Strawberry Shortcake

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• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
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• 8 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
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• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
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• Mix together the sliced strawberries, 1/4 cup white sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl.  Allow berries to rest until juices develop, about 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/3 cup white sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl.  Cut in cold butter with 2 knives or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (If desired, place flour mixture into the work bowl of a food processor with the butter; pulse several times to cut butter into the flour mixture. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl, and proceed.)  Stir in buttermilk until the flour mixture is moistened.  Drop 1/3-cup scoops of the dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheet.  Brush biscuits with heavy cream and sprinkle generously with sugar.  Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.  Serve the strawberries with juice over the biscuits.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Ingredients

1 egg

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, halved
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell or get homemade recipe here
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• TOPPING:
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking or rolled oats
• 1/2 cup cold butter

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg. Add the sugar, flour and vanilla; mix well. Gently fold in rhubarb and strawberries. Pour into pastry shell.
2. For topping, combine flour, brown sugar and oats in a small bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Cool on a wire rack.

Easy Pie Crust

When I ask my hubby what he'd like for dessert, he always says without fail...pie!  His favorite is strawberry rhubarb, which I will be sharing the recipe in the next couple of days.  Let's get started with pie crust...

Off we go!

Pie crust:
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
5-7 tablespoons of ICE water.

Cut flour and salt into the shortening.  Add water.  Don't over work.  This will make 2 pie crusts (or a top crust), however, I use it for just 1 because we like thick crust pie!  YUMMY!

Wheat pie crust:
1 cup white flour
1 cup of whole wheat flour
2/3 c shortening
6-8 tablespoons of ICE water

Cut flours and salt into the shortening.  Add water.  Don't over work.  This will make 2 pie crusts (or a top crust), however, I use it for just 1 because we like thick crust pie!  The photo above is made using the wheat recipe.

Bridal or Corset Loop Tutorial

I recently made a wedding dress for a beach wedding.  The bride fell in love with a dress out of a magazine, but it did not come in white.  So, working together we came up with our own design.  After I had it all just about completed, the bride decided that she wanted to have splashes of fuchsia on her dress. We decided to go with a corset back with fuchsia laces.  I got to work creating the loops.  

This is how I did it:

I pinned a piece of ribbon that matched the dress perfectly to a piece of scrap paper.  I figured out how big I wanted the loops to be and measured the distance onto the paper.  I then marked my paper every 1 inch so I could space the loops out evenly.

 Next I sewed the loops and the ribbon directly onto the paper.  The top of my loop lined up with the edge of the paper (as per my previous measurements).  I back stitched over each loop to give it more strength.  

I went down the entire length of the paper and this is what it looked like upon completion.

Next I peeled the now looped ribbon off the paper and discarded the paper.  

Then, I pinned the looped ribbon on the inside of the bodice back and sewed into place.

I repeated the same procedure on the other side...threaded the fuchsia ribbon through.  I was very pleased with the results!  I can't wait for the next fitting!!

High 5 Friday

I'm back for my second High 5 Friday with Lauren from My Grey Desk.

It's been another rainy week!  One of the highlights of my week was going to the farmer's market and getting the plants for my garden.  It's been rainy all week so I haven't gotten them in the ground yet, but am very much looking forward to doing so!

Next, I wasn't here last week, so I didn't get to post about my Mother's Day.  I was served breakfast in bed by my husband and 2 great kiddos!  I just love being a mom and count it a privilege!  Below is a picture of the card from my daughter and the pudding she made for me.  

Spring is my favorite time of year.  I love the signs of spring.  Here is a nest of robin's eggs we saw on my mother's porch.  So perfect!

We moved Checkers in the house this week.  She is still waiting patiently (along with all of us!) for those eggs to hatch.  We are keeping a close eye on her.  

Hopefully by next H5F I'll have baby chicky pics to post!

And last but not least, I completed the wedding gown I am making for my beach bride this week!  It turned out beautifully and she loves it!  I am so pleased!

Hope you all have a fabulous week!  Let's make EVERY day a great day!

Creating a Cute Purse from a Hem Tutorial

After cutting 3 inches off a cute little dress for a cute little 3 year old....I decided to fashion her a coordinating bag out of the excess fabric.  This is how I did it...

I cut the excess fabric into four 15 inch x 3 inch strips

I sewed the strips together to make a square that was approximately 12 x 15.  

I then cut it into a 12 inch circle and sewed two 1/2 inch button holes one on opposites of the circle an inch from the edge.  As well, I cut a 12-inch circle out of a coordinating piece of fabric and sewed them with right sides together...

I left a 1.5 cm opening thru which to turn the bag.  

After turning the bag, I sewed 1/4 inch from the edge of the bag.

And then sewed around it again, 1/2 inch from the first seam.  I slip stitched the turning hole closed.

Then, I ran 2 separate cording systems...starting and ending in the same button hole.  I cut the cords and there you have it...a coordinating bag for the dress you just hemmed.  :)

Upside Down Pizza

Who doesn't love pizza?  We like pizza just about any way you can imagine....white pizza, veggie pizza, taco pizza, grilled pizza, round pizza, square pizza....this is the latest creation of ours.  

I call it upside down pizza.  It's full of ooey gooey deliciousness.  

Here's how we make it:

Make your favorite pizza or bread dough...or can use frozen dough.

Grease a medium sized bowl, including the top edge to ensure your breading doesn't stick.  Then place your favorite pizza toppings.  Here I chose jalapeños, onions and mushrooms.

Add cheese (you can never have too much cheese right??).

Then add your favorite sauce.

Flatten your bread dough slightly, large enough to cover the top of your bowl and to hang slightly down over the sides (this will create the "bowl" sides).

 Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Flip it onto a plate and watch the ooey gooey deliciousness fill the dough bowl.

Here's my hubby's, who added pepperoni to his.  One of the great things about this option is everyone get's to choose their own toppings.  Everyone can be happy!

What's your favorite pizza recipe??

Sour Cream Banana Bread

I have tried many banana bread recipes over the years and this is by far my favorite!  It makes 4 loaves, but freezes well.  The sour cream addition to this recipe makes it so moist and delicious!  Dusting your bread pans with the cinnamon/sugar mixture adds a little crunch to the 

outside of the bread!  Be sure not to skip that part!

First, gather your ingredients:

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 6 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.  

In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. 

Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. 

Stir in nuts. 

Divide into prepared pans.

Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Enjoy!