EZ MAC N CHEESE WITH CHEEZ-ITS

 This recipe comes from my friend Judy.  Its originally a 9 x 13" casserole, but I tweaked it to 9 x 9" for my needs.

                         EZ MAC N CHEESE

You will need:  9" by 9" Casserole Dish    350* F pre-heated Oven for 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 Cups Elbow Macaroni, cooked, drained, and set aside 

10 slices American Cheese 

6 Oz. Shredded Cheddar Cheese, white or yellow

2 Tablespoons of pats of butter

1 Egg

3/4 Cup Milk

1/2 teas. Dry Mustard, 1/4 teas. each Salt and Pepper, or to taste

Topping:

1/4 Cup crushed Cheez-It Crackers

3 Tablespoons melted Butter

You can used white or yellow cheeses, as desired.  I used white.

Spray a 9 by 9" Casserole dish or baking pan

(Line with foil, if you want to keep the pan super clean though it's not necessary).

Pour the cooked Elbow Pasta into the casserole dish evenly.

Lay 10 slices of American cheese of your choice, evenly over the top.

Add the shredded Cheddar, evenly, on top of that.

Dab over the top the pats of butter, in smaller pieces

Mix Together:   Milk, Egg, and seasonings.  Whisk well.

Pour this over the casserole dish.  

If you are using a topping, spread it over the top now.

(To Test the crumbs, I covered only half this casserole with the Cheez-it Mix)

Bake in a pre-heated 350*F oven for 25 mins.  Edges should be bubbling.  It's done.  Allow it to set 5 mins. before serving.

I served my dish half and half to try.  The crumbs got a 'thumbs up" from my two neighbors and me.

                                     Try it. You may like it.

FINISHED 4 VICTORIAN LADIES

 I finished 4 Victorian Lady wall hangings for friends.  The suggestion is to hang on their bathroom door to denote it's a Ladies Room.  They are...

                     Lady Aimee for Sandi H.  Measures 15" by 15"

                           Lady Annabella to a good friend

Lady Bathsheba to Sharon M. 15" x 16"

Lady Penelope for Sandy P.  14" x 15"

I have 2 more promised to neighbors that are in the works, Lady Gertrude and Lady Janis.

A couple more are left and then I can work on the ones for my family.

Rain is expected today and it's a good thing.  Keeps our forests safe from forest fires.  We get ample rain each April and into May as well.  In our area we can expect a frosty night or more before June 10th.  One never knows what to expect.  After that the gardeners in my building will be planting and enjoying fresh veggies.

Stay safe my friend.

LADY ANNABELLA WH IS FINISHED

 I FINISHED LADY ANNABELLA THIS MORNING AT CRAFT MORNING, 

I ENJOY MAKING THESE WALLHANGINGS.  I HAVE SEVERAL MORE TO FINISH.

I FIND THAT A MORNING AT CRAFTS IS ENOUGH TIME TO HEM THE BINDING AND SEW ON THE LABEL.  ITS A GOOD CRAFT JOB FOR MY THURSDAYS.

ENJOY YOUR DAY.

SAUSAGE AND POTATO CASSEROLE RECIPE

  SAUSAGE AND POTATO CASSEROLE

YOU NEED: 

LARGE BOWL TO MIX ALL THE INGREDIENTS

9 BY 13 INCH CASSEROLE DISH OR BAKING DISH

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350*F

TIME TO BAKE:  50 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

1 LB PORK SAUSAGE MEAT, BROWNED

1 28-30 OZ BAG FROZEN SHREDDED HASH BROWNS,               DEFROSTED, OR TATER TOTS, DEFROSTED.

1 SMALL ONION, CHOCPPED, OR 1/2 TEASPOON ONION POWDER, AS PREFERRED

6 LARGE EGGS

1/2 CUP MILK

8 OZ SOUR CREAM

8 OZ FRENCH ONION DIP

SEASONINGS:  1/4 TEASPOONS EACH SALT, BLACK PEPPER, AND PAPRIKA

1/2 TEASPOON DRY MUSTARD 

8 OZ SHREDDED CHEDDAR CHEESE

THAW YOUR HASH BROWNS IN THE FRIDGE THE NIGHT BEFORE BAKING.

BROWN YOUR SAUSAGE THE NIGHT BEFORE. 

IN A VERY LARGE BOWL ADD YOUR EGGS, MILK, ALL THE SEASONINGS, SOUR CREAM AND FRENCH ONION DIP.  WISK ALL TOGETHER TIL SMOOTH.

ADD THE COOKED SAUSAGE AND ONION.  STIR TOGETHER.

ADD THE HASH BROWNS AND CHEESE.  STIR EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

(THIS IS THE BOWL OF INGREDIENTS)

SPRAY YOUR CASSEROLE DISH.  I LINE MINE WITH ALUMINUM FOIL FIRST THEN USE A COOKING SPRAY.  EASIER TO CLEAN UP LATER.

POUR THE WHOLE BOWL OF INGREDIENTS INTO THE DISH AND GENTLY SMOOTH OUT.

BAKE AT 350*F FOR 50 MINUTES OR UNTIL BUBBLING ALONG THE EDGES.

LET IT COOL ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING.

MY FAMILY ENJOYED THIS.  IT CALLED FOR SECONDS.  SAME WITH A COUPLE OF MY NEIGHBORS.  ITS GOOD FOR BREAKFAST OR LUNCH. 

ON A PERSONAL NOTE: I PREFER USING TATER TOTS, WHICH SEEM TO HAVE MORE FLAVOR AND SUBSTANCE, AND ONION POWDER. 

ON ANOTHER NOTE, I WORKED ON MY VICTORIAN LADIES.  I GOT THEM BORDERED, THEN LAYERED AND PINNED READY FOR MACHINE QUILTING.

                                      LADIES TO DATE

THAT'S IT FROM MY LITTLE CORNER OF THE WORLD.  STAY SAFE AND HAPPY.

SPACING TIP FOR MACHINE-QUILTING STRAIGHT LINES

ITS SO SIMPLE I DON'T KNOW WHY I NEVER TRIED IT BEFORE.

CUT FABRIC STRIPS IN WIDTHS YOU CAN USE.  I HAVE ONE, 1 1/2, TWO, AND 2 1/2 INCH STRIPS ABOUT 18 INCHES LONG.  JUST LAY THE STRIP ON YOUR BLOCK AND MACHINE STITCH ALONGSIDE THE EDGE.  PIN THE STRIP THE SAME DISTANCE AWAY AND STITCH AGAIN.

THIS IS MY VICTORIAN LADY WITH STRAIGHT QUILTING LINES.  I JUST MOVED AND PINNED THE STRIP AGAINST THE LAST STITCHING TO GET 2" WIDTHS.

NO MORE HAVING TO DRAW LINES WITH DISAPPEARING INK OR WASHABLE INKS.  TOO MUCH TROUBLE IN MY BOOK.  NEVER LIKED DOING EITHER METHOD.  THIS ONE IS PERFECT FOR ME.

SO SIMPLE.  TRY IT.

HAVE A NICE DAY.

NEW PROJECTS IN PROGRESS

 I have been working on some wall hangings.  I have several Victorian Lady blocks that I have been fine-tuning with laces and ribbon.  They make perfect subjects for Craft Morning every Thursday since I can hand-quilt and hand-bind the blocks in one way or another.

This working title is Lady Blue.  I hand-quilted the block and now I am hand sewing the binding.  It makes a good Craft Morning project.

I have decided that I will use Fat Quarters for all the backings.  They will be large enough to bring forward for the binding which I can sew by hand.  

They will all be about 15" to 16" square.  A nice size for hanging on a door.   I have one on my bathroom door.  I live alone so it's perfect for the 'lady's room' designation.  I mentioned my 'lady's room' idea to the other gals and they liked the idea.  I have 14 of these Victorian lady blocks left.  I intended to use them for a large bed quilt, but I don't make the biggies any longer.  No room to maneuver a big quilt in this small apartment.  I am also at the age when working a large quilt is just too difficult.  I now make small things, like wall hangings and door hangings.

 I think I will gift one to each of our regular craft ladies for her bathroom sign.

This one is Lady Pink for now.  I need to sew down the lacy bits before I can start the hand-quilting.  

And my favorite.......

My she-dragon is satin-stitched and I have been playing with colored pencils to find which I like best.  I also tried colored markers but I don't think they will work for the shading I have planned.  I want more subtle colors. 

I need to get bold and start the shading but I am a bit wary of making an error.  I may have to practice for another day or so before I begin the dragon herself.

Well my friends, it's my day of rest so I can make the decisions tomorrow.  Stay safe.  

Finished my WH "Oscar"

 Maybe because its nearly spring I feel more like sewing.

I finished my wall hanging titled "Oscar" who is my neighbor's darling little dog.  I get to dog sit him once in awhile so I can get my 'doggy' fix.

This little guy measures 13 by 15 inches so will fit quite nicely on his apartment door.  

I have also been contemplating the design of my two young dragons.  The first is a she-dragon I will do in pink but with other colors blending along the curve lines.

I re-sketched her from an earlier version so I can add shadings of other colors in her body.

Later I will do a blue male dragon in a different pose.

These should keep me busy during these longer, sunnier days.

Stay safe and be happy.