Boys and Girls, It’s “Boo” Time!

I am in the mood for Fall with its smells, colors, baking, soups, etc. You name it, I’m in it!I haven’t done as much cooking/baking as I have crafting. Let’s get caught up!

Recipes

When I started traveling to Massachuesetts with my friend, Darcy, I fell in love with Portuguese Muffins or Bolo. They are on the order of English muffins but a bit sweet and denser. We just went up to Mass and all I could find to bring home with me were 2 muffins! I decided I needed to make some. They were yummy and I learned some of what not to do.

Portuguese Muffins (cookingwithmichael.com)

• 1 package yeast 2¼ teaspoons
• ¼ cup warm water add a pinch of sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 cups milk warmed
• 7.5 cups flour
• ¼ cup butter melted

Re-hydrate the yeast by adding it to a bowl with a pinch of sugar and ¼ cup of warm water (105-115°F). Set aside

• Warm the milk to about 115°F. The milk should feel warm but not hot to the touch. This will help speed up the time it takes for your dough to rise.
• Mix together eggs, sugar, salt and milk. Stir to combine. Add in flour, re-hydrated yeast, and butter. Stir to combine, using your hands if needed to incorporate all the ingredients into a wet dough. It will be coating your hands or spoon.
• Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Let it proof, or rise, until it has doubled in size. This will take any where from 1½-2 hours depending on the temperature of your ingredients and the temperature of the air.
• Generously coat the countertop with flour. Once the dough has doubled in size, knead again for 3 minutes. After kneading, shape the dough into balls about the size of tennis balls. Flatten the balls slightly into discs about 3 inches in diameter. Place them on a floured baking sheet. Leave room in between each bolo so they have room to expand. Let them rise for about 1½ – 2½ hours
• Cook the bolos on the stove top in a pan over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes on each side. Then transfer to an oven preheated to 325°F, for 10-12 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 190°F. This will allow the exterior to brown slightly and develop a slight crust and then the interior will finish cooking in the oven.

*I learned that my “medium low heat” for the stove top was not low enough. They mean pretty darn low. I also learned not to let my dough rise to 3-4 times its size. I have double the muffins. Still yummy!

Kale Chips (tastesbetterfromscratch)

I was given kale and I am not a fan so I figured making them into chips would a good treat. I mean, you know, chips. They did have a very good flavor and if you like kale, this is for you.

• 2 bunches fresh kale
• ▢5-6 cloves garlic , minced
• ▢sea salt , to taste
• ▢3 teaspoons olive oil
• ▢1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

• Remove large stems from kale. Chop into chunks and wash well. (I use a salad spinner, which works really great for removing all the water from the kale.) Dry really well! This will make all the difference in allowing the kale to bake up crispy, instead of “steaming” because of water droplets.
• Place kale in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, sea salt, and garlic. 
• Lay flat on a large baking sheet. For best results, don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. (Make these in two batches if necessary).
• Bake at 300 degrees F for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until crisp. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
• Serve warm or store in an airtight container to save.

New “Fresh Pet” Style Dog Food (with all the nutrients a dog needs)

3 pounds of ground turkey or chicken

1 small bag each of frozen sweet potatoes, carrots and peas, and spinach

1 cup of rice

2 cups of water

2 cups of bone broth

Put all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low until veggies are done, rice and meat are cooked.

*I had to sub mixed veggies for the peas and carrots this time as the store was out of them.

Craftiness of All Sorts

Denim Coasters

Remember my denim wreath of a previous post? I had the pockets from the jeans I used leftover and of course, I had to save them since they just might come in handy. I made them into coasters.

I cut the entire pocket out of the jeans and not just the front. I cut plastic lids from containers like Cool Whip to fit inside the pocket. Then I sewed them shut when I added the jute like edging. Finally, I added a little ribbon detail. I think they are cute as a button!

Skeleton Candle Ring

I used netting, black leaves, a wreath form, a black charger and the skeleton heads from the Dollar Tree. First I wrapped the netting around the wreath form so I would have a good base to hot glue the leaves on. I then added the leaves until they were nice and full. The skeletons were glued on next and I place the whole thing on the charger. I found the candle at Big Lots and it was the perfect one for this spooky display!

Embroider Hoop Jack-O-Lantern

I had an old metal embroider hoop in my craft room that I used. It was small but I was having trouble finding a book page to fill it as I saw in the example on Pinterest. I ended up using newspaper instead. I simply put the newspaper in the hoop as you would fabric. For the face I used a black ink pad to color some newsprint and then cut the mouth and eyes out. One dab of glue each and it was assembled. This would be a great craft for kids of all ages.

Witch’s Broom

All you need for this project is a plunger and 2 packages of rope from the Dollar Tree. Oh, and hot glue. I am going to insert the link below from the video I used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNi-03V3-RMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNi-03V3-RM

Here is my finished product.

Stamped Kitchen Towel

I stamped a plain kitchen towel with an apple and red paint. I put the stamp in each of the four corners. I used fabric paint so that the towel would really be able to be used. I found that after you cut the apple in half it is better to let it sit and dry out a little before stamping. You just coat the half apple with paint and stamp on the fabric. If anything isn’t as clear as you would like or didn’t get enough paint on the fabric you can fill it in with a paint brush. You can use almost any fruit or veggie to stamp. I think I will try a canvas tote next time with a variety of veggies that I could use at the Rarmer’s Market to bring my goodies home.

Wine Glass Witch

I had a Dollar Tree wine glass on hand (does that surprise you? lol). I painted the inside of the goblet portion with orange paint. The stem and base were painted on the outside with black paint. The face was done with the black paint on the outside also. I added a couple of pieces of ribbon to the stem and an LED tea light from (all together now………….) Dollar Tree so the face glowed.

Fall Tree

We made these in our Home Bureau meeting last month. I used a Dollar Tree candle holder for the base. The tree itself was made from a 15 inch styrofoam cone that I ordered online. The Fall leaves I had on hand but you could find them “you know where”. Using hot glue we attached the fall leaves to the cone and any adornments that we wanted. The final touch was to add the little fairy lights.

Spooky Clock Face

You know how I collect things for “just in case”.I had picked up this clock face from a little shop probably a year or two ago. I cut out hands ominously pointed near midnight, added the skeleton hands and some spiders. I have it resting on a little shelf.

Hacking Life One Idea at a Time

• Pro-tip, if you like condiments like I do you might like this. Heinz is making a pickle flavored catsup. It is YUM!
• Credit card companies make all their money on outrageous late fees. Set a reminder on your cell phone calendar so you don’t miss a due date and give them some of your hard earned cash.
• If your insurance company gives you money to spend on OTC items make sure you use them and not let them expire.
• Keep your block cheese fresh by wrapping the block in a paper towel that has been dampened with white vinegar before you put it in that ziplock bag. The moisture prevents the cheese from drying out and the vinegar’s acidity fights off mold and bacteria.
• Keep track of National Food Holidays like National Pizza Day which is February 9 and National Coffee Day which is September 29. Many stores and restaurant apps offer specials on these special days that you can take advantage of. On Pi day this year I took advantage of a special for 2 slices of pizza or $3.14 at a local convenience store (with great pizza) and I got my free medium coffee from my favorite coffee shop on National Coffee Day.
• Go on Facebook and put in the name of your town or county and the words “buy nothing”. Chances are you’re going to find listings of items that people are just trying to give away.
• If you’re going to travel at Christmas this year, lock in your savings in early October. Average prices for flights bottom out 71 days before mid December. You’ll get your best deal!

I love reading comments to leave one if you can. Hope you found something of use in this post. See you next month!