Megan's Blog

Friends and Food

Oooo, such fun yesterday and today.  Yesterday Sister Mary and the Applique Novices came over for their first applique lesson.  But even with alot of gum-flapping, lallygagging and loud-laughing, alot of prep work was done, and next lesson they will be able to start sewing.

We had a yummy lunch of Cheeseburger Pie and salad and the pie was such a hit that I thought I'd share the recipe.....I'd love to give credit to whoever invented this, but it's been in my handwritten book of recipes for at least 10 years.

Cheeseburger Pie
1 8-inch uncooked pie crust
Filling:
1 lb ground beef, cooked
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 c bread crumbs
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1/4 c chopped onion
1/4 c chopped green pepper

Mix the filling and put into pie crust.

Topping:
1 egg
1/4 c milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups cheddar cheese

Mix all the topping ingredients together and spread over filling.
Put foil around the edge of the pie crust so it doesn't get too brown.

Bake for 30 minutes at 425 degrees.

Better make 2, it goes fast!

And today Kathie and I went out to PA to do our part to stimulate the economy----how patriotic are we!!!
We showed restraint ( Kathie more than me) but sometimes a fabric just calls for no particular reason, sometimes the line is busy and sometimes we take the call.

I bought this little ditty----please don't ask me what I'm going to do with it, I just thought it was quirky and fun.

Don't these girls just make you happy??

Hope you find something that makes you happy this holiday weekend....

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan

The Ups and Downs of Home Cooking

The UPS
Someone went to bed last night feeling a little blue, so I made his favorite muffins before the crack of dawn.  Little footsteps come down the stairs earlier than usual and with eyes not quite open, he whispers  to me "I smell muffins".....AHHHHHH, my heart!  He woke up to the warmth of fresh baked love.....pure joy for me!

The DOWNS
Someone a little bigger was not feeling well during the day.  Trying for 2 for 2 in the homecooking  department I made the comfort foods dinner....mac and cheese.   He sighs and says " I really like the white cheddar box better"  AGHHH...the agony of defeat.  Annie's White Cheddar wins over homemade?  What is wrong with this young man????? 

the end of day score:  Mom -1  Boxed Foods -1

But you gotta love the person at Annies that designed the box:

I'm noticing lately a little humor in packaging...It's nice when a smile comes upon you unexpectedly.

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan

The Racheal Report

I've been feeling like we eat the same thing over and over again for dinner....the kids have started to call it "The Rotation"----we're officially in a rut!

So I bought the Rachael Ray book

and now I'm doing my own version of Julie and Julia.

So here's this week's Rachael Report: 

    #108 - Park City Cashew Chicken:  really easy, a little sweet for me, but still high on the yummy scale.

    #288 - Lime and Honey Glazed Salmon with Warm Black Bean Salad:  fast and ingredients that were easy to find in my little local Foodtown.

What I love about this book so far is that with most of these recipes, just add a green salad and you've got the meal.  And really, they are taking about 1/2 hour.  Some of the shopping is challenge, but I go to the supermarket with a couple of the different recipes in mind....just in case I could not get some of the ingredients.

Want to join me in the journey?   I'm challenging myself to make 2 new dishes a week....with picky eaters in the house, changing too much of "The Rotation" might be too much of a shock for their little systems. 

Please leave me a comment if you've made anything from this book, I'd love to hear what recipes worked and what maybe wasn't so wonderful.

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan

P.S.  I promise back to quilty things in the next post, can't wait to show you what I've been working on!

Mellow Yellow....

I'm so happy to be able to share a recipe and a friend with you.

And many thanks Holly for hosting this event and a very nice intro--and if you've seen us in action at Market, you'll know we definitely take turns being Lucy! can you say Vitameatavagamen?

But back to the dessert....I have a friend, Peg, who shares with me the most wonderful and simple recipes, and thankfully, gives me the shoulder to cry on and her honest opinion....when I need it most.  And what have I given her in return.....I taught her the importance of a stash and took her to Lancaster PA to start her very own!  How much did she get?  2 words:  Car-top Carrier!

So this is Peg's recipe for Lemon Blueberry Cake.

Cream together 1 stick of butter and 1 cup of sugar.

Beat in 2 eggs.

Combine with 2 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Mix above with 1/2 cup of milk and 1 tsp vanilla.

Stir in 1-1/2 cups of blueberries(fresh or frozen).

Pour into a greased 8" square pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

While cake is still hot, poke holes in it with a toothpick.  Make a mixture of 1/4 cup of lemon juice and 1/3 cup sugar.  Pour over top of cake.  It goes in all the holes and makes the cake really moist.

Be sure to take a piece out for yourself before the family knows the cake exists....it goes quickly!

The plate in the photo is from a recent trip my MIL took to Norway.  She goes back every few years to visit relatives, etc.  and brings us back some trinkets.  Don't you just love blue and white and yellow?  So cheerful!

The little quilt is a prize for one of you to thank you for coming to the party....just leave a comment and I'll do a random drawing....you know how it works.  Of course all of these fabrics are LakeHouse but if you want to make one of your own, here's what I did:

1. Layer 2-- 4" squares right sides together.  Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner.  Sew a quarter inch seam on both sides of the line.  Press to set seams and then cut on drawn line and press again.
2. Layer these 2 blocks right sides together with opposite colors touching.  Draw a diagonal line perpendicular to the sewn seam line.  Stitch a quarter inch seam on both sides of the drawn line.
3. Press to set seams.  Cut on drawn line and press block open.
4. Trim block to 3" square.  Arrange and sew together. 
5. I added a 1-1/2" border.

 

I added buttons instead of quilting the inside of the quilt.   I just love to buy old buttons when I see them.

I've started to work on these little quilts thanks to inspiration from Kathie and Lucy, it's a great feeling to finish a project...and who can't finish a 12" square quilt??  Not really making a dent in the stash, but fun anyway.  Look for more in future posts!

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan

P.S.  I got a chance to taste test Holly's recipe for tomorrow....Super Yummy!  Had to put on the stretch pants and take a nap afterwards.

A trend developing here

Yesterday was my first born's birthday....honestly, a little tug on the heartstrings as my little boy turns 20, how did this happen, did I miss something?  I am so proud of the man he has become.  He's smart, adorable and he has a good heart----what more could I ask for (a job perhaps?)

Well, Mr 20 year old does not like cake, so he has always had Mom's Apple Pie for his birthday cake.  So we went apple picking on Sunday (nothing but the freshest apples for my little angel!).  And yesterday I baked a pie and realized....yikes, I bake the same way I sew.....

What a mess!  But as with my sewing, I like the feeling of accomplishment when the project is done and I can clean up and start anew.

So mission accomplished....we had Mile High (I went a little overboard on the apple peeling) Birthday Pie.  Yummy!

And speaking of food.....my little pineapple quilt from last week is finished!

Oh my goodness....is this a trend, am I actually finishing things?   Ok, so it's only a 12" square quilt and a pie but don't stop me now, I'm on a roll!

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan

After Fabric there's Food

I have a long list of weaknesses but for now let's just address the letter F.....
   

    there's family -- they know the pitiful looks work to get the extra time on the computer or a little extra serving of desert, at least for anyone under 5' tall
     and of course, there's fabric -- don't we all have that thing that makes us go weak in the knees for "just the right fabric"??
    and then there's Food.

    I love to bake especially. Cookies, cakes, muffins, baked in the oven, over a campfire, love, love, love to bake.  This however, does not excuse our first married Christmas, when I received not only the bundt cake pan, but a gift wrapped bundt cake mix.

    Ooo, speaking of food, here's a quilt I did with Cherries on it.  It's Alex Anderson's pattern that was in one of the magazines a few years back (please forgive me, I can't remember which one)

   

Anyway, when Holly asked me to participate in the something that required me to bake, how could I say no??

Starting this Friday, Holly will introduce a blogger and point to their blog, where you will find a DELICIOUS recipe for some Dazzling desserts. Also, each person will talk about what they are currently working on....all very exciting!

So just go to the button on my sidebar and you will get over the Holly's introduction for the day.

Please join the fun...and make some of these desserts for yourself---

and if any one asks if these deserts are all that healthy reply as Paula Deen did to Oprah when asked about the healthiness of a cake that starts with a half pound of butter, a ton of sugar and sour cream...."I'm not your doctor, I'm your cook"

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan