Saturday, June 30, 2012

Rat Rod Love


You may be thinking that the above photo is a hot rod from days gone by.....


..... but it's actually one of my husbands latest projects. This type of vehicle is known as a 'Rat Rod'.


The definition of a 'Rat Rod' per Wikipedia is:

"A rat rod is a style of hot rod or custom car that, in most cases, imitates (or exaggerates) the early hot rods of the 40s, 50s & early 60s. It is not to be confused with the somewhat closely related "traditional" hot rod, which is an accurate re-creation or period-correct restoration of a hot rod from the same era.

Most rat rods appear "unfinished", whether they actually are or not, with just the bare essentials to be driven.

The rat rod is the visualization of the idea of function over form. Rat rods are meant to be driven, not shown off. Sometimes the customization will include using spare parts, parts from another car altogether, or even non-car parts."



For this project, my husband started with a '31 Hudson Coupe found in a farmers field. An electric fence was running through it, so he needed to dismantle the fence in order to get the car out.


In keeping with the 'Rat Rod' theme, an assortment of parts were used in the construction of this car.  These tail lights are from a '37 Chrysler.


The no-frills interior includes a set of vintage 60's corvette seats and a simple, uncluttered dashboard from a Ford. The newly constructed diamond plate floor boards were made to look old.


 The doors have a lovely rusted patina that continue the 'bare essentials' theme.


With the car being made from so many different parts, it reminds me of the Johnny Cash song 'One Piece At A Time'.


My oh-so-clever husband also had to custom make several of the parts himself. Sadly, many of the older car parts are no longer available.


The best part of this car is that is was made for driving!


It's so fun to see the smiles on peoples faces as we pass them by.


The directional switch is from a '47 Ford Pickup. The ignition is from one of hubby's old trucks from the 60's.


Old school air conditioning at it's best!


Don't let the mud splatter bother you - it just adds to the character.



Can you see the hole in the door?


That would be a bullet hole which passes clean through the car. One can only imagine how it got there - perhaps a Bonnie and Clyde story from its previous life or the remnants of a day of target practice - one will never know. 


Hope you have enjoyed my husband's 'Rat Rod'. We sure do. Have to go now, as we are going for a ride....



Linking up to the following parties:
Funky Junk's Sat Nite SpecialPhotobucketWeekend Bloggy ReadingFridays UnfoldedPhotobucketvif187DIY Show Off
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Saturday, June 9, 2012

Banana Blueberry Walnut Bread

I seem to have a thing for blueberries lately! Of course, it's not just any blueberries. In my book, it has to be Maine Wild Blueberries!


If you have never tried them, you are in for a real treat. They have a sweet, tangy flavor that is just divine.


I did a little experimenting with this 'Banana Blueberry Walnut Bread' recipe. I made 2 identical loafs, with one small change. The loaf on the left has 'Steel Cut Oats' and the one on the right has 'Old Fashioned Oats'. 


I used the same amount in both loafs and used the 'Steel Cut Oats' as is, with no prior soaking.


The top slice is the 'Old Fashioned Oats' version and the bottom slice is the 'Steel Cut Oats' version. As I expected, the 'Steel Cut' version had a chewier texture to the bread and the 'Old Fashioned Oats' had a more traditional - loaf bread consistency.

The Verdict:  If I had to choose one over the other, I guess I would go with the traditional 'Old Fashioned Oats'. They both made a tasty loaf, but I prefer the traditional style.

Now for the recipe...

Banana Blueberry Walnut Bread - Makes 12 Servings

- 1 cup Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 3/4 cup Old Fashioned Oats
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
- 2 large Mashed Ripe Bananas
- 1/2 cup Aquafaba
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Frozen Maine Wild Blueberries (could also be fresh)

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the first 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients (with the exception of the blueberries) in a medium bowl. Stir the liquids into the dry ingredients and stir just until moist. Gently fold in the blueberries. Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Pour batter into the pan and bake in the center of the oven at 350 degrees for approx 1 hour. Insert a knife into the center of the loaf to check for doneness.

I like mine spread with vegan butter.


This tastes great for breakfast, or as a snack and it freezes nicely as well.
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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Blueberry Walnut Oatmeal

I eat oatmeal at least a few mornings a week, and this recipe for 'Blueberry Walnut Oatmeal' is a favorite of mine.


I modified this recipe from a popular 'Hungry Girl' recipe called 'Complete and Utter Oatmeal Insanity'.

Now for the recipe..

Blueberry Walnut Oatmeal - Makes 1 Serving

- 1/4 cup Organic Bran Cereal
- 1/4 cup Quaker Oats Quick 1-Minute Oats
- 1/4 cup Non-Dairy Milk
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup

Combine above ingredients in a bowl. Microwave for 1 minute on high and stir.

- 1/4 cup Frozen Wild Maine Blueberries (could also be fresh)

Fold in blueberries, cook an additional 30 seconds and gently stir.

Optional toppings include:

- 1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Walnuts
- 2 Tbsp Coconut Milk Whipped Topping

Stir and enjoy!


Between the oatmeal and the bran cereal, this makes for one filling bowl of deliciousness and is a wonderful way to start a day!
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