A Horse is A Horse, Of Course, Of Course

My mom has a special place for horses in her heart; she grew up riding and had her own horse until shortly before she and my dad married. In the years since, she has continued to ride off and on, and her love of horses still runs strong.

My mom dreams of having horses again complete with a ranch and acres of land. So, for the time being, until she gets that ranch, the following horses are all ones my mom could bring home. They might not be a substitute for the real thing, but they'd make for a fun addition to a home all the same.












Blog candy winner

Sorry I didn't get this done last night! Using random.org, here is what came up:

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:45


Mom to Deanna said...
Oh! How melonishus! Too cute!!!
April 27, 2009 8:23 PM

Congrats Mom to Deanna, please email me your address so I can get your prize in the mail.

Thanks everyone for playing along with our blog hop and hope you had fun!!
HUGS!

Gluten-Free Italian Meatball Recipe

Italian meatballs gluten free with brown rice spaghetti
Gluten-free Italian meatballs recipe with pesto rice pasta

Craving meatballs but shun evil gluten? Have I got a meatball recipe for you. And it's so good you won't even have to apologize to your Aunt Carmella. I promise. She won't ever suspect you pulled a switcheroo on the old family recipe and made it gluten-free.

Mum's the word (or is it Mama mia?).

Let's face it. When it comes to making meatballs every family boasts an ultra-special top secret meatball recipe, right? There's a loyalty to meatball mojo as fierce and tooth baring as the die hard belief that Mom's meatloaf can cure all ills, mend bruised hearts, and restore order to chaos theory.

So why am I putting myself on the line here? How do I even dare to post a gluten-free meatball recipe? The wrong ingredient or technique might actually lead to fisticuffs. Or bristling. You might turn away from Gluten-Free Goddess in utter, sheer contempt.

I'm putting my reputation on the line here, and I know it.

So why risk it? Why torture myself with the inevitable backlash? Reason one-  an obvious plea. My meatballs are gluten-free and casein-free, in other words, GFCF. My audience. My people.

These meatballs also happen to be egg-free (yes, I hear the snorts of derision- may you wake tomorrow with a blooming albumen rash and come crawling back to peruse my egg-free recipes).

Reason number two? My spaghetti and meatballs? Killer. I'm serious.

Meatball bliss.


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OOPS! A little late - never posted this one!

Ok, do you hate me for this? LOL! I've been busy with some commisioned work, but I remembered I had this Tilda that I did for Easter and never posted. Yes, I know Easter is long over, but I still like how it turned out and wanted to show you.
The precious Tilda in striped stockings and the Easter Egg are both available for purchase at Magnolia-licious. Be sure and pop over there and check out what Diana's store is all about. She offers free shipping to the US and Canada, no matter how big or small the order! How cool is that?!! Free shipping ROCKS!

That cute tag is from a set of downloadable stamps from The Cutting Cafe'. DP is by Melissa Frances. I love that line of paper. Such pretty prints! Stamps were colored with copic markers. The scalloped squares were cut with my Cricut Expression and the Storybook cartridge.

Sorry....I promise that this will be the last Easter card I post until next year! LOL! Thanks for stopping by today, and hope to see you back again soon! HUGS!

Three Elements {Kentucky Horse Farm}

It has been an awfully long time since I've posted an inspiration board and even longer since I've done a Three Elements post (funny, the last time I did such a post, I said the same thing...) This week's Three Elements, as part of Horse Week, were inspired by the beauty of Kentucky horse farms.

The first board is for a more formal and traditional bride with a hint of old-fashioned elegance. A rich palette of colors, including chestnut, emerald green, and soft peony pink, would echo throughout the decor of the day. Mint juleps would be served in their traditional silver cups, and in celebration of a Southern favorite, the wedding cake would be a delicious red velvet.

The second board is a bit more casual and has an upscale, down-home vibe. This bride is a woman who doesn't mind mucking out the stalls for her beloved horses and who draws inspiration in the colors surrounding her in the barn. A warm palette of red, mustard yellow, chestnut, and kraft-paper brown would provide the backdrop for the day, and Southern comforts, such as buttermilk biscuits and bourbon, would fill guests bellies.

The three elements this week are:



and, of course, in the Derby tradition, women in hats!



Mint Juleps & Silver Spoons
Row 1: L to R- Leo Patrone via The Bride's Cafe, Patricia Lyons via Southern Weddings, Martha Stewart Weddings
Row 2: Brides, Gene Burch Photography via VisitFrankfort.com, Johnny Miller Photography
Row3: Isabel Lawrence Photography, Carrie Patterson Weddings, Mary Claire Weddings via Style Me Pretty, Jake McBride of Christian Oth Photography via Style Me Pretty, Beka & Jesse-- Marie Labbancz
Row 4: Brides, Nick Weiler, Amy Squires via Elizabeth Anne Designs

Down-home Derby
Row 1: L to R- Aimee Herring Photography, Gentl & Hyers, Gene Burch Photography via VisitFrankfort.com, Whitebox Weddings
Row 2: Rebekah Westover via Elizabeth Anne Designs, Nick Weiler, Brides
Row 3: Pinch My Salt, Martha Stewart Weddings, romanlily
Row 4: Myrtle and Marjoram via Style Me Pretty, Mikkel Vang

The Gluten-Free Diet Cheat-Sheet: How to Go G-Free

The Gluten-Free Diet Cheat-Sheet: How to Go G-Free

Gluten-Free ABCs for Going G-free

Gluten is the elastic protein in the grains: wheat, rye, barley, durum, einkorn, graham, semolina, bulgur wheat, spelt, farro, kamut, and triticale. Commercial oats also contain gluten due to cross contamination in processing.

Recipes that use flour (bleached white flour, whole wheat, cracked wheat, barley, semolina, spelt, farro, kamut, triticale) or vital wheat gluten are not gluten-free.

Semolina, spelt and whole wheat pasta, including cous cous, are not gluten-free.

Beer, ale and lager are not gluten-free. Brats, meats and sausage cooked in beer are not gluten-free.

Malt vinegar, malt flavorings and barley malt are not gluten-free.

Recipes calling for breadcrumbs, breaded coatings, flour dredging, bread and flat bread, croutons, bagels, croissants, flour tortillas, pizza crust, graham crackers, granola, cereal, wheat germ, wheat berries, cookie crumbs, pie crust, crackers, pretzels, toast, flour tortillas, wraps and lavash, or pita bread are not gluten-free.

The vegan protein sub called seitan is not gluten-free; and some tempeh is not gluten-free (you must check). Flavored tofu may or may not be gluten-free. Injera bread (traditionally made from teff flour) and Asian rice wraps may be gluten-free, but are not necessarily gluten-free (check labels).

Barley enzymes used in malt, natural flavors, and to process some non-dairy beverages, chocolate chips, coffee and dessert syrups (and even some brown rice syrups) are not gluten-free. Always check.


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Hold Your Horses

Horses are commanding animals to behold, and their likenesses certainly hold their own in home interiors. Each of the following spaces displays an element of equestrian style through the depiction of these majestic creatures in items such as pillows, prints and paintings.




Domino (r.i.p.)

via The Style Files

Country Living

Amanda Nesbit Design

If you prefer a more subtle nod to equines in your interiors, you can simply display an item inspired by horses, as seen in the two rooms below.

Melanie Acevedo

James Merrell

Royal Icing 1 0 1 . . . .Works For Me Wednesday


For cookie decorating, I use Royal Icing. I've seen cookies decorated with fondant and just recently heard of rolled buttercream, but Royal Icing works for me.

Royal Icing is an icing that dries hard and opaque, so cookies can be stacked and icing stays pretty when cookies are packaged. It's easy, too...it only takes 3 ingredients: meringue powder, water and sugar (flavoring is optional).
To start, you'll need meringue powder. Ateco and Williams-Sonoma are my favorites...I think I've tried them all. :) Ateco is a little hard to find, so any meringue powder will work. Follow the instructions for Royal Icing that come with your meringue powder. Here's a recipe to try with any meringue powder:

Royal Icing
(this will cover approximately 3 dozen 3.5 inch cookies)

1 pound powdered sugar
5 TBSP meringue powder
scant 1/2 c. water
a few drops of extract (optional)

Combine the meringue powder and water with a whisk attachment using an electric mixer. Beat until peaks begin to form. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat on low to combine. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. (You should be able to remove the beater from the mixer and hold up and jiggle without the peak falling.) If using an extract, add it then beat for a few more seconds to incorporate.
Cover with plastic wrap touching the icing or divide and color using gel paste food colorings.

{The most important step: sift the powdered sugar! Believe me, I've tried to shortcut this step...it doesn't work. My favorite powdered sugars are Domino and C & H, but as you can see from the picture, any will do. Imperial is easier to find in the 1 pound boxes.}

This "stiff" icing is perfect for outlining and even for building gingerbread houses and monogramming. To fill in your cookies, add water to your icing a little at a time until it is the consistency of syrup. This technique of filling a cookie with thinned icing is called "flooding." Click here for more details.
Happy cookie decorating!

Be sure to check out all of the Works for Me Wednesday ideas at We are THAT Family.

♥♥♥Don't forget the CHOCOLATE GIVEAWAY going on right now!!! TWO Bake at 350 readers will win!♥♥♥

More WFMW posts:

Chomping at the Bit

I have horses on the brain, as this Saturday is the Kentucky Derby, an event I grew up watching every year on television and that has long held a special place in my heart.


It has also been a long time since my last theme week, and I have been chomping at the bit* to present this one, so, without further ado, I bring you Horse Week.

*If you are thinking "Champing at the Bit!!," you are correct. I, however, apparently along with many other English speakers, thought it was "chomping," and it seemed too strange for me to write "champing" instead. Grammar police score one point.

Chocolates for Mom...a giveaway for TWO!!!

{Update: the winners are: Sarah {SCS: Sairabee} and Dessert Obsessed. Congratulations, ladies!}

Just in time for Mother's Day... See's Candies is offering TWO Bake at 350 readers $25 gift cards!!! Woo-hoo!!!
Why I think chocolate is the perfect Mother's Day gift...
  1. It's never the wrong size,
  2. It's already wrapped,
  3. If you give it in person, mom has to share!
To enter...pop on over to See's Mother's Day Gifts and tell me...what would you pick for mom (or for yourself)? Let me know in a comment and be sure to link to a blog or leave an email.


I'm thinking....Cafe Latte Pops and Travel Mug...

...the Keepsake Collection...

...of course, you can never go wrong with Nuts & Chews!

Drawing will be held Saturday, May 2nd at 5pm central. Good luck! :)

Once Upon a Lime...

I'm a chocolate girl at heart, but sometimes a citrus-y dessert is just the ticket!

Have you tried Lime Oil or Natural Lime Powder? King Arthur Flour carries both of them in their online shop and I am so happy to have tried them.
lime cookies
First up....Luscious Lime cookies! The recipe can be found on the King Arthur website and they are exactly as described. Luscious little bites of lime. They're made with both the lime powder and lime oil. The cookies are tart and sweet and covered in a generous dusting of lime powdered sugar.

Don't wear black while eating them! ;)


Second...Key Lime Pie Ice Cream

This is the creamiest ice cream I've ever made! The lime flavor is kicked up a notch with the addition of a little lime oil. I can't wait to make this again...it was a hit!
key lime
Both of these recipes would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo parties and warm weather cookouts!

Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
(inspired by Bruce Weinstein)

1 & 1/2 c. heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
1 (15 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. key lime juice (or regular lime juice)
1/4 tsp. lime oil
4 full sheets graham crackers, crumbled
2/3 c. marshmallow creme

Bring the cream to a simmer. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk the hot cream into the yolks. Pour the mixture back into the pan and heat over low heat, whisking or stirring constantly. Heat until the custard has thickened slightly. (Don't boil.)

Remove from heat and pour custard through a strainer into a large bowl. Cool slightly and then whisk in the sweetened condensed milk, juice and lime oil. Cover and refrigerate overnight or 8-12 hours.

Stir the custard and add to your ice cream machine. About 2 minutes before the ice cream is finished, add the graham crackers. Spoon into freezer safe containers, adding the marshmallow creme in large dollops throughout. Press plastic wrap onto the ice cream, cover and freeze for a few hours to harden.


Want more?
I scream, you scream. We all scream for ice cream:
....Turtle Ice Cream Pie!....

Bitten By The Bug Challenge and a blog hop

This blog candy is now closed. Thank you for playing!

Hi everyone! Sure hope you had a wonderful weekend, and now it's to deal with another Monday! There is one bright spot in Monday, and that's because it's time to reveal the new Bitten By The Bug challenge. And this week, we're doing something a little different. We're having a blog hop with some blog candy up for grabs!! Fun stuff, huh??!! So read all the way to the end of this post for details.
This weeks challenge was to use any cut from the Doodlecharms cartridge, but we had to use the border cut. I chose the watermelons, just cause I think they're so darned cute! I like the long cards, but don't make them very often. This challenge was perfect for utilizing that shape.

The paper is Dreamy 2 by My Minds Eye, and the cardstock is Bazzill. I added a bow with a Prima flower and a Making Memories brads, and the book plate was cut with my Fabulous Finds cartridge.
Now for the blog candy details. Be sure and leave a comment on this post for a chance to win this Sizzix die (plus a few other little goodies thrown in). If you don't have a Sizzix machine, you can use it in your Cuttlebug. Just don't use your A plate. Put the Sizzix die with your paper inbetween the two B plates and run it through your Cuttlebug and voila! When you're done here, go visit Nikki Duey's blog. She's got some candy waiting for you too! And be sure and check out her awesome creations while you're there. Nikki's work with the Cricut and papercrafting is just unbelievable! Her work is even featured in the infomercial you see all the time on TV!! Plus she's got some WICKED stamping skills! Can you tell I'm a huge fan?? :) I will use random.org to choose a winner Wednesday evening.
That's it for today! Don't forget to visit Bitten By The Bug and play along with our challenge this week. Thanks for coming by to see me today, and I hope to see you back again soon! HUGS
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