Going outside is my daily routine that adds health and continued wellness to my daily life.
I will find time no matter what the weather is doing, I mean weather will always happen so you might as well embrace it!
I either walk down the long dirt driveway to the mailbox, you see I live on a farm and everything out here takes a bit more time to do, so you just learn to sit back, dig into the moment and enjoy, or I slowly do my chores and as I start my day.
Today I walked down to the barn and stood there for a moment, as the pups played around my legs, I dived into the deep aroma of the fresh cut hay bales that were recently stacked. There is nothing sweeter than the smell of fresh cut hay, I like to fill my lungs with this smell and just get lost in the moment.
I could hear the horses quietly and slowly munching away in the other corner of the barn, as I became one with them and the instensity of the fresh hay.
Realizing the pups had wandered off, I came out of my hay trance, and went on a quest to see if I could find these wild dogs of mine. I found them running around in the pasture, so we continued to enjoy the outside part of this early morning day.
I decided to walk around for a bit after I finished up feeding the chickens, before I went into the house I looked around to make sure everything was done, I felt healthy and happy in that moment in time, already looking forward to what tomorrow morning chore time would bring.
The baking extravaganza all started with the announcement that my two daughters were coming over early Sunday morning!
They had a to do list to do with the horses, it was going to be one of those wonderfully long days filled with outside chores , good food, laughter and complete exhaustion at the end of the day.
Because I always have a to-do list that needs some TLC every now and then, I decided to seize the day with this extra help and knock a few items off the list.
In order to do this, I needed incentive for my non-volunteering workers! I decided that if I baked a few scrumptious items and offered a good hearty breakfast, I mean how could they possible say no!
There’s something about baking and cooking for others, that steps up my game. Feeding others breaks up the routine of the day to day keep me fed meals, to a meal that I really enjoy. To a meal that is sweet, and savory and creates memories not only in the planning , but also sitting around the table and enjoying!
I started with a fresh veggie and bacon, egg muffins for each person, served with hot tater tots and avocado aioli.
I also baked blueberry, rosemary and lemon scones, served with hot butter.
After our breakfast we were fully armored to go outside , embrace the day and start making the list a lot shorter.
We came in around noon for a slice of the Zucchini pecan bread, with huckleberry honey, and a hot cup of almond coconut black tea with cream.
You see, we are not British, it just tastes so darn good to put cream, or creamer in the black tea. I am now hooked on this wonderful soothing drink. I like it more than coffee some days, sorry coffee you’ve taken a back seat to tea and cream.
Hear Ye! Hear Yes, spring has sprung here at Long Ears Farm.
This morning when I went out to do morning chores, I was greeted by the sound of a spring songbird. We have known each other for many years now, and I always say “See you next spring!” every time he flies south and I go indoors for the winter.
I felt like a rebirth is occurring, within me as well as the land, animals, trees, and grasses, everyone is slowly poking their heads up to greet the warmth of the longer days, and the arrival of the official start to spring.
Spring of lovely Spring, you are one of my favorites!
I feel bad every time I step on a blade of grass, it’s like ” sorry little fella, keep pushing up thru the dirt so soon you and I can begin the mowing ritual we luv and hate!”
The intensity of the smells in the air, was my first clue the spring is definitely on the way, there was a faint rich pasture smell, along with the meadow grasses that is ever so slightly getting stronger each day.
I am so looking forward to the lilacs blooming, talk about a rich spring smell, I will literally bury my face in my lilac bush and breath deeply, all the wonderful fragrance.
Oh spring, I am so glad to see you again my friend, this mean we both made it thru winter, all the animals can now rejoice in the longer warmer days, as they get ready to languish in the heat of summer.
We wont be together very long spring, so lets make the most of each moment and really enjoy each other company!
I am an avid writer that enjoys the cooking experience, from planning the meals, to shopping ingredients, to spending time in the kitchen creating the dish.
Most importantly I luv to eat what I cook, I enjoy the flavors and textures in all foods.
I luv to immerse myself in the smells and aromas that invoke so many memories, isn’t it funny how a chocolate chip cookie can take you back to a long ago memory that fills you with love and comfort!
My go to smell is that of baking bread, I can close my eyes and see my grandma reaching for that jar of bacon grease as she made the endless dinner rolls for our family supper every Sunday on the farm in Wisconsin.
There I sat at the kitchen table, in the tiniest kitchen, watching her work her magic. In between stoking the fire, she would prepare the ham, pot roast, mashed potatoes, green beans, a pot of fresh greens, cornbread, hot rolls, and an apple and fresh fruit pie, any fruit that was in season.
There was a recipe that grandma Myrtle created called ” Graham Gems”, she would make these with bacon grease and a ton of love. Each gem was made a very large muffin that was pulled out f the oven and smothered in more bacon grease and syrup. We would have these with the meal, or for dessert, however she wanted to serve them, I didn’t care, as long as they were on the table.
I sat there at this old kitchen table and just watched and soaked in all those smells surrounding me and filling me with love.
I knew once I left the soft warm kitchen, as a young kid I would be thrust into the world of adults, all clambering to get to the table and fill those plates.
The adults were coming in from the either the barn, or the fields, or the wood shed, they too had a certain aroma that I will always cherish.
Nowadays when I am putting new straw into the chicken coops, I smell the grandpa barn, all the sights and sounds come back to me. Unfortunately when I open my eyes there are chickens staring up at me, not my grandpas beloved cattle lol.
Hi, I’m Nancy I live on a farm in southern Minnesota. I have a passion for trying new recipes; you could say I really love to cook and bake.
Alongside my love for cooking and creating, Long Ears Farm is dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating donkeys in need. This was started when Annie and Pennie came into my life a few years ago as my first donkey rescue. Being in horse rescue for many years, I soon learned through my encounter with Annie and Penny that there is a need for donkey rescue as well. Even though horses and donkeys are two completely different species, they both have the same basic needs, such as good-quality feed, clean shelter, and access to good humane farrier services.
There is always something going on here on the farm: building maintenance, yard and garden upkeep, and caring for the animals. From tending to the homesteading garden and maintaining the equipment to ensuring the animals are healthy and happy, there is never a dull moment on the farm. Additionally, being surrounded by nature’s beauty and having the freedom to embrace a slower pace of life brings me a sense of tranquility that I cherish every day.
I also love living in the country on my farm, where it is peaceful and I can sit back and watch the green grass grow. . I take pride in the care the animals receive as well as the care the property receives because it reflects my dedication to creating a harmonious and thriving environment
I invite you in to share my journey with me. Sit back and relax. I hope what you find empowers you to try new things, gives you a few laughs along the way, and inspires your personal passions.
Did you know that here at Long Ears Farm, I have 4 and 1/2 dogs and 6 housecats? So imagine that sometimes nightly feeding is chaotic for this group.
Each dog, even the small one who is the 1/2 dog in the pack, has a certain spot they like to eat in, certain rules for who they will eat next to, and a certain speed for consumption.
The trick is to load all the bowls up with dry dog and some of the fresh dog food, get everyone in their place, grab the bowls, and run. You see the goal is to outsmart the cats so they don’t know what’s happening in the kitchen, If you move to slowly, they all come running, hungry, and demanding to eat.
I always plan that all the dogs will behave, and if it does, the plan works as smooth as butter. However, if there is one rebel in the group, that’s when the chaos can start and the plans fall apart. So, it’s important to make sure all the dogs are on board with the plan before executing it. Otherwise, chaos may ensue, and the cats might form a mutiny and take over entirely.
One of the cats, who shall remain nameless (Astrid), is a true believer that she is queen and should be treated like royalty. Her brother Auggie, who is the exact opposite, is chill like a surfer dude and lives his life at a nice, chill pace; he has manners and is sweet as pie. These two think that feeding time was invented just for them. They like to come into the kitchen and gulp as much fresh dog food out of the bowl as the bowls are being made. So its a game of swat the cat away, all the while making sure the dog is getting enough to eat. This does not include the other cats who come into the kitchen; one of them has a short fuse and hisses a lot; the other one sits as quiet as a statue; and the two big dumb boys sit on the floor and wait patiently, trying to trip (me) the waitress.
I decided there had to be a better and less hectic way to make feeding time a better experience for all. I began to see a pattern each night: I could get the dogs dishes ready and get the dogs in their places. It was when I popped open the dog food can that triggered the cat’s drama. I began to look for options to feed the dogs that did not include canned food. I liked the dog food loaf and the fresh food delivery service, but I did not like the prices or the delivery service that much. I didn’t want to put the UPS driver’s life at risk with fresh dog food on the truck when he pulled up to the house.
After some research and looking at each dog’s likes and dislikes, I made a fresh dog food recipe that works for everyone. I also feed premium dry food that supplies the needed vitamins, minerals, and fiber to my best friends. The fresh dog food is a good source of protein and vitamins from the vegetables, however, it will not provide a complete meal and should be supplemented with a good-quality dry dog food.
To make the fresh do good, I fill a mini muffin pan with the mixture and bake it in the oven, so each dog gets one of the muffins with the dry dog food each night.
I also made 2 large cake pans of Fresh Dog Food, that I baked. Once it was cooled out of the oven I cut it into quarters, put those into large ziploc bags and tossed in the freezer. By doing this I have set myself up for at least 3 weeks of food for these poor pups of mine.
When adding the fresh dog food to your dog’s diet, simply add in about 2 tablespoons of it into the dry food for dinner, This is a great addition and adds protein.
Based on the fresh ingredients of ground turkey, carrots, peas, and oatmeal, this food vs. good-quality canned dog food is a much cheaper option, as it lasts longer, and is easy to freeze in small containers. There is no more cabinet space being taken up with canned dog food, and no more throwing away cans.
The fresh dog food is super easy to make; it took me about 30 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to bake in the oven, freezes well, and the dogs love it!
I like to sit at the kitchen table each morning, slowly eat my breakfast, and watch the bird feeders to see if there are any new inhabitants moving in. With spring slowly arm-wrestling winter out of the way, I find that more and more birds are migrating my way. I spend a lot of my money and time on the critters of the outside world. I enjoy providing them with so many different kinds of bird food, treats, and feeders that I have now cleared a space for all their stuff in the mudroom. Some would say why; I say, “Why not?”.
Being dull is absolutely wonderful. I give myself the freedom to stop and smell the roses, watch the birds, take a walk down the long driveway to get the mail, bake a loaf of slow rising sourdough bread, or put up a few cans of freshly picked garden fruits and vegetables, as I pause to look around and just appreciate the beauty of life around me.
My days consist of working minimally hard at my job. I like to take my sweet time while I am working. People say I don’t possess the focus to work hard; I say I work hard when I am motivated to do what inspires me.
My evenings are filled with watching awe-inspiring nature shows, cooking and photography shows, and a good crime show every now and then. Being dull allows me to go to bed and sleep when my eyes tell me to, and my brain is done learning and creating for the day. I feel content and at peace as I drift off into dreamland.
Daydreaming is one of my favorite pastimes. I like to consistently make creative plans for my to-do list for work around the farm.
If only daydreaming paid the bills, I would be a rich, dull woman with a beautifully manicured lawn and garden, and perfectly organized work sheds, and outbuildings. But for now, I’ll settle for being a dull woman and go take a nice long walk.
Do you have that go to cookie recipe that you can bake and eat over and over? That home baked cookie that is your absolute favorite and never gets old to have on hand?
Well, scoot over favorite cookie recipe; there’s a new cookie in town!. The double chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe will now be at the top of your favorite list. This cookie is soft and chewy and packed full of chocolate flavor in every bite. The addition of both cocoa powder and chocolate chips gives this cookie a rich and decadent taste that is sure to satisfy any chocolate lover. It’s the perfect treat to indulge in when you’re craving something sweet and comforting.
This cookie recipe is easy to bake, you simply use the basic ingredients of flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and oatmeal. The beauty of it all is, if you bake them, say, each week, you have now memorized the recipe like this author has.
Pro Tip: Once the dough is blended and ready to make cookies, simply use an ice cream scooper to scoop and form the dough into your cookie ball. I like to scoop, flatten the dough, and drop it onto a cookie sheet. Super easy! and you still have one clean hand.
One of the best kept secrets to this recipe is using dark chocolate chips instead of standard chocolate chips. Also, when mixing in the oatmeal, don’t overmix; simply fold them in. During the baking process, the oats stay soft and flavorful when not completely covered in cookie dough.
Once the cookies are baked, the end result is a wonderful oat texture surrounded by the dark chocolate flavors of the cocoa and dark chocolate chips. This creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures in each bite. Remember to let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
One rainy and cold early spring night in mid-April, Puddles the glorious walked away from the only life he ever knew and landed on the doorstep of a friend of mine.
You see, puddles arrived on the doorstep; soaking wet and exhausted, battered and beaten, he collapsed at the bottom of the porch into a puddle. The next morning, my friend opened the front door to let the dogs out into the yard, and there he lay in the large, deep puddle full of rain. The water had covered his body and was up to his neck. Because he could not tell us his given name, he was nicknamed Puddles right then and there. Puddle was also very skinny and in really rough shape, so my friend contacted me to see if the two of us together could help him.
Being that Puddles was born and originally bred to fight others, he had a strong will to live and a golden heart pointed right at survival. My friend got Puddles into the cage, loaded him up, and started the journey to my house. While he was being transported, I went out to the pens and found a good space for him so he could recuperate during the night. Once he arrived to my house, he was let out of the cage and started his journey, taking one step at a time towards a guaranteed happily ever after.
Puddle’s days from then on were spent integrating into the group, making new friends, laying in the sun, and protecting everyone through the night. Puddle’s recovery was magnificent; each day he became stronger, and each day his confidence grew, along with his grateful golden heart for a chance at this new life he found his way into. Months passed, and Puddles was at the top of the list—the leader, the one everyone looked up to, the one who welcomed other newcomers to this life.
However, Puddles made an unwise decision one day, a decision that would forever alter his journey. Puddles found that he could jump up and get over the separation fence between the two pens and that he could get on top of the floppy fence and push himself over. He did this on a day that I was out of the house, a day that I could not get to him soon enough, a day that still makes me wonder, “What if?”
I arrived back from my life outside of home and peeked at the pens, as was my habit, doing a quick head count to make sure all was well in Shang Gra La. This time I sensed something different, a sense that something was not right, and I also saw something lying on the ground in the doorway to the interior stall.
I quickly threw my bags into the house and hoped that the dogs would not eat my new-found groceries. I ran around the house, threw open the mud room door, grabbed my outside pen boots, quickly changed out of my house shoes, and ran to the pen. Once I got closer, I realized that what I was seeing was puddles lying in the doorway of the interior stall. He was on his back, his feet in the air. Tears started to well in my eyes as I opened and closed the gates, and I was finally next to him. A tear slid down my cheek and fell onto his upturned belly, and at that moment he turned his head to look at me. I screamed with joy! Puddles, you’re alive!
Picking him up and rushing him into his pen was all I could think about, so I gently scooped him up and got him into his pen, where I laid him onto the soft bedding, hoping for a miracle. He was savagely beaten, his head skin was almost all gone, and his eyes were very cloudy. In this moment, he had lost most of his previous recovery.
All I knew was that JaJa the Giant and Doogle the Great must have gotten to him; once he landed on the ground in their pen, he must have walked over to them all puffed up and ready to take charge, which obviously never happened.
Throughout the evening, I kept checking on him, cleaning his wounds, and talking to him with strong words of encouragement. I told him that because he had a strong will and a golden heart, anything was possible in this life—absolutely anything.
Days, weeks, and months passed; Puddles lost his eyesight; however, his head did heal, and it all grew back as it should. Good news for Puddles, as he was recovered enough to be able to come with me on my cross-country journey to my new home, where he now lives in his very own secure pen with Pickles the rabbit.
I’ve noticed that during these last couple of days, when you walk into the coop and all is quiet, you can hear Pickles and Puddles softly talking to each other, sharing life stories, and laughing at barn jokes.
Unfortunately, the end of the journey is now here for Puddles; recently, he lost two of his toes and is now hobbling around on one good leg and a leg with only one toe. I have decided that Puddles, with his golden heart, should be able to lay down peacefully, let go of this life, and go find his green pastures, his eyesight, and all his glory again.
Just yesterday, I heard Puddles and Pickles talking about the trials and tribulations of Puddle’s life and about what life would be like without Puddles around here anymore. Pickles thinks she will be simply fine, and life in the coop will continue as normal because Jaja, the giant, and Doogle the Great will continue to lead the coop and keep everyone in line and on the daily schedule as they should be.
Pickles did say she looked forward to welcoming Henrietta into the pen with her, as Henrietta has a hurt foot and needs exceptional care.
So off Puddles will go; he will load into the crate one last time. I will whisper in his ear and tell him that everyone is waving goodbye to him and wishing him well, so he can visualize the life he is leaving behind as he heads out the door.
You see, the golden heart of a rooster never dies, because if you are lucky enough and take the time to stop and listen each day, you can always hear the rooster song way off in the distance at sunrise, reminding us all to live a good, full life.
You know the old adage, only “61 days until spring.”
I look at this cold, frozen barren landscape and wonder how anything will ever emerge again.
Many times Driving home on the icy roads with the wind howling, I think about the people who came before me out here in rural Minnesota. I think about what the daily life for the woman was like as she worked to keep the house heated with firewood, feed the children, and also kept one eye on the old milk barn, knowing her husband was out there milking cows, feeding, and tending to his cattle all while there were days the temperature hovered around -30 below zero. The farmer also had to go to the pig shed and check on the pigs to make sure the bedding was deep and keep the pigs safe from the cold, check on the chickens, gather any eggs, and then come into the house. He would go into either the mud room or down into the basement to change out of the farm clothing before he could come into the house.
The old chicken coop is the size of a small building; this building has always been a coop, so the builders did it right. There are six windows for sunlight and fresh air in the summer, a small hatch door for the birds to go up and down, a ramp to go in and out of the coop, and nesting boxes and perches to encourage good egg production.
When I go out and check on the chickens each day, making sure they have adequate food and fresh water, I think about how many birds must have gone through this coop as a regular food source for the farm families that have lived here, with fresh eggs and fresh roasting chickens.
The farmhouse I recently purchased was built in 1901. I do know that the original family here had five children, so think about it: at that time in history, what conveniences did people have, and what was life like?
I wonder if it was a constant cycle of preparing for the seasons: in the spring, calving cows and pigs, planting and growing feed corn, and vegetable gardens. Through the summer, we made much-needed repairs to the equipment, homestead, and outbuildings we made, and as fall arrived, they harvested and put up as much corn, straw, and hay as the barns and corn crib could hold. All while the woman of the house was harvesting the gardens and canning everything to stock the pantry.
Winter is like an ever-looming presence that sits in the back of your mind; it’s a to-do list that starts to form in mid-August, as you know what needs to get done before the cold ascends and wraps us tightly like a heavy blanket.
There is a cookhouse that is the size of a small cabin. in the early days, the cookhouse originally sat 10 steps from the back door to the kitchen; however, it was moved many years ago to where it sits now by the garage, wrapped in a hedge of wild raspberries.
The women would use the cookhouse to cook, and during the summer months, some of the original stoves are still in the cookhouse. Old pots, pans, and utensils were also found, and a very old kitchen table.
Starting in mid-August, the women would spend many days harvesting, cleaning, preparing, and food for winter. As an avid canner, I have much respect for the amount of work it took for these women to get water from the outside well hand pump, build the stove fires, and process such a large amount of food into canning jars. I bet the pigs ate well during the canning season.
The amount of food that was canned and put up for winter must have been enormous, as this was the only way they survived, with canned garden fruits and vegetables, bunches of herbs, onions, and garlic, hung in the cookhouse to cure, and potatoes put into flour sacks put into cold storage. A few select chickens, cows, and pigs were butchered. Much of the red meat was salted, stored in barrels packed with straw, and put into cold storage. As far as I can determine, the cold storage here was in the basement, The walls are made of large rocks, cemented in. There are two original small wood windows and the very old original coal fireplace stack down there. This means someone had to bring in firewood and coal and keep the stove stocked and running day and night. I can tell you this: the stairs down to the basement are steep, and I can’t imagine doing those stairs more than twice a day. But when a person is given a task to do that guarantees survival, one just puts their head down and does it day after day after day; stopping is not an option.
My grandparents built a farm in the early 1900s in rural Wisconsin, which still stands today as it went through a total rehab 20 years ago. This is still a proud working farm.
There are many stories from my grandparents who spoke of taking the horse and wagon out to the big lake to get ice and bringing it back for the icebox in the farm kitchen.
How Grandpa would hitch up the horse team and wagon and once a month travel 10 miles across the frozen lake to trade potatoes for flour and sugar at the town store and drive the team back that same day to the farm. This was done in the winter when the lake ice was thick and frozen solid, the snow had fallen onto the fields and pastures, and the house was a sanctuary for these people, the only haven from the winter going on outside. I wonder if, while my grandma was doing her duties on the farm, she worried about Grandpa out there, going across the lake, and, when she heard the horses huffing and puffing and pulling the wagon back up the driveway,if she let out a sigh of relief.
I also think about how laundry was done during the cold months; how did the women manage to keep clothes and blankets clean? Was laundry not a huge priority? Maybe Ma just knew that everything would get a good wash in the spring, as it could flutter out on the clothesline after each washing.
This life was done without indoor plumbing, electricity, cellphones, engine-powered farm equipment, and so many other modern conveniences we think we can’t live without.
I enjoy the quiet, the lack of cellphone interaction, and the TV’s on in the house. Many days I like to listen to the milk barn moaning and groaning in the wind, the windchimes singing in the breeze, and the quiet that surrounds me. I can picture the original family sitting around the table in the evening and sharing stories of the day, and I see Ma in the kitchen and Pa in the living room, taking a moment to pause and reflect after supper as they get ready for the next day.
I have a real appreciation for winter now that I live in the Midwest. This kind of winter makes up its mind to stay cold and frozen; there are no days of almost winter or winter that can’t decide to be cold.
Old Man Winter comes in here and sits down and has no intention of getting back up until that magical date in March, when Old Man Winter slowly gets back up, shakes out the stiffness, and moves on to follow the sun.
I know that day is coming when winter will get up and leave us. I know the cycle is starting again as the sun shines brighter and longer each day. The list is starting to tickle the back of my mind, reminding me to enjoy the days now before the list and I become one.
Once the curtains are opened and the windows thrown open, the air is warmer. This is when the garden needs to be planted, the chicken coop needs to be cleaned out, the horse pasture needs to be opened back up, the fencing project completed, the cookhouse is being renovated and cleaned out, the shed doors opened, the tiller and mower awakened, and the …………………..
Oh, these winters are a dangerous time of year for me in the kitchen. I have two things going against me: my inability to be bored for very long and the desire to bake, testing new recipes for possible entries into the Summer County Fair. The thought of creating a winning entry for the Summer County Fair keeps me motivated and determined to perfect my baking skills during these chilly winter months.
Through trial and error and trying various recipes, I have not only learned a lot about baking but also gained a good 10 pounds doing this. You guessed it, the summer months are spent outside gardening, yardwork, or walking back and forth to shed these winter baking pounds. Through trial and error and trying various recipes, I have not only learned a lot about baking but also gained a good 10 pounds doing this.
Despite the extra weight gained from my baking experiments, I can maintain a healthy lifestyle while still pursuing my passion for baking and preparing for the Summer County Fair. I also think the thoughts of summer keep me motivated during the winter months—not to melt into the couch with a plate of warm chocolate chip cheesecake cookies.
When you are ready to start making the chocolate cheesecake cookies, plan on setting out the cream cheese and butter prior to baking so they are at room temperature when ready to put into the mixer. As soon as everything is ready, its time to start creating these wonderful chocolate chip cheesecake cookies. its an easy process.
Turn the mixer to the low setting and let the cream cheese and butter take their time blending together until nice and creamy.
Add the powdered sugar until nice and fluffy, and fold in all the dry ingredients.
You are now ready to refrigerate the dough for 1 hour. While your waiting, you can go put your feet up, read a good book, and relax.
Preheat the oven to 375°F prior to baking.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and using an ice cream scoop, scoop a small amount of dough, roll to firmness, and set on a cookie sheet that has been covered in parchment paper or baking mats.
Bake away! The cookies are ready in about 10–12 minutes.
Now here is the hard part: once they are taken out of the oven, you simply have to wait to start eating them!
Do you ever get a desire for a certain food that, no matter what you do, you can’t get out of your head? It starts as an idea and slowly becomes an obsession—a must-have. This recently happened to me with the crab cheese wonton. I had this craving that suddenly grew into a raging fire within me. I found myself at the grocery store, stocking up on everything I would need to make enough Crab Cheese Wonton for a crowd of 50!
As I gathered the ingredients, my anticipation grew with each item I placed in my cart. The thought of the crispy wonton wrappers filled with creamy cheese and succulent crab meat consumed my every thought, making it impossible to resist the urge to indulge in this delectable treat.
Once you have gathered all the ingredients, the process is very easy. In a medium bowl, you simply mix the diced green onion, add the spices and
add 2 tsp. ground ginger to the crab and cream cheese mixture. with the cooked and shredded crab meat into the cream cheese. Blend very well, and place about 1 tablespoon in the center of your wonton wrapper. Close the sides of the wonton into the middle, place in the air fryer, lightly spray with cooking oil, and fry for 5-8 minutes at 375 degrees.
Pair them with the sweet and sour dipping sauce found in the ethnic food aisle of your local grocery.
I am very frugal, so nobody panic! imitation crab works just fine and provides a good crab flavor we have all come to expect when you say “made with crab.” If you find that you have made to many wontons, you can simply put them in tupperware, store them in the fridge for 24 hours, and reheat them in the microwave.
Homemade granola is one of my favorite foods for breakfast and a snack during the day.
Gingerbread granola is full of warmth, bright festive colors, and a nice sweetness added to the crunchy goodness of the oats. Gingerbread granola incorporates the spices and sweetness typically found in gingerbread cookies into the crunchy texture of traditional granola.
While the granola is in the oven baking, the aroma fills the kitchen as it bakes, making it even more irresistible to indulge in.
Gingerbread granola is easy to make; simply add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and blend together well with a large spoon. Next, pour the coconut oil over the granola, let it soak in, and pour over the syrup, vanilla, and molasses. Mix well.
Transfer to a cookie sheet and bake.
The house will fill with all the good smells as the granola bakes; you may find yourself watching the clock! Once the granola is golden brown and crispy, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container. The gingerbread flavor will intensify as it sits, making it even more delicious to enjoy as a snack or breakfast option.
You may find yourself watching the clock with anticipation for this delicious gingerbread granola to be ready. The combination of syrup, vanilla, and molasses creates a rich and sweet aroma that will linger in your kitchen. As you wait for it to cool, resist the temptation to sneak a taste, as the flavors need time to meld together. Once it’s fully cooled, grab a handful or sprinkle it over yogurt for a delightful treat that will surely satisfy your cravings.
This makes a great holiday gift; simply add the baked granola to a jar, tie a festive ribbon around the top, seal, and gift away!
When you first wake up and shuffle to the kitchen, the last thing most people want to do is try to find a recipe or read the small letters on a box of store-bought pancake mix before coffee.
This pancake mix is perfect; you simply preheat your griddle, grab a cup of the mix add water until its a nice pourable batter, and start making fresh homemade pancakes. I mean, in all honesty, you could make this with your slippers on the wrong feet, the wrong glasses on, and wearing an inside-out bathrob, not that that has ever happened to me.
The homemade pancake mix will be stored in a cool, dry place for 6–8 months in a dry, sealed container.
Mastery Mixes are a very versatile addition to your pantry.
Basically, mastery mixes come in five types:
1. Dry mixes contain only dry ingredients and are kept for 6 to 8 months.
Dry mixes include for dinner rolls mix, pancake mix,pudding mix, and pie mix Remember to shake the mix well before using, as some ingredients may settle during storage.
2. The Semi-Dry Mix contains vegetable shortening, butter, or margarine. These generally stay fresh for 10 to 12 weeks.
The semi-dry mixes include wheat mix, basic cake mix, and gingerbread mix.
3. The third mix is the freezer-refrigerator mix; these are moist and require cold storage in appropriate containers. These keep for up to 3 months; they include braised beef cube mix, Mexican meat mix, and moist pie crust mix for quick and easy meals.
