Knitting for Comfort 

I’ve been finding a lot of comfort in my knitting this week. I often knit to wind down or relax from a busy day, but this week I’ve been getting lost in the repetitive knits and purls. Particularly in knitting these rainbow socks for my son. Melissa of the Spicy Homemaker podcast is hosting a Comfort Knit KAL in her Ravelry group and this certainly fit the bill. And to add to the comfort was his genuine excitement at their completion. “Yes, yes, YES! Woohoo!” He’s worn them everyday since.

I have such a hard time finding a hand cream or lotion that I really like.  With so many choices available commercially, this might seem a bit baffling.  There are literally hundreds to choose from. Don’t believe me? Walk into any drugstore and you will be met with countless choices.  The problem is that many of these products are made with petroleum based formulas that I just don’t like.  They’re sticky, don’t absorb well or leave my hands feeling greasy. Not to mention the manufacture of petroleum is just plain terrible for the environment and not sustainable.

So, what was my solution? I started making my own! I like this method because (not unlike cooking my own food) I know what ingredients are going into it. I can adapt the scent and how it feels on my hands, etc.  By adjusting the ingredients, I can create a product that is perfectly tailored to my needs.  Oh yeah- it’s fun too!

With all this snow, it's hard to think of anything but comfort and things that keep me warm.  All my cooking lately has been comforting and slow, the kind that takes hours before it's ready and fills the house with tempting aromas.  Last week I made a very hearty beef and bean chili and now for something else that's incredibly flavorful and warming.

Tell me there's nothing better on a cold day than a rich broth-y soup topped with crusty baguette and bubbly cheese.  I love French Onion Soup! I'm not typically a fan of onions, but when they've been properly cooked down and had time to let their sugars out, they're downright delicious.  Am I right?  Every sip/bite of this soup is a fine balance of umami with a hint of sweetness, gooey and nutty. If you want to make this for yourself, check out the recipe below. Excuse me while I have another bite...

Snow on snow on snow!

So, we’re stuck in the house on another snowy day.  This time coming to us from Winter Storm Linus at a rate of 1 - 2 inches an hour.  It’s not so bad though.  I like the board game playing, reading and movie marathons that come from a day like this.

One of my favorite snow day lunches is grilled cheese and tomato soup.  But wouldn’t you know it, we don’t have any tomato soup in the pantry, nor do we have the ingredients I need to whip some up.  So today I’ll make do with Bloody Marys. Hey, it’s not like we’re going anywhere anyway, right?

A completely home crafted Bloody Mary is great! Fresh (or summer canned) tomatoes blended with horseradish, hot sauce, lemon and all the right spices is not too difficult and great to customize.  However, that’s not what I’m doing today.  I don’t have all the necessary ingredients (namely tomatoes), but I do have a bottle of Christie’s New England’s Best Bloody Mary Mix.

It’s game day, America!

It’s time to get your tailgate on, no matter where you’re from. Whether your home team made it to the Super Bowl (Go Pats!) or not, I suspect most of America will be watching the game today. But for many what’s even more important than the game itself, is the food that goes along with it.

Today we’re making chili.  It's such a perfect food to pair with a football game, wouldn’t you agree? I’m not much for writing (or following) recipes; I tend to make it up as I go but here’s a rough “recipe” (with pictures) for our game day go-to meal. Feel free to follow these instructions or just do what I do and make it your own

Pantry ingredients