Relapse.

There will be no list for today, as I have suffered a relapse of Bread Making Disease. This afternoon I decided to try out the Challah/Brioche master dough from Artisan Bread in Five, and this evening, unable to restrain myself, I baked the entire batch.

I believe my relapse was triggered by news of a possible flour shortage. I have to give thanks to my Foodie Girl, aka:Kelly, who has alerted me to this potential impending disaster. I have already begun researching methods of bulk flour storage that will not require taking over my Children's bedroom. Depending on the future outlook, I may even consider growing my own wheat in the back yard. I have to consider that there is more than just bread at stake here. This may well effect the future of cookies, cupcakes and muffins for which I also rely heavily on flour. For the love of all that's good, I even used flour in the chicken wings we had for dinner. Do I start stockpiling now, before prices begin to rise or do I live cavalierly, buy only as needed and risk being caught off guard and flourless. I'm only hoping that this relapse doesn't send me into a downward spiral of bread and goodie baking that I am unable to recover from.

I leave you with a photo of one of this evening's Brioche buns, which by the way were incredibly tasty and very addictive. I don't think I will be able to resist baking more of them for long.


Brioche bun, fresh from the oven dressed in a glossy coat of melted butter.

Thou Shalt Not Covet

I believe it mentions thy neighbour's wife and thy neighbour's ass, but if I remember correctly, there was nothing about yarn.


Top 5 Yarns I'd Really Like to Knit With. (& maybe fondle just a little)


1. Black Orchid, by Rabbitch. I fell in love with this the moment I saw it online. The colours are so extraordinarily sexy and just make me want to sink myself into them like bathwater.

2. Sea Silk, by Handmaiden. I want this yarn so bad, but it's just a teeny bit pricey. I'm sure that it is more than worth it. I think I like the Blackberry colour way best. However, even though I'm not usually a fan of pink, I also kinda like the Sangria.

3. Cashlana, by Fleece Artist. This looks simply delicious, there is no other way to describe it. I like colour ways Peacock and Indian Summer best.

4. ArtYarns. These all look so fun and sumptous, I've been smitten since I first saw some on The Nocturnal Knit Witch, I just cant decide which one, either Silk Fur in colour way #123 or Supermerino in colour way #155.

5. Kureyon, by Noro. I have head this is kinda scratchy at first, but I would still love to give it a try. I like colour ways #213 and #188 best.

Peek-a-boo

Today, I thought I might share a glimpse inside of my kitchen. Okay, so it's not huge, it lacks cupboard space and it is in desperate need of a coat of paint. However, it is quite bright, the brightest room in the house in fact, and I love to cook in it.

The part of my kitchen that I would really like to share are a few of my favourite things (whoa, Sound of Music moment) that happen to reside there. Of course, I won't be going on about my new stove, as I have already mentioned that at least a couple of times.


5 Favs from My Kitchen

1.My salt & pepper set.

Consisting of a salt shaker and pepper grinder.
I bought this at Winners a few years back. I love cobalt blue, and of course fell in love with these the instant I laid eyes on them. They live beside the stove, on the cookbook cabinet.



2.My Kitten Mug.

This was a Christmas gift from my Mother a couple of years ago. I love Siamese cats, and it's a nice big mug, perfect for herbal tea.








3.My Grandma's Dutch Oven.
This cast iron dutch oven belonged to my maternal Grandmother, she had it for most of her adult life and used it for many a pot roast. I've had it for the past few years. It was the one thing I really wanted when she was moving into the retirement home. I have cooked everything from soups, to chili, to roasts, to most recently bread in it. Now that she's passed on it's a very nice feeling to have and use it, after all, she was a big part of my love of cooking.


4. My Mixing Bowls.

This is actually a set of three bowls (I know there's only one in the pic),that I saw before Christmas in the Grocery store. They are gorgeous and heavy, and even have a nifty flat spot on one side so you can tilt the bowl and it will rest that way on its own. There is a 1L, a 2L and a 4L. When I first noticed them they were $29.99 A tiny bit more than I could justify at Christmas time for bowls, something I already have several of. Then, they went on sale for $19.99, I put them on my Christmas wish list. I didn't get them. After Christmas I decided to admire my bowls when I happened to be in the store and low and behold, they were on sale for $7.97!! for the set! I took it as a sign and bought them. Shortly after purchasing them, I found very similar bowls on the website of a high-end kitchen store here in town. They have the smallest bowls priced at more than my whole set was originally priced at. If you compare my pic to the ones in the link, you'll see what I mean about similar.


5. My Recipe Box.
Actually, I don't have a recipe box, but I want one, very badly. I just haven't found one I like, that suits my needs. However, I know that when I finally do get one, and it's jam packed with all of my favourite recipes, it will be one of the most prized things to live in my humble kitchen.

The List for Today.

Today was a busy day. I had a Doctor's appiontment, made supper, did laundry, baked cookies and baked bread. While I was pondering possible blog topics for today, Em, my eldest offspring suggested "Ten Uses for My Children". Since they actually have way more than ten uses, I have modified the idea a little.

Top 5 Reasons I had Children.

1. I always wanted to be a Mom.
2. They make good back scratchers.
3. Without children, the world would be full of crotchety old people.
4. Someone needed to clean the cat box.

And last, but certainly not least...

5. I needed someone to pass along to, my love and knowledge of cooking and most things crafty.


And on that note, I am off to ready for bed.

Another List.

Today's list, top ten things I want to knit. To clarify, this is a list of items that I want to knit, if we lived in a perfect world. However, since we don't, due to time and funds they may not all be completed before being bumped off the list. This list also does not include things others have asked for, unless of course they happen to ask for something I actually really want to knit. I am listing these as the top ten, but there is really no specific order in which I want to knit them.

Top 10 Things I Want to Knit.

1. Lucie, an awesome sweater I would like to knit for me.
2. Coachella, another me, not sure how flattering it might be, but it looks fun.
3. Cleaves, for Em... it's funky & I can live vicariously through her,
not sure it would work with my rather ample bosom.
4. Tubey, in a solid for me and stripes for Em.
5. Bondok, larger & in a darker colour.

We are now at the half way point. In case you're dizzy from all the linkage, maybe you'd like to warm up your tea, or grab a cookie.

6. Skuld, I love this, this one has a shot at actually becoming reality.
7. Hug, one for me, one for Em, one for Meg.
8. Sedona, for Meg... they look like fun and I think she'd like them.
9. Charles, for Meg, she'd adore it, and it looks so easy.
10. Socks, no link, 'cause I haven't decided on a pattern
Honestly, I've never knit socks and they scare the heck outta me.

Honorable mention goes to...

Celia, I absolutely love this and think it is incredibly sexy, it only gets an honorable mention for two reasons. One, it's crochet and not knit, a technicality. Two, the sizing isn't large enough for me, and there is that ample bosom thing I mentioned earlier.

NaBloPoMo status - Two down, twenty-nine to go.
Think you're up for it? We'll see if I am.

Movies to Knit By.

Here we are the first day of NaBloPoMo, and I'm off to a great start. "Lists" is the theme for March's NaBloPoMo, so I've decided to share my list of ten favourite movies to knit by. First let me note that I do have some criteria for a movie to knit by. It can only be action packed if I have already seen it before. I admit to trying to knit during Casino Royale in the theatre, I didn't get much done. Could have been the navy blue yarn, could have been the action. Other criteria, they have to be good, and since that is strictly based on personal opinion, it may not count as criteria.

I do often knit in the movie theatre but the list of movies I'll be mentioning here are ones I own on DVD. This is only a general order, they often move around the list according to my mood.

Movies(DVD) to Knit by:

1. Pride & Prejudice, the A&E mini-series version.
2. 10 Things I Hate About You.
3. Shaun of the Dead (aforementioned action rule applies here).
4. Dangerous Beauty, I love this movie, I especially love Rufus Sewell. I knit an entire Christmas gift for a friend watching only this movie while I worked on it.
5. Gladiator, much of the Bee hat was knit during this movie.
6. Serenity
7. Pitch Black
8. The Wedding Date
9. A Knight's Tale
10.The 13th Warrior

Honorable mention for another movie that I love to knit by, and for that matter
love in general but do not own on DVD,
Transformers.

There you have it. What you expected? I'll admit there are others I like to knit by, but these are the tops.

It May be Contagious

First off, let's pretend that it has not been almost two months since my last post. We (meaning me), are going to overlook that little detail and move ahead.

Anyone who knows me well, and probably a few who don't know me so well, know that I love to cook and bake as much as I love to knit. I often think this blog looks more like a cooking blog that a knitting one, but they're both a part of me.

Well...

I think I may have contracted a new addiction. Bread making. My Foodie Girl, aka: Kelly, and I discussed this book, a while back, then she went and bought it. She kindly shared her experiences and the recipe formula, and now I too have the "Bread Making Disease". Yeah, 'cause there weren't already enough carbs in my life. Although, in my own defense I have already shared my bread making results with my children, my friend Kim, neighbours, and several co workers, so at least I am not hording. The first batch of dough never even made it in to the fridge. The second managed a whole 12 hrs or so before being delved into to make a few cheesy, herby rolls.

I have had to slightly modify my cooking method from what the recipe suggests. I don't have a baking stone, so I have utilised the method from another no-knead bread. I place my Grandmother's cast iron dutch oven into the oven, and allow it to pre-heat. When the dough has rested and the oven is fully pre-heated I carefully plop the semi-shaped dough into the pot and place on the lid. I then let the bread bake and turn into a much desired orb of yummyness. Works pretty well, the crust is crispy, yet not to tough and the bread is light and moist without being either too dense or too wholey. I definitely think this will become a problem. Between, cookies, cupcakes, biscuits and now bread, I may need a part time job just to supplement the costs of baking supplies, not too mention the knitting supplies.

Speaking of knitting, it's been a little slow. I have been experiencing some hand an wrist troubles that occasionally get in the way, and I'm still busy playing with the new oven. I did however manage to finish a hat for little Charlie Girl, requested by her Mom. A Bumble Bee! I love the way it turned out. It is exactly as I imagined it, and it was very easy. A simple, striped , rolled brim hat with i-cord antennae.


One more thing, Kelly has coerced me into attempting to partake in National Blog Posting Month or NaBloPoMo as it is more commonly known. It is apparently going monthly. I will try. However, I don't always have access to the internet on weekends, so I can't make any promises.