The best Gift Ever

wyranchwife4 Comments

As you well know, I love to cook. I especially love to cook soups and stews. This Christmas I was shopping for my father at Dillards near my parents house. Actually I was shopping for my mother for my father. He sent me to find her the perfect gift. And like me I knew a pan would be perfect.

I found myself in the kitchen section looking for a pan for my mom when I happened upon the most glorious sight I have ever seen. I am pretty sure a light was shining down on this pot. You know like the light on the Christmas tree in the movie Christmas Vacation.

This pot was made by Biltmore and it is fabulous. To be quite honest I’m not even sure how big it is, at some point I am going to fill it up just to see how much it holds. I know it looks like a small witches cauldron. But more beautiful. Oh yeah, much more beautiful.

I bought that baby and quickly told my husband that he had just purchased me the best present ever. He was thrilled with his purchase. I mean some women like jewelry or other type gifts. Give me a cooking item and I will love you forever. I know I am weird. I like those girly things, but I cook every day. The cows could care less if I have a diamond bracket on.

I used it to make ham and potato soup and it worked fabulous. Washed up so easily. The best part, I put 5 pounds of potatoes and close to 8 cups of water and it was maybe 3-4 inches in the pot. Not even close to the half way mark! I am dying to cook a large pot of stew soon. Now that I back in Wyoming and it is like -6 outside. I think it will happen soon.

The smaller pot is my usual soup pot. It holds about 4.5 quarts. We are going to eat soup for like a year if I fill that new pot to the top.

 

Don’t you just love pictures that you can see the photographer and all the background in.  Well there I am.

 

 

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Another Morning of Candy Making

wyranchwife1 Comment

I finished up the peanut butter balls. I love peanut butter balls with rice krispies in them.  I just do.  My family not so much.  Which left more than plenty for me to eat.

I will tell you that for the dipping chocolate I used the leftover chocolate from the coconut balls. I made so much that I had more than plenty do handle both the coconut balls and the PB balls and still have to throw out a little.

Enjoy!!

Crunchy Peanut Butter Balls

  • Servings: 20-40 depending on size
  • Print

  • 2 cups creamy peanut butter

  • 1/2 cup butter

  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar

  • 3 cups crisp rice cereal
  • favorite chocolate dipping recipe
  1. Melt peanut butter and butter in saucepan, over low heat. In large bowl, mix crispy rice cereal and confectioners’ sugar well. Pour melted peanut butter and butter over cereal and sugar and blend together thoroughly.
  2. Put into the fridge overnight.
  3. Scoop with a small cookie scoop and roll into balls. Using a toothpick dip them into your favorite chocolate dipping recipe.
  4. Place in mini muffin wrappers and top with sprinkles to hide the hole the toothpick leaves.
  5. These can be frozen.

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Peanut Butter Balls These turned out so good. I can’t wait to make them again.

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Who’s Ready for Coconut Balls?

wyranchwifeLeave a comment

If you have never eaten one of my Mom’s coconut balls.  Well you have not lived.  Well you may have lived, but you are missing out on one of the best holiday treats ever! i mean ever!! These are one of the best things that could possibly be made during Christmas.

My family will hurt each other over the last or first of these candies. They are that good.  I know that I am late getting this recipe on here, but go ahead and make them now. They freeze amazingly well. Make a batch, freeze them, and then slowly devour them one by one over the next few months. You will thank me. Your hips well they may not thank me, but your tastebuds will relish every single bite!!

Mom's Outstanding Coconut Balls

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  • 1 bag powdered sugar
  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 7 ounces coconut
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 pound chopped pecans
  • 1 ½ large packages chocolate chips-semi sweet
  • 1 block block of parafin-candy wax
1.Melt butter and pour into a mixer. Add 1/2 bag of the sugar. Add milk and rest of the sugar. Add nuts, coconut, and vanilla. Mix well. Refrigerate overnight.
2.In a double broiler melt chocolate chips and wax. Shape nut mixture into balls. Using a fork or toothpick dip into the chocolate mixture and place on waxed papers. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Note:

original recipe calls for 2 boxes of powdered sugar. Each box is 3 3/4 cups or 16 oz. Also one block of wax will melt and you will need a lot of chips to make it not so runny. I used one block, but I also used one large bag of semi sweet and 1 large bag of dark chocolate.  Loved the dark chocolate with the coconut.

Also this makes a lot. I mean a lot. When you bring it out of the fridge they will be cold and stiff and roll into nice balls that will not be melted by the warm chocolate. As the mix comes to room temperature it will become harder to dip. I place them back into the fridge and go back later or the next day to finish. I added sprinkles to the tops so that the toothpick hole was hidden.  Much easier than drizzling with chocolate.

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The Pick Has Begun for Christmas Puppies 4 weeks

wyranchwife1 Comment

1. J.J. – Jiggs
2. Kelsey- Tank
3. Kurt and Janet- Molly
4. Levi- Tripp
5. Smith- boy
6. Eric- girl

Waiting list
Jay- girl

The puppies will get their first shots on the 16th as well as wormed. They will be ready to go after that. Please make arrangements to pick up your puppy by December 20th.

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Tank- Kelsey
Douglas, Wyoming

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Jiggs- JJ
Douglas, Wyoming

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Tripp- Boy
Levi

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Skye- girl

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Molly- girl
Kurt and Janet- Colorado

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Sadie- girl

Bucking Horse Hat

wyranchwifeLeave a comment

Well I started this simple beanie hat yesterday for my husband. It was to be a simple hat that he could wear out to feed or whatever he needed. I found a bucking horse to put on it.

After I got started I had a feeling it was going to be more like a slouch hat.

Well it just grew and grew. Kinda like my soups. I am going to try again with a tighter pattern and smaller needles. My daughter ended up with a pretty cute slouch hat. At least she likes it.

In our Wyoming wind and weather a hat will never go in used. Tomorrow I am going to try again.

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Amazingly Soft PB Cookies

wyranchwifeLeave a comment

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I am not a peanut butter cookie fan. However I found this recipe and decided I was going to give it a try. What could it hurt? My family lately loves cookies and I have been trying to keep my cookie jar full. That in itself can be a hard task when cow work seems to be happening daily. The guys love a snack of cookies or brownies when we take a break doing cow work.

Anyway, I found this recipe and I adapted it a little bit to make it fit my needs. It turned out to be a wonderful little cookie. It is a peanut butter dough that you roll in sugar and bake it until they just crack on top. This leaves a very soft cookie on the inside but kind of an outer shell. You must give this recipe a try.

Peanut Butter Cookies

  • Servings: 24-28 small cookies
  • Print

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tbsp butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Granulated sugar for coating

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Mix peanut butter and butter in a mixing bowl, add brown sugar and beat until well combined. Mix in eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. Beat until creamy

3. Add the baking powder and salt. Beat until just blended. Then add the flour in small increments. Mix just until combined.

4. Put the granulated sugar in a small ball. Using a small ice cream scoop or cookie scoop, skip out one portion of cookie dough. Role in your hand to make a ball, and then roll it in the granulated sugar. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Place cookies 2 inches apart.

5. Bake for approximately 8 to 10 minutes or just until the edges are browned and the tops begin to crack. DO NOT OVER COOK! Let cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then move to a cookie rack.

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