More Chicks!!

WOW!!! This was the greatest thing to watch!! We get a new Grandbaby, and then a day later we get to watch chicks hatch!!!! We're still waiting to see is the rest will hatch, but out of a dozen eggs we got 7 little chicks so far! This would be a super science project for any of the grandkids.

Here are some new copy cat recipes:

Chili's Steak Fajitas--

Mix together in a bowl:

1 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup water

In an appropriate size dish, place

2 lb. sirloin or flank steak Pour sauce (reserve 1/4 cup) over steak. Cover, and allow to marinate overnight. Drain meat and slice into thin strips. Heat skillet over medium high. Add drained meat and:

1 red bell pepper, cut in thin strips

1 green bell pepper, cut in thin strips

1 onion, thinly sliced

Stir-fry just until meat is done, adding reservedmarinade as needed to prevent sticking.Serve with warmed flour tortillas.

--Chinese Sesame Chicken--

2 Chicken Breast, skinless & boned pieces about

6-8 oz.5 tablespoons corn starch

Pinch of salt

6 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon minced ginger

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic

1 teaspoon chili oil depending on degree of spicy of your taste

1/2 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

Salad oil for deep fryIceberg lettuce

Sauce:

8 tablespoons Chicken broth

1 tablespoon Dark soy sauce

2 tablespoons Soy sauce

4 tablespoons Sugar4 tablespoons

White vinegar1 teaspoon Corn starch

1 teaspoon Sake

1/2 teaspoon Oyster sauce

In a small bowl, mix all sauce ingredients until well blended. Cut chicken breast into ½ inch strips. Place in a bowl with water and salt and let soak for about 15 minutes. Do not drain. Add cornstarch and mixwell, coating chicken. Add 1 tablespoon salad oil to chicken and mix tosmooth and separate chicken strips.Heat wok with medium flame, pour in oil for deep frying. Heat oil up toabout 325 degrees. Place coated chicken strips in piece by piece and fry until it is crispy and cooked through. Remove chicken and pour off oil. Heat up wok again with an additional

1-teaspoon salad oil. Add ginger, garlic and chili oil stir frying until fragrant. Add sauce mix, stir untilthickens. Add fried chicken strips and mix well to coat all chicken stripswith sauce. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds before serving on a bed of lettuce.

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Curtis Colton!!!

We are truly blessed and thank the Lord everyday for his blessings!!

This is Curtis Colton, our new little blessing!! He was 8 lbs. 4 oz.

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ZOO!!!

We had a great day at the zoo!!! Along with the 3rd graders from Pinewood Elementary School, there were about 8 more bus loads of kids from all over Indiana and Michigan!! Mitch, (my son) went with his son, and I went with Julissa (Jennifer's daughter). The tiger came up to the glass to greet Alex and Julissa.

They were able to pet the tortoises and came nose to nose with the flamingos!!

The class was given 3-4 pages they were to fill out at the zoo, including carnivorous mammals, birds, etc.

When asked what the flamingos ate, Julissa promptly said, " Uhhhh, FINGERS!!!"

Again, we had a great day, ending with a late lunch and then headed home.

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Mom's Birthday!

Today was my mother's birthday. Today she would have been 76 years old. Happy Birthday MOM!! Miss you!

School Lunch!

Today, I went to lunch with Julissa (Jennifer's) and Alex (Mitch's). They are 3rd graders at Pinewood Elementary School. We ate in the Library. Nana (Paul's LOL) took cookies for dessert. We had a very nice time and enjoyed the lunch.

Here are some cool Applebee's copy cat recipes:
Applebee's Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

1(10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinac, thawed

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped 1 cup shredded parmesan-Romano cheese blend 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 10 ounces prepared Alfredo sauce 1 teaspoon minced garlic 4 ounces softened cream cheeseHeat oven to 350 degrees F.Combine ingredients thoroughly in a bowl and spread mixture into a small baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheeses are bubbling and melted.Serve as the "sauce" for Applebee's Veggie Patch Pizza or as a dip for chips.

Applebee's Veggie Patch Pizza

1 (10-inch) flour tortillaButter-flavor oil, as needed 1/2 cup sliced mushroomsBlack pepper, to tasteGranulated garlic, to tasteSalt, to taste 4 ounces Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/4 cup diced tomatoes 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan/Romano cheese
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Band Concert!

We went to a Band Concert tonight for the 6th graders. This was Jennifer's Zach and Catherine's Ryssa. Zach plays the trumpet and Ryssa plays the French Horn. They did a wonderful job. While Catherine and I went to the concert, Jennifer took her girls Kalista and Breann to their school play.

Next week will be a busy week with school events. Monday is lunch with Julissa (Jennifer) at school, and in the afternoon with Trevor (Catherine's) for an awards assembly. Ryssa (Catherine's) will be taking a field trip to Chicago Monday also.

Another great event next week: Trevor is getting inducted into the National Honor Society!!!!!! Yeah Trevor! (Nana was also in the National Honor Society!!)

Thursday is Potawanami Zoo with Alex (Mitch's) and Jullisa (Jennifer's) for their field trip. Mitch and I are opting out of the school bus ride, and will follow in the car. That means more pictures next week with all these events.

Here are some more copy cat recipes that I can't wait to try.

--Double Tree Hotel Chocolate Chip Cookies--

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp salt1 cup oats (uncooked)

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup Dark Brown sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon juice

12 oz. chocolate chips

1 1/2 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Place the butter in a large bowl and cream lightly with anelectric mixer. Add the sugars and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and mixwell. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, oatmeal,baking soda, and salt. Add to the creamed butter mixture and stir well to blend. Add chocolate chips and walnuts and stir to combine. Using a 1/4 cup measure or a 2-oz ice cream scoop, drop the batter on the cookie sheets, leaving 2 -3 inchesbetween each cookie.

Bake for 13 - 15 minutes or until lightlybrowned around the edges. Remove from the cookie sheets andcool on wire racks.

--Dunkin Doughnuts--

1 pkg. regular or quick-acting yeast

1/8 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

3/4 cup lukewarm milk (scalded then cooled)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1/6 cup shortening

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water in mixing bowl. Add milk, sugar, salt, egg, shortening and 1 cup of flour. Beat on low speed while scraping bowl for30 seconds. Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 2 minutes Stir in remaining flour until smooth. Cover and let rise in warm placeuntil double, about 50-60 minutes. Turn dough onto floured surface. Roll dough 1/2- inch thick. Cut with round cookie cutter. Cover andl et rise on floured baking sheets until double, 30-40 minutes. Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer or Dutch oven to 350. Slide doughnuts into hot oil. Turn doughnuts as they turn golden brown, about one minute oneach side. Remove carefully from oil (do not prick surfaces) and drain. When cool, make small hole to insert vanilla frosting. Take a sharp knife and carefully make a large cavity inside of the doughnut to hold the frosting. Fill the doughnuts generously with vanilla frosting anddust heavily with powdered sugar.

Makes: 12 doughnuts

VANILLA FROSTING FOR FILLING:

1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 tsp. clear vanilla extract

2 cups sifted confectioners sugar1 tbsp. milk

Cream butter and shortening, gradually add sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Add milk and vanilla, beat until light and fluffy.

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New Chicks

As you know, we were given older chickens, along with our baby chicks. To keep laying hens, you have to "refresh" the batch of chickens yearly. They were a bigger breed chickens than the chicks we bought. We decided to let one hen, who threw a fit everytime you took her egg, lay on her eggs and hatch them out. Well, that did not work too well.
After letting her accumulate a few, we went out and one was missing. The next time we went out, another hen was EATING the egg!! So much for letting them "refresh" by themselves. That's when we went and got an incubator. The picture above is the incubator with 12 eggs in it.
It takes 21 days for the eggs to grow into a chick. This is day eight. When they start hatching, around the 25th of May, we will take step by step pictures and invite anyone and everyone to come watch. The little kids should really enjoy this!! So plan on making a trip to Greenwood Acres to see the chicks hatch out!!!!!
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HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO EVERYONE!!

CHRIS, JENNIFER, CATHERINE, HEATHER, BONNIE, APRIL, CYNDI, CHRISTINA

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A BLESSED DAY

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Honor Roll Award!

Alex had an award assembly tonight for being on the honor roll all four grading periods. Congratulations Alex!! Meanwhile, Nana (me) was watching the other children at their home and 12 other neighbor kids!! All in all, they were all really good.


Here are some copy cat recipes from Cracker Barrel


--Cracker Barrel Cherry Chocolate Cobbler--
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cups butter
1 (6 oz.) pkg. Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cups milk
1 egg
1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling
1/2 cups nuts, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 350F. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter; cut with pastry blender until crumbs are size of large peas. Melt over hot (not boiling) water, Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate morsels. Remove from heat and cool slightly at room temperature (about 5 minutes). Add milk and egg to melted chocolate and mix well. Blend chocolate into flour mixture. Spread cherry pie filling in bottom of 2 quart casserole. Drop chocolate batter randomly over cherries. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake at 350 F for 40 - 45 minutes. Serve warm with heavy cream.
--Cracker Barrel's Bread Pudding-
-Sugared Pecans: In small skillet combine 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil, med-low heat, with 2-oz pecan pieces. Stir only till heated and barely bubbly. Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons sugar. Stir briskly only till sugar dissolves, on low heat AS THESE BURN QUICKLY! Work fast. Dump them into paper towel lined plate. Spread out to cool while you prepare the rest.
Plumped Raisins: In small saucepan combine 1/3 cup raisins and 1 cup boiling water. Cover pan with lid 20 minutes. Drain and discard water. Add 1/2 cup packaged shredded coconut to raisins. Set aside.
Dumplings: In dutch oven combine 6 cups water and 1/2 cup sugar. Bring to boil. While you wait for that to boil, combine in medium bowl, 3 cups Bisquick, 1 cup milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, stirring with fork to moisten thick dough. When water come to boil, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuli nto boiling water, making about 14 dumplings. Cover pan with lid. Simmer dumplings very gently 20 minutes. Uncover and let cook another 10 minutes gently. Baste often in the liquid, which is now becoming thickened and creamy looking. Remove pan from heat. With slotted spoon remove HALF of dumplings to greased 8" square baking dish. Sprinkle with pecans andraisins/coconut. Arrange rest of dumplings over that. Set aside.Make sauce next.
Caramel Sauce: Strain remaining liquid into heavy 2 1/2-quart sauce pan.Bring to boil. Stir constantly. Add 1 cup packed light brown sugar, stirring vigorously, med-heat till it boils briskly 2 or 3 minutes or till sugar is completely dissolved and sauce drops from spoon in large drops rather than like water. It should be the consistency of smooth gravy. Spoon sauce over dumplings filling dish right to the rim. Cool 15 minutes. Cover; refrigerate to serve within few days. Micro warm servings oruse cold with a scoop of ice cream on top of each. Serves 6 to 8.--

Cracker Barrel's Hashbrown Casserole--
2 lbs. frozen hashbrowns
1/2 cup melted butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pt. sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups grated cheddar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cups crushed cornflakes
1/4 cup melted butter
DEFROST hashbrowns. COMBINE next 7 ingr. and mix with hashbrowns. PUT all in a 3 qt. casserole. SAUTE cornflakes in butter and sprinkle on top. COVER and BAKE at 350 for about 40 min.

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Birthdays, Birthdays, Birthdays!!!

Ok, here we go!! May 6th is Heather's (daughter n law) and Kathy's (sis n law) Birthday.
May 7th is Thomas'(brother n law) birthday, May 9th is April's (daughter) birthday, May 10th is Chuck's (son) birthday and May 11th is Cyndi's (daugher n law) birthday!!!! Phewwww, what a week! And the new baby is due the 12th!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you all!!!!


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Mother's Day Gifts!!!

Here are some excellent Mother's Day Gifts. We can make up a soap Basket or 3 of our great soaps on a soap dish! They are great, unique gifts!!!!

These soaps can be used as gifts for anyone!!!

Teachers (grandkids do this), co-workers, mothers, fathers, close friends, aunts, and even uncles!!!!
Please pass on this blog to your friends and family!! Let them know about our blog and Burlap Babes Soap!!! :)

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