Sassy Spratt

I just started another blog to show my appreciation for my Mom's hardwork.  She owns a fabric, floral and home decor store called Sassy Spratt.  Sassy Spratt is located in Mt.Sterling, KY.  It is an adorable shop worth visiting for anyone that enjoys gifts, decorating or just loves flowers!
Check out Sassy Spratt today! If you see anything that you would like to order or if you have any request please just send an email my way

Eating Well

Today I subscribed to Eating Well and in return they let me download a free mini cookbook of "favorite fast desserts..."  The mini cookbook includes a recipe for a Lemon-Poppy Seed Cake that I am looking forward to fixing on my next day of baking.  I rarely bake sweets but when I do I make sure the recipe is going to be something special.  This recipe contains only 1 gram of saturated fat per serving! Definitely sounds like a cake worth trying.
I plan on printing this tonight with my new HP Photo Smart Printer that my boyfriend bought me for Christmas!

A Chex Mix Holiday

Chex Mix is the one snack that I can't resist over the holidays.  A holiday without Chex Mix is like a holiday without a Christmas Tree!  It is one of those special treats that after my first taste I vow to make Chex Mix a monthly treat rather than a December only treat.

This year I decided to start with a trial batch of Chex Mix.  I compared a few recipes online just to get an idea of the quantity of chex, cheese crackers, pretzels, and nuts needed.  I didn't want to overestimate and have too many ingredients and not enough flavor to go around.

The first batch turned out fine.  It was edible and yummy but didn't have that special zing that I expect from the perfect batch of Chex Mix.  The first mistake I made was preparing the mix in a small broiler pan that wasn't deep enough to accuaratly cover most of the mix with flavor.  It was very difficult to stir and toss the mix without some spillover onto the floor, counter and oven floor.  It was somewhat that of a messy kitchen disaster.  The only one that benefited from the experiment was my dog who managed to find the treats all over the kitchen and my boyfriend who still enjoyed the finished product. Half way through baking the mix, I decided to divide the mixture into pans and added more seasoning to finish up the product. 

I learned a lot from the first mix. 

• The larger & deeper the broiler pan, the better!  I bought a disposable aluminum broiler pan that saved time on clean up.  Just bake and toss!
• Be sure to take your time stirring the mix into the wet ingredients.  This way you are sure to get a flavorful bite everytime.  (My first batch didn't get covered entirely because the pan was to shallow.)
• It's okay to make the Chex Mix your own.  It really is one of those difficult recipes to mess up.  I think that anyone could make Chex Mix and it would still be edible.  If you want more flavor, add more seasoning.  If you love garlic add a couple extra dashes.
•  Be prepared to make this dish over and over again.  I made 4 batches of Chex Mix with in a two weeks.  It disappeared fast!
• Each time I made the mix I changed it up a bit, adding and taking out some of the ingredients.  The final batch was by far the best Chex Mix I have prepared.  It was just the way I like it!

Here is my new go to Chex Mix Recipe:

6 cups of Chex (Rice, Wheat, Corn) (I switched it up sometimes only using Corn or Rice)
4 Cups of Cheerios (My favorite ingredient!)
2-3 Cups of Pretzel Sticks
2 Cups of Cheez It crackers
1 small can of Cashews
1 Stick of Butter
5 Tablespoons of Worchestire Sauce
2 Tablespoons of Garlic Powder
1/2 Tablespoon of Celery Salt
1/2 Tablespoon of Seasoned Salt
2 Tablespoons of Garlic Bread Seasoning ( I found a jar at Tuesday Morning and loved the added flavor)

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.  As the oven is heating add the stick of butter into the broiler pan and place in oven to melt.
2. Once melted, add the seasonings and stir well. 
3. Slowly add in the Chex Mix ingredients such as Chex, Pretzels, Cheez It, Cashews and Cheerios.  Be sure to toss and cover ingredients as evenly as possible.
4. Place the broiler pan with Chex Mix ingredients into oven and bake for 1 hr and 15 minutes.
5. Set timer for 15 minute intervals and be sure to stir the ingredients well every 15 minutes.
6. When the product is finished store it in an airtight container and enjoy your break.  You will probably be making more very shortly! :)
7. I prefer a bold, flavorful and zesty Chex Mix.   For those that like milder flavoring than feel free to decrease the amounts of salt or garlic to your liking.  Have fun experimenting and be sure to have some guinea pigs around to taste your finished product!

Farm Days



A childhood visit to my Papaw Roy's also granted me a farm day.  It was a few hours of freedom to run, play and take in the environment.  At that age I wasn't quite thinking in terms of the "environment" but simply thinking about all of the things that made me happy on those lovely farm days.  First and foremost, getting to run and hug my papaw was the greatest part of the visit.   After a warm greeting from Papaw Roy,  I would bolt towards the fence and watch the cattle.  Yes, I was so impressed and infatuated in learning everything about the herd. 




Cow on Friends Family Farm

 

Being an animal lover from day one, I took to the big, spotted and muddy beast like a child to a cute little kitten.  Granted I never ran up and squeezed a cow between my little girl arms or gave it a big kiss on the nose, but I did enjoy "naming" the numerous heads of cattle.  I even named a three legged baby calf that had been in an tractor accident.  I was so disturbed when I learned the story of the wounded calf, "The farm hand fell asleep plowing the fields and the calf didn't move fast enough," explained Papaw Roy.

Heartbroken and devastated.  How could someone fall asleep driving a tractor with all of those cows so close? 
I worried about that three legged calf everyday in between farm visits.  The discovery I made on the next visit will be one that I will never forget.  I discovered that my baby calf was missing.   Only then did I learn the true operations of a real farm.   The more I learned about the cattle, the more confused I became.  What was a little girl to eat after a day like that? 
I still to this day believe that the three legged cow triggered my vegetarianism.  This day was the beginning to the end of my meat eating days.

My childhood adventures on Papaw Roy's farm blossomed into a passion for animals and my quirky eating habits today.

My name is Lauren and if you haven't figured by now, I am a vegetarian.  To be precise I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian.  I incorporate eggs and dairy products into my diet.  Within the last couple of years I have also began to add seafood on occasion. I guess with  the seafood thrown into the menu this blog should have been titled "Kentucky Fried Pescetarian"?

This is my first blog and I am really excited about all of the things I will be learning.  Just writing this first post made me remember so much about my childhood.  It is so interesting to take the time and look back.  The scary part is realizing how much a childhood truly shapes your future.  Just think, if I never went to the farm and saw that poor little calf than I might be at the drive-thru eating a Big Mac for lunch.  Instead, I'll order a double cheeseburger without the meat.  :)
You never know how one day will shape the next!