Refrigerator Lemon Pie

I grew up with my mom making the pie all the time.  As I grew up, it became my absolute favorite dessert.  Mom got in the habit of making this pie for me for my birthday and so it was.  Today, I am making this pie for my daughter, who like me looks forward to it every time.  It's a quick recipe, no baking, and ready by evening if you get it in the refrigerator in the morning.  It doesn't have a strong lemon taste, but it's light and airy - very addicting.  I don't know where the recipe came from, otherwise, I would give credit where credit is due.  So, without further ado.....

THE PIE!

1 c. sugar

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 - 3 oz. pkg lemon jello

1 c. hot water

2 pkgs. Dream Whip (makes 4 cups)

1 c. ice cold milk - 2%

1 tsp. vanilla

2 graham cracker pie crusts

Beat together the sugar and cream cheese.  Dissolve the jello in the hot water; add to the cheese mixture.  Prepare the two packages of dream whip with the milk and vanilla.  Add to the cheese mixture.  Pour into graham cracker crust or layer in parfait glasses alternating with crumbs.  Makes 2 yummy pies!

Madly Knitting

I can't seem to stop - am I addicted?????  Probably - here are a few things I'm working on.  The bag has yet to be felted, so it looks pretty blah.  I'm working on the strap right now - I have to knit it to 60" and then I'll felt them both and post the final pic when it is finished.

Next up is a bookmark I made for an internet buddy.  I hope she likes it.  I've never knitted something that small (well, do socks count???).  It was fun and it blocked beautifully.  I think I may make a few more.

Next up is a scarf I am working on.  I absolutely love this pattern and have bought a lot more yarn to use just on this patttern.  I think I am hooked on it.  In case you want the name, it's called "Saroyan".  I'm using Cascade 220 superwash and the yarn is a blue/green mix.  I've gotten 2/3 of the scarf done.

So, that's what I've been up to.  How about you??

Rantings from a stressed mom

I'm sitting here watching the news and realizing that my country is about to change, and not for the better.  I wonder what our founding fathers would think right now.  I wonder what all those veterans that are still alive are thinking right now - what did they fight for?  I thought they had fought for our freedom, not for us to be enslaved by our own government!  I'm wondering how I'll explain to my daughter that she already owes thousands of dollars to the govt. to help lower the debt that this President and his co-horts have borrowed to put us in chains.  I'm wondering if we will wake up on Sunday and see that we are no longer the United States of America, but the united states of illusions.  I don't care what you think the Constitution says - the govt. was not made to provide and rule over our lives.  It was created to allow us to live in freedom.  Now some people have very negative attitudes about the Constitution - they look at it as a living document.  I think they are wrong.  This country has stood and run well for the past 200 plus years and all of a sudden the document isn't worth the paper it's written on and that our founding fathers didn't know what they were talking about?????  Freedom of speech, right to bear arms, freedom of religion (not from religion), and on and on and on.  How did they get it wrong?  They came from an overbearing government andf we are now going to be back in the same position they were.  The only problem is - we don't have anywhere to go to build a new country!  Congress won't listen to us - they think they know what is good for us.  Obviously we don't know how to eat the right foods, we have to be instructed.  We don't know how to take care of the poor and needy - we have to be told to do it.  We don't know how to give money to charities - the government is going to do that for us because obviously we are as dumb as rocks.   We don't know the best type of lightbulbs to use and if we use the wrong ones, we will be penalized.  Women in their 40's are told not to get mammograms - they're not necessary.  Really?  Really??  Why don't you tell that to my 4 friends who are in their 40's or less, two of which died!  I think we know our bodies better than you.  Are you god?  We soon won't be able to go fishing if the current president has his way - what is wrong with this picture?   Can't drill for oil on our own coasts and land.  Can't drill for natural gas - leases are being cancelled.  So, we are beholden to govts. that don't like us.  What is wrong with this picture.  Thru the years the government has gotten bigger and bigger and dumber and dumber.  We are tired people.  We are tired of being told that we are not an exceptional country and that we are just like everyone else.  Wrong.  We are an exceptional country and we used to have be at the top for helping others and supporting our allies.  Now we are a joke.  Yes, our former president over spent.  I freely acknowledge that.  BUT, I also know that Congress was held by the democrats.  They decided what was going to be spent and how.  I don't think anyone had their hands tied behind their backs when voting on financing the wars in Iraq and Afghanastan.  But tit-for-tat is pathetic.  Rather than trying to cut our debt, we're increasing it because "Bush did it".  Well, fine and dandy - what makes you think you're any better?  In fact, you're thousands time worse.  I would much rather send our troops, who VOLUNTEERED by the way, to fight a war on foreign soil, then fight a war over here.  A few quotes come to mind and I'm sorry if I don't remember who wrote them, but:  "Freedom isn't free" and "You can't borrow yourself rich".  Duuuhhhh!

On that note, I think I'm going to go and call my representatives and congressmen, again.  Not that it will help, they don't care about us - just themselves and the future of this presidency.  God help us all.

Creamy Potato Soup

I love, love, love potato soup.  I used for a couple of years a recipe I had gotten from a cookbook, but felt that it was missing something.  So, I have adapted the recipe to my liking.  I'm sure that there is room for improvement - no one's perfect..... well, one man was.  Anyway, I hope you like it and if you can think of something I can do to improve it, let me know.

Creamy Potato Soup ala LaDonna

1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. flour
30 oz. chicken broth
1 qt. cream
6-8 c. whole milk
8-10 medium/large potatoes
Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt the butter, add the onions and saute until clear. Add the flour and make a roux.  Cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add chicken broth, cream and milk.  Let it cook for a while.  While this is happening, microwave your potatoes untill cooked.  Take two or three of the potatoes and cut them in half.  (Here's a really neat technique I just figured out, so if you already know it, don't laugh that I'm a little late to the game.)  Take the potato halves and lay them cut side up.   Take your potato masher and mash the potatoes.  Remove the skins and save for later.  Dump the mashed potatoes into the soup mix.  Now take the rest of the potatoes and cut them up to put in the soup.  Cut up the left over skins as well.  Simmer for an hour or 4 or 5 hours - being sure to keep it on low heat and stir, otherwise you will scorch the bottom of your pan. 

You can add more potatoes if you want, I think it is a personal preference
That's it.  This soup is better the next day. 

Serve the soup with grated cheese on top.  What a great meal to have on a cold and blustery day.  Mangia!  Mangia!

Same Blog, just a new name - wanted something more original than my name!

Earwarmer Pattern

OK, so I have been itching to try and come up with an easy and quick pattern for an ear warmer. I also wanted a little bit of a challenge, but not so much that a beginning knitter would be turned off. I think finally made up a pattern that covers all my requests. So, here it goes:

Materials:

16" - Size 10 circular needles or straight needles, your choice

1 large button

1 skein Jiffy Yarn - chunky

I didn't worry about gauge so much because it's not a full hat and it's a pretty forgiving item to wear.

Abbreviations:

k1fb - knit one in front and back of stitch

ssk - slip, slip, knit

CO - cast on

Directions:

CO 6

Row 1: Knit

Row 2 and ALL even rows - purl ** Except for Row 6

Row 3: k1fb, k4, k1fb (8 stitches total)

Row 5: k1fb, P2, bind off 2, P2, k1fb (8 stitches) - this is the buttonhole

Row 6: Purl 4, cast on 2, purl 4 (10 stitches)

Row 7: k1fb, P2, K4, P2 k1fb (12 stitches)

Row 9: k1fb, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, l1fb (14 stitches)

Row 11: k1fb, P2, K3, P2, K3, P2, k1fb (16 stitches)

Row 13: k1fb, P2, K4, P2, K4, P2, k1fb (18 stitches)

Repeat Rows 15 - 20 (12 times), ending on the cabling row

Row 15: k2, p2, c4, p2, k2 (18 stitches)

Row 17: k2, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k2

Row 19: k2, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k2

Row 21: k2tog, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, ssk

Row 23: k2tog, p2, k3, p2, k3, p2, ssk

Row 25: k2tog, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, ssk

Row 27: k2tog, p2, k4, p2, ssk

Row 29: k2tog, p2, k2, p2, ssk

Row 31: k2 tog, k4, ssk

Row 32: Purl 6

Bind off

If you want to make this narrower, decrease your purls by one on each side and in the middle, so you'll have 15 stitches instead of 18.

If I made any mistakes, please let me know.

If you have tried any of my recipes or my patterns, please leave me feedback. That helps me to improve an item and also gives me new ideas on things to cook or make. Thanks and God Bless!

Happy Birthday Mom!

It's been 2 1/2 years since you went to Heaven and I miss you and think about you every day. You'd be so proud of your granddaughter. She is growing up to be a beautiful young lady. I love you Mom.

Big Comfy Hat

I love to make hats, but the biggest problem I have had with each pattern I've tried is how short the hats are. I want a hat that will cover my ears. A hat that will stay over my ears and a hat that will cover the back of my head. I bought patterns after patterns after patterns and tried each of them - same problem. I finally decided to make up my own pattern. I hope you enjoy it. It's pretty basic, and pretty traditional, but it's pretty and warm!

This hat is an adult size hat. It's loose enough for a man to wear, but tight enough for a woman. Make sense?

Materials needed:

Size 10 circular needles (16 inch) and

Size 10 double pointed needles

1 stitch marker

Tapestry needle

2 skeins or 120 yds. Bulky (or #5) yarn - I made this hat with Deborah Norville Serentiy

Gauge: 4 stitches per inch

To begin:

CO 68 stitches onto your circ. needles

For the next 3 inches, K2 P2 for the ribbing.

After you have knit 3 inches, you are ready to begin the body of the hat. From this point on it will be all knit stitches, no purl stitches.

Cast on 4 additional stitches. I usually place my stitches at 3, 6, 9, and 12 (face of a clock). I do m1fb. The stitches blend better into the pattern. You should have 72 stitches on your needles.

From this point on, you will continue knitting until you have 5 inches from where you started knit only. So, you will have a total of 8 inches from the edge of the hat. Next, you will start your reduction in stitches.

When it gets too tight to use your circular needles, switch to your dpn's.

Decrease as follows:

Decr round 1: *k6, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 56 stitches.

Knit the next two rounds.

Decr round 2: *k5, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 48 stitches.

Knit the next two rounds

Decr round 3: *k4, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 40 stitches

Knit the next two rounds

Decr round 4: *k3, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 32 stitches

Decr round 5: *k2, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 24 stitches

Decr round 6: *k2, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 16 stitches

Decr round 7: *k1, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 16 stitches

Decr round 8: k2tog for 8 times. You will have 8 stitches

Cut your yarn end and with your tapestry needle run the end thru the last 8 stitches, one at a time. When you have gone thru all the stitches, pull your yarn snuggly, thread the yarn thru the top of your hat to bring it to the inside. Weave in your ends and if possible tie off and hide your ends. Snip ends, weave in all other ends. and you're finished!

Fingerless Gloves, Wristlets or gauntlets - Take Your Pick

These are my latest knitting addiction. I can usually make a pair in about 3 hours - depending on what's on the tube. They are a lot of fun to make and just as much fun to wear. The three styles I have pictured I used a chunky weight yarn. I also like to make the thumb hole horizontal, not vertical - don't ask me why - I think it's just a personal prefernce thing. The one disadvantage to the thumb hole being horizontal is that you will have a slight gap next to the bound offf stitches - I still haven't figured out how to alleviate that, but from all the directions I've read, neither has anyone else. Below are my directions - as basic as they are. If you see a mistake, please let me know so I can change them as needed. Thanks and enjoy making these.

Basic Beginner Fingerless Gloves

Size 10.5 DPN's

1 skein Bulky (#5) yarn - I used Yarn Bee Mosiac twist in the first picture; Lion's Brand Wool-Ease Chunky in the 2nd picture and Deborah Norville Serenity Chunky in the last picture.

Tapestry needle to hide ends

On your needles cast on 25 stitches (8,8,9). Join the stitches being careful that you do not twist your yarn before the joining. The best method I've found for joining on is the cross over method. For directions how to do the cross over go here: http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/closeup/e-twocircular.html

Knit in the round for 30 rows. On the next row, k1, bind off 5 stitches (you should have 3 stitches left on your needle). Continue knitting that row. *** (See errata below for additional directions) On the next row, k1, cast on 5 stitches, continue knitting that row. Knit 10 rows, bind off. If you have a hard time getting a flexible binding, try using the suspended cast/bind-off. It's pretty flexible.

These will fit a small to med. size hand - If you need to go bigger, try moving up 5 stitches at a time. Good luck and enjoy!

*** Errata - To alleviate the problem with the thumb hole knit as follows: After you have bound off your 5 stitches and finished that row, on the next row, k1, cast on 5 stitches, continue knitting until you get to the last stitch. Knit the last stitch of this row and the first stitch of the next, together (k2tog), finish the row. On the next row, at the last two stitches, the second to last stitch k1fb and then knit the last stitch. You should then have 8,8, and 9 stitches again on your needles.