For the Love of Lime!

If I were given a chance to save only ONE fruit from extinction, my choice would definitely be the LIME.  Maybe it's their pure pucker power, or how it brightens up a simple glass of ice water, but whatever its drawing power, it is one of my favorite fruit flavors!

Now the question ... what is the difference between a lime and a key lime?  Most of my recipes call for key limes, which have a much more acidic "bite" and take all of my recipes to another level of sparkle! 

One of my favorite LIME recipes are for these lovely meltaway bites ... they literally just melt in your mouth!   The first time I made these I had my adult children doubled over in pain from laughing so hard as I described how I had to first zest and then squeeze 20+ of these little baby key limes in order to get enough juice for a double batch of this recipe.   My visual was of squeezing something the size of a marble with my pinkies pointed out and of course making what I thought was a good impression of squeezing a lime ... it still makes them smile whenever I say the words KEY LIME. 

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons key lime zest*
1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 Tablespoon Key lime juice*

For sugar-dusting

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons key lime zest*


*Note: If you can’t find Key limes, simply substitute more common limes for this recipe. The tart flavor will be less intense, but the cookie will still taste delicious. Warning: Lime juice may curdle your butter so follow this recipe’s directions. Do not add the lime juice to the dough until the end of the mixing process.

Step 1 – First preheat the oven to 325° F. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Blend in the vanilla extract, salt, and lime zest. Add the flour and baking powder, and mix very briefly until a shaggy dough forms.

Step 2 – Now add your lime juice and mix until a smooth dough comes together, but do not over-mix or your cookies will be tough instead of tender.

Step 3 – Roll the dough into balls about one inch in diameter. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cookies are done when bottoms are slightly browned. Note that cookies are fragile while warm, so handle with care.

Step 4 – To finish, mix 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar with 2 teaspoons of lime zest in a shallow bowl. While cookies are still warm, gently roll them, one at a time, in the bowl of sugar and lime zest. After all cookies are coated, finish by sprinkling any remaining sugar-lime mixture over cookie tops. Store cooled cookies in an airtight plastic container. They also freeze extremely well. I store my extras in freezer-safe re-sealable plastic bags.

Handcrafted Inspirations

There are some really delightful projects in this free online issue Stamping & Company Handcrated Inspirations.  Click on the link to see what I mean ...




http://stampington.com/freedigitalmag/2012/index.html

Extreme Snickerdoodles!

One of my kids' FAVORITE cookies have always been snickerdoodles ... and take into account my son's OBSESSION with all things cinammon, this treat is a definite must!





Always looking to improve my basic cookies recipes, a few years ago Hershey's came out with cinnamon chips and of course my first thought was to add them to an already good cinnamon based treat.  And don't skimp.  Add the FULL bag of Cinnamon Chips!  Trust me on this one!

Here's the recipe:

1 1/2 cups sugar


1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

2 eggs

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

EXTREME INGREDIENT:  One full bag of cinnamon chips!

COATING:

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon


Heat oven to 400ºF.

Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, the butter, shortening and eggs in large bowl. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.  Add cinnamon chips.

Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool.

 
And if you like the idea of adding chips to your cookies, try adding a full bag of peanut butter chips to your next batch of peanut butter cookies ... talk about over the top yumminess! 

Would you like fries with that?

Yep ... it's National French Fries Day! 

Although the exact origin of French fries is unknown, one theory suggests that they date back to 17th century Belgium. The inhabitants of this region often cooked small fried fish to accompany their meals. When weather conditions made it too dangerous to go fishing, they cut up potatoes in long, thin strips (to resemble the fish) and fried them!







I like french fries with hamburgers, hot dogs, and steak.

I like just eating french fries by themselves. 

I like french fries with ketchup or mayo & ketchup mixed together.

I like french fries with steak sauce & mayo mixed together.

I like plain french fries and seasoned french fries.

I like thick french fries and thin french fries.

I like plain steak fries and crinkle cut french fries.

I like french fries.
But wait ...





Zucchini and carrot fries?  Naw !!!

Domestic Goddess

I just discovered 7 Dots Studio and am in love with their new collections, Domestic Goddess and Hopefully. 

Go and check out their blog here: 

http://7dotsstudio.com/en/archives/category/blog-2. 


If you like vintage like me, then you will ADORE this new collage sheet:





Wouldn't these images make some fantastic fun cards??!!


And if I still haven't got your attention, take a look at these new papers ... oh my ...






So head over now and tell Tusia I sent you!  I just know you are going to become a fan!

Why didn't I think of that?

Freeze coffee into ice cubes and add to Bailey's Irish Cream or Almond Milk.

YUM!

Brain Freeze!

Did you know that July is National Ice Cream Month?




What better excuse (as if you need one) to whip out that ice cream maker and churn up some of your favorite frozen treats!  And nowadays you can actually make ice cream right in your freezer.  But some of my favorite memories are when my dad would take the wooden ice cream maker out into the back yard on a hot summer day and mom would pour in the sugar, eggs, vanilla and cream, and dad would cover it in ice and rock salt and each of us kids would take turns "cranking" the handle until almost 30 minutes later (and a lot of tired arms) we had homemade ice cream.  And boy of boy there was NOTHING that compares to the taste of that cold treat on a hot summer day!  Even though you were guaranteed to get "brain freeze" from eating it too fast ... but that was all part of the experience! 




And if you were lucky enough to get one of the "paddles" away from dad, you were in sweet vanilla ice cream heaven (and in need of a water hose bath afterwards!!)

For my Daughter and Granddaughter

I saw this list (credit to http://lisajobaker.com) and just HAD to share it on my blog as it sums up PERFECTLY what it means to be a mother to a daughter ... this is for you, Laura!  And for Paisley when she's old enough to appreciate it!


100 Things I Want to Teach My Daughter and Granddaughter!


1.Beauty is a state of mind, not a state of body.

2.The benefit of the doubt is sometimes the best gift we can give our friends.

3.There will always be mean girls – that doesn’t mean we find a tower and Rapunzel ourselves away from the world.

4.Your daddy has loved you better and longer than any boy ever will.

5.Your brothers will teach you how boys should treat you.

6.You’re always welcome in my wardrobe.

7.The world needs your point of view.

8.Food is a joy.

9.Your body is strong and capable of more than you can imagine right now.

10.Ice cream is a love language.

11.Cook, decorate, clean, organize because you love to, not because someone tells you you’re meant to.

12.Music makes everything better.

13.Dance – especially when you’re doing the laundry.

14.You’ll never be too old for me to rock you.

15.Nothing you tell me will ever make me want to stop hearing from you.

16.We need your story.

17.No prayer request is ever too small, too silly or too embarrassing to share.

18.Washing your face every night is the best kind of beauty routine.

19.Sunscreen – you got my British genes.

20.Mr. Darcy and popcorn make for a perfect evening.

21.Blue eyes really do melt hearts.

22.Betty Crocker’s chocolate fudge is the best in the world.

23.A good movie can change how you understand someone else.

24.Words can build bridges between people.

25.Home is not where we live but who we love.

26.Gumboot dancing.

27.Your name holds a special meaning for us.

28.Inevitably I will splinter your heart. But we will tweeze it out together.

29.You taught me how to feel beautiful.

30.Staying up late to read a good book is never time wasted.

31.Good girls aren’t boring.

32.A great mascara is always worth the investment.

33.4pm high tea is one of the best parts of being part South African.

34.The “mommy wars” are a myth; we’re all in this together.

35.The best way never to worry about anyone gossiping about you is never to gossip about anybody.

36.Saying sorry first is a sign of strength not a weakness.

37.I’m on your side; especially on the days when it doesn’t feel like it.

38.Your body is not just yours. It’s a gift for your husband. I promise it’s worth waiting to unwrap together.

39.Sex for the first time will require a beautiful sense of humor and a partner who’s in it for life.

40.The movies lie. Passion isn’t a contorted exercise on a marble staircase, it’s doing the dishes together and lying with your feet touching in bed at the end of a long day.

41.Marriage is an act of courage, commitment and sacrifice. It’s also the most fun you’ll ever have with your best friend.

42.Always fight fair. But don’t be afraid to fight.

43.Long hair requires a really good conditioner.

44.God says He has made all things beautiful – that includes you, my love – no matter how you feel about your body

45.Fashion is not my forte; I look forward to learning from you.

46.I love the curves you and your brothers added to my body.

47.A good cry is great therapy.

48.Christian women aren’t immune from cliques. Love on regardless.

49.Bad hair days are inevitable.

50.A strong man is never threatened by a strong woman.

51.Go big even if it means failing big. Especially then.

52.Be the friend you wish you had.

53.Travel.

54.You can’t control what others think about you. Let it go.

55.A first kiss should be toasted, treasured, savored.

56.I will be your best friend. But I will be your mother more.

57.Your dad will teach you about music. He has the best eclectic taste.

58.You can’t go wrong with The Civil Wars

59.Stop for sunsets.

60.Prince Charming isn’t a fairytale, he’s a myth

61.Daughters teach us about our mothers. You gave me back my mom.

62.Jesus loves you for you. Not for your ability to bear children.

63.Husbands need a wife. Not another mom.

64.It’s true what they say about childbirth and then some.

65.Love waits.

66.Patience is never wasted.

67.Don’t just Instagram your life. Live it.

68.Dad will be the one helping you with math homework.

69.Don’t be afraid of a broken heart.

70.The only thing holding you back from making a difference in the world will be yourself.

71.South African pancakes are better than American ones.

72.Girlfriends are the best kind of free therapy there is.

73.Don’t be afraid to be foolish.

74.Real life is always better than online.

75.A good friend loves at all times. Period.

76.Read everything written by Madeleine L’Engle.

77.Eating too much nerds candy will be something your teeth make you regret in your thirties.

78.I’m more interested in your growth than your happiness.

79.I will earthquake wide open when you hurt.

80.If it makes you feel uncomfortable, don’t do it, wear it or say it.

81.Challenge yourself.

82.Walk across the Charles Bridge in Prague.

83.Learn at least one other language.

84.Cross-cultural marriage is much harder than you can ever imagine when you first fall in love.

85.Homesickness never gets easier.

86.But Dramamine is the perfect cure for motion sickness on 18 hour flights.

87.We need each other.

88.Bad haircuts grow out eventually.

89.You will love again.

90.The painful truth is always easier than a messy lie.

91.Jesus loves you, this I know. In my heart, my bones, my soul.

92.There’s no such thing as perfect.

93.You can always come home.

94.Nothing will make me love you less.

95.Nothing will make me love you more.

96.The mirror is not the boss of you.

97.You’re the most brave when you’re the most scared and keep going anyway.

98.Womanhood is a gift.

99.I’m never tired of being your mother.

100.You will always be my baby girl.

HAPPY NATIONAL FRIED CHICKEN DAY!

You gotta love this holiday, as nothing is as american (except maybe apple pie) as fried chicken.  It's been a staple of every picnic gathering I can remember in my family.  Here's one of MY favorite recipes for this golden delight.







3 eggs

1/3 cup water

About 1 cup hot red pepper sauce

2 cups self-rising flour

1 teaspoon pepper

Lawry's season salt

pepper to taste

1 to 2 1/2-pound chicken, cut into pieces

Oil, for frying, preferably peanut oil



Directions

In a medium size bowl, beat the eggs with the water. Add enough hot sauce so the egg mixture is bright orange. In another bowl, combine the flour and pepper. Season the chicken with spices listed. Dip the seasoned chicken in the egg, and then coat well in the flour mixture.

Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a deep pot. Do not fill the pot more than 1/2 full with oil.

Fry the chicken in the oil until brown and crisp. Dark meat takes longer then white meat. It should take dark meat about 13 to 14 minutes, white meat around 8 to 10 minutes.

Happy Independence Day!

We're having a heat wave!

I just knew that having SUCH a mild winter and early beautiful spring would come back to haunt us ... and it has ... with a vengence!  Temps this week are going to be at or near the 100 degree mark !!  So it's probably hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk!




I moved AWAY from Arizona because I didn't like the extreme hot weather.  And here I am in the midwest having to endure this oppressive heat!  I'm thinking that maybe it has something to do with all that heat coming off the screen and bouncing off the women in the audience with the permier of Magic Mike?


 


I'm actually going to see that with a good friend of mine this week ... of course, I'm expecting oscar winning acting and a good plot with a twist.  LOL!


So right now I'm thinking of running out and purchasing a snow cone machine ... and just standing under it !!




I remember having these as a kid and always being disappointed once I had sucked out all of the flavoring and all that was left was ice.  I think I even had one of the original "snoopy" snow cone machines where you dropped in a single ice cube and had to turn the crank SEVERAL times in order to get maybe a tablespoon of shaved ice ... but what the heck ... it didn't take much to impress us kids back in the 1960's !!


But whatever your favorite way to escape the heat is, have a great week ahead and a safe July 4 celebration!

Tutu adorable for words!

And here is my darling little granddaughter, Paisley, at age six months.

Talk about a cutie patootie!! 

He Just Takes My Breath Away!

Seriously ... have you EVER seen SUCH handsome young face??!! 

Those big brown eyes slay me every time. 

This is a photo of my grandson, Jonas, who just turned FOUR!!

He is going to be a heartbreaker for sure!  

And he has such a loving personality to go with those GQ looks!

I love a good history lesson!

Happy first "Official Day" of Summer!!!!

A Knob of Butter

One of my favorite blogs to visit for English recipes is Marie's blog, The English Kitchen.  She has some really great recipes using ingredients as only the English dare.  But what I really love is reading the ingredients list.  Check out her recipe for "bangers" (and I don't know why, but I always chuckle when I see a reference to sausage bangers).





Cider and Honey Braised Bangers

Serves 4
Easy and delicious. This is a meal that cooks itself.




8 good quality thick and meaty sausages 
    (thick and meaty ... makes sense)


225ml of Apple Cider (1 cup)
    (so glad Marie includes cup measurements or I would be lost)


2 TBS runny honey
    (okay ... runny honey ... as opposed to thick honey? ... just makes me laugh)


1/2 tsp dried thyme
    (I can handle this)


1 small cabbage, trimmed, cored and cut into wedges
    (who doesn't like a good wedgie?)


a knob of butter
    (knob ... not sure how much a knob is supposed to be but probably sure it isn't the size
     of a door knob!  I'm thinking probably a tablespoon, but will google it).


Melt the butter in a skillet large enough to hold your sausages and the cabbage. (You will need one with a lid.) Once the butter begins to foam, add the sausages. Brown over medium heat on first one side, and then the other. Once they are browned, tuck in the wedges of cabbages wherever they will fit. Sprinkle all with the thyme. Drizzle with the honey and pour over the cider. Cover tightly and turn to low. Braise for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the lid and scoop out the cabbage wedges. Cover and keep warm. Turn up the heat under the skillet and continue to cook the sausages, as the liquid bubbles away, turning them occasionally, until they are nicely glazed and the pan has some nice thick juices in it. Divide the sausages and cabbage amongst 4 heated plates and drizzle with some of those scrummy pan drippings.

So go over and give a shout out to Marie and check out her archives for some really amazing recipes, etc.
Here's the link to the recipe above:

http://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/06/cider-and-honey-braised-sausages.html

Working Mom's Cinnamon Rolls

We had my daughter over for dinner last night ... although it was actually breakfast foods that we served. I made some soft scrambled eggs, grilled up a thick ham slice and then made "cinnamon buns". My grandmother always made these for me when I spent the night - she was a FIRM believer in not letting anything go to waste. My kids grew up on them as well as I always seemed to have leftover buns and these treats were SO quick and easy to throw together for them in the morning before school. It's the easiest thing to make and the essence of comfort food. This photo was the ONLY one I could find on the internet that came close to what they look like. They are made with leftover hamburger or hot dog buns ... either works just as well. You just slather the buns with real butter, sprinkle a good portion of brown sugar on top and then generously sprinkle with cinnamon. Put these under the broiler for about three to five minutes. You can tell when they are done as the brown sugar will melt into the butter. Don't let them stay under the fire too long or the topping will get too "crunchy". Just watch them closely and once the butter has melted nicely with the brown sugar pull them out and enjoy.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!!

I love this photo of my dad.  So young and full of dreams of the future. Coming from a hard life on a small rural Nebraska farm, he could not have known what an amazing future he had ahead of him.  He would go on to become a successful master plumber with his own business, which allowed him to take us on amazing family vacations and to a yearly retreat at an ocean side condo every year where he would enjoy deep sea fishing.  He had the ability to make fast and enduring friendships and saw the good in everyone. He was such a hard worker.  And he LOVED (and still loves) gadgets ... new inventions that made life easier ... or at least a bit more fun.  And if anyone was in need of help, there was no question but that dad would do everything he could without expecting anything in return.  I am so very proud (and so very blessed) to have him for my dad.  Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Summertime, and the living is easy ...

I found this lovely photo during my blog hopping and couldn't resist sharing it with my readers. Is this not THE most delightful looking picnic setting??!!  Oh, but I would love to be sitting there right now with a good book and not a worry in the world. 

Me and Miss Paisley!

What a glorious day spent with my sweet little granddaughter Paisley.  Here she is at almost SIX MONTHS old already.  It'll be a blink of an eye and she'll be crawling!  I'm just trying to hold onto her baby sweetness as long as I can. 

The event this photo was taken was a birthday celebration for my precious little niece, Avlyn ... here she is telling us that she is TWO!





Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound ... !

The boy can JUMP!!! 

My grandson, Jonas, should be wearing his super hero cape in this photo. 

I think I should contact the Olympic high jump committee to give them a heads up on some future talent!

Five Ingredients or Less Recipe

One of my favorite recipe publishers is Gooseberry Patch.  I actually have several family recipes that I've submitted to them over the years and have had published in their delightful cookbooks.  They have a new call out for recipes that are five ingredients or less.  The first one that comes to mind is my son's FAVORITE salmon dish - Salmon Patties.  Here's my recipe for this quick fix hearty meal.

1 can sockeye salmon (drained with bone cartilege removed)


2 cups refrigerated sour cream and chive flavored mashed potatoes

1/2 cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs (or you can use crushed saltines as well)

1 egg (beaten)

3 tablespoons snipped fresh dill

Directions

In bowl combine salmon, potatoes, bread crumbs, and dill. Form salmon mixture in eight 3-1/2-inch cakes. Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Cook cakes over medium-high heat 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until heated through and browned. Makes 4 servings.






My son likes his salmon patties topped with creamed peas, which is just a simple white sauce and a can of peas.  This is definitely one of our favorite family comfort foods!

I'm married to a senior citizen.

My dear husband turned 65 this past Sunday.  I thought I would help him embrace his becoming a "senior" with a few advantages he now has over the rest of us young whippersnappers.


Some Advantages To Turning 65


People no longer consider you a hypochondriac.

Your assorted joints can forecast weather changes.

No one expects you to run into a burning building.

There's nothing left to learn the hard way.

Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them.

In a hostage situation you're likely to be released first.

You enjoy hearing about other people's operations.

Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.

You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks in the room.

Kidnappers are not very interested in you.

Your eyes won't get much worse.

You can sing along with elevator music.

Happy Birthday, Honey!  Looking forward to spending my golden years with you ... but you have a while to wait for me (grinning).

Vacation Days - Faster Than a Speeding Bullet

Having just returned from ten days of vacation, I sit here and wonder, "where the heck did the time go to?"  The weeks leading up to my vacation seemed to just drag, and then a few days before with preparation and anticipation, there seemed to be less than adequate hours available in order to get things done. Then BAM, we're on the airplane heading out of town and anticipating some fabulous memory-making days ahead.  I found the following article about why time seems to fly faster the older we get.  I thought the author made some really good points of fact.




As people get older, "they just have this sense, this feeling that time is going faster than they are," says Warren Meck, a psychology professor at Duke University.


This seems to be true across cultures, across time, all over the world.

No one is sure where this feeling comes from.

Scientists have theories, of course, and one of them is that when you experience something for the very first time, more details, more information gets stored in your memory. Think about your first kiss.

Neuroscientist David Eagleman of Baylor College of Medicine says that since the touch of the lips, the excitement, the taste, the smell — everything about this moment is novel — you aren't embroidering a bank of previous experiences, you are starting fresh.

Have you noticed, he says, that when you recall your first kisses, early birthdays, your earliest summer vacations, they seem to be in slow motion? "I know when I look back on a childhood summer, it seems to have lasted forever," he says.

That's because when it's the "first", there are so many things to remember. The list of encoded memories is so dense, reading them back gives you a feeling that they must have taken forever. But that's an illusion. "It's a construction of the brain," says Eagleman. "The more memory you have of something, you think, 'Wow, that really took a long time!'

"Of course, you can see this in everyday life," says Eagleman, "when you drive to your new workplace for the first time and it seems to take a really long time to get there. But when you drive back and forth to your work every day after that, it takes no time at all, because you're not really writing it down anymore. There's nothing novel about it."

That may be because the brain records new experiences — especially novel and exciting experiences — differently. This is even measurable. Eagleman's lab has found that brains use more energy to represent a memory when the memory is novel.

So, first memories are dense. The routines of later life are sketchy. The past wasn't really slower than the present. It just feels that way.

Older people have novel experiences — lots of them. Some of us have crazier middle ages than youths. We fall in love, out of love. Then our parenting years are filled with watching our babies' first thises, first thats. Retired people travel — if they can afford to — to duplicate some of those rushes of novel experiences.

Yes, it's true, the youngest years are chock full of novelty, but Duke's Warren Meck points out that when you hit your 60s and 70s, and time is beginning to run out, experiences get more precious and once again you remember all the details.

So take this "novelty" explanation for why time moves faster as you age and weigh it as you will.

So Proud to be an American

Vacations - Yep - They're Like This!

This is my final day of vacation and I can so relate to the photo below.  Sterling and I left last Friday for Denver and had a FABULOUS time with my son and daughter-in-law at their home in Parker. My son is a wonderful cook, and we landed in time for dinner, which he was cooking as we drove in. He has such a way with grilled foods and we had a delicious dinner of bison burgers, chicken burgers and seasoned grilled veggies. 





But it didn't stop there!  We spent Saturday at a beer sampling event at Tipsy's where all the Colorado micro breweries had booths where you could sample their different beers.  While I'm not a beer lover, and my son doesn't drink either, we enjoyed watching our two significants hop from booth to booth.  Sunday we had yet another relaxing day.  My son prepared a pasta dish I had found on Pinterest which had fresh asparagus, penne pasta, and a sweetened butter balsalmic vinegar dressing. It turned out QUITE tasty! 

Monday we rented a car and spent two glorious days up in the mountains at Black Hawk. There really is something so therapeutic about sitting on a veranda, sipping a Starbucks with the crisp mountain air and tall pines surrounding you.  Wednesday we drove back down the mountain and met the kids for a delicious lunch at the Elephant Bar and then headed to the airport for our return to reality.

Of course, with vacations comes cleanup and laundry, which I did on Thursday, along with making a trip over to Whole Foods to stock up on some groceries!

Tonight we're having my nephew and his fiance and daughter over for a belated birthday dinner.  I'm making my famous lasagna and apple crisp for dinner.  Also making some monster M&M cookies for his daughter, Hailey, to enjoy. 

And then tomorrow kicks off the holiday weekend, and we're having the family over on Monday for an afternoon cookout.  I'm also hoping to get in a few hours of crafting on Saturday.

And Sunday my hubby turns 65.  Not sure yet what we'll be doing, but I'll do my best to make it a special day for him.

Wishing everyone a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend!

Oopps ... I did it again!

Seriously, there is nothing quite like seeing something you've created premiered in a prestigious papercrafting magazine.  I was so delighted and surprised to see yet another one of my card creations chosen to be published in the Spring 2012 Stampington & Company Take Ten publication.  Just makes me smile out loud!!

 

Here's the page and my card:

 

Paisley Sideways

I couldn't figure out how to rotate this photo, but figured you all could have fun doing so!  Here's a pic of Paisley at 5 months old ... she's starting to chatter, roll, bounce, giggle and has a smile for just about everybody! 

National Buttermilk Biscuits and Gravy Day

A special day just for Biscuits and Gravy?

Now you're talking!!

And here's one of my favorite recipes from Ree Drummond (back before she got famous), and one that I still use time and time again.







http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/09/biscuits_and_gr/

Me Oh My, I Love Pie !!

It's strawberry season and the MOST requested recipe around our house is Strawberry Pie! 

I have a recipe that was given to me by my children's grandmother, Kay Rosenthal.  And I have yet to find any other recipe that can compare.  And don't cheat and use a boughten crust.  This crust is so flakey and delish and you seriously can't mess it up!

Several years ago I made my daughter and daughter-in-law family recipe albums as a holiday gift.  Here's the page I made featuring Kay's winning recipe.

You can click on the image to get a large view of the recipe, but here it is below for your convenience.  Go ahead and make it this weekend ... you  know you want to !!

CRUST:

2 cups flour

1 cup Crisco

1 tablespoon sugar

dash of salt

5 tablespoons ICE water

Prepare crust by blending all ingreidents with pastry blender and roll out for a 9-inch crust (prick crust with fork before baking).  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until thoroughly cooked and lightly browned.  Cool completely.

FILLING:

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

3 tablespoons strawberry jello

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1+ quarts fresh strawberries (enough to fill 9 inch pie crust)

Mix sugar and cornstarch.  Add water.  Cook until thickened and clear.  Add jello to mixture and stir until dissolved.  Cool. 

Fill cooled crust with washed, stemmed and hulled berries.  Pour gelatin mixture over fruit.  Chill until set (approximately 5 hours).  Garnish with FRESH whipped cream.

Brother and Sister

Everytime I look back at Jonas' baby photos, I am AMAZED at the similarities between he and Paisley.  You can definitely tell these two are siblings!  WOW!

Jonas at five months

Paisley at five months

Happy Birthday to my Grandson, Jonas

My sister, Gloria, is SO good about taking pictures at all of our family events. 

Here's a photo of my grandson, Jonas, celebrating his 4th birthday this past weekend.  Oh my, four years old already??!!

It seems like it was just yesterday that he was learning to crawl.  Which is what his sister, Paisley, is now getting ready to do.   And here's a unique way of altering a photo ... it's called pencil drawing and it can be applied to any photo to give it that "artsy" look.  Pretty cool, huh?!  This is a photo of me (Grandma Cat) holding precious Paisley and watching Jonas open some of his birthday gifts.

And Jonas received a "cape" and was called Super Jonas all afternoon.
Here he is on the trampoline trying to fly!



Drive With a View

I can't remember which blog I was on today, but I came across this lovely photo and thought to myself, now what I wouldn't give to have THAT as a road hazard just once in my lifetime.  The photo was taken in an England village.



Do You Believe in Fairies?

I am still a HUGE believer in fairies ... aren't you?

There is just something so magical when I see Tinkerbell flying across the Disney screen.

And who doesn't wish they had a bag of fairy dust!

So thinking I'm going to put the hubby to work on creating a little door that we can add to the wall in our basement ... with just enough of an opening behind the door to leave fun little notes for my grandchildren to discover.  What d'ya think?

How to Babysit a Grandpa

My sweet grandson turns 4 next week, and I found this ADORABLE book to give him for his birthday.  He loves to read AND loves to giggle, and this book will have him doing BOTH! 




National Arbor Day

National Arbor Day is celebrated each year on the last Friday in April.  Founded by J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska in 1872, Arbor Day is a nationally celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and tree care.


Here's a link for an interactive history lesson on National Arbor Day:  http://www.arborday.org/arborday/history.cfm



It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Happiness is munching on grandma's cookies while reading a book of adventure under the shade of a tree on a summer afternoon.  ~Lil Child

And there's nothing quite like the colors of fall!



 

Yes, we had a tire swing in our yard growing up!!

 

 

 

 

 

And there is nothing as lovely as the cherry blossoms in spring!

 

We are so lucky, as Nebraska is where it all began, and we are only about 45 minutes from Nebraska City, where all the Arbor Day activities are held.  Take a look!

 

http://www.arbordayfarm.org/