Livin' Life - My Granny Rocks!

30 Essential Spices

I’ve been noticing a lot of posts lately that always begin with “The Top Ten…” Well, try as I may, I can’t cut my spice list down to only ten. Plain old salt and pepper are a given. Everyone has those. The following are my ‘go to’ seasonings for cooking and baking. Many are combined with others and used in rubs, seasonings for roasts, marinades.

Allspice – Use in soups, barbeque sauce and marinades.
Basil – Use this in spaghetti sauces, lasagna, breads.
Bay Leaf – Makes any soup or stew taste better. Be sure to remove the leaf before serving.
Caraway Seed – Essential for Caraway/Rye bread.
Cayenne Pepper – A dash here and there adds a little zip. Great for livening up Spinach dip.
Celery Salt – Add to flour when breading chicken for frying.
Chili Powder – Mexican/Southwest meats, rice, cowboy beans and of course, chili.
Chives – Put in scrambled eggs, top baked potatoes, add to biscuits and dumplings.
Cilantro – A must have for Mexican/Southwest meat, rice or bean dishes.
Cloves, Ground – Use in cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin rolls, spice cake.
Cinnamon, Ground – Use mostly in baked goods.
Cream of Tarter – Use when making a delicious, soft sugar cookie.
Cumin – Another must have for Mexican/Southwest meat, rice or bean dishes.
Dill Seed – Use in dips, sautéing/roasting veggies, herb bread
Dill Weed – Use in dips, sautéing/roasting veggies, herb bread
Garlic Powder – Use in everything (except cookies or cakes)
Celery Leaves – Adds a nice light celery flavor in soups, stuffing, baked poultry
Celery Seed, Whole – Use in coleslaw, meat rubs and season veggies.
Ginger, Ground – Use in cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin rolls, spice cake.
Mustard, Ground – Use in Swiss steak, good to have on hand.
Nutmeg – Use in pumpkin pie, pumpkin rolls, spice cake.
Onion, Minced – Good to have on hand in case your run out of fresh.
Onion Powder – Use in everything (except cookies or cakes)
Oregano – Use this in spaghetti sauces, lasagna, breads.
Paprika – Adds color when sprinkled on deviled eggs, use in goulash.
Parsley – Adds color and a little flavor to biscuits and soups.
Red Pepper Flakes – Use to add a little hotness to foods
Rosemary – Use on poultry, in herb bread.
Sage – Use in stuffing, dressing, baked poultry
Thyme -Use in herb breads, sautéing/roasting veggies, and on meats.

I have a few other spices in my cupboard, but don’t use them as often as these 30. It’s always good to have Kosher salt or sea salt on hand, too. Some recipes call for a larger salt crystal. Never substitute table salt for Kosher or sea salt without reducing the measurement.

Spices have always been expensive. When I was first starting out, (back in the day when minimum wage was less than $3.00/hour,) I’d buy a spice tin each payday. Dang, I’m showing my age. Spices came in tins – not bottles. Even now, I don’t buy garlic or onion salt, I make my own by mixing 1 teaspoon powder with 3 teaspoons of table salt. I guess I could do the same with celery salt. I hadn’t thought about it as I don’t use it as much as I do garlic and onion salt.

Spring has Sprung

Well, at last the days are beginning to get longer. It’s been warm, in the 70’s, the past few days and the trees are beginning to bud out. I love Spring as Mother Earth slowly awakens from her winter slumber. The desert transitions from dusty brown to shades of green. In April, the cacti will begin to bloom. The desert high country is awesome with the vibrant splashes of color among the usually drab landscape. Soon we’ll have dozens of baby quail running around the yard. There’s so much to look forward to…

This year’s El Nino event has been disappointing. I haven’t gotten much snow right here at my house. I do so love the snow. Most of all because it’s a change. Everything, covered in a blanket of pure white, is so pretty. I don’t have to shovel it – just wait a day or two and it’s gone. However, looking out my kitchen window, I can see the snow covered mountains as I do dishes. That will have to be enough for right now.

Spring fever is setting in. I’ve been resisting the urge to plant my garden. So often, we have that early spring snow that freezes everything for a day or two. I’ve taken an inventory of my seeds, made a list of what I need to get and have roughly sketched out my garden layout for this year. I’m thinking I’ll till the garden the first weekend of March, weather permitting.

I’m thinking of adding a few more beds. We’ll see. I try to grow enough for my family (and the rabbits.) Keep checking back for garden updates.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Amazon Dash Buttons

I have just discovered the neatest thing – Amazon Dash Buttons. In a nutshell, you buy a dash button, link it to the product you want, press the button and it’s shipped to you. How cool is that? Okay. It does require a little setup. If I can do it, anyone can.

Talk about ultimate convenience. This option is great. You don’t need to fire up the computer or search through apps on your phone. One press and it’s done! You get a confirmation email sent to your phone and by default, it won’t ship another order until the first one’s been shipped (unless you enable multiple shipments.) You can cancel your order from the confirmation email if you change your mind.

It’s available to Amazon Prime Members. For a limited time, buy a button for 4.99 & get 4.99 off your order. Here’s some links to dash buttons:

Continue reading “Amazon Dash Buttons”

Raising Children

The inspiration for this page came after reading yet another of those magazines that contained an article regarding how to raise a child. I thought, what’s the problem here? Don’t people realize how to raise a child anymore? There has been so much written as to be careful, don’t hurt your child’s feelings, don’t ever spank your child, don’t stifle their creativity, don’t do this, don’t do that, etc. Now look at our children, and sociey, in general, and see what we’ve created. I am aghast at what the youth of today do, are allowed to do, and are allowed to get away with. Why? Why do we, as adults, tolerate this behavior? Why is the unacceptable being forced down our throats until it becomes the accepted norm? Who is letting this happen? We are. As adults, it’s time we take charge of our fate and that of our children.

Children need rules. They need guidelines. They need consistency. They need to know that you mean business. What you say goes, without question or explanation. When my son was a toddler, I would tell him to do something and he would ask, “Why?” For several months, I would spend my time trying to explain the reason I wanted him to, for example, pick up his toys. Once I was at a friend’s house. (She happened to be an elementary school teacher.) She said, “If you don’t do something with his behavior, you’re really going to have trouble with him later on.” This remark took me by surprise. I asked what she meant. She said, “You’re the adult. Why are you trying to reason with a two-year-old? He should do what you tell him without explanation.” It was like someone had hit me with a ton of bricks. I hadn’t realized what I had been doing. He was my first child. For the first two years of his life, I had read the baby magazines, read Dr. Spock, read everything I could get my hands on regarding how to raise a child. I wanted, so badly, to raise him to be the best kid ever. How could I have let this happen? Continue reading “Raising Children”

Canning jars are your friend, even if you don’t can…

After spending hundreds of dollars throughout the years on Rubbermaid, Gladware and Tupperware, it finally dawned on me to use canning jars for storing and freezing foods. I’m basically lazy, so I find the most efficient way to do everything. I like to cook once and eat many times. I make a big pot, 6-8 qts. of chili or soup, then freeze the rest. If it’s been one of those days, I take out a pint or two of soup and make cornbread or baking powder biscuits for a quick and easy supper.

My favorite size for freezing is the wide mouth pint. This size thaws quickly in the microwave and is about right to allow a pint per person. I freeze broth, soup and cowboy beans. Be sure to leave at least 1″ head space to allow for expansion when freezing. A while back, I worked too far away to eat lunch at home. I used the smaller 8 oz. size for a perfect lunch portion. The soup would be pretty well thawed by lunchtime, so heating in the microwave was a breeze. Be sure to remove the cap and band before nuking.

I use the half gallon size to store dry beans, rice, noodles, peanuts, everything else. My Foodsaver has the attachment that vacuum seals the canning jars. It’s quick and easy, but my Foodsaver is a subject for another day.

I use the regular mouth pint size for drinking glasses. I bought some of the blue ones a couple years ago. Last year green was the color. This year, I’ve seen purple, too. I bought the lid/straw sets, too. They make an instant skippy cup for the young ones you don’t quite trust with an open glass and ideal for the patio since they keep the flies out. Check out the links below to get yours.

Shhhh! I must confess…

Granny JJ I’m having an affair and my husband doesn’t mind. My love is medium stature, quiet, classy with a little bling…it’s my KitchenAid mixer. I absolutely love it! So hard to ignore it’s subtle presence as it beckons me to use it. Although it’s got some age (as do I), it still lives on my countertop as it has since the first day I welcomed it into my home.

Saturdays are my baking days. I’m disgusted with the prepackaged baked goods available. When I read the ingredients and can’t even pronounce them, it can’t be good for my family. I’d read somewhere that margarine is one chemical molecule away from plastic. That sent me back to using what I know – butter, olive oil, lard, coconut oil, and occasionally butter-flavored Crisco. Okay, Crisco probably isn’t good for you either, but it makes the best cookies. Yum. Yum. So yesterday, I made Honey Rolls and Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I’m not a fan of hard, thin cookies. I like mine plump. This one is delectable – soft on the inside, slightly crisp edges. My mouth waters as I type about it. Better head to the kitchen and grab a few.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/3 cups butter-flavored Crisco
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
3 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon backing soda
2 cups chocolate chips or 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped walnuts or 1 cup white chocolate chips and 1 cup Craisins.

Preheat oven to 375°. Cream together shortening with brown and white sugars until fluffy. Mix in vanilla; then add eggs, one at a time, beating slightly after each addition. Do not over beat.

Add flour, salt and baking soda to the creamed mixture. [If you want, combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl first. I don’t waste my time with this step. I sprinkle the salt and baking soda, then dump the flour and call it good.] Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls about 2” apart on non-stick baking sheet. [I actually use a small scoop instead of spoons.] Flatten slightly with a fork.

Bake in 375° oven for 7 minutes. Remove cookie sheet from oven and let the cookies finish on the sheet until it’s cool. Transfer cookies to racks to finish cooling.

Beginning

Granny JJ I’m new to this blogging thing and here’s how it came about…I’m over 50 and one day when I was feeling particularly tired, I said to my 14 year-old grandson, “I’m getting old, aren’t I?” Without missing a beat, he said, “You’re not old. My Granny rocks!” Well, that planted the seed and here I am.

My favorite quote is from Earl Nightingale, “Never give up on a dream because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” I was raised in a time where my dream was to get married, be happy and have a nice family. That was it. I never thought about much more than that. Now, I let my mind wander to the possibilities and it’s like, yeah. I can do this.

Another quote I really like came from my sister-in-law, Barbie. She said, “I don’t like to start on yesterday tomorrow.” Starting on yesterday tomorrow applies to so many things. Every day, do as much as you can whether at work or on your own personal goals. If I’ve got something to do, I get it done. It’s really simple. Do it now; then you don’t have to worry about finding time to do it later.

Both are powerful statements I live by daily.

At work, if your boss needs something by say 3:00 pm. Respond as quickly as you can. Boom! It’s off your plate and you can continue on working. I often make the mistake of thinking that everyone thinks like me. When I ask my grandson to take out the trash. It means DO IT NOW. If I wanted it done later, I’d ask later. Simple, huh?

Around the house, avoiding yesterday tomorrow may mean doing the dishes at night instead of letting them pile up in the sink to do tomorrow. Really, what’s it take? All of fifteen minutes to wash and dry or maybe five minutes to load the dishwasher? Come on folks, no excuses.

As I’ve grown older, I realized everyone has something to contribute to the younger generations, regardless of whether they’re 50 or 90. There are so many things younger people don’t know. This is my way of sharing the knowledge I’ve gained and I hope you find it useful.