NOTHING HAPPENS IN WINTER -- OR DOES IT?

I guess I spoke too soon when I said that nothing happens in winter.

I don’t know when I first noticed the oven was acting a little strange, but when Mike baked a batch of oat bran muffins, it was clear that it hadn’t pre-heated correctly. After we played with the controls, it suddenly heated up and did its job, but the handwriting was on the wall, as we say.

Okay – enough about the problem. Discussion ensued. Should we fix it, which would be costly if we called a repairman, or should we just buy a new one? I voted for skipping the repair and going straight to the appliance store, arguing that it’s a 16-year-old low-end model and the cooktop is slowing up, too. Mike preferred to explore all options.

So, Monday after lunch, we visited a local appliance dealership. Mike carried along the element, which tested okay. Since it wasn't the element, diagnostics and repair would be expensive. Given its age and other issues, replacement was the best option.

What was I looking for in a new stove, asked the owner/salesman. I don’t want the cooktop, I said, because I’d like to be able to can on it, to which he replied, “Guess what – you can’t can on any new electric model.” He showed me that the new stove elements now have automatic shut-offs to prevent us from walking off, burning the bacon, and starting a grease fire. And it would be illegal for any dealer to sell the old-type burners, he added, even though I certainly wasn’t thinking along those lines. He also showed us that by law, the new range would have a brace that fits under the stove to prevent it from falling over should we decide to stand on the drawer, even though we agreed it would be stupid to stand on the drawer for any reason.

This one but in white

Okay, then I’ll stick with the glass cooktop, I said. After all, it looks nice and is easy to clean. We narrowed the choices to two Frigidaire models, and I chose the one that seemed a little nicer for just $30 more. However, it proved to be a discontinued model. As I always say, we simply don’t have choices -- not really.

Color was also discussed. My appliances are white, I said, but the salesman explained black and stainless steel are the main options now with white down the list. I said that I would accept black, but he said a white unit was on order with ETA as next Monday – no guarantees.

So, we bought it. The business complete, we came back home, and as Mike attempted to put the element back in the oven, it blew out. I mean the whole range (not Mike, thank heavens!) – kaput, finished, over. So, it sits there now, dark and silent. The dealership will haul it off when they deliver the new one.

Meanwhile, here we are in winter without stovetop or oven for at least a week. We’ll be making do with instant pots, crock pots, and the microwave, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try to boil water on the stove anyway. I already have. When I worked, I kept a nice electric tea kettle at the office, but I couldn't imagine the scenario in which I would ever need it again and gave it away. That's the way it goes. KW

[2018 UL Standards for Household Electric Ranges calls for temperature-limiting coils (sensi-temp technology).]

RHUBARB AND APPLE PIE

Here’s a recipe that Grandma Portfors wrote in pencil on a scratch pad provided through The Home Insurance Company of New York (here). I’ve heard of rhubarb and strawberry pie and even rhubarb and raspberry pie, and that makes sense because these are summer fruits. The combination of rhubarb and apple seems strange since the best rhubarb is pulled in June while apples are picked some months later.

Last year my rhubarb plants didn’t do well, possibly because I didn’t care for them the summer of ’18 when the farmhouse was remodeled. However, rhubarb has been known to flourish at old homestead sites, so I think the hotter, drier summers we experience may affect them. One thing about it, if they do pull through, I have lots of manure with which to feed them. And if they don’t come back, I’ll replace with new plants.

Rhubarb and Apple Pie

2 cups cubed rhubarb

4 cups thinly sliced apples

1 ½ cups brown sugar (No wonder she asked for the recipe!)

½ cup flour

1/8 tsp salt

2 tbsps melted butter

2 tbsps lemon juice

Pastry for double crust

Mix first five ingredients well. Place in pie shell. Pour butter and lemon juice over top. Put top crust on. Prick top well. Bake for 10 minutes at 450 and 45 minutes at 375.

I discovered a number of variations for rhubarb and apple pie online. I wouldn’t hesitate to cut back on the sugar. If I remember, I’ll try this recipe next summer. KW

FORGETFULNESS

Lovely snow scenes leftover from Christmas should carry us through winter.

It’s winter in the Great Inland Empire of the Pacific Northwest. Whether it’s mild or severe, nothing much happens in winter. It seems a natural to write about recipes during these dull days, but unfortunately, I discovered I’m duplicating posts written in past years.

I don’t think I have a severe problem, but I do forget things. The other day I set a timer and when it went off, it took me a minute to remember what I was timing. (I had treated the shower with Drano and needed to rinse it with hot water.) But today I easily remembered where to find the relocated frozen rolls in the grocery store. Go figure! While it’s disconcerting to discover that I have basically rewritten a post, I’m not sure I want to worry about it. With Blogger, it’s difficult to locate a previous post with key words alone. On the other hand, I have a lot of family recipes. I don’t have to keep playing over the same half dozen.

For several days, the forecast has been for winter weather – snow and rain, cold and colder, wind. Spokane had a terrible storm on Friday; Moscow had snow on Saturday; but in our valley, it has remained moderate despite the forecast for winter precipitation and cold temps. So, we’ve become a bit oblivious. After lunch, Mike prepared for a bike ride (which seems to take a good 15 minutes), but when he went to leave, he discovered pouring rain and wind gusts at 20 mph. He was glad he hadn’t left 15 minutes earlier and been caught in the storm. He changed his clothes again and went to the gym.

Our supper plan is for “Pheasant Leg Soup.” I’ll cook the pheasant legs in the Instant Pot, then add the meat to a Bear Creek Soup mix to which I’ll add extra broth, tortellini, and spinach. When I ladle it out, I’ll put extra portions of meat in Mike’s bowl. KW