Homemade Appalachian Pimento Cheese (and a Book Review)

I've spent the last couple of months savoring and drooling over a new cookbook.  Well, to be clear, this publication is part travelogue, part coffee-table style pictorial, and part cookbook.  The short title is Victuals, which, in case you're like me and didn't know, is pronounced like vittles.

The full title is Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes – author being Ronni Lundy.

I recently moved to southern Appalachia, and was excited to get my hands on a copy for many of the same reasons written about in the Introduction:

…[T]he people of the southern Appalachian Mountains have been right about victuals all along.  About the way you say them, the way you raise them, the way you cook them, keep them, and share them.  About saving seeds, and working the land, and simmering pole beans, and making real cornbread.  About the connections between earth and the table, and between the table and the people seated around it.

Chapters include:  Roots and Seeds, Salt of the Earth, Corn, Beans, Apple-achia, Preserving, and Husbandry.  States mentioned and/or profiled include Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina.  The author travels to locations within these states to profile individuals, chefs, restaurants, and small farms and businesses who are keeping the history of southern Appalachia alive with their practices and products.  With words, she weaves history, childhood memories, and present day reality together to paint images of the true story of the southern Appalachian Mountains and their people.  The photographic images placed in between are breathtakingly beautiful, and they, too, tell the story.

Let me not forget the recipes! (I couldn't, if I tried.) Each chapter provides food preparation instructions that have been passed down for generations, and offers new twists on old – even forgotten – classics.  This is not the type of cookbook that can be flipped through in one sitting.  You will be salivating and wiping the drool from your mouth more than once -- maybe even every time you take a peek.

Recipes range from the simple to the elaborate, yet everything is doable.  I'm going to share here a simple recipe from the book for homemade Pimento Cheese, which is part of the more elaborate recipe for Lisa Donovan's Pimento Cheese Nabs, described as a cracker snack "for every mountain pickup truck driver's glove compartment emergency ration."

All you have to do is mix all the ingredients together well.  It's delicious on a sandwich right away, but if you could let it sit in the refrigerator for some hours or a day, you'd get an even better treat for your taste buds.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  
• 3 oz. finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  
• 3 oz. finely shredded mild cheddar cheese
  
• 1 (2 oz.) jar pimentos, strained
  
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 tsp finely grated yellow onion (grater I use) 
  
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

More about Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes via Amazon.
More about the author, Ronnie Lundy.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.  The words and opinions here are all my own.
Shared at Coffee and Conversation, This is How We Roll, Happiness is Homemade, and The Homemaking Party.

Small Batch Canning in an RV (a Couple of Tips)

I'm sort of ashamed to admit I did not do any canning this past summer.  Since living in the RV full time, the thought of getting out my big water bath canner, and probably having to use every burner on the stove to really heat that much water properly was a little daunting.  Not to mention, the idea of gas just flying out of my tank made me cringe a bit.

Yesterday, however, I made a pleasant discovery.  Small batch water bath processing was surprisingly a breeze.

Yes, you can can in an RV!

Did you see yesterday's post about crockpot apple butter? If not, you should go check it out.  That recipe and product is what I used for this canning project.

A couple of tips for water bath canning in an RV:

1.  Think deep instead of wide.  A tall stock pot works beautifully.  I have one in storage that measures 8 1/2 inches high (tall, deep) and 9 inches across.  I easily processed 4 half pint jars.  They were the tall slender jars, as opposed to the short fat jars.  I'm confident 3-4 whole pint jars would fit easily.

2.  A wash cloth in the bottom of the pot is enough to keep your jars from sliding about and / or clanking against each other.  No raised wire basket necessary!

This is the type of half-pint jar I was using.  The quilted jelly jar, I believe it's called.

Here you can see the small space, and how a more typical water bath canner would take up almost my entire stovetop!
Think deep instead of wide.

Hopefully use can see the wash cloth in the bottom of the pot.
It's thin enough to not take up too much space, yet does a fine job of keeping the jars stable.

All done! Four pings before I even got my camera ready.  Yes, you can can in an RV.

I'll save the big batches for the open fire outside, though.  I'll be attempting that next season (I hope).

Shared at Happiness is Homemade, Tasty Tuesdays, and Thrifty Thursday.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps pay for the RV, supports our mountain homestead dream of owning land, as well as my blogging activities, and makes the dogs' tails wag.  Hopefully, the purchase benefits you, too!  The price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

From my mountaintop cannery to yours!

Crockpot Apple Butter – 'Tis the Season!

There won't be a lot of typing for this post, since I'll be letting the photos do the talking for me…

Folks, now's the time! The apples are at their peak, in both freshness and price, and the fall flavors are calling your name.  If your crockpot doesn't already have a spot on the counter, shove some stuff aside and bring her out.

This apple butter recipe is so stinkin' easy! The crockpot does most of the work.  All you have to do is prepare the apples, watch, stir, and wait.  And, believe me, waiting will be the hardest part.

Peeling and slicing the apples is a little annoying, I'll admit, but even with just my humble apple wedger and corer, it wasn't too bad.  If you have a peeler-slicer-corer, you are way ahead in the game.  But no matter what you use, the time it takes to get these slices of sweetness in the crockpot is so worth it.

Just a few autumn spices is all you need to add to your apples.  Cinnamon and nutmeg just scream fall, don't they?

I highly recommend sitting your slow cooker next to a window with a wondrous view of the fall colors outside.  It adds to the mood the aromatherapy coming from the crockpot creates.

When it's all done, ladle the thick, dark, sweet goodness into jars.  You can freeze or can them for later.  But don't forget to leave some out for slathering on some biscuits right away! And if you're so inclined, put some back for Christmas gifts.  (Recipe after one more enticing image.)

Crockpot Apple Butter Recipe
Adapted from recipe at Simply Canning.

*I used a 5-quart slow cooker, filled to the brim with sliced apples.  Adjust your additives, based on the size of your crockpot.

Ingredients

• apples – peeled, cored, and sliced (I used fresh from the orchard, Fuji apples; any on the sweet side variety will work)
  
• 1 – 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
  
• 1 tsp cinnamon
  
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
  
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Directions

Peel, core, and slice apples – enough to completely fill your crockpot.

Mix together sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a separate bowl.  Pour over top of apples.

Cover and cook on low for 12 – 24 hours.  (I know that's a huge gap in time, but it really depends on how juicy your apples are, and how low your crockpot cooks.) Stir occasionally.  Once the apples have broken down, you can take the lid off or leave it off-center so steam can escape.  Still stir occasionally, but now use a whisk.

As the hours slip by, the apple butter will thicken and become a deep, dark color.  You'll know it's done when any "watery-ness" has been absorbed or escaped.  Turn off heat when the apple butter is at your desired consistency.

[Note:  I know it's tempting to crank the temperature up to high to speed up the cooking process.  But be careful! The apple butter could easily scorch on the bottom, and it most certainly will splatter as it thickens.]

Your apple butter will last about a month in the refrigerator.  You can also freeze it for up to six months, or can it for your pantry with a 10 minute processing time (pints and half-pints) in a boiling water bath.  Just so you have an idea how far it cooks down, my five quarts of sliced apples gave me a little over 6 half-pints of butter.

Shared at Simple Saturdays, Simple & Sweet Fridays, Happiness is Homemade, and Tasty Tuesdays.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps pay for the RV, supports our mountain homestead dream of owning land, as well as my blogging activities, and makes the dogs' tails wag.  Hopefully, the purchase benefits you, too!  The price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

From my buttery mountaintop to yours!

Parmesan Mashed Potato Pancakes (Leftover Makeover)

I like potatoes.  Just about any way you make 'em, I'll probably eat 'em.  But I'm especially partial to Grandma Logue's mashed potatoes.  So smooth and creamy, I can just taste them.

Right now.

Mouth watering as I type.

Her "secret" is evaporated milk.  But try as I might, I never get them quite right.  Consequently, I always make more mashed potatoes than I eat.

Since I know I'm not the only one with this occasional predicament, I'd like to share with you a way to use up those leftover mashed potatoes.  You might call it a leftover makeover.

Parmesan Mashed Potato Pancakes

Some people eat them for breakfast.  Can't say I blame them.  Sounds good to me.  Tonight I made them to go with our dinner of Italian dressing marinated baked chicken breasts.

I added parmesan cheese, onion, and freshly ground black pepper to our leftover mashed potatoes.  Minutes in the nonstick skillet resulted in a slightly crunchy outside, with a smooth and creamy middle.  The crust reminded me of a tater tot.  YUM!

Recipe for Parmesan Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes

Ingredients

• 3 cups prepared (leftover) mashed potatoes
  
• 2/3 – 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  
• 2 tbsp finely diced yellow onion
  
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  
• vegetable oil, for frying
  
• kosher salt, for sprinkling

Procedure

1. Combine mashed potatoes, cheese, onion, black pepper, egg, and flour in a large bowl.  Mix together.  (Today, I used a bit over a 1/4 cup of flour.  The consistency of your mashed potatoes will have an impact on the amount of flour used.)
   
2. Heat vegetable oil (enough to cover bottom of pan) in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
   
3. Drop mashed potato pancake batter by rounded tablespoonful into pan.  They will spread some on their own, or you can help them out a bit with the spoon.
   
4. Fry in batches until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes per side.  Don't overcrowd the pan, and try not to flip too soon.
   
5. Transfer mashed potato pancakes to draining rack, or a paper towel lined plate.  Immediately sprinkle with kosher salt.

Shared at This is How We Roll and Tasty Tuesdays.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps pay for the RV, supports our mountain homestead dream of owning land, as well as my blogging activities, and makes the dogs' tails wag.  Hopefully, the purchase benefits you, too!  The price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

From my mountaintop to yours!

Homemade Smoky Taco Seasoning Recipe (and a Reminder)

There are a million places on the web to find a taco seasoning recipe.

Seriously.  I just googled "homemade taco seasoning" – without the quotes -- and received about 1,170,000 results in 0.64 seconds (thank-you-very-much).

So this post is not so much about the recipe (though one does follow).  It's more about the reminder.  Why do many of us go out and buy a packet of taco seasoning, when we can make it ourselves? Wasting that dollar, when we all know those dollars add up.  I know I'm guilty of it.  If you're like me, you probably already have the spices needed to make taco seasoning sitting in your pantry.  If not, the one you might be missing is worth the small investment even if you only cook at home a few times a week – the ingredients are not uncommon or rare.  And you can control the heat.  And the salt.

And the smoke.

Yep.  I typed smoke.  You see, the only paprika (a needed ingredient for taco seasoning) I had in the pantry was smoked paprika.  But I went with it! And it was good! So don't be scared if that's all ya got.  It works, too.

Homemade Taco Seasoning (Smoky or Not)

The following makes about the same amount as in one of the store-bought packets.  I only needed a tablespoon, so cut it in half, and still had a bit extra.  Credit to Food Renegade for the recipe.

• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika (smoky or not!)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper (optional; I just gave the grinder a couple of turns)

Mix it all together and store in an airtight container.  If you'd like to make a bigger batch, visit the link above for a quintupled recipe.

Stay tuned for a recipe using this homemade taco seasoning!

Shared at Coffee and Conversation, This is How We Roll, and Happiness is Homemade.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps pay for the RV, supports our mountain homestead dream of owning land, as well as my blogging activities, and makes the dogs' tails wag.  Hopefully, the purchase benefits you, too!  The price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

From my smoky mountaintop to yours!

How to Hand-Wash a Crocheted Blanket (in an RV)

Today is laundry day.  (Oh, joy. Right?) We don't have a washer and/or dryer in the RV.  I hope to one day have an outdoor washing area to do the bulk by hand (I dream of having this wringer), but that is not our situation at this time.  So I go to a local laundromat.  The cost for a "regular" load is $3.50 to wash and $1.00 to $1.50 to dry.  Since there's just two of us, we can usually get away with just one load a week for our everyday clothes, but anything such as sheets and bed quilts require an additional load (and an additional $5).

I'm pretty diligent with the bed sheets and top quilts, but have to admit the other blankets aren't getting the attention they deserve.  One of my crocheted blankets is now crying for that attention.  It's pretty dingy and smells a lot like dog.

Here's where I interrupt the flow and share about my heirloom crocheted blankets:  I have six of them, all handmade for me by my grandmother.  The first one I remember receiving was very frilly and girly – light and bright pastel colors with one whole side being tasseled.  I still adore it.  It's in my mother's storage right now, and unfortunately does have a small hole in it.  I might have gotten that one while in elementary school; can't quite remember.

The next one is the one I washed today – a simple purple and white.  She made that one for me when purple was my favorite color.  It's easily over 25 years old, maybe even well over.  I know that, because the one I consider most elegant is the rose and white squared one she made for my high school graduation (25 years ago).  Since then, she has made me a Christmas red and green, and a Denver Broncos white-orange-blue (about 17 years ago).  She also made my guy one for his Tampa Bay Buccaneers obsession. (Are you ready for some football?)

Here's a few stuffed in the linen storage area.  Not the best picture, but I was too lazy to get them all out.

Back to the hand-washing a crocheted blanket exercise.  It's a good idea to know what kind of yarn was used before washing.  Using hot water can cause shrinkage in some materials.  The common acrylic yarn can be machine washed on a gentle cycle and tumble dried with low heat.  (I used to do that before we shrunk our living space down to an RV.) If you have no idea the yarn make-up, use cold water.

But let me add, in my humble opinion, I think crocheted items should always be hand-washed if at all possible.  You can tell a noticeable difference in the yarn -- a weakening -- after agitation.  (Maybe a front load machine wouldn't be as bad?)

Decide what (clean) basin you want to use and put your blanket in it.  A bathtub would be great.  I used the RV shower / tiny tub.  Fill with water at the proper temperature until the blanket is submerged.  Add mild detergent.  (I used dish liquid – not a lot is required.)

Agitate the blanket for a bit – swish it around, turn it over – and let it soak for 15 to 30 minutes.  Today, I soaked mine for 25 minutes because I got sidetracked with something else.  The following image is embarrassing, but I'll share anyway – I call it "time + grime + dog."

After the swishing and soaking, you'll be ready to rinse.  Drain, refill with cold water, and repeat at least a couple of times.  I did that three times today, making sure no dirty soapy water was left attached to the blanket.  I don't know if you can see it here, but there was a noticeable difference when done.  I am very pleased with the results!

After the washing and rinsing is complete, the best way to dry is with the blanket laying flat.  [Note:  if hand-washing and drying crocheted clothing, always lay it flat.  You'll want to re-shape it and leave it in that position until dry.  Hanging is a no-no.]

This particular blanket is approximately 5 feet wide and 6 feet long.  I do not have a suitable place to lay it flat until dry.  So I'm breaking the rules and hanging it.  Regardless of to where you move it, be prepared.  Your crocheted blanket is going to be super-heavy.  I gathered mine up, hugged it to my chest – soaking my shirt – and yelled at the dogs to get out of the way, as I ran the 20 feet -- drip, drip, dripping -- to the outdoors and a towel I placed on a table.  Never you mind the fact that I had an empty laundry basket sitting right there (from the laundry I did earlier) I could have used.  Hopefully you'll have more sense than I.

Expect drying time to be at least 24 hours.  Mine has been hanging for a couple of hours and is still dripping.  But I think it's definitely worth the time (and mere pennies) to do it yourself and preserve your handmade item.  If you follow these simple steps, I think you'll be pleased with your freshly cleaned crocheted blanket.

Shared at Making a Home Linky, This is How We Roll, and Happiness is Homemade.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps pay for the RV, supports our mountain homestead dream of owning land, as well as my blogging activities, and makes the dogs' tails wag.  Hopefully, the purchase benefits you, too!  The price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

From my (rule-breaker) mountaintop to yours!

The More of Less: A Book Review

I'd say we joined the minimalist movement (without the label) some time in 2014.  We went hardcore February 2015 when we got rid of 80% of what we owned and moved into a pop-up camper.  A few months later, we increased our living space to a whopping 250 square feet and got rid of 10% more.

So you might say I was already a convert before I started reading The More of Less by Joshua Becker.  Even so, not far into the book, I was still a bit surprised at some of the stats he threw at me:

In America, we consume twice as many material goods as we did fifty years ago.  Over the same period, the size of the average American home has nearly tripled, and today that average home contains about three hundred thousand items.  On average, our homes contain more televisions than people.  And the US Department of Energy reports that, due to clutter, 25 percent of people with two-car garages don't have room to park cars inside and another 32 percent have room for only one vehicle.  Home organization, the service that's trying to find places for all our clutter, is now an $8 billion industry, growing at a rate of 10 percent each year.  And still one out of every ten American households rents off-site storage – the fastest growing segment of the commercial real-estate industry over the past four decades.

And the more I read, the more I realized I was not a minimalist.  I say that because -- even though we got rid of so. much. stuff. – it was fairly easy.  I wanted to downsize, get my bills lowered as much as possible, and move to the mountains.  So I did.  (Thank-you, God, for making my dream come true.)

But after living this way for more than a year, I realize there are still things I held on to that haven't been touched in months.  I still own clothes I haven't worn.  Originally, my end goal was to make a move, not intentionally live with less.  Does that make sense?

"If we want to recalibrate to a lower level of accumulation and stay there,
we need to replace our culturally inspired greed with self-cultivated gratitude
about what we have." – Joshua Becker

This book has given me a renewed sense of purpose in getting rid of the unnecessary extras.  Mr. Becker, who also created the Becoming Minimalist blog, does not simply share his experiences in living the minimalist lifestyle.  He also shares why minimalism might be right for you, and how to go about your journey toward your version.  He doesn't shy away from sharing how his faith plays a role, and he even offers troubleshooting and maintenance tips to help power through the process.

If you're looking for clarity in deciding if the minimalist life is for you, or if you just need some help getting rid of those last ten items, I recommend reading The More of Less.  Even if you come out the other end thinking minimalism is a bit extreme and not for you, I'll bet you'll also have a greater sense of intention when deciding on what things to bring into your home.  And consciousness is a good thing.

Psst…It's available on Kindle, if you'd rather not lug about another physical book. ;-)

More about The More of Less from the publisher.
More about the author Joshua Becker.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.  The words and opinions here are all my own.
Shared at Making a Home and Tuesdays with a Twist.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup and What it Means to Rest in the Lord

Have you seen those "chocolate milk is good for you" commercials? I'm not going to expend any brain power trying to dispute whatever science is being used to back up that claim.  Just.  C'mon, people.

But no matter what my brain says, I love chocolate milk.  Love. It.  The sweet chocolatey goodness was rarely in our house growing up, so even at age 43 I still consider it a treat.

Chocolate milk isn't cheap.  I had a relatively inexpensive, go-to brand where I used to live.  And even then I would try to only buy it when on sale.  Since moving, I haven't been able to find anything comparable.

So I was forced to make my own (the chocolate part, that is).  Putting together just a few quality ingredients will give you a darn tasty chocolate syrup to add to your milk for a treat.

Cocoa, water, and sugar boiled together for a few minutes.  That's all it takes.  But watch your pot! Boiling over is a real possibility.

Allow it to cool, and store it in the fridge.  I use a pint size mason jar with a screw cap.

Before I give you the specific recipe, I'd like to share a passage from the devotional I read this morning.  (If you're not interested, simply scroll down until you see the bold Homemade Chocolate Syrup, but it really is just a quick passage that made me think.)

To "rest in the Lord" is the perfection of inward activity.  In the ordinary reasoning of man it means sitting with folded arms and letting God do everything; in reality it is being so absolutely stayed on God that we are free to do the active work of men without fuss.  The times God works most wonderfully are the times we never think about it.  [Oswald Chambers:  If Thou Wilt Be Perfect]

Here's the recipe! I got it from Dining on a Dime, which cited The Tightwad Gazette.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cocoa, packed
  
• 1 cup water
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 1/8 tsp salt
  
• 1/4 tsp vanilla (optional, in my opinion)

Instructions

1. Mix cocoa and water in a saucepan. Heat and stir to dissolve the cocoa.
   
2. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.
   
3. Boil 3 minutes. (Watch your pot!)
   
4. Remove from heat. Stir in salt and vanilla.
   
5. Store in refrigerator. It will supposedly keep several months, but mine is always consumed well before then. :-)

Yield: 2 cups

Shared at Simple Saturdays, Happiness is Homemade, Tasty Tuesdays, Tuesdays with a Twist.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps pay for the RV, supports our mountain homestead dream of owning land, as well as my blogging activities, and makes the dogs happy.  Hopefully, the purchase benefits you, too!  The price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

From my restful space to yours!

Use Peppermint Essential Oil to Relieve Allergy Symptoms

I am a firm believer in essential oils and aromatherapy.  And peppermint essential oil is one of my favorites.  I diffuse it to promote alertness and clarity.  I use it in my homemade bug spray, and I swish it daily with my homemade mouthwash.

I've also read peppermint essential oil (links to where I get mine) is great for dealing with nausea or other digestive troubles.  Thankfully, I don't often have problems in that area.

Other generalized areas that one might find relief from with the use of peppermint essential oil is stress, headache, and eye strain.

And I can now personally attest to the notion that peppermint essential oil works in relieving allergy symptoms.

Something I haven't had to deal with much in the past is allergies.  But this year has been different.

Maybe it's because I'm another year older.  I've been told more than once allergies get worse with age.  Or maybe it's because I recently moved, and am now exposed to different types of pollen.  Or maybe it's because the woods are right outside my door – closer than they have ever been.

(Not kidding.  Here's a view of my warmer / diffuser sitting on a small table in front of my picture window…and the woods not far behind.)

I don't know for sure why I am suffering more this year from allergy symptoms.  But the watery, grit filled eyes, the sometimes runny nose, and the scratchy throat with a slight headache are real.

I read a short article by Josh Axe at Rodale's Organic Life called 3 Essential Oils that Can Ease Your Allergies.  This quote is what prompted me to try diffusing peppermint essential oil to help with my allergy symptoms:

"For adults, inhaling diffused peppermint oil can immediately unclog the sinuses and offer relief to scratchy throats."

So I did just that.  And it worked.  My eyes felt clear, and my sinuses were unclogged.  My throat was not scratchy, and I had no headache.  This all with the diffuser approximately twelve feet away.

I can see the diffusing of peppermint essential oil becoming a regular occurrence in my home as long as I'm dealing with these allergy symptoms! If you suffer, too, you might want to give it a try.

Shared at From the Farm, Happiness is Homemade, and Simple Saturdays.

Obligatory disclaimers:  (1) I am not a doctor, and statements here have not been evaluated -- nor approved -- by the FDA. This post is meant for educational and informational purposes only. Please conduct your own research and make your own decisions regarding the use of essential oils.  (2) This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps pay for the RV, supports our mountain homestead dream of owning land, as well as my blogging activities, and makes the dogs happy.  Hopefully, the purchase benefits you, too! The price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

From my pollen-filled mountaintop to yours!

I'm not a big fan of biscuits.

I know, I know.  How very un-Southern of me.

But it's true.  Now, I'm not saying I never eat them.  I can quite adequately tear down some biscuits slathered with an inch of sausage gravy.  Who couldn't?

And actually, that illustrates my point about my relationship with biscuits.  I usually find them to be dry.  Very dry.

Then I tried these biscuits – these easy, mix 'em up in one bowl, drop biscuits. Not dry at all.

I love my pastry cutter / blender to cut butter into a dry mixture.  You can also use a fork, or your hands.

I was gifted a gallon of fresh off the no-pesticide vine blueberries about a week ago, so adding those plump bursts of juiciness into these biscuits was a must.

Then I threw in a few chocolate chips.  I was first introduced to the combination of chocolate and blueberry when I made some fudgy blueberry brownies a couple of years ago.  Since I was a bit blown away by the flavor, I don't think the combination gets enough attention.

Give these jewels a try.  I doubt you'll be disappointed.  If you want to kick the sweetness up a notch – and eat these babies for dessert – try drizzling some honey over them.  O. M. G.

Blueberry Chocolate Chip Drop Biscuits

Original recipe by Jennifer at Bake or Break.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 2 tbsp organic cane sugar
  
• 2 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1/4 cup butter, softened and sliced
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
  
• 1/2 cup whole milk
  
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
  
• 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a baking sheet. [Note: I baked these in a toaster oven!]
   
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter. A pastry blender makes it super easy. You may also use a fork or your hands.
   
3. Stir in the sour cream, then stir in the milk. Fold in blueberries and mini chocolate chips, trying not to break too many blueberries.
   
4. Drop dough onto prepared baking sheet. Original recipe calls for "3 tablespoons (not quite 1/4 cup)" per biscuit. I used a flatware tablespoon, heavily mounded with dough. Pretty easy to eyeball.
   
5. Bake for 20 minutes then check. You're looking for a light brown color and a biscuit that is firm to the touch. Try not to over bake. My little oven didn't require more than 22 minutes.

Yield: 1 dozen

Shared at This Is How We Roll, Thrifty Thursday, From the Farm, Happiness is Homemade, Tasty Tuesdays, and Simple Saturdays.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps pay for the RV, supports our mountain homestead dream of owning land, as well as my blogging activities, and makes the dogs happy.  Hopefully, the purchase benefits you, too!  The price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

From my mountaintop to yours!

Three-Cheese Baked Ziti with Homemade Alfredo Sauce

This is comfort food, y'all.  It's rich.  It's heavy.  It's creamy.  It's cheesy.  What more could you want?

The original recipe came from Southern Living's Dinner in a Dish.  It calls for a whole pound of pasta, and everything is baked in a 9-x13-inch pan (resulting in 8-10 servings).  I cut the amount of pasta in half, and baked all in a 7-x9-inch glass casserole dish.  So if you prefer more pasta than sauce, go the way of Southern Living.  My desired pasta-to-sauce ratio will always be heavy on the sauce side.

I'm not a big fan of grocery store Alfredo sauce.  Maybe I just haven't tasted the right brand.  Who knows? Well, I may never know since I found Dawn's recipe for Quick and Easy Alfredo Sauce.  It is scrumptious.  And easy.  (I don't do anything "quick" in the kitchen, so can't vouch for that.) Dawn says, "The secret is cream cheese!" -- I believe her.

A pot of water takes absolutely forever to boil on top of my RV gas stove, so I try to get that started first thing.  Then I make the Alfredo sauce.  After those two are done, I make the other filling and transfer all to the casserole dish.  Bake until things are bubbly and starting to brown on top.  Serve with a side salad and a thick slice of French or garlic (or both!) bread, and you have a satisfying meatless meal.

For the Alfredo sauce:  Melt a stick of butter (8 tablespoons) in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat.  Add 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese and 2 teaspoons garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add 2 cups milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps.  Stir in 3/4 cup grated Parmesan (I use the kind often found on the pasta aisle) and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I eyeball it; probably use more). Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency (I usually let it thicken a bit).  Try not to drink it.

Three-Cheese Baked Ziti

Adapted from "Three-Cheese Baked Pasta" in Southern Living's Dinner in a Dish.

Ingredients

• 8 oz dried ziti pasta (penne or rigatoni could also be used)
  
• a batch of Dawn's Quick and Easy Alfredo Sauce (recipe above or here)
  
• 4 oz sour cream
  
• 8 oz ricotta cheese
  
• 1 lg egg, lightly beaten
  
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 1/8 cup dried parsley
  
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.
   
2. Stir sour cream into Alfredo sauce. Toss with pasta. Spoon half of pasta mixture into a lightly buttered 7-x9-inch casserole dish.
   
3. Stir together ricotta cheese, beaten egg, grated Parmesan, and parsley. Spread evenly over pasta mixture in casserole dish.
   
4. Spoon remaining pasta evenly over ricotta cheese layer. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.
   
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until set, bubbly, and starting to brown.

Yield: about 6 servings

Enjoy!

Shared at Making a Home Linky, This is How We Roll, Thrifty Thursday, From the Farm, and Happiness is Homemade.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps pay for the RV, supports our mountain homestead dream of owning land, as well as my blogging activities, and makes the dogs happy.  Hopefully, the purchase benefits you, too!  The price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

Don't Fret! says Psalms 37 (Finding Faith Friday)

Life for me is pretty peaceful right now.  I am happy and content.  Yet, I know at times I can be a worrier.  Even though I've been telling myself to "give it to God" for years (and years), some days are better than others.  So this morning's devotional spoke strongly to me.  Strongly enough I knew almost immediately this post would be written.

I suppose worrying is not all bad.  If it gets you and me up off our respective rear ends to correct something that is within our control, good.  But I think we all know that's not what I'm writing about.

Before I go further, it should be noted that making the decision not to fret, does not mean those (some valid, some probably not) concerns magically disappear.  If I were to allow myself, I could list numerous worries, and get myself all wound up, in under 30 seconds.  Unfortunately, I cannot turn off that woe is me feeling in the same 30 seconds.  So I try not to go there.  Not fretting is a choice.

The devotional I was reading this morning is part of a short series called "Fully Satisfied In His Love" by Thistlebend Ministries.  A portion of it was focused on the promises made in Psalms 37:3-7.  An oft quoted verse is found in this passage (verse 4, KJV):

Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Without typing out each verse, you can see the kinds of promises being made in this passage of Psalms.  What my attention was drawn to is found as verse 7:

Rest in (be silent to) the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

This one sparked me to go back and read the whole chapter, so I put down the kindle and opened up the Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible (NKJV), as well as the almost-as-old-as-I-am King James Bible given to me by my grandparents.  (Can you tell I was a highlighting junkie when I was younger?)

Some preacher teachers (not intended to be a derogatory term) use this passage to speak on jealousy.  In general.  Like, you shouldn't be upset when your neighbor gets a new car.  As Charles Stanley wrote,

Jealousy…can poison good relationships, ruin our witness, and keep us from experiencing God's blessings.

And I believe he's right.  I also think Psalms 37 is more than that.  Just look at verses 1 and 2 (emphasis mine):

1. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

More than the jealousy you might have toward your neighbor and his/her new car, right? I love what Matthew Henry had to say.  Bear with me, as he's a bit wordy.

We are here cautioned against discontent at the prosperity and success of evil-doers… Now, 1. When we look abroad we see the world full of evil-doers and workers of iniquity, that flourish and prosper, that have what they will and do what they will, that live in ease and pomp themselves and have power in their hands to do mischief to those about them. So it was in David’s time; and therefore, if it is so still, let us not marvel at the matter, as though it were some new or strange thing. 2. When we look within we find ourselves tempted to fret at this, and to be envious against these scandals and burdens, these blemishes and common nuisances, of this earth. We are apt to fret at God, as if he were unkind to the world and unkind to his church in permitting such men to live, and prosper, and prevail, as they do. We are apt to fret ourselves with vexation at their success in their evil projects. We are apt to envy them the liberty they take in getting wealth, and perhaps by unlawful means, and in the indulgence of their lusts, and to wish that we could shake off the restraints of conscience and do so too… Yet that is not all; for, 3. When we look forward with an eye of faith we shall see no reason to envy wicked people their prosperity, for their ruin is at the door and they are ripening apace for it… The flourishing of a godly man is like that of a fruitful tree, but that of the wicked man is like grass and herbs, which are very short-lived.  They will soon wither of themselves. Outward prosperity is a fading thing, and so is the life itself to which it is confined.  They will sooner be cut down by the judgments of God. Their triumphing is short, but their weeping and wailing will be everlasting.

To be honest, I really don't like the terms envious and/or jealous in this context.  How dare anyone say I am envious of the drug dealers (illegal or "legal") that conduct an immoral, crime-filled business! Right? But don't get hung up on that.  Have you ever thought it unfair these people profit (greatly!) from their deeds? And wondered why they profit (greatly!) while the God-fearing, law abiding citizens struggle to make ends meet? That is the area where we are being told to fret not.

And I dare say this can be applied on any scale.  Going back to the seemingly mundane, mentioned earlier, of course.  And all the way to the terrorism that threatens and desires to take over the world today.  Again, we would never say we are envious of them.  Yet, it's not "fair" the power they seem to hold.  And, it's not "fair" the millions of dollars funneled into their cause from outside sources.

But fret not.

12. The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

13. The Lord shall laugh at him: for He seeth that his day is coming.

Fret not.

14. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

15.  Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

Fret not.

35.  I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

36.  Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

The loss of life is gut wrenching and heart breaking.  I do not think we should live in la-la land, waiting on God to rid the world of evil.  I believe we are to stand with Him and confront it.  I believe we should be mindful and watchful, protecting our physical selves.  And I also believe we should guard our hearts.  It is in this vein, where I will decide to fret not.

Shared at Faith Filled Friday, Chain Linky Climb, and Tuesdays with a Twist.

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps pay for the RV, supports our mountain homestead dream of owning land, as well as my blogging activities, and makes the dogs happy.  Hopefully, the purchase benefits you, too!  The price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

Ham & Pineapple Pasta Salad Recipe

I've been trying quite a few new recipes of late.  Until just a few months ago, I didn't cook.  (True story!) But it's a skill I want to get better at, and it's been said practice makes perfect.

When I first began gathering recipes, I hit a lucky streak.  Either the recipe was delicious as is, or I at least knew what I could do to make it more to our liking.  Recently, however, that luck has gone.  It seems everything I've tried has either been ho hum or plain ol' yuck.  Frustration has set in – I'm ill from wasting money, and tired of eating stuff I don't want so as to not waste more money.

Ever been there?

Enter this simple, seemingly modest pasta salad with a classic flavor combination, and a base of only four ingredients:  ham, pineapple, green onion, and macaroni.

I'll bet that caused a mixed reaction.  Some of you might think I'm just plain crazy, and others are on the side of ho hum.  Please allow me to finish.  I haven't told you about the dressing, yet.

The sweet, yet sour, and oddly creamy – more like a sauce – dressing.  It takes this pasta salad from um, ok to wow.  Jack. Pot.

There are a few more ingredients needed for the dressing, but nothing too crazy – mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, sugar, and apple cider vinegar.  You just might have all that in your fridge and pantry right now.

You really ought to try this maybe weird concoction.  I can eat it all alone for a meal.  We even ate it as a side dish with barbecued pork chops and zucchini patties.  Regardless of how we ate it, two adults finished the bowlful in 24 hours.

Here's how to make it.

Ham & Pineapple Pasta Salad

Adapted from The Recipe Critic.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. dry elbow macaroni
  
• 1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks (in juice, not syrup), drained -- reserve juice for dressing!
  
• 2 cups cubed ham
  
• 3/4 to 1 cup green onion (green parts), sliced
  
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  
• 1/4 cup honey flavored Greek yogurt
  
• 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  
• 1 tbsp. sugar
  
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup reserved pineapple juice

Instructions

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Rinse in cold water.
   
2. In a large bowl, combine pasta, pineapple chunks, cubed ham, and green onion slices. (I used 3/4 cup green onion, then went back and added more.)
   
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and reserved pineapple juice. (I needed more juice to combat the cider vinegar, so start with a 1/2 cup and taste.)
   
4. Pour over pasta and combine.
   
5. Try not to eat it all in one sitting!

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Shared at Thrifty Thursday, From the Farm, Happiness is Homemade, and Tasty Tuesdays.

Hope you find it as tasty as we did. From my mountaintop to yours,