Cool, huh?  Alex turned 8 this week and even though he had a Mario-themed cake last year, he requested at the very last minute that I make him a Bob-omb cake this year.  I knocked it out in a couple of hours and he was thrilled with how it turned out.

See, this year he didn’t want a big party so I hadn’t planned to bake a cake.  Instead, he asked if we would take him down to Austin so that he could visit the capitol building, do the Bat Cruise, and eat at Stubb’s BBQ.  I thought we’d just grab a cake or cupcakes while we were there, but when his actual birthday arrived on Monday, I could tell he was in need of a cake.  When I offered to make one and he suggested Bob-omb, I was relieved.  Very little detail, easy-to-cover-in-fondant shape….I’m cool with that.

So…hello, Bob-omb and happy birthday to my big ol’ 8 year old!

Each week we gather in the evening after kids are tucked in bed and we knit.  We share our stories from the week, our frustrations in life, we discuss movies and tv shows, we knit, and we laugh.  A lot.

This week, we decided to try something a little bit different.  We thought that we would try our hands at dying our own yarn.  I used my crock pot and they brought over their big stock pots.  Using Wilton food coloring as our dye and a splash of vinegar, we set to work.  Unfortunately, both of my camera batteries were dead so my photo documentation of the evening is sorely missed.

The next morning, I hung my dripping wet yarn on the line and admired my handiwork.

I’m not normally a fan of such light colors, but I think that this colorway is just lovely if I do say so myself.  And in case you’re curious which Wilton colors I used to achieve this combo…I used black and a teeny bit of violet.  See, when I added the black color, it immediately separated into a gorgeous blue and purple blend, but the purple was a tad light for my taste.  I mixed up a little violet and poured it in 3 spots.  Turned out kinda nice, don’t you think?  I think I’ll name it….um….wow.  I’m not cut out to name yarns.  It makes me think of the sky just before a really good spring storm, though.  “Calm Before The Storm” or um….”Bruised Sky” or….yeah, I’m not so clever this morning. Forgive me.

Problem is, I’m uninspired in my knitting at the moment.  I’m still a very slow knitter and I seem to find less and less time on my hands as each day passes.  So, what I want to do with this yarn is pass it on to one of you guys.  Whether you knit or crochet or just want to use it for kid crafts, I want it to find a loving home.

You know what that means!  It’s time for a giveaway.

To enter: Leave a single comment telling me either what the yarn should be named or how you feel about spring storms.  See, I love them.  A lot.  I’ve always secretly wanted to be storm chaser.  But…back to the giveaway….

Leave your comment before 12 pm CST on Monday, March 15 and I’ll randomly select a winner soon after.

If you want an extra entry or two, link to this page on Twitter and/or Facebook and leave a separate comment linking to each one.

Thank you and good luck!

A little info on the yarn:  I know very little about dying yarn.  This was more experimental than anything, so I cannot promise perfection.  I can only promise that it’s yarn.  220 yards of100% Peruvian Wool dyed in a crock pot using Wilton food coloring and vinegar.  No scary chemicals.  Hand wash separately  in cool water and hang  to dry.

WINNER:  Congratulations, Leigh!  Email me and I’ll get the yarn to you.

As far as the name, you guys had some awesome suggestions!  I think I’ll go with Impending Storm for this batch, but might just use the other names for inspiration for other colors as I keep dying. Thank you all!

This afternoon, I grabbed this scarf from my scarf collection.

It was a favorite when I purchased it months ago, but it really washed me out and was a little bulkier than I cared for.  It’s been hanging unloved for too long, so the Recon-a-Thon was the perfect opportunity for it to be transformed into something that would get worn and loved.

I used my halter top pattern and got busy.  It was very sheer, so I lined it with muslin.

Now Elliott has a fun little hippie halter dress ready for spring!  She refuses to take it off now because it ‘makes me dance so pwetty!’.  Just add sunshine!

So…what do you think?

Growing up, one of my very favorite things for my mother to cook with dinner was fried eggplant.  It wasn’t something we ate often, so I was always thrilled when I spotted a beautiful eggplant sitting in the fridge after a trip to the grocery store.  To me, it’s the coolest looking produce in the market.  The shape, the color, the size…love it.

It’s has lots to offer nutritionally, as well.  Did you know:

• Eggplant is low in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol?
• Eggplant is high in dietary fiber, folate, potassium, manganese, vitamin C, vitamin K, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus and copper?

It’s good for you.  But I’m going to change that.  Because I grew up country-fried and it’s what I do.

So…

Grab a skillet and put enough oil in it to cover the bottom.  Heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Select a beautiful eggplant and lop of the ends like this:

Then cut it in half.

Slice it into 1/4″ slices.

Coat each slice in a flour, salt & pepper mixture.

Dip in milk.  Or evaporated milk.  Or buttermilk.

And dip in flour again.

When your oil is hot and ready to go, lay your slices in there.  Cook each side until they reach a deep golden brown or whatever level of doneness that appeals to you.

Drain them on a plate covered with a paper towel.

And the special ingredient??

Sugar.

Lightly sprinkle them with sugar while they’re still hot.  Trust me.  It’s worth it.

The whole family loves them and while it may not be the healthiest way to serve eggplant, it’s a way to get them in kids’ tummies. Yummy comfort food.

I’m curious, though….how do you prepare eggplant?

Like

Unlike

It’s old school.  It’s country.  It’s delicious.

It was a staple on my grandmother’s table.  Rarely did I eat a meal at my grandmother’s house that she didn’t have dodger bread hot and slathered in butter.  My mom carried on the dodger bread tradition at our family table each time she’d cook a pot of beans.  Or turnip greens.  Or a roast.

It’s not a pretty food.  It’s not a fancy one, either.  But it’s the perfect accessory to any chilly-day meal and satisfies like nothing else.  You bake it until it’s hard and crunchy, then smear butter on it while it’s still piping hot.  Use it to sop up the juice from your beans.  Pile some greens on a piece and scarf it down.  It’s comfort in its truest form.

I’m sad, though, that it’s such a dying tradition.  I can mention dodger bread in a crowded room and nobody knows what I mean.  This is a delicious, simple food that needs to be widespread and carried on.  Help me bring it back to life!

Dodger Bread

2 cups cornmeal

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tblsp sugar

Boiling water (I boil about 3 cups to be on the safe side)

1 tblsp oil

Pour 2 cups of cornmeal into a medium mixing bowl (Nevermind my large one in the pictures.  Unnecessary.).

Add salt, baking powder and sugar.

Now, you’ve boiled a few cups of water, but we’re going to start by pouring in 1 1/2 cups of it.  I added a tad bit more to achieve this paste-like consistency.

Add your oil.

Mix well and spread on a cookie sheet*.  I use my oldest, ugliest one covered in foil because dodger bread bakes at high temperatures.  In fact, if I’m in a hurry, I’ll crank it up to 500 degrees, but that’s not necessary if you allow plenty of time.  Don’t forget to spray your pan or foil! (I did forget while I was taking these pictures.  I lived to regret it.)

Stick it in a 425 degree oven and set your timer for 30 minutes.  I like mine nice and crunchy with a little bit of softer bread toward the center, so I bake until the edges are nice and brown.  That’s the magic behind it, you see.  Get it almost brutally crunchy, then soften it with the juices from your meal.  Man, it’s magic on a cold day!

Make dodger bread a family tradition in your household.  Your kids will beg for it when they’re coming home from college one day.  I promise.

*You can also pat a little bit of the dough into greased muffin cups.

Try it and let me know what you think!

Find this recipe on Tasty Kitchen!

Like

Unlike

Since I’ve been ‘gone’, I have learned how to knit and am really enjoying making scarves for family and friends.  I’ve discovered the joys of really luxurious yarn, the fun of trying different types of needles, the friendship of my local knitting group and the satisfaction that comes with completing a knitting project.

I’ll start with sharing photos and then get to the fun of the giveaway!

This is Elliott’s scarf.  When she saw me knitting scarves for gifts, she decided she needed one, too.  This bamboo yarn is so pretty and soft that I cranked this baby out in just a couple of hours.

This next was started out to be a scarf for yours truly, but I quickly discovered that I hadn’t ordered nearly enough yarn, so it was turned into a shrug for my girl.

This blue one is for my step-daughter.  She hasn’t seen it yet, but I hope she’ll love it.  When I found that blue yarn, I knew it had to be hers. (Elliott had to model it. )

And then there is my true love that I finished this morning. This yarn just couldn’t be more ‘me’ if it tried.

Now…

Would you like a scarf?  Would ya? Are you sure?

Good.

I’m giving away a very simple but lovely wool scarf in fun fall colors!  It can be yours!

To enter: Leave a comment telling me what you would like to see in the future on my site or what you would like to see changed on my blog.  It’s that easy!  Tell your friends!  Tell your neighbors!  Tell your dog!

Contest will close Wednesday, October 7th at 5pm central time and the winner will be announced soon after.  Please be sure to leave a way for me to contact you in case you win!

We have a winner!  I used random.org to choose a number from the entries I received before time was up and our winner was comment #4….Amelia!!

Thank you all so much for you input!  It was really fun and interesting to hear your thoughts on my blog and I will work on these ideas.  Keep your eye out for another giveaway coming up soon!

Like

Unlike

It’s a white vodka cream sauce with sauteed asparagus and mushrooms.  It’s so delicious served over a good cheese-filled ravioli but will make any pasta be proud to be seen with it.

Go try it.  Now, please.  Recipe is here.

And yesterday, Elliott and I were dozing in and out at nap time and I had this idea.  I felt like I needed to hurry to the kitchen and combine my favorite pie crust recipe and the delicious fudge filling from my Fudge Puddles recipe.

This is the result:

Absolutely heavenly little bite-sized fudge pies.  I call them….Mini Mud Pies.  Stick a pecan or some toasted coconut on top and WOW.  Yum.  Recipe is here.

I found this Maya Peasant Dress pattern on Etsy and knew it was the one!  I’m thrilled with how it turned out and Elliott…well, let’s just say I was lucky to get it off her her long enough to wash it!

So here is her 1960s kitchen curtain dress in all it’s mushroomy glory!

Like

Unlike

So I have a new favorite cookie.  And it’s awesome.  I think I’ve eaten approximately 19 of them this morning and I see no end in sight. Please make them and eat as many as I have.

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup  butter, softened

3/4 c  brown sugar

1/4 c  white sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c  flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp  baking soda

1/4 cup boiling water

2 cups  quick oats

1 1/4 cup  white chocolate chips

1/2 or 3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350.

Put water on to boil.

Mix butter, brown & white sugars and vanilla thorougly.  Add in flour and salt.  Mix.

Dissolve baking soda in boiling water and mix into dough.

Mix in oats, white chocolate and cranberries.

The dough will be thick and not gooey.  Form into 1 1/2″ balls and put on lightly greased cookie sheet (I prefer to use parchment paper).

Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Gorge yourself.

(P.S.  These are excellent with a hot cup of Tension Tamer tea from Celestial Seasonings!

Like

Unlike

They came with knobs on the drawers but I forgot to take pictures of them before I popped the knobs off with a little screwdriver.

They stand about 7″ high and I thought they’d be great for the kids to have in their rooms.  Alex is the king of tiny treasures and Elliott has way too many hair clips and girly goodies that need homes.

With some paint, scrapbook paper and Mod Podge, I set to work.  I painted the first one a lovely shade of olive green for Mr. Alex. I wanted his to be a bit ‘worn’ looking so I let the wood show through the paint a bit.

I chose this lovely set of papers and I want to wallpaper my bedroom in them.  I’m in love!

I carefully measured each flat surface and cut the paper to fit.

Then, I painted a thin coat of Mod Podge onto the painted surface and carefully laid the paper on top.  I used my fingers to smooth out air bubbles and then poked the stubborn ones with a straight pin.  Then it was time to paint a thicker layer of the Mod Podge over the surface of the paper.

I did this on the top and sides of the chest and the front panels of the little drawers.

Meanwhile, I was keeping Elliott busy with some watercolors.  Please pardon her crazy just-woke-up hair.  Oh, those curls are lovely when they’re fixed and just chaos when they’re not!

After the whole thing was dry, I put the drawers back and their slots and smiled proudly……but only until I realized that something pretty crucial was missing.

Knobs!  It needs its knobs back!

Ah yes.  Much better.

Love it.  Mucho.

And now if you’ll excuse me, I have this…

and this….

to tend to.  Have a lovely day!

Like

Unlike