Fall Table Runner

I tend to lean on the side of contemporary--rather than country--in most of my decor, except when I am decorating for fall. Then, I pull out the burlap, the wood, the leaves, and the twine.  I love the cool air and earthy smells of fall. I LOVE the warm colors. And I LOVE this table runner.

It is fun and easy (though not quick--I'm not gonna lie).  I had it in my mind as a concept, so I wasn't entirely sure how it would work. It will be considerably faster for someone following my tutorial, than it was for me figuring it out as I went!

This is a highly customize-able craft. Once you see how it is done, you can create your own design and make it fit your aesthetic desires. 

You will need:

• 1 plain burlap table runner. I made mine by hemming the sides of a strip of burlap to fit my table. 
• 1/4 -1/2 yard of burlap in 2-3 complimentary tones (one can match runner)
• Tacky Glue
• Jute Twine
• 1/2-1 yard Heat-n-Bond iron-on adhesive or similar product

I stuck with earthen tones for my burlap. I tried Elmer's Glue-All also, but I don't recommend it. It was too runny for the purpose. Tacky Glue is just that--tacky. 

This worked well enough, but I wouldn't hesitate to by the not "lite" version since this is burlap. Any bonding that was less-than-secure after ironing this on was taken care of by the gluing step. 

1. Find or create some pumpkin and leaf stencils/patterns out of paper. I traced some leaf decorations I already had and free-handed the pumpkins. Many templates are available online. 

2. Pin your leaf and pumpkin patterns to some of the coordinating burlap and cut them out. I didn't end up liking the way the maple leaf design looked on my runner, but I plan to use it on a pillow!

3. To make the coordinating parts on the pumpkin: Cut a pumpkin shape out of two different colors of burlap. Here the white burlap is on the bottom, the brown on top. Trace lines as shown to divide the pumpkin into 7 curved strips. Cut the strips out. Repeat this for each pumpkin you are making.

4. Lay out your design. I played around with mine a lot. I originally planned to do this "applique" over the entire runner, but because I have a fairly large center piece I use in the fall, I decided to just put it on each end. 

5. Read the directions on the Heat-n-Bond. I will walk you through it as well, but reading it will help. Beginning with the top layer of the applique (here, the pumpkin strips) bond the Heat-n-Bond to the back (paper will still be attached). 

**Place a piece of disposable fabric or paper over your ironing board when you are working with the iron-on adhesive. The glue will get on everything below when you turn it over to iron. (I should have shown this so you weren't looking at my old, stained ironing board cover!) 

6. Cut out the pieces with the paper backing still on. 

7. Remove the paper, leaving the clear bonded film on each piece. 

8. Attach the pieces to the pumpkins by ironing in place per the Heat-n-Bond directions. 

9.  Repeat the process for the leaves and the pumpkins--so each piece is cut out with the film exposed. 10. Place each piece where you want it on the table runner and iron in place. 

11. Using the Tacky Glue, attach the jute twine along all the seams of the applique. I added a line of twine up the middle of the leaves to add some dimension.I also made a few curly-cue vines with the twine at the top of the pumpkins. 

This glue will take about 6-8 hours to dry clear. I pressed down the twine and re-positioned it a few times as it was drying. 

And you are done! Isn't it fun?!

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Patriotic Strawberry Bread

This is, in all humility ;), some of the yummiest bread you will ever eat. 

It is really more of a cake. In fact, next time I make it, I think it will be in a tube pan so I'm not deceiving anyone. 

And with the Fourth of July just around the corner, you need this bread. It is super-duper moist, strawberry (so very appropriate for Summertime), 

AND it's patriotic to boot! 

I made this in much the same way I did my Bunny in the Carrot Patch Bread from Easter-time.  I began with a delicious pound cake based on a recipe from Divas Can Cook.

Here is my version. It makes 2 large loaves or 1 tube cake. It can be halved to make one large loaf. 

Whipping Cream Pound Cake

3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, softened

3 cups white sugar

6 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl cream the butter with the sugar until well combined (about 5 minutes)

2. Add the eggs one at a time and mix completely after each egg.

3. Alternate adding the flour and whipping cream, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

4. Grease and flour 2 large loaf pans. 

5. Spoon the batter into the pan.

6. Place into a cold oven on the middle rack and turn the oven to 325°.

7. Bake for 1 hour and 5-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

8. Let cake cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing to finish cooling on a cooling rack.

While pound cakes are cooling, make your strawberry bread recipe: 

Strawberry Jello Bread

3 cups flour (I used half all-purpose, half whole wheat)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large package strawberry Jello

4 large eggs

1 cup canola oil

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pint of fresh strawberries, processed in food processor

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour 2 large loaf pans.

2. Stir together all dry ingredients except sugar in a large bowl.

3. In a mixer bowl, beat eggs well. Add oil, sugar and vanilla. 

4. Mix dry ingredients into wet.

5. Mix in strawberries.

Now your strawberry bread batter is ready. Set it aside. 

Here is one of the pound cake loaves unbaked. No need to pre-heat for this one; it starts in a cold oven.

Once the pound cake is finished and cooled a bit. Remove it from the pan and let it cool a while longer. Then slice it into pieces the width of your star cookie cutter. Cut a star out of each piece. Save your discarded pound cake to use in a trifle later. I froze mine. 

This picture is a bit misleading. These were the first two loaves I made, and I learned a lesson on them, then made another the right way (but forgot to photograph this step). The stars need to sit on top of a layer of strawberry batter. So spoon a layer of strawberry batter into your prepared pans, THEN place the stars right next to each other standing up in pans, as shown. 

Carefully spoon batter around the stars to cover them.

Put the loaves into a 325° oven.  Bake 50-55 minutes.

It looks delicious just like this, and there is no sign that a surprise awaits inside. :)

Surprise! Happy Independence Day!

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"BEST ROLLS EVER!"

I love homemade rolls. And, let's face it--who doesn't?!  I have a few recipes in my arsenal that I make from time to time--quick-rise, croissant-style, spoon rolls, etc.

These rolls, however, are my "go-to" recipe. I developed the recipe when we were newly married, and I've been making them since.  This is the recipe that I've shared with people in all the places we've lived (so get ready--if you make these, your friends WILL be asking).  I even taught a class on making these once to a group of stay-at-home moms who were wanting to learn.

Here's what you need: (Recipe's at end of the post.)

Flour, salt, baking powder, yeast, butter, sugar, egg, water. The basics.

Put the yeast and 2 tsp of sugar in the warm water in a large mixing bowl. If you are using a stand mixer--this should be the bowl you use. Let it sit until the yeast starts to grow....

 

....like this. Yours may not look like a doughnut. This is a rare phenomena. Usually it just looks like a big blob of wet, yeasty air.

 While your yeast is growing, melt your butter just until mostly melted (don't boil it). Whisk in the rest of the sugar and the egg. You don't want your egg to cook in there, so make sure your butter isn't scalding hot before you add the egg.

Now mix the butter mixture into the growing yeast water.  It will look about like this. 

Okay, I kinda skip a step here with the pictures because it's not much to see. In a separate bowl mix 4 cups of flour, the baking powder and the salt.   Add this dry mixture to the wet and mix until well incorporated. I use my paddle for this step, then switch to the dough hook for the next step.

Add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The amount varies for me each time slightly. This batch took 3 1/2 more cups total. 

Remove the dough and knead it just enough to form a nice smooth(ish) big ball.

 Put a little (1/8 cup or so) oil in a large bowl and turn the dough over in it once to coat it--seam side down. 

Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let it rise until it's doubled in size. This is about 2-3 hours if it's at room temperature; 1-1.5 if it's in a warm place (like sitting on a warm oven or next to a crock pot). 

Here is the double-in-size dough.

Punch it down. (Like my fist indentation?)

Pull off approximately 1/3 cup pieces of the dough, and turn them in your hands so that you are forming a ball that has a seam on the bottom and is smooth on the top. This picture shows the top and the bottom of a dough ball. You don't want to roll it between two palms like you would play-dough. Imagine you are forming the dough around an imaginary marble or bouncy ball. You want it to cover it and have a seam on the bottom. (I hope this is clear...)

Place them in a greased baking dish right next to each other, but not squished. 

Cover and let rise. I put mine in a warm oven (I heated to 170 before then I turned it off when I put them in). They were doubled in size in 30 minutes. 

Here are the un-baked doubled-in-size rolls.

Hot out of the oven!

Mmm, mmm....

I like to butter the tops before serving. Best served fresh and warm.

 

All plated up. I love a colorful meal. 

Best Rolls Ever

(This is what my son exclaimed at dinner tonight. I thought it made a nice title)

2 cups warm water

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) yeast

1/2 cup sugar, divided

1.5 sticks butter

1 egg

8 cups flour (all-purpose, or combination of all-purpose and whole wheat)

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

1/8 cup canola oil

1. Dissolve yeast  and 2 teaspoons of sugar in warm water. Set aside to allow yeast to begin to grow.

2. Melt butter and mix with sugar. Add egg and mix well. Add butter mixture to yeast that has begun to grow. 

3. Mix 4 cups of flour with baking powder and salt.  Add this to the yeast mixture and stir well.

4. Stir in, then knead in 3-4 more cups of all purpose flour--1/2 cup at a time-- to make a dough of even consistency. Form into a ball. Turn over once in a metal mixing bowl greased with canola oil. Cover and let rise until double in size (2 hours on a warm oven, or 3 at room temperature).

5. Punch down , then form 2-3 inch balls and place in greased baking dish. They will more than fill a 9x13. I use an 11x17.  Cover and let rise 30-45 minutes more in warm place--until doubled in size. 

6. Bake at 375 15-20 minutes, until light brown. Butter tops while hot. Makes 2 dozen.

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