Afghanalong

Larissa has a new knit-along for you to join, but you must hurry, the deadline for signups is January 20.

The new project is afghan squares for possible inclusion in a special afghan in her upcoming book Knitalong. Any squares not used in the sample afghan will be donated to Warm Up America. I love an opportunty to try out a new pattern, especially when it's free and for a good cause. Sign up here!

6 Weird Things About Me

Egads, I've been tagged!

Carole has tagged me (and several other unsuspecting souls) for the 6 Weird Things About Me meme.

THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the 6 weird things about you. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says you are tagged in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

Hmmm. One of the things I've learned in this world is that weird is in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes we do things that seem to make perfect sense to us, but others find a bit odd. So, I will share some of my quirks with you here.

1. I alphabetize my spices.

This seems to me like a reasonable thing to do, but I have been told that it's the hallmark of the neat freak. Well, if you can count your spices with one hand, that may be true, but I have 54 jars to keep track of.

2. I don't consume caffeine.

My doctor thinks this is a reasonable thing for everyone to do, but you tell that to the grocer.

3. The space that my craft supplies occupies is 10 times larger than the space my wardrobe occupies.

This is a common problem among crafters not shared by the rest of the population.

4. I like to wear wacky earrings.

I once overheard a friend of one of the teenagers, "What is your mom wearing on her ears, fishing lures?"

5. I make wheezing and squeaking sounds when I laugh really hard.

This may be genetic.

6. I actually like anchovies, but dislike peppermint.


Now, the 6 people I've chosen to tag with this meme:

1. Kelli at AfricanKelli
2. Finny at Finny Knits
3. Michelle at Lighthouse Designs
4. Elisabeth at Curls and Purls NYC
5. Missy at Knit Wit
6. Joleen at Love, Joleen

Hot Artichoke Dip

I found a recipe in a magazine for a warm dip to serve during the holidays that I wanted to try. It looked like a promising recipe, but it turned out to be rather disappointing. "There's something missing" one family member said, "It's a little bit too bland" said another. So I experimented until we found a version that was satisfactory. I share it with you here and wish you a Happy New Year!

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 leek, washed well and chopped
1 Tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 4-oz. jars sliced pimientos, drained
1 cup mayonnaise (not fat free, or it will be runny)
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350°F. In skillet, cook leek in butter or olive oil until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in artichoke hearts, pimientos, mayonnaise, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, Italian salad dressing mix, pepper and 1 Tablespoon of the parsley.

Spread mixture into a 9" pie plate or casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese and 1 Tablespoon parsley.

Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. (You may microwave the dip instead for about 6-8 minutes at 70% power, turning the dish halfway through if you don't have a turntable.)

Serve with vegetable dippers and torn bread.