Puzzled

How many of you like jig-saw puzzles? I like them although I had not worked any for a few years. Personally, I think they are great way to slow down the frantic pace of everyday life and they provide the added benefit of working the brain. My daughter gifted me a 1000 piece puzzle this past Christmas. A 1000 pieces...Oy!

 One problem with puzzles- where can you work on them? I don't have a dedicated game room or game table. It was very annoying to have the puzzle on my dining table then have to move it when we wanted to eat dinner. I improvised at first, using 2 pieces of posterboard to carefully move and cover the in progress puzzle. That too, soon gave way to annoyance.

Another problem-my dining table is good for a quick meal, but it isn't comfortable enough to sit at for a few hours, hunched over while working on a puzzle. Although my dining table does have a nifty hidden storage tray which was great for storing the puzzle box, even though it is supposed to be used to store placemats.

I researched puzzle trays and tables and holy moly are they are expensive. ($70-$200)  I am wayyyy to cheap to drop money on those. I suppose if I had nice wooden puzzles and worked the puzzles daily maybe, just maybe, I would consider on of those fancy puzzle trays/ tables.

I rooted around the garage to see what I could DIY. I found some luan board, cardboard and an old, very oversized picture frame.

This is my first attempt to create a puzzle tray. Though not bad for 10 minutes worth of work and free materials! As you can see it is slightly larger width than my dining table.

It is nearly the same size as the chaise on my couch

But it tucks away under the couch quite nice. Which is good because I may be working on this puzzle for a very, VERY long time.

 I have several other frames, more luan board and plywood. I would like to make something smaller, with storage, and more portable. I may need to buy some dowel rods and I definitely need some felt fabric so the puzzle doesn't slide. Anyone have any nifty ideals for a puzzle tray or table?

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Dreary Weekend and a Garden Update

It is ANOTHER dreary weekend. I can't believe it is so cold and rainy.  I am so worried about my seedlings.

The big garden has been rototilled 3x now. The problem is, it has been much too cold and rainy to plant. We typically put the garden in by Mother's day.  I am waiting-not very patiently, mind you--for Mother Nature to make up her mind.

As a result of the weather, I have the Three Stooges of Seedlings.

No-Grow
Now at 34 days since the seeds were sown. Not ONE single pepper seed has germinated, despite my heating pad/ hot water bottle as a seed mat to warm the soil, and steaming up the portable cold frame tricks. I thought I saw some teensy green shoots, but it was only the pearlite that had discolored.

Slow-Grow

44 days-With all the cool weather we are having, I thought it would be the optimum growing conditions for my lettuce, spinach and green onions.

Grow Crazy

34 days-My cucurbits are growing -well- crazy! I have already transplanted the winter squash once. With our weather being so weird I may need to transplant again. 

The raised beds are a mess. The rhubarb needs cut down and everything else needs weeded. or blown up with dynamite.  I have new strawberries to plant since the deer decimated mine last year. Only 1 plant came back this year. How sad.  I also have 4 new blueberry plants. One of these days, I will be successful with blueberries.

We still need to pull the 2 dead peach trees. And replace them...again. I would like to plant some apple trees...again. I thought about espalier fruit trees on the side of my garage, but that requires relocating the perennial bed and about 7 yrs to train the fruit trees to form. Ain't nobody got time for that!

It looks like 1 of the blackberries survived the marauding deer. The other 2 are in bad shape. Hopefully after the hard pruning they will recover for next year.

Last night and expected tonight the temps are in the mid 30's. Today's high was 46° but with the wind it feels like high 30's...bbbrrrr.

So I used the crappy weather to my advantage. I removed the baseboard from the dining room (to prepare for new flooring), painted the walls and plastered the cracked walls in the stairwell.

Oh well, I will keep chipping away at my to do list and hope for improved weather.  What weekend projects are you working on?

My DIY Chai Tea Cocoa Latte Recipe

Y'all...I have an obsession. I love, LOVE chai latte's, especially the little pods for my keurig. I may have mentioned this in my last post. But I am not kidding. I can knock back a whole package in one sitting...errr drinking...

The problem? They are hella expensive. And loaded in sugar. Of course that is part of the reason they taste, just so damn good. Siiighhh

So after reading the label I realized, HEY! I have all the ingredients. I CAN MAKE THIS!

I used pumpkin pie spice because it is what I had on hand. It has ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Usually in a 2:1:0.5:0.5 ratio. Some brands use Allspice and Mace as well.

1 cup non fat milk powder (Not pictured)
1 cup non dairy creamer
1/2 cup each of the cinnamon and french vanilla creamer (again--using what I have)
2 cups instant powder
3 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger (Not pictured)
1 teaspoon cardamon*
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar (Not pictured)
1 tablespoon unsweetened, non-alkali cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon grated, dried orange peel-grind in a spice grinder 1st if you have one. (Not pictured)
(I am still playing around with thickening agents, so I will keep you posted)

*Cardamon is expensive. But trust me the flavor and aroma is out of this world. It is worth the investment.
**These ingredients and ratios are my preference. You may choose to adjust to your specific taste**

I know you are probably thinking--that is a lot of ingredients and some of them seem weird. I assure you the flavors work well together. Trust me, I am a former chemist. And I actually worked in food chemistry. I realize this isn't a traditional chai. But it is warm, earthy, spicy, sweet and creamy. It is yummy zen in a cup. It is like hugging yourself. Um, no--that is a straightjacket, heh. It feels like being wrapped in a fuzzy blanket on a cold winter day but from the inside out. I love this stuff!

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Transfer to a blender or food processor in 1-2 cup increments and pulse blend for 30-60 seconds. Ummm, don't open it too soon or you will end up a facefull of dust. And it gets everywhere. Not that I did that or anything...

The powder will be a very light cafe ole color and will have a very fine texture.

I stored my instant mix in a mason jar. I don't know why I bothered labelling and dating it because it won't last that long.

I added 2 tablespoons to my cup.

You can use hot water (which I did) or heated milk. Stir and enjoy. I have not tried in my Keurig. I am ok with the kettle for now. Once I perfect my recipe I will need to trial run it with my refillable pod on the Keurig. I also added 1 packet of sugar substitute to my mug because I wanted my drink a little sweeter without adding sugar. This isn't sugar free but is lower sugar, which is good for my diabetes and much lower in sugar than the commercial mix/ pods.

I feel like I have the flavor profile close and creaminess down. The next batch I am going to add Mace, Allspice and increase the Ginger because I like my chai on the spicier side. Plus I want to play with the thickness of the beverage. Commercial mixes us all sorts stabilizers, emulsifiers thixotropic agents. So when you DIY or copy cat it takes few batches to get it just right. Don't get me wrong this is good. Damn good. But (as a former Chemist) I know I can make it better.  And I will, heh

Copycat Baking Quick Mix

Y'all, do you use Bisquick, Pioneer, Jiffy or a store brand quick baking mix? I do.  I actually like the quick mixes because the quick mix offers the busy cook  a time savings for recipe versatility. The caveat is they are kind of pricey, depending on brand and size, with prices ranging anywhere from $3.99-$7.00 a package.  The truth of the matter is, most people already have the ingredients on hand, and can make up their own quick mix.

Ingredient list
10 cups of AP unbleached flour
1 cup of powdered non-fat milk
3/4 cup powdered buttermilk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup double acting aluminum free baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

I combined all ingredients in the bowl of my kitchen aid stand mixer and stirred for 10 minutes using the wire whisk attachment. The contents were transferred to a plastic cereal container (with pour spout), labelled and stored in the fridge.

I  did not add in the shortening. I will cut in what I need (or add oil per the specifics of the recipe) when I pull from the mix. Commercial mixes have a host of preservatives and shelf storage stabilizers.; whereas, mine is limited. I would rather err on the side of caution in terms of potential microbial content

++Note, the volume of liquid, temperatures and times noted are what work in my environment, altitude and oven. Some adjustments/ modifications may be necessary for your use++

Biscuits

Heat oven to 425°F
Combine 2 & 1/2 cups baking mix with 1/2 cup shortening cut in until it resembles course crumbs. Begin adding 2/3 -3/4 cup warm water (or milk). The amount of liquid depends if your house is humid or not. I have found on cool, dry days I need more liquid; on warm, humid days I need less.  Stir until a soft dough ball forms. Dough will be slightly tacky but pliable. On lightly floured surface, knead dough about 6 times and roll to 1/3 to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut using a flour dipped cutter. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown.



Pancakes**
Heat oiled griddle to 350°F
Combine 2 cups baking mix, 1 cup water (or milk)*, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 egg (or equivalent egg substitute), 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Combine all ingredients until incorporated. Batter may be lumpy.  Pour batter as 1/4 -1/3 cup dollops on a hot, oiled griddle,. Let the pancakes cook undisturbed, until the edges are dry and air bubbles form in the batter. Flip and cook until golden brown.

*For thinner pancakes increase the total liquid by 1/2 cup
**Waffles increase eggs to 2, use 3 tablespoons oil instead of butter and 1 & 1/2 cups milk

Apple Butter Streusel Coffee Cake
Heat oven to 350°
Combine 2 cups mix, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 egg, 2/3 cup milk, 2 tablespoons oil or 1/3 cup applesauce, and 1 teaspoon apple pie spice. Blend until well incorporated. Pour into a greased 8 or 9 inch pan. Dollop 2/4 cup apple butter over batter, then gently use a knife to swirl in apple butter. Streusel--In a separate bowl combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon baking mix, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or apple pie spice, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and 1 teaspoon melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over top of batter in pan.  Bake 25-28 minutes (a toothpick inserted will be free of batter), the cake will have puffed and it is golden brown. Mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of milk, mix until uniform. Transfer icing to a plastic baggie, snip a small edge of the corner and pipe icing drizzle over a slightly warm coffee cake (The icing should hold it's shape when piped, if it doesn't the coffee cake is still too warm)

Honey Butter Cornbread
Heat oven to 350°F
1 & 1/2 cup baking mix, 1 & 1/2  cup cornmeal, 1/4 cup honey, 2 eggs (beaten), 1 & 1/4 cup water (or milk), and 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon melted butter. Combine all ingredients until well blended. Batter may be lumpy. It will definitely be thick and somewhat sticky because of the honey. Pour into a well sprayed 8 or 9 inch pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

There are so many other uses for the baking mix. As a coating/ breading, scones, shortcakes, pierogi dough, a quick pizza crust, sweet or savory quick breads, fritters, and brownies--YES-brownies! You are limited only by your imagination.

What are some of your go to quick mix recipes?

No dig zone and thinking outside the box (part 1)

I have an ugly corner by my  porch. Unfortunately, I can't get rid of it because I am no pioneer gal. I am kinda partial to my electric and cable. I  am not partial to all the ugly! All I want to do is hide all of the cables, gas pipes and meter. This one of the first things you see when driving towards my house. Yuck!   I can't dig down  to place post of any kind because it is concrete and there are gas lines. I also need leave access to the utility workers if needed.

Ugh...this is all kinds of ugly!

In a somewhat related topic, I decided to think outside the box in terms of some decorations for this little corner while I figure out how to hide the eyesore.

This is part of my inspiration. Any guesses as to what this is?

If you guessed Starry Night, you would be...incorrect.

Hint:

Now?

Yep-- a bowling ball. I think this undrilled bowling ball has been moved to every closet, nook and cranny in this house over the last...12 years. I finally had enough and decided it would make a great gazing ball.

See what I mean about the distracting ugliness of  the meter, cables and gas pipe?! I have no idea how long the bowling ball can stay outside before discoloring and fading. However, it is a free decoration for now and in the future I can always paint, glue stuff on or embellish in some manner.

OK back to the project on  hand...

I decided the quickest, easiest and cheapest fix is to paint the pipes and box white  to blend with the house as much as possible.

The first thing I did (after putting on gloves getting rid of cobwebs) was use a wire brush and knock off all the flaking paint and rust. I hosed it down and let it dry overnight.

I used Rust-Oleum Flat White spray paint. Definitely an improvement!  Ummm do you think I could talk the cable and phone companies into coming out and changing all the cabling to white cables? Hahaha. OK I am MAYBE just a little OCD about stuff....Seriously, do you think they would do so?  Or maybe--I can get white tubing to go over the cables (like used for computer cables)?

This is only the 1st coat. Ignore the over-spray and spiderwebs. (gross) The rocks will be raked and the webs will get removed...again before  a 2nd coat for everything. I didn't paint over the plastic cover or the serial number plate. I figured they might not be to happy with that. I don't know if I was even allowed to paint the pipes,  so I guess I will find out if I get a fine or summons.  Pay attention, I may be appearing on the most wanted posters in the post office. HA!

I thought about installing a  series of large sized colorful pots with a trellis or obelisk and potted with some vining plants--perhaps cardinal climber or black eyed susan vine--would help conceal this eyesore  this a little more.  The plants must be able to withstand direct suns all day as this is a due west exposure. Several pots would be easier to move than one large installation .

Not bad for a few bucks and 30 minutes of time, eh?

Pallet Pinspirations--Choose a project

So the hubbs has been bringing home pallets with the intention of burning them in the fire pit. HOLD UP! Burn these?  Yeah, so. not. happening.

So many projects come to mind, yet where to begin? With Pinterest, of course.

Here are some of the projects I have in mind..

Idea #1 Pallet bar--perfect for the pool area

http://www.1001pallets.com/2014/05/easy-diy-project-pallet-outdoor-bar/

Idea #2 Pallet headboard

http://www.taushpointo.com/2014/12/pallet-headboard-a-basic-tutorial-of-mostly-pictures.html

Idea #3--Pallet plant stand

http://palletfurniturediy.com/pallet-table/diy-pallet-potting-and-entry-way-table/

Idea #4 Pallet art

Idea #5 Pallet fence

http://theownerbuildernetwork.co/recycled-and-repurposed/pallet-fence/

Idea #6 Pallet Firewood Shed

http://www.nextdoorwoodstore.org.uk/reseiclo.html

Ermehgawd--I am gonna need more pallets!

Cockadoodle doo--I got a message for you!

fowlvisions.com

My alternate title was something to crow about...haha lots of corn here!! I love to hear crowing roosters.

Remember how I was working on my command center?  I still had a few things on the list to complete, such as

Install a tack board

Install a light

Get some chalk for my chalk board! 

After pricing out tack and bulletin boards I was a little frustrated by the cost. I COULD have bought a roll of cork but it seemed kinda flimsy. Then I got to thinking. Thumbtacks might not be such a good thing in a high traffic area. Because I guarantee if there is a rogue thumbtack (or any pain inducing sharp object)--my toes will find them!

sourced from web

So I decided to pin my hopes on something else. (Ummm-- these corny puns are getting to me now!)

Any ideals yet?
 Chicken Wire Memo board

I know, I know....Chicken wire memo boards have probably been done to death but I HAD to do this. It was perfect for my space.

Here's whatcha' need

Picture frame, an old window frame or scrap wood to make frame if you are handy (which I am not) staple gun/ staples
fabric
chicken wire
paint
clothes pins
wire cutters
gloves

I finally found a suitable sized frame. In this case an old window frame. This originally had glass but I didn't want the glass. I tried to score along the glazing putty to remove the glass but that didn't work. So I taped newspaper to both sides of the glass. donned a pair of heavy gloves and safety glasses, held the window over the garbage can and whacked the crap-o-la out of the glass until it broke. (Man was that cathartic!)

I then used pliers and wire brush to remove any remaining glass shards This was what I was left with.

A quick wipe down and time to start amping up the patina on the bad boy.

First some white

Some brown and blue (I forgot to take a pic of them separately--oops)

 HOLLA!  Can I get a Woot woot? ! I am soooo diggin' this!

Next I  added piece of poultry net aka chicken wire by stapling. (Painted side down) Pull the wire as taut as you can.  Do yourself a favor and get your chicken wire from Tractor Supply, Home Depot or Lowe's (you can get 25 feet for $8) not that overpriced mamby-pamby crap from the craft store.. 

Front view--next step fabric

Turn the frame painted and chicken wire face down. I grabbed some fabric from my hoard. Place the fabric right side down, fold edges, pull taut and staple. For every staple point, I stapled directly opposite checking to ensure the material wasn't warping or distorting.

Looking kah-yute! And the best part when I showed the hubbs my fabric choices--HE picked this one, haha!

Close up of finish

I added a wire hanger on the back so I could hang it up. Here it is as part of my command center.

Cost breakdown
window=free from a friend, in exchange for a pan of brownies (Not SPECIAL brownies! ha)
~ 1 yard fabric=free from hoard
paint=all free from my hoard
Staple gun/staples and Gloves/ wire cutters=free from the hubbs tool box
Clothes pins=free from my closet

FREE FREE FREE! Not to bad eh?


Since I have plenty of leftover chicken wire I have several other projects in mind. None of which involve  chickens.

disclaimer-all images/video not watermarked MyCozyLittleFarmouse sourced from web

 


 

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Wow Us Wed #56