Someone's been eating my.......

You all remember the story of Goldie Locks and the Three Bears.... Someone had been intruding on the poor bear family and ate their porridge, sat in their chairs, and slept in their beds.

I can relate to the bear family because someone has been eating my winter garden of peas, carrots, and lettuce. The tender sprouts were growing so nicely. It was a little unnerving to get up each morning and see my tender plants plucked and dug right out of the ground. Ugh!

I called our city's animal control and they said if I caught the critter, they would release him into the hills. My neighbor came to the rescue with the trap and advice. The little critter was caught red handed and is now roaming the hills above the beautiful city of Duarte. We'll see if he has a mate, and if he does, hopefully we'll be able to reunite them soon.


You can read part II of this saga by clicking here

Pumpkin Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 egg

1 cup raisins (optional)

Pre-heat over to 400 F. Stir flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients with beaters (milk, pumpkin, butter or margarine, egg). Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir in raisins last if desired. Line muffin tins with liners or grease with spray. Fill each up 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 min. Makes 12 muffins.

Cookie Sandwiches

Purchase the boxed cake mix of your choice + whatever frosting you would like to pair with it (or make your own!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine:

Cake mix of your choice

2/3 cup shortening

2 eggs, beaten

Place walnut-sized balls of dough onto a baking sheet that has been sprayed with Pam (or whatever you prefer). Bake cookies for 8 - 10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, move to a cooling rack until completely cool. Spread frosting onto the backside of a cookie and top it with another.

Typically makes about 45 cookies = 22 cookie sandwiches, plus a bonus cookie to eat as you frost. :)

Try these AMAZING combinations!!!

• spice cake mix w/cream cheese frosting
• chocolate cake with peanut butter (or cherry...or vanilla...) frosting
• lemon cake with vanilla frosting

My coworker made the lemon cookies w/vanilla frosting and they were AWESOME!

Hiker's Stew

Potatoes, peeled and diced (or leave on the skins if you use red potatoes)

Onion, cut into big slices

Carrots, peeled

Celery, cut in large chunks

Beef of some sort (I used browned ground beef. Stew meat would be awesome. Leftover roast would work, I'm sure.)

1 can golden mushroom soup

1 pkg. onion soup mix

Water

Seasonings to taste (I used pepper, Mrs. Dash, and Creole seasoning)

Throw everything in a crock pot and turn on low. Leave and go for a long, long hike. Come home, salivate as you pull into the driveway because you can already smell it, and eat three big bowls.

Ok, so maybe you can enjoy this even if you haven't been hiking all day. But it definitely tastes ten times better if you have.... :)

Halloween Cupcakes

If you have some time on your hand, and want to make some cool Halloween cupcakes check out how to make them here . This web site has some pretty amazing ideas. I have a link to www.makeit-loveit.com on my sidebar to the right.

Another Recipe for Happiness....

...Be grateful for the beautiful things in your life.

Click here to see the video

Click on the image below to see the music

Business Cards

What gift do you give your mom on her 54th birthday?

Blog business cards.

Thanks Renee! No more writing down my blog address on a scrap piece of paper when someone asks me for a copy of a recipe.

Canned Tomatoes

Pilar Fonbuena taught a canning class in Relief Society and told us about this recipe that she got years ago. I asked her to email me the recipe. Below is a copy of the email she sent me.

Here's the recipe for the Tomato Soup. I got this from Pam Hadfield in 1980 or 1981

1 lug tomatoes = about 15 lbs (I used 23 lbs in the last batch I made)

Cook the following vegetables separately

5 onions, chopped

2 bell peppers, chopped

1 bunch celery, sliced

15 medium carrots, sliced

1 bunch parsley chopped - add to carrots after carrots are cooked

1 pkg pearled barley (I used 2 cups) - cook 10 minutes, then rinse

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup salt

Add all ingredients together with 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup salt and simmer 10 minutes.

Bottle and process 15 minutes in steamer or water bath canner

Measurements are not exact, but turn out OK each time.

Eat soup as is, warmed up, or do the following:

I sauté garlic, onions and ground beef, then add soup, for a complete meal. May also use meat balls.

Can also stir fry zucchini, yellow crook neck and patty pan, then add soup. Delicious!

Love,

Pliar