Category: MISC

Every good cook has a vintage apron or 2 or 3 or 4…

Head on over to Confessions of an Apron Queen to participate.

This is the post from her site:

In 1928, Herbert Hoover promised “a chicken in every pot & a car in every garage”… Today, I’m promising a vintage apron around every waist!

Rick Rack Attack is moving on up! A year ago, if you Googled “vintage aprons”, Rick Rack Attack was literally on the 200th page. I bet ya’ll didn’t even know there was 200 page results for “vintage aprons”. Today, Rick Rack Attack has climbed to the 4th page on Google. I am absolutely tickled with our growth & success. But, I don’t want to stop until we’re on the 1st page!

Unfortunately, I am sorely lacking in an important area in search engine placement- other websites & blogs with links to Rick Rack Attack. So, this is where ya’ll come in. I need your help! And I’m not ashamed to ask for it! And I’ll even bribe ya’ll with vintage aprons to help me shamelessly promote my website.

Here’s the deal… If you place the above button on your blog or your website & link to Rick Rack Attack, I’ll mail you a free vintage apron! How easy is that?!

Head on over to Confessions of an Apron Queen to participate.

Thursday Thirteen ~ All about ITALIAN coffee


So is everyone out there as confused as they sound when they order Italian coffee?
I thought I’d do a list of the definitions you need know in order to order efficiently.
Learn more here.

  1. Caffè (kah-FE) – We might call it espresso; a small cup of very strong coffee, topped with a caramel-colored foam called “crema”, a very important element in the best examples.
  2. Caffè Hag is a decafinated version. You can order a “decafinato” as well; Hag is the name of the largest producer of Italian decaf coffee and that’s the way you’ll see it on many bar menu boards.
  3. Bicerìn (pronounced BI-che-rin) – Traditional drink of Piemonte around Torino, consisting of dense hot cocoa, espresso and cream, artfully layered in a small glass. Not usually found outside of the Piemonte region.
  4. Caffè Shakerato (kah-FE shake-er-Ah-to ) – in its most simple form, a caffe shakerato is made by combining freshly made espresso, a bit of sugar, and lots of ice, shaking the whole deal vigorously until a froth forms when poured. Can have some chocolate syrup added. See, Caffe Shakerato – What’s This Italian Shakerato Thing.
  5. Caffè latte (kah-FE LAH-te) – Espresso with hot milk, a cappuccino without the foam usually served in a glass. This is what you might call a “latte” in the US. In Italy, outside of tourist joints, you run the risk of getting what you asked for – milk, or worse yet, steamed milk.
  6. Latte macchiato (Lah-te mahk-YAH-to) – Steamed milk “stained” with espresso, served in a glass. Ideally 1/3 espresso, 2/3 warm milk with a small head of foam – aka a coffee with milk that costs 5 times as much as coffee with milk.
  7. Cappuccino (pronounced kah-pu-CHEE-no) – a shot of espresso in a large(er) cup with steamed milk and foam. Not ordered by Italians after 11 in the morning.
  8. Caffè con panna – espresso with sweet whipped cream
  9. Caffè ristretto (kah-FE ri-STRE-to) – a “restricted coffee” or one in which the stream of coffee is stopped before the normal amount. The essense of coffee, concentrated but should not be bitter.
  10. Caffè corretto (kah-FE ko-RE-to) – coffee “corrected” with a drizzle of liquor. I like sambuca, but most prefer conac or grappa.
  11. Caffè freddo (kah-FE FRAYD-o) – Iced, or at least cold, coffee
  12. Caffè lungo (Kah-FE LOON-go) – a long coffee. They’ll let the water pour from the machine until the coffee becomes weak and bitter. Also called a Caffè Americano or American Coffee, which is also expressed as acqua sporca, or “dirty water” by Italians.
  13. Caffè con zucchero (ZU-kero) – espresso with sugar. Usually, you’ll add your own from a container at the bar, but in some places, especially in the south around Naples, the coffee comes with sugar and you have to order it “sensa zucchero” or without sugar if you don’t like it sweet.

A Crafters AHA Moment ~ and the Decision it Dawned

I had a rare and unusual afternoon to myself and I did the girly girl thing and went shopping. For those of you that know me, you know this is not something I do. I have a list, I check it twice, I’m in and I’m out, end of story! Here in the North Woods, the choices are limited and nothing like what I always had available in SO CAL, but on this particular rainy afternoon I had a very short list and decided instead to browse where I could. I did the department stores (there’s only 2) and then the boutique and specialty stores (only a couple of those too) and thought WOW, I’m done. Then I came to Michaels on my way out of town. It was raining so hard I almost didn’t stop, but I’m glad I did.

Michaels was where the AHA moment struck. I had been having a fairly relaxing afternoon until I walked in there and started thinking about all the unfinished projects I have to do, all the bits and pieces of craft tools that I have and that I actually don’t enjoy some of them like I thought I would, but feel obligated to complete them.

SO my AHA moment was enlightening as I made a mental list (I am a serious list maker) of the crafts I like or love (quilting, stained glass, scrap booking and photography) the crafts I want to try (candle making and altered canvas) and the crafts I want to give up forever (crocheting, rubber stamping, doll making after I finish these last 2 and everything else that’s not in the above 2 lists)!

I remembered what my Rhuematologist said when I first got sick. “It is okay to give yourself permission to not be stressed whether that is giving up a person, a place or a job”. Since I’m a caretaker kind of person I always feel bad about not being ALL things to ALL people, but am learning it really is okay to say NO and please just yourself once in awhile.

When we moved, I donated a ton of stuff to the girl scouts for crafts, even shipped several boxes back to my old troop the next year, but it obviously wasn’t enough. I’ll be donating all the rest of the crafty bits and pieces and tools to the local after school program for the kids and not feeling one bit guilty about it either!

Today in the garden

A few more irises popped up in the back!
The day lillies are loving the sun today and
the “weed” patch there is really a “POPPY” patch about to pop.
And Miss Whiskey volunteered to do the weeding.

Cooking by Trial and Error AKA no 2 recipes ever taste the same!

In continuing the theme of revealing secret recipes, I have a few more thoughts. I try to be very thorough when writing recipes so that those with little experience in the kitchen, those working toward reducing weight and those who want an acceptable finished meal will all be satisfied. But, when I’m not composing recipes for posting, I’m a verrrrrrrrrry impromptu chef, I have a menu in mind, but it is altered (sometimes very seriously) according to my whim of the moment and the ingredients I have on hand. I wish that style of cooking could be taught, but it either comes naturally or it’s an acquired skill and kind of like riding a horse, it takes a lot of practice, some daring courage, and a serious willingness to keep getting back in the saddle until you have the knack of it. I know the dogs love my failed attempts.

Because of this, there is no real “secret” recipe. Secret recipes tend to come from cooks like me and are then altered again by cooks like me to meet their own criteria and so a secret recipe kind of becomes like a whispered secret being passed around a circle of friends, it is never the same thing by the time it gets to the end. You know, it’s how ‘There’s a black cat in the street’ becomes ‘there’s a bucket and it’s empty’ or how Baked Bean Dinner becomes Joe’s famous BBQ beans. LOL

Tuesday's Romance of Cookery and Housekeeping – Peanut Butter Fruit Roll Ups

PEANUT BUTTER AND FRUIT ROLL UPS

1 1/2 cup flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons butter
1/2+ cup milk
3 tablespoons JIF creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons golden raisins*

  • Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.
  • Cut in 2 tablespoons of cold butter until it reaches a consistency of cornmeal.
  • Add the milk, mixing until a soft dough forms.
  • Pat into a rectangular shape 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface.
  • Cream the peanut butter and 2 teaspoons butter and spread onto dough.
  • Sprinkle the raisins randomly on top.
  • Roll up like cinnamon rolls.
  • Slice off 1/2 inch rolls and place in a well greased baking dish.
  • Bake 18-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
*I have used cut up chunks of dried apricots and they were really yummy too. If you prefer the original recipe called for currants instead of golden raisins, 1 tablespoon less of peanut butter and lard instead of the 2 tablespoons of butter.

Recipe (page 440) adapted from ‘A Thousand Ways to Please a Husband’
by Louise Bennett Weaver and Helen Cowles LeCron

I do the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks and Slow Cooking Thursday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!

Moody Mondays


Moody Mondays is hosted by Shannon H. at Moody Mondays!
This week’s Moody Monday is all about…Movies!

  • What is your favorite movie? Depends on the Genre, but if I had to pick just one it would be It’s A Wonderful Life.
  • What is your favorite type of movie? Romantic Comedy, Adventure
  • Do you like going to the theater to see movies? How often do you go? Up here in the North Woods, we are limited on theaters – you gotta love the comfort of your own living room though with a bowl of popcorn and the ability to hit pause…
  • Do you rent movies or buy them? Depends on the movie
  • What is the last movie you saw in a theater? on DVD? on television? P.S. I Love You~Charlie Wilson’s War~27 Dresses

Sesame Garlic Green Beans


Lorie over at Honey I Shrank Myself is starting a new meme,
Watchin’ What We Eat Wednesday. It starts June 18th.
I know I need to and am looking forward to some great new recipes and tips to help.
So head on over for all the info and join the fun.

SESAME GARLIC GREEN BEANS

1 1/2 pounds trimmed green beans
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cloves minced garlic
  • Cook the green beans for 5 minutes in boiling water
  • While the beans are cooking, combine soy sauce, sugar and oil. Set aside.
  • Drain the beans and set them aside.
  • Spray a saute’ pan with PURE.
  • Over medium heat saute’ garlic until soft.
  • Add the beans. Stir a few minutes until they are well coated with garlic.
  • Add the soy sauce mixture, stirring constantly until most of the liquid is absorbed.
  • Enjoy.

Menu Plan Monday

MONDAY ~ Chicken Fried Chicken with Peppered Gravy & Salad
TUESDAY ~ Chicken & Onions in White Wine Cream Sauce & Salad
WEDNESDAY ~ Chicken Chili & Chile Cornbread
THURSDAY ~ Spaghetti Bolegnese, Salad & Garlic Bread
FRIDAY ~ Pizza
SATURDAY ~ Leftovers
SUNDAY ~ Carnitas & Salad

I do the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks and Slow Cooking Thursday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!