Owl Baby Shower

Posted by Lori:

This past Saturday was a baby shower for a sweet couple who are expecting their first child.  The church showered them with lots of love and gifts.  Showers always make me think of the scripture "Rejoice with those who rejoice...." Romans 12:15.  

Our congregation has been blessed with lots of babies this year!  So that means lots of decorating for baby showers for me! :)  I don't mind at all, of course!

I was really excited about doing an owl shower, but realized quickly that most of the owl decor is directed towards girls.  At first this baby was thought to be a girl, but a few weeks ago, the couple found out it was a boy!

I found these wooden owl shapes at Michaels, covered them with burlap and scrapbook paper - making the owl's features.  The baby's room is going to be owls and trees, so I had everything all worked out....or so I thought.....

My husband spent Friday afternoon cutting big tree limbs for me to use for the shower, but when I went to the building to decorate that evening, the limb's leaves were all wilted.  I thought they would last for at least a day, but they didn't.  Maybe it was just that particular tree.  So one to plan #2.....silk greenery.

These cute owl napkins were a little bright for the color scheme, but I couldn't resist them!  So cute!

If you keep up with this blog often, you'll remember my burlap wreath.  Here it is being used - yet again - for another purpose!  I like things like that!

This sweet lady has been writing shower poems for many years.  She puts a little humor into them and it is such a special keepsake for the couples and their child.  I have one she wrote for my wedding shower.

Isn't this knitted, stuffed owl adorable???!  What a fun gift for baby and mother!

Babies are blessings from God!

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Coconut Pie (9 x 13)

Posted by Lori:

This is a delicious dessert!  It's a coconut pie and pudding delight (or quad, dilemna, or pudding cake - whatever it is YOU call it :) but because it is baked in a 9 x 13 inch pan, it serves a lot more than a typical pie.  One of my friends makes this.  Her daughter gave her the recipe several years ago.

Layer 1

1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pat crust in 9 x 13 pan.  Bake for 20 minutes and and allow crust to cool.

Layer 2


8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 of an 8 ounce Cool Whip

Mix ingredients together and spread over cooled crust.  Sprinkle layer with coconut and pecans.

Layer 3


2 - 3 ounce packages instant coconut pudding mix
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream of coconut

Mix together and spread on 2nd layer.

Layer 4


Cool Whip (I think you'll need more than the other 1/2 of the 8 ounce tub)
chopped pecans
toasted coconut


Top with Cool Whip, then sprinkle chopped pecans and toasted coconut.


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Pecan Spritz

Posted by Lori:

There is a donut, cake and cookie shop in Altus, OK, that is a favorite of many.  Now it is called June's Tasty Treats, but as a child it was Ye Olde Donut Shoppe (this store sold and is still running with different owners.  June's now has what the previous YODS had sold and the same recipes her parents used from the beginning.)  Anyway, I really like their little "spritz" cookies, so this was my attempt to copy them.  It's definitely a good cookie, but it's certainly not a copy-kat recipe, either.  June's cookie is more of a shortening base, where this one is butter.  But, taking these to a softball tournament with high school girls and parents was a big hit, so I'm definitely going to be making these for many events for years to come.  As you can see, I tried shells with the icing - just like June's, but my shells aren't too pretty!  I liked the stars, so continued mostly with them.  And, in my opinion, pink is the best color tint for the icing! 

PECAN SPRITZ

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• crushed pecans
• 
  
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Cover dough, and chill for at least 30 minutes.  Roll into logs, then roll in crushed pecans.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or dough can be frozen.

When ready to bake, use chilled cookie sheets.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice dough into 1/2 inch slices and place on chilled cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Ice with buttercream icing.  Click HERE for my recipe.

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My Green Door

Posted by Lori:

I'm not one for change, and especially when it has a connection to my childhood, but on a whim, I decided to go for it!  I'm talking about my front door, which was previously brown and kind of faded and "dry" looking.  It's just like the front door on the house that I lived in for most of my childhood, in a house that was built during my kindergarten year and we lived in until spring break of my sophomore year in high school.  Kind of silly to be "attached", but that's how I am.

For some reason Saturday, I got the urge to pain the front door.  Maybe it's because I know that we're getting new siding and rock trim and I wanted the door to look "newer", too?  Maybe because it was hard to tell from the road if our door was open or not because it was so dark?  Either, way, I used a green paint I had on hand (with the help of my mom via phone!).  I almost went turquoise because I had a gallon of it, too, but just couldn't do it!

I used a simple black sponge brush.  First I dabbed Vaseline on a few areas where I wanted to "distress" the paint, then painted over the door.  I liked how the paint didn't go into the designed parts and decided to leave them that way.  After the first coat dried, I went over the smooth areas again, let them dry, then wiped with a cloth and steel brush along where the Vaseline was.  The paint won't stick to the Vaseline.  And, there it is!  My new GREEN door!!!  I painted the wreath hanger the same color, then put the burlap wreath back up. (search: Burlap Wreath on our blog home page for directions).  The wreath needs a bow or something to decorate it up, but I'm not sure yet what I want.

So, maybe the door will stay green a while.  Maybe I'll try another color some day.  Who knows?!

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Buttermilk Pie

Posted by Donna:

I have seen this recipe for years in my various cookbooks. After one of our sons-in-law was in the hospital recently, a friend baked him a Buttermilk Pie. He really liked this. I decided I should make one for Larry and me. Larry ate the whole pie by himself--minus the one piece that I ate. It's a good old-fashioned pie. From what I can tell, everyone uses just about the same recipe.

Buttermilk Pie

2 cups sugar
3 - 4 T. flour
4 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup melted margarine or butter
1 T. vanilla

After melting the margarine, add the sugar and flour and mix very well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Lastly, add the buttermilk and vanilla. Beat about one minute. Bake in an unbaked crust 45 - 55 minutes. You want the center to be almost firm.

When I told Larry I was making a buttermilk pie, he really questioned the buttermilk.
He did say pecan, chocolate and coconut were still his favorites, but he definitely liked this. I told him I thought I would share it with some friends of ours, and he said, "No, you can share it all with me!" I think that was a compliment---not quite sure. Either it was or he was just being stingy!!!!!! (tee hee)







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Patriotic Tea Punch

Posted by Lori:

This morning I was flipping through a Sam's Club flyer I got in the mail recently.  It's advertising their "Taste of Sam's" that will happen next weekend.  This recipe was inside, so I snapped a photo to share with you.  Isn't it PRETTY??!!  What a great addition to a shower, birthday party, or patriotic celebration!

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Fresh Peach Pie

Posted by Lori:

Mom posted this recipe when we first began our blog, but according to the stats, not many saw it.  I decided to re-post it for you today.....because it sounds good and I'm hungry!  It was my grandma's recipe, but mom and I both enjoy making it now.

Fresh Peach Pie

Slice 5 or 6 large fresh peeled peaches, enough to fill an unbaked pie crust

Mix together 2 cups sugar, 6 T. flour, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg and 1/8 tsp. cloves.

Pour over the sliced peaches.

Put small dollops of butter on top of the peaches and sugar mixture.

Cover with the top unbaked pie crust. I always make a lattice topped crust. If you do a solid crust on top, be sure and cut slits in it.

Sprinkle sugar on top.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Be sure and have some vanilla ice cream (*My family would prefer BLUE BELL!) on hand to put the finishing "yummy" touch on the pie!!!!

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