Reach out and touch someone you love

It's kidding season again here.  My good friend Denise at Caramel Apple Farm has 6 does ready to be Mommies.  Here is "Redbook" with her new baby- just 12 hours old

Minerva Magonagal

This sweet baby ( and her sister) were born on Kate's birthday.  Kate and I visited Denise and the goats and then came home for a birthday surprise from some famous people

Some magic was had by all.  A yummy cake of quiddish  and lots of fun.  Happy Birthday Kate!  who's now 8 (+2)

Kate, whose 8 + 2

Hope

Goodness!  Isn't Winter over yet?
Well the first bloom of crocus has made its way.  For someone who absolutely hates Winter it's a sign of hope
Well and then there are adorable kids.

Eloise (LuLu when she's not in trouble)

Smokin' cheese

Well here in Colorado (and other states in this country as well) there is a lot of smoking going on - and I don't mean tobacco- but today I smoked my first cheese.

smoky golden color

 CoCo gives me enough milk each week to make a 2-3 pound wheel of Gouda cheese.  It needs to age at least 2 months to get a great flavor but it's my favorite goat milk product so far.  Now if I could just smoke the outside.
Cheese has to be cold smoked: creating smoke but not letting get higher than 90 degrees in the smoker or the cheese will melt.  So what better day to smoke than today

snowy February day

The cheese is formed in a mold with pressure and then soaked in a salt brine for 12 hours.  Then it "dries" tabletop for 5 days.  That hard rind on the edge of your cheese that you buy is just the dry part...same ingredients as the edible cheese

2 1/2 pounds of dried un-aged Gouda
I week of milk from one Mama

I sliced the cheese to be 2 inches thick and placed it on a SS rack 

Put the A-Maze-N smoker in the belly of my tiny Weber

And added the cheese

Two hours later:

A really smoky fragrance and a beautiful golden color.  Now I must wax it and let it age.  Ready in 2-6 months

Bon Appetit!

travel safe, my friend

my dearest friend, Dee

Today I said "Goodbye" to my friend, Dee Henderson.  We met when we were in second grade and could barely stand to be separated.  At the end of each day  I would walk her half way home and then she would walk me half way home and it kept going.  It must have taken 2 hours to travel less than a mile between our houses.  As teenagers we studied every musical we had heard of and recreated it in our bedrooms often....singing every lyric of every song.  We learned about curling irons and hair straighteners.  We were in each other's wedding. We knew everything about each other and no matter what..no matter what...we were there for each other.  This picture was taken at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park neat the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.  There was lots of giggling lots of joy and another night of singing songs from musicals.  It was certainly a cherished time for both of us.  Thank you my friend for loving me and making my world a better place to live in.  Travel safe to Heaven where there are special people waiting to greet you.

Merry Christmas to All!!!

what else would a 13 year old want?

Merry Christmas 

I went a little crazy with plaid this year then added some reindeer and there became my theme.

Granddaughters' hands

have a seat

Come have a seat

Stay for dinner

stuffed peppers

and stay the night in the Princess room

Relax! Enjoy your day!

LuLu an Maverick- morning nap

soaking up the sun on Christmas Eve

Peppermint Bark- a great Christmas treat

Peppermint Bark

Who doesn't love peppermint bark at Christmas?  Instead of cookies this is what my Denver Granddaughters made for Christmas treats this year:

mise en place

Here's the recipe:

bittersweet chocolate-1 pound- cut into 1 inch pieces

peppermint oil - 7 drops

white chocolate- 1 pound chips or slab, cut into 1 inch pieces

peppermint chips - 1/2 cup

On a baking sheet add parchment paper

In a double boiler melt bittersweet chocolate.  When almost melted add 7 drops of peppermint oil and stir. Then pour out the dark chocolate on to the parchment paper.  Move the pan and paper until the chocolate in in an even layer.  Set aside.

Now melt the white chocolate in the double boiler.  Add half (or 1/4 cup) of the peppermint chips to the melted white chocolate.  Gently pour the white chocolate mixture over the dark chocolate oval.

Sprinkle the remaining peppermint chips over the top layer and let get hard.

Break into smaller pieces and share with your family and friends......be sure to keep some for yourself.

All of these items are easily available at King Arthur Flour - a great resource for baking

Dark chocolate layer

preparing second layer in double boiler

add some teenage friends ( Ella and her friend Sophia)

maybe even some 9 year olds (Kate and her friend May)