Here’s a sneak peak at the scarf that I’ve been working on…
Start with Lion Brand Homespun yarn in Wild Fire …
Knit using a Box Stitch…
And… it becomes a cozy scarf for the Fall!
Stay tuned for pictures of the final product and instructions on how to make your own version of this scarf.
If you’re looking for a simple, quick alternative to the boring old side salad, this is the recipe for you! Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables, and I’m always trying new ways to prepare it: grilled, sautéed, stuffed and baked, but this was a new one for me. You can use zucchini and yellow squash (I like the combination for color, but you could use just one), and shave them with a vegetable peeler. The result is ribbons of delicious and colorful squash which pair perfectly with slightly bitter baby arugula, and a tart, lemony vinaigrette. Roasted almonds add the perfect crunch to this simple salad.
(This, like most of my favorite recipes, comes from Epicurious.com. This site gives you free access to thousands of recipes, along with user reviews and suggestions on recipe improvements/variations.)
Shaved Summer Squash Salad
3 tablespoons whole almonds*The smaller your squash, the easier it is to shave, as there are fewer and smaller seeds.
A few years ago I took a trip to New Orleans and fell in love with Cajun/Creole cuisine. As it can be very difficult to find authentic Cajun food outside of the Big Easy, I was delighted to find Tom Fitzmorris’s New Orleans Food at the bookstore. Fitzmorris was born and raised in New Orleans, and spent over 30 years compiling and developing the quintessential collection of this city’s best dishes. I highly recommend this cookbook! Every recipe I have tried has turned out delicious and authentic.
This recipe makes a large pot of gumbo, so be ready to share with lots of hungry friends! Or, share with just a few, and enjoy this for the rest of the week–it makes delicious leftovers.
Chicken-Andouille Gumbo
Prep/Cooking time: ~4 hrs.
Serves 6 to 10.
Anyone that has lived with me in the last 3 years has probably partaken in my favorite movie-time snack: Kettle Corn. I’m not talking about the super sweet, red food-colored corn you get at fairs and sports games, or the microwave version that tastes more like chemicals and grease than popcorn. Kettle Corn, when made from scratch, should be just the right balance of sweet, salty and crunchy. It should make you nearly drool after the first bite, and keep you reaching back in the bowl for another yummy fistful. I’m happy to tell you that homemade kettle corn is E-A-S-Y, with just a few simple tricks and the right proportion of ingredients.
First, I must recommend that you consider buying a stove-top popper. They are inexpensive (you can find them at Wal-Mart or Target), come with vented lids for crunchier corn, allow you to make large quantities of popcorn very quickly, and allow you to control the ingredients/flavors. Microwave popcorn is chock full of chemicals and unhealthy oils. You will be amazed at the difference in taste when you make fresh popcorn with real butter and flavorings. I love my popper!
As a self-taught knitter, I can assure you that knitting is not as difficult as it may seem. With just a pair of knitting needles and a ball of yarn I set out to learn the basics by watching Youtube knitting tutorials. Once you learn the two basic stitches: Knit and Purl, you can really do anything! There are tutorial videos for everything from casting on, to turning your work, to adding in new colors.
So I was browsing at Hobby Lobby one day, and came across this pattern book called Amigurumi Animal Friends. I had a friend who was expecting a baby, and so I thought that a soft, cuddly, home-made stuffed animal would be the perfect gift.
After my first attempt at one of the patterns, (an adorable little squirrel, complete with fluffy tail), I was thrilled with the results! The pattern instructions were easy to follow, there were a few new techniques that I was able to find tutorial videos for, and it only took me a few days to complete.
My latest knitting project has been a sweet little pair of Swiss-inspired wool slippers. It was my first time using circular needles, which weren’t very difficult in comparison to straight needles, and it was also my first time felting. Felting essentially means that you knit something out of 100% wool, stick it in your washing machine on the hottest setting, allow it to be agitated in the water, and 15-30 minutes later your project has become fuzzy, stiffer, and you can no longer see your stitches! It’s a nice technique because it covers up any small mistakes you may have made in your knitting.
For these adorable slippers, I used Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool in Nature’s Brown for the sole, and Brown Heather for the foot. It is perfect for felting as it is pure, virgin wool and contains natural lanolin oil. I’ve also seen tips online about using fabric glue or puff paint to spot the bottom and give the slippers some grip. I am definitely going to do that!
For you knitters, the pattern can be found HERE at the picknknit shop on Etsy, or at Ravelry.com under the name Lady Finkaas. As this pattern is copyrighted, I am NOT able to reproduce it here for you. But let me assure you, this is a wonderful pattern! It comes with very clear instructions that even a novice knitter can follow. It contains pictures for each step, and provides alternate dimensions for shoe sizes 6, 7, 8 and 9. I made mine using the size 7 measurements and they turned out great!
My co-worker, Ryan, made some delicious chocolate chip cookies today, and let me tell you… these were good. I mean crispy-chewy-buttery-chocolatey-would make your grandmother blush good! Of course, America’s Test Kitchen has once again bestowed upon us a perfect recipe with which you can impress your friends, family, and if you’re really smart– your mother-in-law. They are, as its creators describe them: “moist and chewy on the inside and crisp at the edges, with deep notes of toffee and butterscotch to balance its sweetness.”
Wrap these in a cute gift bag as a hostess gift, surprise your significant other, or invite a few gal-pals over for chick-flicks, wine and cookies! Just boast to everyone that it’s your own secret recipe. I promise I won’t tell…
View the Recipe HERE, or see below, and be sure to follow the tips given by its writers (such as using fresh brown sugar), as the chefs at America’s Test Kitchen really know what they’re talking about.
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 16 cookies. (Ryan was able to make 20 good-sized cookies)
Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter; the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is browned. Use fresh, moist brown sugar instead of hardened brown sugar, which will make the cookies dry. This recipe works with light brown sugar, but the cookies will be less full-flavored.
Welcome to my new personal website for all things cooking and crafting! My work is getting underway here, and I hope that you like what you’re seeing. I will be tweaking things for a few weeks, but I promise to start posting ideas and projects in the next few days!
Look for me on Facebook and Twitter, I would love to have you all as my fans!
Thanks for taking a look, and come back soon to see what I’m making from scratch!
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