The Country Homemaker Hop #64

Hello and Welcome All!

Heidi of My Simple Country Living and I are so glad to have you here!

Southern Fried Chicken: Dolly's

I have been told that we Southerners do love to fry things in the kitchen. Guess we might as well admit it.  Yes We Do!  A common misconception is, that it is something we always do which isn't true.  Family traditions and recipes are wonderful to have but it wouldn't be healthy to fry all the time.  Everything that we do in life needs to be with moderation.

I personally have weight fluctuations, but I know where they come from. Eating too much at times and not exercising as I should.  There is in my mind, no diet plan that will work better than eating the things you love and are able to eat, given certain health issues but doing it how? In moderation.

My thoughts on the subject....Now who wants fried chicken?  Read more for recipe....

The Country Homemaker #63

Heidi of My Simple Country Living and I Welcome you!

I hope you have all had a good week so far.  I have been trying to catch up on a couple of years worth of yard work. I found some beautiful plants down the road at Amerson's Nursery. I have such a nice time when I go there.  They are extremely nice and it is just a pleasant experience to walk around and see the beautiful plants and trees that they offer.

I put in 75 strawberry plants this week.  I can't wait until they produce, well, guess I will have to though.

My grandson graduated from kindergarten and it was such a sweet ceremony.  I am so glad they had him in church school.  We've had two very good blessings from God this week and I thank him. We are still in prayer for Mama Dot and thank you all for your prayers.

Casper decided to run away from home found his way to our neighbors' house and they didn't know he was ours. They gave him a name. They are such nice people. Well, it is a good thing they are related to Chuck because it would have been hard to pry him away from strangers.  He is fierce and protective and yet so loving...that's our Great Pyrenees. I don't know where all he had been on his adventure but he sure needs a good bath. 

The chicken yard is extremely quite since Pharoah left.  The others I declare must miss him.

 We still have only 3 new chicks but that hasn't stopped one very determined little Silkie Hen.  She is still setting on 3 eggs and I most know it has been a week overdue. I'm not a chicken and maybe she knows something that I don't.

I ordered some David Austin Roses in the little pots. I can't wait to get them to re-pot them into larger pots to grow a little more and then in the Fall plant them in the garden maybe.

I was lucky enough to win a rose book Everyday Roses by Paul Zimmerman from P Allen Smith  and can't wait to read more of that. I also was lucky enough to win a cookbook from Holly Herrick, it was given to my daughter for Mother's Day.

What have you all been up too?  Join us here and share.

Welcome to the 63rd Country Homemaker Hop!

Chuck Roast & Brown Rice

 

Chuck Roast

Do you use a pressure cooker? I do and it can save you so much time.

Ingredients:

One 3 Lb. Chuck Roast

Oil 

Paprika

Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Uncle Ben's Parboiled Rice

Salt & Pepper

 

Instructions:

Wash chuck roast and pat dry with paper towels

Put a little oil in pressure cooker turn range on medium high

Place roast into cooker with the lid off, sprinkle liberally with paprika on all sides of roast.

Brown Chuck Roast on all sides.

When browned add enough water to cover roast well.

Cover cooker cook for 45 minutes

Cool quickly  (following instructions to pressure cooker)

Place roast into baking dish

Pour broth from cooker just enough to cover bottom about 2 inches or so

This will keep roast from drying out in oven..keep liquid in the bottom even if you have to simply add hot water.

 Salt & Pepper roast

Place in 350 degree oven

You will want your roast to be fork tender and pull apart freely

While you are finishing up your roast in the oven cook your rice.

Cook according to amount you wish to serve following time but leave out butter and add 1/2 cup more broth than you normally would to cook rice.

Example: 1 cup rice usually would need 2 cups water

for this recipe you would use 1 cup rice and 2 1/2 cups broth.

Taste broth to see if you need to add any salt you may not need to.

Boil your broth

Pour in your rice

leave uncovered over medium heat until you begin to see rice and just a little broth is still covering rice.

Turn to range to low and place lid on rice.
Time for 20 minutes.
Rice should be tender and fluffy (if not cook a little longer until done)

 My Mama calls this roast and greasy rice

You could also substitute chuck with a rump roast.  

The rump roast is much leaner so you will have to time your rice and roast so that you serve the roast right away because you don't want it to dry out and buy a roast you can eat at one meal the rump will not heat well it will dry out.

Enjoy!

Dolly   

Strawberry Dream Pie

Bake a Pie shell

cool completely

Room Temp 

8 oz. cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

1 cup powdered sugar

Mix thoroughly until creamy

Add to baked pie shell

Make Strawberry Glaze as shown at the link below

Strawberry Pie Glaze

cool completely, place in fridge to cool

While this is cooling wash and drain on paper towels a few strawberries

(I used 8 huge berries)

when glaze has cooled completely put on top of sour cream mixture 

(maybe you can be neater than I)

Actually the glaze layer is rather thick so to cut the calories you could use only half of the glaze and use the leftover glaze for shortcakes etc.
You could use the low fat sour cream and cream cheese
You probably could cut the powdered sugar down as low as you wish..maybe even down to 1/4 cup instead of 1 cup.

Slice strawberries in half and if desired use one whole to decorate center

Top with whipped cream

I don't promise it will be a pie that will stand up beautifully in shape but I will eat it in a bowl with a spoon if I have too...

Enjoy

Dolly 

Sharing at:

The Creative Home Acre Hop

Sunny Simple Mondays

The Country Homemaker Hop #62

Hello hope everyone is enjoying some nice weather. 

Chuck went to one of our local Farmer's Market the Downtown Market today.

We had some very nice Sugar Snap Peas and Fresh New Potatoes locally grown.

It just doesn't get any better than that.

We have a little strawberry time left so I posted today also a recipe for

 Freezer Strawberry Jam

I'll link that one up to hop.  I'll share the shenanigans of our dog Casper and the chicken escape from the chicken retirement home.

 Casper says, "What? You looking at me?"  "I didn't do anything!"

I want to show you one of our chicks that was born today

It is the cutest thing we wanted to keep him (or her) in the house..It was full of life a spunky little thing right from birth.

It's a little Silkie look at that top fluff....do you think it is a rooster?

My luck probably so but this chick is just too cute and so full of personality.

Catie didn't want to let it go back to coop.

We have two more chicks but will have to get pics of those later they were running wild.

They are two French Wheaten Marans..so cute yellow at this moment with fur on their feet.

Have a nice week 

I'm excited to see what you all post!

Heidi the Main Hostess of My Simple Country Living and I welcome you all!

Frozen Strawberry Jam

 

Have to keep these on the counter tonight to ripen a little more.

Aren't they beautiful?  Ya'll know how I feel about strawberries, if you visit here much.

Some on counter with sugar making it's own syrup for freezing

Frozen Strawberry Jam

4  1/2 cups or 2 1/4 lbs of prepared strawberries 

To prepare strawberries 

Crush fully ripe berries, one layer at a time so that each berry is reduced to pulp

1 box Sure-Jell

7 cups or 3 lbs sugar

Mix Sure-Jell with already prepared strawberries in a sauce pan.

Over high heat, quickly bring the mixture to a hard boil, stirring occasionally.  

Add sugar all at once.

Bring to a full rolling boil:  boil hard for 1 minute stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and skim off foam.

Stir for 5 minutes and ladle into containers.

(Don't double this recipe)

Leave out until cooled 

Place in freezer.

This jam has a fresher strawberry taste and keeps its color when frozen for a year.

Today I sent Chuck to a Downtown Farmer's Market in Florence.  The locals visit the market for  pretty and delicious locally grown food.

He brought me this very pretty fruit and produce.  Look at these Sugar Snap Peas.  Oh my goodness they are so sweet and tender.  I left some whole for sauteed and to use in stir fry and shelled some.

Those locally grown red new potatoes I really and and can't wait to eat some of them tonight.

Dolly   

Catie's Beautiful Pink Gradient Cake

A very pretty as well as easy to make cake.

Hop on over to the main house to see this recipe.

Click HERE for recipe photos and tips.

Happy Mother's Day!

Dolly

Fresh Strawberry Pie, Glaze and Whipped Cream

Printable Recipes

FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch or 4 Tbsp. flour
• 3 Tbsp. strawberry Jell-O
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 quart fresh strawberries
• few drops red food coloring
• Baked cooled pie shell

STRAWBERRY GLAZE

Instructions 
 

Combine cornstarch, Jell-O and sugar in saucepan

Add water and cook over medium heat stirring frequently to prevent sticking and lumping until thickened.  I use a whisk and wooden spoon to stir.  It works nicely and makes for a smooth glaze.
*Tip*  The glaze when thickened will coat the whisk and spoon and stay there without pouring off...*
Cool glaze thoroughly it will thicken more when cooled.

While GLAZE is cooling
Make and Bake your pie shell
Wash and stem your strawberries I sliced mine in half, you can slice in quarters if you wish or leave them whole (your choice)
Fold glaze into your strawberries
Place in baked pie shell
Chill

Serve with fresh whipped cream for a delicious desert.

Whipped Cream

1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 cup Sugar
1 tsp. clear Vanilla
Whip cream when soft peaks start to form slowly pour the sugar in whipping all along
add the vanilla
whip to desired stiffness but don't go too far you'll have butter..

Enjoy!

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The Country Homemaker Hop #61

Heidi of My Simple Country Living 

and

I

Welcome you to The Country Homemaker Hop #61

This is a busy fun time of year isn't it?  I love the grass turning green, the flowers blooming, the birds singing.

Over at Hibiscus House I have been gardening, spring cleaning and cooking of course.

Post: Once I Saw a Little Bird

Brown Sugar & Pineapple Baked Ham

What have YOU been doing this week???  Please do share.  The Country Homemaker Blog Hop is a great place to share anything homemaking related.  We all enjoy sharing and collecting favorite recipes, learning about you by following your homesteading dreams/lifestyle, and I for one like to relax at night and read links about your favorite crafts and hobbies.  I get inspired by them all.  Please don't be afraid to ask a question either, there are so many talented men and women in the blogosphere ready and willing to help solve your homemaking dilemmas.  You won't know just how welcoming and helpful this online community is though unless you delve in and participate.  I encourage you to do so today.