Creative Camp - WOW!

This past weekend my sister, Sandi and I with some friends went to Creative Camp at a 4-H camp in Mineral Wells, WV. (Almost Heaven country) that is put on every year at this time.  I had gone with my Mom 3 or 4 times in the past, but have not been since she passed away in 2006.  It was so enjoyable to go again!  To be around so many crafty and creative people for a couple of days.  Sandi taught a Primitive Angel class made from a stair banister:

this was the corner of the upstairs that we made our angels...

this is the back of my angel with the head and wings on, we embellished with moss for hair, a vine halo, put a face on and as you can see I put buttons and a scarf on my angel:

Here she is finished, now all I have to decide is where to put her.  Sandi did very well for instructing her first class at Creative Camp 2013!

This is an attempt to make a pine needle basket...the instructor did or would not explain very well how to make the sides come up, so everyone in the class made coasters.

Sandi made a stool with a reed seat...it was very hard and her fingers were still hurting her the next day.  I bought a kit - tried to get the instructor to buy it back, but she said no.  So one of these days I will have to buckle down and make it.

Sandi and I made chalkboard message boards from picture frames with the glass painted with chalkboard paint (by the instructors husband).  Mine is on the left and Sandi's is on the right.  I want to make another one but put lined paper behind the glass and make it a dry erase board.

I made a knotted necklace - this was real easy and fun!  So many beads to choose from...may have to get some beads and waxed thread to make another and maybe a bracelet or two.

This is a corner organizer basket for a bathroom vanity or dresser...it is so cute and about 6" x 6" x 3".  Getting the stakes in the base to weave was another story...but got it done.

Here is my paint by number rooster - not really, but almost.  I started with a picture of a grist mill with trees, stream, foot bridge and bushes...too much to paint. Found this rooster and thought multi-colors.  I still have to paint "WELCOME" across the top and seal it.  This is on slate.  I am going to keep my eye open for something to paint next year.

I had so much fun packed in 2 days - What a blessing to be able to spend time crafting with my sister and friends, old and new ones.  Am already looking forward to next year.

Cooking and Freezing for later

My sister, Leah June and I cooked this past Saturday: Venison Quinoa Veggie Soup, Zuppa Toscana, Meatloaf and Layered Cabbage Roll Casserole.  We made the soups in a roaster and big soup pot, mixed the meat loafs and baked them in mini sized, and made the casserole in small containers and then had 1 for supper Saturday evening - YUM YUM!

This is the Zuppa Toscana soup minus the Kale, we figured we would add the fresh Kale when we reheated the soup.  We doubled the recipe and used 1 pound mild Italian sausage and 1 pound hot Italian sausage, 8 potatoes cubed and 8 strips of bacon - fried and then crumbled into the soup.  You can get the recipe off of AllRecipes.com.  After cooling we skimmed the grease off the top.

This is the Venison Quinoa (Barley) Vegetable soup with Progresso Beef Onion Soup with low salt beef broth, a bag of mixed vegetables about 1/2 cup Quinoa instead of Barley.  The soups we let cool down and then bagged in quart size Ziploc freezer bags and ones frozen we are going to vacuum seal them individually.

This is for the Cabbage Roll casserole.  I have to tell you, I love cabbage rolls but really do not like the intensive labor involved - not for me.  This recipe is amazing.  My sister found it at Barefeetinthekitchen blog.  AMAZING and a recipe I will be making more often. This is the 1 pound of beef, 1 pound of ground turkey and 1 med. onion cooked together then drained. Then spices added and the rice.

1 medium head of cabbage, cored and cut in half and then thinly sliced.

Can of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, brown sugar, & vinegar - mix together. We then added the wet ingredients to the meat mixer - although the recipe says to layer the cabbage then the meat then the tomato mixer - my sister and I thought why do it that way?  See below:

So now you layer, cabbage first (we divided it into 5 separate pans) recipe said to use 1-9x13 pan or 2 smaller pans.  Since is only us that we are cooking for we went for smaller portions.

We did not bake these before freezing thinking the cabbage would get soggy, but we did cook 1 pan and I have to say it had a very, very good flavor.

We vacuum sealed the meat loafs, cabbage casseroles:

 while everything was cooking or baking we would go outside to enjoy the beautiful day - blue skies with clouds and sunshine

Even our dogs were feeling the beautiful day!

This is Peaches trying to get Megan to play, but Megan just tries to ignore Peaches when she get rambunctious.  I hope you have enjoyed my blogging today about our cooking marathon and I count my many blessings and Praise the Lord for them.

Rhubarb Pineapple Freezer Jam

I made a batch of freezer jam and if I can brag on myself it tastes great!  I did not like the way it looked with a lot of chunks so I put it into my big emulsifying mixer and then finished.  I was able to get 6 - 1/2 pints and 6 - 1/4 pints.  They all sealed and are now in my freezer, except 1 - 1/2 pint in my fridge to eat on my Thomas' English Muffins.  Yummy.

Don't they look pretty?  Next is trying true jam made with the peaches I have in my freezer.  I hope it comes out just a nice and tasty.  Until next time, thank you God for your fruits.

Sunday drive and Rhubarb

A couple of Sundays ago me and my friend, Sue went on a drive to southern Ohio - Zanesville to be exact.  What an old river town.  Pottery places, Y-bridge, not too far from Zane Grey's Museum.  While driving thru town we came across this circle of 6 foot vases...

It seems it was a 2008 project to draw attention to area artists as well as the pottery venues around the area.  The tourist information center in Zanesville also has out front of their building a sculpture by the same artist that started this project.

While on the way back from our trip to come home, we came upon a house that was selling Rhubarb...

on Route 93 - Sue and I were taking scenic roads, not traveling by interstate.  My sister, Sandi makes Freezer Jam with Rhubarb and it is lip smacking good.  She has asked me to see if I could find any and just by happenstance I found someone selling it and what a patch of rhubarb this guy had!

He said he has 1,000 plants and sells to the nearby markets.  He had the red, white and purple rhubarb.  I honestly did not think there were any other kinds other than red, because that is all I ever knew.  My grandma has some and a long time ago I had some plants - both were red ones.  I asked him how much a pound and he said $1.00.  I had $12 and borrowed $2 from Sue, so I was going to buy 12 pounds of rhubarb. 

by the time this guy was done I had 5 bags of rhubarb weighing 26 pounds - yes that is right 26 pounds for $14!  I told him again I only was 14 pounds and he said he always give a few extra pounds for waste, but man I am thinking not 12 pounds more but there you have it.  My baby sister, Leah June came down and we worked up the rhubarb, washing, cutting and vacuum sealing 6 cups of to a bag for using later in making freezer jam.

We bagged 11 bags of rhubarb!  Woohoo!  Leah June took 3 bags, I have 4 and I also have 4 in my freezer for Sandi. 

The same guy that sold me the rhubarb also sells plants, so come next Spring I will be going down to get some plants for me and my 2 sisters.  A very lovely day and fruitful so to speak.  God is good all the time and all the time God is good.  Thank you Jesus for your blessings.

4 hour 4-wheeler and motorcycle ride - what fun!!!

I was in WV with my sister, Sandi and her husband Rick.  We went on a 4 hour wheeler ride.  I am sure glad they knew where they were going, because for most of the time I had no idea where I was.  There were a few places that looked familiar, but for some of the places - NOT A CLUE!  I took some pictures along the way and wanted to share some of them with you...I tell you what WV is a beautiful state! 

It is amazing to me how this country would have looked years and years ago to the settlers and pioneers. Not to mention how beautiful this state and country is.  We took a lunch with us of chicken salad sandwiches, chips and drinks - all paced on the back of the 4-wheeler in a pack that has so many compartments, coolers and places to put stuff.

I rode the 4-wheeler, Sandi and Rick rode motorcycles....

I was a gorgeous day, blue skies, puffy clouds and sunshine.  It was so nice to be out and about riding and enjoying the weather.  What a great way to spend time with some family and enjoying God's country.

Road trip - Westside Market in Cleveland

My friend Sue and me went on a road trip today.  Sue nor I have ever been to the Westside Market in Cleveland, Ohio - so we decided to make a day of it.  It is amazing to say the least.  On 2 sides are vendors for vegetables and fruits, on the most inside (original market) is the meats, baked goods, pastry, spices, seafood, dairy and cheese, etc.

Vegetables and fruits along both sides of the aisle.  Some were giving out free samples.  They all carried about the same stock, some had a few different things.  Prices were relatively the same within cents of each other.

I was up on a catwalk to take these pictures of the Market up above...

the other side...

See the Long Horn Steer mounted head in the lower right corner?  They had a fire here a few months ago in that booth, closed the Market down while they cleaned it from smoke damage.  The white tiles are now gleaming and the ceiling overhead is clean red bricks...

The Market started in 1840 and was dedicated in 1912 and has over 100 vendors. It was a very interesting and is a historical place in Cleveland.  All in all Sue and I had a very nice day.  Very warm in the mid 80's and puffy clouds outside.  I really enjoyed myself. 

Chicken Enchiladas

My sister, Leah June really makes some fantastic enchiladas - so I am trying my hand at it.  My 2nd Daughter (in-law) Jessica when she posts a recipe she takes pictures oh so well...me not so good.  I forgot to take a picture of all the ingredients first, then I missed taking pictures of each step...so you get a few pictures of the end results - LOL.  I will try to do better...

Here is my enchiladas made (6) in a baking dish:

I used about a pound of cooked shredded chicken, 1 10 3/4 oz. can of Cream of Chicken Soup and about the same amount of sour cream, partially cooked a medium sliced onion, and about 1 to 1/2 Cups of shredded Colby/Jack cheese.  Mixed this all together for my stuffing. As you can see in the above picture I had leftovers so I put that in a small soup bowl. Then I put the taco sauce over the enchiladas:

I put cheese on my extra in the soup bowl, put into the oven @ 350 degrees and I am baking it for about 35 minutes - will check the soup dish and the baking dish of enchiladas to see if they are done and may have to cook longer.

so this is my supper for tonight with a salad and lunch tomorrow and I will freeze a couple for later...that is my big cooking for tonight.  Ta Da!  Hope you enjoyed reading, and I am going to enjoy eating this.
Love to all, and remember to count your blessings God has given you - He is so good to me.