Mom's Recipe Box.....Beef Stroganoff!

My brother reminded me of another of our family's favorites was Beef Stroganoff...although sometimes Mom made it with hamburger too, steak was the preferable meat......its still a favorite in our home...although the boys still don't like mushrooms very much....we sure do....

Beef Stroganoff

3 T. flour
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 lean sirloin steak, rib or tenderloin
1 clove garlic
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. water
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 cup sour cream

Combine flour, salt and pepper. Trim meat of all fat, rub both sides with the garlic clove. Pound flour mixture on both sides of meat..and cut meat into 1/1/2 x 1" strips..Melt butter in deep skillet, brown strips..Add onion until brown, Add water, stir to dissolve all the drippings. Add soup, mushrooms..Cook until mixture is thickened and meat is tender about 1 1/2 hours..Stir in sour cream and serve....sprinkle with chopped parsley or chives.(to make it with hamburger, brown the meat, add a little seasoned flour, then add the other ingredients...cooking it until the meat is done, about 15-20 minutes, before add the sour cream at the end)


this is best served with noodles...and usually a nice green salad..we always had green salads growing up..sometimes it was just lettuce and tomatoes, Mom said it was for our health....sometimes she'd take left over green beans, peas, etc. and add it to the salad..which is what I do to this day.....I also add garbanzo beans sometimes, and always avocado.....I also like the tortilla strips you can get now as a topping instead of croutons...I know Mom would approve..
She made a terrific marinated vegetable salad too...I might try that next week if I can find the recipe.....

when we were little, we always were served milk every meal....I complained alot then as I didn't like milk very well.....but am sure thankful now as I've never broken any bones....we only got soda as a treat....our boys don't have soda much either...they've discovered on their own that it doesn't quench your thirst and actually makes you more thirsty.....they drink iced tea, juices and water mainly...with coffee sometimes in the mornings.....

Only two more days before I draw the winner for my Betty Crocker Spring giveaway! if you haven't signed up, there is still time!...the link is on the left side of the blog....

Wednesday

sorry I haven't posted in a day or so...been busy transferring all my embroidery transfers, craft patterns and such over into Bonanzle from Etsy..as I have over 100, its taking time....I am slowly turning the other blog over too.......its a work in progress...

meanwhile, life around the homestead goes on.....our upside down tomatoes are doing really well....no bugs or disease at all and they are growing like crazy......a friend came over to look at them..he grows tomatoes in pots every year and sells them..he usually has over 200 plants..he was interested in this upside down technique but wondered where he'd hang 200 plants!

My brother called...he is getting a big promotion and getting transferred to Hawaii! poor guy..not!
He said he can't wipe the smile off his face.....he works for Lockheed Martin....

We had a pleasant day yesterday....and I hope you did also.....we grilled some nice pork chops outside, and had a nice supper...steamed red potatoes, asparagus, corn and a jello salad..for dessert, apple crisp.....the chops I got at the local Vons, with the $25 gift card from Blog Spark...
if you haven't signed up for the giveaway, please do.....I will pick a winner on the 10th....I only have 10 people so far sign up so chances are good for winning.....here is the link...giveaway
Alan and I worked outside in the early afternoon.....weeded and worked on the bank....it looks really nice now....we also planted some pansies to add some color to the flower beds....while we were working outside, I guess there was an earthquake in Mexico...at least that is what everyone is telling us...but we didn't feel it.....neither did our boys.....
today we woke up to gray skies and rain......cooler temperatures too.......guess winter is still hanging on...but it didn't get down to freezing, just in the low 40s....Glad as we have peaches and nectarines starting to form.....last year, there was a killing frost....and we lost most of our fruit...


I have decided to make my second blog into a selling one....just in the planning stages now....but I will be listing some embroidery and vintage items.....I will let you know more about this as it progresses.....probably be closing my etsy shops....going in a different direction......I will be having giveaways there to celebrate the grand opening..

Years ago, I made sugar eggs similar to these..mine weren't quite as nice but I did have alot of fun making them......I found a tutorial online in case you decide to try your hand..they really are not hard to make..mostly its the decoration that takes time....Panoramic Sugar Egg Christians have always used the egg as a symbol of new life.....
There are many online sites for egg crafting.....one idea is to take colored blown eggs and make a garland to decorate a mantel...simply run an embroidery needle with narrow satin ribbon attached through each blown egg, tying a knot at each side of the egg to keep it in place...you can alternate the colors or keep them all the same for a different look......its too late this year but next year I plan on doing this with duck eggs..they are far more sturdy for crafting and don't crack easily.....they are a nice size too...

I want to wish all my readers a very special Resurrection Sunday!

Mom's Recipe Box.....Pepper Steak and a bonus

My Dad spent a lot of time in the Orient through the military and came back with a great love for oriental food...we always had rice growing up..my mom had one of those rice cookers on almost every day.....this Pepper Steak recipe was given to him at a Staff NCO club and was one of his favorite meals.
Mom wrote it out at the club..here is the original.....since of course, I transferred it to a note card.

Chinese Pepper Steak
1 1b. flank steak
1/4 c. oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 c. coarsely chopped onion
2 cups green peppers, chopped
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 T. cornstarch
1 cup beef bouillon
1 T. soy sauce
Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Heat oil and place garlic in it, cook 3 minutes or so, remove. Add meat, cook until brown. Mix onion, green pepper, salt and pepper, stir occasionally for about 3 minutes or until tender. Blend cornstarch into stock and soy sauce, stir into mixture. Cook until thick. Serve over steamed rice. Back then, red and yellow peppers weren't available and I used some red...you could also use some mushrooms..yummy!

The second recipe is the Famous Amos Chocolate Chip cooky recipe......these are wonderful..I got this recipe when we were first married...


Famous Amos Chocolate Chip cookies

2 sticks butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 t. water
2 1/2 cups flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs (I used 1 duck egg)
1 12 oz. package chocolate chips
2 cups raisins (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Beat softened butter, sugars, vanilla, water and eggs in a large bowl with mixer until creamy and well blended. By hand, mix in dry ingredients, flour, soda, salt.....until well mixed. Stir in chips, raisins and nuts if using them. Using a teaspoon, spoon dough onto cooky sheets and bake for 8 12 minutes at 375...makes about 5 doz or so depending on how large you make them....

I took all the seedlings and put them under the patio cover.....covered them with plastic thinking it was going to rain and then no rain...but it did get close to freezing..its warm again today, in the mid 60s so I put them out again into the sunshine...playing cat and mouse with the weather!

Hope everyone has a wonderful holy weekend (holy meaning set apart) This holiday hasn't been as commercialized as Christmas. I do make baskets for the boys and will make an extra one for our boarder....

Wednesday

I haven't done much crafting or embroidery in a little while....been busy working in the garden and baking more than anything......taking a hiatus....but I did want to show you some very cute salt and pepper shakers that my dear friend Cyndi has in her Etsy shop.... mushrooms were so popular back in the 70s and are again....I remember as a little girl visiting one of my grandmothers friends who collected salt and peppers....she had a huge wonderful collection...can't even imagine what they'd be worth today..as this was back in the 1950s....when I collect, I like to find things we can actually use...I am not one to have alot of dusty figurines.....that's why I like vintage cooky cutters, oil lamps, and glass...plus vintage postcards (which take up little space). Here are two more....






The tomato seedlings will be ready to plant soon...although not yet..there is a big cold storm moving our way.....


Tomorrow I will be sharing a wonderful recipe that was my Dad's favorite, Pepper Steak!

Here are two vintage French Easter postcards.......thought you might enjoy them.....can't believe its almost here.....seems like we just had Christmas and New Years....its something, isn't it? the older you get the faster time goes?

We took a ride today up to Hemet, Ca and on the way, flying overhead was this hot air balloon...This is a hot air balloon center so it wasn't a surprise but the colors looked so lovely against the clear blue sky.......riding in such a balloon is on my bucket list ..but as I seem to have developed a fear of heights...don't know if that one will be accomplished!

The one upside down tomato is doing so well....it actually has developing flowers now.....earlier than if we had planted it in the ground......so we decided to go for broke and got 3 more!

There is a yellow cherry tomato. a red cherry tomato and a beef steak....be interesting to see how they grow and develop.....as you can see we haven't planted anything in the ground yet..a little leery of a cold snap......but we did start more vegetables in peat pots...corn, yellow crook neck (a favorite), zucchini and more peas.....a lizard decided to check out the pots...can you spot him?



the silver device that you see is a weather indicator, thermometer and you can read the results in the house..we can tell the outside and inside temperatures, wind and also rain forecasts..our oldest gave it to us last Christmas. I also planted some cherry tomatoes in a large clay pot and put a tomato cage over it.....they are doing well...so looking forward to munching on a sweet tomato soon....


If you haven't sign up for the giveaway...please do..the link is on the left side for an array of goodies...a $25 gift card, a stainless steel bowl, a silcon cake pan, oven mitt and mixing spoon all from Betty Crocker and Blog Spark....

Just to suggest..Alan discovered that the hook that they give in the upside planter box, doesn't do a very good job as its blunt on the end....look at regular hooks in the hardware department...as they are much stronger...you can get them cheaply and won't have a problem with the planters falling...

Saturday

I've been hunting online and found a very easy free piano lesson site.....had my first lesson today....very easy..some of the other sites were more difficult and went into music theory, etc. which I really don't need.....here is the link if you or someone you know is interested.....this is for someone who has little or no experience Learn Piano Online This is good for key board also.

I am not looking into giving concerts, just for my family's and my enjoyment......This is an fast track program and tomorrow I'll be able to play my first little song...fun! I learned where to find C and how the keys are laid out...its not confusing when you understand and I do believe you are never too old to learn something new.....



Our little tomato seedlings will be ready to plant in a few short weeks......I also started some peas.....I found a type of pea that doesn't need staking.....kinda a bush pea.......time will tell if they are successful or not...we do tend to have problems with insects..although with the duck patrolling the lawn..she's been eating a lot of the bothersome moths that like to lay their eggs on our vegetables..she's very quick..the trouble is..she likes to eat just about anything, including the hollyhocks and roses....we're planning on putting up a fence around the garden or our little seedlings will be gone in about 20 seconds!!!

Betty Crocker Spring Giveaway!!!!

The Blog Spark people, Betty Crocker and Safeway have done it again! This giveaway is even a better one (in my eyes) than the last.......you get a pretty red oven mitt, a nice large Betty Crocker mixing spoon, a great stainless bowl, a silicone cake pan + a $25.00 Safeway gift card.....
I just got mine as you can see...and immediately used the cake pan....I've never used that type of pan before.....and was very impressed.....the little cake came out easily...and baked perfectly...

I've known Betty Crocker my entire life...I remember as a little girl sitting in my mom's kitchen in San Diego, leafing through her Betty Crocker cookbook......a couple of years ago, I was delighted to find the same cookbook at an estate sale...actually its a first edition..I use it all the time. Baking takes me back to happier time when the world made more sense.....sweet memories. Right now, the Safeway family of stores has Betty Crocker SuperMoist Cake mixes and Brownie mixes on sale for .69 cents....



I recently discovered that Betty Crocker has a wonderful website called Bake Sweet Memories who'd a thunk? So even if you miss the .69 cents sale, you can still enjoy the delicious recipes for fun desserts using your Betty Crocker favorites, including Easter Bunny Cakes and even morning brunches, like the Impossibly Easy Breakfast Bake, which are sure to brighten any morning.
Anyway, for the giveaway...this will last until April 10th...
just leave a comment..and if you have a blog..please mention for a second entry...let me know that you blogged by mentioning in your comment....if you don't have a blog..please leave be sure to leave me an email address so I can contact you...
again....this spring prize pack, and information were all given to me by Safeway and Betty Crocker through Blog Spark...oh, I failed to mention I personally got a VIP coupon for a free brownie mix...