Dressing Up Loom-Knitted Hats

I was given a round loom set about seven years ago. I promptly packed it away thinking it was too hard to figure out since the instructions were missing from the set. 

When I saw my three nephews (ages 7-17) knitting up caps over a weekend on their mom's loom, I realized I needed to figure out where I had stashed mine and get knittin'.

I consider myself pretty awesome at knitting flat things, but have always struggled when it comes to knitting things with shape. Circular and double pointed needles continue to elude me. Using a loom was like opening a door to a whole new world; a world decorated with hats, socks, and oh god- could that be a knitted tube-top in my future? So many possibilities with a loom! I’ll never close the door to the world of knitted scarves and blankets, but I never again want to see an infinity symbol* made of yarn. So much snuggly soft fail, so little use.

I turned to YouTube for video-help casting on and casting off the loom. That was all the instruction I needed. Once I started on my loom, I couldn’t stop. I was knitting hat after hat: one or two per day. It almost felt like I was cheating because I was FINALLY knitting hats with the speed and ease I had heard about from so many traditional knitters. You know how people will tell you something is SO EASY, but your brain can’t seem to make it work and you end up secretly hating that person for a day or two? Yea. My brain totally understood this round plastic passport to “shape knitting”! And since I made three hats in two days, I decided to fancy them up and send them away to a couple of kids I adore.

I selected some fabric I'd picked up from Ikea for one of the hats, 

pulled out some soft corduroy scrap for a set of ears,
and started to braid some yarn pig-tails for the third.


These kids are dear to me, and needed hats that had some extra sparkle. 

The results were a woolen cap with kitty ears for Gloria,

a mouse zooming around an Alpaca Silk beanie for Stella,

and a green woolly hat with Swiss Miss braids that I couldn’t part with. 

The Trio of Loom-Knitted Hats!

I really enjoyed making these hats. It also gave me more knitting confidence and I may just try the circular and double pointed needles again some day. For fast cap-knitting at the holidays though, I'm totally sticking with my round loom set! Amazon.com sells the very loom set I was given, in case you would like to crank out some cozy hats this season.

Happy holiday crafting!!


*The result of several attempts at knitting a hat on circular needles. 

Recycled Orchids as Holiday Gifts

My aunt recently gave me a few orchids that she was afraid of killing. This isn’t the first time I’ve received orchids from people who enjoyed them while they bore flowers and then handed them over like hot potatoes when their petals dropped and stalks began to shrivel. Twice I’ve happily accepted a trash-bag full of (past-their-prime) phalaenopsis, dendrobium, cattelya and paphiopedilums, from friends hoping I could rehabilitate the orchids.

With Christmas just around the corner and my purse strings tighter than ever, I’m exploring handmade and budget-wise gifts this year. Free, and hand-me-down orchids can often make an incredible comeback with new potting mix, a little fertilizer and a pretty pot. Tie a bow on the pot and voilà! An orchid that can re-bloom for years to come with just a little attention paid to the proper care needed. 


I know that a lot of people are intimidated by growing orchids. I used to be. I’ve been growing orchids for over ten years now, and in my experience, growing an orchid like the ones mentioned above, to the point of a re-bloom requires only a few basics: Great lighting (bright, indirect sunlight), a moderate temperature (something you would be comfortable sitting in without a sweater), pure water (like distilled, rain water or reverse osmosis), and a good potting mix (stand by for the recipe).

When an orchid starts to look crummy, there are several things that could be happening. It could have tiny bugs like aphids or scale, it could have experienced sunburn or become mushy from frost, it may be root-bound, or it could also be rotting. Re-potting an orchid is a great way to determine what is ailing it, and will often be the fastest way to cure it.


When I repot orchids, I grab the plant near the base of it's leaves and gently pull it out of the container. I scrutinize the leaves. If there are bugs, I wash them off with water and a weak soap solution. Then I'll inspect the base of the plant. Is there any new growth? More bugs? While aphids like to attack new flowers, and scale appears on leaves like little freckles on my arm, fuzzy white mealy bugs like to hide deep in the cracks of the orchids where new growth begins. If I find mealy bugs, I take a Q-Tip dipped in rubbing alcohol and swab them off, killing them in the process, until they are gone. Now I move to the roots, shaking off all of the remaining potting mixture. Often times there will be rotting sphagnum moss stuck between roots, and since orchid roots like to dry out between watering, I don’t like a WHOLE lot of the long-fibered stuff keeping my roots soggy. I don’t cut off the roots unless they feel limp- like wet bread. Ideally, the orchid’s roots would have a white exterior that turns green when wet. 

Once I have removed all of the old potting mix from the roots and washed off the plant, I’ll set it aside and put together my orchid mix. You can find orchid bark at most nurseries, and online. I also like to add perlite, and a little spaghnum moss to the mix. I typically use 3 cups orchid bark to 1- cup perlite and 1-cup spahnum moss, but re-potting old and soggy roots with JUST orchid bark would be a great start if that is all you can find. It’s not uncommon to find packing peanuts in the bottom of a store-bought orchid, and you can add these to your mix if you don’t have access to perlite or spahnum moss. I would rip them up a little so that they don’t look like packing peanuts, but that’s just my aesthetic.

If you are re-using an old pot for your orchid, be sure to scrub it with bleach or a strong soapy solution. Fungus and insect eggs may be hiding in old, dirty pots so take the time to clean them out before adding your orchid mix. Then take a handful of the bark mixture and place it in the bottom of the pot. With one hand, place your orchid in the pot and pack more of the bark mixture around the roots, and up to the base of the leaves. If the plant is a bit wobbly, compress the mix so that the plant is stable. You can also insert a thin wooden stick into the pot and tie the flower stalk to the stick for added support. Dust off any bark or moss from the leaves, and use leaf shine for a glossy finish.
    
If you are feeling awkward about giving someone a recycled orchid as a gift, you might consider clipping a flower barrette or pin to the wilted flower stalk to dress up the plant a bit more while it settles into its new pot, bark mixture, and home. I sometime will add a little Spanish moss to the top of the orchid bark to polish off the presentation. 


There are lots of ways to re-pot an orchid. This is just the way I do it and so far, it’s worked well for me. If you pay attention to the plant, it will begin to tell you what it needs. For example, shriveled leaves need more water. Sticky leaves might mean insect infestation. I use this fertilizer on my orchids every three months to encourage re-blooming. 

There is a TON of information online, and if you have any questions, or need any help re-potting your own orchids, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll do my best to help you with answers. If you are new to orchids, they can seem intimidating, but with a little information, and a few supplies, you can be rewarded with gifts that are budget-friendly and more likely to re-bloom with fantastic sprays of color. 

Good luck with your own re-potting projects and keep me posting in how they turn out! :)

Photo Saturday: Thanksgiving Ladies in Aprons

Happy Photo Saturday from our kitchen to yours :)

The Day After...

 
While all of the nieces and nephews are outside bounding around and working off their pie and turkey, SOME of us (like my dear brother-in-law pictured above) are still recovering (albeit SLOWLY) from our Thanksgiving feast. 


More photos, crafts and recipes to come... when I can type while sitting upright.


Hope you are well!


xo
Radmegan

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving! While I am away from my own dear family, I thought I would post the adorable name cards my crafty mom made from scratch for the 20 or so Thanksgiving guests she hosted a few years ago in San Diego. The craft-apple doesn't fall far from the craft-tree!


I love you mom, dad and Katie-poo! Looking forward to seeing you soon!


To my blogger friends, I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving filled with comforting foods, warm laughter and lots of fun!




xo,
Radmegan

Vegetarian Thanksgiving: Wild Mushroom Soup

For the record, I think that a Vegetarian diet is probably healthier than my own, meat-loving lifestyle. That said, tomorrow is Thanksgiving and while I am gnawing on a succulent turkey leg, I wanted to be sure I had a tasty recipe online for my veg-only friends. 
This mushroom soup is hearty, creamy and flavorful, and by the by, all of my carnivore friends devoured it. Here's how to make it:


Serves 6
5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
5 ounces fresh portobello mushrooms
5 ounces fresh cremini (or porcini) mushrooms
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/4 pound (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 carrot, chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon minced thyme leaves, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley


Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. Separate the stems, trim off any yucky parts, and coarsely chop the stems. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4-inch thick and, if there are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.


To make the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot. Add the chopped mushroom stems, the onion, carrot, the sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid. You should have about 4 1/2 cups of stock. If not, add some water.


In another large pot, heat the remaining 1/4 pound of butter and add the leeks. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown. Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the half-and-half, cream, and parsley, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and heat through but do not boil.


Serve hot with popovers.


This recipe comes from the lovely Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa herself.

My My, it's a Persimmon Pie

Harvesting persimmons is always fun followed by a long pause and a "now what?" It's amazing how few persimmon recipes I have. When I ask people for their favorite recipes, more often than not they ask me what a persimmon is. We have a Fuyu persimmon tree in our care, and this year my husband picked 63 POUNDS of persimmons and brought them all indoors in plastic bags. Why not leave them on the tree for a while? Well I'll tell you why not. PIE.

This is a great recipe because it's straightforward, tasty, and perfect for using up persimmons too mushy to eat.

Ingredients

2 9-inch pie crusts. (I used the frozen crust from Trader Joe's- They taste like homemade- seriously.)
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups half-and-half cream
1 cup persimmon pulp
1 crisp persimmon, chopped
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
Combine eggs, cinnamon, sugar, salt, cream, persimmon pulp, persimmon chunks, melted butter, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Take your second pie crust, and with a cookie cutter, cut out your favorite shapes. This will give you a window to the inner-workings of your pie, and creates a good spot to insert a toothpick when testing it for doneness. Bake for 10 minutes at 450. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F, and bake an additional 30-45 minutes. Cool before slicing. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream for extra bonus points.

What I really like about this persimmon pie is the taste and texture. This pie is similar to pumpkin in it's consistency, if just slightly more custardy and a bit more mild in it's taste. The persimmon flavor is subtle which is why getting a little bite of the chopped up orange is such a nice treat, as well as a burst of color when you slice it up for service.

 
I've made five persimmon pies for friends and family in the last two weeks. Part of this is practice for Thanksgiving with the in-laws, part is just to use up all of the persimmons we have laying around. If anyone has any other persimmon recipes, I am listening! Thanks for reading, and if you try this pie recipe out, I'd love to hear what you think of it!

Happy almost Thanksgiving!

Cooking: Jacques Pépin's Roasted Goose with Crispy Skin

You know how sometimes you go to Target for shampoo and come home with a set of bath towels and a new bike?  
I went to the Farmers Market on Fairfax looking for, what? Oh I don't know, seasonal fruits, some fancy salts or maybe a fresh baguette. Instead I brought home a big fat goose. I was there with my friend Farrah, who marveled at the enthusiasm with which I handed over a fistful of bills in exchange for my organic, free-range, young fowl. Having no idea what to do with such a bird, I turned to my favorite Frenchman, Jacques Pépin.  
Here's what I learned about roasting goose. It might help you decide whether or not you would like to embark on such a feat. It's not that scary if you have a roasting pan and a meat thermometer, it just takes a lot of time, and a little research. The neck-flap is crazy long, and there is no meat on the super lanky wings. I covered my bird loosely with foil for the first hour of roasting, and then basted it every 30 minutes or so, cooking it uncovered to get a nice crispy skin. I would roast another bird in the future, but might try it in one of those turkey-roasting bags to keep it extra moist. I found that the thigh meat on our goose was really moist, but the breast had dried out some. And, there’s really no white meat on a young goose. Surprise! No wonder the meat is so flavorful. It's richer than chicken and turkey and has a slightly nutty undertone- almost gamey. Also, for the love of all things holy, please save the goose fat in the pan when you have completed the roasting. Then, cook everything in that fat. Cook potatoes, squash, green beans, root vegetables, anything, and everything. Goose fat will make it awesome. I may even hand out jars of goose fat as Christmas presents.
The key to this recipe is starting it yesterday. I have read time and time again that you want to dry out your bird overnight. That said, turn your time machine to Sunday, and let's begin. Here’s the recipe I used (with slight modifications which may have lead to my bird being slightly dry, but still wholly delicious.) Good luck!
 
Ingredients (Serves 6)

Active Time: 30 min; 
Total: 3 hr 20 min + overnight drying

1 One 12-pound goose, neck and giblets reserved, visible fat removed 
Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 ¼ cups warm water
1 ½ tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon Tabasco

1 teaspoon potato starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons red or white wine (Except, I couldn't find potato starch, so I skipped it and used a little flour.)



Beginning at the neck end, work your fingers under the goose skin, snipping any fibers and sinews with kitchen scissors; work your fingers as far down over the thighs as possible. Using a sharp knife, cut halfway through the wing and leg joints to help the bird cook evenly. Generously season the goose inside and out with salt and pepper.

Set the goose on a rack in a heavy roasting pan, breast side up. Add the neck, gizzard, and heart and 4 cups of the water to the pan. Cover the goose with foil and seal the foil all around the edge of the pan. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and steam for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer the rack with the goose to a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered overnight, until the skin is very dry, like parchment. Strain the pan juices and refrigerate. Bring the goose to room temperature before roasting. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix the honey with the Tabasco and the remaining ¼ cup of water. Return the rack to the pan and roast the goose for 1 hour, basting occasionally with the Tabasco mixture. Carefully turn the goose breast side down. Roast for about 30 minutes longer, basting occasionally. The bird is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 170 degrees. Turn off the oven and let it cool to 160 degrees. Transfer the goose to a heatproof platter, breast side up. Return the goose to the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes. Pour off the fat in the roasting pan. Scrape the solidified fat off the refrigerated pan juices and refrigerate for another use. Add the juices to the pan and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Pour the juices into a small saucepan. Stir in the potato starch slurry and simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Season the jus with salt and pepper and strain it into a gravy boat. Carve the goose and pass the jus at the table.
 
I'm leaving you Jacques' bio, by the way because A.) this is his recipe, and B.) I just love him so darn much, and find his story about the Christmas goose and oranges endearing. 


By Master Cook: Jacques Pépin When I was growing up in France, the only time I remember ever having goose was on Christmas Eve. For that reason, I always associate goose with other traditional holiday foods: chestnuts, oysters, foie gras, bûche de Noël and oranges. (Yes, oranges, which were a delicacy imported from North Africa only at Christmastime.) Goose is now sold year-round but about 75 percent is prepared during the holidays. You can buy fresh birds, but most of the geese at stores are (or were at one time) frozen. I’ve had wonderful luck cooking thawed geese, which are young and quite tender.

Photo Saturday: Mesa Verde Morning

As a young girl, my parents took me on many a road trip. I was taught at a young age that the journey IS the destination. This Photo Saturday comes to you from Mesa Verde in Colorado. Something about being awake early and visiting well-loved national parks and monuments before the rangers are even brewing their coffee makes each location feel like my own private hide-out.

And since Mesa Verde is so spectacular, let's make Photo Saturday a two-for-one. Here are some of the incredible cliff dwellings. To view in large format, click the image to go straight to my flickr page. Happy travels, friends. <3

Family Recipe: Homemade "Norwegian" Pickles

Thanksgiving is approaching and for many Americans that means travel, family and food, glorious food. For the last couple of years I have spent Thanksgiving with my in-laws, and while they are lovely and wonderful people, I still find myself missing my mom's signature dishes and wondering what she is cooking at any particular moment in the days before Thanksgiving. So this year, I am heading to Utah armed with one cucumber, some sugar and a whole lotta vinegar, because if I have another left-over turkey sandwich withOUT homemade pickles, I may curl up into the fetal position and cry out for my mommy. They just taste like home. And p.s. they are so super easy.

Cut the ends off one large cucumber and score the entire thing with a fork length-wise. Slice the scored cucumber into a bowl and sprinkle with salt. (Photos above)

Set salted cuc's aside and, in a saucepan combine 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups sugar and one cup water. Stir together and bring to a boil. Immediately pour the vinegar mixture over the salted cucumbers. Cover, and then chill for a couple of hours.

Apply pickles liberally to turkey sandwiches, salami sandwiches, meatloaf sandwiches, etc. or just eat them straight out of the bowl. These pickles are a crunchy comfort food for me. They make a great gift. They make a sandwich incredible. And make me think of my sweet mom. Store in the fridge in a bowl, or cute jar for gifting!

Holiday Gift: Hand-Sewn Aprons

I have stockpiled fabric for years. I see beautiful designs and patterns and begin to salivate. Marimekko designs are a particular weakness of mine, in case Santa wanted to do his shopping online.

As we are upon the season of giving, and I am upon the season of attending holiday parties at homes that are not my own, I started to think about gifts I could bring to the hostesses of said parties. And what says, "Thanks for slaving away to produce this awesome spread. I care about you, and want your clothing to stay protected from gravy and jam splatters." like a homemade apron. There are loads of apron patterns online, as well as at your neighborhood fabric store. 

If you are like me, you probably have piles of awesome fabric lying around your house just waiting to become something more than a pretty dust-collector.

If you are in a pinch, and need an apron ASAP but can't be bothered to find the pattern of your dreams, you can follow my lead and simply trace one of the aprons you already have at home. I have at least half a dozen aprons hanging in my kitchen, so I grabbed one that would showcase the botanical pattern of my fabric, got out my pins and fabric pencil, and started snipping! A few hours later I had this little number. Without a proper pattern it does have some unique gathers and pinches where gathers and pinches should not be, but on the whole, I love it, and am happy to see the fabric finally being put to good use.

Being a guest at someone else's house is nice. Bringing a gift when you arrive is even nicer.

Planting Bulbs for Christmas Gifts

I love giving plants and flowers as gifts. Planting bulbs now will make for a colorful and budget-friendly Christmas gift later. Christmas is only 37 days away. Yikes! Even if only a few of the freesias, ranunculus, alliums and tulips I planted this week are blooming when I tie on a pretty bow and surprise someone special, they will continue to flower throughout the winter, and then bloom again, year after year. 

I picked up this handy bulb-planting guide at the San Gabriel Nursery this September and liked it so much, I wanted to share it here in case you are also keen on giving a nifty, yet thrifty gifty.

Sometimes I will plant bulbs by the handful, not for giving away that year, but so that the following year I can harvest the bulbs and their wee pups. Since bulbs reproduce underground and like a dormancy period, I do try to remember to pull them out after they have flowered (sometime during the early summer) and store them in a cool dry place. But leaving some tucked away in random pots just means that I'm always greeted with a surprise burst of flowers in the dead of winter. And who doesn't love flowers in the winter?


Whether you are looking for a gift on the cheap, or a little something cheery for your otherwise dormant garden, a few bulbs might just be what you are looking for. Check your local nursery, hardware store and even supermarket for bulbs in-stock right now. There are many kinds available online as well :) Happy Planting!

National Button Day

November 16th is National Button Day, and while some people may choose to watch Coraline, play a game of button, button, whose got the button or do absolutely nothing at all to celebrate, I decided a quick craft was in order.

I have a box full of mismatched and semi-broken stud earrings. I found six identical red buttons and glued one right on top of each of the mismatched earrings. Now, I have three pair red button earrings that look super cute in a multi-pierced lobe. If I happen to find the original mate to one of my new button earrings, the hot glue is easy to remove. 

Happy button crafting! 

Cooking: Martha's Sweet Potato Soufflé

For me, Soufflé was Mt. Everest; a(n eggy) mountain that I would never climb, a goal I never thought I would accomplish. For a long time, my oven held me back. Or at least that's what I told myself, and others. Who in their right mind would bake a soufflé in an oven with no window? Please, not this girl. Then I moved into a one-room studio the size of a teacup and realized AFTER I unpacked my last worldly position that there was a range but no oven at all. Woopsie. Now that I have a big-girl oven with a window, I decided it was time to hire a Sherpa (consult marthastewart.com) and thrust my proverbial flag into a soufflé once and for all.

I’ve had plenty of cooking disasters. The worst that could happen would be another mention on CraftFail, and delivery pizza for dinner, so I found a straightforward recipe on marthastewart.com with only a few ingredients. I tend to gravitate towards simple recipes when I’m baking something new. Something about the basic chemistry of a few eggs and a little milk really makes me feel connected to the past. I’m sure the first soufflés were minimal, moist and light.  My soufflé wasn’t the most exquisite I’ve seen, but it had a rustic charm and tasted sooo good. The sugared base of the dish created a golden crust for the pillowy center to rest on. The hint of nutmeg and maple syrup complemented the natural sugars of the sweet potato. It was everything I had hoped it would be.

Here’s the recipe I used:

Serves 4

1-tablespoon butter, plus more for soufflé dish

Sugar, for soufflé dish

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2-cup whole milk

1 cup Mashed Sweet Potatoes

3 large eggs, room temperature, separated

1/4-cup maple syrup

1/2-teaspoon ground nutmeg

Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish; dust with sugar. In a medium saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add flour, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk; simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; mix in sweet potatoes and egg yolks. Stir in maple syrup and nutmeg, and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/4 of whites into sweet potato mixture; using a rubber spatula, gently fold in remaining whites. Pour mixture into prepared dish; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until puffed, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve immediately, and dust with powdered sugar. 

I felt accomplished. My husband was impressed. He ate half of the soufflé in one sitting. The rest was gone by morning. If you fear soufflé like I did, I would recommend this recipe. As long as you can cope with the little tickle of stress that it MAY fall, this particular dish would be a wonderful addition to any table. And if you do make this, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Good luck and happy baking!