Saturday, October 31, 2009

Bitten by the Wool Eater


I just couldn't resist. I picked up yarn to make another wool eater blanket/afghan. Its just such a warm and cozy afghan I have to have one to use at my crocheting/reading/watching tv chair. This one will be again in Red Heart yarn, the colors are Burgandy, Cornmeal, Frosty Green and Soft White.
Surprisingly I haven't started this yet but I'm not sure I can hold out too long even though I have "several" projects going now. Trying to crochet like mad to get one or two of my in process items completed before adding this one.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Monday Menu in a

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Putting out the crockpot for tomorrow morning for
Pork Chops with Cornbread Stuffing

Found this recipe over at Bev Matheson's One Yarn After Another. Doesn't this sound good? http://bevmatheson.blogspot.com/ ... stop by and see her!

Pork Chops with Cornbread Stufing
1 box cornbread stuffing mix
1 can corn with peppers, etc.
1 can chicken broth
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp. sage

Mix all together and put in the bottom of the crockpot that has been sprayed with cooking spray (or has a liner).

Brown pork chops in a bit of olive oil. Just before putting in crockpot sprinkle with salt and pepper, place on top of stuffing mixture. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Spicy Red Lentil and Chickpeak Stew

This is sooooooo good! This recipe is from Kalyn's Kitchen ...

Kalyn's Kitchen: Recipe for Spicy Red Lentil and Chickpea Stew (Paula's Moroccan Lentil Stew)

Go and check out her blog, you will be happy you did. Its wonderful!

the only change I made to this was the omission of the Garam Masala as I didn't have this and when I looked it up to see what it consisted of I didn't have all the ingredients to make it. With that being said, even without that this is a wonderful tasting soup/stew and something I will certainly make again (and again!). So perfect for the cooler weather setting in!

Spicy Red Lentil and Chickpea Stew (Paula's Moroccan Lentil Stew)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 T olive oil (or perhaps a little more, depending on your pan)
1-2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger (original recipe said 1 tsp, but I used 2 tsp.)
1 T finely minced garlic
1 tsp. ground turmeric
3/4 cup celery, finely diced
1 tsp. Garam Masala
1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
6 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock (I used 4 cups chicken and 2 cups beef stock, because that's what I had. You could also use canned broth)
1 1/2 cups red lentils
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed until no more foam appears
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
cooked brown rice for serving (optional)
sour cream or plain yogurt for serving (optional)

Heat olive oil in a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add onions, ginger, garlic, and turmeric and gently saute, stirring often, for about 7 minutes, or until onions are quite soft but not browned.

Add diced celery, garam masala, ground cardamom, cayenne pepper, and ground cumin and saute 3-4 minutes more, until celery barely starts to soften.

Add the stock, red lentils, canned tomatoes, and rinsed chickpeas and bring mixture to a gentle boil. When it starts to bubble, reduce heat to the barest simmer and cover pan with lid. Let mixture simmer, stirring a few times, until lentils are dissolved enough that mixture has thickened into a chunky stew. (The shorter time you cook it, the more chunky it will be. I cooked mine at the barest simmer for about 60 minutes.)

Serve hot, over brown rice and topped with sour cream or plain yogurt if desired. Paula said this is even better after it's been in the fridge, and I'd have to agree that like many stews, the flavors were even better the next day.This freezes very well, so I'd recommend making the whole batch, even if you're only cooking for a small number of people. However, it's so good it might not make it into the freezer!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Tuesday Treasures


A few more of my tiny treasures. I just love the English Rose Coaster. Isn't this just so pretty? The pattern can be found here English Rose Coaster Crochet Pattern at Karp Styles Pattern Store. I thank them for such a lovely pattern.
I will be making more of these rose coasters in red and green for Christmas to put on white plates for a Christmas luncheon for friends for a take home gift/momento. I will post a picture when they are done.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Sunday Nite Monday Menu Plan





Its that time already again ... Sunday evening. Gosh, the weeks are flying by! As I usually do I like to know what dinner will be for Monday night as I like to start the week off on a slowed down pace especially if I have work which tomorrow I do! So a semi-Fall Fare is going on the table tomorrow ... so very s u p e r e a s y.

I was given two butternut squash. One was cooked up today, the other ... probably next week or so. Dinner tomorrow night will be exceptionally easy and not a really cool weather one but everything is tasty and should be more then enough to fill us up. The soup has cooled, the chicken and salad ingredients prepared and all refrigerated. All I have to do is heat up the soup, mix in mayo to the chicken salad and we're ready.

Buttnernut Squash Soup
Chicken Salad over a bed of green leaf lettuce
Club Crackers
Sliced Fresh Fruit
Apple Cake



Butternut Squash Soup
2 Tbl olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 potatoes, cubed
2 stalks of celery, diced
4 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes

Saute onions and garlic in oil, add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a full boil and then simmer for three hours. I like the soup chunky as it is, but if you want it smooth just put in the blender.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Between Meal Centerpiece


I may possibly have an order (my very first) for this doily / centerpiece and if not I wanted to make another one anyway. I'm waiting to hear the size of the doily that is needed and then see if I can tailor this to accomodate that size. Actually I am hoping that by using a smaller hook I will be able to achieve the size as I really would like to keep all the rows as they are so beautiful to the finished piece.

Its from 1917 and an amazing piece of work. This one I made several years ago and at that time it was the biggest project I had yet to tackle in thread. Seven rows were done tonight ... 53 to go! I was talking with a woman today who has made 10 of these with the 11th started! Wow! She completes one in one to two weeks. I think I will need at least double that time. Would be more then pleasantly surprised if I could do this within a week or two. Time will tell, however, I'm not looking to push but to enjoy the pattern. I love old patterns and would love to find more, just can't get enough of them.
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Have a wonderful day and weekend with blessings in abundance.

Monday, October 12, 2009

One Sitting Scarf







Grab a cuppa, get cozy in your favorite chair and within one sitting you can whip up this scarf. Just a few hours to completion for the size you see here ... 4" by 65". It has nice lines to it as it is worked around and only in the back loops. It is a great pattern to use up those yarn scraps.
With K Hook

1. Chain 161, sc in 2nd chain from hook across to last chain, 3 sc in that chain.Continue working the other side of the chain to end and again put 3 sc, sc to first sc and join with sl st.
2. Ch 2, dc in next sc back loop only and across to "corner", 3 dc in corner, dc in next st, 3 dc in next corner, continue around to next end, 3 dc in corner, dc in next st, 3 dc in next corner, dc to starting chain and join. Fasten off.
3. Join off white, ch1, sc in next stitch and across (back loops only) to corner, *3 sc in corner stitch, sc to next corner, 3 sc,* continue sc to next corner, repeat * to *, sc to starting ch1 and join.
4. Repeat row 2 and fasten off.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Oh so simple Monday Menu

Tomorrow is a fully scheduled day so dinner has been started, and is a s u p e r e a s y one. Good and tasty and healthy and tastes even better the next day (tomorrow!).

Vegetarian Chili
Corn Bread
Salad
Sliced Canteloup with Strawberries
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Vegetarian Chili
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 28 oz. can petite cut tomatoes
1/2 can water
1 red pepper, cut in 1 inch squares
1 green pepper, cut in 1 inch squares
2 stalks of celery, sliced
1 can 15 oz. red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can 15 oz. black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can 15 oz. corn, drained and rinsed
3-4 Tablespoons Chili Powder
2-3 Tablespoons Cumin

Saute onions and garlic in oil, throw everything else into the pot, stir well. Bring to a boil then simmer for about 3 hours. Doesn't get more simple then this! I'm not a fan of hot and spicy but you can always spice this up to suit your tastes if this is too mild.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Good Saturday Morning

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A super quiet cloudy, drizzly Saturday morning. Watching the leaves blowing around outside. Good day to light some candles. Been sporting a cold all week which seems to be getting worse so I think the plan for the day will be to work some more on my wool eater blanket. I'm getting very close, two and a half rows (very, very long rows now) and I'm finished! Its a wonderful blanket. I've made this queen size for the bed. Its like heaven sitting in my favorite oversized chair with this thrown over me while I'm working on it. I can see that I will have to make another one to keep at my chair. Hmmm, starting to think of what colors... I'm always getting ahead of myself with projects. But gee, isn't that what crochet addicts do?
Blessings to your day.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

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It's still quite dark out and all is still. I love the quiet of the early morning and then the dawn. The first rays of sunshine lighting up all this beautiful color. Each day now the trees are growing brighter. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, may your day be blessed.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Tuesday Treasures




A few more of my tiny treasures and in color to suit the season. I love scattering these around ... here also as a coaster in a glass dish just waiting for my mug of coffee.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Monday Fall Menu

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Its a beautiful, crisp fall day and looking forward to turning the oven on, especially to try out this fabulous sounding pork roast and dessert. Another recipe from Simply Recipes. The menu for tonight:

Bacon-wrapped Pork Roast http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/bacon-wrapped_pork_roast/
Potatoes
Green Beans
Salad
Apple Crisp (found this in my recipe folder, do not know where this came from!)

There's nothing like filling the house with scent of good cooking.

Apple Crisp

5 cups sliced peeled cooking apples
2 Tbl sugar or sugar substitute
1 Tsp lemon juick
1/2 Tsp apple pie spice
1/2 Cup regular rolled oats
1/4 Cup suagr or sugar substitute
3 Tbl all-purpose flour
1/4 Tsp applie pie spice
3 Tbl butter
Frozen light whipped dessert topping (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

For Filling: in large bowl combine apples, 2 tsp. sugar or substitute,lemon juice and 1/2 tsp of apple pie spice. Transfer applie mixture to baking dish.

For Topping: In medium bowl, combine oats, 1/4 cup sugar or substitute, flour and 1/4 tsp apple pie spice. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping over filing.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until apple tender and topping is golden brown.

Serve warm, if desired, top with whipped topping. Makes 8 1/2 cup servings.

Friday, October 2, 2009

October 2nd - Feast Day of Guardian Angels

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Angel of God, My Guardian Dear
to whom God's love commits me here.

Ever this day be at my side
to light and guard and rule and guide.

Amen.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Diamond Duo Scarf






Purple, lavender and off white yarn ...








  1. Using Hook Size J and purple yarn chain 11
  2. SC in 2nd ch from hook and across, 10 sc, ch1, turn
  3. SC in stitch under ch1 and across, 10 sc, ch1, turn
  4. Continue for 8 more rows, a total of 10 rows, on last row do not turn but ch 11
  5. Repeat rows 2 through 4, until you have 14 "diamonds" made
    Repeat with lavender yarn.


    Put diamond rows together as shown with off white. When joining the rows together, slip stitch in the back loop of the stitch closest to you and the front loop of the row being joined.


    Join off white at bottom "point" of first diamond, sc around entire piece with two single crochets at every point, join.

    CH2, double crochet in same stitch as joining, DC around with skipping one sc at narrowest part and 2DC at the point, join.

    *CH3, skip one dc, sc in next stitch*, continue around, join and finish off.


    Using up your stash and making many diamond rows would make a lovely blanket or lapghan!

A grapevine wreath


sitting in the storage room prompted a quick trip to Michaels (great sale going on) resulting in a garland of leaves, a bale of hay, a few flowers and a scarecrow. Time to bring Fall Greetings to the front door and steps. Just need to add a few pumpkins.

It feels good to be doing some decorating again as its been quite a while since there has been any time to do much of anything never mind decorate! Also starting to go through the rooms and put in order and seasonize as well. Putting together a to do list ... hmmm, where to start ...

Happy Fall Weekend!