The French Laundry

Fresh, white and clean sheets with lavender scent in the vintage French Laundry Basekt

Fresh, white and clean sheets with lavender scent in the vintage French Laundry Basket

I stumbled upon some french laundry baskets this Memorial Day weekend at an antique warehouse in Forney, Texas.  I have wanted one for a long, long time but hadn’t found one at the right price.  As luck would have it, DeRidder Antiques was having a Spring Cleaning sale and they were very reasonably priced…so I bought three.

Few simple things bring as much pleasure as line dried bed linens washed in home made lavender laundry detergent.  The smell and feel of crisp, white linens pulled taught on a freshly made bed that beckon a heavenly rest.

My laundry closet is like my house; not fancy or well appointed…but simple, straightforward and quaint.  No apologies…it just is what it is.

The perfect place for home made lavender laundry detergent.

Simple Washing Powder

16 cups baking soda

12 cups borax

8  cups grated castile or glycerin soap flakes*

3 tablespoons lavender,  lemon or grapefruit essential oil

Combine baking soda, borax and  soap flakes. Add essential oil and mix with a wire whisk. Use 1⁄8 cup per  load.

 

The basic items needed: Borax, Baking Soday, Soap Flakes and Essential Oil.

The basic items needed: Borax, Baking Soday, Soap Flakes and Essential Oil.

Soap flakes just look clean, don't they?

Soap flakes just look clean, don’t they?

 

A vintage enamel bowl is put to good use to mix Borax, Baking Soda, Soap Flakes and Lavender essential oil.

A vintage enamel bowl is put to good use to mix Borax, Baking Soda, Soap Flakes and Lavender essential oil.

Vintage containers hold linen water, Borax and cleaning supplies

Vintage containers hold linen water, Borax and cleaning supplies

 

Vintage Mason Jars filled with old wood and wire clothes pins with a sweet home made label

Vintage Mason Jars filled with old wood and wire clothes pins with a sweet home made label

 

Using office supply oak tags and alphabet stamps for laundry room labeling

Using office supply oak tags and alphabet stamps for laundry room labeling

 

Home Made Lavender Laundry Detergent.

Home Made Lavender Laundry Detergent.

Freshly dried and folded linens in the French Laundry Basket.

Freshly dried and folded linens in the French Laundry Basket.

 

 

A Hint of the Holidays

 

19th century scalloped cookie cutters.

 

I am thinking alot about the holidays.  The decorating I want to do, the things I want to bake and the gifts I want to give.  Standing in the check out stand at the grocery store, I spied a holiday cookie magazine and decided to give one recipe a try.  My lovely neighbor, Darlene and her family are always the recipients and by extension, the judges of my experiments.  Seems to be thumbs up all the way around for these delicious and festive Cherry Almonds Half Moons.  Looks like they will find a permanent place in my recipe files. Recipe after the pictures below.

Cheers to what lies ahead.

I hope you find some inspiration.

xoxo.

Cindy

Chilled and freshly rolled.

A dollup of cherry pie filling.

Not neat, but lovingly home made.

 

Folded over, sealed and ready for the oven.

Almond glaze drizzled on the warm, just out of the oven cookies and topped with sliced almonds.

Warm pastry enveloping a sweet, cherry center.

A treat for the Holidays.

Cherry Almond Half Moons

1 c. butter, softened

1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened

1 t. almond extract

2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. canned cherry pie filling or cherry preserves

2 egg whites

3/4 c. powdered sugar

1/4 t. almond extract

1 – 2 T. water or milk

1/2 c. of sliced almonds

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Beat in 1 t. of almond extract until combined.  Beat in the flour, on low, until dough comes together.  Divide dough in half.  Wrap each half in a disc shape in clear wrap and chill dough for about 1 and 1/2 hours or until dough is easy to handle. A couple of notes on the dough.  Once it is mixed, the dough is actually a little bland.  However, once it is filled with the filling, baked and add the sweetness of the glaze…it all seems to come together very well.  Secondly, if the dough is too hard once it comes out of the fridge, let it sit to soften a bit.  It needs to be somewhat pliable to roll out properly.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, set aside.  On a lightly floured surface roll half of the dough at a time to 1/8 inch thick.  Using a 3 – inch scalloped-edge round cookie cutter, cut out dough.  place the rounds 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets.

3. Spoon 1/2 t. of filling in the center of each round.  Fold dough rounds in half, enclosing filling; press edges to seal.  Whisk egg whites until frothy; brush cookies lightly with egg wash.  Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies are light brown.

4. In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, the remaining almond extract, and enough of the water or mil to make the icing a drizzling consistency. Sprinkle with almonds.  Let cookies stand until icing is set.  Makes 32 cookies. (recipe from Better Homes & Gardens)