Pumpkin Doughnuts

Hello friends! HAD to share this most yummy recipe that I captured from my dear friend Geanine. They are SOOOOOO delish!

                                           
                                            This is Geanine's picture.....and here is mine.

Not quite as pretty, but still sooo yummy. One quick note to the recipe. Have EVERYTHING ready before you start. Next, be comfortable with your frying situation. I seldom ever fry anything, so I think that was my biggest problem. If you ask the fam however, they will say there is no problem at all!

Pumpkin Donuts
3 1/2 cups flour
4 t baking powder
1 t salt
2 t pumpkin pie spice
1 cup sugar
2 T butter, melted
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree
canola oil (for frying)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spice and sugar. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together all the remaining ingredients except the oil (it's for frying). Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in. Mix all together until the dough is well combined. My dough was pretty sticky. Turn out onto a well floured surface and roll the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick (this may seem pretty thin but they puff up a lot when frying). Cut with a donut cutter or I just used a canning jar lid and a medicine cup (you know the ones that come on the top of child rems Motrin?) for the middle.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a large skillet or heavy pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot (I drop a piece of dough in and it started bubbling like crazy when it was hot enough). Gently slide the donuts in tot he oil, frying the first side until the edges are lightly browned. Carefully flip the donuts over and allow to cook until lightly browned on this side a too. Remove and place on a plate covered with paper towels to. While the donuts are still hot dip them in the buttermilk glaze (recipe below). Place on a cooling rack place over a cookie sheet to air dry until ready to serve.

Buttermilk Glaze*

3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 t vanilla

Whisk together until smooth. Dip hot donuts in the glaze and then allow to air dry on a cooling rack.

*I made one and a half times this recipe for all my donuts. I also added 1/2 t maple flavoring to half this recipe for a little variety! Super Yummy!

Blessings!!
Love, Shine

I'm a Big Girl Now

Here is my beloved Cricket loom.

I love her dearly, however, she is a very wee little loom. I turned out many a lovely scarf on this loom, but my eyeballs got bigger and before you knew it, I was longing for a bigger...."real" loom. I will always keep this wee loom, but let me show you what the big girls use.

This, my friends, is my "new to me" Norwood 4-harness floor loom. To serious weavers, this is still a small loom, but to me, this is serious business.

Isn't she just lovely with her awesome warp on? That's intense let me tell you. Until you study looms and their workings, you can't imagine the intricacy they entail. This warp was 432 epi...that's 432 little threads that go through all those reed eyes and heddles...one at a time. It was so worth it.
Can't wait to see the finished project!!
Amazing...all the things out there to be learned. I want to learn it all!!!
Thankful for what I can learn.
Blessings friends
Shine

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

I'm hooking up with one of my favorite bloggers Soulmama .

Blessings,
Shine

Out of my comfort zone

Since Monday of this week, I have been stretching and growing myself...I suppose. I am a home girl. I like sameness, and quietness. We live in a small town by most standards, (pop. about 15,000 ). But just being in the city limits is too much for me. I live on a quiet cul-de-sac, but I hear the city noises, and the main drag is only a few blocks away, making it just...noisy. I long for country pleasures...mainly sheep :). and chickens , lots of elbow room and blessed quietness. I never realized how important that was to me until we moved to the city. Any way....if you've seen my blog, you'll remember I did a "brag post" about our 3rd son  here . As I type this post, I am sitting in a hotel in New York, waiting to go see my son in the first concert presented by the National Youth Orchestra of the USA. You can read about the concert and the orchestra here. So, all of that to say....we have been in New York for three days! Woweeee, talk about an eye opener! It has been a great experience, but let me tell ya, I DO look forward to being home again....in my small little town...where I know so many and feel so very comfortable. Yesterday, we rode the metro into the city and OMGoodness!

To say we were overwhelmed is a huge understatement!

One thing I have been really surprised about however, are the people! Most all of them have been super nice! We were expecting rude, obnoxious people...but truly have not experienced much of that at all! If anything, the ones that aren't super nice are just indifferent. They don't look at you or say anything at all, which is fine! I don't mind giving people their space at all! Our chief concierge here at our hotel has been soooo sweet! She truly saved us as we were about to embark on the metro. She talked us through the whole ordeal and even gave a big hug as she waved good-bye to us! Emily...we owe you...BIG!!!!!

We are trying to experience as much as we can while we're here, but I won't cry when we leave :)

Tomorrow, we leave for D.C. for a concert at The Kennedy Center on Sat. after that, the orchestra embarks on a journey to St. Petersburg, Moscow, then London! We can't do the International thing, this has been a huge stretch for us country bumkins, so we'll say our good byes after the concert and let our son spread his wings. I am so very proud of him.

Tonight we'll take pictures....maybe even get a shot of Joshua Bell!!!

Right now, Anna is keeping us busy...no time for home-sickness....just plowing ahead....trying to get my game face on for a little more shopping:)

Have a great evening friends

Blessings

Shine

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

I'm hooking up with one of my favorite bloggers Soulmama .

Sheepie Thoughts

It seems of late, I find myself thinking about sheep A LOT!!!! I wonder if perhaps I may be just a wee bit obsessed. In my defense, I will say that perhaps it's because I know there is no hope of having any REAL sheep right now. Look for yourself, but....please don't judge me. :)

 I really didn't think I had a problem until I started taking inventory around my house.

 Many of these cuties I collected BEFORE I had a problem:)

 The above sheep is named Maaaaa. She scares Sophie :)

 Just finished this awesome felted wool piece. One of my favorited Bible verses AND sheep!!

 Girls, I took down a family photo to hang this in my living room.

I think even Sophie looks like a little sheep :)

Maybe I should take my own advice. :)
Blessings sweet friends
Shine

I'm Late!!!

I'm always late these days!! Any way...here's my favorite Mother's Day picture. My favorite Mother's day gift? My children.

Blessings~~Shine