The many leaves decorating the Hickory Hill Hood have turned the Amazing Barking Dog into more of a gatherer than a hunter. Happy Halloween, Blog Readers! I confess that I was not home last night to greet and treat the neighborhood goblins because we went to the Purdue/Illinois game in Champaign. (which is quite a drive)


We met Brent and Lindsey at the game, and we had a good time, despite the Purdue loss because the weather was great, and well, we like Illinois too, of course.





On the drive home we stopped at one of the Stevenson family's favorite restaurants.......




At the Beef----House
Yummy, yummy, just lettin' it all hang out
At the Beef---House
Yeast rolls stacked, and that's a fact
Ain't holdin' nothin' back

Shake it down, shake it down, shake it down now


When Brent's Dad, Larry worked for Fed-Ex, he would stop here for lunch every day. The food was delicious. I think he and Brent's mom went on their first date here, but don't quote me on that.


Book Babes:
Here is the 2010-2011 reading schedule for the Book Babes of Kendallville, if you have any interest at all.

October Jasmine by Bharti Mukherjee

December The Glass Castle Jeanette Walls

January Blink Malcolm Gladwell

February Snow Flower & the Secret Fan by Lisa See

March Lunch in Paris Elizabeth Bard

April The Sisters from Hardscrabble Bay Beverly Jensen

May Olive Kitteridge Elizabeth Stout

June Pending

July Pending

Recipe of the Week:
I made these pecan pie bars and took them to our Beatles concert on the prairie a couple of months ago. I think they're a good pick-up-and-eat summer alternative to the real, heavy-duty pie we like to put on our Thanksgiving dessert table. Here's the recipe:



Pecan Pie Bars

2 cups flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

4 eggs

1 & 1/2 cups white syrup

1 & 1/2 cups white sugar

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 & 1/2 cups chopped pecans.


Stir together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Cut in the cup of butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the bottom of a light-greased 10 X 15 inch jellryoll pan and press in firmly. Bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. Mix together eggs, syrup, 1 & 1/2 cup sugar, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the pecans. Spread over the filling as soon as it comes out of the oven. Bake for 25 minutes or until set.