Mason Dixon cooking

Here is my binder o' random recipes--and here is where it lives.
See Mason-Dixon Knitting for more details.


Below is a fav recipe--but I never need to look at the binder for it anymore. A vegetarian friend of mine made this for me once, and it just stuck (she obviously did not use chicken broth--but hey I think it tastes good). It was back in the day when cooking for myself was new and fun. I wrote down the recipe and stuck it in the pile that eventually went to live in this binder.

This is a recipe I use all the time, but particularly when I need to be on a low iodine diet (LID) before an iodine uptake scan. For other LID recipes see the Thyca cookbook.


Roasted veggies

Preheat oven to 500. Chop up various veggies that you like into equal(ish) size pieces.
mushrooms (quartered)
onions (keep them sort of together so they don't burn)
sweet potatoes squash (any you like, I like butternut)
red peppers (or other colors)
carrots
garlic (whole peeled clove)

That is my base--I might also add parsnips, rutabaga, turnips, beets depending on what's around at the store/farm.
Put the chopped veggies in a roasting pan, with a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper. (Pile up the veggies as they tend to reduce during cooking)
Roast veggies in oven for approximately 1 hour (until the harder veggies are as soft as you like) stirring every 20 minutes or so.
I serve this on a bed of couscous (made with a LID broth would be yummy, or just water). When not on LID I also sprinkle feta on top.

Stay tuned for the next post--when I discuss my monkeys!

Christmas loot

Amongst other fun things, Santa brought me these two books!

Now I don't need to constantly hog my library's copy of Mason Dixon Knitting, and I'm really looking forward to the Clara Parkes book.

Now if only I had gotten what I really wanted--more time to knit!

I can't complain, we had a very nice time with the Holidays this year (except for a few episodes of vomiting, but what can you expect with kids in the picture).

The recipient of the twisted stitches hat seemed pleased--which is always fun.

I'm missing my regular knitting buddies. The holidays have interfered with our usual Monday night gathering. I can't make it to the rescheduled Wednesday nights, so I'm having a little bit of withdrawal. It will be nice when things are back to normal.

And the days are getting (ever so slightly) longer!! Hooray.

Twisted Stitches Hat

You could still finish this in time for Christmas! I made this for a nephew, in the colors of his football team.




Use two colors of Valley Yarns Berkshire
Needles size US 10

LTwist=knit second stitch through back look, knit first stitch, slip both stitches off


With brim color CO 80 stitches
*K4 P4 * repeat.
Turn work *k4 P4 * repeat.
Join and knit in the round.
k4 P4 for about 2 inches.
Knit one row
Break yarn and join main color. Begin pattern below.

Row 1 *P4 K4* repeat
Row 2 *P4 LTwist* repeat
Row 3 *P4 K4* repeat
Row 4 *P4 K1 LTwist K1* repeat
Row 5 * P4 K4* repeat
Row 6 *P4 K2 LTwist* repeat

Work pattern until the hat measures approximately 9 inches (or longer if you prefer). End with Row 6 then continue


Row 1 *P2tog P2tog K2tog K2tog* repeat
Row 2 *P2 LTwist* repeat
Row 3 *P2tog K2tog* repeat
Row 4 *P1 K1* repeat
Row 5 *K2tog* repeat
Row 6 *K2tog* repeat--5 stitches remain

Break yarn and draw through remaining stitches. Sew the join and weave in ends. Flip up brim. To make it larger or smaller, increase or decrease stitches in groups of 8 (or change needle size for finer adjustment). Adjust length as needed.

This last image is in a mirrow, so the pattern is a mirrow image.

Goodies

Goodies in the mail. Not my swap package (yet) but the sock yarn that I ordered (yesterday!).

Gotta love speedy service! Thanks Dani!

In case you haven't looked out your window--

take a look out of mine.

It is beautiful today--and the streets are mostly clear. My kind of snow.

Let's see if the mail brings any goodies today!

Now back to work.

It's beginning to look a lot . . .

More snow here in New England. Looks like it is going to be one of those years. I knew the squirrels were just a little busier with their food hoarding this fall. My bird feeder is nearly empty--but I don't know if I can reach it to refill it. I will just have to get cold and wet, so the birds will still come visit.

On yarn news--keep me away from etsy! Maybe all this snow is making me think of knitting more socks. I just ordered some sock yarn from Sunshine Yarns. I'll be sure to post pictures when it gets here.

And the hand knits I shipped out have reached their destinations--hooray. My cutie-patootie niece loves her poncho.

Too bad she will outgrow it so quickly. I will just have to knit another one.

Stay warm, dry and safe!

24 FOs (give or take)

I was just looking at my Ravelry projects and noticed something funny. I have about 24 projects that I completed in the past year--which is when my projects start. (I certainly can't remember what I did more than a year ago without pictures. I got on Ravelry in August and somehow I managed to remember 6 months worth of knitting, anything made before that is just gone.) Among the 24, only 3 were for me. Two pairs of socks (one which needs repairs to a hole formed because I probably should not have used that yarn for socks) and some clog slippers that I wore to bits and are now not functional.
If I look at my queue, the items are mostly for me--yet I just don't end up making them. I love making gifts for others, but I like hand knits too.

So, for 2008 my goal is to knit more for myself.
We'll see how that goes.

Meanwhile, my husband sent me this link to an article in the WSJ. It had me laughing out loud at work.

Strep throat and sock yarn

My son woke up sick this morning complaining of a sore throat (and a bumble bee in his ear). He never complains, so off to the the doctor we went. Strep throat!

We pick up his medicine and head home. Waiting for me was a package, and in it was my sock yarn!

For days like this, a little sock yarn goes a long way.

Waiting patiently

I had jury duty today. I brought plenty of work to keep me busy. And I got a lot done while I waited to find out what would happen. As it turns out, the whole lot of us were excused, but we didn't find out until just before 1pm. I did not bring knitting with me. I had plenty of other stuff to do, so I thought that I would not distract myself with knitting. What I realized after I left was that I should have asked if knitting was permitted. Then I could as least pass on some useful information. Sorry guys. I suck.

On the topic of waiting. . . I'm also waiting for some yarn. I ordered some lovely looking sock yarn from Shelly Kang (and on sale, no less). I'm looking forward to seeing it, although I know I won't be using it until after Christmas (unless I finish everything early--are you laughing yet). I'm thinking of finally trying my hand at those Monkey socks. We'll see.

I'm also waiting for my Ravelry Holiday Swap 2007 package to come in. I was pleased to see that the person I sent to received her package. She even posted a picture of what I sent, and I think she likes all the goodies. This was my first knitting related swap. So far it has been a lot of fun.

The knitting parents yahoo group I belong to is also doing a swap that I am participating in. But the deadline for that one is December 32nd--so I have no expectations that anything will arive soon (but if it does I would LOVE it). I have my stuff mostly ready to send out. Just a bit more to do. I love this time of the year. There is almost always something personal in the mail. The rest of the year is just junk and bills--but in December we get cards, and photos and thoughts of/from others, and I think it's great.

Which reminds me--time to get the cards out.

Bubby Complete

Here he is. I think he's pretty cute.
yarn--Wool Ease
needles--US 3 / 3.25 mm

Now to determine the next project.

Too tired to knit?

Bubby is going slower than I expected. That's what happens when you can only manage to knit one little arm or leg a night (my only knitting time). I won't post a picture because he looks a little sad with just one leg right now. I should be able to finish him up tonight. It's only one little leg left.

I knit him with worsted weight yarn (Wool Ease) and size 3 needles. If I make another Bubby with Wool Ease I may try using size 4, since I think he feels a little too stiff, and I found it hard to stuff his head. I had to get the chopsticks out to help.

Once I'm done will Bubby, I will need to decide which of the other small gift items to focus my attention on. I don't know if I have that kind of energy right now--it was a long week.

Winter Knitty

The latest Knitty is out--and there are a ton of patterns. Fun stuff.

There are so many neat patterns, I just don't have the time to look at them all yet. So, I will end up going through them slowly. That will be nice too.

I am working on a Knitty project right now. Meet Bubby. I know the picture makes him look like a small squid, but he is a bit further along now. He's got a head and eyes and one arm. I'll have to take another picture, but I may be done with him by the time I get my camera out.

Baby cable baby socks

I can't make it to my nephew's christening in December, but I'm making him some soft, warm socks.

This is a modification of Wendy's pattern, but downsized to fit an infant. It is a 2x2 rib with a baby cable in the knit stitches. I use Judy's magic cast-on and the magic loop.

Yarn--Sandnes Garn Lanett

Needle--US 1 / 2.25 mm

CO 12 stitches using Judy's magic cast-on. Increase 4 stitches every round, 4 times. (28 stitches)
Increase 4 stitches every other round, 4 times. (44 stitches)
Separate sole (24 stitches) and instep (20 stitches). Place markers.
For sole, knit all stitches.
For instep, K1 *P2 K2 * repeat to last 3 stitches P2 K1, for 3 rounds
on 4th round, K1 *P2 knit second stitch, knit first stitch, drop both stitches off needle * repeat to last 3 stitches, P2 K1
Repeat pattern until length is 2.75 inches. Begin gusset increases. Increase two sole stitches every other round until sole has 40 stitches.
Heel turn--K 23 ssk K1 turn
continue following instructions from pattern.
Begin knitting in the round again, following the established pattern and extending it to the stitches that had been the sole stitches. Knit up the leg as much as you like (but remember babies have chunky legs).

Cabled Hat 1

I've got hats on the brain. Here is the first one I've written up. Just in time for gift giving.

Needle US 10 / 6.0 mm
Yarn--Valley Yarns Berkshire

Uses less than one skein

A quick one skein knit for the holiday season.
CO 80 stitches *K4 P4 * repeat.
Turn work *k4 P4 * repeat. Join and knit in the round.
k4 P4 for about 2 inches.
Purl one row
Row 1-7 *P4 K4 * repeat
Row 8 *P4 C2F * repeat
Repeat rows 1-8 until hat measures approximately 9.5 inches. End with row 5.
Row 6 *P2tog P2tog K2tog K2tog * repeat
Row 7 *P2 K2 * repeat
Row 8 *P2 K second stitch, K first stitch, slip both stitches off * repeat
Row 1 *P2 K2 * repeat
Row 2 *P2tog K2tog * repeat
Row 3 *K2tog * repeat
Break yarn and draw through remaining stitches. Sew the join and weave in ends. Flip up brim.
This hat was made for a toddler, but it fits me also (22in head circumference). To make it larger or smaller, increase or decrease stitches in groups of 8 (or change needle size for finer adjustment). Adjust length as needed.
Add a pompom or tassle if you're in the mood.

Ravelry makes me a blogger

I've been drawn into the world of blogging. All I wanted to do was to share a simple hat pattern with the world--and now here I am. Hat pattern (as seen on Ravelry) soon to follow.