Friday, March 15, 2024

Dinner and Dessert

Sometimes I'm at a loss about what to make for dinner, but I found this recipe and it's a keeper. I made it for John and I and we liked it enough that I made it the next week to take to Justin's. Now that I'm writing about it, I might just make it again this weekend.

I could eat lots of things with a garlic cream sauce.

I used a pound of pasta, half a pound of bacon, half and half in place of heavy cream, and an extra tablespoon or two of ranch seasoning, and it still all fit into a 9 x 13 pan. 

Since this dinner was a good one, a delicious but not too sweet dessert made it even better. I had almost a full five-pound bag of self-rising flour in the cupboard and King Arthur was kind enough to provide a peanut butter cookie recipe when I decided I needed to use it up. This recipe only uses one cup of flour but I will certainly make it again in the future.

It's quick and easy to mix and make and I got 18 cookies when I baked them. This is probably still more cookies than two people need, but we managed to eat them in short order. 

I'm a selfish baker; the big cookie is for me!

Whatever you're having for dinner and dessert this weekend, I hope it's tasty!


Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Unraveled Wednesday: 3/13/24

I'm happy to join Kat and fellow Unravelers with what I hope is a nearly completed Hydrophily. 


What you see above is the first stripe of the last gradient color (on the far right-hand side), and there are four more stripes to go. When I say "nearly completed", I still have 61 long rows left but I really hope I can finish this week and get it into a nice bath for blocking. While it's blocking, my plan is to wind my new yarn for my Hitch on the Move and get that cast on. 


John is the cause of my Hydrophily slowdown. He's had some cervical neck issues that have required multiple doctor visits, an mri, a cat scan when he had an anxiety attack in the mri, and chauffering to physical therapy. 

These things just haven't been conducive to sitting and knitting like I'd rather be doing, but fingers crossed he can resolve this without surgery. We'll see, but that's all the more reason to have a Hitch on the Move cast on and maybe a backup Hitchhiker for waiting room knitting. 

I did finish several books this week. Now that winter is ending, light is returning, and the daffodils are almost ready to bloom, I thought it was time to finally finish Winter Solstice. My outlook is a bit different in March than it was in the depths of January, but MacLaughlin provides us with a wonderful meditation on all aspects of the winter season.

“Winter tells us, more than petaled spring, or hot-grassed summer, or fall with its yellow leaves, that we are mortal. In the frankness of its cold, in the mystery of its deep-blue dark, the place in us that knows of death is tickled, focused, stoked."
 
I found this to be true and especially agreed with the author when she wrote about our urges to honor the dark with festivals of light. I liked thinking about the universality of the experience, even if the winter solstice occurs at different times of the year for those of us in opposite hemispheres. This is a book I'll reread next winter and I look forward to MacLaughlin's Summer Solstice

As soon as I finished Leaving two weeks ago I looked for more of Roxana Robinson's writing. She wrote Sweetwater 21 years ago and I think her writing was much less developed than it was in Leaving. Sweetwater is the story of Isabel, her life with her husband Michael and his mental health, their struggles with fertility, Michael's death, and her subsequent unsatisfactory life with her second husband Paul. It's told in non-chronologic order which caused me some confusion, but it's also a very bleak story. There was an event that happened so quickly without explanation that I had to go back and re-read to make sure I hadn't missed something. Much of the novel takes place in the Adirondacks and these sections helped me to round this 2.5-star book up to 3 stars. This book felt shallow yet filled with despair, and I would recommend Robinson's more mature writing in Leaving over Sweetwater.

I thought that Languishing was a book that had been pretty much written for me once I read the summary, so I was a bit surprised to find that it was just average after reading it. Corey Keyes first does a decent job defining the terms he is talking about. Languishing is an “absence of wellbeing that millions of people were experiencing but found hard to put into words” during the Covid-19 pandemic. He explains that this state of mind involves a lack of excitement, community disconnection, and “the constant feeling of unease that you’re missing something that will make your life feel complete.” Languishing is not depression or sadness, but Keyes does say it is the opposite of flourishing.

The author then goes on to discuss the daily practices he feels are necessary to move from languishing to flourishing: Learn Something New, Build Trusting Relationships, Move Closer to the Infinite, Find Your Purpose, and Play. Do any of these sound familiar? I haven't read a lot of self-help, but I think that these things have been mentioned in almost every self-help book available. I can't argue with any of them; they are so obvious as to almost be common sense.

While I respect Mr. Keyes' research in flourishing/languishing, some of his action plans seemed a bit vague to me and I'm afraid they would also feel overly forced. I think that the pandemic was an obvious time for so many people to feel as if they were languishing; before vaccines, we needed to be mired in a state of languishing to feel safe. But I also think that languishing has been a "normal" state for me after times of great change such as having children, the kids leaving home when they are grown, changing jobs, or or retiring from work. I view it as a time where I've paused and asked myself "What's next?". It's not just a stop on the way to flourishing or happiness, but using periodic languishing can be a way toward finding contentment. I think this subject and pertinent information could have been better presented as an article or TED talk.

What are you making and reading this week?

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Unraveled Wednesday: 3/6/24

I'm happy to join Kat and fellow Unravelers on this first Unraveled Wednesday of March. I'm still working on my Hydrophily, but because it looks much the same (I've only knit another couple of rows in the penultimate purple yarn in the gradient) I'll spare you another photo. I was going to cast on for these mitts (ravelry link) but a couple of 65-degree days and generally warmer weather made me think they could wait. But every blog post needs at least one photo, so how about one of the yarn for my actual next project?

Vera has inspired me so it will be another Hitch on the Move, except this time I've got enough yarn to make it as large as I would like. I really, really love this yarn so I am anxious to finish up my Hydrophily and get started on this HotM. I'll have to remember how good the anticipation of a new project feels when I get to the "slog" portion of the shawl. 

My reading last week was all above average, with each of them worthy of four stars. Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame is a sweet story about 77-year-old Jenny Quinn and how she ends up as a contestant on Britain Bakes. (Think Great British Bake-Off but with a few welcome changes). She enjoys baking but is a bit wary about applying to the show so she does this in secret and doesn't tell anyone, not even her husband Bernard. Jenny lacks confidence and worries that she might have been cast as a joke, but that is not the case. The chapters are all named for various things she has baked (a chocolate log, shortbread, cut and come again cake, chocolate and orange battenburg, etc.) and most of these bring up a memory or situation that Mrs. Quinn experienced years earlier. These remembrances all up to a poignant backstory. Even though I found this a sweet and gentle book, Olivia Ford's writing never seemed saccharine to me. I enjoyed the septuagenarian main character, all the baked goods, and the heartfelt story. The only thing that could have made this better was if all the recipes had been included.

Leaving by Roxana Robinson was the kind of book that made me want to simultaneously race through it to see how the story was told but still read slowly to make it last. Roxana Robinson writes about divorced, 60-year-old Sarah who recognizes Warren at the opera one night. They had dated 40 years ago but because of youth and a misunderstanding, Sarah chose to end the relationship. There are possibly some unresolved feelings despite Warren being married for many years because their initially tentative relationship soon blossoms into an affair after they find that their tastes, ideas, and opinions are in perfect synchrony. The book brings up many topics, such as the morality of personal happiness, how much parents owe their children and vice versa, and how our family rights, responsibilities, and obligations fit with our choices.

It was a pleasure to read a novel with beautifully written prose featuring characters of an age similar to my own, and I could understand and empathize with much of what the characters were going through. I also enjoyed that Sarah was an independent woman, and that art was important to both Sarah and Warren in the form of opera and Sarah's volunteer work at a museum. There was one character that I didn't understand, and her actions and the reactions of her family members towards her could have been delved into further. Although the ending was foreshadowed, it was still a gut punch and one I would love to discuss. But these possible drawbacks won't keep me from thinking about Leaving for quite a while.

Glaciers by Alexis M. Smith is a quirky little audiobook that I chose from the library because of its cover. Alexis Smith recounts a day in the life of Isabel, a twenty-something librarian who repairs books, shops at thrift stores, and has an appreciation for ephemera. Bits of Isabel's day are told in vignettes, and though this might sound like the slowest story ever, it was not. There isn’t a definite plot, but the book has depth; it’s beautifully written and engaging. I enjoyed the two-and-a-half hours I spent listening on a rainy Saturday morning and would love to find a dress like Isabel's with teal and sapphire black-handled umbrellas. Three and a half stars rounded up.

"Sometimes she envies his ability to forge into the future while she feels compelled to carry the past."

What are you making and reading this week?

Monday, March 4, 2024

KISS

I don't mean displays of affection with that title; it's really just a reminder for myself to Keep It Simple, Stupid. The price for a large pepperoni pizza at our neighborhood pizza place is up to $25, and the kind I really like (barbecue chicken) is $35. This place is nearby and has decent (average) pizza, but once the prices rose that much I decided it was time to start making my own pizza at home. 

I bought a good pizza pan from King Arthur, along with their pizza dough flavor and dough improver. I hate having the dough snap back when I'm trying to roll or stretch it, and the dough improver seems to help. Then I started looking for pizza dough recipes. I looked for the "best" recipes online, jotted them down, and I've tried eight or ten different ones.


I was not completely happy with most of them, so I researched some more, looking for that Goldilocks recipe that was just right. I read forums and calculated dough hydration levels, wondered whether all-purpose or bread flour was best, and considered the length of time I was letting the dough rise. I even looked at some pizza dough calculators. I became slightly overwhelmed by all of it and haven't made pizza for a month or so.

Yesterday I was asking myself the eternal question, what should I make for dinner yet again tonight?, and I decided I wanted pizza. While looking through my recipe box, I came across Jay's Signature Pizza Crust. I had printed it out years ago but then decided it was too sticky to use for making calzones. I don't think I ever made pizza with it, so it was clearly time to try. I also decided that I wanted barbecue chicken pizza and proceeded without consulting any recipes. 


And it worked! The dough wasn't too sticky and I did manage to get it stretched out on the pan without too much trouble. I used a combination of barbecue sauce with just a little hot sauce (don't tell John) and marinated a chicken breast in it while the dough was rising. I sauteed the chicken breast while the crust was resting and used both mozzarella and Gouda cheese. I don't like really thin and crunchy crust, so I don't need a pizza stone or special 00 flour. I just need to remember to Keep It Simple, Stupid! 

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Unraveled Wednesday: 2/28/24

I'm joining Kat and fellow Unravelers on this last Unraveled Wednesday in February with my Hydrophily once again. I've just added the first of five stripes in the penultimate shade of my gradient. 


The photo below gives you a slightly better idea of what several of the gradient shades look like.


I still have quite a bit of knitting left to do - nine more repeats of the 14-row pattern to finish the full span of the gradient. I did just receive some new yarn for a project that a fellow blogger so kindly enabled recently, and I am anxious to wind the yarn and cast on. It's possible you might even get to see a different project next Wednesday. 

I did get to knit quite a bit yesterday because we were at Ryan's while he and John tried to diagnose, disassemble, reassemble, and fix his water softener.


They were successful at diagnosing (the cam got stuck in the backwash cycle), disassembling (see above), and mostly successful at reassembling. Five hours of their efforts still didn't fix the problem, but Ryan now has some plumbers coming to maybe fix or more likely replace the water softener. I was glad I was able to tend to my knitting and stay out of the way as there were many utterances along the lines of "Gosh darn this dratted water softener and its chintzy plastic parts!"

I did finish The Poisonwood Bible last week. I won't review it here since so many of you have already read it or are finishing it for our Read With Us discussion in March. I will say that this was my second time reading it, and I feel like I was a more mature reader this time and able to appreciate all that Barbara Kingsolver put into writing this book. 

What are you making and reading this week?

Monday, February 26, 2024

The One Where I Learn Some New Vocabulary

I'm currently reading a pre-publication copy of The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur by Lev Grossman. I have a soft spot for almost any form of the King Arthur story and this one is no exception. I've only read 13% so far and I'll talk more about the book later after I finish, but for now, I'm having fun learning some new vocabulary words.

I like to think I have a slightly better-than-average grasp of words, and that may be because I read slightly more than the average person. In 2016, the average number of books read per capita in the US was 12. I'm pretty sure many of you read more than that so maybe you feel the same way about vocabulary, but I'm not judging anyone's reading habits. 

When I read a book, I often encounter one or two words that I'm not familiar with, look them up, and learn something. In The Bright Sword, there are many more than just one or two words. Here are a few of them so far. If you scroll down past the book cover, you can see what they mean.

Machicolations

Terce

Gambeson

Gonfalons

Gallimaufry

Flampet

Mi-parti cotehardie

Paludamentum

Lughnasadh

Almoner

Hippocras


Machicolationsopenings in the floor between the corbels of a projecting gallery or parapet, through which molten lead, etc., might be cast upon an enemy beneath.

Tercemainly in the Roman Catholic Church the third of the seven canonical hours of the divine office, originally fixed at the third hour of the day, about 9 a.m.

Gambesona quilted garment worn under mail.

Gonfalons - banners suspended from a crossbar, often with several streamers or tails.

Gallimaufrya hodgepodge, confused medley, or jumble.  

Flampet - pork and figs that have been boiled in ale, then baked in cheese, then encased in pastry.

Mi-parti cotehardie - a long-sleeved medieval garment that was usually thigh-length and belted for men and full-length for women and that was made to fit closely often by buttoning or lacing.

Paludamentuma cloak worn by officials and military officers of ancient Rome, especially during wartime.

Lughnasadhan ancient Celtic festival held on Aug 1. It is also celebrated by modern pagans and is also called Lammas. 

Almonera person whose function or duty is the distribution of alms on behalf of an institution, a royal personage, or a monastery. 

Hippocrasan old medicinal cordial made of wine mixed with spices.

So how did you do? No doubt, there are so many new-to-me words because of the period and setting of this book. We still display gonfalons of a sort; there are plenty of gallimaufries in government and politics, and enjoying a bit of hippocras sounds like it might be a good thing. We just don't use those words anymore, but that's kind of a shame!

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Unraveled Wednesday: 2/21/24

I'm joining Kat and fellow Unravelers on this Unraveled Wednesday with my Hydrophily.


I've made more progress, completing all five rows with the third contrast color, and if you look carefully, you can see the first row in the fourth contrast color. Color-wise, I'm halfway through the contrast color gradient, but since the rows are getting longer I've got a lot more knitting to do. That's fine with me since this is very pleasurable knitting. 

Last week I finished Bear by Julia Phillips. It's a bit difficult for me to categorize and review. It is well-written with a strong sense of place (San Juan Island), and Julia Phillips writes a story about two sisters caring for their sick mother. Elena and Sam are both working service-level jobs while trying to care for their mother, and it's clear that they will not be able to get ahead. I'm not giving anything away by revealing that a bear eventually shows up, and his appearance changes the dynamic of the rest of the novel.

I was surprised by the hands-off approach taken by the Washington Department of Fish and Game in this book and taken aback when I realized that Sam and Elena were not young teenagers. I don't know of many young adults who would be equipped to deal with their circumstances, but both sisters' actions seemed more immature than I expected when I checked their ages. The biggest issue I had was the question of "WHY?" I asked with increasing fervor and intensity about Elena's behavior, but it was never answered. Three and a half stars rounded down.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Hogarth for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published on June 25, 2024.

What are you making and reading this week?