The Impressionable Baker

Valentine's Preview

2012-02-09T18:27:00.001-05:00

While decorating for Valentine's Day, I found these puffy hearts.

Hope yours is Happy!

Article on Doughnuts

2012-02-07T07:09:00.000-05:00

If you're a doughnut fan (and who isn't) check out this blog article by the folks at Serious Eats.

Homer would be in Heaven.

http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2012/02/doughnut-style-guide-definition--cake-yeast-old-fashioned-cruller.html

Go Giants!

2012-02-02T16:31:00.000-05:00

I thought it would be fun to make some toys to be used as prizes for the folks at the nursing home. Here are the finished products.

Go Big Blue!

Winter Sweater

2012-01-30T10:33:00.000-05:00

I'm on a mission to complete this sweater for John before this (non) winter ends. I'm almost finished with the first sleeve and have had John try it on a few times. (I think his arms are growing because I can't catch up!). Here's a link to the sweater on Ravelry if you are interested in the pattern.
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/SkillinWorkshop/9724-neck-down-pullover-for-women-3

The wool is Kilcarra Donegal. It's a little rough before it is washed but delightfully soft after its first bath. I love the slubs added throughout. Purples, light blues and tiny bits of red are thrown in. Lovely.

Here are some pix:

Adult School of Montclair (NJ)

2012-01-27T08:11:00.000-05:00

Living 12 miles west of NYC has its pluses and minuses (more traffic but easy access to NYC!)

One of the best things about this town is its education, and I'm not speaking only of its wonderful school system. For over 76 years the Adult School of Montclair has offered cutting edge courses to its community. Here is the latest catalog and if you live nearby, take a class!

http://www.adultschool.org/

New addition to the Toy Mouse Family!

2012-01-23T11:12:00.000-05:00

I wanted to make up a mouse with the ice blue yarn and decorate her outfit with white. Here she is!

Granola Bars - Now with a picture!

2012-01-21T18:51:00.002-05:00

John loves granola bars and buys them to eat during the day. I'm not such a big fan but thought I could take a stab at making them. After checking Tastespotting I found a recipe on the blog "Good Life Eats." I changed a few ingredients to suit our taste but here's a link to the original post. http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2011/01/molasses-and-ginger-granola-bars.html Check it out and make your own!

Here is my take on the recipe:

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
2 teaspoons cinnamon (we like cinnamon)
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup agave syrup
Capful of vanilla
1 tablespoon water
1 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 ripe banana (mashed)
1/3 cup toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Fahrenheit.
Add dry ingredients to a bowl. Mix up. Put dates in a food processor and pulse about five times. Add other wet ingredients and pulse until almost pureed.

With a spatula, remove the wet ingredients from the food processor and add to the dry. Stir until combined.
Place parchment on the bottom of an 8"x8" pan. Press granola into the pan and smooth until even.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove and let cool. Cut into rectangles.

Knitted Mice

2012-01-16T16:22:00.000-05:00

I found this lovely pattern by Alan Dart called Dickensian Mice. There's a bunch of them, some skaters, some caroling, some having a snowball fight, etc. They are easy and fun to make.

Ladies

2012-01-12T10:29:00.000-05:00

Who are these Ladies?

And what era would you guess that they are from?

A New Year and Good Old Times

2012-01-08T12:05:00.000-05:00

The New Year often makes us think of time passing. Here are a few of my favorite watches which have marked the time over the years.

My grandmother's watch. I understand that she made the watchband in the place where she worked. I cherish it.

A Christmas present from Santa and Mrs. Claus:

My necklace watch which I receive many questions asking if it is an heirloom:

Christmas Stockings

2012-01-08T11:58:00.000-05:00

Many years ago I made these stockings for my husband and myself. Mine is from a Charles Wysocki kit and John's is from another kit. They were fun to embroider but lining them was a challenge. So I called in the expert, my Mother, who showed me the way. Here are the results.

My stocking with church, horses, skaters and snow.

Lining of my stocking

Detail of lining

J's stocking

Lining of J's stocking. Note the marching band and trains!

Detail of J's stocking

Santa with his pack of toys

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-01-06T22:06:00.001-05:00

New recipe for me:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 stick of butter, softened

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons agave syrup

1 egg (room temperature)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon crushed flax seeds

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon coffee flavored liquor (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream butter, sugars and agave syrup. Add egg and vanilla and mix. Slowly add flours, b. powder, b. soda, salt and seeds. Stir in chips and walnuts.

Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 11-13 minutes. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

You may wish to bake a few for eating and freeze the rest by rolling the dough in parchment. Cover with aluminum foil. Then you can slice off a few and bake them off when you have a cookie deficiency.

I made four cookies for J and me. I ate one. This is what is left. Guess someone was hungry!

Christmas Scarves

2012-01-02T21:21:00.002-05:00

My niece Kate shows off her Christmas present. Santa brought her the jacket and her Auntie made the matching scarf.

And my niece-in-law Erin models her Christmas present. We like the juxtaposition of red and green.

Many thanks to the lovely models!

Santa Peg

2011-12-30T13:41:00.000-05:00

My twin sister, Peggy, plays Santa to her two dogs, Ben (collie) and Samantha (Sheltie). Just like kids all over the world, someone thinks the other's present is better...

Christmas Dove

2011-12-16T20:56:00.000-05:00

Lovely pattern from the book 75 Birds, Butterflies & little beasts to knit and crochet

by Lesley Stanfield. I think that the author calls it Dove but since it's nesting in my Christmas tree, I changed it.

Springerle 2011

2011-12-08T14:51:00.000-05:00

This year I am trying the Springerle recipe from Martha Stewart. Her recipe differs from the traditional in that she uses butter. Most do not. Here are a few that are drying. I will bake them off after they rest overnight.

The link is here: http://www.marthastewart.com/332892/springerle-cookies

Flounce Scarf

2011-12-06T19:14:00.001-05:00

Here's a preview of a Christmas present... Since I don't have a model, I placed it around the vase which held my Anniversary flowers. Eleven years on Dec. 2nd.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2011-11-24T10:04:00.000-05:00

Nautical Pillow - Tunisian Crochet

2011-11-24T09:58:00.001-05:00

We added a Nautical Pillow to the Nautical Blanket. It too is made with a Tunisian Crochet stitch, which really looks like knitting!

Wassail Donuts

2011-11-14T18:11:00.003-05:00

Here we come a-wassailing,

Among the leaves so green,

Here we come a wand’ring,

So fair to be seen.

Chorus:

Love and joy come to you,

And to you your wassail, too.

And God bless you and send you a happy new year,

And God send you a happy new year

I have a new toy, a non-stick pan for baking donuts. Thanks Mom and Dad.

I hurriedly checked out "Tastespotting" for something delish and found quite a few. My recipe is as follows:

Wassail Donuts:

2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup Apple Cider or Ale (I used Saranac's Winter Wassail Beer)
3 tablespoons softened butter

Combine the dry ingredients and to it, add the wet ingredients. Mix well, the beer will foam up if it's not flat.

Butter your donut pan and use or make a pastry bag.

I made mine out of tin foil in my new "New Jersey Glass."

Pipe batter into pan, filling no more than half way. (You don't have to pipe, I did half piped and 1/2 by spoon. Basically the same result except that the unpiped side had more batter on the the top of the pan.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 6-8 minutes. They should be firm, slightly browned and cake-like when done. Roll in Wassail Sugar while slightly warm.

Wassail Sugar:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 pinches ginger
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch ground clove

If you want to make Chocolate Wassail Donuts (and who doesn't) add 1 tablespoon cocoa and 1 melted block of semi-sweet baker's chocolate to the batter.

Serve with your favorite Christmas Carol (see above).

Sunshine Squash

2011-10-27T12:56:00.002-04:00

How do you like these beauties? I grew them in my garden this year. No, they're not pumpkins. They are Sunshine Squash and will be transformed shortly into a delicious soup. Recipe:

1 Sunshine Squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 small onion, diced
1 celery rib, small dice
1 apple, peeled, cored and cubed
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon ginger (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Melt butter and oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium low heat. Saute onion, celery, apple until soft, about 7 minutes. Add garlic to heat for one minute. Add squash, stock and ginger. Bring to boil, add salt. Simmer for 20 minutes or until squash is soft. Puree and servve with a dollop of sour cream.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

2011-10-27T09:37:00.000-04:00

Monday last, John and I had a great evening of dinner and theater. Mom recommended "The Red Dog Pub" at Rods Ranch House and then we drove over to Drew University's Shakespeare Festival which showed "Something Wicked This Way Comes". We are looking forward to more visits to the Kirby Theater.

Moonlight Blaze at Van Dyk Manor

2011-10-23T19:53:00.000-04:00

The Third Annual Moonlight Blaze was held last night to great acclaim. Here are some pictures taken by my DH

Nautical blanket

2011-10-16T22:29:00.002-04:00

I'm almost finished with the Nautical Afghan. It's an unusual craft called Tunisian or Afghan Stitch which makes a very thick fabric. It is the best stitch to use in making a blanket as knitting and crocheting are make a single layer fabric. I'm finishing up the fringe, although I may have to purchase some additional yarn.

The sweater was finished awhile ago

I'm posting it again, this time on the Nautical Afghan

Morristown Harvest Festival

2011-10-16T22:22:00.001-04:00

I went to the Annual Harvest Festival in Morristown, NJ a few weekends ago and took these pix. Statue in the Green. I have the sign for it somewhere.. Here is the link to the Festival:
http://morristown-nj.org/todo2.html?id=1190303011

I met some important people there who were kind enough to let me take their photo. Do you recognize them? Hint: Camera's weren't around then.

My brother, Gene, niece Molly (with fake glasses) and sister Cathy with our grab bags.