Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Have I lost you..(also titled Computer Woes)!

Did I loose you?  I know I lost some of you and I'd like to find you again.  Many, many months ago our lights flickered.  They did not go out. They didn't even dim.  There was no rain, no storm, no thunder, no lightning. There was just a very slight flicker. Someone, somewhere probably hit a utility pole!

That little flicker caused a lot of problems.  My business computer couldn't "find" itself anymore.  My life was at such a point with special needs foster children that I set it aside and limped along with my laptop.  However, a few months ago when it was time to re-open my shop, something needed to be done.

I took my business computer in for a checkup.  Well.  That little flicker fried my logic board and evidently those are very pricey items.  $1,000 for the part.  You read that right...one.thousand.dollars. And that didn't include the labor to put it in.  My computer was 8 years old.  I was informed that it was considered to be a "vintage" computer and in another 18 months could be called an "antique". 
Yee Haw!  Unfortunately, "antique" doesn't mean the same thing in computers as it does in furniture.  "Antique" is another word for "doorstop" in computer lingo.

Their diagnostic tools could not recover anything from my hard drive either.  They said I needed a vintage Mac guru with the "older" diagnostic tools to be able to retrieve anything from my hard drive. That drive is now gently stored away waiting for the right "vintage Mac guru guy" to appear.  (If you are said guru, please email me...my hard drive needs you!).

The biggest problem is that I lost ALL of my business labels, forms etc. and my customer data base.  I miss my customer data base.  I was also without my computer for sometime.  So...if you have tried to reach me, and didn't get a response, please try again. April in Germany...I'm talking to you...I miss our chats! Many of my customers have become good friends and I don't want those friendships to fly off into cyberspace with my logic board.

Since a new computer was only slightly more than the logic board, I bit the bullet and bought one.  I am now humming along quite nicely with the new technology...although I believe my computer was probably out of date by the time I drove home from the store. I'll be taking some classes to bring me up to speed....I've been using Apple computers since the Apple IIGS (any one remember those?) but things have come a long way baby!  And I don't seem to learn things quite as easily as I used to...ssshhhh...let's not talk about getting older! New computer + free classes = happy owner!

And for those who will ask...every computer in the house was backed up regularly but that one.  Don't ask me why... I can assure you that it is now being backed up on it's own regular schedule.  Yes, it was on a surge protector - a good one.

And just in case...

I unplug everything when I'm not using it.

Signing off and backing up,



Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Turn your radio on...

Turn your radio on this coming Friday at 8:00 pm.  I'll be talking about Seed Saving!  I know...it's not soap but it is "farm" and I am a farm girl after all!

I've been saving seeds for many years.  I hope to share with y'all why I save them and how that benefits my garden and me.

I want to talk about how to save seeds and how to store them.  I hope to save you some time and hopefully you can learn from my mistakes...I've made plenty of them!

We might talk about inoculating seed, and scarifying seed...that portion of the program could also be titled..."the things I wish I'd known before I planted."

Isolation distances are sure to come up!  We don't want to save watermelon seeds and have our fruit turn out bitter the next year!

All of the topics, of course, will be determined by my friend Scott Terry, the program's host. He and his beautiful wife, and adorable children, live waaaaayyyy up north. I'm really looking forward to this.  Tried to make this work this past winter but at the time my family was busy playing pass the sinus infection and my voice was just too unreliable.  I'm so thankful Scott called again and asked!

You can listen here and you can also go there now and set up a reminder if you need one!

Hope to "see" y'all there!

Blessings!

Monday, July 29, 2013

Fresh Strawberry Pie!

We had company last week...well really not company...more like family!  When this young man visits I like to make his favorite dessert - Strawberry Pie. 


This isn't your normal Strawberry Pie.  You don't cook it and you don't use jello!  I haven't used jello products in over 20 years - yucky when you learn what's in them.

This pie requires 3 pounds of berries and truthfully I always buy 4 lbs and usually don't have much left over.

Ready for the recipe?

You'll need a baked pie shell.  Please..please..please tell me you don't buy those pre-baked or frozen pie dough things from the grocery store...have you read the ingredients?? Tastes like cardboard and tough....

Search this blog and find my recipe for my grandma's no fail pie crust.  Take 15 minutes and make 4 pie shells.  I double it and can put 8 balls of dough in the freezer.  They keep wonderfully!  Take out a frozen ball of dough in the morning - and you can bake your pie shell by noon.  Flaky, wonderful, goodness!

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Wash and stem your berries.  Set aside 6 ounces of berries.  I use the not-so-pretty ones or the really huge or tiny ones.  Put in a food processor and process until they become a smooth puree. You should have 3/4 cup puree.  You need that much so don't be stingy.

Whisk 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp. cornstarch, 1 1/2 tsp. Sure Jell (PINK BOX) & a pinch of salt in a sauce pan.  If you use the Sure Jell in the yellow box this will not work!  You have to use the Sure Jell in the pink box.

Add berry puree and cook over medium to high heat.  Stir constantly so it doesn't scorch.  Make sure you get all of the sugar mixed in. Bring to a full boil and boil for about 2 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl to cool down and stir in 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice (do not use the bottled stuff!).

Make sure you have 2 pounds of berries left - leave them whole.  When the glaze cools down to room temperature, pour over the fresh berries and toss very lightly to coat. Pour into pie shell gently. Carefully turn the berries around until all of the pointed ends are facing up.  This is fun....think finger painting only you can lick your fingers at the end...I give permission..make sure the kids are outside.

Make sure berries are evenly in shell, no gaping holes...in other words make sure the pie looks pretty! Refrigerate about 3 hours and serve the same day.

Make some homemade whip cream (don't even talk to me about cool whip - read those ingredients...look up the words you don't understand!) And place a dollop on each slice of pie.



NOTE:  This pie does not set up like jello - the sauce helps to hold it gently in place but it will still fall a bit as you slice it.  But the flavor....oh the flavor!!  It is absolutely the best strawberry pie I have ever made!
 
Make one and let me know what you think...quick before the strawberries are gone!

Blessings,



Thursday, July 25, 2013

Siah's Citrus Soap - another fun swirl!


I made this soap for my son Josiah when he was younger.  We call him Siah. Whenever I made a soap for one of my sons, their name was always used in the name of the soap.  They also chose the scent.  It wasn't something I set out to do but at different points in time, they each asked me to make a soap with a particular scent for them.  So I did.

Here it is just out of the mold...

This is another swirled soap that is so fun to cut.  Every bar is different - no two look the same.  The bars themselves look different from one side to the other.

When the boys were little they gathered around the table looking for pictures....and they usually found them...although I couldn't always see what they saw.


 So, what pictures to you see in my soap?
Siah's Citrus will be back in the store later in August once it is done curing.  Scented with Litsea, Orange and Tangerine and colored with a bit of Paprika...the scent is wonderful!

My drying rack is right behind my desk.  As I sit and write, research and blog, I get hints of patchouli, mints, citrus, and a variety of flowers.  Evidently my house smells this way.  Evidently everything in my house smells this way.  Evidently we smell this way.  That's what we are told.

One of my sons took a beach towel on an outing recently.  Everyone was sniffing his towel and talking about how wonderful it smelled.  He didn't realize. When you live with those scents...your nose shuts down and you don't smell them.

I can smell the soaps when I first cut them but within a short period of time, I don't smell anything anymore.  I'm always a little surprised when someone steps into my front door and comments about how wonderful the house smells...and just a bit envious...we all wish we could enjoy those scents on a daily basis.

So tell me, how come this "nose going numb" to my wonderful herbs and essential oils doesn't work when someone forgets to take out the trash?

Blessings,

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Rogue Squash!

It wasn't me...(haven't we moms heard that a million times!)

I didn't plant it, I've never seen one that I can recall.

I don't know what it is but I have a ton of them in the garden !

Any ideas?  Safe to eat? Ornamental?

Has our squash cross-pollinated to create something new?

Aaaahhh...life on a farm....you just never know what you might find...we've found weird produce, stray cats, stray dogs, lost dogs, deer, coyotes, coons, foxes, giant turtles, snakes, skunks, a baby skunk (last week in the garden...that was fun!) and one time, as we stepped outside to head to church, there was a young Angus bull standing in our driveway.  Nope...never saw him before but evidently he decided to take a long stroll up our driveway and run away from home - which turned out to be miles down the road!

You can count on any or all of the above happening at three different times:

1.  In the middle of the night and they/it are making enough noise you can't sleep.

2.  When you (meaning me!) are home alone.

3.  When you are on the way somewhere and already running late.

It never happens when you have a lot of extra time and/or extra hands to help you catch, corral, shoot or chase it.  Never!

Back to the rogue squash....answers people!  I need answers.....

Blessings,

Recipe Review - Caramel Cake!

My dear friend Julie posted a picture and recipe  for Caramel Cake on Facebook recently.   I make a caramel cake but it is a time consuming recipe and this one looked easier.  I quickly sent her a message asking if she had made the cake.  I get my best recipes from Julie.  She and I both like to cook...a lot...and cook from scratch.  This may have something to do with the fact that we each raised a house full of boys.

Julie had not made the cake so I decided to do that.  Easy recipe to whip out on a rainy afternoon...

Here is a picture of my finished cake...


FYI...here is what it looks like after certain unnamed boys find it...in the far back corner of the kitchen....in the dark...late at night...(noses like bloodhounds!)

 

Here is the recipe....

Caramel Cake:

Ingredients:
3 sticks butter
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter, sugar and eggs together and beat well. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, and then add vanilla. Beat in a mixer bowl or with a hand mixer until the batter “ribbons.” Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake for about 30 minutes and use a toothpick to check to see if it is done. This cake can also be made in a 9-inch x 13-inch pan, which will need to be baked for about 45 minutes. Cool layers on a cake rack before icing.

Caramel Icing

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter
1 (16 oz.) box of light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup evaporated milk (canned)
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions: Place butter, brown sugar and salt in a saucepan. Heat, stirring until the brown sugar is well dissolved. Add milk and continue stirring until blended. Let bubble (at an easy boil) for approximately 4 minutes. Stir constantly to avoid sticking. Set hot mixture aside to cool for several minutes. Using mixer, add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla. You will see it turn lighter and caramelize. When you’ve reached the desired consistency, ice the cake, placing some of the icing between the layers.

"Recipe from : ElegantDessert.net"


Here are my thoughts... I liked the cake portion.  Although two of my layers might have been a bit drier than they should...I might have been chasing chickens out of the garden when the timer went off. I will forgive them since their eggs helped to make this cake!  Tomorrow I am making a Strawberry Pie (no bake, no jello, whole fruit pie to die for!) so those chickens better behave....they contribute nothing to a Strawberry pie and I won't feel so gracious!

However, the third layer was great.  At least I could taste what it should have ALL been like.

Hint!!! Remember when you are adding flour and milk...always start and end with the flour!

I liked the icing but I think I like my icing recipe more.  This icing recipe resulted in a very mild caramel flavor. This one was much easier though.  In my own recipe, I use white sugar and caramelize the sugar before mixing it  into the rest of the ingredients.  By doing that, you create a much stronger caramel flavor. 

This recipe uses brown sugar.  You heat it but don't caramelize it.  I would try caramelizing the sugar next time before I add the butter and salt.  The boys won't mind if I try it again.

All in all, it's a great recipe and I would recommend it.  Caramel cake is such a traditional southern treat....one of my favorites!

Let me know if you try it or if you have a favorite caramel cake recipe! 

Thanks Julie!  Love you!  
 

Monday, July 22, 2013

Cutting Soap...for the last time!




Well, it's the last time I cut soap this way!

I spent the majority of the afternoon cutting soap - all 140 bars, one.bar.at.a.time.  It took over 3 hours to get everything cut and up on my curing rack.  Two of my soaps were swirled and I love to cut those!  I promised pictures - tell me what you see!

Here I am skimming the top of my Patchouli soap still in the log so that the bars are pretty and even.


This is what it would look like if I didn't skim it...


I take those trimmings and form little soap balls - which I then throw in all of your orders as little gifts to try. 

 
I keep a basket of them close to my shipping table so they are easy to toss in every box!

Next came Lock N' Load - this soap temporarily strips your natural oils and leaves you smelling like the forest - great for anyone who doesn't want the animals to know you are there.

In the mold...


Out of the mold!

Then came the fun part.  This one is Chocolate Ice - each time I unwrap it I get the heavenly scent of dark chocolate!

 When I skim this soap, I am always reminded of the chocolate curls I make for my French Silk pie!


Looks good enough to eat but one of my sons can definitely tell you not to taste!

And every bar is different...
Z for Zorro?  Anybody see it?





I'm so excited that I will never cut soap this way again.  Thrilled that the next time I cut soap, I will have a little help!  I've searched for a long time and finally found an affordable answer - when it arrives...I'll share!

These soaps will be up on the website as soon as they are cured.  I still have a few bars (very few bars!) from my last batch of Lock N' Load and Patchouli...I'll open the store for those few items - when they are gone you will see an "available by" date for purchasing this latest batch.

Blessings!

Sunday, July 21, 2013

My Curing Rack!



I've had a busy, busy day.  My kids were off having fun with their friends so it was a good afternoon to take a nap make soap.   Sometimes it just goes a bit faster when I don't have any interruptions.  I'll cut it tomorrow and put it on my curing rack.

Today I worked on familiar favorites:  Siah's Citrus (sunshine in a bar!), Patchouli (great for teen acne - I made this when teenagers appeared in my home!), Lock N' Load (love this smell!) and my all time favorite....Chocolate Ice!

Chocolate Ice is my most difficult soap to make - it involves three different small pots poured  carefully into one mold.  I have to be fast so it doesn't turn solid in any of the pots.  I have to pour the layers with a special technique so they don't become a muddled mess.  It is made with white chocolate, dark chocolate, cocoa and peppermint essential oil.  Decadent I know.  It is my peppermint patty soap. I would have called it that but I think that name might have already been taken...

I love to cut it because each bar is swirled so differently!  Here is a picture from a previous batch. I think it looks like funky flowers growing in some rich dark dirt.  Wish my dirt looked more like that and less like red clay!

This soap smells SO good when I unmold it!  It will tempt any serious chocolate lover.  One of my sons was so sure it had to taste like chocolate that he tasted it one time.

Does.not.taste.like.chocolate. 

I'll take pictures tomorrow as I take my soaps out of their molds and we'll look for funny pictures together!  Perhaps my soaps could be featured on those cards that those "special" doctors use to analyze people.  Maybe not.

These soaps will be back on my shelves in 28 days!

Next time I make soap I will be working on some new things.  The one I am the most excited about is a new kitchen soap packed with citrus oils.  I hope it comes out of the mold looking as good as it sounds on paper.

At the beginning of August, I will be making my fall soaps.  Come September 1st they should be available...think cinnamon, nutmeg, oatmeal, pumpkin pie, and some new ones too! I love making new things!

And I see we are going to have to have a little talk about "Rod". Y'all are letting your imaginations run completely wild. Some of the emails I've gotten....my...my...my (as my Grandpa used to say)!

Y'all just calm down now - hear?!

Blessings,


Friday, July 19, 2013

Country Life



I love country life! I love the quiet, the peace, the stars at night - so many it takes your breath away!   I love the hammock under the Catawba tree, the sound of the creek rushing at the base of the mountain after a hard rain and so much more! As we are looking for a new place, I have had many encourage me to get a nice house in town. "Time to take it easy", "You know, you aren't getting any younger!"

Thank you.  I couldn't tell that looking in the mirror each morning.

I don't think I could ever live in town again...not if I could help it.  But time is marching on, children are growing up and getting married and it won't be long before it is just mama and me living at home. There is a grandbaby to play with as much as I can! So...I need to be practical and at this point in my life practical isn't 45 acres! Mortgages aren't practical!

I still want to live in the country.  I still want to look out my kitchen window and see sunflowers and chickens!



Chickens make me feel peaceful.  I love their little clucks and soft calls...I think it is such a soothing sound. I like to see them scratching in the yard (cleaning up the bugs!).  I don't mind the dozens of eggs we get each day either. Oh!....how those eggs make my baked goods better!

I love the sunflowers - leavings from the wild birds all winter.  Each spring, under the feeders, sunflowers pop up!  Sunflowers are the happiest flower, in my world anyway!  I can count on them each summer season.

I still want to raise my own beef. The flavor is amazing, the texture is better, I know what went into that cow and I can have it butchered to my specifications. And it is SO much cheaper than buying beef at the store.  Each fall season, I hope to put one of my cows into the freezer. 

I still want to garden.  Perhaps not on the grand scale we have in the past, but I want to grow my own food and preserve it.  Again, healthier, organic, tastier and I know exactly how it was raised. I want to make my own bread, jams, jellies, relishes, condiments, cereals, cheeses, herbal mixtures, soaps, salves, medicines, herbal teas and more.

I hope there will always be fresh herbs on my windowsill, bark tea brewing in the sun, herbs drying on my counter for medicine, tinctures, soaps, salves, and winter use.

There are seasons in life.  My friend Herrick posted a wonderful message about seasons.  I encourage you to read it.  There are times we set our own agenda aside to serve those around us.   I have a wonderful canner - in fact I have two of them.  It is so much faster to can with two! But mine have gathered a lot of dust this last year also.  We have been in the season of serving others.

Although we ate a bit out of our garden, with our foster boys there was never enough time to can.  The weeds took over in the end. Canning is rewarding and I love looking at my shelves lined up with garden goodies for the winter.  Canning is also time consuming...and it is a long and hot job.  Many days I have been up way past my bedtime waiting for a batch to wind down.  It is worth it come November, but July can seem abnormally long.

As we prepare for a new season, moving to a smaller property, I know I will miss the farm where my boys grew up and became men. Elijah came here as a babe in arms and now he stands a good head taller than me.  He has no "moving" memories - other than helping others move.  It will all be new.  But my Father promises that it will be good! 


Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)  
 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

There was a particular property that we have been keeping our eyes on for about 6 months.  It was beautiful - when I saw it I told my kids all they needed to do was to bring me my clothes.  It was a great big package of glorious sitting on 5 acres. I found out this week that it has been sold.  But you know....I wasn't really disappointed.  I was grateful!  There are 3 or 4 properties that we all looked at and gave our stamp of approval.  My prayer has been that my Father remove the choices so that I have clear direction.  I know that He is doing that, guiding us, protecting us.  I certainly don't want to buy a property that He doesn't want me to have.

And I am encouraged that even though we will be in a different season, we can still have many reminders of the last one.  After all, when winter arrives the trees don't vanish...they just dress a bit differently! We can still have our chickens, cows and gardens with sunflowers!  At some point there will be time for more gardening and canning.  I am looking forward to this next season! 

And there is "someone new" in my life that will help me through this next season.  Tall (over 6 feet!), dark, strong and quiet type.  His name is "Rod".  My boys are all excited and can't wait to spend one on one time with him!  Me too!  He's a "techie" kind of guy. A friend of mine "introduced" us.  I'm thankful.

Pictures to come in the future!

Blessings,



Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Hello Beautiful!


I was trying to get this posted all afternoon but the thunder continued to rumble!  Finally we have a break, so I need to hurry!

This time we have two winners - who both submitted the same name within a short time of each other!

And the winner is..."Ciao Bella!" submitted by Linda and Allison!  



Thank you ladies!  Message or email me with your choice of lip balm and addresses!

A new picture will be re-taken when the sun decides to shine again.  This was a hard decision and involved phone calls to family members and much discussion - I really loved Mama Mia too (Hi Beth!).

Tomorrow I have a homeschooling conference but on Friday... let's talk farm...gardens, eggs, flowers, herbs, chickens and a bit about the "new man" in my life!

Blessings, 


For the Ladies...

Hello Ladies...meet Gentle Petals !


She is just as sweet and gentle as she looks! Just imagine...Lavender essential oil combined with Rose Geranium essential oil!  Can you smell the sweetness?

But don't let her gentle look fool you!  She's packin'!  Moisturizing oils that is...she is chock full of cocoa butter, jojoba oil and wheat germ oil.  She not only gently cleanses but she is a powerhouse when it comes to moisturizing.

I made this soap for my mama who will be a young 87 this year.  She tends to have dry skin and I wanted to create something that would be a gentle cleanser for her, yet leave her skin feeling soft and supple - not dry.

The scent is not too sweet...just clean and refreshing!  You can find her here.

Now, remember that talk about cheese and mushroom ravioli?  It was delicious, thank you.  And I did make garlic knots...however, I forgot to ask Elijah to take pictures of the process.  I remembered just before we sat down to supper. Here's a pictures of the finished product - hope that inspires you to try the recipe!


Yes...they tasted as good as they looked! They were huge - about the size of my closed fist - and fluffy!

Stay tuned...a little later today I will announce the winner of the contest.  I'm having a hard time deciding between two names....



Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Soaps & Italy!

We have been busy - restocking our shelves with your old favorites and coming up with new and wonderful artisan soaps!

You will find "Lijah's Lemon Lime" is back.  This soap has a fresh scent and is swirled with organic calendula petals.  This soap was created for Elijah when he was little and he asked, "can you please make me a lime soap mama?".  Now, Elijah is taking photos of his own soap - time.has.flown.



One of my favorite soaps is Working Hands. It is back on the shelves and it finally has a picture that does it justice! I love this picture!


Double Mint is back.  This is Elijah's favorite soap.  It is such a great soap to wake up to!  The blend of mints is refreshing and truly gives him a jump start in the mornings. I like it for the same reason.  There are those days that I need a little help getting my eyes open early in the morning...mostly after late night talk fests with my boys. (Why do teenagers feel they can talk best between the hours of midnight and three a.m.?)

Remember to submit your names for the contest to rename Italian Potpourri...you have a little bit longer and I'm looking forward to giving this glorious soap a prettier name!

Stay tuned tomorrow - I will be unveiling another new soap!  This one is for the ladies....

Blessings,


Monday, July 15, 2013

My new toy!

I have the cutest new toy!  I ordered it thinking about y'all.   I often get phone calls from people wanting to order over the phone - they don't trust placing orders on websites.  However,  I didn't have a way to take credit cards over the phone...

Until now!





I got this box in the mail and now have everything set up so that I can do exactly that!  It will also help my local customers!  Now, they don't have to run to the bank each time before we meet.

It's the cutest little thing...


And it plugs right into my phone! Every transaction is encrypted, exceeding industry security standards! I was so excited to try it, I bought something from myself...seriously!  It worked great!

Although technology frustrates me once in awhile, there are some aspects that I just love! I'm a bit behind but I'm catching up with the help of my sons and friends.

If something new comes down the pike, y'all let me know.  Since I haven't had network t.v. in over 25 years, my life is a bit insulated.  I can't complain, I kind of like it that way!

Blessings,


  

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Italian Confessions!




I love my Italian Potpourri Soap and her new picture finally does her justice!

However, I have to confess that I have been unhappy with her name for a long time!  I think we could do much better, don't you?

Let's have another contest and see if y'all can come up with something more creative!

As always - here are the rules and the prizes:

The Rules
1. Contest begins now and ends at midnight on Monday, July 15th.
2. Name will be chosen by my family.  Although there *is* a winner, we are not obligated to use your name...after all..we might choose one of our own!
3. You can't be related to me and win.
4. You may enter as many times as you like.
5. Suggestions must be left in the comment section of this post. 
No more emails this time!
6. Winner will be announced July 17th!

And now we have...
The Prizes!
Winner gets a free bar of the soap they name and one lip balm of their choosing!
I even pay the shipping!

I'm really looking forward to seeing what you come up with this time!
 
THINK ITALIAN!!!
 
Blessings,
 

 

Friday, July 12, 2013

Say Cheese!

Elijah has been busy updating some of my ugly outdated pictures on my website!  Take a peek at his work with Canine Caress!



I love the old barn wood - I think I need a chunk of old barn wood to serve as a backdrop for pictures...all kinds of pictures...everything looks better with barn wood!

Italian Potpourri is back on my shelves and she looks good enough to eat...I wanted pasta for supper after I saw this one! 


Seriously.  I've decided on stuffed ravioli - cheese and mushroom - yummy!  I'll be making Garlic Knots to go with it.  You can find the recipe for my home made, delicious, from scratch, dripping with butter and garlic and lightly covered with freshly grated Parmesan cheese here...the pictures appear to have run away from home so you'll have to work through the recipe without them.  Do it...you won't be sorry...promise!

Next time I make them, I'll try to remember to have Elijah take pictures and I will re-post the recipe. Elijah agrees that this needs to be done quickly for photographic purposes...blog integrity...history...  etc.  etc.  etc.  However, you and I both know that what he really wants is to eat the garlic knots...not take pictures of them! I'll play along...sssshhhhhh....

In the meantime, send me your pics if you try it!

Blessings,


Thursday, July 11, 2013

Coffee Bean Soap!


My Coffee Bean Soap is back on my shelves and all dressed up with a beautiful new picture! 


Although I am a tea drinker, I love the smell of coffee! I just wish it didn't taste so awful...my sons have all tried to get me to switch from coffee to tea.  I've had a taste of every chocolate, caramel, vanilla, sickening sweet concoction that they can think of and it STILL tastes like - coffee. I'm an herbal tea, sweet tea, any kind of healthy tea kinda gal...and it doesn't bother me a bit.

Coffee has the ability to remove food odors from your hands.  After an afternoon chopping onions and garlic or dealing with fish, I know that when I leave my kitchen my hands won't smell like the meal I just prepared.  I keep Coffee Bean Soap at my kitchen sink just for those times! 

You'll notice many new pictures going up...my son Elijah is now my official photographer and I love his work!  He is so much more creative than I am!  What was an awful chore for me is a delight to him, so we are both contented!

My advice to y'all....drink tea and wash with coffee...just sayin'!


Blessings!

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