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Jewel Box Drawstring Bag (Caron)

Cathryn's Bags

I’ve made so many of these with different yarns and hooks and sizes… Lovely use-it-for-lots-and-change-if-needed pattern. (Free from Caron)

Finished Measurements if Following Pattern: 5 1/2″ diameter, 7 1/2″ high
Materials: Caron Jewel Box (2.5 oz), 1 skein
J Hook, of size to obtain 3 sc to 1″ in pattern

Note: Each sc, dc, and ch-3 counts as one stitch

Bottom of Bag:
Ch 4, join with slip st to form a ring
Rnd 1: 7 sc into ring. Join with slip stitch to first sc, ch 1
Rnd 2: 2 sc into each sc around – 14 total. Join with slip stitch to first sc. Ch 1.
Rnd 3: Sc into next sc, 2 sc into next sc. Repeat around – 21 sc total. Join with slip stitch to first sc. Ch 1.
Rnd 4: Sc into next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc. Repeat around – 28 sc total. Join with slip stitch to first sc. Ch 1.
Rnd 5: Sc into next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc. Repeat around – 35 sc total. Join with slip stitch to first sc. Ch 1.
Rnd 6: Sc into next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc. Repeat around – 42 sc total. Join with slip stitch to first sc. Ch 1.
Rnds 7 – 22: Sc into each sc around – 42 sc total. Join with slip stitch to first sc. Ch 1.
Rnd 23 – Drawstring Round – ch 5, skip first 3 sc, (dc into next sc, ch 2, skip next 2 sc) – repeat parenthesis around, ending rnd with slip st into 3rd chain of the ch 5. Ch 1.
Rnd 24: Sc into same st as slip st, (2 sc into ch-sp, sc into next dc). Repeat parenethesis around, ending rnd with 2sc into ch-sp – 42 stitches total. Join with slip st to first sc. Ch 1.
Rnds 25 & 26: Sc into each sc around – 42 total. Join with slip st to first sc. Fasten off.

Ties (Make 2): Ch 68. Slip stitch into each ch across. Fasten off. Thread each tie through the ch-spaces of Rnd 25 in opposite directions. Tie ends together.

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Pound of Love – Hooded Baby Afghan (Lion Brand)

Size:  Approximately 28″ square
Materials:  1 16 oz ball of worsted, or equivalent.  (Bernat has a pound ball, so does Lions, and I’ve used scrap yarn to make it work, too.)
Size J crochet hook, or 3.75 stitches per inch

Pattern Stitch (multiple of 3):
Row 1:  2 dc in 3rd chain from hook, (skip 2 ch, 1 sc and 2 dc in next chain), repeat parenthesis across, ending with skip 2ch, 1 sc in last chain, ch 2, turn.
Row 2:  2 dc in first sc, (skip 2 dc, 1 sc and 2 dc in next sc), repeat parenthesis across, ending with 1 sc in top of t-ch.  Ch 2, turn.
Repeat Row 2 for pattern.

Blanket:
Ch 108
Begin with Row 1, work in pattern stitch for 28″.  Fasten off.

Hood:
Ch 4
Row 1:  2 dc in 4th chain from hook, ch 3, turn
Row 2:  2 dc in first dc, dc in next dc, 3 dc in top of t’ch.  Ch 3, turn.
Row 3:  dc in first dc, dc in next 5 dc, 2 dc in top of t-ch.  Ch 3. turn.
Row 4:  2 dc in first dc, dc in each dc to t-ch, 3 dc in top of t-ch, ch 3, turn
Row 5:  dc in first dc, dc in each dc to t-ch, ch 3, turn.
Rep Rows 4 & 5 until there are 48 dc + t-ch.  Ch 3, turn.
Edging:  2 dc in first dc, (skip 2 dc, 1 sc and 2 dc in the next dc), repeat parenthesis across, ending with sc in t-ch.  Fasten off.

Finishing:
With RS of Hood up, lay Hood over one corner of blanket, matching edges, and pin in place.
Edging:  Attach yarn to one corner of Blanket, spacing stitches to keep edge flat, and working through both layers at Hood corner, work Row 2 of pattern, making sure to work 1 sc and 2 dc at each corner.

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Vegetable Cheese Soup (International Cheese Book)

1 c grated Swiss Cheese (for three servings, in my household)
1 small, shredded head of cabbage (I got frustrated with the shredding and just chopped it up.)
1 large potato, sliced (thinner you slice, the faster the initial boiling goes)
1 Qt milk
3 T butter
Pinch salt, pinch pepper (Went a bit heavier on this for my household, though was still cautious)

Cook the cabbage and potato together in lightly salted boiling water until soft.  Drain.  Mash or mix (depending on your texture preference) together, and add butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Cook over a low flame for 10-12 minutes.  (I just waited until it seemed warmed through enough to be ready to eat.)  Remove and dish into bowls.  Spoon in grated Swiss.  Place under a broiler for 2 minutes, or until the cheese has bubbled and starts to brown.

Surprisingly lovely delicate flavour.  My housemates are both meatatarians, and there was not a single word of complaint.

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Beef Tenderloin Dijon(Betsy Codier)

2 lb beef tenderloin roast

1 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

2 T olive oil

2 cloves garlic

4 c water

22 oz beef broth

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp thyme

2 cloves

Tie roast with string at 2 inch intervals.  rub 1 tsp salt and half tsp peper over roast.  Heat oil in dutch oven.  Add roast and garlic – cook ’til evenly browned.  Remove roast, pour off drippings.  Add water, broth, bay, thyme, cloves – bring to a boil.  Add roast – simmer 20 minutes (130 internal temp for rare).  Strain liquid.  Add cornstarch and mustard, turn into paste.  Slowly add cookng liquid – add rest of salt and pepper (or to taste).  Cook until slightly thickened.

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Strawberry Shortcake (Betsy Codier)

1 3/4 c flour

2 T sugar

1 T baking powder

1/2 tsp orange peel

3 T butter

3/4 c milk

Topping:

2 pts strawberries

1 T OJ

1 T sugar

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, orange peel.  Pastry-blend in butter.  Stir in milk.  Roll dough.  Cut biscuits.  Bake 12-15 minutes.

Once cooled, combine ingredients for topping, place on top on a halved biscuit, perhaps add whipped cream.

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Standing Rib Roast with Madeira (Betsy Codier)

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp marjoram

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

5 lb rib roast

2 c sliced mushrooms

1/4 c dry red wine

1 T tomato paste

1 envelope onion soup

1 T flour

1 1/2 c water

1 T parsley

pepper

Combine:  Garlic, marjoram, thyme, salt, pepper

Trim roast, rub with spice mixture.  Roast 10 minutes at 500 degrees, decrease heat to 350 and roast for 1 1/2 hours.  (150 internal temp.)

Skim pan, combine drippings with butter.  Stir in shrooms.  Cook until tender.  Stir in wine and toamto sauce, then soup mix.  Blend flour and water.  Add.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Stir in parsley and more pepper and spices to taste.

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Familia (Recipes for a Small Planet)

2 2/3 c rolled oats

2 2/3 c rolled wheat

2 c raw wheat germ

3/4 c peanuts, ground (almonds)

1 c sunflower seeds (hazelnutes)

3/4 c chopped peanuts (almonds)

1 c raisins

1 c dried fruit, chopped into bite sized pieces (apples)

Mix together and store.  Serve with whatever seems tasty, hot or cold.

The ingredients in parenthesis are the “traditional” choices, the ones outside the parenthesis are the special super protein variation.  The book this came from has a lot of information on how to combine things that aren’t meat in ways that are complementary and cause you to get the most protein out of your vegetarian dishes.  This particular one, a serving is supposed to cover 30-40% of your daily protein needs.

I prefer this warm, and am considering adding a bit of cinnamon to the next batch.

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Chicken and Mushroom Soup (Wok Cookbook)

4 oz chicken breast

1 oz dried mushrooms

4 c broth (I used 1/2 chicken, 1/2 mushroom)

(opt:  1/2 oz Szechuan mustard pickles, 1 oz bamboo shoots, 1 oz cooked ham)

Marinade:  1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp white or rice wine, 1 tsp cornstarch (or flour)

Cut chicken and mushrooms into thin slices.  Marinate chicken (at least 15 minutes).  Bring mushrooms to a boil in the broth.  Take broth off heat and add marinated chicken carefully.  (Slipping it in with chopsticks worked well.)  return the broth to a medium heat and heat until chicken is done.

(If you want to use the optional ingredients, put them in with the mushrooms.)

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