Summer Sausage

One more recipe - I've had a lot of requests for this one! A batch is in the oven right now, I make a double batch at a time because it is so popular. Another double batch is going in the fridge to chill overnight.

It is another family favorite - I've been making this for years. It is great for gifts and for snacks - not just at the holidays but anytime. And very easy to make!





Summer Sausage

2 lbs lean ground beef
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1 c water
2 T tender quick
1/4 tsp onion salt
1 1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke

Mix all ingredients. Shape into three logs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (at least 12 hours) Remove plastic wrap and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at 300 degrees. Refrigerate after cooking. Slice and serve on sandwiches or crackers, with cheese (and, no, I don't have a recipe for cheese - since I've never made any).

I use disposable gloves for the mixing - you really need to get your hands in there tom mix it completely.

Tender Quik has been a little harder to find lately - in our town you can usually find it at Haggen Stores. It used to be available in any market. It is in the section by the salt.

Enjoy!

Cranberry/Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Since several friends have asked for my Cranberry/Pecan Shortbread Cookie recipe I thought I would put it here where I can share with more people. Enjoy - and next - a recipe for Summer Sausage!

Cranberry Pecan Shortbread

Or - The Best Cookie You'll Ever Eat!

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature (do NOT use margarine)

2/3 cup sugar

1 t. vanilla

2 1/3 cups flour

1/2 t. salt

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

2 T cold water

Cream the butter until smooth (about 1 - 2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until smooth and creamy (about 3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla. Gently stir in the flour and salt just until incorporated.

Fold in the chopped pecans and dried cranberries and water (Make sure that the nuts and cranberries are evenly distributed throughout the dough).

Divide the dough in half. You might have to knead the dough a bit to get it to stick together – this is a rather dry dough. Place the dough on a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap. Smooth and shape the dough into an evenly shaped log that is about 10 inches long and 2 inches across . Then thoroughly wrap the shaped logs in the waxed paper or plastic wrap, twist the ends of the paper to seal the logs, and chill for at least two hours, or up to three days. (The logs can also be frozen for about two months. If freezing, it is best to defrost the logs in the refrigerator overnight before slicing and baking.)

Preheat oven to 325, with the rack in the center of the oven. Grease pans or use parchment paper.

Using a thin bladed knife ( I used a good thin, finely serrated knife), slice the logs into ¼ thick cookies. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about ½ inch apart – the cookies don't really spread.

Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes, or until the cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 48 shortbread cookies. What I like about these cookies, besides they are the best tasting in the world – is that you mix them up one day and then bake them another, when the kitchen is clean and there is no mixing-up-cookie-dough mess.

And I always make a double batch (that is all that will fit in my mixer bowl - if I want more I make a second double batch) - they get eaten quickly.

Check Your Craisins

After posting my recipe for Cranberry Nut Bread, my friend Christine sent me this recall notice. I wanted to pass it on to you so if you are planning to make the delicious cranberry bread you can do so safely, after checking your Craisins.

Thank you Christine, for helping make us safe. Do pop over and visit her - she has a fabulous blog and some terrific quilt patterns, for blocks and for quilts. A truly wonderful lady!

Now back to our regularly scheduled holiday baking.

Cranberry-Nut Bread - made with dried cranberries

1cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

zest of one orange

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1 cup dried cranberries (craisins)

1/3 c fresh squeezed orange juice (from the lemon you zested)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the bottom and sides of a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside.

In a large bowl stir together the sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, cranberrries and chopped nuts.

In small bowl beat eggs with a fork; stir in milk, orange zest and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Add the orange juice at this time.

Spread in loaf pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing - if you can wait that long.

11-11-11

Today is a special day - and a special time. When there all elevens in date or time - it is a time for fairies and angels to be about. Be watching for them. I am posting this at 11:11 a.m. - more fairies - the more the merrier. And two more times today we'll have a similar sequence of numbers - at 1:11 p.m. and again at 11:11 p.m., with 1:11 a.m. having already occurred while most of us were sleeping.

Today is a good day to begin something - elevens are a doorway into possibilities. They represent idealism, refinement of ideals, intuition, revelation, artistic and inventive genius. Now is the time to start on that new project, begin planning something big, or make majestic strides in an already planned activity. Write yourself a list of things you want to accomplish before the end of the year - there is time to accomplish much, with the help of 11-11-11 and you own fairies and angels.




And watch for fairies and spirits - they are all about and ready to help us in our endeavors. Do you often look at the clock at 11:11? Fairies and angels are about!! This sequence is a sign that there is a gateway of opportunity opening up - a doorway to possibilities. It is an opportunity for abundance of love in our world - let's all join hands and show love on this special day. And let's take some time for meditating, for we are about to accomplish great things!

Back from West Virginia

We had a wonderful two weeks in West Virginia visiting Rusty, Jamie and our newest grandson Donnie. The weather was wonderful - except for one or two rainy days, they live in a charming, big 100 year old house. I'm still not sure just how many rooms are in the house - but it is three stories tall - so there are lots. I do love old houses, and this one is a charmer.

We took driving tours, visited with Jamie's family, went out to eat, and - played with Donnie. He is the most charming little boy. Just 4 1/2 months old, he laughs and smiles all the time - I've never seen such a smiley baby.

Oh pictures - you want pictures? OK Remember - you did ask.

Donnie and Grampy, both wearing their logger shirts . . .

Donnie and Daddy . . .

And of course we had to take some pictures in his Santa suit for their Christmas card.

I had so much fun taking pictures of Donnie. We would pile up outfits and change him into a new outfit after we had taken a lot of pictures. He never complained one bit about all the clothes changing - and was smiling and happy all the time. He is so adorable.

It was hard to leave WV and come home - but we'll go back again, soon I hope, and hopefully they will get to come out for a visit in the summer.

Photos Taken By Ben

One day this summer we had a picnic at Ben's house - and he used my camera and took pictures of his cat, Zoe.

And Grammy had to take one picture of Ben . . .