Jurassic Park continued.....

Getting back to Jurassic Park. 

I was stuck, wasn't sure what to do next. I knew I needed filler, but had no real plan. So..... I just started sewing small blocks to use as filler. Using "E" on my Flying Geese x4 No Math Ruler, I made some flying geese and quarter square triangles.

I don't know why I picked the "E" size, I just know it worked out well.

By adding a little more to Muldoon, the new blocks were just right.

Clever girl was sewn into one chunk.

The dinosaur already had all the pinwheels attached. He still needs the top of his head worked on to make him a finished chunk.

Middle son was over here and saw this.

"Who is this for?"

I told him, "Your brother, Crispy"

"Will you make me one??"

I told him YES, and he is going to think about what he wants on his.

I LOVE HAMBALLS! 

I asked John at the Titonka Food Center if  he would be grinding up some hamball mixture. He said he could do that. He would have it done on Saturday morning.

Yes! 

On Saturday I went up to the store and there it was.

I bought every package there! I use half of it yesterday for Easter. The other half is in the freezer for next time we feel like HAMBALLS!

Here is the recipe I used. I made (about) a 1/2 recipe. I used a smaller sized scoop and made many little ones. 

Man, were they good!

preschool and no school.....

 I brought the spray paints to school yesterday. I wasn't sure how it would work...but had to try. I told them that this wasn't "preschool paint", it was the REAL thing and they had to be careful. In spite of that warning, I ended up getting sprayed in the face. I just cleaned the last of the green drops off my glasses.
Their little hands had trouble getting it to spray. Many techniques were attempted...... They tried using the first finger, the thumb and the "push with your whole hand" to make the paint come out technique.

 Then it was discovered that if they put the bottle right on the table and then pushed down the sprayer, all kinds of paint sprayed out. Well, to help hit the paper we took one of the drying racks and set it against a chair, right up on the table. They loved the dripping paint look. We have plans for our painted paper, but not until next week. We don't have school for the rest of the week.

So I am home today. Yesterday I saw this recipe....click right here ....there is a prune cake recipe..... I thought I had all the ingredients and I love prunes.
Well..... I had to improvise, which is probably why baking isn't my thing.

There weren't as many prunes as I thought, and I was down to one egg.

okay...make half a recipe. The egg was extra large so I figured it counted

for 1 1/2 eggs.

I used instant coffee, only I didn't read the recipe and added more

than it said.

There was no buttermilk, so I soured some milk with vinegar.

Then I could only find ONE of my beaters! Good gravy, I used the one

I could find.

The batter tasted pretty good before I put it in the oven.

It turned out pretty darn good, in spite of it's baker. The chocolate frosting is so good on it. Thank you Linda!

One more link.....In preschool (and here at home) we are watching a pair of eagles in Decorah, Iowa. There is a camera on them 24 hours a day. There are 3 eggs in the nest. It is really an interesting thing to see....we check in on the eagles through out the day to see how things are going....we are looking forward to seeing baby eagles.

click here to see the eagle nest 

baking banana bread....

This baking was all Karen's fault.

I called her the other night and she told me,
"I am making banana bread, I need to use up rotten bananas."
and I said, "I need to get rid of some sour cream, what should I use it in?"
With excitement in her voice she said,
"You need to make the banana bread I am making!"

"But I don't have rotten bananas"
Not a problem, she told me she had a ton of bananas and I should come over to get them. So off I went to her house.
Loaded up with bananas, I said "wait, I need to write the recipe down!"


"No no, just take that printout" oh, okay

Then I read the recipe, "oh oh, I don't have any walnuts"
She wasn't going to let anything stop me from making the bread...
"Here, take some walnuts home with you!"

With my arms full of bananas, the recipe and the walnuts I headed home. Karen also said to smash the bananas, even though the recipe said to slice them....okay



The next morning I got up & baked a bunch of bread. It was delicious!
Thank you Karen.

things I worked on this past week.....

The poster sized Canyon De Chelly picture is getting closer to being finished. The frame is done....the border around the picture is done....
I ripped pictures from one of those free tourist magazines and a road map. Every thing was glued down randomly, then I smeared gesso all over it and wiped it back off some. It has a lighter look. It all sorta blends together.
Just need my sister to apply the words:
Happiness is a journey and it will be done!



I have one baby quilt done, except for the binding isn't on yet. The quilting took me forEVER.
It hard to see, but the lines go up and down too. I can't wait to wash it and really get it
all crinkly.

The sweet corn....the real deal from tractor joe's cousin.

I froze this stuff using my "super bad for you, but oh so good" recipe....

It will get used this winter when I make scalloped corn....

it is so good, I can't wait!!

I painted more papers. Lots more paper. Then I stamped and embossed things on them.

No real rhyme or reason, just did it. My tractor ride book is coming along....

I am hoping to get "finished" pictures this week of things.
I mowed TWICE last week too....lots of rain make lots of grass.
sigh...

Easter hamballs.....

Last week I was asked a lot....
"What are you doing for Easter?"
I would say going over to the in-laws for my absolute favorite thing....


HAM BALLS!!

...and so often the next question was....

"what are they???"

They are just the most delicious thing in the world.

Ham Balls

1 lb. ground beef, 1 lb. ground pork, 1 lb. ground ham (I use my food processor)
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups crushed graham crackers
2 cups milk
(I also add some onion that is pulverized in the food processor when I am doing the ham)

Combine and mix well. Use a 1/3 cup to measure 25 meatballs.
(I usually get about 30 meatballs and split them between two 9x13 cake pans. And will freeze one of the pans after I have poured on the sauce)

The sauce...
1 can tomato soup
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
2 tsp. dry mustard

Bake at 350* for 1 hour

yummy

my fudge cake......

Way last Sunday, I said if we don't have school on Monday I will make some Fudge Cake.

Well,



we didn't have school and I did some

real

homemade

baking......

...another name is...

Chocolate Settle Cake

(that's what my Mom calls it)

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup flour

3 tablespoons cocoa

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup melted butter

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In medium mixing bowl combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Blend in milk, melted butter and vanilla. Stir it until smooth. Pour into small square pan. (8x8x2)

Mine didn't pour, it was thick, it was more like spoon into cake pan.

The filling: (the magic part)

4 tablespoons cocoa

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup water

Put these next 4 ingredients into a small sauce pan and warm it on the stove until all the sugar is dissolved. Then gently pour it over the cake batter. Do not stir.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Let it cool down. Serve it with ice cream or cool whip or real whipped cream.

I am thinking I should make another one. This one only lasted a few hours.