New Addition to the family

We have a new addition to our family. Two weeks ago my Husband got me a Black and Tan Miniature Dachshund puppy. Her name is Zoey and boy is she a lot of fun and work..LOL..She's brought a lot of love to my life and has taken the winter depression out of me. I also am feeling much better so soon I will again be crafting,cooking and baking to add to my blog again. Winter has been long and hard. My health took a turn in February. A lot of personal upsets that turned to extreme anger took it's toll on my health and I had a Stroke on Feb.16th. It scared me to death and now I'm on my way to making a new life for ME..so a diet started in August and so far I have lost 37 lbs. and still losing. I have my up and downs with the diet I still have major cravings and wants for gummy candies and boy it's hard not to want the Easter Candy right now it's my favorite candy of the year..LOL but so far all I have gotten out of the Easter candy cravings is a handful of sweet and sour jelly beans..LOL..So watch out in a few days I'll be posting my new cards and also cookies and goodies that are all gluten and sugar free..

Sugar & Gluten Free Brownies

2 oz. Bakers Chocolate
4 TBLS. Butter
1/2 c. Splenda
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs or use egg substitute.
1/2 c. brown rice flour
1/4 tsp. Xanthan gum
1/4 tsp. baking powder

Melt butter and bakers chocloate at med heat in medium size sauce pan. turn heat off and add splenda blend until well combined then add each egg one at a time (I used egg substitute), beat well then add flour xanthan gum and baking powder. Mix until well combined.. Pour into a 9x9 buttered aluminum lined square cake pan bake at 350 for 22 minutes let cool then slice into 1 inch sq.bars..Very healthy and Yummy...no guilt sweet..

NOT MUCH GOING ON

Hi everyone! I'm sorry there hasn't been much going on my blog lately. I've been very uncreative the past few months. Suffered from a bad flu virus and now the hubby is ill. I've been forced to make a bunch of Birthday cards for our church ladies but I just have not wanted to be to creative,however I have made a few so far but they are not my best so I will not post them to my blog. I hope you all are doing well and I promise as soon as my baking and creative side comes back I'll be blogging wonders again.

For now I wish you all a very happy day and soon to be Spring Time...Oh Easter coming soon I'll have to post a few of my Easter ideas by then..

Caramel Chocolate pecan bars

Crust:
2 c. all purpose flour
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c butter or margarine,softened
1 c. pecan halves

Caramel:
2/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. In large mixer bowl combine all crust ingredients except the pecans. Beat at medium speed. make sure you scrap the sides of the bowl often. mix until well combined and particles are fine about 2 to 3 minutes. Press on bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Sprinkle pecans evenly over the unbaked crust. In a 1 quart saucepan combine 2/3 cup butter and 1/2 brown sugar.Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full boil. Boil stirring constantly until small amounts of mixture dropped into ice water form a firm ball or with a candy thermometer reaches 242 degrees F. Pour evenly over the pecans and crust. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until entire caramel layer is bubbly. Remove and Immediately sprinkle the top with chocolate chips allow them to melt slightly and swirl chips leaving some whole for a marbled look..Let cool completely before cutting into pieces..Great for gifts..very yummy and very easy to make..

Pumpkin Bundle Cake

cake:
1/2 c.butter melted(margarine can be used)
1 c all purpose flour
1 c sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:
3 c canned pumpkin
1 c evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 tbls all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp each,ground ginger,cloves and nutmeg

Topping:
1 Tbls butter or margarine
2 Tbls sugar

Pour butter into a 13x9x2 inch baking dish"set aside. Ina bowl,combine the four,sugar,baking power and salt. Stir in milk and vanilla until smooth..Pour into the prepared baking dish.In a mixing bowl beat the pumpkin,milk and eggs. Combine the remaining filling ingrediants,add pumpkin mixture.Pour over the crust misture (do not stir) Dot the butter and sprinkle the sugar ontop.Bake at 350 for 55 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean and the top is golden brown..yields 12 servings..

The cake will bundle up over the pumpkin filling and will be ontop of this cake..I like to top mine with whipping cream or Pecan Ice Cream it's very yummy...

FALL CLEANING

Hi everyone..I'm sorry I've been lost for several months but life has thrown me a curve ball and I'm so trying to hit it back but keep striking out..

Well Fall is here...I'm so excited it's my favorite time of year the colors here are unbelievable and it's also time for burning firewood and I love the smells that seep from our wood stove and fireplace. I also love the smells of Fall. But most of all Halloween is on it's way very soon and it's my Ute most favorite Holiday of the year. I can't wait..

So to start Fall process it's time to pull the plastic bins or bags out and put the shorts,tees and flip flops away. I say guys and gals lets do this country a huge favor and get organized in our closets. No wire hangers please..LOL..I am a true believer in this to but do get good quality hangers and get your closets in shape not only by the items but by color to it's so much easier to find and organize if you follow color..I know this to be true for I worked in clothing retail and we had to constantly organize by item and color and it works to find things and put them back this way. I also must stress not only closets but your dressers. Get those rags thrown out or donated now. Take used unwanted winter coats and boots to a thrift shop cause there are many families that need and can use them. Coats and boots are not cheap items..

Now for closing..all you gals with crafting rooms hide your Tim Holtz scissors from the hubbys. Mine found my favorite expensive pair used them on his project and now he can't find them. I'm not a happy camper they are my favorite crafting scissors and I'm so upset he lost them. They are not cheap to replace either but hubby of mine is going to have to buy me another pair and extremely soon to..LOL..really don't let that DH in your craft room while you're gone lock it up or this will happen to you to..LOL..what disappointment this was for me to find mine missing tonight..and no where in the house..I think he took them outside in his hobby shed and they are now full of motorcycle grease..ugh the nerve..

Well that's all I gotta say tonight..when I find my scissors I'll be back and going with my crafts soon..until then good luck with organizing..Happy FALL!!!

POOR MANS LASAGNA

For starters I'm not a professional food photographer..I do my best with my tiny digital camera so this is all I can do to share this yummy with you..

1 jar of any Spaghetti sauce or make your own sauce

1lbs hamburger meat

1 cup Cheddar cheese

4 Tbls Parmesan cheese

1 16 oz container cottage cheese

3 medium eggs or 2 large eggs

1 tsp Italian spice

3 Tbls parsley flakes

1/2 cup diced onion

salt and pepper to taste

10-12 Lasagna Noodles uncooked

Fry hamburger meat,onion,Italian spices,salt and pepper to taste in a fry pan. Then mix together in medium size bowl cottage cheese,Cheddar cheese,Parmesan cheese,parsley flakes,salt and pepper to taste and eggs. set aside. Begin your lasagna layers by adding a small coating of spaghetti sauce to the 8x8 glass baking pan then layer uncooked lasagna noodles on top add hamburger mixture then cheese mixture then noodles,some more sauce hamburger mixture,cheese mixture,noodles and then sauce you should have two very thick layers make sure you end with noodles and sauce. Cover with tin foil and bake in oven at 350 for 1 hour. Take out of oven remove foil let sit for at least 20 to 30 minutes to set up so it won't sog out on the plate. Serve with a nice green tossed salad. YUMMY..

now because of budget this is a cheap way to make Lasagna and truth is you won't even know the difference really. I like mine with 7 different kinds of cheeses and no meat but to get the volume to this I added meat and when I fried the meat I fried it in big chunks. I really thought it was going to taste something awful but low and behold I was extra surprised it came out good. Really super good..You must try..I dare you..