I've Gone Country A blog about a city girl learning a whole new world

I know….gross right.  But the brown spots, from what I am told, are sugar spots. This is the best time to make banana bread.  I used to by-pass ALL banana bread. To me…it tasted like cardboard.  But, I used this recipe and now..LOVE IT…especially when it it HOT…with a big slab of real butter…YUM!

Banana Bread Recipe:

2 C sugar

3/4 Cup butter

2 eggs

3 C sifted all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp. soda

1 1/8 buttermilk

1/2 tsp vanilla flavoring

1 1/2 C mashed bananas (approximately 3 bananas)

1 C chopped pecans or walnuts

Cream butter; add sugar.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Sift in dry ingredients together; add alternately with buttermilk.  Add vanilla, bananas and nuts.  Spray pans with cooking spray, Bake in loaf pans (2 big or 4-6 small).  Bake at 350.  Will turn loose from pan when done or can check with knife or toothpick.  I use the small pans and it is usually about 45 minutes.

Why the lemon juice you might ask……Well, I really hate it when I want to cook a recipe and I have all the stuff but….one little ingredient.  Buttermilk is the one thing I VERY seldom have on hand.  So, I usually do this: Measure my milk out, (Supposed to use whole milk I only keep 2% on hand…but it works) 1 Tablespoon per CUP…which means I measure 1 Tablespoon and a dabble more!  (bread recipe calls for 1 1/8 C milk…hence the dabble more)  Stir in your milk, let sit at room temp for about 15 min.  Should curdle a little ( if it doesn’t…I use it anyway).  Stir before using. Proceed with recipe.  Use can also google a recipe for homemade Buttermilk you can use other things besides lemon juice.

My husband loves Walnuts so that is what I usually use.  You can also throw in a handful (or two)…of chocolate chip morsels if you want.

I prefer to make the little loaves.  It started when I received those pans as a wedding gift…and I didn’t have two big pans…so I’ve used those ever since.  Now that I think about it….I still do not have 2 regular sized loaf pans….guess I haven’t missed those!  These small loaves are the perfect size to give away.

Remember….the more brown spots on the banana ….really the better your bread will taste.

Maybe that is why OLDER people get those brown age spots….they are just getting Sweeter!  HA….who knew.

A pond I passed by…

Our Donkey’s tail…..

A Piece of Cedar Wood…..

Hay Rolls….

Christmas lights…..

My Hubby’s Boots!

Amazing how different food can be.  This meal was prepared at the end of the work week. It was amazing to watch the preparation.

Strips of wire are set out on this table.

Then banana plant leaves are spread over the wire in a certain pattern.

Now the meat is being basted.  This is Cows head and beef tongue.

Look at the amazing brilliant colors…and of course one can’t help but notice the beautiful white teeth too!

Next he wrapped leaf over leaf in the same pattern he had laid them down, by doing so he was able to take the wire from under the leaf and twist it tight.  He did this with each wire, so that the bundle held itself closed. The ends of the wire that he had twisted were then twisted into one bundle and bent into a handle!  How cool is that.  I am constantly amazed at the creativity these people show using what they have available to them although they are very limited to material resources.

This is the cows head, after it had been cooked.

And this is the beef tongue.

I think this is called Barbacoa (Don’t hold me to that…I am still learning). The people are very gracious and show great hospitality the whole time.

Many thanks to Sylvia and her husband for all the meals they prepared while we were there.  Hopefully they have been able to rest this week!

We took a trip about 6 months ago to Mexico to help build two homes.  If I am not mistaken neither gentlemen had ever had a home of their own.

Both of these homes are only 12′ x 12′.  They are very bare bones.  But they provide shelter and elevate the people from living on the dirt.

We returned this last week to build another home for a young family. I took so many pictures between the two trips that it is difficult to choose what to post.

This home that we built this time is 12′ x 24′ it is for a young family.

Here is some of the family with grandparents and other relatives that came for the dedication of the home.

This is the group we went with.  They are amazing.

Building homes is a great endeavor yet that in itself can be in vain if we engage in the activity alone without Gods involvement.

We built a house, with Gods love, it will become a home.

Psalm 127(a)

Unless the Lord builds the house those who build it labor in vain.

We have been out of town.  I have lots of pics to share in the coming days about where we went.  Once the ole body recovers and I am able to think straight I would love to post them.

Today after returning home we took time to stretch our legs and enjoy the beautiful weather.  Funny how you notice things that have changed while you were gone.  Yet if you were here…you probably wouldn’t even notice.  I don’t know….maybe it’s just me.  Take this rock for instance.  We pass by this everyday, and now….all of a sudden it has moss on it.  Not so just a week or two ago…..or was it?

And these little bunnies feet are no longer dangling in the pretty flowers that have been there since spring.

But the bunnies don’t seem to mind.

I was pleasantly surprised to see this gerber daisy!

And my little watering cans have a little more “patina” on them.

The Pines have dropped lots of needles and cones.

And then some things never change…like my hubby, always making me laugh!

This is Tom the Turkey.  He used to be my brother and sister in laws, but he went to live with someone else.  He was chasing my sister in law, sometimes he would hold her hostage in her car.  It is kinda funny now, but I know it wasn’t funny at the time.  She feared him, but she has such a tender heart she gave him to someone who would give him a good home.  I hope he survived the dinner table!

Well we didn’t have THIS turkey, but we did have turkey.  Matter of fact we had lots of food.  We always do.  But it isn’t just food that we have been blessed with, it is everything. Sometimes I just stop and think, wow, I REALLY am so blessed.  I often take things for granted.

When I start counting my blessing, I can’t help but Praise the One who has blessed me, and continues to bless me.

It is hard to get everybody together very often.  Even today, we couldn’t be with all our family. However, I am fortunate enough to get to see my immediate family a lot.

What a wonderful gift from God to gather together, hold each others hand and bow our heads in Prayer.  To have four generations gathered together to give a prayer of thanksgiving to – God – in whom all these blessing have flowed.

Psalm 100:3-5   Know that the Lord is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

This song plays in my head so often when I take time to really stop and thank God. Of course I cannot sing this without fondly remembering being a child in church.  It is as if I pop back in time.  You may have heard it or even sang it your self.

Doxology- Praise God, from Whom All blessing flow;

Praise Him, All creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Every time I make this it reminds me of when I was a young girl.  In the summer we would go and visit my Grandma and Grandpa.  I had really neat grandparents on both sides of my family.  These were my fathers parents.  I have fond memories of our visits.  My Grandma could make the best blueberry pies.  We would even help pick the blue berries. ( The next morning we would be woken up with the smell of the pie cooking).  I remember her telling us that one person had to be on watch for bears while the others picked.  I thought she was kidding…..but no…you really did have someone watch.  I don’t know what in the world we would have done if one of us had seen one!  Anyway, my father grew up in a big family.  People didn’t go by burger king, or grab some chicken on the way home through the drive through, or even have a pizza delivered.  Everyone cooked and I do mean it was real cooking.  Everything was from scratch.

One day while we were visiting I saw my Grandma give my Grandpa a ham bone, a knife and chopper and a bowl.  I remember thinking, what is he going to do with that bone.  Apparently he had done it many times before.  He started cutting and chopping and before you know it….that bowl had a lot of ham in it chopped into the neatest little pieces.  He took it back to Grandma and she put her special touch to it.  My goodness, that was the best ham salad I had ever eaten.

I do not have her recipe, I just started putting things together and well it was close anyway.  Of course that has been just a few…well ok more than just a few years ago.

With the holidays here it is the perfect time to use that ham up.  You can only have so many sliced ham sandwiches.  This salad can be used to make a sandwich, but most of the time I just like to eat it with crackers.  You know, those yummy butter flavored crackers!  Other times I put noodles in the mixture and it is good just like that too.

So grab that ham bone and before you throw it away.  Pull out your knife and you just might be amazed at how much you get off that bone.

The pieces that are somewhat fatty or a little tough, I put all that into a baggie or two and save it for when I make green beans.  You can put that straight out of the freezer into the beans…yes…even canned beans and everybody will think you did something special.

I chop the ham, add several boiled eggs, pickles or relish, squirt of mustard, celery and mayonnaise.   I know…the ingredients are regular ingredients….but it is yummy.  Maybe it is because it is made with love.  I think that makes all the difference in the world.  So don’t forget to put a pinch of that in there as well. Who knows…maybe some loved one will remember your ham salad and think its the best!

The holidays are here and with that comes all the cooking.

Poor “Doughboy”!

It is with a sad heart that I pass on the following.  Please join me in remembering a truly great icon.

The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and complications from repeated pokes in the tummy.  He was 71.  Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin.

Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, Betty Crocker, The California Raisins, The Hostess Twinkies and Captain Crunch.  The graveside was piled with flours, as longtime friend Aunt Jemima, delivered the eulogy.  She described Doughboy as a man who was kneaded by many.

Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very “smart cookie”, and wasted much of his dough on half-baked schemes.  Others found him to be a little flaky at times.  Still, even as a crusty old man, he was considered a roll model for millions.  Toward the end, it was hoped that he would rise again, but alas, he was not tart.

Doughboy is survived by his wife, Play Dough, two children, John Dough and Jane Dough.  He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.

Cremation was not considered as he always feared the “broil” setting.

The funeral was held at 3:50 for twenty minutes.

I am enjoying seeing things I didn’t see when I lived in the city.

Like armadillos

Rattlesnakes

Pigs and Dogs that are best friends….and cuddle.

And Buffalo!

This is Lou Lou.  She is not our dog.  She just seemed to be everybody’s dog.  I first met her about 17 years ago.

She would walk over when she would see you drive up.  She didn’t greet you like most dogs. She wouldn’t jump up on you, or bark at you.  She wasn’t annoying at all, she didn’t seem to bother anyone.  You never even had to tell her to go home.

She would just come over and sit on the porch.  If you wanted to talk to her or pet her, that would be fine.  If you did not want to, well, that was fine too.

This picture was taken, about 2 years ago.  This was her normal place.

She has seen a lot of activity.  Just at this home alone she has probably greeted a hundred people through the years.  She was here when my husband was younger, she has welcomed spouses, children, grandchildren and even all their dogs.

She has been around when holiday events were held, she’s watched the kids play in the summer, seen firework displays, picnics, cookouts and bonfires.

Family reunions with Uncles and Aunts, cousins and yes, a lot of times their dogs came as well.  Occasionally Lou-Lou would have to tell the overly anxious puppies that she didn’t want to play.  Then all would be well or Lou-Lou would just walk home.

Most everyone that has stayed a day or two…..knows Lou-Lou. And expects to see her shortly after they arrive.

My Father and Mother-in-law have catered to Lou-Lou.  Especially the last few years, she would give her a treat.  That isn’t the only reason Lou-Lou would come around.  Even if you didn’t give her a treat, she would still come and quietly lay on the porch.  Content.

Often, it was just them, a quiet normal day. She would come to the back and sit while they enjoyed the swing or sat on the deck.  Sometimes she would just lay by the back door.  If you asked her to come in, she would decline. She just wanted to be near.

Lou-Lou passed away a few months ago.  I think it broke all our hearts.

She was at least 22 years old.  I do not think I have ever known a dog that old.

She had a really good life.

Funny how an animal can give so much love.  I’m thankful that she allowed us to be a part of her life.

Maybe we should be more like that.  Just be there for others.  Enjoying each others company.  Not being annoying, just pleasant to be around.  Content.

Hmm…I suppose we can learn a lot from Lou-Lou.