Missing

We have been missing something around here this year.

SPRING!

This picture was taken this morning.  About when we think the snow may actually all get a chance to melt this happens again.  Our temps for the last couple of months have averaged 15 to 20 degrees below average.

On the bright side my husband and I celebrated our 38th anniversary a week ago.  I am so blessed with the man that God gave to me.

We also celebrated Easter.  On Easter Sunday we attended the church our grandchildren go to.  They helped their dad with the Temple project that the church was doing for Easter.  All of the kids did such a great job.

One grandson ushered people in.

The alter that the grandsons help build.

Showing grandma some of the displays.

A couple pictures of displays that the kids from church made.

It was a very nice display.

Hoping that maybe this week our temps will get up into the upper 40's.  Keep looking at my garden, wondering when I will be able to get into it!!   Working on being patient!   Hope you are having nicer weather in your area.  Spring has to be somewhere, it's just having a little trouble finding its way to Central Wisconsin.

~Cheryl~

Happy Easter

THE CROWD AT THE CROSS

SOME GOT IT WRONG

The Roman soldiers saw Him as a common criminal.  Matthew 27:27-37

The Jewish people saw Him as a false hope.  Matthew 27:39-40

The religious leaders saw Him as a dangerous threat.  Matthew 27:41-43

The first thief saw Him as a helpless imposter.  Luke 23:39

SOME GOT IT RIGHT

The second thief saw Him as his Savior.  Luke 23:40-43

The Roman Centurion saw Him as a righteous Man.  Luke 23:47;Matthew 27:54

The faithful women saw Him as a miracle worker.  Luke 23:49

His mother Mary saw Him as a perfect son.  John 19:25-2

The disciple John saw Him as a worthy Master.  John 19:27

HOW WILL YOU SEE HIM THIS EASTER


 We will be celebrating Resurrection Sunday with family.  Going to attend church with our grandsons, they have been working on a special project for Easter, excited to see it.  

Have a wonderful Easter!

 ~Cheryl~

We're Having A Snow Day!

I am enjoying being home today, got the call last night at around 9pm that school was cancelled for today.  I get as excited as the kids do about snow days;)  It is very pretty outside the snow is coming down and everything is white again.  As the day goes the temperatures are suppose to start dropping and the winds will pick up.

 

You can't see the snow falling very good on this picture, but it is.  Good day for staying indoors and doing some baking and sewing.  I put supper in the crock pot this morning, it is a recipe that I found the other day while redoing my recipe files.  

I had to change things up a little as didn't have some of the ingredients.  First you put chunky apple sauce in the bottom of the crock pot,  didn't have any but did have a few apples that I cooked up instead.  Next a layer of peeled chopped sweet potatoes, and one tablespoon of brown sugar sprinkled over them.

 

On top of this layer you either lay pork chops or like me if you don't have any you can use a pork roast.  Then either use a can of the whole berry cranberry sauce or make some cranberry sauce and spoon over the pork roast.

I did brown the roast first, cook on low for about 8 hours.  Looks good, will see tonight if it will be a keeper.

Next on today's schedule is deciding what sewing project to start on, have a couple of ideas.  Hope you are enjoying your day.  I definitely am going to enjoy my Snow Day!  

~Cheryl~

 

Very Cold Start

We are having a very cold start to our week.  Right now our temperature is -10F with a windchill of -27F and suppose to get colder yet tonight.  Possibility of school being called off tomorrow, hoping.  This weather is not good for the farmers fields, most of our snow is gone.

Last week I tried a new Granola Bar recipe from Pioneer Woman, very good.

 

After they cool you dip the bottoms in chocolate.  The next time I make them I am going to just drizzle chocolate over the top.  They have been disappearing around here very fast.

Also saw on pinerest where you can bake the Peasant Bread in a cast iron dutch oven.

 

In the dutch oven the loaf gets a very crisp crust, it was good, but for sandwiches my dh prefers it baked in the Pyrex bowl.

 

Next I want to try this bread with some dried cranberries, almonds, and orange zest.

This will be a good night to wrap up in a quilt and watch a good movie.

Keep warm,

~Cheryl~

Our New Favorite Bread

Peasant Bread

It is nice and crusty on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.  My husband likes it for sandwiches for work, I like it with just some butter on it.  It makes a pretty round loaf.  I bake mine in Pyrex mixing bowls.

• 4 c.  All purpose unbleached flour
• 2 tsp.  Salt
• 1 T.   Sugar
• 2 tsp. Yeast
• 2 c.   Lukewarm water
• Room temperature butter, about 2 tablespoons

1.  In a large bowl whisk the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast together.
2. Add the water ~ stir this mixture up with a wooden spoon ~ mixture will be wet.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 2 hours.
4. Grease two oven safe bowls with about one tablespoon butter each.
5. Use two forks to punch down and scrape the dough away from the sides of the bowl, turning it onto itself.  You want to make sure the dough is off the sides of the bowl and punched down.
6. Take the two forks and divide the dough in half.   Scoop it up quickly and put into the greased bowls.
7. Let rise for about one hour.
8. Preheat oven to 450F
9. Bake for 10 minutes at 450F ~ reduce temperature 375F and bake for 22-25 minutes longer.
10. When done take bread out of bowls and place on cooling racks.

Now comes the hard part ~ wait 10 minutes before cutting.   Enjoy!

                   ~Cheryl~

Canning Beef Today

Got a call yesterday that the canning meat was ready to be picked up.  I was able to get the day off from work, which was a big help, not so rushed trying to do it in the evening.   This morning got the meat out and started cutting it into smaller pieces.

Next washed up the jars and put 1/2 tsp. salt in the bottom of each jar.

Then started packing them with the meat.  I raw pack mine and do not add any liquid, this is the way my Great Aunt Esther taught me to can meat.  

The first batch ready for the caner.  Caned for 75 minutes at 11 pounds pressure. 

  

While keeping an eye on the caner worked on a crochet ruffle scarf.  It was a lot of fun and so easy to do,  you can see how to make them on you tube. 

The first batch of meat out of the caner.  I put the lids on the jars to tight and the lids were bulged up on some of them.  They did go back down as they cooled off, hoping the seal is alright.  Still in the learning processes with the Tattler Lids.  The second batch I backed off a little more after tightening them and they all came out fine.  Processed 15 pints of meat. 

Made some noodles to have with a jar of beef tonight for supper.  

Hope you are all having a great day, enjoyed my day working in the kitchen.

~Cheryl~

Morning Sky

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Beautiful day for our first full week of school after Christmas break.

~Cheryl~