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generated with Smilebox   So here it is winter market first week!! I just cannot believe how fast the season outside has gone!  WOW!!  Well its been a fun week of painting signs for market and gathering up some fall deocorations to put outside the building where we will have our indoor market and oh my has it been a beautiful warm week here in MI  crazy last sat was only in the 40s and windy and oh so cold outside and this sat its gonna be near 70!!  Thats our weather though we are used to that!  I am thinking this might just be our indian summer and I am loving it!!  Lots of things to do to!  I cut a bunch of wood to make my painted snowmen signs and need to base coat them while its nice and sunny outside so they can dry and I can put another coat on them.  The fun part is the snowmen so cant wait.  And we went and picked up not the 2 that were planned but instead 4 alpacas.  2 boys and 2 girls.  They are such sweeties!!  The white girl is Rosie and then we have a tan one we named Rebecca.  One of the boys is Maveric (named already) and the other is ??? Havent figured that out yet.  Hes jet black and so pretty!  Our Curly is loving the company.  I dont know if I posted or not but we lost our other male Moe last Sat and since they are pack animals they need companions!  Well he has em now!! LOL  I will try and post some pics of them.  I love my tablet for pics since its not easy taking a laptop around to take pics!  especially without dual cameras.  So in the alpaca business!!  Theyre fur is amazingly soft and luxurious!!  Now we have to find someone who wants to buy it!  They will get sheared in the spring.  Oh my this was really funny too.... so we get them home and learn the females want the boys to come play! if you know what I mean and ... NOT now!  There gestation is 11 months and they would be babies next winter so we have to keep them seperated!  OK easier said than done let me tell you!! These girls lay down and dont move!  The boys were trying to jump the fences, they are in seperated pastures, so trying to put Rosie in her pasture was not easy!!  She laid down and that was it!  it took over an hour to move her into pasture, at least  Rebecca followed along and didnt lay down.  The boys were going crazy we had to keep chasing them back to their pasture since they would go right thru the electric fencing!  My word!  GEEZZEEE what a zoo!! we laughed so hard but it was alot of work.  crazy things! 
My Appy is doing great he turned 31 in april and is happy and healthy and my little Rosie May the goat is still with him and happy.  Love my furry kids! 
So if anyone out there reads this and can offer advise with the alpacas bring it on!  we are newbies and learning alot! and I am definitely smitten with them!!   Well I have some baking to get ready for market sat, pumpkin spice tea cakes, bagels, breads, and some cookies on the list to start today.  I hope yall have a wonderful day anda I am learning how to get the pics from my phone onto my laptop so will post pics soon!! 
 ~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

windy windy day

No market today!  This is my first saturday all season to miss market!!  (except our vacation) due to weather.  It is so incredibly windy there is no way my things are going to survive so I will set up times to deliver the csa orders and then I think I am goin to work on some snowmen things I have been wanting to make!!  YEAH!! WOO HOO!! craftin time!  LOL  and maybe a nap with my boys today too. 
Yesterday was a full day at the kitchen too.  These cinnamon swirl buns were rising and boy did they rise!!

As u can see the rose nice above the top of the muffin pan.  Nice n light n fluffy too.

They are a bit plain so had to do the "farmgirl bling" thing!  A healthy drizzeling of a cinnamon vanilla glaze.

I had more orders of my tomato mushroom quiche so those got finished up.

I also made some cheese ravioli and a nice tomato basil sauce on top.  

Another view of the finished buns.    I talked with a friend of mine who owns Evergreen Lane Creamery, they make artisan goats milk cheeses along with other dairy products, and will be brining and offering that to my customers at markets and in my CSA this winter to see how it goes.  They make amazing goat cheese and I thought it would be fun to make some homemade crackers to go along with it or maybe some nice french bread baguettes.  YUMMY!!  She is taking a cheese cource in Vermont so will start that as soon as she gets back.  How exciting!!

Things are goin great with my csa program so I am just thrilled.  If you are near Fennville, Allegan or South Haven MI leave me a comment if you would like info on joining and recieving my newsletter emails.  My program is weekly, no committment no minimum orders.  I will be delivering this weekly thru the winter and also have some avaialble at my winter markets too.  I want it to be affordable for everyone.  I sure am havin a ball going thru all my old cookbooks digging thru my grandmothers books to find ideas.  And I am also offering at least one vegetarian option too. 

Hope yall have a wonderful weekend!   I am hoping to get a few things accomplished so will let yall know how that goes!! LOL

HUGS

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

First day of fall baking~

Today was the offical start of fall here in beautiful sw michigan it was gorgeous!!  The trees are just starting to show some colors and I cant wait til they all show their beauty.  Fall is my favo favo time of year!!  The colors, the sounds in the air, the smell around us and the fact that it is almost halloween!! my favo holiday to decorate for.

These are my butter crumb struesle topped zucchini muffins

plain ol zucchini muffins

butter crumb walnut struesle topped apple bread

Apple pie cakes, with butter crumb topping

these look and smell yummy, they are in the oven right now

I love how tall these muffins got!  and soooooooooo yummo!

nekked punkin cookies

nekked sugar cookie leaves

they will have some yellow and reddish color frosting on them.

I also made some white chili, stuffed peppers, potato corn chowder soup, my glazed pistachio bread and some banana muffins and mango passion fruit filled thumbprint cookies.   And some peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips, lavander shortbread flowers and some chocolate chip brownies.    A few other cookies and I am ready for market tomorrow.    We have a 60% chance of rain and storms tomorrow sunday and monday  and tuesday but wed and thurs look gorgeous!!!  I will be decorating for fall tomorrow after market so hope it doesnt rain tooo much1!
Hope yall have a wonderful weekend!!  Talk to yall soon!!
HUGS
Darlene

 ~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Magificent Monday!! and a recipe for yall!

OK what a glorious day to be bakin the day away!!  I managed to get quite a bit done today!  Babka and Egg bread were the first things since they take the longest.  Well the babka actually gets made one day then it has to slow rise in the fridge overnight and is alot easier too!!  Egg bread done, and wrapped and flash froze!    Even though it was a bit cooler in the kitchen today the yeast was doin it's job as you can see above!!! yeah!

the babka dough is very very sticky but once you work a bit of flour in and do the skin on it it's quite easy and actually one of my favos to make and eat!!!  I made 4 batches so a few will be filled with a cinnamon walnut streusel and mabye a few will be filled with chocolate or maybe almond paste filling?  Not sure yet. 

I scale these out to 1 pound loaves they rise so nice and look gorgeous in the loaf pans. 

Just before putting them in bags in the fridge you smooth them and seal the bottoms.  Off to rest overnight!

Oh these are the boxes of my decadent choc cake truffles packaged up and ready for markets this week. 

And here are the finished orange creamsicle ones.  I dipped them in a white almond flavored bark and added a touch of orange candy topping. 

I do have to say if yall have ever melted white chocolate down it sure is more touchy than milk or dark choc. 

 Packages ready in a basket for markets!  

What does dark molasses, eggs, flour, brown sugar, eggs and fresh ginger make???  GINGERBREAD !!  I made a few loaves of gingerbread.  I cant decide if I want to make a lemon glaze for them or just give em all the "farmgirl bling"
 of a generous dusting of powdered sugar like below. 

Mix all your wet ingredients together

I used blackstrap molasses and got this beautiful rich dark color and the flavor is intense!!  Susan had some fresh minced ginger and that is amazing!!

Slowly add the sifted flour to wet ingred.  It sure doesnt take long to come together and make a very nice runny batter.  These are gonna be very moist!!

I just did up some small loaves but think I might try a neat flexipan that Susan has that are little triangles. 

And the blinged up gingerbread!! 

I also made some shortbread dough, some kolachky dough and zucchini pineapple bread. 

Now my recipe makes 10 large loaves but this taste of home recipe is very very close to what mine tastes like so thought I would share it with yall!! ENJOY it is very good!!

Ingredients

Zucchini Pineapple bread
3 eggs

2 cups finely shredded zucchini

1 cup vegetable oil

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained

2 teaspoons  Pure Vanilla Extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup chopped nuts optional I use walnuts


Directions

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, zucchini, oil, pineapple and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; stir into egg mixture just until moistened. Fold in nuts
Pour into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2 loaves.
These make perfect holiday gifts using the smaller mini bread pans I just fill em to 8 1/2 oz.  put em in a clear bag with a ribbon around em and a tag and Voila! foodie gift!!

Hope yall have a wonderful night!~!
And ps hubby didnt get a deer this am!! :( maybe tomorrow! 
HUGS
Darlene


~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

More painting for shows

Happy Tues yall!!
I did up a few more signs today.  Lovin the blues this year but I also have 4 more in a blueish green color and hope to have them done tomorrow.
This is a fun let it snow snowman who is holding onto a grapevine wreath with saltbox house complete with a mini snowman. 
I so love doing the garlands around the top portion and down sides, it makes a huge difference on each sign. 

Another blue one with "there must have been some magic in that hat" versed sign.  I think that says it all!!

And another saltbox house one!! JUST love the barn red house and the light powdery blue backround.    So I am in paiting heaven here!!  I got a few skates just about done and will post them tomorrow.  Been months  since I painted it feels so amazing!! and fun!!  And these are my designs no patterns used on any of them just out of my head and onto the wood!!  LOL  That way they are just one of a kinds! I do have an idea for the green shutters I got along the road and am hoping to work on it tonight.  cant wait to see how it turns out!! You know when you get an idea you cant wait to create it!!

So I am off to paint more!! Have a blessed evening yall!!

PS!! I will have a booth at DOWAGIAC's old fasioned Christmas festival next sat the 20th!! 9-3 come on over and mention you seen it on my blog for a gifty!!

C U 2morrow~~

HUGS

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Pumpkin Bread Pudding and more day

Ok so today was a vey productive day at the kitchen!!!  I made a recipe up for pumpin bread pudding with a cinnamon sauce and oh my goodness gracious!!! WHAT a yummy treat!! Love the texture, the richness and the yummy flavor!!  This will surely be made on wed for the thurs markets!!

A pumpkin head doll I made.  I love painting their faces!!

I cut up some egg bread we had in the freezer, mixed with eggs, cream and some pumpkin puree along with pumpkin pie spices, baked until golden.

A simple white cinnamon sauce was drizzeled ontop of each.

 the end was cinnamon sugar sprinlked ontop.

Gingersnap shortbread triangles.  These are super yummy shortbread cokies!!

Each one got a little maple leaf imprint

and sugar sprinkled ontop. 

My little greeters at the farmstand!

When you pull in the driveway the "girls" come to meet ya!!  (I think they all learned this from someone that works at walmart!!)

Some fall pics around the farmstand!



one of my pumpkin head dolls I made



~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~