Last Saturday was BUSY! (pic heavy)

dgkritch

16 years ago

Finally finding time to post photos from last SaturdayÂs baking day!

Lots of my Christmas gifts include homemade food!

Truffles (6 varieties):

Puppy Chow:

I also made two cookie sheets full of caramel corn, but forgot to take a photo!!

Kahlua (with peppermint truffles):

For three co-workers, I loved the idea of the dried citrus as a bag decoration!

Dipped Ritz ÂnÂ Peanut Butter, Graham crackers dried citrus, peppermint truffles, cinnamon pinecones, kahlua (and my very looong "to-do" list in the top right corner!! LOL

FriendÂs gift basket:

She lives on an Alaskan island! Handmade potholders, tea, honey stix, caramel corn, puppy chow, cinnamon roll cookies and some Avon hand lotion and lip balms for the kids, and a little angel ornament.

FIL basket (QuaddinÂ Snacks!) They live in Yuma and take their quads out in the sand.

Water bottles, candied zucchini, jerky, almonds, Chili Pumpkin Seeds, Cranberry/Almond Granola, and I ended up added some granola bars to fill in!

And then I made dinner! T-bone steak raised right here, broccoli and mashed potatoes with chives from the garden. I did have to buy the mushrooms and red onions.

Yes, I fell into bed exhausted! But it was a GOOD exhausted!!

Deanna

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Comments (25)

centralcacyclist
16 years ago
It all looks amazing and delicious! The dried citrus is a beautiful touch. What lucky friends, family, and coworkers you have.

What is "puppy chow?" Will I become addicted? :)
User
16 years ago
Deanna those are some amazing looking treats. The baskets are really neat, personal, very special.

Great job......Can I be your friend?
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Gee, and it all started because I drove a forklift at work, lol! I tell Jim that's why he went out with me...figured if I could do that, I could adapt to a tractor ;) Deanne, I'll try to drive anything at least once. I have to admit though, it took 3 years before I'd even attempt to take that stuff down the road from one field to another, and I'm still very slow and cautious about it. Hi, Marian! Up until a couple of years ago, we had a John Deere A, and John Deere B and a four bottom plow hanging around. Just looking at the plow made me tired, thinking about all the acres we cover. Eden, I do love the wide open spaces. Only drawback is that it's hard for me to garden with that as a backdrop. No matter how much stuff I put in, it looks small and empty with all that space around :) You'll see what I mean when I post pics of the stump bed. Michelle, the Versatiles are real work horses. Not sure what year they are, but they plug along all day with very little trouble. There are a lot of Deeres around here, but not many Internationals or Fords. (I think the blue Fords are really pretty!) What's your soil like? Lots of clay? 'bug, I see the MOST gorgeous scenery at harvest time. Not to mention all the wildlife that's hiding in the corn. I feel sorry for the rabbits...think how scary it would be to have that giant combine come roaring up in the middle of your dinner. Tons of deer...gorgeous, desctructive beasts that they are. Chelone, um, yeah...it's like workin' with the Chippendale dancers...HA! There's even MORE stuff to drag around behind a tractor. Rototary (sp) hoe, in case the ground gets a crust on it and the plants can't pop through, anhydrous applicators for putting on nitrogen, chisel plows....they can keep you busy dragging something around for as long as you'll tolerate it, lol! OH, in the bottom of the tractor seat, there's sort of a glove box doo-dad. There's been the same roll of toilet paper in there for the six years we've farmed with these guys. Wouldn't use it on a BET! In my "lunchbox", I carry travel size kleenex, two 16 oz bottles of water, my checkbook-it has my drivers license, cash, etc., Excedrin, Midol, a travel ashtray (yeah, I know, I'm just sayin'...) and a container that's usually full of roasted almonds. I've been left in a field to starve one too many times. And, I still have room to tuck in any emergency necessities I might need. The guys find it endlessly amusing when I offer them a "cigar", LMAO! They embarrass so easily! It doesn't pay to be bashful around these clowns. Plus, they stay outta my lunch box for fear of what they might find ;) As per request, I'll get some shots of the gardens. Hopefully I can get some of the peonies before the rain beats them into the ground...NOT that I'm complaining...we need rain. I usually offer up my gorgeous peonies in return for it. That's also how I got the "stump bed". We were in need of rain really bad one year, and the storm that brought the rain that saved the crops took down the old silver maple tree. I already had a planting area around the base of it, so what the heck, ya roll with the punches, eh? Went from a shade bed to a sun bed pretty quick. Thanks for all the kind words..I tend to forget there are people who DON'T have all this crap parked around on their property :) Brenda
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sooz
16 years ago
Oh my goodness, I'm tired (and HUNGRY) just looking at everything! How awesome!!! Barnmom, you will enjoy puppy chow!!!!

Smiles,
Sooz
wizardnm
16 years ago
Great job Deanna, you have some very lucky friends. I would be exhausted too!

Nancy
trsinc
16 years ago
All I can say is, HOLY COW!

When things settle down can you share the recipe for the pine cones? Are they edible? Or just smell good things?
caliloo
16 years ago
Awesome looking treats! You have been a very busy elf!

Alexa
Terri_PacNW
16 years ago
LOL Puppy chow is a naughty treat..It's Chex cereal coated in chocolate and dusted in powdered sugar..(that's the jist)..

That all looks delish Deanna!

I'm doing gift goodies today myself..had to take the day off!

Here is a link that might be useful: Puppy Chow
althetrainer
16 years ago
Holy Deanna! That's some serious kitchen work there! Everything looked beautiful and delicious! I will make sure to stay on your good-friend list next year! ;-) Al
mustangs81
16 years ago
May I ask...what are you on Deanna??

Not only amazing in sheer volume but beautiful too!

I put up a few decorations in the foyer then claimed we had to go out to eat because I was whipped
craftyrn
16 years ago
Wow Deanna-- busy isn't the word for it-- everything looks great !
dgkritch
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for all the kind comments. Some of the truffles were a real PITA, but once I got those behind me (pun intended), I was on a roll. Most of that stuff is in the freezer waiting to be "dressed up" for the individual gifts.
I can't find any meat or veggies to eat, but have a very nice selection of chocolate for dinner...LOL

barnmom: Yes! You will become addicted!! LOL See Terri's posting for the recipe! Mine is pretty close, less butter, more chocolate, less peanut butter, but it's very flexible. Bag it up immediately and put a danged name tag on it or it will disappear!
Several years ago I made a huge bowl for snacking during holidays and popped it in the freezer (think the extra large Tupperware bowl). Each of my four kids started dipping into it.......thinking I wouldn't notice one handful. Of course when I took it from the freezer it was only half full. Stinkers!!!

Of course you can be my friend, chase!! :-)
I became yours when I started making your Dill Pickles!!

trsinc: The pinecones are NOT edible! Just picked up some strays at work, dipped in melted wax and sprinkled on cinnamon. Just "Stink Pretties".

Terri: Thanks for posting the link! My recipe is at home.

Cathy (mustangs): Just on lots of coffee and chocolate...honest! And plenty of wine later.

Deanna
User
16 years ago
Wow you were a busy girl. Everything looks great. I love the idea of the dried fruit.

Ann
pkramer60
16 years ago
I got tired just looking! What a feat and you made a great dinner too. And I did spy the Advil bottle in one shot.

Great job, now please note that I live on an island in Chicago with a puppy that needs some chow...hint..hint...
dedtired
16 years ago
All I can say is, I am impressed! It all looks delicious and so beautifully presented. Good for you.
dirtgirl07
16 years ago
That is fantastic! And you're right, the dried citrus really adds the perfect touch. Those are some lucky people.

My question was going to be about the puppy chow too, but see it's been answered.
busylizzy
16 years ago
Looks Wonderful! I am sure everyone will appreciate all your work.
I know I would love to get one of your baskets.
imscattered
16 years ago
I'm so glad those pinecones are pinecones...I was trying to figure how to make them!! Yes, I saw those pill bottles too!
I know nothing about drying citrus like that,,,please tell what fruits and how you do it??
Solsthumper
16 years ago
Who wouldn't enjoy an array of truffles? And being a citrus fan, I also like the touch of dried orange slices trimming the gifts.

Sol
centralcacyclist
16 years ago
Puppy chow looks very dangerous...
nancylouise5me
16 years ago
Can I be one of your friends too?! My God your gifts look amazing! I've always said there are very talented people on this forum. Your friends will be so thankful for their gift from you. Well done! NancyLouise
annie1992
16 years ago
Deanna, you are absolutely crazy, you need to cut down the coffee, LOL.

Actually, they are all beautiful and look delicious. I'm making cookies with the Princess and Bruvver on Tuesday, but they won't be nearly that pretty.

Annie
dgkritch
Original Author
16 years ago
The coffee is what got me through it!! LOL

Annie, you'll have better company in the kitchen than I did.
So much more fun to make stuff with the kids! One day..........I'm going to have some grandkids too...
one day.....

The citrus slices are very easy. Slice grapefruit, oranges, lemons, limes about 1/8" thick. Put a rack on a cookie sheet and lay the slices on that. Dry in a very low oven or food dehydrator.
I used the oven just because it was cold and nasty and I didn't want to drag out the dehydrator from the garage. It would have worked better, as I had a few slices get 'overdone' and turn dark.

I hung a few slices on my tree and they look really cool with a light from behind, like stained glass.

And yes.....that's an Ibuprofen bottle.......

Deanna
lakeguy35
16 years ago
I've yet to eat dinner yet so I've got my eye on that steak! I see you have dessert covered for me...lol.

It all look fantastic Deanna!

David
vacuumfreak
16 years ago
Oh my, Deanna. You worked hard! I wonder what the kitchen looked like after?

Everything looks wonderful!!
party_music50
16 years ago
Everything looks so good and the dried citrus is especially pretty and "festive". Thanks for telling how you dried it!

Last Saturday was BUSY! (pic heavy)

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centralcacyclist

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