Snicker Bar Cupcake

It all started with a bag of snickers.  I needed to make some cupcakes for our YW camp fundraiser tonight and was drawing a blank on what sort of cupcake I should make.  So........ I started with a snickers bar.  Then a little web browsing and this is what I ended up doing........
Bakingdom had a great recipe for Snicker Bar Cupcakes that I followed--kind of.  Except I used store bought ice cream caramel topping and, instead of the candy filling she makes, I used cream cheese filling with more caramel sauce mixed in.  I mean these are seriously sweet and rich cupcakes and the candy filling felt like overkill.  If that is possible in a cupcake.......... 

Here they are all packaged up for the auction.  Diana

String Art

My son Mark's first attempt at string art!  I think it looks great and really makes an impact for very little money.  Cool.  Diana

Easy Half Square Triangle Block Quilt

I have always wanted to make a quilt using triangle squares but have been soooooo afraid of the dreaded bias sewing that I never tried (successfully anyway) making one.  But after seeing something on TV recently (Sewing With Nancy???) using a sandwiching method I BELIEVED I COULD DO IT!!!  And here is the result.....

I used one layer cake of "Odds and Ends" by Julie Comstock that I got at Green Fairy Quilts.  Using lights and darks creates the secondary bulls eye pattern.  The backing and bindings were from my stash.  I machine quilted using a fish scale design that I loved. 

If you would like to see exactly how to make four half square triangle blocks at a time without any measuring,  I found a great tutorial at http://www.thatgirlthatquilt.com/2011/03/have-stitchin-weekend.html .  I failed to take pics of the steps myself, but found her site which explains it better than I ever could!  Don't you love the web.  This quilt will be auctioned off at our annual Girl's Camp fundraiser this next Saturday! 

Diana

A Boy and His Valentines

Little guy is in 4th grade and quite frankly not interested in Valentine's Day.  Well, actually he is perfectly content with eating all the candy, but not so much the L.O.V.E part of it all.  When it came time to put together his class valentines, these were just perfect for him.  I found these fun nose pencil sharpeners on Amazon.com .

Don't Worry, What Could Go Wrong

Do you see the ugly fabric on my dining room chair?  I've had them for 8 years and hated the cushions from day one.  It's not like I DON'T KNOW how to do a simple seat recover.  Done many over the years.   But I just never got around to it.

I even have had the fabric.  What got me going?  We are getting new hardwood floors in two weeks and I couldn't bear to put these ugly chairs back in the room.  So today was the day!  This was going to be a quick and easy job.  I took off the seats, saved the screws, cut out the first cover and stapled it over the cushion.  Now I just needed to put it back on the chair.  But guess what.  The seats are fiberboard and the screws had mangled the "wood" so the screws wouldn't hold.  Now what.  Maybe I could fill the holes with wood putty?  I didn't have any.  Longer screws?  The thought of sitting on one put me off of that idea.  Well, at least I could remove the rest of the seats and get them covered.......oops, ran out of staples.  Bummer and by now my dining room looked like a bomb had exploded all over it.  Not good.  I dug in my tool box and found a few individual staples that had broken off the strip, and a few tacks.  They would have to do.  With some creative folding I was able to finish the reupholstering.  I also decided to try ONE MORE TIME to attach the seats to the chairs.  Guess what.  By accidentally putting the seats on chairs they hadn't come off of, the screws didn't line up with the old messed up holes and I was able to get them into new wood, for the most part anyway.  Phew.  Another save.

And my easy project is finally done!

Diana

Got Yogurt?

Do you know what it takes to make your own homemade yogurt?  Just a few tablespoons of greek yogurt......and it can be store bought.......until you have made your own starter!  Did that make any sense?

I got the recipe from Healthy Choices Cookbook. 

Start with a quart of milk (I use raw milk but I don't think it matters if it is store bought)  Bring the milk to 180 degrees, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and drop to 130.  Dissolve 1 1/2 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin in 1/8 cup of cold water.  Add gelatin and 1/8 cup of greek yogurt (plain) to milk.  You can also add a sweetener if you like but I don't.  I'm a "fruit at the bottom" type of girl.  Beat with a wire whisk until well blended and put in a quart jar with lid.  Now comes the magic- turn on the light in your oven and set the jar inside with door closed.  Wait about 8 hours.  Now when you take it out of the oven it won't look solid enough, but don't fret, it will firm up in the fridge.  Chill and serve just as you would greek yogurt.  Be sure and save a bit of yogurt at the bottom of the jar for your next batch and start all over again.  The recipe in the cookbook is actually quadrupled but that is way too much yogurt for us!  This yogurt is creamy and tart and perfect with the honey from our own hives! 

Diana

Crackly Coconut Sugar Cookies

New Cookie!  Lately I have been on the hunt for bakery looking cookies.  I think this one is that pretty!   I adapted it  from Hiving Out's sugar cookie recipe.  I added way more sugar (duh) and some fine grounded coconut.

I also reduced the baking time cuz my oven is always quicker than what recipes call for. 

 

Crackly Coconut Sugar Cookies
INGREDIENTS
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup super fine coconut (food processor)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar (sanding or granulated) for rolling cookies
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat the oven to 350*F and arrange a rack in the middle. Combine butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl sides and bottom. Add yolks, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds.
2. Add coconut. flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar and mix on low speed until dough comes together. Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons and roll between your hands until smooth.
3. Roll dough in sanding or granulated sugar to coat and place on parchment-paper-lined baking sheets. Bake cookies until they are golden brown around the edges but still soft in the center, about 13 minutes. Immediately transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen good size cookies.  Yum Yum.