Country Woman October - November 2016

I love “Singin’ in the Rain”—the song and the musical. When umbrellas pop open on drizzly fall days, I kind of want to skip out to the sidewalk and re-enact Gene Kelly’s splashy, happy song and dance. But I’m more likely to hunker indoors and start prepping for the holidays ahead. This issue features pages of ideas to get you in the seasonal swing, including easy projects made from pinecones, acorns, branches and other fun finds from the great outdoors. See “Into the Woods” on page 30. You may already know that I’m a pie person. Mostly I bake ’em and share ’em, but I’ve been known to eat a slice or two (especially for breakfast). In “Upper Crusts” on page 48, you’ll find a slew of pie crust recipes paired with…

Thanks for Noticing Thank you so much for honoring my wife, AnnMarie, as 2016 Country Woman of the Year. Please thank your loyal readers for all the kind words and love they have shown us. Not long after winning we were contacted by our local newspaper, and our story was printed on the front page of the Sunday edition—wow! I wrote to you just hoping we’d get a mention in one of your publications to raise awareness about what AnnMarie does at our animal sanctuary. Learning that she’d won came as a wonderful surprise. There are many other outstanding people who share our love and dedication to animals. We hope that when people read AnnMarie’s story, they will be inspired to help animal rescues and sanctuaries like ours. KEITH ROBERTS CLERMONT, FL Ranger…

Q: How do you make trick or treat time special? When my girls were young, we took them trick-or-treating in reverse. We made Halloween popcorn hands by filling clear plastic gloves with candy corn for fingernails and popcorn for fingers and hands, then tied the top with curly black and orange ribbon and placed a spider ring on the ring finger. We drove all over the countryside to deliver these to our neighbors, many of whom were elderly, and they loved them. They enjoyed seeing how much our girls had grown from one year to the next. TAMMY STOTTS SEILING, OK We always go to a church “trunk or treat” in the country. Lots of potluck food, s’mores, cider, costumes and even a spooky hayride. The best part is the fellowship—and knowing that…

LET’S HEAR IT FOR COUNTRY WOMEN! Give a big shout-out to the country woman who inspires you. Whether she’s a canning queen or a community volunteer, has the neighborhood’s most fabulous front yard or is a farmer who single-handedly tends 40 acres, we want to meet her. Take some photos and tell us why she deserves to win, and she could be crowned our 2017 Country Woman of the Year! The title comes with a $250 cash prize and the opportunity for her to be featured in an issue of Country Woman. If she wins, you’ll be awarded $250 as well, just for nominating her. Best of all, you’ll be celebrating a special country woman and inspiring our family of readers. And even if your nominee does not win the grand prize, she…

Ten years ago, as I was preparing for Thanksgiving, a neighbor’s tragedy came to mind. So I wrapped a loaf of my cranberry almond bread in a spare apron and slipped a handwritten card in the pocket. Still wearing my own apron, I walked out the door and two blocks to her home. After ringing the doorbell, I considered leaving my offering on the porch and bolting, but I’m forever happy I didn’t drop and run. My neighbor looked stunned as I handed her the bread and told her I’d been thinking about her family. As I stepped off the porch, she was standing in the doorway, holding the bundle and smiling. She waved, and my heart leapt as I walked home. That a simple act could make someone else so happy—I…

Homemade Peanut Butter 5 INGREDIENTS FAST FIX By making my own peanut butter, I know exactly what goes into it—and it’s a whole lot tastier! —MARGE AUSTIN NORTH POLE, AK START TO FINISH: 15 MIN.• MAKES: ABOUT 1 CUP 2 cups unsalted dry roasted peanuts 1/2 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. honey Process nuts and salt in food processor until desired consistency, about 5 minutes, scraping sides as needed. Blend in honey. Refrigerate. PER (1 TBSP.) SERVING 111 cal., 9g fat (1g sat. fat), 0 chol., 75mg sodium, 5g carb. (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g pro. Diabetic Exchange: 2 fat.…