december 27 1986

...let's find out the beauty of seein things thru

...these are a few of my favorite things...

my girls gleaned a nearby cotton field...my christmas present...

oodles of raw cotton...can hardly wait to start creating

my sweetheart surprised me w/ this butcher block table that i've had my eye on for quite sometime...

when i drove by the antique store a coupla days ago it was gone from the porch...

i was so sad because i thought someones else had nabbed it...

the 2nd picture is laden w/ our traditional christmas mornin monkey bread

Melinda's Homemade Granola Recipe

This is not myyyyy recipe per say...it's the recipe from a hippie chick naaaamed melinda back in the early 70's who lived in the san fran area....but my name iiis melinda n i haaaave been called a hippie on more than one occasion...so trust me here...this is recipe is finer than frog hair....


2 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1 cup peanuts or toasted almonds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup coconut (I always use unsweetened, but you can go for the sweetened kind if you'd like)

1/4 cup toasted wheat germ (I often omit this ingredient, as I tend to forget to buy it)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup dried fruit (dried apricots, craisins and dried apple are all delicious choices)

scant 1/4 cup cooking oil (not olive)

1/2 cup honey





Mix the oat, nuts and grains in a large bowl.

Measure oil into the measuring cup and swirl it around before pouring into bowl.

Then measure out the honey in the same, unwashed cup. The oil will help the honey exit the cup.

Toss everything together until evenly coated and then pour out into a baking pan. I use a large roasting pan, as it keeps everything contained. A cookie sheet with a lip also works, but you have to stir it slightly more carefully if you use that.

Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, turning it with a spatula every ten minutes or so. You want everything to be an even golden brown.

When it is finished cooking, returned the baked granola to the mixing bowl, add the raisins and fruit and stir to combine. Stir gently several times as it cooks, so that it doesn't clump together too much.

Enjoy! N let me know whatcha think!

christmas creations....

....tonight i'm workin on some sock kittys....i have soooooome wonderful fabric that was taken off an ooooooooooooold wooden ironing board.....hhhhhmmmmmm...what to do w/ it....hhhhmmmm

old fashioned caramel corn

1/2 c butter

2 c brown sugar

1/2 c light corn syrup

1/2 salt

1 t vanilla

1 t baking soda

24 c of popped popcorn

*heat butter ,brown sugar,corn syrup n salt in pot until it comes to a boil *continue to boil for 5 minutes

WITH OUT  stirring*remove from heat*stir in vanilla n soda*pour over popcorn (i divided it in 2 baking pans)*bake @ 250 for 1 hour STIRRING EVERY 20 MINUTES

*the popcorn will not be completely covered but it is veeeery tasty

(i've always gotten rave reviews-hence the recipe)  n has an old fashioned look

sugared nuts

2/3 cup sugar

1t ground cinnamon

1/4 t ground allspice

1/4 t salt

1 cup any kind of nut you like

1 cup any kind of nut you like

*combine all ingredients in skillet over low heat*stir constantly about 20 minutes or until sugar is melted and all nuts are coated*remove from heat n spread out on wax paper to cool

yield 3 cups

...look what i'm workin on....

....these and a coupla other offerings will be listed

by the 1st of next week...so stop in n take a peek

recipe for caramel french toast

ok ok ok....here it is...

*this needs to be chilled 8 hrs or so

(or over night) BEFORE baking

1 c brown sugar

1 c butter (divided)

1/4 light corn syrup

10 thick french toast 4 eggs (beaten)

2 c half n half

1 T vanilla

1/4 t salt

3 T sugar

1 t cinnamon

combine brown sugar, 3/4 c butter n corn syrup in a med saucepan....cook over med heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until bubbly...pour into a lightly greased 13x9 baking pan...arrange bread in pan and set aside...combine eggs, 1/2 n 1/2, vanilla n salt...gradually pour egg mixture over bread...cover n chill @ least 7-8 hours (over night is good)...combine sugar n cinnamon n sprinkle over bread...melt remaining butter n drizzle over bread....bake uncovered @ 350 for 45-50 min until golden n bubbly...serve immediately....makes 10 servings.

**last time i made it i didn't have time to chill it and the caramel sauce was too runny so dont skip that step :)

my senses are singing...

i adoooore laurel's kitchen cookbook.....

baking has so much more in store for one than the bliss of the finished product ...

here's what i mean....

another beautiful autumn day today here in northern alabama....70 n sunny....the leaves are on fire w/ color...

w/ our men folk @ a football game my oldest (married) daughter came over to spend the day w/ me n her sisters...one will never know the joy i feel @ having all of my girls under my roof...

my wheat grinder makes quite a mess so it prefers to do it's job on the porch...because of the beautiful day this task was a pleasant one...especially because my daughters followed me out n visited w/ me n each other...the warmth of the sun n the fragrance of the wheat being crushed n the softness of the cats as they wound around my ankle n the sweet singsong of my daughters voices was so delightful.....

oh yes back to the baking...

the kitchen held it's own delights....the sun streaming in the window catching little dancing flecks of  floating flour...the smell of mashed bananas n pecans n sugar as they do their magic in the warm oven n mix w/ the fresh potted herbs from the window sill who offer up the fragrance of their oils to the warm sunshine....the warmth of the floor on my bare feet where the sun lies across it....hmmmmmmm

.......my senses are singing

just have to brag a bit...

i was "just looking" around a local "junk" store yesterday n walked away w/ aaaaaaalllllll this for only $25! the yellow USA pottery basket was 75% off n each frame (2 tin n 3 wooden) was under $5!!!

look @ the hand carved little detail on this german frame

this USA pottery basket was $4.50 w/ nary a crack r chip!

this was part of the booty too...i originally bought it for the (tho in rough shape) hand carved wooden frame....

...but this sweet girl is startin to grow on me

the vintage moth....

I found the most wonderful vintage clip art site today and its FREE! 


thevintagemoth.blogspot.com

...caramel french toast...

the fixins....

hot outta the oven...

about to be eaten...

BUBBLES!!

i found a new (to me) artist! her name is susan hodgin. i looove her work...it's so...bubbly!! "falling" is my fav....i would have called it "floating" it feels to me that i'm floating in a glass of champagne!

falling

mums the word

 i was so impressed w/ mums today...i woke to a heavy frost...but there in the sparkly glitter ground stood these sweet flowers...i want to be like a mum...even when this earth thrust it's cold icy blanket upon me i want to remain delicate...yet strong...colorfully lifting all the gray around me.

OH i loooove wool & goats....

my latest project....just need to decide...pillow or wall hanging

Sayin's I Love...

pretty is as pretty does
clear as mud
actions speak louder than words
easy as pie
as a twig is bent - the tree grows
honest as the day is long
as neat as a pen
back in the good ol' days
don't burn your bridges
don't cut what you can untie
a watched pot never boils
a stitch in time saves nine
a labor of love
miles in 6ft of snow-up hill both ways
warm as toast
snug as a bug
sweet as pie
.........

autumn projects i completed.....

hhhmmm...where to start...

I am still learning how to do all that I want to do on this blog site...I want to load pictures of past work n such...maybe I can work on it this weekend!