Cricket in a Biscuit

Startitis, like the cold, must have been going around this week! I cast on three new projects, all cowls, but all very different. The first was, Fear of Commitment , a chunky knit which can be styled in a variety of ways. Taking a "Selfish Saturday," I added stops at Caribou Coffee and JoAnn Fabrics to my usual errand run. I got the yarn, Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Tweed in Oatmeal, and buttons for the Fear of Commitment Cowl. Two buttons, one large art button and one toggle, tied together with stretchy cord act a shawl pin used to style the cowl. I started the cowl the same afternoon, and finished it late Saturday night. While I knit, Darren and I watched the new, Magnificent 7 — another selfish Saturday splurge. A fan of the classic, I had misgivings about a remake, but it was great! We enjoyed it very much. Darren said I have redeemed myself. The last movie I bought, Bone Tomahawk, was awful. Sadly so, because it had definite potential. The dialog was ...

"Don't use your head, and the whole body usually suffers." "Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part." Two quotes, the first from my grandpa, the second from a high school teacher, which convey the same message; it is incumbent on you to think things through and plan ahead. Failure to do so will result in consequences which are yours to handle. The paradigm shifts, however, when you are married and/or have kids. Poor planning on the part of one — or both — can have implications with a broader reach. We were hit with a pretty big snowstorm on Friday, 17.2 inches before 3 o'clock in the afternoon. It was not a surprise storm — we had several days warning, but still we were unprepared, and there were consequences. Fortunately, none were serious, and we learned some good lessons. First lesson: When a storm is coming, move the vehicles off the street before there is a foot of wet, heavy snow on the ground. Maybe even pu...

Sometimes life gets busy, and my to-do list really begins to weigh me down. When that happens, my tendency is to lengthen the list even further by adding craft projects. I retreat from the things I have to do and settle in with what I'd rather do. Whenever I have a prolific craft week, is is safe to assume it is the result of procrastination at its finest. One thing I could not put off was cooking more pumpkin. When it is time, it is time, so we made another run at the pumpkin patch pie. This time, I kept things nice and simple, and we were pleased with the results.  Roast Pumpkin Dessert Small pie pumpkin(s) 2 large apples (honeycrisp or Braeburn are good) 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp cinnamon  Pinch of nutmeg Wash small pie pumpkin(s), cut off the top and remove the seeds. Peel and slice apples, toss with sugar and spices. Spoon the apple mixture into the pumpkin, replace the lid and bake at 350° F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until pumpkin ...

This teriyaki flavored noodle dish was a spontaneous creation resulting from a total change in direction in the middle of the dinner-making process. It went over really well, so I thought I would pass it on. Given the size of my family, one would think it essential for me to be super organized with meals. Sometimes I do plan ahead, especially for dishes requiring special ingredients. However, most days go more like this. Around lunch time, I pull something from the freezer and throw it in water with the fervent hope it will be thawed before I need to start cooking. I let ideas percolate in the back of my mind, and, by three o'clock, usually have a pretty good idea of what I'm going to make. At four o'clock, I start cooking and we eat sometime after five. The night I made this, I had taken out a pack of chicken breasts, the big split ones with the skin and bones, because they were on sale. I was pretty set on making Alfredo. The plan was to use two of the breasts in ...

On the heels of my root beer adventure , there was a jar of ginger bug on my hands awaiting a purpose. It just so happened, about that time, my mom dropped off some cranberries. Straight-up cranberry pop did not seem at all appealing, so I started experimenting with ways to take things up a notch. I got lucky, and the very first batch turned out great! The only problem was, I had just winged it and didn’t remember enough of the specifics to share. This second batch, I paid closer attention to what I was doing, and here you have the recipe for what Darren has dubbed, Christmas Ale. 4 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen 1 orange, zest and squeeze 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise 2 quarts water 1 ½ cups raw cane sugar 1 cup ginger bug Learn how to make a ginger bug here . In a large pan add cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla bean. Boil gently until the cranberries are exploded and mushy. Strain the liquid into a large bowl. I use m...

**Updated: when initially posted, this recipe called for 6 cups of flour. I have since tried it with 6 1/2, and the dough is much easier to handle.**     I never thought I would see the day when I would consider bread a huge expense, yet it has arrived. The kids are eating more all the time, which means far less left over after supper. With nothing in the refrigerator to bring to work, Darren has to fall back on the ol' two sandwich option. Lunch in our house has become a 12-slice a day affair. I've been buying bread four loaves at a time! They last almost a week. Then a lady in my spinning group posted this video: Normally, I would have scrolled on by, but spending right a round $50 per month — on bread , can get a person thinking it might be worth the few minutes spent watching. Plus, it's a solid group of gals, I spin with. Most of them are also foodies, and I trust their judgement. It worked out that Darren and I made a rare trip to the mall shortly a...