Oct242009

Paintball Picasso

By Country Gal | October 24, 2009 | Posted in Children, Friends, Memories | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

There are some things that our overgrown pastures and deep ravines are just meant for – things like exploring, berry picking and … paint ball.

Yes, paint ball.

We discovered this fact last weekend when a friend from church hosted his birthday paintball party here.

They brought a lunch, birthday cake and a trunk full of paintballparaphernalia to share with my kids.

After decking out in camouflage -

Paint Ball Outfit

My kids learned how to load and handle the guns. Then they did a little target practice on the grain bin out back -

Paintball Picasso

Now we have our very own paintball Picasso!

Then they jumped on the 4 wheeler and headed out to the ravines where they had a blast for hours.

They didn’t even realize how cold it was – or how late it was getting.

We almost had to peel the guns out of their hands.

Now you’ll never guess what my kids want for Christmas!

By Country Gal | Posted in Children, Friends, Memories | Tagged , , | Comments (0)
Oct222009

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

By Country Gal | October 22, 2009 | Posted in Cakes, Chocolate, Cooking and Food | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Chocolate Chip Banana CakeTwo lonely over ripe bananas sitting on my counter were the inspiration for this yummy cake.

The original recipe came from my sister. She had brought one of these freshly baked cakes over after the birth of one of my children, and my husband loved it!

Over the years I have served it with either a burnt sugar frosting or a cream cheese frosting – both were very good. But since I had some left-over chocolate frosting, I decided this recipe needed a little Chocolate Lady make-over!

Some mini chocolate chips and a layer of rich chocolate frosting made this yummy cake a hit for both my banana loving husband and his chocolate loving wife!

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2-1/3 c. flour
1-2/3 c. sugar
1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup shortening (I used margarine)
2/3 cup mashed bananas
2 eggs
2/3 cup chopped nuts (optional – I used walnuts)
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Put 2 tsp. lemon juice in measuring cup. Add milk to make 2/3 c. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.

Add the shortening,  mashed banana and sour milk. Beat 2 minutes.

Add 2 eggs. Beat another 2 minutes. Add the chopped nuts and chocolate chips. Bake in 2 greased and floured 9 inch round pans or a 9 X 13 pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

If baking in two round pans, cool 10 minutes and remove.  Cool completely before frost with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1 stick butter (softened)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat the butter and cocoa until smooth, then add the sugar 1 cup at a time beating with each addition. Add milk and vanilla and beat for 3 minutes. Spread on cooled cake.

Enjoy!

By Country Gal | Posted in Cakes, Chocolate, Cooking and Food | Tagged , , | Comments (0)
Oct222009

…And the Mexican Bean Beetles Invade

By Country Gal | October 22, 2009 | Posted in Rural Realities | Tagged , , , | Comment (1)

They’re here.

Despite the early freeze – they’ve come.

Mexican Bean Beetle

Just as soon as the sun came out and the temperatures rose – they came crawling out of the soybean fields where they spent the summer, shaken loose from their homes as the combines sweep through the fields.

What are these dreaded creatures? Some call them the Mexican bean beetles, others say they are Asian bean beetles.

I call them pests.

They swarm in the air so thick you could hear the buzzing.

They congregate on the walls of the houses looking for the tiniest holes to walk through.

They surround the windows and doors making you walk through a gauntlet to go outside.

They land in your hair, on your clothes, even on your face.

Not the nicest part of fall in the Midwest – but definitely a reality of rural living.

Rumor has it that some intellectual dude decided it would be a good idea to introduce these little buggers into soybean fields to eat the soybean aphids.

Nice idea. I’m all for using a natural method instead of spraying a chemical.

But nobody checked to see if they have any natural predators.

They don’t.

Even my chickens won’t touch them.

So now they multiply, swarming through the country side every fall when the fields are harvested, and invading our homes.

Maybe that dude should come and run the vacuum at my house for a few days – sucking up those smelly little varmints.

He might just think twice about his next big idea.

By Country Gal | Posted in Rural Realities | Tagged , , , | Comment (1)
Oct202009

Chocolate Chess Pie

By Country Gal | October 20, 2009 | Posted in Chocolate, Cooking and Food, Pies | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Chocolate Chess Pie Knowing my continuing effort to find the recipe for that perfect chocolate pie I enjoyed this summer at the farmer’s market – my sister sent me this recipe.

At first glance, I was pretty sure that it would not be the recipe I was drooling for – but since it was chocolate, we made it anyway.

Whoa baby! Was I wrong! This was a fabulous recipe! It’s thick chocolate filling was rich and creamy!

Is this the allusive chocolate pie recipe I’m seeking? It just might be. But why end the search so soon – there are still so many recipes to try!

Chocolate Chess Pie

Beat 2 eggs slightly

Mix in:

1 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. cocoa
1/2 c. melted oleo
1 tsp. vanilla

Pour in unbaked 9 inch crust. Bake 30 minutes or more at 325 degrees.

Serve with whipped cream.

Enjoy!

By Country Gal | Posted in Chocolate, Cooking and Food, Pies | Tagged , , | Comments (0)
Oct202009

Blessings

By Country Gal | October 20, 2009 | Posted in Deep Thoughts | Tagged , , , | Comment (1)

476px-William-Adolphe_Bouguereau_(1825-1905)_-_Tête_d'Etude_l'Oiseau_(1867)Blessings.

We all want them.

We all pray “Bless me Lord!”

Yet when the blessings come we often complain. Why is that? Maybe it’s because most blessings come with work attached.

Think about it.

My husband’s job is a blessing – in a time when many are without, he has a steady paycheck. Yet this job requires him to work.

We have a large garden and are “blessed” with much produce this year. That produce required our diligence to prepare the soil, plant the seeds, weed and water as needed, and finally -  harvest the vegetables.

My new house is such a blessing, yet I need to continually dust, vacuum and clean to maintain it.

My health is a blessing, but I need to do my part to maintain it by exercising and eating right.

I think we would all agree that children are a blessing, but to bring them into the world requires labor.

I feel sorry for the new mom who wasn’t prepared for the sacrifice and work involved in raising those little ones. Motherhood isn’t all smiles, stroller rides and photo opportunities (although there are plenty of those!) There are a lot of dirty diapers, long days, short nights, and loads of laundry.

Yet they are a blessing.

I think we sometimes live in the “happily ever after” fog believing that we just need the perfect job, the perfect spouse, beautiful children and we will be happy.

But that just isn’t going to happen in this imperfect world in which we live.

But still, we are a blessed people. We live in abundance, surrounded by blessings every day.

Maybe it’s time for us all to stop complaining about the work involved and take to heart the line from the song “Blessed Be Your Name” -

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise…

By Country Gal | Posted in Deep Thoughts | Tagged , , , | Comment (1)