Thimbles, Bobbins, Paper and Ink: May 2014

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Key Lime Pie

Today's sweet treat for "What's under the cake dome #49?" is Key Lime Pie. Until I made this pie, I honestly did not know there was such a thing as a KEY LIME. I just thought it was the name of the pie, perhaps named after the Florida Keys. Indeed, the story goes that Key Lime Pie was the invention of a fisherman in the Florida Keys back when the Florida Keys had this particular lime groves. After a hurricane in 1926 wiped out most of the commercial groves, we now get Key Limes from Mexico or South America.

I've discovered that the lime you see in the grocery store that resembles a lemon is actually called a Persian Lime. Key limes are MUCH smaller (slightly smaller than a golf ball), they are round, and the lime flavor is fabulous, with a tart yet a bit floral flavor.

Because Key limes are so small, juicing them is a tedious and slow process, but making the pie, once all of the tiny Key Limes have been juiced, is a snap. You can make Key Lime Pie with a mixture of regular limes and lemons (for the tartness), but I hope you'll give it a try using only Key Limes. You'll appreciate their unique flavor!

Key Lime Pie

Ingredients:

1 Graham Cracker Crumb Crust shell (store bought or homemade)
1 egg white
4 large egg yolks
17 - 20 Key limes to measure 2/3 cups of lime juice (you'll use the zest as well as the juice)
1 1/2 teaspoons of lime zest
1 1/4 cups sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sour cream
Sweet Whipped Cream for the topping

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush inside of graham cracker crumb crush shell with beaten egg white. Bake for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until ready to assemble the pie.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Place the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip the yolks on high speed until they become thick and light in color (approximately 10 minutes).
Add the sweetened condensed milk to the egg yolks and beat on medium speed until well combined. Turn the mixer down to low and beat in the lime juice and sour cream. Continue mixing until the mixture starts to thicken. (about 3 minutes).
Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for 20 minutes, or until the pie is just set and the center feels dry to the touch.
Cool pie to room temperature and then place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to chill.
Before serving, top the pie with whipped cream.

And now.... ENJOY!

Until next time,

Cheers!

Jennifer

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Sunday, May 18, 2014

Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Honey Cinnamon Butter

For the past 2 months my kitchen has been completely renovated. The Mister tore down walls, tore up the floor, rebuilt the kitchen cabinets and counter tops. He is doing the entire renovation on his own. It is really beginning to take shape now, though I have to admit that "camping" in my own home is not very much fun. Without a kitchen, or even a kitchen sink, I've been cooking in an electric frying pan and washing dishes in the bathtub. The kitchen isn't finished yet but the new stove/oven and kitchen sink are in. I have counter tops and most of the cabinets are installed (though they all need to have the doors). There is still a lot to do but I'm slowly unpacking the boxes and moving my kitchen things back into the kitchen as much as possible.

So today, after several months of not having the appliances and ability to bake, I used my new oven for the first time and baked a loaf of Peanut Butter Banana Bread and topped it off by making my own Honey-Cinnamon Butter to spread on it. Welcome to "What's under the Cake Dome Sunday #48!"

You know how it is...that bunch of bananas that were delicious but those last two or three get a little more ripe than you care to peel and eat, so what better use for them than to make banana bread. This recipe, though, adds peanut butter and I REALLY enjoy this combination of flavors.

The Honey-Cinnamon Butter is a snap to whip up. You can mix up as much or little as you like. Besides spreading on the banana bread the honey-cinnamon butter is delicious on your toast or pancakes or used in baking. I whipped up a small crock of the butter.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Generously grease an 8" X 4" loaf pan (or spray with cooking spray.
Sift and whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside.
Beat the peanut butter, butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 2 or 3 minutes). Beat in the eggs one at a time on medium speed and then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the flour mixture on low speed. Fold in the mashed bananas.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. (It took exactly 60 minutes in my new oven, but ovens do vary so watch carefully).
Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes; then remove it to a rack to cool completely.

Cinnamon-Honey Butter

Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
scant 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In the bowl of your mixer fitted with a paddle, whip the butter, honey, cinnamon and salt on medium high speed until all ingredients are incorporated well and light and fluffy.

The mister is eager for me to get back into baking again. Once the kitchen is completely finished I'll post photos of the project in progress as well as the final room. It is still going to be a few weeks before completely finished but it is really starting to take shape now.

Until next time,

Cheers!

Jennifer

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Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Just too Cha Cha for words!

Steel Magnolias is one of my favorite "chick flick" movies! If you love Steel Magnolias like I do then you know that the dialogue is full of great lines, and "they're just too Cha-Cha for words" was the description of shoes that Truvy is admiring. So today I want to show you my canvas shoes make over that had me exclaiming, "They're just too Cha-Cha for words!"

This is a simple and fun project that you can let your imagination steer the direction you want to go.

Let's begin:

You'll need an inexpensive pair of canvas shoes. These were the cheap $5.00 canvas shoes from Walmart.

Next find some pretty fabric from your fabric stash. I only wanted to cover the toe and heels of my shoes but you can cover the whole shoe if you'd like. 1 fat quarter should be plenty. I used a lot less than that though. After you decide on the fashion fabric for your shoes, you'll need to draw a template/pattern on a thin piece of fabric (I used a scrap of muslin cloth). After you create your pattern you can lay it out on your good fabric and cut it out.

I used Mod Podge to adhere the fabric to the blank canvas shoe. Just cover the area of the shoe that you are recovering with a layer of Mod Podge. Lay the designer fabric you've cut out from the template on top of the Mod Podge. Let the Mod Podge dry for about 1/2 hour. After it has dried you can add embellishments to your shoes and then add another coat of Mod Podge on top of that. Originally I planned to add Ric-Rac around the edges of the shoes. It was kind of cute but seemed a little too much so I decided to leave the ric-rac off.

After the two coats of Mod Podge has dried I used E-6000 glue to adhere the yellow button with the red with white dots grosgrain ribbon to the heels of the shoes. This glue will hold great but you do need to give it time to dry securely and I had to clamp the button in place while it was drying.

I decided to replace the white shoe strings with some red grosgrain ribbon. I thought it pulled the whole wild and crazy "too cha-cha for words" shoes together.

Because these canvas shoes are really cheap and offer no foot support at all I am going to put some cushion inserts in them that I already have. I want to be comfy while wearing these crazy shoes, right?

I think this would be a fun project for kids to make. The most time consuming part is making the template for the fabric but it isn't too difficult.

Imagine the possiblilities of coordinating your casual canvas shoes with your outfit. So much fun!

Until next time,

Cheers!

Jennifer

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Sunday, May 11, 2014

Happy Mother's Day!

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Romantic Rosebuds with Baby Blue Sweet Kitchen linens set.

Sweet little rosebuds and baby blue polka dots! It doesn't get more dainty, feminine and pretty! This is another half apron using the beautiful fabric designed by Tanya Whelan.

I had such fun adding a lovely scalloped eyelet lace to the edges of the waistband and pockets, with tiny white buttons and a rose colored striped band.

Do you like it or know someone for whom it would make a sweet gift or hostess gift? You can find this apron in my Etsy shop HERE.

To coordinate with the apron is a darling oven-apron HAND TOWEL in the same Tanya Whelan fabric. This kitchen hand towel hangs from your oven door handle (or perhaps even your dishwasher). Thirsty waffle toweling fabric makes up the skirt.

I didn't mince the details on the the towels. Sweet satin rose buds, scalloped lace edging and grosgrain ribbon ties make a beautiful kitchen hand towel. This towel is available in the ETSY shop HERE.

To complete the rosebud and baby blue with white polka dot set is this set of 2 pot holders.

The pot holders will match perfectly with the apron and hand towel. I've quilted them with 2 layers of Ultra~Bright heat reflective batting on the bottom of the pot holders and for extra good measure have added another layer of Ultra~Bright heat reflective batting to the top layer as well. Pretty as well as functional!

You can find this set of 2 pot holders in my ETSY SHOP HERE.

More aprons and kitchen linen choices are in my ETSY SHOP.

Thank you so much for stopping by and looking.

Until next time,

Cheers!

Jennifer

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Friday, May 9, 2014

Chicken themed kitchen linens

Especially for all the CHICKS who love their chickens and carry that love into their kitchen decor, I have made kitchen linens to suit your inner chick!

Bright and cheery in the kitchen, I've created another half apron with a contrasting flounce at the hem. These chicks are ready to wrap themselves around you and get cookin' in the kitchen. Won't you impress your chicken while gathering an egg or two from the coup wearing this sweet apron? *wink* The rounded and pleated pocket is full enough to carry an egg or two from the coup. This whimsical chicken apron is available in my ETSY shop HERE.

And while these chickens are busy baking, I have an oven-apron CHICKEN KITCHEN HAND TOWEL to hang over your oven door handle or dishwasher handle that fits right in with your chicken decor. I've used kitchen waffle toweling and trimmed it with lace, bright yellow buttons and grosgrain ribbon ties. This oven-apron CHICKEN KITCHEN HAND TOWEL is available in my ETSY SHOP HERE.

Are your pot holders starting to look a little shabby? It might be time to replace them with these bright and cheery and oh-so-functional hot pads in the same cheery chicken print. The pot holders are made with double thickness INSUL~BRIGHT heat reflective batting on the bottom and another layer of INSUL~BRIGHT on the top layer to keep your fingers from getting burned. This set of 2 pot holders are available in the ETSY SHOP HERE.

Perhaps your love of chicken decor is more on the French Country theme. The rounded and pleated pocket is ample enough to allow you to gather a chicken egg or two. This fabric is titled "Le Poulet" and is one of my favorites. I've used this fabric to make a quilt, tote and now this darling half apron. This apron is available in my ETSY SHOP HERE.

And if you're wearing the apron what better way to round out the Le Poulet theme in your kitchen than adorning your oven handle or dishwasher handle with this Le Poulet oven-apron KITCHEN HAND TOWEL. Rick-Rack, grosgrain ribbon, black buttons and the thirsty waffle kitchen toweling make this hand towel functional as well as pretty. It can be found in my ETSY SHOP HERE.

I hope if you are in need of a hostess gift, a treat for a friend who loves to spend time in their kitchen or for your own person kitchen, you'll stop by MY ETSY SHOP and check out the kitchen linens. And be sure to check it often because new items will be added weekly.

Until next time,

Cheers!

Jennifer

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Thursday, May 8, 2014

Cafe au lait kitchen linens and apparel

Yesterday I posted photos and links to the springtime aprons and kitchen linens. But I know there are a lot of people who NEED their Cafe au lait and Espresso. So why not share your style preferences in your kitchen apparel and linens, eh?

The fabric is one of Robert Kaufman's designs and I just love it! The Cafe au Lait is a vibrant Red, Black, White and Teal. It's gorgeous. I've couple the designer fabric with some red with white dots for contrast and then to add just a little more interest, added bands of black with white dots. This is such a fun little apron. It's machine washable so if you slosh a little coffee on it, you don't need to worry. The apron can be found in my Etsy shop HERE.

I really love these over-the-oven-handle kitchen towels that look like mini-aprons. So cute and very functional. The front and back are identical so in essence you have two towels in one. These towels would look great in your favorite Coffee Lover's kitchen. You can find the towel in my Etsy shop HERE.

Who doesn't need a new set of pot holders? I've trimmed the potholders in teal seam binding and as for functionality (is that a word?? I think so!), well, I've quilted a double layer of Insul~Bright to the bottom layer of the hot pads and then added another layer of Insul~Bright to the top layer of the hotpad, just to be sure you don't burn any fingers. Stylish and functional...and washable too, so use them and enjoy them. You can find this set of 2 pot holders in my Etsy shop HERE.

I've been having such fun sewing and making my kitchen linens. And this is not all. Tomorrow I'll show you another fun theme that I know a lot of (hint-hint) CHICKS will just love! If you can't wait until tomorrow, please check out my Etsy site right now. You can find it HERE.

Until next time,

Cheers!

Jennifer

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Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Spring time kitchen linens and aprons

Hello my friends! In the past nearly 7 years since I've been had my Thimbles, Bobbins, Paper and Ink blog, I think this is the longest it's been between posts. There are a lot of reasons too. The Mister is renovating our kitchen completely so I've not been able to make my weekly "What's under the Cake Dome Sunday" posts because I have no place (yet) to bake or cook. The new appliances are due in this weekend and hopefully I'll get back to baking in my brand new oven.

But I haven't been idle. No I've not! My sewing machine has been humming along as I've been creating spring kitchen linens and aprons. I've been having such fun with a new line of Tanya Whelan fabrics and decided to make some fun half aprons, kitchen towels and pot holders .

The first of the 8 sets of kitchen linens that I'll share today is this dainty rosebud and pink gingham fabric. I pulled out all of the stops on detailing. The apron has a beautiful and delicate eyelet lace and tiny pink buttons. I love the double flounce at the hemline.

This apron is so pretty! And since it is machine washable there is no excuse for saying "it is too pretty to wear." I think it looks just as adorable with jeans as it does for a formal tea party.

The pockets on all of my aprons are rounded with a set in pleat. That makes it perfect for going out to the garden or chicken coup and bringing in an egg or two or perhaps a tomato.

This apron is in my ETSY SHOP HERE.

The second item that I'm tickled PINK about is the darling Oven Apron Kitchen Towels. YES! This kitchen towel will hang from your oven door handle or even your dishwasher handle and looks like a miniature apron.

Because the front and back of the oven apron Kitchen Towels are the same front and back you actually have two towels in one making it easy to turn around if the front gets a little soiled. Again, it is completely washable.

This darling kitchen towel is in my ETSY SHOP HERE.

UPDATE! The oven apron Kitchen Towel is SOLD.

The third part of the springtime kitchen linens is a set of two Hot Pads. I wanted the hot pads to be pretty and dainty looking but I also wanted them to be functional. I used a double layer of Insul~Bright heat reflective batting in the bottom layer of the hot pads and then for good measure added another layer of Insul~Bright to the top layer. No burns fingers with these beauties.

And of course, you can find these Hot Pads in my ETSY SHOP HERE.

UPDATE! These Hot Pads are SOLD!

As you can see, I've been very busy. There are a lot more aprons, towels and hot pad listed...just in case you'd like to take a peek. **smiles** You can check everything out HERE.

Thank you for stopping by. I have a number of spring items that I'm working on and I hope you'll check back to see what else is new.

Until next time,

Cheers!

Jennifer

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