12 February 2012
Hoisin Glazed Salmon
09 February 2012
An attempt at pretzel rolls...
I've said before, I'm not the best baker, but I am determined. We've been seeing this whole "Pretzel Roll" phenomenon blossoming recently. B came home from a meeting out of town this summer raving about a burger on a pretzel roll and I couldn't fathom it. Then I see a sign at the restaurant at the corner saying that they now have pretzel rolls. Hmmm. We ordered take out a month or so ago and I got a corned beef sandwich on a pretzel roll. BELIEVER! Why had I waited so long? Then came the discovery of this recipe on Pinterest.
Mine were NOT as pretty as hers, but they tasted good. We ate those bottom two right out of the oven. I will warn you, I used A LOT more flour since my dough was REALLY sticky. And they are best used right when made. I may try to half the recipe next time it's just the two of us. The was one of two trays. There were a lot of rolls. They still taste good the next day, but lose a little "something."
We made BBQ chicken and it was a great sandwich.
Most definitely worth a try.
07 February 2012
Easy, Cheesy Broccoli Soup from Cuisine at Home
I have been battling my second head cold of the winter, if you can call it winter, for the past few days. Soup seems to be in order again and B has been asking for this for a couple of weeks, so I let him make it for me :-)
We've had this magazine for a couple of years and have made a few things from it. Here is the Link for the magazine (sorry, I couldn't find it on Amazon...) Cuisine at Home: Our Favorite Weeknight Menus. I'm a big fan of Cuisine magazines. They have great tips, step by step directions and pics and usually a side dish recipe in the margin. We love everything we've tried from these.
Easy Cheesy Broccoli Soup - Cuisine at Home: Our Favorite Weeknight Recipes
p. 94
35 minutes
Makes 9 cups
* Do your self a favor and use the Velveeta. I've tried to go the healthy route and shredded block cheese to add or just added shredded. While it tasted good, I ended up with chunks of cheese that were just a gooey mess. USE THE VELVEETA!
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 cup onion, minced
1/2 cup carrot, minced
1/2 cup celery, minced
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 lb. American cheese (VELVEETA, cubed) shredded, 4 cups
6 cups broccoli florets and diced stems, blanched
1/4 tsp, cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and sweat 3 minutes.
Stir in flour to coat veggies and cook 1 minute. Slowly add broth, stirring constantly; increase heat to medium-high, then bring to a rolling boil. Cook 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium.
Add cheese, let stand 1 minute, then stir until incorporated. Simmer soup 3 minutes (do not boil, or cheese may curdle), add blanched broccoli and cook another minute. Season with cayenne and salt.
Per cup: 360 cal, 25 g fat, 18 g carbs, 960 mg sod, 5 g fiber, 18 g protein
We have already made the Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine p. 78, Browned Butter Beans, Fabulous Fish Tacos p. 68, Asian Pork Satays and Cucumber Relish p. 51, and the Mediterranean Chops and Parmesan Orzo p 44.
The next thing he is requesting from this magazine is the Shrimp Roll on p 84. The French Onion Soup, Toasted Ravioli, and Tortilla Chip Chicken from the cover look yummy too. Oh yeah, and the Lasagna Soup...
Easy Cheesy Broccoli Soup - Cuisine at Home: Our Favorite Weeknight Recipes
p. 94
35 minutes
Makes 9 cups
* Do your self a favor and use the Velveeta. I've tried to go the healthy route and shredded block cheese to add or just added shredded. While it tasted good, I ended up with chunks of cheese that were just a gooey mess. USE THE VELVEETA!
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 cup onion, minced
1/2 cup carrot, minced
1/2 cup celery, minced
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 lb. American cheese (VELVEETA, cubed) shredded, 4 cups
6 cups broccoli florets and diced stems, blanched
1/4 tsp, cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and sweat 3 minutes.
Stir in flour to coat veggies and cook 1 minute. Slowly add broth, stirring constantly; increase heat to medium-high, then bring to a rolling boil. Cook 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium.
Add cheese, let stand 1 minute, then stir until incorporated. Simmer soup 3 minutes (do not boil, or cheese may curdle), add blanched broccoli and cook another minute. Season with cayenne and salt.
Per cup: 360 cal, 25 g fat, 18 g carbs, 960 mg sod, 5 g fiber, 18 g protein
We have already made the Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine p. 78, Browned Butter Beans, Fabulous Fish Tacos p. 68, Asian Pork Satays and Cucumber Relish p. 51, and the Mediterranean Chops and Parmesan Orzo p 44.
The next thing he is requesting from this magazine is the Shrimp Roll on p 84. The French Onion Soup, Toasted Ravioli, and Tortilla Chip Chicken from the cover look yummy too. Oh yeah, and the Lasagna Soup...
05 February 2012
More Slipper Love...
I LOVE it when patterns are on sale at Joann's. I have an app on my phone called "ListMaster" (FREE!) and it is one of the handiest things on my phone. I keep an list of patterns that I want to get when they are on sale broken down by company, Simplicity, McCalls, Buttericks, etc. and another list of patterns that I have in my collection already. So when I see one in the book that catches my eye, I just check my phone to see if I have it already. If not, in the cart it goes. This one was $.99. (SCORE) Simplicity 2278 includes a women's slipper with 3 sizes and 5 patterns for infants. Why spend the $17.95 listed price when they go on sale several times a year? No thanks!
I, of course, had to make them given my obsession with all things slippers lately. And I must say, MUCH faster then knitting a pair. (Not that I won't be doing more of that too.) I cut the pieces out last night after I finished mom's laptop cover, and they only took a couple of hours to sew together this afternoon. I actually did a really SMART thing this time... I loved the pattern so much that I bought ALL of the supplies at the same time as the pattern. I knew I had scrappy bits at home that I could use, but the jiffy grip, fusible fleece and interfacing came home with the pattern. I'm learning! Oh yeah, and that was back in October, so I'm glad that I miraculously keep everything together for that long.
The instructions are incredibly easy to follow. I didn't sit here scratching my head or searching Flickr and Google for hints like I have in the past. I do however have a few things that I would do differently when I make these again:
1) I would shorten the strap about and inch (at least) as these were WAY to long for me and I had to move the velcro and re-stitch the end.
2) I also don't like how they have you sew the velcro to the strap. I think I would stitch it in place BEFORE the step that has you fold in half and stitch inside out. It would look much cleaner that way.
These stay on quite a bit better than any of the slippers I've knit, even without the strap. They will be great for travel or an evening at a friends house (or the in-laws) since I always take slippers with me, these will be perfect! I give then 4.5 out of 5!
 |
| Sorry about the messy sewing room floor... |
I, of course, had to make them given my obsession with all things slippers lately. And I must say, MUCH faster then knitting a pair. (Not that I won't be doing more of that too.) I cut the pieces out last night after I finished mom's laptop cover, and they only took a couple of hours to sew together this afternoon. I actually did a really SMART thing this time... I loved the pattern so much that I bought ALL of the supplies at the same time as the pattern. I knew I had scrappy bits at home that I could use, but the jiffy grip, fusible fleece and interfacing came home with the pattern. I'm learning! Oh yeah, and that was back in October, so I'm glad that I miraculously keep everything together for that long.
 |
| And the fact that they match my pants is purely coincidental! |
The instructions are incredibly easy to follow. I didn't sit here scratching my head or searching Flickr and Google for hints like I have in the past. I do however have a few things that I would do differently when I make these again:
1) I would shorten the strap about and inch (at least) as these were WAY to long for me and I had to move the velcro and re-stitch the end.
2) I also don't like how they have you sew the velcro to the strap. I think I would stitch it in place BEFORE the step that has you fold in half and stitch inside out. It would look much cleaner that way.
These stay on quite a bit better than any of the slippers I've knit, even without the strap. They will be great for travel or an evening at a friends house (or the in-laws) since I always take slippers with me, these will be perfect! I give then 4.5 out of 5!
26 January 2012
Grandma Smith's Soft Molasses Cookies
My Grandma makes THE BEST molasses cookies. And there were almost always some in the container on top of the fridge while I was growing up. Recently, they moved into an assisted living facility and we have been slowly cleaning out the house. While I was working on the kitchen, I came across a couple of half full jars of molasses and pet milk (sweetened condensed, Carnation also makes this)
I made them at mom and dad's this weekend because I didn't want ALL those cookies in the house. I wanted to share the recipe with you here.
Grandma Smith's Soft Molasses Cookies
Preheat oven to 375* - cookies will bake for about 10 minutes for one tray, up the time by a minute or so if you are cooking two trays at once.
2/3 cup pet milk
2 tsp. vinegar
1/2 cup cooking molasses
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
2/3 cup soft shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
Mix together milk & vinegar. Add molasses and mix well
Sift together dry ingredients, except sugar.
Cream together the shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat hard.
Add molasses mixture and flour mixture alternately to shortening mixture.
I made them at mom and dad's this weekend because I didn't want ALL those cookies in the house. I wanted to share the recipe with you here.
Preheat oven to 375* - cookies will bake for about 10 minutes for one tray, up the time by a minute or so if you are cooking two trays at once.
2/3 cup pet milk
2 tsp. vinegar
1/2 cup cooking molasses
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
2/3 cup soft shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
Mix together milk & vinegar. Add molasses and mix well
Sift together dry ingredients, except sugar.
Cream together the shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat hard.
Add molasses mixture and flour mixture alternately to shortening mixture.
25 January 2012
WIP Wednesday - Notting HIll Vest
Here's the back. I really like how the cables turned out. I'm not sure if the armholes are too deep for him or not, but I will measure it on him in the next couple of weekends. That, thankfully, is an easy fix.
I already did the ribbing for the front and am starting the chart tonight.... good so far!
20 January 2012
Cable Slippers
Remember these...
They started a trend. I needed more. I found this little booklet at Joann's a while back and instantly fell for the adorable cable slippers. Then I forgot about them for a while. Well, I needed an easy road trip project a few weeks ago and started spending too much time on Ravelry when I found these in my que and remembered that I had the book! BINGO!!!!
About the same time, I moved my sewing area to the front (bedroom) storage room. It was in the living room and the Hubs couldn't see the TV while on the Ellyptical, so he wasn't using it. I had to move yarn, and we all know that takes a while, because it needs to be looked at and held, while the computer is sitting on the floor with Ravelry open next to you. WELL, I had just under 2 skeins of Australian Merino leftover from a Capelet I made years ago. Gauge was right on! Yippee, road trip project that fills the need for more slippers too, I love 2 for one's!
They are wonderful. That's all, no complaints, they fit perfectly and I still want more (of these) exactly like this, in more colors. Yep, happy feet!
They started a trend. I needed more. I found this little booklet at Joann's a while back and instantly fell for the adorable cable slippers. Then I forgot about them for a while. Well, I needed an easy road trip project a few weeks ago and started spending too much time on Ravelry when I found these in my que and remembered that I had the book! BINGO!!!!
About the same time, I moved my sewing area to the front (bedroom) storage room. It was in the living room and the Hubs couldn't see the TV while on the Ellyptical, so he wasn't using it. I had to move yarn, and we all know that takes a while, because it needs to be looked at and held, while the computer is sitting on the floor with Ravelry open next to you. WELL, I had just under 2 skeins of Australian Merino leftover from a Capelet I made years ago. Gauge was right on! Yippee, road trip project that fills the need for more slippers too, I love 2 for one's!
They are wonderful. That's all, no complaints, they fit perfectly and I still want more (of these) exactly like this, in more colors. Yep, happy feet!
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