A Goddess in the Making

11 year old Eva wants to be a Greek goddess for Halloween this year and asked me to make the costume.  

 I used an old white dress, some cast off costume jewelry and a couple of yards of sequined chiffon from the JoAnn's red tag table for a simple, elegant look.  I added rows of gold bias tape to the belt.

                  The chiffon slipped through the round scarf pin and was attached to the shoulder.

                                       An extra scarf was available for other draping options.

                                      Thanks to her mom's careful measuring, it fit just right!

Ice Cream Cake

Summer's not over!  In the Pacific Northwest we are enjoying some of the nicest weather of the year.  And from what I hear it is blazing hot in Los Angeles and Utah and pretty toasty in Arkansas too.  So why not enjoy an ice cream cake?  It will save you dozens of dollars compared to buying one.

For many of our family, this is the requested "Birthday Cake".  

Janene's Ice Cream Cake

1 cake mix, mixed up according to directions.

Bake in two round cake pans.

Cool on racks 20 minutes.

Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on racks.

Freeze cake layers.  

Soften 1/2 gallon plain ice cream (nothing bumpy in it--plain vanilla or chocolate is good). 

To soften just set it out for about 8-15 minutes.  Scoop the softened bits from the edges into a mixing bowl and and gradually add the harder ice-cream, stirring to make slightly pliable "dough".  

Spread 1/2 on top of one layer.  

Cover that with the other layer. 

Frost top and sides with remaining ice cream, re-freezing it for a few minutes if things start to melt.

Then frost again with Cool Whip. 

 Freeze assembled, frosted cake.  

Just before serving garnish with favorite candy or cookies.  

It isn't that hard and the Cool Whip covers all the imperfections.  Frozen cake tastes like something entirely different from regular cake.  And so yummy on these hot summer days in September!

Halloween: Ready, Steady, Go!

Thanks to the Royal Dressmaker for fixing Henry up for Halloween... more than a month early!

Last year, he was Kai from Ninjago.  This year, he's on to Cole DX from Ninjago.

Lucy's keeping it simple by channeling her inner Hermione again.  So, I'm getting my money's worth out of last year's costume.

And, we're ready for Halloween and it's still September.  Thanks, Mom, for helping me be ahead of something for once!

Move Over Fair Scones

The Puyallup Fair is a big deal in Western Washington and these Fisher Fair Scones are a reason to go all by themselves.  I know teachers who rush down to the fair and buy these to bring to school and share with staff.  I remember waiting in long lines (think: Disneyland) to buy a scone for a quarter when I was a kid.  Now they are $1.00 and there are multiple stands throughout the fair grounds so the lines are shorter.

Today is Fair Day in the Puyallup School District and classes let out before noon to accommodate the education showcase put on by students and staff at the fair.  But my teacher husband and I decided to stay home and get some things done.  Missing our scones, I remembered a recipe  I have been wanting to try out.  "7-UP Biscuits".   

Oh MY!  

 These make Fair Scones seem like cardboard!  I can't even describe them.  You just have to make            some yourself.  Moist, light, tender, delicious just don't even begin to cover it.  You want the recipe?  

7 UP BISCUITS

4 CUPS BISQUICK

1 CUP SOUR CREAM

1 CUP 7 UP

1 STICK OF BUTTER

PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 425 DEGREES.

MELT BUTTER IN 9X13 GLASS PAN IN HEATING OVEN.

REMOVE PAN WITH MELTED BUTTER.

IN A LARGE BOWL COMBINE BISQUICK, SOUR CREAM AND 7 UP.

ON WELL FLOURED BOARD GENTLY PLACE DOUGH AND FORM A RECTANGLE.

CUT INTO 12 SQUARES WITH SHARP KNIFE.

GENTLY PLACE BISCUITS IN THE PAN OF BUTTER.

BAKE UNTIL TURNING GOLDEN BROWN ON TOP.

ENJOY!

Ginger Jam I Am

I LOVE GINGER JAM!  I know it isn't the most popular taste in America, but I discovered it while living in Australia one year.  One visit to The Ginger Factory and I was hooked!  Price of admission for our visiting Aussie friends is one jar of ginger (pronounced "jin-ja") jam.
                                                  
For years I have fantasized about making ginger jam but recipes were hard to come by.  In fact, I think ginger jam recipes are the very last thing to make it to internet.  Recently I have found some but they all seem to have ingredients like pineapple or jalapeños.  In the meantime, my taste buds have been satisfied by the occasional ginger jam purchase at stores like Marshall's or World Market.  But today was the day I got the courage to try my hand at this amber delight.  After studying other recipes I came up with one of my own.

      Janene's Ginger Jam

1 pound fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 medium gala apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

juice of 2 fresh limes

7 cups of sugar

1 packet Sure Jell Certo, liquid fruit pectin

Combine all ingredients, except the Certo,  in a heavy saucepan.  Heat slowly to melt sugar.  It will form a liquid.  Stir often.  Bring it to a boil and turn down to simmer for 45-60 minutes.  Stir occasionally, scraping sides and bottom of pot.  Because of the natural pectin in the apples, I probably didn't need to add the Certo, but I did just for good measure.  I added it after cooking the fruit.  I brought it to a boil and immediately removed from heat, stirring the Certo thoroughly into the mixture.  Spoon into clean containers, cool and refrigerate.  Jam could also be put into canning jars and processed in a water bath canner.  But I will eat too fast to bother with that!

I like to eat ginger jam on pancakes (piklets), biscuits (scones), toast, ice cream, yogurt and a spoon!

Back to Baking

Can't believe it has been a month since we have posted!  It has been a full summer and I hate to see it end.  When it is nice outside and grandkids abound and trails to hike, I tend to ignore my homemaking skills.  But I am officially "back" with the ring of the school bell.  Just this past week I made a fabulous blackberry cobbler, thanks to berry picking grandsons.  Then a friend's zucchini harvest resulted in a loaf of zucchini bread.

Today it was a batch of dinner rolls

A rhubarb apple cake with crumb top

And Peanut Butter Brownies

                         Mix up 1 box brownie mix + 1/2 c. chocolate chips + 3/4 c. warmed p.b. swirled in

                                                  Frost while warm for gooey goodness!!

                                      Now I am ready for tomorrow's Grandparents Day party.