Tea Pots

I did get some spouts on the teapots and then they get wrapped up to dry until it is time for handles.
With teapots it is a game of cover,uncover,cover,uncover, now, not yet, now, maybe later and then they are ready.

 Since these are the new clay body, sorry Leslie if I could thrown a new body for anyone it would be me, we are finding out how quickly it drys. It seems very plastic, and, yet, not as sticky as the B-mix that we have used in the past. With B-mix the pot could be dry and then it would take forever for the bottom to dry with out still being sticky. This is not sticky, but is acting differently than the stoneware clay we had been using.

So now?
Maybe later.
Yesterday was a sunshine day and I demanded that we take a walk. Yea, I can be pushy like that, just ask my mother she will say yes, she was the 4th of 5 and she was and is so pushy. Well good grief wouldn't you be with 3 older than you  and an adorable younger sister? I had to be a bit pushy.

So walk we did.
The woods have such a different feel to them with the crunch of the leaves and the openness. It always gives me a sense of adventure.

The kiln is cooking away this morning full of all sorts of fillers for the gas kiln. It is amazing how these things can pile up if you just get out and get busy on the wheel.
We should be working on glazing in the next week or so. Of course we will have to load the kiln with the March winds in mind since we had a real taste of those the other day.
March= wind= when to fire.

On another note I  a block of cream cheese that was screaming to be used before it died in the refrigerator. And I am one of those people who does not like to waste what I buy.
So I went to pin your a** to the chair and looked for a recipe to try.
 I found this one.
And, of course I changed it.
 I did not have vanilla wafers in the house, never do, so, I put the last of the granola in the food processor and mushed it with a little butter and placed it in the bottom of the muffin pan. It was good since it had oats, nuts and a little dried fruit it it. I only baked for about 4 minutes. 

• 30 vanilla wafers
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Cooking spray
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt-------I used 1 cup
• 12 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened-------I used 8 ounces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract----I used teaspoon plus one teaspoon of elderberry juice.
  
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 2 large eggs
•   and I did not do this at all since I don't keep canned milk either. We topped with homemade jam.
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar--
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 3/8 teaspoon flake salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°.

2. Place cookies in a food processor; process until finely ground crumbs measure about 1 cup. Add oil; pulse to combine. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin well with cooking spray. Spoon about 1 packed tablespoon crumb mixture into each muffin cup; press crumbs firmly into bottom. Bake at 300° for 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool.

3. Wipe food processor clean. Place brown sugar, yogurt, and cream cheese in processor; process until smooth. Add vanilla, table salt, and eggs; process until smooth. Spoon about 3 tablespoons batter into each muffin cup. Bake at 300° for 18 minutes or until centers of cheesecakes barely move when pan is touched. Remove pan from oven; cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Cover pan; refrigerate cheesecakes 3 hours or until well chilled.

4. Run a thin knife around outside edge of each cheesecake. Carefully remove cheesecakes from pan; place on a platter. Chill cheesecakes until ready to serve.

5. Combine granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring gently as needed to dissolve sugar evenly (about 3 minutes). Continue cooking 12 minutes or until the color of light brown sugar (do not stir). Remove from heat; carefully stir in butter and milk (caramelized sugar will harden and stick to spoon). Place pan over medium-high heat until caramelized sugar melts. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; cool caramel to room temperature. Cover and chill 1 hour or until slightly thickened. Spoon about 1 tablespoon caramel over each cheesecake. Sprinkle cheesecakes evenly with flake salt.

Do you do this as well are or you a by the book cook?
I find I just use what I have since running to the store is not an option for me.
Time to go put a hand on the tea pots.
Now?
Now?
Cheers,
M