MARTHA'S COUNTRY CHICKEN 'N BISCUITS

MARTHA'S COUNTRY CHICKEN 'N BISCUITS

1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
3/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp marjoram (a herb)
2 c. diced, cooked chicken
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen mixed vegetables
4 oz. sliced process American cheese
8 cooked biscuits

In a 10" skillet, combine soup, milk and marjoram.  Stir in chicken and vegetables.  Bring mixture to boiling, then reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 2 minutes.  Tear cheese slices into several pieces.  Stir cheese into chicken mixture and cook until melted.  Top with biscuits.  Cover.  Cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.  Makes 4 servings

GRANDMOTHER OLIVE TELLS US ABOUT CANNING PORK

I hope that I haven't completely confused so far in canning meat.  Pork can perish a lot faster than other meats so it should be canned within a day or two after it has been slaughtered.  You should keep it in the refrigerator at about 32 degrees but not freezing, if you are not processing it the day it is slaughtered.  One thing you should be aware of is that some pork may have trichinosis which you may contract if the meat is not cooked.  Do not eat any pork including sausage that has not be completely cooked.

So before canning the meat, cook the meat until the temperature at the center reaches 160 degrees.  Test all the pieces that you are cooking, not just one, to make sure the center of all of them reaches 160 degrees.  This means the center with bone or without bone - it must reach 160 degrees.  When pork is put in the pressure canner it must be cooked at 240 degrees.  Again I am using the dial-gauge-pressure canner.  If you are using the weighted-gauge, the process times are different.  Make sure your pieces of meat are trimmed lean of fat.  Pieces like hams and shoulders would be better cured than canned. I am repeating myself, but weather you use hot pack or raw pack, cook the meat slowly until rare (160 degrees).    Use the bimetallic food thermometer to make sure the meat has reached that temperature. Cut up meat as with beef.

Hot Pack

Pack meat loosely in glass jars, leaving a 1 inch space at the top of the jar.  If you desire you can add salt at 1/2 teaspoon per pint or 1 teaspoon per quart.  As the same with beef as pork, add boiling meat juice, broth, tomato juice or boiling water leaving a 1 inch space at the top.  Make sure the cans are sealed properly.

Raw Pack

Pack meat loosely in glass jars leaving a 1 inch space at the top of the jar.  DO NOT add liquid.  If you wish to add salt add 1/2 teaspoon per pint or 1 teaspoon per quart.  Again make sure cans are sealed properly. Put cans in pressure canner.

Process time for both Hot Pack and Raw Pack is 75 minutes per pint for 11 pounds or 90 minutes per quart for 11 pounds on the dial-gauge pressure canner.

Pork ground meat and sausage are canned in the hot pack like ground beef was.  Again you shape meat into patties, balls oor it can be packed into jars without breaking up.  Cook pork until lightly browned, skimming fat from drippings.  DO NOT use fat in canning.  Saute meat until it is brown and fat is drained off. Again pack patties, balls or ground pork into jars leaving 1 inch at the top.  Meat should be covered with boiling meat juice, tomato juice or broth leaving 1 inch at the top of the jar.  Make sure jars are sealed correctly.  Place jars i pressure canner with process time for pints at 75 minutes and quarts 90 minutes for 11 pounds of meat. Again, the model of pressure canner and altitudes can change process time so check for your area and pressure canner.

Sausage

After you cook pork, do as was done in hot pack beef sausage.

I will not tell about curing and smoking, as I said previously,  Anna will be telling about that later.  My next post I am going to try to get poultry and game on there.  I am not going through all of the game that can be canned just the common ones like deer.

Follow God,
Olive

ELMER AND ANNA ARE HOME

We arrived back home - safe and sound.  Our winter vacation is over and it's time to get back to work.  When we got home, several of our children and grandchildren were waiting to welcome us.  The house was all cleaned, I think we have enough meals already made for us for a month.  We were happy to see them and they us.

Before you ask, yes, we did return John's cell phone to him.  It really helped in getting the posts to Marilyn while we were at Pinecraft.  His leaving it with us when he left, was really appreciated.  So, even though, we don't approve young folks having them, they do come in handy sometimes.

The first thing I did on Saturday morning was to plow what little snow we had left into the ground.  Seeing we had a lot of snow last night, I guess I will be plowing more under.  It goes back a long way, that if the snow is plowed under in March, it helps the soil produce a better crop.  To be honest, I doubt that is true, only God knows what will be the best crop, but my Father plows it, my Grandfather plowed it, so I do too. I know my son John, thinks it is silly, but I keep one tradition.

Anna always finds clothes to wash especially John's since he didn't wash much while he was here and we weren't.  One of our daughters came over and did it for him, a couple of times.  Also, his sisters saw that he had some delicious meals.  Still, he was glad to see Anna back.  I guess there's no cooking like Mother's cooking.

I also believe that John was glad that I was back to help with the milking.  He was doing it with the help of various friends and relatives while we were gone.  Someone was here to help every morning and evening, which we greatly appreciate.  It may sound unusual, but I was glad to see the cows and horses again.

Speaking of animals, our dog was glad to see us, too.  You would have thought we had been gone for years instead of two months.  He jumped on us and went around in circles, so happy to see us.  We also have cats in the barn.  I guess they were happy that we were at feeding time.

So, like I said, it is back to work.  John and I have to go over all our tools and farm equipment to make sure it is in top condition for plowing season, that we hope will be soon, if the weather goes along.  We also go over the milking equipment to make sure that is in top condition.  Milking equipment we use every day and don't take the time to check it all out.

I looked around the property and the house and barn could use a paint coat this year.  Also want to go over them to make sure everything is all right - that no work has to be done on them before painting.

Anna is already planning on what she wants to plant in her garden.  Also, what flowers she wants to put where.  She feels our clothes line needs to be replaced with a new one, so I will have to get on that job.

We hope spring gets here soon.  We look forward to it every year.  It's like a new beginning.  We plow the land, plant the seeds, and they grow into beautiful crops that we can eat and sell.

John gave us some surprising news.  There is an Englisher lady down the road, her husband passed several years ago and her fields have never been farmed.  So John and her worked out a deal.  He will plow, plant and take care of her fields.  Once the crops are sold, they will split the money.  As she is raising some children, it will help her. She says she wants to sell the farm and John said he would consider buying it.  It needs a lot of work on the house and the barn would have to be torn down and replaced.  Anna thought that would be to much work, but I reminded her of the first farm we had when we got married.  It took Anna, I and several other people to remodel that first farmhouse.  Ours didn't have a barn so we had to have a barn raising.  But we were young then as John is now.  I think it will also give some space between John and I.  John is in his 20's and doesn't need his Father standing over him while he is working.  We some times disagree, strongly, on how something should be done.  John will still help on our farm, but he will have a place to go where I am not standing over him or telling him what to do.  Fields he can work the way he wants.

Well, I am going to close now.  I note that there are questions you would like answered so I will do some of them in my next post.  I thank Martha for filling in when needed and for Jean.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer

PORT GIBSON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, PORT GIBSON, NY

Port Gibson, New York is a little town in Ontario County that came to be in the building of the Erie Canal.  Ontario County wanted a port on the Erie Canal, so they were given this small section of land.  When driving Route 31 you are in Wayne County, a few miles in Ontario County, and then back in Wayne County.

Port Gibson United Methodist Church is the only church in Port Gibson.  The church is an historic church, built in 1871 and is an imposing example of Romanesque Revival style.The front facade features a square frame bell tower surrounded by a soaring slate clad octagonal spire.

It was listed on the Nation Register of Historic places in 1996.

The last picture shows the parsonage.  I don't know if the their Pastor lives there or they rent it.

A ROBIN IS HERE !!!!

My Mom always use to say if you see a robin, spring was just around the corner.  Sometimes she was right.  And sometimes she wasn't.  Anyway here are some robin photos which I hope bring spring to you.  I don't have a camera with a great zoom , but I hope you can see the robin.

NEXT WEEK THE EASTER RECIPES WILL START.  THEY WILL GO FROM APRIL 12th TO AND INCLUDING APRIL 19th.  ON THE DAYS OF OUR REGULAR POSTS, THE RECIPE WILL BE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE. \\

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MAPLE VIEW MENNONITE MEETING HOUSE (CHURCH) OUTHOUSE

When I went to take the pictures of the Maple View Mennonite Meeting House, I HAD to go to the restroom.  They had two of those brick buildings one said ladies and the other said gentlemen.  Seeing that this was way out in the country, I didn't think they would be open, but thank heavens they were. First unusual thing is that they do not have running water.  Second of all, the restroom is spotless, so someone must come and check on them and clean them.  There were three stalls and each one has a place for you to go potty.  The third unusual thing is on top of the toilet paper is a small shelf, I guess you would call it, with ladies hankies on them.  Each of the stalls has them.  Men and Ladies restrooms have them.  The ladies have pretty ones like the last picture, the men's are plain white.  When you come out of the ladies stall, there is some hand cleaning spray for your hands on a counter, paper towels to wipe your hands on and there was even a new paper baby diaper there.

I took one of the ladies hankies as you can see.  After I got home, I thought that was stealing and called Jean telling her what I did and asked her if I should take it back or send them some money for it.  Jean told me that I didn't do anything wrong - that's what they are there for.  It is a gift from the Mennonites to those that use their restroom.  It's their way of letting people know that God cares and so do they.  She said if you go into their Old Order Mennonite Meeting House outhouse, you will find them in there.  I did correctly in taking only one.  Seeing I collect hankies, Jean said if I really want to thank them - the next time I go out that way, take one of my hankies and leave it where you wash your hands.

The hankie is not handmade, but I still like it very much.  To me that is a very special hankie for my collection and I will take one out there, the next time I go.

So I thought you might enjoy seeing what a Mennonite Meeting House Outhouse looks like.

FORT HOOD, TEXAS

LAST NIGHT I HEARD ABOUT THE TRAGEDY AT FORT HOOD, TEXAS.  IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD, A SOLDIER KILLED 4 PEOPLE INCLUDING HIMSELF AND INJURED 16 PEOPLE.  THAT IS THE TOLL AS I MAKE UP THIS POST.  IT MAY CHANGE.

I ASK THAT WE REMEMBER AND PRAY FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED, THOSE THAT ARE IN THE HOSPITAL OR OUT,  THAT WERE INJURED,   THEIR FAMILIES AND TO ALL SOLDIERS AT FT, HOOD.

ALSO, PRAY FOR THE FAMILY OF THE MAN THAT DID THIS.  HE WAS MARRIED AND HAD A FAMILY.

THANK YOU,
MARILYN
JEAN, DAVID AND FAMILY
MARTHA, BISHOP JOSEPH AND FAMILY
ELMER, ANNA AND FAMILY