Finished Object: Aranami Shawl

Pattern: Aranami Shawl by Olga Buraya-Kefelian
Made for: Genny
Needle: US 1.5
Yarns: Dream in Color "Baby" and Silk Garden Sock

This wave pattern is a lot of simple repetitive garter and a fun way to use up scraps! A variation on this pattern would also make a lovely blanket, thought one would have to mess with the math a bit, as this is a fairly shallow triangle.

Spring Frittata

I've recently realized that a frittata is a good meal for leftovers. It tastes good chilled as well as hot, and  a slice with a bit of salad makes for a very nice lunch. For this one, I blanched asparagus and fresh peas, sauteed some onions, and mushrooms, and tossed in a bunch of parmesan and some chopped parsley. I beat 8 eggs, mixed in the vegetables and cheese, along with some salt and pepper, and poured it all into a lightly oiled cast iron skillet. I cooked the frittata on the stovetop on medium heat until it was set and then finished off the top in the broiler. I made another one a few days later with zucchini, leftover roast potatoes and carrots, and some crumbled feta. 

Breakfast Crisp

When I saw my friend Kate recently (well, one of them), I was all "what have you been cooking that's delicious?" and she said "the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook breakfast crisp!" And I thought 'you mean, you can do that on purpose?' I've had leftover crisp (and sure, pie) for breakfast plenty, but I'd never previously made a crisp specifically for breakfast. More permission than recipe, perhaps, this lovely blend of apples and frozen berries topped with crunchy buttery oats and chopped hazelnuts has appeared on our breakfast table several times recently with its good friends whole milk yogurt and iced coffee. And then, you know, you leave a little spoon in it, and between you and your husband and your visiting sister, it'll disappear before it gets stale.

Finished Object: Korrigan Sweater

Is there anything more satisfying than seeing a baby you made wearing a sweater you made? 

I was given this lovely blue yarn as a shower gift, and I made this sweet cabled cardigan with it while I was pregnant mostly, and then it took me a while to sew on the buttons, so it was a good thing I didn't make the tiniest size. 

Eggs on Spinach Toast

I am so grateful to Deb from Smitten Kitchen for providing so many excellent examples of the egg lunch. This recipe is quick and so delicious. The thin layer of mustard on the toast is a subtle yet perfect addition. I might try a sunny-side up egg instead of soft boiled if I'm feeling lazy about peeling sometime. Oh, and I used creme fraiche instead of cream because they carry lovely Bellwether Farm creme fraiche at Costco and I've been putting it in everything. And on everything else. 

11 Months!

Oven-fried Chicken.

Sure, it's no Fremont Diner or Bakesale Betty's, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much this tasted like fried chicken given that I made it in the oven. It's a recipe from Poulet and involves marinating the chicken overnight in a mix of buttermilk and olive oil (and lemon juice and salt, but I didn't have any fresh lemon, so I chopped up some preserved lemon), dredging it in flour and cayenne, and baking it in a hot oven. I'll return to this one. 

Leek Fritters

This is a recipe from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook, and also a reminder of why I enjoy subscribing to a CSA so much. Here's the thing, I'm not sure if I would have seen this recipe and said 'hmm, I'm going to go buy a bunch of leeks and make this,' but when I had a pile-up of leeks and went looking for recipes, I found it right away. And now I have it. I know it's delicious, and I can return to it. 

Asparagus Risotto with Meyer Lemon and Fresh Peas

This is an Art of Simple Food recipe. I have a bunch of asparagus from the CSA these days, and was looking for a good risotto recipe and when I saw this one with the lemon, I thought, yes, that it what will make it delicious. You add a bunch of lemon zest at the rice and onion stage and then you stir some fresh juice in at the end. Perfect spring meal. 

Hello 10 Months.