I Curse The Poke Salad

 Since I did my post on poke salad I have made it 3 times.  That is 2 too many.   Big daddy was working on the lock & dam last week which gave him a perfect view of the Arkansas River bank.  He spotted that pokeweed and brought home a big sack full.

I think pokeweed season is over.  Maybe not, I'll probably make it one more time. My son inherited his love of poke salad from his daddy.  What are you going to do, just embrace the redneck and go on.

Love,

Territory Mom

Poke Salad - Don't Try This At Home

My husband loves poke salad.  As soon as he finds pokeweed he picks it and I make it.  I will not give you a recipe for it because I do not want to be held responsible for your welfare.  If poke salad is not made correctly you could end up in the hospital, yes its true.  This happened to one of my great grandma's.  After she ate some poke salad her husband made BAM! she was in the hospital.  It's toxic, if you don't believe me go here.

Now, if you are an Okie or come from the South you already know how to make poke salad.  I only eat my own poke salad. I don't trust other cook's poke salad and you shouldn't either.  It is boiled, boiled, rinsed, rinsed, cooked in bacon grease with eggs (fresh ones if you have too many chickens like me).  It taste like cooked spinach and  it makes my husband very happy.

He found some the other night and asked me to make it for him.  I really didn't want to because it takes too long.  Okay, not really I just didn't want to make it.  Then big daddy got trampled by a calf and I felt obliged to make it.  He was very happy, and very sore.

Have a great day.
Love,
Territory Mom

I Did A Bad, Bad Thing Last Night

We were enjoying to weather so much yesterday and into the evening that I made an extra fast supper, homemade french fries with homemade gravy.  I know!!

It maybe bad for us but it will always be homemade.

My kids were very happy and slept like logs.  Poor things.

I promise when the weather finally starts cooperating and my garden is flourishing I'll become the organic mama God intended for me to be.  Well, I'm going tto try.

Be courageous today.

Love,

Territory Mom

Winter Wonderland

It started Thursday and the bad news is that we were out of power for three days, the good news we were only out of power for three days!!!

What do you do without out power?  Go to bed early and make chili.  Thank heavens for a wood burning stove.

Here are some photos from our winter wonderland

A little of Deep Fork River

A bit of frozen Deep Fork River

Yesterday, the thaw begins!!!

Have a great day.

Love,

Territory Mom

I'm A "This n That" Cook

Before I post anymore recipes let me explain myself.  I'm definitely a "this n that" cook.  A little bit of this and a little bit of that.  I have always started with a recipe then changed it up if necessary.  If a recipe didn't turn out I either throw it away or mark through it if its in a cookbook.

This is how I learned to cook with the Better Homes & Garden Cookbook.  This one was published in 1981 and it is similiar to the one I used in my high school home ec class.  I have several cookbooks but this one used the most.  Don't confuse it with Betty Crocker's cookbook.  They look the same but are very different.  Better Homes has so many great tips.  Did you know the secret to a cream pie is to let it sit at room temp for 3 to 4 hours before refrigerating.  It has saved me. 

I make a lot of pies.

This is where I tried to change the recipe to make brownies healthier. It turned out pretty good.

You need to learn about cuts of meat.  It will save you money too.

These are the essentials of a "this n that" cook.   Head Country is an Oklahoma product so I have to use it, great for meat and vegetables.  The Soul Food is also great for anything with a bit more spice to it.  I but the Italian seasoning because it has everything in it.  That saves money.  Cumin just makes everything taste good.

 Oh, if you have onion and garlic you can make anything.

Now I've got to go I have only cooked two meals today and now its time for number 3. 
Have a Happy New Year and be safe.
Love,
Territory Mom

The Homecoming - The Walton's 1971 Version

I love this movie.  We have watched every day for two weeks.  I usually start watching it on Thanksgiving Day, but I have been known to watch it in July.

I love so many scenes from the movie.  One of my favorites it when the kids go down to Ike's store to watch the missionary lady give away presents.  The children have to tell her a Bible verse to get a present.  One by one the kids go to Mary Ellen for a verse.  The missionary lady is so impressed by their knowledge she says, "what a blessing you must be to your sunday school teacher."  Well, JohnBoy can't let Mary Ellen get anything on him so he gives a verse to a girl

Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins,

 which feed among the lilies.  Song of Solomon Chapter 4 verse 5, he yells.

Then he gives Mary Ellen a look like I got you on this one.  When the girl tells it to the missionary she is so stunned that she can't talk.  It is a classic.

Patricia Neal is wonderful in this movie.  I love her voice.  She portrays Oliva Walton, masterfully.  I love how Olivia is so strong for her children and ignores her mother-in-laws critisims.  I bet her applesauce cake doesn't have too much nutmeg.  I always check the internet for a vintage dress pattern like the one she wore in the movie or her aprons.  

Jen from Are You There God? It's Me, Generation X did a wonderful post about the movie last week jenx67's Homecoming post.

Anyway, I could talk all day about this movie mainly because of Earl Hamner, Jr. I love The Walton's tv show as a child. Now that I am older I think it was because of Earl Hamner's voice. It was so soothing. I saw an interview with him a couple of years ago on Writing Out Loud with Teresa Miller on OETA. There is nothing harsh about this man. He invites us to sit till bedtime at his website. Also, visit his blog You Me And The Lamp Post. I can hear his voice in every word, lovely.

Here are some people who love this movie and The Walton's as much as me:

The Waltons

The Homecoming Website

The Walton's-Unofficial

Walton's Mountain Museum

Have a great day everyone.

Love,

Territory Mom

P.S.  Do you know the name of another great writer whose real name is Patricia Neal?

        Okay, give up?  Fannie Flagg

I Didn't Win the Made In Oklahoma Round Up Recipe Contest, Again

This was my third year to enter in the MIO Round Up Recipe Contest. This year I thought I might get a finalist award but no luck. One thing to remember about recipe contests is that someone else is going to make the dish using your instructions so they have to be precise.

So before submitting a recipe be sure and make it from your instructions not from your head. Also, have a friend make it before submitting it.

The recipe I submitted tasted great but I put the wrong size pan to use on my instructions so I'm sure the judges thought I was crazy. I'll share it with you later.

Have great day,

Territory Mom

P.S. Here are all the deserving winners: http://miocoalition.com/roundup09/winners_announced.asp

Triple D Visits Okie Land

We're at Wal-Mart last week and the book lady had just put this book out. I grabbed it up fast then had to find something for my daughter because if I get something she gets something, but for her it was along the lines of Sleeping Beauty.

After Discover Oklahoma this is my favorite show, Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. My daughter won't watch it, but my son will watch it with me because he loves food as much as me. I long to have my own cafe just so Guy Fieri will visit me. Maybe his next show will be, "Mommy's Cafe, Home Cooked Food Made with Love". I could be on that show.

Anyway, I get home and check out the Oklahoma diners Guy visited and there are only two mentioned, Rock Cafe, Stroud and Leo's BBQ, OKC and they are only listed in the back of the book. I remembered that Guy had been to Clanton's in Vinita, but its not in the book. This has to be an over site and there must be a volume two in the works. This is what I know about these great Oklahoma cafes:

Rock Cafe - Located on Route 66 in Stroud. Dawn Welch is the proprietor and she was a huge hit with Guy. She was the inspiration for the character, Sally in Disney's Cars movie. During our last ice storm (Dec. 2007) Dawn's place had the only working grill and she cooked food for the whole town. Sadly, the Rock Cafe burned in May, 2008 and Dawn is rebuilding. I've got a link to her blog about the rebuilding. She is famous among Route 66 fans. Check her out.

Leo's BBQ - on Kelley Ave, OKC. I ate there for lunch one time and it was crazy wild. You had better know what you want and fast. The waitresses are on the move and they call you "babe" and "shug". I like this because it makes me feel young. Besides BBQ Leo's is known for its banana strawberry cake.

Clanton's Cafe - Another Route 66 place in Vinita, OK - Its family owned since 1927. Best known for its chicken fried steak. Great owners, real people persons. You can tell the town loves this place. Check out their website. http://www.clantonscafe.com

Too bad Pennington's in Tulsa is no longer open. It would be a great place for Guy to visit. I've made their black bottom pie a few times and while it taste good its not the same as eating it at Pennington's.

Have a great day and stay warm,

Territory Mom

http://tulsatvmemories.com/blackbot.html

Anything but poor

I made the Poor Man's Pie on Saturday it was anything but poor. This is the richest pie I have ever tasted. I used the recipe from RecipeZaar. It tasted like pralines. Oh my goodness, it's dangerous. Only make it if you need to gain weight or want someone else to. I bet you could gain 5 lbs. per slice.

Have a great day,

Territory Mom

Before I blogged

There was a point a couple of years ago when my kids were really small that we only had one vehicle and my husband had to use it for work which left me alone all day with the kids. (that sentence is too long)See note. At the time I felt soooo deprived, but it prepared me for the tough economic times that were looming -- gas is too expensive for frivolous trips to Wal-Mart.

One thing I did to keep me in contact with adults was to answer the ads in the electric coop magazine. People put ads in looking for old recipes, quilt patterns, searching for family or friends. I'm guessing these are older people or people that don't have computers or down to one vehicle. I tried to see how many I could answer. It was a fun and it doesn't cost much to print off a recipe and mail it to someone. Then you get a very nice thank you note. I'll send the following information I found to the person who place the most recent ad, but I thought I would share it with you first:

In the recent issue of the coop magazine is a request for Poor Man's Pie recipe, which the writer states was made with "heavy cream". This is important because there are several versions of Poor Man's Pie. I found on Ohef.com a little history and a recipe:

"Poor Man's Pie or Milk Pie has a long heritage among the Amish, and appears to reach back to Holland and Germany before that. The name Poor Man's Pie is also associated with the same type of recipe, and was apparently a treat for those laboring in the Dust Bowl and during the Depression. We even found one recipe that uses water instead of milk — we'd call that Dirt Poor Man's Pie".

Dirt Poor Man's Pie is probably the version made by my people. Check out the website there is also a Milk Pie from South Africa and a Greek Milk Pie.

I'm going to make this today from a recipe I found on RecipeZaar. I'll let you know how it tastes.

http://www.ochef.com/1113.htm http://www.recipezaar.com/Poor-mans-Pie-53545 Have a great day, Territory Mom Note: I wasn't complete isolated we have a computer, telephone and satellite tv.

Chocolate Gravy Recipe, now this is country.

If you grew up in Oklahoma or your grandma came from Arkansas or in my case my son's babysitter you have had chocolate gravy. 1 1/2 cup milk

2 T. cocoa 1/2 cup sugar 2 T. flour 1 T. butter

1 tsp vanilla pinch of salt In a saucepan stir milk and butter over medium heat. When butter is melted gradually add dry ingredients. Use a whisk and stir until thick (like pudding). When desired thickness is reached add vanilla, stir.

Pour gravy over hot buttered biscuits. You don't have to use homemade biscuits, this taste great over whop em biscuits, well this just taste great.

NOTE: If you are on a diet run very fast from chocolate gravy. Enjoy, Territory Mom

Super Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is my first Works-for-Me Wednesday post. Check out the experts at http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/ It's a little chilly in OK today and its raining. Here's a quick and easy recipe to warm you up. 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can black beans 1 can cheddar cheese soup 1 can diced tomatoes (drained) 1 soup can of milk leftover chicken or 2 cans of chicken 2 T. taco sauce or salsa Mix it all together in a pan over medium heat. Serve with corn chips. Put a spoonful of sour cream on top for flavor or to just pretend you're in a restaurant. Have a great day, Territory Mom P.S. I had some leftover rotisserie chicken from Wal-Mart so I made this recipe. You can thin the soup by adding more milk.

Buttermilk Biscuits

This is my husband's grandma. Her name was Minnie. When this photo was taken she lived with her family in a tent in Arkansas where she was born. As a little girl her family traveled to Oklahoma. They had to go over the Winding Stair Mountains to get to their destination. When she was older Minnie worked in the local cafes as a cook. She was well known for being a great cook, a hard worker and the "best grandma". She loved church. Sometimes if she didn't have a ride she would walk 6 miles to get to church. Her biscuits were a family favorite. I finally got the recipe and make them about once a week, which makes my husband very happy. I asked my father-in-law if his grandma, Minnie's mother, taught her how to make the biscuits and he said "that is just how everyone made biscuits on a wood burning stove". So, with that being said this recipe must belong to everyone. You can call them Pioneer Biscuits, Okie Biscuits, Buttermilk Biscuits or just what my husband calls them, "Grandma's Biscuits."

Enjoy,

Territory Mom

Buttermilk Biscuits:

3 cups self-rising flour

1 t. soda

2 cups buttermilk

Sift flour and soda together, add buttermilk and beat. Pour on to floured surface and knead adding flour as needed until not sticky. Roll and use a floured cutter to cut out biscuits. Place in pan with oil, dipping one side in oil and then placing in pan on other side. Bake at 400 degrees until brown on top.

NOTE: The recipe above is the first written version, so I recommend halving the recipe until you get the hang of it. Don't add all of the buttermilk at once do it slowing until the dough feels right. Also the biscuits are more moist if they are a little sticky. I have never made biscuits without shortening so this took a little while for me to get right. The shortening is not necessary because of dipping the biscuits in oil. The easiest way is to add the oil to your baking pan then dipping one side then the next. I usually bake for about 10-12 minutes, but watch them closely. You will love these biscuits!!! Good luck!