We entered the kitchen at 8:30 a.m. and didn't leave until a bit past 5:00. We measured, mixed, stirred, chopped, patted, poured, rolled, sprinkled and baked our little hearts out with varying success… mostly great!

There were three large stainless steel work tables pushed together in the main work area and it worked perfectly for each of us to claim one as our own. There was plenty of room to spread elsewhere, and a couple of us also employed rolling carts. That's everything I brought to make the following:

An almost-double batch of Ina Garten's Ultimate Ginger Cookie.

Each batch is supposed to make 16 cookies, and I ended up with 29. An unequivocal success, I will definitely make these again… maybe next week! Next time, though, I'll keep in mind that a double batch pushed the tilt-head KitchenAid mixer to the limit. There was a big Hobart commercial mixer available, but total overkill. I think that my bowl-lift mixer at home is just a bit larger than the tilt-head.

Paleo Fat Bomb Coconut Brownies by Caitlin Weeks. They are delicious! I used both the coconut and walnuts, but was just a little shy of the 1 cup of melted coconut oil called for in the recipe — my fault — so they look dry and are a little but crumbly, yet, at the same time, are also incredibly moist. I think the missing oil would help hold it all together. I would make them again, but also maybe cut them into the suggested 9 squares, rather than 16.

Sweet & Salty Fudge Bombs by Melissa Joulwan, author of my favorite Well Fed series of cookbooks. 

I may have processed a bit longer than needed — I don't have much experience with food processors! My able assistants helped with both rolling and garnishing, resulting in a wide range of sizes… from rabbit poop/Cocoa Puff size to shooter. I was a little distracted, and they were so happily rolling and dusting and dipping, that I just let it roll. So, they look a little wonky but they taste great! Kids love to help in the kitchen!!

Irish Coffee Brownies.

My helpers were not only handy, but very happy, too!! These brownies looked quite different than what I was expecting. From the photo that accompanied the recipe, I was expecting a very rich, dark brownie, but they are not that at all. Variation in cocoa used? Perhaps. It made a lot, and they taste good even if not quite as chocolatey and chewy as I thought they'd be.

Lastly, I made Granny Wallace's Shortbread Cookies.

I almost didn't make them… there's a lot of intermittent refrigeration in this recipe. Pat the dough and refrigerate; roll the dough and refrigerate; refrigerate, refrigerate, refrigerate. I was pretty exhausted by that point, and I may have skipped a couple of those steps at the end. Rolling to an even thickness has never been my forte, either, and we'll just say these are all 1/4" thick, more or less. I was able to get two pans, mostly full, into the oven and they turned out wonderfully! I didn't get anywhere near the quantity the recipe says, but these are 3" cookies, at least, rather than 2" — I had to use cutters at-hand — along with the aforementioned challenge with consistent rolling. But I think I'd make them exactly the same next time!

My intention was that most of this would be gifts, and I might have been more successful with some if I hadn't had to pack and travel. The cookies were by far the most successful in that department — and all-around — they're truly my favorites of the day!

New rule for food gifts: nothing that needs to be cut. And think twice about frosting/glaze, too. Also, packaging. Those fudge bombs would look good, four or six in a small box; just sprinkled in amongst other goodies, they just look like… not good.

What a great day, though. There were two large convection ovens at our disposal, a gas range and another oven, a walk-in freezer, large refrigerator, mixers and food processors, three sinks, plenty of work space. We love to do, and this is something we'll definitely do again!

I've been saying "yes" to almost every good thing that comes my way this summer, so when my friend Ann invited me to a dinner at her CSA farm… well YEAH! This type of event has been on my bucket list for a while.

On my 57th Happy Day, I took one of "grandma's dishes" to Park Ridge Organics to share a fabulous farm-to-table meal prepared by Jill Chisholm of Paddock Club in Elkhart Lake.

Due to unsettled weather, our dinner was served in the barn. It cleared up from time to time, but also poured buckets, so the decision to move indoors was sound! And it was so cozy and cute.

The event began with a social hour, featuring a lovely nectarine sangria or fresh lemonade and appetizers. Oh yum.

I mostly ate my food instead of photographing it, so I'll have to use my words.

My favorite appetizer was a pea pod with a lovely mixture of small-dice cooked beets, fresh basil & fresh mozzarella spooned onto one end (above). It looked as if the pea pod had been used as a scoop. Very neat to eat, and so tasty! I think goat cheese would be fun to try sometime — I love goat cheese with beets.

Another fave was heirloom grape tomatoes — every single one cut on the bottom so it would sit flat on the plate, seeds and pulped scooped out — filled with a mixture of small-dice green beans, preserved lemon, parmesan cheese, parsley and dill, and drizzled with olive oil. It was such a pretty plate with all the colorful varieties!

The hot appetizer was a mushroom cap stuffed with tasso smoked pork shoulder, okra, cabbage, and celery, with creole seasoning. Delicious!

I've driven by Park Ridge Organics many times on my way home from points south; it's located on my favorite side of the lake — the side less traveled. I live at the north end of Lake Winnebago and if traveling from points south, until I'm through Fond du Lac at the bottom of the lake, I have options — continue racing up US Hwy 41 on the west side of the lake, or take a right for a more leisurely drive up the east side. It's 2-lane state highways that mosey through small towns, picturesque farmland, the Bible Belt of Wisconsin, and offers some of the most beautiful views of the lake.

The 3-course meal was simply spectacular. For several days afterward, it was the standard by which I seriously judged every morsel that dared come near my lips, lest my tastebuds and the memory of that wonderful meal be sullied. Hello, FOOD.SNOB.

We began with a salad – green beans, romaine lettuce, pickled walla walla onion, cherry tomato, Sartori BelliVitano Gold cheese, dressed with a macadamia nut-dill vinaigrette.

The beverage pairing was a choice of 3 Sheeps Cirque du Wit wheat ale or Guild White Wine (there was a local connection, but I don't remember what it was). I chose the ale.

The entree was fresh grilled pork loin and lemon-braised pork shoulder from Golden Bear Farm, served with snow peas and pickled kohlrabi, caramelized green and purple kale with carrot, celery and walla walla onion, and deer creek cheddar grits.

Um. We pretty much licked (in a manner of speaking) all of the service plates clean!

The beverage choice was 3 Sheeps Really Cool Waterslides I.P.A. or Guild Red Wine; again, I chose the beer.

The final course was dessert. Oh my.

Brachetto cherries and Berry Dairy black & red raspberries served with oatmeal crumble, and topped with celery and lemon balm ice cream.

Um. Yes, you read that right:  CELERY ICE CREAM! It was so fabulously different and delicious. I loved it.

And then it was time to drive home.

They have a 5-course farm dinner coming up next month… I've been invited and am so tempted, but not sure it'll work out.

But someday I shall return!

And someday, somewhere, I shall also be Outstanding In the Field.