Homemade Egg Noodles

This is my great grandmother's recipe for homemade egg noodles. We have them every year during the holidays. It takes a little elbow grease to make them but it's all worth it in the end. They are delicious!

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups flour + more for rolling

2 tsp cold water

1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Like my vintage s&p shakers? They were my Grandma's. Miss her.

Combine eggs, cold water and salt/pepper.

Add 1 1/2 cups flour and combine. Dough will be very sticky.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead, adding flour, until no longer sticky and you have a nice smooth ball.

Next flour your rolling pin and begin rolling dough out, adding more flour as necessary. Dough will be very elastic at first but just keep rolling, just keep rolling, just keep rolling. :-)  Roll until the dough is approximately 1/8 inch thick.

Next cut your noodles approximately 1/2 inch wide X 2 inches long.  I like using a pizza cutter but a sharp knife will work just fine.

Then use a pastry knife or spatula to scoop the noodles up in a pile, making sure none are stuck to the cutting board.

Next spread them back out on the board and allow to dry for 3-5 hours.

To cook, bring approximately 4 cups broth(chicken or beef) to boil. Add noodles and cook for 20-30 minutes or until noodles are cooked through. Add shredded chicken or beef and serve with mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.  Recipe can easily be doubled for a croud.

Enjoy!

Easy fabric pumpkin tutorial

Here is a fun and fast fabric pumpkin tutorial!

You will need:

1/2 yd or more of your favorite fall fabric. (satin, burlap, cotton, etc.)

Circle template. (pizza pan, large plate, large lid, etc.)

Hot glue gun

Fiber fill

Upholstery thread and hand sewing needle

Small branch cut into 2-3 inch pieces for stems

Silk fall leaves

Garden twine

Jewels, large beads, acorns, etc. for embellishment

First trace your circle pattern on the back side of the fabric.

Then cut it out.

Next begin hand sewing a long running stitch around the perimeter of the fabric circle approximately 1/2 inch from the edge, starting and stopping on the right side of the fabric.

When you have finished with the running stitch, your circle should be in a 'bowl' shape.

Next stuff your circle with the fiber fill, holding on to the thread tails.

Pull tight and secure.

Now it's time to embellish.

Begin with the twine, tying it like you would on a package.

Next put a generous amount of hot glue in the center, press and hold stem piece until glue begins to harden.

Next hot glue leaves. Hold in place with scissor tips to keep from burning your finger tips on the hot glue.

Then hot glue beads, acorns, gems, etc.

Use different size circle templates to make larger or smaller pumpkins.

Enjoy!

How to Sew an Easy Ruffle

If there is anything I like it's a quick sewing project I can complete from start to finish while my son takes a nap.
Let's make a quick easy ruffle for a kitchen towel.

First you will need to pick out a towel and fabric for your ruffle.

Next cut your ruffle piece twice as wide as the edge of the towel you are sewing the ruffle to by however long you want it to be.  I usually cut mine approximately 3 inches long.  Then serge all four sides of the ruffle piece.

Then, using your gathering foot on your sewing machine, sew across the top long side of the ruffle piece creating the ruffle.

Next pin baste your ruffle to the towel exactly where you want it to be when it's finished.

Then top stitch to secure, backstitching at the beginning and end. Make sure you switch back to your regular straight stitch foot before starting this step.

And you are done! It's just that easy! Now you have a cute dish towel to hang on your oven handle.

This technique can easily be used on bath towels, jean leg bottoms, curtains, etc.

Enjoy!

How to sew trim on a towel

This is a quick and easy nap time sewing project that can be done with any kind of towel.  It's also a good way to use up some of your scraps.  I used a 100% cotton kitchen towel and 100% cotton coordinating trim fabric. 

First step is to decide how big you want your trim piece to be on the towel.

I wanted mine to be approx 3 inches so I cut my trim piece 6 1/2 inches X the width of the towel + 1 inch.  I hope that makes sense.  The picture explains it better than i can.

Next fold your trim fabric in half longwise with wrong sides together and press.

Then open your trim piece with wrong side facing up and press a 1/4 inch fold down both long side edges. 

Lay one end of your towel, face down, on the trim fabric, also face down, lining up the bottom hem of the towel with the center fold line of the trim fabric. 

Fold both ends of the trim fabric in overlaping the corners of the towel and press.

Next, fold the bottom of the trim fabric up completely overlaping the end of the towel. Press.

Pin along the entire top edge of the trim piece making sure to catch the top of the backside of the trim piece with the pins as well.

Begin sewing on the far bottom corner working your way up the side to the top of the trim.

When you reach the top of the trim, leave your needle in the down position to pivot the towel and then begin sewing along the top edge of the trim.

As you sew along the top edge make sure you are catching the top edge of the back of the trim as well.  Continue sewing the rest of the way around the edge of the trim, backstitching   at the beginning and end to secure. 

Repeat the process a second time on the other end of the towel if you want trim on both ends of your towel.  

This project can easily be embellished with ric rac, ribbon, fabric flowers, embroidery, appliques, etc. They make wonderful wedding, Christmas or Mother's Day gifts.

Enjoy!

Homemade Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Soup

This is a chunky style broccoli and cauliflower cheese soup with lots of veggies and real cheese. Nothing artificial here. Yum!

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

2 stalks celery, finely diced

1/4 cup flour

1 pint half n half

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup carrots, finely diced

1 1/2 cups broccoli, chopped

1 1/2 cups cauliflower, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 lb cheddar cheese, shredded

Melt butter over medium heat in 2 qt saucepan. Add onions and celery and sauté.

Add flour and brow slightly making a roux.

Add half n half and cook until thick, stirring constantly.

Add chicken broth, remaining veggies and salt and pepper. Cook until veggies are tender.

When veggies get tender, mash slightly with potato masher. 

Remove from heat and add cheese, stirring until melted. Make sure the liquid is NOT boiling when you add the cheese or else the cheese will clump together. 

Makes an excellent meal with a sandwich!

Enjoy!