Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Cinnamon Blueberry Bread


Cinnamon Blueberry Bread!  Imagine the aroma of freshly baked bread with the added bonus of cinnamon.  Now add to that sweet blueberries.  Yummmmmmmm!  
 
Now imagine slicing thick slices while it is still warm and slathering it with butter.  This is exactly what I had for lunch today.   And as the imagination races, how about cutting thick slices, soaking it in egg/milk mixture and making Blueberry Cinnamon French Toast!  Now we're talkin'!


A cup of tea and Cinnamon Blueberry bread toasted would be a lovely afternoon treat too. 
 
Have I piqued your interest?  Here is my recipe.  It makes two loaves of bread and it freezes beautifully.  I know you'll want to make this and have it on hand for a special brunch or breakfast or anytime treat.


Cinnamon Blueberry Bread

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/3 cup butter

  • 7 - 1/2 cups of flour (more or less as needed)
  • 6 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 teaspoons instant dry yeast
  • 3 eggs, room temperature

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
Directions:
  1. Combine milk, water and 1/3 cup butter in a small saucepan and heat over low heat just until the liquids are warm.  (DO NOT let it get hot or it will kill the yeast).  Once the liquids are warm, remove from heat and stir until the butter is melted.
  2. Place 6 cups of the flour, 6 tablespoons sugar, salt and yeast in large bowl of your mixer.  (If you have a KitchenAid stand mixer, attach the dough hook).  Mix the dry ingredients for a few seconds to combine and then gradually add the eggs.  Mix.
  3. Add the warmed liquids to the flour/eggs and mix for several minutes.  **NOTE:  If you are not using a mixer you may do this process first with a wooden spoon and then by hand as the dough stiffens.
  4. Add enough of the remaining flour until the dough clings to the dough hook and the sides of the bowl are clean (dough isn't sticking to bowl).  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. 
  5. Place dough in a greased bowl.  Cover and let rise in a warm/draft free location until double in size, about 40 minutes.
  6. Combine 1/2 cup of sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl. 
  7. Lightly grease (or use a non-stick cooking spray) the two bread loaf pans.
  8. Now punch the dough down the dough that has been rising.  Divide dough in half and roll each half into a 9" X 14" rectangle.  Brush dough rectangle with melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Sprinkle 1/2 of frozen blueberries on each rectangle.
  9. Roll dough tightly and shape into loaves.  Place in the loaf pans.  Cover with a tea towel and let rise until double (about 40 minutes).
  10. Bake in preheated 375 F oven for 35 minutes.  REMOVE FROM PANS IMMEDIATELY and let the loaves cool on a wire rack.
This bread freezes beautifully.  Once cooled, wrap tightly and put in freezer.
Basic bread recipe adapted from The Italian Dish .



Until next time,
Cheers!







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    Sunday, August 4, 2013

    Apple Pie Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream Frosting



    Welcome to What's Under the Cake Dome Sunday # 31! 
     
    Today's treat is a special one for the Mister.  As I've mentioned before, he is a connoisseur of Apple Pie!  We had apple pie on our first date (he claims that he knew immediately that we'd get married JUST because of the apple pie!)  We even served apple pie at our wedding in lieu of wedding cake.  See?  He's a connoisseur of apple pie!  I tell ya!
     
    So today I've made the Mister Apple Pie Cupcakes with Carmel Buttercream Frosting.  Imagine moist applesauce cake topped with real apple pie filling and dolloped with homemade Carmel Buttercream frosting.  DECADENT!  It's an apple pie.  It's a cupcake.  It's caramel and cream.  It's almost sinful.   If you'd like to make your own applesauce, I posted my recipe yesterday and you can find it HERE.



     

    Apple Pie Cupcakes with Caramel Butter cream Frosting

    Ingredients:

    Applesauce Cake:
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
    • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
    • 3/4 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
    • 3/4 cups sugar
    • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
    Directions:
    1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
    2. Line cupcake pans (muffin tins) with paper liners or spray with PAM cooking spray
    3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.
    4. In the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium high speed for about 4 minutes.
    5. Add the sugars (white and brown) and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes)
    6. Add the eggs and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed until combined.
    7. In three parts, add the flour mixture, adding half of the applesauce between each part.  Beat on medium low until each part is well mixed.  You may need to scrape the edges of the bowl after the applesauce additions.
    8. Scoop even amounts of batter into each cupcake/muffin tin.  I found using and ice cream scoop was the easiest method. 
    9. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, watching carefully.  When toothpick comes out clean you know they are done.
    10. Let the pans cool on a wire rack for half an hour before removing.
    11. Prepare the frosting and the apple pie filling (RECIPES BELOW)
    12. Layer each cupcake in this order: spread a layer of carmel buttercream frosting on each cupcake.  Top with a teaspoon of apple pie filling.  Finally, dollop a teaspoon of carmel buttercream frosting on top.
    Caramel Sauce: (make the caramel sauce first so it can cool before making the frosting)
    • 1/4 cup sugar
    • 1/8 cup water
    • 1/4 cup heavy cream
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    1. Add the sugar and water to a medium saucepan and stir until combined.
    2. Heat over medium high heat.  As the sugar starts to melt, stir to make sure sugar distributes evenly.  Stop stirring and continue cooking.
    3. WATCH CAREFULLY!  As soon as the mixture begins to turn color, it will change very quickly.  Just as the caramel reaches a dark amber color, remove from heat and pour in cream and vanilla all at once., stirring with a wooden spoon to combine (Stand back as it will react and sizzle quite a bit).  This stage is key!  If the caramel gets too dark before you remove it from the heat, it will taste burned and bitter.
    4. When the sizzling calms down, return to medium low heat and cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes.
    5. Pour into a bowl and let it rest until completely cooled.
    Caramel Butter cream Frosting:
    • One batch of caramel sauce (recipe above)
    • 3/4 cup salted butter at room temperature
    • 2 cups icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
    1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium high speed for about 3 minutes.
    2. Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating on medium speed after each addition.  After every other addition, increase speed to high and beat for 10 seconds.
    3. Add the caramel sauce and beat frosting on low speed to combine.  Increase speed to medium high and beat until fluffy and thoroughly mixed.
    Apple Pie Filling:
    • One large apple, peeled, cored and sliced very thin slivers.
    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
    • Pinch of salt
    • Dash of ground nutmeg
    • Dash of ground cloves
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon flour
    1. Melt butter in large pan over medium heat.  Add apples, sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves and lemon juice.
    2. Cook, stirring until apples are softened to your preference (about 10 minutes).
    3. Remove from heat and stir in flour.  Cool.
    Yield:  approximately 18 - 20 cupcakes
    Recipe adapted from Snixy Kitchen




    Until next time,
    Cheers!






     
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    Saturday, August 3, 2013

    Putting up Apple Sauce

    Guess what I did today.  I made applesauce!


    I had 13 POUNDS of apples to use up and so I decided to use my tried and true, never fail and slightly large batch applesauce recipe.  Peeling 13 pounds of apples seems like a daunting task but with my handy-dandy apple peeler, the process took far less time and misery than an ordinary peeler. 


    It wasn't long before I had the apples peeled, cored and quartered and into the stock pot to cook down.  A cinnamon stick or two and a little lemon juice is all you need. 


    I ended up making seven pint jars, one 1/2 pint jar and three 1/4 pint jars.  Now I know you must wonder why on earth I make those little bitsy jars of sauce.  Well, I'll tell you.  The reason is simple.  I pack the Mister a lunch every day and sometimes, if I don't have fresh fruit to send in to work with him, it is always nice to have a little jar of apple (sometimes pear) sauce to give him in his lunch.  AND, if you have wee babies in your household, these little bitsy jars are perfect for preserving baby food in.


    This is how I make a very simple applesauce.  I prefer not to sweeten mine, but if you like a sweetened applesauce, by all means, add some sugar or honey. 
     
     
    Homemade Apple Sauce
     
    Ingredients:
    • 12 - 13 pounds of apples (peeled, cored, quartered - approximately 36 apples)
    • Water
    • 3 cups granulated sugar IF YOU WANT SWEETENED SAUCE.  I prefer unsweetened but the option is there.  You may also add honey instead of sugar, to taste.
    • 4 Tablespoons lemon juice
    • 3 cinnamon sticks (if desired)
    • 8 (16 oz) pint glass preserving/canning jars with lids and bands
    •  
    Directions:
    1. Prepare boiling water canner.  Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. 
    2. Combine apples with just enough water to prevent sticking in a large stainless steel sauce pot.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for 10 - 20 minutes, until apples are tender (the time will depend on the variety of apple you are using)  Remove from heat and let cool slightly (about 5 minutes).
    3. Mash apples either with a potato masher, hand mixer or hand emulsifier to the consistency you prefer your applesauce to be.
    4. Now it is time to add your sugar or sweetener if you are using it.  Add the cinnamon sticks and lemon juice to the pot.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.  Maintain a gentle boil over low heat while filling the jars.
    5. Ladle hot applesauce into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch head space.  Remove air bubbles.  Wipe rim.  Center lid on jar.  Apply band until fit is finger tight.
    6. Process jars in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude.  Remove jars and cool.  Check lids for seal after 24 hours.  Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.


    Tomorrow I will make the Mister something special with all of this yummy goodness applesauce.  Just you wait and see!  :)


    Until next time,
    Cheers!







    I can be found sharing at these online parties:
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    Friday, August 2, 2013

    Photo Prompt Day #2: "Incomplete"


    Day #2 of August Photo a Day theme is to take a photo of something that is "INCOMPLETE".  I was checking the vegetable garden this morning and saw that my winter squash is starting to come on the vine, but it is still INCOMPLETE.

    Until next time,
    Cheers!





    August Photo a Day

    Just for fun I decided try out the August Photo a Day challenge that is posted at Fat Mum Slim 's blog.  Each day of the month participants will take a photo corresponding in theme to the daily prompt on the list below:



    For Day #1 we are prompted to take a photo of something beginning with the letter "N".  I chose Noah, my Newfoundland dog.  How about that!  I got two "N's" in one photo!


    Noah had just taken a big drink of water and he's slobbery, messy and ohhhh so loveable. 

    Until next time,

    Cheers!



     

    Wednesday, July 31, 2013

    Peach Jam


    It's that time!  What time, you ask?  Time to do the Can-Can!  No, not the dance.  I'm talking about canning, jarring up, putting up summer produce to last the rest of the year.  And yesterday I made 15 half pints of my favorite  PEACH JAM!

     
    The first Ontario peaches have arrived at the fruit markets.   I went a little crazy and purchased about a half bushel, I think.  Peach jam is always first on my list to make. 


    Looks like a lot of jam, doesn't it?  No worries here though.  It will be used on toast and biscuits, as a cookie and pastry filling, mixed in with our breakfast yogurt and/or oatmeal.  It will top ice cream and pancakes.


    Peach Jam

    Ingredients:
    • 10 cups of fresh peaches, blanched, peeled and chopped
    • 9 cups white sugar
    • 3 Tablespoons butter
    • 3/4 teaspoon pure orange extract

    Directions:
    1. Combine the peaches and 5 cups of sugar in a large stock pot.  Mix well to combine and bring the peach mixture to a boil stirring often to prevent sticking, burning or scorching!  Allow to boil for 15 minutes
    2. Add butter, the remaining sugar and orange extract.  Bring to boil again and boil for 15 minutes more.  (The butter is added to reduce the amount of foamy froth created from boiling.)
    3. Test jam consistency on a cold (out of the freezer) saucer.  If the jam is too runny, boil a few minutes long and retest thickness on a cold saucer.
    4. Pack hot jam into hot, sterilized jars leaving 1/2 inch of headroom at the top.  Wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth and seal with lids and ring bands.  Process the jars in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
    Recipe courtesy of  Anna Wight from her blog, Sassy & Sweet Notes.



    This luscious peach jam won't last long!  Guaranteed!

    Until next time,
    Cheers!





     
     
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    Sunday, July 28, 2013

    Three Berry Jam Filled Doughnuts


    Today for "What's under the Cake Dome Sunday #30" I made a little breakfast sweet treat:  Jelly filled Doughnuts!  Do you call them Doughnuts, Donuts or Bismark?
     

    When I was a little girl there was a bakery, called Perry's Bakery, that was only a block or two from where we lived.  Once in a while on a Saturday morning, my father would walk over to Perry's Bakery and bring home a white box filled with THE BEST EVER donuts and pastries: Bear Claws, Long Johns, custard filled doughnuts, plain donuts and of course, JELLY FILLED BISMARKS!


    I have been craving a good jelly (jam) filled bismark/doughnut so last night I made up the dough and this morning, I took the dough out of the refrigerator where it had spent the night, rolled them out and fried and filled them.  My friends, they taste JUST LIKE the ones I ate from the bakery as a child. 


    Last summer I made waaaaaaaaaaaay too much 3 berry jam and I wanted to use up a few jars of it to make room for this year's jam.  My 3 berry jam is super delicious and is a combination of raspberries, strawberries and blueberries.  So, I grabbed a couple jars from the larder and after frying and sugaring the doughnuts I filled them with 3 berry jam.

     
    Three Berry Jam Filled Doughnuts
     
    Ingredients:
    • 2 1/2 teaspoons instant (rapid rise) yeast
    • 2/3 cup milk
    • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
    • 1/3 cup sugar
    • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
    • 3 large eggs at room temperature
    • 7 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes
    • 1/2 pint jar of your favorite homemade jelly or jam (I made 3 berry jam from raspberries, blueberries and strawberries)
    Directions:
    1. In the bowl of a mixer and using a dough hook, combine the yeast with the milk and whisk briefly until the yeast is dissolved.
    2. Add in the flour, sugar, salt and eggs and continue mixing on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes more.
    3. Add in the butter, mixing in a piece at a time to be sure each piece is incorporated before adding another.
    4. Continue kneading for about 5 to 6 minutes.  If necessary, add extra flour a tablespoon at a time until the dough is cohesive but still a bit sticky.
    5. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and spray lightly with cooking spray or vegetable oil.  Transfer the dough to the plastic wrap and wrap it tightly and refrigerate overnight.  (at least 6 hours but no more than 15 hours)
    6. Once chilled lightly flour a baking sheet and generously flour a work surface.  Turn the dough out onto the work surface and gently roll out into a slab of about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.  I used a 3 inch biscuit cutter to cut out rounds of dough (you could use the mouth of a glass if you don't have a biscuit cutter).  Transfer the rounds of cut out dough to the lightly floured baking sheet, re-rolling and cutting the dough scraps as needed.  Cover the baking sheet filled pastries with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let them rise until puffy and nearly doubled.  (May take up to 2 hours but mine rose fairly quickly).
    7. Once the dough rounds have risen, fill a large saucepan or pot with canola oil to a depth of 3 inches or you may use a deep fat fryer making sure that you are starting with clean oil.  Heat the oil to 350 degrees F.  While the oil is heating to the correct temperature, line cooling racks with paper towels. 
    8. Place a few dough rounds in the heated oil in a single layer making sure they are not crowded (I fried 4 in the frier at a time).   Fry, turning once, until golden brown.  (It will only take about 3 or 4 minutes)  Watch carefully!
    9. Remove from the frier with a slotted spoon to the cooling rack and continue to fry the remaining dough rounds. 
    10. After a few minutes of cooling (still warm but cool enough to handle without burning yourself) roll the doughnuts evening in sugar and shake away the excess.
    11. To fill the doughnuts, fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip.  Gently poke the pastry bag into each doughnut and squeeze a few tablespoons of filling into each.
    12.  
    Yield:  12 - 15 doughnuts
    Recipe slightly adapted from Annie's-Eats.com and Martha Stewart
     
     
    
    Do you fill them with Jam or Jelly?  We got into a discussion of this very topic on my facebook page and one commenter posted the following video.  It was so good that I had to repost here.  Enjoy, because "it must be jelly cause jam don't shake like that!"  Gotta love the era of the Glenn Miller band!
     
     

     

    And THIS is what's under the Cake Dome Sunday #29 for the Mister's Breakfast!



    Until next time,
     
    Bon Appetit!





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    Thursday, July 25, 2013

    Chicken Pot Pie

     
    Usually I think of Chicken Pot Pie as a wintertime comfort food, but tonight I made this yummy chicken pot pie using vegetables fresh from my garden.  It made a tasty meal for the Mister when he got home from work and it is filled with big chunks of chicken and lots and lots of veggies.  Hearty and filling but not as heavy as one might think.


    I'm sure I've mentioned before that I have a huge cookie and biscuit cutter collection.  This large chicken cutter was just made to be the pastry garnishment for the flaky crust topping.  I tried to make the vents in the crust to  look like chicken tracks.  Who said we can't play and have fun in food?


    This delicious chicken pot pie takes a while to put together but it is most definitely worth the time and effort.  I ended up having enough filling for two pies, so one is now in the freezer for another meal and today's was consumed with a side of fresh green beans from the garden as well. 

    Chicken Pot Pie

    Ingredients:
    • 1 cup potato, diced
    • 1 cup onion, diced
    • 1 cup celery, diced
    • 1 cup carrot, diced
    • 1 cup fresh peas (frozen is fine too)
    • 1/3 cup melted butter
    • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups chicken broth
    • 1 cup half and half cream
    • 1/2 white wine
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
    • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme if you don't have fresh)
    • 4 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
    • 2 pie crusts (either store bought or your own recipe)
    Directions:
    1. Stew a whole chicken.  Cool and shred meat from the bones.  Save the chicken broth from the cooked chicken for use in the pie.
    2. Prepare your favorite pie pastry crust.  (I make a butter based pie crust that creates a tender and flakey crust that is similar to puff pastry.)
    3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
    4. Saute onion, celery, carrots and potatoes in margarine for 10 minutes.
    5. Add flour to sauteed mixture, stirring well and cook for one minute stirring constantly.
    6. Combine broth, cream and wine.
    7. Gradually stir into the vegetable mixture.
    8. Add peas and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly.
    9. Stir in salt and pepper; add chicken and stir well.
    10. Pour into 2 pie dishes and top each with pie shells.
    11. Cut slits to allow steam to escape.
    12. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly and cooked through.

    Until next time,
     
    Bon Appetit!





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    Sunday, July 21, 2013

    Lemon Curd filled Cupcakes with Crystallized Rose Petals


    Welcome to "What's under the Cake Dome?" Sunday # 29.  Today I made the Mister simple vanilla cupcakes filled with lemon curd and frosted with lemon whipped cream.  Truly, a very simple dessert and it is great for us because this recipe only makes 12 cupcakes so we aren't overwhelmed with too much dessert.  


    I wanted to step these already yummy cupcakes up a notch, I embellished the tops of them with crystallized (or sugared) rose petals fresh from my garden.  Crystallized flowers add an elegant touch to an already delicious cupcake.  The beauty of it is is that you can make these from many of the flowers you are already growing in your garden.

    Lemon Curd Filled Cupcakes with Crystallized Rose Petals
     
    Ingredients:
     
    Vanilla Cupcakes:
    • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
    • 1 cup granulated white sugar
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/s cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
    • 2 large eggs, room temperature
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)

    Filling:

    1/2 cup lemon curd (either purchases from a grocery store or homemade.) 

    Homemade recipe follows:
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 - 3 lemons depending upon their size)
    • 1 - 2 Tablespoons finely shredded lemon zest (depending on how zippy you like your lemon flavor to be.  I used 2 Tablespoons)
    • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
    Lemon Whipped Cream:
    • 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream (35 - 40% butterfat content)
    • 1 Tablespoon granulated white sugar
    • 2-3 Tablespoons cold lemon curd

    Directions:

    Vanilla Cupcakes:
    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly butter or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
    2. In the bowl of your mixer beat the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until combined.  Add the butter, eggs, vanilla extract and yogurt (or sour cream).  Beat the wet and dry ingredients together at medium speed, until the batter is smooth and satiny (about 30 - 60 seconds).  Scrap the sides of the bowl as necessary.
    3. Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
    4. Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, cut about a 1/2 inch hole into the center of each cupcake (use a melon baller or a small spoon.)   Then spoon (or pipe a heaping teaspoon of lemon curd into each indentation.
    Lemon Curd: 
    1.  In a stainless steel bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar and lemon juice until blended.
    2. Cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon (to prevent it from curdling) until the mixture becomes thick and about the consistency of sour cream or a hollandaise sauce.  This will take about 10 minutes.
    3. Remove from the heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps.
    4. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted.  Add the lemon zest and let cool.  The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools.
    5. Cover immediately with plastic wrap so a skin doesn't form and refrigerate until cold.  The lemon curd can be made several days in advance.
    Lemon Flavored Whipped Cream:
    1. Place a mixing bowl and wire whisk in the freezer for about 30 minutes to chill.  Then place the cold heavy cream and sugar in the cold bowl and beat until soft peaks form.
    2. Next, add the cold lemon curd and beat just until stiff peaks form.  Spread frosting on each cupcake with a knife or spatula or by pipping the frosting. 

    • These cupcakes are best eaten the day they are made but they can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for a few days. 
    • Recipe adapted from Joy of Baking
    • Makes 12 cupcakes
     
    Once you've baked, filled and frosted your cupcakes, embellish them with crystallized flowers.  Not only do the flowers add an elegant appearance, they also are delicious and a great way to use flowers from your garden.  You can buy edible flowers at some special grocery stores or you can use your own flowers as long as you first ascertain that they are non-toxic and also that you do NOT use chemical sprays. 
     

       
    In a couple of days, I'll have a video tutorial of how to make crystallized flowers.  Please stop in, if you are interested, and see how easy and fun they are to create.
     
    Until next time,
     
    Cheers!
    Jennifer


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    Wednesday, July 17, 2013

    Christmas in July


    Whew!  Can you believe this heatwave that we are in the midst of right now?  It's too hot to do too many things outside so I decided to cool off by making some Christmas cards.  Yesterday afternoon I stamped, colored and began an assembly line to make 15 Christmas cards featuring the ORIGINAL Gumball Graphics Santa stamp.  This jolly old elf stamp is amongst my very favorite stamps.
     
    Using the Mojo Monday #302 layout for inspiration (shown below) I got my cardstock, ink, papers and embellishments out and got a jumpstart on making my Christmas cards.


    Card Recipe:
    Stamp:  Gumball Graphics Santa (stamp is no long manufactured)
    Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Image colored with Copic Markers
    Designer Paper:  Recollections "Naughty or Nice"
    Tools & Embellishments: Martha Stewart Snowflake punch, Martha Stewart half pearl, Snowflake punched from an embossed flocked wall paper sample, Merry Christmas ribbon "Tis the Season" from Michaels brand and All Night Media Liquid Embossing in Antique Glass Finish for his glasses.


    Keep cool! Until next time,
    Cheers!

    Jennifer



    I can be found sharing at these online parties:
    Sew-Off Saturday Sew Can She ,  Brag about it Tuesday Be Betsy , Shabby Art Boutique Shabbilicious Friday , Give Me The Goods Monday , Homestead Barn Hop , Whimsy Wednesday , Knick Of Time , Hickory Trail , Make the Scene Monday (at Alderberry Hill), From the Farm Blog Hop , A Peek Into My Paradise , A Delightsome Life , Share your Cup Thursday Have a Daily Cup,  Homework , Green Willow Pond , A Stroll Thru Life , Work It Wednesday , Savvy Southern Style , I Should Be Mopping the Floors , Common Ground Be Inspired , Simple and Sweet Fridays , Frugal Fit Family Friday Follow Along , Sweet and Savory Sunday , Sugar and Slice Sunday , This Gal Cooks Marvelous Mondays , This Silly Girl's Life "we scream for ice cream, Living Better Together TGIF Linkparty , DIY Sunday Showcase , Sweet 2 Eat Wonderful Wednesday