Cabin in the City

Books, cats and midwestern charm.

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Oh Baby! Sewing Projects for Pregnancy

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Some people get the urge to clean or nest during pregnancy. I got the urge to sew, sew and sew some more. Here’s what I’ve made for our baby’s arrival (and a few projects I hope to get to later).

Baby Quilt (+ Matching Pillow)

I would describe myself as an enthusiastic (but far from experienced) quilter. I got into the hobby a few years ago with small projects, like table runners and coasters, and picked up steam by making baby quilts for friends and a memory quilt for a dear family friend.

When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to make a quilt just as special as those projects for my own child. Right away, I knew the theme would be woodsy and earthy. After a few browsing sessions at Patched Works not far from home, I settled on a combination of deer, mushroom, feather, star and plant-printed fabrics.

And because all the patterns were just so perfect, I didn’t want to over-complicate the design. I opted for this simple checkered quilt pattern from Cotton Studio on Etsy. It was easy to modify the size and a relief to just cut the same shape for the whole project. I even had enough leftover for a small pillow.

Burp Cloths

My mom was a prolific burp cloth maker. She loved buying cute flannel fabrics and turning them into this nursery essential. My mom’s burp cloths have been used by her friends’ children, her friends’ grandchildren and even my friends’ kids. She just really enjoyed making a cute, functional and easy project.

That’s why she had a small stash of burp cloths and bibs hanging out in her sewing room. You never know when you might need a shower gift! Well, I took all those extras, and then went on to make about a dozen of my own (plus some for two friends who recently had babies).

I also want to shout out my friend Irina who returned a batch of my mom’s burp cloths to me at my baby shower. It’s really touching to have a project my mom made and one that was so loved by a good friend.

Flannel Blanket

I found this super cute animal flannel at Joann, so like any sewist with poor impulse control, I bought the rest of the bolt. Some of that fabric became burp cloths, but the bulk became a simple whole-cloth quilt.

I made this by just sewing two pieces of flannel together and binding them. It’s thicker than a basic swaddle or receiving blanket but not as heavy as the quilt I made. This one is going to the hospital with us.

What I might have enjoyed most about this blanket and the quilt was getting to sew in these “Made by Mom” labels from Sarah Hearts on Etsy.

Maybe More Projects!

I had hoped to tackle a few more projects before the baby’s arrival, but, as you can imagine, I’ve run out of steam in these final weeks. Here are a few things I have planned for the future:

  • Mobile: I cut out the shapes and began to hand stitch some figures for a baby mobile, but it’s a lot of work at 37 weeks pregnant. I know the baby won’t sleep in his room for a few months, so maybe I can tackle this by the time he’s ready for the crib.
  • St. Nick stockings: My goal was to make new stockings for the whole family (including the cat). I love holiday fabrics, and I have a good amount at home to pull from, but some things just take time (after all, it took me three years to make a very simple set of Bob’s Burgers ornaments for our tree!). This will be a 2025 project.

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Chocolate Malt Linzer Cookies

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Linzer cookies with chocolate filling and powdered sugar on top

It’s not uncommon for artists to wake up from a dream inspired to start a new creation. Michael often records voice memos of song ideas he’s had during the night. I, on the other hand, wake up to write down recipe ideas.

One of these ideas came to me months ago, but it just wasn’t time. But now that it’s high cookie season, I figured it was time to try that dream recipe out in the kitchen: Linzer cookies with a chocolate malt ganache filling.

What Are Linzer Cookies?

Linzer cookies are a bite-sized riff on the Austrian Linzer torte. This torte looks a lot like a tart—and it is made in a tart pan—but it’s still a torte. Go figure. The pastry crust for this dessert includes ground almonds, lemon zest and sometimes spices. It all encases a raspberry filling.

Linzer cookies have all those same flavors but are made sandwich-style with raspberry jam (or another fruit filling) in the center. Typically the top cookie of the sandwich has a small cutout to reveal the filling inside.

How to Make Chocolate Malt Linzer Cookies

My Linzer cookie recipe isn’t exactly traditional since it lacks the fruit filling, but my treat trays are already brimming with fruit-filled sweets like cream cheese pillows and fruit cake (yes, fruit cake is good—if you make Shauna Sever’s recipe from Midwest Made). But truly, who doesn’t like ganache?

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 12 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 2 teaspoons malted milk powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Powdered sugar to garnish

For the ganache:

  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon malted milk powder

Step 1: Make the Linzer Cookie Dough

This cookie dough is simple enough to make. Start, as always, by creaming together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy—about five minutes. Then add in the egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat another minute.

In another bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, almond flour, malted milk powder, cinnamon and salt). Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix until just combined.

Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for an hour or more.

Step 2: Prep the Cookies

Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temp for about five minutes.

Dust your work surface with a bit of flour, then roll out the dough until it’s approximately 1/8-inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out as many cookies as you can. Reroll the dough just once; any more than that and your cookies can become tough—and Linzer cookies are known for being wonderfully tender.

Now, take half your cookie cutouts and cut a smaller hole in the center of each. You can use a small cookie cutter or a pastry piping tip to cut a simple circle; a knife will even work in a pinch.

Step 3: Bake

Chill the cutouts in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking—or as long as it takes your oven to preheat to 350ºF.

Bake the cookies on a parchment-lined sheet at 350ºF for 11 to 13 minutes—until they just start to have a whisper of gold around the edges.

After baking, move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 4: Make the Ganache

While the cookies cool, stir up the ganache. Start by chopping up the chocolate (any kind you like!) and adding it to a heat-safe bowl along with the butter.

Then whisk the cream and malted milk powder together. Heat in a small pot on the stove until the milk starts to bubble and simmer—not boil!

When the cream is hot, pour it over the chocolate and butter and let it sit for 30 seconds or so. Then whisk whisk whisk until the mixture comes together in a rich ganache. Let the ganache cool in the bowl until it’s a good spreading consistency—about 15 minutes.

Step 5: Put It All Together

A dusting of snowy powdered sugar is a must for Linzer cookies. Give the cookies with the holes in them a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Then spread a bit of ganache onto the base of each cookie. Finish with the sugar-dusted topper, and serve!

These cookies are best within the first few days—up to a week.

Now, settle in with some cookies, a good book and soak up all the peace you can this holiday season!

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Holiday Hoops 2023

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Selfishly, I don’t do a lot of holiday craft events. I like to save the month of December for staying home and snuggling up to make crafts for myself and my family. Last year, I spent many evenings stitching ugly sweater ornaments and it was my favorite craft all year.

But this year, I did manage to sneak a few holiday hoops into my roster! I’ll be selling at the Walker’s Point Makers Market and Bar Hop on November 18, and I figure mid-November is as good as the holiday season for most folks!

I stitched up a handful of holiday designs, including a few “impish or admirable” ornaments. I think my favorite, though is this sparkly holiday lights hoop. The idea to layer glitter paint over the watercolor came to me at 2:00 AM. I had to touch up these hoops the very next day. I love the results!

If you see anything you like—or want to see more of what’s to come—find me on Instagram at @kaminskihandicraft. I’m happy to hook you up with any hoops there. Everything is $5 to ship within the US.

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Picking Up Stitching After a Long Break

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For a while now, I’ve been working a very small side hustle. I embroider silly things and sell them. I dabble in Etsy but I far prefer selling at in-person markets. It’s just way more fun!

But when the pandemic hit and events were canceled, I put down my needle. I focused a lot on making masks and filled the rest of my time with puzzles, books, TV and worrying. Embroidery didn’t feel as pressing without events to sell at and people around to sell to.

Picking Up the Needle

And honestly, I didn’t miss it. Not once did I feel compelled to stitch up an original design (I did buy and stitch quite a few cross stitches, though). For a while, I thought that I might just be done with the stitching side hustle.

That is until I saw a call from Madison Makers Market for an upcoming event. I thought to myself, I’ll give it one more go. I’ve got lots of hoops hanging around anyway.

And just like that, I was back in the swing of things. As I drew up a new design (and finished off some WIPs from a year ago), I found myself enjoying embroidery more than ever.

Sometimes craft fair prep can feel stressful, but this time, I look forward to sitting down with my floss. It’s a good treat at the end of the day to pick up a hoop and cue up an audiobook. (Currently, I’m listening to The Personal Librarian.)

The Craft I Keep Coming Back To

Time and time again this is a craft I return to. And I honestly never thought of it that way. I always thought of myself as someone that got really into a project for a short while before moving on to the next (see: latch hook, paper flower and plastic canvas). It wasn’t until I went to my parents’ house weeks ago and saw a lot of my projects in their home that I realized holy cats, I’ve been doing this a long time and this is something I’ve always loved.

Proof: The cat cross stitch hanging in the upstairs hallway. The teacup crewelwork hanging by my parents’ bed. The “bite me” cross stitch on my mom’s dresser. The embroidery hoop I gave my dad for Christmas a few years back. The embroidered anniversary art I gave my parents. The cross stitch Christmas ornaments packed away in the basement.

That’s a lot. And it spans a long time. I remember making that cat cross stitch back in elementary school, the teacup piece in middle school and the infamous “bite me” art back in college.

So what’s the point: I am, as always, oblivious to my own nature. And I’m really happy to embroidering again.

You can find me at my first fair soon. The Madison Makers Fitchburg Mini Market is coming up on July 24.

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An Inexplicable Dessert // Angel Food + Pistachio Trifle

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Growing up, there was one dessert my mom would bring to family gatherings that I just never got: an angel food and pistachio torte (trifle? fluff?).

It was all sorts of things I didn’t really like that much: angel food cake (bland, dry and sticky all at once), pistachios and toffee. This dessert never held much appeal. Also, it was very ugly.

But one party, I finally gave this treat a try and I am not ashamed to say it: My mom was right; this dessert was delicious.

So in honor of Mother’s Day, here is the recipe for this absolutely inexplicable dessert.

Angel Food Pistachio Trifle Recipe

This one of those delightful Midwestern follies full of Jell-O pudding mix, Cool Whip and more. As much as I love scratch-made everything, I’m also a sucker for treats like this. Here’s what you need:

  • 1 package of angel food cake mix (preferably the one with the rainbow sprinkles inside)
  • 1 tub Cool Whip
  • 1 small box Jell-O instant pistachio pudding
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 Heath or Skor bars, crushed

Step 1: Bake the Cake

Before you ask, yes, you can absolutely make a homemade angel food cake for this recipe. But if you ask me, now is not the time to fuss with all the eggs and the tedium. This cake gets torn up, coated in fluff and topped with candy.

It’s really OK just to use a boxed mix—these are the best brands to use according to a very scientific test I conducted.

A few things about the cake, homemade or not, make sure not to grease the pan. Also, you want to cool it upside down once it comes out of the oven. It’s all on the box, but these are still some pro tips.

Once the cake is totally cool, remove it from the pan and cut or tear into chunks.

Step 2: Make the Fluff

Now here’s where the Midwestern comes in: Whip up a package of instant pistachio pudding according to the package directions. Once it’s set—about five minutes—fold a tub of Cool whip into the pudding. That’s your fluff.

Step 3: Assemble

All that’s left to do is to put all these pieces together. Grab any serving container you like. My mom uses a 13×9″ pan, but I pulled this Pyrex dish from my collection. You could also make this in a trifle dish or make individual parfaits.

Spoon a bit of the fluff on the bottom, then add some cake. Continue adding layers of the two until it’s all used up. Finally, topped with some crushed toffee bits.

Serving and Saving

Once this dessert is all put together, pop it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. Then scoop and serve.

This trifle (torte? fluff?) does keep pretty well for a few days; I’d say eat it within three days of making it. It’ll get softer as time goes on, but it still tastes pretty darn good.

This year, I don’t get to celebrate my mom the way she deserves on Mother’s Day (she’s currently in the hospital), but I did get to see her. She even gave me a few tips on this recipe. And making this treat Mother’s Day morning did help me feel a bit better.

Just a reminder to everyone to hug their moms extra today. Like extra on top of the Mother’s Day extra. And then extra every day after that.

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Baking to Get Through It

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I never really understood stress baking, though I understand it’s a real phenomenon.

To me, baking—something that requires some precision and attention to detail—is the last thing a stress-addled mind needs to be tackling. I’m more of a stress TV-watcher or stress online shopper.

But this past month, arguably one of the most stressful in memory, I have been baking a lot.

And maybe I get it now. When I thought of stress baking in the past, I thought of the kind of stress that comes with having too much to do, the stress that comes with that certain breed of frantic anxiety.

But now I’m realizing that baking during stressful time serves another purpose.

Stress Baking to Help

First and foremost, during hard times, baking is an easy way to help and to let others know you’re thinking of them. Bringing over a loaf of bread or a dessert to someone that needs a pick-me-up or who can’t manage to bake on their own is helpful. Right now, my mother-in-law has a particular taste for sweets and is unable to bake on her own, so a batch of homemade brownies hits the spot for us both.

Stress Baking to Soothe

What I’ve really found, though, is that baking is a good way to propel yourself forward. Baking won’t help the worries of the day subside or solve any problems, but it requires enough focus to make those concerns take a backseat for a moment—and in a way that reading, TV or embroidery can’t.

So I’m thankful that I have a hobby that can take me through these hard days and can even be useful.

And if you’re wondering what I’ve made, here’s a list of what’s come out of my kitchen in the last four weeks:

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Moon Muffins // The Out of This World Treat I’m Living On

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I’ve got a lot of food memories. That’s what happens when you’ve got a mom like mine that loves to bake (not to mention aunts that are super bakers as well). From very young, I remember making our family’s classic recipes—the one’s my mom and grandma made for ages.

But once in a while I new recipe would come on the scene. And I remember when these muffins first appeared. My mom’s best friend brought them over for a Super Bowl Party. “They’re moon muffins,” she said.

What kind of muffins? And she explained the cream cheese-chocolate chip mix made the top of these black-bottom cupcakes look like the craters of the moon. And that makes total sense. So my fam never once called these treats black-bottom cupcakes; they’ve always been moon muffins.

And they are a bake I’ve been craving a lot lately, so I figure I may as well share.

How to Make Moon Muffins

Ingredients-wise, this looks like a long list, but I guarantee you that the only thing you might not have at the ready is cream cheese.

For the cupcake batter:

  • 1½ cup flour
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the filling:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 6 ounces chocolate chips
  • Dash of salt

Step 1: Make the Cream Cheese Filling

First up, grab a mixing bowl and combine the cream cheese, egg, sugar and a dash of salt. Beat that together until nice and smooth. Once really creamy and fluffy, stir in a handful of chocolate chips. I usually use minis but any kind will work.

Step 2: Make the Chocolate Cupcake Batter

Now onto the cupcake portion. This is really such an easy batter to make. It requires absolutely no finesse. You could really just chuck it all in a mixer and call it good.

But if you want to go step-by-step, I recommend mixing together the sugar, egg, oil and vanilla. Then add in the rest and beat until just combined.

Step 3: Fill ‘er Up

Next, grab your muffin pan and fill it with paper liners. Fill each about half to two-thirds full with the chocolate batter. In my kitchen, I use this OXO scoop for all cupcakes and muffins and it works like a dream.

Then top each cupcake off with a tablespoon of the cream cheese mix. I use this KitchenAid cookie scoop. Combined with the other scoop, it fills up the pans just right without them overflowing while baking

Step 4: Bake

All that’s left is to bake! Pop these in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes at 350ºF.

Once cooled, eat them! And keep any leftovers in the fridge (they’ll last about a week). Honestly, I prefer them chilled, so I usually enjoy the next day.

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Homemade Irish Cream // A Cabin in the City Tradition

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When it comes to the holidays, I’ve got a lot of Christmas traditions. I like to make a few treats (like molasses cookies) year after year. I also like to make one non-baked item: Irish cream.

Honestly, the homemade version of this sipper is so delicious. It blows Bailey’s right out of the water. Sure, it’s decadent, but it’s only the holidays once a year.

Plus, it takes only about five minutes to make a batch from scratch. It’s a fun surprise to share on Christmas Eve. I also really like making this recipe with Michael. It’s something fun we can do together to share with our families.

How to Make Homemade Irish Cream

Making Irish cream from scratch is a breeze and you don’t need any fancy ingredients (you might even have some in your cupboard right now!). Here’s what you need:

  • 1 cup cream (half and half also works)
  • 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
  • ¾ cup whiskey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • ¾ teaspoon cocoa powder

Makes 3½ cups.

A Few Notes on Ingredients

When it comes to the cream in this recipe, I truly don’t taste a major difference when I switch to half and half. Use what you’ve got!

As for the whiskey, do not use your best stuff in this recipe. Irish cream is so loaded with other flavors that you can get away with a bottle from a lower shelf. I use Canadian Club.

But when it comes to the vanilla, I always like to use the good stuff. Nielsen-Massey and Penzey’s are my go-tos.

Directions (It’s So Easy)

Start by whisking together the vanilla extract, cocoa powder and instant espresso powder together. It should make a paste of sorts. The main objective is just to get out any cocoa lumps. If you do end up with lumps though, it is 100% fine! It’ll just be an extra pocket of cocoa as you sip.

Then add in your cream and whiskey. Finally, whisk in the sweetened condensed milk. The milk is pretty sticky and thick, so be sure to whisk it pretty well until you don’t have any gooey stuff stuck on the bottom of the bowl. And that’s it!

For quality control, I like to take a little sip over ice before giving it to friends and family.

How to Store Homemade Irish Cream

When it comes to storing this treat, I just bottle it up in clean jam jars (the perfect size for gifting) and keep it in the fridge.

Unlike the bottled stuff, homemade Irish cream won’t last forever. Drink it by the cream’s best by date.

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The Only Oatmeal Cookie Worth Eating

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I love a good everyday cookie. You know everyday cookies: chocolate chips, gingersnaps, peanut butter… Good ol’ fashioned cookie jar cookies. But there’s one everyday cookie I never liked: oatmeal.

Why? 99% of oatmeal cookies are filled with raisins. Now, I don’t mind raisins, but they have no place in cookies!

But as I was paging through my favorite baking book Midwest Made, I saw there was a recipe for a raisin-free oatmeal cookie. Now that’s something I could be interested in! I made a few tweaks to Shauna Sever’s recipe—not that there was anything wrong with it (all the recipes in her book are amazing), but because I’m a twerp that likes to change things just for fun.

What I got was a chocolate-filled oatmeal cookie worth dunking and snacking. Here’s how to make ’em!

Chocolate-Studded Oatmeal Cookies

To make these cookies, you don’t need anything special! Just some pantry basics:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cups chocolate; I used a mix of semi-sweet chips and chopped up the remains of a baking bar

This recipe is definitely on the smaller side. Since it’s just two of us at home, we don’t need dozens of cookies laying around. This recipe makes about 20 cookies.

Step 1: Mix Up the Dough

I don’t need to tell you how to make a cookie dough, right? But I will anyway.

Start by creaming together the butter and sugars. You’ll want to cream them on medium speed with a paddle attachment for about five minutes. Creaming does take longer than you think! Just let ‘er rip and do some other tasks while the mixer runs.

Scrape down the bowl and beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined—about another minute more.

Next, add in all those dry ingredients—oats, flour, baking soda, salt—until you’ve got a dough. Don’t over-mix here! And be sure to scrape that bowl!

Step 2: Stir in the Chocolate

You can use whatever kind of chocolate floats your boat for this recipe. Dark chocolate, semi-sweet, mini chips—whatever’s in the pantry as long as it gives you 3/4 of a cup.

In my cookies, I chopped up the remainder of a dark chocolate baking bar I had in the cupboard (leftover from a babka) and then some semi-sweet chips to top it all off. I like the variation in size and flavors of chocolate. But you do you!

Because my mom always did this when I was growing up, I mix in the chips by hand. But you can use your mixer.

Step 3: Bake!

All that’s left is to portion out the cookies and bake! Grab your favorite cookie scoop and plop portions of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, just drop heaping spoonfuls of dough onto your pan. It’s all good!

Bake at 350ºF for 10-12 minutes. Move to a wire rack to cool (yeah right—just eat one while it’s warm!).

Let me be clear with these cookies: Just because I’m posting this in December doesn’t mean I consider these Christmas cookies. Christmas cookies are supposed to be special! That means you won’t find chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies or plain ol’ peanut butter cookies on my cookie tray. But these chewy chocolate oatmeal cookies will tide me over until my holiday baking starts in earnest.

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Kaminski Handicraft: Open for the Holidays

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It’s been a hot minute since I’ve shared any updates about the embroidery business!

Shop on Etsy

Kaminski Handicraft is still up and running, and now I’ve got my hoops listed in my Etsy shop!

I’ve got a little more than a dozen of my best-sellers listed in my shop ready to rock and roll for the holidays. All of these hoops are made and ready to ship out the next day.

Plus, I’m offering free shipping when you purchase $35 or more from my shop.

Shop on Instagram

If Etsy isn’t your style, you can see what’s up in my Sunday Insta-Sales over at @kaminskihandicraft. Just DM me and I’m happy to take your order and accept payment via Venmo or Square.

Plus, if you live in Milwaukee, I’m offering free contactless pickup or delivery. Not a bad deal!

Now there’s my shill for the season. Happy shopping (I hope you shop small and local when you can!).