"Yuletide at Storrowton"

Storrowton Village Museum
with Storrowton Tavern in the background.

On Saturday afternoon we drove over the river, around the rotary and down a street.  That was the path to "Yuletide at Storrowton"!  Storrowton Village is located in West Springfield, MA- on the other side of the Connecticut River.  It's always a treat to visit and go back to the 19th century.  There are 9 antique buildings around a Town Green at Storrowton Village.  These original buildings were all saved from different towns in New England by Helen Storrow and they were moved here, to this location.  It was a time when many items were handcrafted.

Behind the gazebo is one of our favorite restaurants in Western MA- Storrowton Tavern!

A Little History

A walk down the Town Green led us to the Gilbert House.  Inside the first room was a basket of fruit sitting on a table.  Oranges studded with Whole Cloves were some of the pieces of fruit.  This aroma was so good!  The lady of the house was waiting for our arrival!      

Gilbert House
West Brookfield, MA
~1794

Turning another direction in the room was another great view!

Inside Gilbert House

The tablecloth, the train under the Christmas Tree and the wallpaper were all so interesting!  Then, we turned again and enjoyed the decorations above the fireplace.

Another view inside Gilbert House

After leaving the Lawyer's Office we visited Potter Mansion.  An old piano inside caught our attention!

Strolling back down the Town Green and brought us to the Schoolhouse.  Walking in, we saw the stern Schoolmaster.  There were chalkboards on 3 sides of the room.  It's always fascinating to step into an old schoolhouse to take another look at the desks and chairs.    

North Center School
Whately, MA
~1810

Next door to the Schoolhouse is the Meeting House.  It was the building used for Town Meetings and also for worship.   

Union Meeting House
Salisbury, NH
~1834

It's always interesting to take a step back in time.  On Saturday we stepped back and enjoyed our Yuletide visit.   It was great!!!

     

~Mother Nature~

November 2018
~ 4:30 PM~

Sometimes, just looking up in the sky there are such beautiful sights!  Today around 4:30 PM, I walked into our living room to close the curtains.  The sky was gorgeous!  Dark trees and telephone/ electric wires against the colorful late November sky.  A beautiful sight!

Enjoy!

Turkey a la King

Turkey a la King
(File Photo)

It's like clockwork!  Every year! Two days after Thanksgiving I make Turkey a la King for dinner.  This delicious dinner is quick.  Easy, too.  Small chunks of Roasted Turkey surrounded by mixed veggies in a creamy sauce.  The sauce is flavored with Parsley and Basil.  Oh yum!  This is served over toasted bread.  Now, how easy is that to prepare??  Sure, one can bake a Turkey Pot Pie, but why deal with a pie crust here?  Even if you purchase the pie crust.  What can be easier than toasting the needed bread slices to use?

Now you know why this is my go to dinner 2 days after Thanksgiving!  It's quick and easy!  Are you ready to prepare this too?

Turkey a la King
serves 2- 3 people

Ingredients:    
1/4 Cup Margarine/ Butter (I use unsalted.)
1/3 Cup Flour
1 Cup Chicken or Turkey Broth
     (I use College Inn Light & Fat Free Chicken Broth.)
1 Cup Milk
1 teaspoon dried Parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried Basil
1 Cup Turkey chunks (cooked), cut up, more if desired
2 Cups cooked Carrots & Peas (or Mixed Vegetables)
******

Sliced Bread, Toasted, 1- 2 slices/ person

Method:

1.  Melt Margarine/ Butter in large skillet/ large pot.
2.  Remove skillet from Medium heat and slowly stir in Flour.
3.  Return to heat and slowly add in Chicken Broth & Milk while slowly stirring constantly.
4.  Continue stirring over heat until sauce is thick and bubbly.
5.  Add dried Parsley and dried Basil.
6.  Add cooked Turkey chunks.
7.  Add in cooked vegetables.
8.  Stir and heat mixture for 1 - 2 Minutes.
9.  Serve over toasted Bread.

If you have enough Roasted Turkey to prepare a double batch, it's a great idea to double the recipe!  Any extra portions freeze very well. 

For another dinner, another night- after defrosting, if frozen- I add a little more Milk to the reheating pot.  Stir as it reheats.  

Whenever I prepare this for dinner, we always have cranberry sauce, too!  Sometimes, there may be a little leftover stuffing from Thanksgiving Dinner.   It's almost time for me to start dinner, so I need to take out my large pot.  

Enjoy!
Yummy!

~Happy Thanksgiving!!!~

The Cape (Cape Cod) in Massachusetts is one of my fave places!!  There is nothing like sitting on a beach breathing in the salty air and listening to the waves crashing on the shore.  This combination is so peaceful.

Nauset Beach
at Cape Cod (MA)

When we visit, if we are not sitting at the shore watching and listening to the waves, walking along the beach or enjoying a yummy seafood dinner, it is very possible that we are learning a bit more history about this area of our beautiful country. 

A few years ago (in 2012) I wrote a post:  "The Journey of the Pilgrims".  Every year at Thanksgiving I reread it.  During this time when we are celebrating this holiday, it's interesting to learn a little more and remember the history about the voyage of the Mayflower.

During this time at Thanksgiving, click on my post and follow the journey of the brave people who crossed the Atlantic Ocean so many years ago.  It's always fascinating!!

Enjoy!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!!   

Butternut Squash Bread

Butternut Squash Breads- cooling!

It's time to bake Butternut Squash Bread!  Yes, I did write Butternut, not pumpkin.  I do not use pumpkin in the moist, yummy bread that we enjoy on Thanksgiving Day.  Well, not only at Thanksgiving, but anytime I bake it!  The Butternut Squash that was sitting in a carton in our garage had been prepped to freeze.  While prepping the squash, I saved out 2 Cups to bake 2 breads the next day.  One we enjoyed that week and the other is wrapped and just waiting in our freezer to defrost.   

I always make 2 breads.  I double my recipe.  A Butternut Squash Bread is so yummy!  Olive Oil for baking and sauteing and Egg Whites make one light tasty bread.  With each bite, the flavors of Cinnamon and Nutmeg taste so good.

After they cooled, one was wrapped in foil and placed in the freezer to have on Thanksgiving Day.  The other?  Oh, it was cut into slices and we enjoyed each bite of the moist slices that week! 

Now, you may not want to bake 2 breads for Thanksgiving, so my recipe below is for 1 bread.  Double the recipe for 2 breads.  If you have never tasted this treat, bake it and sample it.  It is that good!  

Butternut Squash Bread 

Oven Temperature:  350°F      Baking Time:  55 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 Cups Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 Cup Sugar

4 Egg Whites (=  total of 2 Whole Eggs)
3/4 Cup Olive Oil for baking & sauteing
1 Cup Butternut Squash, cooked/ mashed/ cooled- defrosted if frozen
 PAM

Method:

1.  Spray 1 large bread pan with PAM. 
2.  Preheat oven to 350°F.
3.  Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl.
4.  In smaller bowl, beat Egg Whites until frothy.
5.  Mix in Olive Oil.
6.  Add mashed Butternut Squash to Egg White/ Olive Oil mixture.
7.  Pour liquid mixture into dry ingredients.  Stir until combined.
8.  Pour batter into bread pan.
9.  Bake at 350°F for 55 Minutes, or until cake tester/ toothpick comes out clean when inserted in middle of loaf.
10.  Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 Minutes.
11.  Then, remove from pan.
12.  Continue cooling on wire rack.
13.  Later, place on a serving dish & cut into slices.

It has been quite the temptation every time we open the door to our freezer.  However, that Butternut Squash Bread has been saved for Thanksgiving Day!  Onto other baking this week!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

  

November 11

"The Homecoming G.I."
Norman Rockwell
THE SATURDAY  EVENING POST Cover
(May 25, 1945)

 

 

 

 

Today, on November 11 we thank all of our Veterans!!!

 

100 Years Ago...

Courtesy of the
National Museum of American History

It's voting Tuesday in the United States.  Today, I saw a very interesting post from the National Museum of American History!  Pictured above are the crayons that voters used 100 years ago to mark their ballots when voting in the United States! 

So interesting!
Enjoy!