Township Earth

By Daphne Ross
October 12, 2011
323

Column Summary The palette of the season and the welcoming aromas in the air are high intensity in this part of the country. Daphne Ross, details the elements of the fall season from her five acres of township earth. Our piece of township earth is getting rinsed today, and tomorrow, perhaps for several days. More leaves will fall as the rain heavies their clinging brittleness, their layers blanketing the ground like a well-planned collage fallen from the sky; adding a red one here, an orange one there. A fine piece of artwork from an Almighty Artist, painted with the fine stroke of an autumn breeze. My evening walks back-and-forth our quarter mile presents new art shows at every turn of my head, every squint of my eye. I have noticed even the weeds of summer can turn a brilliant red and a vibrant yellow, and with the weedy greens struggling to keep their tone, they blend well on the autumn canvas. Our black walnut and butternut trees have lost all their leaves, and in dusk of night and in the early hours of dawn, with no background other than a clear sky, their black, wet branches appear as if they were standing in the spookiest forest, of the scariest movie. Now I can spot the bird that sings, the raccoon that climbs, and my kitties that tightrope the branch nearly to twigs end. The colors of the season are the first to show, and then come the sounds. Raking leaves begins as a chore of fun. Who hasnt loved the run and jump into the crispy pile of colors, followed by laughter, shouting, and continuous giggles. If you are an observer along the raking sidelines, coaching the run and jump is maybe the closest youll get to the actual fun. But a staged snapshot of the coach sitting in that pile, covered head-to-toe could start a new story to show-and-tell. Combines are on the move, the grain trucks that follow, and the tractors and wagons hauling in the bales. Pick-ups are tailgates down and serving in-field meals and pouring refreshing beverages; a dry throat quenched and a hungry belly de-growled. The hum of satisfaction and the after-meal belly rub of a happy, well-fed farmer is a repeated tune of the field. Crows that caw, squirrels that chatter, and the leaves that rustle when the white-tail are startled blend in other notes of the autumn song. And the smells, who can forget the obvious smells the harvest season brings. I like the smell of burning leaves, especially on my way home, when first there is a hint, and then, I spot a rising smoke cloud slowing moving across the treetops. Is that an apple pie cooling on the window sill, pumpkin muffins in the oven; is that a loaf of zucchini bread on the wire rack? Do you have vegetable soup simmering on the stove, a venison roast slow-roasting in the oven, and apples ready to wrap into dumplings? Is there maple syrup, brown sugar, and onions in your baked beans; yum. Did you sauté garlic in butter, and then add fresh herbs and sliced, fresh dug potatoes? Is the cinnamon-sugar shaker next to your salt and pepper? No doubt the autumn season has arrived; open your eyes wide, take in a deep breath, enjoy. Crock-pots are on the move; hot and ready foods are served in office lunchrooms, out of late- season campers, next to backyard campfires, and from the almighty tailgate. Send your crock-pot recipes to: Country Cupboard, 5973 Blachleyville Rd., Wooster, OH, 44691. Emails are always welcome: thewritecook@sssnet.com Zucchini Bread (Sandy Bryan) 2 cups zucchini 3 eggs 2 cups sugar 3 cups flour 1 cup salad oil 2 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts Cut unpeeled zucchini into chunks and place in blender. Cover with water and blend until consistency of crushed pineapple; drain well. Mix thoroughly the eggs, sugar, flour, oil zucchini, and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients; Mix well. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans; bake at 325 degrees for about 1 hour. Makes 2 loaves. Chocolate Drops; A Healthy Food (Sarah Troyer, Dundee) 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup baking cocoa 3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats 1 cup coconut (chopped nuts or raisins may be sued instead of coconut) In a 3 quart saucepan, stir together butter, milk, honey and baking cocoa. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat; stir in quick-cooking rolled oats and coconut. Drop by tablespoonful on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Let cool, then enjoy! Baked Potatoes Idaho Style Bake large Idaho potatoes and when tender cut in halves lengthwise and scoop out the pulp. To 2 cups of the mashed pulp add: 2 tablespoons hot milk or cream 1 tablespoon butter 1/2 cup boiled ham, chopped fine 2 teaspoons canned pimento, chopped Salt and pepper Grated cheese Beat until creamy and fluffy. Pile into shells and sprinkle generously with grated cheese. Brown quickly in the oven; serve piping hot. Polka Dot Cake 1 1/4 cup chopped dates or raisins 1 cup hot water 3/4 cup butter or oleo 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 cups sifted flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 (6 ounce) package chocolate chips 1/2 cup chopped nuts Mix raisins and hot water, set aside to cool. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, beat fluffy. Sift flour, soda and salt together; add to creamed mixture alternately with raisin mixture. Mix well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and half of the chocolate chips. Spread batter in a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Top with rest of chocolate chips and nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Yields: about 15 servings. Upside-down Breakfast Bread 3 tablespoons butter or margarine 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 (8 ounce) can pineapple slices, drained Corn Bread: 1 (12 ounce) package corn muffin mix 3 smoked sausage links, chopped 2 to 3 cups milk 1 egg For topping, melt butter in an 8 inch square baking pan. Sprinkle brown sugar over butter. Cut pineapple as desired; arrange over the brown sugar. For cornbread: combine all ingredients; mix according to package directions. Pour over topping. Bake in 400 degree oven about 25 minutes. Loosen cake around edges of pan; immediately invert onto serving plate. New England Style Maple Applesauce 2 quarts apples 1 1/2 cups maple syrup 1 lemon sliced and cut into quarters Prepare apples by paring, coring and cutting into 8ths. Mix all the ingredients together and bake in a covered earthenware dish in oven at 350 degrees for several hours or until the apples are tender and a rich dark red color. Buttermilk Chocolate Cake 2 3/8 cups cake flour OR 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 7/8 cups sugar 1 teaspoon soda 1 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup soft shortening 1 1/4 cups buttermilk 3 eggs 2 1/2 squares baking chocolate, melted Into mixing bowl, flour, sugar, soda, salt, shortening and buttermilk; beat 2 minutes, scraping bowl. Add eggs and melted chocolate. Beat 2 more minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Spicy Peanut Butter Cake 2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour 3 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup shortening 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons milk 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 2 eggs Grease and flour (or line with grease wax paper) two 8 or 9 inch layer cake pans. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cream shortening and peanut butter; add sifted dry ingredients, 3/4 cup of the milk and vanilla; blend. Beat 2 minutes at low speed with electric mixer; blend in remaining milk and eggs, beat 1 minute longer. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 25 to 30 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool thoroughly then fill and frost with following: Spicy Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting Cream 3 tablespoons butter or margarine and 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter together; stir in 3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon allspice. Add1 pound sifted powdered sugar alternately with 6 or 7 tablespoons milk; beat until smooth and spreading consistency. Yields: about 2 3/4 cups frosting.

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