It is great to be able to go on vacation, but it is even better to get home. The September vacation is just for us to relax and we really did that. I think I slept most of the time in the Catskills. I didn't even get my book read. Every time I sat down to read, I went to sleep. It was great to see friends that we see only once or twice a year and the weather was perfect only one day of rain and delightful fall weather the rest of the time. One thing I enjoy up there is watching the deer there are herds of them and they come out into the fields early morning and evening. So pretty!
By coming toward home a couple of days early, I got to visit Valley Forge and Gettysburg. Although I knew most of the history of those two places and have traveled close by, I had never explored them. Husband Norm, having grown up in southeastern Pennsylvania, had visited them as a teenager. He was so certain I would be disappointed since he was certain there would be nothing much there anymore then when he had seen them more than 60 years ago. He was amazed at the changes. He kept saying, "This wasn't like this when I visited!"
It was a sobering lesson in history and every American should visit both those two areas, especially Gettysburg. The number of dead and wounded were unbelievable in the three-day battle, the most killed on any day in the history of our country. As well as thousands of men, there were thousands of horses that died, too. Standing on the battlefield and hearing the guide tell of the conditions and the numbers of soldiers on both the North and the South made that horrible battle come to life.
The South under Gen. Robert E. Lee won on the field the first two days, but on the third day, the tide turned and the North pushed the southern forces back into the Blue Ridge Mountains, 26 miles from the battlefield. One has to wonder what would have happened if Lee had succeeded that final day. The South had won every battle up to that time, and this battle was the turning point of the war. European countries had been watching the conflict and would have come in on the side of the South to sell them supplies if Lee had been able to take Pennsylvania. The nation would have been split in two and not become the great nation we know (and hope to keep). The main reason for the conflict was not slavery it was States' rights but slavery became a big point in it. I wonder if students today have to memorize the Gettysburg Address as we did in school.
Just south of Gettysburg is one of our favorite outlet malls, so, of course, we had to spend a few hours there. I love outlet malls. It is much better than casinos. If my money is going to leave me, I want something to show for it, like shoes or clothes.
I found a newspaper in an antique shop in Delaware that was printed the year I was born guess that makes me an antique, too. The paper is in poor condition, but has interesting facts in it. One of them was a picture of the church where Gen. "Mad Anthony" Wayne is buried. In 1935, old St. David's Church in Radnor, Pa., celebrated its 221st anniversary. He was at the battle in Gettysburg, but we know him more for his battles against the Indians during the settlement of the Northwest Territory mainly Ohio. I found no food ads in the section I got, but there were lots of bank ads and stories of many old churches. One article was titled, "Unemployed were problem in 1889 too," told of efforts to raise money and obtain clothing for the poor and needy families. A little different than it is today, isn't it?
Has your garden been "frostbit" yet? If it hasn't, harvest all you can and put it up in cans or the freezer. I usually try to pick all the green tomatoes when frost is predicted and most of them ripen as they are supposed to do. Others are made into one kind of relish or another. They are so pitiful this year that there probably won't be much to worry about! When one has a garden, it needs to be worked in and not neglected as vacations take place. Good thing I had a very small one this year!
As the weather gets cooler, soup seems to taste better and better. It is easy in a crockpot as is stew, a roast, even desserts. Everyone comes home hungary after a day at work or school and it is so nice to have supper already cooked. It's good to have the cookie jar pretty full, too, even if some people are screaming at us for liking our sweets!
The leaves will soon be turning here they were just starting in the mountains and we can fully enjoy the beauty of the season. Warm days (not too hot) and cool nights when a blanket feels good make this a favorite season. Change the iced tea to hot cider and remember each day is a gift!
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CANNED APPLE PIE FILLING
Eight pounds apples
Four-and-one-half cups sugar
One cup cornstarch
Two teaspoons cinnamon
One-half teaspoon nutmeg
One teaspoon salt
Five cups boiling water
Five cups cold water
Three tablespoons lemon juice
Five drops yellow food coloring (optional)
Mix dry ingredients together. Add boiling water and stir. Add cold water and stir. Add lemon juice and food coloring. Add apples and mix. Pack into clean jars, seal and process as for apples 20-25 minutes in boiling water bath. Time after water comes to a boil.
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PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
One cup shortening
One cup peanut butter
One cup white sugar
One cup brown sugar, packed
Three eggs
Three cups flour
Two teaspoons baking soda
One-fourth teaspoon salt
Cream shortening and peanut butter. Add sugars and cream well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt and add to creamed mixture. Roll dough into balls, a little bigger than golf balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Flatten with a fork two times, making cross marks. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes. HINT:Use parchment paper on the cookie sheet for easy removal of cookies to a wire rack.
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RAISIN FILLED COOKIES
(This was Grandma Nichols' recipe and she didn't say how much flour to use. Mom and I experimented until I think we got it pretty close.)
One cup white sugar
One cup brown sugar, packed
One cup softened butter
Three eggs
Two teaspoons vanilla extract
Five cups flour
One teaspoon baking powder
One teaspoon baking soda
One-half teaspoon nutmeg
One-half teaspoon salt
Three tablespoons buttermilk
Raisin filling recipe follows
Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with buttermilk to the creamed mixture. Mix well and chill. After filling is made and chilled, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut out with a three-inch round cookie cutter. Spoon two teaspoons onto a cookie round, moisten edge with a wet finger and place another cookie round on top. Pinch edges together and cut a small slit in the top. Repeat with all dough. Place on ungreased cookie sheet (or on parchment paper lined cookie sheet) and bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 10-13 minutes or until lightly browned.
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RAISIN FILLING
One tablespoon cornstarch
Three tablespoons flour
One cup brown sugar, packed
Two cups boiling water
One-and-one-half cups seedless raisins
Combine cornstarch, flour and sugar in a saucepan. Add boiling water, stirring constantly. Add raisins and stir and cook until mixture boils and is thickened. Cool.
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SLOW-COOKED PORK CHOPS
One teaspoon vegetable oil
Six pork chops
One can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
One can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of celery soup
One tablespoon beef bouillon granules
Salt
Pepper
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Brown pork chops on both sides. Drain excess fat. Place chops into a slow cooker. Combine all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and pour over chops. Cover and cook on LOW for six hours or until pork is tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve this over rice or mashed potatoes.
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Patty Christopher is a longtime food columnist for The Parkersburg News & Sentinel.
