The Perils of Impatience...

 

Do you see that nice little oval ball of yarn?  Well, it represents a lot of frustration and wasted time.  I got up and about early this morning in hopes of having a little knitting time. 

Today is the first day of a mystery knit-a-long by Boo Knits, one of my favorite, favorite, favorite designers.  Trouble is I didn't have yarn or beads picked out to start; and, our LYS is only open Wednesday thru Friday.  Impatiently, I dug in my stash and pulled out this Madelinetosh Light in Esoteric (isn't that a cool name for a colorway?!).  It wasn't the lace weight called for in the KAL, but I LOVE the color AND I found some leftover black beads! 

Finished all my early To Do List and was all excited to settle down and cast on... until, duh, I realized that both skeins were still in hanks.  You can't knit from hanks.  I KNEW I should have just waited until tomorrow and took it in to the LYS to have it wound OR drove the 30 minutes to where my swift and ball winder were. 

But, impatience took over.  I only had a small window of knitting time; so, I decided to wind one hank into a ball the old-fashioned-way, without the benefit of a swift or an extra pair of hands.  I knew the perils.  Imagined that I would be extra careful. blah... blah... blah...

Any of you who have wound 420 yards of fingering weight yarn know that, if it gets out of control, the tangles can be vicious.  At this point, I was starting to think about cutting it out!  I KNOW that you have to struggle GENTLY with yarn tangles or they only get WORSE!  But, man, oh, man, it can make you want to scream.  As it is, I had yet ANOTHER life-lesson in patience and not fighting so hard against the problem at hand.  I did finally get it all untangled... but, needed to step-away-from-the-yarn by then!  LOL!

Thus, the need for a little comfort.  I saw this recipe in an old Southern Living magazine when I was cleaning last week.  It is a fresh apple and cream cheese goody.  I'll have to report back on how it tastes.  It is cooling right now... along with my impatience!  ;)

Hope your week finds you making smarter, more patient choices!!  And, it's not too late to join the Morticia Mystery KAL by Boo Knits! 

"Patience is the companion of wisdom."
~ St. Augustine

blessings ~ tanna

A Gift "for" the Sea, Family and Friends, and Peach Agrodolce...

Last month, my daughter and her friends (from all the way back to pre-high school) had planned a beach vacation to include all the new little members of this herd.

I had seen this pattern, Little Shells by Holly and Ella Knits (www.hollyandellaknits.com) and it sounded perfect for a seaside accessory.  There was some Rowan Organic Purelife Cotton left from Roo's Coming Home experiments... and the next thing I knew, a shawl was begun.  A gift for the sea...

Had to whisk it straight off the blocking spot to the post-office for it to make the trip.  Amanda graced me with some wonderful photos made by her friend, Lauri.

And, a treasured family photo from their vacation time.  Love this little crew!

AND, a photo of the whole little herd as it has expanded from the four girls I am so proud to know... to include some amazing husbands and precious growing families... How wonderful is that?  Makes me smile. 

And, this is a bad phone photo... but you should really give this one a try!!  Grilled Pork with Peach Agrodolce!!  My friend, Tricia at Saving Room for Dessert just posted this one and my, oh, my!!  We loved it!!

Now, if I could just get Amanda here to model ALL my knitting projects!  ;) 

blessings to all ~ tanna

Hitting the Spot in the Heat...

We are still scorching in Texas.  Finally got a bit of rain yesterday... a spit, but still more than we have had in a long, long time.  I am grateful for every drop.

Anyway, I made this salad from Mary's One Perfect Bite last night for dinner.  It hit the spot (and worked for low carb).  I wasn't able to find the dill heads that Mary used and substituted regular fresh dill instead.  It was very good! Served it up on a spicy bed of baby arugula. 

I have to confess to adding a drizzling of balsamic vinegar... the Italians have hooked me!  We had it with pizza, on sandwiches, on salads and a balsamic reduction on steak; it was all GOOD.  A little dab of Modena balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of a good extra virgin olive oil... oh, my!!  I may be eating it on dessert next.  ;)  Just sayin'.

Have a wonderful day!  (link on Mary's name goes to her recipe)

Blessings ~ tanna

Dinner 911



Yesterday, I was brain-drained from catching up on my bookkeeping.  Tired, cranky and hungry.  The crankiness precluded any desire to go out to eat and the refrigerator was EMPTY.  So, I went to my pantry and pulled out "The Bag".  I keep a reusable grocery bag filled with the ingredients to this quick, hearty meal.

My gourmet-minded friends will be rolling their eyes back in their heads by now, but this is amazingly good and very satisfying... especially to a tired, cranky soul.  My supplies were so low, I didn't even have cheddar cheese on hand to top it off!  Can you imagine a refrigerator without cheddar cheese?  It is delicious without it.  Thank goodness I had an egg and a 1/3 cup of milk to whip up the Jiffy cornbread!  LOL!  Once again, I know you purist are scoffing, but this IS a 911 meal.  LOL!

Bean and Hominy Soup (from a magazine so long ago, I can't remember which)

3  (15.5 ounce) cans Great Northern beans, undrained
1 (15.5 ounce) can hominy, undrained (I usually use the large can, since I love hominy)
1 (14.5 ounce) can no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 (11.5 ounce) can bean with bacon soup, undiluted
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel yellow corn, undrained
1.5 cups of water (I usually use about 2/3 cup)
2 bay leaves
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or 1 Tablespoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients, except cheese in a large Dutch oven, and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes stirring occasionally.  Discard bay leaves.  Ladle soup into bowls, and top with cheddar cheese.  Yield:  8 servings

Evan, who generally cannot fathom a meal without meat, loves this simple comfort food.  It is a great 911 Dinner.  I'll be restocking The Bag for future emergencies.  =)

Hope you have a wonderful day.

Hurray for the Weekend!

Friday night found us worn out from a frenzied week.  And... it was our night to host our church's Supper with Friends.  But, as I moved through preparing the food and setting the table... the stresses of the week began to melt away... I do enjoy a good meal with friends.   

Mixed Greens with Oranges, Blueberries, Dried Cherries, Candied Walnuts and Feta Cheese

with a Raspberry-Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette

Braised Brisket

from Ree Drummond's Pioneer Woman Cooks

(my friend, Kathy, gave me this book.  thank you, Kathy!)

Creamed Mashed Potatoes

PW Cooks

 Peas with Onions and Mint

Mary at One Perfect Bite

Rue Tatin Sweet Crescent Rolls

Mary at One Perfect Bite

Chocolate Delight Ribbon Cake

I tried four new recipes and OH, MY GOODNESS!  I loved them all; but, Mary's minted peas and crescent rolls were my hands down favorites!!  Those peas tasted like Spring!!  Amazing. Her One Perfect Bite did inspire more than One Perfect Bite to be exact.

The Braised Brisket was really good, too.  And, it might have been even better when we heated up leftovers for a late lunch today.  The potatoes were creamy and rich.  So, all four new recipes were big keepers and will be repeated here at the Bungalow.

I love old silver... mixed dishes... simple wood...

Shiny glass beads... a glass of good wine...

Festive new drinks...

And hot coffee with my dessert...

And, today... I finally had time to paint a little... and to blog... to do the fun things I enjoy... =) 
Gotta love the weekend!
Hope you are doing some fun things, too!

MaMaw's Plum Cake

Lately, I've had my MaMaw on my mind... alot.  As my siblings and I will from time to time discuss, we hardly knew our grandparents.  We always lived too far away for frequent visits; therefore, they never shared in our everyday lives.  At least not until the last few years of my MaMaw's life, when she moved to our area.  Unfortunately, she died at the young age of 60; so there were only a few years.  One of the fondest memories I have was of she and I going to T, G & Y (the old school Walmart-- my Dad always referred to it as Tough Grimy and Yellow.  Anyway, I digress.) to get my very first out-on-my-own Christmas decorations.  I still have many of those, but my favorite acquisition was a plastic Santa figure about three feet tall.  It was a little more than I should have spent on my budget at the time, but I so loved him.  She encouraged me to buy it and I did.  I still remember driving home with Santa perched between us in the front seat singing Christmas carols all the way home.  He STILL makes me happy.  We had such a fun time that day!  Sweet memory. 

MaMaw wasn't really a great cook, but she was plenty-good in our eyes!  Cakes were her best creations!!  Seems she always had a cake or homemade fig filled tea cakes.  And, she would always have the real Cokes in the small glass bottles!  Such a treat for us (we always drank milk at home!). 

I enjoyed making one of these last week.  The smells reminded me of her... and of that fun Christmas shopping trip.  Merry Christmas, MaMaw.

*NOTE:  there are no jars of plum baby food  with tapioca to be found.  I used prune baby food and it turned out just fine.  I am sure you could use applesauce or pumpkin or whatever. 

Wishing you a happy memory today...

Easy Comfort

A bitter north wind roared into town last night.  It has been steadily stripping away the fall foliage from our trees... leaving some naked, down to their winter bark.  Evan has needed comfort from a nagging backache; I have needed comfort from missing my Little Man and his folks (always takes me a few days to get back on track after a visit).  So, I'm sharing a couple of easy and comforting recipes we have enjoyed the past couple of days.  They are from the Taste of Home Prizewinning Recipes.

Mexican Chip Casserole by Doris Heath

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1 can Mexicorn

1 can chopped green chilies

1 package (10 oz.) corn chips

1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce

1-2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese

In a skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is browned and onion is tender; drain.  Add soup, corn and chilies;  mix well.

In an ungreased shallow 3-qt. baking dish, layer meat mixture, corn chips and enchilada sauce; top with cheese.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees until heated through (15-20 minutes).

YIELD: 6 servings

Yes, there are only two of us.  Yes, in less than seven hours after coming out of the oven, there were only two pieces left... which are gone now.

Cheddar Pear Pie by Cynthia LaBree

4 large ripe pears, peeled and thinly sliced.
1/3 c. sugar
1 T. Cornstarch
1/8 t. salt
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)

TOPPING:
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (I used a sharp, aged cheddar)
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 t. salt

In bowl, combine pears, sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Pour into pastry shell.  Combine topping ingredients until crumbly; sprinkle over filling.  (NOTE:  I always combine all dry ingredients and mix well before adding moist ingredients.  Don't know if that really matters... but, I'm obsessed with it.  What can I say?)

Bake at 425 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted.   Cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes.  Serve warm.  Store in the refrigerator.  YIELD:  6-8 servings.

Wishing lots of warm comfort for all!!

Beware The Ides of March

Isn't it interesting how a date will stick in your mind.  Every March 15th, I remember Caesar being forwarned to beware the ides of March...

and the subsequent, " et tu Brute..."  I probably needed to beware the Too Much Chocolate Cake this weekend!  LOL!

I'm still working along on the Bungalow makeover... a preview of things to come... Have a good ides!  =)

Pumpkin Crisp

I love fall and Pumpkin Pie... When I was a child, we always got to choose our birthday cake... As it turns out, my sister and I share the same birthday eight years apart... yeah, I'm the old one. She would choose Red Velvet Cake. I would choose pumpkin pie. This recipe ousts my long time favorite pumpkin pie recipe! AND, it is just too easy. Hope you will enjoy it, too.



Pumpkin Crisp

1-15 oz. can pumpkin
1 c. evaporated milk
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 package butter-flavored yellow cake mix
1 c. chopped pecans
1 c. butter, melted

whipped cream (optional)
ground nutmeg (optional)

Stir together first five ingredients. Pour into a lightly greased 13 x 9. Sprinkle cake mix over pumpkin mixture; sprinkle evenly with pecans. Drizzle butter over pecans. Bake at 350 for 1 hr. to 1 hr. 5 min. or until golden brown. Remove from oven, let stand for 10 min. before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg if desired. Happy Fall Ya'll!

Trying something new today! Playing Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Crab and Shrimp Etouffee

Makes 4-6 servings

2 lb. unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp
1/4 c. butter
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/3 c. all purpose flour
2/3 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green bell pepper
1/4 c. chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1/2 c. dry white wine
1/4 c. chopped green onions
1 Tbs. low-sodium Creole seasoning
1 Tbs. tomato paste
1 Tbs. chopped parsley
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
1 (16 oz.) container fresh crab meat, drained and flaked
5 c. hot cooked long-grain rice
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Peel shrimp; devein if desired (I used fresh, frozen, peeled shrimp... thawed them under running water and DONE).

Melt butter with oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or more until caramel colored. Add chopped onion, green pepper, and celery; cook stirring constantly until vegetables are tender. Add minced garlic, and saute 1 minute.

Stir in chicken broth, white wine (I have made this twice; once with the wine, once without. I liked it better without), and next six ingredients, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Add shrimp. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

Stir in crab meat; cook, stirring often, until thoroughly heated.

Spoon shrimp mixture into individual serving bowls. Spoon hot cooked rice on top of shrimp mixture. Garnish, if desired.

This recipe is out of a Southern Living magazine. Yummy!!