Mock Tiramisu

I came across an awesome, basic, cupcake recipe (which is sadly lost now) and decided one random Saturday night to make them.  The cupcakes came out looking a little uneven in doneness.  I attempted to remove them from my ancient muffin tins to discover that the only cupcakes that would come out of the tin was the ones that were burnt around the edge.  Cursing and slamming around my kitchen I did my best to remove as much of the cupcakes as possible before pitching the muffin tins into the recycle bin.  After a couple long breathes and a cigarette, I came in to notice my husband's expresso machine sitting on the counter.  I was struck with fix-it genius.  Tiramisu! 

I started by crumbling the cupcakes that I had salvaged.  I had the crumble of 18 cupcakes.

Fresh Expresso

I poured enough expresso on to lightly soak the cupcake crumble

Made a basic powder sugar icing.  For this amount of crumble I used 2 cups of powdered sugar then slowly added expresso a little at a time until it was a consistancy that I wanted.

Spread the icing on top of the crumble.  I sprinkled cocoa powder on top.

I suggest refrigerating for an hour or 2 before serving to allow expresso to soak into cupcake crumble

crochet walrus free pattern

Crochet Walrus

Supplies

Worsted weight yarn in 2 colors

Eyes (I use buttons)

I/9 5.50mm hook

Polyfill

Tapestry needle

Ch = chain

Sc = single crochet

Dec = decrease sc2tog (single crochet 2 together)

Inc = increase 2 sc in 1 sc

*  *  = repeat between *  *

BLO = crochet in Back Loop Only

Patterns worked in continuous rounds

Muzzle

Ch 9 in accent color

1)      starting with 2^nd from hook, sc in next 7 ch, inc in last, continue on other side of chain, sc in next 7 ch, inc in last ch. (18)

2)      *inc, sc in next 2* repeat (24)

3)      *inc, sc in next 3* repeat (30)

4)      *inc, sc in next 4* repeat (36)

5)      – 7) sc around

Finish leaving long enough tail to attach muzzle with

Create nostrils: find center, move over 2 from center (counting center as 1).  With tapestry needle and main color go in at row 5, coming out at row 3.  Sew back and forth between row 3 & row 5 about 4 times (see photo)

Attach muzzle after row 14 of body.  The top center of muzzle should be attached to center of starting ring of body.  Sides of muzzle should attach around row 8 of body.  Bottom center of muzzle should attach to row 10 of body.  This will make it puff out a little.  Stuff before fully attached.

Body

Stuff as you go along

Ch 2

1)      6 sc in 1^st chain (6)

2)      *inc* repeat (12)

3)      *inc, sc in next* (18)

4)      *inc, sc in next 2* (24)

5)      *inc, sc in next 3* (30)

6)      *inc, sc in next 4* (36)

7)      *inc, sc in next 5* (40)

8 – 12)  sc around (40)

13)    *inc, sc in next 6* (46)

14)    *inc, sc in next 7* (52)

attach eyes and muzzle

15 - 17) sc around (52)

18)    *dec, sc in next 7 (46)

19)    sc around (46)

20)    *dec, sc in next 6* (40)

21)    – 26)  sc around (40)

27)    *dec, sc in next 5 (36)

28 – 29) sc around (36)

30)   *dec, sc in next 4* (30)

31 – 32) sc around (30)

33)  *dec, sc in next 3* (24)

34- 35)  sc around (24)

36)  *dec, sc in next 2 (12)

37 – 38) sc around (12)

39)  *dec, sc in next* (6)

40 – 41) sc around (6)

42) *dec*

finish and bury ends in body

Flippers  (make 2 in body color)

Ch 6

1)      starting with 2^nd from hook, sc in next 4 ch, inc in last, continue on other side of chain, sc in next 4 ch, inc in last ch 

2)      *inc, sc in next 2* repeat

3)      – 4) sc around

5)    *inc, sc in next 3* repeat

6)      sc around

7)      *dec, sc in next 2* repeat

8)      *dec, sc in next* repeat

9)      – 12)  sc around

Finish by sewing shut front to back.  Leave enough tail to attach. 

With tapestry needle attach parallel to side of muzzle between rows 15 and row 20 of body. 

 Tail (in body color)

Ch 32 work BLO

1)      ch1, sc in next 15, dec 2 times, sc in next 13, ch 3, turn

      2 – 3) ch 1, (in first ch of ch 3) sc in next 15, dec 2 times, sc in next 14, ch 2, turn

      4)   ch 1, (in first ch of ch 2) sc in next 15, dec 2 times, sc in next 14, ch 1, turn

      5)   ch 1, sc in next 14, dec 2 times, sc in next 12, turn

      6)   ch 1, sc in next 10, dec 2 times, sc in next 12, turn

      7)   ch 1, sc in next 10, dec 2 times, sc in next 8

       Finish leaving enough tail to attach

       Attach center of first 4 rows to center, underside, of  last 6 rows of body

 Add whiskers as a nice finishing touch:

 

** I dont believe in charging for patterns.  I offer my pattern for free.  I do, however, expect to be credited for it.  Thanks!  If you have any questions, feel free to message me.  Comments are always appreciated. 

Homemade dishwasher detergent and hand soap

Both of the projects here are taken from other people.  I would reference them but the recipes I have here are amalgamations of their recipes.  Basically, I tweaked it for my own liking

Homemade Hand Soap

1 bar of antibacterial soap, grated

8 cups of water

Bring water to a boil in medium pot

Remove pot from heat then add grated soap.  Stir until soap is melted/dissolved

Let mixture set for 15 minutes then stir again

Let soap set for 8 hours to overnight.  

Use a mixer or masher to break it up.  If it seems too thick, add more hot water while mixing

Soap should be ... well... snotty in consistency.

Pour into container.  

*I made a double batch.  I was able to fill 2 foaming pumps, 1 regular pump, a well rinsed gallon bleach container and 4 24 oz soda bottles. 

IF YOU USE FOAMING MIX HALF WATER HALF SOAP MIX

.

Dishwasher Detergent

1 cup Borax

1 cup washing powder**

1/2 cup Lemi-shine/ citric acid OR 4 pkg s/f lemon koolaid

1/2 cup kosher salt

white vinegar

Mix all the dry ingredients and store in airtight container.  

(I used a coffee canister.)

Use 1 TBS per dishwasher load.  Add vinegar to the rinse compartment.

I did find that there was a little film on gladware/tupperware but otherwise everything came out sparkling.

**You can make your own washing soda by using baking soda.  You can use double the amount of baking soda as the recipe calls for washing soda.  But there is another way!

Sprinkle baking soda on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.