Pots and Pins

Halloween Party - 2012...

 

I had no idea, when I invited the neighbor kids over for a Halloween dinner, that Gangnam would come, too!  But he did! Actually, I had no idea who/what Gangnam is but now I've been properly educated and you can be, too, just click on the link, listen to the music as you read this and I dare you not to laugh out loud!  I tried to video the kids doing the dance but they stopped the minute the camera rolled...they were hilarious and ALL of them seemed to know it!  The party was chaotic, crazy, and fun...seven kids making slime, creating mummy dogs, slurping blood candy and breaking out in Gangnam Style at the drop of a fang!

 

 

The pumpkins had been drilled, the table set and a last minute gift from a friend was added to the mix - I just love my new salt and pepper skull!!  The kids loved it, too, one even asked if they could take it home to give to their dad - of course I had to say no, but they were easily placated with a test tube full of M&Ms.

 

 

The kids helped to make their dinner, they loved the mummy dogs, pumpkin fruit cups, which tasted so much better when they put on the green plastic finger and used it as a toothpick to pick up the fruit!  The buttered green worms were a hit and they loved their FrankenFries!  

They also had a first course of Blood Soup, which tasted remarkably like tomato soup... and for dessert they dined on chocolate and orange whoopie pies and the gingerbread cookies they decorated...vampire-style (with an exact replica of Mr. Gangnam himself)... then they washed everything down with cider that had floating shrunken heads in it...so creepy yet so good!

 

 

We made green slime and a pumpkin-button bracelet...and after all of that, they still had enough energy to relight the East Coast!  (My prayers go out to everyone in hurricane Sandy's path...such sad news this morning!)

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Pinterest for inspiring this party...

Mummy Dogs: Adapted from Taste of Home   I didn't use the sticks...easier for kids to pick up and eat.

Pumpkin Fruit Cups:  Adapted from All You    I used their idea for the "pumpkins", hollowing them out and then filling with cut-up pears, apple, oranges and pomegranate seeds.

Shrunken Heads in Cider:  Adapted from Marthat Stewart    I sliced, peeled and cored the apples according to directions, and then put them directly onto a parchment-lined baking tray and into the oven for 1 1/2 hours.  They were a little brown, but that just made them more creepy - they were put  into purchased cold cider. 

FrankenFries:  Adapted from Parents Magazine    Instead of using crackers and pretzels, I put French fries into the cones, the kids really liked the crazy "hair" - and even ate the cones!  (Green ice cream cones came in a box with pink and vanilla cones, purchased at Safeway.)

Vampire Gingerbread Men:  Inspired by a picture found on Flickr by The Glass Eye   I used my tried and true recipe for Gingerbread men...it's the best one out there, trust me!  You can find the recipe here,

Green Slime:  There are many recipes for slime on the internet, I used the one from Better Homes and Gardens but I had trouble with it!  My first two batches didn't work...after the Borax mixture is combined with the glue mixture, it needs to SIT FOR ONE MINUTE...and THEN you can lift the slime out of the water - not all of the water will be absorbed, and that's okay, just lift out the slime, throw the water out and let it moosch through your fingers...great fun!  The kids took home plastic containers of slime, containers purchased at World Market.

Green Worms:  Add green food coloring (or any color you want) to boiling, salted water and then add spaghetti.

Whoopie Pies:  I used the recipe here, which I've used many times and they always come out perfect.  I added orange food coloring to the filling and black food coloring to the cake-like cookies.   

Pumpkin-Button Bracelet:  Package of 300 plastic pumpkin buttons purchased at JoAnn Fabrics for $3.99, ribbon by the spool, 99 cents each.  

 

 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Quilt Group Friday...

Thanks to a mechanical problem, my flight out of SLC last Thursday night was delayed and then cancelled...making it necessary for me to fly home Friday morning...and if everything had gone according to plan I would have arrived at my quilt group meeting right on the dot.  Alas, when do things go according to plans?!?  Due to weather, the flight was late leaving SLC and late arriving in Seattle...and then my bag was sent to the wrong bag claim...so I made it to quilt group just as everyone was getting ready to leave!  I quickly took a few pictures of the quilts that were still out...

You may remember this quilt, Stephanie made it at our retreat last month.  She had just finished the "inside of the quilt, and has since added the solid black, which really helped and the outer border...this is so dang happy and cute - just like Stephanie herself!

This quilt is HUGE!  Stephanie made this for her son - it's king size!  She started out using gray fabrics but decided it was just too "blah" so she added in the mustard...isn't it just fabulous?  This is one of those quilts that you know will be loved and loved and loved - to pieces!  It's an easy pattern and I dare you to find one corner that doesn't match up!  Nicely done Steph!

This is Helen's latest creation...funny, but I didn't notice the "red crosses" until I saw the picture!  I love the border fabric - chevron fabric is all the rage but I haven't seen anyone who has used it as a border...very clever Helen!   This would definitely work for Christmas, no?  It looks very Dr. Seuss-ish, and I love that!  I wonder who's arm that is?

This is one you've seen before, too - it's Marsha's quilt that she made for her daughter.  Terry quilted it for her and she did a beautiful job...now Marsha just has to add the binding.  I love the colors in this - very nice, Marsha!

That's all I was able to get!  I'm sure there were more quilts but I'll just have to get pics of them another time.   I took a quilt to show, too, and when the binding is finished I'll post it...I'm quite happy with how it turned out!   I hated missing our meeting, it's always so fun to visit with everyone - we all talk at the same time which makes it fun and funny...I'm already looking forward to next month!

Persimmon Jam...

I'm in Utah and just for the record, I did not fly to Salt Lake on a broom.  My broom license has expired.  But I'll have it renewed in time for Halloween - I'll need it to do my annual ding-dong-ditching - I'm sure I won't be as quick with my get-aways as I once was but as long as I don't fall off the broom and break a hip it will be a successful night.  While I've been in Utah I've visited with family, shopped with my sister (which is a painful experience as she has to personally touch every item in the entire mall - at least twice) celebrated my nieces birthday and I got to take my grands to Scheels.  I had no idea what Scheels was...and when I was told it's a giant sporting goods store, my heart didn't skip a beat - until I saw it in person.  

This is a sporting goods store on steroids...with bats, balls, kayaks, guns, dead animals on the walls and a giant ferris wheel inside.  Max was so, so happy - he could hardly wait for his turn to ride!

 

 

 

 

 

Max loved Scheels - he happily posed at all of the photo-op-spots - and little Elsa was very content to be pushed around in their car-carts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IF you live in or near Sandy, Utah, get yourself over to Scheels for a good time...but don't go on a weekend!  Oh, they also have an aquarium inside that you walk under and a restaurant with a fudge shop!

 

We woke up to 5-inches of snow on the ground this morning...before Halloween!  Mom's cosmos were still blooming and so were her roses!  It was a great day to stay inside and make Persimmon Jam!    

The day before, Mom and I went to Ocean Mart (90th South and 115 East) and we bought all kinds of fruit and veggies.  Ocean Mart is an Asian grocery store and like most ethnic stores, it's filled with different types of foods - some we knew, some we didn't.  When I saw the mountain of persimmons I just had to buy some...they are so pretty!  I had not eaten a persimmon before, and I was more than curious!  I asked a clerk in the store about them, she said they are in season now, and they make great salsa, chopped with cilantro and onion and they make great pudding (!) and, like music to my ears...they make great jam.  I am a jam eater...and now I'm a persimmon jam eater!  It couldn't have been easier.  But that's not why you should make persimmon jam...you should make it because it's dang good!  It reminds me of orange marmalade...only mellow-er.

 

 

 

 

Persimmons have the feel of a tomato, except they don't have seeds inside (I bought Fuyu persimmons, they are seedless) and they kind of taste like an apple, except they are not as tasty.  It's kind of hard to describe their taste...I was told they have an astringent taste, but I wouldn't say that, they were almost bland...but once cooked with sugar, orange and lemon zest, the persimmon pulp becomes soft and sweet - and spoonably delicious!   

Persimmon Jam - Pots and Pins with help from my mom, Carol Wagner

12 medium persimmons

4 cups sugar**

zest of one large orange

1 teaspoons lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

(**You will need 2 cups sugar for every 3 cups of pulp.  I was able to get 6 cups of pulp from the 12 persimmons so I used 4 cups of sugar.  You will have to do the math and adjust the sugar for the amount of pulp you get.)

Remove the very stiff leaves from the tops of the persimmons.  Core the persimmons, just slightly, then cut into quarters and peel using a paring knife.  Put all persimmon pieces in a food processor and process until just very small bits are left.  In a large saucepan over medium high heat, combine  6 cups persimmon pulp with the sugar, orange and lemon zest.  Stir mixture and bring to a boil.  Stirring frequently, and making sure mixture doesn't boil over, continue to cook until mixture has thickened, about 20 to 30 minutes.  (Use the freezer plate method to determine if jam has reached its set point:  put a small ceramic plate in the freezer for 10 minutes.  Remove and put one teaspoon of hot jam onto plate.  Return plate to refrigerator for 5 more minutes.  After 5 minutes, remove plate and push finger through jam, if jam wrinkles up and holds its shape, then it's ready.  If not, keep cooking and check every five minutes.)

When jam is done, remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.  Ladle into hot, sterilized jars, put on lids.  You can process jam in a hot water bath for 10 minutes or skip that step (like we did) and keep in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.  Use persimmon jam on toast, muffins or crumpets and it would make an excellent glaze for roasted chicken!  Makes 7 cups. 

 

 

Ahoy! Seafair Quilt!

While Seafair (Seattle's summer festival) has long been over and is just a memory for most Seattleites, it's been on my mind...maybe the 85 straight days of sun or the weekly trips across the lake or maybe the pirate fabric that I happened upon one day is what had me longing for just one more picnic as the Blues flew overhead - I don't know...but what I do know is this, after 20 years of going to the parade, searching for pirates and picnicking along the shores of Lake Washington on pseudo-Seafair quilts, next summer I will be ready with this little number...

Oh sure, it's nothing fancy, but the simplicity is what I'm most smitten with!  So smitten that this little quilt was moved to the head of the heap and was started and finished in just under a week!  I used scraps for the center, and then bordered it with the pirate ship fabric - and it's backed with red lobster flannel...too fun, no?  It was machine-quilted by moi...I tried to quilt "waves" but it was more difficult than I thought - so the quilting is not great but then no one is really going to see it once it's covered with a picnic basket and enough food for an entire fleet...at least, that's my theory.

It would seem there was something on my camera's lens...sorry about that!  Don't you just love the lobsters?  I found it in my stash and there was just enough to back this quilt - I love when that happens!

If you can see the "waves" that I quilted into this, you don't need glasses!  I might have missed a few spots!

So, what do you think?  I've made hundreds of quilts - I lost count when I hit 250...but in all of those quilts, this is the only one I've made for myself that is nautical-esque.  Years ago I read somewhere that every quilter should have some of the classics...a log cabin quilt, a school house quilt, and a sail-boat quilt, just to name a few...so now I can tick the sail-boat quilt box!  (Yes, that's a stretch but this is probably as close as I'll ever get.)  Okay, thanks for stopping by, I'll go clean my camera lens now!

Apple Cider Caramels...

I'm sure you've seen these on Pinterest, and if you haven't made them, you should!  They are worth the effort...and definitely worth the calories.  Plus, they are so much better than any snack-size candy bars you bought weeks ago to save for Halloween night, except we all know what will happen on Halloween ...you'll be at the store buying more candy because someone ate the stuff you were saving!  Please tell me that's how it works in your cave?

 

 

 

 

As you know, Halloween is huge at The Slaughterhouse and I do my best to make sure every ghost and fiend who dares to stop by is served only the finest treats...fresh plasma, dessicated liver chips, and steaming hot eye of Newt, which is cholesterol free!  Now I have something else to offer my ghoul-friends, something for them to chew on besides each other, something that will make them fly happy, howl pitch perfect and pillage with panache!

  

 

 

 

 

Oh, and don't think for one minute these caramels will replace my Licorice Caramels...Heavens no!  They are a staple around here this time of year!  Licorice Caramels AND Apple Cider Caramels are both so good, yet so different, I had to make a batch of each!  And I suggest you do the same - then fill up some little treat bags for caramel worthy friends - they make great gifts, if you can stand to give them away!

Apple Cider Caramels - Adapted from Our Best Bites, via Pinterest - Original recipe from the Dairy Farmers of America

(You will need a candy thermometer to make caramels.  This recipe calls for the caramel to be cooked to 248 degrees, most caramel recipes cook to 242 degrees, the soft-ball stage, but this one, because of the ingredients, needs to cook a bit longer so a candy thermometer is necessary.)

2 cups high-quality apple cider (do not use hard cider, which is alcoholic - bad for the kids!)

1 cup heavy cream, divided

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1 stick butter, cubed, plus more for greasing pan

Pour cider into a large, heavy bottomed saucepan and boil on high for about 20 minutes, or until the cider is reduced to 1/3 cup.  Set aside to cool just a bit.

Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.  Lightly grease the parchment paper with a bit of butter. 

In a small bowl, combine 2/3 cup of the cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and the reduced apple cider.  Set aside.  Do not wash pan, you will use it again. 

In a glass measuring cup, combine the remaining 1/3 cup heavy cream plus enough water to reach the 1/2 cup line.  Pour this into the large saucepan and add the sugar and corn syrup.  Turn heat to medium and stir until sugar dissolves.  Insert a candy thermometer and simmer, stirring frequently, until the syrup reaches 234 degrees.  Remove mixture from heat and slowly whisk in the cream mixture.  Add the cubed butter and stir until the cream and butter are fully incorporated.  Return the pan to heat and cook, over medium low heat, until the temperature reaches 248 degrees.  Remove from heat and pour the caramel into the prepared pan.  Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature.  Cut the caramels into bite-size pieces and individually wrap in wax paper, twisting ends to secure.  Store in airtight container or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  Makes about 60 caramels.

 

Carrot, Orange and Pistachio Jam...

I consider this jam recipe a gift from a special friend...Karon in Scotland whipped this up with the last of the carrots from her garden...she's been making carrots into jam for years, and my interest was piqued when I read her post.  Carrots and oranges go together like bacon and eggs, tea and toast, hot chocolate and marshmallows...they are great by themselves but together they are better.  I always cook carrots in orange juice, or served roasted carrots with a glaze of orange marmalade - surely you do that, too?    But carrot jam was a new one for me...and it has changed my life!  I have now made TWO batches of this jam...because each batch only makes about 4 cups, which is not nearly enough!

 

 

 

 

When Karon posted about this jam, she said it was great, said it was her new favorite, but she wasn't shouting it from the rooftops...and she should have!  This is the best thing to come out of Scotland since golf!  So Karon, forgive me, but I must SHOUT about this jam!!!  Every jam, jelly and marmalade lover around the globe needs to know about this!  (I'm talking to YOU, Paddington Bear!  You and your orange marmalade...bah!  This is SO much better than that!)

 

 

 

 

Carrots cooked in the juice of two oranges, with their zest, a bit a lemon juice and sugar...and get this...NO pectin!  It's sweet without being overly sweet, a bit tangy and the pistachios add a nice little crunch that fits in so well with the ever-so-slight crunch from the carrots...I'm telling you, this is dang good!  Perfect for this time of year, with it's fresh taste and bright color...but I'm thinking this would be a great addition at Easter...to appease Peter Rabbit and all of the other cottontails!  Plus, it makes a great gift!

 

 

 

Carrot, Orange and Pistachio Jam - From Karon Grieve, One of Scotland's Finest

6 to 7 large carrots

2 large oranges

2 cups plus two tablespoons sugar

1 large lemon

1/2 cup pistachio nuts

Peel and cut the carrots into 1/2-inch slices.  Put the carrots into a medium saucepan.  Zest the oranges and squeeze out the juice into the pan.  Cook the carrots in the orange juice and zest, covered with a lid, until they are completely tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.  After cooking, put the carrots in a food processor (or blender) and process until smooth.  Zest the lemon and juice it, add it to the food processor, with the sugar.  Process until smooth.  Return to the carrot mixture to the pan, over medium heat, bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Stir in the pistachios.  Cook, stirring frequently, until jam is set, about 15 minutes.  Check the set point by putting a chilled saucer into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes.  Put a spoonful of the hot jam onto the plate and put into the refrigerator for 5 minutes.  Remove from fridge and push the edges of the jam with your finger.  It is set when it is wrinkly and crinkly and holds it's shape.  If the jam is not set, continuing cooking, checking for the set point every 5 minutes.  Ladle jam into hot, sterilized jars and seal.  Makes about 4 cups.  Keep in refrigerator for up to three weeks.  Serve on everything from toast to scones to pancakes or with pork or chicken...this really is great with SO many things!

Karon was recently featured in Mingle Magazine...she wrote about The Cookie Shine, which is what the Scot's call a tea party...you need to run right over to Karon's blog and have a peek at the fabulous magazine layout...click here!  Congratulations Karon!!  And thanks for sharing the jam recipe, I love it and YOU, too!

I made a batch of my Butter Cream Scones - they are aaahmazing and even more perfect with this wonderful jam...for that recipe, click here.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake...

We had such a great weekend it's hard for me to even think about it without getting all verklempt!  First, The Girl and Baby Elsa arrived!!  Sadly, no Max, he stayed at home with his dad, and I missed him terribly!  It was so nice to have The Girl here and little 10-month old Elsa, she is just the most amazing little thing...sweet as a sugar pie and then some!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below is a pic of one of the few times Elsa was not smiling - she was tired, and tired of Gramma - she wanted her mommy!  I hurried and put her in the stroller and got her outside, trying to keep her happy...and then it rained!  Luckily, her mom drove up just as the drops started to fall...and Elsa was all smiles again!

The Girl was here working, she had several photo sessions, so while she was off doing her thing, I had Elsa all to myself...what a treat!  Elsa is a heart-melter - that's all I can say!  Having them here would have been enough, I tell you, enough!  But then...after years and years of hearing about it, years of reading rave reviews, years of wondering what all the hub-bub was about...the mister and I went to the theater Saturday night (I know!  Two weekends in a row to the theater!) and we saw WICKED!!!  

Oh. My. Gosh.   Hold the clock tick...WICKED was SO good.  SO fun.  SO fabulous!  Toss-Toss!  I loved every single second!  NOW I get it!  Now I know why it's so popular!  But wait, there's more!  Before we went to the play, the mister and I had dinner at a little place I had read about, and it's located just a block from the Paramount at 8th and Pine...Dragonfish.  It's a Pan Asian restaurant and we stuffed ourselves with the most amazing food...and then the bill came - what a shocker...ONLY $36.00!!!  This place is such a bargain for what you get - IF you haven't been there - GO!  And when you do, make sure you try the tempura fried peppered bacon (sigh!), or the crab cakes or Caramel-Gingered-Chicken...AahMazing!!  We also had the Vietnamese lettuce wraps and Saigon rice - everything is appetizer size and is meant to be shared - and everything is just so good!  Seriously go and tell them Nan sent you!

 

 

 

 

Now, how do you top a visit from the most beautiful baby in the world, WICKED and an amazing dinner out?  With this dessert.  It's not just hype - or even Pinterest hype - which is where I first saw this recipe...it's the real deal...let me tell you in three words why you should believe me...

Paula Buttah Dean.  As you gaze at the picture below, let's have a moment of silence, shall we? 

 This is one of those recipes that after reading, you'll think, "There is no way this can be good!"  Which is what I thought...yet there were all those reviews...dozens and dozens of great reviews....and after reading them all, I went to the source - to Paula Deen herself, and read what she had to say...then I was convinced...if Paula says this is a must, then who am I to disagree?!?   And Paula is right...this is SO good - good enough that it's already been put on our 2012 Thanksgiving dessert list!!  It's pumpkin pie meets butter cake...it's dang good my friends, dang good!

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake - From Paula Deen

Cake:

1 (18 1/4-oz.) package yellow cake mix

1 egg

1 stick butter, melted

Filling:

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 stick butter, melted

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer.  Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13x9-inch pan (I used a 10-inch, deep-dish pie pan and I had to bake it longer.) 

To make the filling:  In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth.  Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together.  Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well.  Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.  Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.  (I baked the 10-inch pie pan for an hour and a half.  The center should be set, not jiggly, but still soft.)

Serve with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  If you make this in a 9x13-inch pan, cut them into squares.  This is a very, very rich dessert, so small squares would be just fine...and if you bake it in a pie pan, cut small wedges.  Serves 16 in a 9x13 and 12 in a 10-inch pie pan.

 

Making Mozzarella...

Quilter, sewer, cook, baker, house slave, blogger, cheese-maker.  Say what?!?!  Yes, you read that right...I'm now a cheese-maker, not to be confused with a cheese-head, that would be a Green Bay Packer fan of which I am not.  I am a cheese-maker.  A title I proudly tout because my cheese-making abilities have been hard won.  Never once, in my wild, wild west dreams, did I ever contemplate making cheese...I'm not that person.  I don't own cows or goats (and I'm not sure I even know the difference between the two), I don't wear Birkenstocks (with or without socks), I've never had a grande-soy-chai-latte-with-room, I don't drive a Prius or have an electric charging station in my garage, and I don't have a Jesus-Fish bumper sticker on my car....plus, the word curd frightens me.  Let me put it to you this way...Little Miss Muffet who sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey...she's no friend of mine.  But.   But, but, but...I am now a cheese-maker.

 

 

 

 

After I read The Pioneer Woman's post about making Mozzarella, I started thinking, in the deep recesses of my brain, that maybe, one day, I would make cheese.  And then The Fashionista told me she had purchased a cheese making kit and went on and on about how easy it was...so I revisited Pioneer Woman's post...studied her pretty pictures...tried to read between the lines for any unspoken dangers...but found nothing.  It all sounded so easy.  One gallon of milk, a little citric acid, a little rennent tablet and thirty minutes later, fresh, homemade Mozzarella in all it's glory would be mine!  I rounded up some like-minded-wanna-be-cheese-makers, (including The Fashionista who offered to bring her kit but I pooh-poohed that, we would need no kit!) and invited them to come make cheese and promised we would have fresh Mozzarella on freshly baked bread...fresh Mozzarella with our roasted tomato salad...fresh Mozzarella with steaming bowls of mushroom soup...fresh Mozzarella with a slice of straight-from-the-oven apple tart...I was delirious with excitement!

 

 

 

 

 

Our Mozzarella cheese making was a complete and total FAILURE!  Six women, reading and re-reading Pioneer Woman's instructions...doing exactly as she recommended...and after TWO HOURS, instead of the promised thirty minutes, we had one little ball of cheese...it was rubbery with bits of something in it...still...we ate it - we had made cheese, such as it was.

There it is...beautiful, no? It tasted okay, but none of us wanted seconds...which was good because there weren't any!  Things didn't go according to plan but time spent in the kitchen with friends is always good ...even without fresh cheese.  Two gallons of milk went down the drain, the ladies left and I was finishing up the last of the dishes when The Fashionista called and read me the directions that came in her kit...there was NO MENTION of adding salt at the beginning...The Pioneer Woman's instructions were not very clear, not precise, and even though we followed them closely, she mis-led us by mentioning salt at the wrong time!  

 

 

 

So...if YOU are going to make Mozzarella, and I really hope you do, do NOT follow Pioneer Woman's instructions!  Several days after our failed experiment, I tried again, this time I followed the directions I found on Instructables.com, they were clear and precise, with easy to follow step-by-step instructions, and great pictures and after I had completed the last step, I had made mozzarella!

The mozzarella was delicious on it's own, but sprinkled with Italian herbs, it was amazing...better than anything I could buy, that's for sure!    When you have an extra gallon of milk and an hour of time, make mozzarella...follow the directions at Instructables.com and you'll be a cheese-maker, just like me!

Granola...

The mister has met his match.  We have a new remote in the house.  Night after night the same scenario takes place...I turn on my TV show, the mister picks up the remote, just when MY program is getting good, he clicks a button and before I can barely form the thought, before I can spit out the words, don't change the channel, which I would sputter in my best fall-from-the-cliff-voice, with arms flailing, before all that can take place, the screen goes blue!  I don't know whether to laugh or scream as the mister frantically begins pushing every button on the 300 or so button remote...it looks like it has 300, probably has less, but I'm not about to count...and the more he pushes the madder he gets..."certain" words are let loose,  pillows are tossed, the dog takes shelter, and finally, when the mister hits rock-remote-bottom, he yells for The Boy.  The Boy, amused that once again he has to come to his fazshure's rescue, picks up the remote, pushes one button, and my TV show is restored.  The Boy snickers as he leaves the room, the mister curses the remote one last time, and I settle in for 5 or 6 minutes of my show before the finger-clicker-happy-egit starts it all over again.   I love the new remote!

 

 

 

 

 

Homemade granola is easy to make and it tastes SO much better than the cardboard tasting crap stuff you buy.  You can add whatever dried fruits and nuts you want, so every bite has something in it you love - that's the best thing about making it yourself - it becomes YOUR granola.  

Just look at all that crunchy goodness!!  This is the only granola recipe I'll ever use - I've tried several recipes over the years but this one is perfect and, of course, it's from Ina Garten!  Has she ever made anything that wasn't perfect?!?  No, no she hasn't!  This granola is really easy and one batch makes 12 cups.  And just so you know, homemade granola would make a really nice Christmas gift!

Granola - Adapted from Ina Garten

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

2 cups sliced almonds

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup good honey

1 1/2 cups small diced dried apricots

1 cup small diced dates

1 cup dried cherries

1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Toss the oats, coconut, and almonds together in a large bowl.  Whisk together the oil and honey in a small bowl.  Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated.  Pour onto a 13x18x1-inch rimmed baking sheet.  Bake, stirring every 15 minutes with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even, golden brown, about 45 minutes. 

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally.  Add the apricots, dates, cherries and cranberries.  Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.

 

 

 

 

Last weekend I helped with a baby shower and we served yogurt parfaits, topped with granola and fresh fruit - they were as pretty as they were delicious...and what a great and healthy way to start the day!  Guests at the shower took home little bags with granola, so they could enjoy it later, maybe with ice cream!   The food table looked so pretty!  Along with the yogurt parfaits the ladies enjoyed fresh fruit, muffins and my Ham and Egg Cups - plus extra granola was on hand for extra scooping!  It was a very nice shower, and Tori received lots of beautiful things for her new baby boy, Taj.  Lori was a gracious hostess and Janice helped, too,   You know what they say, it takes a village!

Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts...

 

The record has been broken...it stood since 1922...75 days without rain...we're now at 77 days without rain...nothing but sun and blue skies!  We took advantage of the great weather and spent most of the weekend outdoors in this great city of ours...Seattle in the sun is hard to beat!

 

 

 

We hit the pumpkin patch and loaded up - it's been a great year for pumpkins - they are big and cheap!  We drove into Seattle over the floating I-90 bridge - people out on bikes on the bridge, sailboats in the water, you'd think it was July!  We walked around the city, did a little shopping, and ended up at a great restaurant for lunch...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elephant and Castle is on 5th Avenue, it's like walking into an old English Pub and the food was great!  Put it on your list of places to eat - dang good food.

After lunch we went to see Memphis (the musical) and loved it - my hands hurt from clapping and my face from smiling!  It was a great day all the way around.  And then we came home and I made these wonderful doughnuts...the perfect f all treat for a perfect fall day.

 

 

 

 

 

These doughnuts are orange in color, moist and cakey...they are rolled in cinnamon-sugar and make a great grab and go treat.  I didn't have a doughnut baking pan, but the pan I had worked fine.  If you don't have a doughnut pan you can use a muffin tin, they'll just need to bake a bit longer.

As good as these doughnuts are plain, we like them split in half with vanilla-bean ice cream in the middle...if there's a way to make something more fattening, I'm going to do it!

Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts - Adapted From King Arthur Flour

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin)

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus heaping 1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Topping:  3 tablespoons cinnamon, 1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease two doughnut pans or muffin tins.  Beat together the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt and baking powder until smooth.  Add the flour, stirring just until smooth.  Fill the wells of the doughnut pans about 3/4 full; use a scant 1/4 cup of batter in each well.  If you're making muffins, fill each well about 3/4 full; the recipe makes about 15.

Bake the doughnuts for 15 to 18 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean.  If you're making muffins, bake for about 20 to 24 minutes.  Remove the doughnuts from the oven, and after about 5 minutes, loosen their edges, and transfer them to a rack to cool.  While the doughnuts are still warm, but no longer fragile, gently shake them in a bag with the cinnamon-sugar.  Do the same with the muffins.  Cool completely and wrap airtight, store at room temperature for several days.  Makes 12 doughnuts or 15 muffins.

Oh, if you want to add some chocolate sauce to your doughnut and ice cream, go ahead, I'm certainly not going to judge you!