Autumn Love, Beanie & Recipe

It has been a fabulous fall...and I am loving every minute!

I must say preschool teaching is a bit tiring exhausting!! I am a not getting enough creativity time..Such problems I know!

I had a wonderful visit with my new nephew Sebastian who is now 6 months old and I am going to brag but he is just beautiful inside and out! He is what we call a "Trick Baby" so good he will trick you into having one!

I finished my first beanie for the Beanie-a-long with me with Knitspiring Odyssey . I am planning on doing three for the Autumn. This one is a Halloween beanie which I used a row puff stitches to mimic mini pumpkins using the black,orange and turquoise colorway. I loved it!  It is a simple beanie using double crochet mainly. If you have any questions please email me cause as usual I didn't write down the pattern as I made it... I'll make another one and write the pattern out.

I pulled some heirloom carrots out of the garden and I have never seem the flowers that they bare...I have a new love! Isn't it gorgeous!

( are you noticing a lot of exclamation points ...that's how much I love fall!)

Here is the Stuffed Cabbage recipe for those who asked, I have to scale it down as we made a huge batch.

• 1 head green cabbage large
• 2 pounds ground pork, beef or whatever you like ( We used beef,  I prefer pork)
• 1 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 large can of tomato juice such as V8 ( I used chopped tomatoes too)
• 1 package of sauerkraut ( I used artisan  sauerkraut made without sulfites, my husband is allergic)
• Salt & Pepper
• Paprika
• Brown sugar
• A good friend to share the day with and reminisce!

 
Core the cabbage and place it in a pot covered with water, bring to a boil, turn it off and keep it covered in the pot until it softens. Mix together meat, rice, onion, and S&P. Start peeling the cabbage leaves apart. Now start to stuff the cabbage leaves about the size of a meatball. Just be sure to make filling comparable to the cabbage leaves as they will all vary in size, leaving enough room to roll and fold the cabbage around the filling. Fill all the leaves. Now grab a pot, I use my Le Crueset braising pot. Layer the bottom of the pot with sauerkraut then start to place the cabbages ...fit them in all nice and snug adding the rest of the sauerkraut. Add the V8 or tomatoes,season with S&P, Paprika about 1 tsp. or so ( I like to use more, huge paprika fan!) and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cover and cook for at least an hour at a nice simmer.
I am going to make a vegetarian version of chickpeas, raisins, pine nuts, red pepper...something like that. I'll let keep you posted :-).

Boo!!!

With some help from mother nature, my house is ready for Halloween!

Just a quick hello and sorry the lapse in blogging, you see I started  to do something I used to do a long time ago ...I"M BACK TO WORK..outside the home that is. UGHHH!!! OK I'm being dramatic (something my mother always says about me!) Actually I am just substitute teaching at my friend's pre school. I teach yoga twice a month there and she needed a fill in here and there, but here and there is becoming most of the week lately! Oh well it keeps me off the streets...well more like out of yarn, fabric and vintage stores ;-).

I just love what I woke up to this morning. Mother nature decided my yard needed more decorations. The mist was just so beautiful the spider webs. Just the finishing touch I needed. I decorate my yard and a few rooms in the house. I will post them throughout the month.

I tried this Pinterest recipe, Deep dish caramel apple pie crumb cake this week for my monthly knitting night which I hosted. Please try it!! Quick and easy and delicious. I would however make or even double the crumb recipe and add flour to the apples.

This "starry skies" stitch is a 9" block that is going off to Andi from My Sister's Knitter for someone who needs a bit off what we call "hugs and love" in our family. It will be added to others to make a blanket to comfort this being.! Ahh yes the amazing Andi strikes again! The girl is AWESOME!!If you like the stitch let me know I will send you the info.

The glass and crystals are from a community flea market that happens at one of our state parks every year. Atsion Day, deep in the Pine Barrens of NJ. Home of the "Jersey Devil"..BOO!!
(And no ... its Snookie !)

Ming

next post I'll have the stuffed cabbage recipe...Promise!

Autumnal Colour

 I think we can all agree Autumn has some of the most fabulous colors to put on show for us. Here are some of my favorites...

 
 The bright blue skies,dark nights and vibrant oranges..
 Rich Browns, Mossy Greens and Rusts and Deep Sunny Yellows

Or Pumpkin Orange, Dusky Violet, and Squash Stem Greens..

 Some other fall favorites...
 

Well back to school and reality has been kicking my "arse". Homework every day!!!, back to school nights, pta meetings, fall canning , bedroom makeover plus now some very part time work at my girlfriends pre school.

My friend asked me to come over the other day to make stuffed cabbages, ( if your interested let me know I'll put the recipe up, they are pretty simple) she hasn't made them since Nana passed away last year. It was fun to sit in Nana's kitchen and make them, it was a good day I finally got around to do some canning and need to do more ASAP!! I need to start harvesting my Sage and Thyme

I finished my project for the My Sisters Knitter Kal/Cal ...Finally! I am not crazy how it turned out but it will be a good everyday around my neck sort of thing. I wanted to finish more projects but a bedroom makeover got int the way . I went from a dusky purple/ reddish color to a green gold and very light violet. I ended up working around my nightstands i re painted. they took me in a whole new direction. I was going to go with a lavender but such is life and creativity. You think you are going one way and than BAM a whole new direction.

Now back to they colors..The Halloween hexie will go into a mug rug or coaster or maybe a bunting I don't know yet. I have been really into the turquoises, black and orange. I am going to make a baby beanie with it, I joined the Beanie- a-long with Me over at Knitspiring Odyssey with Stephanie a really fun blog. Give her a visit.

Well, back to homework ugh....I would love to hear what your favorite Autumn colorway? It will give me something to look forward to during painting!

Be well,
Ming

"A Good Cup" Chai Tea Recipe...

Well it's been a week or so since I blogged....back to school always gets me, glad to be back!

If you want an authentic Chai Tea recipe here you go. This is not the stuff you get at Starbucks! after studying yoga for over 10 years with my teacher... I have picked up quite a few delicious  authentic Indian recipes...a very nice perk!!( recipe below). As well as some photos of our Labor Day vacation and summers last push in the garden...

So the last few days of summer break and beginning of a new school year were...well let's say eventful . Here is the short of it, we took a trip to Stroudsburg, Pa to visit the train museums( the little guy was in heaven!)..we had a trip to the ER for  the little guy with sprained/broken arm Labor Day weekend. You see that's what happens when you are trying to avoid becoming a zombie and jump from a tree house swing set.

Brand new eye glasses for first grade, oldest son starting his new job and new place in the world now that he is out of college. Our youngest daughter is doing well in India for her semester in her new traveling high school and so on and so on.

I am back in my back to school blues...I miss my little guy being home with me and now with the glasses and busted arm he looks so much like a big guy. However, i can get back into my workroom and finish up some projects. I have been working really hard on my knitting to finish up my projects for the My Sister's Knitter KAL/CAL. So much so I have needle wound on the tips of my fingers!

On the first week of school the weather changed, so autumn like, so one night my husband brought home take out form our favorite Indian restaurant and I made some Chai Tea.

Chai Tea

Indian Black Tea loose (Indian grocery stores,We like Lipton yellow label.)

Green Cardamom pods

Tea Masala (we like the SWAD brand)or you can make your own

raw sugar ( however much you desire)

Organic milk

Rose water

 Optional...fresh ginger slices,vanilla or whatever comes to mind!

In a pot bring to boil 3 cups of water...add loose tea, my teachers instructions"sprinkle until it covers the top" I saw about 1/4 cup ...boil for 2/3 minutes. Lower the heat add milk until you get a nice caramel color. I tend to stay a bit to a darker caramel cause I like to add some frothed milk later. Add spices, start with a 1/8 tsp of the masala at first until you figure out how spicy you like it. I use a 1/2 of tsp now. Try to smash the cardamom pods too a bit. Add the raw sugar and turn the hit back up to a simmer for another 2/3 minutes to incorporate it all. Now, my husband wants me to be like the Chai street vendors in India and pour it back in forth from cup to cup in a long stream to make it frothy. Yeah, no... I have very small arms!! So I like to forth a bit of milk and add that. Now, before you pour, add a drop or two of  Rose water into the cup. Add more sugar if you like. Also experiment with other spices. Be creative and Enjoy!!

Now back to the work room today. Its a good day for that as the weather has switched back to a steamy 95 degrees! But I really feel like baking today !! We'll see what happens;-)!

Have a wonderful day!

Ming

Love and peace to all beings everywhere and may all suffering be eased.

Approaching...

Summer is ending a Fall is approaching. Its been a very nice summer, nothing super exciting or fancy travels but a lot of good ol' quality time with friends and family and nature. Some of this weeks images below,. I am going to miss having the little guy around all day and walking the garden and finding something new each day.  I also approached my first Annie Sloan Chalk Paint  project too...

I have to say I am addicted ..it was fun, could be quick (if I only had a moment to myself!) and relatively easy. No priming, No sanding, No problems. I bought my bedroom set 23 yrs ago but could only afford the sleigh bed and a small dresser at the time and never got around to night stands. By the time I could afford it they were long gone. These tables were from our girls bedroom. They were my daughters Great grandmothers. I had painting them white years ago with latex paint ..Not so good! Then I heard of chalk paint. I know I am pretty late to the game with Annie Sloan Chalk Paints but, if you are too, you need to check out Deneen from Dreaming in Color. She is a fellow Jersey girl who has this amazing blog filled with all her creations and furniture pieces. This new obsession is all her fault now ;-), as I just ordered three more paint colors and now have multiple pieces lined up to transform. I used Paris Grey as the base color and with the Clear Wax then a subtle hint of the Dark Wax and then finally gold leaf. The possibilities are endless. You can layer the paints, distress, add gilding waxes. You can go with a heavily distressed look or smooth plaster look. I went with very little distressing here and the French Gilding Wax in Kings Gold cause I am from Jersey after all and I do like my glitz!  I think they blend nicely with my bed and the hint dark wax really brings it all together. I am going to paint the inside of the drawers in Versailles. Next on the block is my girl's bathroom vanity. This was actually my first project but Paris Grey wasn't the right color. I will be using Scandinavian Pink with Old Ochre over top and lightly distressed. i got all my supplies from Classic Wall Finishes. I highly recommend Classic Wall Finishes. They are quick with shipping , great prices and extremely helpful. Patty, called me when I placed my first order and spent about 40 minutes on the phone with me walking me through different techniques. She was fabulous. I am looking forward to taking one of her workshops one day. Luckily she is only about an hour or so away from me.
I strongly suggest if you are looking to paint some furniture to try Annie Sloan paints.

I hope you all have a great holiday weekend. We are taking a few days off and are going to fit in some day trips before school starts.I apologize for not having a recipe for you today...I am having the cooking blahs at the moment.Well at least today that is!

Be Well,
Donna

I am also repainting my bedroom in the next few weeks too... A little bedroom makeover is in order, it's been 13 yrs with the wall colors!

Will Smith's family's faces during the Miley Cyrus performance at the VMA's.... priceless!But not her performance :-(