Blooming trees and baking

Hey everyone!~  What a gloriously beautiful time of the year!!the peach trees are full in bloom with their pinkish color blooms, the daffodils and their buttercup yellows, the shades of pink lavender and white hyacinths... oh and the smells of fresh fallen rain and the sounds of all the spring birds back!! LOVE SPRING!  this is I think my favo favo time of year! I do love fall and those smells and colors and of cource halloween!! 

On my CSA menu this past week was some of the following:    This was a white bean dip I made.  You cook cannellini white beans then let them cool and puree them with some spices, cilantro, fresh lime juice, green chili peppers, a chopped jalapeno pepper, sauteed red and yellow peppers and some roasted garlic. 

Sauteed yellow squash and zucchini, garlic and onions.  Add a bit of olive oil and parmesan cheese to top pizzas

Made some homemade pizzas with vegetables. 

Fresh mozzarella and tomatoes made this so yummy!! When they came out of oven I drizzeled olive oil on top and sprinkled with parmesan

Tomato Spinach baked pasta with a balsamic vinegrette dressing. 

Plain pizza skins.   I made these to freeze for hubby and I to have during the week. 

Garlic parmesan topped flatbread

Bean dip that I am going to be  as a sauce on the pizzas next time. 

Personal baguette loaves!!OH my had to slice one out of the oven and super yummy!!

Next week I am making some chicken enchiladas with green chili sauce, a greek tomato snap pea penne pasta with homemade tomato creamy sauce, another pizza this one with fresh mozzarella and spinach and roasted garlic, some pistachio bread, frozen breakfast burritos, pulled pork, meat and cheese enchiladas, and a Paula Deen pie filled with corn, tomatoes, chives, with a biscuit cornmeal crust.  YUMMY! Will be sure to take the camera with me to kitchen and share with ya!!

Hope yall have a wonderful weekend!! Off to do chores...

HUGS

Darlene

So ~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

2 new additions!!

Well today was my birthday and oh what a wonderful day it was!!!   I took my brother out for lunch and we did some shopping then spent the afternoon with my sweet mommy getting 2 little 7 week old puppies!! If you remember back in feb she lost her buddy Axel and has been without any dogs since.  I cant remember a time without at least a couple of dogs around from the time my brother and I were born there were always dogs in our home filling our home with the pitter patter of puppy paws or giving us those special doggie kisses or just laying near us being our faithful pal!!
These 2 captured our hearts the minute we seen them.  They are boxer/lab mix just like my Buster Brown, one is even blonde the other is black with a bit of that boxer white stripe on her neck, and both are little girls.  Buster met them outside and played today so cute!! he always loves everything and everyone!!  I am so excited and this will also hopefully help him loose a bit of weight. 

Not sure of the names just yet but my mom liked Abby for the blonde one?  I will say she looks just like My Buster did when he was that size, she is a love bug, loves to cuddle, be held and just loved on!!  I held them the way home and both laid on my lap and fell asleep together. 

The little black one was the runt of the liter and oh just look at that little face!!it melts your heart!!  

they are just little cutie pies!!

Isnt she a doll!! 

And this one I think is gonna be full of the dickens!!  She is the explorer and full of spirit!!  Oh what fun!!  It has been a couple of years since we had the pitter patter of puppy paws around it is very welcomed!!  My dad wasnt too thrilled with getting 2 but when he got home from work tonight we laid the 2 babies on the couch right next to him, well the blonde one stretched right out alongside of him and was fast asleep, the black one laid on his pillow next to him!!  I THINK  HE IS SMITTEN with them already!!  And even though they said they arent gonna sleep on their bed!!HA NOT I can see them being curled up on the bed next to my mom and dad by the end of the week!!!  LOL

Hope yall had a great day and I will be back soon!!

Tomorrow is BRONSON WINTER MARKET kalamazoo!!

HUGS

Darlene

 **LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY**and SIMPLY~~CREATE SOMETHING EACH DAY!!

**BIG NEWS***

I just got an email from scrapbooking.com telling me I am going to be a featured blog of the week there!! WOO HOO!!~
YEE HAWW!!!  This is exciting for sure!!! 
So  I am gonna work on some special projects for next week and some more tutorials!!! March 14th it starts and I just love these badges and buttons for them!!  LOVE IT!!
Nothing says welcome spring like birdies!!  Well we do have snow and ice and rain predicted for the weekend but I can hear the birds singing so beautiful out in the early am it means spring is comin................. !!YEAH!!
And I have a small request for all of you great people.   A dear dear friend of mine's granddog had some surgery this am, could you please say a little prayer and some well wishes that everything will be ok for JUNE a very special furry friend!!  Ru and I have shared some very similar events the last month, her daughters precious fur baby passed away the week before our little Bubba and then they found a lump on June's back and with alot of prayers and happy thoughts we are hoping that it is not the c word............. and that the doctors got it all!!    Buster so far is doing better we got his lab results back and the vet says everything looks good and to keep his treatment (addisons disease) the same and we are watching the lump on his thigh very closely!! He is probably gettin sick of mommy checkin in but I just so worried and prayin that it doesnt grow!  Labs are prone to fatty tumors I have been told and hopefully that is all this is!
So you see June and Buster do have spiritual souls mourning the loss of their buddy/bff's.
JUNE we are praying for ya pretty girl!!!
and RU you have been in our hearts and prayers!! 
I have markets this week ALLEGAN 11-1  tomorrow and Friday BRONSON WINTER MARKET Kalamazoo~~ 10-2.  Dave the meat man from
Young Earth Farm and I will see yall there!!!  and keep an eye out for my special project for next week~~
I am honored to have been chosen!! TY! scrapbookin.com!!
THANKS YALL!! have a blessed evening we are off to watch survivor!! 
HUGS
Darlene and "the boys"
and PS!!  If anyone out here is in SW michigan and has a female boston terrier/not papered, we are looking for a date for BARNEY!!!  we want a puppy from him!! give me a hollar!! or if have a female boston for sale too!!


~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

recipe to share

Ok here is the mocha wands recipe!!
I found it in the newest better homes and gardens cookie book.
1 cup butter softened
3/4 cup sugar
4 tsp instant espresso powder  ( I used 5)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/3 cups flour
also you need 8 oz chocholate chips for melting
1 1/2 cups finely chopped nuts ( I used toasted hazelnuts)

Preheat oven to 375.  In mixing bowl beat butter on med to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder.  Beat until well combined.  Beat in egg and vanilla, scrape bowl as needed.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can and stir in any left.
Place unchilled dough into pastry bag or cookie press fitted with a star tip.  (I used a med size tip as I didnt have a large star at home) onto ungreased cookie sheets about 1 in apart. Strips are approx 3 plus inches long.  Bake 10-12 min or until golden brown.  ( I did leave mine in a bit longer to be nice strong crisp cookie)  Cool completely.
Dip ends in melted chocholate and quickly either roll in nuts or sprinkle them on.  Place on sheets of wax paper to set.  Store inbetweeen layers of wax paper in air tight container.  can freeze these in ziploc bags too for up to 3 months.
makes approx 72 cookie wands.
EASY PEASY AND SUPER GOOD!!


We had the last of our holiday art/craft sales last night, I am glad they are over but will miss them.   Now I just have to finish up all the cookie makin and do up the trays to deliver them next week.  I am gettin ready to go to BRONSON HOSPITAL for winter market this am and then I actually have a 3 week break! YEAH!! YIPPEE YEE HAW!! LOL,  With the exception of orders that will be a nice little break.      I will post some pics this weekend from the sale and also from a fully loaded decorated house my friend showed me last night nearby!! This is just gorgeous!!  I am hoping the pics turned out as I was low on battery power in my dig cam if not  plan on taking hubby over there to see them this weekend so I can take more!!  They have absolutley every inflatable holiday figure and displayed so nicely.  The lights and the movements and the colors and oh it is just spectacular!! They get my vote for the nicest holiday display!! I may have to take them some cookies for being the best  winter wonderland display I have seen!! 
So I am off to get ready for market.  Hope yall have a great day and wonderful weekend!!
HUGS
Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Hunting day

NOVEMBER 15 pretty much a holiday here for hubby!!  He gets up extra early, bundled up in his camo clothes, and patiently and as still as possible in his tree stand for that one noice, one movement of an approaching deer. You see today is the first day of gun hunting in MI for deer.   I really enjoy seein the deer cross in back of our house and thru the woods as they travel and even in our corn field eating our sweet corn!! but I do so love LOVE a nice piece of perfectly cooked venison or vension chili, (hubby makes this and it is the BEST ever) or a nice grilled  tenderloin of venison. We do say it is God's pure meat for us!   He only gets one maybe 2 of which we will eat and that is it!  and he doesnt bait them, which I think is so wrong, where is the sport in baitin prey?  Just like fishing, using all the fancy dancy fishfinders we just go to the lake and pic spots and if we catch something great if not oh well it sure was worth the peaceful tranquility of sitting in a boat on the water!!  and catchin some rays of sunshine too!!
Today I am off to the kitchen it will be all about making up my mixes for this week and doin cookie doughs to bake tomorrow and maybe gettin some candies done.  I do have to dip more of the cake balls and decorate them and also decorate some dog bones up xmas style.  I bought some pretty red,green white non parielys for them this weekend and some pretty holiday sprinkles while at Michaels.    It is kind of grey outside and very cool only to be in the 40s today so good day to be inside a nice warm kitchen!   
Buster and I picked up 5 wheelbarrow full of down branches and trees that were layin in the woods to use for kindlin this winter.  I like doin that and try to get a nice big ol pile of em since I pretty much and the one that is responsible for tending the fire during the day and early in the am, usually there are  quite abit of hot coals overnight and it does stay pretty warm but there are those days it burns up and not much left so I like my little branches to help start fires.    This week we are starting Bronson's Winter Market In Kalamazoo, friday  from 10-2 and also Dave (from Young Earth Farm) and I are starting our winter drop markets in Allegan and South Haven thurs.   And I also am in Dowagiac MI Old Fashioned Christmas craft show on sat.  Looks like it will be a pretty nice week and there are some nice lookin booths at the show.

With all that said I am off hair in braids, bandana on, apron ready to get to the kitchen and play!! I have the cam in the truck so I will be comin back to yall with pics!!
Have a wonderful monday!
HUGS
Darlene
~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Bronson Market Kalamazoo MI

10-2 today at Bronson Hospital!!  In the skyway cafe!! Stop on by for awesome goodies!
I have alot of cookies, muffins, breads, and cakes!! 
Have a happy happy friday!
~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Cakes and Breds

Streusel topped apple cake

YUMMY!! and boy did the kitchen smell homey and sweet while these were baking!!

I will post the recipe for this tonight when I get back home for yall.   It is sure worth making!

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Lemon poppyseed muffins with some of my "farmgirl bling".  A lemon flavored glaze get drizzeled ontop of these yummy muffins.  Gosh I think we are gonna have one with dinner tonight they look so good!  Made some banana nut bread, with and without nuts so I added some "bling" to the no nut loaves to tell the difference.     I did get some mixes made up for todays baking and also did up more scones and a batch of cookies that are in fridge waiting for me to roll them out.  That was about it yesterday so today is the main baking day to get everything done!!

Enjoy your wed yall!!

Tomorrow Dave (young earth farm)  and I will be bringing lots of goodies to Allegan for our csa drop!!! Stop on by the farm maket parking lot between 11am and 2 pm.  FRIDAY IS KALAMAZOO WINTER MARKET DAY AT BRONSON so hope to see yall there!!

~~HUGS~~

Darlene

Bronson Market Kalamazoo MI

I decided to add some of my dried sweet basil flakes to the egg noodle recipe and it tasted wonderful! Had a bowl last night and only added some butter.

I made a few bags up for market today and also did up some plain egg noodles with the fettucini cutter.

TODAY IS MARKET DAY~~ YEAH~~

These dough balls are gonna be my egg bread braids.

I rolled the brioche dough into a tube and added cinnamon sugar and some plumped up golden raisins.   Rolled each one and popped them into a jumbo muffin pan.  Each has some cinnamon sugar sprinkled ontop.Here's the baked result.  I was gonna add a bit of glaze but they really are good without it and less messy to carry and eat.

Here are the ropes for each braided egg bread. And the braid!!  These have become a weekly addition and they also make awesome grilled ham and cheese sandwiches!! We had that for supper last night with a bowl of the basil noodles.

A new addition is my orange pecan shortbread cookies.  These are really good!! I just added some orange extract in addition to vanilla and also some fresh orange zest and chopped salted pecans.  What a flavor and I figured anything added to basic shortbread is gonna be super duper delic~

Ok well that was some of the treats I made for market yesterday along with some standbys like lemon poppyseed bundt cake, lemon blueberry muffins, peach praline bread and muffins, pistachio bread, all my regurlar cookies and also some peach cobblers. 

Have a great friday and happy baking!!

HUGS

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Bronson Market Kalamazoo MI

A buttermilk bundt cake filled with red raspberries and blueberries we froze from 09 season. And no bundt would be complete without my "farmgirl bling" LOL

Red Raspberry or Blueberries fill these lemon buttermilk cakes (the berries were from our farm last season)

I had alot of batter so made these lemon buttermilk muffins filled with berries. Notice the "farmgirl Bling" LOL

More of my peanut peanut butter cream filled whoopie pies!! I made 5 batches of these yesterday one just for my hubby! he loves these without the cream filling too.

I had a busy day at the kitchen yesterday also made up a few kinds of cookie dough to bake off today. today on the schedule I must get done my glazed pistachio bread, cheddar pepper bread loaves, and Fresh Spinach Pasta!! Pasta has been a big hit at the last markets so am going to keep making that regularly!! I am thinkin though of investing in a maker that will go on my kitchen aide mixer then I could do asst shapes not just the spaghetti or fettucini even though those are great!!

Have you ever had fresh pasta?? Gosh it is delic!!! I cant believe the difference now to get hubby to try it. We would probably eat alot more but we are just not big fans of dried tasteless noodles!! BUTTTTTTTT now we have flavor and a wonderful texture in fresh. And we both love spinach so I will be putting more of in this year just for our pasta!!

Friday is Market at BRONSON HOSPITAL in KALAMAZOO MI! 10.30-2.00 stop on by for some great foodies and winter produce and more!!

I will be in Allegan at the market parking lot tomorrow with some new goodies for yall!

Have a joyous day and will chat more later!! Dont forget OWOH will be starting soon!! be on the lookout for my great giveaways!!

~~HUGS

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Kalamazoo MI Indoor Market

My boys playing with some of the toys they still had left from xmas. As u can see they can be kind of naughty with toys!! LOL well I dont ever think my boys can be naughty!!

My newest creation!! Peanut peanut butter cream filled whoopie pies!! I came up with a thick soft cookie
filled with homemade peanut butter cream filling and rolled in crushed honey roasted peanuts!! They are listed on my esty site for sale but you could always order directly from me here!!

Here is a pic of a round birthday cake I made last week. I did light pink sweet peas on a vine. and just some scalloped edges.

frosting sweet peas, i had to practice havent made them since last year or so.

Tomorrow is market day!! Kalamazoo Market at Bronson Hospital in the cafe!! So today I am goin to be making my rustic cinnamon raisin loaves, apple something? not sure yet what, cookies, and SOMETHING new for market tomorrow!! Spinach flavored fresh pasta!! Yepper first time for me making pasta and I cant wait to try it out!

OK also I want to post here about a fundrasiser this weekend!! Sat from 11am to 4 pm WISHBONE pet rescue is hosting a carnival pet adoption event sat in SAUGATUCK at the masonic lodge. Bake sale and some other goodies available for purchase including some great coffee from UNCOMMON GROUNDS in SAUGATUCK MI, and I am gonna try to whip up some goodies tomorrow after market. This is a great organization and they really love and care about the pets that they have so stop on by!!

It has been sleeting and snowing and there is a sheet of ice on everything!! 5-7 inches of fresh snow coming today so hopefully not too bad for market in allegan today.

I am so happy to have my camera back to post pics!! well the program back anyway!! Thank You to my loving, smart, handy, creative, handsome, silly hubby!! LOVE YA Babe!!

Have a great day yall!!

~HUGS~

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

**STILL SNOWING**

Hey yall!!
Well it is still snowing!! sure is pretty out there but the roads are nasty and slushy, we did have some freezin rain yesterday and then back to snow. I am waiting for my wonderful hubby to have some time to install our camera program so cant post any pics yet but hopefully soon. He had to fix brakes on our plow truck then an axel busted so he has had to work on that every night after work. Cant be in this beautiful state without a plow!
Well tomorrow I will be in Allegan with some homemade goodies then in BRONSON HOSPITALS WINTER MARKET on FRIDAY from 10.30-2. KALAMAZOO MI. Stop on by if yall are in the area.
Everyone here is doing well the chickens are ANGRY!! they have had to be in the coop for several days now due to the cold and all the snow and they are all mad!! There is alot of commotion when I do morning chores I just bet they are clucking a plan with each other to get me one of these days!! Last winter we did have a hen that froze her poor little feet by standing out in the snow all day and I am not about to let that happen to another one!!
The "boys" are in winter hybernation mode and pretty much are layin around being lazy each day, one of these days I want to join them and even maybe take a nap in the afternoon! Oh that would be something great!! and they would love it too!! They all get crazy when mommy and daddy go to bed at the same time they love that. LOL it's the simple things that make us all happy isnt it.

Hope yall have a great day and stay warm***and be safe on the roads**
HUGS
Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

I'm Back~~

WHEW!! first of all I would like to say HAPPY 2010 to all my friends on here!! I have missed posting1! After Christmas our computer went nutso! We lost everything, what a sickening feeling I tell ya!! I have to redo all my saved ingredient labels, my newsletter address book, we lost all files!~ What a mess! my poor hubby has dilegently been working since to try to fix things and re download everything. I am thankful he did back up alot of our "boys' pics but we havent done it since this early fall so all the newest ones are gone, lost in cyperdom somewhere. PLEASE take the time to save things on disk!! I am now gonna make time to do this every week!! I hope yall had a great start into our new year, cant believe it is 2010 at all~~ time sure flies dont it!

This friday is also the KALAMAZOO FARMERS MARKET at BRONSON HOSPITAL from 10-2~~ stop on by for some yummy treats.

I havent been workin on too much the last week, as we have been havin lots of snow and more coming!! and u know we havent had time to even take the snowmobiles out yet! I know it is perfect snow for it maybe tonight. I did work on a couple of new cookie recipes and also had a few cake orders last week, will post those pics when the camera program is back on puter. So I am off today to make a few orders and some blueberry jalapeno jelly and maybe try a new cookie recipe. ***Have *a *wonderful *snowy* day**~~

~SNOWY HUGS~~
LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Kalamazoo Winter Market today

TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF BRONSON HOSPITALS WINTER MARKET!!
***and we are surely in winter!!** it is 10 degrees outside and the winds have been incredible! BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR but I will be in Kalamazoo Mi for the market from 10-2 today along with Dave your friendly meat man from Young Earth Farm along with some other great vendors.

So hope to see ya there!! IT is in the skyline cafe.~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

SANTA and 3 dogs!!

We took the boys to see SANTA yesterday in Douglas!! He is such a great guy and a super wonderful SANTA!! The boys told him they have been very very good and I am sure they will get LOTS of xmas pressies to open~~ They all were so good!!
Dogs by Design is a store in a nearby town and every year now they have a fundraiser for a local organization called Wishbone!! a great organization that helps dogs in need!! In fact Sunday december 13 th they are havin a bake sale and WE WILL BE DONATING SOME GREAT BAKED GOODS!! I will post on here and twitter as soon as I get the info!!
We have them emailing us a pic of the boys and will post it on here as soon as I get it!! IT WAS A GRREAT PIC TOO!! all 3 boys looked so happy and my Buster is smiling!! as usual he is always happy happy happy!!

Hope yall have a great night!! I am off to finish a nice big special dinner for my special hubby!! Baked ham, sweet taters, green beans and mushrooms and some homemade bread!! It is gonna be a busy week with the Kalamazoo Bronson Hospital market starting up on on friday!! and a show on sat wont leave me much time to make nice suppers so tonight it is!! LOL leftovers the rest of the week dont ya know!!
Talk more soon!!
~~HUGS~~
Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Tuesday happenings!!

Just a few pics from market a couple of weeks ago

booth pics

Streusel filled pumpkin sour cream bundt cake

Hey yall!!

Well it sure was another beautiful day here in sw mi!! Sun shinin and actually just t shirt and sweatshirt weather again!! YEAH!! YIPPEE! BUT the forcast is not lookin so good the rest of the week past tomorrow!! rain rain rain and yepper you guessed it more rain!!

I did work on some more mixes to take to market, this time I did up more of my pumpkin spice dip mix which by the way is super yummo!! just add a 15 oz can of pumpkin pie filling and a pkg of cream cheese and what a treat!! It is great with fresh apple slices, on a cracker, a graham cracker and even better on a toasted bagel!! Tomorrow I have to have the following done for market and for at the flower shop since I am starting to advertise next week there!!

Lemon buttermilk cakes, choc chip cookies, pumpkin cream cheese roll, streusel topped pumpkin muffins, a couple of coffee cakes, a decorated white cake with some butter cream frosting maybe? and am kind of thinkin of makin some carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting. So that is about it for now.

I did ask to be in the indoor Bronson Market at Bronson Hospital thru the winter. It will be in the cafeteria at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo MI every other friday from December 11 thru april. Sounds like a nice winter market. Will let yall know more as I find out more. But for right now I still have Allegan Market on thursdays and South Haven Market on Sats!! for a couple more weeks!! they both run thru the end of october!

Have a blessed evening! oh we did go get another dig cam and were able to get the same exact one we had before. I gave up all hope of finding mine!! and I feel sick over it I loved that camera! but at least I dont have to learn another one and another program for downloading pics and so on so I am one relieved chickiepoo not to have to go thru all that trouble!!

HUGS

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~