Chicken Ghaza

This is a recipe that is inspired by a dish served at a restaurant in my home town. The chef and owner is Palestinian American and his food is delightful. About 30 years ago, I was given the outline of this recipe, and I have made it and modified it. This is my interpretation of it. Although the original was made with chicken breasts, I actually prefer to make it with chicken thighs. 2 1/2 - 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 tablespoon of ground hot chili or cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon flake salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
1/2 cup lemon juice
10 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
pomegranate pips to garnish

Mix hot pepper, black pepper, paprika, cumin, cinnamon with half of the garlic. Stir in the lemon juice. Pour over chicken in a large bowl, and cover with plastic. Set aside and marinate at least an hour.

Broil the marinated chicken on high for 15-20 minutes, turning once.

Melt the butter in a frying pan, and add the rest of the garlic to the heated butter. Add the pomegranate juice, wine, and pomegranate molasses to the pan, along with the garlic and butter.

Add the chicken to the sauce and let simmer together for 5 minutes.

Garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve.

H'ejazi Style Ful

You can make this with ful cooked from dry, or from a can, but use the smaller ful beans, rather than the larger ones. This is more how I grew up eating it at home, though my mother didn't either smoke it or add smoked paprika. I use the smoked paprika, rather than charcoal to smoke it, so that is how I make it here. If you have the time and interest to smoke it with charcoal, I'd recommend it, but it's not what I do on an average Wednesday morning. Roasted tomatoes are also a lovely addition.

1/2 cup good olive oil + more to smoke and to serve
2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
4 medium tomatoes, chopped (or a large can of chopped/diced tomatoes, with their juices)
2 small to medium chiles, like red serranos, or one green and one red
4 teaspoons flake salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 cans ful mudammas (about 4 cups cooked) with the liquid
1 lit charcoal pellet to smoke (optional)

Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add onions. Cook onions until they are wilted and soft. Add tomatoes, chiles, salt and spices. Cook to reduce the liquid a little.

Add the ful with 1/2 cup of the liquid. Mash slightly and mix well with the other ingredients. Cover with the lid and allow to cook for about 20 minutes, checking on it to make sure it doesn't get too dry. If it is too dry, add a little more of the cooking liquid (or liquid from the can) and stir.

If you are smoking the ful: Tear a piece of aluminum foil, fold it in half. Place it directly on the ful. Drizzle a little olive oil in the middle of the foil and immediately place the lit charcoal on the foil. Fold the foil over the charcoal and replace the lid. Let it rest for about 2 minutes, then remove he charcoal and aluminum. Serve in a shallow, rimmed dish, with a heavy drizzle of more olive oil. Serve with chopped or slivered radishes, chopped fresh tomatoes, spears of cucumber, good brined olives, and/or chopped cilantro or parsley and good, hot Arabic bread. You may wish to serve it with shatta, duqqus, sah'awiq, or harissa.

Jordanian Date Rings

Get good date paste or dates, if you can! Saudi dates are the best in the world, so if you can find them, I encourage you to get them (I have a picture of the kind I get at the bottom). The original recipe I found for these were made larger, but I think the proportion of dough to date is better when you make more and smaller rings. You can use saffron instead of turmeric for the color, which will make a lovely flavor, but I like the turmeric. If you have a large enough bread machine, you could make the dough on the dough cycle in that, instead of mixing with a stand mixer or by hand. If you live in a more humid place than our desert, you may need up to 1/2 cup more bread flour than listed here.

4 1/2 – 5 cups bread flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon flake salt
1/3 cup melted sammen or unsalted butter
1/4 cup whole milk yogurt
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup slightly warmed milk
1/2 cup warm water warmed + more water to help seal the dough
Egg wash - 1 egg whisked with 2 teaspoons milk
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Date Filling:
1 pound date paste (or grind up pitted dates in the same quantity)
2 1/2 tablespoons melted sammen or unsalted butter
1 tablespoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Using a stand mixer set to medium, combine 4 1/2 cups of flour with the sugar, yeast, cardamon and turmeric. Switch to stir (or low), and slowly add the melted sammen until combined. Add in the yogurt, vinegar and vanilla, until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down after mixing each one to make sure all ingredients are combined.

Add the warmed milk and water and mix to combine, then remove dough to lightly floured surface. I use the remaining half cup of flour for this, and add a little at a time, as I knead. Knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour if the dough is too sticky, kneading for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft. Do not add too much, or the dough will be too dry.

Shape the dough in a tight ball, and place on a floured surface. Turn a large oiled bowl over it and allow the dough to rise in a warm, dry place for at least an hour or until doubled in size.

While it is rising, mix the date paste well with the sammen, Ceylon cinnamon, and cardamom and set aside.

Once the dough is doubled, remove the bowl and gently push it down with your hand. Allow the dough to rest for about 15 minutes and preheat the oven to 400°F or a convection oven at 375˚F. Line a large baking sheet or two half baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Set a small bowl of water out to be ready to seal the rings. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Divide date paste into 12 equal parts. Roll out each piece of dough on a flat, lightly floured surface, creating a roughly rectangular piece about 1/4 inch thick. Roll each date piece into a long rope that is equal to the length of the rolled out dough. Wet the edged of the dough with water. Place the date rope at the top of your dough, rolling the dough length wise along around the date paste. Pinch the edges of the dough closed. Roll the rings along your floured surface to help it seal.

Join the two edges of the dough, making a circle, using more water to help join the dough. If the edges aren't sealed, they could open while baking. Using a sharp knife or clean kitchen shears, cut equally spaced slits around the outer ring of your dough, only going 1/3 through the ring, starting just next to your circle seal and working your way around. Brush egg wash over each dough ring using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Allow shaped rings to rest for an additional 10 minutes in a warm, dry space.

Bake date rings for 8-10 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.

Switch to your broiler, browning the tops for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown (watch carefully, as they can go from brown to burned quite quickly). Serve them hot out of the oven or allow to cool on a wire rack and then store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Quince Pie

Living where we live, it is difficult to get the quince to make this at all. However, it is a wonderful pie, and if you can get your hands on some quince, I strongly recommend giving this a try. Save the skins and cores (with the seed pods removed) for making jelly. I'll include a note at the bottom for how to do that. I was able to make both pastries and half recipes of the preserves and jelly with about eight and a half to nine pounds of quince. However, if you can find quince, I'd make the full recipe of the preserves and jelly.

1 recipe Flaky Butter Crust
3 pounds ripe quince, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup tapioca starch
Zest and strained juice of small lemon
2 tablespoons rosewater
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter to top filling

Mix quince, sugar, tapioca starch, lemon zest and juice, rosewater, and vanilla extract or paste in a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Roll out pie crust and line a deep dish pie pan. Fill with the quince filling and dot with the unsalted butter. Cover with the second crust, seal, trim and crimp the edged. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until crust is golden brown and crisp, and the filling is bubbling.

Quince Almond Tart

This tart is entirely gluten free, so it is a good choice for serving to people with allergies or sensitivities. You will need a 9 - 10 inch round tart pan for this quantity.

Almond Crust:
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten

Combine almonds flour and sugar in a medium bowl or food processor. Scatter butter over top, mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and mix until dough gathers into a ball. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Filling:
2 pounds ripe quince, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup tapioca starch
Zest and strained juice of small lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons rosewater
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Crumble Topping:
1 cup almond flour
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter

Mix quince, sugar, tapioca starch, lemon zest and juice, rosewater, and vanilla extract or paste in a large bowl.

Stir together crumble topping ingredients and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Press chilled almond tart dough into large, round, tart pan evenly, pressing half way up the sides and making sure there aren't holes on the bottom. Fill with quince filling. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with the crumble topping. Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes, until crumble is browned.

Remove from oven and allow to rest so the topping firms up a bit. Serve by itself or with Arabian Nights Chantilly Cream or vanilla ice cream.

Quince Preserves

This is the method my beloved Khallah Fawzia told me when I was in Saudi Arabia. I spent part of my time there making sure I recorded family recipes and family history, so it doesn't end with my generation here in the United States. You can cut this recipe in half easily. To cut it in thirds, use 2 1/4 pounds quince, 4 cups sugar, and a third of all other ingredients. This recipe makes about 8 - 10 pints.

6 2/3 pounds (3 kg) quince (washed, peeled and sliced, then held in lemon water)
10 cups sugar
24 cups of water
2 tablespoons lemon salt (crystallized citric acid)
3 cinnamon sticks
9 cardamom pods
9 whole cloves

Heat sugar with water, lemon salt, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods. Bring to a boil, and boil rapidly for five minutes. Drain fruit and add to syrup. Heat until it turns pink. Add whole cloves and remove from heat. Remove cinnamon sticks.

Fill hot, sterilized pint or quart jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rims, seal with lid and rings to finger tip tightness. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from canning pot to a rack or towel and allow to rest, undisturbed for 24 hours.

Quince Jelly

This is a method more than a strict recipe. There is so much pectin in quince (and apples and crabapples) that you really don't need to add any to them.

Save quince skins and cores (seed pods removed) from baking or making preserves to make jelly. Bring to a boil with just enough water to cover, cover pan and stew over medium heat until they are very soft, between 45 and 60 minutes, stirring and mashing occasionally. Ladle fruit and juice into a jelly bag hanging from a rack over a bowl let the juice strip until the flow stops a few hours or overnight. Press a tiny bit on the outside to extract liquid that will emerge readily, but not too hard or you have cloudy jelly.

Jelly should be made with 3/4 of a cup of sugar for every cup of juice, stir until all sugar has dissolved, then set pan over high heat. Add the juice of a lemon, strained. Boil rapidly until it passes the jelly test or is approximately 220° about 15 to 25 minutes, maybe longer. Skim off any foam and ladle jelly into hot, sterilized half pint or pint jars leaving a quarter inch to half an inch headspace. Wipe rims, seal with lid and rings to finger tip tightness. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from canning pot to a rack or towel and allow to rest, undisturbed for 24 hours.

Labels: Homemaking, Preserving the Harvest, Recipes, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen

In our continuing challenges, we are really seeking the bright moments of blessing and humor. We had Amelia and Madelyn over this weekend and were able to give Amelia her special present from her father, and play a bit with her. It was lovely.

Life is still tough and we appreciate every bright spot, every bit of encouragement, every prayer said for us. It really feels like everything is being pared down and taken to its most basic nature, and we are having to deal with how we live like that.

Our mutton should be available in two or three weeks, so we are still whittling away at our freezer and trying not to add too much to it (though, I admit, that when I see a great deal, I sometimes grab it, anyway).

We are looking forward to a day with normal life again, one that is not exciting or interesting or unusual. Please pray for us.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Jordanian Date Rings*, Sausage Patties, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Pizzas, Salad, Quince Pie*, Quince Almond Tart*
• Monday
  Breakfast: Leftover Pizza, Mangos and Grapes, Milk and Tea
  Dinner: Cheeseburgers, Cool and Creamy Potato and Pea Salad, Pickles, Fruit Plate
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Vanilla Yogurt with Cherry Almond Granola, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers and Fruit
• Wednesday - Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Brown Sugar, Apples and Craisins, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Musgovian Vegetable Soup, Oyster Crackers, Fruit Plate
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Syrian Rice Pudding, Sliced Apples, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Meatballs and Polenta, Salad, Peanut Butter Cup Cookies and GF Hazelnut Cookies
• Friday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Fruit, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Vegetables Jalfrezi with our Garden Vegetables and Chick Peas, Jasmine Rice, Fruit Plate
• Saturday- All Hallow's Eve
  Breakfast: Chilaquiles with Salsa, Suprèmed Grapefruit and Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Poblano Chile Relleno Casserole, Salsa Rice, Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen

My projects on needles and active right now are all cables all the time. One is a sweater for Winnie and one is a stocking for Madelyn. I'd like to get back to my own sweaters, but I have a second stocking to make for Winnie. Because they are Old Calendar, that buys me an extra 13 days, but that is still closer than is comfortable. Rich raised an eyebrow and asked if I really thought I could get both done. The audacity! As though he has seen me have more plans than time before.

The stocking pattern started with 20 inches of i-cord that you were then supposed to pick up stitches from to knit the stocking. I did i-cord while making the stitches, so I wouldn't have to pick up the stitches. I'm not thrilled with my gauge, though, so I am going to go down a needle size and then keep going after that. On the sweater, I thought I would have the second sleeve finished, because I was moving right along on it before, but we've had a rough week, and a busy one, and I haven't been able to focus.

Keese is at my tech editor's and I am hoping to release it soon. Please contact me if you would like a chance to knit this before it is available for purchase. I'm hoping to have at least two beta knitters, to try each size of the project bag. Thank you so much!

I read a short story called Crenshaw, which is a children's story, and was both sad and touching. Other than that, I've still been more scatterbrained in my reading. I've read a little in The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge and in We Mend With Gold. I even started reading something else, though I decided not to finish it.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any time you click on a book link, it gives me the opportunity to earn a few cents for our family.

Labels: Books, Design, FOs, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

Remember how I said we had a hard day a couple weeks ago? Well, that continued into a couple hard weeks. I realized I never posted last week's menu plan, so I will just post two weeks of our menus this week, in case you need meal ideas. In these two weeks we have had a celebration of Amelia's birthday that we made as happy as we could under the circumstances.

Things are not any different, really, than they were a week ago, but somehow it has felt much harder since Thursday. We know that our endurance is going to be tested for an even longer time. We are more and more soured and disappointed in our ill-named justice system. I'm having a harder and harder time holding everything together.

This next week holds a couple family and extended family birthdays, so we have another birthday party coming up on the weekend. We are definitely getting our share of cake. Other people are even making it, so I don't have to do that, which is lovely. We are still cooking from our freezers as much as possible to make room for the mutton (and some poultry we need to harvest). We should have the mutton in a few weeks, which will be lovely. That is something I truly love about our area, how much easier it is to purchase pastured/foraging meat on the hoof so we know where it comes from and how it was raised.

Thank you to all of you who still read here and pray for our family. Thank you also to our parish family who keep showing up and supporting and serving our family, both openly and in ways we don't see.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Ham, Sides/Salads/Bread/Fruit/Desserts brought by Parish, Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake
• Monday
  Breakfast: 'Aish Baladi ou Joubneh, Sliced Cucumbers, Brined Olives, Fruit, Milk, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Chicken Ghaza*, Arabic Style Rice Pilaf, Arugula Salad, Leftover Cake
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Vanilla Yogurt with Granola, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Pasta with Baked Feta, Tomatoes and Arugula, Grilled Country Herb Sausages, Fruit Plate
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: H'ejazi Style Ful*, Bread, Sah'awiq, Sliced Radishes, Kalamata Olives, Fruit, Tea with Honey, Mint, and Rosewater
  Dinner: Seafood Paella, Bread, Fruit Plate
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Fried Halloum, Sliced Tomatoes, Radishes and Cucumbers, Olives, Bread, Canned Peaches, Tea with Mint and Rosewater, Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers and Fruit
• Friday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Fruit, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Falafel, Khoubz Araby, Sah'awiq, Duqqus, Taratoor, Moroccan Beet Salad, Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Vegetable and Cheese Scramble, Bacon, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Hot Ham and Turkey Swiss Sandwiches on Rye, Half Sweet Bread and Butter Pickles, Chips, Fruit Plate
• Sunday - Feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist and Iconographer
  Breakfast: Pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup, Sausages, Strawberry Mango Salad, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Sub Sandwiches, Fixings/Chips/Pickles/Salads/Fruit/Dessert brought by Parish
• Monday
  Breakfast: Egg and Cheese Biscuit Sandwiches, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Creamy Poblano Chicken, Cuban Yellow Rice, Sliced Mangos
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Vanilla Yogurt with Granola, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Potage Parmentier, Bread, Canned Peach Halves
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Potato, Pepper and Onion Breakfast Tacos with Salsa, Suprèmed Oranges and Red Grapefruit, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Pasta with Sauce from Freezer, Garlic Bread, Sliced Apples
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Shakshouka with Nabulsi Cheese, Toast, Suprèmed Oranges and Red Grapefruit, Mint Tea with Honey and Rosewater
  Dinner: Leftovers and Fruit
• Friday - Feast of Saint James of Jerusalem
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Fruit, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Ramen with Vegetables, Mandarin Oranges
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Date Crescents, Sausages, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Potato and Poblano Stew, Grilled/Broiled Chorizo Sausages, Tortilla Strips, Leftover Cake

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Birthday, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen

Yakhnat Laham fi al-Yaq'tin

Autumn and Winter seem to cry out for a warming soup or stew, and this is really great for that. If you have an instant pot or another pressure cooker, it is really quick, too. If not, just simmer on the stove for a couple hours, until the meat is tender, and the rice is cooked. You can halve this amount, if you like, but you will want around a 4 pound squash to hold it, still.

olive oil
6 pound winter squash, top cut off and insides scooped out
salt and pepper
4 pounds beef or lamb stew meat
4 onions, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup Saudi Seven Spice Blend
1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper flakes (or half that amount of red pepper flakes)
10 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
7 cups beef or chicken stock
28 ounce canned, diced tomatoes with their juices
3/4 cup dry basmati rice (or other long grain rice)
1 pound frozen (or fresh, if you are making this in the summer) peas
1 bunch flat leafed parsley, trimmed and finely minced

Salt and pepper the inside of the squash and coat it with a couple tablespoons of olive oil before roasting the whole squash (including the lid, on the underside) at about 400° for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Using the sauté feature of the pressure cooker, heat olive oil to brown the meat, well salted and peppered, then remove from the pot. Add onions and sauté, scraping up the browned bits from the meat as they cook. Put the meat back in, along with the spices and stir to heat and release the fragrance, add garlic, and cook a minute more.

Pour in stock, seal pressure cooker, and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes, release the pressure. If the meat was on the bone, remove the meat to chop it off the bones. If not, simply continue. Pour in diced tomatoes with their juices, and basmati rice. Put the meat back in, if you took it out to bone it, pressure cook on high for four minutes. Manually release the pressure.

Taste for salt and pepper, and add a little bit of each, if needed. Add the frozen peas to the stew, then fill the squash with the stew, leaving any extra in the pot, cover it with the lid/stem and bake it at about 375° for 25 to 30 minutes.

When ready to serve, sprinkle the parsley into the stew. Serve the stew with a scoop of the squash from the inside of the skin.

Labels: Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen

This week is our chance to catch up on some things we still haven't taken care of, and need to be done. Meanwhile, I'm still trying to figure out how to make enough for only five people, with enough leftover for lunches, but not so much that we have to have two leftover nights. Poor Mariam was ill last week, which also reduced how much we finished last week.

There is only one day this week that is taken up with our family crisis (as if there are any days we don't think about or deal with it), so I am hoping to get some rest and a little peace this week. It is, unfortunately, on Alexander's birthday, and that makes it a little harder. It's a sad birthday this year.

I know that I am woefully behind on sharing recipes here. I won't make any promises, but I will get to them as I am able. Thank you to all of you who still read here and pray for our family.

Our dinner tonight is being provided by our parish, yet again, as will be the case for the next two months, at least. Thank God for them.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Leftover Scramble, Toast, Cherry Tomatoes, Fruit Plate, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Carnitas Street Tacos, Tortilla Chips and Salsa, Sides/Salads/Fruit/Dessert brought by Parish
• Monday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Canned Peaches, Milk, Tea, and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers, Fruit Plate
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Raisin Cinnamon Bread with Cream Cheese, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Arabic Beef and Vegetable Soup with Lemon Juice and Garlic Paste, Croatian Salty Bread Rolls, Zlevanka
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Cashew Butter Drizzle, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Zaalouk, 'Aish Baladi, Arugula with Red Onion and Sumac*, Fruit Plate
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Vanilla Yogurt with Granola, Milk, Tea, and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers and Fruit
• Friday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Fruit, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Vegetables Jalfrezi with our Garden Vegetables and Chick Peas, Jasmine Rice, Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: 'Aish Baladi ou Joubneh, Sliced Cucumbers, Brined Olives, Fruit, Milk, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Roast Beef with Horseradish and au Jus, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Caesar Salad, Rolls, Dessert Bar

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Birthday, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen

All duplicate stitching is complete. All thumbs are knit. There are still ends to weave in and two mitts to block. However, there are two finished projects I can count, and maybe even get the patterns out for this year. I'd like to make the second size of Keese, to show a larger version, and that might just be my mindless knitting for the next few weeks, as we are going to be deep in difficult times.

I have ripped back to the cuff on Winnie's sweater, but otherwise haven't knit much on it. That will likely come this weekend and remain weekend knitting, when I am not having to focus on other things.

Last week, Rich and I had some time in Montana for a business conference of his, and we really enjoyed the break, the ability to walk in nature, the quiet, and the friends in his colleagues that we've known for between 10 and more than 20 years. It didn't make all our sorrows disappear, but it helped to carry them better. I was able to finish both of these projects, but barely read anything.

Life has been so challenging lately, and the screws are tightening, so my reading has been a lot of little snippets here and there, and nothing super consistent or serious. We are really being put through the wringer right now, and just found out something else that will prolong it.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any time you click on a book link, it gives me the opportunity to earn a few cents for our family.

Labels: Books, Design, FOs, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world -- he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. -- Revelation 12:7-9

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits, who roam through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in praelio. Contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur. Tuque princeps militiae caelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo divina virtute in infernum detrude. Amen.

We will not be able to make our Michaelmas dragon this year, but I am encouraged that this feast falls on what was to be the first day of something for which we are praying sincerely. Saint Michael, pray for us, and defeat the efforts of the devil by the power of God. Likewise, we will not be able to do anything particularly special for the feast of Saint Jerome. We will ask his wisdom and prayers for all as well.

Rich and I had almost a week in Montana last week for a work conference of his. We were right on the river in Missoula, and it was beautiful and sunny during the day. It was a much needed time away, and after nearly 25 years in this industry, the dear friends we have made with his colleagues are such a comfort. We did all the rah rah, fun group things, but then left each night with the people we have known and who have known us for for 10 - 20+ years and got to really talk about our lives, work, families, children, joys and struggles. I was never a person to be close friends with co-workers, and neither is Rich really, but these people have both the distance in space and closeness in time necessary for us to nurture the kind of openness that was possible this week. That was a gift from God. It was also a reminder that we are not the only people being put through the wringer. As I went down the hall of the hotel the day before we left, I saw a woman from their staff in a hijab who looked Arab, so I took the chance and spoke to her in Arabic. That was a gift, as well. She was overjoyed to have someone who spoke Arabic and saw her and we had a lovely conversation, then after the day of work and festivities, she came and joined us for a walk on the river. That, too, was a blessing. We are still looking for the blessings, joy, and laughter in our unenviable position.

Because of our absence, even the lighter meals I planned for the kids to make and eat made quite a few leftovers, so we have two leftover days this week and some repeats on breakfasts that they ended up not eating, because they had so much other breakfast food left to eat. Our gleaning club is still keeping us in good stead, and our garden is in its swan song. We are definitely not in summer any more, though. Because of that, we are just eating whatever fruit and vegetables we have in our meals to use the good things we have. Not much preserving is being done just because of our miserable schedule, but we did dry some sweet peppers and roasted and canned some anaheim peppers for later. The mornings and evenings are so cold, though. Somehow dealing with everything and also being cold makes it worse, more insulting.

Our parish family is holding us up this week, next, and through October, and we definitely can tell that there are people all over praying for our whole family. Thank you. Please continue to pray, next week was supposed to be the beginning of the grueling hard work, but there has been another delay, which is a type of suffering, as well. I can't believe it will be almost a year when this is finally progressing.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Waffles with Maple Syrup, Cottage Bacon, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Pizzas, Salad, Fruit/Desserts brought by Parish
• Monday
  Breakfast: Sausage and Hashbrowns, Peaches, Coffee and Tea
  Dinner: Leftovers, Fruit Plate
• Tuesday - Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels
  Breakfast: Leftover Waffles and Syrup, Fruit, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Pork Chile Verde, Chipotle Tomato Rice, Sour Cream, Avocados, Corn Tortillas, Plums
• Wednesday - Feast of Saint Jerome
  Breakfast: Ful with Chopped Tomatoes and White Onions, Sah'awiq, Kalamata Olives, Toast, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey, Mint and Rosewater
  Dinner: Thai Style Vegetable Stir Fry, Chinese Scallion Pancakes, Ginger Garlic Soy Dipping Sauce, Fruit Plate
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Yemeni Fassoliya with Eggs, Sah'awiq, Fruit, Tea with Rosewater, Mint and Honey
  Dinner: Leftovers and Fruit
• Friday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Fruit, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Spanish Seafood Paella, Arugula Salad, Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Mana'eesh bi Za'atar ou Joubneh, Fried Eggs, Vegetables and Olives, Fruit Plate, Sahlab, Tea with Mint and Rosewater
  Dinner: Beef Tacos, Salsa Verde, Prize Winning Roasted Tomato Salsa, Cabbage Salad, Flourless Truffle Cake

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Michaelmas, Name Day, Prayer Requests, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen

We are coming into the grinding time now. Our friends and family are taking such good care of us and supporting us in so many ways. This week is not the calm before the storm, but the busy before the busier. Please pray for us.

Again, our meal plan has a lot of meals that use leftovers, or things from our freezer so we can keep whittling away at our stores. From here on out, we will be doing as many slow cooker and quick meals as we can while we are busy with so much going on around us.

Our parish family is providing such a great meal for after church tonight. See how God blesses us! Not just with others taking on tasks for us, but with them providing so much that is good and delicious. We are blessed. We are looking for the blessings right now.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Coffee and Tea
  Dinner: Smoked Beef Brisket, Baked Potatoes with Butter, Sour Cream and Shredded Cheese, Salad, Dessert
• Monday - Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Peaches, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Chipotle Beef, Enchilada Rice, Sautéed Peppers, Onions and Summer Squash, Enchilada Rice, with Corn Tortillas and Diced Avocados, Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Fried Egg and Cheese Sandwiches, Sliced Apples, Mint Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Egg Noodles in Turkey Broth, Peaches
• Wednesday - Feast of the Conception of Saint John the Forerunner
  Breakfast: Potato and Vegetable Hash, Plums, Tea with Mint, Rosewater and Honey
  Dinner: Pasta with Tomato Sauce, Cucumber Salad, Sliced Apples
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Ful with Chopped Tomatoes and White Onions, Sah'awiq, Kalamata Olives, Toast, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey, Mint and Rosewater
  Dinner: Leftovers, Peaches
• Friday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Fruit, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Sheet Pan Vegetable Chow Mein, Plums
• Saturday - Feast of the Falling Asleep of Saint John the Evangelist and Theologian
  Breakfast: Pancakes/Waffles with Buttermilk Syrup, Cottage Bacon, Sahlab and Coffee
  Dinner: Hot Ham and Turkey Swiss Sandwiches on Rye, Half Sweet Bread and Butter Pickles, Chips, Fruit Plate

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen

We have a bag! This is the smaller size of Keese, my design for project bags, and I am finally happy with it. I just realized I forgot to do the duplicate stitching, though, which means I need to get that done before I can really count this as finished.

You can also see the beginning of a little Winnie sweater. That is the cuff on the sleeve, which I am using as my swatch. It's further along, or perhaps not as far along, now. I realized there was a mistake I made, which I could live with, but didn't like that the border cables were not mirrored, so after almost an entire repeat of the pattern, I am going to rip back to fix both.

I'm also just about finished with the fingerless mitt version of Nisseet. I have one thumb completed and another to do, and then weaving in ends and blocking, so that is two projects I am just about able to call finished, finished, finished.

Unfortunately, I have neither finished The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge, nor We Mend With Gold, though that is because the library took it back. There are a lot of great nuggets of truth in her book, but also a lot of modernist nonsense. I'm determined to finish it, though. Her premise that the American Church creates Jesus in its own, white, Western, colonialist, American, image and that it isn't a true representation of Him is true. However, she does not de-Westernize Him, she simply makes Him a brown, Western, progressive/colonialist, American. I also grabbed that book in the photo above, and hope to tackle it soon.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any time you click on a book link, it gives me the opportunity to earn a few cents for our family.

Labels: Books, Design, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

So, last week was something else. I went down to Eugene to try to help my aging mother who is having more health problems. That didn't go over well, and she needs your prayers. We do, too. We are truly the sandwich generation, taking care of kids, parents, and also grandparents. While it is a good duty, it was another thing added when I am already fielding a lot, and being responsible for two and a half households.

Without saying too much, things are quite difficult in that quarter, but God knows the need. On the plus side, I was also able to visit with our dear friends who are godparents to half our kids and guardians to our kids should we pass away, and see Dominic and Shawn and Winnie every full day I was there. Arthur and Michelle really spoiled me while I was there, because they know how much I am carrying right now. I am so grateful for that time with all of them.

While I was gone, Rich and the kids were making all the meals, but I forgot to have them cut one of the recipes in half, so between that and me not being here to eat any of the things they made, we have a LOT of leftovers this week. We have two leftover meals this week, but one is specifically the remainder of that extra large dinner from last week. Even still, we are using up things from our freezers, and making ready for mutton and a steer.

This week is the first semi-week of school for our girls. We are easing into it this year, with all the turmoil around us. The next four to eight weeks are incredibly busy, then we basically have to try to start in with normal life again. The girls are doing chemistry and earth science this year, so we are starting that this week, then in a couple weeks, our co-op begins, and we will be gradually adding everything else in as we go.

Our parish family is coming through for us in so many ways, and I cannot thank God enough for them. We had turkeys in the freezer to use, both to feed the church and to free up room in our freezer, so while I was gone, Rich seasoned the turkeys for the meal at church, and I cooked them today and made the gravy, while the our parish brought all the other things. Because of our hectic life for the next two months, they are basically handling all the Sunday dinners through the end of October. They have done so much for us, and I am so grateful for them.

• Sunday - Feast of Saint Cyprian of Carthage
  Breakfast: Kousa bi Laban*, Bread, Sliced Watermelon, Coffee and Tea with Milk
  Dinner: Herb Roasted Turkey, Bourbon Gravy, Parish Bringing Mashed Potatoes, Salads, Apple Honey Cake
• Monday - Feasts of Saint John Chrysostom and the Elevation of the Holy Cross
  Breakfast: Hard Boiled Eggs, Cottage Cheese, Sliced Cucumbers and Brined Olives, Mint Tea with Honey and Rosewater
  Dinner: King Ranch Turkey, Roasted Tomato Salsa Rice, Sliced Watermelon
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Raisin Bread with Cream Cheese, Peaches, Milky Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Pork Chile Verde, Chipotle Tomato Rice, Sour Cream, Avocados, Corn Tortillas, Plums
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Potato and Vegetable Hash Burritos with Salsa, Sliced Apples, Tea with Mint, Rosewater and Honeyy
  Dinner: Leftover Florida Style Black Beans and Rice, Plums
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Plums, Milky Tea
  Dinner: Leftovers or Turkey Vegetable Soup, Peaches
• Friday
  Breakfast: Lenten Apple Oatmeal Muffins* with Cashew Butter, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Black Bean and Potato Enchiladas, Salsa Rice, Plum Sorbet
• Saturday - Feast of Saint Theodore
  Breakfast: 'Aish Baladi ou Joubneh, Sliced Cucumbers, Brined Olives, Fruit, Milk, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Cheese Zombies, Tomato Soup, Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen

Thy nativity, O Mother of God, heralded joy to the whole universe, for from you rose the Sun of Justice, Christ our God. Taking away the curse, He imparted blessings, and by abolishing death, He gave us everlasting life.

Through thy holy birth, O Immaculate One, Joachim and Anna were delivered from the shame of childlessness, and Adam and Even from the corruption of death. Thy people, redeemed from the debt of their sins, cry out to you to honor your birth: "The barren one gives birth to the Mother of God the Substainer of our life!"

It is the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Theotokos Tuesday and we rejoice in that. Without her, we could not have Him. Glory to God in His saints!

So much for a restful week to recover. We have a pretty busy week ahead of us again. Please pray, as we will be all over the place. Although our cold evenings and mornings are certainly back, and it was rather cool this past week, but it is supposed to warm up a little this week. Our last gasp before the real cold arrives.

There is a lot going on in the family and a lot coming up for all of us. Not much that I can discuss publicly, but please keep every memeber of our family and extended family in prayer. God knows the needs. It has been a tough time - tougher than normal. We have all kind of hit a wall, and it's just getting harder. However, God has sent us consolations and that is beautiful to see.

Because of the weird circumstances of our week, we are keeping a much more loose fasting rule. Don't be surprised by fish or dairy on some days that normally wouldn't have them. We are doing the best we can and asking for God to strengthen us as we get closer to resolution. There were also much more leftovers this past week than expected, so some meals have been moved to this week, and there are more leftover meals planned.

Thank God for both our gleaning club and our parish family. They are still providing for us and each other. Since our garden was much smaller this year, the gleans have meant we had local, fresh produce to put up for the winter, which is a gift. Also, we've been able to bless our parish with the gleanings, and the parish has been handling meals on Sundays, or at least the main dish. This next couple months, they are really taking the lead on those. Please pray for God to bless them.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Chorizo, Black Bean and Summer Squash Scramble Breakfast Tacos with Panela, Peaches and Plums, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Pizzas, Parish brings Sides/Salads/Fruit/Dessert
• Monday
  Breakfast: Potato Dressing and Gravy, Sliced Apples, Milky Tea
  Dinner: Pork Chile Verde, Chipotle Tomato Rice, Sour Cream, Avocados, Corn Tortillas, Plums
• Tuesday - Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Fruit Plate, Milky Tea
  Dinner: Hamburgers, Potato Wedges, Half Sweet Bread and Butter Pickles, Peaches
• Wednesday - Feast of the Parents of the Theotokos, Joachim and Anna, Ancestors of Our Lord
  Breakfast: Potato Hash Breakfast Burritos, Fruit Plate, Tea and Honey
  Dinner: Fried Fish Fillets, Tartar Sauce, Roasted Peppers, Beets, Summer Squash and Onions, Peaches
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Peaches, Milky Tea
  Dinner: Leftovers or Hot Dogs, Fried Potatoes, Peppers and Onions, Fruit Plate
• Friday
  Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Cashew Butter Drizzle, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Florida Style Black Beans and Rice, Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Sausage, Egg and Cheese Bagel Sandwiches, Suprèmed Oranges and Grapefruit, Coffee, Tea and Milk
  Dinner: Spaghetti with Pasta Sauce, Grilled/Broiled Country Herb Sausages, Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Blessed Virgin, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen, Theotokos

Rich and I are definitely feeling our age. After our rapid trip down to our granddaughter and back and then going straight into fair week and all of that work and those late nights, we took until nearly Thursday to start recover even a little bit. We took it more easily this weekend.

Last week, the winds of change came right on schedule. This week we are officially in fall. While I love autumn, it is usually so short here, and is a harbinger of the brutal winter, so it always makes me a little sad now. We are trying to get the most out of our garden, and spend some time preserving foods so we can still eat the fresh foods of our area during the winter and spring next year.

We had fantastic burgers last week, and I want to share what we did with them, in case you want to try something like that. Rich grilled the burgers, just plain beef with the Spice House's House Blend Turkey Seasoning on them, we toasted some ciabatta rolls, and spread them with homemade mayonnaise, dijon mustard, and a little ketchup. We layered gruyère cheese, sautéed onions, fresh arugula, avocado slices, and crisp bacon on the burgers, and ate them with cherry tomatoes from our garden and cornichons. We had planned on eating potato wedges with it, but were a little full of fried and oily foods, so we grilled fresh squash and peppers from our yard to eat with them, as well.

That was one of our successful meals last week. We tried a historic apple recipe that was Lenten for one of our breakfasts. Let's just say that there is a reason it was left in history. We will not be making it again. Besides that, I have realized that I simply cannot cook for fewer than eight people. So, we are planning a leftover day at least once a week, and if, by some miracle, we don't have enough, we will make sandwiches or some other quick and easy meal. I've set that for Thursdays, as it is a meat day on which I usually have something happening in the evening, which leaves me with more time that night.

We are so excited to have two of our granddaughters this coming weekend. We will fill them with good things and let them enjoy the outdoors as we can. They will come to church with us, and we can love on them for a couple nights. It is good. As for this weekend, our parish family is yet again coming along side us and giving me the rest I need from our rather busy few weeks by providing the meal Sunday. We are so grateful for them. In the meantime, we are still trying to eat down our freezer so we can fit that mutton, a steer, and our birds in there for winter and next year. I'm even planning a turkey dinner and some roast lamb over the next month or two, so we can make even more room. Rich wants to have a poultry day each week, to eat some of our birds in the freezer which were butchered last year, to make room for the new harvest. Shelftember will begin this week, and aside from milk and produce, I am trying to eat only what we already have here, to make room for preserved foods and the meat in our freezer.

Thank you for your prayers and support over these past few months. We are getting close to resolution and are praying for the best outcome.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Sausage and Egg Bagel Sandwiches, Suprèmed Oranges and Grapefruit, Coffee, Tea and Milk
  Dinner: Chili Cheese French Fries, Parish brings Sides/Salads/Fruit/Dessert
• Monday - Feast of the Saint Aidan
  Breakfast: Lenten Apple Oatmeal Muffins* with Cashew Butter, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Potato Dressing, Sausages and Gravy, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Chicken Fried Steak, Cream Gravy, Steam Sautéed Zucchini and Corn, Green Salad, Lime Cookies
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Cashew Butter Drizzle, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Black Bean and Potato Enchiladas, Salsa Rice, Strawberry Sorbet*
• Thursday
  Breakfast: 'Aish Baladi ou Joubneh, Sliced Cucumbers, Brined Olives, Fruit, Milk, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers or Hot Dogs, Fried Potatoes, Peppers and Onions, Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Friday
  Breakfast: Mana'eesh bi Za'atar, Fruit Plate, Tea with Mint and Rosewater
  
  Dinner: Florida Style Black Beans and Rice, Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Waffles with Buttermilk Syrup, Cottage Bacon, Fruit, Coffee, Tea and Milk
  Dinner: Meat Lasagna, Green Salad, Ice Cream

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen

With fair week last week, not a lot was done around here that didn't have to do with the fair. Besides it being a busy week for us normally, we had very few volunteers at our neighborhood booth, so it was basically our family and another family working the booth with a few other people coming in to help when they could. It was exhausting. I'm just recovering from it, actually.

The project bag would have been finished, except I found a dropped stitch more than 16 rounds down, and it was just too tight to drop down and put it back in place. So, I had to frog a little, and now I'm almost back to where I was before.

Though I haven't finished the coffee cozy for Rich, it is still in my project rotation. I'm hoping to have it finished by next weekend or the week after.

I think I read exactly one page in the Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge, sadly. We were just running all the time. I have been listening to Hercule Poirot short stories that Rich plays at night, though.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any time you click on a book link, it gives me the opportunity to earn a few cents for our family.

Labels: Around the World Stitch Along, Books, Design, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

What a week! Fair is over, and we can feel the winds of change, right on schedule, bringing winter to us. That is sad every time. I wish we had a real autumn here. Every year it has been harder and harder to get volunteers for our community club's booth, and this year was the worst, by far. It was basically us and one other family doing most of the work, with several other people who came to help, but times when we needed four or five people there, and only had two. It was pretty brutal. We aren't quite finished, as there is still clean up, but we are looking forward to a non-fair week.

We have two family birthdays this week, though only one in the house. We still haven't decided on the dessert, so when we have that set, I will update the menu.

Our little garden is still blessing us. Considering that we thought we wouldn't have a garden this year, with all the turmoil, I am so grateful for how well it is treating us. A lot of our meals are featuring produce from our garden. We do have a bunch of repeat meals this week, simply because of how fair schedules went.

We are heading into September, and we are still trying to eat down our freezers. I will do another Shelftember challenge. Our hope is that we can make room in the freezers for a mutton and a steer. We also want to butcher quite a few of our ducks, turkeys, and geese, which will set us up for the year with fresh, healthful meat for our family and church family.

Yet again, I have cause to thank God for our parish family. They have been so supportive and kind, and are helping with the meal this week. Some of the food we are bringing was from another church meal and was in our freezers, so we can just heat it and serve it tonight. This also clears room in our freezer, so I am grateful for that, too.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Chicken Piccata, Doctored Gnocchi from Freezer, Caponata, GF Gnocchi, Parish brings Sides/Salads/Desserts
• Monday - Feast of the Saint Bartholomew, Apostle
  Breakfast: 'Aish Baladi ou Joubneh, Sliced Cucumbers, Brined Olives, Peaches, Milk, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Grilled Burgers and Portabella Mushrooms, Potato Wedges, Zlevanka
• Tuesday - Feast of the Saint Louis, King of France
  Breakfast: Syrian Rice Pudding, Sliced Apples, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Beef Wrapped Peppers, Arugula with Red Onion and Sumac*, Butter Swim Rolls, Easy Plum Sorbet
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Apple Muse, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Tomato Soup, Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
• Thursday - Feast of the Saint Bernard
  Breakfast: Kousa bi Laban*, Leftover 'Aish Baladi, Plums, Sahlab and Coffee
  Dinner: Grilled Leg of Lamb, Baba Ghanooj, Tamis, Arugula Salad, Fruit Plate
• Friday - Feast of the Saint Augustine of Hippo
  Breakfast: Vegan Apple Oatmeal Muffins* with Cashew Butter, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Vegetarian Waraq 'Ounab, Rice, Duqqus, Strawberry Sorbet*
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Pancakes or Waffles with Buttermilk Syrup, Cottage Bacon, Fruit, Coffee, Tea and Milk
  Dinner: Hot Dogs, Fried Potatoes, Peppers and Onions, Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Birthday, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen

Last week, we were able to take a quick trip down and back to visit Dominic and Shawn for Winnie's first birthday. It was a whirlwind, but delightful. She is taking her first steps and her other grandmother gave her a new set of wheels, pink with light up wheels in the rear. We kind of had to do a stealth visit, because there wasn't time to see anyone else while we were there. Good thing we have a peaceful, quiet week this week! (Not at all).

One of the things we did while we were down there, was to pick blackberries and plums from our dear friends' yard. I am trying not to just eat all the blackberries myself, but perhaps I will make a little crisp or something for us tomorrow. I'm hoping we will get a chance for a longer trip down, both to see the kids again, but also to see other friends and family.

Speaking of tomorrow, fair week officially begins tomorrow. We are all taking our turns on shifts at the fair booth, so it's a bit of a revolving door here all week. A few people t home, a few people at fair, then trading places. Because of our trip, we missed the last window to put in most fair entries. However, we will be entering some baked goods and plants and herbs, though.

Jerome's birthday is this week, but with fair, I'm not sure how that will go. Then, next week, we have two birthdays, between Mariam and Shawn. That is now four birthdays in August! With our daughters in law and granddaughters, we now have one birthday in January, two in March, one in May, two in June, two in July, four in August, two in October, and one in December. Birthday season now runs the whole year.

Thank God for our parish family. I knew we would be exhausted from our road trip, and so they took care of the meal at church for us. It was so delicious, and all we did was bring some corn to boil and some butter. This is another exhausting week for us, and I have a freezer meal ready for church next week, but we are still going to be pretty bone weary when that comes. The smoke has lifted a little, so we can breathe a little more easily, but we are a little more stuffed up back home than we were while visiting the kids.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Leftover Cornish Splits with Qishta and Blackberry Jam, Pizza, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters, Buttered Corn on the Cob, Sourdough Bread, Arugula Salad, Brie and Crackers
• Monday
  Breakfast: Cream Cheese Stuffed Blackberry Compote French Toast, Milk, Coffee and Tea
  Dinner: Broiled Bratwursts, Jalapeno Corn Pudding, Sliiced Watermelon
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Salatat Battatas ou Bayd, Quick Persian Barbari Bread, Plums, Tea with Mint and Rosewater
  Dinner: Fried Fish, Tartar Sauce, Potato Wedges, Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Vegan Apple Oatmeal Muffins* with Almond Butter, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Roasted Vegetable Laffa with Taratoor and Duqqus, Brined Olives, Plums
• Thursday - Feast of the Saint Bernard
  Breakfast: Tomato Toast, Cottage Cheese, Peaches, Tea
  Dinner: Ham and Turkey Sandwiches, Chips, Half Sweet Bread and Butter Pickles, Apples
• Friday - Feast of the Saint Thaddeus, Apostle
  Breakfast: Apple Muse, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Black Bean and Potato Enchiladas, Salsa Rice, Plums
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Kousa bi Laban*, Arabic Bread, Peaches, Milk, Coffee and Tea
  Dinner: Green Chile Pork Stew, Cornbread, Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Birthday, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen

This is an almost FO. In fact, it is so close, it might be finished by the end of the day today. It was not only supposed to be finished, but I had planned to have the pattern written and at the editor's already, but I think we are about two weeks from that. Alas. However, I am happy with it. It is a fun, little project and I have designed it to be two different sizes. Watch this space for information on the pattern.

We are in the last few days of the Around the World Stitch Along, and because of the turmoil in our lives, I haven't finished knitting my first project, let alone a second. It is a delightful project, and one I still want to complete, so you will see it here. I think it will be perfect for Rich at work.

Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge is nearly finished! I should finish it today or tomorrow, and next week will have a bit of a review for you!

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any time you click on a book link, it gives me the opportunity to earn a few cents for our family.

Labels: Around the World Stitch Along, Books, Design, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

In birth, you preserved your virginity; in death, you did not abandon the world, O Theotokos. As mother of life, you departed to the source of life, delivering our souls from death by your intercessions.

Shudder, O ye heavens! and, O earth, give ear unto these words:
God descended once before for our sake; He descends again today for His Mother.

The feast isn't until Saturday. However, the Dormition (or Assumption, in the West - this is the same feast, but the title emphasizes a different aspect) is the fourth highest feast in the Church year, following the Paschal feast, Pentecost, and the feast of the Nativity. Church teaching is that all the apostles but Thomas were gathered mystically around the Blessed Mother as she died, and were there for her burial. Thomas, arriving three days later, was taken to her tomb, only to find that it was empty. This Church teaching of the assumption of her body into heaven is not just a pious tradition, but holds some deep spiritual and physical truths for us. It is a sign and reminder to us that not only Christ resurrected bodily, but that we all will rise. Also, we know now, as they didn't then, that all women bear the DNA of each and every child borne to them in their bodies forever. So, by raising His mother, our Lord made sure that His resurrection was complete on this earth. If this had not happened, then He would not be completely risen. What a wonder and miracle! Science, archaelogy, history, always vindicate the Church and her teachings.

Inevitably, when people deny honor to the Theotokos, it is really a dishonor to the Lord. Even denying her the title Theotokos ends up declaring that Christ was either not God in her womb, or that He is not God incarnate. It is often not intentional, but I think a good question to ask oneself when putting her "in her place" is what does this mean about Christ and His divinity? If it ends up dishonoring Him, calling His divinity into question, or lessening Him, it isn't a good thing. Likewise, so many people say that there is too much honor given her, without actually considering whether or not they honor her enough or even at all. What is just the right amount of honor? Surely it isn't debasing the woman who bore and raised our Lord? Jesus was born a Jew and fulfilled the law. He loved and honored His mother, and as we could not have had Him without her, why would we want that, instead of following His example?

The Archangel Gabriel in the Gospel of Luke hails her and says that God calls her blessed. Her cousin Elizabeth's unborn son, Saint John the Forerunner, leaps at the sound of Mary's voice, and by this does Elizabeth know and proclaim that Mary is the Mother of her Lord. Mary replies by saying that ALL generations will call her blessed. It is in the Scriptures that we are to bless her, that God Himself magnifies her, so why should we not do the same? How can we do less?

Last week, Rich and I were able to go to East Wenatchee's Havana Nights for dancing. The smoke had cleared enough that it was safe to be outdoors. We had been in Wenatchee earlier in the week when you couldn't even see the hills across the river, or the river itself. This week holds a wonderful day for us, as well, with Winnie's birthday. We are so excited for her first birthday! We also have an opportunity to have a visit with some of our kids' godparents, and are looking forward to that, as well. As next week is going to be a busy week with fair, I am really hoping we get a chance to rest up in preparation for it this week.

Speaking of needing rest, please continue to pray for our family. Our life is really catching up with us, and we are just bone weary, exhausted all the time. We are forgetting important things and missing things that need to be done. It's wearing on us more and more. Please pray for our whole area. There are at least 40 fires burning all around us. The smoke is pretty bad, though not the worst we've ever seen here. Pray for the families and business who have been displaced, and for the firefighters.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Arabic Style Braised Beef*, Salad, Sourdough Bread, Cheese Potica, Watermelon and Blackberries
• Monday - Feast of Saint Laurence
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Homemade Cottage Cheese, Toast, Plums, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Biftek ou Battatas, Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette and Ricotta and Toasted Pistachios, Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Creamed Eggs, Toast Fingers, Sliced Cantaloupe, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Jeddo’s Tuna Sandwiches*, Pickles, Chips, Sliced Watermelon
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Apple Muse, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Black Bean, Tomato and Corn Salad with Corn Chips, Sliced Apples
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Cornish Splits with Qishta and Blackberry Jam, Bacon, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: American Beef and Cheese Enchiladas, Rice, Cake
• Friday
  Breakfast: Potato and Vegetable Hash with Salsa, Toast, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Fish and Chips with Friends
• Saturday - Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Theotokos
  Breakfast: Throw Together Brunch with Friends
  Dinner: Hot Dogs, Fried Potatoes, Peppers and Onions, Fruit Plate

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Blessed Virgin, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen, Theotokos

The coffee cozy has been put in a brief time out. I don't have the bandwidth to focus on the stitch pattern somehow. I think I will pull it out again for my sit and stitch. However, I've picked up Keese again, and though I didn't follow my own instructions and had to correct an error, it is pretty close to finished now. The goal is to have it written for two bag sizes and use the reverse colors on the larger size.

I really thought I would be finished with the Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge by now, but instead I read Recognizing the Stranger, and finished that. Except for where she kind of has to insert her other political views (which are not surprising to me, but means that a lot of the people who really could use her perspective will have an easy way to dismiss her argument), I really thought the lecture was quite good and framed this argument in a way I had not heard/read before.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any time you click on a book link, it gives me the opportunity to earn a few cents for our family.

Labels: Around the World Stitch Along, Books, Design, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

Technically, the Dormition fast has already begun. During the Dormition fast, I join with others to dedicate our prayers toward the end of abortion - not only in law, but also in practice - that nobody would ever feel the need to resort to this. We are all under so much pressure, and all coping as best as we can, and right now, I think our fast is surving it and deepening our prayers. So, please forgive me for the poor example in our menus.

Our gleaning club and garden are keeping us in beautiful, fresh produce, and we are enjoying that. We haven't had the time for a lot of preserving, but we have watermelon, peaches, apples, plums and pluots, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, salad greens, herbs, onions, fresh peas, arugula, all sorts of lovely things to eat. The winds have been coming, and with it some cold, which makes us concerned for how early winter will come, and what kind of winter we'll have, but also because of its impact on fires and our fire season. Please pray for our area, as there are so many fires, with homes lost, and lots of destruction and smoke. It is hard for the farmers and their animals as well as families.

This week holds the feast of the Transfiguration, which is also the anniversary of the loss of our sweet grandson. As hard as that memory is, I do love that it is always going to be tied with our Lord's revelation and display of how this world and the next is not strictly separated. I love the Transfiguration! We have the Trinity demonstrated in the voice of the Father and the uncreated light of the Spirit which overshadows the mountain, we have the communion of saints demonstrated and modeled (Jesus calls on not only Elijah, who never died, but Moses, in the presence of two of the Apostles - who know exactly who they are - and shows them that they can be called on in this world) to us, and we have a Theophany, a demonstration of the divinity of Christ. Saint Peter's statement about building tablernacles is not only an impetuous statement of someone not knowing what to say. It shows that Saint Peter connects what he witnesses with the Feast of Tabernacles, which is the feast of the coming Kingdom. He sees this as a sign of the Kingdom appearing on earth. On this feast, the Jewish people build booths to serve as symbols of God's dwelling among the just in the Kingdom. Moses represents the law and all who have died, and Elijah, the prophets and all who are alive in Christ, as Elijah never experienced death. Both of these men are immediately recognizeable by Saints Peter, James and John. They know them, because the saints are available to us on earth. They can hear Jesus talking to them, and Jesus gives them an example of communicating with the saints. This is one of the major feasts of the Church year, and it is a poverty to neglect or ignore it. Glory to God in His saints!

We've had a lot of losses in our circle lately. Just in the past ten days we have had two memorials for men who left their wives as widows. One, who was 82, and one who was 33, leaving a young wife (one of our older children's friends) and a year old son. Lord have mercy on them. Please pray for these men and for their families. They do not have a lot of people who will pray for their dead.

Our sweet neighbors flagged us down the evening after their father's memorial, when we were coming home from our other errands, to bring us leftovers from the memorial and that is providing the meal for our church tonight. The folks from church will bring accompaniments to go with the smoked turkey, baked potatoes, and so on, and the meal I had planned for today will be put out on another Sunday this month, which gives me more relief. I had absolutely no cooking to do today, and got to truly rest, after a lovely brunch that Rich made for us. Our parish family is still taking their desire to lift as many burdens as they can from us quite seriously. We have people providing meals, cooking on Sundays for church, driving me to events I need to attend in other towns when I'm not up for the longer drives, offering us places to stay when we need a respite, giving our kids a fun place to go so they don't have to sit in the sorrow we are enduring. We cannot thank them enough. Please pray for us, but also for them, that they would be blessed and relieved as they have done for us.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Beef and Garden Vegetable Scramble with Cheese, Peaches, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Smoked Turkey, Baked Potatoes, Green Salad, Corn, Parish brings Salad Dressing/Fruit/Desserts
• Monday
  Breakfast: Mesfouf, Plums, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftover H'ashweh, Laban bi Chiyar, Duqqus, Watermelon
• Tuesday - Feast of Saint Dominic
  Breakfast: 'Ijja, Khoubz Araby, Duqqus, Peaches, Sahlab and Coffee
  Dinner: Lahm bi 'Ajeen, Duqqus, Watermelon
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Cashew Butter Drizzle, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Fried Cauliflower, Taratoor, Rice, Watermelon
• Thursday - Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord
  Breakfast: Hard Boiled Eggs, Toast, Sliced Cantaloupe, Milk, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Polish Sausage and Potato Bake with Sauerkraut, Fruit Plate
• Friday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Sliced Cantaloupe, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Thai Style Stir Fry, Jasmine Rice, Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Cheese Potica, Bacon, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Meat Lasagna, Green Salad, Ice Cream

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen

I wanted to knit a lot more this weekend than I did. However, Rich wanted to give me a birthday weekend with nobody to carry, as he said. We filled it with excellent food and cooking demonstrations at the Bite of Seattle (two days before the shooting, and we are praying for all the victims), a gorgeous day of dancing salsa and bachata on Alki beach, a phenomenal meal at Driftwood, walking on the beach, quiet conversation, raucous laughter, and lots of rest. It really was what I needed after the past five months we've been enduring. So, I don't really have a progress photo for you.

However, I do have a new pattern for you that is a great quick project for the summer, as a card or framed picture for a special occasion. A beta knitter even made it as a face cloth. Warda is available on PayHip, Ravelry, and will shortly be available on LoveCrafts. As an introductory incentive, there is a coupon code, valid on both PayHip and Ravelry, WardaIntro, for 25% off the price through the end of the day August 5, 2026. Also, for the next couple days, as my 50th birthday gift to you, you can use the code HalfaCentury on both PayHip and Ravelry to receive 50% off of ONE pattern available for individual sale. That coupon is available through the end of the day, July 31, 2026.

Though I only got into the Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge for another few pages, I finished Last Wool and Testament!

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any time you click on a book link, it gives me the opportunity to earn a few cents for our family.

Labels: Around the World Stitch Along, Books, Design, FOs, Homemaking, Knitting, Patterns, Romance and Relationship, WIP, Yarn Along