HQAL update and Christmas cooking

On our last update I was trying to decide whether to quilt a table topper that my mom pieced or her Overall Sam quilt. Ultimately, I decided to quilt the table topper as I needed to find a different backing fabric for Overall Sam. The navy fabric that my mom had ran terribly when I washed it and obviously couldn't be used as the backing for a mostly white quilt.

So I have been slowly stitching the center medalion of the table topper. It is almost done.

I am using the variegated brown perle cotton that I inherited years ago. I offered the thread choices to my mom and that is what she liked best. I have yet to decide how to quilt the borders. I was thinking piano keys, but they won't work at the corners, so I have to think on this.

The HQAL is an opportunity for hand quilters to share and motivate each other. The talented quilters below post every three weeks to show our progress and encourage one another. Stop by their sites to see what they are working on. If you have a hand project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy, and Cathie 

I have been busy prepping food for the Christmas season. The first cookie that I made were good old Nestle's Toll House cookies. 

I haven't made a batch of these in a long time. I don't usually make them at Christmas, but my mouth was watering for them and they freeze well.

Then I stirred up a double recipe of Raspberry Walnut Thumbprint cookies. I made one half with seedless raspberry preserves and the other half with apricot preserves.

Next up was making Stuffed Clams to serve as appetizers on Christmas day. My mother got the recipe years ago from my Aunt Emma and she used to bring them to every Christmas celebration. Now I make them.

A local restaurant supply store sells the aluminum shells, but I am sure you can find them on Amazon.

Here is the recipe:

Stuffed Clam Shells

1/2 cup chopped onion              1/4 cupp chopped green pepper                  

1/2 cup chopped celery              4 Tbsp margarine

2 Tbls flour                                1 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

dash of pepper                           dash of tabasco sauce (optional)

12 crushed Ritz crackers             1 can minced clams (do not drain)

1. Cook the onion, celery and green pepper in a medium sized saucepan until tender, but not brown.

2. Add all the rest of the ingredients and cook until thickened.

3. Stuff the clam shells. At this point you can freeze them and defrost before baking.

This recipe will fill 9 large clam shells or 15-20 small clam shells. (I always use the large) 

4. Bake on a aluminum foil lined cookie sheet at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.

I tripled the recipe as everyone in my family loves these and ended up with 26 large stuffed clams.

Lastly, I made Peanut Butter Dog Treats as my daughter will be bringing her pup, Ruby.

Someday I will get a bone-shaped cookie cutter, but a plain circle sufficed this time.

I hope you enjoyed this post and try some of the recipes.

I am also joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are stitching. 

Thanks for stopping by!