Salsa for Winter...

I had the afternoon to myself so I decided to be a bit constructive and can some salsa. This is a wonderful recipe for Smoked Pepper Salsa. I don't remember where I got it. I used to make it often. We love salsa!

12 or more chipotle peppers
6 lbs. canned diced tomatoes
whole bulb garlic
2 med onions
half bunch green onions
3 fresh jalapenos
4 tablespoons cumin
6 teaspoons oregano
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 cups white vinegar

Soak chile's in boiling water till soft, chop. (I used almost a whole 7oz. can of La Costena Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce because I couldn't find dried peppers today). Saute vegetables, add spices and tomatoes that have been chopped in a food processor. I left a couple cans as is when opened so it would be a bit chunky. Simmer 1 hour. Add vinegar. Simmer another hour. Can per directions for tomato products. (Water bath for 10 minutes)
I had a some tonight on a Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burger and some tortilla chips. Excellent!

Back to the ole Gansey....

Making some headway with my 'Kinsale'. An Alice Starmore Gansey. I didn't want to set in the sleeves so I did the math to pick up stitches at the shoulder. With a size 2 needle no matter how much I work on this it seems to take a long time to see some knitting done. It's knit with Rowan Wool/Cotton.
I WILL wear it this winter!

Bread Wrap

If you're a bread baker you just might need a nice Bread Basket Liner for your bread. It's a great pattern by Kellelynne Hedberg Riley, (Ravelry links) easy and fun to knit too. It's knit with Elann's cotton/linen yarn called Callista. It's shown here keeping cozy a homemade loaf of wheat/flax bread.

So much better than meat and potatoes!

Some nights the family just fends for themselves for dinner. Unfortunately they wouldn't eat this anyway! My dinner was red lentils with Israeli Couscous with cabbage and fresh from the garden chopped tomatoes. I seasoned it with curry, onion, garlic, kosher coarse salt and pepper. Homemade wheat bread, a little real butter and a slice of tomato. Very good and good for you.

Just finished this 'Lace Prairie Shawl' for my sister-in-law that is dealing with cancer treatments for the third time. I am hoping it sparks a bit of comfort. The pattern is in the book, Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle. It's knit in KnitPicks Shine Sport. I've knit it wool and the cotton is great too.

New/Old Lamp

I've been looking for a specific old milk glass lamp. Even though this is not the one I love it just the same. Even the shade is glass. I purchased it recently at an antique shop outside of Lynchburg, VA. This place was floor to ceiling and only paths to walk through and even sometimes turned sideways! One of those nice 'hole-in-the-wall' places. $25 less 20%

Not a good photo but a really fun thrift find. This is an old Avon perfume bottle. I had one when I was younger. Cats and yarn just go together don't they? I thought it suited me now and even better that it's empty! $.79

Happy Independence Day!

Another thrifty find....

Don't you love those 'hole-in-the-wall' type thrift stores along the side of a highway? My sister and I stopped at one last weekend. I've been looking for older Pyrex and found these. I imagine it was a 'nesting' set so I am missing the medium sized bowl. All washed up they look new! The large one was on a bottom shelf full of dirt and spider webs. The smaller one found in another section of the shop both were $6.50. ! The pattern is called "Butterfly Gold". Check here Pyrex Vintage Patterns and get hooked yourself!

Patiently waiting for a CD!!!

Better Pics of the sweater below....

Finished and waiting for winter.

Love the way it turned out. The two tones of Cascade's Eco Wool worked out well. The back is done in a stripe using both colors. I folded the sleeve over so you could see it since I changed the cables from the pattern for the sleeves. It's hard to photograph the dark colors and cables in the tweed yarn. So, now I'm waiting for winter to wear this quite often I'm sure.

Now back to the 3 shawls and another wool sweater I have on needles in various places!!!

Thrift store jackpot!!

It was on my 'Hope to Find Wish List' and it came true today. A Le Creuset cast iron 2 1/2 Qt. pot! It's color is Chestnut Brown which is now discontinued. I bake wonderful artisan crusty bread in my larger Le Creuset and this one will get lots of use as well. Check them out Le Creuset

Another great find is an almost new Bialetti Espresso maker. Came with it's box but lacking the 2 cups and saucers. Bialetti

My new favorite blog

I can't help it. This blog is just full of important information. Maybe it's because I've recently taken up learning to shoot a gun and now own two. What a step for me since a few months ago I never wanted a gun in my home. It's hidden and unloaded so it won't do me a bit of good if an intruder came in so I have to figure that one out. With curious boys it's a challenge.
Check it out Women of Caliber

Sugar or honey?

I've started a collection without really realizing it. I always look for teaspoons when in thrift stores. Nothing fancy and I've only gotten one silver spoon. I love iced tea in the summer so they fit right in. Some are cheap and some from nicer sets. So far I've only duplicated one. The count at this time is only 10 and some I've left behind. It's fun looking!

Bread Gadgets

One of the kitchen gadgets I recently found and love is a dough scraper. It's just a small piece of plastic but now indispensable when mixing bread dough of all kids. Also, a bamboo wide spoon or actually a small paddle. I've used that for years. Both pictured here. Rising is a quick loaf of what I call French bread that really isn't other than the shape. In the back is a loaf of potato bread I made a few days ago in my Zojirushi bread machine that is unfortunately now ready for the trash. It has tons of mold!! Yuk! That's the only bad thing about homemade bread is the short shelf life. Everything else about homemade bread is wonderful especially eating it!

The Cardigan

It's coming along. Knitting on the sleeves now and doing them at the same time on one circular needle so at least it seems to be going a bit faster. I like the two tones and the 'RAG' look. The pattern is the 'Must Have Cardigan' by Paton's and I'm using Cascade's Ecological Wool.
I'm sending the pattern book on to my Aussie friend RoseRedShoes. She wants to knit one too and doesn't have easy access to the pattern. Check her blog. She's a great knitter and so much fun.

A photo with the sleeves very soon!

Click on the link on the video frame cause the music from my blog interferes with listening to it here! Sorry about that.

Dogwood Blossoms and Beetle Bugs

Fancy bathing again!