What I Love Wednesday: 3

It is my humble opinion that there is no greater feeling than falling in love.

{5 things I love}

boots :: walmart

[these boots]
I bought these boots from WalMart years ago. Who'd have thought, right? They are always my go-to boot once the weather starts to cool. They're not that warm, but they're roomy enough to throw on a good pair of thick socks to keep my tootsies toasty.

grocery checklist :: real simple

[weekly grocery shopping]
When I was alone, I would wake up at 6:00 am every morning to walk to the grocery store. I loved walking along the street when the sun was still down, the streets empty except for maybe one passerby, and the store would always be half lit up, like it was providing mood lighting for my shopping experience. Now that I'm not alone, I've grown to really love our Saturday routine of brainstorming meal ideas, setting a grocery list, and sticking to it (most of the time). Even the waits in line are fun when you're with someone you enjoy.

little houses :: gifted

[random gifts]
I've had a very fun friendship with an old barber ever since I went into his shop and asked if I could take a portrait of him for my photography class years ago. He painted a portrait of me in exchange, and we've been trading random gifts ever since. When I went into his shop last week, he gave me these cute little houses he'd picked up at a garage sale. He'd bought them to go up along the tiny shelf that lines his walls, but they didn't fit so he passed them along to me! So I broke my rule and bought some yarn so I could make him slightly smaller knitted versions of these houses for Christmas.

pumpkin chai latte :: starbucks

[Starbucks at home]

We bought the pumpkin syrup at the beginning of the month, and it's already almost halfway gone. We've already decided to get the caramel syrup next. I really love waking up in the morning to make myself my own Starbucks drink instead of driving to the actual Starbucks location. Not only do I save money by ordering the products online, but I also save on the gas I'm not using. Talk about a win, win for me!

textbook :: nasm

[Studying for my CPT exam]

I got my certified personal trainer textbook in the mail Friday, and I've really enjoyed getting everything all set up. My online learning aids are up and running, and I started my first day of "class" Monday night. Woohoo to finally giving myself a kick in the butt to change my bloody awful career. One thing I've discovered I really love about online courses is that the teacher doesn't yell at you for snacking on chips and dip (or knitting) in class. Haha.

Inspiring Me

via: shelterness

I just love everything about this living room, from the monochromatic walls to the handling antlers. I want so badly to curl up right next to that fire with a good book.

via: dornob

This great DIY lace light bulb over at dornob. I can't to give this one a go sometime!

via: grhode

This spice rack would clear up so much counter space!

via: this is colossal

These floral x-rays by Brendan Fitzpatrick make me want to start pressing flowers.

via: scraphacker

That leafy dresser is absolutely gorgeous!

Pattern: Aquaman Slippers

This is definitely one of my favorite things I've ever made, and I'm so excited to share it!

This post covers the knit design only and not the felting. Don't worry, though; I'll post in a couple of weeks on felting your projects.

This pattern was adapted from these adorable bunny slippers by tiny owl knits.

size shown :: large

Aquaman Slippers

{Sizes}

Small US 5-6 (Medium US 7-8) (Large US 9-10)

{Materials}

2 skeins Wool of the Andes Worsted Yarn in Grass

1 skein Wool of the Andes Worsted Yarn in Caution

1 skein of Wool of the Andes Worsted Yarn in Orange

1 pair of US 11 needles

{Dictionary}

[ ] - pattern note
K - knit
K2tog - knit 2 together
KB - knit through back
KF - knit through front
KFB - knit through front and back
M1 - make 1 stitch: To do this, swing your working needle down to pick up the ladder between stitches (I picked up the color of the stitch below the next stitch on my working needle). Then either knit or purl through the stitch you've made with the color indicated.
O - orange
P - purl
P2tog - purl 2 together
PB - purl through back
SK - slip knitwise
SP - slip purlwise
WN - working needle
Y - yellow

{Directions}

Holding yarn doubled, cast on 28 stitches in Grass.

Knit three rows.

Row 4: P9, K10, P9

Row 5: K across

Repeat rows 4 and 5 until work is a total of 26 (30) (34) rows. Cut your tail for the green (about 6 inches).

The rest of the pattern will be worked using double knitting, following the chart below.

This chart shows the right side of the work. When working 

the wrong side, reverse colors.

Working the increases and decreases can be tricky when double knitting so I'll try to make a little video tutorial next week when I work on my Wonder Woman slippers. Until then, I've tried wording it the best I know how below using the pattern dictionary above. But if anyone has any questions at all, just ask!

{Double Knitting}

Row 1: KF of first 2 stitches with O, then KB of both with the Y. KFB of each stitch, alternating colors until 2 stitches remain. KF of both stitches with O, then KB of both with Y.

Row 2: (KY, PO) across.

Row 3: SK the O stitch, then SK the next Y and O stitches together [this will flip the orange and yellow stitches]. SK the Y back to your WN [your right needle should only house two orange stitches]. KB of first two O stitches together with O. P2tog first two Y stitches with Y. (KO, PY) until four stitches remain [2 yellow and 2 orange]. SK the first O stitch, then SK the next Y and O stitches together [this will flip the orange and yellow stitches]. SK the last Y stitch. SP both Y stitches back to your WN, then SK both O stitches back to your WN. K2tog both O stitches with O. PB of both Y stitches together with Y.

Row 4: (KY, PO) across.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until row 10.

Row 10: (KO, PY) across.

Row 11: SK the Y stitch, then SK the next O and Y stitches together. SK the O back to your WN. KB of first two Y stitches together with Y. P2tog first two O stitches with O. (KY, PO) until four stitches remain [2 yellow and 2 orange]. SK the first Y stitch, then SK the next O and Y stitches together. SK the last O stitch. SP both O stitches back to your WN, then SK both Y stitches back to your WN. K2tog both Y stitches with Y. PB of both O stitches together with O.

Row 12: (KY, PO) across.

Row 13: SK the O stitch, then SK the next Y and O stitches together. SK the Y back to your WN. KB of first two O stitches together with Y. P2tog first two Y stitches with O. (KY, PO) until four stitches remain [2 yellow and 2 orange]. SK the first O stitch, then SK the next Y and O stitches together. SK the last Y stitch. SP both Y stitches back to your WN, then SK both O stitches back to your WN. K2tog both O stitches with Y. PB of both Y stitches together with O.

Row 14: (KO, PY) across.

Row 15: SK the Y stitch, then SK the next O and Y stitches together. SK the O back to your WN. KB of first two Y stitches together with O. P2tog first two O stitches with Y. (KO, PY) until four stitches remain [2 yellow and 2 orange]. SK the first Y stitch, then SK the next O and Y stitches together. SK the last O stitch. SP both O stitches back to your WN, then SK both Y stitches back to your WN. K2tog both Y stitches with O. PB of both O stitches together with Y.

Row 16: (KY, PO) across.

Rows 17 - 24: Follow rows 3 and 4.

Row 25: KO, PY, M1O, M1Y, (KO, PY) until last stitch. M1O, M1Y, KO, PY.

Row 26: (KY, PO) across.

Repeat rows 25 - 26 once.

Row 29: KY, PO, M1O, M1Y, (KO, PY) until last two stitches [1 orange, 1 yellow]. M1O, M1Y, KY, PO.

Row 30: KO, PY. (KY, PO) until last two stitches [1 orange, 1 yellow]. KO, PY.

Row 31: KY, PO. M1Y, M1O. (KO, PY) until last two stitches [1 orange, 1 yellow]. M1Y, M1O. KY, PO.

Row 32: KY, PO. KO, PY. (KY, PO) until last four stitches [2 orange, 2 yellow]. KO, PY. KY, PO.

Row 33: KY, PO. M1Y, M1O. (KY,PO) x2. (KO, PY) until last six stitches [3 orange, 3 yellow]. (KY, PO) x2. M1Y, M1O. KY, PO.

Row 34: (KO, PY) x4. (KY, PO) until last eight stitches [4 orange, 4 yellow]. (KO, PY) x4.

Row 35: SK the Y stitch, then SK the next O and Y stitches together. SK the O back to your WN. KB of first two Y stitches together with O. P2tog first two O stitches with Y. KO, PY. (KY, PO) x2. (KO, PY) x4. (KY, PO) x2. KO, PY. SK the first Y stitch, then SK the next O and Y stitches together. SK the last O stitch. SP both O stitches back to your WN, then SK both Y stitches back to your WN. K2tog both Y stitches with O. PB of both O stitches together with Y.

Row 36: (KO, PY) across.

Row 37: SK the Y stitch, then SK the next O and Y stitches together. SK the O back to your WN. KB of first two Y stitches together with Y. P2tog first two O stitches with O. (KY, PO) until last two stitches. SK the first Y stitch, then SK the next O and Y stitches together. SK the last O stitch. SP both O stitches back to your WN, then SK both Y stitches back to your WN. K2tog both Y stitches with Y. PB of both O stitches together with O.

Row 38: (KY, PO) x2. (KO, PY) x2, (KY, PO) x2. (KO, PY) x2. (KY, PO) x2.

Row 39: SK the O stitch, then SK the next Y and O stitches together. SK the Y back to your WN. KB of first two O stitches together with O. P2tog first two Y stitches with Y. KO, PY. (KY, PO) x4. KO, PY. SK the first O stitch, then SK the next Y and O stitches together. SK the last Y stitch. SP both Y stitches back to your WN, then SK both O stitches back to your WN. K2tog both O stitches with O. PB of both Y stitches together with Y.

Row 40: (KY, PO) x3. (KO, PY) x2. (KY, PO) x3.

Row 41: SK the O stitch, then SK the next Y and O stitches together. SK the Y back to your WN. KB of first two O stitches together with O. P2tog first two Y stitches with Y. (KO, PY) until last two stitches. SK the first O stitch, then SK the next Y and O stitches together. SK the last Y stitch. SP both Y stitches back to your WN, then SK both O stitches back to your WN. K2tog both O stitches with O. PB of both Y stitches together with Y.

Row 42: (KY, PO) across.

Repeat rows 41 - 42 once.

Bind off.

Weave in all ends and seam up the toe.

Now it's felting time (post coming soon).

What I Wore: And Other Cold Weather Comforts

cowl :: knit by me

Another cold front has hit here, and I'm bundled up as much as possible. Only one problem - I have no coats! I always freeze my butt off every winter because I - for some reason - have never actually bought myself a real coat. I have a couple of jackets, plenty of sweaters, but nothing to really keep me warm.

sweater vest :: hand-me-down // t-shirt :: maryink

So with my birthday approaching, I'm heading to the thrift stores this weekend in search of some comfy real cold weather gear.

loafers :: greatest friend

In the meantime, I'm snuggling up with a bowl of reheated frozen chili and a hot pumpkin chai latte. 

pumpkin syrup :: starbucks

Perfect Starbucks Chai Latte (large)

2.5 pumps syrup

1 cup chai concentrate

2 cup milk

Heat everything in a pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until desired temperature.

Pour and enjoy!

What I Love Wednesday: 2

The top five things I'm wishing for this holiday season. 

owl knitting needle gauge :: tangerine8

 This adorable knitting needle gauge isn't really something I need (I already own two metal gauges), but it is something I really, really want! How could I not when it's just so gosh darn cute?

t-rex's busy day hoodie :: topatoco

I'd love to get all cozy in this dinosaur hoodie designed by the creator of Dinosaur Comics. Panel two is always my favorite; T-rex always looks so aghast.

anatomy coloring book :: amazon

I've always had a weird fascination with scientific coloring books, and now that I'm going to have to learn the muscles for my CPT exam, I'm dying to get this one. Not that I really want to use it for studying; I just like coloring books.

harry potter and the sorcerer's stone audiobook :: amazon

The Harry Potter audiobooks are at the top of my favorite audiobooks list. My favorite of the two narrators is Jim Dale - he's always so perfect with his tone, and his character voices are always consistent. I've had these on my wish list for so long, but they're just so pricey that I never feel right buying them.

the woodsy association pattern set :: knitpicks

Saving the best for last? I think so. I can't get enough of these cute little wrist-ees designed by tiny owl knits. All of her pattern designs are just the cutest!

Recipe: Chicken and Rice Fajita Burrito

Last week, I came home from work to the whole house smelling of dirty socks. Sounds gross, but it was amazing because I knew exactly what that smell meant - FAJITAS! And I was right, Martin had whipped us up a grand feast of chicken and rice fajita burritos. And he picked up these great blue corn and flaxseed tortillas. Yum!

Chicken and Rice Fajita Burrito

{Ingredients}

1 tbsp spanish rice seasoning

4 chicken tenderloins

1 cup uncooked white rice

1 can roasted garlic tomato sauce (8oz)

1 tbsp oil

1.5 oz fajita seasoning

2 cups water

{Directions}

Cover tenderloins in fajita seasoning and leave in fridge for 30 minutes.

Brown rice in pan with oil. Stir in tomato sauce, rice seasoning, and water and bring to boil. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.

Cut chicken into fajita strips, and fry in pan with a little bit of oil.

Heat up some tortillas and enjoy!

Knitting Frenzy: 4

I was finally able to pick up my knitting needles this weekend. Yay! I decided to work on something for me that would be a super quick knit so I didn't have to worry about stressing my wrist on the tiny needles I'm having to use for the ornaments. I got this super cute cowl knitted up all in one night. I haven't gotten to wear it yet, but once the next cold front hits, I'll be ready!

I've come a very long way on my Christmas gift knitting, and by my calculations, I should be finished by the end of November. Perfect! I did cheat by buying Martin's gift online. When I found it, I just couldn't stop myself. I still have some prep work to do for it, but that will wait until I'm home alone. And don't worry, lots of pictures when I get it ready.

1. Martin

2. Marsha

3. Sydney

4. Secret Santa

5. Kia

I got word from my parents that they won't be doing a big family Christmas again this year, so I won't have to worry about making any gifts for anyone in my own family.

I've finished knitting up Sydney's Aquaman slippers (birthday present), but I can't felt them down without her there, so her birthday gift is as done as it can be until her birthday arrives. Though I do need to start thinking about packaging.

I'm currently working on my Secret Santa's ornaments. I had every person participating pick out the four ornaments they wanted before we drew names. So I'm knitting up a snowman, peppermint candy, cupcake, and birdhouse out of this pattern set I bought a while back. Then I'll go ahead and finish off the second snowman for Martin's mom.

Recipe: Plantains

I know, I know. A recipe post two days in a row! But I've been out of commission for the past week due to straining my wrist while training. Damn - no knitting for me. So I've been working on my reading list while Martin's been cooking me delicious meals and snacks.

We just recently got an Aldi in town, and Martin was so excited when he saw plantains. Plantains? I asked. What are those? Martin was appalled that I'd never had the pleasure of eating a plantain, so he grabbed two and went to work on preparing this simple, delicious snack.

Traditional Cuban Plantains

{Ingredients}

1 plantain

1 tomato

salt

oil

{Directions}

 Put a thin layer of oil in a pan over medium heat. Peel and cut plantain into sections. Place sections in pan. Flip once bottoms look done.

Take plantain from pan and smoosh between two layers of parchment paper (do you notice I use this stuff for everything?).

Put squished plantain back in pan to fry until cripsy. (They looked so tasty at this stage, I almost couldn't wait to dig in.)

Slice tomato and lightly salt. Place over plantain and enjoy!


This being my first time to eat plantains, I tried a little bit at every step. They basically taste just like a little potato cake by themselves, but once you add the tomato (which I'm not usually a huge fan of) with salt, it becomes this sort of sweet delicacy that melts in your mouth. Yum!

Recipe: Green Tea Butter Cookies

Lately, I've been trying to cut back on spending. One great change I made was ordering the concentrated Starbucks teas online instead of going to Starbucks every morning (that's a $20/week savings!). Well, I thought I'd spice things up a bit for myself by ordering the green tea concentrate, but it turns out I'd much prefer to stick with my plain old chai.

So now I'm stuck with two boxes of green tea concentrate that I haven't a clue what to do with. But wait! What about cookies? Oh, yes. A nice creamy tea cookie, I thought. So I went in search for some yummy looking grean tea butter cookies. Unfortunately, I only found recipes that used the matcha powder or tea leaves instead of the liquid version. And since cookies are one of those things that not a lot of liquid goes into, it's hard to just substitute green tea for whatever liquid is in the recipe. I did finally stumble upon this recipe over at Cooks.com.

It was way bigger than I wanted, so I cut it down a lot. I also noticed that this recipe comes out much stickier than most cookies. And the cookies don't come out very sweet. I'm definitely going to be revisiting this recipe soon. I think I'll substitute all of the cream for green tea and add a cup of sugar - that should help both problems.

Green Tea Butter Cookies

{Ingredients}

7.2 oz butter, softened

4.96 oz sugar

1/4 cup cream

4.96 oz all-purpose flour

1.25 teaspoon salt

4.96 oz cake flour

2.5 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons green tea concentrate

{Directions}

Cream butter and sugar together. Gradually beat in cream and vanilla. Stir dry ingredients together and add to butter mixture. Add green tea flavoring.

Chill dough for two hours.

Spoon dough onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Let cool and enjoy!

Pattern: Knee Warmers

Knee warmers

And here they are! These little guys knit up super fast with almost no hassle. If I ever redo this pattern, I'll try going the 2x2 rib all the way through for 40 rows instead of trying to get fancy with the increase and decrease - I'm just not sure it was actually necessary. Also, I'd probably add 4 more stitches to the cast on.

Boot toppers!

And as I learned the other day, they also make great boot toppers!

{Materials}

1 Skein of Super Bulky yarn

US 7 set of dpns

{Pattern}

Cast on 40 stitches loosely. Divide stitches among needles.

Work in a 2x2 rib starting with purl 2 for the next 20 rounds

Round 21: p2, k2, p2, kfb2, (p2, k2) repeat to end of round

Round 22: p2, k2, p2, knit4, (p2, k2) repeat to end of round

Round 23: p2, k2, p2, kfb, p2, kfb, (p2, k2) repeat to end of round

Rounds 24 - 28: (p2, k2) repeat to end of round

Round 29: p2, k2, p2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, (p2, k2) repeat to end of round

Round 30: p2, k2, p2, k4, (p2, k2) repeat to end of round

Round 31: p2, k2, p2, k2tog2, (p2, k2) repeat to end of round

Rounds 32 - 40: (p2, k2) repeat to end of round

Cast off loosely.

Weave in ends, and block.

Behind My Front Door

I have this really weird love for looking into other people's lives - especially their houses. I love, love, love when I get invited into someone's house. It's like seeing the inner workings of their mind - the decor, the books, the clutter or lack thereof. But the best part of all? When the door closes, and reveals the most hidden part of any room.

bunny figurine :: dollar store / shelf :: thrifting / hat :: port aransas family center / scarf :: caustic threads / robe :: harry potter land / umbrella :: avon / owl pillow :: pier 1 / slip cover :: kohl's

Our guest's chair sits in front of my window with a comfy owl pillow and super soft slip cover. The curtains I got from my mom. They were wheat-colored when I got them, but I have an unhealthy aversion to neutral tones so I quickly bought some green liquid dye and set to work washer dyeing my curtains. I usually re-dye them every summer because the outside will get sun bleached.

Syd always laughs at how my Hufflepuff robe hangs by the front door 'like you just hang out in it all the time.' But during the winter, I do hang out in it all the time - it's just so warm and comfy! I also have my favorite spring scarf and sun hat that I picked up on vacation hanging right by it. And of course the only umbrella I own and a strategically placed baseball bat - both just in case.

And the whole scene is tied together by the tiny bunny figurine inside the shelf and a set of babushka dolls resting on top (not pictured).

Fall / Winter Reading List

I'm very sad to say that my reading time diminishes drastically when I'm not on vacation. My time is spent mostly on training, practice, and knitting / baking when I'm back in the real world, but I still have my reading list picked out for these fall / winter nights when my fingers get too cold to hold my needles steady.

Snow Crash :: Neal Stephenson

I just finished reading this little gem yesterday. Martin recommended it, and it's brilliant! It's a sci-fi thriller that takes place in both the real world and the 'metaverse' - a computer world generated by top hackers.

The Endearment :: LaVyrle Spencer / The Woods are Dark :: Richard Laymon /
The Lover's Dictionary :: David Levithan / Galilee :: Clive Barker /
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy :: Douglas Adams

To get in the proper mood for Halloween, I'm starting with the horror novel The Woods are Dark by Richard Laymon. I'm only one chapter in and the author sets the tone for the whole story on the very first page with the siting of a legless man-creature dragging himself across the road. Oh, yes! This is just the creepy crawly story this time of year begs for.

Recipe: Sinus Busting Chili

Every year when the weather is cooling off for fall, we're blessed with a few warm days between bitter, bone-chilling cold fronts. And when these cold fronts come in, I become a sniffling, sneezing, droopy-faced mess. To make matters worse, I have a really hard time / aversion to taking medicine.

The Green Pharmacy :: James A Duke, Ph.D.

So I pulled out the Green Pharmacy book Martin bought me a few month's ago and looked up Sinusitis. Of course the normal spicy foods remedy wasn't new to me, but the peppermint oil rub (three drops of peppermint essential oils with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil) was definitely one I hadn't heard. Martin and I had already made this chili the night before, but a few of our ingredients were at the top of the list in foods / herbs that aid in healing Sinusitis. If you'd like your chili to be more effective at fighting your sinuses, just add some horseradish or hotter peppers.

Sinus Busting Chili

1 onion

3 - 4 tomatoes

4 - 5 cloves of garlic

2 - 3 bell peppers

2 cans black beans

2 cans kidney beans

2 - 3 packets chili seasoning

2 lbs ground beef

 

Dice all veggies and garlic; I used my awesome kitchen Ninja to get them super fine.

 

Brown the ground beef with some a clove of garlic, a quarter of the onion, and about a half pack of seasoning. While the meat's cooking, place remaining ingredients in a large stew pot over low-medium heat. Drain beef once browned and add to pot. Allow pot to simmer of low-medium heat until chili has reduced (this can take a while... about two and a half episodes of Big Bang Theory). Enjoy with corn chips and cheese!

Knitting Frenzy: 3

With the holidays approaching, my gift list is my knitting focus.

1. Martin

2. Marsha

3. Sydney

4. Secret Santa

5. Family
6. Kia

Martin's belated birthday gift is out of the way (pattern post coming soon), and now it's time to start on Christmas gifts. I was going to start on Martin's first, but then I discovered the yarn I thought I had has all been used up. Oh no! Now I have to hunt down another awesome gift to knit up for him using the yarn I do have.

The Aquaman 'A'

In the meantime, I'm starting in on Sydney's Aquaman slippers. Sydney and I have this great love for comic books. Sydney has a much greater collection than I, and since we have the same taste all around, I usually just borrow hers to get my fix. Superman used to be Syd's favorite superhero, but over the years, she's grown to really love Aquaman. And for good reason!

One slipper done, one to go!

Martin likes to give me a hard time every time I start talking about how awesome Aquaman is. He just knows exactly what buttons to press to get me all red-faced with indignation that he would dare suggest Superman is better than Aquaman. But the fact remains, Aquaman can do absolutely everything Superman can do and then some. In other words, he's just better! But I digress.

Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Sport Yarn in Orange, Grass, and Caution.

Luckily, I already ordered this fancy wool yarn before I started enforcing my personal rule to not buy any more yarn until I've used up what I have. I got one whole slipper knitted up last night, and I'll be working on the second one tonight. I suppose I'll have to go buy a new set of darning needles since I can't seem to find mine anywhere (they must've gotten lost in the move).

Knitting Frenzy: 2

I'm currently working my way (slowly) through this book I picked up a very long time ago.

Since I'm still trying to use up all of this old acrylic yarn I have stashed before I go and buy any 'fancy' yarns, I thought this would be a great project to help me do just that. I started at the beginning of the book, knitting at least 20 rows of each stitch pattern then moving on to the next without binding off. Of course, most patterns vary on the number of stitches I need on the needle so I increase / decrease as needed.

I'm working on my third skein now, though this project has had to move to the backburner while I finish knitting my Christmas gifts. When I finish the book, I'll block all of the rows and decide on a layout then piece them together. I'm hoping to end up with a somewhat monstrous bedcover that will come in handy during the colder seasons.

INDIE Blogger Challenge: Week 2 Day 1

It's week 2 of the INDIE blogger challenge already, and I'm updating my About Me page as well as my mini bio!

 

owl piggy bank / thrifting :: bud vase / thrifting :: hand sanitizer / target by method :: light / ikea

 Mini bio:

I'm a small-town derby girl who loves knitting, DIY, and all things sweet. When I'm not knitting, I'm thinking up new things to create and subjecting myself to grueling training sessions that leave me sweating, ragged, and loving life.

And check out my new about page!

Recipe: Potato Apple Gratin Casserole

I found this great recipe on RealSimple while searching for casserole dishes for the holidays, and decided to whip it up for dinner.

I reduced the recipe by 1/3, and I used red potatoes instead of baking potatoes because that's just what we had on hand.

Potato Apple Gratin Casserole



What you'll need.

2 eggs

1 pint buttermilk

2/3 tablespoon thyme

1 1/3 teaspoon salt

a pinch pepper

3 red potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 granny smith apples, peeled and chopped

a little under a block of swiss cheese, shredded

about half a package of parmesan cheese, grated

{Step 1}

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease your dish. Whisk together the eggs buttermilk and spices. Set aside.

{Step 2}

Layer a portion of the potatoes, apples, and cheeses. Pour a portion of the egg mixture on top.

{Step 3}

Repeat Step 2 until all ingredients are used.

{Step 4}

Cover and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Then bake uncovered for 15 minutes.

 Mine ended up bubbling over, but that's because I filled them up with no wiggle room. And I'm not sure if the cheese came out so done on top because it baked too long or I forgot to pour the egg mixture after adding the cheese on the top layer.

Either way, Martin thought of putting bacon on the bottom next time, but I think that would leave me with soggy bacon. Maybe a lattice top of bacon would come out crunchy enough for my tastes. Mmmm... I can't wait to try that!