annie blog

Totally Pitiful
is how I’d describe my blog presence and lack thereof over the last month.

I apologize to any of you optimistic enough to occasionally mosey on over here or, heaven forbid, send me an email.

My internet availability has been choppy at best. But, I shall hope that it remains as it is now. I have three bars, y’all. Three! Yippee!

We have been on spring break this past week. My boys all had the same week off (yippee, again) and so we took off for Alabama and left dear Jon here to work and dissertate, bless his heart.

So, over the past week, we have been swimming at a hotel pool with Mama Susie, Aunt Deana, and NeffyPoo.

We have eaten all kinds of delicious food. Besides Mama Susie’s always yummy fare we have also partaken of pizza and more doughnuts than should be consumed by otherwise (sort of) intelligent people.

We visited a working historical farm where the boys ground corn, milked a model cow, learned about blacksmithing and banged on an anvil.

We also toured the adjoining wildlife area by riding on a trailer featuring old movie seats pulled by a kuboda. The mud was deep and the ride was beautiful.

We visited a gorgeous cypress swamp.

We got sunburned and caught a beautiful bass and a pretty brim.

I learned how to take a fish off a hook and not hook myself.

We watched movies. We put together jigsaw puzzles.

I toured my hometown during a rainy morning and saw the changes that have come in recent years.

We saw old friends and looked with fondness at picture albums.

This is me, circa 1983.

We returned safely to a Jon who missed us and a Conanner-dog

who was so morose in our absence that he ate one bite of food in three days. Now we are back and he is delighted to eat his food and herd us once more.

My boys and their Papa Joe before we headed out this morning. And then chaos level in northwest Alabama decreased significantly as Barlows headed northward.

Spring Break, hip hip HOORAY!

Totally Pitiful
is how I’d describe my blog presence and lack thereof over the last month.

I apologize to any of you optimistic enough to occasionally mosey on over here or, heaven forbid, send me an email.

My internet availability has been choppy at best. But, I shall hope that it remains as it is now. I have three bars, y’all. Three! Yippee!

We have been on spring break this past week. My boys all had the same week off (yippee, again) and so we took off for Alabama and left dear Jon here to work and dissertate, bless his heart.

So, over the past week, we have been swimming at a hotel pool with Mama Susie, Aunt Deana, and NeffyPoo.

We have eaten all kinds of delicious food. Besides Mama Susie’s always yummy fare we have also partaken of pizza and more doughnuts than should be consumed by otherwise (sort of) intelligent people.

We visited a working historical farm where the boys ground corn, milked a model cow, learned about blacksmithing and banged on an anvil.

We also toured the adjoining wildlife area by riding on a trailer featuring old movie seats pulled by a kuboda. The mud was deep and the ride was beautiful.

We visited a gorgeous cypress swamp.

We got sunburned and caught a beautiful bass and a pretty brim.

I learned how to take a fish off a hook and not hook myself.

We watched movies. We put together jigsaw puzzles.

I toured my hometown during a rainy morning and saw the changes that have come in recent years.

We saw old friends and looked with fondness at picture albums.

This is me, circa 1983.

We returned safely to a Jon who missed us and a Conanner-dog

who was so morose in our absence that he ate one bite of food in three days. Now we are back and he is delighted to eat his food and herd us once more.

My boys and their Papa Joe before we headed out this morning. And then chaos level in northwest Alabama decreased significantly as Barlows headed northward.

Spring Break, hip hip HOORAY!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I intended to post about Guinness stew and Bailey’s cupcakes but guess what, we’re having tacos tonight and there’s no dessert to be found. Next year. I hope.

Every time I think of St. Patrick I don’t think about snakes or beer or Ireland so much as I think about his breast plate or the Lorica that is attributed to him.

I just love this hymn. We used to sing it so often at church that I think that I have it memorized — and I hope that it has burned its own groove in my brain. I love it that much.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I intended to post about Guinness stew and Bailey’s cupcakes but guess what, we’re having tacos tonight and there’s no dessert to be found. Next year. I hope.

Every time I think of St. Patrick I don’t think about snakes or beer or Ireland so much as I think about his breast plate or the Lorica that is attributed to him.

I just love this hymn. We used to sing it so often at church that I think that I have it memorized — and I hope that it has burned its own groove in my brain. I love it that much.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I intended to post about Guinness stew and Bailey’s cupcakes but guess what, we’re having tacos tonight and there’s no dessert to be found. Next year. I hope.

Every time I think of St. Patrick I don’t think about snakes or beer or Ireland so much as I think about his breast plate or the Lorica that is attributed to him.

I just love this hymn. We used to sing it so often at church that I think that I have it memorized — and I hope that it has burned its own groove in my brain. I love it that much.

Happy Pi Day, Y’all

May I recommend this pie for this day? It’s a good one.

Sour Cream Apple Pie

1 pie pastry, homemade or storebought

Pie filling:
2 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
3/4 cup sugar
2 T flour
1/2 t. salt
1 cup sour cream
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 t. vanilla extract

Topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Put pie pastry in pie plate. In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients for the pie filling in the order listed, stirring in between adding each ingredient to mix well. Pour the pie filling in the pastry.
Bake the pie at 400 for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 325. Cover the pastry to prevent excessive browning of the crust. Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the topping mixture together. After the pie has baked for the additional 25-30 minutes, take it out of the oven and carefully spread/sprinkle it with the topping. Return it to the oven for 10 minutes. Cool and eat.

Happy Pi Day, Y’all

May I recommend this pie for this day? It’s a good one.

Sour Cream Apple Pie

1 pie pastry, homemade or storebought

Pie filling:
2 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
3/4 cup sugar
2 T flour
1/2 t. salt
1 cup sour cream
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 t. vanilla extract

Topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Put pie pastry in pie plate. In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients for the pie filling in the order listed, stirring in between adding each ingredient to mix well. Pour the pie filling in the pastry.
Bake the pie at 400 for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 325. Cover the pastry to prevent excessive browning of the crust. Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the topping mixture together. After the pie has baked for the additional 25-30 minutes, take it out of the oven and carefully spread/sprinkle it with the topping. Return it to the oven for 10 minutes. Cool and eat.

Happy Pi Day, Y’all

May I recommend this pie for this day? It’s a good one.

Sour Cream Apple Pie

1 pie pastry, homemade or storebought

Pie filling:
2 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
3/4 cup sugar
2 T flour
1/2 t. salt
1 cup sour cream
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 t. vanilla extract

Topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Put pie pastry in pie plate. In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients for the pie filling in the order listed, stirring in between adding each ingredient to mix well. Pour the pie filling in the pastry.
Bake the pie at 400 for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 325. Cover the pastry to prevent excessive browning of the crust. Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the topping mixture together. After the pie has baked for the additional 25-30 minutes, take it out of the oven and carefully spread/sprinkle it with the topping. Return it to the oven for 10 minutes. Cool and eat.

Delicious Pecans

I love nuts. They satisfy something — I don’t know what — unlike sweets or even (shall I say it?) chocolate. These are so yummy. They are easy. They are buttery, roasted goodness and you should totally try them.

Note that I give the recipe for 4 cups of pecans, but you should know that I never make a whole recipe — most of the time I actually halve or even fourth it. Because, I don’t need 4 cups of delicious pecans in my house. The implications would not be good for the jeans, y’all.

Yummola Pecans

4 cups pecans
4 T. butter, melted
1/2 t. salt
1 T. brown sugar
sprinkle of cayenne (optional)

Heat oven to 325. In a shallow pan with sides (jellyroll pan, pyrex, whatever) place the pecans. Pour the melted butter over. (Or do it the Annie way and stick the butter in the pan in the oven while it heats so that you don’t have to melt it separately. Take out pan, pour in pecans, toss to coat, return pan to oven.) Now, that you’ve tossed the pecans in butter one way or the other, leave the pecans in the oven for about 15 minutes. Mix the salt, sugar and cayenne (if using) in a medium bowl. Take the pecans out of the oven and toss them with the sugar/salt mixture. Return them to the pan and oven for 3 more minutes so that the sugar will melt.

Now, try not to eat them all. 🙂

Delicious Pecans

I love nuts. They satisfy something — I don’t know what — unlike sweets or even (shall I say it?) chocolate. These are so yummy. They are easy. They are buttery, roasted goodness and you should totally try them.

Note that I give the recipe for 4 cups of pecans, but you should know that I never make a whole recipe — most of the time I actually halve or even fourth it. Because, I don’t need 4 cups of delicious pecans in my house. The implications would not be good for the jeans, y’all.

Yummola Pecans

4 cups pecans
4 T. butter, melted
1/2 t. salt
1 T. brown sugar
sprinkle of cayenne (optional)

Heat oven to 325. In a shallow pan with sides (jellyroll pan, pyrex, whatever) place the pecans. Pour the melted butter over. (Or do it the Annie way and stick the butter in the pan in the oven while it heats so that you don’t have to melt it separately. Take out pan, pour in pecans, toss to coat, return pan to oven.) Now, that you’ve tossed the pecans in butter one way or the other, leave the pecans in the oven for about 15 minutes. Mix the salt, sugar and cayenne (if using) in a medium bowl. Take the pecans out of the oven and toss them with the sugar/salt mixture. Return them to the pan and oven for 3 more minutes so that the sugar will melt.

Now, try not to eat them all. 🙂