-10 degrees this morning

Have you ever seen a more blue sky than that? Just Beautiful!

This morning is a chilly chilly morning.  We broke record today with a low of -10, yet even though it is SO cold it is a BEAUTIUL morning!  The sun is shining and the sky is ever so blue.  There is no wind and everything seems so still and serene.

The chickens didn't really want to come out of their coop this morning but when I set some treats out for them (last night's scraps) they came out to eat in a hurry. But I think they were coldddd.



Doesn't she look cold? :)

So yesterday I made a Fudgy Tunnel Chocolate Cream Cheese cake- It WAS SOOO good.  I made it for the cream cheese challenge in Food Fo, but I don't know if I will be participating or not.  The forum has become overrun with trolls and yesterday I took the bait (not knowing)  It was stupid, but I got negged like hell for it and someone had been negging most of my posts for the past couple days.  I have a suspicion that it is a drama mama following my around-especially since someone posted pics off my blog yesterday in drama fo.  I haven't posted in drama fo in ages, and it really irks me that people assume everything vile is mine.  But Life goes on... (my new motto)

Anyway back to the cake... the recipe can be found here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fudgy-Cream-Cheese-Tunnel-Cake/Detail.aspx I didn't add the pecans since Chris doesn't like nuts and I followed the comments to add an egg to the cream cheese mixture. Also I didn't add the coffee since we don't drink it and don't even own a coffee maker!  I used 1/4 c water and 1/2 c heavy cream to replace the coffee.  Turned out perfect!

In the middle I poured the rest of the chocolate added strawberries and drizzled chocolate on top. What a tasty treat in addition to the cake!

It is really good!

I bought too much cream though. Oh well we like it in other things.  Last night I made smothered hamburgers, mashed potatoes,  and peas for supper. 

Smothered Hamburgers

1 lb thawed ground hamburger
1/2 package crushed saltines
1 egg
1/2 package onion soup mix
2-3 T A1 Sauce
a shake or two Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

Mix everything together and shape into patties.  Cook hamburgers in a skillet until cooked through.

In a bowl combine:
2 cans cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 package onion soup mix
Mrs. Bouquet browning sauce- about a capful
salt to taste if needed

Mix together and pour over hamburgers in skillet.  Turn heat to LOW and cover. Let simmer about 5 minutes or so.

They were so good.  I just made mashed potatoes with about 4T butter and some cream, salt, and pepper.  They were great with the "gravy"

I don't think I will ever buy margarine again!  Butter makes everything taste better!


and some more random pics...

Fitting that we are the Half Way Cardinals :)
We have Cardinals EVERYWHERE!

Day of Cooking

If I were to guess I would say more people cook on this day than any other day in February. Tomorrow is the Super Bowl.  I am not even sure who is playing, and I don't care.  I cooked a ton today, and no not for the Super Bowl- I just felt like it!

To me cooking is something to do when you are stuck inside, a fun activity.  Last night it snowed another 2-3 inches, and it made everything slick.  This morning I had to go to Pleasant Hope to the bank- Took me over an hour to get there and get back. (about a 15 miles round trip on a state lettered hwy)  When I got home Chris had the 70 John Deere out playing with it.  I took some pictures.

He even brought the cows around...

After spending some time outside-feeding the chickens, taking pictures, burning the kitchen trash I went inside to start cooking.  First I started with Lunch.  Bacon Cheeseburger Soup- It was really good!

And then I made my very first Chocolate Meringue Pie- It tirned out AWESOME! Not much left right now.

And then tonight after we ordered Pizza from the gas station (it was Chris' idea!) I made pretzels! Oh my they are good! If only I had some cheese sauce!

Blizzard day 2

Nothing new to report- just took a lot of blizzard pics today.  We ended up getting about 2 foot of snow and it is bitterly cold today.  Right now it is 3 with a wind chill of -14.  It isn't supposed to warm up much more this week and we might get more snow this weekend. Great.  I don't like it-and I don't want to even think about the mud it is going to create when it thaws. yuck!



Cows finally came out of the woods to drink.




Snow drift on the North side of the house.





Cedars lining our driveway.




That is a 5 gallon bucket on its side.  It is located about 2 feet from the back door.





That is a 5 gallon bucket standing up- you can see the rim.  The drift next to it is about 6 inches taller.




Snow blew into the coop!




Snow on the coop light!




A few of the hens came out for a minute this morning.





At least the sun is out this morning!




The well house out front.  That is H hwy on the other side of the fence...





Glistening Snow.



BLIZZARD! ahhh

Hide you milk, bread, and eggs! (luckily all I need is the milk) The midwest has been hit head on with the storm of the century!  So far we have at least a foot of snow and it is still coming down like crazy.  It is drifting really bad and is super cold outside.  Right now it is 19 with a windchill of -4. brrr.  The weathermen said that the Ozarks haven't seen a snow storm like this since 1912!! 99 years ago! sheesh!  They were probably better equipped for the cold in 1912- plus they had horses and stuff that could get out in this. 

Today I made another Angel Food Cake (No one is buying any eggs in this storm!) with the 7 minute frosting.  I made the frosting purple this time around-makes it more fun lol.  I can't wait to try it.

I bet it will be really tasty! I added a bit more sugar and I intended too, but I don't think it will change the taste drastically. 

Monday Morning!

Finally my Cinnamon rolls turned out!  I didn't even try to make icing with powdered sugar though- I just made a sugar/water wash and brushed it on them. YUM!

Sunday night

Can't sleep. It is 10:45pm and I can't sleep.  We have a major snow/ice storm headed our way and I don't feel prepared. We are almost out of milk and we don't have any matches or lamp oil. 

I decided since I can't sleep I will do some laundry and make some bread.  We are almost out of bread and I need to make some anyway. I think I am going to make 1 load and try to use the rest for cinnamon rolls.  I am going to do the half wheat flour mixture again. It is probably healthier for us anyway.  Also trying something new- letting them rise in a warm oven instead of by the stove.  Also have a different recipe for the icing of the rolls- it is more of a glaze than an icing- just sugar and water-called a pastry glaze. Hope it will be good!

I ordered a cheese press kit tonight off of ebay.  Can't wait to make cheese!  Also am going to make butter!  I am sure we can get some milk from Craig Westfall (our neighbor that milks) if not my sister has been getting fresh milk from a lady in Humansville.  My sister has made cottage cheese and butter and have trying to build a cheese press to make cheese. 

Chris made a little door for my chicken house this morning.  Isn't the prettiest thing in the world, but it will do. 

will update on the rolls tomorrow.