Innholdsfortegnelse for February/March 2021 i Country Woman

Country Woman readers are terrific letter writers. It’s always lovely to hear from you, whether it’s about things happening in your lives, tips for other readers or ideas for ways in which we can improve the magazine. I just love it when we can act on those suggestions. On page 18, you’ll find the winner of our Best Farmhouse Kitchen contest. Perhaps your most-offered suggestion to our team is for us to find ways to include more kitchens on our pages. Well, I think you’re going to love taking a peek into winner Suzanne Byrd’s kitchen. I know I did. It’s a gorgeous space, full of rustic brick walls, antique cabinets and family keepsakes. Best of all, that contest yielded far more entries than we could highlight in one story,…

Calling All Crafters Just read in your October/November issue that a sewing, knitting, crochet page will be added next issue. That is wonderful! I hope you will include information on where to shop online for patterns and fabric. It can be challenging for country women to get out and shop. JAN DUFFY MARSHALLVILLE, OHIO EDITOR’S NOTE: We think this is a great idea, but we need readers’ help. If you live in a rural area far from the big craft stores, what are some online resources you turn to for patterns and sewing and needlework supplies? Share with us, and you might see your favorite in an upcoming issue! (And turn to page 16 to see our new craft page, Stitched Together.) Pumpkin Payoff I bought the October/November issue because…

WHAT YOU’LL NEED 12-in. heart-shaped wire wreath form 11/2 yd. fabric, or 6 fat quarters, in coordinating colors Scissors DIRECTIONS 1 Cut fabric into 150 strips, each measuring 1½x8 in. 2 Using 1 strip of fabric at a time, wrap around 2 rungs of wire on wreath form and tie with a square knot facing the front. Continue tying strips to wreath form, alternating between inner and outer rungs of the form. Slide strips together tightly until form is covered.…

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS Craft blogger Hayley Moss of Hull, Iowa, had been dreaming up these wooden conversation hearts for a few years, but never managed to grab the right supplies from her local craft supply store in time for Valentine’s Day crafting. In 2019, she got lucky and snagged the wooden hearts on sale. She painted them with hand-mixed craft paints to mimic conversation heart pastels—her two sons each picked his own color—before applying the family’s names. Hayley used her electronic cutting machine for the names, but suggests letter stickers or hand lettering with a paint pen as other options. She finished the project by hot-gluing the finished hearts to a ribbon for hanging. Check out Hayley’s instructional video for this project at youtube.com/ beefhayleymoss.…

• Sort through boxed lots at estate auctions. You’ll often find button collections mixed in with other odds and ends. • Antique and secondhand shops often have button bins to sort through. • Check such sites as Etsy and eBay—sellers price vintage buttons by the piece, lot, cup or weight. • Check out the National Button Society’s website at nationalbuttonsociety.org to find a list of button shows across the country, as well as dealers and other helpful information. • Ask relatives to share their button stashes with you—repay the gift with a crafty creation made out of them!…

Rotisserie Chicken Panini This is an ooey-gooey, melty cheese delight that’s packed with bacon, chicken and just enough lemon to tickle your taste buds. TERRI McCARTY ORO GRANDE, CA TAKES: 20 MIN.• MAKES: 2 SERVINGS 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise 4 1/2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese 1 tsp. lemon juice 1/2 tsp. prepared pesto 1/4 tsp. grated lemon zest Dash pepper 4 slices sourdough bread 1/4 lb. sliced rotisserie chicken 4 slices ready-to-serve fully cooked bacon 2 slices smoked part-skim mozzarella cheese 2 slices red onion, separated into rings 4 slices tomato 2 Tbsp. butter, melted 1. In a small bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients and spread half the mixture over 2 bread slices. Layer with the chicken, bacon, mozzarella cheese, onion and tomato. Spread the remaining mayonnaise mixture on remaining…

Popeye the Sailor Man inspired a generation to chivalrous action through spinach consumption, but in the case of vintage-style pattern designer Shelley Johnson, the 1930s cartoon sailor inspired a young Kentucky girl to tell stories through pictures and wild, fantastical ideas. Popeye, then Disney movies, became a fascination for Shelley, and before long, she was taking pencils in hand to create worlds of her own. First through comics and animation—and later in the form of costumes and vintage clothing—whole characters, and then storylines, began flying from her fingertips. Shelley’s passion for sewing grew almost by accident. The mechanical hum of the machine was an ever-present sound during her early years. Her seamstress mother created gowns for friends and neighbors and sewed many of Shelley’s clothes, but the Gen Xer didn’t…

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS Sometimes I pause in my work and wonder: Why do I live so far out of town? Why do I grow my own food? Why do I work so hard for such little appreciation? But I always rethink that last question. I may not receive verbal thanks for all I do, but I do take pride in looking at all my canned goods and a freezer full of homegrown, hormone-free meat, or in hearing my kids list all the types of work they can do because we asked them to work alongside us. It is being able to get out after a snow because I spent hours plowing. It adds up to a job well done—or at least a good effort. The other day I called the…

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS Tell us about yourself. I am a born and raised Alaskan, with parents who taught me not only how to live off the land, but also to always appreciate learning more. My dad is Yupik Eskimo and my mom is from farm country in New Jersey, and they taught me to not waste, nor take for granted all that I have been blessed with. What are your hobbies? I love hunting, fishing, crochet, knitting, sewing, chasing my kids, studying medicinal plants and learning about new things. You do a lot of foraging. What advice do you have? Invest in some good books and classes on the subject. Talk to an expert and read, read, read, to be sure you are using things correctly. Some safe plants to…

The game Monopoly had already been on the market for at least 15 years when Myron and Jeanne Krong were married in 1950. Their lives—born in a small town in Nebraska, service in World War II, their first kiss on a street corner, workdays spent in construction—seem far from the world depicted in the game. But that’s just where they ended up on their 69th wedding anniversary. Their granddaughter, Nichele McCague of Poway, California, presented them with an original Monopoly box as the family gathered to celebrate. But when the couple opened it, they found “Krong-olopoly” instead. “Nichele had changed the property squares to places that were unique to my parents and our family,” says her mother, Kallee Krong-McCreery. Rosenborg Church, where Jeanne played piano from the time she was…

Looking to create a gift for her boyfriend, but still pretty new to knitting at the time, pattern designer Sue Gregori created this Claddagh potholder, learning the double-knit technique it relies on from internet tutorials. “Since I learned so much from the web, I felt the need to write up a pattern to share back to the knitting world,” she says. She offers this pattern, and several others, on her website at sg-creations.org and on her page at ravelry.com/designers/sue-gregori. Sue crochets as well, but finds knitting a more inventive process and especially enjoys projects that involve two separate colors. This version of her Claddagh design uses a cotton yarn in sage green alongside a hand-dyed original pink inspired by a dahlia in her Oakland, California, garden. Make this potholder! Get…

1 AUDIT YOUR TRASH According to Laura, before you decide how you’re going to cut down on the garbage you generate, you first need to figure out what you throw away most. “Grab a pen and paper and visit every trash can in your home,” she says. “Just take a look inside and write down the four or five items you see the most. That helps narrow down a place to start.” 2 GROW A GARDEN Between the plastic veggie bags and the containers used to package berries, buying produce can generate a huge amount of waste. Instead, plant a garden. “Even if it’s just a container with some tomatoes or herbs,” Laura says, “it’s a really great way to start reducing waste.” 3 BUY BULK Another…

Rules and precision aren’t naturally my thing. I’m a hypersensitive baker, preferring to get lost in the smells and textures of food and the sizzling sounds they make while boiling in a saucepan or roasting under an oven’s coil. So in this way, I’m not the baker you might expect; I’ve never studied under some tough-as-nails patissier in France to survive and tell the tale, and I also have really hot hands, a curse when trying to work cold butter into flour before it turns to mush. But my grandmother was a resilient baker—resourceful, intuitive and smart, and the thing that just recently dawned on me is that she never used a kitchen scale. Yet every Sunday her biscuits were spot-on, so tender and ready to be split to lie…

Vegetarian Skillet Enchiladas Whether it’s meatless Monday or your family eats vegetarian every day, everyone will be satisfied with these unconventional enchiladas. Garnish with the optional toppings or other favorites like tortilla chips and extra shredded cheese. SUSAN COURT PEWAUKEE, WI TAKES: 25 MIN.• MAKES: 4 SERVINGS 1 Tbsp. canola oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained 1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce 1 cup frozen corn 2 tsp. chili powder 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1/8 tsp. pepper 8 corn tortillas (6 in.), cut into 1/2 -in. strips 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend Optional: Chopped fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, sliced radishes, sour cream and lime wedges 1. Preheat oven to 400 °.…

• Start small. Shelley suggests inexperienced sewers begin with an inexpensive sewing machine. Master the basics and see if you are committed to the craft, she says. Then, after some time and experience, consider a larger investment. • Get the go-to tools. A good pair of thread clippers and sewing shears are like gold, Shelly says, but they don’t have to be expensive. “I find that it’s constant muscle memory as to where I put them because I use them all the time.” • Natural fibers make lifetime pieces. “If I’m going to make something, I want it to last me 15, 20 years,” Shelley says. Because of that, she recommends natural, unmixed fibers. She likes linen, cotton and rayon, which do not degrade or rot easily (her vegan lifestyle…

Mason Jars Mason jars have myriad uses beyond preserving produce for winter. Have you made a project or come up with an alternate use for these ubiquitous glass jars? Share your creation with us, and you might see it in the magazine. Natural Color Have you experimented with dyeing your own fabrics with natural dyes? What tips do you have? Do you have a project to show off? Let us know about it. Quilt Guild Love Do you belong to a quilters guild you’d love to see spotlighted? Tell us about your group: What makes it special? Has it worked collectively on a significant project? How did it get started? Share your stories and pictures, and your guild could be featured.…

Leprechaun Lime Punch Toast St. Patrick’s Day with the lively taste of lime and other citrus flavors. This delightful drink is certain to add a festive touch to the day. GLORIA WARCZAK CEDARBURG, WI TAKES: 10 MIN. MAKES: 20 SERVINGS (5 QT.) 6 cups refrigerated citrus punch 2 cans ( 12 oz. each ) frozen limeade concentrate, thawed 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup lime juice 1 qt. lime sherbet, softened 2 liters lemon-lime soda, chilled 5 drops green food coloring Lime slices In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine the citrus punch, limeade, sugar, lime juice and sherbet; stir until smooth and sugar is dissolved. Add soda and food coloring; stir to mix. Float lime slices on top. Serve immediately. 1 CUP 198 cal., 1g fat (0 sat. fat),…

It’s often been noted that the kitchen is the heart and soul of a home. We suspected this theme might ring true as we read through the dozens of submissions readers sent us last summer in our Best Farmhouse Kitchen contest. And did it ever! You shared stories of love and laughter—of family memorialized in the tiny details of your kitchen designs. We heard about annual cookie-baking gatherings and the hunt to find just the right reclaimed wood for floors, countertops and cabinets. Through it all, we learned how important the kitchen is in your lives. And so it was for Suzanne Byrd of New Braunfels, Texas—the winner of this year’s contest. Born into a family of “ladies who love to cook,” Suzanne has found refuge in the kitchen since…

WALL ART WHAT YOU’LL NEED Wood to fit in frame Wood frame Stain, optional Buttons Foam brush or rag, optional Hot glue gun DIRECTIONS 1 Stain wood and frame, if desired. Dry thoroughly. 2 Sketch chicken or alternate shape onto wood. 3 Arrange buttons to fill in space, varying sizes. Hot-glue buttons into place. Hot-glue eye, comb and feet details into place using contrasting buttons. 4 Insert into frame. TREE WHAT YOU’LL NEED Floral or jewelry wire Small container Floral foam Decorative stones, optional Buttons Wire cutters DIRECTIONS 1 Cut 15-20 pieces of wire into 25-in. lengths using wire cutters. 2 Gather wires together and fold at middle point. Twist wires together at fold to create the tree base. 3 Fill container with floral foam. Press tree base into foam.…

I don’t have a big taste for icings, especially sugar-saturated ones that are dense. For the most part, I like my cakes unembellished, served underneath a dollop of cold whipped cream. I’m sure I got this attitude from my mother, who wasn’t into decorated cakes either. She craved simple devil’s food cake, baked from the box, warm, with a large scoop of nearly melted vanilla ice cream. I decided to keep this icing fluffy, cold, thin and just sweet enough. JERRELLE GUY BOSTON, MA BAKE: 30 MIN.• MAKES: ONE 9-INCH LAYER CAKE • PREP: 20 MIN. 2 cups (240 grams) white whole wheat flour 2/3 cup (160 grams) cocoa powder 1 1/2 tsp. (6 grams) baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) sugar…