Wow, long time

This season has been busy busy. In between family visits, colds, a whole mess a baking, I've been too pooped to post. I have been doing a whole mess of baking, which I love having an excuse to do. I could bake all day if my kids didn't need to eat and be cleaned ;)
This week has officially started our winter break. Yeah! I am trying to figure out the specs for a snoopy dog house for our gingerbread house. Just need to do some measuring and such. I felt like I was getting a cavity just looking at the candy in the shopping cart that I bought to decorate with. Candy canes, skittles, dots, pull and peel licrorce, oh my!
I have some cranberry scones that I'm wanting to make this week. After I tackle this gingerbread house.
I have been having fun with my little unfinished apartment. I was thrilled to hear that the "I'm a giant" dollhouse challenge was postponed. I had high hopes to participate, but got very busy this season. I may and try and attemp finishing up my apartment now that I have a month to kick in gear. Knock on wood!
Here's some pics I've taken lately.



Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Brownies

When in doubt, make brownies. I needed chocolate, and I wasn't going to take no for an answer. Just be prepared for the most intensely delectable taste explosion.
I used this recipe.

1 cup butter, melted
3 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
2.Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
3.Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
4.Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack before cutting.

Enjoy them with a big ol' cup of milk.
When you bite into one of those chocolate chips, you will be even more excited!
I finished up my christmas ornmaments, and I'm pretty pleased with them. I am really feelin' the sequins this year. I have many memories of all the ornaments my grandmother had when I was a child.

Sequin Angel Set. They love to bat their eyelashes while wearing blue eyeshadow.

Retro Cat Set

Mr. Turtle

I love toy soldiers. Especially happy little soldiers to happy up your tree.
I wanted to go with happy cheery colors for this year.

I almost cannot believe that next week is Thanksgiving. How is this possible? I have a pumpkin cream cheese roll on the list of desserts. And I'm really planning on some sweet potato pie of some sort.
Go make some brownies!

Don't be Blue

I have had blueberry muffins waiting to be made. I decided this morning, a rainy morning would be perfect to wash away those rainy day blues.
I have actually been rolling out of bed at a decent time this week, with the time change tricking my body. I usually like to get up a few minutes after 8, but now I get up a bit after 7, so needless to say, I had time to make some muffins!
Here's what you'll need, But, Double it, if you want them for a couple days, I Would!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Get oven going on 400 degrees. Put your muffin liners in or butter a muffin pan.

Mix flour thru baking powder in a big bowl.

Mix oil, egg, and milk together, then put into the flour mixture. Fold in your blueberries last. Pour into muffin pan. (It will be thick, so more like scoop)

When finished, mix sugar, cinnamon, flour and cold cubed butter in seperate bowl.
Get the mixture nice and crumbly, you don't want big chunks of butter on top. Top your muffins evenly with the crumbly mix.

Bake for 20 minutes depending on your oven. I think I might do mine for less time next time.
Now wash those rainy day blues away with that blueberry muffin.

I almost couldn't believed how expensive the blueberries were at the store, but I really needed to make these. Really almost 5 bucks for a bag, anyways.
So I used this recipe.
I tweeked a bit with a lower fat milk, and doubled the recipe.

I don't have a pastry cutter to dice up the butter. But I have found that if you use a whisk and keep your butter nice and cold you can chop it up fine with the flour, sugar, and cinnamon mixture.

Wha La, the crumbly delite on top is amazing.


I have heard of Kate Nash, but I had not really realized how much I love her voice!
I love the song Merry Happy. It is so darn catchy.

I am totally buy her album on itunes.
I've been working my little fingers off on Christmas ornaments. I am almost done with my collection. I have been sketching since the summer on ideas, then I have totallys scratched things several times. But I finally settled on the theme. They remind me of my childhood and the types of ornaments I loved the most.
I should be done by the end of the week. I can't believe how close Christmas really is. Cuurazzy!
Enough talking, go make some muffins!

Snickerdoodles are for Fridays

So I haven't been able to get Snickerdoodles off the brain lately. What are these you ask? Surely you have had one. You may think they are similar to a sugar cookie, but let me tell you , they are oh so much more. I have not been graced with one of these since college, and well, that's been about 10 years, yikes.
Thats too long to go without a snickerdoodle folks.
So I went in search for the most well-loved snickerdoodle recipe. And this one did not disappoint. I usually never cook with vegetable shortening, I'm usually a butter purist. But for these, I felt that I must enter over. And I am glad I did.
I used this recipe.

When I came across this recipe by "Joy the Baker" I could not resist.
I a potato in many forms is good, but I had never made a Hasselback potato. Not to be confused with a Hasselhoff potato. They might get drunk and eat a cheeseburger. and we wouldn't want any of that here ;)
This potato has it all. Garlic, butter, salt, and olive oil. You can probably find all of these in your kitchen. Uhhmazing.

We had them with breaded pork chops, french style green beans, and apricot jam. I works at the perfect side, or on it's own!

I can't believe Halloween is on Monday. The kids wanted specific costumes this year so , I let them do just that. We have Mario from mario brothers game, Thomas the tank engine, and Batgirl.
I think on the list is pumpkin carving and apple turnovers for the weekend.
Have a great Friday!

The "Great Pumpkin"

We went in search of the "Great Pumpkin" on Saturday. We made our annual trip to the patch. We went towards the end of the season so the search took a bit longer, but that's all the fun, right? We love taking the tractor ride out to the patch. We could leave either without some apple cider, mini pumpkins (gourds), and my first white pumpkin (gourd, i've wanted one forever), and the most delicious jalapeno cheese bread on the planet ( I just ate some!).
Next on the fall baking list, before october ends are apple turnovers. My husband has been demanding, I mean asking ;) for these for weeks. He is not a dessert bar person, as I am, so these are his fall fave.
We have been watching our share of Halloween movies this season. The kids are watching "Monster House" right now. This is a great semi-creepy kid halloween movie. I love it. It was made my Steven Spielburg, so you really can't go wrong.
My husband and I watched Rosemary's Baby the other night, and have Children of the Corn coming. I hope to watch "Corpse Bride" too. I love getting creeped out. Oh and we watching, via Netflix, Paranormal Activity2, super creepy. I love the haunted movies. I've heard the third is quite spectacular.

What have you been watching? Any yummy treats on the list to make?

Pumpkin Bars and What's Been Up So Far's (okay nerdy I know)

So the blog has really been on the back burner lately. But all is good around these parts. Life takes unexpected twists and turns. Time is alot more scarce these days. I have been enjoying the fall so much this year. I have been discovering so many more pumpkin recipes. The newest in baking adventures is "Pumpkin Bars" adapted from my new fave cooking blog, "Joy the Baker." I added chocolate chips, omitted the nuts (allergies), and added coconut. They are oh so yummy. They stay moist, like a lemon bar, so don't worry if they come out soft, that's how they are to be.


I have been also slowing making progress on my submission to the "I'm A Giant" Challenge with Emily Henderson of Hgtv's Design Star. I so totally pumped for this. I been planning out what furniture needs to be made, and some touches that I will need to bring it all together. I knew I couldn't go big scale, I would never get it done by the deadline, December 15. The theme of my submission is a twenty something couple living in the city in their first apartment living a very eclectic lifestyle. I can't wait to get going on the furniture pieces. Assembling the rooms takes so long, with painting , sanding, and gluing. I finally got the pieces glued after several nights of painting. I now plan on sanding, touching up, working on window seals, flooring this week. I hope to get to work on the furniture this weekend. Knock on wood. I have been working on some new embroidery pieces that I sell locally, as well as planning for the holidays. Whew.
I love it all though. These things get me excited.
Here is the progress so far.


As you can see, there is very limited space. I am going to have a tiny kitchen area, small bedroom with a shower, and toilet, and well a small city apartment. I will take some work, but I think I can make it happen.
Well, off to the library we go. Have a great day!

Pumpkin Bars and What'