More Pears and a Special Birthday

Sam peeled a bucket and a half of pears while I quartered and  cored. We filled the dehydrated with quarters.

Grated enough for another double batch of pear cakes.  One to eat and three more for the freezer.

The remainder was sliced and sauted in butter with brown sugar and just as they got tender - a considerable :D splash of rum.

Perfect by themselves, in crepes, over pancakes.  What about a scoop or two of Blue Bell homemade vanilla flavor ice cream?  OR what about a slice of toasted pear cake topped with a scoop of ice cream, covered with sauted pears AND a dollop of whipped cream. Think that's too much?  NAH!  I don't think so. :D 

I bought some pretty fabric yesterday for placemats.  I hope there's enough for a table runner too.

This is for a table topper. (Photos of finished projects to follow in late September/early October.)

And last but definitely NOT least - Happy 84th Birthday to my Sean.  A rose for you.

Sewing and Cooking and Other Stuff

Saw three of these pretties on the way to work one day this week.  Drove the back way to town intending to go by Mama's house.  Instead, I turned left to the highway.

A dress for Isabel sewn on Shirley Ann with fabrics and trim from my stash.

I now wish I'd used blue gingham for all three ruffles.

Button-up back.

Found some blue trim in my CQ chest.

Everything gathered but the pears.  They are shredded in the food processor.

Butter, sugar, and eggs all creamed together.

Instead of baking in two tube pans, I bake in four loaf pans...easier for freezing.

Fresh out of the oven.

Delicious!

My next two projects.  ABC quilts for the grandsons. Cain's ABC blocks are already sewn together (on the right). Colt's blocks are different ABC fabric from Cain's, and I will be using blue fabric instead of the green.

Fresh Pear Cake

 2 cups Sugar   
 1 cup Butter   
 4 large Eggs   
 2 teaspoons Vanilla   
 3 cups Flour, sifted
 1 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon   
 1 teaspoon Allspice   
 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg   
 1/2 teaspoon Salt   
 1 1/2 teaspoon Soda   
 3/4 cup Buttermilk   
 1 cup fresh Apples, finely chopped
 1/2 cup Pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla. Mix well. Sift flour, spices, salt, soda, and add alternately with buttermilk. Fold in apples and pecans. Blend well. Pour into a 10 inch tube pan that has been greased and dusted with flour. Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. DO NOT overbake. Remove from pan.
NOTE: I bake in two loaf pans for about an hour. 
The four cakes above is a double recipe.