Been a Hot Week

Been a scorcher here this week but still better then down in the valley.  yesterday I had to go to a Doctor appointment (4 yr old had to go with me) and it was 77 when I left at noon, 97 when I hot the valley and by 2:20 when we climbed back up out of the valley it was 105 and when we got home it was 91.

I am looking forward to a cool down into the 80's this weekend :).

I had to go out and do the hand watering of the raised beds this morning ad almost got out there to late as it was already getting hot.  But its done whew.

I came upon a muffin master mix, I love things like this. 

http://www.grouprecipes.com/24483/universal-muffin-mix.html

Ingredients

• PLEASE! For best results, before proceeding read ALL directions before making a batch.
• 18 cups flour
• 5 cups sugar (or equivalent substitute)
• 2 1/4 cups dry buttermilkor nonfat dry milk powder
• 6 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon (I reduce cinnamon to 2 Tbsp.)
• 3 teaspoons ground nutmeg (I reduce nutmeg to 2 Tbsp.)

How to make it

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• Combine ingredients and break up any lumps.
• To make 24 regular-sized muffins:.
• Preheat oven to 400°. Coat muffin tins with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, beat 3 to 4 eggs.
• 3 teaspoons vanilla.
• 2 cups water.
• UP TO 1 cup oil or butter.
• Stir in 5-1/2 cups muffin mix and any additional ingredients (listed below) just until moistened. The batter should be lumpy.
• Fill muffin tins full.
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown.
• Applesauce muffins: 1 cup applesauce omit oil.
• Apple muffins: 3 cups raw grated carrots 1 teaspoons gr. cloves 1 cup nuts or raisins sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture before baking.
• Apricot muffins: 1 cup chopped dried apricots.
• Banana muffins: 2 mashed bananas 1 cup walnuts (optional).
• Blueberry muffins: 2 cups fresh or frozen rinsed blueberries.
• Bran-molasses muffins: Use only 3 cups of muffin mix. Stir in: 4 cups bran cereal 1/2 cup molasses 1 cup raisins.
• Butterscotch muffins: 2 (12 oz.) bags butterscotch chips 1 cup chopped nuts.
• Carrot muffins: 2 cups grated carrots 1 cup raisins 1-1/2 teaspoons allspice.
• Cashew muffins: 2 cups unsalted coarsely chopped cashews.
• Cherry muffins: 2 cups fresh or dried pitted cherries.
• Chocolate chip-fudge muffins: 1-1/2 cups cocoa 1/2 cup sugar 3 cups mini chocolate chips.
• Coconut muffins: 3 cups toasted flaked coconut (reserve some to sprinkle on the top).
• Cranberry-orange muffins: 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen cranberries 1 cup nuts 1/2 cup orange juice 2 Tb. orange peel.
• Currant muffins: 1-1/2 cups currants 1 cup chopped nuts.
• Date nut muffins: 1 cup chopped dates 1 cup chopped nuts.
• Eggnog muffins: 4 teaspoons rum extract 2 cups eggnog (omit water from recipe) before baking, top with mixture of: 2 Tb. sugar 1 teaspoons nutmeg 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.
• Fig muffins: 2 cups dried chopped figs 1 cup chopped walnuts.
• Fruit muffins: 2 cups dried diced fruit.
• Garden fresh muffins: 1 cup grated carrots 1 cup grated zucchini 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves.
• Gingerbread muffins: 2 Tb. ground ginger 1/2 cup molasses 2 cups raisins.
• Granola muffins: reduce muffin mix to 4 cups and add: 1-1/2 cups granola. Top with additional granola before baking.
• Grape nuts muffins: reduce muffin mix to 4 cups and add: 2-1/2 cups grape nuts and 1 teaspoons allspice.
• Hazelnut muffins: 2 teaspoons ground cardamom 2 cups chopped hazelnuts.
• Incredible Cream Cheese muffins: combine: 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs. Drop this mix by Tb. onto top of muffins before baking.
• Jam muffins: 1-1/2 cups jam or preserves (strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, cherry) 1 cup chopped nuts (optional).
• Kisses and hugs muffins: 1-1/2 cups cocoa 1/2 cup sugar after filling muffin tins 3/4 full, drop one Hershey’s kiss into the center of each muffin, pushing down slightly until kiss is covered. Ice cooled muffins with confectioners sugar and water glaze.
• Lemon muffins: omit 1 cup water and replace with 1 cup lemon juice use 4 eggs, 1/2 cup chopped nuts.
• Lemon-poppy seed: 2 packages (3.4 oz each) instant lemon pudding mix 2 Tb. poppy seeds use 4 eggs omit 1 cup water and replace with 1 cup lemon juice.
• Mandarin muffins: 2 (8-1.4 oz) cans crushed pineapple (undrained) reduce water to 1 cup 1-1/2 cups shredded carrots.
• Maple muffins: 6 Tb. maple syrup, reduce water to 1-1/2 cups.
• Marmalade muffins: 1-1/2 cups orange marmalade, 1 cup chopped nuts (opt), 1 cup orange juice (omit 1 cup of the water).
• Mincemeat muffins: 1-1/2 cups mincemeat.
• Nutty muffins: 3 cups peanut butter chips 1/2 cup chopped peanuts.
• Oatmeal muffins: reduce muffin mix to 4 cups and add 1 cup oats; use 4 eggs and up to 2 cups raisins or grated apples.
• Orange muffins: 2 cups sour cream,1 cup nuts or coconut (opt), 2 cans (11 oz. each) mandarin oranges, drain; use 4 eggs.
• Peach muffins: 2 cups fresh or one large can (drained) chopped peaches.
• Pear muffins: 2 cups fresh or one large can (drained) chopped pears.
• Peanut-butter banana muffins: 1 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup chopped peanuts 3 mashed bananas.
• Peanut-butter & jelly muffins: 1 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup chopped peanuts; drop 1 Tb. jam into each muffin before baking.
• Pecan muffins: 2 cups chopped toasted pecans, 1 teaspoons maple extract.
• Pineapple muffins: 1 teaspoons ground cloves, 1 large can crushed pineapple, drained 1 jar (7 oz. or about 1 cup) macadamia nuts, chopped.
• Pineapple carrot raisin muffins: 1 cup each: grated carrots, crushed pineapple, drained and raisins 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional).
• Prune muffins: 1 to 2 cups chopped prunes 1/3 cup poppy seeds.
• Pumpkin muffins: 2 cups or 1 can solid pack pumpkin 1 Tb. pumpkin pie spice 1/2 cup each chopped nuts and raisins.
• Raspberry muffins: 2 cups fresh or frozen whole, unsweetened raspberries.
• Rum raisin muffins: 3 teaspoons rum extract or 3 tablespoons rum before baking, top with mix of: 2 teaspoons sugar 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg.
• Sesame seed muffins: 1 cup toasted sesame seeds before baking, top with mix of: 1/2 cup nuts 4 Tb. brown sugar 4 Tb. sesame seeds 2 Tb. flour 1/2 teaspoons each cinnamon/nutmeg.
• Sour cream muffins: omit one cup of the water and add: 1 cup sour cream 2 cups nuts 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (opt.).
• Strawberry muffins: 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, chopped.
• Sweet potato muffins: 1 Tb. allspice 4 Tb. dry orange peel 2 cans (10 oz each) sweet potatoes, mashed, well drained (about 2-1/2 cups).
• Tropical treat muffins: 1 cup dried mango or papaya, chopped 1 cup chopped banana chips or 2 fresh mashed,
• 1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped 1/2 cup coconut 1/2 cup sour cream 2 teaspoons lemon peel, grated.
• Vanilla muffins: 2 packages vanilla chips.
• Walnut muffins 1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts.
• Wheat germ muffins: 2-2/3 cup wheat germ use 4 eggs 1/2 cup extra water before baking, top muffins with mix of: 1/2 cup wheat germ 2 Tb. sugar.
• Yogurt muffins: reduce water to 1-1/2 cups and add: 2 cartons (8 oz each) yogurt -- plain or flavored.
• Zucchini muffins: 2 cups grated zucchini 2 Tb. cinnamon 1 cup chopped nuts (optional).
• Plum muffins: 2 cups fresh or canned plums; chopped.

Time Flys With Work

Its been very busy around here and elsewhere the last couple of weeks.  
Between the garden and helping a son who lives 3 hours west of us and clear off and re shingle his roof.  It was 108 one day and 111 the next.  The days started at 5:30 AM.  I mostly just made sure I kept them in water.  
In the afternoons they came down every few rows  to sit in front of a fan and cool off for about 10 minutes and then went back to it.

The garden has to be watered every other day and almost every day for the hand watering of the raised boxes.

We are still having problems with those dang voles but the new cat Maggie has helping with that some.

Grand daughter Morgan's Little League soft ball team made regional's and will be going to CA after the 19th of July.  Go girls.  They are having a Yard sale and car wash today to raise money to go in the parking lot of the old Wal-Mart.

Recipe from friend  Rita.
 
You need two{2} boxes of cake mix. One can be any  flavor, but the other has to be Angel food Mix them together(shake them) in a big bowl.  
Then store the mixture in an air tight  container until you get the urge for  a dessert.  Then just put 3 TBSP. of the dry  mixture in a big coffee mug and 2TBLS. of water. 
Microwave it for  1 minute and you  will have a single serving of cake.   
Top with fruit, ice cream, whipped cream or  whatever. AWESOME  for those of us who want something sweet every now and  then.

Comments welcome.

Floods in Lewiston this week, Apple jelly

Wednesday the 26th of June the valley had a hum dinger of a storm and in minutes it put down several inches of rain. Daughters friend took this picture.

 

Dh was down town and had to get out of his car and walk in 8-10 inches of rain water.

I made Apple Jelly today before it got hot.  If I do more it won't be until this evening when it cools off again so I don't heat up the house any more today.

Dh has been weeding the garden and watering the tomatoes today.

 

Lots of Rain This Week

It has be a great week for rain with the cool front that came in but now were used to day time temperatures in the 50's and 60's and by Saturday we will be back in the 80's and dry.  So that is going to feel pretty hot to us.

I canned granny smith apples yesterday and still have a row in the box left to do.  I will make more jam with them.

I managed to get my book finished Seeing the Fire and up on Lulu as a paperback and an E book.  I put as low as price on them as I am allowed because I know money is getting tight for lots of folks.

E book,  Link to E book

Paperback, Link to paperback

Pat and Martin Bloomfield have always felt like they were just ordinary folks.  They have done their best to be good people, raise their family and make due as best they can in an ever restricting environment.

            The Second Great Depression is upon them; they have worked hard to put food on the table and help their neighbors.  It isn’t just the financial problems but also the rules and regulations against medical help or medicines for the common man.

 Slowly they have lost all communication with the outside world.  No way to email, call or even write their children or anyone else.

            They both wake one morning having had strange dreams and hearing a quiet voice telling them they are to prepare to be a refuge.  Help beyond the veil is telling them; get ready.

Everyone out there have a good week.

Jams

Hubby is out mowing, first we had to take the blades off and sharpen them from all the hard things that get hit out there (rocks).

Yesterday the temperature got to 58 degrees and we received some rain so we didn't have to worry about watering the garden today.  I had already hand watered the raised herb beds and then it rained lol, today we're 60 deg.  Each day is supposed to be warmer Sunday is supposed to be 79 and then back to the 60's for the rest of the week or cooler.

I also managed to get 2 batches of apple jams made, I ran out of pint jars :(.  Apple Marmalade and Apple Banana Bread Jam.

Apple Banana Bread Jam
3 cups apples, peeled, cored, sliced and cut into 1 inch to 1/2 pieces
1 cup water
3 cups mashed ripe bananas
1 package or 4 tablespoons pectin
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cups white granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Put the apple pieces in a large pot with the water and cook covered for 10 minutes stirring once in a while to help not stick to pot.  Then add the banana and boil for 5 more minutes stirring to not stick.  Uncover and add the pectin bring to boiling and biol 2 minutes.  Add spices, lemon juice and sugar.  Bring to boil and boil 5 minutes stirring to not stick.  Pour into clean jars, put on lids and rings and process in water bath or steam caner 20 minutes for pints.

On Ward

Late getting this one, had so much to do at the beginning of the week, a ton of laundry, cooking up rhubarb we cut in the garden over the weekend and so on.

I just cooked the rhubarb and some left over strawberries into a sauce that I will can up today. 1 Gallon worth.  So nice to be getting it.

We finally got everything into the garden last week while Dave was off from his day job lol.  Potatoes, carrots, beets and corn are popping out of the ground.  We built an inclosure for the tomatoes to not run the rick of losing them again. It can be opened from the sides like roman shades.

Last Saturday morning we ran the soaker hoses down all the rows and then had to run off to grand daughter Sierra's High School Graduation.

Now it will be another two years before 2 more of the grand kids graduate from High School.

We got mom and Chucks house all painted took 10 hours last Friday and there may be some touch up to do yet.  They are putting on two new windows also that hubby is going to help with hopefully to ease the burden on them.

Something new I learned called Nalbinding. I love learning new things. It is very very old and came before knitting and doesn't unravel like knitting or crocheting.  You're basically knotting with a needle.  You use short lengths of yarn and you can use store bought and tie the ends together but real wool is best for joining the ends as the can be easily spliced together.  Youtube has lots of video's.


I had to make a needle because a darning needle just didn't do the right job but can be used to learn.  I went out and took one of our extra hard wood shims to make it with. 
This a new stitch I am trying to get the hang of.

 

 The hat is made with whats called the Oslo stitch.  It was made with a large darning needle. Whats odd is the wooden needle makes a closes neater stitch.

New Grandgirl, Garden, Recipes

 Tuesday 23 May it snowed on us and that night we were 27 degrees. The covered tomatoes froze :(.

 As of May 25 we have a new grandgirl, 1 and 1/2 months early 3 lbs 10 oz. Xoie. Daughter in law had a lot of problems and the baby needed to be taken.  Both are doing well.

We are STILL putting the garden in, we spent Memorial morning pressure washing my mom's home to get ready to paint later in the week.

We came home and tried to work in the garden and managed to get 2 more rows planted and Dave dug and laid more wire and tires.  The the sky opened up and we went in for a while and later we went back out as it slowed down and worked some more and after 30 minutes it started to pour on us so we finished what we were doing and came in soaked but with more done. 

Recipes 

Buttermilk Biscuits KFC Copycat
             2 cups all-purpose flour (I like unbleached)

6 Tablespoons butter or lard
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Cut in the butter or lard until it is of a coarse texture. Add the buttermilk and knead gently but thoroughly.  The dough should be soft but not sticky: if it still sticky add a little more flour. Knead this 1 minute, then wrap in foil or wax paper and refrigerate about 20 minutes.
Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and cut with a biscuit cutter or small glass (edge coated with flour). Put biscuits on your baking sheet and bake them until golden brown, 10-12 minutes.

Apple Marmalade

Makes 3 pints
6 cups apples peeled cored and sliced apples
1 cup of water
1 tablespoon lemon juice

 package fruit pectin
4 cups white sugar
1 lemon, sliced thin, remove seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
In a large stainless or enamel stock pot combine the apples, water and lemon juice. Cover and boil this gently for 15 minutes, stirring a few times to prevent it from sticking. Stir in your fruit pectin. Bring this to a full boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar, lemon slices and cinnamon. Return it to a full boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove it from the heat and ladle into clean hot jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch head space. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes at altitudes up to 1000 feet. Please adjust your times for higher altitudes.