Sarah Channeling Jacqueline Kennedy

Lavender Sugar Recipe

I'm quite pleased with my Lavender harvest this year! I'll be making my usual sachets and lotions & potions for sure, but I'm adding a new twist this year. I'm going to bring Lavender into my kitchen! I'm gathering some great recipes for Lavender cookies, Lavender butter, Lavender sugar!

So I'm getting started with Lavender sugar. Here's the recipe if you want to try it:

You will need approx 2 Tsp Lavender flowers and 1 C sugar. Place the flowers in a 2" x 2" square of cheese cloth secured with a twist tie, place in jar, cover with sugar and put the lid on! Shake every few days for about 3 weeks. Too easy!


The woody stems won't go to waste either ... I'll toss them on the fire and enjoy the wisps of fragrance ..... Lavender is sooo soothing.....

Enjoy!

Making the Best of a Vanilla Bean

So I bought a vanilla bean. They aren't cheap ... but I am! I decided to make the most of it. I cut it in half.

With one half I replenished my vanilla sugar supply. With the other half I decided to make my own vanilla extract!

All you do is put half the bean in 3/4 C Vodka (use the cheap stuff), cover tightly, steep for 6 mos

I marked the calendar and can't wait to see how it turns out!
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Having vanilla sugar on hand is heaven! Once you start using it, you'll be hooked. I use it in hot tea, pancake mix, sprinkled on sugar cookies ...

All you do is put half the bean in 2 C sugar, cover tightly, wait approx 3 weeks. Then just keep replenishing the sugar as you use it (leave the bean in and shake it up). The bean is good for about a year.

I love making my own "concoctions"! They're easy to make and cheaper & fresher than store bought.

Enjoy!

Severed Fingers for Halloween!

Halloween is my favorite time of year! I love making all the creepy treats! These "severed fingers" are so easy to make and everybody gets a kick out of them. They taste good too!

These are great to make with your kids ....

Simply get a tube of sugar cookie dough, slice a piece and roll about as thin as a pencil. Using a knife, make little slashes to represent knuckles, then press an almond sliver onto one end for the nail. Use food color around the nail for blood.

Put in the refrigerator for about 10 min. before baking so they won't spread too much.

Bake approx 7-10 min. until brown around the edges, keeping an eye on them so they don't burn.

For easy transport and display, I used a red paper plate and glued some cheese cloth on it (so it won't slide around). Drip some red food coloring to look like blood. Stack or arrange your "fingers" and cover with clear plastic wrap! WOW! How cool is that!

Long Lost Family & A Moral to the Story

Had a great day visiting long lost relatives! It's been a little over 30 years since we've been in touch.

A few months ago, my cousin Kris decided to "Google" my sister. One thing led to another and voila! The next thing I know, Brian is whisking us away to Frazeysburg Oh. We stopped at Kris's house where she treated us to lunch while we caught up on who is doing what and such. We shared pictures that we had dug up for the occasion. ( black & white mind you! ) Wow... being in a black & white picture makes me feel old! Then off to see Aunt Vicki.

Aunt Vicki is 86 years old and a hoot! She lives in a gorgeous assisted living facility and you can tell she is adored by all of the staff. She remembered each of us and told stories we hadn't heard in years. After a good long visit and lots of hugs ... we made a date to get together again soon... and promised it would be in a few months... not years!

The moral of the story is: Please keep in touch with family ... keep them close to your heart and don't let them slip away ... time passes faster with each day.

Pictures show *Aunt Vicki dressed as a witch for the Trick or Treaters, *The hallway leading to Aunt Vicki's room (I told you it was gorgeous!), *A little piece of My Family

Recycled Bunnies

Sarah can't stand anything on her feet so she won't wear one piece footy pj's. Well, I cut the feet off, hem them and add lace. When I cut these bunny feet off I hated to throw them away because they were so cute! So I stuffed them with fiberfill, sewed a running stitch around the raw edge and cinched them up! Cute!

Lazy Day Lasagna Recipe

Spinach Ravioli Lasaagna

1 1/2 jars marinaro Sauce
*I used spaghetti sauce*
3 13 oz pk frozen ravioli
1 10 oz pk frozen spinach, thawed
and sqeezed dry
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese

Spread thin layer of sauce in 9x13 baking pan. Arrange ravioli in a single layer, add half spinach, half marinaro & half mozzarella

Repeat layers. Top with Parmesan cheese

Cover with foil. Bake 35 min. Uncover and bake for 15 min more, or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 min.

This is really good and fast! You can even get it ready the night before so you can pop it in the oven when you're ready!