Wednesday Ramblings

The weather is driving me crazy. Temps go up and down. Hi's and Lo's go over. I ache. Everywhere. Yesterday I got up, and went back to bed! Of course, then I was up all night. But it wasn't all bad, I did some laundry. I also put the last round on my courthouse steps and ironed them. They are now ready to trim. Next I will tackle the last of the Jacob's ladder swap blocks. Here are the first six I made, I like them.

My goals are moving slowly, but they ARE moving! How are you doing??

Monday Goals and Etouffee

Monday goal time again. Last week's goals suffered with all my distractions, but I still did lots of sewing. This week will be---

1. Bind Jane's Star
2. Load another quilt
3. Finish Jacob's Ladder blocks for swap
4. Put last round on and trim Christmas Courthouse Steps
5. Add borders to D9P
6. Work on a UFO
7. Work on blue baby blankets

Now, I don't intend on doing all these. But maybe I can LIMIT myself to these projects!

At the last minute for sign up, I joined a swap of Blue/White Jacob's ladder blocks. I love this block, and think a quilt made in blue/white will be lovely. I could just MAKE the whole quilt myself, but somehow that just isn't as fun! I only need to make 12 blocks, last night I made 6.

I sewed on the Courthouse Steps, I have the last round to do. Soon they can be made into a top. I had to cut 7 more light strips at the end, and I almost didn't have enough. There are plenty of darks, but not lights. It is destined to be a using type quilt, so I'm not worrying about it~!

And that Judy, she is a BAD influence. While looking for Cajun Recipes, I came across this one at Cooks.com. And made it. And talked my relatives into being the guinea pigs! I think it was a bit too greasy and would cut back on the butter, and I didn't use the red bell pepper. I used some green bell pepper I had in the freezer. And I added some boneless cubed pork (after all, it's the other white meat Sarah!) with the chicken thighs. No fresh parsley either. But it was very good, and I will make it again. Oh, I finished mine in the crock pot.

CHICKEN ETOUFFEE (A-2-FAY)

1 stick unsalted butter 2 med. onions, chopped 1/4 c. thinly sliced celery 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 sm. red bell pepper, diced 8 chicken thighs, skinned 1 1/2 tsp. cajun seasoning mix 3 tbsp. flour 2 tbsp. tomato paste 1/4 tsp. Tabasco 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 c. chicken stock, broth or water 1 c. chopped green onions 1/2 c. fresh parsley, minced Cook, long grain white rice Heat large heavy skillet over medium heat until hot. Melt butter until it smokes. Saute onions, celery and red bell pepper for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, season the thighs with cajun season mix. Add them to skillet after vegetables have sauteed for 5 minutes. Brown thighs, cooking 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside for later use. Add flour to skillet and stir well. Cook about 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Blend in tomato paste, Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add chicken stock and cooked chicken. Cover and cook for 12 minutes. Remove cover and add green onion and parsley and cook uncovered 3 more minutes. Serve over hot rice.

This is my favorite brother in law Paul, he often will test drive my food for me!

And if this wasn't enough, I also found a recipe for beignets, and we had them too. No pictures, we were too busy eating them!

And my sister and I sat and talked, drank coffee, and ate those pesky beignets. Now I am stuffed, I don't think I will sew tonight anymore. Even Ruby ate a beignet. I made then using brioche dough from my Artisan Bread cookbook, and still have some dough left in the fridge. Ahh, think, I could do this every day or two! No, better not!

Just Wondering

As I was cooking tonight, I was thinking about how it compared to quilting. You use a recipe to cook, a pattern to make a quilt. Do you follow the recipe or pattern exactly? Or do you just use them for inspiration/ideas??

I was making the Etouffee tonight, and remembered from reading Judy's posts, that she uses pork in some of her recipes. I had a whole pork loin I was slicing into chops, the thick end into roast, and decided that I would cube some of it for the Etouffee. Tomorrow we will find out if it was a good idea or not! What do you do??

Sunday Stash Report

How fast the weeks go by! This week I am adding 3 yards to my stash. A while back when everyone was making "Happy Blocks" I made "Manly Blocks". You see, I don't buy novelty fabrics. So Pat sent me a small portion of her novelties. Remember those words--small portion!

There are 106 6.5" squares there! And Pat said it barely made a dent in her drawer! There are chickens, beach accessories, princesses, fairs, any kind of novelty you can think of is there! So when I need to make more "Happy Blocks" I am ready! Thank you Pat.

So that's 3 yards in, 0 out, for a year to date total of 8 yards in! Sounds pretty bad for the first month!

But, I think it's okay. This week I finished quilting Jane's quilt, the bottom of it is peeking out under Pat's squares. I put together the centers of two baby quilts.

I have enough 4 patches to make four of these! All from stash, so that's a good thing. And I also trimmed my Christmas Courthouse steps blocks, I have the last two strips to put on. Although my goals suffered, I am still getting things done.

Today is for different projects. Dishes (who LIKES to do dishes~!) and some homemade buttermilk bread. And I am going to try a new recipe for Etouffee and put it in the crock pot for tomorrow. I also have a batch of beignets in the fridge and maybe they will be made later too. Everyone have a great week!

Motivation Friday

Instead of Motivation Friday I may have to change this to "Fess Up Friday" if I don't stay on track better!

This week I finished quilting Jane's Star. I haven't loaded another quilted, but Ken and I did raise the rollers, so I can work on that goal. My back has been bothering me, so I haven't stood to trim the Christmas Courthouse Steps, maybe tonight, with the help of a little tylenol! And now that I'm not using the rollers to quilt, I can use them to put the borders on the D9P! (I use them to lay the quilt and measure borders, works really good!)

But I did get something else done, I put together enough of those little blue 4-patches to make a top. What do you think? I did it in a total random order, just started with the piles and sewed.

Now those little squares finish to 1", so with borders the quilt will be 40x50", about right for a baby quilt. And since I made enough blocks for three more, I may have enough for a few babies!

Wednesday on Thursday

I went to post last night and I didn't have an internet connection. It's up today (they were probably doing some sort of maintenance).

First of all, if you ever come visit me, DON'T DRINK THE WATER WHERE MY HUSBAND WORKS! Why? Something in it is causing the employees to reproduce like rabbits! Last Friday when we were at the Christmas party, I found out no less than four employees were pregnant. (now this is a small employer, probably 35 employees or so.) I don't know all of them personally, but the ones I do will make baby quilts for. The last few days I have been working on this--

Yes, lots of little 4 patches but after reading the directions I decided it would be easy to reproduce with "mindless chain piecing"--one of my favorite things to do. I am making it in multiples.

I haven't forgotten my goals, I finished quilting Jane's Star quilt, but before I start another one, I am going to have Ken help me raise the rollers, the quilt top is "dragging" on the bed of my machine.

I am still distracted by my new book, I have three different mixes going, and am about to start a 4th! This is the results of yesterdays distractions!

I think these needed a bit more baking, although they are good! The left is a European Peasant and the right is Pumpernickel.

Lost is Found

I often set things down and don't remember where I put them.  I have many pairs of reading glasses because the eye dr. said not to bother with anything but the cheapie ones for my "aging" eyes.  (Not sure if I was happy with that statement or not~!)  Ken often has to help me search for my glasses, keys, coffee cup, purse, book---oh, the list is endless.  Often he helps me search for items he has no real idea of what they are except for my description.  "You know honey--the bobbin case for the 15-91 with the finger at 11 o'clock instead of the one at 1 o'clock".  Hehe, the one that evokes the most response is "Honey--I can't find my needle and I was sewing the binding on while I was in the recliner".  THAT one has him jumping up wildly and whirling around because HE usually sits in that recliner!   But for the last few days I have had my undies in a bunch because I could not find my box of sewing machine needles.  Now, the box is small (maybe 1.5"x1.75") but it had most of 100 needles in it!   But tonight as I was racking my brain, it dawned on me, I had PUT THEM IN MY FEATHERWEIGHT CASE!!!  

Such a small item to cause such a big fuss in my OCD lifestyle!   I had a nasty time last night sewing, I am going to bed early and read.  (I spent a lot of time doing the RIP IT stitch!)  I don't even trust myself trimming my blocks.  I do have the roast in the crock pot and Ken will put in on when he gets off work.  So goodnight everyone, my world is settled again!

Monday Goals and I'm Distracted

Monday goals, Monday goals! Okay--here they go---

1. Finish quilting Jane's Star
2. Load another quilt
3. Trim and add last 2 rounds to Christmas Courthouse steps
4. Add borders to D9P quilt

There, that should keep me busy for a week!

The Distraction---this book--

I love to bake bread. I love to EAT bread! This book has some great ideas. Right now I have some French peasant boule mixed up, and some pumpernickel. You store it in the fridge for up to two weeks, and when you want a loaf, you pull off a piece from your stored mix and very simply shape it, raise it, bake it, AND THEN YOU EAT IT!! No kneading! I have mine stored in plastic ice cream buckets. Tomorrow I am making a pork roast in the crock pot from A Year of Crock-potting Blog. I am looking forward to trying it.

Sunday Stash Report

I bought fabric this week.  3 yards of extra wide flannel for a backing to Chocolate Covered Cherries, and 2 yards to make a border for the same.  I have enough of the inner fabrics to make a binding--maybe!  

So the numbers for the year are 5 yards in, 0 yards out, 5 yards in for the year.  But I HAVE been sewing, and soon will have some finishes.

I decided to quilt Jane M's Giant Star top with the panto Plumage and "antique satin" colored thread.  The thread blends into the background areas, but still shows so beautifully.  I couldn't wait to start it!  

I sewed another round on the courthouse steps blocks, only two left!  

A Cajun Dish

Judy challenged us to make a cajun dish. Tonight I made Gumbo. My sister, Ken and I tried it. I think the recipe is a keeper. We served it over hot rice with homemade buttermilk honey bread.

GUMBO

2 chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 lb shrimp (I used the frozen precooked)
1 lb cajun sausage
2 c. chopped onions
3/4 c. chopped celery
3 chopped garlic cloves
2 T. chopped green pepper
1 lb. frozen sliced okra
1 qt. tomatoes
3 beef bullion cubes
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour


brown onions, celery, garlic, green pepper, and okra in a dab of butter. Place browned veggies in crock pot. Brown chicken breasts in a dab of butter, put in crock pot. Brown sausage, put in crock pot. (I keep using the same pan, I hate to do dishes!)

Take 1/4 c. flour and 1/4 c. butter, make a roux, brown until chocolate colored. Add bullion dissolved in 2 cups water. Cook until thick, then add juice from qt of tomatoes. Cook until thick, then add tomatoes and mash with potato masher. Mix this with everything in crock pot. I seasoned with Lousiana Cajun seasoning, a tsp of worcheshire, a dash of hot sauce, and a dribble of lemon juice. 10 minutes before serving, add the precooked shrimp.


Yes, I know there are lots of "dabs" in my recipe, but I very seldom measure!

Motivation Friday Post on Saturday

Ken and I had a Christmas party last night.  And a slight computer problem, I broke my wireless mouse and Friday's post had to wait until I got a new one.  Whew!  

But I am progressing on my goals.  I loaded a top.  Woo hooo!!

 

I added one more strip on my Christmas Courthouse steps, only three left!

 

I worked on the Manly Happy Blocks, they now have a bright rusty orange border, and I pieced a backing out of a dark purple with a purple print on a light background.  So it will be ready to go when I have time to quilt it.

 

I bought some fabric for a border and backing for the Chocolate Covered Cherries top, when I get time I will put them together.  

Today I am cooking and baking bread, I will have lots of leftovers for the weekend and I can sew!