My Little Crafty Corner

I have been in a baking kind of mood lately. Banana muffins, and chocolate chip muffins were made last week. Today I had a craving for brownies, but no mix in the house, or money to go out an buy some, so I searched on the internet to find a homemade recipe for some. I found this one, over on Mandy off the Radio blog’s. They smell really good, just waiting for them to cool to try them.

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.

I think the next time I make them, I am going to double the recipe.

I made cheddar bacon potato soup on Saturday, but am now thinking I need to get a new crock pot as mine is cooking way to hot right now, and things are burning in it. I am trying to use my crock pot more, so I am checking out more recipes to try.

I have been checking out the different sales for camping supplies. I am over winter, and ready for the nice weather to arrive so we can go camping! I was hoping to have some money saved up to buy a used pop up camper, but it doesn’t look like its going to happen this year. The tents will have to do again for this year. I think I will go out and buy an electric blanket, to snuggle up with in my sleeping bag for the cooler nights.

I found the next scarf I want to make. Its a really pretty design.

I am hoping I can try a little bit of knitting this weekend, as long as my arm lets me. I think I may even try knitting with the splint on.

Wish me luck!

Have you ever stopped and reevaluated your careers? I have done this so many times. I wish I would have stayed in the medical field at times. But then I stop and think about all of the office politics that I have dealt with in the many offices I worked at and am thankful that I am a SAHM and have my own daycare business.

I am hoping that soon, I can just be a full time SAHM. We are working on things, so that maybe by the time Trent starts school in the fall I can be done. Fingers crossed!

I have been browsing the next for crock pot recipes. This one sounds yummy.

2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
Chicken breasts (as many as you want)
garlic powder
oregano

Pour 1 can of cream of chicken soup, then half a can of cheddar cheese soup. Place as many chicken breasts as you want, then add remaining cheese soup and 1 more can of cream of chicken. Throw in some garlic powder and oregano, cook on low about 8 hours and serve over rice.

I was in the middle of my baking today when the phone rang. It was someone calling about low cost term life insurance. I told them I wasn’t interested and hung up. Back to baking, and about 15 minutes later the phone rings again, same number. I didn’t answer. Throughout the day, that number showed up on my caller ID 10 more times. Really?

After the 4th or 5th call, I turned the ringer off. I only knew when someone called when it showed up on the TV (gotta love digital cable/phone). Why don’t people take no for an answer anymore?

I was in the baking mood today. I made some chocolate chip muffins and some banana muffins. They smell so yummy!!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 3 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup milk
* 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* 1 egg
* 3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 3 tablespoons white sugar
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease bottoms only of 12 muffin cups or line with baking cups.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, chocolate chips, and salt; mix well. In a small bowl, combine milk, oil and egg; blend well. Add dry ingredients all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened (batter will be lumpy.)

3. Fill cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops of muffins before baking with a combination of 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoon brown sugar.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 1 minute before removing from pan. Serve warm.

**Borrowed from Family fun site.**

I can’t wait to do some gardening! I am tired of winter!

Materials
* Carpenter’s apron (available at hardware stores)
* Pair of gardening gloves
* Fabric paints and brushes

Instructions
1. Decorate the set with fabric paints. Brush on a garden design, such as a row of bright yellow sunflowers or a bunch of carrots. Or slice an onion and a pepper into halves, dip them in the paint and embellish the set with vegetable prints.

2. Fill the pockets with seed packets, a garden trowel, and a plastic misting bottle. Use pinch-style clothespins to clip the gloves to the front of the apron when they’re not being worn.

Tips:
This gardening set makes a great gift for a relative that loves to garden.

I am going to try this next week I think.

Chicken and Dumplings Crock Pot Recipe

1 (3 lb.) chicken, cut up
1/2 cup chicken bouillon broth
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
3 stalks celery, cut in 1 inch pieces
3 small carrots cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups packaged biscuit mix
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp. parsley flakes

Wash chicken pieces; cut away excess fat. Place raw chicken pieces in a crock with largest bony pieces on the bottom. Add bouillon broth; sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning. Add celery and carrots on top. Cover. Place crock into outer shell; cook. Cook on Low setting, 8 to 10 hours or High setting 4 to 4-1/2 hours.

Combine biscuit mix, milk, parsley flakes; stir until just moistened. Drop dumpling mixture by spoonfuls (about 8 ) over steaming chicken; cover, cook on High setting 30 minutes in 3-1/2 quart; 15 to 20 minutes in 5-1/2 quart. Serve immediately.