Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Tea on Tuesday: Pilgrim Pudding

With a pleasant pumpkin flavor, caramel and almonds, this rich and creamy pudding tastes decadent, but it's surprisingly light.

Ingredients:

* 3/4 cup cold fat-free milk
* 1/3 cup canned pumpkin
* 2 tablespoons sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
* 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon fat-free whipped topping, divided
* 1-1/2 teaspoons fat-free caramel ice cream topping
* 1 teaspoon sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:
* In a large bowl, combine milk and pumpkin. Add pudding mix; whisk for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in 1/2 cup whipped topping.

* Spoon into two dessert dishes. Garnish with remaining whipped topping; drizzle with caramel topping and sprinkle with almonds. Yield: 2 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 2/3 cup equals 117 calories, 1 g fat (trace saturated fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 362 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fat-free milk.

~~yummy recipe and photo from: tasteofhome.com~~

Monday, November 16, 2009

Sew Happy

...that's what I've been lately. :) I dusted off my Brother sewing machine that I've had for 20 years & decided it was time to make some Christmas stockings! I really don't "sew", but I do piddle a bit around with it. I bought this simple little sewing machine at Wal-mart 20 years ago when I was once again going through a sewing phase and swore I was going to learn to sew because of the high prices of plus-size clothes. Well, I did make a skirt or two, but I mostly made curtains and such for the apt we lived in then. I paid under $100 for it and it only has very basic stitches, but it's all I ever needed.

I hope to have my stockings finished and posted this week. I'm doing punch needle to add to them right now. I have officially quit the fall items and have moved on to the holidays! I love making Christmas items...it really puts me in the holiday mood! OK, I have a confession, my tree is up and standing at the front window! No, it hasn't been decorated yet, and actually my husband was clearing out the spare bedroom (where the tree hibernates all-year until the holidays) and he went ahead and stuck it out in front of the window. Maybe there's hope for the scrooge yet! ;) I have been saying I always wanted to put the tree up at Thanksgiving but it has yet to happen...until this year!

Am I the only one or do you have several projects going at once? ;) I'm doing punch needle, sewing, and embroidering! Yes, I do love the holdiays! And I have a few gifts to make too! I had better get busy! Can you believe next week is Thanksgiving? WOW. It will be Christmas before you know it!

Monday, November 9, 2009

Gooseberry Patch

It's nearing the holidays again...my favorite time of the year, of course, and I every year I start dragging out all my Gooseberry Patch cookbooks, recipes, and crafts! Every Christmas I make a strawberry trifle that came from one of their Christmas cookbooks from 3 years ago. It's become one of our favorites and one of our "Christmas traditions" foods. I made it the year we were married & now my husband insists that I make it every year! :) It is soooo good!!

Have you seen the Gooseberry Patch website? They also have a lovely blog and they announce specials, discounts, and giveaways. I love just browsing through their website. I am in love with these vintage Christmas towels. They have a tablecloth too that matches. "I'm dreaming of a vintage Christmas...." :)

I have always loved Gooseberry Patch. I like the simple ways they decorate and it reminds me of "the good old days". Am I showing my age? ;) They always have little "gems" at the bottom of the cookbook pages about decorating or ideas for entertaining.

My favorite Gooseberry book? I'd have to say, hands down, it's the "Christmas all through the house". It combines recipes & crafts, menus & ideas. A huge binder full of ideas! I remember the year I found it in our local bookstore and couldn't tear myself away from it. And that was before I even got it home!

So do yourself a favor, and check out their website. It's bound to bring back some precious memories of days gone by for you too.

Hugs to all,
Sheri

Thursday, November 5, 2009

New eBay listing!

Adorable little squirrel with an acorn, pumpkin background, and leaves! What a wonderful basket this would make on your kitchen table with fruit and nuts. Listing tonight on eBay. It is a 5 1/2" x 5" punch needle mat on a wooden basket. (Raffia bow is removeable).