Mashed Potatoes a day before the big celebration.

One thing that I noticed when I was teaching was that not everything has a real recipe.

Before we were reliant on the Internet I had assigned my students to find recipes for the classic Northern Thanksgiving.  The students assigned to mashed potatoes were stumped.  They could not find a recipe for Mashed potatoes.

It seems so logical to people that have been cooking alongside their parents their entire life.  But, if you do not have that experience and you do not have access to T.V. shows that show basics, you could be stumped.  And truly even with Internet searches sometimes the simple are hard to find because the "pros"  often need to put a twist on things for those that have done it all.

So here are some basics for mashed potatoes a day or two ahead of time.

Wash 5 pounds of russet potatoes.  Cut brown spots off.  You can leave the skin on.

Chop the potatoes into less than one inch cubs.

Chop an onion and put it in with the potatoes.

Place all in a 6 or 8 quarts kettle (dutch oven)  Cover with water.

Bring the water to a boil and cook until you can stick a knife into the potatoes with a smooth stroke.

Drain in a colander when cooked.

To Mash:

I like to use a mixer because I always have a large crew.  You can use a hand masher too.

If you have a kitchen aid use the wire whip.

Mash with out anything added until the potatoes are somewhat smooth.  If you add ingredients too soon you potatoes could become pasty.

Once smooth add:

1 1/2 teaspoon salt.
1 teaspoon pepper.
1 teaspoon garlic powder.

First add 1/ 2 cup butter (1 stick)  mix for a minute.

Then add 3/4 cup half and half.  (an alternate is 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup milk)

Mix until somewhat smooth but not too long.  (You don't want paste)

You can add other seasonings such as nutmeg, Italian seasonings, etc.  Add what you and your family love.  If you like additional butter, cream or milk add more.  Be creative.  Heck you can even pipe them out of a decorator bag, freeze them and heat them up.  They look fancy, fancy and you will impress the guests.

No matter what you do, it is not difficult,  but there is a slight science to the potatoes.

If you notice from my photos there are a few lumps and you can see the skins.  I like the skins because they have some good nutrients in them.  I used to get complaints from family members but they have grown accustomed to my ways over time.

Place the potatoes in a crock pot crock.  And refrigerate.

The next day start them rather early to make sure to are warm through and through, stirring periodically.

With love from your retired FACS teacher,
Jane

Thanksgiving: I Am thankful I have time but planning ahead helps.

Every year many have anxiety of getting ready for holiday entertaining.  I like to plan a head and use my freezer.  One of those plan ahead items can be your pie crust.

I use a simple crust recipe.  Many rave about it but it is not the ingredients but the method of assembly. 

This recipe makes 4 crusts.  See pictures below for freezing and you tube for blending.

4 cups flour
1 1/3 cups butter or shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
10 to 16 tablespoons water

Using a pastry blender  (key) cut the fat into the flour until it is pea size chunks.

Then add about 10 tablespoons water using a tablespoon.  Using a pastry blender again incorporate the water.  If you need more add more. The pie crust should stick together when squished with your fingers.   It should be somewhat moist but not sticky.

Divide into four chunks.

Flour surface.  Roll.  Fold crust in fourths.  Tuck excess under.  Flute.

To freeze:  place wax or parchment paper in crusts, wrap in plastic.

If you want to garnish your pie with cutouts.  Cut from leftover dough and place on wax or parchment at the top of your crusts.

Let the cut outs thaw before pulled off and use a pancake turner to take them off of the paper.

Have a great holiday and plan ahead.

This works because the pastry blender coats the flour with fat.  When water is added it only absorbs into the exposed flour which creates the flaky crust. 

Link to making a pie crust with pastry blender:  This is apple but it is good for all pie crust.
I have switched to butter because it is a more natural fat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqgjR-tWsLk

faze two and three for apple pie:

2:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP4WFkcZB7M

3:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiPuz25T2EQ

Have a great holiday and plan ahead.

With love from your retired FACS teacher, Jane

Fall brings a close to many things for me personally but a few new beginnings too.

I have had an interesting fall.

My husband and his brothers share the love for traveling on motorcycles.  This fall we traveled with two brothers to visit another two brothers.  Yes, there are 5 of them in all.  We traveled from Minnesota to Virginia.  It was a wild adventure and while riding on our many day trips near our nations capital I was often with just the guys.  Thank goodness for my sister in law who made and served us breakfast and supper each day along with a little girl time.

But as much fun, beauty and history as I had while traveling my father's youngest brother died from his 5 year battle with cancer, due to agent orange.  He did not want to leave and he fought harder than anyone I have ever seen battling cancer.  He expressed himself so beautifully in his writing while going through his struggles.  Although I have not had a great deal of contact with him and his family in the last few years his writing made me realize that we all should embrace each moment with a zest like there is no tomorrow.

My husband and I visited him this winter, for just a day, but I am so happy that we got to spend time with him and his wife before he left us.  While in Virginia we took a plane to Florida and said good-bye with our family to celebrate his life.

Upon return from our trip I took on a job in a grocery store as a bakery clerk.  Many have asked why. Frankly, I am not sure, but I had been going a bit crazy just sewing in my house with no one to talk to.  Although I really enjoy the work it is much more physical than I had realized and hope that I can maintain my schedule.  Also, being a FACS professional and having taught culinary arts and commercial cooking and baking, I fear, I know too much.  How does a person that managed a classroom, a little bakery and a shop really learn to keep her mouth shut? The answer, "IT is impossible."  And so you see, my experience, and big mouth, are a bit of a hindrance.  We shall see how the next few weeks go.  I am hoping to go to work and just enjoy my interaction with others.  But, no matter what the outcome, what a great behind the scenes experience in a high volume store that still bakes everything from scratch.

Four of the brothers and me ready for a day out in Virginia

Four of the brothers in Blue ridge mountains in a national park

My uncles family saying "goodbye"

With love from your retired FACS teacher,
Jane

A letter to "The Chew" please notice Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers.

Because I have been retired from teaching since 2013, I watch T.V. while I sew.

I switch back and forth from favorites depending on who is on the show and what they are discussing. I watch "The Chew" often because they seem to be bringing back cooking in homes and the concept of "from scratch" in families lives.  

As a former Family and Consumer Sciences teacher (formerly know as Home Economics) cooking "from scratch" has never gone out for me personally.   In the last few years Family and Consumer Sciences has been in the news as there have been several articles across the nation in regards to "Bring back Home Economics".  Each time one of these articles come out the American Association of  Family and Consumer Sciences makes every effort they can to get the support of the media to share the continued education of food preparation through out the United States immersed in FACS programs.  The topic rarely gets the focus that it should.  Although the "Let's Move" program is great and vital, so is food and nutrition education.

Recently while watching "The Chew" I noticed them sharing ANOTHER NEW PROGRAM to help children learn how to cook using fresh ingredients.  It was fantastic!

But......I have a question, "Why is impossible for television media outlets to share what has existed for over 100 years in a positive light?"  "Why is it so difficult to showcase Family and Consumer Science Educators that have done fantastic work in the schools that they teach?"

Look at Karen Smith's class in Monticello, MN. She plants and grows food with her junior high students. She shows them how to prepare these foods.  Along with that she invites local farmers into her classroom to talk about their crops and teaches them how to use those products.

Look at Sara Martinez' class in the inner ring school, North St. Paul, MN (district 622) she teaches a Healthy Living course. That class  alternates with every other day with physical education.  Along with that students learn the importance of cooking with fresh products, eating at home and much more.

Dear Chew producers please look at Family and Consumer Sciences educators programs through out the United States. Please look at the good that they do and help us promote and share FACS work. These educators touch so many lives in a positive light and often give hope to those that couldn't find a calling until they worked with food.  These programs are nutrition based, culinary based and technique based and they are doing great things but often go unnoticed.  Please help your viewers notice!

With Love from your retired FACS teacher,
Jane

 

Women Unite! Let us change the installation of the giant bathroom toilet paper dispensers.

I have been thinking about this for several years and never discuss it because I always have hope that someone will fix this horrible issue.  Not a world problem but half of our population has this issue.

Ever since public restrooms have gone from regular paper dispensers to the giant ones I have said, "Men have done this and they don't get it."  They are installed TO LOW! 

In my imagination I see instructions that say mount blank inches from the floor.  Then the installers look at each other and say, "hummm measure from the bottom or top to the floor?  Let's go with top.   So, everytime we ladies need a piece of toilet tissue, we have to crouch over to the height of a 3 year old. 

Industry experts in public bathroom design, PLEASE hear me when I say, "this is so annoying." I can't believe I am the only female out there wishing for someone to change the toilet paper dispenser instructions so that it easier to access for those that use it everytime they sit.  

We don't stand so please listen or maybe sit down and check it out sometime.   It is wrong!

With love from your retired FACS teacher, Jane

Downsizing and Weddings.....These two things are related for me. And = reuse and recycle.

My children are 26 and 27.  They are in the middle of the bunch on my husbands side and they are pretty much all the same age on my side.

We are in the "family wedding" mode on my husbands side.  There were two last November and one this month and a couple of family friends had children marry this year too.  I have often struggled with gifts.  We don't know what to do sometimes.  Registrations often seem impersonal but on the other had young folks might not have similar taste to us.

I am a bowl and pitcher junkie.  I love pottery and dishes of any kind.  I can not resist the utilitarian beauty of pottery.  This year while we were discussing downsizing my husband reminded me that I purchased a couple of items on our motorcycle trip.  He also pointed out the purchasing more was not in line with down sizing.  So generous of him.  (NOT)  So o.k., I know I may have a materialism issue in a couple of areas. (Fabric, pottery, glassware, dishware....)  I am a Libra, balanced, I see both sides of everything.  Sometimes it makes me down right crazy.

So I took a look at and in my cupboards and really had a hard time just giving things to charities.  Then I got a brain storm.  I picked out a special bowl for each niece or nephew getting married, purchased handmade tongs or special salad utensils, packaged them together and gave them for wedding gifts.  At first I didn't tell them because I was nervous that they thought I was being cheap.    Now I think I am pretty smart.  I tell them where the bowl came from and what it means to us.  I tell them about the adventure we had when we purchased the bowl and I wish them love and adventures too.

So you see, I am not cheap; I am sharing my love for travel, happiness and adventure with our next generation.  And well, my husband thinks I still have too many bowls.

With love from your retired FACS teacher,

Jane

People you don't really know can impact your life.

Lap quilt made with Kaffe Fasset fabrics.  Still available.

One of the quilt top that Tammy has purchased and donated.

As those of you that read my blog know, I sew quilts, pillowcases and quilt tops to keep myself busy and pretty much pay for my habit (I mean hobby) of sewing.

This past year my business has grown but not spectacularly. This is not a complaint but a statement.  Sewing feels good.  I love creating items and sharing them with others.  Hopefully once in a while the quilt becomes a family memory or a heartfelt item for a new baby, an elderly grandparent or a person struggling with an illness.

I always say that selling something on ETSY is a bit of a miracle.  There are approximately 60,000 baby quilts listed just on ETSY.  Compare that with the entire Internet and I say a BIG loud "THANK YOU"  to those that have purchased pillowcases, blankets and miscellaneous other items.

Today I want to talk about two people that have impacted my life through my ETSY sales.  One, a wonder woman who wants to be able to create and sew but just can't find her sewing genetic code.  The second about a man in Texas, that I felt in my heart, needed conversation.

Number one, Tammy, is from a Midwest/Southern state.  She belongs to a group at her church that takes blanket request for people going through cancer treatments.  The group that she is a part of are amazing.  They make quilts and tie them for these people.  They pray for them and give them hope for life and a cure for their dreaded disease.  Tammy first ordered a couple of quilt tops and then later came back and purchased a couple of more.  If you don't know what a quilt top is; it is the top of a pieced together quilt that needs to be put with backing and a fabric back.  Tammy and I started conversing and she told me what she was doing.  We got to talking and I mentioned that my brother had a brain tumor and talked about what he had gone through this year.  In talking I mentioned that I was going on a motorcycle trip in her area and wondered if she had any recommended places to visit. She had great suggestions and even offered up her home to us, total strangers.  We did not visit but she still touches my heart often with updates and prayers cards, letting me know where the quilt tops that I sew, and she purchases go.  She is a remarkable person and I appreciate the love and generosity she gives through her quilt gifts.  (Even though her husband doesn't like when she goes over budget. Smile!)

The second person has left a bit a of sadness in my heart.  I started communicating with him last year.  He wanted a couple of bright batik pillow cases.  He asked many questions but was very excited about his purchase.  I knew he was on a budget and I tried to keep things low as he had to wait till certain times to make his purchases.  We sent many messages back and forth and I felt that he might have been lonely.  I didn't want to talk too much but I knew in my heart that sometimes people just need to talk.  Last month he asked me to make a couple of quilts with Kaffe Fasset fabrics because again he just loved the bright colors.  He told me he would have to wait until fall to purchase the quilts but he had hoped I could get started on them.  He messaged me a couple of time a week for updates.  At first it was annoying but then I thought, "hey he is excited about my stuff", so I started sending updates on my own.  For six days I didn't get any response from him and I thought, I wonder what happened?  Maybe he is on vacation, maybe someone in his family is sick.  On the seventh day after my message was sent I received a message from his sister on his account.  It only said that he had passed away.  My heart sank.  I new this was true.  My husband searched the Internet for proof because we are occasionally doubters.  We found his name on a funeral home website with no information or clues as to what happened.  I can't stop thinking about him and pray that he is up in heaven filled with bright colors and happiness.

To those of you that have purchased items from me (and there are more), touched my life, and given me a reason to create with fabric and yarn.....I thank you.  This creating thing is not really about money.  It is about love of design, creating and sharing my little old gift with fiber.

With love from your retired FACS teacher,
Jane