23 November, 2009

A quilting blog that is what dreams are made of

So I found this great blog on a forum that I frequent. I don't know that I will ever have a craft room that looks as good as her's but goodness it sure makes one dream and plan and dream a bit more.

I also have to say that I still haven't made it to the bottom of the page that I've linked too. But I'm getting there. There is just so much to read and look at.

Enjoy!!!!

Thought I'd share a cookie recipe

If you read Country Living this is in the newest edition.

This is called Tea Cookie Dough and with this one recipe they give you four cookies that you can make.

I made the one called Roly Polys and they are very good. I didn't have any hazelnuts but will be trying them again with pecans.

So here is the basic recipe:

1 stick of softened unsalted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/4 flour

beat the butter until fluffy then add in the sugar, vanilla and salt. Then gradually add in the flour.

Now to make the Roly Polys

Preheat the oven to 325.
you need to mix in 2/3 cup finely chopped hazelnts once the flour has been incorporated.
Roll the dough by the tablespoons into balls and place 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
Bake until cookies are firm and just beginning to brown. about 20 minutes. Let cool about 2 minutes. Place 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a bowl, then gently toss the warm cookies to coat. Place them on a cooling rack to cool completely. Toss in powdered sugar one more time to coat thoroughly.
This will make 24 cookies.

A few notes on what I did. I used blue bonnet butter, I don't add salt to anything I cook. I also used fresh ground whole wheat flour. As I mentioned I didn't have any nuts so we just left them out, this time. I also doubled this. Yummy.

12 November, 2009

Went shopping for winter coats today

What an adventure that was, I have been watching a really cute one at Old Navy.com but by the time I went order it they were out of it.

So today we went into Old Navy and I found a really cute one for Rachel and a handsome one (only the one I bought isn't a wool blend)for Caleb. And then I found this one (not sure if the one in the store was a wool blend, but I will be calling tomorrow) for all of the older boys that I am hoping Grandma will get them for Christmas as they need nice coats for town and church. They've got a ton of play coats/fleece things to wear here for playing and getting dirty, but nothing that is decent enough really for church.

I also found out that the only line store is not the same as the in person store, meaning what they have on line you may not be able to find in the store if at all.

I would love to find a really good coat pattern that I can use over and over, but until then I suppose I'm going to have to buy ready made things. The wool ones would be wonderful, except for the fact that they have to be dry cleaned. Wool is a wonderful fabric and I know it was the only thing that was used for coats, pants, underthings and socks but how did they clean it so that they were still able to wear it when they needed it?

I suppose I'll just have to wait until tomorrow when I can call the store to find out what the fabric is of the peacoat there.

The funny thing is the whole reason I went in there in the first place was to look at some tops for myself. My sister Julia had lent me a shirt while we were in FL and I really liked it. But I didn't really see anything that I liked. That is when I decided to go see what they might have in the coats for Rachel as she only has a heavy sweater, and since they keep saying it's going to be a cold winter I figured I'd better get her something warmer.

I'd love a new coat, that is a tad bit shorter, I have a beautiful red trench coat that Mom & Dad bought me when we first got to Germany, it is wool and we bought it in a German department store, it still fits and looks pretty good. If you don't count the burn mark on the one elbow. Some friends and I had gone to the local club one night and had to move all the coats, so we could all sit at our table, I didn't know there was a light bulb in the planter thing and my coat sat on it for a good while. When I went to put it on I noticed it, cause it was hot, OUCH, I was so upset, but so great full that the whole thing didn't go up in smoke. I was and am still so very careful with it now, learned my lesson there.