The 2011 Flashback Series: Bike Riding

July 14th 2011:

We had a great summer around here. With the garden, ducks, chickens and just hanging out in the yard. Gabriel spent a lot of time on his bike. I decided to get out the sidewalk chalk and make him a "road" to follow around the drive way. Anytime we do this it entertains him for so long that I can sit drink coffee and read.

The 2011 Flashback Series: Cake Contest

June 22nd 2011:

In my March issue of Hobby Farm Home Magazine they announced that for their 5th anniversary there was going to be a contest for readers to submit their favorite cake recipe using farm-based ingredients. Sounds like fun to me. So I came up with a recipe to enter into the "Best Vegetable-based Cake" category. Pumpkin Cake with Whipped Maple Frosting. I had Cori test it out before I sent it in. She made it and took it to work and said that everyone loved it.

I didn't get selected as a winner but I was thrilled to get an email from the assistant editor telling me: "we loved it too much to keep it to ourselves and felt it deserved honorable mention. That's why we've included it in a special online slideshow of our favorite entries."

You can see the slideshow on the website here.

And here is the recipe...

Cake

• 2 cups cake flour
  
• 2 tsp. baking powder
  
• 2 tsp. baking soda
  
• 1 tsp. salt
  
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
  
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  
• 1¼ cups oil
  
• 1½ cups sugar
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 3 cups shredded cooking pumpkin or butternut squash

Frosting

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
  
• 1 cup heavy cream, chilled

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into medium-sized mixing bowl.

In large mixing bowl, cream oil, sugar and eggs. Add pumpkin, and mix well. Add dry ingredients gradually, stirring until just mixed.

Pour batter into greased 9- by 13-inch baking pan or two greased 9-inch round pans. Bake 40 to 50 minutes for sheet cake or 35 to 40 minutes for round cakes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before inverting onto wire rack. Let cool completely before icing.

Frosting

Beat together cream cheese and maple syrup until smooth.

In chilled mixing bowl, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add to cream cheese mixture and beat until desired consistency is reached.

The 2011 Flashback Series: So Many Tomatoes

June 4th 2011:

The past few years Chloe has started a whole lot of tomato plants. She sells them to support her gardening habit and this year Mike wanted to take home all the ones she didn't sell. It was a little cramped in the van getting them there but we did have lots for canning and freezing.

this is the trellis Mike made to support all the tomatoes

The 2011 Flashback Series: Paris

April 23rd 2011:

Mike had yet another trip to Paris (and sometime back in April I mentioned that I was going with him this time). He arrived ON Easter Sunday and no one was going to be in the office that Monday so he asked if I wanted to come along, and I went. All I had on my "must do when I am in Paris for two short days" list was walk around and take a ton of pictures. And that is just what we did.

I have a lot more pictures in my facebook album all about this trip.

The 2011 Flashback Series: Early Birthday Gift

March 3rd 2011:

I have been hinting to Mike for years that I would like a sewing machine... sometime. Well now I have one. We went to JoAnn's and picked out my birthday present a little early. I am glad we did because I got to make Papa O a birthday gift, before I even had my birthday.

I also have made a few other small projects. Maybe some day I can make Mia's wedding dress like my mom did for me.

pants for Gabriel out of one of Mike's Drupal shirts

an apron for Mia out of an old ripped shirt she had

a shower curtain from a ripped sheet

a backpack for Gabriel (that he now takes to preschool)

someday...

The 2011 Flashback Series: A Boy and His Papa

January 12th 2011:

Don came to plow the driveway after a big snow and Gabriel helped drive the tractor with his "Papa coat" (The Carhartt Don & Kathy got him that looks just like Don's). It was so cute I just had to take pictures.

He came in and said, "Momma, Papa helped me with the snow."

The 2011 Flashback Series: Happy New Year

January 1st 2011:

Because of all the traveling Mike does for work he accumulates a lot of SkyMiles with Delta. He was also very close to the next level for his SkyMiles account. A trip to Baltimore and back would put him right where he needed to be. So we decided to take advantage of that and take a little trip to see Cori and Paul for New Years Eve!

We flew out Thursday the 30th so Cori could pick us up at the airport after she got out of work. Got to her apartment late so we hung out for a little bit and went to sleep. On New Years Eve we stayed in our pj's ALL DAY! We played the Wii, watched movies and just hung out. I didn't even feel one bit guilty about leaving the kids. They had a ton of fun... Mia spent the holiday with Emma in Lansing and Gabriel was with Papa O and Grandma Kathy.

I didn't have any pictures of New Years either (I really must do better about taking pictures), but Cori took some.

umm... Happy New Year Mike, you might want to put away StarCraft for a little bit.

Cori and Paul know how to ring in the New Year

The 2011 Flashback Series: Christmas Goose

Way back in January (I think) I promised a Christmas time post because I had a funny goose story to share. I was waiting to get some pictures of Christmas for a while and then I think I just didn't do it. I still don't have any pictures of Christmas (I must do better this year!) but I can wait no longer.

Sometime in December 2010:

You always hear about "Christmas Goose" in stories. I have never prepared or eaten any kind of goose, but for some reason I really wanted to prepare a Christmas Goose.

Not knowing where to get a goose I called Walt at Prime Cuts and asked if they had one. He told me that he didn't have any but that he could order one. When he called back he told me he had to order them by the case and that meant he would have to get four. Because of the lack of interest in geese, he would order them if I wanted all 4. I was so excited that I was going to have my Christmas Goose I didn't ask any questions and told him "Yes!! Order them!! I will take them!!" He told me they ran about $6 per pound.

When Mike got home and I told him about my wonderful goose find and told him the price (per pound). He of course asked "well, how much does a goose weigh?" I had no clue... then I thought about it. It was less than a turkey I knew that, but no idea how much less. Mike called Prime Cuts back and asked if they knew how much a goose weighs. The answer he got was maybe around 16lbs. OH NO!!! I just ordered almost $400 worth of GOOSE?!?! Needless to say I was freaking out for a few days and calling people to let them know I had lost my mind.

Luckily, they didn't weigh 16lbs each and I am sure Walt gave us a great deal on my crazy goose adventure. It only ended up costing about $200 (a real relief) and turned out delicious when I used the recipe in my Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine.

The 2011 Flashback Series: Winter Solstice Party

I know I said "The 2011 Flashback Series" but the first two posts date back to 2010!

December 21st 2010:

Winter Solstice, what a great reason to get together and have a celebration! Chloe got two pinatas (one for the little kids and one for the big kids), we had a great bonfire, yummy pizza and of course wine & hot chocolate. We decided this party has to be an annual event and I am looking forward to this years celebration.

Lucy, Carson, Gabriel & Katy's pinata

Grandma had to help a little

and Cora

Jackpot!

Emma, Ryan, Myles & Mia's pinata.

No help was needed here!

It was a great night for a bonfire.

The 2011 Flashback Series:

I said it once (or quite a few times) and I have to say it again. I have really been slacking big time on the blog front. The past year has come and almost gone and what do I have to show for it? On here, not much. So I now welcome you to the 2011 Flashback Series. Between now and Christmas I will have caught up on almost 12 months of blog posts. Here goes... a lot of blogging.