Kansas City visit......

Just got back from Kansas City a couple hours ago.  We were stationed there 6 1/2 years ago so the boys wanted to go and see some old friends and walk down memory lane.  It was nice to see our old house and all our favorite spots, restaurants, shops.  Mom stayed home with the dogs and worked on her Family tree pattern.  You can see her progress below.  I never go on a car trip without something to keep my hands busy, so I started hooking a purse for myself and will be offering the pattern/kit for sale.  The last picture is the Crow purse/pocket I punched to give my sister for Christmas.  I decided to put rusty wire through it and some greenery for hanging, but it would be very cute with a long strap for a small purse.  It will soon be available on www.theoldtatteredflag.com  

Now I have to get ready for New Years Eve, never a dull moment!!

Until Next time.....

New patterns for Mom, a drafting table for Julie and new candles at www.theoldtatteredflag.com coming soon...

Americana Vintage Candles ~ coming soon to The Old Tattered Flag

 On January 15, www.theoldtatteredflag.com will be having another sale on patterns, fabric, most everything.  But,we will be introducing the best candle there is also (these will not be on sale).  They are by Americana Vintage a wonderful family owned company in New Jersey.  The company is a Mom, Dad and Son.  They use only natural products so the candles are just so wonderfully fragrant.  The Dad makes the base then the Mom and Son dip the candles 7 times.  They are then hand rolled in natural ingredients such as evergreen, lemon zest, cinnamon, etc, then, the tops are frosted.  I'm not kidding when I say these are the best candles I have come across in 24 years.  Each one burns 120-150 hours, then, you can break up the candle and burn the outside in your tart burner.  Well worth the money and they are beautiful and primitive looking as well.  I have Evergreen, Apple Crisp, Homestead and Lemon Curd.  Each candle is $26.  If you need one now before I officially put them on the website, let me know.  Email me at theoldtatteredflag@yahoo.com..

Our Charlie Brown tree cleaned up nicely...not bad!

Mom is obsessed with hooking and I haven't had a chance to get many new designs drawn up for her lately.  I do have a list of up to 20 designs in the works but had the opportunity to get these five made up for her for Christmas.  I am so pleased with the outcome of all of them and right now she is happily color planning all of them.  In fact, she has already started the Family Tree in wonderful warm primitive colors.

"Christmas in New England" Hooked Rug Tree Skirt Pattern

"Antique Horse" hooked rug pattern

"Claus" Hooked Rug pattern

"Our Family Tree" hooked rug Pattern

"The Homestead" hooked rug pattern

 A gift to me from Mom was my "Santa 2011" hooked rug pattern done up  in really primitive colors.  I tend to go for the dark colors more.  You can see below that she originally did in a brighter color scheme.  Actually I love that one too, but am partial to the darker one....

"Santa 2011" a gift from Mom in more primitive colors

"Santa 2011" 

My husband looked high and low last year for an antique drafting table for me for Christmas.  This year he found this one at a local antique store around the corner from us.  I just love it!!  I plan to do more watercolors this year sitting right here in the sunroom and there is a lot of storage in it.  Santa was very good to all of us this year, hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well....

Merry Christmas ~ An antique drafting table

Until next time.....

Cookie #12 in "the 12 Cookies of Christmas"

What a good day we are having.  As I sit here writing, the three boys, hubby and my two sons are in the kitchen making a finger food for tonight.  We decided to start a new tradition where everyone makes their favorite finger food.  Josh is making monkey pizza bread, hubby is making steak and cheese wontons, (kind of his own recipe, god help us) and Jeremy is doing pigs in a blanket.  Mom is in the same room as me doing a puzzle.  We love to do puzzles every year at this time, but we only do it now as we become obsessed with it and find we can spend hours doing one when we should be doing other things.  

I have had a couple sips of Christmas wine, warmed ever so lightly on the stove, so my fingers are typing a bit slower than usual.  :)

Today is the last day for the "12 Cookies of Christmas".  I have heard from a few of you and it makes me so happy that some of you are trying our recipes.  Annette tells me that in their family they make a cookie similar to the Raspberry Cream Cheese foldovers, but they do a nut filling.  I will have to give that one a try for sure. 

So, the last cookie for today is "Mint Crinkles".  We usually did a Chocolate Crinkle when I was growing up, but I wanted to change it up a bit. Enjoy!!

Mint Crinkles
1 cup unsweetened chocolate powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons mint extract
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar
approx. 24 hershey mint kisses

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or you can use a wooden spoon) beat together the cocoa powder, sugar and vegetable oil until it comes together into a shiny, gritty dough.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds each.  Add the extract and beat in thoroughly.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix into the chocolate mixture on low speed until just combined.  Do not overbeat.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for four hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Place the powdered sugar in a wide bowl.  Using a rounded teaspoon, get clumps of the chilled dough and roll them into 1 inch sized balls.  Roll the balls in the powdered sugar and place on the cookie sheets.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Right after they come out of the oven place a mint kiss in each cookie.  Yum!!!

**Mom made big cookies, you will be able to get more than 24 cookies if you make them smaller, but, we always say, "who wants a smaller cookie?"**

I knew there was a reason I made this rug!

Mom doing her puzzle!! 

From our family to yours, we hope you have a Very Merry Christmas!  Take the time to enjoy the small things....

Until next time.....

"Year In Review" Christmas Video Card

Merry Christmas Eve Everyone!!!  Check out our

 "Year in Review" Christmas Video Card on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhZ8SEiRNXE

Thank you to all our great customers/friends, we wish you a very Happy and Healthy New year!!

Check back later for #12 in the "12 cookies of Christmas", they are baking right now!!

Until next time......

#11 in "the 12 days of Cookies"

Oh my gosh, I can't believe that tomorrow is Christmas Eve.  Every year I say I'm really going to enjoy the holidays and not get caught up in the rush and madness of it.  I did take the time to enjoy some things this year, but we still do get caught up in it all.  I am up late tonight drawing my mother some new patterns for Christmas and I"m still not done...

But anyway!!!!  Today's cookie isn't really a cookie, but it's a real crowd pleaser and I just had to share it with you.  A few years ago I made a Cream Puff tree for a party we had and no one touched it!!!!  They all said it was too pretty to mess up, so, I being the gracious host, started it off. :)  Someone had to dig in!!  

There is no baking in this, you can buy the little cream puffs at any grocery store.  I recommend buying two boxes anyway....you could use three if you are doing a really big tree.  While they are still somewhat frozen, put them on a toothpick and then push into a stryrofoam tree.  Start from the bottom and go up.  Once the tree is covered, drizzle from the top with chocolate frosting.  I used a store bought frosting and microwaved it for about 1 minute so it would drizzle nicely.  I then topped it off with an orange that I cut in the shape of a star.  If you are lucky enough to have star fruit in your area, those work best.  You can then sprinkle with powdered sugar to represent snow if you'd like and even go so far as to decorate further with maraschino cherries.  This one is so tasty and pretty!!

Cream Puff Tree

Until next time.......

Cookie #10 in "the 12 Days of Christmas" and a visitor to the studio today!

When we were making our cookie boxes when I was a kid, pecan snowballs always went in.  I made these today and when I tried one it was like stepping back into my childhood. They are such a good cookie to have with tea or coffee.  Kind of like a shortbread but loaded with nuts.  Not too sweet, but with powdered sugar on the outside.  Just so yummy!

Pecan Snowballs           

½	lb. butter
4	Tbsp. sugar
2	C ground pecans
2	C flour
1	tsp. vanilla

Directions

Cream sugar and butter, then add other ingredients. Make into small balls and bake at 375º F. until lightly browned. Shake in powdered sugar just before serving

½

lb. butter

4

Tbsp. sugar

2

C ground pecans

2

C flour

1

tsp. vanilla

Oh wow!!  Nancy's Christmas quilt, just gorgeous!!

Nancy was our first rug hooker here in Missouri and as you can see, she is a lady of many talents.  She started out quilting, but lately has become obsessed with rug hooking.  She recently finished this quilt though.  The appliques are all wool.  So beautiful!!

Until next time......

Cookie #9 in "the 12 Cookies of Christmas"

We just got back from a nice afternoon in St. Louis.  Went to the mall and then up to St. Charles, a wonderful New Englandish looking village with tons of shops and restaurants.  Just what was needed to get in the Christmas spirit and finish up that last minute Christmas shopping.  Are you ready for Christmas??

Below is one of my older son's favorite cookies.  They are really called New Year's Eve cookies, but we call simply call them Nest cookies.  Enjoy!!

Nest Cookies

12 oz. bag chocolate chips
12 oz. bag butterscotch chips
7 oz. chow mein noodles
1 cup peanuts

Melt chips in the microwave until melted and smooth.  Mix in chow mein noodles and peanuts.  Spoon onto wax paper in bunches and allow to "set".  The kids just love these!!!

Until next time.....

Cookie #8 in "the 12 Cookies Of Christmas"

Ok, so pumpkin roll is not really a cookie but it's a family favorite that Mom has made for years.  In fact, my brother and his daughter from Florida just requested her recipe the other day.  I thought some of the "special-ness" had gone out of it since you can get a pumpkin roll at walmart anytime, but after tasting Mom's tonight, it is by far the best!!  There's nothing like homemade.  

Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Roll
3 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ginger
2/3 cup pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flour
1 cup pecans or walnuts
1 teaspoon baking powder
Filling
1 cup powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat eggs on high for 5 minutes; add sugar at last minute.  Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice.  Mix dry ingredients and fold in.  pour into greased cookie sheet (with 1 inch sides).  Sprinkle with pecans or walnuts.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
Turn out on powder sugared towel.  Sprinkle powdered sugar on roll also.  Roll up in towel.  Allow to cool fully.
Unroll and spread with filling. Re-roll and refrigerate until ready to serve.

**Instead of greasing the pan, we use parchment paper, pour the cake batter right onto it and it will come out of the pan easily and the paper will pull off.            

Merry Christmas from Baxter!!!

Cookie #7 in "The 12 Cookies of Christmas"

A few years ago I attended a Christmas party at a woman's house in Leavenworth, Kansas.  She had gotten these amazing cookies from a bakery in town.  These are a favorite of the family and are my own version of that wonderful cookie.

Maple Nut Shortbread cookies

For the shortbread:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

1 bag snack size snickers bars, cut each bar into 3 pieces.

Preparation:

Mix together the flour and salt in a bowl and set aside. Cream together the butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt mixture a small amount at a time, kneading into creamed mixture with your hands until you have a stiff dough which can be rolled. Do not overwork the dough.

Turn dough onto floured surface and pat or roll out to 1/4" thickness. Cut into squares [or any shape you want] and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325° for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown.  

As soon as you take them out of the oven place a slice of snickers bar on top.  When they are cool, drizzle with maple frosting glaze.

Maple Frosting Glaze:

2 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 tsp. maple extract
2-3 tbsp. milk

Beat frosting until a nice drizzling consistency.

 Cool and store in airtight containers. Makes about 3 dozen. 

Until next time.....

Cookie #6 in "The 12 Cookies of Christmas"

Brownies, Brownies, Brownies

When I was younger and we use to make up the cookies boxes as I mentioned a few blogs ago we always use to do mint brownies.  Mom would make a simple pan of brownies, but then frost them with her great homemade mint frosting. So, in true over the top fashion I have managed to jazz up the average brownie.  What you see above is a regular brownie mix but I added a bag of toffee bits to the mix.  When cooled they have been frosted with nutella.  Yum!!!

Other great ideas for brownies, that I have done for many school functions are:
Add a bag of mini M&M's to the mix and bake as normal.
or
Candy bar brownies.  Make brownies as usual,  When cool, take a decorator bag with chocolate frosting.  Make a dollop of frosting on each brownie then top with a piece of your favorite candy bar.  The kids go crazy for these.
or
Holiday options, the mint frosted brownies are great, or mix in peppermint M&M's, or top with a peppermint piece of ghiradelli chocolate.
We never eat plain brownies in this house!!!

Until next time.....

Cookie #5 in "the 12 Cookies of Christmas"

These weren't on my original list of cookies but my son came home from college the other day and told me they had to be.  A childhood memory for him because we use to go to the Savannah candy kitchen when we were stationed at Fort Stewart, to get some pralines.  They were so good.  So, I told him he should make them and he did.  This is Josh's recipe, very easy and oh my gosh, oh so good!!!

Pecan Pralines

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup half and half or light cream
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups pecans (walnuts are good too)

Butter  the sides of a heavy 2 quart saucepan.  In the saucepan combine sugar, brown sugar and half and half.  Cook over medium high heat to boiling, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugars.  (this should take 6-8 minutes)  Avoid splashing the mixture on the sides of the pan.
Carefully clip a candy thermometer  to the pan.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until thermometer registers 234 degrees.  Mixture should boil at a moderate, steady rate over entire surface.  Reaching soft ball stage should take 18-20 minutes.
Remove pan from heat.  Add butter but do not stir.  Cool, without stirring to 150 degrees (this should take about 30 minutes)  Remove thermometer, then stir in pecans.  Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon till candy is just beginning to thicken but is still glossy, 2-3 minutes.
Drop about 2 tablespoons candy from a large serving spoon onto baking sheets line with parchment paper, forming 3 inch pralines.  If candy becomes too stiff to drop stir in a few drops of hot water.  Store in a tightly covered container.  Makes 15 large pralines.

Until next time.......

Cookie #4 of "The 12 Cookies of Christmas" and other things.....

I am a day behind on my "Cookie" blogging. It has been a bit of a crazy weekend.  First and foremost the awful news of the shooting in Connecticut has just really put a damper on the holidays.  I cannot seem to get the people of Newtown out of my head.  I just cannot fathom what they are going through.  You go along wrapping, baking, doing the normal Christmas things, then you hear a song or see a child in the mall on Santa's lap and it stops you in your tracks.  There will not be any consolation for those poor people.  I just hope they know that we are all mourning along with them.  They are not alone in this..

So, our boys left Northern NY on Saturday morning and were home here in Missouri by 10pm Saturday night.  We had told them to stop and get a hotel, but you know how young boys are.  "Oh Mom and Dad, we can do the whole 16 hours in one day".  My husband must have called them 20 times during the day.  "Where are you", "How's the weather", "How's the car running?".  They were glad to get here just so the phone calls would stop.

So, in addition to that, our little Baxter has been very sick all weekend.  Vomiting and pooping all over. Our normal gregarious, friendly, hyper dog has been down for the count. While he wasn't listless, all he wanted to do was cuddle.  The vet says he just has a bad bacterial thing, probably ate something he shouldn't have while roaming in the woods.  He should be through the worst of it, thank god!!!

So, with all of that, I just plain forgot to add yesterday's cookie recipe, so here it is.  Come back later today for Cookie # 5.  

Oatmeal Date Cookies
2 sticks of butter                               1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup packed brown sugar             1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup white sugar                           1 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs                                            3 cups quick oats
1 tsp. vanilla                               16 oz. chopped dates

Cream butter and both sugars together.  Then add eggs and vanilla and combine well.  Next add flour, baking soda and cinnamon and combine into ingredients.  Finally add quick oats and dates and mix together.  Use a teaspoonful to drop mix onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 11 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown.  Makes 4 dozen.

A few blogs ago I showed you this rug done in different colors that my mother had hooked for my brother who is a golf pro in Florida.  She hooked this one for my brother in law who is a golf club superintendent in Vermont.  Love the colors in this one as well.  

Bags of puppy chow ready to go!!  I didn't really know until recently that people in the family really wait for this every year!  If anyone wants the recipe let me know.

Mike and the boys!!  My husband is going to kill me for putting this one on, LOL.  The story behind this one is that wait for the boys to get home to put the tree in and we always go out and get a real tree.  Well, the only place to get a tree here in Rolla was at Lowe's or Kroger.  Guess what, we waited too long and there were none left at Lowes and only 12 to choose from at Krogers.  People, we have a charlie brown tree!!!!  You can barely see it behind the boys.  But, instead of getting all frazzled we all just laughed. Usually we have to cut the tree top and bottom part down to fit in the room..........not this year!!!

Check back later for Cookie #5 later today.
Until next time......

Day 3 of "the 12 Cookies of Christmas"

Eggnog Thumbprint Cookies (these are so delicious)

3/4 cup butter, softened                           1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup white sugar                              1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar         1 cup confectioners sugar
1 egg                                                  1 tablespoon rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract             1 pinch ground nutmeg
2 cups flour  
                             
                 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a Medium bowl, cream together 3/4 cup butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Combine flour and salt; stir into the creamed mixture by hand to form a soft dough.  Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Make an indentation in the center of each cookie using your finger or thumb.
Bake for 12 minutes in preheated oven.  Cool completely.
In a small bowl mix together 1/4 cup butter, confectioners sugar and rum.  Spoon rounded teaspoonfuls of filling onto cookies.  Sprinkle with nutmeg.                 

Day 2 of "The 12 Cookies of Christmas"

I wasn't sure I was going to blog today because in light of today's events in Newtown, Ct., it's very hard to feel joyous and festive.  How can we bake cookies and celebrate the season while others are going through such a tragic time?

I was watching the news though and heard of a family who was suppose to be celebrating their son's birthday (he was a student at the elementary school).  The party was going to continue on as they felt it would bring the family together during this difficult time.  

So, though I am not at all comparing my silly little blog to that in the least, I decided to continue on with what I have started............albeit with a very heavy heart.  

When my kids come home Sunday you can be certain I will hug them tighter than I ever have.  Since they have been away at college every phone call always ends with "I love you" on both ends, and for that I am glad.  Life is short as we all know.  So I'm going to take solace in the fact that one of you may bake a cookie and share it with a grandchild or other family member and enjoy your times together.  

Until next time............

Cinnamon Crinkles

• 2 cups Rogers All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp cream of tarter
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together flour, cream of tarter, baking soda and salt; set aside.

 With an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. With mixer speed on low, add flour mixture, beating to combine.

In a shallow dish, combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Form 1 inch balls (using about 1 tbsp of dough per cookie) and roll each in cinnamon sugar before placing on ungreased cookie sheets about 3 inches apart (these cookies spread significantly!).

 Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until tops have crinkled and edges are set, but centres are still soft. Cool 3 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

YIELD: About 3 dozen cookies.

"A Primitive Vermont Home" and Day 1 of the "12 Cookies Of Christmas"

Welcome to the "12 Cookies of Christmas".  Today is day one and we'll be adding our favorite Christmas cookie recipes.  When we were growing up in Vermont it was a tradition to make tons of cookies and then make an assorted gift box of cookies for the neighbors, mailman, etc.  We would use the bottom of a shirt box, line it with foil, fill the box, wrap it with saran wrap and put a bow on top.  This was before the thousands of containers you can now find at walmart, Michaels or Hobby Lobby.  We used what we had and made it look nice.  It's a nice childhood memory.  So, with that in mind, we hope you enjoy some of our sweet "memories" over the next few days.
Happy Holidays!!

Cream Cheese Raspberry Fold-overs (dad loved these)

2 c. flour

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 c. butter, softened

1 tbsp. commercial sour cream

1/2 c. raspberry preserves or jam of your choice

confectioners sugar

Combine first 4 ingredients, mixing well. Chill dough 2 to 3 hours. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness on a floured board; cut into 3 inch squares. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon preserves onto center of square. Moisten edges of squares; fold pastry in half diagonally making sure edges are even. Press edges together with fork. Place on ungreased baking sheets and at 325 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.   Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Yield about 2 dozen.

As I mentioned above, I grew up in Vermont.  And really, this time of year I really do miss New England.  I hate snow, but, there truly is nothing like a snowy winter day with the candle lights in the window and a fire burning in the wood stove or fireplace, Christmas music blaring while you are making cookies.  My sister still lives in Vermont and has shared some pictures of her home.  Enjoy!

Until next time.....

Christmas tour of the house...

For the past few years in Upstate New York I would open my house for a Christmas tour.  We owned a stone house built in 1830 and it was one of a few historical homes in the area.  I had a gift shop in the back of my home so it originally started off as a "sale".  So, we would open the house up for people to walk through and serve cookies, cocoa, the norm.  Well, I have to say, as we are now in Missouri, I really miss that old stone house and the Christmas open house.  First and foremost for the wonderful ladies who came over.  It brought something to all of us, became more about the "season" instead of selling.  For me, it was the fun of decorating the house, doing those little things that were just a little different. (One year I stuck antique silverware in the garland over the kitchen cupboards, got a lot of comments on that one) But most of all it was just seeing the joy on the ladies faces as they would come in and see their friends, the twinkly Christmas lights, Christmas carols and just the overall Magic of the Season.  

I think it was the first year we did it that Carolyn and Judy from Ogdensburg, NY were driving by, had no idea about the open house, but saw the sign so decided to stop by.  You see, Judy was taking her friend Carolyn out for the day as Carolyn's mother had died a couple days prior.  At the same time my mother was dealing with the first Christmas without my father, so her and Carolyn were able to cry, laugh and just enjoy the evening.  I have thought of Carolyn often these last few weeks and Carolyn,if you are reading this, know that Mom and I are thinking of you!

Both my boys are coming home Sunday from college and you know, even the boys enjoy coming home to a decorated house.  Of course the big tree will not go in until they are home.  It's amazing the little things you do every year that the kids come to count on, hence tradition.  

So, with that in mind I decided to have an online Christmas Tour.  Not at all the same, I miss the upstate NY ladies!! But, I hope you'll enjoy the tour.  

Come back tomorrow as we start the "12 Days of Cookies" and I will showcase my sister's primitive Vermont home.  

And please, if you would like to have a house tour I'll be glad to showcase your Christmas home, send pictures!!!!

Until tomorrow......

Entrance to Mom's room, I have to mention that the flash
on my camera makes this gold look awful, it's a nice gold, not
this ............um color....