Hamantaschen

My mom really likes the traditional Jewish dessert Hamantaschen that is usually made at Purim (in early spring). I've made it for her a couple times, but for Mother's Day this year I bought a can of the poppy seed filling and used the recipe inside the can and I think it was the best batch I've made so far!


The only thing I did differently was to add extra orange peel and it made the cookie part really moist and tasty. Mom likes the poppy seed filling the best, but you can also put preserves or jam inside the cookies. These make a great tea cookie, just leave enough time for chilling the dough (since that's what takes the longest).

Getting Crafty at Work

Sometimes you do crafts at work. And you make book cradles.





Fun Shoes

I think part of the reason that I like making fun shoes is because sometimes I see the ones that are in the little girls section of the shoe store and I don't think it's fair that they don't have them in my size.

For my most recent project, I decided to make some flats... my supply list is:
- Vintage lace and bias tape from a rummage sale at the Methodist church near campus
- Cream velvet rosettes from fellow Etsy seller ScreamingMonkeys
- Little pearls from Michael's
- Flats from Target
- My trusty low-heat glue gun (I always touch it)


I like to do my crafting while watching Doctor Who, this is my nice relaxing time when I'm done with homework.

And here is the finished product:

Soon to be posted in my Etsy shop.

Also, I see there was a guest appearance by NIS in the kneading of the bread below.

Making Bread

Not that there's anything wrong with Pepperidge Farm. They do some fine work and really haven't let me down. But this morning I thought I'd make some bread, because I'm domestic like that.


Ingredients at the ready: whole wheat & all-purpose flour, egg, honey, water, salt, yeast, butter

Kneading it thoroughly. For a long time.

After rising for two hours on the screen porch (a very good place in the summer)

It turned out scrumptious. Maybe try some with butter and whipped honey?
Recipe:
1/4 cup warm water
I package yeast
(together in a bowl until the yeast is dissolved)
then add:
1 egg, beaten
2 and 1/2 cups warm water
1/4 to 1/2 cup honey, sugar or maple syrup
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 stick butter
then:
4 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups all-purpose flour
knead for 10-20 minutes, lightly pushing away the dough with the heel of your hand and folding it over. Once it is smooth, elastic and satiny, let it rise in a greased bowl in a warm spot for an hour (covered with a clean cloth). After an hour, punch down the dough, separate into 3 portions, let rest for 10 minutes under a clean cloth. Then shape as desired, put into greased pans and let rise for 45 minutes (again with the clean cloth - just in case you were tempted to put a dirty cloth over your nice bread dough). Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.






About Us





Two sisters who enjoy crafting, cooking, reading books & cookbooks, traveling, fine dining & chic clothes. 


RKP is an economics major at the University of Maryland & crafts custom vintage shoes which she sells through her Etsy shop.


PPS is a librarian at a university in the Southeast, a pianist & an admirer of Julia Child.