In the Kitchen | Pho and Eggs

It's been refreshing to think ahead to spring and warmer weather as I'm finalizing the details for the upcoming classes at the shop. I tend to go into hiding right before posting a new round of classes as all the loose ends get tied up, but I've been trying to find some balance by spending a little time in the kitchen. A couple weeks back, I decided to make Vietnamese Pho - a soup with a spiced broth, rice noodles, herbs and we enjoyed ours with beef. I've never made Pho before and decided to take the completely from scratch route, including making broth with beef bones. Granted, this was a lot more work than just using beef stock - it had to simmer for hours for the flavor to develop, then it had to be strained and cooled skim off the fat - but it was totally worth it!

When the broth was ready and the Pho was assembled, it was beautiful meal full of delicious light and fresh flavor.

I love fresh veggies and herbs on just about everything, and this soup had plenty with bean sprouts, red bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, basil and a nice squeeze of fresh lime juice.

I used this wonderful recipe and video tutorial for the broth and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to make Pho completely from scratch. Sure, it took more time and effort, but it yields a stockpot quantity of delicious broth and we have plenty frozen for future use now - I can't wait to enjoy it again this summer with fresh garden goodies!

On a less time consuming and complicated front... a friend of mine has chickens and she very generously shares her super-fresh eggs with me on a regular basis. I love hard-boiled eggs, but the eggs from my friend are SO fresh that half the white - along with half my patience - is lost when trying to remove the shell after boiling. So, I asked her for advice - I figured there has to be a better way, right? She suggested baking them in the oven. Well, I'm happy to report that it works and it really couldn't be easier!

Here's how you do it:

• Place one dozen eggs in one muffin pan (a mini-muffin pan might work better so they can stand up, but this is what I have).
• Bake in the oven at 325 for 30 minutes.
• Using tongs (careful, the eggs are HOT), transfer the eggs in an ice bath until they're cool enough to handle.
• Eat right away or store in the fridge. The end.

These eggs are perfectly cooked with a creamy texture that is so much better than traditional boiled eggs and they peel SO easily! Honestly, I don't know that I'll ever boil eggs again.

I guess I better get back to my class prep, shop knitting and the Journey-along, but maybe I'll sneak into the kitchen later to make some deviled eggs - I'm sure hubby would love that!

Cheers!

Inspiration | I have never...

I love winter, but this has been a trying winter and I'm ready for spring. Each year, I anxiously wait for the first snowfall, but it's just been too cold this year. I moved to Wisconsin from North Dakota and Minnesota, so I'm familiar with cold. Very familiar. I know this winter has been trying for a lot of people, so today I feel like sharing a little inspiration to keep us moving forward. I hope you enjoy!

Meet my amazing friend, Caleb. He's on a journey - a 365 day journey of exploration of self-discovery. What is that all about, you ask? Well, here it is in his own words:

"When is the last time you tried  something new?" It's a question most people have to think about before they can answer. For any number of reasons, we often rely on the familiar and avoid exploring the unknown... But that's not me. I'm tired of the routine. As a result, I decided my 30th year would be one of new experiences. I intend to see, learn, or do something I have never experienced each day over the next 365 days. In what is bound to be one crazy experiment, I hope to take away as much as possible from my 365 day journey of exploration for self-discovery.

This exploration began on his 30th birthday - Monday, May 13th, 2013 - and today is day 278. That's a lot of "never's" to experience. Kind of crazy right?

... I  intend to do something I have never done everyday, and to post a photo of my daily "I have never..." on this blog.  I realize it will be difficult, and I know it may not happen.

I for one, had no doubts that he would make this happen - if anyone can and would do this, it's Caleb. Here are some of my favorite highlights:

This is Michael. He got away before getting his haircut.

Caleb had Daniel and the Lion at his house for a concert.

Ireland has now moved up on my list of places to visit.

And random acts of kindness.

And then... for a little fun, there's a pole dancing class.

A food "never" is always intriguing and tempting for me - even stomach.

I admire Caleb's open-minded approach to each "never" and being able to follow along has inspired me and makes me realize I should be doing more. Often the "never" is something that one probably would NEVER experience in their lifetime, but we can changer that. Admittedly, I feel like I just don't have time, but really, shouldn't we all be making time for new experiences?

You can find Caleb's 365-day journey at never365.blogspot.com - take a look and I hope you follow Caleb as his journey continues to close in on day 365. Maybe you'll even find a little inspiration for a "never" or two of your own.

~ Many thanks to Caleb for sharing his 365-day journey and for his permission to share his photos.

Journey-along | The Details

I decided to host this Journey-along for many reasons, but mainly because I adore the designers and I love each and every design in this book! This last fall, as I shared my enthusiasm for Journey and my plan to knit through all 6 designs before the book even arrived at the shop and I discovered that I was not alone. Many knitters said they were planning to do the same - or at the very least, knit a good number of projects from the book – so, I got to thinking… Why not knit the Journey projects together?!

The plan to knit through 6 designs isn't one for the faint of heart with two sweaters and 4 accessories that I can’t seem to just knit one of - yeah, I'm pretty much hopeless. During the process, I want each of us to enjoy each of the projects and not feel rushed – I have enough deadlines and rushing in my life, and I’m sure you do too.

I patiently waited for the hustle and bustle of the holidays to subside before digging in, all the while I kept in mind that things will get crazy again shortly before Thanksgiving. So, I decided for everyone’s enjoyment – and sanity – to wrap things up in November before the next holiday season is upon us. It will also be about the same time the book was released, so I thought it would be fun to round up the projects as a sort of happy 1-year anniversary for Journey!

Are you ready for the Journey-along? I am and I really hope you’ll join me in the fun! I know many of you have been waiting patiently for the details, so without further delay, here's the scoop…

|| What’s a Journey-along? || An inspiring, fun and casual Knitalong featuring Journey: A Collaboration – 6 beautiful projects from knitting designers Jane Richmond and Shannon Cook.

|| Dates || February 12th – November 19th A nice leisurely Knitalong.

|| Sign Up || Join the Journey-along by simply completing this form. Don’t worry… your information is private. You don't need to sign up to join the fun, but you must be signed up and cast on a Journey project to be eligible for the giveaways.

|| Details || • Knit one design,two, all six, the same one five times – just cast on and knit away! • FO status is not required, but finishing is encouraged. • You can sign up with a Journey WIP. Jane and Shannon are hosting their Journey Knit Along through Feb. 26th and it’s okay if you want to double-dip. The more, the merrier! • Most importantly, have fun!

|| WHERE and HOW to Participate || The Journey-along is an online Knitalong that I’ll be hosting in the Firefly Fibers Ravelry Group – this the best place to join in the fun, meet and interact with other knitters, chat away about your favorite Journey design (or designs), ask questions, share progress, encourage each other and more!!! You can also share your progress on other social media (facebook, twitter, instagram, pinterest…). In addition to Ravelry, I’ll be sharing my progress on facebook, instagram and twitter!

Wherever you share your Journey progress, please use the hashtag #journeyalong so we can all be inspired!

Last, but not least…

|| Journey and the Patterns || If you don’t own Journey yet, there are so many options: - Check with your LYS and buy local. If you’re local to Firefly Fibers, we are fully restocked (print copy includes the eBook and Ravelry PDF patterns). I can ship, too. - Ravelry has several options including the eBook, individual PDF patterns. - Amazon.com: The place with everything, including Journey!

>As an added bonus… Shannon and Jane are sponsoring my first giveaway with two copies of the Journey eBook – thanks so much, ladies! Two lucky participants will be selected one week into the KAL (Wed. Feb, 19th) – remember, the only requirements to enter are filling out the sign up form and that you have a WIP during the KAL (it doesn’t have to be finished). This prize is perfect to kick off the Knitalong! If you’re purchasing individual patterns, you could own the full eBook and if you already own the eBook, I’m sure another knitter wouldn’t mind a Journey eBook gift!

So, if you haven’t done so already - decide on your first pattern, gather project supplies, swatch and get ready to start the Journey-along!

Are you inspired? Do you want to go on a Journey-along with me?