Blueberry Bars

 

Hello Friends! 

Come on into the Carrie Crocker kitchen (that's a joke Matt likes to call me often). He knows my love of baking and I have been dubbed that somewhat appropriately. My hips sure wished I didn't love to bake so much...but life is all about balance, right? 

The story behind these bars (& maybe I shared them long ago?) is that they were actually cranberry bars. It was a recipe my former MIL loved and made often - and one summer she made them into a blueberry version. I kind of forgot all about this recipe. And then last week my sweet step Mom brought me a bag of wild blueberries she had picked. They were SO good. So I used some of them to make blueberry pancakes one night for dinner. And I used the rest for these amazing bars... so I could take them up to the lake with us last weekend. I didn't add the nuts because I left some at home for my kiddos too, and they don't care for nuts in things like this. 

I recommend making the cranberry version for Fall or the holidays. But the blueberry version for summer is so perfect. They're really good with the nuts too - so if you like them I recommend adding them in. Just add the homemade cream cheese frosting and they're heavenly. I'm so grateful that my sweet MIL, whom I loved and miss dearly, loved baking too. She shared so many yummy recipes with me. So here is her (Cherie) recipe:

I love seeing it written on this note pad that had been in her home. My MIL loved animals and always had animal related things in her home. It's really cool how just seeing an item like that can bring you back to such sweet memories 💗

 

When you make the batter it's really thick. So know that is normal. I wet my hands to kind of "smoosh" it into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. 

Then they bake up all golden like this. I let them cool completely and then make the cream cheese frosting and frost them up. Keep them stored in the refrigerator once they're frosted. 

I hope you'll try them! They're worth every calorie. 😉

Enjoy xoxo

Pickle Pizza and a Quick Strawberry Dessert

I had been eyeing up some different pickled pizza recipes for a while now. My daughter & I both love pickle flavored things. So I kind of took what I remembered from different recipes and decided to make one up with what I had around here. It turned out pretty great and Matt loved it too! I think it was just as yummy cold the next day. You can find lots of specific recipes online or pinterest. But the basis to most of them is alfredo sauce, mozzarella, pickle slices and dill. 

I just used an easy store-bought pizza crust. I brushed the crust with a little olive oil and chopped garlic and pre-baked it per the tube's instructions.

Look at those yummy pickles and all that dill! Mmmm

I then took the pre-baked crust out and put on some alfredo sauce. I topped the sauce with some dill weed spice and dill pickle chips. Then topped it all with shredded mozzarella cheese. Topped with a bit more pickle chips and little sprinkle more of dill and shredded cheese. I baked it the time it said for the crust to be done. 

By the way, I adore these pickle chips we get from Costco. They're so fresh and the brine is filled with fresh dill. They're a very fresh crunchy and cucumbery kind of pickle, if that makes sense? I think the jar of them smells like a garden. So yummy! 

We topped our slices with some parmesan cheese. Such a yummy dinner with a little side salad. 

I also made a simple dessert with just store bought dessert cake cups that I topped with berries and whipped topping. I forgot to get pics of final results. But the strawberries turned out so delish! Just slice strawberries in a bowl. Sprinkle sugar all over the top. Add a little pinch of salt. A little drizzle of vanilla and I also did some almond extract. Stir it together and let it macerate on the counter for an hour or 2. I added some lemon balm from my garden too - but even if you just end at the drizzle of vanilla these turn out great!

 I also added some of the store strawberry gel once it was all macerated together well, and then chilled it in the fridge until dessert time. Such a fresh summery dessert. 

Enjoy!

xoxo

 

Mixed Berry Pie

 

Hello Friends! 

Happy Friday. 🎉

It's Memorial Weekend here in the states. Do you have fun plans? We're getting together with the C's for some of it, and plan to have fun hopefully on the water if weather cooperates. And play cards, games, eat good food and have a relaxing time. We plan to grill too and one of the things I'm contributing to the weekend is this amazing pie! I've talked about it on here before. It's my lovely friend Billie Jo's recipe. I love her and her blog Afternoon Coffee & Evening Tea.  She shared this recipe long ago and ever since I've had it - I make it at least a few times every summer. 

Summery berries in a flaky crust (store bought to make it easier - it's good enough for Billie Jo, it's good enough for me 😉). What's not to love? Warm with ice cream...even more love. 😋  She is such a sweet giving soul and  I know she wouldn't mind me sharing the love with you too. 

I just made it last night:

I used 4 kinds of berries: blueberries, blackberries, strawberries & raspberries. Don't they look like summer jewels of goodness?

I like to glaze the top with a brush of milk or cream and some cinnamon sugar. I also punched out a few flowers...well cuz it's the season! 🌸

Isn't she a beauty? All baked up golden brown and delicious. Thank you Billie Jo!!! Here is the recipe in her own words - I printed this up ages ago and it sits folded up in my recipe box, added to my other treasured recipes. 

The only additions I sometimes make is stirring in a pinch of salt and a little vanilla right before I pour the berries into the crust. I truly hope you make this sometime. I guarantee it will become your favorite too! 

What are you going to be up to this weekend? 

xo

And God's blessings to those who sacrifice so much for the sake of our country as we remember them this weekend. ❤️💙

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello Friends!

I began this post several times yesterday and kept getting sidetracked by things. I'm finally getting it done today. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We had a pretty quiet one here. Annie had a buddy sleep over - she was in the hockey tourney with her the weekend before. We finally got the pool up and running - so that has started to get some good use. I did some cleaning and yard work too... but otherwise it was pretty quiet. 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING

leftover muffin, coffee

HOW I AM FEELING THIS MORNING:

Feeling sleepy as it's a gray day and has been raining

ON MY MIND:

Thinking about doing my usual Christmas in July day at some point this week. Annie is getting more into teenager mode and not as excited about it all as she once was. Lol And since distancing from my Mom again, I think it would be ok if she were to come and bake cookies with us if later in the week. Need to talk to her and work out the details. Even if we did a much more minor version I hope we still fit it in! 🎄  I have done some Xmas shopping in July already! QVC had some great Christmas in July deals recently and I had some fun. 😉  Also, thinking about my guy who will be home from his travels for work today. Working out his next visit during his next couple of weeks off.  

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

I still need to load dishes from last nights dinner. Sleepy kind of day as still cloudy and gray and no sunshine streaming in.

CHORE I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEK:

just all of the usuals

 

CURRENTLY READING

summer magazines 

ON THE TV TODAY:

Grantchester, Americas Got Talent, cooking and HGTV shows, finished Gilmore Girls - catching up on some taped movies and will look for new series to binge 

 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

MONDAY - cheesy cornbread muffins, tomato soup, fruit

TUESDAY -  veggie pasta salad with a lemon dressing and grilled chicken

WEDNESDAY -  burgers on the grill, corn on the cob, foil potato packets, watermelon +strawberry topping on angel food cake for dessert

THURSDAY -  taco salad

FRIDAY - honey lime chicken quesadillas

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

 play board games with kiddos, pontoon, swim

FROM THE CAMERA:

I always begin the day with devotional time and making up the bed. Yay for light summer bedding ☀️ 

pool in the filling stage

sleepovers are more fun with pool time 🏊‍♂️ 

The sounds of summer -pool pump running 

summer is my happy place

Love the FB memory I had today - and that my Dad & step Mom still love to berry pick. They brought us a fresh strawberry pie recently from berries they had picked. One of the best pies I've ever had - so good!! 😋 

PRAYER LIST:

For our world and all of it's continued turmoil and pain. For a covid vaccine. And all of those fighting on the front lines of this pandemic. For those sick, suffering, isolated and alone. For peace and healing and unity. For the safety and health of my family and friends, especially those doing sporting events right now. For Scott continuing his work in law enforcement and as a first responder 🙏 

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

30 Days of Summer: Berries

Hello Friends ~

Well life took over but finally here to share more in the 30 Days of Summer posts. I had started one earlier in the week related to fun summer treats - which I will share in the future.  But today I wanted to share about berries. Strawberries in particular for this post....but berries are a true favorite for me in general this time of year. I love that they come in season along with many other wonderful summer fruits.  

My grandparents had a beautiful home on a lake with acres of land when I was growing up. My Grandma lived there for many years after my Grandpa died too. And they always had tons of raspberry bushes. I have such wonderful memories of picking raspberries every summer when I was a kid. And my Gram always made homemade jam and desserts with them. I would say they are my favorite berry for that reason. But in 2nd place are strawberries. The truly wonderful wild ones or from a farm where you can pick them- where they are smaller and nothing like the ones from the grocery store. They are sweet as candy and make the best jam and desserts too!

I didn't hand pick these, but picked them up from a farm that brought bushels of them to the city

So what did do with these beauties? Well I had to make some easy refrigerator jam and a pie of course!  ;)  

That night I had made hashbrown crust breakfast pizza and so we of course had some toast with homemade jam to go along with it!  I shared the recipes for all of these dishes on my instagram and I'll share them all here: 

Hope you enjoy!! I'm sharing this Jean of Sonotorganized blog and Rebecca of Rebecca's Hearth and Home blog for 

here and here.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello and Happy Monday Friends!

How was your weekend? Are you ready to begin a new week? I feel lazy and slow today, but I'm finally getting started and jumping into this day. It was a busy weekend of soccer tourneys for both kiddos, belated Father's Day gatherings and jobs around home. One good thunderstorm, but otherwise wonderful weather that I was able to get out for many walks and enjoy. All and all a great weekend. Hopefully it will be a lovely week ahead too! 

 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

Cloudy and cooler- which I don't mind at all. We've really had some warm weather (for my northwoods) lately. Today it's in the 60's with nice cool breeze, so I have many windows open to let the fresh air inside. We've had the a/c on a lot lately it feels. Looks like a lovely week ahead too - mostly in the 70's. 

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

Toast with butter and homemade jam I made this weekend and it was GOOOOD!! And a cup of coffee.

  AS I LOOK OUTSIDE MY WINDOW:

Cloudy and gray - which maybe isn't helping with my sleepy factor. However, I'll get my post done here and then get moving to accomplish some chores around here and hope it will help me wake up. 

RIGHT NOW I AM:

In my office listening to John Michael Talbot on Pandora. Meditative and soothing Christian music and getting my devotional stuff out and ready. Also, looking at my list for my week ahead. 

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE:

I was more of a slacker yesterday, so I have some work ahead of me. I need to load the dishwasher and clean up the kitchen and the laundry is ready for the next load. Also, need to change our sheets and finish cleaning in our master bedroom - which I didn't accomplish yesterday. I need to go give my flowers some love and do some dusting too. 

ON TODAY'S TO DO LIST:

I need to accomplish the above mentioned chores, do my devotional time, and get in some exercise yet today.  I also want to take time to come around and visit blogging buddies soon!  I need to get my weekly schedule worked out too. The kiddos have lots of sports practices this week.

CURRENTLY READING:

 I have had so many of my magazines come recently and I still haven't caught up on them!! I need to get through them so then I feel I can get back to reading a book again.

ON THE TV TODAY:

I watched Outlander but need to catch up on Game of Thrones. I still have some Hallmark shows to catch up on yet. A very guilty pleasure of ours is Big Brother (we often watch as a family) and we caught up on that last night. 

 

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

MONDAY: slow cooker German potato salad, grilled burgers, salad, fruit

TUESDAY: jambalaya 

WEDNESDAY: probably breakfast for dinner (mini pancakes, eggs, fruit)

THURSDAY: pasta bake, cheese toasts, caesar salad

FRIDAY: hoping date night dinner out - will be shopping for July 4th weekend groceries too

WHAT I AM CREATING AT THE MOMENT:

Finishing up a cross stitch project, scrapbook catch up (as always), cookbook stuff. I did get my little summer banner done!

NEW RECIPE I WANT TO TRY THIS WEEK:

This week I will be sharing the homemade jam and strawberry pie recipes I made this weekend with fresh farm berries....and both were fabulous!!

TIP OF THE WEEK:

When processing fresh picked berries...don't wash right away, but keep dry on paper towel lined cookie sheets and they will keep longer until you can get to them. 

FROM THE CAMERA:

The berries I picked up from a farmer selling them late last week - and the jam and pie process in the works. Will share more on Thursday!

pansies, lilac and bleeding hearts from my yard & pots

My Mom has a bad back and neck and had tweaked them the other day, so I got extra Angel puppy love, as I went to help her out and take Angel for a long walk to tire her out a bit and give Mom a bit of a break. 

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Have a wonderful week my Friends! I'm linking with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.