Chickens in the Road Read online

  coconut oil

  laundry detergent, 291–292

  lip balm, 285–286

  soap, 283

  Coffee Cake, Strawberries and Cream, 268–269

  coffeemaker cleaning, 293

  cold process soap, 114, 115, 282

  Container Candles, 286–287

  cookies

  Drunken Rum Cookie Logs, 261–262

  Molasses Cookies, 260

  cooking tips and techniques

  butter making, 248–249

  canning, 249–253

  corncob stock, 254

  dried beans, 235–237

  flour tortillas, 237–238

  herb/flower infusion, 256

  lard making, 246–248

  popping popcorn, 242–243

  pumpkin puree, 269–270

  Quick Mix, 243–245

  vanilla extract, 258–259

  Corn Bread, 237

  Corncob Jelly, 254–255

  corncobs, uses for, 254–255

  Country-Style Green Beans, 241

  Cracker Candy, 259

  cracklins, 247, 248

  cream cheese

  cream cheese frosting, 272

  facial mask with, 284

  Fried Stuffed Squash Blossoms, 238–239

  Strawberries and Cream Coffee Cake, 268–269

  Crochet Dishcloth, Ruffled, 294–295

  Crock-Pot, 237, 247–248, 280

  desserts. See sweets and desserts

  Dishcloth, Ruffled Crochet, 294–295

  Drunken Rum Cookie Logs, 261–262

  essential oil

  candles, 286

  homemade cleaners, 293

  moisturizer, 285

  potpourri, 297–298

  soap, 282, 283

  Facial Mask, Chocolate Cream, 284

  fat rendering, 246–248

  flat braid wick, 288

  floor cleaner, 293

  flowers

  Candle Jars with Pressed Wildflowers, 289–290

  Flower and Herb Jellies, 256

  food for cut flowers, 295–296

  Fried Bologna Sandwiches, 233–234

  Fried Stuffed Squash Blossoms, 238–239

  frostings and icings

  burnt sugar icing, 275

  cream cheese frosting, 272

  powdered sugar icing, 266, 269

  rum frosting, 261–262

  fruit muffins, 244

  furniture polish, 293

  gift ideas

  candles, 288, 290

  canned foods, 249, 252

  potpourri, 297, 298

  Pumpkin Bread, 269–270

  Ruffled Crochet Dishcloth, 294–295

  vanilla extract, 258–259

  ginger, potpourri with, 296–297

  Glass Cleaner, 293

  Grandmother Bread, 230–231, 234

  Gravy, Biscuits and, 245–246

  Green Beans, Country-Style, 241

  hand cream, beeswax, 284–285

  Hand-Dipped Tapers, 287–289

  health and beauty

  Beeswax Lip Balm, 285–286

  Beeswax Moisturizing Cream, 284–285

  Chocolate Cream Facial Mask, 284

  See also soap

  Herb Jellies, Flower and, 256

  Hickory nuts, in potpourri, 297, 298

  Homemade “Pop-Tarts,” 265–266

  honey

  facial mask, 284

  lip balm, 286

  Wild Mint and Honey Soap, 283–284

  hot process soap, 113–115, 280–282

  household cleaners, 292–294

  ice cream topping, 257

  icings. See frostings and icings

  infusion of herbs/flowers, 256

  Iron Skillet Upside-Down Pizza, 234–235

  jellies

  Corncob Jelly, 254–255

  Flower and Herb Jellies, 256

  in Homemade “Pop Tarts,” 265

  Kitchen Cleaner, 293

  lard

  laundry detergent, 291–292

  making, 246–248

  soap, 282–283

  Laundry Detergent, 291–292

  Lavender-Basil Soap, 283

  lemon juice

  cleaner with, 293, 294

  cut flower food, 295–296

  furniture polish, 293

  lemons, in potpourri, 297–298

  limes, in potpourri, 297–298

  Lip Balm, Beeswax, 285–286

  lye

  laundry detergent with, 291–292

  soap making, 113–115, 280, 283

  main dishes

  Beans and Corn Bread, 235–237

  Biscuits and Gravy, 245–246

  Iron Skillet Upside-Down Pizza, 234–235

  Summer Vegetable Pie, 240

  Mint and Honey Soap, Wild, 283–284

  Moisturizing Cream, Beeswax, 284–285

  Molasses Cookies, 260

  Monterey Jack cheese, 240

  mozzarella cheese, 49–50, 231–233

  Mrs. Randolph’s Strawberry Cake, 94–97, 275–276

  muffins, 244

  nuts

  Apple Dumplings, 268

  Coconut-Oatmeal Rum Pie with Walnuts, 264

  Cracker Candy, 259

  Nut Cake, 271–272

  with popcorn, 243

  oatmeal

  Apple-Oatmeal Soap, 282–283

  Coconut-Oatmeal Rum Pie, 264

  facial mask with, 284

  oils, fragrant. See essential oil

  olive oil cleaner, 293, 294

  orange pomanders, 298

  oranges, in potpourri, 297

  pancakes, 244–245, 257

  pepper jack cheese, 231–233

  pepperoni

  Pepperoni Rolls, 231–233

  Upside-Down Pizza, 234–235

  pie

  Coconut-Oatmeal Rum Pie, 264

  Sweet Potato Pie, 262–264

  piecrust, 263

  pineapple, 257

  pinecones, in potpourri, 297–298

  pinto beans, 235–237

  Pizza, Iron Skillet Upside-Down, 234–235

  popcorn, popping, 242–243

  “Pop-Tarts,” Homemade, 265–266

  Potpourri, Apple Spice Simmering, 296–297

  Potpourri Mix, Winter Citrus, 297–298

  powdered sugar icing, 266, 269

  pressure cooker, 237, 250

  Pumpkin Bread, 269–270

  Quick Mix, 240, 243–245

  raisins

  Molasses Cookies, 260

  Pumpkin Bread, 269–270

  Whiskey-Raisin Apple Butter, 253–254

  Ruffled Crochet Dishcloth, 294–295

  rum

  Banana Split a Jar, 257

  Coconut-Oatmeal Rum Pie, 264

  Drunken Rum Cookie Logs, 261–262

  vanilla extract, 258

  Sandwiches, Fried Bologna, 233–234

  saponification, 114

  sausage

  Biscuits and Gravy, 245–246

  Iron Skillet Upside-Down Pizza, 235

  Pepperoni Rolls, 231–233

  savory lard, 248

  schmaltz, 248

  side dishes

  Beans and Corn Bread, 235–237

  Country-Style Green Beans, 241

  Fried Stuffed Squash Blossoms, 238–239

  Summer Vegetable Pie, 240

  soap

  Apple-Oatmeal Soap, 282–283

  coloring and fragrance, 281–282

  Laundry Detergent, 291–292

  Lavender-Basil Soap, 283

  making hot process, 113–115, 280–282

  molds for, 282

  soap calculators, 115

  Wild Mint and Honey Soap, 283–284

  spreads

  Banana Split in a Jar, 257

  Whiskey-Raisin Apple Butter, 253–254

  squash

  Fried Stuffed Squash Blossoms, 238–239

  Summer Vegetable Pie, 240

  str
awberries

  Banana Split a Jar, 257

  Mrs. Randolph’s Strawberry Cake, 275–276

  Strawberries and Cream Coffee Cake, 268–269

  suet, 248

  Summer Vegetable Pie, 240

  Sweet Potato Pie, 262–264

  sweets and desserts

  Apple Dumplings, 266–268

  Banana Split a Jar, 257

  Burnt Sugar Cake, 272–275

  Coconut-Oatmeal Rum Pie, 264

  Cracker Candy, 259

  Drunken Rum Cookie Logs, 261–262

  Homemade “Pop-Tarts,” 265–266

  Molasses Cookies, 260

  Mrs. Randolph’s Strawberry Cake, 275–276

  Nut Cake, 271–272

  Pumpkin Bread, 269–270

  Strawberries and Cream Coffee Cake, 268–269

  Sweet Potato Pie, 262–264

  syrup, burnt sugar, 273–274

  tallow, 248

  Tapers, Hand-Dipped, 287–289

  techniques. See cooking tips and techniques

  toffee cracker candy, 259

  tortillas, 237–238

  vanilla extract, 258–259

  vegetables

  Beans and Corn Bread, 235–237

  Country-Style Green Beans, 241

  Fried Stuffed Squash Blossoms, 238–239

  Summer Vegetable Pie, 240

  vinegar

  cleaning with, 292–293, 294

  cut flower food, 295–296

  as laundry rinse, 292, 293

  vitamin E oil, 285, 286

  walnuts

  Coconut-Oatmeal Rum Pie, 264

  ice cream topping with, 257

  washing soda, 291–292

  water-bath canning, 249–253

  Whiskey-Raisin Apple Butter, 253–254

  Wild Mint and Honey Soap, 283–284

  Winter Citrus Potpourri Mix, 297–298

  yellow and zucchini squash

  Fried Stuffed Squash Blossoms, 238–239

  Summer Vegetable Pie, 240

  Photographic Insert

  The Slanted Little House.

  Newborn and still wobbly, my Glory Bee.

  Clover and Nutmeg, mother/daughter love.

  Curly-wooled Cotswold sheep, left, with an exotic Jacob sheep, right.

  Nutmeg’s first baby.

  My chickens love me. Or they think I have food.

  Walking my Glory Bee at Sassafras Farm.

  My two horses at Sassafras Farm Zip, left, and Shortcake, right.

  Woman attacked by horse and donkey, film at 11.

  Cracker candy–eat yours before you tell the kids.

  Summer Vegetable Pie.

  The state food of West Virginia, Pepperoni Rolls.

  Old-Fashioned Apple Dumplings.

  Sweet Potato Pie.

  My holiday favorite, Drunken Rum Cookie Logs.

  Slicing homemade Lavender-Basil Soap.

  Dried wildflowers turn pint jars into works of art.

  Beulah Petunia on her way to the bull, wearing her flower.

  My dear Georgia waiting for lunch at Stringtown Rising.

  Annabelle’s puppy. I mean, lamb.

  The river ford in summer. Stringtown Rising is just on the other side.

  Clover the Christmas Queen.

  Annabelle as a pup, with Coco.

  Hand-dipped tapers lit on the table at Stringtown Rising.

  Cookies at the gate! The gang’s all here.

  Our house at Stringtown Rising Farm.

  A wheel of my homemade farm-fresh cheddar cheese.

  An old-timey favorite, Corn Cob Jelly.

  It’s 5:00 somewhere.

  I’m stylin’ in my chore boots every day.

  It’s a monkey lamb!

  Fresh sliced Grandmother Bread.

  Fresh eggs straight from the staff, my chickens.

  The dirt-rock road to Stringtown Rising, beautiful in the fall.

  Coco at the gate at snowy Stringtown Rising Farm.

  The steep, snow-covered driveway at Stringtown Rising. You can’t make me go anywhere!

  Clover wearing a tiara, as well she should be.

  Rooster meditating on the porch at Stringtown Rising.

  One big happy duck family.

  Beulah Petunia at her milk stand at Stringtown Rising.

  Old-Time Burnt Sugar Cake.

  Make your own vanilla extract with whole vanilla beans.

  Molasses Cookies with farm-fresh milk.

  My homemade container candles.

  Beulah Petunia nursing a newborn Glory Bee.

  The big red barn at Sassafras Farm.

  My bottle baby lamb all grown up.

  My little white farmhouse at Sassafras Farm. I love it!

  About the Author

  SUZANNE MCMINN, former romance writer turned intrepid farm girl, is the creator of the incredibly popular personal website www.chickensintheroad.com. A professional writer, teacher, and photographer, she is the author of twenty-six published novels and writes a bimonthly column for the Charleston Daily Mail. She lives in West Virginia.

  Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.

  Credits

  Cover design: Laura Beers

  Photographs: Jerry Waters

  Copyright

  CHICKENS IN THE ROAD: An Adventure in Ordinary Splendor. Copyright © 2013 by Suzanne McMinn. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

  HarperCollins website: http://www.harpercollins.com

  HarperCollins®,®, and HarperOne™ are trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers

  FIRST EDITION

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  McMinn, Suzanne.

  Chickens in the road : an adventure in ordinary splendor / Suzanne McMinn. — First edition.

  pages cm

  Includes index.

  ISBN 978-0-06-222370-8

  EPUB Edition AUGUST 2013 ISBN 9780062223722

  1. McMinn, Suzanne. 2. Walton (W. Va.)—Biography. 3. Walton (W. Va.)—Social life and customs. 4. Farm life—West Virginia—Walton. 5. Country life—West Virginia—Walton. I. Title.

  F294.W25M35 2013

  975.4’36—dc232013007366

  13 14 15 16 17 RRD(H) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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