Sweetness of Life

Often things just happen in life that make you, well, appreciate life. My brother, the youngest of twelve children, married for the first time this month at the age of 33. He will agree that his Jenny was worth the wait.

It is my mother, however, that I keep seeing in my minds eye when I review the time spent together with family for his wedding. What a pleasure it was just to see the joy on her face as she witnessed the marriage of her youngest son. This, through the Grace of God. You see, a year and a half ago she had cancer.
I am grateful to my dear husband for capturing the above photo.

My sister married when she was 40 of course thinking the time for children was passed for her. Today at 47 she is the mother of baby Isaac. When she was a younger woman the a doctor told her that it would be best if she waited to have children since she had curvature of the spine. God's timing is perfect.

"As for God, his way is perfect..." Psalm 18:30a

Recipe for Poppy-Seed Muffins

This post includes the recipe of the poppy-seed muffins shown in the previous post.

If you haven't already done so get yourself one of those cheap photo albums that you can find at a dollar store or hundred yen store, if your shopping in Japan like one of my sweeties. Just cut the recipe out and pop it into a sleeve and there you have it. You will be glad you did. Don't try to get all perfect and cute, it will lead to a slim recipe collection. I have found comfort in mine for many years.

The album with "Cookies" across the front was from a church Christmas Cookie exchange. Everyone sent their recipes in ahead of time and a gal took time to put each recipe in this little photo album turned Cookie recipe book. Fun.

Some of the recipes in my book are hand printed while others were simply cut from the back of something.

Interestingly, the bread and pancakes recipes that I always use are securely taped to the inside of one of my cabinet doors. Hmm... I'd love to hear how you organize your recipes.

Poppy-seed Muffins

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
  
• 1 1/8 cups vegetable oil
  
• 1 1/2 cups milk
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy-seed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 3 cups flour
  

Glaze

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 teaspoons butter (melted)

Directions:
Beat together eggs, sugar,oil. Add milk, salt, baking powder, poppy-seeds, vanilla, almond and flour. Mix well.
Bake in muffin cups filled 3/4 full or use loaf pans. Bake in a 350 F degree oven (17 degree C) 15 - 20 minutes for the muffins or 50-60 minutes for the loaves. Tops should be golden brown and tooth pick inserted should be clean.
While still warm dip into the glaze. Pour over loaf.

To make glaze: In saucepan combine glaze ingredients warm until dissolved. Dip or brush onto room temperature muffins and loaf pans.

Poppy-Seed Muffins

These muffins are a big hit at our house. I found them at a website called All Recipes . I try to keep a batch of them in the freezer so that I can pop them into my husbands lunch. He enjoys a sweet snack about mid-morning with a cup of coffee, why not something from home. He saves a dollar every time he finds a treat from home in his lunch box.



Do you see that this picture has jumbo size as well as the regular muffin size? I have brownies in the freezer for this week. I think I'll get to it and make a batch of these as well. Variety is nice.


Gavin helping himself to a muffin.

Happy Birthday

What a fine day
for tea
Lady Katherine!

I do
hope your
birthday was special

Every Day Chili

I know most of us are looking for lighter meals as Spring and Summer approach. However, this recipe was a special request. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Keep Sweet,
Becky

Chili Recipe

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion (diced)
2 pounds ground beef (80/20 or better)
1 large can tomato juice
2 cans Mexican or chili beans
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 green pepper (diced)
Salt and Pepper to taste

• Saute together in oil the green pepper, and onion
• Add ground beef break up and brown evenly. Drain grease and discard properly. Transfer this mixture to a large pot.
• Add tomato juice, beans, seasonings and optional jalapeno pepper.
• Simmer 2 hours.
• Optional serving accompaniments; cheddar cheese, onions, corn chips, grilled cheese, corn bread.
  

Spring for the mantle

I decided to try my hand at decoupaging an egg to add to my spring decorations. This is not my own idea. I found it somewhere along the way.

I started by blowing out three eggs. I poked a hole in both sides of each egg. I used a tack. The kind you might use on a bulletin board. Notice, there is a small hole on one side and a slightly bigger hole on the other. You will blow through the small hole and the contents of the egg will come out of the larger hole. I did add a little bleach to disinfect the egg and let it set out over night to air dry. You can google "Egg Blowing" to get instructions on how to do this if you have never done it before.

I gathered the supplies that I would use. Do you see the stamps? Yeah... I thouht that since stamps were the right size I could use them for this project. Maybe I'll try it again sometime, however I was not getting the look I wanted for this spring project. The ink ran and well it just looked a mess. The ribbon turned out looking nicer. The ink did not run and the wrapping paper was a little more pliable.
I took time to cut out the bows from this wrapping paper. I chose this paper because Iwanted to use supplies I already had on hand.
Instead of using the brush I found it easier to use my finger to apply the mod podge and "ribbon". After squirting a little mod podge onto the foam tray I dipped my finger in and rubbed it onto the egg. Then put the "ribbon" on top of that adding more mod podge on top of the "ribbon". The nice thing is that I can store these eggs and get them out agian next year for some more decorating fun. After covering the egg with the paper I stategically placed different colored "ribbon" around the egg for visual effect.

Here is a picture of where the egg ended up. Do you see the other two eggs? I did something different with them. One was traditionally dyed the other tea dyed.
Since I already had the supplies on my craft shelf this project only cost me a little time.

Friday Project Party

I am excited about my first blog party. Everyone was invited over to the Sugar Plum Cottage for a Party.
If you would like to see what others have been busy doing today then hop on over to http:sugarplumcottage.blogspot.com


As you can see I have been busy putting a little spring in my home. This is one side of the armoire that is in our family room. Although pink and blue are not the colors that I use in that room these plates just say Spring. They are the plates that I have used for years on Easter Sunday morning for our breakfast.

We have enjoyed this ostrich egg for several years. It was given to my daughter at a farm tour. Do you like the letters that I found on my craft shelf. I know it is a little hard to see, it spells out spring.






Isn't that little birdie cute. A thoughtful friend gave it to me, she loves to give gifts and this one is especially sweet. This birdie reminds her of a funny story that I shared with her that happened to me in my early married years. Maybe I'll share it with you one day.





As you can see I like to use the lamb for Easter decorating. It is truly symbolic to us of the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world for each of our sins.






I did some other projects today that I will share at another time. Now it is date night and I am looking forward to sharing a wonderful evening with my husband just catching up on the day.

Have a wonderful evening and as always,
Keep Sweet,
Becky