Cass at http://shutupimcounting.wordpress.com/ is having a contest for her 555th post - guess what - I just checked and this is my 545th post - I think that's funny...
Go enter the contest!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Constant Comment Cookies
If you're from down South like me then you're familiar with 'Constant Comment' tea. Y'all know that I love my tea! 
(not my photo) This is their description of the tea:
"Created by Ruth Bigelow in her kitchen over 60 years ago "Constant Comment"® is today America's most popular specialty tea. This original blend of the finest mountain-grown tea is deliciously flavored with rind of oranges and sweet spice. There's no other tea in the world quite like it."
Y'all probably also know that I love creating things in the kitchen - so - I was having a tea for some people from the local Concert Association and I needed something to serve with my cucumber and tofutti cream cheese sandwiches - made with homemade dill bread - these were so yummy - I didn't even mention the tofutti cream cheese and I don't think anyone noticed at all...
Soooo, I needed some cookies and I thought 'What would go with my "Constant Comment"® tea???' "Constant Comment Cookies" of course...
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Combine and stir with a whisk.
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Earth Balance - or vegan margarine of your choice
Beat until light and fluffy.
Then add egg replacer equivalent to 1 egg - I used Red Mill.
Add 1 & 1/2 teaspoons of orange extract and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.
Then gradually add your flour mixture beating it in about 1/3 at a time.
Beat just until a soft dough forms - then form it into a log and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (you could probably do this a day ahead - and maybe even freeze it but I don't know as I didn't try it).
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut log into 4 equal portions - then working with one portion at a time (and keeping the others refrigerated - this is a soft dough) divide dough into 10 equal portions - roll into little balls and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Mix together on a small plate:
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Then dip the bottom of a flat glass first in water and then in the sugar mixture and flatten each little ball. Repeat with the other 3 portions of dough - Yield 40 cookies.
These were so good with tea - not too sweet and delicately flavored.
I updated the Recipes Link as well:
http://affectioknit.blogspot.com/2006/12/recipes-apple-jelly-blackberry-cobbler.html
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Whoa, Ho, Ho It's Magic Ya know, never believe it's not so...
April's theme for Cub Scouting is Abracadabra - so at our Pack meeting Monday night - we had a magician.
The Magic of Chris...
He blew out a match and a bouquet of red flowers appeared - but I missed that part - here's the match...
He had an amazing coloring book - it started out blank inside...
...then he drew some pictures in the air and gathered them with his hands and threw them at the book and then there were outline drawings in the book - pretty amazing...
...he did a really good job of involving the boys in the magic - he handed out marker pens and asked the boys to color in the air - then he gathered up all the 'coloring' and threw that at the book and - behold - colored pictures - the boys were captivated...
...he poured some water into a cup and it disappeared...
...he hands the Man-Cub (that's his hat and hand reaching) an imaginary ball - and when he throws it back - Chris (audibly) catches it in the bag...
...he took the time to let each cub have a turn throwing the imaginary ball...
...he pulled a bunny out of his hat...
...he had a 'scared' rope - only he could scare it stiff 'though...
...when the boys tried - it just hung there limp...
...he tied some knots in a rope - cut them - and then miraculously - the rope wasn't cut at all...
...he had a nice red and yellow fan - but every time he handed it to one of the boys - they 'broke' it...
...the first little boy is quite taken aback by the fact that he broke the fan - look how much fun Chris is having - you can just see the joy on his face as he laughs and explains that he has a magic wand to 'fix' the broken fan with...
...he ran a blank piece of paper (dollar sized paper) through his magic roller and out came a $20 - the boys started shouting - why didn't you make it a $100...so funny...
...he made some little red balls disappear and then reappear together in different cups...
...he pulled a long sword out of a small (Mary Poppins) bag...
...the messiest trick of all - he cut up a small piece of paper and told the boys he was going to make snow (but it was just a little bit) - then when he started fanning - with another magic fan - there were thousands of pieces of snow...
It was so much fun - I could hardly believe that Chris is just a high school senior - I'm glad we got to see him before he leaves for college in the fall...
...and the Man-Cub got his Aquanaut badge - In May - he'll get his Webelos Patch...
The Magic of Chris...
He blew out a match and a bouquet of red flowers appeared - but I missed that part - here's the match...
He had an amazing coloring book - it started out blank inside...
...then he drew some pictures in the air and gathered them with his hands and threw them at the book and then there were outline drawings in the book - pretty amazing...
...he did a really good job of involving the boys in the magic - he handed out marker pens and asked the boys to color in the air - then he gathered up all the 'coloring' and threw that at the book and - behold - colored pictures - the boys were captivated...
...he poured some water into a cup and it disappeared...
...he hands the Man-Cub (that's his hat and hand reaching) an imaginary ball - and when he throws it back - Chris (audibly) catches it in the bag...
...he took the time to let each cub have a turn throwing the imaginary ball...
...he pulled a bunny out of his hat...
...he had a 'scared' rope - only he could scare it stiff 'though...
...when the boys tried - it just hung there limp...
...he tied some knots in a rope - cut them - and then miraculously - the rope wasn't cut at all...
...he had a nice red and yellow fan - but every time he handed it to one of the boys - they 'broke' it...
...the first little boy is quite taken aback by the fact that he broke the fan - look how much fun Chris is having - you can just see the joy on his face as he laughs and explains that he has a magic wand to 'fix' the broken fan with...
...he ran a blank piece of paper (dollar sized paper) through his magic roller and out came a $20 - the boys started shouting - why didn't you make it a $100...so funny...
...he made some little red balls disappear and then reappear together in different cups...
...he pulled a long sword out of a small (Mary Poppins) bag...
...the messiest trick of all - he cut up a small piece of paper and told the boys he was going to make snow (but it was just a little bit) - then when he started fanning - with another magic fan - there were thousands of pieces of snow...It was so much fun - I could hardly believe that Chris is just a high school senior - I'm glad we got to see him before he leaves for college in the fall...
...and the Man-Cub got his Aquanaut badge - In May - he'll get his Webelos Patch...
Monday, April 28, 2008
One Lucky Mama
...that I am...
The Man and the Man-Cub brought me another book (again from the grocery store). I didn't realize that they had so many knitting books - maybe the Man and Man-Cub snatch them all up before I see them...
This one is called '1000 sweaters' - http://www.amazon.com/1000-Sweaters-Patterns-Perfect-Personalized/dp/0873497163
It's pretty neat - the pages are split - about 2/3 and 1/3 - you choose the body/neckline you want and then add sleeves/pockets/collars - it's fun to flip through - and will probably be a good reference book...
The Man and the Man-Cub brought me another book (again from the grocery store). I didn't realize that they had so many knitting books - maybe the Man and Man-Cub snatch them all up before I see them...
This one is called '1000 sweaters' - http://www.amazon.com/1000-Sweaters-Patterns-Perfect-Personalized/dp/0873497163
It's pretty neat - the pages are split - about 2/3 and 1/3 - you choose the body/neckline you want and then add sleeves/pockets/collars - it's fun to flip through - and will probably be a good reference book...
Sunday, April 27, 2008
The Last LWR Quilt for this year
We worked on another quilt yesterday - this will be the last one for this year. Three in all - I wish I could have made more...
what if everyone just made one - what a warmer world this would be...
what if everyone just made one - what a warmer world this would be...
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Bravo Broadway
Our local Concert Association met last night - so we went to see this:
We were sort of fooled by the program cover (not my photo) - we (the Man-Cub especially) thought that it would be a performance of the Phantom of the Opera...
...but it was really a sort of Broadway review with only 3 songs from the Phantom and those at the very end of the program. The program was very good and the Man-Cub was the best behaved (read only) 9 year old there...
We were sort of fooled by the program cover (not my photo) - we (the Man-Cub especially) thought that it would be a performance of the Phantom of the Opera...
...but it was really a sort of Broadway review with only 3 songs from the Phantom and those at the very end of the program. The program was very good and the Man-Cub was the best behaved (read only) 9 year old there...
Friday, April 25, 2008
The Hand-Stitched Quilt
When one of our parishoners died last year, she left a lot of quilting stuff in her basement and we found this quilt top.
Here's a closeup of the stitches - it was hand stitched - I don't know when or by whom...
I added a few border strips to make it fit a twin sized sheet that we used for the backing.
We'll raffle this off in the fall as a child's quilt - the proceeds will go to Lutheran World Relief Quilt Project.
Here's a closeup of the stitches - it was hand stitched - I don't know when or by whom...
I added a few border strips to make it fit a twin sized sheet that we used for the backing.
We'll raffle this off in the fall as a child's quilt - the proceeds will go to Lutheran World Relief Quilt Project.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Darn it - Again
You can see that this previously darned sock has a new hole right beside the darned stitches - arghh!!!
I wonder how many times you can darn a sock - can you darn over darning???
...all better now...
I wonder how many times you can darn a sock - can you darn over darning???
...all better now...
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Sea Monkey Racetrack
The Man-Cub has had his Sea Monkeys since Christmas. They seem to be thriving. He ordered a Sea Monkey Racetrack from the package that the Sea Monkeys came in. It said allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. We marked it on the calendar (a couple of months ago) and at first he rushed to the mailbox every day - excited that it might be there. And every day he got a little bit more discouraged about the fact that it wasn't there. Finally, he stopped even asking about it...
So, imagine his surprise when he came home and found the package waiting for him - they should say 4 months not weeks, eh. He tore into it like Christmas morning...
...then he set up the track - mixed up the water ...
...put the sea monkies on their 'leash' - a little syringe thingy that sucks them up in some water so they don't get hurt...
...and put them in the race track - they really do swim up the little course - it was so much fun...
...you can see one of the little guys right before the last flag...
...they even come with 'racing fuel' - which is food that entices them to swim faster to the end...
So, imagine his surprise when he came home and found the package waiting for him - they should say 4 months not weeks, eh. He tore into it like Christmas morning...
...then he set up the track - mixed up the water ...
...put the sea monkies on their 'leash' - a little syringe thingy that sucks them up in some water so they don't get hurt...
...and put them in the race track - they really do swim up the little course - it was so much fun...
...you can see one of the little guys right before the last flag...
...they even come with 'racing fuel' - which is food that entices them to swim faster to the end...
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Spring Flowers
We have spring flowers - you just have to buy them...
...I put these in our bedroom - I almost always put the flowers on the kitchen table - but I decided these would be nice the bedroom...
...You can see my hand carved Hitty (still wearing her underclothes because I never made her a dress - I'll have to get on that) and my old ceramic Snow White watch holder in the background - the jewelry box was given to me by the Man when we were dating in high school...
...I put these in our bedroom - I almost always put the flowers on the kitchen table - but I decided these would be nice the bedroom...
...You can see my hand carved Hitty (still wearing her underclothes because I never made her a dress - I'll have to get on that) and my old ceramic Snow White watch holder in the background - the jewelry box was given to me by the Man when we were dating in high school...
Monday, April 21, 2008
Spring Days
Ahh! we had such a lovely warm spring day Saturday - it's raining and sleeting and 28 degrees right now - such is spring...
We had a Tae Kwon Do exhibition for the local branch of 4-H first thing in the morning. They only had a few students sign up to do the demo and of course the Man-Cub wanted to - after all - he would get to break some more boards...
The Man-Cub demonstrates some kicking combinations.
Some 3-2-1 steps.
His last pattern.
One of the higher belts breaks a stack of 3 concrete bricks - pretty impressive.
I know you're wondering why I titled this post 'spring days' when I'm showing pictures of a windowless basement room...
...but right after the demo - we headed out to the park - we love to come to this little pond - there are always ducks and geese here - and we think the little 'animals my bite' sign is funny...
...some more ducks waddle up to greet us...
...then my car 'Mopal' badly needed a bath - so we gave her one...
...that is when we could drag ourselves away from playing with the hose...
We love Spring!
We had a Tae Kwon Do exhibition for the local branch of 4-H first thing in the morning. They only had a few students sign up to do the demo and of course the Man-Cub wanted to - after all - he would get to break some more boards...
The Man-Cub demonstrates some kicking combinations.
Some 3-2-1 steps.
His last pattern.
One of the higher belts breaks a stack of 3 concrete bricks - pretty impressive.
I know you're wondering why I titled this post 'spring days' when I'm showing pictures of a windowless basement room...
...but right after the demo - we headed out to the park - we love to come to this little pond - there are always ducks and geese here - and we think the little 'animals my bite' sign is funny...
...some more ducks waddle up to greet us...
...then my car 'Mopal' badly needed a bath - so we gave her one...
...that is when we could drag ourselves away from playing with the hose...
We love Spring!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Pancake Puff-foolery
We love our pancake puffs - and the Man-Cub had the bright idea to stuff them with pudding and drizzle them with chocolate - like an eclair...
...so we did - I made a simple microwave pudding:
3/4 cup soymilk
2 T sugar
1 T cornstarch
1/2 t vanilla
cook in the micro until thick and bubbly - it will thicken more as it cools...
...then fill up your icing squirter thingy and squirt some into a pancake puff - just until it starts to come back out...
...then drizzle on some chocolate syrup - YUM!...
...so we did - I made a simple microwave pudding:
3/4 cup soymilk
2 T sugar
1 T cornstarch
1/2 t vanilla
cook in the micro until thick and bubbly - it will thicken more as it cools...
...then fill up your icing squirter thingy and squirt some into a pancake puff - just until it starts to come back out...
...then drizzle on some chocolate syrup - YUM!...
Lutheran World Relief Quilting
I'm using donated material - so nothing much matches - here I'm trying to use up some blue/purple/yellow...
It turned out kind of nice - the color combinations don't hurt my eyes...
We finished it off with a big ole green plaid border and backing (it still doesn't hurt my eyes...)
We'll meet next Saturday to tie the quilts at a big Quilting Party at church. I'll try and get one more done this week - we'll see how that goes. They have to be boxed and on the truck by May 15.
It turned out kind of nice - the color combinations don't hurt my eyes...
We finished it off with a big ole green plaid border and backing (it still doesn't hurt my eyes...)
We'll meet next Saturday to tie the quilts at a big Quilting Party at church. I'll try and get one more done this week - we'll see how that goes. They have to be boxed and on the truck by May 15.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
