Knit & Nosh

Tom Bihn to the rescue

I hate to fly. Our vacations usually involve a rental car and the travel is part of the fun. But we have a trip coming up and after doing the research I learned that we would save hundreds of dollars if we flew. So I booked the tickets and began to think about packing. Little bottles, and easy to carry suitcases, and what will need to be shipped ahead. (husband will be doing home repair projects for his mother)

A portion of our trip will include Youngest Son and I spending three days at Disneyland. He is 14 and has never been! As someone who grew up in Southern California and visited Disneyland many times a year, I find this amazing.

Part of planning to be in Disneyland includes a bag to carry tickets, hotels keys, rental car keys, sunscreen, granola bars...for most people this would not be an issue, they would just bring their purse. I do not carry a purse. When I leave the house I stuff a wallet (which holds my iPod), keys, and phone in my jacket pockets. If I am not wearing a jacket I will leave the phone in the car. I only carry a phone in case the car breaks down, or if I can not find the part Husband has sent me to find at the hardware store. I just do not know what I would put in a purse. But Disneyland is going to require the carrying of something. Nothing too big, something hands free, and it would be nice if I could also use it to carry an iPad and Kindle on the plane. I began searching around online and did not find anything great, then I remembered Tom Bihn. Husband uses a big Tom Bihn bag for his everyday work bag and it easily doubles as his weekend bag. He has been carrying it everyday for over a year, in Seattle rain, and it still looks as good as the day he brought it home. Maybe they have something that would work?

A small Cafe Bag is just what I was thinking about. Not too big, durable as all get out, and made right here is Seattle.

For the airplane I will carry an iPad, a kindle, an iPod, earbuds, lip balm, hand sanitizer, and a wallet. Fits great! There are also outside pockets in case I think of anything else.

I also purchased a little case for my iPod and earbuds that clips onto the rings inside the bag. Perfect!

And a bag that I thought was going to work for the Kindle but does not. The dimensions are right, but because of the zipper it will not work.

The cork is beautiful and I will find another use for the bag.

Perfect for the plane and perfect for Disneyland, a bag that will get lots of use when traveling, but I do not think it will turn me into a purse person.

 

Posted with Blogsy

square is good

My mom sent me a couple sets of square knitting needles that are suppose to be easier on the hands than the regular round type. I have seen square needles before, but never thought to use them. Square just seems wrong. But if they are indeed easier on the hands, than they deserve a fair shake.

I replaced the needles from my current sock and knit a couple of rounds. They really are easier to hold. I find that I do not grip them as tightly as regular needles and at the end of the day my hands did not hurt any more than usual. So I tried them again the next day, 2 more rounds, and everything was fine. I plan to give them a good 15 minutes this weekend and see how it goes.

A close look at the stitches shows that my gauge is the same with the square needles.

The needles have very pointy tips, I love pointy tips, and are made in the USA, I love made in the USA. The only drawback I can find, is that the name and needle size are etched into the side and that catches on the yarn a bit. Not a big deal with sock yarn, but may present a problem with lace weights. My lace weight days are over, but something to think about if yours are not.

So far I really like them and I am looking forward to using them for longer periods of time. Thank you mom!!!

 

Posted with Blogsy

cbrm - breakfast for dinner

Of all the cookbooks that have entered the house in 2013, Breakfast for Dinner by Lindsay Landis & Taylor Hackbarth is my favorite. Oldest Daughter picked up the book, looked at me and asked, "We are going to eat this, right?" She is the only one of my children who does not cook, but she is an adventurous eater. I think the thing that has kept her from the stove for so long is that she has a house full of people who like to cook and have been happy to feed her. She heads off for a stint in the Peace Corps in a couple of months were she will have to cook. I hope she has a good teacher.

"Everyone runs around trying to find a place where they still serve breakfast because eating breakfast, even is it's 5 o'clock in the afternoon, is a sign that the day has just begun and good things can still happen."

-Jonathan Goldstein

Breakfast has always been my favorite meal of the day and this book takes all the flavors you love about breakfast and gussies them up for the dinner table.

Habanero-cheddar Bread Pudding

Parmesan Beignets

Breakfast Sausage Ravioli

Chicken & Biscuit Waffles

Greek Baked Eggs

Bacon Fried Rice

The list goes on and on. SO much goodness. SO much. We have tried Bacon Fired Rice (twice), and Greek Baked Eggs, both were delicious.

A nice hardback book with an embossed cover, loads of photos, helpful ideas, and darn good recipes. The recipes are well written, easy to follow, and do not include hard to find ingredients. Breakfast for Dinner is likely to become one of those books that is pulled off the shelf on a regular basis, full of recipes that were brand new the first time you read the book and then became family favorites.

Excuse me while I get back into the kitchen.

 

***I was sent this book by the publisher or their PR firm with the hope that I would write a review for the blog. No money changed hands and my opinions are my own.

 

Posted with Blogsy

d'lish deviled eggs

My first thought? How do you write an entire cookbook about deviled eggs? I like deviled eggs more than the next guy, but an entire book? Self proclaimed Culinary Diva Kathy Casey has written a comprehensive book stuffed full of great flavors. After flipping through the recipes I realized that it was indeed possible to write an entire book about deviled eggs.

D'lish Deviled Eggs begins with a little history, information about different eggs and their uses, and how to perfectly boil eggs. There is a discussion of pastry tips, spices, and overall ingredients. There is a list of holidays and special events that include egg suggestions. Then the recipes start.

After a few basic deviled eggs Ms. Casey gives us LED Eggs. "This is my retro riff: Horseradish, that midcentury darling, adds a little kick to the mix; and minced baby dill pickles take the place of prepared relish for a nice crunch factor. These would be excellent topped with crab, shrimp, smoked oysters, or clams." What? Clearly I have been in a deviled egg rut.

The flavor combos continue with Thai Curry Deviled Eggs with Shrimp, Glorious Greek Deviled Eggs, and Firecracker BBQ Pork Deviled Eggs. Eggs with corned beef and sauerkraut, caviar, lobster, or truffles. The list goes on and on.

I imagine this book to be a must for caterers and people who entertain often. I know I will never again be satisfied with plain ol' deviled eggs.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

blue plate special

Do y'all know about The Blue Plate Special? Once a month Workman offers a selection of ecookbooks at VERY reduced prices, often with a free title. This month includes a book for wine lovers, especially those who live or travel to the Pacific Northwest. Essential Wines and Wineries of the Pacific Northwest is a great way to learn about local wineries and plan your own personalized tour. Having it in ebook form to access while on the road is very handy. The cover price of the book is $24.95, grab an ecopy for just $2.99!

 

Posted with Blogsy

a book journal

Do you keep a book journal? I first read about such a thing April of last year and immediately began one of my own. The journal I read about was begun when the woman was in high school and she has kept it up since then. I wish I had a record of what I had read in college. A few books stand out for me, but to be able to see them all would be a bit of fun from the past.

The book journal I keep is very simple, no critiques or other notations, just the title and author listed by month and year. A small soft covered Moleskin is the perfect size, and it is nice to be able to look over titles from the past. I find it interesting that I read five books in July and one in November. July was our big vacation month so that makes sense, why only one in November? It must have been a very stressful month and I am blocking the memory.

Even though I have begun this journal late in life, I look forward to looking back through the volume(s) in 20 years, remembering where I was when reading a specific title, maybe even deciding to read it again, in a new place, with a different outlook.

 

Posted with Blogsy

a week with kindle

As soon as the Kindle came out my kids asked if I wanted one. I always said no, I love books. As the books became harder and harder to hold it became obvious that an ereader would be a help to my aching hands. My Kindle Paperwhite arrived last week and I have mostly good things to say about it, but a couple of disappointments as well.

First the good stuff. The device itself is unbelievably light, maybe even lighter than my phone. This makes holding it is very easy, even though I do not hold it very often. The back has a rubber feel that means when you lean it against something it stays put, no sliding over the arm of a couch or off of my leg. It's small size makes it easy to carry around, it even fits in the pocket of my rain coat. The print is clear and the front lit screen makes reading in the dark comfortable while not waking up your partner. I no longer worry that I am keeping Husband from a sound sleep when I stay awake reading. The graphics that are displayed during "sleep mode" are like little pieces of art on your table. All good.

The disappointment begins when trying to use the Kindle with library books. I knew my library carried ebooks and I assumed that meant they would have ecopies of all the current titles. I was wrong. The four library books I have right now have been published in the past 6 months, yet not a single one is available as an ebook through the library. As an Amazon Prime member I have access to the Kindle Lending Library but non of the books were available there either. Currently I am reading one or two books a week with more than half of them being library books. The end result is that to use the Kindle as my primary way of reading I am going to need to spend a lot more money on books.

Then there is the "flash". The page goes negative, with the background black and the lettering white. It does not happen as often when reading, but every time you switch pages with a graphic. I thought maybe my Kindle was broken and I was mad that I would have to send it back. After reading the instruction manual I see that the flash is normal, it is the way the eink updates itself. It took a little while to get used to, and now it does not bother me. I can understand if it bothers others.

If you do order a Kindle, I recommend reading the instruction guide that is preloaded on the device. I found it most helpful.

I am glad I made the purchase, hopeful the library issues will improve, and happy to be able to read at night while Husband sleeps. And I thought I would never use an ereader!

 

Posted with Blogsy

helpers for arthritic hands

It has been over a month since my arthritis diagnoses and my hands/wrists are doing better. The swelling is gone and while I still have pain, most days it is a subtle background sort of thing that is easy to live with. Other than taking glacosamine, the improvement has come through lifestyle changes. I no longer spin, knit, or write with a paper and pencil. I carry things differently and do everything just a little slower. I have also pressed into service a couple gadgets that had been languishing in drawers and purchased a few more. As I go through the day I am always on the lookout for something that hurts my hands and then a way to make it easier.

A Rabbit Corkscrew. This was a gift that was seldom used because I love my regular corkscrew. I bought my everyday corkscrew while on vacation many years ago and using it makes me happy. It does not make my wrist happy. If you do not already own a manual Rabbit, I would go for the battery powered model.

A Jar Pop. This little piece of plastic breaks the vacuum seal from jars and makes it easy to open. Of course having someone else open the jar is even easier.

Another treasure most people own. The nut or crab cracker. Perfect for opening bottles with small plastic tops like soy sauce, maple syrup, and oils.

A battery powered pepper mill. This was my first post diagnoses purchase and the one I use every single day.

A fat pencil grip. The one item that makes me feel old. While I don't have to write often, I do have to work math problems with Youngest Son, and write the occasional check. I totally would not want other people to see me use it.

Yankz. Each time I tied my shoes I thought "ouch". I did not know these things existed until Running Skirts (love them!) ran a promotion giving the laces away. Lace your shoes up just once and from there you are good to go.

The one big purchase? A Kindle Paperwhite. No more holding heavy hardbacks or firmly grasping paperbacks trying to keep them open. No more holding at all, I just prop the device on leg, or a pillow, or the arm of the couch. I read a study (that I now cannot find) that shows many people using ereaders to help with arthritis and vision issues. Before last month that never occurred to me.

Changing the little things adds up to a whole lot of relief. I am interested to hear your tips/tricks.

 

Posted with Blogsy

ereaders

I am very, very late to the ereader party, and with good reason. I love books, actual physical books, particularly hardbacks. I love the way it feels to run my hand over an embossed jacket. I love the weight of a book in my hands. I love the size, carrying the book from room to room or place to place. I love the way they look sitting on the shelf and the side table and the couch. I could go on and on.

Because I have not been knitting, I have been reading a lot. After long stretches my hands hurt from holding the books open. Could I read a book using my iPad? The idea sounded flat. I have the Kindle app on my iPad but had only used it to look at pre-release copies of cookbooks for review. Reading a novel? Hmmm, sounds suspect.

My two BFFs have Kindles and LOVE them. Oldest Son is in the market for one as well. Lots and lots of people swear by ereaders. Perhaps it was time to dip my foot in the pool?

Last night I downloaded Gone Girl, a book that has been on my to read list for months, and took the iPad to bed. I was hoping the iPad would be easier to hold for long stretches at a time. As it turns out, I did not need to hold anything. I propped the iPad on a pillow, on my lap and did not move it at all for three hours! My hands happily resting under a pile of warm blankets, leaving the warmth just long enough to touch the screen to turn the page, or touch the screen and look up a word. The built in dictionary is brilliant!

As I turned out the lights I knew one of those fancy paperweight Kindles was in my future. Seems you can teach an old dog new tricks.

 

Posted with Blogsy

poached eggs

About 6 months ago poached eggs were everywhere, on pasta and salads and part of bibimbap, they looked beautiful and I really wanted to eat them. It is true that you can make "poached eggs" using any number of devices, but they do not have the show stopping appeal of a real poached egg. I decided it was time to learn how.

First I checked some tried and true cookbooks. While they gave me an idea of what I was suppose to be doing, they did not fill me with confidence. I turned to YouTube and was amazed at the number of videos out there about how to poach an egg. Each one different from the other but claiming to be the only way to do the job. There did not seem to be a definitive answer for pot size, vinegar amount, egg dropping, water swirling, temperature, or time. The reason for this is because there is not one right answer. After weeks of trying everything and making some pretty awful poached eggs, I have found what works for me. Will it work for you? Probably not. You see your stove and the amount of BTUs it kicks out is different from my stove. The pan you use will be different. The eggs will be different. It goes on and on. The only real way to learn how to poach eggs is to do it, over and over again, taking notes and not getting discouraged by your failures. They are not really failures, just another step on the road to perfection.

I use a small frying pan because the water comes to a boil faster and it fits nicely in the dishwasher, chose your favorite pan. I add a splash of plain vinegar to the water, I do not measure, just splash. I do not create a whirlpool before dropping in the eggs because I make more than one at a time and the whirlpool thing only works for one egg. If you are only making one egg, by all means whirlpool because it is fun. I crack the egg directly above the boiling water. Yes, I occasionally get a kiss from the boiling water, but I have found that cracking an egg into a bowl or plate and then gently lowering that egg into the water is a waste of time and creates another dish to wash. If you are not comfortable placing your hands next to boiling water than by all means use a plate. Once the eggs are in the water I use a spoon to pull any wayward white into the central egg, wait about ten seconds, then use the spoon again to make sure the eggs are not stuck to the bottom of the pan. All of this is done gently. I wait three minutes, remove the egg with a slotted spoon, quickly blot it off on a napkin/towel and serve. You will not know how long to cook your eggs until you do it. Keep trying and take notes.

Once you learn the particulars of your stove/egg/timing you will be able to produce a perfectly poached egg every time. Really. Do not sweat the eggs that do not work. Practice for yourself before attempting to feed anyone else and you will be fine.

Please show me your poached eggs.

ETA: Another tasty looking recipe using poached eggs.

 

Posted with Blogsy