Svalbard Global Seed Vault

I wanted to share this wonderful concept. I ran across this while deciding on my garden seed order for 2010. Its from earlier in the year, but I don't think any of you have heard of it before. They are trying to save rare seed varieties from plants by freezing them to save so we know they never will go extinct! Love the idea, and fully back it!

"'Doomsday Vault' Celebrates Anniversary"

4/15/2009

"The first anniversary of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway -- dubbed the "Doomsday Vault" by the press and hailed by Time as one of 2008's greatest inventions--was celebrated on February 26, 2009, with dignitaries in attendance from around the world, including Seed Savers Exchange Board members Cary Fowler and Chair Amy P. Goldman. The anniversary celebration included a talk and tour of the Seed Vault by Fowler, who is also the Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, one of the Seed Vault managers...."

The rest of the article is found here: Seedsavers.org Blog

Come Follow Me At My New Job!

Starting this January I will be the official Organic Garden Guru for www.Bakespace.com on their official Daily Newsletter! I will be writing about gardening, organic methods, heirloom varieties of different fruits/veggies, as well as simple ideas to make gardening easier and more productive. My article will only be every other Thursday... so what about the rest of the week?!

We'll, it will be filled with everything else I love about their website! Recipes, food, baking, new kitchen equipment reviews, tip and tricks for the kitchen and soooooooooooooooo much more!!!

So, you should first visit their site and probably join the community and then sign up for the newsletter! If you don't sign up, that's ok too, each article I write for the newsletter will also be published on my blog the day it is released by email. (But NOT before.)

Thanks so much everyone for following my blog, you're got me where I am now!

Come visit BAKESPACE

Here's the link to SIGN UP JUST FOR THE NEWSLETTER

After Christmas GIVEAWAY! Green Beans!!!

Now that the new year is coming on, I am so looking forward to my new improved garden! I want to tackle so many things head on knowing what I failed with last year.Even though I failed, I did have great successes...

So I feel everyone should try something new, even if it doesn't work out, you tried... so as a way to make you give something new a try, I'm going to give away more seed! This way there is no monetary lose to share you off.

What is she giving away now you ask?

I'm giving away some Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans!

What do you have to do for them?

Just leave a comment here that you want then and a way for me to contact you (Through your own BlogSpot Account/Blog or by email.) I will draw the winner and contact them on January 1st!

Wishes Of Joy

I want to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas, and I hope you have family and friends close this time of year. I also wish everyone a 2010 thae then amazing... I hope its down right better then you ever dreamed.

Please remember this if times are hard for you too:

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."
-- Dr. Seuss

Candling Silkie Eggs...

I traded some jam/jarred goods for some Lavender silkie eggs this month! Natalie (sonew123 on BackYardChickens.com) was so sweet to even send some extra mutt eggs to see what happens! How awesome to get some surprises too!!!??

So I set these eggs UNDER my broody silkies, 8 days ago, they are due to hatch January 4th. Muppet(white silkie) and Fillet(black silkie) are trying to be the mommy's with this batch. My second black silkie, Peck, will probably be going broody shortly... I can see the look in here eye.

Up until today they were setting 12 eggs, we candled the eggs this morning and 10 look to be developing. 2 for sure are not.

First silkie egg, good develpment.

No good yolkless fart egg:

This one is SUPER dark, Green EE egg... I can't see inside it, so we're assuming its ok.

Another developing silkie.

Chewy Bar Cookie Recipe For Today

Its icky and slushy and snowy today... so what better to do then bake and keep the house warm with those lovely smells that remind you of being in Grandma's kitchen!?

Chewy Cherry Dessert Bars

• Cooking Time: 35 minutes
• Servings: 12+
• Preparation Time: 10 minutes
• Cookie Bar:
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained and juice reserved
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• Frosting:
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
•  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  
  
  
  In a medium bowl, mix flour, white sugar and 3/4 cup butter until crumbly. Press into prepared pan.
  
  
  
  Bake in preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes, until light brown.
  
  
  
  In a mixer, combine eggs, brown sugar, vanilla and baking powder and process until smooth. Pour in cut up cherries and walnut or pecan chopped pieces beating on high. Pour over crust.
  
  
  
  Bake 25 minutes, until center is set. Set aside to cool.
  
  
  
  To frost, cream together confectioners' sugar with 2 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons cherry juice until fluffy. Frost cooled dessert and cut into bars.
  
  
  I have most of my recipes indexed over at bakespace.com now a days... so if you don't see what you would like here, check out my other recipes here:
  
  http://www.bakespace.com/members/profile/BiscottiQueen/23641/
  
   

Another Cookie Recipe to get you in the Kitchen!

Another Day, Another Recipe, Another Cookie!

CHOCOLATE CHIP AND PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

• Cooking Time: 15 minutes
• Servings: 3 dozen
• Preparation Time: 15 minutes
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter chips
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 Large eggs
• 1 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup peanut butter cups
•  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In the microwave or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and peanut butter chips, stirring occasionally until smooth. Set aside.
  
  In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time then stir in the vanilla. Stir in the melted chips until well blended then stir in the sifted dry ingredients. Finally, fold in the chopped peanut butter cups. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
  
  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
   

The Holiday Cookie List

From now until Christmas, I am sharing as many cookie recipes as I like to bake for the holidays. I don't bake them every year... but they are my specialties, or ones I get my mom to make for me.

Now you can get the recipe here and give it a try yourself.

This first one has been my favorite since I was a child:

Cream Wafer Cookies

• Cooking Time: 10 minutes per batch
• Servings: 3 dozen
• Preparation Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• WAFER Cookie Dough
• 1 cup Butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup Whipping cream
• 2 cups Flour
• 
  
• FILLING
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 3/4 cup Confectioner's sugar
• 1 Egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• Red or green food coloring (thats for the holiday, use whatever you want)
•  
• Combine wafer ingredients and chill 1 hour.
  
  Roll out on floured surface to 1/2" thickness.
  
  Cut in small rounds.
  
  Transfer to waxed paper covered with 1 cup sugar.
  
  Thoroughly coat both sides and place on cookie sheet.
  
  
  
  Prick with fork and bake at 350 deagrees for 7-10 minutes.
  
  Cool. (Careful they are crumbly now)
  
  Combine filling ingredients.
  
  Spread filling on wafers and sandwich two wafers together.
   

Another Blog Feature Today!

Thank you TerryAnn for featuring my biscotti in your blog today!
http://justsoterryann.blogspot.com/

Strudel Apple Biscotti, can't go wrong with a hot cup of cocoa or tea!

Featured On Etsy's Blog Today!

When can a great day get better... but Etsy Features one of your items in their blog of course!

http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/etsy-finds-the-limited-6314/#comment-204456

Scroll down to the limited edition featured items they chose for today! You'll find my Limited Edition Apple Strudel Biscotti! Just in time for Christmas.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35907562

Making Holiday Gifts From The Kitchen

I have spent 2 days now trying to make candies, and other fun things for Christmas to add to the baskets I will be giving this year.

I had an attempt at Caramel candied made with honey... sadly, they turned into a very thick caramel cream. Perfect for ice cream or to make caramel apples... not to individually wrap, as my intent was. So I ended up jarring the Caramel cream which will refridgerate well, so I will give the jars as gifts.

I decided to use some of the caramel for my next project. I made some brownies, which are still cooling now. They are Mocha Cocoa, topped with some of the caramel and sprinkled with Toffee I put in the food processor. Lets just say they are indulgunt! I'll be cutting them in round brownies with a cookie cutter and will individually wrap each one for baskets. I'll freeze them until I make the baskets.

The one thing that went COMPLETELY right, and were easy and FABULOUS were some Chocolate Covered Pretzels I sprinkled with toffee as well. They went so well, I'm going to do even more and crush up some candy canes to sprinkle the next batch with.

Here's the recipe and photo:

Toffee Sprinkled Chocolate Cover Sour Dough Pretzels-

melt 11.5 oz bag of chocolate chips w/
1 Tbsp Crisco shortening (not the flavored)
Over a double boiler

Dip your pretzels and place them on wax paper to go in the fridge.
I put some toffee candies in the food processor and then sprinkled that over the pretzels for I put them in the fridge to cool.

You can individually wrap these, or I stacked them with wax paper in between and put into a plastic bag with ribbon to add to my gift baskets.

How about a give away!!!?? Gerber Daisy Seed!

Would you believe while I was out in the garden I still have happy healthy Gerber Daisies in bloom!? Well, I do and they are lovely still.... I managed to catch a finished one in time to collect the seeds from a red flower and a super pale pink. So I will be giving away a pack of seeds to someone who wants them.

Just sign up here in the comments section, say which color you would want if you win and an email address or way of contact (if it links to your own blog where I can contact you that is fine). I have this posted on several forums, blogs, facebook and twitter. So please don't assume I know who you are and where you are from to hunt you down if you win. If I can't contact you right away I will go to the next possible winner of the seed!

So, Next week I will pick someone on Monday to win one pack of seeds. You get to chose between pink gerber daisies, or Red!

Here's a pic of the one's I have gotten this morning to bring in the house! Sorry, the cute little one stays with me!

Are your eco-labels lying?

This is a very interesting list I found this morning. It has all those 'eco' 'green' labels and terms you see in the grocery stores we see these days. But what do they really mean? Is the FDA really on our side if they let some of these terms slide out into the public eye KNOWING they are misleading consumers.

Personally, I believe the whole grocery mentality is to mislead the public because it causes a spending frenzy. When organic became popular... it was super expensive... but it was ORGANIC! These companies stood by it, and could afford to get us a good natural product. Now companies are stuggling to PAY our government extra to certify those organics, and are making cuts to keep going... and that means they are not as natural as they could be. So there are now a SLEW of labels for all these companies, which means most of use again... are stuck not knowing what we are REALLY getting from these products?

An egg is an egg right?! Free-Range, Organic, No added hormones... all the same right?! NOPE!
(Personally I believe the happy hen who can wonder where she wants and eat what nature provides with a little extra nutrition from us is going to produce the BEST egg ever. Not to mention, I rather have an egg laid this week then one I pay $3 for in the grocery store that can be 4 weeks old by the time I get it home.)

So here are those labels and what they mean... study them... notice how alike they look... so who is being screwed here?!

http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2009/11/your-eco-label-lying