Sleeveless Knitted Top For Eldest Aunt
Labels: my other passion, sew gorgeous
Saturday, October 24, 2009
I haven't posted any of my knits lately but that doesn't mean my hands have been idle. In fact, I've been knitting like a fiend (Sonny-boy has been raising my blood pressure to astronomical heights) and there are other garments waiting to make their debut on my blog but I haven't got round to editing the photos yet.
This particular sleeveless top was made with Eldest Aunt in mind. I picked a classic pattern which can be dressed up in the office or dressed down for the weekend. The main bodice is knitted while the neckline and armholes are finished with crochet work. And in keeping with the green revolution, I selected an eco-friendly organic 3 ply cotton yarn. It fits her perfectly (lucky too, since I knitted this without her measurements!) and if I dare say so, she was very pleased with her present. Here she is, Eldest Aunt sportingly posing for my camera with her new top:
Mooi, heh? (Pretty, eh?)
The Dutchess of Cookalot whipped this up at 9:20 am
One-Pan Skillet Ravioli
Labels: one dish meals, pasta, she cooks
Friday, October 23, 2009
Taken from the Italian Fall/Winter 2009 issue of Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications, this recipe is pure comfort food with its rich warm sauce and stringy mozzarella cheese. As if the ravioli wasn't filling enough, we had thick slabs of garlic bread to mop up the leftover gravy too. What can we say, we love our bread and pasta.
One-Pan Skillet Ravioli
What You Need:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large leek, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 tbsp snipped fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 package of refrigerated chicken or cheese filled ravioli
3 cups baby spinach
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grate Asiago cheese
Fresh rosemary for garnishing
What You Do:
Lekker!
Note: If fresh rosemary is not available, 1 tsp of the dried version is a good substitute. Just crush it first to release the flavour. As I couldn't find Asiago cheese in the shops, I replaced it with Pecorino Romano instead.
The Dutchess of Cookalot whipped this up at 8:40 am
Night Safari And The Return Of Halloween Horrors
Labels: home life, out and about
Friday, October 16, 2009
At the behest of Sonny-boy, we went to the Night Safari last night. We've been many times so I didn't bring my camera along, hence the lack of photos. Besides, flash photography is prohibited as it upsets the animals. It is bad enough we gawk and point at them but to blind them as well ...
We had, quite literally, a screaming good time. We didn't know it was the Return of Halloween Horrors special all of October and the main foyer was crowded. There were long snaking queues for tickets and it was some twenty minutes before we got ours. No matter because while waiting, there was much to look at in the form of ghouls, ghosts and assorted scary fairy tale gone wrong creatures. My favourite was Cinderella who walked around sweet as can be with a bloody gown and her glass slipper embedded into her right temple. That sort of humour. My other favourite was the Tin Man (from The Wizard of Oz) whose red squishy looking heart swung about with only a thread of vein holding it all together.
Also in the main foyer was a Tribal Dance performance. and we were just in time for the fire-eating portion of it. We hovered somewhere round the corner near the front so Sonny-boy could get a good view. He was enthralled. But what really made his eyes pop was seeing Dad being led up on stage as the token guest star of the show. Hubs was very sporting, going along and even adding his own improvisations which drew laughter from the crowd. Sonny-boy was so proud of his Dad. When it was over, we both clapped and cheered enthusiastically.
So that was a good start to the evening.
We boarded our Train of Terror which took us around the various exhibits and ended up with the climatic Gate to Neverland. This was where the fun really began. All manner of scary creatures and displays were scattered along the road. Some stood there, some popped up from no where and went more than boo. Oh, never make eye contact with any of them. I made the mistake of doing that with a butcher who was hacking up a woman on a stone slab. I caught his eye and he ran from across 20m of grass lunging, hand in the air brandishing his chopper making a beeline for me! There was an empty seat next to mine and he hopped onto the tram. I screamed and leapt all over Sonny-boy and Hubs, practically climbing on top of their laps. The other passengers were just as animated and loud. The rest of the ride was just like that and it was good scary fun. For some reason, the last carriage of the tram (where we had the good fortune of sitting) was always a target and that made us a rowdy bunch.
After the ride, with noodles for legs, we went on to the walking trail of The Bridge of No Return. We thought it wouldn't be so bad after the tram ride but no, it had it's own shriek-worthy bits too. I was so high-strung towards the end of the walk that when a fellow visitor accidentally bumped me at the elbow I screamed like a alaughtered pig. Which made her scream too, the poor girl. Then we both stopped, apologized and laughed.
We lingered about the park for a while more nursing our refreshments. I had my bottled water, Sonny-boy his two big scoops of Ben & Jerry's and Hubs a can of Tiger Beer at the hair-raising price of S$12 a pop.
After that, the big people decided it was quite enough and promised the little person we'll come back and do the animal show the next time.
The Dutchess of Cookalot whipped this up at 10:43 pm
