I have a food-prep day about once a month. Yesterday was that day for me.
I made breakfast burritos, browned and seasoned 2 lbs ground burger (divided into packages also), made 2 packages of hamburger patties (one bourbon peppercorn and the other mesquite), put marinade in ziplocks with pieces of chicken, cut up and froze veggies, made croutons and browned some Italian sausage (divided into packages to use on pizza, in pasta and to add to baked beans for added kick).
The freezer looks a bit stuffed at the moment.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Gardening Links
I don't garden. Not because I don't want to, I do. I have really bad allergies. And I am slightly allergic to the sun. So I just know that I wouldn't be able to upkeep it properly and it is unfair to let it slip to Master for upkeep when he having a garden isn't his thing.Long long time ago when I lived in Kansas, I had flower gardens (before developing a sun allergy). And I loved having the flowers. We had a porch that had hanging pots that draped down. Rose bushes that surrounded our house. Several flowerbeds filled with all sorts of brightly colored flowers. I had flowers from spring to fall. It was a happy time making bouquets out of flowers from my garden. So yes I miss it but I know right now isn't the time for me.
But it doesn't stop me from looking at gardening magazines, links and such....
Just passing on a couple of ways to do do gardening a little less expensively...
Cheap or Free Garden Gear
25 No Cost or Low Cost Tools - has some of the same things as the above link but does add a few others to it.
Weekend Gardener
Garden Guide
Container Garden Guide - which I do think about being maybe a possible solution for me - just having a couple containers.
About.com Gardening
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
And just because it is pretty to look at....
New York Botanical Garden
Friday, May 15, 2009
Friday Favorites
Ginger Orange Brownies with Ganache Topping - Okay ginger? orange? and ganache topping? Yum! The brownies use oat flour which is just running oats through the food processor.
Saving in Style - this is to go along with the next link. Just a cute little craft to help organize coupons.
15 days of Couponing - she is up to 13 days. But some good advice for those who want to start using coupons. Or even some new tips for those of us that already do.
Spring Decorating, Projects and Ideas all around the House - For me with spring cleaning comes changing things up around the house. Changing out warm fall/wintery scented candles to more light and fruity scented candles - pillows from dark colors to a lighter shades - just making things more light and ready for spring and summer. About.com gives quite a few links to change things up.
Living ETC Gallery - I just enjoy looking through the pictures to get ideas for decorating, to put on the wish list for future house and to find alternative ways to deal with problem areas.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Dandelion Massage Oil
Master works a physically demanding job and has for most of his life which means he has a touch of arthritis and gets sore from time to time. One of my duties is to massage away that soreness as much as possible. I think we've tried every massage oil and muscle cream on the market with varying degrees of success. Some of those oils can be mighty expensive too. Last year I read that dandelion infused oil was especially helpful for folks suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and figured that since Master wasn't that bad off, perhaps it could help him too.
Master likes the oil says it has pleasant sensation and an aroma he finds pleasing. I find that I enjoy it on my fingers and wrists too when I'm doing the massaging. Besides the obvious massage benefits it couldn't be easier to make and is incredibly cheap.
To make your own dandelion infused oil you'll need:
- A Quart Glass jar (wide mouth is easier but not necessary)
- Vegetable Oil (plain veggie works well, but you could use almond or olive oil)
- Dandelions
- Muslin or Cheesecloth
- Rubber band
Wash your jar thoroughly and let it dry. Once dry fill the jar half full with just the yellow flowers of the dandelions. Just cover the dandelions with the oil and push the flowers down into the oil using a chopstick or a wooden spoon. Cover the jar with the muslin and secure it with a rubber band. Place the jar in a sunny window and leave it for about a month.
At the end of the month the flowers will be brown, but that's ok. Strain the oil and toss out the dandelions. Pour the strained oil into a nice bottle and voila your own homemade therapeutic massage oil.
I think this would make a great gift too for folks who have problems with arthritis or other joint problems.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Friday Favorites
Three Cream Sauces for Pizza; Pesto Cream, Garlic Cream, & Alfredo - really versatile sauces. I have done similar sauces but to cut down on the fat have used fat free half and half. Of course it tastes different but is still a very good tasting sauce.
Pintuck Pillow - very pretty!
Emily Post Institute - Table Settings - guide for setting a basic, informal or formal table - easy to follow instructions.
16 Household Storage Solutions - I am going through some reorganizing and so some of these really helped give me some ideas on maximizing space.
Home Ec 101 - clean it, cook it, fix it, wash it, read it
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Stuffing Your Boobs!
No no, put your box of kleenex down. This isn't a lesson on stuffing your bra (maybe later though, huh?!). But I do have recipes for spicing up plain old chicken breasts by stuffing the heck out of them.
The possible ingredients for stuffing your boobs are almost endless and the process doesn't change much. You just smash, stuff, roll, and bake! Easy-peezy-lemon-squeazy!
First, prepare your chicken breasts. One way to get super moist chicken is to brine it before cooking. To make enough brine for 4 chicken breasts, combine about 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of sugar (white or brown) and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Let thawed chicken soak for about an hour in the fridge. I have made these without brining and it's still good, though.
To try and keep my work space as clean as possible, I avoid splattering raw chicken juices around the kitchen by wrapping the thawed breasts in saran wrap that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. The spray prevents the plastic wrap from sticking to the chicken while you pound it, while the plastic wrap contains most of the juices.
Lay them on the counter and pound the bejesus out of it with a meat mallet. If you don't have a meat mallet, try using a can of vegetables or the bottom of a large heavy glass. This is the most therapeutic part, btw- the chicken breast mangling. Take out all of your frustrations. Just don't take out so many frustrations that your breasts begin to disintegrate and fall apart as that makes the stuffing and rolling part difficult (but darn it sure felt good!). You want them flat and uniform in thickness for even cooking.
Take your newly flattened breasts and trim off the undesirable parts, if you want. This part is entirely optional, but I like to snip off all those dangly white pieces because I don't really know what they are.
Lay the breast flat on a plate, and spoon in your desired stuffing ingredients. Roll the chicken breast up like a jelly roll and secure it with toothpicks. At this point, depending on what your stuffing is, you'll dip it in melted butter and roll in bread crumbs or pour a creamy soup over them or something.
Place seam side down in a baking pan and bake at 350F for about an hour. Or 400F for 30 minutes. Or whatever time and temp you think will cook your chicken the best. It really depends on how flat you've made your chicken and how thick your rolls are. Use a meat thermometer (165F) or cook until the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
Some chicken stuffing ideas:
Mozarella cheese and asparagus, with pasta and alfredo sauce. This is a personal favorite of ours.
For a serving of four, mix 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese with 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or your seasoning of choice) and sprinkle this over your flattened breasts.
Boil the asparagus for just one minute and then lay one or two stalks on your chicken.
Add cheese. I find that using cheese sticks works really well. One cheese stick per chicken breast is the perfect amount of cheese, but I've also used cubed and shredded.
Roll it up, secure it, dip in beaten egg and roll in seasoned bread crumbs. Bake at 400F for about 30 minutes. After baking, pour warm alfredo sauce over chicken, serve with pasta. Yum.
Or:
Mushrooms and Meunster cheese.
Stove-top stuffing.
Broccoli and cheddar.
Spinach, mushrooms and cheese.
Ham and swiss (chicken cordon bleu).
A crabmeat/cream cheese mixture.
Rice.
Bacon.
My son recently asked for mashed potato and corn stuffed chicken. I haven't tried it yet but I think it would be awesome. Maybe topped with a can of cream of chicken soup to make a gravy? Nom!
To retain moisture, just make sure you've either dipped the rolls in egg/melted butter and rolled in crumbs or have poured some sort of soup/gravy over them. Otherwise, I think they would be dry and bland. But your stuffing/gravy/seasoning combinations are only limited by your tastebuds and imagination.
But doesn't it look so good?
The possible ingredients for stuffing your boobs are almost endless and the process doesn't change much. You just smash, stuff, roll, and bake! Easy-peezy-lemon-squeazy!
First, prepare your chicken breasts. One way to get super moist chicken is to brine it before cooking. To make enough brine for 4 chicken breasts, combine about 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of sugar (white or brown) and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Let thawed chicken soak for about an hour in the fridge. I have made these without brining and it's still good, though.
To try and keep my work space as clean as possible, I avoid splattering raw chicken juices around the kitchen by wrapping the thawed breasts in saran wrap that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. The spray prevents the plastic wrap from sticking to the chicken while you pound it, while the plastic wrap contains most of the juices.
Lay them on the counter and pound the bejesus out of it with a meat mallet. If you don't have a meat mallet, try using a can of vegetables or the bottom of a large heavy glass. This is the most therapeutic part, btw- the chicken breast mangling. Take out all of your frustrations. Just don't take out so many frustrations that your breasts begin to disintegrate and fall apart as that makes the stuffing and rolling part difficult (but darn it sure felt good!). You want them flat and uniform in thickness for even cooking.
Take your newly flattened breasts and trim off the undesirable parts, if you want. This part is entirely optional, but I like to snip off all those dangly white pieces because I don't really know what they are.
Lay the breast flat on a plate, and spoon in your desired stuffing ingredients. Roll the chicken breast up like a jelly roll and secure it with toothpicks. At this point, depending on what your stuffing is, you'll dip it in melted butter and roll in bread crumbs or pour a creamy soup over them or something.
Place seam side down in a baking pan and bake at 350F for about an hour. Or 400F for 30 minutes. Or whatever time and temp you think will cook your chicken the best. It really depends on how flat you've made your chicken and how thick your rolls are. Use a meat thermometer (165F) or cook until the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
Some chicken stuffing ideas:
Mozarella cheese and asparagus, with pasta and alfredo sauce. This is a personal favorite of ours.
For a serving of four, mix 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese with 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or your seasoning of choice) and sprinkle this over your flattened breasts.
Boil the asparagus for just one minute and then lay one or two stalks on your chicken.
Add cheese. I find that using cheese sticks works really well. One cheese stick per chicken breast is the perfect amount of cheese, but I've also used cubed and shredded.
Roll it up, secure it, dip in beaten egg and roll in seasoned bread crumbs. Bake at 400F for about 30 minutes. After baking, pour warm alfredo sauce over chicken, serve with pasta. Yum.
Or:
Mushrooms and Meunster cheese.
Stove-top stuffing.
Broccoli and cheddar.
Spinach, mushrooms and cheese.
Ham and swiss (chicken cordon bleu).
A crabmeat/cream cheese mixture.
Rice.
Bacon.
My son recently asked for mashed potato and corn stuffed chicken. I haven't tried it yet but I think it would be awesome. Maybe topped with a can of cream of chicken soup to make a gravy? Nom!
To retain moisture, just make sure you've either dipped the rolls in egg/melted butter and rolled in crumbs or have poured some sort of soup/gravy over them. Otherwise, I think they would be dry and bland. But your stuffing/gravy/seasoning combinations are only limited by your tastebuds and imagination.
But doesn't it look so good?
Monday, May 4, 2009
Practical Books
Over on FetLife I answered a thread on books that helped in serving so I thought I would share my answer here. I also started a similar thread on the Domestic Servitude group on FetLife. My most cherished book is - Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson. Mine looks like it is also as I have used it so much.
It has everything in it: How to do all basic sewing stitches. How to iron a dress shirt and fold sheets. How to make up a bed with hospital corners. How to choose proper sizes for sheets, tablecloths, and other household linens. How to set the table for informal and formal meals. Expert recommendations for safe food storage. The most exhaustive and reliable information on fabrics, textile fibers, and their laundering, and drying. A thorough explanation of care labels and why and how you should often (carefully) disregard them. Housekeeping guidelines for people with pets or with allergies. What to do about dust mites. How to clean and care for wood, china and crystal, jewelry, ceramic tile, metals, and more. Guides to stain and spot removal. It is a great book for a domestic service.
A few of my other favorites: Handbook for Hosts: A Practical Guide to Party Planning and Gracious Entertaining By Adam Bluestein, The Editors of Town & Country - It is a good go-to-book on entertaining. It an easy to read quick reference guide when throwing a party. It is has helpful ideas on a preparing your food, table and home, being a good host, entertaining over night guests and also about being a good guest in someone else's home
New Book of Table Settings By Chris Bryant, Paige Gilchrist - This book is for modern times when potlucks, buffets, friends over to watch a movie is common. It gives you ideas that work for many types of settings. Many ideas in the book use things you find around your house or easy to make. Pretty formal tables as well as casual tapas after work.
Emily Post's Etiquette - I think it is a thorough general book to have on hand. Also because Master has come to me and asked how to handle situations of etiquette from a male perspective - How to Be a Gentleman: A Timely Guide to Timeless Manners By John Bridges or there is another one by Emily Post's son - Peter Post about the same topics.
The Weekend Baker by Abigail Johnson - This book has really great recipes. But also if you are a beginner baker or someone who doesn't have a lot of time to bake - this book is for you. It is so detailed on the steps of the recipes. It gives you step by step instructions for a variety of methods such as hand mixing or mixer stand.
The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook By Beth Hensperger - If you have a bread machine or are thinking of getting one this book is like a bible for Bread Machines. I wish I would have had it when I first got my bread machine as it just has great trouble shooting tips for baking. Even for me living in high altitude. The recipes are so versatile too.
There are many good books on wine, entertaining, cleaning naturally, coffee/tea, massage, personal care, cooking and so on. Just do a search at your local library on those subjects and it is sure to bring up many books. The library is a great inexpensive resource even in this day and age of the internet.
As Sir Stephen mentioned some books on spirituality in the thread on Service Oriented Slaves, I have books that are similar that have helped me. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz - those agreements fit well for the relationship I am in - Owner/property. And really every relationship but I really could relate it back to my relationship with Master. Books on Buddhism have helped me immensely about meditation finding my center and focus. And actually more importantly it has helped me on acceptance of my life as sometimes as much as I want to be a slave - accepting what that actually means day to day can be a harder pill to swallow. The New Earth by Eckhart Tolle did a similar thing also - about learning to accept life and the things that come at you in unexpected ways. That the world is not ending if I can't do something perfectly - a lot of help on letting go of control - knowing I can't control everything and that is okay. I so want to do everything I can for Master - that I sometimes lose sight with the fact that I am only human and one person. That book helped remind me of that fact and to allow me to accept the moment as is.
So what books do count as practical books for serving? Or if you are on the top-side of the equation what books do you like those serving you to read?
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Cinco de Mayo
It is going to be Cinco de Mayo in a couple days and I thought I would share a few good links to create a festive mood and delicious recipes. Master is going to be out of town so this year won't be much of a celebration with just me...well the cats are here but not sure they want Chicken Enchiladas and a margarita. I hope to at least make a few recipes I came across in the near future as we love Mexican food and I make it about once a week.
History
First though please know it isn't Mexican Independence day so learn about the origins of Cinco de Mayo: About.com, History.com, Wikipedia.com.
Decorating
For decorating I always think of a string of chili lights, sombreros, making a chili pepper wreath, brightly colored Mexican blankets and a center piece of bright orange, purplish, hot pink and yellow zinnias, and dahlias. Such as this display from Martha Stewart. Or just make brightly colored tissue paper flowers.
How To Make A Tissue Paper Flower -- powered by ExpertVillage.com
More crafts for decorations:
Mexican folk art of paper-cutting - to make into banners
Mexican Flag Pinata or this one by Martha Stewart
Mexican Dancing Clothes Pin Dolls - which would be really cute on a table and if doing a party - use them as place cards - by attaching a little tag to the "hands". Or if you are having a buffet use them in the same way but to tell your guest what each dish is or just hold a menu.
Metal cut-outs and punched tin napkin rings
Paper Flowers by Martha Stewart - I like how they are round and could be hung
Crepe Paper Mexican Flag
Make a canvas rug/table covering/table runner to look like a Mexican blanket
Recipes
First some that I really think look good that I want to make...
Chicken Enchiladas Verdes
Chicken Tostadas
Turkey Nachos - this is pretty much how I make my nachos most of the time even if I use seasoned ground beef/turkey or roasted chicken. Sometimes I substitute the black beans for refried or pinto just depending on what I have around or what sounds best
Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillos
Margarita Cake by Betty Crocker
And then some links that have a good overview of Mexican recipes to celebrate Cinco de Mayo...
Food Network Cinco de Mayo Recipes
Food Network Salsa Recipes
Allrecipes.com Cinco de Mayo Recipe Collection
Food Network Margarita Recipes
Kraft Foods Cinco de Mayo Recipes
Epicurious Cinco de Mayo Complete Package Recipes
Taste of Home Cinco de Mayo Recipes
Mexican Recipes by Martha Stewart
History
First though please know it isn't Mexican Independence day so learn about the origins of Cinco de Mayo: About.com, History.com, Wikipedia.com.
Decorating
For decorating I always think of a string of chili lights, sombreros, making a chili pepper wreath, brightly colored Mexican blankets and a center piece of bright orange, purplish, hot pink and yellow zinnias, and dahlias. Such as this display from Martha Stewart. Or just make brightly colored tissue paper flowers.
How To Make A Tissue Paper Flower -- powered by ExpertVillage.com
More crafts for decorations:
Mexican folk art of paper-cutting - to make into banners
Mexican Flag Pinata or this one by Martha Stewart
Mexican Dancing Clothes Pin Dolls - which would be really cute on a table and if doing a party - use them as place cards - by attaching a little tag to the "hands". Or if you are having a buffet use them in the same way but to tell your guest what each dish is or just hold a menu.
Metal cut-outs and punched tin napkin rings
Paper Flowers by Martha Stewart - I like how they are round and could be hung
Crepe Paper Mexican Flag
Make a canvas rug/table covering/table runner to look like a Mexican blanket
Recipes
First some that I really think look good that I want to make...
Chicken Enchiladas Verdes
Chicken Tostadas
Turkey Nachos - this is pretty much how I make my nachos most of the time even if I use seasoned ground beef/turkey or roasted chicken. Sometimes I substitute the black beans for refried or pinto just depending on what I have around or what sounds best
Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillos
Margarita Cake by Betty Crocker
And then some links that have a good overview of Mexican recipes to celebrate Cinco de Mayo...
Food Network Cinco de Mayo Recipes
Food Network Salsa Recipes
Allrecipes.com Cinco de Mayo Recipe Collection
Food Network Margarita Recipes
Kraft Foods Cinco de Mayo Recipes
Epicurious Cinco de Mayo Complete Package Recipes
Taste of Home Cinco de Mayo Recipes
Mexican Recipes by Martha Stewart
Friday, May 1, 2009
Friday Favorites
Roasted Chickpea Snack - Sounds good to me - healthy and easy! Quilt-Along - It has step by step instructions that are broken down into little segments. I have always wanted to make a quilt but been scared. I just picked up a basic sewing book again to get back into sewing so one day maybe I will be able to try quilting. I love the colors of the quilt in the first picture.
A little suga for the tootsies - I actually think I will have a whole post on homemade scrubs and salts at some point. But for now this is a good basic recipe with many ingredients right in your home at the moment.
Handmade Reusable Produce Bags - What a great idea! Now I am sure these could be made easily too. But the thought of buying a handmade product from someone verses something not as eco-friendly at Wal-mart makes me feel better.
Hints, Tips and Things - Now I think this site could be invaluable to many of us. You click on the room and then it has things you might need for that subject such as click on the office and it has currency converter, computer and printer terminology and so on. If you click on the workshop it has calculators for construction materials such as bricks, mortar, plaster and so on. If you click on the kitchen, it has links to tell you how to clean an oven, how to cook a great steak and so on. Just so many good things all in one site.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Please Welcome...
As I said in my last announcement, I had a few other ladies I wanted to invite to join. I admire these women as they all have many different qualities, talents and gifts that I think would greatly enhance this blog and the information provided to those interested in domestic service.
So without further ado I introduce you to....
Princess Mandy is a good friend of mine and from the first day of knowing her I thought of her as a kinky Martha Stewart. She has a great sense of style in everything she does - crafts, decorating, entertaining, cooking, baking and everything else! I know her posts will contain so many wonderful ideas that inspire.
And Katie - who was the inspiration for this blog. When I think of domestic service, Katie is the first person that comes to mind. She has taught me so much and inspires me to take my service further. She sews, gardens, does canning, cooks and bakes from scratch, knits and so much more. I know that her posts will be invaluable to this blog.
So please welcome Princess Mandy and Katie! I know I am thrilled to have them join us!
(Edit: Just adding this as a note - in inviting these wonderful women - I have made it clear they don't have to contribute a set amount. They can contribute as much or little as they want. I am just thrilled to have them post anything as I know it will be good!)
So without further ado I introduce you to....
Princess Mandy is a good friend of mine and from the first day of knowing her I thought of her as a kinky Martha Stewart. She has a great sense of style in everything she does - crafts, decorating, entertaining, cooking, baking and everything else! I know her posts will contain so many wonderful ideas that inspire.
And Katie - who was the inspiration for this blog. When I think of domestic service, Katie is the first person that comes to mind. She has taught me so much and inspires me to take my service further. She sews, gardens, does canning, cooks and bakes from scratch, knits and so much more. I know that her posts will be invaluable to this blog.
So please welcome Princess Mandy and Katie! I know I am thrilled to have them join us!
(Edit: Just adding this as a note - in inviting these wonderful women - I have made it clear they don't have to contribute a set amount. They can contribute as much or little as they want. I am just thrilled to have them post anything as I know it will be good!)
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Eco-chic
25 Eco-chic Ideas for Your Home via Whole Living
There are a couple of my favorite ideas they have...
"Usually used once and tossed, plastic baggies can actually hold up to washing, drying, and reuse. 1. Insert chopsticks or wooden dowels into the holes of an unused toothbrush holder. 2. Hand-wash bags with warm, soapy water. 3. Hang bags upside-down on the chopstick prongs to let water run out and air flow in. Cost: about $7"
I love this idea because I have seen those toothbrush holders on clearance, in dollar stores and at garage sales for CHEAP. And then a piece of dowel is not that expensive. Or even a set of chopsticks you can get the dollar store too.
"At some point, a cotton button-down wears out its welcome on a hanger. Turn it into cloth napkins or dishcloths, reducing your need for paper products. "The softer and more worn, the better," says Seo. "Faded plaids and check patterns look especially great." How to: 1. Wash the shirts well and cut the fabric into uniformly sized pieces, about 12 inches square. 2. Either leave edges frayed or sew a hem for a cleaner look. Cost: $0"
Another great idea! Plus again you can find oxford shirts at thrift stores all the time for cheap. Much cheaper then probably going out and getting a set of 4 cloth napkins.
* pictures from Whole Living
There are a couple of my favorite ideas they have...
"Usually used once and tossed, plastic baggies can actually hold up to washing, drying, and reuse. 1. Insert chopsticks or wooden dowels into the holes of an unused toothbrush holder. 2. Hand-wash bags with warm, soapy water. 3. Hang bags upside-down on the chopstick prongs to let water run out and air flow in. Cost: about $7" I love this idea because I have seen those toothbrush holders on clearance, in dollar stores and at garage sales for CHEAP. And then a piece of dowel is not that expensive. Or even a set of chopsticks you can get the dollar store too.
"At some point, a cotton button-down wears out its welcome on a hanger. Turn it into cloth napkins or dishcloths, reducing your need for paper products. "The softer and more worn, the better," says Seo. "Faded plaids and check patterns look especially great." How to: 1. Wash the shirts well and cut the fabric into uniformly sized pieces, about 12 inches square. 2. Either leave edges frayed or sew a hem for a cleaner look. Cost: $0"Another great idea! Plus again you can find oxford shirts at thrift stores all the time for cheap. Much cheaper then probably going out and getting a set of 4 cloth napkins.
* pictures from Whole Living
Friday, April 24, 2009
Friday Favorites
Roasted Garlic is a basic that you can do so many things with such as adding it to salad dressings, pasta dishes and mashed potatoes, but of course spread on toasted French bread is simply delicious!
Felt Corset Sachets - so cute and sexy
International Butler Academy's Quiz - It was interesting to take and I have realized that I have forgotten some thing I have learned over the years.
Nesting Place: Valances - I really like the one with the door knob down the page a ways. We need new valances for the kitchen and dining room and I would love to do that. I just haven't found any valances I like - or fabric I like.
Freezer Labels - Printable from MarthaStewart.com - of course a sharpie just writing on the sack will do too but I do like the look of them
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Maple Iced Pumpkin Cookies
I had left over pumpkin from the Pie Pockets the other day so I needed to make something to use up the rest. I love how these turned out. I make sour cream cookies that should turn out the same consistency but they never do in the altitude. So now I am going to compare recipes so that I can figure if there is anything I can change in the sour cream cookies to make them more rounded and cakey like the pumpkin.
I got the recipe from Allrecipes.com - but made maple icing instead of the vanilla. These cookies will be great for the autumn or the holidays.
INGREDIENTS
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple Icing
* 2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 2 tablespoons half-n-half
* 2 tablespoon melted butter
* 1 1/2 teaspoons maple extract
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly. (I didn't flatten as I don't feel that often works good in higher altitude)
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
4. To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, half-n-half, 2 tablespoon melted butter, and maple extract. Add more half-n-half as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.
These cookies are good without icing too - as pictured above.
I got the recipe from Allrecipes.com - but made maple icing instead of the vanilla. These cookies will be great for the autumn or the holidays.
INGREDIENTS
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple Icing
* 2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 2 tablespoons half-n-half
* 2 tablespoon melted butter
* 1 1/2 teaspoons maple extract
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly. (I didn't flatten as I don't feel that often works good in higher altitude)
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
4. To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, half-n-half, 2 tablespoon melted butter, and maple extract. Add more half-n-half as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.
These cookies are good without icing too - as pictured above.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Pie Pockets
Yes another recipe from the Weekend Baker. Probably the last recipe I share though. Because the book is just so good! Good tips, lists and of course recipes.
In the book they are called Half-Moon Pie Pockets but I realized after making a few circles that just cutting them into rectangles and making little square pockets would be much easier. This recipes is exactly how it is in the book. I will make notes at the bottom. I made some chocolate pie pockets and some pumpkin pie pockets.
Half-Moon Pie Pockets
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, 9-½ inches square each
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For chocolate-nut filling:
1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts)
For the pumpkin-spice filling:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces/ 255 grams) canned solid pack pumpkin (not seasoned pumpkin pie filling)
3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1. Remove both sheets of frozen puff pastry from the box, set them on a lightly floured surface, and cover with plastic wrap. Do not unfold at this point. Let the covered puff pastry sit on the countertop until thawed and just pliable, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, position the oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 425 degrees (220 c). Line 2 half sheet pans with parchment or spray with cooking spray. Have ready the beaten egg and the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, carefully unfold the puff pastry. Dust the top of the pastry with a little flour. Roll out each sheet, lightly dusting with flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin and work surface, into a 12- inch (30.5cm) square. Using a 4-inch (10 cm) round cookie cutter (or the bottom of a 29- ounce tomato can as a guide), cut into 18 circles. Peel away the scraps and cover the rounds with plastic wrap while preparing the filling.
4. For the pumpkin spice filling, combine the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until well blended.
5. Place about 1 tablespoon filling on the center of the round. Brush the edge of the dough with the egg. Fold half of the dough over the filling to form a half-moon. Using the tines of the fork, press the curved edge to seal tightly. Repeat with the remaining rounds. (At this point, the pie pockets can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 8 hours or frozen for up to 1 month before proceeding with the recipe.)
6. Arrange the pockets on the prepared sheet pans, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Brush the tops with the remaining egg and sprinkle evenly with the granulated sugar. Bake until pastry is puffed and browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the sheet pans to racks to cool. Serve warm.
Storage: You can bake the pie pockets up to 6 hours ahead and reheat them in a 300 degree (150 C) oven until warm. About 15 minutes.
NOTES
* I didn't make as much filling because I wanted to do two different kinds of filling. I think I cut each filling recipe in half. I didn't do nuts in the chocolate as Master doesn't like nuts. I also used a mixture several types of chocolate chips - dark, semi-sweet and milk.
* As I said above I made some rounds and then the rest square. I just cut the dough in rectangles and then folded over to make square pockets.
* I didn't warm back up before serving. Just topped with some whipped cream and ate. Yum!
* I also think doing apple pie filling or cherry would be very good. And so easy.
* I think having some in the freezer and taking a few out when needing something fairly quickly would be great. I know there have been nights when Master has said he wanted a dessert and this would be an easy way to provide without a lot of effort. I could pull a few out of the freezer and bake. And he would have a delicious dessert.
The other two recipes that I posted from The Weekend Baker: Orange Butter Cake and Prescription Strength Fudge Brownies.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Friday Favorites
Firefox browser has this add-on called StumbleUpon (I think it is compatible with other browsers too.) You can select topics you like and then it picks websites in those topics that you might like. You hit the stumble button and it pulls up a website for you. It allows you to rate it a thumbs up or thumbs down. And then you can hit stumble and go to the next. Anyway, it is wildly addictive.
And I think I will start doing a five favorites I have stumbled upon each Friday.
10 Delicious DIY Salad Dressings - I really want to try the Citrus Vinaigrette and then the French Style Dressing too. I don't like French Dressing but their version looks like something I might like.
Table Manners - Eddie Ross on Table Setting Styles....showing the difference between setting a table British Formal, French Formal and a few other styles.
Stitch Guide - it shows how to make several kinds of stitches from button hole stitch to feather stitch to overcast stitch and so on.
Simple Tricks to Make you look Smart - not sure they will make you look smart but I do think they will help you solve some little everyday issues that come up. Such as out and about and need a ruler - use a dollar bill as it is just a little over 6 inches.
Photograzing - It gathers photos of delicious looking food. And then links to those recipes.
And I think I will start doing a five favorites I have stumbled upon each Friday.
10 Delicious DIY Salad Dressings - I really want to try the Citrus Vinaigrette and then the French Style Dressing too. I don't like French Dressing but their version looks like something I might like.
Table Manners - Eddie Ross on Table Setting Styles....showing the difference between setting a table British Formal, French Formal and a few other styles.
Stitch Guide - it shows how to make several kinds of stitches from button hole stitch to feather stitch to overcast stitch and so on.
Simple Tricks to Make you look Smart - not sure they will make you look smart but I do think they will help you solve some little everyday issues that come up. Such as out and about and need a ruler - use a dollar bill as it is just a little over 6 inches.
Photograzing - It gathers photos of delicious looking food. And then links to those recipes.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The Dirt on Laundry
One of the services that I feel (and Master agrees) it is my duty to provide for our household is doing my best to pinch pennies. Being a one-income family in this economy is rough so when I come across something that saves us hundreds of dollars a year, I get pretty darn excited!
I'm not talking about giving up movie night or no longer getting to buy your favorite chocolate (that's a sin right there). In fact, there is no sacrifice at all on fun. Just one tiny 15 minute sacrifice of time per month is all you need, and an extra couple of hundred dollars will remain in your checking account!
I'm talking about every Domestic Goddess's favorite chore. It's laundry, right?! The sorting and the separating, the turning out of stinky man-socks, the pre-treating and soaking, the washing and the drying, the folding and the hanging, the rewashing of things never worn- what's not to love??
Unfortunately, I cannot help you with any of that enjoyment. I'd hate to interfere with the obvious zen-like state that laundry creates. But what I can do is ease the strain on the family budget from buying those expensive bottles of laundry detergent. Today, we're going to make our own detergent, and it will be fun and it will be easy and when you're all done, you'll be filled with a Domestic Goddess fervor. You may even want to wash windows, you'll be so pumped.
The amount of money you save will depend, of course, on what brand of detergent you normally buy and how much laundry you normally do. We have 2 adults and 3 teenagers (and 2 of those teens are girls), so you can just imagine the loads that accumulate in a day.
You know teen girls have to use 2 towels per shower because figuring out how to dry your body without letting your hair drip and get it wet again is a talent that doesn't materialize until they are paying their own laundry costs. And the suggestion of re-using a towel only elicits screams and squeals of "Eww! Guh-ross!" Another tolerance that magically appears when they move out, I bet.
But I digress.
Here is where I'm going to attempt to do math. I should probably warn you that I majored in Lip Gloss and Cruising With Boys while in high school-- not in math. Pardon my elementary mathematical equations and if I don't do it right, don't tell me. I like thinking I'm saving money, k? Thanks.
On average, I have at least 1 load of towels per day, and another 2 loads of clothes. That's 3 loads a day, 21 loads per week, or, 1,092 loads a year.
That's a lot of friggin laundry. Suddenly, I'm exhausted.
I used to buy Purex laundry detergent because it was generally the cheapest at Wal-mart. Purex averages around $8.00 per bottle for 32 loads. 1,092 loads at 32 loads per bottle equals 34 bottles of Purex. 34 bottles at $8 per bottle equals $273.00 a year spent on laundry soap.
Now? I spend less than $15.00. A YEAR.
That's a big savings, and I have not compromised the cleanliness of the clothes or the function of my washer. I don't have one of those fancy-shmancy high efficiency machines, though from everything I've read about this homemade laundry soap, since it's a low-sudsing concoction, it works very well in them.
Here's what you'll need to get started.
Now, this is the most expensive part right here- buying the supplies. But even at that, you're going to spend less to buy these supplies than you would on your average name-brand laundry soap.
One box of Arm&Hammer Super Washing Soda - costs around $2.50 per box.
One box of 20 Mule Team Borax- costs around $2.50 per box
One half of a bar of soap- cost varies, but let's say $1.00 per bar?
One 5-Gallon bucket, with a lid- under $5.00 at Wal-mart
Water.
The Arm&Hammer washing soda will likely be the only ingredient that gives you trouble as it can be difficult to find in stores. Make sure you read the box because there is an Arm&Hammer laundry detergent, but that is not what you need. You need Super Washing Soda. If you can't find it, do like I do and order it off the internet. Or ask your local store to order some.
The Borax is generally carried in most stores, and I got my bucket (mah bukket!) at Wal-mart for under $5.00.
The type of soap you need is dependent only on your preference for smell and your tolerance to the perfumes and dyes in it. Right now, I'm using Coast simply because it's what I have on hand. I've heard that Fels Naptha is terrific for use in this laundry soap, though I've never used it myself. Ivory also works well, though Ivory gave my son a skin rash. I don't know of any soap that cannot be used.
Here's what you do.
On the internet, you'll find varying recipes for making this soap. Though the ingredients remain the same, the measurements of each seem to depend on who's making it. I'm going to list how I do it, but feel free to adjust the amounts as you think your clothing and/or skin needs require.
Fill a pot with water and place it on the stove to heat. As it's heating, grate your 1/2 bar of soap into the water. Let simmer and stir occasionally until the soap shavings are completely dissolved. You'll end up with some super-seriously soapy water.
Meanwhile, in your 5 gallon bucket, measure in one cup each of the Super Washing Soda and the Borax. Once your hot soapy water is ready, pour that into your bucket and stir until all of the powder is dissolved. Then, simply continue to add hot tap water to your bucket, stirring after each addition, until the water level is an inch or two from the top. Let it cool overnight, and voila! One 5-gallon bucket of laundry detergent.
As it cools, it'll turn into a watery gel. I keep a giant spoon in the bucket and just give it a vigorous stirring to break it up. It's kind of fun in that childish, oh look I have slime! kind of way.
I use one cup per load and one bucket seems to last me forever and a day. I get about 80 loads per bucket of soap, so, at an average of 21 loads per week, I have to mix this up just about once a month.
I can't break down how many buckets you'll get out of your one box of washing soda and your one box of Borax (back to that math deficiency of mine that I told you about) but I can say that in the last year, I've used less than 2 boxes of each. At just about $2.50 a box, I'm still under $10.00 total for the two main ingredients.
I also wash almost exclusively in cold water and the soap still works extremely well.
If you prefer powder soap to liquid, use your same ingredients minus the water:
1/2 cup washing sodahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
1/2 cup borax
1/2 to 2/3 bar of soap, finely grated.
Stir together, use just 1 tablespoon per load.
If you prefer a scented laundry soap, simply add a few drops of your favorite essential oils. Be careful that your preferred scented oil doesn't clash with the bar soap you've used though.
So there you have it. Go forth and launder!
EDIT: Update on laundry soap recipe here!
I'm not talking about giving up movie night or no longer getting to buy your favorite chocolate (that's a sin right there). In fact, there is no sacrifice at all on fun. Just one tiny 15 minute sacrifice of time per month is all you need, and an extra couple of hundred dollars will remain in your checking account!
I'm talking about every Domestic Goddess's favorite chore. It's laundry, right?! The sorting and the separating, the turning out of stinky man-socks, the pre-treating and soaking, the washing and the drying, the folding and the hanging, the rewashing of things never worn- what's not to love??
Unfortunately, I cannot help you with any of that enjoyment. I'd hate to interfere with the obvious zen-like state that laundry creates. But what I can do is ease the strain on the family budget from buying those expensive bottles of laundry detergent. Today, we're going to make our own detergent, and it will be fun and it will be easy and when you're all done, you'll be filled with a Domestic Goddess fervor. You may even want to wash windows, you'll be so pumped.
The amount of money you save will depend, of course, on what brand of detergent you normally buy and how much laundry you normally do. We have 2 adults and 3 teenagers (and 2 of those teens are girls), so you can just imagine the loads that accumulate in a day.
You know teen girls have to use 2 towels per shower because figuring out how to dry your body without letting your hair drip and get it wet again is a talent that doesn't materialize until they are paying their own laundry costs. And the suggestion of re-using a towel only elicits screams and squeals of "Eww! Guh-ross!" Another tolerance that magically appears when they move out, I bet.
But I digress.
Here is where I'm going to attempt to do math. I should probably warn you that I majored in Lip Gloss and Cruising With Boys while in high school-- not in math. Pardon my elementary mathematical equations and if I don't do it right, don't tell me. I like thinking I'm saving money, k? Thanks.
On average, I have at least 1 load of towels per day, and another 2 loads of clothes. That's 3 loads a day, 21 loads per week, or, 1,092 loads a year.
That's a lot of friggin laundry. Suddenly, I'm exhausted.
I used to buy Purex laundry detergent because it was generally the cheapest at Wal-mart. Purex averages around $8.00 per bottle for 32 loads. 1,092 loads at 32 loads per bottle equals 34 bottles of Purex. 34 bottles at $8 per bottle equals $273.00 a year spent on laundry soap.
Now? I spend less than $15.00. A YEAR.
That's a big savings, and I have not compromised the cleanliness of the clothes or the function of my washer. I don't have one of those fancy-shmancy high efficiency machines, though from everything I've read about this homemade laundry soap, since it's a low-sudsing concoction, it works very well in them.
Here's what you'll need to get started.
Now, this is the most expensive part right here- buying the supplies. But even at that, you're going to spend less to buy these supplies than you would on your average name-brand laundry soap.
One box of Arm&Hammer Super Washing Soda - costs around $2.50 per box.
One box of 20 Mule Team Borax- costs around $2.50 per box
One half of a bar of soap- cost varies, but let's say $1.00 per bar?
One 5-Gallon bucket, with a lid- under $5.00 at Wal-mart
Water.
The Arm&Hammer washing soda will likely be the only ingredient that gives you trouble as it can be difficult to find in stores. Make sure you read the box because there is an Arm&Hammer laundry detergent, but that is not what you need. You need Super Washing Soda. If you can't find it, do like I do and order it off the internet. Or ask your local store to order some.
The Borax is generally carried in most stores, and I got my bucket (mah bukket!) at Wal-mart for under $5.00.
The type of soap you need is dependent only on your preference for smell and your tolerance to the perfumes and dyes in it. Right now, I'm using Coast simply because it's what I have on hand. I've heard that Fels Naptha is terrific for use in this laundry soap, though I've never used it myself. Ivory also works well, though Ivory gave my son a skin rash. I don't know of any soap that cannot be used.
Here's what you do.
On the internet, you'll find varying recipes for making this soap. Though the ingredients remain the same, the measurements of each seem to depend on who's making it. I'm going to list how I do it, but feel free to adjust the amounts as you think your clothing and/or skin needs require.
Fill a pot with water and place it on the stove to heat. As it's heating, grate your 1/2 bar of soap into the water. Let simmer and stir occasionally until the soap shavings are completely dissolved. You'll end up with some super-seriously soapy water.
Meanwhile, in your 5 gallon bucket, measure in one cup each of the Super Washing Soda and the Borax. Once your hot soapy water is ready, pour that into your bucket and stir until all of the powder is dissolved. Then, simply continue to add hot tap water to your bucket, stirring after each addition, until the water level is an inch or two from the top. Let it cool overnight, and voila! One 5-gallon bucket of laundry detergent.
As it cools, it'll turn into a watery gel. I keep a giant spoon in the bucket and just give it a vigorous stirring to break it up. It's kind of fun in that childish, oh look I have slime! kind of way.
I use one cup per load and one bucket seems to last me forever and a day. I get about 80 loads per bucket of soap, so, at an average of 21 loads per week, I have to mix this up just about once a month.
I can't break down how many buckets you'll get out of your one box of washing soda and your one box of Borax (back to that math deficiency of mine that I told you about) but I can say that in the last year, I've used less than 2 boxes of each. At just about $2.50 a box, I'm still under $10.00 total for the two main ingredients.
I also wash almost exclusively in cold water and the soap still works extremely well.
If you prefer powder soap to liquid, use your same ingredients minus the water:
1/2 cup washing sodahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
1/2 cup borax
1/2 to 2/3 bar of soap, finely grated.
Stir together, use just 1 tablespoon per load.
If you prefer a scented laundry soap, simply add a few drops of your favorite essential oils. Be careful that your preferred scented oil doesn't clash with the bar soap you've used though.
So there you have it. Go forth and launder!
EDIT: Update on laundry soap recipe here!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Easter: Orange Butter Cake
This year I have been so busy, I didn't get to do the little holiday touches I wanted to do. These are ideas I would like to do next year though...one or two of these decorated egg ideas....
silk tie-dyed eggs
marbelized Easter eggs
naturally dyed Easter egggs
elegant eggs
But at least we had a good Easter dinner...
Ham with an orange marmalade glaze
Corn souffle
Green salad with raspberry vinaigrette
and then for dessert....
Orange Butter Cake
This is another recipe from The Weekend Baker by Abigail Johnson Dodge. I only have mini-bundt cake pans and I just didn't feel like the work that goes into those (greasing and flouring each one.) So I just used my angel food cake pan. I didn't top this with citrus wedges because I ended up just deciding today to make this so didn't have oranges on hand.
for the cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (I used salted butter so I left this out)
16 tablespoons unsalted butter - room temperature (2 sticks)
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest (optional - I had some in the freezer so used it)
4 large eggs
1 cup orange juice
* 1 teaspoon vanilla - this is something I added and wasn't part of the recipe
for the glaze:
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 powdered sugar
Position the oven on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan or other fluted tube pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until well-blended. In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the sugar and the orange zest (if using) and beat until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. (*Add vanilla and mix in.) Add half the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until blended. Add the orange juice and mix just until blended. Add the remaining four mixture and mix just until blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake until light brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out with just a few small crumbs attached. 38 to 43 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the orange juice and the powdered sugar for the glaze. Stir frequently while the cake is baking until the sugar is dissolved.
When the cake is done, transfer the pan to a rack and let cool for 15 minutes. If necessary, run a thin knife around the pan sides to loose the cake. Invert the cake onto the rack and lift off the pan. Set the rack over a large plate or pan. Using a wooden skewer or cake tester, poke 30 or 40 all the way through the cake. Give the glaze a stir and spoon it evenly over the top of the cake (the fluted side). Let the cake cool completely. Transfer to serving plate.
I topped with a little whipped creamed with a little vanilla extract. But topped with any kind of fruit and whipped cream would be great!
silk tie-dyed eggs
marbelized Easter eggs
naturally dyed Easter egggs
elegant eggs
But at least we had a good Easter dinner...
Ham with an orange marmalade glaze
Corn souffle
Green salad with raspberry vinaigrette
and then for dessert....
Orange Butter Cake
This is another recipe from The Weekend Baker by Abigail Johnson Dodge. I only have mini-bundt cake pans and I just didn't feel like the work that goes into those (greasing and flouring each one.) So I just used my angel food cake pan. I didn't top this with citrus wedges because I ended up just deciding today to make this so didn't have oranges on hand.
for the cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (I used salted butter so I left this out)
16 tablespoons unsalted butter - room temperature (2 sticks)
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest (optional - I had some in the freezer so used it)
4 large eggs
1 cup orange juice
* 1 teaspoon vanilla - this is something I added and wasn't part of the recipe
for the glaze:
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 powdered sugar
Position the oven on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan or other fluted tube pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until well-blended. In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the sugar and the orange zest (if using) and beat until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. (*Add vanilla and mix in.) Add half the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until blended. Add the orange juice and mix just until blended. Add the remaining four mixture and mix just until blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake until light brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out with just a few small crumbs attached. 38 to 43 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the orange juice and the powdered sugar for the glaze. Stir frequently while the cake is baking until the sugar is dissolved.
When the cake is done, transfer the pan to a rack and let cool for 15 minutes. If necessary, run a thin knife around the pan sides to loose the cake. Invert the cake onto the rack and lift off the pan. Set the rack over a large plate or pan. Using a wooden skewer or cake tester, poke 30 or 40 all the way through the cake. Give the glaze a stir and spoon it evenly over the top of the cake (the fluted side). Let the cake cool completely. Transfer to serving plate.
I topped with a little whipped creamed with a little vanilla extract. But topped with any kind of fruit and whipped cream would be great!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Knobs for Hanging Towels
Marthastewart.com has several newsletter type emails available. One is an organizational tip a day sent to your inbox. I really liked today's tip not just for the kitchen but I think in our bathroom it would be great too.Also in reading the comments someone suggested using knobs to hang a framed pictures from - using ribbon or chain to loop around the knob. I think that is a cute decorating idea that I want to file away for future use.
**credit: photo is from Marthastewart.com
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Oh my....Superfudgy Brownies!
These are superfudgy brownies. Full of chocolaty goodness! Typing the recipe out how I did it - it is very very close to the original. The original is from The Weekend Baker by Abigail Johnson Dodge. The cookbook is great cookbook for those that haven't ever baked before because it gives a list of pantry essentials for baking, equipment list, good flavorings and extras to have on hand, tips and techniques to bake. The lists tells you exactly why you want to have those things or do those things to be a baker. The instructions for each recipe are so good for first time bakers. Very easy to understand and follow. So really there are just so many wonderful qualities that makes a great book for first time bakers. But also this book is great for those that just are short on time and can only bake on weekends. It gives good tips on freezing and prepping to bake to make it easier. I hope to make a few more recipes before I return this cookbook to the library but have already put it on my wish list as it just has so many recipes I would like to try that sound so good.
Prescription-strength Fudge Brownies
12 tablespoons of unsalted butter (I used 8 butter and 4 margarine)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder - sifted if lumpy
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup topping - optional (anything you want - peanut butter chips, milk chocolate or semi-sweet chips, walnuts or pecans)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish.
Microwave the butter in small bowl for 30 seconds or until the butter is melted. Pour the butter in a large mixing bowl and add the coca powder. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until blended. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each just until blended. Whisk in the vanilla with the second egg. Sprinkle the flour over the cocoa mixture and mix until blended.
Scrape the batter into prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Scatter the topping evenly over the batter (if using.) Bake until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out with small, gooey clumps of brownie sticking to it - about 32 minutes. Don't overbake or the brownies won't be fudgy. Transfer the baking dish to a rack to cool.
Using a knife cut the cooled brownies. If the brownie is still warm it will be hard to cut cleanly (as you will notice from the pictures of mine.)
Recipes says you can freeze the uncut cooled brownies. Invert, wrap tightly and freeze for up to one month.
Prescription-strength Fudge Brownies
12 tablespoons of unsalted butter (I used 8 butter and 4 margarine)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder - sifted if lumpy
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup topping - optional (anything you want - peanut butter chips, milk chocolate or semi-sweet chips, walnuts or pecans)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish.
Microwave the butter in small bowl for 30 seconds or until the butter is melted. Pour the butter in a large mixing bowl and add the coca powder. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until blended. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each just until blended. Whisk in the vanilla with the second egg. Sprinkle the flour over the cocoa mixture and mix until blended.
Scrape the batter into prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Scatter the topping evenly over the batter (if using.) Bake until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out with small, gooey clumps of brownie sticking to it - about 32 minutes. Don't overbake or the brownies won't be fudgy. Transfer the baking dish to a rack to cool.
Using a knife cut the cooled brownies. If the brownie is still warm it will be hard to cut cleanly (as you will notice from the pictures of mine.)
Recipes says you can freeze the uncut cooled brownies. Invert, wrap tightly and freeze for up to one month.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Changes
I love that David Bowie song "Changes" so I am hearing it in my head as I write this....
Over the last week I have been making small adjustments to this blog in preparation for some big changes. For some time I have wanted to invite a few people to contribute on here. Therefore, it gives me great pleasure to introduce some new faces here. I've come to greatly admire these women as they all have many different qualities, talents and gifts that I think would greatly enhance what I wanted to do with this blog.
So, without further ado, a little introduction of these fabulous women....
The first contributer is a close dear friend of mine, Jouet. She has contributed recipes, articles and shared her experiences in slavery in a variety of forms over the years. Her passion lies in all things related to service and she has an amazing ability to express that passion through her writings. I have learned so much from her over the years and I am very thankful she was willing to share here.
My next contributer is kaya - who is great at keeping it real. And as someone who likes living life within reality of course her writings have always appealed to me for the raw honesty. Her talents exceed into a wide range of topics including recipes, gardening, raising kids while in service and doing things inexpensively to help save her Master money. She has such invaluable skills and experience share and look forward to reading her posts.
I do have more contributors in mind that I hope to be able to introduce to you shortly, but for now - I give you Jouet and kaya and as always if you have questions, thoughts, tips and anything else that can better enhance your experience here - drop me a line.
Over the last week I have been making small adjustments to this blog in preparation for some big changes. For some time I have wanted to invite a few people to contribute on here. Therefore, it gives me great pleasure to introduce some new faces here. I've come to greatly admire these women as they all have many different qualities, talents and gifts that I think would greatly enhance what I wanted to do with this blog.
So, without further ado, a little introduction of these fabulous women....
The first contributer is a close dear friend of mine, Jouet. She has contributed recipes, articles and shared her experiences in slavery in a variety of forms over the years. Her passion lies in all things related to service and she has an amazing ability to express that passion through her writings. I have learned so much from her over the years and I am very thankful she was willing to share here.
My next contributer is kaya - who is great at keeping it real. And as someone who likes living life within reality of course her writings have always appealed to me for the raw honesty. Her talents exceed into a wide range of topics including recipes, gardening, raising kids while in service and doing things inexpensively to help save her Master money. She has such invaluable skills and experience share and look forward to reading her posts.
I do have more contributors in mind that I hope to be able to introduce to you shortly, but for now - I give you Jouet and kaya and as always if you have questions, thoughts, tips and anything else that can better enhance your experience here - drop me a line.
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