January is Half Over ...I can't believe it!!!!!

Everything has been moving soooooooo fast since my last post.  I'm afraid that the colder weather here has kept me from being on the computer very much and my mouse is looking for a warm place to hibernate.
Right before Christmas was my last post...much has happened since, however, if I tried to catch Y'all up, we would be lost in the past...
Sooooo, I'll shoot some photo's out with a caption or two of what has been going on as I prepare to keep up with what is going on now.

For those of you wondering about the pastel pet portrait, I will get back to it.  The studio is tooo cold to do any lengthy work and the house is not good for pastel work.

Let's relive some of the Holidays at home in Cypress Inn Tennesse!

 

Daniel prepared our scrumptious Christmas Dinner feast of Vegetarian Lasagna.  Now he is a Lover of Pizza, so his lasagna was kind of like a pizza with lasagna noodles instead of crust.  I had given up meat to protest the slaughter houses last year, that is why there was no meat.  But as you can see from the ingredients...no meat was needed.  There was enuff lasagna left for 3 more meals...one meal awaits still in the freezer.

 

 

New Years Day I always cook.  We started a traditional dinner for this many years ago when there was an article  in the Twin Falls (Idaho) newspaper.  Daniel and I incorporated several different dishes to bring Good Luck and Abundance to our New Year.

We always have my version of "Hoppin' John" for the black eyed peas and rice.  Greens vary each year (that's probably why I never have any of the greenbacks in my pocket!Haha)...this year it was spinach with tomatoes & cucumber.  The dressing was homemade mayonnaise from our dear hens eggs...it's the yellow stuff in the yellow bowl, no food coloring, our hens yolks are so orange & sunflower oil is darker than some other oils. Yum! 

Instead of cornbread I made a Cornmeal-Sweet Potato casserole, celebrating the South once more.  The meat is a Pork tenderloin.  Eating the pig is to ensure going forward (there is a rumor that pigs can't go backwards) with your nose in the dirt (lots of good garden work)!!!!!

 

That was our holidays!  All the Santa's have been put to bed to rest until it's time to deliver gifts again and now I start to plan on Spring.  I've been busy distributing manure and dirt from the barn into the planter boxes for the veggies and flowers.

 

Next up...some of the Awesome winter sunsets right here in Southern Middle Tennessee!

 

Until then, I wish you Joy & Love and please visit with me again!

 

Diane

 

One more thing...if you would ever like recipes for my dishes...comment, or email me here

Reaching the Destination

If you can't make your pie in the same day that you picked your Blackberries....keep them in a cool dry place.  They will be fine for a couple of days and do better than in the fridge.  Don't wash them either, until you are ready to eat them.

I just add some fresh water to the container and kind of stir them with my hand.  The sticks and leaves just kind of float to the top.  Then....into the colander they go to drain.
Here is the filling recipe:
You will see the word "about"  because I am not hardline about anything :)
Feel free to substitute your favorite ingredients!

About 6 cups freshly washed Blackberries
About 1 cup white sugar ( I prefer brown, but white makes better juice)
Gently mix these together and let sit for about 10 min. while you assemble the Pie Crust ingredients.
You can preheat your oven at any time now to about 425 degrees.

The Pie Crust has its own story.......which you will now get to read:
     Many, many years ago I used to cry when I tried to make a pie crust because I could not get it to roll out well and it would fall apart before I got it into the plate.  Makes you NOT want to make pies.  However, I persevered and became a competent pie maker.  Later I discovered that I have an allergy to soy...which seems to be in everything.  Shortening is soy.  I'm not big on lard....so what to do?  I asked my mom and she had a simple oil pie dough recipe that you "mash" into the pan....really easy.
     I had changed the oil that I was using and started using Sunflower Oil.  If you like sunflower nuts, this oil gives a wonderful flavor to your pie crust.  I rearranged some of the other ingredients and here is the recipe for the crust:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats (oatmeal)
1  tablespoon dark brown sugar (packed and heaping)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sunflower oil
3 Tablespoons milk

Mix it all together with a small spoon...put into your 10" pie plate and press the dough on the bottom and up the sides to make the crust.

Now to finish the filling:
Stir the Blackberries, they should be juicy by now.
Add 3 Tablespoons of Whole Wheat Flour one at a time and gently stir it in.  This will thicken up the berries, so all the juice doesn't leak out into the pie plate.

Spoon the berries into the crust and as soon as your oven is up to temp., pop it in for about 40 minutes or until it smells and looks like it is ready to come out!

We had some peach ice cream....it was delicious!

Bon Appetite!

Enjoy!