The Egg Wars - 2012

And the winner is:

Our Easter tradition is the Breaking of the Eggs. My husband and daughter dutifully color our hard boiled eggs each year the day before Easter.  When the children were small, the egg wars took place right after the Easter Baskets hunt but now that the children are adults the Wars have expanded and found their place before dinner after all guests have arrived.

Each guest picks their egg; color and overall physique play a part in the selection.  The goal is to be the last Egg standing without a crack. Single elimination bouts take place.  Holding your egg, usually with individual technique, you get one hit at your contender. The Egg without a crack moves on.

We had 14 contenders this year.  Spouses sparred off first; the second round had just one woman, but she was clearly eliminated in the first bout in the second round.  Special handling techniques were used in the last bouts but a Winner prevailed!  The swirly baby blue egg, in the pearly swirl pattern, came out of the last bout without a crack and found its way to the egg pedestal where it reigned over the Easter day proceedings!

Pepperoni Rolls - Easy to Make for Easter

These yummy individual pepperoni rolls are easy to make from frozen bread rolls. I buy bags of either 36 or 72 Rhodes frozen dinner rolls and make them up in an evening.  If we do not need them for a few days, I pack them in aluminum pans, with layers separated by wax paper, and covered by aluminum foil.  Then I freeze for a week or two.

For 36 rolls you need:

36 Rhodes frozen dinner rolls
1 lb pizza pepperoni
1 lb sliced mozzarella cheese


Defrost the rolls in the refrigerator.  If I am making them in the morning, I place the bag of frozen rolls in the refrigerator overnight.

I slice the cheese so I have approximately a 3 inch square. On a floured surface, I roll out the defrosted roll into a 4 inch circle.  Layer the circle, 4 rounds of pepperoni and a slice of cheese. If you use sandwich pepperoni you only use one slice.

Overlap one side over the other and pinch to close. Using a dab of milk makes the overlap stick better.


Now place on a parchment paper lined cooking sheet and cover with a towel.  Place in a warm area and let rise for 1/2 hour.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Serve warm or let cool completely before packing to freeze. 

Embroidered Kitchen Towels

I wanted to do some small projects the other night so I made a few kitchen towels.  I try to keep some blanks available for fast gifts or for when I just feel like embroidering.  So I keep several white kitchen towels on hand - I like these white ones from Walmart - 70% poly 30% cotton - they wash up so nice.  I made these for 2 daughter-in-laws and a friend. I found the design on embroideryDK.com and wanted to use it on something; so I changed the colors to match their kitchens. The design is one of 10 variations under the category of Food and Drinks, so you could use several and make a set.  If you use this design on these towels be sure to use a wash-away topping because the cup will have small streaks of white show through if you do not.

Personalized Burp Cloths

Back in the day when I had babies, burp cloths were old diapers and receiving blankets or whatever was handy when the baby needed burped. Today there are burp cloths that are adorable and personalized. I looked over tutorials online to make burp cloths and found one can make them out of three layers of flannel or out of flannel layered on a diaper.  Since my niece just had a baby, I decided to try some of each. Here are a few pictures.  This is becoming my favorite gift for new moms because the possibilities for creativity are endless.

Personalized Badge Holders

My daughter needed a few personalized gifts for her nurse co-workers so I ordered a few blank badge holders and embarked on my first badge holders.  I chose a Curly font for the initial and then used small squares of fabric. I chose thread that would contrast with the fabric and set to work.

First of all I embroidered an initial on the fabric using the 4x4 hoop; initial is .76 x .78 inches.  As you can see below I was able to do several in one hooping.

I then removed the hoop and proceed to cut out the initial by placing the clear plastic circle on the fabric and just cutting around it. I took the cutout initial and trimmed it to fit perfectly inside the indentation of the badge holder.

 

Next I popped on the clear cover and the badge holder was done.  Because I am never certain that the cover will stay on indefinitely, I put a few dabs of super glue around the edge before putting the cover on.

Grandma Dolly's Hot Chipped Ham and Egg Sandwiches

Growing up in Western Pennsylvania, one learns to love Isaly's chipped chopped ham.  This is a chipped deli ham that has no equal in other parts of the country. Years ago my mother-in-law gave me this make ahead sandwich recipe that people rave about. When you look at the ingredients, it may not seem appealing, but one bite and you are hooked.  I am posting this recipe on my blog because every New Year's Eve, while my son is grocery shopping for his party, he calls me for the ingredient list.  Next year, he can just browse to my blog!

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. Isaly's Chipped Chopped Ham

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

3/4 cup Hellman's mayonnaise

4 slices yellow American Cheese

1 pkg. hot dog buns (use inexpensive grocery store brand, not Bakery buns)

In a large bowl mix the ham, celery, and onion well.  Now mix in the mayonnaise until well blended.  Next stir in the chopped eggs.  Cut each slice of cheese in half and you should have 8 pieces.  Now to assemble.  Prepare 8 pieces of aluminum foil large enough to fully wrap a hot dog bun in.  Lay an open bun in the center of the foil and a 1/2 slice of cheese in the center of the bun.  Now pack the prepared ham filling into the bun.

After filling, wrap the bun in foil and twist the edges.

 At this point I place all the sandwiches on a cookie sheet and put in the refrigerator, for up to 48 hours.  When I need them, I place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until slightly toasted and cheese is melted.  Serve with a cup of soup or chips.  In Western Pennsylvania, we serve them with another local favorite, pierogies.





Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to All! Have a Blessed Holiday Season.

Too Much Fabric!

So my son gave me this print awhile back and it is framed and placed right outside the entrance to my sewing room.  I find it amazing he was able to discover a print of a piece of his life.  Did he commission an artist to do this piece just to instill guilt into his mother?  Yes, it is true!  I took him to D.C., moved him into his freshmen dorm, traveled back to PA and quickly gutted his room.  By week's end I had a new sewing room complete with a huge set of drawers stuffed with my fabric stash.  So you ask, what would motivate a mother to do such a thing?  Could fabric really take precedence over a middle child?  Can I plead insanity?  Hmmm......it did motivate this son to stay away from home long enough to become a lawyer.  So my work was completed - it is called 'tough love'; one cannot make it too easy to come home again!

Monogrammed Blanket

This is a blanket from Bed, Bath and Beyond that I embroidered for a teenage boy for his girl friend for Christmas.  I so wanted to put a heart or a fancy & symbol in place of the + sign but he did not want either. Although it was too mushy in his eyes, I am sure it would have melted the heart of the girlfriend! The pile was a little high so I was concerned about the stitches getting lost in it but it turned out well.  I used Number 23 alphabet from Embird and made them a little wider to be sure to show.  I used a heavy tear-away stabilizer on the back and a water soluble on the top.  

Grape and Feta Salad

I wanted to do something different for a dinner starter today.  A friend recently told me about a refreshing grape salad she had; her version was tossed with olive oil but I added some white wine vinegar for some added flavor.

Grape and Feta Salad

1 lb. seedless red grapes
2 Tblsp. olive oil
2 Tblsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tsp salt
5 oz. lo fat crumbled Feta cheese


Wash and dry grapes. Place in bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss with olive oil. Add Feta chesse and stir. Drizzle with white wine vinegar. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour. Serve chilled.

Personalized Clothing Protector



Adult Clothing Protector

 

A friend recently asked me to personalize several adult clothing protectors for her mother as a Christmas gift. It was really a good idea, especially for those who have loved ones that cannot leave home and it is so difficult to think of something they need. I can remember years ago wondering why my parents would always say they didn't need anything when we asked for gift ideas for them. As I am getting older, I finally understand. If my husband and I need something, we just go out and get it.

Fast and Easy Dinner - Potato and Kielbasa Saute



Ingredients




So last night after work I needed to just throw something together.  Usually I pre-plan the night before, but I had not. So one of my standbys is Potato and Kielbasa Saute. You need 5 scrubbed potatoes, sliced in 1/2 inch slices. If you slice them thinner, they cook faster, but honestly I like a hearty potato slice that is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I throw these in a skillet in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and let fry on medium heat for 10 minutes while I chop the rest of the ingredients. Don't stir or flip as you want the first side to get crispy! Now I slice a medium onion, a few small green peppers (I keep green peppers frozen in small bags in the freezer so I always have them. When I have extra I just clean, remove seeds and throw in a freezer bag). I slice a ring of kielbassa in 1/2 inch slices also.  After the first ten minutes, I flip the potatoes, layer on the onions, peppers and kielbasa. I stir and flip ingredients every 5 minutes or so until potatoes and kielbasa are golden brown on the outside. Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with a hot vegetable and dinner is done.

Pizzelles and a Cup of Coffee

Well my hubby has been busy making Pizzelles for the Holiday.  This is his specialty; uses the recipe that came with the original pizzelle maker. As you can see, the recipe has been heavily used and retains mementos of holidays past. The chocolate pizzelles are always a big hit when given as gifts. Personally, I like the nut ones the best. I also like the smell in the house when he is making them, two at a time, on the pizzelle iron. He usually makes 12 dozen at a time. Do the math! That's alot of times refilling that iron in an evening - gotta love a guy who will take on pizzelle duty!

A Frustrating Night in the Sewing Room

Well tonight was unproductive and frustrating in the sewing room.  I wanted to embroider a kitchen towel but after 4 thread breaks and some nesting in the bobbin shuttle, I decided it was better to turn off the machine.  Tomorrow evening, if I am not tired, I will take it apart and give the Janome 300E a good cleaning. All of the new high tech machines are great when working and very problemsome when not. Maybe the simple treadle machine was best because there is so little to go wrong. I probably need to take an evening and clean all the machines and clean the sewing room too. Whenever I clean that room, I invariably end up redecorating the room.  I move the machines to new locations, move the ironing board and the cutting table. The TV is an old huge one so it never loses its spot in the room. I have too many machines but cannot part with any of them. That is a discussion for another day!