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November 30, 2007

Eye Candy Friday

I know this picture is sort of lame. But, when you don't get out of the house all week, Eye Candy Friday photos become a bit of a challenge.

Happy Friday! Happy Weekend!

Posted by Carole at 6:49 AM | Comments (42)

November 29, 2007

A Year in the Making

Before I get into today's post, I just want to point out that one of you, probably today or perhaps tomorrow, is going to leave the 20,000th comment. Amazing! And there will, of course, be a special prize for the 20,000th commenter.

Okay, onward.

Those of you who have been around for a while will remember that Hannah started a dish cloth last year around this time. If you need a refresher, the post can be found here.

Guess when she finished the dish cloth? Last night. And she wouldn't have finished it then except that I got on her case about having my favorite pair of Lantern Moon needles for a whole year.

So, I taught her to cast off and now it's done. Perhaps not the finest effort but done is better than perfect.

We had a little chat about knitting while she was casting off. Apparently, she still hates it. She finds it stressful and figures that it's not worth stressing herself out just to make me happy. I pointed out that we could knit together in the evenings and that if she kept at it she'd get much better. But she said no, she was done with knitting.

And yet, when I sarcastically asked her what she wanted to knit next, she picked up my copy of http://www.amazon.com/Knitting-Pretty-Kris-Percival/dp/0811835332/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196294432&sr=8-1 and started thumbing through it. Next thing I know, she announces that she is going to make "a bunch" of book marks for her friends and then when she finishes those she is going to make the super-long ribbed scarf.

All by Christmas.

I didn't ask her if she meant this Christmas or next Christmas.

Posted by Carole at 6:45 AM | Comments (91)

November 28, 2007

Things That Make Me Go Hmmm

There's something I haven't told you. I'm sick. I've been sick for two weeks, in fact. I thought it was just a cold that wouldn't go away but it turns out I've got bronchitis and sinusitis. I've about had it with hanging out on the couch but now that the antibiotics have kicked in and I have some energy again, the knitting time rocks. So, in the interest of not taxing my brain by trying to write paragraphs, I present a list.

~Dancing With The Stars. What to say? I love Marie but I thought the doll routine Monday night was really lame and I think her attitude about it hurt her. Mel was great but I don't think she quite captured the hearts of the viewers the way Helio did. All in all, I'm pleased with the finals. How about you?

~There are only 3 days left for this year's Knit Unto Others. However, Gale is looking for some handknits for a Tree of Warmth project. She'd love your help if you're still inspired to do some charity knitting.

~My Christmas shopping is shaping up. As usual, I've done a fair amount of this online. I avoid the stores whenever possible.

~I have lost the quilted tablecloth that goes on my kitchen table. I put it away when I brought out the fall quilted table runner and now I can't find it. My house is not that big and yet I have no idea where this could be. I'm pissed.

~You've seen Pay It Forward by now, right? I chased it around the internets a bit but finally got in on the deal over at Michelle's.
The rules: I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on this blog post requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet, and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.
I hope there are 3 of you left that haven't already signed up to do this!

That's all I've got. Time for some more tea and knitting on the couch.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (41)

November 27, 2007

Recipe of the Week

Don't look now, but I've got another cranberry and pecan recipe for you. See, on Sunday, Dale and I had to go to an Eagle Scout ceremony for one of the young men in Dale's Boy Scout troop. I knew I should bring something for the dessert table and when I looked in the cupboard (don't I sound like Old Mother Hubbard) I saw more pecans and cranberries. A pie wasn't suitable for this occasion but I got to thinking that the pie should pretty readily translate into squares. And it did.

Cranberry Pecan Squares

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 cup coarsely chopped cranberries

Directions:
Crust: combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar and butter until crumbly. Press firmly into 13x9" cake pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350*F for 15-18 minutes, or until light golden. (I will tell you that I had my doubts about this crust. It looked pretty dry when I patted it into the pan. But it turned out flaky and delicious, I promise.)

Topping: beat eggs, sugar, corn syrup and melted butter together until blended. Stir in pecans and cranberries. Pour evenly over crust. Bake about 40 minutes longer, or until set and golden. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars.

I can't take credit for creating the recipe, as I cobbled it together from some internet sources but I will brag that these are delicious - better than the pie, even.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (31)

November 26, 2007

NaKniSweMo --- Check!

Hannah wore her finished Central Park Hoodie on Thanksgiving, for which we were both thankful. She was thankful for a cozy new sweater and I was thankful that it fit because it sure seemed small to me. But Hannah assures me that it fits just the way she wanted and she has already worn it twice since then so I guess I finally hit the jackpot with a handknit for Hannah.

You're really here for the pictures, though, aren't you? Never let it be said that I don't deliver.

The commitment to NaKniSweMo is complete!

The yarn is Plymouth Galway Highland Heather bought from kpixie.

The pattern, I understand, is currently unavailable as the issue of KnitScene is sold out. However, according to the Central Park Hoodie Knitalong Site, it will become available as a downloadable PDF from Knitting Daily some time in December 2007. So, if you haven't bought this pattern yet, keep the faith. Frankly, a downloadable PDF would have been my preference as Interweave soaked me $5 shipping when I bought the back issue of KnitScene.

The buttons came from Saftlers.

The attitude came from the teenager.

The knitting skillz came from Mom. And that makes the teenager happy. I'm thankful that something does.

Posted by Carole at 6:55 AM | Comments (82)

November 23, 2007

Eye Candy Friday

When your cranberries come straight from the bog, they tend to have sticks and leaves and things. But they are fresher and make better cranberry sauce. Which, of course, makes for the best day-after-Thanksgiving sandwiches.

Have a great weekend and enjoy those leftovers!

Posted by Carole at 7:29 AM | Comments (20)

November 22, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving

I'm thankful for so many things: my husband and kids and extended family, my health, my job, my home, my friends (that's you guys!), knitting and yarn and spinning and everything else that's good. I'm also thankful for the bad because it makes the good so much gooder. Or something like that. But you know what I mean, right?

Know what else I'm thankful for? I bet you can guess.

Pie!

Cranberry Pecan

Pumpkin

Mincemeat

The apple is in the oven and the chocolate cream is in the fridge. By the end of the day, they'll all be in our bellies. Mmmm. Pie.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at CaroleKnits.

Posted by Carole at 8:30 AM | Comments (33)

November 21, 2007

Cranberry Pecan Pie

I know that several of you expressed an interest in the Cranberry Pecan Pie recipe. I always deliver - even if it means two posts in one day!

Cranberry Pecan Pie

Single pie crust
3 eggs
1 cup corn syrup
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup pecans

In a large bowl combine the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla until blended. Stir in cranberries and pecans. Pour into pie crust.
Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 35-40 minutes longer or until filling is almost set. Cool completely on a wire rack.

And, despite what Hannah asked, NO, you don't have to peel the cranberries. That kid of mine, she cracks me up.

Posted by Carole at 1:28 PM | Comments (20)

Pie Crust 101

I have talked before about making pie crust but I thought today, in honor of the great pie holiday Thanksgiving, I would show you some photos of the process. Maybe this little pie crust tutorial will inspire you to make your own pie crust, too.

But first, a little pie crust history. My mother was the Queen of Pies in our family. She loved to cook and bake all kinds of things but pies were her true specialty. She just enjoyed the hell out of baking and serving pies. She was decorating her pies with leaves and such way before Martha, too. Just saying.

Anyway, growing up with the Pie Queen as a mom is sort of intimidating and I was scared to death of making my own pie crust. I'll admit that I was rather content to just let my mom do it - I didn't need to compete with that. This approached worked just fine until Thanksgiving 1996. Two things happened that year to make me change my mind about making my own pie crust. The first was that my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer, stage III. The second was that it was my first Thanksgiving with Dale. I really wanted to impress him with a home baked pie and I really wanted to make sure that I learned to make pie crust from the Pie Queen before she, well, to put it bluntly, died.

So, I made my first pie ever in 1996. And I haven't looked back since! You want to know my secret for getting over my fear of the pie crust? I told myself, "self, it's just flour, water and shortening. If you screw it up you can throw it out and start over." I swear, I haven't had a problem with pie crust since I adopted that attitude.

Here's my recipe. It's not exactly my mom's, I've adapted it to my own specifications over the years.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)
1 tsp white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/3 cup plus 1 T ice water

So, mix the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Then add the shortening in chunks. Like this:

Now get out that pastry blender (please don't use two knives and you don't need a food processor either) and start cutting the shortening into the flour. Keep working it until it looks like this:

See how the shortening is all mixed in and it looks all crumbly? That's perfect.

Time to add that ice water. It's important that the water is ice water. I don't know why but it's what my mom said so it's what I do. So, you just pour that ice water over the flour mixture. I use the side of a rubber spatula to start mixing it all together. If the dough starts to stick together in clumps then you've added enough water. If not you can add another tablespoon or two of water but you don't want it to be sticky so be careful with this part.

It looks like this when it's done:

Divide the dough in half and stick each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Press it into a disc and wrap it up and stick it in the fridge for a while - like this:

Leave it there for at least a half an hour but up to 2 days. You can also freeze it at this point and then when you're jonesing to make a pie all you've got to do is defrost your crust.

After the dough has chilled it's time to roll it out. This is the fun part! Sprinkle some flour on your counter top and on your rolling pin and start rolling that disc into a bigger circle.

I don't worry too much about the thickness of the crust. Generally, when it's big enough to fit into the pie pan then it's the right thickness, too. I fold it over my rolling pin and then plop it into my pie plate. Press it down into the bottom and up the sides - gently, don't tear it! And then, if it's a single crust pie, fold over the edges and make a nice fluted design. If you're making a double crust pie then add your filling and then roll out the top crust and lay it gently over the top. Tuck the top crust under the edges of the bottom crust and then make that pinched fluted design again.

Proceed with whatever type of pie you're making. For this Thanksgiving I'm making apple, pumpkin, mincemeat, cranberry pecan and chocolate cream. Come on back tomorrow so I can wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and show you some photos of those pies!

Posted by Carole at 6:15 AM | Comments (40)

November 20, 2007

What's Knitting?

So, apparently Kim is worried that bloggers aren't showing their knits in progress these days. Seems that perhaps there is a trend towards waiting until a project is finished and then having a great unveiling. Well, I'll admit to that having done that several times but I wouldn't consider it a habit.

And, to prove my point, here are today's works in progress:

Mittens. One completed, one in progress. Okay, so the only part left is the thumb, but they aren't done so that counts, right? These are for Knit Unto Others, of course.

Socks. Because, you know, there are always always socks in progress here at Carole Knits.

And that's all I'm working on this week. Which means, if you've been paying attention, that Hannah's Central Park Hoodie is done. I never showed you progress photos, did I? Whoops.

Okay, here's a blocking photo. Does that count?

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (44)

November 19, 2007

Red Scarf Project Socks

Interesting title for the post today, yes? See, I never mentioned it here but I offered to knit a pair of socks as a prize offering for Norma's Red Scarf Project '08. I had opted to donate money this year rather than overwhelm the Red Scarf people with scarves again. And then, early one morning, I had a flash of insanity brilliance and thought that perhaps the idea of winning a pair of handknit socks would inspire someone to donate more money to the cause. So I emailed Norma and told her my idea and she eagerly accepted and publicized the prize and hoped for more donations. The winner was blog-free Betty Jean and, according to Norma, she really really wanted to win the socks.

She chose the Dublin Bay pattern and Toasty Toes sock yarn.

They pooled and flashed horribly.

But, for better or worse, they have been sent.

I just hope she's a fan of pooling and flashing. And I really hope they fit.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (36)

November 16, 2007

Eye Candy Friday

Don't be fooled by these pansies. It is indeed November in New England. Happy weekend, everyone!

Posted by Carole at 6:48 AM | Comments (23)

November 15, 2007

Knit Unto Others '08

Today is the official start of Knit Unto Others 2008. That's right, Margene and I are back for the third year in a row to ask you to spend some time knitting for charity these next two weeks. In order to simplify things we are suggesting that you knit for one of these charities:

Lucy at Mind's Eye Yarn in Cambridge, MA is collecting mittens for the Somerville Family Network. This group works through Somerville Public Schools to make sure lower income kids have all the warm things they need for the winter. The mitten tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving and comes down New Year's Day. For more information contact Lucy at: lucyATmindseyeyarnsDOTcom

The Soaring Eagles Project is collecting hand knit mittens this year. The purpose of this project is to knit items for elementary school-aged children in Oklahoma. As Jane says on the Soaring Eagles blog, "The idea was born out of a child asking me about my knitting one day. I told her I was making a sweater for my daughter. She replied, 'I wish someone loved me enough to make me something.' The very next day Project Soaring Eagles was born. If you choose to knit for this charity you should send an email to theprocrastiknitterATyahooDOTcom when you are ready to mail your items.

Finally, Birdsong has asked for completed blankets in worsted or bulky weight washable yarn with a finished size of 30 inches square to 40 inches square, or a rectangle that is similar, for the Kare Crisis Nursery in her area. If you're owant more information, send an email to Birdsong at burrobirdATgmailDOTcom.

Our purpose in promoting Knit Unto Others is for you to knit something that will make a difference in someone's life. We encourage you to participate in whatever way you are comfortable, whether it's through one of these charities or one of your own choosing. At the end of November we'll ask you to send an email to knituntoothersATgmailDOTcom and tell us what you knit and where you donated it. We will then randomly select two participants to win something special from each of us.

Now, please, go forth and knit unto others! And thank you.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (20)

November 14, 2007

Movie Swap Package

I love me a good knitting swap and I have to say that participating in Lynne's "Special Swap" has always netted me a good result. I have had wonderful experiences, first with Beth, then with Kat and now with Elizabeth.

Behold the yarn-y, snack-y, movie-y goodness.

The red yarn is Duets sock yarn and I absolutely love the way the tones of red in that ball - all wound up and ready to knit, too. And more yarn in green and yellow. Those popcorn containers are the cutest ever and there is also tea and snacks and the cutest little grow-your-own Christmas tree.

Thanks, Elizabeth, for a terrific package!

Posted by Carole at 6:45 AM | Comments (18)

November 13, 2007

Technological Wonders

Reason #822 why I love technology.

The web cam.

We finally set up our web cam and used it last week to talk to Brant, Heather and Ambrynn in Florida. It was kind of weird and will take some getting used to but it was pretty fun. After Ambrynn warmed up a bit she sang us some songs and told us about her Halloween. We were surprised at how long her hair has gotten and we were thrilled to hear her little voice.

We miss them so much but we're adjusting and they are happy there and that's what really counts. One thing that really helps is Heather is very good about sending photos.

Like this one, of Ambrynn in her Halloween costume.

Isn't it nice to know that she's just as cute as ever?

Posted by Carole at 6:30 AM | Comments (35)

November 12, 2007

Veteran's Day Observed

I did a lot of knitting and spinning yesterday and while I was doing that I thought about Veteran's Day. I thought about the sacrifices that our veterans and their families make. I thought about how so many of our families are separated right now and how lucky I am that my family is together. I also thought about how unprepared our country is to deal with the rising needs of our veterans. I heard a statistic from a new study that says that 1 in 4 of our country's homeless are actually veterans. That is wrong on so many levels and, while I don't have the solution, I'm certainly aware of how desperate the situation is. And with awareness comes change, I hope.

So, allow me to take this opportunity to say "thank you" to our veterans. And to their families. Your sacrifices do not go unappreciated.

Posted by Carole at 8:00 AM | Comments (17)

November 9, 2007

Eye Candy Friday

Behold the glory that is the library's Christmas Thanksgiving Halloween Cactus.
I hope you all see gloriously beautiful things this weekend. Even if they aren't seasonally appropriate.

Posted by Carole at 6:30 AM | Comments (26)

November 8, 2007

A Library Tale

Yesterday at work, the Reference Librarian, Amy (who is also my very good friend) came to me to express her frustration about the over-crowding of the fiction shelves. I ventured out into the fiction section of the library and saw that she was right. The shelves are very full, particularly in the Ks and Ls. It's hard to believe that this 25,000 square foot library doesn't have enough book shelves, but it's true.

The thing is, there's lot of empty book shelves upstairs, where we shelve the nonfiction. So we started taking a look at the varoius collections we have downstairs and discussing the option of moving something upstairs. I told Amy, "It's good marketing. Just like the grocery stores putting the bread and milk in the back section of the stores, this will force our patrons to venture into other sections of the library." Large Print would be the logical set of books to move since it's a smallish size collection but would still free up enough room to really make a difference in the fiction section. But the thing is, it's mostly older people reading large print and I don't necessarily want to make them trek through the entire library to get to the stuff they want. Marketing or not, they would complain and they already complain enough - remind me to tell you the story of the flu shot clinic sometime. The mystery collection is too large to fit upstairs and the science fiction and fantasy collections are too small to make a difference.

Amy and I looked at each other and sighed, realizing that moving a collection really wasn't a possibility after all.

And then, it came to me. I looked at Amy and said, "I've got it! Just don't buy books written by authors with last names that begin with K and L."

Problem solved. But don't be looking over here for the latest Stephen King book.

Posted by Carole at 6:30 AM | Comments (32)

November 7, 2007

Red Sox Nation

I did not go to the Red Sox rolling rally in Boston last week. And yet, I can tell you, despite what the announcers were saying about how well behaved the crowd was, there were assuredly a million little mini-dramas going on with those people. How do I know? Because I went to the rally in 2004.

Yes, indeed, Dale and I, along with our friends Matt and Sarah, got up at 4 am and took the T into Boston. We were at Park St. by 5 am and claimed our front row spot right by the New England School of Law. And then we waited. And waited. And waited some more.

During that time there were numerous trips to the bathroom and we would go one at a time so the other three people could maintain the space. That's when things got a bit ugly. Dale was gone for a long time because he had to wait in a really really long line for the men's room at Burger King. I was standing with my feet spread and my hands on my hips, taking up as much space as I could and this woman tried to push her way into his spot. She came pushing her way up there - this was about 10 am so we had been there for 5 hours by then - and I asked her to please back off. And she said, "but there's room up here for another person." And I said, "yes, there is, I'm holding the space for my husband." She narrowed her eyes at me and said, "if he's not here, that's too bad," and she tried to elbow her way into his space. I turned to her, glared, and said, "listen sweetie, I've been standing here since 5 am. Do you honestly think you can show up at 10 and get a front row spot? Back off. Now." There must have been something crazy in my eyes because she slunk away. And the people standing around me cheered for my small victory.

After Dale got back we waited for a while more. And this new woman started trying to push her way to the front. We held our ground and we were all kind of chatting with the people around us. Dale was mentioning how he hadn't watched many of the games because he was afraid they wouldn't win and he didn't want to be disappointed again. This woman, the one trying to get to the front, said to him, "You should step aside and let me have the front row spot. You're not even a real Red Sox fan." Dale, being a pacifist, said nothing. I, being an aggressive bitch, turned to her and said, "Well, he's enough of a fan to get up and get here earlier than you, isn't he?" That shut her up.

The parade rolled by shortly after that. I have flashes of the duck boats in my head. I clearly remember seeing the trophy - Manny was holding it. And I remember seeing the boat with all the old Red Sox players - that was really neat. We waited 6 hours and it was over in about 15 minutes.

I'm glad we went and I like having bragging rights about being there. And I sure learned some things about human nature that day, I'll tell you that.

Posted by Carole at 6:30 AM | Comments (32)

November 6, 2007

Central Park Hoodie

Thank you all so much for your kind words yesterday. They were like a balm to my hurting soul, I tell you. Words can hurt but words can also heal and many of you brought healing words to me. I am grateful and blessed. And, of course, Dale and I have made up. There was hugging and crying, followed by much kissing. Ahem.

But let's move on, shall we? Because I have knitting to talk about. Sweater knitting. That's right, dear readers, I am knitting a sweater because I signed up for NaKniSweMo. Really, it's all Margene's fault. She signed up and then wrote about it and before I knew it I was signing up and showing Hannah sweater patterns and ordering yarn and that was that. Truly, though, a sweater for Hannah is a joy to knit because she's so tiny.

She chose the Central Park Hoodie. As much as I love tweedy yarns, Hannah hates tweedy yarns so, while I pushed hard for Peace Fleece, the yarn she chose is Plymouth Galway Highland Heather in a really soft shade of gray.

The back is done.

See the pretty cables? Ooooh. Ahhhh.

The left front is about half done.

At the risk of incurring the wrath of the Knitting Goddess, I may actually finish this thing by the end of the month.

Posted by Carole at 6:40 AM | Comments (55)

November 5, 2007

Nothing

Despite 3 days of knitting and relaxing, I have nothing to blog about today. My weekend, which was quite good, ended with a nasty argument with Dale last night. We both broke some rules and I'm feeling emotionally drained and exhausted.

So, what's a blogger to do when she's got nothing positive to blog about? Share a recipe, of course. I had one of these squares at a party Saturday night and they are really delicious. And sweet. Frankly, right now, I could use a little sweetness. Enjoy 'em.

Maple Nut Squares
Shortbread Crust:
1 cup butter (softened)
½ cup sugar
2 cups flour

Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Add flour a little at a time, blend well.
Pat mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 15” x 10” glass pan.
Bake at 350° for approx. 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and set aside.

Filling:
1-1/2 cups brown sugar, packed firmly
1 cup maple syrup (any brand of maple pancake syrup will do)
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla OR maple extract
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (or combo)

Stir together brown sugar, syrup, and butter. Add egg and vanilla. Mix with electric mixer until smooth.
Pour evenly over baked shortbread crust. Sprinkle with walnuts or pecans or combination of both.
Return to oven and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes until topping sets.
While still a little warm, run a knife around all four sides of glass pan to prevent edges from sticking.
Cool completely before cutting into squares. Store in airtight container.

I'll be more cheerful tomorrow. I promise.

Posted by Carole at 6:30 AM | Comments (60)

November 2, 2007

Eye Candy Friday

I hope you aren't sick of leaves. Since I couldn't decide which photo I liked better you get two this week. Can you handle it?

Posted by Carole at 6:20 AM | Comments (27)

November 1, 2007

Spooky Food

Dinner at our house on Halloween is always American Chop Suey. This started back when I was little. My mom made it for us because it was the one thing she knew we would all eat, no matter how anxious we were to get out and go trick or treating. Hannah has grown up having this for dinner on Halloween so we're now second generation into this little tradition and I'm guessing she'll continue it with her own family some day. It's good stuff. And it's not goulash, no matter what Norma says. Right, Sandy?

But anyway. The problem with this dinner is that I don't get to have fun with a Halloween themed dinner. So, last Monday night at our weekly family dinner, I got a bit, errr, creative.

While the kids decorated cupcakes with seasonal sprinkles . . .

I made Witches Hands, Moldy Maggot Casserole, Booger Biscuits and Giants Toes.

Okay, it was really just oven baked chicken that I flattened and cut into "fingers," a rice and spinach casserole, biscuits with sauteed scallions and then tinted with green food coloring, and baby carrots. The recipes came from here and I have to say that the rice was really really good.

It was delicious and fun and my family really got a kick out of it.

The pumpkintinis weren't bad, either.

Posted by Carole at 6:45 AM | Comments (44)