Slow-Cooked Baked Sweet Potatoes

I got this idea from the Fall issue of Prevention's Slow Cooker Recipe Book-let on page 7. Which I couldn't find last night, trying to clear the areas for painting yesterday. But I found it this morning. So instead of combining canola oil (1T), trans-free margarine (1T melted), honey (1T), water (3T), cinnamon (1t) and nutmeg (1/4 t) to coat the potatoes (4), I just rubbed a little shortening on the skins, pierced with a fork and wrapped in foil. Cook on Low 4 hours if small, longer if larger. I liked how they turned out. An easy way to enjoy sweet potatoes. They had two good suggestions what to do with the crocked potatoes -- Puree 2-3 peeled potatoes with 2 cups milk or broth in blender until smooth and microwave for a quick, easy soup. You can also sprinkle sliced potatoes with brown sugar or honey and cinnamon, dot with trans-free margarine and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350. Though my potatoes were a little too mushy to slice, scoopable-yes; I bet the mushies would still work.

Final Stage

Can it possibly be true that almost five months after Hurricane Ike all my repairs will be complete?! They are painting ceilings, baseboards and sheetrock-ing this week. Thus begins the "fun" next week of trying to get the rest of my MY MY money back from the mortgage company. Sort of like the stimulus plan of the hurricane type (if you listen to talk radio). . . Not that I do all the time, I really enjoy Dennis Miller's show and then the station before and afterwards has the crazies on in the interim.

Money Monday - Egg-stra Cheep!

I buy two kinds of eggs - the healthier (and pricier) kind and the cheap ones. I'll use the Eggland or Omega 3 ones from Costco when I need a whole egg or the yolk, and the cheepies for the egg white recipes.

Who are these people and what are they doing here?!

As you can obviously tell, I have a rather eclectic group of friends and fellow bloggers in the right alley. I thought each week on Sunday I would randomly showcase one from the list and why they are there. I love to discover new blogs, and I think you will enjoy the introduction for new places to visit in Bloggy Land.

This week - Thimble A fun blog with a little bit of everything - crafts, sewing, recipes and great links to other creatives.

Floors - Before and After. . .

Last stop - ceilings and painting!

Git'cher Grout On!

Feeling woozy from the grout sealant! This from a girl who used to love the smell of mimeograph test sheets back in elementary school. Hoo-eey!

Time to go wipe off and do the last section. Hit me again!

Netflix Stars - Burn After Reading

1/5 - I usually love the Coen brothers' movies but we all hated this one, yet we kept watching thinking it would get better. Despite a great cast and their potential, this movie was just odd and tasteless, even by Coen standards. The F-bomb is uttered 60 times. Not that I counted, lost track actually, but it appeared as trivia on another website. I only gave this a one because of Clooney/Pitt/McDormand. Malkovich seems typecast for his role. . .

It's Puppy Bowl V!

Need a break from the Super Bowl? Then watch the real (water) bowl - Puppy Bowl V! Check out this year's line up, looks like lots of contenders for MVP - Most Valuable Puppy. Unfortunately there aren't any bulldogs this year. Word is also out that the Kitty Half-Time Show has cleaned up its act!

Sandra Betzina Today's Fit OOP Butterick 3124

Start to finish!

I decided to add another inch to the sleeves and the front/back pieces. Look at these technicolor pattern pieces!-

I used the F14 stitch spaced an inch apart on my Viking Husqvarna to tack down the facings. The stitch outline gives it a dimensional effect.

The result - I think it was worth the effort and determination to get it right! I look forward to making it again...and I did.

I found this lightweight blanket throw at Costco a couple years ago and bought it because of the color and it felt so scrumptious. I thought it would make a nice and cozy winter pullover. And it did. Except like the groundhog, I think this caused Spring to arrive early - it was 75 today!

(cheated and used the border for the sleeve hem)

Barnes and Noble haul - Part 2

Why I really went to BN, since Jo-Ann's is not carrying the March issue of Mark Lipinski's Quilter's Home - and yes, it was sealed. With all the hoopla on the Web, I wanted to make sure I got a copy. Not because of the article on Page 24, but I like the magazine anyways and didn't want to miss an issue.

Then I found the new "Apron*ology" from the publishers of Belle Armoire and Somerset Studio. A 20% off coupon + 10% membership card discount, helped bring down the price down considerably. Ouch when a magazine has a price point of a book! I found a really good, consistent website that always has current BN store coupons, and other good coupon codes, too.

First and last - Barnes and Noble haul - Part 1

The last issue of Domino and the first issue of Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Magazine. Also all of Barnes and Noble's Red Dot sticker items are only $1, today through tomorrow. We got three boxes of Christmas cards worth over $46 for less than $3.

Beware of cookie packages with poetry

"You might, m'lady

tweak my nose

You could, m'lord

step on my toes

But Heaven help

those poor bozos

who try to filch

my Newman O's"

Especially these, Chocolate Newman-O's.

Pattern Shopping

As blogged earlier, I picked up two of the three new Sandra Betzina patterns - 1085 tops and 1096 pants. The pants are one-seam pants and still look dorky. Surely Sandra would not lead us astray or one step away from Quacker Factory with that elasticized side and back waist?! I want to see what she has sewn with them first. And in keeping with the bizarre pants patterns track I've been on lately, I also bought Marcy Tilton's 8499 and 8561. Aren't the pictures horrible? Especially the brown pants on 8561. Put them on real people! Though I really got 8561 for the skirt at first. I think her patterns and these two in particular look very Sewing Workshop-ish. But at $27.50 - more expensive than TSW. . .at $3.99 - small dues to pay for pattern and stash sew-down fun.

Dang, Vogue!

$27.50 for your new patterns?!?! At least the Marcy Tiltons and Sandra Betzinas I just bought in front of me. Did the designer ones break $30 yet? I'm glad Jo-Ann's has the $3.99 sales, for even 50% off would give me pause.

Upcoming Jo-Ann Sales

February 6/8 - Butterick patterns $1.99 each

Presidents' Sale - February 13/16
50% off thread
50% off interfacing
Simplicity patterns 5 for $5

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

My yoga teacher finds the coolest songs!
Eric Hutchinson, "Rock & Roll" 3:58

A couple of cute chicks enjoying the sun!

Aren't they cute? And wearing protective eyewear from the rays of the sun streaming through the window, trying to warm up the house this morning. (Brrr! It's in the 30's right now!) My friend Bonnie made the one on the right for my birthday a few years ago. And I got the new gal as part of an IOU from our Neighborhood Group notions swap Christmas party. I like her creative definition of pincushion, very worth the wait! Their tail feathers are two prairie points with smaller points for the beak, the feet are beaded, the wattle has loops of red beads, and the comb on one is orange rick-rack and the other orange yarns. I sure am (c)lucky!

Pilgrim & Mills Pants #2

No, I haven't made them. But at our ASG Neighborhood (Support) Group meeting last night we had a swapping table. I brought these and some other patterns and goodies to give first dibs to a sewist who would appreciate them before taking to Goodwill. I can't for the life of me understand why no one wanted these, can you?! This morning I tried Googling the pattern and the designers and nothing came up. I was curious to see Pants #1. Circa 1995, these pants were popular on Prodigy (remember that?!) and the Quiltropolis Sewing List and Wearable Arts Sewing Groups. I had printed off the pages with others variations, just in case. (The pockets do not stick out as shown on the drawing, in the photo the top of the pocket opening is at the knee.) Now I'm looking at them again and wondering, hmm... You do see these pockets and loose styling on recent patterns - Sandra Betzina and Marcy Tilton have versions, albeit a little more subdued. I did get rid of 15 other patterns, but think I'll keep this one around a little longer until it surfaces again. It still looks funky and fun - and stash reducing.

Sandra Betzina Today's Fit OOP Butterick 3124 - Developing. . .

Doesn't that sound "Drudge-like"?! I'm still tweaking this top. And think I understand why Butterick no longer does Today's Fit. Unless we define "Fit" as a tantrum. Let's start with something positive: Love the V neckline. Flat, good depth, doesn't flop about. But be forewarned...If you are over 4 feet tall, you will have to lengthen, lengthen, lengthen this pattern. Kidding about the height requirement, but true this pattern runs short, really short. I added 3" to the sleeves and feel the need next time to add almost 2" more. Added 3" to the back. And correspondingly added 3" to the front, but it was still not long enough in the front. Evidently Sandra didn't make the same adjustments as she does for her Vogue line wherein the extra front length is already incorporated. So I added 1" to the center front, tapering to 1/2" at the sides and it all matched up. Much better. The dart - that's giving me fits. First it was too shallow. When I basted it all together, it looked like several darts were trying to form alongside it. There's too much fabric, too much pull at the underarm. Plus the dart as is was too low. I'm readjusting the dart depth and direction. But between all the disruption, tiling fun and "the water faucet outside broke off and we can't turn it off..." I decided to put this aside until later today...

Update #1: New outside water faucet.

Update #2: Stove is hooked back up, washer/dryer still in dining room, pending baseboard replacement on Saturday. Rather bake than do laundry anyway.

Money Monday - Super (Savings) Bowl

I love the Super Bowl...and I don't really like football! But I do enjoy all the savings at the grocery store right now. This is the time to score the best prices of the year on cheese, Rotel tomatoes, and beef. And of course, assorted salty snacks, chips and soft drinks, too. Don't fumble this savings opportunity!