Book Review: present perfect: 25 Gifts to Sew & Bestow

Did you know that there's only six weekends left before Christmas?? SIX!

...........................thud............................

Ok, let me just pick myself up off the floor, brush myself off. I will not panic, I WILL NOT PANIC! Know why? 'Cause I have a new book and six weekends to sew. Six weekends is really twelve days, and just think of all the days between those weekends, really there's PLENTY of time, right? Right?? Work with me, k? I'm about to save your hidey ho on the holiday gifts.

{present perfect: 25 Gifts to Sew & Bestow by betz white}

This is such a cute book! Betz has obviously put her best work into it and has given us a project for just about anyone on your list. Inside the pages are full of tips on how to make your gift one of a kind and how to make the most of what you might already have around the house. Each project is defined by skill level with a cute little pincushion illustration to help guide you in the right direction.

The book is broken up into three chapters/sections: Memorable Milestones (gifts for special occasions), New and Little (things to make for the little ones) and Happy Home (gifts to celebrate the home). 

Some of my favorite projects, and the ones you'll find under the tree from me, are The Gentleman's Travel Case:

Surely that beats a gallon size zip-top plastic baggie, right? 

The Sweet Life Pillow

I was surprised to see that this project only has two pins in the pin cushion illustration! It's so detailed, I thought for sure it was going to be hard! (Mom gift, check!)

The casserole carrier on page 131:

{at first glance, I thought it said "It's Your Lucky Day casserole daddy-o" but no, it doesn't! Ha!}

Hopefully my sister isn't reading this blog post because the Casserole Daddy-O has her name all over it! She has a crazy huge vintage Pyrex collection! 

And, oh my gosh look at this! Forest Friends Finger Puppets:

How cute is that?? My two year old nephew would love it!

I'm definitely making this for him! Even that worm on top of the stump is cute and that's saying A LOT considering I have a worm phobia (ridiculous, but true.)

Honorable mentions, and not pictured, go to the Market Shopper (mother-in-law gift for sure!), Hexie the Turtle Floor Pillow (Roo), Tagalong Teddy (no one in particular, maybe I'll just make them for the satisfaction of creating such a darn cute toy!) and Color-Blocked Felt Bins (maybe my friend Katy could use them in her kitchen? She could store her dry goods like pasta or dried beans?)

I have flipped through the pages of this book so many times and each time it's like looking at it for the first time. Something catches my eye and I think "That turtle is so cute!" Or "Oh my gosh, how did she make that bear quilt?" I think you're going to love this book. 

Pick it up at the Interweave online store. It's on sale for $19.88, how great is that? (It was $26.99.) AND!! You don't even have to wait for it to be shipped to you because it's also a digital download. Awesome!

Happy Crafting!

-Kristi-

Recipe: Nutella Peanut Butter Marshmallows

It's been awhile, right?  So, here I am back from the abyss with a reward for you, dear readers.  For your persistence and consistent interest in my sadly neglected blog, how about a recipe?  Yes?  How about a recipe for something you can make in an hour that will totally blow your socks off?  Well alright then, here you go!

Nutella Peanut Butter Marshmallows

Ingredients:

Part 1

1/4 cup corn syrup

3/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold water

2 packets plus 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

*****

 Part 2

1/4 cup corn syrup

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 heaping tablespoons peanut butter

{3 heaping tablespoons Nutella}

*****

Part 3

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup cornstarch

Directions:

1. Lightly coat a 9"x13" glass baking pan with cooking spray; wipe evenly with a paper towel and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin in cold water; set aside and let soften for 10 minutes.

3. In a small saucepan, add corn syrup, sugar and salt and heat over medium-high to 240* on a candy thermometer.  

This does not take very long once the mixture is boiling.  Keep a close, constant eye on the temperature or you'll wind up doing what I did:

This is what happens to the syrup when cooked past 240*, yikes!

 4. When the gelatin has softened, place it in the microwave on high for 30 seconds.  Pour 1/4 cup corn syrup into bowl of an electric mixer, then add gelatin.  Keep your machine running while the syrup mixture reaches temperature on the stove.

5. Once your syrup has reached the soft ball stage of 240*, slowly add it to the mixing bowl, while it is still running; turn mixer on medium and beat for 5 minutes; turn mixer to medium-high and beat for an additional 5 minutes; turn mixer to it's highest setting and beat for 1-2 minutes; add vanilla and mix thoroughly.

6. Place peanut butter in a medium sized bowl; add 1/4 of the marshmallow creme and fold until thoroughly mixed.

Looks good, right?  Wait til you taste it!

7. Gently fold remaining marshmallow cream into peanut butter mixture until combined.  Spread into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside while making the Nutella layer.

Repeat the above process for the Nutella layer, substituting the "{3 heaping tablespoons}" of Nutella for the peanut butter.  Spread on top of the peanut butter layer.

Combine corn starch and powdered sugar in a sifter and sift generously over the top of the marshmallows.  Allow to set for at least six hours before cutting. Roll cut marshmallows in powdered sugar mixture and serve!

(Peanut Butter and Jelly Marshmallows made with Bakerella's recipe)

Thanks very much for coming back!  I hope to give you a reason every day to come and visit.  Take a moment to say hi, if you like!  

Happy cooking!

-Kristi

Christmas Cookies

Yesterday was a day spent making four different kinds of Christmas cookies.  The Roo was so excited that I didn't have to sew because that meant we could play all day together coloring pictures of Herbert (her elf on the shelf) and baking.  I only kept a few cookies from two batches and gave the rest to my mom and husband to take to work for their friends.  I have already gotten several compliments, two people said that they were the best cookies they ever had.  WOW!!  Compliments like that make the late night and achy feet well worth it. 

We made Mini-Chip Snowballs, Peppermint Pinwheels, Snickerdoodles and "Peanut Butter Big Chocolate Chip", which is what Remy calls Peanut Butter Blossoms.  The Peppermint Pinwheels I discovered on Pinterest (of course, I LOVE that site!!)  Here is the original link and here is how Roo and I did it:

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

What To Do:

*Sift all the dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar together.  Add milk, vanilla, peppermint extract and egg and mix thoroughly.  You'll probably have to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then finish mixing.  Add dry ingredients slowly and mix well. 

Scoop out half the dough and place in separate bowl.  Add red or green food coloring to the dough in the mixer bowl and beat well.

On a powder sugar covered/wax papered surface, roll out the colored dough.  (I learned after doing this recipe that you should shape your dough halves into rectangular logs and then roll them out to make sure they are as similar as possible.)  Carefully set this aside and repeat with white dough.  Gently slide the white dough on top of the green dough and press together.

Starting at the narrow end, carefully and tightly roll up the cookie dough.  Seal the end by pressing the dough together firmly.  Grab the dough in the middle and gently stretch slightly, continuing down the length of the dough.  It should double in length.

Now, keeping your dough log on the wax paper, dump a line of sprinkles along the edge of both sides and roll the log into it.  Press gently into the dough surface, making sure the whole thing is covered.  Wrap tightly in the paper, twist the ends closed and place in the freezer for an hour or so. (Oh!   Also, I didn't have a long enough piece of wax paper so make sure yours is extra long or you will be discovering sprinkles in your freezer, drawers and floor for days!),

Once the dough has set, cut it in 1/2" slices.

Bake at 375* for 10-15 minutes (depending on how thick you cut them).

(Don't worry, it does wash off!)

Let cool on a rack and enjoy! 

We had a lot of fun making cookies together.  I remember the day that we found out she was a girl, the first thing I said was "I'm going to teach her how to bake!  We're going to make cookies all the time!"  I love the time I get to spend with my little girl.

Merry Christmas!
-Kristi