Over the Kitchen Counter: Angie's Place for Cooking and Crafts

Hello Kitty Valentine

Hello Kitty is pretty darn cute, especially holding a big, pink heart!  I made this card using the Cricut and the Hello Kitty Greetings cartridge.  I used the Card Feature Key and cut the card on page 49 of the handbook at 4-1/2" in black card stock.  Then I cut the <HK9> kitty in white and added the various layers (silhouette, bow, nose, heart).  I embossed the heart with the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder and glittered up her bow with some Zig Two-Way glue and Dazzling Diamonds.  I cut a white kitty using the Blackout feature to line the inside of the card where I stamped a sentiment and will write a message.  So sweet! 

*FYI*: Video Updates

I wanted to let you know that you may not be able to search and find some of my videos.  When I first started making and uploading videos they often contained "content matched material", ie. copy-write protected property - in my case, music played in the background.  In order to correct this matter I have had to remove those particular videos from youtube.  It is not as simple as removing the music track from the saved video because once you save the raw footage in the right type of format, the music soundtrack, and my voice, are combined and there is no way to the separate the two audio tracks.  Fortunately, I have saved most (but not all!) of the raw, unedited video so I am able to re-edit and replace some of them.  I'm sure you can appreciate that this is a lengthy process because, other than the actual filming, I am starting from scratch.  Please be patient as I try to re-post some of these older vids back on youtube as I finish completing them.  Not all will be replaced.  Therefore, you may not be able to find a certain recipe that you are looking for.  Please let me know if there is one in particular that you need and I will try to re-do it, or at the very least, send you the written recipe.  This is a big job but I feel better knowing that now, and in the future, all content I upload is my own production.  Thanks!

Workshop Treats

  I like to give my scrapbooking buddies a little treat to keep their strength up while cropping and these bags of chocolates worked perfectly.  They came nicely packaged in cello bags with pretty ribbon so I just decorated them up a bit with a Valentine's theme, using my new Small Tag Punch to layer the Valentine's Day stamp with some Candy Lane Designer Series paper.  I also had a chance to use my new Full Heart Punch and Lovely Letter Alphabet stamps for the ladies' monograms...but who cares about that, there must be 50 Hershey's kisses in there!

Oatmeal Maple Bread

  We had quite the snow storm yesterday and all the kids were home from school, I had nothing I had to go out for, so it was the perfect day to hunker down and make some bread!  This loaf was so quick to make and just look at all the wonderful, real ingredients the recipe calls for: flours (whole wheat & unbleached white), raw, old-fashioned oats, eggs, maple syrup, buttermilk, lemon, butter...(Michael Pollan would approve).  Boy, oh boy, was it tasty!  I couldn't resist a slice, warm from the oven with a dab of sweet butter.  I served it for lunch with some of my broccoli soup (which I had frozen) - the perfect, winter-day meal.

 
 

Oatmeal Maple Bread

1 cup unbleached white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1-1/2 cups raw rolled oats

2 eggs

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp lemon rind

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

4 Tbsp melted butter

Greased loaf pan, 350F oven.  Mix dry ingredients.  Make a well in the centre.  Mix remaining ingredients.  Pour into flour well and mix until combined.  Pour into pan and bake about 55 minutes.  Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove.  Delicious!

 

Food, Inc. on Oprah

Oh my gosh!  Did you see Oprah yesterday?  The topic of discussion was "Do You Know Where Your Food Comes From?" and featured the documentary "Food, Inc.".  I was bursting at the seams since this is a subject I am passionate about and the reason I started this blog in the first place.  The quote I have posted on my youtube channel from Mark Bittman says essentially the same thing: eat real food!  I think Oprah will reach a few more people than I will so I was thrilled to see this idea of "back to basics" eating high-lighted.  A couple of great points, part of Michael Pollan's food rules, were my favourite part of the show, but the best one for me was Rule #39: Eat all the junk food you want, as long as you cook it yourself!  This is what I've been saying all along: it tastes better, you have all the control, and it's fun in the process.  Taking the time to make it yourself just adds to the pleasure and overall experience of food...real food!  Mr. Pollan summed it up in a few short words: "Eat real food, mostly plants, not too much".  I love it!  Hurray!  Check it out at Oprah.com.  Can you see me smiling? 

Scallop Trim Border

  The new Scallop Trim Border punch from Stampin' Up makes a beautiful, detailed cut, perfect for decorative borders on cards.  I wanted a simple, slim card to mail to a friend so adding embellishment to the card stock was a great way to add detail without bulk.  The space-saving feature of this new style of punch allows you to lock it shut (to stand on end or lay flat) but since I just leave it open on my shelf it was more the intricate cuts and larger punch and handle surfaces that appealed to me...and even more of a selling point was that I got it FREE with my sale-abration order!

Rolling Pins

You probably don't give it any thought at all - if you even have one, but I couldn't imagine my kitchen without a rolling pin.  There are, and I have, 2 types of rolling pins (obviously used to flatten and shape dough): a thinner, narrow-ended rod type pin that you move across the dough with your palms (also known as a French rolling pin), and a thicker, 2-handled roller model that moves across the dough through the action of the handles which extend through the centre of the pin.  Mine are made of wood, but I've also had marble rolling pins and even a plastic one that is filled with ice-water.  Both are meant to keep the pastry cool while rolling, which helps produce a nice, flaky pastry.  I just prefer the basic wood models and they have never failed me...and have probably kept my marriage strong...no, not because I threaten the DH with a raised, housewife weapon, but because he loves pie SO much and I love making them for him!  (It's still true that one way to a man's heart is through his stomach!)

Raspberry Pecan Tea Bread

  Wow, this quick loaf is so delicious!  The pecans add such a great flavour and texture, and the bit of added protein makes a slice of this Raspberry Pecan Tea Bread a healthy and hearty afternoon snack.  Each piece has approximately 154 calories, 1 gram of fibre and 6 grams of fat - that makes it a 3-point Weight-Watcher treat (but you have to slice the loaf into 16 slices first - not 8!)

Raspberry Pecan Tea Bread

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 egg

2/3 cup milk

1-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen, unthawed)

350 F (180 C), 8x4" greased loaf pan, 60-70 minutes

 

Stardust Thank You

It took me a while to get to using it, but my new favourite tool is the Stardust Maker from Creative Memories.  This 4" long border punch allows you to make a continuous border of stars (with tons of little leftover stars to use as confetti or embellishments) and is so smooth and easy to use.  It's now on the "While Supplies Last" list so I definitely think it's worth grabbing soon if you like it.  I've used it on both my scrapbook pages and cards and when you layer a contrasting piece of card stock underneath, the stars just shine.  I am excited to get the just-released Love Struck Maker next: same tool but it creates a trail of hearts!  Perfect for Valentine's Day projects!

Broccoli Soup

I love to make a big pot of soup on Saturday and it's a great way to use up the vegetables in the crisper before shopping day on Sunday.  When I want a change from my usual vegetable soup or chicken noodle soup, I really enjoy this quick and easy broccoli soup.

I start with a bunch of broccoli, coarsely chopped, in my big soup pot.  I add a chopped onion, a couple cups of diced potatoes (this makes the soup nice and thick without adding cream), and a clove of minced garlic.  Then I pour in about 1-1/2 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable broth, or water and some bouillon), a pinch of thyme, pepper, and salt.  I let that come to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes or so, until the potatoes are nice and tender.  I use an immersion blender (or a regular blender, in batches) to puree the soup right in the pot and then stir in 1-1/2 cups of milk.  Done!  So simple and really warm and comforting on these cold January days!  (Very healthy and nutritious too!)