New Sweet Potato Recipe

I'm trying to get away from ooey gooey sweet potato casseroles no matter how good they are.

 

This is what I did:

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced about 1/4" thick

Layer in a buttered baking dish

Drizzle with maple syrup. 

Spread several really thin slivers of real butter around

Sprinkle with a dash of salt and some ground cinnamon

Toss on a handful of dried cranberries (Craisin) and

about 1/4 cup of slivered almonds

Cover with foil

Bake at 400 degrees about 40 minutes.    

Jonathan's baked mac 'n' cheese. He boiled a box of macaroni. Made a bechamel sauce using whatever I had left in a pint of cream and some milk then added about 3/4 pound of grated cheese. (He used an 8 ounce bag of preshredded 3-cheese Mexican mix and some shredded cheddar.) He stirred in the macaroni. Poured it in a buttered casserole. Topped with a mixture of bread crumbs and 1/4 pound grated cheddar, salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes I think. Not that he was territorial about his recipe, but I was busy prepping something else.

My niece, Stacey, and her Ty.

...and her daughter, Brianna.

   

Colt playing with Uncle Jonathan's toys.

Rosy cheeked Cain.

The Rays...John, Sam, and Elton.

Can't remember what my own plant is, but I saw this stuff frm across the room and thought it had a fungus amongus. It's flowers! First time it's ever bloomed that I noticed...

 

Let It Snow...Let It Snow...Let It Snow!

December 24 evening

December 25 - Christmas morning

December 27 - Still on the ground, but the roads are clear.

Jonathan's new partner, Kirk. He said he wanted to be able to say, "Dammit Jim," whenever he messed up. LOL Jonathan bought the machine embroidered emblem. We raided my stash for the appropriate green. I made Kirk a green bandana fitting of his rank so that when he beams to the surface the aliens know at a glance that he is not a red shirt...and will be returning to the Enterprise.

Christmas Eve

Colt liked Granny's boots too!

He did have a bit of trouble getting them lined out in the same direction. ;-) BTW, he calls me Genie. It won't take long before he gets the hang of "granny."

I was shocked! No pictures of Isabel! She spent a tremendous amount of time in Colt's room playing with all those "new" to her toys. During the gift unwrapping, she was across the room from me with bigger kids in the middle.

The Kids

My grand-niece, Brianna (Bri for short), at her kindergarten Christmas party.

Colt and his BFF

Cain can sleep in any position imaginable! Oh to be able to sleep like this!

Um...normally aren't the Pygmies supposed to be on the outside of the pot?

Colt's favorite place to chill out.

 

Isabel and Pawpaw sharing special time on his 77th birthday.

This granny enjoys her special moments too!

My new boots! I've been wearing my old navy ropers, but they are in pretty bad shape. So... :D ...Justin boots made in the USA! I bought them at Country Outfitters - got a great buy and free shipping AND received them in just a couple of days! www.countryoutfitters.com

Colt's Second Birthday!

Baby brother Cain trying to decide which end of the toy to eat first.

Ah-ha! Success! :D

John and Erin decided to purchase a bounce house instead of renting one. They said that the cost was the same a renting twice. It was used on Colt's birthday, then inflated again on Thanksgiving. Sounds like a good buy to me!

Colt checking out his new jungle gym - er, I mean, picnic table.

What do you mean "Don't touch it?!"

I'm only TWO! I HAVE to touch it!

Isabel and Colt just pretending to be asleep. So cute!

Gorgeous early evening view.

My soap was gummy. I asked Sam if he could take a piece of wood and cut lengthwise grooves on one side and widthwise grooves on the other creating holes for drainage.

It works!

Just Stuff...and a New Pie Recipe!

This hawk is sitting on a high-line pole nearly every evening. One day I'm going to be prepared and catch him on that pole!

I made one placemat at the COF 2012 retreat in Branson - well I started it there. I finally completed all eight and made the tablerunner to match from a PJ party on the HGTV quilting forum. :D I'm happy!

A couple of weeks ago we spent Sunday with Isabel and her parents. She was starved for barbeque at lunch...

Ah...sated!

This is what 15 mph looks like at 7:40 a.m on the way to work via a country road. He got up to 20 and hit his breaks to slow down. LOL I leave early enough that I don't always go straight to work, sometimes I take an alternate route. This guy may have thought he was "getting to" me...but I was behind him laughing. neener neener He turned right at the farm-to-market road and looked over his shoulder - I guess to judge my degree of frustration. He was a young guy. Go figure...

Remember that Ozark Mountain Pie I had at the Rainbow Cafe in Mt. View Arkansas?

Here's my version.

I sorta held a naming contest with some quilter friends: To Die for Pie, Sherry's Sinful Indulgence, Sherry is a Big Tease (LOL), No Name Pie...but the winner is ...

Big Butt Pie

1/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup light Karo
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup coconut
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Add Karo and vanilla, mix in. Then add eggs and beat until all is blended in. Stir in chocolate chips, coconut, and walnuts. Pour into a prepared pie shell. Bake 40-45 minutes.

Note: I used dark chocolate chips, but you can use milk chocolate chips if you prefer.
 

This is my "Does this hat make my butt look big?" gift from Sue - aka Florida Farm Girl. Yes...there's a story. ;)

My new crust recipe. 
When I got my new KitchenAide food processor last year I searched for a pastry crust recipe. So flaky it melts in your mouth!

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pulse a couple of times to mix.

8 tablespoons of lard (I weigh it - 4 ounces)
Cut into chunks and spread on top of flour. Pulse 3 times counting to 3 each time.

Run and sprinkle in three tablespoons of ice cold water. This comes together real quick. Turn off. Gather up into a bundle. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least an hour.

Note:
You can use shortening instead of lard. Some of the fat can be butter, but butter tends to toughen the crust.

Projects

Colt was two years old this week. We will go to his party on Sunday. Sam made a kid-size picnic table out of cypress.

Isn't it just gorgeous wood?! ...with a simple oil finish... This should be around for a long time.

Short-stuff Erin will be getting a red oak step stool for her kitchen.

 

Colt's and Cain's ABC quilts are complete with a polka dot backing on both.

Isabel's is finished too!

I have some 'rescued' quilt blocks and hope to get three snuggle quilts made in time for Christmas. I also need to make more Christmas stockings.

We've got to start staying home on weekend so I can get some things done around here!