Thanksgiving Day...

We do Thanksgiving at home & whoever wants to come down & celebrate with us is more than welcome... This year we had 18 of us: Brian, Me, Kaylin, Blake, Dylan, Nana, Aaron, Crystal, Wayne, Desiree, Keyarra, Abby, Jake, Stephanie, Cody, Dad, Lauren & Taylor

The Thanksgiving Gang

I love these people... Dylan is being silly

Mom & us kids

Dad & us kids

Mom & Aaron

Youngest sisters Taylor & Lauren

Sisters

Cody & Stephanie

Kaylin & Gizmo

Thanksgiving Feast

Thanksgiving Feast...

Heres what Brian & I fixed to serve at our house on Thanksgiving...

Turkey, hm herb dressing, cream cheesey corn, kale, hm rolls, chunky cranberry sauce,noodles, sweet potato casserole, mash potatoes, goat cheese w/pearbutter & hot pepper jelly, hm pumpkin cheesecake, wildberry crumb cake... Oooo my

Had just finished makin the noodles & they were soooo good this year!

Brians workin on cream cheesey corn

I took pics while makin the dressing... blog later this week ;)

We were very bless to share all this yummy food with loved ones... Thanksgiving family pics coming soon... so stay turned.

Pumpkin - Pecan Cheesecake...

We had to try it before we serve it on Thanksgiving...

Its really good ;)

My honey is the cheesecake baker in the family, his cheesecakes rock. He got this recipe out of Southern Living magazine, heres the link Pumpkin - Pecan Cheesecake

Early B-day Lunch...

My sister Crystal wanted to get together & do lunch for my b-day (which is Nov. 25) so we did yesterday with our Momma, brother & Kaylin...

...A Daughter Is A Little Girl Who Grows Up To Be A Friend...
(this sayin goes with both these pictures)

These are my people, This is where I come from, lol

Not a good pic., but its the only pic we took of all 5 of us yesterday

Sister Crystal. Shes so freakin silly... she keeps us laughin, thats for sure. She didnt want us to leave, lol. I really wish she had the money (& job) to move down by us & live with her honey & 4 rugrats... we love em & miss em.

Momma & Aaron are stayin with us til after Thanksgiving, then Crystal & her family are comin down for Thanksgiving & the 4 rugrats are stayin a few days with us :)

Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition

I know Thanksgiving isnt even here yet but I read this on a friends fb page earlier this month & wanted to share. I love this idea & hope more Americans will see, do & love it too.

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high
gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods --
merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This
... ... year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine
concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift
giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes
there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in
a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?
Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates
from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some
health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned
detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a
book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down
the Benjamines on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift
receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or
driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift
certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about
a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this
isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town
Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or
motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a
local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is
struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin
their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery
and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave
your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at
your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese
lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about
fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to
burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that
China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about
US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow
their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our
communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.
THIS is the new American Christmas tradition !!!!

* I'd love to receive Red Heart yarn (its made in the USA), anything homemade, 50 lb bag of chicken feed (layer crumbles), sweet feed, 50 lb bag of BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds)... see I'm not hard to shop for ;)

Lets Talk Pie Crust...

Once again my sweet friend Sarah helped me out... 1st she gave me the quart of rendered lard then she shared with me how to make a pie crust, Thanks Sarah.

Pie Crust (this makes 2 crust)
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt (optional)
1/2 cup lard
6 TBSP ice water.

Sift the flour, measure and resift twice with the salt if using it. Cut the lard into the sifted flour with a pastry blender or two knives until it looks like crumbly peas. Then add the ice water 1 TBSP at a time to the flour mixture. Now you want to mix this with a fork, gather the dampened mixture into a ball, press it gently together and wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for a few minutes. If you are using a double crust, divide it in two and roll out between 2 pieces of wax paper. Then bake. When you start to work it, don't overwork it. The way to make it nice and flaky is to not get it overworked.

Sorry I didnt get to time the cookin on this... I had my oven on 400. I'll try to time it next time.

Goats Milk Soap

Well since I dont know how to make my own yet...

I bought me a bar from Michaelle over at Sprout 'n' Wings Farm from her Etsy store & I got a free lil gift, lip balm just in time for winter chapped lips. Stop in check it out maybe you'll find something for someone on your Christmas list :)

Remember to support your fellow Americans when doin your Christmas shoppin this season...
Stay tuned I'm doin a post on this sometime soon.

HM Goat Milk Ice Cream

We had company over yesterday, it was so nice to eat, hang out & chat...

I got this recipe from my friend Sarah,
recipe at the bottom of post

I made 2 Yummy White Cakes with my last 12 egg whites

This was made with an electric ice cream maker,
we thought it was really good til we tried...

The batch that was made last night with a hand crank ice cream maker and its soooo good. Using the hand crank ice cream maker makes a huge difference in the texture & taste. We ♥ it. I cant wait to make different flavors, I've already been thinkin about pumpkin ice cream for Thanksgiving.

Goat ice cream recipe.

1qt plus 3 cups whole goat milk,
12 egg yolks,
2 tsp salt,
3 cups sugar,

1qt heavy cream,
4 TBSP vanilla

Scald the milk. Beat egg yolks and salt. Add about 3 cups of the hot milk mixture to the egg and salt mixture, beating well with fork as you mix them. Add back into milk in pot. Add sugar and cook over medium heat stirring all the while. Cook till coats spoon. Strain (to remove any cooked egg lumps, you don't always have to do this, but I think you should). Chill in the fridge till ready to make ice cream.

When ready, add cream and vanilla, pour into ice cream freezer, make & enjoy.

Got too many egg whites?

Then make some yummy white cake.
I had 12 egg whites to uee up from makin goat ice cream on Monday (thats another blog) so I found this easy cake recipe & thought we'd try it. The Goodwife & her family are coming over this Sunday to hang out & make more goat ice cream (if all goes as planned). I'll try to take some pics. to post :)

Yummy White Cake Recipe H-E-R-E

Its a nice fall day here in Kentucky & I've been hangin out in the kitchen all day... I've got Slow Cooker Lasagna in the crock right now... funny the 1st time I made this recipe was just over a year ago when our stove got broke... remember that story? If not here it is, Our Stove Is Broke. Gonna go fix me a mug of cinnamon hot chocolate & work on some crochet.

Dinners Done

& dessert is too
(Yummy White Cake w/Goat Ice Cream & Cherry Topping)

***The things I change is I used my goat cheese instead of ricotta, HM pasta sauce I made this summer instead of store bought, & sausage instead of burger & of course farm fresh eggs.

Hope you have a great weekend :)

Goat Cheese & Basil Pesto

On top of some warm HM bread
Is so very good together

I'm so happy I learn how to make Basil Pesto this summer & that I froze 2 ice cube trays of it. I so wish I would have froze more... next year. The link on how to make goat cheese is HERE.

Last nights dinner

Blake has a basketball game this evening that I'm goin too,
so this will be tonights dinner too :)

Grey Slouchy Puff Stitch Hat

I love this style hat...

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