Flu, Flowers, and Finishing Up

Yep. Lost a whole week to the flu. It's too bad that you have to wait until you feel like total crap to have a week like I did last week. Sometime I should just fake the whole thing and spend several days in a row in my pajamas, reading books, taking naps, watching old movies, and not doing one lick of anything at all resembling productive work. That sounds so good, except I was too darn sick to appreciate how great I had it.

With an energy level that is still mostly low, even I know that I can only be a slug for so long. A guilty conscience kicks back in again when a fever breaks. So, today was simply about getting up, getting dressed, and getting out to see something besides these four walls.

What could be a better way to snap out of a funk than a visit to Macy's Spring Flower Show? Not surprisingly, we weren't the only ones who thought this was the place to be on a cold day in late March. The crowds, however, were totally worth the show. This might be one of the best I've ever seen.

Gorgeous displays and color combinations, and all the flowers haven't even come to full bloom yet. We've even thinking about going back next week to see it again. I'm sure it must smell as great as it looks. (Not sure about that one yet.)

After we got our fill of the flowers and had a bite, we decided to swing by the Conservatory on our way home and see what they were showing for their spring display.

Como was nearly as popular--looks like every Minnesotan is craving some signs of spring. Another beautiful display, and even my stuffed up sinuses could pick up the fragrance of all the hyacinths in bloom.

It was tough to walk past the mountains of dirty melting snow to get back to the car. We could feel the orneriness build. Come on! Enough! Lucky I remembered the camera so I can remind myself that there are better times ahead, and soon, I hope.

Now that I think about it, I was somewhat productive over the weekend. Fun productive. I cast-on a new knitting project. Last week I had purchased and downloaded Kay Gardiner's (Mason-Dixon Knitting) Mitered Crosses Blanket Pattern.

The proceeds from the cost of the pattern will be donated to aid people in Japan who have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami, so go buy it. Besides contributing to a great cause, it's such fun to knit and so pretty!

Warning: This pattern is addicting. The "one more row" syndrome is compounded by the "one more square", by the "one more border." Yikes.

Instead of using the prescribed Noro, for my Knitted Quilt I went with the more cost conscious Lion Brand yarns--Fisherman's Wool and Amazing. So far, it looks fabulous. (In my humble opinion.) Trust me, no need to look down your knitting nose at either of these yarns. They are perfect substitutions.

I also put the finishing touches on my EZ EPS Henley this weekend. Good old Elizabeth comes through again. Don't you just love her practical advice? She's a very liberating instructor. I only wish I would have gotten her books years ago when I was first learning to knit.

Color work is still not my favorite knitting technique, but it's definitely more doable when knit in the round.

A Brief Respite

Since Spring doesn't seem to be coming to us any time soon, we decided to go and find some on our own. The Como Park Conservatory seemed like the perfect place to take in the sights and smells that we miss so much during our long winters.

The minute you step in the door, you can feel the change in humidity. The coat comes off, and you just inhale. It's warm, it's tropical, it's green. I could stay here awhile.


The Winter Flower Show is full of fragrant lilies, cyclamen, and camellias. There are also many colors of amaryllis blooms and azaleas. This particular show lasts until March 20. It's hard to imagine that they can top this for the Easter display. Trust me, they will.


The 'La Mancha' Lily is the one that caught my eye. The blossoms are huge, and the colors are just gorgeous. It's a Zone 5 lily, so it would take some pampering if we had a tough winter, but I think I'll have to give it a try. My other lilies seem to be a favorite rabbit food. I'd have to work hard to protect this one.




Last, but not least there were all kinds of one of my all time favorites--the foxgloves. I've had mixed luck with these in my garden. Last year was the first time that I was really happy with the results. Apparently, there are some varieties now that will bloom in their first year. You just plant them like annuals. I'll have to put those on the list as well.


We finished off the afternoon with lunch at Brasa on Grand. Also a place that smells very, very good.

Spring was nice while it lasted; more snow is on the way tomorrow.

Quino-a and Granol-a

Quinoa, quinoa, quinoa. I keep reading about quinoa everywhere. These super-seeds pack a nutritional punch and can take the place--supposedly--of rice and other grains. Quinoa is a good source of protein, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and is gluten free. In other words, after one bowl you're set for life.

I know I've eaten this stuff once before. I seem to remember ordering an entree with it somewhere a long time ago, but I've never made anything with it myself. So, today when I saw a bag on the "hippie shelf" in the grocery store--you know what I'm talking about--I threw it in the cart. (It was even organic.)

This afternoon I made a batch in the rice cooker with some chicken broth for the liquid and whipped up a bowl of tabbouleh. So? It's actually pretty good. It isn't much different than the traditional bulgar. There is a texture thing going on though that might stop me from being a big quinoa fan. It's similar to tapioca or itty bitty fish eggs. Enough said. The rice industry is safe.

So what was I doing digging around on the hippie shelf in the store? I needed the ingredients for granola. My favorite granola has been discontinued. Sad. And most other pre-made granola is too sweet for my taste. I had Stumble-d Upon a recipe that got some good reviews and decided to make my own.

Megan's Granola is very dangerous. The reviews were right. This is a very good granola recipe that's packed with lots of good ingredients. I cut back a little on the sweetness, but not much and it's just about right. I have learned from past experience to store granola without any dried fruit---add it when you're ready to eat. Who knew raisins could get so hard? Plus, you can go with what sounds good that morning: diced apricots, dried cherries or cranberries.

As long as I'm talking kitchen duty...the homemade sauerkraut was excellent! We tried it first in Reubens to get the full on taste and then braised some sausages in it the second time around and both were terrific. The next jar is fermenting on the counter as we speak. I suppose once it warms up, I'll have to find a cooler spot to store the work in progress. Think how good it will be with grilled brats.

Finally, I just have to share my pimped out Kindle. Isn't it cool? My son gave me the Packer skin for my birthday. I suppose I should download a Vince Lombardi biography some day.

EZ's EPS on New Needles

Color work is not my friend. I love the look; I'm just not too crazy about the process. All those twisting yarns are against my OCD tendencies, I guess.

Call me crazy, but I got the hankerin' to try it once again. Maybe it will be better in the round? That sounds like EZ (Elizabeth Zimmermann for the uninitiated) to the rescue. I've been wanting to try her EPS system for knitting a sweater, so why not put the two together and make a fair isle yoke sweater.

It's always fun to knit without a pattern. It reminds me of my Grandma. She was a practical knitter--socks, hats, and mittens--and never used a pattern. She had made them all so many times, she could probably have knit them in her sleep. My Mom is the same way. I think it's the way all knitters should start out. Let's face it, gauge is tough, so why not adapt the sweater to your gauge rather than trying to match your gauge to a sweater? There would be a lot more beginning knitters who could wear their own creations rather than ending up giving them away to whomever they wind up fitting. (I know of what I speak.)

So, I knit a sample, did a little math, and cast on. And then round and round and round we go. Now for the excitement! The yoke.

I knit up another quick little sample to get an idea of where to place the colors, and took the leap. I'm not sure how it will all work out, but knitting fair isle in the round isn't horrible. (High praise, right.) It's easier to keep the tangles to a minimum and the pattern is always viewed from the right side. Since I haven't started the shaping yet, a row takes me a while to knit. Looks like winter isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so I can take my time and still have a chance to wear it before it warms up.

This has also been a fun project because it's the first time I've used my new needles. My old interchangeable needle set was one of the less expensive brands. It's served me well, but the joins have gotten a little rough.

After much research, I ended up getting the Addi Turbo Clicks. No one set is perfect, but this one came the closest. Between the two sets, I'm hoping my needle buying is behind me.

February Respite

oI really do try very hard (enough qualifiers for you?) not to let the weather dictate my mood. After all, there is absolutely nothing that can be done about it, so just to deal with it, right? But this week, even I was beginning to get a little bitchy about this especially harsh winter we're having. By the third below-zero morning, I'd had enough and was fantasizing about heading to the airport to get on a plane that was going anywhere where I didn't have to brace myself just to walk out the door. Come on! Enough!

And then, respite. Sure, it's pathetic that a measly 38 degrees feels balmy, but I'll take what I can get. Saturday afternoon's warm sunshine was just what we all needed. There were puddles. Puddles, I tell you. Water was running into the gutters. I didn't need mittens. Kids were playing outside. It didn't hurt to take a deep breath. It was heavenly.

Of course, we know this is not the end. More cold and snow is surely coming our way. But now we can take. We've been buoyed by a reminder of better days ahead. It won't be long and my garden will show life, and I'll be mowing the grass instead of chipping away at ice.

Super, Super Bowl

Winter Vegetables

It's hard to believe that somewhere under the massive piles of snow in my garden lies the potential for those succulent summer herbs and vegetables that we all love, but for now we can still enjoy great produce. You know, all the second cousins to our warm weather favorites. The homely vegetables that sit around on the grocers' shelves while most people settle for the horror of canned green beans or corn.

Plain and simple root vegetables, for instance. Last week I brought home a bag of parsnips. Now I grew up eating parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, and beets. My Mom grew up on a farm and knew how to take advantage of the variety of the garden. (Sure, she probably cooked them a little longer than necessary, but that's another matter.) My husband, on the other hand, was raised with a limited exposure to---well let's be honest, all food types in general. If Stoffer's couldn't plop it on a sectioned foil tray, it probably wasn't going to get served at their table.

But now he's lived with me for the last twenty-six years, so he's used to having things like parsnips on the menu. He may not always be so enthusiastic, but I'm going to brag that more times than not, I have a happy customer in the end. This time I tried Roasted Parsnips from a recipe on the Simply Recipes site. I cheated a little and threw in a few julienned carrots as well, and they were delicious. The horseradish is definitely the secret.

Cauliflower is also plentiful this time of year. I'm the one who tends to resist throwing this stuff in the cart. Come on, it's albino broccoli! Why not get the green, too? White vegetables aren't all that appealing to me.

I had seen a recipe for Roasted Cauliflower Soup that inspired me to try once again, and I'm so glad that I did. This recipe is easy and delicious. If this doesn't scream winter comfort, nothing does. Usually I ignore a recipe that calls for heavy cream. Trust me, you don't need it. I added a little half and half, but milk would work, too.

I snapped a few pictures of the roasting process of the recipe and meant to get one of the final product, but we ate it too fast. It was gone before I could dig out the camera. I thought about frying up a little bacon as a garnish. I still think that would be great. Instead, we drizzled a little balsamic glaze across the top, and mmmm, mmmm, mmm. This and fresh bread out of the oven and you've got yourself a meal.

And last but not least is the lowly cabbage. Boiled, fried, raw. We've done it all. It had been many years, however, since I had made sauerkraut. Truth be told, I never made it; I helped when my grandparents put up jars and jars of it when I was younger.

This winter I decided to give it a try for myself after having eaten fresh sauerkraut in Germany over the summer. That sauerkraut was the sauerkraut of my youth and had little in common with the stuff we've been eating since. Don't get me wrong, I love just about any sauerkraut, but this was incredible.

I had no intentions of making gallons of the stuff, so I looked for a small batch recipe online and came across directions for Sauerkraut in a Mason Jar. I started mine several weeks ago, and I think we're finally ready for a taste. A good Reuben should be the perfect test. Corned beef and Swiss are on the grocery list.