December 21, 2012 Holiday's

December 21, 2012

So much has been going on at the Hooten House since Thanksgiving.  We had a great family gathering at my parents home.  I truly enjoyed the time with my brothers and their wives.  Several of my nieces and nephews along with the next generation were also there.  I love all the little ones they make me laugh or I get to snuggle with the new little ones. This is one of my favorite things.

This year my birthday was on Thanksgiving so my sweet husband took my mom and me to see the the touring New York  City Rocketts Christmas Show. It was so wonderful and very entertaining.  The first time I saw this program was when my daughter took me in 2007 when she lived in Houston.  This was a great gift and I enjoyed sharing it with my mother.

We left the next day on a 7 day cruise with our Daughter Christine and her husband Alex.  We went to the Grand Caymans, Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Cozumel, Mexico.  We enjoyed the trip and spending the time with Christine and Alex.  In the Grand Caymans we swam with the stingrays, this was a little strange when they would swim between your legs.  They feel like a wet portabella mushroom.   A lot of relaxing and great food, Christine and I tried the drink of the day everyday while laying out on the deck.  We also eat at the two speciality restaurants that were on the  Carnival Magic.  One was a Steak  House and the other was a Italian Restaurant. 

I had the Christmas Bazaar a week after we returned home and had a great time, I have several very talented friends.  All in all it was a good sale and we enjoyed visiting with each other as well as the customers.

Christmas is here and all is ready for Ho Ho to make his appearance.  I collect Santa's and our little Jacob is terrified of them,  he had me turn all of them to face the walls.  He then told me "Better"  after I turned them around.  I hope Santa gets out of time out in time for Christmas.

We are getting to spend our Christmas with a very special you man who has served his country proudly.  Chris was special forces with the Maines.  He is one of my sons friends who we are so happy he is joining us for our festivities.

I want to wish each and everyone of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  Have a wonderful holiday season; please remember those that have and are serving our country.

The Holidays are Upon Us Nov 21,2012

It's that time of year again there is a crispness in the air, the trees are changing colors as the days grow shorter. I'm starting to make list so that I might get everything done. Every year it seems my list grow longer.

I have been baking all week to get ready for all the holiday gatherings. I have several recipes that freeze well and lead themselves to being made ahead; so far 6 pumpkin rolls, Italian Cream Cake and several different truffles recipes.

I have to tell you about a moment that I shared with Jacob this week. I buy Powder Sugar at Costco so it's industrial size. The powder sugar was on the top shelf; I got the step stool and reached for the bag and by accident put my nails through the bag as I'm bring it down and sugar flies everywhere. I started cleaning it up and went to rinse my rag and when I returned Jacob was licking the floor. Needless to say I told him not to lick the floor. He looked up and was dead serious and said SUGAR; then went back to licking the floor. I wished I had taken a picture.

Last week getting ready for Christmas Baraaz - November 13, 2012

Last week I spent getting ready for the Christmas Bazaar I decided to have on December 8. I didn't think I would ever decorate for Christmas this early. Decorated 3 trees, my grandson really helped me out with this small task. I put the ornaments on the tree and he took them off. I so glad he really helped me out. He comes in every morning and stand in front of the trees and tell me lights. I now know this only assisted him in removing the ornaments. Guess he has his own vision for the trees.

I still have two more trees have to be decorated. Mantel is done, still need the bookcase decorated. Not sure at the present that I will get to the rest of the house before the Bazaar.

I will be spending the rest of the month finishing a few items for the Bazaar.

Making Cheese

This is a little late,  as they say better late than never.  Jerrell and I recently attended a class on making soft cheeses at The Ploughshare and absolutely had a wonderful time.  They presented a lot of information in a short amount of time.  We skimming cream from the raw milk and some of the cream we make it into butter.

Let me tell you I vote for progress and doing this by machine.  We put the cream in jars and then started shaking the jars.  This process required a lot of arm power and worked on the old lady upper arm jiggle.  I found this process should come with a warning to move away from your spouse or should I say behind him.

 Yummy!  We ate it on hot Cinnamon Raisin Bread

 

Next came Sour Cream and Cream Cheese, after you mix the cream and cultured buttermilk together we made a cheese cloth bag and hung it for 12 hours. After we finished all the hard work we got to eat some the teacher made earlier in the week.

 

Lip Smackin French Onion Dip  (I love Onion Dip)

 

Among other things we made cottage cheese, herbed cheese logs, feta, ricotta, yogurt, and labneh. 

 

plain yogurt with fresh strawberries

 

Ending our day with 30 minute mozzarella. 

 

 

As you can tell by now I forgot to take pictures of everything.

Update:
We went to a dairy on Friday and got 4 gallons of raw milk to try our hand at making cheese on our own.  Wish us luck!

 

 

 

 

 



October 23, 2012 Felted Acorns

October 23, 2012   Felted Acorns


I love acorns and find their shape fascinating; over the last several years I have tried to incorporate there shape into useful objects. I watched a you tube video on how to do needle felting and thought I would try my hand. A short shopping trip to Hobby Lobby to get the felting material and needles. I know that I need better felting fiber. These were difficult to fluff and get ready to work use. I can't wait to get better felting material. The process was actually fun now I may have to buy a book and get more ideas. If there is anyone out there hat know where I can get some large acorn caps or some of the giant burr oak acorns.

October 19, 2012 Week of Cookies

October 19, 2012  Week of Cookies

Jacob and I spent the week making cookies, which was an adventure to say the very least. My kitchen may never be the same sugar and butter is a lot of fun for a little boy. First butter is fun to smash between our fingers and rub on the counter top and on our clothes, instead of putting it in the bowl. This mission is quickly aborted; he may be still too young for this part of the process.

I made the dough and helped him use the cookie cutters. Next we were going to put sugar on some of the cookies before we baked them. Here a picture is worth a thousand words.

He seems to miss the concept of baking the cookies before eating them. OK this didn't go well either; he may be still too young for this part of the process.

I baked the rest of the cookies and thought I would give it one more try with the decorating part. I made the Royal Icing add the color to the different bowls and show him the process of using a spoon to put icing on the cookie. Yahoo he gets this part, next I give him sprinkles to add, and I'm back on that slippery slope; he may be still too young for this part of the process. Do you think he recognizes the sweet sugary sprinkles as candy? The rest of the process we are just going to call quality testing. We are going to send his entire decorating endeavors home with him. Not sure how many cookies he licked.

 

 

We had a very good day and after it was all done he told me "fun" with a big grin on his face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        

 

October 16, 2012 Mainstay Farm Pumpkin Patch

October 16, 2012  Mainstay Farm Pumpkin Patch

I'm a little behind on my blog this week.  I did want to let everyone know about this great Pumpkin Patch my niece told me about recently.  It's call Mainstay Farms we went with the family this last weekend. We had a great time watching the grandchildren have fun not to mention my son and husband to some amazing pictures.  It's always so much fun watching you kids and grandchild having fun and doing things for the first time.  Jacob had a great time feeding the goats for the first time he just giggled.

 

 

Jacob having fun looking at the different pumpkins.

 

 



Sydney and Preying Mantis were having a stare down.

Our little family checking out the different pumpkins. I had not idea there were so many.

October 16, 2012 Birchbox goop Sample Box

October  16, 2012   Birchbox goop  Sample Box

Have you ever wondered about all those sample boxes that are available.Well I have subscribed to three of them this month and am will to tell you my thought about the different boxes This month I was selected to receive the goop special boxes instead of the usual Birch Sample Box. If you know of one that you have wondered about let me know and I will check it out.

LemonZest Bar

The first item was a Luna LemonZest Bar, I have wanted to try these bars but just never got around to buying one. First thing I noticed when I opened the package was this very lemony smell. All-natural, certified kosher ingredients, soy rice crisp, organic oats and milled flaxseed, and pieces of lemon fruit. Gave my husband 1/2 the bar and I ate the other half. We thought it was pretty good. These have been around for awhile nothing new.



OROFLUIDO Elixir



A new hair care product for a sleek and straight style. Add a small amount of serum to palms of your hands and apply to damp, towel-dried hair. Can also be applied to completely dried hair. It has an amazing smell, you do have to like the vanilla fragrance with notes of amber.

The result were very good, hair was smoother, shiny, with no fly aways.  It actually did not look over processed and dry.  This product is a little pricey.  Overall a great product and does what it claims.

Chantecaille Faux Cils Mascara



This is high-performance, super-volumizing mascara. Instantly lengthens, thickens and accentuates the lashes without clumping.  Provides natural curl and bounce to lashes.

I have used a lot of super-volumizing mascaras so was a little skeptical.  All I can say is I LOVE this mascara.  Goes on like a dream,  does everything, gives you full lashes , didn't cake but it does condition your lashes making them super super soft, (no stiffness), and I had amazing visible length.


Embryolisse Anti-Aging Firming Cream


The French Rich Firming Cream combines soluble collagen with hyaluronic acid, which is used in  dermatology to visibly firm skin, boost tone and reduce wrinkles.

I've used the same serum for more than 15 years and would not give it up lightly but this product could most defiantly give me reason to switch.  I did like the feel of my skin after using the firming cream.

DDF Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer


 Is a daily moisturizer that exfoliates and hydrates to continuously refine the appearance of wrinkles and instantly reduces the look of pores.

This product get good reviews, however I have not tried it yet.

October 12, 2012 Makeup site

October 12, 2012  Makeup site

Here is a site that I recently became familiar with e.l.f. eyeslipsface.com.  The things I have tried have been good, I love the Studio Mineral Infused Face Primer and for $6.00 it's even better.  It is comparable to a much higher priced brands with the same results. I did compare three bands and I really could not tell a difference.  Really check this site out.

October 10, 2012 Taco Corn Bread Casserole

October 10, 2012   Taco Corn Bread Casserole

I found this recipe:  http://debbidoesdinnerhealthy.blogspot.com/2010/08/taco-corn-bread-casserole.html

My boys really did like it and said this recipe was a keeper

Taco Corn Bread Casserole

1 package (8 1/2 oz) corn bread/muffin mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
3 cups cooked taco seasoned meat
1 can black beans
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream, light
1 cup colby jack, cheddar or mexican cheese, shredded and divided
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 can sliced olives (optional, I didn't use)

In a large bowl, combine the corn bread, egg and milk until blended. Spread into an 8 x 8 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Combine taco meat and beans, spread over corn bread. Combine sour cream, 3/4 cup cheese and onion. Spread over meat mixture. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with tomato, lettuce and remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.

Total calories = 3252 calories
6 servings = 542 calories per serving


Taco Corn Bread Casserole = 542 calorie dinner

October 8, 2012 Aren't Grandkids Precious

October 8, 2012 Aren't Grandkids Precious

 Jacob my little angel was in the bathroom with me this morning while I styled my hair. He's talking to me so I assumed everything was fine. This very precious child was sitting just behind my chair so when I get up to get the hairspray. I hear this very familiar splat sound, the one that is made when you are trying to get the last little bit of hand lotion out of the tube. Now I know I only have several full tubes of hand lotion. Yes, he has emptied a whole tube of a little pricey hand lotion and was rubbing it all over the floor. He looked up with that little angelic face just grinning. Now I ask you; Aren't Grandkids Precious?

 

September 28, 2012  Hot Flash from Hell!!!

Sorry for the late timeline thought I had posted this earlier, evidently menopause effects you brain as well.

Call the doctor to complain about the Hot Flash from Hell!!! I thought I had had hot flashes before but let me tell you it was nothing compared to what I had over the weekend.  I felt like I was on fire from the inside out.  Hubby packed me in ice from head to toe.  I didn't have a dry stitch on.  With that came a headache that was pounding like wild drums.

I paid this man to tell me what I already knew; No Uterus No Ovaries equals Menopause. This is where you want to look at them and say Noooo!!!Really!!! You think!!!New hope springs eternal and all it takes is a patch and two creams. Oh yippee how lucky am I.

October 5, 2012 Cinnamon Rolls

October 5, 2012

The house smells amazing; I made 2 dozen sourdough cinnamon rolls last night. I must call the kids to come take them away. I absolutely love to bake, today I made 3 loafs of sourdough bread. Forgot to take pictures of the bread so I will make more bread this week with pictures.

Here is my Sourdough starter:
Sourdough starter I keep at room temperature and feed twice a day.  I'm still playing around with my starter trying to improve the flavor and crumb. 

Recipe for Sourdough Starter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar 
2 tsp dried malt extract (optional)
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) of active-dry  yeast 2 cups filtered warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.) (Chlorine in the water can stop the development of yeast)

Mix the flour, sugar, and yeast together in a clean and sterile container.

Cover the container with loose lid or loose plastic bonnet (one of the disposable shower caps works well), let it set on the counter it will start bubbling and fermenting.  This is when you start to feeding it twice daily.  If I'm not going to be baking for a couple of day I will remove 1 c of the starter and discard it.  Otherwise I would have starter all over the kitchen. Then  feed it 1 c filtered warm water, 1 c flour and only on the Second feeding I use another 2 t dried malt extract. 

Use the discarded  starter to make pancakes, waffles or biscuits (you get the idea)  I have even used it to make fry bread coated with powder sugar or honey as breakfast, snack or dessert.

 



Here is my recipe:

2 1/2 c filtered water

2 c active starter

2 T soften unsalted butter

1/2 c sugar

1 T salt

5 to 7 c bread flour

 

Mix water, starter, butter, sugar, salt and 2 c of flour until combined.  Slowly add remaining flour.  Dough should be soft and slightly sticky.  Let dough rest for 5 minutes then knead until smooth and elastic.  Place dough ball in a bowl  that has been  coated with 2 T olive oil until it doubled in size.

 

Punch dough down and knead for about 4  to 5 minutes.  Shape into a flattened log

 



 

Roll dough into a 15 x 24- rectangle

Spread 1 1/4 stick of unsalted butter over the rolled out dough



 

Mix 2 c brown sugar and 1/3 c Cinnamon in a bowl

Spread Sugar mixture over the dough

Spread 2 c Chopper Pecan

 

 

 

Roll dough toward yourself

Cut in half

Cut in half yet again

Cut each of those halves into thirds

Place cut side down into a greased 9" x 13" pan

Cover and let rise about 45 minutes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown

Cool on baking rake

 

 

Frost with  a simple powder sugar, milk and vanilla glaze

or 

Simple Glaze

1 c Powder Sugar

1 - 2 T milk

1 t vanilla extract

 

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 T butter, room temperature
1 c powdered sugar
2 T cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 -2 T milk
1 pinch salt

 

 

 

                                                

october 4, 2012 Sourdough Starter

October 4, 2012

Wanted to let everyone in on something funny that happened with my sourdough starter; I add the dried malt extract and stone ground red winter wheat to the starter that I made earlier. This afternoon I feed my starter and made supper, after we finished supper.  I was rinsing the dishes and I thought way do I smell fresh bread, looked over at the counter and the starter had turned in a growing  monster of goo.  It was growing and creeping over the top. down the sides of the container not to mention it was taking over the counter top.  It was a awful sticky mess, guess I never thought of how sticky the starter was until I had to clean it up.  But, on a good note the starter smell amazing.  Looking forward to using it tomorrow, think I will make cinnamon rolls and bread.

October 2, 2012

October 2, 2012

Today has been pretty uneventful.  Jerrell and I spent the morning together running a couple of errands.  I needed to get dried malt extract for my sourdough starter.  I’m looking to improve the flavor and texture;  I will also add a little Rye flour.  I know my starter is bubbling away and ready for me to start baking.  I will take some of the old starter and start adding the changes.  Will take pictures for all to see when I get the new starter going as well as the results.

We then went to find a compound bow target for me.  Mine has fallen apart and is no longer safe for me to shot.  I didn’t find one at that I liked, want to make sure it’s safe since I shoot in the backyard.  I find shooting to be a great release, with every arrow I find the tension and stress just melt away.  Big Tip: don’t use your husband’s sheds as a back stop; my arrows just go right into the wood.  Thus leaving holes in the side, I now have a shooting blanket behind the target.

September 27, 2012 Menopause and Growing Older

Here I sit in my stylist chair looking at the older fluffy lady in the mirror that I hardly recognize; I wonder where I went and when. She looks sad and very unhappy.  Could that possibly be someone else, no it truly is me.  I don't think I realized I had changed so much. Really don't feel older, seems like yesterday I was a young wife and mother.

Life can be cruel and kind of fickle at times.  One of her acts of cruelty is the ability of our face into so creature from the dark lagoon.  How you say, take your hand mirror and lay it on the counter now bend over and look at yourself.  I discovered this while preforming the morning transformation of my face when I leaned over my hand mirror and accidently looked down.  I will never repeat never do this again.  Don't know about you, my face was sliding off faster than the speed of light.  Think about this the next time you bent over and cooing at a baby or kiss your kids/grandkids goodnight.

January 24, 2012 Family

January 24, 2012

Well today is Monday so that means Jacob is here.  He is 18 months and hit the door with a big smile on his little face.  He calls Mimi, Poppa, Mimi, Poppa over and over, what Jacob and he just smiles.  I remember back at a time when I developed select hearing and wanted to change my name.  Then his sweet little face shots me one of his big cheesy smiles and he throws his little arms around me.  This melts his Mimi’s heart and he gets anything his little heart desires.

It’s amazing what grandkids do for your soul.  I sit back and just laugh and think of all the times I thought and said I hope you have a kid just like you someday.  The best part is that he did!!!  God does have a sense of humor.

September 21, 2012 Menopause Adventure

September 21, 2012  Menopause Adventure

Menopause is an adventure, hot flashes, mood swings, thinning hair and physical changes of your body that should never be experienced by anyone let alone a woman. Have we not done enough? We put our bodies through nine months of hell, have a beautiful baby that pees, poops and spits up on us. The next eighteen years are not much better; they still pee, poop and spit up on you only in different ways. We get to listen to them complain about how unfair their life is. I often wanted to say you haven't seen anything yet.

Now back to my favorite topic these days, well that would be Menopause the Adventure. Now I thought I went through menopause at 30, it is known as surgical menopause. Removal of uterus and one ovary lots of with repair work on second ovary this equaled hot flashes, mood swings, irritability, trouble sleeping. Then came the little purple pill, everyone in my house loved the little purple pill, aka mom's sanity.

Life has had its ups and downs since the little purple pill. Being a woman as I have mentioned our bodies take a beating. As we get older some of our parts start falling and the muscle weaken, so now we pee on our self. You fear laughing, crying or even sneezing, and start caring a change of clothing and undergarments. (NOTE TO SELF: Design an adult diaper bag and come up with a better name.)

 

Hi,

My name is Rhonda.  I am and have always been a control freak.  One would think after 57 years I would learn that is not an option in life.  I have been married 33 years, to the most wonderful man in the world. I have 2 step daughters, one son, one daughter-in-law, one son-in-law, one granddaughter and one grandson.  Not to mention two dogs which I refer to as the girls.  Lily is a toy poodle, she is my special love, always greets you with such exuberance.  Sadie is a Golden Retriever that doesn’t get over excited about anything except food. 

I have a creative side that I have to let come out and explore where it is going to take me.  I do express it in several ways.

I love to bake and cook for my family and friends. I take lots of class trying to learn new techniques.  My next venture in the kitchen is soft cheese making.  I will be taking everyone here on my journey.

Embroidery is another passion of mine, I find it soothing.  I have discovered that I enjoy the process of stitching more than the finishing work.  I also enjoy quilting and love hiding out in my sewing room.  I can loss all track of time when I’m in my little haven.

This last year I lost my passion and I am hoping to find it again.  I will share with everyone the journey that is my every changing life.