A Hat... in a Tuesday night.

For several years now fall and winter have been warmed a bit in my home by the weekly company of an amazing group of women. When it began we met twice a month on Tuesday nights. The plan was to provide a time of fellowship around yarn. Knitting, crochet, needlework.... whatever everyone was working on. No program, just time spent with like minded ladies.
 Since then, I'm estimating, a dozen ladies have learned how to crochet or knit (or both). We've moved to Monday nights this year and the faces have changed, but not much. Each week just after my littles are tucked into bed the kitchen table is wiped of the days meals and crafts, the table cloth is brought out of the drawer and snacks are laid out. And then it happens... I can't really explain it... all of the sudden my table is surrounded by laughter, always. No matter the topic that we start on, whether there has been loss or joy, heartache or happiness... we always end up laughing, often to tears - more often, late into the night. I'm not sure they know it, but these ladies feed my mama soul. So often women are so cruel to one another, passing judgement and such. That's what makes these meetings so incredible. Ladies with different lives, coming together over yarn and coffee and laughing with one another. It really is an amazing thing.
From this group of amazing women, and lots of laughter, a hat pattern was written, tested, made, worn, gifted, rewritten, retested and finally published for sale.

Please say hello to the Tuesday Night Hat!
If you too are a hooker who enjoys bulky yarn and easy to work in just an evening hat patterns then this hat is for you. I am super excited to be sticking my toe in the pattern writing game. I hope to have a few more to have these Tuesday/ Monday night ladies test with me, but even if not another pattern is born, be sure that there will be loads and loads of laughter.

I hope today brings you together with women you love and who make your heart smile.

More Yarn! More Hats!! Yippee

More pattern testing is happening here! Be sure to go check out Cuddlepie Crochet  on facebook and snatch up all her great patterns!
I promise (to try) and write a better post soon, but for now pictures of all my new hats will have to do!

I hope you are soaking up every minute of this season we are in! 

The Lola hat, back in the yarn.

So it's that time of year again. Time for cooler days, frosty mornings, changing leaves, jeans, boots and most importantly.... YARN! Yep, it's yarny season!
I kicked the season off right by pattern testing for Cuddlepie Crochet  and her new Lola Hat. I am in love with the bonnet feeling of this hat. I'm sort of in love with all things bonnet and hood like when it comes to hats this fall.
Check out the pics of my lovely girl modeling her new hat and stay tuned for more yarny goodness to follow soon.
Happy fall, ya'll!!

Homemade Greek Yogurt

You may remember that we've talked about yogurt here before. Funny, it was about the same time last year.

I thought I'd like to try it again but give the greek yogurt version a try. We've been using a ton of greek yogurt around here. In place of sour cream in my ranch dressing, and well in about everything else too. I followed this recipe. I love her book and use it often for homemade versions of processed foods. She's updated her yogurt making method and is using a crock pot, which makes the whole thing way less intimidating and super easy. The only thing I would add is that I had to turn my crock pot back on after a few hours because it wasn't setting up. I put it on the warm setting for about an hour to bring the temperature back up, then wrapped it back up with a towel and left it until morning. Total time I left mine wrapped up was about 16 hours.

I think I'd like to try to freeze some. Brielle has already decreed that it's better than Sweet Frog! Total ingredients used - 2. I used 1/2 a gallon of whole milk from the local (well closest thing we have to local) creamery and 1/2 cup of Fage 2% greek yogurt. Total cost about $4.25. I got 1 1/2 quarts of yogurt and almost a quart of whey. You could use any milk that's not ultrapasteurized. Mine is a bit pricey compared to store milk.
I highly recommend you give it a try. Happy Friday!

Sharing

When I started this blog 3 years ago I just wanted a place to share things I made. It's turned into something I'm proud of and love sharing with you. As life always does, things have been shifting a bit here and in this warm season of summer when things are growing and life is keeping us busy outside, not much making has been going on here.
There has however, been lots of farmy goings on. We've decided to make a go of raising poultry here on this piece of earth.  It seemed a natural transition to add a place to write about those things separate from this place.
So, without further ado, please take a minute to check out Wagon Wheel Farms blog


I promise not to abandon you here. I actually want to stop back by soon and share about our recent pickle making!

Tomato Soup

Last night a magical fairy appeared at my house and delivered some boxes of produce that were no longer "saleable" (is that a word?). I went through two boxes of tomatoes and while each had a bad spot about half of the total was still very edible. So, what's a gal to do with about 30 cups of tomato chunks? Tomato soup! My littles love tomato soup. A lot. I found a recipe and tweaked it a ton and I have to say, I'm thrilled with the results!

In a large stock pot I added:
about 30 cups of tomatoes
10 fresh basil leaves
5 bay leaves
5 large onions, chopped

Simmer until all the vegetables are soft. Turn off heat. Then run it all through a blender or use an immersion blender. Strain it thru a colander or sieve.
Return to pot. In a small bowl mix one cup of melted butter and 1 cup of flour. Slowly add the butter mixture to the pot of soup, stirring so you don't get clumps or scorching. Add 1/2 cup of sugar, 2 Tablespoons of salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of pepper.

 

 

 

This makes a ton. Not even my clan of littles could eat it all so I let it cool then poured it into quart Ziploc bags to freeze. This worked out to about 5 quarts for me.

 

The kids were happy to eat it just like this, but you could add milk right before you serve it if you prefer a creamier soup.

I am so excited to know that in the midst of a cold winter I will be able to warm our bellies with all the best tastes of summer.

What are you putting up for colder days?

 

I apologize for all the instagram shots, but Poppy had my camera all weekend.

chocolate chip cookies... from a magnet

I, like most adults (and for that matter most kids), have had a pretty vast variety of chocolate chip cookies in my 30+ years. Some have been moist and yummy, some dry and crumbly. I think everyone has a recipe that is their favorite. Their version of perfect. I found mine on a magnet. I don't really even know where the magnet came from, I just noticed it on the fridge one day. I'm not sure what prompted me to try it, but I did and I have made. no. other. recipe. since. It's amazing! Super simple and always, always delicious.

 

The day my babes broke the magnet was not my finest parenting moment. It's broken, I'm not pleased, but now it lives on the tippy toppest regions of the fridge where it can be safe from little destructive hands.

 

I'm going to share the recipe with you (it's probably  on the back of every pack of Hershey's chocolate chips... shhh, please don't tell me)

Hershey's Chocolate chip cookies (with some additions I make)

Heat oven to 375. Beat 1 C. butter, 3/4 C brown sugar, 3/4 C Sugar and 1t vanilla until creamy.
Beat in 2 eggs. Stir together 2 1/4 C flour, 1t. baking soda & 1/2 t. salt (I use coarse salt and up it to 1 teaspoon)
Gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in 2 C Hershey's semi-sweet choc. chips and 1 C. chopped nuts. (I also add one cup of rolled oats)
Drop rounded teaspoons onto un-greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool and ENJOY! 

That's it, just as it's written on my magnet. Chocolate chip cookies are the emblem of home and family and these cookies are the perfect version for our family and family friends! A dear friend's little boy comes to mind each time I make these because he loves them so much. That's the point of it all really, why we bake, to make the people we love smile.
I hope today finds you smiling. Happy Tuesday!