Fleece Blanket

Oh, this is probably not the time of year to show how to make a blanket, it's only 100 degrees and heat index of 107 here in KC, but this is also the time of year the fabric stores seem to run really good sales on fleece material. So first off, I'm going to show you possibly the worst picture I could take of the material I used. Ugh...I just hate when that happens. As you can see it is for the University of Missouri team. I made two of these, one for each daughter. The youngest one has season tickets for MU games this year and I thought she would like to have a nice, soft, warm blanket to take to the cold football games.
First you need to cut off the selvage edges, as you can see this had one that was over an inch wide!

Do this with both pieces of material. Oh, I used 1 1/2 yards of each but I probably could have used 2 yards each, as it is just a tad too short for me, I'm 5' 7" tall.

Than I laid the material out on my dining room table, wrong sides together, yes, what I'm going to tell you what I did, was probably alot harder than what I should have done, but this is the way my brain said it would work best. Than make sure everything is all even and straight, yes, I did have to cut more off around the sides and end to make it nice for sewing. Than I pinned around the whole middle of the blanket, to keep it from moving.

Now I didn't do what everyone else does when they make these, I didn't cut fringe and tie them, I seem to have issues with fringe, so I went a different route.

Then I proceed to turn under both edges and pin it all the way around the blanket, heck what else do I have to do, right...lol!

Next I sewed around the whole blanket. I'm always afraid that my seams will come apart, so I always check them, which was a very good thing I did, because I found a couple places that I didn't catch. So I proceed to put my machine on zig-zag and go around the whole blanket again! That time it did the trick! I also sewed in three different place from one side of the blanket to the other so that when it is washed it will stay together in the middle and not pull out.

There it is all done and both girls were very happy to get them! Those fleece blankets are so warm....gee, I think I need to make myself one for this winter!

Now try and stay cool! Thanks for stopping in to see me and I enjoy any comments that you leave too! Have a crafty day................Mary

Dessert Cake

Hi everyone! Hope all is well and that you are staying cool, we are having a heat wave in my part of the country. Today I want to share with you a recipe that I got from my mother along time ago. It is my dad's favorite, as well as everyone in my family too! I think if you try it you will see why. So let's get started, shall we.

Below is a picture of the ingredients that I used, recipe will be at the end of the post. My mom is a diabetic, so she used all sugar-free products and it still taste the same. The very first thing you need to do is drain your pineapple before you start anything else. The pineapple needs to be well drained. I use pineapple in it's own juice. Sometimes I will save the juice, other times not, you choose what you would like to do. I let it drain for around 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Now take your Jiffy cake mix, water and egg and put it into a large bowl, you'll see later why I use such a large one.

Mix together for two minutes. Pour into a greased 9" x 13" cake pan, and bake for 15 minutes. Take out of the oven and cool.

See how much juice I collected from my pineapple. I like to save it and drink it, YUMMY stuff and it is good for your digestion too!

Now spread your well-drained pineapple on top of the cooled cake.

Set aside for now. Now take your room temperature cream cheese and your hand mixer and blend it to make it creamy. Now gradually add your 1/2 cup of milk to the cream cheese, mixing the whole time you add the milk. Add milk gradually or you will have lumpy cream cheese. I used a medium/small bowl for this.

See this is how it should look after all of the milk is added.

Set this bowl aside and get the large bowl and add the 2 1/2 cups of milk. Now with your hand mixer on low, gradually add one package of pudding, when that is all mixed, add the second package of pudding, continue mixing until the pudding start to set- up a bit, probably around 2 minutes. This should prevent any lumps.

Now pour the cream cheese mixture into the pudding mixture and stir to thoroughly combine the two together. That's why I used the large bowl.

Now spread this mixture over the pineapple/cake.

Now spread your carton of Cool Whip over your pudding mixture. Put into the refrigerator and let set up for 3 or 4 hours. I usually make this the night before I need it.

Keep refrigerated until serving time. ENJOY!!

Refrigerate any left-overs. This holds well for 3 or 4 after making, if it last that long!

Dessert Cake

1 package yellow Jiffy cake mix- follow the directions on the box to make and bake, but bake in a greased 9" x 13" cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 mins. Cool

Add on top:

1 - 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained well

Then mix together and set aside:

1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup milk

Then mix together:

2 1/c cups milk

2 small packages INSTANT vanilla pudding mix

Now pour the cream cheese mixture into the pudding mixture and combine well. Pour over the pineapple and cake. Spread Cool Whip over top. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Serves 12

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Broccoli Slaw Aka Asian Slaw

Hey everyone! Are all of you staying cool and hopefully dry too? We are hot, hot, hot here in my part of the world, but it is almost the middle of July, so what do I expect?
Today I'm going to share with you a recipe that I found over on Splitcoatstampers. What you say, a recipe on a stamping web site?? Yes, they have a forum on there where they hold recipe swaps that you can sign up for and some of the people will share pictures of their recipe swap cards too. This recipe on SCS was called Asian Slaw. I copied off the recipe and made it exactly as it was written. Well, we thought it was too salty and peppery too, so I made a few adjustments to the recipe and tried it again, and this is what we call a winner!

First you need to mix together, packet from the ramen noodle, pepper, salt and sugar. Stir it all together and mash any clumps down, so it it nice an smooth....

Than add your apple cider vinegar and oil. Mix the dry with the wet, stirring to incorporate the two together.....

Now set aside for three hours. Alot of times I will do this part the night before and put the lid on my container and leave it out on the counter top overnight. Yes, you can do that and it will not spoil as all of the ingredients are those that sit in your cabinets anyway, besides, I have put this mixture in the refrigerator for three hours and have come back to a solid mass. Than you have to let it get warm up again so that is melts enough to be able to mix the dressing with the other ingredients, so I just leave it out.

Now when you are ready to make the salad add, broccoli slaw (this is sometimes called broccoli coleslaw), chopped green onions, slivered almonds and sunflower seeds. I usually mix this together about one hour before I'm ready to serve it. Mix it all up well.

Than right before you are ready to serve it, crush your ramen noodles. I take my rolling pin and smash them right in the ramen noodle package, saves on clean up unless you get too aggressive when you are smashing them! Add them to your slaw and toss, to get the dressing all over and to mix it all together well.

Serve. Refrigerate any left-overs. Serves around 6 to 8 people.

Broccoli Slaw

Slaw:

1 bag (12 to 16 oz) broccoli slaw

4 green onions, chopped, tops included

1/2 cup slivered almonds, I use sliced ones

4 tablespoons sunflower seeds

1 package chicken flavored ramen noodles, crushed

Dressing:

Flavor packet from the ramen noodles

1/4 teaspoon salt, you can add more if you want

1/4 teaspoon pepper, you can add more if you want

1/4 cup olive oil, can use vegetable but I like olive better

4 tablespoons sugar, you can add more if you want

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Prepare dressing at least 3 hours in advance. Pour over all the slaw ingredients, EXCEPT the ramen noodles. Toss to coat well. Right before serving, add the Crushed ramen noodles.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, it was my mother-in-law's favorite salad recipe! Mary

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Chruch Potatoes AKA Hashbrown Casserole

Hi everyone, hope your holiday was wonderful! Ours was very quite, which sometimes is nice. I do miss taking the girls to see the fireworks, but that is fine too. Today I want to share one of our favorite recipes with you. We call them Church Potatoes because you will usually find these somewhere on the buffet line at a funeral luncheon. Let's get started making them, shall we!

First you melt your butter...

Than add the sour cream, cream of chicken soup, salt, pepper....

Mix all of this together well, than add the mild shredded Cheddar cheese and chopped onion....

Mix that all together well. Than add your thawed, shredded hash browns....

Mix it really well so everything gets covered.......

Than spread into a greased 9" x 13" pan. Set aside.

Now put some of your cornflakes into a baggie and crush them however fine or coarse you prefer. I use a baggie so clean up is easier. After you measure your crushed cornflakes, set aside and melt more butter.......

Now add your crushed cornflakes and stir well so that they get covered with all that butter goodness.....

Now spread over your hash brown mixture......

Well darn it all, I forgot to take a picture of the finished casserole, ugh. Try to image the last picture of the casserole all nice and brown and bubbly!!!

Church Potatoes

2 pounds frozen shredded hash brown, thawed completely

1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups sour cream

2 cups shredded, mild Cheddar cheese

Combine all of the above ingredients. Spread into a greased 9 x 13" baking dish. Spread topping over.

Topping

1 1/2 cup crushed corn flakes

1/4 cup melted butter (1/2 stick)

Combine and sprinkle over top. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Serves 16. I usually only get about 10 servings out of mine, we must be pigs at my house!

Thanks for dropping in to see what was going on, I appreciate you taking the time to visit with me, have a great day!! Mary

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Happy Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July!!

I hope you all have a day filled with family, good friends and good food too! Have a safe day and enjoy the fireworks!

Happy crafting..................Mary