October | 2011 | Raising Jane Journal

Lions and tigers and fingers? Oh my!

Posted on October 29, 2011 by MaryJane

Our amazingly talented, full-time food stylist/recipe developer (who just so happens to be my daughter-in-law), Ashley, prepares some fiendish food for the frightfully-fun Halloween party my daughter Meg is putting on tonight. Our newest photographer, Patrick, was on hand to capture the ghoulish details!

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Where Women Cook

Posted on October 25, 2011 by MaryJane

My daughter is the featured guest this week on the Where Women Cook blog.

Go Megan!

Over the rainbow at MaryJanesFarm

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Megan

Isn’t there supposed to be a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow?

My little Mia, age 2 1/2 said from her car seat yesterday as we were stopped at an intersection, “Isn’t that a money truck?” pointing to an armored car. I said, “It is, how did you know that?” She replied, “Mommy, I want an ice cream truck full of money.” From the mouths of babes … don’t we all want a money truck or at least that pot of gold at the end of a rainbow?

(With at least an ice cream cone or two.)

Basil love affair

Posted on October 18, 2011 by MaryJane

Oh my goodness. Just when you’re about to clip your basil because it’s flowering, harvest the stalks instead for a bouquet. The smell is divine. Once the basil aroma starts to fade after a day, simply brush your hand over a couple of basil flowers and POW! there’s that undeniable basil smell all over again. It lasts the entire day.

P.S. Hubby came in a few minutes ago and said, “What’s that smell? Basil?” Like I said, undeniably.

Feeling Tipsy Today

Posted on October 15, 2011 by MaryJane

I’m in the mood to share some of my favorite tips:

I autograph my books with a permanent felt marker. Oops. Sometimes, I walk away with a marker stain on my hands. I spray the mark with hairspray and then scratch it off with a fingernail. Gone! (Good use for that can of hairspray I’ve had for ten years.)

Next time you bake a cake with raisins and you don’t want them to sink to the bottom, coat them with flour first.

I use an old-fashioned egg slicer to slice mushrooms.

Bad HABIT begone: Pick a habit you’d like to quell by putting the money you spend on it into savings and watch your account grow.

New HABIT that’s dead on: Suzie Orman recently challenged her followers NEVER to give coins to a clerk during a transaction but instead roll the coins once a month and watch your savings grow by investing it. Within a few years, you’ll be richer by the thousands.

We’re pregnant!!!!

Posted on October 11, 2011 by MaryJane

“We’re pregnant” is farm-speak for …

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One of those days …

Posted on October 11, 2011 by MaryJane

It poured rain this morning—almost 1/2 inch in 15 minutes—just as our employees were coming to work.

Bubba showed up half awake. Or would that be half asleep?

Zephyrus

Posted on October 10, 2011 by MaryJane

I was on a “pitch slam” panel of four magazine editors at The Creative Connection Event in St. Paul last month. During the month prior, potential “features” signed up and paid money in order to pitch who they are to us. The cross-section of women was fabulous and over time I intend to feature all of them—everyone from a woman who creates tiny victorian embroideries to a librarian who wants to write book reviews to a woman who traveled from Australia who specializes in zen doodling to a …

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