Snow....

I don't think it will ever melt.....

Deep Dish Pasta Carbonara, with recipe

Carbonara Deep-Dish Pasta-Crusted Pan Pizza, By Rachael Ray

It's been forever since I made this.

I had all of the ingredient's on hand  so I though MMMMMM I can make this!

(it helped Mom was watching The Chew make regular Carbonara 

when I was on the phone with her prior to dinner haha.)

Ingredients

Salt

2 packages fresh linguini, 9 ounces each

**I usually use one box of linguine, unless I am feeling fancy, cooked Al dente.

 (a few minutes shorter than what is on the box) 

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 pound pancetta, cut as thick as bacon, chopped 

** I use 1 pound of bacon, not panchetta..We found panchetta wasn't as flavorful for us.

 I drain the excess grease

3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like it

**No red pepper flakes for me
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls

Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
1/2 cup cream

**I used Milk this time and it was fine, wasn't running our for cream
2 cups ricotta cheese
A handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 cup shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat water for pasta in large pot, salt it and add pasta for 3 minutes.

While water boils, heat a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes.

Drain pasta, add to pan and toss. Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano and season with salt and pepper. Beat eggs with cream and pour over top of pasta. Let eggs begin to set up, about 1 minute, and pat pasta into even layer to make the pizza pie crust. Place in oven and cook 5 to 6 minutes.

Mix together the ricotta and parsley. Remove pie from oven and smooth the ricotta over the top. Scatter with the provolone or mozzarella and return to oven. Bake 8 minutes more until cheese is melted and golden at edges. Cut into wedges and serve.

SO GOOD!

FO, Candy Crush Scarf: Candy for Dina

Our friend Dina asked me to make her a Candy Crush scarf

Here is Spaz helping me pick the colors from my stash

Candy in the making

I pinned out the pieces to try to flatten them out...

which in the end didn't work as well as I had hoped

My supervisor straightening the pieces out for me.

Helping flatten out the pieces?

Planning the order of candy

Ta-Dah!!

Details

Started: 1/1/14

Finished: 1/10/14

Yarn: Worsted Yarn Scraps

Pattern: No real pattern, just some basic crocheted shapes

Jelly Bean

Fish

Flower

Inspired by the game Candy Crush and this

FO: Lip Balm Cozy

I joined a CAL (Crochet-a-Long) on Ravelry but it was different than most.

(Well, joined is a strong word....more like "Get over there NOW" LOL

Ok it wasn't quite that drastic....Corrine )

This was a: pick a quick fun project and post a pic LOL

I had the perfect item, project, and yarn!

A LIP BALM COZY!!!!

Yeah because every lip balm and chap-stick need a crocheted holder... hahahaha

The Lucky Lip Balm getting a cozy was ...

UNICORN FARTS...

Yes...you read that right.....

My fun little Christmas after Christmas gifty from my crochet buddy Corrine.

Yes, the same one who "forced me" into the CAL ;) 

Details:

Pattern: Lip Balm Holder

Hook: F

Yarn: Lily Sugars n'Cream cotton in Lava Lamp

Started and Finished on 1/27/14

FO: Plastic Bag Holder

Who doesn't have en excess of plastic grocery bags? 

I made a holder to contain mine =-)

Details

Started: 12/31/13

Finished: 1/1/14

Hook: H

Yarn: Lily Sugar n'Cream Cotton

Pattern: Bag Holder

Next time I will make the bag wider and use either a chunky yarn or a smaller hook.

Sausage-Potato Slow Cooker Dinner, with Recipe

From  Fix it and Forget It Christmas Cookbook

There are 600 recipes in this bad boy, I suggest you either go buy it or get it from the library.
My notes are in RED as usual =)


3/4 lb Sausage, casings removed, divided
**I used a full pound which was good, might use more next time**
1 C Water
**The water and tartar are to keep the potatoes from browning from what I could tell so I didn't use the tartar and didn't measure the water**
1/2 Tbsp Cream of Tartar
**see note under water**
6 Medium potatoes, thinly sliced, peeled or not, divided
**I probably used 8-10, cubed**
1 Onion chopped (optional)
**I grated 1/2 an onion with the box grater bc I don't like chunky onion**
1/4 C Flour
Salt and Pepper to taste
**also used garlic and onion powder, and Italian Sausage seasoning from Penzy's**
1 1/2 C Grated Cheddar Cheese  **I also added some Colby Jack I had laying around**
2 Tbsp Butter
1 can (10 3/4 oz) of Creamy Mushroom
**ewww no. I used Cream of Onion. Any of the creamy soups (cheese, onion, mushroom, potato) would probably be good in this**

***In addition to the can of soup I added a can of water...it seemed like it needed liquid. Milk would have worked too I suppose***

****I imagine if you wanted vegetables Mushrooms would work...not sure what else would go with Sausage and potatoes****

1. Brown the sausage in skillet. Drain off drippings

2. Combine water & cream of tartar in a good sized mixing bowl. Place Potatoes in water as you slice to prevent browning. When ready to use drain off the water.

3. Layer half of the potatoes, sausage, onion, flour, salt, pepper and cheese in the slow cooker.

4. Repeat until ingredients are gone.
5. Dot butter over the top. Pour soup all over. **I added more cheese here**

6. Cover and cook: On High for 3-4 hours or Low 7-9 hours (or until the potatoes are tender)
7. Sprinkle reserved cheese over top before serving. **then I didn't add it here**

Too bad I don't have a finished Photo! LOL MMMMMMM so good

I cooked ours for 3 hours on high and it was FANFREAKINGTASTIC!!!!!

Taste of Home offers a very similar recipe for the stove HERE

WIP: Lexi's Blanket

Making a Blanket for Alexis' 15th birthday, per request =-) , in her school colors. 

 about 4 feet now =-) More than half way there!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

credit

credit

WIP Wednesday: Christmas Tree Skirt

I finally started working on a Christmas Tress skirt for Christmas 2014

Yes, I know it is February and Christmas is 10 months away.

The pattern was awkward at first. Corrine made me a video to follow but it wouldn't send. 

I was getting ready to call her because no matter how I read it I could 

not picture in my head how it was going to work out.

But before I did, I just sat down and started crocheting...and it worked out. 

This yarn is weird to work with because it is bumpy so it is making

 it hard to see where I am supposed to place stitches. 

SO it is kinda make it up as you go haha.

I was hoping for a more defined tree skirt.

We will see what happens as I go =-) 

Warm Apple Pie, with Recipe

Perfect Apple Pie recipe from Pillsbury

The grocery store had Granny Smith apples on sale for $1.00/lb. I couldn't pass that up.

The last apple pie was good, but not made with Hubby's favorite apples, so I needed a re-do.

Look how golden! I think Q was pretty impressed.

Ingredients:

Crust: 1 Box of Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling: 

6 Cups, peeled and sliced apples (approx 6 medium)

3/4 cup Sugar

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

**instead of the cinnamon and nutmeg separate, I used Penzy's Apple Pie spice

Steps:

• 1. Heat oven to 425°F. Place 1 pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press firmly against side and bottom.
• 2. In large bowl, gently mix filling ingredients; spoon into crust-lined pie plate. Top with second crust. Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge, pressing edges together to seal; flute. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust.
• 3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cover edge of crust with 2- to 3-inch wide strips of foil after first 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning. Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving.

January Cats

1/1/14

"Happy New Year- I am going to lay on you...."

Hubby got up and she stayed this way....

There is a cat in that heap of blankets....

Mini kind of blends in....it's like Where's Waldo....

Then you have Spaz who has issues with Q....

Oh he's gone...I shall lay on his blanket

My supervisor at work...

...testing out the products.

and making sure no one steal my yarn.....

Chet sings in his head...

 "Every move you make, Every breath you take I'll be watchin you...."

Because there is NO WHERE else to lay in this house...

He scrunched himself up on my zippered hoodie so none of him touched the floor....

1/15/2014

Still supervisin'.....

We aren't quite sure what this was all about....

...or this....

She NEVER get's on the table like that...she was stalking some invisible thing.

STILL supervising.....