Love Food & Live Well

What an interesting book! I love how Mrs. Hobbs makes the reader think about the connection between food & God. He created it for us why wouldn't He want us to enjoy it!







It is full of all kinds of helpful tips & recipes. I am anxious to find her other books & read them as well.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.”

Springtime!

Is springtime on it's way in your neck of the woods? It is here! The robins have been back for about 2 weeks now & the walking onions have begin to peek their greenery out of the dirt!

It starts a bug in me that wants to get out & start digging in the garden. I went out yesterday to check on things & when I opened the cold frame it came off its hinges. Guess that will have to be a project to put on the to do list!

We will be seeding the pasture again this year & so that is on the list for this week end. As I walked the garden & yard I noticed little tufts of green throughout trying to break through to the sun! I can't wait for the brown to go away & the green to reappear!

What have you got in mind for your gardens this year? Are you still in the planning stage or are you like me ready to start digging?

Farmmade.com

Farmmade.com


Come on over & visit my shop! Stop by & see all the neat things made by Farm Girls! Some are new, some are old, some are vintage but all are great!!

Just wondering?!?

Ever wonder how this whole internet thing will end up? Will it go the wayside like the typewriter? Will it become the only way to communicate?

I have seen it become the best way for scam artists to attack people! There is no recourse-you have no way to find them!! Do not take any mystery shopping jobs from Secret Shopper! It is a scam! The first emails you get are believable from Dianne Scholes but then it becomes weird! They start coming from Micheal Scholes & you never get paid!! Take care & don't get taken advantage of!!

If anything sounds to good to be true -it is-don't fall for it!!!

3 Books in One!

This is a wonderful children's book. It covers so many of the questions that children ask. It gives simple but wonderful answers to those questions.


I love the art work! It just looks inviting!



The author has a great way to connect with kids. It helps the kids use their imaginations to see the polar bear family as they talk through all of this.


I am saving this one again for the grandbabies!!!I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.”

60 Minutes!

The 60 Minute Money Workout Book by Ellie Kay  is a tremendous help. I feel it gave very basic steps to help you overcome your money fears. it makes a straightforward simple process to work through. I would suggest that anyone struggling witht their finances take a look. “I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.”

What a Great Story!

What a touching little story about the birth of Jesus. It brought tears to my eyes! The art work is very nicely done.


It should be in every child's Christmas collection! This will be one I read to my grandchildren every Christmas to remind them to give their all for Jesus.
“I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.”

What a Great Kids book!

Wow! I love the art work. The bright colors & wonderful animals are super! Any kid would love this!


It takes Ephesians 3:17-19 right down to where a kid can understand it with things that kids can see in their own worlds!


This one is going to be read to the grandbabies!
“I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.”

Eggs! Eggs! More Eggs!

What do you do when you are overcome with eggs from your lovely ladies? Why you can always make pasta! I made several kinds last week.

First you put 2 cups flour in a bowl. Make a well in the center. Add 1 1/2 tsp salt & 2 eggs. Mix with a heavy fork. As it comes together in a ball take it out & knead it until smooth & elastic. You don't want it to be too sticky so if you need to add a small amount of flour.

Next you roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thick.

Next I lay my dough out on flour sack towels to dry briefly. Usually until I am done rolling out the other dough. The it is time to decide what shape pasta you are going to make! This is the fun part! I have several pictures of different shapes that I made last week. You can make almost anythign that you can buy with the exception of the tube pasta unless you have a pasta maker with those attachments.

Ravioli cutter

Finished ravioli.

Cutting egg noodles.

Tortellini

Finished egg noodles.

I usually let them dry for a couple of hours. Then I either cook them or freeze them. They make the best home made chicken noodle soup!! Yummy!!





Lioness Rising

What imagery! It just makes you want to sit up & roar! The lion is a majestic creature & the lioness is certainly a force to be reckoned with! If God's vision is for His ladies to rise up as the lioness then this is the book to start your journey. It is based on God's word & strives to make you aware that this is for you also. Great read!!“I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.”

Here They Come!!

The seed catalogs have started to arrive. It always makes me start planning my garden. When I first start however, it has waaaaaaaay tooooo much in it! Then I have to weed it down to what I can really afford to buy & plant.

I have decided this year has to be a big salsa year so there will be lots of tomatoes, onions, green, hot, & banana peppers.  Of course I always plant way to much but it gives me a chance to share!

What are you planning on planting in your garden this year??

The Goodness of God by Randy Alcorn

What a meaty read this was! It is a real thinker! I read it & will want to reread it-it is one of those that is small but packs a big punch! I already am thinking of someone who might benefit from reading this book. I think it will be a great help for her! “I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.”

Pigeon Pie!

I am going to give you another recipe from the cookbook by Fannie Merritt Farmer.

Pigeon Pie

Dress, clean, and truss six pigeons and saute in salt pork fat until entire surface is seared, turning frequently. Put in a kettle, nearly cover with boiling water, and add one-half teaspoon peppercorns, one onion, stuck with eight cloves, eight slices carrot, two sprigs parsley, and two stalks celery, and let simmer five hours. Remove pigeons, strain liquor, and thicken with four tablespoons butter melted and cooked with three tablespoons flou. Reheat pigeons in sauce, arrange in a pastry case, and cover with a pastry top.

I am guessing that a pastry case & top is the pie crust?!? It does not say any where in this recipe about deboning the pigeons so I am guessing you do that as you are eating it.

I know that pigeons are not common fare these days but it is interesting to me to see what kinds of things people did eat back then.

More to come!

Everything Christmas

**What a great Christmas reference or devotional.** It has wonderful recipes, stories & tidbits of info that you will be surprised to learn about Christmas.




It is set up in an easy to read format with small snippets or longer stories, whichever suits you for the day. I enjoyed the historical info that was woven right into the book. Great job!!
I hope to make it one of the books that I can pass on to my kids for them to read to their children!
“I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.”

Fannie Farmer

I love to cook & bake! Because of this I have aquired quite a few cookbooks! I love the old cookbooks! I have a 1914 version of The Boston Cooking School Cookbook by Fannie Farmer.
 I am going to include a recipe now & then from this book so we can try something new!

Here is the first one:

Sour Milk Griddle Cakes

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sour milk
1 1/4 teaspoon soda
1 egg

Mix flour, salt, & soda .
Beat the egg.
Add milk & egg.
Drop by spoonfuls on a hot greased griddle.
Cook on one side.
When puffed, full of bubbles & cooked on the edges, turn & cook the other side.
Serve with butter & syrup.

These make a wonderful breakfast or if you are like us we occasionally have breakfast for supper! Enjoy!

When the Hurt Runs Deep by Kay Arthur

**I got it yesterday and could't put it down!
Kay Arthur has the ability to take the hurts of this life and hold them up to God's word and God's word triumphs every time.
Woven throughout this entire book are various examples of hurts and how seeking out God's word can help you through them. She makes it clear that it does not get rid of them. It is definitely a book of hope for the hurting.**
“I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.”

Prairie Flower Farms Cookie Cookbook is Done!!

Linda at Prairie Flower Farms has done an amazing job on a cookie cookbook that some of us contributed to! It has wonderful artwork & great tasting cookie recipes! Check it out for your self!

Bread baking day!

November 17th was Bread Baking Day! Did you bake bread that day? I did! I made this yummy & healthy oatmeal bread. It is so relaxing to work the dough & have something to show for it when you are finished. It tasted so good warm from the oven but even better toasted the next day. How many of you bake bread? How many of you can remember someone in your family baking bread? A Grandmother or mom? What are some of you favorite recipes & memories?

Thanksgiving

The season of Thanksgiving is upon us. What are you thankful for this year? Stop & think about all that has happened this year & send me your comments on what you are thankful for. I am thankful for my children, my grandson & one on the way. I am thankful for my husband & home. I am thankful for my God & my church family.

Baskets!

Here is a gal online who makes the most beautiful baskets! Take a look!
http://www.basketsbyemily.com/

Egg Noodles-Yummy!

When I have extra eggs I make them into egg noodles. It is so easy & makes the best homemade chicken & noodle soup!

3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs at room temperature
water

Mound the flour & make a well in the center.
Break your eggs into the center & add salt.
Mix flour & eggs.
When the mixture can't absorb any more flour-sprinkle a small amount of water over it & keep mixing.
Keep mixing unti it starts to stick together as a dough.
Knead lightly on a flour dusted board until smooth & elastic.
Divide into 4 balls.
Roll out on a four dusted board to 1/8 inch thickness.
Lay out on a flour sack towel to dry.
Cover with a 2nd towel.
Let dry until no longer tacky.
Cut into desired size-I use a paring knife-you can use a noodle cutter if they are dry enough.
Let dry 1-3 hours after cutting.
I freeze mine in big batches for homemade noodle soup!

It makes my mouth water just thinking about it!
Try making some noodles-you'll never go back to store bought!

Handwork Thrives!

There is a resurgence of ladies who are doing handwork. It may not be out of necessity like our grandmothers but nevertheless it has returned! Our grandmothers needed hot pads to get items out of the oven so what did they do? They made them! They crocheted & sewed to get them what they needed. Today we love to sit with yarn in our hands & imagine what it was like for  them so many years ago to have to create all that they needed. There was no local KMART  to go to. Most times there wasn't even a grocery store. We love to create! We love to see what we are capable of! We love to take basic materials & turn them into something lovely! What are you working on right now? I have a hat & mittens on a set of double points right now as I write this!  I also have a quilt to be quilted. I have many numerous projects in varying stages of completion. Somedays it overwhelms me but most it just stirs up my creative mind even more!

Fabric Giveaway!!

There is a great giveaway on this site! Take a look!
http://mountainhomequilts.blogspot.com/2010/10/october-fabric-giveaway.html

I love the fabrics, don't you?!?

Fall is here!

The nip is in the air! It is definitely sweater weather. Take a walk & smell the air. It is full of harvest! The corn is drying, the leaves are changing color, the farmers are out in the fields & the ovens are starting up again. I have had my oven off for most of the summer but not any longer! It is time to bake bread, cookies, pies, brownies & so much more. i think today I will start with pumpkin bread. Oh the smells that waft from my oven. Cinnamon, cloves, & pumpkin! Next week I will add my favorite pumpkin bread recipe-so easy & so yummy! Here is one the cookbooks that I have for sale! I love old cookbooks!
Here it is! My favorite pumpkin bread recipe-I think it is from a cookbook called Amish & Mennonite Kitchens.

Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups pureed pumpkin
2/3 cups water
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp
baking powder
3 cups flour

1. Combine sugar, oil, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon & salt. Beat well.
2. Add remaining ingredients & mix well.
3. Pour batter into 2 loafe pans which have been generously greased. I like to put mine into 1 bundt pan for a fancier presentation.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let cool for 3 minutes & take out of pans to finish cooling.

 I have one in the oven as I type & it smells heavenly!!

This was a tree skirt that I made for my daughter Ashley. She likes the brighter Christmas colors.  Now I have to get the fabric out & make a 3rd stocking-one for my grandson. I have made several of these tree skirts for my family. It is fun to pick out fabrics for each one. It is a quick gift that hopefully will turn into an heirloom. I have had mine for 15 years already! How many of you still have ornaments or nativities from awhile back. I have the Angel from when I was a child to put on the top of my tree. My mom gave it to me  a few years back. She was going to throw it away! What a waste-so I rescued her & keep her for my tree!