Our Country Playground

 

Yep! Creek season with all its wonder is finally here. This little year round stream is 30 feet from our front door and it provides hours of enjoyment for the kids and TONS of laundry for me:) I hear their happy voices and shrieks of laughter out the front windows as they catch buckets of fish, mud puppies, and salamanders, and I am summoned to the door continually to "see what we caught". The other day it was 3 HUGE frogs and they were having a hard time keeping them in the bucket... I should have taken a pic! Maybe next time. There is a particular frog, they tell me, that sits on a particular rock between noon and 3, so I am sure he will be captured "many" times this summer. If he's smart he'll find a new rock to sit on!

This little creek is so beautiful and fills my days (and nights) with happy songs as it trickles by. I LOVE that the kids can have this awesome experience in the great outdoors, but I do weary of the mess... so sometimes when I just can't handle any more piles of wet muddy "we didn't meant to fall in" creek clothes we have a 'No Creek' day just for my sanity:) All in all it provides an awesome playground even if it creates work for mama ♥ and just look at these smiles ~ they tell the story!

 

 

 

 

Lemon Coconut Pixies

 Yep! More lemon goodness. We bake cookies really often around here and these Coconut Lemon Crinkles are a new recipe we tried. They are yummy! A chewy cookie with a light coconut flavor, not too sweet, and a lemon zing. I think they will be perfect for a spring themed 'girls night' party I am planning next month...

Lemon Coconut Pixies

1 Stick Butter or Margarine

1 C. Sugar

2 Eggs

Peel of 1 fresh Lemon - grated really fine

1 1/2 C. flour

2t. Baking Powder

1/4t. Salt

1 C. Coconut 

 ......................................

Powdered Sugar

Beat wet ingredients, add dry ingredients and coconut. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Shape into 1" balls; roll in powdered sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake @ 300 degrees for 15-18 min.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

 

Little Sweetie

 I can't believe how fast Nolan is growing... it's so amazing to watch the changes in this little man. He just LOVES being outside and with the warmer weather we have been able to get out every day and explore the great outdoors. I enjoy seeing the wonder in his face as he experiences bare feet in the prickly green grass, little sticks (that go straight in the mouth), and watching the creek rush by ♥ Love you sweet boy.

 

 

 

Lemon Bread

I guess we're on a lemon kick. I made the Vegan Lemon Pie and then I pinned this awesome Lemon Bread from Taste of Home. I tweaked it just a bit - adding more lemon juice, oil instead of butter, and a bit more salt. I poked little holes in the top so the glaze could drizzle down inside and it was oh. so. yummy. I made it in mini loaves and it was so good that I made it again the next day to take to a girls night out with a couple of friends... definitely a keeper! I am going to try Lemon Cheesecake next.

Lemon Bread

1/2 C. Oil

1 C. Sugar

2 Eggs

3 T. Lemon Juice (I used fresh lemons)

1 T. Lemon Peel - finely grated

1 1/2 C. Flour

1 t. Baking Powder

1/2 t. Salt

1/8 to 1/4 C. Milk (I used soymilk)

Glaze:

1/2 C. Powdered Sugar

2 T. Lemon Juice (I used fresh lemons)

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, lemon juice and peel. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually stir into creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. 

Pour into a greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. I made 3 mini loaves and baked them about 30-35 minutes.

 Taste of Home

I am sharing at Sunny Simple Sunday and Pinned it Made it Monday.

Cake Pops Tutorial



 I made "Happy Spring" cakepops for our fellowship dinner at church last weekend! They were super cute and so yummy. I have made them for several occasions, holidays, etc... it isn't that hard to do. It takes a few steps, but they are so worth it. Sweet little bites of cake, frosting, candy, & sprinkles ♥ I took a few pics to show you what to do. 

You will need: 

1 box cake mix

1 container prepared frosting

1 bag candy melts

sprinkles

6" lolipop sticks

styrofoam block

• Bake the cake and let it cool. I usually bake it the night before.
• Crumble the cake in a mixing bowl and mix it with about 2/3 a can of prepared frosting, whatever compliments your cake. It should be moist enough to roll into balls, but not be too mushy.
• Roll into 1- 1 1/2 " balls and place on a cookie sheet (you should get about 30 -34 per cake)
• Refrigerate 1-2 hours till cold and firm, or freeze for 1 hour if you're in a hurry.



• In a double boiler (I use two saucepans) melt about 12 candy melts (just a note of caution, never splash or drip water into the candy melts. It is disastrous)
• Dip cakepop sticks in candy melts about 1/2" and insert into cake ball almost all the way to the top, but without poking through. Return to the cookie sheet.
• Freeze 1 -2 hours.

 

• Add the rest of the candy melts to the double boiler or saucepan and stir constanly till smooth. Roll each cakepop in the candy and twirl constantly tapping the stick on the edge of the pan. Sprinkle immediately and put into a styrofoam block to dry.

I think they look sweet and springy ~ I did devils food cake/chocolate frosting covered with pink candy melts and strawberry cake/vanilla frosting covered with white candy melts. They looked so prim and cute in my new "old" mini washtub.

Really, you should try them ♥ and if you do I'd love to know about it.

Vegan Lemon Pie

 I LOVE anything and everything lemon! This lemon pie recipe is so refreshing, scrumptious, and totally vegan, but don't let that scare you away because it is yummy and super easy to make. It's a family favorite of ours. 

Lemon Pie

3 C. Pineapple Juice

1/4 C. Orange Juice Concentrate

1/3. C. Cornstarch (non-GMO)

1/2 C. Sugar (Organic Cane Juice)

2 T. Lemon Flavor (I Use Frontier Organic Lemon Flavor)

1/2 t. Salt

6 T. Lemon Juice 

Put all ingredients into a saucepan. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thick. Pour into a prebaked pie shell or graham cracker crust and chill ♥ Makes 2 pies. Enjoy!

Sharing at Southern Lovely

Happy Spring!

 Happy Spring everyone!!! I don't know about you, but I am so ready for that sweet sunshine... Today was a real teaser and we enjoyed as much of it as we could. It was warm and sunny and such a delight!The daffodils are blooming and I heard the first frogs croaking outside this evening, sure signs that spring has sprung.

I have missed all of you and still pop in occasionally to read what you're all up to. I am always inspired! Life is a wonderful and sometimes overwhelming journey for me right now and I can't seem to fit much blogging in. I just wanted to drop in and let ya'll know I am still here, and show you this cute little face... he is sitting up now and all smiles. How do they grow so fast?