thankful

I'm thankful for all of you that follow along on our journey in life. And can laugh with me when I do stupid things like walking into doors!
I'm thankful for my church family.
I'm thankful for the Internet. May sound silly but I am, I like to read others blogs and see how others are farming and what they are cooking too. I love to find a new recipe and try it!!
I'm thankful for chocolate!!!

 Triple Chocolate Coconut Scones!! Oh yum!!!
I'll share the recipe with you too!

11/2 C flour
2 t baking powder
1/3 C sugar
1/3 C coconut
1/3 C coco powder
8 T butter
3/4 C chocolate chips or chunks
3/4 C cream
Mix dry. Cut in butter. Dump in chocolate chunks. Dump in cream and mix together. Shape into a circle on the counter and cut into scone shapes. Bake in preheated oven at 425 for 15-20 minutes. Melt some chocolate with butter, put in a bag and drizzle on top of warm scones. Devour! Ahem... I mean enjoy slowly with some raw milk!!
Have a great day all!

whats cooking in my kitchen..and stuff

So we made it through the storm just fine. It really wasn't bad at all. I know other areas were hit  very hard and my prayers are with them. Had some good down pours, wind, and thunder storms, but never lost power! We were ready for it though! Very thankful for that. The kiddos were hoping we would loose power. They like the adventure of it!

But on a more fun note one of my sisters came over yesterday and we did some cooking. Well actually we did some frying of food! Yummy! Can't do that very often though ;-) But even better we had a good visit and I love to see her and to cook with her is fun too! She cooks tons like me, and enjoys it!
But about 7pm we decided that we wanted/needed some chocolate! So we whipped up these bad boys...

                                                Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies!!

Who does that? Oh right I do!! hehe
They are really good, but super rich and I wouldn't want a whole 9x13 pan in my house all for me and my family. My sister took some with her to share. Phew! I would recommend them for a get together with lots of people to help you eat  them! We got the recipe from Brown Eyed Baker.
So if you have a get together or just wanna get a little crazy here is the recipe...

Brownies
4 oz chocolate finely chopped
1 C butter soft
2 t vanilla
4 eggs
1 C flour
2 C brown sugar
Preheat the oven 350.
***DO THIS STEP.  I REPEAT, DO THIS STEP*** Tinfoil a 9x13 pan, then grease the tinfoil.  These brownies will stick bad to the pan if you don't!!!!!
Melt choc. In a bowl beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, dump in melted chocolate, add the rest. 
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Cool.

Cookie Dough
3/4 C sugar
3/4 C brown sugar
3/4 C soft butter
11/2 C flour
3 T milk
11/2 C mini chocolate chips
Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla, and flour. Mix well! Stir in mini chocolate chips.
Spread on the cool brownies and put in the fridge for 1 hr before cutting. Enjoy

Yes we do eat good for you food like salads, but who really wants another salad recipe?! Maybe I'll post something good for you next time, but I just wanted to tempt you with these brownies...if you can be tempted! Hahaha
Have a great day all!

what's cooking in my kichen

Oh these are sooooooo good!!! I told you some recipes were coming!!
And surprise, surprise I found them on pinterest. I've found a number of recipes on there lately that are really good. I've recently decided that there is not enough paper and ink to support my habit of finding and trying new recipes. No I don't have one of those phones that I can have in my kitchen and just use that as the recipe. I have to copy it and then cook it. And then if I didn't copy it I'd never find it again. Horrors!!! Oh I shudder to think of such things. So what new thing did I find?
These...

 No it's not corn bread. Although in this picture it really does look like it.
It's pancakes. Called Pancake Squares. What? You ask. Baked, not fried! OMW!!! I wonder where these amazingly good and easy things have been all my life. Waiting for me on pinterest is where! The blop of butter is there for looks. Honest. I made a double batch in a 9x13, and they were all but gone. The kiddos devoured them. OK I helped!!
So much quicker then the fried ones, and it allowed me to pop them in the oven and go finish up chores while they cooked. Sweet!
They taste very much like a fried pancake too without all the work!

OK now if you want to get a little crazy like me... make these...

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes!

Oh would you look at that!!!
It's another wonderful pancake!!  Baked. These are amazing and take the pancake to a new level of wonderfulness! I helped devour these bad boys too!

Now how do you make these? And I do recommend them!
 Simple, easy, and amazing!

Make your batter. Dump it into a greased pan. Bake it and eat with butter and maple syrup. See top picture. But if you want the Cinnamon Roll ones this is how!!! Below.

If your making the Cinnamon Roll pancakes make the cinnamon part and swirl it into the dough.  Pretend I didn't cut the hole in the bag too big and it just came oozing out  all over the place and it's swirled around there like a cinnamon roll should look. OK.

 Make the drizzling sauce for the cinnamon rolls and drizzle on top when cooked.

Now here is the recipes:
Pancake Squares
3/4 C milk
1 egg
1 C flour
1/4 t salt
2 T melted butter
1 T sugar
2 t baking powder
Mix dry, mix wet, and don't over mix!
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8x8 pan.
Bake about 20-25 minutes or until stick comes out clean!! Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Now go crazy and make these!!!

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
11/2 C milk
2 eggs
2 C flour
4 T melted butter
2 T sugar
4 t baking powder
Mix wet, mix dry, but don't over mix. Grease a jelly roll pan. Dump in the dough. Then make the filling.

Filling
 4 T melted butter
2 T cinnamon
3/4 C brown sugar
Mix it. Put in a bag, cut a small hole . Swirl around the pancakes, the way a cinnamon roll looks.. Should make 12 "pancakes"
 Pop on the oven preheated at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Or until stick comes out clean.
While it's cooking make the drizzle for the top!!

Drizzle
2 oz soft cream cheese
2 T maple syrup
1 C powdered sugar
Add enough milk to make it drizzle. I used 2 T.
Drizzle on top of warm pancakes and eat them right up!! Amazing!!!
Have a great day all!

what's cooking in my kitchen

Lots and lots this time of year. I've been baking up a storm and eating it all with wild abandon! Boy I'm glad I work out to keep it all off too. I believe in eating whatever I want...in moderation. I like exercise and have 4 kiddos to stay healthy for. And my Man too!
Anyways after making and eating these brownies you may or may not like me!
They are called  The Brownie or The Very Chocolate Brownie. Either way they are amazing. I would like to point out that there is less butter and sugar in these compared to the other brownie recipe I shared. And those are amazing too. So

 I super sized the picture! Mmmmmmmmmm. This was actually the next day because the pic I took when I made them, didn't look so good. It was 8pm and the lighting is off on all the pics, but you get the picture! Here you can see the chunks of chocolate in there. When hot they are oooy gooey melt in your mouth amazing. These will satisfy any chocolate craving you have!

 SO how do we make these wonderful, fat filled, amazing little gems? You wonder?  Watch an learn.
Bring just to a boil water, sugar, and butter. Turn off heat and dump in some chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted.

 Mix flour and baking soda.

 Mix eggs and vanilla.

 Dump egg mixture into melted chocolate, mix well. Dump flour mixture into chocolate mixture. Mix well. Dump in more chocolate.  Mix well.

Dump into a greased 9x13 pan and bake in a preheated oven at 325 for 35-40 minutes. But undercooked is the best way to eat brownies. But that's just me talking here;)

Now here is the recipe if ya want it. One last look at them before you run to the cupboard and make them for your selves!  If ya dare... It's actually a Taste of Home recipe. Who ever created them is genius in my book!

The Brownie or The Very Chocolate Brownie
11/2 C sugar
2/3 C butter
1/4 C water
4 eggs
4 C chocolate chips divided into 2 C each
11/2 C flour
2 t vanilla
1/2 t baking soda

Preheat oven to 325
In a sauce pan melt butter, add water, and sugar. Bring just to a boil. Turn off heat and move and dump in 2 C choc chips to melt. Stir until melted.
 In a bowl mix flour, and soda.
In another bowl mix eggs and vanilla.
Stir in egg mixture into the choc mixture. Mix well.
Stir in flour mixture into choc/egg mixture. Mix well.
Dump in 2 more cups of choc chips and stir.
Dump into greased 9x13 pan. If your brave and love to live on the wild side stick your finger in the batter, and scoop some out and lick your finger off. Oh ya! I love to eat the raw dough. I mean who doesn't?!
 Pop it in the oven and bake 35-40 minutes. Yes this makes a nice thick brownie and is wonderful undercooked and eaten hot when the chocolate is still hot. 
There you go. Quick and easy!
 And after eating these you may want to start a work out program...or not;-)

I also have lots more cooking coming soon. I told you I've been baking lots! Not everything is sweets, so that should make you feel better!
Have a great Monday all. And a brownie will make every Monday better!

whats cooking in my kitchen

Been a while since I put any cooking on here. And I'm sure you don't want any more pics of my mug on here either!! Besides cooking is so much fun this time of year!! At least for me. It's time for soups, roasts, casseroles, and lots of pie!!! Warm foods. Comfort foods. It's also time for me to start working out again after all this comfort food!
And speaking of soups that is what I'm posting today. It's called Autumn Soup, actually it's stew, but I'm weird and I don't like the word stew. I told you I was weird.
And speaking of autumn...

 Some trees across the street from my house. I don't have trees around me. I have wide open spaces! Ah I love that! It's one of the only good pics of have of "leaf peeping" so far. We were out and about and I forgot the camera. Maybe next time, if the rain we are getting doesn't take them all down. Whaaaaaaa. I hope it doesn't. My camera doesn't do it justice of the colors.
I know a bit of a bunny trail there. Back on track if your still with me!
 Here's the soup!

It's soooooooo easy. I'm going to have one of my kiddos make it next time. I've made it 1000 times before. I'm thinking about canning some without the hamburg in it next year. Oh man I'm already making plans for canning. Somebody stop me! I haven't even finished canning stuff this year!!!

SO here's the recipe if yer so inclimed to want it. The pic isn't that great, but it's the best one I got! Well here is how I made this. Feel free to add more stuff and adjust it to your taste!

Autumn Soup
Fry 1lb hamburg with onion and garlic. When it's cooked add some salt, pepper and basil. (To taste)
Boil about 1 cup ( I used way more) potatoes til fork tender. Don't over cook them.
In a big ole pot dump 3 C water, 1 Qt canned tomatoes, 1 Qt carrots, 1 chicken boullion cube, about 1C chopped celery, and 1 bay leaf (remove before you eat it).
When potatoes are done, drain and dump in the pot. Add hamburg. Stir. Adjust seasonings to your liking. Let sit on you stove to simmer and continue to cook potatoes.
Serve with pop overs or whatever you like for bread, or not!!  And pie for dessert! Don't forget the pie.

Simple, easy and tastes good too!
Let me know if you added more stuff to it and how it tasted, if ya want to!!
Have a great night all!

what's cooking in my kitchen

First off thank you all for the wonderful comments ya'll leave on my blog. I enjoy getting them and try to answer any questions I get, either through a reply comment or a post. And this post will be for those of you who want to make the luscious Lemon Loaf. I have found some really good tips and recipes from the blogs that I follow, and am please to have people ask for some of the recipes I share! I'm not the creator of these wonderful things, but I do love to cook, and like to share what I make with you. I really just want to make you drool on your computer key boards!! hahaha
Oh and Candy C! The summer squash that I can in the soup starter is soft but not mushy. I've yet to try the plain stuff, but it looks as though it held it's shape nicely. If it's awful I'll tell you! And I'll share the soup starter recipe too. It's coming!
So with that said lets get busy. I have no pictures of this process because I didn't have the camera when I made it and I don't want to make you wait any longer! That and I have no more lemon extract. I gotta get some more though!
Here tis

Brwhahahahaha
Oh you wanted the recipe! My bad. I just thought you'd want the pic again!!! The recipe is below!



Starbucks Lemon Loaf
11/2 C flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder (yes both of them!)
1/2 t salt
1 C sugar
2  T butter, soft
3 eggs room temp
1 t vanilla
1/3 C lemon juice
2 t lemon extract
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 C oil
Mix dry. Cut in butter. Add wet. EXCEPT oil!! Mix well. Then add oil and mix again.  Pour in greased loaf pan and bake in preheated oven at 350 for 45 min of until toothpick comes out clean. So super easy. This loaf if light and crumbly. Goes great with some fresh raw milk too!

Glaze- if your into that sorta thing, and I am. So lets make it!
1 C powdered sugar
2 T milk
1/2 t lemon extract
Said to simmer until reduced by half.
I did this and it turned hard and not spreadable. (I might have over cooked it). So I dumped it and didn't cook it the second time! Let me know how yours turns out.
Have a great night all!
Oh and have no fear the ones who asked about the cookie recipe's they are coming!

whats cooking in my kitchen

Oh I did! Oh yes I did! Evil, purely evil! Brwhahahaha

OK, so I'm not evil, but I did make these wonderful little things...

Donut holes? Nope.
Krispie Kremes? Yup! I made them this morning. It takes some time to make them. But they are relatively easy to make. Now don't go and roll your eyes at me because I said that and I seem to say they a lot, but I do think they are easy. I like foods that are easy to make, and have everything I need to make it in my cupboard. I hate buying a list of ingredients for one thing and then not using it for anything else. Know what I mean?
SO let's cook!

 Milk, water yeast and a little sugar. Let it sit and get frothy.

 Here you have ,eggs, flour, butter, sugar, salt.

 Dump it all in the flour and mix it up and you get this..

 Now for the aching hands. You knead it for 10 minutes. Yup, then you get this...

 dough. Let  sit for about an hour, until double in size.

 And this is what you get.

This picture reminds me of the Dots candy. Anyone remember that? You know the nasty sugar dots that kids love. I think it was multi colored. I made a double batch and got 48. Yup that's it. A single batch only gives you 24. SO it's work, for not a lot.

Then you fry 'em.

Then you roll em in a glaze, or sugar and cinnamon, or sugar and vanilla or whatever your heart desires! My kiddos like glaze so that is what I did.
One last look!

Yummy!
I found the recipe to be weird, read it and you'll find out why. Not all the ingredients are listed by the cup but by the ounce. I think that's weird. Maybe it's just me. So you might want a scale!

Krispie Kremes
8 oz flour
2t yeast
1 egg, beaten
1/2 t salt
1 oz butter, soft
3T boiling water
3T milk
11/2 oz Castor sugar (I just used the sugar I use for everything, and it was fine. Have no idea what Castor sugar is!)


1. Measure water in pan. Boil. Add milk, 1t sugar and yeast. Stir, and let sit 10 min.
Put the rest of the sugar, salt, & flour in a bowl and rub in butter (I just cut it in).
2. Then pour beaten egg, and frothy yeast into flour mixture. Stir to mix. If it seems dry add 1t warm water at a time.
3. Turn dough out and knead for 10 minutes. Want it to feel elastic. Then put in bowl and cover. Let sit about 1 hr until double in size.
4. Punch down, get air bubbles out. Divide into 24 balls.
5. Fry about 2 min until golden brown.



Glaze: 1/3 C butter
11/2 t vanilla
2 C powdered sugar
4T warm water-or as needed


That's it!
Have a great day all!

what's cooking in my kitchen

This post may cause you to become hungry and crave something wonderful!!!! You have been warned!!!! Keep reading, you'll love it!!

What is this wonderful multi layered treat sitting on a plate? You ask? Don't drool on your computer, or try to take it off the screen. It just won't work. Well what is it?
OK OK I'll tell you. Homemade Snickers Bars!!! OH what?! Yup, Snickers Bars!!!!!
Now they are time consuming to get all the layers done, but very simple to make. Easy peasy. I'll show you!

 Melt some PB, milk choc, and butterscotch chips.

 Spray a pan with cooking spray, and dump it in and smear it around the pan! Stick it in the fridge.

 Melt some butter, sugar and evaporated milk, add some marshmallow cream, peanut butter, vanilla, then throw in some peanuts. Mix it well then

put it on top of the first layer, stick it in the fridge. 

 Melt some Carmel's with some cream. I got the ones that were individually wrapped, and had to unwrap them all. Took a little time.

 Then put it in the white layer, and stick it in the fridge.

Then the fourth layer is the same as the first. Then stick it the fridge, and then...

Just one last look at it before you go!! Oh and they are so yummy!!! Yup yummy! So here is the recipe if ya want...
FYI - I got the recipe from a friend that got it from pinterest. I do not do the pinterest thing by my personal name or blog name!  It was called Snickers Bar Fudge, or Snickers Fudge.

1st layer
1C milk Choc
1/4C butterscotch chips
1/4C peanut butter

Melt together. Spray 9x13 pan. Spread in pan, put in fridge.

2end layer

4T butter
1C sugar
1/4C evaporated milk
11/2C marshmallow cream
1/4C peanut butter
1t vanilla
11/2C chopped up peanuts

Melt butter, sugar and evaporated milk, bring to a boil, and cook 5 min stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Quickly add marshmallow cream,vanilla, and PB. Stir well, throw in peanuts and stir again. Add to first layer and put back in fridge.

3rd layer

14oz carmel cubes
1/4C heavy cream

Melt carmels and cream together. Put on second layer and put in fridge.

4th layer
Same as the first.

Let sit 1 hr before cutting!
Thats all folks. Make 'em and you'll love 'em!
Have a great night all!

whats cooking in my kitchen

So you remember a while back I said I wanted to share a recipe with you? I kinda teased you with it. Well then come time to post it I had deleted the pics before I put them on my computer? Yes? No. It was the Blueberry Puff Pastry. Jog your memory a bit?
Well my SIL came over today and I told her I would make it for her. This time I took the pic off the camera and put them on the computer!
Here they be

 Get yerself a box of puff pastry's at the store. Unless you feel ambitious and make the pastry yourself. I would be, but this time I was no ambitious, it's too hot.

 Then get some cream cheese, I mean who can live without cream cheese? I for one can not. Put some almond extract in it, and sugar. Then beat the snot out of it.

 Smear it on the raw pastry.

 Get some blueberries. I used frozen, that is all I had. Fresh would be amazing this time of year. And dump them on.

 Cut the other pastry into 10 slices and weave it on the top. I didn't this time, but it looks pretty when you take the time to do that. Then cook it.

Then tada!! All done and wonderful to eat. It's sweet, but not super sweet. Nice and light too, not a heavy pastry. Mmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmm.
Here's the recipe it ya want

1 box Puff Pastry sheets (2 in box)
 Filling:
1 8oz cream cheese softened
1/3 C sugar
1/2 t almond extract

11/2 C blueberries
Lay one sheet on your pan.
Beat cream cheese, almond, and sugar until well blended. Top with blueberries. Cut the second pastry into 10 slices, and weave them on the top.
Bale 375 25-30 min until golden brown

Frosting: If you want it (for this one I didn't put it on b/c I forgot)
1 C powdered sugar
3 T cream
1 t almond extract
Mix, and drizzle on top of pastry.

That's it.
Easy peasy.
Have a great night all!

brooklyn s'mores

I have a friend that lives in Brooklyn New York. They came to the farm for a visit. I had really wanted a fire pit that night and make s'mores and chat, well it was way too windy, and fire would have blown all of the place. Not cool. The kiddos had heard the word s'mores and didn't let up. So my friend showed me how they do it in Brooklyn! Then the other night we had my SIL and family over for s'mores. But it got rained out. I had it in my head that nothing but s'mores would taste good. SO we did it Brooklyn style!
Here's how you do it!

 The brown marshmallows have coconut on them.

So next time your fire pit gets rained out and you have a hankerin for s'mores just turn on your gas stove, and make 'em! Also Reese's PB cups are amazing on them if you didn't already know!!!
Have a great day!!!

what's cooking in my kitchen

OK, so this is the last of the cooking pictures for a while. Maybe... I've had three in a row, but wanted to share what I'd made recently. So this is what we had for supper one night.
PW's Parmesan Chicken. Very, very yummy!! Highly recommend it.
SO here 'tis

It's a bit time consuming to do all the steps. But..if you have time it's worth it!
First you pound down the breast meat, then bread and fry them.

 Cook down the sauce. It's more of a marinara sauce, then spaghetti sauce.

PW keeps it in the pan she fried the chicken in, but mine isn't big enough, so I had to bake it for a while. I think my breast's were still a bit thick, and took a little longer to cook.

Here's the Parmesan Chicken all cooked with the cheese on top. Make sure you put the cheese on when it's all cooked, or you'll burn it. I know because I've done that on other food I've cooked with cheese on top.
I didn't show the whole thing put together because I was too busy shoveling it in my mouth!!

Now because this day is so beautiful and I've been so productive on this sunny Monday I'm gonna make a cup of iced coffee and go sit in the sun and watch the kiddos play for a while!!
Have a great day all!!

what's cooking in my kitchen

I would like to caution you all right now. If you are on a diet, or trying to loose weight stop reading now.  But if your hungry keep reading!  You may gain weight just looking at the pictures...Unless you like to drool on your computer then feel free. Brwhahahaha
But on with the weight gain and drooling!!!
Trifles anyone? I just love a good trifle, and that said I have three I'm gonna share tonight.  Excited hu?!

 Here is number one. It's called Red White and Blueberry dessert. It's simply wonderful, oh and the easiest one to make too. (If you want to be fancy put it in a 9x13 pan and build a flag on top with the berries). I just threw it in the trifle bowl. I was in a hurry to get it done so I could eat it!!! hehehe
What's in it? Simple. 1t vanilla, 1 t almond extract, 2pkg cream cheese, 1/4 c sugar. Beat these together. In another bowl whip 2 C whipping cream. Fold into cream cheese mixture. 1 qt fresh strawberries cut into chunks, 1 qt blueberries. Layer in pan or bowl. Keep in fridge.

Here is number two. The second easiest to make. I just made it up as I went along in my "planning" today actually. We had our family dinner with the in-laws.That's why I love trifles you can do just about anything you want to make one. It doesn't have a name, I just called it a Surprise Trifle. Basically because I was the one who made it up as I went.
 What's in it? Simple. Make a chocolate cake. Let it cool, and the cut into chunks. 1 large pkg of instant chocolate pudding and make it ahead, 1 C whipping cream. Fold whipped cream into choc pudding. Cut up a bunch of Reese's Peanut Butter bars. Layer in a bowl. Keep in fridge.

Here is number three. This one was the most time consuming because of what's in it. It's a Lemon Strawberry Trifle. But just as wonderful as the first two. If your into that sort of thing.
What's in it? This one was a little more involved, like I said. I made a homemade Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake. Yummy. Cool and cut into chunks. I only used half of the cake for this trifle and the other half is frozen. Then there is a homemade Lemon Curd. When that is cooled you add 2 C whipped cream. Cut up strawberries. I used a lot because I was asked by one of my kiddos to put extra in there, so I did! Layer in a bowl.  Keep in fridge.

I for one think they look great. I'm not tooting my own horn here, I've made tons of different trifles the past few years and found they are great for a pot luck, family get together or what have you. My trifle bowl is actually the Pampered Chef one. I earned it free at one of my parties a few years ago, and I have gotten plenty of use from it too!!  As you can see!
Have a great night all!!