My First Amigurumi - Angry Pear

I've always wanted to learn to knit, but never could get it quite right. The piece always looked like I ran it through the garbage disposal after I finished. With my expensive taste in yarn, this is not a good thing, so I decided to give crochet a go. After all, the size of my yarn stash is pretty darn embarrassing when you consider it is just sitting there.

Since picking up a hook, I've managed to do a couple of scarfs, one large wrap (that I'll never repeat) and a baby blanket. I decided it was time to branch out a bit and found a course on Craftsy that piqued my interest. (If you haven't been to Craftsy, you must check it out today! There are lots of great patterns and videos available. It's like attending a class but at your own pace and for a fraction of the price.)

Anywho . . . I found this course on how to design your own amigurumi. Since I like to sew all the critters for Children's, this was right up my alley. As much as I love doing those, the multi-step process and the hand whip-stitching at the end gets a bit tedious. I figured I'd give it a go.

You know what? I'm in love!

Below is my very first amigurmui - an Angry Pear. Total crochet time was 3 hours tops, but keep in mine I'm EXTREMELY slow right now. A more experienced hooker could probably knock this out in an hour. Yeah, I can sew faster than that, but I didn't have to drag out my machine, fabric stash, cutting board, rotary cutter, blah blah blah.

I'd change a couple of things if I make this again (like moving the eyes closer so they touch, and trying to get them more round so they bug out more), but overall I'm satisfied with how DISsatisfied this guy looks.

With friendship,

Care'

Jake's Quilt

I've been working on a quilt for my oldest for a while now and finally managed to finish it up. It actually went together pretty fast - I just tool REALLY long breaks between cutting, piecing and quilting. I love the way it turned out!

Now, time to start work on the next one. I'd like to see if I can actually beat my one-quilt-per-year pace and knock out TWO (or maybe three?) this year!

With friendhsip,

Care'

Back to Soaping

After taking a rather extended break from creating new soaps, I decided it was time to get back to it. Besides, all this cooking like Paula Deen is NOT good for my figure. At least with soaping I get to "feel" like I'm baking - without the calories!

Here is my latest soap. It's made from goat's milk and scented with sweet pea. My husband took one look at it and called it "Celebration." I think it's fun!

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish #9: Sweet Black Cherry Crisp

My husband LOVES cherry pie. I personally am not a fan as I find it too sweet. I also tend to like fresh fruit over canned, so when I saw this recipe (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/sweet-black-cherry-crisp-recipe/index.html) I knew I had to give it a go.

Not only was this one of the easiest recipes I've ever made, it tasted wonderful. Hubby loved it and I did too because it wasn't too sweet. We highly recommend!

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish #8: Brussels Sprouts

I don't like brussels sprouts. I've even tried them steamed, which usually does great things for veggies. To me, they taste like dirt.

My husband LOVES them. He goes on and on about how his mom use to make them for him growing up and how he devoured them.

What kind of weird kid eats brussels sprouts?

Well, after making this version (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/melissas-brussels-sprouts-recipe/index.html) my kids are weird too.

I have always subscribed to the "bacon makes everything better" theory, and am a recent convert to the "butter makes everything better" concept - thanks to Paula. This recipe calls for bacon AND butter. After you drop those little sprouts in butter and bacon, they taste mighty fine.

Mighty, mighty fine.

I always have left over veggies when we make them. Not this time. I think I saw hubby's eyes roll in the back of his head one time . .

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish #7: Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken

I took a bit of a departure and decided to try out an Ina Garten recipe, something I NEVER would have tried before I started this journey. I will tell you that having never dealt with a full chicken before, there were times I wanted to call it quits and get hubby out of bed to deal with it. But, I managed to survive the experience.

The recipe is here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-and-garlic-roast-chicken-recipe/index.html

The chicken turned out beautifully and was very moist. The only thing I didn't like was the gravy, so we just left it off. I did learn some important things on this one, such as the need to over-season before cooking. While it was very tasty, I could have been a little more heavy-handed with the salt and pepper.

Overall, it was a winner and will be on the menu again. And, I'm over my fear of cooking a full chicken now. Who knows, maybe I'll make the turkey at Thanksgiving this year!

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish #6 - English Toffee

Is a simple, one word post of "YUM" sufficient?

No?

Okay, a bit more detail then. . .

SUPER-YUM!

Not only was this easy to make, it was well worth the wait for it to set up. That was the hardest part - waiting to break off a chunk and devour it. Okay, okay . . . I confess that I did get into it a bit early and left chocolate fingerprints on the counter, but it was so hard to resist.

You can find the recipe here:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/english-toffee-recipe/index.html

Paula has a few more receipes that call for toffee bits. I plan to use this recipe to make the bits instead of using store-bought.

Drool over my pictures . . .

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish #5 - Icy Coffee Punch

It's a bit of a joke around my house about how I can't stay awake past 9:00. Even on the weekends when I want to stay up later than the kids, I usually fall asleep on the couch. Turn on sports and I'm sure to be sawing logs within 20 minutes. The problem? I like to watch hockey, and I never make it through a game.

So, when I saw this recipe (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/icy-coffee-punch-recipe/index.html) while staring at a pot full of coffee that I was going to have to dump down the drain, the light bulb went off.

It was a snap to make and tasted delicious. I won't be spending $$$ at that unnamed place any longer, as it keeps beautifully in the fridge. I not only enjoyed it that night (and saw the ENTIRE game), I had some left over for my morning commute to work. You can serve it over ice or ice cream depending on your mood. I had it both ways and can recommend both. Enjoy!

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish #4 - Cajun Fried Okra

In the spirit of full disclosure, I totally cheated on this one. I love fried okra. It's one of the few veggies I can get the 12YO to eat. But raw okra freaks me out. Some people freak on chicken gibblets; others on eggs. For me, the sliminess of raw okra is just nasty.

So, when I found Paula's recipe, (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/cajun-fried-okra-recipe/index.html) I almost passed it by. I purchase the ready-to-fry stuff in the frozen section and it tastes great. Why mess with one of the few things I could make already?

Then it dawned on me. Maybe I could just season the stuff that was ready to fry? Then, I could punch up the flavor without all the hassle? Besides, the worst that could happen is that it turn out inedible and I have to toss it. (We're use to that around here).

I gave it a whirl and it turned out just fine. The kick of the cajun seasoning was great. Normally we plow through a package of frozen okra with a little bit left over. This time there was none left. I even saw the 12YO smile a bit.

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish 3: Chocolate Creme Brulee

Yeah, I know what you're thinking . . . trying to make creme brulee when I'm this new to cooking is a bit ambitious. I agree. And, if I hadn't watched Paula make it on TV I would have just passed it right by in the cookbook. But she made it look so easy. It was!

As a bonus, we got to use the the blow torch for an activity not related to home repair, but that's another story.

The recipe is here:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/chocolate-creme-brulee-recipe4/index.html

It certainly is a rich dessert, but it tasted great. I served it with sliced banana on top. I definitely will make this again in the future - especially if we have company. (Look at me actually thinking of cooking for company!)

I did learn some tips while doing this that I'll pass along:

1. The chocolate flavored liqueur can be substituted for chocolate extract. I had trouble finding both on short notice so I left them out and substituted water. I think it was missing that little bit of punch, so I would not do that again.

2. Less is more when it comes to putting sugar on top for the caramelizing process. I was a bit heavy-handed on my first attempt.

Here's a pic. Enjoy!

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment - Recipe #2: Crispy Fries with Mayo Dip

Growing up I remember Mom always trying to recreate french fries. Don't get me wrong . . what she made tasted great. But, it was never quite as crunchy on the outside as what you could find at the local restaurant.

Well, after watching an espisode with Paula, I now know the secret! You have to fry those bad boys multiple times! (Yes, you can say "duh" if you want. I can take it!)

Here is Paula's recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/crispy-french-fries-with-mayonnaise-dip-recipe/index.html

I ended up using sweet potatoes and they were great. We even made the mayo dip and that is a new favorite in our household.

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment: Dish 1: Croque Madame Casserole

My first Paula dish is Croque Madame Casserole. I watched Paula and Michael make it this past weekend on the Food Network, and I immediately developed a craving. You can find the recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/croque-madame-casserole-recipe/index.html

I will admit this recipe was a bit adventurous for me . . . the concepts of cooking a sauce and frying an egg (no, I have never fried an egg before) were new, but I was determined to give it a try. I spent a good portion of my day last Saturday trying to hunt down Gruyere cheese. (I found it at Kroger.) I then had to go back out for the ham yesterday because the 3YO ate what I had already bought. I finally had all the ingredients together yesterday, so I gave it a go.

I was honestly surprised at how easy it was to do. The hardest part was frying the egg, and I could still use some practice there, but with enough cheese on top no one seemed to notice. And the taste? AMAZING! It was my-eyes-rolled-in-the-back-of-my-head good!

I was a little worried that my 12YO would not eat it, but he inhaled it and went back for seconds. He is the king of picky eaters, by the way. I failed to get a picture of the finished product as the boys were eating it before I even had a chance to sit down. I'll work harder to get pictures in the future.

Give this one a try. You'll love it!

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment

Last weekend I finally had an opportunity to watch the movie Julie and Julia. Yes, I know that move came out in 2009 and it's now 2010. My inability to stay current with movies is a very long story best saved for another day. Anyway, that movie really inspired me to try and finally learn to cook.

I grew up with a Mom and Dad and multiple grandparents that could cook. And I mean REALLY REALLY cook. I was exposed to amazing food my whole life. When I got married, I gained a mother-in-law and a husband that can also REALLY REALLY cook. My sister can also REALLY REALLY cook.

Alas, I cannot.

Yes, I can make desserts and there are a few dishes I can do, but the ability to just walk in the kitchen, look in the pantry and throw something delicious together completely alludes me. If it weren't for my husband, the kids would be very tired of chicken and rice by now.

So, while watching the movie I got to thinking . . . could I do the same thing?

Right after the movie I caught one of Paula Deen's shows and the idea was cemented. I decided that I would learn to cook using Paula's recipes and watching her shows. Last week I started the journey.

Stay tuned for my trials and tribulations as I attempt to add new recipes to my arsenal. No more chicken and rice!

With friendship,

Care'

Cake Balls!

While browsing the internet I came across this site:

http://www.bakerella.com/

I was intrigued . . mesmerized . .excited . .

I am in constant pursit of making those wonderful little desserts. I LIVE for the Food Network challenges where they make the cakes and sugar sculptures. I have tried many times to create these masterpieces and failed. Miserably.

Yet, here was something that looked attainable. There was enough science to the process of making cake balls, but still room for creativity.

Could I do it? Dare I try?

Well, this past holiday season I did give it a go. In all I made about 20 dozen cake balls and they were all a HIT. For Christmas I asked for Angie's book. It is awesome and a great deal. I highly recommend it.

http://astore.amazon.com/bakerella-20/detail/0811876373

Here are some pics of my creations. I am anxious to try more!

Oh, and they taste GREAT too . . .

The ones on the top are chocolate cake inside with chocolate icing, and the trees are red velvet cake with cream cheese icing. I also made a batch with butter cake and butter icing dipped in milk chocolate. I don't have a picture of those because they were gobble up too fast.

You have to give these a try.

With friendship,

Care'

My Sister's Quilt - Update

Here it is - the top of the quilt all laid out. I wanted to get an idea of layout and placement so I could ensure there was a good balance of color. After fiddling around a bit (and playing with the pattern) this is what I came up with. Now all Ineed to do is join everything together.

Hopefully I can work on it this weekend. Lately it has been tough to put 10 minutes together. LOL! I had hoped to have it done by Christmas, but at this pace it may be a first anniversary gift.

With friendship,

Care'

My Sister's Quilt #2

I guess it's time to do a little update on the progress of my sister's wedding quilt. Despite the lag between posts, I have been quite busy. The front squares are completely ready and I'm working on the back squares now. For the front, I took the fans that my grandmother hand-quilted and set them into an unbleached muslin fabric. I chose the muslin because there was so much variety in the fan colors that I didn't want to take away from them. That, and the fact that the unbleached quality makes it appear older is very appealing.

After insetting each fan quarter into the muslin piece, I then went back and embroidered along the seams. I originally planned to do different color thread with different patterns, but ultimately decided that off-white would compliment the quilt best. Also, by keeping the embroidery simple, I think it helps unify the quilt. While doing the embroidery I quilted each fan to a piece of batting.

Next step is to do the back the same way - cut, assemble, quilt & emboider. Then, I can start joining the pieces!

My goal is to have this done by Christmas. Wish me luck!

With friendship,

Care'

Mummy Cake

I'll be the first to admit that I'm no Martha Stewart. I'll also be the first to admit that cooking is not my forte. Yet, for some strange reason I am constantly compelled to try and recreate those fabulous cake designs I see in Better Homes & Garden or on those Food Network Challenge shows. I even scoff at those cake disasters on the Cake Wrecks website (http://cakewrecks.com/). I can do BETTER! MMMUUUUHAHAHAHAHA!

I have no cooking skills. None. Nada. Zip. I can burn ice.

I also know that when it comes to cake decorating, I'm all thumbs. Heck, even someone with all thumbs could do better.

But alas, something pushes me to try. Some glimmer of hope shines periodically in the core of my soul that tells me "this time will be different!"

I know it will turn out bad. Really. Really. Bad. Yet, I still pull out the cake pans and mixer.

This month's inspiration was the mummy cupcakes found on the Better Homes & Garden website: http://www.bhg.com/holidays/halloween/recipes/17-frightfully-good-halloween-cupcakes/



Adorable, aren't they? They look easy enough. Chocolate cake mix, white frosting and some eyes. EASY-PEASY!

The trip to the panty revealed no chocolate cake mix. Fine, I'll make my own. Two hours later I was armed with a chocolate cake recipe that I found here: http://www.momswhothink.com/cake-recipes/chocolate-cake-recipe.html. Fabulous recipe. Takes great! It's definately a keeper.

I put together the batter and realized I did not have cupcake liners. No worries, I'll just make a three-tiered cake instead. This, my friends, is when I should have awoken Vince.

With cake in the oven I set off to get the frosting. Darn. No white frosting. We have chocolate and milk chocolate and some strange yellow stuff left over from last month's Sponge Bob cake, but no white. Off to search the internet for a buttercream frosting recipe! I found this one - also wonderful. It's so good you'll want to slap someone.

http://savorysweetlife.com/2010/03/buttercream-frosting/

I really liked how she explained how to swap out flavors and change the texture. Tips I knew that my new-found-made-from-scratch-cake-decorating-diva-company-extrodinare could benefit from.

Yes, you SHOULD be laughing at me by now. At this point my 3-year-old had toddled in and said, "Oh No! Mommy cooking!"

But, I was not to be discouraged.

The cakes came together well. They were a little difficult to get out of the pan, but I knew that putting them in the freezer for 5 minutes would solve that. Just a little tip I learned from soap making.

The tiers came out a little more rounded on the top than I had hoped, so I got out my trusty knife to try and even them out. Again, should have awoken the V-Man at this point.

I got my first layer on the plate, then proceeded to frost.

Hmmm. the frosting was separating and starting to run down the sides. After double-checking the recipe I realized at this point that I had used too much butter.

After allowing the cake to sit a few moments, I kind of liked how the oozing was looking. I mean, I was going for a mummy cake after all. Maybe it would be more scary than cute, but I was on the right track.

I added the next layers. Cool, oozing effect all around. But, I knew the top needed to be a bit more stiff. That's when I remembered I could add more powdered sugar to the recipe to get a stiffer recipe.

Darn, out of powdered sugar. Regular sugar will work, right? (Vince is still sleeping at this point, blissfully unaware of what I'm doing to his kitchen).

I added more sugar to get a better consistency. Still a little runny, but good enough for my now scary cake. And it still tasted good and now had a cool crunchy effect!

TA DA! Here's the finished pic:

I even managed to make some eyes with the frosting.

Okay, okay. I KNOW it looks terrible. I know it deserves to be featured in a "don't let this happen to you article." I know this.

But, it tastes amazing. And, since I didn't show the kids what I was trying to make, they are
none the wiser.

With friendship,

Care'

The Pics are In

I thought it would be a good idea to put up a pic of my sis wearning the bead-woven bracelet I made for her. I think it looked beautiful with her dress. I also made the veil. That was a very last minute thing, but it turned out great and looked beautiful on her. Now I can add "veil-making" to my bag of tricks.

This is a pic of Jen dancing with our Dad. This was taken in her backyard. I tell you, sitting on her back deck watching the sun go down every night would be hard to get used to - NOT! I think I may have fallen in love with Seattle.



With friendship,

Care'

Wedding Soap

My little sister is getting married next month. As part of my gift to her, I made 20 bars of handmade soap that she can give as gits and keep for herself. She picked lavender and lemongrass for the scents since that is popular in Seattle, and she selected goat's milk as the base. This is one luxurious soap!

I decided to wrap the soaps in a double cigar-band and included their names & wedding date. I was even able to match the font from the wedding invitation.

The package of soap smelled really good - the postal worker kept sniffing the box. I hope Jen loves it as much as I do.

With friendship,

Care'

Hand Embroidered Tea Towels - A Reminder of Mamaw

As far back as I can remember, my Mamaw use to hand embroider tea towels and pillow cases. She had a cedar hope chest in her guest bedroom that was overflowing with set after set of tea towels and pillow cases that were ready for the next wedding, housewarming or Christmas gift. She was very fast and sewing these, and I'm sure this was in her top two pasttimes (the other being baking).

When she passed, I inherited most of her sewing stuff. When I finally gathered the courage to go back through everything I had, I found several sets that she had already prepared for embroidery. This set in particular was set off to the side, and I found the thread she had planned to use - even down to the pre-threaded needle. The colors? Blue, mustard yellow, green and red - my sister's house colors. Since my sister also loves muslin, how much more perfect could it be?

I wish I could be in Seattle when Jen opens her box and sees these at the bottom. I know she will love them and she will smile with a fond memory of Mamaw.

With friendship,

Care'