Pots and Pins

Apple Cider Biscuits...

Foggy October mornings call for apple cider biscuits, slathered with butter or apple butter, which makes them even better.  Biting into one of these gems makes the morning news more palatable, although they also make me want to scurry back into bed and pull the covers over my head just so I can get up and have breakfast all over again.

If you have a food processor these biscuits come together in a jif.  If not, they are easily made without one, cutting cold butter into the flour is not a workout by any means so you can do it!  Using a good apple cider, a "cloudy" one, makes a difference.

The dough is mixed only until everything is just barely incorporated and then it's kneaded a few times on a lightly-floured counter and that's it.  You can cut these biscuits into a larger size if you want, I used a 2 1/2-inch cutter and made 14 biscuits.   While I was making these the mister was circling, he was hungry and didn't want to wait the 10 minutes these takes to bake.   He decided he couldn't wait so he grabbed the bread and made himself a sandwich with 3 slices of bread, bologna and mustard.  It's so hard to see what he eats when left to his own devices! For lunch every day at work he eats canned food, straight out of the can.  Canned fruit cocktail and canned green beans.  And Spam.  Then he enjoys those little crackers filled with fake cheese and he thinks he's being healthy by eating them with cottage cheese.  I know I've said it before...you can take the caveman out of the cave but you can't make him eat like a foodie!!   

If you haven't made apple butter before, now's the time to do it!  Get out your Crock-Pot and let those apples cook all day, your house will smell amazing and you'll have yourself a sure-fire Fall treat!  Here's the link to my recipe:  Crock-Pot Apple Butter  Of course, these biscuits are perfectly fabulous on their own but the apple butter does send them to a new level.

Before baking sprinkle a little cinnamon on top if you want.  If I was eating them all I would have sprinkled more cinnamon on top and maybe even mixed it with a little sugar, which would have tasted amazing but as you know, the mister has a "sensitive" palate and if anything is too flavorful he just won't eat it!

I baked this batch a few minutes too long, didn't realize I set the oven on convection, so the bottoms are a bit darker than what I normally like.  Even so, they were delicious!  They puff up nicely and hot from the oven nothing can beat them!  Just as I suspected he would, the mister followed the aroma from the kitchen and came slinking in right as they came out of the oven.  He managed to stuff 3 into his biscuit-hole before I could even butter one for myself!  I asked he if liked them and he said they were "okay."  FYI, that's high praise from the caveman connoisseur!

Apple Cider Biscuits - Recipe from Harriet Stitcher via All Recipes

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cold butter

3/4 cup apple cider

cinnamon for sprinkling on top

In a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Pulse a few times until butter mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add cider and process until dough comes together into a ball.  (If you don't have a food processor, put ingredients in a large bowl and mix by hand, cutting in butter by hand, then adding the cider and stir until dough comes together.)  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8-10 times. Roll out to 1/2-in. thickness; cut with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet, sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired; pierce tops of biscuits with a fork and bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Scrap Quilt aka Korean Soap Quilt...

How long does it take to make a quilt?  It takes as much time as it does to watch 4 Korean soap operas.  Each show has 16 episodes and each episode is one hour long, so you do the math.  But no matter how long it took, I'd say this one was worth it, it's scrap-happy and my new favorite quilt!

I started with 6 1/2-inch pieces of muslin as the foundation for this "sew and flip" block.  It's super easy because there isn't any measuring or fussy cutting at all - just sew and flip.  And because I didn't have to pay a great deal of attention to make things even, I could keep one eye on the TV (to read the sub-titles) and the other on the fabric - I'm feeling very proud of myself right about now - got to watch 4 great shows and make a great quilt, too.  Because this quilt has an extra layer of fabric (the muslin foundation) it's heavier and I love that!  This quilt measures 54-inches by 66-inches, perfect lap size to curl up in while watching Lee Min-ho or Hyun Bin :-)))))

I'm sure you're sick of hearing about my Netflix addiction but just so you know, I'm now in a 12 step program, of my own design, to help ween me off of them...no good can come from spending an entire day in Korea (or Taiwan or Shanghai, there are all kinds of Asian dramas out there but I like the Korean ones the best).  

No scrap was too small or too ugly and while I thought I was doing a great job busting through my pile, I could probably make another 5 quilts before I make a dent!  I didn't worry about what matched or if the fabric was on the straight of grain - I just grabbed and sewed.  I could call this quilt All Fabrics Go Together just as easily because when you stand back and look at this, they do!

Korean Drama Addiction Recovery Program - K-DARP:

1.  Can only watch TV if sitting at my sewing machine, actively sewing, or...

2.  Can only watch TV if doing hand-work, must push pause to thread the needle.

3.  Must make at least one trip out of the house every day, to escape from Seoul.

4.  Cannot walk around house carrying iPad watching a Korean soap.

5.  Cannot push pause to make notes of Korean food that's being eaten in shows.

6.  Must have more "side dishes" when eating dinner.  

7.  Must learn to make tteokbokki and radish kimchi.

8.  Must order red ginseng.

9.  Must find the best place to get Bulgogi.    

10. Make everyone take off their shoes before coming in house and order slippers for them to wear.

11. Order Korean facial masks and light therapy helmet.

12. Disregard #1 thru #7.

Caroline's House Quilt...

What started as a quilt group project ended up becoming a pain in the neck.  Nothing new there, most projects I start end up that way and they stay that way until something sparks in my brain.  This time it was years in the waiting before I finally I came up with a plan to sew these house blocks together in a way that would put a smile on my face and someone elses.

This is the finished quilt, one that took many turns in the making but now that's it done I love how it turned out.  This is also the first time I've quilted anything with straight lines, so don't look too closely!

This was my first attempt.  I thought I was done with this quilt but every time I pulled it out to finish, it just screamed HELP!  I was on the ugly-quilt-path yet again.  Even Rosie isn't impressed.  Fortunately I was able to make a U-turn, came to my senses and took the denim sky off and replaced it with a blue cotton and it seemed better.  But still it wasn't done...did it need clouds?  A sun?  Trees?  Yes, it needed trees!!!  

It also needed the perfect saying hand-embroidered at the top - now the houses were home.  And I knew the perfect person who would love this quilt!  Little Caroline!!  I had given Caroline's newborn sister a baby quilt, but Caroline glommed onto it herself telling her mom she loved it.  Caroline is 6, so a baby quilt is just not big enough for her.  I was  really happy finishing up this quilt, excited to give it to Caroline, because I knew she would love it.  I finished up the quilting and binding and wrapped up the quilt and delivered it to 6 year old Caroline's house, ringing the doorbell and leaving the package on her porch.      

This quilt is colorful and happy, just like Caroline.  Caroline is always smiling and is very animated, it's a joy to be around her.  This quilt reminds me of the neighborhood where Caroline lives, pretty houses all in a row, filled with lots of kids.  

Caroline and her family became my friends through another friend, Rui, who moved into the house across the street from me with her family 4 years ago.  Rui is a dear friend now and because of her I've met many of her friends who I have grown to love.  People say making friends when you're older is hard, you don't have little kids to help you meet people, that sort of thing.  I suppose it can be hard but only if you close yourself off.  How hard is it to say Hi to someone?  To smile and wave?  To ask if they need help?  By doing that when Rui moved in, I gained a wonderful friend and that friendship has given me more than I could have imagined.  I'm being preachy, yes?  Well so be it, life is all about relationships and it's never too late to work on the ones we have or to make new ones!  Amen.

I dropped off the quilt to Caroline's house, rang the doorbell and left the package on the porch.  I wanted to stay to see her open it but I was running late for an appointment and I probably would have cried big blubbery tears and scared her to bits!  Later that afternoon when I got home, I had a nice surprise waiting for me, one that did have me crying big blubbery tears!

 

This card reminded me of why it's good to be a quilter and even why it's even better to give a quilt to someone I love.  Happy Quilting!

Caramel Apple Rice Pudding...

Before Pumpkin Season takes hold (it officially begins October 1st in my humble opinion), let's celebrate Apple Season to the hilt with this amazing caramel apple rice pudding.  This is what Fall is all about, and since the first day of Fall is tomorrow, you need to make this today!!

 

You can use any white rice, I prefer Jasmine.  You can use any apple, too, but I like Fuji.  And here's the beauty of this rice pudding, you can cook it until the rice is chewy or soft and the apple can still have a bit of a bite to them or they can be almost mushy - you get to choose!

This is serious comfort food and it really hits the spot on a cold, rainy Northwest day - or whatever kind of day you're having.  One bite of this will remind you of home and grandma and picking apples off the tree and everything you're missing.  Trust me, this one's a keeper.

 

Caramel Apple Rice Pudding - Pots and Pins

2 cups water

1 cup white rice

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup whole milk

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

1 egg

pinch of salt

1 large apple, chopped, Fuji, Gala or Honeycrisp

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cinnamon sprinkle to garnish

In medium size saucepan bring 2 cups water to a boil, add rice, bring back to a boil then reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, in another medium saucepan combine brown sugar, milk, butter, egg, and salt and whisk together over medium heat until butter and sugar are completely melted.  Stir in chopped apple, cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 10 minutes.  When rice is done, remove from heat and stir into sauce, stirring until mixed well, and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until apples and rice are as tender as you like.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Serve hot or warm with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, if desired.

Marinated Tomatoes...

This year I had less than a stellar crop of home-grown tomatoes, some things never change.  I grew 11 golf-ball-sized tomatoes on  my deck and while I'm mighty proud of those tiny 11 tomatoes, I'm also SO disappointed, yet again.  Eleven!!!  The mister very gently told me I was not a tomato farmer and he's right...I am tomato-depressed.  It's a thing. 

I didn't stay tomato-depressed for long though because I had marinated tomatoes to make!  This super easy, one-bowl recipe is not only mouth-watering-good but it can be used as a salad dressing (my favorite) or on top of pasta or chicken or as a topping for bruschetta.  Take my advice and use it on everything.

Try to find the best tomatoes, from a farm stand if you can because they do taste so much better than those in grocery stores.  Fresh herbs are key here, too; basil and parsley which I happen to be able to grow (!) but you can add whatever herbs you want, this is also great with rosemary and/or oregano, too.  If you want to get really carried away chop up some fresh zucchini or fennel!

After everything is mixed in one big bowl, cover it with plastic and let it sit in the sun for 4 to 5 hours to marinate.  I swear the sun works some kind of tomato-magic, you will be amazed!  What to do if you don't have sun?  This still works on a cloudy day as the ultra-violet rays still go through clouds but it does not work if you have smoke-filled skies like we've had in Seattle for the last few days.  So wait until the sun shines to make this!  We are hoping we'll get some rain or wind to blow this smoke out of here soon, the experts say we have the 3rd worst air in the WORLD right now!  If you're keeping track:  Covid, quarantine, isolation, riots, murder hornets, hurricanes, election crap, fires, and now toxic air...did I miss anything?  

Marinated Tomatoes - Adapted From Susan Branch

8 vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 shallots, chopped

1 cup good fruity olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a large bowl, stir to combine and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Set in sun for 4 to 5 hours.  Use as a salad dressing (you can put in a blender if you want but I love it chunky) or on toast for bruschetta or on pasta* or chicken.  Makes 6 to 7 pints, depending on size of tomatoes. Store in jars in refrigerator, will keep for a week.

*When I use this on pasta I let it simmer on the stove top for about 20 minutes until some of the liquid has evaporated and then I toss it with buttered pasta.  

 

Quilt Group Friday...

Another masked meeting but at least we were able to meet outside in a beautiful backyard that was like being in a park.  I could put up with wearing a mask for that!  It's been interesting to see all of the old projects that have been finished during this weird time so that's at least one positive that's come from quarantine!  I know I've finished up a few that I never would have gotten to and it's probably the same for you.  You know what that means though, right?  A quilter has to have at least 5 different projects in the works at all times, so now we have to go buy more fabric and get busy making new things!

 

Denise brought 5 or 6 mini table runners she had made and I didn't get pictures of them, she's really been busy!  She also made this hexagon piece that I think she said she will use in a bag?  Maybe not.  It's a different way of using hexies, no hand piecing, just place and quilt as you go, seems like my kind of thing!  

Denise is our paper-piecer and our selvedge quilt maker.  This is a mini quilt she made, she has SO much patience!  I think it's pretty cool how she separated out the colors. I saved my selvedges for Denise for a long time, as did the rest of our group members; strips I would have thrown in the trash she transformed into beautiful works!

Ha!  Hi Denise!  We can see your eyes but you are masked by your Christmas table topper (and the other mask you were wearing!)  This would make a nice gift for our Christmas gift exchange in a few months...

I love counted cross-stitch, I love the simplicity of the x's.  Denise made this snowman and framed it - another perfect gift I think!  The last time I did any cross-stitch was 40 years ago, not kidding, I remember the piece because I was so frustrated with having to follow directions that I swore I would never do another!

Stephanie made this quilt and while we all loved it, she wasn't too happy with how the quilting looked.  It's beautifully quilted but we talked about how the straight-lines took away from the stars in the quilt and she said if she were to to it over again she would have used the quilting to highlight the stars.  Most of the time I don't even think about the quilting on my quilts, they are usually just randomly stippled, but in quilts where there are larger blocks, quilting can become the star of the show!

  I wanted you to see the backing Stephanie put on her quilt - it's so bright and happy!  Backing fabric can really make a statement and sometimes it might even be better than the front!  It's always a nice surprise to find a quilt that has something to say on both sides.

Stephanie made this cat quilt for a friend.  It reminds me of Batman but then again, it also reminds me of two chickens with their butts up against each other.  Too much?  I do like this quilt, don't get me wrong, it's fun and I know Stephanie's friend will love it!

Marsha finished up her red and white panel quilt - yep, those deceptive "red-work" blocks are printed, not stitched and they are great!  I know someone who buys blocks like this and then stitches over them but why go to all that trouble?!?  Way to go Marsha!

Look closely at the bottom of this quilt.  You'll see a seam line, after the last border.  When Marsha made this quilt she wanted it to go onto her guest room bed and she wanted it to hang over the sides of the mattress evenly, all the way around.  When the quilt top was pieced, bordered and quilted she put the quilt onto the bed and realized it didn't hang down as far as she wanted.  Her sister Shelly, who is some kind of quilting wizard to be sure, came to her rescue and added that piece below the last border!!!!  She took out the quilting and then RE-QUILTED it!  My head is spinning just thinking about that.  That's sisterly love right there.  So I suppose I should apologize to my sisters, I would NEVER do anything like that for them!!!  I'm just stunned over how incredible this is and all of the hours of work it took. 

Mary showed us her "circle" quilt which is just beautiful.  Those circles are pieced!!  And check out the quilting on this - this is exactly what we were talking about, how the quilting can really set off the quilt.  It's a simple cross-hatch but it really helps make this quilt a bit more modern, those quilted squares and straight lines compliment the circles.  Love this Mary!

Mary made this gianormous quilt for her bed, it's beautifully quilted, too, and Mary did the quilting.  I'm not sure what kind of quilting machine Mary has, I don't think it's just a sewing machine with a long-neck and I know it's not a long-arm (technical terms, are you impressed?) but whatever, she sure does a great job.

This is a sweet quilt with a sweet story.  Terry's mom did the hand-work on this quilt over 40 years ago.  Terry pulled it out of wherever it's been since and added the Aunt Gracie fabrics to give this beautiful work a new life.  This is for Terry's newest grand-daughter, congrats all the way around!

Terry also made quilt, for the same new grand-daughter.  She bought the fabric from Spoonflower.com and if you're not familiar with them, go check them out.  Terry's daughter loves whales so when she saw this fabric, made by an artist who designed it and uploaded it to Spoonflower, she was able to purchase it.  Spoonflower fabrics are beautiful and unique, so for that one of a kind look, they are great.  You can take your child's artwork and turn it into fabric, you can take a special memory, draw it and turn it into fabric, it's really very fun.  But their fabric is a bit on the stiff side and Terry pointed out that she had some stitching on the quilt that wasn't right and when she removed it the holes from the stitching remained.  I know exactly what she means, I have used Spoonflower fabric before and while it's heavier, it's wonderful and those holes will "wash" away when the quilt is washed and dried, and the quilt will be soft, so don't worry Terry. 

Janet took the purple color blocks we made as a group years ago and turned it into this.  All purples go together, right?  I know I made at least 2 of those blocks but I can't tell you which ones!  This will be donated to a charity and someone will love it!

Janet made this bag - it's pretty darn great.  It's large enough without being too big.  She will add a piece of masonite to the bottom so the bottom doesn't sag and it also makes it sturdier plus it can be wiped off if anything spills.  Please also notice what's behind the bag - those "flowers" are made from soda-pop cans.  Yard art at it's finest!  I love these so much and I think certain people will be getting them as Christmas gifts this year!

I can't remember if this is Barbara's quilt or Diane's!!  Please forgive me, it's been over a week and my brain cells have not been firing as they should because I'm SO SAD my grandkids are leaving me!!!  And they are leaving this week...life will just not be the same.  Okay, that's my reason for not remembering, too many tears have washed away my memory or something like that!  Back to the quilt - whoever this belongs to - it's wonderful and I love it and the quilting is pretty amazing, too!

I think this is Diane's quilt but it could also be Barbara's - they both love these colors and so do I.  This would be great in my house, too, and it would be beautiful at Christmas, even though I don't think it's specifically a Christmas quilt.

 

This one I know for sure is Diane's.  She used forest animal panels in this sweet quilt.  I love the stars that are quilted in the border, a nice surprise to see them.

 

  

 

This is Diane's witches hat quilt.  Barbara made one of these, too, but this is Diane's...I think!  I remember seeing this quilt with the pumpkins but not with the cats!  The border fabric is perfect.  I think I need another Halloween quilt and I say that every time I see this quilt pattern!

I took this picture to show you a glimpse of Diane's beautiful yard - sorry it's blurry.  There's nothing behind her home but forest and she often sees bears in her yard - luckily we didn't see any that day.  Thanks Diane for hosting us, maybe next month we can actually meet inside someone's home again??  Wishful thinking I'm sure.  

 

Birch Tree Quilt...

Does anyone know if there is a support group for parents of adult children who don't listen to their parents??  At what age do adult children get to ignore their parents sage advice and do exactly what they want?  In this day and age where the ground beneath our feet seems to be shifting constantly, I'd like to throw a wrench into things and suggest that adult children STILL need to heed their all-knowing-all-seeing-Parents advice in all things 24/7.  My life would be so MUCH better if they did!  I'm all about the Monarchy!!  No make that a communist monarchy or a dictator-monarchy!!!  Yes, even better!!!  The girl and SIL announced they will be moving BACK to Utah!!!  Moving away.  And they are apparently taking their children, MY grandchildren with them!  I offered to work out a very generous visitation schedule for them to visit their children who should stay here and live with me but they thought I was joking...I was not.  Shouldn't I be allowed to lock them all in their house and keep them here?!?!?  Damn kids.

This quilt first showed up in my Pinterest feed about a year ago and after seeing it I fell in love.  From what I can tell, the very first birch tree quilt was made back in 2012 by Amanda Jean and you can see it and read about it on her blog, Crazy Mom Quilts. 

Amanda's quilt has inspired hundreds, if not thousands of other quilters to make their own version - copying someone is the most sincerest form of flattery, right?  This was such a fun and easy quilt to piece, made with all scraps.  I will probably make another one as a gift in different colors, I just love this pattern.  This was my 4th Corona quilt, and possibly the best thing to come out of our lockdown!

Originally I picked out a nice red and white stripped binding, but it just seemed to get lost.  Then I tried a scrapy binding, and it was just meh.  The black and white seemed to speak to me, I always seem to pick darker binding to "end" the quilt.  Now back to the girl and her family, would taking them as hostages really be a bad idea?  Since they want to move, I won't lock them in their house but mine; wouldn't that show them how much I love them?!?!  Damn kids.

The backing is flannel so this quilt is very soft and warm.  Pictured above are the color-catcher sheets I used when I washed the quilt.  Not a lot of color came out but enough that it might have left a few stains if I hadn't used them.  Red fabrics are notorious bleeders after all but only one fabric bled which is why some quilters always wash their fabrics in advance...I can't be bothered with that, not when I can buy color-catchers to save me!  Answer me this, how is it right that the girl and SIL can just take my grandchildren and move 800 miles away and rip out my heart and soul at the very same time?!?!?  HOW???  Shouldn't there be a law against that?  Seattle has allowed the CHOP, defunded police, protested repeatedly about BLM...how about GRANDMA'S LIVES MATTER???  Maybe I'll defund the girl!  Maybe I'll set up an adult-children-free-zone!  Maybe I'll protest about Grandma's Lives Matter!!!  Who wants to join me???  Damn kids.

I waited 20 years for the girl and SIL to move to Seattle.  20 years!  And now after a short 13 months, they are moving away.  I am just so sad.  I'll just be sitting here wrapped up in a quilt trying to console myself until I die from a broken heart.  Too much??  I don't care!!!  Damn kids!

Cheese-Filled Puff Pastries with Fresh Herbs...

I know no one in their right mind would even consider turning on their ovens in 95 degree heat but that's exactly what I did because I wanted something delicious to nibble while the mercury soared.  Cheese, herbs and toasted pine nuts, surrounded by puff pastry...worth heating up the kitchen.  Worth the calories.  Worth tiny beads of sweat on my brow.  Just worth it all.

 

Edges of pastry sealed with melted butter and then a bit more butter is brushed on top, because what's a little more butter during a heat wave?  You could use phyllo dough instead of puff pastry, and I considered it but decided I wanted these to be a bit more substantial; phyllo dough would make these more compact, not enough pastry for me.

Our Sunday feast had a Spanish theme (Paella was our main course) so these cheese-filled puffs fit right in.  These are called borek, but are also known as empanadas, pittas, pastillas, boregi, briouats, briks - small turnovers from the countries surrounding the Mediterranean.  The recipe comes from a cookbook that was gifted to me (thank you Lisa Sharp!) From Tapas to Meze, it's filled delicious recipes for "small plates from the Mediterranean."  I learned that borek is a generic term for a whole range of Turkish pastries and they are very adaptable, so use whatever herbs and/or cheese filling you want!  These make great appetizers or serve with soup and salad for lunch or dinner and they make a darn fine late night snack as well!

I personally love the flavors of this - chives, dill, parsley and mint, real tastes of summer and then there are the pine nuts, well, who doesn't love them?  The recipe called for kefalotyri cheese but suggested Parmigiano as a good substitute so that's what I used.

Cheese-Filled Puff Pastries with Fresh Herbs - Adapted from the cookbook From Tapas to Meze by Joanne Weir

6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

4 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 package (2 pieces included) puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

6 tablespoons butter, melted

To make the filling:  mash together the feta, Parmesan, nutmeg, chives, dill, mint, parsley, and pine nuts.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.  Unwrap thawed puff pastry and roll out one piece to be 12-inches square.  Cut into three strips and cut those strips into 3 pieces, so you'll have 9 squares.  

Preheat over to 375 degrees.   Scoop a shy tablespoon of the cheese mixture onto each square of puff pastry.  Using your finger, dip it into the melted butter and run it along two sides of the pasty so when you fold the pastry over, the butter will help seal the edges.  Fold the pastry over, opposite corner to corner, seal with finger and or fold edges up and over each other.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining pastry sheet, making a total of 18 pieces, 9 from each sheet.  With remaining butter, lightly brush the tops of the pastries before baking.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve hot from the oven, warm or at room temperature.  Makes 18, serves 6 to 9.

 

 

Mango Slaw...

It's been nothing but quilts around here for a long time so I need to post a dang good recipe to break the cycle and this one is just that, dang good!  It's not like I haven't been baking/cooking, in between the quilting I've been in the kitchen making and eating pretty much non-stop since March, like everyone else I suppose.  I've been trying new recipes, some I've liked, some have lined the trash can before they even hit the plate.  This recipe, well this is a keeper for me and it should be for you, too.

Millie Peartree  (such an interesting name!) is worth Googling, she owns a food truck in the Bronx called Millie Peartree's Fish Fry and Soul Food but got her start in the food industry with cupcakes.  Her recipe for Mango Slaw was published in the NYT Cooking section and once you try it you'll know why it's now as famous as Millie herself!  Go read about her, she's had an interesting life!  But first, make her slaw, which is not only the perfect summer side dish but absolutely outstanding on top of a sandwich - its crunchy, sweet and refreshing!

Mango Slaw - Adapted from NYT Cooking via Millie Peartree

1 (8 oz.) bag coleslaw (about 3 cups)

2 large, slightly firm mangoes, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.  Toss with tongs to make sure everything is coated well with the honey and lime.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.  Serve cold.  Serves 4 as a side dish.

 

 

 

The Real Corona Quilt...

Most quilters I know name their quilts.  I've named all of mine and usually the name has something to do with what's happening in my life.  So when I began quilting again last Spring, when Covid hit, I called all of my quilts Corona quilts, but really only this one deserves to be called Corona. 

This is the 6th quilt I've made since Covid hit, and it's the only one that kind-of-sort-of resembles the virus, if you squint your eyes and look at it while standing on your head.  Or not.  But since it's a jumble of loud fabric scraps I think the name fits.

Pretend those are stars on that picture of the virus...surely now you can see it, right?  Well whatever, this quilt will forever be known as the Real Corona Quilt, like it or not.  I just finished my 8th Corona quilt top, if you're counting, and I'm starting a new one tomorrow.  Why this sudden burst of activity?!?!  Well let me tell you, I discovered that I CAN sew and watch Korean soap operas, while reading sub-titles, after all!  This might be my one and only real talent, and I could not be more proud of myself.  I tell you, it's the little things that make all the difference in life!!

I decided to audition a few spots for the Real Corona quilt...the porch was almost the spot but then I thought better of it.  Someone might wander off with it, so a more secure spot was needed.

 Next I tried it out in the entry, tossed over the handrail because I liked the look of it with the hydrangeas.  It hung out here for a few days before I got tired of it and decided it needed to be another "deck quilt."  We have several quilts on our deck because it does get cold here at night and the mister likes to sit outside in the dark and watch the bats...it's his latest obsession.

I managed to capture the mister singing Red Solo Cup to Rosie...such cute daddy-daughter bonding time.  The mister didn't much care for this quilt because it wasn't big enough to cover him.  It truly is a lap quilt, measuring just 58-inches square.  Perhaps if the quilt didn't get "high-centered" on the mister it would have covered him better...

The backing fabric is from Hobby Lobby, if you haven't checked them out for fabric you should - they do have quality cottons and they carry the entire range of Kona solids, which can be hard to find. (The closest Hobby Lobby to me is in Issaquah.)  Plus their prices are much less than quilt shops, I think this fabric was $7 a yard which is a far cry better than the $13 a yard quilters usually have to spend!

The Real Corona quilt is already a favorite - unlike the virus, the quilt is bright and happy (unlike my usual quilts!)  It was made entirely from fabric I had in my stash as the fabric stores where closed when I started this one.  

When the rains return and summer is just a memory, this is where the Real Corona quilt will end up - on the quilt bed in the Imaginary Baby's Room.  It will fit right in with all the others, just waiting to be loved.  You all have a room like this, no?

Stay healthy and wear a mask!