Apron Time

Carol and I were 'antique' shopping a while back when we stumbled across some cute Texas tote bags. We were going to buy one, take it apart, then each of us would have a panel. Then one of us turned around and found TWO napkins. Here's mine now: Hmmm...I really need to hire a skinny model. :o(

To make ME feel better:

Grooving, Baking, Sewing

Yep. I did it all this week! Three of us drove all the way to Omaha to hear Lady Chazz and the Tramps. Drove maybe 15 miles. ;o) http://www.myspace.com/ladychazzandthetramps Hmmm...didn't get a photo of the bass player. The whole band is GOOD! Richard (lead singer and keyboard) graduated high school with me. It's not easy taking photos in a dark nightclub.

Here's the sewing...isn't it just too cute?!

Saturday morning, I picked up Mama and a friend of mine, Earlene the librarian aka one of the cruise companions. We went to Longview for a Wahoo tournament to visit with some of Mama's cousins. (It's a yearly event.) The three of us got beat right off the bat, but Earlene's sister, Beckle aka another cruise companion, went to round two...but no further. Beckle did win the trophy three years ago! Her first time to attend and play!!

I made a quiche to take to that gathering and another on Sunday. While I was busy with my family, Sam rode his Harley to Bay City to attend his sister's birthday/retirement party. He came back reddish brown from the sun. I can not believe he wore short sleeves as hot as that sun is out there! He walked into the house just as I was taking the cake out of the oven. Then I popped in a loaf of artisan bread. THEN the second quiche of the weekend went into the oven for our supper.

Elton called to let us know that they were going to Don Juans in Hughes Springs to eat, but since I already had the quiche in the oven (and personally preferred the quiche), Sam invited them for dessert. LOL, it was so fresh that it cut jagged. How does this look? YES! Yummy!!

Deane's Quiche

2 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
4 ounces shredded cheese (sharp cheddar is best)
1/2 pound diced ham (or chicken or whatever meat you like)
1/3 cup finely diced onion
1 tablespoon cornstarch
salt (Be careful if you use ham!)
pepper
Anything else you might like to throw in (small green peas, mushrooms, etc.). I chose mushrooms

Whisk eggs, mayonnaise, and milk until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into prepared pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until center is set.

I've posted about my pie pastry many times. Click here: My Recipe Here

Banana Honey Cake

1 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup bananas, mashed
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 8 ounce package cream cheese
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour the honey into a saucepan and bring to a boil Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and pour over oats in a bowl. Stir and cover. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Cream the butter in a large bowl. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Blend in eggs. Add the oat mixture and bananas and beat until well blended.

Sift flour with remaining 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Pour into 2 greased and waxed paper-line 8-inch round cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pans and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Icing:
Beat cream cheese in a bowl until fluffy. Add remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add powdered sugar gradually and beat until frosting is of spreading consistency. Spread between layers and over top of cake. Refrigerate. You may garnish with sliced bananas just before serving.

"Designer" Apron Tutorial

So, you want to make your very own, one of a kind, "designer" apron? This is a great stash buster pattern! First, you need a pattern. I have a one-piece apron that I just placed on top of my fabric. Carefully cut around it. By 'carefully,' I mean, don't cut your apron by mistake! If you don't already have an apron like this, you can find several free patterns on the internet like this one:
http://etherwork.net/ejmtph/sew/apron.html

Go through your stash and pull out one piece of fabric large enough for the apron body. Gather some coordinating, complimentary, or surprise fabrics. Cut the apron out, but ignore the rest of their instructions and follow mine now. ;o) Just remember, this ain't rocket science. The width of the ruffle doesn't have to be exact. I suggest not making it too full...be a little 'cheap' with it.

Cut 1 Bib ruffle = 4" deep x 1 1/2 times the width of the bib. (For the apron pattern in the above link, the bib ruffle will be about 13" wide.) Don't get it too wide or you'll have too much ruffle.

Cut 3 Bottom ruffles out of different fabrics = 4" deep x 1 1/2 times the width of the apron.

Cut 2 Ties = 3" x 42"

Cut 1 Neck band = 3" x 22"

Don't get bogged down with the width of the apron. If you have the full 42-44" of fabric, and you need the width, cut your apron that large. If you are working with a remant, go narrower. Adjust the width of the ruffles according. Just remember, the more ruffling, the more work you have to do!

Now that you have everything cut, if you have a serger, serge all edges on the apron and the ruffles (not the ties or neck band). With all ruffle edges serged, guess what? You don't have to hem the ruffles! Yeah! (Sorry. If you don't have a serger, start hemming ALL those edges - except the ties and neck band.) After serging the ruffle edges, pick one long edge as the top and run a row of basting stitches. Be sure to leave thread tails so that you can gather them.

Turn under the serged edge at the bib top only and sew 1/4 - 3/8" from the folded edge.
Fold the bib top in half and put a pin there. Fold the bib ruffle in half and pin it to the top center front of the bib.

Pull your gathering threads. Pin both ends of the ruffle on top of the bib. Sew the ruffle to the bib.

Match the edge of the bib with the edge of the ruffle.

Fold as one and turn the serged edge to the back and stitch it down. (If you had to hem everything, just lay the ruffle end even with the edge of the apron and stitch down.)

Continue stitching the entire 'arm' area.

Find the center front of the bottom of your apron and the center of a long ruffle. Pin and sew the same as for the bib. Pick up your second ruffle, find centers, slightly overlap to top edge of the first ruffle, gather and sew it down. Follow the same procedure with the third ruffle.

Line up the ruffle edges with the side of the apron.

Turn under 1/4 - 3/8" and sew through all the layers. (If it's all hemmed, just line up the edges of the ruffles with the apron edge and sew them together.)

Ties and neck band - Fold each in half lengthwise. With 1/4" seams, sew across one short section then down the long raw edges making a tube. Using a skewer or your favorite turning trick, turn the ties and band. Sew each to the apron in its appropriate place. Leave one end of the neck band free.

Cut 1" piece of velcro. Sew one side to the back of the apron. (Yeah, go ahead and sew through the ruffle - it won't be noticeable.) Adjust the neck band to suit you and sew the other piece of velcro to the band.Try your new designer apron on for size and GO COOK SOMETHING GOOD!

I am going to make a Cannoli Pie. Photos to follow...