Pecan Pie Muffins- No pie shell!!!

PecanPieMuffins   Difficulty Easy Prep Time 10 Minutes Cook Time 20 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup Packed Light Brown Sugar
• ½ cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 cup Chopped Pecans
• ⅔ cups Softened Butter
• 2 whole Eggs Beaten
  

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven 350 F.
Grease your muffin pan (or use a demarle mini pie silform for no stick baking)
In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour and pecans. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and eggs together until smooth. Stir into the dry ingredients just until combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. I like to use a cookie scoop for even filling. Cups should be about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes if using mini muffin check at 18-19min. Cool on wire racks when done.

This is how easy it is using demarle silforms, no sticking!!!

Make extra these go really fast.

I found this recipe on Pinterest.

The "sign" I made using my Cricut cutter.

Home Made Oreo (tm) Cookies

Homemade Oreo Cookies(Makes approximately 3 dozen)
For the cookies:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
  

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons half and half
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 3 – 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, whisked to remove any lumps
  

Begin by preparing the cookies.  Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until well incorporated.
Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture, beating on the lowest speed.  Continue to mix on the lowest setting until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.
Divide the dough in half, and shape into two discs.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
When the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.  Set aside.
Taking only one portion of dough out of the refrigerator at a time, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Roll the dough to 1/8 – 1/4-inch thickness.*see note below.  Use a cookie cutter (approximately 2 inches in diameter) to cut out cookies and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cookies are cooled, prepare the filling.  Combine the softened butter, half and half, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined.  The mixture may be a bit lumpy, but will come together.  Add the powdered sugar gradually, approximately 1/2 cup at a time, until the filling comes together.  It will be slightly stiffer than a cupcake frosting.
Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.  Pipe the filling onto half of the cookies, and top with the remaining cookies to form cookie sandwiches.

Hints: Use any type frosting for the filling

Fill with peanut butter

Use just the baked cookies for pie crust: cheese cake or ice cream

I found this on the web, can't remember where. 

*I found the dough to soft to use a cookie cutter so I just rolled into little balls and flattened out, makes for a more homemade look. 

If you have little ones (or slightly bigger ones!) around you may need to hide these! I know of three boys who found the stash at the Grandparents home-nuff said!

Who can relate to this?

I don't know where this came from but it is funny. How many of us ladies go shopping with our husbands?

Pigs and Chickens and THE Egg!

Dixie's first litter-6 piglets!

Life just keeps moving along here at The Richter Farm. Dixie finally had a litter and she is a good momma. The upper field fence is done and we are rotating pigs from their pens so they can have some fresh grass. It is so funny to watch the little pigs just run around so happy to have space to play in. The older pigs just like having someplace new to search for acorns and such. We are all so blessed! I was especially feeling blessed when going to check on the chickens and finding our first egg, been waiting for this event.Don't know who laid it but I'm so happy hopefully many more to come.

Chickens and Pigs

Our First Egg!! So excited.

Chef Tess Bakeresse: No Knead 4 Ingredient Overnight Bread Anyone Can M...

This might satisfy some of my friends "desire" to make homemade bread! Not everybody wants or kneads(pun intended) to make bread the old fashion way that I do. Chef Tess has a great site with videos and such that are funny and informative.

Happy Baking!

Chef Tess Bakeresse: No Knead 4 Ingredient Overnight Bread Anyone Can M...: This is epiphany bread. Ya know the stuff? The bread that is such a simple idea but one that changes how bread is made in your house. I've...

Spanish Casserole

This casserole comes from a very dear friend hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Spanish Casserole

Stuffed Manicotti ( from Sis Myra Bell)

2# ground beef

1 green pepper chopped

1med onion chopped

2 cloves garlic crushed

2 14oz cans tomatoes-crushed or stewed

1 small can tomato paste

1 jar stuffed olives-6 or 8oz

1package slivered almonds- 6-8oz

½ cup raisins

1 8oz container large curd cottage cheese

1 box manicotti shells

salt and pepper

In a large skillet brown beef until no pink shows, stir in onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook until onion looks glassy. Add remaining ingredients, cook until it begins to bubble,let cook 4-5 minutes. Set aside until cool.

Meanwhile cook manicotti according to directions on package adding 1T oil to water to keep from sticking. Drain and rinse in cold water.

Stuff with beef mixture, there will be some mixture left over so don't over stuff pasta.

Place in a large deep baking dish or 2 small/medium baking dishes. Spread extra beef mixture over top of casserole.

Bake at 350ºF uncovered for 45 minutes.

Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Zucchini Chips

Tray of sliced Zucchini ready for the dehydrator

I use "pet proof" screen cut to fit my trays. It is nylon and so far nothing sticks and removing dried fruit and veggies has been easy. Found this idea on the web but can't remember from where. 

Close up of sliced zucchini cut with a knife about 1/4" thick. I dry these at 135F for about 4hours or until dry. I didn't salt or season but you could. These would be great with my homemade ranch dressing!

Whitewashing the chicken coop

Gather your equipment

Time to whitewash the inside of the chicken coop. Now I know why Huck Finn "let" Tom do the whitewashing. It is messy and time consuming. If you choose to do this pick a cool day with a nice breeze! 

Have a ladder for the high spots!

Nice plan wood

The whitewash and 4" brush

I used Hydrated Lime 12cups to 2gallons water. You need to keep mixing the lime/water as you work, it is not thick more like muddy water. Don't try to use a roller it won't work. Brushing it on is the only way.

Brushing it on, no particular way!

It dries to a real pretty white

Happenings on the Hill

 Duchess had 11 piglets 2/15, yes 11! They are so cute, but not pick up hug-able. Pigs are not very fond of being picked up unless you love the sound of high squealing  and getting um pooped/peed on.
Now that they are older they follow me around and fall over for belly rubs just like momma!

 Dixie had 4 piglets 4/9 her first litter and she is a good momma. Both of these sows are so used to me being around that they don't mind me being in the pen with the piglets.

As if having pigs wasn't enough we also have chickens! A friend was so kind to give us 9, 6 blue orpington/barred/ blackstar crosses and 3 buff orpingtons. Won't be big enough for laying eggs til late summer but what fun to watch. Right now they are in the tween stage half fluff and half feathers. They really like bugs and chickweed!

They have arrived, all eleven of them!