Merry Christmas!

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Melanie's Recipes

Pumpkin Cobbler (or Pumpkin Cake)

Crust
1 pkg yellow cake mix (reserve 1 c.)
1 egg beaten
1/2 cube butter, melted

Filling:
1 (1lb) can pumpkin
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice (you can use cinnamon and nutmeg as a substitution)

Topping:
1 c. cake mix (reserved from crust)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 cube butter, softened

Mix crust ingredients together and pat dough into a 9 x 13 cake pan. Mix filling ingredients and pour over dough. Blend topping and sprinkle evenly over filling. Bake at 350 for 1 hour (check after 50 minutes). If you move the dish around a little and the center is "jiggley", it is not done. It may take more or less than an hour. Top with whip cream or vanilla ice cream.


Garlic Cheese Ball

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon prepared Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix

beat together the cream cheese, butter, Dijon mustard, garlic and ranch dressing mix. Cover and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours, or overnight. I rolled in sliced almonds and parmesan cheese.

October 6th, 2009

This entry comes courtesy of my sweet Eli, thank you for letting me use your camera. Before you watch you'll want to pause the music at the bottom of the blog and even then the sound isn't great (sorry). And Lin, originally there was 20 mins of footage but I couldn't upload all of it so just know that at the beginning everybody said "Hi" to you.

September 1st

Hello, September! Thank you for your subtle reminder that Christmas is only 3 months away. Knitting last night was at Mel's house and we had a very good turn out. Heather, Jenny, Samantha, Lori and a newbie named Amy. Mel made a delicious cheese ball and provided an assortment of crackers and cantaloupe. If I had been on top of things I would have remembered my camera and taken some pictures. I brought toblerone candy bars for everyone, much to their praise and astonishment that I had been overseas and thought to bring them a suvie. Then I told them I had just gotten them at Dick's and they were all understandably less impressed. Loves to Cath and Lin

Rough draft

I spoke to Ash this morning about my quilt. I was quite shocked at the abrasive tones she used with me when I told her I wasn't done. She said things like, "I think you should finish it" and "You should get it done". ALRIGHT ALREADY!! So...
It's 1:26am August 29th, 2009...I think. I have completed piecing my quilt (I hope). I will be going to the shop tomorrow (I guess it would be today) and getting it quilted!! It only took about 50 swear words to get it done, but I got there...I also yelled at Mac for telling me to come to bed. I might have told him, "he wasn't the boss of me!" (it's been a favorite comeback of mine since childhood).
Let me know what you think...or not. I heart all of you even "Manny" and Jennifer.

The 25th

Morning all. I had to smile this morning as I passed Heather driving up the street, expansive yawn on her face. It's so hard to say goodnight when you are having such a good time. When we stood to leave, Mel informed us that she just needed to finish one last row. Every row is the last row, (last one, I swear) I myself have stayed in the car a few minutes after my family has vacated just to finish up. Exciting news: we are in the process (pro-cess, pronounced Canadian style of course) of integrating two new people to the group. Samantha and Jenny although I am still toying with the nicknames of man or tha, and of course ever lengthening Jenny to Jennifer. Why? Because I can.




There are many beautiful projects in the works. This is a dress and elephant that Heather knit for a niece - so cute!



And this is the sweater that Mel is knitting for Libby - the pic doesn't do the lace work justice.



This is Catherine's commendable effort to get into the Genius Book of World Records by "going green" and using up all leftover skeins everywhere and knitting, almost exclusively, the basketweave stitch.



The treat last night was peach cobbler. Which was consequently also breakfast this morning. That, and Cheddar Sunchips (don't judge me). And Lori, you made my day by loving it.





Jenny and Samantha, welcome to the group.

And Lin, as always, you are missed.

The quilt

Spokane has changed me. I am a quilter now, or should I say piecer? I bought my first pattern, read it, got overwhelmed, and quit. It's invigorating!! I feel like I've been doing this for years!!
Seriously though, I did buy fabric and a pattern from Top Stitch (only in Spokane, sorry) and took it all home for a private lesson from a lady that works at the Quilting Bee.
Three hours and no further education later I sat down by Noah and watched Finding Nemo for the third time that day. That was the day I quit. Then the next morning I got up, ate a lemon bar and felt like I could try it again (maybe it was the sugar so early, but I had confidence again).
I went to Top Stitch and got help reading the pattern (still can't do without someone else breaking it down for me). I got all my fabric cut out and went home. Here is some of the pattern. It is REALLY EASY. I will post the pattern if anyone wants. Miss you all and love you!!