Happy New Year and Happy Birthday

Happy New Year to everyone. May this new year bring love,health and happiness in to your life. 

My twins turn 21 today. They are celebrating in Vegas with their Aunts and Grandparents.

 This was taken 3 years ago at their sisters wedding. They were  18. It seems like it happen only  yesterday. Time go's by way to fast.  It needs to slow down!

Prayer Chain for Dot and her family

Hello friends and fellow bloggers. I am reposting this to ask for your help in  a prayer chain.  

One of my favorite farmgirl bloggers- Dolly of the Hibiscus House blogs posted about her dear Mother Dot's ongoing illness yesterday as follows:

Dot

"Some of you know that our family has been dealing with a very bad situation. My mama has been very sick for the past three months. She is such a strong person with such determination. I don't think that I personally could have handled what she has had to and continues to go through in fighting this illness. I am so proud of her and thank God everyday for her. I know it is in his hands and that faith is what gets the family through this. I love her so much! She has taken care of everybody in our neighborhood our entire life, the neighborhood children who are now in their fifties and now their children and grandchildren know and love Ms. Dot. She is one of a kind and that is a good thing. You probably may have seen some of her recipes on the cooking blog. She smiles when I tell her of the compliments she receives from her recipes...in fact some of mine indeed came from her, my grandmothers and great grandmothers... handed down for generations... That is what it is all about isn't it?

I would love prayer for mama. It would mean so very much."

Please take the time to post this to your blog and let Dotti know our thought and prays are with her and her Mom.

Crock Pot Candy

 I have to add one last candy recipe. This was so easy and so good. That I couldn't pass it up. This is off the Trisha Yearwood cooking show on food network. I wish I had thought of it. But be warned this does make a lot.
Layer in the crock pot about 2 pounds roasted peanuts,1 regular  bag semi sweet chocolate chips, two bars of dark choc( about 8 oz. total) , and two packages of white almond bark.

 Place lid on the crock pot and cook on low for 3 hours. I accidentally put mine on 4 hours . Didn't hurt it any.

 While you wait on your crock pot, line your muffin pans with cupcake liners. When candy is ready just stir it together and put into cups. Not only is it easy ,but little clean up. Less dishes to wash always makes me happy.  This takes a little more time to cool then other candies. Mainly because the cups hold the heat in.

About half way thru I got the idea to add marshmallows. I put a little of the candy in the bottom ,then added a large marshmallow I had cut in half. Then covered the top with more of the candy. Everyone said these reminded them of a old time candy called Mellow Gold or was it Gold Mellow. I am not sure of the name. But they did go quick. My husband like the ones with the marshmallows. My daughter preferred the ones with out.  All I know is I took them to a candy, cookie swap and had none left to bring home. Which is probably a good thing considering all the tasting I have done while cooking this holiday.

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas.

Christmas Tour

 I have seen a lot of tours of Bloggers home. Which I really enjoyed. So I thought I would share a little of mine. This is our mantel and new tree. Our old tree was given away.

 This is the snowman I painted years ago. It's one of my favorite piece.

One good thing about the military is you get to travel around the world. This nativity scene is hand carved from Bethlehem.

We almost got the tree to big. Our Angel is  close to the ceiling.

I bought my husband this one year, because his favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Story. A leg lamp ,just like a man. LOL

Don't you just love the little bears guarding the snowmen.

 On to the dining room. This is a antique china cabinet we got from Germany. My Amberina collection works well with my Christmas dishes.

 The four little Christmas kittens have followed me around the world.

My green tree I made years ago got broken, I was lucky to find this one in a antique store.

Welcome to my Kitchen. My husband put this shelf up for me last month. It sure came in handy this Christmas.

I love this tree. My dear friend Ruthann gave it to me. It use to be her mothers. The green are little birds.I still have to glue the bulbs and the birds in so I don't lose them.

The true reason for the Season.  The best gift we could ever receive.
 Merry Christmas everyone.




 

No store meal here.

I have had a garden for the past three years . Each year it gets bigger and bigger. This year I planted a lot of different vegetables. I also added a herb garden. So I decided to see if I could make a meal totally from my garden, with meat that my husband had hunted. I didn't want anything in the meal that was from a store. Soup sounded like the best choice.

This is all from my garden. Well except the moose meat,  compliments of my husband.

These are the herbs from my garden. This was the first time I added rosemary to veggie soup. It ended up giving it a really good favor. It really felt good knowing I could make a meal from thing I grew. I hope to one day to only have to get minimal things from the store.  There is a great pride in making your own food.

PS Yes as you can see from the picture I forgot to add the potatoes. Oh well, There is always another meal to be made.

Peppermint Fudge Balls

Sorry about the picture. I took these to a gathering and this was the only one left by the time I thought to take a picture. I cut it in half to show you the inside. Then promptly ate it.

Peppermint  Fudge Balls.

1 can condensed milk
Dash of salt
Dash of vanilla
2 cups  Hershey white morsel chips ( any brand will do.)
1 cup Andies peppermint chips.( You can also use 1 cup chopped peppermint kisses if you can't find Andies.)

In a med sauce pan heat up the condensed milk ,salt and vanilla till warm enough to melt chocolate. Stir in both type of chips  till melted  and smooth. Pour into a baking pan. Right before it is completely set cut into piece and roll into balls. Let rest for 15 min to finish firming up. Melt chocolate bark in a microwave safe bowl for 1 min. After that stir  very 30 seconds to make sure not to burn chocolate. After it has melted and is  smooth, using a fork dip peppermint balls in chocolate. Tap your fork on the side of the bowl to release extra chocolate from the ball. Place on foil or wax paper to dry. This recipe makes a good amount of balls. But don't worry they will disappear in a hurry.

Kids always surprice you.

I have not been in the Christmas spirit this year,due to many reasons. One of which was feeling I was only good for cooking and cleaning as far as my kids were concerned. I know all parents go thru this at one time or another. But it just hit me hard this year. My daughter changed those feeling tonight.
 I was making candy for a party when I burnt my wrist by dropping boiling sugar on it. I sent her to get  gauze to wrap my wrist. She came back not only with the gauze but also burn ointment to relieve the pain.
She then went into the kitchen and finished making the candy for me. As I set on the sofa she walked in the room with a cup of coffee for me. Yes there is a Santa Clause. In that one action she gave me back my Christmas spirit.

Look mom I am an owl .

What a Christmas gift. The only different between this and The Christmas story, is it not a pink bunny.

Hiding from the dogs

 This makes a great hiding place. What's so funny mom? Why are you laughing at me?

                                               Ok, I see your point. I'll find a new place.

wonder fudge

I couldn't believe how easy and fast this fudge was. And the best part is it always turns out great. But I am getting a head of my self.
While Rick and I were in the Home Depot the cashier was talking about this fudge she  made. I told her I was in the process of making Christmas candy. She told me she had the best fudge recipe. The cashier at the other register chimed in that it was the best she had ever eaten. I was polite but told her that I didn't have much luck with fudge and the stirring it took to make it. She assured me this had very  simple ingredients with little stirring.  She gave me the recipe to try. I told my husband I appreciated the recipe but probably won't make it. I am so glad I did. It was good and the texture was perfect.

 The recipe.
1 can condensed milk
Dash of vanilla
Dash of salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate   chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Nuts ( optional )


Heat milk ,vanilla, and salt together. Add the chocolate, stir till dissolved and smooth. Pour into foil lined baking pan. Let cool at least 4 hours. If you try it while it still not set it does affect the taste. I learned this the hard way. It still tasted good. But was much better the next morning.

I am going to try different types of fudge  using white chocolate chip, peppermint chips, peanut butter chip, and Andies candy. Will let you know how it turns out.

Camping Kitty

 I decided I wanted to take Cleo with us when we went camping. She was little, so transport would be easy. So I thought. It was a two hour drive to the camp spot . She cried almost all the way. It was her first time in a carrier. It was a nice purse type carrier. It had a comfy plush floor in it. Three of the four sides were screened so she could see out. I tried petting her thru the door to calm her down. I think it only made it worse. Almost at the end of the trip I left her in the back seat and didn't look at her or try to calm her. She fell asleep. As long as I didn't pay attention to her she didn't cry. Lesson learned. The trip back home was so much better. She cried a little at the beginning of the trip, but that was it. 

 When we first got to the camp site she had to check ever thing out. But soon realized camping was for relaxing. She did do a lot of sleeping during the day. We soon learned she did this so she could torment us at night. One am is not play time.

 She had a great time. We also took her, to give her time away from the dogs. Sabrina loves to follow her around and lick the day lights out of her. I sometimes wonder if she is checking her out for dinner. Poor cat her back is always wet.

Cleo had her nose in Rick's oatmeal. We just couldn't convince her that Oatmeal wasn't for cats.
 We was never able to take her outside with us. The noise and people freaked her out to much. But that may be for the best. Over all she is going to make a great camping kitty.