Tuesday, October 28, 2008

A Chinese Kitchen

Check out this blog post I stumbled upon! The blogger is currently living in China, and shares photos of her kitchen. If you've been to China (and even if you haven't), you'll enjoy reading this!

I Am NOT Happy!

Well, it was bound to happen eventually, but I didn't think it would be this soon.

I got an invitation to join AARP.


I am NOT eligible for this organization for another five years, thankyouverymuch, and I'd appreciate it if they wouldn't try to rush things along.


I'm gonna go do something "youthful" now, like knit... Oh, no!!!!!!

Apple Crisp

Another great fall recipe! I've been making this a lot, too. I've been making quite a few dinners in my crock pot. That frees up my oven, as well as evening dinner prep time, to whip up this nice warm dessert for my family! The five of us can wipe out one pan in an evening, so I'd advise making two if you have guests!

Best Apple Crisp Ever

4 apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a 9-inch square baking pan, mix sliced apples with brown sugar. In a large bowl, mix together flour, white sugar, cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl, beat together egg and melted butter. Stir into flour mixture. Spread evenly over apples.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until topping is golden and crisp.

Pumpkin Bars

It's the perfect time of year for my "famous" Pumpkin Bars! I've made them several times already this fall, and have been asked for the recipe a number of times! Thought I'd share it here...

Pumpkin Bars
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

4 eggs
1 15-oz can pumpkin
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (opt.)

In medium bowl, mix dry ingredients (except sugar). In large bowl, beat eggs, pumpkin, sugar and oil. Add dry ingredients, beat well. Spread in ungreased 15x10x1 pan (jelly roll). Bake at 350, 25 - 30 minutes (check with toothpick). cool on wire rack.

Frosting:
Beat together 3-oz package cream cheese (softened), 1/4 cup margarine (softened), and 1 teaspoon vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups (sifted) powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Spread on cooled bars.

Store in refrigerator.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Pardon the Panda

Update: Looks like others like him, too, so he's staying for a while!

When I added that little panda wandering around my blog, I thought he was just going to sit there on my sidebar looking cute. It's probably annoying to try to read a post and have him sit down right on the sentence you're reading. But really, isn't he just adorable? And I discovered that if you click on his bamboo (also floating around the page), it bounces, and he goes after it, catches it and eats it.

It doesn't take much to amuse me these days!

He'll probably be gone by the weekend...

Friday, October 10, 2008

Note to Self...

Do not try to knit a complicated piece while in the same room with children watching Sesame Street!

I was trying to count stitches, but Elmo's counting was louder (and more obnoxious), and I kept getting thrown off...

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Sweet Memories...

Mary at Owlhaven (one of my all-time favorite blogs) posted a little challenge. Go to your photos file, find the 6th folder, then find the 6th photo in that folder and post it to your blog. Here's what I found...



We brought Abbie home from China on Thanksgiving Day. I decided that year to send out a combination Christmas card/adoption announcement. I took a jillion pics - this was one of the outtakes, though not so bad, now that I look at it. Hannah was 5, Rachel was 2, and Abbie was 9 months. I bought those sweaters in China on that trip - yes, those are ladybugs on them!

The cards were red with a gold ribbon tied at the top (I made them myself) - it looked Christmas-y, and it also incorporated the Chinese colors of "good luck". The picture was on the front of the card...

(front) "If you think we've got our hands full now..."

(inside) "...you should see our hearts!"

I'm enjoying just looking at those sweet babies again. They're growing up so fast!