Friday, October 30, 2020
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
Who Doesn't Love Baby Goats?
When you need something that will bring you great joy, there is nothing funnier than baby goats.
Whether they are hopping, jumping, frolicking or running over each other, it is hard to imagine anything cuter. I think I need to get Harry a few of these.
I am sure that the amusement factor would far outweigh the trouble of picking up the poop pellets!
We’re talking about baby goats for a reason.
You may not know this about Linda of Victorian Style Treasures, but she is a foodie at a grocery store in Utah. She has free rein to “experiment” on their customers by getting them to try new recipes. She seems to draw great pleasure in her experiments.
While this recipe is not one of her own, and she does not serve it at the holidays (exactly), it did become a favorite with her victims, I mean, customers.
She says she is NOT a fan of goat cheese, but that day, she and her customers all found goat cheese to be quite tasty. So much so, that they sold out of goat cheese.
Sweet-'n'-Salty Honey Cheese Spread
Serves 10 · Transform a simple log of goat cheese into an impressive party appetizer by rolling the log of cheese in sunflower seeds and drizzling with honey. Serve with fresh berries and crackers.
5 ingredients
Produce
1 Pt. fresh raspberries
Condiments
1/3 cup Honey
Nuts & Seeds
1/2 cup Sunflower seeds, roasted salted
Snacks
1 Crackers, Assorted
Dairy
1 (10.5-oz.) goat cheese log.... Please note: use plain goat cheese
Linda rolled her goat cheese in the sunflower seeds on a piece of parchment paper. She then put the log on the platter and drizzled the honey over the top and sided. She adorned it with fresh raspberries along the platter and a fresh mint sprig for decoration. She drizzled the raspberries in honey.
Goats or no, this sounds really tasty.
Here is her photo of the cheese log:
Here are some other things that you might find “tasty”:
Wine Glasses And Bottle Of Wine Christmas Ornament
Wire Wrap Pendant, Pink Gemstone, Gift for Her
Green And Orange Crystal Beaded Pendant Necklace With Rhinestones, Dressy Occasion
Crocheted Victorian Fingerless Gloves Sage Cotton Silk Blend Custom Order
Chili Pepper Red Prickly Pear Fruit
Apple Wood Earrings Resin Exotic Woods Oval Dangle
Artisan Floral Enamel Earrings, Raspberry Lampwork Jewelry
Frida Kahlo Flowers Art Earrings, Polymer Clay Pink Handmade Jewelry
Metal butterfly kumihimo beaded bracelet
Handmade Lampwork Glass Beads, Light Teal Green Silver Shiny Glossy
Czech Green Apple with Jardin Teardrops and Sterling Silver Earrings
Cherry Blossom White Ceramic Coffee Mug, 11oz and 15oz
In addition to these fantastic gift selections, each of these artists have their own shops filled with more gift ideas, so be sure and stop and shop with each one.
If you see something you like, buy it now or forever lose it as handmade gifts sell out quickly!
Shop from these additional countdowns and pages:
- Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 1
- Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 2
- Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 3
- Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 4
- Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 5
- Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 6
- Too Fruity to be Candy
- It Moose be Christmas
- Cookies are Good for You
- Something a Little Southern
- Rocks in your Socks
Don’t see the perfect gift? Ask an artist to help you design something.
Shop now!
Julie
Friday, October 23, 2020
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Rocks in your Socks
We go to Texas for our next family tradition that was more than just a holiday treat.
Like many families, Charlotte of Covergirl Beads’ family gathered on Sunday afternoons for a large dinner after church, which included some of her Gram’s pies and other goodies along with her Mother’s fantastic cooking.
She says if she was lucky, when the family got there to pick Gram up, there might be taffy or rock candy waiting for them. Once Gram was in the car, they all headed back to their home where her Mother would have Sunday dinner ready to be served.
Even though every Sunday was like a holiday – they celebrated all birthdays on Sundays, too – once the holidays rolled around, the food was piled high.
This recipe is simply titled “Rocks”, but once you look at the ingredients, you know that these are going to be very tasty.
Here is a favorite of Charlotte’s family, and maybe it will make it to your dessert tray this year, too.
ROCKS
1 cup butter
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 lb. raisins
1/2 lg. figs
1/2 lb. dates
1/2 lb. pecans
Grind in food grinder the raisins, dates, nuts, and figs. Set aside. Cream butter, sugar, and eggs. Mix together well the flour, baking soda, and spices. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well blended. Stir in the pecans and fruit. You will need to use your hands to mix it well as the batter is very very stiff. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake in 350o oven for about 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 12 dozen.
Charlotte says these cookies were her Daddy’s favorite, and were served on Christmas Eve with egg nog.
Here are some more rocks you can put in someone’s socks on Christmas Eve.
The Golden Hour in Utah Canvas Print
Swarovski Crystals and Amazonite Beaded Butterfly Necklace
Beaded double wrap bracelet, macrame art, black leather, THE HONEY BEE BRACELET
Triple Wrap Bracelet Garnet AA Gemstones Leather Cord Vintage Silver Filigree Button
Ocean Jasper Druzy Necklace, Gemstone Sterling Chunky Handmade Jewelry
Reddish Brown Jasper Pendant Necklace Earrings Set, Rectangular, Copper Chain, Lever Backs
Wire Wrapped Pendant, Heart Shape, Gift for Women
Aqua Fire Agate Gemstone and Swarovski Crystal Bracelet, Sterling Handmade
Music Teachers Rock Desk Or Shelf Clock Handmade From Cherry Wood
Genuine Garnet Beaded Necklace with Rare Khamphi Rosewood Pendant January Birthstone
Silver mist Jasper Pendant with Artistic Jasper, Quartz OOAK Necklace
Tiger Stripe Coordinated Jewelry Set for Women Tiger Eye Gemstones
In addition to these fantastic gift selections, each of these artists have their own shops filled with more gift ideas, so be sure and stop and shop with each one.
If you see something you like, buy it now or forever lose it as handmade gifts sell out quickly!
Shop from these additional countdowns and pages:
- Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 1
- Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 2
- Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 3
- Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 4
- Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 5
Don’t see the perfect gift? Ask an artist to help you design something.
Shop now!
Julie
Friday, October 16, 2020
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
Something a Little Southern
Well, not exclusively Southern, but this vegetable finds its way to tables across the South more frequently than just during the holidays.
Kathy of Kat’s All That brings us today’s recipe, and she does not reside in the South, nor is this a recipe from the South. I bring up the South because this vegetable is something that I dish out often throughout the year. As a side dish, a baked dish or even fried; although, I never fry it, but it is available at the local BBQ stand. They will fry anything in the South.
When Kathy sent me the recipe, we got into a discussion about a casserole dish featuring the lovely sweet potato. I had to make some that night, serve some, freeze some and share some. It is made with brown sugar and pecans, and lots of butter. She substitutes flax seed for the eggs for a vegan version of sweet potato casserole.
Kathy’s recipe is not for a casserole, but it is for bread. Her grandkids love it toasted and served with butter or cream cheese. No matter how you serve your yams, they will be a hit all year round.
This sounds wonderful, and I will try this next time I pick up some sweet potatoes.
Sweet Potato Loaf
- 1 C. mashed sweet potato (can used canned yams if you want)
- 1 medium ripe banana-mashed
- 1/2 C. vegetable oil
- 1 3/4 C. sifted flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. baking powder
- 1/3 C. water
- 1/2 C. chopped pecans (you can also use walnuts, chocolate chips, dried cranberries or raisins)
With mixer beat potatoes until smooth. Stir in sugar, oil and mashed banana. Do not add the water. In separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder and spices. To the wet mixture alternate the flour mixture and water. Mix in pecans (or any other nuts, chips, fruit of your choice)
Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Here are some more sweet treats as good as this bread will be when you pull it out of the oven.
Beaded Bracelet, Seed Bead Jewelry, Orange and White, Gift for Her
Labrador Retriever Christmas Tree Ornament Handmade From Birch Wood
Tangerine Crystal Beaded Bracelet with Gold Love Link
Halloween Crocheted Maryjanes & Headband Infant Size Pumpkin Buttons 9 12 mo
Swarovski Sunflower Antique Brass Hypoallergenic Chandelier Earrings
Torch Red Japanese Maple Leaves on Malibu Blue Hardcover Journal
Orange ceramic beads stretch bracelet
Fun Pumpkin, glass tile Pendant & earring set
Orange Swarovski Crystal Bracelet
Halloween Earrings, Jack O Lanterns Pumpkins Orange Black Jewelry Gift
Handmade Lampwork Glass Beads, Halloween Cool Orange Etched Matte
Orange and Pink Round Chandelier Earrings for Women 3-inch Dangles
In addition to these fantastic gift selections, each of these artists have their own shops filled with more gift ideas, so be sure and stop and shop with each one.
If you see something you like, buy it now or forever lose it as handmade gifts sell out quickly!
Shop from these additional countdowns and pages:
Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 1
Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 2
Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 3
Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 4
Don’t see the perfect gift? Ask an artist to help you design something.
Shop now!
Julie
Friday, October 9, 2020
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Cookies are Good for You
It’s funny that while writing this up, I finally decided to find out what this crazy weed was that is growing in my yard under the bird feeder. It looks like a corn stalk, and I have been letting it grow because I wanted to see what it would do, (that sounds like the opening line to a very, very bad B-movie.) It turns out that the top started to develop small seeds.
It took me only a couple quick image searches to discover that I had sorghum growing in the yard. Being from the Midwest, I recognized the term sorghum as a regular crop grown in Illinois.
It is a cereal crop, which is why I had it in my birdseed, but it can also be used to create sweet sorghum. Sweet sorghum is not the same as molasses, but it can be used the same as any of the varieties of molasses, which is derived from cane sugar.
Molasses is what brings us here today. Sweet, sticky molasses.
Besides being sweet, molasses has a lot of health benefits, too.
It is good for your energy levels. It adds a lot of B to your diet. It is said to have antioxidant properties, and is a great source of iron. Click here to read some more of these wonderful molasses properties.
All of these natural benefits probably are not the reasons that Connie of The Singing Beader says that her husband, Mike, calls the following cookies his favorite. I bet it is because they are chewy and tasty!
We should all give these a try this year. I know everyone has some blackstrap molasses in their pantry! I use Grandma’s molasses.
SOFT CHEWY MOLASSES COOKIES
Prep time 20 minutes
Servings 3 Dozen
- 1 cup organic sugar
- 3/4 cup butter (softened)
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 2 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- Sugar for coating (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, butter and molasses together.
3. Beat in egg until light and fluffy.
4. Mix in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger cloves and nutmeg together until well combined.
5. Cover dough and refrigerate for about an hour. This makes handling the dough much easier.
6. Roll dough into 1 - 1 1/2 inch balls.
7. Roll each ball in sugar to coat.
8. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.
9. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and let sit for 1 minute before removing cookies and placing on wire rack to cool.
11. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Here are some more sweet delights that are sure to be a hit with your gift giving.
Pink Copper Bronze Heart Earrings, Handmade Valentine Jewelry
Florida Beach Path Scene, Shadow Dancers 11 x 15 watercolor print
Speckled Yellow Blue Tan Spring Lampwork Bracelet and .925 Earrings
Candy Cane Christmas Ornament Handmade From Walnut Wood
Melting Heart Scarf, Holiday Neckwarmer
Wooden Barrel In Garden Solvang CA Canvas Print
FIBER ART HANDMADE KNIT SCARF WITH ENGLISH BOUCLE RED WOOL
Multicolored Charm Bracelet, Glass Silver Dipped Bead Tips
Christmas Chocolate Candy Earrings, Lampwork Petit Fours Jewelry Gift
Satin Black Ivory Green Lampwork Teardrop Pendant Necklace
Brown Lampwork Beaded Necklace with Red Stripe Agates, Necklace for Women
In addition to these fantastic gift selections, each of these artists have their own shops filled with more gift ideas, so be sure and stop and shop with each one.
If you see something you like, buy it now or forever lose it as handmade gifts sell out quickly!
Shop from these additional countdowns and pages:
Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 1
Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 2
Countdown to Christmas 2020 Week 3
Don’t see the perfect gift? Ask an artist to help you design something.
Shop now!
Julie
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