Pick Up Sticks

Easter Goodies

Last night I came home to a rather large box on my front porch.  I knew I hadn't ordered anything so I hurried to find out what it was.  The return address belonged to my aunt.  We had talked on the phone the week before after she received my knitted memory gift.  She asked me about Easter and whether I made the traditional foods we usually had growing up for a Ukranian Easter.    I told her yes - mostly although I did not make Paska - a sweet egg rich Easter bread - or nut rolls.  She promised to look for an extra cookbook from her church - the church I grew up in.  It would have the recipes I wanted to make these traditional foods.

I thought maybe the box contained the cookbook - but it was larger and heavier than that.  I opened it up to find a beautiful loaf of Paska - the traditional round loaf with braids crossed over the top - a huge nut roll, and kielbasa - the good kind I can't find in my area.

picture from wikipedia
Ok...this isn't a picture of my Aunt's...I popped hers in the freezer until next weekend...but it looks similar to hers...although hers was more golden and perfectly round.  It is a wonderful bread filled with sweetness and eggs and raisins to break the long fast of lent.  

I love keeping up the traditions of my family.  It is funny because my husband is also Ukranian so we have the same holiday traditions.

Easter dinner at my grandparents was always wonderful - my grandparents were quiet unassuming people who loved family and tradition.  Easter dinner consisted of ham, kielbasa, beets ground with horseradish, paska, hrudka - which is a sweet bland cheese custard, butter that had been softened and shaped into a lamb, Pysanky eggs, poppyseed and nut rolls and so much more.  It was a tradition to place your Easter foods in a beautiful basket lined with embroidered linens and to take this to the church to be blessed. 

picture from learnpysanky.com  

Each food item was symbolic - for instance the paska or bread is symbolic of Christ Himself, He Who is our Bread of life. It is usually baked as a round loaf with a golden crust decorated with some symbol indicative of Christ, such as a braided cross. Sometimes a cross of dough is placed on top, and the entire loaf rimmed with a braided plait of dough giving it a crowned effect.  Sometimes the abbreviation XB is used (in Cyrillic writing - the initials for "Khrystos Voskrese!" - "Christ is Risen!").

On Easter morning after mass we would walk back to my grandparents. The meal would begin with a prayer and then my grandfather would cut one of the blessed eggs into portions - one for each person at the meal.  This ritual symbolized family unity and the hopes for a happy and prosperous year until next Easter. 

We have a speciall meal also for Christmas Eve and Christmas - again filled with Ukranian traditions.  What I love is that my children - my boys - love these traditions and have learned to make some of the traditional Ukranian foods - like pirogis and halupki (cabbage filled with meat and rice).  My grandparents didn't live long enough to see my children as adults and to see them carry on the traditions of our families - but I know they would be proud.

Thanksgiving 2009

I have so much to be thankful for in my life...I have a wonderful, caring husband, two great sons, a DIL I adore, a fabulous loving family, good health and so much more.

We are hosting Thanksgiving today...there will be about 10 people for dinner...with our son and DIL stopping in later for dessert as well as a few others for dessert.  I love a houseful of people...and now that we added on to the house we finally have the room for it...our house is still tiny...but I love our little cottage.

We planned dinner so that most of it was done early and we could enjoy our family and friends and not spend the whole day in the kitchen.  Yesterday I made the stuffing, mashed potatoes and a sweet potato casserole.  It is misty and foggy outside.  My hubby had to put up a canopy over the patio so he could set up the smoker.  It is supposed to be sunny and 58 today...we'll see.

Now the turkey is in the oven, a turkey breast is in the smoker...and all I need to do is vacuum and touch up the bathroom.  Then it will be a shower and then I can settle in with some Christmas gift knitting until people start showing up.  The rest of the meal is easy to finish because I worked my butt off yesterday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Brining and Smoking a Turkey Breast

My husband and his brothers love to smoke...and I don't mean cigarettes!  Three of the 4 brothers...as well as our oldest son...own smokers.  This is something I never really thought I would enjoy...smoked meat...but have been pleasantly surprised with their results over the years.  The men have smoked beef roasts, ribs, sausage, brisket and chicken...at least that is what I have tried.

My husband wanted to smoke a turkey breast for Thanksgiving.  He did some research online - he reads smoking blogs like I read knitting blogs - and found a recipe. Tuesday night he gathered his ingredients and mixed up the brine and began soaking the turkey.  Luckily we now have a second fridge because this took up a lot of room.  My understanding is that brining adds flavor and keeps the turkey very moist.  The only other thing we have brined before smoking was chicken...so maybe it is a poultry thing.

Tonight he will take the turkey out of the brine, pat it dry and apply a rub to the outside.  It will then be wrapped in plastic wrap and put back into the fridge.

Thursday he will be up early to get the charcoal going in the smoker...the coals need to reach a certain temp before the meat is placed inside.  Then the rest is easy...just making sure the coals stay at the proper temp and watching the temp of the turkey...you heat it to about 5-10 degrees below what is considered "done" since it cooks a little more once removed from the smoker.

I took the afternoon off and have spent it roasting sweet potatoes...once they cool I will mix with melted butter, a little brown sugar and OJ and place in a casserole and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.  Then it will be ready for the oven tomorrow.  I love sweet potatoes...but not the sickening sweet candied kind...or ones with marshmallows...yuck!  I made this concoction last year and it is delicious!

I also made the mashed potatoes...tons...because there was a small issue last Christmas at my BIL's where he ran out of mashed potatoes before everyone had some...not happening here!

And I have started on the stuffing...almost done.  All this prep will make tomorrow a breeze...so I can enjoy some sangria!

Now I just need to straighten up and do a little cleaning...thank goodness I took the afternoon off! 

Summer Evenings

Last night - Saturday - was a perfect summer evening.  We cooked on the grill and had a salad made with lettuce and tomatoes from our garden.  It was cool and breezy which kept the bugs away.  We ate on the patio and stayed out there after dinner...me knitting my upstairs wrap...hubby on the laptop...enjoying a beer...or two.

 

 

We then decided to out together our new tent.  We bought a smaller tent for just the two of us.  We camped often with the boys growing up.  Next weekend will be the first camping for just the two of us.  We are planning a relaxing trip to Ohiopyle State Park for 4 days...with lots of down time...some hiking...a trip to a winery...marshmallows cooked over the fire.

The tent directions said 'goes together in minutes"...well 30 minutes later it was together...the rain canopy is still on a little wonky...

Back to Reality

Jan. 2, 2009

Well it was a rough morning getting up today and heading back to work.  After a long New Year’s Day, I struggled to get moving.  I hate to have to head off to work when my hubby has the day off – it just seems so unfair!  But he has a busy day planned.  He is heading off to Best Buy to pick up a new 42” TV which was a surprise present for our new room from my parents.  He is also installing a new faucet in the kitchen along with an under-the-sink water filter.  He is going to finish cleaning up after our party…most everything was washed and put away last night before we went to bed except two crusty crockpots which were soaking and some glassware that needs to be put away.

 

The large crusty crockpot held a family favorite – not one I’ve made before but one of my hubby’s Aunt’s recipes – Cottage Potatoes.  Actually for years she has brought it to family gatherings and I have never tasted them…they always get eaten within 15 minutes by everyone else.  My niece often makes them as well and I tasted one small bite at our family’s annual Memorial Day picnic last year.  So I decided to make them for New Year’s and doubled the recipe since they always go so fast.  Believe it or not there was one small bowl left at the end of the day – probably because our youngest son wasn’t there to eat his portion.  The recipe is an interesting mix but surprisingly good – although very fattening.

 

Aunt Barbara’s Cottage Potatoes

6-8 boiled potatoes (cubed)

1 med. onion (diced)

1/2 lb. velvetta cheese (cubed)

3 slices bread (cubed)

1/2 cup melted butter

Parsley

salt and pepper

Toss all ingredients into a greased baking dish.

Top tossed potatoes with 1 Cup milk and sprinkle corn flakes over all.

Cover and bake at 350 for 30-45 mins.

Uncover and bake 5mins or more to brown. 

We usually make this ahead of time and then put in a crockpot for family.  If the potatoes get a little dry you can always add more milk to the mixture.  They are so yummy!

 

The other crusty crockpot was my Little Dipper.  I had never used this before but saw a recipe for a Pizza Fondue/Dip that sounded interesting and was so easy.  I used 1 cup of chunky tomato sauce, 1 cup of shredded cheese (I used a mix of mozzarella, parmesan and sharp cheddar) and about 15 slices of pepperoni – diced.  You just put this in a small crockpot and let everything melt together and then serve with whatever you want to dip…the recipe said crackers, breadsticks or tortilla chips.  I sliced up a crusty baguette and people loved it...I actually made 3 or 4 batches of it through out the day – heating it up in the microwave because it was faster – and then adding it to the crockpot.  By halftime of the game we were out of baguette slices and I cut up some of the crusty rolls and people used those.  It was a hit and so super easy and adaptable to your tastes – whatever kind of sauce or cheeses you like or had on hand.

 

We have lots of fun family gatherings as my hubby’s family is large – 4 boys and 10 grandkids –also known as the “cousins” – 9 boys and 1 beautiful young lady – although the boys are quite a nice looking bunch as well.  They range in ages from 30 down to 19 – the youngest being our youngest son.  They are a great group of kids and all get along very well and are very close – which is so nice.  Now there is a mix of wives and girlfriends - and one boyfriend -  and they get along as well.  They are a protective group and look out for one another even though they are spread out across the country – from PA to OH to CA. 

 

Love being a part of this family!

Loving the Cold Weather

I have been joking with Carrie from CA about the weather.  She commented on her blog that it was cold there - 43 degrees.  It has been in the teens here in PA and I am loving the cold weather.  We even had a small amount of snow this past weekend...enough to make me hope for more...but after our youngest son gets home from college on Thrusday!

Winter makes me want to eat soup!  Every weekend I make a pot of soup and eat it all week for lunch plus one night for dinner with a loaf of good bread.  My hubby likes soup as well but can't eat it all week long like me.  I could literally eat soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner - EVERY DAY!  Any leftovers get frozen and handed off to my father-in-law who I always send home with tons of leftovers so he doesn't have to cook just for him.

I found a listing of tons of soup recipes on this blog.  I have copied lots of the recipes to add to my favorites.  Most of the time I don't use recipes - just wing it with whatever ingredients I am hungry for.  Today's lunch is Pasta E Fagioli-  a recipe based on a copycat of the Olive Garden's soup.  I love their salad as well and found a copycat recipe for their salad dressing ...may have to try that out as well.

Our addition is now under roof and has all the windows in - all 11! The electrician was in to start yesterday and will finish today - with lights and heating.  The french door gets delivered today as well...so maybe Mark - our contractor - can work in a heated room tomorrow.  Drywall should be almost done by the end of the week!  See my UGLY garage in the background!  That gets sided this spring - come hell or high water!

Secret Passion

Well...amongst my friends and family it's not so secret...but I adore tea.  I love everything about it.  I love making a pot of tea, the coziness of a hot mug wrapped in your hands, the comfort it gives me.  I have been drinking tea since I was small.  I come from a line of tea drinkers.  My mother use to make us mugs of tea with lots of milk and sugar and called it chamomile tea - like in the story of Peter Cottontail and Mr. McGregor's garden.  I never knew what chamomile tea really was until I grew up!  I grew up drinking plain old Lipton tea...nothing else would do. 

When flavored teas became the hit I hated them and couldn't force myself to drink them.  Then I realized that the flavored teas I was drinking were not good ones - just the supermarket brands that tasted like they had kool-aid added to them.  I then found better teas - like Stash  and Twinings- and then moved to loose teas.  Now I buy most of my teas at a wonderful shop called One Good Woman.  This shop is really known for its coffee but has a huge wall of loose tea which you can buy by the ounce which makes it very affordable to try new teas.  Their website does not do their shop justice!

My hubby and sons are coffee drinkers...I love the smell of fresh brewed coffee but can't get over the bitterness.  But now they also like tea.  Last night I put on the kettle and we all had tea.  It's so soothing!

Because of my passion for tea I collect teapots and tea kettles.  I have several teapots that I use on a a daily basis.  My newest is a sweet teapot with a scuba jacket! 

 

It is in my favorite limey green color and has a strainer for loose tea.  This pot is headed to work with me.  Usually I use teabags at work...because it's easy...but I've decided to splurge and take a pot with me and some good tea.

Next on my list of tea related passion are tea cosies!  I have some old linens from my husbands grandmother sitting in a box and have been making cosies for my tea pots.  I also want to knit some - especially like the ones in a post from several weeks ago. 

Its amazing how one passion leads to new ones!

Glorious Day

Today was a glorious day with family, good food and wine.  We met our oldest son and daughter-in-law as well as their friends and our younger son at Adams County Winery near Gettysburg.  They were having  a concert at the winery with free tastings.  We all brought food to share and drank lots of good wine.  The band - Complete Circle - was wonderful.  The food was great.  The weather was gorgeous.  The company was superb!

My DIL (in the middle) and Son

  

My hubby, Jill and Tim.

 

My Silly DIL!

Me and my boys...I NEVER get my picture taken...so this is BIG - and so am I :(