Happiness on a Stick

I knit on a sweater all winter.  I challenged myself to knit another Aran Staghorn sweater.  I started in November and knit and knit and knit.  I didn't  "love" the sweater, but I knit just the same....it took forever.  Maybe I should name it the "Forever Sweater".  I finally finished last week and it is pinned down to my mother's spare bedroom floor as we speak.  I am not sure why I wasn't loving it.  It will be warm and I can wear it out and about when I take walks and such.  I think I was wanting a cardigan.  I will share a picture soon.

As I was finishing the sweater on worsted weight and size 8 needles, I longed for a small needle project.  As soon as I finished I cast on for the two at at time socks on size 1.  A big difference.  I bought this yarn at a fiber festival in southern Indiana last fall.  It is brighter and prettier in person.  It is a little happiness on a stick.  

Also, I get to go spin more of the Polwarth wool tomorrow.....looking forward to it very much.

Ombre.

 

M's new look.

Chicky Pie

Start this pie with your favorite crust.  In a medium sauce pan I heat 1/3 C. butter over medium heat  and stir in some diced onions (1/3 C.) and let them cook for a little bit, keeping a watchful eye that the butter doesn't burn.  Then add 1/3 C. flour, 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper.  Stir constantly until it get's bubbly.  Then remove from heat, whisk in the broth and milk (I love this part).  Put heat to it again til it boils and let it boil for about a minute.
Then stir in 2 and 1/2 to 3 C. cooked shredded chicken and thawed frozen mixed organic veggies(about 10 ounces or so).  
Turn this mixture into a crust lined pan of your choosing and seal the top crust to it with a bit of water around the edge.  Apply some slits in the top crusts.  Bake at 425° for 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. 

 

 

I failed to get a picture of the finished product, but it was pretty and we gobbled it right up.

A Tasty Cake

My daughter picked up this book at the library.  It is a history of how we cook and eat.  It is quite interesting.  One thing that caught our interest and kept us reading was that fact that most of the world measures out their flour, when cooking, by weight and not by volume.   A snippet follows:

  "A cup of something is not just a cup.  Experiments have shown that a cup of flour may vary in weight from 4 to 6 ounces, just by changing the degree to which the flour is sifted and airy or tamped down.  This makes the difference between a cake that works and one that doesn't; better batter that is far too thick and batter that is watery and thin.  Let's assume that the recipe writer wants you to use a "cup" of flour that corresponds to 4 ounces, but you instead measure one that comes in at 6 ounces.  You will end up with one and a half times the flour required:  a huge inbalance." 

So it is with this information that I made a cake from scratch.  I haven't used a store bought cake mix in eons it seems.  I was really wanting a cake.  So I hopped on over to my favorite baking site.  King Arthur Flour  gives recipes in weight and volume.  Just click which one you want.  I had often admired the looks of the Classic Yellow Cake with Fudge Frosting, so I decided I would make it and use the scale to measure out the flour.   I followed the recipe exactly, even buying the pricey almond extract.  I used just a bump less than 1/4 tsp.  I used vanilla yogurt.  I didn't use the espresso powder for the frosting since it was optional.  It calls for at least a 2 inch deep cake pan, which I didn't have, so I think that is why it kind of sank in the middle after all was said and done and the next time I think I will use the springform pan.  It's sides are higher.

It was moist and delicious. It is officially my 'go-to' cake.  I think you should give it a try.  I don't think you will be disappointed.