Hot Stuff

How Hot Is Too Hot?

 

 

It all started with some guacamole.

I went out for a late dinner last night and

had a taste for guacamole.  After the food

arrived I tasted the guac and it was hot -

spicy hot.  Mr. Wonderful tasted it and

agreed, the hottest guac he's ever had. 

When the waiter stopped by to check on us,

I asked him if they made the guac there, yes,

all made fresh in the restaurant.  I told him

it was very hot and he said they had started

making it differently, so I asked him to taste

it.  He agreed. It was hot!  I LOVE hot food

but this had no other taste ~no cilantro, no

lime, just hot.  I asked if he could bring me

some lime and cilantro and I would fix it to

my taste.  A while later, he came with a freshly

made bowl of guac, the cook had made a

bowl up just for me ~ lovely.

 

So, that made me ask ~ how hot is too hot?

 

 

I love hot food, I ate my way through Thailand

and loved it all.

 

 

I eat Indian food whenever I can...

 

 

The hottest thing I ever ate was in Mexico.

I was at a Breakfast Buffet at a resort and I

sampled a little of this and a little of that...

I tried a few of the salsas that were near the

omelette station and when I ate the salsa

verde ~ I was ready to spontaneously combust!

My eyes were watering, it was a bit hard to

breathe and I couldn't talk.  Wonderful looked

at me and said are you ok?  I pointed to a

container of a watery milk and did a hand

motion of drinking.  A little while later an

older kindly waiter came by and asked if I

was ok.  I told him I had the hottest thing I

had ever tasted.  He said, " Oh ~ the salsa

verde..."  He told me to be sure to have dairy

to nuetralize the heat, I pointed to the milk.

"That should do it."  Of course, I didn't stop

eating it, I just made sure I had plenty of the

milky stuff to drink.

 

What was the hottest thing you ever ate?

 

 

 



Honoring Women's Rights ~ Week 26

Ladies' Wreath

 

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Week, Grandmother's Choice.

http://grandmotherschoice.blogspot.com

 

 

This is how I made my block, the instructions

may be a bit different from the original.

 

 

Fabric Requirements:

 

Fabric A: Light

5 - 3 1/4'' squares - Mark a

diagonal line on back.

 

Fabric B: Purple

5 - 3 1/4'' squares

 

Fabric C: Green

4 - 2 1/2'' squares

 

Fabric D: Orange

1 - 3 1/4'' squares - Mark a

diagonal line on back.

 

Fabric E: Blue

1 - 3 1/4'' squares

 

 

Make Half Square Triangles:

Pair 3 1/4'' squares in the following combinations:

5 - A/B     1 - E/D

Sew 1/4'' away from each side of drawn line, cut on

drawn line and press seams to the darker fabric.

Square to 2 1/2''.

 

 

Make Quarter Unit #1

 

Layout half square triangles as shown and sew

together in 2 rows.  Press seam in row 1 to the

left and seam in row 2 to the right.  Sew rows

together and press seam to the top.

Square to 4 1/2''.  Make 2.

 

 

Make Quarter Unit #2

 

Layout units as shown and sew together in

2 rows.  Press seam in row 1 to the left and

seam in row 2 to the right.  Sew rows together

and press seam to the top.

Square to 4 1/2''.  Make 2.

 

 

Assemble Block:

 

Layout quarter units as shown and sew together

in 2 rows.  Press seam in row 1 to the left and seam

in row 2 to the right.

 

 

Sew rows together and square to 8 1/2''.

 

 

Here is an interesting quilt using this block.

It is 4 blocks across and 5 down and every other

block is rotated.  Add a few borders!

Copyright 2013 - American Homestead 

 

 

Here is a more modern quilt,

 

 

using a second alternating block.

Copyright 2013 - American Homestead

 

Check out everyone's work on Dustin's

Flickr site:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/grandmotherschoice/

 

American Homestead is

now on Facebook.

Please "like" my page.

http://www.facebook.com/americanhomesteaddesign

 

Thanks for visiting,

see you next Sunday!

~ Ellen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Gift From France

 

It is a bitterly cold and snowy day here in

the American Midwest.  As I was coming

home today I collected the mail and found

a package from France.  The lovely Corey

from the blog Tongue in Cheek had a birthday

recently and she gave presents to others!

I was lucky to be one of them.  My present

is a beautiful antique postcard and a lovely

bar of French soap. 

 

C'est magnifique!

 

Merci Beaucoup, Corey!

Honoring Women's Rights ~ Week 25

The Carrie Nation Quilt

 

 

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Week, Grandmother's Choice:

http://grandmotherschoice.blogspot.com

 

A nice easy block this week.  This is how I made

my block, it may differ a bit from the original.

 

 

Fabric Requirements:

 

Fabric A: Gold

8 - 1 1/2'' squares

4 - 2 1/2'' squares

 

Fabric B: Blue Flowers

8 - 1 1/2'' squares

 

Fabric C: Brown Print

6 - 2 1/2'' squares

 

Fabric D: Blue Leaves

2 - 2 1/2'' squares

 

 

Make Small 4-Patch Units:

 

Layout 1 1/2'' squares as shown and sew

together in 2 rows.  Press seams in row 1

to the left and seam in row 2 to the right.

Sew rows together, press seam open to

reduce bulk.  Square to 2 1/2''.  Make 4.

 

 

Make Large 4 - Patch #1:

 

Layout units as shown and sew together

in 2 rows.  Press seam in row 1 to the left

and seam in row 2 to the right.  Sew rows

together and press seam to the top.

Square to 4 1/2''.  Make 2.

 

 

Make Large 4 - Patch #2:

 

Layout units as shown and sew together

in 2 rows.  Press seam in row 1 to the left

and seam in row 2 to the right.  Sew rows

together and press seam to the bottom.

Square to 4 1/2''.  Make 2.

 

 

Assemble Block:

 

Layout large 4-patch units as shown and

sew together in 2 rows.  Press seam in row 1

to the left and seam in row 2 to the right.

 

 

Sew rows together and press final seam open

 to reduce bulk.  Square to 8 1/2''.

 

Check out everyone's work on Dustin's

Flickr site:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/grandmotherschoice

 

American Homestead can now

be found on Facebook.

Please "like" my page.

http://www.facebook.com/americanhomesteaddesign

 

Thank you!

See you next Sunday.

~ Ellen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Elle's Kitchen: Lentil Soup

 

A few weeks ago we visited our Kate at

Purdue University and took refuge from

the biting cold in a Middle Eastern restaurant.

Mr. Wonderful had a lovely bowl of lentil

soup to warm up, I tasted it and asked, "Why

don't I ever make lentil soup?"

 

Perhaps it is because many years ago I had an

awful bowl of lentil soup, it was bland and watery

and I couldn't eat it.  That stuck with me for years,

if someone suggested lentil soup, I would just say

I didn't care for it...

 

 

Last year in Istanbul, I took refuge from the

cold and rain in a funky little cafe that only

had lentil as the soup.  I was so cold I decided

to try it and I was in love!  Read about our

experience here.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

3 tabl. extra virgin olive oil

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrot

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups vegetable broth

1 1/4 cups lentils, rinsed & drained

14 1/2 oz. diced tomatoes with liquid

balsamic vinegar

celery leaves, chopped for garnish

salt and pepper

 

 

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over

medium heat.  Add onions, celery, carrots

and garlic and cook for 15 minutes until they

begin to brown.

 

 

Add vegetable broth, lentils and tomatoes.

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-

low, cover and cook for 35 minutes or until lentils

are soft.  Then put 2 cups of the soup solids in a

blender and puree, add this back to soup.  If too

 thick, add some more broth or water.  Season with

salt, pepper and a splash of vinegar.  Serve with a

garnish of the celery leaves.

 

 

I found this recipe to be a bit too bland for

my taste.  I added some Aleppo pepper and

kept adding more of a good Balasmic vinegar

to heighten the taste.

 

If anyone knows how to make a great Middle

Eastern spicy lentil soup, please send me a

recipe!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Valentine Dinner

 

Years ago we used to dress up and go out

to dinner for Valentine's Day.  The restaurants

were always jammed, even though you had a

reservation you still had to wait for your table,

the service was harried and it was crowded and

noisy ~ what is romantic about that?

 

Then we had babies and we would dress them

up in their Valentines's Day finest and go out

for a meal in the middle of the afternoon when

the restaurants were empty.  That was fun, though

probably not that romantic.

 

I suppose with age comes wisdom, we have been

doing this for 30 years afterall.  We realized there

was nothing better for Valentine's Day than to make

a special meal and enjoy it in front of the fireplace.

Just us ~ simple, happy, comfy.

 

This year we decided to make a favorite meal of mine

from when I was a young girl.  Back in those days we

didn't go out to eat all the time like people do now.

It was much more of a treat.  And a special treat for

us was to go to The Lobster Shanty on the inlet in

Point Pleasant, NJ.  I would order Surf 'n Turf ~ oh

my poor parents ~ it was probably the most expensive

thing on the menu.  When you are little you don't look

at prices, you have no idea of such things, luckily I ate

every bite.  So that is what we had for our special meal

this year, a lobster tail and filet mignon with asparagus

and those petite pommes that we are in love with.

...And I ate every bite ~ with just a little sharing with

Mia the Wonder Dog because she is my valentine too.

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

I love Valentine's Day.

I love hearts.

I love... love!

 

 

Hearts as a design motif have

always made me happy.

From way back when in grammar

school when I used to draw hearts

all over my school books that were

wrapped in brown paper shopping bags.

 

 

This is a piece I made many years

ago with antique buttons and some

beads when my cousin was teaching

me how to do silk ribbon embroidery.

At the time I had 2 very young toddlers

and not much time for being crafty.

 

 

A number of years ago, I was with a

group of women and one of them was

getting married.  She was talking about

themes for her wedding and said, "well

definitely no hearts, I don't like hearts."

What? 

It never occurred to me that someone

would dislike hearts...

 

 

Well, not me.  I love them and use them

in my designs all the time.

 

 

And don't get me started on how

many heart shaped cookie cutters

I own.

 

 

So I can make these for the ones

I love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elle's Kitchen; Eggs Everything Sandwich

 

When I was growing up, every once in a

while we would like a late night snack

and we would make "Eggs Everything".

We basically looked in the fridge and threw

in anything that looked good.

 

 

A few days ago I was visiting a friend

and we were admiring the chickens on

the property and I was lucky enough to

be sent home with a little bucket filled

with eggs.

 

So I decided to make something special

yet easy.  I "everything'ed up" a recipe

I saw on Pinterest.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Fold out Flat-Out bread

provolone cheese

crumbled bacon

chopped tomatoes

sliced scallions

eggs

avocado, sliced

milk

salt & pepper

 

 

I toasted the Flat-outs on a panini press.

I used Rosemary and Olive Oil.

 

 

Start by scrambling the eggs:

Crack the eggs into a bowl and with a

whisk whip them, add salt & pepper and

a bit of milk (or half & half).  Continue to

whip them until well combined.

 

Melt a little butter in a pan and add the

eggs.  Move them around with a spatula

and while they still look a little watery,

remove from heat.

 

 

Quickly add the bacon, tomatoes and

scallions and combine.

 

 

Place some of the egg mixture on one

side of the Flat Out, top with cheese

and avocado slices.

 

 

I served mine with homemade

hashbrowns and a fruit cup.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 



Honoring Women's Rights ~ Week 24

True Blue

 

 

We are quilting along with Barabara Brackman's

Block of the Week, Grandmother's Choice.

http://grandmotherschoice.blogspot.com

 

 

This is how I made my block, the directions may differ

a bit from the original.  But using these measurements

my block came out to a perfect 8 1/2''.  There will be

measurements that WILL freak you out, just go with

it and I promise, in the end it is easy...

 

 

Fabric Requirements:

 

Fabric A: Fussy Cut

1 - 3 3/16'' square

 

Fabric B: Red

4 - 1  13/16'' squares (this is the

freak out measure!)

 

Fabric C: Blue

4 - 1  13/16'' squares (again!)

2 - 4'' squares

 

Fabric D: Green

2 - 4'' squares - Mark a

diagonal line on back.

 

Fabric E: White print

8 - 1  13/16'' squares (last one!)

 

Regarding the Freak Out Measure:

Okay, I don't like them either but if

we want to make an 8 1/2'' block into

a 9-patch, well then, we have to deal

with some wonky measures.  Just look

at it ~ 1 13/16'' is in the middle of 1 3/4''

and 1 7/8''.  If you need to stick a little

piece of painters tape on your ruler to

remind you, that's fine.

 

 

Make Half Square Triangles:

 

Pair Fabric C and D 4'' squares with right

sides together.  Sew 1/4'' away from each

side of drawn line, cut on drawn line, press

seam to the darker fabric and square to 3  3/16''.

 

 

Make 4-Patch Units:

 

Layout the freak out squares (1  13/16'')

as shown and sew together in 2 rows.

Press seam in row 1 to the right and seam

in row 2 to the left.  Sew rows together.

 

 

Layout units as shown and sew together

in 3 rows.  (Note:  I rotated my 4 patches

because I liked how that looked in one of

Becky's blocks.)  Press seams in rows 1 and

3 to the outside and seams in row 2 to the

inside.

 

 

Sew rows together and press final seams

open to reduce bulk.  Square to 8 1/2''.

Mine came out just about perfect, which

considering the freak out measures, makes

me happy ~ I guess it was worth it!

 

Check out everyone's work on Dustin's

Flickr site:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/grandmotherschoice/

 

 

American Homestead can now

be found on Facebook.

Please "like" my page.

http://www.facebook.com/americanhomesteaddesign

 

 

Thank you!

See you next Sunday!

~Ellen