A small contribution of love and warmth.....

I recently found information to donate a
 hand knit scarf

for the

Special Olympics In Idaho

Starting on March 12th, 2010

When I read what has been done in the past

to support this very worthy cause,

I knew I wanted to jump on board this year....

I immediately went to Walmart and found

the required yarn color

and put the knitting needles into over time...

Tomorrow while doing errands and shopping for my 

"new" business..(another blog and time)

one stop will be the post office

to send off my small contribution to

the 

Special Olympics....

Have a great week...

K

Who's A Cream Puff...?

I found this recipe for Cream Puffs

over at

My Kitchen Cafe

The recipe was so simple and easy

to follow....

This plate was filled with no room

to spare....

As you can see,

only two left!

I did send a small plate home with

our dinner guest

and saved one or two

for later:))

The two things I did differently..

I baked the pastry the day before

I was serving them for dessert.

Placed them whole in an air tight

container and refrigerated.

I chose to bake the "traditional"

shape of a cream puff, using a

spoon and spatula to place each

one on a cookie sheet...

However, you can pipe them

onto the cookie sheet as well,

creating your own design.

I also made the first part of the

cream filling the day before.

Placed the clear wrap on top,

let it cool to room temperature

and refrigerated. The following

day I whipped up the second

part and with a mixer on low speed

added the first part to the whipped

cream mixture...after this was very

smooth in texture, I then hand mixed

the filling for an all over smooth finish.

Preparing the pastry the day before

I found the pastry to be very soft and remained

fresh, they were so easy to work with

and turned out beautiful as you can see...

And...they were a huge hit for our

dessert after dinner.!!

I will be making this recipe many

more times in the future..!

Enjoy
K

Best Of The Best

 

Today in my corner of the world...

Fasnacht Day 

or

Fat Tuesday as it's called in other areas..! 

We all know the history...Right??

Follow link if you need to be refreshed on the history of the day..

History On Fasnacht Day

The best Fasnacht's I have ever eaten 

are made every year at a local

Catholic Church within the area I currently live..

The fryers are turned on full blast after

Mass on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. 

The Fasnachts are then made for three

days leading up to Ash Wednesday.

The door is closed sometime on Tuesday,

I'm not sure if this happens when they

actually run out of ingredients 

or they just can't make one more batch....

So, if you live in this area

and you want the best of the best...

One knows to get to the St Cecil's

before that last batch is fried on

Tuesday.

With this in mind,

my son was so thoughtful yesterday (Monday)

and stood in line for two(2) and half hours

for this yearly tradition.

I was introduced to these mouthwatering 

and so sinful, right on the hips treats

many years ago when I first starting working

as a nurse...

 Patient's families shared with the staff

after they stood in line for several hours...

I think the first time I tasted one,

I ate two within a minute..!!

 Listed below are the traditional recipes...

Fasnachts

2 ½ cups hot mashed potatoes
1 cup milk
3 beaten eggs
2 Tablespoons melted butter
2 cups sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder
5 cups flour

Mix everything together except flour. Mix flour in slowly.
Divide the dough in half. Roll ½ inch thick. Cut with a donut cutter or use a knife to cut into triangular shaped pieces. Deep fry in hot fat or oil until done. Serve with sugar or molasses.

Fasnachts with baking powder
Beat two eggs and ¼ teaspoon salt in a little bowl. Add 1 cup sugar and 6 Tablespoons oil. Add alternately 1¼ cup milk and about 5 cups flour with 3 teaspoons baking powder on the first cup.

Roll out ¼ to ½ inch thick. Cut into triangles, squares, or rectangles. A slit can be cut in the center of the fashnacht. Fry 325-350 degrees.

Fasnachts with Yeast
2 cups scaled milk ½ cup lard
1 cup mashed potatoes 2 teaspoons salt
¾ cup sugar 2 well beaten eggs
1 package yeast
7 cups flour, approximately

Scald milk and add mashed potatoes, sugar, salt, and lard. Cool until lukewarm. Add eggs. Add yeast and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead well and place in a greased bowl. Cover with a cloth and let rise about 1½ hours. Roll ¼ inch thick on a
floured board. Place on a cloth and let rise until doubled in size and fry in hot fat.

Enjoy your Fasnacht Day

or 

Fat Tuesday

K

 

The Sweetness Will Last Forever....

My dear hubs took me out for breakfast

this morning for Valentine's Day.

Breakfast is my favorite meal to eat out....

With this in mind, my husband turned down

working overtime today so he could take his

best lady out for her favorite meal.....

Since we live in an area where most

restaurants are closed on Sundays,

those that make the good homemade

stuff, we celebrated a day early.

Which is OK by me, cause that just

means I get more special treatment..!!

And let me tell you, I had the breakfast of

a life time...!

A Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Pancake,

topped with chocolate chips, fresh raspberries,

raspberry syrup and whipped cream....

The ingredients combined were just the

right amount of each, for a very

tasty and savoring dish.....Not too rich

What an awesome way to start of

the V-Day celebration..!!!

I will be making this very recipe for

others.....

Thank you Dear Husband..!

And Happy V-Day, Friends.......

K

Winter Storm Feb 2010

This is what I am dealing with in my little corner of the world today....

A view from my side entrance over looking where the driveway is...
Can you find it...??!


If your in the wrath of this Mid Winter Storm....be safe!

What's The Fascination Of It All....

I have always had a fascination with Mardi Gras.

Perhaps that's because of all the excitement and

celebration that happens during that time....

to know me, I am one to enjoy great music, food and

the company of fun and good people......

And Mardi Gras to me has all of the above....!!

I have been to Louisiana many times,

however, I have not ever had the privilege

of visiting New Orleans.

The city strikes a curiosity in me that

no other place ever has...

That may be due to all it has to offer.

The history of an old southern town,

the people, the food, the loudness,

the quaintness along with

the stillness of the weeping willows....

I hope to visit this intriguing city someday...

As for now, I will make my own little

Mardi Gras here in PA...

Mid week I am having dinner guests for

one of my own and favorite fresh fish recipe

for dinner....

In honor of the "Saints" winning the

Super Bowl and Mardi Gras....

I plan to make the Mardi Gras Cake

to serve with my dinner....

I found this easy and very simple recipe

to serve along with the main meal.....

Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe :

Click on Title for recipe

I'm hoping to find a baby "king" to insert

into the dough, having some fun along with

the celebration.....

Again, Congratulations to the Saints

for an outstanding game played in the

Super Bowl...!!

Stepping Back....

Finally........The Prim Stockings I 

purchased this past December at

The Brickhouse

Porch Sitting Time Blog

were strung and hung over the fireplace.

I used a hook attachment which screwed into

the mantel.

This attachment allows for easy removal of

rope with the stockings attached

for when we use the fireplace...

 When I saw these stockings hanging in Patti's

old open fireplace at her shop,

The Brickhouse

I immediately had to have some for myself...

Every time I look at the stockings clothes-pinned 
to the rope, I have to chuckle...

My Mother would go nuts if she saw how they

were clipped, with the open end draped over

the rope for drying allowing a crease....

Mother was very particular on how you clipped 

laundry on the line for drying...

NEVER overlap the clothing,

as it will leave a crease...!!

Sorry Mother...