Follow by Email is Being Discontinued!!! AARGH!!!!

This is a public service announcement for those of you who receive my blog posts directly in your email.  That service is being discontinued as of July 1, 2021.  

I am SO SORRY.  Because of the way Feedburner is set up, I don't have a list of subscribers' email addresses, so I can't shoot out a post via email myself.  I guess you'll all have to watch for the updates on Facebook or Twitter - of course, that can be pretty hit-or-miss.  

As an alternative, you can subscribe via an RSS feed.  There is a place on the full desktop site blog page to subscribe to posts and/or comments using NetVibe, MyYahoo!, or Atom.  If you click on Atom, you can choose to see the feed using MyYahoo!, Newsblur, Feedly, Inoreader, and The Old Reader.

So...I'll just keep plugging away.  If I decide I have to move to a different platform, I'll try to get the news out there to you.

Anyway, here's the notification I got a couple of weeks ago:

 FollowByEmail widget (Feedburner) is going away

You are receiving this information because your blog uses the FollowByEmail widget (Feedburner).
Recently, the Feedburner team released a system update announcement , that the email subscription service will be discontinued in July 2021.
After July 2021, your feed will still continue to work, but the automated emails to your subscribers will no longer be supported. 

Reworking Apple Jelly - Is That REALLY a Thing?

Back in December, I made a batch of apple scrap jelly.  I cooked up the apple scraps (peels and cores), strained out all the solids, and used the resulting juice for the jelly.  After letting the jars sit and cool overnight, I removed the rings and had a look at the amber goodness inside.  Perfectly transparent!  Gorgeous color!  All the lids sealed!  YAY!

However...

When I picked up a jar and tipped it a little, the "jelly" slopped to one side.  Like a liquid.

What the what???

It's not like apple jelly is difficult to make or anything like that.  I mean, apples are packed FULL of pectin, which you usually have to add to get jams and jellies to set nicely.  I always add pectin, just to be absolutely sure it jells (hence the trademarked name "Sure-Jell" for powdered pectin), but you can easily make apple jelly without adding pectin.  So what went wrong?  No clue at this point. 

What do you do with apple jelly that didn't set?  I guess you could use it for syrup, but would you?  I sure wouldn't!  HA!  I know sometimes jams don't set up right away (I've had that happen) and if you let them just sit a couple of weeks or so, they will eventually set enough to pass for jam.  Orange marmalade is like that, and you expect it.  But jelly isn't supposed to be soft like jam; it's supposed to hold its shape sort of like molded gelatin.

If you've looked at the picture closely, you will have noticed that the date on the label is 3/14/2021 - definitely NOT December, and no, I didn't throw it all out and start over.  In fact, all those jars sat on the kitchen table that whole time, while I hoped they'd firm up.  No dice.  So...

I reworked the jelly!

Inside the Sure-Jell™ package is a sheet of instructions and recipes for jams and jellies.  I've made jam or jelly often enough (I THOUGHT) that I knew the ropes well enough.  Well...hmmmm.  I'd stopped reading ALL the directions.  Not a good thing when you're dealing with something finicky like jelly.  

You're supposed to:

• make your juice - check
• measure the juice exactly per the recipe - check
• use only pure cane sugar, such as Domino or G&H - WHOOPS!!!

I had used plain old store-brand generic SUGAR.  Look at the ingredients:  "SUGAR" - no "cane" in there anywhere, which means it's probably beet sugar or a blend of beet and cane sugar.  There's nothing wrong with beet sugar for cooking or baking, but if you want your jelly or jam to set up correctly, pure cane sugar is the way to go.

The instructions are right there in the Sure-Jell™ package, so I won't go into all that.  But the "jelly" came out of the jars as mostly syrupy liquid with some partially-jelled lumps of different sizes.  You're supposed to do a small test batch to see whether it's worth your time to rework all the jelly that didn't set up.  I did, it did, and so I went ahead with the full batch.  

And...it worked!  I went out and bought a bag of Domino Pure Cane Sugar and used it for the test and the full batch.  It really did make a difference.  The reworked batch isn't quite as firm as it could be, but it's definitely JELLY now, and totally acceptable.

So I've learned my lesson (the hard way):  When making jelly, DON'T BUY CHEAP SUGAR!  

#ArtWorkLivingChallenge 2021 - Day 5 (The Final Day!)

Well, I made it through the 5-day painting challenge.  My results were...mixed.  I took too much time on
about half of my paintings, but I painted five days in a row, didn't worry about a finished product (for the most part), learned some things, and had fun!

I may redo all my paintings, but in a bigger format, just to see what difference it makes to me, and to see what I've learned about critiquing my own stuff.  Painting such small things (3.5" x 5.5") is limiting in some ways, but freeing in others.

So anyway, this is a great blue heron with a snack.

Same stats as the other Challenge paintings:

Watercolor on Canson XL 140-lb watercolor paper.

The first thing I'm going to change is the paper I use.  I really, really, REALLY like Arches cold press watercolor paper, so I'm going to stick with it instead of trying to use up the wood pulp papers I still have on hand.  I can use them for things other than watercolor.

As a reward for finishing the Challenge, I ordered some tubes of better quality watercolors, so I'll be playing with those.

I've about half finished clearing out a bedroom that I want to use for all my artsy-fartsy-craftsy stuff, and for working jigsaw puzzles (it's a cat-free zone).  It's amazing the stuff that can be shoved into a room.  But I'm far enough along that I think that in about a week I can start moving furniture in and out and around.

Woo hoo!  I'm gonna have a STUDIO!!!  It's almost real!

#ArtWorkLivingChallenge 2021 - Day Four!

Well, today's painting went beyond the time guidelines, but I was enjoying it.

This is the backyard, where my sad sailboat has been languishing for 3 years.  I've leased my dock space, but here it sits.  I THINK we'll be able to get it out this year - FINALLY.

I don't think I've said anything about the SIZE of these little challenge paintings; they're supposed to be SMALL so you can finish them quickly and not get too wound up in the details (I have a problem with that - I tend to keep painting when I should quit!), so I've been working in space just barely larger than a 3x5 index card.  

Anway, here are the stats:

Watercolor
Canson XL 140-lb watercolor paper
3/4" flat brush, 1/2" flat brush, #10 round brush, #6 round brush, #2 round brush, #4 fan brush
40 minutes
3.5" x 5.5"

#ArtWorkLivingChallenge 2021 - Day Three!

Day three DONE.  

This is forsythia from our front yard.  I brought in a few cuttings and that night it HAILED like crazy!  I was afraid all the blossoms and buds would be knocked off the bush, but no - it is still gloriously golden.

I've never attempted anything transparent before, so the jar was a challenge within the challenge!  Not bad for 18 minutes. 

Cheesecake in the Instant Pot - Say WHAT?!?!?!?

I know, I know.  I declared I couldn't think of ANYTHING dessert-y I'd want to make in the Instant Pot, but everybody in the online Instant Pot groups I belong to swoons over cheesecake.  CHEESECAKE.  Of all things.

Sad to say, I've drunk the Kool-Aid.

I made a cheesecake for Easter, and it was worth it.

I have a couple of Instant Pot cookbooks, and BOTH have cheesecake recipes in them.  People swear by both, but in the online groups, some have trouble with the cheesecake "exploding" while it's cooking.  They say it still tastes great, but isn't very pretty.  I think I know the solution - it's in one of my books.

Here's the recipe I used.  It's taken directly from The Step-by-Step Instant Pot Cookbook, by Jeffrey Eisner, the Pressure Luck Cooking guy.  He also has a website with loads of recipes.  The only change I made was 1 1/2 cup of graham cracker crumbs and 6 tablespoons of butter, because I have an 8-inch springform pan.


Instant Pot Cheesecake

4 T salted butter, melted, plus more for buttering the pan
1 c graham cracker crumbs
2 8-oz bricks cream cheese (at room temperature)
3/4 c granulated sugar
1/2 c sour cream (at room temperature)
1 T all-purpose flour
1 3.4-oz package vanilla instant pudding (it MUST be instant)
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t almond extract
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
[Any toppings you wish - optional]

You'll notice he makes it very clear to have all those refrigerated items at room temperature.  I'm pretty sure THAT'S the secret to prevent cheesecake eruptions - LOL!

Generously grease a 7" x 3" springform pan, bottom and sides.  Line the bottom with a 7" round of parchment paper, then grease the top of the parchment paper, too.

For the crust, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a bowl.  Place the mixture in the bottom of the pan and using the bottom of a drinking glass, flatten the crust so it's even on the bottom and climbs slightly up the sides of the pan.  Put the pan in the freezer for at least 15 minutes to set.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer (don't do it by hand - it will be a frustrating and exhausting experience), beat the cream cheese on low until smooth and creamy.  Then, while the mixer is still running, add the remaining ingredients in the order listed above (one egg at a time when you get to that point).  Keep mixing on low speed until it's "super thick" and creamy and no lumps are left, about a minute or two.

Take the pan out of the freezer (it's probably been about 15 minutes at this point).  Spoon the batter into the pan.  Smooth the top with a spatula and cover completely with aluminum foil.

Pour 2 cups of water into the bottom of the Instant Pot insert.  Place the springform pan on the trivet and use the handles to lower it into the pot.  Close and secure the lid, move the valve to the sealing position, press Manual or Pressure Cook.  Be sure the pressure is set at High.  Set the cooking time for 45 minutes.  When it's done, allow the pressure to release naturally, about another 30 minutes.

Turn off the Instant Pot, open the lid, and carefully remove the pan.  Set the trivet and pan on the counter, remove the foil, and allow to cool for 30 minutes.  The middle will be slightly jiggly when it first comes out of the pot.

Place in the refrigerator IN THE SPRINGFORM PAN, and let it sit for AT LEAST 5 HOURS.  It needs all that undisturbed time to set correctly.

When you're ready to serve, run a sharp knife around the side of the pan to separate the cake from the pan, then slowly open the latch of the springform pan.  You can transfer the cake from the bottom of the pan onto a serving plate.  Be sure to leave the parchment paper on the bottom of the cake.  When you cut it, you'll be able to remove each cake slice from the parchment paper.

Top the cheesecake with whatever topping you prefer - I like raspberry preserves!

#ArtWorkLivingChallenge 2021 - Day Two! - Simplify!

Well, here's the Day Two painting for the #ArtWorkLivingChallenge - better than Day One's, in my opinion.  I chose a simpler subject - none
of those darned TREES to get lost in!  Foliage is my kryptonite, I guess.

This is a shed we used to pass every time we'd go north to visit That Man's mom.  There's just something about the building.  I've NEVER seen the doors open or any people or machinery near it - always alone in that field, but it never seems to deteriorate.  It's a mystery to me.

If  I were "allowed" to paint this picture the way I want to (I mean for a real, finished painting - not just a quick and dirty study like this), the composition would be WAY different.  But this took me just over 15 minutes and it's an improvement over the previous day's attempt.

Just a side note:  For reference materials for the challenge, I'm using photos I've taken locally.  If you're from my area, you'd probably recognize Day One's subject.  Not so much this one, though, I bet.

#ArtWorkLivingChallenge 2021 - Day One! - Embracing Failure!

I joined a short (five-day) painting challenge, and today is the first day.  The goal is to paint a SMALL picture each day in about 15 - 20 minutes.  No more!  The point is not a great picture, but establishing a daily painting habit, and to EMBRACE FAILURE!

Well, I've certainly accomplished THAT today - LOL!

The covered bridge isn't bad, but I somehow got lost in the trees to the left.  Kind of overworked.  Oh well.  It could be worse - I think!

Anyway, for people who care about that kind of thing, this is watercolor on Canson XL 140-lb watercolor paper.  CHEAP watercolor paper (wood pulp, no cotton) that I'm trying to use up before going 100% cotton.

One of the requirements of the challenge is to post the day's picture on your blog, so here it is.  You can expect to be tortured by four more this week.  I hope they won't offend anyone's refined artistic sensibilities too much.  So...  Apologies in advance!