breakfast, dessert, seeds and on to supper.

Breakfast burritos.


Most of the family enjoys breakfast burritos once a week. I like them best without the tortillas, but the filling is always the same.

1 lb ground-up sausage, cooked
a bit on chopped onion
a bit of chopped green pepper and/or jalapeno pepper

Cook the above in a skillet, after the sausage is ready, blend in 8 eggs (I use a fork to make them like scrambled eggs). Once eggs are cooked, fill the tortilla and add shredded cheddar cheese.



Another recipe I like to make and especially eat. I used a white/vanilla bean chocolate bar from Ghirardelli instead of chips.


Photo of corn stalk from last July.
Yesterday was beautiful and sunny. A good enough day to get ready for spring planting. Luke and I ordered seeds and potatoes from our favorite spot. And Jason came over and we finally took care of Cooper. He is ready to go in the crock pot as soon as I finish here.

It was our first butchering attempt. I don't know if I would have had the guts to grab him (Cooper the rooster). He grabbed him, I held him down, and then later, skinned him, etc... I still haven't let all the kids know yet. Maybe after supper. I am glad it is done, and now, visiting the hens should be a bit more enjoyable again.

Linzer cookies.

I love how this...


becomes something like this...


I am sure there are a lot of great recipes out there, mine came from Country Home magazine Feb. 2008

1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
dash salt
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. apricot jam, cherry, seedless jam (I also used some blueberry)

In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on med.-high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and salt and beat until combined. Add egg yolks, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until combined. Add flour and beat until combined. Cover and chill for 2 hours or until easy to handle.


On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/4 in. thick. Cut with a cookie cutter. With half of the cut-outs, use a smaller sized cookie cutter, or a knife, and cut out the center.
Place 2 in. apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes, remove from the oven before the edges brown. Cool on a cooling rack, powder sugar the top cookie (the ones with the cut-out centers). Add 1 tsp. jam to the center of the bottom cookie. Place together to form sandwich cookies.

You can make the cookie dough ahead and freeze in a freezer for up to 1 month (thaw in refrigerator). Store filled cookies in a storage container at room temperature up to 2 days.

Blessed.

First, you need to go and read this post. Alright if you have done that, well, now you can keep reading. ;) Today I get home from the nearby laundry mat with the girls and there is this huge box sitting on my front porch. Yesterday I received a delivery at home that should have went to Mat's office, so that is what I assumed happened again. Then I saw my name on the box and it was from a grain place. I started frantically thinking if I had accidently ordered some more grain or some millet (I have both in the cabinets and/or in 5 gallon buckets on our staircase...) or something of the sort... I couldn't think of what it could be. The girls decide to help remove the tape on the box as I bring in the wet laundry... and then I can wait no longer. What was inside the box?? I opened the box and there was another box and I started to laugh because peaking through the sterofoam peanuts I see the last name of my dear friend Aubin (who has graciously loaned me her Nutrimill for long periods of time) and a Nutrimill. A Nutrimill! I have been wanting a Nutrimill for 6 years now! Thank you Aubin and BJ. Thanks God for your goodness.

In case you are wondering what a Nutrimill is. Well, here you are...

A bit of this last week...

The hot chocolate is a recipe from Apples for Jam. The best hot chocolate I have ever made. (And like bread, I've tried quite a few recipes.) The berries are from before the snow yesterday.

The pattern for the hand warmers is from The Purlbee. They were a Christmas gift for a friend.

Ginger snaps and leg warmers.

I love ginger snaps, so I finally got to this recipe this week. They are incredible. I will be making them again. I also finished up another Christmas gift, some leg warmers for Lizzie.



The yarn is called Chocolate Cherry from Marigoldjen at Etsy.

Another trip to the farmers market.


Our first picking from our own garden. So far we have gathered 6 cucumbers and 2 green peppers.


My sweet friend brought me 3 bags of summer apples and I think close to 30 cups of blackberries. (Thank you Megan!)
So far I have made 9 pints of apple sauce and 6 pints plus 5 half pints of sugared blackberries, a huge blackberry cobbler. I will be making blackberry jam and apple pie filling today...

Farmers Market.

Since we are driving everyday to get the children to swim lessons, I was also able to hit the farmers market last week. That just makes for a good day. :)



Yesterday I was able to cut enough cilantro to take to the Farmers Market! And then there is still more. Thankfully I have some friends who also enjoy cooking with it. Today I am planning to make some pesto with all my basil.

I was talking to a friend on Saturday and she has made some Queen Annes lace jam. I can't wait to try making some myself, our land is brimming over with it right now.