Saturday, December 30, 2017

Lazy Day Biscuit Eggs Breakfast

Lazy Days Biscuit Eggs
There is a cold snap outside and I woke feeling lazy and hungry. I craved a hot breakfast but what I really wanted was to just stay under the blanket - with the dogs warming my feet. But my stomach was growling. In my extreme laziness, I stirred together some biscuit mix, cracked a couple of eggs on top, and slid it into the oven. Voila, I came up with a filling, easy, hot breakfast.


Lazy Day Biscuit Eggs


I grabbed the Bisquick mix and made about 1/2 of the recipe for the biscuit/dumplings as listed on the box.  I say about 1/2 because I no longer follow the measuring instructions on the box because I use the stuff regularly enough that I just eyeball it.

I put the single large "biscuit" in my copper pan (oven preheated to the 450 listed on the box - pan lightly sprayed with cooking oil).  I spread the dough out forming a well, similar to a thick crust pizza shape, thin layer of dough in the middle and thick ridge around the sides.

I cracked two eggs into the center and placed it into the oven for approximately 10 minutes. If you jiggle the pan and the entire egg jiggles, you know that it needs to bake a bit longer.

Out pops this Bisquick egg biscuit. A bit of salt, pepper, and a dollop of Kerrygold Irish butter on top. Next time, if I'm not feeling too lazy, I'll brown some sausage or bacon to sprinkle on top.

Lazy Day Biscuit Eggs - in the skillet and on the plate
I sure wish I was a better food photographer 


*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you.  I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you


Miscellaneous Bits


Haven't heard of Kerrygold pure Irish butter? I hadn't until recently. A friend recently brought it along on a camping trip and I was sold! I used it in my hobo packs in the woodstove and used it on my smoked meats in my new Char-Griller smoker. This butter has a great flavor!

Kerrygold

My Copper Chef skillet comes from the As Seen On TV sales. Technically, I bought mine at Bed Bath & Beyond, but I had initially seen it on an infomercial. On Amazon it has mixed reviews. But I really love my copper pan - almost as much as I love my cast iron skillet. Most of the negative reviews are related to food sticking. I've never had anything stick. However, I seasoned it and continue to use small bit of cooking spray during each use. It is a great option, for me, when I don't feel like using my heavy, over-sized cast iron skillet. The copper pan is nonstick, light, cooks evenly, and is very easy to wash. Perfect for lazy days cooking. 

Copper Chef skillet

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Making My Own Granola

This may be old news to you, but it is wonderful, breaking news to me. I can make my own granola at home! For far less than I can buy it at the grocery. Not only is it inexpensive and easy to make, I can adjust it to my own taste. If you like granola, and don't make it at home, you may want to give it a whirl yourself.


Homemade Granola


I cannot take credit for figuring this out by myself. In fact, I had no idea that making granola was this easy until I saw Patara making granola in one of her Appalachia's Homestead with Patara videos. 

The thought of homemade granola had me so excited and looked so delicious that I went to my cupboard and made my first granola with what I had on hand. It was that easy.

Ingredients:

  • 2 c oats  
  • 1 c sunflower seeds (I use unsalted)
  • 1 c shredded coconut
  • 2+ Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • a pinch of salt

Mix the dry ingredients, then add the wet. Stir to coat. Bake on a cookie sheet, turning the granola several times during, at 250 degrees at about 45 - 60 minutes. 

In my second batch of granola, I used more honey than Patara adds, and I added some caramel chips! Not many. Just a few. I've also purchased a bag of sliced almonds for future batches. I also baked my granola a bit longer. 

Previously, I had not normally had shredded coconut or caramel chips on hand. Fortunately, I had purchased both for cookie recipes that I never ended up making. Into the granola they went! Everything else are things that I always have in my kitchen.  

My bedtime snack is yogurt with my homemade granola sprinkled on top.  Someday... I'll be making my own yogurt.


*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you.

Related Links:




Appalachia Homestead with Patara video:



Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Bernat Pipsqueak Yarn

Wonderful Bernat Pipsqueak yarn
WOW! I have just discovered Bernat Pipsqueak yarn and I'm in love! Okay, that was a little overly dramatic. But just a little.  Bernat Pipsqueak yarn is a soft, fluffy, and snuggly yarn that feels so good to the touch that I can't keep my hands off of it. As soon as I finish this project (a gift for a grandbaby) I am going to use some of this yarn for a throw for myself.


Bernat Pipsqueak Yarn - Pink Swirl


In the photo, you can see the typical worsted weight yarn - the pink and the white stripes. Then, at the crochet hook, you see yarn that appears to be fuzzy or frayed. I chose "pink swirl" to match this baby blanket and to add some more texture.  

My plan to use the Pipsqueak yarn is working even better than I had imagined. 

With this pattern, I am crocheting in the "spaces" rather than in the "stitches". In that way, I am able to work easily with the fuzzy Pipsqueak yarn. If I were doing a pattern that involved crocheting in the stitches, I would not be happy about using this yarn. It is so fluffy that it would be too hard (for me - maybe not for  you) to catch the loops on the subsequent rows. Fortunately, the Done In a Day pattern I'm using is loose enough to use a fuzzy yarn easily.

The Bernat Pipsqueak is:
  • machine washable and dryable
  • 100% polyester
  • a "chunky" (size 5) yarn

One more thing I like about this yarn is that even though it has the appearance of being "frayed" or fuzzy, the yarn is easy to work with and does not split while I am crocheting. What I mean is, some yarn strands pull apart easily and my hook constantly passes through a strand of yarn and gets snagged.  I was a bit worried that this yarn would cause that problem. But it does not.

*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you.



Bernat Yarn Related Link:


In 2014 I used Bernat brand yarn for the first time. It was a super bulky chenille yarn. I enjoyed the Bernat yarn so much that I had it in mind when shopping for the yarn for the pink blanket. Clearly, Bernat makes a variety of wonderful yarns. You can see my thoughts about my crocheted cowl using Bernat Blanket yarn here.  


Sunday, December 10, 2017

Plant Journal: Planted in 2017

When I bought my land (two years ago) I had made a goal to keep some sort of detailed journal of the things I plant at The Shack. Here we are, snow on the ground, and I've only documented one planting - my fig.  

I know that it is important to document what you planted and when. For many reasons. My primary reason for tracking my plants (both planted and wish-list plants) is because there are certain plants I love but then cannot recall the variety name. It is very difficult to find a specific variety if you cannot recall the exact name.

2017 is coming to an end. In this post I am going to document at least a bit about each plant I can recall having planted this year. This will likely be a "living document" and change as I find the photos and plant tags that I have scattered hither and yon. I hope to make more detailed individual posts about each plant later.

I did learn a lesson in 2017 - Protect EVERYTHING from the deer. Or try too. They are voracious eaters. They clearly view my yard as a dessert buffet. And what they didn't eat, the bucks are now using as rubs - peeling the bark from my trees. Except for the Pawpaws. Thus far, they continue to leave the Pawpaws alone. Thank goodness for that.


2017 Plantings at The Shack


Dwarf Alberta Spruce - Technically, I planted this in 2016. December 30, 2016 to be exact. This miniature evergreen had been my Christmas tree at the apartment in Baltimore. It survived the holidays and the trip up to The Shack.  I planted it in my "yard" with the plan that when I remodel/rebuild The Shack, this little tree can be my outdoor Christmas tree in the years to come.



Pawpaws - Sunflower

I purchased two Sunflower Pawpaw trees from Sun Nurseries. I bought the smallest plants I could and they lived on my apartment balcony before being moved up to the land.  The moving of them was rough on them - due to my clumsiness in moving such "large" plants in the small Jeep.  However, they are planted, the deer do, in fact, leave them alone, and they have not died where planted.




Pawpaws - Seedlings - Mango and Sunflower

I'm a little bit afraid to mention the seedlings. They are still very young and vulnerable to my non-green thumb. I had been trying to start my own Pawpaws from seed and after several attempts it seemed to be a hopeless adventure. Then suddenly this summer, in the very HOT part of the summer, I noticed that one of the seeds had started to sprout. (Honestly, I noticed when I was dumping the soil from the container back into my big soil bucket. I had given up again!).  Two Mango and one Sunflower pawpaw starts are here in the apartment - hopefully to be planted at The Shack next year.




Persimmon - Nikita's Gift

I planted the persimmon tree from Sun Nurseries the same day I planted the Pawpaws. It's branches were smaller so the actual trip in the Jeep was less traumatic for it. However, the deer stripped it of leaves the first night I planted it. Also, I didn't get this poor little tree into the ground straight. It has a significant lean. And then this fall, the bucks have clearly been using it for a rub. Poor thing. 





Mystery Japanese Maple



I have a thing about a Japanese Maple. Not all of them. Not even most of them. Just a particular Japanese Maple. I want the one that is in a friend's parent's yard. It is BEAUTIFUL and transitions from greens, to a rainbow of oranges and yellows, to a deep red through the year. I want that one. I have been searching for years to find the name of this particular tree. Do you have any idea how many different Japanese Maple trees there are? TOO MANY! And I forgot to mention that their particular tree doesn't seem to make/drop many (if any) helicopter seeds.

Finally, this year, (at a Wal-Mart of all places) I found a Japanese Maple that is very similar.  I planted it on the land and it seemed to be doing very well. However, the bucks have rubbed it.  

And guess what? I can't find what I did with the tag, so at this moment, I cannot tell you what type of Japanese maple this is. Hopefully, the tag is at The Shack in the pile of plant tags I have there.




Fig - Olympian

I planted a fig plant based on friends who love figs and who told me that I will love figs.  I planted it in the "flower garden" near the lilac and the rose. I did manage to journal about the fig already so I won't talk much about it here.  I will say that the deer have left it alone so far. 




Holly

The kind people who know I stalk their Japanese Maple have given me a crooked Seuss-like Holly seedling from their yard. I love it! I have planted it just inside the edge of my woods. Hoping it will someday attract birds that I can watch from my deck.



2015 - 2016 Plantings at The Shack


My very first attempts to plant things at The Shack began with an attempt to start a rustic "flower bed" of sorts. I chose a lilac and a rose to reflect two of my childhood favorites. I immediately learned that gardening at The Shack begins with a pick ax and hard work. But I successfully planted these two plants. And miraculously, they have survived.


rustic flower garden 2016 - lilac on the left and rose on the right


Lilac

I chose a purple lilac from Sun Nurseries. Lilacs were part of my earliest memories. I caged it as soon as I caged the rose. So far, the Lilac is doing great.

Rose - Granny Grimmetts

Years ago I lived in a home that had an unruly but amazing rose bush in the side yard. The scent was so strong and wonderful that I looked forward to the blooms each year. I had no idea what type of rose that was. As soon as I bought my land, I began looking for that type of rose to plant in my yard. 

It has been impossible to find that particular rose. But I did find a wonderful place to purchase roses. The Antique Rose Emporium provided some patient answers to my questions about that elusive rose from my past. And I ordered this Granny Grimmetts rose from them.

As soon as I planted the rose, without protection, the deer stripped it immediately. I put a cage around it, and insects stripped the new leaves that grew. I was certain that rose had died. But it came up the next year. And it came up this year. I am hoping to find a way to nurture a rose or two on my land.




Assorted bulbs, perennials, and annuals 

I have planted assorted spring bulbs, perennial flowers, and annuals in my "flower bed". None - with the exception of annual marigolds - seem to have fared well. Likely, most of them have become snacks for the deer and squirrels.

This lovely marigold did great in that spot. The marigold showed no sign of pests, diseases, or deer damage.



Saturday, December 9, 2017

Treasures: Tied Fleece Blankets for the Dogs

Tiny handmade tied fleece blanket for my tiny dog Daisy
During a recent trip to a local fabric store, I saw some fleece remnants at deep discount prices. I have always wanted to try to make a tied fleece blanket but previously never followed through. I was afraid to spend the money on materials without feeling like I knew what I was doing. But when I saw these remnants, I felt brave and I purchased the two small pieces of fleece and brought them home to try.

I thought if I begin with the plan of making very small blankets for the dog crates, I won't feel badly if this project turns out ugly and the dogs would still have new blankets. This decreased the intimidation factor of trying something new. Besides, the thought of making dog blankets using a paw print on one side and a cat print on the other side just tickled me. I HAD to try.


How to Make Tied Fleece Blankets



There are many video and written tutorials on the internet about making tied fleece blankets. By looking at a variety of these tutorials, I had decided I wanted to tie my knots in a certain way and I wanted to cut the corners off of the blanket in order to make tying at the corners easier.

With those two decisions made, I began.

Good thing this first blanket is teeny tiny, for my little dog Daisy, because I did make some mistakes. I did not account for the "print" at the very edge of the fleece material. And it clearly shows in the finished project. I think it is distracting and ugly. Fortunately, Daisy can't read. And is probably colorblind. So that turns out to be a good learning opportunity for me - instead of disaster. Also, when I measured to cut out my corner squares, I didn't account for the width of the tape measure. As a result, I ended up with some 4" fringe and some 4 1/2" fringe. I had intended on fringe that was 1" x 4" - before the knot.  The 1" x 4" fringe was incredibly difficult for me to tie (with the knot I had chosen) with my bare hands.

I began using a heavy chopstick to help tied the knots. The chopstick helped me to adjust the knots and grip the material - making more uniform knots. In the future, I will make either longer or thinner strips of fringe for easier tying. Maybe both thinner and longer.


Materials Needed to Make Tied Fleece Blankets


  • Two pieces of fleece (I chose contrasting prints)
  • A sharp pair of scissors - I love Fiskars
  • A tape measure or yardstick
  • Optional - chopstick (a crochet hook may have worked)
  • Optional - masking tape (for marking the edges to help ensure measurements)

Caution: I have a very small apartment, so I laid the project out on the floor for cutting. With carpet, that was a risky move. Take great care if you make the same choice or you will likely give your carpet a haircut. I highly recommend doing the cutting on a flat, hard surface.

Steps:
  1. Lay out the two layers flat and smooth - one on top of the other - "right" sides facing out
  2. Measure for the corners - cutting out the corners (measure twice, cut once! Something I neglected to do)
  3. Carefully measure and moved down each side, cutting for the thickness of each fringe
  4. Begin tying the knots - Beginning with the fringe directly next to each now missing corner. That results in two tied fringe pieces on each side; anchoring the pieces together as they were initially placed together
  5. Continue tying the knots until the blanket is complete
That is all there is to it! As I tied the knots, I used the chopstick to adjust them to make them more uniform. And I frequently checked that the material was still lying flat together and hadn't shifted or puckered much.  Please scroll down for the photographs of the steps.

Daisy's finished blanket is approximately 20" x 20" (fringe included) - a similar size of her dog bed. 

Willy - trying to claim the blanket as his own
while I am trying to tie knots
This was a fun project. I am feeling more confident with making tied blankets. After I make a blanket for Willy (as clearly he wants one of his own!) I plan to move on to those adorable "kits" that are printed with cute patterns and make some blankets for the grandbabies.

If you have been considering trying tied fleece blankets, I encourage you to give it a try. Remember to scroll down for the step-by-step photos.


*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you. 




Tied Fleece Blanket Making: Step-by-step in photos