A Fresh New Year

 2025 has begun ...

A picture story for this very cold and dreary month.

A few wonderful bright spots were found along the way.

Another trip around the sun for me and beautiful flowers

from a dear sister-in-law!

It snowed and snowed with still no end in sight!

What is a girl to do

but some yeast baking!

The delicious Fruit and Nut Wreath

by Anneliese,

Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Celebrations - Page 258

**a favourite**

Or a new cinnamon bun recipe

baked with an appreciative

granddaughter!

Snow men and women were built!

A quick cold and rainy get-away to Florida with dear friends

was a welcomed break from the snow!

Disney dinner reservations and lots and lots of shopping were the order of the days!

February has arrived and wondering what it will hold ...

wishing lots of love and happiness to all my dear readers.

Almost getting it!

Till next time ... stay well and cozy! Spring will come!

Oatmeal Cookies

There aren't any back to schoolers here anymore

or "yet"

but this crispy cooler weather and last long

weekend of the summer has me thinking about 

school lunches and cookies!

Here is one of my favourite recipes for Oatmeal Cookies.

Makes approx. 2 dozen

1/2 Cup butter - softened

1/2 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup brown sugar - packed

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 Cup Flour - scant cup (not quite full)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 Cups large flake oatmeal

2/3 Cup raisins

1/2 Cup chopped nuts (pecans, cashews, macadamias, slivered almonds or walnuts) - optional

Cream the butter and sugars well. Add the egg and vanilla and 

beat till fluffy.

Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda.

Fold this into the creamed butter sugar mixture adding the oatmeal, raisins, and

nuts at the end.

Roll into 1 inch balls and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes on parchment lined

cookie sheets.

Watch closely to not over bake! They are chewy and delicious when slightly under baked.

TIP: Something I learned on the Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog

is to give the cookie tray a bang on a heat resistant surface when removing from oven to flatten the cookies. This helps to make them chewy!!

Here's to a new school year, new beginnings and September 2017!

Till next time ...... Let there be cookies!!!

Platz Therapy

I finally made some platz!

The peaches on the back porch were ripening rapidly and needed to be used.

Platz - Peach Platz (I love saying that)

was calling out to me and I've always wanted to try making this.

Of course, the only recipe I needed was Lovella's

and it is a winner!

This recipe was posted 9 years ago, even before I knew about the

Famous Mennonite Girl's Can Cook ladies!!!

I enjoyed reading the comments on this past post.

What a blessing they have been to me on so many levels!

Since my last post on July 13th - SO much has taken place.

Huge Amish Sale

Annual Family Picnic at the Freeman's Pond

A few days of camping with dear friends!

Sunsets at my favourite Lake Huron!

A new baby great niece was born - Maia Star (can't wait to meet her)

A new little neighbour was born - Jack (can't wait to meet him)

Vee, a favourite blogger friend has decided to stop blogging.

I understand her need to do this and sometimes it makes me think this might

be what I should consider as well?

And all the while ...... actually since mid-May

I've been fighting a very nasty virus that just keeps rearing it's ugly head

in different ways.

This includes intense congestion, constant coughing fits, pink eye,

loss of smell and taste senses, angry rashes, fever, low energy levels, and weakness.

In one way my wish to slow down the summer days has been fulfilled,

however, not in quite the way I had expected.

After two visits to the emergency dept. and several doctors appointments I 

feel like I'm finally seeing some improvement.

I am thankful to be feeling a bit better and am determined to regain my health.

Baking a peach platz today gave me some much needed "baking therapy"

and it feels good to once again be inspired to cook and enjoy eating.

Thank you Lovella for this tried and true recipe, one that I hope to make often!

In the meantime, our little love bug turned Two. 

We love her so much ... there are no words!

Papa's little love!

Till next time - August blessings to you all!

My August chalkboard message!

Bread Dip and Meditations!

Wrapping a few of my favourite things!

Slowly but surely I'm getting my Christmas shopping

and wrapping done.

I pretty much bought out the stock at MennoMedia in the Kitchener store.

 What a joy it will be to gift this beautiful book!

BREAD FOR THE JOURNEY

Written by some of my favourite people - The Mennonite Girls Can Cook.

All the "royalties will be given to orphans and widows who face each day in need"

One of my favourite verses is on Week 11, Day 2

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,

just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11"

I can't wait to dig deep into this meditations book.

What a wonderful way to have a daily devotional with recipes as well!

Thank you Lovella, Anneliese, Kathy, Ellen, Marg, Bev, Betty, Judy, Charlotte and Betty

for inspiring me every day with your books and with your amazing daily blog posts!

I will be adding a small package of Bread Dip Spices:

1 Tbsp. Crushed Red Pepper

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

1 Tbsp. Dried Oregano

1 Tbsp. Dried Rosemary

1 Tbsp. Dried Basil

1 Tbsp. Dried Parsley

1 1/2 Tbsp. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. sea salt

Mix all the spices and store in an airtight container.

Place 1 tsp. of the mixture in a small bowl or platter and add

1/4 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Add a squirt or two of fresh lemon juice and grated Parmesan Cheese - optional

Enjoy as a dip for your favourite crusty bread.

Till next time - how is your shopping and wrapping coming along?

Aprons, Hospitality, Biscuits and Borscht

What a great Day!

We travelled by bus to St. Catharines for the

Annual Spring Enrichment Day

for 

Women of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada

Creative and witty organizers,

Delicious food,

Outstanding music,

Reconnections with old friends,

Meeting new friends,

Sisters,

and best of all,

meeting Bev Klassen from

Mennonite Girls Can Cook!

Pretty much a perfect day!

Bev taught us the many uses of a good biscuit recipe!

We were served delicious Borscht for lunch!

Look who I met today!!!!  Such a thrill!

I am so thankful to have been

able to attend this day.

It was worth the drive and 

I have been truly enriched on so many levels!!!

DIY Handsoap Dispenser

It's Saturday

and the house is getting cleaned!

Boy, does it need it ....

I noticed the bathroom soap dispenser

was getting low 

and then

I remembered the sweet dispenser that

my daughter had in her bathroom.

It was a plastic look alike mason jar.

I have a "million" mason jars and

even a nice little vintage green Ball jar.

I saved the pump from the old dispenser,

had the farmer drill a hole into a mason lid

and voila - a DIY dispenser is made....

So easy!

Everytime I see my "Blessed"

stone in amongst my little stone collection,

and next to my field stone sink,

I remember a special MGCC

friend Kathy!!!

Till next time ........... feeling blessed and enjoying my new dispenser.

B.C. where old and new friends meet!

We were so privileged and honoured

to have our friends Wayne and Judy

meet us in 

Vancouver and give us the "Rick Steves Style"

tour of their beautiful city.

They picked us up right at our hotel

and took us for a walk on the sea wall

at Stanley Park - fabulous.

Lion's Gate Bridge

Off we went to Granville Island.

What a treat for the senses!

Delicious Fish Tacos at the "Go Fish" vendor
was the perfect lunch!

A stroll thru the colourful farmer's market....

Then, they took us to their beautiful home
and fed us the most delicious
Cedar Planked BBQ'd Salmon
paired with the perfect B.C. wine,
a tasty "fresh picked from the garden" salad
topped with seared shrimp,
and delicious sides of roasted asparagus,
and perfect orzo pasta!
My mouth is watering as I recall this meal.

Thank you so much Wayne and Judy!
We enjoyed every minute .....your
warm hospitality and friendship is a treasure.


The next morning we had coffee with Ev,
a dear friend we met on vacation in Mexico
a few years ago - I just happened to see
on my fb that she was in the city for a conference
and we quickly made arrangements to meet.
Ev is from Saskatchewan - who knew we'd see each
other again in Vancouver!

We picked up our rental car and 

headed out of town.

Alex Fraser Bridge - so impressive!

In Chilliwack I met a very dear
blog friend - Kathy!!!!
from Memories and Moments 
and one of the famous
Mennonite Girls Can Cook gals!
What a thrill to meet her face to face.

Thank you Kathy for "making" my day
and for the beautiful gift
bag from your Winks store!
I have always wanted to go there
and especially if YOU were there....

(I'm using your picture - mine didn't work?)






The rest of the day was spent
with a quick "Sea to Sky" drive up the mountain 
to Whistler ... it was raining
the whole time but well worth the drive.
Beautiful scenery all around - our last few glimpses of this 
picturesque Province of British Columbia.

We headed back to our 
hotel and packed up
for the next leg of
our trip - a very special
part!

Till next time ......  see you in Grande Prairie!!!

Aprons

I was inspired today to dig

out my "wedding server" aprons

by Lovella's

Mennonite Girls Can Cook post today!

Click on the above highlighted sentence 

and check it out.

Do YOU remember wearing these???

There they were at the bottom 

of my Cedar Chest!!!

I just wish I had kept track of

who's wedding it was that I served at

as a young teenager.

The waste size indicates that

I was quite slim......

That was fun!!!

By the way - if you still don't have Mennonite Girls Can Cook's

new book titled

CELEBRATIONS

you should order it today - it's gorgeous!

Till next time ...... hope everything fits back into the Cedar Chest!

Pinch me!

I was so honoured to meet

Lovella and Anneliese,

two of the authors of

The Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Celebrations book
which was launched

at Ten Thousand Villages in Waterloo!

What a thrill!

The celebrations for this beautiful

book started on the weekend in

the Abbotsford, British Columbia area.

Grab a cup of tea, find a cozy chair and

 read all about it here

and here

and here

and here

and here

and here

just to mention a few.....

Oh my!!!  I agree with Lovella "The Best Book Launch Ever!"

In addition to the busy weekend
These two beautiful ladies made a two day whirlwind
book signing tour in Ontario 
as well as being on Canada AM on Tuesday 
and taped an interview early this morning
on 100 Huntley Street
which will be aired on Friday, May 10th!

This was all done with such grace and joyfulness!

THANK YOU all for the beautiful flowers,
all of your signatures for my book,
and the kind words and hugs.

My cup is full and overflowing as I celebrate with you!!!!!

The flowers brightened my work space all day 
today and I'm still smiling!!!

Thank you Ruth for coming with me and taking pictures.  Should have taken one of you too!


Till next time ...... still pinching myself and feeling very blessed!!!

Baking with MGCC

Today I baked some delicious

healthy bread!

Have I mentioned how much I love baking

bread of late?

This recipe comes from one of my favourite

cookbooks....Mennonite Girls Can Cook!

It's on Page 140.

Sunflower, Flaxseed Bread by Judy!

I even threw in a handful of Pumpkin Seeds.

This will be the perfect bread to compliment

the venison summer sausage that one 

of our "hunter" neighbours gifted us with this week!

That is, if there's any bread left by supper time.

Spring has finally arrived - the trees are budding,

the birds are earnestly nesting, the Spring

flowers are blooming and the rhubarb looks

promising!

Old fashioned Lungwort from my friend Ruth!

Spring has sprung when these beauties bloom!

Rhubarb - my favourite plant!

Today The Mennonite Girls that Can Cook

 are launching their beautiful

new book 

CELEBRATIONS...this weekend in the Abbotsford, BC area

and early next week right here in Ontario!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

I can't wait to try making some of the 

recipes from their new book.

Till next time ...... hanging out the wash and smelling the bread.....smilin'
Happy Birthday to some special people today!