Baking, Cooking, and Canning

 Good morning, my friends. I didn't think I'd have time to write this morning. As it turns out, my doctor's appointment isn't until 11:00, and so I have plenty of time for writing and for slow-stitching.

Before I tell you about yesterday's comings and goings, I can scarcely believe that I forgot to tell you about the pie I baked for Pi Day on Saturday. This was a Sweet Cherry Crumb Pie for Two. 

The recipe I've linked to is for the full-up version of a Tart Cherry Crumb Pie. It's from America's Test Kitchens, and so you'll need a subscription to open it. If you can't open it and you want the recipe, just email me, and I'll be happy to send it to you. For this particular pie, as a pie for two, I made just half the recipe. Also, the only part of the recipe I actually used was the part for the topping. I used a Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust and some homemade sweet cherry pie filling I made a while back using cherries from our own trees. I have made this pie from scratch before, and it's a delicious pie. The topping is wonderful. In any case...belated Happy Pi Day, Everybody!

So in yesterday's kitchen wanderings, I whomped up three half-pints of Small Batch Tomato-Jalapeno Jam. 

I love this stuff. I've made plenty of condiments from tomatoes. Salsa, of course, and also tomato chutney, Amy's Tomato Jam, and Moroccan-Spiced Sweet and Hot Cherry Tomato Preserves. Of all of them, the Tomato-Jalapeno Jam is my favorite. For one thing, it's pretty easy to make. From start to finish, this took me about an hour and a half. Mainly, I was setting a five-minute timer, and stirring it when time was up. We had it for breakfast this morning on our fried egg sandwiches, and mmm, mmm, mmm. That is some tasty stuff. Don't let that jalapeno pepper scare you. I remove the seeds and the ribs, and so there's no heat imparted...just the nice tang from the pepper.

With that finished, I could get back to my sewing. Smitty helped me clear the decks and spread out the Fantastic Felines for sandwiching. The quilt is 60 x 60 inches. I've always said 60 inches is my limit for sandwiching quilts in my sewing room. Larger quilts are sandwiched on sawhorse and plywood tables set up in the garage.

And having done this once, I've reaffirmed my 60-inch limit. 

Now it's draped over Eliza, awaiting its turn under my quilting needle...hopefully, this afternoon.

When that one was finished, Sadie was subbed in as my kitty helper. The decks were cleared, and she was awaiting the arrival of the Painted Ladies to be squared up for binding.

An efficiency expert, she helped me hold it down while simultaneously giving it the snuggleability test.

Having done all that, it was ready for binding. I used the same gray from the main body of the quilt.

And now that one is downstairs awaiting its turned to be clipped and hand-sewn. Hopefully, I'll have this finished in a few days.

After wrestling with two big quilts, we both needed naps.

For dinner last night, I tried a new recipe for Baked Artichoke Pasta with Creamy Goat Cheese. It was tasty, and not too difficult. I did just half the recipe and baked it in an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. When it came from the toaster oven, it looked like this:

If you click on the link I've given you, you'll see this is intended to be baked in a skillet. Since I was only doing half, I poured all of it into a baking dish and did it that way. It makes a large amount, and so there are leftovers. If I were to make the whole recipe, I'd probably still do it in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. I figure the baking dishes are better for refrigerating leftovers. 

So that was a full day. It's gloomy out this morning, and we're expecting more rain over the coming week. We're hopeful of some better weather around Thursday, and I'm really needing to get out and do some weeding. Fingers crossed for some warmer temperatures and sunshine. As for today, I'm hoping I'll have time to get back to my sewing. If there's time, I'll get a start quilting the Fantastic Felines. For those, I'll just do a diagonal grid to make it easy on myself. Besides, I like the look of a diagonal grid. Also, I'll get started hand-sewing the binding on the Painted Ladies quilt. If there's even more time, I'm hoping to get the Gumballs quilt sewn into a finished quilt top. 

There's plenty to keep me busy today. Right now, there's time for some slow-stitching, and that's where I'm headed next. Have a good day and a good week, Everybody. Tomorrow is St. Paddy's Day. If you remember to wear green pajamas tonight, you'll be safe from pinching tomorrow morning.