No Name....No Picture.... Chicken Recipe & Kale

A Chicken recipe:

I want to keep this recipe here...so I know how to fix it again...as I had no recipe to start out with. Maybe some of you have fixed chicken this way, but I hadn't.

I took 5 chicken drumsticks and browned them and placed them in the slow cooker. I had sprayed the cooker with olive oil spray before hand. Then I put a cup of water with a half stick of butter in a saucepan along with a box of Stovetop stuffing. Heat it through and let it sit for a few minutes. Then put it on top of the chicken drums. Spread it out. Then take a can of cream of chicken soup and mix with 1/2 can of water. I added a tsp. of chicken seasoning. Make sure you season as you go. I seasoned the legs with seasoned salt and pepper before frying. Pour the soup mixture over all. Cook on low for 6 hours.
Our house smelled like Heaven while it was cooking.This was delicious and a very reasonable meal for the two of us...with leftovers for one. We would ordinarily eat more chicken, but fixed this way...we were satisfied with less.  Food is increasing in price and there are ways that we can save at the grocery store. So for the price of 5 drumsticks and a box of stuffing...we had a meal and a
half.
I finally fixed kale so that I would like it. Joe stuck to his spinach...didn't want to try the kale. I bought kale in a lg. plastic container in the produce section. After I washed it, I placed it in the fry pan with olive oil. Fried it for a few minutes and added a cup of chicken stock. Covered it and let it cook for about 10 min.I seasoned it and used lots of pepper. Put a pat of butter in and a splash of red wine vinegar on it. It tasted a lot like spinach, but it's a little chewier that spinach. I can't believe I ate the whole thing!
Balisha

A Jumble of Things for Monday

Here's my little garden by the drive. It's getting a late start. Do you like the foliage of Grape Hyacinth? It always looks so messy to me, especially this year, when it sits there all alone. I guess it needs some companion planting to take attention away from the foliage.I had a couple of gift cards...one for Menard's and one for Rock Valley Nursery that were burning a hole in my pocket. When we went out for dinner yesterday, we stopped at both. I needed some things from Menard's for my next project. They had pretty much what I wanted, so that along with birdseed took care of my card there. It was a chilly, windy day and not a good time for shopping at the nursery. Everything was blowing around and I decided to go inside and look around. I bought a Hens and Chicks plant, a Red Sedum, two Rosemary plants, and a few annuals for my project. I need lots of plants that will spill over the edge. It was a bit too early to buy many more...so that took care of the other card. Plants have really increased in price. One Hen and Chick cost $5.19. It's a big one and one that I haven't seen before. When we got home I changed my clothes and went out in the wind to get these things planted. My cement planter, made by my neighbor Betty, needed some refurbishing. It's filled with succulents and needed some new soil. I loosened it up a bit and took out the dried plants, rearranged the remaining ones and added the two that I bought. It looks good now. I had it sitting on the purple chair, so I took it off and put it on the ground during the wind. I thought maybe the plants would blow away. I planted the Rosemary in two pots and watered things in a bit. After looking around the house perimeter, I notice a little cluster of Snowdrops. Isn't it lovely to find a little surprise that you forgot you planted?  Made me happy. I really wanted to do more, but I was cold and thought I'd do it another day.

Today is chilly and rainy. Joe had an appointment in Barrington, so I was on my own for most of the day. Do you know what I did? I finished my clothes...trying on T shirts and capris to see what was worn out and what still fit. When will I stop looking at clothing I wonder? My mother loved clothes until the day she died. She and Dad would go to the mall just about everyday.They could walk and get their exercise. They'd go out for lunch and then Dad would sit and people watch, while Mom shopped. She kept her eye on things. She knew exactly when something she wanted was the right price and then she snatched it up. I was always on the other end of the phone, when she would call, to tell me her latest deal. I'm not like that at all. I can count on one hand, the number of times I've been to the mall since I have lived here...almost 11 yrs. Online shopping and the Ogle County Hospice thrift store are my way of shopping. Last year I decided to toss about 1/2 of my clothes. I donated them and sent them to the thrift shop. My closet looks pretty bare and I want to keep it that way.I have two wardrobes downstairs and I could get by with one. I emptied all the bins, so clothes are easier to bring up the stairs. This year I accomplished the switchover in about an hour and a half. This morning I was washing a few things and putting some in the dryer to fluff them. My everyday gardening clothes are pretty much the same as other years. This year, I have some bright new bandannas to wear......so I will have some color. Do you think my neighbors will recognize me? Well, that's enough about clothes.

I made some, what I call, goulash for dinner. It was a favorite of my family during WWII .I chopped the onion and peppers, browned the gr. beef, added the onion mixture, fried and seasoned it, cooked the elbow macaroni and added to the meat mixture, added a can of tomato soup, added 1/2 of a lg.can of tomato sauce, added 1/2 pkg grated cheddar, (oh, I needed mushrooms, but didn't have any, and heated it in an iron skillet...tasted it and seasoned it again. It tasted so good to me.  Joe came home and thought it was Hamburger Helper...sometimes you just can't win.
Balisha

Felt Critters for April and Some Gardening

Here are the little critters that I worked on this month....a deer and a little scamp of a fox.  Notice how his little head is cocked to one side.....just thinking up mischief. I had a lot of fun doing these two. The deer is the hardest that I have done so far. The legs are so skinny and hard to work with. I ended up laying a line of glue down each leg to hold in place while I stitched.
I had some trouble linking up with the felt along party....I'll let you know later if things work out there.

I have lost many things in my gardens this past winter. Four rose bushes, 4 lavender plants....one that has been growing for 10 yrs. here, my sage plant that came with me from Hampshire and several other perennials like my many years old mums across the front. They are all on the same side of the house and received the same winds and cold. The 2 rose bushes in the back are fine. Everything that I planted by the new bird bath...late last year are gone. So, I have had to replace some things. No more roses will be planted. I ordered some bare root perennials and they came yesterday. With the coming rains....I knew that I had to get them in the ground right away. So, I worked for several hours clearing out the dead things and planting the new. The hardest part was getting rid of the rose bushes. I couldn't dig them out, so I just clipped away at them and had to leave the thickest stumps of branches at the bottoms of two of them.These (stumps) will be not so noticeable when I put my new focal point there. (my surprise) I put a few things in my big containers...just to hold, till I know where I want them.I finished just in time to get relax a bit and then get ready for Mass. Today, my body aches, but I have a feeling of accomplishment... doing this work. It won't look the same here this year. I always liked the roses and mums blooming together. The colors blended so well. Well, can't cry over spilled milk and it's on to maybe a new color scheme. Oranges, yellows, and blues...oh my! There will still be the pinks and lavenders...sounds like a mess. Isn't that what gardening is all about...trial and error? Joe will be happy with more color going on. I always loved the pinks and purples :(  I do have a surprise for the focal point in the front garden. I'll tell you later. 
Stay tuned.
Balisha

John's Birthday

Today is John's birthday...and we should celebrate..
The 26th of April is his special date.
Years ago, a sign was made and put in a window near.
Happy Birthday 5 year old...was what it said that year.
Thinking of this birthday.... when he was a little boy...
His older brother, Tim, broke his brand new toy.
LuAnn, his sister, looking on, with a sad look on her face..
She wanted just to play with it...but that wouldn't be the case.
His birthday cake with Winnie the Pooh...from a bakery at the store..
The candles lit and then blown out and the kids were saying.. more.
Now, he's a man and all grown up, he's the first to shout a cheer..
He lights the candles and scoops ice cream for parties every year.
So, let's hang the sign, and bake the cake, a party is in store..
For John the birthday boy...is celebrating life once more.

Happy Birthday John....Love you, Mom and Joe

Arbor Day Special Tree

These are the seed pods from my favorite tree...the Eastern Redbud. I have a couple of these in the woods. In the fall, they are full of these seed pods...and you would think that little Redbuds would be everywhere.That's not the case...at least here at my house.
The original tree was (what I call) a rescue tree. It was the end of the season and our local little nursery was having a close out sale. It was the last day of the sale, and I walked into the store and out the back door to the tree lot. There was a 5 gal, container with this little gem... almost hidden by weeds and grass. The sales person came out and asked if I wanted it. I debated and he said 1/2 price? He was almost giving it to me. He even carried it to the car and laid plastic under to protect the trunk. I carried it to the back yard and with just a little shovel....planted it. It snowed the next day and all winter, I thought about the little thing. Would it survive? In the spring, I checked it and lo and behold...tiny little buds were forming along the two branches. A few weeks later, it bloomed. Tiny little pink blooms. Now, it's over my head and leans out into the yard....keeping the guy with the lawn mower from mowing close to the border. I have trimmed off a few branches, but I love the natural way the branches twist and turn. It has a baby...a tiny little start of a tree was underneath and when I saw it, I scooped it up and put it in another spot. It's growing...but more slowly. I can't tell you what joy it brings me each year....from the buds, to the blooms, to the twisting branches, to the heart shaped leaves, and then the seed pods in the fall. On Arbor Day....I love to remember how this little tree came to be in my yard.
Balisha

Busy, Busy

Busy house today. I'm in the process of changing the closet over from winter to spring and summer. Joe's outside hooking up the hose caddy and getting the garden hoses ready for the watering season.
Changing the closets is my least favorite thing...no matter how I do it...it's a chore. I store some things downstairs and have tried to alleviate going up and down so much by thinning out my clothes to just what I wear now. Every year, I check out what I need, which isn't much this year. Even keeping fewer clothes...it's still nice to have somethings that are fresh and new. My clothes may be new to others, but I know them....So, it's back to my job...I'll come back later and sit here and rest....then write a little more.In the meantime...it's back to work. Bean soup cooking on the stove.
Balisha
After I posted this...I looked at it and then looked up and saw the quote about simplifying. I have to remember this as I work on things here in the house...and outside. As I age....I must simplify. Joe just came in and said, "Boy, am I tired. I get tired just doing the simplest things." I feel much the same way...we can't do what we did or with the speed that we used to do things. Why can't we get this in our old gray heads? Simplify.... a good word for those growing older.
Balisha

Happy Earth Day

This is Earth day....Enjoy the out of doors today. If it's rainy or snowy...you can still find some beauty here on earth. Make it a habit to pick up trash instead of tossing it on the ground....If we all do our part...we can make it more beautiful.

So many colorful birds here this morning. Finches with their rosy feathers, a papa Cardinal feeding his lady, a noisy Chickadee grabbing a seed and running, a Nuthatch doing the same, a Cowbird with it's brown head. The sparrows tend to go to the back feeder and the others are here in my window feeder this morning. They are almost as colorful as the bouquet of flowers that my grand daughter brought on Easter. What a mixture of beauty..

I have daffodils blooming, but nary a tulip. They are too hard to grow here because of little creatures relishing those tasty bulbs. I guess that I could plant them under some chicken wire, but in the fall, I tend to go out on the coldest day to plant and I never take the time. My daughter has brought me countless bouquets of tulips. These are in a glass container. I've never seen this done before.

 My grandsons came with a fern for grandma. It seems that grandmas used to always have ferns. I really don't have a shady place for this one...so it will stay in the house...in a north window. It's fronds are so lacy and delicate.

 An oriental lily from my daughter in law. This one can be planted outside when the weather permits. It smells heavenly in our house. I love the fragrance of lilies.I love the color.

 This hanging basket is from her too. I think that the basket is so neat. When I started looking inside the planter, I found geraniums, impatiens, bacopa and another little blue flower. I put this in a semi shady spot...the only place I could find. It should look beautiful as it grows.

I also received a gift card from my daughter in law....to a greenhouse that is a favorite of mine. When I'm tired of shopping for flowers (am I ever tired of this past time?) Joe and I will go to Red Lobster and have a meal...using the gift card from son John.
Well, no pictures of people, but pictures of a wonderful array of presents. We had a great time and the best thing was being able to share with grand daughter in N. Carolina by skype. It was almost like having her here.
Today I'm having my eyes examined. I hope things go well there. My vision has really changed since last year. Wish me luck.
Balisha