Frolicsome Lampshades
By Maureen Hardegree

Creating frolicsome lampshades is easier than you might think. All it requires is a little imagination, a trip to the fabric store, and a hot glue gun. And even though the results can be spectacular enough to make people think you spent hours customizing your shades, the truth is the whole process takes very little time . . . once you choose from the large number of available embellishments. The most difficult part of the whole process, if you're like me, is handling the hot glue without burning your fingers.

Beaded Trim

Beaded trim usually is attached to the inside of the lampshade, just above the bottom edge, so you only see the beads hanging down. But you can glue the fabric tape (the beads hang down from the fabric tape) to the outside of the lampshade if you like the way it looks and you have a steady hand.


Start your beading project by measuring the bottom circumference of your lampshade with a measuring tape. Add an extra inch for overlap. Then head to the fabric store to pick out a frolicsome bead trim that coordinates or contrasts with your shade. Once you return home, heat up your glue gun. Flip your lampshade upside down, and remember there's a reason it's called HOT glue.

Begin at the inside edge of the shade at the seam and squirt a short bead of glue (around 2-3 inches). Place the fabric tape over the glue, making the bottom edge of the fabric tape parallel with the bottom edge of the shade. Continue around the shade in a like manner until you return to the beginning of your circle. Leave a quarter inch overlap that you can turn under, and cut the excess. Add an extra dab of glue to secure the last folded piece.

Flat Trim

Decorative flat trims come in a multitude of colors, widths, and styles, from simple braid to elaborate filigree. Flat trim is attached to the outside of the shade. When working with your flat trim, keep ends taped until you're ready to glue so the trim won't unravel. As always, measure the edge you plan to embellish with a measuring tape to see how much material you need. Buy a couple extra inches in case you have some unraveling difficulties.

When you're ready to begin, flip the lampshade over to attach the bottom edge first. Starting at the lampshade's seam, apply a short bead of hot glue close to the edge of the shade and press the trim over the glue, lining up the edges. Move slowly around the shade until you're almost back where you began. If you have more than an inch of excess trim, cut some off. Turn under the excess flat trim and secure with a dab of hot glue at or near the seam. Repeat for the top of the lampshade.

Appliqués

Another great way to embellish, and by far the easiest, is to use satin appliqués. Appliqués come in every type imaginable from letters (for initials or a child's name), to team logos, to dogs and cats, and even Mary Englebright designs.

For a funky, flower-power look, purchase hot-pink and orange satin flowers in small and large sizes. Hot glue the backs of the appliqués, and stick the flowers randomly over the shade. Of course you'll probably want to finish with a little flat or beaded trim for the bottom of the shade. I used a flat trim in a golden yellow for top and bottom.

The only rule to livening up a lampshade is to have fun while creating. Happy frolicking!

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Thanksgiving Treats for Everyone!
By The Wet Noodle Poose

Turkey and Stuffing
Contributed by Colleen Gleason

Here in the Midwest, we call it stuffing; some other places in the United States call it dressing. And who knows? There might be other nomenclatures for that moist, yummy bread mixture that goes inside (or outside) a turkey.

And of course, the turkey is the crowning glory of the Thanksgiving Day dinner. So it has to look beautiful as well as taste perfect. Well, roasting a perfect, gorgeous turkey is easier than it sounds...and guess what! This recipe for turkey also can be used for roasting chicken anytime during the year!

Herbed Turkey

One turkey, completely defrosted (you pick the size!), or turkey breast, or roasting chicken
5-10 garlic gloves
Fresh herbs, by the bunch: rosemary, thyme, sage, chives or any combination
Stick of butter
Salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven as high as it will go - over 500 degrees is optimal.

Peel the garlic cloves by smashing them with the flat side of a large knife. This will also flatten or split the cloves, which is good. Wash, de-stem and chop about two-thirds of the fresh herbs, and leave the rest on their stems.

Wash the turkey, and don't forget to remove the giblets, neck, and liver (usually tucked inside in a little paper bag). Pat the bird dry and rub it all over with a stick of butter. Grease that baby! Make it nice and shiny and slippery. Place the bird, breast-side up, on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan.

Next, take as many split garlic gloves as you like and tuck them between the skin and the turkey breast. I like to fill the breast area with those split cloves, and then if I have any left, I tuck as many as I can between the skin and the back of the turkey as well. Stick some between the leg and the breast (you won't be able to get them under the skin in this area). And save about two or three cloves to stick inside the cavity of the bird.

Now, take all of those chopped herbs and rub them gently all over the turkey so they stick to the butter. Your bird should look like it's shedding herbs. Next, salt and pepper the outside generously.

At this point, you can decide to cook the stuffing inside the bird or separately. I'm a fan of cooking it separately for a couple of reasons: food safety is the main one, ease the second. But it's up to you. If you want to cook the dressing inside, go for it!

If you elect not to cook the dressing inside, then stuff the rest of the garlic and unchopped herbs in the bird cavity. Now he's ready to roast.

I always start by roasting my bird (chicken or turkey) at the highest temperature possible for no more than 30 minutes. If you have a different preference, feel free. If you do it my way, you roast the bird for a half hour at the highest heat, then turn it waaaay down, to about 300 degrees for the rest of the cook time.

A turkey is done when one or all of these things occur: the internal temperature of the breast is over 160 degrees, the juices run clear when stabbed with a fork, or the leg moves very easily in its socket. You're going to let it sit on the counter and finish cooking when you take it out of the oven.

Again, you can roast a chicken in the same way, and it's delicious! The garlic roasts and flavors the breast, and the salt and pepper, combined with the herbs and the high initial temperature, act to seal in the moisture.

Fruit and Nut Stuffing

I love dried fruit, so I like to incorporate fall picks in my stuffing.

1 1/2 sticks butter
1 large pear (peeled, cored and cut into small cubes)
1 large apple (peeled, cored, and cut into small cubes)
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups sweet white wine (Sauternes or other)
1 cup dried, pitted prunes
1 1/2 cups dried apricots
1 cup dried cranberries or cherries
2 tablespoon chopped, fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh sage
14 cups cubed, crustless bread (I like to mix white and wheat bread.)
1 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped

Melt 2 tablespoons butter and add the pears, apples, and sugar. Sauté until the fruit is soft and golden (five minutes or so). Remove from the pan and mix with the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Melt the rest of the butter in the pan and sauté the onions until they turn rich gold, then add the wine and the next five ingredients. Simmer while stirring until the liquid is reduced and thick, almost like a glaze, and the onions are soft and moist. This will take about fifteen minutes. Stir this mixture into the pear and apples. (This can be done the day before and refrigerated until the big day.)

When you're ready to make the stuffing, mix the bread and nuts into the fruit mixture. Salt and pepper to taste.

I advocate baking the stuffing separately, so if you choose to, simply butter a 15x10x2-inch or 13x9x2-inch pan. Transfer the stuffing to the dish, and cover with buttered foil (buttered side down). Bake at 350 degrees, or whatever temperature the turkey's at, until heated all the way through - about 40 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes so the top gets nice and crispy.


Traditional Glazed Ham
Contributed by Lee McKenzie

1 whole ham, bone in
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 large can sliced pineapple, packed in pineapple juice
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
Whole cloves
1 can jellied cranberry sauce (garnish)
1 bunch fresh parsley (garnish)

Choose a good-sized, bone-in ham. I buy mine from a butcher who sells meat from organically raised, unmedicated animals. His hams are cured the way our grandparents did them, and they still have the skin (rind) on them. Eight or ten pounds is a nice size. We like to have enough leftovers for sandwiches, and we use the bone to make stock for pea soup.

Place the ham, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees. I bake mine for about 12 minutes per pound (total cooking time: 2 hours for a 10-pound ham).

To make the glaze:
Drain the sliced pineapple, set the slices aside for garnish, and pour the juice into a saucepan. Add the brown sugar, cornstarch and prepared mustard, and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the glaze thickens.

About half an hour before the ham is cooked, remove it from the oven. Turn the oven up to 375 degrees.

Set the ham on a heat-proof cutting board and remove the rind. You'll need a good sharp knife for this, and an extra pair of hands would be a big help too. Once the rind is off, you need to make evenly spaced cuts, about one-eighth or one-quarter of an inch deep, across the top and exposed sides of the ham, first in one direction, then the other. These cuts should create fairly uniform diamond shapes all over the ham. Insert whole cloves into the corners of all the diamonds. This is really worth taking some time over because it will be reflected in the end result.

Brush the entire outer surface of the ham with the glaze, put the ham back on the rack in the roasting pan, and return it to the oven for the last half-hour of cooking. After fifteen minutes, brush on another coating of glaze.

You can leave the oven at 325 degrees to do the glaze, but I prefer a higher heat because it creates a darker, richer-colored finish. Keep an eye on things, though, because you don't want it to burn. If it starts to get too dark, turn down the temperature and/or put on a loose covering of tin foil.

When the cooking time is up, remove the ham from the oven and set it on a large platter.

Retrieve the pineapple rings you set aside. Wash the parsley and pat it dry. Now slide the jellied cranberry sauce out of the can, so it comes out in a nice round log. Slice the jelly into the same number of slices as you have pineapple.

Place overlapping and alternating slices of cranberry and pineapple along the edge of the platter, around the ham, and tuck sprigs of parsley here and there for contrast. The ham is best carved at the table, after family and guests have been seated, so everyone can enjoy your beautiful creation!


Ina's Baked Squash
Contributed by Lee McKenzie

2 cups cooked, mashed squash (use acorn or another winter squash) Note: This will be about 1 pound (an average-size acorn squash) before it's cooked.
1 tablespoon olive oil
A generous grating of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
2 eggs, beaten
Finely chopped cashews

Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place the two halves cut side down in a shallow, microwaveable dish. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the dish and microwave on High. Cooking time will vary, depending on the type of microwave you have. You also can bake the squash in the oven for half an hour or so.

Let the squash cool, then scoop the pulp into a bowl. Mash the squash and stir in the olive oil, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add the beaten eggs and mix thoroughly. Put this mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle the top with chopped cashews. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Serves 6.

I found this recipe in a cookbook used by my grandmother in the 1930s. Over the years, I have modified it by adding the nutmeg and by using olive oil instead of melted butter and cashews instead of buttered crumbs. Oh yes, I also omitted the grated cheese called for by the old recipe. However, the egg and squash still create the original soufflé-like texture that made this side dish so appealing, so the recipe still bears my grandmother's name.


Corn Soufflé
Contributed by Terry McLaughlin

This pleasant change from the typical side dish of rice or potatoes is a simple recipe that will take ten minutes to prepare and approximately one hour to bake.

16 ounces (one can) whole kernel corn, drained
16 ounces (one can) creamed corn
8 ounces (one small box) corn muffin mix
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
8 ounces sour cream

Equipment:

Mixing bowl
Mixing spoon
Deep (3- to 4-inch), round (6- to 8-inch in diameter) baking dish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a deep, round baking dish. Add all six ingredients to the mixing bowl, and stir until blended. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Place in oven for approximately one hour or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Let soufflé sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings as a side dish.

Variations:

For a sweeter version, add two tablespoons white sugar.

For an herbed version, add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup finely chopped chives or green onions, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh marjoram, and 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage.

For a cheesy version, add 1/4 cup finely chopped chives or green onions and 1 cup grated cheddar cheese; sprinkle another 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese over the top to melt during the last ten minutes of baking time.


Homemade Rolls
Contributed by Pam Payne

1 (1/4-ounce) package yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon sugar

Dissolve yeast and sugar in water. Let rise in container. In large bowl, combine the following:

1 cup hot water
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
2 teaspoons salt

Let cool and add yeast mixture. Add:

1 egg, well beaten
4-4 1/2 cups flour

Blend well. Oil top of dough and cover with cloth. Let rise till doubled. Mash down and knead on flour-covered board until no longer sticky. Roll out on floured surface to approximately 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness. Use round cookie cutter or top of drinking glass approximately 3 inches in diameter to cut out rolls. After cutting out first batch, gather up remnants of dough and reform into ball, roll out, and repeat above. Continue until all dough is used. Cover with cloth, and let rise again. Bake at 400 degrees until brown (10-12 minutes). Dough can be stored in refrigerator if covered.


Fruit Salad
Contributed by Pam Payne

Peel and chop 3 bananas, 2 apples, and 2 oranges. Mix together. Beat 16 ounces whipping cream until thickened. Then add 12 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla, and beat until peaks form. Mix into fruit mixture. You can add chopped pecans to this if desired.


Praline Streusel Sweet Potatoes
Contributed by Maureen Hardegree

5 pounds orange sweet potatoes (Note: also known as yams; not yellow sweet potatoes)
1 tablespoon fresh-grated orange zest
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons butter

Streusel Topping:
2 cups pecans (chopped or halves)
1 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

Step One: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9-inch cookie sheet (or stoneware bar pan) with vegetable-oil cooking spray, or use a parchment sheet to protect potatoes from sticking. Wash potatoes. With a long-pronged fork, pierce the potatoes all over and roast in oven until soft (about 1 hour, depending on the size of the potatoes). You'll know they're well roasted when the juices that escape caramelize.

Step Two: Allow potatoes to cool. Once cool, peel off the skins and place in a large bowl. Mash the potatoes until they are smooth. Add orange juice and zest. (You can use less orange zest if you're not a fan.) Fold in eggs, granulated sugar, baking powder, vanilla and butter. Spray 13x9-inch casserole dish with vegetable-oil cooking spray. Pour sweet-potato mixture into the prepared casserole dish. At this point, you can refrigerate overnight or go on to the next step.

Step Three: In a saucepan, combine pecans, dark brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt. Bring to a boil. (Watch carefully so it doesn't burn!) Cook 2 minutes, then pour over sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. You'll know it's done when the streusel is bubbly. Serve warm. Serves 8.


Cranberry Relish
Contributed by Stephanie Feagan

1 orange rind
1 cup pecans
3 oranges, peeled
3 apples
2 packages fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
2 cups small marshmallows

Put all ingredients into food processor and pulse. This makes a lot, but it will keep for quite a while in the refrigerator.


Green Salad
Contributed by Charity Tahmaseb

1 (3-ounce) package of lime Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1 lemon, its pulp, juice, and grated zest
1 large or 2 small, ripe avocados, chopped
1 (4-ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 scant teaspoon sugar (to taste)

Place Jell-O and boiling water in blender and blend on high for 40 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and blend for 1 minute. Pour into bowl and chill until firm.


Pumpkin Bread
Contributed by Lorelle Marinello

Dry ingredients:
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

Blend dry ingredients.

Moist ingredients:
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin
2/3 cup of water

Using an electric mixer, blend moist ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients and blend. Divide into three loaves. Use three foil loaf pans or line loaf pans with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 50 minutes.


Creamy Lemon Cake
Contributed by Debra Holland

One (13 1/2-ounce) box graham cracker crumbs
2 sticks (1 cup) sweet butter
2 (8-ounce) containers whipping cream
2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
6 lemons (juice and grated rind)

For the crust:
Combine the graham-cracker crumbs with two sticks of melted butter. Press the mixture firmly into a 12x18-inch flat baking pan. (If you're using regular pie pans, this will make two pies. But it's supposed to be a long, flat rectangle.) Bake at 350 degrees for eight minutes.

For the topping:
Whip two small containers of whipping cream. Refrigerate. Beat two cans of condensed milk for two minutes. Squeeze the juice from six lemons. Slowly add the lemon juice to the beaten condensed milk until it's blended together. Then mix in the zest of three lemons. Finally add the whipped cream. Fill the crust. If you want a decorated look, take a fork and lightly draw a basket-weaving pattern across the top.


Editor's Note: All oven temperatures are given in degrees Fahrenheit.

To read last month's Stuff to Make article, click here.

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