Thursday, August 11, 2011

WOW.

Wow. 

The Michael Buble concert was the

Best. Concert. Ever.

I am SO glad I went.

Pictures/videos/something coming soon. :)

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

So....I may or may not be going to this:



Oh. My. Goodness.

I cannot wait. 

*squeals a happy squeal*

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

I saved my favorite video for last.......I especially like the part where he dresses up as a cowboy............ :)

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Banana Ice Cream!

We got a new ice cream maker! It is a Cuisinart and is one of those new kind where you put the bowl in the freezer for 24 hours and then don't have to add any ice or salt when you make your ice cream! We have been making all different kinds of ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbets this summer!

When I was younger we used to make a banana spice ice cream. It has been years since we last made it (considering we have mostly just made vanilla in recent years), but I was craving it and new that this new ice cream maker would make it super easy to make my longed-for banana ice cream.

Now, you may think banana ice cream doesn't sound that great. But even I, the girl who thinks bananas are boring, think that banana spice ice cream is top-notch and a delightful culinary experience. And if you have a spare bordering-on-overripe banana lying around, this is the perfect summer treat.

Try it. 
Your taste buds will thank you. 
I promise.

Banana Spice Ice Cream

1/2 cup + 3 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 cup milk
2 cups cream
1 egg yolk
1 banana, mashed
1/2 teaspoon (scant) cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla



In large saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. 


Add milks. 


Stir over medium heat until mixture begins to simmer. 
Simmer 1 minute. 
In small bowl, lightly beat eg yolk. 
Stir 1 cup of hot milk mixture into yolks, then add yolks to milk mixture. 
Cook and stir over low heat 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. 
Cool. 
Stir in bananas, cinnamon and vanilla. 
Whisk until smooth. 


Process in ice cream freezer. 
If you have one of the newer models like ours, it mixes for about 25-30 minutes.


ENJOY!

The Hills Are Alive....

Pictures from our photoshoot for The Sound of Music!

 


 


 

Figured It Out Yet??

Monday, August 1, 2011

The Harvest of Grace (Cindy Woodsmall)


Sylvia Fischer is not your typical Old Order Amish woman. Rather than tending to the house and taking care of a brood of children, she prefers to be out the barn taking care of the animals and managing the family dairy farm. However, soon she is betrayed by the one she loves and makes some decisions she later regrets. She decides it is time to move on with her life and away from temptations that await her at her family’s homestead.

She ends up on the Blank family’s debt-ridden farm, eager to do all she can to turn things around. There she meets their son, Aaron Blank, who has recently made some life changes that his parents, specifically his father, refuse to recognize. After a little bit of a rough start, Aaron and Sylvia learn how to work together and understand each other.

Such is part of the story that takes place in The Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall. This being the third book in a series, it is not long before we are also re-united with old friends Ada and Israel, Lena and Gray, Jonathan and Deborah and of course Cara and Ephraim and little Lori.

I enjoyed this book immensely. I found it hard to put down because I was eager to see what would happen next with these characters that I have grown to love. I hope there will be more books in the series. Each one of the characters has such a great story and Cindy does a great job with the character development in her books – this one is no exception! If you enjoy good Amish fiction, I recommend The Harvest of Grace and the rest of the Ada’s House novels!

**I received this book as an Advanced Reader’s Copy from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.**

An Envelope Arrived....

I got something in the mail a little over a month ago......


There just might be some hints coming this week as to what was in the envelope....