How about some random thoughts from our week...
1. This year...for the first time in twenty years, we didn't do Christmas cards. This is as close as we got...a picture on the porch a few days ago after the Amish School Christmas Party, but we're missing a couple of important family members, so I guess we just won't send any. Somehow I just don't like that, but there's only so much we can do...
2. I was invited to two cookie swaps in the past couple of weeks, and I'm wondering where all the cookies went?!
3. I began some gift baking today. The house smells really good with fresh from the oven Cranberry Nut Bread, and there's some Buckeye Bark cooling in the fridge. No calories included. I found these fun little bread bakers at a craft store for $1.00 each, and I think they'll make nice gifts!
Here's the recipe...
Cranberry Nut Bread
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Sift together in bowl and mix thoroughly
1 egg, well beaten
3/4 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp grated orange rind
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Combine, then stir into flour mixture just until moistened
1 cup chopped cranberries
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Fold in
Pour into a greased 9 x 5 loaf pan and bake at 350 * for 45- 50 minutes
4. It's been a regular maternity ward around here this past week. We've had six cows/heifers freshen in the past ten days, with two more expected any day.
5. The weather is no longer frightful. We went from snow on the ground and temps in the teens over nights, to several days above freezing, with possible record highs this weekend, and rain. Sounds like our Christmas might be more muddy than white.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Linking to Random Five Friday
$1.00! Holy schnikes! That's awesome. They are adorable and I bet that bread is delicious. Merry Christmas Alica!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Alica to you and your family. I like the photo and thank you for the card; virtual blog cards are the way to go this year:)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the recipe it sounds delicious, and those pans are very cute.
Enjoy the holiday with the family and mud is pretty too at least you are not melting like in the summer,we are getting two days of freezing rain so I have no idea what our Christmas will be like.:) I am sure your house smelled wonderful....HUGS B
Those are really cute for only a $1.00
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful holiday!
I think I have this same cranberry nut bread recipe. I love it. Those Christmas bakers are sooo cute. Great find! Have a very Merry Christmas. (P.S. I haven't sent Christmas card for a couple of years. This year my husband, an artist, printed off miniature versions of a winter scene he painted and sent them off to a few family members and close friends, along with a hand crafted greeting. I love that he did that. Card mailing isn't something I enjoy any more.)
ReplyDeletewaving HI to you two! nice to see you! :) i only send out 6 cards this year, but better than none, i suppose. good luck with all the calves!
ReplyDeleteAlicia, what a great picture of both of you and and the cat. We have lots of snow on the ground and another freezing rain storm for tomorrow. It's snowing right now.
ReplyDeleteYou are almost catching up to me with the calving frenzy. The calving has slowed down for us but I still have a few heifers to calve any day. Good luck with the babies...
Your cranberry nut bread looks tasty. They will be well received for sure.
Merry Christmas.
Hugs,
JB
What a great gift!!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Alica! I love the picture and your breads look yummy!
ReplyDeleteI can smell the wonderful baking from here YUMMY ! Oh the bread bakers are soo cute ! I do like that photo of you guys . The weather here as been crazy as well rain all day snow is melting and now there is two ice storms brewing to hit over the weekend ! Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeletea $1.00 that is awesome!! nice recipe - writing it down. thanks!! i love that shot. maybe for your New Years card instead of Christmas? ( :
ReplyDeleteCool blog! Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteThose are very cute pans for a dollar. Would love to get that as a gift.
ReplyDeleteWhat a very cute card. You two are just adorable. I love the kitty on your lap. It is nice to see you.
ReplyDeleteHave a Merry Christmas it sounds like you are going to be very busy for awhile.
A wonderful gift idea. Did you buy 100 of the loaf pans? I kick myself for the number of times we see something unique and cute and relatively cheap, and then buy only one. More often than not, it is too far to drive to get more, or they sold out. Happy holidays to your family and your herd.
ReplyDeleteThe picture is wonderful! Taken with just the right light, and you both look so happy in it! I sent cards again this year, but am mulling stopping it. We DID get about 20 over the last few weeks... but I notice more and more friends are dropping off. I spoke to one and she told me she had stopped. Our temps got warm, and now are back in the tank.
ReplyDeleteThat does sound like a yummy bread. The picture is wonderful. Once the kids hit a certain age, it seems like it's impossible to get everyone together.
ReplyDeleteWhat a bargain for $1 .... and the bread sounds yummy!
ReplyDeleteI will have to give that recipe a try.
Lovely photo .... we didn't send out Christmas cards this year either.
Oh well.
Merry Christmas! diane @ aug's blog
Merry Christmas, Alica! No Christmas cards here either. We have received significantly less this year than other years. Looks like we aren't the only ones not doing them!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Alica! THat's a nice photo of you two. I haven't done cards for several years, but we did this year. However, I didn't do any nice extra gifts like those breads you made. So sweet.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Alica! I like the photo of the two of you on the porch. The weather looks cool but nice! I hope your 2014 is a very good year!
ReplyDeleteLinda
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