Tomato Cobbler

 Fresh garden tomatoes from Grandma,

 Smashed black peppercorn,

 Carmelized onion that Grampa grew, put it all together and what do you get?  The most fabulous fall meal!

I found this recipe at Lottie + Doof and it is so good! 

Cherry Pie Filling

I was lucky enough to know someone with a cherry bush in their backyard and score some of these beauties!  These cherries weren't incredibly sweet, even though my little one ate an entire pie worth of the branches, so I made pie filling.  

Pick cherries leaving stems attached.  This slows the oxidizing process.  Pit and treat for darkening.  I used Ball Fruit-Fresh produce protector.  

Combine cherries, (I had about 6 cups), 2T. lemon juice, 1t. almond extract, 3c. sugar, and 4c, water (I used the water cherries were sitting in) in large pot.  Heat until just bubbly.  Next... I didn't really measure, so keep adding until it suits your taste:) Nutmeg, cinnamon and cornstarch mixed in cool water.  Add until you get your desired consistency.  Heat again until bubbly.  

You can use this in fresh pie, but I chose to can for later.  

Pour hot filling into clean, hot jars.  Remove air bubbles, adjust lids, water bath for 40 minutes (at 4,000 feet).  

Rainbow Layer Cake

I guess I was feeling pretty ambitious for a 1st birthday, but you only get them once right?  This cake was stunning, but really pretty simple.  All you need is 3 white cake mixes, food coloring gel, and time.  Let me emphasize TIME.  This wasn't a quickie the morning of.  Nope, I started this tower a full week before the party.  So plan ahead.


Mix cake mix according to the directions.  Divide in half and add a different color to each.  Bake, cool, cover in plastic wrap and freeze.  Repeat with each cake mix. 


Remove cake from freezer when you are ready to frost.  This part I did the day of.  Stack each layer with frosting between each layer.  I learned during this project that a crumb coat is really important.  Cover the entire cake with a layer of frosting and let it harden.  Then cover with a second layer, decorate as desired.  If you don't cover with a crumb coat, you will have rainbow crumbs all over the outside of the cake.  Trust me, do it.  


I'm not a professional cake maker like my Aunt Darla, but for one of my first, I think I did alright.  Baby loved it!

Dobos Torte

I made this eleven layer cake for fun. I have attempted three layer cakes before that turned out utterly disastrous, so of course I would reason... if you can't do three, why not try eleven! By some enchanted and uncanny twist of fate, it worked! Oh yes, it was a great day (for cooking. Shane, remember this is also the day your horses got out while you were on Trek, and Quinn and I had to get the back into the pasture without any smidgen of an idea what do do with a barbaric and uncontrollable hunk of useless flesh. Thank goodness for good neighbors, but you're still going to owe me for a while on that one my love)!

There are lots recipes for this cake, but I followed this one one from smitten kitchen. Mine is not as pretty as hers, but remember that is was from 1 to 11 in about 3 cakes:)

Chicken Posole

This was so good, I couldn't even get a picture. Totally refreshing summer soup, that even my soup-hater husband loved.

• Cook 4-6 cubed chicken breasts in 2T. of oil until no longer pink. Add 1 sliced onion, and 3 cloves minced garlic. Cook until onion is tender.
  
• Add chicken, garlic, and onion into crock-pot with 1t. oregano, 2t. salt, 1t. chili powder, a splash of lime juice, 1 can diced green chilies and chopped jalapenos (opt, but really great. I used only 1, add to your liking). Cover with chicken broth, bring to low simmer.
• When heated through, add 2 cans white hominy and 1 bunch torn cilantro. Cook 20 more minutes.
• Serve with tortilla chips and fresh lime.
  

Don't forget to turn up the Mariachi music and have fun!

Quiet Book pages 2-3

 This page was sooo easy!  I cut felt blocks double thickness to resemble temple blocks.  Lined with interfacing, I then 'drew' lines, doors and windows with silver metallic thread with the small zig-zag setting on my sewing machine.  Moroni has two layers of white and two yellow.  I made him extra tough to withstand the little finger trauma.  I put sticky velcro on the back of each piece and on the corresponding place on my background page.  Bryn loves it!

 Bryn loves to play peek-a-boo at church too.  I made her this family tree so she can play it quietly.

Pretty simple.  Cut out trunk and tree.  Cut out flaps for pictures.  Hot glue two pieces of vinyl onto back of tree to make a window pocket for pictures.  Insert pictures and decorate tree as desired.  This one was a sewing machine rebellion.  Not a stitch (well, besides the background page).  Love the glue.

I-Spy a Quiet Book page

 I finally started a Quiet Book for Bryn to take to church.  She loves books, and is starting to be noisy so...I know she's only ten months, but she needs a quiet book.  The first page was so fun!  It' an I-Spy bag, made into a page.  


To make the page you'll need:

• 10"x10" clear vinyl
• 2- 10"x10" coordinating prints
• 40" single fold 2" wide, bias tape made from one of your prints
• trinkets to spy (my list of trinkets and meanings can be found here)
• 1/2 bag poly pellets

 Sew the bias tape around the edge of the vinyl, raw edges to the outside, to make a frame.  Use long stitches on vinyl (less perforation for the vinyl to tear). Use interfacing to 'stick' the wrong sides together of the inside panel and back panel.  Sew window to back panel with outer pieces facing.  Leave enough space for turning inside out.  Turn, fill, and sew closed your page.  I added eyelets/grommets for my book binding.  You could also use a button hole.  I also added a pocket on the back to hold lists of things to find.  If adding a pocket, do so before interfacing to inside panel.

White Bean Gnocchi

I love gnocchi.  It is super easy to make, and has that hearty, warm, grandma's kitchen homemade goodness.  It also is pretty fancy and different than traditional skillet suppers.  

To make gnocchi:
2 potatoes (boiled and mashed)
2c. flour
1 egg
Mix all together and roll into 1" logs. Cut into 1" pieces and smash the side with a fork (can be refrigerated until ready for use).  


Sauce:
Saute (according to taste) tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, add enough water to make sauce.  This is basically a marinara sauce.  If you have a family favorite, use it!  Add cooked white beans for some texture and protein.  I used home canned white beans.

Bring medium stock pot of salted water to boil, add gnocchi.  Gnocchi is done when the start to float (about 3-5 minutes).

Add cooked gnocchi to sauce.  Sprinkle with cheese, cover for 2-3 minutes, just until cheese has melted.  Serve hot. 

I love you garland

How cute and easy is this!  My sister, Jannae made this heart garland out of pipe cleaners.  Genius Jannae

'Cute as a Bug' Baby Shower

 I was privileged to help with the food for a super cute baby shower.  The theme was 'Cute as a Bug' so I tried to find foods that would look like cute little creatures.  This first idea was supposed be snails, but I never got the faces and antennas on.  I still think they look pretty cute with grass though.  

To make these snails:
Mix 1 pkg cream cheese with 1/3c. chopped red peppers, a sprinkle of garlic, oregano, and a spoonful of your fav salsa for some added zing.  Spread mixture onto a flour tortilla, top with deli sliced turkey and roll up. 

*Stick with toothpicks before cutting.  Yup, that will help lots.*

 Second dish was the tide and true 'ants on a log.'  I spread my previous mixture of cream cheese onto celery sticks.  I spread peanut butter on others and spaced raisins along the 'log.' 

 This is a layered yogurt parfait, with added worms coming up from the 'dirt.'


Layer granola, berries, yogurt and worms in this order, twice.

My favorite treats were the cake pops.  Usually the accents for the pops are made of candy and sprinkles, but I drew mine with chocolate.  I put chocolate chips into a Ziploc bag, and microwaved in increments of 30 seconds until melted.  Cut one corner of the bag and start doodling.  

To make the wings, doodle your chocolate onto wax or freezer paper.  Let harden in refrigerator before using.

Lastly, I made bug jars from upcycled baby food jars.  Decorated with baby's name and shower theme, then filled with candy bugs.  We also had melon balls served from the watermelon and chicken salad croissants. 

Chicken Salad:
Shredded chicken
quartered grapes
salad dressing
toastes slivered almonds
chopped celery

Everything turned out great, and I'm thinking this new baby is going to love coming into this awesome partying family.

Have fun with your Cute as a Bug party!!

Wood Baby Blocks

 1. Obtain a 2X2 board from your local supply store, wood shop or husbands garbage pile (my fav).  Convince super amazing hubby to cut board into square cubes, unless you are a SUPER WOMAN!! and not afraid of the saw, and cut them yourself. Sand off all rough edges.  I use a palm sander for this step.

 Pain or stain block background color and let completely dry.

 Stick alphabet stickers, shapes, pictures, designs and 1X1 scrapbook paper on the block to cover each side.  My favorite sides of the blocks turned out to be the quotes I cut from border stickers.  Apply 2-3 coats of sealer (I used Mod Podge) over each side and let dry. 

This set of blocks is going to a very special baby & mom to be this weekend but my baby has a set of her own and LOVES to knock down the towers I build her.  I love knowing that someday she'll learn her alphabet and spell things to me.  I also love that this toy doesn't need batteries, and she likes it more than the toys that do!

To complete this project I used:
30 wooden blocks, free-$2.00
paint, $1.99
stickers and paper, $4.00
Mod Podge, $3.99

The only item I had to buy for this project was the paper and stickers.  I had everything else in my stash, and I'm betting most of you do too.  I'm also betting if there is a contractor building in your area, they would let you have some scrap wood, for a plate of homemade cookies they might even cut it for you!  This is a pretty inexpensive project, totally adorable, handmade, personalized and easy.  I'll let you know what everyone thinks about them tomorrow!

Faux Chenille Blanket

 This blanket is so cozy and simple to make.  You just need a few coordinating fabrics (I used one yard of each).

 Sew diagonal lines 3/4"-1" apart.

 Cut the top layers between the stitching, wash

And then you'll have a soft and snugly blanket for your little wiggle worm!  I followed this tutorial by Dana.  This was an excellent idea, and I don't want to take the credit so thank you Dana for your great ideas!  

This dessert was so much fun to make, and amazing to eat.  The flavors are so complex and different, and exciting, and yummy!  I adapted mine with berries, didn't regret a thing!

Someone is getting some berries for birthday!  Of course I can't tell you who... that would ruin the surprise!  The pattern for these berries is from Jeanette Lim's, Felt Universe.

I made the binding! I made it the old-fashioned way, ironing each fold by hand.  The end result is totally worth it, and I feel fulfilled.  Here is an awesome tutorial for making your own binding.