Arm Warmers!!!

I finally made myself a pair of arm warmers!  I have already been eyeing patterns for them for a while now.  Then my beautiful friend sent me a link to a pair she said I should make.  I did not make the exact pair she sent me (those were for sale, not a pattern), but did find a pair that I liked even better!  The pattern was free, and I happened to have some awesome tweed yarn that I thought would be great for them.  They are warm, not itchy, and super cute.   Here is the link to the pattern that I got, for free, off Ravelry: Arm Warmers.

Below are a few pictures.  We are going on a vacation in a few days so maybe I can get my husband to take a picture of me wearing them, so you can see what they look like as a pair!  As always, if you are not a knitter, and would like a pair made for you, send me a message.  I do accept donations for yarn and time used!  Have a wonderful day!

Teddy Bear Hat

I have several friends that are expecting.  I am super excited for them of course, and can't wait to make them cute gifts for their babies!  I have made several children's hats, so I thought, why not add some ears? This is my first attempt at making a bear hat, and I have to say, I think it turned out pretty cute!  Here is the pattern I came up with.  Feel free to make your own, or if you do not knit, I can make and sell you one!  :)

I figure I will try to mess around with several more animals.  Maybe I will try a panda next!  Keep reading to find out

Materials:
1 skein Chunky Tweed 100% Wool (Donegal Chunky Tweed by Debbie Bliss is what I used)  You will not use by maybe half.
Size US 10.5 circular needles (you can use these for the ears also, just do not knit in the round)
Tapestry needle

For hat:

CO 50 stitches.

Using the Magic Loop Method (here is a great tutorial: Magic Loop Knitting) join and knit until your work measures 5 inches.  

Begin decrease:  K8, k2tog, repeat to end

K7, k2tog, repeat to end

K6, k2tog, repeat to end

K5, k2tog, repeat to end

K4, k2tog, repeat to end

K3, k2tog, repeat to end

K2, k2tog, repeat to end

K1, k2tog, repeat to end

k2tog, repeat to end

Cut yarn and thread through remaining stitches to close.

For ears:

CO 8 stitches.

Knit using garter stitch, knit 4 rows
Row 5, k2tog
BO
Sew ears to hat and weave in all ends.

I am sure there are similar patterns out there, but this one I can actually claim as my own.  Please do not copy and sell the pattern as I am sharing it for free.  Please do not mass produce and sell the item this pattern creates.  Thanks!

Slouchy Hat

I love the look of slouchy hats, but was never sure if they would look right on me.  I decided I could always make one, and if it did not look good on me, then I could give it away as a gift!  Well, it turns out that I like this particular one on me.  I am sharing the link below on where you can get the pattern for free, but I made just a few small changes on mine.  My yarn is a lot thinner, so make sure you are doing a sample swatch (gauging) before you begin.  This particular hat is supposed to have a picot edge, but I never sewed it up, as I liked the hat better this way.  I added two more views below, the best I could get on my own anyway,  I hope you like it!

Slouchy Hat

Tofu Panang

I don't know where my love of Thai food came from...  Maybe it was because I never tried it until I was in my 20's (man was I missing out).  Maybe it was because I was not exposed to the amazing flavors and textures that Thai food has as a kid, so I was a little afraid of it.  Maybe it was because when I heard the word "curry," I assumed it was going to be overly spicy and burn my tongue off.  Man oh man am I glad I gave it a try because it turns out, I have a crazy love for Thai food.  I have been eating Thai food for only about 10 years now, and up to the last few years, it was just occasionally, and always take out/delivery.

I get serious cravings for this stuff.  I love the curries, noodles, spring rolls, soups...  And as hard as I thought it would be to make, I find myself easily throwing together a Thai dish in no time!  Once you have a few staple ingredients in your pantry and/or fridge, you can whip up a fully flavorful Thai dish in no time, no delivery required!

I always have a couple of can of coconut milk in the pantry, along with curry paste and fish sauce in the fridge, which I use for other recipes.  I used brown sugar since I did not have palm sugar, and just happened to have some lemongrass in the fridge from another recipe I made a few days ago.  I chose tofu for this particular recipe (you can use chicken or shrimp) because my husband is out of town, and my daughter is not really a meat eater yet.  She does however like tofu, as do I, and I happened to have some in the fridge.  I really hope you give this recipe a try and love it as much as I do!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp coconut oil (or you can use canola oil), divided
2 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly at an angle
1 green bell pepper, seeds removed and cut into bite size pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and cut into bite size pieces
1/2 large onion cut into larger chunks
2 stalks of lemongrass, peeled and cut in half at an angle
1 package extra firm tofu, cut into bit size cubes (this would also work with chicken breast or shrimp)
2 heaping tbsp. red curry paste (you want the one that has lemongrass, thai basil, and
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. ground dry roasted peanuts (smash them till they are like a powder)
1 can coconut milk
1 tomato cut into bite size pieces
1 tbsp brown sugar
1.5 tbsp fish sauce or more to taste

Directions:
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet on medium high heat.  Add carrots, peppers, onion, and lemongrass.  Cook until veggies are almost softened (you still want a little crunch), about 3 or 4 minutes.  Remove veggies from wok and set aside.  Add the remaining oil and the cubed tofu and cook until slightly browned.  Be careful turning as the tofu can break apart easily.  Add the red curry paste to the wok, along with the coriander, cumin, and ground peanuts.  Stir around for a minute, then add the coconut milk.  Add veggies back to wok, tomato, fish sauce, and brown sugar, and stir to combine.  Turn heat down to medium and let simmer for a few minutes to combine flavors.  Serve as is or over rice.

Cup Cozies!

I have mentioned before that I always have a little yarn lying around.  These cup cozies are great for using up extra yarn, and take no time at all to complete.  You can so all kinds of designs, or keep it super simple.  I like that I can carry one around n my purse, and use it whenever we get a coffee while we are out, or on a cup @ home!  My next one will probably be for a coffee cup with a handle, and I will make sure to post pics.

Here are a few that I have already completed, and there are definitely more to come!  I got these patterns off Ravelry.com, but I am sure there are tons of free patterns on other sites as well!  As with everything I knit, feel free to make your own, or you can contact me and I will gladly take donations for time and yarn, if you would like 1 or more!

Salt and Vinegar Kale Chips

This is an amazing recipe, and so easy!  I have so many friends that also make this, and most have a kale obsession!  Some do it a little differently, some the same.  You can make all kinds of flavor variations, and believe it or not, it is one of my daughter's favorite things to eat.  You can add chili powder, taco seasoning, or leave the plain with just a little sea salt.  Here is my variation of salt and vinegar kale chips.  They come out crispy and delicious every time!

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale, stems removed, chopped into larger pieces, rinsed, and dried
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
a couple good pinches of kosher salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 225°.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, mix all ingredients.  It is good to use your hands so you can make sure a little of everything gets all over the kale. Spread out the kale on the baking sheets as much as possible.  It may be a little crowded, but try to lay the kale as flat as possible.  Place in oven for 1 to 1.25 hours.  Make sure you occasionally rotate the baking sheets for even cooking.  They are done when they are crispy.  

Here is my daughter enjoying them!  

Cajun Seasoning Mix

In my last post about the shrimp and grits, I forgot to include the recipe for the cajun seasoning!  You can certainly feel free to buy any kind/brand of already mixed cajun spices and that would taste just fine, but lately I have been into making my own seasoning mixes.  This way I can control the amount of salt, and add what I like or exclude what I don't.


This particular mixture I initially made for a cajun spiced turkey I made around Thanksgiving.  It was delicious by the way!  I made a large amount, and kept the rest in an empty seasoning bottle I had lying around.  My husband has been putting it on our grilled chicken almost every week!   I also make my own taco seasoning for the very same reason.  So delicious, and I can control the ingredients!  So here you go! Please enjoy!


Cajun Seasoning


Ingredients:
2.5 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp sweet paprika
1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tbsp dried thyme
1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes (optional)


Makes about a 1/2 cup.  Store in an airtight container.


This picture is not very good as I have been using it for a while, and it's almost gone.  I will make more as soon as we are out, but wanted to at least show you what it looks like.  Enjoy!

Shrimp and Grits w/ Quick Braised Chard

I was looking for something quick and easy to make for dinner one night, and since it was my daughter's birthday week, something that she was a huge fan of (on her small lists of favorites).  Of course since she is 2, she is a super picky eater.  She does not eat meat or seafood very often, but I can usually get her to eat shrimp.  She is also an amazing breakfast eater, so I thought grits would be good too!  Shrimp and grits, here we come!  We added swiss chard as we happened to have it, and thought it very much fit in with the southern, comfort food dish.

For the shrimp, I added my own homemade cajun seasoning, which I will include the recipe for.  I always try to buy wild caught shrimp vs. the farm raised, but I understand this can sometime be expensive.  I usually look for a good deal and go with that.  When buying grits, be sure to get the non quick cooking kind which may be labeled as polenta.  It's basically the same thing, but they do take a little longer, but have a better texture and taste much better!  Plus, if you are later wanting to make polenta, you are all set!  For the quick braised chard, you can also use kale.  Kale or swiss chard is made almost weekly in my house and there are never any leftovers.

Grits Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
2 cups water
pinch of salt
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup course ground grits/polenta
1cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, add milk, water, salt, and butter and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, whisk in the  polenta.  Bring heat down to medium low and make sure to whisk every few minutes to prevent clumping.  Also keep a lid handy as the grits will bubble and pop, causing some splatter.  Can keep the lid a little ajar, but will help with getting popped.  Cook for 20 - 25 minutes.  Add cheddar cheese and mix until melted.  Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Shrimp Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
1 tbsp. cajun seasoning

Directions:
Heat a non stick skillet to medium high heat.  Season shrimp with olive oil and cajun seasoning in a bowl.  Add to hot skillet and cook until pick and cooked through (about 4 - 5 minutes).  Serve atop grits.  Enjoy!

Kale Recipe

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 large onion diced

1 large clove of garlic, minced
2 bunches swiss chard rinsed and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
a couple of dashes of hot sauce
1/2 cup chicken or veggie stock
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Heat a large pot or dutch oven to medium high heat.  Add olive oil and once hot, add onions.  Cook until they have started to soften, and add garlic.  Cook another minute, then add swiss chard.  Cook chard until it has started to wilt, about a minute or two.  Add remaining ingredients, mix well, cover with a lid, and reduce heat to medium.  Cook for 15 - 20 minutes till greens are soft and the liquid has evaporated.  Serves 4 as a side dish.

I'm Back!!!

I sincerely apologize for being away for so long!  There have been a lot of things going on at home, with the holidays, my daughters birthday, and a friend who is homeless, who we have been helping out, again...  Ahh, life's drama!  I tell you, I love being able to help out a friend in need, and I was the one who said we should do it, but it is really hard when that friend has no job, no money, no car, not the same cleanliness standards, and is with you for an unknown amount of time.  Feels good to vent a little!

I did get a little traveling in to visit my sister and her husband and kids, which was a lot of fun!  I may not have been posting (shame on me!), but have still been cooking and knitting like a fool!  There will be a post this afternoon/evening, and more coming!  Now that things are settled down some, I will be posting again more frequently.  Thanks for those that are reading regularly, and for being so supportive!  Please keep reading, cooking, and creating!  xoxo