Monday, November 6, 2023

S'mores Quilt

 Back in 2013, when I saw this pattern 


in this quilt magazine

 I knew it was a quilt I wanted to make. In fact, I riffled through my scraps and made a block immediately. 

And then it was set aside for a variety of reasons (for 10 years?!) ...ranch duties called, there was a need to make a quilt for a sick friend or a new baby, garden and yardwork could no longer be neglected, family and friends came to visit, I was cooking for a crew, helping DH, holidays arrived...you know the drill...life! But I often thought about the quilt and sometimes I would find scraps and toss them in the bin for more blocks. I was stumped on the sashing though. I didn't have anything that I thought would work, but I figured I'd make blocks and worry about sashing later. Then one day, while perusing an online quilt shop earlier this year (maybe Whittles) I ran across something that I thought would work for $6.00 a yard. Yes, I think this will do nicely.

When I was looking at other S'mores quilts recently, I saw that Jo from Jo's Country Junction was working on the same pattern. Her quilts are always so wonderfully scrappy and inspiring. So then, I was itching to dive back in. 

I have an overflowing scrap basket, but it's been so long since I've sewn with these reproduction-ish fabrics that I had to dig way deep. That scrap basket really needs to be sorted in the worst way! Surely there are some great scrap quilts hiding in there!


I piled scraps and stash favorites and  cut a little from each


 (yes, this takes longer than pulling from a scrap user system, but I'm just enjoying the process)
and I started making blocks again. I didn't sew a single stitch in October and it felt so good to put something under the needle again


If I didn't have enough for a block, I just made them scrappy and knowing me, these are going to be my favorite.


I have always loved this block and after I saw that Jo endorsed this ruler, I ordered one to help with accuracy for what can sometimes be a finicky block. I am pretty frugal about collecting tools, and although this one is designed for a 4" and 8" block (plus a snail trail block), I wish a 6" block was included because I could see using that size for other projects. There is a companion ruler for one, but that's a lot of $ to shell out. 


I still have a lot of cutting ahead of me, but I made a dozen blocks this weekend and hope to add to my pile throughout the month. Jo was right, these are fun to make!

Friday, November 3, 2023

Texas Ranger Cookies

I'm sharing another treasured cookie recipe again today. I'm sorry if I'm saturating you with cookie recipes. I think this is the last one, but it's a family favorite and I don't want to leave it out. I think I found this one in a cookbook probably about 25 years ago and it has stood the test of time. 

I haven't made them in a while, but DH has been on the go a lot lately. Since the ranch sold, this place has been absorbed into a larger ranching conglomeration comprising of numerous ranches and everyone gets pulled from their homebase and gathers to help on all the other ranches during Spring and Fall Cow Works. In the last 12 days, we worked 2 days here, 8 days on the other ranches, and 1 day helping neighbors. It's a 3 hour drive to one of the places and a good hour to any of the others so DH is spending lots of time behind the wheel and I generally send him with a tumbler of hot coffee, a protein shake, a banana, and a few cookies and this cookie is really good with coffee.

 Texas Ranger Cookies

1 C butter, softened

1 C sugar

1 C brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla 

2 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 C oats - quick or old fashioned 

2 C Rice Crispies

1 C coconut

*Cream sugars and shortening. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Blend into creamed mixture. Stir in oats, cereal, and coconut. Scoop onto parchment-lined cookie sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes at 350°. In a previous post, someone asked a question about how many cookies that particular recipe made. Answer: I have no idea. I'm sorry, I just don't ever count them, but this time I kept that in mind and I got 62 cookies from this batch. Hopefully some of them will make it to into the freezer.

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