Thanksgiving

I'm thankful for my home,

I am thankful for fresh milk

I am thankful for two little girls

I am thankful for my Mom who made cookies with the girls

I'm thankful for green decorating sugar

I'm thankful for soap, to make the green disappear

I'm thankful for the fun involve in making these cookies and eating them

Cover that caos

S-L-O-W-L-Y making curtains to cover up my open shelve in the kitchen. With having a see in fridge (even when organized it can look messy) I NEED to cover up my storage shelve. The mess makes me frazzled. I had this fabric laying around and started taking measurements and finally found a bit a velcro (sticky on only one side) and got it up.

Crayon Roll Up anyone?

So I've heard about these and finally decided to make one. Here's mine.... I thought it turned out cute. I'm also making one for the girls, with reversed colours. I'm excited.

This is what it looks like, once rolled up and ready to go in my bag.

Plain wipes case.... no more

So I've been seeing these online and thought I'd give it a whirl.
I love them.
Now even after the kids are out of diapers, I can still have wipes in my bag for sticky fingers, and things can look fancy.

For a girl above

And for a boy

What do you think?

Put a flower in your hair

So I've been a little bit envious of all the pretty hair thingies, everybody and their cat has been wearing. And yes I wanted some too... well for the girls too of course.
So I found out how to make them.... YouTube.com and be used for good things :o)
I love this one, I had this one shirt in mind when I made it, that I want to wear it with.

Here they all are. I still need to attach my little loop to the back, so I can slide in the bobby pin.

And I want to make some more kind of like this one... you know all ribbons.

The girls really like them and can't wait for Sunday when they can wear them.

Pillows for my bed

I mad the little pillow with the flowers on a couple of months ago and thought is turned out rather well.
The satiny pillowcases I made last week.
They use to be a fitted sheet I got a the thrift store. My hubby didn't appreciate the silky as much as I did.... so I turned them into these pillowcases.
I've got to say I do love them, they are all nice and soft.

The quilt my sister in law Julia made for us for Christmas a few years ago.

Somewhere to hang those postcards

Here's the notice board I made for Arilyn, She has the alphabet attached to hers. The postcards are very important.. the girls get them from their Bedste -Grandma

Here's Rhiannon's, she's 3 so she got the numbers from 1-10

They are so very excited that I made these for them... now for some eye-hooks and a hook in the wall and we're ready to hang them.

The Halloween Fairy - finally came to our house

Thank you Catherina, for posting this project by Martha Steward.... and for telling how to use cereal boxes to make them.
Check it out at Catherina's Creative Corner
I finally got my painted boxes in from the garage today so I could tape my silhouettes to them. I am SO excited. Here are the Martha' templates.
I've removed ALL my nick knacks that where taking over my mantel, and have decided that this is where I am going to decorate.
It's a small enough area that I won't get overwhelmed. And now i have some where to have fun with all the holidays... you know other than Christmas.
And I LOVE LOVE LOVE my pumpkin that I got to pick at a friends house. Look at the ridges on that baby. And it only wants to lay on that side.
I'll try to add a bit more to the mantle this week, and if I do, I'll post another picture.

Catching up... Arilyns Cake

So, I haven't been on here keeping you updated on what I'm up to.... staying busy that's for sure.

I thought I'd post pictures of Arilyn's birthday cake and tell you how to make one if you DON'T have the fancy pan to make the dress :o)

I used 3 cake mixes (she insisted on the strawberry one, even thought she doesn't like it)
I baked one in a 9x13'ish cake pan
One in a bunt pan
and the last one in a glass pyrex mixing bowl. (they can go in the oven) make sure that you think your ovenproof mixing bowl, well kinda fits on top of your bunt pan...... turn you bunt pan upside down and then you bowl and make sure it can "sit" on top of the bunt pan.
When you've baked and cooled all cakes (make sure you greased and floured your pans), you put the rectangular cake on the bottom, the bunt cake towards the one end (rounded side up) and the round cake from the bowl on top of that (round side up, and make a hole through the center of it). Make sure to frost between the layers.
These three cakes make the cake tall enough that you don't have to chop of any part of the barbie doll to make it fit.
Wrap plastic wrap around the legs of the barbie and set her in the cake. lift her arms out of the way and frost and decorate.

Nectarine Cake -sugar free

Here's the cake I made. I finally found the camera, and just in time, there was only 1 piece left when I took the picture.
When I first tasted it, it wasn't nearly sweet enough. It's amazing how use we become to all the sweet stuff out there. When I had gotten use to the 'not-so-sweet' I started tasting the sweetness that was there.
Elm said that it wasn't sweet enough.... and then proceeded to eat 3 pieces of the cake.
I asked him, why he kept eating if he didn't think it was sweet enough... He said the cool whip was really good :o)
yes I used cool whip for topping instead of whip cream (as I have 10 things of free cool whip in the freezer and don't have any whipping cream)

Here's the recipe:
Cake-
mix together
2 large eggs
3/4 C blended nectarines (recipe wanted peaches, but I didn't have any other than what I had canned, so nectarines it was)
1/3 C butter, softened
add and mix
1 C water (next time I'm going to use Welsh's new healthy harvest 'white grape, mango & orange' for a cake that is a bit sweeter)
mix together
2 1/3 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
then add to the wet mixture and mix together

*divide batter between two sprayed 9" round cake pans.
* Bake @ 350F for 15-20 min until lightly browned, and knife comes out clean.
*cool on wire racks

to prepare cake-
Put one layer on serving plate.
peel and slice 3-4 nectarines, place 1/2 on top of cake layer
put other cake on top and then the rest of the slices.
Top with whipped whip cream w. a bit of vanilla added

I would put some cool whip on the first layer of cake as well as on top next time... to help glue it together.

Had friends over Friday night when we ate the cake, Jaymi really liked it and wants the recipe :o)
I'll be make this cake again.

Carob Chips Cookies -sugarfree

So I am trying out some recipes in a book my friend Meleah gave me "Sweet and Sugarfree, An All-Natural Fruit-Sweetened Dessert Cookbook" by Karen E. Barkie.
When I tasted the first one, I thought that it didn't taste much like a cookie... you know having gotten use to the sweeter the better... so it's a bit of an adjustment. But after a couple, when you actually start stasting the cooking and not comparing to everything else, they are good.

I did put chocolate chips in some of the dough (for the rest of the family, and do you think they are enthused? NOPE.. dang it all, less cookies for me)
And MY half has raisins in them to add some sweet. If I'd had carob chips, I would have tried them... but they aren't in my pantry just yet.

Here's the recipe, it says it makes 36 cookies.. I got 24 TINY cookies out of it.

1/4 C mashed banana
1/4 C vegetable oil (here in the US they usually use canola oil made from rapeseed =rasp olie for you in DK.
1 large egg
1 C flour
1 C rolled oats
3/4 C carob chips

*mix bananas and oil, then add the egg.
*mix in flour and then oats
*stir in chips

the 'batter' feels more like a dough
it says to drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet, and bake for 10 min at 350F, or untill just brown around the edges.

Next time: I'd make them bigger, so I can actually sit down and eat a cookie, and not just pop a bite size one in my mouth.
And I want to try to find something else to add in. I was thinking abt chopped dates (nice and sweet) but couldn't find my bag when I started baking
They cookies are firm and kinda chewy... you get to chew them.

I'll add pictures... when I find my camera (which will hopefully be before we eat the nectarine cake later)

A Cream Separator and Butter Churn

So why would we want to spend our tax return money on all these silly farm things?

Well, Goats milk doesn't naturally separate, so to get the cream off the milk, it needs to be run through a separator. So here's the one we got http://www.hoeggergoatsupply.com/xcart/product.php?productid=4467&cat=142&page=1

the first time I ran it, there was this weird smell like something burning. found out part of the thing had melted due to some defect. But I called them and THEIR COSTUMER SERVICE IS GREAT.
A fellow called me back trying to find out what had happened, then said they'd send me a new base and gave me his name and number if I ever had any trouble with it again.

My butter churn, oh the fun of making butter and getting a good work out in the process. We got the hand powered one, which makes for a good evening activity while watching a movie with the kids.


http://www.hoeggergoatsupply.com/xcart/product.php?productid=3523&cat=20&page=1

I really like Hoegger. They have so many nice things there.
No I'm not being paid by them to advertise, I just feel that when someone has a good product, they should get the credit for it.
so here is the product of our investment.If I separate cream morning and evening after milking and put the cream in the freezer... for a week. This is what I get: 5 beautiful sticks of butter
Which is about how much butter we use in a week. Pretty neat huh?!?!?

Our Sign

I've started painting on our sign out front. It was Elm's idea and I jumped on it.

I am so excited for this project. So far I've added a goat and our big Turkey Tom. I've started framing the lettering with white, so that it pops. I still want to add some more of our animals and will add updates as I get them made.

Our sign.
I was so excited, when I finally got Elm to hang my egg sign.. one hour after it went up we had our first costumer.
So far, that has been our only costumer.. bummer!


Callum our turkey a.k.a. Vicious Guard Dog


This isn't really one of my goats, she looks like my Scarlet, but scarlet has horns. But the foot in the bucket, is was she does ALL THE time when she's being milked

It's amazing how all these little things I get done around here, make my home feel more and more like MY home.

Canning - Pinto Beans

Oh how I LOVE my new Presto pressure canner, check it out here http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/prestop18qtcan.htm
We got it back in April with our tax money and I finally opened up the box Friday. My favorite to do is pinto beans. When I then want to make chili, it isn't a 2 day process like before.
And with fall coming fast this year, we need lots of beans for chili. The beans need to be "helped" out of the jars with a spoon. Yes some of them will break up. But they a fully cooked and soft and you won't ever have chewy beans again.
Canned Beans:

in the evening -
In cleaned quart jars, put about 1 1/2 C dry pinto beans.
Cover with cold water and let stand till the next morning.

in the morning-
pour out the water
( I put a colander over the top of my jars, then flip it.
When all the water has run off, I flip it back)
fill with new water
wipe off the rimsand put on sterilized lids and rings

set 7 quarts into the canner, add abt 3 qt. of water to it.
Close lid on canner, turn it on.
Make sure the weight is NOT on yet.
once steam comes out the top, let it went for 10 min, before putting on the weight.
then carefully watch the gauge.
here at my altitude of 23oo feet I would can at 13 lbs of pressure
(your booklet will tell you what to can at at your altitude)your have the burner on high until it reached the right lb mark on the gauge, then you turne the heat down until it stays at that spot. Once it stays put, you start your timer
90 min @ 13lbs of pressure

of course, mine I couldn't get to stay at 13.... but it hung out happily at 14 1/2 lbs

My canned beans, aren't they pretty?


Here's then the amazing Lion House Chili recipe. Look up Lion house recipes and you can find loads of their cookbooks. I can't remember which on it's in (when I find out I'll add that info) but my mother-in-law makes this chili.
And shhhh... don't tell, but it's better than my mom's (boy did I feel better when I found out where the recipe came from)
Plus I just miss placed the recipe card (you know within the last 3 hours, so here goes by memory, when I find it, I adjust the recipe)

2 C dry beans soaked and cooked in abt 4 C of water (I use one of my jars of beans)
1 lb ground beef, fried up
1 C chopped onions
2 cans of tomatoes sauce (15 oz)
1 can tomato paste (8 oz)
2 Tbs chili
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
I then add garlic to the batch as well, it gives it that little extra oomph!

This is the chili I make every year for our Harvest Fest that we have Saturday evening of the October General Conference.
I provide chili and fry bread, every family brings a pie to share.

Cheese Mashed Potatoes

The pictures I took of this, just did not do it justice.
These are SO GOOD. Everyone loved them and we ate the whole thing.
(so now there isn't any way to get more pictures)

Recipe:

6 medium baking potatoes, peeled, diced and cooked

place in mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients
1 C processed cheesed, cubed (I usually only ever have sharp cheddar in the fridge, I used 6 oz... shhh don't tell)
3/4 C whole milk (to make up for the cheese, I used skim)
1/4 C diced onion
3 Tbs butter
1 lg. egg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

whip it up, and put it in a sprayed 2 qt casserole dish (bread pan was just the right size)

Bake @ 350F for 20 min

Zucchini Bread - no, not the spice cake type

Well, I have a recipe I worked out once for bread, that had pumpkin puree and yogurt in it.
I didn't have any pumpkin in my freezer, but in my fridge was a lonely zucchini.
So fondly remembering my very first Y.W. girls camp back in Denmark, I thought I'd do a zucchini bread like the one, one of the ward leaders daughters brought up for us one day. It was a loaf of bread with little green specks in it. And it was wonderful.

Here it is, almost straight out of the oven.
It stood in the pan for abt 10min before I removed it.

And the first slice. I ate is before I could get any goats butter on it.


Recipe:

in mixing bowl, whisk together, and let stand a few minutes
1/2 c warm water
1 Tbs salt
3 Tbs dry yeast
1/4 C honey

add, and attach to mixer
2 C yogurt (I use homemade goat yogurt)
2C grated zucchini

start the mixer, add one thing at a time and mix in
4 C whole wheat flour
1/3 oil (I use olive if I have it)
2 C white flour
3 eggs (I usually don't use eggs, but our chickens are going crazy out there)
2 C white flour more..
at this point start adding more white flour, till it looks "right" (for me that was 1 1/2C)

It will stick a bit to your fingers when you touch the dough.

*Cover with a damp cloth and let rice till dbl.
*Cut into 3 pieces, shape and put in sprayed bread pans.
*let rise till they are the size you want your loaves

Bake @ 350F for 30 min

Homemade Graham Crackers .... YUM

Here they are! Homemade Graham Crackers. I once found the recipe online. I've made it once before, but this time... Oh Baby! YUM! they are so much better than anything out there.

I used raw cane sugar instead of the brown sugar. And the only butter I had was our homegrown and homemade goats butter. I didn't have any vanilla so I used almond extract. They are soft graham goodness.

Recipe:
mix together in a bowl
31/2 C whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

cream together
1/2 C butter
1/4 C brown sugar (I used raw cane sugar)

then add
1/4 C honey
1 tsp. vanilla (I used 1/4 tsp. almond extract)

now alternately mix in
flour mixture
&
3/4 C water


*cover dought and let sit 30 min
*divide into 2 and place in sprayed sheets
*pat into 1/2 inch thickness, then sprinkle with flour and roll to abt. 1/4 inch thickness
* cut into squares or rectangles

Bake @ 325F for 30 min (till lightly brown around the edges)

Cool and enjoy with a nice cold glass of goats milk :)