Cooking and Crafting!

      I wanted to write a post today, in spite of the fact that I am so busy! Of course I'm enjoying every minute of it! The girls will be here tomorrow through the weekend so I doubt I'll have a chance to write a post during that time. I have so many unfinished craft projects started; I don't know which ones to do first! They are all such fun projects! Plus, I keep finding more on the internet and Youtube that I want to make! I think I'll be busy crafting way into next year! I'll show you some things I've got going on right now in the photos below.

      Here in the South, we love dressing instead of stuffing. The only stuffing I'm familiar with is stove-top from the box and I don't like that! I'm sure you ladies in the North have some really good stuffing recipes. I may have to try one some day. But for now, I'll stick to my delicious cornbread dressing. My dressing recipe consists of: cornbread, chicken, broth, salt and pepper, poultry seasoning and/or sage, onions, celery, and a couple cans of cream of chicken soup. I haven't been using the soup much in recent years, but this time I am. I also made a delicious marinated slaw which is tradition (in this family) for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. I usually don't use cake mixes from a box, but Randy requested an orange cake from a box, so what am I to do but grant his request. At least the icing will be from scratch: cream cheese with orange juice. Of course, my sister is making a lot of food, as is my Mom. There will be deviled eggs, green bean casserole, oh, and April is cooking a ham and making a corn pudding. There will be even more food than I can mention, but you get the idea. 

      Listening to Pandora's Bing Crosby Christmas music really makes everything even more enjoyable. Give them a listen while you work. You'll be inspired to sing along too! I hope you all have a very Happy and safe Thanksgiving season! Til next time, Blessings from Bama!

I finally made an Alabama wreath since our team is #2! I made the A's from cardboard I painted. They feel like real wood!

Oh, these are a lot of fun! I finally figured out that if I print Merry Christmas on a manila folder, it wouldn't be so stark white on the ornaments. Purchasing the ornaments for half price at Hobby Lobby saved me time and money. I was deceived because they weren't all glittered.

I have some pretty Christmas papers to decoupage on this ornament.

Chicken in the pressure cooker. I really enjoy putting the cooker to use. It saves so much time and energy, too!

Sorry about the light, but I wanted you to see how pretty the cornbread is in the Lodge skillet.

Are you Ready for the Big Day?

      Saturday marks the annual event of the two biggest rivals in the nation: The Alabama and Auburn football game! ROLL RIDE!!! Oh, did you think I was talking about Thanksgiving? Yea, that too! I'm ready for some football! Do ya'll watch this game? I'm sure you've heard of these two rivals! Sure hope the Tide rolls over the Tigers!

      But seriously, yes, I'm ready for Thanksgiving, are you? I've been getting the house cleaned and things taken upstairs and out of sight, so at least the downstairs looks presentable. I'm thawing a ham, and will be cooking my cornbread and chicken tomorrow. These will be made into chicken and dressing; the best you ever tasted! I am also making mashed potatoes and a special punch the girls usually like at Christmas. It tastes like the punch served at bridal or baby showers. My Mom is cooking the big turkey in the Nesco at her house. She is also making a pecan pie, cranberry salad, and deviled eggs. She like to make these things. Just give me some dressing and cranberry salad and I'll be happy! Do ya'll enjoy dressing or stuffing? I would probably like stuffing if I ever tasted it.

      In the post before this one, I shared a photo of one of the raised beds. It had green in it. Something was actually growing in that mess! It's garlic! I was so excited to separate enough garlic to plant around the perimeter of three raised beds! I hope it produces and makes nice big bulbs! I think I may dehydrate it when it's time to harvest. Or find a recipe to can minced garlic. Do you have a recipe for that? I still have lots of leaves to rake, and I got all but three beds cleaned out! Yay! I would probably have those done but it's been raining, a lot, these past couple of days. Plus, with it being Thanksgiving, I just had too much else to do! I'm even having to walk on the treadmill instead of outside because of the rain or cold. We've been experiencing unusually cold temps for this time of year! They have even predicted light snow for tonight! We may wake up to a light dusting of snow, the day before Thanksgiving! That would be so cool! Except Skylar has an appointment with an oral surgeon to see about getting his wisdom teeth extracted. If we get snow, everything closes around here! That's O.K., we'll just re-schedule!

      I hope ya'll are staying nice and warm and that you'll have a very Happy Thanksgiving! Blessings from Bama!

The making of yogurt. So glad I did this cause I used some in the bread below. It's a little runny but edible.

The best cornbread I ever made! It will be delicious in the chicken and dressing!

Hi Winterlynn! The sun was really streaming in this day! Funny how they'll choose a box over toys any day!

Hi Riley! She's getting an early start in the kitchen!

Sorry about the flash, but I love those smiles!

Reason for the smiles!

The making of baked potato soup!

My bread machine, quick sour dough bread! So delicious!

Did you have dressing or stuffing for Thanksgiving?

      Personally, I prefer dressing. That is what I grew up with, so that is what I make. It is very delicious! I make mine from Gladiola cornbread mix, so it's not exactly from 'scratch'. I like the way the cornbread mix turns out, and it's not sweet, as some might think. I chop onions and celery and add fresh eggs to the mix, as well as cream of chicken soup, poultry seasoning, cooked shredded chicken, and chicken stock. Some people make biscuits and add, or bread but I don't. It turns out really good and tastes good for several days. I haven't found a stuffing that I like because I associate stuffing with the stove-top kind! I'm sure there are good recipes for it, but I'll just stick with my dressing.

      It was nice to have almost all of the family here to eat and fellowship with! That little Riley is already growing up! She's gained a pound in two weeks! That's OK, since she was small to begin with. We had the girls with us for several days, so I didn't get to write like I thought I would. It's nice to have the house quiet and back in order again! But it was fun while it lasted!

      I hope to find some good prices when I go shopping at Aldi tomorrow. They usually have their hams marked down after the holidays along with other produce. Hope I haven't missed anything! I'll let you know next time if I got a good deal. I did get a good deal on pecans: 5lbs. for $12.50! I am going to get some more soon. Hope ya'll have a good week! Blessings from Bama!

Yasmine loves to hold the baby!

The making of my dressing.

I cooked a hen in the crockpot to go in the dressing. I only used half of it, so I shredded and froze the other half. I used the bones and inner parts of the hen to cooked up a nice chicken stock in the slow-cooker. 

What's left of the Thanksgiving dinner. My Mom and I both made dressing. Mine is in the white dish. They were both delicious!

That was the best pecan pie and sweet potato casserole I've ever eaten!

The collie took to Rubi that day.

Family enjoying the warm temps Thanksgiving day.

Can't forget Daisey and Delilah!

The girls love to swing! Amber has lost a lot of weight! I wished she would do it the healthy way!

Nanny and three of her greats!

Here's all four.

She's looking at the camera!

They are so cute!

I got two quarts of chicken stock.

Five pounds of pecans  turned into this. That is honeycomb I'm trying to let drain of all the honey so I can use the wax.

We didn't add honey to the jars, they just seem to fill up!

I guess ya'll were wondering where I've been!

       I just now got back on the internet! We got knocked off the other day and had to get a new modem. I don't know if lightening got it or what, I'm just glad to be back! I really got a lot done this week since I couldn't get online, but I still missed reading and posting! Hope everyone is O.K.! 

      Of course I got to spend some time with the new baby! She is so adorable! I still love the puppy, just not the messes she makes! My apple trees came in so I dug six holes and got them planted today. I didn't realize they would have such a good root system and be the size tree they are! The tilled area wasn't deep enough so I got a good, sweaty workout digging! The nights are cool but the temps are getting into the low sixties during the day. It felt like eighty while I was digging! I'm so thankful for cooler weather since I've been working outside so much this week! I have been raking leaves and now have eight bags full! I need that many more for the raised beds. I'm really trying to get the soil amended correctly so our veggies will produce next summer. I dug some of the basil and brought it inside so we'll have fresh basil for awhile. I also want to try growing some other herbs inside, too. 

      I'm not ready for Thanksgiving, by any means! I don't have a thing cooked yet! I don't usually cook anything ahead of time anyway! Just the day before! Everyone will be here that day and my Mom will bring food, so there will be plenty! I hope your Thanksgiving will be a nice one! I truly hope to write some next week! Have a great weekend! Blessings from Bama!

Riley's first ride from the hospital!

I finally had the occasion to bring this out!

The two pie pumpkins fit perfectly inside! They steamed nicely too!

Steamed pumpkin and seeds.

Pureeing the pumpkin.

Three bags, two cups each of pumpkin.

I think she's getting hungry, Momma!

Have to stay bundled at Aunt FeFe's cold house!

Look at that stretch!

That is so sweet!

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat.....

      But I could never do that to Loosey and Goosey! They are our pets! And the egg that I thought was a goose egg turned out to be a double-yolked duck egg. Who knew? I found out the day I made the dressing cause I used duck eggs in it. It was amazing for me to see this since I never thought of duck eggs as being double-yolked. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and the food turned out really good in spite of the fact of the way I felt. God was so good to help me through this! I had Yasmine and Layla Friday and Saturday because their Mommy wasn't feeling well. They did great and we all had a good time.
      I still am not myself because I don't feel like walking or working out with weights yet. I walk every day and use weights about three times a week. My body is actually sore from not exercising! I can't wait to go outside and walk again, but the weather is messy here so I'll just have to use the treadmill.(I don't like using that thing!) but I will if there's no other way!
      When I finish with this post, I am going to take down the fall decorations and begin putting up Christmas decorations. I'll take pics as soon as I get some new lithium batteries. Enjoy these from Thanksgiving. Be warned: there are lots of photos here.


   

The geese.

Winterlynne and Yasmine.

She was being shy when she first got here.

Layla loves to put things in her mouth.

The unfinished dining room.

Can't tell much here, but this was a nice spread!

Future muscician?

They love to play all over Uncle Randy.

Win loves to be read to.

Layla would rather play with my house shoes.

She's so tiny, she uses this as a chair.

Win loves to read too.

And try to put on her shoes.

All eyes on uncle Randy!

They enjoyed playing with this dry-rotting hummer. I know, I'm going to get to the porch soon.

Layla and pretty dog playing ring around the rosies.

Yasmine pushing Layla. 

Before I spray painted it white.

Sliding down the swimming pool slide.

She was pretending the hose was a horn.