Autumn

It is berry season!  And soon cherry season!  And then it will be time for peaches and apricots!  And then apples!  And since pie is one of my most favorite ways to enjoy summer fruit, and since I have already shared my favorite berry and apple pie recipes, I think it is high time I share a few pie crust tips and tricks!

Pie crust is not really difficult.  But there are a few tricks that make or break a pie crust.  This tutorial is primarily written for those of you who have never attempted a pie crust or those of you who have tried and failed. 

As you can tell from the number of images in this post - I didn't leave a single thing out!  I tried to make this as 'one on one' as I possibly could because I really, really want each of you to experience that warm glow you feel when someone you love takes a bite of your pie and says, now, that's a pie crust!

The recipe, one I have used for years, makes a pie dough that is easy to work with and tender and flakey when baked.  It is a great pie dough for beginners.  Once you have mastered it, you will be ready to move on to more delicate pastries.

If you have never made pie crust, you might want to make a batch to just get used to the feel and to handling it so you have a better idea of what to expect.  At the end of the post, I have a little suggestion for what to do with your dough after you are done "learning".

Added after post date!  Be sure to read the comments section for thoughts about chilling vs not chilling as well as butter vs shortening. I chose not to cover those issues in the tutorial because it is designed for beginners to learn to make a pie crust!  But I am getting good tips from readers there so don't miss them.  Sarah's tip for trimming the dough is brilliant!

So - let's get started!

You will need the following tools:

mixing bowl
measuring cup and spoons
wire whisk
pastry blender
fork
rolling pin
large surface for rolling out the dough - personally I prefer wood
pie plate (8" or 9")
sharp paring knife

A note about rolling pins:  I am still using the rolling pin my brilliant mother gave me when I got married.  It is perfect for rolling pie crust and cookie dough.  The surface is as smooth as silk and the roller and handle move independently of each other by way of ball bearings inside the roller.   I have found this type of rolling pin allows greatest control during use.

A note about pie plates:  Metal and pyrex both work fine, but I dearly love my "vintage" corning ware pie plate.  If you ever find one - buy it and use it!  I have never, ever had a soggy pie crust when using this pie pan.

A note about my scorched wood work surface!  A constant and ugly reminder that placing a red hot sauce pan on a piece of wood is not a terribly good idea!  It is what I have to work with right now so please try to overlook the ugly black scorch mark!

Basic Pie Crust for 8" to 9" pie. 

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Crisco shortening
4 to 5 Tablespoons ice water

Notes about ingredients:

Flour:  Although I prefer King Arthur All-purpose Flour,  price increases for wheat has forced me to switch to Gold Medal.  For pie crust, I don't ever sift the flour, but I do stir and fluff it in the canister a bit to aerate it  before measuring. Whatever you do, do NOT do anything that will pack the flour into the cup.  Place the flour lightly into the cup until it is heaping and then use a straight edged knife or spatula to scrape off the excess.

Crisco vs butter:  I am a devotee of shortening pie crusts.  And I make no apologies.  I have yet to taste a pie crust made with butter that can match its light and flaky texture.  And as long as I continue to hear "now that is what a pie crust is supposed to taste like", I am not changing!   Believe me - I am a huge, huge, huge fan of butter - just not in pie crust!

I did find a recipe recently that called for half butter and half shortening.  Once I try it out, I will let you know.  It just may be the perfect balance between flavor and texture.

Ice water:  Water content in flour can change with the humidity in the air so start with 4 tablespoons and add more if your pie crust mixture is too dry to form into a ball. But be very careful - add water a teaspoon at a time.  You do not want your dough to get sticky.  It should hold together but still feel dry and not stick to your fingers.

 Make a glass of ice water just before you begin making the dough so the water is nice and cold when you are ready to add it to the flour mixture.

Making your pie crust

Begin by setting your oven to the temperature suggested in the filling recipe you are using.

Prepare your filling before beginning the pie crust.

Measure 2 cups flour into a mixing bowl. Add the salt and whisk to mix thoroughly.

Place the shortening into the flour mixture and break up with the pastry blender.

Continue working the shortening into the flour with up and down motions until the shortening is broken down into tiny pieces. Stir the mixture with the pastry blender to make sure there are no large lumps of shortening remaining.

Add the water, starting with 4 Tablespoons.

Quickly stir with a fork to blend the ingredients.  Use a light hand and don't over mix.

Mix just until dough forms a ball.  Over working the dough is the surest way to tough crust!

Divide your dough into two equal portions.

Generously dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour.  Do not worry about adding more flour to the dough - there is enough fat in the mixture to manage it. Place one ball of dough on your work surface.

When rolling your dough, apply very light pressure.  I have watched people roll cookie and pie dough with so much pressure that it seems as if they were trying to force the dough into the pours of the wood!!!!  LIGHT, EVEN PRESSURE AS YOU ROLL!  If your dough sticks to the work surface after two or three passes with the rolling pin, you are applying too much pressure (or your dough is too wet).

Roll, pick up the dough, turn it 1/4 turn, roll, pick up and turn and roll. Follow this process for the first few rolls and you should not have a sticking problem.

Now gently lift the dough off the board, drape over one stretched out hand and dust the work surface again.  ( If you look closely, you can see the contours of my hand under the dough!) Or you can simply set it to one side while you dust.

Return the dough to the work surface

Again, applying very light pressure, roll the dough, rotating the dough a1/4 turn until it gets to be about 8 or 9" across

Now continue to roll changing direction with each roll and lifting the crust and dusting the work surface as needed.

Once your crust measures about 4" more across than your pie plate, your crust is  ready to transfer to your pie plate.

Gently lift the side farthest away from you and fold your pie crust in half toward you.

Now fold it again.

Gently pick up your folded crust and place it into your pie plate so it covers 1/4 of the pie plate as shown.

Gently unfold your pie crust. 

To keep your crust from shrinking or tearing, snuggle your dough into the pie plate by lifting the edges and letting the weight settle it into the plate contours. A wrinkle here and there won't hurt anything.

Using a sharp knife, trim the dough so that it extends about 3/8" beyond the lip of your pie plate.

Inspect your crust to be certain there are no tears in the surface.  Any tears must be repaired.  Lightly moisten the area around the hole with water.  Tear a piece of dough from the scraps you have just cut, making sure it is larger than the hole.  Gently press into place to seal.

Now, following the instructions given above for rolling the bottom crust, roll and fold the second ball of dough.

Place your filling into the prepared dough lined pie plate.  Many fruit pies call for dots of butter - add them now! 

Place your top crust over the filling as shown in the photo above.

Gently and carefully unfold your dough and adjust as needed so that the overhang is about equal on all sides.

If your top layer should tear, simply repair it just as described above for repairing tears in the bottom layer.

Some tears are to be expected when you are learning to handle crust.  Repaired tears do not in any way affect taste.  Your pie may not be perfect looking, but don't give up.  I have baked pies in 6 different states and they always turned out beautifully except in Phoenix, AZ.  In the 20 years I lived there, I never one time was able to make a pie that did not tear in multiple spots!!!!  I just learned to live with it.  Never understood why that climate gave me so much trouble!  New Mexico is even drier, but no problems.

I am just telling you this so you won't let this be an issue.  Tough crust is an issue - not patches!

Using a sharp knife, trim your dough about 3/4" beyond the edge of the plate rim.

You will have two layers of pie dough that should look like this!

Fold the top dough layer over the bottom dough layer so that the edge of the bottom layer is completely enclosed within the upper layer.  This will prevent the filling from leaking out into the pie plate during baking.

Gently press the two layers together around the entire rim of the pie.

Finger pinch the edges to create a crimped edge.  I am not even going to try to verbalize this process.  The best thing I can think of is to simply show you!  My sweetie photographed my hands first from the back and then the front so you could see how I position my fingers. 

Any reasonable facsimile will do!  Just as long as the two layers of pie dough are sealed together - that is all that really matters.  Practice will make pretty!

Use a very sharp knife to make a pretty design in the top crust.  The slits are steam vents, allowing the steam that builds up during baking to escape.

My mother taught me to make this wheat pattern when I was about 12.  I still like to use it sometimes.

I poke a few extra little slits near the edges as well. 

I love a light dusting of sugar on top of my pie!  Some people recommend brushing on a little milk before dusting with sugar, but I just dust!  It gets a little melty and crunchy during baking.

What to do with the leftover dough?

Roll it out to the same thickness as your pie crust.  Slice it into pieces approximately 3" x 3".

Place on a cookie sheet.  Dust with sugar and cinnamon.

Then just slide it in the oven on the shelf below the pie.  Only takes about 10 to 15 minutes (375 to 400 degrees).  When done, remove and let cool.

Yummy, easy snack.  Perfect with ice cream or a cup of tea. And it keeps my sweetie out of the pie while it is cooling since searing heat has never been a deterrent!!

I always celebrate Cinco de Mayo by setting out my much loved Mexican painted wood trays and my sweet little Mexican pottery creature colletion. 

I have several trays and quite a few birds (and one frog) - all rescued from thrift shops and garage sales over the years.  I can't bear to leave them sitting unhappily in those musty places where they are not appreciated.  I have to give them a good home!  Just HAVE to!

And THIS year, I am also celebrating by making my very own crazy delicious Enchiladas inspired by both my Santa Fe roots and my friend Angie who recently shared her own version of enchiladas on her blog At Home in Mexico.

Angie's Enchiladas are filled with potatoes and carrots!  I just HAD to try out the unusual filling, and my sweetie and I both liked it very much! Angie's use of potatos and carrots inspired me to try making mine with a sweet potato filling!  OMG. Sooooo good!

Of course, we ARE huge sweet potato fans - sweet potato pancakes, sweet potato fires.... Sigh!

Our techniques vary a bit, but on the whole are quite similar.

(And to my secret sister in chard, I am making these again next week and adding a layer of cooked chard!  Will let you know!)

Pamela's Enchiladas! 

I know, I know - my egg did break into two pieces as I was hurriedly transferring it from the pan. So - maybe not the greatest "food shot" you've ever seen.  But take my word for it, these enchiladas are absolutely delicious.! 

I have prepared these for dinner 3 times in the last week.  We just love them that much!  But every time I made them, I had trouble with my eggs!  Don't know why they are fighting me but I give up! Never, ever fried a photo perfect eggs.

Eggs?  Enchiladas?  YUP!  In New Mexico, we like our enchiladas stacked rather than rolled, and many of us consider them best with a fried egg placed right on top of the stack! 

You don't have to make everything from scratch like Angie and I do. If you prefer, you can substitute several items that are available in most grocery stores. I will point them out in the recipe.

So - lets make Pamela's Enchiladas!

Recipe makes enough for four people, one stacked enchilada each. (Trust me, they are filling so start with one each.)

Ingredients

Corn tortillas (fresh if you can get them!) Figure two per person.

1 large sweet potato (Don't used canned sweets - not at all as good.)

1/2 teaspoon Penzey's Chile Con Carne seasoning

2 Tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 to 2 cups red chile sauce  (Angie and I make ours from scratch* but if  you wish you can substitute canned enchilada sauce. I had to substitute a can for the "real" thing last fall and I was pleasantly surprised!)

2 large garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano  (not the same as turkish oregano or Greek oregano - totally different flavor.)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups grated cheddar cheese (more if you really like lots of cheese!)

4 eggs

Red salsa (I use Trader Joes - see below - when in a hurry or it is winter and no good fresh tomatoes are available

Green tomatillo sauce ( Again, Trader Joe's brand is very good if you don't make your own)

LET'S MAKE ENCHILADAS!

1. Prepare the enchilada sauce.

        If you are opening a can of sauce, this is easy!  If you want to make the sauce from scratch, see the notes at the end of the post.

Place the sauce in a small skillet ( a little larger than the size of your tortillas).  Add the garlic and Mexican oregano. Add salt to taste.

Bring to boil and then simmer on low for about 10 minutes while preparing the other ingredients. Thin as necessary with a little water to keep it from getting too thick.

2.  Prepare the sweet potato.

Scrub the sweet potato, cut off the ends and bake in a micro wave oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning the potato over about half way through the cooking time.

Let cool slightly, remove the skin and mash. 

Add the chile con carne seasoning, butter and salt and pepper and mix with a fork.

Set aside until ready to use.  I always like to reheat mine in the micro just before I add it to the enchilada plate.

3. Finely chop the onion.  If your family loves fresh onions, feel free to use more than the recipe suggests.

4. Grate the cheese.  I prefer using the large opening on the grater, but the fine grater makes cheese that melts faster.

5.  Get everything ready to go in an assembly line because once you start, things move quickly!  Start frying your eggs just as you are ready to begin assembly.

ASSEMBLY!

Dip a corn tortilla into the hot bubbly sauce for about 30 seconds - just long enough for it to become soft.  Don't leave it so long it breaks apart.  Angie and I both use our fingers - but you may prefer to use tongs.

Place the tortilla on a serving plate.  (I like to pre-warm my plates in the oven to help keep everything hot.

Place about 1/3  cup of mashed sweet potato on the tortilla and spread it evenly over the surface.

Sprinkle with onions.

Add cheese.

Dip a second tortilla into the sauce until soft and place on top of the stack.

Add more cheese!

Place a fried egg on top of the stack.  (I like mine over medium) 

Add red salsa and green tomitillo sauce.

You could always garnish with sour cream and avacados, but these are very filling without those additions.

OMG I am getting so crazy hungry right now.  I should have eaten before I started writing!

A little plug for my favorite "store bought" salsas for when I don't have time to make my own.

Enjoy!

Notes about red chile puree (chile caribe) or guajillo sauce

Angie's instructions and pictures are perfect for making red chile, which is the base for making enchilada sauce.

Place dried red chiles in a large pot and cover with water.  If you can get New Mexico dried red chile, they are the best - in my opinion! You can order them on Chimayo To go right here.  (You can also order guajillo chile on this page if you prefer.)

Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Let cool slightly.

Place chiles and a little liquid into a blender and blend until smooth.

Strain over a large bowl.  The pulp will go through the strainer into the bowl and the tough skin will remain in the strainer.  Discard the skin. 

I usually process 60 to 80 red chile at a time and then freeze in 1 cup glass jars. Just so you know,  it takes about 10 to 12 dried red chiles to make 1 cup of red chile puree.

Usually, the puree is too thick to use for enchalada sauce, so I thin it with water, adding 1/2 to 3/4 cup water to create a nice thin sauce.

And now, you are ready to add seasonings - Mexican oregano, chopped garlic and salt! Let simmer a few minutes.

This isn't the only unusual filling I put in my enchiladas - but you have to wait until next fall to get another enchilada recipe!

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!

        .

I am taking a quick break from "recycle month" because I just got word from Diane that my brand new e-book (Not So) Sweets is now available in her CraftyPod shop! 

Some of my all time favorite desserts are included - Cream Puffs, Mousse, Panna Cotta and Linzer Cookies.  

I used to spend my entire allowance each week buying cream puffs at a little bakery that just happened to be on my way home from school!  But once I moved 500 miles away from that little bakery, I had to learn to make my own cream puffs!

And Panna Cotta - that was definitely love at first bite!  But I had a hard time finding it on dessert menus at restaurants so I learned to make it myself so I could have it when I wanted it instead of waiting until it appeared on a menu!

Now that I cook for family and friends with sugar restricted diets, I have worked to make sugar free and low sugar desserts that are just as yummy and delicious as the ones I used to make with sugar.  The fact that my sweetie can not tell if these deserts have been made with Splenda or with sugar is my measure of success!

Besides being almost sugar free, the good news about this selection of sweet treats is that they are easy to make!  I used to think that Cream Puffs just had to be difficult to make.  They are NOT!  Cream Puffs are easy to make.  And so is Panna Cotta and Cheese Blintz and Chocolate Mousse!

I made a point of adding three cookies to this book. Who doesn't love cookies? And think how much they would be missed if you couldn't have them - especially at Christmas!  I am thrilled that after much recipe tweaking I am finally able to make yummy Christmas cookies for my daughter once again! And I have recently discovered that low sugar cookies are very welcome on cookie trays I deliver to office parties.

All measurements are given in US and in metric.  And tips for working with sugar substitutes like Splenda, notes about the best chocolates to use when trying to reduce sugar in a recipe, and a tutorial for making crepes are all included.

(Not So) Sweets is available - as it happens, just in time for Easter  -  in Diane's CraftyPod Shop where you can read more about the book and view the table of contents.  Visit CraftyPod to read about the book from Diane's perspective.  But as you are reading, keep in mind that she has failed to mention her roll in making this little book a reality.

(Not So) Sweets is a collaboration!  I created, tested and photographed the recipes, but Diane is the editor, designer and publisher, cheer leader and holds the enviable position of being "first taster".  Without her efforts, talents, and encouragement, this little book would not exist.

I hope you'll enjoy baking with less sugar!

Another wonderful, nourishing soup recipe to share!

But before I get to that  - on the way to this post, I encountered two more delicious soups shared recently on two other blogs I follow!

Since it is January, and still cold and dark and rainy, my need for big hot bowls of lovely soup has not diminished!  So I made them both!

And we enjoyed them so much, I decided to pass them on to anyone who might have missed them!

SWEET POTATO AND CORN SOUP

Avital recently shared the recipe for this very versatile soup on her blog "This and That".  I could tell immediately it was a perfect base for adding a few ingredients I often use when preparing Mexican food - green chile, cumin, sour cream and cheese!  And I added a little Emeril's Essence - just LOVE Emeril's Essence - and used chicken broth instead of water.

Avital recommended running the soup through a blender, but I chose to partially mash the vegetables with a potato masher!  We tend to prefer chunky soups.

Don't delay, give this one a try while it is still January!

And while you are visiting Avital to get her recipe, make sure you don't miss these recent posts - "My Ten Favorite Photos of 2009" and "First Solar Eclipse of 2010".  Avital is passionate about photography and it shows in every image she posts! Subscribe right now so you don't miss a single image!

POZOLE VERDE

As a result of pleas from some of her fans, Angie gave up her secrets for making green pozole on her blog "At Home in Mexico".

Pozole has been a favorite holiday treat for many, many years in my home, but I have always made it with red chile.  Angie makes her pozole with green chile and tomatillos - and it is delicious! 

I used what I already had in the house, so I made mine with 1 pound of pork, 2 - 29 ounce cans of hominy, a quart of  chicken broth and in place of the radish greens and cilantro I used up some chard left over from the sausage soup!   And the best part is that we still have enough Pozole Verde left for dinner tonight!

Angie just posted this beautiful, heartfelt message reflecting on her experience of surviving the 1985 quake in Mexico and insight into the horror the people of Haiti are experiencing.  She urges every one of us to find some way we can be of help and reach out with hands and heart to the people of Haiti. It is very apparent in her message that Angie has a very big heart - a trait she shares with the people of Mexico.

BEET, VEGETABLE SOUP WITH PORK (Also known as Winter Borscht)

A couple years ago, my sweetie and I happened upon a little restaurant/bar that was serving "Winter Borscht" as the soup of the Day.  My sweetie loves Borscht - standard blended variety - and without hesitation ordered a bowl.

"Winter Borscht" turned out to be something completely different than what he was expecting!  And it was absolutely delicious.

Several months later, a generous young Russian woman working in my doctor's office gave me a general idea of how to make a vegetable borscht which included the addition of pork.   And so now, I can make this soup for my sweetie!  And I do so often!  It is easy and it is healthy.  And to use a word again I have already used too many times in this post - DELICIOUS!  Even if, like me, you are not a beet fan - you will love this soup - beets do not overwhelm the many other flavors present.

Beet, Vegetable Soup with Pork

1 pound pork  (country ribs or pork shoulder steak are good choices as they do not      dry out during cooking)

1 1/2 quart chicken broth
1 teaspoon Emeril's Essence
1 medium onion (chopped)
3 medium carrots (peeled and cut into bite-size pieces)
2-3 stalks celery (cut into bite-size pieces)
2-3 cloves garlic minced
4 to 6 medium beets ( remove skin and cut into bite size pieces)
1/2 bunch of chard or tops from the beets
2 medium potatoes (peeled and cut into bite-size pieces)
1 generous teaspoon Herbs Provence
1 teaspoon dill
salt and pepper to taste
Sour Cream

Optional:  1 to 2 cups shredded cabbage.  I don't use it but my friend told me it is almost always added.

Cut the pork into bite-size cubes and place in the soup pot with the broth and Emeril's Essence.  Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer about 40 minutes.

Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic.  You can saute them first or not - I have made it both ways and there really is no difference so I don't bother anymore!

Add the beets, greens, Herbs Provence, salt and pepper, and cabbage if you are using it.  Simmer for 45 minutes.

Add potatoes and and dill and simmer about 10 minutes.

If you happen to have a few leftover veggies like brocolli, zuchini, green beans - toss them in now too!

Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top if you wish.  Great soup with or without the sour cream!

It's cold outside!  Eat lots of soup!

It's January!  And one of my two favorite times of the year to eat lots and lots of soup! (The other being October!)

Here in the Pacific Northwest it is always dark, always cold and usually rainy in January!  Definitely soup weather!  And from what I am hearing on the news about the weather systems blowing a blanket of deep snow over most of the northern hemisphere - many of you are in need of a big bowl of hot, nourishing soup about now!

So here is the recipe for one of my family's very favorites!  The recipe makes a huge pot of soup - enough for one big family or enough to freeze several dinners for busy days when all you want for dinner is a big bowl of home made soup.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were cozy little restaurants where one could get nothing but homemade soup, hot homemade bread, and home made pie for dessert?  At about 7:30 or 8:30 at night when we are tired and there is nothing in the world we would rather do than settle in with a hot bowl of soup - wouldn't it be nice?

But... I digress!  The recipe!

Sausage Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

2 pounds mild Italian Sausage
1 1/2 teaspoon Italian sausage seasoning (Penzeys)
3 Carrots cut into bite size pieces
1 onion cut into bite size pieces
4 cloves minced
3 quarts chicken stock (home made or purchased - I use Pacific brand)
1 Tablespoon Penzeys Chicken Base (optional)
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes in juice (I use S&W ready cut)
3/4 Tablespoon dried basil (Penzeys)
3/4 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning (Penzeys)
1 teaspoon dried, crushed red chile (I get mine from Chimayo To Go)
1 Cup Ziti
1 handfull ( about 20 - 30) green beans cut into about 1/2" pieces.
1/2 bunch of chard or spinach  (if using chard, remove the large end of the ribs)
1 large zucchini cut into bite size pieces

Note: Salt is not usually needed as there is enough salt in the seasonings and the sausage.  But taste and add some if you like.

Making the Soup!  It takes about 1 hour!

Break up half of the sausage into a skillet.  Sprinkle with half of the Italian sausage seasoning. Cook on medium heat until brown.  Repeat with rest of sausage and seasoning.

Be sure to break it up as it browns so that it is in bite size pieces.  Transfer to large stock pot with a slotted spoon.  (If you prefer, drain the cooked sausage on paper towels before adding to stock pot).

Drain all but a Tablespoon or two of the fat from the skillet and add the carrots and onion. 

Saute the onion and carrot until wilted and just begins to brown on edges.  Add the garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds. 

Add sautéed vegetables to the stock pot along with the chicken broth, soup base (if using) tomatoes and seasonings. Toss in the green beans.

Bring to boil, reduce temperature and simmer for 40 minutes.

While the soup mixture is simmering, cook the ziti in boiling, salted water for about 8 minutes. It has been my experience that ziti loves to settle to the bottom of the pot and stick!  So - I recommend stirring every couple minutes to prevent this from happening.

A little trick I just love that Diane taught me years ago!  Pour a little olive oil into the pasta water before adding pasta.  It keeps the pasta water from foaming up and boiling over!

(I had to shoot this while pouring with one hand and taking the shot with the other so - maybe a little more oil in the pot than necessary!)

When the pasta is done, drain and rinse.  Hold pasta until the soup has finished simmering.  Add pasta to the soup along with the chard and zucchini.

Return to boil, and boil gently for 5 minutes.

Ready to eat!!

Enjoy and remember to freeze what's left in double or single serving sizes. 

Notes:  1) If you wish, you can actually add the ziti directly to the soup after it has simmered about 30 minutes.  Bring the soup back to boil and boil gently about 8 to 10 minutes (stirring every couple minutes) before adding the chard and zucchini.  The ziti soaks up a lot of the broth making a very thick soup.  I like my soup brothy so I prefer to partially cook the ziti separately.
            
              2)  Add any vegetables you like to this soup!  If you have leftovers - toss them in just before serving!   Fresh veggies should be added depending on their cooking time - for instance corn in the last 5 minutes, sweet potatoes or white potatoes about 15 minutes before the soup is done.  We even added some left over broccoli once and it was great!

I hope you will enjoy this soup as much as my family and friends do!

I am having way too much fun playing with gourds and I just have to share!

      - I decorated the two larger gourds in the background last winter and I have enjoyed them so much I decided to make a couple tiny ornaments using the same designs.

       - I had one little gourd that just begged and begged to be a snowman! 

       - During the past year, I tried my hand at drying  a bunch of those colorful, knobby, little gourds we see in every fall produce display.  And I found a very simple way to make them very festive!

Decorating gourdsis a great project for kids.  Artistic children get especially engrossed in drawing designs and pictures on their gourds.

So... just how did I get from these cute little jewelry gourds...

  

to these tree ornaments?

Here's how to decorate a gourd ornament using Sharpie pens.

1. If you don't have gourds on hand, I have provided, at the end of this post, several links to farms who will be happy to ship you some! 

Note:  I  used a tiny little jewelry gourd to make the poinsettia ornament. (I put a quarter in my treasure chest of jewelry gourds so you could see how little they are.) 

The ornament decorated with flowers and the snowman below are made from small gourds measuring 3" x 3" .

2. I ordered cleaned gourds, but if you wish to spend a little less money and clean your own, gourd cleaning instructions can be found in Diane's tutorial written for Craftstylish.

3. Draw your design on the gourd surface with pencil.  The pencil lines will erase easily if you need to make changes.

4. Using Sharpie pens, color in your design. 

I like to finish my designs with a very thin, black sharpie, but that it optional.

Note:  Drawing on gourd surfaces with Sharpie pens seems to be an activity enjoyed by almost everyone - young or old, boy or girl!  I hosted a gourd decoration class during the Harvest Festival at the Pumpkin Patch over Labor Day.  I provided cleaned gourds and a bunch of washable felt pens.  It was very obvious that everyone who came to play really enjoyed the experience.  (And of course the one thing I forgot was a camera!  Next year!)

Here's how to decorate a gourd ornament using colored pencils

1. For the flowers I use Berol Prismacolor pencils.  I think most color pencils will work.

2. Again, draw your design with a regular pencil and then begin filling in with color.

3.  Because the gourd surface is uneven and is covered with tiny pores and pits, the pencil color does not lay down smoothly.  I cut a Q-tip in half and use the cut edges to blend the pencil lines together.

Since my design is influenced by the beautiful flowers painted on platters and vases in Mexico, it was necessary for me to also blend colors together.

Before blending -

and after blending!

4.  I find that this particular design seems to look better if I outline it with a thin Sharpie.  Notice that I used the same Sharpie to add a few stems.

In case you wish to duplicate the design, here are views of the other sides!

Here is my little snowman ornament!

Acrylic paints work great on cleaned gourds.  I used three coats to achieve an evenly white surface.

The hat is a bit of red paint edged with fleece.  To create the tassel, I painted the stem and then dangled a couple little pompoms from the tip.

I can't help but smile back at him every time I walk by!

Out of nowhere I got the impulse to spray paint the knobby gourds I purchased last fall and dried over the winter. 

Ever since they finished drying out in May, I have been trying to figure out what to do with them.  I used them in a fall basket, but really missed the original bright colors.

I haven't quite decided just how to use these during the holidays, but I just love how beautiful they are!  Any shape gourd would look festive spray painted in silver or gold.

Here are the promised links to gourd farms.  Have fun!

Welburn Gourd Farm: Organic gourds grown in California

Amish Gourds: from Pennsylvania Durch Country

Martha's Gourds: delivers nearly flawless gourds

Northern Dipper: Canadian Gourd Suppliers

Check out every site because the all have great gourd decorating ideas and tips.

And here is a great gourd shape identification chart provided by Amish Gourds.

I love wheat!  I love oats! and I LOVE fall leaves!  Using all three, I just finished this fall wreath for my front door.  I don't pretend to be a wreath artist!  But I am happy with the way this turned out.

What I really love about it is that since I sealed all the dried leaves in Mod Podge, they will not wither away in a week or so - which is exactly what would happen if I used "fresh" fall leaves.  I just am not willing to put a lot of work into projects that have very short life spans!!

The wreath is very simple to make - here's how.

Trays of dried, pressed leaves - some just freshly covered in Mod Podge, some nearly dry. I used about 4 dozen leaves for this project.

1. Apply two generous coats of Outdoor Mod Podge to each side and the stems of your dried, pressed leaves.  Let dry completely between coats.  A final coat of acrylic spray wouldn't hurt!

I am reccommending Outdoor Mod Podge for this project to give it protection against humidity.  Even under cover of a porch, humidity can seep in and soften your leaves so that they become limp. However, if you are using you wreath indoors or live in a dry climate, regular Mod Podge with an acrylic over-spray will work fine.

If you have trouble finding Outdoor Mod Podge, you can order it on-line here and here.  Thank you Amy, (Mod Podge Rocks) for providing these on-line links.

Hints:  Line your drying trays with wax paper.  When your leaves are dry, pull them gently to release them from the paper. 

While brushing on the Mod Podge,  I hold the leaves in my open hand.  I keep a damp towel near to wipe my hand between leaves. Refer to this post to see how.

Sparkly hint:  Sprinkle diamond dust or crystal glitter on the top of the leaves just after you apply the second coat of Mod Podge to the top surface.  When dry, the leaves will look like they are covered with frost crystals! Quite pretty.

2.  I used a straw wreath for my base.  Once I removed the plastic wrapping, I twisted the wrap into a "rope", tied the ends together to form a circle, and then looped the "rope" around the wreath and through itself to create a hanger.

3. Attach groups of wheat stalks first with hot glue.

4. Then wrap each group once or twice with 6 lb. monofilament fishing line.  (It is invisible!)

5.  Continue gluing and tying groups of wheat stalks adding wheat to both the inside and outside as shown. The front surface is left open for the leaves and oats!

6.  Add the oat stalks in the same way.

7.  Pull three leaves together into a bundle with waxed dental floss. No knot required!

8.  Attach each group of leaves with a bit of hot glue right near the base of the leaves.  Sometimes I use a tiny bit of glue to hold a leaf in place where I want it.

Add your own embellishments!  A small scarecrow, or tiny gourds, a stuffed owl, even a little ghost or a bat! 

The best part is that sealing the leaves with Outdoor Mod Podge allows you to keep your wreath for next year. Your leaves will not dry out or absorb too much moisture.  Thanks to Mod Podge, all your time and effort isn't spent on a project that will dry up and crumble away in a couple weeks.

AND! ONE MORE REALLY COOL THING!   Amy, at Mod Podge Rocks, has another give-away going on right now!   Check out the details here.  You could win a copy of Rosie O'Donnell's new book "Crafty U" - featuring 100 easy projects for the whole family.

Hurry over there - the contest ends Saturday, October 17th at mid-night.

Good luck!

Ok!  This may look a bit familiar.

While I sat brushing Mod Podge on dozens of leaves to use on my Fall wreath (next post!), I decided to light the little fall leaf candle I made last spring to keep me company.

 I enjoyed the warm glow of the candlelight dancing through the leaves so much that I just had to make a bigger one!

But this time I made it with the intention that it could be used the rest of the year for crafty storage!  Or for storing dried peppers or dried mushrooms! 

I used a large, one quart  jar with a two piece canning lid.  During it's life as a candle, I am using only the ring portion of the lid.  Then later, when I am using it for storage, I will be able to seal the contents inside using both parts of the lid.

This has worked so well, I am planning to make a full set of four - one for each season to use to store tea bags, Splenda packets etc. on my kitchen shelf -  keeping them in rotation as candles as the seasons go by.

And since it is so easy to do, I am making some with my two little gingerbread house buddies for their Thanksgiving table!

How to make a Fall Leaf Candle!

All you need to make one:  dried, pressed fall leaves, regular Mod Podge, a jar and a brush.

1. Dry beautiful, colorful fall leaves using this method. Drying should take only about two weeks.

2. Smear Mod Podge all over the sides of the jar.  Do not apply Mod Podge to the bottom or the grooved lid area.

3. Place your dry leaf right onto the Mod Podge and press into place.  Brush over the leaf with more Mod Podge.

4.  Continue adding leaves and Mod Podge until your jar is covered with leaves.  I like to overlap a few, but keep in mind that overlap areas do reduce the light that can pass through.  I find that lighter colored leaves work best.  Use the darker leaves as accents.

5. Once you have finished placing your leaves around the jar surface,  use the flat end of your brush to create a stippled pattern in the Mod Podge areas NOT covered by leaves. This step will create a more pleasing pattern than will brush strokes when light shines through these "open" areas on the jar.

6.  Let the candle dry thoroughly and then apply a second coat of Mod Podge, again "stippling" the open areas.

7. Let the jar dry several hours or overnight.  Overspray with acrylic spray. When dry, pop a tea light in the bottom and you are done!

I am thinking that several of these, in different sizes, would be gorgeous on a Fall Party table.  And you can continue using them right through Halloween and  Thanksgiving.

And then... fill them up with buttons, pompoms, fall theme stamps, pumpkin seeds for next year's harvest necklace, orphaned beads....

I hope you enjoy the warm glow of your fall candles as much as I am!

Your kids will love helping you make these mini scarecrows!  Don't be surprised once you pop the head on if they want to give it a big hug and carry it around like a doll!

Watching kid's affectionate reactions to their scarecrows was the highlight of the "Make a Scarecrow" class we taught last fall at the Pumpkin Patch.  Once we placed the head on the "neck", every single child would squeal with delight, throw their arms around their scarecrow and give it a huge hug! Some carried it around the farm the rest of the day!

Using 3 mo. to 3T  children's clothes (found at Goodwill or in the back of the closet), makes the scarecrows just the right size for kids to love! 

You can use a squash or a small pumpkin for the heads, but after watching those fresh "gourds" rot after just a few days, I decided to try using dried gourds.  Personally,  I love all the wild options for head shapes dried gourds offer, and they will not only last the entire season, but also make that scarecrow much easier for your kids to lug around!

By the way, we will be out at the Pumpkin Patch taking pictures the next three weekends - unless it's raining of course!  If you are local, come visit!

HOW TO MAKE A CUDDLE-ABLE SCARECROW!

All you need to get started is:

-A shirt and pants - 1 year to 3T work great.  ( If you have a little hat, gloves or shoes - you can add those too!)

-Stuffing material which can be hay, dried grasses collected in a field, or even newspaper.  If your supply of hay is limited, stuff with newspaper and "embellish" with hay or dried grass!

-Two sticks 12" to 24" long.  (Any old sticks will do, but I had these slats left from the class so I used them.) For arms use sticks 12" to 18".  For the body, use sticks 18" to 20" for sitting and  24" for standing

Twine,  scissors, marking pens, paring knife and a mini saw from a pumpkin carving kit

Dried gourd or fresh pumpkin - 6" to 8" diameter

1. Tie a piece of twine about 30" long onto the stick that will be the vertical support.  Use a  surgeons knot and tie it about 4" down from the top.

Thanks to Martha Stewart  for coming up with this brilliant method for putting a shirt on a scarecrow!

2. Place the vertical stick through the garment you are using as the shirt.

Place the horizontal stick through the arm holes.  (Most likely, you will not be able to get the sticks through the arm holes if you tie the sticks together at the beginning.)

Tie the two sticks together right where you tied the first knot. 

3. Stuff the upper arms and chest part of the shirt

4. Stuff the pants and then slide the long vertical stick into one leg.

5.  Pull the pants up over the shirt tails and tie twine tightly around the waist to hold the pants in place.

6.  Optional.  If your scarecrow will be sitting in one spot undisturbed by loving arms, don't bother with this step.  However, if you suspect lots of love to be heaped on it, I would suggest you punch a tiny holes near the pockets or waistband and thread a piece of twine through one hole, around the "neck" and back through the other hole.  Pull snugly and tie with knots.  The suspenders will keep the pants in place!

For double insurance, do the same thing at the back of the pants.

7.  Stuff hay into the ends of the arms and legs and tie tightly with twine to hold in place!

8.  Let your child, (or the child in YOU) draw a face on a dried gourd or pumpkin using the black sharpie. 

9.  Cut a small hole in the bottom of your gourd, just big enough for your stick .  It is best if the head fits snugly on the stick.  (You could even glue it if you wish. ) Use the tip of a paring knife to start the cut, then finish with the pumpkin carving saw.

Shake out as much of the seeds and dried pulp as possible from inside the gourd. There may be a chunck of dried pulp left inside, but it should not be a problem.

10. Pop the head onto the stick!  I used a sugar pumopkin and a butternut squash for the "squash head" versions! 

What?  You don't recognize the guy with Missy Pukin head?  Why, that's Johnny Depp playing the roll of Oogie Boogie!

 ,

BEWARE! Don't even consider making this God's Eye Halloween Tree unless you are a person who really loves a challenge!

Your hair will be standing on end, your body twisted into pretzel like knots, and your fingers permanently cramped into unrecognizable raptor-like claws!  Your mind may implode or at the very least you definitely will be "on your very last nerve"!

By the time you are into your forth God's Eye, you will have asked yourself a least one hundred times "why am I doing this?!%@#!

And then your husband will walk into the room and say "Wow! That is starting to look really cool!"

So, if you are truly committed and determined and brave here are a few things to consider!

Be sure to spend time practicing making God's Eyes the " old fashioned" way! The link will take you to a tutorial for making simple God's Eyes. Practice, practice, practice!  (Make your practice pieces in pretty colors and you can tie them onto Christmas gifts!)

While weaving your God's Eyes onto your tree, be prepared to "un-weave" and start over, and over, and over.....

Do not expect perfection! Knots and bark will create cool spaces in your work which resemble spider webs!

At first, only weave one or two God's Eye's a day onto your tree.

Every ten minutes, take a break and practice yoga to pull your spine back into alignment, relax and take deep breaths to replenish oxygen in your blood cells, and eat lots of chocolate to restore your mental health!

Expect this!  And expect your ball of yarn to slip out of your fingers and roll 20 feet away! Repeatedly!

And most importantly, ALWAYS remember - the tree is boss! You can not move the God's Eye as you weave it.  YOU must do all the moving.  You will get your yarn caught on branches A-LOT!

Safety goggles would be wise if you don't wear glasses.

If you are still determined to proceed...

1. Find a really cool tree branch!  I used three branches which I bound together with floral wire.  Twisted branches, moss and lichen will add "character"!  For reference - my tree is about 36" tall.

2. Support your Halloween tree in a tall vase or tie it securely in a couple places along the "trunk" to something sturdy.

3. Select a spot among the branches for your first God's Eye and begin weaving.

4. Because every species of tree grows differently, there is no way to give you a step by step!  This is more of a "feel as you go" project! However, here are a few tips that should apply most of the time.

Try to hold onto your yarn at all times to prevent your weaving from becoming loose.  This is the method I worked out for cutting the yarn so that I could maintain the tension on the yarn as I cut it.

To make a God's Eye, you need at least two sticks that cross each other in an X.  Trees do not grow that way!  You will need to create an X by tying on an extra twig where you want to weave your God's Eye.

Often you will find that all you need is one more branch to make four. In the example above, the middle and right twigs grew from the main branch at top.  I tied the left twig onto the main branch using several wraps of the yarn and a tight knot to hold it in place for weaving. I placed the end of the twig right on top of the main branch so there would be no extension on the other side of the main branch.

I could have added the twig in any one of many configurations.  I actually tried this one first, but didn't like it.  THIS IS A TRIAL AND ERROR CRAFT!   You just have to play with your twigs and branches until you like the placement and shape of the God's Eye.

I made several I didn't like the shape of and ended up "un-weaving" them.

At points on your tree where three twigs meet, it is possible, by adding another twig to actually create a God's Eye that has five or even six twigs to weave on.  Great for variety! In this case, the almost vertical twig is the one that was added.

Or, place your God's Eye so that during weaving you will be able to weave around a twig, allowing it to extend out of the God's eye. You could (if you are truly crazy) even weave a little tiny God's Eye on this twig!

Sometimes you can create a very three dimensional effect.  Nothing added here - just three twigs growing from one main branch.

There is nothing wrong with squares and rectangles, either! By the way, you can cut the added twig close to the weaving, or allow it to extend beyond it.

I tried to weave a couple God's Eyes at spots where the branches formed a "Y" thinking a three sided God's Eye would be fun.  I was unable to get it to look right.  If you figure it out, please let me know!

NOT that I am thinking of doing this AGAIN!  EVER!