What I Cooked this Weekend!

Now I realize there might not be a whole lot of people who would say cooking is one of their favorite things to do, but it is one of mine. And have I cooked this weekend!!

Recently I became aware of Ree Drummond, aka Pioneer Woman. She sounds like a pretty awesome lady. She's married to the love of her life (Marlboro Man), has 4 cute kids, lives on a cattle ranch, cooks, takes beautiful pics, has a very informative and entertaining blog, and has a cookbook that hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and has now written The Pioneer Woman - Black Heels to Tractor Wheels (basically the story of how she met "Marlboro Man" and fell in love).

Over Christmas vacation, I stumbled across her blog (http://thepioneerwoman.com/) while reading another blog (http://thelittlebrownhouse.us/) . . . can you tell what I did between Christmas Day and New Years? The Little Brown House was raving about Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls. So I decided to give them a try. Let me just say, they are AHmazing, and that's putting it lightly. Since then I've purchased her cookbook and her book and highly recommend them both.

The recipes are very easy to follow, don't call for any exotic ingredients, and have met with rave reviews from my family. I've made Basic Breakfast Potatoes, Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes (don't think I will ever make pancakes from a mix again), Chicken Spaghetti, Chicken Fried Steak, PW's Creamy Mashed Potatoes, and Comfort Meatballs. Haven't been disappointed by one recipe.

So this weekend I decided to try Three Cheese Stuffed Shells with Meaty Tomato Sauce (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/10/three-cheese-stuffed-shells-with-meaty-tomato-sauce/) and Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/03/spicy-dr-pepper-shredded-pork/). Not together, of course. I put the Three Cheese recipe together quickly late yesterday afternoon to take to a friend who had hip surgery recently. Her husband and mine like to get a rise out of us by calling us "woman". Now, this all came about during a sermon when the preacher was quoting Jesus who addressed a woman as "woman" and they thought it was funny to call us that, but they normally say it in a stern sounding voice like "WOMAN". Somehow, I don't think that was how Jesus was saying it. Anyway, our friend texted Dan after eating the Stuffed Shells and said he would no longer call me WOMAN, but he would now call me Mama Mia. I'm taking that as a compliment. We will be having our Stuffed Shells for supper tomorrow night.

Tonight we are having the Shredded Pork. It's been cooking in a 300 degree oven for six hours and it is falling apart (I peeked just a few minutes ago and had a taste - YUMMY!!). I'm serving it as PW suggests on warm flour tortillas, topped with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and grated cheese. Can't wait for supper.

So if you're stuck in a rut and tired of cooking the same old thing, please visit PW's website and try some of her recipes. You won't be sorry. Her recipes are very easy to follow and she includes beautiful pictures if you need step by step help. And you'll probably giggle a few times as you are reading her recipes.

Happenings at Just Sew! Studio

Well, it's official. The first class of Just Sew! Studio was held this past Friday night. A total of 6 pillows were made by 3 very industrious students. I am so proud of them and their accomplishments . . . and I think they are proud of themselves too. We stitched, stuffed, ripped out seams, talked, laughed, and vented. The class ran a little longer than I had originally planned , but we didn't have to break out the sleeping bags and pillows. Everyone was home before midnight!

On Saturday, a group of us got together to decorate some t-shirts to send to some of the children affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Susan @ Living with Punks was hosting a sew along by Chelsea at Pink Fig Patterns. We got a head start and finished 5 t- shirts in a few hours. I have three more to finish and then I'm sending them off to Cali to make their way to Japan. Please keep the people of that country in your prayers as they deal with this unimaginable situation. We take so much for granted, don't we? And didn't these ladies do a great job?

Now I'm planning classes for April. On April 8 and 9, we will be making some really cute pajama boxers and a cute t-shirt - nothing better than climbing into bed in your favorite pj's! I promise, these are very easy and so cute. Erin & I made these for her "little" and many of her sorority sisters were asking where Erin got them. One of a kind just for "M"!

Then on April 29 and 30, we'll be sewing a precious apron and a matching pot holder . . . just in time for Mother's Day giving, a great gift for a bride, or a treat for yourself. I've ordered the Domestic Goddess Apron pattern from Amy Butler. If it's "new sewer friendly", that may be the pattern we use. Don't you love it?

I've also had some requests for classes on sewing children's clothes and learning how to use your own sewing machine. If that's something you're interested in, keep checking the Just Sew! Studio calendar for future classes. http://www.justsewstudio.com/Home.html

Happy Stitching from Just Sew! Studio.

And Then I Fell

We were up bright and early on Saturday morning. Erin and I headed over to Dana's to pick her up to head to the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo in Gwinnett. Of course, Dana offered to drive so we could ride in her new car - that was a treat. And of course, if you know my girls or me, we had to stop at the one and only fast food restaurant as far as we are concerned - Chick Fil A - for breakfast. Then on to the Expo. First time for all of us.

We walked into the exhibit hall and were met with displays from vendors from across the U.S. that were demonstrating and selling just about anything and everything a seamstress might need or want. Sewing machines, fabric, irons, embroidery and quilting machines, patterns, and even a booth that sold shoes for quilters . . . hmmm, I didn't know you had to have special shoes to quilt! They weren't very fashionable either - didn't buy any for my Mom who is an excellent quilter without those shoes!! They also offered classes and "make and take" sessions.

We walked through all the vendors once just to get an idea of who and what was there, pick our favorites, and then head back to make some purchases after we watched some of the fashion shows and demonstrations. One that really got our attention was titled "How to be a Charming Stripper"! Not what you think!! A charm pack is a pack of 5" x 5" fabric squares that can be used for quilting and this told how to use the charm packs for quilt strips. Whew!!

We watched two fashion shows - one that featured "new designers" mainly for adults and my favorite . . . Sewing for Children: The Hottest New Patterns. Lots and lots of class ideas there!

The main reason I wanted to go was to see some of the designer fabrics

that are so popular now - Amy Butler, Heather Bailey, Moda, and Jennifer Paganelli - that I hope to use in some of the upcoming classes at Just Sew! Studio. Some of the displays were disappointing as it looked like the fabric was the same old stuff that's been available for 10 years. But we found several booths that really sparked our creativity. Grand Bazaar Fabrics from Alabama had lots of Amy Butler's fabrics and patterns; Young at Heart from Griffin, GA was there with beautiful children's patterns and lots of precious fabric for kids and adults; and Sew it Up from Texas had really cute patterns from Pink Fig, Mod Kid Boutique, Lila Tueller and Sew Sensible just to name a few.

So we made a few purchases - fabric and patterns - and headed back home. We visited with Dana and Lyla for a bit and then Erin and I ran a few errands before going home. Dana #2 (Greg's girlfriend) met us at the grocery and Erin headed home with her before they went out for Mexican. I got home from the grocery and loaded up both hands with as many bags as I could carry and headed for the stone sidewalk that leads to our front porch. Just as I stepped from the driveway to the sidewalk, I rolled my ankle and couldn't seem to catch my balance. I felt myself starting to fall and there was nothing to grab on to to stop my fall and down I went. I thought I was going to fall face first on the stone walk, but thank goodness I turned at the last minute and landed on my right side. I laid there for a minute and then was able to turn and sit up and then the pain began. I knew I had done something to my right hand and quickly pulled my ring off in case my hand started to swell. I've heard several stories of people having rings cut off their fingers and I wasn't going there. My groceries were scattered all over the sidewalk along with the contents of my purse. I found my cell phone and called Erin to ask her to come help me get up. She got me into the house and did a quick nursely (new word I made up!) evaluation and decided I should put ice on my hand and take ibuprofen. I could bend my fingers but they were really sore. I didn't want to make a trip to the ER on a Saturday night. To make a long story short, I will be fine. We made a quick trip to Regional First Care this morning for x-rays. Just got a call from the doc and they reread the x rays and I have a cracked radial head (elbow) which will require a visit to the orthopedic doc now ... and hopefully not a splint! My right arm is in a sling for now. Hopefully my family will take care of me. And I didn't break either jar of pickles when I fell. Now I'm off to figure out how to start sewing some of those cute ideas with my arm in a sling. Maybe I'll make a cute sling!

Okay, I am a day late linking up to A Wee bit of Me Wednesdays, but here goes . . .
{one} what color is your kitchen?Sage green walls & black "antiqued" cabinets painted by Dan, Dan the painter man!

{two} do you have a good luck charm?No - just pray a lot
{three} do you prefer to write with a pen or pencil?Depends on what I'm writing

{four} can you use chopsticks?No! None of the food makes it from the plate to my mouth.
{five} do you prefer baths or showers?Showers. I tried to relax in the tub when the kids were little,
but someone would always knock on the door and ask if I was okay orsome other very important question that couldn't wait until I was out. Greg used to slide notes under the door to me!
{six} what is your favorite salad dressing?After a trip to Italy - extra virgin olive oil with just a little salt.Amazing!
{seven} can you sing the alphabet backwards?I've never tried

{eight} do you have any allergies?Ragweed
{nine} crunchy or creamy peanut butter?creamy. reduced fat.
on a toasted english muffin with a banana& honey!
{ten} have you ever hitch hiked?Never ever!

Head on over to www.myleighashley.com and link up!

Just Sew! Studio

The world we live in moves at such a fast pace. Instant this, drive through that, and I have to have it now! One thing that seems to have been lost in recent years is the ability, or desire, to make something yourself. But if the blogs I’ve been reading lately are a sign of things to come, crafting and sewing might just be making a comeback.

Sewing used to be a skill that was passed down from mother to daughter –teaching her to make her own clothes and things for her home. Boys were taught to build things with their hands – furniture, barns and houses. These were things that my parents were taught. My Dad built my parents first home with the help of his uncles. He filled that house with pieces of furniture that he built by hand – a cradle, a dining room table, a hutch, a desk, a Grandfather clock. My Mom and Grandmother learned how to sew and quilt. My Mom has made quilts for each of her children, grandchildren, and siblings. One of my most prized possessions is a quilt my Mom made and gave to me when I was about to leave home to attend college in another state. That quilt was made with leftover scraps of fabric from the many outfits she sewed for me as I was growing up. You can’t buy that in a store!

When I was about 12 or 13 years old, my Mom signed me up for sewing lessons at the local Singer store and I haven’t stopped sewing since. Barbie doll and baby doll clothes, blouses, pants, shorts, skirts, dresses, curtains, pillows, my wedding veil and the suit I wore as my “going away” outfit at my wedding are all things I’ve sewn. I remember being so proud when I modeled something I had sewn for my Dad and he would ask me, “Did you build that yourself?”. Or if I started sewing something on Saturday to wear to church on Sunday he might ask, “What are you building?”. If you think about it, sewing is very similar to building. You are taking individual pieces and connecting them to make a finished product.

My daughters have encouraged me this past year and a half as I’ve started Francie Beth Boutique and sold handmade signs and picture frames. Even my husband and son have pitched in and cut and sanded signs and slapped on a few coats of paint. Now, I hope to share my love and knowledge of sewing with others who might want to learn to sew with Just Sew! Studio. If your mom tried to teach you to sew, but ran out of patience after threading the machine for you for the 10^th time in 10 minutes or if the pattern instructions were too confusing, give sewing another try. In March I will be offering two classes teaching you how to make a decorative pillow. The class will be about 3 hours long and you will leave with a finished pillow. It’s a cute project, you’ll learn a few basic things you need to know about sewing, and you’ll go home with a pillow that you can tell everyone, “I made it myself!” and no one else will have one exactly like yours! For more information please visit here.

We Interrupt This Marriage For . . .

We hadn't been married very long in the early 80's when I realized that occasionally football came before me. Not all the time; just Saturday, Sunday, and Monday nights. Now back in the day I still had a good bit of free time (meaning no children!) and enjoyed cross stitching. Does anyone still do that? Anyways, while Dan watched football, I cross stitched (or did laundry, or the dishes, sewed, cleaned or went shopping).

There aren't a whole lot of things you can cross stitch for an outdoors kind of guy, but I found something that fit him perfect. A small cross stitch sampler that had a football goal, football, and heads of the people in the stands with the saying, "We interrupt this Marriage for the Football Season!". Perfect!! So I cross stitched away and gave him his gift. He was impressed.

Now almost 30 years later, I have come to realize that simple saying, "We interrupt this Marriage for . . . " is a powerful piece of advice. In the last 29+ years, our marriage has been interrupted for any number of activities - football, fishing, camping, hunting, 4-wheeling, time with the guys, and now the most recent . . . a boat - a fixer upper no less! He boasts to his buddies that when we were first married, and he would head off with some friends for a day (or weekend) I was so sad to see him go. Now I tell him to go and have fun! I now welcome the time alone to go off and do the things I enjoy or to stay at home and relish the peace and quiet. If you know my husband, you know that we are total opposites. He is the outgoing, always talking, never met a stranger kind of person who falls asleep and wakes up talking while I am much more introverted and quiet. I love my peace and quiet!

All of this to say that these interruptions have been good for us and I think we are both happier for the time apart, but we also enjoy our time together more!

January 2011 Snow Day(s) + Snow Ice Cream

On Monday morning, most of Georgia woke up to a winter wonderland! Everything here was covered with a thick blanket of white snow, and it was still coming down. We ended up with about 7 inches of beautiful, fluffy snow. But then, the icky sleet and freezing rain came and covered everything with a sheet of ice. Now I should tell you, ice is not my friend. Never has been, never will be! In the past, I've slid on ice in my car and was then hit by another car that started sliding and I've slipped and fallen while walking on ice. Neither event was fun. So now I cringe and stress about having to get out on the ice (in a car or on foot).

On Tuesday, I was beginning to get a slight case of cabin fever so Erin and I went outside and built a mini snow lady. She's a pretty cute snow lady with sweet gum balls for eyes (makes her look like she has eyelashes), a carrot nose, and she hasn't melted a bit over the past two days.

Trying to use my unexpected time off wisely due to the snow days, I did some organizing in my pantry, several loads of laundry, and worked on a few Francie Beth Boutique projects, and I cooked! In case you don't know it, cooking is absolutely one of my favorite things to do when I have plenty of time. Two new Gooseberry Patch cookbooks were added to my cookbook collection at Christmas and I have been browsing all the recipes and hints. So it was just second nature to try out some new recipes. It's been hard to find a granola recipe that has the texture and consistency I've been looking for but I think this one is pretty close (crunchy with some clumps of granola). We made the easiest snow ice cream recipe I've ever seen (thanks to Paula Deen's post on Facebook). It's especially yummy with a spoonful of Nutella on top! And I think I've found just about the best brownie recipe.

Unfortunately my snow days have come to an end even though our yard and decks are still covered in white frozen stuff. Dan drove me to and from work today, but I'm on my own for tomorrow. Hopefully no sliding is involved. And I'll be getting back to my Zumba workout to get rid of the extra calories I enjoyed.

Paula Deen's Snow Ice Cream

8 cups of fresh snow or shaved ice

1 can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free!!)

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Pour condensed milk and vanilla over the snow (or ice). Mix well and serve immediately.

Granola (adapted from Sunny Anderson's recipe on FoodNetwork.com) Great for breakfast, as a snack, mixed in with yogurt, or on top of ice cream!

1/2 cup maple syrup* 1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil pinch Kosher salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 egg whites

3 cups rolled oats 1 cup coconut (optional)

1 cup sunflower seeds 1 cup craisins (optional)

1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, almonds)

1/4 cup flax seeds (optional)

1/4 - 1/2 cup wheat germ (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In small pan, whisk syrup, oil and cinnamon. Cook until it bubbles. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

In large bowl mix oats, nuts, seeds, wheat germ, sugar and salt. Pour syrup over and mix well.

In small bowl, whisk egg whites. Pour over granola and mix well. Evenly spread the mixture onto prepared sheet pan. Bake 35-40 minutes, stirring three times during the baking time.

Remove from oven and place in a bowl and cool. Add remaining ingredients when cool.

*Substitution for Maple Syrup - 3/8 cup corn syrup, 2 Tbsp unsalted butter and 1/4 teaspoon of maple flavoring. Add these ingredients in place of maple syrup to the oil & cinnamon and follow recipe as listed above. I've tried the recipe with the maple syrup and this substitution and I like the substitution the best.

Brownies (I need to think of a more exciting name for this recipe, because these are more than just brownies!)

1 cup unsalted butter 2/3 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup unsifted all purpose flour 1/2 - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Melt butter and stir in sugar and cocoa until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Beat eggs and vanilla into the cooled cocoa mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Spoon into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until brownies spring back when touched in the center. Cool completely before cutting (if you can wait!).