Ma was busy all day long, cooking good things for Christmas. One morning she boiled molasses and sugar together until they made a thick syrup, and Pa brought in two pans of clean, white snow from outdoors. Laura and Mary each had a pan, and Pa and Ma showed them how...
Mr. Edwards was taking sweet potatoes out of his pockets. He said they had helped to balance the package on his head when he swam across the creek. He thought Pa and Ma might like them, with the Christmas turkey. There were nine sweet potatoes. Mr. Edwards had brought...
Those stockings weren’t empty yet. Mary and Laura pulled out two small packages. They unwrapped them, and each found a little heart-shaped cake. Over their delicate brown tops was sprinkled white sugar. The sparkling grains lay like tiny drifts of snow. The cakes were...
I’m glad I put beans to soak last night,’ said Ma. She lifted the lid of the bubbling kettle and quickly popped in a spoonful of soda. The boiling beans roared, foaming up, but did not quite run over. ‘There’s a little bit of salt pork to put in them too,’ Ma said....
Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus. —Carrie Ingalls, Christmas at Plum Creek, Season 1, Episode 15In the “Christmas at Plum Creek” episode of the first season of “Little House on the Prairie”, each member of the Ingalls family works hard and makes sacrifices to give gifts to...
That afternoon the finished black cashmere was carefully pressed, and then Ma made a big, white cake. Laura helped her by beating the egg whites on a platter with a fork, until Ma said they were stiff enough. “My arm is stiffer,” Laura ruefully laughed, rubbing her...
Ma liked everything on her table to be pretty. —Little House in the Big WoodsI remember reading how excited the girls were about receiving not only a stick of candy, but also a penny. And not just any penny, but a shining bright, new penny! And how Ma gushed over her...
You can’t beat hickory-cured ham. —Little House in the Big WoodsIn Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House in the Big Woods, Pa and Uncle Henry butcher a wild pig. It’s fascinating to read how not one piece of the pig is wasted. Remember when Pa takes the pig’s bladder...
We would have roast goose for Thanksgiving dinner! ‘Roast goose and dressing seasoned with sage,’ said sister Mary. —Laura Ingalls Wilder in These Happy Golden YearsAs we get ready for the holiday season, it’s time to start thinking about our holiday dinner menu. Will...
Thanksgiving dinner was good. Pa had shot a wild goose for it. Ma had to stew the goose because there was no fireplace, and no oven in the little stove. But she made dumplings in the gravy. There were corn dodgers and mashed potatoes. There were butter, and milk, and...
The doll was sleeping there in the box. Nellie lifted her up, and her eyes opened wide. They were big blue eyes. She seemed to laugh. —On the Banks of Plum CreekThe Little House books were some of my favorite books to read growing up. I would devour each book, ready...
Andover Fabrics recently released three beautiful Little House on the Prairie fabric collections. For those in love with all things Little House on the Prairie, the possibilities of what you can make are endless. For example, you can create Little House on the Prairie...