It takes two tables in our home – unless you want to be cramped.
Thanksgiving was just yesterday…right?
Honestly, where does the time go? Before you know it, it’ll be time to pack that dang cottage on wheels again and turn the trucks south. That’s ok, though.
Whenever the question comes up (which is quite often) – “What should we have for supper”? – Callie’s quick to say, “Sweet and sour chicken”. I know it will never compare to some of her favorite Chinese food restaurants but it probably comes in a very close second. It wasn’t until this past summer that I came up with this “keeper”. And, best of all, it’s not that hard to make.
This recipe begins with cutting up chicken breasts into one inch chunks. I suppose you’re gonna ask, “how much chicken”? I usually make this by sight more than by recipe. So, I’m going to say three large breasts for the four of us. I put flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a large zip lock baggie and shake the chicken pieces until they’re covered.
I add Crisco to my cast iron skillet and preheat. When the oil is good and hot, fry the chicken pieces until golden brown and no pink center.
Whenever the question comes up (which is quite often) – “What should we have for supper”? – Callie’s quick to say, “Sweet and sour chicken”. I know it will never compare to some of her favorite Chinese food restaurants but it probably comes in a very close second. It wasn’t until this past summer that I came up with this “keeper”. And, best of all, it’s not that hard to make.
This recipe begins with cutting up chicken breasts into one inch chunks. I suppose you’re gonna ask, “how much chicken”? I usually make this by sight more than by recipe. So, I’m going to say three large breasts for the four of us. I put flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a large zip lock baggie and shake the chicken pieces until they’re covered.
I add Crisco to my cast iron skillet and preheat. When the oil is good and hot, fry the chicken pieces until golden brown and no pink center.
While we were in Limon, CO, the girls and I took our turn one evening to help with the supper meal. Although everything worked out just fine, it seemed like an overwhelming task considering we have a “Barbie” sized oven to cook in. After I mentioned the items the girls and I cooked in my post, it began only 17 days ago, I had a couple of people ask me for the recipes. If you read the post, you’ll also understand the title of this post. I will share the recipes with you – but first, I have to tell a story about the cookbook they came from.
One of our very favorite meals in the Z house is a pot roast. As far as the family goes, you can’t get any better than that (well…maybe a good steak). So, when Mark agreed to cook the meal and I provided the beef, it was a good combination. Something interesting about the roast – it came all the way from Jordan, MT! Yep, we haul hamburger, roasts, steaks and few cube steaks all the way home from Jordan every year. Why? Well because they only have the very best locker in the entire world! We’ve got it down to a science as far as how that frozen meat makes the 2 1/2 day trip without thawing (even when the temps rise sometimes as high as 90+).
Before I get to the recipe, I wanted to share a couple of items I found the other day while looking for something else. Surely you’ve never done that! The other day, I said something to Callie referring to the tigers which turned to butter in the story, “Little Black Sambo”. That was one I remember my Grandma reading to me and it was a favorite of mine. Callie had no clue what I was talking about and I wanted her to read it. Well, for some reason, it wasn’t in the place I always thought I remembered it being in. Instead, I found these great reminders of days gone by:
This is an old postcard Grandma sent from Regina, Saskatchewan in 1972. Her friend, in turn, returned it to Grandma and then Grandma gave it to me (knowing my love for the harvest). This is what is written on the back in Grandma’s handwriting, “We’ve had a very good year. This is like our 3 machines and we pick wheat up like it shows here in the North Country. Only we have cabs. I LOVE it up here. Pauline”
Father’s Day has come and gone for another year. It was yet another day of nothing happening in camp. Taylor insisted she wanted to make supper for her dad so that’s what she did. She decided it was going to be BBQ meatballs, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. This would have to be one of Jim’s favorite meals – except for roast beef.
Things are pretty low-keyed in the Zeorian camp right now.
Yesterday was a day of being on the road. Callie and I left camp yesterday morning and headed for Woodward, OK. Jim and Taylor had left about an hour earlier to get Frank to his appointment with the mechanic. Frank had a leaky wheel seal and a broken spring. I swear I’ve been treating him nicely…sometimes, though, things start falling apart because of age (believe me, I know).
I’ve just about got the cakes done! The layers have been put together and all I need to do is add the pretty “stuff” to the top. I think I’ll do that tomorrow. 11 cakes complete! When they’re all on the table looking beautiful, I’ll share a picture of them with you. This will happen on Saturday. I found one of my favorite Peach Pie recipes and wanted to share it with you. We’re slightly out of fresh peach season so print it off and save it for next summer 🙂
3/4 c. sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
dash salt
dash nutmeg
Combine all the above ingredients and add to 5 cups sliced peaches. Pour peaches into pie crust and dot with 2 Tbsp of butter/margarine. As I said in a previous pie recipe post, I use the cheap store brand pie shells which are pre-made, rolled and in a box. Add the top crust, cut slits to allow the steam to escape. Bake 400 degrees for 40-45 mins. You may want to put aluminum foil around the edge of the pie to prevent the crust from burning.
The week is going to go by fast and I can’t wait to see everyone who’s coming to Jamie and Curt’s wedding reception. Pictures coming soon…
One of the reasons for stopping at the Union Orchard on our way home was to buy the girls a caramel apple. Once I was there, though, I really thought an apple pie sounded good. So, I went to the frozen section of the store and decided that spending $13 for a frozen pie was a little outrageous. Sometimes convenience is a good thing but not this time. Instead, I bought some of their #2 grade apples (with slight damage) at $.69 lb. I had a box of ready-made pie crust in the freezer and opted to put my own apple pie together.
I used to make my pie dough from scratch but after going to all the work of making a pie from scratch and then making the next one with the convenient crust and hearing Jim say he liked the second one better I thought, “well, hey, why go to all the work of making dough when he likes the ready-made one better”. So, I’ve been buying the cheap pie crusts from the dairy freezer ever since. One box equals one pie (top and bottom crusts) and I buy the cheap brand.
A couple more tips: Use a vegetable peeler to peel the apple. It works so much better than a knife and saves the fruit from being thrown away.
When putting the top and bottom crusts together, dampen the edge of the bottom crust before putting the top crust on. After the top is in place, work your way around the pie and pinch the two together before crimping the edge. My grandma gave me that tip.
Here’s my apple pie recipe – simple and GREAT!
6 cups sliced apples 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup white sugar 1 Tablespoon margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg
1 Tablespoon cornstarch (maybe just a little more than a tablespoon)
Mix dry ingredients and toss with fruit. Add lemon juice and dot with margarine. Brush top crust with milk and sprinkle cinnamon/sugar on top. Bake at 425 degrees for 50 – 60 minutes.