Thursday, May 31, 2012

Vanilla Frosted Triple Layer Cake Quilt?



So I suppose if you aren't a quilter, this might look like a random name, but in actual fact, it describes how the quilt is made.  You see, there are these companies out there that make quilting easier.  They pre-cut their fabrics into specific sizes and shapes to use in certain patterns.  And some of the people who do this like to give their pre-cuts delicious names, like things you'd find in a bakery.  Maybe I like quilting almost as much as eating because of this?  
One of the pre-cut sizes is a 10x10 inch square.  Companies will bundle up 40 or so pre-cut squares in coordinating fabric and call it a "layer cake" or something very similar.  10x10=cake.  That's really all you need to know.  
Now, these pre-cuts have a few drawbacks.  First, they are more expensive than buying fabric by the yard, and second, somebody else creates your colour scheme...  and that doesn't always sit well with me.  I'm quite the rebel sometimes and like to do things my own way.  I think they look better, but maybe they don't.  Either way, I'm never satisfied when I look at my whole bundle of pre-cut/pre-selected fabrics.  So...  I buy my fabrics by the yard, and cut them in to the 10x10 cake size and go from there!
My triple layer cake, with filling.
I've cut my 10x10 squares into 3 pieces.  2 are 3.5x10 and one is 3x10.  And I've added some filling between the layers here in my coordinating fabrics.  My filling strips are 1.5x10 inches. I've then added "frosting" to my layers of cake with white strips on 3 sides (because nobody puts frosting on the bottom of a cake!!) to make perfect square blocks.  My cakes will then be staggered in strips and sewn together to make the quilt.  
Vanilla frosting on top and sides....




this is how the frosted cakes will fit together
I'll have to write out all the fabric requirements at the end, when the quilt is completely finished.  I used to be awesome at math. I mean really awesome, gifted, some would say.  Then I started quilting and all that went out the window.  Its like the math doesn't want to work for me.  So I'm always having to go buy more fabric because I've miscalculated here AND there...
The beautiful assortment of greens and blues for Cookie's new quilt!

This quilt is to replace the one Cookie took with her to Hawaii at the beginning of last semester.  Cookie is the oldest daughter.  She's studying marine biology at BYU Hawaii.  I know.  Lucky her!  Please, if you see her, don't tell her we ate shrimp...  
This is Cookie.  Love her!

This is Muffin and her friends.  Muffin is wearing the sunglasses her daddy gave her.


Guacamole Shrimp Pasta



I've been drooling over some pins on Pinterest lately, wanting so much to try them out.  Like this one from Sweet Life, and this one from Oh She Glows!  Reading over the recipe, I've decided to give it a little twist...  and add shrimp.  I've been craving shrimp lately, and its hard to make shrimp for dinner, because Muffin, the younger daughter, hates it.  So the shrimp will be added as a topping to the pasta for those who want, and omitted for those who don't.  The recipe is vegan without the shrimp.

Muffin is at robotics club after school and won't be home for another 45 minutes, so I have plenty of time to get this dish done!


Ingredients:
1 454g package shrimp (any size... I used the precooked ones because they are quick and easy, perfect for this recipe!)
1 tbsp Earth Balance (my fake butter that I love!)
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp lime juice
cracked black pepper


Guacamole:
2 ripe avocados, mashed
zest of 1 lime
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp salt 
1 tsp chili powder
2/3 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro (or more...  if you're the cilantro loving type)you can also omit if there are cilantro haters among you....  you know who you are!



1 454g pack of fresh pasta- linguine or fettucini.

Heat skillet and add non-dairy butter.  Saute shrimp with garlic.  Add lime juice and pepper, continue cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed and a thick sauce remains on the shrimp.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Bring large pot of water to a boil.  Prior to adding pasta, make the guacamole.  This last step only takes a few minutes, so you can pretty much gather everyone at the table for dinner.  If they aren't ready to eat, then delay this step until they are ready.  The pasta cools really quickly because the sauce ingredients aren't warmed up, and they don't reheat well.  (Muffin was a few minutes later than expected from Robotics.  Her pasta was a bit cold.)

Mash the avocado, add the salt, lime, chili powder.  Stir to make a creamy guacamole, adding more lime juice if necessary.  Add pasta to pot of water and cook until al dente (about 3 minutes for fresh pasta!).  Drain, add avocado mixture, tomatoes, onions and cilantro to taste.  Serve immediately, top with shrimp and enjoy!

Looks awesome!


Muffin was very pleased that there was a shrimp free plate for her.  This was VERY filling.  I couldn't eat it all. I only ate about half....  

In other news, I've been off work for the week and can't drive anywhere, so I've been working on my latest quilting project:  Vanilla Frosted Triple Layer Cake quilt.  Now I know you'll be reading to see what that's all about!!


Wednesday, May 30, 2012

She who loves to....

For some time now, I've been wanting to write a blog.  Actually, that isn't really true.  For some time now, I wish I was a blog writer.  Or I wish I had a blog.  Or I wish I had a place where I could post some awesome recipes, pictures and ideas and that someone would pin my awesome recipes, pictures and ideas to Pinterest.  But I'm not a photographer. 

My friends call me for ideas.  They challenge me to make new things.  And they love what I come up with.  I love to cook, I love to eat.  I do other things too...  I sew, quilt, make cards, and I work.  I should probably mention that, because it might have some relevance at some point in what I am making, or eating. Or you might question why there is so much chocolate.  I'm a nurse. I work in the emergency department.  I eat chocolate so that I stay sane.

I'm special.  I can't just eat what everybody else is eating.  I don't like mediocre food.  And I can't digest dairy.  That makes me special!  The recipes I'll share will be made for me.  Don't be looking here for some to die for cheese recipe, because I would probably really die eating it.  Or at least wish I was dying so that the misery would pass.  I do a lot of substitutions, and I know how delicious cream sauces are.  I promise to only post things that are worth eating.  I will only eat things that are worthy of being called DELICIOUS.

This is me, and my sweetie.  Did I mention that I love the beach?  I wish summer lasted all year, and that I could spend every day walking on the sand with my sweetie and my puppy.