9/07/2017

Kitchen Chatter

Here in the northwest US we are surrounded by wildfires and the air quality is extremely hazardous and everyone has been ordered to stay indoors.  So our planned BBQ of hamburgers outside has turned into a meatloaf in the oven indoors.

 I have often tried new meatloaf recipes in the past but my favorite is in this book....well used as you can see.  I received this Good Housekeeping cookbook in Sept. 1957 as a wedding gift... 60 years ago.. and I still use this recipe and try as I might have never found a better one. The book automatically opens to this page.  In the last few years I have started searches for the "Best" biscotti, banana bread, stollen, lemon cookies,  and scones among other things.. Every so often the old and tried recipes turns out to be the best.  I have stopped trying new banana bread recipes forever as this one is truly the very best...  http://gluesticksblog.com/2013/07/bakery-style-banana-bread-recipe.html
and how could it not be when it uses eight bananas.

So besides the meatloaf I made a double batch of the very best banana bread, a huge supply of homemade granola that will last until Christmas, and stollen for DH.  I got to use my stollen mold I bought in Germany this spring.  It is adjustable in length and has no bottom...you just set it on the baking pan and it shapes the loaf....  I just love it.  Morris was on kitchen duty all day just waiting for any little tidbit that might fall to the floor.  He didn't want me to slip and fall on anything...such a thoughtful dog.

This last bit falls under the category "Why I love thrift stores!!!!"  I love setting a pretty table so I check the kitchen aisles first thing.  Last spring I found these neat plates for $1 each.  I was waiting until fall to use them but none of the tablecloths I have seemed right.






 So when we were thriftin' on Monday I was looking for a new tablecloth and found this one which was whimsical and different and fun...  $2.50.  I liked it because it wasn't the usual fall leaves, pumpkins, etc.










Then at the next thrift shop I found these snazzy salad plates..  They were only 50 cent apiece and I bought all eight as I can see them used for desserts also any season.









We have a dinner party coming up Sunday and another in a couple weeks and I'll use my new purchases for both parties...  I can hardly wait to set the table.  It is finding these unplanned treasures that keep me at the thrift stores over and over again.  I'm sure all this new would have been over a $150 and for $10.50 I have new table settings for this winter and in the spring I will donate them back and get new sets for spring...

2 comments:

margaret said...

you certainly got good finds with your charity shops. I too enjoy a meat loaf Mum used to make a great one but unfortunately do not have her recipe, think it was all in her head and not written down

Marilyn said...

I would love to come to your house just to see your table settings - you have such an eye for it. Of course, you are a marvelous cook too so I'd have to stay for dinner too :). I feel the same way about my Purity cookbook. I have never found a bread recipe I like better and I use it for pancakes and tea biscuits. We have been getting smoke from BC off and on all summer and have had to stay inside with the windows closed.

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