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Pudding Parfaits
Yesterday was my hubby’s birthday, I knew he would be working late, so no going out for dinner. I grilled steaks and corn on the cob, and made some pudding parfaits for dessert. They were pretty good, next time I think I might try this version, doesn’t it look yummy?
2 cups cold milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
5 NUTTER BUTTER Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, crushed
1/4 cup Strawberry jam
1/2 cup Banana slices
1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
POUR milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. Let stand 5 min.
RESERVE 2 Tbsp. of the crushed cookies for garnish. Layer 1/4 cup of the pudding and 1 Tbsp. each of the remaining cookie crumbs and jam in each of 4 parfait glasses. Top evenly with layers of the remaining cookie crumbs and remaining pudding.
REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Top evenly with the banana slices, whipped topping and reserved cookie crumbs just before serving.
A new business
I have been kicking around the idea lately of starting my own bakery. I have always wanted to, but never thought it could be possible. I know that they are very strict with who they give loans out to, but I still would like to give it a try. Baking has been one of my biggest hobbies, something I can do no matter how bad my arm hurts.
So many things I have to check out first before I even give it a second thought about actually doing. From site location, to start up costs, to guaranteed acceptance life insurance plans, to insurance in general.
I already know of a few gals who could help me out in the store itself, if I ever do decide to get this up and running. All the fun recipes I could whip up, and the old stand bys of traditional baking as well. What fun this could be!
One skein bunny
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Bunny measures approximately 21″/53.5cm tall (from head to toe), or 10″/25.5cm tall (seated)
MATERIALS:
Caron International One Pound (100% acrylic; 16 oz/454 g, 812 yds/742 m skein):
One skein
Shown in: #508 Sky Blue
One size US G-6 (4mm) crochet hook, or size to obtain gauge.
Stitch marker
Two safety eyes—18mm diameter (or buttons)
Polyester fiberfill
Scraps of pink yarn (for nose) and brown yarn (for mouth)
Yarn needle
GAUGE
Gauge is not critical for this project. Work tightly to ensure that the stuffing will not show through the stitches.
STITCHES USED
Chain (ch), double crochet (dc), half double crochet (hdc), single crochet (sc)
SPECIAL TERMS
sc2tog: Single crochet 2 together—[Insert hook in next st, yo and pull up a lp] twice, yo and draw through all 3 lps on hook.
hdc2tog: Half double crochet 2 together—[Yo, insert hook in next st and pull up a lp] twice, yo and draw through 5 lps on hook.
lp st: Loop stitch—Wrap yarn around index finger twice and hold behind work, insert hook into indicated st and between the yarn wrap and your finger, pull all lps through st, yo and draw through all lps. Note: Loops form on side of fabric that is facing away from you.
NOTE
1.Bunny is worked in continuous rounds; do not join and do not turn at the ends of rounds. Place a stitch marker to indicate the beginning of rounds and move marker as each round is worked.
2. Stuff body, head, arms, and legs as work progresses. Do not stuff ears or tail.
3. When fastening off, always leave a 12-18″/30.5-45.5cm long tail for sewing.
HELPFUL
1. If desired, weight the bottom with a small nylon bag of beans or poly-pellets. Place the bag at the bottom of the body before beginning to stuff with fiberfill.
2. A yarn pompom may be used for the bunny’s tail, instead of the crochet tail.
BODY
Rnd 1: Ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook—6 sc.
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around—12 sts.
Rnd 3: [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] 6 times—18 sts.
Rnd 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts] 6 times—24 sts.
Rnds 5–10: Continue as established, increasing 6 sc evenly spaced in every rnd—60 sts.
Rnd 11: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 12: [Sc in next 9 sts, 2 sc in next st]—66 sts.
Rnds 13–18: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 19: [Sc in next 9 sts, sc2tog] 6 times—60 sts.
Rnds 20–23: Sc in each st around.
Rnds 24: [Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts] 6 times—54 sts.
Rnds 25–34: Continue as established, decreasing 6 sc evenly spaced in every 5th rnd—42 sts.
Rnds 35: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 36: [Sc in next 5 sts, sc2tog] 6 times—36 sts.
Rnds 37–40: Continue as established, decreasing 6 sc evenly spaced in every other rnd—24 sts.
Rnds 41 and 42: Sc in each st around. Fasten off.
HEAD
Rnds 1–6: Work Rnds 1–6 of body—36 sts.
Rnds 7 and 8: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 9: Sc in next 17 sts, 2 sc in next 2 sts, sc in next 17 sts—38 sts.
Rnd 10: Sc in next 14 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 8 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 14 sts—40 sts.
Rnd 11: Sc in next 19 sts, 2 sc in next 2 sts, sc in next 19 sts—42 sts.
Rnd 12: Sc in next 18 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 18 sts—44 sts.
Rnd 13: [Sc in next 10 sts, 2 sc in next st] 4 times—48 sts.
Rnds 14–24: Sc in each st around.
Attach safety eyes in Rnd 11, 3 sts before and 3 sts following the 2 sc increases.
Rnd 25: [Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts] 6 times—42 sts.
Rnd 26: [Sc in next 5 sts, sc2tog] 6 times—36 sts.
Rnds 27–31: Continue as established, decreasing 6 sc evenly spaced in every rnd—6 sts. Fasten off. Thread tail through stitches of last round, pull tight, and secure.
ARM (make 2)
Rnds 1–4: Work Rnds 1–4 of body—24 sts.
Rnd 5: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 6: [Sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st] 3 times—27 sts.
Rnds 7–11: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 12: [Sc in next 7 sts, sc2tog] 3 times—24 sts.
Rnd 13: [Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts] 3 times—21 sts.
Rnds 14 and 15: Continue as established, decreasing 3 sc evenly spaced in every rnd—15 sts.
Rnds 16–39: Sc in each st around. Fasten off.
LEG (make 2)
Rnds 1–4: Work Rnds 1–4 of body—24 sts.
Rnd 5: [Sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st] 3 times—27 sts.
Rnds 6–12: Sc in each st around.
Row 13 (heel begins): Hdc in next 8 sts, turn; leave remaining sts unworked—8 sts.
Row 14: Ch 1, sc in next 9 sts, turn; leave remaining sts unworked—9 sts.
Row 15: Ch 1, sc in first st, hdc in each st to last st, sc in last st, hdc2tog over side edge of row and next unworked st of Rnd 12, turn—10 sts.
Row 16: Ch 1, sc in each st across, hdc2tog over side edge of row and next unworked st of Rnd 12, turn—11 sts.
Rows 17 and 18: Repeat Rows 15 and 16—13 sts.
Rnd 19 (heel ends): Ch 1, sc in first st, hdc in each st to last st, sc in last st, hdc2tog over side edge of row and next unworked st of Rnd 12; continue working across sts of Rnd12 as follows, sc2tog, sc in next 8 sts, sc2tog, sc2tog over last st and side edge of beginning of rnd, do not turn—25 sts.
Rnd 20: Sc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 9 sts, sc in next 14 sts.
Rnd 21: Sc in next 3 sts, hdc in next 7 sts, sc in next 15 sts.
Rnd 22: [Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog] 5 times—20 sts.
Rnds 23–66: Sc in each st around. Fasten off.
EAR (make 2)
Rnds 1 and 2: Work Rnds 1 and 2 of body—12 sts.
Rnd 3: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 4: [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] 6 times—18 sts.
Rnds 5–8: Continue as established, increasing 6 sc evenly spaced in every other rnd—30 sts.
Rnds 9–22: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 23: [Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts] 3 times—27 sts.
Rnds 24–27: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 28: [Sc in next 7 sts, sc2tog] 3 times—24 sts.
Rnds 29–43: Continue as established, decreasing 3 sc evenly spaced in every 5th rnd—15 sts.
Rnds 44–52: Sc in each st around. Fasten off.
TAIL
Rnd 1: Ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook—6 sc.
Rnd 2: Lp st in each st around.
Rnd 3: 2 lp st in each st around—12 sts.
Rnd 4: [Lp st in next st, 2 lp st in next st] 6 times—18 sts. Fasten off.
FINISHING
Sew head to top of body. Sew ears to top of head. Sew arms to sides of body. Sew legs to bottom of body along Rnd 11. Sew tail to back of body. Using photograph as a guide, with pink yarn embroider nose, and with brown yarn, embroider mouth. Using yarn needle, weave in all ends.
New recipes
I’m on a quest to find food that burns fat. I’m already finding that apples and bananas are good choices, but now see that soybeans are helpful as well. Which has me more confused, as I have read that soy products my be the reason I am not losing the fat around the middle. I wish people would just make up their minds.
I will admit, I am hoping that soy is ok, as almost every product in my house has some soy in it. Plus I still have a new container of my shake mix from Herbalife in the cupboard to use.
So for now, I will still browse the net to see what I can find, and do more reading on soy based products to see if they will help or will cause me more harm.
Fruit pizza
This is a yummy quick dessert to whip up for family and friends. I’m going to make this for our next mom get together.
1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 medium firm bananas. sliced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
1 pint fresh strawberries, halved
2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1 tablespoon water
Directions
1. On a greased 14-in. pizza pan, press cookie dough into a 12-in. circle. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
2. In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over crust. Toss bananas with lemon juice. Arrange the pineapple, strawberries, bananas, kiwi and oranges over cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Combine marmalade and water; drizzle over fruit.