Flowers and Formulas for Fun

First Joseph's Coat climbing Rose of 2016

First Geranium blossoms on the two plants I wintered inside and transplanted outside

A pretty clump of purple Petunias I planted in the front flower bed this week

This past week has been filled with normal routines punctuated by the joy of seeing the first Joseph's Coat climbing Rose of the season in bloom. Isn't it a gorgeous combination of colors?  I am excited that the Geraniums I wintered inside are flourishing outside and producing pretty pink blossoms, and I'm enjoying a clump of purple Petunias I was given for Mother's Day from my youngest daughter and her husband.

Because I prefer drinking from glass or stainless steel I have at various times lugged around old juice jars as water bottles.  The last one I used I crocheted a cotton cozy for so I could lug it around more easily.  This past week I found a ceramic glass that can be used for either hot or cold drinks.  I decided to make it a cozy for added insulation and to hide the logo on the glass.  I used some of the leftover Lion Brand Homespun yarn I used to crochet a bag for my granddaughter, Joy.

Crocheted Glass Cozy (US terms)

chain five and join with a slip stitch

chain one and crochet 16 single crochets into the ring

chain 2 and double crochet in each single crochet

 At this point I set the ceramic glass on the round I had crocheted and 

determined that it was large enough for the bottom of the glass,

but you could easily add or decrease stitches for whatever 

sized glass you want to cover.

For my sixteen ounce ceramic glass I crocheted a total of 11 rows

before cutting the yarn and weaving in the end.

To try out my new glass cozy one afternoon I made iced tea and cookies. My mom's mom, Nana, had a big old pickle jar in her pantry. She kept the jar full of ginger spice cookies~~~ a heady perfume wafted from the jar as I remember it from my little girl days when my nose led me to her pantry.  My dear friend, Donna, who was twenty years older than me, shared a super simple spice cookie recipe with me.  I loved to eat the cookies she made from it when she served them while she trounced me in our numerous games of Scrabble.   I have fiddled around with her recipe and am pleased with the results.  If you want to try the recipe, here it is.

Almond Flour Molasses Spice Cookies

Mix Wet Ingredients:

1 egg

1/2 cup light olive oil

1/4 cup molasses

then add 3/4 cup coconut sugar 

Mix Dry Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour

1teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 generous tablespoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

a pinch of ground cloves

Add the dry ingredients to the wet. 

 If the mix looks thin or wet add

more almond flour until the mix is

very stiff.  Stick it in the refrigerator.

After the mix is cooled, form it into

balls the size of walnuts or half that size

and bake in an oven on parchment

paper at 350 degrees for ten minutes.

Tips:

*Measure your oil first then your molasses in the same measuring cup. The molasses will slide out of the measuring cup easily making the clean up fast.  

*The cookies should spread and have a crinkle cookie texture, chewy inside and crisp outside.  If you prefer a ginger snap drier texture you can cook them a bit longer. 

* If the cookies still look like balls after cooking for ten minutes just take them out, pat them down and let them cool.

*While I have not tried agave nectar in place of the coconut sugar I think it would work, but you would have to add more almond flour. 

*I have kept the mix in the refrigerator for some days, just making a few cookies at a time. 

Please tell me if you try the recipe and tell me what you think about it.

Be honest.  I can take it...I think... 

For those of you who celebrate Mother's Day May 8th, I wish you a happy one.  Such days can be fraught with feelings of all sorts, I know, but I am hoping that the strongest will be Love. 

Gracie xx