Not much of a post tonight I'm afraid. I've been up to my eyeballs in towels and bags today.  Don't get me wrong.  It was a good thing.  Getting things done for the shop is a very good thing!  But after concentrating on things all day, it's time for bed.  I just can't think anymore. =) Hopefully I can wind down enough to sleep---and not dream about towels and bags!  Night all!

Cobalt yarn And Answered Prayers

Does it count as a post if I just write a one-liner saying I'm too tired to post?  Well you can't blame a girl for tryin'!  Seriously, I really really would rather be in bed right now.  But I will rise to my challenge of a post a day for this month!

Does God answer your prayers?  I'm not talking about the big, important things in our lives that we pray for and about.  What I'm referring to here are those little inconsequential-to-the-running-of-the-world kind of things that happen in our common days.  I don't know about you, but God answers a lot of these kinds of prayers for me.  A Lot.  Most of the time it's when I can't find something or am having trouble fixing something, etc.  Let me give you an example.  Last night I got itching to wind up the hank of hand-dyed lace weight merino yarn I recently purchased.  When you buy hand-dyed or "gourmet" yarn, most of the time they come in a hank and have to be wound into a ball before you can use them.  Since I am new to the world of specialty yarn, this also means I am new to hanks, which also means I am new at winding them.  The last hank of yarn I wound turned into a tangled mess and I sat for hours straightening it out.  I did not want that to happen with this one!  So I did what I do when I want to find something out:  I Googled it.  It's really amazing what you can find with Google!  Lo and behold, there were instructions on how to wind a hank of yarn into a ball.  =)  So last night I got out my new hank of cobalt yarn, draped it over a chair back as instructed and cut the string that held the whole thing together.  There was excitement in the air as I anticipated all this lovely blue yarn (1000 yards of it!) in a nicely wound ball.  Ha!  It only took a few minutes and I could see that it was starting to get tangled again.  This was very frustrating!!  I followed instructions!  This was not supposed to happen!  I went back and looked at the instructions again to see if perchance I had missed a step.  No, I had done what I was supposed to do.  I went a little farther, attempting to untangle and wind at the same time and getting more and more frustrated.  The last hank of yarn I did was only 550 yards and it took me probably 6 hours total to get it wound.  This hank was 1000 yards!  Do the math!  It was NOT going to be pretty!  So, as I usually do when I start feeling desperate, I started praying. (Just to clarify: I do pray when I'm not desperate too! lol)  And what do you know?  The yarn broke........ Oy me! Not the answer I was looking for!  So there I was with a tiny ball of yarn in one hand and this big ol' hank of yarn over the back of my dining room chair.  Great!  Not only was my yarn not wound into a nice neat ball, but I didn't even know where the end was.  Talk about desperation!  I very carefully lifted the hank of yarn off the chair and turned it round in my hands, praying that somehow I would see an end somewhere in that cloud of gorgeous blue.  I confess I didn't have a lot of hope.  Did I mention this is lace weight yarn?  For comparison, regular worsted weight yarn has about 200 yards in 4 ounces.  This yarn has 1000 yards in 4 ounces.  Take my word for it, it's fine yarn!  Much more easily tangled, much less easy to see a lost end.  So I wasn't feeling so hopeful about finding the missing end.  But I kept turning the circle of yarn slowly around, trying to not tangle the threads any more than they already were.  And suddenly, there it was!  I could hardly believe my eyes!  Talk about relief!  Of course, finding the end was only half the battle.  I still had to somehow get that yarn into a ball without a tangled mess.  So once again I draped the hank over the back of the chair and carefully started unwinding.  At first it was doing the tangle thing again and not unwinding neatly from the hank.  Then, again quite suddenly, it started unwinding neatly--like it's supposed to! I could have jumped for joy---but I didn't because that would have just tangled my yarn again.  lol  I now have a nice neat little ball of yarn (I say little, because it's not all wound yet.  That much yarn just takes some time!), as well as a thankful heart.  Whew!  Aren't you glad God cares about the little (albeit desperate) moments in our lives?  I am so amazed that He takes the time to care about them.  I mean, compared to His greatness, even the biggest problems in our world are small things.  And yet, He stoops to pay attention to my hank of cobalt yarn, and help me wind it into a ball.  Who wouldn't want to have a relationship with a God like that?

Pink Fairys

It seemed like it would never happen, but it did.  Finally.  I'm talking about Spring!  Spring has finally gotten here!  It's such a relief to have longer days and warmer weather.  And the flowers have started!  But what I really love about Spring are the trees.  There is that day every year when you finally can see a faint green haze all along the branches (or red haze for some trees).  Where there are a lot of trees together it looks almost like a green mist or smoke. That Spring Green color is the most beautiful green of all, because it lets you know that Yes! the trees are still alive and Spring is finally here.  However, here in the Piedmont of North Carolina, there is something else that happens before the trees start wearing their green.  Have you seen it?  If you haven't, you really, really should.  It's the Redbuds.  Before moving here I had only seen a couple Redbud trees.  They are not really plentiful up North.  My grandma had one in her yard and she loved looking out at it every year.  But really, they are few and far between in the colder climes.  But here......Here in Central NC they are everywhere.  They grow wild all through the woods and along the roads, not just as cultivated trees in peoples' yards like the apple and cherry.  So at this moment in Spring when the woods are still pretty bare of green leaves, the wild redbud trees put on their show.  And is it ever a beauty.  Those poignant pink buds on their petite trees all through the bare gray woods---rather like fairy sprites all dressed in their best pink dresses dancing through the forest.  So lovely.  Everywhere you go, there they are, in the most unexpected and unlike places, flitting in and out.  At this time of year I don't mind the long drive to and from church because I get to see the fairys dancing.  =)  Their beauty doesn't last nearly long enough, but I suppose that is what makes it so special every year.  So Spring has sprung.  The pear trees are nearly finished blooming, and very soon there will be the Spring Green haze on the trees---as well as azaleas everywhere (another fine treat to see).  But in the meantime, I love those pink fairy dresses.

Lazy

Well I see that I am settling into a nice routine of blogging once a month. lol  I have no good reasons for why there have been no posts.  None at all.  Honestly, I just haven't felt like it.  Is that good enough reason?  It's not that I've been so busy I haven't even thought about rambling.  I think about it pretty much every day.  But every time I think about it it just seems like too much work.  Must be getting lazy in my old age!  =)  Actually, in the last week or so I haven't even checked Facebook much.  That is epic!  I usually catch up every day.  I think I just needed to get unplugged for a little while.  There was a time when coming unplugged seemed like a major disaster.  But lately.....not so much.  Am I getting old?! lol  Oh stop worrying!  I'm not going off to be a hermit with no phone or internet or indoor plumbing!  There are just some days when I need to savor the quiet.  Several friends have commented on the lack of blogging and Facebook activity, so I guess it's time to plug back in.  =)  I am blessed to have friends who read my ramblings.

So what have I been up to?  Mostly just everyday life.  Not too much excitement.  However, last month I went to my first Ladies' Retreat with the gals from church.  Retreat is held every year about this time, over in a conference center in Western North Carolina.  I had never gotten to go until now.  We had a great time.  No.  It.Was.A.Blast.!  A weekend filled with laughter and music and learning and worship.  And all women! How fun is that?  I can't say enough about our speaker Carol Shust.  If you ever get a chance to go hear her, take it!  She was amazing.  A true woman of God with a heart for others.  As for me, I only had a couple meltdowns due to the continuous presence of other people.  =)  When you live by yourself all the time it makes you just a little crazy when you have to be around people (especially large groups of people) 24/7.  But I had a wonderful time in spite of the meltdowns and am already planning for next year---if my friends can stand it!

This month so far pretty much the most excitement I've had was a trip to Outback Steakhouse with my friends Bob and Charlene.  Yes, I know.  It doesn't take much to rock my world.  We had a yummy dinner followed by an excursion to Walmart for ice cream where we laughed like fools in the ice cream aisle.  I love spending time with them because not only do they let me act silly, they act silly right along with me! lol  (That's not the only reason I like them, but it's one for sure!) 

So.  Shall I do another challenge?  Can I blog every day through the end of April?  I'm hesitant because my yard is getting ready to explode on me.......But I'll give it whirl.  Just don't be too hard on my if I miss a day or two!  =)

Lurking and Cooking

I'm still here.  I just can't seem to get life to slow down enough to allow for blogging!  Well, at least that's the story I'm sticking to.  Between work, viruses, personal issues, and all my other projects, blogging, sad to say, is low on the totem pole. Yes, I know you have noticed this!  Of course, don't infer that by "slow down" I mean that my life is exciting! There is definitely nothing to be envious about here! lol  Just lack of energy on my part, mostly! Sometimes I think it is a curse to have so many interests.  There is just not time (or energy) to do them all properly!  =)  People have asked me what would I do with myself if I didn't have to work a job.  Ha!  Do you have all day?  I have a list as long as Santa Claus's of things I would love to accomplish or participate in.  But that's beside the point.  The point is, I'm still here.  Lurking in the shadows most of the time, true, but still here.  And, I have been cooking while I lurk!  Yes, indeed.  I may not have gotten very far on my goal of more blogging, but I have been keeping up with my recipe adventure.  So far.  It may falter at any point, don'tcha know, but then that's my prerogative.  It is, after all, my project.  Anyway......here are the recipes and my take on them:

Recipe #3 was Breakfast Sausage Roll.   Very easy to make.  I thought it was good, but nothing spectacular.  My co-workers, on the other hand, tore it up (as they say here)!  Not even crumbs left!  Raving about it for days.  Some of them even said they were going to try making it.  That tells you how much they liked it---that they wanted to attempt to make it.  So I think it would rate 5 stars in their book.  Go ahead!  Give it a whirl! I would say it's easy as pie, but really it's easier than that!  =)

Breakfast Sausage Roll 

2 loaves frozen bread dough
1 T vegetable oil
1 lb ground pork sausage
1 lb ground spicy pork sausage
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 (6oz) can mushrooms
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
2 T water

Rub frozen bread dough with vegetable oil, sover and allow to thaw overnight at room temperature (very important! If your dough is cold it will not roll out well!  Don't ask me how I know this....).  Cook sausage until evenly browned. Drain, crumble and set aside.  Roll out one loag of bread and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Layer cooked sausage, green pepper, mushrooms and cheese on top of bread.  Leave 1 inch border at the edges bare.  Roll out second loaf of bread and place over bread and filling.  Enclose filling by pinching edges of both loaves together.  Beat together egg and water.  Brush surface of roll with egg wash.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 min, or until golden brown.

* I made a roll with each loaf (so 2 instead of just 1).  It seemed WAY easier to me to roll out one loaf, top one side with filling and fold the other side over and pinch to seal than to try to lift a slab of bread dough over another and try to get it on just right, without tearing.

* I used the entire pepper, so half on each roll.  Same for the mushrooms---2 cans.  I also sprinkled on some dry minced onion.

* I only used one kind of sausage.  Used the 2 lbs, just not any spicy.

This is really quite versatile.  The ingredients could be changed around multiple ways to make your own custom rolls. 


The other recipe I've tried since I last blogged was a dessert.  This recipe had not officially made it into The Box yet, but it was one I had pulled out of a magazine, so I guess it counts.  =)  It's Pineapple Pretzel Salad.  Now usually I am not a fan of pineapple in things, but I know a lot of people are, so I pulled it.  It seemed easy and a good thing to take to a potluck---recipes I am in need of these days.  In reality, it did not disappoint.  Very good! I even liked it, pineapple and all!  And by my empty dish after our church dinner the other day, I would say my guinea pigs agree.  My church family is so good about trying my new recipes!  So here's the recipe (or receipt, as they used to say).  Definitely a keeper!

Pineapple Pretzel Salad

1 c crushed pretzels
1/2 c sugar
1 stick butter, melted
8oz cream cheese
8 oz Cool Whip
1/2 c sugar
1 larg can crushed pineapple
2 T cornstarch

Mix crushed pretzels, 1/2c sugar and butter; press into 9x13 dish. Bake at 325 for 5 minutes, then cool.  Mix cream cheese, 1/2 c sugar and cool Whip until blended.  Spread on top of pretzel crust.  Drain pineapple and reserve juice.  Heat the juice with the cornstarch until thick.  Add pineapple to thickened juice and spread on top of cream mixture.  Refrigerate until firm.

* I baked my pretzel crust for 10-12 min instead of just 5.  I like my crust to be crunchy!  Besides, it seems such a shame to heat the oven all the way up for just 5 minutes! lol 

* Note that the pineapple mixture will not seem very sweet if you taste it by itself.  Don't worry! The rest of the layers have enough sugar in them to make up for it.

This one really is a winner in my book.  My most winning one to date!  In my opinion anyway.


So happy cooking!  I hope maybe you will also find a recipe or two to add to your "heritage collection" from my adventure.  That's what I'm looking for after all.  Recipes that are good enough to go into the well-used recipe box---the kind that get handed down from one generation to another.  =)

Recipe of the Week

One down, only 248 to go!  Actually I tried 2 new recipes this week, and I really don't know how many are in the box.  I am guessing.  Because couting them one by one is too much work, that's why! lol  So here we are:

Pineapple Limeade
2 c pineapple juice
1/4 c lime juice
1/4 c sugar
3 c sparkling water

Combine first 3 ingredients, add sparkling water just before serving. 

*Not sure what they mean by sparkling water.  Can you get carbonated water that has no flavor or additions?  My first attempt I used club soda----not good, unless you like your drinks very dry!  The second time around I used Sierra Mist (it's what I had on hand) and it was MUCH better.  I would recommend something like ginger ale.

My take:  It was tasty, but just a typical "punch" recipe.  Nothing to see stars over.  =)


Brief Burritos
1 lb ground beef
1 can (16oz) refried beans
1 can (10oz) rotel tomatoes, drained
1/2 c chili sauce
8 flour tortillas, warmed
1/2 c shredded cheddar
1/2 c sour cream

Cook beef until no longer pink; drain.  Stir in refried beans, tomatoes and chili sauce; heat through.  Spoon about 1/2 cup down the center of each tortilla; top with cheese and sour cream. Fold up and serve.

My take:  I liked these!  Very easy---easy enough for me to be able to do it after work even if I had to work the next day.  Don't require much energy and very tasty.  I used ground turkey and you can't even taste it.  My filling was a little more runny than I usually think of for burritos, but it may have been the turkey---or the fact that I didn't realize the tomatoes were supposed to be drained until after I had them in the skillet.....duh!  The filling is quite tomato-ey (not a word, I know!  But you know what I mean, right?), and not real beany, so I'm thinking next time I make it I'll used more beans.  I love beans!  All in all I give it an A+ and plan to put it in the "to make again" category.

So there you have it.  What category should I try next week?  Any suggestions?

Happy Eating!  =)

Another Adventure

For quite some time I have had a yen to cook my way through a cookbook.  But I am hesitant to start something like that and then get bogged down part way through and quit.  I'm super good at starting things, and of course they are exciting in the beginning, but then I stall in the middle somewhere.  Sometimes I do get them finished---maybe much later---but sometimes I don't.  I don't like that!  So I've been hesitant to start a cookbook project and it be yet another adventure I don't complete.  And then there is the question of which cookbook.  I have a lot!  Should it be a regular cookbook like Julie cooked through in Julie and Julia?  Or should it be a cookbook that contains one particular genre of food, like desserts or cookies, etc.?  So much decision making!  The trouble is, most cookbooks have at least a few recipes that do not appeal to me.  I mean, the thought of making Tomato Jello is simply unthinkable!  And what about Bowtie Pasta with Olives and Anchovies?  *shudder*  What would I do when I came to recipes like that?  Would I just cheat and skip those recipes---and live forever with the knowledge that I did not really cook through that cookbook?  Or would I cook them and then just waste the food because I couldn't stand it?  Neither option appeals to me.  Then the other day it came to me---a lightbulb moment.  Or maybe I should say "candle" moment in my case, as  my excited ideas are sometimes quick to blow out!  Anyway, a light came on.  I have in my possession a photo box (you know those pretty boxes they sell in the craft stores that look kind of like shoe boxes) crammed full of recipes that I have collected over the years.  One year when I was off work for a few months I sat down with all these recipes that I'd pulled out of magazines and glued them all nice-like to cards made from printed cardstock.  I even organized them like a recipe box.  It's really quite pretty.  Have never done much with it, but it's pretty. lol  Mind you this is by no means a complete collection!  I have recipes everywhere!  I have little piles of them stashed all through my house.  I do this on purpose so that if my house is raided I'll still be sure to be left with a little pile of recipes! lol  I couldn't cook all the recipes I have in two lifetimes if I cooked 24/7!  But I consider it a cheap hobby, and once in a while you find something that's a real keeper.  I save them all with the hope that one day I will miraculously have more time than I know what to do with!  Ha!  Anyway, back to the box.  Here I have probably 200 recipes that have all been hand-selected by me.  What better collection to cook through than this one??  No recipes to cheat over, none to make me shudder.  Problem solved!  Now if I really could get a FedEx delivery of time......hmmm.  So I have 2 recipes sitting out to try.  I don't know if I'll get all of them tried or not.  I probably can only do 1 new recipe in a week, maybe 2.  At that rate it will take me about 4 years to get finished!  Can I keep up with a project that long?  I doubt it, but it's a place to start.  I think I will just pick a random recipe from a random category each week---rather than cook through Candy then Casseroles then Dessert, etc.  I will try to post about the recipes I try--good or bad.   I may or may not post pictures.  I am NOT a food blogger!  Don't have anywhere near the patience for that!  When I cook, I cook.  And if you're here you can see all the steps and if you're not.......well you're just outta luck! lol  So here's to another adventure.  We'll see how long it lasts.  But at least there will be no Tomato Jello.........=)