Martha's Jalapeno & Garlic Shrimp

I decided to make that yummy Cucumber & Dill salad again and thought a simple shrimp dish would go nice.  This shrimp recipe comes from Martha Stewart Living May 2010.  It might appeal to some of you who don't like your food too spicy.  I found it a bit bland for my taste and would prefer to have something with a bit more kick like my Adobo Shrimp .  Still, I liked it enough to eat a bunch of them.  And I did just run out of black pepper so, maybe that would have helped.  :)

Ingredients:

1 pound of peeled, deveined shrimp
3 garlic cloves pressed
1/2 jalapeno chile, seeds removed, finely chopped (I recommend the entire chile)
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Toss together the shrimp, garlic, lime juice and a Tbsp of the oil.  Season with salt and pepper, and marinate in fridge for 45 minutes.

2. Heat remaining oil in large skillet over med/high heat.  Remove the shrimp from the marinade and add to skillet.  You can use less oil if you use a non stick skillet.  Cook through, about 2 minutes per side.


serve with lime wedges.

Roasted Broccoli with Kalmata Olives, sliced Garlic, Oregano & Lemon

It's a coolish overcast day and I was craving roasted veggies.  So I went with Roasted Broccoli!  Yum!


Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sucanat  (or sugar)
5 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp pitted, minced kalamata olives
1 tsp. minced fresh oregano
juice from one lemon

Directions:


1. Adjust rack to lowest position, place quality baking sheet on rack and preheat oven to 500°F (convect roast if you have convection)

2. Cut your broccoli at the stems, remove outer peel from stalk and cut stalks into 1/2 inch thick pieces.  Cut broccoli crowns into wedges. Place broccoli and cut stalks in a bowl, toss well with 2-3 Tbsp olive oil, salt and sucanat. 

3.  When oven reaches desired temp., remove baking sheet using oven mitts, transfer tossed broccoli to baking sheet and spread into an even layer, flat sides down. Return to oven and roast for about 9-10 minutes until lightly browned.

4.  While the broccoli is roasting, heat the rest of the olive oil on med/low heat, add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, cook stirring, until garlic is soft and golden brown.  Remove from heat and stir in the olives, oregano and lemon juice.  Toss into the roasted broccoli and serve.

PISSY for short......

Kathy Mack from Pink Chalk Fabrics posted the following on her blog, and boy did I identify.  I quote:

"Let me just say I’ve had one of those weeks months. I’m not sleeping well either just to make it extra special for all the loving souls I’m blessed to be surrounded by each day.

After a little research I discovered I’m suffering from Periodic Inadequacy Syndrome Series Y (PISSY for short). An extremely common ailment amongst craft bloggers. It’s characterized by a feeling of inadequacy and envy brought on by reading too many blogs about too many perfect lives lived by people creating too many perfect projects in their too perfect houses. It often appears in conjunction with delusions that one should be Twittering, Facebooking, blogging, Flickring,  producing a YouTube Video, Digging, and LinkedIning all at the same time or else they’re just not doing everything they should to make their craft business a success.  I’ve got a very bad case.  The antidote is e-mail and phone communication with people smarter than yourself. " 

Now, in my case, it was a short conversation with Sandy.  Which prompted an "aha" moment of realization that I am not a victim of too much to do.   I am a victim of myself who really needs to make sure everyone thinks I am perfect when I really know I am not.   See....now I can feel inadequate and have good reason!

Sew Spoiled Weekender Tote Sew Along Week 1

fabric choices,
originally uploaded by SquareBag.

Week 1 - The fabric choices.

I have chosen two Amy Butler prints and a creamy linen-cotton blend solid. No sure what will go where yet, but I like the combination.  This is a large tote bag, so the creme, orange, taupe, brown etc should be great.
Check back next week for our progress.  If you want to see progress of all of us in the group just go to our Sew Spoiled Weekender Tote Project flickr page.  The group numbers 42, so it will be fun.

Travel Tote Sew Along

Travel tote outside,
originally uploaded by Sew Spoiled.

I have joined this flickr sew-along hosted by Sew Spoiled. I like the bag and will have fun making it . Here is the timeline:

Here is the Time line...
Gather Fabric and supplies- - - - - - April 17- May 1
Cut out the pieces - - - - - - - - - - - - -May 2- May 8
Outer Shell Pleats - - - - - - - - - - - - -May 9- May 15
Straps and finish Outer Shell- - - - - -May 16- May 22
Pockets and Magnet Clasp - - - - - - May 23- May 29
Lining and Finish the Tote- - - - - - - May 30- June 5T
take a photo or two each week of my progress!
Post questions here on on Leah's blog at www.sewspoiled.blogspot.com

If you want to join in....click the link under the photo...go to Flickr and get started!

Pleated Pink Wonders!

Pleated Pink Wonders!,
originally uploaded by aggieray46.

from Linda at AggieRay.....I want this fabric, this pattern....that not possible I want this bag...NOW. This is my favorite creation from my friend.

Fresh Cucumber & Dill Salad

This is super fresh and great for spring and summer!  Buckarooken likes it too!
note: This salad is really delicious.  I think I have made it at least a 1/2 dozen times within a few weeks. 

Ingredients:

Salad-
1 head of Romaine lettuce, washed dried and cut into bite size pieces
1 cucumber, peeled & thinly sliced
1/4 cup of red onion, diced
1 bunch of fresh dill, chopped

Dressing-
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. sea salt
3 cloves of garlic, pressed

Directions:

1. In a large serving bowl combine all of the Salad ingredients and toss

2. In another small bowl, whisk the olive oil into the other dressing ingredients until fully combined

3. Pour dressing over salad and toss.  serve.

Buckarooken's best banana bread

Gluten Free banana bread made for me by my talented husband. :)

Ingredients:

2 cups Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
1 1/2 tsp. xantham gum
3/4 cup sucanat (or sugar if you can't find sucanat)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped coarse
4 small over ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs, beaten lightly
6 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F with rack in the lower middle position. Grease and flour a non stick 9x5x3 loaf pan. In a separate large bowl , combine the flour, xantham gum, sucanat, baking soda, salt & walnuts.

2. Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl using a wooden spoon. Lightly fold the banana mixture into larger bowl with the dry ingredients with a spatula until just combined. Transfer the batter into the loaf pan and bake until golden brown and toothpick in center comes out clean. About 55 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring the loaf to a wire rack.

Honeyed Soy for Scallops: 04.16.2010

2 1/2 cups soy sauce
1 jar (14.1oz) orange blossom honey
2 Tbsp olive oil
xanthan gum as needed

- whisk together all ingredients, adding x-gum as needed until you reach proper consistency
- strain through chinois

Potato Gratin for Steak au Poivre: 04.16.2010

4 gallons sliced potatoes, 1/4" thickness
salt, pepper and oil as needed
5 lbs grated cheddar or combination of cheddar and gruyere
6 spanish onions, sliced thin
3 cups shaved sopressata
1 bunch rosemary, minced
1 bunch thyme, minced
1/2 lb butter
1/2 cup oil
3 qts heavy cream
salt to taste

- toss potatoes with oil, salt and pepper and divide between roasting pans in a somewhat thin layer
- roast until just cooked; cool, combine and add cheese
- meanwhile sweat onions, sopressata and herbs in the butter and oil until soft; season as you go
- add cream and bring to a boil; remove from heat and allow to cool somewhat
- combine cream mixture with potatoes and cheese and divide between 3 hotel pans lined with parchment
- cover and bake 2 hours; chill overnight

Peruvian Dressing for Potato Salad: 04.16.2010

2 poached eggs
juice of 2 lemons
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
2 Tbsp chopped mint
1 serrano chile, seeded and de-ribbed
1 Tbsp salt
1 1/2 cups grapeseed oil

- blend first six ingredients thoroughly
- then gradually incorporate oil while blender is running

Hexies In The Guest Room....

Same fabrics on the pillow as were used in the quilt.  I must have known that there would be a use for those scraps someday.  

My fiber artist blog friends have been posting photos and projects of the most creative uses of fabric and arrangements for making hexies.....very old technique with a very modern touch.  I love it....

More on the hexies....a little tutorial

I put some photos of making my hexagons up on Flickr and got a question or two on using the plastic template.  


I  have used both the English paper-piecing method and  the plastic or mylar foundation piecIng.  I  bought  a ton of them back in the day and launched an ambitious Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt top using them..the idea being that you could leave them in the hexies, sew them together to make one 18 hexie block,  press (mylar is heat resistant) then pop them all out.  Start again.  I liked it since there were no basting stitches to remove and no paper to take out. However, I ran out of patience and dumped the whole project some years back.


Then, when Heather  from A La Mode Fabric sends an email asking me to join the hexie group. I found about three or four of them left in my junk.  I wanted to make the pillow that Ashley made.  So I used just one of the plastic joberdoos as follows:  

Do a running stitch around the edge of the fabric. Pull the thread to gather and tie off.  Press using warm iron with a spritz of starch...allow to cool and then pop out the plastic.  Repeat.

Making these little guys is addictive...plus you can put fabric scraps, needle, thread scissors and your template in a zip-lock and drop it in your bag.  Portable hand work is a good thing!

Personally, I would never do it this way for a quilt.  But I wanted a whole bunch of  hexies to put on my pillow.  

Copying Ashley's pillow design, I made my own from scraps from a repro fabric quilt I made. I had an 18" pillow form, so cut a piece of Kona White 20" square, another of batting and two pieces about 20 by 12 for the envelope back. Spray basted the top to the batting and quilted using inspiration courtesy of CharminI 

have a Janome, and it comes with a blind-hem foot. I moved the needle posittion all the way to the left and sort of improvised a 1/8" foot. I sewed all the hexies down with 1/8" allowance all around.  

Made bias binding....put that on and added the backing and voila!  This was fun, fun, fun!


p.s.  I love the way the hexies are all organized in the upper right, then they start escaping and tumbling down.....the symbolism is not lost on me ;)


BTW, all the talented ladies whose work I admire and have mentioned here are listed in my blogroll..over in the right column.  

Grapefruit, Kiwi & Walnuts for breakfast

After last nights onion rings, I figured it would be for the best to stick to healthy treats today. I segmented a Ruby Red Grapefruit and added Kiwi slices and some fresh Raw Walnuts. (I always squeeze out all the juice from my grapefruit skins and gobble that up as well.)
We plan to make a delicious East Indian Spicy tomato soup for dinner and maybe some flatbread. I promise to post the results!

Gluten Free Onion Rings!

Ok so I have been craving onion rings for , oh I dunno, about 2 years! Eventually I had to give in and tonight we actually made some of the delicious crispy onion treats. Of course I will need to pull a double at the gym tomorrow to work off the extra fat, but it was worth it.


Ingredients:

2 yellow onions, peeled & cut into 1/2 inch sections, rings pulled apart
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
1/4 cup medium yellow cornmeal
3 liters vegetable oil
sea salt
Fresh ground pepper


Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°F (you will keep your onion rings crisp and warm in there as you do them in batches).

2. In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, 1 1/2 tsp. salt and a tsp. fresh ground pepper. mix and toss in your onion rings, toss to coat and let sit for at least 15 minutes.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 tsp. salt & 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper.

4. Preheat your vegetable oil to 350°F. We used a deep fryer, but you could easily use a dutch oven and an attached candy thermometer. (note we did our deep frying in the garage so as to avoid stinking up my little house with the scent of frying oil)

5. When your oil is hot, dredge a few onion rings in the flour mixture and place in the oil. You must work in small batches so don't crowd them! Cook for a total of 2 minutes, turning once with some tongs about half way through the cook time.

6. Remove your batch of onion rings from the oil and place on a paper towel lined cookie sheet, salt lightly. Place the cookie sheet in the preheated oven to keep the onion rings warm and crisp for up to 30 minutes while you deep fry the rest.

7. Eventually you will tire of making onion rings and then you will know you have enough. Serve with ketchup, and dinner (if you have any room after gorging yourself on crispy onion rings.)

originally uploaded by SquareBag.

I ordered Laurie's Donkeys in Wellies  and a few fats of  some of the others at: www.etsy.com/shop/scarletfig

She says : "The fabric here in my store is all Limited Release. That means I produce it myself in small quantities and it’s only sold here in my store. My Limited Release fabrics are digitally printed usingwww.Spoonflower.com";

Head on over before all these fabulous designs are gone.

Next month her line "Tufted Tweets", her first collection of fabric for Robert Kaufman, will be available through fabric retailers in May 2010!  Hopefully through her shop????

I will be first in line!

Flapper Purse

Flapper Purse,
originally uploaded by SquareBag.

Purse is based on a pattern by Lisa Gay, Aivilo Charlotte Designs

This is an incredibly versatile pattern. Make it once to get the hang of construction, then add whatever strikes your fancy.  I quilted the flap, changed up the flap shape, and am now on my third bag.

Now that I have learned to put zippers in bags.....I want zippers in all of them.  This bag just listed in my Etsy shop SquareBag Shoppe

Roasted Carrots & Sweet Potatoes

After eating the super garlicy RAW cauliflower dish for lunch, I was craving something cooked. Roasted to be exact. I'm pretty sure I will never be a RAW foodist. :)

Ingredients:
2 small sweet potatoes, washed, trimmed & cut into thick wedges
1 bunch of small organic carrots, washed & peeled
2 or 3 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt
fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. In a large bowl, drizzle sweet potato wedges in olive oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper, toss to coat.
3. Place sweet potato wedges on a foil lined cookie sheet & roast on the middle rack for about 15 minutes
4. Toss the carrots in olive oil, salt and pepper. Remove cookie sheet from oven & add to your carrots to the sheet in a single layer.
5. Turn oven up to 475° and return cookie sheet to oven.
6. Turn potatoes & carrots occasionally until they are browned nicely.

simple and delicious!


I have never mentioned that I have a convection oven. but I do and I use the convect setting all of the time. just so you know.

Fluffy Macadamia & Cauliflower Mash

I brought home my new Kitchenaid food processor last night! This is the first recipe I made with it. Todays recipe is raw & vegan so take note: raw garlic is very strong. Just a little warning in case you forgot.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cauliflower, ground in a food processor
1/4 cup raw macadamia nuts, ground in a food processor
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tiny little clove of garlic, peeled


Directions:

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until fluffy.
2. Add fresh ground pepper to taste & a few broken macadamia nuts as garnish.

(this will serve 4 people)

Spicy Thai Coleslaw

I love coleslaw! This one is hot and spicy and vegan. You can play with the amount of spices if you don't like as much fire (or if it is for the kidlets).

Coleslaw Ingredients:

3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
1 cup peeled and shredded zucchini
1 cup shredded carrot
1 handful fresh basil, chopped
1 handful fresh mint, chopped
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 bunch fresh chives, cut
1/2 cup raw unsalted peanuts

Dressing Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup tamari gluten free soy sauce
2 1/2 Tbsp sucanat (that's paddled, non-refined cane sugar)
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 one inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled & minced fine
1 heaping tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Assemble all of the coleslaw ingredients together in a large bowl and toss to mix well.

2. Assemble all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

3. Pour the dressing over the coleslaw, toss and serve. (you might not need to use ALL of the dressing)

Hexies.....

Film In The Fridge is making hexagons....hexies.  She made a ton of them,  gave some away then came up with this idea!

Photo:http://www.filminthefridge.com/2010/04/01/i-made-pillows/

Then I got an invite to join a Flickr Group called Handsome Hexies  (a group where you post photos and exchange information about the adorable hexie and what you can do with them).   Before accepting,  I went digging around my sewing room for a old project I had started but gave up on.   There they were..... a ton of templates and reproduction fabric left over from a whirlygig quilt that is in our guest room.  Okeydokey....I am good to go!  I join the group.  My project will be to make a couple of pillows like Ashely did to go with the quilt.  My guest room will look pretty spiffy!  

    

Sampaquita Quilts

I found this lady's quilt on flikr...and simply stared.   

It pops, the colors are so clean and movement of the design is lovely.  She appliqued the elements onto the quilt by machine after she quilted it and used thread the same color as the fabric.  The back of the quilt is a knock-out....

Go take a look, and don't miss the photostream she has on Flickr .   Of course I went  to her blog 
and on to her Etsy shop for more eye candy.

Thank you flikr and etsy friends...

Thank you to Alice and crazyhousequilts from Etsy and Flickr for identifying the fabrics I want so much, but only saved the photo.....what a wonderful group of folks.  Thank you both.

Help, please...

Does anyone know what fabric line (s) these swatch photos belong to, or where i can find them?
I was going through my usual haunts looking for fabrics and saved these to my iPod.  Now i can't remember where I found them....Many thanks for your help....I feel like an idiot.