My computer isn't working

My computer isn't working so I don't know when I'll be able to blog.

Instead of Gingerbread Cookies

I think every year since my son was old enough to help we've made gingerbread cookies and some kind of gingerbread house. As we still have some of last year's dough still in the freezer I suggested that we try something else, unless he wanted the cookies. I had seen a Gingerbread Scone recipe and told him about it and we decided to have them instead. I only used 1½ tsp of ginger (but might try the whole amount next time), left out the fruit, used regular brown sugar and left off the glaze. We had them for breakfast and they were quite good.

Do you make gingerbread cookies?

Giveaway Winner

The random number generator picked number 11 who is Gill. Her comment was "My best tip would be to read the instructions thoroughly before you start!!" Great tip. It's too easy to assume that you know what you are suppose to do. Especially when I'm knitting or crocheting.













Congratulations Gill!

Small Simple Project Bag Giveaway (Now Closed)

Thanks for entering! The giveaway is now closed and the winner is Gill!

I keep meaning to make something for the Giveaway Day at Sew, Mama Sew! but never remember. There are always so many great giveaways that I recommend going over to check out the different categories. I still have one of these small project bags leftover so I thought I could offer this. It isn't lined but the edges are French seamed. It's about 25.5 cm wide and 35 cm from the top of the handle to the bottom.

I'm Canadian but I live in Finland. Over the years I've tried many crafts but now I usually just knit. I have a short monthly craft video podcast called Shirley's Salad Podcast.

What's the best (unusual) craft tip you'd like to share?

My giveaway is open to everyone but if there's no way to contact you then I won't be entering you into the giveaway! So please be sure to have your info somewhere if it isn't on your blog. Comments need to be on this post and should close on December 16, 2011 at 5 p.m. PST but I won't be awake then so I'll draw the winner randomly when I next get to the computer.

Season's Baking

When I asked my son what baking he'd like this year, he only mentioned two things. These Red Cherry Cookies and fruit cake. I've been making these cookies ever since 2005 and the only change I've made was to double the recipe. I bake them up and store them in the freezer.

I started using this fruitcake recipe in 2001. It's my own recipe and I've made a few changes over the years. I'd like to try something new, but knowing that we both like this recipe it's hard to risk a new one.

Do you make or eat fruitcake?

Friday's Foto From Finland #21

What's that white stuff?

Bit of Baking

I need to bring something with me tomorrow so I made a half batch of the Low-fat Low-cholesterol Oatmeal Drop Cookies. I used a whole egg for ½ of the recipe, ½ brown sugar and ½ white and left out the raisins as I hadn't written them down on the recipe. I wanted to make something with oil so that anyone with dairy/soy/nut problems could eat them.

I need room to freeze some Christmas cookies that I'm hoping to make this weekend. I had to go through the freezer to see what I could get rid of. I came across a few containers of rhubarb so I thought I'd make a rhubarb crisp. When I last made an apple crisp I upped the amount of oatmeal and liked it. So I used the same recipe. I can taste the rhubarb but it seems to have disappeared into the oatmeal!

Seeing that I was going to have the oven on I thought that I'd try to make some focaccia. I used half of the Blitz Bread: No-Fuss Focaccia recipe without the spices or powdered cheese (never even heard of powdered cheese before!). Unfortunately as soon as I took the towel off and saw that it hadn't risen I realized that I hadn't added any yeast! The oven was all ready ready so I just brushed it with olive oil and sprinkled on some salt, forgetting the rosemary that I had wanted. It turned out as one might expect. But it's not so bad that it isn't being eaten anyway.