Chocolate Graham Cracker (Patriotic) S'mores

Awhile back I created a graham cracker recipe. Maple or honey, you pick. Then, I decided we needed to make a chocolate version. I love making this recipe and our dairy intolerant folks appreciate being able to participate in the S'more action as well.

Because of Independence Day, which quickly crept up on me, I made a patriotic version of the s'more. You could consider it a double chocolate s'more.

Follow the regular honey graham cracker version here EXCEPT add 1/3 cup of cocao powder to the dry ingredients. To keep this dairy free I use cold vegan butter sticks. It keeps the dough the same consistency as butter would. Roll out your dough and cut out star shapes (or any shape you prefer). Add holes. Bake as directed.

To keep everything uniform I made a batch of marshmallows. You can follow the recipe here and here. The only change I made was to pour the marshmallow into a jelly roll pan instead of a 13x9 dish. It kept the marshmallows a little thinner making it easier to cut out and eat!

Once the marshmallow had set up I cut out star shapes using the same size star I had previously used on the cracker.

Now, normally I would take the marshmallow shape and dip all the sides in powdered sugar to keep it from being sticky. Not this time!

This time I dipped the sticky sides of the star in patriotic sprinkles.

Set your dipped stars aside. Melt some chocolate and spread the chocolate, one side at a time, onto the star cracker.

Place your star marshmallow onto the chocolate. Now go ahead and spread the chocolate on the other side to complete your s'more.

You can use any combination of red, white, and blue sprinkles you have.
You also don't have to do the chocolate version. Keep it just honey.

You can make your crackers and marshmallows a day ahead of time if you are planning to serve something like this at a party. I would wait to assemble them however until the day of. Which means don't cut out your marshmallow shapes until you are ready to assemble. You need the sides sticky to hold the sprinkles. This way they are at their best.

To make an everyday version of the chocolate s'more, cut out square shapes, add holes, and bake. Roast store bought marshmallows or homemade. Make s'more as usual. Still yummy!

Three cheers for the red, white, and blue!!

Getting Down and Dirty with Pigs

Yesterday I gave you an update on the chickens and today it's the pigs turn.

What can I say, pigs are easy! I read soo many books before we got pigs and it just about scared me away from it. They sounded so high maintanence. I'm here to tell you they are not. They are MUCH easier than.....chickens.

Again I am no expert, but there really isn't much to this. So if your like me and you've read one to many books on raising hogs, relax. Last year we raised one, just to try it out. This year we got three! So, see? Not that bad!

Here are a few quick tips on raising pigs:

-Make absolutely sure they have a secure pen! They learn very well on an electric fence and all you need is one low to the ground wire to keep them in. You can section off some pasture or back yard and they'll stay. If you are not using an electric fence use hog panels. I have also seen people be succesfull with chain link fences, wood and plywood. Use what you've got, just make it secure. They like to scratch against anything and if your walls are not secure they will come down with a 100-250 pound pig rubbing on it all day.

-Give them water!!! They love water. There are different types of waterers you can use depending on your budget. I am home pretty much all day everyday so I just fill up their watering bucket when it gets low. TRY and keep the water clean. It's hard to do especially when they root around in the mud and then go for a drink. I clean it out at the end of everyday and start fresh.

-Give them mud. They need mud. Pigs don't sweat, so it's the only way for them to keep cool. Never spray a hot pig with water. The cold water hitting their hot skin could send them into shock. Just give them a mud hole and they'll be happy. By the way, you don't have to dig a hole, they'll do it for you. I heard the higher up the dirt is on a pigs nose the happier they are.

-Give them food 24/7! They eat when they're hungery and don't when they're not. Just make sure they have the option. Some use their manners when they eat and others don't!

-Fruits, veggies, bread, dairy, eggs, grass, oats, all good stuff for them. Since we don't use any antibiotics I never feed them food off of peoples plates. You never know if someone is coming down with a cold, the flu, whatever, you don't want them to run the risk of getting sick. I know they're very hardy and probably would never get sick from it, but I don't like the thought of contaminating my food.

-Make sure they have shelter from the sun. They burn easily. If you have a shady spot on your property I would put them there. If you don't make sure they can find relief from the heat. They also need shelter from rain. We allow our pigs a pen in the barn as well as outside.

-Cleaning a pig pen shouldn't be that hard. They keep things pretty neat as far as going to the bathroom goes. They don't like to go where they sleep. Our pigs take their business outside and go pretty much in the same corner. Makes for somewhat easy clean up.
We give them straw bedding indoors, so if they do decide to "go" inside the straw soaks it up and we can just scrape out the soiled straw. They don't go inside often, but occasionally it does happen.

-Pigs do like companionship, so if you can get more than one that would great. If not, that's fine to.

-With more than one pig they tend to compete for the food. They're real selfish like that. This is good for you though because they grow quickly. Another reason to make sure food is always available to them.

-ONE pig will go through 700-900 lbs of food in the few months that you have them. (You read that right, it's not a typo.)

-Pigs will be ready for processing after 4-5 months depending on how quickly they put on weight.

-250lbs, is an ideal weight. Last year ours was 240 and the butcher said she was one of the best ones he'd seen that year. After about 250 they tend to get fatty. So you're kind of just letting them get fat and eating you out of house and home after that.

Well, I hope that encourages some of you to try it!

Getting Down and Dirty with Meat Chickens

I am sure that those of you out there who have raised meat chickens know how much they poop and therefore know how much they STINK! It's really unavoidable I think. They eat and poop, eat and poop. They don't like to do anything except lay around and eat, and then poop, get some water, and then poop some more.

I am in no way an expert at this, just learning as I go which is how I learn best.
Here's a few quick tips for those of you who are thinking about raising meat chickens:

-Their coop can be fairly low to the ground, 3 feet or so. They have no need for it to be any higher. They literally walk a little and lay around all day. You could free range if you want to, but it really isn't safe for them because they grow so quickly and are too heavy to make a break for safety if being pursued by a hungery animal.
I am using a wooden moveable "coop" for them, but it is actually too heavy to move around and to cumbersome with all the birds in there. We have plans to build one out of PVC pipe that will be easier to move around. By using a moveable coop it's like free ranging them with safety barriers.

-They need food 24/7 or at least 3 meals a day. We give ours access to food at all times. They are currently going through almost 5-6 gallons of food per day. I find it easier just to keep their feeder full. They eat all day long and it's hard to tell if they're getting enough by limiting it to meals at certain times of the day. The stronger and larger ones will muscle the smaller ones out of the way, so just keep that feeder full and everyone will be happy.

-They MUST have clean, fresh water at all times- NO EXCEPTIONS!
With a flock of 64 we fill a 5 gallon bucket easily 3 times a day.

-They need shade. This is another MUST. Being low to the ground and having access to the cool ground helps to give them relief from the heat. Our chickens love to dig holes in the dirt and lay in them when it's hot.

-When they are babies they will need a RED heat lamp on them at all times. After 2 weeks we put the lamp on only at night till they are at least 4 weeks old. The sun keeps them warm during the day. After they are a few weeks old there is no need for the lamp as they have their feathers and each other to keep them plenty warm enough.

-They really should have there coop or shelter area cleaned out every few days to keep the smell down and to keep it clean for them and you. This is especially important if the coop is stationary. If you are moving them around the yard you won't have to worry about this step. We currently clean out the coop every 2 days. We put down straw for bedding. It makes the clean up easier for us and they really like it too.

-Housing your chickens in a coop you can move them around in is ideal. That way they have access to fresh grass and a clean "floor" every few days. This is way easier on you.

-They must have a secure home whether it's stationary or not. We have had foxes prowling about these last few nights salivating, just waiting for us to slip up and leave those birds vulnerable to an attack.

We are very thankful that we have only lost one chicken so far. It was with in the first 24 hours of having it. It could have easily been the stress from being shipped or it had something wrong with it from birth. We have had a very good success rate thus far!!

Since this was our first year doing this we have learned a lot. We have decided on what we like and what we will change next time. i.e. Build a movable coop! :) Also, we will keep them much further from the house. Other than that things are going very well.

Creamsicle Flavored Cake Pops

The other day my youngest and I were hanging out and chit-chatting while he ate his popsicle. Then it hit me! I needed to make a creamsicle flavored cake pop that looked like a popsicle! Can it be done? Absolutely!

I used the Wilton orange candy melts to give me the perfect shade of orange.
I used a white cake mix for the inside.....just like a real creamsicle!

To achieve the creamsicle flavor I added pure orange oil to the cake batter before baking. I added 3 Tbs.

Once the cake was baked I crumbled it up and added 3/4 of a can of vanilla frosting.
I added another tablespoon of orange oil to the frosting and crumbled cake mixture.

I mixed it up really good and placed in the frig over night.

When I was ready to make the cake pops I used *new* popsicle sticks and a popsicle mold from the kids play dough pieces. Washed of course!

I pressed the dough into the popsicle mold. I did not put any cake in the stick part of the mold. I just needed the popsicle shape. It was surprisingly easy to get out of the mold. It was like working with play dough.

I took a real popsicle stick and as I held onto the popsicle cake part, I gently slid the stick in  place.

I placed the cake pops into the frig once I had finished them all to let them get cold again before coating them with the melted chocolate.

When it was time to coat the cake pops I melted the chocolate (orange) and took the pops out of the frig. I thought it was easier to coat the pops one side at a time rather than dip them.

Once the first side was dry (which doesn't take long) I moved onto the other side and the edges. Then, I placed them standing up to finish drying in a foam block which I use for drying any kind of cake pops I make.

Once they have completely dried, place them in the frig until you are ready to serve them. You can even put them in the freezer. I like them best really cold. They do not freeze so don't worry. You can't serve a warm creamsicle. It's just not right. :)

You can also wrap these up and serve them as favors at a party or just to give away to a  friend.

I hope these add a fun pop of color to any of your summer-time get togethers!

Choosing A Barn Quilt

I have been researching barn quilts for a few months now and STILL have not been able to choose! I have used a few books as references for quilt styles and a beautiful barn quilt book. We also have many barn quilts in our area adding fun bursts of color throughout the countryside to look at.

I was able to get the book,
Barn Quilts and the American Quilt Trail Movement by Suzi Parron from the library.


I loved all the inspiration this book had to offer. Page after page has photos of barn quilts and why the owners chose their design.

I also chose to read, The Civil War Diary Quilt by Rosemary Youngs.
This book is filled with history and beautiful, simple quilt patterns that are sure to inspire!

 I love the large patterns.

Our whole family has gotten in on choosing a style for our 6X6 square to hang on our barn. It has officially become one of our unschooling summer projects. We have effortlessly included history, reading, art, and math into this fun project.

There is a lot to think about when choosing a barn quilt:

-Where on your barn will it be hung?

-Can it be seen from the road?

-What size fits best in that space (4x4, 5x5, 6x6, 8x8 etc.)?

-What color scheme will you want to see?

-What style or pattern do you like?

-How will you hang it?

-Will you be making it yourself or have someone else making it?

As you can see it takes time and planning. We will be hanging our barn quilt in a place on our barn where I will be looking at from my kitchen window on a daily, almost hourly basis! So, I really want to like the pattern and color scheme. I love it when I see brightly colored barn quilts, but I think I am going to go with more traditional colors.

Of course we are having a family vote on color scheme and patterns which may be why this is taking us a bit longer to decide!

I will post our "how to make a barn quilt" when we are finished. I can't wait!

Update! For those of you who are looking for yet more inspriartion, Suzi Parron has left a comment below and has shared her website and blog. Please visit www.barnquiltinfo.com

Homemade Strawberry Jam

Sunday we decided to get our strawberry picking done. It was overcast but warm. Perfect for picking. We headed to a strawberry u-pick farm about 10 minutes from us.

We picked 18 quarts of strawberries!

These strawberries were so sweet it was like eating candy. Yummm...............

When we got home we washed all the berries and hulled them...all of them.

And then shared them with the pigs...they LOVE strawberries. (So do chickens by the way ;)

For the jam I used 7 cups of smashed strawberries at a time to make each batch of jam.
This way if something goes wrong all is not lost.

Place a couple quarts of your strawberries in a bowl or pan and smash them with a potato masher.

Measure out 7 cups (give or take) of smashed strawberries and pour into a very large pot.

Then add 4 cups of sugar and 1/4 cup of lemon juice. I do not use pectin, hence the need for lemon juice. Stir and set burner to med-high and bring to a rolling boil.

Boil it down, way down. Stir frequently. You don't want the berries to burn. I keep my stove set to medium-med. high. The strawberries should remain at a rolling boil even when you stir it.

Also, skim off the pink foam. You don't want this in your final product. It is tasty however and my kids like it when I mix it into some whip cream. Super yummy!

I would not leave you strawberries boiling unattended. It will either boil over or burn to the pot. Neither of which is fun to clean up after not to mention the waste of strawberries.

Boil till it reaches to about 215-220 degrees. It should come off the spoon in sheets.

I tried to get the best picture I could...

Finished product.......

Have your jars already sterilized and waiting to be filled.

Fill your jars almost to the top leaving 1/4 inch head space. Seal and put into a hot water bath (boiling water) for about ten minutes.

Once their bath is over, remove them and place them on a dishtowel on your counter to cool. You should hear the melodious sound of the seal sucking in. It will sound a bit like a popping noise.

There you have it! All set for the year!

I also made from this batch of strawberries: strawberry syrup and fruit roll ups/leather.

By Faith, Not by Sight Review

By Faith, Not By Sight

by Scott MacIntyre with Jennifer Schuchmann

I remember watching Scott on American Idol (back when we still got one channel on our TV) so, when I had the opportunity to read this book I was very excited. I wanted to know more about his story. Not only was he blind, which grabbed my attention, but he was homeschooled! I thoroughly enjoyed reading his book. It is just as inspirational as it says it is.

As I read his book I felt like I could have been sitting down for coffee with him. He has a sweet spirit and it shows through his dialogue.

Not only is Scott an inspiration, but so are his parents. As he talks about all of the struggles, the triumphs, the up hill battles and the joys of making his dreams a reality you see the family bonds, the close friendships, the love, and the faith they had in God to see them through every trial and every miracle that took place in Scott's life.

By Faith, Not By Sight  is very uplifting, encouraging, and as it promises to be, inspirational. Oh, and there is a bit of a love story in there too and I love a little romance. Especially, when it is honest and innocent, and is love not lust.

As a blogger for Book Sneeze I received this book at no cost to me in exchange for an honest review.

Barn Wood Turned Living Room Decor

Back when our barn was being worked on I couldn't help but imagine all the ways I could repurpose the beautifuly weathered wood that was being removed.

On the first day of our barn repairs I ran out to see the progress that had been made. As I looked down into the 8-9 foot hole my heart stopped beating......no, it wasn't because of the state of the foundation, it was the sight of those beautiful wooden boards that seem to still be intact and attached to each other! My first thought, a table for the kitchen! My husband shattered that dream quickly with , "those boards are awfully twisted." Bummer........

Sooooo, we came up with this instead......

My husband cut away all the flat, straight wood that he could get from the main piece.

Then he staggered them and nailed them all together. He added the wood on the front with some extra heavy duty nails for added detail. the wood was already naturally distressed from years and years of wear and tare. It was perfect.

I have had this wall in my living room that has just been the hardest wall to decorate. It has seen so many different arrangements on it that I really didn't have much hope that this was going to make it look any better.

I added 3 off-white frames to the barn wood to keep it light against the dark brown walls. I am not finished filling the frames. I have yet to choose what I want to go in them, but I now how I am with making decisions like this so I thought I should go ahead and share this project anyways. it already started to sink way down into the photo abyss.

Once we had the nails positioned where we wanted the pictures to hang we laid the frames down to make sure we were happy with it. This thing is pretty heavy, so we didn't want to have to keep taking it on and off the wall.

Here it is gracing my big empty wall in all it's farm-ish, barn-ish, loveliness...

You will have to use your imagination as to what you would put in the frames. I have an idea already.......I will have to post on the completetion of this project as soon as it's finished. I don't however see it being finished during the summer unless it's rainy. To many things to do in the barnyard!
Oh, just in case you were wondering what happened to the rest of the less than desirable pieces of wood, they were made into a lovely pig pen. Nothing went to waste.
This project and the pig pen didn't cost a penny.

Simple Beauty

My peonies have been blooming around here and the fragrance is unbelievable. I brought in a bunch to keep in the living room on the mantel. This way I could enjoy their loveliness indoors as well.

Psalm 27:4
"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I will dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple."

Have a blessed Sunday!

Cast Iron Cast Offs

I have been slowly making a switch to cast iron cookware. I say slowly because they can be expensive to purchase brand new. I have only a few non-stick pots and pans left in my cupboards. I rarely use them, but they do make an appearance from time to time. I love that you can use cast iron indoors and outdoors. I love how easy they are to clean and care for. They also give our meals and nice flavor.

Well, my bargain hunting sister-in-law gave me a tip on a great garage sale in her neck of the woods. So, I got over there as soon as I could. I was so glad I did!

 I bought the large cast iron pan for $10 and the two little pans for $1 each! Score!

Now, to clean them up and put them to good use!! My only regret...I didn't buy the griddle. It was only $6....sigh.....Anyway, these will make a permanent home next to a few of our other cast iron pieces.