Just a quick tip. My Mom's recipe calls for scalding the milk. For those of you scratching your head and mumbling to your self "What the heck is scalding?" Here is your answer. As with most older recipes you will come across Scalded milk from time to time will pop up. This isn't something that you can buy in the store. You have to do it. . . . yep you guessed it the old fashioned way. No stressing though. It is an extremely simple process. Scalding milk is just heating the milk to the point of almost boiling. (180 degrees)
In the olden days this step was done for health reason, mostly to destroy the bacteria in the milk. Good old pasteurization has already taken care of the process for us. How ever scalded milk can make a bit of a difference in your breads texture (custards too). So if your mom or grandma has a super awesome recipe that you have never been able to duplicate I bet ya she's holding out on the scalded milk secret!!
So here is all you need to scald your milk.
Thick bottom Sauce pan or a double boiler.
Milk (whole is what would typically be used. But I usually only have 2 % in my fridge so that is what I use)
Candy thermometer (only if you want to look super cool to your husband and friends so that they think that you are a pro. . . . ok so maybe in my world I think that a thermometer in a pot makes you cool!)
So here is the whole process Take a deep breath . . . . . you ready?
Put your milk in the pan
Heat to 180 degrees. stir continuously. You will know that you are at 180 when it starts to come to a light froth (tiny bubbles around the edges of the pan.) Or your thermometer will read 180. DO NOT BRING TO A BOIL!!! Remove from heat and TA DA!!! Scaled Milk!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
We are back!
Ok so after a bit (and I'm stretching a bit using this word) of a break. Stitches and Staples is back this month. We are going to be focusing on one of my favorite staples . . . . baking!!! mmmmmm. We will be having a bread braiding class on November 30th at 7pm. I will be making super delicious holiday Sweet dough and teaching you guys how to do some fun designs with it. I will teach you how to make a Candy Cane, Christmas tree, and if we have enough time a pumpkin and a turkey. Oh and did I mention that we will be eating this bread!! So make sure that you come over to the church at 7 sharp for good food, great friends, and of course a little bit of organized chaos. It just wouldn't be a Stitches and Staples class with out it.
If you can't make it to this class then just scroll down a couple of posts and you will see the recipe. You can always get the class hand out on Sunday as well. Hope to see you all there!!
If you can't make it to this class then just scroll down a couple of posts and you will see the recipe. You can always get the class hand out on Sunday as well. Hope to see you all there!!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Card Binder
Hello Ladies! So for January I have to admit my brain is a little fried from Christmas still. My creative gene is totally on strike and I had a total brain cramp trying to think of this months project! So while I was sitting in my office trying to think of what on earth I was going to do for this month I remembered something that I did for myself last year. I come from a huge family with sisters who make baby's like bunnies. Seriously! I have 13 nieces and nephews and more on the way as we speak! Try keeping all of those birthdays straight! So my solution was the birthday bidner. In January I make enough birthday cards for every person in my family and then just slip it into the appropriate month. At the beginning of every month I mail out the birthday cards for everyone who has a birthday from the 1st to the 15th and on the 15th of every month I send out the cards to everyone who has a birthday from the 16th to the end of the month! It's so easy and I'm proud to say that last year I never missed a single birthday!! So here is what you will need.
One 3 ring binder- a simple one will do. You can find these many places for under $1
12 clear page protectors. I like to put some extra ones in the back of my binder to hold Thank You's, Get Well, Baby,Wedding, etc. I have 6 extras in the back of my binder. This seems to be just enough for the usual cards that you send out through the year.
12 pieces of paper (one for everymonth) You can type these out or just slip in a piece of lined paper that you have printed on.
You can fill your binder with homemade or store bought cards. I like to put a book of stamps in the front pocket that they have on most binders. this way I always know where my stamps are and I can see when I need to get more. Just as a heads up for those of you who are anti card making (I know who you are! I will convert you one of these days!) Bonnie Jones informed me on that NPS is having an awesome sale on their greeting cards. They are in a grab bag form and I believe that she said you get 10 cards for $2. This might be a great thing for a couple of people to go in on together and by a couple of sets and then mix up up so that you have a good variety!
For those of you who have crossed over to the dark side and are letting m brainwash you with all sorts of fun handmade things we will be makeing our own greeting cards!
One of the cards that we are making i found on one of my most often viewed sites! Splitcoast Stamper is an awesome website that has all sorts of papercrafting ideas and tutorials on it. Here is the link for one of the cards that we are making. It is called a Tri Fold Shutter card for those of you who were at church on sunday it was the card that I had with me.
We will also be making simple gift card holders and Money envelopes.
You will need 12x12 cardstock to make the tri shutter card I belive that it said 8 1/2 x 11 on the R.S. handouts. Sorry about that. I told you my brain has been fried. I will try to get that fixed for next week. You will also want coordinating scrapbook paper. The link bellow has a list of everything that you will need to make 1 card.
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/trishuttercard/
For the gift card holder and the money envelope you will want 1-2 pieces of cardstock 12x12 and 1-2 pieces of decorative paper again 12x12. I will try to get some pictures posted of these. I haven't had much luck lately with the pictures on here. I will have samples at church on sunday.
One 3 ring binder- a simple one will do. You can find these many places for under $1
12 clear page protectors. I like to put some extra ones in the back of my binder to hold Thank You's, Get Well, Baby,Wedding, etc. I have 6 extras in the back of my binder. This seems to be just enough for the usual cards that you send out through the year.
12 pieces of paper (one for everymonth) You can type these out or just slip in a piece of lined paper that you have printed on.
You can fill your binder with homemade or store bought cards. I like to put a book of stamps in the front pocket that they have on most binders. this way I always know where my stamps are and I can see when I need to get more. Just as a heads up for those of you who are anti card making (I know who you are! I will convert you one of these days!) Bonnie Jones informed me on that NPS is having an awesome sale on their greeting cards. They are in a grab bag form and I believe that she said you get 10 cards for $2. This might be a great thing for a couple of people to go in on together and by a couple of sets and then mix up up so that you have a good variety!
For those of you who have crossed over to the dark side and are letting m brainwash you with all sorts of fun handmade things we will be makeing our own greeting cards!
One of the cards that we are making i found on one of my most often viewed sites! Splitcoast Stamper is an awesome website that has all sorts of papercrafting ideas and tutorials on it. Here is the link for one of the cards that we are making. It is called a Tri Fold Shutter card for those of you who were at church on sunday it was the card that I had with me.
We will also be making simple gift card holders and Money envelopes.
You will need 12x12 cardstock to make the tri shutter card I belive that it said 8 1/2 x 11 on the R.S. handouts. Sorry about that. I told you my brain has been fried. I will try to get that fixed for next week. You will also want coordinating scrapbook paper. The link bellow has a list of everything that you will need to make 1 card.
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/trishuttercard/
For the gift card holder and the money envelope you will want 1-2 pieces of cardstock 12x12 and 1-2 pieces of decorative paper again 12x12. I will try to get some pictures posted of these. I haven't had much luck lately with the pictures on here. I will have samples at church on sunday.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
My Mom's Holiday Sweet Dough
Every Christmas my Mom makes this bread for us to have for breakfast Christmas morning. This is a tradition that I have loved carrying over to my own family. My kids always look forward to Christmas tree and candy cane bread. So here is the recipe for the bread and I will post pictures of how to shape yours in to a tree and a candy cane tomorrow!
2 cups scalded milk - cooled
3 Tbsp yeast in 3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup mashed potatoes (can use instant)
1 cup sugar
3 beaten eggs
1 tsp salt
8-10 cups flour
scald milk, add butter. Let this cool. Add potatoes, sugar, eggs, and salt. Add 3 cups of flour & beat, then add yeast mixture. Add rest of flour. (9 cups total seems to be about right for me.) This is a SOFT dough. You do not want to add too much flour or else when it is baked it will not be soft and yummalicious! (And yes yummalicious is most definitely a word if you are talking about baked goods!) Let rise until double. Use for braided breads with fillings or cinnamon rolls. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
Glaze
1/4 c hot butter
1/4 c hot milk
3 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Mix and Frost while both are still warm for glaze effect! YUMMALICIOUS!!
2 cups scalded milk - cooled
3 Tbsp yeast in 3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup mashed potatoes (can use instant)
1 cup sugar
3 beaten eggs
1 tsp salt
8-10 cups flour
scald milk, add butter. Let this cool. Add potatoes, sugar, eggs, and salt. Add 3 cups of flour & beat, then add yeast mixture. Add rest of flour. (9 cups total seems to be about right for me.) This is a SOFT dough. You do not want to add too much flour or else when it is baked it will not be soft and yummalicious! (And yes yummalicious is most definitely a word if you are talking about baked goods!) Let rise until double. Use for braided breads with fillings or cinnamon rolls. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
Glaze
1/4 c hot butter
1/4 c hot milk
3 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Mix and Frost while both are still warm for glaze effect! YUMMALICIOUS!!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Baby it's COLD outside!
Oh the weather outside is frightful,
And the kids are not being so delightful!
Since they've no place to go,
Make some dough! Make some dough! Make some dough!
So I don't know about your kids but mine don't seem to want to be outside for very long. Sure the snow is super amounts of fun but it is COLD!! The only problem with them not wanting to be outside is that this usually means that they are inside. Now your children are probably different but sometimes, just sometimes my children are slightly, well maybe just a little. . . obnoxious. Seriously though I can only take so much when I have fudge cooking on the stove, cookie dough truffles in the mixer, some telemarketer in my ear telling me all about the advantages of owning a time share and three children running through my kitchen all toting Nerf guns and screaming "Lets kill him!" at the top of their lungs while pulling a stuffed toy Elmo behind them at the end of a jump rope. Yeah this really is just not bringing on the Christmas spirit for me, go figure. So here is my solution for cooped up kids and the never ending question of what Christmas treat do I give to my neighbors this year! Enjoy!
Peanut Butter Clay dough
This is super quick and easy to make and is guaranteed to keep your kids busy for DAYS!
In a large bowl combine 1 cup smooth peanut butter, 1 1/4 cups powdered dry milk, 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar and 1 cup white corn syrup. Mix all the ingredients and knead until it's all incorporated. Put this in the fridge just till it's chilled. You don't want to leave it in there for too long or else it gets too hard and you wont be able to use it. I love this dough because it is edible so clean up is a breeze. It tastes just like peanut butter fudge. mmmm. I usually give my kids some raisins and celery to play with this and when they are tired of playing they just eat it all for snacks. Any left over dough that is not used just put in an airtight container or bag. Do not store in the fridge! This is shelf stable and should be stored in your cupboard just chill before bringing it out to play with.
Cookie Dough truffles
1/2 c butter softened
3/4 c brown sugar
2 1/4 c flour
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
Cream butter and sugar. Add the flour, milk and vanilla.
Stir in 1/2 c mini chocolate chips
1/2 c chopped walnuts
Shape into 1" calls and freeze until firm.
melt 1 1/2 lb semi sweet candy coating.
dip balls in chocolate
Store in refrigerator
And the kids are not being so delightful!
Since they've no place to go,
Make some dough! Make some dough! Make some dough!
So I don't know about your kids but mine don't seem to want to be outside for very long. Sure the snow is super amounts of fun but it is COLD!! The only problem with them not wanting to be outside is that this usually means that they are inside. Now your children are probably different but sometimes, just sometimes my children are slightly, well maybe just a little. . . obnoxious. Seriously though I can only take so much when I have fudge cooking on the stove, cookie dough truffles in the mixer, some telemarketer in my ear telling me all about the advantages of owning a time share and three children running through my kitchen all toting Nerf guns and screaming "Lets kill him!" at the top of their lungs while pulling a stuffed toy Elmo behind them at the end of a jump rope. Yeah this really is just not bringing on the Christmas spirit for me, go figure. So here is my solution for cooped up kids and the never ending question of what Christmas treat do I give to my neighbors this year! Enjoy!
Peanut Butter Clay dough
This is super quick and easy to make and is guaranteed to keep your kids busy for DAYS!
In a large bowl combine 1 cup smooth peanut butter, 1 1/4 cups powdered dry milk, 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar and 1 cup white corn syrup. Mix all the ingredients and knead until it's all incorporated. Put this in the fridge just till it's chilled. You don't want to leave it in there for too long or else it gets too hard and you wont be able to use it. I love this dough because it is edible so clean up is a breeze. It tastes just like peanut butter fudge. mmmm. I usually give my kids some raisins and celery to play with this and when they are tired of playing they just eat it all for snacks. Any left over dough that is not used just put in an airtight container or bag. Do not store in the fridge! This is shelf stable and should be stored in your cupboard just chill before bringing it out to play with.
Cookie Dough truffles
1/2 c butter softened
3/4 c brown sugar
2 1/4 c flour
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
Cream butter and sugar. Add the flour, milk and vanilla.
Stir in 1/2 c mini chocolate chips
1/2 c chopped walnuts
Shape into 1" calls and freeze until firm.
melt 1 1/2 lb semi sweet candy coating.
dip balls in chocolate
Store in refrigerator
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
December Stitches and Staples
I don't know about all of you but this time of year I'm usually looking at my calander thinking "It is not humanly possible to do EVERYTHING on here." How ever much to my dissapointment my husband being the super human that he is always seems to arrange our schedule in such a way that it turns out that is is humanly possible to attend something every night of the week some times three or four things on the weekend and still survive to see January. *sigh* For anyone who truly knows me that will tell you that all I really want to do for the holidays is to stay at home and bake to my little hearts content for everyone I know! So seeing as how I'm putting my foot down this year and doing the baking and all of the family partys and company activities I'm sad to say that I will have to cancel our classes for December. I will however post some things online that I'm sure that you will all be able to do on your own. Including my Mom's super yummy christmas bread! Check back for some card making teaches. And some awesome holiday cooking gift ideas! Happy Crafting!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Crayon Caddys
Materials needed.
2 5 x 16 1/2 pieces of fabric. This is for the outside and inside. I used flannel.
1 6 x 16 1/2 piece of fabric folded in half lengthwise and pressed (for the pocket)
1 5 x 16 1/2 piece of lightweight fusible interfacing or lightweight batting (Use the batting if you want a "puffy" look.
30 inches of ribbon
1 16 count pkg of crayons
Thread to coordinate with fabric
scissors
pins
sewing machine
Optional
pkg of ric rac trim
If you would like to make these to hold a 24 count box change all the 16 1/2's to 24 1/2. You basically need 1 inch per crayon and a 1/4 inch seam allowance per side.
Instructions:
1. Iron on interfacing to the wrong side of the 5 x 16 1/2 piece of fabric that you want to be on the inside. If you are using batting just pin it on the back.
2. Line up the bottom edges of the folded piece and the piece with the interfacing (or batting), pin together. Starting over from the edge 1 1/4 inches sew lined parallel with the the edge starting for the top of the crayon pocket, back-stitching at the top to reinforce. Sew the lines one inch apart across the pocket. You will have 1 1/4 inches on each side with 14 1 inch pockets between. (If you are doing a 24 count you will have the same but with 22 -1 inch pockets in between.
3.If you want to use ric rac, pin it around the edge of the piece that you just sewed the pockets on. Fold the ribbon in half and pin it on the right edge with the folded end facing out and the loose ends on the inside.
4. Pin remaining piece of 5 x 16 1/2 inch fabric right sides together with the pocket piece. Sew around edges with 1/4 inch seam allowance. Leave about 3 inches across bottom for turning.
5. Trim corners, turn, press and top stitch being careful to catch all layers of the opening to close.
6. Slip crayons inside, roll up and tie shut.
Super simple but oh so very cute!!
2 5 x 16 1/2 pieces of fabric. This is for the outside and inside. I used flannel.
1 6 x 16 1/2 piece of fabric folded in half lengthwise and pressed (for the pocket)
1 5 x 16 1/2 piece of lightweight fusible interfacing or lightweight batting (Use the batting if you want a "puffy" look.
30 inches of ribbon
1 16 count pkg of crayons
Thread to coordinate with fabric
scissors
pins
sewing machine
Optional
pkg of ric rac trim
If you would like to make these to hold a 24 count box change all the 16 1/2's to 24 1/2. You basically need 1 inch per crayon and a 1/4 inch seam allowance per side.
Instructions:
1. Iron on interfacing to the wrong side of the 5 x 16 1/2 piece of fabric that you want to be on the inside. If you are using batting just pin it on the back.
2. Line up the bottom edges of the folded piece and the piece with the interfacing (or batting), pin together. Starting over from the edge 1 1/4 inches sew lined parallel with the the edge starting for the top of the crayon pocket, back-stitching at the top to reinforce. Sew the lines one inch apart across the pocket. You will have 1 1/4 inches on each side with 14 1 inch pockets between. (If you are doing a 24 count you will have the same but with 22 -1 inch pockets in between.
3.If you want to use ric rac, pin it around the edge of the piece that you just sewed the pockets on. Fold the ribbon in half and pin it on the right edge with the folded end facing out and the loose ends on the inside.
4. Pin remaining piece of 5 x 16 1/2 inch fabric right sides together with the pocket piece. Sew around edges with 1/4 inch seam allowance. Leave about 3 inches across bottom for turning.
5. Trim corners, turn, press and top stitch being careful to catch all layers of the opening to close.
6. Slip crayons inside, roll up and tie shut.
Super simple but oh so very cute!!
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