It's Holiday Time...or How to Make Cranberry Relish...

I was talking with my daughter this morning. This is what she wants for Christmas... ;o)

Cranberry Orange Relish

Gather ingredients...

1 pkg. fresh cranberries
1 medium orange
1/2 stick cinnamon
1 cup sugar

Because I wanted to can this batch, I placed 3
half pint jars in water to cover and the lids in water and placed both on the stove to bring to a boil. There is no need to boil the screw caps since they will not be in contact with the food or the lip of the jar. (If you have never canned fresh fruit, I would suggest you go here to learn how to do home canning.)








Wash the cranberries and pick out any soft or bad ones. Pick the stems. Wash the orange with a veggie wash. Place the cinnamon in a medium saucepan. I used navel oranges so I cut the pithy ends off my orange. Cut the orange into quarters. Place 1/2 the orange and 1/2 the cranberries into a blender or food processor and grind. Empty into your saucepan and repeat with the other half. Add the sugar and stir to mix well.









Place on medium heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, the jars have been boiling and sterilizing while relish has been prepared.








Using a pair of tongs, pick up one jar and pour the water out. Sit as closely to your cooking relish as possible and using a metal spoon ladle the relish into the sterilized jars. Try not to get any on the lip of the jar as this will stop the lid from sealing. If you do get some on the lip, use a damp cloth to wipe the rim of the jar. Using tongs, dip a lid out of the boiling water and place on jar. Place the screw cap on the jar and tighten just finger tip tight...not screwed on hard.






Since I know these will be used within the next 2 weeks, I placed these back in the same boiling water for a 10 minute boiling hot water bath. If I wanted to keep these for a year, I would use a much bigger hot water bath pan and the water MUST cover the jars at least an inch. The hot water bath is make sure the heat inside the center of the jar reaches high enough temperature and maintains it long enough to kill any lingering bacteria.






After the 10 minute hot water bath the relish is removed from the hot water using the tongs and is wiped with a clean dishtowel. They are placed on a clean dishtowel to cool for several hours or overnight. The lids should pop and form a suction. When pressed in the center the lids should not give any... If it does move up or down when pressed, then the seal has not sealed well enough and you should place in the refrigerator and use within a week or so.


This recipe can be used (without the cinnamon) as a fresh relish and requires NO Cooking... if you want to make it the day of or the day before it is eaten. To keep for any length of time it should be cooked and/or canned.

If you try this, please use caution since you will be dealing with very hot, boiling liquids.

I do so love this stuff..lol This is the second batch I have made since before Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy this little tute... Daughter mine... ;o)

Today in My Life... November 30, 2009

Today: November 30, 2009

I got up this morning: very early. It's still cold, but if I turn up the heat it bothers my sweet DH and he gets in a frightful mood... lol And besides..if it were very cold I would just put on socks and dig out that wonderful huge shawl that I love to wear in the winter. It's going to be a lovely, clear day today, but am already missing all the green leaves on the trees...

I am hearing: him move around, turn on the faucet and click down the hall. ;o)

The current book is: Four Blind Mice by James Patterson. I'm not sure I can finish it this time around (already read it at 3 times...) Seem to be needing to try some other genre than the murder mystery... just can't find anything that will hold my attention..sigh

Creating: I have done several things since the last time I posted... The quilt is finished.

This is my very first bedsized quilt. It is a queen and I found it not difficult at all. But then it was an easy one..lol But now I have the confidence to continue on to one that is more difficult.

Another of the small pastels that I do in the evenings...

Knitted two scarves from my handspun Merino. Both used Yarn Harlot's One Row Scarf Pattern...

The other scarf is exactly the same knitting pattern, but is a deeper burgundy than this one. Love this pattern.. simple, pretty and warm. Drapes well...

I found a free pattern on Ravelry for a men's cowl that I wanted to do for one of my sons who feels he wouldn't use a scarf very much, so I did it. I used my handspun Merino lamb..... It's my first try at doing cables and found they were not nearly the ogre stitch I thought they would be. Finished it, bound off, wove in loose ends and found that in at least 2 places I had dropped stitches off the ends of the double point needles that I used... Terribly disappointed. I tried to pick them up with crochet hooks and succeeded in one place, but cannot seem to succeed in the other one. This may get frogged and redone with another set of needles. Anyway, the small needles that were called for in the pattern seem to be too small for this yarn... the cowl is very stiff and if it shrinks at all will be too small for him... hmmm

Family news: Daughter Bev and her husband Kent were here for a couple of days over the holiday. Kent had to pop in just overnight due to work schedule, but was terrific to get to see them.

My diet: took a couple of days off while they were here. I made some luscious cranberry/orange relish and canned it... Could eat my weight in that stuff...lol

May have to buy more cranberries and make enough to last all year... ;o)

The coming of daughter and son in law was all the excuse I needed to make banana bread.. ;o) Made a large loaf and then 4 small loaves.

Yum... Yum...

Have to add in here that I have lost 30 pounds, so felt that perhaps it would be ok to backslide for a day or two. Am truly happy about the loss and will have no problem getting back to business...lol However..that is said with a serious caveat... this is once a year holiday season with fruit cake and eggnog..lol.. and I will have both before this is over... ;o)

Looking forward to: Christmas... ;o) Will be putting up my tree this year after not putting it up last year. The holidays just are not the holidays without some kind of decoration and that makes it all too depressing.... instead of happy....

Just a thought: Be faithful to that which exists nowhere but in yourself - and thus make yourself indispensable. ... Andrew Gide

Today in My Life... 11/10/2009

Today: November 10, 2009 Tuesday

I got up this morning: stumbled to the bathroom and then immediately got on the scales... So pleased to have lost once again to 181... will not give up until I pass the 179 mark this week..

I am hearing: the click of my SDH (sweet DH ) as he plays solitaire on his pc...

The current book is: The Collectors by David Baldacci... for at least the 5th time... I messed up a while back and misstated the author of The Camel Club... it is not James Patterson.. it's David Baldacci. Sorry...



Creating: Several things this past week... I started this quilt top a couple of days ago. It should be finished today and hopefully quilted tomorrow... Nothing like a little optimism..lol










Earlier this week I found a couple of oak dowels that were just lying around in the shop. Sooo.. I cut them in half, ground the tips to a point, sanded them well then brought them inside and broke off a piece of scented candle and rubbed them for all I was worth... Wow... so smooth and smell so good.. Voila' !! Knitting needles... size 17 and size 12...



The Harp has been re-tied after having the weaving cut off due to a broken warp. This is Romney wool single plied with polyester sewing thread and kool aid dyed. The fabric is very nice, but has a bit of an open weave. I don't know if it will full up a bit or not since I abused the yarn about as badly as I know how... (thanks for that tip, Abby Franquemont!)... in hopes that the final product will be much less fragile... As of last night, I only have about 6 inches left and this will be done.





I'm not sure what store we were in but there on the shelf (for almost nothing) were a couple of artist journals... one for watercolor and another for pastels... Well, you know I just couldn't leave them there so they followed me home.. imagine that... It has be so much fun sitting and doodling at night watching tv...


Anything new: is the discovery of Facebook. I am not altogether comfortable with all the family links and personal stuff that can be deduced from these sites, but I do enjoy having the ability to be in contact with so many in the family on a daily basis... Love that...

A Special Tribute

This is my brother Larry. Several years ago he wrote this .. and I love it.

A Special Tribute

I was driving I-40 the other day, listening to the C.B... not much to say... when I heard a young hot shot, loud and clear, bad mouth a waitress I hold so dear. We are both old now, and needless to say, she has more miles on her than me and my old Pete today.

Thirty years is a long time to anyone in this line of work, but I couldn't do her job, no way. I wouldn't put up with the jerks. I remember sitting in that cafe a long time ago... I was young, she was still pretty as a rose petal, covered with morning dew...eyes shining, beautiful hair too.

I saw her give food to a family that couldn't pay, then pull out her tips she worked for all day. "I'm sorry it's not more", she said to the man, picked up the child while she shook his hand. Then hugged his wife and with a tear in her eye she said, "Always look up... you see a blue sky." Then turned around, went back to work pouring this coffee for some back then jerk.

I stop in every chance I get, just to say hello and remember a bit. We laugh and carry on about what we've been through, still listen to Bill Mac, and wish Conway was here too. Maybe one day ol Garth will put words to what I'm feeling and put an end to this jerk's thinking.

Then everyone across the country will know... My Mother is the waitress I talk of long ago. She's been down the road, thrown all the curves... so give her a break. That's the best she deserves.

Larry Ingram

Today in My Life... 10/28/2009

Today: October 28, 2009

I got up this morning: very early. Before 5. But since I was totally awake I just got up. Didn't make coffee until almost 6 and then wondered why I was in such a hurry for it take 3 minutes making the coffee... duh... lol

I am hearing: the whir of the electronics in this room. Too early for any other noise except the horrible sound of this new keyboard (that I love except for the sound). The keys are harder to press than my previous board and each one makes this sound of someone pounding on a wall with a hammer... sigh

The current book is: The Bourne Deception by hmmm... says Robert Ludlum's... but then on the bottom of the cover it says "A new Jason Bourne novel by Eric Van Lustbader"... hmm.. guess that means he's the ghost writer... Anyway, just couldn't get into the Piers Anthony fantasy.. maybe will try again later...but probably not.

My diet: is still hanging on. I have plateau-ed at about 181...182... Still holding out for breaking that 180 mark..

Creating:

Yesterday I dyed the merino yarn that was spun during the previous week. The red and pink are bulky 3 ply. The purple is merino single plyed with silver polyester sewing thread. That will be used to weave something... not sure what yet..

I finally got the lizard/dragon worked out on the inkle loom. It still has some places that are done wrong...but maybe when I do it again it will be better...

The stand for the swift works really well. The design is a bit flawed and the screws had to be put in from the top on the legs, but it works great and I like it... ;o)

Family news: Don't you hate it when you just skim over things and miss the important ones? I found an email this morning from my second cousin that I saw for the first time in many, many years at the family reunion. I seldom use my gmail... don't know why that is the one I put on my cards..duh Anyway, it was so good to see her and her sisters and the email was just a bonus on top!

Looking forward to: going out to eat... !!! The diet has prohibited it for a long while now and it will be a real treat... ;o)

Just a thought: "Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. " .... Mark Twain

Today in My Life... 10/24/2009

Today: Saturday, October 24, 2009

I got up this morning: thinking about dragons... I know that sounds strange..lol.. but I have been trying to get the pattern for this dragon to work on my inkle loom for hours..sigh I can get the tail to look beautiful, but then into the body it just disintegrates..sigh


















I am hearing: the trucks whiz by on the highway outside. It's too early for the regular automobile traffic going to work.

My one thing learned this week: is that I need to start physically writing letters instead using email. Sounds strange after using only email for most of the last 10 years, but it suddenly impressed itself on me when I got a short email from one of my sons and I realized that it's been years since I have seen his handwriting... ;o(

The current book is: Air Apparent by Piers Anthony. It's too soon to say whether it will grab my interest as I just started it last night. So far it's only skimmed the top layers of my interest. Not looking too good at this point.

My diet: is the the Cabbage Soup diet. Still in the low 180s and truly looking forward to breaking through that 180 line. Maybe this week....

Creating: Since I finished the checkers board and pieces, I decided to make a Wahoo board out in the shop. I had a piece of the pine used for the checker board left over so I spent most of one afternoon figuring out the dots for the marble holes. Yesterday I put the holes in and did some sanding. We'll see what happens today... lol

Family news: Received a call from my Aunt Elva this week. It was wonderful to hear her voice on the phone. I saw her for the first time in about 35 years at the family reunion this year.

Looking forward to: using the hot tub since the little house is now fixed and it won't run down the hill with us...lol

Just a thought: "A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." ... Winston Churchill

Today in my LIfe.... 10/18/2009

Today: October 18, 2009

I got up this morning: at a little after 6, made a pot of tea for me and coffee for DH...turned on the computers and realized it has been 10 days since I have blogged here...

The weather is: much cooler in the mornings and the evenings. I have had to pull out my heavy terrycloth robe and every time I put it on I smile as I think of son and son-in-law who gave it to me for Christmas a couple of years ago.

I am hearing: my sweet DH as he putters about getting his coffee. The clock that he made is bonging 7:00am. It has such a nice tonal sound.

My one thing learned this week: It's easy to move the warp of the large inkle loom if you use both hands... pull up with the left hand and down with the right hand and the warp slides easily across the pegs.

The current book: is Easy Prey by John Sandford. It's a Lucas Davenport novel and I like him almost as much as Alex.

My diet: has changed from the Atkins diet to the Cabbage Soup diet. I like this one because it has so much more diversity in what I can eat. And it is working...lol This morning... 182... that's 24 pounds... yayyy 36 to go...

Family news: Another grandson has left for the Army. That makes 4 grandsons in the Armed Forces right now... Dustin, Joe, Steven and now William. We are very proud of them... and wishing the world would regain a bit of sanity...

My brother Larry has become a Grandpa again. His son Brian has a new baby girl named Margaret Jane... They call her Maggie... and Maggie's older sister is Mandie.. ;o)

Looking forward to: a visit from daughter and grandsons before Steve has to return to duty at Fort Riley...

Just a thought: Mark Twain says... "Be careful about reading health books... You may die of a misprint."

Warped, Painted and Raining

The checkers and checker board are finished. All the time I was working on this I had pictures of my grandfather floating around in my head. He loved to play checkers and dominoes. And he was very good at it...lol Of course there was no television and the radio was only turned on in the evening... if there was no company. If there was company all the men gathered around the kitchen table and the dominoes or the checker board was pulled out from the cabinet above the refrigerator and the men would proceed to have a laughing good time... ;o) I can only hope that this board will be privy to good times like that.....

Only a day late... here is the promised pic of the inkle loom warped. It was not difficult as I used only 2 colors and did a continuous warp. Of course I did exactly what Linda Hendrickson talked about in her video... When I was turning the cards I found that I had dropped 2 at one time. Well, let me tell you... they turn just as easily as if I had pulled it off and re warped... Since this is another "learn something" warping I did not re-do it. I have to say... I highly recommend this floor model loom to anyone looking into tablet, card or inkle weaving. The height is very good, the warping is easy and it is so much easier to control the cards... I just can't say enough good things about this type of loom. One of the best things is that it doesn't try to run to the other side of the room every time you slide the cards... a very big plus.

Well, it has taken up raining as a hobby in North Texas. Every time it seems that the ground will dry up enough to work on the little house... humph... The contractor did come yesterday just long enough to look around and put a sign up in the yard. Now all the neighbors think our home is having foundation problems... Let's just hope we don't decide to sell the house any time soon..lol

Of Checkers, Knit and Linen

It's been raining again this week. I have given up on ever getting the little house fixed... The contractor called Monday morning and said it would not be good if they dug foundation holes and then they filled with water so we are once again on hold.... Just hope the little house knows to hold on... no pun intended... lol

We've been working in the shop and since I finished the floor inkle loom (which I finally got warped last night...pics tomorrow) I have had nothing to do...so I decided to make a checker board and checkers. This is the day before yesterday's pic. I have actually got the grid marked and the dark squares painted, but I think they will need a couple more than the 3 coats I have already put on them. The "king" side of the checkers has rosebuds painted on them... as in The War of the Roses. While the colors in this war were red and white roses, I used red and blue because..well...the white roses would not show up on the yellow. This should be finished by the end of the week.

This merino 3ply languished for a while in my stash. I just could not come up with anything new to make with it so I made another scarf, 57 inches long. It turned out really well and I love it.

This is the linen single that I took off the spinning wheel so I could spin the lemon Romney. I don't know how much there is, but there is still this much to be spun. The smallest heddle I have for my loom is 12 epi and I'm not sure that is small enough, but then it would make a light and airy fabric... hmmm Or...there is such thing as linsey-woolsey... a linen warp with a wool weft. hmmmm...

Oct. 5-11... National Spinners and Weavers Week

Next week is National Spinners and Weavers Week... If you live near any yarn, fabric or fiber shops you might look for something special happening. It would be a good time to spin, weave or knit/crochet in public. I'm going to talk to the ladies at the library and see if they are having anything special...

The "sheep to shawl" shawl is finished...as of yesterday afternoon. The warp is 3 ply merino and 2 ply Cotswold...the weft is the 2 ply Cotswold and merino single plied with silk single... ooowww wonderful stuff. It finished at 74" length with an added 4" of fringe x 16" wide. According to the book, any time a person does leno weaving there is a narrowing of the width of the piece... so extra weft should be left... Well... it didn't seem to matter what I did, the leno would pull in. My advise... just plan your width around the width of the pulled in leno weave.

I love the way this turned out. I think I will add some beads and maybe some embroidery on the ends... We'll see...

DH and I are off to Durant to Ozark Mills today to get some more wool. While I have every intention of finishing the flax, it is not my favorite thing to spin. I find that it is almost like trying to spin twigs and occasionally hurts my fingers like I have stickers in them. The Cotswold was something new to me and I really enjoyed it. I think I will try at least one new kind of wool each time we go.

My diet is working extremely slow.... and to top that off... the steroid pack the doctor gave me for my wrist and elbow causes immediate weight gain. Sooo... doing nothing any different on my diet, I had an overnight weight gain of four (4) .. make that 4... pounds! But... lost a pound of it yesterday, so looks like I will have to lose all 4 again.. sigh Oh well... at least they are going...

Found some wonderful tea that I can drink with no sugar. I mean wonderful...

Have a good day....