My Favorite Things ~ Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks

Like my mom, I love all sorts of cookbooks. But my very favorites are the cookbooks from Gooseberry Patch! Their cookbooks not only contain great recipes from folks like us all over the country, but they are filled with warm country thoughts, whimsical sketches and ideas to encourage celebrating life every single day.



I have 34 of their great cookbooks and 14 them I received for FREE! All you have do is visit their website ~ you can click on the Gooseberry book above to get there. They offer a free yummy recipe every week. Just click on that tab and you'll also have an opportunity to share one of your very own recipes. If they choose one of your recipes to print in a future book, they'll send you that book at no charge.

It's a fun way to share your family favorites and get a wonderful free cookbook as well. What could be better than that!

Be blessed!
Lea

God's Bouquet

I received this poem from my Aunt Linda this week. It is so sweet that I wanted to share it.

God's Bouquet
You must bloom where you are plantedIn the garden we call life,And bring some special beauty toEach corner where there's strife.
Perhaps you're but a dandelion,Wishing you were a rose,Yet in this place of growing things,You're the one God chose.
It's up to you to finish whatThe Good Lord has begun,By growing just the way you shouldAnd face the rising sun.
There's room for you, if you but choose,In a glorious arrayOf beauty from God's garden,that He'll add to his bouquet.
~M. Barker~



Thank you, Aunt Linda. Love you to the moon & back!

Hugs,
Lea

More Grubby Bunny Sisters!

I finished two more bunnies in lavendar & lime and just had to post a photo of them all together. They look so happy together, don't they?

Blessings,
Lea

Colton's Nuudle Art!

Colton and I had so much fun yesterday creating these wonderful works of art from Magic Nuudles. Colton's first work was a desert scene that he first colored and then added magic nuudles to make a 3D display. I just love it!

And in a way that only a little boy's imagination can create, we turned those magic nuudles into any army of soldiers. Aren't they wonderful?




And I also want to send a big thank you to the Christmas angels that gave Colton this wonderful gift. You were such a blessing to us at Christmas this year. More than you'll ever know!

Be blessed!
Lea

Whimsical Grubby Bunnies!

Fresh out of the carrot patch, come these two darling little grubby bunny sisters. I put the finishing touches on them last night and I was so pleased with them that I just had to share them today.

Let me tell you a little bit about them. Each sweet muslin bunny is 12 inches long. They have been aged and really look like they have playing in the carrot patch. Each has button eyes and a hand-embroidered face. I just love their polkadot dresses with contrasting bow & bloomers. Each little bunny sister has a hand-painted muslin carrot with whimsical greens that matches her bow!

I'll be listing them on eBay on Saturday.

A big thanks to De at BowlsNAnnies for yet another delightful pattern!

Blessings,
Lea

From My Kitchen ~ Woodstove Cookery

The mornings are changing now. At dawn, I can hear the sweet frog song while the buttercups lift their bright yellow faces to the sun. Each evening the front porch light draws an amazing assortment of winged creatures ... which I only enjoy from a distance! (I'm not a bug person!) I long for Spring and the smell of freshly turned soil. But one thing I will sorely miss is the warmth and joys of our wood stove and the wonderful meals that we have cooked on it this past winter.



Whether it is pot of white beans that slowly simmers throughout the day or a few scrubbed potatoes stuck in the ash pan, woodstove cookery just thrills me. It takes me back to a place in time when life was somehow less complicated. And it is such fun to experience what it may have been like for our pioneer mothers as they went about their busy days to find a warm meal ready at days end. Woodstove cookery is surely one of life's simple pleasures.

I think I'll go toss a few potatoes in the ash bin for dinner. Yum!

(And by the way, Nancy Jo, I got that fireside chair from our local thrift. I think your good fortune is rubbing off on me!)

Blessings,
Lea

From My Kitchen ~ Chicken Fettucini

Spending so much time in Chicagoland, we have a real appreciation for anything Italian. This is one of our family favorites!



1 10oz pkg frozen, chopped spinach
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 pkg 16 oz fettucini (fresh or boxed)
1/2 cup butter
8 oz heavy cream
Large can of parmesan/romano cheese

Cook spinach according to directions on package. Set aside.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettucini, following package directions on the package, stirring occasionally.

While the fettucini is cooking, slowly heat the butter and about 1/2 the cream in a small saucepan. Slowly add the cheese to the butter and cream, stirring constantly; add remaining cream. This will be very thick and creamy.

Drain the pasta in colander; add spinach and drained chicken into a large bowl. Slowly add the alfredo sauce, constantly turning over the mixture.

Of course, serve with fresh italian bread & butter and a side of fresh steamed vegetables! Yummy. On the day we made this meal, I was all out of fetticini noodles so I substituted tri-colored rotini. Everyone loved it!

Enjoy! ~ Lea

Handmade Quilt Angels

Please stop by and visit my friend, Cora's blog. She has a wonderful giveaway for a set of 12 angels hand-crafted of doilies and quilts. They are so beautiful. I love mine! Just click on the photo of her angels and leave a comment at her blog!

From My Kitchen ~ Taffy Apple Salad

This is a colorful treat that tastes just like caramel apples. So pretty served in your favorite vintage bowl!

TAFFY APPLE SALAD
1/2 c sugar
1 T all-purpose flour
1 egg
2 T apple cider vinegar
8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained & juice reserved

4-6 c red, yellow & green apples, cored & sliced
2 1/2 c salted peanuts, divided
8 oz whipped topping

In a medium saucepan, over low heat bring sugar, flour, egg, vinegar and pineapple juice to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Place apples into a large serving bowl; add pineapple and 2 cups of peanuts. Fold in sugar mixture and whipped topping; top with remaining peanuts. Makes 10 servings ~ or it may just feed your husband if he likes it as much as my husband does!

This is just such a refreshing & healthful treat. It's even good for breakfast! You can reduce the sugar. I usually peel the apples because my husband likes it better that way. And I wait to add the nuts right before I serve so they don't get soft.



This pretty bowl was a gift from my mom. Thanks, Mom! It is my favorite!

Blessings & good health,
Lea

Grandmother's Quilt

This year at Christmas, my mom hand-appliqued a lovely farmboy quilt. At our family celebration, all the children and grandchildren's names went into a bowl. The lucky winner was our Colton. And let me tell you, he loves his "MawMaw Quilt"! For the next 9 years, she is going to make a quilt for the Christmas drawing so that we each have one of her handmade treasures.

Right now, Mom is working on a farmboy quilt for my dad. The little boy is dressed in red & carrying a fishing pole. It is absolutely gorgeous and could not be more perfect for my him. I can't wait to show it off once Mom has completed it.

I'm so proud of you, Mom. Your quilts are just wonderful! Thank you for passing on your love for creating beauty to me! I love you so much!

For the Love of Annie

My two latest Valentine Annies are here! They are available at my Farmhouse Blessings shop at Etsy. I call them Prim & Prissy because although their bodies have been aged, I left their dresses bright red & white for Valentine's Day. Just click on their photos to read more about them!

These two cuties were hand-crafted using a pattern from De at Bowls N Annies. You simply must visit her web site. There she offers some lovely free patterns. But believe me, after trying them you just have to go back for more ... and more ... and more. And don't forget to check out her free Annie Makin' tutorial. It is simply wonderful! Just click on the Bowls N Annie link in my side column to pay her a visit.

Thank you, De, for all of your support and for sharing your creativity with us!