The First Born Cooks

#1 competed in the State Fair 4-H Special Foods Contest.  This is where said 4-Her has to prepare a dish in front of a judge.  Prepare a place setting in front of a judge, and answer nutrition infornmation questions in front of a judge. 

It's all very picky and very tedious.  He did a great job and received a purple ribbon.

The kid loves to cook... his mother, not so much.

To help him get rid of the nerves, I took it upon myself to irritate him.

He's in 4th grade now and a bit too "grown-up" for picture taking and silly antics.  So, I told him that if he didn't smile for the camera, I was going to sing at the top of my lungs in front of him and about 200 of his peers...

He's trying not to smile.

Setting the table.

I let him take my picture!

Bored sisters. 

 #2 {on the left}is like,

"Go ahead let her sing.  Maybe they'll kick us out and we can go to the midway."

Here's what he prepared:

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Super BLT Club Pockets

1/2 cup crispy bacon crumbles

2 cups shredded lettuce

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz. turkey breast, coarsely chopped

1 Roma tomato, thin sliced

1/3 cup light ranch salad dressing

6 pita pockets (use the "super soft" kind - easier for kids to eat)

Leaf lettuce for garnish, if desired

Toss together all ingredients except the pita bread.  Spoon 1/6 of the mixture into each pocket.  Add leaf lettuce and serve promptly.

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Dinner is served!

Becky

State Fair Cookies

After chores and homework this evening,  #1 made his sugar cookies for the state fair coming up this weekend.  These are the best darn sugar cookies you will ever have in your entire life.  My Aunt Joyce included this recipe in one of the family cook books.

It's a very simple recipe and makes A LOT OF COOKIES. 

After the 4-Her found three matching 2 inch cookies in the two dozen that HE baked, Mom finished baking the rest.  Needless to say, they got noticeably bigger when I took on baking duties... can you relate?  This is why some incredibly intelligent woman came up with putting all the batter/dough into a 9x13 and calling them "bars"- not enough time to wash babies, feed babies, clean the toilets, school the children, AND make 124 - 2 inch cookies!

I digress...

 A fancy shmancy 4-H baking tip:

Use your "small scoop" from Pampered Chef to measure just the right amount of dough to make the necessary 2 inch cookie.  {My "scoops" were closer to baseball size when #1 wasn't looking.}

One fact remains - no one should take baking advice from me!  The one and only year that I baked in my 10 years of 4-H, I received a white ribbon on my corn muffins.  In case you aren't familiar with

4-H, that's the worst place an exhibitor can receive.  It's right there above "Participant"!

On with the show...

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Quilters Sugar Cookies 

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/4  tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

5 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cream of tartar 

Preheat oven to 350. 

Cream together butter, sugar, oil, salt, eggs, and vanilla.  Mix well. In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar.  Gradually add flour mixture to first mixture.  Mix well. Form dough into 1 inch balls.  Roll balls in a pie pan of sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass drinking glass.  Bake 10 minutes or until set.  Store in an air tight container. 

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Strikingly delicious-looking, aren't they!

The "special" ones are in this bowl.

Do you think this will stop them?

The answer is NO! 

They're hidden now.

Go bake with your kids.

Blessings- B

Have a Seat

More about the "Little Red House"...

Here's the "project/thinkin'/workin'/snackin'/chattin' table. 

Many brilliant ideas are congered up right here and it's NEVER this clean.  {None of these photos are staged - obviously.  Showin' ya how it is.}  Notice the chairs?

This is what they looked like when I brought them home from the Habitat Restore.

For some reason the early-twenty-something-college-student-volunteer-worker thought they were ugly.  Little did she know that my mom would have killed for these chairs when I was in high school!!  Worked to my benefit - they were priced at $10 each and I bought them all for $35.  She mumbled something like "oh please, get those disgusting things out of here".  I felt judged.

But with $10 slipcovers from Sure-Fit I think they are smashing. 

That'll fix Suzie's little red wagon! 

Sidebar:  Here's a pic of the ceiling.  It's galvanized tin barn siding/roofing.  I think it's super cool and I kinda love the picture.

Sidebar #2:  Here's another pic of the felt board with the "new" project pieces on display.  I'm only including this because I like the looks of that pumpkiny orange color with black.  Happy moment.

Sidebar#3:  Kids are back in school.  These 2 photos crack me up.  The first - the big fourth grade brother is not happy about being requested to put his arms around his sisters.  {Makes me a bit sad, also}

The second- it looks like Woody the Newfoundland is going to eat the girls!  However, I know inside he's big ole dog head he's thinkin', "thank goodness these two drama queens are going back to school!"  Dorks.

Blessings- B

Creation Station

Here's where we create:

This was an old house turned grainery turned barn turned wildlife habitat.  We had our contractor make it into this beautiful "little red house" {that's what we call it - still looking for a fun name - feel free to share an idea}.  It's about 24 x 24.

When we have company, it's perfect for a guest house.

However, most days it's a mess due to our creative urges.

The kids and I put together a felt board last year to help in piecing quilts.  This one is a 3 feet by 4 feet piece of 1/4 inch plywood (cheap stuff).  Cover the wood with spray adhesive and then cover with black felt.

Most fabrics cling nicely to the felt.  It allows a space to arrange and rearrange until one is satisfied.  Of course, I'm never really satisfied with my quilts.  Like right now I see part of this quilt that should have been shuffled a bit.  I bet you see it to!

As far as the missing square at the top... all children have been interrogated and given immunity if the square shows up on the table when Mom isn't looking.  No success so far.  I'm guessing the 2 year-old has it in one of her purses and she's not talking.

Blessings- B

Driving Age

It's been a long planting season on the prairie.  Last year the last soybean went in the ground about the middle of May.  This year we haven't been so lucky.  It's been very, very, very wet and rainy.  M told me a long time ago that when one lives up here, one should never curse the water gods.  This year it's been tough to hold one's tongue.

That being said, we've had an open week.  The corn is in the ground and the beans are getting planted at warp speed in preparation of this weekends rain and oh, yeah... we have one of our own getting married on Saturday.  I wonder if the groom's more worried about his crops or the wedding?  Grandpa reassured me at supper that the groom is equally as stressed as the bride. 

Clearly, Grandpa has never been a bride!! 

I was having some sappy, sad, reminiscent thoughts about this nephew/groom as I'm driving to the field to deliver supper tonight.  He was about 11 when I came into this family.  It's hard for me to believe that he's this grown up. Ugh!

And then I turned into the field to find this...

...just a really big tractor, right?

But as it came to a roaring stop, I found this...

WHAT???!!!!

THAT'S MY 9 (almost 10) YEAR OLD SON DRIVING THAT GREAT BIG TRACTOR!!  Picture quality isn't all that good through the window - but yes that's also his very proud dad smiling in the buddy seat next to him. 

What??!!

This pic gives you an idea of how big this machine is compared to my "little" boy.  This can't be possible.  Wasn't I changing his diapers yesterday?  He's not going to grow up and leave his mama for a life of his own, is he?  I thought he'd be little forever.  This wasn't part of the initial plan...

at least not part of MY plan!

God and I are going to have a chat this evening.

Dad told me a while back that when the kids get into school, the time will be gone before I would know what happened.  I didn't believe him.  I was too busy takin' care of babies - honestly, wishing they'd kick the growing up thing in high gear so that I could take a nap. 

You were right, Dad.  I finally get what you were telling me.

Here's to living in the moment and spending time with our children. 

Around here we don't have "planned quality time" as the experts suggest.  However, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to work cattle together, ride in a tractor together, weed the garden together, eat supper together {sometimes in the back of a pick up and not around a table}, drive around gravel roads together, fold clothes together, and the list goes on.

My point being -

kids don't need activities, they need time with

Mom and Dad.

Talking is immanent when we spend time with each other!

[OK... I'm done being sappy now.]

A few more shots of the "others"...

#4 has his supper and now it's his turn to take a ride in "the big green tractor".

{use your sing-song voice here..hope you know the words}

#3 (age 6) had her training wheels removed tonight and they will not be returned to her.  No, I'm not being mean - she figured it out!!!  The stopping thing still escapes her.  She chooses falling over in the grass versus pushing back on the pedals. 

{and, yes, her shirt is wrong side out}

#2 could not be bothered for a comment.

#5?  I really don't know where #5 is.  She'll turn up when she gets hungry.

Don't blink - it'll be over before we know it.

Blessings-

B

Whatcha Gonna Give?

SATURDAY...

I went to an auction! 

First one in a couple of years.  I'm absolutely GIDDY! 

Kids 1, 2, & 3 had the morning off so they went along to find some kitchen ware for their playhouse.  Number 4 helped Dad fence and #5 would have rather been in a tractor but she had no choice but to go with us.  She's easy to keep entertained with a bag of Cheetos.  I remember early in my mothering career, the statement that I just made would have been inconceivable.  Let my child eat less than nutritious snacks... I think not!  Thank goodness I've relaxed. 

Anyway, on to the good stuff.

For $21.00 we came home with these treasures:

Let's begin with our big purchase of the day coming in at $10-

Mike was soooo excited when he saw my "bolt bin".  Then he was a little disappointed when I shared my thoughts of how pretty my fat quarters would be when arranged neatly inside.

I love the Sioux Steel stamp on the side.

This cute clock was in the same pile of stuff with the bin.  Doesn't work but I liked the face.

One wire freezer basket with a bunch of old tools in it for a dollar and a tall skinny freezer basket with a few other things in it for a dollar.  They're nice and rusty.  Gonna be cute with a muslin or canvas liner for toys and books and stuff.

I fought for this precious storage unit... $4!  

Not quite tall enough for a nightstand but fun sitting on top of another table for storage. 

Needs a bath. 

divided drawers....

... a few extra seed peas if anyone needs some...

...my hand model...

...still the cute 2 year old...

...copper drawer pulls...

I had to give $3 for this cool tool box.

There's a board nailed to the side???  That's coming off tomorrow.

Inside the box were some squares of sheet metal - I'm thinkin' 4-H project.  I'll let ya know.

{I just liked this pic beside my old bike!}

For ONE DOLLAR kids can furnish the entire kitchen of their playhouse.  They were thrilled!!  They played in the grass with their treasures while Mom watched the rest of the sale.

Some people were so kind as to give them unwanted items out of the boxes they had purchased.

Dad needed one or two to help him when we got home.  They decided they'd all help Dad to make it go faster so they could come back and set up shop. 

(Sometimes they work together without being told.)

One last "dollar" item... a box of sewing supplies.  Helloo.. the duct tape was worth the dollar.

There's a glue gun, old buttons, lots of thread, velcro, and so many needles that I'll never have to buy another.

That's my fun Saturday.

I see 90 degree weather is headed our way. 

Tomorrow's project is the shaving of the 140 pound Newfoundland! 

Doesn't he look excited?

He'll be happier when it's over.

I don't know what kind of gross stuff is under his chin but it's coming off too.

Say a prayer for the people dealing with the water.

Blessings-

B

Fruit Pizza Cookies

Let me start with APRIL AND MAY WERE CRAZY!!  Calving, farming, raining, end of school activities, raining, mowing, raining, mowing... I could go on and on and on.  Now we're gearing up for the summer weddings.

Yesterday a few of us hosted a bridal shower for our soon to be niece-in-law.  I'd thought I'd share a recipe that was a hit.  There's always one dish that gets rave reviews, isn't there?

You've heard of Fruit Pizza, right?  Well, how's about making it in cookie form?.  I got the idea from the Heck Fridays blog and then tweaked it to my liking. 

(See, I really don't have any original ideas.)

  

 It's a four part event...

The Cookie Part

*This is my all time favorite cut out cookie recipe.  A friend of mine clued my into the fact that the dough should only be rolled out to 1/4 inch.  No less.  This eliminated all frustration I had with thin, dry, crunchy Christmas cookies.  The thick cookie turns out so soft and moist.

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/4 cup sour cream

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp biking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Cream together butter and sugar.  Stir in egg and sour cream.  Mix well and add flour, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.  Chill for one hour or overnight.  Roll out dough to 1/4" thick and cut out desired shapes.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

I used heart shapes for this event but think of the possibilities... stars for 4th of July...right around the corner.

The Icing Part

1- 8 oz. pkg cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tbsp milk

* I added powdered sugar until I had the consistency I was looking for.  You can never go wrong with more sugar.  If it gets too stiff, add a little more milk.

Spread icing on the cookie - your choice of methods - pastry bag, plastic bag, spatula...

The Fruit Part

Your choice. 

I was going to add kiwi like Heck Fridays (very pretty addition of green),

but mine were much to sour.

The Glaze Part

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tsp. corn starch

Boil for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Allow to cool slightly and drizzle over cookie.

This recipe made about 35 - 3" heart cookies.  Might have made more if my people wouldn't have eaten the dough.  Oh well, that's the fun part.

Store your finished creations in the fridge.  I think they taste best at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Blessings-

B