Last week Judy announced the  “secret ingredient” was Peanut Butter. Since I didn’t think she really wanted a picture of my lunch (I tend to eat a lot of peanut butter – Peter Pan Honey Roasted Smooth).  I started looking for recipes. I knew my young quilting buddy was coming over and she hates peanut butter, so I wanted to see if I could find something she would eat.  The other goal was to find something which I could fix out of my cabinets.  I’m not an adventurous cook.  To give you an example, olive oil is consider exotic in my kitchen.

Back during the holidays I bought some no-bake cookies from the grocery store.  Even though they had chocolate in them, I threw them out before finishing the first cookie.  They were horrible and if I was going to run my blood sugar up I wanted something which tasted good.

I searched the web and ended up combining two recipes to make my cookies.

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/2 stick butter (I used unsalted)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup oatmeal (I used old-fashioned)

Melt the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk in a heavy pan.  Once melted and combined, bring to a boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat, add the vanilla and stir in peanut butter to melt and combine.  Mix in the oatmeal. Because I used old-fashioned oats I let it sit for 5 minutes before dropping onto wax paper by the spoon full.  Let cool to  setup.  Makes 20.

As I was searching the web, I  found comments about the cookies not setting up and the oatmeal to use.  Apparently the boiling the chocolate mixture for 3 minutes is crucial.  I had no problems with my cookies firming up.  As for the oats, the Quaker Oats website said either old-fashioned or quick would work, but if using old-fashioned to let the mixture set for 5 minutes in the pan.

These are very rich.  I think next time I would leave the peanut butter out – or at least use a  “plain” peanut butter instead of the honey roast.

Check out other peanut butter recipes over at Patchwork Times and find out the next “secret ingredient”.

Judy is hosting a link for what we are reading.  As much as I love to read — have since I was a little girl — I have to say I’m reading too much.  I know this because I’m not quilting!  I really need find some good books on CD.  It’s not as good as reading, but at least I can quilt.

Four or five years ago a friend told me about Diana Gabaldon’s books.  I started listening to them on CDs.  Sometimes it would take months for my name to come up on the list to get the next volume.  I guess it’s been 2 years since I finished listening to An Echo in the Bone.  Talk about a cliff hanger.  I can’t wait for her next book to come out Written in my Own Hearts Blood.

A few months back I spotted two of the books at a garage sale and picked them up.  Then I was on a quest to get all of the books.  The last one I needed to complete my set was ironically the first book of the series Outlander. Naturally I started reading them.  Last night after I finished Drums of  Autumn I started The Fiery Cross.

The things I laughed at when I heard the story I’m laughing at again as I read them (think of a large trout as a weapon).  Also, I’m picking up on things that I didn’t get listening to them.   When a new character is introduced I can’t wait to get to some piece of their story that takes place later.

The book is romance, history, time travel all rolled up in one.  Claire, while on a belated honeymoon in Scotland, is accidentally thrown back in time from 1945 to about 1745.  It’s the story of her survival and more. To read more about the series check out Diana Gabaldon’s website.

I’m linking up to Patchwork Times.

Well, it’s no longer on my wall.  This went home with my young quilting friend yesterday evening.  Last weekend we bought the blue KU and red fabrics.  Between the two of us we fussy cut the blocks. Then  I precut the yellow framing from my stash Thursday night.  It was a good thing because once she got here this past Friday night she was ready to sew.

The framing was completed Friday night, then Saturday she added the red sashing and borders.  The moment she finished the top she was digging in my stash to find a backing fabric.  She had the wall hanging quilted and the label made before going to bed Saturday night.  Sunday morning I bound the quilt and added the hanging “sleeve”.  I put triangles in the top corners and a narrow pocket about 4″ long in the center.  We slipped a 1″ strip of wood through the center and into the corners.  I sent some 3M hooks with the quilt so it could be hung.  She’s giving this to one of her teachers.

To check out what others are working on follow the links over at Patchwork Times.

Very little quilting is being done by me.  The “B” Block for the Alphabet BOM is about it.  But my stash was raided for a bit of framing and backing for my young quilting friend’s wall hanging.  There should be a picture tomorrow. It just needs binding.

Fabric Added Since Last Report: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date:  53.944 yards

Fabric Used Since Last Report: 1.083 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 1.746 yards

Net Used for the year -52.198 yards

Other stash reports can be seen over at Patchwork Times.

It’s time to set my goal for February’s finish.  Since this is a short month I need something which will be quick to finish.  I’ve decided on the Tetris wall hanging. It’s small, I  have the batting and backing ready to go and I have an idea of how I want to quilt it.

To see what others are planning on finishing this month, check out the links at

B is for Basketweave is the second block of Dorothy Young’s alphabet block-of-the-month.  If you wish to quilt along, join the group by clicking on the “Join Now!” button.

Click to join apocketfullofmysteries.

This is also one of the items on my Getting It Done list for February.

At the beginning of the month I listed 4 things I wanted to accomplish in my quilting:

• Bind the 2006 Retreat Mystery quilt
• Make TNBC block using Faux Applique technique
• Complete the center of the Eeyore quilt
• Work on the Double Wedding Ring Quilt

I didn’t get them all done, but I think I’ve figured out why.

There were the 11 books I read.  Outlander , Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager and A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows by Diana Gabaldon; The Union Quilter and The Wedding Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini; The Enchanted Land by Jude Deveraux; A Highlander in Her Past by Maeve Greyson; Victorian Dream by Gini Rifkin; A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh and Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick. The ones not pictured were read on my Kindle.  They were either free from Amazon.com at the time I downloaded them or I borrowed them from my library through Overdrive.

I was in the kitchen trying new recipes using spinach, cream corn, and tofu.

A couple of new projects were started and I finished the first section of Just Takes 2.

I processed the pile of shirts I bought from the thrift shop (I haven’t done a thing yet with the box of shirts I was sent.)

My husband and I joined a gym and I’ve managed to get there 8 times so far.  At the moment we are primarily using the walking track to get us out of the elements. Baby steps toward fitness.

Later I’ll figure out my 4 goals for Judy’s Getting It Done. Who knows, there’s still a few more hours left in the day.

In the meantime, I’m linking up to a Lovely Year of Finishes.

Edited to add February’s Getting It Done list.

• The “B” block in Dorothy Young’s BOM
• The next set of blocks for TNBC
• Visible progress on my DWR
• The center of the Eeyore quilt (isn’t this a repeat)

I’ve linked up to Judy’s Getting it Done over at Patchwork Times.

When Judy said the ingredient for the week was tofu, I thought no way I was going to participate.  I suppose her challenge about not wanting to be the only one who posted a tofu recipe goaded me into looking for something that might work.

I started with Tasty Kitchen.  I typed in tofu and tons of recipes were returned.  I didn’t even look at them if they didn’t have a rating of 5 mitts.  I found Tofu Meatballs, which lead me to La Casa de Sweets, which in turn led me to Amuse Your Bouche which  I sort of followed.

• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 14 oz (when drained) extra firm tofu
• 1 cup of shredded cheese — I used Marble Jack
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

I drained the tofu and then “pressed” it to get the remaining water out of it.   Once drained, I mashed up the tofu using a potato masher — I suspect running it through the food processor would be better and then mixed in the rest of the ingredients.

I rolled about 20 balls and placed them on parchment paper sprayed w/cooking spray. Baked for 15 minutes at 375 degrees and then turn them over and bake for another 15 minutes.  Let them cool  a few minutes.

I told my husband and young quilting friend they were cheese balls.  My husband asked what was in them.  He didn’t want to find spinach like the last time I asked him to eat something new.  Listed out the ingredients, skipping the tofu and he ate one.  He had two comments — hadn’t I made these before and they were a little dry.  My young quilting friend gave them a thumbs up!

That’s when I told them they were made with tofu.

As for “making them before” we decided it must have the sausage balls I made around Christmas — the ones you make with sausage, Bisquick and cheese.  They were dry as well.

I’m not going to rush out and make these again, but I won’t say I’ll never make them again.

For other tofu recipes and the next ingredient of the week check out the links over at Patchwork Times.

Sunday I mentioned that I received two boxes.  The smaller box was from my cousin.  It contained pictures of her step-grandfather, my great-uncle, and some of his family.  This morning I pulled a couple to scan.

These are Grandpa Pete and Grandma Ruth.  Grandpa Pete served in the Spanish-American war — something I didn’t know until I read a newspaper clipping which was enclosed with the pictures.  I never knew my grandfather’s parents.

This was another picture found in the box.  This was taken January 8, 1960.  That’s my mom on her wedding day with two of her uncles.  Uncle Bob on is on the left. It’s his step-granddaughter who sent me the pictures.  Uncle Bob was mom’s escort down the aisle. (Mom’s dad was lost at sea July 1941.) Uncle George is on the right.

Another fun note. My mom met my dad at Uncle Bob’s.  Uncle Bob rented his garage apartment to my Dad who was from Mississippi.  Mom was visiting Uncle Bob in Houston from California.  I think it’s only fitting that Uncle Bob walked Momma down the aisle.