No sense staring out the window...

To heck with the snow.  I got things done this weekend.  It was a mix of old favorites and new finds.   I love pinterest.  I can look up anything my heart desires.  Here are some of my pinterest projects...

 Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup
1 c. water
3/4 c. brown sugar

1 T. pumpkin puree

1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

-Combine water and sugar in a microwave safe bowl and heat through (4-5 minutes).

-Stir until sugar is dissolved.

-Whisk in pumpkin puree and spices.

-Drain over a small sieve or cheesecloth.

-Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. http://www.inkatrinaskitchen.com/2013/09/homemade-pumpkin-spice-coffee-syrup.html

 The little white container is my attempt as making essential oil from my lavender.  Everything I read instructs me to let is soak for several weeks in olive oil.  I am skeptical.

I then tried making a pumpkin scrub from some leftover pumpkin puree. 
 
Brown Sugar Pumpkin Scrub
1/2 c. Pureed Pumpkin
1/2 c. Brown Sugar
1 T. Olive Oil
1 t. Honey

I was very unimpressed with the scrub.  The brown sugar dissolved leaving it pretty flat.  I have since added 1 c. white sugar with hopes of improving it's texture and ability to exfoliate.

http://www.thebeauty-counter.com/2011/09/pumpkin-sugar-scrub-recipe.html

These pumpkin bars are amazing!  They are moist and pumpkinee (don't think that is a word, but it is descriptive).   I cut their recipe in half.  It is a good thing because it is too good to let go to waist, I mean waste.   http://likemotherlikedaughters.com/2010/11/pumpkin-bars/

Pumpkin Bars:

1 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1  t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. allspice
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. solid-pack pumpkin
2 eggs
1/2 t.  vanilla
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:2 c. confectioners’ sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 t. vanilla
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and butter a cake pan.  Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda and salt into a bowl and mix well.  Beat the sugar and oil in a mixer until blended.  Add the pumpkin and mix well. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients gradually and mix well.  Pour the batter into your buttered pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges pull from the sides of the pan.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack.



I didn't just experiment with new recipes.  I also went back to my tried and true rolls.  I think it was my best batch ever.  The great thing about these rolls is that you can freeze them and just pull out a few for soups or steaks.  I posted the recipe long ago.

 Of course, if you are going to be socked in all winter there should be a good supply of wine to go with your bread.  I racked my crabapple, chokecherry, Saskatoon, and hard apple cider.  One more month and I will have quite a bit of wine.  Just in time for Christmas gift giving.  If you see something floating in the red bottle, they are wood chips.  I am so happy with the raspberry wine soaking in an oak barrel I am experimenting with oak wood chips to add flavor.  I will let you know how that goes. 

 I got a pleasant surprise tonight when I came home to find that the bee keeper dropped off 6 pints of honey with my husband.  The bees didn't do as well as the other two hives last year.  I'm sure as they get used to the area production will improve.

 This is very exciting for me.  The bee keeper also gave me a huge wheel of bees wax!  This is unusual, because he generally leaves the wax in the hives.  If he leaves the honeycombs, the bees don't have to go to all of the work to remake the combs.  They can just concentrate on making honey.  I am already researching all of the things I can do with this rare treasure. 


Well, that was my weekend adventures.  If anyone has any ideas for the bees wax, please, let me know.  Being creative does make the days go by faster.  Eight more months and I can get back to gardening.