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September 16, 2007

Be a Woman. Be a Fan.


What is it with the football commercials that cater to the male audience ? "I may not be able to breathe, and my vision is gone, but Thank God I have an erection." Seriously. Viva Viagra and Cialis ads? Please. However, in the last two years we've seen alot more commercials directed toward women. A trend my friend noticed and commented on, "Men of America don't watch football anymore". What the hell. This could be a good thing. Maybe we'll get tampon ads soon.




Football today started with Bloody Marys of course. Always good. Then it was crab and shrimp enchiladas.




Sweat 1/4-1/2 chopped onion in olive oil and a little garlic, dump in the already cooked 1/2 lb of small shrimp, a can of drained crab, add spices (mexican mix works), salt, peppar to taste. Add a splash of cream and some shredded cheese for texture. Let it putter while you heat up the green canned enchilada sauce (yeah, easy, you can even add some salsa verde if you want). Distribute a few tablespoons of enchilada sauce in your rectangular pan so your enchiladas won't burn. Nuke corn tortillas in microwave, dip them in the warm enchilada sauce, add a couple of spoons of crab & shrimp mixture, some cheese, roll up the tortilla, and place it in your baking pan (14x9 should be big enough). Makes about 10-12 enchiladas. Cover with enchilada sauce, the rest of the cheese (one bag of Mexican 4-blend shredded is enough). Cook in oven for about 15 minutes, 400 degrees so your cheeses melt. Serve with appropriate condiments. I require tortilla chips as "utensils". Beer not optional. (Brand maybe. It is football day after all.)


No knitting today, it was a day for Embroidery Support. Bought this Advent Calendar kit to embroider and applique. Must have been drinking, or Jill convinced me the gazillion stockings she's made are actually "fun" to do. In over my head? Fuck yeah. Expect this to be completed in 2020. Have to admit, it's kind of fun. So far. And that is not far.




Also got a nifty little organizer for all the sparklies. No, I didn't organize them. Are you kidding me. I can't organize shit. That's why it's called Embroidery SUPPORT.






Final progress for tonight. It's kind of fun.




Gratuitous picture of the Wild Wilderness Wolf of the Tundra.



Cute as a button.

Always.


Title from TV commercial. Seriously. During football. Also. Attempting the cardigan on sz3s now. We'll see. Hiked Windy Hill yesterday, 7 miles. It feels good.

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July 04, 2007

Independence


It is an interesting fact that in 1826, on the 4th of July, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, two men who really shaped this country, who wrote the Declaration of Independece, who were both presidents, died on the same day. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. It is one of those coincidences that really makes you wonder. What a time that must have been. The men who lived during that time, who decided to declare independence, they had some serious balls. Talk about gutsy. Independence should not be scary, it should be freeing, empowering. It should be great.



What did we do today? Hiked Castle Rock. It is so badass, it was hotter than fucking hell. Really. Insanely hot. We saw around 10 lizzards, huge fat ones, one black baby snake who scooted across the dusty trail, and one scared bunny rabbit who froze on the trail in front of us when we saw him. We hoped he wasn't rabid, he bopped into the woods eventually. Yeah, and we don't know what real nature is. Please. There is nothing like the Santa Cruz Mountains. I love it up there. People who have never experienced it don't know what they're missing. Clearly.






Glazed shrimp, orzo with spinach, feta and mint, and corn and scallion salad for dinner. It was absolutely perfect. So incredibly yummy. All recipes from Everyday Food. Three new things today, they will be made again.






It was hard to pick the wine. We settled on the Navarro Gewurz. It was too fucking hot to think much today.



Last Thursday Bobaknit was Kristi's last one. Cookie showed us all the sheep game she got for her. Ehm. Threesome with Sam the Ram? The sheep are so damn cute though.









Saturday was all about Kristi's going away party! We are going to miss her like mad. I will especially miss her awesome sarcasm. It is the best. Everyone has blogged about the party so well, Jill, Cookie, Jeni, Freecia, , Cindy and I am sure a ton more people, but I haven't checked everyones blog yet. But I have watched the videos, oh, yes, the videos. So. Fucking. Funny.


How can you not love the furry penis? It is damn cute.


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June 24, 2007

Hook Up


It was Swedish Midsummer. A pagan fertility festival as everyone so quickly points out, celebrating Summer Solstice. It was fabulous. We do this every year. Like my friend said "we are damn good at picnics". The festival is located at Sveadal, a Swedish settlement in Uva's canyon outside of Gilroy. It is usually hotter than hell (not so this year, only maybe 85 or so), we sit on the lawn and eat and drink, and boy did we drink this year. Our lawn neighbors are cursing us today I am sure. They had to crawl back to their chairs. Crawl... A bottle and a half of Aquavit. We share well. We hung out, we chatted, we drank, we ate, we danced around the Maypole. We even went down to the infamous creek! (No poison oak yet..) It is such a treat, to hear Swedish wherever you go, it's so unusual, there are Swedish flags everywhere, really crappy Swedish music (we brought the good shit of course). It is what I need every year. My friends suffer through the pickled herring, and the Aquavit. They are really troopers.


One staple that everyone can eat is Elin's Pasta Salad, we make it every year.




1 box of cooked screw pasta

4-5 tbsp pesto. (Don't put in too much)

Rinse the pasta in cold water after it is done, let it cool and dry for couple of minutes. Mix in the pesto. Then add the rest;



Cherry tomatoes, halved

Sliced cucumbers (I remove the seeds usually, or use the English hothouse ones.)

Sliced onion (red or Vidalia)

Cubed feta (sheep or cow)

Green olives to taste


It makes a big batch, but it is so good. We tend to keep the feta and olives separately for people with no taste.


Since I was DD, there was no hang-over to get over today. (Midsummer is all about the drinking really. Some crude people may say it's about drinking and getting laid. Pagans knew how to party.) It was a good thing (the non-drinking part). Some Finishing was done. Charlotte's sweater is DONE. I mean like DONE. It is being blocked as we speak. BLOCKED. Actually washed it, yes. Took a picture before blocking with the cute pink buttons.




Itching to get started on Arthur's buttons. (Now that I actually found the left over yarn for the button band. Slight panic there for awhile. What with two cats who love YARN and a dog who can probably swallow the ball of yarn whole. Without noticing. And that cleaning frenzy that went on last week. But true to form, it was buried in the couch. Phewey.)


It is summer, and it it hard to pick up any knitting with wool in it. The baby sweaters were an exception, and so small. But entrelac socks now? Naw. Print o the Wave stole in Misti Alpaca? Don't think so. Summer project?









Crocheting is the answer. Found the doily I was working on last year, it took awhile to figure out the pattern again, but it is so fun. The Japanese hooks are just the best. The BEST. Any other crocheting I hate. But doilies? As long as they're not the pineapple style doiles, they're nice. The more original, the better. Got this pattern from a Swedish magazine Mom sent. Swedes know how to do doilies, but Americans know how to make awesome crochet yarn. Have sent lots of it of it to my family, and for Christmas and my birthday I get finished doilies from my Gramma. It rocks. Does she use a pattern? I doubt it. Most of them are runners, she has a standard pattern she uses that is gorgeous and versatile. I wish I was more like her.






Thursday was hair day, and Coco500 evening. It was so lovely. We sat at the bar for about an hour and a half, talked, and had a couple of seriously original drinks. But then, how can anything with blueberries taste bad?!



Nothing but Macy Gray this week. Mostly On How Life Is. And the new headfones. Lovely. Work has been about learning to think differently.

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May 28, 2007

Nowadays you don't mean dick to me

To be honest, I do obsess abit about music. My iPod and I have an unhealthy relationship I've been told, but we're ok with it. It is the best piece of technomology I have ever owned. It integrates with the receiver in the living room, the Bose sound dock in the kitchen, and almost most importantly my car stereo. Every single album I own is on it, reaching 400 soon. It goes with me everywhere. I mean everywhere.

It has really been about new music for the last month, (the title being from Amy Winehouse). Discovered iTunes. Yeah, laugh. All of you. My lunch money is going toward the ninety-nine cent songs. And believe you me, they are all adding up. All in preparation for the Santa Cruz Mountains Vintner's Festival the next two weekends. We prepare. Well. At least music wise. It's for the singalong. The rest? Wing it. It's wine, drink it, is our philosophy. And most importantly, figure out what you like. Drink it. Alot of it. Let us know if you want to go.


Actually been knitting going around here, the baby sweater of course. Arthur is going to be cute as a damn button in this! Using the Cherry Farm/Hill/Tree yarn (don't ask me what it's called really). It is lovely sock yarn to knit a baby sweater with. And superwash, hello, babies drool.



Tonight it was a Panzanella Salad Night.


Green beans
Home made croutons (toss some baguette cubes with olive oil and herbs of your choice and roast)
Hard boiled egg
Cherry tomatoes
romaine lettuce
Broiled salmon
Mixture of deli olives, nicoise, greek, green ,etc...
Thinly sliced red onions
Home made balsamic vinaigrette (balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard, garlic, salt n pepper. Easy.)


McDowell's Viognier and Chaine d'Or Chardonnay. We were TWO PEOPLE HELLO, we needed two bottles. ( Besides we had "people" (=Gary) drinking at least two glasses in quick succession before he announced he was leaving to get his own food. )


Then blue and blackberry crumb cake with cream (non-whipped for the Limeys) and liquid dessert in the form of Prager Thomas port and, of course, coffee. An absolutely lovely evening.

And I have my car keys back.

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April 14, 2007

A Rainy Saturday Afternoon




Costco frozen salmon (salt, pepper, and of course Tarragon, the best herb, ehm, well anyway, and a drizzle of olive oil), roasted potatoes, fresh fennel, and Joe's Sallad.



I ask, why would you not love a vegetable that tastes like licorice?! It's absolutely heavenly. Joe's sallad is named after a friend. He makes the best summer salad, and it always makes me think of him when I make it, and all his stories which begin "Back in the Old Country..."

Joe's Sallad

cucumbers (cored, to get rid of the mushy seeds.)

tomatoes (cherry tomatoes, halved, they don't get as mushy as regular tomatoes.)

red onion (cut in half moon shapes)

fresh lime juice

olive oil

salt & pepper


Of course, everything to taste. Then add the feta cheese, either crumbled or cubed, just the way you like it.


To round it all off, a nicely chilled Rose. This one from Savannah Chanelle.


Then, liquid dessert. Paired with some highly chocolatey cookies we drank Kelsey Port and the Buena Vista Sherry.


All the while planning for the BBQ...




Look at all that left over yarn! Only awaiting buttons. ..

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November 25, 2006

Pomopolitans & Mr Turkey


It's hard to write, but even harder to say after one (or two).

Pomopolitans

100% Pomegranate juice.
Vodka (unflavored)
Cointreau

Fresh Pomegranate seeds and lemon zest for garnish.

There are no measurements, just pour in what you think tastes good. I dump it all in my shaker with some ice, shake it up, then pour into martini glasses and add garnish. Just be VEWWY VEWWY CAREFUL! It is a HIGHLY potent drink. Believe you me, you want to control the vodka, you can't taste it, but I can guarantee you it's THERE. We had three each, and look how happy we were! (Well, I'm the photographer, but see, the picture isn't blurry!) And the COLOR, just a beautiful ruby red!

It's all for Mr. Turkey. If Eric's stuffing wasn't the most divine stuffing on the planet, I wouldn't care so much about a Turkey. The Turkey is really good, but not my department, I just know there are oranges and orange marmalade and some herbs and spices and stuff involved. Look how PRETTY it is! 15 pounder this year with eight people in the crowd!


These are our staples.

The stuffing is from Williams-Sonoma's catalog from 5 years ago or so; wild rice, fennel, home made (or Marie Callendar's herb) croutons, fresh roasted chestnuts, and various and assorted other things that Eric puts in it. I just roast the chestnuts, that's my only job for the stuffing (or he would get the icky canned ones. Peeling chestnuts are a BITCH on your fingers.) Remember to make the cut along the mid section of the chestnut before roasting. Makes it SO MUCH EASIER to peel. 350 degrees about 30-35 minutes.


Then peel them pretty quicklike. Yes, they're smoking hot, but the skin comes off easier.

Green bean casserole. From Cook's Illustrated's cookbook they put out a couple of years ago. You can substitute chicken stock for some good veggie stock if you have vegetarians in the crowd.


They do still use the fried french onions, but mix them half and half with some regular bred and alittle of butter, for the top.

Cranberry Sauce

1 bag of crannies
3/4 cup sugar
1 orange cut up into chunks
zest of the above orange


Throw it all in a pot and let it putter until the cranberries pop or are cooked through. Voila done. I always make it the day before (well, I didn't ALWAYS do that, but with experience..)

Pumpkin Cheese cake from the Pumpkin book from Williams-Sonoma. They don't do the fancy water bath that they do in the Cook's Illustrated version, but if I do the candied orange peels for the top, I try to cover up the cracks if they form!


After a bite of the cheese cake, who cares anyway! The longer it sits, the better it tastes! (Well, make it the night before anyway...)

And this year we got the very special treat of home made icecream!!!!


Pumpkin, Vanilla and coffee. Absolutely divine.


Family & Friends & Food. Life doesn't get much better that that.

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November 12, 2006

Bloody M

Let's imagine the perfect boyfriend. He would wake you every morning with yarn. He would use his cell needle to spin you 4-ply times a day. He would rub your cottony back after a wooly day at the twisted office. He would help you shop for skeins without knitting one bit. He would cast on all of your friends with his colorful charm. He would never click over to a pro wheel game while you're watching your favorite episode of "Bobbin in the Circulars". And he wouldn't be at all jealous of your obsession with Heath Ledger. Ladies, he is out there just plying for you!
Mad Libs with a Knitting Theme, aren't they fun?!

Knitting Retreat Vegetarian Chili
1 large chopped onion
3 cloves garlic chopped
3 ribs celery chopped
1 zucchini chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can pinto beans (drained)
1 can piquito beans in chili sauce (with sauce)
1 can corn ( drained)
2 28 oz cans chopped tomatotes
1 small can chopped green chilis
Veggie stock
3 tbsp chili powder
1.5 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp coriander
1 tsp cinnamon
S&P to taste (not much salt added..)

Sweat the veggies with the garlic until they're soft. Add the rest of the ingredients, and veggie stock to a consistency you like. Add spices. Cook for as long as you like, a couple of hours or so. Keep the lid on.



The bags were sweet. The Yoga Turtle from the Palace of Fine Arts was the inspiration. I LOVE my pumpkin bag. Because I had awesome Party Slaves, they got the orange ones, and everyone else got the green ones, with some goodies inside. They whip up crazy fast, you gotta love Amy Butler!


Used the pattern for the drawstring shoulder bag in "In Stitches". The lining is so nice, you can fit a small project like socks, or a scarf, in it. Perfect for the train commute! Only have one bag + goodies left over. What to do with it?

I hate to lead people on, but no pictures from the partey tonight. I'm too damn tired and need sleep. Just a huge thankyou to everyone who showed up, and all the goodies they brought! And something for the road (as long as you're not driving!)

Bloody Mary's
38 oz Tomato Juice (We mixed V8 and the spicy V8 in a pitcher).
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp celery salt
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup vodka (or more, yes more)
4 shakes hot sauce (or cayenne if you don't mind it between your teeth)
1/2 tsp horseradish
citrus vodka


Mix all ingredients to taste. Chill. Pour a splash of citrus vodka in glass, pour in Bloody Mary.


Tomorrow is Football Day. Ah.

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