Little Family in the Big Woods

If you are looking for a quick and easy 4th of July dessert...this is the recipe for you.  This lemonade pie is cold, light, and delicious.  And...it is super easy to make. You only need 4 ingredients: 1 graham cracker pie crust 1 small frozen lemonade (or half of a large) 1 can eagle brand milk 8 ounces cool whip Blend the cool whip, eagle brand milk, and lemonade together...stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl.  Blend until ingredients are mixed well. Pour into a graham cracker pie crust. Add the lid and place in the freezer. Yes,,,this is a dessert you can make a couple of days ahead of time. I like to cut and serve my lemonade pie frozen; some people prefer to serve it thawed. Only a few more preparations and we will be ready to celebrate the 4th!!! Enjoy!!!

This is a very simple chicken casserole that even picky eaters will enjoy.  The only problem I had with this chicken casserole was that there were only enough leftovers for one person.  We were all fighting over the leftovers.   I think if I make it again, I may double the recipe and use a 9 by 12 pan. Start by cooking a chicken and picking the chicken from the bone.  Set aside 2 cups of this chicken that has been chopped for your chicken casserole.  Use the rest of your chicken and broth for other dishes. Mix the 2 cups chopped chicken with 1 cup cooked rice, 1 can cream of chicken soup, and 3/4 cup mayonaise. I also stirred in 1 teaspoon onion powder. (If your eaters are not picky like mine, you could add some chopped and saute'd onion and celery.) Spread this mixture in your favorite casserole dish. Crumble 1 cup cornflakes or bread crumbs in a bowl. I actually used "chick n biscuit" crackers. Mix crumbs with 2 tablespoons margarine. (Add 1/2 cu...

This is the "before" photo from a patch of pines that my husband recently cleaned with his Fecon machine. This is the "after" picture.  After seeing what this Fecon machine can do, I am still amazed by how quickly it can clear an area that is overgrown with brush. Just like that...a tree becomes mulch...with no piles of debris left behind.  Land clearing made simple with a Fecon Bullhog machine.

 Here is an idea if you are looking for a different way to make a cake. This recipe calls for a melted stick of unsalted butter, 1 cup water, 3 eggs, and a cake mix. The recipe is intended for cupcakes, but we used it to make a cake. Go to Tidy Mom's website to see more about the cake recipe: http://tidymom.net/2009/wfmw-the-perfect-cupcake-using-a-mix/ We used a peanut butter icing recipe from Southern Plate: http://www.southernplate.com/2011/01/peanut-butter-fudge-iced-brownies.html This icing is very easy to make...you just have to be fast pouring it on your cake because it sets up really fast.  You can't spread it after you pour it...just be sure to pour it evenly on the cake.

If you live in the woods, I would highly recommend purchasing an oak leaf hydrangea bush. We planted this one in the Big Woods over 10 years ago.  It is on the northwest corner of our house.  It has grown to be a nice size bush and is always loaded with blooms.

Monday, I had a craving for chicken and dumplings.  It might have had something to do with the bowl of broth and chicken that I was needing to use in my refrigerator.  I remembered seeing a contest for the best chicken and dumplings in an issue of Farm and Home magazine, so I searched for the recipe . I was pleased to find not just the recipe, but also this video of the lady responsible for the winning dumplings showing exactly how to make them.  It is a good thing there was a video, because there are some mistakes I would have made if I had just followed the recipe. I have to say, the dumplings I made following her directions were very good.  I will make them again one day, when I have another craving for dumplings.   I hope you will enjoy this chicken and dumpling recipe , too.

There are several recipes in my collection that are my favorite.  They are the recipes that I use over and over again.  Bacon wrapped hamburger steaks are at the top of my family's favorite list.  It is a wonderful main dish to grill in the summer time. You will need: 2 pounds ground beef 1 egg 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 1/4 cup catsup 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon salt 8 slices bacon toothpicks Mix everything except the bacon together in a bowl.  I usually mix this with my hands.  When you have everything mixed together well...you will form it into a long ball. Lay out 8 strips of bacon side by side. Place the ball of meat on top of the bacon and pull up each slice of bacon around the ball of meat.  Attach the bacon together with toothpicks. Slice between the bacon strips...form into hamburger steak patties and place on a plate. You should have eight fairly even hamburger steak patties when finishe...