Classic Christmas Tutorial - Orange Clove Pomander on Copper Hanger

For some, it just isn't Christmas until there are Orange Clove Pomanders made. I love these and they are so easy to make. I used an awl to pre-punch my design onto the orange and some recycled copper wire to make a free hanging pomander.


Supplies

-one orange and quite a few cloves, enough for your design
-6 - 8 inch sturdy gauge wire, I used copper
-ribbon & tinsel

Tools

-awl or ice pick
-small knife
-pliers



To make the hanger, bend the wire in half and then bend a hook on each end of the wire using the pliers. Take your knife and cut a small slice into the top of the orange. Make the cut just big enough to be able to push the overlapping hooks into the orange.




Push the hooks deep and then try and encourage them to open a bit before tugging it back out a small amount. You are hoping to catch some orange pulp on your hooks so that the hanger doesn't slide all the way back out.



Once the copper hanger was secure, begin poking your design, art or lines with your awl. Also be sure to make a circle around the bottom of the orange with holes, so that once the cloves are pushed in, the pomander will stand up straight on a flat surface.Once you are satisfied with your design and have all your cloves pushed into the holes, you can tie on a ribbon to the hanger and then decorate the top of the pomander with some festive doodads.




I used a bit of holly berry tinsel wire and white ribbon to finish mine off.

Pre-punching the holes of the design can make this project even easy for little kids who may have trouble punching the cloves through the orange skin. The texture of the cloves and the strong scent of the orange oil with the spice makes for an impressive holiday memory.

Happy Crafting!

Vinegar- Food, Cleaner and Godly Tonic

Since I am once again cleaning and deodorizing a post-flood basement, I though I'd would write a bit about vinegar, which is a wonder acid that's use dates back 10,000 years. With it's name coming from the old french term "vin aigre" which means "sour wine", vinegar has been used all through history for its preservative powers, medicinal use and flavor.

Me? I love the stuff. And now in no particular love order, here's ones I've played with...

Balsamic- Yum! This stuff is great to jazz up food! Sprinkle it on watermelon cubes, or blanched asparagus for quick and fresh appetizers. My favorite use for this is making chutneys- fig or cranberry Mmmmm. <3 Love the fruit chutneys.
Balsamic vinegar is traditionally made with a white grape wine. The really expensive ones involve decades to make, being stored in a variety of different wood barrels to infuse the different notes. Your everyday cheap commercial Balsamic is usually a mix of strong vinegar and assorted grape juices and sugar. What do I use for my chutneys? The cheap stuff :)

Malt- A must for fried fish!! <3 When I was pregnant, I couldn't get enough malt vinegar and fish.

Rice Vinegar- Sushi! <3 What's to say after that?? Asian salad dressings, marinades, oh and MORE SUSHI!

Apple Cider Vinegar- this is great for subbing out in your own go-to slaw recipe for something different. Also good for making chutneys and many mix the organic kind (with the 'vinegar mother" in it, that's the brown floaty stuff in the bottom of the bottle) with water and honey for a healthy tonic. I've heard reports from people saying it "cured" anything from acid reflux to arthritis to IBS. (other vinegars have been used medicinally for centuries for it's disinfectant and anti-bacterial properties).

White Vinegar- I use this stuff alot. For cleaning- Wiping counters down, disinfecting and deodorizing floors (like in my case, if you have a new piddlin' puppy or a stanked-up basement from fall flooding). And there's no worries of anyone licking it off the floor and getting sick because, hey, it's vinegar! I use it a lot in my artwork, as well, since nothing cleans copper better or faster than rubbing a salt & vinegar paste over it. (way cheaper and less labor intensive than my $8 metal polish).
And in the kitchen, I use it to make hot pepper vinegar for when we serve cooked collard greens, in stir-fry when I want a hot and sour flavor, for perkin' up tomato gravy and making summer pickles!

Needless to say, the white vinegar arrives at my house by the gallon. Momma ain't messin' around.

Happy Cooking and Cleaning!

Roasted Garlic Stuffed Vidalias

Onions!
Love them! Alot!

I realized the other day as I was writing out a recipe list of family favorites, we use onions in almost everything we eat at home. But, what about a dish that focuses on the onion itself. Now, with the holidays pending, I thought I should share this super easy recipe. The presentation is beautiful and perfect for taking to a gathering or potluck, as it reheats in the microwave nicely (so no fighting for a turn in the oven).


Roasted Garlic Stuffed Vidalias

2 large onions, peeled and ends trimmed (bottom portion trimmed flat so the onion will stand up) (softball size)
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped garlic (good use for jarred chopped garlic)
2-4 tbsp warm bacon grease
Salt

2 large squares heavy foil



Preheat Oven

The first step will be to make your well in the onion to hold the garlic. There are a few techniques to accomplish this.

-Use a melon-baller or similar small thin round spoon (I used a thin metal tsp measuring spoon) and scoop out a hollow big enough to hold half your garlic. Know you will have alot of garlic lovers? dig it deep :) Watch your eyes!

-You can also microwave your onion for a few minutes before attempting to hand-pick just a few of the inner most layers out to create the garlic well. It is supposed to loosen the onion up by pre-cooking it a bit

-Last year I cave-manned it a bit and just cut the onion in quarters, but not completely through and spread the onion open with my hands, then removed a few of the very center layers.

Of the 3 techniques, a melon baller was fastest and took just a minute.



Next fill the onion with garlic. Don't pack it down, you want to leave a few small nooks for the bacon grease to dribble down into, which is the next step. Use a spoon and slowly spoon the bacon grease down onto the garlic. You may even want to use a fork to work it in to the onion.

Now pop your onion down onto the foil square and lift all the corners and sides up to close the onion in. It can be a little loose around the bottom to allow the juices to build up but pinch the top closed.

Bake for approximately an hour. I check them at this point. They will be cooked but usually not brown enough, leave the foil cracked a bit to allow the top to brown up slightly and roast for about another 15 minutes.

This goes great with roasts or grilled meats.

Or you can take a portion of it and blend it up with some sour cream and softened cream cheese for a really savory dip.

Or make onion butter.

Or wear the juice as perfume! (only for the Hard-core)
Happy Cooking!

Southern Fried Chai

Southern Fried Chai





makes 1/2 gallon semi-concentrate





2 Luzianne Family size tea bags


1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper


1/4 tsp ground ginger (or chunks of fresh is wonderful too!)


18 whole cloves


1 cup Dixie Crystals sugar (okay, I picked them 'cause they are southern, really I use bobo generic)



When I make this I just add the spices and tea to 5-6 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil. Turn it off and let steep 15 minutes or so and then add to my pitcher and sugar. Stir it to dissolve the sugar and add enough cold water to make a full 1/2 gallon. You can bundle the cloves in some cheese cloth before boiling if you'd like, though I use the lazy method of just trying to not pour them into the pitcher... though if one jumps in, I leave it. It makes me feel all rustic 'n stuff. :)

To serve, pour warm over a full glass of ice, this melts the ice enough to dilute the tea down a bit. If serving from the fridge cold, I will cut a glass with about a 1/4 cup cold water.

This is also very good served hot.

Happy Cooking!

Go Dawgs!

Here he is in all his Georgia Dawgs glory.

We have a door fitting this evening and hopefully an installation the next day.

Geez... what are you doing?? Not writing, evidently...

Just a quickie, here's what's been occupying me. The Bulldog. From my hand drawn pattern. He's big, 13" x 26" and so far he's really cool... I'll own up to having been totally intimidated by this endeavor. But he's really looking nice. Not too much cursing... no tears, only a bit of blood :D

Next time you see him, he will be in the door!

Vintage Pillow Case to Chic Retro Mega-Valance

In the tradition of tradesmen long ago, I have swapped services and goods with my Sister-in-law, Christine, for a custom window treatment to match my 70's color scheme of orange and avocado (and was able to work in the pink I wanted, too). She did a fantastic job in making one lonely, old family pillowcase into a beautiful lined valance. And.. Oh, Look! A Tutorial! Lovely!

http://sewing.today.com/2009/04/17/window-treatments-window-valance/

It really buttered up the lighting in the kitchen and looks just perfect in there. Impressive enough to make the Husband comment on how nice the draperie looked.

In return for her goods, I am making her a glass candle plate and making a stained glass privacy screen for her bathroom- a la French Froggy Fleur De Lis- in exchange for blackout curtains for the computer room.

I love a good trade, man.