For the first time ever it was difficult to come up with an idea for gifts for grandson's birthday. At nineteen Vinnie is no longer a boy (although he has always been mature in many ways for his age) and the oft-given suggestion was just to give money, I dislike just handing over only cash for a present. However, when he expressed his extreme admiration for movie star, Scarlett Johansonn, an idea was hatched. I found a lovely photo of her on the internet and made a copy on my printer. Then I visited the hobby store and talked with a helpful sales clerk, who recommended a product to transfer the picture to fabric. The end result was not perfect and I was less than pleased, but Vinnie liked it and that night the lucky guy got to sleep with pretty Scarlett.
Years ago for our anniversary, Pop and I rented a riverfront cottage on the bluffs in Hermann, Missouri. It was quiet and secluded, and boasted lovely views from a hot tub on the deck, but one feature we always remember with delight was the Belgian waffle maker in the tiny kitchen. On the counter, we found waffle mix and syrup and had great fun making the giant fluffy treats for breakfast, which were served with orange juice from the stocked refrigerator. So when I happened to see a waffle maker on sale in the paper earlier this month, it seemed to be the perfect anniversary gift to ourselves. We've since made regular waffles a couple times, but when there were scalloped potatoes left over from last night's dinner, I thought to try something different. After crushing the potatoes slightly, and adding a little milk, flour and an egg, I placed dollops on the waffle maker and cooked till the outsides were crispy brown. What a nice change from the usual hash browns and so pretty next to the bacon and scrambled eggs!
