Where do YOU live?

Many of you have asked me either via

my Lark's Country Heart Face Book Page,

or My Twitter Page, just where the heck I live?

 Some of you have noticed I post that I

am heading "into town"....but where is town?

So I thought I would take off the kitchen apron, 

sit down and have a friendly chat with y'all.

I live in the Great Silver State ~ Nevada.

In a small town called Alamo.

When I say small I mean... small!

There are no stoplights, no Walmart or Targets, 

no McDonald's, nope not even a Starbucks.

 There are No fast food restaurants.

It has NO city Pool or Gym. 

In order to find any of those listed above I

 travel 100 Miles South to Las Vegas.

Now I can already hear y'all whisper

out loud "WHY?" as you shake your head.

(Caught ya didnt I?...lol)

Let me tell ya WHY...

Here in my hometown we DO have...

A safe environment, where everyone know's your 

name. (Que the Cheer's theme song) 

A public School system where your child

actually knows their teacher and visa versa.

(3) Different Church establishments, that all

reach out to help the community.

Our local "Hardware Store" is affectionately 

called "Logans"~ due to the sweet family that run it.

We have a wonderful "Mom and Pop"

grocery store/gas station,where they have a

Hot Grill  for our "burger/fried chicken" cravings.

There are also local eateries...

we have Carlo's Mexican restaurant,

Scoop's Ice Cream/Sandwich Shoppe.

Our  Post Office is run by only (3) employee's.

 (I worked as the post master relief

for a couple of years after moving here. I can tell

you, this is the "hub" of the town. You can count on 

seeing friends here daily!)

a Credit Union who really does look out for you.

Our local Sherriff's office, Highway Patrol

County Court House as well as the public Library

All share the same building.

It is not a "FANCY" town, just full of good 'ole 

Country folk who wave as you pass them. 

Bring you dinner when a new baby is born.

Who put together a Dinner for family members

after a funeral. Where your children are watched

over as they grow. Where weddings are celebrated 

by the whole town.  Where your children can try out

for any and all Sports. 

Where every 4th of July

is a HUGE event celebrated in the town park,

where kids get their face painted, generations sit on a 

float decorated with crepe paper in a parade.

Where going out  on a date requires a

 4-Wheeler and a rifle.

On hot Summer days the kids can play

Night games with a flash light. Or go to a 

natural Warm Spring, or a homemade slip-n-slide..

I live here for many reasons.

I have listed just a few, there are so many more!

Yes sometimes I wish town was a little closer.

Or that I didnt have to wait for a weekend to make

the trip to see a movie, or go to a mall.

However I wouldnt trade these years I have lived here

for all the Starbucks in the world.

I mean where else could I go on an annual

Thanksgiving 4-wheeler ride?

Or go Rock Tipping?  (lol)

I hope this makes you understand a little bit

better as you look into My Country Heart.

Very Blessed to live here,

Lark

Apple Cranberry Baked Brie

As the Holiday party invitations

start to arrive at your door, 

in the mail, through office emails...

you might be wondering what dish

you can take to "WOW" your host's.

I have taken the worry out of the mix for you

with this simple yet elegant appetizer.

I also wanted to share in this post;

  this Handmade Ceramic Platter/Side Baker

 made from the very talented hands of

Lori Richter of Clay Dancer Studio. 

A few months ago I had asked via My Face Book

page if there were anyone interested in a "trade".

By that I mean they would send me a product

they would like to see being used in one of my 

recipes. It could be anything from spices to platters.

Well Lori was more than generous in sending me

this amazing, beautiful platter/side baker.

*Oven, Microwave safe!*

 *This photo does not do these items justice!

The color's and a bright tangerine, kings gold yellow

with a cream/brown accents.

If you are interested in seeing more of Lori's

divine ceramic pieces. Or would like to purchase

a handmade special gift for yourself or a friend,

**GO HERE~ Clay Dancer Studio**

Thank you so much Lori for giving this

set to me, I will cherish for many years.

Apple Cranberry Baked Brie

8 oz. Brie

1/2 C. Whole Cranberry Sauce*

1 Granny Smith Apple~ peeled, shredded

1/3 Brown Sugar

1/8 tsp. Nutmeg

1/8 tsp. Cinnamon

1 (9"inch) Pre-made Pie Crust or Puff Pastry

cinnamon/sugar~ Optional

Preheat oven to 350

Mix the cranberry sauce, apple,brown sugar

nutmeg, cinnamon together.

Lay out your round of pastry dough,

place the brie in the center.

Top with the fruit mixture.

Fold up edges of dough, pinch to seal

edges. If you want you can make

a egg wash and brush with over to

help seal dough. It will also give your crust

a nice golden brown.

Then if you choose to add the cinnamon/sugar 

sprinkle it over the top. Place brie into a

"tight" fitting or about the same size

 baking dish to bake. 

Bake for 20-30 minutes.

After baking let the brie sit for at least

 10 minutes to allow the cheese to firm up a little.

Serve with Bread, crackers or fruit.

*I used my Homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce

Happy Holiday!

Lark

Lark's Chocolate Gravy

If you havent ever tried or heard of

Chocolate Gravy....you have been

missing out! I mean what could be better

than starting off your morning by having

Chocolate for breakfast?!

I have been making this for my family 
for over 10 yrs. I dont make it often,
usually on special occasions or holiday's.
But when I do make it....you would think I
was awarded the "Best Mom of the Year"!
We serve it on Hot from the oven
Homemade Biscuits.
So if you are feeling as if you could use
a dose of appreciation from your family....
MAKE THESE TODAY! (lol)

Lark's Chocolate Gravy
(Will make 2 1/2 Cup's)
1 (14oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 C. Evaporated Milk
1/2 C. Cocoa Powder
1 C. Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla*

In a sauce pan combine all ingredients.
Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved.
Bring to a soft boil for 1 minute.
Now your ready to serve!
Store this in a covered container
in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Breakfast of champions!
Lark

My Country Cranberry Coffee Cake

I finally created my FAVORITE

recipe for a MOIST Coffee Cake!

Yup, It took me a couple of tries to make

it to my expectations....Well worth it!

This is super moist, even a couple day's

out...if you can stay away from it

for that amount of time ;)

I have made this using cranberries

as well as blueberries, either way is DIVINE!

(I even made one using both!)

Country Cranberry Coffee Cake

2 Egg's

2 C. Sugar

1 Stick Unsalted Butter

1 tsp. Almond extract

1 tsp. Salt

4 TBSP. Milk

Dash of Cinnamon

Zest of 1 Lemon

2 1/4 C. All Purpose Flour

2 C. Fresh or Frozen Cranberries

Preheat oven to 350
Cream together the sugar and butter for
3 minutes, then add in the egg's one at a time.
Beat until smooth, while mixing add the 
salt, extract, zest, cinnamon and milk.
In a Zip lock bag add 1/4 C. flour and the berries.
Shake to coat all the berries, set aside.
Add the 2 C. Flour to the batter, mix well.
Fold Coated Berries into batter.
Evenly spread batter into a 10" spring form
pan that has been greased.
(I like to sprinkle the top with a mixture of 
Cinnamon/Sugar)

Bake for 1 hour. Test to make sure center is done
with a toothpick. Let cool on a wire rack
until completely cooled before cutting.
Store in a covered cake pedestal.

ENJOY!
Lark

My Traditional Pumpkin Roll

WOW,... I can't believe it's already

time to start planning our (your)

 Thanksgiving Day Meal!

It seem's as if it was just a few weeks 

ago I was getting ready for the new

school year. "Time flies when your having fun".

 Or is it "time flies when you have 

children at home?"  (lol)

I look forward to the Thanksgiving meal

like children look forward to 

Christmas morning! I am NOT kidding.

I get so excited with all the planning: searching for 

new dishes I want to try, shopping for the best 

deals for all the ingredients. Even the thawing

of the turkey! I just cant stop thinking about

all the items I want to make. 

I have started to add a few "new" dish's

each year to mix it up a little. However I also have my

traditional entree's  that I am under order

to NOT EVER leave out. (ha, ha) 

 My pumpkin rolls are in that category!

 Every year I have to make

at least 4 roll's...in addition to all the other

"mandatory" desserts. 

Today I wanted to share with Y'all 

My Pumpkin Roll's, in hopes that you might want to 

try them out and add them to your

Thanksgiving Day Dessert Table.

Lark's Sinful Pumpkin Roll's

3 Eggland's Best Egg's

1 C. Sugar

1 C. Pumpkin Puree

1 C. Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

2 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Ginger

1/2 tsp. Nutmeg

1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 C. Chopped Pecan's*~ Optional

Cream Cheese Filling

2 (8oz.) Cream Cheese~ softened

3 TBSP. Butter~softened

2 C. Powdered Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 tsp. Pumpkin Spice~ *Optional

Preheat oven to 375

In a large mixing bowl combine all the cake ingredients 

together and beat until smooth.

Pour into a wax paper lined jelly roll pan,

that has been lightly sprayed with pam.

Spread out evenly and then bake 

for 15 minutes.

While the cake is baking you need to

prepare a thin towel covered with powdered sugar.

You will be inverting the hot cake onto the

powdered towel right out of the oven.

Slowly remove the wax paper from the cake

then  sprinkle again with powdered sugar. 

Then roll up and place into

the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.

Since you have a few minutes you can 

start mixing the filling.

Beat together the cream cheese and

butter until smooth and no lumps.

Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla

and if you choose the pumpkin spice.

Beat for another couple minutes.

Unwrap the chilled cake and spread filling

over entire cake. Carefully roll up the cake

again as tight as you can.

Return to the fridge to chill again for

another hour before serving.

(I like to place then into the freezer, 
by doing thisit is a lot easier to cut 
into slices with out tearing the cake.)

Serve 'em something special!

Lark

Crusted Dijon Chicken

I love Crunchy, Crispy Chicken!

And this dish is one to make me smile.

I created this dish to use some crackers

I had on hand. In this case it was Triscut's.

The new Garlic Parmesan Triangles.....

Can I just say, I am addicted to them...YUM!

This recipe does take a bit more baking

time than I usually make, however it is

well worth it. plus with the weather turning

chilly, you wont mind the oven on.  ;)

Crusted Dijon Chicken

10 Chicken Thigh's~ bone in, skinless

1/4 C. Dijon mustard

1/2 C. Mayo

2 TBSP. Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Pepper

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 C. Crushed Crackers

1 C. Panko Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Preheat your oven to 425

In a mixing bowl combine the mustard,

mayo, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Whisk together until well blended.

I then placed the mixture into a gallon sized baggie. 

 I do the same to the crushed crackers/bread crumbs.

 Place 3 chicken thigh's into the Dijon mixture

then  "shake" to coat. Remove and place in the

cracker/bread crumb's bag. Shake to coat.

Place into a lightly greased Baking Pan.

Repeat the process until all the chicken is coated.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour.

Making sure the chicken is cooked to the bone.

I like to serve them on a bed of 

mashed potato's and top this chicken gravy.

DE-LISH!

Lark

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs~ And A New Rachel Ray Cook Book Revies

I am so happy to let Y'all in on  something

I was asked to participate in and have been

 working on for a couple of weeks now.....

this  is a combined effort and the talent's of several 

of My personal favorite Foodie Blogger's/Friends.

I was asked by Kim aka~ A Well Seasoned Life

To join in on a Fun "Cook it Forward" project

that is also a Cook Book review for the

New Rachel Ray's Cook Book~

MY YEAR IN MEALS
*Click HERE to Read Kim's Review

This Cook Book is written in the style

of a Journal...were Rachel listed each month

with a menu of dish's she made on what day.

She also has hand written message's as to what 

her day was like and so forth.

The "Cook if Forward" project asks each blogger

to prepare a recipe from the book,  then tell a little

bit about our day and how we felt about the recipe.

Then choose another Blogger and pass the book 

along for them to do the same .

The recipe I choose was Rachel's

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

I choose this recipe because I knew it was something

I wouldn't ordinarily prepare, plus I knew My husband

could enjoy eating them while watching his Football

Team play this weekend.

As every weekend I like to be in the kitchen

making several recipes at once.

 I am a pro at multi-task Cooking. :)
This weekend was no different, although I 
did have to make sure I saved some of these
meatballs for a photo, before the hubby devoured them.
If I were to make any changes to this recipe
it would be to add in an egg as a binder,
instead of using a whole cup of bread crumbs.
Other than that, they tasted fine.

Buffalo Chicken Meatball's
1 lb. Ground Chicken Breast's
1 C. Fine Dry Breadcrumbs
1/2 Small Onion~grated
2 Cloves of garlic~ grated
1/2 C. Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
1/2 C. Franks Hot Sauce
Salt/Pepper to taste
2 TBSP. Butter
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 400
Mix together the first (5) ingredients.
Form into 1" balls. Place on a baking sheet,
drizzle with EVOO. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
(I turned them over half way through)
While meatballs are cooking mix the 
hot sauce & butter together in a sauce pan.
After the meatballs have cooked,
toss them in the sauce before serving.
*I went ahead and mixed the Franks sauce
 into the meat mixture, instead of tossing
them in the sauce. It added so much flavor!
I served them along side some 
crisp celery sticks and Ranch dressing.
Now it's your turn to try them out.

I am so glad I was chosen to be a part of this
"Cook it Forward" project and Cook Book Review!
Be on the look out for this
New Cook Book, it will be available
for public purchase on November 13th, 2012
COOK IT FORWARD,
Lark

Gooey Peanut Butter Bar's

Peanut Butter Lover's Unite!

YUP, this is a Peanut Butter Lover's

dream dessert! 

These bar's are sweet, gooey goodness.

Using a box cake mix, helps to keep 

prep time to a minimum, without

taking anything away from the flavor.

Once you taste these divine bars,

you will be making these many times 

in the future I am sure.

Gooey Peanut Butter Bar's

1(18.25 oz) Yellow Cake Mix

2 Eggland's Best Egg's

1 C. Creamy Peanut Butter

1 Stick Butter~ melted

1 (14oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk

1(10 oz.)Pkg. Peanut Butter Chips

Preheat oven to 350

In a large mixing bowl combine

the cake mix, eggs,peanut butter

and melted butter. Mix until well

combined. Press half of the mixture into

the bottom of a 9x13" pan.

Bake for 12 minutes.

Sprinkle the peanut butter chips over

the warm "crust", then pour the 

condensed milk over the chips.

Crumble the remaining dough

evenly over the milk. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes

Let cool in the pan before cutting.

Gooey Goodness,

Lark

My Minestrone Soup

My Minestrone Soup is packed full of

meat, beans and veggies All  mixed

together make it a party for your mouth.

You can make this in your slow cooker OR

if you want to eat it right away, 

you can make it on your stove top.

Lark's Minestrone Soup

1 lb. Lean ground Beef or Ground Turkey

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp. Onion Powder

1/4 tsp. Pepper

1 White Onion~diced

2 Celery Rib's~ diced

2 Carrots~ peeled/shredded

1 tsp. Garlic~ minced

1 (14oz.) Fat Free Chicken Broth

2 (14oz.) Fat Free Beef Broth

2 C. Marinara Sauce

2(15oz.) Great Northern Beans~ drained

1 TBSP. Italian Seasoning

2 Bay leaves

1(12oz.) Pasta~cooked to al dente

In a large skillet brown the meat along with

 the seasoning until no longer pink.

Drain off any grease, then place into

 your slow cooker or stock pot.

Saute your onion, garlic, celery and carrot's 

together until fork tender.

Add those to the meat in your pot.

Add all the remaining ingredients* 

into your slow cooker/stock pot.

Stir to blend. If you are cooking it on the

stove top, you will simmer it for 20 minutes.

*If you choose to use your slow cooker,

leave out the pasta until the last 20 minutes of cooking time.

Place on Low heat for 2 hours.

Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

*( You can also substitute shredded chicken/turkey

instead of the ground beef/turkey. This is a great way to

use up some of that left over turkey from Thanksgiving) 

Slurping Soup Good!

Lark