spotted

We took an overnight trip to Chicago.  And while shopping on Michigan Avenue (who am I kidding... b-lined straight for Crate and Barrel) spotted B. A. Friend chalkboard place mats.  To say I was thrilled is an understatement.  They have been carrying them for a few years, but this was the first time I saw them in the store. You can always still purchase them here and here.

P. S.  My bag is a Kelly Moore Bag.  And I LOVE it.  It's a camera bag that fits everything! The bag is only 2 pounds which makes it PERFECT for traveling. I didn't take my camera with me on this trip but still carried the bag.  Cause it just so happens, to fit all the yarn you need.  What could be better!

Happy Friday!

change

May 8, 2009
February 1, 2015

The Only Thing That is Constant is Change.  -Heraclitus

Different window, different house, same girl.  I just can't believe how the time goes.   So grateful for the photos.  Going to recreate some for the boys, too.  

winter

We had a snow day yesterday(well, cold day) so I spent the day at home.  Doing a few of my favorite things.
 I knit a hat.
I made the worst biscotti under the sun.  (Total fail.)
And a dinner that hit the spot on a freezing winter night.
Grateful to be at home.

Happy weekend, friends!

bars to go

cookie of the week
So, last week, Steve and I took a little trip to San Francisco.  We spent an awesome night in the city and then headed north.  Wineries along the Anderson Valley were visited and we ended up in a special spot; Elk, California.  We had stumbled upon this gorgeous community a couple of years ago and couldn't wait to get back.  
I swear it is Heaven.  Heaven on Earth.  
When traveling I alway fill my bag (although, not as much as my sister does) with snacks.  Usually nuts, bars and various trail mixes.  (I love taking a trip with my sister.  Hello, cheese.  Hello, crackers.)
This time, I decided to play around with a recipe and make bars to take on our trip.

Wrapped individually, they are perfect to throw in your bag.  I've been keeping a few in my knitting bag for when I'm out.   They aren't as good as the cookies I've been baking but these taste like a little bit of delicious goodness.  My cookie monsters seemed to think they were alright.  And the man on the trip with me loved them.  So, there ya go!  

Bars to go:
2 cups oats
1 cup nuts (I used 1/4 c walnuts, 1/4 c sunflower seeds, 1/4 c blanched almonds, 1/4 c pumpkin seeds)
3/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Mix all ingredients in a food processor fitted with the mixing paddle.  Line 9 x 9 backing dish with parchment paper.  Spread mix evenly in pan.  Bake 350˚ for 25 minutes.  Let cool and cut into desired size bars.  
Wrap and go!

love day

I have so much to share about last week.  Including a fabulous yarn shop that we stumbled upon.
But first I wrapped up Toasty.  And past around a little love.
Hope your day was happy.  And you feel it not only on the 14th of February, but every day of your wonderful life.
xx,
leslie
P.S.  I scrolled down to the February 1st post and now I'm headed to the kitchen to make Chocolate Chip cookies.  Don't do it... unless you want to end up in the kitchen making cookies for dinner.

oh peanuts

cookie of the week
So, I took about 3 cups of peanuts.  Maybe 3 1/2.  I forgot to measure.  And I plopped it into the Vitamix.
 I ended up with about 1 3/4 cups of delicious peanut butter.
I googled a bunch of peanut butter cookie recipes and kept coming back to this one.  Gluten free, ingredients I had in the house and simple, simple, simple.  Natural peanut butter was not recommended and I could see why from the dough.  Hello crumbly.  However,  I squeezed each little ball of dough tightly in my hand and hoped for the best.   
Eighteen non crumbly cookies came out of the oven.  Not nearly enough.
Especially when you eat two while knitting thumbs and finishing each pair of toasty.

Happy weekend, friends!

more toasty

Well, I mentioned that I was working on Toasty.
Just Toasty.
All out of this yarn.  Love this yarn for this project.  Hello machine washable and dry-able.  I love the big wide stripes and playing with color combos.  I'm trying a new thumb technique.   I'll share after I finish.  It might just be our new favorite.
The pairs with only two colors, I knit 21 rows of one color and then changed to a contrasting color knitting for 55 rows.
The pairs with three colors, I knit 2 different colors of 21 rows each and then changed to a third color for 34 rows.
This still makes them 11 inches long.
These will all be Valentine gifts.  I have one more pair to knit.
And THEN I'm on to that sweater!

suzanne's brookies

cookie of the week
Chocolate Chip Cookie Batter.
Brownie Batter.
First layer.
Second layer.
Sprinkled with delicious chopped pecans.
Makes one, yummy Brookie.

My friend Suzanne shared the recipe.  They have become a favorite in her home and now a favorite in mine.
The recipe makes 36 2 inch squares.
They lasted 3 days.

Other delicious looking Brookies!

Happy February!