Starting Christmas Knitting!

But this recipient doesn't read my blog (surprising, when you consider the high quality and entertainment value), so I can show you!

This is only one night of progress so far, so hopefully I can knock this one out quickly (not least of all because you know pink is not my favorite color!).  The pattern is remarkably easy, it is called the Tipsy Rib Scarf by Pamela Wynne, and by the time I got to the 5th row I had it memorized.  Also, it's reversible!  That's a nice quality for scarves to have!

The yarn is one of my favorites - Stonehedge Fiber Shepherd's Wool (Ravelry link).  It has a rustic look, but unlike a lot of rustic wools it is delightfully soft and is comfortable to wear around the neck, even for us sensitive folks!  The first project I made with this yarn, I gave away.  This project, I'm giving away.  I have some more of this yarn in navy blue for my third project with the stuff, and it's MINE.  ALL MINE!

'Tato Bread! I Think It's Probably Healthy!

OK.  This weekend I was craving something hearty and substantial.  Something that was "healthier" than regular white bread (which is healthier if you make it yourself, really).  Something to use up some left over mini potatoes before they turned evil.

OMG they're even pretty colors

In to my life came (Po)Tato Bread.  It seems so many recipes call for you to use box/flake/fake potatoes for the sake of not having lumps or nutrition or potato in your bread, but box mashed potatoes are something I gave up not long after I finished college (right around the time I gave up Top Ramen and ironing board grilled cheese sandwiches, I might add).  Potatoes are hearty and delicious and just make you feel good - I was going to use real ones.

Obviously, this meant more work than my standard "chuck things in bread machine and nap for 3 hours" style of baking.  Let's get the unbearably difficult part out of the way:

3/4 cup water, brought to a boil in a saucepan (that water boils FAST, watch it!)
3/4 cup chopped potatoes - I didn't peel mine because peels have vitamins, and also the potatoes were tiny.  I would have laughed at myself peeling such tiny potatoes.

Boil your water, and put your potatoes in the boiling water.  Reduce heat, cover, simmer until you have tender potatoes.  Don't drain, and get to mashing.  When your tatoes are thoroughly mashed, add another 1/4 cup water, and enough milk to make a total of 1 and 1/2 cups milky mashed potato mix.  Some of your water has boiled off, so no, my math isn't crazy.  ;)

NOW BACK TO THE GOOD PART - chucking things in to the bread machine pre-nap!

To your machine, add
1 and 1/2 cup milky mashed potato
4 tsp honey
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups bread flour
1 cup wheat flour (healthy!)
3/4 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 tsp assorted dried spices - I used oregano, rosemary, and basil.  Use your favorites!
1 tsp active dry yeast

Stretch in anticipation of your nap, set the machine to the whole wheat cycle for your 1.5 pound loaf, and try to resist smelling the kitchen once all those spices and potatoes get going.

If you use the tricolor potatoes, be sure to admire those pretty purple and red flecks throughout the loaf!  I found this bread was hearty and tasty enough to stand alone, but my absolute favorite topping was a very seedy beer mustard straight from a brewery in England.  I actually had to stop myself before going through this precious jar in one loaf!  Man, THAT is a good combo!

New Friends to Whom I Can Give Speeches

This weekend I celebrated my birthday, and these cute little guys are one of my gifties!  These are Monster Chunks, pattern by Rebecca Danger (she's such a Rock Star!), and you can see that my friend Kate made me an army of them!  We have a running joke (that is perhaps based in reality) that I am prone to breaking out in to a speech at any given moment, and that my biggest frustration is lack of audience during these impromptu speeches.  XD  She's such a problem solver.  These Monster Chunks came with a story book of what their adventures were in England before they came to live with me, and I'm almost fearful about the amount of trouble they can get in to!  I mean, don't they just look like trouble?

It's an Oldie, but Still One of My Favorites

I took this picture when Sundae was about 10 weeks old, and we had only had her for a couple weeks at that point.  She seemed to like us ok, though the things we did were sometimes confusing and weird.  She would almost always cozy up to me, but on this day, she decided to cuddle up to DH, and she found the perfect, kitten-sized spot for it.

What a happy kitten...

Another Distraction

I got a new fun thing!!!

Thanks Amazon!  Which I just accidentally typed as "Amazin", because that's what you ARE!

I watched the season last Summer when it aired on TV, but now I have the added benefit of a) HD, b) no commercials, and c) my friend at work can finally watch it, so I can start with the "could you BELIEVE..."

Best show ever.

Day o' Love

So what's everyone doing for Valentine's day?

Tonight will be low key at our house, but that's because we did the big celebration yesterday, and my husband made reservations to The Chart House on Cannery Row, letting us enjoy a classy dinner overlooking the water.  I had the seared mahi and the lobster bisque, commandeered some of his prime rib, and we still managed to fit an apple and cherry crisp for dessert!  It was incredibly nice getting dolled up for a nice evening out, and husband gets 2-thumbs-up, would-date-again for planning Valentine's Day a week in advance.  He's the best!
So tonight it's my turn.  I've got the stuff for rib eye in a cream sauce over mashed potatoes, and I tried to get good photos of my ingredients only to realize that I'm slightly bonkers for trying to get the perfect shot of raw meat.  So we'll try again with the pictures after it's cooked.  And after wine!  Prepare for madness.

In the mean time, let me show you photos of my most recent WIP!  This is a Cedar Leaf Shawlette in North Loop Yarn sock weight.  The color reminds me of a bright green Granny Smith apple.

It's really cool, you knit shorter and shorter rows to create a sort of crescent moon shape, and after that's all said and done, you add little lace leaves to the edge.  I'm especially excited because I've had this skein in my stash for almost as long as I've had any skein, and I'm finally using it!  And it'll be perfect to brighten up my wardrobe for Spring.  :)