This classic, sugar coated cookie gets its chewy texture and spicy flavor from brown sugar, molasses, and ginger. What makes this particular recipe unusual is the additional use of maple syrup and cardamom. Yummy! Shorten or lengthen the baking time for a softer or crisper cookie. Read More
Gingersnaps
Posted in In the kitchen
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Angie’s Absolutely Awesome Oatmeal Cookies
Ok, so you are saying, “What can be so great about the same old, same old oatmeal cookies?” Well… first give these a try and then get back to me! What I can tell you is that amidst all the Christmas cookies baked year after year, this one has been voted the all-around favorite in our family. Read More
Posted in In the kitchen
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Butterscotch brownies
Good enough to bake all year round, add a little of almond extract for a special holiday taste. These are good ones to have around because they are super quick and easy to make! Read More
Posted in In the kitchen
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Pepparkakor
Don’t let this plain-looking, unassuming cookie fool you. As any Scandinavian will tell you, its flavor carries quite a punch. You might think the combination of pepper and cardamon is kind of odd, but believe me it works! Read More
Posted in In the kitchen
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Santa’s Whiskers
You may or may not have heard of this cookie. When I started making it over 30 years ago I had never heard of it, but I have now seen several recipes on the Web. This is one for cherry lovers! Read More
Posted in In the kitchen
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Up and down the valley
I guess I hadn’t mentioned we hospitalized my oldest son two days ago for some kidney-related reconstructive surgery. The hospital he’s at is not that far geographically – just a few miles from Quito, down a windy road to the valley of Cumbayá. Read More
Posted in Life in Ecuador
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Just where have I been?
Someone sent me this website where you can track what countries in the world you have visited. I thought it was cool. Considering all the traveling I did in my former life as an interpreter, I thought my map would be pretty red. Read More
Posted in This and that
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Banana Cookies and Flour Sacks
A wonderful thing happens when I start my Christmas baking: as soon as the smell of cookies begins to invade the house, the number of visitors to my kitchen begins to grow. The only problem with this is that the freshly baked cookies quickly begin to dwindle, and more often than not I find myself baking the same recipes over again closer to Christmas. Read More
Posted in In the kitchen, Yummy fabrics
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Christmas baking: Spritz
I had never heard of Spritz cookies until I married into a Swedish family, way over 30 years ago. My mother-in-law – a phenomenal cook and baker – introduced me to these cookies and handed down her recipe. Read More
Posted in In the kitchen
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Christmas baking: Lebkuchen
Admittedly, I’m not fond of cooking. Which is probably why my kids are so good at it: they had to learn to survive. However, come around Christmas it is here where you will most often find me. At least here, I am the queen of cookies. Read More
Posted in In the kitchen
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Oh, so delicate, christmassy candle mats!
2008 certainly turned out to be a year of English Paper Piecing addiction for me! Several hexagon table runners, placemats and tons of coasters have been part of the projects accomplished (and actually finished!) this year. Read More
Posted in Christmas, Small quilted projects
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Far from the noise of the city
We have a small country property in Guayllabamba, a beautiful, and very green valley 29 km north of Quito. It’s claim to fame is that it houses the Quito ecological zoo, and on weekends the town overflows with visitors to the zoo and to the many restaurants offering typical highland food. Read More
Posted in Inspiration, Life in Ecuador
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Gift wrapping ideas
Even though I will not be teaching throughout the month of December, for some strange reason things seem to continue hectic this week. Hmmm. In any case, I am making some progress on gift wrapping ideas. Now I only need to finish the gifts that will go inside! Read More
Posted in Bags/Purses, Small quilted projects
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I am a self-learner. I taught myself to sew and to quilt. And I taught myself how to draw. I love to dye my own fabrics, am a fanatic of free-motion quilting, and dabble with mixed media. I am a quilt designer and teacher, and design and publish my own line of quilt patterns. With this blog I would like to share the bits and pieces of my life. 
