Got Any Tips?

Let's see, how long did blogging every day last? Eight days. Pretty good for me. Of course, I am hoping for sanity in posting from now on. Not that you everyday bloggers are insane, of course. ☺ See how I so easily stick my foot in my mouth?  
What I really want to talk about today is how different it is to eat properly these days. I mean why bother? Just make a piece of toast and be done with it I tell myself. Recently, I began to feel sick as if I were not eating properly. Ya think? Besides all those carbs...not good.

So when I went shopping a few days ago, I asked myself what I really wanted for supper. 

Fruit. I wanted fruit. And a piece of toast. And a cup of chamomile tea.


The next day, I wanted cole slaw. Cole slaw? 

 By Friday, I decided to bake cookies since the weather was not cooperating for working at The Ponderosa. 

Ready for freezing, which I did and now there are nice frozen individual cookies in a freezer bag at the ready. There are also, unfortunately, some in the cookie tin.

On the one side a rainy day, though with all the yellow it looks as if the sun could be shining, and on the

 other side, a snack and QVC. If Lori talks about those pillows one more time...

How in the world did my tv stand get so off? (I have fixed it you'll be happy to know.) 

So do you have any suggestions for me? I think I need some help.

Shortbread Cookies~Mosaic Monday

Cheryl at Thinking About Home has this simple and delicious recipe for shortbread cookies right *here.* Hers are prettier, but mine taste just as lovely, I'm sure.

I made them to enjoy while I watch the final episode of Downton Abbey's season three. Tomorrow we'll chat, but I'll put a great big old Spoiler Alert in my title as fair warning. I know that some of you will be watching later, but I'm tired of waiting for you to catch up. < insert mean snicker >

Linking to Mary's Little Red House for Mosaic Monday. Come see what everyone else is chatting about!

Hodge Podge

More freezing rain and snow this morning. Has the blog been reduced to a weather report? Ugh. I hate when that happens.

Spent a quiet Sunday at home. John didn't even go out in the afternoon, as he usually does, once he arrived home from church. I watched an episode of Foyle's War on the iPad as recommended by Brenda. (You really can't go wrong to pay attention to her recommendations on nearly anything.) Then John and I watched two episodes of Waiting for God on the iPad. (I really need that gizmo that hooks the iPad to the tv, but oh my we were cozy on the sofa together watching that wee screen.) Then I baked.

Baking is always dangerous around here because I do not do it often and we have all the control of half-starved wolverines. It's not pretty.

~~~

My sister, brother-in-law, niece, and her boyfriend are all vacationing together in Puerto Rico. What good timing getting out of here and missing out on the thrill that was the Blizzard of 2013. I've been getting more and more emails from them to take a photo of their dog Bailey who is being boarded right next door with my neighbors.

Bailey's getting older and they were missing her and needing word. Thing is that I haven't seen Bailey, even if she is living right next door. My neighbor took this great photo and so they had proof that all is well.

Instead of finding Bailey, I found this golden window. Do you remember the old story of The Golden Window from childhood readers? I remember so many of those old stories.

And this is one of the photos that my sis has emailed me. Lots of green grass, palm trees, blue water, and golf courses. =D

Do you dream of going someplace warmer at this time of year? Where would you go?

TGIF

And I usually have no reason to say that being a stay-at-home gal. However, this has been a challenging week.

We've got ourselves a sick poodle and a sick poodle is like a sick child requiring lots and lots of attention. Yes, she's been to the Vet and we have meds and all manner of treatments. The Vet thinks, and we agree, that Molly made a leap from furniture that she couldn't handle and fell hurting herself. She's been very lame and she wails terribly about it. It's enough to wrench my heart out. The last three nights we've been up several times tending to her. Mercifully, this morning, she seems to be more perky. Poor thing. If she doesn't rebound, we certainly won't allow this to continue.

So, yes, I'm glad that we've made it thus far. Where did I last leave you? Oh, right, I was looking for a tutorial on a double oven mitt. You'll not be surprised to learn that I found one right *here.* Anything can be found on the web these days. I'll pop in a picture when the sun gets a little higher.

Last night, I made supper for the first time in over a week. Really. How do I get away with this laxity? Anyway, I made the salad that Cheryl mentioned *here.* It was yummy and we both said we'd have it again tonight. (We won't, but it was that good.) Cheryl is doing a series on summer salads each week so check for more great selections.

I also made Kim's Krispy Lemon Cookies (or whatever they are named). They are very summery and tasty. If you visit Kim, she'll probably share.

I remember my telling you once that I am highly suggestible. My father always asked me, "If everyone else is jumping off the bridge, would you, too?" Plug my nose and call me a cannon ball; in a word, y.e.s. That's why I make the recipes you make and why I listen when you tell me that things last longer in canning jars.

Thanks, Janette! I'm hoping that my salad will stay fresh longer than usual.

Let's see...anything else rolling around in this old noggin of mine? Nope, I think I've shared all I have for today. You have a good one!

Edited to Add:

Thank you for the good thoughts for Molly. As you can see, she is resting comfortably all tucked up against the piano bench right behind me. She prefers to be where I am.

Sorry about the light blowing in the windows... This is what we are calling Molly's Staircase as it shows our current sofa situation. One cushion has been placed on the floor to create the first step, the second is Molly's bed, the third, and *gasp* the fourth up there on the covered arm rests. The fifth is off-limits, but probably the point from which she made her leap. I hope that we don't have to live like this for long. (We do have purchased doggy stairs that are not safe in my opinion.)

And the double mitt made from scraps since it was the first time out. I don't know about these. Do any of you use them? I'm not sure how safe they are either.

Cocoa Cookies

 ~Cookies and Milk~

These cookies have that great crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside texture. They don't require baking chips or unusual ingredients; a definite plus around here.

Here's the recipe for those who like to copy and paste. The printable version is below.

Cocoa  Cookies

Ingredients:

- 2 cups plus 2 TBS of flour unbleached, unbromated flour (King Arthur's is great or whatever you have)
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2½ sticks salted butter (melted)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 TBS pure vanilla extract
- Sugar for rolling cookies and sprinkling on after baking

Method:

- Sift together all dry ingredients
- Melt butter then add to a mixing bowl along with sugar, eggs, and vanilla
- Incorporate well on medium speed
- Add dry ingredients slowly and beat slowly until well incorporated...cookie dough will be soft
- Using a cookie scoop (mine holds 2 TBS), create cookies, gently roll in sugar, and place on parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes
- Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack for cooling

Printable Recipe

~Farmer Boy Plate~

This is the sweetest little plate that I served John's cookies on. We purchased them to hang in the living room. A spring planting scene is depicted.

~Pondering a Plate Rack~

Here's a closer look. I think that I've decided to hang them beside the kitchen sink window on a plate rack—otherwise, I'm going to get so tired of holding them up there. ☺

They're labeled "Pastoral by Taylor Smith & Taylor U.S.A." A Homer Laughlin piece, I believe. Apparently, they were made to give away with Quaker Oats purchases. They are very sweet and charming and meaningful around here as John was a farmer boy. 

 ~Crunchy on the Outside-Chewy on the Inside~

And there's my lonely little snack mat. I planned to make a set of four. Right. Perhaps I'll try my new method on them and share with you when I get it sorted around.

What were the last cookies you made? Oh, have you ever made a snack mat?

Molasses Cookies Take 2

My comments in orange with Pondsy's in teal.

With many thanks to Mary MacDonald and her daughter who blogs at *Pondside.* These are the cookies John and I remember so well.

Soft Molasses Cookies Mary MacDonald's Soft Molasses Cookies ☺ (I copied this from my mum's book in 1974 - I date all my recipes!)

1/2 cup soft butter

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 cup water

Cream butter and sugar, blend in molasses and egg and beat well.

In a separate bowl, combine next four ingredients.

Dissolve baking soda in water and add it alternately with the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and blend.

Drop by tablespoons full on to greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes or until done.

If I were you I'd watch the first cookie sheet carefully as these are big and soft and depending on the oven can easily burn on the bottom.

*Printable recipe*

Thank you so much. The minute I saw the ¼ cup of water I thought "bingo." My mother would say that the trick was all in the water. If one wanted soft cookies, one used either hot or cold water, and if one wanted a tougher cookie one would use either hot or cold water. I remember thinking that, whichever way it went, the soft cookie used just the opposite from what one would think. In my mind, that's cold water, but I could be wrong. Have you ever heard anything like this before?

For soft cookies, use cold water. Weird, but true!

Please give the credit to my mother, Mary MacDonald, who baked these every Friday of my childhood. I hope they turn out well!

They turned out very well, just as we remember! They were even better the second day. We can't say about the third day because the cookie tin is e.m.p.t.y.

a soft molasses cookie...yummo!

Some have asked about molasses. We use Crosby's, which offers an unsulphered molasses considered the highest quality. It is not the black strap variety, which is pretty intense...very thick and black and refers to the third boiling of cane sugar. Black strap is often found in feed stores and healthfood stores. The joy of Crosby's is that it is processed in St. John, New Brunswick. When we visit the cottage in summer, we are able to replenish our molasses supplies much less expensively (I can purchase an entire gallon of molasses in New Brunswick for the price I pay for a 16 ounce bottle here). It's one of those items that is on my list for anyone heading to the Maritimes. I think this must be true of any state that borders Canada. We have our favorite things on the other side after all! 

Thank you for revisiting molasses cookies with me! Have you ever rediscovered a favorite recipe?

Projects for a Snowy Day

l–r top to bottom

1. mug cozy and "saucer"

2. mug bottom

3. saucer on end

4. cozy button

Today is another stormy snowy mix, which gives me permission to play.  The pattern above was made up as I went along so I am not crediting it. All one has to do is Google "mug cozy" and you'll find many patterns. 

The "saucer" was supposed to have been the bottom of my handbag. No worries, though, by tomorrow I should be able to show you how that handbag turned out in the end. It will be good for a chuckle if nothing else.

I also worked on ric-rac (site cited yesterday) using the teeny-weeny crochet hook, crochet thread, and massive amounts of patience. This is going to be used on the tag for the challenge at Quill Cottage coming right up on the 19th 30th (can't read today).

Yesterday, I did bake, after all. John had been promised old-fashioned soft molasses cookies. My mother had a wonderful recipe, which I cannot find. Usually, I can find anything on the Internet, but not this time. I found something, which I switched up so much that I can now officially call this recipe my own. 

Not Good Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies (though still quite delicious)

Ingredients

* ¾ cup melted butter (salted or unsalted your choice)

* 1 packed cup brown sugar

* 1 large egg

* ½ cup regular molasses (not black strap)

* 2 ½ cups King Arthur's unbleached, unbromated flour

* ½ tsp salt if using unsalted butter; ¼ tsp salt if using salted butter

* 2 tsps baking soda

* 1 tsp ground cinnamon

* 1 tsp ground ginger

Method

* Melt butter, allow to cool some

* Add brown sugar

* Stir in egg and molasses

* Mix dry ingredients

* Fold dry ingredients into the soft mixture

* Stir well 

* Using a cookie scoop (2 TBS size), create balls and roll them in sugar.

* Place on parchment paper 

* Bake at 350° for 10–12 minutes

*Printable Recipe*

Very tasty, but NOT the soft, Grandma's bun looking sort of old-fashioned cookie I'm hoping to find.

Edited to Add: I was called in for Nonni duty today, which is a real treat. 

This movie is of my grandson just now eating a cookie from yesterday's batch. Listen to that crunch. Oh my! Consider yourselves warned. =)

 

Pam at Playing With My Camera has offered a *Soft Molasses Cookie Recipe* that uses coffee as an ingredient. Interesting! 

Christmas Cookies

Most of us celebrate Christmas on December 25. Not my family. Not this year. Today, the 21st, is the day. Things are so very different this year.



I made these cookies yesterday using Suzanne's recipe. My problem was that I had no snowflake cookie cutter and I couldn't find one while out shopping Saturday. So I thought to myself how tough could it be to create my own snowflake patterns? Tough. What a fright show and I am only showing you the best ones. Ha! Yes, I even had help.



Okay, must be something that I have to bake, clean or wrap. Catch you later...