Bleydn - chosen for All Star Team

Bleydn is one of our Great-Grandsons and he was chosen for an All Star Baseball Team.

He is 7 and a catcher.  They won all the games except for the last one which ended up 23-20.

We are so proud of him and his game was so fun to watch.  It is amazing what those little guys can do.  I can't imagine how good they are going to be when they reach high school, because they are sure good (in my eyes) now.  Isn't he adorable?

 

Blueberry Pie - Yummy

I am not especially fond of normal blue berry pies because of the cooked blueberries.  But a few years ago, I developed this recipe and love it.   It is so easy to make too.

 

                  

                         JOAN'S  BLUEBERRY PIE

CRUST

1 1/2 cup flour

2 T sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/2  cup plus 2 T oil

2 T Milk

Press into pie shell and bake at 425 until slightly brown
                 
FILLING

1 C Blueberries

 

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup corn starch

1/4 t salt

Mix these 3 ingredients together

before adding

 

1 cup hot water

1 t lemon juice

 add blueberries and water
   Cook these ingredients together until thick, stirring constantly

 

Fresh Blueberries

3 1/2 cups raw blue berries.

Add these to thicken mixture after it has slightly cooked and stir

well.  Add to baked pie shell

 CRUMB TOPPING

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup soften butter

mix until crumbly.  DO NOT use mixer.

Cover the blueberries in pie shell with crumbs and bake at 425 until brown...about 15 minutes.

If edges of pie shell start to get too brown, cover with foil.
 
                       If you decide to try this recipe, I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!

 

Beets

Canning season for me has started.  I have already frozen Strawberry Jam and several pints of Strawberries.  But, soon I will be in full force as the corn and beans will be ready.

Saturday, I canned 7 pints of pickled beets.  I was a little nervous about doing so, as I had not

done any without my Mom.  I was pretty intent of writing good instructions over the years, but a fear of panic was upon me as I couldn't find my book with my instructions.  I searched and searched and

finally gave into the internet.  But, I was not happy with what I was finding, so kept searching.

Then, the Lord blessed me with a flash of memory and I found it in a drawer that I haven't been able to use because I put a freezer over it and I can only pull it out part way.  I was able to reach my hand into it and I found my precious book with Mom's detailed instructions.

                 MOM'S PICKLED BEETS         

                PICKLING SALT

    2              QUART  VINEGAR

 2             QUARTS  SUGAR

                                  1               BOX  PICKLING SPICES IN A BAG  

BEETS

REMOVE ALL THE LEAVES, BUT DO NOT CUT OFF THE ENDS AS THEY WILL BLEED.

WASH BEETS EXTREMLY WELL...REALLY SCRUB THEM OUTSIDE TO REMOVED MOST OF THE DIRT.   THEN WASH AGAIN IN THE SINK MAKING SURE THRE IS NO DIRT LEFT
ON THEM OR IN THE ENDS.

COVER WITH WATER AND ADD ABOUT A CUP OF PICKELING SALT.  COOK UNTILYOU

CAN EASILY PUT A KNIFE THROUGH THEM.
I LIKE TO COOK THEM THE DAY BEFORE SO THEY ARE EASIER TO PEEL
 ONCE COOLED,  CUT OFF BOTH ENDS AND SLIP OFF THE SKIN MAKING SURE ALL OUTER LAYERS ARE REMOVED.  STRAIN THE BEET WATER  AS THIS IS WHAT TO USE FOR THE BEET WATER.
ADD THE VINEGAR, SUGAR AND BAG OF SPICES TO THIS BEET WATER.
BRING TO A BOIL STIRRING WELL TO DISSOLVE ALL THE SUGAR.  CUT UP THE BEETS IN BITE SIZE PIECES AND ADD TO THE BOILING BEET WATER.
BRING THE BEETS TO A BOIL AND KEEP WARM. 

PUT JARS IN PAN AND BRING TO A BOIL TO STERILIZE,  ADD LID TO THIS PAN OF WATER JUST

BEFORE YOU ARE READY TO PUT ON THE JAR.   ADD BEETS TO JAR, MAKING SURE
THEY ARE COVERED WITH BEET JUICE..  ADD LID AND SCREW RING ONTO THE JAR..
COVER WITH TOWEL AND MAKE SURE AFTER THEY HAVE COOLED THAT THE LIDS ARE SEALED.
 

Card Box Tutorial

Several have commented and emailed me that they would like to have directions on making the 12x12 Card Box.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Scroll down below this tutorial to see the box.

I used plain paper for this tutorial, but the box is so much prettier using double side paper.

I really love the Anna Griffin paper as it doesn't crack when scored.

First of all. cut a 12x12 paper to 8.5 x 12.

Lay the 8.5x12 paper on your score board and score at

2.75 - 5.5 - 8.25 - 11

 Cut off 2 inches of the paper that has been scored.  The nice thing about having had scored it, the score lines are perfect for the supports later.

Put the paper back on the score board and then rotate the paper 90° so the unscored side is at the top and score at 3.75

Cut 4 strips of the shortest score lines stopping at the 3.75 score line.

Make sure you stop at 3.75 inches deep.

 At the 11 inch score line make an angle cut and cut off the shortest piece as shown above.

Add double sided tape to the tab which holds the box together.

Fold at all the score lines.  This is how the box looks before taping it together.

Attach the Double Sided Tape to the inside of the box.

Now fold the box shut in both directions to make sure your box folds flat.

Lay box flat, both directions.

Using the 2 inch strip cut off earlier, place on the score board making sure the scored edges match the earlier score lines.  Score at 1.75, 6.75, 7.25 .  Now cut on these new score lines.

You will be left 2 strips

Fold back these tabs on both ends, applying glue on both ends, both ends.

Slip down into the box for additional support and also a place to add the embellishments.

By the way, I added the embellishments to a strip of clear acrylic that I cut out of Spellbinders packaging.  This allows them to wave in the air when the box is opened.