3 Quarters Today

My Life, my photography, my passions

snacks

Day 65/365: Winter Snow Drift in Nebraska

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Day 65: Nebraska Snow Drift

In Nebraska snow plus wind equals amazing snowdrifts. I love how the wind creates works of art. The wind travels across miles of empty fields collecting snow and deposits the very dry fine snow into very high drifts. It only takes a few inches to create several feet worth of drifts. This last storm was only six inches but resulted in a few 4-6 foot drifts.

Day 65: Waves of Snow

 

Nothing you want to be out in while it’s blowing, white out conditions with zero visibility created black ice this time and resulted in hundreds of accidents in Omaha and Lincoln. The interstate was closed for a short time. The Elmwood-Murdock school district, and other surrounding towns were closed for two days, one day for the storm, the next to open the many miles of country roads so the buses could get through.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 61/365: Easy Apple Muffin Recipe

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My Kids Titled me the Muffin Queen.

It is this easy muffin recipe that helped me earn that title with my family.

Easy apple muffin recipe
Day 61: Apple Muffins

Blueberry, Apple, or Chocolate Chip muffins, I can crank them out in 30 minutes whenever anyone wants a snack.  Here are some apple muffins and the very easy recipe that my daughter brought home from her Elmwood-Murdock high school foods class.

Apple Muffin Tea Pairing

Now, you can’t just eat a muffin without something to drink. This fresh apple muffin recipe is a perfect pairing to my Apple Cider Tea

But before baking your fresh apple muffins recipe, make sure you have the following ingredients. and supplies. When I sold muffins at our local farmers market , I loved using the wrapping papers below.

Stainless Steel Metal Measuring Cups and Spoons by Cooking Gods with Bonus Magnetic Chart. 12 Piece Stackable Metric Cup and Spoon SetStainless Steel Metal Measuring Cups and Spoons by Cooking Gods with Bonus Magnetic Chart. 12 Piece Stackable Metric Cup and Spoon SetRachael Ray Oven Lovin' Non-Stick 12-Cup Muffin and Cupcake Pan, OrangeRachael Ray Oven Lovin’ Non-Stick 12-Cup Muffin and Cupcake Pan, OrangeBob's Red Mill Super-Fine Gluten Free Almond Flour, 3 PoundBob’s Red Mill Super-Fine Gluten Free Almond Flour, 3 PoundHoffmaster 611120 Tulip Cup Cupcake Wrapper/Baking Cup, 2Hoffmaster 611120 Tulip Cup Cupcake Wrapper/Baking Cup, 2

Ingredients for Easy Apple Muffins

  • 3/4 cup Milk
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup apples
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg

Cinnamon Crumble Muffin Topping

  • 1 TBSP flour
  • 2 TBSP sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 TBSP butter

Easy Apple Muffin Directions

This is my Basic muffin recipe that you can customize to any flavor. For step 4 add in “special” ingredients of your choice. Such as blueberries or chocolate chips. 

I use a large liquid measuring cup and this is easy.

  1. Fill measuring cup with 3/4 cup milk. Add oil to the 1 cup line, add egg and mix.
  2. In a small mixing bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  3. Form a hole in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Quickly mix with a fork about 20 seconds.  Batter will be lumpy.
  4. Add in the apples and gently mix them into the batter.
  5. Scoop into lined, or greased, muffin tins about 3/4ths full
  6. Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl with a fork. It will be crumbly. Sprinkle on muffins.

Bake at 400F for 15-18 minutes.

Depending on the size of your muffin tins or muffin wrappers, this easy apple muffin recipe makes 6-9 muffins.

 

Day 59/365: Mandarin Oranges

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Mandarin Ornages
Day 59: I love Mandarin Oranges

Yes, I love Mandarin Oranges. I would pick up a can at our local convenience store CD Express, in Elmwood, and eat them as a snack. Cheaper and healthier than chips don’t you think? The problem lately is the store no longer stocks them. But every time I stop in I walk down the aisle and look at the empty space where they used to be.

Before Christmas this past year we stopped in and and lamented the fact that I couldn’t get me Maradarin Orange fix.  She said she would get me some for Christmas. I smiled and said “OK!”

You read that right 6 lbs 9 oz of Mandarin OrangesWell,  Christmas came this year I received about five cans, or about 7 lbs total. Not only did Jen put four small cans under the tree but I got a HUGE six pound bulk size can as a joke. Hey, have your laugh,…I’m eating Mandarin Oranges.

At first I thought I was going to have to find recipes to use them all, but no, better my daughter and I we will have them gone within the week.

But, if you ever find yourself looking for things to do with Mandarin Oranges here are a few hints.

Chocolate Dipped Mandarin Oranges With Sea Salt

Spinach Salad With Mandrin Oranges

Bittersweet Chocolate Tart With Mandarin Oranges

Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Mandarin Chicken Salad

Pork With Mandarin Oranges

Day 56/365: Marine Charm Necklace

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Day 56: US Marine Necklace

This has become one of my favorite necklaces. My oldest son is a US Marine, my youngest will be leaving for boot camp next summer.

I have found a custom jewelry artist who will create a line of Marine themed charms and pendants for me to start a new business “Hero Charms & Jewelry”.

Several inspirational words will be available and each charm is double sided. The square charm has an option for an option for the motto on the opposite side or a custom image of your special Marine. I will post other necklace options on my Flickr page

Now I have to submit the official licensing paperwork to the United States Marine Corps in order to use the EGA (Eagle, Globe and Anchor) logo and advertise Marines, U.S.M.C. Then I will post the website and shopping cart.

If you’re interested in purchasing a Marine Charm necklace leave me a message or email me and I will let you know when they are available.

Day 54/365: BOCH Music Festival

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Day 54: Honor Choir, Band and Orchestra

I’m taking some time out to be a Mom. My son sang in last weekends Honor Choir during the BOCH Festival. This stands for the Honor Band, Orchestra, and Choir at the Holland Center Festival, which was held in Omaha Nebraska Sunday February 22, 2011. He is a senior in high school and sings Bass II. He is right of middle, in a white shirt and tie. You can see him can’t you?

Only last year did he even begin to start participating in honor choirs and events. It wasn’t for a lack of talent.  Mrs. Colbert, his choir director, had been begging him to audition for years. Now he has the bug and has two more honor choir concerts in the next three weeks. Maybe it was singing at Carnegie Hall last year that did the trick. Whatever it was I’m enjoying it immensely.

Students were selected by audition and chosen from hundreds of students across the state and even some from Minnesota and Missouri. It’s quite an honor. Hence the name Honor Choir. Only two whole days were spent practicing their music, but remember, these are the most talented voices in the state. They were long days, singing for six hours a day and only one piece was in English. (just why do they do that?) But the result was simply wonderful!

Elmwood-Murdock high school had 15 students accepted into the choir, half in the Women’s Chorus and the other half in the Mixed Chorus. The photo above is bother choirs combined for the final number performed with the band and orchestra. America the Beautiful.

When the audio selections are made available I will post them for your listening enjoyment. For now, just call me a proud Mom. Yeah, he’s going to hate this post if he finds it, but at least I didn’t give his name.