Ranch Fun on the Fourth

It was a steamy, star-spangled Independence Day here at the ranch.

The kind that had the kiddos heading for the water.

Uh, oh. Sister could be in for some big trouble.

One of my granddaughter's favorite things is jalapeno poppers, so I made sure to rustle up some of those.

I stuffed the halved jalapenos with a mixture of cream cheese and shredded sharp cheddar. Then wrapped them in half a bacon slice, secured that with a toothpick, and baked them at 275 degrees for about 45 minutes.

After the sun set, it was time for fireworks over the lake.

The kids, both big and small, made a run to the fireworks stand earlier in the day. Once it was dark, the big kids treated us to a spectacular show. A fitting ending for a wonderful day.

Oh, but something else happened last week.

Remember this? 

The Carolina wrens that were displaced after one of your trees toppled in a storm last month decided to build their new nest in a bucket we'd left sitting outside our dining room window.

Well, last week, the eggs hatched. 

There are five babies in all, though you can only see three here. Three VERY hungry little ones awaiting mama and daddy's return. I love that we have a front row seat for this. Almost as much as I love a happy ending.

The dog days of summer have settled over the ranch. Hot, lazy days. The kind that make you want to stay in the air conditioning and write. For those of you who live up north, this is like your January, when you stay inside to escape the cold. Like I said, it's a trade off. You get snow, we get heat. 

What's going on in your neck of the woods?

Three time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she's not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more a mindyobenhaus.com.

Happy Fourth of July!

From sea to shining sea,

Happy Independence Day!

From all of us at

The Yankee-Belle Cafe

Pasta Salad - The Perfect Fourth of July Side Dish

by Mindy Obenhaus

Know anyone having a cookout anytime soon? Like, oh, tomorrow? 

Yes, the Fourth of July and cookouts seem to go hand-in-hand. And this pasta salad is the perfect accompaniment to your burgers, brats, chicken, ribs or steaks. It's even delicious all by itself. It's nice and cool...perfect for a hot summer day. Best of all, it's easy. If you can boil water, you can make this pasta salad.

Of course, there's always one key ingredient in pasta salad and that's the pasta. I prefer mine with some color, so I often opt for the Wacky Mac or some other tri-colored pasta.

Sometimes you can even find holiday pasta, like red, white and blue stars or red and green Christmas trees. I've seen them at places like Homegoods and Cost Plus World Market. They're fun for both cooking and decorating. Simply keep them on display in a sealed mason jar until you're ready to use them.

Cook your pasta according to package directions to al dente. Once the time is up, drain immediately and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Then place your cooked pasta into a bowl. 

Add some chopped red onion, bell pepper and sliced black olives. 

These are my veggies of choice, but you're welcome to use whatever you like. But this next ingredient is what takes this pasta salad to the next level.

Imitation crab, which can usually be found in the meat section of your favorite market, is the key ingredient. Chop it up and stir in as much or little as you like into your pasta mixture.

Top everything with some Italian salad dressing (I don't recommend fat-free versions because without the oil the liquid ends up soaking into the pasta, making for a drier salad) and toss again.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until ready to serve. That means you can make it the day ahead. But when something is this easy, you really don't have to.

Colorful, tasty and simple, making this one of my all-time favorite recipes. Oh, and did I mention it's always a crowd-pleaser?

So tell me about your plans for the Fourth. Do you tend to celebrate at home or do you like to go somewhere? And how about the fireworks? 

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Three-time Carol Award finalist, Mindy Obenhaus, lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children, two dogs and countless cattle. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining and sometimes adventurous manner. When she's not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com. 

Happy Fourth of July!

The café is closed in observance of Indepence Day.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!

This n That ~ Good Intentions Gone Awry

Good morning, Yankee-Belle peeps!

Are you awake now?

No.

Okay, I'll have Ruthy put on another pot of coffee.

So how was your July 4th? Quiet? A day of celebration? Maybe you went to the lake or the beach. Did you cookout? 

Whatever the case, I hope you had fun and enjoyed your freedom to do those things in this great country of ours.

Like Jan, July is a month full of celebrations around our house. And the fourth wasn't simply a day to celebrate our independence, it was also my youngest grandson's birthday.

Elijah was one happy birthday boy. When asked what he wanted for his birthday, he said, "Candles." 

Well, he got those, along with an entire day of food and fun.

Since it was a birthday, naturally, we had to have cupcakes. Complete with star-spangled sprinkles.

**TIP**  One of my pet peeves when using sprinkles is that they scatter. I find them on the counter, the floor... To remedy that, try setting the cupcakes inside of a baking pan. I was able to fit my cooling rack inside. Then, simply sprinkle away and let all those little wayward pieces land in the pan, instead of scattering all over your kitchen.

Whenever I post pictures of my cupcakes, some of you ask how I make them look so pretty.

Here's  the key.

It's a large star-type decorating tip. All you do is slip it into the narrow end of a decorating bag (If you're using a disposable bag, you have to snip the tip off first. I prefer the disposable ones, so I can just toss them when I'm done), fill your bag with your favorite frosting, twist the top to prevent the frosting from squirting out the back end and then squeeze the frosting onto the cupcake.

Looks like it took all day, but it's SO easy.

After hamburgers and brats, cake and presents, Elijah was ready to swim. 

Don't you love the way his big brother, Caden, photo-bombed the pic.

Elijah challenged his Uncle Ryan to a diving contest.

I'm not sure who the winner was.

While the boys swam, grammy cranked out some more treats.

Like Dutch oven cherry cobbler.

Originally, I had intended to show you every step of this tasty treat, but then I forgot to take pictures. 

I was making this in a cast iron Dutch oven, the kind with legs, that you put coals under and on top of. A cool process I wanted to show the grandboys.

First, I generously rubbed the inside of the pot with butter. Then I added two cans of cherry pie filling and spread that over the bottom. Next, I topped the filling with a package of yellow cake mix. Yep, just the dry stuff. Smooth that around, then cut up one stick of butter (the real stuff) and dot it over the top, like I've done here.

Then you put the lid on, set the pot over approximately 8 hot coals, then add another 19 on top of the lid and let it go for about 35 minutes. That's when the magic happens. 

Between the pie filling and the butter, you get this wonderfully golden crust on the top that is to die for.

This recipe is sometimes referred to a dump cake and can be made in the oven. Again, pour your pie filling into a buttered pan, oblong is fine, pour on the cake mix, add the butter and bake in a 375 oven for 30-35 minutes.

On this day, though, doing it outside and creating a little fun for the boys was the way to go.

And what goes better with warm cherry cobbler than ice cream? 

Why, homemade ice cream, of course,

Just another event I wanted to share with grands, who'd never had homemade ice cream before. 

I'll have to share this recipe some other time. Like when I make it again and have some pictures. Just suffice to say that it was relatively easy.

Time to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

See those golden bits of crust mixed in with the cherries?

This is heaven in a bowl, I tell ya.

But all good things must come to an end. After a hard day of swimming, you just want to relax and check out your new toys.

The bonding time with Uncle Michael was an added bonus.

In this pic, Elijah is channeling his inner Superman and Ninja Turtles. 

And to think, this is only the beginning of July. We still have four more birthdays to go!

Now it's your turn. I want to hear about your Fourth festivities.

Cute Puppies, Cute Kids and Exciting News!

Ever have one of those weeks where things just don't go according to plan? 

One that's filled with the unexpected?

Well, mine apparently spilled over into this week, because I'm not able to bring you the post I had planned.

But I still have a few things I'd like to share, so I hope you won't click to the next blog just yet.

First, I haven't showed you a Maddie picture in a while. She's gotten so big since she was last here.

She and Dixie are best buddies.

One thing that did go according to plan last week was the 4th.

We got to spend it with our favorite firecracker baby. 

Elijah turned three this year, so Old Glory and Superman teamed up to make the best birthday cake ever.

I found a nice surprise on my doorstep last week, courtesy of the UPS man. 

Whoo-hoo!! I love the smell of new books.

Unfortunately, the rest of you will have to wait until Mid-August/September.

To pre-order, click here.

But the BIGGEST and MOST EXCITING news of all--and you're hearing it here first--

Drumroll, please.

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I received a two-book contract from Love Inspired Books!!!!!!!

I'm still happy dancin'.

Titles and release dates are yet to be determined.

So while I may not have a recipe today, we do have virtual cake and punch, so I hope you'll join me in celebrating. Shoot, you can even have seconds, because virtual cake has absolutely NO calories. :)

Happy Tuesday, y'all!

Heart Healthy Spinach and Mushroom Barley Pilaf

Hello, everybody! The Fresh Pioneer is back in the cafe with a delicious, healthy recipe. This is a good side dish for those drop-in dinner guests that always happen around the Fourth of July! Super simple, filling, and takes just a few minutes to cook. 

This is another recipe from the diabetes cookbook I picked up from our library. So far, every recipe I've tried has been easy and delicious. You can't ask for more than that!

 Ingredients:
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup quick cooking barley (I used regular since that's what I had in the cabinet)
1 tbs canola oil
1 1/2 tbs diced onions
mushrooms (I used crimini and here's a great article on their special health benefits, which are different than regular white button mushrooms)
2 tbs garlic
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 tsp oregeno
1/2 tsp salt (I skipped because I used chicken broth and it tasted fine without it)


 Bring the chicken broth to a boil and stir in the barley. Turn it down to a simmer and put on a tight lid. Leave it for 10-15 minutes, stirring a few times to make sure it's not sticking/ burning to the bottom of the pot.

 Put oil, onions, garlic and mushrooms (washed and sliced) into a non-stick pan. Stir on medium heat until onions are cooked. I like my mushrooms a bit carmelized so I turned the heat up to medium high.

Check the barley and when it's cooked (soft) remove it from the heat. Don't drain the excess liquid because it adds flavor to the barley. Put the baby spinach in with the mushrooms and stir for a few minutes, just until wilted.

 Dice the tomatoes and toss with the rest of the ingredients. The book says this recipe has 150 calories a serving, 24 carbs, 4 g of fiber and 3 of protein.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Fourth of July! We're still traveling, but we're hoping to see some beautiful fireworks displays on the coast. Have a great time celebrating our country's independence and I'll see you next weekend in the cafe, my friends!

Oui, oui! Summer Peaches the French Way

Now most of us are thinking like this, this 4th of July week:

Me? I'm thinking like this cat who loves art:

Who lives near here (see the red, white and blue tints), a gate house:

Which is on the grounds of here, Chenonceau chateau in the Loire Valley in France:

Why would I be thinking about France this week?  Well, I mean there is that who thing about France helping us win the Revolution so we could blow up fireworks in our cul-de-sacs in perfect freedom.

But also because France is where I learned the secret for the best fruit dish in the world. And a lot of fruit is coming in. Blueberries, blackberries and peaches, peaches, peaches.

When we visited the castles of the Loire Valley, we stopped at a little restaurant in Chenonceaux, the town near this famous chateau that spans a river. We were the only ones in the restaurant because you know it was 7:00pm and folks there eat at 9:00! I don't remember anything about the meal except the BEST PEARS I'VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE.

Yes, they were. Since the owner wasn't busy, she told me the recipe, the secret ingredient for this marvelous dish. And I practically fainted on the spot. SO SIMPLE. She cut up the pears, sauteed them in butter, added a bit of sugar and then, the secret ingredient, vanilla.

Now I know vanilla is the most purchased ice cream flavor in the US. I know half the heroines I read about in books wear vanilla-scented perfume. But I didn't know you could put vanilla on plain fruit and turn it into a masterpiece of flavor. Biggest culinary revelation ever.

So now I put vanilla on all my fruit and suddenly I don't feel deprived that I can't have a pie crust (darn wheat allergy) along with it. Who needs pie when you have fruit that reaches new heights of deliciousness?

So I am thankful for France being a good friend to America in her time of need and to giving me one of the simplest ways to enjoy summer's bountiful fruit crop.

This week it was peaches. They look deceptively plain but if you want to gild the lily, add vanilla ice cream and a cookie:

   
Sauteed Fruit, Chenonceaux style

2 cups fruit
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar (any type but I use organic or brown sugar)
1 teaspoon or more vanilla to taste.

Peel fruit.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat.

Add fruit as soon as butter is melted.

Stir until fruit has softened a tad.

Add sugar and vanilla and continue to stir until evenly distributed.

Serve warm, plain as a side dish or with ice cream for dessert.

So what about you? What ingredient is your secret weapon? What is your favorite simple recipe for July 4th? Do you dream of running away and living in a castle?


 

Starbucks Gingerbread Coffee plus Summer Jello Ideas

Hello, everybody! I'm baaaaaaaack with a post that is less "recipe" and more "life instructional". All of the goodies here today aren't anything difficult but boy-oh-boy can they make your life a little bit sweeter.

First of all, Starbucks gingerbread latte mix. My friend Mindy brought this over. She found the recipe on Pinterest and decided to try it out. (I love when my friends try out recipes and then bring me the results. I didn't even WORK for this!) 

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground ginger

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

(This is what we're trying to recreate. Can you smell it??)

So, you mix it all together in a large container. Large because it will start to rise a la those old volcano science fair projects!

 You can keep it on the counter, or in the fridge. It will separate, but just stir it back together. Add to a latte to make your very own home made Starbucks gingerbread latte! This weekend I was battle the WORLD'S WORST HEAD COLD. So, I was trying to stay hydrated, sipping hot drinks to soothe my throat and doing my best not to hack on anybody. I even tried a spoonful of this in steamed milk. Ohhhhhh, yummy. 

Passing along this sort of recipe gets you nice Christmas presents. Just sayin', my friends!

Now, usually I'm Sally Hawkins playing Anne Elliott in Persuasion (2007) but for the past month I've been working on a young adult project/ course with Franny Billingsley. I've had to put away my regency things and...

pretend I was high on a mountain top in Japan, surrounded by macaques. (That's me on the left. Looking tired.) You can watch these funny guys on a live web cam here. Seriously, click the link. It's a hoot. When I'm up late writing, I like to click on the live cam an watch the macaques hang out in their natural hot tub. (Who says writers are boring, eh??)

The Kuromon Gate of Mt. Atago, where my story is set. 

Anyway, that deadline was Monday and I felt the need to celebrate everything (I hope) I've learned.  Things like a believable plot, characters with hidden agendas (even from themselves) and world-building beyond a few houses or naming a state. 

 I really wanted to make some Mexican jello, like this tutorial in ourbestbites but didn't have an condensed milk or plain gelatin.

So, I decided to make something more like this. 

KIDDING.

 But I really did want to make some kind of jello treat so I decided to try something I saw on Pinterest. Cue the fail music, right? No, I was determined to make something pretty AND tasty.

 Now, I'm sure this post will have something that someone is allergic to, or is swearing off, or can't have right now. So, enjoy some fresh fruit while you read. Here, raspberries! They're not in season, though and taste a bit... bland.

 The blueberries are better. Not as good as the blueberries we get from the blueberry farm but these were close enough that we all started reminiscing about our time at the blueberry farm. WE CAN'T WAIT!!

 Strawberries. Freshly washed, ready to be chopped. The little guys were eating them out of hand, but I convinced them to save a few.

 Ok, the first Pinterest recipe had strawberries, blueberries and whipped topping in a pretty little display. I tried it. This is what I got. On of my kids said it looked like a fruit crab with eye stalks. Hmmm... Now it's looking at me.

 Ana was afraid all the fruit would be used in something that would be, in the en, inedible, so she tossed some in a bowl. The blackberries were just sweet enough that we decided we MUST make an effort this year to pick enough to freeze. We always say we will, but then it's 105F and nobody wants to stand out in the hot son, fighting off the wasps, and pricking their fingers.

 I tried another recipe I saw on Pinterest. Blue jello, red strawberries. Looks okay.

 I let it sit for a while. And then I added red jello.

 Ok, apparently it wasn't set enough. I decided that was another "fail". Nobody even wanted to eat it. Out it went.

 Third time's the charm!! Blue jello in jam jars and THIS TIME I waited an hour or two for them to set. (See? That's why the post is late. I has nothing to do with the fact I forgot I was here in the cafe today. :)

 After it's set (like, really, really set) cover with whipped topping and put strawberries or raspberries on top.

You can even turn them sideways and pretend it's for Bastille Day! 

No? Oh, okay...

I hope you find something to give your day a little bit of fun this week and let me know if you've found a great, fool-proof recipe lately!