August PPP - Tomato Pie

I have to admit that the first time I hear the name of this pie I winced. Tomato Pie? Well it isn't a sweet pie. It is a wonderfully savory pie. I first saw it over at the Joyful Adobe. It looked so good I had to give it a try. It is well worth it!


I also tried a whole wheat crust. I wasn't satisfied with the results so I won't post that recipe yet until I like it myself.


Fresh Tomato Pie

Pastry for a 2 crust pie
Fresh tomatoes (skins removed, seeded and sliced thin)
Salt
Pepper
Basil (I used fresh and would use lots of it, maybe a couple of big handfuls)
you can also use dry basil, about a teaspoon should do
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 cups shredded white mozzarella

Prepare your pie crust.
Prepare the tomatoes and dry them between layers of paper towels. I would recommend drying them as much as possible. The more water you can remove the better the end result will be.
Layer the sliced tomatoes in the pie crust till it is full.
Season with salt and pepper.
Chop up the basil and sprinkle it on top.
Mix the mayo and the cheese and spread on top of the tomatoes.
Cover the pie with the remaining crust, crimp the edges and make slits in the top.
Bake at 400 deg F for about 45-50 minutes.
Cool for about 20 minutes. (if you use a stoneware pan it takes a lot longer to cool)



***Changes I would make next time***

I would leave the top crust off. That would let more steam out. I didn't use near enough basil. I have adjusted the measurement above to account for that. I might even spread pesto in the bottom of the crust before I put the tomatoes. That sounds yummy!

100% Whole Wheat Bread Machine Bread

I have been playing with this recipe all summer and think I have it now. This is so easy to make and has saved my bacon over and over again when I was too busy to make my regular big batch of bread.



1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp ground flax seed (optional)
2 tsp salt
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp gluten (optional)

Put everything in your bread machine in the order given.
Set your machine or the whole wheat setting and push start.

When the batch is almost ready to bake (that is about 1 hour remaining time on my machine), I pull the dough out and form it into a ball and put it back. Then it finishes rising and bakes perfectly. If I don't do that it still forms a good loaf but often gets a little high and sticks to the top of the machine. That isn't my favorite thing. :o)

How To Prepare for Sewing

One of my bestest frineds at Quilt Guild brought in this quoat for us. We all laughed so hard we were dieing. It was great!

Does this describe your preparations for sewing time?!?!?



(an excerpt from: Singer Sewing Guild: A Complete Reference Guild to Sewing first published in 1949)

"When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Go through a beauty ritual of orderliness. Have on a clean dress. Be sure your hands are clean, fingernails smooth --a nail file and pumice will help. Always avoid hangnails. Keep a little bag full of French chalk near your sewing machine where you can pick it up and dust your fingers at intervals. This not only absorbs the moisture on your fingers, but helps to keep your work clean. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on with care. Looking attractive is a very important part of sewing, because if you are making something for yourself, you will try it on at intervals in front of your mirror, and you can hope for better results when you look your best.
Again, sewing must be approached with the idea that you are going to enjoy it, and if you are constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in or your husband come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing as you should. Therefore, “spruce up” at the beginning so that you are free to enjoy every part of any sewing you do. "

I have not laughed so hard in months! French chalk? Maybe some French Chocolate. My favorite is the "... you can hope for better results when you look your best." Hey when I am in my sewing room in full sewing mode, I don't care who comes to the door, they better not bother me. hee hee

I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did!

OK OK!!! This post deserves a give away. I don't know what yet, I will think of something tomorrow but post your comments. I what to hear you all giggling. I will pick a lucky giggler and send her something really fun. You have until next Thursday to post a response and let me know your favorite bit.

Ok I have a plan and it is coming together so here is a hint as to part of the give away.

My niece Rebecca and I came up with this give away. A wonderful red lipstick is the perfect give away to help you "make yourself as attractive as possible" hee hee. And Rebecca assures me that this Apple Berry lipstick is one that is designed to look good with all skin types. What is even better is that when you buy a Apple Berry lipstick from now till December something they will give all of the profits to the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation. They provide monies to breast caner research and to break the cycle which fights domestic violence.

So the give away is a lovely Apple Berry Lipstick and some French Mint Chocolates from my good friend Rachel's Bakery Shop AND a little sewing treat, all to fit in a lovely Mary Kay bag.

You get an entry for posting here and you can get an additional entry for the drawing by going to Rebecca's Mary Kay site and registering there.

One Left

Oh My Goodness.
I just checked out my Sassy Apron Pattern box and there is only one left.

Someone ordered a dozen more of them and that all but wiped me out.
I don't know when I will be able to get another printing of them made. I hope it will be soon.
Soooo.... If you were thinking you would like to get one then now is your last chance.
Thank you to everyone that made this a success!
I would love to see pictures of you finished aprons!

Sorry this is sold out now.

If you missed out on this first edition pattern and would like get one let me know. If there is enough interest I will see if I can get a second printing done soon.

Summer Swapping Goodness

I have a lot to catch up on. This summer has just been too busy.
I participated in several swaps this summer and I am so late in posting my thanks for the goodness I have enjoyed.
First off is the fabric I received in the Fabric Scrap Swap hosted by Tracey. I have to say that I was more than spoiled by my two partners.

I got this lovely package of "scraps" from Katy in England. Look at those little dolls. They are so much fun with such lovely ribbon on them. I love it! The fabric scraps are simply delicious too.


I got this big bunch of lovelyness from Debye. I feel most spoiled!! This is full of the best of the best scraps. I have so many fun projects in mind right now. I keep getting both packages out and loving on them. They are too fun and I know that I was so spoiled to get them.
These two talented ladies also have wonderful Etsy stores that you should check out; C Berry Baby and I'm A Ginger Monkey.

Next I received a wonderful Fourth of July Apron from the Summer Flirty Apron Swap hosted by my friend Shawnee. I forgot my partners name and as soon as I remember it I will post it here so she get due credit for her wonderfulness.

She sent me a box full of 4th of July goodies. It was so much fun to get so many fun things for myself.

Thank you Partner!
Next I was involved in the Four Season's Quilt Swap - Summer Session. My partner was an early bird and I received my "Different Views of Summer" Quilt in the first week of the swap. It came right in the middle of my family reunion and went right up on the wall for all my sisters to see but didn't make it to the blog due to my faulty memory. So I am posting in now, very late.

Isn't that just too much fun?!
Look at the little details here. She quilted all around each picture. It is so fun and bright and red. I love red.


My very talented partner was Lori-Lyn.
I also made a quilt for this swap.

I made if from fabrics that I dyed and called it "Here Comes the Sun". It was a lot of fun to make. I loved the idea of it so much that I made one for myself from real vintage and contemporary prints I have in my scrap pile.

I just need to finish it. (Right! Like that will happen!)
I also participated in the We The People swap hosted by Tracey. In that swap you get to vote on what the swap will be. We all made Totes. I was excited about that challenge. Here is the Tote I got from Marcel. It is so wonderful! I use it everyday now. It has a jillion pockets inside and out and was stuffed with wonderful stuff that I forgot to photograph. Thank you Marcel!!

Finally I have already received my Apron for the Fall Sassy Apron Swap! My wonderful partner Leah made me a Snoopy Apron. How appropriate for Lucy to have a Peanuts apron. hee hee. I love it. It is so bright and fun and it doesn't have any naughty Lucyness on it. Thank you!