A Little Kitchen Post

Good Afternoon everyone..

So nice to connect with you all once again!

It has been awhile but am happy to get back to you.. 

Hope all is going well where ever you dwell in this big wide world.. 

Thank you for visiting here in this wee bit of cyberspace... 

We have been busy as has everyone this time of year.. 

August was such a hot month here in New Brunswick and a bit of September too.. It seems as though the cool weather has arrived the last few days though.. 

It is funny how you think you don't want Summer to ever end and then you are hit with a heat wave and you are ready for Fall, eh?

Anyway... 

I thought I would do just a little kitchen post for today.. 

The Autumn Kitchen is a very busy and fragrant spot in our homes.. 

Not only are there so many veggies to ferment, can or pickle there are all kinds of herbs and wild forage to put by... 

The first photo is of Sunny Window Dills that I have made several times, Chive vinegar, alfalfa sprouts (because I refuse to pay four dollars for a wee box when I can do my own for cents), Nasturtium vinegar, green onions and a pot of Lavender fit on one side of our kitchen window.. 

Also Rose Oil which I make into a face oil and salve which I don't want to do without.. Basil and I love the Pregnant Onion in my window like they do at Kings Landing Heritage kitchens.. smile.. 

Terry has been picking our cucumbers... 

It looked as though we were not to get many but once they started there were a lot.... 

We eat pickles for every meal and they are a lovely to give as gifts so that is why I do so many.. 

I also made these Mennonite Salad Green Beans that I mentioned last post..

Also lots of chow chow and beets.. 

I actually froze some peas this year along with corn... 

This is a pic I snapped one evening when I noticed how the lamp light made the jellies glow. I put it on Instagram so you may have seen it. 

The large jar is a floral herb hair rinse that my friend Lisa from Instagram shared the recipe with me.. 

I visited with Shonda's ladies' group and showed them how to make it... 

Lisa says to gather roses, lavender, chamomile and other herbs and flowers and cover with white vinegar... Set aside for a couple of months and then strain.. 

Use half a cup to rinse your hair ... Rinse out... 

I added lavender essential oil to mine too.. 

We had a great harvest of garlic... 

Almost time to plant it again for next year.

I made a tray of garlic scape salt...

I use this all winter on meat and such..

Mustard Pickles

A sweet group of ladies gathered here in the kitchen yesterday and we made a batch of these mustard pickles of my Mother-in-law's.. 

Such a lovely day of sweet fellowship... 

The Hydrangea are blooming.. 

So Terry picked a big bunch from our bush and some green ones from a generous neighbor..

I stick them everywhere and they dry just as they are... 

One afternoon I made this old recipe.. 

It is delicious!  

I don't put the crumb topping on though... 

Just a sprinkle of sugar... 

The top of the hutch in the kitchen.. 

Homemade bread and sliced half green tomatoes and a bit of basil are ate almost daily here this time of year... 

A creamy squash soup with cumin... 

so good!  

We love a steak with mashed and mushrooms... 

and onions and gravy.. smile.. 

A little drive to Albert County and the Bay of Fundy... 

Then I spent a morning with Shonda and her ladies' group.... 

Such a wonderful time.. 

A little testimony of God's love and mercy.. 

So the last many months have passed with Terry being laid up and sick several times... 

He would go on antibotics and be all right until it would strike again... 

We just kept praying that all would be well but to be honest I was getting pretty desperate... 

Anyone who has walked that valley knows what I mean... 

But during the last 18 months of this going on we were

 so ever thankful that we have a God who is with us during the trials of life... 

He gives a strenght and peace that we cannot understand or even expect.. 

 He is ever faithful... 

A couple of weeks ago he took really sick again. 

We were blessed that he had been in to see the specialist the day before so when I called in to say that he was really sick the doctor called him right in for an emergency procedure.. 

It saved his life...

The infection had spread to his blood so bad that the doctor said he was almost septic but he got there just in time.. 

The doctor kept saying how lucky Terry was to get there when he did..

Another day and it might have been too late.  

But we know he was blessed by God... 

The Lord was in charge and he was on time... 

He is always an on time God... 

The doctor said this procedure will work and we are trusting God that it will...

He feels so much better and we are thankful to say the least.. 

Giving God honour, glory and thanks... 

I am sorry that once again I am talking about our health problems.. 

My knee is doing much better and with Terry back to feeling good we are just so happy... 

When the Lord does something wonderful for us we want to be a witness to everyone ... 

So thank you everyone for visiting and reading or scrolling through.. 

Love having you visit... 

And as always I love your lovely notes...

May God bless you and your sweet families today !

 

Thrifted silverware and a Cleaner Recipe and more...

Good day everyone...

Hope all is well in your part of the world..

We have had a busy day (as usual).. smile.

This morning I met Shonda and we drove in to see Mom..

She went home this afternoon and is very happy about that..

After we had visited with Gram we went out for lunch and then shopped for a bit.. It was nice.. We don't get to do that too often..

Then I met Terry and Shonda drove home in time for the boys getting home from school..Terry and I did a bit of shopping..

I went to a thrift shop while he went to Walmart.. He is not a thrift store shopper.. grin.. I was looking for some 100% wool to make

a few crafts that I want to try... I actually found 3.. smile..

I have to felt them first.. Have any of you girls tried felting anything?

And then I did get a good deal ... All this silver for $5.00...

There are several good pieces there.. Some Rodgers...a couple of pairs of tongs in neat shapes... 

It will need to be cleaned and I thought I would share this homemade recipe for cleaning it with you...

HOMEMADE SILVER CLEANER

Hot water

1 T. salt per quart of water

1 T. water softener per quart of water

a sheet of tin foil

Place the tin foil in the bottom of the container that you are using to wash the silver.. I use a rubber dishpan.. Add your HOT (boiling) water, salt and water softener and stir.. Place silver on top of tin foil for 10 seconds and rinse in cold water and then buff it...

If you don't have water softener you can use baking soda... 

Pretty easy, eh?

And no chemicals which some people are allergic to..

There are other recipes online but this is one that I have used

I love picking up old silver cutlery.. I like using it everyday especially when it does not match.. Martha Steward recommended that years ago and I have done that since..I have a lovely big set at the cottage.. My everyday set here has ivory handles but it is diminishing for various reasons so I will add most of this to my everyday set here..

Another reason I like to find old silver cutlery is so that Terry can make wind chimes..

We sell them at the shop but I do not have one for myself.. smile..

Here is another idea I found on line ages ago but do not know where it came from.. Before the days of pinterest.. grin..

Drawer or door handles.. Neat, I think.. It would look nice on an old kitchen hutch or even regular cupboards..

Just an idea for you..

Also, here is a LINK to another posting I did with a neat idea on how to store your cutlery...

Here is the old recipe book I told you I found.. It was in a collection of books and I just came by it..  

See the date?  1953.. I made a mistake when I said it was older than me... grin... Almost but not quite.. smile..

Here is a little recipe from the first page.. OK?

MIXED MUSTARD

5 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons mustard

3 Tablespoons white sugar

Vinegar diluted with a bit of water to make a SMOOTH paste..

I think I would whisk it with a whisk...

Let stand overnight..

So I would say that this is just a homemade mustard like you would put on meat or whatever.. right?

I may try it tomorrow as I still have some ham left over...

If you make it first you can let me know.. please.. 

Well, dear ladies that is all for tonight.. Hope someone finds it interesting.. smile..

I will get at my felting, too as soon as I can..

Oh, and I visited a lovely prim shop today, too.. My sweet friend, Judy works there.. It is a glorious shop and perhaps I will take some pics next time... Judy told me she reads my blog everyday... grin..

Guess we will find out, eh?  grin..

Take care sweeties and I look forward to hearing from you all..

We serve an awesome God; don't we?

Hugs..

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