Sweet Spot Sunday

As we get closer and closer to Christmas, the Cat and I find ourselves busier and busier.  Between karate testing, slumber parties, cookie exchanges, and ballets, it has been a long time since we've been able to just sit in the family room and relax.

image via

I had to make it a point to set some time aside so we could watch one of my favorite 80's movies, Hello Again.  I love this movie.  I ordered it off of Netflix, and it got here Wednesday.  I have been known to keep a Netflix movie for a year without watching it.  It is ridiculous.  I vowed, after I sent the last movie back, that I would stop doing that.  So my goal was to watch this movie asap and get in the mailbox.  That didn't happen.  But it will be on its way back by Monday.  If we can average a movie a week, that's pretty good.  It's a heck of a lot better than a movie a year!

image via On the Set of New York

This is a picture of the Ukrainian Institute of America.  It is part of what was once the Sinclair mansion, which was used in the film as the mansion belonging to Hastings, Jr.  It is in the French Gothic style and is absolutely amazing.  You can catch more of the building as Shelly Long and her sister are walking by and then to it.  This is a gorgeous piece of architecture that I would love to see in person.

While the wardrobe in the movie is decidedly eighties, there is one thing that Shelly Long's character wears that I have been on the hunt for for quite a while now- a cami and tap pant set.  It has taken me forever partially because I never knew what they were called.  Basically, it is a slip set but they are shorts. 

Vintage 1950s sewing pattern for slip, half slip, and tap pants
Frisky Scissors

Anyhoo. 
Like I mentioned above, one of the things we did this weekend was go to a cookie exchange.  I brought three types of cookies, including some Lime Ginger Chewies that I had also made the previous weekend after reading about them in Better Homes and Gardens.
I adore lime and ginger, and these cookies are pretty good.  When I made them last week, I didn't have any lemon extract so I used vanilla (the recipe calls for either), but for the exchange I used lemon.  I think next time I'd use half of each.

Forgive me for the crummy picture quality- I should have grabbed a few shots of the ones we brought with us to the exchange.



Lime and Ginger Chewies- Better Homes and Gardens

1 1/3 cups of granulated sugar
2 tbsp. finely shredded lime peel
1 tbsp. peeled minced fresh ginger
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. of unsalted butter, cut into chunks and slightly softened.
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tbsp. light-color corn syrup
2 (or 3) tsp. ground ginger, to taste
1/2 tsp. lemon or vanilla extract (For more of a lime taste, use the vanilla.  For a more lemony taste, use the lemon.  Or do half and half.)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
powdered sugar
Finely shredded lime peel
coarse green sugar (optional)
1 Position rack in the middle of oven; preheat to 350. Lightly grease baking sheets, set aside.
2. In food processor combine sugar, lime peel, and fresh ginger. Cover and process for 2-3 minutes scraping side of bowl occasionally, until ginger is completely pulverized and mixture is thoroughly blended and smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup.
3. In a large bowl combine remaining lime-sugar mixture butter, egg yolk, lime juice, corn syrup, ground ginger, lemon extract, baking soda, and salt. Beat until very well blended and lightened in color about 1 1/2 minutes. Beat in half of the flour until evenly incorporated. STIR in the remaining flour under evenly incorporated. It dough seems to wet, stir in up to 3 tbsps. more flour; too wet, stir in 1 tsp.
4. Shape dough into a flat disc; cut into quarters (like a pizza). Divide each quarter into 11 -12 equal pieces. Shape portions into balls; roll in reserved lime-sugar mixture and gently reshape. Space balls about 2 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets; flatten to 1/8 to 1/4 inches thickness on the bottom of the glass.
5. Bake one sheet at a time for 6-8 minutes or until the edges are brown and cookies are not quite firm when gently pressed at center (chewier bake shorter; crisper bake longer). Let cool for 5 minutes to firm up. Using a spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar; sprinkle with lime peel, and coarse green sugar. Cool completely. Enjoy.  Accidentally eat all of them in one sitting without realizing that you are doing it.

Hope you all have a great Sunday!

~Lori

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