Road Trips...

They are always fun, especially when you go with your mother and sisters. The four of us try to do a girls trip once a year(no kids,or husbands allowed). In the past we have gone to a spa outside of Chicago, met in DC and now this trip, just to name a few. The trip always includes lot of laughs,maybe some tears(happy), cocktails, knitting, needlepoint,knitting and needlepoint, knitting and needlepoint, oh and a little bit of exercise to appease my sister Lisa. She is a certified Yoga guru and quite good I might add. Our trips are not complete without these little tasty treats.
Pepper nuts are a crunchy, sweet,peppery snack that you can't eat just one. They kind of look like Bellini's treats, but I promise they are for our pleasure only.


Pepper Nuts


6 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1t pepper
1t cinnamon
1t salt
1t baking powder

~mix the above ingredient's then add 1 1/2 cups of melted butter and 1 cup of cold water.
roll into snakes and freeze (they are easier to cut). Then cut(with scissors) into almond size shapes. Bake 350 until light brown. About 20-22 min. Cool on wire rack.

Hint~leave "snakes" in freezer until ready to cut.
CAUTION~~~ Pepper nuts are very time consuming but I promise they are sooooo worth it.



I dropped the Yarmulke off at my LYNS to be finished. As you can see, I changed some of the colors. You can do that you know.....

Have a great weekend!

PS...Are you wondering where we are going on this trip? TO BE CONTINUED :)

Ice Cream Anyone?

This is one of the high lights of my summer, Jake's Cree-Mee Freeze.

It is yummy....and seasonal so you must get it while you can. That's every time I pass the famous stand. For those of you that are Sex and the City fans, you may recognize the spot.

***

My sister Lisa, and her daughter Kelli, drove down from NY, on Sunday afternoon. Guess where we went.....

Pebbles even likes Cree Mee Freeze ~
Is that ice cream on her chin?

It was a great weekend had by all. Thanks Lisa and Kelli for coming to visit us.

If you're ever in the area, don't miss this spot!

Summer Time

Not much to post about but I wanted to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. No traveling for Jay and I as he will be working all weekend. I on the other hand will be pool side...knitting or needlepoint in hand. Sounds and looks relaxing doesn't it?

Have a great weekend!

Luscious

Manos Cotton Stria.... isn't it luscious... It is Pure Peruvian Cotton Kettle Dyed and the perfect weight for a summer baby sweater. My friend Beth (she is working on her Blog as we speak), found this cute daisy sweater. The embellishments are fun but since the sweater is going into the gift basket, I picked....the "Plain Sweater" in Color 214 (below) on size 6 needles.

I know the photograph kind of looks like cousin it, but, it is beautiful, super soft and lightweight. Can you believe I made that big blob and am posting it????

I was tagged by tiennie knits, so here goes...

1. When I chew gum, it is either cinnamon and bubble gum.

2. I like Lilly Pulitzer.

3. I love to cook for my husband (Jay) because he is so appreciative.

4. My favorite flavor of ice cream....is ice cream (especially Cree Mee Freez).

5. If Kenny Chesney were a foot taller, I would leave my husband in a second.....I love

country music.

6. Jay is a clean freak like me.

7. A perfect evening is, Jay and I, on the porch swing, with a glass of wine~the misses in the

middle.

~No reason to tag...just a little bit about me.......~

Ta Da

Finished.... a small feet for most of you but it was a never ending project. First of all, we had the SSS thing. Then we had the fact that they were KNEE socks, so they went on and on. I finished them though and didn't know if I would ever go down the sock road again, until ...I saw these..... Are they too cute or what???? They are Sox Stix by Lantern Moon.They come in different types of wood (Rosewood, Ebony, Blondewood) and sizes. I had to choose the ones with the cutest bags.....not really.

It is a chilly damp night here in the Northeast. I made a pot of Chili and we are in for a big Friday night....

I'll find something to work on that will require US 3 Ebony needles....

~~~~~~~~~

Chili

1lb ground meat

1 green pepper, chopped

1 med onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

2-4 t chili powder

2 lg cans,28oz, crushed tomatoes

1 can chili beans(not drained)

Saute first 4 ingredients until done. Add chili powder. Add crushed tomatoes and chili beans.

Cook for 1-2 hours on low heat.

~~~~~~~~~

Top Chili with~

Cheddar Cheese

red onion

sour cream

Serve with~

Tostitos Scoops

No Spoon Required

Have a great weekend~

before and after

When you've completed a knitting project, you sew some seams together, weave in a few tails, and presto you have instant gratification.

For those of you that know very little or nothing about needlepoint, let me fill you in...

This is a belt I just finished. I took it to my local needlepoint shop, and they will send it away to the little people that do the finishing touches. In this case backed with leather and made into a belt.

I made this belt, below, for my husbands birthday in March.

On this particular belt I choose saddle brown leather and a brass buckle. The leather color options are plentiful.

It is always such a great day when you receive your belt back from the finisher.

It will take about 4 weeks for them to finish my flowered belt...stay tuned for after pictures.

My sister Lisa thought this post was a little confusing so I've revised it...

SSS

second
sock
syndrome......

I'm having the hardest time finishing the 2nd sock. Does this happen to you? I'm bound and determined to learn knitting on 2 circular needles. Is it hard? I really think it would be so much more fun, because the excitement is gone after I've seen the first one complete :(

The socks are knit out of Trekking XXL. (this colorway is no longer available.)
The bag is from Neiman Marcus. (free gift with purchase.) I don't shop there but my friend Jennifer does and she was sweet enough to pass it on to me.

Thanks Jenny!

I love it

Quattro De Mayo???

I love love love margarita's... my husband calls me "Margarita Mimi". So, in honor of Cinco De Mayo, we thought we would celebrate a day early and beat the crowds :0... In fact, if we want to avoid the crowd all together, I make a pretty mean margarita at home.....

Margarita's ~

one blender and lots of ice

1 4oz. can Minute Maid Limeade
40z tequila
2oz Grand Marnier
splash Triple Sec
1oz water

Blend above ingredients. Serve in a salted rim glass with a wedge of lime.


Another favorite...Ina's Guacamole

Guacamole~

4 ripe avocados
3T freshly squeezed lemon juice
8 dashes Tabasco sauce
1/2 Cup small-diced red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1T kosher salt
1t freshly ground pepper
1 medium tomato, seeded, and small-diced

Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and scoop the flesh out of their shell into a large bowl.
Immediately, add lemon juice, Tabasco, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the tomatoes. Mix well and taste for salt and pepper. (I make a couple hours ahead and chill.)
Serve with chips and salsa.

Happy Cinco De Mayo......(the 5th day in the 5th month.) Cheers!!!