How To: Repurpose Stockings to Throw Pillows

Well, this isn't so much a how-to as a go-do! I had been meaning to make some felted-sweater-stocking-pillows for a couple weeks now but you know how things get this close to Christmas. Thankfully, I had a light bulb moment and decided that filling extra stockings with fabric scraps I have hoarded saved or just this purpose would be even better! Pretty freakin' adorable right?



All I did was fill and sew. See the seam at the top? Looks like it supposed to be there doesn't it? Well, almost. You could even hand sew it. Machine not required for this one. In fact a blanket stitch would probably look lovely.

They are surprisingly comfortable, even two stacked in a wing back chair.

I was just happy to have a use or some of the extras we had. We have a total of nine stockings. Nine. We are only three people. But A friend made Wednesday's stocking and machine embroidered her name on it so we keep that one out. I mean, how often do you think Wednesday will receive personalized items? I have the black and white denim patchwork one you see in my header. It is just too pretty not to hang, and it is kinda small so Ron doesn't go broke trying to fill it. Finally, I made Ron a new stocking this year out of two felted wool sweaters. He loves his wool socks so I mimicked one for the stocking. (I had in previous Christmases used a wool sock or his stocking but they are just too small for things like movies, cds or novels.) His ace lit up when I showed him his new stocking, I was so proud.

Happy Christmas Crafting!

Recipe : Fabulous Pumpkin Bread

Starbucks eat your hearts out!
October has arrived, and you know what that means? Pumpkin bread at Starbucks! That is good stuff yes? Heck yes! Now, some of you know how truly awesome this bread is have also been super saddened to find it gone to make room for more seasonal goodies like gingerbread. Also good but not nearly as amazing. Well, it took me two years but I finally came up with a recipe that rivals Starbucks. And not like oh it is better because it is homemade but because it tastes just like it! Want some? I thought so!

Ingredients
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree (I LOVE E.D. Smith's)
1 tbs vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

Modus Operandi

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. Add eggs and beat.
4. Add 2 cups pumpkin and beat until well mixed.
5. Add vanilla and beat.
6. In a separate bowl whisk remaining dry ingredients.
7. Add to wet ingredients and mix until well combined (But do not over beat)
8. Pour into greased loaf pans.
9. bake for 50-60 minutes checking after 50 minutes.

Yields: Two regular loaves or eight mini loaves 
Some notes:

• I like to top this with pepitas (Uncooked pumpkin seeds) but I ran out for this batch. If you choose to be sure to add them before baking.
• The loaves pictured are mini loafs and I pulled them out after twenty one minutes in silicone pans.
• You can substitute three large very ripe bananas for the pumpkin to make banana bread.
• Wrapped in plastic wrap it stays moist longer than wax paper.

Bon Appetit!

Recipe : Strawberry Banana Cheesecake

What says Mother's Day more than cheesecake? Nothing. I defy you to find me a woman who does not enjoy a quality cheesecake. So, naturally it fits that you would make the mother in your life a delicious cheesecake. This one is a New York style made with bananas and topped with fresh (and cooked) strawberries. It is big, and rich and there is nothing healthy about the combined ingredients but I promise you,it is one of the best cheesecakes you have ever eaten!

Crust
2 pkgs Lady Fingers biscuits (Should equal two cups when crushed) (Or Graham crumbs if that is what you have/prefer.)
3/4 Cup butter (melted)

Mix crushed biscuits with melted butter and press into bottom of springform pan. This recipe is large enough for a 12" pan.

Cake
(3) 8 oz pkg of cream cheese (softened)
1 sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 eggs (room temperature)

Beat cream cheese until soft, add sugar and salt. Add eggs one at a time and beat until super smooth. Pour over crumb crust and bake @ 350 for 50 minutes.

Take out and let cool for 15 minutes.

Topping
1 1/2 cup sour cream
1 large very ripe banana
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mash banana really really good. The more you mash it, the less you see the bits. Blend all ingredients as smooth as possible. Pour over cake after the 15 minutes is up. bake @ 450 for 10 minutes.

When cool, top with fresh fruit. If you want even more delectable goodness, make a super quick berry reduction by heating one cup of berries with a couple tablespoons of sugar. Simmer until thick. Pour over individual slices of cake.

This cake can be made in a twelve inch pan and feed twelve easily. Or it can be made in a ten inch and still feed twelve. It just bakes higher in a ten inch, but the slices are just as heavy, just not as thick.

Bring this to yoru Mother's day tea party luncheon and you will leave with more than one Mom!

Bon Appetit!

Recipe : Pipe-able Cream Cheese Frosting

I made some carrot cupcakes this weekend for a family get together and since it was close to Easter I wanted to make them a little bit fun. Cream cheese frosting is not necessarily known for it's pipe-able properties. It is definitely known for being delicious and pairing perfectly with carrot cake though so it was only natural I thicken it up some how to make the pretty little bird nests you see pictured.

This yields enough to pipe small nests on about ten cupcakes and spread another ten. (The cupcakes I made were very muffin like without frosting so I chose to leave some bare for snacking.)

Ingredients
2 cups icing sugar
1-8oz package of cream cheese (Softened)
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
cream (Optional, use only if you find consistency not creamy enough)
Food colouring

Directions
With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together.
Add vanilla and colouring
Add icing sugar slowly until well combined.
Add cream tsp by tsp if consistency too thick. Alternatively add more icing sugar if it is not thick enough.
Put into icing bag and use immediately on cooled cake/cupcakes/cookies.

This is not so stiff you cannot spread it nicely, but if you want it creamier add another 1/8 cup of butter and cream by the teaspoon until it reaches desired consistency.

Recipe : Tortilla Lasagna Pie

This is one of my most favourite dishes. It is also one of my favourite vegetarian dishes as I make it with beans and veggie ground round. It is so simple and so good I cannot believe I have not shared it before now. It has become one of my comfort food dishes. It is also a fantastic way to use up pantry items and/or left over chili.

Tortilla Lasagna Pie

Ingredients

Tortilla shells 8" work well but if you have a pan big enough you could use 10"
1 pkg Veggie Ground Round or browned ground beef (1lb)
Can of your favourite canned bean (We like black)
1 Green or red pepper diced
1 Onion finely chopped
1 tbsp Cajun or chili seasoning + tsp cornstarch
2-3 cups shredded cheddar

You can also substitute one can (Or two cups of leftover) of vegetarian (like Stag Four bean Veggie) or meat-itarian chili for the beans, veggies, onions and seasoning.


Modus Operandi

Heat 2tbs oil in a pan and add peppers and onions. Saute until soft. Add veggie ground round (or pre-browned ground beef) and beans. Saute until heated through.

Mix spices and cornstarch with a cup of water. Add to bean mixture and cook until reduced to a saucy mixture.

Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese and stir until good and cheesy/gooey. Remove from heat.

Layer:
Tortilla
Bean Mixture
Tortilla
Bean mixture
Tortilla
Bean mixture
Tortilla
Remaining shredded cheese

Pop in the oven @ 350 degrees until cheese is bubbly and brown on top.

Pull out and let rest a few minutes before serving.
Serve with salsa and roasted garlic sour cream (or plain sour cream).
A 9" pie feeds four adults, you could feed more with smaller slices (Like the one pictured) if you served a side like cornbread muffins or something similar. I love this dish though and I chow down on a big piece to myself!

Super simple stuff! Have fun with it and bon appetite!

Recipe : Mini Goat Cheese & Onion Quiches

Look pretty darn good don't they? They were! I have to say, I was really proud of myself when these were done because not only were they my first quiches of any kind, but it was my own recipe inspired by what was in our fridge at the time. I had recently bought the goat cheese after reading Eating Animals because it said on the label it was vegetarian cheese, meaning no stomach lining was used to make it. I have had goat cheese before but this stuff was wonderful. We put it in everything for about a week. I wish I could tell you the brand but I have since thrown away the package. If you haven't tried it though, go, do that, right now, I mean it.

Now, if you have never made quiches before, they only sound fancy. I think the biggest pain in the but is the making of the pie dough, and if you already have a recipe you love like I do it is no sweat. In the interest of full disclosure, these were made with defrosted frozen pie dough leftovers from Christmas. Which helped because there are a few steps to these. All are super easy and super tasty though.

Ingredients

Enough pie dough for a double crust pie You can use the guaranteed Tenderflake recipe here or your own.

2 large yellow onions sliced super thin
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp sugar

2 eggs
1/2 cup cream
salt & pepper

1/2 cup fresh goat cheese (a nice feta would probably work too if you have to substitute)
Fresh cilantro (or herb of your choice)

Modis Operandi

For the quiche cups:

-Divide dough in half and roll into balls.
-Roll balls out as thin as you can. (About 1/8-1/4")
-Using a drinking glass or circular dough cutter cut approx 2.5" circles from the rolled dough and place over cups of a mini muffin tin.
-Lightly press sides into cavity.
-Prick with fork on bottom.
-Bake @ 425 until edges are golden brown, remove from oven but leave oven on.

While quiche cups are baking:

-Melt butter in pan.
-Stir in sugar until dissolved.
-Add onions and stir until coated.
-Cook stirring occasionally until onions are a nice dark brown and even a little crispy in places.
-Remove from heat.

After you have removed quiches from the oven and onions from heat:

-Mix together eggs, cream and salt & pepper.

Assembling the quiche:

-Remove dough cups to a baking sheet.
-Cover the bottom of each cup with a couple caramelized onions (depending on how small they cooked down too).
-Add 2 tsp of egg mixture (don't worry if it leaks out the bottom, you can always go back and add more before the next step)
-Add a tsp of goat cheese.
-Top with one or two cilantro leaves.
-Pop back in the oven for about ten minutes. This is just to cook the egg so keep an eye on it.

Shampoo, rinse and repeat for any remaining batches. Two pie dough recipes did almost two full (24) mini muffin tins. You may get more or less depending on how thick your dough is and how heavily you fill your cups with ingredients.

The beauty of these is they taste good the day you make them, the next day warmed up in the oven and even on the third day warmed up in the microwave.

Bon Apetit!~

Recipe : Melissa's Vegetarian Leftover Lasagna

You know what I love about lasagna? Everything! For serious folks, is there anything this dish cannot be or do? With the exception of dancing a jig I say nay. It can have lots of meat, or no meat. Red sauce or white sauce. Roasted veggies or raw or even no veggies (although why would you?). And best of all, the leftovers are scrumdiddlyumptious!

This is a recipe I came up with that is make-ahead for the taste not the convenience (although no pots and pans at after dinner is nice too). Tomato based pasta dishes have always tasted even better when eaten as leftovers so I thought why not just make it ahead of time and reheat it for that oh-so good leftover taste?

So I bring to you my Vegetarian Leftover Lasagna. I would like to note that this dish is made in a ginormous deep dish lasgana pan so that it goes for a couple days worth of lunches and inners. But because of the size and depth of the pan it does take a lot of grocery to fill it.

**Please adjust according to your pan size and budget.
***Also, I am not much for measurements when I create so these are rough guesstimates, don't worry it really does not matter much.

Melissa's Vegetarian Leftover Lasagna

-Ingredients-
6 yellow onions sliced into 1/4-1/2" rings
1/2 cup of butter
2 tbsp sugar

6 sweet peppers assorted colours (or not assorted)cut into quarters
sesame oil (olive is a fine substitute)
sea salt (table with do, but if you don't already use sea salt you should start!)

2 cans diced/crushed tomatoes
1 can pasta sauce (I love Primo brand, it has enough tomato paste in it that you needn't add any to the dish)
1 tbsp olive oil
4-6 cloves garlic (depends on your taste for garlic)finely chopped

8 oz mushrooms (any kind will do, I used white but I love criminis)
2 heads of broccoli (just one if they are bigger than average)
1 box of oven ready lasagna noodles. (You could use fresh, or pre-boiled ones but I happen to have a box of these in the cupboard)
Cheese, lots of cheese. I used three pounds of shredded marble and Italian blends. We like a cheesy lasagna around here but you do not need to use that much. because this is a meatless lasagna the cheese content is really what ups the budget for this one.

-Modus Operandi-

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, melt the butter and sugar. When the sugar has dissolved into the butter add the sliced onions and cook until soft and dark brown. You are caramelizing them with the sugar here not just frying.

Meanwhile, core the peppers and slice them into quarters. Put on a cookie sheet lined with foil and brush with oil (sesame really does works well here) and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Put on the middle rack in the oven with the oven set to broil. Remove from oven when just starting to char.

In another large saucepan, heat olive oil and add chopped garlic. (Make sure the oil does not get too hot because that can make the garlic bitter.) When garlic is soft and just turning brown add the two cans of tomatoes. When tomatoes have warmed add the can of pasta sauce. Let warm through and then turn down to simmer.

This is where you would be slicing mushrooms and broccoli if you are adding them. I blanched the broccoli (through in a pot of boiling water for about a minute)but it is a taste thing.

layer ingredients in the following order:

Sauce
Noodles
Roasted peppers (all of them)
Cheese
Sauce
Noodles
Caramelized onions (all of them)
Cheese
Sauce
Noodles
Broccoli & mushrooms (all of them)
Cheese
Noodles
Sauce
Cheese

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for an hour.
Remove from oven let cool completely and transfer to fridge if you are eating it the following day or freezer if you are saving it for later later.

Whenever you decide to eat it, I would take it out at least a couple hours before you want to eat it and bake it for about an our. Honestly, I learned that the best time to take it out of the oven was when you could smell lasagna throughout the house. When this is happening, take the foil off cover with more cheese (there is always room for more cheese) and broil until cheese is browned and bubbly.



Bon Appetit!~