Dinner Aprons for the Retirement Center

Pictures of some of the Dinner Aprons for the Retirement Center.  I took a pattern for a cute apron and altered it so that it would be shorter.  I like the way they turned out, much nicer bibs then what I've seen.  I think they will love them.
Update:
December 14,2011 Laura Love and I hand delivered Christmas gifts to the Residents at the Tomball Retirement Center.  We delivered over 80 gifts.  We had dinner aprons, lap blankets, handmade jewelry of charms or kiln melted glass pendants as well as for the men we had Disciple Crosses and some handmade soap.  I think the residents were very happy with their gifts.  They were not much but were gifts of the heart. Very sweet people who reside there.  Laura Love got me out of a bind by giving me a hand.  I could not have done it on my own.   I was so concerned that I'd not have enough so that each resident would get a gift but we did...Planning on it again next year so I'm going to get started right away this year so I'll not be in a mad rush as I was this year.

Chocolate Covered Coconut candies

I'm going to share my most secret recipe :0)   it is also my favorite. When I make these everyone always says how did you get the chocolate so yummy creamy.... I adapted these from my hubby's favorite chocolate cereal treat...kind of like what we make with rice krispies but with chocolate and a different "cereal" coconut...yummy!

Chocolate covered coconut....

1 large bag coconut
3-4 large bars of Hershey's Symphony chocolate bars

Toast coconut in the oven at about 380 till toasted well but not burnt
Meanwhile melt the chocolate bars in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted, being careful not to burn.

Stir the coconut into the melted chocolate and coat well. The more chocolate you use the more like those expensive russell stover coconut clusters. Using 1 less bar gives them more texture and more fun to eat.

In the picture I used 3 bars to make them spiky looking. I also use three bars if I'm going to make those Bird nests that you can only get at Easter time with the 3 tiny jelly beans in them...yummy.

Note: If using less chocolate to get the birds nest look they will hold together better if kept in the fridge. If making the candy type to be more like the Russell Stover Coconut Clusters then you will need to crunch up the coconut to be smaller pieces and use more chocolate, (at least one more bar) then place them in the fridge to firm up. Then you can box them up like the retailers do, placing paper in between each layer in the box.

Sausage Rolls

A good quality pork sausage raw, not the cooked sausage links; not suitable for Italian....a very very mild breakfast sausage will due after you add the spices...or you could make your own.

1 tablespoon butter
1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
a sprig of fresh sage, leaves picked
a handful of breadcrumbs
fresh nutmeg, for grating
6 good-quality pork sausages (see note above also remove casing and roll into logs)
250g ready-made puff pastry
1 egg
a little milk

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onions. Cook gently for about 20 minutes until soft and golden brown. Add the sage leaves, cook for a couple of minutes more and then spread out on a plate to cool.

With a sharp knife, slit the skins of the sausages and pop the meat out. Put it in a mixing bowl with the cooled sage and onion mix and the breadcrumbs, then scrunch well with your clean hands to mix together.

On a floured work surface, roll the pastry out into a big rectangle as thick as a pound coin and cut it length ways into two long, even rectangles. Roll the mixture into sausage shapes with your hands and lay along the center of each rectangle.

Mix the egg and milk and brush the pastry with the mixture, then fold one side of the pastry over, wrapping the filling inside. Press down with your fingers or the edge of a spoon to seal the join.

Cut the long rolls into the sizes you want and space them out on a baking tray. Brush with the rest of the egg wash and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until puffed, golden and cooked through. Serve with piccalilli and a cress salad.

Cheese & Onion Pasty/Cornish Pies

"The traditional Cornish recipe uses a cheese such as Double Gloucester or English Cheddar, but I have made some very tasty varieties using Stilton, Feta, Bleu Cheese, and even Havarti."

Ingredients
3 sheets ( I use frozen, but homemade is fine if you are a purist)
3/4 ounce unsalted butter
3 medium onions, finely chopped
3/4 lb double Gloucester cheese or 3/4 lb cheddar cheese, grated
6 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions
Thaw the pastry.
If using homemade, put your dough in the refrigerator to chill.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Melt the butter in a frying pan on a low heat.
Mix in the onions and cook them until they are just beginning to soften.
Mix them with the cheese and parsley.
Roll out the pastry and cut out 6 rounds, each about 6 inches in diameter.
Put a quarter of the cheese mixture on one half of each one.
Fold over the other side and crimp the edges together.
Lay the pasties on a floured baking sheet and brush them with milk or beaten egg.
Bake them for 30 minutes and serve hot.

Pecan-Topped Pumpkin Bread

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (about 15 ounces)
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 large eggs
2/3 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
Cooking spray
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through allspice) in a bowl.
Place sugar, egg substitute, oil, buttermilk, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add 2/3 cup water and pumpkin, beating at low speed until blended. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Spoon batter into 2 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle pecans evenly over batter. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

You can also make these low GI by using Gluten free flour and I sub'd 1 cup of sugar substitute with 1 cup reg sugar and used apple sauce instead of oil.