Daring Bakers Feb

Hello, For this month The Daring Baker's made Julia Child's French Bread. This was a time consuming recipe. I have to say as French breads go it was Ok. I prefer the recipe I go with my bread machine.

And now the pictures.

Before first rise.

Here they are just before the final rise, this took 3 hours.

It was fun getting both on one cookie sheet and into the oven.


It came out with a nice crust, the shape did not hold however. It tasted good though.

The crumb was not bad.



It went over well at the Potluck that I went to. Out of the 2 loaves this was what was left.

Tuesdays with Dorie, Pecan Sour Cream Biscuits

This week on Tuesdays with Dorie it is Pecan Sour Cream Biscuits.

This was one of my better goes at a kneaded biscuit. I have a tendency to over knead. It came out as a good plain biscuit. I think that it would work great as a base. It would not take much to make them savory or sweet. These would be good for strawberry short cake or cheese and ham. Next time I make it I think that I will add some dried currents and vanilla. I did not add the pecans, right now I can not eat them. I do not have a biscuit cutter so I used a pentagon cookie cutter. The biscuits split in half fairly easy.

I froze half of them to see how that would work and it just took an extra 5 minutes to cook. This worked well for me because there is only 2 people in my house and well eating 12 in one night is just a little much. I was able to make them as needed. This was nice.


Pecan Sour Cream Biscuits
(Makes about 12 biscuits)

2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/3 cup cake flour)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces
1/2 cup cold sour cream
1/4 cold whole milk
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans, preferably toasted

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Get out a sharp 2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Whisk the flour(s), baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a bow. Stir in the brown sugar, making certain there are no lumps. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You'll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between-- and that's just right.

Stir the sour cream and milk together and pour over the dry ingredients. Grab a fork and gently toss and turn the ingredients together until you've got a nice soft dough. Now reach into the bowl with your hands and give the dough a quick gentle kneading-- 3 or 4 turns should be just enough to bring everything together. Toss in the pecans and knead 2 to 3 times to incorporate them.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Dust the top of the dough very lightly with flour, pat the dough out with your hands or toll it with a pin until it is about 1/2 inch high. Don't worry if the dough isn't completely even-- a quick, light touch is more important than accuracy.

Use the biscuit cutter to cut out as many biscuits as you can. Try to cut the biscuits close to one another so you get the most you can out of the first round. By hand or with a small spatula, transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet. Gather together the scraps, working with them as little as possible, pat out to a 1/2-inch thickness and cut as many additional biscuits as you can; transfer these to the sheet. (The biscuits ca be made to this point and frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight and kept for up to 2 months. Bake without defrosting-- just add a couple more minutes to the oven time.)

Bake the biscuits for 14-18 minutes, or until they are tall, puffed and golden brown. Transfer them to a serving basket.

knitting

I have been showing what I have been knitting because it was the socks for my sock pal. I just finished knitting them. I did this after waiting for my car's oil to be changed and in line to get a new membership for Costco. Yaa!!! Now I just need to pack the last box to go out in a few weeks.

Braces

Late last year I found out what was causes my TMJ. My lower jar is over 1/4 of an inch smaller than my upper jaw. Which meant that I was unhinging my jaw to eat and sometimes to talk. This has worn down the bones, one more than the other. To fix this I will need to have jaw surgery to lengthen my lower jaw. Before I get that I need to get the rest of my bite fixed. Which means braces. A few months from now I will also need to get my wisdom teeth taken out. At least I only have three.

Anyway I had spacers but in Thursday in preparation for the braces. I can not eat anything crunchy, or chewy. This will change what I eat most definitely. Right now is hurts to chew so I have been eating soups, shakes and the very soft parts of bread. Not fun. I am ordering a cookbook on foods that can be eaten while in braces. I imagine that after a few weeks that I will be able to eat more stuff, I have to relearn how to eat. I had to do this last year when I had a dental splint. So I was expecting it. It just hurts more than I thought.

Tuesdays with Dorie, Almost-Fudge Gâteau

Tuesdays with Dorie

This was not hard at all to make. To me it came out as a fudge like brownie. It did taste better the next day. The fun part to me was unwrapping the chocolate, the bars looked like the chocolate from Willy Wonka with the gold foil. I did not think that the Almost-Fudge Gâteau needed the extra chocolate that the Glaze would have given. That and a little piece goes a long way. I cut them up into 1 inch squares and they went fast.

Almost-Fudge Gâteau

5 large eggs
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup of sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons coffee or water
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt

For the Glaze (optional)
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Getting Ready:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper, dust the inside of the pan with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a mixer bowl or other large bowl and the yolks in a small bowl.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and add the chocolate, sugar butter and coffee. Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are melted; the sugar may still be grainy, and that's fine. Transfer the bowl to the counter and let the mixture sit for 3 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, stir in the yolks one by one, then fold in the flour.

Working with the whisk attachment of the mixer or a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt until they hold firm, but glossy peaks. Using the spatula, stir about one quarter of the beaten whites into the batter, then gently fold in the rest. Scrape the butter into the pan and jiggle the pan from side to side a couple of times to even the batter.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the cake has risen evenly (it might rise around the edges and you'll think it's done, but give it a few minutes more, and the center will puff too) and the top has firmed (it will probably be cracked) and doesn't shimmy when tapped; a thin knife inserted into the center should come out just slightly streaked with chocolate. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the cake rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Run a blunt knife gently around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Carefully turn the cake over onto a rack and remove the pan bottom and the parchment paper. Invert the cake onto another rack and cool to room temperature right side up. As the cake cools, it may sink.

To Make the Optional Glaze:

First, turn the cooled cake over onto another rack so you'll be glazing the flat bottom, and place the rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper to catch any drips.

Put the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl.

Melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water or in a microwave oven – the chocolate should be just melted and only warm, not hot. Meanwhile, bring the cream to a boil in a small sauce pan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir very gently with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir in the corn syrup.

Pour the glaze over the cake and smooth the top with a long metal icing spatula. Don't worry if the glaze drips unevenly down the sides of the cake – it will just add to its charms. Allow the glaze to set at room temperature or, if you're impatient, slip the cake into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. If the glaze dulls in the fridge, just give it a little gentle heat from a hairdryer.

Online cooking events

Thank you every one who gave advice on what to do next time I use a spring form pan. I will be trying that recipe again. The reason that I even tried to make cheese cake was that there was on online group that did it. This helps when something goes wrong and for me allows me to try something new.

There are online cooking events for all different kinds of food. Here are a few that I am in or have thought about, this is by no means a complete list.

Weekly
The Presto Pasta Night round up every Friday
http://onceuponafeast.blogspot.com/


Every week something from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours
http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/


Monthly

Weekend Cookbook Challenge
http://weekendcookbookchallenge.blogspot.com/

Monthly Mingle February 2008 - One-Dish Dinner

http://whatsforlunchhoney.blogspot.com/2008/02/comfort-food-roundup-mm-18.html#MMFeb2008

The Daring Bakers
http://daringbakersblogroll.blogspot.com/

No Croutons Required

http://foodandspice.blogspot.com/2008/02/no-croutons-required.html

Master Baker

http://masterbaker.wordpress.com/category/challenges/

Baking Bread Day
http://kochtopf.twoday.net/stories/4124192/

One time events

An apple a day - Blog Event 3rd March 2008

http://machetiseimangiato.wordpress.com/2008/02/01/an-apple-a-day-blog-event-3rd-march-2008/

March 14, Pie Day
http://kitchenparade.com/2008/02/pi-day-recipes-for-homemade-pie.php

cooking when not on call

I can cook when I am not on call. After getting paged while making bread, pie, cake and once even a turkey dinner. At least for the last one I had family here and they took it out of the oven. I no longer cook a whole lot during the week that I am on call.

Last weekend I was not on call and made bread from scratch, split pea soup to go with the bread and brown sugar apple cheese cake. I went to a party Sunday and took it all with me. I have to say that a little cheese cake goes a long way.

For a first time making cheese cake it came out pretty tasty. I forgot to put foil over it half way though so it got a little brown and the springform pan leaked. Well leaked is not the right word. The recipe, from Baking From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan. says to wrap the outside bottom part of the pan with foil. Later you pour hot water around the springform pan. The water leaked into the cheese cake. To get the water out I cooked it for an hour longer not in the water bath.

It went over very well and half was gone. I took the rest to work today and left it in respiratory. Browning the apples and then adding sugar gave it great flavor.

Hugo Awards

I am going to Worldcon in Denver this year, it is called Denventon. So I get to vote on the Hugo awards. Right now there is the nominating phase, it is interesting. Some of the stuff I have no clue on, best semiprozine and best fanzine come to mind. Then I have to think of what I read last year. There was a lot of stuff. You saw what I read last month just multiply that by 12 and see what you get. The good part is that I have until March to figure this out.

books read in January

I know that I missed a few but is a close list.

The privilege of the sword Kushner, Ellen

The sword Johnson, Jean

Lords of the Were Bianca D’Arc

Sweeter Than Wine Bianca D’Arc

Kitty and the Silver Bullet Carrie Vaughn

Plan B Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

Balance of Trade Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

Mrs. Ballard's parrots Svenson, Arne

The devil you know Carey, Mike

Mollie Katzen's sunlight café Katzen, Mollie

Mollie Katzen's vegetable heaven Katzen, Mollie

Biscuits, pancakes & quick breads Cox, Beverly

Baking : from my home to yours Greenspan, Dorie

The Devil's possession Waters, Heather

Endless Blue Wen Spencer

Howl’s Moving Castle Jones, Diana Wynne

The Master Johnson, Jean

I’m Your Santa Lori Foster

The Devil Inside Jenna Black

Atlantis Awakening Alyssa Day

Scar Night Alan Campbell

The Secret Keeper Kate Coombs

Instead of Three Wishes Megan Whalen Turner

The Thief Megan Whalen Turner

When I fall in Love Lynn Kurland

Blood engines T. A. Pratt

Ain't myth-behaving Katie MacAlister

The unnatural inquirer Simon R. Green

Out Of the Dark Barbara Karmazin

The Morgue the Merrier Rosemary Laurey, Karen Kelley, Dianne Castell

The Way U Look Tonight Dianne Castell

I’ll Be Seeing U Dianne Castell

I Dare Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

Raven’s Shadow Patricia Briggs

Raven’s Strike Patricia Briggs

Micah Laurell Hamilton

The Sorcerer’s Academy Anthology

Running Scared Elizabeth Lowell

Deep Waters Jayne Ann Krentz

Moving Target Elizabeth Lowell

funny picture

It is a funny picture.

Daring Bakers January

It is Lemon Meringue Pie, hosted by Jen at the Canadian Baker. I have never made a meringue, cornstarch pie, or even a pie crust from scratch before so this was all new to me. The crust came out really good, the filling leaked a little, but tasted great and the meringue tastes great!

chili

I made chili from scratch for the first time Sunday. It came out pretty good. Monday I went and pressure canned it. I have 5 quart and one pint jar with no chili in that pot left over. I had to put some of the spicy chili in the freezer, I did not have enough of the cooler parts to make it then. That and I ran out of room in the pot. The nice part of pressure canning it is that if I just do not want to cook all I have to do it open the jar and heat it up. This also works well for lunch, I tend to keep at least one jar at each of my work's. Normally I just take some calls of no bean chili and add more meat and lots of beans.

Spice Pantry

Tasting Spoon was showing what her spice rack looked like and was wondering what other peoples looked like. Here is mine Saturday morning. When I got home that evening I had gotten a box from Penzeys and expanded what I have.

I am looking for a small closable cabinet that I can put all my spices. Right now I have a little here and there. I do like the under the cabinet thing but it is just not big enough.

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Well that is what I made for dinner last night. The chicken tasted good but because I used thighs with the skin on there was a lot of fat in the pot. Next time I do this I will take the skin and as much as the fat off as I can. It was good over pasta.

Sewing projects

Finish table cloth for my mother's friend

Finish lap quilt for my mother's friend. My mother got most of the top done I just need to add the borders, backing and quilt it.

Finish toucan's

Make some more small knitting bags

Make some more tote bags

Make 2 tote bags for each of my grand mothers

make some small gift bags

make some aprons for me, I would use them now.


Well that is the list as of now, this is sure to change.

Knitting projects for the year

Thummed mittens, it is cold here right now.

Socks for my Aunt, this a PHD graduation gift

Socks for my sock pal, due by March

socks for my niece

some wash cloths

finish mystery stole 3

make a stole for my mother

make socks for me, I tend to make they for other people.


I am sure that this list will change but today these are the projects I want to get done this year.

Free Book from EOS

Shaman's Crossing: The Soldier Son Trilogy by Robin Hobb

As part of their 10 year anniversary Eos is giving away some books. This is their first one.

Best Drop Biscuits

The first biscuits that I remember I had at my grandparents when I was 4 or 5. My granddad made them. They were drop biscuits. Ever since then I have like that kind a lot more than the other kind. That and drop biscuits are easier to make.

I made Best Drop Biscuits from Culinary in the Country.

I did make some changes. I used soy yogurt instead of the buttermilk, margarine instead of butter, used 1 tablespoon of sugar instead of 1 teaspoon. I am lactose intolerance so I needed to work around it. This came out very good and very buttery. They are not going to last for long. 3 have already have been eaten.


Best Drop Biscuits (Adapted from Cook's Illustrated)

For the biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup cold buttermilk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

To brush the biscuits
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

To make the biscuits

Preheat oven to 475

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.

In a medium bowl, add cold buttermilk and melted butter - mix together until butter forms small clumps. Pour mixture into the dry and stir just until combined.

Scoop out the mixture using a large cookie scoop (about 1/4 cup worth) and drop onto parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing biscuits about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until tops are golden brown and crisp, about 12 to 14 minutes.

To finish the biscuits

When they come out of the oven, brush the tops with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Move the biscuits to a wire rack and cool about 5 minutes before serving. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 biscuits

goals for the year

Cook at least on item from one of the web once a week

Cook at least one item from a cook book once a month

Try to finsh a quilt a month, or at least a top.

Only buy fabric NEEDED to finsh a quilt, use what I have

Only buy Yarn NEEDED to finsh a project, use what I have.

Watch a sunrise or sunset at least once a week

Put $50 aside a month

Finsh setting up the front yard

figure out what I want to do in the backyard

put tiles down on the steps in the house

park my car in the garage more



I am sure that there will be more but this is a start.

Surgery, TMI

Well, I am feeling a lot better now. I had breast reduction surgery on the 17th of Dec. That week I slept a lot and did not do much of anything. The next week I felt a little better but I was still in a little bit of pain and could not do much. This is the trid week and I feel a lot better but I can not lift heavy items or reach much. I went back to work yesterday, I set it up before I left that I would have paperwork to do for the first few weeks.


Well that was where I have been.

names

What Michelle Means

You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated.You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want.You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way! You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing.You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long.You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable. You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out.Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia.Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily.Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.

What's" Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Daring Bakers December

The Daring Bakers recipe for December was a Yule Log.
I did this early in the month. I had never made a yule log before, I had never made buttercream, genoise cake or Meringue mushrooms so this month was an adventure.

I started with the mushrooms, they looked to be the easyst to put aside and come back to later. They came out pretty good. The meringue was fragile though, 3-5 mushrooms died when the stem was attached.

I put them aside in a plastic bag for a few days, I needed at least one whole day to make the cake.






Well the genoise cake was interesting, I am not sure if it came out right. It tasted ok and rolled so I went with it.

I however had troubles with the buttercream. It kept breaking and curdling. I finally got it so that it did not look that bad. I think that part of my problem was that room temp was not warm enough for my butter. I keep my house cold in the winter. I got the rolled cake fine but decorating it was a puzzle to me. I have not seen many yule logs before. So I just put mushrooms everywhere. I then wrapped the whole thing up and took it to work. It was way to sweet for me. They ate it.

sleepy

That is what I am a lot lately. Which is not bad, if I am asleep I am not overdoing it. I did that Wed. Thus. hurt. I have started to taper off the pain pills so I should start being more awake.

gym cloths

This is from a few days ago. I have been so busy getting ready for surgery that I have not been able to post much, Hopefully this will change. Anyway if it gets lower that 20 degrees Fahrenheit do not leave gym stuff in the car. I did and had frozen conditioner and tooth paste. which mad for an interesting shower.

Surgery

Well I had the surgery yesterday and it went well. They took me back and had my lie on the table and look at the lights, then I was out. I woke up groggy and sleepy in recovery 2 hours later. I woke up more fully around on hour later and left 30 min after that. So I got to the surgery center at 12 pm and left at 5:30 ish.

I come home and slept off and on for a few hours. I would sleep and then go down stars to watch some TV and then sleep some more. Today I have been drinking water and going to the bathroom much of the day. With brief naps interspersed.

I am hoping to be better enough to go to knitting night on Thus. I am one some pain meds so I am still a little loopy. I am small now. It is a little different when I look at myself. I now need to get new bra's and shirts. They took 3 lbs, 1360 grams from the left side and 2lbs, 907 grams from the right, so now I am under 160 lbs. This would not be a weight loss plan of choice.

Daring Bakers November

I was able to join the Daring Bakers this month and it was so cool! Tanna of My Kitchen In Half Cups picked Tender Potato Bread from Home Baking: The Artful Mix of Flour & Tradition Around the World byJeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid. It was nice that the first challenge I did was something that I was not afraid of, some of the ones in the past looked a little hard for me.

The recipe starts out with Potatoes. They are to be boiled and them mashed. The potatoes and the water are used in the bread. The potatoes add tenderness to the bread. The bread was to be made by hand. It has been a while since I have made bread that way, I tend to make the dough in the bread machine and then bake it in the oven. So this was different.

Here is the ingredients, this is a savory bread, no sugar involved. It mixed up fairly easy but is a wet bread at this point.






Pre kneed:
Post Kneed:
The next step is to have the dough rise, which when your house is only 58 degrees Fahrenheit is interesting. I had them in the sun and let them rise for longer. We could do anything that we wanted with the dough. I decided to make cobblestone bread and a some rolls. Cobblestone bread is a savory version of monkey bread. I ended up with a little more left over so I rolled up some bread dipping seasonings in the other loaf.


The cobblestone bread was being nibbled on before I could even get a picture. The rest of the bread came out well. The rolls were eaten pretty quickly but the rolled bread was around long enough to get stale. I used it in my stuffing. It come out so well that I am using this for my next batch of stuffing next month.

Glitterns

I am making a pair for my sister-in law for Christmas this year and I have been looking at different ways of doing the mitten part. Right now I am thinking of a knit 2 purl 2 ribbing with a cable thrown in every once in a while for fun. This way it would be interesting to me to knit and the ribbing would tighten it a little. I have to finish some socks first but I am liking the planing stage.

Sock pal swap Questionnaire

The Questionnaire

The Questions

1. How long have you been knitting? Do you consider yourself beginner, intermediate, advanced?

A year and 9 months, I think that I am an intermediate knitter.

1. How long have you been knitting socks?

A year and 7 months, it was the second class I took.

1. What are your favorite fibers to work with?

Wool, alpaca

1. What is your favorite color?

Blues, Greens and purples.

1. What are your current WIPs (works in progress)?

A sock savior sock I am doing for sockapalooza and the mystery stole 3.

1. Name your favorite yarns, (brand, fibers, colors, etc.).

Socks that rock, alpaca sox, fleece artist, sock yarn that is superwash.

1. What are some yarns/fibers that you stay away from.

cotton and plant fibers, they have next to no give when knitting and it makes hands hurt after only 5 minutes of knitting.

1. What is your family situation? (Married, kids, pets?)

Single but my younger brother lives with me. No pets at this time.

1. Name some of your hobbies.

quiltings, knitting, reading

1. Name some of your favorite movies?

The Princess Bride, Die Harder, I watch many different kinds of movies, most have the popcorn factor. There is not a lot of thought needed.

1. Do you like to read?

Yes! I tend to read anywhere from 5-20 books a week. They are on all different kinds of things.

1. Do you collect anything?

Not really, unless books, fabric or yarn count.

1. Do you own an iPod or mp3 player?

I have an Ipod, I am listening to right now.

1. What are your favorite type of knitting needles?

Knit Picks Circulars

1. What knitting notion could you not live without?

the sheep measuring tape or finishing needle. The funny part to this is I am always loosing them. I tend to borrow them for the night at one of the knitting groups I go to.

1. Who are some of your favorite designers?

Cookie A, Cat Bordhi, Wendy Knits

1. Do you subscribe to any magazines? (Knitting or otherwise.)

Consumer Reports, I am thinking of getting a subscription to Spin Off.

1. When is your birthday?

Jan 19

1. Do you have a "wishlist", (on Ravelry, Froogle, or Amazon)?

Not at this time.

1. Do you have a Ravelry ID?

Michelle

1. If you had a sheep, what would you name it?

George or Fred.

International Scarf Exchange 5 progress

I finshed, Yaaa!!! It came out a little different than I wanted but it is still cool, or warm in this case. Here it is already to be mailed. I just have a few more things that I want to put into the box to go with.

International Scarf Exchange

I got mine in the mail while my computer was out. Here are the pictures of it. I love the color and the bag is just the right size for socks. The tags out just the cutest.

computer

Well, I will not be around much. I took my computer in for repair, the back light was not working all the time and I had some bad cracks on the hinges. It will be gone for at least 2 weeks.

Non Dairy Apple Cake

This is a very good cake that I have been making for things lately, apples are in season right now.

Serves 12

8 cups, peeled and sliced apples
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup apple sauce
3 eggs
1 cup liquid, soy milk, water or juice of any kind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour, I use white wheat All-purpose would also work
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions:

preheat oven to 350 degrees
grease pan, 9 by 13 with cooking spray, I used canola oil spray.
In a large bowl mix apples with 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon.
Combine flour, salt and baking powder into a small bowl.
In a good size bowl mix the apple sauce and the sugar, the sugar will not dissolve all the way. Whisk in the eggs, then the liquid and vanilla.
Then fold in the flour mix to make a smooth batter.
Pour half of the batter into the pan, spread it around. Place the apples on top.
Pour the rest of the batter over the apples, try to get all of the apples covered.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is crusty and golden.

This can be served hot or cooled down.

MileHiCon

Last weekend was MileHiCon, a science fiction convention in Denver. This year it was very much like a family reunion. The all of my close family was there as well as my cousin, she lives only a few hours away. This was very cool. We will not see each other until Thanksgiving of next year. This year there was David Weber! He and his wife were very nice and so were most of the other authors. You get to see them on different panels and talk to them as they walk around. This year at the literacy auction David Weber was auctioning off the ability to have your name in one of his next books. A group of five people could bid together. This is called Tuckerization or Redshirting.
With this the person or persons that wins gets the book when it is sent to the publisher, a year ahead of when you can buy it. The second part of the bid allows that winner to decide of the person or persons being Tuckerized lives or dies. We, my family and someone that my mother had just met had the winning bid on gettingTuckerized. Someone else won the living or dieing part.

New Favorite Recipies

I am really liking Vegan Magic Cookie Bars with the Fat-Free Oatmeal Cookie Crust . I made this for knitting guild and they were all gone by the end of snack time.

allergy meds

DO not forget them. Even though you think that the vegetation has frozen. I went to Milehicon in Denver and forgot my Allegra. This made for a not so fun Sat. I was able to get something like it from my dad for sunday so that helped. I will really try not to forget again. I do not want to go though that again.

International Scarf Exchange 5 progress

I am making up the pattern as I go along. It is entrelac with lace panels. Here is one skein. It is 11-12 inches wide and 22 inches long so far. I like the way it is coming out.

Sockapalooza 4 sock savior

I signed up to be a Sockapalooza Sock Savior. I started the sock but it turns out my gauge is off so I have to rip and start again. I have not gotten that far and I did not like the toe so I am not that heart broken. I need to redo my math for less stitches so when I start again tomorrow it will not take as long. Here is what I have done before it gets ripped.

Sock Pal

Hello sock pal,

Please email me. I got your box but I no longer have your email.

I love the yarn, and the soap is great. I am using it right now as a scent for my wool yarn to keep moths away.

Where I have been

Well to start out with I just found out that I am allergic to all kinds of grasses. This started out with me getting red itchy eyes for about a week. Then I got the dripping nose, sneezing, sinus pain and just not feeling well. I was going to the Dr. to get my back adjusted and while I was there he gave a proscription to Allegra. This took care of most of the symptoms but I had no clue what was causing it. I set up an appointment with an allergist. The soonest was Oct 10. meet him Yesterday and had a prick allergy test.

My back still itches. I reacted to all of the grasses, not much else. I did react to rabbits a little bit. This makes me wonder if I will not like angora yarn. At this point it has cost to much so I have not done anying with it. T he most unfun part of all of this was that for a week before the allergy test I could not take anything. I spent most of the weekend with a box of tissues. Now I am on Allegra, a nasal spray and some eye drops. I go back in 2 weeks. I am debating on weather or not to get allergy shots.

Gym

Since I joined the gym a month ago I have lost 4 lbs and 1 percentage of body fat. Which is great. I have been using a personal trainer. She sets up what exercises that I will be doing for a week and weight and measure me once a week. I go to the gym at least 5 days a week. I tend to skip the day after I meat with Lisa, I am just to sore to go. This week Most of what I doing has to do with balancing. I have just a little more upper body strength but I still have a ways to go.

Tote Bag

I am defiantly getting better at making tote bags. This one only took 2 hours. It is for some one who likes pink. The rest of her box of stuff looks like this. I am mailing it out today.

Canning

Well I have 12 Jars of peach sauce and I have started to make apple sauce. I will have more of those, it is easier and cheaper to make.
I am also done drying peaches and have started drying apples. I have a nice amount of dried peaches though.

Sock pal stuff

I was running a little late so it will be in the mail Sunday. I had to finish the bag. It is of course pink. Here are the finished socks. It was a fun knit. I really like the yarn, it is Socks that Rock.

Peaches

Peaches would be why I have not been here much. I have been drying, freezing and caning Peaches. I made a froze 2 peach pies and I have and am making lots of jars of peach sauce, it is like apple sauce with peaches instead. This has caused my hand to hurt a little bit and I have not been knitting because of this. But my house smells great. I even made some peach fruit roll ups.

This Sat. is the last day to get peaches from the Farmers Market. After this weekend it will be apples. There is less of them because of a late freeze. There was no plums this year which bummed me out. I loved canned plums.

International Scarf Exchange 5 sign ups

Internaional Scarf Exchange 5 is starting sign ups. Yaaa!! It if fun. I have been in the last 2.

Grocery Shopping

I like grocery shopping. Going though the food ads and coupons see what is on sale is fun for me. Unfortunately the main store I went to closed. They are redoing the strip mall that it was in and tore it down last month. It will be back bigger and better next year but that means I have to go some where else now.

It is not so much the fact that I have to drive some where else but the fact that the layout of the store is total different. I was looking for canning lids and I had to walk all over to find them. They where not where I thought they would be. I have this to look forward to.

Gym

24 hour fitness is having a sale and I wanted to go to a gym so I signed up. It comes to just under $20 a month. With this I also signed up for a person trainer. I started going.


The personal trainer was a good idea. She is helping me get the right machine work done and is helping me figure out what stretches to do. It is just that 2 days ofter my first session with her I am starting to feal the effects. I have to go tonight to more too.

Sock It To Me Sock Swap Contest 2

I forgot to enter the first one but I will enter the second one. That and I love Zero's Etsy's stuff.

-So here's the challenge: Post about your favorite yarn. You must post a picture and let us know why it's your favorite yarn. Please leave links too, in case someone might want to get a little of what you got!

Right now my Favorite yarn is Socks that Rock. I have used it for fingerless gloves, mittens, shawls and socks of course. I am glad the I signed up for the sock club this year. I will be getting August's yarn soon.

Sock It To Me Sock Swap progress

I am now starting the ribbing. Partly because I am starting to run low on yarn and partly because my row stitch markers broke. It had 6 rings on it and now it only has 4. This pattern has a 5 row repeat.

stuff

My pain pills changed. I went from darvocet to vicodin. The Darvocet was no longer working. I am very glad that I waited until when I was not on call to try it. Vicodin makes my a little loopy and very sleepy. But the pain is mostly gone. I will at this point make sure that I will take this and drive, I do not think that it would be a good idea.


On to other things, I got a membership at 24 hour fitness. It was $750 for 3 years with the 4th year at $29. This works out to less than $20 a month. This is a very good deal. It also comes with 5 personal trainer visits. My first one is on Monday. I am hoping for some suggestions of stuff I can do to strengthen my back. This should help with the back pain.

I need to stop writing, it is just a little hard to come up with what I really want to say. That and my spelling is going down hill.

trees

I bought a 27 year old house 2 years ago and there are 8 dutch elms in the back yard. These where put in when the house was built. Elms are not a good tree for this area. They are the last to loose their leaves and first to get them. The backyard was not landscaped with a thought for the future. The trees grew together and are crowding each other out. The elms split into 2 and 3 trunks a long time ago. This meant that they have been collecting water for a while. This causes rotting. I had to get the trees cut down, with the wind here they could have hit stuff, like my house.

Getting a tree cut down is not cheap. For the 2 larger trees it was $600 and for the 2 medium trees it was $300. The large tree was rotten all the way to the ground and a little lower. This is the one that would have hit my house. I am very glad that it was cut down before winter. One of the other trees was rotten as well.

Now that the big tree is gone I get so much more light downstairs. It is nice. Where 2 of them come out it would work as my garden.

Mystery Stole 3 Progress

I finished clue 3. Yaa! I am liking the pattern a lot. It is however big, right now it is 22 inches wide. The person that I am making it for is just a little taller than I am, 5 foot 3 inches, so I am shorting clue 4. Now that my family is gone I hope to have it done by next week.

Dinner for the week.

I found a lot of new to me food blogs and with them recipes that I want to try. So I think that I will try to make at least one new to recipe a week. The ones I have planed for the next few weeks are:

Bifteck Hache a la Lyonnaise (Ground Beef with Onions and Herbs), A French Burger


Chicken Bamako

Lemon Chicken (Adapted from Chinese Cookery by Rose Cheng and Michele Morris)

Spiced Smashed Potatoes

One of the things that will change what I make is how hot it is.

Pink Eye

Wednesday my left eye went red. It turns out that is the start of pink eye. By evening it was itchy, reddish and watery. I was able to get a Dr's appointment for 10 am. She told me it is pink eye and that I am contagious for the next few days. I was given drop antibodies that I have to put in 2 drops every 2 hours for the next 2 days and then 2 drops every 4 hours for three days after that. Because I work in a Hospital I can not go to work on Friday. I have things that I really wanted to do so this is a little annoying. I am glad that I have some time off that I can use.


Today was also the day that my mother went home. She was able to get an earlier flight home, she like that.

Sock It To Me Sock Swap progress

I am now working on the patterning on the leg. I am liking the pattern. I am going to go up until I run out of yarn.

Sockapalooza 4

I got my socks, and they are Monkey Socks. Yaaa!!! They were made with Socks That Rock yarn. This yarn is great stuff. Now the weather just needs to get a little cooler so that I can wear them.

Sock It To Me Sock Swap

Wow, I love what I got from my pal. The little box for stitch markers is very cool. I already put it in my walk around project bag. The magnets are very cool and strong. The card made me laugh. I love the color of the yarn, I have not used bamboo in my socks so it will be a new experience.

Stuff

Family can be fun but they are also very tiring. I took a few days off to be with them. That and they all wanted my front yard redone. It is close but not quite there.

Jacho was at the Hospital and that made every one at work run around like a chicken with it's head cut off. So I have jest not had time for many things.

I did get to go to the movies, Transformers was very good, Hairspray was way better than the first one, Die Hard had a plot sort off and No Reservations was a cute chick flick. I was able to knit during 2 of the movies. Then I for the the gusset and I was not about to try to keep track of increases in the dark.

On my Sock Pal sock I am on the heel of one and getting ready to start the pattern on the other. It is looking good. I am a little worried that it might be just a little big.