Having a Little Fun!

Today was one I’ve been waiting for, now, for about a month; took our cat to the vet’s for another check up and he’s doing good! The vet’s report: “Looks like the food is doing him good!” They checked him out and reported that there was no obstruction and very few crystals, so I was just thrilled!  So thrilled, in fact, that I went on a mini-shopping spree! (Actually, it was more of a “treat Pammie” spree). Came home with three nice pairs of earrings (Big Lots: they were a set and very reasonable: $3.00), a new container for my knitting supplies in my ‘carry everywhere’ knitting bag (for scissors, tiny ruler, crochet hook) from the St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop (for $1) and my last little find: Almond Chocolate Biscotti on sale for $3 at our local drug store! Yep, I’m a ‘cheap treats’ person, but it made me happy, so all’s good!

Finished another afghan yesterday, #209, and am ‘on to bigger and better things’…(actually, just #210….grin).

Tonight’s dinner is homemade chicken noodle soup which I have to get making very soon, as I like to let the chicken get to the ‘fall off the bone’ stage before using it in the soup.  Was able to obtain a really (in my humble opinion) fantastic, yummy treat recipe and thought I’d share it with you. WARNING: It’s very rich, but VERY yummy!

Reese’s No-Bake Squares

2 1/2 C. powdered sugar

2 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs

1  1/3 C. peanut butter

1 C. melted butter

12 oz. chocolate chips, melted

–

Mix together powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Add peanut butter and melted butter; mix well.  Press into a 9 X 13 baking pan. Pour melted chocolate chips over top and spread around to cover top. Refrigate 15 minutes or so (NOT until hard), then cut into small squares.

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My youngest came home from a youth outing, brought one of these home and shared it with me. Of course I IMMEDIATELY wanted the recipe … it was gooey (could have been because it was in his hot hands?), peanut buttery, and nicely chocolatey! I have another recipe similar to this one, but that one comes out about 1/4 inch thick; the above recipe comes out about 3/4 inches thick!  Believe me…it’s worth making them (forget the calories…they all fall off when you cut the squares! …. wink).

Going into this weekend I have a bridal shower tomorrow at church for two of our choir members who are also friends of ours (well…the groom has been like another one of my ‘kids’), so it ought to be a fun adventure! They’re planning a January wedding (Brrrrrrr!). Before I go to the shower I have to help youngest bake a pan of brownies, as he’s attending a Chili CookOff and the teens are required to make (or at least ‘help’ make a dessert…he chose brownies, as that’s HIS favorite dessert!).

It’s shaping up like a fun weekend; our weather’s been a bit ‘goofy’ but I’m happy…it’s been chilly (in the 30’s & 40’s) with some rain, some gloomy days, BUT….NO SNOW so far! (It was predicted that we were supposed to get ’scattered flurries’ Weds & part of Thurs, but they didn’t appear…YAY!!!).

Enjoy your weekend; stay warm, eat something YOU like (brownies/biscotti/bagel?) along with a nice, hot steaming cup of your favorite beverage….gotta stay cosy, remember?

Hugs;

Pammie

Just Checkin’ In for a Few

Hello, all!

Not much exciting going on around here (guess that’s a good thing!). After the ‘car troubles/cat sick’ week, it’s nice to just do some catching up on all the things that got shoved to the back burner. Yesterday and today have been lots of running; little trips here and there to make me feel like I have ’some’ control in my life. Went to the Post Office today to check the Ghana Project box and found a lovely crocheted afghan from a lady who had written me asking if she could send it; this past Sunday a friend from church brought me the results of a bag of yarn I gave her. She handed me the bag with the comment: “I think there’s something like 102 squares; you can re-count them if you like.” I’m now doing good as far as squares to use; now it’s my job to get going on sewing more together for the finished products. A little later today I’m going upstairs and re-counting what’s there, as I think I might have either one more or one less than I think the actual count is. Finished another one this morning while listening to the cd of our choir’s Christmas songs (borrowed the cd to ‘get the hang’ of the music).

After I’m finished with this blog entry, it’s time to finish up the special needs group’s bi-monthly newsletter and get it printed, folded and stuffed into around 50 envelopes, then take them to the Post Office to mail. Tonight is my knit group and I’m looking forward to a little ‘girl’ time; I really enjoy the ladies in the group-we’re all so diversified and yet all united via yarn! It’s a fun, fast and fascinating few hours in my week.

Visited the chiropractor yesterday after a break of 5 weeks (rough count). I was amazed that my back is doing as well as it is, with all the stress from my father-in-law’s illness and death (no, I didn’t write about that here; it was about 4 weeks ago…all’s ‘good’), the car troubles (didn’t write about all that, either, but NOW the car is FINALLY fixed!) & the sick cat. Visiting the chiropractor is one of those ‘love/hate’ things for me – I know it does my back ‘good’, but it’s still painful to endure. From all I’ve learned from these visits, looks like I’ll be doing this ad infinitum…into the future…indefinitely. Oh well, one of those “Get used to it, honey…you’re not getting any younger!” moments.

The special needs Great Potato Bake and Silent Auction was postponed due to lack of ticket sales; that was a bit disappointing, but what can you do?  We’re hoping to come up with another fund raiser idea in January.  It was a good idea, but actually…if we HAD done it last Friday, the weather was really awful: rainy, windy, cold, so I guess it was a good thing after all.  (and, it’s less stress on me for now…)

Tomorrow night is our special needs Harvest Party and I just got back from buying the food stuffs for it. We’re going to be having corn chips & hot cheese sauce, cider and cider donuts. Along with that we’ll be playing various games around the room like “Knock over the Bowling Pins”, “Shoot out the Candle with a Squirt Gun”, “Go Duck Hunting” (using a kid’s wading pool with about 20 plastic ducks floating in it; some have a ‘PRIZE!” written on their bottoms). Our students love this; we have each of them bring a bag of individually wrapped candy and we dump it all in a big punch bowl. When they come in, we give them each a paper lunch bag to decorate (if they wish) then when we play the games they each get a small handful of candy for playing the game (whether they win or not). It’s sort of like “Christian Trick or Treat”, I guess you’d say. No costumes, just games/devotions/and great snacks. I’m guess we’ll have around 50 attending tomorrow; it’s one of their favorite nights.

That’s about ‘it’ around here; made a really good chicken pot pie for dinner last night. I’ve never been a fan of any ‘pot pie’ as my Mom used to rely on those little frozen ones quite often when I was growing up, but every once in awhile I make one from scratch and they’re tasty, warm and somewhat a ‘comfort food’.

Hope you’re having a good day; stay warm and maybe treat yourself to a nice hot cup of cocoa!

Hugs;

Pammie

Snuggle Down and Get Warm

It’s Columbus Day…one of those strange holidays that, these days, seem to be only used for large companies to hold “Columbus Day” Blow Out Sales. (just my opinion). I remember as a child studying about Christopher Columbus and his travels on the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, then drawing little posters of the ships.  Today, to me, it’s : no bank, Post office, or library visits like I’d planned (before remembering this lovely holiday).  I have five library books to return (due tomorrow) and nothing to read (that I haven’t already read, that is). Not complaining…it’s time to find something ‘else’ to do today. Looks like laundry is first on the list, then sewing the last row on afghan #204 and crocheting the border.  Recently I’ve found two ‘new to me’ recipes which sounded good…see what you think:

Sour Cream Bundt Cake

2 C. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 C. sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 C. sour cream

3 T. jam, optional

—–

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour a 9 inch Bundt pan. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time; add vanilla and sour cream and mix. Gently mix in flour. Spoon 1/3 of batter into pan, dot with jam if desired and top with remaining batter. Bake 60-70 minutes. Cool 5  minutes before unmolding onto a rack or plate; cool completely before cutting.

(recipe courtesy newspaper flyer, 10/11/09)

——————-

Pumpkin Pie Cake

1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin spice
1 tsp. salt
1 (18.5 ounce) package yellow cake mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup chopped walnuts

——-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, mix the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and salt.

Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle cake mix over the pumpkin mixture. Drizzle with butter. Top with the chopped walnuts. Bake in the preheated oven 50 to 60 minutes. Cool before serving.

(recipe from one of my recipe lists on the ‘net…

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Holiday_Express/

from  recipes and gift mixes to crafts….all holidays and parties

———————————–

Both of these recipes sounded yummy to me; it’s chilly and gloomy out today (no rain, thank heavens!) so I guess I’m in one of those ’snuggle up warmly at home and hibernate’ moods. Am putting a pork roast in the crockpot a little later today along with a can of  cranberry jelly; that always imparts a nice sweet/sour taste to the meat. Will probably have potatoes and carrots along with that for dinner…nice, warm ‘comfort’ food for a chilly day.

Hope you’re having a WARM, cosy day today…enjoy yourself a little, maybe treat yourself to a cup of cocoa or coffee? Just a thought…

Hugs;

Pammie

Got a Few Minutes…

It’s been a bit hectic here, me on my trusty computer ‘comping up’ the tickets for the upcoming special needs group’s fund raiser Potato Dinner. I ‘thought’ I had things under control, but you know how that goes…the minute you think you’ve got a handle on things, they go haywire! Got a call last night that the tickets had to be printed and delivered to the church where our group meets BEFORE 1 p.m. today, as the church was going to have an ann0uncement in their bulletin that the tickets would go on sale right after church. That wouldn’t be a bad thing except…I don’t attend that church which made for some real ‘hussling around’ on my part early this morning. Got to Office Max at around 8:40 a.m. and purchased the brown/tan antiqued post cards then home to get the tickets printed. Simple, yes? NO! For some really weird reason the cute little potato clip art (see a few posts before this one for an example) didn’t want to ‘print’ right side up the way I wanted him to…we had backwards, upside down and a few other alternatives but not the way I wanted. (guess I should insert here that I was attempting to print these in “Landscape” mode…that’s ’sideways’, sort of). After about 12 attempts and many sheets of wasted printer paper I finally got to the ‘tears’ and frustration level. A quick prayer for HELP! and one last ditch effort did the trick. To explain: I have NO idea why it works, but it does. If you look at the screen, the images are goofy, but it printed up just fine so I DON’T CARE!  One hundred cute little tickets later, each hand numbered and torn apart (they come 4 to a sheet) and a half hour trip to that church and we’re ‘good to go’! Whew! Now my next ‘great computer/printer project’ is some how comping up a sign-in sheet for each auction item…again in ‘landscape’ form. Since I’m using ‘Microsoft Publisher’ and they don’t offer anything like what I’m looking for, looks like another long day of ‘attempts’…sigh.  At least you know where I’ll be…sitting here going nuts!

Hope you’re having a good day; it’s cold, raining and 55 degrees out (sure feels colder!). Just put my knit shrug on and some slipper socks…I’m chilly! (house temp says it’s 73…my foot!)

Hope you stay warm and toasty! Enjoy your day;

Hugs;

Pammie

ps: Working on afghan #204 now…

Can you imagine?

631 afghan squares collected in two days? Totally awesome and amazing! A few days ago I was contacted by a lady who lives nearby; she had seen the article about The Ghana Project that appeared July 4th and began knitting squares. Tuesday of this week she delived 268 squares to my house. The following day I met a friend who is in another knit group I used to belong to; her Mother, Aunt and friends had knit a total of 363 squares and I picked them up.  I realize that the Lord knows when I’m in need . . . I should KNOW that by now! Sunday I arranged 60 squares for another two afghans and realized that it was getting a bit ‘thin’ in the variagated squares department; usually I just get to knitting squares myself to ‘beef up’ the variagated squares, never knowing THIS time I would be blessed with all these beautiful squares! 631 squares equals 21 afghans with some left over! As you can imagine, I’m going to be mighty busy in the near future!

It’s a beautiful Fall day today: the sun’s shining, it’s in the low 60’s, leaves on the ground and still some on the trees. I’ve already been out spray painting a wicker basket which will hold the Baby Shower contents for the Friends Group fund raiser. Great day for a walk – I ’should’ go do that…maybe I will, but still have a bunch of other projects to wrap up, first.

Hugs;

Pammie

One More Try?

(not my hands)

If you’ve been a reader of this blog for awhile, you know my trepidation at knitting SOCKS…well, last night at my group’s Knit Night one of our newer members was asked how she learned to knit socks (she’s on her third or fourth pair now). She replied that she’d only learned to knit less than a year ago and then attempted socks by watching a step-by-step web site; I was amazed! I thought she’d been knitting for years, like the rest of us! OK…call me gullible/naive/whatever, but this statement intrigued me. Would/Could it be possible that I might actually be able to do this thing that most, if not all of my knit group seems to really, truly enjoy? Sock knitting… as you know I’ve checked out all of our (and other) library’s books on the subject, bought some sock yarn & needles and tried . . . then gave up in frustration. Why am I so enamoured of learning this particular craft? I don’t know! I’m NOT a fancy-schmancy sock wearer…but…just the idea of conquering something that I think is far beyond my knitting capacity…now THAT intrigues me! You could say that it’s not from lack of encouragement on your parts, no…I received many accolades of : You can do it! Go, girl!, etc.  We’ll see…I do know that if I don’t do something on this subject, some of you just might quit reading me altogether out of purely being tired of hearing me whine! Heaven forbid!  For any of you who just might be intrigued by this idea also, I will submit here the website with all the very details instructions:

http://www.cometosilver.com/socks

She does a photo-by-photo explanation of each detail; I was amazed at her tenacity in just the first few photos of how to do a “Figure 8 Cast on” (never tried that one before). She shows you how to navigate three different styles/kinds of sock knitting:

(1) One Sock on
four Double Pointed Needles

*Easy – If you’ve never knit socks before, try this one first!

(2) Two Toe-Up Socks
on one Circular Needle
*Moderate – For experienced sock knitters,
or adventurous newbies!

(3) One Toe-Up Sock
on two Circular Needles
*Moderate – For experienced sock knitters,
or adventurous newbies!

There you have it – if you’re interested! Not much else new the past few days which can be a nice thing sometimes!  Am still waiting for the finalization of the actual date of my special needs group’s Baked Potato Dinner thingie, then I can jump in with both feet and start printing tickets, posters and fliers. I found a cute clipart that we’re going to use for the theme:

(I call him “Potato Man”)

It’s a bright, sunny and somewhat windy day here and from our outside thermometer, it appears to be in the mid 70’s  . . . a FINE day, to be sure!

Enjoy your day!

Hugs;

Pammie

“Apple Time”

Now that we’re cruising into Fall I thought I’d post a few apple recipes you might like to try:

Apple Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large bowl add:

2 C. sugar

1  1/2  C. cooking oil

2 eggs

Beat these well then add:

3 C. flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Mix together (this will be stiff) then add:

2-3 C. chopped apples

1 tsp. grated lemon rind (or lemon extract)

1/2 – 1  C. chopped nuts

Mix all ingredients well and pour into a 9 X 13 pan. Bake 50 minutes at 350 degrees F. After baking, let cake cool before frosting with:

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (softened)

1 T. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2  1/2 C. confectioner’s sugar

Blend together cream cheese, milk and vanilla and gradually add the confectioner’s sugar.

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Sour Cream Apple Pie

(my all-time favorite!)

3/4 C. sugar

2 T. flour

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 C.  peeled and sliced apples

1 C. sour cream

1 egg

dash salt

(1 9 inch unbaked pie shell-or make your own crust)

—

Preheat oven 450 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients well and pour into a unbaked pie shell. Bake 10 minutes then turn down heat to 325 degrees F. and continue baking for an additional 25 minutes. (leave oven “on” to finish baking)

——

Topping:

2 1/2 T. flour

2 1/2 T. brown sugar

1 T. butter

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

—

Sprinkle this mixture over the pie and bake another 25 minutes at 325 degrees F.  Let cool completely before serving; makes 1 9″ pie.

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I’m not sure if I’ve posted the Sour Cream recipe before (seems like I might have); we first had this tasty dessert in Frankenmuth, MI. at one of two very famous restaurants there (can’t remember which one-they’re both directly across the street from each other; the area is highly German and is famous for their chicken dinners).  I love this recipe because it’s both flavorful AND very creamy, due to the sour cream. It’s not a very sweet pie, either, which I really like; you get the apple flavor mixed with ‘creamy’… very tasty, I think!

Hope you’re having a great day; it’s Saturday, a ‘day of rest’…for the most part I’m going to try to do just that (amid doing a little laundry, emptying the dishwasher, knitting a bit, sewing more squares together on #201…perhaps reading one of two books I checked out at the library – more mysteries.)  Last night’s Gym Night went very well, however we didn’t have as many people attend as we’d planned for, hence there’s lots of cooked hot dogs, chopped onion and shredded cheese in my fridge today! (I had one for breakfast…don’t laugh! It’s protein!).

Anyway, I’ll close for now…enjoy your day!

Hugs;

Pammie

ps:  It’s a glorious sunny day today with a nice breeze blowing…just the kind of day to go to a football game! (youngest son is going in about an hour…guess who’s driving?).  Thermometer outside reads:  68 degrees F.

A Little ‘This & That’…

It’s Friday and the end to another long weekend filled with many activities: Knit Group on Tuesday evening, “Friends Group” (my special needs group) on Wednesday and several visits to the chiropracter for more adjustments. I asked him today if I’m the only patient who makes noise when getting these treatments and he said they average one ‘noisy’ person every 2-3 months. He jokingly said that they encourage their patients to ‘express themselves’…I guess that’s a polite way of saying: “Feel free to yell if the pain gets too bad!” I know that I do as the treatments are helping greatly and the pain is diminishing HOWEVER it’s still not pain-free treatments. On Tuesday I thought I had finally jumped a huge hurdle and had an evaluation…I’m about 95% better…except for this one small spot. And, wouldn’t you know it…he found that one small spot and proceeded to ‘work it over’ greatly, and me all the while sort of yelping “Ouch! OOoooo Ouch!” then it progressed to me just biting my bottom lip and yipping! I KNOW this is what that knotted up muscle group needs but MAN, IT HURTS! I finally stopped making any sort of sound, then said: “Just because I’m not yelling doesn’t mean it doesn’t still hurt!” He chuckled and continued working that little bugger more. Believe me, I’ve thought of just not going back but the alternative would be that the back would seize up again sometime soon and I’d be right back where I started, so it’s a no-win solution and I continue. As I told the doctor: “I endure“…sigh.

Have been working more on knitting squares and sewing afghans: am at afghan #198 today (about 1/2 done right now). My knit group ladies are (I’m sure) anxiously awaiting tomorrow’s trip to “Stitches Midwest” which is a HUGE event in Schaumburg, Ill. where thousands of people will join at  convention center to walk through  tons of (I don’t remember the exact count but it’s over 80, I think) vendor booths selling yarns, needles, hooks, patterns and all things “Yarny”. I remember our ladies went last year and came back talking about observing women handing over hundreds of dollars to buy items…hundreds! Now THAT’S a serious hobby! Our group was meeting up at 5:30 a.m. to car pool to Ann Arbor, MI (that’s an hour away from here) then boarding touring buses for the ride there. I guess there will be snacks and gift bags on the bus; that’s a nice touch. Why, you ask, didn’t I go? Number one, the tickets are $70, #2 it’s a LOT of walking on cement floors (my back’s still not totally up to snuff) #3:  I don’t do well in large crowds (a bit of agoraphobia when it’s huge crowds and lots of crowding) #4:  Quite honestly, it would be an ‘experience’ for me…just that; I can’t see me buying any yarn (I have waaaaay more than I’ll ever need for the afghans) or other items.  It would be fun to experience, but I’ll happily sacrifice my ‘opportunity’ and stay home, knowing that next Tuesday evening I’ll be inundated with all the little details of what my ladies bought, experienced, saw, were awed over, etc.  That’s where I’ll be … in my own little space, happy to observe from the ‘outside’ and also happy to share in my friends joy over the whole event.

Today is also 9/11/2009 … hoping that you’ll each spend a few moments to remember, pray for, or just honor those who’s lives were taken in 2001.

Hugs;

Pammie

Happy Sunday

(not actual recipe photo, but very close)

Today is a gorgeous 76 degrees and sunny with a slight breeze – who could ask for a better late-Summer day? I’m finally feeling a bit more ‘rested’ after all the hassles of the past few weeks.  I wore my crocheted trellis ribbon necklace to church today over a plain black dress and it drew several compliments. I’m still amazed that there are more blog ‘hits’ per day on this blog specifically looking for that pattern than almost any other topic!  Working on the edging on another afghan (#197) and will probably start another one later one today.

What drew me to writing an entry today was a reader of this blog and friend of mine mentioned that I hadn’t featured any recipes in awhile. That got me to looking and what ‘popped up’ was my husband’s all-time favorite meal: Campbell’s “Souper Meat & Potato Pie”. This recipe was featured on the outside of a can of cream of mushroom soup many…MANY years ago and it’s still a great, easy recipe. If ever there was a ‘comfort food’ meal, this one’s it! It’s a giant meatloaf ‘frosted’ with mashed potatoes and shredded Cheddar cheese…Yum! (I will advise, when I make this I double it and put it in a 9 X 13 baking pan. We never have any leftovers).

“Souper Mean ‘N Potato Pie”

1 can (Campbell’s) cream of mushroom soup

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 C. finely chopped onion

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/4 C. fine dry bread crumbs

2 T. chopped parsley (I omit this)

1/4 tsp. salt

dash pepper

–

2 C. cooked mashed potatoes

1/4 C. shredded Cheddar cheese

=========

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix 1/2 can mushroom soup, ground beef, onion, egg, bread crumbs, parsley and seasonings. Press firmly into a 9 inch pie pan. Bake 25 minutes, then spoon off any fat. Frost top of meatloaf with the mashed potatoes, spread remaining soup on top then sprinkle cheese over top. Bake 10 minutes more, or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting, to avoid crumbling.

(NOTE: Campbell’s also suggests garnishing this with cooked sliced bacon, if desired. I’ve never tried that.)

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I love this recipe because it’s easy, rather quick and very fulfilling. I usually add garlic powder, a few dashes Worchestershire sauce, and use Italian bread crumbs (just because I like them). The cheese is usually Sharp Cheddar (shredded). I’ve made this so many times that I don’t need the recipe; usually there’s more than the alloted cheese, perhaps a bit more mashed potatoes, but there’s no complaints when this is ‘the dinner meal’.  Enjoy!

Hugs;

Pammie

I forgot…

to add to the previous post that there is now a pattern for the crocheted afghan square I featured a few posts ago! Just got it through a newsletter from Lion Brand yarn company; it’s in the form of a free baby blanket pattern. If you’re interested, go to:

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90103AD.html?noImages=

Cheerful Squares Baby Throw

Enjoy!

Hugs;

Pammie