Pinterest Challenge - Gifts in a Basket

The purpose of this Pinterest challenge is to create something we have pinned.  

This month's theme is "Gifts in a Basket".  

These were inspired by this PIN

Pinterest Challenge - PEACE - and cookies!

Today is International Day of Peace

The purpose of this Pinterest challenge is to act on something we have pinned.  

This month's theme is PEACE

Read on to see how I related owls, peace and cookies....

Pinterest Challenge - Happy National Thrift Shop Day

Today,  August 17th, is National Thrift Shop Day and I am joining the Pinterest Challenge to show how I used old frames to make wreaths.

The purpose of this challenge is to actually make something from a photo we have pinned.

Pinterest Challenge: Tutti-Fruiti

Our Pinterest Challenge theme this month is

      Tutti Fruiti

   

The purpose of this challenge is to motivate us to actually make something that we have pinned!

Summer Fun Pinterest Challenge....

I am joining a group of very talented bloggers to recreate something I have pinned, using this month's theme: "Summer Fun"!  Their links are at the bottom of this post.

The purpose of this Pinterest Challenge is to motivate us to actually make something that we have pinned! 

Father's Day Pinterest Challenge...

In our house, Dad always did the grilling on the weekends and cooked breakfast on Saturday morning.  If it's the same in your family, mix up some flavored butters for him to add to his culinary delights.

BUTTER

 

I am joining a group of very talented bloggers to recreate something I have pinned, using this month's theme: "Father's Day"!  Their links are at the bottom of this post.

The purpose of this Pinterest Challenge is to motivate us to actually make something that we have pinned!  

There are so many ideas on Pinterest.  I pinned this POST in 2012 and since then I have created many flavored butters, and here are a few of our favorites:

perfect on grilled vegetables:

Garlic Basil Butter

1/2 stick of butter, 1 minced garlic clove and 3-4 basil leaves, chopped 

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perfect on baked potatoes:

• Chive Butter
• 1/2 stick of butter and 2-3 T of chopped chives, dash of salt and pepper
• 
  
• *********************************

perfect on corn on the cob and rolls:

• Sun-dried Tomato Herbal Butter
• 1/2 stick butter, 1 clove garlic minced, 2 T sundried tomatoes, drained, chopped.
• 
  
• *******************************

perfect on corn on the cob:

• Roasted Red Pepper Butter
• 1/2 stick of butter, 2T roasted peppers, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/8 t spiced seasonings and dash of salt and pepper.

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• perfect on pancakes and french toast:
• Maple Bacon Butter  
• 1/2 stick butter at room, 2 t maple syrup,   1 slice of crispy cooked bacon, crumbled, 1 t bacon grease
• ***************************
• • perfect on garlic bread and hot rolls:
  • Herbal Butter

1/2 cup unsalted butter,  2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced

1/2 tablespoon fresh chives, minced

few dashes of black pepper

• *******
• I like to use a variety of silicone molds, or you can just form the butter into a roll and refrigerate!
• 
• 

Hop around to see what my new friends have 'Pinned' and created  for Father's Day:

Farm Girl Reformed | My Slices of Life | Pandora's Box
Treasures Made from Yarn | Purple Hues and Me
Southern Sunflowers | Sum of their Stories
On Rockwood Lane | Our Good Life

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

The Prettiest of Cookbooks ....

I have always loved cookbooks.  

I still have my very first cookbook:

...given to me when I was 12....

(I know you are doing the math!!)

...it had photos and clear directions.  This was one of my favorite side dishes to make:

(You can buy the 2003 version HERE)

There are two things that attracts me to cookbooks - the photos or the art work!  

The art work is what attracted me to Susan Branch's books:

(You can buy some HERE)

And the art work is what attracted me to these cookbooks:

 Goodness Gracious 

(You can buy it HERE)

Keeping Good Company 

(you can buy it hereHERE)

Shelly Reeves Smith is the illustrator for these two cookbooks, as well as greeting cards.  Sadly,  she has not written in her blog in a few years.  You can read about her HERE

The art work is colorful....

...soft and pretty....

...with a touch of whimsy...

...and so inviting!

The books also have a few cute stories and entertaining ideas!

The recipes are also delicious and these are my two favorites...

...especially this one:

I just love banana bread, especially with chocolate chips!

 You can purchase Goodness Gracious HERE and Keeping Good Company HERE

I used to have so many cookbooks, but I got rid of many of them.  My Pinterest file  is now filled with my favorites as well as recipes to try.

Do you have any favorite cookbooks?

My Attempt at a Cherry Almond Bundt Cake…..

What goes better together than cherry and almond flavor!

I recently bought a bundt pan, so this recipe I found on Pinterest caught me eye:

Looks beautiful in the photo, doesn't it?

I made the batter:

I followed the directions perfectly - I taught culinary skills for years, so when I try a new recipe, I follow it to a "t".  I greased my new pan very well, too!  After cooling the cake for 20 min, and struggling to get the cake out of the pan, this is what I ended up with:

She's a beauty, isn't she:

So, I carefully lifted each broken piece and placed it on the top, where it should have been:

Then I made the glaze (that recipe was also a lousy one) and "glued" the cake together:

It's a good thing that this cake was just for us and not for any company!!

You are probably wondering how it tastes? 

 Well, the reason I am not sharing the recipe is because it is dry, and no one should go through all this craziness for a dry piece of cake!!

AND, see this lovely pan:

This is the second time I used it and had the "sticking" problem each time…so off to Goodwill it goes and hopefully someone else will have better luck than I!

I have tried quite a few recipes found on Pinterest and I am not sure if it is ME or not, but some are real lousy, or lacking flavor, or missing ingredients.

 I feel like someone is playing a trick on me!

So if anyone has a great recipe for Cherry Almond Cake - please send it my way!

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