What's For Dinner?

One of my goals for this year (notice I didn't say New Year's Resolution - if it's a goal, I might stick with it longer.) is to plan weekly menus for dinner each week. I find if I take the time to do this, I am less likely to not cook and just go out to eat. On my iGoogle page on my browser, I have a Google calendar dedicated to my menus. Now, when I get home in the afternoons, I am not dreading the dinner routine. So far, we have only gone out to eat on Fridays or Saturdays - once a week instead of 2 or 3 times a week. This week we went to The Village Grill, one of my favorite places to dine.

Their specials are always unique and very tasty.

I finally finished the log cabin table runner tonight.


It was placed on the back burner because of these:

and this:

I can easily be distracted.

I (Heart) Pimento Cheese

Just in time for Valentine's Day - a sweet little knitted heart pin. The pattern is from Hannah Fettig's book Closely Knit. She has graciously provided the pattern as a download. It measures around 2" by 2" and takes little time to knit, sew and stuff.

Pimento cheese.....I love pimento cheese.

Whenever I can't decide what to have for lunch while at school, I can always count on pimento cheese. I either make my own or purchase ready made at the grocery store. But this time, I tried a new recipe (Lee Brothers Southern Cookbook) which called for roasted red pepper instead of pimentos from a jar. Very delicious. Mmmm, Mmmm, good - a pimento sandwich, chips and ....

The Secret Is

Do you know the trick and secret for excellent caramel cake?

Today several ladies from church gathered at a friend's house for a cooking lesson won from a mission trip fund raising auction earlier in the year. Linda, the baker, brought the cake, the ingredients for the frosting, the recipe and the secret to the perfect caramel frosting. You do know the secret, don't you?

It isn't the cake......it isn't the ingredients....it isn't even the recipe....it's the pan that is used in cooking the frosting.

It can't be too thin or else the frosting won't cook correctly.

Her son swears that if he was given caramel frosting prepared in different pans including THE PAN, he would be able to tell which one was cooked in THE PAN. When he married he wanted her caramel cake for his groom's cake. The wedding was out of town, so she had to take THE PAN with her and make the frosting in the hotel room. I think she said she had to frost six cakes in a little kitchenette in that hotel room.
Needless to say, the lesson was very well received and the cake was wonderful.

Knitting update: I have completed my first project for the new year. Knitted Puffy

From One Skein: 30 Quick Projects to Knit by Leigh Radford I used a cotton yarn for this project. Not sure how it will do when used in the shower. I ordered and have received the yarn (Aloo) the author used in the book. It is a natural plant fiber with a different texture. It looks and feels quite different from any yarn I have ever used. I think I'm going to like it better for something to bathe with.

The Party is Over

It is time to go back to work. This has been a nice Christmas. As always, time with my husband and son at Christmas was special to me, as well as time with family (my brothers and their families and my husband's sister and her family) and friends. I was able to complete some things around the house that have been patiently waiting for my attention. I saw two excellent movies, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Doubt. As a bonus, I was able to visit with the newest member of a dear family.

This little fellow entered the world on December 23.

I was also able to begin a new quilted table runner with 4 log cabin blocks.


I think I have enough fabric left over to make a couple of placemats.

It's Here!

Happy New Year!