Christmas preparations.

I spent the day buzzing about the house, trying to get as much of my holiday prep work done as possible. It was raining hard for most of the day, so I didn’t want to go out, so I started writing out the Christmas cards, tidied the house up, knit on my nephew’s scarf for a while, and did a little preliminary baking – a test run of sorts. You see, I had recently bought some cranberry pistachio biscotti from Trader Joe’s (my favorite market) – and while they were good, I thought they could be a little better. So I found a basic biscotti recipe, and tweaked it a bit. The aromas wafting through the house were driving me to distraction, and my DH voiced a similar reaction. I was so pleased with the results, I thought I’d share. The recipe is so easy, and it tastes like it wasn’t!

Ria’s Easy White Chocolate, Cranberry, Pistachio Biscotti

3 cups flour

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon orange extract

1/2 cup vodka (you’ll see why…)

1/2 stick (4 tbs) of butter or margarine – room temperature

4 large eggs

1 3/4 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup crushed pistachio nuts

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Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder & coarse salt. I used what I had – pink himalayan seasalt – a gift from a few years back, and it works incredibly well in baking.

Cut in the butter or margarine.

In a measuring cup mix the 3 extracts with the 1/2 cup of vodka. The alcohol intensifies the flavors, and then evaporates off, leaving no hint that it was ever used. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients & lightly stir.

In a small bowl, break & lightly beat 4 eggs together & add that to the dry mixture.

Mix well, until a sticky dough is formed. If your mixture is a bit too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of milk or water.

When the dough is well mixed & of a slightly sticky consistency, mix in the cranberries, white chocolate chips, & pistachios. (I got all three from Trader Joe’s.)

Using a pan lined with either silpat or parchment paper, form the dough into a long loaf. Smooth out the sides and flatten the top to create a maximum thickness of 1 inch. The dough will spread a bit when heated.

Bake for 35-45 minutes @ 325 degrees. Take pan out & allow to cool for 20 mins. Slice loaf in half once length-wise, and then slice across to make 3/4 inch slices. Lay these slices flat on another pan & return them to the oven for 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, and turn the biscotti over. Return them to the oven one last time & bake for 10-15 mins more. Let cool & devour!

♥♥♥  ♥♥♥  ♥♥♥  ♥♥♥  ♥♥♥  ♥♥♥  ♥♥♥  ♥♥♥  ♥♥♥  ♥♥♥  ♥♥♥  ♥♥♥  ♥♥♥

The resulting biscotti are relatively low-fat, not overly sweet, and makes a nice treat to have with your tea or coffee. I hope you enjoy the recipe! If you do try them, I’d love to hear how they came out for you.

And the winner is…..

Congratulations, Oiyi! You’re the lucky winner of a new copy of Rowan Greatest Knits. Please check your email for the details.

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I’ve been just dying to write a new post – I’ve so much to share with y’all, but I didn’t want to create ‘comment confusion’ so I refrained. However, I couldn’t wait to post about La Casita – Brooklyn’s newest yarn shop – they opened recently & I wanted to get the word out before Christmas so folks could stop in & check them out. I’ve been there almost every day this week, and here’s some of the plunder I’ve taken home from there:

My first BrooklynTweed scarf will be completed with these balls of Noro silk garden.

I got some nice cheerful Ella Rae for my Mom. As I have mentioned in the past, she’s 80+ years old, and recently started knitting again after a long hiatus.

And I finally, I broke down & bought some gorgeous Araucania to try out. The colors are amazing – subtle, kettle dyed hues that the camera did not successfully pick up in these photos. It looks even more amazing in person.

I also downloaded a pretty pattern from Ysolda - Rose Red. I’ve admired it for so long, and as this winter is shaping up to be a cold one, I figure I could use a new hat. It’s beautiful in red, but I’m imagining this in either green or purple. We’ll see! I’ll post pics as I cast on – I don’t wish to post copyrighted pics I don’t own.

And finally, here is the reversible scarf – almost finished! It was a very nice pattern, but it took long enough to finish. I had plenty of time to get sick of it. I don’t like it when that happens – who does – but it’s especially bad when it’s a gift that you’re racing against time to finish, don’t you think?

So, I have just 1 week left before my first family holiday get-together. No pressure! I’m not sure if I take on too many projects at holiday time, or if I’m just getting slower, but next year, I’d better start all the preparations in August. I feel like another Christmas is passing me by, and I’m not getting to enjoy it fully.

FYI, I’m planning a second giveaway for after the holidays, so please check back for that. Aside from not being able to post & share with you all, this was really fun. Thank you to all who participated & Happy Holidays to you all!

Sidebar: a New LYS for Brooklyn: La Casita Yarn Shop & Cafe

This being a knitting blog, I know that I am addressing my own people, and being that I know you so well, I know that you have an idea of what the ideal yarn shop is for you. It must be a place where you can find both inspiration, and friendly guidance. The yarns you love, and the designers patterns that you favor, AND the unexpected surprise that you simply have to have. Add a pleasing environment to the mix, and maybe a little caffeine, and you just don’t want to go home anymore! Well, I am pleased to announce that I have found just such a place.

Earlier today I learned on Ravelry that a new yarn shop had opened here in Brooklyn, NY last weekend. Fellow ravellers asked for a review, and I decided to go check it out & provide one.

Brooklyn has become a much hipper place in recent years, and our stores & restaurants have been reflecting the increased, positive creative energy to be found here. Unfortunately, our existing LYSs made us choose: either go for the yarns you like, or the space you enjoy, but either way, deal with the limitations of inconvenient hours, cramped space, or the lack of the lack of refreshment a cup of coffee can provide. And it’s unfair to expect every convenience for our LYSs, but we still dream of finding it. Well, we no longer have to choose, or deal with the inconveniences.

La Casita Yarn Shop & Cafe opened quietly last Sunday. The yarns are mostly unpacked, the cafe is not yet ready, but the possibilities are plain to see.

The yarns are enticing: Rowan, Blue Sky Alpacas, Misti, Araucania, Debbie Bliss, Spud & Chloe, Noro & Ella Rae. There are plenty of pattern books & magazines to spur your creativity, and a comfortable, well-appointed surroundings in which to sit, knit & enjoy the company of fellow knitters…. all that & convenient late hours, too!

If I sound enthused, it’s because I am. I have finally found the yarn shop of my dreams. Because, beyond the great yarns & amenities, there’s the owners.

Pictured above are Amanda, Hannah & Jennifer – the creative hosts behind the shop. They’re smart, fun, enthusiastic knitters, and their energy is contagious.

Brooklyn has lost a few LYSs this year. It’s absolutely thrilling to see a new LYS that fills the void, and then some. I really hope you decide to check the store out for yourself. I loved it, and I feel it’s well worth the trip.

As for the Rowan pattern book giveaway, it’s still going on – please leave a comment on yesterday’s post in order to enter the contest, and the drawing will be held this Saturday at 11pm. Good luck & happy knitting!

A Holiday Giveaway!

Well, it’s been a rough year for almost everyone I know, and now that holiday time is upon us, I wanted to take the opportunity to spread some cheer amongst my knitting friends.

SO! I have a new copy of Rowan’s Greatest Knits to give away to one lucky participant, totally free. Just leave a comment on this post, and be sure to include some method of getting in touch with you – either an email address, or a link to your own blog containing contact info – I leave that up to you. I will not share contact info with anyone. This giveaway is open to all. The winner will be chosen on Saturday, December 12th, 2009 at 11pm EST.

ONE winner will be chosen AT RANDOM. I’m sorry, but if I can’t reach you within 24 hours, I will have to choose another winner. Good luck, & Happy Holidays to you!!

A new day, and new FOs & WIPs to share.

I had last posted about some trouble I had with a yarn order I recently placed – an important one. I decided to remove the post in the interest of trying not be negative during the holidays. I didn’t say or think anything mean, I just bemoaned my disappointment at a problem – granted a pretty big problem, but one that has been fixed completely, and I’m completely elated about that. And so, let’s move on…

Winter has taken up permanent residence here – at least for now – and the cold has been wreaking havok with my sinuses. Saline & my humidifier help tremendously, but I always worry that I might be more susceptible to catching cold when my sinuses are like this. I’ll be dosing up on my echinacea & golden seal just to be on the safe side. I have so much to do in the next few months – I just can not afford to get sick now.

Um, who *can* afford to get sick? Yeah.

Anyway… here’s one FO; – a lovely little cabled hat for my adorable nephew:

….made from Cascade 220 Superwash, which feels softer knit up than it does in ball form….and two WIPs; the matching red reversible-cable scarf:

Here’s the back…

…and here’s the front.

…and a Morehouse Bilbao scarf: here’s mine so far:

…and here’s what the pattern looks like on Ravelry, and also at Morehouse. It’s an unusual piece, but very stylish with the right outfit.

My Bilbao is made from Knit Picks ‘Shadow’ Kettle Dyed lace weight yarn in ‘Soot’. I had to double it, since this stuff is about as thick as dental floss, and STILL, it’s taking forever. Maybe because I made mine wider than the pattern called for, with a finer yarn? Hmm. The yarn is lovely & soft, and the color is ever so slightly variegated (kettle dyed). It’s really lovely.

Sorry, my iphone pics are not the best – I have to dig out the digital camera & start using that.

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged properly – Thanksgiving kinda took it out of me, but I’m fully recovered now. And here is a hint of things to come: there’s a nice little giveaway in your future!

Stay tuned…

“THE” EZ sweater is here!!

Woo hoo!! I ordered mine!! I’ve been less-than-patient in waiting, too! RT @twistcollective The EZ sweater from the Fall issue is here!

http://www.schoolhousepress.com/SpecialNL_nov2009m.htm

Tea & sympathy.

It strikes me that this is the grimmest holiday season I have yet seen. All of my friends & loved ones have been touched in some way by the economy & the related fallout. It’s a fine line (& getting finer) between ‘doing ok’ & ‘in trouble’. I think you can relate – we all know someone who fits this description. So, I’ve spent the last week running around trying to make preparations for the upcoming visitors who will soon be here, trying to create a day of normalcy for everyone – where we don’t have to think about the mortgage, or the job, or the shrinking stock portfolio, or any of the other unpleasantness that seems to be welling up on us from all angles. An old fashioned sort of day spent cooking together, playing board games with the kids, bringing gifts of food to elderly neighbors, laughing, smiling & sharing what we have & being thankful to have it.

Today I went into Chinatown to pick up the remaining ingredients for the holiday table. We are having a vegetarian Thanksgiving (as always) using some of our favorite recipes. I picked up the soy chicken today for the main dish from a store called May Wah.

They specialize in all  kinds of vegetarian ‘meats’ & other soy products. We discovered them a few years ago & recommend them highly. We’ve done the tofu turkey from the health food store – you know the one I mean – and it’s just not…good. The incentive to the non-vegetarians in our group dissolves when the promise of good-tasting food is removed from the equation, so we decided to change the menu to free us from the typical fare of turkey & stuffing. Thanksgiving has become a much more festive event ever since!

It was an afterthought to stop off at Ten Ren on Lafayette to pick up a little pick-me-up for myself. I got a small bag of rose black tea.

I used to buy Twinings rose pouchong tea up in Canada when I used to travel there frequently, and I’d always enjoyed the way the subtle scent of rose would reveal itself only after taking a sip of the hot tea.

This was a typical looking China tea – long leaf & bold, with a slightly earthy scent that usually accompanies Chinese teas of mid-level quality, but the brewing told another story.

The resulting brew had a beautiful reddish-copper color that I usually associate with Indian teas. The flavor was distinctly Chinese, and the rose aspect was perhaps a bit too subtle to be perceived over the strong tea flavor, but it was a nice treat all the same.

I have also managed to start the next knitted gift project – a red cabled hat for my little nephew. It’s simple – 5 cables total, with repeats on the 5th row.

I’m using Cascade 220 superwash for this hat & a matching scarf. It’s quite cold where he lives, so I feel he’d benefit from the warmth of the wool over the softer feel of the acrylics he’s used to, and I’m sure his parents will appreciate the easy washing instructions. I should be done with the hat by tomorrow & I haven’t yet decided how to make the scarf. I picked up the winter issue of Interweave Knits today & there was a nice article in there by Lily Chin on reversible cables that I thought night be an interesting technique to try out on the scarf. I’ll swatch it up & photograph it by Friday, hopefully.

I probably won’t be able to post again until after Thanksgiving, so I wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have the opportunity to celebrate the things that are good in your life & share them with those who are special to you.

Do I know myself, or what?

Well, I frogged the hood thingie I had started making. I was making it for a sweet little girl I knit for in Maine. I decided instead to make a neck gaiter. It’s a bit big, I think, but it can be shrunk a bit in the wash, and she’s growing, so I think it’ll be ok in the long run. That’s my cat Tony inspecting my work, BTW.

I knit a little staggered heart design into it, but you can hardly see the things because of the color changes. Well, she’ll know they’re there, and so will I.

I’ve also started a hat & scarf set for my littlest nephew. I’m still contemplating whether I should make them attached or not. Kids do a great job of losing hats & scarves! Well, there’s time for that yet.

I really wanted to make something special for my in-laws. They both have piles of hats & scarves & sweaters (though it’s a bit late at this point to try to complete 2 sweaters!) and they’re on a purging kick – they’ve been trying to get rid of all the things they aren’t using that are cluttering their lives – a feat that is as admirable as it is difficult. We attach sentimental notions to our belongings that can make it hard to part with them. I know they’d love a handmade item for Christmas, but I hate to screw up their purgy plans. I have to think it through – we’ll see.

I’m also gearing up for the Thanksgiving meal! It’s the first time in over a decade that we’re having it here in Brooklyn. My DH’s brothers will be driving down from upstate with their families for a festive vegetarian celebration. We are all bringing something: I’ll be making an apple pie, cranberry shortbread, and my super-scrummy bourbon “chicken”. I might make a side dish & some wine, too, but I’ll have to check with my Mum-in-law. She will be hosting the dinner at her house, so she should decide what else is needed.

I’ve got to go to the stores to pick up the ingredients I’ll be needing. It’ll be like descending into a sort of controlled madness, but it must be done! It’ll be nice to have a house full of loved ones again! I hope you have a similarly festive holiday planned for yourself.

A much needed break & a lovely day at the shore.

Today was my Nameday – it’s a Greek thing – there are days devoted to celebrating certain saints, and if you are named after a saint, you celebrate your Nameday on the same day. It’s something I tend to forget about, but my Mum reminded me today, so my DH decided to take me out to the beach today to celebrate. I’m a lucky girl!

We got off to a rather late start – I was a bit under the weather & couldn’t decided if going out would help or hinder. Thank goodness it helped!

A beautiful coastline is probably not the first thing that leaps to mind when you think of New York City, but it’s quite close, if you know where to look. Dunes, rocks, sand & sun – all the magnificence of nature, all for free.

I am ridiculously lucky. Did I mention that already? It bears repeating.

We stayed ’til after the sun set below the horizon – I always hate to leave the shore.

The sunset was amazing, and afterwards we went to the Little Cupcake for…

…nom, nom, nom… cupcakes! (And a soy latte)

Thank you for enduring an off-topic post & sharing my day with me. More on knitting next time, I promise.

Back to normal… (wait, this is normal??)

My Mum is home from the hospital (YAY!!!) – the rib was badly bruised – not cracked, and they gave her some lovely prescription painkillers to distract her. Pity they didn’t write me a script as well.

Well, now the drama’s behind us, back to knitting. My knitting dry spell has ended, and I’ve worked on the Darcy cardigan I’m trying to get done by Christmas, as well as some pressies for the young ones in my life. I got a ball of tutti-fruitti colored yarn from a friend over the summer & it’s amazingly soft, but the label is long gone so the possibility of getting a second ball is nil. Such yarn begs to be used in a kid’s project, so I cast on to make a hood/scarf thingie of my own design (though knowing me – I’ll probably frog it & turn it into something else shortly). I snapped a couple of pics to show how the yarn knits up.

The fact that the yarn is single ply almost made me reconsider – I was afraid it might get felted in the wash, but I think most kids wouldn’t care about that sort of thing too much.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to get done all of the things I have queued up in time for the holidays. It’s kind of a nice break to work in variegated yarns at holiday-time, as I usually never use them – only for the kiddies. I always admire the way the colors look on the skein, but I feel they lose something when you knit them up. Especially when they ‘phase’ and create pockets of color that look rather more like stains than whimsical color use. But that’s probable just me being too picky again…