Early Fall colors around Gambo

Cheers

:o)

Bacon Fat Gingersnaps

A friend, Tracy made these a few weeks ago for a function we hosted, and they were such a hit.  It is hard to get past the bacon thing in a cookie, but the flavors blend together amazingly.  There is the slightest hint of smokiness from the bacon that combines so well with that ginger and other spices----yummy!!!!

Click here for the recipe I used.  Here's how mine turned out........

The smell of these cookies baking is pure "soup for the soul".  You just want to grab a tall glass of milk or a big mug of coffee and taste those crunchy delights........You have to try this recipe!

Cheers

:o)

Evening Walk at Freshwater Bay in Gambo

Here are a few shots of my late evening walk today.  I hope this gives you an idea of just how beautiful it is here in our little town of Gambo.  Take a look...........

 

 

What do you think?????

Cheers

:o)

Caramel-Apple Upside Down Cake

I've been stumped about what to do with all the apples on my tree this year.  There is only so much applesauce one wants to make, so......I tried a Caramel-Apple Upside Down Cake.  Click here for the recipe I used.

Here's a step-by-step of how mine looked.  These were the steps for the cake batter......

Next, I made my caramel sauce.......

arranged my chopped apples, and covered with caramel........

Next, the cake batter was spooned over apple & sauce,

  then baked....

 

Here's the final result....

Turned out well...delicious served warm with vanilla ice-cream!

Cheers

:o)

"Royal George" Brown Bread

Yesterday was very dull in the early morning, just right for trying a new recipe.  This time I chose a bread.  It is so easy and quite delicious.  This recipe makes two regular loaves---just right here at the empty nest. 

"Royal George" Brown Bread

Into a medium bowl, put 

1 cup of rolled oats 

2 cups boiling water over

(stir and set aside until cool)

Meanwhile dissolve 1 tsp sugar in 1/2 cup of warm water and sprinkle in 1 pkg yeast.  

Let the yeast mixture set in a warm place for 10 minutes.

Add to the rolled oats mixture:

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp melted butter

1/2 cup molasses and the yeast mixture

Stir well, then fold in 5 cups flour

Beat or knead well and let rise until double in bulk.  

Knead again and place into baking pans to rise until about double in bulk again.

Bake in oven (preheated to 350*) for 30 - 40 minutes, until golden brown.

Here's how it looked..............

 The bread smelled divine while baking--just the right amount of molasses to put a mouth-watering 

aroma right through the house.

Cheers

:o)

Cinnamon Blossoms

It was a dull, drizzly day here so I found myself in the mood for the smell of cinnamon baking throughout the house.  Nothing smells more like fall to me....yummy!!

I pulled out some of my mom's old cookbooks and quickly decided on this recipe:

Cinnamon Blossoms

                2 cups flour               

  1/2 cup margarine

           4 tsp baking powder        

 1 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

-----------

2 tbsp margarine (melted for dipping)

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Cut in margarine.  Stir in milk with fork to 

make a soft dough.  

Knead with hands, adding a little flour, if required. 

Roll out on floured surface to 1/2 inch thick.  

Cut with a 2-3 inch bun cutter.  

Brush with melted margarine and dip  each bun in a mixture of 

1/3 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.  

Snip each bun almost to center into 5 petals.  

Place half of a cherry in center.  

Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 350*F for 10-12 minutes.

Here's are step-by-step snaps of how mine turned out.....

 

Yummy!!!!!

Cheers

:o)

Things in my garden this September

Spearmint.....

Dinner-plate Dahlias---this is my first time with these....aren't they pretty??

My new gladiola bulbs are just starting to bloom...

More dahlias....

Blue jays......

....and more blue jays.....

...and last, but not least----lots of crunchy, delicious apples.

Cheers

:o)