Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Beef Pot Roast Dinner


Sometimes, do you ever just long for a good, old-fashioned pot roast dinner?

My husband smelled this beef pot roast cooking and said, 'Ah, a Real Meal.' See? There's just something about it! Kinda makes you wonder what I serve for dinner the rest of the time, doesn't it!

I think I'm a pretty decent cook, but I'll admit that I hadn't made a beef pot roast dinner for a very, very long time. I happened to have a chuck roast in the freezer, which I usually don't like because they have more fat. But it is the fat that brings that good flavor and helps carmelize the onions, carrots, and potatoes.

This makes a beautiful dinner, takes about 3 hours to roast, and after the first hour, the house smells wonderful! Add to that a fire in the stove, and it's amazing! Just ask our son-in-law! :-) There's nothing like walking in from the cold, snowy outdoors to a warm house and the aroma of a pot roast in the oven. Mmmmm.

Beef Pot Roast Dinner

Preheated 325 degree oven

Sear a 2 1/2 - 3 pound chuck roast in a couple T. olive oil over med-high heat.

Other ingredients:

3-4 potatoes, scrubbed well and halved
4-6 large carrots (Yeah, I have those!!), pared and cut into large chunks
2 cloves of garlic, cut in half
2 large onions, peeled and cut into fourths


In a heavy stainless steel pot, place the roast, then arrange the veggies on top and around it. Carrots first, onions next, and potatoes on top.

Pour a little red wine over the top (maybe 1/3 c.)
Add 1/4 c. water
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and place in 325 degree oven.

Roast for 3+ hours until tender.

Serve to a hungry family!

This should give you enough 'juice' as my mother always called it, to be able to  make a gravy, but I'd recommend that you simply serve this with Real Wisconsin Butter. It's unbelievably delicious!!

P.S. It's not a bad idea to serve a green salad with your pot roast dinner. And it adds a great touch of color! :-)



This post is linked to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
and Tasty Tuesdays
and Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods
and Tuesdays at the Table

Friday, November 26, 2010

St. Paul's Cathedral, London


Although you no doubt realize that this is not Sunday, it is the day of the week when I usually write some sort of travel-related post. In keeping with that trend, I decided to write about St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

There are few things as thrilling as attending the First Sunday of Advent service at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, with my two daughters! 

We arrived at the west front of St. Pauls at 4:30 PM for the 6 PM service, and it was not a minute too soon! The lines became very long and I was glad we had arrived when we did. While we were waiting, we struck up a conversation with a student standing in line next to us, who just happened to be from...Appleton, WI.

 Evening at St. Pauls



Looking up at the interior of the dome




St. Paul's Cathedral - Under the Dome

We were seated in the 223 ft. long nave, just beyond the ticketed guests, so we were close enough and facing the Quire. (The green mark shows where we sat.) Guests were also seated in the north and south transepts. Just before the beginning of the service, lights were dimmed. At that moment, the whole congregation rose and turned to watch as the cantor began and the choir, with a processional cross in front, filed into the nave.


Choirboys, some of whom appeared no more than six years old, processed into the nave, carrying large candles. They stopped once for Scripture reading and anthems, then continued on to the 167 ft. long Quire.



 The beautiful quire at St. Paul's


View of the altar
Photo by Helen Devereaux

It's hard to describe how beautiful and meaningful the service was, reminding us all to focus on the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. The Maker and Ruler of the Universe, our Only Hope for Salvation, left the glories of Heaven to become human and dwell among us. He came to rescue us, bearing our sins in His death on the Cross, satisfying God's justice - that those who trust in Him might live. What amazing grace!

I love to listen to the great cathedral choirs, but I think they can only give us a hint of what it must be like to hear the angels in Heaven singing praises to our risen Savior, God and King!


P.S. By the way, the day after tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent.
 
  
Note: All photos, unless otherwise indicated, were taken from St. Paul's Cathedral website and Wikipedia. They frowned on photo-taking inside the cathedral. :-)

Note: I just checked the outdoor thermometer. It's 8 degrees out there. My dog is lying in the snow and loving it! 


This post is linked to New Friend Fridays
and Friendly Friday Follow
and Friendly Friday 


Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Baby Henry Update

After The Bath
Henry at nearly 3 months
along with his mama, who's a tad older




Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Handcrafted Soaps - Assortment of Six


Who's on your Christmas list?

Need a gift for Mom, Grandma, Teacher, the postman, the vet, your pastor, the piano teacher...

A luxurious bar of handcrafted soap made with only the best quality oils, essential oils, and botanicals is a gift sure to please! My soaps are mildly and pleasantly fragranced and are gentle enough to use on a baby's skin - and yours!

At this price, I will choose your assortment, but don't worry. There will be six different amazing soaps in your order, and each one is wrapped with an attractive label and comes in a cello bag, ready to give as a gift. I ship Priority, so your order should arrive in 2-3 days, according to the USPS.

This is a great price for six handcrafted, gentle-to-your skin soaps that everyone on your Christmas list will love!  Soaps are approximately 4 oz. each.

So why wait? You can visit my store, Soap'n'Such...

...OR, you can order right here, right now!

Our Best Deal -
Assortment of Six: $22.50

Shipping within the U.S. only.











Sunday, November 21, 2010

Music for a Sunday Morning



Church was called off today because of ice that's covering everything from Solon Springs to Menomonie. We'll have church at home today, reading Scripture and praising God for His many blessings, including the great music from Winchester College Chapel Choir, King's College Choir, Hereford Cathedral Choir, and St. Paul's Cathedral Choir.



Friday, November 19, 2010

Brit's Pub

For her birthday, we decided to take our granddaughter, the writer, to a British pub for dinner.  After all, we've been talking about England ever since Anna was with us in London in 2008. But, airfare being what it is, we opted out of Rock & Sole Plaice in London, and went to Brit's Pub on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, just across the street from Orchestra Hall. It's always fun at Brits. In the summer there's lawn bowling on the roof, but not in November.


 Brits on Nicollet

 Brit's, interior



Our server

 
 Anna and her grandma, looking rather blurry
It wasn't the ale.


 Anna and her grandpa, looking over the menu with royalty looking on


 Brits' delicious fish'n'chips
with vinegar!


 and amazing artichoke dip!

The food was great, but most special of all was that we had Anna to ourselves. It was so much fun to spend the evening with her! Of course, England came up in conversation and we talked about where we'd like to travel...as soon as the airlines are giving away round-trip tickets.
 


 Queen Elizabeth II, looking rather faded.
I think they should splurge and get another print!


Anna in the window

Looking across the street toward Orchestra Hall

And of course the evening wouldn't be complete without walking up cold and windy Nicollet Avenue  to spend time at Barnes & Noble Booksellers.

It made Anna's grandma and grandpa very happy that she would spend the evening with us. :-)


This post is linked to New Friend Fridays
and Friendly Friday Follow
and Friendly Friday
and Home and Family Friday







 

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Hearty Winter Soup With Wild Rice


The other afternoon I decided to make soup for dinner, but when I took out one of my soup recipes, I realized that I didn't have all the ingredients it called for. So, what did I do? Well, I did just what you would probably do - I improvised.

This turned out to be a really earthy, hearty soup, one both my husband and I really enjoyed, so I jotted down the changes and decided to share it with you. You'll notice one pretty unusual combination - the fact that I used canned chicken but beef broth. Why? Because when I went to the refrigerator, there was a new box of Kitchen Basics beef broth sitting there, opened, and I wanted to use it up.

Another thing you'll notice about this soup is that it has a contribution from a couple aliens, at least they may be alien to some of you. Are you acquainted with Rutabaga?  Have you met the fragrant Parsnip? Or have you seen it in the produce department and quickly moved to the other side of the street aisle and averted your eyes.


 The Humble Rutabaga


The Impertinent Parsnip
that grows the loooooongest root. When you get them at the store, that long root has been cut off.

Oh stop! You can't possibly know that you don't like rutabaga or parsnips until you've tasted them.  :-) So c'mon, give it a try. This is a great recipe that will make you want MORE. I promise!

Let's get started:
HEARTY WINTER SOUP
With Rutabaga, Parsnip, and Wild Rice

1 Qt. Kitchen Basics Beef Broth
1 13 oz. can chicken breast, drained
4 cans of Petite Diced Tomatoes or 1 Qt. home-canned tomatoes
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3 ribs of celery, sliced
1 large onion, diced
1 med. jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 med. parsnips, pared and diced
4 carrots, pared and diced
1 med. rutabaga, pared and cut into small chunks
1/2 c. wild rice
1 t. cumin
1 t. coriander
1 t. black pepper
1 t. salt
Cayenne to taste

Stir all ingredients, except rice, together in a large stockpot. I have an amazing Martha Stewart pot that I'll have to write a blog post about. I can leave anything on the stove to simmer and it absolutely NEVER sticks. Great pot!  Bring just to a boil, then turn down to very low and cover. Simmer for a couple hours. Then throw in the wild rice and give it a stir before putting the lid on again.  Let simmer another hour.

Once you've added the wild rice, this tends to get more stew-like, so you may want to add a little extra broth.

Serve with a good, coarse, dark bread and Real Wisconsin Cheese! (unless you're from England. In that case, I'd recommend that you visit the Wensleydale Creamery and purchase 'one of each' after tasting all those amazing samples.) I know I should be ashamed. I think my Wisconsin cheese loyalty ends at the Yorkshire border.


P.S. If it makes you cringe to combine beef broth and chicken, it's okay if you use chicken broth, but I can't guarantee that it will be as good as this was. The flavor was really robust and earthy. I felt like I was eating a recipe from 'the old country,' that I should tie my babushka a little tighter, button up my sweater, and build a fire in the stove. 

Oh wait. I do have a fire in the stove.

This post is linked to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday


Saturday, November 13, 2010

The First Snow


Some of my blog readers may remember the backyard photos I posted this summer, the pretty and colorful flower garden hugging the cute little pond with its resident snails and water plants. Well, take a good look at the photo above, for this is what our backyard will look like for the next 4 1/2 or possibly 5 months!

We woke up to a snowstorm this morning, and I see that the bird feeder needs to be brushed off and filled with seed. It's always fun to watch our dogs, Bridger and Misty when they go out into the first snow. They step cautiously out into the snow, and seem a little startled that their outdoor world changed so much overnight!

 View SE from our deck


And this is where our trusty little wood-burning Quadrafire stove comes in. It was probably about 13 years ago that we saw the stove while we were visiting Lehman's Hardware  (a fascinating, Amish-serving hardware store) in Kidron, Ohio and ordered it to be delivered. It's been an amazing stove, heating our entire house adequately (I say 'adequately' because my brother once asked me if we keep meat. Very funny. You get used to wearing a sweater or one of several polar fleece garments when you live in NW Wisconsin wintertime.)

I see by the photo above that Bridger hasn't been doing his chores and emptying the ash bucket!



And, as always on the First Snow, I have dragged out my favorite Christmas music CDs. My top five favorites are:
  1. Christmas With the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Field
  2. A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols which I play even though I listen to the live performance each Christmas Eve Day at 9 AM on our classical music station.
  3. Christmas Day in the Morning - the Cambridge Singers
  4. Celtic Christmas
  5. Best-Loved Christmas Carols - Choir of King's College Cambridge
I would have taken a photo of my 'top six' but my J.S. Bach Christmas Oratorio seems to be missing! Anyone out there happen to know where it is?? Then, of course, there's Christmastide - Jessye Norman, one of the few solo vocalists I love.

And now I need to tidy up around here so that I can turn on that gorgeous music! I can't listen to music like that in a messy house. It seems disrespectful or something. It's like a clash of order and chaos.

Hope you all have a great weekend! :-)

Friday, November 12, 2010

Smoking


Evidently the government is requiring additional warning labels on cigarette packages, including photos of what years of smoking can do to a mouth and teeth, rotted out lungs, a pic of a coffin with a body in it, a dead body with a toe tag, etc.

Then they took a short man-on-the-street poll to see what smokers and non-smokers alike thought of the newly required labeling (which is supposed to show up within two years). 

One woman, with her hoarse voice, croaked out that she chooses to smoke and that the government has no business trying to make that choice for her.

I agree, absolutely.

But lady, don't try to come back against the tobacco company with a lawsuit or ask the taxpayer to pick up the tab when you're in the hospital with one of the many possible consequences of smoking.

Just sayin'.


Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Edmund Fitzgerald

The Edmund Fitzgerald, 1975. Photo by Bob Campbell
 Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

When occasionally considering moving from NW Wisconsin to a warmer climate, there are a few issues that always come to mind, that always effect a negative decision. One of those, (along with family, friends, church, shared history, etc.)  is the fact that we live only 2 hours south of Lake Superior. It's not that we are frequent visitors to the great lake, but there's something about Lake Superior that seems to be a sort of geographical anchor. I mean, if we moved somewhere else, maybe we would just float off into space.

Just look how huge it is. The lake's surface area is that of the size of Maine, the size of Austria - roughly 32,000 square miles!  So maybe it's gravitational pull. :-) When I'm on the north shore of Lake Superior, I can  almost imagine that I'm on the ocean, for I can stand on the rocky shore and see no opposite shoreline.

On November 10, 1975, the American freighter, Edmund Fitzgerald and her entire crew of 29 men were lost, when they went down in a storm on Lake Superior.

"At 3:30 pm that afternoon, Captain McSorley radioed Captain Cooper and said: 'Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. I have a fence rail down, two vents lost or damaged, and a list. I'm checking down. Will you stay by me till I get to Whitefish?'...At about 5:20 pm the crest of a wave smashed the Anderson's starboard lifeboat, making it unusable. Captain Cooper reported winds from the NW x W (305 ) at a steady 58 knots with gusts to 70 knots, and seas of 18 to 25 feet..." Read the entire story on The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum website.

The following year, Gordon Lightfoot came out with the ballad, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Still sends a shiver down my spine when I think of the crew of the Fitzgerald, and the families who were waiting for their husbands, sons, fathers, and brothers who would never return home.




Thanks to Beth for reminding me of this tragic event.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Popovers You'll Love!!

Popovers that didn't pop like they should have. That's what I get for using a new recipe!

Note:  This is NOT a gluten-free recipe.

My family loves popovers and considers them a real treat. We occasionally have them with a nice winter soup and I always make them to go with our Christmas Eve clam chowder. The other night I happened upon 'Cooks Country' from America's Test Kitchen and found the secret to making perfect popovers, or so they said.

I bought the bread flour they not only recommended, but insisted upon, whisked the batter until perfectly smooth, like they said, poked a hole in the top to let steam escape, etc. etc.

Result? Their popovers simply tasted like bread fresh out of the oven - which, I'll admit, is not a bad thing. BUT, it's not popovers. I don't want popovers to be heavy and dense and bready! I want popovers to be light, airy, and crisp. AND, when I poked them, they deflated!

SO, I'll scrap that recipe (Sorry, America's Test Kitchen) and go back to my tried-and-true Betty Crocker 1969 Cookbook for wonderful, light, and airy popovers that are crisp on the outside and moist on the inside (and much taller than those in the photo, I might add.)



Betty Crocker 1969 Cookbook Popovers
Makes a dozen popovers


4 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cups All-Purpose Flour (not bread flour, not self-rising flour)
1 t. salt

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease (with shortening) 12-part muffin tin. With wire whisk, beat eggs slightly. Add milk, flour, and salt. Beat just until smooth. Do not overbeat.

Fill muffin tins almost to the top. Bake 25 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake 15-20 minutes longer or until deep golden brown. Immediately remove from pan. Serve hot, with Real Wisconsin Butter.






I mean it:
REAL WISCONSIN BUTTER.
It's delicious, and it will make our neighbor's cows happy. :-)


P.S. So, tell me what you think: Is King Arthur Flour really all that much better than, say, Gold Medal or Robin Hood? Or is he just another pretty face? I don't know. I mean, really. King Arthur would have lived half a millennium before the Crusader pictured on the flour bag! But still, it makes a pretty package, doesn't it.  I could use some education here regarding brands of flour. Do you have a preference? Do you really notice a difference? A big difference?


This post is linked to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
and Tasty Tuesdays
and Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods
and Tuesdays at the Table

Monday, November 8, 2010

Ginger Snaps and Animal Cookies


First of all, I have to say that I hate Daylight Saving Time. Didn't they realize that it actually does not save time at all? that there are the same number of daylight hours as before? that I feel tired and cranky when going on DST in the spring and again in the fall when going off DST? that it's like jet lag without the benefit of going anywhere? It will take my dogs and me a while to adjust to this new time. Imagine what it does to a herd of dairy cows!    So what did that have to do with ginger snaps? Nothing.

This is a totally unsolicited review of DeLish gluten-free cookies. Why? Because the are (delicious, that is). The photo above does not show you the tops of the bags because, unfortunately, I broke into them before we got home from the store. I suppose I should be embarrassed to tell you that. The Animal Cookies are every bit as good and crunchy as the kind we used to get in the little circus box with a string handle when I was a kid.

For me, crunch is a very important factor in food appeal. I like cookies, toast, nuts, and veggies to be crunchy. And then there's my friend's amazing crunchy coleslaw! Even when I stir-fry veggies, I stop while there's still plenty of crunch in them. Both the Ginger Snaps and the Animal Cookies have wonderful crunch.

The DeLish Ginger Snaps are not only great for a treat, but would make a good crust for my Pumpkin Cheesecake. Likewise, the DeLish Animal Cookies would be a good crust for other types of pies or cheesecakes where a cookie crust is recommended.

Nutrition? Well, when you eat half a bag on the way home from the store, it's obvious that your biggest concern isn't nutrition, but just so you know, 10 Animal Cookies give you 130 calories, 1 g of fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 85 mg sodium, 23 g of carbohydrate, and 2 g of protein.  Five Ginger Snaps give you 140 calories, 6 g fat, 0 cholesterol, 110 mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate.

It's easy to forget that just because they're gluten-free doesn't mean they're calorie-free or the most nutritious snack I could possibly have. Still, it is nice to know that there are really tasty gluten-free cookies that I can buy at the store. And guess where I found these: Walgreen's, of all places!

And by the way, no one would ever know these are gluten free.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Guy Fawkes Night

*
 Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
    The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
    I know of no reason
    Why the Gunpowder Treason
    Should ever be forgot.
    Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
    To blow up the King and Parli'ment.
    Three-score barrels of powder below
    To prove old England's overthrow;
    By God's providence he was catch'd 

    With a dark lantern and burning match.
    Holla boys, Holla boys, let the bells ring.
    Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
    And what should we do with him? Burn him!

It's a long way from 'Little Boy Blue,' isn't it!

Guy Fawkes Night, Bonfire Night, or Fireworks Night, it's the time when Britain remembers the 1605 attempt by a group of Catholic conspirators to blow up Parliament and King James I (who was also King James VI of Scotland, who had succeeded the throne of Elizabeth I two years earlier) on opening day of Parliament. Wanting to restore a Catholic monarch to the throne, they'd managed to smuggle gunpowder into the undercroft of the House of Lords, but someone leaked the story to NBC and  word got out and they were caught.

Bonfires were lit across the country to announce 'The King Yet Lives.' I'm not sure how anyone was to deduce that from a bonfire, unless they were sending smoke signals, but that's the tradition, as I understand it. Throughout Britain, there are fireworks displays, 'Guys' are burned, and people have parties. I hope J will correct me on this stuff if it's inaccurate!

From Wikipedia: 'In the weeks before bonfire night, children traditionally displayed the "guy" and requested a "penny for the guy" in order to raise funds with which to buy fireworks. However, this practice has diminished greatly, perhaps because it has been seen as begging, and also because children are not allowed to buy fireworks. In addition there are concerns that children might misuse the money.'   

Good grief! Being a kid just isn't what it used to be!

So, to all of you Brits (and Anglophiles) out there, Happy Guy Fawkes Night!  We have friends coming over to help us burn a huge bonfire tonight, unless the corn hasn't been picked. In that case, we don't dare light the bonfire, lest a stray spark ignite the cornfield! And if we do have the bonfire, we'll be standing pretty close to it, for it's supposed to be down to 25 degrees F. tonight. Brrrr.

Stay tuned... 

Have a great weekend!


*picture from the web

Don't forget to make Grandma's Bonfire Parkin for tonight!


This post is linked to Friendly Friday Follow
and Friendly Friday
and Home and Family Friday
and I'm Lovin' it Friday



Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Zooming In

Google Earth

I still haven't learned how to use Google Earth properly, but I've enough experience to be able to zoom way out and zoom way in, something that could keep me entertained for hours. I'm still trying to figure out how to make that little yellow man get out of the corner and walk around on street view.

And that, oddly enough, leads me to the subject of regrets. Just bear with me, for it's the way my mind works. I remember that when I was younger, I actually perused my past and told myself that I had absolutely no regrets. Right. I must have been delusional. I'm attributing it to the naivete of youth. I think it was because I could Zoom Out and be in the company of many others like myself, feel the security of standing or sinking with them, and could always find someone among my peers who was worse than I was. Or at least I thought so.

We all have sins, big and bigger, in our past (and present), but as long as we stay Zoomed Out, looking at our sin in contrast with that of those around us, we might delude ourselves into thinking that we're okay, that we have nothing to regret, that we're doing just fine, thank you!

But then one day... 

I Zoomed In. I Zoomed In so far that all others - all my smug co-sinners - fell into the background, far far into the background, and suddenly it was just me, standing all alone before a holy God. 

And that's a very different perspective. 

A God who knows my every thought. A God who knows my selfish motives. A God who says that hate is no less than murder, lust no less than adultery. A God who created a perfect world so that I could walk with Him and delight in Him. 

But I didn't. I found my delight in just about anything BUT God.  

So there I was, just Him and me. And suddenly, this person who foolishly thought she had no regrets could think of nothing but regrets.

It was then I knew that I needed peace with this God who made and owns the Universe, this God of justice, this God whose laws I'd broken, this God I suddenly wanted more than anything to know, to walk with and delight in.

I learned a lot from Zooming In.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus came to pay the penalty for our sin, (that bloody death on the Cross that many don't like to talk about anymore) to bring us into fellowship with God, to clothe us with His righteousness, so that we, undeserving as we are, can stand righteous before God, rather than condemned.



II Corinthians 5:21 God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin be sin for us, so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.



Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

My trust is in Christ alone, not in what I do or don't do, for I'm always going to find myself doing things I'll later regret. But now, I can Zoom In and delight in spending time with God, my Father. He loves me, He cares for me, He is no longer my judge. Now I am safe and happy. I have peace. I have joy, for Jesus is my righteousness, my Redeemer, my Savior, my King.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Grandma's Bonfire Parkin

 Grandma's Bonfire Parkin

Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated in Great Britain on November 5. It's a tradition where they remember the failed attempt by a group of disgruntled Catholic conspirators to blow up Parliament and King James I with it. (See more about Guy Fawkes Night a.k.a. Bonfire Night in Friday's post.)

I was given this Bonfire Parkin recipe, which is traditional in Yorkshire, by an honest-to-goodness native of Britain.  I thought I would share the recipe with you. It has a very nice, strong ginger flavor and mine turned out more like a hearty bar than a cake. They are excellent with a cup of strong coffee and cream. (Sorry, tea is good, but I must break with the British here.)

Grandma's Bonfire Parkin
  
My friend listed amounts in grams. I weighed them, then converted them to cups. I'm giving you both.

Tin - 7 inches square cake tin lined with non-stick paper, Oven at 325 degrees F.

4 oz. (3/4 c.) Self-rising flour
4 t. powdered ginger
pinch of salt
8 oz. (2 1/2 c.) porridge oatmeal (rolled oats, not steel-cut)
2 oz. (1/8 c.) butter
4 oz. (1/2 c.) Golden Syrup (light corn syrup)
4 oz. (1/2 c.) Black Treacle (I used dark, unsulphured molasses) I can't hear the word 'treacle' without thinking of Bertie Wooster and his attempt to steal a painting for Aunt Dahlia! (see YouTube below)
4 oz. (7/8 c.) soft dark brown sugar
1 egg, beaten


Mix all dry ingredients.

Melt butter, sugar, syrup, and treacle very gently in saucepan, stirring all the time until just melted together. DON'T let it get hot. (I melted the butter first, then dissolved the brown sugar in it, then added the syrups).  Add to dry ingredients and stir well.


Add beaten egg, and a little milk if needed.


Pour into tin and bake until golden brown and firm to touch. Mine was done at 45 minutes.


Leave to cool, then cut into squares. It's nicer if after cutting it's left in a tin for a couple days.


*******


My husband's reaction was hilarious when he first tasted it, but I think it grew on him. He kept coming back for more. :-) It was his idea to serve it with strong coffee and cream. And he was right! It is definitely for those who enjoy strong flavors, which I do.




This post is linked to Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays
and Tasty Tuesdays
and Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods



P.S.      Don't Forget to Vote Today!

 

And just in case you're interested in watching the YouTube offering I mentioned,

Monday, November 1, 2010

Peppermint Tea

There's nothing like the invigorating fragrance of my handcrafted Peppermint Tea soap. If your morning coffee hasn't managed to awaken you, then this is the next step. No kidding. Use Peppermint Tea in your shower or bath. It will make your skin feel refreshed and alive!

Each bar is wrapped it its own pretty label and comes in a cello bag (pictured at my online store), so it's ready for gift giving. Peppermint Tea is a very popular fragrance, especially this time of year. Everyone on your Christmas list deserves a handcrafted bar of Peppermint Tea - and they will love it!

Made with quality base oils, essential oils, and botanicals, Peppermint Tea has a generous lather and is gentle to your skin.

Each bar is approximately 4 oz. Read more about Peppermint Tea and my other handcrafted soaps at Soap'n'Such. Great as gifts or stocking stuffers!

Place your order today.







This post is linked to Made by You Mondays
and Motivate Me Monday
and Just Something I Whipped Up
and Making the World Cuter Mondays
and Trendy Treehouse Creative Share
and We Did It Wednesday