The Hunt...

It's hunting season here in Robinson, Texas...the hunt for Cedar Springs Tomatoes, that is!  The only other place we've eaten the most wonderful tomatoes, is last year when we went to Stanley, NY.  These match their taste and color almost perfectly.  None of that grocery store mealyness...or wax...uggg...nasty things.

My family use to live in Cedar Springs when I was little.  My dad grew a big patch of them.  Beautiful sandy loam...

Well, we found Robert's Farm...and we also found a Ms Patterson's (no photo) but she had very little to sell.  Then we found (barely!!) a place that you'd never dream was a working produce farm!!

This is the Robert's Farm...got tomatoes here...

And this is...No Name Farm!  We guessed which road to take...passed by an old dilapidated farmhouse and this was behind it...I think this building looked better than the house! ;o)

Anyhoo, You open the door and wowser!!   It was like a whole 'nother world!  Tons of produce.  And at all the stands, it is the honor system.  You bag, weigh and pay then write down what you purchased...nice to see.  I guess they don't fix up the outside to ward off burglars??

Brought the goodies home and got busy.

This is the house our granddaughter Sam and her intended, Everett, just bought!  We are so excited for them...Ten acres and house with barn.  The wedding is December 7th, 2019.  Yes, Pearl Harbor Day...My Dad was there, his ship coming into port, just after the bombing raid (about an hour after) He said it was the most horrific sight he'd ever witnessed...anyway, Sam has always read anything she could get her hands on, about that day.  Always the history buff... 

And yes...had to make cookies!  See the plastic container?  Fresh strawberries came in them...I save them, wash them and they make perfect cookie or cupcake gift holders.  Ever priced them at your local hobby shop???  

Crunchy Chocolate Chip and Strawberry Pecan Cookies!   Recipe is HERE

Well, hope you all are finding something fun to do this Summer...Me?  Canning, baking...I think now, I'll go put my feet up!
Enjoy the weekend!

Happy Independence Day America...Cupcakes

Well, hello and Happy Independence Day America!!

As you can see, I was a busy beaver yesterday...I love to bake but haven't been doing much of it lately.  Well, I'm getting tired of doing, Not Much so, I decided, the other day, to make some Independence Day cupcakes for Sami to carry down south to her mom's house.  Well...I promise I will NEVER AGAIN complain about the price of a cupcake EVER again!!Hahaa...good Lord people!!  First, I had to run to town...you know...'cause I needed dark navy color gel...a pan...etc., then I had to round up all my special tools (you know you have to have special tools...:O0)  Then, find what I needed, looking in cabinets, closets, drawers...find a recipe I liked...how to work the new icing tips...then get busy making them!Uggggg….took a while!  Bakers EARN EVERY SINGLE DIME!!

Anyway, they turned out good...loved the way a gel coloring works SO much better than liquids.  Isn't the blue cupcake a pretty shade??  If I'd used a liquid color, they would have been a greenish brownish color on the outside!  And did you EVER see a messier kitchen???Hahaaa...omg...

So...I know we can't eat everything I bake so I enlist the help of my granddaughter, Samantha, to come get 3/4ths of things and carry them off to friends or co workers.  It works.  I get to bake and they get to eat...simple.  I've had request to bake things for money before and who knows...I might let a donation or two start creeping in...The Blue Christmas at the police station, helps needy families with presents for the kids...I'll just save it and donate...

Well,  hope you all have a fun and safe day and be careful of those darn fireworks around you pets!!  Scares them sometimes, literally, to death!

Later Guys!