Cinnomon Sugar Cookies .....

Mrs. Fields Cinnamon Sugar Cookies (copycat recipe) Topping: 3 tablespoons white sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon Cookies: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup white sugar 1 cup salted butter, softened 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon for topping. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda and salt. Mix well with wire whisk and set aside. In a large bowl, blend sugars with an electric mixer set at medium speed. Add the butter, and mix to form a grainy paste. Scrape sidesof bowl, then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and blend at low speed just until combined. Do not over mix. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll each ball in cinnamon-sugar topping. Place onto ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies with a spatula to a cool, flat surface. Yield: 3 dozen

General catching up news ... Angel

Another week gone by without a post, not good! anyway I am back, been very busy with George and his medical stuff. We have been to see the eye doctor twice in the last 2 weeks for treatment, just another round of ongoing injections and lazer, all to combat this wonderful desease called Diabetese. Without this treatment he would have been blind by now. Going blind is just not an option for George right now. We had a visit to the Clinic thrown in there somewhere as well. His insulin doze has been upted as well. Offically he is on leave from the 14th which was yesterday for 6 weeks, that would be the longest holiday ever for him but as usual he is working on something, meaning our trip up to the farm will start later. we were due to leave today but now he has a few urgent things he needs to attend too.

Now we will be leaving in the morning for a quick trip, off load and head straight back to Sydney. Actually I am not complaining about that at all cause now I get to take more stuff up. This trip will be all the 6x9kg LPG gas bottles, a lovely old cast iron garden setting some of his wood working machines, another box of medical supplies, a tube of art and school supplies for the secret stash and a box of reference books. George will question me on that ... why the books? ... I just know it. He's lucky I am not aking the book case as well, I would if there was space trust me. Every corner of the cottage has got something stashed away, it's going to be quite a shock to him when I need to unpack so he can lay the carpet in the bedroom. But then If only the cupboards were built it could all have a home, well that's my excuse and I am sticking to it.

Another batch of butternut is dying in the dehydrator ATM and just to proof cats are useful. This is Angel, she turned out to be a boy on closer inspection, a stray arrived here with his bags packed and not leaving. It took a while for all the other cats to accept him and for him to get comfortable with us. Angel is the kind of cat that does not liked to be picked up unless you hold his back legs up close, even then his tail is smacking from side to side. This could be the reason he was dumped. Not to crash hot on strange kids either.

I am sure you agree Angel was doing a great job guarding the butternuts! Until nexttime Rina

Chooks, chicken stock and more ...

A while ago I mentioned Hubby was converting an old washing machine into a chook plucker, well I am still waiting!!! It was a curbside find and here We was hoping the motor still worked but the pump might not, no such luck it was the motor. His other problem was getting the drum out, the machine won. Then my mate Alby had to buy a new washing machine for his wife, the pump had packed up on their machine, which was lucky for us! Now all he needs to do is get started on it. The chooks have grown to small turkeys again and so I decided no more "Off with their heads" and we did it the old fashioned way. Thank the Lord there were only 11 birds left. We processed 8 birds on Sonday. The skin would have been tough anyway so we skinned them instead of plucking them properly. Worked great. Got 20 good sized meals for my freezer. ATM the stock pot is full of carcasses cooking away. while the first batch is cooling.Had this brilliant idea to fill up large muffin trays with stock and freeze them and fill a ziplock bag, taking out just what I need. And with the second batch fill a few bootles.