finding a groove...

 

is it really only the 3rd?  oddly, it feels much later in the month than that to me.  i'm not certain why that is.

i did a little bit of everything on the 1st. cooking, reading, cleaning up.  i spent the evening in the studio, playing around with paint, an old prompt list and some music.  i completely LOVE her!  entirely inspired by Effy.  i learned the spirals in the hair from her and it is fabulous! 

i stepped outside today after a zoom meeting and a few hours arting, to find the sun trying to break the clouds.  it was stunning and reminded me of a cloudy full moon night.  yesterday was so cloudy and full of fog, it was nice to see that little bit of sunlight today.

i seem to be finding a groove right now. spending time making art, reading and getting house tending stuff done each day.  

how have your first few days been?

thanks for being here and reading along...

love, kisses & magical wishes...

~*~   

Comfort Food - a recipe...

Do you have a favorite comfort food?

One of mine is Hamburger Helper.  I used to live on that stuff.  In fact, I probably had it at least once a week for years.

I know.  Not a great idea, right?

Anywho, I came across a recipe for a chicken and noodles that looked good so I tried it.  It was okay, but very bland.  However, while I was making it I thought maybe I could convert it to hamburger.

I gave it a try and it was delicious!  Honestly I though it was much better than HH.  (This is like the beef pasta flavored version of HH).

So here is my Homemade Beef Pasta recipe.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (I use ground sirloin)
1 TBLS minced garlic
1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp basil
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp seasoned salt (I use Crazy Jane's)
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 tsp beef boullion base (I use Better than Bouillon)
2 TBLS butter (cut into 4ths)
3 cups beef broth
4 oz egg noodles

In a dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, brown the ground beef along with the minced garlic. Drain fat (if necessary). 

 Sprinkle with the spices and top with cream of mushroom soup. Place the butter on top.  Add the bouillon the the broth.

Stir. Cover and cook over low heat for 30-40 minutes.

Add the noodles and cook another 10 minutes (or until noodles are tender). 

 Mmm.. yum. 

It's cold today and I'm wishing I had the ingredients handy to make this.  But, I have lots of turkey day leftovers to eat.  Maybe I'll make a batch this weekend.  


I'd love to know if you give this a try.

What's your favorite comfort food?

thanks for stopping in for a read!
love & blessings
~*~

Pig Pickin' Cake

I bet you think I forgot all about my promise to share my Grandmommy's Pig Pickin' cake.  I didn't.  I actually made another one not long after my first post about it.  It's just taken a long time to get the photos edited and get the post done.  So here we go!  (Warning: Picture Heavy Post!)

This is a cake my paternal grandmother used to make.  I grew up with this being our go to celebration cake.  My aunt gave me the recipe when I was in my 20's but it took awhile before I started making it.  

You see, my grandmommy died when I was 14.  It was very traumatic and honestly, I'm still not "over it".  She was the most important person in my life and the one person who loved me just as I was.  The only thing she expected from me was to try my best.  I guess for a while, I couldn't eat it without missing her terribly.

Enough of the sappy, let's get to the recipe.  

This cake is super easy and requires very few ingredients. 

You'll need:
  for the cake:
 1 box yellow cake mix
 4 eggs, beaten
 11 ounces mandarin oranges (do not drain)
 1/2 cup salad oil (I use canola or vegetable oil)

  for the frosting:
 20 ounces crushed pineapple
 1 8 ounce container cool whip
 1 3 ounce box instant vanilla pudding

 I like to make the frosting first as it needs time to chill in the refrigerator.

Pour the crushed pineapple (do not drain) into a mixing bowl. 

 Add the instant pudding mix and stir until mixed.  

Once it is well blended, fold in the cool whip.

Stir gently until well blended.  Then cover and refrigerate.

While the frosting chills, grease and flour 3 nine inch cake pans.  (I don't like to use cooking spray.  Whenever I do, things stick.)

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.

Into the bowl of the mixer add the yellow cake mix and add the mandarin oranges. 

In a separate bowl, whisk 4 eggs together.

Add this to the bowl with the cake mix and oranges.

Next, add the oil.

Mix well on medium being sure to scrape the sides down.

Once it's mixed, pour evenly into the three prepared cake pans.  

Bake at 350F degrees for 25 minutes only.  (This is very important!)

Once done, turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

When you're ready to frost the cake put a little bit of parchment paper under the edges of the 1st layer to help keep the cake plate clean.

Frost the top of the bottom layer.

Add the second layer and top with frosting, then the third layer.

I like to try to get a nice think layer of frosting between the cake layers.  If your frosting starts to break down and turn a bit runny put it and the cake into the refrigerator until it sets up again.  I was frosting this under the stove lights and realized it was too much heat.  :-)

Remember, when you're done that the cake needs to be kept refrigerated.

Well, there you go.  Pig Pickin' Cake.  

I hope you enjoy it!  

If you give it a try let me know how you like it.

Thanks for stopping by for a read!
love & blessings
~*~


 
 
 
 

 

frost and other things...

 It has been a busy few days since my last post.  Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm coming or going.  Lots of plans being plotted and things being made for the upcoming party.

Yesterday I was talking with my flower friend from the farmer's market (say that five times fast!) and she mentioned that frost has been predicted for our area this weekend.  I was so upset!  You see, a week or two ago I placed a spring flowering bulb order.  As our area doesn't usually see first frost until the first week of November, I thought I had plenty of time to get them in the ground.  Apparently not!

So today was bulb planting day.  I hadn't even decided how I wanted to lay them out.  So I sat down and came up with a plan.  Of course it involved prepping a new bed to put them in.  It took almost 3 and a half hours but they are all planted. (photo is about halfway through).  I'll see how this does next spring.  If I don't like the mixture I can always move them next fall.  

I took a long hot bath in the tub after I was done.  That was my instant gratification reward for all my perseverance.  Next spring, when I have pretty flowers to look at, that will be the big reward.  

{Warning: Spider photo below.}  The other day I went out to do something (I forget what) and found this little girl starting her web building.  She was right under my back door.  I caught her in the jar then took her off to the small wooded area that surrounds our property to let her go.  This is the second black widow I've seen.  The first was a few years ago at the cottage garden.  It's weird seeing one here.

I'm still doing Inktober every day.  Sometimes it is hard to feel anything through the pen.  But I keep trying.  That's point, isn't it?

 Day 7 - in honor of my baby brother's birthday

 Day 8

 Day 9

 Day 10

 Day 11

 Day 12 

It's a candle light night, tonight.  

Oh, I made salsa yesterday.  My first time.  I didn't have a recipe, just an idea of what went in it.  It's missing something, or I'm just so used to store bought.

 

Hope you are having a good week.  How's your weather out there?

thanks for stopping by, 
love & blessings
~*~

rainy sunday...

Rainy.  That's been our weather for several days now.  I'm not complaining.  We need the rain, not as badly as others, but I'll take it.  Falling asleep with cool air blowing through the windows and the sound of raindrops.  Autumn goodness.

There's been apple desert.  I'm not sure if it should be considered a crumble, a pie or a whatchamacallit.  I used the failed biscuits as the bottom "crust".  Then filled the pan with my Grandmother's Apple Pie filling.  The topping is a sort of crumble.  It is really good, when warmed.

I made the soup that I mentioned two posts ago.  Oh. My. Goodness!  So very delicious!  I didn't have chorizo, so I used a local sausage.  I cut the recipe in half since it's just me.  It is wonderfully delicious and I highly recommend it.  The only thing I will do differently next time (and there will be many next times) is to cut back on the crushed red peppers.  

During a break in the rain this morning, I went out with my camera for a little macro play.  I love getting shots like that.  Seeing those tiny details brought out.  I'm thinking of taking a basic photography class.  With my social anxiety issues, I don't know if it is something I can do, but maybe I can gain the courage to try.

Today is the first day in eight days that I've not taken a walk.  Not a stroll, but a fast paced walk.  Some days when I walk, it is very hard to move and very hard to breathe.  Some days it is better.  I'm proud of myself for going when I get back and feel good that I'm making the effort.  But today...well, I may still make it out there today, but I'm feeling so icky that I just don't know.  Which leads to my feeling bad about myself.  Sort of.  

I've been doing this every day for a few weeks now.  I discovered it via Aine's blog.  It feels good when I say this.  It feels good when I think about it.  And on days like today, when I just can't do something I know I should, I don't feel so bad about myself as I would have in the past.  I don't beat myself up about things like this.  Which is a very good thing.

thanks for stopping by, 
love & blessings
~*~

ps...don't forget to take a peek at tonight's full blood moon & eclipse!  I'm hoping the clouds will part here so I can see it. xo

my day

 

Another night of extreme dreaming and another day of feeling like death.  I was supposed to meet my family for lunch this afternoon and about an hour before leaving I received a call that we had to postpone.  I was so happy as I hadn't even made it out of bed yet.  I lay down for another half hour before getting up and trying to move through my day.  

It led me me outside to water and tend my little garden. Then to the studio, where I played with paint and glitter.  And lastly to the kitchen where I had an Amish Friendship Bread starter to tend. It was day 10 (or maybe 11) so I needed to bake with it today.  I made four small loaves and had enough batter left for four muffins.  I made the basic recipe (without the pudding) but at the link above you can find many recipes to use your starter.  I've already printed off a few to try, but as I'm now out of milk and sugar, I'll have to wait.  I ended up with five more cups of starter.  I've frozen one for use at another time, and I plan to give two to my mum (even though she only asked for one!).  I'll probably bake up the last two with different recipes.  The breads freeze really well, so that helps.

I am so tired now, but the Isner/Federer US Open match just got underway and I really want to watch it.  I'm going to try to tough it out. 

I hope you have had a wonderful day today and were able to do something fun.  

Anyone have any favorite bread recipes to share?  I'm loving spending time in the kitchen lately.  How about you?

thanks for stopping by, 
love & blessings
~*~