Saturday, January 23, 2010

Bok Choy Coleslaw


I put some Bok Choy leaves in some soup I made the other day - the recipe called for Swiss Chard - but they didn't have any at the grocery store and I was surprised that they had Bok Choy - but I bought a bunch and it was really good in the soup...

...being my frugal self - I didn't want to throw away those stems after I put the leaves in the soup...

...so I used my handy-dandy chopper and simply chopped them up with a handful of raisins - they were so juicy and cabbage-y that I didn't even add anything else...

Nope - just Bok Choy stems and raisins and it was really good!

Friday, January 22, 2010

TKD Socks - FO

Y'all remember back in November I showed you some Tae Kwon Do Socks in the Comfort Sock Yarn that I got from Kala...

...well I know I finished them before Christmas and I have just neglected to post about them because they are on my feet so often...

...I love these socks - and I'm going to have to get me some more of that yarn...



Thursday, January 21, 2010

Super Simple Stockinette Stitch Slippers

...Say that 5 times fast...

I knit my Grandma some slippers for Christmas...

...they're bright pink - and have the soft/flat side of the stockinette stitch to the inside and the bumpy side to the outside - like the princess stitch on the sole of a sock...

...they have a little rosette on top to make them pretty...

...I hope they keep her feet nice and toasty warm this winter...

Super Simple Stockinette Stitch Slippers

Materials:
About 3-4 oz of worsted weight yarn - I used Carons Simply Soft plied with some stash baby yarn in variegated baby colours.
Knitting needles: size 10
Gauge: 4 sts = 1 inch

Starting at back - Cast on 22 stitches.
Foundation row: Knit 8, purl 1, inc 4 sts over the next 4 sts - (I used the knit in front and back method - but any method will do) purl 1, knit 8.
Next row: Purl 8, knit 1, purl 8, knit 1, purl 8.

Row 1: Knit 8, purl 1, Knit 8, purl 1, Knit 8
Row 2: Purl 8, knit 1, purl 8, knit 1, purl 8.

Repeat Row 1 and 2 until length is about 6 inches (or length where your foot begins to widen at the ball of the foot) then:

Inc 1, knit 7, purl 1, inc 1, knit 6, inc 1, purl 1, knit 7, inc 1 - for a total of 30 stitches

then purl 9, knit 1, purl 10, knit 1, purl 9

Continue as established in stockinette stitch:

Row 1: Knit 9, purl 1, Knit 10, purl 1, Knit 9
Row 2: purl 9, knit 1, purl 10, knit 1, purl 9

Repeat these 2 rows until Slipper is the correct length, then knit 2 together across - 15 sts remain. Then purl 2 together across again 8 sts remain - cut yarn and thread through remaining stitches and pull up tight - then with the smooth side of the stockinette stitch to the inside stitch about halfway up the slipper.

To make the rosette (probably not for a man's slipper):

Cast on 20 stitches and increase in each stitch - again I used the knit in the front and back method.
Then cast off in knit - twirl it into a little flower shape and stitch it to the top of the blipper.

Make another slipper the same way - there is no right or left.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Hubbard Squash


I finally got around to chopping up and roasting that hubbard squash...

It's been in the laundry room (my semi-cold storage area) since November...

It was quite watery after roasting - I had some with my supper - no salt - no butter - no anything and it was so, so good...

so I left it in the colander overnight and it's perfect for packing this morning - after what we ate for supper last night - we got four good pints in the freezer - YUM!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

He comes, - he comes, - the Frost Spirit comes! ...

...on the power lines...

...on the trees...

...on the bushes...


The Frost Spirit by John Greenleaf Whittier

He comes, - he comes, - the Frost Spirit comes!
You may trace his footsteps now
On the naked woods and the blasted fields
And the brown hill's withered brow.
He has smitten the leaves of the gray old trees
Where their pleasant green came forth,
And the winds, which follow wherever he goes,
Have shaken them down to earth.

He comes, - he comes, - the Frost Spirit comes!
From the frozen Labrador,
From the icy bridge of the northern seas,
Which the white bear wanders o'er,
Where the fisherman's sail is stiff with ice,
And the luckless forms below
In the sunless cold of the lingering night
Into marble statues grow!

He comes, - he comes, - the Frost Spirit comes!
On the rushing Northern blast,
And the dark Norwegian pines have bowed
As his fearful breath went past.
With an unscorched wing he has hurried on,
Where the fires of Hecla glow
On the darkly beautiful sky above
And the ancient ice below.

He comes, - he comes, - the Frost Spirit comes!
And the quiet lake shall feel
The torpid touch of his glazing breath,
And ring to the skater's heel;
And the streams which danced on the broken rocks,
Or sang to the leaning grass,
Shall bow again to their winter chain,
And in mournful silence pass.

He comes, - he comes, - the Frost Spirit comes!
Let us meet him as we may,
And turn with the light of the parlor-fire
His evil power away;
And gather closer the circle 'round,
When the firelight dances high,
And laugh at the shriek of the baffled Fiend
As his sounding wing goes by!

Just sharing a much loved poem - We've been having really heavy frosts the last few days - it must be this strange warming and freezing weather we've been having

Do Something - Give Blood

Obviously all of us can't go to Haiti to help with the relief effort...

...but a part of you can...

Monday, January 18, 2010

Communion Bread

Scout and I made Communion Bread for Church...

...we always have a lot of fun doing this...

...Scout likes to do the braiding - he's really good at it...

...we use a traditional Challah (Jewish Sabbath Bread) for the recipe...

...veganized, of course...

...sometimes I just do a boule, or a coiled Challah...

...but I think the braided loaf is the prettiest...

CHALLAH (Jewish Sabbath Bread)

2 tsp dry yeast
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp water
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1/3 cup flax seed goo - or EnerG egg replacer equivalent to 2 eggs
4 Tbsp Earth Balance melted

for the egg glaze - I just used melted Earth Balance

Method:
1. Dissolve yeast in water and let stand for 5 minutes - Mix flour and salt and make a well in the center and pour in the dissolved yeast.
2. Using a wooden spoon draw enough of the flour into the yeast mixture to form a sponge - cover with a dish towel and let rise until frothy - about 20 minutes.
3. Add the agave nectar, melted Earth Balance and egg replacer and mix in the flour from the sides to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until shiny and smooth - about 10 minutes.
4. Place dough in a bowl (greased with Earth Balance) and turn to coat. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled - about 2 hours - I let mine rise in the oven with the light on - Punch down and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Divide dough into three equal pieces and roll out to form a long rope - about 18 inches long - and braid the ropes.
6. Place on a baking sheet sprinked with corn meal and proof until doubled - about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
7. Brush with some more melted Earth Balance and bake in a 350° oven until richly golden and hollow sounding when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Robin's Egg Blue (pink/brown) Hat

It was about a year ago that I made the Robin's Egg Blue Hat and I just realized that I never showed it to you or put it in my Ravelry notebook...
...I finished it last January and I wear it quite a bit - Scout snapped a couple of pictures of me as I was coming back from walking the dog - he just loves the camera...

...so the story about the hat...
...I had a brown jacket...
...for some reason Scout and his Papa bought me (a knitter) a handknit scarf that they saw at a Bazaar - I'm guessing because it was brown (and pink) to go with my jacket - very sweet of them...
...so, the scarf was not knit by me - but it is very soft and warm - and I needed a hat to go with it...
...I found some bright pink yarn and some brown (both Caron Simply Soft) that sort of matched the scarf and I found Rachel's pattern for the robins egg blue hat and then I made some knitting needles - and knit the hat - it was a quick knit and I'm sorry I didn't show it to you sooner...
(note there's just a tiny scab on my nose from the Christmas Tree injury)

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Make your own Besan (Chickpea Flour)

I had been wanting to try the Besan Omelette that's in the archives over at Vegan Cook-a-Long...

...and my sweet sister sent me a package of Besan in my Christmas present - but I wanted to see if it was possible to make your own...


...drain a jar of homemade Garbanzo beans - rinse (or open a can)...
...spread them in a layer on your dehydrator...
...set the dehydrator on 145 and let it run for a couple of hours...
...put the dried garbanzos in the food processor...
...process...
...hmmmnnn...not fine enough - process some more...
...maybe the 25 year old Emmie is not up to the task - so get out the 25 year old Regal Spice mill...
...and continue processing...

...SUCCESS - perfectly smooth Chickpea Flour...

...then gather your
INGREDIENTS:

•2 cups besan (chickpea flour)
•1 onion
•2 tomatoes
•1 small piece of ginger (about 7 mm / 1/4 inch)
•8-9 leaves of coriander
•2-3 cloves of garlic
•2-3 thai chillies or chilli powder
•Water
•Salt to taste


mix everything together...

...spritz your pan with a little oil...

...pour in a little of the mixture...

cook until brown on both sides - I served mine with some applesauce and a biscuit for brunch and it was good - but I didn't really think it was very omelette-like - the texture was more like potato pancake - which I happen to love - but I think for eggy replacement I'll stick with scrambled tofu...

Friday, January 15, 2010

Afternoon Tea

Do you have a ritual snack time? Is it morning or afternoon? - I actually drink hot tea all day - just warmed up out of my big brown betty teapot - but Scout and I usually have Afternoon Tea when he gets home from school...
...y'all already know that I love tea - and my sweet sister Karen sent me some in my Christmas present - that I just love - it's Celestial Seasonings Nutcracker Sweet - isn't that the sweetest name ever! I usually have cream in my tea - so there's some silk creamer in the cup too...
...and the cookies that I almost got in the picture are MiDel Ginger Snaps - organic and so good!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Don't just do nothing...

As we are all shocked and saddened by the recent earthquake in Haiti and hurting for everyone who is hurting there - remember that we can do something to help even if we are so far away...

There are lots of organizations out there helping right now...

...so do something...

-- Lutheran World Relief, based in Baltimore, Md., is accepting donations for its Haiti earthquake fund. Donations can be made by phone at (800) LWR-LWR2, online at lwr.org, or by mailing a check or money order to Lutheran World Relief Haiti Earthquake Relief, PO Box 17061, Baltimore, Md., 21298-9832.

Lutheran World Relief

...no amount is too small...

BE THE CHANGE...

...edited to add - as my sister wisely pointed out - on the website there is a matching gifts button - to see if your employer will match your gift.

Repotting

We've been repotting some of our houseplants...

...that's a messy job - but necessary - they can't thrive if they're in a too small pot - I gave away the two little aloes as the one I keep in my kitchen keeps having babies and overcrowding her pot - and the spike-y little agave is Scout's...

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Banana Pudding

What do you do when you have one banana left on the counter - getting too ripe...
...well, you make a nice little single serving of Southern Banana Pudding with it - of course...

I love Banana Pudding - the boys - not so much - oh they'll eat it but they don't love/love/love it like I do...

Southern Style Vegan Banana Pudding for One

1 cup soy milk
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 quick sprinkle of salt

That's it - mix it all up in a pot - bring to a boil until thickened. Arrange your banana and vanilla wafers in a dish and pour the hot pudding over the top - then refrigerate until cool.
That's my pretty little Philbe dish it matches the larger one I got for Christmas...
YUM!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Thank You!

Do you send out written Thank You notes?

...do your children send out written Thank You notes?

...for some reason Thank You notes have become a bit passé - and I think they are still important - especially for children - it gives them pause to think about the giver and remember them and how special they are to that person - that they would take the time, effort and money to buy them a gift - just for them...

...so Scout designed his card and made those up assembly line style - a fun little project in itself - then he got his list of gifts and I got mine and we wrote our little notes - nothing elaborate - just a sincere little note of appreciation and thanks...

Monday, January 11, 2010

Appliances and Treatment Plans

I normally post in the morning before I start work...

...but this morning I didn't start work - as I had to drive to Grand Forks...

...one of the joys of living in a small town is that we don't have specialists - such as orthodontists within 90 miles of here...

...so we got up bright and early and drove to Grand Forks for Scout's Orthodontist appointment...

...and after a few hours of x-rays and photos and impressions and spacers (and quite a bit of money too) - we get to drive another 90 miles back home - looking forward to a repeat trip in a month for the installation of the 'appliance' - Scout says he 'hates' it when they call it that - it does sort of sound like he's going to have a refrigerator in his mouth - hehehe...

...the 'appliance' is some sort of a retainer/spacer thingy to hold his back teeth back and allow some space to develop in the front - the actual 'braces' are still about a year away - cha-ching$$$

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Get Poppin'

One of our favorite family Christmas gifts - from Santa to the family - was a Cuisinart Popcorn Popper...
...We used to have a WhirlyPop - but for some reason we haven't seen it since we moved (5 years ago) hmmmm...
...and since we eschew all popcorn bags since we found out about the levels of perfluorooctanoic acid in the bags...
...we've been making our popcorn (almost nightly) the old-fashioned way - in a big pot...
...Santa thought he would make our lives a little easier with a new gadget...
...and we absolutely love it - we're still experimenting with some gourmet popping corn and all different kinds of toppings...