Posted By LaVonne
Did you know our first American Flag was made of wool? If you know anything about spinning and weaving, you can appreciate the effort that went into making our first American Flag. That's just part of the process. To learn more about it and the woman who created it, this is an awesome site. http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/#faq You can take a virtual tour of Betsy Ross's home, learn facts you might not know about the flag and even learn how to cut a 5 point star with one snip! Betsy Ross did!
Did you know she outlived 3 husbands and had 7 daughters, all while maintaining her own business? Her pew at Christ's Church was right next to George Washington's. Think about the grit it took back then just to survive.
Independence Day! Think about it. |
Posted By GrandmaRosie in FROM THE KITCHEN
 Patriotic Fruit Pizza1 (16 1/2 oz.) pkg. refrigerated sugar cookie dough 1 C of sugar, divided 2 T of cornstarch 1/2 C of orange juice 1/4 C of lemon juice 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature 1 T of milk 1 t orange peel, grated 2/3 C of heavy whipping cream 1 apple, peeled and sliced thin 1 1/2 C of fresh strawberries, halved 1 C seedless dark purple grapes, halved 1 banana, sliced thin 1 C of fresh raspberries 1/2 C of fresh blueberries Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the cookie dough and let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Carefully spread the dough onto an ungreased pizza pan. Bake the dough 15 minutes or until a golden brown. Remove and allow the dough to cool on the pan. Dump half of the sugar into a small saucepan. Add the cornstarch and toss slightly to combine. Pour the orange and lemon juice into the mixture. Place the pan over medium heat bringing the mixture to a steady boil. Continue boiling for 2 minutes stirring constantly then remove the pan from the heat, setting aside to cool. Cube the cream cheese and place in a large mixing bowl. Pour the milk over the cream cheese. Add the orange peel and the remaining sugar. Beat the mixture until blended together well and smooth. Place the whipping cream into a small mixing bowl. Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks begin to form. Fold the whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture until blended in well. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Place the apple slices around the outside edge of the crust. Next layer the strawberry halves around the crust. Circle the halved grapes on next. Add the bananas to the ring. Place the raspberries onto the crust next. Finish the ring with the blueberries. Spread the reserved glaze evenly over the all the fruit. Place covered in the refrigerator for about 1 hour or until chilled. Makes 12 servings Preparation Time: approximately 30 minutes |
Posted By GrandmaRosie in FROM THE KITCHEN
 Firecracker Cupcakes1 (18 oz. ) box of devils food cake mix 1 1/4 C of sour cream 3 eggs 1/3 C of canola oil 2 T instant coffee crystals 1/2 t ground chipotle chili pepper 1 (11.5 oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate chunks 2 t flour 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 C butter, room temperature 1/2 t vanilla 2 1/2 C of powdered sugar Red and blue food coloring 2 oz. semi sweet chocolate, chopped 1/4 C of whipping cream Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Dump the devils food cake mix into a large mixing bowl. Add in the sour cream, eggs, and oil. Sprinkle in the coffee crystals and pepper. With an electric mixer on low speed beat the ingredients for 45 seconds. Adjust the speed to medium and continue beating 2 minutes making the batter thick. Place the flour in a small bowl. Add the chocolate chunks and toss to coat. Fold the chocolate into the cupcake batter. Fill the prepared muffin cups 3/4 full of the batter. Bake 20 minutes or until the tops bounce back when lightly touched. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove to wire racks to continue cooling. Place the cream cheese and the butter into a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until the mixture reaches a frosting consistency. Separate the frosting into 3 small bowls and tint one bowl with the red food coloring and 1 bowl with the blue food coloring. Frost the cupcakes dividing between the 3 different colors. Place the chopped chocolate into a small mixing bowl. Heat the whipping cream in a saucepan over low heat to just boiling. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes then whisk until smooth. Place the mixture into a sealable baggie. Snip one corner of the baggie and drizzle the chocolate over the frosted cupcakes. Makes 24 cupcakes |
Posted By LaVonne
Yellow and white with purple splashes!
I really like this one! Only one bloom and it didn't last long. I am glad I got the picture.
Feverfew and Peonies
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Posted By Cynthia Robin in Day to Day Life In My Home
Tomorrow will be a busy day here at my home. Lots of folks are coming by for my annual Independence Day Cookout. Here is this year's menu: Deviled Eggs Grilled Burgers and Hot Dogs Potato Salad Spaghetti Salad Pea Salad Baked Beans Cole Slaw & Hot Dog Sauce Relish/Toppings Plate 5-cup Fruit Salad Cream Pies Patriotic Cupcakes (red, white, & blue!) Watermelon Sweet Tea Actually, its just like most of you will be having tomorrow--an All-American Cookout with all the fixin's! However, first and foremost in the day will be prayers of thanksgiving to God for the freedoms we are given each and every day. Many lives were lost, many others dedicated to insuring our freedom, and I am ever so thankful for this. Our God is faithful, and we must be also. May you and your family and loved ones have a most blessed and safe Independence Day this year!
Hugs, Cynthia Robin |
