~Happy 4th of July~

Posted on Saturday, July 4, 2009 at 03:06 PM by Mary-Ann - 0 Comments - Link

~HAPPY 4th OF JULY~

  In the words of Herbert Hoover, "My country owes me nothing. It gave me, as it gives every boy and girl, a chance. It gave me schooling, independence of action, opportunity for service and honor. In no other land could a boy from a country village, without inheritance or influential friends, look forward with unbounded hope."

Sincerely,

~Mary-Ann~

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!!

Posted on Saturday, July 4, 2009 at 09:31 by Sister Lori - 4 Comments - Link

BLESSINGS!

   I ASK FOR URGENT PRAYER FOR HOMESTEADBLOGGERS COUNTRYMOUSE (SISTER CARRIE). SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR WRECK YESTERDAY WHERE HER VEHICLE WAS T-BONED. SHE WAS LIFE FLIGHTED TO A HOSPITAL, TREATED AND RELEASED TO HOME.

   HER HUSBAND CONTACTED US AND TOLD US THAT ONLY GOD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HER LIVING THROUGH THE CRASH AND ASIDE FROM SOME INTERNAL BRUISING, CUTS AND SCRAPES SHE SUFFERED NO BROKEN BONES!! GOD'S HAND IS ALL OVER IT.

   AS I ALWAYS TELL FOLKS, GOD IS NOT SILENT AND YES HE STILL PERFORMS MIRACLES. THANK YOU JESUS!!!

   PLEASE LIFT SISTER CARRIE AND HER FAMILY IN YOUR FERVENT PRAYERS BOTH IN SUPPLICATION AND PRAISE. SHE IS GOING TO HAVE A TIME OF IT AS SHE HEALS FROM THIS. PRAY FOR HIS HEALING HAND. AND FOR THEIR COSTS TO BE COVERED AS THIS CAME AT A TIME WHEN THERE WAS A LAG IN THEIR INSURANCE.

   I KNOW YOU ARE ALL SUCH WONDERFUL PRAYER WARRIORS AND KNOW THAT GOD WILL HEAR!

GOD BE WITH THEE!

SISTER LORI

Auction Day

Posted on Saturday, July 4, 2009 at 07:33 by Marie - 2 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Saturday! Auction Day in the neighborhood. We will see how everything goes. There are a lot of neat things down on Elmers hay pasture. Everything from smokehouses and gazebos to wringer eashers and wood cook stoves. Mark drove our tractor down last night. The little ponies and carts are selling today too. I hope the buyers with money come :)

My in-laws arrives last night to stay the weekend. My father in law hopes to get a bunch of chickens today at the auction. I think they are selling about 300 young hens. He set up shop in our front yard yesterday and made a picnic table out there. It is made out of the extra rough cut lumber Mark has accumulated, a mixture of maple, oak and poplar. The table weighs a literal ton and I think we will need a group of amish guys to move it over to it's final spot under a maple tree. Until then, it can stay where it is.

I worked a lot on staking our 70 tomatoe plants the other night. My hands are such a mess now, between the scratches from the raspberry brambles, and stained fingers from the berries and stained hands from working in the tomatoes.... definitely not a hand model moment here.

Good weather today, thank you Lord. I think I need one more cup of coffee before I go out to face the cows. I'm trying to dry up Mrs Calloway ecause she should be due in a couple months (if I calculated right) and I'd like to give her a little rest. I just milk her out about half way each time until her milk supply goes down to the point where I don't milk at all. She has had a good long cycle this time, nearly two years. Not bad for an old girl.

Well, I'm off to get coffee in me. Have a great one!

I love roosters.

So far they have taken 3 truckloads out. They found better than expected trees here, so maybe we will be getting some extra money for them. We shall see.

Patriotic Fruit Pizza

Posted on Sat 4 Jul 2009 at 2:27 AM by GrandmaRosie - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Patriotic Fruit Pizza

1 (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

Firecracker Cupcakes

Posted on Sat 4 Jul 2009 at 2:20 AM by GrandmaRosie - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Firecracker Cupcakes

1 (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