Western Hamburger

Western Hamburger

1 pound hamburger
1 teaspoon sage
½ teaspoon mixed herbs
½ teaspoon accent
½ teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper

Mix meat and spice well
Add:
1 chopped onion
1 tablespoon pickle relish
2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons capers
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 beaten egg

Let set for 1 hour in refrigerator before forming into patties. Cook well and enjoy.

Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies

1 cup shortening- half butter and half margarine works well
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 ¼ cup flour

Cream shortening and sugars; add egg, vanilla, and combine dry ingredients. Drop by teaspoons on non-greased cookie sheets; flatten with fork. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen.

Q & A - Plant with Orange Flowers that Always Blooms

Question: I am looking for a plant that blooms almost all the time and has orange flowers.
The plant you are looking for is called the firecracker flower (Crossandra infundibuliformis) and bears loose, soft tangerine-colored flowers. It blooms all year long as long as it has at least half-days of sunlight and night-time temperatures in the 60's.

Stroganoff

Stroganoff

1 ½ cups steak (cut into cubes)
1 medium onion
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon garlic
1 cube of beef bouillon
slosh of wine
1-1 ¼ cups of sour cream

Saute the steak and onions. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and simmer 30 or longer. Before you put it on the table stir in the sour cream. Add as much as you would like. Serves 4

Q & A - Growing Herbs

Question: Can I grow herbs indoors?
Yes, you can grow herbs indoors. Your herbs will need enough sunlight and also cool temperatures. Rosemary is the easiest, but basil, mint, parsley, thyme, chives and bay will grow as well. If you have been growing your herbs outside, you can bring them in during the winter and set them back out again in the spring.

Special Upside Down Cake

Special Upside Down Cake

1 can pie filling (blueberry, apple, or cherry)
1 box white cake mix
½ cup melted butter
½ cup nuts
¼-1/2 cup sugar

In 9x13 pan spread filling, then sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly. Dribble melted butter over, then sprinkle sugar and nuts. Bake 350° for 35-40 minutes until brown. Slower baking at 325° might work better.

Ranch Life

My summer has gone well. Summer is always busy on a ranch and this year is no exception. We have to feed the baby calves, brand and then make sure the fences are not broken. The kids always enjoy riding the 4-wheelers and doing the chores. We have two baby calves we need to feed with bottles, bulls to feed and cows. I used to have to deal with the horses too, but my dad finally let them out. It was not easy to let the milk cow, because the horses wanted out. When I have a lot more time on the computer I will tell you more about the fun of doing chores and life on the ranch.

Q & A - Ferns

Question: What type of fern would work best in a shady spot in my house?
The best type of fern would be the holly fern, Cyrtomium falcatum. It gets its name because it looks like English holly. This plant can grow in deep shade and needs little water and fertilizer.

Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice

1 ½ cups uncooked rice
12 ounces tomato sauce
1 medium chopped onion
8 strips bacon
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Fry bacon until crisp. Cook the rice. Sauté onions in the bacon grease. Crumble up the bacon. Combine all the ingredients. Place in a greased pan. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serves 4. Yum.

Q & A - What is a hybrid plant?

Question: Could you please explain what a hybrid plant is?
A hybrid plant is the result of mating two related species of a genus, mating two genera, like with orchids or by mating true-breeding strains. Sometimes the result is a stronger, more attractive plant.

Popsicles

Popsicles

1 package flavored gelatin
1 package powdered drink mix
1 cup sugar
2 cups hot water

Dissolve all the ingredients and add 2 cups cold water. If it is a pre-sweetened powdered drink mix you can eliminate the sugar. Pour into your containers and freeze.

Q & A - Making Cut Flowers Last

Question: How do florists make cut flowers last?
1. They remove any leaves that would be below the waterline.
2. They cut a bit off the bottom of the stem to discourage bacteria from multiplying.
3. They use lukewarm water, not cold.
4. They add cut-flower food.
5. They add water daily.

Linguine with Clam Sauce

Linguine with Clam Sauce

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
dash of salt
1 clove garlic
1 can chopped clams (drained)

Melt the butter, add the flour and cook until light brown. Slowly add the milk, salt and garlic. Add the chopped clams and wait for the sauce to thicken. Serve over cooked linguine. Makes enough for two.

The Bare Cupboard- June 22, 2009

Welcome to the June 22, 2009 edition of the bare cupboard.

desserts

Mama Bear presents Strawberry Rhubarb Pie posted at Suitable For Consumption.

main dishes

Renee V. Rouse presents Frugal-Living-Skills Blog: Family Meals for Under $5 - Tater Tot Casserole posted at Frugal-Living-Skills Blog, saying, ""...Weekly grocery circulars often read “feed a family of 4 for under $10!”. I’m sure most of you have laughed at this as I did. As a result, I began to wonder what does dinner really cost for my family of 8? So I set a challenge for myself and I figured if I kept it under $5, I was doing good...""

jim presents Make Your Own Dog Food posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity, saying, "Tips for cooking/making your own dog food."

Local Nourishment presents Kohlrabi. Weird plant, yummy food posted at Local Nourishment.

tips

Brooklyn White presents Radiography Schools » 100 Best Cooking Tips for Cancer Prevention posted at Radiography Schools.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the bare cupboard using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Q & A - Oleander Bushes

Question: I recently visited Southern United States and I loved the oleander bushes. I live in a colder climate, so I can't grow them outside. Will they work as houseplants?
Nerium oleander (scientific name) can be grown as houseplants where there is lots of sun. Oleander bushes will begin to bloom when they are around 18 inches tall. You can keep them prumed to the length you desire. I would keep pets and young children away from these plants, because they are poisonous.

Hot Chicken Salad

Hot Chicken Salad

2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups thinly sliced celery or ¾ cup peas
½ cup chopped toasted almonds (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated onion
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix all ingredients. Pile lightly in baking dish. Sprinkle with ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese and 1 cup toasted bread cubes. Bake at 450° for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly. Makes 4 servings.

Gobble to Goop from my son (five-years-old)- My Prayer

Our Father, who are in Heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give is this day, are daily bread Amen. (This is what my son thinks is the first part of this prayer.)

Q & A - Varigated Plants

Question: Is it harder to keep variegated plants healthier than all-green plants?
Yes, it is harder to keep them healthier, because the leaves of the variegated plants don't have as much chlorophyll. It is the chlorophyll and the light that build the plant's strength.

The Bare Cupboard- June 12, 2009

Welcome to the June 12, 2009 edition of the bare cupboard. These look like some great recipes. Thank you for submitting and I am sorry this edition is late, but where I am the phone has not been working. Remember to comment and socially bookmark.

breads

Chrysa presents Thrifty Jinxy: Use Leftover Cereal to Make Yummy & Healthy Muffins posted at Thrifty Jinxy, saying, "This is a great recipe to use up any leftover cereal you have on hand and end up with yummy, healthy muffins."

desserts

Christa Visperas presents A Fruity Life posted at Great Things to Buy, saying, "Fruits are one of the things basic to our existence. Fruits need no transformation, cooking or processing, for us to eat them. They are all-natural, with only sunshine, soil and water to urge them into fruition. And once they are ripe, you can even pick them right off the tree and eat them!"

main dishes

Melanie Romay presents The Incredible, Edible "Poached" Egg posted at Mel-Mel, saying, "When it comes to breakfast, people seem to forget about poached eggs. Why not give them a try!"

tips

Susies presents Kilimanjaro Foods’ Versatile Jerk Sauce « Sauce Talk posted at Sauce Talk, saying, "Discover some delicious and creative ways to liven up your next meal."

vegetables

goo presents Hedgerow Pesto posted at sustainablelivingproject.co.uk.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the bare cupboard using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Date Bread

Date Bread

4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar

Mix and add:
1 cup ground nuts
1 ½ cups chopped dates

Mix and add:
2 eggs
2 cups milk

Pour into greased loaf pan. Makes one large loaf or two smaller loaves. Bake after standing for 20 minutes at 350° for 45-60 minutes. You will know when it is done when you stick in a toothpick and it comes out dry.

Gobble to Goop from my son (five-years-old)- Our Day

A blogger was in a house one morning long, so was Dinoco and Lightning McQueen and all the other cars and Mater. Everybody was in the house even my sister and momma. I was playing a game where Mater towed the cars away to truck jail. It was a nice day outside. And I played outside. It was lots and lots of fun. Don’t you want to go outside? We have a swing set. And my side hurts kind of today, but so I won’t swing today. We are going to Wyoming soon.

Q & A - Bird's Nest Fern

Question: Are Bird's Nest Ferns difficult houseplants?
Bird's Nest Ferns are not easy to grow, because they need a lot of humidity. They do well with a humidity tray, regular misting and partial shade.

June 5th Edition of the Bare Cupboard

Welcome to the June 5, 2009 edition of the bare cupboard! Thank you so much for the wonderful submissions. I enjoyed looking at them. I am hungry now. Please remember to comment and socially bookmark.

desserts

Melanie Romay presents Oh My! Oreo Pie! posted at Mel-Mel, saying, "A quick, easy and delicious dessert that everyone will enjoy."

main dishes

jim presents Homemade Pork & Shrimp Dumplings posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

Brian Mounts presents A Dinner Light on Calories posted at How To Live a Longer Life, saying, "Cutting calorie intake is widely known to promote longevity and over all health assuming proper nutrition is adhered to. I proposed the following solution for a bare budget, cupbord, and person looking to eat a healthy meal low in calories."

J Knight presents Baked Chicken and Orzo posted at Better Homemaking: Recipes & Kitchen Tips.

MC presents It IS What?s for Dinner posted at Shibooya.

Travis presents How to Make a Good Soy Burger posted at Personal Web Guide, saying, "Even for you non-vegetarians out there, you'd be surprised how delicious a properly made soy-burger can be!"

side dishes

Katie presents Recipe Connection: Homemade Guacamole posted at Kitchen Stewardship, saying, "An easy, quick recipe for frugal guacamole, plus how to cut an avocado."

Noel Chapman presents Tomatoes Casablanca:Make Your Picnics Memorable posted at Noel's Kitchen Tips, saying, "Make your picnics memorable with some fabulous recipes!"

tips

Sahara Reins presents How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs posted at Fowl Visions.

vegetables

Lucynda Riley presents Make your own Ketchup posted at Green Dreams, saying, "Save money and the environment by making your own ketchup"

Local Nourishment presents Green Smoothies posted at Local Nourishment.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the bare cupboard using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: the bare cupboard, blog carnival.

Banana Split Dessert

Banana Split Dessert

2 cups graham crackers or vanilla wafers (crushed in fine crumbs)
1 cup softened margarine
2 cups powdered sugar
3 bananas
2 ½ cups crushed pineapple or fruit cocktail (well drained)
1 large container cool whip

Melt one stick margarine and mix with crumbs. Place in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Beat powdered sugar and other stick of margarine at medium speed for no less than 15 minutes. Spread mixture on crumbs. Slice bananas over top. Spread pineapple or fruit cocktail over the top. Cover with cool whip. Garnish with chopped nuts and maraschino cherries. Refrigerate over night. Serves 10-12.

By My Daughter Age 3- My Life Part 2

Help you not to be cross. A story like a kangaroo. The bear who ate the cookies. We had supper with Johnna and we had a nice nice day. Santa Clause is on this card.

The Bones of an Organization

I have no idea where this came from, so I have no idea who to give the credit to. I really enjoyed it though.

"The body of almost any organization has four kinds of bones:
1. The WISHBONES who spend all their time wishing someone else would do the work.
2. The JAWBONES who do all the talking but little else.
3. The KNUCKLEBONES who knock everything that everyone tries to do.
4. The BACKBONES who get under the load and do all the work.
ANYONE WILLING TO BE A BACKBONE? Lets hear from you."

Gobble to Goop from my son (five-years-old)- Little Kangaroo and Shoes

A little kangaroo jumped out and played forever and ever. He ate shoes. That was his meal. Anyway he loved eating shoes. He just loved eating shoes. They were so yummy. He never stopped. The End.

Q&A - Geraniums

Question: My geranium leaves do not have dark green rings and the plants have no flowers. What is wrong?
Not all geranium varieties have leaves, but it could be that there is not enough sunshine. The soil might be too wet. Keep your geranium in more sunlight, keep the soil drier and your plants should develop properly.

Beer Bread

Beer Bread

3 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch salt
1 can or bottle of beer

Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Slowly stir in the can or bottle of beer. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 375° for 45-60 minutes.

The Bare Cupboard

Welcome to the May 29, 2009 edition of the bare cupboard.

main dishes

jim presents Making Your Own Pizza Dough posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

Mother Hen presents Meanwhile, back at the ranch… » Blog Archive » Scraping the Bottom of the Pantry posted at Mother Hen.

tips

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Will Green Food Saver Bags Make Food Last Longer? posted at The Digerati Life, saying, "Thanks!"

vegetables

Cory presents How To Change Your Eating Habits posted at Eating Healthy, saying, "By the time we become aware of the fact that we need to change the way we have been eating, for our entire life, we are kind of attached to it."

tips

Jessica presents Everything You Ever Needed To Know About Garlic posted at Jessica's Health Tips, saying, "Garlic is something everyone has an opinion about, one way or another."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the bare cupboard using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: the bare cupboard, blog carnival.

By My Daughter Age 3- My Life

Kangaroos jumping up high. And children being kind. And help my room to be clean. And help you to not to be mad and to not to be cross. Help my brother me nice to me. Help me to be nice to my brother.

Packaging Plant Cuttings

Question- I like to give plant cuttings to other people. What is the best way to package them?
I love to give plant cuttings. When I give people plant cuttings I wet a tissue or paper towel around the bottom of the stem. Then I wrap aluminum foil around the bottom of the stem so there is no leak. In colder weather I like to wrap the entire cutting in several layers of newspaper for insulation, so the plants won't die in the cold. Sometimes I like to put the whole thing into a plastic bag that can be shut with a twist-tie if it will be a number of hours before the cutting will be planted.

Gobble to Goop from my son (five-years-old)- The Little Bear and His Shoes

One day a little bear came out to play and he found some cereal on the floor. And he found a tree seed on his bare little paw. He had a computer and shoes and he put whipped cream in his shoes, so they could be more comfortable. He always cleans his shoes. The End.

Time-saving Gardening Equipment

It has gotten so nice where I live and many places around the world. I have been thinking about gardening outside. Here are some ideas when buying equipment for gardening outside.

1. If you need a new tiller and grow annuals and vegetables pick a tiller has a width option of around 11 inches, so you can till between the rows. A tiller works very well for tilling in fertilizer and lime. And certainly getting rid of the weeds.

2. If you have a lot of trees that shed in the spring, like my oak tree does, you can use a leaf blower to clean off your patio. You can use it to clean driveway off after mowing and certainly for easy leaf gathering in the fall.

3. An electric or gas trimmer easily trims grass around trees, walls, walks or fence lines. It saves on both time and your knees.

4. If you can afford it, buy the biggest mower that will work on your lawn. It will save on time. I like to use a mower that uses my own power, just like I used when I was younger.

I hope these time-saving gardening ideas help you.

The Bare Cupboard May 22, 2009

Welcome to the May 22, 2009 edition of the bare cupboard. Thank you so much for your yummy recipes and useful tips. Please remember to comment and socially bookmark. And of course enjoy eating!!

vegetarian main dishes

kara thurmond presents Grilled Blue Cheese Portobello Burgers posted at An Hour In the Kitchen, saying, "Make your own buns, mayo, ketchup and mustard for your grilled Portobello Burgers!"

tips

Sarah Scrafford presents 100 Useful Websites for Vegetarians and Vegans posted at Ultrasound Technician Schools.

breads

jim presents Making Homemade Bread Crumbs posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

rice side dish

Ruswandi Yusuf presents Recipe:Mushroom Risotto posted at All About Life, saying, "It's easy to cook but the taste is fantastic :-)"

desserts

Melanie Romay presents Cake for Cheaters posted at Mel-Mel.

main dishes

Local Nourishment presents Twice a week healthy pancakes posted at Local Nourishment.

Tristan presents High Protein & Low Calorie Caesar Salad posted at Body And Fitness Blog, saying, "A healthy high protein low calorie recipe for Caesar salad that will have your taste buds salivating with excitement!"

side dishes

presents Mango Salsa Recipe Selection posted at Home Life Weekly, saying, "A selection of Mango salsa recipes for you to enjoy and eat,"

tips

Sarah Couture Pope presents How to Have a Healthy Birthday Party for your Child posted at The Healthy Home Economist, saying, "This four part blog article outlines recipes and tips for hosting a healthy birthday party for your child."

fruit

Lindsay presents 5 Berries You Can Grow in Containers posted at Off the Urban Grid, saying, "A look at berries that even the space-challenged can grow at home!"

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the bare cupboard using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: the bare cupboard, blog carnival.

Mom's Best Meat Loaf

Mom’s Best Meat Loaf

1½ pounds ground beef
¾ cup rolled oats (uncooked) or dried bread that has been torn into small chunks
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 egg
¾ cup milk

Sauce:
1/3 cup catsup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon mustard
stir together

Combine all the ingredients except for the ground beef and let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes so the rolled oats or bread has a chance to become softened. After soaking add the ground beef and pack into a loaf pan. Pour sauce over the meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Serves about four people.

By My Daughter Age 3- Her Prayer

Thy kingdom come. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Hallowed be thy done. (Her version of the Lord's Prayer.)

Apple Dapple Cake

Apple Dapple Cake

1 ½ cups oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups slice apple
1 ½ cups nuts

Sift cinnamon, nutmeg and soda with flour. Mix all the ingredients together. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes in a 9x13 pan.

Icing
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup milk
½ cup oil

Bring to a boil and cook for 4 minutes, remove from heat and beat until creamy. Pour over hot cake.

The Bare Cupboard- May 15, 2009

Welcome to the May 15, 2009 edition of the bare cupboard. Thank you for all of the wonderful submissions. Everything sounded great and I am going to have to try out some of these recipes. Please remember to comment and socially bookmark.

Main dishes:
Renee V. Rouse presents Family Meals for Under $5 May 1st posted at Frugal-Living-Skills Blog, saying, "Family Meals for Under $5"

Conan Stevens presents Celebrity Cooks Top 19 Low Recipes posted at Conan Stevens Online, saying, "Low carb, fat and sugar recipe ideas for the serious athlete or dieter..."

Side dishes:
ChadChandler presents Homemade Mayonnaise posted at Chad Chandler.

Vegetables:
Local Nourishment presents Kale chips in season now! posted at Local Nourishment.

Desserts:
The Hip Hostess presents Blueberry-Pomegranate Bread Pudding with Key Lime Curd posted at The Hip Hostess.

Tips:
Silicon Valley Blogger presents Will Green Food Saver Bags Make Food Last Longer? posted at The Digerati Life, saying, "Thanks!"

Sarah Couture Pope presents How to Have a Healthy Birthday Party for your Child posted at The Healthy Home Economist saying, "This four part blog article outlines recipes and tips for hosting a healthy birthday party for your child."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the bare cupboard using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
Technorati tags: the bare cupboard, blog carnival.

Do Temperatures Vary within Your House?

Temperatures DO Vary within a Room

I have found that the temperatures in a room are different. The thermometer on the outside wall shows one temperature and another one on the inner wall is at least one degree warmer. Our thermostat in the living room is even different that other rooms in the house. This past winter our kitchen temperature was three degrees cooler than the thermostat.

Have you ever noticed how much warmer it is in the window compared to the rest of the room? I bet your plants have noticed. The windowsill can be much warmer during the day than at night.

One reason why I have set my thermostat to the same temperature all of the time, so the house is more evenly heated. If I have the thermostat set at the same temperature all the time it is much better for my plants. I tried adjusting the thermostat to be more energy efficient one time and all of my plants almost died. One thing I had to do this winter was to actually move my AeroGarden with tomatoes into a window. It needed the extra light and the daytime warmth of the window. The nighttime coolness didn’t seem to bother the tomatoes.

When choosing plants I would check to see what their best lighting and temperatures are and then you can choose the best area in your house. Check your plants often to make sure they are growing properly. Enjoy your plants!

Tips for Houseplants- How to Grow a Brunfelsia

I saw a plant that is labeled "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow," what is it?

This plant is a Brunfelsia, which is nearly everblooming. The common name was given because the new flowers turn from purple to lavender to white during three days. In the winter you need to keep it in the sun and in the summer give it filtered light. Please feed your plant with half-strength fertilizer every other week and keep the soil barely moist.

The Bare Cupboard #3

Welcome to the May 8, 2009 edition of the bare cupboard.

main dishes

The Smarter Wallet presents Organic Food: Healthy Food Ideas For The Ordinary Shopper posted at The Smarter Wallet, saying, "Thanks!" And I say thank you, The Smarter Wallet. I am more eager to buy organically if I know where to buy it.

tips

FitBuff presents Top 4 Raw Food Diets Resources posted at FitBuff.com's Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog, saying, "There's nothing easier to prepare than just about every meal on a raw food diet, but can you still get all the flavor and satisfaction without cooking your food?"

Home Life Weekly presents Weekly Menu Planner posted at Home Life Weekly, saying, "The free weekly menu planner it is excellent for helping you to budget for food more clearly and give you focus to help you follow a weight loss diet"

vegetables

I got hungry just reading this recipe by Bobbie Whitehead for sweet corn sauce for pasta in Recipe Corner posted at Bobbie Whitehead.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the bare cupboard using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: the bare cupboard, blog carnival.

Cinnamon Orange Sugarless Cookies

Cinnamon Orange Sugarless Cookies

1 ¾ cup flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup orange juice
½ cup less 1 Tablespoon oil
1 egg
½ cup nuts
½ cup nuts

Mix dry ingredients, add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!!!

I hope everyone enjoys these Cinnamon Orange Sugarless Cookies!

What Can You Grow in Your House?

What are the temperatures in your house?

All indoor plants grow at different temperatures.
My house is on average 70 degrees F.
Following is a list of plants that would grow well in my house:
Pelargonium spp. (geranium)
Saintpaulia spp. and cvs. (African violet)
Spathiphyllum spp. (peace lily)
Syngonium spp. (arrowhead)
I hope this small list of plants gives you some ideas for what you can grow in your house.

Amensty Day and bunnies

I hope you had a good weekend. I enjoyed my weekend. I left the computer off for most of the weekend. I only turned it on after the kids went to bed, when I needed to make sure I was current on blogging.

We did have some excitement when we were cleaning out an old metal shed for our city's amnesty day. Our dogs stirred up some baby rabbits. I was in the house working on lunch, when I saw something that looked like a mouse running towards the house, one of the dogs was chasing something else and everyone was very excited. I decided to go out there and see how I could help. My husband was able to get rescue one bunny from a dog. I was able to keep away dogs and rescue two bunnies. We got the doors to the shed shut and the dogs shut up in the garage. I checked the bunny my husband rescued and it seemed to just have a surface scratch. We put the bunnies in an old flower pot and my daughter decided she was going to be in charge of the bunnies.

I continued to work on lunch while my husband called different people to see if they could care for the bunnies. We found a local lady who could come and pick up the bunnies; she told us we needed to go look for more. The average litter size is 6-8. We found six more in the shed and they were much larger than the first three. The lady and her children came and our shed bunnies are now safely being cared for. And we are that much closer to getting rid of our shed, now that we have the amnesty day and no more bunnies.

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).
And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

The Barecupboard Carnival

Welcome to the May 1, 2009 edition of the bare cupboard. I would like to thank all of those who submitted this week. Thank you very much Wenchypoo for your all of your wonderful tips. I am sure we all look forward to learning more from you.

desserts

Wenchypoo presents Recipe: Watchagot Cake posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

main dishes

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Cutting Food Costs: Consumers Switch To Spam posted at The Digerati Life, saying, "In defense of spam!"

Bobby presents Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe posted at Free Online Recipes Free Recipes, saying, "better than lasagna"

side dishes

Local Nourishment presents Seasonal Veggies: Chicory and Leeks posted at Local Nourishment.

tips

Jessica Nagel presents Eating Water Based Food posted at Sustainable Halo, saying, "Jessica writes about healthy eating at Sustainable Halo."

FitBuff presents First week of Raw Veggie's - Workout Recap (April 12-19, 2009) posted at FitBuff.com's Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog, saying, "I'm currently experimenting with a raw vegetarian diet, and here are some of the things I've been eating..."

Wenchypoo presents Revised: Cheap Eating with Cost-Per-Serving posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Wenchypoo presents The Meat Manifesto posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Wenchypoo presents Filling Up On Fewer Calories with Less Food—Negative Calories and Volumetrics posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Wenchypoo presents How I Create (and Re-Create) My Own Kitchen Convenience posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Wenchypoo presents Updated: Comparing the Cost of Canned and Frozen Meat to Fresh posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Wenchypoo presents Two Games You Really Don't Need posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Wenchypoo presents Frittering With Cookbooks posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Wenchypoo presents Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket: Calculating Meat Cost Per Serving posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Wenchypoo presents Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket: Comparing the Costs of Canned and Frozen Meats to Fresh posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Wenchypoo presents The Mighty Egg posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Wenchypoo presents More False Economies posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the bare cupboard using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: the bare cupboard, blog carnival.

Things Kids Say

I am not sure who wrote this, but I would like to share this with you.

The teacher called on little Charlie, "Tell me what you know about George Washington. Was he a soldier or a sailor?"
"I think he was a soldier," replied Charlie.
"Why do you think he was a soldier?"
"I seen a picture of him when he crossed the Delaware and any sailor knows enough not to stand up in a rowboat."

Gobble to Goop from my son (five-years-old)- Squashed Up Bread and Sauce

If you ever want something good ask me. I have a good recipe. It is called squashed up bread and a sauce for all of you. If you have ketchup you can make a good sauce. You need oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning as you like them. That is all you need. Mix the seasonings with the ketchup and just pour the sauce over the squashed up bread. The squashed up bread will be delicious. The end.

Strawberry Gelatin

Strawberry Gelatin

Dissolve 1 large package strawberry gelatin in 1 ½ cups hot water. Add 1 small can crushed pineapple -undrained- and 1 pound package frozen strawberries partially thawed.
Makes 8-10 servings.

Gobble to Goop from my son (five-years-old)- The bears and the fish

The bear was sitting in the bank. So was a 2 sitting in the side of the river bank. They used a van to get to the bank. At the bank they were catching fish with fishing poles. The end.

Peace For You

I do not know who wrote this, but I wanted to share it with you.
May today there be peace within.
May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are.
Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.

The Homesteading Carnival

Please join me today for The Homesteading Carnival. This week's edition is posted at Walking Therein, hosted by Jacque Dixon. In it you will find articles about Managing the Home Budget, Making a Beautiful Home, Crafts and Homemade, The Garden, and Recipes and more.

Super Potato Salad

Super Potato Salad

12 medium potatoes cooked with skins on
6 hard-boiled eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1 medium onion chopped
1 ½ teaspoons mustard
2 tablespoons vinegar
½ teaspoon salt

Boil the potatoes. While they are cooking make the dressing. Peel the eggs, mash the yokes and dice the whites. Add the egg yokes to the wet ingredients, if the dressing is too thick milk can be added. Peel the potatoes and dice. Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes and add diced egg whites. Chill well. It does not taste good warm. Serves six.

The First Edition of THE BARE CUPBOARD

Welcome to the first edition of the bare cupboard.

I would like to thank Jon T. and Noel Chapman for their submissions. Please check out the rest of my blog for other recipes.

main dishes

Jon T. presents Meat Loaf Recipe posted at The Mustang Ride, saying, "Enjoy this meatloaf dish I have enjoyed time and time again."

tips

Noel Chapman presents Raising Healthy Kids~Healthy Options For Lunch Noel's Kitchen Tips posted at Noel's Kitchen Tips.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the bare cupboard using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: the bare cupboard, blog carnival.

A New Blog Carnival- The Bare Cupboard

Today is the last day for submitting to a new Blog carnival called "The Bare Cupboard."

This is a carnival to give us all an inspiration for meals. It seems that our cupboards are always bare until we have ideas for the meals. We are all looking forward to your ideas.

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the bare cupboard using our carnival submission form.

The Homesteading Carnival THC

I really enjoyed reading all of the posts for this carnival. Thank you very much. I hope everybody had a nice weekend and are ready for the week!!!

Karen Southernbelle presents COUNTRY LIFE - Pictures, Pictures, Pictures! posted at Southernbelle, saying, "Here's a recent blog entry of spring photos around my country place."

Abi presents 3 dimensions.... posted at lighter side.

Sandy Wong presents DIY Instructions of Tabletop Garden - Bento Box Gardening on Cloud 9 posted at Gardening on Cloud 9, saying, "With an elegant garden container, 10 pots of indoor plants, moss... I've made this beautiful tabletop garden as a great home decor, table decoration, in my house..."

Lara DeHaven presents Rule Your Roost posted at Texas Homesteader.

Make it from Scratch presents Crab Stuffed Shrimp posted at Make It From Scratch.

Wendy Piersall presents Garden Craft: Plant Markers Free Pattern Download posted at Craft Jr., saying, "Thanks for considering my submission! :)"

Neighbor Nancy presents The Backyard Flock: You Can Build a Brooder posted at Recession Depression Therapy, saying, "It's time for chicks! They'll need a warm, healthy, easy to clean brooder. If I can do it, anyone can. Trust me."

The Family presents Making goat cheese and instructions/recipe posted at Once Upon a Family.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents The Dave Ramsey Budget: Budgeting Tips For Successful Savers posted at The Digerati Life, saying, "Here are some great ways to live frugally."

Mike Lawson presents Raising Turkeys for Fun and Profit: Basic Facts and Terminology posted at The Chicken Coop.

Emma presents Easter + chocolate + kids = dilemmas for parents posted at Baby-Log.

Check out a recipe for Potato Salad I posted on one of my other blogs!

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the homesteading carnival thc using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: the homesteading carnival thc, blog carnival.

Please note the carnival host for April 20 will be Jacque at Walking Therein.

No-bake Brownie

No-bake Brownie

1 package chocolate chips
1 can evaporated milk
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup chopped nuts
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon flavoring

Melt the chocolate chips, evaporated milk and flavoring together. Put all but ½ cup of the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients in a greased 9x17. Mix. Pat with greased fingers. Spread with ½ cup chocolate mixture. Refrigerate. Makes 32 brownies.

Enjoy these No-bake Brownies!!!

Tomatoes and Chives update

I have been able to cut the chives that I have moved to the window. I still have had no luck with the tomatoes. They are still green. I have been using a small space heater to try to warm up the room. It has been getting warmer outside, so the house should start warming up soon. I suppose I could also move the AeroGarden to the window. What do you think I should do?

Gobble to Goop from my son (five-years-old)- Old Wyoming

This picture was taken of a parade a long time ago. I think it was in Wyoming.

Little Kangaroo jump and play. Done. Jump like a kangaroo. Done. But a bar was in a bear's home. Meat too for the supper in a cookbook called meat, soup and ground turkey pies. And a bear was standing outside a vulture's home, which had lots of meat too. It had old dead bears that died. "I want to have some grass," said the bear. The bear was hungry. The coyote wanted to visit too. He was knocking on the door.

The End

Potato and Corn Flake Casserole

Potato and Corn Flake Casserole

1 pound sliced or diced potatoes, cooked
1 pound medium or sharp shredded cheddar cheese
16 ounce container of sour cream
1 medium finely diced onion
2 cups slightly crushed corn flakes mixed with 3 tablespoons olive oil

Layer the potatoes, sour cream, onion, and cheese. Cover with the corn flake mixture. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes. Serves four.

Tomatoes

I wish I could tell you that we are eating tomatoes. We still are not. I look at them every day and they are the same as they were last week. I think I need to find a warmer spot in the house for them. The Aerogarden does produce some heat, but things just are not growing. On the plus side I moved out the chives and the lettuce and put them in some water and set them in the window. They are now doing very well. I need to cut the chives. I would say in a couple of weeks we will be able to have some lettuce. I might just have to use a little heater to warm the room where the tomatoes are. Happy growing!!

Danish Sugar Cookies

Danish Sugar Cookies

1-cup butter
½ cup sugar
2 cups flour
1-cup ground pecans
1-teaspoon vanilla

Mix. Form into rolls and freeze. Slice and bake at 350° until set about 8 minutes. Dip in powdered sugar while hot. Can make four dozen.

Trimming Time for the Tomato Plants

This is the after picture.
I had to take out the lettuce.
I learned tomato plants really block out the light.





This all the leaves I clipped off.









This is what it looked like before.
The leaves were almost touching the lights and the lettuce was not doing well.

Lettuce, Tomatoes and chives

Here is an update on our lettuce, tomatoes and chives. The lettuce is not doing so well in the shade of the tomatoes. I have put the pod of chives in a vase and put them in the window. They are doing well for right now. I am not sure how long the chives and lettuce are going to last. I think it means that my experiment is showing that when tomatoes get too big, nothing else will grow.

Here is a sample of what some of our tomatoes look like.






Thank you for checking out our lettuce, tomatoes and chives.

Funny things children say

You never know the funny things that children say. Just now my three-year-old daughter said, "Why are you being grumpy? It is my day to be grumpy."

I have never had one of my children say the funny things that people send to different magazines. I just had to share it with all of you.

Please share if you have anything funny your children have said to you.

Delicious Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 ½ cups flour

Whip butter until fluffy. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and beat well. Drop by teaspoons onto a non-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes; watch the edges so they are not too brown. Cool on wire rack. Makes 2 dozen.

These are some of my favorite cookies. I hope you like shortbread cookies too.

Gobble to Goop from my son (five-years-old)- Kangaroos like to jump and play in the sandbox

Just jump like a kangaroo into your house of bushes. The end. And we will be that end of the story. The end? Did the kangaroo spoil everything? And a kangaroo would not spoil everything, but I want you to know where kangaroos live. Kangaroos don't live in Australia, kangaroos live in Australia not Africa? And the end. That is not a story that is just a question. Would you please sing it out-loud? If you lived here you would have to travel to travel to Australia. Mama would you please put in a question mark? And then you can be a big hungry bear and you might get surprises, you might get posted into blog. You will turn into a duplex and will you not be a kangaroo? You will be a duplex and just drive your truck away to the central island of the city. Some islands are eventually cities and you can go on a boat to see them. You might see the central island of the Sis-sis and brothers. The end.

From Mommy to Mom to Mother

I got this in an e-mail the other day and I just had to share it.
This could not have been said better!!!!

MOTHERS
Real Mothers don't eat quiche; they don't have time to make it.
Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox ..
Real Mothers often have sticky floors,filthy ovens and happy kids.
Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn't come out of carpets.
Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up.
Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?'and get their answer when a little voice says, 'Because I love you best.'
Real Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or years or grade...It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother...

The Images of Mother
4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either..
16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!
35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.
45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes,because that is the doorway to her heart,the place where love resides.The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows,and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Carnival of the Recipes

Welcome to the March 15, 2009 edition of carnival of the recipes.

Stephanie presents TheBirthday Tea Party - Food posted at Stop the Ride!.

them-apples presents Pollo Alla Cacciatora, or Italian Chicken Stew with Chianti posted at them apples, saying, "A very easy, authentic, simple and very, very tasty Italian chicken dish."

bothenook presents broccoli cheese soup: food blog posted at a geezer's corner, saying, "not a slow cooker recipe, but it definitely is cold weather comfort food."

lily ng presents Double Chocolate Financier Cake II posted at Lily's Wai Sek Hong, saying, "this is too delectable not to share"

Vicki Monti presents Easy Dinner Secret: The Crockpot! posted at FunnySpoon: The Cooking Site for RealLife.

Darcy presents Breakfast Bars - You Need to Make Them posted at Smart-BottomEnterprises, saying, "A simple, delicious, and healthy recipe for Oatmeal Breakfast Bars"

RJMC presents Cheese Burger Cake Burger Recipe posted at Worlds Greatest Burger Recipes.

RJMC presents ClassicItalian Burger posted at WorldsGreatest Burger Recipes.

Slow Cooker Recipes presents Crock Pot Whole Chicken Recipe posted at SlowCookerRecipes.

Q presents Thai Ginger Chicken posted at Thai Cooking - The Taste ofThailand.

Q presents Turkey Recipes - Recipes for Turkey: Turkey Recipes - TurkeyMeatloaf - Recipes for Cooking Turkey posted at Turkey Recipes.

Pancake Recipes presents Recipes - Rice and Hamburger Wraps posted at Recipes Recipe - Famous Recipes.

Pancake Recipes presents Yogurt Chicken Curry posted at Diabetic Recipes.

Thai Recipes presents Chicken Salad Recipes posted at Healthy Chicken Recipes.

Phoenix Arizona Editor presents Vintage Peanut Butter Cookies posted at PhoenixArizonaRealEstateLocalNewsandBusinessDirectory.

NerdMom presents PecanTassies posted at NerdFamily Food, saying, "This is a simple and easy dessert that wows!"

Bill Austin presents Butternut Squash Soup posted at Bill Austin.

World Famous Recipes presents World Famous Flank Steak with Relish posted at World Famous Recipes.

Famous Recipes presents Famous Alaska Salmon Romanoff posted at Recipes.

Easter Recipes presents Fruit and Nut Easter Eggs posted at Easter Recipes.

Chief Family Officer presents Pan Bagnat, a.k.a., a really delicious sandwich posted at Chief Family Officer.

Rani presents Irish Candies posted at Christ's Bridge saying "This is a very sweet way to enjoy Saint Patrick's Day."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of the recipes using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our
blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: recipes, cooking, food, foodies, carnivalof the recipes, blog carnival.

TIP OF THE DAY!!!

If you have a child who still wets a diaper at night, then don't have them sleep in a bunk bed. I have had to change the bed too many times lately.

Have you ever been a "single parent" for a while?

I have been a Navy wife in the time that I have had two children at home. Here are a couple of stories from my experiences. There will be more tomorrow.

I had now better get off the Internet in case Jon is trying to call. I am very lucky, because he is able to call almost every day. I enjoy telling him how smart Bridger is and how much trouble he can get into. For example, last night while I was fixing popcorn Bridger decided to play with the baby powder. He poured it all over the side table, the floor and himself. I took the vacuum cleaner and cleaned everything, including him. I needed to vacuum anyway: the dogs shed all the time and dirt is brought in from the backyard.

Disaster does strike after supper. I am running water in the sink for the dishes when the dogs start barking. I try to get them to come in, but only two come. I go outside to get the others and then I remember that the faucet is on. I try to get through the sliding glass door, but it has locked. I had learned after the first time I was locked out that it is important to always keep the side door to the garage unlocked to have a back-up entry into the house. I was fortunate that time that the sliding glass door was open. I hurry through the garage and get to the sink. I am lucky that water isn’t going all over the floor, but into the other basin instead. I turn the water off and go back to the garage to call the dogs inside. They come immediately, because the other dogs are back inside.

I would enjoy any stories that you have.

Irish Potato Candies

1 (8-oz) package Cream cheese
½ cup margarine or butter
1-teaspoon vanilla
2 (1-pound) boxes confectioners’ sugar
2 cups flaked coconut
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. In large bowl using mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese, margarine and vanilla until well blended.
2. Stir in confectioners’ sugar and coconut until well blended.
3. If mixture is too soft to handle, chill 1 hour before shaping. Shape into 1” ovals or balls; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Chill 1 hour.
4. Place cinnamon in small plastic bag. Shake balls, 4 at a time, in cinnamon.
Store in refrigerator in airtight container. Makes 8-dozen pieces.

I hope you enjoy this unique dish on your St. Patrick's Day. They are very sweet, my mouth is watering just thinking about them.

Our Tomato Flowers

Our tomato flowers are starting to dry up and I have found several tomatoes. The children and I are very excited. Soon we will be able to eat fresh tomatoes.

Gobble to Goop from my son (five-years-old)- Moose and Little Bear.

One morning a little bear was standing outside a moose's home. He was invited for dinner (that just means lunch). And he was going to have bear supper. Little Bear was going to have lunch out of a cookbook called Moose Blackberry Supper with Moose Supper Pie, so that the bears could have plenty to eat.

That is the end of the story. Now we have to take care of some business. Did the moose rip up the cookbook, no? He did not rip up the cookbook, because you need them to cook with.

Now we can finish the story. And the moose was in his home when the bears came because they were invited for dinner. The end. The end.

A Story by my three-year-old daughter- Pink Animals

A poem about pink animals that live in the forest.
There are animals in the forest
That's all I have to write.

Ice Cream Crunch

½ cup butter (melted)
2/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup nuts
1 cup coconut
2 cups rice chex

Pour butter into the mixed ingredients
Soften ½ gallon ice cream
Line 9x13 pan with 2/3 of the mixed ingredients, add softened ice cream and sprinkle rest of mixture on top. Freeze.

Tomato and Lettuce

I think this stem is about as thick as my finger. I never saw such a short stocky tomato plant before. All of my other plants have been weak and spindly.










We finally have flowers. I am really excited, that means we will be eating tomatoes soon.

Our little lettuce plants are much smaller than everything else, but they are still trying to grow. I hope they keep growing. I just need to keep in mind that if they do not grow, then we have proven something with my experiment.

I hope later today I will be able to talk more about the size and what exactly happens with our Aerogarden. Enjoy your day and thank you for reading. We always welcome feedback.

Gobble to Goop from my son (five-years-old)- Big, Big, Big Brown Bear and the Moose

One morning a big, big, big brown bear was standing near a moose home. He couldn't wait to go in it, because he was invited for dinner. He was going to have freshly cooked green grass out of a cookbook called Big Moose Supper Brown Bear Grass and Moose Pie. Then it made some soup. The soup was out of the cookbook. The soup was called Big, Big, Big Moose Supper Pie Plus Bear Soup for the supper. That is what it was called. Then a airplane flew overhead. Then the bear went for a ride to Scotland. The end.

Now we'll talk about some business. Did the little bear eat the moose or have supper with the moose? Or did the bear spill the pie all over the moose? Or did he flood the whole cave with soup? No, he was very kind to the moose. Now we're done with our business. Now, we can continue with the story.

A little bear was walking all alone one morning, then he came to a cave. He knocked on the door. Now we have some business to take care of. Did the bear eat up the door to get inside the cave? No, he did not. He knocked on the door, which was very polite. The end. The end.

Brownies

½ cup margarine
1-cup sugar
1 can Hershey’s syrup
4 eggs
1-cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup nutmeat

Cream sugar and margarine and add eggs one at a time. Add chocolate syrup and dry ingredients. Bake at 375° in a greased and floured 11x17 pan for 20-25 minutes.
Frosting:
6 tablespoons margarine
6 tablespoons milk
1 ½ cups sugar
Stir and let come to a full rolling boil. Boil 30 seconds. Add ½ cup chocolate chips and beat until all are melted. Add one-teaspoon vanilla. Let cool.

A Story by my three-year-old daughter

I'm going to write a pink story. It's about animals. It's going to be about wolves. And it's about jumping cows over the moon. And it's about coyotes. And it's about a fox. It's about rabbits. And it's about mama and daddy kitties. That's all I have to say.

The plants are even bigger!

Here are the tomato plants from a couple of days ago.

The roots of all the plants. It looks like they are needing water.

This week has been busy

I hope everyone is enjoy the weather in their part of the world. This week has been busy with some major organizing of our house. I will have some fun pictures to update the tomato plants, chives and lettuce tomorrow. Enjoy your day.

Recipe of the week!!

Royal Strawberry Shortcake

1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons shortening
1 egg
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ pint heavy cream
1 quart strawberries

Cream shortening and sugar and add beaten egg. Add part of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add part of the milk, remainder of flour and then the rest of the milk and vanilla. Bake in shallow greased pan for 20-30 minutes at 375°. When cooled split in half add cream and berries for layers.

JUST BOOKS: SATURDAY REVIEW

JUST BOOKS: SATURDAY REVIEW

Is this how you remember chores?

My children are three-years-old and five-years-old and they have really begun to help around the house. They fold their own laundry, put it away, empty the dishwasher, wash and put the dishes in and also do the hand-dishes.

Sometimes they will argue about who gets to put the dishes in the dishwasher and who gets to wash them. They both like washing them. Sometimes B will not want to do the dishes, so I ask C to do them. Then they both want to do them.

I do not remember wanting to do the dishes that badly. When my brother and I used to do the dishes, the best job was putting the dishes in the dishwasher, not washing them. I was the one who usually got to wash. I am not sure why that is. I am fast at washing dishes now though. We used to have to always wash and dry the hand-dishes. B and C are lucky; they can just let them air dry.

Tonight they needed to empty the dishwasher. It started out well. B got on the stool and C handed the dishes to him. It started to unravel when it was time to put the silverware away. C usually does it and wanted to do it tonight. B decided he was going to, so C decided to have a temper tantrum. I told her she could look at a book while B put the silverware away. It worked until B wanted to look at the book too, instead of putting away the silverware. I told him if he put away half of the silverware he could look at the book. All of the silverware was put away and the book was looked at.

I never knew that people could be so excited about doing chores. I just hope it keeps up. I like having the help. It also helps that their dad helps out around the house too. It shows them how a family should work together.

The plants are getting big.

Here are new pictures of our tomato plants, chives and the new lettuce. I wasn't sure if the lettuce seeds were going to sprout, but they did and they are growing well. I need to keep cutting the chives, but now some of them are not growing as fast as the others. Can anybody tell me why that is? The tomato plants are around four inches tall. They are very strong and look like they will give good fruit. The short tomato plant is catching up to the rest of them. I think we will be able to raise the lamp soon. My children are really excited about everything growing. My son sat in front of it just the other day watching the plants grow. I hope everybody's gardens are growing as well as ours.

Gobble to Goop from my son (five-years-old)- Little bear and the Christmas Tree

Mama, come out little bear. A little bear was standing near the gate. The little bear squeezed under the gate. It saw Mr. Smith. It ran inside the house and hid in the closet. The bear didn't go to the bathroom on anything and the shoes were in the closet. They were big so that they could fit Mr. Smith's feet. The bear was in the Christmas tree. You might find it interesting when the bear runs into the Christmas forest again and lots and lots of Christmas trees. Now let's begin the story again. Okay? So, now our story will begin. So, is everybody ready? You might get a little plastic rubber bear stuck on your thumb, like I have my bear stuck on my thumb. You might get it dropped on the floor at once. It is not very easy to have it stuck on your thumb and make it fall a lot of the times away. The little bear went into the Christmas tree? The end.

Blueberry Swirl Dessert

1 cup (10 ounces) frozen blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Mash undrained blueberries and add enough water to make one cup of the mixture. Add sugar and cornstarch with mixture in saucepan. Cook until bubbly. Add the lemon juice and cool.
Combine and beat:
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
then add in:
one package prepared dream whip
Layer cream cheese mixture and blueberry mixture in a 9-inch graham cracker crust, then swirl. Refrigerate.

Gobble to Goop from my son (five-years-old)- the bears

Kangaroos like to live in Australia.
Little bear
A little bear was in her cave and a boy bear was in the cave. The little mother bear already laid some baby boys and girls on some nice hay and grass. Inside the brick wall there was a key to the inside of the cave. The van was outside the cave. The father went to catch some fish for his lunch then he went back to take care of the babies inside the cave. The babies were fast asleep in the cave while the mother was still catching some fish for her lunch. Then she ran back to the cave because a wolf was standing near her. She caught it, but the wolf was too hungry; he almost chomped off her paw. She ran back to the cave and she locked the brick door so that the wolf would not get inside. The brick door was made out of some very very special bricks, so were the windows so that no tornados would get inside. The windows were made out of some of the bricks that were so special. The end.