Retro Aprons- My Next Sewing Project

View B Is going to be my next sewing project- I'll probably start tomorrow as I have to clean up the dining room which is also my sewing room.  If you can see the pattern package, these are vintage apron patterns from 1948 and 1952.  I have had this pattern for about a year and I bought blue and white polka dot fabric similar to that shown in view B for it. I just haven't gotten around to actually starting the project- so I think that is what I will try to start tomorrow.  I think they are adorable. I would offer to make them for people if anyone was interested, but then that would force me to get them done in a timely fashion and that is not my forte lol. 

Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake
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Recipe By: Weight Watchers
Serving Size: 12

Ingredients:

1 egg
2 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/3 cup lowfat buttermilk
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour, divided
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder, or cinnamon
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest, or lemon zest
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 7" X 11" baking dish with non stick spray.

2. Combine the egg, oil, and granulated sugar in a bowl. Whisk until pale yellow, then whisk in the sour cream and buttermilk. In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, and 5-spice powder. Mix in the egg mixture. Pour the batter into the baking dish, then scatter blueberries on top.

3. Combine the brown sugar, orange zest, butter, and the remaining 1/3 cup flour. Mix with the back of a fork, pastry blender or just your fingers until crumbly, then sprinkle over the batter and blueberries. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean about 445 minutes. Cool slightly, then cut into 12 pieces.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving (1 piece) 225 calories, 6g total fat, 2g sat fat, 27mg chol, 145 mg sod, 40g carb, 1g fib, 4g prot, 101 mg calc

Weight watchers Points value 5

Beer Can Chicken: a How To Pictorial

Beer Can Chicken: a How To Pictorial

Beer Can Chicken: Great On the Grill
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Recipe By: From author Steven Raichlen ( modified a little by me)
Serving Size: 6

Notes:

Special Equipment: 1 1/2 cups mesquite chips, soaked in cold water to cover for 1 hour and drained


Ingredients:

1 large whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds)
3 tablespoons Basic Rub for Barbecue or your favorite dry barbecue rub
(all Purpose BBQ Rub Recipe at Bottom)
1 can (12 ounces) beer

Directions:

1. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body cavities of the chicken. Remove the package of giblets, and set aside for another use. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water. then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the rub inside the body and neck cavities, then rub another 1 tablespoon all over the skin of the bird. If you wish, rub another 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture between the flesh and skin. Cover and refrigerate the chicken while you preheat the grill.
(The All-Purpose BBQ Rub- Recipe is at the bottom of this post)
(When I make Beer Can Chicken I usually do two at a time)

2. Set up the grill for indirect grilling, placing a drip pan in the center. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat the grill to high; then, when smoke appears, lower the heat to medium.
(On my grill I place the coals on the right side and place a drip pan , if I am using one, on the left side of my grill for indirect grilling. Use the method that works for your size and shape grill. On my grill I mound about 45 coals in a pyramid and light. Once the fire has died down and the coals are all grey, I spread them out on the right side of my grill and put the iron grill grates on. Today I am not using the soaked wood chips because I do not have any. If I was using them I would put a few on top of the hot coals. I am not using the side smoker box today.)


3. Pop the tab on the beer can. Using a "church key"-style can opener , make 3 or 4 holes in the top of the can. Pour out the top inch or a bit more of beer, then spoon the remaining dry rub through the holes into the beer. Holding the chicken upright, with the opening of the body cavity down, insert the beer can into the cavity.


(Now you can Just put the beer can in the butt cavity of the chicken [sometimes this recipe is called Beer Butt Chicken] and stand the chicken tripod style up and that will work, but I have these nifty holders just made for beer can chicken. I got them at target in the BBQ seasonal section. They make the chicken more stable in my opinion but they are not necessary.)
(Another step I do is to place a quartered or halved onion in the neck cavity and pull the chicken skin over and use a skewer to secure everything.)
4. When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss half the wood chips on the coals. Oil grill grate. Stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan. Spread out the legs to form a sort of tripod, to support the bird.

5. Cover the grill and cook the chicken, until fall-off-the-bone tender, 2 hours. If using charcoal, add 10 to 12 fresh coals per side and the remaining chips after 1 hour.

6. Using tongs, lift the bird to a cutting board or platter, holding a large metal spatula underneath the beer can for support. (Have the board or platter right next to the bird to make the move shorter. Be careful not to spill hot beer on yourself.) Let stand for 5 minutes before carving the meat off the upright carcass. (Toss the beer can out along with the carcass).


I served these with Grilled Criss Cross Potatoes
and Corn On the Cob



All-purpose Barbecue Rub Recipe
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Recipe By: From Beer-Can Chicken by Steven Raichlen (Workman Publishing)
Yield: Yield: about 3/4 cup

Summary:

This barbecue rub may be used on poultry, pork, seafood, and all varieties of meat. You can vary the heat level by using hot paprika instead of sweet. Try it with the interesting Beer-Can Chicken recipe.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Put the salt, brown sugar, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl and stir to mix.
Store the rub in an airtight jar away from heat and light; it will keep for at least 6 months.

Notes:

Excellent with Beer-Can Chicken

What Was In Your Lunch Box? Childhood memories of the 60's and 70's (80's and 90's welcome too)

   This just pooped into my head and I will write more when I get back from running errands. While making my grocery list for this week I had a flash back to my childhood. Those wonderful metal lunch boxes, glass thermoses filled with milk, pudding cups and fruit cups that were in little metal cans with pop top lids. Those were the days. I remember boloney sandwiches with American cheese, tuna salad sandwiches and PB&J's. I believe I had a Partridge family lunch box in '71. I would have been in first grade. Metal lunch boxes and glass thermoses had a distinctive smell.

    Please respond in the comments with your childhood lunch box memories. I am feeling nostalgic. Now I know some of you are too young to remember metal lunch boxes. Some of you may only have memories of vinyl lunch bags. That is O.K. , lunch box memories of the '80s and '90s welcome too.

So What was in your Lunch box?

Graduation 2009

Yay! Richard Graduated!- A little sad though too. He has been in the school system since he was 3 months old. He loved school and he had some awesome teachers down through the years. Richard is my special needs child and was able to stay in school through age 21. Now what?-- Well, I am not sure. One of his old vision teachers is helping me design a program and come up with activities for him. I will be like homeschooling an adult although he has the mind and heart of a child. My hubby's work is going to hire him as an independent contractor to de-bur plastic parts. That is something we believe Rich will be able to do. Well I will keep you posted. Anyway here are some graduation pictures.

A Healthy Jumbo Bran Muffin Recipe

Healthy Jumbo Bran Muffin

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Serving Size: 6

Yield: 6 jumbo muffins or 12 standard size muffins

Weight Watchers Points 6 for one jumbo muffin

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

1 Tablespoon butter, cut in small pieces

2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts

1 1/2 cups unprocessed bran

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

2 egg whites

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons molasses

1 cup lowfat buttermilk, 1% or fat free if you can find it

2/3 cup golden raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 6-jumbo-cup (1 cup each) nonstick muffin tin with non-stick spray (or line with foil or paper liners).

2. To make the crumb topping, combine 2 T. of the all-[purpose flour and the brown sugar in a medium bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the walnuts.

3. Combine the bran, whole wheat flour, the remaining 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and the baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the egg, egg whites, sugar, molasses in a large bowl until blended. Gradually add in the buttermilk. Gradually add the bran mixture, mixing on low speed until just blended. Stir in the raisins.

4. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about half full. Sprinkle with the crumb topping. Bake until atoothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack 5 minutes; remove from the pan and cool completely on the rack.

Notes:

For smaller muffins, spoon the batter into a standard 12-cup muffin tin and bake about 20 minutes, and cut the points in half.

Nutritional Information:

WW Points 6

Per Serving ( 1 jumbo muffin) 329 cal., 6g. Fat, 2g. Sat Fat, 42 mg Chol, 481 mg Sod, 64 g carb, 8g Fib, 10g Prot, 111 mg Calc.

Mad at England and Socialized Medicine- Need to Vent

I AM MAD AT ENGLAND!!!
I have to vent--

Short history: There is a little boy named Samuel that was born a Thanatophoric dwarf- He wasn't suppose to survive. He is almost 4 now.

Well I belong to a Thanatophoric support board:

Anyway there is a young women on the board from England whose baby has been given the same diagnosis as Samuel and the medical community won't do anything for her.

They won't let her deliver at a hospital that has an intensive neonatal unit- She has to deliver at her local hospital. They won't let her have a c- section even if the baby is breech that would give the baby a better chance of at least being born alive instead of still born. They won't give the baby any special treatment like a vent after he is born. They won't even give her a doctor for the delivery jut a midwife. No offense to midwives, but this is a high risk pregnancy especially for the baby. She was pressured to abort but said no. They have just decided that this baby isn't worth any special effort at all because his diagnosis is fatal/ futile!!! Which it is not! just look at Samuel. I guess England doesn't consider it cost effective to do anything to help this mother and child. GRRRRRRR I don't like our system in America but this is why Socialized medicine stinks too! Samuel's mom was on bed rest at the hospital the last month or so of her pregnancy so she wouldn't go into pre-mature labor. She had a c- section to give the baby the best chance at being born alive. They gave Sam the same drugs they give pre-mature babies to help their lungs (which is why he probably survived) They went along with Samuel's parents wishes to have him placed on a ventilator - And today he is happy and bubbly, laughs and smiles and interacts with his environment. All things the doctors said he would never do.-

Just see here:

http://deenyssimplejoys.blogspot.com/2009/01/update-sam-surviving-3-12-year-old.html

Samuel also has a you tube video where he is laughing too cute!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Q92MC8plU

And a news article all about him here:
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=14845


The young mother in England is Named Chelsea - This was her last post to the Thanatophoric Support group board:

From Chelsea) ...Did anyone have a breech delivery with their baby? Ive been told Charlie is breech and may not turn so will have to deliver him/her breech. They won't do a c section so I will have to deliver myself. Also been told I won't have a doctor, just a midwife. Hope she is prepared!!
Still feel very let down by the system. No support or counselling. Have been asked if I would like a post mortem done but have said no. It seems like the medical profession want to do these things once Charlie goes, there is no help being offered while Charlie is alive! Doesn't make sense :-(


OK I am so mad at England and Socialized Medicine right now!! Sorry had to vent

Not too Big To Color Easter Eggs

Coloring Easter Eggs

Still fun to dye Easter Eggs no matter if you are a little kid or a big kid. :-)

Boating on a Lovely March Day

One of my favorite past times is boating. Of course my husband does most of the work. I pack the picnic lunch. This past weekend we took the boat out on a beautiful lake. We live in what I think is a tropical paradise. No alligator sightings this weekend, which is a good thing.

White Rice Vs Brown Rice

White Rice vs. Brown Rice

OK everyone says how much better brown rice is, and for probably the past 5 years I have been making just brown rice.

However, I compared packages of white to brown, and from a vitamin standpoint the white was better. The brown and white rice had the same grams of protein and iron, but the white rice had more added B vitamins. The only advantage to the brown i saw was that it had more fiber, but really not a whole lot more. It only had 1 gram per serving. Now I can add veggies and beans to up fiber content in the white.

The white rice was more than 50% cheaper than the brown.
Second brown rice goes rancid relatively fast and I have to keep it in the fridge or freezer for freshness which takes up room. Not good for long term or emergency storage.

Now yes (at least I think - I would have to fact check) white rice by itself metabolizes faster in the blood stream and causes blood sugar to rise faster but when mixed with other protein or high fiber foods that slows it down.

Anyone else have any thoughts? I can buy a 5 pound bag of white rice for the price of a 2 pound bag of brown and the rest of the family likes it better. (However they do like my brown rice too because I can make it extremely yummy but it is chewier.)

So anyone know of any other reasons brown rice is suppose to be better? Just looking for some added input.