WALNUTS

Looking up into the black walnut tree

Unhulled walnuts:

We ended up tearing the hulls open this way:It sure was a lot of work.
Now they have to dry for a few weeks.
But, I did a smaller batch more than a month ago.
When I crack them open they are no good. :( They're not moldy or anything, just too soft.
I am hoping this large batch turns out.
Otherwise....it was a whole lotta work for nothin'!

Wordless Wednesday

Bacon Chicken Sandwich

This makes a really GOOD sandwich! I did forget to take pictures, so I took this picture of the leftovers.

These sandwiches included:

Cooked, skinless, boneless chicken breast with lemon pepper & colby-jack cheese

Crisp bacon

Tomato

I put mayo & a little bit of dijon mustard on mine, & served them on sesame seed buns.

YUM!

CHEWY OATMEAL SCOTCHIES

This is one of our favorite cookies. I've been making oatmeal scotchies for years, but I've been using the recipe on the back of the butterscotch chips bag. They were really good, and they came out of the oven looking really good. But as they cooled, they always went flat. They went really flat. They were good, but flat.
Then I found a recipe for Chewy Oatmeal Cookies from an Amish cookbook. I kind of combined the two recipes. The Amish recipe didn't call for the butterscotch chips or cinnamon, & of course we need those! But I like the measurements in the Amish recipe. And I learned something here....the Amish recipe calls for 1 cup of Crisco & the cookies don't fall flat. The recipe on the chips package calls for butter or margarine. I've always used margarine so I am assuming that is what causes them to go flat.
So I have combined the two recipes & this is what I get:
CHEWY OATMEAL SCOTCHIES
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. crisco
2 eggs
3 c. quick oatmeal (I've used regular oats before & it was fine)
2 c. sifted flour
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. vanilla
1 package (11 oz.) butterscotch chips
1/2 t. cinnamon

Cream sugars thoroughly with crisco until light & fluffy. Beat in eggs. In seperate bowl sift the measured flour with salt, baking soda & powder, & cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the crisco & sugar mixture & mix well. Add vanilla. Then stir in the 3 c. oatmeal & the butterscotch chips. It will be pretty thick, I use a heavy wooden spoon.
Roll into balls & bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 for 10-12 minutes.
Let set on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes then remove to wire rack (I have never had a wire rack...lol...so I just use paper towels).
These are SO GOOD....especially WARM right out of the oven.

YAY! IT'S CHILI TIME!

I am so happy that it's finally fall weather. Which means that it's CHILI TIME!

I know there are so many ways of making chili. I've even seen chili cook offs on the Food Network. Some folks say you should never add beans. Some say to never add hamburger. Some say to NEVER add macaroni, like it's a really big sin. lol Some even add cocoa.
It really doesn't matter to us. We like all kinds of chili.
So here's a picture of the chili I made on Thursday. I don't usually add macaroni...but I had some, & our family likes THICK chili, so I did use it this time. I probably use macaroni less than half the time. But we always use beans. :) And I go the easy route & use a 'chili packet'.
Here's what it looked like in my pan...

Here's my basic recipe. And like I said, sometimes I use macaroni, sometimes I don't.

CHILI

1-2 pounds hamburger

1 large onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, diced

1 Brooks chili packet

I large can Brooks Chili mild beans (I think it's quart sized)

1 small can Brooks Chili hot (or medium) beans

1 quart tomato juice (or v8 juice)

1 small can mushrooms (some might think this is weird...lol)

small box of any kind of macaroni (optional)

Brown hamburger in skillet with chopped onion, green peppers, & garlic. Drain off grease.

To the skillet add 1 cup of water & the Brooks chili packet & stir well. Add the hamburger back in, stir well & simmer on low for about 10 minutes.

To a large pot add the tomato juice, both cans of beans, & the mushrooms (of course you can adjust the beans to your liking). Turn on low & stir together. Then add the meat mixture. Stir well, cook on low. If you want macaroni, boil it up, drain, & add to chili. It's done, enjoy!

We always add crushed crackers to our bowls, & also shredded cheese on top.

Also, in our house, we do have one thing that we ALWAYS have with chili. It's not complete without :

A PEANUTBUTTER SANDWICH

It's a MUST!

It has to be in or on your bowl so you can dip it. YUM :)

(I usually add more chese than what you see in the picture, but I had already stirred it in & was about to take my first bite when I realized I should take a picture! Which, by the way, my family thinks is funny. lol We sit down to eat & I say "Wait!", then I jump up & grab the camera...lol)

We think Chili is even better on day 2. It's usually quite a bit thicker, so sometimes I add some more tomato juice. Last night my dh cooked polish sausage on the grill & they made GREAT chili dogs! mmmmmmmmm.........

Wordless Wednesday

The Nattie Challenge

This is my very first book challenge. I've read about them before-mostly on Think-Pink - but I have never participated in one.

This is called the baby-steps challenge .

I have chosen option B (2 of the books on my list are re-reads).

My books are:

1. Ben-Hur by Lew Wallace

2. A Man Called Peter by Catherine Marshall

3. Christy by Catherine Marshall

A Man Called Peter & Christy I read years ago. They are books my dad gave me. He really loved to read too. He had tons of books. These 2 books are old hardbacks of his & the date on A Man Called Peter says 1951. He has an address label in the front, & it is the address he had before he met & married my mom. My copy of Christy is also a hardback that my mom gave him for Christmas 1970 (she signed the front of it). Actually, all 3 of these books make me think of my dad. I didn't plan it that way.

I just had all 3 in my "Mt. to be read" pile. My dad gave me my copy of Ben-Hur for Christmas one year. It's super tiny print & I've just never gotten around to reading it. lol But I've always meant to. I've been to the Ben-Hur museum near where I live many times....as a child. (click on that link & read Lew's quote...it's pretty cool) We went there for field trips in grade school a lot. But now as an adult, I can't remember much about it. After I finish this book, I'd like to go back & have a look around. :)

Also, & I hope this doesn't sound creepy or weird or anything, but my dad is buried about 50-100 yards from Lew Wallace. Really, I'm not weird. lol It's just that I drive by Lew's grave to get to my dads. I know that must sound odd! lol Maybe I AM weird.....lol

Anyway, there's my 3 books. I didn't mean for them to be 'Dad' books, but that's how it turned out. So I'd like to do this 1st reading challenge in honor of my dad, who loved reading & passed that love on to me. And of course in honor of Nattie. It's a shame that I didn't know her well. I really wish I did. We talked a few times on the message board about our weather & our state starting to go with the rest of the country by observing that stupid (lol)daylight savings time.

Here's a picture of my dad & me. Thanks for my books, Dad. :)