pumpkin dress

I got a bit coughy last week and weekend.  I really did not have the energy to post on Friday.  My thoughts were not all going in the same direction.  It would have been an interesting babble.  I was going to post about this dress.  A dress in linen again.  I am so enjoying linen.  The nightgown I made is absolutely lovely and the purple dress!  There are not many words.  I still have a few pieces of linen and this pumpkin is one of them.

I put it together using the same pattern as the purple one but being much more assured about the length.

Not bad for less then two hours of work.  I could really wear this everyday.  I still have two pieces of linen left but I am thinking a mandarin collar needs to be on the red one.  I am not sure of the blue yet.

forever shawl half done

I had to share.  The most recent forever shawl is half way done.  I did not really feel very well today so my Beloved sat with me and we watched picture shows.

My allergies have caused an ear infection.  Sitting is a good thing.  When I sit, I do like to keep my hands busy so I work on this forever shawl.  I ordered more yarn today.  I am going to knit an afghan.  That is also good for keeping my hands busy!  I hope I am feeling better tomorrow.

simple evening

It was a simple evening.  Quiet.  I got home from skating to a pot of bean soup ready for my dinner since my Beloved put it on this morning.  I decided to make cornbread to go with it.  While it was baking, I worked on the stocking in the picture.  I am really not sure why I am working on wool stockings when it was 106 yesterday but maybe that means the pair will be done when it 36 outside.  But the knitting is calming and meditative.  While the cornbread was baking, I knitted and listened to an audiobook.  Once my Beloved got home, it was a simple evening of soup, cornbread, a picture show, and crocheting on the forever shawl.  It too will be done someday.  Probably when it 36 outside too.

I needed this type of evening because I am tired.  Bed early for us tonight.

new nightdress

My Beloved laughs at me when I start working on a new project.  I was putting together a new nightdess for myself in a new design.  I pulled out a brown paper sack, pins, a 150 cm ruler, and a tape measure.  I use the brown paper to make the bodice.  I use everything else to make my pattern.  This is why my Beloved laughs at me.  I do this all the time.  He says no one believes him when I do this.

Then a bit of stitching.

I have a new nightdress that goes to my toes, which is my favorite length.  I really like linen nightdresses and it is much cheaper then buying them.  It also helps when I can get the linen on sale.

Life is very good.

And it goes down to my toes!  I am so excited.

gluten free port chocolate cake

I read food blogs.  This should come to no surprise.  Two of the food bloggers I read came out with their own versions of red wine chocolate cake, 17 and Baking and Smitten Kitchen.  I am so picky about cake, these intriqued me.  We really do no have red wine in the house but we usually have a bottle of port.  And my Beloved is gluten free.  So I played with the recipe.  Yumminess!

As our tastes change or how the cake ages, I could see me decreasing the sugar in this.  Also, the batter is very thin using gluten free flours.

Port Chocolate Cake

6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup white granulated sugar

1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk

3/4 cup port

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

40 grams sorghum flour

40 grams teff flour

40 grams almond flour

40 grams arrowroot flour

1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder

3/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper.  Grease the parchment paper and the sides.

In a medium bowl, put the butter and sugars.  Cream together (our house was a bit warm).  Add the vanilla, port, and eggs.  Mix well.

Add all the dry ingredients.  Mix until well blended.

Pour into the prepared pan

Bake for 50 minutes until the cake pulls away from the pan and a knife inserted comes out mostly clean.  It will look shiny and bubbly on top.

This really needs to cool all the way to slice nicely.  It is lovely with homemade vanilla ice cream.