SUPPER CLUB - New Year's day!

[purrfect-lady]

Good Morning!

Wow! Wasn't that a year! I wonder what's in store for us in 2016? And we did make it to midnight! Eastern time, that is! lol!!

I know how we are going to start our new year - DH was so pleased to have the woodshed nearly full that, as soon as we finished up the split'n'stack detail yesterday he sent a photo of all the neatly stacked firewood to the friend who gave us to two downed trees. And he texted back that they now have two more! Arrghh!! So we're going to start all over again. We'll be the warmest folks in Western Washington! This time we'll share with my DB, who's only heat source is wood.

LADY CAROL - happy to hear you are doing OK with the flooding. We saw pictures on the news and it looked pretty bad. I was thinking Gala Pie Salad was something with gala apples. Was I ever wrong!

IRISH - such yummy foods! What a great gift! Do those salads keep OK?

JANA - How much higher than SLC are you? Seems like we climbed a bit of a hill to get to your house.

CHICKIE - I'll think of you when I sit by our warm fire next winter!

BECCA - sorry to hear your DH is feeling so poorly today. Grilled cheese is traditional comfort food, so perhaps that will help a bit.

CAROL 7 - I was thinking of your navy bean soup as I whizzed by the bean aisle at the grocery store the other day. Can you believe I've never made it before and yet it's one of my faves! I think it's time has come!

Yesterday I got about half the Christmas stuff packed away. I hope to finish that today before Bill comes home with the wood rounds. so our day will be crammed. Good thing we still have enough leftovers for one more supper.

What's on your menu for today?

[Becca]

Hello & Happy New year everyone.Sunny & colder here.

Maryz So you just thought you were finished with wood.Hope you get a break in between.

I am going to watch the Rose Bowl Parade.Love seeing the floats.
Here in the south a traditional dinner for New Years consist of Collard greens(money) ,black eyed peas for good luck & cornbread for gold.
I have the turnip greens as we don't like collards.And I got the black eyed peas.But no cornbread as I thought I had 2 boxes & there are none.
And oh the goodies are so plentiful.
We got some bad news yesterday.Our friends from where we grew up just found he has a brain tumor.They will find out on Tues if it is malignant or not.
Have a wonderful New Year to all. Becca

[Quilter7]

Happy New Year!

Maryz - If you need a recipe, I got mine from the "Farm Journal Cookbook". I will gladly share it.

Becca - Prayers for your friend!

Chickie - Sorry to hear your DH sells the firewood. You have good New Years resolutions. I am adding to keep my desk clean. I know I can do it!

Jana - We will be getting rain this coming week. We are still so dry the hillsides are brown when usually they are green beginning in November.

Irish - You have such a wonderful tradition to spend time with friends on New Years Eve. I was awake at midnight, only because of the fireworks.

I am planning on ham and scalloped potatoes for dinner with green beans and salad.

Have a wonderful day Everyone!
Carol

[gershwin64]

Good morning We stayed up and said goodbye to the old year and hello to the new, we always do last night we watched a movie on Netflix to keep us up. Frankie almost couldn't make it after working, he was tired but he did good, didn't fall asleep LOL I had an action movie playing.
Maryz, I don't think I like the way you're starting your new year, stacking wood, but very nice of you to share with your brother. I personally think you should be sewing
I'm leaning towards making soup for supper, that kind Kevin made for us from Olive Garden, I'll have to call him for the name so I can look up the recipe online.
Tina

[auntjana]

Good morning,

Mary - we would get free firewood for the house in Concord, but no burn days became popular, so we couldn't use it. Now I build a fire at the flick of a switch! LOL SLC, lake level is about 4200 ft, we are at about 5200 ft, almost a mile high. That 1000 feet is quite a bit when it comes to snow levels. They call our level, area, the bench. It is a shelf left from the old Lake Bonneville, which covered the area from most of Utah, Idaho and Nevada, anciently. Your history lesson for today! LOL

Dinner - humm, it is Ethan's 4th birthday, so we will probably be at his house for dinner and the party later.

Enjoy,
Jana

[Irishgram]

Happy New Year from a slightly dreary, but sometimes slightly sunny, chilly, SW. Pa...
I still can't believe we're into another year...Life is good really good!

Jim just left to watch THE game with his best bud, the cats are sleeping and I am having a very good cup of tea...As I said, Life is good.....
We had a wonderful time with our friends last night and as usual was back home by 10:00...We didn't finish the wine so I was forced to bring it home and forced to toast everyone ( a couple of times)...Couldn't let the bottle sit in the frig and be lonely....And at midnight, I was sitting in the tub with lots of bubbles...What did I say about Life????

Mary, didn't I tell you yesterday, you needed to relax and I don't think working with all the wood is very relaxing...You're making me tired....The foods that come don't include salads but in 1 of the 2 remaining, there are fresh green beans, so that's on the menu for tomorrow...Kathy said, she had her catfish and grits and really enjoyed it...Thought you'd like to hear that one, lol.....

Carol, I've never made navy bean soup and would be interested in that recipe...I think too often, they try to put these soups in cans and I'm always disappointed...I really need to get back to "the basics" and make my own....Your dinner sounds great, love scalloped potatoes....

Becca, I have never had collard greens or black eyed peas...Maybe I need to move south...Did you watch the parade? I saw a little and was pleased to see one of our local high school bands, Franklin Regional..They looked and sounded great....So sorry to hear about your friend and will certainly keeping him in my prayers..

I have pork and sauerkraut cooking in the crock pot and then I'll throw in a couple of hot dogs...Also have to make mashed potatoes...I think most of western Pa. is having the same dinner today, big tradition.....
Another tradition is to put change on your doorstep before midnight and then the 1st person coming in the door the next day, picks it up and "brings" money into the house....I keep trying, lol.....

Hope everyone's day is a good one...I have good feelings about the new year, going to be a super year.....

Happy eating...................

[ladyevans]

Good Evening All......think you have the picture of our weather by now.....and its not getting any better......

had unexpected visitors....4 of the caravanners arrived.....minus the vans.....had a cracking good 4 hours with them.....had coffee and cake....and sent them off with more cake......

maryz.....had not even thought about Gala apples....but must say it makes sense....much the same as me trying to work out....gravy and biscuits.......
well having had an unexpected "coffee and cake" break must now sail forth and catch up on yakky things so I can watch a bit of telly later.....

todays menu.....Meatloaf....Creamed potatoes....Carrots and Peas.....
Sherry Trifle and Cream for afters......
Lady Carol

Oh yes......and a very Healthy and Happy New Year to you all.....having a senior moment.....did I already do that....

[Quilter7]

Okay, since I have all of you interested in Navy Bean Soup here is the recipe: (I must add it is from the Farm Journal Cookbook.)
Ingredients:
2 Cups Dried Beans
1 Ham Bone or 1 ½ Lb. Ham
½ cup chopped onion
1 Cup chopped Celery (2 stalks)
¾ cup chopped Carrots
2 or 3 small potatoes cut up into cubes
2 cans – 14 ½ oz petite diced tomatoes or 1 quart canned.
1 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves of Garlic
2 ½ teaspoons thyme
2 ½ teaspoons parsley
2 bay leaves

Method:
1. Wash beans, add 6 cups water and either let sit overnight OR boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour.
2. Then simmer beans without draining until tender, about 2 hours, adding more water if necessary.
3. In the meantime simmer ham in water to cover. Skim fat from broth and add tender beans.
4. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

It makes 10 servings and I sometimes do freeze it.

I must tell you a funny story. My Mom also made Navy Bean Soup, but she did not use this recipe. She made them very plain without celery, carrots or potatoes or tomatoes. My Dad always put catsup in the soup, which us kids also did. Mom was usually a good cook, but not when it came time to making this soup.

Irish - My Mom was born in a small town not far from Pittsburgh and she made sauerkraut and pork ribs too.

[FarmChick]

I forgot to come to the table! But… I haven’t forgotten to eat or fix dinner.

I stuffed some ancho peppers with Monterey Jack, cream cheese, leftover dressing and turkey; wrapped them in foil and cooked them in the crock pot. I know I will like them, but will DH? I’ll make some turkey salad and use the last of the turkey, and he will be happy with a sandwich. I also have rice and green beans for sides as well as lettuce and tomatoes. I think there is one last piece of pie for DH for afters.

Mary—I know I’ll be doing wood again one of these days, too.

Carol—I like tomatoes in my bean soup, but it’s not a “thing” around here in these parts… pure beans, ham and onions is the norm. I cook mine in a roaster pan or Dutch oven in the oven on low (225). I used to put in a pot before I left for work in the morning and have dinner ready to make cornbread when I got back home.

Lady Carol—so sorry your weather is still runny and wet! That’s funny about trying to figure out “biscuits and gravy”! It would give you ponder. Our biscuits are much like your scones.

Irish—Truly, this is the best bunch of friends we could ever wish for! You stayed up longer than we did. Usually we never go to bed before midnight. I guess we were tired last evening. You know me and sauerkraut—YUM!!!

Jana—that’s too bad about having wood and not being able to burn it. I’m sure that 1,000 feet does make a difference in your weather.

Tina—I finished fusing and started stitching. I need more thread in matching colors. I’ll get them tomorrow.

Becca—I had my black-eyed peas yesterday in my beans. I’m not into the collards—probably why I’m poor! I have a quick and easy cornbread recipe if you want it. So, so sorry for your friend’s diagnosis—hope it will be benign.

Best wishes to everyone for a wonderful 2016!