I made cookies for my Bible study class. I had tons leftover. My son put a good dent in them. However I was afraid they would get dry and crumbly. I was thinking I would freeze them, but I found a better idea.
Ice cream cookie sandwiches! Yes, I put some vanilla ice cream between two chocolate chip cookies and then wrapped them in Saran Wrap. The perfect snack.
We arrived back In Wyoming yesterday evening. This morning we awoke to 7 degree temps and snow. The roads are closed to the ranch, so for the next couple of hours we are stuck in town.
When it’s snowy and nasty out. There is nothing to do but stay inside and of course cook.
I love whipping up a batch of sausage balls. They are easy and fun quick. Since we have been gone for over a week this required a trip to the store.
Now I like my sausage balls spicy. But you can omit the Tabasco and use mild sausage
Sausage Balls
1-2lbs of hot sausage
3-4 drops Tabasco
1 Small pkg finely shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 cups bisquick
Mix sausage, Tabasco, and cheese in a bowl. Then add enough bisquick to bind it together. Roll into balls and bake at 375 until done about 12-15 minutes.
Enjoy!
Wow if that’s not a title. …
(Pardon my Halloween makeup. This is my only picture before I quit dyeing it in January. )
Like the majority of women in America and probably the world, I worry about aging. I am now forty-one and yes I am gaining some wisdom lines. Now I will say first off, that dying your hair is wonderful. I love it. But if I choose to let it go. That too should be wonderful.
When I was in high school a friend’s mom plucked my first white hair. I was probably around sixteen. From there it multiplied. By the time I was 21 I was dying my hair every 6 weeks.
As a school teacher I was in the public eye and I felt the pressure to make sure I had my hair dyed. I went from dark brown, to blond, to black. Black is where I remained the last 8 years.
In the past five years I began to feel conflicted about my hair, and this is where my struggle begins. I retired from teaching and I am now a full time mom and ranch hand. Over the years my every six week hair appointment has changed to every four weeks. Once a month I had to go in to have my white, or silver, or maybe gray turned back. Why?
I tried to grow it out once and I was given so much grief. So much grief from even people I didn’t know. “You know your hair is really aging you.” “You look like my grandmother.” ” You have let your self go since you quit teaching.” The list goes on.
What makes it okay for us to put down or questions someone’s hair choice? Why do we feel that letting our hair be what God intended is not good enough? What gives us the right to put others down for being natural? The hair dye companies want us to feel ugly and unattractive without their products. But why?
We do this because someone tells us it is not the norm. We do this because society tells us that letting gray, silver, or white show is wrong!
Well this time I’m stronger. This time I am letting God’s choice for me shine bright! He chose me to have this color and I am letting it shine. Many of us have friends or family who never got the chance to go gray. They were taken early. I have the opportunity to see what God intended me to look like at my age. I’m going to take a look!
Here is to being proud of what God gave me! Let that light shine!!
It seems I have been away from my blog. I wish to say I have been knitting like crazy but I have been a little lazy. I am just getting back into the groove.
I made two baable hats for people through my Etsy store and then knitted just for me. I have decided to load my project bag with a few patterns I have been wanting to try and made myself work them out.
Here are a few pictures of what I have finished. Have a great week!
Well it's the first day of Christmas break for the kids. That makes it a wonderful day to make sausage balls. These little wonders are fabulous. They freeze well so make a double or triple batch. Of course they go fast.
We had the best time tonight creating our own little personal pizzas. A mixture of toppings made a great dinner idea become family memories.
This is one that really was a surprise. I love making Gingerbread. The smell of the dough, the smell throughout the house as it bakes both make it worth making. However most recipes it is just too spicy and crunchy.
This recipe is amazing. It turns out a fabulously soft and chewy cookie. Plus it has great flavor. It's not spicy at all. Recipe will post tomorrow.
I decided to try Eggnog Cookies tonight. Overall they are a very soft cookie and with the icing, they are just delectable!
Eggnog Cookies
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp rum or rum extract
1/2 cup eggnog
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Combine butter and sugars in a bowl. Mix until fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time. Then put in the vanilla, rum and eggnog.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add slowly mixing after each addition. 
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes of until lightly browned. Remove from pan and place on a cooling rack. 
When cool spread frosting on the top and sprinkle with additional nutmeg. Enjoy!
Frosting
1/2 cup butter softened
1 tsp rum or rum extract
3 tbsp egg nog
2-3 cups powdered sugar
Mix together to desired consistency. 
Christmas cookie number one was this gorgeous and simple cookie. They were so easy to make and can be changed to whatever flavor you desire. Enjoy!
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
1 cup butter softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
Blend butter and sugar until fluffy. Add extract and mix until combined. Slowly add the flour. Mix just until combined.
Roll in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour. It needs to be chilled completely so they don't crack.
Roll dough in one inch balls and place on greased cookie sheet about two inches apart. Use a finger to make an indentation. Using a small spoon place about 1/4-1/2 tsp of desired jam into the indention. 
Bake about 10-15 minutes. Remove when edges just begin to turn brown.
Remove to a cooling rack. Once cooled drizzle with glaze.
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/4 tsp almond extract
2-4 tsp water
Mix until consistency is easy to drizzle. May need more or less water. Allow glaze to dry before stacking.
It's 11:30pm, I just finished putting the glaze on the last cookie. Tonight I made Thumprint cookies with jam.
I will share the recipe tomorrow. For now here are some pictures to tide you over.
Goodnight and as always Enjoy!
The Modern Ranch Wife 