Jam Exchange and Martha Mondays

You know I have the best intentions. I plan to get things done. I have oodles to bake, events to enter, Pictures to upload. E-mails to answer, Facebook to update and tweets to tweet. I'm a busy lady. But usually, life has a habit of getting in the way of my plans. School started and my teen entered high school. We had clothes shopping, and the supply list to get, and all the things that you have to get done so the world wont stop revolving.
Ahhh, the life of a teen.

And school starting means I go back to work.

That's why I'm late telling you about

1. The jam exchange

2. Martha Monday.

OK, OK, ... I'm getting to it!

First the jam!

I received my jam from Stephanie's Jam exchange and I was so delighted. I got it from Christie of the The Sandwich Hoss . She sent me 4 half pint jars of jam.

Two were Strawberry Plum and,
one was Blueberry Peach,

and one was...

Peach Jam with Orange and Ginger

You can see the first thought that came to mind.

Brie and jam!

Brie with Peach Jam with Orange and Ginger!

*Heaven*

Thank you Christie! I'm going to have to make this stuff. (Here is another dose of that good intention stuff. But I'm gonna make it! Someday. (Sigh)) It would be a great gift. In a basket with a wheel of Brie and some crackers. I know I would love to receive a gift like that!

And now:

Martha Monday!


What is Martha Monday you ask?

Martha Mondays is a group of bloggers, Martha fans, home cooks, crafters, and people who want to cook or craft more, who have joined together to cook or craft the same Martha dish or project. That's it! Just Martha Loving people. This was the brainchild of Brette from Martha and Me.
This weeks project was to make Old World Map Coaster. I wasn't particularly fond of the old world idea so I went with a fall pattern.

I thought they turned out cute but I still have a few more layers of modPodge to add. I love the inspirational words on them. They also aren't in all there glory because the light was not good. But you get the idea.

I also bought a big wooden K (for Kellie) and a big wooden M (for Megan) that I'm also going to Decoupage. I'll show you when they get done.

On another Martha Monday.

So... stay tuned, OK?

Instructions: You need paper maps (and if you don’t have any you could print some online, or use any other decorated or patterned paper you have), cutting mat, round cork coasters, craft knife, foam paintbrush and ModPodge.

Put the map on the cutting board, face down and cut it out by tracing the coasters with the knife. Brush the ModPodge on one side of the coaster and stick the map onto it. Smooth the map to get rid of bubbles. Put more ModPodge on top of the map and on the sides, brushing it to smooth it out. Let it dry.

Lemony Peach Jam With Just A Hint Of Basil

I just got back from vacation and only have a week
(actually,.. less now)

before school starts, which means

back to work for me.

Someone has to feed those kiddos!

Anyway, I signed up for a jam exchange and it was always in the back of my mind

all through vacation.

Gotta get some jam made.
Gotta get some jam made.


I'm glad to report, I got some jam made!

And boy, am I happy with the outcome!

I found some peaches at the supermarket on sale for 98 cents a pound.
They were nice and ripe and begging me to turn them into jam.
I wanted to make my Vanilla Spiced Peach Jam that I made last summer because it was so stinking good,
but I also wanted to try something new.

I was thinking of thyme or lavender, but opted for basil in my peach jam. As any good food blogger would do, I did a little goggling and came across this recipe. So I adapted it to my taste and came up with this tantalizing treat.




I Gotta get some MORE jam made!

This stuff is terrific.

Lemony Peach Jam with Basil
5 cups of peeled sliced peaches
1/4 cup water
4 Cups sugar
juice and zest from 1 lemon
5 fresh basil sprigs
Cook peaches and and water for 10 minutes.
Add the sugar, lemon, and basil.
Cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Mash with a fruit or potato masher while boiling. . Continue to stir increasingly as fruit cooks. When fruit starts to seem to adhere to pan bottom between stirrings, the jam is ready to can. Remove basil stems and leaves, and can as usual.

I got 4 half pint jars and little bit extra that I ate on toast! :)

A New Look, Easy Cheesy Danish and The Redwoods!

Welcome to the newly designed Megan's Cookin' How do you like it?
Since I'm coming up on the 2 year anniversary of my blogging AND it's my 300th post,
I thought it was time for a face lift! Actually this is my 301st post, but who's counting?

So... come on in, Join the party!
Grab a drink and enjoy some pictures and a danish.

Note: If your just here for the danish, it's at the bottom. But Since your here,
please stick around and enjoy The Redwoods!

Living in Northern California, I'm just hours away from almost anything. An hour to the mountains, few hours to the coast, few hours to the city, heck,
I even have two beautiful lakes in my own back yard.
On our way home from our Oregon vacation,
we spent our last night in the Redwoods.

These pictures were taken in the Lady Bird Johnson Memorial Grove. It's a pretty fern lined path that loops through the grove of these Redwood giants. They are just awe inspiring! It was a misty foggy lovely afternoon and we had water droplets falling on our heads.

Aren't they beautiful?

You can see how huge they are. There's Kellie peeking between two trees.

This next picture is for Grandma.
I thought she would enjoy a picture of the family and friend.

OK!
Now ya ready for some danish after that little hike through the redwoods? This is an easy cheese danish that I got from Jo at The Adventures Of Kitchen Girl. I made it her way the first time and my way the second time. Yep! I've made it twice in a little over a week.

And it all starts with a couple cans of crescent rolls,and some cream cheese!

Roll out your dough!

First I slathered it with seedless raspberry jam.Then I flavored the cheese mixture with not only the vanilla but a little bit of rose water. You couldn't taste the rose, but I think it complimented the raspberry filling and just gave it some depth.

Then instead of just putting the top layer of dough on top, I thought I would do a lattice. That way some of the cheesy goodness could peek through.
I just thought that I was so darn smart. :)

Drizzle a little glaze over the top and that's it. If you would like to see another similar version of this, check out My Tasty treasures. Donna made individual danishes using the same stuff. Enjoy!

Easy Cheese Danish

Ingredients:
2 cans ready to use refrigerated crescent rolls
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese (I used 1 8oz package)
1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I added more, I LOVE vanilla)
1/2 teaspoon rose water (Optional)
1 egg
1/4 cup any flavor jam
1 egg white-for egg wash

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk (I used less)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:
Preheat oven to 350* degrees and grease a 13X9-inch baking pan.
Lay a pack of crescent rolls in the pan and pinch the openings together.
Spread jam all over dough.
Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg together until smooth. Spread the mixture over the jammed crescent rolls evenly and then lay the second pack of crescent rolls on top of the cheese mixture and brush with egg white. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown. Top with glaze after cooling for 20 minutes.

Seedless Chocolate Raspberry Dessert Sauce

I went to Costco a couple of weeks ago and saw these lovely berries. I threw a crate into my shopping cart dreaming of the breakfasts I would have in the coming week. When I got home, to my surprise and stupidity, there were 6 baskets of fruit instead of the 3 I was thinking of. But that turned out to be a good thing because I had just came across a recipe from Charlotte at Canning Jars Etc

Chocolate Raspberry Sauce!

I've used it on ice cream,

In my Daring Baker Frangipane Tart challenge,

As a plating decoration for my Molten Chocolate cakes
(I know know, sloppy plating. I was hurting by this time)

and I've used it at as a gift, or actually... a give away prize.

I only got 5 jars instead of the usual 8 jars because I strained my mixture. I decided at the last minute I didn't like it with seeds. This produces a wonderful fruity sauce with a hint of chocolate. Perfect for many things. But the truth be told, I want to make another batch for gifts. I love making homemade goodies to give at the Christmas season. Much more personal and let's face it, cheaper and funner!

Chocolate Raspberry Sauce

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
5 cups crushed raspberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
7 cups sugar

Combine the first 4 ingredients. Bring to boil over high heat. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Bring to a rolling boil. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam, if necessary. Strain seeds. Fill hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Add lids and process 10 minutes in a water bath.

High altitude instructions
1,001 - 3,000 feet : increase processing time by 5 minutes
3,001 - 6,000 feet : increase processing time by 10 minutes
6,001 - 8,000 feet : increase processing time by 15 minutes
8,001 - 10,000 feet : increase processing time by 20 minutes

Enjoy!

Spiked Pumpkin Butter For Christmas

A room for a Princess!

(That chest was painted white to match. It is undergoing a makeover again!)

What a difference a few years makes!

Last weekend, the Hubby spent the days painting Kellie's room. This picture was taken after we started packing up the room. You'll notice the shelves are cleaned off and the metal structure where those purple cubes go are gone.

Time to take this room up a notch to a more teen friendly room!


It hasn't been painted in about 10 years. I had it all in Disney Princess theme for when she was small. Doesn't seem that long ago. It's hard to let go of that room, that time, that period.

Now those purple walls are just a memory.

And a post. :)

Welcome to the new, grown up version of the same room. We are all so pleased with the results. Kellie was having second thoughts about the color. When we went to buy the paint, she was scared that the colors would be to bright. The Hubby finished up the trim and the touch ups,

so
Kellie can move back into her room.

Yeaaa!

Now we can work on all the crap she packed up and weed thru it.

My little girl is growing up.

Another thing I did a couple of weekends ago, was to make Pumpkin Butter. Another addition to the homemade preserves that I'll be making for my Christmas Baskets.

I found this recipe over at Polka Dot Moon and knew I must try it. This was an easy recipe using canned pumpkin. I was all over that recipe. I'm all for homemade but I'm also *for easy*.

I had to double this recipe because I messed up. I added WAY TO MUCH cloves. Two teaspoons instead of 1/2 teaspoon. Even when I tried to fixed it buy doubling the recipe,
it still has a strong presence of cloves.
But I like cloves, and my taste testers seem to like cloves.

Oh yea, and I gave it a...

nice swig of Grand Marnier.

That helped to offset the cloves.

This stuff is pretty tasty and perfect for a Christmas gift on it's own.

Are you making anything for Christmas presents this year?

Pumpkin Butter
adapted from Polka dot Moon

1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup apple juice
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
swig of Grand Marnier

DIRECTIONS
Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently.
Place in (or jars) plastic containers and refrigerate or freeze.

Enjoy!

I Got Jam! And A Little Hint!

Look what I got. A package in the mail! It's my jam from the Jammin Jelly Exchange that is being hosted by Molly of Batter Splattered. And the timing is perfect. Because I'm gonna slather some jam on my bagel in the morning in celebration of my birthday. Yep, tomorrow is my birthday.

And look, I got two jars of jam from Mary of Shazam In The Kitchen. How sweet is she? You only had to send one jar but she couldn't find a small box for one jar, soo... she sent me two. Yea for me!!! She sent Plum Ginger and Peach. I cant wait to dig in. But first, I must go buy some bagels. And a candle!

....................................................................................................................................................

A Little Hint: Stop by tomorrow for a little birthday giveaway.