Cream Cheese

Storms came rolling in just as we set up on Saturday. Everyone battened down and sat out the first wave of rain, thunder and lightening.  After a couple of hours, it finally slowed down enough to open our tents. By lunchtime, the sun peeked out again.  Even though it would have been nice to have the storms hold off until later in the afternoon, the farmers in our group weren’t complaining. Our gardens had become dry very quickly in the 90-plus degree days that we have had consecutively for the past few weeks.

Barrie pulled supers from one of the beehives last week. The resulting honey is extremely light in color, largely due to the abundance of white clover all over the farm. Spring honey is usually lighter in color and flavor. As the season progresses and different plants bloom, the later honey will reflect which flowers the bees have visited. The color will be darker and the flavor a little stronger. In speaking with other beekeepers, there still are problems with bees. We had one hive swarm earlier this spring but so far the remaining hives are doing well.

The simple and familiar aspects of life are often the most gratifying, and when it comes to food, this plain fact could not be more true. Whether it is a midday morsel or a suppertime favorite, what is easy to make also is tasty to eat, a maxim proudly practiced by Lana Weddle. After coming across a recipe for a cucumber sandwich in Southern Living Magazine 20 years ago, Weddle turned a simple hors d'oeuvre into a culinary mainstay of family gatherings. Although the original dish was a bland, three-ingredient mix of cream cheese, onions and rye bread, Weddle did not give up on the basic premise.

Only one more week before the outdoormarket opens for the 2013 season. April 6 is opening day. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again. We will have some new faces and new products at the market this year. Check this column every Wednesday for upcoming announcements and listings. The indoor Boyle County Farmers' Market will continue to operate until the outdoor market opens in the Spring. We are located in the Professional Building on Main Street (next to Hilliard and Lyons)

Many people know Jamie Hamblin as an accomplished flutist and pianist, but her reputation as a cook is growing. For the past two years, she has won the baking contest at the Forkland Heritage Festival and Revue. She entered for the first time three years ago and took third place. Last year, she won with a Lemon Blueberry Cake with White Chocolate Icing. This year, she excelled with Carrot Cake with Deluxe Cream Cheese Icing. The cakes in the contest are sliced and sold in a booth to raise money for the festival.

Part of the pleasure of the Thanksgiving meal, or any other holiday meal for that matter, is having leftovers. Leftover turkey and other dishes mean you can have more tasty meals the day after your feast. But keep in mind there are limits on how long you can safely keep leftovers. When heating and storing leftovers keep the following in mind: - Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly within two hours. - Divide leftovers into smaller portions and store in shallow containers in the refrigerator.

Easiest Frosting 3 ounces cream cheese 1 tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups powdered sugar 1/3 cup margarine Soften and mix on low. Upside Down French Toast 2 tablespoons gluten-free and casein-free margarine 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed 4 slices canned pineapple, well drained 2 eggs 1/2 cup GFCF milk 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 4 thick slices GFCF...

Swim lessons offered Individuals who want to learn to swim or improve their swimming skills are invited to sign up for swim lessons offered at McDowell Wellness Center, a service of Ephraim McDowell Health. The next series of lessons will begin Jan. 10 and continue through Feb. 2. McDowell Wellness Center offers swimming lessons for all ages and skill levels. Private lessons are also available. For more information on the swimming lessons available, please call (859)

Criticizing the cooks at the Bristow home, especially 9-year-old Victoria, is not recommended. Victoria has been studying karate for the past year at Finn's Kenpo Karate Studio, and is an orange belt. She recently brought home trophies from the Smoky Mountains Christian Martial Arts Classic in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. She excelled in grappling, which is comparable to wrestling and requires the competitors to wear head gear and other protective padding. "She had to grapple her best friend.

Elementary schools Breakfast Breakfast bites, cereal and toast, yogurt and toast; juice or fruit, milk choice. Lunch Taco supreme with tortilla chips, peanut butter sandwich, grilled cheese sandwich, chef’s salad; fiesta bean dip, rice, lettuce/salsa/sour cream/cheese, fruit and milk choices. Middle schools Breakfast Breakfast bites, cereal and toast, yogurt and toast, Pop Tart; juice or fruit, milk choice. Lunch Pizza, mozzarella cheese sticks with marinara sauce; corn garden salad, fruit and milk choices.