Tuesday, October 30, 2007

#25 Peace inside my head is not possible...or is it?




She Knits for Knitters
...my new pattern Caroline Bag






*****CONTEST*****


Send me your favorite finger food DESSERT recipe i.e.
COOKIES
BARS
BROWNIES
HOMEMADE CONFECTIONS
- no forks spoon or knives allowed (except for cutting pieces) for eating- fingers only

Either post on Ravelry in She-Knits Podcast group under CONTEST heading or send it to me via e-mail sdreifuss[AT]msn[DOT]com. I'm hungry hurry-up
CONTEST ENDS Nov. 22nd- you will be harshly but fairly judged (kind of) by my children (and me) and there will also be a randomly picked winner.

"Hey She-Knits, "you so politely ask, "What do I W I N ?" Well, for you sock and shawl meisters some sock/shawl yarn...meaning that skinny kind of yarn- and for you felters or bulky wool lovers some Lamb's Pride Bulky. There will be two winners. So COME ON LET'S SEE YOUR GOOD STUFF! And think before you send...chocolate chip cookies probably won't win..no offense to the humble chocolate cookie...unless it is something really special.

GO to Pandora's Box and have fun!

Givers of SWAG:

Loopy Ewe yummy yarn
Knitted Gems original knitting patterns
Studio Marlowe original pattern for really pretty pullover sweater
Snarky Designs original pattern for "the Luckiest" a felted bag


Craftcast Podcast Alison Lee- Episode #39 with Art biz Guru Bruce Baker


The rest of the shownotes are all about the zuppa, I wanted to give non-Ravelryers a chance to see the receipe's. If you are on Rav. they are in my She-Knits Podcast group forum.
Enjoy and keep the soups coming!

Judie's:
Sweet Potato Soup

3 tbsp chili-infused olive oil 2 leeks -chop about 500g. sweet potato diced 900ml. vegetable stock 1 can chick peas (I use ones I've soaked and cooked myself -about 1-2 cups worth) 100g. Cyprus Halloumi cheese 4 tbsp of Five seed Mix (this is sunflower seeds,pumpkin seeds, linseed, hemp seeds and pinenuts) 2 tbsp parsley

Heat oil in saucepan, and leeks, soften (5 min.) Add sweet potatoes, stir (3 min). Add stock, boil and cover. After 5min. add chickpeas; cook 5 min. Drain and pat dry the cheese; dice and fry in a little oil; add seeds and stir another 1-2 minutes until cheese turns colour. Blend soup and and vegetables until crushed; ladle into bowls and top with cheese, seeds and parsley.

Prep. time -10 minutes; cook 20 minutes



Susan's:

Spanish Chickpea Soup

Two 432 g cans of chick-peas

2 fat garlic cloves, chopped

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

A generous pinch of Cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh

coriander or flat-leaf parsley

salt and pepper

olive oil, to garnish (optional)

Drain the liquid from the chick-pea cans into a measuring jug. Add water to make up the liquid to 900 ml (l '/2 pints). In a food processor or blender, puree this liquid with the chick-peas, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Pass the soup through a sieve into a saucepan. Season it with salt, pepper and Cayenne and stir in most of the mint and coriander or parsley. Boil the soup hard for two minutes. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Stir in the rest of the herbs and serve, if liked, with a swirl of olive oil.


Knitterphreek's
CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

1 pound of mushrooms

1/2 cup of butter or margarine

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 small onion, sliced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3-1/2 cups chicken stock

3 chicken boullion cubes or envelopes

1 teaspoon salt (I leave this out, there is enough salt added in the boullion)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup heavy or whipping cream

Trim tough stem ends of mushrooms; remove stems; set aside. With knife slice mushroom caps thinly.

In a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, in hot butter or margarine, cook sliced mushrooms and lemon juice until mushrooms are just tender, stirring.

Reduce heat to medium-low; with slotted spoon, remove mushrooms to bowl. In saucepan in remaining butter, cook onion and stems; cook until onion is tender.

Stir in flour until blended; cook 1 minute, stirring the mixture constantly.

Gradually stir in chicken stock and boullion; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened.

In blender, ladle half of the mixture; cover and blend until smooth. Repeat with the other half.

Return mixture to the saucepan; stir in salt (if used), pepper, cream and mushroom slices; reheat just until soup is boiling.

I serve with homemade croutons (chunks of bread sauteed in butter till crisp) YUM!!!


Pattyb's
A family favorite: Cheese Broccoli Soup

1 chopped onion 3 cups water 3 chicken bouillon cubes 2 cups thin egg noodles 10 oz. package frozen chopped broccoli 3 cups milk 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1 lb.velveeta cheese

Saute onions 3 minutes in a little oil;add water & bouillon cubes and boil until cubes have dissolved. Add noodles and cook 3 minutes. Stir in broccoli & garlic powder and cook 4 minutes. Add milk and cheese (cubed) and simmer until cheese melts (do not boil!). Season with salt & pepper. Yum!


tonya's
CORN & CRAB CHOWDER 1 stick of butter 1 bundle of green onions, chopped 2 cans whole kernal corn (not drained) 2 cans cream of potato soup 2 soup cans of milk 2 cans crab meat (not drained) 1 8oz block of cream cheese, softened Red pepper, salt and black pepper to taste

Saute onions in butter. When onions are tender, add other ingredients. Heat through and enjoy!


Valink's -
I most often make vegitarian split pea soup. I never use a recipe, but usually I just sautee some onions, carrots & celery, throw in some dry lentils & saute them for a few minutes, sometimes I put the sweet potatoes in at this point too, sometimes I wait til later to put them in, then I add a whole bunch of water & a bag of dry split peas &bring it to a boil. Then I add random spices, salt & pepper, whatever I'm in the mood for a the moment & let the whole thing simmer til it's the consistency I want. I like it to be a really thick soup. Sometimes I'll add pastina or orzo or something like that to thicken it further if I've added too much water or too few peas. I don't cook much, so this is the best I could do!

~Valerie


mamased's
Here's our family favorite, which I learned about from Faith, The Knitting Cook, on her podcast. It is from Moosewood. Quick. Easy. Delicious. Even works for company. Make sure you use the chipotle pepper--canned in adobo sauce available in the Mexican food section of grocery store.

Black Bean & Chipotle Soup

Serves 4 to 6; Yields 8 cups

¼ cup olive oil; 2 cups chopped onions; 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed; 2 cups peeled and diced carrots; 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin; 1 cup chopped celery; 1 cup chopped green or red bell peppers; 2 cups cooked black beans (two 15-ounce cans, undrained) (or cook 1 cup dried beans); ½ dried chipotle pepper, or 1 canned chipotle in adobo sauce (recommended); 2 cups chopped fresh or undrained canned tomatoes (12-ounce can); ½ cup orange juice; ½ cup water; salt to taste; sour cream to top; chopped fresh cilantro.

Warm the oil in a non-reactive soup pot. Sauté the onions and garlic in the oil for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots and cumin and cook on medium heat, sitting often for a few minutes. Add the celery and peppers, lower the heat, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the beans chipotle, tomatoes, orange juice, and water, and simmer, covered for 20 minutes. If you're not using canned beans, add ½ cup of beans cooking liquid or additional water.

If you like a thicker broth, you can blend one or two cups of the soup until pureed, and stir it back into the remaining soup. Top with optional sour cream and cilantro.

Reprinted from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special, Copyright © 1999 by Moosewood, Inc., Clarkson Potter, publishers, New York.




texaspurlgurl's:

Taco Soup (another Weight Watchers Recipe)

1 lb. cooked lean beef (I use the 93/7) 1 small onion, chopped 1 4 oz. can diced chilis (omit if you don't want any spiciness) 1 T. salt 1 pkg. taco seasoning 1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix (I use fat free) 1 can Hominy or corn 3 cans stewed tomatoes 1 can kidney or black beans 1 can pinto beans 1/2 can water

Brown meat. Add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes. Can also be put in crock pot, but you must cook the meat first. 1 cup = 3 points

My family loves this and I don't spice it up too much because then the kids won't eat it.

Enjoy!


Krisztina's
In your last podcast you asked us to share our most favourite recipe. Ours is the leek potato soup. 4 leeks 1 potato 1 onion 1/2 bar of butter 850 ml water with veg. boullion 275 ml milk salt to your taste

Cut leeks lengthwise into half then slice it up, chop onion and potato. In a pot swet them alltogether in the melted butter for 10 min. Cover and stir time to time. Add the water plus milk and simmer for 20 min. after boiling. Then just blend with the handheld blender and it is ready to serve. My kids love it. Try it. The recipe is originally from Delia Smith.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Episode #24 What balance?

E-mail me your favorite soup recipe sdreifuss[AT]msn[DOT]com
On the Needles
Bell Shrug
Sidar Coat
Caroline Bag
Gray Ghost

Off the needles






Sheknits for Knitters Robin Bag Sunflower



Go visit;
Authors@Google
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilberts
The Feminine Mistake by Leslie Bennett

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Episode #23 Toot Toot Yeah Beep Beep

Toot tooting...

She-Knits Bag Patterns to see the newly named Ali, Melly, and Robin bags for sale as patterns and complete kits

Small Ali Bag for customer










On the needles:
Still writing and knitting ...well really embroidering at this point...the pattern for the Caroline Bag











The "Every Wondering if I will Finish" very first sock












The Sirdar Coat thanks JUDIE...(not Julie as i mistakenly referred to her in the podcast ...*says while fanning the embarrassed heat out of my face....anyone that wants to knit this with others we are all going to start our knit-a-long it in another week or so either check the She-Knits Podcast group on Ravelry topic Sirdar Coat in the forums or e-mail me at sdreifuss[AT]msn [DOT]com if you are not on Ravelry and will work it out. Check out how good it looks on Judie and the link to the pattern in previous podcast shownotes





Check it out:

3/4 Bell Sleeve Shrug Pattern One piece...a nice chunky cute quick knit from Fickle Fiber Diva,











Zephyr Style to get below patterns and more



Wicked








Green Gables













Rusted Root















Ribbed Lace Bolero...isn't this really really cute...it was suggested as a teen gift, but I'm loving it...myabe over a long sleeve t???


Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Episode #22 Listener's Favorite Projects

Off my Needles




Fuzzy Feet






Om Hand Tote





On my Needles








Sirdar Coat thanks to Judie...here is her Denim Ultra Coat

Thanks to Dawne's 15 year old son's assist here is a link to the pattern...it was not easy to find!

The number is Sirdar 5903 and it looks like it can be purchased Velona.com
go to the Sirdar pattern section (I typed Sirdar in )and scroll down in the left til you find #5903
Small custom Ali Bag





Some of the Submissions of the Listeners Favorites

Socks:

Wendy Knits Toe Up Sock
Miska







Tidal Wave Susan











Thuga Nicole's fav












Jaywalkers on Magnits by Grumperina Dawn's fav






Yankee Sock Knitter Donna

Lucy Neatby DVD's Susan L.

Garments:

Einstein Coat (picked a random one off Ravelry so you could see the actual coat
from The Knit Stitch Tara









Sahara Michell







Congratulations to the randomly pointed at winners

Marlette Crew neck pullover








Diane Simple Knitted Bodice





For visual inspiration.... or you can join... or contribute a prize
Holiday Kal-Cal
She-Knits KAL


Come see She-Knits purse patterns and kits at
Sheknits for Knitters
finished bags
She-Knits.com


PEACE

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Episode # 21 If you are not happy with what your knitting, STOP RIGHT NOW!

added Oct. 7****CONTEST FOR LAURIE PERRY'S BOOK + YARN IS OVER I WILL BE ANNOUNCING WINNERS ON EPISODE #22*****



Knitting pattern and kit for Pipes and Braid in Grays















I am knitting a combo sock of turtlegirl 76's fixation sock and Greetings from Knit Cafe's Cozy sock











Pure and Simple Knitting V-Neck Cardigan found it for the lowest price here at Jimmy Beans











Stephanie Japel's Simple Knitted Bodice




Meghan's son's Owen beloved bear George with a scarf made from what was supposed to be a baby hat for Owen's too big head, is the Bubby Pattern from Knitty








She-Knits Floral Knitting Bag Pattern coming October 20 to Sheknits for Knitters Shop






Fuzzy Feet
felted slipper socks from Knitty





Chocolate Chip Sticks (I used M+M's instead of Choc.chips)

Combine in large bowl mixing well:
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar

add-
1 1/2 c. flour
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. backing soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. chocolate morsels

Form dough into two 3-4 inch wide log and put on greased cookie sheet. I just formed it into one 4 inch wide rectangular shape and that yielded 14 sticks

Bake 20-25 minutes until edges are golden brown (top will be lighter)
Cool 10 minutes, cut while still slightly warm. Yields 2 dozen