Common Ground Coffee House #114

[Spinach]

Hello, everyone!

The garden is nearly done for the year and my canning is nearly done as well. I have some tomatoes, grapes, and quince yet to finish up. What a great canning season it has been!

I sold my goat. She ended up being eaten. That made me sad----what a sappy girl I am!

The kiddos are really into chess these days. They're starting to give me a run for my money.

Hope y'all are well!

 

[annsni]

Oh Spinach! How sad that your goat was eaten! I know it happens but it's sad when we've gotten to know them and their personality. I'm sorry.

Things are still busy here. We just got back from our 2 week vacation and my computer died. Fortunately I have DH's laptop that I can hop on but my computer time is abbreviated now, which might not be a bad thing. I've got to finish cleaning and getting ready to start homeschooling in 2 weeks (when the public schools start around here). I'm looking forward to the fall and preparing for winter. Now that we're through our trip, I can now start stocking up for winter and yesterday I got a bunch of Campbell's soups on sale (classic chicken noodle and tomato) as well as Kraft Mac and Cheese (I know - none are really healthy but we use them about once every week or so during the winter so I might as well get them when they're on sale!). I'll continue to stock up as I see things because, as far as I'm concerned, once we get past our August vacation, summer is over. LOL

So Spinach - do you have any suggestions on how to preserve pears? Our pear tree in our yard, that we've ignored these 17 years because of the 2-3 mini fruits it's produced each year decided to give us about a 1/2 bushel of Bartlett pears! I still need to get a ladder to get the fruit on the top of the tree (only about 8 or 9' tall) so it may end up being even more fruit! Pretty cool, IMO!!

 

[Spinach]

Definitely can them up! I love pears preserved in syrup. My recipes come from the Ball Book.

You can also make pear butter, pear sauce, or spiced pear jelly. Some people like pickled pears, but I'm not one of those people.

Or you can do what my kiddos would so and EAT as many as you want til they're all gone. LOL!

 

[annsni]

Definitely can them up! I love pears preserved in syrup. My recipes come from the Ball Book.

You can also make pear butter, pear sauce, or spiced pear jelly. Some people like pickled pears, but I'm not one of those people.

Or you can do what my kiddos would so and EAT as many as you want til they're all gone. LOL!

I think I'll can some and dehydrate some - then leave the rest for eating. We definitely have enough to do some of each. This is fun! It's the first year we got a real harvest from this tree and we've been here almost 18 years!

 

[Spinach]

That sounds great!

I enjoy canning (especially pickles for some reason) the garden produce, but there is just something special about picking fruit from your own trees and preserving them. I would love to have a pear tree. As it stands now I have several cherry trees, a couple apple trees, several plum trees, a few walnut trees, one hazelnut tree, a quince tree, 2 mulberry trees, and a tree with red berries that I can't identify. I also have grape vines.

The best thing I ever bought for canning was a steamer/juicer. Seriously. I recommend it to everyone!

My cellar is full!

 

[Gina B]

Spinach, my oldest wants us to get a juicer and I definitely agree with her! One thing a naturopathic friend recommended to me was juiced carrots, and since it was also recommended that I take tumeric, I would just add it to the juice, but had to buy it at a juice place...would be nice to make my own.

I LOVE pears! GIMME SOME! :tongue3:

 

[following-Him]

Our apples are almost ready - I hope to be making apple butter again this year.

 

[Gina B]

Be sure to bring some of that apple butter to the coffee house! :thumbs:

Today has been weird. I got up early to make cinnamon muffins for breakfast, then after the kids were off to school I got a call saying two of my students weren't going to show up for appointments so I had extra time! Got to have lunch with hubby, and got dinner ready to be warmed up later to make things go faster and smoother before church tonight.

Made some quick candy and am now waiting for the children to get back. That's always fun, as one gets done first, then about 20 minutes later two more finish, and about 20 minutes after than, two more are released. Three need rides and two don't. Three different schools.

There's nothing new or exciting enough to report as news, except the newspaper hasn't called me with any requests and I haven't come up with any great ideas to call them with, and I hope that one of us gets our act together soon so I can do some reporting! I MISS IT!

Hope y'all (see, I can talk like that for REAL now!) are doing okay and that some of the regulars pop on in with updates!

 

[following-Him]

Gina, I would love the recipe for cinnamon muffins please :thumbs:

Rob has been busy painting the woodwork in the bathroom and gloss paint sets off my asthma so we are making a quick exit to McDonalds for breakfast. Unfortunately we Brits don't do breakfast the way it is done in the US, so McD's is the only place around here we can go for pancakes :wavey:

 

[annsni]

Morning all! The weather here has definitely been showing us that fall is coming soon. Nights have been getting into the upper 50s and is SO wonderful for sleeping and waking up. I love getting up, putting on a warm sweatshirt and having my quiet time on the porch with a hot cup of tea.

Some exciting things are going on here in our home with my husband's ministry and, while I can't say anything until the pastor's meet to talk about it, I can say that we would covet your prayers for God's guidance and wisdom. It's so neat to see how God uses something that we thought was terrible and turns it into a great opportunity and motivation.

I'm heading out in a bit to go riding then I'm back home to clean up this place. I've been busy running the last few days, so things have gotten out of hand at home. I will then make breaded chicken cutlets for dinner and will serve it with mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans. Simple but good dinner.

 

[Friend of God]

Good Morning Everybody,

Yeah, guess I better check in, hadn't I? We've been so busy lately that I just forgot about the Coffeehouse. Sorry about that.

Our Daughter and her Husband surprised us with the news that they are expecting their first child. This will be our 7th Grandchild.

I've been busy getting the yard ready for fall, and generally cleaning up around here.

I brought in Eggs, Pancakes, Bacon and Home Fried Potatoes for anybody who is interested.

Everybody had a great time while we were camping. It was a nice change of pace for a week.

School starts the day after Labor Day, and for once we're ready.

Time to get more work done. I promise I'll check in more often.

 

[following-Him]

Welcome back Friend of God, it is good to see you posting again.

 

[Gina B]

Gina, I would love the recipe for cinnamon muffins please :thumbs:

Rob has been busy painting the woodwork in the bathroom and gloss paint sets off my asthma so we are making a quick exit to McDonalds for breakfast. Unfortunately we Brits don't do breakfast the way it is done in the US, so McD's is the only place around here we can go for pancakes :wavey:

Following-Him, I use a basic recipe I got offline, with just a couple minor differences. Here it is!

2 C flour
3 tsp powder
salt
1/2 C sugar
1 egg
1 C milk
1/4 C veg oil
Cinnamon

Mix the dry stuff together. Beat the egg into the milk, then stir it into the dry stuff you already mixed.

I use about 1/2 tsp salt and just as much cinnamon as I want.

Pour it into greased and floured muffin tins...it should make about 12 medium size muffins. Fill them about 2/3 of the way full.

Then make topping for them by cutting about 5 and 1/2 tsps of butter into 3/4 C flour and then adding 1/2 cup of sugar. I add cinnamon to this too, but if you put a lot of cinnamon in the muffins, you don't have to add any. I just LOVE cinnamon. hehehe

Anyhoo, I add this crumbly topping...lots of it cuz I love that too. This means the muffin tins are filled, but not overflowing, just kinda straight across.

Then ya bake 'em...somewhere between 375 and 400 F, depending on how your oven works and what kind of pan you're using...if you need an absolute just go with 375. I'm not sure how long to tell you...just until they smell all yummy and they're springy to the touch but not overdone...if you stick a metal paring knife in the center of one and it comes out clean or almost all the way clean, they're done.

 

[following-Him]

Thanks Gina :thumbs:
I will make the recipe for Rob as soon as he can eat again - he has just had a tooth out and had to have stitches so is quite uncomfortable. These muffins will be something for him to look forward to

 

[annsni]

I found a recipe for muffins that I want to make too. When we were at Mystic Seaport, they had a muffin called "Morning Glory" and my husband loved them, so I got them for him the morning we left. The other night as I was going through some old books before donating them to the library, I found a recipe for them so I'll try them! They have raisins (soaked in rum - oooohhhhh!!), coconut, apples, carrots and pecans. They sound really hearty! It makes 16-20 so I'm guessing I'll be freezing a batch of them or else sending them into church. Think the Baptist staff would mind rum-soaked raisins?? LOL

 

[following-Him]

I found a recipe for muffins that I want to make too. When we were at Mystic Seaport, they had a muffin called "Morning Glory" and my husband loved them, so I got them for him the morning we left. The other night as I was going through some old books before donating them to the library, I found a recipe for them so I'll try them! They have raisins (soaked in rum - oooohhhhh!!), coconut, apples, carrots and pecans. They sound really hearty! It makes 16-20 so I'm guessing I'll be freezing a batch of them or else sending them into church. Think the Baptist staff would mind rum-soaked raisins?? LOL

This Baptist won't object!! Can you please share the recipe? Maybe all this talk about muffins is worthy of a new thread? :laugh:

 

[annsni]

This Baptist won't object!! Can you please share the recipe? Maybe all this talk about muffins is worthy of a new thread? :laugh:

All these muffins might be creating a hazardous condition known as "muffin top". I know I fight it here - not sure about others. LOL

But here's the recipe (sorry the raisins are soaked in brandy, not rum):

Morning Glory Muffins

2 1/2 cups sugar
4 c. flour
4 tsp. cinnamon
4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup raisins, plumped in brandy and drained
1 cup coconut, shredded
4 cups shredded carrots
2 apples, shredded
1 cup chopped pecans
6 eggs
2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Lightly dust the raisins with flour. Add the coconut, carrots, apples and nuts and stir well. Add the eggs, oil and vanilla, stirring only until combined.

Spoon batter into muffin tins and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Muffins should "ripen" for 24 hours for maximum blending of flavors.

 

[following-Him]

Annsni, the recipe looks delicious. Just the kind of thing to take to a church bring and share! as well as making for when we have people round here. Many thanks! :flower:

 

[annsni]

Annsni, the recipe looks delicious. Just the kind of thing to take to a church bring and share! as well as making for when we have people round here. Many thanks! :flower:

I'd think that if you didn't want to use brandy, you could use apple juice to plump up the raisins instead. I'm going to make a batch each way and see how they turn out. I do think they sound like very hearty muffins that can hold you over in the morning. They might be great for my teens when they head out to school/college each morning. That and a yogurt and you'd be set, you know?

 

[Gina B]

All these muffins might be creating a hazardous condition known as "muffin top". I know I fight it here - not sure about others. LOL

Are you aware of one of the greatest inventions on this planet? It's a MUFFIN TOP PAN! You can make just the top with none of that irritating middle stuff in it. LOL

Now if they'd just make a pan that makes fried chicken without all that pesky meat...