County Fair Time

I am presently at our local county fair in the exhibit building. You can find me here each year for ten days. There is a lot to do before that ten days in getting ready for the fair. I enjoy it though as organizing comes to me naturally and it results in a lot of personal satisfaction.

Well, on to this post’s tips, info and recipes! As usual, I hope there is something that you find of value. I am always pleased with comments and pleased when I run into someone and they tell me how much they enjoy this blog.

Recipes

Watermelon Pizza
1 Blueberries
1 Strawberries
1 Watermelon
1 (8 oz) container Cool whip
1 cup Powdered sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 (8oz) package Cream cheese
Allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature. Whip the cream cheese, add vanilla and slowly add the cream cheese. Set aside. Cut an approximately two inch slice out of the center of a watermelon. Using a clean paper towel, blot the moisture out of  watermelon slice. Spread the mixture you made on top of the slice. Then place the berries on top. Viola! You have a refreshing dessert!
*My watermelon was on the smaller side. I cut two slices out of the center and had enough topping and berries for both.  You can use other fruit like kiwi to top your pizza also.
Cowboy Beans
1 lb Bacon
1 lb Ground beef
2 lbs Sausage, smoked
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 Onion, large
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
1 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Molasses
3 tbsp Mustard, spicy brown
1/4 cup Brown sugar
1 tsp Chili powder
1 15 oz. can of butter beans
1 15 oz. can  pork and beans
1 15 oz. can of red kidney beans
6 cups Water
Brown the bacon, ground beef and sausage. Mix all of the other ingredients and heat until onions are soft and the flavors are blended.
This feeds 18 to 20 people. I used it for our July 4th picnic.
Patriotic Snack Mix
1 cup white chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
8 cups blueberry crispy rice square cereal
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup of M&M’S (they sell the patriotic red, white and blue mix around the 4th)
1 cup mini marshmallows
Patriotic sprinkles
1. Measure out cereal and put in a large bowl.
2. Melt butter and white chocolate chips & pour over the cereal and mix.
3. Once it’s cool, place the mixture into a large zip-top bag, add the powdered sugar and toss until all the cereal is coated in powdered sugar.
4. Add in the M&M’S, sprinkles and marshmallows
 As you can see the recipes were aimed at July 4th. We enjoyed them all!
I think they are added to the party menu!
Updates
I switched the flowers out of the flower boxes that I made with the vintage picnic baskets. This time I chose petunias. For this sort of display you need something that will be full and hang over the sides of the container. I think they look better! Here is an updated picture.
I also made my flag wall-hanging in the past few days. I made it with thirteen buttons on the blue field for the thirteen original colonies. What do you think?
In my last post I shared the homemade recipe for getting rid of a poison ivy plant in my yard. I didn’t mix up enough at first and had to mix up a second batch. I have to report that it certainly worked!!
Leaf, Growth, Flora, Nature, Outdoors, Poison Ivy
Even though I have been allergic to poison ivy (oak and sumac too) all my life I have just recently learned how to identify the plant. (It is my policy to never rush into anything! LOL)
Project
My big project the past two weeks was to make a no-sew bunting for my front porch. It is very festive and eye-catching!
  
If you want to make one you need red, blue and white material. Once you have the material create triangle-shaped pieces and then tie them together. I bought fat quarters at Walmart (for quilting) in the three colors I needed. Out of each quarter I was able to get six triangular pieces. If I make another I might make the triangles bigger but otherwise I was satisfied.
*In general, I have found that you need to try something once and then make changes if needed.
It is my hope you are all having a great summer! See you soon with a new post.

Summer Sundays Reign Supreme

Hello there readers! I now have 62 followers and as you know, my short term goal is 100. Help me get there by encouraging one of your friends to check this blog out and if they like what they read, sign up!! I appreciate all the support!!

We have had some really hot and humid days as I referred to last week. You know the kind, where you facially sweat that it’s embarrassing. My dogs were even not appreciating the weather for a couple days there. No bueno! Or more correctly, no esta bien. (I like no bueno better even though it is not correct!) Today is much less humid and pleasant.

It has been a busy week around the homestead. Meetings, breakfasts, work, baking (Yes, I said baking in this weather and I know I have lost it.), errands. You know the drill. I want to share some of the things that I have done this week with you.

HANDY TIP

I saw on the front of one of my magazines I was reading watermelon cut into little fingers. Of course, I needed to try it and the great news is that I don’t think I will ever cut watermelon the traditional way again.

                                                                                 

First, I cut the watermelon lengthwise all the way through. Next, I cut slices off of each half about 1 and 1/2 inch thick. Out of those slices I cut finger food size sticks. Either end of each slice was all rind and I tossed those. They are easy to serve in a bowl as in the first picture and easy to pick up and eat without a lot of mess. Loved it!!!

Continuing with the summer eating theme, I have a handy way to make s’mores that I learned from a friend of mine many years ago. It is cheaper, easier and I think less messy.

What you need to make the “new wave” s’mores are chocolate covered graham cookies and marshmallows. You roast the marshmallow as you usually do. Instead of using a piece of a chocolate bar and graham crackers you use the chocolate covered grahams instead! Brilliant and just as tasty as the original!

      

RECIPE

A friend who has been my friend for 55+ years is having a birthday soon. Since she lives out of town, we celebrated yesterday when she was home for a visit. I was making the cake for her and decided to go “old school” and make an mayonnaise cake.

For anyone who hasn’t ever tasted one they are super moist and rich and have a slightly different taste than a normal chocolate cake. I think this is due to the teaspoon of cinnamon that the recipe calls for.

Immediately, when I think of mayonnaise cake, I think of peanut butter frosting. (Think Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup here!) As my brother, Doug, says, “There’s nothing wrong with chocolate and peanut butter!”

I was looking around for a recipe. I have only ever made one from scratch before and couldn’t remember the proportions. While looking I found a recipe for mayonnaise cake using a chocolate cake mix. Hey, great idea! You know I had to try it.

Mayonnaise Cake

1 chocolate cake mix

1 cup of mayonnaise (don’t use low-fat or the olive oil type)

1 cup water

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together until the cake mix is incorporated. Don’t over beat. There will be lumps. Poor batter into a sheet pan or two round layers that have been sprayed with non-stick spray and lined with parchment paper (you could use waxed paper instead if need be). Bake for 30 minutes. I checked mine early around 25 minutes and decided it was done. Each oven is different so watch yours carefully the first time you try this recipe. Place on wire rack for cooling.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 cup butter

3/4 cup peanut butter

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

3 or 4 Tablespoons of milk

Allow the butter to soften. When it is soft combine peanut butter and butter using a mixer. Slowly add the 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar to the butters. The mixture will be thick. Slowly add the milk 1 Tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency for icing the cake is achieved.

* We used to call confectioner’s sugar powdered sugar or 10X sugar. The 10X refers to the times that the sugar is processed to achieve the fine powdery consistency. The terms used for this sugar seem to be associated with the region where you live. Powdered sugar is used in the Northwest U.S. whereas in the Southern U.S. the term confectioner’s sugar is used. I’m in the Northeast U.S. and I have used all of them. I find it very interesting.

MAKING MONEY AT HOME

(I’m always looking for a way!)

I have been trying several survey sites to make a little side money. One of the ones I have been doing is Harris Poll. They are a legit company and have been around for years. You take surveys and accumulate points that you then exchange for things like Amazon gift cards. It is  a slow process with them since you only get maybe 5 or 6 surveys a month but I am fine with it. I also do other sites and have gotten my first products to test for one of them. I am placing a link to an article about such sites with the top survey sites listed. Check them out.

https://www.surveyssay.com/

WARNING!!!!

If they ask you for money to sign up run away quickly. This is illegal to do and a BIG red flag that somethings is not right. Do some research before you sign up for any site.

Have a wonderful week everyone! I hope you found something that interested you. Please leave a comment and let me know about any life hacks you have.

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