But not Jeffrey.
And when he left his flip flops in the family room, Thor took up vigil next to them, so Jeff can't leave without authorization.
Who says dogs don't know what's going on?
Not Thor.
I cook, I sew, my beloved and I run our business from home. After more than 30 years of marriage, life is just about perfect. This is our corner of the world.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Thor's Keeping People Home!
Well, lots of Thor's people have been leaving for college, returned for a short time, and left again.
But not Jeffrey.
And when he left his flip flops in the family room, Thor took up vigil next to them, so Jeff can't leave without authorization.
Who says dogs don't know what's going on?
Not Thor.
But not Jeffrey.
And when he left his flip flops in the family room, Thor took up vigil next to them, so Jeff can't leave without authorization.
Who says dogs don't know what's going on?
Not Thor.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Zucchini Apple Snack Cake
This is good. It's really good. And it's healthy, too, but don't tell anyone, or they'll refuse to eat it out of spite for health food.
Last night, I needed a quick dessert, because two of the boys were down with sore throats (welcome back to school *snarl*). I saw a recipe for something sort of like this, and decided that I could make it better. So, without further ado....
ZUCCHINI APPLE SNACK CAKE
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1-1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
2 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini
2 to 3 apples, shredded
Glaze:
1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar
2 tbsp whipping cream
1 to 2 tsp lemon juice
Cream the butter with brown sugar; beat in the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg (truth in recipe: I just shook in a bunch of cinnamon and a little less nutmeg, and guessed at the amount afterward). At low speed, beat in the flour and baking soda, and beat until combined: the batter will be very stiff. Add the shredded zucchini and apple, and beat at low speed. Pour into a greased 13"x9" baking pan, and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes.
While the cake's still warm, stir the cream into the confectioner's sugar, then add the lemon juice a little at a time, until it's thin spreading consistency. Spread over the warm cake, and let the glaze melt in a minute. Serve warm.
So, here's how good this is: Jeffrey has eaten 1/4 of the pan for breakfast. Need I say more?
Last night, I needed a quick dessert, because two of the boys were down with sore throats (welcome back to school *snarl*). I saw a recipe for something sort of like this, and decided that I could make it better. So, without further ado....
ZUCCHINI APPLE SNACK CAKE
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1-1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
2 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini
2 to 3 apples, shredded
Glaze:
1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar
2 tbsp whipping cream
1 to 2 tsp lemon juice
Cream the butter with brown sugar; beat in the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg (truth in recipe: I just shook in a bunch of cinnamon and a little less nutmeg, and guessed at the amount afterward). At low speed, beat in the flour and baking soda, and beat until combined: the batter will be very stiff. Add the shredded zucchini and apple, and beat at low speed. Pour into a greased 13"x9" baking pan, and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes.
While the cake's still warm, stir the cream into the confectioner's sugar, then add the lemon juice a little at a time, until it's thin spreading consistency. Spread over the warm cake, and let the glaze melt in a minute. Serve warm.
So, here's how good this is: Jeffrey has eaten 1/4 of the pan for breakfast. Need I say more?
Saturday, September 11, 2010
September 11, 2001: I will never forget
Nine years ago, it was a sunny Tuesday morning. Nine years ago, I slept in until 11AM, because I'd been up until 4AM the previous night. When I got up to take Ryan to Kindergarten, my radio had no music blaring, just a radio personality announcing that Penn State had not been evacuated, and all flights were grounded.
I turned on the TV, to a horrifying sight.
We had been attacked. The Twin Towers were gone. The Pentagon had been hit. A flight was downed in western Pennsylvania.
We would never see the world the same way again. We've never felt the same sense of security and serenity.
This year, the memories have been politicized by the Quran burning idiot in Florida, and the mosque in NYC (Imam: It may be legal to put it there, but be sensitive. You wouldn't put a mosque at Auschwitz, and you shouldn't put one so close to Ground Zero. Don't disregard the feelings of the majority of the country).
I think many people have lost the sense of horror and outrage we all felt 9 years ago. We need to remember. Remember the 3000 innocent souls who perished that day. I will never forget.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Thorsday is a School Day!
School started yesterday. Of course Thor was there to supervise the unpacking of the box.
He wasn't quite sure why there was only one box, but Thor was pretty sure this was wrong. Time to go look for the other one. (For the record, Thor was not amused when one of his boys left in the morning for school, and didn't come back for 8 hours!)
Should Thor read The Phantom Tollbooth first? There's a dog on the cover.
No. Swiss Family Robinson is first. They have not one, but TWO Mastiffs. Those people know their dogs.
Happy Thorsday, everyone!
He wasn't quite sure why there was only one box, but Thor was pretty sure this was wrong. Time to go look for the other one. (For the record, Thor was not amused when one of his boys left in the morning for school, and didn't come back for 8 hours!)
Should Thor read The Phantom Tollbooth first? There's a dog on the cover.
No. Swiss Family Robinson is first. They have not one, but TWO Mastiffs. Those people know their dogs.
Happy Thorsday, everyone!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Blueberry Cobbler
Appearances on this blog notwithstanding, I love a good canned pie filling. Not that I use them in pies, mind you, but they are handy things to have around. Why, if not for pies? Well, for cobbler, of course! This was Monday night's selection, and it was very popular!
BLUEBERRY COBBLER
1 can blueberry pie filling
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
Spread the pie filling in an 8" or 9" square baking pan. Put the flour, sugar, powder and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl. Mash the butter in with a fork, then stir in the vanilla and egg. Drop by spoonsful on top of the pie filling, and bake at 350F for about 40 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream or both.
Of course, you can use your favorite pie filling flavor for this. I had blueberry, and so that became my favorite for Monday night!
BLUEBERRY COBBLER
1 can blueberry pie filling
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
Spread the pie filling in an 8" or 9" square baking pan. Put the flour, sugar, powder and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl. Mash the butter in with a fork, then stir in the vanilla and egg. Drop by spoonsful on top of the pie filling, and bake at 350F for about 40 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream or both.
Of course, you can use your favorite pie filling flavor for this. I had blueberry, and so that became my favorite for Monday night!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Calvert School 8th Grade Review
My little Ryan starts High School tomorrow! *sob*
Don't tell me a 14 year old who's 6'3" isn't little. You'll make me cry. *sob*
Ryan finished eighth grade with Algebra I in June. There's no doubt that Algebra was the hardest thing to teach, made even harder by the fact that he really doesn't like math. Nonetheless, the parent can teach the child either by presenting him with the manual or reading the material from the manual to him and going through the steps to demonstrate the skill being taught. No prior Algebra experience is required. Calvert supplied the textbook, lesson manual and an answer key that shows the steps used for solving the problem, not just the answer, so you can figure out where the child made his error.
I bought the 2008-2009 8th grade curriculum, because I wanted the old reading books, including Johnny Tremain, Hounds of the Baskervilles, rThe Prince and The Pauper, and David Copperfield. Ryan enjoyed all of these EXCEPT Copperfield. He's learned that while Dickens may tell a good story, and it may make a good movie, paying authors by the word makes for dull reading. I believe all of these books have been replaced by more contemporary works, and I don't necessarily agree with that decision, but Calvert didn't consult me before doing it. Calvert also supplied a very big book of poetry, many of which were epic poems, to which Ryan had mixed reactions. Spelling is still the original Calvert course, about 20 words per day for the first 3 days of the week, with the last two days devoted to working on misspelled words. They also use a very interesting vocabulary book, with exercises that are interesting, and even your eighth grader would admit "might be" fun. Grammar and Composition are taught from the same book, Elements of Language, and sentence diagramming reinforces the structure of grammar. There are not too many compositions assigned, usually one every week or 2, but a great deal of time is spent developing each composition. There were also some fun exercises included; Ryan made travel brochures for "Once In a Lifetime" trips to Venus (bring coloring books and crayons to keep small children amused for the long ride) and the Jurassic period (stay with your tour group; we cannot be responsible for people carried off by dinosaurs).
The US History course was very detailed, and Geography was neatly intertwined with History. Science was taught through a series of 5 books, including Geology, Space, Electricity, and Environment. There were Calvert-created workbooks to help with the study of both of these subjects. Ryan's greatest regret was that Virgil Hillyer didn't have a fourth History of Art course for eighth grade.
I'm proud of how much my boy learned in Calvert School. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to cry because he's that much closer to flying the coop. *sob*
Don't tell me a 14 year old who's 6'3" isn't little. You'll make me cry. *sob*
Ryan finished eighth grade with Algebra I in June. There's no doubt that Algebra was the hardest thing to teach, made even harder by the fact that he really doesn't like math. Nonetheless, the parent can teach the child either by presenting him with the manual or reading the material from the manual to him and going through the steps to demonstrate the skill being taught. No prior Algebra experience is required. Calvert supplied the textbook, lesson manual and an answer key that shows the steps used for solving the problem, not just the answer, so you can figure out where the child made his error.
I bought the 2008-2009 8th grade curriculum, because I wanted the old reading books, including Johnny Tremain, Hounds of the Baskervilles, rThe Prince and The Pauper, and David Copperfield. Ryan enjoyed all of these EXCEPT Copperfield. He's learned that while Dickens may tell a good story, and it may make a good movie, paying authors by the word makes for dull reading. I believe all of these books have been replaced by more contemporary works, and I don't necessarily agree with that decision, but Calvert didn't consult me before doing it. Calvert also supplied a very big book of poetry, many of which were epic poems, to which Ryan had mixed reactions. Spelling is still the original Calvert course, about 20 words per day for the first 3 days of the week, with the last two days devoted to working on misspelled words. They also use a very interesting vocabulary book, with exercises that are interesting, and even your eighth grader would admit "might be" fun. Grammar and Composition are taught from the same book, Elements of Language, and sentence diagramming reinforces the structure of grammar. There are not too many compositions assigned, usually one every week or 2, but a great deal of time is spent developing each composition. There were also some fun exercises included; Ryan made travel brochures for "Once In a Lifetime" trips to Venus (bring coloring books and crayons to keep small children amused for the long ride) and the Jurassic period (stay with your tour group; we cannot be responsible for people carried off by dinosaurs).
The US History course was very detailed, and Geography was neatly intertwined with History. Science was taught through a series of 5 books, including Geology, Space, Electricity, and Environment. There were Calvert-created workbooks to help with the study of both of these subjects. Ryan's greatest regret was that Virgil Hillyer didn't have a fourth History of Art course for eighth grade.
I'm proud of how much my boy learned in Calvert School. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to cry because he's that much closer to flying the coop. *sob*
Calvert School 5th grade Review
Well, there's nothing like being poky, now is there? We finished school back in early June, of course, but I've been ignoring that. Now, with Ryan starting high school tomorrow, it's time to stop ignoring everything. And I received a question from a lady named Dee Dee regarding Calvert School's Fifth Grade, with no way to reply to her directly, so I'll try to address it here.
Mark's a year ahead in math, so he used Calvert's Sixth Grade math. One of the nice things about Calvert School is that you can choose math above or below your child's grade level, and the math book is not marked with a grade level, so it's just math! Calvert starts with a test to review what the child knows, and then provides 10 review lessons that can be used to refresh the child's memory if he/she is shaky on anything. So, Dee Dee, if your daughter is a little shaky in math, as indicated by the placement test, then use fourth grade math with her. It's still more advanced than public school's fifth grade math, and fouth grade math provides an excellent review of the 4 basic math functions, followed by more advanced concepts, including fractions, word problems, probability, etc.
Calvert's fifth grade included a number of good books. First up was Shiloh, about a boy who took in a beagle. This book presented an interesting moral dilemma for my little guy, who did not like the story because the dog, Shiloh, belonged to a local lout, who abused his dogs. While Mark knows it's wrong to mistreat animals, he also knows it's wrong to steal someone else's dog. He struggled, therefore, with this book, because he had a hard time finding a "good guy" in the book. I was proud that he saw the wrong on the part of both the parties involved with this poor beagle. The next book was The Sign of the Beaver, set in Maine in the late 1700s, about a white boy who's befriended by a tribe of Indians. This was Mark's favorite book of the year. American Tall Tales was a series of short stories about legends we all know, including Paul Bunyan. Call It Courage and Sing Down the Moon both dealt with native children dealing with the process of growing up, Number the Stars was about two girls in Denmark, one Jewish and one Christian, during World War II, and the Christian girl's family helping the Jewish girl's family escape the Nazis. The last book was The Secret Garden, traditionally read by girls, but both of my boys have reluctantly enjoyed it. Dee Dee, in the scholastic version of this course, two of the books are eliminated. Calvert's teacher manual is excellent, because it gives us an introduction to read to the child before he starts reading the assignment, and comprehension/discussion questions for after the reading is complete. Since your daughter is a reluctant reader, you can have her alternate reading aloud pages with you, which will improve her reading comprehension and speed. If you're willing to work at it, she can do this.
Grammar is covered in a Calvert School written workbook, and is a very thorough course. Critical Thinking and Reading Comprehension workbooks help enhance the reading and composition processes, and compositions are assigned, with them telling the parent how to teach the child to write better. Spelling is the Scott Foresman program, and is evidently well liked by others (although I still prefer Calvert's original 10 words per day spelling program). Science and History are nationally known programs, and Calvert goes through the entire book during the year - something schools don't do. History is a US History course, and my little guy enjoyed it. The Child's History of Art course covers the history of painting, starting with the Caves at Lascaux, continuing through Egyptian art and right up to Picasso and modern artists. It's great exposure for children to a subject many adults know only vaguely!
Dee Dee, I hope I've answered your questions. If not, please leave me your email address (I promise I'll delete it from public view as soon as I write it down), so I can correspond with you directly.
For anyone looking for a great homeschool curriculum, Calvert School delivers. It's not cheap, but it is very thorough, and a lot less than any private school tuition, even parochial schools.
Mark's a year ahead in math, so he used Calvert's Sixth Grade math. One of the nice things about Calvert School is that you can choose math above or below your child's grade level, and the math book is not marked with a grade level, so it's just math! Calvert starts with a test to review what the child knows, and then provides 10 review lessons that can be used to refresh the child's memory if he/she is shaky on anything. So, Dee Dee, if your daughter is a little shaky in math, as indicated by the placement test, then use fourth grade math with her. It's still more advanced than public school's fifth grade math, and fouth grade math provides an excellent review of the 4 basic math functions, followed by more advanced concepts, including fractions, word problems, probability, etc.
Calvert's fifth grade included a number of good books. First up was Shiloh, about a boy who took in a beagle. This book presented an interesting moral dilemma for my little guy, who did not like the story because the dog, Shiloh, belonged to a local lout, who abused his dogs. While Mark knows it's wrong to mistreat animals, he also knows it's wrong to steal someone else's dog. He struggled, therefore, with this book, because he had a hard time finding a "good guy" in the book. I was proud that he saw the wrong on the part of both the parties involved with this poor beagle. The next book was The Sign of the Beaver, set in Maine in the late 1700s, about a white boy who's befriended by a tribe of Indians. This was Mark's favorite book of the year. American Tall Tales was a series of short stories about legends we all know, including Paul Bunyan. Call It Courage and Sing Down the Moon both dealt with native children dealing with the process of growing up, Number the Stars was about two girls in Denmark, one Jewish and one Christian, during World War II, and the Christian girl's family helping the Jewish girl's family escape the Nazis. The last book was The Secret Garden, traditionally read by girls, but both of my boys have reluctantly enjoyed it. Dee Dee, in the scholastic version of this course, two of the books are eliminated. Calvert's teacher manual is excellent, because it gives us an introduction to read to the child before he starts reading the assignment, and comprehension/discussion questions for after the reading is complete. Since your daughter is a reluctant reader, you can have her alternate reading aloud pages with you, which will improve her reading comprehension and speed. If you're willing to work at it, she can do this.
Grammar is covered in a Calvert School written workbook, and is a very thorough course. Critical Thinking and Reading Comprehension workbooks help enhance the reading and composition processes, and compositions are assigned, with them telling the parent how to teach the child to write better. Spelling is the Scott Foresman program, and is evidently well liked by others (although I still prefer Calvert's original 10 words per day spelling program). Science and History are nationally known programs, and Calvert goes through the entire book during the year - something schools don't do. History is a US History course, and my little guy enjoyed it. The Child's History of Art course covers the history of painting, starting with the Caves at Lascaux, continuing through Egyptian art and right up to Picasso and modern artists. It's great exposure for children to a subject many adults know only vaguely!
Dee Dee, I hope I've answered your questions. If not, please leave me your email address (I promise I'll delete it from public view as soon as I write it down), so I can correspond with you directly.
For anyone looking for a great homeschool curriculum, Calvert School delivers. It's not cheap, but it is very thorough, and a lot less than any private school tuition, even parochial schools.
Garden Tuesday: Peaches, again.
The boys brought back a few more peaches over the weekend, sadly, the last of the season, and something had to be done with them. Flash of inspiration: Girard's Peach Mimosa Salad Dressing! It's sweet, so it should work in a baked product, right? Here you have....
PEACH MIMOSA PEACH BREAD
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup peach mimosa dressing
1/2 cup milk
5 peaches, chopped small
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Stir together all the dry ingredients. Beat in the eggs, dressing and milk, and beat for one minute. Stir in the chopped peaches and nuts, and turn into two greased loaf pans. Bake 50 minutes for 9"x5" pans, or 1 hour for 8"x4" pans. Let cool, then wrap and store overnight before cutting for best flavor.
If you haven't rushed to the store for your Girard's Peach Mimosa dressing yet, add another 1/4 cup sugar, another 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup vegetable oil in its place. It won't be quite as peachy, but I'm sure it will still be delightful!
(And while my artsy picture sure is cute, I probably won't work that hard at setup again for a while. I need to spend my time cooking!)
PEACH MIMOSA PEACH BREAD
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup peach mimosa dressing
1/2 cup milk
5 peaches, chopped small
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Stir together all the dry ingredients. Beat in the eggs, dressing and milk, and beat for one minute. Stir in the chopped peaches and nuts, and turn into two greased loaf pans. Bake 50 minutes for 9"x5" pans, or 1 hour for 8"x4" pans. Let cool, then wrap and store overnight before cutting for best flavor.
If you haven't rushed to the store for your Girard's Peach Mimosa dressing yet, add another 1/4 cup sugar, another 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup vegetable oil in its place. It won't be quite as peachy, but I'm sure it will still be delightful!
(And while my artsy picture sure is cute, I probably won't work that hard at setup again for a while. I need to spend my time cooking!)
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Summer's Sewing
There are probably (maybe) 3 of you who've wondered what my sewing machines have been doing this summer. Well, It's actually been a sort of productive summer, although my posting wouldn't indicate such. In April, there was the green Daisy Lace Dress and a sundress from the same fabric. Then came the yellow gauze Claire Dress and a yellow gauze sundress. Following that was a white eyelet Daisy Lace dress and two different white eyelet sundresses. From there, I lusted after red. The red silk chiffon dressing gown and dress, and then...
A red sun dress (princess seamed):
A red long sleeved top (textured knit):
Red short sleeved top with fluffy sleeves (same textured knit):
Red Paisley silk chiffon Claire Dress (which I've never worn, because I haven't found a belt I like for it):
Red paisley silk chiffon sun dress (chiffon hangs so funny, maybe I should have taken these pictures flat):
Red paisley silk chiffon skirt (unlined, with beige satin slip under):
Then came the greens. You all saw the camoflage dress in July. Then came the kelly greens: A camisole:
Short sleeved top:
Princess seamed sun dress:
Short sleeved dress (not yet worn: I'd sort of forgotten it until I took these pictures):
And the hunter greens: A camisole:
And an A-line sun dress:
Then on to the pinks: A dusty rose a-line sundress:
A dusty rose short sleeved top:
A dusty rose long sleeved princess seamed dress (waiting for autumn):
And the hot pinks: A hot pink ballet top (copied from a top I bought in 1988, and loved, that shrunk too much for me to wear after a while; I've made about 6):
A hot pink long sleeved top:
A hot pink princess seamed sun dress (this one has seen a lot of wear in the last 6 weeks, since it came out of the machine; I love this color):
I'm in the middle of a light pink daisy lace dress, but have been stalled about 3 weeks. Maybe next weekend I'll get it done. Then I think maybe I'll make a couple of pink velour princess seamed dresses, before changing my serger's thread color. Yes, the evil serger threading keeps me sewing in color families. I'm thinking of moving to blue after the pink, maybe even avoiding the velour for the time (why tink of cold weather yet?), and maybe even making a long sleeved dress in the camoflage material, with some yellow accents. Sadly, another summer fades before me. School begins for the little boys on Wednesday, as it does for some of your children, too (and I know that some of you have already sent your kids back or begun teaching again). Hope you've all had a nice Labor Day weekend. Back to the real world tomorrow!
A red sun dress (princess seamed):
A red long sleeved top (textured knit):
Red short sleeved top with fluffy sleeves (same textured knit):
Red Paisley silk chiffon Claire Dress (which I've never worn, because I haven't found a belt I like for it):
Red paisley silk chiffon sun dress (chiffon hangs so funny, maybe I should have taken these pictures flat):
Red paisley silk chiffon skirt (unlined, with beige satin slip under):
Then came the greens. You all saw the camoflage dress in July. Then came the kelly greens: A camisole:
Short sleeved top:
Princess seamed sun dress:
Short sleeved dress (not yet worn: I'd sort of forgotten it until I took these pictures):
And the hunter greens: A camisole:
And an A-line sun dress:
Then on to the pinks: A dusty rose a-line sundress:
A dusty rose short sleeved top:
A dusty rose long sleeved princess seamed dress (waiting for autumn):
And the hot pinks: A hot pink ballet top (copied from a top I bought in 1988, and loved, that shrunk too much for me to wear after a while; I've made about 6):
A hot pink long sleeved top:
A hot pink princess seamed sun dress (this one has seen a lot of wear in the last 6 weeks, since it came out of the machine; I love this color):
I'm in the middle of a light pink daisy lace dress, but have been stalled about 3 weeks. Maybe next weekend I'll get it done. Then I think maybe I'll make a couple of pink velour princess seamed dresses, before changing my serger's thread color. Yes, the evil serger threading keeps me sewing in color families. I'm thinking of moving to blue after the pink, maybe even avoiding the velour for the time (why tink of cold weather yet?), and maybe even making a long sleeved dress in the camoflage material, with some yellow accents. Sadly, another summer fades before me. School begins for the little boys on Wednesday, as it does for some of your children, too (and I know that some of you have already sent your kids back or begun teaching again). Hope you've all had a nice Labor Day weekend. Back to the real world tomorrow!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Peach Upside Down Cake
My boys were wandering around the yard, and found these lovelies on our ancient, rickety peach tree! Well, OK, they're not as pretty as supermarket peaches, but they are a lot better!
The joys of what's now called "heirloom plants!" They smelled wonderful; they tasted even better, and the boys demanded that I make something vastly entertaining for them.
Craig Claiborne and his New York Times cookbook provided me with exactly what the boys wanted.
PEACH UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 to 5 peaches
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk
In an 8" square or 10" round glass baking pan, melt the 4 tbsp butter. Sprinkle 3/4 cup brown sugar evenly over the butter. Wash the peaches, and cut into sliced wedges about 3/8" to 1/2" thick at the outside (no, I did not peel them, and no one noticed). In a mixing bowl, cream the remaining butter with the 1/2 cup sugar. When it's evenly combined, beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth. Sift together the flour, powder and salt, and beat in in 3 applications, alternating with the milk. Beat until the batter's smooth, then spoon over the peaches. Bake at 350F for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. 
Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
Everyone loved this. The boys went and got the last 6 peaches from the tree yesterday, so this has to be on the menu this weekend, when 2 of the girls are coming home for the long Labor Day weekend. The boys insist. Hmmm. I wonder if that's just an excuse to get more peach upside down cake?
I hope everyone has nice plans for this holiday weekend. Hurricane Earl is staying well east of us; I hope my friends closer to the coast dry out before the weekend's over!
The joys of what's now called "heirloom plants!" They smelled wonderful; they tasted even better, and the boys demanded that I make something vastly entertaining for them.
Craig Claiborne and his New York Times cookbook provided me with exactly what the boys wanted.
PEACH UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 to 5 peaches
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk
In an 8" square or 10" round glass baking pan, melt the 4 tbsp butter. Sprinkle 3/4 cup brown sugar evenly over the butter. Wash the peaches, and cut into sliced wedges about 3/8" to 1/2" thick at the outside (no, I did not peel them, and no one noticed). In a mixing bowl, cream the remaining butter with the 1/2 cup sugar. When it's evenly combined, beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth. Sift together the flour, powder and salt, and beat in in 3 applications, alternating with the milk. Beat until the batter's smooth, then spoon over the peaches. Bake at 350F for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. 
Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
Everyone loved this. The boys went and got the last 6 peaches from the tree yesterday, so this has to be on the menu this weekend, when 2 of the girls are coming home for the long Labor Day weekend. The boys insist. Hmmm. I wonder if that's just an excuse to get more peach upside down cake?
I hope everyone has nice plans for this holiday weekend. Hurricane Earl is staying well east of us; I hope my friends closer to the coast dry out before the weekend's over!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Thor Feet
Did anyone wonder how big this sleeping doggy's feet really are?
Pretty big. Those are 2" wide floor boards. And those feet hurt if they land on one of mine!
Happy Thorsday, everyone!
Pretty big. Those are 2" wide floor boards. And those feet hurt if they land on one of mine!
Happy Thorsday, everyone!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Lucky Me!
Deana at Lost Past Remembered hosted a Girard's Salad Dressing giveaway recently. And last week, my lovely package arrived, because I was one of two lucky winners! So, thank you, Deana!
I've seen other people comment on the salad dressing bottles, and they really are quite pretty. The set also comes with this cute little booklet, with a little of this and that in it, including a fold out chart on how to set a complete formal table. I don't know about you, but the whole 3 each of forks, knives, spoons and glasses is never going to fly with me. I'm just saying. Nonetheless, it's rather entertaining reading.
My first foray into these dressings was a simple salad:
Champagne Cucumber Salad
2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced
2 carrot, peeled and grated
Girard's Champagne Salad Dressing
Put the veggies in a bowl; pour whatever amount of dressing you like over them, and let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
The Champagne Salad Dressing has a different kind of tang to it, somewhat reminiscent of the tang in Dijon mustard. I very much enjoyed it, as did some of my hungry hordes. I just won't share with the ingrates.
The next idea was a little different, inspired by my apple tree and some leftovers!
APPLE POPPYSEED CHICKEN SALAD
1 cooked, cold chicken leg and thigh
2 medium apples, cored and diced small
1/2 cup craisins
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (I mixed mine)
Approx. 1/4 cup Girard's Apple Poppyseed Dressing
Cut the chicken into bite sized morsels. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, apples, craisins, and nuts (if desired). Pour the Girard's Apple Poppyseed Dressing over the mixture, using more if you want a wetter chicken salad. I served some in a sandwich to my dearly beloved, who dubbed it "strange." I believe that's because this is a somewhat sweet dressing. I just loved it; I wolfed the remainder of the bowl down without bread or other encumbrances.
Now, to figure out what to do with the other two dressings! What a puzzle to have to endure just before Labor Day weekend, right?
I've seen other people comment on the salad dressing bottles, and they really are quite pretty. The set also comes with this cute little booklet, with a little of this and that in it, including a fold out chart on how to set a complete formal table. I don't know about you, but the whole 3 each of forks, knives, spoons and glasses is never going to fly with me. I'm just saying. Nonetheless, it's rather entertaining reading.
My first foray into these dressings was a simple salad:
Champagne Cucumber Salad
2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced
2 carrot, peeled and grated
Girard's Champagne Salad Dressing
Put the veggies in a bowl; pour whatever amount of dressing you like over them, and let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
The Champagne Salad Dressing has a different kind of tang to it, somewhat reminiscent of the tang in Dijon mustard. I very much enjoyed it, as did some of my hungry hordes. I just won't share with the ingrates.
The next idea was a little different, inspired by my apple tree and some leftovers!
APPLE POPPYSEED CHICKEN SALAD
1 cooked, cold chicken leg and thigh
2 medium apples, cored and diced small
1/2 cup craisins
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (I mixed mine)
Approx. 1/4 cup Girard's Apple Poppyseed Dressing
Cut the chicken into bite sized morsels. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, apples, craisins, and nuts (if desired). Pour the Girard's Apple Poppyseed Dressing over the mixture, using more if you want a wetter chicken salad. I served some in a sandwich to my dearly beloved, who dubbed it "strange." I believe that's because this is a somewhat sweet dressing. I just loved it; I wolfed the remainder of the bowl down without bread or other encumbrances.
Now, to figure out what to do with the other two dressings! What a puzzle to have to endure just before Labor Day weekend, right?
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