A Peak at My Crazy Quilting Project and Thanksgiving Recipes Including The Best Banana Ever From JunkGarden!

Here's a little peak at what I am working on ~ you can see I haven't finished the beading on the leaves but I thought I'd share it anyway!

Isn't stitching over rickrack fun! It always reminds me of my childhood ~ didn't just about everything have rickrack on it in the 1960's?

 There won't be time for stitching today though!

You can see out my bedroom window it's a dreary, rainy day...

just perfect for baking and preparing for Thanksgiving!

The turkey is soaking in it's brine bath until tomorrow morning and one of the busiest days of the year is about to begin for me...baking, cleaning and last minute shopping.

All my babies will be here, Jaci, Cher, Tony,Franky, Ashley.

As I am preparing, my mind always goes back to Thanksgivings past with my Mom, Grama, Frank and aunts, uncles and cousins in Maryland and South Carolina.

All of my traditions come from there and I miss them.

Teddi is already tired and the day had just began.

The guest room is ready for Jaci ......

 Christmas wrap is waiting for it's big debut this week -end .....

and Christmas cards are ready to be addressed.

Here is a gluten free version of Paula Deans Pumpkin Bars that I found on  celiac.com

4 eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup oil
2 cups flour (I used white rice, brown rice and tapioca)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 15 ounce can pumpkin

Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking powder in a bowl. In another bowl mix the eggs until they are fluffy, add sugar, oil, and pumpkin. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and blend until smooth. Bake in an ungreased 9" x 13" nonstick pan and bake for about 30 minutes. I used a greased glass pan and had to bake them a little longer. Cool and frost. I used this cream cheese frosting recipe:

2 ~ 8 ounce packages of cream cheese softened
1 stick of butter softened
2 tablespoons half and half
2 cups confectioners sugar
Blend butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and half and half. Mix until fluffy and frost.

Or how about this amazing dessert from Junk Gardengirl Blog  which she calls

THE BEST BANANA PUDDING EVER!

Click Junk Garden Girl Blog for recipe.

Have a Blessed day of Giving Thanks!

"I do not think of all the misery, but of the glory that remains. Go outside into the fields, nature and the sun, go out and seek happiness in yourself and in God. Think of the beauty that again and again discharges itself within and without you and be happy."- Anne Frank

Lilla, Hershey Chocolate Cake, And A Stroll Through Watch Hill, Rhode Island

Hi Everyone!
Just a quick little post to share something beautiful with you!
This was purchased from Lilla LeVIne  ~ such an amazing artist from Hawaii.
She painted it and printed it on the fabric.
It is large ~ 13 X 11 including the surrounding fabric.
I think it will be a perfect centerpiece for a crazy quilt ~ I am going to take my time planning this one!

Visit Lilla's etsy shop ~ where she has just listed Vintage Lace from Paris !

I thought I'd share the Chocolate Cake Recipe I made for my son last week.

I torn it from a magazine in 1984. For the frosting I use the recipe on the can of Hershey Cocoa.

By the way ~ these are Grama's cake pans ~ the only ones she ever used for a layer cake.

One of my favorite things to do in all the world was to turn those metal strips around and around to loosen the cake.

Since I am making a chocolate cake ~ I used Nestle Quick instead of flour so the cake won't stick to the pan.

Here is the recipe ~ just click here!

Since visiting the town of  Hershey, Pa and seeing the great work they do there ~

I will always use their products.

Milton Hershey founded his school for under privileged children 100 years ago and it is still going strong.

It is a wonderful story ~ follow the link below.

I believe Queen Latvia is now the spokesman for the The Milton Hershey School

Safe in the cabinet from sneaky fingers and a passing fly until after dinner!

My  baby boy  Son gets the first piece to celebrate getting a new truck!

Before we say Good-Bye ~

Take a minute to enjoy some of the beautiful scenery from our drive to

Watch Hill, Rhode Island this week-end.

"Long ago, beneath the crisp stillness of the harvest moon, Montauk braves once paddled northward from

Long Island to pillage the peaceful Niantics who resided at what we now know as Watch Hill."

excerpt from "Watch Hill By River And By Sea"

And on the drive home ~ Rt 1a in Stonington, Ct.

Sea-Fever

By John Masefield (1878-1967)

I must (go) down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.


I must (go) down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.


I must (go) down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

Links You Will Find On This Post ~

Lilla's Blog
Lilla's Etsy Shop
Food Timeline ~ 100's of cake recipes
Nestle Quick Commercial from the 1950's with Roy Rogers
Hershey Cake Recipe
Hershey, Pa
History of Milton Hershey
Watch Hill, Rhode Island
Stonington, Ct

Let's Chit Chat About Sewing ,Chicken Dinner,Matzo Ball Soup,Blue Crabs and Saluna!

I thought we could chat about this and that.

Since I have my Mom on my mind who will be having some surgery this week ~ let me share a gift I recently made for her.

It is a simple crazy quilted coaster.

I purchased the coaster kit at Michaels for just a few $.

It comes with the cork bottom and cross stitch fabric and pattern.

I stitched a crazy quilted circle using the paper insert as a pattern. Such an easy way to make a loving and persoalized gift that is quick to put together.
Anyone can use a pretty coaster for their morning coffee or tea ~ I already have more kits on hand for Christmas gifts!

I started the Chicken Hot Pads for my etsy shop but keep finding folks to give them to!

I love using the retro fabrics and making my own patterns from pictures in magazines!

Speaking of chicken ~ I have wanted to share one of my favorite kitchen gadgets ~
this chicken roaster that allows you to roast your chicken up right.
It sits on 4 prongs that are attached to a dish at the bottom.

I always use organic chicken ~ stuffing sage and other herbs I have on my patio right under the skin.

( You can see the it at the top of the chicken)

I put stuffing or a whole onion in the cavity and put an all natural chicken bullion cube in the tray.
Pour a bit of water over the chicken that you have sprinkled with pepper.
Roast on a cookie sheet until done ~ about 75 minutes.
It is always perfectly cooked ~ moist with crispy skin.

I bought my roaster at TJ Maxx about 10 years ago but I still see it there and HomeGoods
from time to time. It is only about $6.00!

The next day ~ I made Matzo Ball Soup with the left over chicken.

Frank and my son Franky were hungry for a Hungarian Treat called Saluna so the soup was a perfect pair with this!

Saluna is made by heating pork fat over a fire ,then melting the fat on Rye bread filled with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers,onions and peppers.

I know what your thinking but trust me ~ this stuff is GOOD!!!!

My son and I were getting the Saluna ready when my husband called and said he was bringing home Blue Crabs!!!

That might not mean much to you but I'm a Maryland girl ~ YOU KNOW ~ from the Chesapeake Bay ~ Blue Crab Nation!!!

We sat by the fire eating Saluna sandwiches until dark ~ then came upstairs to dive into our Blue Crabs and beer!

Cooking blue crabs is easy ~ add a few dashes of vinegar into boiling water a few inches deep, cover the crabs with GOBS of Old Bay Seasoning.

No Maryland native will be without it in their kitchen ~ regardless of their current geography!

Old Bay is also good on Potato Salad, Home fries, macaroni salad, and deviled eggs.

When I was walking up from my back yard ~ I happen to look at my house from the outside in.

What someone else would see if they were walking by.

The kitchen looked warm and inviting ~ I felt so thankful

for my little house. Modest,nothing fancy but Home!

OKAY ALREADY ~ enough with the sentiment ~ We HAVE CRABS to EAT!!!!

Our retaining wall is dripping with mums right now !
These have proved to be the nicest ones I have ever had and
we got them last year at Home Depot for next to nothing.
I am not a flower snob ~ every flower and flowering weed looks pretty to me!

Finding the bright side of things isn't so hard ~ see this view below?

It is what I look at when I look out my window.

It is a very ugly roof in disrepair from a store at the bottom of my yard and

a Friendlys Restaurant .

See this view below?

It is what I see DIRECTLY above the Friendlys Restaurant.

In a couple more weeks ~ this will explode with color as the trees turn red and gold.

When I look down ~ THAT.

When I look UP ~ THIS.

Psalm 121:1 "I will lift up my eyes to the hills......my help comes from the Lord."

So remember when you fall flat on your face ~

or someone pushes you down with a nasty word ~ LOOK UP!

By the way ~ this is the view from the inside of my window ;)

These are some of the last flowers from my garden of the season.

Notice the beautiful Tea Cozy my pal Pat made for me one Christmas.

Try this the day after your next Chicken Dinner!

Matzo Ball Soup

Simmer left over chicken bones until meat begins to fall off of bones.

Remove all bones and add leftover chicken meat, gravy and any vegetables.

Add a diced onion, the entire heart of a head of celery , 3 carrots sliced, pepper, a chicken bouillon cube.

I like to simmer this for 2 hours.

Use Streits Matzo Ball Mix (don't get the kind that includes the soup mix ~ it is far too salty)

Follow direction on box but I will include them here ~

1. Mix 2 large eggs with 1/4 cup oil
2. Add contents of matzo package and mix until uniform.Let stand 15 minutes.
3. Using wet hands, form matzo onto balls about the size of walnuts.
4. Drop balls into boiling broth, cover tightly and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.