Cheesecake Bites UPDATE!!!

Hmmm...that didn't come out right.  What I meant was...well...cheesecake bites.  Clear as mud!  Bite-sized cheesecake treats.  Does that make more sense?  Good.  No, I wish I didn't like cheesecake.  I could eat my weight in the stuff!!

I'm an idiot and forgot to take pictures...twice!  I made a batch for us the first time, then, after hubby declared them acceptable (I think his words were something along the lines of "damned good!"), he asked if I could make some more for him to take to work for a retirement party. No problem!  And still, I forgot to take a picture!  *sigh* 

So, I'm going to post the recipe and I'll just have to make more (the suffering I put myself through!), and get pictures then.

The original recipe, and no, I don't remember where I got it, but I didn't come up with it, called for a cinnamon-sugar coating, and that's how I made both batches because I always follow the original recipe the first time I make something.  With the second batch, I didn't want to change it when it was going to feed others until I had made it differently for us and was sure it would work that way.  What I want to try next will be a coating of graham cracker crumbs with a little cinnamon and sugar mixed in.  That would be closer to cheesecake, I think.

Cheesecake Bites

8 oz, cream cheese, room temperature
16 oz loaf of bread (not the thick sliced stuff)
3/4 C. powdered sugar
3/4 C. melted butter
1 pack Graham crackers, finely crushed
1 1/2 T sugar

Heat the oven to 350.
Cut the crusts off the bread, then, with a rolling pin, roll the bread slices flat.
Combine the powdered sugar and cream cheese and mix well.
Combine the cracker crumbs and sugar and mix well.
Spread the cream cheese mixture on the bread slices, about 1 T. per slice.  Roll the bread up jelly roll style.
Now, for bites, you would cut each roll in half, or you can leave it whole and they're more like sticks.
Dip each piece in the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes.

This originally called for 2/3 C sugar and 1T cinnamon to coat them instead of the Graham crackers and sugar, but that was REALLY sweet. I think the cracker crumbs are wayyyy better!

Using Up Scrap Yarn

So, a friend of a friend is in need of baby stuff.  Well, my "baby" is 20, so I don't have anything, but I hate to see someone in need and not help if there's any way I possibly can.  Like most folks, my husband and I rarely see much of our money.  It's generally spent before we actually get paid, so there's nothing I could do in that regard, so I offered to make her a baby afghan out of leftover yarn.  She's having a girl, so was asking for girl stuff, but while this blanket is going to be colorful, I'm working with what I have. 

I was raised on the phrase "beggars can't be choosers", and I still live by it, so if what I make doesn't suit her, that's fine, I'm sure I can find someone who would appreciate it.  I don't mean to sound nasty, but I have made too many things for people, put time, effort, and thought into it, only to have them turn their noses up at it.  I don't want, need, or expect a big production of gratitude, but it would be nice to be thanked, and for the person to NOT look like I just handed them a bag of dog poop!  *sigh*  Sorry.

Usually those folks are the same ones who raise their eyebrows when they find out how much it is to buy an afghan.  No, they're not cheap.  Not to buy and not to make.  On average, I ask around $200 for a regular sized afghan.  For a blanket??  No, a blanket you can go to the store and buy for $20.  This is a hand made afghan.  Not only that, but my afghans are made to order.  Bigger or smaller, whatever colors you like, and if you want to pay for Merino, I can do that, too!  (That's gonna be a hell of a lot more than $200, though!).  Once I take out the price of the yarn and break it down into all the hours I put into it, I'm making about half minimum wage.  Oh, well, you can do this sitting on the sofa in front of the TV.  Yeah...I can...but it's still work.  It still makes my carpal tunnel act up sometimes, I still get a stiff neck and sore shoulders from it!

I have looked at several calculators that are supposed to help you price your hand made items.  HA!  I should be charging at least three times what I do!  Now, there may be s few folks out there willing to put that kind of money out for an afghan, but I certainly don't know any of them!  I know I had an aunt who made quilts and she could sell just the tops for $600 each, but I don't see that happening here. 

Anyway...

I've just done a simple half double.  I have more blue and purple yarn, so I do five rows of one, then six rows, each one a different color, in no special order, then five rows of the other.  It's not baby-ish and it's not girly, but it's colorful...and it's free!

Finally Back!

Finally.  About a month ago, my 3 month old computer fatally crashed.  I got it back the other day.  I feel like I should get something out of it beyond them fixing it for free, I mean come on!  3 months and it dies?  *sigh*  Frustrating!

So, I've been busy.  Just a little bit!  I started and finished a baby blanket for a friend's first grandson.  I used the pattern I've already posted, the vertical lattice, but it's yellow this time. 

 

I think it turned out beautifully, if I do say so myself!

 

Our oldest son came home last month, too.  He's been stationed in Hawaii since 2010 and is finally home.  Big adjustment for all of us.  He's planning on going to school next spring, so now it's working on getting a job. 

 

Feeling a bit off with all that's going on, so please bear with me.

Cajun Pasta Alfredo

This work thing takes up way too much of my time!  I've been working on the same afghan for almost a month now and I'm only about 2/3 done!  Granted it's queen sized, but still.  Between now and mid July I have to make a baby blanket for a friend.  Her first grandchild is due in early August...she's my age and her daughter is my son's age...makes me fell soooo old!  Then between now and November, I have this afghan and one for another of my in-laws.  I want it done in time to mail it to Utah and have it there before Christmas.  And when I'm done with this one, I have a cousin who wants one!  Glad I don't have to work in the summer!

I had some of those mini smoked sausages and wanted to make something for dinner with them.  I could really only find recipes for snacks and such, sooo...I got creative.

Cajun Pasta Alfredo

16 oz. rotini pasta
15 oz jar Alfredo sauce (this makes it a little dry, so if you like it saucy, use 2)
1 T. Cajun seasoning (I like Tony Chachere's) (use more if you like a lot of spice)
1 package mini smoked sausages cut into 4 pieces (or sliced and quartered regular sized)
dry bread crumbs

Heat oven to 350.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.
Stir in sauce, sausage, and seasoning.  Mix well.
Spoon pasta into a 9 x 13" baking pan, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and bake for 15-20 minutes.

 

 

Made this again tonight (5/10) but this time I used 2 jars of sauce...we like it saucy and last time was a little dry for our tastes.  Also, there was some pork and chicken Italian sausage on sale that I used instead of smoked sausage and it was AMAZING!!  The chicken in it, kept the sausage from being greasy and the spice in it (it was mild, but still had TONS of flavor!) meant I only needed a little Cajun seasoning.  VERY GOOD!!!