PECAN PIE REDUX

Since Thanksgiving is nigh, I thought I would re-post this recipe for pecan pie. Simply type in pecan pie in the upper left corner and it should come up. If you remember, this recipe is not as sweet as most. It has a buttery, delectable filling that won't hurt your teeth. It's a keeper.

Japanese Maples

Just a pic to share the last Weeping Japanese Maple leaves of 2009. If you want the biggest bang for your buck where color is concerned, Japanese maples give all that and more. This tree is planted next to my goldfish pond and in fact hangs over it now. I think this is an acer palmatum but these maples come in many forms and sizes such as the weeping and upright and have quite different shaped leaves. The leaves changes many different colors from spring to fall.

VINTAGE TEXTILES

Vintage textiles love me. They jump into my hands whenever they can. Old yoyo pillows, quilts, rugs, and fabrics are tucked away here and there. This piece said something to me; kids, toys, horses, chickens, a dog - gathered at a farm (Marburger Farm to be exact many years ago by my friend Maggie). I don't know if it was used as a rug or wall hanging in its day. Made of wool, it has become more fragile through the years so I decided to keep it off the floor. Approximately 5' x 3', I'm not sure where it would fit on the wall so on the dining room table as a runner it goes. I have another one somewhere with kittens and dogs on it. Guess I'll have to go look for it.

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

Williams-Sonoma is one of my favorite stores. They have these turkey platters and some serving pieces along with table linens. Of course, turkeys being my favorite fowl, I had to have them. This platter weighs more than a turkey and they also have a round bowl platter to match. Yes, I got that one too; when will they ever have it again? It seems, I made my whole Christmas wish list from WS. Also, here is a product review. The concentrated Five Apple Cider mix is to die for. Crisp and not too sweet, it is the perfect cider. Of course, if you want, they have the mulling spices to go in it, but I think it would cover up the tart apple flavor too much, so I chose not to get it. This bottle mixes with up to one gallon of water, so the price ($20.50) isn't so bad if you price it per cup. It's only available during the holidays, so hurry down to pick up a bottle. I dropped the first bottle and broke it, so be careful with yours.

LEMONY GOODNESS

What do you get when life gives you lemon, lemons and more lemons? Curds, juice, limoncello, desserts...It is that time of year when my lemons are ripe and I couldn't be prouder if I'd made them myself. Meyer lemons are my favorite, hands down. A fellow named Meyer discovered them in China at the start of the 20th century and did whatever with them. A hybrid cross between a lemon and mandarin orange, they are perfect. Thin skinned and larger than supermarket lemons, they are fat and juicy. I've made limoncello for years, but as a light drinker, I have gallons of the stuff still in the freezer (type in limoncello for my recipe). Juice too. This time around, I am going to preserve them. These are used primarily in Moroccan food and though I don't think I've ever made any North African cuisine, I am willing to experiment. I recently saw a recipe for preserved lemon halves baked or broiled with a goat chevre filling and though I can't remember which magazine I saw it in, I'm going to try and wing it.

Here is one of my Ponderosa Lemons alongside a Meyer Lemon. They are softball sized and wait till you see one of my future Etrog Lemons. Supposedly football sized, my big girl Etrog tree is too young to marry her off to some bee. If you too would like to grow lemons, Logee's Tropical Plants in Connecticut has a catalog with wonderful fruiting plants. Even in Oklahoma, one can grow citrus.

HIGH TEA AT THE FARM

Testing, testing...

Another post, another recipe. For the Thanksgiving holiday, I usually make yeast bread rolls called Angel Biscuits. This year I have been searching for another recipe that requires kneading. I have been wanting to try the following recipe and though utterly delectable, alas, it is not the 'kneaded one'. These Sour Cream Muffins literally melt in your mouth. Had I kneaded them, they would have required chewing. Since my son is named Parker, I think I will have to go with a Parker House Roll. Nevertheless, this recipe was so easy I couldn't believe it and only three ingredients! You won't need a mixer for this one, nor strong hands. A few stirs with a wooden spoon and they are ready to bake. I must admit, I dipped my fingers in water to smooth down the tops of them before baking as I thought I wouldn't like the tops not being uniform. However, next time, I think I would like the tops cobbled somewhat to add a little crunch to them. Whatever.

SOUR CREAM MUFFINS

2 cups self-rising flour

2 sticks melted butter

1/2 pint sour cream

Stir ingredients to mix. Drop by spoonfuls into ungreased muffin tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve warm with wild plum jam (or whatever you wish) and butter.

These are very similar to southern biscuits and are really, really good, and did I say easy?