Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Marjoram Essential Oil

One 12 oz. package of frozen chopped spinach. Thawed and drained well.

1 14-ounce Artichoke Hearts Pieces in Brine. Drained and chopped

1 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese

¼ cup of sour cream and ¼ cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ teaspoon finely chopped garlic (1 clove)

3 – 4 drops doTERRA Marjoram Essential Oil

¼ teaspoon salt and a dash of red pepper flakes

Package of flat bread cut into strips.

Mix the room temperature creamed cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and Marjoram Essential Oil in a bowl until well blended.

Add the drained spinach and chopped Artichoke Hearts to the cheese mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve with slices of flat bread.

doTERRA Garbage Disposal Fresheners

Ingredients:
2 cups baking soda
1 cup salt
½ cup water
¼ cup liquid castile soap (unscented)
15 drops Tangerine oil
15 drops Spearmint oil

Instructions:

1. Combine baking soda and salt in a bowl. 

1. Add castile soap and essential oil into mixture.

1. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time while stirring with hands until it forms into the consistency of "damp sand." It should stay together when you press it together. If you add too much water just add some more baking soda and salt until the consistency is right.

1. Pack mixture tightly into a small silicone mold. If you don’t have a silicone mold, just grab a tablespoon and scoop packed spoonfuls onto parchment paper to dry.

1. Let mixture dry for 24 hours or until hard. 
2. Put into glass jar and use the next time you do dishes! Just place 1–2 refreshers into the garbage disposal and turn it on. You will immediately smell the refreshing and cleansing aroma.
3. You can put it in a resealable plastic bag and put 3 Tablespoons in your garbage disposal for the same results. 

Carrot Cake recipe

My friends are always asking to write down my recipes. I've been making cakes and cookies for so long I usually just play it by ear. That makes it hard to recreate the cake or cookie later. Many recipes get lost forever because I can't remember what I put in the mix!

Well, this time I made a point to write the recipe down as I went.

For all those who would like to make this delicious carrot cake, here it is!

 Cake:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees - Use baking spray on 2 - 8-inch round cake pans.

2 cups all-purpose baking mix (self-rising flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup apple sauce (unsweetened)
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 drops doTERRA cinnamon bark essential oil
(If you don't have doTERRA cinnamon bark essential oil you may use an extra teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Make sure you contact me about how to get pure cinnamon oil).
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained well

Mix baking mix, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon in a bowl.

Add sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon bark essential oil and mix well.

Photo Credit: CK Worley

Stir in carrots, coconut, pecans, and pineapple. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 60 minutes.

Turn the heat up to 350 degrees and bake an additional 10 minutes. (This keeps the cake from falling)

Cool completely.

Frosting:

Mix 1 8oz. package softened cream cheese
With 1/4 cup softened butter
and 2 cups powdered sugar.

Beat until creamy and frost cooled cake.

This is my husbands' favorite cake.
Happy Birthday to Robert and many more!

Cooking Class at Hal's Kitchen

I had such a great time at an event hosted by Don Milich, Max
Dean and Cody Hilbun of Bespoke Wealth Management.

I was so pleased that Julie Kingsley of GRUBER|KINGSLEY

asked me to join her for the festivities.

We met at Hal’s Kitchen for a cooking class.  

Photo Credit: CK  Worley

Hal’s Kitchen is owned by Cyndi Sterne who named the place after her Dad.

Cyndi met us at the door with cheese, figs, and wine.

She was so welcoming and made everyone feel right at home. We were each offered an apron and before we set to work were given a quick lesson on the right way to use knives and the best way to slice and chop.

Photo Credit: CK Worley

Photo Credit: CK Worley

Photo Credit: Ck Worley

Some of the group worked on our meal which consisted of halibut ceviche, beef tenderloin, grilled asparagus and roasted potatoes. Dessert was sponge cake topped with dulce de leche.

Julie, Don and I worked on the dish we prepared to serve the Community Action Center.

That meal consisted of carrots, onion, celery, broccoli rabe, fresh thyme, garlic and topped with seasoned grilled chicken.

Photo Credit: CK Worley

Photo Credit: CK Worley

Cyndi says those at the Community Action Center don’t get many fresh vegetables or protein so it’s her mission to help those families get the nutrition they need.

We had such a marvelous time and I’m so glad I jumped at the chance to not only spend time with Julie but to get to know the folks at Bespoke and Hal’s Kitchen. All wonderful people.

Photo Credit: CK Worley

Bespoke Link: https://bespoke.website.raymondjames.com/

Gruber and Kingsley Link: http://www.gruberkingsley.com/home

Hal’s Kitchen Link: http://www.halskitchen.com/

Community Action Center Link: http://www.ourcac.org/

Our house

Here is a link to our beloved Setters Run.

Our new adventure continues-

134frances.com

New Leaf - Gilman Drake house

This year we will have been married for 30 years. 20 of those years have been spent in our renovated 1934 bungalow in the Church Cherokee Historic District of Marietta, Georgia. For the last five years or so, our anniversary trips were spent visiting other historic districts around the South in North Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana, North Carolina and Eastern Georgia. For our 30^th Anniversary, Robert and I thought we’d do something different.

This past Friday the 24th, we bought an 1850’s fixer upper in Griffin, Georgia. It’s a gorgeous Gilman Drake house that has fallen into disrepair. Even in its current state, the house has good bones. It’s a Greek Revival style home with columned porch and a low-pitched roof. Its symmetrical façade is reminiscing of the antebellum period.

Gilman Drake arrived in Griffin from New Hampshire in the early 1850’s on the eve of the Civil War and worked as a contractor building a number of structures in Griffin. This house was one of his first. He built it for the Milner family.

The central hall spans nearly 60 feet in length and makes quite an impression. As it stands now it’s 3,590 square feet but that will probably increase as we figure out how to rearrange things to fit our lifestyle. For one, there are no bathrooms and no kitchen so rearranging is a must! The house is appealing for its wrap around porch, six fireplaces and wide plank heart pine flooring. And YES, there is also a way to recreate the same kind of private back courtyard we had here on Frances Avenue where the dogs can run and play.

Robert has been heavily involved in launching a new regional real estate development company that specialises in historic preservation and fresh starts for older buildings. They will take the lead in renovating this house. I will take my doTERRA Essential Oils business with me and continue its growth.

Although saying goodbye to the house we raised our children in is a bittersweet one, we are happy for this new adventure. We will miss our wonderful neighbours and friends. Frances Avenue is a magnificently unique street wonderfully lost in time.  The house at 134 will soon be the same private enclave for someone else like it was for us.

Our adventure begins.

Take a look!

http://circaoldhouses.com/property/greek-revival-masterpiece-designed-by-gilman-drake/