My New Janome 7700 QCP

This is my new Quilting machine. If you remember, I just purchased the Sapphire Viking Machine. Well after having to load it up and take it back into the shop for several different issues yesterday was the last straw. I exchanged it for this beauty. I am hoping that this one will make me a happy camper. I've heard nothing but good things so we'll see.
I miss the pressure foot auto lifting when your done sewing but the knee lift is very nice. It also came with an acrylic table extender and that is fantastic! It is more pricey I certainly hope it's worth it.

Here is my boy:

Chocolate Dipped Graham Cracker Brownies

Adapted from Lilyshop

Ingredients

For the Graham Cracker Mix
1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Brownie Mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Frosting
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 large egg whites
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

For the Chocolate Coating
1 cup chopped (about 12 ounces) milk chocolate or Hershey's chocolate bars
1 1/2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line (1) 12 slot muffin tins with cupcake liners. Set aside.

2. Prepare the graham cracker crust as follows: Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until well blended. Press mixture into cupcake liners. About a 1/2" of pressed crumbs per cupcake liner.

3. Next prepare the brownie batter as follows: In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt and gradually stir into the egg mixture until well blended.

4. Pour brownie batter on top of graham cracker crust. Batter should be fill slightly over 3/4 of the cupcake liner. Bake graham cracker brownies for about 25-30 minutes. They should still be slightly gooey for best results. The middle will collapse as they cool.

5. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool then remove from cupcake sheet and place all of them on a cookie sheet in the refrigerator until completely chilled.

6. Prepare the frosting as follows: In a large heatproof bowl, combine sugar, 1/4 cup water, egg whites, and cream of tartar. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat on high speed until frosting forms stiff peaks, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and almond extracts, and beat for 2 minutes more until frosting completely thickens. This frosting taste a bit like marshmallow cream...

7. Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain pastry tip. Pipe a generous-sized spiral of frosting on top of each cupcake. Then return all cupcakes to the refrigerator while preparing the chocolate coating.

8. Prepare the chocolate: Combine chocolate and oil in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Transfer to a small but deep bowl, and let cool about 15 minutes.

9. Now it's time to dip the cupcakes! Hold each cupcake by the wrapper and dip cupcake in the chocolate to completely coat the frosting. Allow any excess to drip off and transfer to a baking sheet again and refrigerate until set. About 2 hours. Enjoy!

Pita Bread & Sour dough Pita Bread

1 tablespoon yeast
1 ¼ cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
3-Cups flour or more as needed

Dissolve yeast in the warm water for about 5 minutes in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add 1 ½ cups flour and mix with a dough hook for about 30 seconds then add salt and beat to make a batter. Add additional flour 1/2 cup at a time until a rough, shaggy mass is formed. Knead 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour if it is too sticky.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into six pieces for large pitas or ten for smaller. Form dough into balls and let rest about 10 minutes, then flatten with a rolling pin into ¼ inch thick discs. Keep an even thickness because this is what helps them puff up and get hallow. Now Let rest on the floured surface 30-40 minutes until slightly puffed.

Preheat oven to 425F.
With a large spatula, flip the rounds of dough upside down on to a baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes until light golden. They puff up in the last 5-7 minutes of cooking and end up being four inch high pitas.

To make Sour Dough Pitas:
1 cup room temperature starter
1 teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour or more as needed
3/4 cup warm water

Dissolve yeast in the warm water for about 5 minutes in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the starter and mix with a dough hook for about 30 seconds or so to combine then add salt and beat to make a batter. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time until a rough, shaggy mass is formed. Knead 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour if it is too sticky.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into six pieces for large pitas or ten for smaller. Form dough into balls and let rest about 10 minutes, then flatten with a rolling pin into ¼ inch thick discs. Keep an even thickness because this is what helps them puff up and get hallow. Now Let rest on the floured surface 30-40 minutes until slightly puffed.

Preheat oven to 425F.
With a large spatula, flip the rounds of dough upside down on to a baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes until light golden. They puff up in the last 5-7 minutes of cooking and end up being four inch high pitas.



Here is a Greek meatball pita sandwich we made with our pita bread. They were delicious!

Homemade Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Helper

1 lb lean ground chuck
1 ½ cup chopped fresh mushrooms,
1 medium onion chopped fine
1 clove garlic , finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup good beef broth
1 cup sour cream
3 cups cooked egg noodles
Place hamburger, mushrooms, onion, salt, pepper and garlic in a deep skillet and cook till the hamburger is done and the mushrooms are browned.
Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and simmer. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Meanwhile boil your egg noodles or penne pasta till done.
Right before serving add the sour cream to the beef mixture and toss in the noodles.
Makes 6 servings

My Spinning Stars

So here is my spinning stars.  I took the Karen Stone class and I've finally made all the stars.  I was thinking of doing a Mariners Compass for the 5 inch set in blocks but well I think I will just go with yellow fabric.  The class was a nice class however...now I'm at a loss as to what is the easiest way to set in these y blocks...I've been looking at it for a few days now and am just not sure about finishing it.  Anyway here are all my blocks waiting patiently to be completed into my first queen size quilt top...  wish me luck cause I'll sure need it!

This is the Mariners Compass I had considered...bla bla bla was wrong size and I couldn't find an easy way to make it a square block.