another linen quilt

It has been a mad week, both at work and at home.  We have the Small Mister more then normal because the Tall Short Person has been working two jobs.  I get a few minutes here and there to sew.  But I have to admit that I keep falling asleep every time I am still.  I am trying to be philosophical about this.  It means I have not been sick.  But I admit, I would like some awake hours.  I hope to be able to get to row this weekend.  A bit of gardening.  Putting my hands in dough and make a loaf for our neighbors.  They brought us a bottle of wine.

In my few minutes of alone time this week, I laid out this linen quilt.  It does not have a home yet but it has possibilities.

mexican wedding cookies

I like cookies.  I can be happy with many, many different types.  Absolutely no complaints.  But I do have two favorites:  molasses crinckles and mexican wedding cookies.   If those two are part of the offerings, even as much as I like chocolate, those are the ones I go for.  Molasses crinckles I have made for years.  My best friend used to make me the mexican wedding cookies as presents.  But life has gotten in the way.

I decided it was time for me to make them myself.  Actually, with my helper.  They are very simple.  The biggest issue is just getting fresh walnuts and chopping them all up.  I have been enjoying my cookies this week.  My helper likes them too.

mexican wedding cookies

1 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped finely

powdered sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cream butter and sugar together fluffy.  Mix in vanilla.  Mix in flour and salt.  Mix in the walnuts.

Roll in small balls and place on cookie sheets.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden.

Let cool until warm and roll in powdered sugar.

Tea.  Cookies.  Rocking chair.  Life is good.

mussels with a blue cheese dressing

I have had mussells a couple times recently and come to realize that I really like them.  I want to be able to have them more often then going to a resturant so I decided to figure them out at home.  I tried mussells cooked with wine and decided I really need a wine that I liked to cook them in.  I just cooked them in a wine we had.  

We had mussells with a blue cheese dressing out so I decided to try something like that.  Once I got the cooking time down, these were quite good.  I served them with roasted potatoes and broccoli.  We enjoyed them very much.  The Tall Short Person is still not sure of them but it does mean more for my Beloved and myself.  I will be making these again and trying variations!

mussels with blue cheese dressing

2 pounds mussels, cleaned, debearded, and soaked in water for at least 20 minutes, wash clean

1 large handful of chives, cleaned and chopped fine

About 1/4 cup of minced garlic 

Juice of 2 lemons

5 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 cup of good blue cheese salad dressing

1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Farhenheit

In a large pan (mine is cast iron), put the drained mussells.   Sprinkle with chives, garlic, the juice of the lemons, and the olive oil.  Cover.  Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.  I stirred at the 10 minute mark and the 20 minute mark.  You want the mussells to have opened and cooked.

Mix the blue cheese dressing and the blue cheese together.

Put in the middle of the table, uncovered.  If you have people who like mussells, remove your self.  If not, you get all the mussells to yourself.

sourdough english muffins

This weekend seemed full of bread and Small Mister helping me.  I got the new King Arthur catalog in the mail (the one they send EVERYONE at Christmas).  It is a lovely catalog to flip through but I never buy anything.  I did see a recipe for baked English muffins.  Usually, I do not try their recipes either.  Too many speciality items but that is what they sell.  My thought seeing this recipe was, "this way I could cook them all at once and not two at a time."  That is how small my griddle really is.  Just two at a time.  So Small Mister and I made it one of my bread projects.

Now, I love English muffins but I have not had them in the house for years.  It comes with making my own bread and that very small griddle.  I am now going to have English muffins again in the house.  I was wondering how this might work with crumpets.  Something to try when a dozen English muffins are eaten!

sourdough english muffins

Note:  adapted from King Arthur flour recipe

sourdough starter

1 cup flour

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour

The night before, mix the starter with 1 cup flour and 3/4 cup water in a large bowl.  Cover.  Let sit at least 8 hours or until bubbly.

Before you start mixing the dough, remove a couple tablespoons of starter and put in the refrigerator for next time.

Mix all the other ingredients into the starter.  Cover.  Let sit until puffy.  My kitchen was very cold so it was a couple three hours.

Grease 12 English muffin rings.  Put parchment paper on two baking sheets.  Place six rings on each sheet.  Divide the dough into 12 bits and put in the rings.  Smear around.  Cover.  If you wish both sides to be smooth and not domed, cover this side with parchment paper and another baking sheet.  That means four baking sheets total.  I only have two so I have domed English muffins.  

Let rise 60 to 90 minutes, or until puffy.  Again, my kitchen was cold so it took longer.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Put the muffins in.  Bake for ten minutes.  Turn over and bake for another 5 minutes.  If you are using the two baking sheet method, flip with both sheets.  Use hot mitts!  They will be lightly golden.

I forgot to take the picture of the split, toasted English muffin dripping with melted butter and homemade jam.  Just know, my breakfast has now changed to that and tea.  Life is sooooo good!

Nirinjan's quilt is done.... Now how to get it to her!

It was a beautiful day outside today and I spent a majority of it outside binding Nirinjan's quilt.  I watched Small Mister as he climbed and helped my Beloved clean the garage.  That really meant a lot of firewood was cut and blocks for Small Mister.  Small Mister helped to make his own birthday present!

He felt he needed to help me lay it out for picture taking.

All done.  This is another that grew on me as I was sewing it.  I find this happens a more then I would think.  Taking the pictures show what it will look at.

The back is off center but then we are a bit off center together.  But it works very well!

Now, I need to get it to Nirinjan.  She does not have a permanent home because of her work currently.  This quilt will live with her afghan I made her in Douglas, her car.  It may even eventually show up in a movie.  But it is really so she knows she has a home always with us.  And wrap it around her to make a hug.