Pear Relish

What do you do when your brother-in-law has a pear orchard? Well, you can them! I made some pear relish and pear preserves. Next I'm making pear butter. The worse part of making all this is the peeling. But, it's still fun to do. If you've never canned anything, why not start? It's a great feeling. I just bought a new book called, "The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving". I'm anxious to try some new and different stuff.

Here's all you need: pears, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, sweet onions, apple cider vinegar and pickling spice. Oops, forgot the apple cider vinegar for the picture.






Chop the pears, onions, and peppers.








Place two teaspoons of pickling spice in cheesecloth to make a bouquet garnish. I tie mine with a pretty long string so it makes it easier to remove.







Put all in a pot and bring to a boil, while stirring often.






When it turns a pretty golden color and the pears, peppers and onions are tender, then it's ready to process. Remove the bouquet garnish.








Be sure you use hot jars and be sure to also put the tongs in the hot water.







I use a canning funnel to put the relish in the jars. Be sure you wipe the rim clean with a clean damp cloth before putting the lid on. Screw the rims on just finger tight and place back in water. Make sure the water is about an inch over the jars. Bring water to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Using a jar lifter, remove the jars from the water. After a few minutes, you'll start hearing little pings. This is a good sound, it means you did the canning properly.

Here's the pear relish along with some pear preserves I made.

Pear Relish

10 pears, peeled and chopped
2 medium sweet onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pickling spices

Place all ingredients in a large pot and bring mixture to a boil, stirring often. Lower the temperature to a medium heat and cook approximately 40 minutes or until the pears, peppers and onions are soft in texture.

Heat jars in water for about ten minutes. Put relish in hot jars and process for ten minutes in a water bath.

Pear relish can be served warm or cold. Pear relish makes a great dipping sauce for oriental foods. Mix pear relish in barbecue sauce for a great sauce. Relish is good on hot dogs, barbecue, pork and chicken.

Self-Indulgence

I was just wondering ... what do you do just for yourself? When you really want to indulge and pamper yourself. Do you indulge yourself with chocolate?

Ummm, I love a good brownie!




Or do you pick out a really good book, lock yourself in your room and read?





Or maybe you're a health nut and take time to exercise.





Or maybe you have a hobby and allow yourself the time and money to enjoy it.

Like painting......



or sewing.






Do you want to know how I pamper myself?

Okay, now my kids can answer this one immediately! I can spend hours doing this!

Can you guess what it is?

I love taking bubble baths!




Actually, I don't even have to have the bubbles. I love to just soak in a nice, warm tub. I think it started when my kids were little. I've always worked and Mike and I are from the generation that the father didn't really get involved with the household chores. After a hard day of work, doing the laundry, cooking and washing dinner and getting the kids to bed, there was nothing as luxurious as a nice warm bath! And then when the kids got older and our lives got more hectic, it was the one nice place I could go and not be interrupted. This was before cordless phones and so there was no phone calls or at least they had to take my messages for me. It was my escape! Now, I still love to soak in a warm bath. I read, do sudoku puzzles, talk to the kids on the phone (they've learned to just ignore the water splashing). When my mother passed away, I would just sit in the bathtub and cry. And now when my grand kids are here, I will even share my tub with my granddaughter. She loves the whirlpool jets! So, tell me, what do you do just for you?????

My Hubby and An Award

Let me share a few things about this wonderful husband that I have. Now, first of all, he absolutely hates having his picture made, so if he sees me coming at him with a camera, he usually turns his head the opposite direction. Or worse, gives me this really awful look that really means don't even think about taking my picture. Also, if he knew I was going to tell these few things about him, he would really be upset with me, so please don't tell him.




1. He's sitting in front of the TV; what is on the screen?
This is easy, it used to be CNN, but he's really upset with the way they are being so biased on the presidential candidates, so he's now watching Fox News. He also watches the discovery channel, weather channel (seriously!) and the outdoor channel. And he loves watching movies.

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
Always, always Ranch dressing and he always asks for extra!

3. What's one food he doesn't like?
Jalapeno peppers

4. You go out to the bar. What does he order?
Miller Light

5. Where did he go to high school?
Abilene High

6. What size shoe does he wear?
10 1/2

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?
Guns

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
Plain ole' ham

9. What would this person eat every day if he could?
Steak and potatoes

11. What would he never wear?
A little skimpy speedo bathing suit.

12. What is his favorite sports team?
Dallas Cowboys

13. Who will he vote for?
Without a doubt or any hesitation, McCain

14. Who is his best friend?
Me, of course!

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do?
I don't think I clean out my closets enough for him.

16. How many states has he lived in?
Two, Illinois and Texas

17. What is his heritage?
His father was German

18. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake?
He loves any cake that doesn't have nuts in it.

19. Did he play sports in high school?
Nope

20. What could he spend hours doing?
Watching TV




And now, a few weeks ago Stacey gave me this great award.

***These are the rules which must be posted:

This award was created by Memoirs of a Mommy. It’s a very special award that she created in Honor Of The Donor That Saved (her son) Noah’s Life. Noah received a heart transplant, and she hopes that by passing this award around the blogosphere everyone can help raise awareness of the need for Organ Donation.

The rules of this award are: SHARE THE LOVE!!! Share this award with all those blogs out there that you love. All the people who make you smile. All those that make you laugh. All those that make your day. All those that leave uplifting comments on your blog.

**All I ask, is that you include a link to this post with the award and ask your recipients to do the same**

I give this award to :

My sweet daughter, Jennifer and my wonderful daughter-in-law, Kellie.

Read Any Good Books Lately????

Decisions, decisions. This weekend I purchased these two books:

and



I've heard good reviews on both of these, so I had a hard time trying to decide which one to read first. I just reached in my sack and grabbed the first one which happened to be Francine Rivers' Redeeming Love. It's been on the best seller list for many years, so most of you have probably already read it. I've only read the first 125 pages so far and it's great! It is the biblical love story of Gomer and Hosea in a tale set against the exciting backdrop of the California Gold Rush. Now excuse me while I get back to my reading.

Fort Chadbourne

We attended the Fort Chadbourne Fundraiser last night. Fort Chadbourne was established October 28, 1852 by companies A and K of the Eighth United States Infantry. The fort was named for 2nd Lt. Theodore Lincoln Chadbourne who fought and was killed in the Mexican War in the Battle of Resaca de la Palma. Fort Chadbourne is one of the frontier forts established to protect the settlers moving west. Other forts located in the Texas Forts Trail Region are Fort Mason, Fort McKavett, Fort Concho, Fort Phantom Hill, Fort Griffin, Fort Richardson, and Fort Belknap.

The dinner began with the shooting of the canon by the soldiers.



We had delicious mesquite cooked steaks, green beans with potatoes, salad and of course, dutch oven peach cobbler for desert. We were able to walk around and see the fort as they continue with the restoration. There were all kinds of characters walking around:



Aren't these horses pretty? ....I guess horses can be pretty.





Look at this horse all by himself. Can you see the soldier's sword in the saddle?



This guy really liked having his picture taken.




He just kept following me around, wanting me to take his picture. He reminds me of some of the sidekicks for famous sheriffs like Wyatt Earp, Pat Garrett and of course good ole' Matt Dillon.




Here's a picture of the double officer's quarters.






And it's real hard to tell, but some of the men who served at the fort, carved their names and the year into the plaster on the walls.




Fort Chadbourne served as a Butterfield Stage Stop from 1858 - 1861. The Butterfield Overland Mail's first stage rolled through Fort Chadbourne on September 23, 1858. The stage traveled a 2800 mile route that began in St. Louis, Missouri and ended in San Francisco, California.



Barry Corbin served as the station keeper for the show.




Doesn't he just look like he's from the 1850's??? He tells the story of Dr. Tucker's journey from St. Louis back to his home in San Francisco which ended with a duel taking place at the Fort Chadbourne Station.




It was pretty dark, so this next picture isn't very good, but here is a picture of the stagecoach recently purchased for Fort Chadbourne. I don't know why they didn't have it on display earlier in the evening.



The weather was great and we had really good time.

Happy Birthday Sunshine Girl!

Just five short years ago, I got to experience the miracle of birth!!! Oh, I had already had two children, but I never really got to watch everything. When Jennifer got pregnant, she asked me to be in the room with her and Nathan. What a thrill!!! I had never really seen anything like this 'cause like I said I wasn't able to watch anything when I had mine (I really didn't want to, either!). I have to admit there was a few times I wanted to ring the doctors neck. Jennifer's doctor was out of town, so another one delivered the baby and Jennifer had a difficult delivery. But everything turned out and she has a beautiful daughter! And the best part is I became a grandmother or Granna, as she calls me. There's no better experience than being a grandparent. You get to love them and spoil them and not have to worry about the actual raising of them. Isn't that great???? Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET KAYLEE, MY SUNSHINE GIRL!!!!!

I've Been Tagged

Stacey tagged me with this really fun game.

The rules of the game are that you have to take pictures of the following things, just as they appear at the time of being tagged. No straightening, no cleaning, and no making your kids look cute! Then tag someone else (preferably more than one person).


Stacey couldn't have tagged me on a better day. My housekeeper was leaving as I was coming home. Hehehehe, great timing, Stacey!


1. Fridge

2. Closet (you didn't really think you were going to see all of my closet, did you? I'm not about to show you the floor, that's where I shove and hide everything out of site when the housekeeper comes.)






3. Kitchen sink




4. Bathroom






5. Favorite shoes






6. Favorite room - This is our parlor, right next to the living room





This is the room we sit and read the paper and look out the window at that gorgeous view!







7. Self-portrait




Now comes the fun part, I get to tag other people. Stacey, you're so right, it does bring out the voyeur in all of us! It sounds a little more exotic to say it that way instead of saying we're just plain nosey!!!!

I tag:

Cathy

Jennifer

Jeri

Julie

Jamie

Kellie

Secrets Found

We've all known them. Some of us have even had the privilege to work beside them. Who am I talking about? You know ....... the Great Ones!



The really good cooks!



The ones that when you're at a potluck supper, their food is always the first to disappear. Or the ladies at church socials that everyone keeps asking, "What did you bring?" "Which one is yours?" Although, you rarely have to ask, because like I said, they're food is always taken first.



The ones that you worry if you're too close to the end of the line, there won't be any of their dish left. My mother was one of "them". Her cooking was out of this world! In fact, to this day, I'm pretty sure that is why Mike married me. I think he thought that I might cook like her. Wrong! But guess what? Just look what I found:






I'm still going through boxes of photos and all kinds of interesting family stuff. And I found these. Here, take a closer look:





These are some of her cookbooks. And guess what??? They're marked!

I love the way she marked her recipes.

With paper clips and little scraps of note papers.





But here's the best part:

Her own little editing of all those marked recipes.

The little tweaking and adjusting of recipes, some ever so slightly, but still they're her adjustments. Maybe this is what made her food just a little better than all others!

I can hardly wait to try some of these. Maybe, just maybe, they'll taste at least half as good as hers!