Sweets and signs of spring😍🌱🍯🌳⚘

Well, it’s been a nice, yet busy spring break here. We’ve done a lot around the property to get ready for spring and summer. We’ve made the fence stronger using electric, we finished another round of homemade maple syrup, and the best of all has been working on the cabin. It’s getting there, slowly but surely. We have the woodstove in and working, stone set around it, pallets getting cut down and put up on the walls for a nice rustic look, a queen size rustic wood bed frame made for us and soon to be ready for pick up. There’s still a ton to do, but it seems more like a reality that it will get done. I was worried a few months ago. I just have to remind myself to be patient and do a little at a time. The dream will come true.

Now onto some sweet baking. I made this awesome cinnamon roll apple pie with a crumb topping. It’s real easy, yet so delicious and sweet.

Cinnamon roll apple pie

2 cans cinnamon rolls. Take apart and put on bottom of pie plate. Smush them down and use as your crust. Don’t leave any gaps.

Peel and cut up about 4-6 apples in a bowl (I use granny smith). Mix with sugar and cinnamon. Add on top of cinnamon roll pie crust. It may be overflowing, but that’s ok.

Crumb topping:

6-8 Tbsp. cold butter -cut into small cubes

1/2 c flour

1/4 c brown sugar(more if needed)

Mix together with a fork, pastry cutter, or just your hands. That’s what I use. 😁

Place on top of pie. Bake on 350 for about an hour. Just keep an eye on it after 40 minutes have gone by.

Take out of oven and let cool a bit.

Use icing provided with cinnamon rolls and drizzle on top of pie.

Volcanoes

My boyfriend looked on Pinterest and found a great recipe for these cheese stuffed meatballs called volcanoes. I know, I know, it kinda sounds weird, but they’re delicious!!

They come out the best when I use ground venison. So much flavor and very moist. The bacon wrapped around these deliciousness makes it over the top!!😍😃

1-2 lbs. ground meat (I use venison or beef/lamb)

Cubes of cheese (preferably mozzarella or swiss) to put in middle of each meatball

1 egg

1/2c. bread crumbs

2tsp. garlic powder

1Tbsp. Italian seasoning

1 Tbsp. smoked paprika

Salt/pepper

Jar of bbq sauce ( I like a hickory smoked type, or Sweet Baby Ray’s)

Heat oven to 400. Mix bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, and egg into meat. Mix well.

Roll meat into small to medium size balls and place cube of cheese in middle, so it is hidden inside the meat. Place in casserole type dish. Continue making balls until done. Then wrap bacon around each meatball and place back in dish. Bake in oven for 50 minutes to 80 minutes depending on how well cooked the bacon is. Mine have cooked both fast and sometimes takes awhile longer.

About halfway through cooking, pour bbq sauce all over the meatballs and continue to cook until bacon looks done to your liking. Generally, the bacon is mostly cooked through, but doesn’t come out crisp.

A first for me

I’ve been thinking lately about making some gluten-free cupcakes. The cupcakes without the chocolate ganache frosting is dairy-free. I found a recipe for chocolate ones. The recipe was pretty easy and the frosting is chocolate ganache. How can you go wrong with that? Lol….you can’t. They are very yummy. I think I can taste a bit of a difference in that they dont seem as moist as regular cupcakes. But, nevertheless, I would still eat them and I’m pretty sure no one would could tell if they were different if I didn’t say anything. My boyfriend liked them even after I told him. He gave a chuckle and said the cupcakes were “Ithaca-ish”. He’s funny. 😊😂 he’s right. The recipe came from Nicole Hunn of glutenfreeonashoestring.com

Soon I will make more….and also try to make low-carb(use a sugar substitute such as stevia or truvia) and dairy-free ones.

Staying warm

Well….mother nature is at it again. She’s very uncertain about what she wants. But, of course had an awesome day here at home, staying cozy.

I just finished roasting some chicken. I bought two whole chickens ready to be seasoned. I put salt and pepper on both sides and then lather the chicken with Cajun seasoning. Put it in the oven on 385 for about one and a half hours. You could just roast it for an hour in the oven with one chicken.

When I take it out of the oven, I let it rest and cool down a bit(5-10 minutes) before cutting into it. This chicken is as good as the rotisserie chicken from Wegmans…and it’s probably cheaper 😊😃🍴🔪

Stay warm my friends!!

Meal Prepping….

I’ve been wanting to prep some healthy meals for my friend. I had been offering and wanting to, but would end up getting busy making cupcakes or watching episodes of Vikings or some other show to binge watch. 😃😉

So, last night I finally came through and accomplished it. I had gotten a bunch of green vegetables, fish, steak, and chicken over the weekend so I had everything I needed. I baked salmon, some venison steak, and roasted a heck of a lot of veggies…..lol.

Prepped meals were cimpleted and finished by 8pm or so last nightfor two of my teammates for our journey fitness challenge. They each got 4 containers filled with meat, a bit of sweet potato and lots of roasted veggies like Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, green beans, etc.

My hope is they enjoy the healthier food and I guess overall just give me more food orders. 🙂♨🥓🥚🍤🍴🔪