Saturday, October 20, 2012

Pumpkin Harvest

Pumpkins are everywhere here in Western Pennsylvania! On the roadside, vegetable stands, grocery stores, craft stores...pie pumpkins, carving pumpkins, foam pumpkins, there's just no escaping them!
Pumpkin Cart in Smicksburg, PA ©2012 Nathenia Roberts
So while the leaves are still falling and the frost is beginning to settle on the pumpkin patch, grab your cup of cocoa and stitch out our Pumpkin Harvest set! Great for fall table linens and framing for "Fall Country Prim Decor!"

And while you're stitching out the Pumpkin Harvest set, be sure to visit the recipe section here on The Country Needle's Hoop & Holler for a very delicious Pumpkin Butter Roll recipe!

The $5.97 Sale ends 10/31. Hurry on over for Fall Savings! 

Have a wonderful, creative weekend and as always...
Happy Stitching!
Nathenia
Pumpkin Harvest 01

Celebrate Fall and pumpkins! The Pumpkin Harvest includes both the 4x4 & 5x7 hoop sizes.
Great for fall table linens and framing for "Fall Country Prim Decor!"
16 designs total!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Pumpkin Butter Rolls


Have you ever noticed that the colors of Autumn sometimes resemble the colors of the spices and some of the foods we use for Fall baking? The colors are at their peak here in Western Pennsylvania and it's absolutely gorgeous! Shades of orange like the colors of pumpkins, butternut squashes and sweet potatoes; the subdued yellows of ground ginger and acorn squash; while the fuchsias, magentas and other shades of red make me think of apples, cranberries, raspberries and grapes! Leaves that have already peaked falling like molasses do not go unnoticed, as specks of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, brown sugar, allspice and roasted pecans dot the earth below.

It's no wonder that so many, and I count myself among them, enjoy Fall baking!
I hope you'll enjoy this Fall inspired recipe I'm calling Pumpkin Butter Rolls! We sure did!

First you need a basic sweet roll recipe. Use your favorite, or you can use my favorite posted HERE.
If you don't have a sourdough starter, here's how you make the one I use:

Sourdough Potato Starter
Mix together in a medium to large glass jar the following ingredients:
3 packages active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F.)

Seal loosely and refrigerate 3 or 4 days.

Please note this word of caution:
Covering the jar loosely allows the gases from the fermentation process to escape as they build. Failure to do this could cause personal harm if the container explodes. Please use caution and your best judgement!

Remove the jar from the refrigerator and feed to the starter the following ingredients

3/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons instant potato flakes
1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F.)

Stir well with a wooden or plastic spoon. DO NOT use metal utensils as this can react with the fermentation process and kill the yeast.

Cover the jar loosely, and let stand at room temperature at least 12 hours or overnight. Mixture will be bubbly.

When you're ready to bake, stir the contents, remove 1 cup of starter. Cover the jar loosely and return to the refrigerator. Feed and bake weekly until your starter has had time to "grow." If you don't feel like baking, just toss out the 1 cup of starter needed for recipe and return to refrigerator.  (Because my starter is over a year old and well established, I now only feed and bake about every 2 weeks.)

Okay, so now you've finally (if you went the sourdough route) got the bread dough prepared! And it's ready for the filling:

Pumpkin Butter Filling:
1 cup pumpkin butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Mix together well and spread over prepared dough that has been rolled into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle (approximately 16 x12), keeping filling about 1 inch from the edge. Sprinkle with 1/2 cupped chopped pecans.

Beginning with the long side, roll the dough into a jelly roll, keeping the edges even. Don't roll too tightly or the filling will squish out! :-)  Pinch edge together to seal. Let dough rest for about 5 minutes.

Cut into 1 inch slices and place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Let rise until doubled- about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.
Pumpkin Butter Rolls before baking
Spread cream cheese frosting on warm not hot rolls and serve.
Pumpkin Butter Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Makes approximately 24 rolls. 
Bottom of Pumpkin Butter Rolls after baking- Ooey Gooey Goodness!
Enjoy!
Nathenia

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Spook-tacular & Awareness Designs

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but did you also know that it's Domestic Violence Awareness Month as well? So while you're out saving the "hooters," please also try to help those affected by Domestic Violence. It's never too late to show your support with Pink & Purple! Be sure to check out our awareness designs for both causes below. 

This week's new set will also work with the blank treat bag included with the ITH 5x7 Prim Halloween Treat Bags Set for even more fun possibilities! Details below! It's not too late to get started on Spook-tacular Projects!

The $5.97 Sale continues on all regular design sets! Save up to 69%!

Have a wonderful, creative weekend and as always...
Happy Stitching!
Nathenia
Spooky Pals

Spook-tacular! Perfect for sweatshirts, sweaters, and tee shirts! Don't forget your little goblin's treat bags too.
Includes designs for the 4x4 & 5x7 hoops
18 designs total!

Awareness & Support
Domestic Violence Awareness
While some of the designs in this set are specifically for Domestic Violence Awareness, this 25 piece set does include designs that by changing the colors, are suitable for other causes.
The FSL ribbons in this set could be stitched out and given to those in shelters as a way to offer hope. The filled designs would be great for creating quilts, wall hanging and t-shirts for fund raising events. 25 designs total. 

There's a sample for everyone to download when they visit.
Pink Ribbon Gals

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and who better to remind us to check those hooters than Stella?
Stella has gathered some of her best gal pals to bring awareness and support to all! This set includes both 5x7 and 4x4 designs. The text files are separate so you can use Stella and her friends either with or without their saying, or mix and match them for even more fun possibilities.

Don't forget to download the sample when you visit.
It's not too late to get started on Spook-tacular Projects! Try these:
ITH Prim Halloween Treat Bags- 5x7
If you want a tasty sweet, be sure to holler Trick or Treat! This In-the-Hoop set was so much fun to make. Set includes 4 treat bag designs & one blank bag panel to add your own design for the 5x7 hoop. 

Single designs for the 4x4 & 5x7 hoops are also included. To give the bags a more "finished" look, the option to add a lining has been included. Stitch on cut-away stabilizer or stiffy felt too!