Hello from Illinois. I was born here, raised on a farm with 5 siblings, a dog, a pet goose, an occasional pet pig, chickens, ducks, sheep, hogs, and cattle. It's pretty flat here in the central part. My oldest sister started me sewing on mom's machine when I was three. She stacked encyclopedias on the sewing chair and I remember having to stretch my leg out to reach the knee pedal. Grandma taught me to crochet, my older twin sisters taught me to embroider---then I went to kindergarten! I've painted since I was young, tried almost everything from candlewicking and candle making to zither playing. I still paint but sew more. I make most of my own clothing, some of my daughters, and occasionally a shirt for DH. I just really got into quilting about 2 or 3 years ago.
Here's my mom's recipe for making homemade noodles. I started making them at 10 years old so you know it's pretty easy.
Eggs, flour, baking powder.
Approximately one egg per person
Crack eggs into bowl and beat lightly with a fork
Start mixing in flour a little at a time
add about 1/2 tsp. baking powder per egg
keep adding flour until you can't add anymore.
put a big pile of flour on a flat surface (mom used newspaper on her table) take a ball of dough (about the size of a tennis ball or slightly smaller)
start rolling it out making sure there's plenty of flour on top and bottom.
roll it thin--1/8" or thinner
cut across the middle then down twice to make six sheets approx. the same size. Stack them up with flour in between the layers, roll them into a log and slice approx 1/4". Separate by tossing gently, spread them out and allow them to dry all day or overnight.
Bring chicken broth to a boil and then add the noodles a handful at a time while stirring the broth. Once they start to boil again, reduce heat to a simmer and let them cook. Stir them every few minutes. Add salt, pepper, or a little chicken boullion to taste. Add pieces of chicken a few minutes before they're done.
DO NOT KNEAD-- the heat from your hands will toughen the noodles.
And here's my personal favorite:
Hot Dog Gravy
throw some left over bacon grease in the skillet and get it hot.
slice up some little rounds of hotdogs and toss them in to brown
mix some flour (enough to really thicken the grease but not so much that it's lumpy) into the grease once the hot dogs are browned on both sides and let it cook until it turns light brown.
Stir in a mixture of 1/2 milk, 1/2 water stirring constantly
cook over med to high heat until it thickens. Stir it regularly to keep it from lumping up. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Serve over baking powder biscuits, toast, or bread. YUMMM!!!
This recipe was mom's solution to the problem of having to feed 8 people with three hotdogs.