It's that time of year, Pumpkin Time. Of course, for pumpkin fanatics like myself, pumpkin is terrific ANY time of the year, but you know, "hoodies and leaves and pumpkins and spice" that type of thing associated with fall!
And damn it, I made a pumpkin cheesecake just now with EVERY intention of photographing every step and ...forgot. Jees, getting older if so fun!
I will, however, post pic's of the finished cheesecake and when I make another, probably tomorrow (this one's for a ghost hunting after dinner, and tomorrow will be for my baby boy Jake, who inhales them), I'll pic it every step of the way. and, of course, the recipe!
This cheesecake is SERIOUSLY easy, practically makes itself!
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Large cheesecake pan (spring form) heat oven to 350
3/4 stick butter melted
2.5 cups ginger snap crumbs (crumb your own from cookies, they are spicier than already crumbed)
1 can condensed pumpkin (not pie mix)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
3 8 oz packages cream cheese
4 eggs
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 t vanilla
Allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg (I spice to taste and that's not difficult)
Allspice is a spice all unto itself, it is NOT a combination of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg (as once believed centuries ago and hence named), it IS a spice, so you don't really use it to substitute tho you CAN if that's all you have and you're really desperate and probably not in cheesecake!
Melt butter. Crumb ginger snaps in food processor or by method of your choice. It takes about half to three quarters a bag of snaps. Mix butter into snaps.
Press crumb mixture into cheesecake pan coming up sides slightly. Set aside.
In mixer, cream the cheese for 2 minutes, add sweetened condensed milk and mix well. Add pumpkin, mix well, add eggs and mix well. Add brown sugar and mix, then add vanilla and stir.
Start your spices off with 1/2 t allspice, 2 t cinnamon, 1 t cloves, 1 t ginger and 2 t nutmeg. taste, bearing in mind spices will intensify some with heat. I like my spices so I go with 1 T cinnamon, 1 t allspice, 2 t nutmeg, 1.5 t cloves and 1 t ginger.
Pour into crumb crust and bake at 350 until set firmly. No need for baking in the pan of water etc. that once scared potential cheesecake makers away. Keep your oven temp lower so as not to burn the crust and bake cheesecake at a moderate heat and speed. This one takes approx 40 minutes. Some ovens run not as hot and may take 50. A cheesecake is "set" when you wiggle the pan (on the rack in the oven - use a hot mat) and the jiggle is gone even in the center. Test with a knife or toothpick and the center will be slightly damp looking, NOT dry. Sometimes cheesecakes crack on top, usually means a little too hot oven but it's okay, that's what whipped cream is for!!!
Remove from oven and let set until cool, loosen sides from pan and spring it!
Serve with whipped cream and enjoy.
Mine's still baking so pics to follow...
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Friday, September 20, 2013
Sock Monkeys
Sock Monkeys...
These Adorable Sweeties are starting to accumulate! Their bodies are together, the faces and vests and hair and stories come next. I can hardly wait...So cute, they each developed a personality when being sewn together, their stories will be easy to write ...
I need to make two times this many for all the GKids, but they're so fun! In the end there will be Pirate Monkeys, Zombie Monkeys, Ballerina Monkeys, Fairy Monkeys and maybe one or two more...
;D
These Adorable Sweeties are starting to accumulate! Their bodies are together, the faces and vests and hair and stories come next. I can hardly wait...So cute, they each developed a personality when being sewn together, their stories will be easy to write ...
They really are so cute...
Oh, no...they're multiplying...
Tissue Cases/Holders/Pouches Made From Felt
Tissue Holders Made From Felt
Kids always have runny noses in the cooler weather months, part of their design, yes? Here's a cute felt cover for a miniature Kleenex package, so neat! Mt GKids love the "little extras" that make them feel thought about and loved! Besides, what fun!
Materials for each holder
1 piece of felt, 4.5" x 6" or 6" x 7", your choice, really either works.
Your choice of Rick Rack (op)
Felt cut in designs, ribbon (op)
embellishments of your choice (op)
Iron on fusing material (op)
sewing machine, needle and thread.
I cut my felt with Pinking Shears mostly because I sew these on machine and don't like to turn the felt outwards and the pinking looks nice as an edge.
Fold piece of felt from both sides into middle until they meet, have one edge overlap the other by 1/4 - 1/3" You want this rectangular in shape. Pin. Sew short sides.
Embellish.
(photos to follow)
Now you can embellish this anyway you want - get creative! Before sewing you can iron on shapes with fusing, or you can pin rick rack across length of folded ends before sewing so that when seams are sewn rick rack borders opening. I like to sew a bunch up and then embellish by hand, so I cut contrasting and different sized felt to layer and hand stitch on. I used pinking shears to cut "ribbon" of felt from left over and sewed ribbon on as well. Iron on fusing can be attached to felt shapes and ironed in place. Really, these can be as plain or fancy as you want. Snowmen, dinosaurs, hearts, balloons etc! Just be wise in where you attach embellishments for kiddies, as some young hands will be using these and embellishments need to be out of the way, not front and center.
Don't forget to add the mini tissue packs before giving!
Kids always have runny noses in the cooler weather months, part of their design, yes? Here's a cute felt cover for a miniature Kleenex package, so neat! Mt GKids love the "little extras" that make them feel thought about and loved! Besides, what fun!
Materials for each holder
1 piece of felt, 4.5" x 6" or 6" x 7", your choice, really either works.
Your choice of Rick Rack (op)
Felt cut in designs, ribbon (op)
embellishments of your choice (op)
Iron on fusing material (op)
sewing machine, needle and thread.
I cut my felt with Pinking Shears mostly because I sew these on machine and don't like to turn the felt outwards and the pinking looks nice as an edge.
Fold piece of felt from both sides into middle until they meet, have one edge overlap the other by 1/4 - 1/3" You want this rectangular in shape. Pin. Sew short sides.
Embellish.
(photos to follow)
Now you can embellish this anyway you want - get creative! Before sewing you can iron on shapes with fusing, or you can pin rick rack across length of folded ends before sewing so that when seams are sewn rick rack borders opening. I like to sew a bunch up and then embellish by hand, so I cut contrasting and different sized felt to layer and hand stitch on. I used pinking shears to cut "ribbon" of felt from left over and sewed ribbon on as well. Iron on fusing can be attached to felt shapes and ironed in place. Really, these can be as plain or fancy as you want. Snowmen, dinosaurs, hearts, balloons etc! Just be wise in where you attach embellishments for kiddies, as some young hands will be using these and embellishments need to be out of the way, not front and center.
Don't forget to add the mini tissue packs before giving!
Sachets
Sachets
Here are some pic's for this simple, quick and adorably cute gift. I cut these from scraps, I stuff with fiberfill, rice, potpourri. I put potpourri in with the fiberfill, I use whole cloves too. You can stuff with Fiberfill and attach a tiny bag made from sheer scrap material with the "smell good" in it, tied with thin thin ribbon and stitched to these (I do that a lot so the "smell Good" can be changed readily). These can be strung together or used separately in drawers. The larger ones filled with rice make excellent hand warmers after a day throwing snow balls or any other winter activity.I attach satin ribbon to these, about 10" long and my gkids use as bookmarks.
Cut a template of any size in the shape of a heart. About 3.5" at widest part and abt 3" long or less work best. I use flannel for these, you'll want to use a fabric that breathes so the smell can get out.
Here are some cut and not yet sewn. After cutting, pin right sides together and stitch on machine using presser foot edge as guide. Leave a 1/2 " opening on one side. Clip point on heart and top indentation, turn and press. Here's a closer pic of cut but unsewn hearts.
Stuff with Fiberfill, rice or whatnot and hand stitch opening closed. I haven't attached ribbon garnishments yet, however, I like to stitch through the center and pull thread tightly several time to make indentation, I just like that look sometimes. And...here ya go!
Since I make my kids flannel PJ bottoms, rag quilts, pillow cases (and yes, sometimes boxers for the guys), how cute is it to include some of these? There are some cute, cute, flannel prints out there and you don't even have to stick to flannel. Have fun, smell great, and create!
Here is a three stack tied with ribbon...the middle one is Minky on one side, flannel the other...
Here are some pic's for this simple, quick and adorably cute gift. I cut these from scraps, I stuff with fiberfill, rice, potpourri. I put potpourri in with the fiberfill, I use whole cloves too. You can stuff with Fiberfill and attach a tiny bag made from sheer scrap material with the "smell good" in it, tied with thin thin ribbon and stitched to these (I do that a lot so the "smell Good" can be changed readily). These can be strung together or used separately in drawers. The larger ones filled with rice make excellent hand warmers after a day throwing snow balls or any other winter activity.I attach satin ribbon to these, about 10" long and my gkids use as bookmarks.
Cut a template of any size in the shape of a heart. About 3.5" at widest part and abt 3" long or less work best. I use flannel for these, you'll want to use a fabric that breathes so the smell can get out.
Here are some cut and not yet sewn. After cutting, pin right sides together and stitch on machine using presser foot edge as guide. Leave a 1/2 " opening on one side. Clip point on heart and top indentation, turn and press. Here's a closer pic of cut but unsewn hearts.
Here is a three stack tied with ribbon...the middle one is Minky on one side, flannel the other...
Here they are tied with ribbon to hang...
Thursday, September 19, 2013
I made the cutest, easiest, felt coasters in the shape of a leaf and did them in Autumn colors. I hand stitched these, while watching TCM. Didn't take long and viola, beautiful coasters!
Imma show pic's so bear with me, camera batteries charging and I'll have pics up soon...
Felt Leaf Coasters
These are cut from wool felt because it repels moisture better and these are coasters. Being used in Autumn and winter, because of their colors and design, chances are there's not gonna be a lot of condensation from the glass like iced tea would cause in summer. Nonetheless, you want to have felt that will not hold wetness and leak through to table. They are for looks, too, folks, so they won't be as effective as glass or metal coasters.
Imma show pic's so bear with me, camera batteries charging and I'll have pics up soon...
Felt Leaf Coasters
These are cut from wool felt because it repels moisture better and these are coasters. Being used in Autumn and winter, because of their colors and design, chances are there's not gonna be a lot of condensation from the glass like iced tea would cause in summer. Nonetheless, you want to have felt that will not hold wetness and leak through to table. They are for looks, too, folks, so they won't be as effective as glass or metal coasters.
I cut a template for these on the fold of the fabric, like you would a heart but don't cut the indent for the top of heart. My measurement was based on the bottom of my widest glass. Yes, I realize I am so precise - not - but really, it's not hard. These are 4.5 x 5.5, 4.5 at the widest part.
These coasters are two ply - two pieces of felt. They are sewn with a hem stitch on the outside of the leaf for stitch ornamentation. Just stitch at regularly spaced intervals about 1/4 of an inch apart and 1/4 of an inch from edge. I used contrasting thread because, well, if you don't you wouldn't get the full effect! (I did try them sewn and then flipped rightside out and while they were nice they lacked a "primitive" art value, to me).
After finishing the hem stitching on the outer edge, simply top stitch the veins of the leaf. Be sure to go all the way through both ply so the flip side looks good, too. And viola, leaf coasters.
I made two sets of 6 coasters for $4.00. Use a heavier gauge thread too, it will go faster and smoother and your veins will be prettier.
I'm making some other shapes for other holidays and seasons. My daughter loves them with her toddlers around, they love them too.
Mums, I love Mums!
My pride and Joy, my glorious Mum, is about to bloom. It is in a pot, a huge pot. It is about 4 feet in diameter and stands 2.5 feet high in foliage - at least. It's my baby!
This tremendous Mum plant is two years old now. My youngest son and I have this running discussion about whether Mums are annuals or perennials. We're both right.
My other Mums are doing great, they are such easy plants to grow. Water, sunshine, a bit of food, and pinch 'em back till late summer. They spread out nicely, get bushy with the pinching back and then they are full and their blooms are impressive!
My boys all got their love of gardening from me. So funny, since they bitched up a storm about weeding, mowing, planting, as teenagers, but then that's the nature of the beast, eh? Teenagers moan about EVERYTHING that's not their idea!
Now my boys have neatly trimmed yards with shaped shrubs and trees. One son, my baby boy, loves flowers. He plants roses, mums and all sorts of flowering plants. I am so proud!
My girls? They still prefer their flowers delivered! LOL My baby girl like me to do her container gardening for her and that suits me just fine - more to garden! She does have a mighty impressive aloe plant she's grown though.
Yup, definitely Fall when my Mums bloom so big and bright!
It's getting time to clean the garden beds of spent plants and blooms, rake away the refuse of foliage. I still have some straggling herbs, and my Sweet Potato Vines are barely slowing down. So I'll tread carefully while cleaning up in the beds. My Coleus and Colocasias are going strong as well. And the Mums, well, it's definitely their time to shine! Coleus make a pretty background accompaniment for Mums, as do Sweet Potato Vines. I love love love the purple vines!
You'll want to cover your plants that are from tubers, lightly with straw, to over winter. Don't have to do this until October in my area, but be sure to keep ground watered even though the foliage is gone or they will dry to dusty buggers under the soil!
I cover my mums with straw after they bloom but that's not for quite a while in my region so more about that later.
I have collected my sunflowers seeds to plant next year.
This tremendous Mum plant is two years old now. My youngest son and I have this running discussion about whether Mums are annuals or perennials. We're both right.
My other Mums are doing great, they are such easy plants to grow. Water, sunshine, a bit of food, and pinch 'em back till late summer. They spread out nicely, get bushy with the pinching back and then they are full and their blooms are impressive!
My boys all got their love of gardening from me. So funny, since they bitched up a storm about weeding, mowing, planting, as teenagers, but then that's the nature of the beast, eh? Teenagers moan about EVERYTHING that's not their idea!
Now my boys have neatly trimmed yards with shaped shrubs and trees. One son, my baby boy, loves flowers. He plants roses, mums and all sorts of flowering plants. I am so proud!
My girls? They still prefer their flowers delivered! LOL My baby girl like me to do her container gardening for her and that suits me just fine - more to garden! She does have a mighty impressive aloe plant she's grown though.
Yup, definitely Fall when my Mums bloom so big and bright!
It's getting time to clean the garden beds of spent plants and blooms, rake away the refuse of foliage. I still have some straggling herbs, and my Sweet Potato Vines are barely slowing down. So I'll tread carefully while cleaning up in the beds. My Coleus and Colocasias are going strong as well. And the Mums, well, it's definitely their time to shine! Coleus make a pretty background accompaniment for Mums, as do Sweet Potato Vines. I love love love the purple vines!
You'll want to cover your plants that are from tubers, lightly with straw, to over winter. Don't have to do this until October in my area, but be sure to keep ground watered even though the foliage is gone or they will dry to dusty buggers under the soil!
I cover my mums with straw after they bloom but that's not for quite a while in my region so more about that later.
I have collected my sunflowers seeds to plant next year.
Potatoes
As a young cook, self taught, I didn't appreciate the differences in types of potatoes. The differences can and do make a difference in your recipe.
Yukon gold make the best Potato Salad and after many year enabled me to replicate the exact taste of my mothers potato salad.
New potatoe,s as we called them, you know, round redskins? They make great potato salad and are THE best, to me, for cooking with green beans. That's a personal opinion, however, a small round potato works best, Russets and other baking potatoes mush up.
Round potatoes are great in soups, they hold their shape and substance well in cooking, even when diced.
Hash browns? Pshh, try those with a quick mushing potato, you'll be scraping that pan for days!
Russets and baking potatoes are best for baking and mashing, IMHO.
Skillet fried potatoes, once again, IMO, are best with some substance, however, I make a skillet potato cheese dish with Russets that is divine, sorta like a mashed, cheesy browned potatoey slice of heaven and heavier thighs as a by product!
Same for scalloped and au gratin, you want potatoes to have their shape and substance after the baking.
There are more potato varieties than mentioned here, but you get the idea, yes?
Now, potato on!
Yukon gold make the best Potato Salad and after many year enabled me to replicate the exact taste of my mothers potato salad.
New potatoe,s as we called them, you know, round redskins? They make great potato salad and are THE best, to me, for cooking with green beans. That's a personal opinion, however, a small round potato works best, Russets and other baking potatoes mush up.
Round potatoes are great in soups, they hold their shape and substance well in cooking, even when diced.
Hash browns? Pshh, try those with a quick mushing potato, you'll be scraping that pan for days!
Russets and baking potatoes are best for baking and mashing, IMHO.
Skillet fried potatoes, once again, IMO, are best with some substance, however, I make a skillet potato cheese dish with Russets that is divine, sorta like a mashed, cheesy browned potatoey slice of heaven and heavier thighs as a by product!
Same for scalloped and au gratin, you want potatoes to have their shape and substance after the baking.
There are more potato varieties than mentioned here, but you get the idea, yes?
Now, potato on!
Potato Enchiladas - the true story
Potato Enchiladas! These things are killer and what a way to go! Caution is advised, these are laden with fats, calories, butter - so proceed with appropriate portions and make them occasionally. While they are to die for wouldn't want to die because of!
I'm using stock photos till I make these again since this blog is new...
Ingredients
5 lbs Russet Potatoes (10 lbs if you feed a bunch like me and want some leftovers).
2 sticks real butter
1 cup sour cream, low fat is okay, no fat doesn't have the taste needed
5 " block of Velveeta, cubed
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk - I use 2% and organic, skim and 1 % don't seem to have the body needed
1 cup salsa
salt, pepper, cayenne pepper
I pkg dry Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
20 small flour tortillas
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375. Prep time approx. 40 minutes. Bake time approx 20 minutes.
Peel and cube and boil potatoes. Drain and return to pot. Add 1 stick of butter, sour cream and 2/3 of Velveeta cubes. Stir. Add salt and pepper to taste and a goodly sprinkling of cayenne to kick things up! stir in 1/2 packet dressing mix. (I mix a few tablespoons of salsa in). Stir these potatoes thoroughly, don't "cream" them, leave smalls chucks of potato.
Place a spoonful of potato mix in center of a flour tortilla, abt a 1/4 cup. Roll tortilla into cylinder shape, don't close ends (looks like a burrito w/o ends folded over). Place folded side down in an oblong baking dish. Continue to roll tortillas and placing in dish. You will be stacking them in two layers. Set side.
Melt remaining butter in saucepan. add flour and stir in well. You are making a white sauce/gravy to pour onto enchiladas. Add milk and cook on medium until thickened but not like gravy, more liquid, like a sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.
Ok this is important - take a spatula or fork and along sides of baking dish, push tortillas gently into center, getting about a 1/3 inch clearance from sides of dish.
Pour sauce mix over tortillas, and gently urge them towards center just fractionally, otherwise sauce spillage will occur. Cover all tortilla, sauce will not have tortillas on top swimming but you want to get all tortillas wet so they don't get over crispy and hard to chew. Spread some salsa over top, place remaining Velveeta on top.
Bake at 375 until cheese on top is bubbly and brown and sauce is fully bubbly.
This makes a full 13 x 9 pan stacked double. My sons eat a lot of these, I make them for my Christopher several times a year. With normal sized portions I think this would be 7 -8 servings, easy.
Enjoy!
P.S. you can add browned ground beef to potatoes or to sauce. Chorizo makes a nice taste too.
I'm using stock photos till I make these again since this blog is new...
Ingredients
5 lbs Russet Potatoes (10 lbs if you feed a bunch like me and want some leftovers).
2 sticks real butter
1 cup sour cream, low fat is okay, no fat doesn't have the taste needed
5 " block of Velveeta, cubed
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk - I use 2% and organic, skim and 1 % don't seem to have the body needed
1 cup salsa
salt, pepper, cayenne pepper
I pkg dry Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
20 small flour tortillas
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375. Prep time approx. 40 minutes. Bake time approx 20 minutes.
Peel and cube and boil potatoes. Drain and return to pot. Add 1 stick of butter, sour cream and 2/3 of Velveeta cubes. Stir. Add salt and pepper to taste and a goodly sprinkling of cayenne to kick things up! stir in 1/2 packet dressing mix. (I mix a few tablespoons of salsa in). Stir these potatoes thoroughly, don't "cream" them, leave smalls chucks of potato.
Place a spoonful of potato mix in center of a flour tortilla, abt a 1/4 cup. Roll tortilla into cylinder shape, don't close ends (looks like a burrito w/o ends folded over). Place folded side down in an oblong baking dish. Continue to roll tortillas and placing in dish. You will be stacking them in two layers. Set side.
Melt remaining butter in saucepan. add flour and stir in well. You are making a white sauce/gravy to pour onto enchiladas. Add milk and cook on medium until thickened but not like gravy, more liquid, like a sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.
Ok this is important - take a spatula or fork and along sides of baking dish, push tortillas gently into center, getting about a 1/3 inch clearance from sides of dish.
Pour sauce mix over tortillas, and gently urge them towards center just fractionally, otherwise sauce spillage will occur. Cover all tortilla, sauce will not have tortillas on top swimming but you want to get all tortillas wet so they don't get over crispy and hard to chew. Spread some salsa over top, place remaining Velveeta on top.
Bake at 375 until cheese on top is bubbly and brown and sauce is fully bubbly.
This makes a full 13 x 9 pan stacked double. My sons eat a lot of these, I make them for my Christopher several times a year. With normal sized portions I think this would be 7 -8 servings, easy.
Enjoy!
P.S. you can add browned ground beef to potatoes or to sauce. Chorizo makes a nice taste too.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
My Blog and what I'm up to.
It's mid September 2013 and I've been in Christmas Workshop mode since the beginning of August. This year is going to be an All Handmade/Homemade Christmas for my kids and my grandkids and boy am I excited! And busy! I have been headed in this direction for several years now, wanting to make and give meaningful fun gifts. Why? Because I enjoy the process; the planning, the making, the giving and the memories. And with the number of kids, grandkids, extended family, and friends on my list, buying is NOT an option!
I'm new at blogging, wanted to share patterns, recipes, DIY's, ideas, you name it! So follow along and we'll see where this takes us!
so look under the tabs at the top and follow me through household things, Sewing, Gifts, Recipes, and Painting. What a Joyful blast!!
I'm new at blogging, wanted to share patterns, recipes, DIY's, ideas, you name it! So follow along and we'll see where this takes us!
so look under the tabs at the top and follow me through household things, Sewing, Gifts, Recipes, and Painting. What a Joyful blast!!
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