Plowing Forward

Farm life, family life and planting our dreams.

Archive for the month “February, 2012”

29 Feb 2012

South Padre Island

Sorry about the lull in exciting posts lately.  February has been a crazy month with birthdays, baptisms, family visits and a first-ever couples vacation for JJ and I.  To make up for my sporadic posting, I’m promising you an amazing recipe and pictorial “how to” by the end of this week.  I’m going to show you how to make Beef Bourguignon.   It is the best dish I have EVER made.  I swear.  So, hang in there and enjoy this fluffy vacation-themed post and I promise to knock your socks off soon.

JJ and I traveled from Des Moines to South Padre Island, Texas…almost as close to the Mexican border as you can get.  It was an alright trip.  To be honest with you, we are horrible at kicking back and doing nothing.  To JJ and I, “enjoying ourselves” means working really hard all day and eating good meals as a family at night (pretty much our day-to-day life).  I was nervous about hanging out for so long (4 days) and not having anything to work on or keep us busy.  Turns out, we do nothing pretty well!  

Outside of the cruddy, unseasonably cold and rainy weather we endured for a few days and a run-down, outdated hotel (Isla Grand Resort is hardly ‘grand’…we later switched to the Hilton), we found ourselves enjoying just having time to do NOTHING.  I did lavish things like: I read a whole book, I took a bath and sipped on wine (we have no tub at our house), I drank coffee on the balcony and enjoyed my own thoughts, I napped, I drank a mimosa with breakfast most days and ate 3 huge meals a day…whether I was hungry or not.  Fun activities were just a bonus!

But, I did miss my little guy terribly and wished we had selected a more romantic destination.  The beaches weren’t very clean and the shopping in the area didn’t have much to offer (I mean…what treasures can you really find at one of the numerous “Everything under $9.99″ stores?).  It was, however, cost effective when compared to other beach hot spots and there are tons of activities to take part in.  Probably better suited for a family vacation than a romantic getaway.  Here’s a few snapshots.

We went on a dolphin watching boat and saw some happy porpoises…

…viewed some local shrimping boats…

…enjoyed loaded Bloody Marys and ‘Texas’ Busch Light (not sure how it was different than the Busch Light the rest of the country enjoys, other than the fact that it gave me some wicked hiccups)…


…saw some cool pelicans and many Portuguese Man Of Wars, which were washed up all over every beach.

 

JJ looked handsome and stoic…as always,

…and I even got him on a horse (first time ever)!  Riding on the beach was fun.

Happy to be home now and even happier to be able to get my daily snuggles from Evan…and happy to have my kitchen back!  Stay tuned for Beef Bourguignon. :-)

Posted in Horses, Outdoors, Photography and tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment
21 Feb 2012
1 Comment

Construction Themed Birthday Cake

For the momentous event that was Evan’s birthday party, I wanted to make a sweet construction-themed cake to celebrate.  I saw this idea on Pinterest and looked up a tutorial on the linked blog.  And, I must say…it turned out awesome!!  Evan’s cake was a masterful looking yellow and chocolate cake, stripped on the inside to resemble construction tape with a backhoe and dirt pile on top.  I decided I must share the method with you…it’s too cool not to try yourself!  My assessment of the difficulty of this baking-craft: It’s not highly skill requiring, but it does take about 30 minutes to assemble (after baking) and a steady hand.  Totally worth it!

First you’ll need 2 equal sized round cakes of different colors.  You can either make 2 separate types of cake or make one cake and tint half of the batter with food coloring.  I made a yellow and a chocolate cake (and several cupcakes with the leftover batter).  And, yes…I totally cheated and used boxed mixes.

Once the cakes are baked, let them sit in the freezer overnight.  Cutting a frozen cake is MUCH easier than a crumbly room-temp cake.  When you’re ready to start, pull the cakes out of the freezer and begin by leveling the tops evenly.  I used a long, serrated knife.

For the first cut, move your knife about half an inch to an inch from the edge of the cake and insert it at a 45 degree angle.  Holding the angle steady, cut a circle around the edge.  Don’t worry about perfection.  As you’ll see in my photos, things get lopsided pretty easily, but once put together, you can’t tell.

Pop the circle out of the center of the cake and set the outer ring aside.  All of these steps will be repeated with the other cake, so please excuse my photos for bouncing back and forth between chocolate and yellow.

Now, to make the smaller circles more even, draw or trace a circle onto a piece of paper, making sure it is at least 1 inch smaller in diameter than the remaining circle of cake.

Use a small knife to gently scrape around the edge, creating a faint circle for you to follow along while making the actual cut.

Insert your knife into the cake at the same angle as the first cut (45 degrees) and follow your faint line around the cake.  Pop the circle out and repeat one more time on the small center of the cake (sorry…no photo here).

Once you’ve repeated these steps with both of your round cakes, assemble it by placing alternating colors back together…like children’s stacking cups!  It won’t look pretty.  In fact, I had to use pieces of my cake tops to fill in holes where things didn’t match up.  Here’s how it looked after I assembled and stacked the cake.

When it was time for the party, I whipped up some chocolate frosting.  After cutting a chunk of the top out and placing it on top of the cake (to create the “hole and dirt pile”) I frosted the cake…heavily of course.  Then I crushed up some Oreos and sprinkled them on the top to look like dirt.

Evan liked it and his cousins who were here thought it was “so cool,” which I accept as the highest compliment!

Posted in The Farm Life, Kid Stuff, Sweets, Parenthood and tagged , , , , , , , ,
16 Feb 2012

1 Year Old…are you kidding?

Evan turns 1 next week.  I’m in denial! How did he get so big so fast??  As I’m sitting here, ‘pinteresting’ ideas for a birthday cake and decorations, I am brought to tears looking back at how small he used to be.  We went from the whirlwind hospital stay and blissful first gazes….

…to enjoying the spring weather…

…to kicking it during the lazy summer days…. 

…to fading fall days helping dad and playing in the hay field…

…and now here we are!  I suddenly have a walking, babbling, opinionated young man on my hands.

I’m wallowing in cake batter at the moment…not so bad, actually.  But, still tough to believe the first year of Evan’s life has sped by so quickly!  Kinda makes me start thinking about bringing the next one around…but, then I think about how nice it is to sleep through the night or have a glass of wine with supper and I put my 2nd baby thoughts on the shelf.  I’m too content with Evan right now to change things!  *sigh*….1 year…Really???

Posted in Kid Stuff, Parenthood, The Farm Life and tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment
14 Feb 2012
2 Comments

Spreading the Love on Valentines Day

I love having an excuse to bake (have I said that before??).  And I feel that holidays like Valentines Day are made just for baking and sharing!  I had grandiose visions of making sweet Valentines for all of Evan’s cousins and sending care packages out, but February has been so busy…it just got away from me!  I did, however, make three (why am I so honest with you?  I should say I made about a dozen of these, but I’m a horrible liar.). 

 

I accompanied my little love notes with mini Sour Cream Pound Cakes (I divided the batter and baked it in 4 mini loaf pans), adding some red food coloring and sprinkles.  Of course, I made an extra one…the chef needed to have a sample!

I also whipped up some Peanut Butter cookies and substituted chocolate hearts for the Hershey’s Kisses.  These I gave away to the daycare ladies at the gym and some friends.  And myself.  Quite a few to myself, actually.

I’m off now to prep supper as best I can so I have plenty of free time to enjoy my 3 Valentine guys tonight (JJ, Evan and, of course, the pooch, Jimmy!).  On our menu: Steaks, mashed potatoes, asparagus, wedge salads and chocolate souffle’s (my first attempt on the last item).  Happy Valentines Day to you all!  Now go eat some chocolate…there are no calories in it on February 14th!

Posted in Crafts, Recipes, Sweets and tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,
11 Feb 2012
2 Comments

Plain ‘ol Bagels

I feel like being able to whip up a batch of bagels is something I should have in my back pocket.  I like a good bagel, but it is one of those items I always talk myself out of purchasing at the grocery store (“Jenny…you don’t need to eat those.  Put them back.”)  BUT, if I make them I can sample one, then give the rest away…this is how I reason with myself.  Don’t judge me.  Or do.  I don’t care (much).

So, here we are on a lovely Saturday (it’s zero degrees outside) and I’m making bagels.  I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen (printable link here).  Feel free to jazz up with whatever flavorings you choose…I’m simply passing on the ‘canvas’ for you to start with.  If you’re intimidated by the idea of making bagels: don’t be.  It’s easy!  And these are delicious…doughy inside and crunchy outside.  Plus, this recipe only yields a half dozen…so if you mess them up, it’s easy to forget about it and try again (I feed botched breads to the ducks on our pond…they appreciate it)!

*Note* The printable link will take you to the original recipe that doesn’t have a few of the tips I’m including here.  When you print it out, take note of the differences in bagel shaping and cooking techniques.  If anyone can give me advice on how to make my own printable links for recipes, I’d greatly appreciate it!! I’m such a WordPress novice…..

And now, we bake!!

Ingredients for Plain Bagels (nothin’ fancy here!)

  • ⅔ cups Warm Water
  • ½ Tablespoons Sugar
  • 1-½ teaspoon Yeast
  • 2 cups All-purpose Flour
  • ½ Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
  • ¾ teaspoons Salt
  • cornmeal (for sprinkling on the baking stone)

Start by combining the yeast, water and sugar in the bowl of your mixer.  Let it set up for 5-10 minutes; until the yeast is foamy.  Then add the flour, oil and salt.  Mix thoroughly with the dough hook or knead by hand.

The dough should look like this after being pushed around for a while (or kneaded by hand).  Let it rise for 20-30 minutes (although longer won’t hurt it…I let mine sit for an hour).

After the dough has risen for a spell, take it out and – to make things easy – shape it into a log.

Then cut it into 5 or 6 pieces (depending on how big you want your bagels).

To shape the bagels, don’t try to roll it into a snake and then squish the ends together.  I couldn’t get that to work.  Instead, form into a ball and poke your finger in the middle.  Then gently pull it into an even ring, using the widest part of your hand as a measure.  These puff quite a bit, so you want to leave plenty of room in the middle for them to grow.

Shadow puppets anyone??

Let them rise on a lightly floured surface for at least 30 minutes.  However, an hour makes them even better.

Preheat the oven to 425 and place your baking stone inside.  On the lowest rack of the oven, place a pan containing about 1/2 inch of water.

Grab a heavy bottomed pot and start 6 cups of water boiling.  I once heard that boiling food in plain water makes them taste like…plain water.  So it’s best to boil things with some flavor.  Based on this, I’ve added a solid 2 tablespoons of salt to my water.  Add the bagels and boil for one minute on each side, removing them to paper towels when done for water to drip away.  Be careful, though, as these stick to the paper towels slightly.  I suggest not letting them sit there for more than a minute or two.

Once your bagels are boiled, pull the stone out of the oven and sprinkle it with corn meal.  

Place the bagels on the stone and bake for 18-20 minutes.

These save really well…one of the few homemade bread that I’ve mastered which doesn’t require eating immediately.  Enjoy!

Posted in Bread, Recipes and tagged , , , , , , ,
08 Feb 2012

Kiddy Coat Hangers: A Tracing Tutorial

I started making these fun coat hangers a long time ago…like…pre-husband and pre-child.  It was back in a day when the most important things I needed to hang up were my purse and the coat that my dog Jimmy wears in the winter time (yes –  have a miniature horse sized coat that I put on my Black Lab/Doberman mix in the winter. He is, after all, my first child).  I’ve had several people ask me for personalized versions of these hooks and there is little more that I love than making things for other people.

Here’s how to make your own, should you feel inspired to do so (and I hope you do!)!

Start with a wooden craft plank.  This one cost me $3.99 at Michael’s.  You can also use scrap wood, like from old cabinets.  Using craft paint (I suggest Folk Art brand as it covers well), paint the base the color of your choice.  This wood typically drinks up a bit of paint, so don’t be afraid to lay it on thick over a few layers.  This will make the rest of the paint take more evenly.  Allow it to dry.

Drawing your own designs free hand is a creative fun way to color your board, but for this project, I decided to paint a clip art cow.  This is where it get easy (as if it wasn’t already).  Go online and find an image you want on your craft.  The key is to keep it pretty simple (or the K.I.S.S. theory, as my mom says -Keep It Simple, Stupid! Sorry…not calling any of you stupid.).  The more intricate and the more colors required, the longer this craft will take you.  You can see by my choice of artwork that I am not very ambitious today.

Once you have your artwork printed out, flip it over and scratch heavily with a pencil over the entire area you want traced onto the board.  Lay it on heavily so it transfers easily.  No need to be exact or precise…just scribble.  Brings out the Kindergartener in ya!

Once you have used up plenty of pencil lead and your wrist is tired, turn the paper back over and place it on the board where you want it to be. Secure the paper in place with tape.

*TIPS HERE*: Make sure to measure (don’t just eyeball it) as it’s a bummer when you get done and realize your image is too far to one side. Also, don’t forget to account for where your hook will be screwed in (I’ve moved my cow up on my board so the hook will sit underneath it).*

Now, simply trace the design.  Use your pencil to draw over the entire drawing.  Press firmly to insure the lead (or graphite, I should say) on the back of the page transfers to the wood.  Don’t be tempted to peek!  You risk moving the paper, causing the artwork to look misshapen after you’ve traced it.

Once you’re done, you should have a very faint outline of your image.

Now you’ve earned the right to paint (the fun part)!!  Start with the larger areas and move to the smaller.  I started with the white…

…then finished with the black.  Easy!

Once the craft paint is dry, hit your board with a coat or two (depending on how much wear and tear your craft will need to bear) of clear spray paint.

Lastly, it’s hardware time!  At your local Target or hardware store, you should be able to find a variety of hooks as well as picture hangers for the backside of the board.  Size small picture hangers suffice for this craft…unless you’re planning on hanging bowling balls from it. Most important thing here: measure, measure, MEASURE.

 Then, attach the picture hanger and hook.  Attach the picture hanger first, followed by the hook (much easier this way).  Depending on the hook you selected, you may need to purchase shorter screws, however most smaller hooks come with short enough screws that will not stick out the back.  And there you have it…a fun addition to your mud room, nursery or bathroom.

Posted in Crafts, DIY, Kid Stuff and tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment
05 Feb 2012
2 Comments

Snow Day Brunch

Finally…SNOW!!!  It’s been a weird, mild winter so far which, I’ll admitt, has been enjoyable.  But, with corn to plant and alfalfa to bloom this spring we have been desperate for moisture.  It’s very strange not seeing the ground covered in a perfect blanket of white yet.  I would like use my 4 wheel drive, throw a snowball and take Evan sledding (actually, I just want to go sledding myself and am happy to use my child as an excuse).  I also want snowy photos.  So, I couldn’t wait to drive around The Farm when the blizzard was at its best. Turns out, taking photos in the snow is rather difficult, but I got a few neat ones.

Catching snowflakes on her tongue!

Cartoon? Or fun with aperture?

...still catching snowflakes!

 
After baring the elements (ie: after driving around in my pajamas with my camera), I was starving and decided to make an easy brunch for JJ and I. Nothing special…just pantry and refrigerator items thrown together and cooked until they tasted good.

I started with a few potatoes that were beginning to get soft and needed to be used. I scrubbed them (skipped the peeling…too tedious a lazy day) and diced them. I diced up the chunk of red onion I had hanging out in my fridge and threw it all in a hot skillet with some oil and butter. Then, I let it cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding Lawry’s Seasonings with every stir.

Once those were done, I threw them into a bowl and placed them in the oven to keep warm then fixed my eggs. After scrambling them in a bowl with some sour cream and more Lawry’s (I love that seasoning), I put them in the same hot skillet I used for my potatoes.

Threw in some leftover Graziano’s Sausage and fresh parmesan cheese, then cursed when I couldn’t find any bell peppers to add to the mix (fail).

Toasted up some seed bread and, boom, brunch was ready.  Total cheater brunch…no homemade muffins or bread, no fancy eggs.  But, it was enough to put me into a mild food coma on the couch for a while…the perfect way to watch the rest of the snow fall.

 

Posted in Horses, Outdoors, Photography, Recipes, The Farm Life and tagged , , , , , , , , ,
02 Feb 2012
3 Comments

How To: Melted Crayon Art

Who loves colorful, easy artwork that’s fun to make?  This girl does!!  And I’ve been dying to take a stab at my own melted crayon art ever since the craze has become popular.  Let me break down the complicated steps of this highly difficult, skill-requiring craft: 1) Glue crayons to a canvas. 2) Use your hair dryer to melt them. 3) Hang it on a wall.

It’s pretty easy-peasy!  Here is a little bit more of a detailed break down for those of you who are wanting to do ‘the melt’ yourselves.

I started out with a 16×20 canvas and a box of 64 crayons.  The whole box won’t fit on the canvas, so pull out the colors you don’t want.  I suggest getting a smaller box of crayons as well, so you can double up on the colors you really want to pop (I didn’t do this…mine are strictly from the 64 count box, but I’m wishing I would have added more of the brighter colors).

You have a choice at this point; you can leave the wrappers on, or take them off.  Totally up to you what “look” you would like in the end.  If you decide to remove the wrappers, simply soak the crayons in a bowl of water until the wrappers slide right off.  Don’t try to peel them off dry…it’ll take you forever.

When you’re ready to assemble, use a hot glue gun to fasten the crayons to the canvas, tip pointed down.  Go ahead and snug the crayons up against each other.  No need to leave room between.Make sure to have your canvas propped up on a flat surface, placing plenty of aluminium foil (or newspaper, I suppose would work) around the area to catch splatters.

Using the highest heat setting and the lowest speed setting, fire up the hair dryer and make those crayons sweat!  The rest happens naturally…it’s a science I like to call “gravity.”

In no time at all, you’ll have a neat work of art!  This one is going to hang in Evan’s room.  I’d like to build a black frame to go around it, but that craft is for another day. :)

Posted in Crafts, DIY, Kid Stuff, Projects and tagged , , , , , , ,

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