Spring Preparations at the Estate

Yesterday morning I found some pretty roses on my kitchen table. These were just 3 small flowers. One was yellow, another was white, and the third was a pretty shade of pink. They were in a miniature white vase.   It was a gift from Mister.

The flowers look so pretty and give one hope that the warmth of spring will soon arrive here in cold Vermont.

Our kitchen work is almost finished.  We are spring cleaning and painting throughout the house this year.  My oldest son (at 21) did most of the kitchen painting.  Mister did the rest of the work this past week.  I will share pictures once all the rooms are finished - it will be an interior tour, much like the one I shared last year of the grounds.

Yesterday I bought many items for my pantry for good old fashioned home cooking. Potatoes were on sale, so I bought 4 bags. I will make fried potatoes, mashed potatoes and use some for a potato, broccoli and cheddar soup with homemade biscuits. (Certainly not on the same day!)  I also bought a few bags of chocolate chips and will make muffins and cookies.  Getting busy in the kitchen to create meals for the family is even more fun now that the kitchen has a fresh coat of pretty paint!

I bought many things so I could stay home, and cook and bake at my own pace the next few weeks.  There is nothing more forlorn and sad than having a sparsely filled pantry.  It takes away the creativity and makes meal time sad.  I like to think about supper in the late morning and begin preparations by early afternoon.  It is extra nice when something has to simmer for a few hours. It makes being home extra special with all the lovely scents of home cooking.

Mister and I are talking more about our summer gardening plans.  We have several seed packets of different types of flowers we will plant around the property.  I have daisies and hollyhocks, and Sweet William.   I also have this wonderful book, "The Backyard Homestead" which includes charts and ideas for planning a home garden.  It is inspiring.

A few years ago, when we amateurs began our gardening adventures, I started keeping a little book for our Estate.  It describes where the strawberry garden is, and where we grow our vegetables.  It is like a history and guide of the Estate.  This is wonderful to refer to from year to year, but it is also a keepsake for whoever takes over after me, such as our grown children (as heirs).   It is almost like a special book of running the Estate.  When things slow down for me (will they ever? - gentle smiles), I hope to add the meals we made here and the types of recipes that were commonly prepared here.  It is a history of life at the Estate.

Soon Mister will paint our chambers a pretty blue.  We have the most beautiful white curtains for each of the large windows in our room - (A generous gift from a dear friend).  Then we will continue on through the house with little repair projects and get the Estate ready for a lovely spring and summer.

Somehow the deprivations of Winter have faded away.  I am grateful.

Blessings
Mrs. White

From the Archives -

The Traditional way of frugality - Basic Cookery.

Please don't be one of these - Ex - Housewife.

Remembering Last Summer, when He carried Me - Walking the Grounds with Mister.




Mrs. White's special book for Homemakers - "Mother's Book of Home Economics."




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Basic Cookery

I studied cooking in Home Economics classes when I was a teenager. My mother also gave me freedom in her kitchen. I would look through her cookbook and bake special treats when the pantry ran low.  While Mom did most of the cooking, I was happy cleaning and cooking whenever I got the chance.

In my first home, I enjoyed making meals for my husband.  I still remember our first trip to the local supermarket.  We were so excited to pick out our own groceries, together.  I made his breakfast, packed his lunch, and made his dinner each night.  With a small household, and a decent income from his job, we didn't have much to worry about financially.

As more and more children came into the home, I had to learn to make many things from scratch, with the ingredients I had on hand.  I remember going to the local library and finding all kinds of old cookbooks.  I borrowed them, and found recipes that would work well for my family.   Many of these recipes (like breads and stews) were made so many times that I memorized them.  If I really loved a borrowed cookbook, I would save up and buy my own copy.

Frugal, or thrifty, cooking is a valuable skill for the housewife.  People often share recipes, which is good.  However, many families have different tastes.  Some have allergies.  We also live in different climates and have a different cultural basis for what we eat.   In the Boston area, fresh lobster and clam chowder is common, whereas, they may not be staple menu items in a little town in Idaho.    Restaurants in Florida serve the most delicious fresh orange juice you could ever taste!  They are known for their oranges and have them in abundance.   We have to make use of what is available and low cost, in our area.  It is important to learn how to adjust recipes to work in our own kitchens.

It is a common cliché for mothers to save money by serving "rice and beans."   This might work for many, but not in my house.  One cannot always save money by doing what the masses suggest.  We have to remember to serve foods that our own family will enjoy.  Cooking basic foods from scratch will save money.  Serving carefully portioned- sized- meals and storing leftovers will also save money.  

To learn basic cooking skills my favorite book is The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook.  It boasts 1,400 recipes!  The pictures are stunning and are set up almost encyclopedia - like.   My children used to love to look at all the pictures and say, "Let's make this one!"   You will learn to make easy breads, muffins, meats, and all kinds of dinners and desserts.  Once you learn the basics of these foundational recipes, you can start adjusting ingredients to meet the needs of your family. 

Basic cooking also means you have freedom from the supermarket sales ads.  Certainly buy hamburger or chicken only when they are priced reasonably.  But you can make so many different things with them. The store will recommend processed foods to go with the meats. Cooking from scratch means we don't need those items. You will no longer be a slave to what is on sale.

 When we buy hamburger in a "family sized" package, I take it home and divide it up into smaller portions.  I then put each meal's serving in a gallon Ziploc bag and freeze it.   Even though we have a lot of people in this house, I only cook with that small amount of meat. It is the ingredients that go with it, that make the meal stretch - the vegetables, the bread, etc.   I love the older cookbooks from the 1960's that have old menus that go along with the recipes. This was from a time when portion sizes were much smaller than those of today.  The fun in the dinners had a lot to do with the beverages, the way the vegetables were prepared, and the lovely way in which it was all presented. 

Nourishment was key, and homemade was the most nourishing of all.

I realize we mothers have days of being exhausted and can't do as much as we would like.  But when you are in the habit of cutting and washing vegetables for stew, or whipping up a quick batch of muffins, making food from scratch can be a valuable part of the daily routine.  When all my children were little, I had lots of helpers.  We set to work at the big kitchen table.  I had children rolling out dough, or peeling vegetables.   The bigger children were at the counter or stove stirring sauces, or handling the hot foods, while the safe work was done at the table. Meal preparation was a happy, pleasant way to pass the time with small children.   To them, it was playing!  It got the work done, and the children enjoyed it.  They also loved taking turns serving the food and giggling and visiting at the table.

These days,  I have a barstool in my kitchen. I often sit near the counter to wash dishes, or to make biscuits.  I also have my kitchen radio nearby to hear CDs of gospel music or sermons.  Often my grandbaby is in the highchair watching me work. He plays with bowls and lids and has a wonderful time.  The kitchen can be a happy place to be, making frugal cooking a pleasant part of life.


Blessings
Mrs. White

From the Archives:

Remembering my Childhood - When Television was Special.

The beauty of a formal morning table - Breakfast at Home.

Mother's work - The Pleasant Task of Cleaning.



Order My Books:


For Home-keeping Inspiration, - For The Love of Christian Homemaking. 

A 90 Day Bible Study, inspired by John Wesley, -  "Early Morning Revival Challenge" 






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Writing Out the Old Home Recipes

Some of my grown children are asking me for our family recipes, so they can cook and bake in their own kitchens.  It would be very easy for me to write them out on index cards and ship them off in the mail.  But how much more fun would it be to make a little handmade booklet of family recipes, cooking hints, and little family remembrances to go with it?

I have some pretty green heavy stock paper. I can use this as a cover.  I will fold it in half, to make it resemble a little booklet. Inside will be plain white paper, folded as well.  I can staple this in the center to "bind" the book.

To have a little fun, I can title it something like, "Recipes from The White House,"  or "The Little Book of Cookery from The White House."  [One must find ways of enjoying one's name when the situation arises. - gentle smiles.]

I have 12 common dinner recipes, several lunches, and a few breakfasts.   To this, I will add some baking recipes, and economical snack ideas.  I will also write an estimate of how much each recipe will cost.

Yesterday, I had full charge of my kitchen. (In other words, I did all the work alone.)  I made my boys a nice lunch of homemade pizza.  I cleaned the kitchen throughout the day.  As the sun began to set, I asked one of them, "Will you be needing a baked good this evening?"  He didn't know what I meant by that (smiles).  So I translated, "Do you want me to bake something for you?" Well, of course He did!  I made peanut butter, chocolate chip muffins.  Then I told the boys I was off duty for the night and they were to have sandwiches or leftovers if they got hungry later.  I walked out of that very clean kitchen, with the dim lamplight shining on those delicious muffins.  . . These are the kinds of memories of home that my grown children miss.

I think it is more precious to take one's time creating things of lasting value that will be cherished.  My book of family cookery will be humbly made with humble recipes.   But it will take me a few weeks, as I sit by the window, in great-grandmother's rocking chair, and write out the history of our kitchen for the next generation.

Blessings
Mrs. White








For Home-keeping Inspiration, order my book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking. 



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Mother's Home Cooking

In my shopping bag were familiar name brands of groceries. I had Campbells soup, Tony's Pizza, Keebler cookies, and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.  I was waiting for someone, and just thinking.  Then I realized that I had just bought convenience foods that took little effort to make.  While this is common in this modern day, it takes away the joy of enjoying Mother's home cooking.  If I had just bought some flour, sauce, cheese, chocolate chips, pasta and vegetables, I could have most of the ingredients I needed to make these foods myself.  

Something is missing in my home, when my husband and children are more excited to see a bag full of name brand foods, rather than being excited when I serve them a delicious homemade supper.

Have I really paid the convenience food industry to take away one of the most precious jobs of motherhood and wifehood? That of being the one to bring joy to the home by my home cooking?

Have you ever heard of travellers who eat in restaurants and diners, yet dream about sitting in the kitchen of a traditional home and just having a good home cooked meal? Can that even be found anymore in this day?

In my old cookbooks from the 1960's, there are sections with wonderful advice for the home cook.  There are tips and tricks and detailed instructions which teach any aspiring cook how to make a good meal herself.    With practice and time and a lot of patience, most homemakers can get back to the old arts of cooking.  These homemakers can Take Back the Kitchen! 

This will bring better health to our families, joy to their hearts, and a better quality of life.  This will also create a bond and tighten the love and happiness at home.  Much money will be saved when mother cooks her own foods.  Children and husband will also have appreciation and gratefulness for the sweet lady in the kitchen who  (gladly and willingly) takes time and effort to prepare their food. 

Many years ago, when frozen dinners and convenience foods were introduced to the general public, skilled housewives thought it was an insult and refused to buy such things!  How lovely it would be to have that same pride and capableness of taking on the joyous task of doing our own home cooking!

Blessings
Mrs. White



For Home-keeping Inspiration, order my book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking. 



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Review - Don't Panic Cookbook

Book - Don't Panic--Quick, Easy, and Delicious Meals for Your Family

Author - Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell and Bonnie Garcia

Publisher - Revell

Paperback, 250 pages

This cookbook is designed to help busy moms make delicious foods, with little fuss. It is packed with amazing recipes like: "Tender Baked Meatballs;" "Swedish Blender Pancakes;" and "Steakhouse Burritos." 

Many of the foods sound like something you would order in a fancy restaurant.  Yet the ingredients and instructions are simple enough for a mom to prepare at home!

Here is some of what you'll find inside:

1. Small Bites and Appetizers
     My favorite from this selection is "Mashed potatoes in golden Phyllo dough."

2. Breakfast, Breads and Brunch
      The "Orange Cream Smoothies" sound as delightful as the "Cream Cheese Danish."

3. Soups, Salads and Sides
       I love the "Potato Soup Extraordinaire!"

4. Pasta, Pasta
       Homestyle basics like "Four Cheese Baked Ziti" and "Mac and Cheese" would be a hit with my family!

5. Crockpot Collection
        "Succulent Teriyaki Chicken" sounds amazing!

6. Easy Baked Oven Dishes
         "Rosemary Chicken with Shallots and Sweet Potatoes" would make an easy and inviting dinner for guests!

7. Grate Grills and Marinades
          Here's where you'll find "Steakhouse Burritos!"

8. Savory Skillets and Quick Sautes
        "Crispy Chicken Ranch Cutlets or Sandwiches" look fabulous!

9. Desserts Divine
       I made the "Chocolate Buttercream Frosting" and it was so easy to do! It is delicious. 

The book also contains a guide in the back, to help you with measurements and equivalents.  There are a total of 150 recipes!  This cookbook will inspire you to make exciting and easy meals.

*Disclosure - I received this product for review purposes.*

To find out more about my commercial breaks, please see my disclosure page.

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A Formal Dinner

The Dinner hour is one of the most happiest times for the family. They eagerly look forward to homemade cooking and spending time with everyone. Many linger over rolls and mashed potatoes while chatting.

Mother tidies up the dining room, or kitchen table, and makes it look pleasant.   Children help set the table and start serving.  Dinner preparations were often begun a few hours before the meal. Cleaning and cooking and baking were a pleasant process for the proud housewife. She wanted the evening meal to be a lovely family gathering.  

 It was common for every member of the family to have assigned seating. This was expected and familiar. Father was at the head of the table, and led the prayer.

The formal dinner at home, was where many learned their manners. They "passed the salt," or the butter, to the person beside them. Someone might get up to get that second platter of bread for the center of the table.  But one of the nicest things about dinner is that it was formal. No one grabbed a plate to eat in front of the television. They wanted to be with the family and loved the special food.

Like many Mothers of today, I have been slacking in this area.  I have forgotten how precious a formal dinner can be.   I will start cooking and cleaning around 3 p.m. this afternoon. I will take my time and enjoy the process. I will not wear myself out all morning doing other things.  There will be no rushing about at the last minute.  There will be no quick trip to the grocery store for a forgotten item. I will be unhurried and peaceful. I will set the table and get out my serving bowls for a simple meal of baked ziti with bread and butter. We will have glasses of iced lemonade and have a precious time.

Right after dinner, I will rush out the door to take the children to youth group. But at least we will enjoy the leisure pace, of a lovely dinner time.

blessings
Mrs. White

Cheer up! When you are - Despairing over the Household Allowance.

If only they understood - No one Respects Homemaking Anymore.

The Virtuous woman - A Wife Who Does Not Complain.

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The Thrifty Kitchen

Must the cookie jar always be full?  Do Mothers have to keep a steady supply of cake, brownies and other treats in the kitchen?  Must she provide her family with gourmet dinners each night, or special meals that taste delightful?

Or is it okay to have a thrifty kitchen? This kind of kitchen produces things like oatmeal in the morning, or whole grain apple muffins. Lunches might be sandwiches or leftovers.  Supper might be the main meal of the day, served around 5 or 6 in the evening.  This could be pasta, meatloaf, or one of our frugal favorites, southern cornbread, home fried potatoes and baked beans.

It is not required that Mother buy soda, candy or chips. It is completely unnecessary for her to serve dessert every single day.  It is also extremely expensive.

Simple, homemade foods from the kitchen help keep household expenses low.

It has been said that we must not be fashionably dressed above our means. It is also true that we must not grocery shop and cook beyond what we can afford.

One of the biggest leaks in the family budget is an abundance of food.

Here are some ideas for keeping costs down:

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1. Have meals at specific times, whenever possible. This way everyone knows what to expect.  It also helps Mother plan her day. (For example - Breakfast at 8 a.m.  Lunch at noon. Dinner at 5 p.m.)

2. Have basic foods in the pantry - like potatoes, vegetables, fruit, flour, sugar, cornmeal, and meat. This way you can quickly come up with something to make, without worrying about rushing off to the store.

3.  I know many people write up weekly menus and meal plans, but it is not always necessary if you have basic ingredients available.  You should also have some basic family recipes handy that are easy, quick and frugal.

4. Make special foods, like cookies, once a week. This is something the family will look forward to and appreciate. It could be a Friday night treat. Or, plan on making a cake or nice dessert for Sunday afternoons.   The less often treats are offered, the less likely money will be wasted.

5. Offer children basic beverages like juice, tea, water or milk.  If the older ones want soda, or some name brand drink, have them use their own money. (Mother is not obligated to provide the children with commercially prepared, designer beverages.)  This goes the same for candy bars and other processed snacks.

6. Serve whole grains and fresh foods. This is nutritious and helps keep everyone feeling full.

7. In restaurants, patrons are served ice water before their meal. This helps fill them up. Try this at home! Why? Because in this current day, people tend to eat much larger portions than they really need. If they have some water first, they will eat a more appropriate amount of food.

8. Some nutritious snacks include: crackers with peanut butter; celery with cream cheese; sliced apples; carrot sticks; or wheat crackers with cheese.  (Not donuts, danishes, or cupcakes.)
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I realize it takes a tremendous amount of work to have a thrifty kitchen. It is much easier to buy convenience foods. However, there is more at stake than just saving time or money. We need to save our health.

Blessings
Mrs. White

What To Do - When There Isn't Much.

Idle Moments - How a Housewife Passes the Time.

The Essential Childhood Question - Is Mother at Home?


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Why The High Cost of Food?

We have become a nation who eats recreationally. It is part of our "entertainment" expense. We have snacks and processed food and junk, because we like the taste of it. We are kidding ourselves if we think snacks are good nutrition.

In my childhood home, grandmother* would have a fit if we kids were offered ice cream before dinner.  That wasn't allowed. Grandma made simple homemade meals, with little meat, all week long.  Sunday dinner included meat as the main dish. This was common in those days.

When Grandma passed on, my mother continued with the common tradition of making sure we ate nutritionally.  We had a home- cooked dinner every night at the same time.  There were no snacks to  hold us over until the meal was ready.  We greatly appreciated the food when it was served because we had time to become genuinely hungry.

The only time we had snacks was on Friday nights. We children all looked forward to the homemade popcorn and a little soda. We would watch a program with Mother and Dad on that night and enjoy a special time together.  If there was soda in the house, on the weekends, we were allowed only one glass. After that we had to drink water.

Mother always had orange juice and milk in the house. We drank the milk with meals and the juice in the morning. These were not all-day-long beverages to enjoy. They provided a certain amount of nourishment that we needed. But overdoing the nutrients was a waste, because the body could not use it.

We had plenty of tea and water available throughout the day. If we children wanted soda (other than on Friday night) we bought our own, from the local corner store, with money we had earned ourselves.

If we wanted extra snacks, candy, or junky convenience foods, we bought it on our own. I still remember my pink, homemade bookcase that My Father made me. It was in my bedroom and that is where I kept pop tarts and the occasional treats I would buy from the store myself.  This kind of junk was never in our kitchen cabinets. Mother knew it did not satisfy hunger. She knew it did not provide basic nutrition, so she didn't buy it.

I remember babysitting, as a young teenager, and finding cabinets full of hostess snacks, chips and cupcakes! I couldn't believe it! It was exciting! (smiles) One family, in particular, was a mother and father who had a baby. I was the babysitter. When the parents left, I checked the kitchen for snacks and couldn't believe how much junk food they had! It was only two adults and not even any children, and they were eating all those treats themselves!  This was obviously for entertainment. It was for enjoyment. I knew it did not provide any nutrition.

In other countries, throughout the world, people eat basic foods like whole grains, potatoes and locally grown produce. If we gave them a box of highly processed American snacks, what do you think that would do? How do you think they would feel?

In the old days, Mother would serve oatmeal, or porridge in the  morning. She would serve homemade cornbread, biscuits or bread. She would cook with homegrown potatoes, carrots and onions. Her seasonings came from the garden.  I don't think her fruit trees produced bbq potato chips or candy bars.

We have become a nation who expects junk on a daily basis as if it were a necessity.  This kind of eating makes us unhealthy, broke and unsatisfied.   It reminds me of birthdays. When we give our children presents all year long, buying them some of the things they want, rather than waiting for their birthday, they become selfish, and think people "owe" them things. They don't learn to wait. They don't learn to delay gratification. They don't learn to work for things. Every single one of us will appreciate things more if we have to wait for them.. . To earn them. .  Like ice cream (smiles). . . I remember watching my father make homemade ice cream outside. He had a large bucket and had to crank the handle for a long time. He worked to make the ice cream that we got to enjoy. We appreciated it very much! But I don't think I appreciate buying a carton of ice cream from the supermarket.

Now I must say, if you looked into my shopping cart today, you would find junk. . . (sigh). . We are all going to struggle with this because it is such a normal, expected part of our diet! But this is something we all have to fight. This is something we will all struggle with.  Because if we keep giving-in to buying and eating the garbage, we will be broke and diseased.

Blessings
Mrs. White

* Grandmother - Our family lived in the same house with  my grandparents, just like my parents now live here in my home with my family.

Mother's Prayers - Who Will Weep For You Now?

Playpens are essential! - Keeping House with Small Children.

Please keep passing it on -  Homemaking Links the Generations.




For Home-keeping Inspiration, order my book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking. 


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Importance of Home Economics Training

When Homemakers Learn The Science of Keeping a Home, Society Benefits.


Keeping the home is a challenging career in itself. We are not unemployed, living in leisure. We have daily work that keeps us busy. It is important that we are trained in the scientific arts of home economics.  Here are just some of the things we need to do:

1. Operate and maintain appliances. We also need to understand how new models work and see if they will make our homes more efficient - both in saving labor and money.

2. We need to learn nutrition. This is for the health of our families.  This includes our choices in the grocery store, our meal planning, our baking and cooking.  We must have basic cooking and shopping skills.

3. Basic Medical Care. We are lay-nurses. We must know how to handle colds, fevers, and minor injuries.

4. Child Care and Development. We need to know the basics of caring for a baby, toddler, child, teenager and young adult.

5. Basic Sewing.  We need to be able to, at the very least, repair clothes and sew on buttons. Making clothes for the family, or sewing drapes, and doing embroidery work, etc. are nice, but not essential in today's homes.

6. Laundry and Cleaning. To run a sanitary, efficient home, we must learn the basics of laundry and how to clean a house.

What if you don't know any of this stuff and are struggling at home?

 In the early part of the 1900's, homemakers clubs were available in many towns throughout the United States. This was where the women would get together to learn from one another. In my local town's Historical Society, there is a photograph of a group of mothers in a homemaker's club in the 1930's. Their support of one another was wonderful!

Today, we can join quilting clubs, cooking clubs and the like. We can also read books, watch videos and learn in many different ways. The important thing to remember is that we must always continue to sharpen our skills and learn because changes in modern culture and technology affect our work at home.

Some Quotes from the Experts:

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"Home economics should find its way into the curriculum of every school because the scientific study of a problem pertaining to food, shelter or clothing… raises manual labor that might be drudgery to the plane of intelligent effort that is always self-respecting…Home economics is not one department, in the sense in which dairying or entomology or soils is a department. It is not a single speciality… Many technical and educational departments will grow out of it as time goes on."

Martha Van Rensselaer (1913)
Professor of Home Economics and Co-Director of the New York State College of Home Economics


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"From the broad view of intelligent statecraft, the state will find an education in home economics a tool of the utmost importance in building up forces which increase physical well-being of the population and which make for a reduction in the number of persons thrown back to the state for support by reason of physical, mental, or moral failure."

Albert R, Mann (1930)
Dean, New York State College of Agriculture


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"Home-making today should have a background of scientific training because only in this way can real efficiency be achieved. The average girl wants to be able to keep her house with the least possible strain, and in order to do this she must have good training. This can best be achieved by taking a good course in home economics."

Eleanor Roosevelt (1933)
First Lady


Blessings
Mrs. White


The Blessing of Long Marriage - Are you Still Tricking Your Wife?

The Reality of Life at our House, and the Retreat of  - Mother's Domain.

Come Home for - Real Old Fashioned Suppers.


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A Great Thanksgiving Resource from Hal and Melanie Young

Book - We Gather Together - Sanity and Celebration at Thanksgiving. (66 page E - book)

Authors - Hal and Melanie Young


Price - $7.50

This helpful book contains the Young's Thanksgiving menu, recipes, fabulous cooking tips, forms and ideas to make your Thanksgiving go smoothly. You'll also find history lessons and encouragement to help your family make the most of the Spiritual opportunities available on this special Holiday.

I printed out their menu, some of their recipes and their suggested "Order of Events."  I also printed out the history lessons. I plan to read some of these to the children during the morning of Thanksgiving, while we we are preparing food, enjoying snacks and waiting for the main meal.  I also love the idea of Thanksgiving songs and never even realized this was possible. The Youngs have included some wonderful songs, including "We Gather Together," which has a clickable link so you can hear the song for yourself.

I was inspired by Melanie's menu because it added a simple, loving touch to the festivities. The entire book reminded me of a detailed program for an important event. I loved it!

Here is what I am going to do today, as a homeschooling project with my teenager (currently my only student):

1. We will decorate and design a Thanksgiving Menu.
2. We will create place settings for all of our guests.
3. We will start baking and preparing some of the foods.
4. We will begin reading some of the stories from the Young's book.

The book has inspired a few ideas of my own:

5.  I might create a small program booklet for each guest to take home with them.
6.  I am seriously considering having everyone sign a guestbook.

As for tomorrow, I plan to use the book as a guide to help make the day extra special.  I will read Abraham Lincoln's Proclamation of Thanksgiving (from page 24) and several other selections from the book.

Overall I have never come across such a wonderful resource, and am thankful for the Youngs dedication in putting this book together.

Blessings
Mrs. White


*Disclosure - I received this book for review purposes.*

To find out more about my commercial breaks, please see my disclosure page.

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Cooking for Mister

I have this old 1963 cookbook published by Better Homes and Gardens.* It has a section in the front called, "Meals Men Like." The introduction says:

"Fix any of these delicious meals for your man and you'll be the 'Best Cook' he knows."

A sample menu:

"Stew Supper Supreme"

 

Old-time Beef Stew

Crisp Cabbage Slaw

Bread      Butter

Apple Betty Pie

Coffee      Cream and Sugar

The directions suggest serving the pie with vanilla ice cream! The description for the stew says it will serve "6 to 8 hungry folks" and a "go-with" would include "thick slices of bread."

It sounds like a delicious meal! Sometimes, when we create a little menu, it makes the experience extra special.

How many housewives today are making a real old fashioned supper for their husbands? How many of us dress up nicely for when he comes home from work, and make his environment peaceful? Certainly it is difficult when we have small children, but even if we did some of our cooking early in the day we could heat it up in the evening.

Cooking for Mister. . .  When a wife makes pleasant, home cooked meals and serves them cheerfully, that man will be eager to leave work and head back to his family. It's like he has his own little restaurant, at the greatest place on earth - HOME!

Blessings
Mrs. White

* The Cookbook is  So - Good Meals  


The importance of Making Chores Fair for Children.

Is it Possible? Rising While it is Yet Night.

The Old - Time Tradition of The House Dress.





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Blue Collar - Working Class - Housewife

Sometimes I feel like a pampered housewife, who has it made.  I don't have to earn money. I don't have to financially support my family. But I do have to work very hard at home.

In the old days, homemaking was more time consuming. Wash day was an enormous undertaking. Baking and Cooking, before processed foods were available, took the majority of mother's time.

Wealthier women could hire a cook, a maid and even a nanny to help with the children. These women were the pampered ones - they were the wealthy class.  They did not have to work at all.

There is a middle ground - the white collar working class. I cannot speak for them, but I know they are well educated, work in specialized jobs - law, medicine, etc, and often hire help for some of the work at home.

As for the old fashioned, blue collar housewives, we are still here.  There may not be as much heavy labor for us, but there is still so much to do! We must constantly economize, run errands, cook, clean, bake and care for our children. It is a struggle to come up with extra money for treats or presents. We have this healthy glow in our cheeks which comes from heavy labor.

Yesterday, I was reading  Mama's Bank Account,   by Kathryn Forbes. I love reading about life in the 1920's for the working class! This Immigrant Mama had such wisdom:

- Whenever she was relieved after a trial, or worry, she would say, "Is Good." This comforted her family and herself.

- "A mop is never good. Floors should be scrubbed with a brush." [I loved this one!]

- I also loved how she would take the weekly income, sit at the table surrounded by her family, and carefully put coins in stacks for things like "The landlord," and "For the Grocer."

She was such a hardworking mother. She was a working class mother. These mothers have helped build this country with their own hands.

We mothers are still the foundation of society. Even though money is scarce, and we are often tempted to leave home to earn an income, our work at home . . . our influence at home,  is essential.

Let us not be the last witness of an era.

blessings
Mrs. White

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The Homemaker's Despair

On Friday, I was given the grocery money. I carefully put aside a small portion for savings and then planned what to do with the rest. I checked the ads and made my list. I bought extra bags of flour for baking muffins, pizza dough and biscuits. I bought marked-down meat for stews. Everything I chose would require more work from me.

When I finished the shopping, I was discouraged. I knew there was a week full of hard labor waiting for me at home. I knew it would take tremendous effort for me to make the food last and make sure my family had nutritious meals. I was devastated by the cost of groceries and I almost cried.

Sometimes I think about the families who happily enjoy a night out at a restaurant. I think about those who can buy anything they like. I remember the old days when we used to order pizza once a week, but that no longer happens.  Yet, I have to realize that my work at home - the hard labor of endless laundry, scrubbing, sweeping, cooking, baking and washing is the greatest work a mother can have. I am living the life of my ancestors and I have it far easier than they ever did!

It was had work that built the characters of the citizens of this nation. It was sacrifice, service, endurance and patience that created virtue in the mind and heart.  Mothers who kept the home running with their own hands were the hearts of this country.

Instead of being a wimp, I have to feel honored and brave! I have to gratefully work hard and thank God for my lot in life.  I need to boost morale in the family. I need to be the example of virtue.  I need to smile through my work and make it look fun, much like Tom Sawyer did when he painted the fence.

The other day, Matthew (18) was using a mop to wash the third-floor staircase. It is off in a corner behind our kitchen. John (13) heard the noise and came running. "What are you doing?" He asked his big brother. "It looks like fun!" Can you imagine that? We about died laughing.  But it made me realize something. . .

Home should be full of laughter in the midst of labor. It should be the place where we faithfully work, side-by-side, as a family to keep the home running.

Instead of being in despair at all we have to do today, let us find ways to make it look fun. Let's make it a delightful adventure. It will be something to write about in the history books!

Blessings
Mrs. White



Enjoying an Afternoon Tea Break.

Of Great Importance - Morning Devotions for the Family.

Always remember that - Mother Makes the Home.



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Serving the Family

I haven't been around much the last few days. I put one of my children in charge of the house. He did a good job, but it's not like Mama's.

This morning, I put on my apron and tried to get control of my kitchen. I fried up some potatoes, made a batch of biscuits and made some eggs. Coffee is brewing and the smell of a wonderful morning is underway.

Soon I have to run back out. I will be busy until late tonight with Amy (16). But my oldest girls will be coming home this afternoon. They will run the house for me. They will help serve the family while I am gone . . .  and when I come home weary.

Someone has to be here to serve the family. Home is the place of comfort and love. We need to keep it running, even when Mother has to be away.

Blessings
Mrs. White

A Long Day of Homeschooling and Homemaking and a favorite gospel song - Weep Not Friends.

A Precious Way to Communicate with Our Children - The Mailbox in the House.

A Very Little Visit - Creating Beauty at Home.


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