper and rise until double in bulk.. 

Carefully remove paper.. 

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes.. 

Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.. 

You can drizzle a confection milk mixture but I didn't think we needed that. smile.. 

Enjoy.. 

Now here is another recipe for the Spring Rhubarb we are having.. 

My sweet cousin Ann called me the other night and shared this with me.. 

I wish she hadn't!  grin.. 

It is so so good.. 

This only takes 2 minutes to make and Terry loved it.. 

Ann said she made it the first night and Peter ate it all so the next time she doubled the size hoping to get a piece.. lol... 

It was just about the same here except I had been warned and put a  small bowl aside for me first.. grin.. 

Here is the recipe.. 

Rhubarb Pudding by Ann... 

In a bowl stir 1 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of white sugar, 2 tsp. baking powder, pinch of salt, 1/2 cup of milk.. 

Mix up and pour into a greased 8x8 pan.. 

Cover with 2 cups of chopped rhubarb. 

Sprinkle 1 cup of brown sugar over and drizzle 1 1/2 cups of boiling water.. 

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 45 minutes or until golden brown.. 

This cake bakes with the rhubarb and the brown sugar and water makes a lovely sauce.. 

Ann says you can add ice cream or whipped cream or as in Peter's case both... lol... 

She is just joking!!  

We just ate it as is and was lovely.. 

Enough left for another time... 

I hid it... grin.. 

Anyway dear hearts this is all for today.. 

Rain is on it's way again and the wind is very brisk tonight.. 

I have had my tea and will go to bed and read a Rosamunde Pilcher short story from the Blue Bedroom.. 

While I was cleaning my room today I came across a set of Bible Study books I picked up at the Thrift store so am looking forward to doing them in the evenings.. 

It is after 8 pm and I can hear dear husband outside scraping at the paint.. He has been working away at painting our house.. 

It needed it so bad and this summer our old farmhouse will need a coat.. 

Work is never done but so thankful to the Lord that we are still able to carry on and do what we can.. 

He is faithful!  

Missing my boy tonight... 

Pray for me and I will pray for you.. 

God bless...