Mamas*Little*Treasures

What's Going on This Week at Ruby for Women!

Welcome to a new week here in the Ruby for Women community! There is so much going on that sometimes I can hardly keep up with all of it  ;o) But now that the holiday issue of the ezine is finished up, I am back to work full-time here in the community, so I thought it would be good to start the week by reminding you of some of the exciting activities that we have going for you:

* "New Chapter" Gift Basket Give-Away will be continuing through the end of November. I will be updating the gift list later today, but if you would still like to make a donation, please email me. And if you would like to enter your name into the drawing, please visit the Ruby for Women blog at www.rubyforwomen.com and leave a comment or you can visit our Gift Basket Give-Away group right here in the Ruby for Women community.

* New Book Give-Away will be posted later today, as well! This month we will be giving away a copy of "Ditch the Joneses" by Cathi Brese Doebler,so check back often for that update.

*  We will also be doing member features all week, so please let me know if you would like to be featured on our main page and we will get your  info and pictures ready to post.

* Also, we are still offering our HOLIDAY ADVERTISNG special here at Ruby for Women. If you are interested in advetising your home-based, family-friendly business with us, please visit the Ruby for Women blog for all the details.

* Don't forget about the holiday issue of the Ruby for Women ezine where you will find so many great resources for YOUR family's holiday celebration. Here's the direct link to the ezine: 

http://issuu.com/ruby4women/docs/rubyholidaynovemberdecember2010

Please share our ezine with your friends and family so they can see all of the amazing ideas we have for them here at Ruby for Women! Have a great week! Nina

Holiday Issue of Ruby for Women is now available!

Open publication - Free publishing - More book reviews

Just a little more sugar won't hurt . . . .

We really have been trying to make healthier choices in all areas of our lives this past year . . . . trying to eat right, get more exercise, minimize stress and anxiety, get enough sleep . . . . and most of the time we do quite well, actually!  Occasionally, however, we all get a bit off track, and with the holidays and all of the yummy stuff to eat that seems to magically appear this time of year, we are all hitting the bottom of the sugar crash. 

Monday things will be back on schedule.  Daddy will be back to work, the girls will be back in school, and I will be back to . . . . . . sanity!!!   ;o)   But for this weekend, our next youngest daughter and her family will be here this afternoon until Monday morning, with three children under the age of 5!  So I have a few more hours of wild and crazy, chaotic fun before things settle down. 

In the meantime, I finished up the Danish Puff that we always make on New Year's weekend - sometimes we have it for a special brunch on New Year's Day, but this year we are saving it for a special brunch tomorrow with all of kids and grandbabies.  Just another one of those family traditions that seem to mean so much to us, and perhaps the kind of thing that you love, too.  If you are still looking for one more special recipe to add to your holiday traditions, this one is so easy!  You will be surprised, however, how yummy it is.  Actually the only sugar is in the almond glaze that is swirled over the top.  This recipe originally came from Great Grandma Steed who loved to bake.  Another one of her specialties was Peanut Brittle.  We didn't get that made this year, but I'm definitely going to make some next year! 

I also found the recipe in my trusty old Betty Crocker Cookbook, so that's a double confirmation that this is a very special recipe!  It would really be a great treat for any special brunch or breakfast, not just at New Year's celebrations.  This would make a wonderful addition to an Easter breakfast, or Mother's Day treat, or any other special occasion that your family celebrates.  

Great-Grandma's Danish Puff

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup flour

2 T. water

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup water

1 t. almond extract

1 cup flour

3 eggs

*  Almond Glaze

*  Chopped nuts

Step 1:  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut 1/2 cup butter into 1 cup flour.  Sprinkle 2 T. water over mixture; mix.  

 

Step 2:  Round into ball; divide in half.  On ungreased baking sheet, lay out two sheets of tinfoil to make individual baking "pans." 

Pat each half into oval shape, approximately 4" wide X 8" or 9" long.  Fold tinfoil up around each dough oval to make a small edge.

 

Step 3:  Heat 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water to rolling boil in medium saucepan.  Remove from heat and quickly stir in almond extract and 1 cup flour.

Step 4:  Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute. 

Remove from heat and beat in eggs, all at once, until smooth and glossy. 

Step 5:  Divide  mixture in half; spread each half evenly over strips. 

 

Step 6:

  Bake about 60 minutes or until topping is crisp and brown.  Cool.  (Topping will shrink and fall, forming the custardy top of this puff.)

Step 7:

  Frost with Almond Glaze and sprinkle generously with nuts.

* Almond Glaze:

  Mix 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 2 T. butter or margarine, softened, 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract and 1 - 2 T. milk or water until smooth and of spreading consistency. 

 

*  If you want to wrap them up for gift-giving, the little tinfoil "pans" make it very easy to pick them up, put them in individual plastic bags, and tie up with a festive ribbon.

And there you have a beautiful Danish Puff with very little effort!  Have fun on this last few hours of celebration before life returns to normal . . . . . but perhaps we should all make a commitment to celebrate EVERY day in 2010 for all of our blessings and even for the difficulties, because they always bring us opportunities for new open doors.  We'll chat about that more next week!  Until then, hugs and happiness for this day    ;o) 

What's Up on your Wednesday?

OK I've spent the entire morning updating pictures, profiles, and all kinds of other stuff on some of the community websites that feature vintage and crafting connections. Still have much more to do, but I want to encourage you to check out new community websites when you find them. I'll be back later and post some links so you can check them out if you haven't already found them. Now it's off to the studio to finish up a couple more projects, then to the PO to ship out a couple of orders, and guess what!!!! The girls want to go roller skating again ;o) There's a "party" at the skating rink tonight (instead of tomorrow night on New Year's Eve) so we're thinking about it. I'll keep you posted! Check back later because I will also be posting our traditional recipe for Great Grandma's Danish Puff that we always have for New Year's Day brunch. Super easy, and so yummy!

You can still get this finished before Christmas!

Just in case there is still one more name on your gift list, and you can't figure out what you can possibly give to that person . . . . here's an idea that might be perfect!  Well, of course it depends on WHO that person is, but often times we have people in our lives who really don't NEED anything; they seem to already have everything that they need and want; and yet you still want to give them a little something to show them how much you love them.  This Vintage Collage Wallhanging is so super simple that you could whip it up this afternoon and take it to Grandma's Christmas Dinner or even to the family Christmas Eve get-together. 

This project is really quite beautiful, and it is very personalized . . . . and it can be as creative as you are!  But it really works best if you give it to someone you love who tends to be rather sentimental   ;o)   especially for Grandmas, Mamas, Aunts, or Sisters.  But you could also make something up for Grandpa or Daddy, especially if he has a hobby or a sports interest.  Our Grandpa really loves John Deere tractors.  So we could make up a collage for him using images of tractors, and then include pictures of him in his younger days with one of his tractors . . . . or perhaps you could make a collage with a poem that Aunt Sally wrote once upon a time . . . . or a song that Uncle Bob wrote back in 1962 and include a picture of him with his favorite guitar.  So many different ways that this project could be interpreted! 

I decided to use a favorite family recipe that has become a traditional treat, especially at birthdays, but has even been included in a couple of family weddings.  This is my original recipe for Waldorf Astoria Red Cake.  I wrote this recipe down over 30 years ago, given to me by a special aunt on my husband's side of the family.  For many years after that, we would always have Red Cake for every birthday celebration.  And it became one of our most important traditions.  Every time I would pull those recipe cards out of my recipe box, I would think that I really needed to re-write the recipe down on a new card, because it was getting so old, tattered, and worn.  If you look closely, you will see that there are stains from all the years of use when children would spill vanilla or smear buttery fingers over the card.  In one place, you can even see some tiny scribbles in a childish hand. 

I realized that these cards are truly a treasure just the way they are!  But the originals won't last forever, but the memories will . . . . and one way to keep those memories alive is to preserve them today.  So, go ahead and be creative with your design, and use whatever treasured momentos you have in your family, and make a collage that will preserve those memories for generations to come. 

Vintage Collage Wallhanging 

Supplies: 

* Frame 

* Vintage momentos such as pictures, images, baseball cards, tickets, tags, anything that you might use to create a scrapbook page 

*  Glue or acid-free scrapbooking tape 

* Acid-free scrapbooking paper  

* Various trims and embellishments such as stickers, tags, puzzle pieces 

* Vintage buttons 

Step 1:

  You can either use the original momentos or make photo copies of them on acid-free paper.  

Step 2:  Cut out the copies or using the originals, mount them on acid-free scrapbooking paper in a coordinating color of your choice. 

Step 3:  Place objects on acid-free paper background.  Include any additional paper shapes or designs to complete your composition. 

 

 

 

Step 4:  Add any additional ephemera or embellishments desired.  I also added a small notation in the corner of each of my wallhangings with the date and that it was from me, Mom! 

Step 5:  When your collage is complete, place it into the frame and lock the back into place. 

Step 6:  If desired, you can embellish the frame with vintage buttons, lace, or ribbons. 

This is such a quick and easy project, but it shares treasured moments and family traditions with someone you love very much . . . . or several someones, as in my case I made one of these collages for each of my adult children and their families.  They will all remember the family tradition, as they have all carried on the tradition in their own homes.   Such a personal gift for anyone who shares a love of family traditions, whether it be our parents, grandparents, children, or grandchildren . . . . . really anyone you want to tell, "I love you, and I remember all the special times we have shared together."  Have a wonderful Christmas with those you love . . . . and remember that the giving is what makes your heart glow with the warmth of family, friendship, and the love of our Heavenly Father.  Blessings this day! 

My Mama's Hips - Who Cares, It's Christmas!

I used to LOVE to cook and bake, and try new recipes and experiment with different kinds of foods.  But that was back when I didn't have to think so much about my waistline!  Back when my older kids were small, we made all kinds of fun stuff.  I used to bake bread that we would take to the local farmer's market in the summer months.  That was back when we first started talking about "health foods," and so I made these beautiful loaves of bread that were crammed full of yummy stuff like nuts, whole grains, raisins, cranberries, wheat germ, and of course whole wheat flour and honey.  I couldn't tell you all of the different kinds of "Health Bread" I made back then!  But it sure was fun   ;o)  

Then, the kids grew up and, of course, given their choice they would always prefer plain old white bread.  OK, I give up!  And then, after four babies and a few years going by, I suddenly realized that I was going to need to pay more attention to ME and my own health.  So, even though I had never really had to think about my weight that much, and I had been kind of an exercise devotee for many years, somehow as time went by these sweet young girlish hips became My Mama's Hips.  And I stopped cooking and baking the way I used to.  That was OK most of the time because, I told myself, why should I spend so much time cooking and baking when the results of all that creativity are either completely ignored (or rejected), or else whatever I have spent hours creating is devoured in 30 seconds. 

I know that is a very cynical attitude about cooking.  But you can see why I just couldn't be bothered to invest any unnecessary time and energy in cooking and baking . . . . especially if I couldn't eat most of it anyway!  I still am trying to be very health-conscious with my cooking, for my own health as well as for my family, but at Christmas I guess it is OK to splurge a little bit.  So when I found this recipe for Candy Cane Fudge I decided to give it a try.  Partly because it is so pretty, but also because I love the combination of chocolate and mint.  

Chocolate is not one of my favorite things (as I know it is for some people), but once in a while it is super yummy!  Yesterday afternoon we made up our Candy Cane Fudge and put it on this cute little Santa Claus dish.  The girls want to take some fudge to their teachers on Friday, so I guess we'll be making another batch or two.  Go ahead and splurge a little and take a taste of this scrumptious fudge yourself . . . . and perhaps make up a batch to take to the neighbors.  Another simple and frugal gift from your kitchen!

Candy Cane Fudge

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

2 teaspoons mint extract

1/4 teaspoon red food coloring  

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, salt, evaporated milk, and butter, and stil until the sugar melts.  Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil stirring constantly, for five minutes. 

 

 

 

 

After five minutes, remove from the heat and stir in the marshmallows, white chocolate chips, and mint extract.  Pour the mixture into an 8 X 8 pan that has been lined with aluminum foil or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. 

*  Optional:  Sprinkle drops of red food coloring over the top, and stir once or twice, creating red swirls.  Do not over-stir, otherwisethe candy will turn pink.  Place in the refrigerator to set the fudge for at leastone hour.

*  Instead of the red food coloring, I sprinkled the top of the fudge with red andwhite sugar crystals.  You couldalso use crushed candy and  sprinkle over top of the fudge.

I remember my mama telling me that "Necessity is the motherhood of invention," and of course when I was 8 years old I had no clue what she was talking about.  But as the years have gone by, I definitely have had to figure it out on several occasions!  When we were making the fudge yesterday, I knew that I had some red food coloring in my kitchen, because  I bought a little box of the four different colors when we made the lollipops last week.    But . . . I know my Miss Curiosity and her propensity to "figure it out" by experimentation, and after she got red food coloring all over her hands last week, I put that little box of food coloring away . . . . someplace.  I hid it from the girls so I wouldn't walk in the kitchen and discover them (along with the walls, counter-tops, and floor)  covered in a rainbow of colors.  And then I couldn't remember where I hid it!  Still don't remember   . . . .  so that is when I decided to use the red  and white sugar crystals, and I actually think it is much prettier than with the red swirls through it.  So, there you have it!  And trust me - it really is yummy!  Have a blessed Wednesday, and I'll be back later with another fun and frugal, quick and easy, last-minute gift idea for some of the little ones in your family.  Chat soon, Nina

 

Sugar Plum Fairies Danced in My Kitchen

Since we've been thinking about family traditions and ways to celebrate the holidays on a budget, I decided it would be fun to make some of these super-simple lollipops.  If you are looking for fun, easy, and inexpensive gift ideas, this little jar of lollipops would make a truly sweet treasure for a teacher, a neighbor, or friends who just really don't "need" anything, but you want to remind them that they are loved!  Of course, lollipops are not exactly what you would want your kids eating every day   ;o(  because they are pure sugar.  With a little butter and a bit of coloring. . . . and then sprinkled with more sugar!  But they really are cute, festive, and charming in a vintage jar with a bit of sparkly ribbon tied around the top. 

This is one of the recipes that I have been making for a very long time - since my big kids were tiny tots.  Perhaps some of you recognize this cookbook.  Either you have one that is as raggedy and tattered as mine . . . or your mother or grandmother has one . . . . or you realize that these cookbooks are truly collectors items!  Well, probably not THIS particular cookbook, in such a worn-out condition, but the ones that are mint vintage condition are worth quite a bit on eBay.  But mine isn't for sale!  I have had this cookbook actually longer than I've had my treasured recipe box.  This Betty Crocker cookbook was a wedding gift way back in 1972   ;o)  

There, now I've given myself away!  But then some of you already know that my oldest daughter is 36 and my youngest daughter just turned 7.  So, no secrets around here about my age!  I've used this cookbook every holiday season since then, and so many family traditions have come from this book that I will never part with it.  I will leave it to one of my daughters so the family traditions will carry on.  I've often thought about how family traditions come to be . . . . and why family traditions have been such an important part of my life.  Long ago I realized that family and traditions have been so significant in my adult life because that is not something that I have memories of as a child. 

Oh, there were a few things . . . . my mama used to make deep-fried "Oolie-Kookins" once in a while.  I have no idea where that name came from or what it might mean - perhaps some kind of breakfast bread, as they were kind of like fried sweet dumplings.  But that is one recipe that I did not keep in my repertoire mostly because I don't care for fried foods.  Not just that fried foods are greasy and supposedly not very healthy (which of course, we didn't think about back then, we were just delighted to have something special!), but fried foods are so messy!  I am more of a "tidy cook," and don't like to cook stuff that makes yucky messes   ;o)  When my mama would make the "Oolie-Kookins" she would take them out of the hot grease in the frying pan and roll them in powdered sugar. 

As I think back to my childhood, there are very few other memories of "traditions."  Probably because keeping traditions alive takes time .... and money .. . . and energy to make them happen even when times are tough.  I don't think that was the most important thing in my mama's mind back then, when she was struggling to keep us fed, clothed, and warm in the middle of the winter in that tiny lake cottage.  So, I grew up longing for the security and predictability of traditions.  And strong family connections.   When it was my turn to be the mama and create and continue family traditions, I decided to create new traditions . . . . and of course, since that was a while ago, those "new" family traditions are now "old" family traditions. So we carry on! 

We used to make these lollipops by the dozen!  We would make them in every color we could create from our little box of four food coloring bottles.  But mostly red and green with candy sprinkles to create various designs, including smiley faces.  I can remember watching those little ones excitedly decorate their lollipops and then put them into hand-decorated jars or tins to take to their friends, neighbors, and teachers. 

Now, here I am again, carrying on that tradition with our girls.  It was so much fun showing them how to make candy, and they dutifully sprinkled the sparkling sugar over the lollipops.  So, just in case you want to make something new at your house, of if you are looking for a "new" family tradition, give this one a try! 

Doesn't take much time, energy, or money but the joy you will see in your little ones' eyes is truly a holiday treasure!

Grammie's Favorite Lollipop's

18 lollipop sticks

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup light corn syrup

3/4 cup sugar

Few drops of food color

Lightly butter baking sheet, 15 1/2" X 12".  Arrange lollipop sticks on baking sheet.  Combine butter , corn syrup and sugar in heavy 1-quart saucepan.

Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to medium.  Continue cooking, stirring frequently, to 270 degrees on candy thermometer (or until a few drops of syrup dropped into very coldwater separate into threads which are hard but not brittle). 

 

Stir in food color. Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls over end of each lollipop stick.  If desired, while lollipops are still hot, sprinkle or press on candy decorations.  Cool lollipops thoroughly before removing from baking sheet. 

Makes approximately 18 2" lollipops.To wrap for gift-giving, you can wrap the lollipops individually with Saran Wrap and tie with a ribbon; cover a group of 6 - 8 lollipops with Saran Wrap or clear cellophane wrap and tie with a ribbon; or place in a pretty jar tied with sparkly ribbon and place in a clear plastic gift bag.   

Have a blessed Monday, and celebrate the season!  There are so many reasons to celebrate, and lollipops are just ONE of the gifts that we have been given as we treasure our family traditions.  Later this week I will be posting recipes for our traditional peanut brittle and Great-Grandma's Danish Puff.  Chat later, Nina