Let it snow let it snow let it snow

Yes, it has snowed, in October :) I'm pretty happy about it, and so are the kids! It was a heavy, heavy snow and a lot of tree branches fell- the leaves still hanging on makes the snow stick better.
Beautiful none the less!





Our neighborhood is heavily treed (Denver standards) making for beautiful changes of seasons (and lots of downed tree limbs).
After lots of play in the snow we decided to come in for some hot cocoa! Some runny noses followed, but it was so worth it. Now we are hoping for lots more of the cold white stuff. Did I mention fall is my favorite season?! I think winter might be too!

Dogs, kids and snow equals the best combination ever!

FYI, I just got a tip from a colleague at Shaklee, she puts Nutriferon in her children's hot cocoa to help boost their immunity during cold/flu season!

Don't make these.....

Yesterday we went to some friends house for their sons' birthday /Halloween party. They always do a fabulous job on their Halloween spread- the food and decorations are awesome! So, she had made this popcorn thing, and I asked for the recipe. She wrote it down for me so I don't know whom to credit with this evil...

4 quarts popped popcorn

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

6 tablespoons light corn syrup

a dash of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 drops yellow food coloring

4 drops red food coloring

Put the popcorn in a very large bowl.

In a pot, melt butter, mix in sugar, salt and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, then let it bubble 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat, stir in food coloring and vanilla. Pour the mixture all over the popcorn, and mix to coat. Transfer to to 2 baking pans coated in cooking spray. bake at 250 degrees for 45 minutes. Stir the mix every few minutes. Cool on parchment paper, and     eat- nor not!

Fall Decor..

This was a new concept to me when I moved to the U.S., decorating in fall, celebrating Halloween and Thanksgiving. Fall has always been my favorite season, but even more so now, with these awesome holidays to celebrate. And, I get to decorate with cool, natural materials that we collect ourselves!
From the last few farm visits I have a variety of natural decorations, and it was all starting to come together nicely, until the squirrels found the pumpkins...
Well, luckily we went to another farm, and were able to get some new ones, as well as some adorable little gourds. And, I found a way to outsmart the little boogers- Vicks vapor rub! I've tried pepper spray, cayenne pepper, soap and lots of other things before, but this actually seems to work! Hooray! One added bonus of the Vicks, it gives the plump orange goodies a little shine, too!

These are our latest pumpkins, on top of a large hay-bale I picked up at the last farm, sitting to the side of our front door.  Also, my little scarecrows of course ;)

These are a collection of gourds and Indian corn, also collected at various farms in the area. It sits on the hallway table as you enter our home. In the bottom of the basket, to weigh it down, is an acorn squash from our back yard.

Also, I can not forget that in all these projects, are included various leaves and twigs, and sometimes pine cones and rocks from the kids "collection".

Next is the wreath hanging on the front door, it is a pre-made wreath with added personal touches, such as; Indian corn, pine cones, leaves and the kids sparkle glue of course.

Today we are making ghosts to add to the outdoor decorations in preparation for Halloween. Updates to come!

Happy Fall!

Beautiful doesn't cut it....

We live in a spectacularly gorgeous place. 

Today's field-trip took us to the wonderful countryside surrounding Boulder. To see these vistas on a daily basis puts a smile on my face. I just have to share!

More on the farm visit of the day to come...

Weekend Project

When you have a 110 pound wire-hair terrier a bath and groom does turn into a weekend project believe it or not. When I groomed for a living (I was a mobile groomer for alittle while), I had the mega powered blow dryer, and all the tools of the trade at my disposal, plus I got paid to do it. Back then a dog like this would take about 2 hours start to finish.

Now I have to give him a bath in the evening (so he's dry the next day for the groom), brush him in the morning, and then groom him in the afternoon (during kids naptime).
Although my airedale terrier Bash is the sweetest dog imaginable, he is not a fan of the bath, or brush, or the clippers. He also gets quite dirty rough housing with his roommate Catfish, chasing squirrels, playing with the kids etc. etc. I have tried a ton of different dog shampoos, as you might imagine considering my long-past profession. Seems I always go through a half or whole bottle just for Bash.
I have read recently that people have had great success using Shaklee's Basic H cleaner for dog shampoo (It is perfectly safe-they say its safe enough to brush your teeth with!). So, I decided to try it, it does cost a lot less than any of the quality dog shampoos!

I am happy to report, it worked amazingly well! I used 1/2 cup of Basic H for Bash, a LOT less than any shampoo! It simply CLEANED him- it was so refreshing. No gizmos or scents or added this or that.. it just cleaned him- and very well at that! It didn't dry out his skin or coat at all, very important for the terrier coat. This morning, after drying, his hair was soft and he didn't smell at all like dog, or shampoo or anything. Lovely! My clipper and blade also benefited from the new "shampoo", no build up in the blade and it ran very quietly and well thanks to that.
My grade, as a former groomer and a lifetime dog owner, A +!!! Try it!!

Water, vatten, aqua....

Being cooped up with two sick kiddos for a whole week gets alittle old, and doesn't provide many good blogging topics. So- as the title might indicate- I'm going to talk about water! Sounds boring, I know, but it is such as essential part of everyone and every things existence.

We all know that we have to conserve the precious water we do have, or we will simply run out.
Not to mention- Americans are addicted to bottled water. As a nation we throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. And the bottles that don't reach the landfill often find their way down storm drains which lead directy to the ocean. Once there the bottles have been shown to impact wildlife.
Let's all do our part- and teach our kids to do the same!

This super cool looking pitcher is also incredibly engineered. It is from Shaklee (that I proudly represent). As opposed to those mainstream pitchers we all see, like Pur or Brita, this filters out 99% of lead and dozens of other nasty pollutants we do not need or want. It is BPA free, has an automatic meter that shows gallons filtered, and its filters are made with sustainable coconut shell carbon made with a zero-emissions process!
Then, to up your water consumption to, say enviable, check out these refillable, HOT glass bottles! They come from a very smart and honorable site called faucetface.com.

Kanelbullar! (swedish cinnamon buns)

Last week was "Kanelbullens Dag" (Cinnamon Buns Day) back home in Sweden, so to feel patriotic and not be fired from my homeland, I decided to join in on the celebrations. If you have never had one before, I can strongly recommend. With the added bonus of my favorite spice ever, Cardamom, this is an unusual but delicious treat for non-swedes.
The one ingredient you may have difficulty finding is Pearl Sugar, but if you really want some, here is a website that carries it: http://www.hemslojd.com/food_spices.html 
For the dough you will need:
1 cup whole milk
1 cup cream (half-n-half will do)
4 oz butter (1stick)
2 packs active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
5-6 cups flour

Begin by slowly melting a stick(4oz) of butter in a small pan, mix in 1 cup whole milk, and 1 cup cream. Add in salt and sugar, make sure mixture is warm, but not hot. Then add in the yeast- gently stir until the yeast is mostly dissolved.
Pour mixture into a large bowl, and slowly add flour. You want the dough to be workable, but a little sticky. Flour your hands and knead for about 2-3 minutes, making a large smooth ball in the bowl. Spray Pam on some plastic wrap, and cover the bowl.
Let it rise next to the stove for about 1 hour, it will get nice and warm there, since you will be heating up the oven to 425 degrees!

While the dough is rising, make the filling. You will need:
4 oz (1 stick) of SOFT butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons cardamom

Also go ahead and mix up one whole egg with about 2 tablespoons cold water- this will be for brushing. The fill a small bowl with pearl sugar(if you cannot find it, use regular sugar)

When the dough is ready, divide it into half. Using a rolling pin, and good dusting of flour, roll out a large rectangle/oval, until about 1/4 inch thick.

Spread half of the sugar/spice mixture onto the rolled out dough. Starting on the side away from you, roll the dough up towards you.

When you have a long roll in front of you, using a sharp knife, cut rolls, about 1 inch thick. Place rolls cut side down, on cookie sheet.
Brush with egg mixture, sprinkle on some sugar, and let rest for about 5-10 minutes on top of the stove.
Pop them in the oven, and watch the magic happen. It usually takes about 8 minutes for mine to start looking golden brown and filling the house with a heavenly, longing for home, aroma.
Let them cool on a wire rack, then be sure to share, and enjoy!

For a Swede, a kanelbulle, has to be enjoyed with a cup of kaffe!

No better medicine than cupcakes....

So my little boy has croup, and is pretty miserable. My girl has a fever and is getting sicker too. They are such little troopers, and are really really good despite not feeling well. I have to admit, I'm a little surprised at how early the apparent cold season has started this year, and have not really been good about giving them their "super vitamins" every day. This is the second cold in as many weeks, so vitamin consumption is up to par as it should!
And look at this delightful little "medicinal" treat out best friends dropped off this afternoon:

 

They came from Happy Cakes- I know them well ;) It is a lovely little bakery in the neighborhood. These little miniature cupcakes sure hit the spot with my two tots when they woke up from nap-time!

Farm Soup

Our farm visit on Tuesday yielded pound after pound of fresh veggies, and after sorting through, and sharing with friends and neighbors, its time to do some cooking!
Unfortunately my little boy came down with some kind of cold yesterday (expecting his sister to follow suit) and he is quite miserable today, and the thought of soup came to mind.
So this morning I started roasting at 400 degrees the following: 1 bunch celery with tops, about 2 cups of pumpkin chunks, 2 white onions, 1 yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, two large sprigs rosemary, 4 carrots, 1 cup broccoli stems, 2 small whole red peppers and 6 small tomatoes. I drizzled about 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top, and roasted until it started looking brown and wilted, then I added some hot water and stirred around so all the brown bits and drippings would be added as well.
I poured all of it in the bottom of my large stock pot, placed a whole raw chicken (always have one or more in the freezer!) on top, and put in enough water to cover the chicken. Bring it to a rolling boil and then turn it down to a medium temperature and put the lid on.
Don't forget to add salt and pepper to taste before you put the lid on, remember that stock and made-from-scratch soups do NEED salt, don't hold back here.
Leave it on the stove at least a couple of hours, go back every now and then to check the liquid amount, it shouldn't drop below the chicken half way mark. When the legs and wings easily fall off the bird, it is done.
Fish out the chicken and put it on a plate. Fish out any vegg you want to keep for your soup as well, put on another plate. Then strain the whole thing into another large pot or bowl through a pasta strainer, and then again, back into the pot, with a fine sieve to make sure you catch any bone bits
Divide up the chicken per your liking, pull or slice the meat you like and add back into the soup. Also add back any vegetables you want to keep, and perhaps some fresh herbs (I have tons of rosemary and thyme right now, that's what goes in mine!).
Of course, you can also add in some cooked noodles, or dumplings, or whatever else you may fancy!

Farmhands for the day

Today my friend and I took our little tots to Miller Farm in Platteville, Colorado.  It was a haul to get there but so worth it! You go on a hayride out into the fields, they hand you bags, and you fill them! We had several stops at various fields and got to pick (all you can carry) carrots, cabbage, indian corn, sweet corn, green beans, celery, potatoes, onions, pumpkins and more. We brought home 3 radio flyer wagon loads full!
Check out the corn we scored!

This was fantastic day; wonderfully warm, clear blue sky, the lovely smells of hay and dirt, and a picnic lunch on a hayride. I could do this every day! The kids learned so much, and had a great time as well- munching green beans and corn off the fields and climbing a huge mound of hay.

So lucky to have great local farms like these!

My most delectable pumpkin bread

It's my favorite time of year, the leaves are turning, the air is crisp and clean, the garden is full of veggies and fruits- including this magnificent "volunteer"!
Time to cook it up!


I find that anything that calls for pumpkin in the recipe is so much more moist and flavorful if you use fresh vs. canned (isn't that always the case?). I roast it whole (if it fits in the oven) at about 350 until its really sagging and the skin starts looking more brown than orange, let it cool until you can handle it, and the skin comes off super easy! Pull out the seeds- save them for toasting if you like- and place the pumpkin in a strainer over the sink. Let it drip off a bit, then puree it. 2 cups of this puree usually equals a can.
A pumpkin like this one makes about 16 cups of puree- i freeze it in 2 cup segments, easy for pulling out and using in various recipes.



This is my most amazing pumpkin bread (3 loaves worth- one for now, one for your best friend, and one for the freezer!)


3 cups pumpkin
1 1/2 cups canola oil
4 cups sugar
6 organic eggs
4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp really good quality cinnamon
2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1 tsp cardamom

Preheat oven to 350 f , spray 3 loaf pans with flour pam, or grease them, and shake some flour around in the pans.
In your biggest mixing bowl, or large pot- mix up pumpkin, oil, sugar and eggs.
In a separate bowl combine all the dry ingredients, then slowly add into the wet, combine well. Bake about 1 hour, they should feel springy when touched. Cool in pan a few minutes, then on rack.
To quote Fancy Nancy, "Totally Delectable!"

How lucky are we? Horseshoe Craft & Flea Market this Saturday

 

We were so lucky to have this amazing event in our neighborhood this weekend! They have several each year, and it is the most adorable and beautiful little market. I wish it was somewhere to be found permanently. Arts and crafts, food and fun, with style! The Horseshoe Craft & Flea Market encourages local artists to display their wares and art for the public, in a very stylish and positive environment! Hooray for local business!