Poodles and Quilts

The first 2 weeks of July have been busy! Actually making progress on the upstairs sort, toss and organize job. I even found the couch on the landing that had been piled with "stuff". Now the girls have a place to hang out when they are upstairs with me. If Daddy isn't home they will come to see me. And having the couch covered means they are not underfoot.  Also got our smoker going once again. 3 pork shoulders smoked for Buckboard Bacon . I pretty much follow my friend's Judy way of making it. All sliced, packaged and in the freezer. It's good. Had some for breakfast this past week. Also smoked a brisket. So once was big pieces in the freezer are now in small packs! I have also been getting a little sewing in-have to have some therapy! This is the quilt that was cut out and next in line to put together.  My theme rows are done but need to sash them and finish putting the top together. This was a kit from Poppies in Georgetown. 2010 vintage! So not ...

It was a fairly productive week. I managed to bind another quilt. It will go on the stack to be sent where and when needed. My friend Kerry at Tincanquilting.com did another great quilting job. Yes it is the same backing as the one I showed last week. One thing nice about using wide backings if the quilts are the right size you can get 2 on the same backing. This next picture is a better one of the quilt I showed last week I dug out another old strip club pattern and fabric from 2005. I think I pulled it out once before when we were remodeling the kitchen in 2014. Had some of it sorted and cut. But then the kitchen was done and it got put away again. Not anymore. The Pattern is Hash Browns by Cozy Quilt Company. This will be a great guy quilt when finished I laid it out on the kitchen island as I was also canning the last batch of sauerkraut! Sometimes I can multi task! Done with sauerkraut now - another 7 pints and 6 quarts should last us for a ...

Hard to believe that January is half over! Last week was a busy one for us. The Christmas decorations are down and put back into storage. Always sad to see them come down, things look bare for a day or too!  The sauerkraut was finally canned. 7 quarts and 14 pints. That should do us for a while! I did finish the top I showed last week. Higgensville Fences!  Am loving how it turned out. Will make this one again I think. Great way to use a jelly roll plus accent fabric. Yes, the wind always picks up when trying to take pictures outside! Of course there is always the unexpected. Went to get something out of one of our garage freezers for dinner Wednesday, late afternoon. Food was getting soft. Shut the door again, made sure it was shut. Went out a little later to check it out. Not good. Early Thursday morning-freezer shopping at Lowes. Yes, they had what we wanted and yes they are in stock. Will deliver on the 18th! Not good enough! Our sales man, being...

I managed to get a lot of sewing done in November!  Felt good too! Put together 3 quilt tops and dug out an unfinished project or UFO! Had worked on it during one of remodels. Easy to work on blocks while in a motel. Made the last 15 blocks. No pictures yet, have not laid it out  on the design wall. Can only show one today and that is the Barn Dance quilt top. It is now at the quilters. The top is large, 98 x 98 and yes I am keeping this one! Will be great on our guest bed! The pattern is from    justquiltin with Denise                                                                       Barn Dance In between sewing I froze 12 more containers of pureed pumpkin for pies. Did up several containers of squash. And yesterday got started on making sauerkraut. The small crock is full ...

I was able to get back to sewing this past week. Decided this was the perfect pattern to get me sewing again. 12 FQS from dark to light and 1 yard for the stars. Got into my stash of batiks                                                                                                                   the line up! my test block And my finished top! I am working on another quilt top now but can't show it. The wrong person could see it and that would spoil the gift! Feels good to get back to piecing again. I also wanted to freeze pumpkin this Fall for pies.   Enough for 20 pies. Mom's recipe makes 2 pies. Hoping to get cabbage yet so I ca...

I am playing catch up on the pressure cooker recipes. Some of these are from Christmas but since I have not written about them I will here. Tonight we had  sirloin tips with gravy .  I cut the recipe in half as I was using a smaller amount of beef.  And instead of using the full amount of water and beef bullion I added some red wine that was open. We didn't have it on noodles, I had rice left over from earlier in the week!  It was delicious, nothing was left. The beef very tender. Another night we had  thai chicken thighs . I added more ginger as we really like it. This is another one I will make again. And it was even better for lunch. I said I was catching up and also talking about a recipe I made at Christmas. I was intrigued when Judy mentioned cheesecake.  We had  this cheesecake recipe .  Another keeper, but I won't make it often, very rich with the toffee pecan crust and caramel topping! But so simple to make. These are the meals whe...

                                    On the days I had planned to sew I decided it was time to get the pumpkins prepared for pies. I freeze 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin for each pie.  Love Mom's recipe using real pumpkin instead of the canned. Have enough for 15 pies and also a few containers with 1 cup for pumpkin bars. We were  getting low on bean soup in the freezer. Added a few more containers of bean soup and still need to make one more pot.                                                 My sewing consisted of binding 2 quilts                                                                 PUZZLES PIECES CO...

We tried a mango side dish tonight that used lime zest.  I would have liked my mangos a little riper-hard getting used to store bought ones when I got used to ones off the tree when we lived in Taiwan.  You would think after being back in the states 14 years I would get used to something picked partially ripe, shipped etc. Anyway, it was good.  Took the recipe off the Whole Food site. Even Galen liked it and he isn't a mango eater like I am! chili lime salad

The ingredient this week was rice.  Right before Easter, Just A Pinch.com posted a recipe for pie using rice.  I saved it thinking I would make it for Easter Dinner but we went out instead.  Finally made it tonight (4/9) and will make it again. Don't look at the crust-sometimes I don't even have luck with the premade ones!  I had picked up fresh strawberries so I sliced those and served them with the pie. The pie is made with cooked white rice, ricotta cheese, half and half etc.  Not lo-cal but absolutley delicious and besides I don't make desserts very often! Dad took some home with him so we don't have too much left! http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/pie/easter-rice-pie.html?p=12 What did others make?

While watching TV the other evening, there was a commercial for ranch dressing mix-adding it meatloaf.  Sounded good, so Monday I added it to the hamburger and made hamburgers.  When I make hamburgers I usually add chopped onion, seasonings etc.  Tonight I just mixed in a package of the mix.  It was quite tasty. On the plate frozen green beans, grilled hamburger and the pinto beans from the recipe I posted last week.  The salad has a mixure of greens from my aero garden.  Had planted some seed in my pots outside but the squirrels dug everything up.  We need to be relocating some, they have been a little to prolific!!!!!  It was a balmy 80 degrees-we ate on the porch. Patchwork times On another note (last night 4/2) we had storms come thru the area-got close to 2 inches of much needed rain!  It helps but we still need a lot more.  Power went out but not at the pizza place.  Ordered a pizza. Tiki, the brown stand...

Tried another new recipe, thanks to Judy.  Found this on Simply recipes (link below).  It was delicious.  I think for us,the next time I make this I may cut back a little more on the jalapenos.  Galen was fine with the amount, but for me, a little less would have been better!  I would have a picture, but that was another problem-batteries do need to be charged once in a while. Even smart phones need to be charged.  For some reason, I must have been doing a little too much surfing while out of wifi territory, the battery was low. Anyway here is the recipe. So the picture is from the site. Hope that isn't a problem, but i did want you to see how delicious looking it was!!!!! http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pinto_beans_with_bacon_and_jalapenos/ back to Judy for other good recipes!

Our ingredient for this week was to use squash.  I chose spaghetti squash as I had seen a really great sounding recipe on simply recipes. Spaghetti Squash and Chard Saute.  I have made it twice now and both times it has been a hit with those eating. Once the squash is baked and shredded it is a quick recipe. http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/spaghetti_squash_and_chard_saute/ What did others fix?

Orange juice was the ingredient for Judy's what's cooking.  I found a recipe for chicken with orange juice.  It was tasty, think I would skip the almonds if I make it again.  Couldn't tell that they added anything to the flavor. Chicken baked in Orange Sauce 1 frying chicken, cut into pieces (about 3 lbs) 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup fresh orange juice 1 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup seedless raisins 1/2 cup blanched almonds (ground fine) 1 Tblsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1 tspt. salt 1/2 tsp pepper Brown chicken in olive oil.  Place in shallow baking pan. Combine other ingredients and pour over chicken.  Bake in 350* oven for about 45 minutes, or until tender, basting often. makes 4 servings- it did taste better than the picture looks! see other delicious orange juice recipes