I hope you take the time to browse my page. I
believe when you leave you will take some wisdom with you from my tips, a
little incentive to try a new craft project and a new recipe to get those pots
and pans rattling.
Apple Bread
Beat 3/4 cup vegetable oil
with 1 cup white or brown sugar and 2 eggs. Stir in 1-1/2 cup chopped,
unpeeled apples, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, and 1 tab. grated lemon zest, if
you like. Sift together 1-1/2 cup flour, 1 tea. cinnamon, 1/2 tea. nutmeg, 1
tea. baking soda, and 1/4 tea. salt. Add to apple mixture. Do not over mix.
Pour into a 9" x 5" loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60
minutes.
Tortilla Relish
3/4 cup frozen corn, 3/4 cup sliced
black olives, 3/4 cup chopped red pepper, 2tab. diced onion, 2 minced cloves
of garlic, 1 tea. oregano, 2 tab. lemon juice, 4 tab. olive oil, 1/3 cup
white vinegar, 1 tea. salt, 2 chopped ripe avocados. Combine ingredients,
except avocados, the day before serving and refrigerate overnight. Just
before serving, add 2 chopped ripe avocados and transfer to a flat dish.
Serve with tortilla chips.
Patio Lantern
Lingering outdoors
beneath the stars is one of the pleasures of summer. Build this starry
teapot lantern for your garden patio and enjoy those evenings outside. Find
an old metal teapot or coffeepot from the thrift shop or a garage sale. Use
a drill fitted with a metal bit to drill holes randomly all over it for a
lantern effect. Paint the lid and handle with acrylic enamels. Illuminate
with a small candle that won't create too much heat. Be cautious of the hot
metal sides.
Dutch Baby
Pre-heat the oven to 425
degrees. Place a half-stick of butter in a 10" cast-iron oven-proof skillet
or a heavy baking dish. Put the skillet in the oven while you prepare the
batter. In the blender; blend 3 eggs until foamy. Add 3/4 cup milk, 3/4 cup
flour, 1/4 tea. salt and 1/4 tea. vanilla. Blend only to combine. When the
butter is melted (but before it burns), remove the hot skillet and roll it
so that the butter evenly greases the pan. Immediately pour the batter into
the hot pan and return to the hot oven. Bake for 25 minutes until puffed and
golden. Serve in wedges with slices of lemon, pats of butter, and powdered
sugar that melt together to make a lemony syrup. Serves 2-4.
Soothe Sore Muscles
Draw a warm bath and
add 1/4 cup of ground ginger. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that
help muscles that ache to heal.
Easy Bandage Removal
To painlessly remove
an adhesive bandage, blow warm air from a hair dryer on it for a minute or
two. The heat will melt the adhesive, making the bandage easier to
remove.
Roasted Red Potatoes
1
pound small red potatoes, 1 tab. olive or vegetable oil, 1/2 tea. salt, 1/8
tea. pepper, 2 tab. grated Parmesan cheese. Cut the potatoes into 1/4 in.
thick slices; toss with oil. Place in a single layer in a greased 13" x 9" x
2" baking pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Cover tightly
with foil. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until tender.
Peanut Butter Apple
Dip
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened, 1 cup peanut butter, 1
cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup milk, 3 to 4 apples, cut into wedges. In a
mixing bowl, combine the first four ingredients; mix well. Serve with
apples. Store in the refrigerator.
Frothy Orange Drink
1
can(6oz) frozen orange juice concentrate, unthawed, 1 cup water, 1 cup milk,
1/2 cup sugar, 1 tea. vanilla extract, 8 to 10 ice cubes. Combine all
ingredients in a blender; cover and process until drink is thick and
slushy.
Hot Caramel Apples
4
large tart apples, cored, 1/2 cup apple juice, 8 tab. brown sugar, 12
red-hot candies, 4 tab. butter or margarine, 8 caramels, 1/4 tea. ground
cinnamon. Whipped cream, optional. Peel about 3/4 in. off the top of each
apple; place in a slow cooker. Pour juice over apples. Fill the center of
each apple with 2 tab. of sugar, three red-hots, 1 tab. of butter and two
caramels. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hrs. or until
the apples are tender. Serve immediately with whipped cream if
desired.
