Fruit Cake

My oh my how time flies....I look back and see that it's been quite a while since I last posted.  Finals are over and life can get back to "normal" for a short while.  So guess what I did first?  I baked fruit cake.  I love doing this every year.  No matter what you think of fruitcake, I love this recipe and hope that maybe you'll try it and be converted.  It is a white cake and doesn't contain any of that nasty citron, which I think has given fruit cake its bad reputation. 



In your mixing bowl, beat the butter,  sugar and eggs. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract.   Then add the flour and baking soda.  Mix well after each addition.  Next you will stir in your fruit and nuts. By this time the batter is pretty stiff and you will have to stir in your fruit by hand.   Prepare your pans by greasing just the bottom with shortening and then coating with flour.  Shake off excess flour. 

Put your batter in your pans....I use a couple of different sized small loaf pans.  This works great for us....just two in the house now.  This way, I can give some for gifts.  You could also use a tube cake pan and make just one cake.  What ever works for you!

Place them in the oven and bake til done.

Aren't they pretty!

Now...wrap them in cheesecloth, put in a couple of plastic bags and pour in some Apricot Brandy.  You will continue to add brandy occasionally as the cakes absorb it over the next several weeks.  The cakes will last a couple of months, allowing you to enjoy every bite!

This is a recipe I have created using a couple of different recipes....I hope you like it!

Let me know what you think!

1 cup real butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

5 eggs

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3 cups pecans

20 oz. candied red, green or combination, candied cherries

20 oz. candied pineapple

1 1/4 cup golden raisins

Bake in a slow over, 275 degrees til done.  If you are using a tube pan, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.  Remove and cool on a rack.  Wrap in cheese cloth, place in plastic bags and pour approximatly 1/2 cup brandy of your choice.  Rewet with the brandy every few days and after a couple of weeks.....Enjoy!  Let me know what you think!  I hope this recipe will change your idea of what fruit cake is!



Sorry about being gone for so long, but this school thing is taking up a LOT of time and this little project is one of those things that has gotten put on the back burner.  I hope I didn't dissapoint anyone who might be poppin in to read this blog.  There is a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel and it's called Thanksgiving Break!!  I do love that part of being in school.  We didn't have a whole week off when I was working a job so this is GREAT!! And then comes Christmas Break and then Spring Break and then Summer!!  I do love that part of being a student.  It's just all of the projects that are assigned to be turned that I'm not liking so much.  But, you know what?  We are just almost finished with this semester ....YEAH!!!!!!
I did have a few minutes and was looking at another blog  http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot/ 
Go on over and check it out and enter for a chance at a gift card!   Good Luck!
And there are all kinds of good nifty thrifty ideas listed on her blog....can't get too many of those!

Building Fence

Yesterday was a glorious day!  I don't get to go to the farm with the Mr. very often anymore since there is so much homework to be done.  But yesterday we were up there and building fence.  It's been a tough job, but I love getting the physical exercise that I crave.  It's also wonderful putting in this time getting the farm ready for cattle again.  You get such a workout using all of your body....stretching wire, walking along, putting clips on the wire, bending, stretching, pulling.....all the things a body is supposed to do.  People are too sedentary these days.  A body longs for movement and exercise.  Even when I am at school, I park the car as far away as possible and always take the stairs in the buildings.  I've getting my weight bearing exercise everytime I grab my rolling bag and heft it up or down the stairs.  I originally had reservatons about getting a rolling bag but after a couple of times to the chiropractor after trying to carry a too heavy bag around campus, I'm ok with the idea.  Besides, there are lots of young people also using them!  So, today, get up and go take a walk or ride your bike!  There is no excuse with this beautiful weather we're finally having.  It's finally cooled off and the air is a little crisper, especially in the mornings.  You don't need to join a health club, just lace up your tennis shoes.  So, get up and get out there!  

Dog Bed from recycled materials

Maybe my two dogs are special or maybe not. There is an inside bed and an outside bed. The big dog, Annie is an outside/inside dog. And the little one, Petie is mostly inside now while she is still young. Also, since she is still a puppy, she chews on EVERYTHING!

So, the outside bed has been shredded and stuffing all over the place. I didn't want to spend $35 on another and began to think about what I could do instead. So, last week while at a garage sale, I found a twin sized comforter for $2.00 and thought, ah ha....there's what I need for another bed. So I brought it home and folded into half twice and that worked for a little while, until Petie discovered there was stuffing in that too! Well, yesterday at another yard sale, I found a piece of fabric for .10 that someone had folded in half and stitched on three sides already. Wahoo.....I thought here is what I need for the dog bed. I'll just put the comforter in this and stitch it up. Well, then I began to think about using some velcro or a zipper in it, but then I thought that I probably wouldn't be washing it. Before putting in the comforter, I folded it in half length wise and then half again and stitched it where I could to keep it from shifting. Then stuffed it into the other piece of fabric, turned under about 1/2 inch along the edge and stitched it shut. The dogs love it and can't tell the difference in it and one that I would have paid $35 or more for!

Since being in school now is taking up a lot of time, some things just don't get addressed as they have in the past. I like decorating for the different seasons a little. I don't get obsessed with it as some do, just a little touch here and there. In the fall, I like to use a mum, which can be planted in the flower bed later and a few little pumpkins, which can be eaten later. The gourd can be saved and the seeds planted next spring for more gourds.

At the farm store, I have had my eye on this cute little container and bought it the other day. It's not only cute, but could be functional too. It could be taken to the garden and used to tote things or hold harvested items.

Now, we're decorated for fall and it took all of 5 minutes. That's a good thing! This will last til after Thanksgiving and I'll be able to enjoy the mum for many more years each fall in the flower bed!

Tuesday Bouquet

Finally fall is with us and cooler temperatures are here. We're still not getting as much rain as I would like to have, but it is helping our flowers look better. It's time to enjoy this time before we get a frost! The tomoatoes are looking beautiful with lots of green ones hanging on the plants. I'm watching the weather hoping they ripen before a frost too. If not, I'll pick them and bring them in the house to ripen. Here's to you...hope you enjoy!

Waste not Want not

Good Morning all!

While fixing my breadkfast this morning, I thought about sharing my way of using up jam or jelly that has gone beggin'. In other words, a way to use up some of that jam or jelly that is lurking in the back of the refrigerator or cupboard shelf that's just not getting eaten. When you make your hot cereal for the morning, instead of dumping in a bunch of sugar, spoon a dallop of the jelly into it instead. Stir and enjoy knowing you've done a good thing!