What’s Happening On May 8/2023

It’s a sunny morning here, waking up. Nice to see after a day of rain. And if lucky, the sun will remain with us for most of the week. Which in turn will dry things up a bit. Once that happens, I will then be able to work up our veggie garden. I like to get the soil turned over as soon as I can as I do have some things that can be planted early like potatoes. If I can get them in early, we can be eating them early. I put in a row first, then a couple more rows later on, that way we have lots that will last us through most of the winter. It’s getting harder and harder to find good hard potatoes in the winter time. Most are soft and so old they taste terrible.

Traffic is picking up in and around our area with new folks roaming around, along with our locals wanting to do some outside work, after being cooped up all winter.

The blackflies are around but not biting yet, so it won’t be long before they become annoying, then comes them pesky deer flies. Those things, once they get an eye on you, won’t leave you alone for a minute. And they can bite too. But that’s the joys of living in the country. However, over the years, my lovely wife and I have become accustomed to them.

Today, being that it isn’t raining, my wife and I have some outside work to do before we get into our gardens, which will keep us busy for most of the day.

With that I am off for a bowl of shredded wheat and a piece of toast and will then get to work.

Have a great day and enjoy the sunshine. It is a touch cool this morning but i twill warm up as the day moves forward, an even warmer tomorrow. GW

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George Walters | [email protected]

Homemade Lasagna

Click on the picture to enlarge.

Here is an old time recipe for Homemade Lasagna? With a bit of country humor?

Ingredients:

  • 12 lasagna noodles (or more, if you’re feeling real hungry)
  • 1 pound ground beef (or venison, if you’re feeling extra country)
  • 1 large onion, chopped (or a whole mess of green onions, if that’s what you got)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (or a couple of spoonfuls of garlic powder, if you’re feeling lazy)
  • 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes (or a big ol’ jar of homemade tomato sauce, if you’re fancy)
  • 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste (or a couple of spoonfuls of ketchup, if that’s all you got)
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil (or a handful of fresh basil, if you’ve got a green thumb)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or a pinch of salt, if you’re watching your sodium intake)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or a good shake of cayenne pepper, if you like it spicy)
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese, if that’s what you prefer)
  • 2 eggs, beaten (or a couple of duck eggs, if you’re feeling fancy)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or a handful of shredded cheddar, if that’s what you got)
  • 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or a mix of cheeses, if you’re feeling adventurous)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F
  2. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions (or just cook ’em until they’re tender, if you don’t feel like reading). Drain and set aside.
  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef (or venison), onion (or green onions), and garlic until the beef is browned and the onion is tender. Drain any excess fat (or keep it in there if you’re feeling real country).
  4. Add the crushed tomatoes (or homemade tomato sauce), tomato paste (or ketchup), basil (or fresh basil), salt (or a pinch), and black pepper (or cayenne pepper) to the skillet with the beef mixture. Stir well and simmer for 10 minutes (or until it smells good).
  5. In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese), beaten eggs (or duck eggs), and grated Parmesan cheese (or shredded cheddar).
  6. To assemble the lasagna, spread a thin layer of the meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish (or whatever size dish you got). Place three cooked lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Spread a layer of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles, and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese (or whatever cheese you like). Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of meat sauce on top.
  7. Cover the baking dish with foil (or an old pie tin, if you’re feeling resourceful) and bake in the preheated oven (or wood-fired stove) for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, and the lasagna is heated through (or until it smells so good you can’t stand it anymore).
  8. Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy! And remember, if you’re feeling extra country, you can always top it off with a bit of sour cream or a sprinkle of hot sauce.

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

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In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies

Just downright tasty, if I do say so myself!

Here is an old-fashioned recipe for Molasses Cookies!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cloves

Directions:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy.
  2. Add in the molasses and sugar, and beat until well combined.
  3. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
  6. Cover the dough and chill for at least 1 hour.
  7. Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  8. Roll the chilled dough into 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.
  9. Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes, until they are set and lightly golden brown.
  10. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

These Molasses Cookies have a soft, chewy texture and a deliciously spiced flavor that will take you back to the olden days. Enjoy!

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

Hmm, Good!! Lemon Cookies

Here’s an old-fashioned recipe for Lemon Cookies


Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
  4. Stir in the lemon juice and zest.
  5. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until a smooth dough forms.
  7. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets.
  8. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until lightly golden.
  9. Remove from oven and let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
  10. Serve and enjoy!

Note: This recipe is written in an older style, which may be a bit different from modern recipe writing. Follow all instructions carefully to ensure the best results.

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]