Some Yum Yums To Keep You Thinking Cool

COCOA BREAKFAST SMOOTHIES

INGREDIENTS:
1 container (8 oz.) strawberry yogurt, 1-1/4 cups cold milk, 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced 1 ripe, medium banana, sliced; 3 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa, 2 tablespoons honey
DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients in blender container. Cover; blend until smooth.
Yield: Approx. 5 servings
Just 2.5g fat and 140 calories per 6oz. serving!
Here's the next yummy I really like:

BROWNIE AND FRUIT KABOBS

INGREDIENTS:
BETTY CROCKER*Fudge Brownie Mix Water, vegetable oil and eggs as called for on brownie mix box, 4 cups fresh pineapple chunks, 5 cups halved fresh strawberries, 10 large bananas, cut into 1-inch pieces, 1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine,21 (10-inch) bamboo skewers
DIRECTIONS:
1)Heat oven to 350°F. (325°F. for dark or nonstick pan). Line 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil letting foil hang 2 inches over sides of pan. Spray or grease bottom only of foil. Make brownie batter as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs. Spread in pan.
2)Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side comes out almost clean. Cool completely. Lift brownie from pan; remove foil. Cut brownies into 1-1/4 inch squares.
3)Line cookie sheets with waxed paper. Alternately thread 3 brownie squares, 2 pineapple chunks, 2 strawberry halves and 2 banana slices on each skewer. Place kabobs on waxed paper.
4)In small microwaveable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and butter uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once until chocolate is melted. Drizzle over kabobs!
*(Betty Crocker is a registered trademark of General Mills, used with permission)
Mr. Glen Oaks makes his brownies from scratch, he just uses the recipe on the Hershey Cocoa container. They are marvelous. We almost never use mixes anymore for baked goods. When recipes call for "cake flour" we use regular flour. I can't think of the ratio right now, it's +/- 2 tbs. I think, and sift the flour 2-3 times. Your cookbook will have a substitution chart for cake flour and all common ingredients used in cooking, usually where the chart for measure equivalencies are found. His cakes come out light and tasty, not "heavy" like some homemade recipes turn out. My mom says that many years ago before the advent of mixes cakes usually came out heavy and chewy, but not Mr. Glen Oaks'! He has the magic touch. Oh, and he swears by parchment paper for lining the pans and cookie sheets. I actually clued him in on that little trick. I think I discovered parchment paper from Martha Stewart recipes. You can also make little parchment paper pouches to bake fish with. Parchment Paper, it's a "Good Thing".

This Week's Free Patterns

Hi, Primmies...
Today at midnight is the deadline for sign-ups at The Olde Country Cupboard and Samantha's Accessories Christmas in July Giveaways. See my post below for photos and details. Here is Sandy's free pattern for this week:

Her Prim Santa Head finishes up to 15 inches. She says he's simple to make.
Click Here to go to her blog to download this and more free patterns, and to join her blog and giveaway.

Samantha's free pattern is for these adorable Snowman Mini Pillows:

Click Here to go to her blog to download this and more of her free patterns, and to join her blog and giveaway.
She has a quick tutorial on how to make these sweet Santa Cans, they would be great to
use as a gift tin for cookies, coloring books and crayons or whatever you can think of:

Aren't they adorable? She's very clever like her mom, Sandy! Sign up if you already haven't for their blogs and giveaways and MORE free patterns from these talented ladies.
Stay cool, primmies.
Warm Regards,
Susan

The Family Visit Part 2,Another CITRASOLV Use & Antique Samplers

Well, Sister and BIL should have been here last night. My daughter called me just before midnight to say that Aunt Rose was in the hospital with a kidney stone. In her haze from the pain shot, it seems she could only remember one long distance number. My Ashley likes her sleep, and it's a miracle she answered the phone at that time. Anyway, I called and she was home and she told me what she had been through for the last couple of days. I have to wonder lately about doctors and hospitals. I have recently had the feeling that we just get shuffled around to someone else,a "Specialist" when the doctor is maybe overwhelmed. So the new plan is that she rest for a couple of days at home,
and she could travel by Thursday. So the anticipated arrival is now Friday night. This time I'll make double sure she's really on the road tomorrow. I thought when I got the message on the cell that they were in a "no reception" zone. Yeah, in the hospital! You just never know...
Oh, back to my rant, what about the policy of "turning the office phones off" BEFORE the office is supposed to be closed!?! Yep, she went through all of that but with HMO's you have to call your PC first. She should have just gone to the hospital. You are supposed to follow a procedure before going to the ER or be responsible for the bill. Well, I've been of the opinion lately that I'd rather pay the high copayment and go to the ER first and get taken care of. This of course is still for only real emergencies, like if you're doubled over in pain!
So Mr. Glen Oaks has been granted a reprieve on the floors. He's taking the opportunity
with much gratitude. He can now do what he wants to do to the finish. He's using Tung Oil and because of the cats, we aren't using any petroleum solvents like oil stains or polyurethane finish. After multiple coats of tung oil (he says at least 4, it will be impervious to water and other spills) handsome is believe it or not cutting the tung oil with TaDa CITRAVOLV! It keeps the layers from just floating on top of each other, so that each layer is smooth like glass. He will be handwaxing the final coat. All beautiful and no toxic fumes. The drying time is unbelievably quick. We can only keep the kitties upstairs for just little intervals. They like to "hunt" in the cellar!
So they should see the "new" floors all finished when they arrive. We thought they were just going to see them sanded down. I'll take some pictures and post to the blog hopefully before the weekend. They are going to be beautiful. As with all his work, they will be perfection.
I'll be back later. I have a new blog from England that I came across that I'm very excited about, the loveliest photos of antique samplers, the auction house where they are to be sold and charted designs of antiques. And of course any great methods or tips I read about in blogland.
Stay cool, primmies.
Warm Regards,
Susan

Make Your Own Primitive Fall Twig Wreath

Here's a super simple Twig Wreath tutorial from Tammy at Rock River Stitches. It finishes up to approx. 11inches. I think they look more beautiful than the craft stores carry and the "Free" price can't be beat. Just need a coat hanger and twigs from your yard. Go make some wreaths, Primmies...

Click here Make Your Own Primitive Fall Twig Wreath

Warm Regards,
Susan

Isn't It Hot All Of A Sudden!

Some prim eye candy for you! More photos after my post below.

All Shaker Box photos in this post: Property of Traditional Home Magazine

Photos: Property of Traditional Home Magazine
Isn't it also funny how we want Winter to be over when it's upon us, and now that Summer is here with the awful humidity we get here in our valley, I don't remember Winter being all that terrible?!? Well, I'm in the AC today. Mr. Glen Oaks is sanding floors again. The week before last weekend, he started (after much painful prodding from Nana Glen Oaks) and being by himself and the perfectionist he is, of course it didn't get finished in time for his mom and son's visit last weekend. He really only had 3 working days out of the week anyway. So back everything went, furniture, curtains, pictures, rugs so that everyone had a place to sit down and relax, and a table to eat at. Last night, out again everything went (I really don't know where he puts it all and don't want to look anyway). He's sanding like a madman possessed right now, sister Rose and husband Danny are due
here from Indiana on Tuesday morning. They wisely decided to stay in a motel with doggie day care no less. Leave it to my sister to find a motel with special areas for pets to be pampered if she has to be away from him. Bogie lives the good life for sure. With two cats here and an especially unreceptive-to-guests and dogs kitty, I think she would have had to be committed if Puffy attacked Bogie. We will be keeping Puffy "sequestered" while they are here during the day and evening. Sister plans on doing lots of sightseeing and shopping while she's here so there shouldn't be any cat attacks (my homeowners is paid up-to-date). Since I'm trying to get the house together in the other rooms that aren't being sanded, I don't have too much time to showcase any artists and their wares but I have some eye candy for us Primmies. I was reading my digital copy of Traditional Home and here's what I liked for today:

Maple Shaker Box With Copper Tacks, C.1835

Shaker Box With Yellow Paint and Copper Nails

Yellows, Prussian Blue and Green are considered the most valuable Boxes

Here's a green painted box with the original paper label still visible (see right side) that they would write the contents on:

My favorite, the pumpkin color

Hope you enjoyed this post. Back on Monday with a featured artist's work that I crave.
Stay cool,Primmies!
Warm Regards,
Susan