Baking and Blackwork

Where the time flies, I have no idea. It seems like ages since I've posted here, though I have been meaning to for days. But the days get away from me sometimes, and I simply cannot seem to fit it all in.

First, a big THANK YOU for visiting Byrd's Nest. 10,000 visits and growing! I hope you're finding your visits interesting, educational, and maybe even a bit humorous. Your internet time is precious and I appreciate your spending it with me.

Find this and other free patterns at
https://sites.google.com/site/wyrdbyrdsnest/  

The Precision Induction Cooktop by Hearthware  http://www.precisioncooktop.com/ has become a valuable member of my kitchen appliance team. I fried tortillas not long ago. It was great to be able to pause the cooking process between batches--no burning oil! Blanching tomatoes for spaghetti sauce was quick and easy. It's lightweight and portable, so I can move it around the kitchen or even take it out on the deck. I keep it out on the counter where it takes up a bit of room, though I hope that Hearthware decides to make a wall-mount storage rack for the cooktop someday. I still haven't made candy yet, but when I choose to, I have a feeling it will be a breeze with the PIC.

Final decision: if I had a fair amount of disposable income, I think I'd splurge and buy it ($139.99). If I was living in a dorm or studio I would definitely buy it. And it's guaranteed that when I get my dream camper trailer, the Precision Induction Cooktop will come along for the ride.

Still puttering around with the Celtic heart border; I'm caught up in a local political issue, so my time is not really my own right now. I find myself almost pining for winter when issues will be (somewhat) resolved and I'll have time to sit down with my needle and thread. Until then, I stitch a heart here, a heart there...

It's that time of year--when your friends and neighbors decide that the one thing your life is missing is a giant zucchini. I got two! Fortunately, I was able to give one away. The other has been dedicated to some of the most wonderful zucchini cookies and zucchini bread! I made two loves of bread, two batches of cookies, and I still have a third of a zucchini left! Hubby is not a fan of stuffed vegetables, so that option's out. Any ideas what I can do with the rest of this zucchini? 

Find the recipes I used at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/zucchini-nut-cookies/detail.aspx

and http://allrecipes.com/recipe/moms-zucchini-bread/detail.aspx

Speaking of bread: I had a hand at French bread this week. Oh. My. Goodness. Now that's what I call living! 

So, how'd the pot roast turn out?

The Precision Induction Cooktop puts a nice sear on meat. It was quick and easy.

Chuck roast seared in the Precision Invection Cooktop.
I used Montreal Steak Seasoning  for a light rub.

I'm afraid I had the temperature a little high for cooking though, so the roast was finished rather quickly. Like two hours faster than I had planned.  Keeping it warm made the meat tough. Oh well. Lessons learned.

The next day, I tried fried chicken according to the directions in the PIC cookbook. It turned out juicy and tender. The recipe was easy to follow and results were exactly what I'd hoped for. Which brings us to the cookbook and the Precision Cooking Club website. The website is a nice source for information and recipes.  At this time, both the book and the website are the same, but there's lots of room for new information on the website. Precision Cooktop owners get exclusive access (you'll need the serial number of the unit to sign up). It's a nice inclusion in the total package.

The PIC has a fan that runs whenever the cooktop is in use. It's not exactly the quietest fan, either. On the other hand, the unit does not radiate heat, so the kitchen is cooler.

The more I use the PIC, the more I like it. Still a very enthusiastic "Thumbs Up".

On the stitching front: I've come up with a new border pattern, Celtic Heart.

Celtic Heart Border

There are a lot of half stitches in this one, so it's best suited for even weave. Aida cloth is not recommended. I do plan to design a slightly larger version more suited to all fabrics in the near future.

Baking bread, stitching slow

My husband looked at the ingredients on a loaf of bread last week. Saw all kinds of sugars and preservatives. Expensive, too.  So I thought, why not? I bought some yeast and flour and set out on the internet to find out how to make bread. I found Simple Dollar.  http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/04/homemade-bread-cheap-delicious-healthy-and-easier-than-you-think/

With easy step-by-step directions and photos, I found myself falling in love just as I had when I first picked up needle and thread. The first loaf wasn't horrible, but made for good practical experience.  My second loaf was much nicer.

Light, fluffy, and makes outrageously great toast. Looks like this household has seen the last of store-bought bread.

My blackwork has been slow going lately.  I've got a few "pay it forward" gifts to finish, and since I really liked the way the wedding invitations came out, I thought I'd send out greeting card collections to my FB friends.  The smalls I've posted on this blog are ideal for the project. 

My friend, Barb Day at Gypsy Wools recently posted some photos of a beautiful silk thread in the most amazing peacock blue....

I couldn't buy the floss, but it did inspire a new design that I stitched in DMC rayon (sorry, can't remember the color number).

Winter was long, spring was a tough, but as summer progresses, I'm finding myself embracing the joy of life again.  I hope the season brings you that same joy.

Not your ordinary chicken soup

My niece is getting married and I'm stitching my pattern "First Step" for the invitations, which takes a fair amount of my stitching/blogging/design time, so I thought I'd share a recent kitchen success instead.

This savory dish isn’t your ordinary chicken soup. It’s a great way to use a chicken carcass. It takes time (chill overnight), but trust me, it’s worth it.

1 whole chicken with giblets
2 cups water

Roast chicken as desired, retaining carcass. Place giblets in water and simmer until water has reduced by one-third. Reserve and refrigerate giblet broth. Discard giblets unless you have something better to do with them. They are no longer needed.

After most of the meat has been removed, simmer carcass in 4 to 6 cups water for at least one hour. Remove carcass. Pull remaining meat from bones and add into the broth. Add giblet broth. Discard carcass.

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 slices pepper bacon

For a milder pepper taste, rinse bacon. Cut bacon into small pieces then fry until crisp. Drain on paper towel. Pour off all but 2 TBSP bacon grease then sauté onions and garlic in bacon grease until tender. Add to soup. Add bacon bits to soup.

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed into bite-sized pieces.
1 15 oz. can white beans, drained

Add potatoes and beans to soup.

1/8th to 1/4th tsp cayenne to taste
1 tsp salt to taste

Simmer soup, uncovered, over low heat for at least 2 hours. Transfer soup to refrigerator and chill overnight.

At least one-half hour before serving, bring soup to a slow boil and simmer until hot. Serve with pepper sauce if desired.

Great with grilled cheese sandwiches or corn bread.

What's in a name?

"Rule Zombie"

I like to sit in front of the TV at night and play with my PCStitch software.  Sooner or later the battery will run low and I'll need to save my work and turn off the laptop.  The 'puter asks, "Save As"?

I gotta give it a name, a title, a way of identifying the pattern in the folder.  Most of the time, I use the name of a loved one or a character from the show I'm watching.

For some reason, the other night, I chose "Rule Zombie".  I can't remember why; I think it was a line of dialogue in a show.  Nevertheless, I've grown rather fond of the name; I like the pattern, too.  What can I say?  I'm Wyrdbyrd.

Rule Zombie

Old Dog Learns New Trick

Trade places in your kitchen! Put your cooking tools in the top drawer and the silverware set in the drawer below.

Easy and accessible for cooking, and preserves your silverware for the table.

Easy Peasy Plate Warmer

Check out my latest idea: the Easy Peasy Plate Warmer.

Easy to make, easy to use, it's just the thing for your kitchen!