Madrona

I'm home, and recovering from too much fun visiting with friends. I had a wonderful time seeing everybody and came home with a wee bit of new stash (I was very good, not as good as Denise, but very good) and some new ideas.

I think these photos pretty much sum up the weekend. (No people shots, I think I was too distracted).

Good friends (Thanks Marti! Bob loves Mini Bobbi)


Beautiful things (One day, I will learn how to make these like Vanessa).


Fibre (Thanks Kerry!)

Menu Monday

I'm away, but hoping that my blog-posting fairy will accomodate.

Monday - en-route from Seattle back home.
Tuesday - Spinach-Bean Curry as recommended by the knitbrarian, she raves about this recipe every time that she makes it and the brainwashing has worked.
Wednesday - Shrimp and Pasta Puttanesca (recipe Feb 07 Real Simple)
Thursday - leftovers from Tuesday
Friday - birthday dinner for my Mum!
Saturday - The Flame will have left for a week in Waterloo, ON so maybe my parents will indulge my loneliness and take me for dinner
Sunday - maybe Sushi.

Im-ply-ing!

I'm really happy that my plying has been improving over the past year. I love my earlier handspun yarns, but they are better suited to lace knitting than garments. Drapey, on the verge of too-loosely plied yarns. More twist in the single was the solution and my finished yarns have improved bounce and loft. Now can I spin for both lace and garments! I think even more twist and I will have mastered sock yarns.

NoMenu Monday

No menu for this coming week folks!

We have a date out with friends tonight at Cru, The Flame will be out at a movie tomorrow night and we will be having leftovers for Wednesday. The pork stew turned out to be involved but delicious and the chicken was easy-peasy and very tasty. I am gone Thursday through next Monday, and the Flame will be fending for himself.

June was asking about the spinach pie recipe, it can be found here. I think everyone should try this at least once.

If anyone is interested, I will try and post the chicken recipe tomorrow. It wasn't too spicy (all of this rain and snow is making spicy, sauced food look very appealing!) and it required minimal preparation.

Small successes and a teeny setback.

I've been battling that nasty virus that seems to be lurking around 'most everywhere these days. It's made me pretty grateful for the little things (and some Big Things too, scroll down for the MSF/KWB total).

The Flame's pretty handy in the kitchen even if he insists in making (Spinach) Pie are Squared.


I finished the Flame's first ever pair of hand-knit socks. There are some fit issues to fine-tune but we're both quite pleased. The Flame is pleased with his warm toes, and I am pleased that I did not get bored with knitting men's size 13 socks. They are about twice as long as my little size 6s.


I spun up the first bobbin of Tamarillo for the mind-reading, awesome-cookbook picking Knitbrarian.



I unmasked my Secret Pal! She has designed the most beautiful pair of socks and inspired me to go dye some sock yarn so I can test-knit these babies.

I'm practising Doing this month. Unfortunately, that meant that following the pattern for the Suri Raku was a mistake on my part. For whatever reason, the swatch god(s) decided that while I should use the specified needle size for the squares, and achieve a satisfactory result. I was not meant to use the smaller (yet still specified) needle size for joining the squares. Nor was I to use the next size up. Apparently, I was just supposed to continue with the same needle size. Huh.

Off to the dye-pot.

The week ahead (in food)

Tonight - I am going to Knit and Pearl (unless it snows in which case I am heading home asap). Pearl and I will hopefully be able to grab a bite to eat beforehand. I believe the Flame is having leftovers (homemade Beef and Vegetable Soup).

Tuesday - Slow Cooker Creole Chicken, experiment #1

Wednesday - Spinach pie, tried and true

Thursday - leftovers

Friday - We're going to enjoy ourselves at Parkside for the start of Dine Out Vancouver

Saturday - Pork Stew with Green Chilies, Orange and Cilantro, experiment #2

Sunday - probably leftovers again :)

Yay!

Sweet Potatoes in a Cayenne, Ginger and Peanut Sauce
from World Food Café by Chris and Carolyn Caldicott

Serves 4-6

4 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, cubed
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
1 ¾ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and minced
1 pound white cabbage, cubed (edited - I just used regular cabbage)
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 ¾ cups (14 ozs) chopped plum tomatoes
1 cup pineapple juice
½ cup smooth peanut butter
salt & pepper to taste

Garnish (I don’t think this is optional – it really makes the dish)

2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 beets, peeled and grated
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
juice of 1 lime
handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (Or Not – I didn’t)


Heat oil in a large pan.
Saute onion until soft, add garlic and ginger, saute until fragrant, then add sweet potatoes and cabbage.
Add spices when the vegetables are starting to soften and stir to coat.
Add tomatoes and pineapple juice, cover and let simmer until fully cooked.
Stir in the peanut butter, season to taste.

Toss carrots, beets and bananas with lime juice.
I pass the garnish and the cilantro on the side.

Tastes excellent on brown rice.

It hasn't been all Princess, all the time over here. The Suri Raku stole has become my 'rest' knitting at home and it's showing real progress! I am almost ready to start joining the squares.

Grrrr

Blogger is being very persnickety today and just ate my lovely post detailing the delicious sweet potato/ginger/cayenne/peanut dish I made yesterday.

I will try again later.

A new year, and a new project.

No big resolutions from me this year, but there might be some quiet little changes and new things to learn.

Looking back at last year I finished two adult sweaters, 2 baby sweaters, 4 hats, 3 scarves, 2 pairs of handwarmers, a pair of gloves, 6 pairs of socks (Hey - I'd taken a 2 year break from socks, that's not bad at all), 7 shawls and a felted basket :).

Taking that into account.

I'd like to get some of my UFO's finished this coming year.
I'd like to figure out how to store my stash in 1 house (as opposed to 2).
I'd like to start running earlier in the season so I can play Ultimate with more confidence this summer.
I'd like to keep knitting socks (I just started a pair for the Flame) and maybe knit more usable garments as opposed to shawls. This is ironic considering my major project for 2007.

I have started knitting the Princess shawl. I'll be reading the Princess Diaries with renewed interest for encouragement and moral support.

I'd like to have one place in the house that the Flame and I can agree on for digital cameras, digital camera cables, rechargeable batteries and battery chargers.
'nuff said.

And finally, my wierd things for Vanessa.

1. I have a bear named Bob that travels with me when I go out of town. He is a good dancer and model.

2. Off-kilter picture frames, light switches, etc. drive me crazy. I hate them. I can't walk down the hall without fixing them.

3. I don't like most chocolate. In fact, I really only like dark chocolate with nuts or orange peel or ginger.

4. I never want a full cup of coffee. I want a sip or two of espresso only. Good thing I have trained 'the boys' to give me sips of their coffee in the morning.

5. I consider myself to be shy.

6. I'm a fairly good renovator and I LOVE hardware stores.

Sorry, no wierd bodily abilities.

I don't know who to tag, I think everyone's played by now. Maybe Tina?