SWEET THINGS

My grandma was a pie baker.  It's how she made her living.  I was very young when she spent all day making pies and delivering them to local restaurants and stores, but I have memories of being in my Memmy's baking room.  What I remember are the dried apples that sat on baking sheets atop the stove and the big green tins that sat under her workspace.  Those tins held lard, flour, sugar, and other ingredients that she used to create her delicious cheese pies, fruit pies, and what we called "fish" pies.  Members of our family have tried to recreate the fish pie, but it's never the same as I remember.  Her fish pie had a thick green-grey molasses filling with a thick soft crust.  

I wish I could have spent time with Memmy and learned her baking secrets.  One thing that has always been a challenge for me is pie dough.  I most enjoy making cakes and cupcakes and have perfected three kinds: applesauce, banana, and chocolate as well as three frostings: cream cheese, chocolate, and peanut butter.  But pies are something I never really took an interest in because making good pie dough seemed such a mystery as well as a hassle. 

At this time of year, when apples are in season, I always get the urge to bake an apple pie.  I found the link below tonight while searching for apple pie recipes.  The website itself is one worth exploring.  If nothing else, you'll learn how to make good pie dough and the secrets to a flaky crust.  Then you can use your favorite recipe for the filling.  Perhaps pumpkin.  

Under the link I posted some photos of my cake creations.  Far from professional, but perhaps they'll inspire you.   It's such fun to create sweet things in the kitchen.  Kids love to help too, so get baking.
 http://www.simplebites.net/lets-bake-an-apple-pie/

MAKING TEACUP CANDLES

My teacup candles turned out great, despite the mess I made dripping wax on the floor and table.  Before you attempt this, put down several layers of newspaper over your work space.

I used two boxes of Gulf wax I bought at the grocery store to make 6 candles. I chopped the bars into one inch squares for quicker melting.  I found that the melting took much longer than expected on top of a double boiler.  I lined my pot with aluminum foil, but I wouldn't do that again because it made pouring difficult and my pot got glopped up with wax anyway.  I would use an old can with a wide bottom or a foil disposable container that fits inside your double boiler.

Getting the wicks to stay put while pouring was a challenge.  The instructions on Martha Stewart suggested wrapping the top of the wick around a toothpick to keep the wick's anchor in place.  But I didn't have a toothpick wide enough to stretch across the top of my teacup.  So I just set the anchor in the middle of the cup and hoped for the best.  Afterwards I realized that I could have used a wooden skewer for the job.  Next time I would at least tape the anchor down to the bottom of the cup so it can't move while pouring the wax.  Wicks with metal anchors are available at Michael's craft store.

Put as much water in your double boiler as it will hold.  By the time I was finished pouring wax, the water was almost gone.  I suggest melting small amounts of wax at a time.  At first I put two whole boxes of chopped wax in the pot and then had to remove some of it because it was taking so long to melt.  Also, don't set the teacup on the saucer while pouring the hot wax.  Expect dripping.  And don't move your teacup once the wax is poured.  Make sure your teacups are placed exactly where you want them until the wax is set, with plenty of room between each cup.

I added several drops of bergamot essential oil to the wax for fragrance, although I don't think I added enough at first.  You might want to research the ratio of fragrance to wax if you're adding a fragrance to your melting wax.

I still have to scrape the wax  off my kitchen floor, although it's not really noticeable.  The pot was the hardest to clean, so make sure you have a removable disposable liner for your double boiler before attempting this.  I wrapped my teacup candles with clear wrap I found at Michaels's craft store.  A few curly ribbons in red and green added the finishing touch.

Teacups are pretty easy to find in thrift stores like Goodwill or at yard sales and flea markets.  I used teacups that I had setting around for years.  I found them at an antique store and just decided it was time to do something practical with them besides being dust collectors that look pretty on a shelf.

Now the only thing left to do is figure out who I'm giving these gifts to.  I also made a batch of vanilla sugar, which I'll share with you after I post the teacup candles.  So there are two gift ideas that aren't so hard to make.  If I can do it, you can do it.  I'm no Martha, believe me.  Her shoes are too perfect and organized for me to fill.  Well, I guess I'll go for now.  I have cookies to bake, a cake to make, some homemade granola and a few bags of buttermilk pancake mix  to throw together yet and I'm done with gifts.  Hope you enjoy your week before Christmas.