Another Wednesday Post

Hi and happy Wednesday everyone.  This lady was a busy little bee yesterday and this morning too.  I spend most of yesterday morning in the kitchen making homemade goodness for the husband and myself.

First thing I did was take my soaked pinto beans and drain them (helps alleviate gas issues) and the add fresh water, minced garlic, oregano (I actually forgot to add it) and put them on a slow boil.  Then I shredded the roast that had been cooking in the crockpot over night.  (I cover the roast with water, add garlic and put on low for at least 12 hours).  I drained most of the water out of the crockpot and put the shredded beef back in and added the puree red chili.  Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt and give it a good stirring and let it marinate on low until ready to eat.  This is one of our favorite meals.  You can also make this with pork or chicken.  

While all that was cooking away I made flour tortillas.

My Mother in Law taught me how to make tortillas when hubby and I were first married.  So for the past 44 years I have used her recipe.  I have substituted self rising flour for the all purpose flour and baking soda.  Saves me one step LOL.  It has been over 2 years since I have made tortillas.  The mess and the heat of the kitchen usually makes me shy away from making them.  But.................yes, there is always a but...............I now have a silicone pastry mat which helps with the mess and since it is winter here, the heat in the kitchen was welcomed.  

The other new item I had to make the tortillas with is this:

My solid marble rolling pin.  Love, love, love this pin.  It weighs a bit over 3 pounds and makes rolling dough a dream.  Did you notice it does not have 'handles'?  My mother in law also taught me how to use a rolling pin (hers was a cut up broom stick) without handles.  With this being so heavy, the rolling of the dough was much easier on my hands, wrists and shoulders.  The weight does most of the work.

After that was completed I made a loaf of beer bread.  It is a recipe I found in my new bread machine book.  I have made it before and it comes out so soft and just like store bought sandwich bread.  You do not taste the beer at all.  It is used as a rising agent along with about half of the yeast you normally use.

All this was accomplished by noon which is when we ate our red chili beef, beans and tortillas.  YUMMY!

Then I sat down and worked on "the child".  I completed all the pieces for it and even managed to get it all sewn together before I finally called it a night.

This morning, I got back to work on 'the child' and got its coat made and completed it.

I now remember why I do not make toys.  All the sewing of the parts is a pain.  I will give him to my Grand tonight.  Hopefully she will be happy with him.  The pattern can be found here.  I did change a couple of things.  First off I used worsted weight yarn as I had it in my stash.  I used a size G hook.  The last difference is I made the coat 16 stitches smaller than she did and I added arm holes.  

Hubby has been out and about looking at printers.  The print head on ours is dust and it cost almost as much to replace the head as it does to buy a new printer.  And the price of ink these days!  Good golly, it is ridiculous.  Yet, with hubby teaching we need a printer to do his lesson plans.  I use it quite a bit too, for recipes and patterns.    

We have trivia again tonight.  That means I get out of cooking again. WOOHOO!

It is time for lunch.  After that, I am going to work on making a birthday card and maybe even get a bit of knitting in on hubby' socks.

Until next time.....................happy crafting!