Clapotis #6
Posted: December 30, 2008 Filed under: Uncategorized 18 Comments »This one is for me!
Yarn: Miss Babs Yummy Superwash Sock & Baby Yarn, a tad over 1 skein
Pattern: Clapotis
Needles: US #6
Modifications: Knit scarf-sized version with 2 repeats in increase section, 25 repeats in straight section, and 2 repeats in decrease section.
My Mother’s Oatmeal
Posted: December 19, 2008 Filed under: Breakfast, Cooking 6 Comments »
I have fond memories of the “real” oatmeal that my parents would occasionally cook on the weekends when I was growing up. My definition of “real” is the type that is prepared in a pot, not the instant just-add-boiling-water stuff. I loved it on chilly winter mornings. In the summer, I would eat the leftovers cold. Yum.
Last month, I decided to make “real” oatmeal for the first time. I followed the instructions on the container to the letter. The end result was so disgusting that I ate three bites and threw the rest away. I told my sister about my disastrous results, and she mentioned that my father soaked the oatmeal in water prior to cooking and that sugar was added. Obviously, I never actually watched either parent making oatmeal.
I called my mother and got some general directions from her. This morning I had time to experiment again, and was so pleased that my oatmeal tasted just like hers. Here is the “recipe”. Please note that measurements are approximate and may need to be adjusted depending on your preferences for consistency and sweetness.
3/4 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup water, plus a little extra
1/2 cup milk
2-3 tablespoons sugar
Pour 1 cup of water into a small pot and bring to boil. While waiting, measure out the oatmeal into a bowl. Add just enough water to the bowl so that all of the oatmeal gets dampened. Using a spoon, mash the oatmeal around for several minutes.
When the water is boiling, pour the oatmeal+water mixture into the pot. Reduce heat and cook on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add milk and stir. Add sugar (to taste — I used 3 tablespoons), stir, and heat for an additional minute. Remove from heat and cover pot for 10 minutes. Makes 2-3 servings.
Baked Ziti with Spinach and Tomatoes
Posted: December 11, 2008 Filed under: Cooking, Entrées 5 Comments »
I came across the Baked Ziti recipe via one of Minty’s Flickr photos last month. It was pretty tasty and would definitely be a good option if you need to feed a crowd. Below is the recipe, with my notes in brackets.
3/4 pound hot Italian sausages, casings removed [increased to 1 lb]
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced peeled tomatoes [on top of this, added a 14-oz can of diced tomatoes]
1/4 cup purchased pesto sauce [used entire 7 ounce package]
[Added 1 13-ounce can of mushrooms, drained]
10 ounces ziti or penne pasta (about 3 cups), freshly cooked [increased to 1 lb]
8 cups ready-to-use spinach leaves (about 2/3 of 10-ounce package) [used 5 cups of fresh bagged baby spinach. Could have used 6 or 7 cups.]
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed [used about 5 ounces of shredded mozzarella]
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
Heat heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion and garlic and sauté until sausage is cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. [We cooked the onions and garlic by themselves, then removed them from the pan. Then we cooked the sausage. I was worried about the garlic burning if we left it in with the sausage.] Add tomatoes with juices to pan. [Added the onions and garlic back in at this point, and also added the can of mushrooms. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in pesto. Season sauce with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly oil 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish. Combine pasta, spinach, mozzarella and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese in large bowl. Stir in hot tomato sauce. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese over. Bake until sauce bubbles and cheeses melt, about 30 minutes. [While baking, I covered the dish with foil for the first 15 minutes to prevent it from drying out too much.]
Artist’s Choice Sock Collection
Posted: December 7, 2008 Filed under: Uncategorized 1 Comment »
From the Sundara Yarn Artist’s Choice Sock Collection. Clockwise from top left: Pure Indulgence, Aloe, Proscuitto over Figs, First Prize, Solar Flares, and Siberian Plum.
I have plenty of sock yarn in my stash, but the question is — will I be able to refrain from signing up for another collection? Sign-ups open December 15!
