Comfort food

I have been in need of comfort lately, the edible kind. I have lots of loving family and friends, not so much family, since I'm missing both my mom and dad now. The food I've found solace in are homemade scratch pancakes and Hello Dollys. I don't have a lot of time to cook, so the recipes have to be simple and good, which both of these are.

Pancakes with Apples and Walnuts

Mix 3/4 cup self rising flour with 2 tbs cinnamon and 2 tbs sugar. Add 3/4 to 1 cup of milk depending on how thin you want your pancake. I wanted a crepe that I could fold, so I added more milk, buttered the pan and poured enough batter in to cover the bottom of the pan. When it bubbles all over, flip it. After a minute or to and it is brown enough, plate it, put a tablespoon of cream cheese in the middle, spread it, fold the crepe, add more cream cheese if you want, fold it again, top with sliced fresh apples, walnuts, and maple syrup. Talk about comforting. My mother in law loved hers.

Hello Dollys

Spread a roll of sugar cookie dough in the bottom of a 9x12 pan. sprinkle some coconut over that, then some semisweet choc chips, then pour a can of sweetened condensed milk over that. Bake it for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. After it cools, cut in to squares and share with your friends. Great with a glass of cold milk.

Tip of the day, after you eat like this for a few days, you learn to sew standing up, it helps you burn calories. Trust me!

I do have a really good reasn for not sewing

Today my Dad will be laid to rest next to my mom. He spent the weekend in the hospital and passed away early on Monday morning, the last official day of summer. He was proud of me, and knew i loved him and was proud of him too. Bye Daddy.

I did get some sewing done last night!

I almost completed 3 whole blocks! My son helpded too. I had 4 patches to sew up, and he wanted to help, so I showed him how to sew them together. He liked that so much he's decided he wants to make his own quilt. He's 7 and will need lots of help. That will be fun to work on together, I like 4 patches too. They are so quick and easy to put together. I have been saving his little shirts to cut apart and make a quilt from, so that can go on my project list:

• Emma's pink and brown quilt: 3 blocks down, 22 to go
• 5 blocks for Christmas swap due Oct 31
• Wedding block for swap friend due Feb 2010
• AJ's four-patch quilt (whenever)

Nothing like putting your goals down in black and white for motivation.

No sewing yet this week

I know it is only Wednesday, but withdrawal will start soon if I don't get back to it. I have made some progress on the second quilt top:

• four patches made
• side strips pieced
• corners on each swap block

It's just a matter of putting them together. Tonight after work, homework, dinner, I will get to it!

September goals

September is off to a great start quilting-wise. By this weekend, I hope to have the first of the two pink and brown baby quilts completely pieced. The second quilt top will be pieced by the end of the month, then I can make my quilt "sandwiches" and have the long cold winter to hand quilt them. My sister will help. I'm making a log also to go with the quilts for the girls to read when they are older.