G and I have had a whirlwind couple of weeks. We left on the night of Tue 12.22.09 to start the drive to his hometown for Christmas, completing the journey at around dinnertime on Wed the 23rd, after a quick visit with my dear friends Sansev and Kate (and their significant others, a couples meal, how cute and grown-up!). Some of the activities we did during the following week included: a big upstairs-family Christmas Eve, Christmas Mass and Christmas dinner (aka lunch) the next day, dinner at Mills Tavern in Providence with the family on Saturday the 26th, A Christmas Carol at Trinity followed by dinner at Hemenway's in Providence on Sunday, and then shopping on Monday, followed by a home-cooked-by-me meal for G and his parents. Plus, we went to the local slots-only Twin Rivers casino for a couple of hours that night, and visited G's friends and their adorable 16-month-old daughter and teeny-tiny 3-week old son on Tuesday evening. And of course, the 9-hour, 2-break drive back home on Wednesday the 30th. Whew, lots of activity packed into not a lot of days!
But anyway, let's get back to the home-cooked meal.
I regularly make some variation of sausage and peppers with pasta for G and me. I figured G's parents would appreciate this homey, hearty dish, too, accompanied by sauteed fennel and onions, with a simple strawberry shortcake for dessert. I also figured it would be a relatively easy meal to prepare, given the potential limitations of the local Stop'n'Shop and the definite limitations of the old-fashioned kitchen. Long story short, the Stop'n'Shop hot Italian sausage was surprisingly delicious, and the meal was a huge hit. Now for the recipe:
Sausage & Peppers 1.0 [6 servings]
This is the original version, with minimal sauce.
1 lb short pasta, like rotini
1.5 lb hot Italian sausages (usually I use turkey sausages, but pork sausages will work, too)
3 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp garlic, minced
crushed red pepper, to taste
1 small can tomato paste
salt and pepper, to taste
Heat water and cook pasta, according to box directions, while cooking the sausage & peppers sauce. When pasta is cooked, drain and set aside, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water.
Remove sausages from casings, slice into small chunks, and add to a large pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil. (Usually, I just tear off small chunks right into the pan.) Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the sausages begin to brown, add pepper and onion slices. When the onion becomes translucent, add the garlic. Continue to cook over medium heat until sausage is cooked through. Add reserved pasta cooking water, starting with 1/4 cup and adding additional liquid as needed, and tomato paste. Add crushed red pepper, if desired. Allow to simmer for a few minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste. Add reserved pasta to the pan and combine with the sausage and peppers mixture, then serve.
Sausage & Peppers, 2.0 [6 servings]
This is the new version, with a lot of sauce.
1 lb short pasta, like rotini
1.5 lb hot Italian sausages (usually I use turkey sausages, but pork sausages will work, too)
3 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes, no salt added
crushed red pepper, to taste
1 small can tomato paste
salt and pepper, to taste
Heat water and cook pasta, according to box directions, while cooking the sausage & peppers sauce. When pasta is cooked, drain and reserve.
Remove sausages from casings, slice into small chunks, and add to a large skillet with about a tablespoon of olive oil. (Usually, I just tear off small chunks right into the pan.) Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the sausages begin to brown, add pepper and onion slices. When the onion becomes translucent, add the garlic. Continue to cook over medium heat until sausage is cooked through. Add diced tomatoes, with liquid. Add crushed red pepper, if desired. Allow to simmer for a few minutes, then add tomato paste to thicken. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Serve sausage & peppers sauce over pasta.
Sauteed Fennel and Sweet Onions [4 servings]
Adapted from Chris Sanseverino's "recipe"
1 large fennel/anise bulb
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste
Using just the white bulbous part of the fennel, core the bulb and remove the outer layer as needed, then thinly slice the bulb. Thoroughly wash and drain.
In a large skillet, heat olive over medium-high heat, then add the fennel and onion slices. Saute, stirring occasionally, until well-caramelized and browned. Add salt and a little black pepper, to taste.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Big snow
The DC area was hit by a very big snowstorm - a blizzard, in fact - this weekend, starting Friday evening and lasting all day yesterday. The storm yielded an official DC/Reagan National Airport total of around 15.7 inches (and an unofficial our-backyard total of at least five inches more), making it one of the top 10 storms on record for the area and the most snow ever recorded for a single December day. So yeah, it was big snow. So big that even our relatives in Korea called to make sure we were all right after hearing about it on the news over there. Needless to say, we were housebound all day yesterday, until Dad and I finally ventured outside in the evening to dig out the cars. Luckily, that turned out to be a less daunting task than expected, because the snow was all in the form of powder - nice and light and easy to shovel. Here are some photos from throughout the storm.
Food experiment #2: Meatballs & Spaghetti
A lot of my cooking seems to involve pasta. I don't particularly mind, because I adore pasta. It's quick, it's easy, it's versatile - and it's delicious, to boot! This dish was a last-minute addition to the week's list of daily menus, prompted by the impending snowstorm. A trip to the Magruder's grocery store the afternoon before the blizzard yielded slim pickings in the meat department, so I had to substitute all ground beef for the veal-pork-beef mixture recommended on the smitten kitchen blog. Here's what I did:
Meatballs and Spaghetti [6 servings]
Adapted from smitten kitchen
Meatballs
1.5 lb 80% lean ground beef
1 C bread crumbs
1/4 C grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 to 4 Tbsp heavy cream
Sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp each dried basil, parsley, oregano, dried red pepper flakes
1/2 C red wine
1 large (28oz) can peeled plum tomatoes
1 small (14oz) can peeled plum tomatoes
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp heavy cream
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 lb spaghetti, boxed
Make the meatballs: Combine all ingredients very lightly. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2- to 3-inch meatballs.
Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large pot to cover bottom. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil, being careful not to crowd them, and brown them well on all sides over medium to medium-low heat, turning carefully. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don’t clean the pan.
Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, herbs, and red pepper flakes, and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until most of the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper. After simmering a few minutes, add tomato paste.
Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.
Serve hot on cooked spaghetti with some grated Parmesan.
Meatballs and Spaghetti [6 servings]
Adapted from smitten kitchen
Meatballs
1.5 lb 80% lean ground beef
1 C bread crumbs
1/4 C grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 to 4 Tbsp heavy cream
Sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp each dried basil, parsley, oregano, dried red pepper flakes
1/2 C red wine
1 large (28oz) can peeled plum tomatoes
1 small (14oz) can peeled plum tomatoes
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp heavy cream
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 lb spaghetti, boxed
Make the meatballs: Combine all ingredients very lightly. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2- to 3-inch meatballs.
Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large pot to cover bottom. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil, being careful not to crowd them, and brown them well on all sides over medium to medium-low heat, turning carefully. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don’t clean the pan.
Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, herbs, and red pepper flakes, and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until most of the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper. After simmering a few minutes, add tomato paste.
Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.
Serve hot on cooked spaghetti with some grated Parmesan.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Cranberry sauce with oranges
Since we spent Thanksgiving with all of the relatives at Aunt Teresa's, we ended up coming home with bags of midnight-Black-Friday shopping and without bags of turkey-day leftovers. So, we decided that we would need a Turkey Day, part 2. I cooked a turkey breast, along with some fixin's, including gravy, dressing, Brussels sprouts with mushrooms, mashed potatoes (there was a slight mishap that resulted in store-bought and then doctored refrigerated mashed potatoes), and of course, cranberry sauce.
Since we didn't have any Grand Marnier in the house to make my usual recipe, I had to improvise. I ended up with a sauce that I liked a great deal and that will be my go-to recipe next year. (With the addition of the Grand Marnier, of course!)
Cranberry Sauce with Oranges
Inspired by the Bon Appetit recipe
1 (12oz) package fresh cranberries
1 C sugar
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 orange's worth of peeled orange slices, chopped
2 Tbsp Grand Marnier liqueur
Preheat oven to 325°F. Place cranberries in 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle sugar and orange juice over, then mix. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until juices form and cranberries are very soft, about 1 hour. Uncover; mix in liqueur. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, about 4 hours. Mix in orange bits. Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Since we didn't have any Grand Marnier in the house to make my usual recipe, I had to improvise. I ended up with a sauce that I liked a great deal and that will be my go-to recipe next year. (With the addition of the Grand Marnier, of course!)
Cranberry Sauce with Oranges
Inspired by the Bon Appetit recipe
1 (12oz) package fresh cranberries
1 C sugar
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 orange's worth of peeled orange slices, chopped
2 Tbsp Grand Marnier liqueur
Preheat oven to 325°F. Place cranberries in 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle sugar and orange juice over, then mix. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until juices form and cranberries are very soft, about 1 hour. Uncover; mix in liqueur. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, about 4 hours. Mix in orange bits. Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Food experiment #1: Shrimp & Scallop Arrabbiata
Having read how quickly and easily one could cook shrimp, I decided to give the little critters a try. After extensive research (as usual), involving several online recipe collections and blogs, complete with reviews and comments, and a couple of cookbooks, I selected the March 2007 Cooking Light recipe for Shrimp and Scallop Arrabbiata.
I made a few minor modifications to the recipe. I opted to substitute a couple of slices of thick-cut, smoked bacon from the Whole Foods meat counter for the 1 ounce of pancetta, boxed dried pasta for the fresh linguine, and chipotle crushed red pepper, also purchased from Whole Foods, for the regular kind. (The chipotle crushed red pepper added a subtle-yet-complex, smoky flavor to the dish.)
The shrimp was indeed quick and easy to cook, and I look forward to experimenting more often with shrimp recipes. This meal was also delicious, and I've added the recipe to my "Recipes to Keep" collection. However, G and I didn't think the scallops added much to the dish in terms of flavor or texture, and in the future, we'd prefer to modify the recipe a bit, as follows:
Shrimp Arrabbiata [4 servings]
Adapted from Cooking Light, March 2007
~ half a box dried linguine
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lb peeled & deveined large shrimp
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp chipotle crushed red pepper
3 slices thick-cut smoked bacon, chopped
2 (28 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, undrained, preferably low-sodium
3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Cook pasta, drain, and reserve.
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp. Sauté 3 minutes or until nearly done. Remove shrimp mixture from pan and set aside.
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, fennel seeds, pepper, and bacon, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return shrimp mixture to pan and cook 1 minute until thoroughly heated.
Remove shrimp mixture from heat and serve over pasta. Sprinkle with basil.
I made a few minor modifications to the recipe. I opted to substitute a couple of slices of thick-cut, smoked bacon from the Whole Foods meat counter for the 1 ounce of pancetta, boxed dried pasta for the fresh linguine, and chipotle crushed red pepper, also purchased from Whole Foods, for the regular kind. (The chipotle crushed red pepper added a subtle-yet-complex, smoky flavor to the dish.)
The shrimp was indeed quick and easy to cook, and I look forward to experimenting more often with shrimp recipes. This meal was also delicious, and I've added the recipe to my "Recipes to Keep" collection. However, G and I didn't think the scallops added much to the dish in terms of flavor or texture, and in the future, we'd prefer to modify the recipe a bit, as follows:
Shrimp Arrabbiata [4 servings]
Adapted from Cooking Light, March 2007
~ half a box dried linguine
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lb peeled & deveined large shrimp
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp chipotle crushed red pepper
3 slices thick-cut smoked bacon, chopped
2 (28 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, undrained, preferably low-sodium
3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Cook pasta, drain, and reserve.
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp. Sauté 3 minutes or until nearly done. Remove shrimp mixture from pan and set aside.
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, fennel seeds, pepper, and bacon, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return shrimp mixture to pan and cook 1 minute until thoroughly heated.
Remove shrimp mixture from heat and serve over pasta. Sprinkle with basil.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Herbed goat cheese recipe
By request, from the July 2009 spinning night…
Herbed Goat Cheese Dip / Spread
(inspired by a recipe from Epicurious.com, I forget which one, grr!)
10-12 ounces mild goat cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used mostly tarragon and parsley, with some cilantro, a little bit of basil and a tiny bit of mint)
2-3 green onions, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
Mix together the goat cheese, chopped herbs, and green onions, adding salt and pepper to taste. In a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream until slightly thickened, then fold into the goat cheese mixture. Refrigerate for a few hours to let the flavors meld, then bring to room temperature for better spreading consistency.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
fibre space in Old Town Alexandria
I think I'm in love. Okay, so I exaggerate, but only just a little bit. Yesterday, I visited the new LYS in Old Town Alexandria, fibre space.
fibre space, 102 N. Fayette St, Old Town Alexandria VA
Unfortunately (shh, don't tell them I said so *wink*), I was accompanied by a non-knitting, visiting-from-out-of-town friend and the bf, so I was limited to a measly one-hour hit-and-run mini-tour. (Seriously though, I am very grateful to both K and G for being relatively patient - an hour must have seemed a lifetime to them!)
Miss Babs 80/20 Merino Silk Top, in Forest Afternoon
On second thought, perhaps that was actually a fortunate thing, because I could have done some severe damage to my wallet if I'd stayed longer! As it is, I'm proud of my restraint - just one skein of the new Spud & Chloe Sweater in the sunny-yellow Firefly colorway and a luxurious 2 oz braid of Miss Babs 80/20 Merino Silk top in colorway Forest Afternoon, all in a reusable shopping tote (which cost an additional $5 and which I ended up giving to my sister because I felt bad for (a) visiting the shop without her and (b) not getting her anything yarn-y).
Spud & Chloe Sweater, in Firefly
The space itself is light-filled and airy, with beautiful hardwood floors and a great open feeling. There is a cozy sit-and-knit nook in the front of the shop, complete with a wide window seat. I'll assume the seating is comfortable, because though I didn't get a chance to sit and knit myself, my companions had no complaints about their comfort level in the "waiting area."
Sit-and-knit nook (note the expression on G's face)
To the side is another sizable room, which I assume will be used as classroom space; there is also a swift and ball-winder available for use in that room. There was also a long row of Miss Babs roving braids hanging from hooks - very pretty! The shop will be carrying some supplies for spinners (though there are no plans as of yet to be a wheel-dealer), and because the owner isn't as well-versed in spinners' needs as she is in knitters' and crocheters' needs, no fewer than two shop employees approached me to ask for suggestions. I appreciated their efforts to meet spinning needs.
Back room / classroom space / spinning fiber wall
The requisite yarn shelves line the walls, of course, but there are also clear shelving units (also filled with yarn) in the middle of the room, which isn't at all obtrusive. To the side, there was a "landing soon" display of soon-to-arrive yarns, which was also a nice touch.
fibre space main area (including clear shelving units)
Right next to the checkout counter, there was a computer with internet access available for on-the-spot Ravelry browsing, a feature that some knitting friends and I had wistfully wished for while visiting another of our favorite local yarn establishments. Danielle, Knit-A-Gogo / fibre space gal herself, explained the placement of the Ravelry station-slash-knit doc area. She wants people to be able to sit down, browse, look for projects - and if they need it, to ask questions to her or whoever else is working behind the counter that day.
Ravelry station / knit doc area / checkout counter
All in all, fibre space shows a great deal of promise - and could potentially become my favorite LYS. I'm definitely looking forward to my next visit!
Just a random lone duck hanging out in a fountain
fibre space, 102 N. Fayette St, Old Town Alexandria VA
Unfortunately (shh, don't tell them I said so *wink*), I was accompanied by a non-knitting, visiting-from-out-of-town friend and the bf, so I was limited to a measly one-hour hit-and-run mini-tour. (Seriously though, I am very grateful to both K and G for being relatively patient - an hour must have seemed a lifetime to them!)
Miss Babs 80/20 Merino Silk Top, in Forest Afternoon
On second thought, perhaps that was actually a fortunate thing, because I could have done some severe damage to my wallet if I'd stayed longer! As it is, I'm proud of my restraint - just one skein of the new Spud & Chloe Sweater in the sunny-yellow Firefly colorway and a luxurious 2 oz braid of Miss Babs 80/20 Merino Silk top in colorway Forest Afternoon, all in a reusable shopping tote (which cost an additional $5 and which I ended up giving to my sister because I felt bad for (a) visiting the shop without her and (b) not getting her anything yarn-y).
Spud & Chloe Sweater, in Firefly
The space itself is light-filled and airy, with beautiful hardwood floors and a great open feeling. There is a cozy sit-and-knit nook in the front of the shop, complete with a wide window seat. I'll assume the seating is comfortable, because though I didn't get a chance to sit and knit myself, my companions had no complaints about their comfort level in the "waiting area."
Sit-and-knit nook (note the expression on G's face)
To the side is another sizable room, which I assume will be used as classroom space; there is also a swift and ball-winder available for use in that room. There was also a long row of Miss Babs roving braids hanging from hooks - very pretty! The shop will be carrying some supplies for spinners (though there are no plans as of yet to be a wheel-dealer), and because the owner isn't as well-versed in spinners' needs as she is in knitters' and crocheters' needs, no fewer than two shop employees approached me to ask for suggestions. I appreciated their efforts to meet spinning needs.
Back room / classroom space / spinning fiber wall
The requisite yarn shelves line the walls, of course, but there are also clear shelving units (also filled with yarn) in the middle of the room, which isn't at all obtrusive. To the side, there was a "landing soon" display of soon-to-arrive yarns, which was also a nice touch.
fibre space main area (including clear shelving units)
Right next to the checkout counter, there was a computer with internet access available for on-the-spot Ravelry browsing, a feature that some knitting friends and I had wistfully wished for while visiting another of our favorite local yarn establishments. Danielle, Knit-A-Gogo / fibre space gal herself, explained the placement of the Ravelry station-slash-knit doc area. She wants people to be able to sit down, browse, look for projects - and if they need it, to ask questions to her or whoever else is working behind the counter that day.
Ravelry station / knit doc area / checkout counter
All in all, fibre space shows a great deal of promise - and could potentially become my favorite LYS. I'm definitely looking forward to my next visit!
Just a random lone duck hanging out in a fountain
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Dyeing Day Recap (with yarn pics)
Dyeing Day at Shelby's was a blast! I can't remember the last time I've had such all-day fun. Our day started early, when Shelby picked up Laeunie and me at around 9am. We learned a lot about dyes and the dyeing process as we helped our dyeing mentor set up.
Above: Some of the results of dyeing day.
Here are some things we learned:
Above: Wrapping up the handpainted yarn with saran wrap.
Above: More yarn porn ;o)
All in all, I learned a great deal - and I've been bitten by the bug! (Not literal bites - that's a whole 'nother story.) I'm tempted to buy dyes and yarn blanks and to acquire a dedicated-to-dyeing microwave. The last thing I need is a new hobby-obsession - must. resist. temptation.
Above: Some of the results of dyeing day.
Here are some things we learned:
- The skeined yarn must soak in a solution of lukewarm water and vinegar for at least ten to fifteen minutes. Before painting/dyeing, remove from soaking water and squeeze out excess water.
- To make the concentrated dye, dissolve about 1/2 to 1 1/2 teaspoon of dye powder (depending on the container size) in a small amount of boiling water, then add cold water to fill container. This can then be used by diluting some of the concentrated dye with water.
- Paintbrushes work well for handpainting large swathes of yarn. Squeeze bottles are messier and less precise, but quicker.
Above: Wrapping up the handpainted yarn with saran wrap.
- Once painted, wrap with the saran wrap, then fold in half, place in microwaveable container, and nuke to set dyes, 3 minutes at a time, for 6 minutes total for a regular skein of sock yarn.
- When done, remove from microwave, let cool, and remove from saran wrap. When sufficiently cooled, rinse with clean water, soak in water with some sort of soap product (such as Soak), then rinse again.
Above: The fruits of my labor :o)
- Once used for dyeing with acid dyes, microwave must be dedicated solely to dyeing.
- Re-skeining when done makes the color blend easier to visualize.
Above: More yarn porn ;o)
All in all, I learned a great deal - and I've been bitten by the bug! (Not literal bites - that's a whole 'nother story.) I'm tempted to buy dyes and yarn blanks and to acquire a dedicated-to-dyeing microwave. The last thing I need is a new hobby-obsession - must. resist. temptation.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Yes, Shelby, TGIF!
A few months ago, one of my CIF from Ravelry and the Rio knitting meet-up, Shelby, generously offered to host a workshop at her home for us eager-to-learn would-be dyers. Shelby is a talented fiber artist (check out her gorgeous creations in her Etsy shop), and a genuinely sweet individual. As the winter slowly faded and we began to see glimpses of spring, we somehow managed to settle on a date - Saturday, April 18th - for our Dyeing Day.
I can't speak for the rest of the group that'll be descending upon Shelby and her poor family tomorrow, but I know that I've been working myself up into a frenzy of excitement for tomorrow. KDAL be damned (okay, so there's no post about that - yet - but I'll get to it... Eventually.) 'cause I've requested way too much yarn blanks: two superwash merino/nylon fingering-weight, and four superwash merino fingering weight. The merino/nylon blanks will be dyed up for fun (I'm thinking one in shades of yellow/orange, and one will be a surprise), and the four SW merino fingering will be used for a light, v-neck, raglan pullover with 3/4-length sleeves, maybe in pretty shades of blue??
I guess we'll find out... TOMORROW!!
BIG thanks to Shelby for hosting and for being so darn nice! (And for giving the sis and me a ride there :o)
I can't speak for the rest of the group that'll be descending upon Shelby and her poor family tomorrow, but I know that I've been working myself up into a frenzy of excitement for tomorrow. KDAL be damned (okay, so there's no post about that - yet - but I'll get to it... Eventually.) 'cause I've requested way too much yarn blanks: two superwash merino/nylon fingering-weight, and four superwash merino fingering weight. The merino/nylon blanks will be dyed up for fun (I'm thinking one in shades of yellow/orange, and one will be a surprise), and the four SW merino fingering will be used for a light, v-neck, raglan pullover with 3/4-length sleeves, maybe in pretty shades of blue??
I guess we'll find out... TOMORROW!!
BIG thanks to Shelby for hosting and for being so darn nice! (And for giving the sis and me a ride there :o)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
I have a brown thumb...
...but I can turn it green, right?
I've been feeling like a domestic failure lately. Okay, so I'm being overly dramatic. Let me back up and explain.
Compared to my college buddies, I'm the domestic goddess. I cook, I bake, I don't clean, but I knit and spin and collect recipes, sometimes (okay, rarely) even clip coupons, and I love shopping for housewares.
Compared to my Creepy Internet Friends, I'm soooo not a domestic anything, much less a goddess. Yes yes, I still cook, bake, knit, and all those other things I listed above. But I don't bake bread from scratch. In fact, I can't remember the last time I fed my sourdough starter (sorry, Petra! The good news - I just read about baking bread from neglected starter, so there's hope yet! I hope...). I don't make soup from scratch, I don't invent recipes that don't involve pasta, olive oil, and garlic. I don't participate in CSAs (I'm planning to; Red Wiggler, see you next year!). I certainly don't grow my own food. And here's where the brown thumb/green thumb/feeling like a failure comes into play.
In another month or so, G is moving out of the estrogen-filled environment that he calls home and into his own apartment. With a balcony. Woohoo! He's excited because he'll be able to read outside on his balcony; I'm excited because I'll get to have a small container garden on his balcony. (I'm also excited that he'll do the regular watering and everyday maintenance.)
So I asked the lovely Enablers Anonymous ladies for advice and suggestions about what to grow and how. And boy, were they ever helpful (as they always are)! I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, because I have to figure out when/how I can observe the daily sun exposure on that balcony (the current tenants haven't moved out yet) and which plants I want to grow (I'm thinking basil, parsley, cilantro, dill, rosemary, thyme, mint, and cherry tomatoes... Is that too much?) and how one takes care of them.
I've also learned a lot from my CIF. I've learned that starting seedlings from seeds is thriftiest, but I probably want to start with established plants this time and go from there. I've learned that mint is very aggressive and needs its own container. I've learned that I need to add some sort of polymer thingie to the potting mix since I'm not going to be taking care of the plants on a daily basis. (Though let's be honest - G is going to be much better at consistently watering those plants than I would be!)
So now I have to figure stuff out - and G has to move into the darn place - before I can acquire my precious, hope-to-keep-'em-alive babies (thanks, Tonya and Shelby for generously offering me some of your extras!). I've got a month or so, right? That's plenty of time to learn how to turn my brown thumb into green...
I've been feeling like a domestic failure lately. Okay, so I'm being overly dramatic. Let me back up and explain.
Compared to my college buddies, I'm the domestic goddess. I cook, I bake, I don't clean, but I knit and spin and collect recipes, sometimes (okay, rarely) even clip coupons, and I love shopping for housewares.
Compared to my Creepy Internet Friends, I'm soooo not a domestic anything, much less a goddess. Yes yes, I still cook, bake, knit, and all those other things I listed above. But I don't bake bread from scratch. In fact, I can't remember the last time I fed my sourdough starter (sorry, Petra! The good news - I just read about baking bread from neglected starter, so there's hope yet! I hope...). I don't make soup from scratch, I don't invent recipes that don't involve pasta, olive oil, and garlic. I don't participate in CSAs (I'm planning to; Red Wiggler, see you next year!). I certainly don't grow my own food. And here's where the brown thumb/green thumb/feeling like a failure comes into play.
In another month or so, G is moving out of the estrogen-filled environment that he calls home and into his own apartment. With a balcony. Woohoo! He's excited because he'll be able to read outside on his balcony; I'm excited because I'll get to have a small container garden on his balcony. (I'm also excited that he'll do the regular watering and everyday maintenance.)
So I asked the lovely Enablers Anonymous ladies for advice and suggestions about what to grow and how. And boy, were they ever helpful (as they always are)! I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, because I have to figure out when/how I can observe the daily sun exposure on that balcony (the current tenants haven't moved out yet) and which plants I want to grow (I'm thinking basil, parsley, cilantro, dill, rosemary, thyme, mint, and cherry tomatoes... Is that too much?) and how one takes care of them.
I've also learned a lot from my CIF. I've learned that starting seedlings from seeds is thriftiest, but I probably want to start with established plants this time and go from there. I've learned that mint is very aggressive and needs its own container. I've learned that I need to add some sort of polymer thingie to the potting mix since I'm not going to be taking care of the plants on a daily basis. (Though let's be honest - G is going to be much better at consistently watering those plants than I would be!)
So now I have to figure stuff out - and G has to move into the darn place - before I can acquire my precious, hope-to-keep-'em-alive babies (thanks, Tonya and Shelby for generously offering me some of your extras!). I've got a month or so, right? That's plenty of time to learn how to turn my brown thumb into green...
Monday, April 13, 2009
Observations
(As posted on Ravelry...)
Things I've realized today while blog-browsing instead of doing Real Work:
(1) I read too many blogs.
(2) I read WAY too many blogs now that I've added about a dozen new ones to my Google Reader.
(3) My favorite blogs have beautiful photos.
(4) I enjoy looking at beautiful photos.
(5) My favorite blogs are my favorite blogs in large part because they have beautiful photos.
(6) I do not take beautiful photos.
(7) Therefore, I/my blog can never become one of my favorites.
(8) It's not like my blog gets regular updates, anyway... Or any updates at all ;o)
(As added by Kate...)
May I add
(9) we all read the same blogs which we quote when someone is looking for advice
(10) my blog was marketing fodder for my first half marathon and the accompanying fundraising. The only reason I don't delete it is because it is funny to read my newbie running entries.
(11) I write lots of blog posts in my head that never make it to blogger.
Agree (1) with #11!
Things I've realized today while blog-browsing instead of doing Real Work:
(1) I read too many blogs.
(2) I read WAY too many blogs now that I've added about a dozen new ones to my Google Reader.
(3) My favorite blogs have beautiful photos.
(4) I enjoy looking at beautiful photos.
(5) My favorite blogs are my favorite blogs in large part because they have beautiful photos.
(6) I do not take beautiful photos.
(7) Therefore, I/my blog can never become one of my favorites.
(8) It's not like my blog gets regular updates, anyway... Or any updates at all ;o)
(As added by Kate...)
May I add
(9) we all read the same blogs which we quote when someone is looking for advice
(10) my blog was marketing fodder for my first half marathon and the accompanying fundraising. The only reason I don't delete it is because it is funny to read my newbie running entries.
(11) I write lots of blog posts in my head that never make it to blogger.
Agree (1) with #11!
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