Narnia Chalice Blanket for Laura

"You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve," said Aslan. "And that is both honor enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth." - C.S. Lewis, Prince Caspian 

I began this blanket earlier in the year once I found out that a good friend of mine, who is also an impressive C.S. Lewis scholar, and her husband were expecting their first baby.

This pattern caught my eye because it makes me think of everything that has to do with Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia: magic, beauty, honor, greatness.

Sadly, the pattern itself is rather tricky, and I restarted the project multiple times (even my mother gave it a shot, since she is very talented with making baby blankets, but gave up in disgust.). And as baby blankets are not my forte when it comes to knitting, a few mistakes wormed their way in.

the blanket, washed and blocking

If, like I was, you have to make this blanket and are determined to see the difficulties through, the pattern can be found here. My advice is to be prepared to rip everything out multiple times.

Happy Knitting

Sopaipillas with Cheese and Green Chilis

"Nothing is more fearful than imagination without taste." - Johann von Goethe

Since moving, I have had almost no time to experiment with new recipes or make any progress on the knitting front. Blame it on finally taking up a full-time job (which, after years of search, is worth any amount of neglect towards domesticity).

This weekend I finally had time to play in the kitchen, and came up with a delicious new concoction. Sopaipillas (pronounced so-pie-pee-yahs) are a Southwestern fried bread pocket that can be cut and filled with meat, etc. for dinner, or coated with sugar or honey for dessert. Since I'm all about bending preconceived ideas where cooking is concerned (in the proper context, of course), I decided to strike a balance between the two.

kneading the dough

I went with a local, ready-made bread mix (again, very little time due to the new job), but a recipe for scratch-made can be found here.

cutting dough into squares

Once the dough is kneaded and has been rolled out, cut into whatever shape you wish (squares, triangles, etc.).

frying the squares

Heat 3 cups of Canola oil in a large pot until it reaches 375 degrees F. Fry the squares one at a time, for a minute each side. They should puff up into pockets while frying.

a finished square!

Once removed from the oil, sprinkle a little bit of sugar on one side. Repeat until all are completed. Using a sharp knife, cut a slit into the sopaipillas so that a pocket is formed.


Now combine 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tsp. all-purpose flour, 1-3 tablespoons scallions (I love scallions, what can I say), 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and 2-3 tablespoons chopped green chilis (depending on how much spice you can stand) in a pot on the stove over medium heat. Stir frequently until the cheese has all melted but is not burned. Spoon the cheese mixture into the sopaipillas and serve immediately (the cheese mixture recipe needs to be at least doubled for 1 dozen sopaipillas).

The combination of sweet, spicy and cheesy is definitely too good to miss.

New life, new place

"Home is where one starts from. As we grow older, the world becomes stranger, the pattern more complicated of dead and living." - T.S. Eliot

In the lengthy time since my last post, I moved across the country to a new land, started training for a new job, and essentially jumped head-first into as many new experiences as can be imagined. I've been stretched, challenged, exhausted, but felt completely blessed by the whole experience.

For these reasons, I have made miniscule progress on my knitting, and have not tried any new recipes to date. Once things settle down more, I am hoping to continue my adventures in new areas of domesticity (which will end up in posts here), but for now, a few photos of my new home must suffice:

 

I love my new home. More to come soon.

Clementine's Purple Teddy Bear

"It is astonishing how many thoroughly mature, well-adjusted grown-ups harbour a teddy bear - which is perhaps why they are thoroughly mature and well-adjusted." - Joseph Lempa

This is the third project I've made for my friend Anna's baby Clementine with the same purple yarn (the first two were the baby outfit and the purple elephant). This was originally meant to be a Christmas present, but is now going to be a birthday present when Clementine celebrates her first birthday soon. 

 This pattern is cute, but you have to knit the individual pieces, sew them together, then stuff and assemble. For a knitted teddy bear, it is very simple, but I prefer the elephant pattern above, which you knit in one piece and stuff as you go - a bit more complicated, but with fewer seams and less fiddling around with needles and thread.

While stuffing and assembling the bear, I was amused to notice that my dogs were paying close attention to my progress (teddy looks a lot like their squeaky toys, and they probably hoped he was destined for their enjoyment). I had to get a picture of the younger dog with the bear once he was finished:

...and I will definitely be keeping teddy up out of reach until he gets shipped!
 
I still have the same red-velveteen bear from when I was a baby (I like to think that I am thoroughly mature and well-adjusted. In any event, I take no shame in admitting that I still love my teddy bear):

My teddy, a gallant knight

He's been stitched up in several places and is missing an eye, but still sports his lace collar and isn't leaving me any time soon.

I also had to share this photo, which has been circulating around the internet for a while now:

the byline reads "protecting innocent children from monsters-under-the-bed since 1902"

If you still have your teddy bear, go give him a hug and thank him for his faithful service.

Jane Austen Knits Even More

"'It is amazing to me,' said Bingley, 'how young ladies can have the patience to be so very accomplished as they all are.'" - Pride and Prejudice

Now that I'm starting a new full-time job soon, I expect my knitting to slow down a bit. I will still keep it up, but with my current knitting to-do list, and the number of projects I currently have in motion, I really don't need another excuse to buy more yarn and add another slot to my "works in progress" page on Ravelry.

And then they spring this one on me:

Yes, Jane Austen (via Interweave press) has even more knitting projects available for those of us who wish to knit ourselves back in time. It is for sale at Barnes and Noble, or online at Yarn Market.

My definite favorites which I'm hoping will end up in the Ravelry queue at some point:

• Pemberley Reticule (read: gorgeous lace knitted market tote bag)
• A Book Cover for Edmund
• Marianne's Romantic Bookmark
• Beloved Baby Bonnet (so many of my friends are getting married and having babies, I'm sure to know someone who will appreciate an Austenite baby accessory)

Happy knitting!

Strawberries, Smoked Salmon and Ginger Mint Tea

"The best way to keep good acts in memory is to refresh them with new." - Cato the Elder

This weekend was a trifecta of terrific recipes.

First was this amazing recipe for Iced Green Tea with Honey, Ginger and Mint from Ezra Pound Cake:

Green Tea infused with ginger and mint, with honey and a little lemon juice added. Serve over ice - possibly the definitive cold summer tea.


Next is this recipe for Eggs Norwegian from the Pioneer Woman Cooks webpage:

Eggs Benedict used to be my favorite breakfast - it has been officially ousted by this delightful fishy variation. I've always had an adventurous palate, and have been conducting an on-again off-again love affair with smoked salmon for years. This is perfect for a weekend brunch (unless you're having fuss-pots over who are too scared to try new, weird, and wonderful things. Honestly, if they are coming over, serve it anyway. Life is too short).
I do love the Pioneer Woman, but sometimes she gets things wrong. Here are a few notes/warnings about this recipe:

• For the Hollandaise sauce, she tells you to use the juice of "1 whole lemon" while failing to realize that not all lemons are created equal. So, instead of using her slap-dash Hollandaise recipe, use this one instead and make the sauce ahead of time.
• Even though she tells you to toast the English muffins first and only to "light golden," I recommend doing them last and until they have a bit of singeing on the tips of the crannies. That way, they're a bit more crunchy and warm when you serve.

Last and not least are these Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry frosting from the Brown Eyed Baker:

The frosting is pink, but the lighting really washes it out in this picture

These are delightful, and I was looking forward to make the original Strawberry Meringue Buttercream frosting in the recipe, but the humidity here has been out of control for weeks. So, after a valiant attempt with a copper bowl, cream of tartar and over 20 minutes of beating, the meringue was completely comatose and unresponsive, and the plug was accordingly pulled. I went with this deliciously simple Strawberry Buttercream frosting recipe instead.

*apologies for poor picture quality - my camera is dead and I'm stuck with my iPod camera for now*

Bon Appetit!

Chocolate Buns

"Ideas should be clear, and chocolate thick." - Spanish Proverb

My brother came home for a brief visit before I move away from home. To mark the occasion, I decided to make these chocolate swirl buns from the Smitten Kitchen.

Chocolate and cinnamon swirled in a beautiful sweet bread dough: it's safe to say that I have officially reached baking Nirvana...

I will never view cinnamon buns the same way, nor be able to eat them without thinking "but... they could have added CHOCOLATE to these!!!"

the chocolate-cinnamon mixture

unbaked buns

This recipe is definitely going to stay in my repertoire, and should be added to yours, too.

Enjoy!