Baking/cooking

Continuing to Get Ready

by Karen on September 4, 2011

in Baking/cooking, life in general

What a morning – the weather is great!  The wind is breezy, the air is lower humidity than it has been for awhile, and it is only 79 degrees right now!!  It is actually only supposed to get to the mid 80’s today I think.

That makes it a great day to finish getting the motorhome ready.  I have already been out there numerous times today.  I decided to freshen up the bath towels that have been sitting out there for the past year even though I made sure they were washed when we got home.  I just want that fresh washed smell to them I guess.  I should have done it yesterday as I have at least 2 or 3 other loads of laundry to get done with today also.

With the laundry going I decided it was time to start sorting through more clothing Sad smile the part I hate to do!!  Sitting on the bed all lined up in categories – short sleeve shirts, 3/4 length, long sleeve, jeans & light weight pants, p.j’s, undies, I need to through some sleeveless and summer weight in here too just in case of some hot days – I will leave all this sitting on the bed for a little bit and then decide for sure if I am bringing all of it Smile or if more needs to be added!  I will decide that for sure when I start putting it in the camper in my clothing areas and see how much (or how little) room I have.

One day I need to get another complete set of clothing to keep in the camper – wouldn’t that be nice to have everything already there (and expensive!) I need a nice simple set of jeans/plain color tee’s and I would be set.  Too bad I always want a variety.

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I decided to make tomorrow’s meal in advance.  After a first day of travel I am always kind of tired and also I don’t want to have to start cooking after we get set up – I’m more accustomed to the small kitchen area after a day or two.  I know we will be at a campground that has electric hook ups tomorrow night so I am making a pot of chili today and will pack it in plastic bowls to store in the refrigerator.  That way we can just heat it up in the microwave when we get there.

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I am by no means a chili expert.  I do mine just an easy simply recipe – we like it and that is what counts.  I use Williams season mix.  You can buy it hot and spicy or mild which is what I prefer – I do not like to burn my mouth with spices so hot I can’t stand it! (I’m not good with extra spicy)

I use 1 can of chili beans, 1 can of black beans (rinsed) a pound of hamburger meat (or left over roast cuts if I have them) a chopped onion, sometimes a chopped green pepper which in this case I needed to get rid of so it is in there too.  I add a can of diced tomatoes and a 1/3 cup of season mix.  I also add a tablespoon of Hershey’s chocolate or if I have it I toss in one or two small pieces of dark chocolate. I stir it all up in the crock pot and let it cook all day.  This is just an easy easy recipe, nothing fancy and nothing for competitions for all of those chili cook off events.  When we travel I make the chili outside on the camper stove as I don’t like the smell of chili to linger inside for days on end.  I tend to cook outside most things that tend to leave an odor in the air.

Now I guess I have taken a long enough break and I need to get back to work.

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Done With the Quilting–and Cake

by Karen on August 4, 2011

in Baking/cooking, Going in Circles, quilts

What better way to celebrate the finishing of a quilting project that took 10 months to do then to make a chocolate cake Smile  the recipe in a moment – quilting done and the edges cut in a wavy pattern – free hand no rhyme or reason to it – just kind of following the rhythm of the vine.  “Going in Circles” is now ready to bind – after I cut the binding that is and get it stitched together, pressed ect.

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Now on to the binding – hmm – the aqua blue/green or the same green batik of the vine?  I will decide tomorrow I think, tonight will be break time from quilting.  I’m even skipping the quilt group this evening.  I just don’t feel like running out tonight – although it is much, much cooler today due to cloud cover for most of the day – high is 91 today!!  I think when I am done with the binding I might have to find a Laundromat to do this one and use one of their large machines – mine is a tight squeeze and last time I thought I really needed a little more room for them.

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Chocolate Fudgy Cake

4 oz. dark chocolate squares (4 squares)
1 cup butter softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Melt the chocolate and the butter in a double boiler over water.

Beat the eggs, add the sugar and the condensed milk.  Add the vanilla, beat again.  Add the dry ingredients and the chocolate mixture.  Make sure it is all mixed well together.

Pour into a tube pan, bundt pan or two layer cake pans.  Bake the tube/bundt pan about 50 to 55 minutes at 350 degrees – check for doneness bake a little longer if needed – the layer pans for about 30 minutes and check.

This is a fudgy cake – dense and a little heavy.  Add the frosting of your choice.  Yes I had a piece already – had to celebrate getting the quilting done Smile

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A Little of this a little of that

by Karen on July 30, 2011

in Baking/cooking, Going in Circles, quilts

Quilting has progressed a little more on Going in Circles.  Maybe by the end of next week I will be finished.  Since I took the quilt off of the frame my elbow pain is nearly gone already.  I think I was pressing up against a nerve with the way I was holding my arm next to the bar while going right to left.  I will continue not to quilt at the 3 roller for the time being though and just finish up this quilt and then stick with piecing for awhile and maybe even wait until fall before I start quilting another quilt and really take a break and see how the elbow is then.

I have all the pieces cut for the quilt that I will be working on when we start to travel in September.  It is an easy quilt and you know I haven’t even figured out how large it will be – I just know I cut the whole layer cake up to use for it and go from there – all the cut pieces are in a take along box waiting for me to throw in the other supplies needed when it comes time to do that.  Plenty of room for thread, threader, scissors, rotary cutter small mat ect.  Everything I can think of that I need will most likely get tossed in there.  Don’t these boxes come in handy Smile  I will need to come up with a name for this quilt.  I didn’t see one on the pattern that was for making a pillow with this pattern.  I still know I saw a photo of the same pattern in a quilt size instead though and don’t know where.

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Now on to a recipe – Brown Sugar Sugar Cookies.

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I got this recipe out of a book simply called “Cookies” that I have had forever.  I changed it up a little adding chopped dried cherries and a 1/2 cup of brown sugar for something different.

3 cups of flour (I used white wheat)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder (which I just realized I didn’t put in mine!!  I wonder now what would have been different
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
sugar to sprinkle on tops

Cream the butter and sugar together.  Add the vanilla and continue mixing.  Beat in the egg, then add the dry ingredients and some of the milk.  If you need all of the milk add the rest. Chill for about 30 minutes. Lightly flour a surface and roll the dough out to about 1/8th inch.  Cut with cookie cutters and place on a lightly greased pan (I use Pam Spray).  Sprinkle with sugar.  Bake 10 to 14 minutes until golden brown.

I really did not realize I forgot the baking powder until I was typing in the ingredients.  They tasted fine to me and looked just right too – I will have to take note of this next time I make them and see what the difference is.

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Pineapple Pie–Yum, Yum

by Karen on July 8, 2011

in Baking/cooking, Farmer's Wife

I made the pineapple pie and I love it. I did change the recipe though!!  Just warning y’all Smile

My way for the recipe:

Pineapple Icebox Pie

1 graham cracker crust or cookie crust

1 can (1 lb, 14 oz) crushed pineapple – drain reserve the liquid – press all the juice out that you can

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 – 8 oz container Cool Whip

Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice.  Put the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a pot on the stove and blend it altogether.  Add the juice a little at a time stirring so no lumps form.  Bring to a boil stirring the whole time.  Turn down and let cook for 3 minutes – continue to stir.  Take off the heat and add the pineapple, butter, lemon peel and juice.  Blend all together and put in a bowl and place in the refrigerator  to cool off.  When it is thoroughly chilled stir in the cool whip and then put in your pie shell.  Refrigerate.  If you wish put it in the freezer to get firm.  That is what I did and now I have a frozen pie because I forgot it, but I had cut it already before it was frozen solid so that is ok!

The cooked pineapple mixture ready for the refrigerator

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It is now cold so I am adding in the Cool Whip

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Into the pie shell it goes – now get it good and chilled

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Snack time – we both loved it

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Block #12 Farmers Wife

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Brown Sugar Oat Blueberry Muffins

by Karen on June 30, 2011

in Baking/cooking

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups of flour (I use white/wheat)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

I just toss everything in a bowl and mix it up.  Stir in 1 cup of blueberries.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes – check for doneness – go a couple more minutes if necessary.  Invert onto a wire rack to cool after they have cooled a couple minutes.  Makes 1 dozen regular size muffins.

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Oatmeal Cookies and The Farmer’s Wife

by Karen on June 16, 2011

in Baking/cooking, Farmer's Wife, quilts

First I want to say thank you for all the nice comments I have been getting lately.  I try to acknowledge all comments but I know sometimes I most likely miss some.  All comments are appreciated and I love the ideas that some of you give me for the projects I am working on.  I have gotten some new readers lately and thank you for stopping by my blog – if you give me your blog address I always wander on by and see what you are working on as well.

Yesterday I spent most of the very hot day in the house after leaving in the early afternoon for a work out at the fitness center.  I came back home and got back to work on the applique portion of the wedding/signature quilt.  I have to admit to being stumped though on vines.  I made a long string of bias vine – only now I can’t decide how to wind them through the photos and leaves!!  I tried several things yesterday and was not pleased.   I wanted to keep it in one long piece but that isn’t working.  I think it will look better to use shorter pieces here and there instead.  I am putting it aside today to work on the Farmer’s Wife. Sometimes idea’s come to mind when you put a project on hold for a day or two and work on something.

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Tomorrow is our Friday morning quilting group and as usual I am not ready once again.  So today I am going to see if I can get 3 or 4 blocks prepped and ready to go.  I was going to follow the layout of the quilt and work in that order but then I changed my mind and I’m going to go in order of the book instead.  I was going to use a lot of light colors and white but decided to stick with scraps – and see where I go from there – I will be mixing dark colors in with light colors and modern mix of prints in with old style.  These area some of the fabrics that I pulled from the scrap bins but I don’t know at this point if they will all be included at this point, I need to look more over as well.

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For my next project – yes I am always thinking ahead Smile I will be using my box of “candy bars” that I got recently.  I saw a pattern in a magazine that I loved and had actually been thinking of doing something simple like it with these little bars – all I will say for now is that the color that I will be using with the candy bars is white.  When I say simple I mean it – these bars will not be cut but used as they are.

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now on to the cookie recipe!

 

Golden Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups quick-cooking oats

2/3 cup flour

2 tablespoons grated orange peel

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2/3 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in the rest of the ingredients except the raisins and nuts.

When you have the batter creamed together stir in the raisins and nuts.

Drop by tablespoonful’s on baking sheets and back for 12 to 15 minutes.  Yield 4 dozen – I think I got about 3 dozen so mine were bigger I guess.  Also I didn’t have golden raisins so I used the regulars that I had.

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I did get about a half an hour of quilting on the frame last night and I hope to do more quilting today – we will see how that works out.

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Sour Dough Bread and Snow

by Karen on January 20, 2011

in Baking/cooking, weather

A short while after we woke up it started to snow.  We knew it was coming but I thought it would start as sleet first, but that only lasted a couple minutes and changed over.  It has been snowing lightly since 8 this morning. You can see the snow coming down here in front of the workshop.

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And the trees are covered already.  It looks like we will get 2 to 4 inches of the pretty stuff ending late this afternoon.

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Late yesterday afternoon I felt like making bread.  The day before I was thinking sour dough bread so I got my starter ready.  If you want to make the recipe you need to have a sour dough starter ready.  This the recipe I like for it – I found it on a blog last year but I lost the site and can’t find it any longer – this was the recipe

Sour Dough Starter

4 cups flour

4 cups water

1 package yeast

Mix altogether, put in a plastic container with a tight lid and stir every day – make sure it is a large enough container for expansion.  (If you want to keep using your starter – every time you take some out replace – for instance if you use one cup of the starter stir in 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water to replace. ) Your starter should sit at least 8 hours in a warm place to get it started then move it to the refrigerator.  I made my bread yesterday by taking the starter directly from the refrigerator.  You can take it out several hours or the night before baking if you wish and put the amount you are going to use in a tightly covered bowl and sit on the kitchen counter so you have it ready to use.  I find it works pretty much the same no matter if it is cold or warm – my opinion.

The recipe I used I changed up a little bit so I will call it

San Francisco Mixed Grain Sourdough Bread

4 3/4 cup flour – I used 1 cup of wheat flour, 2 tablespoons ground flax seed and 3&3 /4 cup white flour  — use what you want to equal 4 3/4 cups
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 package dry yeast
1 cup warm milk
2 tablespoons softened margarine
1 1/2 cups of sourdough starter

In a large bowl combine 1 cup of flour, sugar, salt, and dry yeast.  Add the milk and softened butter.  Stir in the starter. Mix in some of the flour gradually.  I use a kitchen aid mixer and can get it all mixed in fairly well before I turn onto the counter top for hand kneading.

Knead on floured surface using the rest of the flour and more if needed for about 8 to 10 minutes -

Place in a greased bowl in a warm area for about an hour to double rise.  Punch down and knead just a couple minutes, shape into two loaves and put in greased bread pans.  Allow to raise again for about an hour.

Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes until a nice browned color.  Brush the top with melted butter.  Makes two nice size loaves.

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Slice and from the multi-grain flour it looks like this.

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If you have a chilly house with some drafts like I do I find the best place to have my bread rise is in the oven!  What I do is I fill the tea kettle with water and bring to a boil.  I place a medium size bowl on the lower shelf in the oven with the boiled water.  I put my bowl of bread dough on a rack above the water.  I lay a folded towel over the burner on the top of the stove that has the vent so the steam doesn’t escape (if you have the type of stove/oven).  This keeps the steam in the oven.  The space is warm and my bread rises faster in the oven then out on the kitchen counter.  I have heard of some people setting their oven on warm setting and doing it that way – I’m always afraid it might get too warm so I use the water method instead.

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Quilting, Piecing & Cake

by Karen on January 12, 2011

in Baking/cooking, quilts, weather

I have been working on a variety of things today in between feeding the fireplace and keeping warm. What a cold night we had last night – down to 11 degrees and tonight to maybe get down to 5 degrees.  My Wisconsin daughter laughed at me this morning and said that wasn’t anything compared to 20 below zero! and I do agree with her – I am a wimp and whining – just not used to this kind of weather any more.

So today I finished the center of the Star Crazy BOM assembly process.  There is still a bit to go and I might get around to working on more of it today – here is where it stands for now.  It is nice to have this much of it assembled.

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EDITED: 3:19 OOPS! good thing I checked the directions and looked at the photo of the quilt one more time – almost forgot I have to add a strip of fabric all the way around the center before the hst’s

The next step is a skinny border of half square triangles.  They have to be pointed in the exact location or it will throw the corners off.  So glad that I laid the first border out on the design wall to look at it and compare with the photo as of course I noticed right away when I stepped back that I had started to turn them in the wrong direction about half way through the row –this row of the border is just stuck up there = they still have to be stitched.

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Besides working on the sewing machine with this quilt I take breaks from it and go work on the hand quilting on the little quilt – I am about 1/3 done with it I think -  The areas without the pins are finished.

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And as I have in the title of this post – CAKE – every now and then I get a craving for chocolate cake.  Last year I bought two fancy pans of individual bundt cake pans – 6 cakes to a pan.  A very nice way to make cake and freeze some of it so I don’t sit and eat it all in 2 days = of course I had to have a break time and eat one of them Smile A little bit of frosting put on while the cakes were warm caused it to pool up on the little indention on the top, but that is ok – it tasted good!

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The recipe – a chocolate cake in the old Betty Crocker cookbook with a cup of chocolate chips thrown in and a cup of chopped walnuts.  Using these little pans I tried the amount of time that is normal for cupcakes 20 minutes but it wasn’t quite long enough so put them in for 4 more minutes – making it 24 minutes of baking time if you use pans like this.

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More Triangles–Busy Day

by Karen on December 9, 2010

in Baking/cooking, Dear Jane - "Insanity Revisited", quilts

I have been on the move all day.  Laundry needed to be done, bathroom needed to be cleaned – floors washed ect.  But even with that I have gotten done with two triangles today, baked about 5 dozen cookies and made bread!!

Laundry was going off and on all day –the table is a mess – full of folded clothes and more to be folded.  Got it all done and 3 pairs of work pants for Mike and shirts to go with them ironed and back in the closet.  The table is back to normal.

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Bread – I posted this recipe last year – Mixed Grain Bread – recipe at this post – I divided the dough into 4 smaller loaves and it turned out great – I was yearning for a sandwich made with homemade bread and that was my supper tonight along with a dill pickle and some chips.

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While the bread was raising and then baking and in between taking care of the laundry I got done with triangle #4

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And then it was on to cleaning the bathroom and washing floors – a good exercise break from sitting sewing – after that got done I got the cookie batter ready and got started on Ginger Cookies – posted last year at this post.  My blogging buddy Marianne mentioned to me this morning that she was going to make them today and I realized I had forgotten the recipe and hadn’t made them since last year – it inspired me to make them – thanks Marianne.

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Got more laundry done and finished and got triangle #5 done

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Whew – are you tired yet?  Well now the evening 6 PM news is about finished, my house is fairly cleaned, laundry finished, baking done and most all put in the freezer except a little bit to enjoy tomorrow – time to get triangle #6 prepped and get at it Smile

Tomorrow I might not get as much done Sad smile quilting group in the morning, I’m bringing my fitness bag with me so I can stop and get my exercise in before I head back home.  Then I have a feeling it will be back to work at the triangles.  I well try to work on one while I am at quilting group – but sometimes I just don’t get done with much there – too much talking!

Well I guess I better get busy on Triangle #6!

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Apple Upside Down Cake

by Karen on September 17, 2010

in Baking/cooking

Yummy and ready for fall – maybe we can rush the season!  I made this cake last night and loved it.

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The recipe:

1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 large granny smith apples peeled and sliced
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups of flour! I just realized I forgot that when one of my readers noticed it.
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  I used a cast iron 10 inch skillet, you can use a round cake pan or square cake pan instead if you want.

Slice the apples, toss with the lemon juice, vanilla and cinnamon.

Melt the butter in the skillet, sprinkle the brown sugar over the bottom of the pan on top of the melted butter. Sprinkle the pecans over the brown sugar.  Spread the apple mixture over the top of the brown sugar.

Cake:

Beat the eggs, add the sugar and continue beating.  When creamy add all of the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Pour over the apple slices.

Bake for 45 minutes and check cake for doneness (is that a word?) I put the cast iron skillet on top of a round cookie sheet just in case of any bubbling of the brown sugar mix and I was glad I did as some did bubble over.

The recipe had said for 50 to 55 minutes and I baked mine for 50 minutes and it was a little too brown – 45 minutes might be better.

Let the cake  cool for 10 minutes in the pan then loosen the sides with a knife and invert on to a cake plate.  If you need to scrap out any brown sugar mixture that sticks in pan and spread over the top of the cake.  Makes 8 nice size servings although of course you can cut smaller or larger to suit yourself – enjoy!

I spent the day with my mom up in Northwest Arkansas today and have not done any quilting today.  I think my fingers are back to normal so I will be getting back to my quilting but I will mix in time to piece as well so I won’t over do my fingers again!

We had a nice lunch at Red Lobster, shopping, got her flu shot taken care of and looked at photos from our trip.  The drive home was much longer than normal as for some reason the traffic was really heavy – Friday night football games perhaps!  I will have to remember that in the future.

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