13 in 13 Sept Update

I thought it would be interesting to show how my urn arrangement has progressed over the season and also need something to flesh out my rather thin accomplishment of goals this month.
Here's the basket in May....

And here it is now, mid-October....

 

We could feed a third World country if all our crops grew like the potato vine.

So my list is a little short this month. September was very busy with back to work and some entertaining and life in general. I'm not reading at all but I managed to put a password on my Ipad and downloaded Solitaire. Baby steps!

 

I tried a couple new recipes. The Pumpkin Snickerdoodles were great and so were the Cranberry/orange shortbreads.

I participated in the Bazzill cardswap so I did make a few cards but haven't sent too many lately.

I'm working on my THIRD afghan so that one that I have managed to go above and beyond.

Still a couple months to go. I'd better go pull out that Cricut and start using it!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Just in time for Canadian Thanksgiving. Just discovered this recipe in Blogville and I've already made it twice. These are a soft, pillow-like cookie with just the right amount of pumpkin and spice.
I slightly underbaked them the first time, I made them and they turned out great.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 large egg
3 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix together first 6 ingredients. Mix dry ingredients and add to wet and mix well. Chill dough about 30 minutes. Roll into balls the size of small walnuts. In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup white sugar with 1 Tbsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ground ginger. Roll ball in sugar mixture and bake at 375 F for 7-8 minutes until lightly browned but still soft.

Hogs and Kisses

It's been brought to my attention,that I haven't been blogging as much lately. I have the usual excuses; work, dogs, family,entertaining, commitments, top-secret assignments plus has anybody noticed that it's practically dark when you get home from work? My little point and shoot camera doesn't work so well after dusk and then one has to actually sit down and do the post.

Anyhoo, I managed to get a card done. I've been neglecting my challenges and I was so happy to use a Sassy Cheryl rubber stamp. I think its from the set; Down on the Farm. It's so adorable and it tied in nicely with a fall theme.

I am entering it in this week's ANYTHING GOES challenge at Sassy Cheryl's.

Orange Cranberry Slice and Bake cookies

I love these cookies. Citrus and cranberry with a shortbread base. These would be ideal for a Christmas cookie plate. The best thing is you can pop them in the freezer and bake them up freshly as needed. I am a firm believer in fresh baking. Just never seems to come out the same once it's been in the freezer for a bit. So these are great for convenience and you can mix them up ahead of time.
The ingredients are simple also:

Just 5 ingredients plus 2 add-ins. Here they are rolled into a log, ready to be wrapped in wax paper and stored in the freezer....

 They taste just like the scones at Dana Shortt Gourmet foods.

 

 

Orange Cranberry Slice and Bake cookies

 

1 cup butter, unsalted at room temperature

1 cup icing sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

Mix and add in the following:

zest of 2 oranges

1/2 cup dried cranberries (crasins)

 

Mix and mold into 2 logs, roll in waxed paper and place in Ziploc in freezer. Thaw to room temperature. Slice and bake at 350 F, 15 to 20 min or until edges are slightly golden. Keep well.

 

You can also chill them in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and bake right away if you can't wait.



From the Heart Stamps September Freebie

I finally got around to doing a challenge and I thought I was super early. I combined a weekly sketch and the Sept Stamp of the Month... Bobbing for Apples from Delightful Inspiration- From the Heart Stamps. By the time I was ready to post the Sketch challenge was over but fortunately I am still in time for the monthly challenge.
Here's the sketch I based it on...

And here's the free Digital stamp...

And here's my card..

Mocha Torte Dessert

I pulled out a recipe from days gone by from Enjoy- More Recipes from the Best of Bridge. I hadn't made this cake for awhile and it didn't disappoint. My only problem was that my whip cream didn't firm up. I think possibly I overwhipped it but it still held together not too bad. Looks like you did a lot of work and you really only use a cake mix and cut it into layers to make the torte part. So easy.

Mocha Torte Dessert
1 chocolate cake mix (try a Dark Chocolate)

Mocha Cream Filling
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 Tbsps. hot water
4 tsp instant coffee powder
1/2 cup white sugar
500mL of whipping cream

Prepare cake according to directions. Bake in 8 inch pans which have been greased and lined with circles of waxed paper. Bake and cool, then split each layer in two horizontally.
Prepare mocha cream by combining chipits, water, coffee and sugar in small saucepan. Heat until smooth and cool. Whip cream until it starts to thicken, add cool chocolate mixture and spread on layers and frost top and sides of cake. Decorate with shaved chocolate or sprinkles. Chill at least one hour.

13 in 13 August Update

I'm finding it harder and harder to find time to post. Once the routine is established, it should get easier but right now it's work and finding time to exercise the doggies, golf season winding down, baking up a storm for various events. etc.

Before the August update, I thought I'd share a few photos of the St. Jacob's Farmer's market from August. Sadly, the first week of Sept, the main two storey building that hosted a variety of vendors from butchers to jam makers burned to the ground. The outdoor market is still operating and hopefully the other will be rebuilt soon. We have a huge tourist market in the Waterloo Region and people come from all over to attend this market and drive through Mennonite Country.

 

The August update might be a bit thin. I managed to read a couple more books. I'm up to 16 now so I'm in pretty good shape to reach this goal. I bought an IPAD and I LOVE IT!! It's like having a remote for your TV. Once you get one, you can never imagine how you managed without it. So far, I've only downloaded 4 songs and I pretty much only play Juvenile farming games on it but it is very handy. So the WIFI is working, that's a big achievement!

 

I made a second afghan. Can't believe I got it done. It took me all summer but I really enjoyed the time to relax and work on another project.

 

So, there is still some time to get the other goals in. Hopefully, a little more scrapbooking and card-making is in my future and back to my regular challenges. Some day!