It has the baby's name, and will have her birthdate (after she is born)
I also learned how to embroider So here is a of my progress.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Baby Quilt
I have been working a bit on a baby quilt for my niece. It was supposed to be a crib quilt, but I made it too big, so now it is between a toddler and a twin bed size :-) Oh well!
It has the baby's name, and will have her birthdate (after she is born)
I also learned how to embroider So here is a of my progress.
It has the baby's name, and will have her birthdate (after she is born)
I also learned how to embroider So here is a of my progress.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Been Gone A While....
Over the past year, things have been going well. I have been sewing a lot, and cooking a lot especially around the holidays. I got 7 aprons done, and 12 blankets done for Christmas, and then made all of the Yo Gabba Gabba friends for my daughter for her birthday.
Recently I have taken up quilting. I LOVE it. Every time I get an idea, it is something more complicated than the last, and so I learn new things as I go. It is challenging, and exciting, to see the final outcome, and seen my idea come to light.
This one was for my cousin Bree and her husband Barham's wedding. It was inspired by their engagement pictures.
This quilt was for Alison & David's wedding. Their wedding colors
More recently, I have started a baby quilt for my niece Alicia, who is due in November, with her 1st baby girl. I wanted to put the baby's name on it, so I learned how to embroider :-)
Now is the time for Halloween Costumes. I have been commissioned by a couple friends to make them costumes. A couple of them will be labor intensive. I will post pictures as I get things done.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Day 16 - Macaroni & Cheese....among other things
I have been working my tail off lately, trying to get Christmas presents done. I have a couple of sewing projects that I can post (a pair of jammies I made for Saya & her halloween costume), but everything else is mum until Christmas is over, sorry! Don't want to ruin surprises :-)
But I made dinner the other night for my family & father in law. He had asked for meatloaf, so we had meatloaf & cornbread, & macaroni & cheese. I wanted to share the macaroni, because I have been asked by some people to post it....so here you go!!
4 Cheese Macaroni
courtesy of Emeril Legasse
Ingredients:
4 tbsp butter (plus 2 tbsp plus 1 tbsp)
4 tbsp flour
2 cups half and half
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp hot sauce
8 1/2 oz parmigiano-reggiano cheese (grated)
1 lb elbow macaroni
1/2 tsp garlic (minced)
4 oz cheddar (grated)
4 oz fontina (grated)
4 oz gruyere (grated)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp essence
Method:
In a heavy sauce pan melt 4 tbsp butter over low heat. Add the flour & stir to combine. Cook stirring constantly, for 3 min. Increase heat to medium & whisk in half and half little by little. Cook until thickened about 4-5 min, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, season with salt, pepper, hot sauce, & 4 oz grated parmesan. Stir until cheese is melted & sauce is smooth. Cook & set aside.
Fill a large pot with water & bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt to taste while stirring, add macaroni. Return to a boil, reduce heat to a low boil & cook for about 5 min, or until macaroni is very aldente. Drain in a colander & return the macaroni to the pot. Add 2 tbsp butter & garlic. Stir to combine. Add sauce & stir until well combined. Set aside.
Using 1 tbsp butter, grease 3 quart baking dish.
In a large bowl combine parm cheddar, fontina, & gruyere. Toss to combine; layer like lasagna. combine bread crumbs & essence & sprinkle over top. Bake 40-45 min; allow 5 min for cooling.
But I made dinner the other night for my family & father in law. He had asked for meatloaf, so we had meatloaf & cornbread, & macaroni & cheese. I wanted to share the macaroni, because I have been asked by some people to post it....so here you go!!
4 Cheese Macaroni
courtesy of Emeril Legasse
Ingredients:
4 tbsp butter (plus 2 tbsp plus 1 tbsp)
4 tbsp flour
2 cups half and half
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp hot sauce
8 1/2 oz parmigiano-reggiano cheese (grated)
1 lb elbow macaroni
1/2 tsp garlic (minced)
4 oz cheddar (grated)
4 oz fontina (grated)
4 oz gruyere (grated)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp essence
Method:
In a heavy sauce pan melt 4 tbsp butter over low heat. Add the flour & stir to combine. Cook stirring constantly, for 3 min. Increase heat to medium & whisk in half and half little by little. Cook until thickened about 4-5 min, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, season with salt, pepper, hot sauce, & 4 oz grated parmesan. Stir until cheese is melted & sauce is smooth. Cook & set aside.
Fill a large pot with water & bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt to taste while stirring, add macaroni. Return to a boil, reduce heat to a low boil & cook for about 5 min, or until macaroni is very aldente. Drain in a colander & return the macaroni to the pot. Add 2 tbsp butter & garlic. Stir to combine. Add sauce & stir until well combined. Set aside.
Using 1 tbsp butter, grease 3 quart baking dish.
In a large bowl combine parm cheddar, fontina, & gruyere. Toss to combine; layer like lasagna. combine bread crumbs & essence & sprinkle over top. Bake 40-45 min; allow 5 min for cooling.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Day 15 - Peach Cobbler
All I can say is YUMMY!!! This will be something you will want to make & take because you don't want to have it linger....you won't stay out of it :-)
Peach Cobbler - from Paula Deen
Ingredients:
4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup water
8 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour*
1 1/2 cups milk
ground cinnamon, optional
*if you do not have self rising flour, do not fear!! You can use 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt.
Directions:
The easiest way to peel peaches: Get a pot (most likely the saucepan you are going to use to make the peach syrup) full of water, heat it to a rolling boil. Put the peaches in the pot for about 30 seconds to 1 min. Then immediately take them out and into an ice bath. In just a couple minutes, the peel will be so loose you just spread the skin & pull it off!!
Preheat oven to 350
Combine peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 min. Remove from the heat.
Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.
Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour and milk slowly to prevent clumping (it will be thin like pancake batter). Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir.
Spoon fruit over top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with cinnamon, if using (I use a sprinkle of cinnamon and some fresh grated nutmeg). Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake 30 to 45 min.
YUM!!!
Peach Cobbler - from Paula Deen
Ingredients:
4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup water
8 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour*
1 1/2 cups milk
ground cinnamon, optional
*if you do not have self rising flour, do not fear!! You can use 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt.
Directions:
The easiest way to peel peaches: Get a pot (most likely the saucepan you are going to use to make the peach syrup) full of water, heat it to a rolling boil. Put the peaches in the pot for about 30 seconds to 1 min. Then immediately take them out and into an ice bath. In just a couple minutes, the peel will be so loose you just spread the skin & pull it off!!
Preheat oven to 350
Combine peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 min. Remove from the heat.
Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.
Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour and milk slowly to prevent clumping (it will be thin like pancake batter). Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir.
Spoon fruit over top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with cinnamon, if using (I use a sprinkle of cinnamon and some fresh grated nutmeg). Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake 30 to 45 min.
YUM!!!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Day 14 - Blueberry Lemon Muffins
They are just as delicious as they sound!!!
Ingredients:
2½ cups flour
¾ cup sugar, white or light brown, plus more for sprinkling on top of muffins
1 tbsp baking powder
⅛ teasp salt
fresh grated nutmeg
½ cup butter, 1 stick
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp lemon zest, finely grated
½ teasp vanilla
1½ cups fresh blueberries, rinsed & dried
Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl; set aside.
put the butter in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave until melted, about 30 seconds. (Or you can melt it in a saucepan.) Whisk the milk, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla with the butter.
Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into the well, then stir with a wooden spoon until the dry ingredients are moistened but still lumpy. Do not overmix the batter or your muffins will be dense. Gently stir in the blueberries.
Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin and sprinkle the tops generously with sugar.
Put the muffins in the oven and immediately reduce oven temp to 375.
Bake until golden brown, about 25 min, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking. Cool muffins in the pan on a rack for a couple minutes. Turn the muffins out of the pan and cool on the rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients:
2½ cups flour
¾ cup sugar, white or light brown, plus more for sprinkling on top of muffins
1 tbsp baking powder
⅛ teasp salt
fresh grated nutmeg
½ cup butter, 1 stick
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp lemon zest, finely grated
½ teasp vanilla
1½ cups fresh blueberries, rinsed & dried
Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl; set aside.
put the butter in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave until melted, about 30 seconds. (Or you can melt it in a saucepan.) Whisk the milk, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla with the butter.
Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into the well, then stir with a wooden spoon until the dry ingredients are moistened but still lumpy. Do not overmix the batter or your muffins will be dense. Gently stir in the blueberries.
Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin and sprinkle the tops generously with sugar.
Put the muffins in the oven and immediately reduce oven temp to 375.
Bake until golden brown, about 25 min, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking. Cool muffins in the pan on a rack for a couple minutes. Turn the muffins out of the pan and cool on the rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Day 13 - Enough is Enough
OK, I am truly sorry for my break. I had a chocolate party a week ago, then had family visit & then went to visit family. VERY BUSY week!!! So now I am back at my computer with a couple of FABULOUS recipes for you!! But first, on a more personal note, I have decided that I am going to do some radical & different recipes. I need to be very creative in what I do with food now. Some of you may know that my husband lost his job last year, but now he has a new job (which we are SO thankful for), but it pays less, so I need to figure out how to stay on a strict budget & to make YUMMY and healthy food for my family during this time. So enough of that!! On with the food!!
This first one is PERFECT for any get together/potluck etc!!
Fruit Salad in a Watermelon Basket
So, first I took a whole watermelon, laid it how it wants to lay & cut about 1 1/2 inch on each side of the midline to make the handle. Then I cut from the stem lengthwise to meet the first cut, then the other side. So you are left with half a watermelon on the bottom & a little 3 inch piece on the top.
Then I took my knife & cut the flesh off the top part. You can then scoop out the bottom or try to cut it out, your choice. I scooped it.
I cut up some of the watermelon & put it in another bowl to make my salad. I cut up a pineapple, some strawberries, blueberries, grapes & kiwi. I would rinse the basket & pat dry. If you're not going to use it right away, I would refrigerate it & the salad too.
Next is the most awesome treat ever!!!
Profiterole Puffs - in layman's terms CREAM PUFFS!!!! Unfortunately they are SO easy to make it is unbelievable!!!! :-)
From the Pampered Chef
For the puffs you will need:
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat your oven to 375. Combine the water butter & salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the flour all at once. Using a spatula, stir vigorously for about 1 minute until the mixture leaves the sides and forms a ball. Remove it from the heat; place dough into a bowl, preferably glass, but metal is fine too. Add eggs and whisk until smooth and very thick using a whisk.
Lightly spray a mini muffin pan with oil. Using a slightly mounded teaspoon scoop batter into cups. Bake 22-25 min or until a deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven and make a small cut into the side of each puff to release excess steam. Remove puffs from pan and cool completely.
For the filling:
1 containter (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup prepared chocolate frosting, melted
2 tbsp chopped pistachios or almonds
Combine whipped topping, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Mix gently until well blended using a spatula. If you have a pastry bag fill it with filling & pipe into puffs. If you don't have a pastry bag, you can use a large zip-top bag, and put the filling into the bag & then cut off a small corner & pit it into the hole you made in the puffs & pipe it in. You should feel the dough tighten around the cream. For the topping, place frosting in a microwave safe bowl, cook on high for 5-10 seconds or until melted. Drizzle frosting over puffs and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Serve immediately. Makes 24 puffs.
I do the filling just a little differently. I use a cup of whipping cream & use my whisk attachment on my Kitchen Aid & make whipped cream then I add the vanilla & powdered sugar & stir it in gently. I also don't use frosting, I use some of my Dove chocolate & melt it. It doesn't drizzle as well, but it does harden.
There ya go!! Two great dishes that are perfect for get togethers!!
This first one is PERFECT for any get together/potluck etc!!
Fruit Salad in a Watermelon Basket
So, first I took a whole watermelon, laid it how it wants to lay & cut about 1 1/2 inch on each side of the midline to make the handle. Then I cut from the stem lengthwise to meet the first cut, then the other side. So you are left with half a watermelon on the bottom & a little 3 inch piece on the top.
Then I took my knife & cut the flesh off the top part. You can then scoop out the bottom or try to cut it out, your choice. I scooped it.
I cut up some of the watermelon & put it in another bowl to make my salad. I cut up a pineapple, some strawberries, blueberries, grapes & kiwi. I would rinse the basket & pat dry. If you're not going to use it right away, I would refrigerate it & the salad too.
Next is the most awesome treat ever!!!
Profiterole Puffs - in layman's terms CREAM PUFFS!!!! Unfortunately they are SO easy to make it is unbelievable!!!! :-)
From the Pampered Chef
For the puffs you will need:
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat your oven to 375. Combine the water butter & salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the flour all at once. Using a spatula, stir vigorously for about 1 minute until the mixture leaves the sides and forms a ball. Remove it from the heat; place dough into a bowl, preferably glass, but metal is fine too. Add eggs and whisk until smooth and very thick using a whisk.
Lightly spray a mini muffin pan with oil. Using a slightly mounded teaspoon scoop batter into cups. Bake 22-25 min or until a deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven and make a small cut into the side of each puff to release excess steam. Remove puffs from pan and cool completely.
For the filling:
1 containter (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup prepared chocolate frosting, melted
2 tbsp chopped pistachios or almonds
Combine whipped topping, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Mix gently until well blended using a spatula. If you have a pastry bag fill it with filling & pipe into puffs. If you don't have a pastry bag, you can use a large zip-top bag, and put the filling into the bag & then cut off a small corner & pit it into the hole you made in the puffs & pipe it in. You should feel the dough tighten around the cream. For the topping, place frosting in a microwave safe bowl, cook on high for 5-10 seconds or until melted. Drizzle frosting over puffs and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Serve immediately. Makes 24 puffs.
I do the filling just a little differently. I use a cup of whipping cream & use my whisk attachment on my Kitchen Aid & make whipped cream then I add the vanilla & powdered sugar & stir it in gently. I also don't use frosting, I use some of my Dove chocolate & melt it. It doesn't drizzle as well, but it does harden.
There ya go!! Two great dishes that are perfect for get togethers!!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Day 12 - Back to Business
Sorry it took a couple days to get back to this. Our 4th was an awesome day!! I hope yours was too!! On Monday I did some sewing projects that were piling up on me. I didn't think to take pictures while I was doing it, so I didn't blog about it. I did rebuild a hem on my husbands shorts, which was something that I had never done before. I did pretty well. But, on to today's yummy-ness :-)
Strawberry Popcicles
2 cups strawberries (topped)
1 cup milk
sugar to taste
Wash & top strawberries, put them & the milk in a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste it, if it isn't sweet add some sugar. Blend & taste. Repeat as necessary. Pour into popcicle molds. Freeze 6-8 hours or until competely frozen
Strawberry Popcicles
2 cups strawberries (topped)
1 cup milk
sugar to taste
Wash & top strawberries, put them & the milk in a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste it, if it isn't sweet add some sugar. Blend & taste. Repeat as necessary. Pour into popcicle molds. Freeze 6-8 hours or until competely frozen
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