You know what I mean, right? Christmas program time!
Today was EJ’s preschool program. They were all so stinkin’ cute! (And I mean that as a compliment.)
EJ, starring as a mouse.
EJ, the blond in the blue sweater vest.
Unfortunately, this afternoon EJ and George both seem to be a bit under the weather. So we will get snuggled in and spend the next few days staying healthy!
Thursday afternoon is the boys’ Christmas program at school, and then school break officially starts! Yikes!
It was a weekend to remember…and an amazing Saturday at that!
Boss Man and I went to the Inaugural Stockmen’s Foundation Ball, and even though the day started out rough, Saturday ended spectacularly!
But let me start with the pre-story story. I realized that Boss Man didn’t have the right “tools” in his closet for a formal event. Although I know that he could get by with the different shirts we had at home, I was out and about and thought I would get him one that…well, to be truthful, I thought I would get him one that fit. As in buttoned at the top.
I had never been to a Men’s Warehouse, so I decided to stop and see what they had. I had an “interesting” experience to say the least. I knew when I walked in that the gentleman helping me wasn’t going to see things my way. But I gave him a chance. He asked if he could help me, and I told him that I was looking for a shirt that would work well with a white and black dress for a formal event. He asked the size, and I gave him my best guesstimate. (Have you ever tried to get a man to leave the farm early enough to be “fitted” for a shirt? He keeps giving me the measurements from our wedding…and trust me, those don’t work so well any more.)
The man handed me a plain white packaged dress shirt, with off-white-ish buttons. I asked if he happened to have anything more “western.” He stared at me as if I had grown a second head. He asked what I meant, and I told him that my husband happened to prefer his dress shirts to snap up the front, instead of button. I must have made a major faux pas there, because he kind of sniffled, and proceeded to tell me that, “buttons are what makes a shirt formal. Not snaps.”
Hmmm…I don’t know if I agree with that. I mean, I’ve seen George Strait looking mighty fine at plenty of red carpet events. And I do believe that some of those shirts had snaps on them. Although, I must confess that I sometimes get distracted looking at George Strait and don’t always pay attention to his shirt closures. Same goes for Kenny Chesney, Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw…ummm…what was it I was talking about again? Sorry, got a bit distracted there.
Anyway, my point is that western wear can look just as formal and nice as a regular suit. So I put the gentleman’s suggested starched shirt back and headed to RCC, where I should have just started. I found a great western shirt that looked spectacular, including the pearl snaps on the front.
We went to our ball, we danced, we visited with friends (old and new) and we had an amazing time. And didn’t look too bad either.
Cleaned up and off the farm...hardly recognize us!
On a sad note: last week Monday I asked for prayers for my mom’s best friend, Darlene, who was in desperate need of a liver transplant. I ask that you now keep Darlene’s family in your prayers, as she passed on last evening. The heavens have indeed gained a beautiful angel…and one that my grandma certainly greeted with open arms!
Yesterday I mention that I had won the July Iron Chef Challenge over at A Latte with Ott, A. Since I was one of the winners, I was invited to participate in a bit of a bake-off. Now, this was a really big thing for me, because 1) I’ve never been a baker, but I’m working on it, thanks to my friends over at The Real Farmwives of America and Friends and 2) I’m not always creative in the kitchen, but I’m expanding my boundaries at a rapid pace (and my hubby is liking the changes!).
The challenge was to make cinnamon raising bread, using a great Taste of Home recipe. And then I needed to make something else with the bread.
I researched a bunch on the internet, but wanted to step outside of my comfort zone a bit, and try something a little unexpected. And I think I succeeded.
I will start off by saying that falafel is not something normally served in our house. In fact, I had to look up a few different recipes, to try to figure out which way I wanted to take this…and in doing so, I came up with my own recipe. And here it is:
Cinnamon Raising Fruit Falafel with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients for falafel:
Everything I need...notice the seal on the flax? It's Dakota made!
Toast your bread until well-toasted. Break into pieces and place in a food processor. Pulse until you have a fine bread-crumb consistency.
Process your toasted bread slices into crumbs.
Place your chickpeas into a food processor. (I used a bullet-type machine, but you could even just use a fork, depending on the consistency you would like to achieve.) Process until desired consistency (mine was like a thick paste). Add it to the crumbs. Blend the berries as well. Add that to the mixture, along with the orange juice, orange zest, salt and all-spice. Mix together until well blended. (This can easily be done by hand, but use the processor if you’d like.)
Everything together, ready to mix.
Add water and ground flax seeds. Mix. Form golf-sized balls by hand and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before frosting.
The first batch of filafel ever made in this prairie house!
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Combine all ingredients until well-mixed. Frost falafel. Enjoy!
A great, high-protein breakfast snack, that satisfies the sweet tooth and starts your day off right!
After checking with my taste-testers…Scooter preferred his without frosting (he doesn’t like whipped cream, marshmallows, etc. I know, strange, right?). But everyone else loved the frosting version. And it is definitely something that is filling and not overly sweet. I’m so glad I stretched my wings a little!
Be sure to check out the other posts and recipes in the contest. And remember, Taste of Home is sponsoring this bake-off!
Connie – pay attention, this one’s for you. Got it?
Earlier this summer, I finally wrote down my grandmother’s recipe for German Dumplings. I entered the recipe into an Iron Chef Challenge sponsored by King Arthur’s Flour…and somehow pulled away with a win! (I’ll be posting a recipe tomorrow, in a battle of the iron chef all-stars kinda thing. Stay tuned.)
It was requested that I work on a recipe for Grandma’s cheese buttons, and here it is. Well, kind of. If you want to go through the work of making your own dough, go ahead and use my recipe on the dumplings post. But I’m all for ease, and speed, and still tasting authentic. And oddly enough, my “new” way of doing this works just fine. Even my dad didn’t notice the difference!
So here it is, German Cheese Buttons, updated for 2011:
Ingredients:
Place a kettle of water on the stove and heat it over medium to a boil. While water is heating, take your cottage cheese and place it in a bowl; season with salt and pepper to your liking. Take wonton wrapper and place a small spoonful in the middle of the wrapper. wet around the edges and fold the wonton in half, making a triangle with all the edges sealed. (It’s important that the edges seal, so that your cottage cheese doesn’t leak out.)
Yummy cottage cheese in middle, preparing to fold it in half! Notice the outside edges are wet...use water to seal!
Cheese button folded in half, press around edges to make sure it seals!
Make as many cheese buttons as you think you need…add 10 more. Trust me. They’re that good.
In a frying pan, melt half a stick of butter or medium heat. Place cheese buttons in the pot of boiling water, four or so at a time. Let them boil for 3-4 minutes. They should float when they’re done. Using a slotted spoon, take the cheese buttons out of the water, letting most of the water drain off. Place them directly into the frying pan. Continue until all cheese buttons are in the frying pan. Be sure to flip occasionally, to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Warning: some of the cheese buttons may rupture in the water, some may stick and rupture in the pan. It will not affect the tastiness of the dish, just might tarnish the presentation a bit. One taste and all thoughts of what the plate looks like will fly out the window. Again, trust me.
Water boiling, cheese buttons floating. They are ready!
Use a slotted spoon to drain off excess water...then...
Fry them in butter!
Once all cheese buttons are in the pan, add your sliced sausage, meat, etc. Serve when meat is heated through.
I try to find ways to incorporate as many food groups into one pan as possible. I make these meat chunks large, so that I can pick them out for George's diet.
One thing you may want to add in if you’re really wanting to be authentically German, is bread crumbs. Fry them up in the butter, along with the cheese buttons. You won’t be disappointed. But do me a favor, don’t tell your doctor I told you to do that, ‘k?
Things you need to know:
Good luck, have fun…and enjoy your meal. And stay tuned tomorrow. I get crazy with a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread.
I’m linking to the Gooseberry Patch Christmas Favorites Round Up today…this was truly one of my holiday favorites that Grandma would make!
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I have a funny story to tell you (and I have permission to share). And it started off with me sending my husband to the store with a list.
Actually, he was going to town for another reason, and I thought it would save me a trip. I was wrong.
The list looked something like this:
Now, to be fair, I sent Boss Man to a store I’ve never been in. I left the orange listed as juice, zest, because I didn’t know if they would have oranges on the shelf. (Remember, we’re in North Dakota and it’s December…fresh fruits aren’t always available this time of year. And definitely aren’t local.)
I called him when he was done with his appointment and just on the way to the store. I asked if he would bring some bottled water. He said he would, and would cover the list. I said to call with any questions…and heard nothing.
I was so hopeful when he arrived awhile later, complete with several bags full of groceries. And then I started looking at what was in the bags.
Tortilla chips.
Ranch dressing.
Carrots.
Grapes.
Two LARGE containers of orange juice. Check!
Two loaves of bread.
6 pack of water. Check! (I’ll get back to this in a minute.)
Enormous container of sea salt. Check! (Overkill, but probably only size available. No big deal, almost out of regular salt anyway.)
Sea Salt for years to come...and season-all
Nature’s Seasonings. Hmmm…what? Oh dear. Season-all is NOT the same as all-spice. (For those that don’t know the difference, all-spice would be used in something like pumpkin pie. Imagine the taste of pumpkin pie if you used Mrs. Dash or something similar? See the problem?)
*sigh*
Oh well, I’ll be going in this afternoon to get the rest of what I need. It really wasn’t that big of a deal, but if he had questions, I just wished he would have called. Or asked a clerk.
I told him that he wouldn’t have been as understanding if he had sent me to the parts counter for an oil filter for his combine, and I returned with an air filter. Sometimes close isn’t close enough. 😉
And the water? Well, later on, after doing my exercise routine, I went to get a great big drink of nice spring water in a bottle. As I opened the bottle, the water exploded all over me. Can you guess what it was? That’s right. Sparkling water. Which in my opinion kind of tastes like salt. But I love him, because he thought it was a better kind of water. (But I did make him taste it.)
Sparkling water...not a refreshing after-exercise drink.
Lesson learned: Even after 10 years, I still have hope.
Today I have a special request. It’s not for myself. Well, kind of, but not really.
My mom’s best friend is in need of a liver transplant. Desperately. She’s also been a second mother to me, for most of my life.
She hasn’t had an easy life. But she handles it with a great deal of grit, determination and such a no-nonsense attitude that I’m amazed at it all. She hasn’t been healthy for a long time, but her complaints are few and far between, and she’s rebounded from setbacks that would make most people throw in the towel.
And now she’s hit another roadblock.
And so I’m asking you for help. Actually, I’m pleading. Please, take a moment to say a prayer. Can we storm the gates of heaven for a miracle? A Christmas gift for Darlene, a blessing for her and her family…and all those that know them.
And if you’d like, you can leave a note for her. I will print them off and give them to Darlene, as a way to show her that there are people across the country that are on her side, joining her in the fight, and willing to spend a moment of time in prayer for her healing.
Thank you. I know it’s a season of giving, but this time I’m asking for something in return. It isn’t much, but it can make all the difference in the world.
Just a quick blog post to announce the winner of the Gooseberry Patch “Dinners on a Dime” cookbook!
Are you ready?
Are you sure?
Really?
(Sorry, I love suspense!)
And the winner is…
Laine Hasper!
Which is completely crazy, because she won a cookbook from me way back when…but a totally deserving person. And I know she’ll use the cookbook well! 🙂
Congrats, Laine! And message me for pick up/mailing details. And perhaps you should head to Vegas, seems like you have some pretty awesome odds going in your favor!
Last night I was able to take a minute (actually 30 of them) for myself and go to our Women United Christmas Program at our church. The theme was “hope.” And I soaked in every minute.
There was one particular moment that got to me, though. Or should I say song.
Take a listen:
These are the words:
In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;
In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;
There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity,
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
I needed to hear those words last night. Desperately. Sometimes the “stuff” in life can overwhelm and drown out all the good…and dare I say the hope of the future. Last night was like pushing a reset button. I’m ready to face the end of the year, the cold of winter and the days that may come…
Because I have hope.
So, what’s a #BSLabel? Well, it’s one of those things that make a REAL great marketing plan…but don’t have much fact behind it. Or maybe it’s something so elementary that it isn’t needed on a label.
Like boneless bananas.
Or perhaps gluten-free fruit.
You will find these labels everywhere. And unsuspecting consumers fall for them. A lot.
Today I’m going to shed some light on one I found in my own grocery store. And it’s pretty comical…in a what-won’t-you-say-to-try-to-make-a-buck sort of way.
Check it out:
Here are two different cereal’s. One is a “natural” cereal, made with renewable energy and packaged in a box that’s recyclable! (Let’s just take this one step at a time, don’t jump ahead of me now!)
Well, maybe Mom's Best isn't really her best effort. But great marketing!
The other is a store-brand version of the same cereal (even same shapes!):
Just a plain-old sugar-sweetened regular cereal.
Let’s start off with one of it’s number one claims. (For comparison’s sake, we’ll call them Mom’s and Treasures.) Mom’s has NO high fructose corn syrup. Treasure lists HFCS on its label. But wait a minute…upon further inspection Mom’s has evaporated milled sugar, dextrose AND regular corn syrup.
So what’s the difference between HFCS and regular corn syrup? Well, basically just one chemical process. Where regular corn syrup is concentrated, making the sugar content higher, necessitating less syrup for the same amount of sweetness. That’s about it in a nutshell. (It’s way more complicated and scientific than that, but you get the picture, right? If not, Google it.)
Well, let’s take a further look at the nutritional breakdowns. That’s where I become a little surprised.
Compare the two labels...it's a little shocking to read the difference.
Here’s the breakdown:
Cereal type Mom’s Treasure
Vitamin A 0% 10%
Vitamin C 0% 10%
Calcium 10% 10%
Iron 4% 50%
Vitamin D 0% 10%
Thiamin 8% 25%
Riboflavin 2% 25%
Niacin 0% 25%
Vitamin B6 0% 25%
Folate (Folic Acid) 2% 50%
Vitamin B12 0% 25%
Zinc 2% 25%
So “Mom’s Best” might not actually be the “best.” But let’s move on. Hmmm…serving size the same? Check. Well, then the other information, like calorie count and stuff must be way off, right? Wrong.
According to the packaging, Mom’s has 120 calories, which includes 10 calories from fat. The same goes for Treasure. What about total fat? Same. Cholesterol? Same. Sodium? Same. Potassium? Same. Total carbohydrates? Oops. We have a difference here. Mom’s has 24 grams…and Treasure has a whopping 25 grams. Protein? Same.
Hmmm…well, the packaging. That makes a difference, right? Mom’s advertises that the carton is made from 100% recycled paperboard, with a minimum of 35% post-consumer content. That must blow Treasure out of the water, right? Wrong again. Treasure has the exact same label. Mom’s does say that the carton, “Can be recycled when it’s empty. Dig in!” Well, guess what? So can Treasure.
Guess what?!? They can BOTH be recycled!
So what’s the problem? People are free to market as they choose, right? And I completely agree. But it’s also our responsibility, as consumers, to sort through the garbage and figure out which labels have true value and meaning, and which ones are #BSLabels. And don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with choosing either one of these cereals…if you know why you’re choosing them.
If you don’t think there’s a difference, I have some boneless bananas to sell you.
Want to read more? Check out this post on peanut butter by The Farmer’s Life.
I bought an economy-sized bottle of winter lotion. Never. Again.
Hmmm...
I'm thinking that there may be a trail...
Any idea...
How to get lotion out of carpet?
Well, at least it's not ALL in the carpet. I mean, there's some on the TV and remote too!
Any guesses on who was responsible? I’ll give you a clue. He’s cute, he’s two and he’s AMAZINGLY fast!
Wag'n Tales 
