Dutch Babies and Poached Pears, oh my!

It isn't quite a souffle, not yet a popover, beyond a pancake
and still couldn't be called a quiche. Known as a 'Dutch Baby'
this is a wonderful treat made with but a few ingredients, easy
to whip up in no time, though if the batter is refrigerated
overnight, even better.

Served with poached pears, this was a hit with my husband,
parents, and even our dogs!

Though it does not rise as high as the eggy treats mentioned
previously, the inflation it does achieve is quickly deflated once it
is removed from the oven. A sprinkle of powdered sugar and
freshly poached pears, divine!



Recipe courtesy of my favorite Leite's Culinaria.
If you haven't experienced the joy of Leite's, I encourage you to visit.
Not only is the crew a wonderful group of people, their sense of humor are
fabulous, they give credit where credit is due and always provide the
source of their tested, tried and true recipes, unlike some who change
an ingredient or two and claim it as their own. I can't sing their
praises enough.

For the Dutch Baby Recipe, CLICK HERE

Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Another recipe to keep, from none other than Leite's Culinaria

Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Remember the glorious cake made with the recipe from the
side of a metal can of Hershey's cocoa way, way back when?
You thought that cake was the be-all, end-all of the
time, right? Well, hold on to your cookbooks, folks.
This one is going to knock your socks off.
Everything in moderation, right?

As I type this, I am licking the remaining crumbs from
my lips. I would probably lick my plate, too, if my husband
were not in the room.

Though we typically do not indulge in such decadent-looking
cakes, it was well worth the risk. My only regret is not paying heed to the numerous posts from others to heavily butter the pan. Looking like a guaranteed flunk in Home Economics class, I pieced it back together, the glorious glaze hiding the fact that I braved a new pan, knowing better all the while.

Instead of using plain water, I added half a cup of coffee, half a cup of water, and a teaspoon of Medaglia D'Oro instant espresso.

I did butter the pan, but not nearly enough, though this fact was dismissed quickly when I found myself eating the deep, dark, delicious Humpty Dumpty bits that stuck to the pan.

Once a slice was served, my culinary misdeed was forgiven and forgotten. I will definitely make this cake again. The moistness, the flavor. Hubby defined this as "The perfect, perfect chocolate cake." Oh, and before I forget, this cake should be refrigerated. I know what you're thinking, that your cake will get dry and hard. Ah, quite the contrary. It only seems to get better after a night in the 'fridge!

For the recipe, please visit Leite's Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Grab a cup of coffee. You'll be there a while.

And so begins the twined rag rug...

This afternoon, October 6, 2013, my husband completed
construction of a 27" x 36" red oak loom for me. The
loom will be used for twining a rag rug, which is a
very old, yet still very unique method of weaving
cloth into itself, forming a thick mat, or rug.

Years ago, I found myself enamored by rag rugs, yet
did not manage to get around to actually making one
until I happened upon an 'all you can stuff into a
bag for one price' sale at a local thrift store.
Making my way around the store, I found four pot
holders that were made using the reminiscent square
frame with pegs, reminding me of weaving rugs.



Although my loom of long ago was metal, and painted red, if I remember
correctly, today's looms are made of plastic. Because I had such fond
memories of making similar pads as a child, I bought the four pads during
the sale. Making my way around the store, a giant double-rack display
of T-shirts caught my eye. All the shirts I could fit into a bag? Potholders?
Looms? It was time to make a rug!

For fun, I bought a children's weaving loom / pot holder making kit at a local box
store, made a pot holder and giggled. After the pad was finished, the wheels began to
turn. When I arrived home with my bounty of T-shirts, I quickly pulled out all of my
rag rug books collected over the years, surfed the internet for days, and daydreamed
of rugs.

And then I found it.

Nancy Vandenberg's blog - Wyoming Breezes.
Nancy is an amazing woman with a warm heart and enough talent to shame you under the table
for trying. She is quite a twiner, and in fact, has the most amazing black-and-white photo
of her own mother twining genuine rag rugs years ago. I fell in love with her site, and once
I found her instructions for making my own loom, there was no turning back. I began to stalk
her every wonderful blog post with admiration. With Nancy as my inspiration, here goes...

Stay tuned for updates and hopefully, completion.