Sunday, Sunday......

I've made no secret that Sunday is my favorite day of the week.  As a business owner there are a lot of days I have to work on a Sunday, but I do try to remind myself to dial it back a notch and enjoy the day.....last Sunday was one of those days.  I was feeling particularly "domestic" so decided to do some baking and enjoy my Halloween decorations, which I got up late mind you.  Hey, better late than never, right?

I decided to start the day off by browsing pinterest for some goodies to experiment with.  The first one was Cronuts.  I'm sure you've all heard of them by now, a cross between a croissant and a donut!  Well, I found this very easy recipe on pinterest.  It was posted from www.blommi.com

Ingredients

• 1 pkg refrigerated Uncut Crescent Sheets
• 1 (4-ounce) container of vanilla pudding - snack-size
• 2 cup confectionery Sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp Milk
• Vegetable Oil (for Frying)

Instructions

1. Put oil in pan min. 2" deep and heat to 350 degrees.
2. Fold dough in half in one direction then repeat in other direction.
3. Cut out 3" circles of dough using biscuit cutter of cup/glass.
4. Cut a 1" circles from center of each.
5. Gather up scraps of dough, roll and cut an additional cronut.
6. Fry approximately 90 seconds on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
7. Drain on paper towels. Cool before glazing.

To make glaze

1. Whisk together: confectionery sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. If needed, add additional milk ½ tablespoon at a time until a glaze consistency is reached.
2. Split cooled cronuts in half and fill each with 2 tbs of pudding then replace top.
3. Drizzle top with glaze and allow it to set.

I was a bit skeptical of how they would be but I was pleasantly surprised.  They didn't last long.

Next I wanted to try a Cherry Shortbread tart recipe that I had saved, but being fall I decided to use Apple Pie filling.  This one is a keeper for sure.  It was so good that I decided to make two for open hooking this past Thursday! (if you make the cherry version you can simply use cherry pie filling, a whole can.)

Original post by: http://www.errenskitchen.com/cherry-vanilla-shortbread-tart/

Ingredients

• 1 cup or 2 sticks butter, at room temperature
  
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
• 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour/plain
  
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup of cherry preserves or good quality cherry jam
• 1 cup of fresh or frozen pitted cherries
• Note: if using frozen cherries, defrost before using and strain the juices.
• For the vanilla icing
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoons melted butter
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/160C.
2. Grease a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan and place this on a baking tray.
3. Using a food processor or mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and brown sugar vigorously until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. It’s an important step to beat the butter and sugar well together when making shortbread as this ensures the shortbread is light, crisp and will hold together.
4. In a separate bowl, sift the flour and salt. Add it to the butter mixture and mix until blended (forming large clumps).
5. Turn onto a floured surface and using floured hands, press two-thirds of the mixture evenly into the prepared pan (including the sides).
6. Spread with the cheery preserves or jam evenly over the dough, leaving a ¼-inch border and then scatter with the cherries.
7. Crumble the remaining dough into large crumbs and scatter evenly over the filling, covering most of the surface.
8. Bake the tart for 40 - 45 minutes, until lightly browned.
9. Leave to cool completely in the pan.
10. For the Vanilla icing:
11. In a small bowl whisk together the powdered, sugar vanilla, butter and one tablespoon of the milk. If it looks too thick, you can add a second tablespoon of milk.
12. Drizzle the cooled tart with the icing, remove from the pan and serve on the base.

 I have found that since my boys are grown I don't cook as often as I use to and lately there just isn't enough time.  But, sometimes, I do love to venture into the kitchen and take my time instead of throwing together a quick dinner.  Do you use things in your kitchen and think about their history?  Like these pewter measuring spoons from Danforth pottery that my sister gave to me for Christmas years ago.....

Or Grandpa's popcorn bowl!  It's not the prettiest thing, but whenever I use it I think of Grandpa greeting us at the door with a bowl full of popcorn with butter and Parmesan cheese.  

We eat a LOT of soup in our house.  When I was a young girl my parents owned an ice cream shop/lunch counter and I worked with my mother during the summers from the age of 12 and up.  (things haven't changed eh?) People would come  in daily for her homemade soups.  Many mornings I will wake up to the smell of a chicken simmering in the pot as Mom loves her bowl of soup everyday for lunch.  On those days though when she doesn't make her own soup stock we use these bases and they are just as good.  I don't have pictures but I made a killer white bean chicken chili and a batch of Crockpot Cheeseburger soup.  

Not everything from pinterest is a success though.  I made a chicken casserole for dinner that we shall not discuss, lol.

And look who is always by my side in the kitchen.....waiting for a morsel to fall!

 After the second soup was put together I decided, ok, that's enough domesticity for the next few months and decided to finish my Fall decorating.  I had decided that my "faux" berries were looking a little sickly so ventured down to Michaels to get some fresh ones.  Not a Fall berry to be found!!  When did it happen that you can not find anything for Fall decorating in the middle of October.  I knew I was late but come on!!  Does everyone decorate for Fall in August.  I guess I better get my Christmas greenery now!!

Here are some snapshots around the house..... 

  

I punched through wool with chenille yarn for this little pillow!

Grungy fabric Pumpkins

My favorite Grungy ceramic pumpkins from Chris Farr of www.thesunshineshed.com

   

Sweater balls wrapped with wool roving and twig stems

One of my first designs "The Witch's Shoe" hooked by Mom

Hand stitched wool pumpkins

Hey, these next gals look familiar!!  Do you know where you've seen them?

My husband cut them out of wood and placed a red light behind them.  Love those real looking flames!

 Here's where he got the idea.......my "All Hallows Eve" design.  Clever guy!!

 So, as you can see I had a wonderful Fall Sunday last week.  As I was just finishing taking pictures I looked out the window and this is what I saw.....

Noooo, it's too soon.  I just got my Fall decorating done, lol!  Thankfully it didn't last long.  

Monday it was back to work.  We had to prepare for our final Hook-in of the year with the Brandywine hookers.  There was a lot to do so I never got these pictures on.  Come back tomorrow to see the amazing work of art from the Brandywine Rug Hooking guild.  What a wondeful group of ladies!  We had a great time.  

I hope you are all enjoying your Sunday, perhaps making a pie or batch of soup and enjoying the day.

Until next time.....