UFP #1-Quilt Top

I love to quilt. I love picking out the pattern, figuring out the fabrics, cutting it, and putting it together to see what I came up with. The problem is time. With the little people it always seems there is something else to do. I find the best time for me to get any quilting done is when I go to a two day mini retreat at the local quilt store. This is a fun time to do nothing but sewing. Plus, when I get stuck there are lots of people there to help. I do admit, I have major sewing machine envy when I go to these retreats, but I'm getting over that.

The last retreat I went to I started a Twister quilt. This quilt is super cute, looks way hard, and is actually pretty easy. This website shows a tutorial on how to make a Twister quilt http://www.joscountryjunction.com/?p=1148 I can't remember the brand for the tool or I would link to that page. Essentially you make a quilt, cut it apart, and then make a new quilt. I went home from the retreat with the cut up quilt ready to be resewn. I got the strips made but didn't get them put back together for a long while. This quilt top became my first UFP (Unfinished Project).

This is what I started with

Basically it was strips that needed to be sewn together. I had a couple already put together, but about 6 left to go.

This is what I ended with It is pretty hard to see all of it because it is big, but I love this quilt. I think the colors are amazing and it is just so few. I'm so glad I took someone's suggestion and put the pinwheels in a row, I think that really makes the pattern pop.

So, the quilt top is complete. That moves the quilt from an UFP to a MFP (Mostly Finished Project). Now comes the part I do not like. I have to quilt it. I get so nervous when I have to do this part. When I took my first quilting class and we were being shown how to finish our quilts I nearly cried while I was quilting it because I was getting so anxious. Then the quilt I was working on had to stay in my car for a couple of weeks because I didn't even want to look at it. I did finish quilting it with a much easier pattern, but it is still an UFP because I don't like hand sewing the binding. I love making quilt tops, not so much the rest of the process.

I have everything I need to finish this up sitting on my table at home. I hope to get it quilting this week/weekend and the binding on next week so I can have this be completely finished. It is going to be tough, but I'll make myself do it. Now, if I can just keep this cold that sent me to bed at 8:30 last night away, I might actually have a chance at getting things done.

Crap I Wouldn't Have to Make

While reading one of my favorite blogs "Real Mom Kitchen" (www.realmomkitchen.com) I saw that she is having a give away for a gift certificate to Olive Garden. Now really, who doesn't love Olive Garden? Plus, if I won I totally wouldn't have to make dinner.

So, one way to get an added entry is to blog about the contest. And that is what I am doing.

If you have a few minutes, head on over to Real Mom's blog. It has some really good looking recipes. I know I've made stuff from her blog but now I can't think of what it was. But whatever it was, I'm sure it was good :)

Latte Mix

You know there is something really nice about waking up and starting your day at 5:45. You have such a chance to get things done and have the rest of the day to just relax.

WHATEVER! It is freaking 6 am and I would much rather be in bed. As for getting things done, that might happen...in an alternate universe. My problem is that I have two little people who want to help with whatever I'm doing and I can't run errands because when everyone is dressed and fed it is still on 7:30 and places aren't open yet. Really annoying.

Mornings like this call for one thing. And since it is frowned upon to mix up some pineapple upside down cake and leave the kids with a snack in front of the Wiggles, I'll have to settle for some coffee.

This year I decided that I'm really going to try to save money by not buying fancy (or even regular) coffee on campus. I'm going to make it in my office instead. So far this has been going really well. Then I decided I didn't want to spend as much on latte mix that I have been so I should probably just make my own. So, I did. If I can find the receipts I'll do a price breakdown, but if I can't we'll just say it is less expensive. I really am pretty sure it is.

So, here is what you need:
Side note: Is it really necessary for the Wiggles to go a cover of the Banana Boat song? Apparently it is. And my kids like it because Wags the Dog has a starring role.

And now back to your regularly scheduled blog:
1/2 cup instant coffee
2/3 cup sugar (no pictured...when I took the picture I knew I was missing something)
1/2 cup dry milk
1/4 cup powdered creamer
1/4 cup (about 1/2 small box) instant pudding

Mix everything together in a bowl and then put it in the blender and blend until it is a fine powder. Blending it will keep it from separating as you store it.

I made two flavors, French Vanilla and Butterscotch. I really like the butterscotch. But you can use whatever flavor or flavor combination of pudding you would like. You can also add cinnamon or nutmeg or whatever to add to the flavor.

I like how customizable this recipe is. In the future I would like to make some decaf (a few too many cups of this is not a good thing) and maybe some sugar free using Splenda and sugar free pudding. I'm not sure if you would still use 1/2 a box of pudding or the whole thing. It might involve some experimentation.

Also, a Cookie Butter jar from Trader Joe's is the perfect size for holding this mixture. But I don't suggest you go out and buy any cookie butter for the jar. Not that it isn't amazingly good, but because I need to go get some and I don't want them to be out :)

Ok, I'm going to see what else I can get done while the little people enjoy their cereal and the Wiggles.

I just realized I didn't tell you how much to use. It is about 2 tablespoons to 3/4 cup hot water.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I have been thinking about making this cake for a long time. OK, so it has been about a week. Now, at first I wanted to make chocolate raspberry cake which would be new, but then I decided I wanted to go with something tried and true, pineapple upside down cake it is.

I know what you are thinking, pineapple upside down cake it a lot of work. First you have to find a pan and then you have to make the brown sugar caramel and put the pineapple in the pan and put the little cherries in the pineapple and then make a cake. OR you have to go to the grocery store and buy one. That can be a total pain.

So, instead of making the traditional cake I decided to go with the next best thing (or perhaps even better...depends on the day). And just what is better than ooey, gooey cake? A cocktail, that's what!

Here are the ingredients:
If you haven't had UV Cake Vodka yet, stop reading this blog, get in your car and get yourself to the nearest liquor outlet. Seriously, it is that good.

This is a pretty easy drink to make, just add the pineapple juice to the vodka and you are on your way. Now, to make it a real glass of pineapple upside down cake you should add just a bit of grenadine. I didn't have any and I didn't want to buy any so I left it out. Really, it isn't necessary.
It is still really really good.

You can apparently make any kind of cake with the right mixer. Lemon cake, orange cake, root beer cake (ok, not a real cake but I think it would be good). We also tried a shot with cake vodka and Bailey's. It was very good.

The only warning I will give is that this stuff is dangerous. It tastes like frosting.

So, the next time you have a craving for cake, but don't want to bake-drink it!

Oh, and how was I planning on making chocolate raspberry cake? I was going to mix cake vodka with chocolate raspberry wine. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Best Project EVER!

Ok, this post is about my favorite project so far. Not only is it my favorite it is by far the easiest. Yes, even easier than the to-do list.

This project wasn't a solo endeavor, it was a family affair. So, what am I talking about you ask? A Blanket Fort of course!

It all started when I was playing a new game with the little people-Peek-A-Boo Hide and Seek. Basically, the kids would run around the corner and count (1, 2, 3, 4, 11) and I would "hide" under a blanket in the middle of the floor, then they would find me. Great fun! Then we started reading stories under the blanket. That was fun too, but it got very hot. So, I thought why not use the card table currently protecting the CDs from little hands as a base for a fort. Just then my husband said "Use the card table for a fort" (duh! I'm going to). And from this our fort was born. Lots of pictures will follow, but I also want to share a few things I learned.

1. Forts were bigger when I was smaller

2. We need a bigger card table

3. Forts are all fun until the next morning when your little person wants to play in the fort instead of going to daycare. "NO SCHOOL! PAHLAY"

4. It really isn't the expensive toys that make memories, it is the simple things.

Here are some pictures from Fort O.

Stir-Fry

Just so you don't think I only feed my family rice I thought I would share the stir-fry I made to go with it.

The supplies:This is a really easy meal, just chicken, frozen veggies, and stir-fry sauce. I really like the bottled stir-fry sauce. Yes, I could make my own but this one is good and easy, and fairly inexpensive. Next time I will use 2 bags of veggies. I thought I had 2, but I could only find one. Plus, this was a sugar snap stir-fry but there weren't many snap peas. I was a bit annoyed. the worst part of making the meal is dealing with raw chicken. YUCK! I hate raw meat, but I REALLY hate raw chicken.

But the end result was good:

Rice

Yep, that's right today's blog post is all about me making rice. Now, I know what you are thinking..."Boil water, add rice, wait, viola...rice!" And to that I say "I never promised an exciting post."

So, here is the deal. This blog post is not just about making rice, it is about me conquering rice. Getting the best of rice. Making rice my, well this is a family blog so we won't go there.

I have a problem making rice. I just can't seem to do it. I really can't make Minute Rice, but that is ok because it is more expensive than regular rice so I'm just not even going to bother. In the last 2-3 weeks I have tried to make rice as many times. First was the "Mexican" rice for the tacoladas...enchilada sauce+water+rice=nasty undercooked rice. Then I wanted rice with soup sauce so I did some research and found that cream of chicken soup+water+rice=nasty undercooked rice. That was it. It was on. This challenge was now personal. I was not going to let a little thing (literally, a little thing) like rice get the best of me. I was trying one more time. To better my odds I decided to go with plain rice. No fancy pants rice for me. Just plain old white rice to go with my stir fry.

Here are the supplies:

Now, the package said butter was optional, but I wasn't taking any chances, so in it went. The package also said 1 3/4-2 cups of water, so to be safe I went halfway between the two.

The result:

Fluffy, yummy, not crunchy at all rice!!

Yay! I won! Dinner was saved. Next time I'll even make enough rice.