by Kat | May 16, 2016 | General, In This Moment
After having several irregular weekends in a row, we celebrated having just a normal old weekend here at Casa del KatKnits!
There were Rhubarb Mules, mmmmmmmm.
It was nice to start the weekend with something that makes us so happy and relaxed!
We did some Farmer’s Marketing, some IKEA wandering, and some Green House visiting.
There was reading, and knitting, and spinning, too.
While the weather was not spectacular, we did all kinds of things that help in the recharging of body and soul, and makes Monday not the challenge that it wants to be!
How was your weekend?
Buffalo Cauliflower:
- Pre-heat oven to 425°F
- 1 head of Cauliflower, cored and cut up (try and cut the pieces in even sizes so they cook uniformly)
- Toss cut cauliflower with 1 TBSP olive oil and 1 tsp of Chili powder and lay on a baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or so, until they begin to soften and brown but are not mushy.
- Remove from oven and toss with buffalo sauce, serve with blue cheese dip or ranch if that is your preference.
Steve’s Buffalo Sauce:
- ½ Cup Frank’s Red Hot
- 2 Tbsp Butter, melted
- 1 tsp White vinegar
- 1 ½ tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- Chili powder to taste (add more or less for spiciness)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Dash of celery salt
Steve finds the best way to heat the sauce is in the microwave at 10-15 second intervals on high, stirring as it warms to keep the butter incorporated. You do not want the sauce hot, but just warm enough to combine. If you overheat it the butter separates.
by Kat | May 3, 2016 | General, Words
You can’t escape the taste of the food you had as a child. In times of stress, what do you dream about?
Your mother’s clam chowder. It’s security, comfort. It brings you home. – Jacques Pepin
It’s Tuesday and you know what that means! Carole wants to know:
10 Favorite Foods Your Mom Used To Make
Now this poses a bit of a problem for me… Why you ask? Well, truly my mom was good at many things, but cooking was not one of them. At all. And, while I loved her dearly – it was not for her culinary skills!
Rather, I will make this about the foods of my Nana and my dear Mother-in-Law (though I did not know her when I was a child, she made things that the child in me loved!) My list starts with 2 things from her and the rest of the items on the list are devoted to my much beloved Nana (my maternal grandmother) she was a fantastic cook and I spent hours in the kitchen with her. Add to that, the number of times I called her while cooking a meal to see what she thought – and it was LOTS of time! It is because of her that I am the cook I am today.
- My Mother-in-Law’s Sloppy Joes. So good, and my kids most commonly requested birthday meal. Very deserving of the #1 spot!
- In slot #2 would be her Æbleskiver’s – to die for!
- Nana’s mashed potatoes.
- Denver Omelets – a treat for breakfast if you spent the night there. These also could be a supper treat to eat while watching Charlie Chan movies!
- Baked German Pancake, especially delicious when topped with raspberries from my Nana’s garden!
- Smelt – key factors here, they must have been dipped by my Uncle Denny and fried outside on the Coleman stove.
- Coleslaw – she made the best!
- Knödel – German Dumplings. She made them by hand, grinding the ham and the potatoes to an exact consistency. Absolutely amazing!
- Potato Salad, while she was a good German – she did not make a typical German potato salad. How she made it is how I make it still today. Potatoes, celery, radishes, and Hellman’s. The best!
- Mexican Wedding Cake cookies – these were the ultimate treat! Getting a “care package” in college that contained them and made you extremely popular.
The foods of my youth that bring warm memories to my heart whenever I think of them.
What food takes you to another time? Please share!
by Kat | Apr 18, 2016 | General, In This Moment
I don’t know about you, but it seemed like the weekend sped past.
And, there was no carding completed.
I know.
But, there was so much other stuff that got done, I am almost not upset.
Almost.
There was also no laundry getting done over the weekend so this morning I was greeted by Mount Kilimanjaro – the laundry version.
But, there were days of Al Fresco dining, cocktails, and lots of yard work – even a little bit of sunburn was obtained!
I hope your weekend was wonderful and that your Monday is not harsh!
P.S. Rhubarb experts… do I cut the flower out now, or wait? Help!!
by Kat | Apr 11, 2016 | General, In This Moment
After a very cold, snowy, blowy weekend a milder Monday has arrived. Milder temperatures, softer breezes, and gentle rains greeted my morning.
It was so bitterly icy and cold on Sunday morning I am afraid I may have lost my poppy and yarrow, which were growing nicely and this morning look quite miserable. I could just cry!
But, there was some fun this weekend!!
There was a simple, but delicious Friday Cocktail Supper. A bit of hummus, salami, carrots, grapes, crackers, and Manhattans were perfect to usher in the weekend.
There were new herbs obtained. They smell so much like summer! I am itching to get in my garden, but these little beauties are a nice way to pacify that urge until the weather is more conducive to gardening!
There was some spinning. I think I did a fairly good job of replicating the singles in the Briar Rose Yarn, I won’t know until I have washed the yarn though. I hope to ply and finish the sample skein later today and maybe it will be dry enough to knit a sample with it tomorrow or Wednesday!
And there was an impromptu get away on Saturday night – a change of scenery can have a positive impact! And, confession time – I took knitting, but I did not knit one stitch! There was some discussion of Sheep and Wool in Maryland, and while I know Steve is not overly thrilled about the prospect, I think we figured out an option to satisfy (okay, maybe not satisfy exactly) err, make it work.
On our way home we stopped for lunch at Fathead’s – two words – Buffalo Cauliflower. The sandwiches and beers were fantastic (I mean, a Reuben with Kimchi?? YUM!!) but the Buffalo Cauliflower stole the show! The cauliflower was not at all over cooked, and it was not breaded! I think this might be a fairly healthy option if you are a fan of wings! There was much discussion of how we could replicate this for our Friday Night cocktail suppers. I think we might have figured it out, stay tuned to see.
I hope your Monday is like the weather here today – mild, soft, and gentle.
by Kat | Mar 28, 2016 | General, In This Moment
It was one of those weekends where you need a weekend to recover from your weekend.
There was lots of baking, lots of cooking, a glorious Easter sunrise, and a good bit of eating!
Easter was early this year, but the weather did not make it seem like that – it was 76 in Pittsburgh yesterday. On March 27. Yeah – that was crazy, but eating outside was certainly a treat!
Last night I was ready for bed by 8 o’clock – literally, ready to go to bed to sleep! I tried reading and no dice. I gave up and turned off the light.
You will find me quietly easing into Monday wishing it was Friday, which seems miles and miles away.
Pour me another cup of coffee, I think it’s going to be a long week…
