Tuesday, October 21, 2008

A Perfect Day For Pictures and Pie

I love that the weather is cooling. It makes for much more enjoyable times outside. A week or so ago I posted pictures of my kiddos at my Mom and Dad's house. Well we were there again this weekend, and I took more pictures.
We went shopping this week and found this cute little dress for the baby, at JCPenny's. I just love it.

This is a shot of Little Guy climbing a small red bud tree.


AND HOW SHOULD YOU END A PERFECT DAY?

WITH PIE!!

My oldest made the filling for this pie, while I made the crust. We usually use the recipe on the back of the pumpkin can, but I was out of condensed milk. I was sure that Martha Stewart would never use something as commercial as condensed milk so I pulled out one of her cook books, and sure enough I found what I was looking for. The recipe we used called for heavy cream (I know I shouldn't keep things that fattening on hand, but you never know when you might need it.). You can find the recipe here . We liked the pie, but it was not quite as sweet as the pie we usually make. So if we use the recipe again we will be adding a bit more sugar.

I am so proud of her, this is the first time she's done the filling start to finish, on her own. She now has the job (or should I say joy) of making the pumpkin pie for Holiday dinners. I did make the crust, but I told her that didn't matter. She could say she made the pie on her own, because a lot of people use bought crust any way.

Fancy That, cute pictures and pie, can't get much more perfect than that.

DeeLight

Saturday, October 18, 2008

A Halloween Party and Pink Saturday Too

What an exciting day!!! The enchanting Ms. V, of A Fanciful Twist, is hosting a fabulous Halloween Blog Party, and the Lovely Beverly, of How Sweet The Sound, is hosting the delightful Pink Saturday!! Visit them both and join in the fun.

This is the story of Trudie, you see
she wasn't like you and she wasn't like me.
She was a witch of the witchiest kind,

but when she put on pink she became true and kind.

One day when Trudie as walking to school, a small little bird squeaked,

"Why be so cruel ?"


She thought and she thought and she thought all the day.

"Why am I witchy and mean anyway?"


She pondered what she could do to bring change,
when suddenly she began to feel strange.
She ran into her house and then reappeared dressed all in pink,
all her friend thought her weird.

But then they discovered how pink made her change,
this mean little witch had been rearranged.
Once she'd been mean and always unkind,
but now she was a friend, the truest you'd find.

Now each year when Halloween come around she has the
grandest party in town.
What do you think this friendly witch serves?
Pink little ghosts, their good for the nerves.


Trudie's Pink Halloween Ghosts

3 egg whites

1/4 t cream of tartar

1/8 t salt

1 1/4 t vanilla

drop of red food coloring

1/2 C sugar

Beat egg whites and next 4 ingredients at high speed until foamy.

Add sugar, 1 T at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved.

Drop spoon fulls onto parchment lined cookie sheets, drag and swirl the mixture with your spoon to create ghosts, add mini chocolate chips for eyes.

Bake at 200 for 2 hours; turn on oven. Let meringues stand in closed oven with light on for 8 hours.

Fancy That, Pink is good for the attitude and calms the nerves too!!
Happy Halloween, DeeLight

Friday, October 17, 2008

Pumpkin Cookies

I needed to make cookies the other day, and decided to try something new. I failed to read the recipe well, before I started and had to substitute an ingredient, but they still turned out yummy!! The recipe was in an old Martha Stewart Magazine, but you can find it here. I substituted sourcream for the condensed milk, and used cream cheese icing rather than the suggested "brown butter icing". The recipe also says to use a pastry bag and pipe them onto the cookie sheet, I just used a spoon. They're easy to make and are soft and delicious. Okay so Martha's are prettier, but hey anything that tastes this good isn't going to be sitting on the counter for people to look at for too long!!

Fancy that, I didn't have all the ingredients, but the cookies still turned out.

DeeLight

Saturday, October 11, 2008

With Acceptance Comes Healing and Happy Hallowpink

Let me start by saying thank you to Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for hosting Pink Saturday.
With Acceptance Comes Healing
Last Saturday I came to terms with the fact that there is a difference between want and need. I began to realize and accept the fact that the Pink KitchenAid Mixer would not be mine. Yes, it was difficult at first, but I have moved on. I have realized that others could be just as loved in my kitchen. Meet my new friend, she can mix, she can stir...she's Pinkie the spatula (she has a little sister named Pink).


This picture doesn't do her justice. She's just covered in batter, but she loves it!! In this shot she's helping me make our favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies (by the way I use 1/4 C more flour than called for). Don't you just love her?

HAPPY HALLOWPINK!!

I don't know about you but I love decorating for the Seasons, but I don't love putting away my pink. So I don't. I love the way this cat (a decoration from my childhood) looks perched in the pink window. The little scarecrow lamp came from the dollar store (which make him all the more lovable).

Fancy That, acceptance has brought even more pink into my life, and Pink can be a friend to all colors even the Halloween kind!!

DeeLight

Thursday, October 9, 2008

The Magic Of Lime / and a new blog too

Wow, this week has gotten away. I've been working on a new blog with my good friend. It's a blog all about Girl Scouts. If you or someone you know is interested in Girl Scouts, check it out
Girl Scout Party (A blog celebrating Girls and their achievements in Girl Scouts)

I'm blogging while cooking dinner so I don't have much time. I wanted to share a super easy recipe for pickles I tried this week. They are Lime Crisp Pickles. I've never used pickling lime, but it's like magic. The cucumbers soaked in it, and when I drained off the lime they were so crisp. Does anyone know how that works?


7 lbs cucumbers

1 C pickling lime

2 qt vinegar

1 T salt

1 gallon water

1 T celery seed

9 C sugar

1 T mixed pickling spice

slice cucumbers and soak in solution of lime and water for 24 hours

Drain

Cover with cold water and soak for 3 hours.

Drain

Add vinegar, sugar, salt, celery seed, and spice. Soak over night.

Next day pour into pan and boil for 15 minutes.

Pack in jars and seal.

Fancy that, I'm in a real pickle for time with a new blog and pickles too. DeeLight