Category Archives: Ruth’s Dishes

Ruth's Dishes, Weather, What's Happening

Rain on the Pines: A Dismal Morning, but It’s Still Country on Sept 23/2024

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Took this picture yesterday: Just For You!

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Good Morning! Thinking back, my old teacher in the one room school house one time said; “George, if you look close enough, the answers are always there—are you askin’ the right questions?”

It’s a rainy morning here in the north, but I can’t say it’s unwelcome as truth told we’ve needed this rain, especially with how dry it’s been over the past couple of weeks. The trees and plants are soaking it up, and it’ll do them good as they get ready for their dormant stage over the winter. On the bright side of things, my instincts were right on the money once again, as I managed to get all our firewood in for winter, take care of the gardens, and cover the decks with wood preservative, among a ton of other tasks—all done just in time before the rainy, cooler weather set in.

I’ve trusted my instincts for most of my life, and they’ve served me well. It’s funny, really—everyone has the ability to trust their intuitions, but you know, not many seem to use it. Most don’t even realize they have it. But I’ve always found that when you listen, it usually steers you in the right direction.

Highway 522 was pretty quiet yesterday, but despite that, we had a steady stream of folks dropping by our gift shop again. It’s always nice to see new faces, and even better to hear them say how much they appreciate the one-of-a-kind items we make. Things you just can’t find anywhere else.

On another note, yesterday my body needed a rest, so I spent the day working at my computer on some YouTube videos, editing and getting things just right. I really do enjoy making these videos when I have the time, but there’s a lot of work that goes into it. Setting up cameras and ensuring the lighting is just right takes a lot of effort. It requires persistence, too; and not everything goes smoothly all the time, but when you finally get it right, the reward is well worth it.

The whole idea of my channel, “Reviving the Simple Life,” is to capture those everyday moments that many folks might not have seen before. After I finished a couple of videos, I added them to my collection, which I’ll be making public throughout the winter months, sharing my daily routine as an old feller going about life.

With that, I’m off for breakfast once again, courtesy of my lovely wife. After that, I’ll get back to work on those videos, making sure to keep the simple life alive and well. Here’s to another day of small joys and quiet moments!

You all have a great day, and I hope it’s as bright as a sunlit morning and—as sweet as my wife’s homemade brownies.

The image below might not give you a taste, I’ll do that for ya, but sure to get your mouth to watering. GW

Ruth's Dishes

Desert: Old Time Bread and Butter Pudding

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Here is a recipe I really enjoyed years ago and still do today. You hardly hear of it anymore.

Ingredients:

  • 1 loaf of bread (preferably a day old)
  • Butter (enough to spread on the bread)
  • 1/2 cup of raisins
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 4 eggs
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1/2 nutmeg, grated
  • 1/2 cup of sugar (or to taste)
  • Flaky pastry (optional, for the base)

Instructions:

  1. Preparation:
    • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
    • Butter a baking dish.
  2. Prepare the Bread:
    • Slice the loaf of bread into thin pieces.
    • Butter each slice generously.
  3. Layer the Dish:
    • Lay a single layer of buttered bread slices in the bottom of the buttered baking dish.
    • Sprinkle a handful of raisins over the bread layer.
    • Continue layering the bread and raisins until all the bread is used, finishing with a layer of bread on top.
  4. Prepare the Custard:
    • In a large bowl, beat the eggs.
    • Add the milk, salt, grated nutmeg, and sugar to the eggs. Mix well until the sugar is dissolved.
    • Assemble the Pudding:
    • Pour the custard mixture evenly over the layered bread and raisins, ensuring all the bread is soaked.
    • Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the bread to absorb the custard.
    • If desired, place a layer of Flaky pastry under the bread and butter layers for a crispy base.
  5. Bake:
    • Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set.
  6. Serve:
    • Allow the pudding to cool slightly before serving.
    • Serve warm, optionally with a drizzle of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
    • Enjoy!!
Ruth's Dishes

Country Style Boiled Rump of Beef

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Here is an old time recipe that I enjoyed many years ago while on the farm.

Ingredients:

  • 1 rump of beef
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 pint of red wine
  • 1 pint of hot water
  • 2-3 large onions, finely chopped
  • Hearts of 8–10 lettuces, finely chopped
  • A generous piece of butter
  • Flour (for rolling the butter)

Instructions:

  1. Initial Boil: Place the rump of beef in a large pot of boiling water. Boil for 30 minutes.
  2. Prepare the Meat: Remove the beef from the pot. Make 3-4 deep cuts along the side of the meat. Rub salt and pepper into these cuts.
  3. Prepare the Dish:
    • Place the beef in a large, deep dish or stew pan.
    • Pour in the red wine and hot water.
    • Add the finely chopped onions and lettuce hearts.
    • Roll the butter in a little flour and add it to the dish.
  4. Stewing:
    • Place the beef with the fleshy part facing down.
    • Cover the dish tightly.
    • Let it stew for 1.5 hours over a very low heat.
  5. Final Steps:
    • Once the beef is fully cooked, remove it from the dish.
    • Pour the sauce from the dish over the beef.
    • Cook up some potatoes, along with a vegetable of choice, and you’re all set.
    • Enjoy!
Ruth's Dishes

Burgers The Old Way

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Only on The Walters Post

These are my own thoughts from what I’ve seen and lived through. I’m sharing them to spark some thinking and honest conversation, not because I have all the answers.

You’ve heard about how soaking chicken in buttermilk before frying it makes it real tender and juicy? The thing is…. it works mighty fine for beef too. And it isn’t some newfangled trend either, as it’s an old-timey tradition that folks like my Grandmother swore by. I should also mention that she didn’t swear that often, but when she did, you knew it.

Any way, she always said that, soaking ground beef in heavy cream does wonders. It keeps the meat proteins from getting all tough when you cook them up, and it locks in the juices, making for some mighty fine burgers on the grill.

If you’re up for giving it a go, just mix in ‘1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream per pound of ground beef’. Let it sit in the icebox overnight, then fire up the grill and enjoy the juicy results. Let me know what you think?

Ruth's Dishes

Cabbage Roll Supper Hot Out Of The Oven!

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Well, tonight’s supper was a real delight – the missus surprised me with her homemade cabbage rolls. Let me tell ya, there ain’t nothing quite like them. The smell of them cooking’ brought me back to the good ol’ days, sittin’ a’round the table with family. Each bite was like a trip down memory lane, filling me up with warmth and good feelings. Life is rough around here. But with cabbage rolls like these, I reckon we’ll make it through just fine – as long as the missus keeps cookin’ ’em up, that is!

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Gardening, Ruth's Dishes

Sour Cherry Pie

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Desert Last night was a tasty Cherry Pie Made from our very own Montmorency Cherries grown in Niagara, close to where we had our farm. There is no other cherry that makes pies like they do, but it doesn’t stop there, as the Montmorency Cherry has an uncountable amount of health properties in them. Especially for those with Cancer, Gout and Rheumatism, which is what we old timers called Arthritis in the olden days, as the name Rheumatism covers more than one ailment. Today the so-called Powers That Be, broke it up, so they could sell more drugs My opinion only of course. Anyway, I took a picture of how the pie turned out after I had a piece or two. GW

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Gardening, Ruth's Dishes

Sweet Cucumber Relish

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When it comes to food, there’s something truly special about creating your own culinary masterpieces right in the comfort of your own home. One such delight that brings a smile to my face is homemade sweet pickle relish. This simple yet delightful condiment is a perfect example of how a few basic ingredients, along with homegrown cucumbers, can come together to create something utterly delicious.

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Gardening, Ruth's Dishes

Homegrown Zucchini Relish

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My lovely wife just got done making up our Zucchini Relish for the cold months ahead. I even snapped a picture of a couple of them lovely jars she filled. She usually whips up ’bout six jars, just enough to keep us well-fed through winter. But every now and again, she gets a hankerin’ to make a few more.

Let me tell y’all, that relish of hers is like a dollop of sunshine on a gloomy day. Come wintertime, when them veggies cost an arm and a leg, and don’t even get me started on the lack of flavor, this relish truly saves the day. It’s like bottlin’ up a bit of summer to enjoy when the world outside is all frosty and gray.

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Gardening, Ruth's Dishes

Garlic

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Well, it’s that time of the year when I’m kept quite busy tending to my garlic for the freezing season. What I do is, I first give ’em a good knock to brush off all that dirt, then I snip the tops and the roots. After that, I peel away the outer layers and separate all them cloves. Once that’s done, I tidy things up and start peeling each individual clove. Once I’ve finished that task, I seal ’em up in small bags using the vacuum sealer and pop ’em in the freezer for the winter ahead. They’ll keep well for a good year or even longer, if need be. And you know what’s just wonderful? When we finally use ’em, they taste just as delightful as if they were fresh from the earth. And the cherry on top is that none of ’em go to waste by goin’ bad. Now ain’t that just the best thing you ever heard?

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Gardening, Ruth's Dishes

Garlic Scapes

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For those that haven’t removed their Scapes from the garlic, this is the time to do it. But don’t throw them away, cut them off, bring them into the house, chop them into small pieces and put them in a dehydrator, if you have one. Then once dry take out your coffee grinder and grind them up into a powder and come winter you will have an abundant supply of garlic powder for your soups and stews. There isn’t anything more tasty than them, and not to forget how healthy they are for you. But wait, there’s more! These Scapes aren’t just ridiculously delicious; they’re also great in an Avocado Dip, or you can add them to your Spaghetti dinner with a touch of Olive Oil. Makes me hungry just thinking about them.

Here’s a recipe for an old-time avocado dip with Garlic Scapes:

Ingredients:

  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1-2 garlic scapes
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Optional: chopped cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Begin by preparing the garlic scapes. Trim off any tough ends and chop them finely.
  2. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop out the flesh into a bowl.
  3. Mash the avocados with a fork or a potato masher until you achieve a smooth consistency.
  4. Add the chopped garlic scapes, onion, tomato, lime juice, cumin powder, salt, and pepper to the mashed avocados. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
  5. Taste and adjust the seasoning as per your preference. You can add more lime juice, salt, or pepper if desired.
  6. If you like a spicier dip, you can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper or some finely chopped jalapeños.
  7. Once the flavors are well combined, transfer the dip to a serving bowl.
  8. If desired, garnish with chopped cilantro for added freshness and presentation.
  9. Serve the avocado dip with tortilla chips, crackers, or vegetable sticks for dipping.

Bon appétit, my garlic-loving friends!