Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Still baking--Sweet Potato Pie and Casserole

Tonight, as are many of you, I'm preparing for Thanksgiving.  I've set the bread out to rise overnight.   I just took out a sweet potato pie and I've started preparing the sweet potato casserole that I'll bake tomorrow.   Tomorrow I'll make the scalloped corn and bake the bread and the casserole.


The Sweet Potato Pie recipe came from Esther Glenn of the Five in a Row boards almost 2 years ago.  I've been wanting to make it ever since and just never did.  It's very easy to make and I certainly don't think I'll be waiting long to make another!  Here's the recipe:

Esther Glenn's Sweet Potato Pie

2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. milk
2 T. butter
1 1/2 c. mashed sweet potato (about half of a 40 oz. can)
1 unbaked pie shell

Beat the eggs slightly and add sugar, salt, cinnamon, and milk.  Add butter to mashed potatoes and blend with milk and egg mixture.  Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake for 10 minutes in a 450* oven.  Then reduce heat to 350* and bake 30-40 minutes or until the filling is firm.

This make a thick pie.  I double the recipe and make three pies that are a little thinner.

Note from Celia:  I used one deep dish pie pan and the recipe was just a smidgen more than I need to fill it.


Have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone!

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins!


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Can ya smell 'em?


I like to make these when we have church/homeschool dinners/activities.  Here's the recipe:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

In a large bowl, combine:
  5 c. flour
2¼ c. sugar
 1 bag chocolate chips
 3 t. cinnamon
  ¾ t. salt
  3 t. baking soda

In a medium bowl, combine and whisk until smooth:
    6 eggs
    1 can (30 oz) pumpkin mix
    1½ c. melted butter
    ¾ c. milk
    2 t. vanilla

Fold this mix into the flour mixture, using a rubber spatula, until just blended.  Spoon into muffin pan.  (I like to use cupcake liners sprayed with Pam.)  Bake 15 minutes at 400º.  Makes about 4 dozen full-size muffins when filled 2/3 to 3/4 full.

Monday, November 12, 2007

You know you're a homeschooler when.....

I'm sure you've seen such lists.  Well, I've decided I can add three of my own.....

You know you're a homeschooler when..... (caution:  If you have a sensitive tummy, don't read any further!)


....Your kids find the 'gift' the cat so loving left in the middle of your walkway and they ooh and ahh over the the guts hanging out, promptly wanting to dissect it and see what else they can find.   After finding small sticks, they sit down next to said gift and poke around looking for the heart.

....Your kids see one very squished opossum lying in the road and want to dissect it.

....Your father-in-law removes the heads from his latest hunt and gives them to your kids, wherein they play with the said heads (of pheasants) as if they were puppets.  Said heads are now in my refrigerator, awaiting "show and tell" in science co-op this week.

....Your oldest daughter simply cannot wait to dissect the fetal pig she will be doing when she finishes her Veterinarian Science (which hopefully will be next April or May).


And now, you've caught a glimpse of a very 'normal' week at our house! 


Got anything at your house my girls can come dissect?

.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Changing Weather

Yesterday, it looked like this out:

Storm Clouds
And we got a thunderstorm.

Today it's snowing!  Our first snow!  It's only spitting, but the girls are acting like they're going to be able to make snowmen and go sled riding today! 

Saturday, November 3, 2007

What is it about fall that makes me bake?

I probably bake more in October, November, and December more than any other time of the year.  I suppose part of it is because of the holidays.  Maybe more of it has to do with the crisp cool air outside.  I hate baking when it's sweltering outside.

Anyway, a friend (Hi Cindy!) gave me a starter of her sourdough, so I've been carefully feeding it and having fun experimenting.  The first thing we made was just a loaf of sourdough bread......yummy!    Then we made pizza stromboli, which was a huge hit with the girls!  Then it was apple cinnamon stromboli.  I made 5 of them and gave some  away.....one to the neighbor boys since one was done right when they got off the school bus.   Another to my husband's parents and another to my daughter's art instructor.

Here's a picture of one of them:

Apple Stromboli

I'd share the recipe, but it uses a sourdough starter for the bread, and the filling I just kinda made up as I went!

Right now, I've got one part of the sourdough in the breadmaker baking a loaf of bread (it smells soooo good!), and another part on a pizza pan to make a regular pizza, and then I'm making  a small pizza stromboli for the girls since they asked for it.


Sorry it's been so long

It's been kinda busy around here.  Doing what, I'm not too sure.  Mostly playing with pictures I guess.  I've been taking pictures for our co-op's year book.  I also took some more pictures of my dh's cousin as well as senior pictures for one of our co-op kids.  It takes a lot of time to review the pictures, try to "correct" the pictures, adding fancy borders and text, etc.   But it's a lot of fun and I really enjoy it.  Maybe someday when we're all done schooling, I'll look into get a job where I can still play with my camera.

What is this critter?

One of the ladies on the HSS Yahoo group, asked us to identify this rodent.  She lives in Northern Colorado.   From the end of its tail to its nose the creature is an easy 12 inches in length.  The tail itself is about 6-8 inches and is furry but not bushy.   The body is  white underneath  and it has long black whiskers.   It has been suggested that it's a roof rat of some sort.....what do you think?

It's been living in the hood of her van and they've been trying to capture for about 2 weeks now.  Nothing has worked.  Any ideas on how to capture it?


Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


ETA:

Hey, I think it's a PACK RAT!!!  No kidding!  It's really known as a bushy-tailed woodrat, but it where we got the term "pack rat" from. 

Check these pictures out:


Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

Wiki

National Parks


11/5 ETA:

Or maybe it's an Eastern Woodrat
Look here


Or perhaps it's a White-throated Woodrat?
Click here to see one


Lisa adds this information:


I think they might have hitched a ride from KANSAS (where our home was made)  I really really  hope not; but it is kind of making sense.  We have our share of field mice; but the scurrying in the walls and roof is more than usual! Something was getting either in the walls or between the outside of the house and vinyl siding!  Talk about creeps! 

 

I never thought of making sure of nests in the ceiling before they put the home on the foundation!  The ceiling is not blown the fiberglass ; but rather fluffy loose blown in insulation...making more of a chance they would nest.