....10 days later...

Not exactly the BEST pickle I have ever had.....and not exactly the WORST pickle I have ever had...but it's also not one I'm in a hurry to have more of HAHAHAHA!!! So.....on to modifying my recipe.... or...maybe I will just stick with my sweet pickles, they are for sure the BEST sweet pickles I have ever had :O)

My first shot at Garlic Dill Pickles....

Well usually every year with cucumbers from people's gardens, I have to make pickles...just because it's fun....I LOVE dill pickles...but have a really easy recipe for bread and butter pickles (sweet pickles)...I'll post that at another time....I'll make some soon and fill you in....

For tonight, I really wanted to try to make Dill pickles...garlic dill to be exact....right off the bat, I DO NOT like the fact that they have to sit in the fridge for 10 days!!! it makes sense, the longer they "marinate" the better the taste becomes....but I love instant gratification :) So....

here is the recipe...and in 10 days, I'll let you know how they taste!!

Garlic Dill Pickles

3-5 cucumbers sliced into chips (not too thin, not too thick..ya know..pickly width!)

2 cups of water

1 3/4 cups of white vinegar

1 1/2 cup of chopped fresh dill weed

1/2 cup of white sugar

8 cloves of garlic chopped up

1 1/2 tbsp of pickling spice

1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes, or more if you like spice

1 1/2 tsp of dill seed (it is different than dill weed!)

also need 3 or so 20oz glass jars

mix it all together in a large bowl....let it stand for about 2 hours, till it becomes room temp. then spoon your cucumbers into your glass jars, and pour the liquid over them. make sure they are covered with liquid just enough. Seal them up, and throw them in the fridge for 10 days! THEN taste them...do NOT taste them before..YUCK!!!! the flavors need to meld....trust me! sooooooooooo in 10 days....I'll report back about the pickles! :)

Sweet Dreams.....

You are SURE to have sweet dreams on these pillows......PILLOW COOKIES!!!
Like nothing you have ever dreamt of!! again Let's just say thank you to Betty Crocker....when you are in a hurry and "from scratch" isn't an option.....Every now and then I like to have some fun with box mixes.....you can really do alot, and it looks like you slaved all day :)

So again with a box of brownie mix, and a bag of cookie mix..... Mix up your cookies, and let the dough chill in the fridge for an hour....meanwhile...mix your brownies, bake them, and let them cool for about 20 minutes...Take the chilled dough out, and spook about 1/2 cup of cookie mix out on to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.......it's ALOT of cookie... these are BIG, and with this one bag of cookie mix you can oly make 6 PILLOWS! You will have a TON of brownie left over though :)make a giant blob, and press a spot down in the center of the cookie....scoop out with a spoon, a spoonfull of brownie...It should still be a little warm and gooey...plop that into the center of the cookie...and work the edges of your cookie blob around the top of your brownie plop!

SWEET DREAMS! ~*

Cowknees......

My husband named these...CowKnees....they don't have to be spelled that way, but honestly I think its cute! lol Cookie Brownies!!! Just thank Betty Crocker for the simplicity of this...ANYONE can make these!!!! take a package of Betty's chocolate chip cookie mix...mix it up...... a box of Betty's Brownie mix, mix that up....grease a 13x9 inch glass casserole.....pour the brownie batter in that.....then spoon the cookie dough into that...press down lightly....
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes....Let cool completely and cut up....mmm mmmm good!!

Lemon Drop Cupcakes!

SO, I never took a pic of the lemon buttercream cupcakes...but that's ok...they are gone, and these look cuter :) I am on a lemon kick for some reason! so tonight I made LemonDrop cupcakes...soooooo good! Here is the recipe!

Cupcake Batter:

1 cup butter

2 cups of sugar

4 eggs

1.5 tsp of lemon extract

1.5 tsp of vanilla extract

3 cups of flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp of salt

1 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice....again becareful not to get seeds in there!

1 tbsp of grated Lemon Zest (peel)

cream butter and sugar....add eggs one at a time, then add extracts....next mix in dry ingredients but alternate it with the lemon juice. and last stir in lemon zest.

Back in cupcake tins for 18-23 min at 350 degrees. this is about 2 dozen....only fill them 1/2 way

Once they have cooled for only 10 minutes....poke a few holes in each cupcake....

mix gently

1 cup of confectioners sugar

and 1/4 cup of lemon juice

spoon that lightly over each cupcake top....make sure it seeps ito the holes!!! throw them in the fridge for about 2 hours. Take out and frost!!!......on these I cheated...I used Lemon supreme frosting in a tub!!!! SORRY!!!!! It was late and I didn't feel like making a lemon frosting!

well give it a shot! AND ENJOY!

mmm Lemon Buttercream Cupcakes!

I have been dying to make these, and so finally I AM!!!
Here is the recipe....and of course I will have a picture later on :)

Cupcake:
1 cup of butter softened
2 cups of sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp of lemon zest
1 tsp of lemon extract
1 tsp of vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups of flour
1tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of salt
2 cups of sour cream

cream the butter and sugar, beat the eggs in one at a time. Then add lemon and vanilla and zest.
mix together all dry ingredients, then add it slowly to the creamed mixture....Alternate adding the dry , then adding some sour cream, till both are well combined :) Your batter is going to be kind of thick. pour into greased cupcake tins, or lined tins.

Cook at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Let cool

Once they are cooled you can frost them with the frosting!! recipe below!

Frosting:
3 tbsp of butter softened
2 1/4 cup of confect. sugar
2 tbsp of lemon juice
3/4 tsp of vanilla extract
1/4 tsp of lemon zest
1 tbsp of milk

cream butter and sugar, then add rest of ingredients, beat till smooth,and frost :)

Smiling Frog...So proud of this picture!

I took this picture while Camping over memorial day weekend. It was at woodland hills Campground, in Austerlitz,NY......The frogs were EVERYWHERE, and wouldn't stop croaking by the way!!! I was determined all weekend, to snap a shot of a bullfrog croaking....with his chin all puffed out...(I have no idea what that is actually called!) but instead this one little guy...kept croaking while i wasn't looking....It was as if he was teasing me....well I never did get it...BUT I did however...find another froggy who let me get quite close to him...and I am so very proud of this picture...not many people can catch a frog smile :) Im so pleased with the fact that I DID!

IF I KNEW how to copyright my pic so it couldn't be stolen...I WOULD......Because I think it's THAT good :) ahahaha Hope you like it as much as I do!

PEANUT BUTTER SAUCE....

Ok....so I LOVE peanut butter....and my fav combination is peanut butter and Chocolate..... I think Friendly's peanut butter sauce is TO DIE FOR!!!! and for well an eternity I have longed to be able to make it at home..... I think I have gotten as CLOSE as I will ever get to reaching that goal!!! Here is my recipe!!! And that pic above is from my cell phone....but it tastes 10 times as good as that pic displays :)

1 cup of brown sugar

1/3 cup of milk

1/4 cup of light corn syrup

1 tbsp of soft butter

1 tsp of Vanilla extract

1/2 to 2/3 cup of peanut butter

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a suace pan, over medium heat till all smooth

remove from heat and with a fork beat in peanut butter till smooth....serve it warm over your ice cream or whatever you wish!!!!

ALMOST as good as Friendly's!!! but outstanding for your home use!!! :)

My engagement....again

Last night my husband competed in the Berkshire Karaoke Idol competition...He was amazing.....he came in the top 10 out of 25 but that was all....he was a winner in my heart!

He pulled me from the audience while singing.....and danced with me, and sang to me....sat me down in a chair, and proposed to me all over again...One of the best moments EVER@ ALL 460 PEOPLE IN THE PLACE WERE ON THEIR FEET CHEERING AND TAKING PICS!!!! It was such a great night!!!! all in all, I love my husband whom I have been with for 11 years!!!!

How could I forget!!!

For whatever reason I thought I had already shared with you all what my husband suprised me with this past christmas?!!?! He got me an upright bass!! It is gorgeous! I have wanted one for aVERY long time.... At first, some 10 years ago, I told him they are a gorgeous instrument, I'd love to have it in the corner of a room as a piece of ART!!! of course that's not realistic.....so, ya know, we didn't get one!

Last may, 2009...we went to a bluegrass festival with his family, and His uncle and I were just chatting away and My husband started to play a tune and his uncle joined in, I said, ok, someone tell me what to do on the Bass, and I'll play this one....I LOVED IT INSTANTLY!!...Apparently my husband was so impressed at how fast I picked it up, he purchased this bass the weekend we got home!!! So on christmas morning, I WAS IN SHOCK!!!!!!!!!!!! It is such a cool thing that he thought so much of how well I did. Makes it such a special gift....one that brings us even closer than we are. We play music together, practice together, and enjoy it so much!!!

The other night, we had some friends over and before we went out, we decided to play a few tunes, my first time playing in front of people besides him, and my father in law, who also teaches me when we are together....I HAD A BLAST!!!!!!! So, the pic you see above, that is my first pic playing! I'M SO PROUD!!! Ok....more to come, tomorow! I'm a bloggin' fool tonight!!!

Good night! FOR REAL!

Hello Darlin'....Nice to see ya!

WOW!!! It's been a VERY long time. Looks like last time I updated you folks was January!! YIKES!

Let me fill you in, I have been working, a few different jobs here and there taking up alot of this stay at home momma's free time. Then we headed down south on a road trip with our camper for about 3 weeks! Boy was the southern climate nice to us!!!! At any rate, I have BARELY baked anything, or sewn ....well AT ALL! But I did however take, brace yourselves, 1500 pictures during our road trip...Destination...DIGITAL SCRAPBOOK!!!

Yes I SAID DIGITAL!! Ok.... all of my family and friends scrapbook....but I guess I'm just not into cutting and pasting and all that jazz...too teidious for me. So....I went to a creative memories party at my best friend's house, and That girl did a wonderful job of selling me the $200.00 digital program!!!! Well, I have yet to install it and try it out, but it sounds like I will love it! so...those pics will be put to good use!

So....My good friend Callie asked me to blog, well several things I have posted recently and I have not gotten around to it.... but tonight I posted my first attempt at a frozen treat, and Here I am, per her request blogging it :) I missed blogging anyways, I just needed a good boot in the....fanny to get back on here and do it! Thanks Callie!!! So here goes....

Chocolate and peanutbutter Ribbon Dessert

Recipe as follows, I found it on http://www.kraftrecipes.com/

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/chocolate-peanut-butter-ribbon-75145.aspx

and, don't compare the pics...one thing I am not, is a food artist!!! so mine does not look quite as cool as the one listed....but , still tastes great!!!! Also, this pic is from my cell phone..I do have an amazing camera, but for now, my cell phone was quicker :) Hope you enjoy, and if you try it, be sure to let me know!!!!

Buh bye blogger buds!!!!

Exhaustion....

wow....Ok..well I have not written in a while. Let me explain. I took a temporary FULL TIME position at a company, and while the money was great, I have no idea how I ever used to work full time. I missed my kids so much. it was awful. BUT such is life, when you have a mortgage to pay and bills every day.....I have not even snapped one pic, sewn one sticth, or baked one crumb....looking forward to this weekend, and hoping like HECK I can get back on track!!! I'm having withdrawls!!!!!!! My apologies for making this a boring January!!!! I'll make it up to you soon I promise!

Broken crayons anyone??

I can't be the only mom out there with a little boy who tends to break all of his crayons?? I was so tired of picking up pieces of crayon or shreds of the paper....I came across an idea to make my own!

Here is what you do:

• Take all of the remaining paper off of the broken crayon pieces.


• Group them into "like" colors


• pre-heat your oven to 250°


• use any kind of silicone mold,candy mold, anything that is oven heat safe


• break them into many small pieces in each mold


• Place them in the oven for approx 12 minutes, but watch closely all ovens vary


• once completely melted remove them, and place in the freezer for about 5 minutes


• Pop them out of the molds and let cool completly

Now you have cool shaped crayons for your kids with no wrappers and although they are still breakable, will probably NOT break nearly as fast as the regular crayons!!!! Hope you enjoy!

Happy New Year!!

Wow, I can't believe it is already Jan 5! This is my first post of the new year, so sorry, but both of our boys have been sick with terrible colds so that has kept my time. At any rate, I am so excited to have a few minutes to updat you! I FINALLY got that new camera I have been dying for! so, my pictures from now on, should be MUCH better! Those fleece socks you see elsewhere on my blog, I have decided as part of my 2 month pledge to wardrobe refashion, to NOT buy fleece to make them. Instead my sweet husband has outgrown some of his favorite Pajamma pants....So...i am about to make some socks out of those! I have done one pair of his pants already and I LOVE the outcome! I will try to get another pair done this afternoon and repost with some more pictures!!! Have a happy Healthy new year, and here is to some good refashioningideas!!!

Wardrobe Re-fashion...

I just pledged on their site, for 2 months....Check it out http://wardroberefashion.net/

it's about refashioning old clothes you have to suit your style or needs today. save you money, and it's better for the earth!!!! Anyways....what I really want to do is show you the dress I made a couple weeks ago!! This however is not a refashion. I purchased this material half off and tried out a pattern, I'll get the patter number for those of you who might want to purchase it. at any rate, it's what I call pattern gone wrong, for the better!

I cut out the pattern...ALL WRONG!!! and so, i had lots of pieces I should not have had, and well made it into my own style shirt/dress!!!! So..here it is, hope you like it!!! I also got as a christmas gift, my NEW DIGITAL CAMERA!!!! So...my husband, who is NOT the photographer in the family took this pic for me!!! Hope you like it!

DONE!!!

What a feeling! I am DONE! Done christmas shopping, done gift wrapping, santa is all prepared, my sons are so excited and so aren't my husband and I! This year is going to be the BEST Christmas ever!! and the icing on the cake....WE AREN'T EVEN IN DEBT!!! woohooo!! No better feeling on earth, to know that you won't have stacks of bills after all is said and done! I haven't posted much because I have ben busy trying to finish up! My mother in law was also in town from FL for the past two weeks, so not much computer time. It was a nice visit though!

Since I am done with Christmas, I am moving on to my next project...well one of them! I have lots of orders of my fleece slipper socks to fill too!!! My oldest son will be 3 years old in Feb. I am desperatleysearching for a really cool TRAIN cake to make him! I have an idea to use mini loaf pans, and trim the top mound off, lay them in a line and make them into little trains several of them by decorating them....but.....I'm still searching..I WANT it to be 3d.....Not a cake pan that is shaped like a cake ya know???....Till then!

Silly winter!

I had this urge to make my boys silly matching winter hats, found this cool fleece at Jo-ann's it has little doggy prints on it, and used a contrasting black fleece for trim and a tassle. They came out so cute!!! and actually fit my boys perfectly! It was a fun, fast and EASY project. I followed a pattern from mccall's....I will get the pattern number up here in my next post in case you are interested in purchasing it...Enjoy the pic!..oh and remember...my camera is busted...these are mobile uploads from my cell phone...sorry!!

How to make a Frog Cake

Just recently my youngest son celebrated his FIRST birthday! I decided that it was time to stop paying ridiculous prices for local bakeries or local grocery stores to make the cake. He loves frogs, he has Froggy sheets, froggy jammies, froggy stuffed animals, you name it! So I took it upon myself to try and create a Froggy Cake for my little man's birthday. Please follow this photo tutorial and you can do it yourself! I only used boxed cake mixes, and Wilton pre made frosting in a tub with wilton food coloring! Take a look!

Madison Hand Bags....QUILT?

I am lucky enough to have a good friend who is a Madison Hand Bags Consultant. She contacted me and asked if I could possibly use a bunch of 8x8 squares of all of the fabric swatches from Their line. I said, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!?! So, She kindly delivered yesterday afternoon all 42 swatches of retired Madison Hand Bag fabric!!!!!.....This evening I decided I wanted to make a patchwork quilt, obviously a very simple cheater quilt. By cheater I basically mean, I'm just using the squares as they are. and sewing them together. I laid it all out on th eliving room floor with the help of my 2 and a half year old son, and thought I'd share a pic of what it MIGHT look like....I hope to start working on it this evening after the kids go to bed!

Biscotti

Almost 6 years ago now, my mother's very best friend, like a second mom to me actually....Was struck and killed by a drunk driver....it is a very devastating story, that I will spare you....At any rate, her name is Marijane....and she was the most amazing cook on earth!! Her daughter is now a chef as well. Anyways, Marijane had some great recipes, and among those was one of our family favorites her Anise Seed Biscotti.

With Anise you either love it, or hate it. There is no in between. Anise is very closely compared to the flavor of black licorice....another thing you either love or hate. I on the other hand, can't stand black licorice, but love the flavor of anise in the biscotti!!! I guess the moral of the story...don't knock it till ya try it!

My mother is the one who usually makes it, and today, I decided it was my turn to learn. It really is not hard at all. and It came out tasty, but for whatever reason, will never taste as good as Marijane's....Check out the pic!!!

Speaking of pic....my camera fell on the floor and the lens totally came out, my camera...is officially...SHOT. I have been saving for a new camera, one that I will love always!!....which hopefully someday soon I will be getting, but.....I'm not ready to purchase it yet, still reading reviews and comparing them all. That being said, this picture was taken with my cell phone... not a good pic at all so I apologize! Well that's all... Till next time

Fleece Socks...

So I made THE CUTEST fleece socks! I made a pair for myself, and my husband giggled at me. I told him, don't you laugh....I'm going to make you a pair and you will love them!! He really was not open to even considering the idea of putting a pair on! So....out of some of the fleece I bought at Jo-Ann's on black friday....I crafted up a pair of cozy sockey-poohs for my hubs.... HE LOVES THEM!!! and now wants a dozen pairs!! I also made a pair for my oldest son.....Today, my father ordered a pair, and also on the agenda, making a pair for mason, our youngest! They are SO easy, and SO comfy! I will have a tutorial for these as well! ENJOY!

Figuring it all out...

Good Morning!! (or it's actually afternoon by now) We were up all night with our 1 yr old son Mason. Both boys have a terrible cold, and none of us got any sleep at all :( .... Please forgive me if I make no sense today! I have several photo turtorials on sewing and even baking that I really want to share with you, but I just have no idea how to post it here just yet....So, I'm not ignoring you all, I'm just slowly learning this blog stuff. Once I get them up here, I look forward to hearing how you all do if you try to attemp some of my projects!

I purchased two more sewing machines this week. Both are Singer Machines, One is a 1970, that turned out to be an "OK" deal, and the other I pick up tomorrow. It is a vintage Singer machine, and it great working order, or so she tells me from Craigslist. I can't wait to get it home and try it out. You know I will have pics for you! Ok, back to researching how to get photo tutorials on here!! Hope you have a wonderful day.....Stay warm and healthy!

Black Friday Shopping...

*yawn* Well, good morning...

Today is Black Friday, and normally the craziest shopping day of the year. I decided last night to participate in it. My mother and I got up and out the door by 4:45am, and headed directly over to Jo-Ann Fabric. We expected a line a mile long, and what we found was just the opposite....not a soul to be found, not even an employee!!! So to kill time, we drove to the other stores in the area just to see...Wal mart was a mad house, so we didn't even attempt to go in, Big Lots, wasn't bad, got a few great deals on toys for our boys, and Best Buy...was a joke, I have never seen so many people in that store...well, EVER. we left quickly! Went back to Jo-Ann's and were still, alone! Finally about 5:45 am people started arriving. We decided to get out and line up, and as we did, everyone started to follow suit. Got alot of great deals, a nice rotary cutting mat size 24x36 for more than 50% off at $12.00, a really great OTT lamp for the sewing table for only $19.99, and yards upon yards of blizzard fleece for 2.99 a yard, and Snuggly fleece for 1.49 a yard! So worth it! I intend on making pajamas, and socks for all of us....Don't worry, I will be posting photo tutorials of it all soon, so you can do it too! But for now.....It's time to get through the morning, and on to nap time for the boys....You can bet I'll be napping too!

Welcome!

Happy Thanksgiving! Today is day 1 of my new Blog Olive Juice! I hope to have alot of photo tutorials on baking and sewing, and many other fun things for you to do with your free time! Not to mention I will always keep you updated on my day to day activities with my awesome husband and two gorgeous sons! Please bookmark my blog, and follow me faithfully! I can assure you, you will get a giggle or two out of it, and maybe even learn something new!