No-Bake Monday

17 Monday Dec 2018

Posted by Kris Baker in Uncategorized

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Sometimes you just have to admit defeat and realize that you can’t do it all…and that is the best gift that you can give to yourself!

As we said last week, things were kind of mixed up in the Sifted Together world. I think that means that all of our ingredients were not sifted together at all. We had lumps and bumps in our batter. Lol! Somehow, we simply lost our “recipe” and life started rolling out of control.

As we were talking last week, we realized that neither of us has finished our Christmas shopping; neither of us has decorated for Christmas…not even a tree up at either of our homes, and we are already exhausted. How does that happen? Anyway, we decided to give ourselves a break and abandon our semi-normal schedule for the next few weeks. (You can do that when you are your own bosses. :-)) We’ll still be here, we just aren’t committing to when that will be. Check in with us every so often through the holidays. You never know what we might be up to. And, it is possible that you may end up on our Christmas list…once we get around to checking it twice!

Please know that we greatly appreciate those of you who are faithful readers and those of you that stop by every now and then. We enjoy what we do and that enjoyment is multiplied when we can share it with others.

We wish all of you, and those you love, peace, joy, and happiness in this holiday season.

Warmest wishes!

Tracey and Kris

Friday Faves – All I Want for Christmas Is…

15 Saturday Dec 2018

Posted by Kris Baker in Friday Favorites

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gift giving, gifts, Life, wish lists

from Kris B.

Every year around Thanksgiving, everyone in my family starts sending emails asking what everyone wants for Christmas. The truth is that none of us really needs anything and most of our wants are too expensive or ridiculous for anyone to actually give as a gift. It takes thought for me to come up with anything to help them with their shopping.

Here are three things that made it on to this year’s list:

Cheap earrings – I tend to lose earrings easily. They get caught in a sweater when I pull it off over my head and I don’t notice; or, I forget to take them out before I go to bed and they get lost in the linens. Thus, I prefer cheap earrings so that I don’t have to worry about losing them. My husband has a pierced ear, so if I lose an earring from a pair that is not “too girly” (like a simple stud), he gets the solo earring. It all kind of works in a weird way.
A Cookbook – That is all I specified…a cookbook, any kind of cookbook. I like the element of surprise. Everyone knows what I like to cook and what I like to eat, so I know they will find something perfect.
Wooden Spoons – Exciting, right? Lol. Wooden spoons are my preferred kitchen tool and I use them A LOT. Mine definitely work hard and they look like it. I try to replace at least some of them every couple of years.

On the ridiculous list is a housekeeper. 🙂 There are too many things other than cleaning that I want to do with my time off tha if I could have one decadent wish come true, this would be it! I’m not holding my breath.

Though we all ask for gift suggestions, everyone usually ends up finding the perfect gift for each other without becoming dependent on the lists. These are the gifts that are the most fun to open!

What’s on your Christmas list?

from Tracey G.

Well, honestly I never get asked what I want. I know that sounds funny, but it’s true. In a lot of respects I miss being a kid and making up a list that I submitted to “Santa”, lol. Those were the days! “Here’s my 18-page itemized, in triplicate list and in it’s in order from A-Z”!

These days though, like Kris, mine is much shorter of things I’d want. And I imagine they’re only considered “fun” by me. My mom used to laugh at me because I’d ask for things like cookie sheets/bakeware etc. But, that’s me – I love that sort of stuff. I’m sure it’s seen as “practical”, but I see that stuff as toys – as sure as I saw toys as toys as a kid!

So, I guess what my list would consist of would be at least these three:

1. Small Food Storage Plasticware – I know, sounds weird but for my cookie making, they’re needed for the icing. Sometimes I only need a tablespoon or two of a color and a big 3-cup capacity containers are a bit of overkill! But it’s not something I’d just have “laying about on-hand”, and would really like some.

2. Obscure Gift Cards – Ok, this would mean non-major/popular/chain stores, like Amazon, Macy’s etc. I have a couple favorite cookie/baking supply places I love to order from – again my kind of fun! But, then again I love even popular store gift cards, lol. There’s always something I need that I just don’t think to buy myself etc., and I have a huge wishlist for myself at King Arthur Flour’s website, lol.

3. An Ancestry.com Subscription – I really want to get back to my research, but this falls under one of those kinds of categories of “not necessary”, so therefore, it’s also one of those things I’m not necessarily going to get myself on a regular basis, and I regard as a treat!

I think that’s it, like Kris I have some way out there wants, and I think a housekeeper is on my list as it’s on hers too! LOL!!

Mixed Up Monday – More Cookies

11 Tuesday Dec 2018

Posted by Kris Baker in Mix It Up Monday

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caramel, cookies, King Arthur Flour, lace cookies, mini muffin tins, rolled oats, toasted almonds

Yep…Monday is really mixed up because today is Wednesday! And we are equally mixed up. For whatever reason, our schedule worked out in a mixed up way this week. Oh well. It is seeming to work. This is what happens when we are our own bosses! 🙂

from Kris B.

Salted Caramel Cookie Bites

I have to say that this is not the kind of cookie recipe that normally grabs my attention, but since the Santa that lives at my house is a fan of anything caramel, I decided to give them a try.

Because these are smallish cookies, made in mini-muffin tins, which can be lined with festive wrappers, they make a pretty display. These are cookies that, when all is said and done, give the appearance of being a bit more fancy and labor-intensive than they really are.

The ingredients:

COOKIE BASE

brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup soft butter
salt
vanilla extract
butter rum or vanilla butternut flavor, optional
baking powder
egg
King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

TOPPINGS

block caramel, cut into 1/4″ pieces*
chopped toasted almonds + 1 teaspoon fleur de sel or other coarse/flaky salt; OR chopped smoked almonds; OR very crisp bacon, crumbled
*Or substitute prepared caramel sauce

The cookie base is simple with a twist. The brown sugar and the vanilla butternut flavor kick it up a notch from a basic sugar cookie. The base is made and scooped by teaspoonful into prepared mini muffin pans. Using a small cookie scoop gives you uniformly sized cookies. The recipe says that the yield is three dozen cookies. I got another half-dozen, I believe.

The cookie base is baked at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. They are then removed from the oven, topped with the caramel squares, and placed back in the oven for another 1-2 minutes, just long enough for the caramel to melt slightly. The cookies are then removed from the oven and topped with the ingredient of your choice. I used toasted almonds. I found it helpful to gently press the almonds into the soft caramel.

That’s it!

The most tedious part about the making of these cookies is the preparation of the toppings. I used individually wrapped caramel squares rather than the optional caramel sauce. I cut each square into quarters and used approximately three quarters on each cookie. The almonds also had to be toasted I toasted them in the same 375 degree oven in which the cookies baked for about 8 minutes. Watch them carefully because they will go from nicely toasted to burnt in the blink of an eye!

As I said, these are “cookie bites” so make a nice addition to a holiday party table or as a contribution to a cookie swap. Since they are small, you’ll have room to try all of the holiday goodies!

If any of you try them with the crumbled bacon topping, please share your thoughts!

Happy baking!

from Tracey G.

Lace Cookies from King Arthur Flour

After reading the recipe Kris chose, it made me chuckle that, without comparing notes first, we both chose recipes with the “caramel influence”! These Lace Cookies are addicting – if you love that toffee-like caramelly flavor profile, prepare to fall in love with a cookie!

First thing Jeremy said when he saw what I was making was, “Oh! Lace Cookies! My grandma used to make those and I love them!”. So, I guess I was ahead of the game in the “hope they like it” department!

I’ve never made them and I now find that a mystery, why on Earth had I not tried these before?!? They are so easy it’s crazy! The only “issue” you may have is them sticking – but after reading some comments on the recipe on KAF’s website, I found the way around that, more on that in a bit…

The ingredients are things I always have around and is a pretty short list:

Flour
Rolled Oats
Light Brown Sugar (I used dark as that’s all I ever buy)
Salt
Butter (no substitutions on this one)
Egg
Vanilla

That’s it. Putting it together is just as easy. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl – flour, brown sugar, salt & oats. Melt the butter and mix with the dry ingredients. In a small bowl (I used a 2-cup liquid measuring cup), beat the egg with the vanilla and incorporate into the butter/sugar/flour/oat mixture. You’re now ready to bake! I also mixed it all up by hand – no mixer required.

Now, I used my teaspoon-sized cookie scoop I got from KAF. I love the scoops they carry, I’ve slowly built my collection of the scone, tablespoon and teaspoon scoops, and they’ve been awesome. Anyway, I used my scoop to dish-out my cookies, and this is where you have to use a little trial-and-error. They REALLY spread out as they bake. I started with what looked like 6 lonely little scoops on my parchment-covered cookie sheet. As it turned out, for the size of my cookies I’d scooped, this was perfect.

I also played around with baking times. The recipe states 5-7 minutes depending on the size of your cookies. I tried both, and 5 minutes for mine were still a bit too gooey, and 7 was just “pretty good”. I did have a bit of help here – Jeremy told me what his grandma’s were like, that they were rather crispy, so I started playing with baking times. We both loved the 9-10 minute range. So this is something you can customize to your preferences. I’m glad I had some “inside information” though – because “just” crispy is really yummy, very toffee-like and addicting!

Now, the biggest complaint I’d read was getting them off the parchment, that they were frustratingly sticky – but I followed the advice of one of the reviews and had ZERO issues! The reviewer recommended using the parchment on the sheet, then, when they come out of the oven, slide the whole piece of parchment onto the counter (or rack I suppose!) and let them sit for a bit. Once they’d cooled slightly on the counter they came off the parchment easily! It was great – worked perfectly. The only downside I could find in the baking of these, is that, by only getting 6 at a time per sheet, it took some time to get through the dough, and get it all baked off. But it’s so easy it wasn’t a hardship at all!

I can say that these Lace Cookies have earned a spot in my book and will be a favorite from now on!!!

Midweek In Michigan: So Many Choices…

11 Tuesday Dec 2018

Posted by Tracey Somos-Gehring in Midweek In Michigan

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kids, Life, Parenting

Last night at dinner Harry announced he wasn’t interested in doing the Holiday Program at school, again. This will be the 2nd or 3rd year he’s wanted to opt out. This is one of those things I believe in letting him make up his mind about – whether or not he wants to participate.

It seems I’m finding that on some things, Mom’s ideas (or ideals!) are carrying less weight, lol, and I guess that’s just how things go as they get older. And as it should be, as they start learning HOW to make decisions.

Harry has ALWAYS been one who knows his own mind in the realm of what he likes and doesn’t like. He was always pretty easy to shop with because of it, as he’d know what he wanted and had no problem reasoning out which item he’d want more than another etc. So, I suppose it lends me to be more lenient in regards to what he wants to participate in if it’s not a “mandatory” kind of thing, or something that would be a detriment to him somehow, meaning the kind of thing that a parent needs to step in and make the executive decision on (“Yes, you ARE going to school today!”), lol. Like the Holiday Program, I don’t consider it “mandatory”, it’s extracurricular. (Each grade sings a couple fun holiday songs, that’s it)

As we sat around the dinner table, rehashing the day and talking about this and that, he announced that he didn’t want to do it. And we thought this was ok if that was his choice, and we actually discussed it, pros and cons and so forth. This is one of those things that, if he’s sorry about not participating, it’s on him – another lesson I think is important to learn, one that’s not too painful to start out with. Even if I think he might have a wee bit of regret over it, it’s an important lesson for him just the same. And if he does, maybe the next year he’ll choose to participate in it, remembering he wasn’t thrilled with his decision the year before.

I told him last night, that in retrospect, I remember a lot of things I wasn’t happy with my mom over, and I try not to do them to him, when it can be helped. Some things she HAD to enforce of course (“Yes, you ARE going to school today”) and some that she didn’t have to, that she had me do anyway. I understand most of it now, that I’m an adult and also a parent. And, admittedly, some things from like when I was 4 that I’m still mad about that she wouldn’t let me do, because she likely thought I was too young or too little, I may be guilty of myself doing to Harry now because I too felt he was to young or too little. If she was still here she’d be rolling her eyes because she’d know exactly what things I was talking about as I never kept it a secret that I was still irritated by those instances, lol.

There are soooo many things we HAVE to impose on them as parents, choices we HAVE to make for them, and I find it can be hard to sometimes figure out just what to turn over to them to decide. But we have to let them use their voice sometimes, it’s the only “safe” way to learn that important decision making life-skill they’ll need as adults. If they don’t start making some decisions now, they won’t be very good at it later. If Mom or Dad always made the choices/decisions for them, they will be kind of lost when they NEED to make their own. The trick is finding the little things now that you can turn over to them, (“It’s cool if you don’t like broccoli, but can you choose another vegetable you DO like?”) the stuff that isn’t life, limb or death.

It’s a good to feel like you have some control in your life, no matter what age you are, it’s very empowering and helps to build self-confidence. If I hate feeling completely out of control, how can I expect my child to like it? I just have to find that right balance, as a parent, of what to let go control of, which I suppose is something parents through the ages have struggled with!

Holiday Ups and Downs

07 Friday Dec 2018

Posted by Kris Baker in Friday Favorites

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Holidays, Life

Life happens on a continuum. Regardless of the circumstances, nothing is ever really 100% to the good side or 100% to the bad side. Today we are going to share our top ups and down of the holiday season.

from Kris B.

My least favorite part of the holiday season is the busy-ness of my life leading up to Christmas Day. Most of this busy-ness is the good kind of busy, but for me who believes that the journey toward and the preparation for Christmas is an important part of appreciating Christmas Day itself, frantically moving through these weeks can be a bit disheartening and can diminish my joy.

It is the end of the semester for me, which is a good thing. With that, however, comes the work of writing, giving, and grading final exams. That is a finite process, but an intense one while it is happening. Though this time next week, my final grades will all be submitted and the majority of my work responsibilities will be on hold until after the new year!

As a church musician, there is lots of music happening right now, too…Advent Lessons and Carols and preparation for all of the beautiful music on Christmas Eve. Again, good stuff, but lots of time spent rehearsing.

In the midst of the preparations for Christmas come the birthdays of both of my girls – December 22nd and 23rd. As one who also has a birthday during the Christmas season, I have always worked hard to honor the girls’ birthdays totally outside of the holiday season – no “double duty” gifts, no birthday gifts wrapped in Christmas paper, no mixing up any kind of holiday celebrations with birthday celebrations. Their birthdays are to celebrate their them and the gift of their lives. And, even though their birthdays are only a day apart, our family also never celebrates both birthdays on the same day. We all deserve at day that is totally about us! So, it’s Brooke on the 22nd, Erin on the 23rd, Jesus on the 25th, and me on the 28th. It’s the most wonderful/crazy/ time of the year!

When it comes down to it, my least favorite and most favorite parts of the holiday season are the same things. It’s all a matter of perspective. Where are that continuum do I choose to sit.

from Tracey G.

Oh boy, yep the Good, Bad and the Ugly of the holiday season is never really cut and dried is it? I’m with Kris in that, my favorite things usually are also the things that make me crazy, lol.

I love it the baking aspect – it’s a license to go nuts and make a bunch of stuff for the fun of it, but it also has a “purpose”. I work much better when I have a mission, than if I’m left to my own devices to pick something to make just for fun. Like for the decorated cookies, there are SOOOO many I want to make that I would spend all my free time trying to decide WHICH ones to make – but when it’s a holiday I’m working on, that makes it so much easier for me.

But then, comes the proper planning and timing. I’ve always been one who wanted them ready at the closest possible time to Christmas, but that tended to take the fun out of it because it becomes a rush to get a bunch of baked goods made – thereby sucking all the fun out of making “a bunch of different things!” that made it fun for me, lol. I am thinking that I need to let go of that, and, as long as people get their treats any time in the month of December, I’m good. I like that making of the goodies – but having a marathon weekend rushes me through the things I love to do.

I also love Christmas shopping for Harry, but that brings me back to the problem of trying to figure out what to get for the boy who really doesn’t mention anything that he’d like. So, I go on the “hunt”. Which in a way can be fun, if I figure out a direction to go. But something I’ve noticed – it seems to be that once I do find a direction/mission, the item(s) will be all but impossible to find! It happens every year for his Birthday in February as well. It’s like the Universe plays a little practical joke on me! Ugh!

But all that said, I think this year, I’m handing out my baked-good goodies as they are manufactured, to save myself some headaches and keep the FUN part in the act of preparing them!!!!

Tuesday in Texas – Decorating in Due Time

04 Tuesday Dec 2018

Posted by Kris Baker in Tuesday In Texas

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Let’s talk about Christmas…

It is December 4th. I have bought a few Christmas gifts. I have knit a few Christmas gifts. I have thought about some gifts that I need to purchase. We do have outdoor lights up because our lawn guy hangs them for a little extra holiday spending money. But other than that, Christmas is not happening at my house yet. I simply don’t have the time until after my school semester is over to deal with the moving of the boxes and bins of decorations from the garage and the rearranging of furniture that is necessary to make room for the tree. And this year, keeping a young puppy from playing hide and seek under the tree will be an added holiday task. Decorating for the holidays should be a joyful thing not a dreaded task like scrubbing toilets. Why is it that there is a large part of the population that doesn’t understand that not everyone’s Christmas decorations have to be out on Thanksgiving weekend?

As one raised in the liturgical church, this is the season of Advent, the season of waiting. And this time of waiting lasts until December 25th…and then Christmas BEGINS! I heard a commercial on a radio station this morning that bragged that they were playing Christmas music 24/7 all the way until December 25th. Why stop when Christmas has just begun? You know that song about the 12 days of Christmas? Those twelve days START on December 25th and last until January 6th. We are not in the Christmas season yet.

We have become a society that doesn’t like to wait for anything. We move from one obligation, or event, or task to the next with as little time in between as possible. We associate “having to wait” as an inconvenience and a waste of time. “In the time that I am waiting I could have done XYZ other things.” I suppose that is true if your only concern is with trying to get things accomplished.

But what if you want to do things with a spirit of intentionality and joy?

This season waiting through Advent is not idle time or wasted time, at least with regard to the mind. It is a time of preparation. Preparation, whether it be for an upcoming trip, a business meeting, house guests, or Christmas, is important. Intentional preparation puts one’s mind and body in the right place to meet a moment with enthusiasm, with open arms and a grateful spirit. Lack of preparation means that we might never be in the right place to fully appreciate or experience all that an opportunity has to offer.

For those people who started preparing for Christmas back in October and were totally ready for it in November, blessings to you. For those of us who are still preparing, why does the world not understand? Why is holiday decorating shaming even a thing? I will get my tree and other decorations up in another week or so. By that time, I will be good a ready, prepared and excited. And, I will have plenty of time to enjoy them.

And on New Years Eve, after many have packed away any evidence of Christmas, I will be celebrating the midpoint of the true Christmas season. around my Christmas tree with the halls still decked out.

May the joy of the season be yours whenever you are ready for it!

Mix It Up Monday – It’s A Cookie Kind of Month

03 Monday Dec 2018

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from Kris B.

Potato Chip Cookies

And now it’s December! It seems crazy that we are only a few short weeks away from Christmas. What that means to us here at Sifted Together is that it is time to test cookie recipes to see which ones Santa might like best!

I decided to start with Potato Chip Cookies for no other reason than I had some potato chips left from topping another recipe and they needed to be used. Since potato chips are not my chip of choice when I’m craving chips, using them in cookies seemed like a win-win.

The ingredients:

vegetable shortening
granulated sugar
firmly packed brown sugar, light or dark
salt
baking powder
vanilla extract
large egg
rolled oats, traditional or quick
King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
crushed potato chips
salt for sprinkling on top, optional

The sugars and shortening are creamed together and then the other ingredients are added one by one, with the oats and finally the potato chips being stirred in last. The cookies are scooped by tablespoon onto a parchment lined baking sheet and baked at 350 for 12 minutes for chewy cookies or 14-15 minutes for crunchy cookies.

With the exception of the potato chips and maybe the rolled oats, this recipe uses only staple items. The oats give them a nice chewy texture while the chips add a bit of crunch and a slightly salty taste. I used baked potato chips. The flavor and texture seemed to hold up, but it is possible that regular chips may have been a bit more crunchy because of their oil content.

Right as I had gotten all of the ingredients out to start making the cookies, a friend called and asked what I was doing. He wanted me to meet him in an hour and a half for a concert at our local library. I was willing as long as I could get the cookies done first. I had no problems! I mixed, baked, cooled, and packaged a few cookies for him in that hour and a half. That may be the best advertisement for these cookies. Quick and easy is an understatement!

These cookies are a hit with all here who tried them. Since the Santa who lives at my house doesn’t like cookies with chocolate, I’m always happy to find a recipe that pleases him. If you have some leftover potato chips, the ones that are crumbly and aren’t big enough for dip but that you don’t want to waste them, give this recipe a try! Or, if you are looking for something a little different but not too fussy the Potato Chip Cookies are a good option.

Santa may like them too!

from Tracey G.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I didn’t really have anything in mind that I wanted to make this week, but when this recipe crossed my path I looked no further. I figured we all can always use an easy cookie recipe, and an easy chocolate chip one at that! And, this is it.

I really like the fact you melt the butter – no need to wait for it to come room temperature/soften up. But, that said, this recipe has a “let stand overnight before cutting” step – so, plan accordingly! I didn’t, unfortunately! I guess that I should’ve read the whole recipe through all the way. As far as putting them together, it reminded me of one of their (KAF’s) brownie recipes with the melting of the butter and then adding the sugar to that.

The ingredients are simple and basic:

Butter
Brown Sugar
Salt
Vanilla
Butterscotch Flavor or Vanilla-Butternut Flavor – optional
Espresso Powder – optional
Eggs
Baking Powder
Flour
Chocolate Chips (or combo of chips & nuts etc)

That’s it. And it came together really quickly. You first melt the butter, then stir in your brown sugar. To that you add the salt and flavoring(s), now transfer to your mixing bowl. Add eggs one at a time, and then the rest of the ingredients: baking powder, espresso powder and flour. Stir in chips.

Scoop the batter into your greased 9×13 pan and bake 30-32 minutes. They recommend the longer time for light/shiny pans, which I did. They’re supposed to look/be a bit “molten” yet in the center when they come out – and that’s why there’s the overnight “curing”.

When I finally got to cut and try them, I wish I’d have given them a couple more minutes in the oven, because as much as I love gooey, they just seems like they could’ve cooked a bit longer. But, I’ve a penchant sometimes for over-baking things like that and regretting it later, so I went spot-on with their time as mine looked as it was supposed to.

But no matter, they are super yummy. I did use the butterscotch flavoring because I had some, but they’d be just as yummy without it. They definitely have a “brownie-like” thing going on and it adds to the yum-factor. And, I think I cut mine a bit too large, they’re rather decadent and you can get away with a smaller serving! Oh and speaking of decadent – and they’d be yummy paired with vanilla ice cream, lol. Enjoy!

November 2018 – Where We Are

30 Friday Nov 2018

Posted by Tracey Somos-Gehring in Uncategorized

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from Tracey G.

There’s not a whole lot I love about November in Michigan, lol. It’s all about Mother Nature getting ready for her Winter Break really.

Leaves are all brown and down, and if it’s a good year they’re also already raked & processed! We usually mow ours up and use them as mulch in the flower beds and some end up back in the compost pile.

It’s also the month we see more “serious” cold temperatures – and maybe an honest-to-goodness bit of snow. Which as pretty as it can be, considering it’s usually still here in April, I’m good with it waiting awhile before it sticks! Call me crazy but I’m also very good with it if it’s not a snowy Holiday Season! By mid-to-late February you’re really getting over the novelty of it for sure…

It’s always a bit of “fun” (yep, sarcasm there) to drive in that first bit of wintery weather as well – your skills are a bit rusty, but it’s not long before you get your “snow driving legs” back, lol. Then you resign yourself to knowing, that, for the next few months you will be cleaning snow off your car (unless you can actually use your garage as it’s meant to be used – unlike us) and warming it up every morning.

And that’s what November brings here in Northern Lower Michigan – it’s definitely a transition month for Mother Nature!!!

from Kris B.

Other than in summer when it is guaranteed to be brutally hot, weather in Texas is unpredictable, especially at this time of year when the seasons are supposed to be changing. This week, our temperatures have been in the mid to high 70s. It has been glorious. But, on Monday, temperatures are supposed to dip below freezing. This kind of up and down confuses all living things – plants and humans!

Our oak trees have dropped almost all of their leaves, creating a blanket of brown in the yard and on the patio. The barren trees look like winter is not far off, but because of the warm temperatures, other plants have not made such preparations. My gerbera daisies decided to bloom again. I love seeing their bright orange faces pop up out of the brown!

Even when it does get cold, our cold and winter are nothing like what Tracey experiences. We do have snow every now and then, but the more likely winter offender is ice…lots of it. Texas ice storms are ugly. Pick-up trucks sliding around on multi-level highway interchanges is scary for everyone!

This year, my city is trying something new; they are creating an outdoor ice rink. Seriously? With these warm temperatures, people are going to be skating in their shorts and tank tops. And who knows what it will take to keep that rink from being a great big slushy mess! It is supposed to open tonight. I am curious to see how that all works. Stay tuned for an update!

Other than that, things in Texas are probably much like life everywhere else – holiday lights, frantic shoppers, and people hoping for no ice storms to complicate their holiday preparations!

Happy almost December, everyone!

Midweek In Michigan: All I Want…

29 Thursday Nov 2018

Posted by Tracey Somos-Gehring in Midweek In Michigan

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Tags

kids, Life, present shopping, presents

It appears we may be reaching the last Christmas that Harry “believes” in Santa. This was the first year he questioned if Santa was *real*.

Now as much as it’s a bittersweet sign that my baby’s growing up, it’s almost a relief! I say that because, he’s reaching the age that it’s getting hard to buy for him! “Santa’s” been working her butt off trying to come up with things to get him, and that’s because he’s really not into anything right now other than his XBox, lol. He used to have things he collected, like Disney’s Cars character cars, or the Star Wars HotWheels, so it’s always been fairly easy, but now? He never ever mentions anything that he’d like. I think he’s just actually pretty happy with things he has, which is a good thing really. Maybe (hopefully) a sign that while there are things he’d like to have, he’s cool with his current stuff.

But, I must say I’ll be rather relieved when we can ask him outright what he’d like for Christmas and not gave to go through a “middle-man” so-to-speak, lol. And not have to be stealthy in getting said presents wrapped and under the tree.

I can honestly say I never really fully appreciated just how clever my parents had to be – or how early they to had start! Where we live, there’s a few things my mom could’ve gotten locally, but I know a whole lot more would’ve been out of the Sears Wishbook! And there wasn’t the fast shipping we have now I’m sure! I’m sure my mom/parents were relieved when Santa wasn’t a thing anymore, lol!!

And now, off to Amazon to come up with something…

Mix It Up Monday: Big Tastes in Little Time

26 Monday Nov 2018

Posted by Tracey Somos-Gehring in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

baking from a mix, broccoli, cake, cheese, frontier soups, Gingerbread, holiday, mix, soup

from Tracey G.

Frontier Soups Virginia Blue Ridge Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This time of year, and all through the months, I love a good cup or bowl of soup. Sometimes though, like during the week, I don’t want all the work that can go into making it from scratch. The chopping & prepping the vegetables, which I normally love doing, I don’t love during the time crunched school/work week.

So with that in mind, I’ve turned to mixes a few times and probably been disappointed the majority of those times. They’re either too “mix-like” tasting or way to salty/high in sodium. This is the 2nd mix I’ve purchased on KAF’s website by Frontier Soups that I adore! The first one I tested a couple of years ago, the South Of The Border Tortilla Soup. That mix is wonderful as well, and it’s a favorite around here.

But, back to the Virginia Blue Ridge Broccoli Cheddar Soup Mix…

I was impressed to find no added salt – the amount in the mix they list at 20mg. Of course more would come from the other ingredients you add, but it’s fairly easy to control it. I used a no-salt added chicken broth, so that helped the salt content stay low and allow us to salt our own portions to taste. And I guarantee that I add much less than some mixes have in their total! Oh! I almost forgot to add that it is gluten-free, too!

All you need to provide is:

Chicken Broth

Heavy Cream or Half & Half

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

So, to get it started you bring 4 cups (32 oz) chicken broth to boil and add your mix. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 30 min. (They also give you some ideas for adding in some extra broccoli, cauliflower or spinach) Then, you stir in 1 cup heavy cream or half & half, which is what I used, plus I cup 4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese. Re-cover and keep on low heat for about 10 more minutes. That’s it! It’s ready to eat or for a thicker soup, you can use an immersion blender to purée it or use a fork to mash some of the veg. I liked it just fine as it was, I was happy with the thickness and texture.

It made a great lunch and would it would be a heartier meal if you add in some bread/rolls and a salad! And, I’d say we got exactly the servings the package stayed, about 4-5, which also makes me happy!

I will be ordering more of this soup mix to keep on hand, I highly recommend you give this one a try!

from Kris B.Gingerbread Mix

I am chuckling because last year, I bought this mix and the box said, “Gingerbread Cake,” but it gave an alternative for cookies. I made the cookies. This year, King Arthur has changed the packaging and is says “Gingerbread Cookies ” in big letters and offers an alternative for cake. I made the cake. I guess I really do have trouble with being mainstream. 🙂

For me, pumpkin and it’s requisite spices say autumn and Thanksgiving while gingerbread says winter and Christmas. Thinking about it, this gingerbread association is a little strange because growing up my mom never made gingerbread men cookies and I never made a gingerbread house until I was a mom and my girls wanted to try it. Now, I love spicy flavor of gingerbread in almost any way, shape, or form…cookies, cake, waffles, pancakes…even gingerbread latte! You’d think gingerbread was something I have been enjoying my entire life. But, it’s not.

Because the cookies I made from the King Arthur Gingerbread Cake and Cookie mix last year were so good, I decided to buy the mix again and try the cake this year. Not that I am surprised, it is equally as good! To the mix, you simply add an egg, water, and vegetable oil. The batter can be mixed easily by hand. The cake then bakes in a lightly greased 9×9 pan for 35-45 minutes. I baked mine in a 7×11 pan, which made for slightly thicker pieces. It took the full 45 minutes to bake. And boy does it smell good while it is baking! Those 45 minutes were a treat for my senses!

The cake is nice and moist; really, it needs no kind of topping, though a little whipped cream or a sprinkle of powdered sugar certainly won’t hurt! I’m a plain and simple kind of person when it comes to cake, so this is probably all I would ever add to this delicious gingerbread cake. But, if you are more adventurous than I am, you might try topping your gingerbread with a bit of berry compote as well.

Whether you make cake or cookies, this mix does not disappoint. In an hour, from start to finish, you will fill your home with the smells and your belly with the tastes of the season. This is a great mix to have on hand “just in case” you have unexpected guests or need a last-minute gift.

A side not for you photographers reading…

I styled the gingerbread and took the shots like I normally do. I was not thrilled with what I had gotten, but most of the shots would have been acceptable. As is often the case, it is the final shot, the one that I hadn’t taken intentionally, that ended up being my favorite. I hope I’m not alone in over thinking the process sometimes.

May joy find you during this holiday season!