I wish....

I wish it would just slow down a bit...that it didn't go by so fast and such a blur...I wish it would literally last a "Season". I wish you could bake a little longer ans slower...visit a little longer with family and friends who come form far and near. I wish to stay in the relaxed state that you experience for a moment or two during the whirlwind of preparation...and I wish now to share with you some of the still moments below

It was a great holiday once again...I made endless finger less gloves for many many little girls...the delight when they squeal, smile and put them on and keep them on all day! I love little ones who appreciate handmades! I have older daughters who help me with the baking and pasta prep now..whew thank god!! I have young adults...school age...and toddlers all at once on Christmas morning to watch open presents and let me tell you the young adults are just as excited as the young ones!
I had a Birthday 44 now yikes!!! I got a new computer YAY!! more blogging as it doesn't take me 4 hours to edit pictures!!! I got new fabric from French General Petite Prints Deux, Luxurious yarn from Bijou Basin Ranch...some Aurifil thread sets from Fat Quarter shop.
Our big night is Christmas Eve so Christmas day is Jammies and movies...Love Actually..the Holiday...and endless Hallmark movies<3<3<3
Then a fast trip to Upstate NY to visit my in laws the snowy photos are the views from the house..it was actually there first snowfall of the season..very rare.
The last picture is of my IG account with the #bestnine2015...my most popular photos! It was a very pretty 2015 in pictures.

So back to wishing...I wish more slow days for all...I wish for more stillness...I wish for safety for all who are in need...I will just keep wishing...

Peace and Love to you all in the New Year,,,
XOXO

Be well,
Ming

Still on the road...

My dear blog friends if I could ever recommend a way to see this beautiful country of ours it would be to do so via automobile with country music blasting (I was never a fan but when you drive across the U.S. It's just a must!) 

Disclaimer... I only had one of my 5 kids with me so it does make a difference( I would not have done it with more than 2!!)

We drove across to Utah from New Hersey to visit my baby brother and his family. Come see some of the sights below...

Good stuff am I right??? So here is the breakdown.

It took us three days to get there (we were on a schedule)...

Once you get past Pennsylvania  EVERYONE is soooo nice (no judgment here we East Coasters are just a wee bit hard nosed in a good way)...

Missouri's billboards crack me up, fireworks, boots, adult stores, guns and then in between that a spiritual one...

I fell in love with Nebraska yes I said Nebraska...

In Wyoming I saw a cowboy sipping a frapuccino in a Starbucks with enough firearms and ammo strapped to him that he could of taken out the town... My son asked if a Zombie apocalypse was coming ... I asked my brother if it was normal his answer was " Welcome to the Wild West" 

I loved the west ....

You don't go to Utah and not go to a quilt store and a Hobby Lobby... You just don't... Nuff' said ....

We went to Subdance... Robert Redford you done good!!! We saw Don Johnson, he looks amazing!! (Miami Vice soundtrack was going through my head the whole time)... Sundance is a must must see...(best brunch I've ever had!)...

My brother took me hiking somewhere off  

Cottonwood Canyon and picked me wildflowers...sweetest moment...

I finished my Rose City Rollers socks...I love this pattern and think it's a great one for beginners...the instructions are great...

We stopped at a Starbucks whenever we could to collect the "You are here mugs" it was a great way to keep the little guy entertained during the long car rides... Kind of like a scavenger hunt...we got 

11... I can't wait to do a road trip next next summer! 

And of course it was a great visit with my brother and his family. It really was such an amazing experience and blessing <3 

Be Well!

Ming 

 

Good food and good fun!

My friends say I have spoiled my family in many ways and may have ruined their future mates for life when it comes to my cooking...yes, I am bragging about myself just this once...well maybe twice! When my family sees old bananas on the counter I know whats coming..."Mom you should make Banana cake" like at 7:00 pm as I am cleaning up the dinner dishes. They are all filtering home from college and such these days so I do not want to disappoint ...however I got a bit lazy this winter with cooking so I felt I  needed to fulfill the request ( I really wanted to say are you flipping nuts its 7pm)! So I thought how can i make this as easy a possible for myself...one bowl...not much measuring (it's an Italian thing...sorry)...and delicious. Here's what happened...Banana cake with Mascarpone cheese frosting. 

 

My Dear Friends,

Do you know that happens when you take a container Mascarpone cheese add  a cup and half of              confectioners sugar, some vanilla and lemon juice and whip it at high speed? It turns into an tangy marshmallowy deliciousness that stops all time and space and Angles start to sing!! I will now call this my go to frosting forever more!

Yours Truly,

Ming

So here's what I want you to do ...

For the Banana cake:

In a mixing bowl mash...

• 3 old bananas
• 1 cup raw sugar 

Now add to mixture

• 1/4 cup safflower oil
• 2 eggs
• tsp vanilla

 mix again until  incorporated and then add

• A scant 2 cups flour...I use King Arthur
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt...I am now using mineral salt in my cooking and baking
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Now mix this and lastly add

• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt

Mix again and and pour into a 8x8 baking pan sprayed with cooking or baking spray and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

For the Mascarpone Frosting:

• 4 oz. container of Mascarpone cheese
• 1 1/2 or 2 cups confectioners sugar 
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
• juice of a half a lemon may be more to your liking

mix together and just whip it at high speed till incorporate well and watch the Magic happen!

The possibilities are endless with this frosting and what you can add in and alter. I also added some Spanish chocolate shavings too!

Now onto other happenings...

 Gardening has started literally overnight...we went from freezing temps to everything starting to flower and sprout. Finally!! We added two new gardening beds and are going to add more. That was the heaviest dirt I ever had to shovel and move! My daughter is home now and first thing was to get my Great nephew Gavin introduced to the dirt and he loved it and took it very very seriously!

...and it was another Crazy Knitting Night and as usual the craziness and laughs were in abundance.

Our Sandra (who we swear has a small army in her basement knitting for her ... this woman busts the projects out like nobody's business!") showed off her latest finish a West Knits design and not without striking her best Stephen West pose! In February we went to the West Knits workshop at our local yarn store and it was a hoot! She is now on her second West knits design ...I have even started my first ;-(!!

I have lots of projects getting ready top show off  and now that the temps are rising I can sit at my computer and not freeze any more! 

Of course the knitting gals and I love us some Downton Abbey so this meme is just so fitting from @hey_lady_hey on instagram....How true is this!!

Have a wonderful weekend and if you have those old bananas around give the cake a go you wont be disappoint!

Be Well,

Ming