There are just some blog’s that just grab you!
The writer shares the same interests and loves you have.
They inspire you and encourage you, and make you warm and gooey inside.
And all I can think of calling them is a…
Kindred Spirit Blog!
Here’s one I found today that I would like to share with you…
She is actually doing a Giveaway that ends today!
CLICK on the picture and sign up!
And while you’re at it, follow her too! Ok?
WARNING: This a shameless plug. *grin*
I don’t know if you have noticed that I have a shop on etsy; hence, the advertisement on the side bar of my blog.
What makes it so special? Cookbooks!
Lots of Cookbooks! A variety of Cookbooks!
Old Cookbooks!
Cookbooks that are 20 years old and are part of your lifetime that you wonder how time flies…and wonder why you are that old that it would be called old or even vintage.
Oh, but there are a quite a few that aren’t part of your lifetime. That probably makes you feel a little bit better.
I would like to introduce you to…
I named it Mama’s Cookbook Shoppe because when I think of recipes, cooking and baking…I think of my mom.
It was when I would come home from school, or doing homework in my bedroom, or coming in from playing outside that she would magically transform our home’s atmosphere with the wondrous smell of goodness coming out of the kitchen.
To me, it was MAGIC! But really, it was the countless recipes she had learned throughout the years, and the countless cookbooks she had in the cupboards. They created this MAGIC!
Can you tell I’m high on nostalgia?
I wanted to create a shoppe full of Vintage Cookbooks that were used to create wondrous meals, scrumptious goodies, wonderful memories, and timeless traditions.
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Here’s a few of my most Favorited cookbooks in my shoppe with their excerpts:
Aunt Jenny’s Favorite Recipes 1940’s
Calvin: "How did you ever decide what recipes to put in this book of yours, Jenny? Why, you must know thousands!"
Jenny: "Well, Calvin, I knew folks would want receipts (recipes) for every day - not too fussy or hard on the pocketbook, but good-tastin'. These sure are - an' so digestible even a child can eat 'em, for they're all made the Spry way."
Heart Of The Home by Susan Branch 1986
"The recipes in Heart Of The Home emphasize simple preparation and fresh food and they will take you through the seasons, from a Fourth of July picnic to a Valentine's Day celebration, and from warming winter meals to light, summery menus. They are many times tried and known to be true." Susan Branch
"Here are chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, oatmeal and fudge cookies that are baked not only for children, but for everyone who knows that a house becomes a home when there is a jar filled to the brim with homemade cookies. And there are other kinds of cookies too; there are Delicate, Rolled, Lacy Ginger Cookies, Macaroons and Almond Crusted Butter Bars, Chocolate Truffles laden with Rum, and Pfeffernusse rolled in powdered sugar and left to season for a week. These are for the adults who have learned how to wait for the very best." Irena Chalmers
"Simply call upon Watkins good old-fashioned helps to make each meal a splendidly different treat - even to the most jaded appetite... This little unpretentious book is an example of our effort to be helpful to you. Anyone could print a number of recipes on paper and call it a cook book. YOU alone could prove if it were, really... By using those superb Watkins 'custom-made' quality spices, flavors and baking powder, you create your own insurance against failure...”
Ceil Dyer’s Coffee Cookery 1978
"You'll find recipes in this book using coffee as an ingredient. Coffee adds its unique flavor to satin-smooth custards, sinfully rich puddings, elegant soufflés and frozen delights - all guaranteed to enhance your reputation as an inspired cook. Then there are the coffee candies, cookies and an assortment of subtly flavored sauces to transform simple ice cream and plain custards into glamorous desserts. You'll enjoy my collection of main course non-sweet dishes flavored very subtly with coffee. You won't taste the coffee, but you'll notice the enhanced flavor of the dish." Ceil Dyer
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Each listing has a photo of a recipe in the book for you to sample. Plus, I do give a short list of the recipes from the books.
Watkins Cook Book 1926
So put on your…
and come by and visit my shoppe and see what’s in stock and try out those sample recipes!
This Giving Challenge has been quite an eye opener for me.
Never did I realize how much I think of my own self, wants and needs until recently.
This life is not about ME. This life is about serving God and others, as our God taught us:
I had completely forgotten I had this book, silly me! 
The only problem is…I couldn’t find Strawberry Essential Oil.
I couldn’t believe this Goodwill find actually held the exact amount I made! Perfect!
I cut out a strip of colored paper and folded it.
This little Spring Bird wants to remind you…
…It’s that time again to GIVE!
What do you need to do?
Let me remind you…
The Giving Challenge Guidelines
1. Create: cook, bake, sew, paste, drill, paint…. This challenge is meant to use your creative abilities. What do you love to create? That’s all I’m asking, and what I’m doing. Do what you love and go one step further.
2. Give to someone once a week.
3. Pray. At the beginning of each week, ask God who He wants you to bless . I know it’s mid-week now, but you have time…don’t you?
4. Post your Giving Challenge every Friday, on your blog. Tell us what you made, who you gave it to, and what their reaction was, and so on. If you aren’t comfortable sharing who you gave it to and/or their reaction, that’s okay. Just share with us what you did to bless that person.
5. Share your Giving Challenge blog post in the Mister Linky that I will attach with my blog post of my Giving Challenge on Friday.
Will you join me in this week’s challenge?
Share it with your friends and get a givin’!
Just over yonder, I heard that Homestead Revival is doing a Giveaway!
A Giveaway, I say, for one of my loves in life; the good ole’ Drying Rack!
Ah yes! Drying racks are wonderful! They save money and help prolong the life of your clothing!
They are so wonderful, that the one I used to have plumb wore out on me. That’s what I get for getting one from Wally world.
So…
Homestead Revival will be giving away Forgotten Way Blog’s (a.k.a. homesteaddryingracks.com) very own handcrafted Pioneer Drying Rack.
So, get yourself over to Homestead Revival and ENTER by March 25th!
HERE is more info on the Pioneer Drying Rack.
*Did I say Homestead Revival too much.
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Oh! And while you’re here, I should tell you that Forgotten Way is doing their own Giveaway!
There is a DVD on herb’s that they have found very helpful. It is called “Making Herbs Simple”.
Get on over to Forgotten Way and ENTER to WIN the “Making Herbs Simple” DVD.
This Giveaway ends Thursday, March 24th. I know, it’s tomorrow…but hurry, hurry, Hurry!
Do you have a profile on facebook?
Do you spend countless hours trying to keep up with all your friends status’?
Do you send countless requests from your favorite facebook game…Frontierville *grin*…and annoy your friends?
Do your friends “poke” you and you wonder what the point is?
Well, I have a solution for you!
facebook ban!
Yes, facebook ban will save your life…literally!
You will find you have a life!
You will spend countless hours with the one’s you love…in person!
You will have time to play games with your family!
And when someone pokes you,
you can poke them right back with your own pointy finger!
Try it today!
facebook ban…let’s get back to livin’ your life instead of wasting it!
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FYI: I have committed to staying off of facebook for the month of March. It’s amazing what more you can do in your daily life when facebook isn’t there.
Let’s commit to banning anything that replaces your relationship with God, family and friends. Let’s get back to the simple pleasures in life!
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Thank you Mrs. D.!
So, tell me…what did you do for this week’s Giving Challenge?Friday, I will be posting my Giving Challenge for the week.
Have you been working on yours?
Or
Have you not yet heard of the Giving Challenge?
If you haven’t, scroll down 2 posts and read the Challenge I have given myself and others. Join us, will you?
I can’t wait to hear what God will do through your giving this week!
… I think I have too much bloom.” Judy Garland as Esther in “Meet Me In St. Louis”.
If you haven’t seen it,…see it!! It’s up there in the best musicals ever made list…that is if there is a list….which in case there is because it’s my list.
You’ll LOVE it!
Click here to find it on Amazon.com
Something has spurred me on. Spurred me on to Give.
Little things I have read.
Watching a TV show.
Creative thoughts in my daily activities.
Memories of others Giving to us.
And even today’s tragic events.
What can I do? How can I give?
How can I encourage? Where do I start?
God has spurred me on. To go beyond myself and my weakness’.
To go beyond myself and my strengths.
This is my challenge.
The Giving Challenge.
Join me in The Giving Challenge, as I challenge myself to give more.
1. Create: cook, bake, sew, paste, drill, paint…. This challenge is meant to use your creative abilities. What do you love to create? That’s all I’m asking, and what I’m doing. Do what you love and go one step further.
2. Give to someone once a week.
3. Pray. At the beginning of each week, ask God who He wants you to bless .
4. Post your Giving Challenge every Friday, on your blog. Tell us what you made, who you gave it to, and what their reaction was, and so on. If you aren’t comfortable sharing who you gave it to and/or their reaction, that’s okay. Just share with us what you did to bless that person.
5. Share your blog post in the Mister Linky that I will attach with my blog post of my Giving Challenge on Friday.
If you need a little help on what to create; here’s a book from Gooseberry Patch, which was one of my inspirations for this challenge. Click on the picture below to find it on Amazon.com.
It's on my list to buy!
When I was a little girl, I watched the TV Show “Newhart” with my dad.
Once that theme song came on, it was time with Dad.
Just recently, I found out how much that theme song has become a comfort to me. I always enjoyed it when I was little, but now I believe it was the time spent with my dad that brings warm thoughts to that little ditty.
You know, if I ever visit Vermont, I FULLY expect that theme song to magically appear out of nowhere. I will be thoroughly disappointed if it doesn’t.
*note to self: make sure to download the theme song on your ipod, just in case….that is if I ever go to Vermont.
In the middle of the video, notice the little dog trotting. It seems that he has the song in his little doggie heart as he trots to the beat of the music.
What song do y’all have a special comfort in?
In 1957, my parents were married…and with it, my mom received a Betty Crocker 1956 cookbook.
It has been well used! And what I mean by well used, I mean my mom has used masking tape to keep the cover on. Yep. And why not, Betty Crocker is today’s Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond…except Ree is a REAL person.
This cookbook contains the BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, EVER! However, I have tweaked it a bit to suit my fancy. Hmmm, maybe that is why it IS the BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever!
Our cookie jar was running a little low on cookies a few days ago.
Okay, there was none.
So mommy asked me to make some.
And here it is….
#1 Soften 1 cup of butter in the microwave.
#2 Put the softened butter in a large bowl. Add 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup brown sugar to the butter.
#3 Cream the butter and sugars together with a blender (or your Kitchenmaid….that’s on my wish list, down the long narrow road)
#4 Add 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the creamed mixture. Mix with the blender to make a wet creamy mixture.
#5 In a separate bowl add 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
Here’s my version of sifting these ingredients together:
I know, I know. But hey, my cookies turn out just fine without a sifter. *grins*
#6 Add half of your dry mixture to the creamy mixture and mix with the blender.
#7 Add the remaining flour mixture, and mix once again, but of course.
TIP: Once you are done mixing in the flour mixture, and you find the final result is a little too gooey; add about another 1/2 cup of flour, and mix. This way, your cookies will be nice and plump, instead of flat as a pancake. Been there, done that. Okay, next….
#8 Hand stir in 1/2 a bag of your favorite semi-sweet chocolate chips. I don’t like a lot of chocolate chips in my cookies, which if why I only use 1/2 of the bag. And think of it this way; you save money by using the other half for the next batch you make! 
#9 Place a heaping teaspoonful of the cookie dough on a pre-heated cookie sheet. I really quite prefer this Pampered Chef stone for cookie making.
#10 Place the cookie sheet in the oven for 8 to 10 min. Make sure you never over bake your cookies, or they won’t have that special gooeyness that cookies should have. Just bake until they are lightly golden brown on top.
#11 Take the cookies out of the oven, and place the cookies on a cooling rack.
#12 Get the milk out of the refrigerator.
#13 Grab a glass from your cupboard, and pour the milk in the glass to your heart’s desire.
#14 Put the milk back in the refrigerator.
#15 Pick up that warm and plump gooeyness of a Chocolate Chip Cookie you ever saw, and devour.
Yum, yum, yummy!
The Simple Girl’s version of Betty Crocker’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 c. Butter
1 c. Granulated Sugar
1 c. Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
2 t. Vanilla Extract
3 1/2 c. All Purpose Flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1/2 a bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Soften the butter. Cream butter and sugars together. Add in eggs and vanilla. In separate bowl add dry ingredients and sift. Add the dry mixture in the creamed mixture and mix together. Then stir in the chocolate chips. Drop 1 heaping teaspoonful on pre-heated cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 min.
ENJOY!
