Hand Made Christmas - Let's Bake Cookies

While I did bake cookies this holiday season, I also played with chocolate.  Several of my favorite local chocolatiers offer a chocolate enrobed Oreo cookie...it's decadent to say the least.

I stopped by Hanna Krause and picked up their chocolate "cote" products in dark (personal fav) and milk chocolate.  The process was rather simple, I dipped the cookies in the chocolate (heated on a double boiler).

I decorated them with some sprinkles I had left over from a batch of sugar cookies.  I think I ate more than I gifted...It's the thought that counts...right?

Have a safe New Years eve everybody.  ~ksp
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Kwanzaa Day Six:  Kuumba (Creativity): In some respects, I think I exhibit this principle the most throughout the year...having said that, there is always more/different that I can do.  In all endeavors I will do as much as I can, in the way that I can, in order to leave my communities more beautiful and beneficial than I inherited it.

Handmade Holidays - Merlot

The gift queue included a stash busting Double Irish Chain quilt.  When asked, the recipient reported their favorite color as "merlot".  Ah...merlot is one of my absolute favorite libations so a Merlot Double Irish Chain Quilt.

Grabbed a long-languishing Moda jelly roll (ETA: The colorway is Portobello Market) and two different burgundy fabrics and I followed this link.  Those who follow my blog know that I love the scrappy looking quilts so I go out of my way to incorporate variations in colors and fabrics.

Please pardon the crappy phone photos. I forgot to snap photos before wrapping and delivering it, so I had to grab a Blackberry photo.

Here's a close up of the center square. 

I very much enjoyed this quilt and it went by rather quickly...or I become delirious... The week of Christmas, I quilted it on a long-arm machine at Olde City Quilts with a meandering stitch pattern.

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Day Four: Ujamaa (cooperative economics): During the coming year, I will work to support local and minority-owned business whenever possible.  I will work to circulate the money I spend in my community of residence/interest.

Day Five:  Nia (purpose): I will continue to build and develop my community and its members in order to restore and maintain values, traditions and customs.

Handmade Holidays - Quilted Sunshine

A good friend of mine is going through a rough patch.  She lives several states away so I cannot be a physically present help to her.  But, I can do something for her, I can bend a rule.

My general rules for quiltmaking are as follows:

1. Quilts that I make are to be used.  I have never made a wall hanging quilt, I usually make bed/lap sized quilts and I want them to be used.  I don't care if they fray, I can make another one. 
2. Most quilts are to commemorate a significant event.  Now this rule is a bit tricky because I most often gift quilts on the occasion of a new birth, but I've given for other reasons.
3. I make the rules; which means they are subject to be altered at my whim.

With this quilt I exercise rule #3.

I followed the Oh, Fransson! tutorial here.  I wanted it to be bright and cheery and possibly coordinate with her living room which is an asparagus green.  I raided my stash and found a bright fat quarter bundle full of bright oranges and pinks and added to it as necessary.

I obviously cannot follow simple instructions and need a cheat.

I had the hardest time keeping track of the proper order of the fabrics...I was going for cheery, not perfect, so I pressed on.  I used a lattice lay-out for the 8" blocks.  The finished quilt was roughly 50" x 72".

The back.

Close up of meander machine quilting.

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Day Two: Kujichagulia - Self-Determination: I will actively work toward defining myself, creating for myself and my community and speaking for myself and my communities of membership.

Day Three: Ujima - Collective Work and Responsibility: I will use my energy to build and maintain my communities, to assist my brothers and sisters solve their/our problems together.

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ETA: Delivered. She lurves it and it has already been installed. ~ksp

Happy Holidays!!

Merry Christmas season, Happy Boxing Day (to my friends in Great Brittan and Canada) and lastly a warm first day of Kwanzaa* to all who observe.  Here in the US Northeast we are girding ourselves for a winter blizzard which is forecast to drop about one foot of snow across the area...so glad I'm indoors until after the new year.

This fall season, I began to come back into my normal self.  Those who follow my dealings know that I am over-busy most of the time.  In fact, it is my "normal".  But this summer, between implementing a huge expansion project at work, being a caregiver to my mentee and the usual foolishness I have going on, it was a stressful time.  More than that, it temporarily robbed me of my creativity.

SLOWLY, I have come back to myself.

So this season, I was able to complete several very fun handmade projects, many of which I was able to incorporate many Christmas gifts into the queue.  I'll be showing you some of them.

Stash Sachets

I had a little a little clothes moth scare in a segregated wool stash.  Out of fear of harm to the mother load, I did some investigating of natural moth repellents.  I detest the smell of moth balls, I have too many childhood memories of old smelly church ladies...did I ever tell you that I have an exceptionally keen nose?

Anyways, I did some research on natural materials that protect fabrics and developed these mixes.  All recipes are approximate, but feel free to replicate and adjust as desired.  I gave several cotton/wool gifts where I included a sachet.

Mint Medley

1 part dried mint (any variety is fine)
2 parts dried lavender
1.25 ounces whole cloves

In a small plastic zip bag, crush the whole cloves with a rolling pin (or whatever you've got).  Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Place mix in mini sachets.  I used some organza pouches from a craft store chain to bundle them up. 

Cedar Lavender

4 parts cedar shavings

1 part dried lavender

Mix ingredients and sachet as you see fit.

Any of these sachets can be enhanced or rejuvenated with essential oils.  I spruced up my cedar shavings with them.  Enjoy. ~ksp

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*Umoja - Unity - is the principle of the first day of Kwanzaa.  On this and every day I will strive to create and maintain unity in my family, community, nation and race.

A Good Deed...

December 1st is World AIDS Day.  I was asked by my sister, to prepare a quilt square for as her job's contribution to a quilt comprised of squares from service agencies county-wide .  She works for the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation.  If I can get a photo of the final quilt, I'll be sure to post it here.

This square, and poor planning on my part, lead to me getting very little sleep last week.  I hope it represents their organization well.  Thanks to My Spicy Yarn's contribution with her patience and embroidery.

World AIDS Day is an international health day.  This year, and every year, world citizens are asked  take action to tackle HIV prejudice and to protect yourself and others from HIV transmission. 

Check out the website for information regarding activities, to raise awareness, commemorate those who have passed on, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services. 


Do something. ~ksp

Sunday Dinner

I went to visit my local butcher here while he was preparing some beef braciole (pronounced bra jole).  While I don't eat beef, it totally piqued my curiosity.  I asked him to prepare a chicken version for my Sunday dinner. I was looking for something that I could prep and it could cook all day while I tended to my art.

Chicken Braciole

Into the frying pan.

I pan fried the bundle in my small dutch oven and added some "gravy" (marinara sauce) and let it simmer...for hours...

Nice and browned.

I did some clean up on my garden plots and got lazy and really hungry in the end, so I served it over whole wheat spaghetti and called it a meal.  If I had planned it better, I would have served it over orzo or a risotto...maybe next time.  Also, I'll ask Neil to make if with chicken thighs instead of the breast.

God, I just love trying new things. ~ksp

A yummy experiment.

A Much Needed Rest

I needed a break...I plotted when daylight's savings time was going to give me my hour back and I planned to hole myself up in the house this weekend and treated myself to no cell phones and death-by-indulgence and some craft time.

When I was in DC, I took a side-wind trip to FibreSpace in Alexandria, VA because I needed an excuse to buy some of Jarred Flood's venture into retail yarn - SHELTER.

I picked up 2 skeins in the Hayloft colorway to coordinate with my favorite Land's End winter jacket.  It's my go-to jacket through most of the winter.  The color was tonal and nubby but a little too dark for the look I was going for, so I decided to carry ember-colored Kidsilk Haze from Fabric.com to provide a halo and soften the color a bit.

Yarn and riesling...perfect together.

Chocolate-covered strawberries for Hanna Krause.

I may never come up for air. ~ksp

Tomato Row!

I find myself lamenting over the ending of summer and putting up a large amount of tomatoes.

On tap for this weekend:

Tomato-based Steak Sauce
Cocktail Sauce
Tomato-based BBQ sauce.

It's A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!

In an attempt at being neighborly, I left some tomatoes out for the other tenants.

Much to my surprise, no one took ANY...not one tomato. I took them back and put them in my new steak sauce recipe...more on that later.

Later for my neighbors!  ~ksp

North African Cuisine

I introduced a colleague of mine to my travel agent with whom he later booked a trip to Morocco. Being the thoughtful professional that he is, in exchange, he brought me bags of spices.  Much to my excitement, I got both spices I use regularly and some less-used items.

laurier = bay leaf

I've traveled to Africa and love the cuisine, mostly stewed meat and grain combos that rely heavily on tomatoes and palm oil.  Despite this orientation, I knew little of the flavors of the northern part of the continent.

As a learning experience for myself and a thank you to his thank you, I prepared for him a Moroccan-inspired chicken dish.  It relies heavily on lovely combined spices and an old legume stand-by.

After figuring out a spice mix, I browned the chicken and then simmered it over the stewed lentils.  I have an issue cooking in small portions.  Please note that you will have spice mix leftover and the recipe below will feed 4-5 adults.

Chicken Du'moroc avec Lentils

(Moroccan Chicken with Lentils)

Ingredients:

1 tsp paprika

¾ tsp habanero powder
½ tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cumin

¼ tsp allspice

½ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp cloves

1½ tsp cracked pepper

2 Tbsp kosher salt

1 whole chicken (cut up)

1/3 cup canola oil (any cooking vegetable oil will work)

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 large onion, diced
3 carrot, peeled and cubed
1 pint diced tomatoes
2 tbsp cider vinegar
4 cups water (or chicken/vegetable stock)
1 can tomato paste

2 bay leaves
1 bag lentils (rinsed)
salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:
Clean chicken using your usual method and pat dry. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken.  Cover completely.

In frying pan heat oil and brown chicken pieces on all sides.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Switch the remaining oil to a Dutch oven and fry the vegetables in the remaining oil.  Add the vinegar and scrape the renderings from the bottom of the pan.  Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf and water/stock.  Bring to a boil and add the lentils.  Place the chicken pieces on the top of the mixture.  Simmer until the lentils are tender and the chicken is fully done. 

Finished dish!

Coming in from the Cold

I have abstained from adding to the craft swag for some time now.  Of course there are financial benefits to cutting back, but the truth is, I was not producing crafted items.  I was just collecting yarn, fabrics, etc. and it started to feel both wasteful and gluttoness.  I've taken this time (over a year) to focus on first, using what I have and encouraging myself to strive for greater creativity.
Last week, while away on a business trip I took a night and caught up on my blog reading.  Lately, my work has been all-consuming and I threw my back out, combining to rob me of the time to read like I'd like. Hell, its robbed me of my ability to do much of anything...but I digress...

It was then that I read that blog crush Brooklyn Tweed had brought to market a domestically-sourced and processed woolen yarn - SHELTER.  During a conference break, I skipped a workshop ran to Fibre Space in Alexandria, VA.

I am a huge fan of rationalizing (any of my therapists can attest to this) so in order for me to make a purchase I needed to tie it to something practical and immediate. Enter rationalization here:

As fall settles in and winter quickly approaches, I need to line-up my winter woolen accessories. Anyone who has met me in person can attest to my having a big head and a lot of hair, thus making purchasing commercial hats IMPOSSIBLE. 

I chose two skeins in the brighter of the 2 yellow offerings of SHELTER with the plan to make a tam (w/ requisite pom pom) to coordiate with my "dressy" winter boots.

I searched Ravelry and will start a extra slouchy version of Moss Stitch beret (rav link).  I hope to have a few yards remaining to coordinate into a scarf and/or mitten.  So, as winter fast approaches, I plan to use SHELTER to keep out the cold*.

You got to coordinate.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

*Pun intended

Wordless Sunday

First Day of Fall

It has finally arrived, the first day of Fall.  While I love this season, it also marks the coming of darkness soon it will be dark both when I go to work and when I depart (most depressing).  As I say "farewell" to summer, here are some updates on some of the projects I worked on this summer. ~ksp

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Ishbel Shawl - Frogged
As I mentioned earlier here, I either dropped a stitch or created an other yo while plowing through this small scarf in June.  Soon thereafter, summer settled in and it was almost the most hot/humid one on record. I couldn't stand to be near wool, in any form...it was that unbearable.  So, I put Ishbel down.  Now as fall is settling in (officially arriving later this week) and I picked it back up, I have no idea what in the hell I was doing.  So to the frog pond she goes. Alas, I will cast on again on especially since I need to start stockpiling Christmas gifts.

Heirloom Tomato Salsa - Repurposed
I used a water-bath approved recipe for this salsa that called for vinegar found here.  The proportions of tomato to vinegar was over powering as a salsa.  I opened all the cans and threw them into the crackpot for a day and a haf.  I pulsed them down with the immersion blender to a chunky consistency and added sugar and salt.  Not sure of the acid level (I've lost my food grade ph slips) I pressure canned the Heirloom catsup in small jars.  I'll give updates once it's cooled and refrigerated.

Sunshine Pickles - Failure
I searched high and low for sunshine pickle recipes.  I not-so-secretly love pickles of all kinds.  Once I found the hermetic jars here it was game-on.

After researching recipes I settled on what what I thought would do the trick.  I marked off the requisite days on the calendar and waited.  When I finally opened the jar the pickles had a great aroma and color but a horrid consistency.  They had become a mushy shell of their former selves.  It broke my heart to throw these away, Especially since my homegrown cucumber were not abundant enough to create another bushel.  Next year.

Wordless Sunday.

While We're Waiting...

It's thick in the fall canning season and so there's a lot of hurry up and wait, especially as it relates to fall crop (apple, grape, peach, etc) jelly-making.

Jelly making requires draining the juice from a pulpy mixture...depending on batch size, this process can take a looooong time.



So while this jelly bag (a retro-fitted pillowcase) drains yummy concord grape pulp, lets have a contest!


In the comments, list your favorite type of jelly and on September 24, 2010, the random number generator will choose a winner. ~ksp

Tomato Pickles

I've recently developed a new blog crush here. I love her juxtaposition of urban living and homesteading. Feels both traditional and hip.

My local farmer's market often has unripe green zebra tomatoes.  It's not a variety I have any interest in growing, but they do make an awesome pickle.  I made minor variations to Tigresses recipe here mostly because I had no fenugreek in the spice cabinet and I used sugar in the raw) and I was not going back to the market.

All sliced up and ready for salting.

After letting it drain overnight, I commenced to cooking bright and early the next morning.
After some quick mixing and a hot water bath...pints of yummy pickles to accompany meals throughout the winter. ~ksp

Headshot

My job required new head shots for all executive staff for our website. Here's mine! ~ksp

I detest pictures of myself, but since this is going on a website, I am acclimating myself to it.  ~ksp

Saturday Night Live!

Today was a great, albeit busy day.  I had a pick-up of my organic vegetable co-op which included a case of tomatoes for putting up.  It was the first meeting of the season for my quilt guild...and the first day of the New Jersey Sheep and Wool Festival.

Unlike its regional relatives Rhinebeck and MDSW, the NJ festival is quaint with all of the requisite food, animals and local/regional vendors.  I actually loved it.  In recent years, I've gone to the bigger festivals  late on Saturday or Sunday to avoid the throng of the crowd.  I find all of the people distracting from the funtivities.

The drive down to the Hunterdon County Fairgrounds was lovely, the weather hovered around 80 degrees with almost no humidity. I was able to meet blog crush Mistress Rows Red in the flesh and confess my love...I bought some kettle-dyed Romney roving in lovely tone-on-tone aquas.

Glendmere Farm in Cokesbury, NJ

I ended the night with a nice "simple" meal...

Ingredients: Shrimp, broccoli, onions, garlic lemon juice and spices.  Served over rice.

...and a great Saturday, I'm tired. ~ksp

Cranberries...Not Just For Thanksgiving Anymore

Here is the last recipe and second place ribbon-winner from this year's fair.  It was a spin on cranberries, and while I am not a fan of cranberry jelly, but this sweet/savory chutney variation hits the spot. The judges seemed to agree.  ~ksp

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Cracked Pepper Cranberry Chutney

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion or shallot
• 4 gloves finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 8 oz fresh or frozen cranberries (not thawed; 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp cracked black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt


Preparation

1. Cook shallot and garlic in butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally,
3. Berries will burst and chutney will thicken in about 20 minutes.
4. Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top.
5. Process in a hot-water bath of simmering water for 10 minutes. Adjust time for your elevation.
6. 
   
7. Remove from heat and skim off foam from the top. Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top.
8. Process in a hot-water bath of simmering water for 10 minutes. Adjust time for your elevation.

Golden Mint Jelly

Montclair Mint growing wild in my garden box before summer planting...ignore the keys on the table.

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I didn't bother to add food coloring to this recipe, but it easily could be added.   I didn't see the point, it's such a rich golden color by itself. It won an Honorable Mention ribbon at this year's state fair. Enjoy. ~ksp

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Golden Mint Jelly

Ingredients

• 4 lbs of tart apples (e.g. Granny Smith), unpeeled, chopped into 1” cubes (including the cores)
• 2 1/2 cups of fresh mint, chopped, lightly packed (set1/3 cup aside)
• 2 -3 medium jalapeno peppers (set 2 tbsp aside)
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 3 1/2 cups sugar

Method

1.     Combine apple pieces with water and mint in a large pan. Bring water to a boil then reduce heat and cook 20 minutes, until apples are soft.

2.     Add vinegar, return to boil. Simmer covered, 5 more minutes.

3.     Use a potato masher to mash up the apple pieces to the consistency of thin apple sauce.

4.     Spoon the apple pulp into a muslin cloth (or a couple layers of cheesecloth) or a large, fine mesh sieve, suspended over a large bowl. Leave to strain for several hours. (4 to 5 cups juice).

5.     Measure the juice then pour into a large pot. Add the sugar (7/8 a cup for each cup of juice). Heat gently, stirring to make sure the sugar gets dissolved and doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.

6.     Add set aside mint and peppers.

7.     Bring to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes, using a metal spoon to skim off the surface scum.

8.     Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top.

9.     Process in a hot-water bath of simmering water for 10 minutes.  Adjust time for your elevation.

Laboring in the Kitchen

It's Labor Day* here in the US and since I chilled for a lot of the weekend,  I didn't feel bad about working today.  I planted a number of heirloom tomato plants and could not eat them fast enough.  I offered some to my neighbors but still had too many than I knew what to do with.

So as part of my canning spree, I made salsa.  I'm still trying to get better control of my food/portions/sugars etc. so these yummy pints will stock my snack pantry.

Varieties include: cherokee purple, mortgage lifter and aunt ruby's german green.

As usual, there is a lot going on here.  September marks many beginnings: my quilting guild meetings, winter-league bowling and the enrollment time at work.

On the guild front  I am charged with creating and maintaining the website...I have no expereince with html code so this is yet another learning curve for me...

Heirloom salsa

So now, in anticipation of it all, I will catch up on laundry and get ready for another work week.  

Yay for the un-official end of summer!


*Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Simple Local Foods

I've previously talked here about my quest to cut back the amount of sugar I consume. It is not going well at all. Fighting an addiction, I don't care what your addicted to, is very difficult.  While I do consume less soda and processed drinks, I still can't take mildly sweetened coffee and love pastries....uugghhh...

Alas, I shall soldier on...

In other food related news.  This is the sign that hangs at the urban farm/produce stand that I buy my garden plants and occasionally fruits and vegetables.

So as I lick my wounds from my epic fail to eat less sugar, I am also focusing on eating simple mostly local foods.

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My Definitions

Local - Grown or raised within the state of NJ or within a 30 mile radius.  Given I live within 19 miles of NYC and 30 of Sussex County, NJ's farm land, that provides a lot of options.

Simple - Less than 5 ingredients (not including spices).
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This is a mostly-local meal.  Local eggs thanks to the Montclair Farmer's Market, tomatoes I grew and stewed and store bought brislings. 

Tasty, healthy simple and local. ~ksp

I Like my Currants Spicy!

In my household growing up red currants were not a commonly used fruit.  I pulled out my great-Nana's cookbook and did some tinkering in the kitchen.  The end result was not a ribbon winner at the fair, but a tasty jelly nonetheless...enjoy! ~ksp

Spiced Currant Jelly

Ingredients
• 4 pounds fresh red currants
• 1 cup water
• 7 cups white sugar
• 4 fluid ounces liquid fruit pectin
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground allspice

Directions

1. Place the currants into a large pot, and crush.
2. Pour in 1 cup of water, and bring to a boil.
3. After boiling, simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add spice mix and stir.
5. Process juice through jelly cloth or cheese cloth, and measure out 5 cups of the juice.
6. Bring juice to boil in large pot, and slowly stir in the sugar. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat, and stir in the liquid pectin. Return to a full rolling boil, and allow to boil for 1 minute.
7. Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top.
8. Process in a hot-water bath of simmering water for 10 minutes. Adjust time for your elevation.

Baby Selven

As a college student at TU I made lots of life-long friends including Selven.  In the mid-nineties he was a business major and was number 27 on the football team.  He and I are fierce friends and in the 10 plus years since we've graduated, we still speak several times a week.  I call him my "brother from another mother"...he calls me "grasshopper*".

He and his girlfriend have a baby due in a couple of weeks and I am SO excited.  He's wanted to be a daddy for some time and his baby boy is almost here.  To celebrate this momentous birth I, grasshopper, am preparing a mostly green flying geese crib quilt for him.

Strips salvaged from layer cakes purchased in Fl, June 2010

Squares all lined up.

Squares sewn together.

I am a Quiltville fan and follow Bonnie's instructions on creating bonus 1/2 square triangles on what would otherwise be discarded fabric.

Highly irregular 1/2 triangle squares.

I'll probably use these to make a lavender filled pillow for use in the baby's nursery.

I"ll keep you posted on progress. Baby Selven is due September 10, 2010...must hurry. ~ksp

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* That's a longer story.

Doing Much With Little

Picture Heavy Post

I won a first place ribbon in the NJ State Fair for my watermelon rind jam.  I have been fascinated for some time by coming up with gourmet/tasty fixins' with ingredients that would otherwise be discarded.  

After some experimenting, I now love watermelon rind as much as I love the red pulpy pieces. ~ksp

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Watermelon Rind Jam

Ingredients

• 2 lbs pound of fresh skinless watermelon rind (1 medium-sized fruit)

• Juice from 1 lemon or lime

• 2 cups sugar

• 1tbsp fresh ginger – grated

• 1tsp powdered ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Water

Directions:

1. Cut watermelon rind into 1 inch cubes.
2. Add the watermelon rind and grated ginger to a pot, cover with water and boil until fork tender and translucent; stirring regularly.
3. Drain out the water but keep 2 cups of this liquid for use to blend; let cool.
4. Pulse in a blender or food processor adding little liquid only if necessary. Process until smooth (the consistency of thick applesauce.)
5. Pour in a heavy pot.
6. Add sugar, salt and lime juice. Bring juice to boil in large pot, and slowly stir in the sugar.
7. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat, and stir in the liquid pectin. Return to a full rolling boil, and allow to boil for 1 minute.
8. Remove from heat and skim off foam from the top. Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top.
9. Process in a hot-water bath of simmering water for 10 minutes.  Adjust time for your elevation.~ksp