Puff Pastry - Recipe Detail - Buffalo Chicken Strombolibr /

Puff Pastry - Recipe Detail - Buffalo Chicken Strombolibr /

Saying Goodbye to Breanna Diamond Temperance Young

Today was one of the most heart-wrenching days we have had to face as a family.  Our 11 1/2yr old Boxer Breanna was put to rest.  She woke up that morning just fine, but by 10am she started having seizures.  By noon they were constant and I picked Brandon up from school.  We took this photo of all of us together around 2pm, just before we took her to the vet to have her put to sleep.

She was the most loving and faithful dog in the world.  She gave all of us so much love and was always by our side. 

It's so hard not hearing her little footsteps around the house and not being able to kiss that beautiful face of hers.  She was my little girl, and my heart breaks for her.  I miss her so very much.

She was such a good dog.  She brought so much life to our home. Her absence will be a huge adjustment for all of us.  I dream of her in heaven, playing with my Daddy until we get up there with her.  Tell my Daddy I love him Breanna and we will all be together again someday soon. 

We miss you little girl.

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.

There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Kelly's Fresh Cherry Cobbler Recipe

This is a delicious homemade Cherry Cobbler made with Fresh Cherries! 

I LOVE my dwarf North Star Cherry Tree!  Every year it produces tons of delishious cherries! Enough to make several Cobblers, a few pies and even enough to freeze for later!

This is my favorite recipe for Fresh Cherry Cobbler...Enjoy!

It's June 1st and my Cherry Tree is LOADED with bright red, plump, juicy fruit just waiting to be harvested! So we all head out with a bowl and start picking! I love looking back at photos of my little boy, cause each year I capture a pic of him picking the fruit! So cute!

Here are the ingredients you will need:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon  baking powder

1 cup milk

4 cups pitted sour cherries

3/4 cup white sugar

1 Tablespoon Corn Starch

1/8 teaspoon Almond extract or 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Time to pit the cherries...You can use a pitter, but I like to do mine by hand, checking each fruit for any "unwanted" critters!  You will need about 6 cups whole cherries to get 4 cups pitted fruit.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the butter in a 9x13 inch baking dish and put into the oven to melt while the oven is preheating.  Remove as soon as the butter has melted, about 5 minutes.  (I used a casserole dish because we like ours thick)

In a medium bowl, stir together 1c flour, 1c sugar, and 1t baking powder.  Mix in 1c milk until well blended.

Now, pour the batter mixture into the pan over the butter.  Do Not stir.

Toss the pitted cherries with 3/4c sugar, 1T corn starch and 1/8t almond extract (or lemon juice).

Now distribute the cherry mixture evenly over the batter. Do Not stir.

Bake for 50-60 minutes in the preheated oven.

Your cobbler is done when the batter is golden brown and the center is bubbling. A toothpick inserted into the batter should come out clean.

I like to serve my cobbler warm with Vanilla ice cream!

Yummy!  Enjoy Y'all!

How to Make My Famous Limoncello Y'all!

When Life Gives You Lemons....Make Limoncello!

 

Limoncello or sometimes called Lemoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in Southern Italy. You can sometimes get homemade Limoncello in Italian restaurants and some liquor stores will carry one or two commercially bottled imports, but I have found most of what you find in the stores to be expensive and not that good. Nothing compares to homemade.

  Traditionally, it is made from the Sorrento lemon, though most lemons will produce satisfactory limoncello. Limoncello is traditionally served chilled as an after dinner drink, but can also be served over ice cream or used as a mixer in other drinks. 

 

After you make your own, you will always want to have a bottle in the freezer for those hot summer nights or anytime you want to celebrate with friends and family....Now let's get started!

 
 

First I like to make a trip south with the family to a favorite Antique Mall to shop for my bottles...Of course it's nice to make a pit-stop at Cracker Barrel for a bite.

Exit 76 Antique Mall near Columbus, Indiana is our favorite...

Got this nice bottle for $10! Perfect!

This recipe will make one large bottle like this and 2 small bottles.

The ingredients pictured above is all you will need:

10-12 lemons

1-750ml bottle of EverClear(must be grain alcohol)

4 cups Sugar

5 cups Water

Cheesecloth

1 large glass container

Make sure your knifes are sharp...I use a Steel several times during the peeling process.

Scrub and towel dry lemons

Using a potato peeler, remove the zest with as little of the inner white pith as possible.

Using a VERY sharp knife, lay each peel flat and remove as much of the white pith as possible, the pith will make your Limoncello bitter.  The oil from the zest is all you want.

As you remove the pith from the peels, just drop into the large jar.

The peeled lemons can be used in recipes or I just use a juicer to juice them all and store the juice in the freezer.

With all the peels in the large jar, pour the entire bottle of EverClear over the peels, put the lid on tight and give it a swirl.

Now you must wait!

 It takes 45-60 days for the alcohol to absorb all the lemon oil. You will know it's ready when the peels have lost almost all of their yellow color and break like chips!

After 45-60 days, place a cheesecloth over a large bowl and drain the mixture.  Throw away the cheesecloth and peels.

Now pour the mixture BACK into the large jar.

In a large saucepan, add 4 cups sugar and 5 cups water. Stir over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves, (do not simmer or bring to a boil!) Let it cool.

Now, add the sugar mixture to the lemon mixture...

Stir

And put in the freezer

Now you are ready to bottle it all up. 

Insert caps tightly.

I keep the Large bottle for myself and give the other 2 small bottles away to someone special!

 

CHEERS!!!

Keep your Limoncello in the freezer at all times, it will not freeze.

Serve in ice cold shot glasses and Enjoy!

 

This is Orangecello....follow the same recipe but use your favorite Oranges! You can also make it using any other citrus like Limes or Grapefruit.

Is this a Sign that Spring may be here Soon???

Spent some time in the garden over the weekend and saw some interesting sites! Little bits of "green" poking it's head out to let me know that soon winter would be over!  Somedays it feels like Spring will never come...but today while shooting these pics, I have faith that it WILL be here again soon Y'all!!!

Bearded Iris and Chives

Sedum "Dragon's Blood"

Tulips

Ostrich Ferns

Stella D'oro Daylily

I can't wait to get back out into my garden again!

It's a Celebration Y'all!!!

Me and My Sis Shell at Kilroy's

My Sis and I have a little tradition every year about this time.  When I finally finish my taxes we both take a trip to my Accountants office downtown to drop off the documents and in celebration we hit a random local bar and today it was Kilroy's.  Neither one of us had been there before and it was so Awesome Y'all!!!  We started off with a "Bomb-Pop Shot" and then with our appetizers Shell had a Pink Lemonaid Long Island and I had the Red Bull Long Island!!! WOW!!!  Need I say more????

Love you Sis and our little yearly tradition...Looking forward to next time...Luv U!

Me and My Boy

Me and My Lil Man

We had the best time today...We went and got our "herr did" (Brandon got the 'Justin Bieber' cut) then we went to lunch at Carino's Italian Resturant, then we went shopping, then we went to dinner with Dad and Mark at one of our Favorite resturants the Oaken Barrel (where this pic was taken) then we came home, played some Wii and now it's time for bed.  Then breakfast and Church in the morning...we have the best time together...just me and my boy y'all!

iHeartFaces Photo Challenge - "Best Face Photo"

Week 2 - "Best Face Photo"

This week marks the 1 year Anniversary for iHeartFaces (www.iHeartFaces.com) and the theme this week is "Best Face Photo."

I immediately thought of this photo I took of my sister Michele Anderson (http://picsbymic.blogspot.com) that was taken on December 11, 2009. 

I wrote a blog about this photo the day that I took it titled "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall." 

 I really enjoy taking pictures of her...she is so photogenic!

Now if y'all would like to see more interesting "Best Face Photos" head on over to www.iHeartFaces.com to check them out and maybe even become a member of one of the most exciting photography sites on the web!

Just click the link below to take you directly to iHeartFaces today!