SHIPS AHOY (AND CHIPS AHOY)

The little quilt with sailing ships is finished.   

The backing is polar fleece.    I quilted each area a little differently - the fish are basic stippling, the sea is quilted with wavy rows of straight stitching and the sky is done with my interpretation of wind blowing (I also added some of the wind design to the sails).  

For those of you with embroidery machines with a large embroidery field, you will find these designs over at Sewforum.   (You will need to join if you are not a member already).

{and no I will not be resizing them - your world will not end if they don't fit the hoops you have}.

This afternoon I felt like baking.   These cover some of my son's food groups.   The elf lives by the food pyramid of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and milo!    (His father will tell you, "he is his mother's son").     I have now found the ultimate hiding spot for the chocolate.   

So, if like me, you like to bake, here is the recipe for these bits of crisp, buttery goodness....

SUE'S TRIPLE CHOC COOKIES

This is a big mixture.   You can halve it if you like.   I plan to freeze a lot of them (I made 80 good size cookies) and bring them out as needed - this may slow consumption!!

2 cups plain flour

2 cups self raising flour

500 grams butter (2 cups or 4 sticks)

2 cups castor sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla extract (use the good stuff)

2 large eggs

chocolate chips - I used three packets  - 250 grams each - one each of milk, white and dark.

If you want to kid yourself that it will make them healthy, add some nuts or dried fruit.

Heat the oven to 190C (fan forced).     Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla and the eggs and beat well.    Sift the flours together and add to the butter mixture gently.   When fully mixed, add the chocolate chips.

You will need to make balls of mixture, the size of a walnut or slightly larger.   Place on to baking trays lined with "Gladbake" or similar.    Flatten slightly.     Bake until golden.   They will foof up slightly and then drop a little on cooling.     When cooked, remove from oven and leave on trays for a few minutes, when they have set, transfer to a cooling rack.    If you don't let them cool slightly before trying to move them, this happens ........ 

 When cooled, feed to the starving masses in your home.    My taste testers this afternoon, declared them to be delicious.

Here's to a productive and pleasant week.    Sue xxx