Memories and Yummies

Have you ever had one of those moments, where out of the blue, you have a lovely memory float through your head, and a happy feeling flutter through your chest?  Growing up I didn't get to spend a lot nights at my Grandparents house, but I enjoyed the times I did.  I loved the morning feel and smell of their house.  I don't know how to describe it perfectly, but it was a mixture of their nice clean home, with everything in its place, and coffee brewing.  (Good to the last drop)  So, why did I have a scent of it float through my not always nice clean home, with not much in it's place, and rarely a coffee smell around? I'm not sure, but I did. I was just walking down the hall and had that feeling.  A little flutter hit my chest and I was reminiscent of my grandparents house.  I thought I even smelled "their" coffee.  It brought up several memories.  I am blessed to have 3 of my 4 Grandparents (ages 88 and above) still living on their own and although they live in other cities I appreciate their influence in my life. So, I just took a brief moment and said a prayer for them and let the good feeling stick around.  

A couple of my grand memories show themselves this time of year.  One of those is the one that I have experienced for the past 22 years. I remember when the weather changes and the leaves turn colors, the feelings I experienced when I found out we were having our first baby.  Wow! It was so very exciting.  I didn't even mind the morning sickness (not that I enjoyed it, but I didn't mind), knowing there was life in my womb living and growing, was so exciting.  And something about this time of year brings back those feelings.

The other memory is candy corn.  Yes, that lovely little candy that appears at the grocery stores this time of year.  I remember my mom commenting when I was a child, on how much she liked candy corn.  She taught us to eat it one color at a time, and the other day I watched her demonstrate it to my kiddos.  It sure does make the candy last longer and you get to enjoy every sweet taste.   I was very interested in the variety of candy corn I found at the grocery store the other day and had to try out a few.  We got the regular, caramel, and pumpkin spice candy corn.  Quite wonderful.  Normally I make sugar cookies and we decorate them with the candy corn, but I had an idea this year to put a little twist on it.

While I was at an amazingly creative woman's house the other day, she served mini cupcakes with fudge filling.  Her daughter explained how easy they are to make and I have tried them several times since.  This time the kids and I had a great time making them up with a autumn twist.  You can make many variation on this treat.  It is easy, fun and the kids can help and make something very cute.

  Choose any cake mix and fill mini cupcake pans 2/3 full.  Bake according to package.  When they come out of the oven, melt a package or chocolate, white, or butterscotch chips with a can of sweetened condensed milk on medium heat in a sauce pan.  Press the middle of the cupcakes to form an indent (I found a plastic spoon works the best). Place a spoonful of fudge in the middle.  Ice with the icing of your choice.  We topped them with the different candy corn, then chill the cupcakes and eat.  They are very yummy.

I was thinking of all the different varieties of cup cakes you could make.  The kids were able to make them on their own and they had a great time.  For these cupcakes we used yellow cake mix, Chocolate chips for the fudge filling, and butter cream icing.  When I was at Jody's house she had white cake mix, white chocolate chips for the fudge, white icing with spring looking sprinkles, and lovely cupcake wrapper.

Well, hope you are all well and blessed.  Thank you for allowing me to share some memories and a fun recipe.  Have a wonderful day. God Bless, Alicia

Here We Go Again

It's off to the races, as my dad says.  My pajama project for Christmas has begun again.  I ordered my material, got it in, washed it, and set it out waiting to be cut and sewed into our annual Christmas jammies.  This year I am using the ping pong table to cut out the patterns. I think it is working nicely.  Such an ordeal.  Finally today I began really getting down to work.  I had really hoped to have gotten more done, as I am a bit behind, but we got a good start and with all the help from my girls, we'll get them done.  It is hard to find the time.

This year has been especially busy.  We have been trying to get Isabella in to the right therapies to help her.  I wish I could be enough but she is still not talking and needs lots of supervision.  I was blessed to have a friend recommend a wonderful Christian home school mom/physical therapist/natural path who has been where I am, with one of her own children.  She has been able to answer some of my questions, provide insight, and give helpful ideas.  Also, she recommended a speech therapy center.  This week we had our speech eval at this center and Isabella scored extremely low.  They had set us up with a speech therapist who offered great encouragement and told me her story about her own child.  It sounded so much like my story with Isabella.  Somedays I feel like we're the only ones going through such struggles but hearing other people with similar personal experiences, who are trying to help Isabella, brings such encouragement.  Next month we begin occupational therapy, have neurological testing, and meet with a geneticist.  It is like I want the answer to what is going on but am fearful of the answer they might give.  Then I find I have been having a hard time not getting offended by comments made by other people lately.  I look at my beautiful little girl, my heavenly Father gave us and I just want to wrap my arms around her and protect her from everything.   I know that God is with us and He is so much bigger than any of this.  I hope I can be an encouragement to someone out there.  God is never surprised.  He doesn't ever say, "Wow, I didn't see that one coming."  I find in my moments of despair, when I surrender and fall down at His feet, He is there to lift me up.  Rachel Wissmann wrote a song we sang in Bright Lights called "I am your Shield."  Sierra will sometimes play it for us on the piano.  It is a beautiful encouraging song and I recommend it.

Other than that we canned 24 quarts of apples, thank you Amy.  We also froze several bags of carrots from our garden and made a yummy carrot cake with some of our carrots.  Today we made carmel apples with apples we got from my Grandma's tree.  I posted that recipe in 2011 under recipes.  School has been going great.  Sierra, Danika, and Cassandra are in horse riding lessons, thank you Mom and Shana.  The girls are loving it and Cassie is quite fearless.  I'll have to get some picture of that but for now enjoy some other fun pictures.   Have a great day and remember God is always more than enough.

Alicia

my little "Belly Bear"

Aidric never shies from the camera and his sissies love taking his picture

Cassie loves matching Isabella

my big boy figuring out the mirror

Carrot Cake

2 eggs

1/4 cup butter milk

1 tsp vanilla 1 3/4 cup shredded carrots

1 1/3 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp ginger

mix 

combine and fold in...

2 cups flour 

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

bake 350 degrees.  Top with cream cheese icing.  Yum.

Yummy

Last night we had a little fun.  Aidric has been very interested in food.  When we eat he squeals and wants to be at the table, then reaches for the food as we eat.  So, we decided to give him his first bite of "food."  He was so excited as we put his bib on and placed him in the high chair.

 With great anticipation he watched me stir the water into the dry rice cereal.

 "Finally, let's see what all this fuss is about."

 Ok, let's try this out.

 "hmmmm that doesn't smell like what you have been eating."

 "That was not was not what I was thinking it would taste like."  It was so cute after each bite he would shiver.  Not so good.

 "Well, maybe I'll just stick to playing with the glass."

 After dinner we had a little dessert.  He again wanted to be held and looked at my food and then at me like "that was not what you gave me."  Well, someday my little boy.  But in the meantime here is this recipe if you would like it at the end of my post.

Some beautiful clouds in the evening.  Sierra had fun taking pictures.

Molten Cake

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 cup 4 tablespoons butter

1 cup sugar

6 eggs beaten

1 slightly heaping cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 tblsp cocoa

raspberries

Grease cupcake pans for 18 cupcakes.  In a double boiler on low heat melt chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate.  Add butter and sugar.  Mix in beaten eggs.  In a bowl combine flour, baking powder and cocoa.  Beat warm mixture into flour mixture with mixer on medium speed until slightly thick, about 5 minutes.  Fill cupcakes with mixture, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze at least 3 hours or until ready to bake.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake 7 to 9 minutes.  Do not overcook.  You want the edges sligtly set and the middle glossy.  While warm loosen with a knife and invert onto a plate.  I then added raspberries and sprinkled with powder sugar.  Enjoy.  

 time.   

That Time of Year

My poor pantry is looking so sad.  We have almost depleted its resources.  Last year was a prosperous year and this year I have not had a great harvest.  I really have enjoyed the rain we have received the last few day, but other than that it has been a very hot summer.  I especially love the clean smell that comes with the rain.  Hail on the other hand I do not care for.  The other day we had an amazing hail storm that was very hard on my garden.  I'm not sure I have ever been in a hail storm with hail that big.  The hail was exciting and the kids danced around the house amazed by its force.  I was concerned for anyone caught out in the weather.  It was about that time of day when kids are walking home from school, and what about the motorcyclist or homeless.

As a child, my cousin Chris and I were at a family reunion.  We had been down playing at the water when it began raining.  Others had gone back to camp but we didn't mind the rain.  The sky darkened and I remember a sudden wind came up and then pelting hail began beating on us.  The hail really hurt and we were out in the open with nowhere to go.  We had been playing with a tiny raft when the hail came and we squeezed together behind our sad little raft for the shelter it provided.  We began to cry and to that point of my life, I was the most scared I had ever been.  I remember praying out loud trying to pray louder than the storm.  Suddenly we saw my Grandpa's station wagon coming to the rescue.  It drove down the hill and across the sand to us.  We jumped in and with tear stained faces received our answered prayer.  We sat in the car for quite a while waiting for the storm to pass.  It did pass and we are here to tell our story.  I find that effective in life as well.  Sometimes we just need to cry out louder than the storm, receive God's shelter, and wait for the storm to pass.  It will pass and God will be with us through the storm.

So now I must decide what to do about my pantry.  Should I buy some fruit to can or just buy from the store till next year.  My mothers garden has done quite well and she has provided me with cucumbers for pickles.  She actually started a batch of 10 day pickles and let me work on them.  Unfortunately we went camping on day 9 so my mom was so sweet to finish them and can them for me.  Thank you mom.  :)  Then someone at church was giving away the most amazing peaches, so we grabbed a couple bags and made some pies.  I kept a few seeds as a science experiment for my 10 year old to see if we could grow a new tree.  Here are a  couple recipes of them and some pictures.  Have a great day.

God Bless
Alicia

The hail bouncing down

so exciting when you inside

Danika trying it out on her feet

Cassandra collecting some

My poor flattened garden.  

10 day pickles 

 10 day pickles
1 gallon cucumbers-thick sliced or chunked
1 cup salt
  Mix with enough cold water to cover, place in cool place for 2 days (stir/shake each day)

Day 3 and 4
    drain each day and cover with clean water

Day 5
drain and mix with 1 Tbsp alumn, 1 cup apple cider vinegar.  Mix with pickles and add enough water to cover.  Heat and keep hot for 2 hours

Day 6
drain, rinse.  Mix syrup-1 qt vinegar, 5 c sugar, 1 tsp celery seed, 2 sticks cinnamon, 1 tsp whole cloves

Day 7,8,9
heat syrup from off pickles and put back on

Day 10
heat cucumbers and syrup together and put in clean jars and seal.

Peach pie
Combine 3/4 cup sugar, 3 tblsp flour, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and dash salt.  Add 5 cups sliced peaches.  Mix.  Let sit till glossy.  Place in 9 inch pan, dot with 2 tbsp butter.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Seal with top crust.  Bake at 400 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.  

On Schedule

We did it again.  We sent our son off to college for another semester.  This time Alex had to get up early in the morning and he was thinking it would be an easier goodbye because everyone should still be sleeping.  But in a house with lots of girls goodbyes are never easy.  I was putting Isabella to bed and he came in and said good night.  Not too terribly bad, Isabella isn't quite sure what all is going on.  Then I told Cassandra to tell Alex goodnight and the waterworks began and didn't stop till the last sister  was in bed.  Poor Alex, I sure hope we don't make him feel bad for leaving but just feel good because he knows he is loved and missed.  Then a couple days later I had to say goodbye to our dear friend Ivy, as she went off to college also.  We went to lunch and found another friend who was getting ready to sent her daughter off to college also.  Then today a couple of my friends sent off their boys.  Not fun.  Tis the season.  

In order to keep our schedule the same as Alex's we began school on Monday.  I want to be able to be on the same breaks when he comes home.  It was good to get back to a schedule and be able to do school with the girls again.  Aidric adds a little more excitement to our day but so far so good.

One fun part of the end of summer is all the tomatoes we grow.  I really enjoy making meals with fresh tomatoes.  It just adds a little more taste to spaghetti, lasagna, a salad, and whatever else we might be making.  Here is a recipe we enjoy, hope you enjoy it also.  If you are also one of the many sending your beloved child off to school or the one going off, know we're all in this together and God works all things together for good.  Have a great day.

Alicia

cute op ripe tomatoes

cooking down the tomatoes

Spaghetti and meatballs

1 can tomatoes (I cook down 3 cups cut up tomatoes)
1 can tomato soup
1 small can tomato paste
1 can tomato cause (not needed if you cook up fresh tomatoes)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice, thyme, cayenne, paprika
salt and pepper
2 Tblsp sugar
1 Tblsp olive oil.

Cook and simmer.  Add meatballs before serving.  Serve on top of cook spaghetti.

Meatballs
1 lbs ground beef
mix with 1 bag crushed saltines
1/3 cup catsup
1 egg
salt and pepper
roll into balls and bake 350 degrees 20 minutes.  Add to sauce.  

Valentine 2013

Happy Valentine's Day!  Oh to traditions.  We had our day of Valentine breakfast: pink chocolate chip pancakes, pink eggs, and pink juice, then dinner: dress up dinner, with yummy food and chocolate.  I even got to talk to my sonshine Valentine (that would be my son).  :)  Thought I would share some pictures and recipes.

Heart braids, worth the drama :)

My pretty girls. 

Candle light dinner.

Mocha cheesecake

cheesecake with toppings.  Ohhhhhh so good.

Mocha Cheesecake
Preheat oven to 325.
2 cups crushed grahm crackers
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
   Mix
1/3 cup melted butter Add
Press into greased spring form pan.
In mixer beat 3, 8 ounce packages cream cheese (softened) till fluffy, add but do not stir till end...
1 cup beaten eggs,
1 cup semisweet melted chocolate,
2 tsp vanilla,
1, 14oz can Sweetened Condensed milk,
1/4 cup strong coffee
Mix just until combined.  Pour in pan.  Bake in water bath for 50 minutes, or until all but 3 inches in middle set.  Turn off oven let cake stay in oven for 1 hour.  Refrigerate for several hours until chilled through or until you are ready to eat.  We like to top with chocolate and Carmel sauce.

My Valentine!

Got jelly beans from a friend, David got his girls chocolate flowers, and I made some Oreo truffles that are amazing!

Oreo truffles

1 pckg crushed Oreos
mix with 8 oz softened cream cheese
Refrigerate for 2 hours
roll into balls.  Dip in melted Almond Bark.  Drizzle melted semisweet chocolate chips.

We used left over melted chocolate for dipped strawberries and drizzled the left over almond bark over the chocolate strawberries.  My favorite way to melt semisweet chocolate is in a double boiler on medium low to medium heat.  Stirring carefully until chocolate is melted.

Hope you all had a lovely day.  God bless
Alicia

Carmel Popcorn and Movie

Tonight it is just the younger ones and I.  David has the Sierra and Latisha at a Youth function and so...  one of my favorite indulgences is carmel popcorn and what better than a movie to go with it.  The little ones got all scrubbed up and I made the popcorn.  I thought I might share the recipe with you.   The popcorn is very gooey and rich.  

Carmel Popcorn
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup with karo syrup
bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium high.  Boil 2 minutes
Add 1/2 cup butter- boil 2 more minutes
add 1 can sweetened condensed milk, boil 2 more minutes being careful not to scorch. Pour over popped pop corn (1 cup unpopped).  Mix well and enjoy.  Place left over in a ziplock baggie.  Tastes even better the next day.  

Let the Season Begin

So, if you didn't already know, I really enjoy this time of year.  One thing I love is going into stores and hearing songs about the new born king.  What a blessing to be able to proclaim Christ's birth all over.  I don't really enjoy the crowds or shopping but I try to make a day with each child to go shopping one on one, during the week when the crowds are down.  David and I acutally started shopping last Monday.  Outside of the pajama's, I have been busily working on (late start),  I hadn't done any shopping.

The start of the Christmas pj project

We got a good start.  Then Latisha and I got to go the other day and it took quite a while to find what we were looking for.  We were both exhausted but enjoyed time together.   I also had a doctor's appointment last week.  The baby is doing great and despite the following picture I really haven't gained that much weight this last month, considering I ate quite well for Thanksgiving.

5 1/2 months

Thanksgiving with the family

The girls 

Thanksgiving was great.  My grandparents made it here, which is such a blessing.  They live 4 hours away and made the trip.  My parents and Sister and her family were here also.  We were glad to be together, but missing our sons.  My mom's son (my brother) couldn't make it,  my sister's son is away in the Navy and my son away at college.  So that was a little sad.  Then Friday my brother surprised us and showed up with his son.  A great surprise.

My brother and me

We did have a bit of excitement the other day.  Alex called and his choir was performing at a tree lighting at an amusement park. He was so excited to let me know the Duggar's were there.  Yes, the 19 and counting family.  :)  I have a very large admiration for that family.  What a family of faith that so strongly treasure Children as gifts from God and are so actively involved in their children's lives.  This is something that is missing in our society.  I find the Duggars a walking miracle.  Having a baby is a miracle and such a blessing.  But to have 19 babies, that is, well, a miracle times 19.  The average number of children for a couple that is open to God being in control is six.  I feel so blessed to have our seventh on the way and am in awe of the goodness of God.  Truly the Duggars are a blessed walking miracle.  After I had Danika I couldn't see how I could continue homeschooling with four kids.  About that time I saw the Duggars first tv appearance.  I was so blessed.  God really used them as an example to me of the blessings of homeschooling and that I could do it.  Really, if God had given them enough grace to homeschool their dozen (I believe that was the number at that time) He surely would help me to be able to educate four.  I have never regretted our decision to homeschool and the Duggars continue to be an encouragement to me.  Anyways, I encouraged Alex to go and shake their hands and thank them for their ministry.  He was concerned that would make him a "creeper."    But he loves me and eventually got up enough courage to shake Michelle's hand and even got a picture with her.  She was very nice to him and I was thrilled to see the picture.  I would share but I don't know if you can share a picture like that, legally.  It caused a bit of excitement here.  I am thankful for families that have strong values, share the love of God, and stand firm no matter what.

Well, this is a long post but if you made it this far maybe you would enjoy another recipe.  This was so yummy the other day.  I made egg casserole, donuts and fresh pineapple.  Here is the egg recipe.  Have a great day and God Bless.

Alicia

Egg Casserole
10 beaten eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 pt cottage cheese
1 pound sausage, ham or bacon
1 pound shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup melted butter
2 small cans chopped green chilies (we only but in on half)
Mix all together.  Bake in a 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  

Apples, Apples, Apples

I was so excited the other day to find out my friend had got a huge amount of apples for 19 cents a pound!  Of course she had to drive a ways out and buy an amazing quantity, but she did and decided to sell the rest.  I went over and got 90 pounds of apples from her and didn't even make much of a dent in what she had.  So, as you may already know, I can't let thinks sit very long.  I had the opportunity and energy so we began canning that evening.  If I'm going to make a mess anyway, might get as much done as possible.  There is no way I could have accomplished all we got done that evening without the families help.  Everyone jumped in and in someway helped.  We canned 26 quarts of cooked cinnamon apples, 7 quarts of applesauce, 4 apples pies and an apple crisp all that evening.  The apples are very large so we couldn't use the apple peeler slicer, we had to hand peel most them for the sauce, pies, and crisp.  It was so worth it.  Our house smelled amazing.  I actually kept 20 pounds for our own eating and they are so yummy.  Here are some pictures and recipes for how I did things.  Thank you so much Amy and my family.  Have a great day and God bless.

Alicia

beautiful, yummy apples.

the fruit of our labor

Can you tell how big the apples are?  Only took three apples to fill a pie.

My recipes are all approximates based on how many apples and how sweet the apples are.

Canned Cinnamon Apples
fill pan 1/4  with water,  add 1/2 as much sugar, and a few tablespoons cinnamon.  Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar.  Add cubed apple pieces (seeds removed) and simmer 15 to 30 minutes, until it reaches the tenderness you prefer.  Place in clean jars.  Push apples down then top with juice from the mixture to bottom of rim.  Seal with scalded lids and rims.  Hot water bath for 20 minutes.  Let cool, enjoy throughout the year.

Applesauce
Fill bottom of pan with 1 inch water and half as much sugar.  Add a few tablespoons cinnamon.  Boil to dissolve.  Add peeled, cored, and sliced apples.  Reduce heat and let simmer for at least an hour.  Stirring off and on.   Add more sugar or cinnamon to taste.  Once to a soft consistency smash with a masher or place in blender.   Fill jars, place lids on, and turn upside down for 10 minutes, turn back up and let sit until cooled and sealed.

Apple Crisp

Place 8 cups peeled, sliced, cored apples in cake pan.  Mix 2 cups brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 2 cups oatmeal, and 1 Tblsp cinnamon.  Add 1/2 cup soften butter.  Mix with fork.  Pat down on top of apples and bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Apples Pie
Make pie crust.  Place bottom crust in pan.  Mix 3/4 cup sugar, 2 Tblsp flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, dash nutmeg, and dash of salt.  Add to 6 cups peeled, sliced, cored apples.  Place in pan.  Top with 2 Tblsp butter and top pie crust.  Back 400 degrees for 50 minutes.

Enjoy.

Pumkins...

What a lovely day and lovely weather we have been having lately.  It is quite brisk in the morning and warms up nicely through the day.  It is funny what turning on the heat does.   The other morning one of the kids commented "It smells like Christmas."  I think they were referring to the smell of the furnace and I know what they mean.  I get the same fluttery feeling when I awake to that smell.  Actually, the other morning when I woke I got all excited for Thanksgiving and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  It is a very silly tradition I have had since childhood and have passed on to the kids.  Thanksgiving morning always finds us around the tv multitasking the days activities but watching bits and pieces of the parade.  Yes, that is a bit away still, but smells have a way of bringing out different memories.  The kids think it would be so wonderful to go and see it in person.  I wonder.  It looks awfully cold and crowded but I'm sure it is a fun experience to be there in person.

Yesterday I got to have a wonderful day blessed with some of my favorite people.  It seems like we just haven't been getting together with other people much lately.  But yesterday I was able to have a fun lunch with my dear friend Amy for her birthday.  Then in the evening our family got to go to one of the sweetest families, Chad and Jessica's, and spend time with them.  They just finished building a beautiful home on a lovely piece of property for their family of 8.  Their 6 kids are 8 and under and so sweet.   I was even blessed to hold their new baby and he is such a sweetie.  We are looking forward to our own new little one and the kids are counting the days down to the ultrasound (3 more weeks exactly).  

Some of our fun has been cooking with pumpkins.  I harvested the pumpkins and have been having a good time baking and filling our home with wonderful scents.  We have had pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin trifle.  All have turned out so yummy.  I am looking forward to trying a recipe for pumpkin soup tonight although no one else is quite as enthused as I am.  Better have something fun to go with it.  Unfortunately I haven't been good at taking pictures but here are a couple and some ideas for cooking up the pumpkin.  Have a blessed day.

Alicia

pumpkin cookies

 Pumpkin cookies
3/4 c butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 c cooked pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
mix well  add...
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ginger
/2 tsp nutmeg
stir in 1 cup chocolate chips
bake 15 min at 375 degrees

pumpkin seed almost gone but quite yummy.  Toss clean seeds with melted butter, garlic salt and dash of paprika.  Bake for an hour stirring every 15 min at 220degrees

Pancakes are also fun just add pumpkin to the mix, a little cinnamon, pumpkin spice and chocolate chips and yum.

P.S.  I would like to add that it has been my experience when working with home grown pumpkins, that the puree is runnier than store bought.  So to compensate I add more flour to the mixture to reach the consistency I want.