I've been doing everything... except writing.

Hi my name is Dana..
I'm also known as the homesteading housewife.
I used to blog religiously here.
This month I've been so busy doing everything except writing.

I've gotten some e-mails from people asking if I was dead.
I'm not dead, I've just been out of sorts lately you could say.

This is always a busy time of the year.
Getting ready for the holidays.
Dealing with the kids being home from school.
But the past few weeks I've had a couple other things going on besides the norm.

The-man-of-my-dreams no longer works out of the country, he's working at home now. (major adjustment!)

We got worker #1 all signed up for college. (ugh! there is not enough wine in the world to make THAT easy!)

Worker #2 decided that his 18 years of life experience has prepared him to deal with life in the real world, and he moved out in the middle of the night (like an adult), two days before Christmas. (Merry Christmas!)

My new company, (3-Leaf Marketing) is growing and doing well, but keeping me very busy.

The Man-of-My-Dreams bought me my dream car for Christmas!
A Jeep Wrangler!
Seriously, when I was 6, all I wanted in life was a purple Jeep Wrangler with a white top that came off. 
When I was 16, my dream was to have a silver Jeep Wrangler, jacked up with big tires, and hot pink & teal shocks.
Now that I'm 38, all I want to do is paint my beautiful Black Jeep Wrangler pink. (it's Gonna happen! Don't you worry! I WILL have my pink Jeep!)

I've been busy working on launching my brand-new site, Punched By Pink, this site gonna be pure fun!
I can't wait and I think you'll love it as much as I will. 
Stay tuned it'll be launching very soon.

During the holiday season I developed several new recipes that I'll be sharing very soon.

I've taken a ton of pictures that I plan on posting.

I have several funny stories involving Brutus the English bulldog, my children, and baby pigs, a stubborn beef calf who won't get in his trailer, tangled Christmas lights that don't work, trips to the tattoo parlor, the perils of accidentally buying diet Big Red instead of regular Big Red,and fun stories about our RV excursions at the lake.

Thank you for sticking with me this long.
And believe me when I say I'm coming back with a bang!

I hope you and yours had a wonderful holiday season.
And I wish you nothing but the best for the new year, we all could use it!

Love,
    Dana, The Missing Homesteading Housewife.

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Old-Fashioned Holiday Raspberry Balls!

Here is a flashback from the 70's
Every Holiday season my Grandmother would make these wonderful raspberry balls.
It took me years and years to figure out the recipe, but I got it!!

It's incredibly simple and uses only 4 ingredients!
Jello Gelatin, coconut, sweetened condensed milk, almond extract.

And... You don't have to make them Raspberry.
You can use any flavor Gelatin.
The balls in the picture are cranberry balls. Yummm!
How about a big platter of Raspberry Balls (red) and Lime Balls (green) for Christmas?
Perfect for the Holidays!


Raspberry Balls

1 large package flaked coconut.
1 large box jello gelatin. (any flavor, but I like raspberry best)
1 can sweetened condensed milk.
1/4 teaspoon almond extract, (can use raspberry instead)

1 small box Jello gelatin (for coating finished balls.)

1. Mix first 4 ingredients.
2. Roll into small balls.
3. roll to coat in the small package of jello.
4. refrigerate in an air-tight container.
5. Enjoy!

Tip... wet hands for rolling to help control the sticking.

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Should I Be Frightened?

When I was a child, I was creative.
That may not be the word my mother would choose to use for me,
But this is MY blog and I'll call me what I want!
So there!

Anyway...

I was a creative child, in other words...
I lied.

I lied... a lot!

Now.. before you shake your head in condemnation, let me explain...
I didn't lie to get myself out of trouble.
I didn't lie to get my brother into trouble.

I lied because life was, well... Boring!

When I was five, I informed the deacons wives group at our church that my parents were adopting a baby, My mother would be very very tired, so the baby would sleep in my room and I would take care of it.

Imagine my parents surprise when the pastor prayed for a smooth transition for our growing family during that Sundays service.

My mother was also not too impressed when everyone at the bank asked her how much fun she had on our family vacation to Hawaii in the dead of winter.

Then there were the escaped giraffes that I saw while riding home on the school bus.

Oh and the many many comical adventures of Bandit and Rose, my 3rd grade class gerbils.
You see, they got out all of the time.. and Oh the chaos and comedy that ensued was epic!

My mother was a little embarrassed at THAT teachers conference when she giggled about the rodent escapades.

While my lies were plentiful, they were, relatively harmless.
You see...  It wasn't MY fault life was a little dull.
I couldn't help it that, when my parents asked me,
"What happened at school today?" I didn't want to bore them with the usual responses of "Nothin" that every other kid told their parents.
I was only thinking of them!
I was being a GOOD child wanting their lives to have a little more "color"!

Flash-forward 30 years.....
The Little-Foreman-in-Pink went to spend the week-end with my mother.

 Before they even made it to her house, my Mother called me...
"This IS your child!" she said, with an evil laugh.

Apparently, The Little-Foreman-in-Pink is terribly allergic to raccoons...
She was bitten three times on the leg by a raccoon...
But Don't tell Mommy!.... 
Because she is all better now, just as long as the raccoons stay away from her.


I think I can still hear my mother cackling at the thought of the sweet revenge that MY daughter will bring upon me.

I don't think that was very nice!

And...
I think I'm a little scared.

Pray for me...
Or send Cheesecake!

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I DARE you to find a better cookie than these! (Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies)

Wanna Make the BEST cookie in the world?
Wanna Give a homemade holiday gift that's sure to impress?
Then take a look at THESE!

I've had my share of cookies in my lifetime.
And Ding DING DING!!!
I think we have a WINNER!!!
These may possibly be the BEST cookie I have ever had!!

The picture says it all...
Rich, Decadent, Soft chocolate cookie.
Topped with a cherry and smooth-as-silk frosting.
Whats not to love??


Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies!!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained, reserve juice
• 1 (6-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and soda, blending well; set aside.

1. In a mixing bowl, beat together butter or margarine and sugar on low speed until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well.
Gradually add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture; beat until smooth and well blended.

2. With hands, shape dough into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased baking sheet.
Press down center of dough with thumb.

3. Drain Maraschino cherries well, reserving juice.
Place a cherry in the center indention of each cookie.

4. In small saucepan combine chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk;
heat over low heat until chocolate is melted.
Stir in 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the reserved cherry juice.
Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the topping over each cherry, spreading to cover cherry.
If frosting seems too thick, thin with a little more cherry juice.

**I was worried that I read my original recipe wrong when it told me to put the frosting on BEFORE baking. I thought it would melt and run all over. But I did as it said and it is amazing! this super-silky chocolate frosting does not melt or run anywhere! it seals in the cherry beautifully!**

5. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes, or until done.
Remove to wire rack to cool.

Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies.

6. Enjoy!

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