November 2010 Archives

Cupcakes for 2

By Marcella on November 29, 2010 7:11 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Ok, so this recipe actually makes 6 cupcakes.  That's probably too many cupcakes for two people to eat in one sitting.  However, they do keep and thus you will have dessert for several days - or perhaps dessert and then breakfast the following morning, but I'm not admitting anything.

At any rate, it's a nice small batch of cupcakes.  Certainly it's a more manageable amount for a small household then the usual two dozen most recipes make.


chocpnutcupcake.jpg

Chocolate Cupcakes

Adapted from The Simpler the Better:  Sensational Home Cooking in 3 Easy Steps.  


3/4C sugar

1/2 t baking soda

1/3 C cocoa powder

1/8 t salt

1/3 C water

3 T butter, cut into small pieces

3 T sour cream or plain unflavored yogurt

1 egg

3/4 C all purpose flour


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 6 cup muffin pan or line with paper muffin cups.


Stir together the sugar, baking soda, cocoa and salt.  


Heat  water and butter together until the butter melts.  Stir this into the dry ingredients.


Mix in the sour cream until blended.  Stir in the egg and then the flour.  


Pour into muffin pan and bake 25 - 28 minutes.  


Peanut Butter Frosting

Adapted from too many recipes on-line to even begin to name.


2 T softened unsalted butter

1/3 C creamy peanut butter

1 T milk 

1/4 t vanilla

pinch of salt

1 C powdered sugar


Cream together the butter and peanut butter until smooth.  Blend in the milk, vanilla and salt.


Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy.  Additional sugar or milk may be needed to obtain the perfect consistency.


Frosts 6 cupcakes


Printable version - chocpbcupcakes.pdf


- - marcella


Another Pillowcase

By Marcella on November 26, 2010 7:58 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I just had to share this clever variation on the pillowcases I showed here.

A friend came over with the yards and yards of fabric she had previously purchased to make pillowcases.  However, instead of using an accent fabric to make the skinny strip that shows between the hem and the pillowcase body, she had purchased jumbo rick rack.

The trim was about 1 1/4 inches wide.  After lining up all the raw edges we shifted the trim up a bit so that about 1/8" of the trim hung over the raw edges. Pinned all in place it was ready to sew.

Look how adorable they are with the rick rack!

pillowcase2.jpg

- - marcella

Chocolate Chip Cookies for 2

By Marcella on November 22, 2010 9:00 AM | 2 Comments | No TrackBacks
I love cookies.

However, what I really love are warm out of the oven cookies.  

I'm also not a fan of day old, cold, rock hard chocolate chips.

I know, I could make a batch and freeze them and bake them as desired.  But, I like to cook, and so when I'm not rushed I just prefer to make them up start to finish.

This recipe is perfect for that because it only makes 8 cookies.  I generously call that cookies for 2.  My husband would call that cookies for 8 (or maybe 4) but then he doesn't like sweets the way I do.  If I was being completely honest, I could certainly make these and eat them all making it cookies for one.  That would be wicked though.  Either way, there probably won't be any cold cookies left the next day.

chocolate_chip.jpg

Scaling down a recipe sometimes results in odd measurements, particularly when it comes to things like eggs.  When I'm doing baking on such a small scale, I find it easier to buy a carton of egg whites (like egg beaters) at the store and simply measure out what I need.  You can certainly just whip an egg up with a fork and measure what you need and either toss the rest or make a little scrambled egg or something with the leftovers.

Also, if I'm being honest, I'll also confess that I don't like a whole lot of chocolate in my chocolate chip cookies. Heresy I know.  Particularly in this age of adding chips and hand chopped chocolate bars and more to cookies.  I find that I am always seeking the cookies with the fewest chocolate chips.  If you're like me, stick with the 1/3 C of chips I call for in the recipe.  If you adore chocolate chips and like more chips than cookie start with 1/2 C and increase from there as your chocolate love dictates.

Chocolate Chip Cookies for 2




3 T unsalted butter, softened

1/4 C brown sugar, lightly packed

2 T granulated sugar

1/2 t vanilla

1 T plus 1 t beaten egg 

1/8 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1/2 C plus 2 T flour

1/3 C chocolate chips


In a small mixing bowl beat together the butter and sugars until creamy.  Mix in the vanilla and egg until smooth.  Blend in the baking soda and salt.  Stir in the flour and then stir in the chocolate chips.


Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough onto a baking sheet to make 8 cookies.  Bake at 350 degrees for 14 - 15 minutes until cookies are lightly golden.


printable recipe - chocolatechip.pdf


- - marcella


3 Seam Pillowcase

By Marcella on November 19, 2010 10:45 AM | 2 Comments | No TrackBacks
I know, people have been pillowcase crazy for a while.  I made some once to match my sons bedroom and hand sewed the hem down.  It was nice enough but once was enough.

Sure, I had heard about this easy method, but I couldn't quite picture it.  Then I found some videos on you tube, but they still didn't push me to make any pillowcases.

Then I went to that retreat.  The retreat coordinator and her daughter took off for a little shopping and came back with some fun fabrics.  They started making pillowcases and were happy to show us all how.  Turned out they were using that same easy method with no hand sewing required.

Now this was more exciting to see in person not only how they did it, but also how fast those pillowcases came together.  I was thinking I needed to make some Christmas ones for us when I got home.

I'm not sure my measurements match theirs exactly - why would I be clever enough to actually write anything down?  However, the finished size matches my store bought pillowcases for standard sized pillows.  Here's my attempt at a step by step.

First go shopping at the store or in your stash for three fabrics you like.  One will be the main body of the pillowcase and it should be cut 27" x 40".  The second is the hem piece and should be cut 9" x 40".  The last is the accent flange and cut that 1 1/2" x 40".

Press the accent flange in half, right side of the fabric showing.

Now, on a work surface, floor, ironing board, whatever you have, stack the fabrics right side up, matching the raw edges in the following order:  hem, main fabric, accent flange.

pc_stack.jpg
See how easy?

Next neatly fold the main fabric up so that both the raw edges you carefully lined up and the bottom edge of the hem fabric are showing.

pc_folded.jpg
Carefully fold the bottom edge of the hem over the folded fabric so the raw edges meet.  Pin the raw edges securely and sew them together with a 1/2" seam.

pc_firstseam.jpg
Give the folded main fabric a tug (or 20) and turn the whole thing right side out.  Give it a press so the hem and flange are open all the way to the seam line.

pc_rightside.jpg
Seriously, how cute is that?  Now, fold the pillowcase in half matching the raw edges and making sure that the right sides of your fabrics are showing.  Pin the raw edges being careful to match the seam that attaches all three pieces together. Sew those raw edges together with a small seam (1/4" to 3/8") pivoting at the corner.  Then turn the pillowcase inside out and press it well.

pc_pinsides.jpg
Now for the final seam.  Sew down the side and across the bottom, pivoting at the corner, with a 1/2" seam.  This will enclose the small seam you just sewed so that there are no raw edges to unravel in the wash.

pc_frenchseam.jpg
Finally turn that pillowcase right side out and press it well.  

pillowcase.jpg
A*ma*zing!  All that adoreableness in only three seams.

Before you know it, you'll have a stack of them ready for a quick holiday gift.

pc_finish.jpg
You might just have to make them for every season or holiday.  How cute would one out of Birthday fabric be?  Or, what about an assortment for a little friend moving up to a big boy or big girl bed?

I'm telling you, these are so quick and easy you'll be making a pile of them.

printable instructions - pillowcase.pdf

Sleep tight!
- - marcella

Chilly Night, Hot Potatoes

By Marcella on November 12, 2010 8:37 AM | 5 Comments | No TrackBacks
FFWD.png
This weeks recipe is a perfect cold weather dish.  True, it's not terribly cold here, but it still was delicious even though the weather is just "cool".

Potato Gratin - or pommes dauphinois if you prefer it in French - is a basic dish involving just potatoes, cream and cheese.

I got to pull out my fancy mandolin and slice up some potatoes thinly.  These were layered in a buttered baking dish.  Each layer was seasoned with salt and pepper, and then some cream that had simmered with minced garlic was splashed over the top.  After the final potato layer was seasoned, the dish is covered with shredded gruyere and topped with thyme.

Into the oven to bake and in just under an hour out comes a fragrant, bubbling and golden potato casserole.

potato_gratin.jpg
This was another dish that we dove in for seconds on.  The leftovers were eaten for breakfast and it was just as good the next day.

These might just make the Christmas dinner menu.

- - marcella

Fall Retreat

By Marcella on November 10, 2010 2:44 PM | 2 Comments | No TrackBacks
This past weekend was my third visit to Asilomar for a Quilters Getaway retreat.  Three days of non-stop quilting and eating.

This visit had a large group of quilters - 32! - who were busy sewing away in our room.
retreat.jpg
Some are really fast sewists.  The woman sitting behind me made an entire baby quilt - start to finish - over the weekend, and that was not all she did.  Amazing!

I managed to make 6 little Christmas stockings from a cute moda kit that I had purchased during shop hop.

stockings.jpg
Me, being me had to make them harder by adding a lining.  With all those seams, it seemed like a good idea at the time.  Turned out nice, but a pain to do.

I'm glad they're done.  I'm very happy with them.

I have no idea what to do with them, but they will be put to use somehow.

- - marcella

Roast Chicken

By Marcella on November 5, 2010 12:35 PM | 2 Comments | No TrackBacks
FFWD.png
November brings four new recipes to sample.  Rather than having an assigned dish each week, we were given the list and can choose what to make when.  Desperately needing dinner inspiration, and possessing an organic chicken in my freezer, I opted for the Roast chicken for les paresseux for this first week.

I have to say that I think it's an unfortunate name for the dish.  Les paresseux means the lazy.  I'd say this is a better dish for the busy.

The lazy will go out to eat or order in.  They will not care to gather all the ingredients nor think to put dinner in the oven about 90 minutes before dinner time.

The busy will do it.  And once that chicken is in the oven they can get back to all the busy things they need to get done before it's time to eat.

It really is a straightforward recipe - into the pot goes a slice or two of bread, topped off with a salt and pepper seasoned chicken.  A few herbs and garlic into the bird with the rest of the herb sprigs and garlic scattered over the top.

Into the oven for 45 minutes.  Now, the recipe says nothing about covered or uncovered.  There was no agreement on the list.  I went for uncovered thinking the skin would crisp up better, but some who covered the pot reported that their chicken was golden and crispy as well.  The correct method will remain a mystery unless the author speaks up.

After 45 minutes carrots, potatoes and onion or shallots are added and the whole shebang is neglected in the oven for another 45 minutes.

I have to say, I'm a big fan of roasting chicken without basting.

roast_chicken.jpg
And there is dinner, easy as that.

Now, the recipe says that the bread at the bottom bakes up crispy and delicious.  That may be true.  Our baguette slices, however, baked up and became part of the pan.  There was absolutely no way that bread was getting lifted out of the hot pan without taking part of the pan with it.  So, while many on the list are swooning over the bread, we were bread-less over here.

In fact, it took an overnight soak to get it off the pan.

Maybe I just needed a good spatula and little effort, but the pan has only been used twice and I didn't want to scratch it - chicken of another kind. 

Even without the mythically good bread, the chicken was crispy skinned, juicy and delicious and the vegetables were perfectly cooked.

An easy chicken dinner for the busy.

- - marcella  

Falling for Pumpkins

By Marcella on November 4, 2010 8:45 AM | 2 Comments | No TrackBacks
I honestly don't remember the first time I ate pumpkin pie.  I do remember, however, when my kindergarden teacher, Miss Kelly, magically turned a halloween pumpkin into custard.  She showed us a pumpkin and cut it open and scooped out the seeds and put the pumpkin pieces into an electric skillet with some water.  As the day went on the pumpkin cooked and was mashed and cooked some more with other things and for snack we all got to eat little cups of pumpkin custard.  It was more amazing to me to see that jack o'lantern turn into food than the treat itself.  

When I saw a recipe in a cooking magazine for a pumpkin pudding all I could think of was that long ago school treat.

Of course, the only pumpkin around here was in a huge can.  The big one that will make two pies.  Why do I have this?  No, not wondering that I have canned pumpkin, just that I have the giant can.  Much as we love pumpkin pie around here, we could never eat more than one. Yet another mystery of the pantry.

Open went the can and the pumpkin was portioned out into a pie worthy amount, the measly 1/2 C for the pudding and the rest into the fridge for "something" later.

The pudding was a loser.  Not nearly enough pumpkin, not enough of those wonderful spices. Just bland, not very sweet nor memorable.  Down the drain went the leftovers.

Time to use up the rest for "something".  Cookies?  Muffins?  That awesome pumpkin creme brulee?

It was morning, I wanted a snack for when a friend came over to quilt and I had a vague memory of a neighbor who would always bake pumpkin bread the day after halloween.  After wandering around the web, I found a good sounding recipe over at allrecipes.com.  It made three loaves, so that needed to be remedied.  It also contained a whopping amount of sugar that needed reducing.  With that done and memories of the neighbor's loaf containing chocolate chips and nuts dancing in my head I baked this loaf up.

pumpkin_bread.jpg
Delicious!

Not only that, but it used up all the pumpkin that was hanging out in the fridge waiting for "something" to be made with it.

Win, win and breakfast for the week!

Pumpkin Bread

Adapted from a pumpkin recipe found at allrecipes.com

makes one loaf




1 C pumpkin puree

1/2 C oil (or butter melted and cooled)

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 C flour

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 t each cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves )

optional

1/4 C mini chocolate chips

1/3 C chopped pecans or walnuts


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees


Butter a 9" x 5" loaf pan


In a mixing bowl stir together the pumpkin, oil, sugar and eggs until well combined.


In a separate bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.


Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  Mix in the chocolate chips and nuts if desired.  Pour into the loaf pan.


Bake for about 1 hour - the top of the loaf should spring back when pressed and the edges should be pulling away from the sides of the pan.


printable version - pumpkin_bread.pdf


- - marcella


« October 2010 | Main Index | Archives | December 2010 »