This recipe is so easy and is definitely one of our family favorites! It is so easy and quick to prepare. You can also double, triple or quadruple it!
Sweet Potato Souffle
3c. mashed sweet potatoes 2 eggs
1 c. sugar 1/3 stick margarine
1/2 tsp salt 1/2 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased baking dish. Top with the following:
1 c. brown sugar 1 c. chopped nuts
1/3 c. flour 1/3 stick melted margarine
Mix thoroughly and sprinkle over souffle. The mixture will be crumbly.
Bake at 350F for 35 minutes.
For the first time ever, I woke up to a white Christmas! Now, I would have expected this in Switzerland, but not here in west Texas. I must say, it was beautiful and really added to the festive atmosphere.
The snow clouds hung around all day and we had about two inches of accumulation. The children loved it and I loved the warm cozy fire! The only downside was the mud as it melted and was trampled. I don’t mind the mud outside but it seems to somehow, find its way in the house! I am sure it had nothing to do with the 40 feet and 16 paws going in out (this count includes children, spouses, grandchildren, our 2 dogs and cat, my mother, my sister and their dog)!
Buttercup was definitely easy to spot in the snow covered landscape! She did not seem to mind it at all and kept on doing what cows do – grazing.
The stormy weather did not keep the Canadian geese from continuing their migration – a sight we all enjoy watching especially when they fly low enough to hear their honking.
I hope you all enjoyed a merry Christmas and made wonderful memories!
 How many of you have family traditions associated with Christmas time? I know we do. Many we may practice for a few years and then try something new. But, we have a couple which never change.
We have a trim the tree party every year. In the days leading up to our tree decorating, Christmas cookies are made – the same year after year – Sugar Cookies, Sand Tarts, Angel Wings, Cocoons, Bourbon Balls and Nut Clusters. The evening of the party, we have a buffet dinner with meats, cheeses, chips and dip, cookies, salmon ball and crackers. Other items appear, but these are the mainstays. After dinner, ornaments are lovingly placed upon the tree until there are almost no empty branches!
The days following are filled with the hustle and bustle of the season … shopping (for those who have not yet finished!), wrapping, baking and cooking. But, we never forget family time which is liberally enjoyed by all.
One of my favorite traditions is the Christmas dinner menu. The girls and I prepare recipes that my mother and grandmother prepared when I was young! You would think the same food, year after year, would become tiresome. But, when a new menu is discussed, it is met with much opposition. Why mess with a good thing, right?
The turkey is usually smoked the night before, after being stuffed of course! Other dishes include Sweet Potato Souffle, Broccoli Nut Casserole, Creamed Onions, Strawberry Pretzel Salad and Cranberry Salad (aka “Fluff”). Pumpkin Pie is always dessert and normally accompanied by Pecan Pie. Now that I have made us all hungry….
I hope if you have not already begun your own family traditions, that you will start this year. Make time for and enjoy your family. Most of all, do not get so busy and forget the reason we are celebrating – it is the time of year, set apart to remember the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas!
I received an email from Jim, a reader who had purchased a Bosch Universal Plus. He had questions about my Whole Wheat Bread Recipe. He asked what type of yeast I use and where I purchase dough enhancer. I thought these questions might be of interest to others.
The most economical place in our area to purchase yeast is Sam’s Club. It is the Fleischmann’s Instant Yeast and costs $4.68 for 2 – 16oz bags. Once opened, I transfer the yeast from the bag to an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator. It lasts for a long time!
While you may purchase dough enhancer, the most economical is the following homemade recipe:
Dough Enhancer
3/4c. lecithin powder or granules (available from health food stores)
3 Tbsp. pure vitamin C powder
2 Tbsp. ground ginger
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.
Use 3 Tbsp. of dough enhancer for a 4 loaf recipe. Adjust the amount when making more or less loaves.
Time leading up to and following harvest has certainly flown! We harvested the Roussanne, Montepulciano and Aglianico successfully and with much help from family and friends. Because of the extreme heat which causes problems with the harvester, harvesting began anywhere from 10pm to 3am. Before dawn there is an amazing beauty in the vineyard. Lit up by the harvester, with the stars shining overhead, it is an atmosphere made for romantics!
Given the hard winter, unusually high summer temperatures and drought, we had very good yields. Praise the Lord for His provision!
Although we began work on the house as soon as the vineyard work slowed, we still found time to glean the vines for our own wine-making fruit! Remember the “I Love Lucy” show when she and Ethel stomped the grapes with their feet? Well, everyone got in on the action:
From children:
To grandchildren:
Everyone wanted their feet to be a part of it:
Note: Every pair of feet which stomped were properly cleaned and disinfected. However, according to our grape consultant, micronutrients provided, whatever the source, actually help the yeast!
If you remember, we had begun an insulated concrete form (ICF) house. Working on the house which overlooks the vineyard consumed our time once vineyard work was finished. Each morning we packed lunch and dinner to take with us. We even carried school work to the new house and studied in our bedroom which had become the makeshift dining room. Naps were taken in the boy’s bedroom on a rug with blankets. Doing all the work ourselves not only saved quite a bit of money, but has also provided many learning experiences, as well as, great memories.
During this period, I have had a very difficult time physically. My rheumatoid arthritis decided to rear its ugly head. It was aggravated by two plus days of texturing all the walls with sheet rock mud to give a stucco look. Anyway, I am excited about dietary changes that have made an amazing difference and look forward to sharing them with you in the new year.
We moved into the new house the weekend after Thanksgiving (I will be posting pictures soon). Slowly and surely, we are getting settled. Everyone is looking forward to our first Christmas here. Our traditional trim the tree party was a success and our tree appropriately trimmed!
Buttercup handled the move without a problem. The chickens on the other hand have dropped their egg production by half. Squiggles and now our new dog, Bob, are also glad to be here on a permanent basis and not have the 1/2 mile walk one way to work everyday!
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Grab My Dime! 
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About Me 
God has amazingly blessed me, Dina-Marie, with a wonderful husband and 10 beautiful children. Moving from our "secure" life in Alabama to the "exciting" life of starting a vineyard in west Texas has been challenging to say the least. I have had the opportunity to take a crash course in frugal living and become a real farm girl - complete with milk cow and chickens. I have learned the importance of health from the inside out, "traditional" cooking and cod liver oil!
I hope to encourage you to make the most of where you are and what you have. |
