Focaccia

 Focaccia Bread was always something I thought I would like to make, but never got around to it until a couple days ago.  I stumbled on a new cook/recipe blogger that made it look interesting enough to give it a try.  I'm not opposed to trying any type of bread, this one just looked like a foo-foo kind of bread with all the fancy veggie artwork I typically see on top of the Focaccia Bread.  This recipe was only with rosemary on top, and I have lots of rosemary.  First step of the process is to combine the first 4 ingredients, cover it and put it in the fridge overnight.  I got my dough in the fridge and went outside and got a branch of rosemary to have ready for the morning when I would be starting the next step.  Before I had a chance to add the rosemary I talked to Z and she said she really liked Focaccia bread, but always picked the rosemary off.  That is when I decided I would use Everything Bagel seasoning on top of mine instead.  I love rosemary, but I guess it wasn't supposed to go on my Focaccia bread.

This is one of the easiest breads I have ever made.  Analysis of this bread when it was done... not sure what words could express just how good tasted.  Everything Bagel was perfect and the crumb/chew was right where I would want it to be. The best part is Ron likes it almost as much as I do, and that doesn't happen very often.

Fast forward a couple days and I have now made my first Focaccia video.  I have lots to learn about making a video.  I didn't do much editing on the video... it really did need some editing, but it wasn't all that bad.  It was only showing the first steps in the process, putting the ingredients together.  The dough is in the fridge and will be baked in the morning.  I think the only change I will do this time is to bake it in one pan.  The two pie pans worked beautifully, but I want to see how it would work in a square format.

Tuesday's Table Time

 

Sliders anyone? Back when I was first introduced to Sliders I was living in Ohio and I did not even know you could get a Slider with cheese on it. When... many years later, I saw Sliders in the frozen food section of a local store, they had cheese on them. Well first of all a frozen White Castle just didn't seem right, and with cheese was just wrong. We have been here 20 years now, so I guess I have softened my stance a bit... I have bought frozen White Castles, and they did have cheese, and they were not bad. A couple years ago I found a recipe online for Sliders. I tried the recipe and they actually turned out pretty good, and I even put cheese on them, which is just fine... but if I do get to go to a real White Castle back in Ohio, I am quite sure that I would not order my Sliders with cheese.

This was my choice for the Tuesday group this week.  I typically surprise them, but this was a repeat.  I think I did this for them the first week I had them here for lunch on Tuesday.  I made the rolls from scratch, which really isn't necessary, but I wanted these to be extra special.  They were good enough that they all wanted a to-go box when they left.  Oh, and I made some fig cookies for an added sweet touch.

Mid Week Fun

These are called Call Me bags made by a pattern company called ByAnnie.  I made one for myself, showed a friend, and after I made one for her it seemed for a bit to go viral.  Well maybe not viral, but I probably have made about 24 or so of these little bags that enable you to carry your cell phone and maybe an ID badge and a credit card or two.  A real handy little gem. 

The mesh on the side with the cell phone pocket allows you to see the screen of your phone, and the zipper pocket on the other side is a place to put something you might need to have a little more secure.  I love this little bag.

It doesn't look like much, and they aren't very big, but these guys were fun practice pieces for a step up from the beginner status.   These are called Clam Up bags.  I started making bags a few weeks ago already.  Actually I think it has been at least a couple months.  One of the things I discovered is, it is much easier to deal with multiple layers of fabric... if it isn't vinyl or leather.  My machine can handle a couple layers of the heavy stuff, but sometimes it gets a little iffy to get the needle to go through more layers.  I have dabbled with some vinyl and some leather, but cotton definitely has its advantages.

The beauty of the ByAnnie patterns is they are mostly made using cotton.  I have no desire to go into business, so keeping things fairly low-key is a good thing.  These little bags with the clip on one end are the smallest size for this pattern... it is about 4" long.  I think I might enjoy this bag more in one of the larger sizes though.  That is a nice feature for this pattern maker... there are multiple sizes available in one pattern

Tuesday's Table

Tuesday mornings are typically quite busy as we are up early to go to Breakfast with Friends, then it is home to prep the meal I will serve to the "lunch crew".  The menu is always... usually anyhow, a surprise.  The girls, and sometimes Austin, are not picky.  They just enjoy a good home cooked lunch with friends.  I keep it pretty informal and use paper plates.  I am not opposed to paper plates, but not my normal choice, especially to serve lunch to friends... but when lunch is for 6 or 7 sometimes, it makes me quite happy to only have glasses and silverware to wash when it is all done.  They are coming on their lunch break, they come all together, and no one wants to stay behind to help with the dishes and make everyone else wait to go back.  We always have a good time laughing and sharing stories.  My biggest stress point of the whole process is deciding what I will make for Tuesday's Table next time.

Of course you are not seeing the one who ties this whole group together, our Z.  Lots of great people around this table every week.

Today's lunch was Meatball Sub Casserole.  It is so simple... or it can or should be.  The recipe calls for frozen meatballs that you would typically buy at the store.  On Saturday I made my meatballs that I baked in the oven.  Those were pretty easy too, but if you use up two cooking sessions for one recipe, I think it might not classify quite as simple anymore...  What matters is that they enjoyed.

If anyone wants the recipe(s), let me know.

 

Let the planting begin...

 Started the day with a ride... we haven't done that in a while.  It was a good riding temperature,  we were out almost as soon as it was light enough.  

Next on the agenda was getting some outside work done.  I have been intending to put chicken wire over my raised beds for a while and finally got that task done this morning.  Chicken wire is to keep the kitties from using the beds for the kitty box... at least that is the hoped for result.  I got all 4 beds done, and was ready to call it a day... had to take a bit of a break.

After lunch I went to Walmart to see if they had any herb plants.  I found a variety of parsley plants to choose from, they had a couple thyme and some bigger basil plants, and that was all I found that I wanted to consider.  It was too hot to put them out when I got home, but did get them in the ground after supper... even got them watered.

I'm hoping I will have better luck with my raised beds this year. It is actually pretty late to get busy prepping these beds, but it has been crazy the last 2 or 3 weeks.  Between rain and getting sick it just didn't get done.

My pomegranate tree is loaded with blossoms right now, there are even signs of fruit starting.  I have no idea what I have to do to make the right changes so the fruit actually develops into an edible size.  I had two fruit total off the tree last year and they never got big enough to pick.  

I also have a volunteer Moonflower.  It came up in between the patio blocks last summer and has returned this spring.  The plant already has spikes ready to start producing blooms. 

Plan is to go to Fanicks on Friday.  Will be looking for a couple native trees.  I don't seem to have good luck with my fruit trees.  I also needs to some hanging plants for my porches.

Spring has sprung

 It has been long enough that this will be a challenge... the creation environment for this blog appears to have changed... it has been close to a year.  

It would be no surprise to find my sewing accoutrements in almost every room of the house, but they dominate in the upstairs rooms.  In an effort to make my sewing environment more user friendly, I decided to move my main sewing machine into the same room as my cutting table and ironing board.  Initially this room was my longarm room.   

About 18 months ago I decided it was time to let go of that side of quilting.  I had done enough quilting, and I was ready to move on to something new.  That is when weaving came to the forefront, and buying a loom meant I didn't have room for both crafts in my space available.  So the longarm was sold and the loom moved into its space.  I will likely make a few more quilts, but the type that does not require me to have a longarm... but I do think I am done weaving.

My sewing room has always been one of my favorite rooms, but my recent changes have taken it up a few notches.  I now have ready access to a few of my sewing machines with no need to "put them away" when I am done with a project.  The opportunity to rediscover my serger and learn just how much I can enhance my creation experience brings a smile to my face.

 Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies

I have made cookies of all kinds over the years.  A while back I came across a recipe that knocked my socks off when I tried them.  They were super easy and one of the best cookies... I don't know that one cookie holds the best title, but this one is right up there near the top of my list. There are only 7 ingredients and the longest part is letting them chill so you can slice them into the perfect little cookies that they become.

When I decide I am going to make these, I take 2 sticks of butter out to set on my counter to come to room temperature, then go about whatever I was doing.  When it is time to start the cookies I put the butter in a mixing bowl and add 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 cup of white sugar.  I blend the butter and sugars till they are nice and creamy, then I add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 egg... again blend till smooth.  Next I fold in 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup of chopped pecans.  

Once the flour and pecans are blended the batter is ready to be divided in half and wrapped into 8" logs.

The two logs are then placed on a plate and into the fridge for about 2 hours to chill.

When the two hours is up preheat the oven to 350º then take them out of fridge and unwrap... slice into 1/4" to 1/2" slices.

These should fit nicely on two parchment lined cookie sheets. The original recipe said to bake them for 13 to 14 minutes.  First batch I made I decided to cut that back to 11 minutes and that works perfectly for me every time.  

I remove them from the cookie sheets immediately and let them cool on a wire rack.

These are so easy and so good, I guess the reason I don't make them too often is because I could sit down and eat a whole plate of them, and that would not be a good habit to get into