Lesson Learned....

Lesson Learned....

I was beginning to think that my machine just did not want to make this quilt.

I sit down everyday and do some part of this quilt (for the life of me I can't remember why I just had to make this difficult quilt) and everyday my machine just doesn't want to sew over more than two pieces of fabric. So everyday I've been cleaning it, dusting it, and yes even polishing it... all the maintenance that hence far I've neglected to do for this machine and it had never complained before. Then I continue to sew and find to no avail that it's still not liking thick seams. I get the manual out, I make a few adjustments etc... nothing seemed to work but I'd plug along taking it slow each day and getting through what it was I wanted to accomplish on this quilt (that I know hate).

Today after following the same ritual I've been following...cleaning, adjusting etc. I decide it's time to just take it in for repair and use of of my many other machines (not sure why it took me so long to make this decision but it did). So I'm taking the table off and dusting the machine and then I see it.... yes right there all the time. A clutter of thread spools that I've used for some other project sitting right next to my machine because I'm too lazy to put them in their place. So I begin picking up the spools of thread and actually putting them away when I get to the last spool of thread and notice it's lodged up against the feed dog button....yep that was the cause of my endless days of hating this quilt. My feed dogs were half up and half down all because I'm too lazy to put thing where they belong.

Lesson learned...clean up after each project and don't let all the bits and pieces collect around your machine!

My window pane cabinet all dressed up

I seen this sentiment on a quilt group on Facebook and loved it.  I did a search; and found one for sale.  I paid way to much for it but I thought it was much larger.  Oh well it didn't go on the wall as planned but I put it on my window pane cabinet I made when I was organizing my quilting room.  I had to split it to get it on the cabinet but I LOVE IT.   It's a great addition to the old window pane don't you think.

30 Minute Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Instructions


In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm water, oil, yeast, and sugar. Allow the mixture to rest for 15 minutes. While waiting get oven up to temperature.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix 2 cups of the flour, the salt, and the egg into the yeast mixture using a dough hook. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup at a time.
Shape dough into 12 balls and place in a 9x13 pan. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
Bake for 10 minutes or until tops are just golden brown.

Braised Lamb Shanks

Not my picture, I will replace with my picture as soon as the dish is complete!

Ingredients
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup flour
4 lamb shanks (about 8 ounces each)
2 cups medium diced onions
1 cup medium diced carrots
1 cup medium diced celery
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 cup red wine
1 pound new potatoes, quartered
2 quarts lamb or dark stock
1/4 cup parsley
1 tblsp. Essence

Recipe for Emerils Essence:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.Yield: 2/3 cupRecipe Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Directions
In a large stock pot or braising pot, add the olive oil. Season the lamb shankswith salt and pepper. Season the flour with Essence. Dredge the lambshanks in the seasoned flour, coating each side completely. When the oil ishot, sear the shanks for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until very brown onall sides. Remove the shanks and set aside. Add the onions to the pan andsaute for 2 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and continue to saute for 1minute. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping thebottom and sides to loosen the browned particles. Add the potatoes andstock. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add the lambshanks and continue to cook for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, basting the shanksoften, or until the sauce is stew­like and the meat starts to fall of the bone.Season with salt and pepper.

Chocolate Pound Cake

This is the best chocolate pound cake recipe I have ever made.  Very moist as long as you do not over cook it.

2 1/2 cups of Sugar

1 Cup of vegetable oil (not olive oil)

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup butter milk

2 tsp. baking soda

2 1/2 cups regular flour

1/2 cup a good quality cocoa powder

1 cup very hot strong coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a bundt pan.

Mix oil, sugar, eggs, salt and vanilla in a large bowl or your mixer bowl.

In another small bowl mix the cocoa and flour together,

In a 2 cup measuring cup or small bowl mix the buttermilk and the baking soda together well.  It will foam up a bit.

Now, adding alternately the cocoa and flower mixture and the buttermilk baking soda mixture to the oil, sugar, eggs, salt and vanilla mixture. ( I.E.  add some of the dry mixture then some of the buttermilk mixture and mix well in between each addition ending with the buttermilk mixture.)

Once the above mixture is mixed well add the very hot or boiling coffee to the bowl and start by mixing on slow speed and gradually increase the speed.  This is so you don't get doused with hot coffee.

Pour into your prepared bundt pan. and bake at 350 degrees F. for 50-60 minutes.  Do not over bake.  Cake is meant to be moist.

Let cool completely and sprinkle with powdered sugar or hot fudge and serve.