I invented a pie!

No, I didn't have time to do it but I saw bonino mauro plums at the grocery store.

I also grabbed a bag of cranberries.

Used a ridiculous amount of butter.

Washed, chopped, sliced, blended, baked.

Enjoyed.

Carly's Plum-Cranberry Pie
Filling:
3 cups plums, pitted and sliced (approx 1/2 lb)
1 cup cranberries, halved
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper (trust me)

Streusel:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4-1/3 cup butter (1/4 cup melted gives you a crunchier streusel, 1/3 cup cold and cut into dry ingredients is crumblier but more butter than you need considering the amount in the crust)

Crust:
I use Martha's Perfect Pie Crust recipe.  It makes enough for a two-crust pie so there is currently a half-batch in the fridge in case I get pie-crazy again...  This crust is so good; it's a little heavier than those made with lard or shortening but the taste and texture make up for it.

1 egg, beaten

Make your crust and chill an hour or so.  Roll out and put in pie pan.  Fancify your edge.  I know some prefer to just fork around it, but I like to flute it.  Brush inside and edge with egg.

Keeping Up

I have survived parent-teacher interviews.  Not that it wasn't a positive experience.  It was fantastic, actually.  But I am beyond wiped at this point, and finished with conversing for a day or two! I shall entrench myself in a couch nook, do some lesson planning, and try to relax with a little sewing.

Since my sewing space is always temporary, I like to do as much of one thing as possible at a crack.  Therefore, I've cut everything for this quilt and stored it in a ziploc.  The pattern said to cut the strips, sew them all in a long strip and then cut the borders off that piece.  I've already sewn the border strips and binding, though it'll be a while before I get to that part. (Months?)  Then I thought, hmmm, crap.  How'm I going to store the super long border strips?

Wind it around the 6" ruler and keep it from getting crazy!
My spiderweb triangles are finished but I haven't found enough time or space to lay them out yet...  My kingdom for a design wall!

The darker colour is the entirety of the middle.  The cream part hasn't even been added yet.  The floor space between the bed and the closet is not big enough...  Also, the lighting is one watt above kerosene lantern.

Well, I need to run!  Nephew is nine-and-a-half months of chubby, moving, curiosity chaser, and currently pinching my toes while doing his velociraptor impression....

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you are a Canadian, Happy Thanksgiving to you!
If you are not, here is a random picture of a turkey.

I have a great deal to be thankful for and in the spirit of gratitude, thank you for stopping by, for reading, for commenting, for writing your blogs, for sharing and inspiring, for teaching and passing forward what you've learned, for comfort, for laughter, and for being you.  I love you!

If you were here, I'd give you pie.

Steve

What do I say?  

His influence on me and on how I do things, how I teach, interact and work, is distinctly visible in how I live my daily life.  

It's not simply possessions - possessions only carry a person so far - it's a way of thinking, of looking at things, a elegant simplicity, and a demand of excellence.  It's a lifestyle, a philosophy, an idea.

He was a unique individual, a visionary, a pioneer, a genius and possibly a tyrant.  He didn't know me, nor I, him.  But he understood my goals and how I wanted to reach them.  

He changed the world.

Steve Jobs.  1955-2011.  

Things will not be the same without him.

"You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

Snippet of Life

The following anecdote may fall into the category of TMI.  You have been warned.  :-)

Picture is unrelated but I'm trying to keep the blog rated PG  :-D

While watching a little dessert television, the subject of a certain television host's breasts came up.  Father made a comment about how lovely they were...

Me: They might look nice, but they're fake.
Father:  I don't care.
Me: The fake ones don't feel the same, Dad.
Father:  Yeah, *I know.*

At this point, I was confused and doing a little head scratch.  My parents have been married for 39 years and I was trying to figure out just what situation would make his knowledge possible without making my head explode.

Me:  *How*, exactly, do you know that?
Mother:  Seriously?

She stared at me with a look of disbelief.  At this point, I remembered.

Me:  Oh! Right.  Sorry, Mum! 

And we all burst out into giggles at the silliness of it all.  My mother is an eight-year survivor of breast cancer.  We may have a little experience with the fake ones.

Mother:  This doesn't go on your blog....
Me:  It IS Breast Cancer Awareness Month....
Mother:  Meh.  Fair enough.

Moral of the story:  Don't be a Boob. Be aware.

For all the women (and men) who have found themselves battling this particular brand of the horror that is cancer, for those that have lost the battle, for the families and friends of those who've won and lost, for the researchers, doctors and nurses that are working to eradicate cancer, for every person who runs, fundraises or shaves their head in solidarity, and for every pink ribbon...  you have my prayers, thoughts and hopes. Keep fighting.

Lucky mail

I enter giveaways on the blogs of people I read, even those for whom I rarely leave comments, but only for things I would like to win and could use.  For example, I've seen some absolutely beautiful quilts in giveaways but as much as I appreciate the artistry, if I think it'll simply languish in a closet somewhere, then it belongs in better hands than mine and so I don't enter those ones.  I'd hate to waste the day I'm lucky with an item that would be special and treasured by someone else. It's just how I roll.

And THEN there are the things I DO want to win.  Like thread!

This delightful sample pack arrived in the mail today from my friend Cindy at Live a Colorful Life.  The Random Number Generator chose me and there was much rejoicing.  Thanks for the giveaway, Cindy! I'm thrilled to pieces (which I can now sew together with very pretty thread...)!

Now if anyone can find the giveaway where I can win the spare time to actually play around with my new thread, please let me know.  :-)

Autumn leads to Soup

I managed to find a few minutes in the last week to make the first pot of Potato, Ham and Cheese Soup for the season. 

Using a variety of potatoes (blue, yellow, red) makes it prettier.

Using a Vermont-style ham gives a maple sweetness that balances out the chill flakes.

Making focaccia to dunk means no boring store-bought crackers.

It also means I have an excuse to use the pretty pink Himalayan finishing salt I received as a gift.

Pot of soup to myself means lots of yummy leftovers.

And not having to share strawberries for dessert!

Recipe found in a piece of junk mail years ago...  It is not kosher, halal or vegetarian (my apologies to those with dietary restrictions!)

3 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes (or a hand-full of new potatoes with the skin on (prettier)

2 cups of water

3Tbsp butter

1 med onion, chopped

3Tbsp flour

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Chili flakes, to taste

1tsp sugar

3cups milk (not skim, it's better the higher fat content you go, but 1% will work if it's what you've got on-hand)

1 cup cooked ham, cubed (Vermont-style is nice but use your favourite, or bacon)

1 cup shredded old cheddar (spring for the best cheese you can, I use 2-year old white cheddar)

Boil potatoes in 2 cups water in a medium pot for 10-15min or until fork tender.  Drain, reserving 1 cup of potato water.  (Add water if you are short). Add potato water to sugar and milk.  Set potatoes and milk mixture aside.

Melt butter over medium heat.  Saute onions until translucent but not brown, about 5 min.  Sprinkle flour, pepper, and chili flakes over onions and stir constantly, until flour is browned and onions are thoroughly coated, 3-5 min. You may want to lower the heat to med-low for this step.

Gradually and gently add potatoes and stir until coated with flour mixture.  Slowly add milk mixture, small amounts at first, stirring well with each addition.  Add ham and cheese. Bring to a low simmer.

Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 min.  Serves 4, or more if you get a little crazy with the potatoes and ham.  I always seem to add more...  It's yummier that way.