Beginner Recipe: Easy Microwave Steamed or Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Do you like Brussels Sprouts?  I do but don't have them very often. Chuck really likes them. It can't get any easier than this recipe for steamed.  These are great roasted as well! When pushed for time you can't beat these cooked in the microwave. This is a great recipe for the beginner cook. 

MAD AS A SETTING HEN!

Grandma used to say when talking about someone who was so mad that she was 'Mad as a setting hen!' and I always wondered where the saying, came from. 

I found out a few years ago having chickens. We've had a few broody hens in the past but only some of them were as mean as this one appears to be. You'll see in the quick video how aggressive one can be.

She's only protecting her eggs her babies you may say. Well, that isn't the case this one wants all the eggs period! Every last one of them including the fake one I place in another nest to entice the others to lay in a different spot.

Don't get me wrong I am thrilled that some now will even go broody and want to sit on eggs and have baby chicks. Sadly, that one basic instinct has almost entirely been bred out of the chicken breeds these days.

Today's post I'll tell you it has been a battle and I'm mad as a setting hen! 😏

Strawberries

Strawberries, you know I love them!  I really do.  This is the fourth patch I've started out here in the wide-open wild animal place we live. I've had a few problems keeping a strawberry patch intact out here. There are just so many creatures that love the plants and the fruit. It happens that they know the best of times to eat them like myself and after years of waiting for the best they get it!  I won't let them whip me "No sir!".

I ordered more bare roots and will put in yet another patch in another spot.  I remembered the little raised gardens I had and pulled them out of the garden cabin.  Thankfully Catie was here to help me fill it with the soil we needed. Let me tell you that was a job.

Johnny, my son from another mother, gave me bags of rabbit droppings and they have proven to be a great addition to this strawberry patch. I mixed some into the soil before planting.

Today talking about what?  My favorite fruit the strawberry and our new patch!

Funny Girl and How to Cut Up a Chicken!

Today's post is whimsical and informative.  Do you cut up a whole chicken?  I find that most are intimidated.  I've done lots of informal tutorials cutting them up. I don't have a personal video but will share some here that will show you how.  

Don't be afraid just use a little caution with sharp knives as you would or should anyway and you'll be fine. Never ever cut towards your body, your hands, watch those fingers, and above all don't be distracted by anything. Put the knife down beginners if something does take your attention away from this activity. 

I was cutting up chickens recently to be put into the freezer for later use.  Catie was here our comedian, and she decided to help me by bagging the pieces and labeling.  I was glad for the help.

She left the room and when I was putting the bags into the freezer I had to laugh out loud.  She will do and say anything to get a rise out of me.  If she thinks something will make me scream CATHERINE, or turn red with embarrassment she will do it!

Mother's Day 2020

Happy Mother's Day to all! To all who are mothers or maybe aunts or friends who are other mothers, to those who have lost their mothers, to mothers who have lost children, to those who want to be mothers may God bless you all.  I hope this day is a good day for you no matter the situation.

This That And The Other

I thought about what in the world to post. Then remembered what Grandma Cora would say when asked what she'd been up too.  She would say, "Oh this that and the other." When I was younger I swore she was saying, "This that and another." No matter how you say it I for one never thought much about it until today!

These days are a little different that's for sure so let's talk about 'this that and the other/another'.

Cashew Crunch Cookies

These are some of my favorite cookies. Chuck and I happen to love cashew nuts so on the rare occasion when we can stop eating them I make these cookies. 

Pot Roast Cooked In The Instant Pot

Recipe after the story, so scroll on down if you're ready to cook

Family story aka Family Tradition:

I know, I know, what people now call 'Comfort Foods' were always just plain cooking for us. We country folks were brought up on hearty filling meals. One meal of the day was especially hearty that one was called 'Dinner' what people now call lunch. Supper was a lighter meal and served at night.

My grandma said it was because our family most of them were farmers.  They would come into the house in the middle of the day when it was too hot to work outside.  They would eat a big meal and take a nap. Later in the afternoon they would go back and work hard then come in to eat a light supper. They would then wash up go to bed early because they had worked hard and were tired.

Early the next morning they were up for a hearty breakfast of biscuits, homemade fresh butter, bacon, and sausage. 

They had a smokehouse full of hams, bacon, sausage meats of all kinds. They grew their own pigs and cows and made their own meats.  

I remember grandma's pretty hands making and molding fresh cream butter.  She made and sold it locally. 

She said, "Dolly Goodson, that's my grandpa, expects to have hot biscuits at every meal. He puts his feet under that table three times a day!"  That was so funny!

They then were off to work like a dog all day. You know what they were pretty self-sufficient and if you ask me that was pretty good!  I wish we could all say that.

Day after day they worked so hard. I decided after the summers helping them do farm chores even putting in tobacco that farming wasn't for me. I do know that now that love has gone into gardening for me no matter where I've lived.

We were always served these types of meals daily and on Sunday you'd better believe they'd go all out with the extras. 

You see Saturdays were spent cleaning like crazy and cooking desserts to be served on Sundays!  Busy times they were indeed. I just added a little Family Tradition here.

Instant Pot, do you own one?  I have one, but it sits in the closet most of the time. I drag it out from time to time. Frankly, I've not truly learned to master any of my recipes in it until one day back in February. I decided to make my old-time pressure cooker roast recipe. So much has happened recently until I'd forgotten about posting this recipe, but will do so today.

Cooking a roast in the Instant Pot Recipe...