Toni Harris' Easiest Ever White Bread Recipe

Forgive me for not having a picture of this recipe. I'll get to it. I've had so many people ask me for this recipe, I have to just post it here for convenience.

My friend Toni works with me at The Quilting Cottage, and she is just too fun to be around. I love working with her. She's funny and witty and so wise. She shared this recipe with me and it has saved my hide so many nights when I need to make some bread or roll for dinner and just don't have the time for my Homemade Whole Wheat recipe.

Just a helpful note: If you're using a Kitchenaid Mixer, half the recipe so you don't burn your motor! :)

White Bread (or rolls, or pizza crust, or breadsticks, or . . . )

10 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I use unbleached)
3 T. yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 T. salt (I use kosher or Real Salt)
4 cups HOT water
1/4 cup oil (I use canola)
1 egg

Mix all four dry ingredients in your mixer. Add wet ingredients. Cover, and mix for five minutes. Shape into loaves, let rise, then bake. Voila! (To rise and bake, I use the same method as my wheat recipe. I preheat the oven to 180 degrees, then turn it off. Put loaves in, set timer for about 20 minutes. When loaves have doubled in size, begin preheating oven to 350 degrees, and set timer for 20 minutes. Bake until loaves are 180 degrees.)

Surfs Up!

My darling cousin, Amy May, asked me to do a surfer themed car seat blanket for her friend who lives in Kauai. Done. I was so excited to work on this! It was a pleasure from start to finish. Thanks, Amy! Oh, and if anyone wants to do a similar one, order the pattern for the car seat blanket here, then get Quiltsmart interfacing for the Pumpkin Seed. I made the "seeds" skinnier than it guides me to, and sewed a straight line across the bottom before turning it right side out and appliqueing it on. Ta da!

Italian Stuffed Shells

When I cook something that I know is a tried and true recipe, I double it. And freeze the extra. It's a no-brainer.

Stuffed Italian Shells (Nicole Kunze)

8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1 c. mozzarella cheese, grated
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 lb. ground Italian sausage
1 (24 oz.) bottle spaghetti sauce (homemade is obviously the best)
1 box large pasta shells

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a 9x13 baking dish by pouring 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce into the bottom. Boil pasta shells for 10 minutes; drain and set aside to cool. Blend cream cheese and sour cream with a mixer until smooth, then stir in mozzarella and cheddar with a spoon (leaving some for sprinkling on the top). Cook sausage thoroughly; drain and add to the cheeses. Spoon a few tablespoons of cheese mixture into each shell and arrange in the prepared dish. Cover the shells with the remaining spaghetti sauce and top with leftover mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

WHEN DOUBLED:
Double everything, except add even more cheese. I use 3-4 cups of each mozzarella and cheddar cheese. The two boxes of pasta shells is more than plenty.

Makes two 11x7 pans and two 8x8 pans full (see pictures)

For my little brood, the 11x7 pans are perfect for a dinner for us all and a lunch for Dan the next day.
The 8x8 pans are perfect for one dinner.

Cheese! Glorious cheese!

Sneak A' Roos October 2011

My name is Kristi, and I am addicted to fabric and photography. Mostly fabric, though. It's a real problem, people. Oh, and I have a serious problem with too many shoes in my closet. The bigger problem is that the buck doesn't stop there. See, I have this love of shoes for my kids as well, and my oldest is a girl. Yikes. My sweet husband won't let me buy any more shoes, but my addiction of said shoes must be fed. So, my friend Lea sells Sneak 'a Roos shoes. You know, the ones with the squeaky soles that make you giggle when the Bitty One toddles toward you in the grocery store? Well, I asked her if she wanted to do trade work with me so I could feed my shoe addiction. She agreed, and I couldn't be happier. Thanks, Lea!

If anyone happens on this site and likes my style, email me at kristiaskew@gmail.com for more information.

Handsome Little Man

My boys are all boy. Well, except for when Clara convinces Ed to play dress-up with her. 

I had the fun idea to take scraps and make them into neck ties for a boy quilt. The ladies at The Quilting Cottage loved it so much they want me to make a pattern for it and sell it there. Yippee! 

Amy Butler in Bows Quilt

I had to have this fabric. I'm so glad I got it. This is the most darling, bright and cheery quilt!

Fandango Fetish Finished!

I fell in love with Kate Spain's line Fandango.
I had to buy enough to make four (you read that right, FOUR) car seat blankets/canopies.
I loved how they all turned out!