"Not Douchy"

How fun to see this colorful review this morning. Thanks Katie, I hope your Christmas is as wonderful as your writing.

And So It Begins ... Baking Season

I hope you enjoyed yesterday's recipe.

Our baking began this year with some almost-free refrigerated cookie dough from the grocery store, the kind that comes in a tray of little squares and involves absolutely no work but to toss them in the oven. I hate to admit it, but they were quite good.

Anyway, that little cookie treat seems to be the opener on cookie baking season.

Next up were these Cowboy Cookies, toted by my friend Lizzie Norris as "Our family's Christmas Must Have". The recipe can be found in Lizzie's wonderful cookbook, Visions of Sugarplums, A collection of Christmas Cookery, available at Amazon.com for $.99 as a Kindle e-book.

The cookies are peanut butter, chocolate chip, and oatmeal drop cookies. I omitted the chocolate chips because I didn't have any on hand. That change went unnoticed. Kaden called these "the best cookies ever" (this is the first time I've made them, what has he thought of my baking the last 10 years???). The cookies were super simple to make and are very, very good.

Visions of Sugarplums contains a variety of holiday recipes presented in a very traditional, classic feel, everything from drinks and appetizers to entrees and desserts. Many of the recipes are traditional European recipes. Sprinkled throughout the book are wonderful little quotes and personal stories, as well as cooking tips and hints - such as substitutions, measurements, and turkey cooking tips.

In addition to Cowboy Cookies we tried Bruna Bonor, Swedish Brown Beans. The beans are a very different twist on kidney beans, which the children welcomed (we eat a lot of beans and rice, or rice and beans). Half the kids really liked Bruna Bonor, which was about what I expected; the two who didn't love them don't really care for beans at all.

Next on the cooking agenda are Bon-Bon cookies, an almond flavored cookie covered with a sugar glaze and melted chocolate, and Cream Cheese cut-outs.

Please keep Visions of Sugarplums in mind as you plan your holiday menus, it's a sweet cookbook with some very good recipes (and it's only $.99!).

Throwback Thursday : Decadent Toffee Recipe

I posted this recipe two years in a row. It's that good. I also submitted it to Money Saving Mom, which led to it being one of the most popular posts of all time at Because I'm Me.

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This is the most awesome wonderfully easy stuff to make with just a few simple ingredients.

My mother passed the recipe along in 2004 (I know that because it's written on my list of cookies made for that year) and we've made it every holiday season since then, and usually more than once.

Word of warning though, it might just be a teensy weensy bit unhealthy or fattening or something.  Which is why I only make it at Christmas.

Imitation Heath Bar Toffee


1 lb. butter
2 C. sugar
1/2 C. water
1 t. salt

Combine above ingredients in reasonably large pot.  Don't use your best pot, the pot won't be super easy to clean when you're finished, but do make sure it's a tall enough pot. The one I use is a 3 qt. pot.

Bring to boil, stirring constantly to 300'.  I wear on oven mitt while doing this, it will splatter and it's hot enough to leave little burn marks like I had in 2004.  I also keep a damp cloth near me so I can wipe up the splatters while they're still liquid. You really need a candy thermometer while cooking ... the recipe will heat to about 220' very quickly, then slow down, and then right at the end heat quickly to 300' so don't become discouraged if it's taking a little while.  The mixture will change from light butter yellow to golden yellow and thicker, to dark gold and even thicker and less splattery, to finally medium-dark brown. This is where the candy thermometer really comes in handy, as it's easy to think it's done before it is ... even you pour it too soon it'll still be quite tasty, but chewier.

Immediately pour onto cookie sheet. I use a cookie sheet with sides, but have done it with a regular cookie sheet too.  I also keep stirring while I pour as the bottom of the pan tends to burn a little at this step.

16 oz. chocolate chips

Sprinkle with chips and spread them out as they melt.

Let cool in fridge.

Cut or break into pieces.  A combination of both seems to work perfectly, and leaves lots of little crumbs for the cook to "taste test".

To clean the pan, stirring spoon, and thermometer I add water to the pan and bring it to a boil again, letting all the leftover sugary buttery goodness melt. The pan may still need a good cleaning (I soak it in a little water and dish detergent) but the other utensils should be super easy to clean.

I can't even begin to tell you how good this is ... but perhaps the combination of sugar, butter, and chocolate speaks for itself. This is one of two "cookies" my kids ask for every Christmas.

I also can't begin to tell you how much of this I've already eaten today, at least not without being really embarrassed.

Enjoy!

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The Happy Snowman and Cyber Monday

In the shop!

The Because I'm Me 25% off sale runs through today.

A Fair Night

(a.k.a. - I Got a New Lens and Had Way Too Much Fun)

Happy Thanksgiving and 25% Off Sale

Friends, have a wonderful Thanksgiving today. My oldest daughter and I will be celebrating the day together with a yummy dinner near the beach. The other kids are with their father this year, and while I miss them I'm happy to report that I've already talked to them on the phone this morning and they're having a good time.

If you're brave enough to go out Black Friday shopping I wish you good luck getting those deals. And if you, like my daughter, works retail this weekend I offer you prayers of patience and sanity.

Snowflakes ...

Selling quickly, and available in the shop.

Patchwork in Pink

Sometimes, simple is "just right" and this quilt is one of those sometimes.

Patchwork quilts may not be the most challenging to make but they sure are fun and appealing to the eye. While I love a good intricate quilt I find the ease of patchwork soothing.

I wanted to showcase the beautiful prints in the quilt, while still creating a lovely quilt suitable for a new baby or a toddler.

The colors are bright and cheery, but by combining enough of them they balance each other very well. I love the variety of prints, some larger scale and some small scale, mixed with the light pink, bright pink, and red solids.

The squares began as 6" each, larger than I normally use for a patchwork quilt, but the right size to give a good feel of the largest prints.

The quilting is done with straight lines and on each side of the "ditch", and is done in a sage green.

The backing fabric is a simple geometric print green cotton.

I started this quilt about 6 short months ago. Since then it has been patiently waiting for me to finish the binding and get around to taking pictures of it.

In the meantime I put together a wonderful memory quilt for an Eagle Scout, which, in my hurry to get it to it's owner, I took absolutely no pictures of (isn't that always the way?). Hopefully I'll be able to snap some at his upcoming Eagle ceremony.

This quilt will make it to the shop, eventually (thankfully, it's a very patient quilt).

Thanksgiving Weekend Storewide SALE