Simple Cranberry Sauce

I made dinner tonight with ear plugs in. My husband is putting down our hard wood floor and the stapler noise is above loud. He started this evening before I had my ear plugs in place and I screamed at the first staple. 

Cooking with ear plugs sure is interesting. I had to take them out twice to taste something. I had to hear the sizzle of the pan to get the whole taste. Kind of like my Grandma I guess- she cant talk on the phone until she finds her glasses.

I was craving thanksgiving food so I made fried ham with a simple cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, creamed limas and spinach salad.

I am sharing the simple cranberry sauce recipe with you. It sure is tasty. I caught Josh eating it by the spoonful. This could be used on various meats.

  Cranberries make me happy. I love their flavor and color.

Simple Cranberry Sauce

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

1/4 tsp. salt

zest of one orange

12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries

In a small saucepan combine sugar, water, salt and orange zest.

Bring to a boil, stir in cranberries return to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until 3/4 of berries have popped open.

Remove from heat and keep warm until ready to serve.

If you want a thicker sauce just cook it longer.

It really thickens once it cools.

Cooks Illustrated recipe revised slightly.

Enjoy,

Hope

Maple Glazed Pork Chops

Last week I was craving maple glazed pork chops. I had them awhile back at my sister's house, but she couldn't remember the recipe so I recreated the flavors I remembered.

I remember a Hickory Smoke Marinade in the recipe and happened to have some on hand. It's tasty and adds a real smokey flavor to meats. You can buy it at Walmart or most grocery stores.

Marinate | Fry | Make Sauce | Your Done

My mouth is watering now. I need to go fix supper.

Maple Glazed Pork Chops

4 pork chops

1/2 cup Hickory Smoke Marinade

 3 Tbsp. butter

6-8 large mushrooms, sliced

salt and pepper

1/4 cup chicken broth

3 Tbsp. maple syrup

Place pork chops in a shallow dish and pour about 1/2 cup marinade

over them. Poke all over with a fork and let marinate 40 minutes.

Heat a skillet with 3 Tbsp. butter. Add pork chops and fry until done, 

about 5-6 minutes. Size and thickness can make a difference.

Do not over cook! They will get tough. A little pink is okay in the middle.

You will be adding them back to the heat once the sauce is done.

When done remove from skillet.

Add mushrooms to pan drippings and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Saute until soft. Add chicken broth and maple syrup, cook on high

until sauce reduces and thickens. Add pork chops back to skillet

and heat for a minute or so.

Enjoy,

Hope

And the winner is...

Teresa

A favorite fall food, apple crisp or apple dumplings....what a fun giveaway!

Check out her lovely blog!

I hope you are ready to do some fall baking!

 Please email me your address so I can send it your way.

p.s. This was so much fun to see all who commented. 

I would love to have a big party with all of you! 

Cheers,

Hope

a Fall Giveaway

Because I like fall and all my readers, I am giving away some fall baking supplies. A nice sturdy cookie scoop, a flour sack towel that's great for covering baked goods while they cool, ground cinnamon, cinnamon sticks, whole nutmeg, and a pint of local sorghum molasses.

Let the fall baking begin!

To enter just answer the following question.

What's your favorite fall food?

The cookie scoop and flour sack towel are supplied by Kitchen Kupboard, my mother-in-law's specialty kitchen store. It is a local store with friendly help. Go to her website for more information.

The spices are from my Auntie's store, The Cheese Place. There you will find tasty cheese and bulk foods of all kinds. She has an extra special worker, my Grandma Shank, who I like visit when I stop by.

Deadline October 23.

No shipping outside USA and Canada.

Winners will be selected using www.randompicker.com. One entry per person.
Winner will be announced on my blog page Tuesday evening. Please include your email address so I can contact you. If you feel uncomfortable leaving your email address be sure to look at my page Tuesday evening and you can email me your information for shipping address.

Let the giving begin,

Hope

If Grandma had Instagram...

Funny title, but it's a thought that comes across my mind often when blogging or posting on Instagram.

Some days I wonder why I blog and post on Instagram- Is this all about me? Grandma didn't post a photo of her three layered cake every Christmas. But then I think of how many people have inspired me through blogging and Instagram. Some blog posts leave me feeling refreshed and ready to tackle my house again. It's just the nudge I need at times. God wants us to be creative and to use the gifts He has given us. And that's what keeps me going. While a blog may seem glorious with photos and words- It's been stretching for me. I am a quiet person that is not good at expressing my feelings in group setting. I have finally tackled the ever present worry about people taking me wrong- and just blogging about what I love to do.

So if my Grandma had instagram... she'd have 5,000,000 followers. But she doesn't have instagram and so not everyone knows how awesome she is. But what matters is that God knows it along with her family and friends who deeply appreciate her for who she is. So 'be' who you would be without instagram or a blog to post on. Be the godly, caring, intentional person God has created you to be.

Savor each season of life just like you savor an apple dumpling in the fall- for it may not last long. 

Blessings,

Hope

Pumpkin Art

I decided to paint pumpkins with my two nephews last week. I was imagining orange pumpkins with symmetrical polka dots of blue and green. Something their mother and aunt would love to set on their porch.

Well it was two boys with an endless supply of paint. We started with a sponge for each color. Sawyer took a liking to the smallest sponge and proceeded to use it for all colors. At that point I gave in and let them go hog wild- and that they did.

 Little artists.

Once there was no more surface area on their pumpkins to paint,

they moved over to their hands and arms.

Their mother photographed this as she was quietly smirking.

I had to get the water hose out to clean up the aftermath.

It was worth it though.

While painting Sawyer exclaims, "this is so much fun I can hardly believe it!"

I think he could hardly believe he was able to make such a mess.

Happy fall,

Hope