Author Archives: maryjane

Flu-Away Sorbet

With flu season in full swing, here’s a yummy sorbet you should try with ingredients like:

Cayenne?

Sure—this fiery spice spurs the sinuses and warms the body. It gives the nasties a kick without overwhelming the taste buds.

Bourbon?

It’s a classic remedy for colds.

Pectin?

Pectin helps coat and lubricate the throat.

So, there you have it—a new twist on the old remedy of whiskey, honey, and lemon juice.

When I want to get really serious about flu remedies, I rely on my trusted friends at Mountain Rose Herbs for natural cold and flu prevention recipes.

I call my remedy:

Flu-Away Sorbet

2 cups fresh orange juice (I added some of the rind, finely chopped)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup honey
1/4 t powdered ginger
One 3-oz packet liquid fruit pectin
1/8 t cayenne
2 to 4 T bourbon (or substitute organic butter rum flavor concentrate; start with 1/2 t and add more to taste)

Bring citrus juices, honey, and ginger to a quick boil. Remove from heat the minute the mixture begins to boil and add the cayenne until it dissolves. Then add the bourbon (or rum flavor) and pectin. Cool mixture, cover, and refrigerate until cold. Process mixture in an ice cream maker until it is the consistency of soft whipped cream. Pour into a storage container, press parchment paper against the surface of the sorbet to prevent ice crystals, and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze until firm, then dig in whether you’re sick or not!

 

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Hear Ye!

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Loran Watkins!

Loran Watkins (Loran, #2471) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an Intermediate Level Aprons Merit Badge!

“I made this apron out of some quilt scraps that I had completely forgotten about. It was part of a ‘Sew Weekly’ challenge and came out quite well. I wore it with my cowgirl boots and cherry bakelite for the full Farmgirl effect.”

 

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You’ve Got Mail

“I just found your website and I can’t wait to scour it with a fine tooth comb! I started renovating a 1972 Frolic last spring and I am planning to finish up the work this spring. Still trying to get to the bottom of a bathroom leak before I button the inside work up and move to the outside. Can’t wait to paint her pink and white. Thought you might want a sneak peak of my work, so I’ve included a few photos of my renovation.

I’ve also included a link to photos I took of all the vintage campers at the Tin Can Tourists Vintage Camper Show that was in the Finger Lakes last fall. Great inspiration! Looking forward to celebrating International Glamping Weekend with the rest of the girls!”

Eileen
The Joy of Caking

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Thanks for the e-mail, Eileen, and for your photos below. They are fantastic. Let the countdown to International Glamping Weekend begin!

Here are some before and after pictures of Eileen’s Pink Paradise:

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Working Farmer Style (Gangnam Style Parody)

The brothers who made the parody video, I’m Farming and I Grow it, are back for yet another clean-humored video. Gangnam style.

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You’ve Got Mail!

“We love your magazine, it’s refreshing after a day of mud and manure at the barn, followed by laundry and dishes (sometimes mud and manure too) at the house.

We have 30-acres in West Virginia, complete with geese, ducks, chickens, cattle, and an occasional lamb or turkey. These are our girls washing their now-grown bottle baby, ‘Rocky,’ before the county fair. They, and my son are truly country kids.

This was our daughter’s first showmanship class. Hope you can use these pics somewhere.”

Kelly