Knitting - Free patteren for Knitting a Little Red Dress

                        Here are some after pictures of the Little Red dress project.( Bianca and Marissa)

 I made these red little dresses for my granddaughters, they look so adorable in them. I chose a 100% acrylic yarn, it takes the wear, and tear more readily. The pattern is made in pink in the original pattern. I found the free pattern at http://www.lionbrand.com/   titled "Easy Baby and Kids Lacy Tank Dress Knitting Pattern" They have some great free patterns, and lovey yarns, I can find most of there yarns at Micheal's, JoAnns, or even
Walmart. I happen upon this yarn at Greenberry, a local knitting shop, Leslie carries acrylic yarns, and natural homespun yarns, like wools, alpacas, angoras.and mohair's.
I enjoyed making this little red dress, the feather ridged stitch looks so dainty and feminine, it's like no other that I have ever seen.

Mexican Food Chicken Fajitas

Feeling stuck in a cooking rut? How about trying chicken fajitas.Chicken fajitas are a great healthy alternative for me when I am feeling uninspired about what to prepare for dinner. I like to make homemade flour tortillas, don't worry, my recipe is really easy, under 20 minutes you'll be eating homemade flour tortillas. I live in rural Virginia where fresh factory made tortillas are not to be found close by. (I use to live in Phoenix AZ where I could find good flour tortillas at any local store.)


Ingredients
4 chicken breasts chopped in small strips
1 medium onion chopped lengthwise
1 green bell chopped in strips
 1 packet Lawry's Fajitas Seasoning
Lime
Flour tortillas
Optional condiments

• Sliced tomatoes
• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Cilantro fresh 

On medium hot setting fry chicken strips in a tablespoon of olive oil til browned.Set to the side.

Fry onions, and bell peppers together til they brown, and caramelize.

Add fried chicken strips to vegetable mixture, add packet of fajita seasoning cook for 1 minute til it makes a glaze like gravy.

Add a squirt of lime before serving.

I prefer the home made flour tortillas, they are real quick to make look at my tortilla recipe on my blog.

Enjoy this quick meal. Let me know if you agree.

Dessert Bananas Foster

Bananas Fosters is a quick dessert with only 4 ingredients, super quick, and super yummy. I like to serve this over vanilla bean ice cream. I like the marriage of hot sauce, and cold ice cream.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter (half stick)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup Malibu Caribbean Rum with Coconut Liqueur
4 bananas peeled, and cut in half

Melt half stick of butter in medium none stick frying pan.

Add 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar.

When melted add the rum, the sauce will immediately start bubbling, cook over stove top for 2  minutes.

When you notice the sauce thickening, take off heat add bananas.

I prefer to add the bananas at the end, if bananas are added too soon they will taste starchy.

Gingerbread House Tutorial

My Granddaughters look froward to this every year. Decorating the gingerbread house but before we can decorate the house we need to make the house with the gingerbread cookies tutorial

Ingredients:
6 cups all purpose flour
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup molasses
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
4 teaspoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons ginger
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup butter room temperature
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
Ceramic Mold for gingerbread house
corn starch for dusting
assorted candies for decorations
large plate to place house on
royal icing

In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, set aside.

Cream together in a large bowl, butter and brown sugar, add eggs, molasses, and dark brown corn syrup, mix well til fluffy.

Add flour mixture with butter mixture, mix by hand til well combined. Divide dough in to thirds, wrap in plastic. Chill for 4 hours, at this time also place the ceramic mold in the freezer.

Royal Frosting
3 tablespoons of Wilton meringue Powder
4 cups powdered sugar
6 cups warm water
Place in large bowl with mixer, mix for 7 minutes, it will make a stiff frosting for the house , and accessories.

Remove ceramic mold from freezer dust with corn starch, it works better than the nonstick spray(which is recommended by the mold manufacture)

Press the dough into the mold.

Stick a fork into the dough, and peel back  the dough.

Lay on the cookie sheet keep about 1 inch apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, til center is stiff, but not  browned around the edges. Allow to cool completely before assembling the house.

The first year I tried making the house I made the mistake of trying to put it together, not letting  it dry completely before the children began to decorate it. Of course the house collapsed.
 An adult needs to assemble the house and allow it dry before decorating it. Place royal icing in a parchment bag, run a bead of icing along the bottom, and side of cookie. Use a plastic bowl to hold it together til it hardens, and dries.

Also run a bead of frosting on the inside of the house, for extra holding power.

Place frosting on the top of the walls of the house, and also on the top where the roof meets.  Allow frosting to dry hard, it does not take long about an hour, then begin decorating. Enjoy the moment and treasure the memory.

Gingerbread Cookies

Memories of making gingerbread cookies around the holidays. When the weather gets cold, dunking one of these cookies in a glass milk, or hot chocolate mmm yummy..  I have started making these cookies with my granddaughters. They are very young at this time, but they really enjoy the experience of helping grandma in the kitchen. Their favorite part is the decorating.

Ingredients:
6 cups flour all purpose
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup molasses
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup room temperature butter
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

In a large bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves salt, and, set aside.

In a medium bowl cream butter, and brown sugar till fluffy, add eggs, corn syrup, and molasses.

Add flour mixture to cream mixture by hand till well combined. Divide dough into thirds, and wrap in plastic. Chill for 4 hours or till the dough get stiff.

Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350 degrees on a greased pan for 15 minutes, or until gingerbread is firm in the center, but not dark around the edges.

As you can see my little granddaughter Marisa likes to decorate the cookies.

Knitting Pretty Boy Blue Baby Blanket

I am one of these persons that loves to have my hands busy, whether crafting or cooking it is one of the joys of living for me. I decided to knit a  pretty boy blue baby blanket for my pastors baby.  I selected the type of yarn,  the color combinations. Knitting to me has more movement in it than crocheting. It also makes for a great swaddling blanket, because it has give to it. If you don't know how to knit watch my mini video tutorial on how to cast on stitches , and how to do purl stitch also how to do knit stitch .


 SuppliesCrochet Hook size h

Baby Soft Country Blue yarn 3 skeins, 6 0z

Circular knitting needles size 6- 24 inches long

Gauge

6 stitches across measure 2 inches

this baby blanket measures 33 by 33 inches square approx

This pattern is worked in the purl, and knit pattern.

Cast on 110 stitches.

Purl the first 12 rows.

Knit  and purl the next 10 next rows to make the stockinette stitch.

repeat til you finish 2 skeins of yarn

For picot edging crochet 3 single crochets in the next 3 stitches, on the 3 single crochet chain 3 slip stitch, repeat process all around the blanket.

Knitting How to Cast on Stitches

How to Cast on Stitches
I decided to try how to show people how to knit, so many people seem to have an interest in learning, but feel it's to hard to learn. It has become a lost art. My Aunt Lena showed me how to knit when I was pregnant with my first born. I really enjoyed the movement of my hands, creating something beautiful. I love the stretch that knitting has compared to crocheting.
After 25 years of not knitting I picked up a set of knitting needles, and began poking around til it all came back to me, now I am knitting for my granddaughters, and friends. It's so enjoyable I taught 2 of my coworkers how to knit also.  I think you might enjoy it too, give it a try.

Start with 3 yards of yarn folded in half.

Make a slip knot

Make a sling shot, grabbing under neath string by thumb. Bring over to right of hand. Going on top of string.

Pulling at the same time releasing string from thumb area.

Continue til you have the amount of stitches required for your project

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