Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.

Hello Friends and welcome to

The Hen House!

Here you will find an ever changing variety of articles, tips, farmhouse recipes, photos at our Creek Side Hollow, news and events! Please feel free to e-mail me if you would like to add your favorite Old Time recipe!

creeksidehollowprimitives@comcast.net

Farmhouse Recipes:

Grandma Farm's Apple Cake

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 1/2 cups tart apples sliced, cored, peeled

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Grease and flour large Bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350F. Beat together until foamy: oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add sugar, flour, cinnamon, soda, and salt. Fold in apples. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

6 ounces Cream Cheese, softened

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

3 cups powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients together until well blended.

Spicy Apple-Filled Squash

1 acorn squash (about 1 lb)
1 golden delicious apple, peeled, cored and sliced
2 teaspoons reduced-fat margarine, melted
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
dash ground cloves

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 1-quart baking dish. Halve squash and remove seeds; cut into quarters. Place quarters, skin side up, in dish and cover; bake 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine apple, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Turn cut sides of acorn squash up; top with apple mixture. Cover and bake 30 minutes longer or until apples are tender.

Variations:

Quick microwave version: Halve and seed squash; cut into quarters. Arrange quarters, cut side up, in microwave-safe baking dish. Microwave on high (100 percent) 6 to 7 minutes, rotating squash halfway through cooking time. Top squash with apple mixture, cover with vented plastic wrap and microwave on high 4 to 5 minutes or until apples are tender.

Serves 4

*******************************

That Old-Time Apron

I don’t think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma’s apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children’s tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waived her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that “Old-time apron” that served so many purposes.

*************************************

By Lilly Walters

Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads, he said, "God is good. God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And liberty and justice for all! Amen!"

Along with laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray! Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!"

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"

As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."

"Really?" my son asked.

"Cross my heart." Then in a theatrical whisper the gentleman added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes, and my soul is already good."