German Pancakes and *drumroll*

Buttermilk syrup. While the family loves German pancakes more than the normal ones we have found that the buttermilk syrup is the epitome of AWESOME!!! Our family has said it needs to be in the fridge and ready to heat at all times. So without further I give you our favorite recipe.

Ingredients: Makes 8 small servings

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• BUTTERMILK SYRUP:
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• confectioners' sugar

  Directions:

1. Place the eggs, milk, flour and salt in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour the butter into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish; add the batter. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the first five syrup ingredients; bring to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Dust pancake with confectioners' sugar; serve immediately with the syrup. 

Tips:
1. Make sure all the pancake ingredients are well blended.
2. Use butter in the syrup, comes out a bit thicker, but not much.

We have this for breakfast and dinner at least twice a month. We double both recipes and place the left over syrup in the fridge so we don't have to make it each time. It should stay fresh for 2 weeks if your family hasn't begged you to make breakfast all the time.

 Christmas morning the first time we made it. So yup that's a bottle of normal maple syrup on the table and it was never used.

Pegging me for a crafter

I needed a new space to hang my ribbons that was easy to change out when either A. I ran out or B. needed to take it with me. The hubby had some old peg board and posts from the garage and I had the frame and paint.

 1. First step was to cut the board down to the right size and then I painted it a nice matt black.

 2. To add a bit of cuteness and to use some of my nifty ribbon I glued lengths of it to the outer edge. It over laps a bit where the frame goes but I though it made it look more finished.

3. I sanded the edges down a bit to take off some of the stain and then it was off to paint the frame. Since I have GALLONS of left over house paint (gee I really should finish painting my kitchen) I used my red to brush on and slightly wash the frame. Then i used a paper towel and rubbed some of the paint off to give it a used look. Put the frame and back together and look at it now.

I plan on gluing some little strawberries and bows to cover up the screws holding it to the wall. When I find the one I really want I'm putting up a ruler under it so I can measure just what I need.

It's sew easy to fall in love...

I found this totally awesome cute half apron at Goodwill one day and we I didn't buy it cause I just knew I could make one. I was excited when my hubby told me he'd get me a sewing machine for my birthday next month, so I thought hey I have time to get everything I need together... I about killed myself jumping for joy when I got one from my Mom for Christmas instead. I was in a whirlwind of ideas but alas no thread to do anything with, so last week I finally bought some and VOILA!

I started sewing again. And as you can see I have a pair of pants that are getting a ruffled edge... Is it a skirt? NOPE it's a cute apron!

My lovely daughter is modeling her new cooking apron. It's made from the butt from a pair of her old jeans, a bit of ruffled lace and a ribbon belt to tie it on.

Working on one for me that will  have a button hole to place changeable hand towels while I work.

After this I made a couple quick throw pillows to add some color to my living room and bedroom, can't wait till I get a chance to do more.

2 weeks of Thanksgiving, Day 3 ~

Sorry for the wait, internet was down all day yesterday at my house.

Create a fall welcome sign in a few easy steps. Hot-glue a small pumpkin on top of a slightly larger pumpkin. Print the word "welcome" on a piece of cardstock. Fold a ribbon in half and attach it (and the cardstock) to the pumpkin with a corsage pin, as shown in the picture. These even make great place cards or make as a take home gift.




Don't forget to check out today's recipe, roasted vegetables and chickpeas

2 weeks of Thanksgiving, Day 3 ~ Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas

Sorry for the wait, internet was down all day yesterday at my house.

Roasting brings out the sweetness and boosts the flavor of fall vegetables in this hearty side dish.

Ingredients

• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut in 2-inch pieces
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
• 1 large red onion, peeled, halved, and cut in 1-inch wedges
• 1 pound red or russet potatoes, cut in cubes
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 16 ounce can chick peas (garbanzos), rinsed and drained
• 2 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar or granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Position an oven rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place all vegetables, garlic, and chickpeas in a large shallow roasting pan. In a small bowl combine the oil, rosemary, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Drizzle over vegetables; toss well to coat.

2. Roast, uncovered, about 45 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned and tender, stirring twice.

And don't forget to check out today's craft idea, harvest greetings

Lemon Raspberry cupcakes

I found this recipe in a  magazine to make these cupcakes but it required boxed cake and jelly. I wanted something more so I tweaked it my way. First I found a lemon cake recipe I liked.

Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions:

In a bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Beat well after each addition. Stir in extracts.

Pour into papered muffin cups. Bake at 350° 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. 

I did mine the night before and let them cool and harden up a bit.

Filling:
Ingredients:
3 C raspberries (mine were picked fresh in season then frozen for later use)
1/2 C sugar

Directions:
• Placed 2 cups of raspberries small sauce pan with  sugar.
• Cook on med heat till fruit and sugar has reduced down and all you have is juice and seed pulp.
• Place in remaining cup or raspberries and  cook til soft, but still holds fruit shape.
• Remove from heat and strain juice from pulp, set aside.

• Using any tip that will allow pulp to past through pipe into cupcakes till sides 'pop' from filling.





Frosting: 


Ingredients:
• 1 package Confectioners' Sugar (16 ounces)
• 1/2 C Butter or Margarine (1 stick), softened
• 1-1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 TBS Milk
• 2 TBS Fresh Lemon
• frosting colors in yellow, pink, and green (optional)

TIP: I doubled my frosting and flavored only half of it. I used 3 TBS of lemon to make it very tart.

Directions: • In large bowl, with mixer at medium-low speed, beat confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth and blended.
• Add citrus juice.
• Increase speed to medium-high; beat until frosting is light and fluffy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

• Beat in additional milk as needed for easy spreading consistency.
• If adding coloring to do the way I did you'll need to take About 1/2 C out of pink tinting, and 1/4 C for green. Add yellow to the remaining frosting and tint how light or dark you want.

Decorating:

• Pipe on yellow frosting, I went with the spatula method but they would look just as good with a large start tip.
• Place in fridge till frosting is harder than when spread.










 • Tint 1/4 C green and fill piping bag with a leaf tip.

• Pipe leaves over yellow and set back in fridge to harden. 

• Tint 1/2 C frosting pink,
• Add 2-4 TBS of raspberry juice you set aside to flavor your flowers
• Fill bag with a flower tip.
• Holding bag straight up I turned my cupcake while squeezing bag. (I know this isn't the way to do it but it made my flowers faster with softer frosting.
• Add some sugar pearls for the middles and enjoy. 

2 weeks of Thanksgiving, Day 2 ~Wrapped Votives

Place your favorite harvest-scented candles inside glass votive cups and wrap the vessels with tamale-making husks (available at grocery stores). Soak husks in warm water for a minute to make them flexible. Tightly wrap a husk around a votive cup and hold in place with a rubber band. Trim excess husk at the top and bottom. Twist a thin length of husk and tie it around the center of the candleholder; remove rubber band. Don't for get to stop by and check out today's recipe, make ahead stuffing.

Apple Pie Cupcakes.

What's better than an apple pie? Apple pie cupcakes that's what.

What you'll need:
12 small apples, I used yellow delicious and galas.
1/2 C brown sugar
2 TBS cinnamon
1 TBS lemon juice
2 C powder sugar
water to cover mixture
12-24 vanilla cupcakes

What to do:

1. Slice apples and  place in pan with lemon juice. Add cinnamon and brown sugar stir, coating well. Pour water over apples to cover about 1/2 and inch above. get a nice rolling boil and then turn down to med/low and cook till apples are tender. Remove from heat, place apples in a bowl and chop with a mixer or blender till just under chunky. take liquid from pot, add powder sugar and mix well.

 2. Slice cupcakes in half horizontally, adding applesauce to cover one side. Place top back on and set aside.

3. Plate cupcakes & drizzle  applesauce glaze on top and let run down sides of cupcake. Serve and enjoy.

2 weeks of Thanksgiving, Day 1 ~ Chutney-Honey Glazed Ham

If you're like me and no holiday dinner is complete without a yummy glazed ham try this recipe at your next holiday meal.

 

Ingredients

• 1~ 7 - 8 pound cooked bone-in spiral-sliced ham
• 1~ 9 ounce jar (3/4 cup) mango chutney
• 2~ tablespoons honey
• 1~ tablespoon stone-ground mustard
• Fresh mint sprigs (optional)
   
    Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. If desired, insert an ovenproof meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the ham. Thermometer should not touch bone.* Bake, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours.

  2. Meanwhile, for glaze, in a small bowl, stir together chutney, honey, and mustard. Using kitchen scissors, snip any large pieces of fruit in the mixture.

  3. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the glaze over ham. Bake, uncovered, about 15 minutes more or until meat thermometer registers 140 degrees F.

  4. Serve ham with the remaining glaze. If desired, garnish with fresh mint.

  
  

  Don't forget to take a look at today's craft project, Trivets for the holiday's.

Happy Halloween!

So I chose to make my own headless gingerbread men, but instead of using the recipe I posted I used a simple sugar cookie and hard icing recipe for mine. I also added lemon extract in the dough & icing for the men and orange extract and color for the pumpkins. They came out very nice with just the right mount of flavor.

Here's my work ladies and gentlemen...  First I started out with about 30 dozen mini men, and then I ripped the heads off and tossed them aside. Mixing up a basic hard cookie icing, I colored it a brownish red and flavored it lemon to match the cookies. Piping the color on only the broken edges I created a 'bloody' body.

Next thing I did was to have the hubby paint orange colored and flavored frosting on the 15 dozen pumpkins I needed and let both sets dry over night.
I bagged each cookie together and placed 30 bags for each classroom, then dragged my butt up, and drove the kids to school. 




And of course I have leftover cookies but no more bags. Maybe it's a sign that I need to stop baking so much. I can't give any of it away any more. LOL So now this mama is off to take a nap and then finish carving the rest of the pumpkins. Don't forget to check out my First ever dragon pumpkin carving I did.

Headless Gingerbread men

If you love making gingerbread people over the holidays, you'll love this fun take for All Hallows Eve! This recipe for Headless Halloween Gingerbread People is too cute for words and they make great Halloween party cookies.

 
Cooking Time: 10 min
Ingredients
 10 ounces or 300 grams self-rising flour
 Pinch salt
 4 ounces or 100 grams caster sugar
 3 teaspoons ground ginger
 2 ounces or 50 grams margarine or dairy-free spread
 3 tablespoons golden syrup
 4 tablespoons milk or water
 1 tablespoon raspberry or strawberry jam

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius or 325 degrees F. Grease a baking tray.
2. Put salt, flour and ginger in a bowl. Warm sugar, fat and syrup together, and add this to the dry ingredients. Mix well.
3. Add milk or water and mix to a firm consistency, and then knead lightly.
4. Roll out dough and use a person-shaped cookie cutter to cut shapes out.
5. Modify these shapes with a knife, removing most of the head. Feel free to get creative and leave jagged edges at the neck or remove part of a limb too etc!
6. Place on baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes. Remove and cool on cooling rack, as syrup-based cookies need a few minutes to crisp up after baking.
7. Decorate with the jam and a pastry brush/small paintbrush, brushing the jam onto the necks. Again, feel free to get creative - clumps or trickles of jammy 'gore' are all in the spirit of Halloween!