No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

These are my all time favorites.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies III


INGREDIENTS:

3 cups white sugar
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats


DIRECTIONS:

1.In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, butter and milk. Bring to a rapid boil and boil for one full minute. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and peanut butter. Mix in the oats, stirring until the mixture begins to cool. Transfer to a large bowl if it does not fit into the pan well. Drop batter by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let cool until set.

FLAVOR OF THE MONTH:: PIES FOR JULY

A big thanks to Bridget for hositng this at Bake 350.

I joined Flavor of the month. The idea is to post our pies the last day of the month. One of the pies is a chicken pot pie, posted on Tasty Kitchen on The Pioneer Woman.com I'll be on my way to Rice Lake, WI on Friday July 31st, so here they are:



























I tried many pecan pie recipes, but Mama Dip's is the one I always come back to:

Mama Dip's Pecan Pie

1 c. butter or margarine (I detest margarine, I only use unsalted butter)
1 c. sugar
1 c. light Karo syrup
3 eggs, beaten
1 c. chopped pecans
1 unbaked 9" pie shell

In a small saucepan, melt butter or margarine, do not brown. Add butter and syrup, stir constantly until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, cool slightly. (I sit the pan in cold water to speed this process up a little bit) I start to mix a little bit of the syrup from the pan into the egg mixture to warm it up before pouring it into the pan of syrup. This keeps the egg from cooking if incorporated all at once. (Home-Ec 101) Add eggs, stir well. Add pecans, pour into shell. Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 350, or until firm when shaken.

If using a deep dish pan, you'll have to bake the pie a little longer. I do cover the crust the last 20-30 min. to prevent overcooking or burning the crust.

I use a deep dish 10" pie pan, the filling fits perfectly if I do 1 1/2 times the amount called for in the recipe. Then I add 10-15 min. to the baking time.

Road Trip

I love road trips. I'll be leaving Friday am to see my friend Deb, we'll take a trip to Rice Lake, WI. There's a celebratory party going on there for a lady that is celebrating her 1st anniversary without her EX.

I can't go into the details, but I am so glad I'll be spending time with like minded glassy people.

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

I made this for my nephew Josh's wedding to Leslie, they married at the camp ground last weekend. I didn't make the vanilla sauce because it had to be served warm. There would have been no place to keep it warm. Steve whined about me not making him some. In my quest to be sure I had enough cinnamon bread (couldn't find cinnamon rolls, so used this great bread I found at Wal-Mart, I got 3 little loaves, it ended up being 24 cups of torn pieces, enough to make 2 9x13 pans!!)

I think it was pretty good. But Steve couldn't quit talking about that sauce and how good it was. I really think the vanilla bean paste made it have much more flavor. Next time I am going to make the sauce with regular pure vanilla and the other to see if it is really that different!

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding


Bread Pudding:

6 -8 day old cinnamon rolls, torn into small pieces (about 12 cups)I could not find cinnamon rolls that weren't covered with frosting, so I used a very dense moist raisin bread I found at Wal-Mart in the bakery area (took 1 1/2 loaves) (PHoto of the bread below)


1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 quart milk
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter or margarine, sliced

Vanilla Sauce:
1 1/3 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar, divided
4 Egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used vanilla paste, it was incredibly good!)


For bread pudding, place cinnamon roll pieces in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle raisins and pecans over rolls. In a large bowl, beat milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until well blended; pour over rolls. Cover and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Dot mixture with butter slices. Place dish in a roasting pan; fill pan with hot water halfway up sides of baking dish. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until bread pudding is set in center.

For vanilla sauce, heat whipping cream and 1/4 cup sugar in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Combine egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl; beat until well blended. Stir some of hot cream mixture into egg mixture; return egg mixture to double boiler. Stirring constantly, cook 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly and coats a spoon. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Serve warm sauce over bread pudding.

YIELD: about 15 servings.

Bread from Wal-Mart

Team K8 apparel

I am a K8 Gosselin fan, always was, but more so now that Jon is acting like such a juvenile. Here's an idea for a shirt I think I'll have screen printed.

Glass Tools I lust after

I want this glass tool to core my beads with. They can be worn on Pandora, biagi or chamille bracelets without the silver or copper in the middle, but truly I love the look of them with the coring.

Interesting Story about a woman and her car

This is a good argument for keeping all of your receipts.

Recipe Friday July 17, 2009 Hot Olive and Artichoke Dip

This is from Pioneer Woman's site:

Hot Olive and Artichoke Dip

1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts
10 black olives
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup real mayonnaise
1 egg
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper for spice

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 5 to 8 times until mixture is combined but not totally liquefied. Stir and check seasonings, then pour into a small casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve with plain pita chips.

Get organized with Pocket Mod

Here's the link to download. It uses just one sheet of paper. You can make lists, etc.

Isaac is back at Job Corps!

The flight out of Omaha had been delayed. When arriving in Denver, the connecting flight had left. He had to go out of the secure area to get his bag, then used his old ticket to get back in the secure area. Weird, he checked on the new flight with his old ticket. So all this time they had no record of him being on the flight.

They called to tell us he was on the right flight. I called Job Corps to let them know he was there. Not even 20 min. later he calls me from job corps to say he was there safe and sound. I never want to go thru this again!!!!!!!!!!

He is such a fun spirit, Here he is with Miss O, she loves him to death, he is so willing to just be a kid with her and Noah.

Isaac is a missing person

Please pray for him. He arrived in DIA at 2:02 pm. He has not been seen since. PRAY PRAY PRAY.....Steve flies to Denver tomorrow AM. I will be home by the phone.

We can't get a flight out until tomorrow. Now is when you wished you had a friend with a plane...........It makes me sick.

The Denver police and the airport police have been searching for him since his plane landed at 2:02..............nobody has seen him.

Poodle Skirt

Doing a poodle skirt for Miss O..............darn if Wal-Mart wasn't out of pink felt! Now I'm on a hunt!

It has great twirl factor, she'll love it! Thank GOD I have a girlie girl for a grand daughter. God is making up for Karen not liking this stuff!!

Do you think people can influence you even as an adult?

Do you ever wonder if negative, black hearted people can affect you even though you are an adult and in charge of your own sense of right and wrong?

I struggle with that from time to time.

I want to believe the best in people. For the most part I love people, interacting with them and spending time with them. I don't like to hear negative things about the people I love and care about. Sure, I know their faults. They know mine, but do we have to spend time on that? I think not, I love them anyway, so why dwell on it?

It makes me want to curl up in a hole and not stick my head out. It also makes me want to avoid them (negatie mean people) like the plague!!

I really struggle to stay positive, anybody else have that problem, or am I too naive??

I joined Flavor of the Month

This month it is PIE as the challenge. I made some pies already this month, today I baked a pecan pie again for Sonny before he leaves to go back to school.

I'll post pictures when we are supposed to do that. It is somewhat like Daring Bakers, but this should be a little easier. The Daring Baker recipes were too complicated ingredient wise...........no place to get 1/2 the items required to make their recipes!!!!!

Too bad, too. I would have loved to have done them!!!

Sew for hire

I didn't know it but there are people that will sew things for you!

Both fairy outfits and the Fancy Nancy outfit have been taken over by a friend of a friend. How cool is that? Miss O gets her Fancy Nancy outfit! YAY!!!!!!!!!!

Recipe Friday French Toast Bake July 10, 2009

My favorite breakfast has always been french toast. I don't know why, but it is one of the things I always secretly hoped for as a kid growing up. Karen makes this when we go visit her, it's a quick easy breakfast.

PEPPERIDGE FARM FRENCH TOAST BAKE

1 LB. LOAF PEPPERIDGE FARM CINNAMON SWIRL BREAD
6 EGGS
3 C. MILK OR CREAM
2t. VANILLA
1t. CINNAMON

1. CUT LOAF OF BREAD INTO CUBES AND SET ASIDE.
2. MIX THE EGGS, MILK , VANILLA AND CINNAMON IN A BOWL.
3. MIX EGG MIXTURE WITH THE BREAD UNTIL EVENLY COATED.
4. POUR INTO GREASED 9X13 PAN (can refrigerate overnite)
5. BAKE AT 350 FOR 55-65 MIN.
6. SERVE WITH FAVORITE SYRUP.

6 SERVINGS

Trying my hand at the sewing machine again

I got this pattern to make a cute outfit for the granddaughter. I got some Tink green organza at the fabric store yesterday. Who knew it was so pricey? I went there with full intentions of doing purple, but they had a table full of clearance. I could not pass up the Tink green at better than 75% less. Then I found pink in the CB store, so today back to the store in O! to get the pink with the silver starbursts as a contrasting fabric. It should be adorable when I am all done.

Here's the pattern:

Fancy Nancy

Fancy Nancy has a new book, The Tea Party. Guess I'll have to get that to send to GD......

I just got an email from the MistleToe Ranch. The dress will go on Ebay for me to bid on.........bummer. That means it will go for an exorbitant amount. Back to the drawing board.

I'm OK with paying the maker for her work, but Ebay can get out of hand at times. I understood that it would be up for purchase. Now I am not so excited.

I suppose I could get the appliques and do it myself, but all that stuff is only available in Europe. ARGH!!!!!!!!!!! And I don't wanna, I'd rather melt glass!!!










I have located the appliques and the dress pattern..........

To take a few words from The Pioneer Woman

OOOOOHHHHHHhhhhhhh..............Lawsie Mercy, is this the cutest dress you ever saw in your whole entire life??????:

I asked for one for Olivia in a size 5........can't wait to see it!!! First I have to get an email from her saying she'll make it!!! Every dress available is a 'toy' one, nothing 'real' for a little girl to wear and enjoy. I wish they'd do a clothing line with her on it. I am so sick of DORA and DIEGO..........

Mistletoe Ranch Kids is a great little name, isn't it for such cute stuff? I have added it to my favorite blog links.

Altering Journals

I have no idea how to alter things in the scrapbooking world. However, I got something to alter and tried my hand at it.

I had the jewels already for my granddaughter. When putting together a 'rainy day busy box", but put them somewhere where I couldn't find them, somehow they ended up in my bead drawer. So, I took them and stuck them to the flowers on the cover and took some of my initial charms, kiddie charms and a bead or two and added a dangle to the book. This will go in my purse to keep my grocery list in. It's a little heavy, but I don't care, I like it. No, love it!!!

Noah made a bracelet for his mom

Noah took some of my beads from the bead bowl, some didn't make it into a set, were experiments, or I just didn't like them. He made a cute bracelet for his mom:

More tea party

Here are more photos of the girls at the tea party. They had their nails done, a bit of shine on their eyes, cheeks, and they got to choose some fragrance to put on.....they all followed the rules given to them by the lady. It was neat to see them have so much fun.

Jen, here is a photo of me, I hate to have my picture taken, but I digress.

Recipe Friday July 3rd, 2009 Rhubarb Pie

Took this from the internet, it was a story about RAGBrAI, the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. The person writing the story indicates the bikers search all over on their trek for Rhubarb pie. Who knew, it is and will always be my favorite pie. Second is cherry, then coconut cream.

Deep Dish Rhubarb Berry Pie

Pie dough for a 2 crust pie

4 cups chopped rhubarb (about 2 pounds)
1 cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries, quartered
1½ cups sugar
⅓ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt


Toss fruit with ½ cup sugar and set aside. Divide the pie dough into 2 portions and roll out the bottom piece to cover the bottom and sides of dish. You can use an 8x8, I use an 11x7. I think the size of the dish is interesting. Not your typical round pie pan at all. Leave about ¾” overhang around edges. Roll out remaining dough into a rectangle to cut your lattice pieces. Place the crusts in fridge to chill about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375° F. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch, cinnamon, sugar and salt. Add the almond extract to the fruit, and then add the dry ingredients and toss to coat. Brush crust with egg white and fill with fruit. Lattice the top crust and brush with egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Cover loosely with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for another 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or a room temperature.

Tea Party: Clara's Closet

We took a trip to Clara's closet to do a tea party. It was so much fun! I highly recommend it if you have little girls that are girlie girls, adventurous with a sense of imagination and playfulness. The girls loved doing it, we had good times. Princess tea was served to them along with a lesson on proper etiquette. Olivia at only 4 took it all in, she followed all the rules to the letter, it was cute when she was done, she put her fork upside down at the 5:00 position....just like instructed. It was so cute to see her enjoy this excursion. We had some friends join us, they enjoyed it quite a bit, also. Jen, Ally and Reagan, thanks for joining us on our 'girl's out day'. We had so much fun!!!

Fireworks family and fun

The days are full with the energy that surrounds us from the little ones. Noah, 5 and Olivia, 4 keep us hopping. Today is 'The Transformer' movie for the boys, the girls are joining Jen, Karen's BFF from high school and her two nieces Ally and Reagan. We're doing a tea party. Should be fun........there will be a trip to Michael's and Archiver's first.

Olivia made pies with grandma, her baby pumpkin pie is next to the big one. Noah loves to hole up in the computer room and play with his storm troppers figurines.

Great grandma and grandpa Carnes (G-ma and G-pa 'horses') came to eat homemade chicken and noodles with us. There were some mild fireworks last night, which caused a ton of excitement.

Lightning bugs were rampant in the backyard prompting a trip to the dollar store today to get a bug house so we'll have a place to put them.

Pray for a move to Ottumwa, that would put them within 2 hours of me, Glory Glory Hallelujah, would I love that!!!