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Print Sourdough Bread And Starter Recipe - Food.com - 78816

Sourdough bread and starterBy Janice Boice on December 13, 2003

via www.food.com

I guess im on a bread kick

Simply So Good: Crusty Bread

March 15, 2012:  Additional notes to this recipe have been added at the bottom of the post.  I have recently had several comments regarding this recipe.  I have answered all comments.  There are a few hundred so continue to scroll down or click on "load more"  to see your comment.  If you still cannot locate your comment, please send me your e-mail address and I'll send you a note.  Thank you for so many great comments.

via simplysogood.blogspot.in

I bought a new dutch oven and gonna try this.There is something comforting making bread.

Date Nights

I think all couples should date eachother.So I have combed the internet and found a ton of ideas.This one lady dated every week for a year(thats what were workin on) You can be cheap or expensive and switch em up,think up some on your own,whatever,creativity and just dating is the key.You can do them weekly,monthly,bi monthly ,special times or yearly...some dare to do daily. Here are some ideas to get you started..Have fun and let me know how the dating is going.I am on facebook and have started a group for this .You can also share your ideas.Happy Dating! Dont forget to take pictures and send your hubbys invites! I have them on a calendar and made him a print out of the dates and what day we will be doing them.So no excuses.The Hubby likes this dating thing so much he wants to surprise me with a date I know nothing about..sweet ha?

 

board game night(we played a regular game and then we played an adult version of a kiddie game..this is Hubbys favorite so far.)

 

be a tourist in your town ( we are going to see all the historical places in our town! we may eat while were out or take along some food)We hoppe on Hubbys Harley and enjoyed the the open road for this one.

 

our anniversary night in bed ( Its a work night for hubby so we shall just get to the good stuff !!) Hehehehe Keepin the details private!

 

weekend trip and hike (were goin for the weekend to the river for a quick fishin trip they have a place to take a hike so should be fun family time and couple time)invited friends for this one

 

maverick baseball game ( we are headed to our local baseball team game!!) Buy the team t shirt and accesories in advance.

 

movie and dinner in bed or couch( we went away over night at a friends cabin and went to a concert.Our friends joined us.)The movie thing will be moved to next weeks date.

 

ice cream and love notes (write an encouraging, sexy, loving, etc note for your husband each day this week. Slip it in his coat pocket, leave it with his keys for the morning, tuck it in his car, be creative. The date night can be your choice, but do your best to leave your husband a note each day. Be as flirty and creative as you can.)

 

backyard campout ( set the backyard up like a campsite and spend the day and evening outdoors..cooking outside too!! do as you would while camping but just in your own backyard.)

 

couch time date (grab a drink and snack tell the kids to leave you alone for a bit turn off the phone and all electronics,background music optional and talk about your day each other kids,money whatever but talk for a bit.try not to argue and hold hands,hug and end it with a kiss.)

 

bowling

 

make cookies

 

home candlelight date w/ dancing (set a small romantic table in a romantic spot in the house,cook a great meal or order in,dance to music talk,but not about anything serious or kids!! end with a nice dessert and well however you wanna end it.also dress up a bit or mabe just jammies.This may be a night to send the kids away to a friend or grams)

 

Chris birthday date his choice

 

play cards night (card games of your choice)

 

bucket list (Make your own list of things you want to do in life you can include together things to.Then share them and talk about plans on how to accomplish each one)

 

take a walk ( hold hands and talk. don't forget fido)

 

mad libs date night (copy some mad libs and have fun laughing)

 

halloween and costume night

 

slumber party( give your hubby a written invitation,buy new jamas,sleep by the fire,set out sleeping bags and pillows,set the stage,play games,watch movies,eat a simple meal and fun desert,have great snacks and a small cooler for drinks.don't forget the pancake breakfast in the morning)

 

grow old with me date (look into the future and dream of growing old together. Ready for a good laugh? Have you ever thought about what each other will look like in 50 years? You might have to have some thick skin for this one, but wouldn't it be fun to sketch out your image of each other? Will your spouse have laugh lines or frown lines (Ok, make sure you do this when you're not fighting)? Will he be bald or have a full head of hair? Remember to have a sense of humor. I can't draw for anything and my husband knows that so our expectations aren't high. Just sounds like fun.After you've had a great laugh, spend some time talking about what you want your relationship to look in 50 years. Where will you be? What will you have done in the past 50 years? What will you do to keep your relationship healthy and strong? Challenge your spouse: Grow Old With Me!)

 

 

recreate our first date

 

pray together date (pray together at least 3-4 times this week. Spend some time honestly sharing with each other what your true struggles are. And then bring them up in prayer together. Right then. Don't say, "I'll be praying for you." Rather do it in the moment. Right there.If this seems strange to you, take a prayer walk together. Put on your walking shoes and walk the neighborhood as you share your hearts with each other. And if for whatever reason, praying isn't for you, if your beliefs about God prevent you from participating, spend some time with your spouse sharing about your current struggles. Commit to keeping each other accountable. Commit to supporting each other to the best of your abilities. Commit to hearing the heart behind the circumstances.)

 

speak words of appreciation (Whether you go out or stay in, take a few moments this weekend just for the two of you. Take some time to tell each other how thankful you are for each other. That he always takes out the trash on Wed mornings. Or that she remembers to put the flannel sheets on the bed the first day of fall. No matter how big or how small, we all enjoy being appreciated. And no matter what spot your marriage is in right now, there's always good to see in your spouse and always something to be thankful for. Let them know that you notice. Practice being thankful for your spouse and the little ways in which they continue to enrich your life.)

 

family date(this is scheduled for getting our x-mas tree)

 

breakfast in bed

 

x-mas eve tradition date ( meet your hubby under the tree at the end of the day with a christmas carder each other and spend the night there..light the fire,keep the tree lights on,do as you wish..talk,play,cuddle and sleep.be as naughty or nice as you can be)

 

group date(new years eve)

 

future plans date (plan what your future will hold,its like the bucket list but this list is what you actually can do and will do.plan retirement,plan holidays and traditions etc.. its fun to talk and plan)

 

favorite things date ( Do your favorite thing as a couple)

 

pennies in a fountain date ( find a local fountain ours is the mall. we will get a drink walk the mall an then to end the date we will each throw at least 1 penny each to make a wish)

 

winter date (plan a date to play in the snow)

 

love letters (Write a love letter to each other and share them at bedtime.The rest after that is up to you. The letter must be romantic and may even include a poem)

 

43 kisses date ( Brush those teeth and find your favorite make out spot then spend time doing these 43 kisses….

Types of Kisses (43 Kisses Download)

1. Standard Kiss

   A simple kiss and a great way to get and give feedback about the kiss you do most often.

2. French Kiss

   Lean together into a simple kiss, open your mouths and touch tongues lightly. Enjoy the feeling of your tongues moving against each other. Important point - do not move too deeply into your partner's mouth.

3. Sniff Kiss

   Popular in Asian nations where public kissing is frowned upon, the sniff-kiss doesn't involve lips at all. Lean into your date and put your nose near their cheek, ear, or neck. Inhale their scent deeply.

4. Nip Kiss

   Instead of kissing with your lips, lean in close and gently bite your date’s lower lip, being very careful not to bite too hard.

5. Eskimo Kiss

   Put your faces close together and gently rub noses back and forth, up and down, or any which way you like.

6. Butterfly Kiss

   Get close to your partner and flutter your eyelids against their cheek, neck, lips, or nose.

7. Upside-Down Kiss (Spiderman Kiss)

   Have your partner lie on their back or sit in a chair and lean their head back. Lean over and give them a kiss with your heads pointed the opposite direction (noses near each other's chins).

8. Flavored Kiss

   Take a bite of strawberry, orange, piece of candy, or anything else and then give your date a French kiss.

9. Mystery Kiss

   Head to the local supermarket or candy shop and each pick out a bunch of flavors you like – this could be things like root beer barrels, toffee, grapes, strawberries, etc. (jelly bellies work well). Don’t show each other what you bought. Take turns closing your eyes while your partner eats a bite and then gives you a French kiss. See if you can guess the flavor!

10. Sucking Kiss

    When kissing with an open mouth, gently suck on your date's lower lip. Pull away slightly while kissing for that little extra touch, but not too hard.

11. Vacuum Kiss

    When your lips are pressing together, gently suck the air out of your partner's mouth.

12. Fish Kiss

    Suck your cheeks in so that both of you look like fish and try to kiss each other before you burst out laughing. Keep trying until you succeed.

13. The Non-Kiss Kiss

    Lean in close to your date until your lips are barely touching, rub your lips against each other's without puckering.

14. Lick Kiss

    Instead of touching your partner's lips with your own, lean in closely and gently run your tongue over their lips. End with a light kiss.

15. Tease Kiss

    Lean in until your lips barely graze each other's and pull back slightly. Do this a few times, enjoying the feeling of your partner’s breath, before kissing.

16. Candy Kiss

    While French kissing, pass a piece of hard candy or gum between your mouths.

17. Ice Kiss

    While French kissing, pass a small piece of ice between your mouths.

18. Capture the Candy Kiss

    Put a Skittle, M&M, or other small candy in your partner's mouth and see if you can find it and move it to your mouth. Don’t use anything larger than Skittles or M&Ms.

19. Sliding Kiss

    Expose your partner's feet, ankles, legs, stomach, and neck. Have them lie down and gently kiss them on the foot and slide up to the ankle, knee, thigh, stomach, and finally neck. Make sure to slide your lips across the skin between light kisses.

20. Hickey

    Gently, but firmly suck on your partner's skin until the area is pink or red. It may be best to do this in an area that can be covered by clothes.

21. From Behind Kiss

    Hold your date from behind and when they turn their head, move yours around to meet them and kiss.

22. Slow Motion Kiss

    Kiss your date at one-half or one-quarter speed.

23. Opposite Kiss

    If you usually kiss with your heads tilted to the right, try kissing with them tilted to the left.

24. Downward Kiss

    Starting at the ear, kiss down along your partner's jaw to their neck or collarbone.

25. Tickle Kiss

    Start by giving your partner a normal kiss and then start tickling their ribs, stomach, or underarms. See how long you can continue while you’re both laughing.

26. No Lips Kiss

    Lean in close, open your mouths slightly and touch tongues without touching lips.

27. Blow Kiss

    Give your partner wet kisses on their neck, back, or shoulder (their choice). Pull back slightly and gently blow on the area to give them a cooling sensation.

28. Woodpecker Kisses

    Have your partner close their eyes and give them short, quick kisses all over their face. See if you can cover their entire face before you burst out laughing.

29. Lady and the Tramp Kiss

    You both hold one end of licorice, taffy, fruit, or whatever in your mouth and eat until you're kissing.

30. Shocking Kiss

    Shuffle around the carpet until you build up an electric charge, lean in close until only your lips meet and give off a spark.

31. High Low Kiss

    Lean in and kiss your partner's upper lip, then pull back slightly and kiss their lower lip.

32. Kiss on the Hand

    Take your partner's hand and give it a light kiss on the top or palm.

33. Kiss on the Cheek

    Kiss your partner on the cheek.

34. Kiss on the Neck

    Hold your partner from the front or back and kiss them on the neck.

35. Frog Kiss

    Move in close, open your mouths, and touch tongues quickly and briefly, like a frog trying to catch a fly. After about a dozen touches melt in for a long French kiss.

36. Kiss on the Ear

    Lightly kiss your partner's ear, gently nibble or suck on the earlobe. Just once, lightly explore their ear with your tongue, many people don't like this but you never know.

37. Kiss on the Back

    Ask your partner which part of the back they want kissed. Pull up their shirt and kiss the area gently, rubbing your chin, cheek, and nose across the area.

38. Kiss on the Foot

    Ask your partner where their feet are ticklish. Avoiding those spots, lightly kiss them on the top of the foot, ankle, or toes. Give them a little tickle when you're done.

39. Kiss on the Navel

    Pull up your partner's shirt and gently kiss them on their navel. Use your tongue to explore the area.

40. Kiss on the Nose

    Hug your partner close and give them a soft kiss on the tip of their nose.

41. Kiss the Eyes

    Ask your partner to close their eyes. Start by lightly kissing the cheekbone once, the eyebrow once, and then very gently kiss your date's closed eyes.

42. Kiss on the Forehead

    Hold your partner close and give them a firm kiss on the forehead.

43. Switch Kiss

    With this kiss you're going to kiss your partner the way they usually kiss you and vice-versa. If they're taller, start by standing on a chair, and use the style they do, kiss the lip they kiss, put your tongue in their mouth if they usually put theirs in yours, hold them the way they hold you, you get the idea. This can be a real eye-opener!)

 

his valentines date ( as you plan your valentines remember to make sure his day is special as well. So be less selfish and make sure he gets his favorite things for the day to..foods,movies,gifts..whatever you do as a couple on this day make sure its about him too and ladies no sweats in bed tonight ok!!)

 

5 senses date ( We're going on a date to explore our "Five Senses." How do we explore our five senses? How creative can you get? Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

Smell--special dessert, yummy dinner, scented candle

Taste--dinner, coupon for his favorite dessert, edible body paint

Sound--Dance mix CD, romantic movie,

Touch--coupon for massage, body lotion,

Sight--Marriage photos, travel video, lingerie

Obviously this date can be adapted to a night out on the town or a night at home. The special touches are up to you. So let us know how you personalize this date to your marriage. What new ideas did you come up with?

 

 

intimacy box date ( You are going to create an intimacy box with your spouse. What's an intimacy box you ask?

An intimacy box is a collection of items that can only be used when creating an intimate environment with your significant other. These can items as simple as candles, massage oils, special music, bubble bath, ... how creative can you be?

So for this date you will be shopping together or separately. Ideally I think this would be so much fun to do with your spouse. Pick an inexpensive location, split up and come back together at an appointed time. (In the real world this isn't always possible. So doing this separately at most convenient times is still a great option). Keep your purchases a surprise until you can be together. And don't just throw it on the bed and say, "Well, this is what I came up with." Take time to really share with each other and talk about why you made each purchase. Relish these moments of intimacy and conversation with your spouse. )

 

 

 

international date ( were goin out to IHOP, but you can go out to your favorite international food..sushi,mexican,italian,etc.. or cook these dishes at home)

 

ABC date ( you need to plan this out.I recommend you do it together and each take half….

Are you imaginative? Great! You'll need to be as you work your way through 26 spontaneous, fun, and silly activities all on one date! Why 26, you ask? Well, that's the number of letters in the alphabet and your job is to figure out something to do for each one!

So this is how it works, over the course of the date you'll each take turns picking things to do for the letters A thru Z. For example, if you pick being Acrobatic for "A", then it's your date's turn to choose something for "B" like Breakdancing or a water Balloon fight. Get it? Besides that there aren't really any rules to this thing, you can go anywhere and do anything, be it a simple Hug for "H" or trying to sneak onto a Rooftop for "R". Which brings up a good point, not every letter has to be a big, spectacular event. You won't have time for that anyway. No, some of the best ones can simply be Holding Hands or talking about yourDreams for the future. Here are some random examples for the first few letters:

 

• A = be Acrobatic, make some Art, pet an Animal, look at a photograph by Ansel Adams, drink Apple juice, act like Apes.
• B = Breakdance, ride Bikes, Boil an egg, Build a fort, Blow up a Balloon, play Basketball, see who can Bark like a dog.
• C = Climb a tree, bake Cookies, make a Crank Call, sing Christmas Carols, Clap your hands, play Cards.
• D = name the 7 Dwarves, play Darts, kiss behind the Drapes, take a Dip in the pool, talk about your Dreams, take a Door off its hinges.
• E = ride in an Elevator, read an Excerpt from your favorite book, Enter a contest, see who can list the most famous people whose name starts with an "E", learn how to say "Hello" in Egyptian.
• If you get stumped think of general activities like music (listen to or sing favorite songs), travel (to streets or stores), eating, and playing sports.

There are also some fun variations to the game, one being that the person who doesn't pick the activity has to do it, which can make for some interesting situations. And then there's the one I like where you still work together, but each get 3 passes for activities you don't want to do. What happens is that you still alternate letters, but after the activity is picked you each have the option of saying "Pass!" which means the other person has to do that one by themselves. It's fun when one person says "For the letter S I choose Striptease" (it'll be the guy), and you see who can "Pass!" the fastest because only one person can pass on each letter. But remember, you only get 3 Passes for the entire alphabet, so don't waste them cuz I'd hate to see you end the date trying to pet a Zebra!

 

arcade date ( go out to your local arcade or fun zone and be a kid.)

 

 

lucky me date(St Pats day) (Plan an Irish date,get into the spirit of the holiday.whatever you plan make sure your date knows how lucky you are to have him.

 

my choice birthday date

 

family dinner

 

comedy club date ( this is a plan ahead date to go out to a comedy club for the evening,however if money and time is an issue charge up the computer cuddle up ,get on youtube and find comedians you know and have a good laugh.you can also rent a comedy movie or two and laugh away at that.The important thing is to laugh and laugh and laugh together.)

 

picnic date ( hubby proposed to me at a park so we may have a picnic there or just go to the nearest park and eat a picnic lunch. You can also use your backyard.)

 

drive in movie date ( Barstow has a cheap drive in. get fast food head out and act like teenagers at the drive in)

 

date in a bag date (easter may be a basket) ( its easter time so each of you go out and give each other a date in a bag or basket.That day you at least try to do one of them but do both or plan a day when you will use them.you can also use it for a back up date or spontaneous date.these don't need to be a lot of money just creative.

You're going to create a date in a bag. What's a date in a bag? It's a quick easy way to have date materials on hand for whenever you actually get a few minutes alone with your spouse. I know some weeks we don't get to our date just because we can't find a free night. Sure there's "moments" here and there, but no evenings so I just don't have the stuff on hand.

By creating a date in a bag, you can have the items on hand for when those moments hit. Think of it as a little bit of playing which yields the freedom of a whole lot of spontaneity.

So you're thinking, "That's great! But how in the world do I put that together? What goes in this bag?"

Well, here's a few ideas:

1. Childhood date: candy necklaces, M&M's, favorite childhood soda, episode of your favorite childhood sitcom, and talking about what it was like growing up.

2. Exercise date: water bottles, jump rope, and map outlining obstacle course at a local park.

3. Book date: copy of books you're both currently reading, favorite coffee/tea, some yummy bought scones or muffins, and talking about what you're learning or reading.here is more ideas….

1. Picnic Date: Grab items you can use at a local park. 2. Game Date: Grab a deck of cards and a few treats. 3. Spa Date: Grab some lotion, calm music and breath mints. 4. Italian Date: Grab an Italian movie, food and treats. 5. Our Favorite Things Date: Grab your favorite movie and

treats. 6.Memory Date: Grab your wedding album or video and

watch together. 7. Exercise Date: Grab water bottles and find a place to

exercise. 8. Bubble Bath Date: Grab some bubble bath and candles. 9. Rock Star Date: Grab your favorite music you can listento together. 10. TV Date Night: Grab a television series you and

your spouse want to watch and enjoy the whole season together.

 

date night inventory date (This week's dating challenge is a little bit your choice, little bit assignment. Location is up to you: dinner out, evening in, day at the park. More so this week's date is a talking point. It seems so often, we get into relationships and stop talking. I know from my own experience that other things seem more pressing: dishes to be done, kids to be bathed, house to be cleaned, blogs to be written. :-) So the talking goes on the back burner and I expect my husband to read my mind. This week's date involves getting you talking with your mate, a mini couples inventory of sorts. Pick your location and activity, but make sure you talk though the following questions over the evening:

 

Mate's Birthday:

Anniversary:

Mate's:

dress size:

pants size

shirt size:

shoe size:

ring size:

 

Mate's favorite:

color:

movie:

play:

author:

musical:

singer:

sport:

magazine:

jewelry:

candy:

hobby:

cookie:

meal/dessert:

restaurant:

vacation spot:

 

How does your Mate see love expressed: acts of service, gifts, time, affirmation, etc?

 

If you were forced to flee your home, what three items would your Mate want saved?

 

What's your Mate's favorite holiday? What do they like most about it?

 

What are the best and worst aspects of your Mate's job?

 

What is is the best piece of advice a friend ever gave your Mate?

 

I have more questions if you wanna go all out(let me know),but the point is talk about anything and everything!!

 

couples spa date (plannin the ivy!!)

 

mexican date ( olvera street and mexican food)

 

photo date (pull out photo albums and reminiss and while your at get or take family and or couple pictures!! also remember to take pictures of your life.

 

go out date ( go out to a movie and dinner make this cheap or lavish. also brunch and matinees are cheep to.You can also make this your choice but get out of the house!!

 

stargazing late night date

 

first words date ( This date requires a little prep work on your part. On small slips of paper, you're going to write the following words:

color, vacation, music, chore, children, parents, family, friends, talent, childhood, store, candy, sport, winter, summer, spring, fall, outdoors, restaurant, habit, house, birthday, pets, food, late night, read, watch, listen, taste, drink, ... other words you want to throw in as well.

Write each word on a slip of paper, fold it in two, and throw it in a bowl/a hat/ something to mix them up in. Take turns drawing words from the bowl and just say the first word that comes to your mind. Don't think; just say the first word that pops into your head. Is it funny, is it serious, is it bizarre? Let your mind go and see where the conversation takes you.

 

 

artistic date ( create something together,or make a craft together,write poetry together,play instruments, color a picture or draw.Whatever you do make sure its artistic)

 

27 years ago date(this is a day for hubby and I only its scheduled on the date we first well you know)

 

mentoring and witnessing a couple date ( this is an out there kinda of date. find a younger couple and have them over for dinner ,lunch,games,whatever.Young couples need to see older couples together and mentor them if needed. this could be a dating couple to. younger means the length of relationship and also the other couple should be younger than you to.You can find a couple that has some issues and just let them know your there for them. give it a whirl.explain the weekly date thing to.

 

spiritual legacy date ( Discuss with your spouse what kind of spiritual legacy you want to leave. Maybe you believe in God; maybe you don't. Maybe you believe in Karma or Allah or THE Universe. No matter what you believe in, you are leaving a spiritual legacy whether you realize it or not. The way you live your life, the way you speak to your spouse or your kids or your co-workers, the things you do every day... speak volumes about what you think is important. Be it money or relationships or image or... whatever. You're leaving a legacy.

This might be a tough conversation to have ... and that's the point. Fun dates are fun and they built memories that connect us. But every once in awhile we need to have these conversations. These are the conversations that are going to cement a marriage. I know personally that if it wasn't for our continuing commitment to following Christ, our marriage would have no basis. These are the conversations that make all our marriages deeper. These are the conversations that connect us.

So whatever your legacy may be... lay it out there. Be honest! Share your heart with your spouse! What do you want to be remembered for? What's your spiritual legacy? And if you don't believe in God, this conversation still applies to you. Is your legacy to be a great parent? Is your legacy to live generously in your relationships? Is your legacy to be a driving force in your community? What is your spiritual legacy?)

 

review date night ( this date is for one of the dates you missed,want to do,or repeat.It would also be great to start planning your dates for the next year.)

 

Date # 52 surprise date ( This is actually two dates you each surprise the other with a specially planned date for them.this is a plan ahead date. This could also be your big splurge date say a night or weekend trip,or concert whatever you wanna splurge on.If splurging is not possible then be as creative as possible with the date or dates you choose.This is also the last date for the year but below is ideas for the next years dates..Happy planning and happy dating!!)

------------------------------

Other dates possible

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motorcycle ride date

go out to a movie and dinner

go play pool

go to the beach

cruise dinner

go to a concert

go to a museum

go buy a great tv show seasons worth of shows and watch them on a regular basis together

bubble bath with candles ummm yeah!!

massage night

strip poker

starbucks and talk date

kareoke

go to a sports game or at least go to a bar with drinks and cheer your team or watch the game at home

go to the fair or circus

go to the golf range

go to catalina island

take a dance class

go to a show like "cats"

total surprise date

go to a high school game

find a new recipe and cook together

go to a hotel

dinner theater

The ideas are limitless..have fun be creative,do new things ,do old things,but date each other and have fun!!

Celebrations!

Happy Johns Day,Happy Birthday Aunt Ilga,and Happy 25th Wedding anniversary to Hubby & I !! 

Its Party time in Latvia! LIGO LIGO! Priaka! I took this picture of Poppys while collecting flowers! 

 

This is Larisas Dad's farm grounds.CUTE HA?

We go out to collect food,flowers,tree branches and oak leaves.

We make the womens crowns of flowers and mens of oak leaves.

We decorate and set out the food and bbq.

Family and friends gather

We go into the sauna

Drink and drink and drink some more!!

We celebrate a birthday! Aunt Ilga turns 82!!

We celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary!

We celebrate our family and my culture.

We celebrate Johns Day!! Happy Summer! Priaka!

where are we going?

Hmmm,Where are we going? This is a beautiful path.

What an enchanting sight of a bridge.

I look up to see a stork in its nest,where are we??

We are at Rundale Palace.....

 

Summer Residence of the Duke of Courland, ERNST JOHANN BIRON Built: 1736-1740, 1763-1768 Architect: Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli

Rundāle Palace is one of the most outstanding monuments of Baroque and Rococo art in Latvia. It was built between 1736 and 1740 as a summer residence of Duke Ernst Johann of Courland. The Duchy of Courland-Semigallia, a vassal state of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was founded in 1561 and it existed until 1795. In 1737 Ernst Johann Biron, a landlord in Courland and favorite of the Russian Empress Anna Ioannovna, became the Duke of Courland-Semigallia. The Italian architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli designedRundāle Palace and supervised construction work. After the death of Empress Anna Ioannovna, the Duke was arrested and sent to exile in Russia. Construction works in the palace were resumed after the Duke's return at the beginning of the reign of Empress Catherine II. The major part of the interior was made in the period between 1765 and 1768. The Italian masters from St. Petersburg Francesco Martini andCarlo Zucchi created paintings on the ceilings and walls while sculptor Johann Michael Graff from Berlin made stucco decorations on the background of artificial marble. Following the annexation of the Duchy of Courland-Semigallia to the Russian Empire, Rundāle Palace became the property of Count Valerian Zubov. The next owner of the palace was the Count's brother Platon Zubov whose widow married Count Andrei Shuvalov. The Shuvalov family owned the estate until 1920 when the new Latvian government introduced the agrarian reform and, as a result, the palace became the property of the Republic ofLatvia. After World War I there were flats and an elementary school in the damaged palace. In 1933 the palace was taken over by the State Museum of History and some repairs were carried out there. The palace did not suffer damage during World War II but after the war some of its rooms were adapted for a granary. In 1972 the Rundāle Palace Museum was founded and restoration of the palace began. Restoration is not yet completed and is still going on.

 

 

This was a beautiful place with a gorgeous english garden,really cool lookin inside and you can have fun and wear costumes! 

I became Tsarina Shawny of Latvia ,Barroness of Ireland,Dutchess of Boston,Princess of Hesperia,and Queen of the Swan household. Hhahahaaa it was fun.

My cousin Larisa Tsarina of Dobele

 

Us Ladies with the Tsar Ravis himself!

Ok enough of silly stuff.We will now enter the palace.

I will save that for another post.As usual I am ending my post with a family member you can meet.This is my cousin Maris he is married to my cousin Daina who is the daughter of my grandpas brother Erik.

My cousin Daina,her name means poetry and my mom also has the same name.My cousins were very happy to see us and enjoyed the boys company.

I will leave you with a preview of whats coming and see the bee flying out of the rose...cool ha?

I hope you liked the little trip.If you have time look up this palace and read about and see more pictures.I will add more of this place in the next post.

Men,Pigs & Eye Candy

Hello again! What an AMAZING vacation this has been! I cant believe its half over,so I am trying to soak in all the fun and family so it will last longer.We are all good!

 

One of the first thing the men had to do was get ready to hunt boar (pig). So off the went to get their target practice in at the range. They went to shoot a Browning 30.06 rifle bolt action yeah buddy!!

Yes thats Jake and yes thats a bullet shell in his ear for sound protection.

My two boys are awesome shooters! see the target of the bore? too funny!One dead pig for sure.

Matt our future Marine is diggin this shootin stuff!

Of course the sniper pro himself had to shoot the target too!

My cousin teaching his son to hold the rifle.Please dont worry..ALL PRECAUTIONS were taken for his safety and he didnt shoot the guns.He will have to hunt for his food one day so teach em young is what they do.

The men gather and discuss how they did and talk about the guns and again talked about how great of shooters they are ....yeah ok,I had enough. hehehee.

So now since this was about guts and guy stuff I thought I would leave you gals with some eye candy!! 

This is my cousin Edgars. His voice and accent are dreamy,he is one HOT guy(watch out Enrique there is competition) One thing tho ladies  take in a deep breath and sit down..hes taken...yep sorry.But no harm in lookin right!!Now go wipe the drool of your chins and have a good day!As they say here chow!!

Hello From Latvia!

Hello my peeps! Sorry I am not posting faster but I have been enjoying my vacation! I am sure you understand.Anyways, It has taken us 3 days to adjust to the time change,we all feel normal again.My family has been so wonderful to us and we are having a great time together.I really was unsure that I would like coming here,but I have to say I love it,its amazing and it feels like home.We will come back!!

The food is very different,but I like it for the most part.My cousin Inga made me this AMAZING strawberry cake for me.I plan on begging for the recipe and making it.MMMMMM.

Our first trip was to a place called Tervetes Park.It is a magical place of childrens fairytales about fairies,gnomes,ghosts,trolls and a witch.It is very beautiful,fun and interesting!

We walk down this enchanting trail to...

meet a gnome.He seems friendly enough.We leave the gnome to 

find his work hole.I will not interupt...time to move on.We then go to

Oh my!! we found the witch who gave us a poisonous drink and she then tried to take the boys away on her broom! Will I ever get my boys back? What happened to us? Find out on the next post. before I go I will tell you to go to my facebook and see all the pictures of this magical place. I also want you to see....

see my cousin Raivis and his pretty wife Larisa.We are staying with their family and we are having the best time!

 

Here is some highlights of our trip

I have already taken hundreds of pictures so I will give you the highlights.I plan to show more pictures, so hold on to your hats.

We are chillin in the long over 12 hour flight.This was brutal people!

Then we finally get to Moscow Russia where we were literally locked in our hotel room and could only order room service food.They would not even let us have our bags.We ate and slept til they came to get us for our next flight. We were searched twice in Russia.

The only thing we got to do was look out the window to see Russia which was not much.Jake is waitin  and watchin for our bus to get to the airport.

Finally on the flight to Latvia! I get window seat privilages!!!

The first glimpse of Riga Latvia! It is soo beautiful.It feels like home here even tho totally different from America.

Finally landed into our waiting families arms.They gave me flowers and I did the same.We had a few tears and tons of hugs and kisses.My Grandpa would be so happy that I am here to see his family and homeland.Its amazing here!!

This is the house  in Dobele Latvia we are staying in for most of the trip.We will go stay in Riga with my other cousin at her house for the last couple days of our trip.This house is awesome and really neat.I will take more pictures and inside to.I have to say the bathroom is spa quality!!

This sweet lovely lady is my Aunt Ilga.She is my Grandpas oldest sister.We both cried when we saw each other.She has spoken to me off and on since I was 7, she knew exactly who I was when I walked in the house I was taken aback because she looks like my Grandpa.How could you not love this woman.

I will end this post with a picture of the boys with their cousins Leticia(8) & Sindija(17) They are sisters.

Well,I hope this gives you little taste of what were seeing.Come back soon,there will be a ton more to share.

 

Were leavin on a jet plane...

Come back and see our adventures as we travel to Latvia!!

Bacon Pancakes! — The Adventures of Accordion Guy in the 21st Century

Bacon Pancakes!

by Joey deVilla on May 2, 2010

This looks like a pretty nice way to start the day…

via www.joeydevilla.com

The crime scene

Well after 2 years of trying,scheming,and persistance my two furkids have become wanted felon murderers!! They finally killed the squirrel that has been tormenting them!

It was late afteroon on May 31st when I walked out in the backyard to find my two killers very proud and excited...I scanned the yard and I saw their victim... I didnt know wether to laugh,cry our punish them.

I decided to let them go for good behavior and quickly dispose of the evidence,yep I am an accomplice. 

Here is the graphic evidence.....

RIP tormentor RIP....

The Murph Workout

At Crossfit ,they had a Memorial Day workout.They name some workouts after fallen soldiers and females. This workout was MURPH. Sorry the pictures are out of order,its late and I dont want to redo it it.But I show what the workout is and their times and them before,during and after the workout.These are my ironmen!! They rocked it,I am so proud of them for doing and finishing this very difficult workout!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bandana Tablecloth

I hope you have fantastic plans for a memorable Memorial Day weekend. Here is a quick Friday Flashback. I thought I would show you the fun bandana tablecloth I made, inspired by the colorful bandana tablecloth made by Annaliese @ Aesthetic Nest. You can read my tablecloth write-ups here and here.

via www.meandmyinsanity.com

Mabe my sister can make this for me..we can do it together...hint hint hint!

Sisters

This is me and my sister,isnt she beautiful.We were at the mall eating cinnabons and I was totally being silly,she was too.I hope she is reading this because I want us to be closer and do more stuff.I wanna be included in what she does and I wanna include her in what I do.I love my sister sooo much,from the second I saw her in the hospital after being born,I loved her.When I carried her by her ankles down the stairs outside only a few days old ,I loved her.when I was away from her,I loved her.When she was hurt and in trouble I loved her.When I was at her hospital bedside when she almost died,I loved her.When she cries a tear I cry a thousand..why,because I love her.when were together or apart , I love her.She knows all my secrets,my fears,my silly ways,and she tries to accept them,why...I hope because she loves me to.I am here sister of mine all you gotta do is reach out ,my arms are open wide.

 

This is my sister in law but I consider her to be my other sister.She is the most beautiful gal in the world(along with my sister) and my brother lucked out and won the lottery with her.She has given me two nephews and a special niece.I love her and hope we can spend more time together to.She moved really far from me and I know she is happy there,but I still miss her.Its her birthday  really soon and I hope its a good one.We gotta figure out a way to be close and try hard at it,I always fall short in that area.

Happy Birthday!

 

These girls are my best friends,I also consider them to be my sisters.we fight,we love,we play,we cry,were there for eachother.I have known them for many years and each of them bring something special to my life and I am thankful God has given me these sisters ,I need them!!

My sisters mean a lot to me,they really do.I hope when were all 85 ..we are sitting on the porch in our rockin chairs still friends but most of all SISTERS!!! watching our grandchildren run around and hopefully they will all be Sisters!

Pie in a Jar Picnic Food | TidyMom#more-10444#more-10444#more-10444

participating!

It’s no secret that I LOVE pie!  So naturally when I think picnic, I think of pie! I thought single serve, pie in a jar would be even more perfect!

I’ve been drooling about Pie in a Jar since I first saw it on , Our Best Bites. Can you believe I went to three local stores and could not find the exact same jars they used.  So I picked up the 1/2 pint Ball jars that I used when I made cinnamon honey butter, they were a bit shorter and more squatty, but oh so cute, and they worked just as well.

Find the right jars:

Just be sure to get an 8 ounce wide mouth jar.  If at all possible, get these jars.  It will be easier when you line them with the pie crust, and if you want to remove them from the jar to serve (I think they’re cute served in the jar).

Don’t for get to wash and sterilize your jars.

Pie Dough

Using your favorite pie crust, fill the bottom of each jar with pie crust by pressing the crust on the bottom and then up the sides (this is the part that would be much easier with the correct jars – the jars I used were cute and curvy = harder to press into all the little ).  Be sure to leave about 1/2 inch of pie crust past the edge of the jar if you plan to put a top crust on your pie.

If making pie crust if not your forté, you can use refrigerated pie crust like I did. I only got 2 pies out of one crust.  So plan according to how many pies you are making.  2 crusts come in a box, if you roll it out a bit you could probably get 5-6  jars lined with one box of pie crust.

Pie Filling

Whether you favorite pie filling is

via tidymom.net

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler Recipe | Simply Recipes

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

Posted by Elise on May 7, 2011

Filed under Bakery, Dessert, Seasonal Favorites: Spring

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From the recipe archive, just in time for Mother's Day! First posted June, 2006. ~Elise

Several weeks ago, strawberries and rhubarb both began to show up in quantity at the store. Strawberry rhubarb pie is one of my favorite desserts on the planet. But it's a pie. And being a pie, it takes some work (if you use a homemade crust). So I set my sights on a cobbler, which is much easier to make than a pie. My father and I have now gone through three iterations of versions of strawberry rhubarb cobbler in as many weeks. The first one was too sweet and mushy (the crust based on this approach), though mom loved it. The second one's crust was dry and tasteless. This version, however, was just perfect. It's pretty tart; if you prefer a sweeter cobbler you may want to take up the sugar a notch, perhaps another 1/4 to 1/2 cup.

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler Recipe

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• Prep time: 40 minutes
• Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Fruit mixture

• 4 1/2 cups rhubarb stalks cut into 1-inch pieces (Trim outside stringy layer of large rhubarb stalks; make sure to trim away any and discard of the leaves which are poisonous; trim ends.)
• 1 1/2 cups strawberries, stemmed and sliced
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 Ta

via simplyrecipes.com

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls Copy Cat Recipe | The Stir

Cinnamon rolls are absolutely delicious. OK, so there's a lot of fat and calories. But let's look at the bigger picture: Making these beauties in your own home means amazing smells for days. This particular recipe replicates the buttery, cinnamon-sugary goodness of the famous Cinnabon cinnamon rolls -- just thinking about them makes my mouth water.

Go on, you deserve it!

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls from Food.com:

For the rolls:

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 ounce dry yeast (2 packages)
• 3 1/2 ounce package instant vanilla pudding
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 6 cups flour
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon

For the frosting:

• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk

Start with the frosting by mixing all ingredients together. When thoroughly blended, set aside.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a bowl, combine the water, sugar, and yeast. Stir until dissolved. In another bowl prepare pudding mix according to directions on package. Then add salt, eggs, and margarine. Mix well. Add in your yeast mixture, and blend all together. Gradually add the flour, and slowly knead all items until smooth.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes. Then knead the dough some more, and let rise again, covered, for another 20 minutes.

Roll out the dough on a large, floured surface. Should be roughly 34 x 21 inches. Spread 1 cup of melted butter over surface. Then, mix together your brown sugar and cinnamon, and spread over the top as well.

Carefully roll your cinnamon dough, tightly. Once dough is in one long log, slice the log every 2 to 3 inches. Place individual cinnamon buns on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Press down on each roll, cover your tray, and allow them time to rise one last time. Then bake your rolls until golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Once rolls are done, top with cream cheese frosting and enjoy!

via thestir.cafemom.com

Mandarin Spice Shortbread - anecdotes and apple cores

This is for my sister and niece! They like baking,tea and owls so I thought they would like this! Go to the website to look at the pics Bri.....surprise!!

 

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These shortbread cookies were just what I was looking for. They are simple yet delightful. The spices in my teabag added a complexity of flavor that most shortbread cookies lack. Many variations of this recipe call for Earl Grey Tea, but I found that my favorite Mandarin Spice worked just as well.

These cookies must be rolled into a log and refrigerated for an hour before slicing and baking, so remember to plan accordingly.

I hope you can carve out an afternoon to bake some shortbread, pour yourself a big glass of tea (cold or hot), and read a favorite book. I know that this is the kind of self-love I've been needing.

  

Mandarin Spice Shortbread
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 TBSP loose leaf tea (Earl Gray or Mandarin Spice)
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, tea, and salt. In either a food processor or your stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients with the butter and vanilla. Mix together just until a dough has formed.

2. Place dough on a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log with a 2 inch diameter. Tightly twist each end of wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife, cut your shortbread log into cookies, about 1/2 inch thick. Bake until the edges are just golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Allow to cool on wire rack before consuming.

via anecdotesandapples.weebly.com

chocolate soufle

Making the Perfect Souffle

After last week’s post about making flourless chocolate cake, I’ve had a couple requests for a souffle how-to. So here is my list of tips for making the perfect souffle. I could also call this my list of everything I’ve ever done wrong to make a not-perfect souffle. Hopefully my mistakes are your gain.

Don’t be scared that there is a list. If your oven is the right temp (buy an inexpensive oven thermometer if you need to check) and you know what to look for as you go (read through my list once), you can pull off a beautiful souffle with dramatic height that will make everyone at your table think you are a culinary master. Doesn’t that sound worth it? I’ve included my killer chocolate souffle recipe at the end, and I promise, if you try it once or twice you’ll be ready to make it for anyone.

chocolate souffle a la mode

Timing
A good souffle is all about the drama. Make sure everyone is at the table, ready for presentation of the souffle right from the oven, while it is light and airy and heavenly.

You can prep your souffle in advance. As long as your kitchen is not too warm, the souffle can sit at room temp for up to half hour before you bake. You can also prep most souffles a day in advance and leave them in the fridge, just invert a bowl over the top. When you’re ready to bake, put it straight in the oven.

I’m told you can also freeze a souffle dish full of batter, and put the souffle straight from the freezer to the oven. How fun would it be to have a row of ramekin-size souffles in the freezer, waiting to be popped in the oven any day you need a pick me up?

Ingredient and Equipment Prep
No farm fresh eggs. Eggs that are too fresh will not hold air as well as those that have been around for a while.

Eggs need to be at room temperature. Take your eggs out of the fridge at least an hour and up to a day in advance. Eggs are easier to separate when cold, so separate them into bowls first, then cover with plastic wrap so the wrap touches the surface of the egg. Leave the bowls on the counter until you’re ready to cook.

I have a little secret. I almost always add an extra egg white. I’m telling you, I’m all about getting that dramatic height.

Once you’ve buttered your souffle dish and sprinkled it with flour, sugar, or crumbs, put the dish in the fridge while you make the batter.

The bowl you beat your whites in must be clean. The smallest streak of grease will ruin any chance your eggs had of whipping up properly. Use glass or metal, not plastic, which can hold onto grease.

You can add a collar

via www.giverslog.com

Extra Large Scrabble Pieces wall decor

Extra Large Scrabble Pieces

I think I have to do this!!(Shawny)

When I first saw this here I was like, holy crap smokes that is so stinkin' cute!  We love to play scrabble. So I decided to try it myself, but with my family's names of course!  Thanks so much for the cute idea Cassity from Remodelaholic!

I used stripped fir wood, that was 1/2" think. Cut them in to 5" squares, used the handy cricut to cut out my vinyl letters. I put a coat of mod podge over the top to give a little sheen. You'll agree that these are super cute.  Wood -  Free, Vinyl $7.99, Mod Podge already had = a really inexpensive project.
*****Candie*****

via 3krazychics.blogspot.com

This is the young man who......

This is the young man who will follow in his Dads footsteps(sorry for the side picture)

 

This is the young man who will one day lay down his life for you and keep you safe

 

This is a young man who makes his dad very proud (Police fathers get to hand their recruit sons their graduation certificate..its tradition)

This is the young man who will protect and help you This is the young man who will choose to serve his country,state and city.This is the young man who I have given wings to and is now beginning to fly.

This is the young man who not only graduated from police explorers but was the top leader and most academic recruit,he was also the most athletic but they had to spread the awards around. He was the most awarded recruit.
This is the young man who I am proud and honored to have as my son.

Chili in a jar

Chili and Cornbread in a Jar

Remember barbecue in a jar? Last night we tried a variation. We had chili and cornbread in a jar. Yumm.

Cornbread makes me happy.

The whole thing was super simple. I made my homemade chili in advance and scooped it into the jars. Then when dinner time came around I mixed up cornbread batter and spooned it on top.

The only thing left to do was bake the whole shebang until a toothpick came out of the cornbread clean. This would be so simple for entertaining a crowd.

Actually, there was one more, other thing to do. I had to add a little butter and drizzle on some honey. Mmm.

I’m glad it worked because if it hadn’t we would have been having Rasin Bran for dinner.

Would you like to see what the rest of my family was up to while I was taking pictures of our dinner?

My older two were turning all the dials in Brent’s truck.

And my baby was hanging around a little closer. He wanted some of that cornbread sooo bad.

I’ve never seen a 14-month-old with his will power. Instead of digging in, he stood inches away and tried to look hungry until we finally took one of those forks and had at it. By the way, I think it’s time for his first haircut, what do you think?

And in case you wanted to know, my favorite chili recipe is from Cook’s Illustrated. I also love this white chicken chili recipe. And as for cornbread, I always make the version my friend Dawn made for me when I had baby #2. It’s just basic but I love it.

Dawn’s Cornbread
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix until combined and bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes.

via www.giverslog.com

Easter Bonnet Cookies | Hoosier Homemade

Easter Bonnet Cookies

Since I have all boys, I never had the pleasure of buying an Easter Bonnet for a daughter (look out future granddaughter ) But I do remember wearing them as a young girl. These cookies bring back fun memories of special Easter outfits that I wore.

And because I’m all about creating easy treats for you, even though I make them from scratch, they still need to be easy.

I started by baking Almond Sugar Cookies, the same recipe that I borrowed from Bake at 350, and used on the Easter Egg Cupcakes. I used a 3 inch circle cookie cutter. I also baked some mini Vanilla Cupcakes.

I actually bought a can of frosting {gasp} I know…but I learned from my favorite cupcake book, Hello, Cupcake that canned frosting melts better than homemade when you are covering cookies and cupcakes. So, I gave it a try, and it was perfect.

Add a small dab of frosting to the middle of the cookie, cut a small amount of the mini cupcake off, depending on the size your cupcake is and place it on the cookie. Place cookies on cooling rack with a cookie sheet under to catch the frosting when it drips.

Melt frosting in microwave, it only takes about 30 seconds, I added a couple drops of red food color and a couple drops of Almond Extract for extra flavor. Spoon frosting over the cookie, let it drip down over the edges. Place in frig to set. Color extra frosting for decorating, I used yellow and a darker pink, and piped on the flowers, ribbons and dots. I also added a few round Sugar Pearls from Wilton.

Put them in bags, tie them up with a pretty ribbon and they make cute gifts too!

via hoosierhomemade.com

you can mail easter eggs!!

Plastic Eggs are 13 Ounces or Less

There is something I love about bright plastic Easter eggs. I picked up a row of jumbos at the grocery store last weekend.

I got thinking about the fun of discovering eggs during an egg hunt, and thought it might be fun to discover one or two in a mail box.
So I packed a few up with goodies,
stuck on a label and a few stamps,
and am dropping them in a big blue mailbox today. For all the happy mail I’ve sent up to now, I’ve had postage added at the counter. Mostly because I like to walk up and nonchalantly drop a shovel or something else on the counter, like mailing plastic shovels is just something I do. Also because I love the workers at my post office and because I always meet the nicest people in line. But today I’m trying stamps. We’ll see if they go.

If they do, I will be filling a few eggs for grown ups too. Because when else do you get to be surprised by a plastic egg after the age of 12? I’m just needing a few good things to tuck inside? Sudoku? Hmmm. Any ideas?

<<UPDATE >>
It worked!! I ended up having to change postage, here’s what I used:
I mailed 1-ounce eggs using a 98-cent teton stamp + a postcard stamp
I mailed 2-ounce eggs using a 98-cent teton stamp + a forever stamp
You can see US postage rates for first-class mail right here (scroll down to “packages”).

more fun mail from the archives

via www.giverslog.com

How to make Homemade Peeps | Hoosier Homemade

You are here: Home » Baking » Homemade Peeps: Tutorial and Recipe

Homemade Peeps: Tutorial and Recipe

[ 7 ] April 20, 2011 | CupcakeLady

Way back last Fall when I made Homemade Candy Corn, I knew that I would want to try Homemade Peeps. I was surprised at how easy the Candy Corn was, and once again, the Peeps surprised me.

The little puffs of delicate marshmallow, Peeps, can be found around Easter time. But now…we can have them anytime during the year. And with this relatively easy recipe, I’m thinking a special S’More Buffet is in the making.

One of biggest tricks to this recipe is having all your supplies and ingredients ready ahead of time. Once the marshmallow mixture is ready, you will need to move quickly with it.

Homemade Peeps Supplies:

1. Colored sugar – to make the sugar super fine, place in food processor and pulse a few seconds
2. Water, Sugar, Gelatin, Decorator bag, Giant round tip, #10 tip and a thermometer

You will also need wax paper and a small plate. Tear pieces of wax paper into squares.

Homemade Peeps Recipe:

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/3 cups cold water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water

1. Pour 1/3 cup cold water into large mixing bowl, sprinkle gelatin over and let set while the sugar is cooking {at least 5 minutes}
2. Add sugar and 1/4 cup water to a heavy saucepan, bring to boil stirring. Add the thermometer. This is where all of the candy makers out there are having a fit, because I did not use a candy thermometer. I do not own one, but it’s probably a good idea to use one. The meat thermometer I used, worked fine though. Boil until thermometer reaches 238 degrees. Remove from heat and pour over gelatin.
3. Beat on medium high speed for about 8-10 minutes. This picture is after 5 minutes of beating.
4. Continue beating until soft peaks form, this is after about 8 minutes.

This is how you want it to lo

via hoosierhomemade.com

Super Easy Easter Nests

Super Easy Easter Nests 

I love making these nests for Easter.  Everyone looks forward to them and they are so easy to make!

2 cups Mini Marshmallows
1/4 cup Butter
4 cups of Chow Mein Noodles
Jelly Beans, M&M's or Robin's Eggs to fill

--This recipe makes about 12 nests.  If you want to make more, buy two bags of Chow Mein Noodles.  You'll have plenty of Marshmallows with one bag.


In 2 quart saucepan, melt the butter and marshmallows.  Stir until smooth.  Take off of heat and immediately add chow mein noodles.  Stir until coated with marshmallow/butter mixture. 

Use a very clean 12 count cupcake pan.  Rub butter in all cups.

 Put butter on your hands.  Spoon the coated chow mein noodles in each cup, then use your hands to form it into  little nests. 

Put the cupcake pan in freezer for an hour or so (or even overnight).  To pop each nest out, I usually use a butter knife to gently pry it out.   I use parchment paper or wax paper between the plate and the nests so they don't stick.   Fill with candy and enjoy!

Sometimes I find the candies on the plate and the nests have all been eaten!  They are delicious.   

Tha

via ouradventuresinhomeimprovement.blogspot.com

Paisley Passions: Peeps Wreath

Ready to see my April wreath???

Hanging with my Peeps ;)

I started out by buying 3 boxes of Peeps.  I let them sit on the tray for a few days to get hard.  Then at the Dollar Store, I found the three wreaths.  The total cost for this wreath was under $5.  LOVE THAT!!!

I don't know why, but I found this a bit disturbing. . .I could actually add hot glue to the back of the hard Peeps, and it didn't melt them.  The whole time I was thinking, "And I actually eat these?  They don't even melt with HOT glue!  How does my body digest them?"  :)

VOILA!  My finished Peeps wreath!

via paisleypassions.blogspot.com

Ms Not So Perfect...: Easter Egg Bouquet

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Easter Egg Bouquet

 In an attempt to 'Easter up' the house a bit (and use up some of the many plastic eggs Trouble has accumulated) I made an Easter egg bouquet using stuff I already had around the house.

 What you need:

• plastic eggs (with the little holes)
• wooden skewers
• ribbon to make a bow
• vase

What you do:

Do you see the little holes in the egg?

Push the pointed end of a skewer through a hole.

Repeat skewering eggs.

Start arranging the eggs in a vase.

via www.ms-notsoperfect.com

Tiramisu French Toast | How Sweet It Is

Tiramisu French Toast.

Published by Jessica under Sweet Eats

I have very important news.

I bought some bread.  It was not whole wheat. It was delicious. And fluffy.  Soft and pillow-like too.

Then I invested in some cheese. Not just any kind of cheese. Mascarpone cheese. Which I can never spell. Or say.

And for the shocking finale, I picked up some butter. Sweet cream butter.

Butter.

It’s what I walked into the kitchen some 20 years ago and found my brother eating, fingerful by fingerful, perched on the kitchen table.

True story.

It’s what I live and breathe by.

[I say that like you haven’t noticed. ]

And it’s also what this French toast took a bath in last week.

Now that is a bath I’d like to have.

You probably weren’t expecting such a decadent breakfast on a Monday morning. You probably weren’t expecting to have to change your breakfast plans rightthisminute and make a pit stop at the store so you could make this morning treat. Today. Today, I tell you. It is a must.

It’s just your basic build-it-yourself French toast. It’s easy. No rules. No fancy stuff. Soak, fry, spread, fork. In that order.

No excuses.

Tiramisu French Toast

serves 4

1 loaf challah bread

8 whole eggs

1/4 cup cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon honey

4 tablespoons butter

maple syrup for serving

sliced strawberries for serving

Sliced one loaf of challah bread into 1-inch thick slices. In a large baking dish, combine eggs, cream, vanilla extract, sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 tablespoon instant coffee powder and whisk together. Lay bread in dish and let soak in the egg mixture for about 30 seconds each side.

Heat a skillet on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Add french toast and fry until golden brown. Flip (adding more butter if needed, use your judgement) and fry on other side. Repeat

via www.howsweeteats.com

Easter egg carton Story

Egg Carton Easter Story



Fill an egg carton with plastic, colored eggs. Number the eggs 1 - 12 and fill the eggs accordingly:

Egg #1: 3 pennies - Judas was paid 30 coins for betraying Jesus.

Egg #2: a piece of bread - This represents the Last Supper.

Egg #3: a piece of red cloth - Jesus was dressed in scarlet robes and mocked.

Egg #4: a piece of stick - They placed a crown of thorns on Jesus' head.

Egg #5: a piece of string - This represents the whip used to scourge Jesus.

Egg #6: pieces of toothpick glued into the shape of a cross - Jesus carried the cross.

Egg #7: 3 small nails - Jesus was nailed to the cross.

Egg #8: a strip of paper reading "INRI Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" - They nailed this inscription to the top of the cross.

Egg #9: a piece of sponge - They soaked a sponge in wine and tried to give it to Jesus when He was on the cross.

Egg #10: a toothpick with a red tip - They stuck a spear in Jesus' side.

Egg #11: a small rock or pebble - The rolled a rock in front of His Tomb.

Egg #12: empty - Jesus rose from the dead.