Finding Serendipity ...

Just when you don't expect it ... something truly serendipitous happens ... such as the absolutely adorable Christmas candy mice I found on my Facebook page this evening... I just have to share them....

Directions: 

1. Open face up Oreo cookie 
2. Dip a marischino cherry in melted chocolate bark ... the stem is the tail of the mouse
3.  Hersey's kiss for the head 
4. Almond slices for the ears.
5.  Pinch of marischino cherry for the nose
6. Purchased candy eyes (or a dot of white icing topped with a tinier dot of black/brown frosting)
7. Green icing piped on using leaf tip
8. Cinnamon red hot candies for holly berries

Thanks to friends who shared this post from Judy Key

Something Different for Breakfast

I am so spoiled by the richness of the American lifestyle.  Instead of being truly grateful for what God has provided in terms of foods to break my fast I want something different.   Well, I found it in the Cook's Country Magazine.  A part of America's Test Kitchen and led by Christopher Kimball, Cook's Country is a great cooking aid even for folks who have been in the kitchen since they were knee-high to a grasshopper!  At the back of this month's issue is a recipe for Breakfast Cookies ...AWESOMELY GOOD!

Here is the recipe.  Try it out and if you like it you might want to mosey on over to CooksCountry.com and consider a subscription to the magazine.  It isn't expensive and it is worth every penny!!

8 slices of bacon, fried crisp

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, softened

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup GrapeNuts cereal

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup granulated sugar.

1. Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until crispy (be careful to not get it over done)
2. Put rack in middle of oven and heat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Using stand mixer or electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium high speed until pale and fluffy.
4. Add egg, orange juice concentrate, and orange zest. Mix again until well combined.
5. In three increments add the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated.
6. Add the bacon and mix until well incorporated.
7. Place remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a bowl.
8. Taking a scant 2 tablespoons of dough (it will be sticky) roll it into a ball and then roll it in the sugar.
9. Place sugared ball on one of two parchment paper lined baking sheets.  Each sheet should have no more than 8 cookies on the sheet placed well apart.  These cookies s-p-r-e-a-d out.
10. Using bottom of a drinking glass dipped in remaining sugar flatted the balls to 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
11. Bake cookies - 1 sheet at a time - for 15 to 19 minutes - (if unsure go for the longer baking time it effects the outcome)  Remove from oven and transfer parchment paper and all to a wire cooling rack. 
12. Let cool completely.  Enjoy.  Makes 16 LARGE cookies.

Himself the DH says these are very similar to scones...just flat.  

A Spooky Little Treat

It is getting to be that time of year when the stores are filled with scary items and our minds turn to the glories of autumn.  For me that also means thinking about making Halloween extra special for my grandchildren.  Jennifer gave me the idea AND bought the Tic-Tacs ... so all I had to do was create the label for this super simple and super fun treat...  Thank the Lord I have a Silhouette Cameo and the sketch pens ... this was done in literally minutes.

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake - an appealing presentation

A cousin of mine posted this on her Facebook wall.  I really do love cheesecake but sometimes cutting a slice off of one seems a little "too much" if you know what I mean.  With the presentation of the dessert in an individual dish/bowl/cup my eyes don't seem to find themselves on overload.  Haven't made this recipe yet but wanted to find a way to pin it (yeah, Pinterest) to share with others.  If you try it, please leave a comment.  I'd love to hear from you.  

For the crust

• 1 sleeve graham crackers (about 9 crackers)
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) butter, melted

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

For the filling

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened to room temperature

• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

• 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• OR 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 1-ounce package cheesecake-flavored instant pudding mix
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

• 1 12-ounce container frozen whipped topping, plus extra for garnish if desired

Instructions

1. Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse the crackers into fine crumbs.

2. Add the melted butter, sugar and brown sugar and pulse until combined.

3. Spoon the crumbs into individual 9-ounce plastic cups (or other individual sized cups for serving). Place in the refrigerator to set while you are preparing the filling.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until light and creamy.

5. Add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and pudding mix and beat until completely mixed, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that all ingredients are well combined.

6. Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix again until well combined.

7. Change your stand mixture attachment to the wire whisk. On slow speed, fold in the tub of Cool Whip until well combined.  OR (see note below) at this point put the filling mixture into another bowl.  Wash the stand mixer bowl thoroughly making sure there is no greasy residue left behind.  Put the heavy cream, cream of tartar and sugar into the clean bowl.  Using the wire whisk, whip until stiff peaks form.  Reserve some of the whipped cream for garnishing then fold the cheesecake mixture into the remaining whipped cream.

8. Allow the mixture to sit in the refrigerator for about an hour to firm up.

9. Using a large pastry bag with a large tip, or a spoon, top the graham cracker crust in each cup with the pumpkin mixture and refrigerate until ready to serve.

10. Garnish with additional whipped topping  or whipped cream if desired

Personal Note: In an effort to reduce the amount of chemicals and un-natural things my family consumes I would change the recipe to eliminate the frozen whipped topping.  I would replace the whipped topping with the following

• 1 pint of heavy whipping cream

• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

• 1/4 cup sugar

I found this on Facebook and wanted to pin and share.

What a great idea for a back-door Herb Garden.   Put things like thyme (that tends to lay low and trail) on the bottom tier along with Basil (that can get leggy and tall if you don't harvest often enough).  Some oregano and other low growing herbs for the middle tier and rosemary for the top ....

The DH suggests running a pvc pipe or rebar through the holes in the pots to keep them from shifting around.  I think the pvc with holes drilled in it would make a great watering device as well as a stabilizer.  My idea has each pot with it's own bright (think 60's florescent) color ... In Texas and in full sun the black will hold the sun's heat and possibly make it too hot for the plants.  But in semi-shade it would work well.  Most herbs, however, need full sun for an extended period of time.

During the winter months - it would make a great spinach and leaf lettuce garden - that is IF you are using annual type herbs.  In my backyard herb garden I plant spinach and lettuce in the area that later on will be full of basil - basil self-seeds which is so nice.

Last but not least, please note, there is no drainage dish under the large pot.  This is not a good idea for 2 reasons.  1) the water can and will flow straight through the pots and make a mess on the porch beneath it 2) the soil in the pot stack will dry out very quickly and won't have that extra moisture to wick up into itself.

Using God's gifts - great ideas from friends on Facebook .... and making our meals delicious with herbs.  What could beat that??

♪ Raindrops keep falling on my head ♪

The gray and rainy skies of yesterday have given way to bright sunshine today.  Both things Gifts from God that we can make use of especially in providing food for the family and relaxation while working the God-given land.  (*Even if that "land" is composed of pots behind a window or on a city balcony).

The DH came in for lunch and took a look at the new Lemon Balm plants on the kitchen window sill.  "I guess I did something right." says he.  "What's that?" says me.  "I used rain water on the new plants."  Sure enough, the new plants are doing beautifully.  Earlier this season, we lost some broccoli plants to ... you guessed it - regular tap water.  Just one dose was enough to kill them.

We have a couple of 50 gallon "rain barrels" (just old plastic barrels that DH has cleaned out).  These are set up under the rain spouts on the house and with just a drizzle we will have FULL barrels in no time.  Living in Texas we want to take every advantage of harvesting the rain to water our gardens.

It isn't hard to harvest rain water.  You only need a few things -

1. Containers for the water. 
2.  Lids to cover the containers on non-rainy days (or nights) 
3.  A water can that will be easy to fill from your "cistern" or something to transfer the water to a watering can.  

Believe it or not, even a heavy dew will produce some water for plants.  What could be better?  Water that you do NOT have to pay for, is better for your plants, and makes them better for feeding your body.
Like everything today - we need to conserve what God has given us in terms of the earth and our health.

Happy Water Harvesting!!

Dinner is almost DONE!

It certainly has been a red-letter day today when it comes to having my friends (God's gifts) share good things on Facebook!  Here is another recipe for something that sounds like it will melt in your mouth and then some.  Add the Apple Pie Enchiladas to the menu and all I need is a reason to celebrate ... wait a minute...I have that reason. The Lord spared my life on March 3rd (the gallbladder thing was way serious) and that is plenty of reason to celebrate.  So here goes that recipe.

Hot Ham Sammys

Makes 2 dozen 

You will need

• 2 -12 count packages of sweet hawaiian rolls (the small dinner roll looking ones) 
• 1 1/2 lbs of virginia ham (NOT honey ham) 

• 12 slices swiss cheese 

• 1 stick of real butter
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 

• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder

• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions:

1. Using two 9 x 13 pans, place the bottoms of 12 rolls in each pan.

2.  Place ham (about 2 shaved slices or so) on the rolls.

3. Cut the cheese slices into 4 parts and place 2 small pieces on each sandwich.

4. Put the dinner roll tops on.
5. In a sauce pan, mix butter, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder and poppy seeds. Wait until all butter is melted and then brush the melted mixture over the ham sandwiches. 

6. Cover with foil and let sit in fridge for 1 hour or over night. (If you want to bake them right away, you can also.)

7. Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve. They are great hot and even at room temperature Enjoy!

2

*I have made these with turkey also and they are good. Not as great as the ham, but they are good.

Comments from others that sound great too....

•  

• We have been making similar sandwiches for years, but with mustard in the "special sauce" like Adam states -- and, the sauce goes on the inside instead of on top of the buns. That gets a bit messy and greasy. We also individually wrap them in foil before baking -- keeping them hot longer.

This recipe comes from about.southernfood.com