Sew God's Grace

I made this last year for Anna, and I never got a post up.  I used an old sweater of mine, so I felt sort of "thrifty."  Anyway, Anna had it on today, so I had to get a picture of her! I used the tutorial found  here .  I used an existing hat as a pattern. I simply cut the petals and center for the flower from felt using my pinking shears.  I made a line down the middle of each petal, pinned them in place, and sewed down the line using my machine.  I then folded the circle for the center of the flower to make it stand out a bit and hand-sewed it in place. This is one of those projects that should be quick and easy, and it actually was!  As a bonus, Anna is still wearing it a year later!

This was one of my favorite candies that we would make around Christmas when I was growing up.  It is so easy and delicious.  It combines peanut butter and chocolate, so need I say more? Tiger Butter 2 pounds almond bark 1 cup peanut butter (you can use smooth or crunchy) 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips Grease a 9 by 13 or 10 by 15 inch pan, depending on how thick you want the candy to be.  I usually make it in a 9 by 13 so that it is about an inch thick.  Melt almond bark in microwave or on stove top according to package directions.  Add peanut butter and stir until smooth.  Spread into prepared pan.  Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top.  Let sit for a few minutes or until chips soften and begin to melt.  Use a knife to swirl the chocolate into the candy.  Cool until firm, then cut or break into bit-sized chunks. Note:  sometimes my chocolate chips don't melt.  When that happens, I just pop the pan into th...

Our church was preparing care packages for the college students for finals week, and I wanted to make something special to include in them.  I had been wanting to try making pies in mason jars for a long time, so I finally decided to give it a try.  I was inspired by this post here . First wash 12 four ounce mason jars, lids, and rims and dry. Then make one recipe of Aunt Joyce's Pie Crust.  Find the recipe here . Roll out half the dough into a circle and use the ring from your mason jar to cut the tops for your pies. Then press dough on bottom and up the sides of the mason jars.  Place on a baking sheet. Fill with filling of choice.  The recipe I was following recommended 1/2 cup pie filling per pie, but I found that I did not need that much.  I made the apple pie filling adapted slightly from Betty Crocker--8 Granny Smith apples, peeled & chopped, 1/4 cup flour, 2/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg & cinnamon.  ...

We really like this pumpkin bread recipe, but the taste itself is not what makes it perfect.  The thing that makes it perfect is that it uses exactly 1 can of pumpkin!  I can't tell you how many times I have made a recipe that uses one cup pumpkin.  Thinking I will use the remaining 3/4 cup at a later date, I put it in a container in the refrigerator.  Weeks later, I pull out an unidentifiable substance that is covered in mold.  Oops!  Well, no penicillin experiments with this one!  Just throw the whole can in! Perfect Pumpkin Bread  (adapted from this recipe ) 1 15 ounce can pumpkin 2 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup canola oil 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 4 eggs, lightly beaten 2/3 cup water 2 1/3 cup white flour 1 cup whole wheat flour (I like white whole wheat flour) 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or 1 teaspoon cinnamon & 1 teaspoon nutmeg Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9 by 5 inch loaf pans. ...

I had seen this idea on Pinterest, so when I saw these darling folk star cookies cutters at our local general store, I knew I had to give it a try. After I washed and dried the cookie cutters, I made up a batch of Grandma's recipe for easy fudge (recipe below).  I sprayed a small glass dish (since I was only making three of these) with cooking spray and also sprayed the insides of the cookie cutters. I carefully spooned the fudge into the cutters and used the spoon to level it out and make sure that the corners were filled. Yes, a little will come out of the bottom, but it will clean up easily later.  Then I covered these and refrigerated them overnight.  (The remaining fudge I placed in a greased 8 by 8 inch pan.) I removed the excess fudge from the bottom and used a paper towel to wipe the outsides of the cookie cutters clean. Then I placed them in a clear treat bag and tied it up with a raffia bow.  Easy enough.  I originally started with ...

So, my three year old and one year old are napping.  My other three are downstairs watching a movie.  I should be folding laundry, but I wanted to get this post up.  It has been forever since I have added anything to my blog, and I decided that it was time! One of the reasons that I haven't posted anything for a while is because we have been busy working on a project.  My kids love to make pies, and we had been talking about the idea of selling pies around Thanksgiving.  So, we decided to give it a try this year.  We have a young man from our church who is currently in Kolkata, India, doing mission work.  He left this August and will be staying there for three years.  We decided to donate our proceeds to supporting him. We spread the word through our church and through facebook, and this Tuesday we delivered the last of our 65 pie orders!  I was so proud of my kids' hard work and determination. When we first started this project, w...

So, do you  ever feel like you are losing your mind?  I do.  More often than I would like to admit, in fact.  I was certain that I had posted a recipe for Stormboli on my blog sometime last year.  I remember taking the pictures and everything.  However, when I looked for the recipe, it was nowhere to be found!  I even did a search and turned up nothing. Consequently, when I made Stromboli the other day, I decided to take new pictures and waste no time getting them posted.  I make this at least once for supper during the harvest season because it is so good and easy to eat while driving machinery.  Stromboli is a great, easy meal that you can customize to your family's tastes.  I put pepperoni on one half for my spice-loving little guy, and ham on the other half for my girls.  Feel free to experiment with your favorite pizza toppings on this one! Here's the recipe: Stromboli 1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed ...

I have always enjoyed learning new things from other women.  When I was little, it seemed like my Great Aunt Connie was usually working on something crafty when she and Great Uncle Keith would come visit.  Under Connie's tutelage, I learned how to do counted cross-stitch and latch hook.  I would sit beside her and watch her hands busily move over a project.  Noticing my interest, she would take the time to show me how to do it, too. When I got married, I got to know Matt's Aunt Sarah, who introduced me to the joy of quilting.  Over the years, she has helped me with many tips and helpful advice.  When Matt and I have visited her in Salina, she and I have laid out many a quilt design on her ping pong table downstairs. So, when she offered to come out to sew during a recent visit, I jumped at the chance.  I had cut the squares and laid out the pattern of a baby quilt recently, so it was a great morning project for us. Lyla was anxious to help, an...

I think that I admitted in a recent blog post that I am not that great at pictures.  However, I am not going to let that stop me from posting this fun and easy recipe. To celebrate Anna's fifth birthday, she requested a tea party with several of her friends.  We have done tea parties in the past, and no matter how much I doctor up the tea with honey, the girls don't drink it.  So, I had the idea to put punch in their tea cups. It was a big success!  I think Anna had at least four cups.  And, despite the picture not showing it very well, it was a beautiful shade of pink. Perfect Party Punch: Raspberry Sherbet Sprite or another lemon-lime soda Pink Lemonade (I used the frozen concentrate and mixed it per the package directions) Pour equal parts of Sprite and Pink Lemonade into punch bowl.  Add small scoops of raspberry sherbet.  Let sit for at least ten minutes so that the sherbet can melt into the liquid a bit and get foamy.  Serve! ...

So. . . I spent more than a little time trying to decide whether to call this "Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken," or "Marinated Lime Grilled Chicken."  In the end, it probably doesn't matter that much, but I sought the counsel of my oldest daughter, who agreed with me on my choice. I love this recipe.  It is so easy and delicious!  It's one of my son's favorites.  Whenever I tell him that we are having chicken, he asks, "Is it the lime one?" The only kink with the recipe is that you have to plan ahead.  It tastes best when you marinate the chicken overnight.  So, throw this into your fridge today and celebrate the fact that dinner is ready for tomorrow night! Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken (adapted from here) 8 - 10 four ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 cup lime juice 2/3 cup olive oil 5 - 6 tablespoons honey 2 teaspoons minced garlic (I use the jarred kind; you could also run 4 garlic cloves through your garlic press if...

So, my oldest is 9, and my youngest is 1.  I can finally say that without cringing!  I say this all the time, but it sure has gone quickly!  These two have birthdays that are just a week apart, so we decided to do a combined party with family. Maddie wanted a basketball cake, and Grant has always been our little monkey, so we had monkeys and basketballs!  I found the monkey cupcake idea here .  I used candy eyes from Walmart and placed some chocolate sprinkles on the top of the monkeys' heads for hair. Of course, I had to make some cake pops, too!  The monkey idea came from my Cake Pops:  Tips, Tricks, and Recipes for More than 40 Irresistible Mini Treats  by Bakerella .  I used a mini vanilla wafer for the nose instead of a peanut butter candy wafer. When Maddie requested a basketball cake, I decided it was a great opportunity to try fondant.  I mean, I only needed one color!  I used this recipe and tinted it...

My husband jokes with me that I'm not happy unless I use my slow cooker at least twice a week.  While that may be an over-exaggeration, I do love my slow cooker.  I enjoy the feeling of knowing that supper is in the crock pot at home ready to go.  Right now my kitchen smells amazing because I mixed up some of this spaghetti sauce right after lunch and turned it on low.  That sauce is in there, getting all warm and bubbly and yummy.  For supper, I'll just cook up some pasta for the kids and some zucchini noodles for Matt and me.  Pass the parmesan, please! Easy Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce (adapted from this recipe) 2 pounds ground meat, cooked (use ground beef, pork, sausage, or any combination.  I keep thinking I will try half ground beef and half sausage) 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 1/2 teaspoons each dried ba...

What's better than a big bowl of ice cream? Some ice cream with hot fudge on top! We would have this recipe often growing up. My grandma had an old-fashioned fondue pot that she would heat it up in. I usually use the microwave now, but you can throw the ingredients into a crock pot to have ready whenever the meal is over. When you have guests, setting up a sundae bar is a simple and yummy dessert that everyone enjoys!  I served this the other night to my kids with their choice of sprinkles, M & M's, and/or mini Reeces Pieces to put on top.  They each choose all of them!  You should have seen the looks on their faces when I piled it all on and handed it to them.  Yum in a bowl!  Here's the recipe: Super Simple Hot Fudge Sauce 1 cup chocolate chips 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla Place chocolate chips and butter into microwave-safe container. Microwave about 45 seconds, stirring after 30 second...

We are getting ready to make some harvest meals next week, which means that everything needs to be able to be eaten with one hand while operating machinery. One of my husband's favorite desserts is apple pie, so I wanted to make apple pie that could be eaten on the go. I combined a couple of recipes that I found on the web to come up with these tasty little treats. Here's the recipe: Apple Pie Pockets 1 recipe Aunt Joyce's Pie Crust 2 1/2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and finely chopped 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1 tablespoon flour Approximately 2 tablespoons butter 1 egg white, beaten 2 tablespoons water cinnamon sugar While you are waiting for the oil and water to cool for the pie crust, mix sugar, spices, and flour together in a bowl. Add apples and mix well. Roll out dough between wax paper and cut out circles of dough. I used a plastic container that was nearly five inches in diameter to cut mine out.   I put...

Okay, I admit it.  I'm not very good at taking pretty pictures!  I see all these beautiful blogs with pretty pictures with everything "just so," and I sigh and think, "I wish my pictures looked like that!"  Often I am trying to take my pictures with my cell phone with a baby wiggling in the front pack.  I'm lucky to simply get my picture in focus, let alone set up a neat background!  So, I apologize for the not-so-pretty picture.  However, I didn't want to let it stop me from sharing this great project. I made this as a graduation gift for a sweet girl who graduated from high school this year.  (And, yes, I know I'm a little late with my gift.  I figure better late than never!) I bought the glass cookie jar from Walmart.  I used the same technique to etch the jar as in my  Powercat Etched Glass Dish Tutorial .  I found the flower clip art  here  and used  Janda Apple Cobbler Font , which is one of my new favo...

I found this recipe on Six Sisters' Stuff.  I love their blog!  I have probably made at least two dozen of their recipes, if not more.  Not to mention the massive amount of ideas/recipes from them that I have on my Pinterest Boards!  I love this recipe because you don't have to run the mixer--it just stirs up easily.  (aka, we can whip these out during nap time without making too much noise!)  Plus they are just so fun!  You could easily add seasonal sprinkles to fit any holiday you could imagine.  Anna, my five year old, was pretty excited to show Daddy the cookies that she made "all by herself"! Here's the recipe (modified slightly from here .) Funfetti Cake Batter Cookies 1 box, 18.25 ounces, Funfetti Cake Mix 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 eggs 1/2 cup canola oil 1 cup white chocolate chips (chocolate chips are also delicious in these!) 1/2 cup sprinkles Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place cake mix in large bowl.  S...

I was discussing cookie recipes recently with a friend, and she mentioned that Chip & Putter Cookies were one of her family's favorites.  I, of course, requested the recipe.  I mean, what a great name!  So she graciously shared the recipe for these delicious peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies. "Chip & Putter" Cookies (Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies) 2 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup peanut butter 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 12 ounce dark chocolate chips (or any flavor chocolate chips that you like!) Stir flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.  Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Blend in flour mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Cover and refrigerate dough for at least three hours or overnight.  Shape into large balls (around two tablespoons) and place...

I can't believe that Anna is five already!  I know I say it every year, but where does the time go?  Somehow, when they hit five, they seem so much older than four.  I mean, it's going to be time for kindergarten! For this cake, I made the inside to look like zebra stripes.  You can find the tutorial here .  Then I simply frosted it with white buttercream frosting and put zebra-striped sugar paper around the sides.  (You can find sugar paper at Walmart.  I used my rotary cutter and ruler to cut it instead of buying the fancy tools in the cake aisle.  Then I used a glass as a template to cut a circle for the top of the cake.)  I piped on some pink stars and added a happy birthday wish, and I was done.  It only took my an hour to put together that morning!  I had used the extra batter from making to cakes to bake up a few cupcakes, so I iced those with pink frosting and used the leftover sugar paper to decorate them. Best of...

When I asked Anna what she would like to do to help celebrate her fifth birthday, she said that she wanted a tea party.  So, once school was out for the summer, that is what we did!  Though it's not my strong suit, I actually managed to do some decorating!  I found some great free printables online.  I used the banner and place cards for our guests.  You can find them  here.   I also made some  tissue paper flowers .  I was trying to figure out how to hang them without putting pushpins in our ceiling.  My husband and I came up with the idea of hanging them from the ceiling fan blades. I got out my good china and everything! When the girls arrived at 10:00 that morning, they all went downstairs to decorate foam crowns.  (I found them at Walmart in the kids' crafts section.) Then we came upstairs for tea! I've served my girls tea before.  I've put ice cubes in it so it won't be too hot and put in lots of ho...