Wishing you all . . .

. . . . safe journey if you are traveling, the joy of arriving family, and the homecoming smells of baking turkey.

May the bounty of our tables be shared with those less fortunate and may our Thanksgiving prayers remember our soilders far from home.

God Bless America.

Linen and gravy don't mix

Very recently unpacked is my mother's tablecloth, which I believe my paternal grandmother embroidered.

My grandmother, a woman who raised 7 children by herself after my grandfather died at age 42, was the only quilter I know of in my family.

She also cooked, canned, baked, ironed with a flat iron, and sewed even while going blind from diabetes. She was a soldier of the steel apron generation and I inherited her chin. . . . along with her love of needlework.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to remove stains on linen, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Easy as pie

Now that the holidays are upon us (how did that happen so quickly) . . .

I thought I'd share one of my all-time favorite pie recipes which I've been making for years. This can be made a few days ahead, placed in the freezer, and defrosted 10 minutes before serving.

Is it good you ask? Well let me tell ya, you'll probably need to make 2!

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Chocolate Cream Pie

1 package ( 3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
1/3 cup milk
8 ounce container non-dairy whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed *
8 or 9 inch graham cracker or chocolate cookie pie crust (Keebler)

Combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in small mixing bowl until blended. Add cocoa alternatively with milk, beating until smooth. Gradually add and "fold in" whipped topping until well combined. Spoon into pie shell.

Clean the label off the pie crust cover, invert and cover pie, crimp edges of foil around lid, and freeze until firm.

* 2 cups heavy cream and 1/4 cup sugar can be substituted for the whipped topping.

Enjoy!

The end of an era

My mother knew what she was about when I received these on my 16th birthday. They traveled to distant lands such as Orlando, Denver, and Killington. Brochures from colleges filled them until I decided which one, then immediately started packing to leave home and be on my way. . . at 17 no less. It seems I was destined to be a long-time traveler.

Once I got to college they were filled with fabric. I was a textile major then and studying every fiber ever made. My quilting destiny was just around the corner.

Now that I have found my home, the remaining fabric was removed and they were donated to the local humane society thrift shop. I hope whomever receives them has an equally amazing journey. . . or perhaps someone will fill them with treasures from her travels. One can only wonder.

And where will I put my overflow fabric you ask, why anywhere I want. I have a whole house to fill. LOL!

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

On this Veteran's Day, I am truly honored . . .

. . . That Mary will be including my original QOV string quilt top with those quilts being given to the grieving families or the wounded of the Fort Hood incident. Mary deserves a big round of applause for all of her hard work and dedication to the Heart Strings project.

It doesn't take much to coordinate a group to make string blocks. If you're looking for a worthwhile project during your holiday breaks consider getting involved. There is no more worthy cause than to show our appreciation to those soldiers giving so much for our country.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Smurf meets Mr. Ed

Just kidding. It's more like a warm robbins' egg blue.
Which I achieved by mixing 3/4 gallon of country white with 2 colors (quarts) that represented Caribbean blue. One had more green in it. I emptied the country white in to my big bucket and then slowly added each blue, stirring and testing until I got the color I liked.

True, playing with fabric is much more fun and certainly more colorful, but it's nice to design your own paint color once in awhile.

By the way, does anyone remember the words to "The Famous Mr. Ed" ? A horse is a horse of course of course, but nobody . . . . dah dah dum da dum. It has been a long time. I was very young when that show was on. Ahem. Really.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

A plethora of possibilities

Like a beautiful quilt, nature draws me in with detail.

First with awesome color . . .

Then shadow and depth combine . . .

. . . with an abundance of lines and curves.
and texture, glorious texture!

Can you tell I really love my new camera? It's a Canon Coolpix P90 with a 24X zoom. I have no idea how to work all of the bells and whistles yet, but give me time.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

What to do if your turkey (or chicken) comes out dry. . .

. . . . if you have left overs, or if you simply want a good hot casserole with fixin's from the freezer.

This is one of those recipes that can be adjusted depending on how much you have on hand and how many folks you'll be feeding. And just so you know, I used turkey and celery (from the freezer), a half cup of cheddar cheese (leftover and needing to be used up), extra seasonings to suit my taste, and penne pasta as it was in the pantry.

Baked Mostaccioli and Chicken

1/2 of a (1-pound) package of Creamette brand mostaccioli, uncooked

1/3 cup margarine or butter

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons Wyler's Chicken-Flavor instant Bouillon (I used 3 cubes)

4 cups milk

3 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey

1 (2-ounce jar) diced pimiento, drained (Personally, I leave this out.)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I use the pre-grated kind in the jar. Works for me.)

Prepare Mostaccioli according to package directions; drain.

In medium saucepan, melt margarine. Add celery and onion; cook until tender. Stir in flour and bouillon. Blend in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Add chicken, pimiento, and Parmesan cheese; heat through. Combine chicken mixture and mostaccioli; mix well. Pour into a greased 3-quart baking dish. Bake in a 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 4-6 servings.

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You also have the option of dividing up the portions in to 2 pans before baking and freeze one for later.

Another trick is to simmer your chicken/turkey meat bones like you'd do if making soup. After 30 minutes of simmer, strain the broth well and use it to cook the pasta. It adds a wonderful flavor to your noodles. When straining the pasta, save the broth to cool and pour over your dog's dry food a little each day. Your dog will love you even more.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . . .

Meanderings

Even though the heavy amount of rain managed to bring the leaves down faster this year . . .

There are still some great shots waiting to be discovered.

The news coverage on the Fort Hood attack in Texas and now the shooting in Orlando, Florida today have me wondering why so much violence is going on, again. You know I usually don't comment on national events, preferring to focus on the joys of quilting and the beauty of this area. However, at this time, I'd like to offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends touched by the tragedies.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Ummm, Ummmm Good

Fall is definitely here and Marie over at Oak Cottage is offering a lovely butternut squash recipe along with what sounds like some yumptious cabbage soup. Perfect for a brisk day of leaf raking.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Quick post

Woo Hooo, Krista is having a give-away. If you already have one, there's no need to submit a comment. You see, I rarely participate in give-aways, but I really need to win this one. As if I'll actually be sewing anything anytime soon! LOL.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .