Civil War Quilt – Block 44

This is block #44 in the Civil War block-of-the-week series offered by Barbara Brackman.  It is called Union.  Go to Barbara’s blog to get the pattern and to see the story and pictures related to this block.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2011/10/44-union.html

I cut and sew my half-square triangles a little differently.  For new quilters, this is how I assembled the block:

• A  – Cut 4 background squares 1-7/8 inches
• B – Cut 4 background and 8 dark squares 2-1/8 inches.  From 4 of the dark squares, cut each into 2 triangles with one diagonal cut.
• Place the remaining 4 dark squares right-side-up.  On the wrong side of the 4 background squares, draw a line diagonally.  Place the background squares right-sides-together on top of the dark squares.

• On each set, stitch a scant ¼ inch on both sides of the drawn line.  Cut on the line and press toward the dark fabric to make 8 half-square triangles.  Trim tails.  Pieces should measure 1-7/8 x 1-7/8 inches.

• C  – Cut 1 background and 1 medium square 3-7/8 inches. Cut each into 4 triangles with two diagonal cuts. You need 4 of each.
• D – Cut 2 medium dark squares 3-1/2 inches. Cut each into 2 triangles with one diagonal cut. You need 4 triangles.
• E – Cut 1 center square 3-1/8 inches
• Lay out the pieces on a mat in the proper order.

• Add a B triangle to either side of background fabric C.  Repeat to make 4 units.

• Add square A to the ends of two of the strips.  Strip should measure 1-7/8 x 5-¾ inches.
• For the center, add C triangles to E to make a larger square.

• Add the D triangles to make a larger square – should measure ….5-¾ x 5-¾ inches.

• Add the shorter strips to the top and bottom of E to make a center square.  Press toward the center.

• Add square A to either end of the remaining two strips.  Press away from center.
• Join the long side strips to the pieced center.

• Piece should measure 8-½ x 8-½ inches.

See the previous blocks in this series in my category list on the right hand side of the page – Quilting – Civil War Quilt.

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Pause and Remember – 10/28/2011

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

A Straight A Report Card!

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Emily’s Quilt Cabinet

Heidi is a fellow Ohioan who lives in Holland.  She has a blog where she shares some of the greatest decorating ideas.  I loved this post where she took a miniature armoire, refinished it and used it for storing her doll quilts.

http://thecranberrychronicle.blogspot.com/2011/09/make-do-and-mend-mondays.html

I don’t have a small armoire and I’ve only made a couple of miniature quilts, but I did have a little cabinet (8 inches tall x 7 inches wide)  that was hand painted by my oldest daughter and given to me several years ago to use as a jewelry chest.

My daughter also gave me a handmade doll which sits in a twig chair and holds seasonal items.  Her name is Emily (the name of two of my great-grandmothers) and the dress she is wearing is one that my mother had made in 1942 from an old school dress of mine.

I have several 5-6 inch blocks that I’ve made through the years to place on Emily’s lap.  So, when I put the two elements together, I had a small version of Heidi’s charming armoire.

Each week, I look forward to Heidi’s “Make do and mend Mondays” to see what other good ideas she has.

Heidi also has a wonderful needlework blog:

http://allmyscatteringmoments.blogspot.com/2011/10/lucys-little-stars-doll-quilt.html

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Impossible Vegetable Brunch Pie – 5 Points/Plus

This recipe is adapted from one in a 1983 Bisquick folder, No Time to Cook.  I first made the dish in May of 1989 when my Mother came to my house for lunch.  She liked it very much – very creamy.  I’ve made it many times since then and when reduced fat ingredients are used, it’s nice light diet lunch.

IMPOSSIBLE BRUNCH PIE WITH VEGETABLES

• 1-½ cups steamed vegetables (I used broccoli and carrots)
• 1 cup light dairy sour cream
• 1 cup low-fat creamed cottage cheese
• ½ cup Bisquick
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tomato, peeled and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Grease or spray a 9-inch pie pan.  I used a favorite pie pan that my mother got in exchange for Wilson milk labels and had my toddler children give to me for Christmas in 1956.

Spread the steamed vegetables in the pie pan.

Beat sour cream, cottage cheese, Bisquick, butter and eggs until smooth – 15 seconds in a blender or 1 minute with a whisk or hand beater.  Pour this mixture on top of the vegetables.

Top with tomatoes (I used some of my home-grown cherry tomatoes, halved), and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean .  Cool for 5 minutes.

Cut into wedges to serve.  6 servings.

According to my DietPower software, based on 6 servings the count is:  194 calories, 9.2 g fat, 15.6 g carb, 1.3 g fiber, 12.2 g protein.

Weight Watchers – 5 Points/Plus

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Civil War Quilt – Block 43 – Right Hand of Friendship

This is block #43 in the Civil War block-of-the-week series offered by Barbara Brackman.  It is called Right Hand of Friendship.  Go to Barbara’s blog to get the pattern and to see the story and pictures related to this block.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2011/10/43-right-hand-of-friendship.html

I enjoyed sewing this block and thought it turned out very pretty.  For new quilters, this is how I assembled the block:

• Cut pieces according to Barbara’s directions.
• Lay pieces on a mat in the proper order.

• Stitch a triangle B to either side of square A.  Make two with red sides and two with blue sides.  There will be a ¼ inch tail on either side.   Press and trim tails.

• Join the C triangles to form the center square.  Press and trim tails.

• Add the background B triangles to the red units only.  There will be a ¼ inch tail on one end.  Press and trim tails.

• Join the blue units to the center square.  Press.

• Add the red  units to the sides.  Press.  Block should measure 8-½ x 8-½ inches.

See the previous blocks in this series in my category list on the right hand side of the page – Quilting – Civil War Quilt.

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Pause and Remember – 10/21/2011

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

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Leftover Biscuit Pudding

Normally, I make up my Biscuit Mix* and keep it in the refrigerator until I’m ready to make just a few biscuits for my daughter and me.  I use 1/4 cup of the mix and about a tablespoon of milk per biscuit.  This time, when I made up the mix, I forgot and added the full ¾ cup of milk and we had 10 biscuits which were good hot from the oven but not that great reheated.  Then, I remembered seeing a post on Syrup and Biscuits about her country grandma who made a kind of bread pudding out of leftover biscuits.  This sounded like a good answer to my problem and it was.  The pudding has a smoother, lighter texture than regular bread pudding and it’s very good – just like something Grandma might have made.

LEFTOVER BISCUIT PUDDING

• 4 or 5 baking powder biscuits (about 2-½ inches dia. )
• 2-½ cups milk, divided
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

Butter or spray a 9-inch square baking dish

Crumble biscuits over the bottom of the 9-inch prepared baking dish.

Pour 1 cup of milk over the biscuit crumbles.

Allow the mixture to soak until milk is absorbed.  Sprinkle granulated sugar over the top of the mixture.

In a 2-cup measure, place the eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and the remaining 1-½ cups of milk.  Whisk until blended.

Pour milk mixture over top of biscuits.

Bake @ 325 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes until top is browned and mixture is set.

Best served warm.  Leftovers could be warmed briefly in the microwave.

Servings:  6-8

One-fourth cup of raisins or nuts could be mixed with the biscuit crumbles before the milk is added.

The pudding is very good served plain, but Syrup and Biscuits served her pudding with a rich bourbon sauce.  I opted for a lower fat version with a mellow bourbon flavor.

LOWER FAT BOURBON SAUCE

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tblsp. cornstarch
• 1 cup cold water.
• 2 Tblsp. butter
• 3 Tblsp. bourbon

In a small saucepan place sugar cornstarch and cold water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted.  Stir in bourbon.

Makes about 1-½ cups of sauce

*Biscuit Mix

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 Tblsp. baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening

This amount of mix combined with ¾ cup milk will make ten 2-½-inch biscuits.  Bake @ 410 degrees F for 12 minutes.

Refrigerate mix in a covered container and use ¼ cup of mix plus about 1 Tblsp. Milk for each biscuit.  This mix is also good for dumplings or as a topping for casseroles.

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Civil War Quilt – Block 42 – H is for Hospital

This is block #42 in the Civil War block-of-the-week series offered by Barbara Brackman.  It is called H is for Hospital.  Go to Barbara’s blog to get the pattern and to see the story and pictures related to this block.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2011/10/42-h-is-for-hospital.html

This is an easy block.  For new quilters, this is how I assembled the block:

• Cut pieces according to  Barbara’s instructions.
• Lay out the pieces on a mat in the proper order.

• Piece a B strip to either side of A square.  Use ¼ inch seams and press toward the darker fabric  throughout.
• Sew together the 3 strips on either side

• Join the triple strips to each side of the center strip.
• Trim the edges to make an 8-½ inch square.

See the previous blocks in this series in my category list on the right hand side of the page – Quilting – Civil War Quilt.

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Pause and Remember – 10/13

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

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Mother’s Brown Sugar Brownies

In 1945, I was 13 years old, in the 8th grade at old Highland School in Cincinnati’s East End.

I especially loved my home economics cooking class and our teacher, Mrs. Geoghan.  We spent a lot of time chatting together and she would show me a few vintage (even at that time) cookbooks she had on her desk.  I especially coveted one called All About Home Baking published by General Foods in 1933.  There were a few pages in color that I really enjoyed…

….and loads of black and white how-to photographs along with their great recipes.

I wasn’t in the habit of asking for things, even of my parents, but for some reason felt comfortable in asking Mrs. Geoghan if I could have this book – and she gave it to me!

It was an absolute treasure to me – I read and reread the recipes and gazed at the pictures, imagining myself making all of these wonderful baked goods.

My mother didn’t own a cookbook and normally didn’t keep recipes, but she did write a favorite brownie and frosting recipe on a back page in the book.

These brownies were in her repertoire of brunch-type foods to make in the summertime when my sister and I would sleep until almost noon and come downstairs to a baked treat of some kind.  She didn’t include instructions for the brownies, but I made some recently to see if they were as good as I remembered them.  They are.  I omitted the frosting this time but it’s also delicious and easy to make.

I baked mine the way Mother always made hers – in a 9×13 pan which results in a very thin bar.  We only had butter in the house for Thanksgiving, so I’m sure she used margarine (oleo) for her frosted brownies.

MOTHER’S BROWN SUGAR BROWNIES

• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1-½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Grease and flour a 9×13 baking pan

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar, add the egg.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir into the butter mixture just until blended.  Stir in vanilla and nuts.  Spread and pat into a greased and floured 9×13 pan.

Bake @ 350 degrees for approximately 12-15 minutes.  Bars should be slightly soft when removed from oven.  Place on a rack to cool.

Serve plain or with Mother’s Quick Caramel Frosting.  Cut into bars to serve.

MOTHER’S QUICK CARAMEL FROSTING

1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
2 Tblsp. butter
2 Tblsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1-½ cups confectioners’ sugar

Put brown sugar, butter and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cool slightly.  Add vanilla and confectioners’ sugar.  Beat well and spread on brownies.

This wonderful cookbook often turns up in antique malls and in various versions on a lot of websites such as Amazon and eBay.

My Mother, 1945

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