Monday, September 29, 2008

Creative Monday: Halloween edition!

We're having a big Halloween party again. So much fun! :) My general theme is based off of Disney's Haunted Mansion, but I like some general little stuff too...soooo, I made a little bat garland from tissue paper (an idea I saw on the Martha Stewart site)



It's easy enough to do. I just drew a little bat and then traced him onto the tissue paper (that was already prefolded. I used pencil so that I could see what I was doing, and my tiny embroidery scissors to make the tiny cuts. Each strand is about 5 bats long and then I just taped them together.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Let's make some pie!

With the temperatures dropping, I've been in the mood for some baking. This weekend, the project was apple pie. Yum!



The Recipe


Crust (this will make enough for the top and bottom crust of one pie):
2 c flour
2/3 cup crisco (I use the butter flavored crisco)
1/8 t salt

1)Mix together ingredients with a pastry blender (or cut in with 2 forks). I often add the flour a little at a time, just to keep things more manageable.

2)Add warm water 1 T at a time, mixing well between each until you've added 4 T warm water to the dough.



3)Finish blending by hand, then pat into a ball (and separate in half if you're making a top and bottom crust) and roll the dough flat between 2 sheets of wax paper.

4)Remove one of the wax sheets and flip crust over into a pie plate and remove second sheet of wax paper, then prepare apples.

Apple Filling


1)Peel 5-6 apples (for reference, I used about 3-3.5 pounds for 2 pies). You need a tart apple, like Jonathan. I like to use Gala, because we'll eat those if we have any left over.

2)Once peeled, core and slice the apples into slices.

3)Mix together cinnamon (I don't really measure this, I just try to make sure that the mixture ends up looking a little more brown than white, if that makes sense) and 3/4 c sugar. Sprinkle over the apples and mix to coat the apples.



4)Dump apple filling in pie shell and slice one stick of butter (or margarine) into butter pats and spread all over the pie.

Finishing and baking:
Add your top crust (removing wax paper the same way you did with the bottom crust) and crimp edges to seal. Use a spoon to poke vent holes in the top and bake at 375 for about an hour.

Voila! Apple pie from scratch! :D

Friday, September 19, 2008

Nermal Says...

Ummm...no, mommy. I have NO idea how your fabric keeps getting furry!!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Creative Monday: Cupcakes!!

A belated creative Monday post:

I've done a ton of baking this week (these were for my hubby's birthday) and I attempted to do the icing like a real person. That's sort of creative, right?



Recipe:

Carrot Cake:
2 c flour
2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
3 c grated carrots (1 lb.)
4 eggs
2 c sugar
2 t cinnamon
1 t baking powder
1 1/2 c vegetable oil
1 t vanilla

1) Mix dry ingredients and carrots.
2) Add vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
3) For cupcakes: Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes (toothpick should come out clean)
4) Allow cupcakes to cool completely (I allowed overnight) and then add frosting.



Frosting:
1 stick butter (softened)
1 t vanilla
4 c powdered sugar
1 8 oz. "brick" of cream cheese (softened)

1) Whip together cream cheese and butter. Add sugar (I tend to do this a cup at a time) and then vanilla.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Jumpity.



Jumpity...


Jumpity...


Jump!!


I still need to put eyes on the grasshoppers, but I'm having problems with placement. *grumble*

*cross-posted to creative monday*

About Me

Boise, Idaho, United States
To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury; and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable; and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasion, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony. William Henry Channing