By Debbie Bond
Sometimes that first cup of coffee taste so good, especially on these past many cool mornings. No doubt we’ll soon be having a lot colder but right now I hope everyone’s enjoy the great Autumn days…
The leaves are turning so bright and colorful and this coming weekend would be a great time, if weather stays nice to take a good long drive down some of Greenbrier County’s old back roads. We have a little golf cart that we often ride around the hill and there’s some of the most beautiful mountain scenery as you’d see anywhere. We always see a deer or two and on one ride we actually saw a red wolf. Coyote are everywhere these days and too often come too close for comfort. But that’s what happens when you live in the mountains of this wonderful county.
Has everyone finished making their apple butter, pear butter and any other butters you do? I have yet to make my pumpkin butter but still have plenty of time. Also need to do another turn of apple butter so I can have plenty to do my apple butter cookies over the holidays. I love the wonderful smells of the kitchen this time of year, all the spices that fills the air. Larry does, too, and claims the only trouble with the good smell is that it keeps him hungry all the time!
It always sort of leaves me a little sad when I seen all my flower beds die out, one works so hard throughout the spring and summer to make them so pretty and to have to cut them down and close them out always leaves me feeling blue, for no matter how beautiful the leaves turn, the beautiful array of colors that fill the mountain side, we all know what follows and here on my mountain I have to admit I truly dread the nastiness of winter.
Yesterday evening I was out about in the yard, talking to a deer hunter who always comes to gather my apples out of the yard (he swears the deer love my sweet apples the best), when I look up the road and see in the neighbor’s yard two big old piles of leaves, I could do nothing but smile at the fond memories it brought back to me when I heard the laughter of the kids up there raking and jumping in those big old piles of dried up leaves. Never will there be better music to a “Mommaw’s” ear as that of laughing children. It does my heart so good to see that there are still kids out there who know how to have real fun. We are blessed to have a lot of that here on our little hill. Most are grandkids that are visiting their grandparents and we are so lucky to be in a community that is safe and kids can just be kids. They ride their bikes up and down the road and don’t have to worry about speeders, they can actually stop in at any house and get a drink of water or if someone has cookies baked, can offer them one and it’s safe to take it. We still go by the old belief that sometimes it does take a village to raise a child and therefore we look out for each other and all the kids that are visiting or living here. Don’t you wish all neighborhoods could be like that again?
This week I have to share with you this wonderful little recipe that my daughter has been making every holiday dinner and we all love it so much I thought it would be so wonderful if you could copy it and store it away for your next dinner as well. It’s as simple to make as it sounds and is so good.
Hash Brown Casserole
1 pack (2 lbs. or 30-32 oz.) of frozen hash browns (thawed)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
8 oz. package of cream cheese
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 stick melted butter
2 cups mild cheddar cheese
Mix all this together well and put in a baking dish.
Topping
1 stick butter
2 cups crushed frosted flakes
Put this as evenly as possible all over the top of the hash brown mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes until top is golden and bubbly.
If any of you have a favorite recipe and want to share it with me I always welcome them. I enjoy so much hearing from so many of you and please forgive me sometimes for not getting back with you, no excuses except I get side tracked and often don’t get to the Post Office as often as I need to, then in my absent mindedness I misplace so many things… I’m sure some can relate to that (as I smile to myself and think of several I know who do the same thing).
Well, forgive me for not having much to share this week, but I have been staying near home doing my canning and haven’t been out running around, but believe me that’s about to change! So if you are out and about and see a little white Prius out putt putting around, it just might be this old gal out gallivanting.
From us over here at the BIRDHOUSE we wish you well and hope for many blessing to come your way… until next time stay safe, stay well and pray for one another.