Gooseberry Patch Sale

Gooseberry Patch is having a HUGE sale. It started on Thursday and I believe goes thru tom.. Alot of items have already sold out. The cookbooks are normally $16.95 and they are now $8.00. If you buy any of the cookbooks and order over 6 then you get 20% off so they are $6.40! That is a GREAT deal. The booklets are now $1.00 and would be 80 cents. Can combine the 2 for the 20% off.

Oreo (Fuzzy)

He loves sleeping in the window sills during these temperatures at day and night. (Been having middle 70's for a few weeks) I was outside and noticed him.

Cookie Cupcakes

I saw this in a magazine awhile ago and decided to try them. They smell and look GREAT but I didn't try one. I didn't even try the batter!!!

1/2 cup butter, softened (I used margarine)
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/8 teasppon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts (I used pecans)

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt: gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until top of cupcake appears set.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the brown sugar, egg and salt just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop filling by rounded tablespoonfuls into the center of each cupcake. Bake 10 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted in the cake portion comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 1 dozen

Apricot Streudel Cookies (easily changed)

I just received a couple of cookbooks from e-bay and saw this recipe in one. It could easily be changed using other preserves.

3 packages (3 oz) cream cheese
1 cup margarine
2 cups flour
1 12 ounce jar apricot preserves
2 cups chopped nuts----1/4 c chopped nuts for each roll

Combine cheese, margarine and flour; mix like pie crust. Seperate into 4 balls. Refrigerate 1 hour. Roll out until it measures 8X12". Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Spread with preserves and chopped nuts. Roll like a jelly roll. Bake at 350;
30-35 minutes. Cool and slice.
Yield 48 slices-12 to a roll.

Only 99 DAYS!!!!!

Can you believe that it is only 99 days till Christmas? So unreal how fast the time goes. Anyway, there is time to start planning and to do any of those little extra things that you always plan on and never get around to. Start today, so your holiday season will be less stressful! Buy alittle extra baking supplies, a stocking stuffer, or a gift on your grocery trips and be that much more ahead and the $ won't add up so much at one time.

Flea Market Finds

At the Royal Neighbors flea market I got these. The pictures are Mary Engelbriets. They are big. They were $3 each and the shelf was 50 cents. Not as good as Rhonda's deals!!!! Will repaint the shelf. Have a room that I am hoping to do into a family room and want it to be white, yellow and blue with an outside feel so the pictures will work. Have been wanting this room done since we have moved here ( 22 yrs. since we built here. It is the covered breezeway between house and garage) so I have stuff stored for it. DH has promised it will be next after the shed addittion and we get stuff sorted. Of course, I have no money now. Will be very interesting when we clean and sort to see just how much I do have for this room. I am sure WAY to much.

Christmas Pillows

Have been on vacation this week so finally got to start crafting alittle yesterday. Here are a few pillows that I finished last night/today for gifts. The Holy Family I had to make that way in order for the pictures to sit right. Had just a small piece of that. Haven't been able to find it since. They are envelope pillows so can easily be washed.

Don't forget you can click to see bigger view.

Need to go see what else I can work on.

Barbie Doll Sleeping Bag and a Big Doll's Bag

The barbie sleeping bags are for my 4 yo and 6 yo nieces and the bigger bag is for a 3 yo great niece. I am thinking of changing the 1 barbie pillow out for a striped one. Unless I make them each two from both fabrics, hmmmm. I made the bags opposite of each other on the front and back. Thinking now maybe they should be the same. Have to stuff the big pick fleece pillow yet. Out of stuffing.

Gooseberry Patch

For all the GBP lovers out there--they now have a blog. They also have facebook and twitter. Have their blog link over to the side on my blog.

Why we can't get much done!!!

The guys were hoping to get the rest of the metal up on the shed today. The drill had to be worked on and the button is worn out, so now they are heading to buy a new drill.

I did wash down the front of the house from the moss growing on it. Got my laundry all done but will need to be folded.

Walked about 1 1/2 miles this a.m. and saw 3 deer.

Getting ready to go work in my closet. Going thru clothes and taking stuff out. Will move it to Goodwill during the week. (or else will wait till garage is cleaned and take all at once.)

Our Fish Pond

This is the fish pond in the front yard. Unfortunately this summer we did not stay up with it. So much rain in the spring and it got under and made it raise up and by the time the rain quit the grasses and garden were needing attention so....... Anyway, we have given the bullfrogs a place to stay. This picture shows about 6 frogs real visible and then along the left side of the pond you can see eyes on about 4 more. Then on the right hand side up on the ledge there is 3 sitting. When you walk by it or close to it they jump from all over.

Click to enlarge.

Cheesecake Bars

This recipe has a few different names but this is the one I will use. aka Yummy Squares.

2 8 ounce packages cream cheese
2 crescent rolls
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter
cinnamon

Put 1 can of rolls in a 9X13 pan, pressing the seams together. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together. Spread onto the flatten rolls in pan. Put the 2nd tube of flattened rolls on top of cheese mixture. Melt butter and pour on top. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. The second tube can be rolled out before being put on top.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.


I had forgotten about these, until a neighbor recently had a purse party and she served them.


Of course with the diet (work is doing the Biggest Loser 3) I haven't be eating the sweets. Still make the stuff for work and family but I pass.

Bath and Body Spearmint Candle

DD was working in her room and had hers burning for several hours. The house smells so good with it.

Saturday Walk

Walked my mile this a.m. and just got inside and it started pouring!!! I am on vacation this week. Hoping to get some cleaning done and Christmas crafts.

Pumpkin Crisp

People always ask for this recipe when I take it somewhere.

1 (15 0unce) can pumpkin
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (18.25 ounce) package butter flavored yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter, melted

Stir together the first 5 ingredients. Pour into a lightly greased 13X9" baking dish. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture; sprinkle evenly with pecans. Drizzle butter evenly over pecans.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
(my oven takes about 50 minutes for it to bake)

Whipped Cream
makes 1 cup
1 (8 ounce) carton whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Dash of nutmeg
Beat cream at low speed with an electric mixer until foamy; increase speed to medium-high, and gradually add sugar and nutmeg, beating until soft peaks form.