Hello from the farm!

Today, became another one of those ordinary moments that turned out extraordinary just because I was in search of a homemade noodle recipe.     I was making a roast  in the crock pot. Here’s a tip. Don’t use much water. It will create its own juices.  Just salt and pepper. It turns out just like you were roasting it in the oven. Got that tip from my Mom a few years back. Who knew? Hope you can use the crock-pot tip.

Anyway, on to the story.  I veered off there for a moment didn’t I?     I was searching  for an egg-noodle recipe to go with my roast.  My Grandma Phillips used to famously make them  by rolling them out, hand cutting them in slices with a knife then tossing them in flour to dry.  She was quite famous with our   family for her  chicken and  homemade noodles.

I bought this wonderful crock at a yard sale for $5. I love it.

In my search, something unexpected happened.  I  took  from the bookshelf, The Tasha Tudor Cookbook to see if she might have a noodle recipe. She did not but no matter,  she has many great recipes, though, and  I got caught up in the moment of flipping  through her marvelous  cookbook relishing  her notes about her recipes and their origins.

Though I have many measuring cups, these aluminum ones came from my late mother-in-laws home. She was a great cook. Makes me think of her each time I use them.

One of Tasha’s  cookie recipes (page 101 Christmas Cookies) caught my attention. It  is similar to  one  my youngest sister  Missy used to make during the holidays.   She brought them to our  family’s Christmas Eve celebration back in the day.  No one makes  them any other time of  the year.    I love them I must say, her’s are rolled in chopped nuts too. Now  my mouth  was  watering and  the memory  of family gatherings made me smile   Then I sadly thought, In about  six months  I’ll have some,  I’ll make them myself.  Then a second thought grabbed me, Why  not now?  I really couldn’t come up with a “not now” reason so I found my cookbook stand, carefully placed  Tasha’s cookbook on it so as not to soil it and began.

Would you believe I mixed  1/2 batch cookie dough in less than  five  minutes?  The tip here is 1/2 batch then bake only half of that, this being  our weight watcher’s plan  in this farmhouse kitchen- so that we don’t eat the whole batch the first night because  as you know,  if they are there you will keep eating them. It’s true. Plus now you have ready made dough for another special moment.

 I proudly mixed with   my “new to me” old, hands-free  Dormeyer Mixwell mixer that  I purchased  at an auction a while back for $1. On my Facebook Page  I asked if I should paint it. You replied, “No.” So I didn’t.   Both bowls amazingly survived the  years and came with it.  Oh my, I love that darn thing. Hands-Free! Did I say how much I love it? I love nostalgia and this just resonates with my spirit.  Of course I love being old fashioned too and it being an antique makes me love it even more. All total time used for mixing, baking and  cooling to eating  was 20 minutes.

Am I lucky or what? You’re right readers, I am glad I didn’t paint it.

Any how,  enthralled with anything Tasha Tudor, I sat down to tea time  and a couple cookies while thumbing  through her  cookbook again,   wondering what I might be destined to make my next spontaneous moment and I simply,  and most marvelously,  enjoyed this spontaneous  moment in my farmhouse kitchen.  

So Here’s the Thing: I saw it, I wanted it, I did it. Enough said. Don’t just dream of  it.  Live it. No more excuses as to why not.  Find the Joy in each and every moment.   Even if it is baking a batch of homemade, mouth-watering cookies out of season.  It brought me such joy when my husband walked through the door and said with such delight,  “Oh my, what is that wonderful smell? Cookies! Then he  plopped one in his mouth savoring the flavor.  His comment sounded  like something I imagined  Tasha might say.

Take Joy!
Sherry