Oliver + S Jump Rope Dress: Valenine's Style

Oliver + S Jump Rope Dress Pattern

This pattern only goes up to a size 8, but I tweaked to be around a size 10 for my tall 7-year old.  The fabric is Everything But the Kitchen Sink and something else, but I can't remember what-- maybe Marcus Brothers Aunt Grace?

Here are a couple sweet deals that have helped get me in a Valentine's kind of mood.  Thought I'd share...

I bought the fabric in Vicksburg, MS at Stitch 'N Frame.  You can sign up for their on-line newsletter and be entered to win a $50 gift certificate to their store or online catalog! 

Oliver + S is coming out with their first pattern book in March, but you can preorder it for a great deal on Amazon (over 40% off the cover price).  I've already got my order in and I can't wait to get my paws on it!

Reverse Appliqué Tutorial: Boy's Valentine's Shirt

While working on Lucy's Valentine's dress, Henry expressed an ardent desire for a Valentine's dress of his own.  It's hard for him when 98% of the things I sew are for Lucy.  Not wanting him to feel left out, we worked together to make him a Valentine's shirt.  He picked the fabric for the heart and watched eagerly as I sewed and cut and trimmed.  

He was very happy with the result. 

I embellished this t-shirt using reverse appliqué.  It's a very easy process and I thought I'd share how it's done, just in case you have a three-year old boy in need of a Valentine's dress. 

1. I took one of Henry's t-shirts and removed the pocket with a seam ripper (hence the little hole on the right).  That small hole actually acts as a guide later on.  If you are working with a shirt that doesn't have a pocket, cut a small hole in the front of the shirt where you want the heart to go.

2. Cut a piece of fabric into a heart shape.  This heart is about 4" x 4".

3. Turn the shirt inside out and pin the heart over the hole you made in step one.

4. Using a straight or zig-zag stitch, sew around the edge of the heart.  Turn the shirt right side out and cut away the fabric that falls inside your stitching.  Cut close to your stitches (about an 1/8" away from the seam), but be careful not to cut through them.  

5. Baddabing-baddabang! You're done!  AND you have a happy boy!

Coconut Craze: Coconut Cream Cake

sorry that's such a blurry photo.  i was in a hurry to eat it. 

I thought it fitting to end Coconut Craze Week with the recipe that got me thinking about coconut in the first place.  How could I not be drawn in when the recipe called for coconut cream, coconut extract AND flaked coconut?  A coconut-lover's dream! The fact that I had to search five different stores before finding coconut cream only built my anticipation for this gooey, creamy cake all the more.  Incidentally, I have come to the conclusion that the main difference between coconut milk and coconut cream is that coconut milk is more widely available.  Technically, coconut cream has less water than coconut milk, but the coconut milk I used for my Coconut Sticky Rice, seemed plenty thick.  In the future (when I run out of the five cans of coconut cream I snatched up upon finding it), I think coconut milk will work just fine for this recipe.

 After living and breathing coconut for the past week, it's safe to say, I'm good.  No more obsessive thoughts about coconut, at least not for a while.

Coconut Cream Cake

1 package white cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

14 oz can coconut cream

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup flaked coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, eggs, oil, water and coconut flavoring. Beat for 2 minutes and pour into 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
3. In a medium bowl, combine coconut cream with sweetened condensed milk and stir until smooth. When cake comes out of the oven, poke holes into it in even rows using a large fork or chopsticks. Pour most of the milk mixture over over the cake.  Gauge the amount of mixture you pour on the cake by how quickly it is absorbed.  Stop once it starts pooling on the top (see picture).  Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.  
4. In a large bowl, whisk cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and continue whipping until stiff. Spread over cooled cake. Sprinkle top with flaked coconut.

*If you hear of any writing contests that require the word "coconut" to be used as much as possible, let me know.  This post may stand a chance of winning!*

Coconut Craze: Store Bought Staples

One of my all time favorite guilty pleasures..... Hostess Snoballs.  

While I love to bake, some things are so good store bought, there's no need to make them from scratch.  What could be better than squishy, pastel, marshmallowy, creamy centered goodness?  Not having to make it or clean up the mess!

Last year's birthday cake.  Lucky me!

Runner up for best store bought coconut treat would definitely be Brach's Neapolitan Coconut Sundaes.  Sadly, these are getting harder and harder to find.  Anyone know where to find these in Little Rock?  YUM!

And of course, there's the old coconut stand by.  You can't go wrong with a pack of Mounds or Almond Joy. Coconut and chocolate is such a good combination.  

I'm anxious to try something new...What are your favorite store bought coconut snacks?  

Coconut Craze: Coconut Sticky Rice with Mangoes

This recipe is sooo good as a wintry snack or on a cold morning as breakfast.  In fact, I've had it as both this week!  You can find coconut milk in most grocery stores (even Walmart carries it) in the Asian food section.

Coconut Sticky Rice with Mangoes

1 cup sticky rice or Jasmin Rice

1 cup + a bit more hot water

3 tablespoons sugar (or more)

2 pinches salt

1 1/2 cup coconut milk

2 ripe mangoes

In a glass, microwavable container combine rice and hot water.  There should be enough water to completely cover the rice and then some (about one cup + 10% more).  Soak the rice for 10 minutes.  Cover the glass container with a plate and microwave the rice for 3 minutes on high.  Stir the rice and microwave for another 3 minutes.  Repeat until the rice is translucent and the water is all absorbed.  OR you can use a rice cooker, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, combine coconut milk and sugar.  Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves.  Be careful not to bring the coconut milk to a heavy boil or it may scorch.  Remove from heat.  Add salt and more sugar to taste.

Pour coconut milk over hot rice, reserving about 1/3 of the milk.  The rice will absorb the milk and become kind of porridgey.  Slice mangoes.  Spoon rice into a bowl, top with mangoes and more coconut milk.  Enjoy!