Victories & Frusterations

Oh my! I am pleased to say that I sent off 2 more preemie sized baby caps to Knit One, Save One. I can honestly say this is a super easy thing to do for a charity. Easier than giving money, given most of our financial situations. (Though I did still donate, the cause is just too wonderful.) I'll be working on more caps for this years campaign and hope to have at least 5 to send. I may even work on another pattern! Or spice up the current one I used.




Yesterday was a hard one for me. I've been working on my "test" blanket for at least a month now. I have frogged it easily 6 times, if not more. Here's my problem. You begin by casting on 68 stitches. You knit for 8 rows to make a border. This is so easy! Then the 9th row you do the following:


Knit 14, purl 10, knit 10, purl 10, knit 10, purl 10, knit 4.


So I go along exactly as it says...and when I get to knit 4, I only have 2 stitches! Every time people! I count 68 stitches on row 8, begin the pattern with row 9 and this is the same thing I come up with. I just can't figure it out. You would think the hard part is purling, since I've only done knitted stitched, but the hard part it the counting I guess. So I start again and again and again. And then I thought, well maybe I am just doing too much of a certain stitch during the row. so I knit the last 2 and count. Wouldn't you know I only count 66! Please help me! What in the world am I doing wrong? Now mind you I was watching the super bowl while 3 of these knitting getting to the same point, frogging and beginning again took place. But I was counting! Double-checking! I need a test blanket vacation before I get frustrated with knitting altogether. New scarf anyone? Oh that's right, I need one!




I'm a bad girl and haven't been reading more of my book. I've wanted to, but with all this knitting and frogging and mailing of hats and taking care of my just-got-sick Frank. I hate to see him all stuffy and head cold-y.




BTW...I just had to mention the wonderful meal I made the other night. I cheated a bit really, but I'm trying to work on my list of goals for this year and that meant to cook! A long time ago I received this wonderful cookbook published by Disney. (I actually have 2 of these. The one I refer to now is the newer of the two and much larger.) One of my favorite recipes is for a maple glazed chicken. Yum! One problem, I no longer eat chicken! Could I possibly branch out to fit my pescetarian-ism? Yes! So here's what I did.


I took two salmon fillets (the frozen kind) quick-thawed them, (took 10 minutes under cold water, forever!), removed the skin and then placed them on a foil-lined cookie sheet (shiny side of the foil down). While your salmon is thawing you place 2 tablespoons of butter, 4 teaspoons of lemon juice (I eye this part. If you have the store bought lemon juice that comes in the lemon shaped contained just put in three or four quick squeezes to taste), and about 1/2 a cup of your favorite maple syrup. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup, but I really like the maple taste and apply it periodically during baking. Pour a few spoonfuls over the fillets until they looked covered and pop them into the oven at 425 for about 15 minutes. I go in about every 5 minutes and re-apply the maple coating. Now after the 15 minutes my salmon wasn't done. (Maybe I didn't completely thaw it.....gotta work on that patience thing.) I turned off the oven and turned on the broiler on hi. Placed the salmon back in about 5 inches away from the boiler (If yours is in your oven as well and now a separate drawer) and let it cook while checking on it every now-and-again for 4 minutes. It got a little golden on the top and perfectly flaky inside. I take them out and plate, adding a bit more maple goodness and serve with steamed broccoli and shells & white cheddar. (You know, mac & cheese but with white cheddar, my favorite!) The shells & white cheddar came from a box, but it's delicious. Steamed broccoli is so easy and my favorite veggie. I have to say that I liked the salmon better than the chicken (from what I remember of it) and Frank got seconds!




It was horribly simple to most of you I'm sure, but so yummy! Now what will be my next experiment?