Souffle Au Fromage for Breakfast

Derin got up early this morning and made this yummy cheese souffle for our breakfast.   It looks like a lot of food but is full of hot air.  You should see it deflate.  When the movie "Julie & Julia" was so popular I got him Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" book.  He's made a lot of good food from this cook book.  No, he didn't try to make all 524 recipes in 365 days.  The instructions for this souffle are excellent, it does take a little time to make and bake though.  We've added other filling ingredients, like asparagus or broccoli, cooked bacon or ham and different kinds of cheeses, Asiago, Fontina, Farmers or a Cheddar.  (I say use the kind of cheese you like.) The recipe calls for 4 egg yokes and 5 whipped egg whites, we always use 5 eggs total.  The important thing is to follow the sequence and technique and you will not fail.  This souffle makes enough for 4 servings.  Pictured in a 6 cup Pyrex mixing bowl.  Now that's fancy!

Breakfast Souffle

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Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving time brings family, friends and food together.

The holidays are here!        Let the celebrations begin.

Apple Pear Pies

Pecan with Semi-sweet Chocolate

Pumpkin Pies

Fresh Bread

Roasted Turkey

Dixie watches & hopes while we cook

At this time of year we pause again to count our blessings.  Best wishes for a bountiful Thanksgiving - - - and may God bless you with much happiness, prosperity, health and peace filled New Year.

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I know, I should be sewing . . .

I know, I know, I should be sewing.  I would like to be sewing, but I'm not.  Derin said something to me this week about how all the kitchen hot pads had shrunk.   They are too thick now he says to grip plates and some pots with.  He doesn't really like the hot pads you buy in stores or the quilted hot pads that I could make.   And I think he is right, they don't last like these terry cloth woven loop.   I used to buy the nicest, thick terry loops from a vendor at Sew Expo.    Make the old fashioned woven hot pads.   Now I've been told that vendor has retired.  So I searched the web and found these.  Not as thick as the loops I used to get . . .but they seemed to work.  We will see how long they will last.  I ordered the variety of colors and white.  I like the clean look of white in the kitchen.   So I'm making terry hot pads - and making hot pads and making more.    Guess what,  I ended up with 52 hot pads.  Should carry us thru many years.

Old hot pads

Now can I get back to my sewing studio?

mmmm . . . Pickled Onions

Derin took some of the smaller onions from the garden and made a batch of pickled onions, red pepper and garlic.    He likes this kind of stuff, I don’t really like to eat it – so it is all for him.

Warm Summer Days - Summer Pictures

It's August and we finally have nice warm weather. It's been in the 80's, not too hot like Texas, but oh so nice.   I’ve been spending time outside rather than in the house.   The garden and fruit trees are not doing as well as they should be since our spring weather was cold and rainy.  Derin had to replant the basil and sunflowers.   I think it probably too late in the growing season to expect much.

Back yard from poach

Front yard view from deck

Today I found out about Windows Live Writer to use for blogging. I just knew there had to be an easier way to post, trying to get pictures lined up right. I can’t begin to count the hours spent trying to get things looking right. It works with Blogger, WordPress and other platforms. You can download it here for free.

Good Foods

  
Oh My!  The fresh farm market had wonderful sweet red peppers at a good price.  We love roasted red peppers.  We freeze most of the roasted peppers.   But they are generally used in a short time.








Derin made a Sacher Torte.  People fuss about this special Viennese cake, but don't.    It is easy to make.    The real Sacher Torte is little dry and you might like to substitute your favorite rich chocolate cake instead and that would be OK.   This cake is soaked with rum syrup which we paint on and glazed with apricot preserves.   Although not traditional you can use your favorite preserves.   Then the cake is frosted with a chocolate ganache.  One of the best things about this chocolate cake is it stores in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, bring it to room temperature before serving.   We served it with some fresh raspberries from the garden and whipped cream.   Yummy!

Bowl Berry Pie

Today Derin made as Bowl Berry Pie of cherries, blueberries, apples and peaches with St-Germain liqueur made of Elderflowers from France.   We were introduced to Bowl Berry Pie at a small resort in Canada when we went there for our 25th anniversary trip.   Bowl Berry Pie was offered for desert and we asked what it was made of.   The server then explained that the filling for Bowl Berry Pie was made from what ever was in the bowl that day.  We really enjoy this pie because of the unique combination of flavors.  The acidic taste of an all berry pie is mellowed by the addition of other fruits. For each pie the addition of two tablespoons of a decent cognac, such as Remy Martin VSOP, will add a subtle sophisticated flavor that is hard to identify but greatly enjoyed.  The restrained use of spices will allow the wonderful flavors of the berries and fruits to enhance one another.  Four tablespoons of butter add a richness to the over all taste of the pie that can not be beaten.  This is truly a pie for everyone and it will soon become a favorite.

And we're home . . .

I think  that the more time that passes the harder it is to get back to posting blogs.  We were gone in July to Texas.  That is Hot, Hot Texas!   It was a great trip – We drove  (thank goodness for AC)  through the Texas Hill Country, very beautiful, to San Antonio.  San Antonio is fun city with the River Walk, the Alamo – so much smaller than I would have ever thought, the  historic downtown San Antonio.    BU was fun, I met some new people for the first time that I have wrote to on the lists I belong to.  I would love to go back to San Antonio sometime.  I returned home feeling better.

And how hard is to get pictures of your pups?  Hard, for me very hard, they duck when the camera comes out.  Snapped this one of Dixie.  She's my old girl now 10 years old.  Dixie doesn't act old, once in a while in the cold, wet weather she'll get a little gimp but works the stiffness out with a little exercise and I have some meds for her also.  She has allot of white, silver and gray hair on her muzzle now.  Truly an "Old Dog's Face".   Now to keep working on getting a photo of Bobby and Tucker.

Dixie

BU pictures - part 2

Just for fun I thought I would post some pictures from BU of the software classes I took.  Alphabet Aerobics with Debbi Lashbrook was not only a good review but some  tips and ideas using Art Canvas.

CorelDRAW and Art Canvas Class with Amanda Whitlatch was great fun giving me new ideas.  I'm getting to like the idea of mixed media using pictures.  I didn't think I would!

Cut 1, 2, 3 with Amanda Whitlatch was great.  I have way too many ideas for this tool and software.  Can I please have more hours in a day to play?








Some of the pictures may be mixed up.    Unfortunately some were not very good and I deleted them.  I need to learn more about using my camera and editing photos.  Another challenge.

BU pictures – part 1

Here are some of the pictures from the sewing and lecture classes I took.   On the first day I had a chance to say   “Hello”   to Kari Curley.  She works very hard being the “list Mom” on several lists and does a great job.  Kudos to Kari for all your hard work.


I went to some fun Creative Clinics which are a little like a Show ‘ Tell of what products you can buy depending on the vendor.  Below are pictures from Simon Haskins seminar - he had absolutely beautiful samples for us to see.

Some fun ideas from the All About Blanks. 

  Some of the others presented by Bernina Educators are ideas of things you can do in your store.  Below  are those pictures.

I went to Best Foot Forward with Jo Leichte and Debra Rutledge.    A fun class using different feet.  We’ve been using this pattern in our store for the last year for a beginners class and it is a favorite.

Embroidery DIY with Kay Hickman and Judy Hahner.    Some fun ideas for a another little purse. 

CutWork Applique Ornament with Angie Steveson, lunch box Quilts.  She is a fun and generous teacher.  Enjoyed her class.