Easy Cannoli Cones

These cannoli cones aren’t going to be as good as the cannolis from your favorite Italian restaurant but they’re really delicious, easy to make and fill the need for a quick cannoli fix.  I combined several recipes, ideas and tips from online to make this fun dessert.

To hold the cones while coating them with chocolate and chilling them, you can cut an “x”  for the number of portions in the top of the cardboard cone box covered with foil…

… or, my favorite, the bottom of a Styrofoam egg carton, inverted with an “x” cut for the portions.

At first, I thought it would be nice to serve the cones in a tall flute along with the filling and garnishes in separate bowls …

… but the cones are  too hard to remove.  I found it best to just let each person grab a cone and alternate layers of filling, chips, cherries and nuts.

• Servings: 6
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6 sugar cones (the cake type with pointed ends)
½ cup chocolate chips, melted
¼ cup heavy cream
8 oz. ricotta cheese (one cup)
¼ cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup each of mini chocolate chips, chopped pistachios and chopped candied cherries

Place a spoonful of melted chocolate into each cone, turning and swirling to coat the inside of the cone.  Spread a little bit of chocolate over the rim of the cone.  Place cones in a container and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes until set.

To make filling:
Beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form.  Beat in ricotta, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Place in a covered bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

The chocolate coating on the cones and the filling can be done ahead of time, but wait until ready to serve before filling the cones so they will be nice and crisp.

Fill cones with alternating layers of filling, chips, cherries and nuts.

Servings:  6 cones   

Fall Embroidery and Quilting Projects

I’ve made a few pieces that incorporate my TV-time embroidery panels.  I made another set of cushions for my vintage folding chair.  The nice thing about a folding chair is that it can also go outside very easily.  I just happened to have a blue granite ware coffee pot and skillet to accompany the cushions.

One of the designs I used for embroidery on a table mat is an adaptation of a decorative painting pattern by Helan Barrick.  I used to love to paint her Amish boys and girls.  I adapted this one for fall.

I used another vintage embroidery pattern to stitch a scarecrow with a crow on his shoulder.  I outlined the pattern in black embroidery floss and then used crayons to color the design.  After using the crayons, I placed a piece of white paper on top of the panel and pressed with a hot iron to set the colors.

I made a quilt for my table mini-quilt rack with a 1930s-40s era pattern of a scarecrow and chubby birds.  I especially like the way the trees are worked in this piece.

Now, it’s time to think about some small projects for the Halloween season.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Vintage Creamers and Fall Flowers

I have a large collection of vintage creamers and sugar bowls which I use for flower arrangements.  I had just gotten some of my autumn-looking pieces out of storage when my daughter came home with a $6 bouquet from the grocery store and made the old china even more beautiful.

Autumn Mini-Quilt Table Topper

When my daughter and I went to the International Quilt Show here in Cincinnati last spring, I chose an embroidery piece for my daughter to do for me – Autumn – Cherish it!  My sentiments exactly.  She did her usual beautiful embroidery on it with little scenes of birdhouses, pumpkins, flowers, apples, a church, a harvest moon, etc., and I assembled it this past week to make a mini-quilt table topper.

I tried three different approaches  and settled on this one with the green gingham which did not overpower the embroidery.  I used decorative stitching for the quilting and added some vintage and decorative buttons.

It shows everything I love about autumn.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Autumn Has Come to my September Kitchen

It seems that almost every decorative item in my September kitchen was made by my oldest daughter…she carved and painted the pumpkin with a crocheted rose that hangs by the window…

…she painted the beautiful door crown….

.  she painted the plates and pitcher on the large shelf…

…in fact, she painted and distressed the shelf itself.

Also on the shelf is a miniature house and figures that the two youngest grandchildren always loved. They liked peeking in the window and seeing Grandma and Grandpa peeling apples.

My favorite of all is a piece that is up all year round in the kitchen.  My daughter painted an old dresser drawer depression green and used it to house a tiny 1930s era kitchen with vintage Tootsie Toy stove, sink, refrigerator and table.  She added so many details which I love such as a clock, a calendar, light fixture  and sink skirt.  There’s a tiny dishcloth on the sink, a grease jar on the stovetop and canisters on the shelf.  I use the bottom section of the drawer to store some 6 inch quilts.  I smile whenever I look at this little kitchen.

Now, I’m ready for bright blue skies, changing leaves, and cooler weather outside with a lot of baking inside in my September kitchen.

Pause and Remember – 11/25/2011

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

Autumn Chicken and Beans

My youngest daughter e-mailed this recipe to me back in November of 2003 – a dish that was just right for the brisk weather of November.  It’s a quick and easy dish to make if you have cooked chicken breast on hand.  The one-cup servings are perfect for those watching the fat and calories before and after Thanksgiving.  A two-cup serving would be a hearty autumn meal.

• Servings: 2-4
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• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup diced tart apple
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp olive oil
• 1 cup cooked, cubed chicken breast
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 15.5 oz. can of cannellini beans*
• 1 Tbsp. raisins
• Salt/Pepper

*Navy, Great Northern, pinto or kidney beans can be substituted

In a large skillet, saute onion, pepper, apple and garlic in oil until apple cubes are fork tender.

Add the chicken, cumin, and cinnamon.  Stir in beans and raisins.  Heat to boiling, then lower heat and simmer 5 to 8 minutes until mixture is slightly thickened.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve at once.

4 one-cup servings or 2 generous servings.

Pear Crumble Pie

I started making this pie in 1989, using the Bartlett pears from two trees on our country property.  I’ve baked it at least once a year ever since, using pears from the farmers’ market for the last 10 years  after having to leave our pear trees behind.  The recipe is adapted from one in a 1966 Better Homes and Gardens Pies & Cakes cookbook.  It’s a great pie and just right for these early fall days.

• Servings: 6-8
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• 9 inch unbaked pastry shell  (see my favorite recipe here)
• 5 cups pared and sliced ripe Bartlett pears
• 3 Tblsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. grated lemon peel
• Crumble Topping (see below)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Place pears in a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice.  Mix the sugar, flour and lemon peel together and stir into the pear slices.  Spoon into the unbaked pastry shell.

Crumble Topping

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 4 Tblsp. butter, cut into small cubes

Mix together the flour, sugar and spices.  Cut in the butter until blended.  Sprinkle on top of pear mixture in unbaked pie shell.

Bake in a 375 degree F oven for approximately 45 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 6 to 8 delicious servings. 

A Good Autumn Meal

One of my favorite meals in the autumn or any other time of the year consists of marinated pork tenderloin, sweet potato patties and Spinach-Mushroom Casserole.  I marinate 3/4″ thick slices of pork tenderloin in Italian dressing for about four hours, then cook on a range-top grill.   Sweet potatoes are microwaved until tender, allowed to cool, then peeled and mashed with a little salt and pepper.  The potatoes are formed into patties and browned in olive oil. The Spinach-Mushroom Casserole is based on a recipe for Mushrooms Florentine from a wonderful Cincinnati Junior League cookbook, I’ll Cook When Pigs Fly. I changed the ingredients a bit  to reduce the fat and to have more spinach and less mushrooms.  It makes a great side dish.

SPINACH-MUSHROOM CASSEROLE--Reduced Fat

• Servings: 6-8
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Preheat oven @ 350 degrees F

• 1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 Tblsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. bag of fresh spinach
• 2 Tblsp. dried minced onions
• Butter flavored spray
• Sprinkle of salt and pepper
• Sprinkle of garlic salt
• 4 oz. low fat Colby cheese

Saute mushrooms in oil.   Place spinach in a sprayed large flat casserole (mine is about 10″ square).  Spray the spinach with butter flavored spray, add the cooked mushrooms, and sprinkle the dried onion, salt, pepper and garlic salt over the surface.   Sprinkle grated cheese on top. Bake uncovered @ 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

Thanksgiving Wall Hangings

 

Several years ago, my daughter gave me a great redwork piece showing Grandma and kids preparing Thanksgiving dinner.  I had just started quilting and designed a bottom piece to make a wall hanging. 

Above the Thanksgiving scene, I hang a punch needle pumpkin that my daughter made. 

 

She also does rug hooking and made a turkey for the front door ….

….and one with three pumpkins for fall decorating.

I look forward to getting out all these pretty things each November to celebrate Thanksgiving.