A Pause in Blogging

I won't be blogging for awhile. My father died yesterday.

Classic Gingerbread

Yesterday I was going through my lastest issue of AllYou magazine. I make sure I don't miss any coupons or good articles.

I came across this recipe. The recipe calls for it to be baked in a Bundt pan but I used 2 -8 inch pans and popped one in the freezer for later use. My small family cannot eat a whole Bundt cake. Plus we will have one for later if company comes.

I like to serve my gingerbread with whipped cream!

Classic Gingerbread

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 Tbsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 ground cloves

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp baking soda

2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white

1/2 cup dark molasses

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 Tbsp confectioner's sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. In a separate bowl, mix applesauce with baking soda. In a third, large bowl, whisk eggs, egg white, molasses, brown sugar and oil until smooth. (HINT: Spray the measuring cup with PAM or whatever before you add the molasses. It will slide right out.) Add to dry ingredients and gently stir to form a smooth batter. Fold in applesauce mixture.

3. Pour batter into Bundt pan. Bake in center of oven until a toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pan on wire rack, then unmold to cool completely. Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve.

Sewing a Christmas Dress

When Little P was born, my friend Michele, gave me some patterns. So I decided to use one to make a Christmas dress for Little P.

We decided to make the first one but add a gathered flounce to the bottom of the dress. I have the jacket almost done and I realized I messed up just below the collar. I have to rip it out and resew it. I am almost done with the dress.

She chose these fabrics. A green shimmery fabric with glitter for the dress. A red background with penguins and a saying "Jump For Joy". They are nice fabrics!

Some People

Today when little P and I were doing her Literature schoolwork we read this poem by Rachel Field.

Some People

Isn't it strange some people make
You feel so tired inside,
Your thoughts begin to shrivel up
Like leaves all brown and dried!
But when you're with some other ones,
It's strange still to find
Your thoughts as thick as fireflies
All shiny in your mind!

Friday Fun For Kids

I saw this really cute craft on Family Fun.

Create a flock of these bright votive holders: they're a great project for kids and, filled with battery-operated tea lights, a luminous addition to your table.

CRAFT MATERIALS:
Hot glue
Glue gun
1 1/4-inch wooden doll head (available at craft stores)
Small glass bubble votive holder (ours is 4 inches wide by 3 1/2 inches high)
Brush
Mod Podge
Tissue paper
Scissors
Tacky glue
Beads
Time needed: About 2 to 3 Hours
1. Apply a dab of hot glue from a glue gun to the wooden doll head. Then adhere the head to the votive holder.

2. Brush Mod Podge over the head and body, then cover them with overlapping tissue paper scraps. Apply another Mod Podge layer and let it dry for at least 45 minutes.

3. To make the tail feathers, cut 9- by 2-inch strips of tissue paper, bend each in half without creasing it, then twist the ends together. Use a dollop of tacky glue to attach each feather to the body.

4. Cut a beak from a double layer of yellow tissue and affix it with tacky glue. Add two beads for eyes. Cut a long oval of red tissue, twist one end, and affix it as a wattle. Allow the turkey to dry.

30 Days of Night

I watched this movie last night. P#1 reminded me that when it was advertised for the theaters I said I wouldn't want to see it. Then I found out that Sam Raimi was the producer along with Rob Tapert (Lucy Lawless' husband). I was so excited. I appreciate his work. I knew it wouldn't be really scary. I just can't take that anymore.

Vampires come to Barrow, Alaska (no one had funny accents!) where they have 30 days of night! They wreak havoc and kill a lot of people! They are very ugly too!

I was grossed out by the movie "Hostel". I used to love this stuff. I was there when the slasher films got their start - "Terror Train" and "Halloween". But some of the films today are to evil and cruel for an "old" lady!

Muffins and cold mornings!

Saturday morning it was rainy and drap so I fired up the ole computer and got a recipe off of Eat Better America. Banana Cranberry Spice Muffins http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/global-flavors/banana-cranberry-spice-muffins.aspx
But of course I changed it! I have boxes of Fiber One cereal that got for almost nothing at CVS. I wanted to use it up.
I used 3 bananas that I had stuck in the freezer when they were getting too ripe. I just popped them into the microwave for 1 minute to thaw. The muffins were so good.

Banana Cranberry Spice Muffins


1 cup Fiber One® cereal
1 egg
3/4 cup fat-free (skim) milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 12 regular-size muffin cups with shortening or cooking spray, or use paper baking cups. Place cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag and crush with rolling pin or meat mallet (or crush in food processor).

2.In medium bowl, beat egg, milk and oil with fork or wire whisk until well mixed; beat in bananas. Stir in cereal; let stand 5 minutes.

3.Stir in remaining ingredients except cranberries until blended. Stir in cranberries. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

4.Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately remove from pan to cooling rack. Serve warm.

This morning it was the same rainy, damp yuck! So I thought I will make muffins again. I didn't want to make the same ones so I used a recipe that I bought off of someone's website. They were horrible. I composted the whole dozen. I was bummed! Oh well next time i will make the same recipe!