Self-Filling Pumpkin Muffins

I was surfing and stumbled upon this AMAZING link for pumpkin recipes. The picture is Self-Filling Pumpkin Muffins (last on the list under cakes and cupcakes). I made them exactly like the recipe except that I used mini chocolate chips. Mmm-mmm. We were all self-filling that night!

I highly recommend them. I used one can of pumpkin and doubled the recipe. One recipe is supposed to make 12, but mine made 14. Otherwise they would have spilled over. A definite keeper for us!

We had company the night I made them (my DH cringes when I try out new recipes on company). I told one of the guests he could have a second one. He replied, "I've already had five." So much for me thinking I was being generous!

~Joan

All That and a Bag of Donuts

While visiting my family in Ohio at the end of the summer, we found a great place to shop. It was a Mennonite store that sold bulk-packed goods by the pound. One of the items I purchased was a homemade donut mix.

We had a friend over for supper last night. He had mentioned wanting to cut back (actually completely cut out) desserts just this past Sunday. My husband commented towards the end of the meal that he might want to save room for "a little something". I had to inform him that there wasn't any "little something" for which to be saving room.

My daughter hopped up and pulled the donut mix out of the frig (it was just the dry ingredients). She asked if I would make them...right in front of our friend!! Well, I didn't want to be embarrassed if they did not turn out. But I agreed to give them a try. All that needed to be added to the mix was yeast and warm water.

I wish I had taken some pictures...they were flying off the plate. They were so delicious, light, fluffy, and flavorful. I will never be tempted by stop at Krispy Kreme again. I detest frying foods in the house, so that was a major drawback, but the mess just might have been worth it.

A fun and nostalgic aspect for me was that I used my grandma's donut cutter. She passed away 15 years ago. It is a biscuit cutter with a tan wooden knob on top. It has two small holes in the top of the cutter (so air can escape while you're pushing down on the dough). There are two small screws on the inside that you attach the donut hole cutter to, and so we had lots of donut holes, too. Good thing that was the only mix I had!!

Doesn't everything taste better home made?

~Joan

Fall Beauties

Our church participated in a local festival yesterday. I didn't go, but here are two of my girls that did. Aren't they beautiful?

~Joan

Quilt Show and All-Around Good Morning

My delightful eldest daughter and I went to a quilt show in "downtown" Shelby today. We saw lots of pretty quilts, but most importantly we just spent some time together. I appreciate her accompanying me.

Above is one of our favorite quilts. She is holding a NICKEL in the picture. All the stitching was done by hand. All the flowers were pieced. Such tiny work! It was called Weed Free. Isn't it adorable?

~Joan

Coupon Craziness

Not sure why the pic is small...the savings sure weren't!! Except for the Air Wick I-motions in the back, everything on the right is from Harris Teeter. My grand total for a bag of frozen chicken tenderloins, 6 Green Giant boxed veggies, 3 lb. bag of rice, Chex Mix, 2 Fiber One muffin mices, French's W sauce, Betty Crocker frosting tub, 3 50 feet Reynolds Wraps, Wacky Mac noodles, 3 large Sweet Sue chicken & dumplings, 2 baking powders, and 2 12-count Pop Tarts...$3.03. Then I got a $3 off my next order catalina!! Whoo-hoo! SCORE!! Fun and amazing trip!

The I-motions were $12.50 each, BOGOF at Food Lion. I had Qs for $6, making them 25 cents each!! The Glade candle was free, and the cheese, frozen chicken, and sour cream were all heavily discounted thanks to the FLIPs.

~Joan

Look What I Found!!

I found Rachel knitting a cable...all by herself!! I taught her the basics of knitting a while ago (casting on, knitting, and purling). She has self-taught herself everything else involved in knitting. I don't even know how to knit a cable, but she figured it out!! I am so impressed.

~Joan

Stretched Star Project

I had a few questions about the beginnings of this quilt. Before they were signed, I ironed freezer paper onto the back of large pieces of high-thread-count muslin then cut them into 4-1/2" squares. I marked the stitching lines with a blue water-soluble marker before the party so the signers would know where their script boundaries were! I would have hated to cut off a blessing with a seam line. We had a basket for each child's blocks (there were 3 children and 3 different patterns, naturally). The corners (that look like little bow ties when the blocks are assembled) are 2-1/2" squares.

One day after school was finished, the kids and I made up some unsigned squares with words of encouragement and parts of Bible verses to even out the number of squares.

My sewing time is severely limited these days because of school. eating. school. laundry. school. chauffeuring. Are you seeing a pattern here??

Stay tuned for more progress. Does anyone have an idea how to maintain the pattern design while enlarging the quilt to be twin-sized? I want to add more color (not so much more cream). I want to add borders but don't want to spend a lot of time piecing them. I also don't want to just use one single piece of fabric. Any ideas (especially with pictures!) are appreciated.

~Joan