A Wedding in the Family!

Here are my 3 lovely offspring...in birth order.  Kendra got married June 22nd.  This photo was taken before the ceremony while we were taking 'our side of the family' photos.  I caught the kids off-guard...and love how it looks like the boys are 'done with their job' of being the Brother Protectors!

Despite a bit of heat/humidity early in the day/afternoon (and the venue NOT cool enough) it was a very lovely day.  The mixing of 2 wonderful families!

I Scream, You Scream...

THIS is what I've been doing lately.  Okay...this is what I've been obsessed with lately!

We've had (2) Cuisinart ice cream makers (the kind you freeze the bowl) for awhile.  Why two?  Seems like Bill & I had the same idea one year for Christmas.  He & Marshall used the one he got for me several times before wrapping it!  At the time, they were in Columbus & Parker & I were still in Delphos (Kendra was at Ohio University)...so we decided to keep both machines...one for each house.

Time travel 10 years forward.  One random day, we both realized an ice cream machine with a compressor would make our lives much happier. (I know, we're quite pathetic and need to 'get a life')

Then last month, Bill, Marshall & I went out one Sunday and picked black raspberries, then stopped to picked up some vanilla ice cream on the way home, planning on having said berries over the ice cream.  After we ate our treat (which was quite tasty by the way), Bill hopped on the computer, went to Amazon and ordered the above ice cream maker.

And THAT is what is on my mind 38 hours a day...ice cream concoctions!

I've found the perfect custard base and have made numerous batches of the luscious frozen goodies.
Vanilla Bean
Black Raspberry
Chocolate w/Peanut Butter chunks
Strawberry
Vanilla w/Chocolate/Butterscotch Swirl
Chocolate with Peanut Butter/Hot Fudge chunks
Butterfinger w/Chocolate/Caramel Swirl
Burnt Butter Caramel
Beer (that was a total bust...even for the people in the family who love those awful microbrews [and was eaten by the garbage disposal])
Peach
Chocolate
Wendy's Frosty Ice Cream

And do you think I even thought of taking a picture of all that ice cream I've made???!!  I promise to post some photos...and recipes...soon.

Then there was the day I went with Parker to pick black raspberries.  His froze his stash and is going to use them for either his home-brewed beer...or homemade wine.  But that's a whole other blog post!!

...off in search of ice cream ideas

4 Generations

I titled this post '4 Generations' since I put my parents photos in the picture, too.

Except for the youngest generation, we're in Birth Order.  Just wouldn't have worked to put the 2nd youngest holding the baby!!  These photos were taken after Mother's funeral luncheon last month.

We started the 'grandkids' in birth order when the youngest (who belongs to me) was a maybe 5 or 6 years old.  Every time they're together now (these days it seems to be mostly at weddings!) they line up this way.  I have to chuckle when I see the shortest next to the tallest.  This generation ranges in age from 42 down to 28. (I'm sure they're pleased that I mentioned this!!)   I take credit for the 6th, 8th and last.

The 'great grandkids' range in age from 13 down to 4 months.  In this photo, the oldest is holding the youngest, her cousin, the 2nd youngest is being held by his brother, 3rd youngest by her cousin.

Even though, because of geography, we don't get together very much, we always have such a great time when we do.  We did pretty good this time...the only 2 that couldn't make it was a brother-in-law (Phoenix) and a niece's (the short one:-) husband (northern Illinois).

Next time we'll be together (as many as can make it) will be in June at my daughter's wedding...a much happier event!

My Mother

 Agnes Schuerman Swick

8.20.18 - 3.9.13

Mother...you were the BEST

You will be truly missed by all

Enjoy your restored memory

Have a great time with Daddy

...save me a good spot!

Wish I liked these...

I made (again) Boston Baked Beans yesterday.  Seem like I can't make enough for the men in my life.  If the boys come over for something...they steal containers from the fridge!  (I mean, they have to open the fridge and see what's there!)

Here's what I did using my electric pressure cooker:

Boston Baked Beans
1 pkg. (2 c.) dried beans  (I used 1/2 navy & 1/2 northern beans)
6 slices thick cut bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2-1/2 c. chicken stock  (you can use water...but I use stock)
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. honey
3/4 c. ketchup
1/2 c. BBQ sauce
Salt/Pepper to taste

I boil the beans 2 min. then let soak for 1-1/2 hours.
Drain/rinse beans well.

While beans are soaking, brown the bacon on the 'Brown' setting; remove to a paper towel when crisp.

Saute onion in bacon grease.
Once beans are soaked and rinsed, add to onions.
Add mustard, olive oil and chicken stock.

Cook on 25# pressure for 25 minutes.

Let pressure reduce naturally for about 10 min. before releasing.
Add brown sugar, honey, ketchup, BBQ sauce and salt/pepper.

At this point, you can do a quick taste test and decide if it needs more mustard, ketchep, BBQ sauce or brown sugar/honey.  Each batch I make seems to taste different, depending on what BBQ sauce I use, especially if I have to use bottled instead of homemade)

Cook on 25#  pressure for 4 min., once again letting pressure reduce naturally for a bit.

Taste.  Once again, add what you think it needs for your taste buds.  If the beans are a bit firm for you, cook it a few more minutes.

At this point, it will look kind of runny.  I put my p/c on 'Brown' again and let it cook down and thicken (time varies).  If you like it soupy...go for it and eat it this way.  It will also thicken up once it's been in the fridge.

I add the crisp bacon right before serving to keep it a bit crispy.

I wish I like beans...because the sauce is to die for!!

One of my Favorites...

This was our dinner the other night.  A local grocery had them cheap so I bought 3 of these little 1 pounders.  (found out later it was National Lobster Day)

Our plan was to grill them all, share one with our steak...then use the other two for lobster rolls for lunch the next day.

But.  Seems Marshall came over at the wrong time, saw them...and ate dinner with us.  I reminded him how his love of lobster began when he was almost 4.  He and Kendra were in bed (so we thought) and we were just getting ready to eat lobster.  In comes Marshall to the kitchen, wondering what we were eating.  Of course he wanted a bite.

That was it.  He fell in love with those tasty crustaceans.  And yes.  Several weeks later, he wanted LOBSTER for his 4th birthday!  There's a picture of him with his lobster...and Big Bird cake!! 

Pittsburgh Quilt Show

Thought I'd let you know about an upcoming quilt show this fall.  The Beaver Valley Piecemakers is a 100 member guild north of Pittsburgh PA.

Their 18th Annual Quilt Show is Oct 12th, 13th, and 14th.

The judge will be a National Quilt Association judge.

Here's a link to the show's information.

Hope to see you there!