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.