Tasty Tuesday: Cocoa Butter Sticks

This Tasty Tuesday is for my Aunt Sharon, who I promised to share this recipe with many moons ago...:)

Grandma Alice's Cocoa Butter Sticks

Sift together:

1 1/2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder (*carob powder for IC friendly)

Cream:

3/4 cup butter, gradually add

3/4 cup sugar, creaming well

Beat:

1 egg slightly; reserve 1 Tablespoon: add remainder to butter-sugar mixture

Blend in:

The dry ingredients gradually. Chill 2 hours for easy handling.

Place:

On lightly floured surface. Divide dough into four parts; shape each into a long roll, 3/4 inch in diameter. Place 4 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten to 1/4 inch thickness with fork which is dipped in flour occasionally to prevent sticking. Smooth dough at edges to form straight sides.

Blend:

1 Tablespoon cold water with the reserved egg. Brush lightly over dough.

Combine:

3 Tablespoons blanched almonds, chopped fine, and 2 Tablespoons sugar. Sprinkle over dough.

Bake:

In moderately hot oven (400 degrees) 10 to 12 minutes-- begin checking after 5-- until set but not browned. Cool 1 minute; cut into 1 inch bars and remove from baking sheet.

Personally, I think this recipe make it sound much harder than it is; I was amazed at how simple these were to make on my own. Regardless, these are yummy delicious and practically a religion in the Kotnik family!

Craft Corner: Book Page Canvas

Book Page Canvas

I am not artistic. Not. One. Little. Bit. I can not paint, scult, and don't even get me started on how badly I draw-- even stick figures. But crafting, that I can do. I originally saw this on our favorite photographer, Jen Sherrick's blog. She had a few photos of her creations and a link to Jones Design. I love all of the creations these two ladies did, but I needed something a bit more, me.

I decided to start with a creation for Eli and David's room, aka the decorating nightmare! I went to the store and purchased a double pack of canvases ($7.99 at Hobby Lobby), Mod Podge (6.99 at Hobby Lobby), and a book-- Where the Wild Things Are ($7ish at Target). The paint brush I already had.




So for Where the Wild Things Are, I cut all of the pictures, layed them out perfectly, and then tried to lift each one up carefully and Mod Podge underneath. Personally, this technique did not work well for me (more on that later). After they were all Mod Podged underneath, I put another layer over the top. (You have to make sure that you wrap the pictures around the edges of the canvas as well.) Trim any extra paper at the edges and let it dry.






I added some "hanging devices" (more on that later as well), and POOF, awesome wall art for about $20 with materials left to make a 2nd!



The second time I got a little lazier, um, I mean smarter. I used my Grandma Alice's old recipe cards to make a canvas for our dining area. This time I put a layer of Mod Podge down, put one recipe card down, and Mod Podged over the top of just that card. For me, this technique worked MUCH better. If you are a mommy who is likely to be interupted by a child at any moment, I would definately recommend this technique!




Just like with Where the Wild Things Are, I attached photo hooks and wire (which we already had), and POOF again. My grandma's famous recipes, in her own handwriting, loving displayed.



I hung it over our antique china cabinet, behind my grandma's old Kitchen Aid. The recipe card project used materials I already had along with some left-over supplies from the Where the Wild Things Are canvas.

This is art even I can handle!

iheartfaces: Anything But a Face

This week's challenge was SO hard for me; I have TONS of photos I love that don't involve a face! In the end, I decided to go with this one. This is a photo of my nephew, Jordan, digging into his first birthday cake. I love the chubby little legs, the fat baby hands, and the icky icing! Head on over to I Heart Faces to see more awesome photos, but don't expect to see a face:)

My Funny Valentine ('s Day)

I have been composing this blog in my head for a long time (duh, you say, Valentine's Day was like 3 weeks ago). Trust me, this "funny Valentine's Day" will go down in Main family history...


So, after many years of attempts, I finally talked the kiddos into making their Valentines this year. Three days later, we had adoreable heart butterfly Valentines! And Mom had a lot less scrapbook paper:)

Friday night, Jason's parents offered to watch all three kiddos so we could go out on a date. Date? What's a date? So I digress, Jason and I went to one of the finest resteraunts that Columbus has to offer. There was excellent food, good conversation, and a consensus that we no longer belong in the finest resteraunt in town. I believe Jason made the observation that we are much more suited for the place that throws peanut shells on the floor!

Saturday night we met up with some friends for dinner at "Grazianos". Grazianos is the transformation of a church west wing into a quaint dining area, distictly resembling something out of Lady and the Tramp. We had an excellent time soaking up grown-up conversation and pasta.

Sunday after church was Ruby's pick for a resteraunt of her choice. (Sidenote: In 2011, one Sunday each month is go-out-to-eat-after-church-Sunday. The 12 months were divided evenly among us, with each person being allowed to choose the resteraunt 3 times.) Ruby chose the ever-classy, Pizza Hut. While we were waiting for our food, we played Heart bingo.

After lunch, we can home and played Steal-a-kiss. We played this last year for the first time and had so much fun, we had to do it again. Here's all there is to it: Take a bowl, add a bag of Hersey's kisses, give each person chopsticks, say go. Of course, the goal is to get the most kisses, but really, when there's chocolate involved, everyone wins!

This is my four year old lining all of her kissed up in a row, seperated by color. No OCD in this house:)

Monday was the actual 14th. I took this photo of all the kiddos before school. My intention was to e-mail the photo to all of the grandparents as a "Happy Valentine's Day" card. That didn't happen for awhile because...

11:30 I get a call on my cell as I'm picking Ruby up from preschool. Jason tells me that his side is hurting. He thinks it might be his apendix and if it gets any worse, he's having someone drive him to the hospital. I try to convince him that I can come to get him; if it is his apendix we centainly don't want him to be at a hospital an hour away from our home. No deal.

12:30 Jason calls the house phone. He is in transit to our house, in extreme pain. I need to have everyone ready to leave for the ER when he gets to our house by 1:00. I tell him that he is getting a stern yelling at for driving an hour in pain, once he's feeling better.

1:00 Right on time, and we are off to the ER. So, without all the details, I will tell you, that my very romantic Valentine's day involved not candlelight, but florescent light. Not a fancy evening gown, but a green hospital gown. Not champaign, but lots and lots and lots of water. Looking back now, though, I'm not sure I'd change a thing. Luckily, it was a kidney stone, not an apendix (yea!). But still, it was quite a funny Valentine('s Day)!

I Heart Faces: Red

Today I am a happy girl! I just found out that you can now go to your photos in Picasa, take them to Picnik, edit them, and then send them back to Picasa. How exciting is that?!?!

So I digress.. this "red" photo was taken of my eight year old, Eli, at the Indianapolis Children's Musuem's "Noon Year" festivities. Last year he and his sister spontaneously made confetti angels-- for which Ruby ended up in the Indianapolis Star. This year, they had to be coaxed a bit, but I think this still turned out great.

Head on over to I Heart Faces to see all the beautiful red entries. AND.. Happy Valentine's Day!

Wordless Wednesday: Contest

So... it's a not so wordless Wednesday. One (above) of my family's photos is in a contest by the world's best photographer-- Jen Sherrick. The winner receives a free photo session during 2011. Please help by voting at

http://jensherrickphotography.com/blog/

click on the "photo contest" header

vote for #15

If you leave a message for the photographer, you will be entered in a drawing for a $25 gift card to Starbucks. It's a win-win! Thanks!

Disclaimer: If this is the third time you are hearing about this contest, I apologize. I promise this is it. I will not go door to door or make phone calls;)

Tasty Tuesday: Beef Stroganoff

Ok, so remember on the first Tasty Tuesday I told you how much I love traditions? This is another tradition from Kotnik get-togethers... Beef Stroganoff. My Grandma Alice made this at least once or twice a year when we all had dinner. I should admit, I have never made it myself (nor will I any time soon-- definately not IC friendly!), but even reading this recipe reminds me of dinner at Grandma's!


Grandma Alice’s Beef Stroganoff—Better Homes and Gardens—1960

1 tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 pound beef sirloin; cut into ¼ inch wide strips
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms (or 3 oz can)
½ cup chopped onion (or 1 tablespoon minced dried onion)
1 clove garlic, minced or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 ¼ cup beef stock or 1 can condensed beef broth
1 cup dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons cooking sherry

Combine flour and salt; dredge meat in mixture. Heat skillet, then add butter. When melted, add the sirloin strips and brown quickly, flipping meat to turn all sides. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic; cook 3 or 4 minutes till onion is barely tender.

Remove the meat and mushrooms from the skillet. Add 2 tablespoons butter to pan drippings; when melted, add in 3 tablespoons flour. Add the tomato paste. Now slowly pour in cold meat stock—cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens—no lumps!

Return browned meat and mushrooms to skillet. Stir in sour cream and sherry; heat briefly.
Serve with parsleyed rice, noodles or pilaf. For serving or cook-at-the-table drama, use chafing dish or electric skillet. 4- 5 servings.