knitorious

Food, glorious food

I made dinner last night and I did good.  Mmmm, tilapia -- "Josh's Fish In A Flash" from Dinner Helpers.  I'll tell you, the best thing about Dinner Helpers is that I try new things -- new foods and new dishes, or at least dishes that I never thought I could make.  I actually made Pad Thai a couple of weeks ago -- and it was good!  I usually hesitate buying different types of fish, because I'm a little particular about it -- but now I know, I love tilapia.  I made potatoes and green beans, too, but the mozzarella and tomato salad (with a little salt and pepper, some fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil) along with a little bit of bread was plenty.

Huh?  Knitting?  I tore out what I'd started on the second Celtic Braid Sock and started anew on Friday.  I didn't get a whole bunch of knitting time over the weekend (Mack was here!), but I'm several repeats in and it's going well.  I'm starting to get anxious about a new, finished pair of socks!

It's a weird week work-wise, and I'm going to have to let things stand at that for now.

Extraordinary

Not only did I make Carole's Roast Beef Soup on Saturday, I invited people over to help eat it.  Yes, it's true, I often spring first attempts at new/untried recipes on unsuspecting friends and relatives.  I was pretty confident about this one, though, and an offer of a free meal with no strings (no prep or clean-up, nothing to bring), usually yields a couple of willing guinea pigs -- you'd come, too, wouldn't you?  The invitation was designed to spur motivation to clear the kitchen table and surrounding area!  Man, it needed it -- stuff piles up so fast around here -- it's amazing how big the dining area looks when all the crap is put away!  The soup was fantastic, quite simple to make, and it received highest possible "requested recipe" honors!  My favorite part of the making was deglazing the pan.  (It's the simple things.)  Next time, I'll add a few more carrots and use a little less water -- maybe 10 cups instead of 12.  Next up: Artichokes French!

Recently, it's come to my attention that certain parties (who shall remain nameless, but who live a fair bit east of me, whom I have had occasion to visit, attended fiber festivals with, went shoe-shopping with and/or played catch with their dog and its ball-thrower-thingy) have no idea what I'm talking about when I refer to Coup d'Etat (scroll down, it's there) -- Is someone trying to overthrow Vicki's knitting?  Just for them -- and any other nameless readers with questions marks floating over their heads at the mention -- I have searched and categorized every post wherein "Coup" is mentioned and -- yes, I know, a coup is not often peaceful, as you're wont to think when you see "Peace Fleece," but it must be thus named because of the historical significance to Russia, don't you think? I don't name 'em, I just knit 'em -- so there is no mistake, I've also re-posted the best pictures.  It's a bugger to take a picture of that nearly-black sweater.  Alas, projects do get pretty drawn out around here sometimes.

Anyway, got it, darlings?  It's the other soup topic du jour.  When last we left the poor, unphotogenic Coup d'Etat, the threat of underarm gussets was on the wind.  After a short period of separation/marination, I tried it on again last night and I don't think gussets will do the trick.  That is one tight fit under the arms, fitting about as close as I'd want a shirt, definitely not a sweater.  I think I'll remove the sleeves and determine whether the armscyes are of adequate depth -- there was a bit of easing the armscye to the sleeve during the seaming -- and if they are, ripping and reknitting the top of the sleeve.  If the armscyes are too short, I'll probably undo the shoulders and knit another inch or so (*sigh* and re-do the sleeves).

Or maybe I'll rip the whole darn thing and start over.  It fits okay, but it's not really what I envisioned -- thinking that the waif-ish model in the photo was wearing "her" size (not "my" size), I completely glossed over what the significance of the numbers (sweater measurements) and was expecting something a lot roomier when I knit the largest size.  I'm not upset, just a little disgruntled that I fell for it... again.

My other new favorite word is...

ROASTED (often found within these pages in close proximity to the word "delicious")!

On the left, Susie Middleton's Smashed Roasted Potatoes, from Grace Howaniec's column, Grace Before Meals.  I haven't been steered wrong by Grace yet and these were no exception.  Admittedly, I'm a huge potato lover -- Potato Soup (with leeks or bacon or ham or anything -- or without), Potato Pancakes, Mashed Potatoes, Smashed, Baked, Fried, French, American, German, Salad, Scalloped, Au Gratin... you get the picture.  I've even had lefse, thanks to my Norwegian (not wicked) stepmother -- and love it (however, not so the accompanying lutefisk -- that was rather wicked)!  I think my potatoes were a tiny bit big and I forgot to flip them half-way through the cooking time, so they were a little less crispy but absolutely delicious! I will definitely make these again (possibly with a little less and/or a lighter oil, possibly not).

On the right, one of several batches of Peace and Sereknitty's Roasted Tomato Sauce that I made late last summer.  (It's a very pretty scroll down on that last link, almost to the bottom, for the recipe.)  I'd used it freshly roasted a couple of times, but put up most of it in the freezer.  On Monday, I used some in place of the usual store-bought can of tomatoes for lasagna and it was dee-licious!  I don't think I'll ever be able to use canned again.

This weekend I plan to make Carole's Roast Beef Soup, which not only looks delicious (and has been bookmarked on Bloglines since that day, so it's the first thing I drool over see every day when I check her new posts), it also comes highly recommended by Ann -- no culinary slouch, either, that one.  Meanwhile, Carole has also recently posted about Cream Puffs and now a recipe for Artichokes French!  I have been twice to Rhinebeck, twice in the line for Artichokes French (shared them once with Carole herself) -- they are absolutely delicious and now I can't wait to make THAT recipe, too.  ; )

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For those of you interested in the knitting:  I am working on the bottom part of Williamsro.  That's my official UFO project for February; St. Brigid's new cuffs are second runner-up.

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I cannot let this day pass without mentioning my brother, Michael.  I've been extra emotional this week -- Michael on my mind more than I realized, I guess, my aunt's memorial celebration coming up this weekend, the death of my best friend's mother on Monday, some other things...  It was one year ago this morning that I spotted the emergency medical transport helicopter in the sky on my way to work -- unbeknownst to me, it was on the way to the scene of an accident that my brother was so very lucky to have survived.  Brain surgery that day, back surgery on his birthday/St. Patrick's Day, and several weeks in a coma later... well, he will never be pain-free, will never feel exactly the same, but... he is so amazingly here and with it, walking and talking, alive and well.  And tonight, I hope he will be feeling NO PAIN, rocking out and celebrating life with THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS!  Rock on, bro!

Bob Woodward's "To Iraq and Back" on ABC last night struck some chords.  Wow.  I can't find a direct link, but it's available to watch online.

The love and support that I felt from the blogging community at that time was indescribable and indispensable.  I later printed out all the posts and comments from that time to share that with Michael and his wife.  And I was honored to wrap him in the knit-blogger blanket of love, all those heartfelt squares so beautifully sewn up by Christine.  "Thank you" never did (and never will) seem like enough for any of it.

And yet, before I end up in tears... Thank you, again.  Yay Michael.

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Birdsong and her family could use some of that indescribable support right now.

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I'm a happy recruit in McHale's Navy Norma's Army in the battle against rudeness -- first spotted at Cara's, recently at Stephanie's.  I'm wearing garlic, myself, and hoping that the March lion blows in bearing manners in abundance.  Yes?

Thank you for reading, I think I'm finished now.  Whatever will I blog about tomorrow...

Paging through the birthday book

I found this little thing at a sale last year -- it appeals to me because a) it is an old book, b) with color illustrations, c) with handwritten names (some erasures, as well), d) it's for boys and girls, and e) it's awfully cute.

January is a big month for celebrating, starting off with a bang!  When I read that quote for the 1st, one small change came to mind:

Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,
Arrives... CARA!

My baby sister's birthday is today (and also Truman H's)!  It just does not seem possible that she's... as old as she is!  Happy Birthday, Annie!

A newborn is scheduled to make his appearance today (if he hasn't already decided on his own) that will make me the winner of an office baby pool (the winnings of which are traditionally split with mum).

Tomorrow... well, another small change comes to mind:

A dreary place would this earth be,
Were there no... ANN!

My mother's birthday is on the 31st, winding up the month.  She's actually got a trifecta, celebrating her birthday and anniversary on that date, as well as their first date -- which always seems more beneficial to her husband, having to remember only one date instead of three.

To be honest, I don't recall, exactly, my first date with my hubby.  (We don't have a song, either.)  (Uh-oh, will I have my marriage taken away?)  I could probably figure it out if I looked at a calendar... it was October, I know that much, and I do remember where.  I don't know what I wore, except for the boots...  Why I ever had cowboy boots in the first place, and wore them in the second place, is beyond me (it was the '80s... Urban Cowboy influence), but they're memorable because, well, have you ever tried walking the beach at extreme low tide in cowboy boots?  Trust me, you'd remember.  Do you recall your first date?