Oatmeal on the Go

I am not one of those people who can get away without breakfast in the morning. I typically have cereal and toast with juice, but sometimes I'm running really late. Or, I just feel like choosing something healthier to start my day off right. Ok...who am I kidding? It's because I'm running really late.

I found a picture on Pinterest of someone who was making her own make and take oatmeal in jars, so I gave it a try and can say it's pretty great! A 1/2 cup of oatmeal with add ins fits perfectly in pint sized jar and is just the right amount to keep me going till lunch.

This is my set up station where I put out everything I'll need to make 6-8 jars of oatmeal. I use freeze dried fruit, nuts, oatmeal and coconut all from Trader Joes, I am partial to good chocolate, so I also have my large bag of Ghirardelli chocolate chips at hand. I realize this takes my oatmeal from healthy to...somewhere less than healthy, but it tastes soo good.

I like the following combinations (pictured left to right): 

1. Raspberries & Chocolate Chips
2. Blueberries & Vanilla Powder
3. Bananas, Walnuts, Coconut Chips & Chocolate Chips *my favorite!!!!
4. Strawberries & Vanilla Powder
5. Apples, Walnuts & Cinnamon

I add these combos to pint sized jars along with a 1/2 cup of instant / rolled oats and about a Tbsp of raw sugar (less if I'm using chocolate chips).

I top them all with reusable lids and store them in my pantry for "one of those" mornings. When ready to eat, I add 1 Cup of very hot water (preferably boiling) and wait 15 min for the oats to plump up. It's something easy I can grab and either add water too and eat in the car, or wait till I get to work. They are great to grab when going on a trip, or kept handy as a snack before hitting the gym, when I know I'm going to be home late. They are really easy to put together with whatever flavors you like, and taste great.

Besides the vanilla powder, which is pretty expensive and somewhat hard to find locally, the rest of the ingredients are very affordable, especially buying all of the freeze dried fruit from Trader Joes. A little vanilla powder goes a long way, so try just a little, maybe a 1/4 to a 1/2 tsp and see how you like it.

What other combinations do you think would be tasty?

Strawberry Mug Cake

Confession: I have a sweet tooth. Since I was a kid, I've always enjoyed an after dinner treat. It just doesn't feel right to close out the day without ending on a sweet note, especially after a bad or difficult day. I can usually get by with a bit of chocolate or a cookie, but lately...I've been indulging in mug cakes.

I'm not sure who first came up with the idea, but they deserve an award. Mug cakes are a perfect portion for one and are super quick to put together. After about 5 minutes of prep and mixing, and 1 minute of microwave baking, out comes a piping hot delicious cake!

I found these adorable little mugs at Jo-Ann. I thought they might be too small for most mug cake recipes, but they are perfect. It helps to have a mug with a narrower bottom so these are just right.

Spring is in the air and soon local strawberries will be filling the market shelves. I had a bit leftover from some strawberry shortcake I'd made, so I modified a mug cake recipe into this yummy strawberry version and topped with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Strawberry Mug Cake - adapted from 5-Minute Mug Cakes by, Jennifer Lee

4 Tbsp - All-Purpose Flour
1/4 Tsp - Baking Powder
1 1/2 Tbsp - Sugar
3 Tbsp - Almond Milk (you can substitute with regular)
1/4 Tbsp - Canola Oil
1 Tbsp - Finley Chopped Strawberry (about 1 berry)

Mix all of the ingredients, except for the strawberry in a mug with a small whisk until combined. Stir in the strawberries. Bake in microwave for 1 minute. If top is still wet, bake in 15 second intervals until top is mostly dry and cake-like.

Don't panic if the cake starts to grow above the rim of the mug - it will shrink back once it starts to cool.

Enjoy!

Do you eat dessert every day? most days? What is your favorite go-to treat?

My Box Card Addiction

I have been using my Cricut Explore Air for several months and am amazed every time I use it. Cricut recently released a Box Card cartridge: All Occasion Box Cards by designer Lori Whitlock that I fell in love with as soon as I saw it. Box cards are like magic. You fold them flat (so yes, you can MAIL them!) and then push them into a box shape to reveal their amazing layered splendor. I made the birthday box card (sorry, I took really bad photos of that card) and this Valentine's Day card for my Great Aunt.

This was also my first attempt at inking edges so some of it was overdone. I hand-embossed the clouds and hearts, which came out so cute - definitely nice to add dimension! I also added a shiny little gemstone to the end of the propeller.

The Cricut cartridge is great, but they are fairly simple and need added embellishments to really make them stand out. Alternatively, there are many designers setting the bar higher and higher for paper crafting. If you've never visited SVGCuts, you're seriously missing out. Mary is a designing genius and takes 3d paper projects to the next level. I let out a little squeal of delight when I saw she'd made a whole spring box card kit. I set to work right away making the tulip card for my husband's grandmother.

 

I added the little Spring sign with a random Cricut tag and some pretty blue ribbon. I tried inking the edges of the leaves, but it didn't have the look I was going for. I was still very happy with how it came out and his grandmother loved it.

Also in the SVGCuts kit is this amazing pansy card. It looks super complicated, but is straight forward to put together (you'll need brads in yellow and /or purple). I hand-inked and shaped all of the petals and used colored pencils to make the little lines near the center of the flower. This card has a bit more bulk, so it'd be better to mail this with other items in a box or larger padded envelope. My husbands' mom was the recipient in celebration of her 70th birthday, so I was able to hand it to her in person. This card has some SERIOUS wow factor.

Have you made box cards? If so, comment below with a link to your pictures / blog. I'd love to see them and get more creative inspiration!

It's been a while!

I can't believe it's been 6 years since I've posted to my blog. A lot has happened in those 6 years and when I look back over the earlier posts, I really don't even feel like the same person I was back then. Grief and tragedy have a way of sucking the life right out of ya. (can I get an amen?) I'm hoping that by trying to blog again, I will feel that I'm holding myself accountable - even if just to a handful of visitors.

So here's to new beginnings and new adventures. Because life is worth living.

Swap Package Received!

I signed up for a secret swap on Ravelry called "Soul Food Swap." The idea is to swap yarn, food goodies, and kitchen gadgets with another like-minded Raveler. I sent a package to NY and got one from VA! It was VERY fun! My spoiler turned out to be Amy (a.k.a. DeathByYarn). Here are some pictures of me opening my box and all the goodies that were inside!

I arrived home from work on a rainy, cruddy night to find a surprise swap package!

I couldn't wait to get my package open! Cunningham was excited too.

Everything was wrapped in pretty pink tissue.

Mmmmm! Choco covered beans!!

The yarn is BEYOND gorgeous! Amy got me Cascade Heritage hand painted sock yarn in hues of red and dark purple. I love love love it!

My swap pal sent a mix of some of her favorite songs - what a nice idea! I also received recipes for Amy's Super Bean Chili, Cous Cous-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash, Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars, and Fried Potatoes & Veggies! Thanks so much for passing along your favorite vegetarian recipes Amy - they sound awesome.

Sorry buddy, only treats for me this time.

Other goodies included Earl Gray Tea, a tea scoop, a pretty pattern called Loopy Laces Toe-Up Socks, adorable licorice scottie dogs, pumpkin scone mix and a nice card. My first swap experience was beyond what I expected - thanks SO much Amy!

Sole Food Swap Q&A

I'm participating in my first swap on Ravelry! It sounded like so much fun I couldn't pass it up. These questions and answers are for whoever gets my name:

1. What weight of sock yarn do you generally prefer (fingering, sport, or DK?)
   I've only worked with fingering and sport weight but I'm open to anything.
   

2. What is your favorite type of yarn to knit with?
   I tend to lean towards superwash wool with nylon but like cotton as well.
   

3. Are there any brands of sock yarn that you have wanted to work with but have not had the chance?
   I'm easy - if it's pretty I'll use it!
   

4. What colors do you like?
   Blue, purple, dark reds and greens but I have a lot of this in my stash. I enjoy variegated and self-striping, as well as solids for intricate patterns.
   

5. What colors do you not like?
   I can't imagine I'd ever like orange socks and I have issues with some browns / golds.
   

6. What type of recipes do you usually cook with?
   I'm a vegetarian (no meat / fish) so I enjoy cooking pasta, rice, and vegetable dishes.
   

7. What type of recipes do you usually bake with?
   Baking is my favorite!! I love love love to bake. I enjoy making cookies the most, but bars, muffins, pies, tarts, bread are right up my alley too.
   

8. What is your favorite food?
   Bread and pasta with chocolate cream pie for dessert. *ok, I'm drooling now*
   

9. Are you a tea or coffee drinker?
   Tea and hot chocolate! I don't touch coffee but for some reason don't mind eating the beans when they're smothered in chocolate.
   

10. What type of sweets do you like?
    mmmm - I have a serious sweet tooth. Chocolate is my favorite (especially dark) but anything goes.
    

11. Does your kitchen have a theme?
    Nah - my kitchen is very eclectic.
    

12. Do you have any allergies (to food, fibers, pets, etc) or diet restrictions?
    Just that I'm a vegetarian. I eat cheese but only bake with eggs and milk (for example, I don't eat quiche or milkshakes). I pretty much have a 4 egg limit on baked goods - else they start tasting too "eggy" for me. I also stay clear of anything that has gelatin because it's an animal product. Unfortunately, this rules out everything with marshmallows, Skittles, Starburst and almost anything gummy (bears, worms, etc). Although swedish fish are fine - strange!
    

13. Is there anything else you would like your pal to know?
    I'm super excited to be participating in this swap! I can't wait to get to know you and see what kind of cool stuff you've chosen for me! You can find loads more about me from my Ravelry profile, projects and stash.
    

I Have a Disease - Webs Tent Sale 5/17/09

So, of course I don't need more yarn. I have more yarn than I clearly know what to do with. It's mostly stuffed in the closet out of the way, but then I have bunches here and there through out the apartment because it won't fit nicely into the closet! I also have projects in various states of completion that take up even more space! I have made the bathroom off limits (eeeww that'd be gross) but there is literally yarn in every other room of my living space (and my cube at work).


Admitting I have a problem is the first step, right? Somehow I can't seem to make it past that first step and found myself dancing and singing my way to the Webs tent sale yesterday. Oh my - it was amazing. My husband drove us there (so I could knit on the way, of course) and we arrived at 9:30. The sale was scheduled to start at 10:00 but there were already hungry looking women devouring the sale tables. There were bags of great yarn at very reasonable prices and even more inside that you didn't have to buy as a 10 pack! Amazingly, there were even some boxes of free yarn that they put out every now and then. I tried to be good but I did end up with more than I thought I would.

I was there for about 3 1/2 hours and it was packed by the time I left. The Webs employees definitely deserve some time off for all the hard work they put in this weekend. Despite the crowds they were smiling and helpful the whole time I was there.

In addition to the sale, they had a Fleece Market featuring some of the local sheep and alpaca fleece vendors. Most of the roving was natural but Jean Willmann (S. Deerfield, MA) had some beautifully dyed fleece (pictured right) that made me want to learn how to spin.

After an exhausting but blissful shopping experience, we headed over to Cafe Evolution in Florence, MA. It's a vegan cafe / restaurant that serves up some good food! I had the peanut noodles (yum) and my husband got a burrito made with sheese. A trip there wouldn't be complete without a sweet vegan treat. I opted for the chocolate mint cupcake but the chocolate peanut butter and pistachio cupcakes looked really good too!

When I arrived home and emptied out my bags I was a bit aghast at the increase to my stash and what this means for my storage options. I'm thinking if I move my husband's computer area to the basement I could create a cozy craft corner! (With that much alliteration it has to be a good idea!) If you click on the picture you'll get a larger view of my new stash items and Cunningham surveying the damage.

Spring Déjà Vu & Nest Fodder Status

My husband bought me some really pretty tulips the other night. I'm not sure if it was a mistake or a bonus, but there's a pretty pink flower among the orange ones! So pretty! Especially on these cold and raw days.

April means fundraising time and last year I blogged about making Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cheese Bars for the antique appraisal day that our Friends of the Library was hosting. I was really annoyed at the thought of baking something that would dirty lots of bowls last night but recalled that these bars were pretty easy and had gone over well. I pulled up my post and what do you know?! - A few slight recipe modifications and I was in business and having a major case of déjà vu!

Now onto the most important news: my yarn suet-feeder nest maker thingy!! (I seriously need to come up with a name for this - any ideas??) I've been watching the holder closely over the last two weeks and am sad to say there hasn't been any notable activity. It's still early though! We have just begun Spring and there are many nests to be made!!

Whoopie Pies & Turban Calzones

I decided to make whoopie pies last weekend since I was having a major craving for them. I'd never made them and went to my trusty recipe box for mom's standby. What I found instead was a very complicated one I'd copied out of a book and it involved getting buttermilk and non-alkalized cocoa. My handwriting was so tiny on the card I immediately knew it was NOT what I wanted.

A quick call to my sister produced the "easy" recipe for whoopie pies that I remembered enjoying so much as a kid. I lined my pans with parchment and began dropping mounded tablespoons of the batter.

My husband (who had never eaten a whoopie pie) tried to grab one of the cookie halves when I wasn't looking. I slapped his hand away and asked "What do you think you're doing?!?!" I had counted them out so I had just enough for 21 pies. He said "I want to eat a whoopie pie!" The poor sheltered thing didn't realize that there was more goodness to come in the form of blinding white filling.

The only problem I ran into was that I didn't let the cookie halves stay on the baking sheet long enough when they came out of the oven. The only group that looked right was the last bunch. I forgot about them for a minute or two and rushed to get them onto the cooling rack. They were the only ones to stay puffed instead of deflating.

I gave them out to a few people who uttered things like "OMG!" and "amazingly delicious!" so I guess they were a success after all. The cookie is cakey but not too dense, and the filling is creamy and delicious. Yay for whoopie pies!

For dinner we decided to make our turban calzones. (The way I roll the ends together and the size of the calzones reminds me of a turban I could wear on my head.) The double batch of homemade pizza dough is filled with caramelized onions, diced tomatoes, basil and cheeses. The recipe makes two, and as you can see, I can hardly get them on one cookie sheet. They taste SO good though - especially with a side salad or peas and a nice bottle of wine. We share one and refrigerate the other for another meal later in the week.

It's Spring - Let the Nest Making Begin!

I've been waiting for today for a long time! All winter long I collected up my yarn scraps, bits of raffia and Cunningham's fur and put it in a suet feeder. I decided on the first day of spring that I'd hang it up so the birds could use it to build their nests with. I'm not sure where I saw the idea (sadly it wasn't originally mine) but I love the thought that this spring and summer maybe my throw-away items will be turned into a little nest. How cool would it be to look up at a nest and see bits of yarn from the socks or hat I knit?!?

Birds love building their nests with fur so I made sure lot's of Cunningham's soft fur made it from his brush to the holder. I'm not exactly sure when the nest building begins, but it seemed like a good day to put it out there. I have it hanging next to a suet-filled feeder and right now the birds seem much more interested in that one. I captured a chickadee in mid flight as he flew from nest supplies to...yummy food.

I'll keep taking pictures every couple of weeks and track the progress. We have so many birds in our back yard that I can only imagine it will get used eventually.

Joe the Cup

I managed to get quite a bit of crafting in over the long weekend. Since I'm a beginner crocheter, I gravitated to Ana Paula Rimoli's book Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet. Her patterns are really easy to follow and the results are darling! I've been obsessed with knit and crochet food, so my latest was her "Café con Leche" (i.e. Joe the Cup). I didn't add the pink cheeks in her pattern because 1) I wasn't sure I liked them, and 2) I didn't have pink felt.

I love using safety eyes. Besides the fact that it's impossible to find them at any of my three local craft stores, I ordered a bunch online from Harvey's Hobby Hut. They have a great selection of craft eyes and sell them in bulk or in the smaller packages. The prices are pretty good and they ship fast! I'd definitely recommend them if you are having trouble getting safety eyes locally.

Recent Crochet

I'm now saying that I officially crochet. After completing two projects that actually look like what they're supposed to, I feel like I deserve to list it as one of my crafty skills.

My little black cat sat around for awhile in pieces - for some reason I was convinced he wouldn't go together easily. It did take a really long time to get his face just perfect, but I think he was worth the effort. For a first pattern, it was definitely easy, but I should have chosen another color. It was really difficult to see the stitches when I was working. One of the good benefits of using black was that it hides all of my terrible sewing for his little arms, legs and tail!

I haven't decided if I'm going to give him up or not. I've gotten somewhat attached since he is my first crochet project. And he's just so darn cute!

My second project were a couple of Happy Eggs. I fell in love with them as soon as I saw the picture, so I borrowed the book from the library and made it my second project. I started by making the yellow chick with wool ease and then was annoyed that the white has a strand of glitter running through it and bought a white Vanna's Choice. The shell was way too big for the little guy so I made the gold chick and ended up making the yellow chick's shell by ripping out the shimmery strand. I actually like the wool ease chick and egg better even though it's not as firm as the Vanna's Choice. The little chick is fuzzier and the gauge works out to be more the size of an actual egg.

What I'm Reading: Angela's Ashes: A Memoir - Frank McCourt

Thumbs way up! I'd heard people say that Angela's Ashes was a must-read book, but for some reason it took me a very long time to get around to agree. I think I made the decision to put it on my 2008 list when we got back from Ireland and wanted to mentally prolong my visit. After reading The Glass Castle (TGC), I thought "eh, why not another memoir?" I was on a memoir roll!

Once again, I listened to the audio - which happens to be done my McCourt himself. I found this particularly nice because he sings all the old Irish songs.

Overall I thought it was well written and very good. As with TGC the subject matter was at times difficult to listen to, but what amazed me in McCourt's experience, was that often times, there were people around to help out. That's not to say he didn't endure hardship, it was just different from TGC.

I feel like I have a much better understanding of what it means to be Irish and Catholic (I'm neither). McCourt does an amazing job of setting you in his shoes - tape and holes included - to get an idea of what it is to be both.

Cappuccino Cupcakes

My friend and co-worker, Andrea is getting married next month. A bunch of us decided to surprise her with a shower at work, so I of course, volunteered to bring dessert.

I wanted something simple, yet pretty. Since there were going to be a lot of men at the shower I also needed something that wasn't TOO pretty. I decided that Cappuccino Cupcakes would be perfect!

The recipe comes from my copy of Old-Fashioned Bake Sale (page 122). It couldn't be simpler because you just need a chocolate cake mix and frosting. To achieve the mild coffee flavor, the cupcakes are made with strong coffee instead of water (I used hazelnut), and you mix coffee liqueur into the frosting. The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons but I gave it an extra dollop of Kahlua - this does make the frosting too thin, but just beat a spoon of shortening in and it will come out really good. I topped with a coffee flavor chocolate candy (couldn't find any choco covered beans) and I was done! So simple!

The cupcakes came out very moist and delicious and everyone loved them. They look great on the cupcake tree too!

Amigurumi - I'm in love

I really didn't think I would ever want to crochet. EVER. I didn't like the look of it and thought knitting was superior. Then I saw amigurumi. I couldn't get enough of all the adorable little animals and items and decided I had to make them. Little did I know that almost all amigurumi patterns are crochet.

I took a quick lesson with my mom and ta da! I have the makings of my very own amigurumi black cat. The pattern is actually pretty easy but now, as you can see, I have to figure out how to put him together. I worked on his face FOREVER until it was just right. I could only get my hands on solid black eyes (they are hard to see in the photo), but I ordered a bunch of natural eyes so I can make more of these little guys. Isn't he cute!?!?!?

Tree of Life Knit Along

Lion Brand Yarn sends me emails every now and then and I was so excited when I saw they were having a knit-along with the Tree of Life pattern. Even though the pattern is labeled "Experienced" I read through it and was only mildly terrified of what lay ahead. It's so amazingly beautiful I just couldn't help myself and had to start it right away. I'm using Lion's Fisherman's Wool (100% wool so it smells really nice) so it will be very cozy when I'm done. There is a scary flower garden section coming up but onward I go! *insert marching music here*

My poor husband thinks I'm possessed when I'm working on this blanket. It takes SO much concentration because I don't want to mess it up. When he starts talking to me I usually end up giving him sinister glares or bite his head off with "Stop talking to me! I'm knitting!!" I of course apologize when I finish the row, but I think he's catching on that when he sees the cream colored blanket come out, he should hide. hee hee.

So far I've made one mistake. Instead of hiding it and pretending it's not there, I've taken a picture and am pointing it out to the whole world. I was very disappointed when I noticed it but since the pattern is so complex, I've decided to call in a knot in the branch, and move on. I knew I would just make more of a mess if I ripped the rows out and tried to fix my mistake. I blame Bill for the error, of course. He must have chosen that moment to tell me something and I held the cable needle in front of my work when it should have been behind. (I hope he doesn't hate this blanket by the time I'm done.)

Lace Panel Socks - You mean I have to make two?

Here is my first sock (you can click on the picture for a nice big closeup)! That's right, I haven't finished the second one (I'm not even close!!) but I'm very proud of the one I have. A friend hooked me up with some very nice washable merino wool but it was VERY fine. I fortunately had a pattern in my copy of Patons' Pull Up Your Socks! that worked when I held both colors together. The Lace Panel Socks pattern is beautiful and I'm really pleased with how this one came out.

I was always afraid that making a sock would be really difficult and that I couldn't do it, but I was surprised how easy it was! You do have to be used to double pointed needles, but there were no scary moments. I did have to undo rows a few times but that was my fault for not paying close attention to the pattern and/or trying to watch TV at the same time.

I'm not sure if I have enough yarn to make a second pair or not. It looks like there's enough to make 10 pair but I think I'll go blind from using the size 1 needles!

What I'm Reading: The Glass Castle: A Memoir - Jeannette Walls

Thumbs way up! I just finished The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls and found it to be so interesting. What I found most surprising, was that even though the subject matter was often difficult to read (Walls' life was filled with neglect and the struggle to survive each day), it was done in such an un-drama-like way. It was partially so striking because I listened to the audio version and the reader did a great job reading the horrors of Walls' life with a sense of nonchalance and at times, even mirth.

Walls recounts her childhood from about 3 to adulthood and the many difficult things she had to endure (from getting burned, eating out of school trash cans, moving and being on the run, and almost raped to name a few). I know some people have criticized Walls' ability to remember things that occurred when she was a small child, but I think she should be given a little slack. While the events may not be 100% accurate, her story is one of survival and shows that if you put your mind to something and work hard, that you really can accomplish great things. It would have been so easy for Walls to play the victim, follow in her father's footsteps (a very smart man, who unfortunately, was very in love with the bottle), or live a life convinced that she wasn't worth anything, but she somehow managed to get past that and come out standing on top. It's well worth reading and makes me thankful and grateful for the childhood I had.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Since the cranberry bars were such a hit, I decided to try another recipe from Ocean Spray (I really am addicted to Crasins). I typically don't care much for cookies that have white chocolate, but I decided to try the Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies. I read all the reviews before I began and was surprised how many people either loved or hated them - there were hardly any luke-warm comments. Some people said that it was missing something so I added 1 tsp. of pure vanilla flavoring. One reviewer questioned if the brown sugar should be packed. Yes! Brown sugar should always be packed unless stated in the recipe. The mix wasn't dry and after a quick chill in the refrigerator, it was very easy to work with.

I used a cookie scoop but it was larger than the suggested heaping teaspoon. Mine were tablespoon size which I think is much better - I like a cookie that you can really sink your teeth into!

As you can see, they don't really spread very much. The result, however, was a very soft and chewy cookie that tasted AWESOME! Bill approved and demanded seconds but then I wrapped the rest up to take to work with me.

The response to these cookies was great. They disappeared within an hour (many people going back for two or three) and someone even suggested that I bring them in every Monday from now on.

So, I would say this recipe is definitely a keeper. I would highly recommend adding the teaspoon of vanilla - it was delicious and had a very tasty flavor. The Crasins and white chocolate combo worked really well and the oatmeal made it nice and chewy. Ignore all the negative reviews and go ahead and make these cookies!