OUR TOWN

Our library is participating in the BIG READ this year. We have chosen OUR TOWN and THE BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY. We are setting up displays for both and I am working on the background for OUR TOWN.

I first sketched the "town" in pencil, then added a colored pencil. That wasn't quite dark enough so I added a dark pastel and blended it a little with a paper towel.

The Woodstock Library

I wanted to show you my very professional setup. When I have a large background to paint, I will tape it to the long wall in my basement. Two sheets of butcher paper from the library, colored pencils (plus a black pastel) and a boatload of fixative and presto.......... Our Town. Please ignore the paper mache frog in the foreground and the plaid PJ's............which I am supposed to be hemming for my Mom. Soon, I promise.

I'll take a photo of the completed set at the library when finished.

SUNDAY NIGHTS WERE MADE FOR CHILI AND CORNBREAD

Is it a cold winter day where you are? How about making some chili and cornbread for dinner? I use my mother's recipe for cornbread. She likes to use Pine Mountain cornmeal but I can't find it anymore. This time I used White Lily buttermilk white cornmeal. The recipe calls for 2 cups of cornmeal, 1 2/3 cups of buttermilk, 1 egg and 1/4 cup wesson oil. Mix the first three ingredients in a bowl. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. You can see in the photo the recipe I've been using. Many years ago I printed some of our favorite family recipes on our OLD Commadore 64 computer. I was very proud of myself for figuring out how to use Printshop at the time. Now, about 20 years later, I'm still using the same recipe which I have made many notes on since.

And I JUST found out this tidbit THIS year from my mom. I had been mixing the oil into the batter, but NO you're supposed to heat up the oil in the oven FIRST for a few minutes..............

and POUR it into the batter when it is hot..................it boils and smells yummy................

then pour your batter into your iron skillet and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

.......and out pops perfect cornbread..............it could only be better if you ground the corn yourself..............

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYAN

30 years ago we were living in New Jersey and the temperature was 10 degrees below zero. Bryan was the second baby born in our hospital in Morristown on January 1, 1981. Today I am so proud of him and just enjoy being in his company. Happy Birthday sweetheart!

It seems like yesterday you were this size.................

Bryan and Sylvia

We had a great dinner tonight at Six Feet Under which is across the street from Oakland Cemetery. We had yummy Spicy Rat Toes, Fried Green Tomatoes, Fried Catfish and some delicious desserts. Want a fun place to take some out of town guests? Try Six Feet Under, and afterwards stroll Historic Oakland Cemetery.

Oakland Cemetery

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!

A few photos from our

Christmas.

We were blessed to spend time

with family

and friends at such a time of great joy!

May you have a New Year filled with

HOPE

JOY

and LOVE!

IT FITS

Here's Tai's little "Lumpy Bumpy Yarn" pom pom hat. It looked really cute on her and I love the texture of the yarn. It's a quickie to knit up especially on larger needles like size 15 or 17. I found this FREE pattern on Purl Soho.

CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER

I wanted to make our Christmas Eve Dinner special this year. I wanted to try new recipes since we decided to scale way down on the gift giving. We picked names this year with my brother's family and then we decided to do the same within our own family.........trying to be more conscious of the real meaning of Christmas, save money and enjoy our time with each other.

I found some tempting recipes from Southern Living at the library. My first recipe is in the Dec 2010 issue: POTATO CHEESE GRATIN It turned out fabulous and everyone loved it. The gruyere cheese was a little expensive, but it was a very gormet side dish. You use store bought pie crusts and add kosher salt, freshly cut rosemary and cracked pepper on top of the crust.

Add 1/4 cup of grated Gruyere cheese.............

Add the second pie crust on top and spread both into a springform pan spreading the edges upward as high as you can.

Next add sliced Yukon gold and Sweet potatoes

pour some heavy cream and more cheese while layering the potato slices........

Bake while covered with aluminum foil

And Voila...................a beautiful Potato Cheese Gratin that is to die for! It also makes the house smell wonderful! It's easy and a great dish to make. It will definitely be on my to go to potato recipe list!

LIKE BUTTAH

My husband just returned home from a trip to Austin, TX with the MOST wonderful present....

.....a tin full of the most delicious sugar cookies made by his cousin, Marti. The name of her cookie company is LIKE BUTTAH, and they DO taste just like butter. Julia Child would be proud! Each cookie is beautifully decorated with a shimmery coating of sugar.

I had to quickly take a photo this morning before all of the cookies disappeared. Every day I seem to be missing a few more!

I hear that her chocolate chip cookies are to DIE FOR!!!

So, if you need cookies for a special occasion or just want an extra special treat, contact Marti at LIKE BUTTAH!

FINISHED HAT

A LITTLE WHIMSY

Do you think a 4 year old will appreciate a handmade gift? Maybe not, but it sure was fun to make! Here's a funky little whimsical hat for a funky little whimsical girl. I bought this yummy hand dyed yarn in Greensboro, NC at a shop called THIS & THAT and it is called "Lumpy Bumpy Yarn" by Charlene. The cake is about 150 yards and is a lot of fun to knit with it's thick and thin texture.

The pattern is knitted on size 15 double pointed needles in a simple stockinette stitch for about 4 inches and then you start decreasing. I still need to make a little pom pom for the top. I whipped it up in just a couple of hours while watching "Phantom of the Opera". I have a lot of yarn left and think I will make a matching scarf. Too cute!!

SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE GOODNESS

This Sour Cream Coffee Cake is just out of the oven. Look closely and you may even be able to see the steam rising and smell the yummy goodness. This is a quick and easy recipe and is a no fail coffee cake. It looks beautiful when sliced with it's swirled filling of pecans, cinnamon and sugar. This one will be wrapped up and waiting for kids coming home for Christmas!

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a bundt pan very well.

Next, I like to mix the filling first so it is ready. Mix 3/4 cup chopped pecans, 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. I pour it all into a baggie because it's so much easier to shake and mix.

Cream 2 sticks of butter (at room temperature) and 2 cups of sugar. Blend well. Add 2 eggs and cream throughly. Sift 2 cups of flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add to mixture alternately with 1 cup of sour cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.

Pour half of the batter into your bundt pan and sprinkle half of the pecan mixture on top.

Add remaining batter and the other half of the pecan mixture on top.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan then turn onto rack to cool completely. Enjoy!!!