Sour Cream Raisin Bars and Chai

I had to get these recipes on my blog before I lost them.  A blog is a great place to store favorite recipes.  You can always find them.  Makes it so much easier than shuffling through a ton of paper.

This has considerably less sugar and fat then some of the other recipes I have seen on the internet. I found the recipe while reading a bunch of old magazines and newspapers from Columbus, OH. I really wish I knew where I found the recipe. 

The chai is delicious.  The next time I make it I will add more cardamon and less cinnamon.  You can adjust it to your liking.  I recommend doubling it if you go through Chai like I do.  And some noteworthy information:  To say Chai tea is a bit like saying tea tea.  So just say Chai- at least that is what I heard.

Sour Cream Raisin Bars

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups raisins, plumped in water
1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup sugar

3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons corn starch


In a  sauce pan hea raisins in water.  Bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat.   Let plump until cooled.  Adding rum to this would so kick the flavor quotient up. Once cool drain, set aside.

In a 13 x 9 pan, mix the rolled oats, flour and brown sugar and butter.  Remove a cup of the mixture for pouring over top. 

In a sauce pan combine sour cream cornstarch, sugar and whisk over medium heat.  Once mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove from heat. fold in drained raisins.  Pour over to of crust and then sprinkle the cup of crumbs over top of the pudding mixture.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes.

Chai Tea

4 tea bags I used half green tea and half black tea
4 small sticks cinnamon
1 inch piece of ginger
3 cloves
3 cardamon pods, crushed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
sugar to taste
4 cups water

In a sauce pot boil everything but the tea bags for about 30 minutes.  TUrn flame off add the tea bags to steep.  Strain the liquid (you can tell in my picture above that I did not bother to do that- I just took out hte big clumps). 

Where Have I Been?

If you check out this blog and then my craft blog, The Crafty Bees Knees, you will know the answer to the question, where have I been.

 Of course fish crackers and though it is not pictured, some Swedish Fish as well.  Always a hit with the kids.

 A craft making fish out of paper plates.

Yes, I know I have two fishy looking cakes posted.  THe one above is the one we had for the family birthday party and this one was for the kid party.

Octopus hot dog on green colored Ramen noodles.  One of the kids wouldn't eat it because it was that dreaded color.... GREEN.  I tried to convince her that it was only food coloring int he water I boiled but she was having no part of it.

Saw something similar to this on Pinterest and had to make it.  Here I used a cottage cheese container, the big tub. I hot glued the ribbons on the under side and then hot glued the lid (which I had cut to fit) over top of all the ribbons.  This forced the ribbons to the edges.  I also had cut a hole in the center of the lid and strung some ribbon through there as well.

Pin the Fin on the fish.  My six year old, well now seven, came up with this rather brilliant idea if I do say so myself.

 More jelly fish.

This I also saw this cucumber killer whale on Pinterest and just copied it.  I used a toothpick to prop up the dorsel fin because I never bothered to read the directions that were with the post.  I know its lame but I just hate reading directions.

Technical Difficulties

 Happy New Year everyone!


Well, it seems my computer has caught some viruses and who knows what else.  So I am in the process of making it better.  I am going to be up and running here soon, I hope.  Until then I will leave you with this yumminess- laundry soap.  Yeah I know, that is not yummy but the savings of money is yummy.

Tipnut is where I found this particular recipe (#9).  I changed it up just a bit to suit my needs and here is what I did:

1 box of Super Washing Soda
1 box of Borax- Mule Team (pictured above)
4 shaved Fels Naptha bars ( a definite work out)
8 cups of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda

The label on my glass container is from ????? When I find where I got it from I will share with all of you.

Update:  I no longer use Fels Naptha.  I could not stand the smell of it.  After researching it, I found it contained the things I was hoping to avoid by making my own.  I now use Ivory and/or Castille Soap.

BYW- this particular recipe lasted me over one year.  I am finishing it up now.  And believe me- I wash A LOT of clothes. On average- five or six loads per week.