Rachael Eliker's Blog, page 27

Homemade Toaster Strudels

Toaster Strudels are one of the few breakfast items that Jack enjoys--I'm not exactly sure why they pass his scrupulous standards where pancakes and waffles don't but whatever. I'm going to make them all anyway. I usually pass the Toaster Strudels in the store because they don't fit into the budget and can be pretty pricey but once in a while, it's nice to have a treat. Instead, we made our own and not only were they ten times bigger, they were also ten times more delicious. Super easy and a...

Halloween Season

Happy (belated) Halloween from a wickedly beautiful witch, an anything-but-cowardly lion, sassy Luna Lovegood, the only artic fox you've probably seen on Halloween, a giraffe with a broken neck, and Papa Fox.I'm not sure why, but I've always loved Halloween. It probably has a lot to do with dressing up, staying up late past bedtime, and FREE candy for the taking! What's even better is that I get to relive all the childhood fun with my own kids and now, instead of being a once-a-month holiday,...

Small Squares

So ladylike and hardworking.This is the time of year comes as a blatant reminder that we'd better have things ready for winter. While the grass is still green, the frost in the morning, cooler temperatures, and less light will eventually make the pastures go dormant, which will require us to start feeding hay to the horses and cows. It's part of the seasonal changes of farm life, though I will fully admit to missing free feed for the animals on pasture. Thankfully, earlier in the year we got...

Run, Run, Run

They're all smiling now...The high school cross country club hosted an elementary school race so kids could get a taste for competitive racing. Though it's not my girls' first race (they've done everything from the Black Hat Dash to the Color Me Green Race), it's the first run they did where I didn't participate with them and therefore, couldn't prod them along when they got tired.
Watching the boys get started.We arrived in time to watch the boys take off...and then waited. And waited. And wa...

30-Minute Crusty Baguettes

Since it's soup season (finally it's not 90F anymore, although we went straight from air conditioning to turning on the heat...where was the gentle transition to autumn?!?), that means I make a lot of rolls, biscuits, bread, and muffins as sides. These crusty baguettes are great because they can be made last minute and still have the characteristic crunchy crust and soft, warm center. The trick is baking it with steam!
Ingredients:
2 cups very warm water2 1/4 teaspoon yeast2 Tablespoons sugar1...

One Last Swim

While autumn rolled in a few weeks ago, it's felt anything but fall-like. We still had sweltering temperatures, persistent mosquitos, and sweaty, irritable livestock that were ready for the weather to take a break. Seeing that Mother Nature was finally going to cool things off, we used the last hot day to take one last swim. Everyone ate dinner in record time, got in their swimsuits, and hurried outside to bicker about who's lifejacket was whose and who got to use what pool noodle and who cou...

Nut Strudel

I don't remember a lot about my Great Grandma Enchelmaier other than she was my grandpa's mother, was all German but looked like an old Native American woman, and that she made really delicious nut strudel, that was a family recipe. I made it for my kids for the first time this past week and it was as delicious as I remember--and what a hit with everyone!
Ingredients:

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons butte...

Good Luck Charm

So happy to be six!Kate's wish finally came true--she turned six! This sweet, sassy, girlie girl came into our family at the conclusion of Jack's schooling in Iowa and couldn't have picked a worse date: my water broke at ten at night, the day before Jack was scheduled to have three interviews that were going to determine the fate of our family and where we ended up for a job. So, after she arrived, he went to his interviews on approximately five seconds of sleep but did such a fantastic...

Easy Candy Corn Halloween Sign

We saw another fun idea for Halloween decor and decided to recreate it. It was so easy and turned out really cute! Change the wording and detailing for a different feel, if you like. Overall, it took less than two hours of total work time, not counting time for paint drying. And now, we have another addition to our Halloween decorations!

You'll Need:

1 board
Sandpaper
Yellow, white, orange, and black craft paint
Brushes
Measuring tape
Masking tape (optional)
Polyurethane

1. Cut wood to desired length,...

Woody

It's been almost three and a half months since Dolly's calf has made an appearance and while it's almost no time at all, it feels like he's been a part of our farm for as long as I can remember. Funny enough, he was born the day Jack's company started its six-week paternity leave program. Too bad it only applies to human babies, not livestock.
One of these bovines is not like the others...We eventually settled on the name Woody, as a subtle pun between him and his mother. Dolly came with a nam...