letterpress Saturday

On Saturday, I got a chance to work on my business cards.  I, currently, have one more style for my sister to make and to design a card for my best friend.  I have ideas but not a lot of time without Small Mister this week.

After errands on Saturday, I had a bit of time.  I still have problems getting the paper to sit in the same place every single time.  I am also figuring out what is just the right amount of ink.

It is just one of my obstacles.  I make the best faces and peer at every pressing.  I have to pay attention to what I am doing because the moment I get distracted something does not go the way I wish it.  I find the process can be very meditative.

I am very pleased with the end result.  I will have a few hours on Saturday morning to do some more.  We have Small Mister a lot this week and my allergies are bad.  Allergies make me move slowly.  

The best part, that I did not got pictures of, was that Small Mister pulled his own prints on scrap paper.  He had to show everyone what he did.  It made me smile.

foods that make you go "hmmmmm"

One of the things I look forward to every month is my subscription to Victoria magazine.  I usually get a cup of tea and take some quiet time to enjoy it.  I usually do not even try a recipe.  But this month there was a recipe for classic tatties, which is a Scottish potato scone.  They have many of our favorite ingredients in it so why not give it a try.  

Sooo good!  Both my Beloved and myself would be willing to have had them again today.  That is how good they were.  My Beloved said in need more tatties in his life!  Always a good sign.  I served them with smoked salmon.  Eggs would be good.  Anything  you would serve with potatoes and cheese would be good with them.  Or just by themselves.  Yum!

classic tatties

Note:  This makes about a dozen which is really too many for too.  Unless you do not serve them anything but other tatties.  The thought makes me smile.

1 russet potato, peeled and cut into chunks

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup potato flour

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

a pinch of black pepper

4 ounces cheddar cheese

olive oil

In a medium pot,  put the potato and  cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Turn down to a simmer and cover. Let cook until the potatoes can be poked with a fork.  Turn of the heat, drain, and let cool.  I did this mid day because I did not wish to burn my hands later.  I have done that.  If you do not let the potatoes cool, please be very careful with handling the dough.

Once the potatoes have cooled, mash.  Mix in the butter, potato flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and pepper with a wooden spoon.  Sprinkle some potato flour on the counter.  Dump the dough on it and knead into a nice ball.

Grate the cheese.

Put a griddle on the stove over low medium heat.  Put a teaspoon of olive oil on it and let it slowly heat.

Roll the dough out until it is about a quarter inch thick.  Do not try to treat it like a pie crust but do make sure there is enough potato flour under it so it does not thick.  Sprinkle cheese over the rolled out dough.  Fold the dough ove the cheese and roll out to about  a quarter inch thick again.

Cut the dough into about a dozen pieces.  If you wish, you can cut it into traditional wedges, but that started to become too much work so I just cut squares.

Put the scones on the griddle.  Cook about four minutes on one side.  Turn and cook another three to four on the other side.  You want the scone to be golden and the cheese melted.

My Beloved and I split the tatties.  We ate them with smoked salmon, thick yogurt, and applesauce.  All you could hear was "hmmm" as we ate.  A high complement.

We both want them again.  Maybe later in the week.

not enough hours in my weekend

There have not been enough hour in my weekend.  I had errands to run on Saturday, which always takes much more time then I would expect.  But I got them done and I got to the grocery store.  I have been trying new recipes this weekend which have already been requested to be in our life more.

Small Mister asked to help with carding this week so one of the tasks I wanted to do was spin and card more.  Which I did.  My Beloved and I watched British television on the internet while I spun yarn for either his sweater or mine.  He picked out a sweater pattern so I am now spinning the yarn for it.  This fiber on the carder is the base of his sweater.  

Small Mister will get to help me spin and card more fiber.  I think we have him tonight and he loves to help.  He actually pulled his own print on the letterpress yesterday.  He had to show everyone!  

We will also probably be going to the hardware store.  It is one of his most favorite places and I would have to agree.  I have dimensions for the worktable I need to build for my letterpress.  I made a decision and now I just have to make it happen.  I like this table I have decided on well enough to think about building new kitchen counters and shelves.  It would make me happy and I would get new tools.  

All these bits and bobs are why there are not enough hours in the weekend.  Because I got some gardening, printing, and sewing in as well.  Just not enough of any.  

roasted butternut squash soup

I have started to get butternut squash in the CSA box.  I actually did not plant any winter squash this year because I am still using the pumpkin and winter squash I canned last year.  I have been asked to plant more in the winter garden which I have started to get ready.  I could plant some any time at this point.  It is going to be interesting this winter.  Life is changing again.  We will have to see where the changes lead.

But this squash became soup.  We have the crud running around our home and soup is soothing throats.  I am thinking a bean soup for tomorrow night.  Or maybe fish tacos.  Either work in my head and I am craving fish tacos.  I could go rambling about the craving and why but in reality I guess I should finish this recipe.  

Maybe I just wish to babble.

roasted butternut squash

2 butternut squash

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 onion, diced

half a head of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon New Mexico chili

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 to 2 cups Riesling, a drinkable white wine, cider, apples juice, mead

water or vegetable broth

Cut the butternut squash in half.  Put face down on a baking sheet covered with silpat, parchment paper, or aluminum foil.  Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  After the hour, turn the oven off and leave the squash to cool in the oven.  I do this in the morning but my kitchen is always very warm in the evening.  I do not need the extra heat and the squash is much easier to scoop.

In a large pot, pour the oil and heat over medium heat.  Add the onion and brown slowly.  Add the garlic and let brown.  Scoop the squash from the skin and add to the pot.  Stir well.

Pour in the wine or broth.  I like enough to not completely cover the squash mixture.  How much fluid you will need will depend on the size of your squash.  Add your seasonings.  Add water to completely cover the mixture.  Stir very well.  Let come to a simmer.  Be careful of the bubbles.  They will burn.

I like this soup to be very smooth, so I blend it before serving.  I turn the heat off and move the pan from the burner.  I use my immersion blender to blend it smooth.

I served this with roasted broccoli and rye crisps.  We did have a very sick Small Mister while eating this but it was still cool when it was not quite so hot.

Would you believe Small Mister is now bouncing all over the house after the need of many cuddles?

potato and chorizo soup

I was reading the description of a cookbook today by a food blogger I had never read before.  I was following links as I was archiving data.  A very exciting day.  But the description had a potato soup that sounded interesting.  Chorizo.  White Onion.  Potato.  If I ever read the cookbook, I may find that there is much more to the soup in the original context but this is a lovely tasty soup.  Especially if you have everything in the freezer and refrigerator and a bag of chips to go with it.

potato and chorizo soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces chorizo

4 ounces bacon, diced

1 white onion, peeled and chopped fairly fine

1 to 2 pounds red potatoes, cut into bite size chunks

4 garlic cloves, cleaned and minced

1 teaspoon alder smoked salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

water to cover

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and brown slowly.  When the onion starts to get golden, add the bacon and chorizo.  Let get brown and then add the garlic.  Let the garlic brown and add the potatoes.  Cover with water.  Stir in the salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Turn down to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are soft to a fork.

Serve with chips.