Treasures From The Kitchen & Garden

05/07/2026

An awesome person my daughter works with has occassionally been sending home sourdough bread with her. My favorite so far has been the jalapeno cheese bread. Strawberry chocolate was great too but I prefer the savory over sweet. I had told my daughter we were going to have to figure out something to do for or make her for being kind enough to just give us the breads. Not long after, my daughter came home saying she would like to know if I could make her some fudge in exchange for the bread. Well, duh...of course...that works perfectly. First batch I made was just before Easter so I used Easter shaped molds. I made another batch yesterday which I used a birthday cake mold cuz I heard she recently had her birthday. I debated putting sprinkles where the wording is to make it stand out better but wasn't sure if she would like that so left it "as is". Delivered it to her this morning when dropping my son at work. Even if it wasn't in exchange for all the sourdough bread she has given us, I would absolutely still make the fudge or whatever she would like just cuz I love being able to make someone smile the way she did when I gave her the fudge this morning.
Also pictured is one of my recent batches of homemade banana pudding. Not vanilla pudding with bananas added but bananas actually cooked into the pudding.

01/17/2026

It is true, you never know what someone is going through or dealing with. Up until 2017, no one knew that I had been suicidal since I was 13 yo. I finally admitted it to others, publicly. Only one person stepped was there for me to talk to. She knew what that kind of depression was like as she had lived with it. Unfortunately the one person who offered me support, someone to talk to without judgment, passed away several months later. 😢 While she told me something and asked that I don't tell anyone, something I can't at all understand the why of it, I still love her and miss her. She had a good heart, she was there for me in a way no one except my aunt had been when I was 11 yo. When she passed, I actually reached out to some who just threw out "We'll have to get together for lunch or something" kind of response. Besides the fact that not everyone can just go out to eat whenever they feel like it, when you are dealing with heavy things, carrying so much inside, you certainly don't want to speak about personal stuff in a public place where others can overhear. At least, I sure as heck didn't...but it was a non issue as they didn't step forward to "be there" as they said.
While I am beyond the suicidal tendencies, while that help from her helped me get on the path to healing from things I never used to say out loud, let alone publicly...I still have a long road ahead in dealing with things while all I feel is judgment from too many.
It isn't just about what they are currently dealing with, it is also about what they have had to deal with (and could still be dealing with).
Having "Been there", I guess maybe that is why I will always try to be there, try to help others...whatever the situation. If someone were to message me or call me needing help, I will do my best to try to help. Need to talk? Reach out, lets talk..anything said will be kept between us. Can't afford food? I will do my best to help, reach out.
This post isn't to "shame" those who weren't there, so I hope it isn't taken that way.

01/14/2026

I posted this on my personal page but decided to also share it here...
PLEASE, if you are a praying person, pray for this persons family, pray for the driver(s) that hit her.
This literally brought tears to my eyes. It also flashed me back to myself in 2014 as that is exactly how I was going to end it...just in a different location. I had tried several other ways to end my life over the years but do believe had I made that jump...it would have been a successful attempt that time.
People say it is selfishness to end your life. As someone who has dealt with depression for what seems forever, it truly isn't trying to be selfish. My thinking at the time was that everyone would be better off if I was dead. I truly felt that my children would have been better off without their mother and no one else would give a s**t.
This is why I now choose to unfriend anyone, unfollow pages of anyone who thinks they are "right" and those with different beliefs, live differently are wrong. I can't and won't allow the hatefulness, the uncaring people of this world to drive me to these extremes.

Every time you make posts with fake bs, every freaking time you judge someone when you have no understanding of them/their lives...you are participating in helping people end their lives when they truly need caring, support...to know and feel like someone truly cares, is truly there for them.

01/11/2026

This post has been a long time coming.
Yes, I am still available and willing to make items for people. Here is the deal...
Due to the health dept requiring me to do things above what the law requires, I am not and will not register with them. When the health dept wants some of us to go above and beyond what the law requires, that is not right.
That being said (as I said previously) anything I make/bake for someone will be DONATION only. By definition, that means I have to be willing to give things away and not require any kind of payment. Considering I was already doing that the majority of the time, it really isn't much of a change for me. I would still love to do things the way The Pizza Machine down in TN does...but that is just a dream at this point. With things being donation only though that means I can't make things that aren't basic, regular items that I have ingredients for on hand. I can't afford to go out and buy special ingredients if I don't have them on hand already.
If you or someone you know needs a little "pick me up", know someone that needs help with food (I can't do a whole lot but could spare some eggs from our little ladies since they are starting to lay again after their break, could make/bake some items to help, etc), whatever, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Now with the "business" portion of this post taken care of, I have a request/need.
If anyone knows of a great trauma therapist nearby (cptsd, possibly D.I.D.) I would greatly appreciate leads in that direction.

Considering the way this page has gone from trying to sell to just based on donations....If anyone thinks they have a right to come to this page and make rude or hateful comments (not talking about legit reviews and I am sure there are locals following this page that will understand what I am referring to) I will not hesitate to block. I will not deal with rude, hate filled people no matter how much you think you have a right to judge things/a situation that you have no clue about.

Send a message to learn more

04/13/2024

Banana cinnamon rolls...banana in the roll (not filling) and the frosting. I made some a while back but forgot to take pictures right away. They were gone in no time as I expect these to be as well.

03/16/2024

03/16/2024

Had to do a bit of moving around to get all 3 small cookie cakes to fit in the box. For the 3rd one, I mixed the 2 doughs together. :)

03/16/2024

Rather than icing for the cookie "cakes", I decided to melt some white chocolate chips for the tops of them today. First one done, second one cooling for a few minutes. Perfect? No, but I am sure the kiddos will still enjoy them.

03/16/2024

**Editing because I messed up. :( The story hour is next Saturday, the 23rd @ noon. They will freeze the cookie cakes until then.
First of the small house shaped cookie "cakes" out of the oven for the Mt. Olive Public Library story hour today @ Noon. The house shape should go well with the "Won't you be my neighbor" theme. I am making more than one to make it fit the theme even better. Letting it cool for a few minutes and then onto the next one.

03/08/2024

Joyce @ Pizza Man & Ice Cream Man is such a blessing. So kind & caring that I can't not share posts for her business here. Thank you Joyce for all you have done and all that you do.