August 21, 2012

sailboat quilt, com.....plete!


Well...I've been going on and on about my sailboat quilt for some time now. 

I've been talking about it here on my blog...and on my facebook. 
Well....I have finally completed it! 
Finally! Yay!!  
I will talk no more about it....I will just show ya a couple of pics and then we can move on. hee hee!



Wait...I have one thing I have to say...pay no mind to the cut off points of my triangles!!! I totally messed up on this quilt! Years ago, when I started this quilt...I wasn't concerned about perfect points and all...if I was piecing this now-a-days....I would not be liking this and would rip out stitches and re-sew...anyhow, just sayin.







Curious about the fabrics? They were all purchased at JoAnn Fabrics about 6 years ago. I haven't purchased  any fabrics on  line yet....but  I am oh so ready to do so!! You just can't  get awesome quilting  fabric at stores  anymore. There IS still some out there....but, it  seems like the fabrics that make me drool are all available through the internet....these on line fabric shops totally rock! 

Have a great day!

August 20, 2012

Peach Butterscotch Pecan Pie...oh ya baby!


Oh baby! 
This is the mother of all peach pies!
I am really loving how it turned out!!
Sooooo delicious! 

So the basic ingredients....
beautiful juicy peaches!


freshly chopped pecans!


smooth and creamy butterscotch!!!
Major yum!


I tried something different with the top crust. 
This is the first time I tried this design....
and I like it!!
I always brush my top pie crusts with half n half cream 
and sprinkle generously with sugar.


Goodness....it's a thing of beauty.
And, it tastes fantastic!! My husband had 2 slices.
That is always a good sign!

****
PEACH  BUTTERSCOTCH  PECAN  PIE

4 cups sliced peaches {peeled and pitted}
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp. lemon juice
pastry for 2 crust, 9 inch pie

Dump sliced peaches in pastry line pie pan. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of peaches. In a saucepan, mix brown sugar, flour, salt and butter. This will be your butterscotch filling. Heat until well incorporated and the consistency of thick syrup. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Pour this butterscotch mixture over top of the peaches and pecans. Top your pie with the second pastry. Make sure to cut slits to allow steam to escape. You can do the above design I chose by cutting slits into the dough before you put in atop your pie.
Brush your top pie crust with milk or half and half and sprinkle with sugar.
Cover edges of pie crust with foil to protect from burning. Remove foil 10 minutes before done.
 Bake in 425 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes. 
Bake pie on a cookie tray pan to prevent spillage in oven.

August 18, 2012

no smoke and mirrors here


Hello readers and friends! It is Saturday and it is so beautiful outside. Today I am planning on quilting, baking  pies and making tomato sauce. I have so much fresh fruit and tomatoes on my kitchen table right now...the fruit flies are having a lot of fun, I tell ya! This morning I changed my bio on my blog. An anonymous commenter noted that my pepperoni rolls are in complete contradiction with my profile description of myself.   My simple recipe  for pepperoni rolls is made with frozen bread dough, jarred pizza sauce, and shredded cheese from Wal Mart.....but....my bio stated that I believe in making everything from scratch. It's funny, because, for a very long time, my bio stated that I make meals from scratch, "but not everything", and I said "I'm not perfect ya know". Well, when I was updating my blog not long ago, I decided to re-word my bio a little bit and I dropped that part.  Well, I don't want to give anyone the false sense that I make my own cheese, or that I make my pasta from scratch or that I grind wheat berries to make my own flour. Although, I would totally love to do all of that because I find that stuff completely awesome!! So, I would like to say that
I DO NOT make everything from scratch....BUT...
there are many things I make from scratch.
I do have store bought pasta sauce in my pantry...BUT...
I do make homemade tomato sauce as well...cause it's awesome and oh so yummy!
Also, I love, love to bake most of my cakes from scratch....
pretty much about 99% of my cakes are from scratch.
I do on occasion bake a cake from a box mix....yes, it's true...I know...what can I say.
I do bake my pies from scratch...always, always, always, always, always!!!!!!!!
Every single pie crust I make is from scratch.
I rarely buy pre packaged food...it scares me all the crap they put in freezer food.
I have definitely bought many freezer pizzas....
but I have also made pizza from scratch many times....and it is soooo much tastier!
I buy Oreos and those mini powdered sugar donuts and put peanut butter on top of 'em....
cause it's a sickness I have....
peanut butter and powdered sugar...
I like it way too much! LOL!
I do sometimes make prepackaged flavored rice....although, I do feel guilty about it when I do...
because I know I can make it with the ingredients I have in my pantry.

On a last note, I know that my faithful readers and commenters already know this about me. I want to thank all of you guys out there. You have been so awesome with your support and faithful reading. You guys keep me going. I often go back and forth on whether or not to continue this blog. I do enjoy it, but it does keep me on the computer a little more than I would like. For some reason, I am not a quick blogger. It takes me a lot of time to make a post....sometimes. The best thing that I have gotten from this blog is the friendships that I have made with some of you. It is so awesome to be able to share interests with others that enjoy the same thing as me. I've gotten to know about your families and I care about what happens to you guys. I always think of blogging as modern day pen pals...I think it is pretty cool.

P.S. I don't want you guys to think that one comment has really disturbed me to the point of making a big post and all this stuff. I'm not mad or hurt or anything like that. I kinda have a dream of one day publishing a book....recipes, family life, Pennsylvania....stuff like that....and if I am going to ever do that, I better make sure that I am coming across real and I don't want to be misleading at all.

Love you guys!!
Have a totally fantastic weekend!
I know I will!
Lots of baking planned!
And.....by the way, I am in the home stretch with my sailboat quilt! Last night I starting attaching the binding/the edging that goes around the edge of the quilt!! I am so happy! It WILL be done today! Yay!!



August 16, 2012

from my viewpoint

Have you ever wondered what it looks like where someone else lives? 
I have often wondered this about my long distance friends and relatives.
I thought maybe you might like to see what it looks like here.
And maybe...you might find it neat
 to see what I see everyday.
Am I the only one that thinks of such things???
I really hope this is not like, the most boring-est post I've ever done!
This kind of stuff interests me...but who knows if it interests anyone out there?
haha!
So, do you ever wonder about things like this???













Bye for now!
Have a blessed day!

August 14, 2012

Stan the man, Stan my man


You are looking at the angel of all husbands here. 
There is nothing he wouldn't do for me.
He is smart, talented and creative.
When I say smart...
I mean that he retains knowledge, details and facts.
He can figure out any problem
be it structural or design.
He can build anything.
He has a keen sense of intuition which always blows me away.
More often than not, he is right on the money.
He has the clever knack of discerning bullshit from reality.
He's pretty much a no nonsense kinda guy.
But...has the sense of humor of a comedian.
He has kept me laughing every single day of our marriage. 
Seriously, it is pretty much non stop shenanigans every day around here.
He knows everything there is to know about 
biking, hiking, backpacking, and survival skills.
He served as a United States Marines for 4 years and fought on the front lines of Desert Storm.
Oh, I almost forgot.
He is strong.
Like, really strong. 
I've seen this man lift a 15 foot palm tree by himself.
How he even got it into the truck by himself is an oddity in itself.
I'm telling you, he's an ox.
He has endurance like no other.
He can hike the highest mountain with ease.
He can bicycle the highest hill.
His lung capacity never fails to impress me.
Oh, he even has the most calmest heart rate I have ever heard.
When I lay my head on his chest and listen to his heart,
I wonder if it's ever going to beat again!
haha!
It's totally slow and steady and strong.
Mine is fast and hyper and no wonder I tucker out so fast.
Another thing, 
he is my rock.
Like, serious ROCK.
He is the calm in the storm.
Especially my storms.
hehehe!
He doesn't get frightened.
He doesn't get worried.
He can handle stress.
He can handle emotion.
He can manage problems.
He finds solutions.
Even hurricanes do not unravel him, I tell ya!
Thank God for him!
When I am sick, he is caring.
When I freak out, he is calming.
When I am worried, he is practical.
When I am scared, he is understanding.
There are some fun things as well.
He teases me, picks on me, and goofs with me.
I tease him, pick on him and goof with him.
This is all the fun kind of teasing and picking, mind you.
No mean stuff, just silly, goofy stuff that keeps us laughing!
Every day laughing!
He can't stay mad long even if he tries.
He is generally upbeat but in a calm way.
He has his grumpy moments.
He has his dorky moments.
He is the best father to our children.
I tell him he is a better father than I am mother.
He says no, that's not true.
I would not pick another man to be my children's father.
His example to them is strong.
He has always played with the kids more than I have.
He wants to do all the fun boy stuff with them
like build ramps for their bikes
and tree houses
and rope swings.
  So, ya, he's pretty much an angel.
Does he ever make me mad or irritated?
Well, ya, now and then,
but it quickly passes.
I don't know how.
It just does.
I am so happy I have Stan.
He is my man!