Pumpkins

I love pumpkins. I love pumpkin bread, pumpkin roll with that 

yummy cream cheese filling. 

But I don't like pumpkin pie. 

Funny, huh?

Since I don't have canned pumpkin on the grocery store shelves here, 

I have to make my own. It is super easy, once you figure out your pressure cooker. 

Yikes, I know. 

But really they are so much nicer now then they were years ago. 

Here is how I do it.

I buy big pieces of pumpkin at the veggie market or grocery store. 

I do go all out and save the pumpkin seeds and toast them. 

I remove the skin and put the pieces in the pressure cooker. 

Add about 1.5 - 2 cups water. 

Cover and bring to pressure.... pssssssssss.... Reduce heat and cook for 12 minutes if you are at sea level. But here in Bogota, I cook it for 18 minutes.

Then I cool the pressure cooker under cool running water.  

Remove the lid and there you go, the pumpkin is cooked.

Then the cooked pumpkin pieces go into the food processor.

And I give it a whirl.

And it comes out like this!

I pack it in Zippys and freeze it until I'm ready to make pumpkin cake or pumpkin butter.

My Pumpkin Butter turned out sooo good. I'll have to post that recipe next.

Until then, check out some different pumpkins. Longaberger Pumpkins!

Available today only. Starting in just 45 minutes. Go to my website to order.

www.longaberger.com/mariawhite

More Dots

I've been making dots like a crazy girl. 

I've completed another block and am moving on to block #3.

I made this layout template. Using the print out from the quilt along direction and glued to cardboard.

I used an awl to poke placement markings on my background fabric.

Dots

My friend, Jovita, invited me to join her "Got Dots?" quilt along.

Here is my first block.

The details: 21 dots on a 6 inch finished block. 

If I complete the entire quilt I will make: 

31 dot blocks,  20 heart blocks and 12 basket blocks.

Would you like to join us? There is a flickr group too.

Here is the link to the official kick off:

The Metropolitan Collection

Exclusive Metropolitan Basket for your home or office space! 

Four sizes are available, but the extra large Metropolitan is only available to order today.

Shop at myShop http://www.longaberger.com/mariawhite

 Available in Warm, Rich or Deep Brown, Whitewashed or Black. Available separately is a WoodCrafts Lid. 18"l x 11 3/4"w x 21"h; Rec. Wt. Use: 30 lbs.

Boo!

 I'm ready for Halloween. Are you? 

The 3 super colorful Longaberger baskets (Summer Brights Baskets) are only available in our mini summer catalog which retires on Tuesday! 

Patriotic Hexies

A few years ago my friend, Jovita, showed me her Grandmother's Flower Garden using silks...I had to do a wall hanging. Those hexies were small, each side was a half inch. Someday I'll post pics of that project. 

Two weeks ago, I started a new hexie project. This time, bigger. Bigger hexies, bigger project. My hope is to make a patriotic quilt to donate to either 

http://www.qovf.org or http://www.americanheroquilts.com 

for wounded soldier quilts.

This time I'm working with giant hexies. Each side is 1.5 inches. 

GIANT.

I'll post again when I'm closer to finishing. I think I'll be short on fabric but I'll check the fabric shop inside my closet...maybe there is something there.

Handmade in the USA

The sale has started! Today's Special is the EXCLUSIVE Signature Weave baskets. 

It will run until 9pm PST tonight. 

These baskets are handmade in the USA and are available from my website:

http://www.longaberger.com/mariawhite

mmmmmm...homemade salsa

Years ago when we had our gardens in Edmonds, we had a huge crop of tomatoes. I made this salsa every summer. I canned it to have during the rainy months but it never lasted very long. Too yummy.

Fastforward to current day. Every Friday I visit the mini farmers market. A couple weeks ago, I wanted salsa...so I picked up a bunch of tomatoes, cilantro, onions and the rest. And lots of limes. I thought we might have margaritas that night.  So I dug out my old recipe. Changed it up a little bit. Added a couple more limes, did without the scallions, cuz I forgot to buy them.
Success! My friend, Paula, couldn't get over the fact that I made it. Silly girl. She should know by now, I can cook!

I needed another fix. So I made it again yesterday. Now all I need to do is call for some of those great Chicano's tortilla chips. Even better, if I walked to the restaurant and bought them.

Maria's Salsa

15 med tomatoes, quartered (ok to use more)
1 med onion, chopped (ok to use more)
1 bunch of scallions/green onions (sliced)
Jalapeno peppers...(you decide how how you need it)
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced (ok to use more)
1/2 Cup vinegar
Juice of 1 lime (ok to use 1 or 2 more but it will be very lime-y)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Place quarted tomatoes in large colander to drain (30 min). In food processor, combine onion, scallions, jalapenos & cilantro. Process until chunky.
*Place 3/4 of the tomatoes in large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 min. Add chunky onion mixture and remaining ingredients and combine well.
Add fresh tomatoes to mixture.

*Optional, if you prefer to have it all uncooked, it will be just as yummy.

It's "Spectacular"

Today's Longaberger One Day Online Special--the Exclusive Spectator Purse! 

Available now until 11:59 EDT. 

Featuring Black and Whitewashed weaves, it's one of a kind--you deserve it! 

http://www.longaberger.com/mariawhite

 

Welcome

This is how my front door to my apartment looks today. 

It changes weekly. 

Maybe next week we'll have roses or lilies in that beautiful Longaberger basket. 

I hope you'll join me inside. I'll share recipes, quilt projects, 

Longaberger products and some views from my little world. 

Welcome.