Proverbs 31 Girls~ Summer Cooking Camp

What a blessing to have been a part of a Proverbs 31 Cooking Camp this last week for Summer break. My girl had a great time at this camp...Learning how to cook and bake some goodies, and left with some hndy tips, tricks and knowledge in the kitchen. It was pretty extensive. Each day they worked on a bible verse, had a time of prayer and devotional time on the Proverbs 31 woman. She gleaned so much! Every day they made something new. The first day they made Shepherd's Pie and homemade rolls and brought it home for our dinner. The second day they made a lovely wild berry crumble which we enjoyed that evening paired with vanilla ice cream. Wednesday they made fruit tarts and toffee. Thursday they made quiche and Friday the girls presented and hosted a lovely brunch for the mother's and ladies. It was delightful! They really shined, making delicious food as the presentation was also beautiful. 

The teachers were wonderful too! 

They went all out and dedicated hours of work to 

these young ladies and it all paid off! 

Homemade Lära Bars

A couple posts down I shared our new adventure. Changing our lifestyle and the way we eat. So far it is going great. However, Easter is just a day away. I got to thinking. Well, if we are cutting out all the junk and candy stuff...What could I do for Freckle's Easter basket this year. Okay time to get creative. We are not eating bread either so I had to come up with something healthy, whole, with no added refined sugars and wasn't a grain. I found just what I was looking for. Have you ever had Lara Bars? They are pretty darn good. I got the recipe on Pinterest. 

It is quite simple. 

Yet you will need a food processor for this.

Look at all the healthy yummies that go into this thing. Oh and no baking!!!! It's so simple...You just combine all the ingredients together, put it in a pan and freeze for 20 minutes, cut them into bars and enjoy. 

Recipe for Homemade Lära Bars (Mixed Berry):

• 1 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 12 Medjool dates
• 1 cup dried berries and / or cherries
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil

Directions for Homemade Lära Bars:

1. Line an 8″ x 8″ baking dish with plastic wrap or wax paper. Set aside.
2. Add the nuts to the food processor and pulse down until they become small, crumbly bits. Don’t let it go too long or it will become nut butter—er, not that there’s anything wrong with that but it won’t help this recipe. Some pieces may be a bit bigger and some might be tiny. That’s okay. Pour the nuts in a large bowl.
3. Now, pit the dates and put them in the food processor with the dried fruit, shredded coconut oil and sea salt. Pulse until it comes together in a ball.
4. Now, with clean hands: add the dried fruit to the nuts and combine both together. You’ll have to knead pretty well but keep at it.
5. Once all the nuts are blended in, you’ll take the lump of deliciousness and put it in the baking dish. Press the mixture into the dish until it’s packed down and smooth.
6. Freeze for 20 minutes until firm.
7. Turn out the mixture onto a cutting board and chop into pieces as big or small as you’d like. I usually make 12 bars from one dish.
8. I individually wrap them. They can be frozen for a couple months if packed to withstand freezer burn. If not, store in the fridge for short term use

After I cut them up, I wrapped each bar and threw them in the fridge.

 Of course I will fill Freckles basket with a couple of them as well!

I also decided to dehydrate some strawberry, banana and apple chips for some

 filling in the basket and I made some apple fruit leather.

Perfect, whole and healthy, good for snacks for an Easter basket.

No chocolate bunnies here this year!

Wishing you all a blessed Easter.

Enjoy!!!!

Sunday Soup Supper~ Heirloom Tomato Bisque

One of our favorite kind of meals is soup for supper. With Autumn slowly approaching and somewhat cooler evenings. I decide to make some different soups. The best night to have a lovely soup would be Sunday evenings, when you want something light after a day of church.... For a less laborious Sunday, you can make this the night before. I also thought it would be fun to share some of the soups we have for supper...So here you go. This also goes along with the study on the 1940's which Freckles and I have been working on. Tomato soup was definitely one that would have been made in that time, except with all the rationing they probably didn't use the butter and cream much. So with just a handful of tomato's, one could feed a family with it.

Here is a more creamy version for you.
 Beware...There is a lot of butter and cream in this. I used this recipe....
But doubled it so my family could have soup for lunch during the week...
Note* The recipe I am providing here is not doubled.
****
~Heirloom Tomato Bisque~
Saute 1/2 C. diced onion and 1 Tbl. minced fresh tarragon in 6 Tbl. butter
Add 4 cups diced tomato's. I used heirloom and regular tomato's & 4 cups chicken broth: bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

 

 

 

In a separate pan, melt 2 Tbl. butter, add 2 Tbl. flour, and stir for 3 minutes. Stir in 1 1/4 Cups heavy cream and 3/4 cup half-and-half: bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

 

Stir in 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley and 1/4 cup honey. Add to broth mixture,
puree: and cook for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
 Serves 6.

Now enjoy. It has wonderful flavor...
and goes well with a nice grilled cheese sandwich.
 Yum.
Happy Sunday

S'mores...Italian Style

one of our favorite pastimes is making s'mores over an open fire while camping, at the beach or just because. it's a hot, sticky and sometimes, burned mess. yet, that doesn't detour us from enjoying the yummy, ooey gooey goodness of marshmallow, chocolate and graham cracker. okay, so i'm not a huge fan of burning, smokey smoke from a fire...so what to do if you don't like the smoke, or perhaps you don't have a fire pit, but you love making s'mores...or maybe you don't like molting hot marshmallow scorching your tongue?

we have a wonderful idea...which we found ingredients for at World Market.  a lovely package of  Italian Pizzelle cookies, a jar of Italian Nutella and a jar of marshmallow fluff....oh my.... it's easy to make...a little messy, but easy. just spread the fluff and Nutella on one side of
each Pizzelle and sandwich together. then enjoy...

 

 

 

 

Mama Mia....they are delizioso...
Enjoy......
this is also the last installment for our Summertime vintage 1940's posts. but,
will be doing more posts and projects for the 1940's this Fall. Stay tuned.

Fun fact:

              IN THE 1940s

After World War II, America was on the go. More and more families bought cars and began taking family vacations to campgrounds and national parks. Making S'mores over campfires became increasingly popular during this decade.

The Party Is Over....

I stayed up till the morning hours before Freckles birthday morning. I cleaned, made gifts, wrapped it all up and decorated the dining room, with just a mere few hours of sleep, she woke up early, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to spend the day together. We woke up her daddy from his slumber and gathered around the table while she opened her gifts....Here is just a few of the things...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After she opened her gifts, I made her special breakfast, which she requested. Crepes with Nutella spread, cut up bananas with whipped cream on top. Now hows that for sweet and full of carbs to start off the day? Below is a good basic crepe recipe for you, if anyone is interested.

 

 

 

We got ready for the day ahead and scoured a couple book stores for the day, had lunch , came home fora little rest, because you know, all Super Heroes need to put up their feet for a bit. Then off we went again to the movies. We got home late....And I still had to make the frosting for her cake.

And what birthday wouldn't be perfect without the birthday cake. So, about ten o'clock I was frosting her cake. She made her wishes and blew out the candles just in time for 11p.m which was officially the time she was born. We sang Happy Birthday...

 

 

 

It was a wonderful day spent with her on her special day.
She actually said it was one of the best birthdays she has ever had.
I agree.