I have a basket of recipes that drives me crazy. It doesn't fit on the cookbook bookshelf. The dogs knock it over. I knock it over.

Time to prepare some of these recipes, but first I decided to go through them and throw out the ones I'd never prepare. After that, the basket was less crowded.

I've got some cooking to do.

More baking! I remade the thumbprint cookie recipe (called Jelly Drops) and put in 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon with the flour and put apple butter in the indentation. Very, very delicious.

I've never had apple butter before I made these cookies. Where has this delicious ambrosia been for the last 43 years? I want to make some scones just to spread apple butter on them.

The other recipe I tried was the Brownie Roll-Out cookies that was in USA Weekend. Honestly didn't think they lived up to the name. They just tasted like a regular chocolate roll-out cookie but thicker.

My jewelry making class was cancelled, so I was able to attend the monthly meeting of the Front Range Modern Quilt Guild down in Monument. So great to meet fellow quilters. Felt a little out of place amongst the talk of husbands and children. They have lots of interesting things going on. At the end of the regular meeting, there was a show and tell. My friends think my quilts are nice, these ladies blow mine out of the water! I took two quilt tops. One was made from an April Cornell table cloth and the other made from Marimekko Gingko fabric. I may have sold the April Cornell one to a member of the guild. We're haggling at the next meeting. Have to get my costs recorded.

Made Monster Cookies from My Baking Addiction. Oats, craisins, chunky peanut butter and chocolate - so yummy! If you use gluten-free oats, they are also gluten-free.

Cold winter days are a great time to make soup. The catalyst for me was finding some frozen beef in the back of my freezer that didn't look like it would grill up too well. I defrosted it, cut it up and put it in the crock pot to simmer. After a few hours, I shredded up the chunks and let it simmer a bit more. I then let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.

The next day I skimmed the fat off the top and poured the beef into my Le Creuset 2 quart round French Oven. Added beef broth and let it simmer on the stove for 30 minutes. Cut up some carrots and celery, added them to the pot and let it simmer for an hour. Lastly I threw in the barley and let it simmer until the barley was cooked (about 45 minutes). When making beef barley soup, it is important to put the barley in last as it takes the least time to cook.

I thought about posting a picture, but after looking at the soup through a camera lens, I decided that the soup tastes much better than it looks.

I got The Big Book of Cupcakes by Betty Crocker in my General Mills gift box Aunt Mary sent me for Christmas. I made the Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcakes for our department's monthly meeting.

They were a little dry (even the perfectly baked ones) and they didn't taste very peanut buttery. Right now hoping the beef barley soup on the stove tastes better than these did.

Saturday was DIY Natural Day. I made up a batch of laundry detergent, 2 batches of dish detergent, and made some felted wool balls for my dryer. Using my Michael's coupon to buy more wool today.

I started cleaning out the guest room in anticipation of my friend's daughter staying with me when she tries out for UC Boulder's music program. She has a beautiful voice and music talent inherited from both of her parents. I haven't seen her since she was 3.

Yesterday, I used a Big Deal from Angie's List to have the furnace cleaned, water heater drained and cleaned, and all the sinks and toilets checked. The anode rod was so corroded it looked like a piece of coral so that was replaced. I spent an extra $45 to finally get the inards of the basement toilet switched to new parts. He got those parts in there a lot faster than I would have. The cost would have been $99 if I didn't have the parts. So, moral of the story, buy the parts as my toilet kit cost less than $30. My furnace was very dusty and the smell the furnace released afterwards was horrid. Pulled all of my Yankee Candles out of the closet and got them lit all over the house.

Found some old beef in the freezer. I threw it in my little crockpot to cook all day. In the evening, I shredded it and let it cook until bedtime. I then put it in the refrigerator overnight. After I skim the fat off, I'll put it in a soup pot with some beef broth, celery, carrots, and barley. Homemade beef barley soup. Yumm!

It has been a week of migraines. Yesterday I had one that lasted all day long. I took more drugs and went to bed early. Early to bed, early to rise. I woke up at 3 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep. Decided to not go to the stable this morning as it is a balmy 3 degrees in Parker and the indoor arena is usually colder than outside. Thus, I am up and trying to get things done.

One of those things was putting away all the candles I bought from Essex Candle Factory Shoppe. I love Crystal Journey Candles. They make me feel better and motivate me. I wish they had a migraine candle. Will have to make due with Healing.

After unpacking all of the candles, I decided that I should not order candles when I am feeling poorly and am depressed about my love life.

 

Yes, those are a lot of candles.

 

 

 

Anyone else have suicidal housewares? I don't mean homicidal housewares (those that try to kill you), but ones that seem on a path to self-destruction. This Le Crueset pot has fallen off the shelf twice (broken handle the result). This morning it flung itself off the top of the refrigerator chipping the outside. Sigh. Time to email Le Crueset.

 



A couple years Trinity United Methodist Church in Denver started a group to knit hats and scarves for the homeless. I no longer go to that church, but I still knit for them.

Here are a bunch scarves and hats I gave them in September 2011.

Here is the latest scarf.

For those those homeless who are also Broncos fans.

 

 

I need to check my stash of polar fleece to see if I have any more Broncos fleece. If not, I'll just knit a matching hat.

Second day in a row with a migraine. Did have an enjoyable dinner Jimano's with friends and her kids.

Ever since I moved into my house, I haven't found room for a Christmas tree. I've tried a small tree on top of the entertainment section, but it never looked right. I found my answer at IKEA. They had tree fabric. Two yards gave me a tree that I hung from my bookcase and decorated with lights and ornaments that I also bought at IKEA.

It was a great tree. I didn't have to water it. It didn't shed needles. Didn't have to worry about the dogs peeing on it or eating it. Best of all, after Christmas, I just folded it up, put it on a hanger, and hung it up in a closet.

TA-DA!

Today I venture into the world of blogging. If anything, to get out there all the stuff I've been doing in my sewing room and my kitchen. The sewing room was quiet this weekend, but the kitchen was not. On Friday I made cookies and then a loaf of beer bread.

I made three loaves of beer bread. The first loaf I substituted the salt for garlic salt and added oregano, Italian seasoning, and parsley. The idea for the second loaf came from my friend Sarah. Once again I  substituted the salt for garlic salt and also added rosemary and Parmesan cheese (fresh, not the kind that comes in a green can). The third loaf was inspired by my mother's cardamom rolls. I added two teaspoons of cardamom. All three loaves were delicious. Sarah graciously took two half loaves home with her.

This weekend I also visited the Pompeii exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The frescoes were so lovely. I took a picture of the Viking knit necklace, but my cell phone takes horrible pictures. The emotional part was the plaster casts of impressions of people and animals that were buried alive in the volcanic ash.