"muffins, quilts and the lost shoe"

This is a very random post. But I am random sometimes, so it works!
I took a quilting class about 8 years ago with my sister Donna. I made this pumpkin quilt and have had the top done for, ummmmm, about 8 years. I forgot (and don't have the time or patience) how to sew the borders, finish the backing and machine quilt it.
I just like to make the quilt tops.
And when I garden I don't like to weed, just plant the flowers.
And I don't like to make cupcakes or cookies but just like to decorate them. So I guess it fits my personality.
So last year I BEGGED my mom to finish it for me. We went to the fabric store and picked it all out. Then my grandma got sick and my mom spent a lot of time taking care of her.
So this year I overheard her saying she was going to sew something for my sister so I didn't let that one go. I called her (and begged again) for her to dig out my quilt and please, please, please finish it. She finished it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy, happy day. I LOVE IT. SO MUCH. Makes me SO happy. Thanks mom!!! It looks great. Means more to me than you know. Doesn't take much to make me happy. I have been using it every single day. And it's fall so it's perfect.........................

So here is another random post about my shoe.

I wore these to work on Friday. After work I had some errands to run and luckily I had a pair of flip-flops in my car. My feet thanked me for that. So these shoes were left in the car (drives my hubs crazy if ANYTHING is left in the car). Saturday morning Nicole had a volleyball tourney in Portland and they had to be at the high school at 5:45 am. yikes that's early.

So later in the morning I went out to my car to look for an umbrella cause we were headed to Jessie's wedding later and I didn't know if it would rain. So I was going to take my shoes in the house so I didn't "get in trouble" from hubs for leaving my shoes in the car. lol.

There was only 1 shoe. I looked under the car. Under the seat. No pair. Just one lonely shoe.

So I thought "crap, Nicole got out of the car this morning early in the pitch dark at the high school". My shoe must have gotten kicked out in the parking lot. I was leaving in about an hour to go pick up Kam for the wedding. So Tyler and I pick her up and tell her the story and that we are going to run by the high school in hopes the poor, lonely shoe is still there.

We pull in the parking lot and don't see the shoe. Dang. I liked those shoes. Oh well, it's just a shoe.

Until we get closer and it is gloriously perched (yes, this is exactly how we found it!!) on this pole. In the high school parking lot. Just waiting for me. We were hysterical laughing in the car. I had to take a pic and share this story. What are the chances?? Thanks to whom-ever saved my shoe. Here it is in all it's glory. (I texted hubs at work before I went to the school to look for it and his response was "well why were your shoes left in the car in the 1st place". whatever...............

So everyone knows I HATE TO BAKE. I don't know why. I love to cook and spend hours in the kitchen, but baking is not my thing. I will make homemade from scratch applesauce, tortilla chips, granola, spaghetti sauce, soup, etc. but don't like to bake.

But..............................................I found an awesome, healthy muffin recipe that only makes 1 dozen. So only one time in the oven and I'm done. My kids LOVED them. So did I. So yummy I had to share! (great texture too)

Oat Bran Muffins

2 c Quaker Oat Bran hot cereal, uncooked

1/4 c packed brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 c. skim milk

2 egg whites, slightly beaten

1/4 c. honey

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

cinnamon

1 med. mashed ripe banana

Heat oven to 425. Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking cups or spray bottoms only with no-stick cooking spray. Combine dry ingred: mix well. Mash banana in separate bowl. Combine milk, egg whites, honey and oil. Mix just until dry ingred. are moistened. Add banana. (seems really runny, but that's fine). Fill prepared muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 15-17 min or until golden brown. (2 weight watchers points). Enjoy!

"Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup"

If anyone is wondering what to do with all that leftover turkey. Here is a recipie to try. I found in on Recipe Girl. Sounds delish.

Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup

Great for leftover turkey...

1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken or turkey stock or broth
1 can diced green chilies, drained
2 cups 1% milk
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
2 cups shredded turkey
¾ cup corn, fresh or frozen
3 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes. Add chiles.
In a bowl, whisk together milk, flour, salt, chili powder and cumin. Increase heat to high and whisk milk mixture into soup. Stir until thick and bubbly, about five minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add turkey, corn, cilantro and cheese; stir until cheese is melted and soup is hot, 5 to 10 minutes.

Servings: 6

"pumpkin cake"

This time of year ANYTHING pumpkin is appealing to me. I want to make this cake right now and eat it. But I'm too tired, so looking at the pictures will have to do. I found this on Noble Pig. There are some very lovely recipes on this site. So EASY. Two ingredients!

Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze

For the Cake:

1 Yellow Cake Mix

1 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree

For the Glaze:

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tablespoons apple cider

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Empty the contents of the boxed cake mix and pumpkin puree into a large bowl.

Using a hand-mixer or stand mixer beat until well incorporated. The batter will be very thick, but will come together nicely.

Pour batter into a greased 7 x 11 X 2 pan.

This is the small, rectangular-sized pan from your Pyrex set. You know, the set you had to have when you got married and rarely ever used all the pieces. Finally, you have a use for it.

Bake at 350 degrees for 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake.Let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then flip onto a platter.

Make the glaze while you're waiting.

Combine powdered sugar, apple cider and pumpkin pie spice.

Glaze should be thick but pourable. Add more sugar or cider if needed. Pour over the cake while still warm. Reserve some to pour over each slice when served.

Serve warm or room temperature.

"candy corn cookie bark"

I had good intentions of making this yummy treat for Halloween. But that is already done and over. And I never got it done. So I have all of the stuff and am going to make it for Thanksgiving. I was printing off the recipe that I found on Recipe Girl and thought I would share with everyone. I will let you know how it is. How can you go wrong with these ingredients. Candy corn is my weekness. But I am back on my "healthy eating" today, so no candy corn until Thanksgiving.
Candy Corn Cookie Bark

14 to 16 whole Oreos, broken up
1½ cups mini pretzels, broken into pieces
1 lb white chocolate (chocolate wafers work best... try Wiltons or Guittard brand)
1 cup candy corn
brown and orange colored sprinkles
1. Place waxed paper on large cookie sheet. Spread cookies, pretzels and about 3/4 cup of the candy corn into a 13x9-inch rectangle on the waxed paper.
2. Place chocolate in glass measuring cup and heat in microwave for about 1½ minutes. Stir and then microwave for about another 30 seconds until melted and smooth.
3. Drizzle melted chocolate immediately over cookie mixture, spreading with spatula (if needed) to coat evenly. Top with reserved candy corn and colored sprinkles. Work quickly before chocolate hardens.
4. Place into refrigerator until firm. Remove and gently break apart into small pieces for serving. Store in airtight container.
Yield: About 2 dozen pieces

"my day off"

I know it doesn't feel like fall and it's supposed to be 88 degrees today, but if I turn on the air conditioning and don't leave the house, I can pretend that it is fall. I also have a little boy home from school today with a sore throat. So................I have been so domestic today. I have baked cookies for Nicole and her friends when they get home from school. Almost finished up ALL of the laundry (that happens like once a year), put chicken in the crockpot for dinner with some rice, baked a weight watchers pumpkin pie, made homemade granola, cleaned out the fridge, blogged :) , and made Spaghetti Bolognese for dinner tomorrow night with whole wheat angel hair pasta. And it's only 2:00 in the afternoon! Here is the recipe. (I want this to be my life every day, I know to some this sounds weird and for people who hate to cook, just downright wrong, but I love it.) And my house smells like pumpkin pie and cookies right now...
Spaghetti Bolognese
3/4 lb. ground beef (Lean)
1 onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot chopped (I used shreds that I found at Walmart yesterday)
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 (14 oz) can italian style diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 c. fat free milk
1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 lb. whole wheat angel hair pasta
Spray non-stick skillet with Pam spray. Add beef and cook until browned. Drain. Add onion and garlic, cook until softened, about 5 min. Stir in carrot and cook about 2 min. Stir in mushrooms, tomatoes, paste, kidney beans and spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered 10 min. Add milk and cook uncovered until sauce is thickened (it is already pretty thick), about 15 min. Salt & Pepper.
Cook pasta according to pkg directions. Drain and divide among 4 plates and top with the sauce. Garnish with basil if desired. Enjoy
Pumpkin pie.

"homemade granola"

The other night at 10:00 pm (late I know, and I had to go to work the next day!!!) I was browsing thru a cookbook (weird I know) and I came across this recipe for homemade granola. I had all of the ingredients and decided to give it a try. It was raining outside, so I opened up my kitchen window and started assembling my ingredients. This is my "version" (I strayed a bit from the original) and my house smelled wonderful! It turned out GREAT and I will make it a regular food that I make. The kids loved it as well. Here is the recipe.

Granola

3 c. regular oats, uncooked

1/2 c. flaked coconut

1 c. salted cashews (I left them whole)

1/4 c. wheat germ

1/4 c. sunflower seed kernels

1/4 c. + 2 TBSP honey

1/4 c. vegetable oil

2 1/2 TBSP water

2 TBSP brown sugar

3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

(next time I will try adds such as dried cranberries, etc as the seasons change. I don't like raisins in my granola, but some people might. Adjust to your families likes.)

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well, set aside.

Combine honey and the rest of the ingred.; pour over oat mix and stir well. Spread mix evenly on a cookie sheet (with a lip).

Bake at 350 for 25 min or until golden brown, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 1 month. Yields 5 1/2 c. YUMMM....

"cosmopolitan"

This is my drink of choice when I go out to a restaurant (which is rarely.) I really wanted one tonight after me and BFF went on a 3 mile walk . Decided I didn't want to drink the calories I just burned off, so I settled for my next fav drink. Dt. Pepsi with Lime. (as seen on a previous post.) I think everyone should come over and we can have a party.............

"Cosmo"

2 oz. vodka, 1/2 oz. triple sec, 1 oz. cranberry juice, 1/2 oz. Rose's lime juice or fresh lime juice. Pour into a cocktail shaker with crushed ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a lime twist. Enjoy...

"I Love Cheesy Biscuits"

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix
¾ cup cold whole milk
4 tablespoons cold butter (1/2 stick)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese
Bush on Top:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
½ teaspoon garlic powder
pinch salt
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don't want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and ¼ teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.
3. Drop approximately ¼-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop.
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.
5. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter is a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Makes one dozen biscuits.

Heaven in a glass...............

Raspberry Lemon Drop Martini
1 1/2 oz Ketel One Citroen Vodka
3/4 oz DeKuyper Triple Sec
3/4 oz Chambord Liqueur
1 1/2 oz Sour mixer
Juice from two lemon wedges
In metal mixing tin, fill with ice, add the Vodka, Triple Sec, Sour mix and lemon juice. Shake thoroughly and strain into chilled Martini Glass. Pour the Chambord down the center of the drink for layered affect (red bottom, yellow/white up top)
Garnish: Lemon Twist, Sugar the Rim
Courtesy California Pizza Kitchen.

pizza

Making homemade pizza for dinner. Have a house full of teenage girls. They eat a lot. Making monkey bread in the morning. It's a tradition...they expect it.

Here is the recipe for the monkey bread:

3/4 c sugar
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
2 - 12 oz cans refridgerated biscuits
1/4 c evaporated milk
3/4 c brown sugar, packed
1 stick of butter

Combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Separate biscuits; cut each one into fourths. Coat with sugar and cinnamon mix; stack in bottom and around sides of lightly buttered bundt pan. Bring evaporated milk, brown sugar and butter to aboil until thickened; pour over biscuits. Bake @ 350 for 28 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from pan. Serve warm. Makes 12 servings