Diary of A Homemaker's Week: Fall Arrives

 

Saturday:  I promised John pancakes this morning, since I have no bagels on hand for our more usual Saturday morning breakfast.   Though I am the one who insists on a constantly changing menu, on Saturday's we eat two things routinely: bagels with cream cheese or peanut butter for our breakfast and at some point during the day on a Saturday we have pizza.   I started that bit of habit this year and it's easy enough that I can make a pizza from scratch in under two hours start to finish.  I've developed quite a repertoire of different pizzas.  I make Buffalo Chicken, a Bbq Chicken with Pineapple, Taco pizza, Sausage, Supreme, Veggie and Cheese, Four Cheese.

Over the Fence: Fall At Last

 

Well hello to you...and to Fall!  Isn't it lovely to finally be officially in a brand new season?   Yes, even though it mightn't feel like a new season just yet, at least not the days...But the mornings!  Jacket wearing mornings.  Snuggle into sweaters mornings and late evenings.  Nights cool enough to pull up all the covers and snuggle together under them.  I'm so glad to have it so!

Shall you join me for coffee?   I'm full of random thoughts today and I am so ready to share a few of them.  Have a seat, won't you?

I'm contemplating apple options...Shall I bake them, make a Brown Betty, or a pie or an apple cake?  Or do I want a lovely spice cake with a broiled frosting?  Oh the possibilities!  What sounds good to you?  I love to cook this time of year.  I like to bake more often, something I really miss in summer when I really don't want to add unnecessary heat to the kitchen.  I like slow cooked dishes, not just those I put in the slow cooker, but those simmered on stove top and the ones I cook in the oven for a long time.  I like that they are often budget friendly and find them comforting and satisfying.  There's just something homey too about having the house filled with the scent of good food.

In My Home This Week: What Will I Do?

Here's another Armstrong kitchen by my favorite designer.  This kitchen is bright and sunny but I was puzzled by why so little space even by the 1930s or early 1940s standard.  Well in the enlarged picture I can see that the window's view is a city scape with skyscrapers.  Obviously this must be a city apartment kitchen but how cleverly done with that glass brick wall!  And then again...Is it safe?!

Well it's most certainly filled this tiny kitchen with light and I love natural light in any room but most especially my kitchen work space.  Of course, you know the yellow kitchen drew my attention easily, especially combined with that orange toned wood cabinet and trim.  

Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Cozying Season

Saturday:  As I lay awake last night I realized some thing and it was a little bit startling to me.  I've always felt I operate best on about 7 hours of sleep.  I've always felt I was behind on sleep and that's the truth.  But in figuring up how long I sleep last night I realized that I'm nearer 7 hours than I'd been thinking.  It might be broken sleep but it generally averages around 7 hours total.  On some occasions I don't get that much sleep and I feel dragged out and worn down but then I'll slip back into my more usual broken sleep pattern and I get about what I need to function through the days.

Shoebox Supper #2: Bbq'd Spam and Beans

For my second shoebox supper attempt, I chose to make Bbq'd Spam.  I use the Turkey Spam  but certainly you might choose any flavor Spam which suits you.   I'd seen this idea in one of the vintage magazines ads and thought it looked rather good.  I mean if a recipe from 70 years ago still looks tasty, hadn't I ought to try it?

Menu:  Bbq'd Spam and Beans, Coleslaw and Cornbread   

I opted to do coleslaw because it's hot outdoors and I felt the cool slaw would offset the heat of the beans and meat.  Honestly as a true Shoebox supper, I would have chosen fruit and gelatin or even applesauce as a dessert, any of which also might be a cool and refreshing item to go with this meal.  

In My Home This Week: Slow Fall

Even though you can't see the whole of this kitchen we can most certainly see enough of it to get a feel for the space.  This is a late 1940's design from Armstrong floors.  Armstrong kitchens can almost always be earmarked by the dramatic statement floors at this period.    

The color scheme overall is unusual.  A mix of green, yellow-green, black, pale baby blue, deep rusty brown in the open cupboards...I'm thinking the fabric at the windows might have been the inspiration for this color scheme rather than the flooring which we've seen used much more often as the jumping off point for color combinations.

A Homemaker's Diary: Can We Stop Now?

Saturday:  The Produce Staples That Are Always Cheap (and Available) | MyRecipes   I was surprised that some seasonal foods are no longer considered seasonal....This apparently has to do with improved storage and better lasting qualities.   Anyway, take a look at the article and tell me which of these surprised you.

Also enjoyed this article from BH&G about houseplants.  Leftover Coffee and Other Kitchen Scraps Help Houseplants Thrive | Better Homes & Gardens (bhg.com)