Friday, February 28, 2020

Dr Pepper White Texas Sheet Cake, Dilly Bits and Denim Quilting....

It was a Stay-at-Home kind of Friday! 
My favorite!

After over 50 years of using a dirty clothes hamper of one kind or another - I am ready for something else. I asked Louis Dean if he might make a light weight wooden hamper with a hinged lid.


Of course he could and he went to Home Depot and bought a sheet of plywood and started working on it today! I'm going to paint it to match the hall - gray with maybe some white.
I love that all I had to do was ask!


The first thing on my list of things to do today was make Dilly Bits.
I like to use these in place of croutons on salads.

 2/3 cup oil
1 pkg dry Ranch Dressing mix
1 Tablespoon Dill Weed
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 Tablespoon garlic salt
1 10oz pkg oyster crackers

Mix all the ingredients and then add the crackers and toss until they are all coated.
Spread on a sheet pan.

I bake them in a convection over on 250* for an hour or so.



Next on my list was a Dr Pepper White Texas Sheet Cake.
Pam clipped this recipe out of the Dallas newspaper and I made it once last year.
I could NOT find that clipping today so I googled it and there it was!
I also baked a batch of banana cupcakes to take to the nursing home tomorrow.
It's been awhile since we have seen Lillian.


The third thing on my list was finishing the denim strips for a quilt.
12 rows of 10 squres all sewn!
Now I will sew some strips of black denim and cut each strip into two narrow strips to put between the regular denim strips.
This quilt is for a young man I have known all his life.
I've made quilts for both of his sisters and honestly thought I had made one for him back when he graduated but I guess I just meant to! My memory is full of holes!
Once this one is made, I have two others to do for birthdays and one for a new baby!


Our yard guy came today and I was so excited!
I noticed yesterday how badly the grass and weeds were looking.
I still can't get down on my knees but as soon as I can, I am going to be cleaning out the flower beds.

It's not even 8:30 but I am already in bed as I write.
My energy level is low and I have napped and rested often today and decided to just go on to bed early tonight. I finished the book Time Will Tell and have started another one called Protect and Defend by  Vince Flynn. So I think I will bid y'all a good night and read until I get sleepy.

Happy Weekend!
Tomorrow is Leap Day!!!

17 comments:

Wanda said...

Well, oyster crackers for salad toppings...how smart! How easy!

I had some zucchini that had been in the frig a little to long, and I didn't need to use them, so shredded them and froze them for some zucchini bread, will add a cup of applesauce.

Cleaned out my freezer today, and it is finally organized.

I love that you take goodies to the rest home.

What a man...making you a clothes hamper. My dad was like that, any thing my mom wanted he could do.

My man can preach a sermon, pray great prayers, and study all day, but don't give him "tools" haha...we each have our gifts. haha

Deb J. in Utah said...

Yay for getting in bed early to read! One of my favorite things as well. I think I will have to try those Dilly bites. They look good. So nice your husband is handy and can build things. My husband can assemble things with instructions, but from scratch, not so much. Wanda is right - we each have our gifts. Happy reading and enjoy your weekend!

Vee said...

The dilly bits sound delicious. I know the grands love them. Louis Dean loves making you happy and he likes a good project. Bed at 8:30 sounds cozy. I could go for it except I took an afternoon nap. Even though you are weary, you accomplished a lot.

Stacy said...

We call Dilly Bits Hidden Valley Ranch Oyster Crackers and eat them for a snack! The banana cupcakes sound so good...I was just thinking about banana cake today. I haven't made one in ages. I'm going to have to look up that sheet cake, too. My kids love Dr. Pepper so it would probably be a hit. As for your comment on my blog...a snake in the kitchen sink! I'm afraid I'd either be dead of fright or have to move! lol Have a great weekend!

Ginny Hartzler said...

I don't think I have seen this much of the outside of your house. I love the big Texas star, just had to enlarge the picture! My convection oven is in a toaster oven, so could I use a regular oven to make the Dilly Bits? And how would I need to change the recipe? No wonder you are so exhausted! You did a LOT, but maybe it didn't seem that way! Can't wait to see the fancy hamper!!

Changes in the wind said...

You got a lot of cooking done for your day of resting:) Hope the knee is doing better and you will be improving daily. Am sure Lillian will be trilled to see you all.

photowannabe said...

LD is a real prize..I just love how Your wish is his command.
Can't wait to see the finished hamper.
You certainly accomplish a lot for being tired.
Me...I'm just plain tired and here I am up at 5 AM today. I have to be at my friends home by 6:15AM to be care giver for about 8 hours. It will be a long day with my friend of so, so many years ,and her early Alzheimer condition. Emotionally difficult but I'm happy to do it for her daughter. It's so hard to watch my friend "disappear" in bits and pieces. so sad.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

It's fun to have projects in the making! I've just been cleaning and getting rid of stuff but I'm about ready to do something more fun! Happy weekend!

Arlene G said...

Your house looks so pretty Linda....and thanks for your recipe for Dilly Bits. Yours has some extra seasonings that my recipe does not have so I will be trying your recipe. I am having book club in March and those will be good to sit out for munching before we get to the serious snacking.

Susie said...

Linda, I know you are one busy girl even while resting .LOL. Good for LD...well you know how the man loves to work. Wish all men had his gumption !
Sounds like you made some really good treats . I know all the help at the home love seeing you guys come thru the door. You make me think of my Karen, she is always baking treats for her co-workers. Some times one will miss out and whine about it. Karen tells them just come around earlier. LOL When she bought a new stove, I thought sure her co-workers would have seen that she had it sooner. ..cause they wanted pies, cookies and cupcakes.
Love the way your yard looks. Blessings to all of you there. Love you guys, xoxo, Susie

MadSnapper said...

I love just plain oyster crackers. I just have a wicker basket that has a lid, nothing fancy like what you will have. bob used to build but not any more. boo hoo... hope your knees get to wehre you can garden like you want to. mother had a really short rolling stool for her gardening. maybe LD can build you soemthing

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

My energy level is very low and don't know why, but I've deenn going to bead early every night and then waking up about 7:0 which is lae for me. I don't know why but I''l just get the extra sleep and enjoy it while I can.

Sue said...

Dilly bits sounds wonderful to me,you are one busy lady, Linda, enjoy that hamper made with those loving hands of Louis Dean.
I have found that I am going to bed earlier these days, the problem is I fall asleep while reading or watching tv,~wink~
it is so sweet that you and Louis Dean visit the nursing facility, I hope he takes his guitar and sings again.

Thanks for visiting and for your sweet thoughts.
Blessings,
Sue

Judy said...

Your yard is looking lovely! I am taking note of the 'dilly bits'...sounds like a great salad topping. Hopefully your knee is healing as it should. It sounds like you are busy as ever, despite your knee issues!

Carole said...

Hope you had a lovely sleep. Another hot day here today although cloudy. Cheers

Chatty Crone said...

Your home is very pretty - we have trouble with our grass too. I think we have ti out a new lawn in.

Nice about getting a new hamper.

I have never heard of Dilly Bits.

Hope you slept well - I am heading there now!



Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Looking forward to seeing a photo of the completed hamper and sure that Louis Dean will have done a great job. Hope you have rested more and feeling better, Linda.