Recycle Barrel Mosaic

Today was and exciting day - the unveiling of six public recycling bins in public spaces in the town of Twisp, WA (my very cool home). The goal of the project is to reduce waste while establishing a visible symbol of Twisp’s commitment to recycling and public art. Six local artists created original public art pieces from each receptacle through various mediums.

Sponsors are the Town of Twisp, Recycling Roundup, Methow Arts Alliance, Methow Recycles, and Methow Resource Recovery.

Artists and business sponsors for today's barrels include:

Steve Ward for Blue Star Coffee Roasters and Glover Street Market

Tori Karpenko for Twisp Pub and North Cascades Flyfishing

Mary Powell for NCNB and Methow Valley News, and

Nicole Ringgold (me) for KTRT-97.5fm, The Root and Medicine Wheel

To see more photos of the project, visit Methow Valley Arts.

Cream of Pumpkin Soup with Rosemary Sage & Lemon Zest

We have been eating ample pumpkin recently after our prolific harvest.  We served this soup for Thanksgiving last week, and it was a hit.

Ingredients
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 15-oz cans roasted pumpkin
32 oz organic chicken or vegetable stock
3/4 C heavy cream
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt

Garnish
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary
2 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lemon zest
2 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions
- Saute onion, stirring occasionally until onion turns clear, 10-15 minutes. Add garlic for the last 5 minutes of cooking time
- Combine onion, garlic and pumpkin in a large soup pot.  Add broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add cream, soy sauce and Worcestershire Sauce.  Stir to combine. Simmer an additional 5 minutes.
- Blend all ingredients, adding additional broth or cream for consistency.  Return soup to pot and continue to heat.
- Add pepper and salt to season.
- Serve, sprinkle with garnish.

Mushroom Dumpling Soup

This is a somewhat Asian-style soup recipe, light and flavorful.  It is well complimented by egg rolls and edamame.

Ingredients:
8 C low-sodium mushroom broth
1 large chunk (approx 2") fresh ginger, peeled and chopped into thin slices
1 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 C dry sherry
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 C sugar
Pinch of salt
2 carrots, thinly sliced, approx. 1 C.
1 Anaheim pepper, chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced
24 frozen Chinese dumplings, stuffed with vegetables or pork
4 C spinach
Chopped cilantro
Chili paste

Directions:
- Put broth, ginger, soy, sherry, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and salt in a large pot.  Bring to a boil.  Adjust heat so that the broth simmers for about 10 mins.
- Add ginger and garlic, continue to simmer for 5 mins.
- Add carrots, pepper and scallions and simmer until tender, about 10 mins.
- Just before serving, add dumplings and spinach.  Cook for just a couple of minutes, until greens wilt.
- Serve with chili sauce and top with cilantro.

Garter Coffee Cozy

Here is another (very simple) coffee cozy that I made for Blue Star Coffee.  Just over a dozen (of 3 dozen total) left to go...

Materials Needed:

Size 10 needles
2 strands of cotton yarn held together, preferably 2 different colors

Directions:
CO 14 sts

Garter Pattern:

Knit every row until piece measures 9 inches

Buttonhole:

- Knit to buttonhole, bring yarn to front and slip a sts purlwise. Place yarn at back and leave it there.  *Slip next st from left needle.  Pass the first slipped st over it; repeat from the * three times more (not moving yarn).  Slip the last bound-off st to left needle and turn work.

- Using cable cast-on with the yarn at the back, case on five st as follows: *Insert the right needle between the first and second sts on the left needle, draw up a loop, place the lop on the left needle; repeat from the * four times more, turn the work.

- Slip the first st with the yarn in back from the left needle and pass the extra cast-on st over it to close the buttonhole.  Work to the end of the row.

Knit until piece measure 10 inches.  BO.

Measure cozy around mug/cup and sew button on end of garter strip.

Seed Stitch Coffee Cozy

A local coffee roaster commissioned me to knit 3 dozen coffee cozies, so I'm on a role.  I've had so much fun with these, practicing different patterns and using up all sorts of colorful left over yarn.  This one:

Materials Needed:

Size 10 needles
2 strands of cotton yarn held together, preferably 2 different colors

Directions:
CO 14 sts

Seed Stitch Pattern:
Row1: K2, P2 to end, turn
Repeat Row 1 until piece measures 9 inches, BO.

I-Cord:

CO 4 sts with 2 strands of yarn on size 10 double pointed needles.
Knit
Without turning needle, slide sts to the other end of needle and knit.
Continue working in this manner until desired I-cord length is reached (approximately 2.5").

BO

Sew each end of I-cord onto edge of seed stitch strip to form a loop.

Sew button onto opposite side lined up with I-cord loop for closure.  Be sure to measure around actual cup for accurate placement of button.

Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup

Thank you to Thank you to Jennifer for this great, creative recipe!

Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 pound peeled and diced pumpkin
• 3/4 pound sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1 1/4 cups light coconut milk

Directions:
- Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and leek, and cook for a few minutes, until soft. Stir in the pumpkin, sweet potato, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Mash vegetables coarsely using a potato masher. Stir in the coconut milk, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Check out Jennifer's work - here's an example of her art:

Felt Bangles

Knitting the Bangle:

Knit an I-Cord.  CO 3-5 sts with 2 strands of 100% wool yarn on size 7 double pointed needle.

Knit.
Without turning needle, slide sts to the other end of needle and knit.
Continue working in this manner until desired I-cord length is reached (approximately 5").

BO, cut yarn, leaving 3" tail.

Using your 3" tail, sew together ends of cord.  Weave in any remaining ends.

Felting the Bangle:
Sarah White gives a clear felting tutorial on her blog.  I have summed up her tutorial below.

• Set your washing machine on the lowest water setting, the highest temperature and the longest agitation possible. Turn on the machine and let it fill with water.
• Add 2 Tbsp Woolite or other soft detergent (optional)
• Place bangles in pillowcase with zipper.
• Drop your bundle in the machine.
• Check on your knitting frequently to see if your project is felting. Set a timer for 5 minutes and stop the machine when the timer goes off.
• Pull out your knitted swatch and gently wring out some of the water. Take a look at what you've got. Spread a dry towel out somewhere, lay down your swatch, and grab your tape measure.
• Keep setting your timer and peaking in on your work every 5 minutes to check the felting. You might need to reset your machine to start the agitation cycle again once or twice, depending on the length of the cycle and how the felting is going.
• Do NOT let your washer drain or spin during the felting process.
• After a few of these 5-minute sessions, you'll start to see that the individual stitches are disappearing and the fabric is getting smaller.  The fabric will start feeling more firm and solid and somewhat thicker as it gets closer to being done. Once you start seeing the stitches disappearing, start checking the pieces more often, every 1-2 minutes, to make sure you don't take the felting process too far.
• Once you've felted and rinsed you piece, block the bangles by placing them over a mason jar or glass.  Leave it to dry.

Checkerboard Coffee Cozy

This is a very quick and easy (good for beginners) knitting project.  I like to use soft, organic & somewhat bulky yarn for a natural appeal.  I just received an order from a local coffee shop for 3 dozen of these...

Materials Needed:

Size 7 needles
2 strands of cotton yarn held together

Directions:
CO 12 sts

Checkerboard Pattern:
Row1: K4, P4, K4
Row 2: P4, K4, P4
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 two more times

Row 7: P4, K4, P4
Row 8: K4, P4, K4
Repeat rows 7 and 8 two more times

Continue pattern until the piece measures 9 inches, BO.

I-Cord:

CO 4 sts with 2 strands of yarn on size 7 double pointed needle.
Knit
Without turning needle, slide sts to the other end of needle and knit.
Continue working in this manner until desired I-cord length is reached (approximately 2.5").

BO

Sew each end of I-cord onto edge of checkerboard strip to form a loop.

Sew button onto opposite side lined up with I-cord loop for closure.  Be sure to measure around actual cup for accurate placement of button.

Lentil Minestrone

Thank you to Susan for this week's tasty soup!  She offered a hearty, aromatic Lentil Minestrone served with salad and cornbread.  Yum!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 c finely chopped onion

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1/4 c chopped parsley

4 garlic cloves, chopped

3 carrots, diced

1 c diced celery or celery root

salt and pepper

1 c green lentils

2 bay leaves, 8 parsley branches, 6 thyme sprigs

9 c water (I used beef stock from slow-cooked beef)

Tamari to taste (I used balsamic vinegar instead)

1 bunch greens -- mustard, broccoli rabe, chard or kale

2 c cooked small pasta

grated parmesan for topping

Directions:

- Heat oil in wide soup pot.

- Saute onion with 2 tsp salt until lightly browned, about 10 min.

- Add tomato paste, garlic, aromatics, vegetables and cook 3 min more.

- Add lentiles and water/stock and bring to boil.

- Lower the heat and simmer until lentils are soft.

- Season for salt and pepper (soy sauce works well at this step).

- Remove aromatics and season at the end with balsamic vinegar.   Serve with grated Parmesan.

Several of our Soup Night enthusiasts (one just lost a tooth)

Apple Bacon Dog Treats

These treats are almost identical to Bacon Flavored Dog Treats.
Sa' be simply loves them, although he tends not to be too picky.


Ingredients:
3 C. Emmer Flour (or other brown flour)
1/2 C. milk
1/2 C apple cider
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp bacon drippings


Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

- Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets & lightly flour surface area to roll out the dough.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add flour.
- Mix together egg, milk, cider and bacon drippings, add to the flour. Stir.
- Add more flour or cider if dough is too moist or tough.
- Roll out dough on floured surface to about 1/4" thickness.
- Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired size/shape.
- Bake for 30 minutes and let cool.

Seashore Headband

I love this wavy pattern.  It's quick and yet detailed.  It makes me feel more talented at knitting than I really am!  Once again, thank you to my outstanding model Cymone.

CO 13 sts
Row 1 (wrong side): K2, purl to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 2: Sl 1, K3, YO, K5, YO, K2tog, YO, K2:15 sts
Row 3: K2, purl to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 4: Sl 1, K4, sl 1, K2tog, PSSO, K2, (YO, K2tog) twice, K1: 13 sts.
Row 5: K2, purl to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 6: Sl 1, K3, sl 1, K1, PSSO, K2, (YO, K2tog) twice, K1: 12 sts
Row 7: K2, purl to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 8: Sl 1, K2, sl 1, K1, PSSO, K2, (YO, K2tog) twice, K1: 11 sts
Row 9: K2, purl to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 10: Sl 1, K1, sl 1, K1, PSSO, K2, (YO, K2tog) twice, K1: 10 sts
Row 11: K2, purl to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 12: K1, sl 1, K1, PSSO, K2, YO, K1, YO, K2tog, YO, K2: 11sts
Row 13: K2, purl to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 14: Sl 1, (K3, YO) twice, K2tog, YO, K2: 13 sts.

Repeat rows 1-14 for pattern until desired length.  For a headband, repeat until piece is slightly smaller than your head.  Join ends, bind off with 3 needles, weave in ends.

75 Things You Can Compost, But Thought You Couldn't

The basics of composting are simple. Most people know they can compost fruit and vegetable peels, leaves, and grass clippings. But what about that tea bag you used this morning? Or the fur that collects in the brush when you groom your cat?

The following list provided by Planet Green  is meant to get you thinking about your compost possibilities. Not every item on the list is for everyone, and that's fine. Imagine how much trash we could prevent from going into the landfills if each of us just decided to compost a few more things. Here are 75 ideas to get you started.

From the Kitchen
Coffee grounds and filters
Tea bags
Used paper napkins
Pizza boxes, ripped into smaller pieces
Paper bags, either ripped or balled up
The crumbs you sweep off of the counters and floors
Plain cooked pasta
Plain cooked rice
Stale bread
Paper towel rolls
Stale saltine crackers
Stale cereal
Used paper plates (as long as they don't have a waxy coating)
Cellophane bags (be sure it's really Cellophane and not just clear plastic—there's a difference.)
Nut shells (except for walnut shells, which can be toxic to plants)
Old herbs and spices
Stale pretzels
Pizza crusts
Cereal boxes (tear them into smaller pieces first)
Wine corks
Moldy cheese
Melted ice cream
Old jelly, jam, or preserves
Stale beer and wine
Paper egg cartons
Toothpicks
Bamboo skewers
Paper cupcake or muffin cups

From the BathroomUsed facial tissues
Hair from your hairbrush
Toilet paper rolls
Old loofahs
Nail clippings
Urine
100% Cotton cotton balls
Cotton swabs made from 100% cotton and cardboard (not plastic) sticks

Personal Items
It might be a good idea to bury these items in your pile. Just sayin'.
Cardboard tampon applicators
Latex condoms

From the Laundry Room
Dryer lint
Old/stained cotton clothing—rip or cut it into smaller pieces
Old wool clothing—rip or cut it into smaller pieces

From the Office
Bills and other documents you've shredded
Envelopes (minus the plastic window)
Pencil shavings
Sticky notes
Business cards (as long as they're not glossy)
Receipts

Around the House
Contents of your vacuum cleaner bag or canister
Newspapers (shredded or torn into smaller pieces)
Subscription cards from magazines
Leaves trimmed from houseplants
Dead houseplants and their soil
Flowers from floral arrangements
Natural potpourri
Used matches
Ashes from the fireplace, barbecue grill, or outdoor fire pit

Party and Holiday Supplies
Wrapping paper rolls
Paper table cloths
Crepe paper streamers
Latex balloons
Raffia
Excelsior
Jack o' Lanterns
Those hay bales you used as part of your outdoor fall decor
Natural holiday wreaths
Your Christmas tree. Chop it up with some pruners first (or use a wood chipper, if you have one...)
Evergreen garlands

Pet-Related
Fur from the dog or cat brush
Droppings and bedding from your rabbit/gerbil/hamsters, etc.
Newspaper/droppings from the bottom of the bird cage
Feathers
Alfalfa hay or pellets (usually fed to rabbits)
Rawhide dog chews
Fish food
Dry dog or cat food

I know that the longer I've had a compost pile, the more likely I've been to take a second look at something I was preparing to throw in the trash. "Hmm. Can I compost this?" is a frequent question in my house. And, as you can see, it's surprising how often you can answer "Yes!"

Throughout the winter months, we throw our compost onto the heap and immediately cover it with snow.  When our space was limited, we tossed compost into a garbage can to turn into the garden as soon as the ground thawed.

Happy composting!

Venison Stew

Last night we had another hearty stew made by Ashley.  Her husband Jon caught the deer, which she cooked to perfection.  Potatoes, onions, carrots and garlic were grown in her garden.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 lb venison, cut into bite-size chunks

3 lg onions, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried oregano

Salt & pepper, to taste

3 C. Water

7 potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 Lb carrots, cut into 1-inch slices

1 Lb celery, chopped into thin slices

1 C. frozen peas

1/4 C. flour

1/4 C. cold water

Directions:

- Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Brown venison.

- Add onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until venison is tender.

- Add all vegetables EXCEPT the peas.

- Continue to cook until vegetables are tender, about 30-45 minutes.

- Mix flour and water; stir into stew. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

- Add peas 5 minutes before pulling stew off stove.

- Remove bay leaf.

Processing Pumpkins

After harvesting several wheelbarrows of pumpkins, our time has been consumed by the large, orange squash.  Yesterday, I roasted 5 pumpkins with garlic, ginger, cumin, olive oil, salt & pepper to freeze for future soup.

Plum Chutney

Plum chutney is divine when served with Indian cuisine, or as an appetizer with crackers & goat cheese.


Ingredients:
4 quarts chopped and pitted plums
3 C. brown honey (or brown sugar)
1 C. dried cranberries
1 C. chopped onion
1/4 C. mustard seed
2 Tbsp fresh thinly sliced ginger
2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, minced
5 C. vinegar

Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pot.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat.
- Simmer until thick, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
- Ladle hot chutney into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles.
- Adjust 2-piece caps.
- Process 10 mins in a boiling-water canner.