Torching weekend

I spent the weekend torching at The Flameworx Studio in Omaha. It was so much fun! Got a chance to study and practice our techniques learned from Andrea Guarino-Slemmons class at said studio. She was an incredible teacher, we were very fortunate to get her to come from Oregon to see us in the Midwest.

I'll do the 2nd Friday Art Walk on Friday. I'll have my torch set up to demo glass bead making. It's always nice to allow folks to see the entire process. The first time I saw it I couldn't tear myself away.

Have a good week!

Daylight Savings time..........

Oh how it messes up my schedule. I barely get used to the previous change and it's time to do it all again.

Planning a trip to see the babies for Thanksgiving, I'll make pies and our cranberry muffins. It is a long drive. 9.5 hours to go get Isaac, then 7 hours from him to Karen. But it is worth it to have the kids together. I wonder how many more years we'll be blessed enough to have them all with us during the holidays?

Flavor Of The Month Oct. 2009 Pumpkin

These cookies are a tradition for my kids when they were growing up. They loved to decorate the faces. I miss doing them every year.



Pumpkin Jack-O-Lantern Cookies

• 1 package Yellow Cake Mix
• ½ cups Quick Cooking Oatmeal
• 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 can Pumpkin, Pureed (16 Oz.)
• ¼ cups Butter Or Margarine, Softened
• 1 container White Frosting Or Your Own Favorite Frosting Recipe
• 3 bags Candy To Decorate Pumpkin Faces. I Use M&M's, Candy Corn And Mini M&M's
• Food Coloring (green And Orange)

Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease cookie sheet.

2. Mix together all ingredients (except candy for decoration, frosting, and food coloring) until well blended.

3. Drop cookies by 1/4 cupfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. With the back of a spoon, flatten to a round pumpkin shape; move a little dough to the top in a ’stem’ shape. (You will decorate this with green frosting to resemble a pumpkin stem.)

4. Bake 350 F for 14-20 minutes, or until edges are light golden brown.

5.Divide and tint small portions of frosting with green food coloring, the other portion with orange food coloring.

6. Once cookies are cool, frost the stem with green frosting, and the rest of the cookie with orange frosting.

7. Decorate faces with M&M’s, gum drops, dots, licorice, candy corn, etc.

Recipe Friday delayed for Flavor of the Month

I am baking the Pumpkin Pecan Tassies for the Flavor of the month right now. They smell wonderful. It will be fun to see how they turn out. I've only used store bought pie crust once before. A foreign substance for me. I generally make my own pie crust. But since this has been such a busy week, I cheated.




Pumpkin Pecan Tassies

1 15-oz package rolled refrigerated unbaked pie crusts (2 crusts)
3/4 c. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 c. half and half, light cream or milk
1/3 c. chopped pecans
1 Tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Maple Syrup (optional)

1. Let piecrusts stand according to package directiosn. Preheat oven to 350F. unroll piecrusts, use a 2 1/2 inch round cutter to cut 12 rounds from each pie crust. Gently ease pastry rounds into the bottums and up sides of 24 ungreased 1 3/4 inch muffin cups.
2. for filling, in a large bowl, stir together pumpkin, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice and sale. Add eggs, stir until combines. Gradually add half and half, cream OR milk, stir just until combined.
3. For topping, stir together pecans, brown sugar and melted butter.
4. Spoon about 2 tsp. filling into each pastry lined cup. Top each with a scant 1 teaspoon pecan topping. . Bake in preheated oven about 35 minujtes or unitil filling is set and crust is golden brown. Remove tassies from muffin gcups and cool completely on a wire rack. If desired, drizzle tassies with maple syrup just before serving. Makes 24 tassies.
   

To store: Place tassies in a single layer in an airtight container, cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Before serving, thaw about 1 hour at room temperature.

Random Photos

I made treats for the Arkansas Bus Tour. Rice Krispie treats were for me and Steve, the gooey nut bars for Jim and Joyce. Jim must not have trusted me because he brought candy bars!!!:






















The rest are photos from the trip, the train, the view from our balcony in Mt. Magazine Lodge. It was fun and I am so glad I got to go with Jim and Joyce, we met great people on the trip!

Downtown shopping, they had a little park, so cute. Just down the street from the Crescent Hotel.










Waterfall in front of the Mt. Magazine Lodge










View from our balcony at Mt. Magazine Lodge. The bus tour is the way to go, we stay in nicer places than Steve and I normally pick! HAHA











Steve and I on the train leaving Van Buren, Arkansas










Nice old train has been restored. It was considered very high class back in the day. I believe it was an 1886 train.










Sam Walton's daughter, Alice is building an art center featuring American Art called Crystal Bridges. When finished Steve and I would like to return. She's buying paintings for more than $32M to put in this structure.

Kids were here....

It's really late, the kids were here to visit........I finally got the photos rotated. I am kinda tired. Tomorrow night I have a hair appt. Then maybe my life will get back to normal.



Miss O always singing, dancing and entertaining us.......she's going to grow up to be the bestest singer, EVER!..........or so she says!!!

























My Noah Benoah, content to play with his GI Joes or Star Wars....












Miss O loves to be in the center of attention.














Miss O loves our whirlpool tub.









Here I am in the backyard of the haunted hotel:










Steve on the back porch of The Crescent Hotel:

Gooey Mixed Nut Bars

These were made for our Arkansas bus tour, they are pretty sweet! Taste like a pecan pie bar on steroids:

Gooey Mixed Nut Bars

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup butter
1 pkg. 2 layer size yellow cake mix
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
2 cups mixed nuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with foil. extending foil over pan edges. Coat foil with nonstick, cooking spray; set aside. In large bowl, use a pastry blender to cut the 1/2 cup butter into the dry cake mix until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture evenly onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minute or until lightly browned and set. Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, the 1/3 cup melted butter, vanilla and cinnamon; Whisk to combine. Stir in mixed nuts. Pour nut mixture over warm crust. Bake about 30 minutes more or until bubbly around edges and golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack. using edge of foil, lift uncut bars out of the pan. Cut into bars. Makes 32 bars. To store: Layer bars between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.