Scarf

Its been busy around here!  I have plenty to share but with limited time to do it in.....  so here is a quick post about a recent scarf that I made.

My inspiration came from this Anthropologie throw.

I love the flowers and the colors and I intend on making a similar throw for myself, but I thought that I would do a trial run before jumping into anything that time consuming.  So I started with a scarf.  I made the flowers and crocheted them into a grid.  It was a bit challenging because the grid was freeform and it kept me guessing the whole time but I love how it turned out and can't wait to make another one.

Until next time, Happy Crocheting!

Chicken Pot Pie!

I posted this picture....

.....of the pot pies that I made last night on all of my social networks and had everyone drooling.  Many asked me for the recipe so I will share the recipe with you and the changes that I made to it.

Last night I actually had something else planned for dinner but I had half of a rotisserie chicken left over from the enchiladas I made the night before....  I didn't want the chicken to go to waste but I also didn't want to buy anything extra to make a separate meal and I instantly thought of a pot pie and figured I had everything on hand.  I don't have a recipe, so I turned to Pinterest with no luck... then I went to the Food Network and found this recipe by The Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten.  What I liked most about this recipe is that it didn't call for a bottom crust...  I'm not a fan of the bottom crust in pot pies, it never gets done all the way and is always soggy.  Plus this is WAY easier.

I didn't use the crust that was suggested in the pot pie recipe, pie crust (for me) can be delicate to make and I have perfected this recipe from Betty Crocker so that it works every time for me.  I sub in cold butter instead of shortening so that I can use it immediately and not have to refrigerate it.  For the pot pies, I made the double pie crust recipe (see Step 3).

With the leftover chicken, I made my own chicken stock.  To explain it simply, I remove all of the usable meat, cover the carcass with water in a stock pot fitted with a strainer and boil for 1-1.5 hours.  I remove the strainer and carcass and simmer for 1-1.5 hours to thicken and condense the flavor.  For this recipe I also added 2 chicken bullion cubes while simmering.  (I used 5c. for the pot pies and had over 5c. leftover that divide between 2 containers and froze for future use).

Since I used a cooked chicken, I skipped the 1st part of the recipe that tells you how to cook the chicken.  Another change I made was with the carrots, I figured the purpose of the blanching process was to make the carrots "al dente" but frankly I like my carrots super soft.  So after I melted the butter, I added my onions and carrots at the same time.  I also completely forgot to add the heavy cream, even though I had it.  I thought the pot pie still turned out great without it, so that helps the calories and makes it better for those that are lactose intolerant!

I have these really nice soup bowls that I bought specifically for French Onion Soup that worked perfectly for this recipe.  Once they were filled and I had the dough rolled out, I just eye-balled what I thought would be enough dough and cut sections out of the dough with a butter knife.  After I added the crust to each bowl, I brushed with egg wash and instead of seasoning with salt and pepper, I freshly grated Parmesan cheese directly onto the crust.  I would have preferred Gruyere, but I didn't have any on hand.  

Baked in the oven for an hour and they turned out great.  I was surprised that they were so tasty.  I usually cook with lots of herbs and spices and this recipe didn't have much of that in there, so I had some fresh sage ready to add in case it needed a little something and surprisingly it didn't.  I will also note  that I personally don't like curly leaf parsley in soups and alike, so for this recipe I used flat leaf (that just happens to be growing in my garden).

On another note.... I have a few vegetarian friends that would like this recipe without the meat...  If it were me, I would substitute cooked potatoes for the chicken and used vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.  I might also add both corn and peas for flavor.

Hope everyone likes this recipe!  Let me know how it turns out!

Anthro Copy Sweater

I can't believe that I am finally saying this but IT's DONE!!!!!!  I was nearly done when I put it away indefinitely, 10 months ago.  I had been so frustrated that it took 10 months to dig it back out and complete it!  And I did!!!  So...  here is the original Antropologie Sweater that I was trying to replicate:

And here is how mine turned out:

There are definitely a few things that I would change if I had it to do over, but I like that it is homemade!

Aaaand in the interest of Anthropologie copies...  I started a new one.  This one is crochet and shouldn't take me nearly as long as the sweater, but we'll see :-)

Here is the inspiration:

And here is what I have so far:

Until next time, Happy Yarning!

Cool Weather Projects

Well, I knitted a hat.  It was a spur of the moment project that turned out... o.k.  After thumbing through the pages of the new French Girl Knits Accessories book...

I was instantly drawn to a pretty cable beret.  So I decided to make up one of my own.  Despite the confusion of the pattern I finished and it looks o.k.  There are some changes that I would have made if I were to make it again, plus it's a little big, but I will still wear it.

And with the cooler weather I have been a cooking and baking fool.

I have been itching to do some Fall reading and get my fingers into some yarning projects.  I think I might break into the 100+ half-finished projects that I have waiting for me instead of staring anything new.  We will see how that works out.  Until then, Happy Fall!!!!

Recently Lovelies

I recently had a few Thank You gifts to make. Scarves are easy and perfect to make this season and thus are my go-to gifts for such occasion.  

I have also been making some store samples, here is what I like to call my "50 Shades" hat.  If you have read the book, you'll get the references....  if you haven't, then read the book!!! :-)

It's been a busy start to fall and I have much more to do.  The cooler weather definitely kicks off my "Yarning" season, so I am sure that I will have plenty more to share soon!  Until then... Happy Fall!

Food Swing

I'm not sure if it is the anticipation of Fall or what, but I have been on a HUGE food kick! Last week kicked it off when I made these awesome cupcakes!!

The recipe comes from The Baked Perfection blog and it was sooo yummy!!!  I made a few changes: I used a Triple Chocolate Fudge cake mix and Double Fudge pudding mix.  I also used less vanilla in the frosting.  Everything else was the same and they were really good.  I gave most of them away and I received RAVE reviews.  My version turned out SUPER rich, so beware :-)

Yesterday while I was trying to create our weekly menu, I came across this recipe for Brown Ale and Cheddar Soup.

It was super yummy and really easy to make.  Not exactly the healthiest of recipes, but what is life without a little indulgence?  I only changed one thing in this recipe,  I used a Pale Ale instead of a Brow Ale.  I am more familiar with the Pale version and thought that I would be more likely to drink the rest of the beer. I used a New York cheddar, and I will also note that I used only 1 jalapeno, as suggested, but I think that it could have used another jalapeno or 2....  there wasn't any spice and I would have liked a little more of the pepper flavor.  Other then that it was awesome and easy to make.  I highly recommend this recipe...  especially for the boys.  They say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach and it couldn't be any more true with this soup.

Since I had all the makings, I also made a homemade chicken noodle soup today... from scratch.  A little time consuming but totally worth it!

I use my mom's recipe, which consists of 'a little of this' and a 'pinch of that'.  It turns out different every time because there is no measuring involved and if I feel like more celery, then I add more celery.... you get the picture.  But as a close guide here is a homemade chicken soup recipe that will help.  My mom also cleans out her freezer when she makes her chicken soup, so any of the leftover bags of frozen veggies get thrown into hers too, so you never know how it is going to taste.... other than you know it will be good!!  :-)

I have a few more recipes that I am making this week that I intend to share with you and with Fall right around the corner, I have been working on a lot of yarn projects that will soon be posted as well, so keep an eye out for that!!!!

Until then, happy eating :)

Trip Pix

Sooo....  I am from Las Vegas.  Born and raised, I moved away when I was in high school and then when I went to college, my parents moved back home.  I stayed in the Midwest and I have acclimated to the point where I don't know if I could assimilate back into the Vegas culture.  Regardless... I love to visit.  If not for the fact that it is home and it is Las Vegas, but because a good portion of my family lives there and I love to visit them.  We recently got home after a weeks long trip and I am just now able to post pics of our trip's Insta-highlights.

Hometown LOVE right here:

We went rock scrambling at Red Rock Canyon:

Took at trip Downtown:

You can't visit the Southwest without eating at In-N-Out Burger...  they have THE BEST burgers!

 My baby cousin had a birthday while we were out there:

So, us old fogies tagged along for a night on the Strip:

Our trip was centered around our anniversary, so we renewed our vows.... Vegas Style!!  Making sure that our officiant was the same Elvis that was at our wedding reception.....

10 years ago!!!

That's it for now...  I have a few projects in the works, and of course Fall is almost here and you know what that means?!?!?!  Tis the season to start yarning...  crochet and knitting, here I come!!!  Until next time!!!

Yesterday

A quick hello, a small project and then I'm back to cleaning.  This is the busiest time of the year for us, with 3 birthdays in a 1 week span, it gets a little crazy.  We are hosting a small birthday party for my oldest tomorrow so it has been non-stop cleaning for the past few days.  As I was dusting my living room yesterday, I decided to update my mantle arrangement.  I'm not sure why, but arranging my mantle is very challenging for me.  I either have too much on it or not enough on it and it just turns into a thorn in my side.  Yesterday I kinda just threw this arrangement together and I actually like it.  Here is the result.

I also have a bare wall next to the mantle that at one time has a piece of art on it, but I then moved it to a different location.  I don't mind having the bare wall, except with how the other walls are decorated in the same room, it didn't look balanced.  I had to put something on there that was small and light... if I put something that was dark and heavy, it would have just been too much.  I spent less than $8 on the embroidery hoops and I used some of my favorite fabrics from my stash.  I trimmed off the excess fabric on the back and hot glued the salvage onto the frame.  So far so good.

I have some other projects in the works, but with the craziness of the season and an upcoming trip, it might be a while before I get to them. Until then, Happy crafting!