Picture Blast

First Snow

Angry Bird-Wylie; Kitty-Evelyn; Bat-Wyatt

Knight, LadyBug, & Guess who???

Apple Cider Time!

1st Tooth!

NOVEMBER 2012

More Sprinkles Please!

Donut Shop Field Trip

Vroom! Vroom!!

Wylie's "Turkey"

Gobble Gobble

~MERRY CHRISTMAS~

MadCounty Mama

The BEST Cranberry Sauce!

This is so simple and the finished product is very tasty!

I used this recipe from Gracious Pantry but adjusted a few things to fit what I had in my pantry.

Cranberry Sauce
12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries (approx. 3 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
zest of one large orange
1 cup water
Place cranberries in pan with water.  Stir in maple syrup, cinnamon and zest.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Simmer on medium till liquid is reduced.  This will take 15-20 minutes or so.  Be patient and stir often.  The longer it cooks the more it will thicken (the berries will pop, making it fun!)
Let cool completely.
Makes about 1 – 1/4 cups

*I froze mine to use on Thanksgiving and it was a big hit!

*I made two batches one with honey and the 2nd with maple syrup.  I prefer the maple version. It just had an added depth and overall better taste.

*This recipe may seem sour to those of you who are used to sweets. I've been off sugar for a while now so this recipe allowed the flavor of the cranberries, cinnamon and orange to burst through without all the overly sweetness of canned cranberry sauce.  But you can add more "sweet" if you prefer!

Let me know how it turns out for you!
and
Happy Thanksgiving...a few days late.

MadCounty Mama

Crescent Rolls

This recipe makes a tender and light roll and it really quite simple. This is the recipe I started with when I learned how to make bread/rolls. I hardly ever use any other recipe!

Crescent Rolls

2 Tbl yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 eggs
3 cups white flour

Place yeast in mixing bowl; add warm water, let dissolve.
Scald milk in sauce pan, remove from heat.
Add butter and honey to milk, stir to melt and then allow to cool some.
Mix yeast with milk mixture.
Add Whole wheat flour one cup at a time, mixing after each addition.
Add eggs-mix well.
Add white flour one cup at a time, mix until doughy.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 6-8 times, into a ball. Place in greased bowl, then flip to get both sides greased. Let rise 1 hour-I turn my oven on to warm and place bowl on top of stove with a cheese cloth over top.  Punch down, split dough into too balls, roll out, one at a time, into circle.  Cut like a pizza into triangles (I use a pizza wheel, just roll it lightly as to not cut your counter top!)

Brush with melted butter; roll up.

Be sure to tuck the "tail" underneath and place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart; let rise till doubled- 1/2 hr or so.

Bake at 350* for 9-12 min. Check bottoms b/c they brown much quicker than tops.

Thanksgiving 2011

Also pictured: Pumpkin Pie and Gluten Free Lemon Meringue

Happy Baking!

MadCounty Mama

In everything, Give Thanks

We've been busy at Donaldson Academy! =) We've been learning all about the Pilgrims and the history of Thanksgiving. Before our first child was born, PreacherMan and I were in Massachusetts for a family visit; we had the opportunity to go to the Plimouth Plantation.  It is a living history museum in Plymouth, MA.  It was such a fun and educational experience - we hope to take our whole family sometime. But in the mean time we did our hands-on learning at home with lots of crafts, a story about a Pilgrim boy and a "cooking" activity. 

First we talked about what we are thankful for:

Wylie's List:

* Meat

* My name, Wylie

* Wyatt

* Dad

* Mom

* Milk

* Evelyn

Wyatt's List:

*Motorcycles

*Mater

*Gram&Gramps

*The numbers 1,2,3,4

*My Bible Book

*My brother and sister

Then we put together a Cornucopia with stickers: 

A Thanksgiving themed cut 'n' paste pattern worksheet:

And then we made Pilgrim Hats!
Ingredients:
Fudge Stripe Cookies
White Frosting
Peanut Butter Cups
Something small and orange...We used the tips of Candy Corn!

 Unwrap peanut butter cups, then frost the wide end with frosting:

 Turn upside down and press onto 1 cookie:

Add a "buckle":

 And Viola! A Pilgrim Hat!

One of the helpers was much more interested in eating the supplies...

 Our special treats that we shared with our Bible study group.

 Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

MadCounty Mama