Day Dreamin....

It's the last day of February and my mind is full of spring time thoughts and sunny day dreams of gardens, flowers, fresh herbs and weeding! Yes, weeding, a chore that only a gardener could enjoy or appreciate. There is no better exercise of the mind, the spirit and body. No therapy is needed when you have a garden to tend too, stress is worked out in a "green" way and the earth smiles back in flowers and heavenly scents!

Every gardener has a annual wish list and mine keeps growing faster than the weeds, but necessity ranks high on my list and I'm hoping this is the year I finally get my garden shed. My dream spot, potting place, coffee shop and storage room and the photo above is a ideal image of what I want. Something rustic, the more rustic the better. No metal kit for me, my garden shed has to be perfect from my minds eye. This beauty is perfect! It will come, till then, I keep dreaming. What is on your wish list for the new gardening season ahead?

Midwest Living

One of my favorite go to sites for yummy tested recipes is Midwest Living, I've bragged about them before, who could forget their caramel banana muffins that I shared with you last month. Today, I was searching for something new to make for Sunday school class tomorrow and found many ideas to choose from plus I entered some of my photos in one of their many photo contests. Just take a lookie at the teaser photos above, don't they look good! Head on over if you too need something fresh and fun to bake, or need inspiration for the home front, garden or travel ideas. I'm not a spokesman for this magazine or site but sure am a fan!

Hoping for Spring Giveaway

We bloggers will use any ole excuse to have a giveaway and since most of us just can't stand the wait till spring, I thought I'd have a early spring giveaway, hoping for spring giveaway! Just leave a comment here with your favorite spring flower, just one please cuz this will be a poll also, just to cure my curiosity of what spring flowers are most popular. My valentine tulips above are just about done, but they fill my craft room with a sweet smell of spring, that is soon to come. We heard frogs Saturday night singing as our guests were leaving, perfect ending to a perfect day! Spring is soon. Come celebrate with me and leave your comments here to get entered in my giveaway, which will end March 7th. So, what is my favorite spring flower? It's a hard choice, but I'd have to say Lilac for it's heaven scent! I love to fill jars of this beauty and fill my house with the scent that only God could create! Your turn, good luck and looking forward to seeing what is our all time favorite spring flower!

Tasty Tuesday

I don't know why, but zucchini bread is mainly thought of and made in plenty during the summer/garden months when our gardens are taken over by this funny green veggie. But if you grow it chances are you tucked some away in the freezer for winter baking. I didn't plant any zucchini last year and really haven't given it much thought till my great niece messaged me the other day saying she had a craving for some of my zucchini bread and if I could bake some and ship her a loaf. She is pregnant with her second child, so this got me to thinking about zucchini. I'm gonna be a great auntie again! :)

So, I'm hoping her Mom takes note here and surprises her with some home baked zucchini bread, if not, I'll bake some and chance the shipping and drying out excuse I gave her. I'd be happy to bake some mind you, but I just thought shipping it cross country would insure a dried out loaf not suitable for mommy or baby! So sis, if your reading this and you better, here is my recipe for my now requested zucchini bread. You can also add some mini chocolate chips or cocoa powder to the mix (just add a little more water) for a yummy chocolate zucchini bread.

Zucchini Bread

2 2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. oil ( I use canola oil)
3 c. shredded zucchini (about 2 med.)
2/3 c. water
4 eggs
3 1/3 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon & cloves
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 c. chopped nuts (opt.)
2/3 c. raisins (opt. replaced by 1 c. chocolate chips)

Heat oven to 350. Grease pans of loaf pans. Mix sugar and oil in large bowl. Stir in zucchini, water and eggs. Mix in flour, baking soda, salt, spices, baking powder and vanilla. Stir in nuts, raisin or chocolate chips. Pour into pans and bake for one hour or till toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

This bread is a good example of how we shouldn't keep certain flavors part time on our baking lists, esp. if you have a freezer full that needs to be eaten before you plant anymore!

A Wild Weekend

Here we are with my youngest son and his bride to be who came for a visit over the weekend and to meet all of us. It does a mom's heart good to see her son so happy! And we just love her, she's a perfect match for Tyler and might be a little challenge too which is always good.

I had a big turkey dinner all planned, got my baking done early before the bird was due to go in the oven, and just when my cupcakes (strawberry) were ready to come out, the oven door would not open! I had pulled the child safety level over and somehow it got bent inside and once locked, would not budge. That was the first time I had used it ever, and the last! I was in a panic, so I had to shut down the oven and hope my pie that was still baking would be alright. Hubby finally got it open 45 min. later. So, I got the turkey ready for the oven and found it to be half frozen still, and being late now, would never be done by 5, so we went with plan B and grilled hamburger and dogs. I'm baking the turkey today! Needless to say, our dinner ended up being just right, it was a warm 60 degree day that we celebrated by grilling for the first time this year! I also made the pinto bean pie and after alot of convincing, those who did try it, said it tasted like pumpkin and was a nice surprise! Next time I won't tell them what it is!

I'm working on re-vamping my blog a little. In case you don't know, I have 2 other blogs, that get neglected, so I think I will close my Herbal Farmstead blog and move the articles here and make this blog all things country inspired. Gardening, crafting, baking, cooking, junking, decorating and anything else country! So, look for gardening articles here and there along with more recipes and decorating posts. The blog I created for our church will remain the same, just updated more often, I hope. Change is good...right! A giveaway is coming soon too, so don't go too far away!

My Sweet Valentines

I know I'm late in posting and bragging on my sweet valentines that I got from my old fashioned card swap, but I've been so busy working on my son's house but it's never too late to share some sweet cards with you. This was my 4th year for hosting this fun swap, and I swear, the talents out there get better each year. These are not cards anymore, each one is a small token of love, art and giving. Thank you all, for joining and sharing, I hope you come back next year, my mailbox trips won't be the same now! Bloggers and Farmgirls are the best!!

My son's house is coming along NICELY and just in time for his fiance's first visit here, at least the house will feel more lived in and cozy. She is due to arrive tomorrow evening and the whole family will gather here to meet her and feast on a big turkey meal saturday night. I'm so excited! I'm equally excited over the progress we've made on the house in the last few weeks. Every room got a fresh coat of paint, some white, some not, photos soon will reveal our work. A new wood floor got laid in the kitchen and combined with a red accent wall paired with the gold walls really warmed up the kitchen space, making it the best room in the house! Stayed tuned for photos!

While I'm catching you up, a friend made my pinto bean pie and the results were OH MY STARS!!! A hit, so I'll be making one or two for the weekend so don't be shy, give it a try! And let me know what you think too! Cool beans!!

Tasty Tuesday

You will probably think I'm nuts, but I'm not! I am full of beans, cool beans as my boys used to say, but really, this is a true post and a real recipe! What am I cooking up now.....a pinto bean pie! Yep, you heard me right. We all know how beans are good for us, full of fiber and easily found in your pantry, but have you ever thought about making a pie with them? I only wish I had of, this recipe comes from the Not Quite June Cleaver Bakes a Pie cookbook, that I won from her blog last month. And I must say, of all the yummy pie recipes in her book, this one stood out and will be baked in my kitchen soon, I promise. Susan aka Not Quite June Cleaver states that this pie is very good and comes from her grandmother's recipe stash. I'm sure this was a great depression pie so it just may be as good as Susan says.

Pinto Bean Pie

1 1/2 c. unseasoned cooked pinto beans or a 15 oz. can, unseasoned
1 c. light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. each cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice & cloves
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350. In a blender or food processor cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add the beans and blend till thick and smooth. Add spices and vanilla. Pour pie filling into a unbaked pie shell and bake for one hour or till a inserted knife comes out clean.

So, just how many of you love beans enough to give this one a try? If you do, be sure to come back and tell us what you thought. I'm anxious to try it, and will have to make one for our pastors, who just completed a month long bean fast! lol They would get a good laugh out of that. Enjoy!

HaPpY♥ LoVe♥ DaY!!

Just popping in to wish every sweet one of you a super sweet Valetnines day, full of LoVe and more LoVe! Were off to our annual sweetheart dinner at church, the youth cook and serve us up some amazing food, topped off with our version of The Newleywed Game and to end the evening, portraits are taken so we can have a token of this sweet day and event! So, spread some LoVe, share some LoVe and be LoVeD! Happy Valentines Day sweet bloggers!

Happy Birthday Good Housekeeping!

Can you believe this magazine is 125 years old, I had no idea it's been around that long! So many of my favorite magazines have gone out of print leaving me sad and feeling the loss each month, I do treasure my reading material! Good Housekeeping isn't one that I normally buy anymore, it's come along way but in the wrong direction, I think. Like so many others in this genre, they have pulled away from their roots and are trying to impress the younger generation, which is fine for some, but magazines like Good Housekeeping were published with house wives in mind, and in this day and age, being a housewife is not always possible or welcomed. I've always loved and enjoyed taking care of my home and family, and still do,so if that refers to me as a housewife, I"m proud of it! But the youngins don't see it that way, so the magazines are selling them on hip and easy ways to get around it. Progress I suppose, but I think this country is due for some good old fashioned housekeeping!

Tasty Tuesday

I got some more sweet talk for you today, it's all about chocolate and love this week, as I'm still going through my recipes to find those perfect confections for gift giving and of course, to share with you! Today is perfect for a practice run or bake in this case, the snowfall has stopped only to be backed up by sub zero wind chills making everything white freeze, so I'm snug as a bug and ready to do some baking! For this tasty Tuesday, I'm sharing a fudgy pound cake recipe that is easy and doesn't rob the pantry too badly.

Fudgy Pound Cake

1/2 c. butter
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
2/3 c. cocoa
2 t. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. sour cream
Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat in eggs. In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture, alternating with sour cream. Pour into greased bundt pan and bake for 1 hour. Cool.

Simple enough and oh so good! You can't go wrong with a fudgy pound cake, I always say! I hope your staying snug too, winter just won't let go here and in so many other states too, but February is almost half over and March is waiting patiently to rescue us and treat us to some nicer weather, so hang on! Happy baking!

Chocolate Peppermint Tartlets

With Valentines Day this weekend, I've been looking for new goodies to make and bake so I can shower my loved ones with some homemade lovin! I found these this morning and they won my heart over in a flash, so of course I had to share!

Chocolate Peppermint Tartlets

1 pouch Betty Crocker® chocolate chunk cookie mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies (about 14)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
2 to 3 drops red food color
Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Lightly spray 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray. Prepare cookie dough as directed on package adding peppermint extract. Shape dough into 24(1-inch) balls; place in muffin cups.
2. Bake at 375° F for 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately make indentation in center of each cookie with end of wooden spoon to form a cup. Cool 30 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely.
3. In medium bowl, beat powdered sugar, crushed peppermint candies, butter, milk, and red food color with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Spoon frosting into decorating bag with large star tip (#5). Pipe into each cookie cup. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store in refrigerator.

Now, aren't you glad I shared? Wouldn't these be cute in a giftie basket with other goodies, maybe left on a doorstep? Alot of the comments left on my valentines giveaway were about having another day to say I love you to someone, and what better way than with home baked treats for your sweets!

Valentines Winner

Blame random.org if your name wasn't chosen but besure to congrats Katy of The Country Blossom cuz her number did come up! Congrats Katy! The Country Blossom and I go way back and you just can't help but not like her blog, it's so warm and welcoming! Katy is a stay at home Mom who homeschools and takes care of her family and home. She reminds me alot of me way back when. Katy, send me your mailing info so I can get your Valentine goodie off to you, just a little something handmade from my ♥ to your home!

I feel so bad for all of you snowed in, snug as a bug I hope! Winter isn't done with us yet, just hang in there, stay warm and safe! We have more snow coming in also, but not as bad as so many. I'm anxious for spring for so many reasons, but I must be patient....good things come to those who wait. And for those who are still waiting to win a giveaway, keep checking in, I plan to do at least one giveaway a month and I'll be sharing any good giveaways that I come across too. My ♥ is happy that all of you visit so often, thank you!

Winter

I can see the light or end in this case, of winter and I'm ready! But you got to admit, each season has it's own beauty and reason, even winter! I do love to take a drive after a snowfall, I brake for barns! These photos here were taken before and after our last snowfall, 8 inches last week. Our place, Hill Top Haven is in the middle, all snug under a fresh blanket of white and it's still here in spots with a chance more Sunday night. But spring will be here soon, seeds and garden gadgets are ready to buy in many stores now, plans are being made in my head of new flower beds, more veggies and a bigger herb garden.

Winter is also a good time to get those projects out of the way so you can play once it warms up. Remember my son's house that I offered to help with, I've been painting all week, just about every wall is getting a fresh coat of paint, trim and all. The kitchen is my favorite room to tackle, so I'll be posting before and after photos, I'm hoping to make the biggest difference in there, after all, it's the heart of the home so it needs the most attention. We will start that tomorrow.

Valentines are coming in almost daily from my old fashioned card swap, so I'll be sharing them all with you once all have their way here, and you will be sorry you didn't join in, these little treasures sure have made the winter fun! But no regrets, you can always join us next year! I also won a new cookbook from Not Quite June Cleaver. A pie bake book, full of yummy delights, and she's giving away another copy, so here's your chance to enter again! And remember you have till Sunday to enter my Valentines giveaway, just scroll down to that post and leave me a comment. I think I'm caught up for now, enjoy your weekend and the rest of what winter has to offer!

Tasty Tuesday

I'm so glad I don't eat everything I bake, talk about will power, today's recipe looks so good, one could eat the photo and be satisfied! I first laid my eyes on these muffins back in January, they were the cover shot to Mid West Living magazine, so once I got home, I jumped on the computer and found them on the website of the same name, and now they have a home in my recipe file! Perfect for a weekend breakfast or gift basket of any kind, these yummy muffins won my heart from the start!

Caramel-Banana Muffins


1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 medium banana, peeled and mashed (1/2 cup)
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. caramel-flavored ice cream topping
1 medium banana, peeled and thinly sliced (optional)
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
Caramel-flavored ice cream topping (optional)
Directions

1. Line twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups or 6 jumbo (3-1/4-inch) muffin cups with paper bake cups. In a small bowl, mix pecans, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, softened butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer until well combined. Add egg and beat well. Beat in the mashed banana and vanilla until combined.
3. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the banana mixture, beating on low speed until just combined.
4. Stir 1/4 cup of the pecan mixture. Spoon half the batter into prepared muffin cups (1 rounded tablespoon for each 2 1/2-inch muffin cup or 2 rounded tablespoons for each jumbo muffin cup). Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon caramel topping over batter in each cup. Top with remaining batter. If you like, top each muffin with 2 thin slices additional banana. Drizzle each with a little melted butter and sprinkle with remaining pecan mixture.
5. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Serve warm drizzled with more caramel topping, if you like. Makes 12 standard or 6 jumbo muffins.


It's another muffin month here at Country Pleasures, remember my Sunday school class I feed, these will be a huge hit this weekend! If you haven't been to Mid West Livings site, head over there and check out all their yummy recipes and they even have a photo contest going on which yours truly will be checking out! Happy muffin month!

Valentines Giveaway!

Wow, I'm back! I've been trying to post here for 4 days, it just wouldn't let me for some unknown reason, so I set my settings back to the old editor and here I am! I had hoped to get this posted last week with time on my side, but I guess it's never too late for a giveaway, right! Of course this one is all about Valentines day, the day of love and I love you all so what better reason to put together a little giftie bag of love. Just leave me comment here on what you love best about Valentines day, I love to hear your stories of love and sweets! I love this day because we got engagaed on Valentines day 1992 and it's been sweet stuff ever since and still is! I'll leave this open to enter until the 7th so I can get the goods in the mail on the 8th so you might have it in time, if not, you'll have it for years to come. Happy sharing and if blogger lets me, I'll be back this afternoon with Tasty Tuesday, see you then!