Pancakes and Icicles

We finally made it to The Pancake Pantry for my long-awaited pancakes.  I am happy to report that I can check one more item off my list.  I skipped the chocolate chip pancakes and picked pecan instead, but Reed and Caroline ordered them so I had a few bites.

They were as yummy as I remember.  Cole ordered M&M pancakes with peanut butter syrup (he could only handle about 3 bites, then switched to his dad's omelette) and Brooks ordered parisienne pancakes.

We waited about 15 minutes in 30° weather just to get a table.  The wait was twice as long by the time we left!

After breakfast, we dropped by the Sugarlands Visitor Center to plan our hike for the day.  Tim and I were optimistic that we could still get to the Chimneys despite the cold weather.  However, the ranger discouraged us.  She said it had been down to 1° that night, so about a mile into the hike it would be treacherous.  Since we had our fearless Cole along for the hike, we decided we should revise our plan.

We headed up to Newfound Gap, the place where FDR dedicated the Smoky Mountain National Park in 1934.

  We stood on the North Carolina/Tennessee border and had a snowball fight! 

Mt. LeConte had over 7" the night before - glad we got to hike it a few weeks ago!

After our making a mini-snowman for the car, we drove down the mountain a bit to play with the GIANT icicles! Cole was in heaven, running from ledge to ledge, collecting as much ice as he could.

Brooks and Reed had a blast making it snow - they just forgot how cold it can be when the snow goes down your shirt!

Our hike on the Appalachian Trail never came to fruition, but that's ok. 

 We had a great time in the snow, and a warm and cozy afternoon watching movies and playing games in the cabin.  We watched The Christmas Story for the very first time.  It was great!  We've been quoting lines from it all week.

On our way out of town on Sunday, we stopped by WonderWorks for a little more fun.  It was 3 hours of action - much better than I ever expected!  I'm not a museum girl, but this one was well worth our time.

Caroline and I tried the piano...

They were ready to experience an earthquake...

and we all had fun lying on a bed of nails...

Funny, the kids all laughed and said the nails "didn't even hurt"!  I personally thought the bed was quite prickly.  I'll take my comfy bed over this one any day!

Happy Thanksgiving

My parents are coming to town tomorrow night.  We are excited to have them this year for Thanksgiving.  Last year we were in Hilton Head with my parents and my sister's family.  I was sick as a dog with a respiratory virus and shingles, so this year I have great hopes of a healthy Turkey Day.

Of course healthy at this time of the year is nearly impossible.  So, when Brooks woke up with a stomachache, I was not too surprised.  I actually handled it quite well and began to make my 

"To Do" list in my head.  I had a whole house to clean and a few things to cook for Thursday.  I'd just been waiting for a good excuse to stay home all day.

The weather is rainy - and it is chilly.  I think the high is 47° today.  Actually, that's warm compared to the weekend.  November has been exceptionally cold this year.  Hopefully it will be unusually warm in January and February.  I'm just hoping............

In order to check one item off of my list, I had to make 3 trips to the grocery store today!  Oh the things I will do just to please my husband.  I kept forgetting little items that can't be left out of Tim's very favorite holiday breakfast, mincemeat pies.  I think I enjoy making them as much as he enjoys eating them.  It's the only thing I've ever made that involves chopping oranges and lemons, peel and all.   

I got my recipe from Tim's mom.  She got it from her mother-in-law, Tim's grandmother.  The two of us are continuing a tradition passed down from Nenaw's family.  They were frugal, rural people who killed hogs in the wintertime using the head for mincement which was canned for pies.  By the time Billie (my mother-in-law) joined the family in 1953, Nenaw had switched to purchasing pork roasts.  Thank goodness!

It took me a mere 10 years to decide I would try a mincemeat pie.  There was just something about eating a pie with meat in it that turned me away.  However, at some point, I started to love them.  I think part of it is that I finally acquired a taste for the mixture and the other is my love for those in this family.  I always love traditions!

Here is our version of a mincemeat pie:

Cook a 4 pound pork butt roast till tender.  Shred it in a food processor.  Save the broth.

While pork is cooking, chop by hand or in a food processor: 3 oranges, 2 lemons, and 5 unpeeled apples.

Add meat and fruit to a 6 quart pot with the following:

2 lbs. raisins, 3 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 

1 tablespoon of each: cloves, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, salt.

2 cups of each: apple juice, orange juice, pork broth

1 cup of cider vinegar.

The mixture will be very soupy.  Simmer on top of stove for about an hour until flavors have blended and fruit rinds are tender.  Most of the liquid should cook out but do not allow it to become too dry.  If more liquid is needed during cooking, add more of the above liquids.  Stir frequently, being careful not to let it stick.

A crock pot is worry free (cook several hours on HIGH).  I always use a crock pot.

This makes approximately 12 pints which I put in freezer containers and freeze after it has cooled.

A pint will fill a double crusted 9" pie.  Prick the top crust and bake at 400°  until the crust is done.

Our family makes an individual pie.  A double pie recipe with 1 pint of mincemeat will make 8 pies.

You should try it sometime.  It's a Ragsdale Family Tradition!  

Happy Thanksgiving, Y'all!

Just In Case You Need to Know

I'd like to dedicate this article to my fearless dad.  When you live in Houston you need to know such things.  No matter how immaculate your house is (and ours was quite clean) and no matter how efficient your bug guy is... you will still have issues with the dreaded cockroach.

I have to say, it is one of the few bugs that will truly make me shriek.  My dad always wanted me to kill the little varmits, but I just couldn't take the "crunch".  So when I would scream, MOST of the time, my dad would come from across the house to remove it for me (and for my sister).

That's how I knew that he really loved me!!!  and he still does.

I love you, too, Dad.