Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays to all out there and Merry Christmas to those who celebrate that very Holiday.


Here is to hoping that everybody whether celebrating or not, with or without family has a wonderful relaxing time.


Cheers!

Quick Nibble - Take One

Want a superfast quick nibble from items in your pantry?

Try Baked Spicy Chickpeas with Thyme - so easy it does not even count as a recipe...

1 can a chickpeas (drained and dried)
2 tbs of oil (any veggie oil will do)
2 tsp of Thyme
good pinch of crushed peppers
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt (and a good pinch to sprinkle over ones baked but this is optional if you are concerned about salt in-take)
1 tbs of flour

Mix all ingredients and distribute in single layer on baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven @ 400 F for 20 -25 minutes, turning ones (time may vary due to oven - mine are perfectly crunchy @ 21 mins). Take out and immediately sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt.
Enjoy!

Future colour inspiration...

Visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Friend and I went to see Stieglitz and His Artists: Matisse to O'Keeffe yesterday and I highly recommend this exhibition.

Stieglitz was not only a master photographer but also a fierce supporter of American and European modernists when they were not popular or the latter even known state-side. The exhibition shows a wide range of pieces from his collection plus some photography of his.
I enjoyed the way of presentation and the background that was given - I must admit that I was not familar with the works of Marin so that was very interesting to me.

The exhibition is only on display until Jan 02, 2012 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art so you better hurry if you are interested.

Pure Gorgeousness

Pure cashmere... Aran in most delicious red with slight pink undertones (my photo does not do it justice at all) by The Plucky Knitter.

Named 'Peep Toes' - I am in love!

Riding Thru Irene - FO

While still repairs are ongoing in NJ months after Irene visited us - I finished my shawl that gave me company a few months ago. Finally I get to share the pictures:
It is based on Moody Kerchief (Rav link) by the fabulous designer Through The Loops and I used 100% cashmere from Posh Yarn in the UK.
So soft - so warm - winter can come.

Easiest Plum Tart Ever

Needed a pick me up today and had plums sitting around that needed to be used...

WIP:

2 cups of all purpose flower

1 cup of light brown sugar (regular works as well if you don't have brown on hand)

1.5 sticks of butter - very cold and cut into smaller chunks

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)

fresh plums (dark Italian ones are really good for this tart)

Mix flower and sugar, cut in butter and eggs until pea size crumbles are achieved. Save 1 cup of crumbles for topping and dump remaining crumbles into baking dish (recommend one with removable bottom). Form crumbles into crust. Depending on size half or quarter plums and distribute evenly onto crust. Sprinkle saved crumble over top.

Bake for about 25mins at 400F and leave in cooling oven for another 5 mins (check that crust does not turn to dark - oven temp varies).

Let cool and enjoy!

FO - Green Roundtrip To Singapore Shawl

Finally getting around to posting my finished Green Roundtrip to Singapore shawl based on Traveling Woman pattern which I highly, highly recommend:

And a close up beauty shot ;-)

Going to live with my mom... guess I have to make another one.

Riding Thru Irene - WIP

What can give you better comfort through your first experience with a hurricane than knitting with gorgeous pure cashmere??? Not much I can think off.

So here's a picture of my WIP in Posh Sophia 6ply and based on Moody Kerchief (Rav link) by the fabulous designer Through The Loops:

Goal for this weekend - finish it off as the cool days will be rolling in soon.

All eyes on Irene

Usually you would think that once in a lifetime events are great stuff... this week not so much.

First a 5.8 earthquake ... thought I had a bad case of vertigo as we are not supposed having earthquakes in the East - once in a lifetime.

Now Irene The Storm - I was not quite sure what to do but a few friends on Ravelry gave good tips. I took in everything that could fly around outside - so my house looks like a mess but I rather have that than risking one of my potted plants or furniture turning into a projectile hurting others or pushing my windows in. I taped my windows, bought my first ever camping lamp and battery operated radio is on hand. Food and water is stored and aheem a fresh bottle of Chartreuse. I am just a block from the water but a little up the Hudson... town did not require us to evacuate so am staying put like many others neighbours and ride it out.
TV's still working - lots of evacs and NY/NJ public transport in complete shut down. - More first and hopefully once in a lifetime.

Here's to hoping that my windows hold up, no water in basement or leaks and that once power goes out it will be back soon. Most importantly that all my friends and neighbours stay safe!

Maybe I am getting old but that is way more excitement in a week than I signed up for!!! No more once in a lifetime - thank you very much!

Green Roundtrip To Singapore - WIP

Started this shawl (pattern: Traveling Woman by Liz Abinante) back in February on a business trip to Singapore hence the name... since then had issues with my wrist but now carefully easing back in ... 90% done

Gladiolus from my garden

The last storm pushed her to the ground... so I gave her a second live in my living room:

Pink Shark - the FO

Finished my pink shark in Posh Yarn Martha - match make in heaven. Certainly not a colourway for the wallflowers among us.

Promised this one to my mom so it will soon take off to live in Germany (but psst I got a very similar colourway to make one all for me).

Check out the pattern Hitchhiker by the very, very talented Martina Behm - she has a lot of other gorgeous designs that I plan to make.

Thyme Butter

Delicious spread on fresh baguette all by itself or with heirloom tomatos or grilled chicken. Also like it on a baked potato.

4 tablespoon of room temp unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)

1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated white pepper

pinch of paprika

Mix all ingredients and enjoy - keeps forever in the fridge.

Variation - add roasted garlic (cut entire garlic in half, lightly salt and put in aluminium foil with a tiny bit of chicken stock, bake for 45-60mins at 400F... squeeze out garlicy deliciousness and use for your respective recipes.

Pink Shark - WIP

I am officially in LOVE with this WIP (pattern: Hitchhiker by Strickmich: Ravelry)

Back in blogging land

Where did the last 6 months go... can't believe that my granny was right again - the older you get the faster time seems to pass (and I am not even that old ha-ha).

Tons of excitement over the last few months; most of it not so great at first but I may be on my way up the hill again - even though currently still facing a very tough choice at work... we'll see.

So to relax I will cook, garden and knit and hopefully blog about it more regularly again.

Stay tuned :-)

Fridge buster

I am apparently better at fridge busting than stash busting (that is a story for another time).

Today I realised that I did not get around to using the organic cauliflower and broccoli I had in my fridge and I already bought new batch (I have the urge to have enough food in the house at any time to feed an army and not just two or three).

Tired today so not in mood for big cooking session so soup came to mind.

I had also some chicken stock left in the fridge and crispy baked ground beef that I originally planned to use for pasta dish. Throw all of these ingredients together, season with cumin, turmeric and a pinch of nutmeg and you have a tasty soup in about 20 minutes.

Good job - just have to translate that into strategy for my stash of yarn now ... easy-peasy

Sweet little scallops

I bought these seasonal little scallops that are only a quarter of the size of the regular ones that you can get year around - I was just drawn to them by the fact that they are naturally bite size and my natural curiosity to try all kinds of food.

Yesterday evening I was wondering what do I do with them? Too lazy to look up a recipe I remembered that I really liked the bacon wrapped scallops that I made for a brunch a few months ago. Wrapping all these little suckers seemed to be too much work and I was also not sure if I would not overcook them due to their size when trying to get the bacon really crisp.

Decided to instead make it a one pan dish - I loved the result and it won't be last time I make this dish:

For 1 person (generous portion = main meal size)
1/2 pound of small scallops (if you get the bigger ones I would cut them into bite size pieces)
1 slice of thick cut Pancetta cut into cubes
Red Pepper Flakes
Maple Syrup
Salt/Pepper
Oil (used neutral one but Olive would be OK as well)

Heat pan over medium-high with one tsp of oil, once at temperature saute pancetta just until it gets crisp, reduce temperature to medium and toss in scallops. season with 1-2 pinches of Red Pepper Flakes, salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes turning 2- 3 times. Take off heat and drizzle 1-2 tbsp of Maple Syrup over top.
Serve hot with a slice of fresh baguette.

Enjoy!

PS: It smelled so good that I digged in before taking pictures :-)