Heritage Hill Homestead

Fair week and more

A week ago Monday our little grandson, Nick came down to spend a couple of days getting ready for the fair.  We have so much fun when he is here.  One of his 4-H projects is foods, so we did his baking here this time.   He made chocolate chip cookies and rocky road fudge brownie muffins.  He did everything himself except I did help him get some of them in and out of the oven.  Let me tell you that it takes a lot of patience for this old grandma to watch and let him do it all by himself.  He did a super job and learned a lot too!  Both got blue ribbons!!  The brownies are a recipe I found this summer and they are so simple to make I thought it would be a good one for him to try.  Here it is........... recipe from Cookie Madness.

Rocky Road Fudge Brownie Muffins

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 scant teaspoon salt (if using salted butter, omit)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (divided use)
1/3 cup toasted pecan pieces or coarsely chopped pecans
2/3 cup mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray top of a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray and line cups with paper liners.

Place butter in a 2 cup glass measuring cup; microwave on high for one minute or until butter melts. Add cocoa to melted butter and stir well. Set aside and let cool slightly.

Whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt together in a medium mixing bowl. Add butter/cocoa mixture and stir until well mixed. Add flour, stirring just until blended’ stir in 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips.

Spoon the muffin batter into cups, dividing evenly among all 12 (halfway full).

Stir together remaining 1/3 cup chocolate chips, toasted pecans and mini marshmallows. Set aside.

Bake muffins for 18 minutes. Pull pan from oven and sprinkle with marshmallow mixture. Return to oven and bake for 2 minutes more for a total bake time of 20 minutes. Let cool in muffin tins for about 10 minutes, then carefully loosen muffins from tins and let cool completely before serving.

Makes 12

Note: If you skip the topping, divide batter among 10 muffins cups to make the brownie muffins slightly taller. Bake time is still 20 minutes.

On Wednesday evening Nick and I took his goats and food entries to the fair.  His house is only a few miles from the fair, so I stayed the night with them.  He and I went back on Thursday morning to check in the goats and weigh them and for conference judging for his foods entries.  Both got blue ribbons!   I headed home to bake for Market.

Friday afternoon was the goat show, so hubby and I went up.  It was a long day as the judge took a lot of time on the classes before his.  The favorite goat, Lucky placed 3rd in his class.  Rain Drop, his little doe was the only one in her class.  He did well in showmanship placing 4th or 5th.  We rushed home to get garden produce and baking ready for Market the next morning........

Well, as we were getting ready for Market on Saturday morning it started to rain!!  Had we known this would happen, Friday could have been a lot more relaxed and rested I might add!!  Hubby did sell some things at his market, but I sat in the car for an hour thinking it will let up soon, and then came home.  We got 3.75 inches of rain.

The parade was cancelled and the demolition derby also at the fair for that night.  However the 4-H livestock auction turned out fine as the rain stopped before it started.  Nick sold Lucky, if you remember I mentioned he was the favorite goat,  and I expected to cry myself over this, but to my surprise neither of us did. 

Sadly the fairs are over now for the year.  I can't expain it, but I so enjoy the fairs.  Most folks are ready for them to end, but it really does make me sad.   We plan to attend the State fair in September, so I have that to look forward to.

Nick has learned so much and had a lot of fun this year, so that is what counts the most, and he is looking forward to next year too!  I was able to spend some real quality time with him this summer, both during the fair and when he stayed here getting ready, those memories are priceless.

Yesterday hubby had a Dr. appointment, so we spent some time in Topeka. Also checked out Good will and found a bed spread.

Today I went to a friend's house all afternoon, was supposed to help her work some goats, but mainly just caught up with visiting and had a nice time. 

The kids are coming Sunday evening for a cook out, a belated Birthday celebration for Mom, whose big day was last Wednesday during the fair.  And my cousins and Aunt are coming on Monday to spend a day at the farm.  So need to think about some food to fix.  Also a pot luck dinner at church on Sunday at noon.   Need to do a little cleaning......have done some this week and the laundry is done.  I got a new vacuum cleaner and so have had fun trying it out??  I must say it sure works better than the old one, so that does make it a little fun.

School started here today, way too early in my opinion, but they didn't ask me.  Kaylan starts pre-school tomorrow.  Nick and Lexi don't start until the 25, they attend a private Christian school so have a different schedule.

Some good news on the farm and some bad news...........The little bucket calf, Blossom is doing great and we got her a room mate.  We purchased a little heifer that was a bucket calf 4-H project from some friends after the fair.  Her name is Tootsie, she is an Angus cross.   Buttermilk "Casey" my little bottle baby goat from last summer was found dead this week.  No idea what happened to her, I am thinking one of the bigger does may have butted her and hurt her, as they can be pretty mean to each other at times.  She was the one that would ride on the garden tractor with me last summer,  good memories!

Country Blessings,

Marilyn~at Heritage Hill Homestead

Untitled Comment

{ 09:33, Wednesday, August 20, 2008 } { Posted by Schatzi }

The recipe sounds awesome, will need to try it....you truly are a blessed grandma.

Connie

Thanks!

{ 10:37, Friday, August 22, 2008 } { Posted by Amanda123 }

Thanks for posting a comment on my blog. You have reassured me that the English Shepherd Dog is the way to go. The muffin recipe sounds good, by the way, My kids would love them!