Pizza Pockets, ingredients and utensils. Frozen dinner rolls, pizza sauce, sliced pepperoni, shredded mozzarella cheese, cooking spray, a little all-purpose flour, large baking pan, rolling pin and measuring spoons.Six Pizza Pockets is any easy number to bake at one time, but you may make any number you like. Let’s get started!
You have to plan ahead with this recipe. Four (4) hours before you want to bake Pizza Pockets, you will need to thaw the rolls and let them raise. Spray the baking pan with baking spray. Place the frozen rolls, 3 inches apart on the pan. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap that you have sprayed with cooking spray. This will keep it from sticking to the rolls.After about 4 hours, the dough will have raised until they are very puffy and about 3 inches across. Note: If your mom or dad make bread dough, you can turn some of the dough into pizza pockets using the size piece you would use for a dinner roll.
Very lightly flour a flat surface like a bread board or counter top. (I like to cover the surface with freezer paper, waxed paper or parchment paper because it makes clean up easier.) Remember, we don’t want to leave the kitchen messy.? With your fingers, press the raised dough flat, then using the rolling pin, working from the center out, roll the dough very thin until it measures 6 inches across. Note: If you don’t have a rolling pin, you can use a jar or drinking glass with straight sides.
Measure 1 Tablespoon pizza sauce and spread over dough, leaving 1/2 inch uncovered around the edge. Use a measuring tablespoon to make sure you don’t get to much sauce. To much sauce will make a messy Pizza Pocket.
Place 3 slices pepperoni in a line at the center of the pocket, Can you see them hiding under the cheese in the second picture? Measure 1 tablespoon of shredded mozzarella cheese. The cheese will hang out of the measuring spoon a little bit. Sprinkle over sauce and pepperoni.
Dampen you finger tips in a small bowl of water. Brush a small amount of water all around outside edge of dough. Then starting at the center of the pocket, bring two opposite edges together and pinch with your fingers to seal, then working toward each end, keep pinching and sealing.
There, you have a Pizza Pocket, ready to bake. Place Pockets bake on the pan you raised the dough on. Take note of the third picture. A paper towel, like in the third picture, is handy for wiping your fingers when they get too wet and the dough sticks to them.Ask a parent, older sibling or baby sitter to help you with this part if you are not supposed to be using the oven by yourself. Preheat oven to 350 degrees When oven is heated, carefully open the oven door and place pan on center rack. Close the oven door. Set a kitchen timer for 18 minutes. Don’t keep opening the oven door to peak or baking take longer. If your oven has a window, turn on the oven light and watch through the window.While the Pizza Pockets bake, lets clean up. In the sink or dish pan, put a small amount of dish soap and fill with warm water. Wash, then rinse off the soap, all the utensils you used, rolling pin, measuring spoons, small dishes, even the ruler you used to measure. Place them in a dish drainer or on a drying mat to air dry. Wipe any spills from the kitchen counter. Mom will appreciate the clean kitchen.
When the oven time goes off, carefully open the oven door and check to see if they are golden brown. If not brown enough, close the oven door and set the timer for two more minutes. When done: Use pot holders or oven mitts to carefully remove the pan from the oven. Use a spatula or pancake turner to carefully remove the Pizza Pockets to a cooling rack. Wait five (5) minutes before eating. The filling is HOT!Ready to eat! You don’t have to cut them in half to eat, I just wanted you to see what they look like inside. Now that you have the basic recipe down, you can experiment with additional ingredients. Olives Mushrooms Cooked Sausage Cheddar or American Cheese Just be careful to not over fill or they will pop open while baking. Leftover Pizza Pockets may be reheated in a toaster or toaster oven. Microwave…..not so much.
These are the ingredients and utensils you will need to make Rice Krispies Treats. You will also need a large measuring cup, or a 1 cup measuring cup and a bowl to measure Rice Krispies inNow we are ready to start. You need 1/4 cup butter or margarine. That equals half of the cube.Put the 1/4 cup butter in the large kettle.Slice a few thin pieces from the rest of butter and put them in the 9 x 13 inch pan.Use a plastic sandwich bag to spread the butter all around in the pan. The butter will keep the Treats from sticking to the pan. The sandwich bag will keep you from getting to greasy.Now count exactly 40 large marshmallows into the kettle with the butter. Place pan on stove top burner and turn heat to medium. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon.The butter will melt before the marshmallows Keep stirring.The marshmallows take a little while to melt. Keep stirring.When the mixture is smooth and creamy it is time to add the 6 cups of Rice Krispies cereal.
Add the 6 cups of Rice Krispies all at once. Quickly stir the mixture with the wooden spoon to evenly coat with the marshmallow mixture.You may need help with the next step. The heavy kettle will be hot, so use potholders to hold the pot. Quickly scoop all the Rice Krispies mixture into the buttered 9 x 13 inch pan.
Butter the spatula. Use the butter spatula to press the Rice Krispies mixture into the buttered 9 x 13 inch pan.Cover the pan with plastic wrap or the lid if your pan has one and let stand 1 hour. I know, it is hard to wait.
While you wait, clean up the utensils you used. Mom will appreciate a clean kitchen. Put the kettle in the sink. Add a small amount of dish soap. Fill the pan with warm water. Wash the utensils in the soap water and rinse well. Set then on a towel or in a drainer to dry. The kettle will clean up easily after soaking while you washed the other dishes.
When the hour is up (I hope you set a timer) cut into bars or squares. This may require strong hands so ask for help. Package in snack bags or cover tightly. Don’t eat them all at once, save some for tomorrow. Recipe: 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal 40 large marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows 1/4 cup butter or margarine
Emergency Tie On Face Mask You will need 1 Fat Quarter close-weave, all cotton fabric (18 x 22 inches) and a spool of sewing thread, scissors, and rotary cutting equipment is very helpfulFrom the Fat Quarter, cut 2 strips, 6 inches by 22 inches and 4 strips, 1 1/4 inches by 22 inches Or, if you happen to have some pre-made folded binding on hand, you can skip the strips and cut a third 6 x 22 inch strip.Then cut the two, 6 inch by 22 inch strips into four, 6 inch by 9 inch rectangles. Pin two together with right sides facing.Sew along each 9 inch edge use a 1/4 inch seam allowance.Turn the tube you have made right side out and press sewn edge even and smooth. I know…..where is that iron anyway?!? Seriously, pressing will make your life easier in this project.Top stitch along each 9 inch edge (example on right) Thread that matches camouflages sewing imperfections, but hey! This is an emergency so any color will do.Place Three Pinch Pleats and pin to hold.Do the same at both ends, making sure the pleats go the same way on both ends. We don’t want any smirky looking masks scaring patients.Now for the fussy part. Take the 1 1/4 x 22 inch strips to the ironing surface and press each in half lengthwise like the top example. Then fold in 1/4 inch on each side and press toward the center crease, bottom exampleNow, press the strip so raw edges are tucked inside and the piece is a little over 1/4 inch wide. Then fold it in half to mark the center of the strip, like the top example.We are getting there. Place the center fold at the center of a pleated edge and pin in place through all layers. then use two more pins to secure at the edges of the mask.Make life easier, don’t mess with trying to hem the end of the tie. This is not a wedding dress! Just stitch across the tiny end, turn and sew down the open side of the tie, close to the edge. Your machine may be finicky about this step, but go slow and talk sweetly to it, and it should cooperate.When you get up to the mask piece, take a moment to check and adjust pieces so all is going under the presser foot as you want. Sew as close to the mask piece as you can, then finish up by sewing the edge and end closed on the other part of the tie.To make sure the tie stays securely sewn to the mask, top stitch this “safety rectangle” as shown. We don’t want any masks flying apart in a healthcare professionals haste to “gown up” to attend to the ill.Repeat for the other side of the mask and there you have it.
Basting the Seam Allowance to the Freezer Paper. Applique shapes are cut from freezer paper and pressed to the wrong side of desired fabric with a dry iron (no steam). Then using needle and thread and a long running stitch, fold the seam allowance around the papers cut edge, creating a smooth fold and sew in place.
Basted Pieces Using a contrasting color of thread for basting, makes removal after applique easier. These leaves are ready to be appliqued. Basting Curved Edges Most applique shapes have curved edges. Convex curves like the piece to the left, gather in easily. Concave curves on the piece to the right, require some clipping to lay flat. Note the clip at the point of the scissors. This clip was made after sewing the basting stitch. Clips should go only half way to the edge in the seam allowance.Clipped and BastedLeaves Ready to Applique Use fine pins or a basting glue to secure to background of applique piece. Applique with matching thread. When done, remove basting then on the back of piece cut a small slit in the background fabric and pull out freezer paper.
Accurate pressing is just as important as accurate seams in producing well pieced quilt blocks.
Even scrap blocks need accurate pressing or they will pucker along the edges, making them hard to join together.
Inaccurate PiecingNote under the tip of the iron how the seam is pleated and needs pressing flat.To avoid those pleated seams, first press from the wrong side, as shown, to set the seam. Doing this will aid in producing a crisp, flat seam on the top side.When you turn the piece over and press from the top side, you can use the tip of the iron to “dig” into the seam-line and spread the seam flat.There are many tools, aids and irons available to improve and make accurate pressing easier. Mary Ellen’s Best press is great for getting out stubborn creases. And I stick with Black and Decker, because they steam good, and the two Managers of Operation have animated discussion on the ironing board, and irons have been the casualties.
I work in a very small studio. 10 feet by 10 feet. Things are packed in pretty tight.
What my studio looks like most mornings
Projects are here and there, but they all have their space.
What my studio may look like at the end of the day
So how do I keep this small space so I can work in it? My first line of defense is doing a 15 minute pick up at the end of each day. I use a kitchen timer to keep me focused.
A Kitchen Timer keeps me on track.
Most of the time I have several projects going at once and I like to keep things portable so I can take with me to work on. Wrap-n-Totes from my pattern #1501 work well to corral a messy project or to transport a hand sewing project.
Wrap-n-Totes make great project totes.
I have many projects in ArtBins and 2 Gallon Zip Closure Bags, labeled and including a Project Action Sheet where I have listed next steps, supplies needed and a proposed finish date.
Project in a 2 Gallon Bag with Project Action Sheet.ArtBins make great storage and take along containers.
Of course no work space is complete without a good paperweight. Punkin, our Manager of Operations, likes filling that duty.
Punkin’s favorite quilting job.
I am offering an Organized Sewing Space Workshop at Experience Quilts!, Odessa, Washington, beginning Saturday, January 18th, 2020. 509-982-2012
Looking for a Guild or Shop Workshop, contact us at our info@laurassagecountryquilts link.
What organizing tips can you share with your fellow readers?
I have been enjoying the gift of this wood heart shaped tray since Valentine’s Day. To celebrate spring I have filled it with lavender and yellow Coin Ruched flowers.
Most are made with the TR700 Jumbo Coin Ruching Guide produced by Quilting Creations International, TR500 was used for the smaller ones.
Sometimes I do something besides quilt. Here is the recipe.
Pastry for a 10 inch 2 crust pie
6 cups peeled, cored and slices golden delicious apples
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Place apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice and cinnamon in a large kettle and stir to combine. Let stand 15 minutes. Place over medium heat and cook stirring occasionally until liquid begins to bubbly. Add cranberries, and cook about 30 seconds as skins pop. Pour into pastry lined 10 inch pie dish. Top with second crust. Bake in preheated 425 degree oven 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 30 minutes more. Serve warm or cold. Yield: 8-10 slices.
Note: I like to brush the top crust generously with buttermilk and sprinkle liberally with granulated sugar.
Put a stop to the endless rearranging of hot pads and trivets on a buffet table with this Jumbo “Hot Spot” Table Mat. Cover the entire buffet with this “Hot Spot” and it is easy to adjust dishes and keep the buffet surface protected.
Simple to make with the following materials.
1 1/2 yards each 100% cotton top and back fabrics
1/4 yard 100% cotton binding fabric
1 1/2 yards Insul-brite
Thread to match fabrics
Backing, Insul-brite and Top
Prewash fabrics and press. Cut one piece from each fabric the width of the Insul-brite (about 23 inches). You may adjust the size to fit your table space.
Trim Ends
Layer back, Insul-brite and top. Trim ends square and even. Back and top fabrics will probably shrink and shift some, and you want it to do this before you sew and bind.
Mark Quilting Lines
Mark some lines to quilt, or stencil a design to quilt. You don’t have to quilt closely as Insul-brite is well bonded.
Machine or Hand Quilt
Secure the layers with quilters safety pins. Use a walking or even-feed foot on your sewing machine to quilt along lines you have marked. Or machine quilt freestyle.
Add Binding
Use a binding fabric that goes with both sides for a reversible “Hot Spot”. I chose sunflowers for late summer and fall, and poinsettias for Christmas for this one. The first one I made is Christmas on one side and Valentines on the other. I am planning Easter and summer flowers for the next one.
