Hopeful Homemaker

Mini Anthem block for Independence Day

July 4, 2024 jennifer Quilting and Sewing

For years I’ve wanted to play with my Anthem quilt pattern and make a “mini” or smaller block with it. Now that it’s summer, and July, I pulled out some solids and started playing. I’d forgotten how quickly these blocks come together, and before I knew it, I had a new idea and several stars to play with. My mini Anthem block got me thinking about how many patriotic quilts have been made across generations in many countries. It’s a theme that’s constantly being explored, and yet I’m happy to jump in. I love these colors and this theme! A little Independence Day sewing!

I decided on a light blue background, and there are actually two shades of blue in there. It’s a nod to my Peppermint quilt version, but the blues don’t have quite enough contrast with one another. It’s very subtle. And yet, I really like the light blue background instead of a white one. It makes the white stand out more. I do think you can see the two blues and their secondary design a little more in the photo below.

To my surprise, I found sewing the narrow strips of red, white, and blue very satisfying. In fact, I loved it! Sometimes it feels really good to do something small AND accurate. I’m smiling as I type because I enjoyed it so much. I decided to make a large block by sewing four of them together and framing it with more stripes. Something tells me I’ll be doing more of that.

We had our annual 4th of July breakfast this morning, complete with a flag ceremony and Independence Day trivia. As a family we talked about the difference between the principles set forth in our founding documents, and the way our government currently functions. It’s tricky. It’s also easy to feel disillusioned or cynical about our nation. But we talked about separating the pure principles of the Declaration and Constitution from the imperfect ways that historical figures and politicians administer in their offices.

I’m grateful for this holiday, a great day to remember and honor our foundation. I find my heart in harmony with the words of Phineas Richards, who said, “as we have inherited the spirit of liberty and the fire of patriotism from our fathers, so let them descend [unchanged] to our posterity”. I have inherited great love for the founding principles of our country.

We’re off to barbeque, watch fireworks, and listen to patriotic music. But you’d better believe I’ll be back in my sewing room making more of these mini Anthem blocks tomorrow! Happy Independence Day!

Chocolate Chip Smores Bars Recipe

July 2, 2024 jennifer Cooking and Baking

Instead of quilts, today I’m sharing one of our favorite summer desserts. It’s also one of the easiest. My daughter and I started making them last summer, and we take them to potlucks all season long. It’s the first pan to empty every time! These chocolate chip smores bars are perfect for a summer night when everyone would love smores but there’s no fire.

And they’re the perfect amount of gooey, with the toasted marshmallow, melted chocolate, and cookie dough, plus the crunch of a graham cracker on the bottom. Fun, and easy to make, these chocolate chip smores bars will be a hit!

To make these bars, you will need:

1 box graham crackers

1 bag large marshmallows

1 large symphony chocolate bar (the giant size)

ingredients for your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough, or see below for the recipe I use. (scroll to bottom of post for full recipe)

Start by spraying the bottom of an 11 x 17 inch cookie sheet with nonstick spray. Then break your graham crackers into halves and cover the bottom of the pan. Break the chocolate into pieces and place one on every cracker.

Using a pair of scissors, cut each marshmallow in half. If you don’t do this, they tip over and don’t stay in place! Place the two halves cut side down on top of the chocolate and crackers.

Mix up a batch of cookie dough, and then with your hands just drop little pieces of it all over the pan.

Then you bake it and the magic happens. When it’s golden brown, and the marshmallows are melted and toasty on top, pull it out of the oven.

Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars. Serve and enjoy! Now, please excuse me while I go make some.

Chocolate Chip Smores Bars Recipe

Ingredients:

1 box graham crackers

1 bag large marshmallows

I giant sized Symphony bar (or you can use several of the small Hershey’s chocolate bars, but they don’t melt as well.)

for the cookie dough:

1 cup butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2.5 cups flour

12 oz chocolate chips

Instructions:

Soften butter, then beat in large mixing bowl until creamy. Add sugar, brown sugar and baking soda. Beat till combined. Add eggs and vanilla and beat till combined. Add flour and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Assembly:

Spray large 11 x 17 baking baking pan with nonstick spray. Break graham crackers in half and cover bottom of pan. Break chocolate and place 1-2 pieces on each cracker. Cut 1 marshmallow in half for each graham cracker half, and place cut side down on top of chocolate and crackers.

With your hands, gently place small handfuls or chunks of cookie dough all around the pan on top of and in between marshmallows.

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes, watching for the dough and marshmallows to begin turning golden brown on top.

Remove from oven, cool completely, cut and serve!

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4th of July Trivia

July 1, 2024 jennifer 4th of July

Today is July 1st, and my favorite holiday is days away. I always host a 4th of July breakfast for my family and some guests. My favorite activity at these breakfasts is a short round of trivia, centered in American revolutionary history and our founding documents. Every year I create a new one, print it out, and let everyone guess at the answers. While the holiday is mostly full of family, food, and fireworks, I also love inviting my family to pause, remember, and really think about the holiday. I decided to share my 4th of July trivia with you this year, just for fun. You’ll find a link at the end of this post.

I hang buntings and flags in June for Flag Day and they mostly stay up until the end of July. I suppose flags and red, white and blue will always remind my kids of summer. Yesterday we hosted a large gathering and it was nice to have the porch looking festive and welcoming.

I got new planters this year because my last set were broken. I’m still heartbroken about that; I don’t think I’ll ever find planters I love as much. Still, the gray is pretty and I always love flowers on the porch.

This antique star has been a fixture at my house for many years. I decided to prop it among the flowers, and I love how it stands out among the planters.

My fresh boxwood wreath from Christmas still graces the front door. I have a long blue bunting with stars on it, and tied an enormous bow around the wreath. It’s dry now, but still pretty, and I’m enjoying it. We actually had some birds try to build a nest in it, against the window a month or two ago.

A terrible idea, which they quickly abandoned. It was fun to hear the birdsong RIGHT outside the door, and to watch them.

I set up the table for early morning visits and added pillows to the bench, so my husband can work outside.

We stood to sing all verses of the national anthem on Sunday in church, and I loved being in a congregation that sang with feeling and conviction. It was a perfect beginning to a patriotic week.

So my porch is ready, the flags are flying, and the 2024 4th of July trivia is prepped. There are 2 PDFs for you. One with questions only, so you can print as many copies as you wish and pass them out, or print one and do the trivia vocally as a group. The second one is questions with answers. Click here to get your copy!

I wish you a joyful, thoughtful, and safe Independence day!

-Jennifer