Way to grow STRAIGHT!!!!

Just a quick post to let you know how the appointment went today.

The xray showed NO CHANGE!!!!  Which is amazing news!  That means that Ryan's spine is holding and has been for 8 months now!!

His doctor said keep doing what you are doing.  No brace, no nothing!  He told him to SWIM and enjoy his summer.  He will go back in 9 months for another check-up.

It was a long day.  And a few surprises for the boys.  But something I am SO proud of them for doing. 

While waiting in the room to hear from his doctor a Research Assistant with the Molecular Genetics team came to talk to us.  They have ask us before to be part of the study and I turned them down once....it requires blood work.  And not just for Ryan.  The whole family!!!

But today was different!!  We told her yes. 

We explained to the boys the importance of this study and what it could do for future children with Scoliosis.  They cried, I almost did and Brant pretty much said, "You are going to do it!"

We have been on this journey since January 2006 and if we can do ANYTHING to help discover more about Scoliosis, well we will do it and fight through the fear!

The purpose of the study is to identify the gene or genes that cause Idiopathic Scoliosis.

They did GREAT!!!  A tear or two, but overall AMAZING!!!!

And the reward for being such helpful, sweet boys?  One extra hour of Wii and a snow cone!!!!

Thank you so much for your sweet comments, messages and prayers. 

Infantile Scoliosis-Time for a Check-up

You know that feeling when you wake up from a bad dream?  You are scared and nervous by what just played out in your head?  You know that feeling you have in the very bottom of your stomach?  Maybe your heart is racing and it feels like you have something stuck in your throat?

Or maybe that anxious feeling when you are about to take off on a GREAT BIG roller coaster.  That anxious-scary feeling.......you know that one?

Well I am feeling all that and so much more this morning. It's nothing new.  It comes around about every 6 months and has been going on since July 2006.  I will tell you up front though, I put all my faith and trust in my Heavenly Father for this appointment tomorrow.

Ryan will go for a check-up and xray tomorrow to see how is spine is growing.

He has been without ANY support for 8 months now.  This is the first time since he was 15 months old that he has had NOTHING helping him grow straight!! 

Maybe now you see why I have all those feelings. So tomorrow we will find out how his little spine is growing.

Of course praying to God it is growing straight.  But I know with Infantile Scoliosis there is always a chance it could be twisting again.  At any growth spurt his little spine could decide to grow crooked.

Right now I do not see any rotation, but with such a small curve it is harder to tell with the naked eye.  Only an xray can tell us this.

I have always gone to every appointment feeling cautiously optimistic.  And I will do the same again tomorrow. 

Whatever the outcome is I will face it with a positive attitude.  Ryan is old enough now to see, HEAR and feel everything that I see, SAY and feel. 

I so badly hope to look into this face and say, "Way to GROW straight Ryan!!!!"

Prayers are appreciated.  And I will update tomorrow evening with what we find out. 


If you are finding my blog for the first time and have questions about Infantile Scoliosis please check out my "Infantile Scoliosis" tab.  There are lots of stories and updates about Ryan and other amazing children with Infantile Scoliosis.  And feel free to contact me!  I am happy to help in way I can!

Also check out Infantile Scoliosis Outreach Program .

Pizza Margherita

Happy Memorial Day!!!  Take a few minutes to give thanks and remember those who have died in our nation's service.  Stop to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom.

Any big plans for your family?  What about the FOOD?  Dessert? 

At the last minute I changed my mind on our dessert and can't wait to share it with you!  Later this week for sure!!  For now let's get on to the PIZZA!!!!!!

There is nothing more tasty than fresh garden tomatoes!!  I love this time of year when our garden produces the love apples!  Yummy goodness!!!! 

Over the weekend I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them too!  It had to be pizza!  And since I also had fresh basil on the patio this made for a super delicious pizza.  

I had no idea the flavors I love so much together on a pizza actually had a name. 

The traditional toppings on a Margherita pizza are: fresh basil, fresh tomatoes, olive oil, sea salt, garlic, and mozzarella. Typically the tomatoes are sliced and scattered across the dough before finely chopped garlic and basil are sprinkled on, followed by rounds of thinly sliced cheese. The pizza is drizzled lightly in olive oil and sea salt just before baking, and when well made it is crisp without any trace of greasiness.

We used Roma tomatoes and kicked up the pizza with goat cheese.  Can you say DELISH?  We didn't sprinkle the garlic and simply used freshly grated mozzarella cheese.  I used the same pizza dough(recipe link below)as usually, but made sure to spread it out to make a thin crust. 

When you have homemade pizza every Friday night it can sometimes get boring having the same old thing. I use to be the traditional pizza type girl.  But am happy to say I am stepping out of my small boring box.  I like trying new and different toppings. 

With many more tomatoes in the garden I intend to have this pizza again very soon! 

What are some of your favorite toppings that are NOT traditional pizza toppings?  I would love for you to share so I can have some new ideas.

You can find the pizza dough recipe HERE .

BEST glazed lemon coookies EVER!

As I promised I would I am here for a short post to share the BEST glazed lemon cookie recipe EVER!

And it is not my recipe.  Or P-Dub's(that is the Pioneer Woman for those of you not hip on her nickname)or Paula Deen's.  It is good old Martha's.......and it is a good thing.

These little bites of yummy goodness were amazing!!!  Just a tad crispy around the edges and moist and chewy inside.  And WOW on the lemon factor!  But the sweet glaze makes them perfect!  Just enough tartness and sweetness together.

I will say I was not at all impressed with the lemon glaze recipe and will be using a different one next time. But the recipe is a keeper FOR SURE!!!! 

Super easy too!  It made 24 little cookies which were gone super fast around here.  I will double the recipe next time. 

And because they were gone so quickly I did not get a picture so I am using Martha's. 

Photo from Martha Stewart...thanks Martha!

Mine were not flat like this and the glaze ran right off so don't let the picture fool you. 
BUT MAKE THEM!!!!  YOU MUST if you like lemon!!!

You can go HERE for the recipe.

Happy Saturday from Texas!

FUN Friday!

IT WILL be a FUN Friday!!!  I am sure of it!  Even though our plans of a day at the lake have been changed. 

It is so windy here today!  And has been!  Gusts of 25-30 miles would not be fun to me!

So when life throws you lemons you make lemonade! 

Or the BEST glazed lemon cookies EVER!!!

Or go to a museum with your family....including your Daddy!  Which might include a stop at a family style burger joint!

Or maybe go fly a kite!!!!  Perfect day for it!!!!

Or have a pizza night!!!  Using ingredients straight from your garden for the toppings!!!  Can you say fresh garden tomatoes and basil with goat cheese!!!!  Now that is my kind of FUN Friday!!!!!
By the way, we did not make our own goat cheese!  I wish I knew that art!

Is it a long weekend for you?  Do you have big plans?  Food is always the center of entertainment for many on a holiday weekend.  Check out my Recipe tab for some yummy dessert ideas.  And a few entrees too......oh Carnitas would be GREAT!!!!! 

Whatever you do, whatever you cook up for this day/holiday weekend make it FUN!!!!!

And get outside!!!  Drink plenty of water, get out the slip-n-slide.....enjoy the GREAT outdoors!!!

Maybe I'll be back tomorrow to share the BEST glazed lemon cookie recipe EVER!!!!

Happy Friday y'all!!!!

Dark Chocolate, Cherry and Almond Granola Bars

I have shared my homemade granola bar recipe before, but have never tried this combo.  And I must say I LOVE it!!!  Dark chocolate with that little bit of tart cherry and oh the almonds!!!! YUM!

Granola bars are a staple in our pantry.  I make a 9x13 pan at least once a week. I decided a couple of years ago the money I was spending on store bought granola bars could surely be cut in half.  I have no idea how much I truly save, but I'll never go back to store bought. 

Maybe calculating the savings should be on my "to do list" for my next batch.  I'll make sure to post the savings!

Anyway a big container is always filled with granola bars in the pantry.  They are a great go to snack.  And I love to crumble one up in my Greek yogurt.....breakfast this morning for sure!!!
And Ryan will eat them one right after the other when he is "starving"!  And as skinny as this boy is I let him eat as many as he wants. 

Because I know every single ingredient that goes into making them allowing him to eat one right after the other(and them some!)does not bother me in the least. 

But, because we do eat them so much you can easily see how the taste can get old.  I can't believe I have never thought about these ingredients before.

So here is the recipe!  These are super easy and you can change the recipe up to suit your own taste.


Dark Chocolate, Cherry and Almond Granola Bars:

Ingredients:

3 cups quick-cooking oats

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup flaked coconut

**1 cup dark chocolate chips

**1 cup dried cherries

**1/2- 1 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 300. Grease a 9x13 pan. In a large bowl mix all ingredients until well blended. Press flat into the prepared pan.

Bake 20-25 minutes depending on how crunchy you like them. Lightly brown around the edges gives you a moist chewy bar. Let cool 5 minutes, cut into squares then let cool completely before serving. I sometimes let mine set overnight before I take them out of the pan.

**Here is where it gets FUN.
Let's say you are not crazy about dark chocolate or cherries.  Or maybe almonds.....keep the first four ingredients the same, always, then just change up the other ingredients to whatever your family likes. This is when I go to my pantry and play clean out.  And it may not always be a full cup as the recipe calls for.  This recipe is so easy you can not mess it up!!!!!

I'll give you some ideas of different ways I have made them. Remember you are keeping the oats, sweet milk, melted butter and coconut the same. Just change up the rest.

Other ideas:

1 cup almonds

1 cup mini or big chocolate chips

1/2 cup-1 cup cranberries, cherries or any dried fruit

1 cup walnuts

1 cup pecans

1 cup cereal.....I like to use organic Cheerios

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup flax seed

The ideas are endless. Use your imagination. Use things your children and family like. 

They are quick and no fail!  And super easy!!!!

Wordless Wednesday-Watermelon!!

Memorial Day Dessert

Are you looking for a dessert for this weekend?  I have!!!  I have been wondering what we will throw on the grill or smoker which then leads me to wondering about dessert. 

So I got out my trusty recipe binder and found this...................

I shared this recipe last summer.  It is perfect for this time of year with berries in season and always on sale.  And the taste.......oh man, get ready!!!!! 


You must try it!!!  Everyone will LOVE it!!! 

This time I think I will slice the strawberries and make it in a 9x13.  I am gearing up for an easy going weekend of sun, FUN and good food!   What about you?


You can go HERE for the recipe. 

You must try it!!!  Everyone will LOVE it!!!! 

Homemade Vanilla Extract...taste testing

You may remember back in February when I made Homemade Vanilla Extract.  You can find the recipe here . 

Well today is three months it has been sitting in my pantry.  I had no idea I could wait for something that long!!!!  The wait is over.....it is ready!!!!!

Back in 2011 I did lots of research on making vanilla extract.  And lately did a little more. What I have found out just recently is you should scrape the inside yumminess of the vanilla bean into the jar as well as adding the whole bean.  I did not do that in this jar.  But the pulp=yumminess did make it's way out. And I have lots of it.  I am sure there is plenty more in those beans though.  Maybe I'll take them out now and scrape what is left in.  You'll see the pulp every time you shake the bottle(you shake the bottle about once a week).  It is edible so I will leave it in.  You could easily strain it all out with cheesecloth. 

One thing I have noticed is it is not as dark as store bought vanilla.  Not sure if I did not use enough beans?? 

When I originally made it I was going by about 2-3 recipes I had found.  And used the amounts they were calling for.  Since then I have seen other recipes that state to make it darker use more beans.  I'll try that next time.

All in all it turned about pretty well.  Now I just need a taste tester!!!

Or TWO!!!!

Homemade Vanilla Extract Taste Testers

I wanted it to be tested on something you could really taste the vanilla.  I had the perfect idea......Vanilla Milk. 

The boys love homemade vanilla milk!!  So last night night after 3 long months of waiting on the vanilla the boys let me know how it compared to store bought.

That would be a thumbs up for both.  They also said they could not tell a difference in the way I usually make it with store bought vanilla extract.

SCORE for homemade!!!!

Homemade Vanilla Extract ingredients:  Vodka and vanilla beans.

Adams Best Vanilla Extract ingredients: a blend of water, propylene glyol, alcohol, sugar, glycerine, vanilla and other artificial flavors, caramel color and natural flavors including vanilla bean extractives.

Hmmmm, maybe mine isn't as dark because I didn't use other artificial flavors AND caramel color!

It is not hard for me to decide which one sounds better.  And for someone who uses vanilla several times a week it is SO worth it!!!!

I plan to make cookies this week so I can be a taste tester too!  I'll let you know what "I" think.  BUT if the boys could not tell a difference in the milk, so few ingredients, well I felt that was a pretty good idea of how it compared.

And they LOVED it!!!

Beautiful

As I walk out every morning with Arthur there is beauty all around me. And it makes me smile.  It makes me feel happy inside.

It may be for just a few minutes, but I treasure this time sitting to observe.

Do you stop and sit back to really see the beauty? 

This morning I sat back and looked over to my left to see the sun shining so brightly.

It was Glorious!

Just around 8am it was making it's way up and everything around me was coming alive.

Flowers and plants coming alive and me seeing the beauty right before my eyes.  The sun ever so softly adding an extra glow of beauty to nature around me.

 I reflect in the mornings when Brant is gone and the boys are still sleeping.  I love to spend my time alone(or with Arthur)outdoors looking at the blessings of nature.  All these blessings created by my Heavenly Father.

I had to get up and find more! So I left my chair to go in search of more beauty. 

If you open your eyes and really look.....oh, it is there.  It is all around you!

 It is true beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

What is beautiful to you today?

FUN Friday....all kinds of FUN!!!

Happy Friday to you!!!

Has it been a long week for you? Are you ready for some down time? (YES! YES!)
Or maybe you are itching to do something crafty? (YES!)
Maybe make something yummy?  (OH YES!!!!)

Well do I have a couple of treats for you!!!!!

I know you probably think I lost my lemon kick. And I kinda did......it fizzled out a bit, but my taste buds are alive and well looking at this pie.  I plan to make it tomorrow!!!!

You MUST make it too!  Go here for the recipe.  And enjoy!!!!!

And after you eat a piece of pie get your craft on and make up a summer frame for your front porch.  No, not a wreath this time. 

Check it out!!!  I love, love, love it!!!!  I dreamed it up yesterday when I was about to make a summer wreath for the front door.  I say I dreamed it up, but maybe I saw it somewhere.  I have crafty friends maybe that is where I saw it.  Or maybe the internet. Who knows!!!! 
Regardless I love it! 

And the best part is, it. did. not. cost. me. a. dime.  NOTHING!  I had everything laying around here and there.

This is actually an old frame like the ones hanging in my dining room above the blue bench....remember?

I inherited these from my Mawmaw.  I am a little crazy about empty frames! 
Anyway this one was broken and I had painted it a while back.  It was just sitting on a shelf...which in fine, but now it serves a FUN purpose!!! 

And it gives our front porch some cheerfulness!!!  And will not ruin the paint job Brant intends to work on very soon to the front door.  He will be pleased I changed my mind on the wreath.

There you have it!  Some FUN for you on this Friday!!!

Enjoy your Friday!!  Have a great weekend too!  Whatever you do get outside and have some FUN!!

Beans...the way your grandmother cooked them.

My Mawmaw had a couple of signature dishes that she would cook almost every time she came over or we went to her house.

One was a big pot of green beans. 

There was just something about her pot of beans.  It had a flavor that was amazing.  And unfortunately before she passed away no one knew "exactly" what she put in them.

So a few years ago my sister took on the challenge of trying to recreate Mawmaw's green beans.  I will say she did a pretty good job of making them taste close to Mawmaw's.

Last weekend it was time to pick our beans!  They were ready and I knew exactly what I wanted to try.  And I am going to share our secret.

It's really nothing special, but I think these 3 ingredients make such a BIG difference with green beans.

What you will need:
fresh green beans
1 onion
bacon
chicken broth

Start by washing your beans and snapping off the end that came from the plant.  I leave the other end alone. 

Next cook your bacon.  I like to cut mine up a bit and add a tiny bit of bacon grease to the pan to keep it from sticking. 

What you don't have a jar of bacon grease in your fridge?

  You really should!!!  The taste this gives veggies is outstanding!!! 

Cook the bacon to your desired taste........I don't like it crunchy, but for sure curling up and turing a bit brown.

Next add your chopped onion to the bacon and cook until translucent.  Season with kosher salt and ground pepper.

After onions are done add a can of chicken broth, the beans and red potatoes.  Cook until tender, but NOT mushy!  Season again if need be.

Plate it up with BBQ chicken and a roll.  Sorry I don't have that picture......it was beautiful! 

And SO GOOD!!!

Beans almost the way Mawmaw used to cook them!

Wordless Wednesday-SUMMER cuts...it was time!!!

Carnitas

A few weeks ago we were watching a cooking show on PBS.  This chef was in Mexico walking around the streets in the market areas.  He was on a journey to find the Carnitas vendors.  As he described this amazing sounding taco I was hooked!!!! After eating the "street taco", as it is sometimes called, he then traveled back home to show how easy it is to make. 

I had to make them!!!  But in this case my terrific husband made them.  For me for Mother's Day!  Thanks honey!!  They were amazing.  And the recipe is a KEEPER!!!!!



What is carnitas? Carnitas, translated “little meats” or simply Mexican pulled pork is a type of braised or roasted pork in Mexican cuisine. The type of pork used is usually the front or pork shoulder and are cooked for a very long time, sometimes the entire length of a day. These taco cart kings are moist, juicy, rich in flavor, all the while remaining tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. The long cooking process for carnitas means that many families only make carnitas on special occasions.  But, since we don’t have all day to cook, this recipe is perfect for you to make at home. Even though it still take 2-3 hours to cook, I am sure you will not be disappointed spending some time in the kitchen!!!!!
I searched the web for carnitas and found many different recipes.  I was very pleased with the one Brant made. We ended up using a bone-in pork butt(shoulder).  Many call for boneless, but we think any cut of meat with the bone-in gives it more flavor.

So are you ready to make some carnitas?  Let's do it!!!!

Ingredients:
3 1/2 to 4 lb bone-in pork butt(shoulder)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small onion, peeled and halved
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano(Mexican oregano if available-a must I think!)
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 cups water
1 medium orange, halved
soft corn tortillas, warmed

Toppings:
lime wedges
minced white or red onion
fresh cilantro
thinly sliced radishes
sour cream

***Mexican oregano-in our grocery store on the spice/baking aisle there is a section with small packets of Mexican spices.  I felt like this recipe had to have the Mexican flavor for sure!!!!

Tips:

• When carving the meat, don’t remove ALL the fat, just the large pockets.
• Make sure to check the pork at the two hour mark, if the pork doesn’t easily fall off the fork, place it back in for a little while and check again every 15 minutes.
• Serve with a delicious homemade guacamole, chips and salsa or whatever you like with tacos.
• Be sure to try at least one taco with onion, cilantro, and lime juice… the flavor combination is AMAZING!!!!!!!
• I prefer the corn tortillas for a more authentic taste.  Brant and the boys tried both.....they prefer flour. 

Directions:

Step 1	Preheat oven to 300 degrees and place rack in lower-middle position.
Step 2	Place dutch oven (or oven safe large pot) on stove over medium-high heat and combine: pork, salt, pepper, cumin, onion (halved), bay leaves, oregano, lime juice and water until the liquid comes just over the meat.
Step 3	In separate small bowl, juice the orange completely. Strain juice into pot to remove seeds. Add juiced orange halves to pot.
Step 4	Bring liquid to a simmer, stirring occasionally. (Time depends on temperature of other ingredients, feel free to place the lid on to speed this step up.)
Step 5	Cover pot and place in preheated oven for 2 to 2.5 hours flipping pork pieces once half way through. Cook until meat is "fork-tender" and easily falls apart when poked with a fork.
Step 6	Remove pot from the oven and set oven to broil.
Step 7	With tongs or slotted spoon transfer pork pieces to a large bowl to rest.
Step 8	Using a slotted spoon, remove onion, bay leaves and orange rinds from liquid and throw away.
Step 9	Place pot on stove over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 8-12 minutes. Cook until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup and is almost syrupy.
Step 10	Using two forks, pull each pork piece in half.
Step 11	Pour reduced liquid into bowl and toss with pork.
Step 12	Taste a piece of that amazing pork and salt and pepper to taste.
Step 13	Line a 13"x18" baking sheet with a wire rack and spread pork pieces over top rack making an even layer.
Step 14	Place baking sheet in oven in lower-middle position and broil for 10-15 minutes, flipping pork with spatula or metal tongs halfway through. (Broil meat until well browned, but not burnt)
Step 15	Enjoy immediately with warm tortillas, onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

Hope you get a chance to enjoy some carnitas very soon! I know it is now one of my new Mexican favorites!!!!
Source: Think eats

Longing for the beach.......

If you have followed my blog for a while or you know me personally you know my LOVE for being near the water.  

Specifically the beach!!!!!!

I have been longing for the beach lately. There is just something about the water, sand and breeze that is captivating to me.  My adrenaline runs HIGH, but being there my body relaxes to a state that is indescribable! 

I long to feel the sand between my toes, the breeze in my hair and the water softly hitting my ankles as I sit near by.  Oh and the sun kissing my nose and shoulders as if saying, "Doesn't it feel good?" 

I am not sure when I will get back to a beach, but these pictures sure give me hope and create some pretty amazing visions in my head.

One day......one day very soon.......I hope!!!

What are you longing for lately?

FUN Weekend!

I am going to "try" to make this short and sweet.  I have so much to say and not sure how to put it all in one blog post.  Lots to share, but will be back next week with more!

First and most importantly..................

Happy Early Mother's Day!!!!!!!

Happy Mother's Day to my amazing mother and all you fab moms that are reading this right now! 
I am saying it a little early because when I am done with this post I am done with blogging through the weekend!!!! 

*A little gift to ME!!!*

I hope you all have a super, terrific, amazingly relaxing day on Sunday!!!!!  Pamper yourself real good!!!!!

Our FUN Friday has been darkened with rain in the forecast.  We were headed out to the Forth Worth Stockyards for Frontier Forts Days , but alas rain is possibly going to change that.  So it may be games and story time indoors today!!!!

And if that was not enough my annual day off could possibly be rained on too!!!  Every year on the day before Mother's Day I get the day off.  A day all to myself.  And it usually is spent at my sister's by the pool.  Well now we are coming up with a plan B.  But we will still enjoy an amazing Chicken Salad Pie and Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries......I'll share that recipe very soon!!!!

And then on Mother's Day we are rewinding to Cinco de Mayo and my wonderful husband is going to cook up Carnitas.....you know "street tacos".  And to continue with the Mexican theme I am going to make a Tres Leches Cake.  Maybe we'll have chips and salsa with a margarita to really get things going!!!!!

Anyway, I'll have lots to share next week and a few recipes to set your taste buds on fire too!!!!

We may not have our usual FUN Friday, but it sounds like a FUN weekend to me!!!!  Happy Friday, Happy Saturday and Happy Mother's Day.  If it is nice weather where you are get outside and have some FUN!!!!  And if it is raining.....well GO JUMP IN A PUDDLE for FUN!!! 

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

With Mother's Day just a few days away I thought I would share a few ideas for a homemade gift for MOM! (Just click on the link for the original post.)

Lemon Sugar

Hugs and Kiss Jar

DIY Canvas Photo

Moms love all things homemade because anything homemade is made with lots of LOVE!  Along with these sweet ideas you could always make MOM a special treat.

Check out my recipe section for some YUMMY dessert ideas to make Mom's day a little sweeter!!

And of course "any" Mom would always like a gift card, a massage, a pedicure, new sun glasses, a blue rubber spatula, new apron with a rooster on it, new purse, the book One Thousand Gifts, etc. 
And the list could go on and on for any super amazing MOM out there this Mother's Day!!!

**The ideas above were not for "anyone" in particular**

Lemon Bars...from the archives

To continue with my lemon kick I am sharing a recipe I posted just a few months back.  I have been making this one for years.  And it is just the right amount of lemon to make you pucker up!  And then smile with delight with every bite!!!

This would make a nice dessert for MOM this weekend.  Or you can check out some of my other dessert recipes. 

Although I am on a LEMON kick I am trying to decide what I will make for myself this Sunday.....you know Mother's Day. 

It is a toss up over Pink Lemonade Pie or Hershey Pie.  I'll let you know what I decide.

Today I am making it easy on myself and pulling this one from the archives. Check out this YUMMY Lemon Bar recipe!!!!  It is sure to please! 

Lemon Bars   
(link is above)

Happy Wednesday!!!!!

Lettuce harvest

It is just about gone!  It is getting way too hot here in North Texas for lettuce to continue on.

BUT we have been blessed with an amazing harvest.  You probably remember me posting about eating a salad all week from our garden.  I am still eating some!!!!

I have been sharing it for a couple of weeks now with family and friends. And over the weekend I was able to give away five gallon bags to friends.  And another today.  I love sharing the blessings of our garden with friends and family. 

This morning I went out early before the stifling sun made it way to the lettuce.  By noon time it is a sad, wilting mess!

This week we are "suppose" to get some rain and cooler temps so maybe one last bowl before the week's end.  But just in case I wanted to get as much as I could......now!

Thank you God for the blessings of our garden.  And the amazingly tasty greens you created.

That which one eats as the fruit of his own labor is properly called food.

Lemon Scones

These are wonderful!!!!!  And just the kick I needed for yesterday afternoon.  And the one I wanted this morning!

Thanks to my SIL who turned me on to scones a year or so ago.  This is now my go to recipe when making scones.  I have used the same recipe for a few different scones.  And it has worked out so far with all. 

-Cranberry(the original recipe she gave me)
-Mini chocolate
-Tea cakes/scones(just a tad sweeter)

And now LEMON!!!!

These tart babies are delightful!!!  And when you add the sweet lemony glaze.......OH MAN!!!!
I think these would be perfect with tea!!!  

The boys were drooling when they came out of the oven!  They had to try one.  So I obliged. Right after I took them out I added the glaze to one and we all tried it.  They loved it!! 

I allowed the rest to cool down and then added the glaze. 
Lemon Scones

Ingredients:
1-3/4c. flour
1/4 heaping cup of sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4tsp. of salt
zest of 1 big lemon
1c. heavy whipping cream( I have used half and half and was sorry I did! Stick to the heavy whipping cream)

Preheat oven to 425.

Mix dry ingredients together. Stir in lemon zest. Add cream, stirring just until soft dough forms. If too wet, add extra flour 1Tbsp. at a time. On floured surface, gently knead dough 5-6 times. Place on greased cookie sheet and pat into an 8" circle. Score into 8 wedges, gently separating. Sprinkle top with sugar. Bake 15-20 min. or until golden brown.

Allow scones to cool and begin making glaze. 

Lemon Glaze:

1 cup powered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon melted butter

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Mix all together.  Drizzle glaze on scones. 

Now sit back and enjoy the goodness!!!!!  Happy Saturday!