I think this is the new ad - the one where the baby spits up while talking, then says, "Whoa." Maybe I find it hilarious because it reminds me of my first baby. Whoa.
Almond Cupcakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 sticks (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
3-1/2 ounces (1/2 package) almond paste
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In another medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, almond paste, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the milk in batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating just until blended. Stir in the vanilla.
4. Spoon half of the batter into a ziplock bag. Snip a 1/4-inch corner from the bag and fill the liners two-thirds full. Repeat with the remaining batter. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the baking pan, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool completely.
Recipe and images from Love to Cook/Kitchen Kneads store - Logan, UT and marthastewart.com
Today is the first day of the Stash Books blog tour...read on for all the information about this blog hop, which was put together to promote a wonderful book called Inspired to Sew by Bari J. I have followed Bari for a long time - in fact my SECOND blog post ever, here, I showed a picture of a purse that I loved and ordered from Bari J. In the time since, she has built a wonderful company including patterns for sewing and finished items. You can see it all at her website here.
The blog tour participants will talk about what inspires them to sew, when they started sewing, who taught them to sew and other sewing topics. There are some longtime favorite blogs on the list and some new-to-me blogs that I'm excited to visit. I love the sewing and quilting world and what the internet is doing to enliven and change it!
The words that follow are from the Stash Books blog. (Stash Books is a publisher of wonderful sewing and quilting books.)
What inspires you to sew? Follow the inspiration, creativity, fun and excitement on the Inspired to Sew by Bari J. blog tour!
The tour kicks off Monday, January 31st and continues through Tuesday, February 8th — it’s hosted by an all-star line-up of fabulous sewing bloggers.
Each day, the tour host will give away a copy of Inspired to Sew by Bari J. and share some thoughts on fabric and their sewing inspiration. Just look for Bari’s Inspired to Sew blog badge.
January 31
Mary Abreu: Confessions of a Craft Addict
February 1
Jennifer Paganelli: Sis Boom!
February 2
Jona Giammalava: Stop Staring and Start Sewing
February 3
Rashida Coleman Hale: I Heart Linen
February 4
Sarah Fielke: The Last Piece
February 5
Jenny Doh: Crescendoh
February 6
Cara Wilson: Cara Quilts
February 7
Deborah Moebes: Whipstitch Fabrics
February 8
Monica Solorio-Snow: The Happy Zombie
February 9
The final giveaway will be back at Stash Books
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AND THEN...while you're at it, there is also a blog hop put together by the Moda fabric designers. Still more favorites show up in this list! (Edit: If you only have time to visit one blog, I love love love Blackbird Designs. Her style and prolific-ness inspire me!) It starts, Feb. 1st. Here's the schedule and links:
1-Feb Comfortstitching
2-Feb Blackbird Designs
3-Feb Jan Patek Quilts
4-Feb Bunny Hill Blog
5-Feb Cotton Way
6-Feb Fig Tree Quilts
7-Feb Kansas Troubles Quilters
8-Feb Kate Spain Designs
9-Feb Kathy Schmitz Studio
10-Feb Simplify
11-Feb Me And My Sister Designs
12-Feb Minick And Simpson
13-Feb Oliver And S
14-Feb Pieces Of My Heart
15-Feb L & J Blog
16-Feb Sweetwater
17-Feb Barbara Brackman
18-Feb Deb Strain
19-Feb American Jane
20-Feb Primitive Gatherings
Remove the soup from the heat and allow it to cool enough so you can comfortably puree it, using either a food processor or blender. Work in small batches and watch out for hot splashing soup! Once it is pureed return the soup to a pot.
When you are done pureeing all the soup, stir in the whipping cream and season to taste with salt and additional pepper. You can further season this soup with such things as powdered dry ginger, cumin, a pinch of cayenne, or curry. All of these flavors go very nicely with carrots.
Heat the soup to serve. Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped chives. (I added a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of shredded parmesan cheese.)
Makes about 5 - 1 cup servings.
*Next time I make this - when I forget that I hate to cook - I'll try fat-free half and half and fat-free sour cream. I always use light sour cream.
Yesterday I went to Material Girls Quilts, a darling shop in South Jordan, UT to visit my quilt! It was hanging right above the check-out counter, so I just had to get some photos. It was there because last week Carolee mailed it and the cute yellow Happy plaque that Georgana made and a couple of other projects to Material Girls so they could display them with the new ADORNit fabrics. (If you go to Material Girls this weekend for their winter openhouse, you wont see the quilt - unfortunately I had to take it and other projects because they're going to ADORNit's booth at the CHA tradeshow next week.)
Yes, that's the quilt I made out of the ADORNit fabrics that are shipping out to quilt shops all over the world right now. We used my quilt and a dozen other projects in a "pattern book" - a book we created to showcase the Vintage Groove fabric collection. I wrote most of the words and proofread the book - and since most of us that work there just happen to be sewers, we all made projects tor the book - quilts, an apron, a table runner, stuffed birds, and more. The photos are big and clear and the step-by-step instructions are excellent : )
It's hard to see the corner details on this beautiful white lace tablecloth - but they are embroidered white on white. The tablecloth was given to me before our wedding; it had belonged to Scott's mother. Sadly, I never had the privilege to know Arvilla Watts Raymond - she passed away from cancer about five years before I met Scott. But I have learned much about her - she was an amazing person, and I love this tablecloth.
It started with a virtual shopping trip to the Anthropologie website to search for a notebook to write some little notes and such. I wanted a pretty notebook - so I thought of Anthropologie - the purveyor of pretty things. While searching for my notebook (nothing in that department - boring, uninspiring), I got sucked in by another joy ... RUFFLES. Everywhere ruffles. I've always loved ruffles, though if I look around my house or closet I see almost none. I once bought a skirt with loads of ruffles, but it was very unflattering. Since I like and want ruffles (what is it about them that feels almost springlike?), I decided I could settle on a ruffled tablecloth or sheets. Fun, huh?
Forty-four percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, and I know I always do. I’m more inclined to make resolutions than ever, in fact, because if my happiness project has convinced me of anything, it has convinced me that resolutions – made right – can make a huge difference in boosting happiness.
So how do you resolve well? This is trickier than it sounds. Here are some tips for making your resolutions as effective as possible. Remember, right now, you’re in the planning stage. Don’t feel like you have to do anything yet! Just start thinking about what would make 2011 a happier year.
1. Ask: “What would make me happier?” It might having more of something good – more fun with friends, more time for a hobby. It might be less of something bad – less yelling at your kids, less nagging of your spouse. It might be fixing something that doesn’t feel right – more time spent volunteering, more time doing something to make someone else happier. Or maybe you need to get an atmosphere of growth in your life by learning something new. (These questions relate to the First Splendid Truth.)
2. Ask: “What is a concrete action that would bring about change?” One common problem is that people make abstract resolutions, which are hard to keep. “Be more optimistic,” “Find more joy in life,” “Enjoy now,” are resolutions that are hard to measure and therefore difficult to keep. Instead, look for a specific, measurable action. “Distract myself with fun music when I’m feeling gloomy,” “Watch at least one movie each week,” “Buy a lovely plant for my desk” are resolutions that will carry you toward those abstract goals.
3. Ask: “Am I a ‘yes’ resolver or a ‘no’ resolver?” Some people resent negative resolutions. They dislike hearing “don’t” or “stop” (even from themselves) or adding to their list of chores. If this describes you, try to find positive resolutions: “Take that dance class,” “Have lunch with a friend once a week.” Or maybe you respond well to “no.” I actually do better with "no" resolutions; this may be related to the abstainer/moderator split. A lot of my resolutions are aimed at getting me to stop doing something, or to do something I don’t really want to do -- such as Don't expect gold stars. There’s no right way to make a resolution, but it’s important to know what works for you. As always, the secret is to know your own nature.
4. Ask: “Am I starting small enough?” Many people make super-ambitious resolutions and then drop them, feeling defeated, before January is over. Start small! We tend to over-estimate what we can do over a short time and under-estimate what we can do over a long time, if we make consistent, small steps. If you’re going to resolve to start exercising (one of the most popular resolutions), don’t resolve to go to the gym for an hour every day before work. Start by going for a ten-minute walk at lunch or marching in place once a day during the commercial breaks in your favorite TV show. Little accomplishments provide energy for bigger challenges. Push yourself too hard and you may screech to a halt.
5. Ask: “How am I going to hold myself accountable?” Accountability is the secret to sticking to resolutions. That’s why groups like AA and Weight Watchers are effective. There are many ways to hold yourself accountable; for example, I keep a Resolutions Chart. Accountability is why #2 is so important. If your resolution is too vague, it’s hard to measure whether you’ve been keeping it. A resolution to “Eat healthier” is harder to track than “Eat salad for lunch three times a week.”
