Saturday morning comes, ready for the big yard work blitz and...it's raining :(
now what to do, it's not like I don't need to clean house, do laundry, pay bills,...the list goes on. It's just that I wanted to work in the yard,(insert whine here) today. No really fun stuff just maintance that has been waiting all winter to be done. I have my crew, Rach, Chris, and David all lined up for work and Jess was gonna cook for us, (of course all events end or begin with food). Well, dang!
I have no plan B...which is unusual for me, I usually plan to at least F or G!!
Hmmm...well David asked me to make something for his pot luck on Monday, it's an ice cream party! What a great idea, I'll file that one for future potluck suggestions. I think I'll make chocolate sauce...My mom's recipe by way of Marsha Adams cook book. Do you remember her, not my mom, Marsha Adams? She had a cooking show on pbs low so many years ago...Cooking from Amish country, lots of butter and cream in her dishes! Mom and I went to see her at a lecture luncheon, oh maybe 15ish years ago, it was interesting to listen to her talk about food and then we got lunch, her recipes of course...we had a ruben casserole, sounds weird, tasted great. I'll try to find that coolbook. I'ts in a box in the garage I think, (oh great another thing for the to do list...clean out the garage) any way some interesting dishes. Enough rambling, on to the...
CHOCOLATE SAUCE
1 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa ( I use hersheys extra dark)
1/2 cup hot water
1/8 tsp salt (Marsha was a not from the South, I use a pinch)
2 tbsp butter (I've use margarine...you know..butters better)
1/2 tsp vanilla
Whisk corn syrup, sugar, cocoa, water and salt together in a med sauce pan over medium heat stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Reduce to simmer and DO NOT STIR for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer for 3 minutes.
OK I've stirred it...it gets grainy from sugar crystals on the edge of the pan mixing back into the sauce. I've also whisked with a wire whisk for 3 minutes and I couldn't tell the difference from using a electric mixer other than my arm was really tired.
Put this stuff in a pint jar with a lid and hide it in the very back of the fridge or it will be gone and no one will know what has happened to it....a spoonful at a time! It reheats well in the micro and lasts...I don't know if it lasts more than a week, it's never made it that long in my fridge...I'll ask mom.
On to plan H or I for the day...
Michelle
avery kate
She's a girl with places to go!!!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
lot's to do.....
So, I have at least a million things to do this morning, and in the way of all great procrastinators I sit down to update my blog...of course!
This is baby shower weekend and the reveal of baby Will's room! We're having tea sandwiches, a cheese ring that jessi loves and tiny baby pickles, along with not one but 2 cakes at the request of the "one-with-child". One cake is coconut and the other chocolate, I've included the recipe for the chocolate frosting below. It really is the best frosting ever and not too labor intensive. It's creamy and dark chocolaty goodness!!! One of the sandwiches will be pimento cheese, the recipe is from my mother-in-law....She used to make it all the time and everyone loved it. Luckily I paid attention when she made it. The key here is the American cheese, Not Velveeta, but plain-ole American cheese from the deli...if you have better luck than I usually do, maybe you can make the deli person understand that you don't want it sliced. I usually have quite a time with this. Once, at Walmart, when I asked for a one pound chunk of cheese, the lady looked at me and said "I don't know how to do that, I'll have to get my manager", okay I'm thinking now we'll get somewhere, but the manager came out, gave me the stink eye and said, "You don't want it sliced??" Feeling like an idiot and put firmly in my place, I said well if you make really thick slices I guess that will work...I got 3 reeeeaaaalllllllllly thick slices and went on my way with my tail tucked between my legs. I've since had varying degrees of success at different stores, the older deli people usually seem to get it, the young ones...not so much! Here are the recipes...
Pimento Cheese
1 lb American cheese, grated (I use yellow American)
1 large jar diced pimentos, drained (but not to well, a little juice gives flavor)
1 cup mayonnaise, (use the real deal here, low fat is okay, but real tastes better)
Mix all that up and add a little pepper to taste.
Now wasn't that hard??? I usually use my food processor, and it takes longer to get all the stuck cheese cleaned out than it takes to eat the finished product. Thanks Wilma!!! We miss you.
Now for the chocolate frosting!
Dark Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted, (use real butter it makes a difference)
2/3 cup Hershey's Special Dark cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup half and half, (okay, I know, but I never said it was low fat)
1 tsp vanilla
a tiny pinch of salt
Melt the butter, stir in the cocoa and the salt, add the powdered sugar and milk alternately and beat to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla. If it seems too thick to spread add a little more half and half, too thin add a little more powdered sugar.
This recipe doubles well but doesn't keep in the fridge well at all...it never seems creamy after its chilled. (as if there is ever any left over)!!!
Well, I've dawdled enough..I'm going to sew!
Michelle
This is baby shower weekend and the reveal of baby Will's room! We're having tea sandwiches, a cheese ring that jessi loves and tiny baby pickles, along with not one but 2 cakes at the request of the "one-with-child". One cake is coconut and the other chocolate, I've included the recipe for the chocolate frosting below. It really is the best frosting ever and not too labor intensive. It's creamy and dark chocolaty goodness!!! One of the sandwiches will be pimento cheese, the recipe is from my mother-in-law....She used to make it all the time and everyone loved it. Luckily I paid attention when she made it. The key here is the American cheese, Not Velveeta, but plain-ole American cheese from the deli...if you have better luck than I usually do, maybe you can make the deli person understand that you don't want it sliced. I usually have quite a time with this. Once, at Walmart, when I asked for a one pound chunk of cheese, the lady looked at me and said "I don't know how to do that, I'll have to get my manager", okay I'm thinking now we'll get somewhere, but the manager came out, gave me the stink eye and said, "You don't want it sliced??" Feeling like an idiot and put firmly in my place, I said well if you make really thick slices I guess that will work...I got 3 reeeeaaaalllllllllly thick slices and went on my way with my tail tucked between my legs. I've since had varying degrees of success at different stores, the older deli people usually seem to get it, the young ones...not so much! Here are the recipes...
Pimento Cheese
1 lb American cheese, grated (I use yellow American)
1 large jar diced pimentos, drained (but not to well, a little juice gives flavor)
1 cup mayonnaise, (use the real deal here, low fat is okay, but real tastes better)
Mix all that up and add a little pepper to taste.
Now wasn't that hard??? I usually use my food processor, and it takes longer to get all the stuck cheese cleaned out than it takes to eat the finished product. Thanks Wilma!!! We miss you.
Now for the chocolate frosting!
Dark Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted, (use real butter it makes a difference)
2/3 cup Hershey's Special Dark cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup half and half, (okay, I know, but I never said it was low fat)
1 tsp vanilla
a tiny pinch of salt
Melt the butter, stir in the cocoa and the salt, add the powdered sugar and milk alternately and beat to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla. If it seems too thick to spread add a little more half and half, too thin add a little more powdered sugar.
This recipe doubles well but doesn't keep in the fridge well at all...it never seems creamy after its chilled. (as if there is ever any left over)!!!
Well, I've dawdled enough..I'm going to sew!
Michelle
Sunday, March 13, 2011
So this morning I wake up full of hope for an industrious day…Handy Nana sweat shop day...(so named by my older daughter who always seems to have some sewing for me to do)…I have absolutely got to get the rest of the things for sweet baby Will’s room done …today!!! It is turning out really cute, (design by said daughter...toil by nana). I sound like I’m grumbling about it, but I really do enjoy sewing and this is especially gratifying since I’m making it for my grandson to be! I’ll try to post pics of the room when it’s finished. Puppy dogs and polka dots…how much fun does that sound?!?!
Don’t you just love the picture of grandchild-one above, that’s Avery Kate. Thanks to Jodie, of J.Fairchild Photography, I don’t have a link for her but her email is jodiefairchild@gmail.com. She did a great job getting pictures of Avery. All the pictures look like she is having fun and don’t look posed…love them!!!
I guess I’d better get busy, the sweat shop waits for no nana !!!
michelle
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