WIP Wednesday - Knitting for Christmas

Hello all, I was rather busy last week and just didn't get time to share an update with everyone.  I didn't have to cook the Turkey this year but my WIP Wednesday was spent on my biggest WIP of all.  Laundry.  I like clean clothes but I hate doing laundry.  You spend all day washing, drying folding and hanging and at the end of the day, the dirty clothes start to pile up again.

So my day off was spent running to and from the laundry room at my apartment and waiting on the cable guy.  I got a new set of boxes and it allows me to watch what I DVR'd in my bedroom which is a lovely thing!

Anyway, Thanksgiving was great.  I made more Cranberry Squares and a Pumpkin Bread Pudding with homemade caramel sauce.  Yummy.  I forgot to take pictures it was tasty.  Also I couldn't just follow the recipe and I doctored the recipe with Pecans and and Bourbon soaked Figs and Cranberries.

We went to my mom's best friend's house for dinner.  Becky and her sister Francy are my adopted aunts and are very special people in my life.  My mom and Becky met when they were five and have been friends ever since.  It was really nice to spend the holiday with them and I could really feel that my mom was with us that night.

The rest of the weekend was pretty mellow.  I didn't partake in Black Friday shopping because nothing was really worth the crowds and hassle this year so I stayed home.  I did intend to work on my research paper for my Grad school class but I didn't and procrastinated on that until Monday....the day it was due.  Oops ;).

In my procrastination I did get some knitting done so let's see what I got accomplished.

Hue Shift Afghan

Ooo Shiny Stripes!

From the last update, I got four more blocks done.  I have to say that each new block is my favorite, though I really like the peach squares so the next row should be fun.  The pink had a huge yarn barf in the skein and thanks to help from Samie yesterday we were able to de-tangle the skein.  I think it cause I travel with this project so much that pulling it in and out of my bag has something to do with all of the tangles.

Anyway, I love this blanket and it's so soft and drapey that I can't wait for it to be done to snuggle underneath it.

Justice League Filler Squares

I finished the orange one but haven't cast anything else on.  It looks really nice with the finished Justice League squares but I am happy to have my needles back to work on Batman!

Owl Fingerless Mittens

Purple!

I cast on another project this week.  I needed to get a move on this as it's a gift and I have a deadline earlier than Christmas so they need to get done.  I am using a combination of the House Mittens with my Fingerless Modifications and the Owl Cable Knit Coffee Cozy.

I am holding off on finishing the thumb because I  want to match the light purple yarn so it doesn't look like it was added onto the stitches.   The owl is a little hard to see in the picture but it's so cute.  I hope the recipient likes them.

So that's it for me.  I wanted to knit more for Christmas but my ideas never formed on what to make people.  I guess I am a pretty selfish knitter that way.

For other WIPs check out Tami's Amis and Frontier Dreams   

<3 Heather

2012 - March Recap

I feel as though I just worked on getting the February mosaic done but I am really pleased with everything I got done this month.  The weather had been finicky but in general spring has come in full bloom.  I can't wait to show you pictures of flowers and spring here in Pittsburgh.

  <3 Heather

PS Check out my good friend Samie's blog for her blog-aversery giveaway!

Rasberries and Peaches

So I made another pie this weekend.  I know it's a shocker but this weekend was a bit different.  There I was working on reducing down the raspberries and peaches for the pie (I was also caramelizing onions for the meatloaf, Yummy! But I digress) and my Dad walks into the kitchen and says, "You have been baking a lot lately"

Yes, yes I have.  I know I have mentioned many times that I learned my baking and cooking from my family (and a healthy sprinkling of the Food Network) but my Dad's comment got me thinking about why I was really baking. 

Anyway, I pondered it and got back to the baking and ending up with this great pie.

How yummy does that look?

But it wasn't until I read this post and saw this picture* of  Julia Child that I truly understood what I was doing.  I realized today that I was honoring those who taught me everything I know culinary wise. 

I smile each and every time I pick up the rolling pin with the burnt handle and know that for generations, women in my family have been rolling out pie dough for their loved ones. (My mother borrowed the rolling pin ages ago from her great grandmother and never gave it back.  To quote her, "I wasn't done borrowing it, yet")

I remember sitting on my Great Grandmother's counter and pinching the dough to seal the crust.  I remember cutting and slicing apples.  I remember coming home from school in the fall to the smell of cooked apple, cinnamon and love.  Memories really withstand the test of time through food, don't they?

When I started on this pie journey a few weeks ago, it was just to satisfy an urge for a cherry pie and prove that I could do it.  I can't tell you the last time I had made one even with my mom's help, and yet I remember all of the things they taught me.  How to cut the shortening into the dough, how to roll out the dough, how to pinch, how to make sure you add butter and leave slits in the top for air.  It all came rushing back like they were standing over me when I was small.

I cannot tell you how much I want to show my future children and grandchildren and friend's children because these lessons are a gift from one generation to the next.  I am so happy to have had that in my life.

<3 Heather

* For those of you not following the links.  The picture was of Julia demonstrating a frosting technique to a young Merida.

Pie in the Sky

In a similar vein to yesterday, here is a picture from the front of my Apartment complex.  After 24 hours, notice the lack of snow.

Taken this morning outside of my apartment on my way to work.

Seriously, what is going on with this weather.

Weather rant aside, I am so excited to show you the cherry pie I made this past weekend. I only recall making apple pies so I wanted to challenge myself with a cherry pie.  I was a little nervous because with apple, you put the raw apples in and bake it but for the cherry I had to make the filling first. 

Cherry Pie Filling

I used this Cherry Pie Recipe from The Food Network.  I adapted the recipe by adding some lemon juice and zest to help make the cherries a little tart. I also used 2 bags of frozen cherries which was about 6 cups.  Note: I didn't use all of the liquid because it would have overflowed the pie pan.

I have to say, I was incredibly impressed by how easy this recipe was in comparison to apple pie.  I didn't have to peel and slice apples just threw the defrosted cherries in a sauce pan and cooked til the juice released and added the flavorings, sugar and corn starch.  Voila!  Cherry Pie Filling!

While this was cooling, I worked on the pie crust.  We have always used a shortening based crust, but what I didn't realize was that it was the Crisco Pie Crust until I couldn't find the recipe card and on a whim checked the back of the Crisco Stick Label.  Low and behold there was our "family" recipe.  Now I am not blaming my grandmother for pawning off a Crisco recipe as her own but it's funny how over time things develop into "family" recipes. 

Shortening Cut into Flour and Salt

Anyway, the best thing about following the Crisco recipe was a few clarifying steps.  I made sure the shortening was cold before I cut it into the flour and salt. You can use a food processor but I prefer to cut the shortening by hand.

I also made sure that I chilled the dough for 30 minutes before rolling it out. 

Rolled out dough.  I am incapable of rolling out circles.

Both of these tips really made a nice crust.  My mom didn't take these steps and her crust was always a but floury but mine came out nice and flaky.  I do wonder what it would taste like with butter flavored shortening. I will have to try that the next time.

Pie just out of the oven

Just a dusting of Flour will do

I admit I forgot to dot the pie with butter before I up it in the oven but I don't know if it needed it.  It was really tasty.  Also this was the first time that I made a lattice top crust.  It's not perfect but I am really proud of how it came out.

I did however remember to do some other tricks for making pies.  First, I made sure I added a bit of flour at the bottom of the crust before I poured in the filling.  This helps thicken the filling so it doesn't run over. 


I also made sure I used the pie drip pan.  This doughnut shaped pan catches anything that may run over but it also allows heat to move around the pie for even cooking.

The one in the front has been in the family forever, the one in back is a new non-stick version

My First Pie!

Well, I can't wait to make another cherry pie, or maybe a mixed berry pie in the future.  Pie has always been easy but then again, I have been making them for as long as I remember.

I tend to think of baking as my specialty but really its so much more than that.  To pull out the recipes (original or otherwise) that my family has made for years allows me to connect to the past.  I can feel my mom, grandmothers, great grandmother and other relatives guiding my hands as I create wonderful and delectable creations.  I can't wait to share these with my children and grandchildren.

Can I get you a slice of pie?