Cooking

Made Swiss Steak for dinner tonight. NO not a lousy picture this time. Making rice and white corn to go with it for hubby. I am German and like mine with mashed potatoes. Next time I will.

It has been simmering for several hours now and should just fall apart when I serve it up.

We have a small grocery chain here in SE Ala, with only about 4 stores. They have the best meat that you could ever want. So I had gotten some cube steak and that is what I used. I didn't do the round steak, beat it with a hammer, bread it and fry it up and then make your gravy thing.
I let the cube steak braise in it's own juice in the teflon lined pan with a good lid. I add my spices, mainly sea salt, pepper, paprika and garlic. I also add green pepper and chopped up onion. When all has simmered and the onion's are clear I add diced or stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce. I let that simmer again for a long time. I like mine with mashed potato's, but not tonight.

It is good, not too heavy and it fills you up. Later

Grocery Bag

This grocery bag sort of came about by accident. I was busy reading blogs and linking to web sites and in general getting nothing done. LOL Thank goodness for my computer. Just think of all the work I would have to do if I didn't have it.

OK so to get back to the bag. Somewhere in my travels I found this pattern for this grocery bag. So, of course I had to download it. I had some jelly roll pieces left over so I started and sewed then in rows and then the rows together and finally made them into two pieces big enough to make the bag. Had to go to the quilt store and get some webbing for the handle. Bummer, right. I only bought one piece of material. But, it was all they had left on the bolt. It had a misprint or something and they marked it down to 2 dollars a yard. Now who can pass up a bargin like that. It was perfect to add to my stash.

OK back to the bag. So I spent all day, or at least several hours, making this bag. ( Not the one posted above). Later that evening I got a call from my baby sister in Chicago and I couldn't believe it. She was calling to ask me if I could make her a grocery bag. The usual ones are thin and don't hold up very long ( the recycle ones you can buy for a dollar or two ). So I told her what had transpired that day and yes I would make her one. Me and my big mouth. I thought, I wasn't going to spend hours sewing a bunch of little pieces together. So I had a brain fart and thought of the quilted material I had seen and off to Wally World I went. Was lucky to find two different patterns with enough left on the bolts to make two bags. At 5 dollars a yard I was happy. Had to get the webbing for the handle, but all together the cost was under 10 bucks. I revised the pattern a little and it made the bag go together much faster. In fact, what you see above took less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

It is big, measures appox 22 x 22 inches and has a 4 inch bottom. Almost as big as a paper sack from the grocery, if you can remember what they look like.

I think it turned out great, my sister is happy with it. Now my sister's in Jacksonville each want one. And one of them want's me to make some for a craft show she is doing later this year.

Maybe I should think about etsy. I don't know. Anyway, enjoy. Later

Online Order

Received my order yesterday from Bob's Red Mill. Shortbread Cookie Mix, Bran Muffin Mix, and Buttermilk Biscuit Mix. All packaged beautifully and boy does it look good. Got to get some dishes done first and then supper started, making Swiss Steak using some cube steak I get at the local store. It is a small place ( a chain of only 3 or 4 stores in the local area ), but they have the best meat's. Going to serve it with rice this time cause that is what hubby likes. I like it with mashed potatoes so I may make a small bowl for me. He can use the leftover rice to go with the gumbo I made the other day. Think we will have some cream corn to go with it. Have some nice dinner rolls and I may make a small salad also. Of course no dessert with all that food. We won't need it.

Spent a little time looking at the Bob's Mill web site and found so much that I want to order. Looked at the store locator and found a store about 20 miles down the road that is supposed to carry his products. Will check that out later next week to see what they have and the price. The prices on the web site are so good for what you are getting and the variety they have. It is just the shipping that can kill you. It has to come from Oregon and down here to SE Ala. Quite a distance, and it took one week shipping via UPS. If we get a chance to go see daughter in SLC next year I will order ahead and have it shipped to her. May lower the shipping cost some, I don't know.

So got to go and get some work done. Been reading so many RV blog's and not getting anything done. Most times it is so uplifting to read of the adventure's and then again it just makes me want to get out there and go. Can't yet cause the money isn't there. Oh well, next summer for sure.