Looking forward to 2014I

Hope everyone is ready to welcome the new year....we are so looking forward to all the changes that will come--they always do.
New project using a fabric that is part linen and part cotton. It just arrived. Try Fabric.com to find it. It is known as Essex. I will be embroidering and sewing up some kitchen stuff.
Tutorials will follow. I am fighting a nasty cold that has gone through the whole family. My turn...
We are still going to enjoy some baked smoked ham, pot of beans, some strawberry salad and fudge cake lets.
I prefer to make the cake lets, that way every member of the family can fix theirs anyway they want. The main item for the grandkids is my homemade chocolate syrup.
Here's the recipe:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
Place the sugar and cocoa in a saucepan and whisk them together, add the water and salt. Heat over low heat whisking until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Add the vanilla and stir thoroughly. Let cool. Keep in a glass jar or a squeeze bottle. It lasts a month in the refrigerator but I admit I haven't tested that as it doesn't ever last that long here.

Mason jar lamp

This was the first mason jar lamp I made. You can buy these flame-like light bulbs with a small base to fit inside of this fake candle base. There's an electrical holder already wired with a cord that fits inside. Our local hardware store had these parts. I had to carefully cut out a side hole at the bottom to put the cord through. Otherwise it would go through a hold in the lid then a hole in the glass jar. Not what I wanted to do. I want to keep the jar whole. It's an antique and I love all its bubbles!

New Dish for Thanksgiving this year!

Oat-Topped Sweet Potato Crisp

  Photo by Kraft Foods

1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 can  (40 oz.) sweet potatoes, drained

¾ cup  packed brown sugar, divided
¼ tsp.  ground cinnamon

1 Granny Smith apple, chopped

⅔ cup  chopped cranberries
½ cup  flour
½ cup  old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, uncooked
⅓ cup  cold butter or margarine, cut into chunks
¼ cup  chopped PLANTERS Pecans

HEAT oven to 350°F.

BEAT cream cheese, potatoes, 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon with mixer until blended. Spoon into 1-1/2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; top with fruit.

MIX flour, oats and remaining sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle over fruit.

BAKE 35 to 40 min. or until heated through.

Thanks to Kraft Foods for providing the recipe for this exciting dish. We're looking forward to it.

PS. This was darn good. Worth getting out some sweet potatoes and cream cheese!

Live Jazz Band in the house tonight!

My husband has been a band director. He's also a musician. He plays tuba, string bass and trombone. He has reunited his former group known as the Evergreen Classic Jazz Band and they will be here tonight to rehearse. They've got a live performance in November. No one call me tonight. I won't be able to here you. If you came to my house tonight and wanted to talk to me, I won't be able to hear you. Thanks to some new windows we put in 5 years ago, we won't be disturbing da neighbas!
They are also coming to eat first! A wonderful pork stew in in the big crockpot, herb and garlic breadsticks are on the menu. Little pumpkin cakes are dessert.
Meanwhile, I've set up a sewing station in my bedroom. So much to do this holiday season. And, as usual, I always think I can do it all.........don't know what I would accomplish if I didn't think this! NO TV tonight--again--I wouldn't be able to hear it. The band has seven musicians: trumpet, trombone, clarinet/sax, banjo, piano, drums and tuba. Trust me---that's a lot of sound.
It is always with great joy to prepare for them. The music this group makes is so fantastic. And, it is so rare to hear.
The three four-legged critters that live with us will bark at first, then settle comfortably on their beds in my bedroom and happily spend their evening with me. They, too, love the music.

I think hubby's chewing something--oops! He's got a lot of music he's thrashing through!

Freaky grandson

I made a new banner for this blog. Inside the left frame is a photo of my grandson dressed as The Scream. His favorite Halloween costume. You've heard of kids wanted to be the sheet ghost year after year--OK I'm aging myself--well, this guy loves to be The Scream. He'll be on the blog until Halloween. He's quite thrilled. He found the Halloween Peeps I bought. Ate them quite heartily---yikes! I would love to learn how to make marshmallows. Anyone out there who can help me?

Pumpkin Butter & Tatting

Pumpkin butter and biscuits--can you imagine it? I can hardly wait. One of the Farm Girls shared this recipe:
3 1/2 cups pumpkin pureé
2 teapoons vanilla
3/4 cup apple cider
1 cup packed brown sugar
2-3 teaspoons cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Combine pumpkin, vanilla, apple cider, spices, cinnamon and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well.
Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-40 minutes until thickened. Stir frequently.
This recipe can be doubled. Some use the crockpot to do the simmering.
It's a reduced sugar recipe thanks to the apple cider.

My friend and I decided to tackle tatting. We first tried a more difficult method, then the easy one. Love it! Now to practice to make it a smooth operation! :)

Can't wait!

Although summer has been fantastic here, I sense the hint of fall coming and welcome it. Rain is due back for several days. Grass will become greener, tomatoes may stay green, apples will arrive in our markets of many kinds and everything pumpkin is coming. I love it. I love the cool mornings and warm afternoons. All the colors of fall warm my heart.

Grandkids are starting school this Wednesday. It'll be nice to have them on their routine and going to their new home. Once they're settled, all will be well in their household. Their summer was full of fun and being spoiled.