family reunion

Last weekend I had the absolute pleasure of going back to my parents house for a family photo shoot. Not my family, although I've known them long enough that I can honestly say they feel like family.

Ashley and I go way back. As in, way back to 2nd grade when Ashley told me my hair looked like "slugs." I was not amused. Poor dear was trying to give me a compliment. You know, my dark hair was shiny and smooth like...uh like slugs? Yeah, you had to be there. I finally get it. I think.

Seriously, Ashley is a dear friend who loves the Lord and her family with all her heart. We have lots of great memories together - including Shakertown when we were 11. You better believe it; better than Disney! Well, it is for the Shakers...if there are any left. Anyway, Ashley and I have a great way of coming together no matter how long we've been apart. She knows me, I know her, and we are able to pick right up where we left off whenever we get together. I love her very much and thank God that we have remained friends all these years.


Isn't Ashley gorgeous? This picture just gets me. Her face is glowing, and Riley is so adorable I want to steal him! Except, that is wrong. Okay, maybe just borrow him for a couple days. Then, give him back to his beautiful mama.



Ashley and Ryan, her hubby, wanted to take photos at my parent's house. I can't blame them. My parent's house is practically the garden of Eden. It's gorgeous, secluded, serene and perfect. The creek, the woods, the garden, the fall color. Perfect for a wedding or a photo shoot. Especially when her little punkin is included!

Mr. Ed even gave us some good suggestions, though it's rare that I am wise enough to listen on the first go around. Thankfully, I did...for the most part. It was Mr. Ed's suggestion to put Riley on the four wheeler for a real man shot. Good idea dad!


A shout to PW and her fantastic (and free!) Photoshop actions. I don't find too many opportunities to use the colorized action, but little punkin was set up perfectly in his red jacket. I couldn't resist!






Thanks for the fun Duff family! See you soon!

xoxo,
Rachel

german chocolate cake with love

Remember when I went home and had my mama's famous german chocolate cake after her famous pot roast and famous red hot apples? Remember when all hopes and aspirations of being a svelte 20-something instead of a happy chubby...uh 20-something...went out the window?

No? Well, trust me it happened.

And let me tell you...

...I have no regrets.

Would you?

Seriously.

I could eat that frosting for dinner.

My mama makes the hands down best german chocolate cake you've ever experienced. And, if you're nice I may share the recipe. (Hope you don't mind mama.) I don't think she'll mind. She is very generous when it comes to recipe sharing. And she knows how nice my bloggie friends are. For the record, she is generous in every other aspect, too. My warm-hearted hospitable mama. Love you!

And your german chocolate cake. A LOT!


If you can read it you can make it. Luckily my mama has good handwriting.



Dear Mama,

Please make again real soon. Thank you.

Much love,
Rachel...your favorite daughter (this side of Gary)

advice to grow on

The best advice I've ever received about marriage was from my friend, Nicole. Ironically, she gave me the advice before either of us were officially wed. It's not long or complicated advice, it's honest and right.

Put God first.

I'm not just saying it's the best because I like her and want her to feel warm and fuzzy. It's seriously the best advice I could have ever gotten. Thank the good Lord my ears were open that day.

I don't have all the answers. In fact, lately I've felt pretty weak. However, just as God's power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10), His power is also made perfect when we put him above all else. Above my worries, above myself, above possessions and yes above my husband. I wonder if Mr. Schalk gets tired of me referring to this thought? I do say it a lot. Pretty much to any almost married couple that will listen. Or the grandma at church who says we're a cute couple. Or Bonnie.

God is good, God is right, God is first. It's the least I can do for ALL that He's done for us. He gave His Son up for us. To die, go to the depths and rise up as our beautiful Redeemer.

It is a privilege to put God first and experience the blessings that lie in that surrender. It's a beautiful place to be, in the shadow of His wings.

Amen.

harvest squash soup

Every year, around this time, the squash begin appearing in farms and markets around the area. Then, our taste buds react accordingly and let us know their is nothing to do but make soup. Then all will be right with the world again. Mmm, nothing says autumn harvest like squash soup.

We enjoy trying new squash soup recipes every fall. The first year was a BIG flop. Ugh, it tasted like a weird blend of fruit, nutmeg and chicken. Don't ask, it was gross. I find it a little tricky to balance squash. The savory balances well with apples, but the sweet balances well with stock and herbs.

Last year we made butternut squash soup with cider cream. It was delightful! However, this year I wanted to go the simple route. I opted for an apple-less version, and am glad I did. The squash is a subtle flavor and doesn't need a lot of frill to be drawn out. A pinch of nutmeg and a little cream at the end topped it off nicely.

Now, if I could only figure out how to slice a squash without feeling like I'm going to gouge my eye out with one false move. Any suggestions? This time I tried peeling first. It helped a little, but was still a sticky situation. I'm tellin' ya, one false move and you'll be calling me one-eyed Joe.


Harvest Squash Soup
(link takes you to my tasty kitchen recipe)

• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 32 oz. (1 box) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 butternut squash peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 acorn squash peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon thyme, fresh or dried, minced
• 1 teaspoon sage, fresh or dried, minced
• dash of nutmeg
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• salt & pepper to taste

In a pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 5-10 minutes. Add broth, squash, thyme, sage and nutmeg and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is tender, about 20 minutes or when fork inserted in the squash comes out easily.
Puree soup with immersion blender or in batches with a regular blender. Stir in cream; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve and enjoy!

sweet moments

The good days go by so fast, don't they? I suppose it's a reminder to hold dear those people and moments that mean so much. And a reminder to take lots of pictures! They help bring back the happy times.

Mr. Schalk took the last couple days off from his day job to work on his thesis. Bonnie and I are very proud of him and all his hard work. He is almost to the finish line! Go, Mr. Schalk, go!

Imagine my delight when I went home for lunch today to Mr. Schalk...and Bonnie, of course. But, she's always there. Sorry, pup, you aren't quite as exciting as seeing hubby on a Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Schalk even made me a yummy quesadilla for lunch. A treat indeed! I rarely see my hubby on a Tuesday afternoon and rarely have someone at home make lunch for me. Bonnie tries, but her kibble is too dry for my taste. Sorry again, pup.

Is anyone else happy that Ziva is staying on NCIS? I figured she would, but after that dramatic premier I was questioning the plots new twists and turns. We all know how much I like Gibbs. I like Ziva, too. I'm so glad she is not leaving the show. I like all the characters. They interact so well. It's a fun show to watch.

I hope you had a wonderful day! Be encouraged and uplifted by those sweet moments of life!

Shakertown

Shakertown, Pleasant Hill, Kentucky - October 2009

Some days feel more cottage-y than others. Today, is one of those. It is one of those days that I just want to relax on the sofa, with a cup of hot cider, and a crackling fire. Except it's 65 degrees out, so there will be no fire tonight.

Perhaps it's a cottage-y evening because we just got back from a lovely getaway to Shakertown. I always feel calm and homey when I visit this sweet Kentucky getaway. I have been visiting Shakertown since I was a widdle baby crying in my mama's arms. In fact, I believe my parents went before we were even born. Mr. Schalk and I visited for the first time together on our way home from South Carolina in 2004.

East Family Dwelling - our home for the weekend

As I am sure you can gather from the name, Shakertown, or its formal name of Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, is a village that the Shakers once inhabited. Yes, Rachel, way to state the obvious. The Shakers were a Protestant religious group similar to the Quakers but with less oatmeal. They were formed around the 1600-1700's and made their way to Kentucky in the 1800's. They believed in family and everyone being brothers and sisters. They were simple, yet enjoyed music and community activities.

These days, Shakertown is a museum of sorts. You can stay there in the original Shaker buildings and eat authentic Shaker dishes, which are delicious! You can also walk through different museum areas, watch reenactments and explore and hiking trails.


For you cool people there are also lots of farm animals. I adore farm animals! You should, too. If you want. I am not going to force you, but how could you pass these guys up?

Keepin' it real.

There are no cars allowed inside the village. You have to park your car and walk everywhere. It really adds to the ambiance. It's so peaceful and quiet here. The world and bustle seem to melt as you explore God's beauty and creation.


The rooms have authentic Shaker touches, like simple paint colors, wood floors and pegs on the walls. However, they have upgraded to Tempurpedic memory foam mattresses. You won't hear this girl complaining. Yeah, comfort!

Taking pictures here is just natural. It's almost therapeutic. Like the mattresses. Sort of.


Mr. Schalk and I adore hiking and taking photos of the beautiful scenery of Shakertown. We visit often and still find new things to capture. Like the rare car on the back roads of the village. Rare indeed!


If you're in the area you should really consider visiting. Shakertown is a not-for-profit organization whose income is largely based on its visitors. The rooms are extremely reasonable and very comfortable. You can even rent out a whole house for a big family. That is super fun to do! We enjoy visiting in the cold weather, but they are open year round. The food is yummy and the people are absolutely delightful! They always make you feel welcome.


We can't wait to visit you again lovely Shaker Village! Thanks for the hospitality!

xoxo, Rachel

community

You know what I love about blogging? The community. The fact that there are so many great people out there who have blogs. It started with Liz and Abigail.

Liz: dreamer, Jesus lover, baker, artist, cupcake connoisseur, and a sweet dearie friend.

Abigail: along with the above - beautiful, funny, honest, a serious heart for God and His people. Friends since age 3.

After my real life friends came new sites. New people with new stories. Pioneer Woman, Bakerella and Miz Booshay over at Quiet Life. Then real friends interspersed with bloggie finds and there was Pastor Ryan, Julie, Sean and the other Moose. My list could go on for days. A real web of thoughts, sharing, tears and laughter. My prayers are lifted up for sweet Kate. I laughed with PW's "enormous" snake. What joy community brings! It is a joy to pray for others. It is a joy to laugh with them. It is a joy to feel connected.

These are real people. With real passions, real lives and real stories. I love stories! Everyone has them. They are all unique. Good, bad, ugly, beautiful, awkward...it is the tie that binds. In the last week I have found two wonderful bloggers. Farmgirl Paints and through her site, Pampering Beki. Confession: Everytime I see Farmgirl's name pop up on my blog updates I think it says, "Farmgirl Pants." I don't know why. Paints is so much cooler and appropriate. She is NOT the farmgirl pants type. I don't think. Not that there is anything wrong with farmgirl pants. What would they even look like?


Anyway, I digress. It just makes me smile, because I secretly like thinking someone would call their blog farmgirl pants.

But, you see, that's just the thing. Even with my goofy dyslexic mix-up it makes it personal. It's a story. Albeit, a totally dorky story, but it's still real. I love the genuine aspect of my bloggy friends. Even if I never meet them and never know them for 'real'. They are still real people who share some pretty fun and honest stories. This is life.

So, Farmgirl PAINTS is having a giveaway. She is giving away a beautiful piece of jewelry from her friend Pampering Beki. PB sells things on Etsy. I heart Etsy more than bacon! Mmm, bacon. We all know how much this Midwestern girl likes her bacon. Which shows how much I adore Etsy!

Have you seen Pampering Beki's jewelry? Gorgeous and unique! Just like my new bloggy pals.

This one is my particular favorite. I love the irregularity of the copper and pearl. It reminds me that God loves us just as we are - irregular yet beautiful in His eyes.

And I wish I was French.

So, go enter her giveaway and cross your fingers. Mine are in my head. I would cross them for real but then I couldn't keep rambling. You wish!

Three cheers for giveaways and stories!

xoxo, Rachel

Autumn is fun!

It's a fall Tuesday and boy is it getting brisk! To warm us up, we were blessed to have another round of chili courtesy of our sweet neighbors, Rick & Susan. They gave us yummy corn bread, too! They are truly delightful. I always think we must be related somehow.


Does the change in temps make anyone else sleepy? I've been sooooo sleepy the last few days. It's just a wee past the shadows dawn and I could go to sleep for days and days. "God grants sleep to those He loves," says the Psalmist (Psalm 127:2). Before I go off to find Mr. Schalk and that little pup of ours for night time, here are some photos of the fall decor our house is bursting with.




Mr. Schalk and I spent a wonderful Saturday gathering these items at the farm and little shops along the way. We ran into some friends on our travels and had many laughs trying to fit it all in the Su-dub (SUW...sport utility wagon). Yeah, I drive a modern day station wagon. What's it to ya?

Check out that stem!

Enjoy the seasons. Enjoy each other. Peace be with you, dear friends!

xoxo, Rachel

Punkin' & Spice and Everything Nice Muffin Bites

This weekend we were blessed to have my mama over for lunch before the pups went to training class. Before we learned the come command and how to get along with friends the humans enjoyed some tailgate chili. Mr. Schalk decided hamburger is out and steak is in, so we got the real deal. Delicious chunks of steak mixed with just about everything but the kitchen sink. I put celery in my chili along with about a gajillion spices, italian sausage and a bunch of other goodness. Who know, perhaps the kitchen sink is even in there. "Adds protein," as mama would say.

I didn't have long between church and class and I wanted to use the rest of the pumpkin from the pumpkin bites. So I decided to whip up some super easy punkin' spice muffin bites. Then, I realized I was down to one solitary egg. So I had to cut back the ratios quite a bit. It still worked out and with less mess.

So, without further adieu, and because I'm sleepy, here is the easiest punkin' muffin bite recipe ever. "It's so tasty, too!" (Name that Lucy episode)


Punkin'& Spice and Everything Nice Muffin Bites

The List:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

The Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line mini muffin pan with liners or lightly grease and flour pan.

Bowl #1: mix together pumpkin, egg, oil, water and sugar until well blended.

Bowl #2: whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.

Stir Bowl #2 (dry) into Bowl #1 (wet) until just blended. Pour into muffin cups.

Bake for 13-15 minutes in the preheated oven until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Sprinkle with a light dusting of powdered sugar while warm. Let cool before indulging for maximum punkin' taste.

Yields: 1 mini-muffin pan worth of punkin' spice muffins (or maybe 6 large although I didn't test this).

Enjoy!

something's different...

"Um, Mama?"

"Yes, Bonnie?"

"Things look...different."

"That is very astute of you, little pup. Things are slightly different. But have no fear, your food bowl hasn't changed."

"Phew."

Yes, it was time for a update to this little blog of mine. Do you like it? It still needs a few tweaks, but I like it better. My horizontal photos don't seem to be getting cut off like before. Also the "responses" are now "comments" and they aren't buried with the tags anymore. I love comments! I want them to stand out in all their sweetness.

Another update, that may not be noticeable to anyone but me is the title. "Schalkboard Studio presents A Cupcake for Moose." My etsy name is Schalkboard Studio. I wanted to incorporate that with my blog for the one day that I actually get enough nerve to sell my art on etsy.

I'll get there. Once I research and mull it over some more. And find sweet descriptions for my items that I will be featuring. I'm probably going to start with my photographs, since that is the most comfortable for me. I should pray about this. That would help me gain confidence.

In the meantime, after an enjoyable weekend I have lots of fun fall items to share in the coming days. Did you have a good weekend? My kind-hearted in-laws were in town. We enjoyed delicious food and their good company. We also enjoyed their willingness to help around the house. The soffit repair went great and is now complete. Thanks John and Rosemary!


Happy Sunday evening and go Colts!

xoxo, Mrs. Schalk

Fall into Friday

Shaker Village, Pleasant Hill, Kentucky

Happy Friday! It's another dreary day in the weather department, but it's all good because the weekend is mere hours away! I have so many things to post and have devoted hardly any time to my little blog this week. On the plus side, my house is very clean and tidy. That means all day at work I can relax knowing I don’t have a mess to come home to. This is a rare occurrence and I shall enjoy every moment of it. However, long or short lived it may be.

Chippie on our deck – October 2009

I hope you all have a blessed fall day – rainy or not. Back to work for this girl. Stay tuned for more posts – including good eats and a plethora of fall decorations. We may be able to open a fall store with all the autumn goodies our little home is adorned with. What would it be called?

Mum’s The Word

Schalk & Pup Farms

Bonnie’s Autumn Cottage

that's it!



Did I mention, Happy Friday?! Yay!

Pumpkin Pie Bites - ACFM Style

This weekend was our church's Oktoberfest celebration. Maranda headed up this annual fun fest complete with bake off. I don't have a photo of Miss Maranda but let me tell you she is a doll! Baby #1 is due in a matter of weeks and she still planned this super fun event without breaking a sweat. Her and Michael are going to be fabulous parents!

When I saw Bakerella's recent post touting her latest mini creation Pumpkin Pie Bites I knew they would be perfect for the Oktoberfest bake off. Yeah, I know, really twist my arm on that one. I would have baked them for Happy Tuesday if Oktoberfest wasn't this weekend. It doesn't take much when the words, "cute, baking, easy and seasonal" combine.

I only had to buy a couple of ingredients and the pumpkin cookie cutter. She says it's not necessary, but would you pass up cuteness if you saw it staring at you in the aisle? That's what I thought! I couldn't resist, either.


Tip #1: It looks HUGE for mini cupcakes, but it actually works really well. You'll see on her post how she stuffs it into the cups and makes it fit to perfection.



Do you know how much I love ready made pie crust? It saves SO much time when you are baking for cuteness rather than authentic made-from-scratch. My mom and sister make great scratch pie crust, but I haven't achieved that yet.

I did not have pumpkin pie spice, but sweet Bakerella told us it's a mixture of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger. Check!

I added my own amounts, one small shake at a time, until I got it to the taste I liked. I put in probably 4-5 shakes of cinnamon, a few of nutmeg, a couple of allspice and a dash of ginger. It's all about your preference.



My spices are from The Spice House. They certainly don't have to be, but let me just plug this spice oasis for a minute..or twelve.

See, I may be the luckiest little sister in the WHOLE world because Liz and Gavin live in Old Town, Chicago. As in, a couple blocks walk from the The Spice House. They gave Mr. Schalk and I the best wedding present ever 4 years ago....a whole box of various sweet and savory spices from The Spice House. Amazing! I've since gone through most of them - especially the taco seasoning. Yum!

If you don't have the luxury of being related to Liz and walking down the street on your visits, then you can order online. The Spice House has been raved about in many magazines, including Cooks Illustrated. They know their spices, extracts and flavors. If you have the time and interest, give a couple things a try and taste the difference yourself. I would suggest vanilla extract and Saigon Cassia Cinnamon. They really do make a difference, if you're into that kind of thing.

Along with adjusting the amount of spices I also added more pumpkin. I put in about 1 1/2 cups. I love pumpkin and thought it was not pronounced enough with just 1 cup as originally called for. As always, do what you enjoy! This recipe is so easy and quick that it's fun to make it your own.



Tip #2: Don't get so distracted by taking pictures that you forget the eggs until the 2nd batch. Who would do that? I have NO idea. Okay, I have a slight idea. What? I....uh...I got distracted.
I knew something was wrong when it took 20 minutes to set and still hadn't really set. I took the first batch out of the oven and was questioning what I did to goof up. They tasted good, but the texture was way off. You can't serve Punkin' Pie Pudding to people. That's just weird. So, don't forget those eggs! But if you do, know you're in good company.

I ended up using the rest of the pumpkin filling in mini cupcake papers since I was out of dough. I put some cream cheese icing and cinnamon on top and they were just fine.



I decorated the faces with brown tinted cream cheese. It was my friend Kaleena's suggestion after I was on the fence about the chocolate and pumpkin combo in Bakerella's recipe. I am sure it's tasty, but I just couldn't get on board. The cream cheese was a good idea and had the taste I was looking for. It also complimented the cream cheese in the filling. Tasty!

And without any further rambling....the recipe:

Pumpkin Pie Bites by the incredibly talented Bakerella!

You can click the title above to find the original recipe. Below is the one I tweaked for my own preferences. Have fun making it your own!

Pumpkin Pie Bites
By Bakerella with slight Moose tweaks

2 refrigerated ready-to roll pie crusts

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (Or your own amounts of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger)
Pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter

Optional
1/2 cup cream cheese
brown food coloring
re-sealable plastic bags

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Use cookie cutter to cut 12 pumpkin shapes from each pie crust. You will need to roll the dough thinner than it comes out of the box.
Press dough shapes into a 24 cup mini muffin tray. (Make 12 at a time, alternating cups to make sure pie crusts don’t overlap each other.)
Apply egg whites from one egg to the top edges of each pie.
Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, remaining 2 eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined.
Spoon mixture into each pumpkin-shaped pie crust.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Remove pies to cool and repeat with second pie crust. Place the muffin tray in the freezer to cool it quickly for re-use.

Makes 24 pies. Keep refrigerated.

To decorate, melt cream cheese in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave on medium. Heat for approximately 30 seconds until it is a drizzling consistency. Add brown food coloring if you are going for the authentic Jack 0' Lantern look. Just remember, people will think it's chocolate, so you may want to give them the heads up. Or you may not. Either way, transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag and cut the corner off. Drizzle or draw faces on pies.

Bakerella Note: The cutter I used was 3 3/4 inches wide, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry. Just use a round cutter around that size or slightly smaller to cut circle shapes out of the dough. Then make stems with the scraps. Press each stem over the edge and down the side of the dough before filling.

Happy October!

xoxo, Rachel