Monday went to the dogs...

Quick post before I take Rosie to her gymnastics class. Yesterday was a Doggy day, we spent the day spoiling our doggy Clementine. We started with hot, fresh, doggy gruel (yummm). I am omitting those photos because its dog food. Anywho, then Rosie and I made some doggy biscuits which Clemmy loved!

Peanut butter Dog Biscuits:

2 cps whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup milk

1. Mix dry ingredients separate from wet, combine the two


2. flour a board and turn out of bowl
   
3. roll out dough 1/4 in. thick, cut into shapes


4. Bake at 375 f for 15-20 minutes


5. The recipe makes about a million little treats, so it says to then dehydrate in oven overnight

We then packaged up a jar of doggy treats for Clementines cousins, Teddy and Bella

And lastly we started constructing a high fashion bumble bee costume for the doggy. I think I may have broken my sewing machine though. The black fabric for her hat was super thin and slippery and I tried to sew it w/o any stabilizer and it wound up getting stuck (a few times) before I got wise. Now it just eats up everything, and its making a terrible noise. I don't know, I'm a novice sewer so I'm a little frustrated at the moment.

Tomorrow I have to make some spooky cupcakes for Angel's Halloween party at school, I'm thinking we are doing a Martha batch. Take care, we'll talk tomorrow!

P.S.: Dryer is still out of commission, going on 10 days

Everybody has those days

I know this is a bit premature but I was able to get Rosie in her costume. This is the costume that came out of my sewing machine, I made the top out of some microfleece and a nasty shiny purple cheetah print that was like .50 cents a yard. Its a very commercialized depiction of a mermaid I know. I don't know how I ended up making something sooo..... Disney, I mean I love Disney, but the costume isn't very whimsical. Rosie likes it.... I think! I submitted it to Regis and Kelly, so if you see it on there that's us!

Angel, has opted for a store bought Geisha costume (insert snickers here... Yes indeed Target makes a Japanese call girl costume for children, and I purchased one). Now, I have changed the name of what MY Angel will be to a Ninja... she is a Spider Ninja, NOT a prostitute(pictures to follow).

Onto my newest favorite recipe,

Stuffed Acorn Squash

• 2 acorns squashes, halved, guts removed
• 1 box cornbread stuffing
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery diced
• 2 tbsp butter
• chix broth & butter (I can't remember how much, its for preparing the stuffing)
• 1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup craisins
• brown sugar
• salt and pepper
  
  

1. Preheat over to 375 degrees F
   
2. Prepare the stuffing like you would to stuff a turkey, with the onions and celery sauteed in butter, then adding the chix broth the walnuts and the craisins, lastly adding the stuffing mix cover and let let stuffing absorb liquid for 5 minutes, toss with a fork.
   
3. Meanwhile place the squash halves on a baking sheet, sprinkle with brown sugar and place 1/2 tsp butter in to each half
   
4. Once stuffing is ready, spoon into acorn squash until heaping mounds appear (hehe that sounds funny). Anywho, sprinkle tops with brown sugar (again) and bake uncovered for approx 30 minutes or until squash is fork tender.

This is so outrageously good, you have no idea... Just try it... Please... You will not be disappointed

In other news my dryer has broken, I have socks drying from my oven, and undies hanging from the curtain rods, and it would seem that I will be drying my clothes this way for quite some time (Any tips on drying clothes w/o machinery?). The in-laws are coming to visit next Friday from Tillamook, OR (yes, they live in the town that processes and ships out the most d'lish cheese west of Wisconsin), so I need some ideas on something to put in the crockpot (Halloweeny perhaps?). Hope everyone is well, and looking forward to the holiday season! I'll leave you with this video!

Lost in Suburbia

So sorry for my unexpected hiatus from this world I have become so fond of. I have been lost in Suburbia for this past month, Rosie's 3rd Birthday, gymnastics, 2nd grade, book fairs, play dates, girl scouts. Eeeeek!

I seem to have lost myself in the shuffle there for a minute. I knew I was missing you all, but I kept telling myself it had only been a few days and I'd be right back in the groove of things. Well, 1 month later I believe I'm out of my rut, and ready to blog. With Halloween fast approaching there is much to do. It is time for me to hang my cobwebs, light my candles, and turn on the monster mash. I must share with you my most prized Halloween decoration. It was handcrafted for me by the one and only Mrs. Staggs. She is so precious, my little black cat (and my aunt too!), covered from tail to hat with glitter. This is one of my 12 favorite months (hehehe but closer to the top of my list o' favs), I got to explore my German roots a little with an Oktoberfest treat of handmade soft pretzels dipped in stone ground mustard (I picked the one with the most German name in the store). This was my first time making pretzels, I didn't realize that I would need to boil them and then bake them, but Holy Cow (that's what is making me soooo hilarious right now) they were absolutely phenomenal. So I used the recipe that was in the newest issue if Martha, and I need to stress to you how d'lish they are. And pretty darn easy.

Pretzel's (Not Auntie Annes)

2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast

1/4 tsp coarse salt

2 tsp sugar

1 Cup warm water

3 cups AP flour

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
oil for baking sheet

3 Tbsp baking soda

1 Tbsp pretzel salt (yeah, about that, so did not go buy pretzel salt)

1. Mix yest, coarse salt, sugar and warm water in a small bowl, whisking until sugar dissolves. Let stand until foamy ( approx 5 minutes)

2.Mix flour and cayenne in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into flour until coarse crumbs form.

3. Slowly pour yeast mixture over flour mixture, stirring to combine. Using your hands, gather dough together. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until no longer sticky. Cover with plastic and let rise 30 minutes.

4. cut dough into 12 pieces, roll into and 18 inch rope and then form into your pretzel shape, transfer to an oiled baking sheet. Let rise 20 minutes

5. Preheat oven to 475. Bring a large pot of water to boil, and add the baking soda. Boil pretzels in batches until puffed and slightly shiny 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer to wire racks to drain. Return pretzels to baking sheet, sprinkle with coarse salt and bake until golden brown and cooked through about 15 minutes.

Take Care! Hope all is well with everyone. I'll be back again soon!