Pecan Pie

Hurray, I made 2 pies this month so you get another divine pie recipe.




This is one of our family favorites and usually only appears on Thanks Giving Day. However, it was Bryan's birthday this week and I decided to make him pie instead of cake. He loves this pie and really hates rhubarb. He kinda wanted to know why I was making pies that he hates. (because I love them hee hee). So in honor of his birthday I made HIS kind of pie and it is to die for.
Here are my thoughts on pecan pie. I do really like it for the flavor but the traditional pecan pie is so rich, sticky, and sweet that I can't eat more than a bite. This pie does not have corn syrup and other stuff so it is less sticky and sweet. It is rich though and a tiny slice is plenty. (unless you are a big pig and it is your birthday, hee hee). This recipe is actually a chess pie made with eggs, sugar, and flour. I love how the flavors blend together. I will be posting some more chess pies this year. There is a raisin recipe I have that can put you in a sugar coma. I love it!

Pecan Pie or (Heirloom Chess Pie)
1 unbaked 9” pie shell
¼ cup butter
½ cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup cream
2 cups chopped nuts

Cream butter.Add sugars and salt.
Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each.
Stir in remaining ingredients.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes.Do not over cook.

You can substitute just about any nut in this recipe. My sister Jeanne makes this with black walnuts sometimes. It is so delicious. My favorite Thanks Giving memories are of me, my mom and my sisters sitting at the table after all the guys have passed out. We take a plate and nibble on tiny slices of our favorite pies and talk and laugh a lot. It is really good times.

Ham n' Spinach Crepes

We made up this recipe at Prairie Hen Day today.

Crepes:
2 Cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk
4 eggs
1 Tbsp oil
1 pinch salt
Mix well. Let set for about 20-30 minutes and cook in a skillet.

White Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 Cups Milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in pan add flour and cook for a minute or two. Add the milk a little at a time and mix well after each addition. It will start off looking like play dough and will thin out with each addition of milk. This way won't give you lumps.

Filling:
Chopped ham
Chopped cooked and drained spinach
Chopped chives
Fresh basil (optional)
Grated cheese (white cheese is best, Swiss, mozzarella, or what ever you have)

To prepare:
Mix half of the white sauce with the ham, chives, and spinach.
Spoon about 2 Tbsp into the center of a crepe, top with cheese. Roll up. Serve with extra white sauce and chives and fresh basil leaves if you have them.

Rhubarb - Orange Custard Pie

I don't know if Rhubarb Pie is an acquired taste but this one is the only recipe I will eat.
This is my mom's recipe and it holds some of my very fondest memories. As a little girl I was allergic to Rhubarb and would break out in hives if I ate it. I knew this would happen but I couldn't resist snitching some of this pie. It is that good. Tangy, sweet, sour, and buttery. It does everything you need a pie to do!
I have been craving this pie for months but there is sadly no Rhubarb to be found right here, not even frozen rhubarb. So my little brother Jon said that he could get some up in central Missouri and that he would bring some when he came again. HE DID! THANK YOU JON! So I made pie.

Mom's Rhubarb - Orange Custard Pie

1 Pie crust
3 eggs separated
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups rhubarb cut in 1/2 inch slices
1/3 cup chopped pecans

• Beat egg whites until stiff; add 1/4 cup sugar gradually, beat well after each addition.
• Add butter and juice concentrate to egg yolks and beat thoroughly. Add remaining 1 cup sugar, flour and salt; beat well.
• Add rhubarb to yolk mixture; stir well. Gently fold in meringue (egg whites). Pour into pastry-lined 9" pie pan. (make high fluted rim) Sprinkle with nuts.
• Bake at 375 deg F 15 minutes, reduce heat to 325 deg F and bake for an additional 45-50 minutes. Cool.

Here is a seal of approval.

My Nephew James couldn't get enough of it. It was good enough to lick the spoon when you are done!

The Zina B Dress

I have been working on this dress off and on for about 6 months now. I keep making changes, hanging it up, coming back to it, adjusting things here and there.
Here is where the dress stands now.

I finally got someone that could model it for me too. It fits me but looks better on Clara. :o)

It is called the Zina B because when my mother saw it for the first time it reminded her of the dress her grandmother Zina B Cannon wore all the time. She said that Zina had it made in several bright cottons and that it also had a white collar. I am thinking of adding that to a future version.
Anyway, here are some more pictures of it. I also made an under dress to keep it modest. hee hee.




Here is one of the earliest versions I worked up last winter.

Spider Friends

My son Joe has been working really hard cleaning up the wood piles in our yard betting ready for my mom's new house.
I have been very worried about what "friends" he might find. There are so many snakes this year and I didn't want him to find any copper heads.

Well this is the friend Joe found.

That is the bottom of a wide mouth pint canning jar. The spider still gives me shivers.

Joe took the camera and took the pictures himself. He took the spider outside to take the pictures and brought back an empty jar. I asked him if he squished it and he looked shocked. Of course not. He took it to the woods and let it go.