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Pasta with Ricotta Cheese and Lemon 

I kept seeing different pictures of Pasta with Ricotta Cheese and Lemon and .  So of Parmesan Cheese.   I bought a huge tub of Ricotta.   I bought the wrong cheese.  It should have been whole milk Ricotta.  And I knew I had plenty of Parmesan which I didn’t.   And my 2-lemons were in the veggie bin, with black spots.   

So it’s fair to say.  I messed up.  I followed the basic parts and it was tart with lemon and didn’t have any weight. 

Which is why I should have used Whole milk Ricotta, and picked up real lemons instead of using juice.  And it was stron Romano Cheese as a Parmesan replacement. 

I channeled Julia Child. …….She’s my patron saint.  And I love her attitude.

She always said.  If you run out of butter, use cream.  

To give it some density I added- 1 whole cup heavy cream (bless you Julia)

Then about a cup of mild shredded cheddar cheese.

Everything was still hot.  So this is blending nicely.  However it needed to

be baked to actually pull together 

I ground some bread and Ritz crackers..Making some tasty bread crumbs.

Melted butter and slowly stirred in the cracker/bread crumbs.  Meanwhile I buttered

a glass pie plate.

Set the oven to 350

Poured the warm Pasta/Cheese into the buttered pie plate.  Covered all the pasta with the buttered bread crumbs. 

I baked it about 20 mins.  It was bubbly on the edges.  And I didn’t want it to dry out.

And after letting it sit a bit. I took a serving.  It was very good.  

I’d love to link the REAL recipe.  However it’s a NY Times site.  And I’ve used up my welcome.

I’ll make it again.  

Meanwhile today….I baked bread. The easiest way. I used two frozen Rhodes White Bread loaves. Thawed, let rise once. Kneaded them into a huge ball. Sliced in two. Then Made two round loaves with first folding in Cheddar Cheese.. These gorgeous loaves. YUM.

It’s beautiful weather today. So this bread rose in about 20 min.

I hope you’re enjoying FALL!!

Baby Sweater: Red Heart Yarn. Yarnspirations #LW5219

It must be a year ago.  I saw this baby sweater pattern.  I thought it was a top down knit.  Until the day I read the directions and found differently.

So I set out to make my own.Using measurements, provided on the pattern.  I thought it came out cute.

Red Heart’s Yarnspirations pattern #LW5219

I still have to block it. It’s Lion-Brand yarn. I had fun trying to alter the pattern. I think I have the hang of it!!

Have a FUN FRIDAY!!

Try to remember the kind of September When life was slow and oh, so mellow

And here we are. Our days are turning to Autumn and Mother Nature is using her best colors.

I finished my Prayer Shawl. I call it Cape Cod Cranberry. I took the pattern, from the Pray Shawl Book for knitters. There is also a book for crocheters.

This is Lion-Brand’s yarn. It’s top down. Starting with 4 stitches/increase w/yarn over, before the third stitch..place marker and repeat till it’s 30 inches.

I do like how it drapes. and it’s the king of yarn you can snuggle.

I’m spending a lot of these days on my porch. There is always a breeze. It comes off the woods. I’m fortunate for that. This is my view.

Everyone find a way to stay cool!!

July (so far)

I’ve been having a very nice July. This time last year I was going through Radiation. Every workday morning, for two months. I had cancer in both breasts. I made it through. Mostly because I have wonderful friends and neighbors. And of course a beautiful family.

It changed my way of thinking. It changed how I respond. I figured I don’t have to be in the middle of every discussion. And it’s true. Be in bed by 9 every night. You’ll have little regrets. Because your mouth isn’t flapping. I say that today. Next week WHO KNOWS!

We have a house on Cape Cod. I’m only 40 mins from the Bridge (Bourne). So why I’m not there more often is beyond me. This is where you only hear birds, or water splashing when they dive to their prey. You may hear an A/C motor but it will be off in the distance.

Our street’s name is Bellavista. And you can see why with this lovely view of nature made cranberry bogs

The sun sets very fast, so I clicked away. These are some bogs and to the left of where I am is the sea, and marshes with roses. There is a very good reason they declared a lot of the Cape as a National Seashore.

I had to pay for a program with WordPress. And I’m not good at it. I can’t find how to delete anything. It just keeps adding pictures and paragraphs that need editing and I can’t figure it out.

So I’m going to end it here. I’ll probably learn eventually then they’ll tell me to update the program and well that won’t be fun either haha.

Enjoying the stash!

I’m still loving my delivery, from Lion-Brand. I was able to make a set. Using “Mount Rainier”. It’s a “Heartland” yarn. And it’s a delight to knit. It is soft but has a good drape, and handles well, on the needles. It never split, there are no knots, or lumps. Not with the skeins I used. Although I rarely run into that problem with this make.

I made a cowl, mittens and I also did a scarf using the Addi Circular Knitting Loam. I don’t think I caught a picture of it. As I wanted to get it to my dear friend. She lived in Washington State looking at Mount Rainier..which is exactly what this gorgeous yarn is called.

Mount Rainier Heatland Yarn by Lion-Brand. This is it while I work the loom.

And these are the cowl and mittens. Btw. They feel so nice to wear.

These are the 4-needle mittens. I cast on 34 stitches on size 3 needle. I use small needles on all mittens even though they recommend size 7. I need the mittens to be tight, which makes them comfortable. It also keeps the shape, which helps with warmth.

The border it does in REDWOOD, by Heartland. Oh me and my Heartland. And here I am 20 mins from the bridge to Cape Cod and the open sea.

Lassen Volcanic is the name of this line. It’s a pretty shade, and a bit of a sheen like the Tacoma line.

COWL

With size 8 circular needles

Cast on 84 stitches…knit 3 rows even 

4th row, purl 4 knit 3. …do Four Rows

You should be 8 rows now.  The 9th row,

purl the 4 stitches and make a cable of the next 

three stitches.   It’s simple. …purl 4 and then put

the needle in the back of the third KNIT stitches knit that stitch

(it can be awkward  the first few times)  then knit the next

two. You just made a cable.  Continue in pattern making 

a cable every 4th round.  

You can make it as long as you wish.  This one is 10 inches.

MITTENS

I use the standard 4-needle mitten pattern. It’s in my head now.

I used size 3 needles.  Because I wanted it to be snug.  I cast on.  

34 stitches and knit 2-purl-2.  for 4 inches. I make them long in 

the wrist and below the thumb. This isn’t a fast project. It takes

me a week to make a mitten.  Keep little notes when you have

to put it aside.

This is the actual VERY OLD pattern for 4-needle mittens. 

https://freevintageknitting.com/mittens/615-mittens-pattern.html

It was a dark day. I had to put everything on a chair and use the light, from the window. I wanted to get the color closest to the shade it is. It’s a cabled cowl and the standard 4-needle mittens.

And this is my HOMEMADE BREAD. I added a 1/4cup of Libby’s Pumpkin, and decreased the warm water. It’s GOOD. Makes a nice Tuna Salad! I slice it in half and freeze it. It is rich and has no preservatives. It will get moldy if I don’t. Fortunately when it thaws it will still taste homemade.

It’s March….Already!

I joined a Beginners Knitting page on Facebook. Which of course meant I needed even MORE yarn. And of course Lion-Brand was having a sale. I did very well. Their “Heartland” yarn (which is so sot and cuddly) was marked down. So I went for the GOLD!

I also was able to finish a Prayer Shawl. I love the Caron Baby Soft Yarn. And it did have a few fuzzy spots. But it never split and was very easy to manage. Now I hate the stripes. I did love it in the beginning. Anyway I made up for it by making a nice soft “Chemo Cowl”. It with baby yarn of all sorts of shades. I made one for myself a yr ago. And I love it. So this is the shawl with cowl.

I had an extra skein of the shawl yarn and make a little lady’s scarf. It’s so soft, and squishy!!

I have a hundred million things to do. I think I’ll sit and knit to plan my day!

Have a GREAT DAY!! (she came for coffee yesterday morning)

A New Year 2023

I’ve been knitting, as usual. I got a new storm coat and needed a decent cowl. Because the coat is navy blue. I went with a deep orange and a blue yarn. I don’t know the name of it. It was in my stash, and looked lonely. I’m surprised that it is soft but strong.

I’m also STILL working on a cowl, with baby yarn. There are a LOT of stitches in baby yarn. I’m enjoying it. I’m doing it for any lady going through the lose of hair. When you’re fighting cancer and the fatigue that comes with it. It’s nice to be comfortable and feel a wee bit human, with a pretty cowl

I followed a patter by Vanna White. It was Lion Brand, and I liked the colors chosen. So I made the hat. However my gauge was off and it looks more like a Slouch. Then with all the yarn I made a cowl. I don’t have the directions for the hat anymore. I’ll have to check Lion Brand. However I took the leftover yarn and make a cowl. And I just LOVE wearing this thing. This and a heavy sweater is ideal for Fall.

COWL: Size 9 Circular Needles, Cast On, 84 stitches. Knit two (2) Purl two (2). About a good 4-5 inches. Then increase ONE knit stitch, All around. Continue till desired length. This is 12 inches long. You can make this as long as you want.

Enjoying November

I’m starting to enjoy the seasons to come. I have a lot of my cancer treatments, behind me. Now I have free days. Starting with re-potting the Orchid. Which was an experience. They really do need cramped roots, and tiny pots. It’s like squeezing a fat lady into a small corset. But I DID IT!!

The best time I had yesterday. Was to bring pots, into my little Greenhouse. And fill the benches with some nice things to come. These are my herbs, of Parsley, Basil, plenty of Thyme and Marjoram. These are fresh and healthy. No spraying, and rich dirt.

This is showing my Money Plant. I love that old thing. It’s about 15 years and gives the nicest shade of green. It’s n that white/pink pot. It’s an original. As it grows it’s stems they twist around each other. This makes an interesting TRUNK. Now they use a hybrid and plant two and twist them manually.

There are a couple of Christmas/Easter Cactus.

I have some pretty flowers too……….

This one is going to make me even MORE GREY!! Ha, I let her munch for a bit then knock on the window. If she eats it all today…nothing is left for tomorrow!