Canceled

You have found a box filled with old postage stamps in your attic. You are not so sure how to identify old postage stamps but you have a gut feeling that you have found your grandfather's old stamp collection that dates back to the 19th century.

Then you become curious and ask “how can find the value of old stamps? When does the cost of old stamps increase?”

Aunt Lavina, the owner of Jessup’s Bed and Breakfast has a trunk filled with old letters and certificates. While James was searching for Civil War Memorabilia he got curious about the value of the old stamps that were on the envelopes.  James followed this link to find out more about identifying stamps. Value of Stamps.

The Two Penny Blue Stamps (1840)

These postage stamps lacked the country's name. One of the earliest stamps made in Britain.These rare British stamps, also known as the Blue Penny postal stamps, were sold for nearly $4 million in 1993.

What other valuable information did James find in the trunk? Read “Stamp Out Murder” to find out.

Canceled

You have found a box filled with old postage stamps in your attic. You are not so sure how to identify old postage stamps but you have a gut feeling that you have found your grandfather's old stamp collection that dates back to the 19th century.

Then you become curious and ask “How can you find the value of old stamps? When does the cost of old stamps increase?”

Aunt Lavina, the owner of Jessup’s Bed and Breakfast has a trunk filled with old letters and certificates. While James was searching for Civil War Memorabilia he got curious about the value of the old stamps that were on the envelopes.  James followed this link to find out more about identifying stamps. Value of Stamps.

The Two Penny Blue Stamps (1840)

These postage stamps lacked the country's name. One of the earliest stamps made in Britain.These rare British stamps, also known as the Blue Penny postal stamps, were sold for nearly $4 million in 1993.

What other valuable information did James find in the trunk? Read “Stamp Out Murder” to find out.

Aunt Lavina's Favorite Recipe for Butternut Squash Wheat Biscuits

Aunt Lavina and Carolyn like to use fresh ingredients as often as possible. They raise a wide variety of vegetables and buy locally whenever they can. In Wild Wonderful Wanton Wraith, Aunt Lavina shares her stimulating and tantalizing recipes. This is a sample of her old fashioned cooking.

Anyone who has ever had a garden knows squash is something that seems to multiply on it's own. Jessup's Bed and Breakfast guests love butternut squash wheat biscuits dabbed with rich creamy butter and homemade jam.

A quick Squash Biscuit Recipe--Aunt Lavina prefers the next one

One and a half cups cooked squash, 3/4 cup sugar (or sugar substitute) 1/2 teasp. salt, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup hot milk, 1/4 yeast cake dissolved in 1/4 cup tepid water, 2 1/2 cups of flour or enough to make a soft dough. Let rise, make into small, very thin biscuits. Put 2 together, with butter between, brush with butter, cover, and after they rise a bit, bake at 400 degrees. 

 Aunt Lavina's Favorite 

Light and Flaky Squash Biscuits

Makes 20-24 Delicate, Sweet and Vibrant in Color Biscuits

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Baking Time: 18 minutes

2 cups whole-wheat flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cold butter (or substitute)

1 cup puréed squash

2 teaspoons honey (Aunt Lavina likes to add 1/2 cup sugar substitute)

1-4 tablespoons low-fat milk

v   Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and work into flour mixture with a pastry cutter until it's the size of small peas. (Tub butter substitute is easier to blend, but some people really prefer the taste of real butter--Aunt Lavina uses real butter)

v  . Mix honey into puréed squash, then stir into flour mixture. Add enough milk to make a soft dough.

v  . Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. With your hands, flatten it out to about a 1/2-inch thickness. Fold the dough in half as you would close a book. Rotate dough 90 degrees, pat it out, and fold it again. Repeat this twice, dusting with flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers. Work quickly to prevent the butter from becoming overly soft.

v  . After the last folding, roll out dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 1 1/2-inch rounds. To shape the biscuits, form your thumb and first finger into a crescent shape. Hold the biscuit upright in this crescent with your fingers curled around the cut edges. Rotate and gently squeeze the biscuit to give it more height.

Note: Carolyn enjoys making different shapes, but the shapes make a difference in the lightness of the biscuits. If you just cut them and place them on a baking sheet, they'll still work, but they won't be as good.

Place the biscuits closely together in a 9-inch square baking pan. Bake until puffed and very lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve piping hot.

Give one of these easy recipes a try and let us know how you liked them. 

Aunt Lavina's Favorite Recipe for Butternut Squash Wheat Biscuits

Aunt Lavina and Carolyn like to use fresh ingredients as often as possible. They raise a wide variety of vegetables and buy locally whenever they can. In Wild Wonderful Wanton Wraith, Aunt Lavina shares her stimulating and tantalizing recipes. This is a sample of her old fashioned cooking.

Anyone who has ever had a garden knows squash is something that seems to multiply on it's own. Jessup's Bed and Breakfast guests love butternut squash wheat biscuits dabbed with rich creamy butter and homemade jam.

A quick Squash Biscuit Recipe--Aunt Lavina prefers the next one

One and a half cups cooked squash, 3/4 cup sugar (or sugar substitute) 1/2 teasp. salt, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup hot milk, 1/4 yeast cake dissolved in 1/4 cup tepid water, 2 1/2 cups of flour or enough to make a soft dough. Let rise, make into small, very thin biscuits. Put 2 together, with butter between, brush with butter, cover, and after they rise a bit, bake at 400 degrees. 

 Aunt Lavina's Favorite 

Light and Flaky Squash Biscuits

Makes 20-24 Delicate, Sweet and Vibrant in Color Biscuits

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Baking Time: 18 minutes

2 cups whole-wheat flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cold butter (or substitute)

1 cup puréed squash

2 teaspoons honey (Aunt Lavina likes to add 1/2 cup sugar substitute)

1-4 tablespoons low-fat milk

v   Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and work into flour mixture with a pastry cutter until it's the size of small peas. (Tub butter substitute is easier to blend, but some people really prefer the taste of real butter--Aunt Lavina uses real butter)

v  . Mix honey into puréed squash, then stir into flour mixture. Add enough milk to make a soft dough.

v  . Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. With your hands, flatten it out to about a 1/2-inch thickness. Fold the dough in half as you would close a book. Rotate dough 90 degrees, pat it out, and fold it again. Repeat this twice, dusting with flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers. Work quickly to prevent the butter from becoming overly soft.

v  . After the last folding, roll out dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 1 1/2-inch rounds. To shape the biscuits, form your thumb and first finger into a crescent shape. Hold the biscuit upright in this crescent with your fingers curled around the cut edges. Rotate and gently squeeze the biscuit to give it more height.

Note: Carolyn enjoys making different shapes, but the shapes make a difference in the lightness of the biscuits. If you just cut them and place them on a baking sheet, they'll still work, but they won't be as good.

Place the biscuits closely together in a 9-inch square baking pan. Bake until puffed and very lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve piping hot.

Give one of these easy recipes a try and let us know how you liked them.