Quilting Adventure

I wasn't real sure what to expect when my mom and I decided to go on a quilt retreat but go we did.

Picking out what fabrics we wanted to use was an easier task than figuring out how much we needed. All I can say is, I'm not as bad at math as some other people.

So far I've learned a lot. Inspired and challenged to try some new things. Things like you don't have to use all the same material for your backing and you don't need to use a border.

We ended the evening with a "bed hop". While that may sound kinda racey it was just an opportunity for each of us to display a quilt we brought. Lots and lots of fabulous quilts.

Deviation

Tonight I deviated from the Pioneer Woman's cookbook. Don't tell her I cheated on her. Lol

I've been trying to perfect a zucchini quiche recipe I'd copied down from a lady I know who is a terrific cook. Well, I must have written it down wrong because I just couldn't get it to taste the same.

However, tonight, eureka!! I finally did it! (and the hallelujah chorus sings)

Isn't it beautiful?? It smelled wonderful. It must have been the combination of Parmesan, Romano and Asiago cheeses sprinkled, liberally, on top.

Sprouts Made in Brussels?

I was so excited about cooking today's dinner that I couldn't sleep last night.  Kidding, kidding.  I was excited though.  On the menu was the Pioneer Woman's meatloaf, creamy mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts with balsamic and cranberries. 

The meatloaf came together just like every other loaf of meat.  Simple with basic ingredients.  The mashed potato recipe is very similar to another recipe I use so that one was a breeze also.  There was, however, one main difference.

That's half and half, not milk, in there with the cream cheese.  Yes, sir, half and half. 

This is a couple of tablespoons of butter melted on top.  No small wonder they are yummy.  A whole stick of butter now resides with those potatoes.  Can you say "bigger than the broad side of a barn"??

These are the piece de resistance.  I have never had brussel sprouts that were so tasty! The flavor burst in my mouth, sweet and tangy.  The kids turned their noses up at them without giving these sprouts a fair shot just because they are brussel sprouts but it was their loss.  We will definitely have these again.

Katie was playing around with my camera while I was preparing dinner and took this one of the dog who is, as usual, wondering when I'm going to feed him.  I think he does that all day long......

I thought everything turned out delicious, including the homemade ranch dressing and iceberg lettuce wedge.  Why have I been buying salad dressings all these years??!  Pioneer Woman's recipe is so simple and tasty that I enjoy eating the lettuce wedge and dressing every day.  Just like that.  Nothing else.

That about wraps it up.  I wonder how Glenna's dinner turned out.....
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The Mother Load

This morning I made the Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls as well as Cheesy Grits.  They just seemed like the perfect combination to me.

Ree says in her cookbook that you can prepare the dough ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator until you're ready to gooey it up, slice and bake.  So, that's exactly what I did.

This is how it looked last night before I put it in the 'frig for the night.  I'm so glad I have this giant mixer for the mother load of all cinnamon rolls.

My cookbook hasn't been "broken in" yet so I have to use something to hold it open with or it slides shut.

Butter is art, my friends.  It is indeed.  This is just one half of the dough that this recipe made.

Here they all are.  Yum!!  But look at them all!  It makes a boat-load.  I stuck two of the aluminum pans in the freezer (per Ree) to see how they taste reheated later.  The only thing I wish I'd done differently is to of halved the recipe.  The temptation is just too great.  I won't tell you how many I actually ate.......

Here is my lonely plate waiting for the cheesy grits to be done. Does it look like there has already been a cinnamon roll on my plate?  Oops!!

The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  I take it with me everywhere - kidding.  But I do look at it a lot.

Cheesy grits are done and ready to be eaten. Yay!!  The recipe calls for garlic and cayenne pepper to be added.  I did add the cayenne, although hesitantly.  The cayenne was fine.  It was the garlic that was too much.  I will tone that down next time.

Such a good combination.  I'm so glad I choose to make both in one day.  Made quite a mess in the kitchen, but it was worth it.


Looking forward to Monday - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts.  All recipes from Ree.  Oh, yea.

Sketching Something Associated with Teatime

Ree's fried chicken turned out scrumptious!  The uncooked and coated chicken looked like something out of Ted Dekker's Circle Triology while it sat there on the plate waiting to be fried into golden deliciousness.  Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture.

Using my pretty new blue dutch oven was the ticket for making the chicken yummy.  I'm so glad I forked out the big bucks for it.

Here are the first few pieces after they came out of the pot.  Couldn't wait to taste it.  Ree's recipe calls for cayenne pepper, which I added and then later regretted.   But I wouldn't have known if I hadn't tried it.


Today, the Goose and I tackled Harmony Art Mom's  Sketch Tuesday assignment - Something Associated with Teatime.

I didn't expect to have company as I picked up my sketchbook and pencils and told her what I was doing. She jumped right in.

I chose to keep it simple, concentrating on shapes and shading.  I didn't want to bog myself down with complicated patterns and colors.

Kate was undaunted, choosing a pretty little teacup and saucer with a flower pattern. She joined me at the table and went right to work.

She is quite the perfectionist, working and reworking her lines.

She spent twice as much time on her drawing as I did.  She wanted to get it just right!

Had to throw in a picture of the dog.  He was keeping us company, wondering when I was going to stop fooling around and feed him!

Still hard at work long after I had stopped!

Ta-da!  The finished product!  She decided to add in some detail on the saucer because she didn't think it looked right without something there. Not too bad girl, not too bad.

Unwilling Subject

It would seem that my dog is one of my favorite subjects for photographing.  He, however, is an unwilling subject.  He does NOT like to sit for his portrait.  He would much rather go dig in the clay around the garden and get to whatever animal it is that has made itself a home underneath.  Humph!  Cesar would say I'm trying to humanize my dog and should leave him be.

The problem is, I think he's just so cute and I can't seem to stop wanting to take pictures of him.  Look at that face.....how could you not??!

I think this must be his version of sticking his tongue out at me.  Right?!?

Well, I'm off to watch half of the movie Thor with the girl.  At "half time" I'll be starting Ree's Fried Chicken.  Oh, yes!  Can't wait.  I'll try to remember to take pictures and post here.

Today's Renderings

The husband and I went out for a walk with the dog on this cold January morning.  I so enjoy watching our shadows, especially Enoch's.  The way his ears bounce up and down in his shadow as he walks is just so adorably cute!  The sun was at just the right angle for me to get a few good shots.

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Then there's this cute one of just my dog.... oh yes, and my husband too.  ha ha ha

Doesn't he look adorable - ears all perked up.  Tee hee.

These two came curiously out of now where as we rounded the bend by the barn.  Chris said it was almost as if they were protecting the barn.  Funny.

This is what was calling out to me.  This barn has a rustic charm to it that appeals to me.  Then made doubly nice with the appearance of the horses. 

See, isn't it just the cutest thing?
















When we went upstairs for bed last night, in a very quite house (the kids are gone to a Youth Evangelism Conference in VA Beach for the night), this stink bug was hanging there on the door jam sticking his head out.  Front legs all stretched out.  He looked kinda neat, for a stink bug.  Anyway, by the time I got my camera to capture the moment, he quit.  I took his picture anyway, cuz they are interesting looking bugs.

I noticed that this guy only has 5 legs instead of 6.  I wonder what happened to his middle leg on the right side?

Photographic Inspiration

I could get into blogging, I really could. This site seems easier to use than homeschool blogger.  Will I stick with it? Not real sure, we’ll have to see. I have a tendency to drop things after a while.

 Anyway…. Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman that Glenna’s turned me on to. Wow! She’s really something. Her photographs have inspired me to do better with mine. So, I got out the cameras today and Enoch and I went outside to get the “perfect shot”. A couple of them actually turned out pretty good! Shocking!

Just love that messy top knot thing she does with her hair!

The Bacon King

My new obsession - Ice Coffee.

Chris' least favorite tree

Aaahhh, nothing better than a back scratch in the grass.

There's that hair again.  :-)