IT WAS BISSELLATION, I KNOW...

sung to "It was facination, I know...."  We seem to sing this song most every week around here. With our combination of cheap shag carpeting and barfing pets, there is always something fun to step in for the unobservant or the sleepy! And of course there's always the shock of dog kibble between the toes if you dare to go bare!
So out comes Brenda Bissell for a nice run around the house, freaking out the pets and giving the whole house an "eau de wet carpet" for a few hours. We figure we now have the cost per use at about $1.00 so far and going down. It's been a good investment!   

TRADER JOE'S IN MEDFORD!

Okay, so it took 20 (YES TWENTY) years of letters, then emails and blogs to get a Traders here in Dreadford. The good news is that it is the LARGEST one I've ever shopped in....about 30% bigger than our favorite one in Chico! Tonite's treat will be some "2-Buck Chuck" which is $2.49 in Oregon & smoked trout on pita crackers. Yummm!

Some of the best things about Traders are the frozen foods. I had to remind myself that I didn't need to buy 6 of something...I could go back ANYTIME and get more and not have to plan a 3 HOUR TRIP  to Chico or Eugene! Our first shopping trip cost us $124.00, including 6 bottles of assorted wine ($24 for them) so I did buy plenty of items that I had run out of since Susan brought me stuff from Chico at Christmas!
The store is very well lit, has wide aisles and a bigger produce & prepared food section. I also think the wine/beer section is bigger.
Some folks camped outside the store overnight so they'd be the first ones inside last Friday when it opened. Me?...I forced myself to wait until today to shop. Can't wait to go back! 

CAT-SISTANCE

Jack and Izzy enjoying some computer togetherness. Izzy likes to sit on the desk facing Jack whilst he types away, this time on a VW article for the "Vintage Voice" magazine for VW owners. He gets a trade out for a free ad for VDO speedo repair, which older VW's have as well as Saab, Volvo, Mercedes & BMW. All is good as long as Izzy's tail doesn't brush the screen...then everything goes wonky! We figure it must be the static when her tail rubs across the screen.

TAKE A LEEEK!

 Take lots of leeks! It's that time of year again when you can find tender leeks at the Grower's Market. At $2 a bunch, I bought 5 bunches. I sliced them up in the food processor after a thorough washing and trimming. I do shred up some of the dark green portion if it is small and tender.

Then I cook 'em down with some olive oil. I'll put them in freezer pouches and use them in soups all winter long. The smell of leeks was so strong when I got them into the pan that I had to open all the windows and doors it was so skunk-like! Probably drove the neighbors crazy, too!

DON'T LOOK FOR LABEL!

Look! Fruit with no labels! How does this happen? Simple. Just buy your apples at a local farmer's market. These are REAL Red Delicious apples...the original tasty apple before the hybridizers got a hold of it and made it into THE "wooden apple." Sure, they made it an apple that stored well and didn't lose its "flavor"...that's because it didn't have any flavor when they got done with it.
So today you can find this original apple that is good sliced raw or makes a fine apple pie. It also goes by the name "Cameo" in the grocery stores.  

LIVERWURST IS BEST!

 October is NATIONAL LIVERWURST MONTH here at Angel Crest Manor. That means a pilgrimage to Cave Junction, Oregon and Taylor Sausage. Yes, it's a 130 mile round trip but worth it for the best stuff you've ever tasted!

You can buy many of the Taylor sausages here in the valley at local specialty shops but not the liverwurst. The main ingredients are pork and pork liver. The binder is dry nonfat milk. And they add just the right amount of spices. You can buy a stick (24" long) or you can buy pieces. I buy about 36" of it in pre cut pieces already shrink wrapped and frozen. We try to make it last for at least 6 months but it never seems to last longer than 4 months! It's great fried up with eggs for breakfast and of course make wonderful sandwiches paired with good mustards and cheese. Eggs Benedict take on a new dimension with a slice of liverwurst instead of the usual ham.