The Happyish Homestead

Friday, August 22, 2014

Tomato Soup And Fresh Peach Pie

This tomato soup came from Bryce’s cousin’s wife’s mom.

I never remember the exact quantities when I’m at the grocery store, so mine isn’t always ‘by the book’.

Canned Tomato Soup

1/2 bushel tomatoes (30 little)

4 onions

1 celery bundle

2 green peppers

Cook for 1 hour, then strain.

In a smaller, separate pan combine:

1 cube butter

1/2 C flour

Mix together then add 2 C soup

Pour into pot of soup with 1/4 C salt and 1 C sugar

Return to boiling, and cook till slightly thickened.

When I made mine on Thursday I had two enormous pots of skinned tomatoes.  I added 11 little onions, 4 green peppers and 2 celery bundles.  I made a roué with 2 cups of butter and 2 cups of flour and added 4 cups of soup, then added 1/2 c of salt and 1 1/2 cups of sugar.  I like my soup a little thicker, so I let it cook down a little bit more before I make the roué.

If canning, process for 10 minutes in water bath.

Peach Glace Pie

1 Baked Pastry Shell

6 cups sliced, peeled peaches

2/3 C sugar

2 T corn starch

For glaze, in a blender combine 1 C peaches and 2/3 C water.  Cover and blend till smooth.  Add enough additional water to make 1 1/2 cups.  In medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch, stir in blended peach mixture.  Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir two minutes more.  Cool 10 minutes without stirring.

Spread 1/4 C of glaze over bottom and sides of baked pastry shell.  Arrange 1/2 of peaches in pastry.

Carefully spoon 1/2 of the remaining glaze over peaches, covering all peaches.  Arrange remaining peaches over first layer.  Spoon remaining glaze over peaches, covering all.  Chill 1 – 2 hours.  (After 2 hours, filling may begin to water out.)

Serve with whipped cream!

(Can also substitute peaches for six cups medium fresh strawberries.)

Have a good weekend!

Katie

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Monday, August 18, 2014

It’s Still Summer

The kids and I tried our hands at oven made raisins.

Fail.

Except Bennett liked them.

Apparently he has a very sophisticated pallet.

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The kids did puff paint.

Notice Meg’s shorter hair – she found a lonely pair of scissors and she just couldn’t resist….

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And so.many.tomatoes.  That one on the right is a normal size tomato.  The one on the left is almost the size of Bennett’s head.

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We heard about this cool old covered bridge with a fun river running under it.

So we packed a picnic and checked it out.

The water was freeeezzzing.

But still so much fun.

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I’ve been busy canning pears, tomato soup, tomato sauce, pickles, raspberry jam, sewing here and there {finally managed to get two quilt tops quilted and bound, two years later} and as always - lovingly nurturing my growing children.

Which I’m awesome at.

And as a result, Bryce received this little gem at work today:

Dear Bryce,

I think you should know that I just locked your son in the bathroom.

Using the old 'prop the chair under the door knob technique'.

Because he decided to poop and pee in the shower.

Instead of using the toilet.

Which is exactly 24 inches from the shower.

Katie

{I let him out after he had gotten his mess cleaned up, justsoyouknow.}

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And finally, my friend took these pictures after book club of the grape arbor at night.

Hope you had a good weekend.

Katie

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

I’m Really Terrible About Posting in the Summer

So here’s what you’ve missed:

Adeline turned 7 and wanted me to make her a quilt for her birthday.

With flannel.

In July.

 

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Bennett discovered blackberries.

And loves them.

His bum?

Not so much.

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My wild flowers in my garden are doing awesome so we’ve been able to enjoy some really pretty bouquets.

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Elizabeth and Adeline play Legos every single day.

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I bought this homemade rug at an estate sale.

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Bryce bought this Antiques sign for me when he was out of town on business.

{He’s the best.}

He doesn’t love it here.

But I like it, I just think it needs something underneath.

Ideas?

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I’ve been picking a lot of this stuff.

And freezing it so I can bottle it when it’s not so hot.

Which feels like never.

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I also bought another kitchen scale at an estate sale.

Total number?

A lot.

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I also finally got around to painting this project.

I had purchased the table in Colorado, about six years ago.

And hauled it around a couple of states.

Until I decided to do something with it.

So one day I sanded it.

And minutes later

it tipped over and one of the legs broke.

I have lots of other ironic projects, too.

I bought the chairs at a garage sale last year and just spray painted them with some left over cans.

It turned out pretty cute.

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And I’ve also been doing a ton of this.

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So, in conclusion, I’m busy but never seem to get anything accomplished.

Which, I’m pretty sure, makes me just like every other person out there.

Katie