great

Just popping in to let you know our Christmas was great and Miss A seems to readily agree. We are still in party - entertaining mode so I'll be in and out for a few more days.  Hope you holidays are festively filled with family and friends :) 

xoxo

celebrating

From our home to yours, have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday time with family and friends.

contageous crafting

The J-man wanted to make a Christmas gift for his sisters and decided it was going to be a softie.  This is where I gush and insert "what a wonderful big brother" :o)   I suggested he dig through piles of his art work to make one of his own characters.  He loved the idea and got started by creating a pattern.  He enlarged his original drawing, then traced it onto another sheet of paper for labeling and cutting.



This stage was a first for him, using the machine.



Even my close-up, over-the-shoulder-picture-taking didn't frazzle him.  That boy has nerves of steel.  After whipping off his project on the machine I helped him with clipping curved edges and turning his creation to the right side for stuffing.  We laughed and giggled the time away while we stuffed this little guy to capacity.



Now the pieces were ready for the final step: closure and assembly.   He caught onto slip stitching pretty easily and only managed to prick his finger a couple of times.  What a trouper!



You'll have to wait for the final product as the J-man still needs to attach the legs.  I'll be sure to take photos of it when it is done for more "show and tell".

banana madness

Do you think my bananas need some help?   I found them like this in the morning, they just fell off their stems while their stems kept hanging on.  Me thinks its time for banana bread.

I found some time to write up the recipe I mentioned yesterday for my chicken pot pie.  I'm not sure what the origin is, though I'm sure it could easily be googled.  All I know is my sister gave me the recipe when I first got married and I've been making it ever since I embraced domesticity. 

CHICKEN POT PIE

1/3 cup margarine, butter or chicken fat
1/3 cup all-purpose flour*
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 3/4 cups chicken or turkey broth
2/3 cup milk
2 cups cut-up cooked chicken or turkey
1 package frozen peas and carrots
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

Heat
margarine over low heat until melted. Blend in flour, onion, salt and
pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is
smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.
Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.
Stir in chicken and frozen vegetables; reserve.

Prepare
Celery Seed pastry (see recipe below). Roll 2/3 of pastry into 13-inch square on lightly
floured cloth-covered board. Ease pastry into square pan, 9x9x2 inches;
pour chicken filling into pastry-lined pan. Roll remaining dough into
11-inch square; place over filling. Roll edges under; flute. Cut slits
in center to allow steam to escape.
Bake, uncovered, in 425 degrees F oven until crust is brown, 30 to 35 minutes.

CELERY SEED PASTRY

2/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons shortening
2 cups all-purpose flour*
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon salt
4 to 5 Tablespoons water

Cut
shortening into flour, celery seed and salt until particles are size of
small peas. Sprinkle in water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tossing with
fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl
(1 to 2 teaspoons water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into
ball.