McDonald's Cheeseburger Buns

These taste just like McDonald's cheeseburgers! Really!

Cheeseburger Buns
12 servings

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast (or 4 1/2 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water
3/4 cup warm milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons mustard
6 slices process American cheese, quartered
24 thin dill pickle slices

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, sugar, shortening, egg, salt and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. In a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat; drain. Stir in ketchup and mustard. Lower heat and simmer. Punch dough down; divide into 12 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, gently roll out and stretch each piece into a 5 inch. circle. Top each circle with two pieces of cheese, about 3 tablespoons beef mixture and two pickles. Bring dough over filling to center; pinch edges to seal. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 20 minutes. Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers. Enjoy!

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup

Independence Day Decorating

It's starting to look like the 4th of July around here!

Some Independence Day decorating took

place this afternoon at Heritage Schoolhouse.

First, I made a banner for the hutch. This was inspired by Kelli's banner at There Is No Place Like Home. Thank you so much for the instructions Kelli! I love how the banner turned out!

I also made a star garland for the mantle. You can find the instructions at Marth Stewart Living. Once you get the hang of making the stars, they go very quickly!

A Patriotic Breakfast :-)

"It's summer - so swim in chlorine-free water, sit around a campfire, watch sunsets, hike at day-break, collect and press wildflowers, pick blueberries, sleep outside and look for shooting stars."

~Susan Branch

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

"Summer Preserves" by Eric Barjot

A Month of Proverbs

Proverbs Chapter 2

Moral Benefits of Wisdom
1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,
3 and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
9 Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.
12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,
13 who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways,
14 who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
15 whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.
16 It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.
18 For her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
19 None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.
20 Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.