Cushy Bobble Bath Mat {crochet pattern}

Cushy Bobble Bath Mat

MATERIALS:

9mm/M hookAran cotton yarn, doubled

Stitch guide:

sl st: slip stitch

bobble: pick up next stitch, yo, pull through, yo, insert hook into same stitch, yo, pull through, yo, insert hook into same stitch, yo, pull through (6 stitches on hook), yo, pull through all six stitches

sc: single crochet

ch: chain stitch

DIRECTIONS:

Chain 50, ch 1 turning stitch

(increase in multiples of 2 stitches)

*bobble 1, sl st 1*; rep from *to* to end, ch 1 turning stitch

Repeat row 1 39 more times (until mat measures approximately 24" x 15")

Coconut Chocolate Chip Chai Hot Chocolate Cookies

I don't know if it's the recent chilly weather or that the kids are going back to school soon, but I'm already going into fall mode (and August hasn't even started!).  I'm in the mood for spicy, warm goodies.  

Holy crap, you guys...  these things are so freaking good.

...and, yes, I'm sure I could've come up with a shorter name for them...

Coconut Chocolate Chip Chai Hot Chocolate Cookies

Adapted from this recipe.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups milk chocolate chips

1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

1/4 cup instant chai drink powder (I used Trader Joe's pumpkin chai mix)

• 
  
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down side of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined.

Fold in chocolate chips and coconut.

• In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and chai powder. Using heaping tablespoons, form balls of dough and roll in chai-sugar mixture. Place, about 3 inches apart, on silpat or parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. 
• 
  
• (Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week)

Best served alongside a homemade foamy mocha

topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Quinoa, Chickpea and Red Pepper Patties

Quinoa, Chickpea and Red Pepper Patties

1 can chickpeas, drained
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 Tbsp mild ajvar (or Trader Joe's red pepper spread with eggplant and garlic)
1/4 of a red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 of a small red onion, finely diced
about 2 Tbsp roughly chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, yolk broken

avocado oil or olive oil, for cooking

Combine chickpeas and quinoa in a bowl and mash loosely, using a potato masher or fork.  Stir in other ingredients until thoroughly combined.  Using a fourth of the mixture for each serving, form a patty (just like you would form a hamburger), by smashing the mixture between your hands.

Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat.  Cook about 4 minutes per side in a *hot* skillet, searing both sides to form a crust on the patty.  Use caution when flipping them, they might want to crumble.

HINT:  If you end up with leftovers (or a crumbly one), add it to your scrambled eggs in the morning!  Yum!

Curried Veggies and (no-fail) Saffron Rice

Curried Veggies

• 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• sprinkle of ground cardamom
• sprinkle of ground cloves
• 2 Tbsp avocado (or olive) oil
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 15 oz can coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar (or more to taste)
• salt to taste

*Veggies of choice*  ...just try to keep proportions close to what I've listed here...

• 15.5 oz can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed
• 12 oz bag frozen Florentine vegetables (broccoli, carrots and cauliflower)
• 12 oz bag frozen Brussles sprouts
• you could also try peas, sweet potatoes, cabbage, potatoes, etc.

Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, cardamom and cloves to oil and stir so spices and oil thicken to a paste.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir.  Cook, covered,over medium heat for 20-30 minutes (or until the veggies are fork tender), stirring periodically.

...MEANWHILE...

(no-fail) Saffron Rice

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter (or use salted and omit the extra salt)
• salt to taste
• small pinch of saffron

Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl.  Cover and cook on high for 5 minutes.  Continue cooking, covered, for another 15 minutes at 50% power.  Fluff with a fork and serve immediately.

New "Items for Sale" page on my blog!

Good afternoon!  If you follow either my personal or my blog facebook pages, you've probably seen that I've been making wire jewelry.  I've decided to put together a page here on my blog where you can order directly from me.  Just click on the "Items for Sale" tab on the top of my blog to see what I'm currently offering.

See it all here!

Refrigerator [sweet] Pickles

Refrigerator pickles are one of the easiest things to make and they keep my kids and I happy on warm summer days...

The very basics that you'll need for any kind of refrigerator pickles are:

• produce to pickle
• vinegar
• filtered water
• salt

The combination of the vinegar and the salt are what do the actual pickling/preserving for you.  From this very basic recipe, you could make so many different kinds of pickles!  Just change up your seasonings and you could have a whole new flavor combination.

This is how I make my sweet pickles...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Refrigerator Sweet Pickles

• cucumbers, cut into coins
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup filtered water 
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1/8 tsp cumin seeds 
• 1/8 tsp dill seeds
• 1/8 tsp celery seeds
• a sprinkle of turmeric
• a sprinkle of ground cayenne
• 1/8 tsp onion powder (though I prefer adding thinly sliced red onions instead, tonight it was an afterthought, so I opted for onion powder)

Wash and chop the cucumbers (and red onions, if you're using them) and place in a sanitized pint sized jar (or similarly sized air-tight container).  Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dill seeds, celery seeds, turmeric and cayenne (and onion powder, if you're using it) to the jar.

In a microwave safe container (that's easy to pour from), combine vinegar, water, sugar and salt.  Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally until the salt and sugar have mostly dissolved.  Pour this liquid over your cucumbers (there should be enough liquid to cover the tops of the pickles), close up the jar and give it a good shake to evenly distribute all of the seeds and spices.

Wait 24-48 hours before eating to allow the cucumbers to absorb all of the flavors.  They should keep well in your fridge for at least a couple of weeks (maybe longer).....  if they last that long!

**PLEASE NOTE that this recipe is written strictly for refrigerator storage...  DO NOT try to process these pickles in a water bath or pressure canner!  

ENJOY!

This week's menu... 4/28/14-5/4/14

Monday:  BBQ chicken legs & garlic mashed potatoes

Tuesday:  Brats and sauerkraut

Wednesday:  veggie curry

Thursday:  pizza night

Friday:  leftovers

Saturday:  veggie stir fry

Sunday:  smothered chicken (recipe coming soon)

What's on your menu this week?