Snowbound

 I made this Raspberry Coffee Cake yesterday as I was housebound because of the weather. Don't ask me how much of it is left!! It's a really good cake!! We had a good old blizzard, I rather enjoyed it. I am not a Winter hater, I think I am always going to get so much done in the winter but it doesn't usually work out for me somehow.. In the Winter I don't have to worry about all the weeds, deadheading plants and flowers, getting the lawn mowed and generally just sprucing things up a bit..so I should be planted at my sewing machine and getting some projects finished, right?  Here are some pictures of the snow yesterday. It was actually very, very pretty.

This area is where I have my Fairy Garden, the fairies were so smart to go South for the winter..

Light pole and redbud tree in background and a dead plant hanging on the pole!!

Looking out my kitchen window, all the windows had droplets on them from the blowing snow..

The lilac hedge that runs along my driveway

 

 

 

 

The Blue Spruce tree in my neighbors yard..

The temp yesterday was right around 34 degrees until night time when it went down. And by mid-afternoon, most of the snow had thawed/fallen off of the trees and bushes and etc. I am going to the basement and sew today and I'll let you know what I accomplished... Sew until next time, have a Stitches kind of day...

I Tried A New Bread Recipe

This is a No-Knead Jalapeno Cheddar Artisan Bread recipe that I got from the Chef-in-Training site. It came out really good according to some of the grandkids..I did do a little taste test but I'm not a jalapeno fan and tried to avoid the peppers (it didn't work). I really liked the "crumb" in the bread and I may try it again without the "heat".  It was fun to try something different!!  Sew until next time, have a Stitches kind of day.......

Dilly, Dilly

I made some Dilly Casserole Bread this morning and my house smells so good!!  This recipe was a Pillsbury Bake-off winner in 1960..It was made and entered by Leona Schnuelle from Crab Orchard, Nebraska and she won $25,000!!!  My Gramma was the one that first made this in our family.  My husband hated cottage cheese but this was one of his favorite breads..we didn't tell him it had cottage cheese in it, until after he tried and like it. :-) 

Ready to add the remaining flour and knead a little bit.

All ready to raise the first time. When I get ready to make some bread, I turn the oven light on. Then I can preheat my oven to 100 degrees, shut it off and open the door. By the time my dough is ready to rise, my oven is warm and I put my dough in there, close the door and let it raise.

I put my Pumpkin silicon lid on the bowl and it keeps it air tight. I love these lids, they are so handy!!

They call this bread, a "batter" bread as you really don't need to knead it....but I do. I don't make it into a loaf but I make buns..They make a wonderful sandwich or just plain with a smattering of butter.  Here is the recipe that I use:   Dilly Casserole Bread
(2) 1 pkg. yeast                                     (4 t.) 2 t. dill seed
(1/2) 1/4 cup warm water                     (2 t.) 1 t. salt
(2 C.) 1 cup creamed cottage cheese    (1/2 t.) 1/4 t. baking soda
(4 T.) 2 T. sugar                                     (2) 1 egg
(2 T.) 1 T. instant minced onion            (5 C.) 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups of flour (I use bread flour)
(2 T.) 1 T. butter (the ingredients in parentheses is for a double batch)

Dissolve yeast in water. Heat cottage cheese to lukewarm. Combine sugar, onion, butter, dill seed, salt, baking soda and egg in a bowl with cheese and yeast mixture.  Add flour to form stiff dough.  Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk.  Stir down dough. Turn into well greased 1 1/2 qt. casserole or 8 inch round pan. Let rise 30 - 40 minutes or until light.  Bake in 350 degree oven 40-50 minutes. Brush with butter and sprinkle with salt. Makes 1 loaf.  (As you can see by the pictures, I make buns, and I cook each pan 10 minutes and then I switch around the pans on the oven grates and cook another 10 minutes. 20 minutes total for the buns. Doubled recipe makes about 22-24 buns)
Sew until next time, have a great day and try making some Dilly Bread!!!!

Joe Carson's Ginger Cookies

JOE CARSON'S GINGER COOKIES

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. ground ginger

1/2 t. ground cloves

1/2 t. salt

3/4 c. shortening ( I used butter)

1 cup sugar

2 T. molasses

1 egg

water & sugar

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves.

2. In a large bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup of sugar and beat until fluffy.

3. Add egg and molasses. Beat until combines.  Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until well combines

4. Shape into 1 1/2" balls. Dip into s small bowl of water and a bowl of additional sugar. (For a lighter coating, just dip in sugar)

5. Arrange balls 3" apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in 350 degree F. oven for 15 minutes or until light brown on bottoms.  Cool the cookies on wire racks. Makes 20 cookies

Footnote: I used a small cookie scoop, it measures 1 1/4" across. I just dipped half the cookie in water and then sugar. I baked about 11-12 minutes and removed from the sheet in just a few minutes. This made about 40 soft and chewy cookies.  This recipe came from the Midwest Living Magazine many years ago and has remained one of my all time favorites. I hope you will try them and like them as much as I do.  Sew until next time, have a Stitches kind of day.....................................

Tea and Cookies For One

It has been snowing most of the day, not real hard but it's supposed to continue on through the night until we get about 3" of snow... I have been hankering for Ginger Cookies and today was a good day to make them. So I did and now is a good time to have a cuppa tea and a cookie or four!! I am having Irish Breakfast Tea, love it, and I like it hot, strong and a little sweet. My kitchen smells so good and I always leave the oven door open when I'm done baking, to let the heat get out.....so the kitchen is nice and warm too!!  I love my Bumble Bee Teapot and cup & saucer. I bought them at a "used" store and what I wouldn't give for another cup and saucer!!  Then I could have Tea and Cookies for Two and it would be much more interesting...so if you ever see this pattern, be sure and let me know..

If anyone would like the recipe, just let me know and I can post it in a day or two.  Sew until next time, have a Stitches kind of day......time for another cuppa!!!!