Sisters & Snow Drops

Yesterday, Shirley, my "BFFSG" (Best Friend From Seventh Grade) hosted me and my 2 sisters for lunch.  She moved from Seattle back to Oregon several months ago and my sisters and I have adopted her as our 4th sister.  She made bean soup and pumpkin corn bread - it was DEEEEliscious!  My little sister Denise brought a salad and big sister Roberta brought fried potatoes.  

As I was admiring Shirley's decor I was surprised to see a painting done by me using Octopus ink - I'd given it to her for a Christmas gift in 1978 - and she finally framed it for their new home!  :-)  It only took her 35 years to get it framed.. LOL!  It was fun to see it again.  It's a photo of a covered bridge that was near my Mom's home in Scio, Oregon years ago.  Every time we'd visit, we'd pass this gorgeous bridge.

This is the pumpkin corn bread that Shirley made - omg, it's so good!  I will put both recipes for the soup and the bread at the end of this post. 

Shirley and her husband John, collect depression glass.  I coveted this Vaseline glass butter dish, the top says "Butter Cover" and the bottom says "Bottom".  :-) 

They have this great lighted display cabinet filled with glass and pottery treasures.   

Her newest acquisition is the amethyst glass vase, which I fell in love with.  It's gorgeous.  She collects violin vases as her mother had one.   

Ready to dine, this is Shirley at the head of the table and sister Roberta - or "Berta".   

Little sister, Denise. 

Everything was outstanding, we had such a nice lunch, thank you, Shirley! 

Shirley shared a jar of home made canned peaches that her brother's other half made - over some vanilla Haagen Dazs ice cream for dessert.  YUM! 

 Shirley also framed a card I painted for her in Sumi Ink - gold fish & seaweed.

We chatted away the afternoon in their living room, I love my sisters!  We just went to town today and I got some lab work done for my yearly doctors visit - then went to lunch at Red Lobster -- boy were we hungry as it was a fasting blood draw.  When we got home I noticed that the Snow Drops are in bloom!  Wow, our first flowers of Spring - in bloom in February!!  I do believe we might have an Early Spring - yay!

My Portland Women's Forum meeting is tomorrow - they are going to have a cake after lunch with the names of all the living Presidents (of the forum) - my name will be on there.  I served as President for 3 years.  How is your week going?  I want to thank those of you who take the time to leave a comment for me, I really appreciate it.  I also want to welcome those of you who are new to my blog.  Nice to meet you!!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 
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Shirley's Beans:

1 15-16oz can each of kidney, butter, garbanzo and back eye peas (I like black beans instead) or any other bean you like.  Drained.

1 lb. ground beef or turkey

1 onion

1 to 2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 32 oz container of broth.  I use vegetable, chicken or beef depending on the meat choice.  I also add more liquid in the form of broth or water as needed if the liquid is being boiled away.

1 to 2 tablespoons prepared mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon chili powder or more if needed

1/4 cup red wine

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic, brown the meat, add all the other ingredients, cover and simmer for 60 minutes

Sweet Potato or Pumpkin Cornbread:  Gluten Free

3 large eggs

1/2 cup extra light olive oil, vegetable oil or grape seed oil (I used grape seed oil and really liked it)

3/4 cup sweet potato or pumpkin puree

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup organic stone ground cornmeal

1 cup Pamela's Ultimate baking mix - (or your own flour mix with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and a good pinch of sea salt added)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I've also used the prepared pumpkin pie mix in a can, so I didn't have to use the list of spices in the recipe)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease the bottom of a 8-inch cake pan and dust it with cornmeal.

In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs until foamy; add the oil; whisk again to combine.  Add in the sweet potato or pumpkin puree and mix well.  Add the light brown sugar, and vanilla extract, and mix to combine.

In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients:  cornmeal, gluten-free flour mix, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice blend, and sea salt.

Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, add the dry ingredients into the wet; and stir by hand just enough to make a smooth batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Bake on a center rack in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or so, until the cornbread is firm to the touch and golden.  

Cool the cornbread in the pan - on a wire rack - for ten minutes.  Remove from the pan and continue to cool.

Serve slightly warm with a dab of your favorite butter or buttery spread.