Easy and Quick French Bread

This is an easy recipe that anyone can make. In the past, I have used an electric bread maker but was not very happy with the results.  The whole process seemed intimidating! Not anymore with this quick and easy French Bread recipe. Enjoy!  Please comment if you have questions; I will be glad to help!

Homemade French Bread

YIELD  3 loaves

TOTAL TIME  1 hour 5 minutes

ACTIVE TIME 45 Minutes / 20 minutes cook time

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons Yeast

1/2 cup Warm Water

2 cups Hot Water

3 Tablespoons Sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons Salt

⅓ cup Oil

6 1/2 cups Flour

1 Egg for brushing on bread

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small bowl, dissolve your yeast in ½ cup warm water. Make sure that your water is warm (not too cold, not too hot). Let proof for 10 minutes.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, combine hot water, sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups of the flour and mix together. Add the yeast mixture to a bowl.
3. Add the remaining 3 ½ cups of flour, one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Watch for it to start pulling away from the bowl to know it's ready. Once all of the flour is added, let sit for 10 minutes.
4. Separate your dough into 3 pieces. On a floured surface roll each piece into a 9x12 rectangle. Roll it up like a jelly roll. Shape into a french bread loaf and smooth out edges.
5. Place the dough on a greased baking pan, parchment paper or silicone mat

Bit by the Quilting Bug

In January I talked my quilting buddy, Betty, into getting a pattern from the instructor of the first class we took in 2018. The instructor was having another class on how to make an “Irish Chain” quilt. I was able to get the pattern for Betty and I and we had a little retreat at her lake house with high hopes of finishing our quilts in only one weekend!!! We had only one small hiccup; the instructions had an error. We got quite a bit done but had to forgo finishing the quilts until we could talk to our instructor. I ended up buying more material and getting everything together - I have almost finished mine. I need to complete the quilting and binding. This is a picture of it after I basted it.

Irish Chain Quilt

Now to the reason I say I have been bitten by the Quilting Bug is because even though I haven’t finished the Irish Chain Quilt; I have started two more projects. Baby quilts for my stepdaughters two girls which they may not get until they are five years old! Especially since my garden has kept me extremely busy this summer.

Here is a picture of the two baby quilts. 

The Hour Glass Quilt

Hour Glass Baby Quilt - I actually took this to a very sweet lady that my mother-in-law knows in Salem, KY to have it quilted after I finished piecing it together and then I did the binding.  I finished this a couple weeks ago.

The Pinwheel Quilt 

Pinwheel Baby Quilt - I have not quilted this one yet.  I may try to quilt this one myself - the only way I know is straight line quilting across but I love the little swirls of the hour-glass quilt so I am not sure which I will choose.

I have a couple more quilts in mind that I want to do and of course I have the pattern and some of the material. I have been bitten!

It’s never too late!

It’s never too late to teach and old dog a new trick or so they say! I have always loved to sew and decided to take a class last year; which was actually 4 classes with the end result being a quilt. The name of the quilt pattern is “Tribal Song Quilt”. I talked my buddy Betty into taking it with me and we had so much fun! I met some really nice ladies!

I will admit that making a quilt is not easy. There is a lot of measuring, cutting then ripping and starting over. Oh I forgot to mention ironing - lots of ironing! I think the most stressful part was having a deadline. Each class we had to have something completed on our own by the next class. The instructor would show us what to do. My husband told his mom that “she almost had a nervous breakdown”; mostly because I would wait till the day before to do our assignments. I am tend to procrastinate but I work well under pressure. 

Learning how to quilt was an eye opener. I wish I had started it years ago! I have always embroidered and I quilted a small baby quilt by hand for my first child but never quilted anything on this scale.  

I have been bitten by the quilting bug! 

If there is anything you want to do no matter what age you are do it - It’s never too late!

Tribal Quilt-Pattern by Lo & Behold Stitchery

Crazy Canning Lady

My boss recently dubbed me the "Crazy Canning Lady" because every weekend and even during the week if asked what did you do this weekend? last night? my answer is always canning this or that! I have stayed up until 2 am canning green beans which I swear I will never do again; too hard to go to work the next day.

My husband has helped a great deal and I think takes great joy (in a - "haha you have to can all this") in bringing in buckets full of beans, tomatoes and potatoes. He helped me "put up" a lot of our vegetables this year.

Tomato Fence in Raised Bed

Cucumber Fence in Raised Bed

I have been blessed this year with a beautiful garden! I am so pleased with the fences that we put up for the tomatoes and cucumbers to grow on. I still have squash which is unusual this late in the summer. the squash bugs usually have destroyed the plants by now.



I took a day off this week just to do canning. I am still getting tomatoes, banana peppers and cucumbers. I have probably about 100 jars on my dining room table.

Canning 2016

My canning list - summer 2016 (125 jars to be exact!)

6/30 - Bread & Butter Pickles - 9 pints
7/02 - Bread & Butter Pickles - 8 Pints
        - Banana Peppers (Cowboy Candy) - 5 1/2 pints
7/04 - Vegetable Soup - 14 quarts
7/05 - Green Beans  - 11 quarts
7/10 - Tomatoes - 11 quarts
7/11 - Tomatoes - 6 quarts
7/16 - Spaghetti Sauce - 14 quarts
        - 14 day pickles  - 2 gallons
7/17 - Chili Base - 5 pints
        - Banana Peppers (Cowboy Candy) - 6 pints
        - Dill Pickles - 4 quarts
7/23 - BBQ Sauce - 7 - 12 oz jars
7/24 - Salsa - 9 pints
7/26 - Cucumber Relish - 13-1/2 pints
   
Most of the recipes from this list came from my Home Preserving Book and several of the recipes came from family members.  One of the best way to  keep the tradition of canning going is to pass it on to the younger generations. If anyone is ready to learn how to can just leave me a comment and I will be happy to show you.  I will be canning more Salsa and some potatoes in the next few days.   Its a lot of hard work but come winter when you open a jar of Salsa or green beans it will take you right back to summer! 

4th of July - Canning

Instead of celebrating America this weekend I spent most of my time canning. Saturday I made bread and butter pickles along with some "cowboy candy" which is made with jalapeño or banana peppers.  Sunday we went to the Steadman family reunion. ,Monday the 4th my husband and I canned vegetable soup.

We have been so blessed this year with an abundance of vegetables. Canning to me is a very satisfying chore. It's hard work and I love hearing the lids "pop" when they seal.

Garden Bounty

The thing that makes gardening so worth the effort is the bounty. It brings to mind the old adage "you reap what you sew" and in this instance you really do!

Zucchini, Squash, Cucumbers

Squash is one of my favorite vegetables. Growing up we only ate it fried. I have several recipes that me and my family really enjoy. One of my husbands favorite recipe is Squash Casserole. We also like a creamed version cooked in a skillet.

I am getting so much squash and zucchini that I have already been sharing the bounty!

These are a few of my favorite squash recipes! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Creamed Squash

by Shirley Loveless

YIELD 4 or 5 servings  

ACTIVE TIME 10 min 

TOTAL TIME

 30 min

---

INGREDIENTS

• • 4 or 5 squash, sliced
  • 1 can Pet milk
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 cup sugar

---

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Stew squash then drain.
  2. Put in frying pan
  3. Add 1 can Pet milk, butter, sugar, salt and pepper
  4. Bring to a boil then cut down to low and simmer till it thickens.

---

NOTES

My mother in law gave me this recipe but there were not actual measurements. So basically the sugar, salt and pepper are to taste.

This is one of those recipes that you really do not measure and is just thrown together and it is delicious!

Yellow Squash Casserole 
allrecipes.com

YIELD

 1 - 9x13 inch pan

ACTIVE TIME

 20 mins

TOTAL TIME

 50 mins

INGREDIENTS

• • 4 cups sliced yellow squash
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 35 buttery round crackers, crushed
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons butter

---

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Place squash and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in a small amount of water. Cover, and cook until squash is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and place in a large bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together cracker crumbs and cheese. Stir half of the cracker mixture into the cooked squash and onions. In a small bowl, mix together eggs and milk, then add to squash mixture. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cracker mixture, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

• 
  

• Chicken and Vegetables Medley

  by Shirley Loveless

  YIELD

   4 to 6 Servings

  ACTIVE TIME

   15

  TOTAL TIME

   115
  INGREDIENTS

  • • Chicken Thighs (boneless, skinless)
    • 3 cups potatoes sliced round and thin
    • 3 cups squash sliced round and thin
    • 1 sweet onion, sliced thin
    • 1 or 2 green sweet peppers sliced
    • Seasoning Salt
    • McCormick Kickin Chicken Seasoning
    • Butter
    • Aluminum Foil

  ---

  INSTRUCTIONS

  • 1. Preheat Oven 350°
    2. You will need a big sheet of aluminum foil and spray one side with Pam non-stick spray
    3. Slice potatoes, squash, onions and peppers
    4. Spread on the foil in layers in middle leaving enough room on sides and ends to fold and make a pocket
    5. Season the vegetables with the seasoning salt to your liking
    6. Season the chicken with the McCormick Kicken Chicken Seasoning
    7. Add chicken to the top of the vegetables
    8. Add pats of butter to your veggies
    9. Form pocket with the aluminum foils and seal tightly
    10. Place in 9x13 Glass or aluminum pan and bake for 1 hour
• 
  

Strawberry Freezer Jam

This is what I have left to do!

My dad went to Crossroads this past weekend to buy strawberries from Merlin Blackwoods farm.  I asked him to get me four gallons of strawberries for $9.00 each. They are yummy but what was I thinking! I have been busy yesterday evening and today making strawberry freezer jam. I made 8 pints, 17 half-pints and 3-4 oz jars. I still have two gallons and 1 quart of strawberries left.

This is my Mother-In-Law's recipe:

Strawberry Freezer Jam

  

1 quart strawberries (2 cups crushed)
4 cups sugar
Mix berries and sugar well
Separately combine 3/4 cup water, 1 box Surejel and bring to boil, boil 1 min stirring constantly
Stir the Surejel/water mixture into the strawberries and stir for 3 min.
Ladle into jars
Leave at room temperature for 24 hours. Put in freezer.