Preserving Precious Works of Art

I am a creative person.  I have bred creative people.  The largest of my smalls loves making me pictures and let me tell ya, some of them are pretty impressive.  I realize that these works of art are priceless and I want to keep them pristine.  Unfortunately, I don't have the wall space to keep them all in frames and protected, so I was on the hunt for an alternative.  I knew Modge Podge would get the job done, but the application method (paint brush) would smear anything done with pastel or pencil.

While hunting for spray paint at Menard's, I came across this:



Eureka!  Inexpensive (under $10), easy to find and apply, this was my answer.  Now, I keep a can of this on hand at all times.  Here is how I use it:

I lay the picture I want to spray face up in a dry, well ventilated area (my driveway).  Shake the can for about 1 minute after you hear the mixing ball rolling.

(Pretty impressive pictures, right?)

 

Spray a light coat 6"-8" away from the paper.  Wait a few minutes and apply at least one more coat (I do a total of 3).

 

 

 

Once dry, turn it over and repeat on the back.  Paper is porous and I want my pictures to remain as close to original condition as possible.

 

 

That is it!  So go round up all your little people's amazing refrigerator art and spray away!

Plum Cobbler

I love plums.  I love the combination of sweet flesh and tart skin.  I must be in the minority because they don't seem to get the same attention as say, apples or peaches.  Don't get me wrong, I also love apples and peaches, but sometimes you want a new twist on your pie or cobbler.  That is when I turn to plums.

This is a simple crisp style cobbler.  It can be used with plums like I did, or if you are uninteresting, apples or peaches.  Actually a lot of fruits would work, so experiment away (grapes or strawberries maybe?).  It is made using a handful of ingredients you probably always have on hand and if you use a slice free fruit (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries) you will have it put together before your oven heats up!  I call that a win.

Plum Cobbler

 

 

Ingredients:

Filling:

12 plums, pitted and sliced (or enough fruit to fill an 8"x8" baking dish 3/4 full)

1/8 c. sugar (I like the tartness of plums.  If you don't increase to 1/4 c.)

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Topping:

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 c. flour

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt (if you do not like a little sweet/salty mix cut back to 1/2 tsp.)

1 egg

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

 

Directions:

Combine filling ingredients and pour into greased 8"x8" baking dish.

Combine sugars, flour, baking powder and salt.

Add egg and cut in until mixture looks like sand.

Sprinkle over the top of fruit in dish.

Drizzle melted butter over top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.



Soft Batch Style

My family went camping this weekend and I needed a baked good to take along.  Need may sound like a strong word to you but I have a sweet-loving (sugar loving, NOT sweet and loving, just to clarify) (well, he is also sweet and loving, it's just not relevant to this post) husband and three kids.  Need is actually putting it mildly.  I wanted something new and exciting (I am kind of a cooking whore. Yes I said that. Yes I meant it.) so I went where ALL women go when they want something new to make (you can act like you don't know, but I know you are on Pinterest as much as I am.) 

I found a recipe claiming light, fluffy, tender chocolate chip cookies, all with the help of cornstarch.  Interesting.  I baked a batch and packed them up to go.  My husband found them.  He and the kids snarfed one dozen before we even got to the campground.  I am not sure how the rest met their demise (I have my theories), but three dozen cookies were GONE within 18 hours (for the record, 8 of those were spent sleeping).  My husband said they reminded him of Soft Batch brand cookies and apparently he REALLY likes Soft Batch cookies. 

Being the good wife I am, I offered to make him another batch when we got home.  They came out of the oven an hour ago and 14 are MIA.  Apparently they are really good cookies.  Your husband called.  He said you should make some too.

Soft Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Ingredients:

3/4 c. butter, softened

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1-1/2 c. chocolate chips

 

Directions:

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy (I use a stand mixer).

Add egg and vanilla and mix.

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.  Add to butter/sugar and mix.

Stir in chips.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  In my oven they take 9 minutes.

DO NOT OVER BAKE.  They will look underdone, these are not golden brown cookies.  If you over cook them they will be dry and you will be sad.