Tasty Tuesday - Chicken Fajita Alfredo

Grown Up R is out on her own and has a cat.  Senor G has an aversion to cats, especially inside.  So R took the opportunity that her father was out of town to invite her sisters and I to dinner.  He really missed out.

She was trying a new recipe that she found on line and it was a winner.  I will make it at home for sure.  We ate it too fast to take a picture. 

Microwaved Leftovers - Just as Good!

 Chicken Fajita Alfredo

8 oz penne pasta
1 lb chicken tenderloins
1 bell pepper, sliced  (R used red)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 (1.12 oz) pkg fajita seasoning
1 T vegetable or olive oil
2 c heavy cream
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

1. Prepare pasta according to instructions, drain and rinse in warm water; set aside.

2. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces,.  Sprinkle chicken, pepper and onion with fajita seasoning.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add chicken, peppers and onions.  Cook for 7 - 10 minutes, turning occasionally.

4. Add cream, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, simmer gently for 3-4 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken.  Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese.  Add pasta to sauce and toss.

Design Wall Monday

Another commissioned quilt for my sister.  This time a friend adopted a newborn.  We are partial to adoptions here, so this one is special.

She didn't have any preferences except "simple."  I pulled out some color options.

Naturals??

or Brights??

Brights it is!!!

She picked brights so now I'm moving forward.   This is the center and then I'll figure out borders. 

Check out some other design walls over at Patchwork Times.  

Stash Report 022617

Nothing in this week!!!  A lot of sick and too much else going on to even think of a trip to the thrift store.  Also, wising up to the reality that I DO NOT NEED ANY MORE FABRIC no matter how cheap it is.  We'll see how long that lasts!!

Binding for the second carnival quilt:  0.39 yards teal

Borders for Strips that Sizzle:  1.39 yards navy blue

Boxy Star Blocks: 4.25 yards pinks & purples


Fabric Purchased This Week: 0 yards
Fabric Purchased YTD: 21.01 yards

Fabric Acquired This Week: 0 yards
Fabric Acquired YTD: 0 yards

Fabric Used This Week: 6.03 yards binding, borders, blocks
Fabric Used YTD: 19.28 yards

Fabric Stashed in 2017:  1.73 yards 

Catching up, but still in the red.  My next projects are more UFOs that are close to a finished step, so I should be out of the red in the near future. 

Staying accountable with Judy over at Patchwork Times.

Friday Finish - Borders

This has been at least 16 years in the making. Possibly more.

Last year I pulled out some finished blocks from my UFO drawer and got the center done.  Then back to the UFO pile.  

Strips that Sizzle

In my effort to finish things this year I pulled it out again, auditioned a few borders, did not agonize, cut them out and sewed them on.  Woo Hoo. !!!

Next up - quilting.  My machine is being really contrary so I'm at a standstill on this part.

Showing off finishes with Crazy Mom Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Tasty Tuesday - Pumpkin Pound Cake

Pumpkin Pound Cake

The original recipe is Sweet Potato Pound Cake copied from an unknown magazine.  From living in many places where ingredients were limited I knew that I could easily substitute pumpkin for the sweet potato.  When we lived in Guatemala I went as far as to substitute any orange/yellow squash for either pumpkin or sweet potato.   Here in the US I gather the pumpkins used for decoration at school in the fall, then cook, purée and freeze for use all year.

Middle E was making banana bread for her teachers so I figured I'd make a treat for my co-workers as well.  This one of my most requested baked goods.  If I call it "Spice Cake" Little S will eat it!

Yummy!

Pumpkin Pound Cake

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 c butter, softened
2 c sugar
4 large eggs
2 1/2 c cooked mashed sweet potatoes (or pumpkin puree)
3 c all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)
1 t vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.  Add sweet potatoes/pumpkin and beat well.

2. Stir together flour, next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl.  Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until just blended after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.  Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10 in tube pan.

3. Bake at 350F for 1 hour and 5 min to 1 hour and 10 min or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes.  Remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely (about 1 hour).

Pound Cake Loaves: Prepare batter as directed; pour into 2 greased and floured  8 1/2"  x 4 1/2" loaf pans.  Bake and cool as directed.

Design Floor Monday

Bonnie Hunter's Boxy Stars has been my Leader & Ender project for at least a year.  It finally got to the point where I had 4 units left so I just sewed them and that was that.

It was a super busy weekend, so I just laid them out on the floor to think about placement every time I walked by.  This was my first try - random with none of the same fabrics in the same block.  But I think some of the pinks are too dark or too light and the star effect is lost.

Not quite right

I tried again making stars that were either dark or lighter and I think that worked better.  No photo though.

I sewed them up webbing style row by row and that was very fast.  I just made sure to only sew the horizontal seam on each pair not the whole row.

So Boxy Stars has moved out of the Leader & Ender stage and into the UFO stage.  Sashings, setting squares and borders next.

Linking up to Patchwork Times to share progress.

Stash Report 021917

Good news and bad news for the stash.

I'll go ahead and get the bad out of the way.

No, I didn't stop at the Thrift Store, but there was a church rummage sale last weekend.  I got solid white 100% cotton.  That is always useful.

Lots and lots of white!!

After I washed and measured it I realized something very odd.  Several of the pieces are 36" wide total, but are woven in a tube.  Not sewn, but woven.  Any ideas what the original intent was for that?  The best I can come up with is pillowcases.   8.75 usable yards for $3.50

Maybe a pillowcase!

Then we went back to the rummage sale the next day since everything was half off and I got this 2 yard beauty for 25c.  Not at all sure what to do with it, but I do like it.

10.75 yards for $3.75 = $0.36 / yard

Carnival Quilt Back

Good news is that I finished preparing the backing for the 2nd Carnival Quilt.  I didn't have anything large enough that would work, so I cut 10.5" squares from all the beachy "loud" prints that I had in my stash.  Basically it's now a reversible quilt.   Some of the squares had to be seriously pieced to make them 10.5", but I'm okay with that. Most of those fabrics are completely used up now and I'm very okay about that.   This was the perfect place for them.

Fabric Purchased This Week: 10.75 yards
Fabric Purchased YTD: 21.01 yards

Fabric Acquired This Week: 0 yards
Fabric Acquired YTD: 0 yards

Fabric Used This Week: 2.85 yards Carnival Quilt #2 backing
Fabric Used YTD: 13.25 yards

Fabric Stashed in 2017:  7.76 yards 

Back in the red.  But Senor G is away and I don't have to cook or clean for 10 days!  The girls and I are super flexible.  In fact they prefer the "fend for yourself" dinners.  I see some more finishes in my future!

Staying accountable with Judy over at Patchwork Times.

Carnival Quilt #2 Done

Well, almost.  I just have to sew in all the thread tails.  Since the thread broke a lot there are more tails than usual. I changed the needle and re-threaded the machine but it still broke more than usual.  Frustrating.  But done at last.

The Front!!

I wanted a light blue/turquoise thread but couldn't find any so I went with variegated pastels on the front.  I was not sure at all but it blended in perfectly with the wide border on the front.  So much so that I could only work on it in full daylight so that I could see where I had been.  

Quilting on back

The back was a toss up.  Since the blocks alternate light and dark there was no best color.  I went with my old stand by - variegated blue.  I think it worked fine. 

More quilting on back

I had yesterday afternoon off unexpectedly so I got the quilting done.  Then did the binding in the evening.  We have a 4 day weekend and now this is not hanging over my head and I can move forward with something else - or clean the house! 

Perfect blend on the border

I really like how this quilt turned out, but for some reason it was hard to finish up.  Potentially it is my last carnival quilt. Maybe that is why it dragged out.

Little S asked if I would make one next year even if she is not at that school anymore. I think I would for Ms D if my schedule allows.  After making one for her for the last 4 years it's pretty much a tradition.  Only making one carnival quilt would make a difference as well.  Who knows what next year will bring. 

For know I'm happy to be so close to finished.  A good movie tonight and those threads will be done. 

Showing off finishes with Crazy Mom Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict   

Stash Report 021217

I am kind of addicted to the Thrift store.

Thrift Store Gems

Muslin 2.33 yards $1

Pink w/ brown dots  0.28 yards  25c

Lily of the valley. 1 yd  50c

Paw prints  FQ. 25c

Cats. FQ 50c 

Total stashed: 4.36 yards. $2.50   $0.57/yard 

Carnival Quilt #2 is moving right along for some helpful outage.  

Sea Glass Flimsy

The teacher requested something "beachy" and I was kind of nervous.  I checked out some ideas and came up with my version I call "Sea Glass."   Surprise, surprise I had enough variety of beach glass colors right there in my stash to make it work! 

This color planning in a limited range was very new to me.  I am super pleased with the result.  

Carnival Quilt Front 2.37 yards out

Fabric Purchased This Week: 4.36 yards
Fabric Purchased YTD: 10.26 yards

Fabric Acquired This Week: 0 yards
Fabric Acquired YTD: 0 yards

Fabric Used This Week: 2.37 yards
Fabric Used YTD: 10.4 yards

Fabric Stashed in 2017: 0.14 yards

Whew.  That was close!

Staying accountable with Judy over at Patchwork Times.

Carnival Quilt #2 Top Finished

The teacher requested "beachy" for Little S's class carnival auction quilt.  I wasn't sure what to do.  This was Plan Z of all my ideas.   I love the way it came out. The outer border fabric was a surprise perfect combination.   Turquoise was too much for the inner border, but the yellow is just right.

Late afternoon lighting.  Not the best, but you get the idea.

I just love it.  I'm calling it "Beach Glass."

I really like the carnival quilts because I get to experiment with ideas but I don't have to store it!!

Backing.  Not a drop left of most of those fabrics!!

The back is 10" squares of all the beachy print "loud" fabrics that didn't work for the front.  So it will be a reversible quilt.  

Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict to show off finishes.