Weekly Planner - Hot Dogs

Hot Dog Weekly Menu by Stacci Slayton Hamilton

Pink Lemon Chiffon: Carrot Sweet Potato Cake

When I was a young adult, I stumbled upon a 1987 Southern Living Annual Recipes cookbook that became my favorite very quickly.  I had often seen Southern Living magazines on the shelf or at the library and was always so impressed with the very genteel and sophisticated version of life the beautiful pages presented.  Each month is essentially a chapter and represents food indicative to the south such as pecan pie for November.  Each month, I would read through the pages and fantasize about hosting an elaborate dinner party.  The recipes were not exotic like those found in Julia Child's French cookbook, and the ingredients were found easily in the south.  Think Paula Deen 26 years ago.  At my recent visit to the Goodwill Blue Hanger store, I found a 2001 version.  It is in pristine condition, and I have been itching to try out some new recipes.

I had a bag of carrots in the fridge that needed to be used......too many for afternoon snacking.  I also had 2 sweet potatoes left from the holiday.  I found recipes for Carrot and for Sweet Potato cakes but not for both, so I improvised.  The result was amazing.

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 1/2 cups flour  
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
3/4 cup mashed, cooked sweet potato


Beat brown sugar and butter until creamy.  Add eggs and lemon extract, beating well.
Stir in flour, baking soda and salt until just moistened.  Stir in raisins, carrots and mashed sweet potato.  Spread evenly into a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in middle comes our clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  Top with cream cheese frosting.
Garnish with shaved carrot curls.

Scrapbooking for Beginners

Scrapbooking for Beginners by Stacci Slayton Hamilton

Shab Couture - Giveaway #1

I have been fairly busy with lots of holiday gifts / decorating / entertaining lately.  Even though I have wanted to blog more, I have spent the last 6 months getting the FB page up and going.  I have a small following right now, and I hope to increase that in the next 6 months.  It takes some time  - and patience.  I majored in the liberal arts, after all.  All this business stuff seems like a foreign language.

Back to the important stuff.

I chose the name "Shabby 'Round the Corner", and when I am asked why, I just smile.  The teacher in me wants to make others develop good research skills.  Why give the answer away?

I will be giving away a  book-page flower tag for the first person to correctly answer a riddle.

Thanks to Stephanie Lynn for the inspiration.

What classic is 'Round the Corner an allusion to?

Post your answer as a comment here on the blog.  Only comments on the blog will be considered.

Good luck..........!

Shab Couture: Heating Pad Cover

When I was re-vamping my bedroom, I noticed my heating pad sitting on my side table one day and decided it needed re-vamped, too.  The dull blue cover with white snap (that never stayed snapped) didn't fit in well with my shabby decor.

I found a piece of flannel toile and quickly made a sleeve to slide the pad into.  The result was too cute.

Recently, I decided to make a cover for a friend's very tired pad.

Check out some other cute finished products:

Quilted Version

Crocheted Version

Step by Step Instructions