Knit for Helen: A Giant Sweater

I have many new knitting projects on my docket.  Too many really - but it is no fun to have too few!  After working up Helen's Stocking, I had a lot of the blue yarn leftover that I used for the centers of the snowflakes and it was starting to get pretty cold here in Texas. 

I like to stock up on seasonal clothes in early Fall and Spring at the Just Between Friends consignment sales.  A friend and I always go to the last day "half-off" sale and get a great deal on everything!  This Fall I made a point to buying tons of long-sleeved t-shirts for Helen.  It really doesn't get too cold here, so I thought the two or three sweaters we had were enough.

We keep our house pretty cool, and I noticed that I was always bundled up in a sweater - so obviously baby needs sweaters too - and two or three really doesn't cut it for someone who thinks it is fun to wear her food! So, I decided to knit her a sweater out of my leftover yarn and not being one for checking gauge - it is huge! It will probably fit her next winter too, so that is not a bad thing.

The pattern I am following is the Fair Isle Top (Ravelry Link) from Debbie Bliss' Special Knits: 22 Gorgeous Handknits for Babies and Toddlers. I am too chicken to attempt the Fair Isle in the pattern, so I have substituted a simple stripe pattern - but it looks nice, and I love the picot edging - so sweet!

The back is complete, the front partially done, and I am hoping to finish it all up before Christmas.  It will make a nice little homemade gift for my little one.

How I Make Yogurt

I have made yogurt before, but this time I took photos through the process. The main instructions I follow can be found at Small Notebook.


1. I gather my supplies: milk, and individual sized plain yogurt with active cultures, mason jars, my large stainless steel rimmed bowl, a large pot (you could use a double boiler), stainless steel spoon, and liquid thermometer (borrowed from hubbies coffee supplies). Make sure everything is good and clean.

2. I fill the large pot with as much water as I can and still have the bowl sit comfortably on top.  Place this on the stove over high heat.

Did I mention that I got this milk for $2.99! I love the manager special!! 

It is perfect for yogurt making!

3. Pour a half gallon (2 quarts) of milk into the bowl and occasionally (about every 3-5 minutes) stir and check the temperature.

4. Split the individual yogurt between the mason jars (I am using two large jars).  Set aside.

5. Let the milk reach 180F and then take it off to cool.  You can use an ice bath to help it cool faster, however I never seem to have ice in the house.

6. Once it cools to 110F, put a small amount in each jar with the yogurt and stir (this tempers the yogurt).  Then fill the jars and cover.

8. Put the jars somewhere that they can stay pretty warm for about 7 to 9 hours.  Some people use a cooler, yogurt maker, crock pot, etc.  I am not sure how these methods work though I have links to some of them on my "In the Kitchen" page if you are interested.  I use the good old fashioned "stick them in the oven with the oven light on" method. It works just fine for me.

Please ignore the very dirty oven.

9. After approximately 7 - 9 hours, remove the yogurt from the warm place, stir, and put in the back of the fridge to cool.  The longer you let your yogurt sit the more sour the taste of the finished product.  I like mine to sit between 7 to 8 hours.  Don't be alarmed if you see tiny green "lights"or "sparkles" in yogurt when you stir... those are just your little friends and they will go to sleep when cooled.

10. After completely cooled, enjoy! Mix in your favorite combo of sweeteners and fruit or use for smoothies.  It is also good as a sour cream substitute and babies love it!

The King Arthur Flour Traveling Baking Demo

It really is a shame about bleached white flour isn't it?  That is just one of one of the many fabulous points I took away from my attendance at this evening's King Arthur Flour Demo.

 The demo was led by baking instructor Jessica Meyers and what fun is she!  She led us through a recipe for Basic Sweet Bread Dough which included the use of a sponge (a mixture of flour, water, sugar, and yeast) and yogurt (plain, vanilla, or strawberry!).  She used the dough to make a braided loaf filled with a cheese and chocolate mixture and a batch of cinnamon rolls.

Here are a few of the little gems I am taking away from the demo:

- I knead my dough way too enthusiastically, after watching Jessica I will definitely be revising my technique into more of a folding/turning method and not so much of an attack method.

- A filled and braided loaf looks easy to make and super delicious - I will be making this soon!

- Bleached white flour really is a shame.  Companys producing this flour take a less than desirable wheat and process into the mineral center of the grain in order to develope the grain's gluten and make it more desirable; however, this process makes the flour have a gray tinge and so they then bleach the flour to make it white.  The bleaching process strips the flour of any nutrients and strength it may have had and so they then have put it through another chemical treatment in order to strengthen and enrich it.  The really sad part is that this type of flour is the most widely used in store bought baked goods.  King Arthur Flour takes pride in the fact that they choose only the highest quality of wheat to make their flours and so it never goes through these chemical processes - and it has a lovely creamy natural color! 

- Be careful how you measure your flour! You don't nessesarily have to sift the flour but nomatter what - don't scoop it into your measuring cup! You should hold your measuring cup in one hand and use a scoop to shake flour into the cup then gently smooth the top.  Packing flour into the measuring cup will result in an overfloured and dry dough.

-Mmmm cinnamon rolls.  When making these you want to use egg or gelitin to create the stickiness between the layers - using a layer of melted butter will have the opposite effect and your rolls with fall apart.

Sweet hubby and I walked away from the demo with a bunch of great goodies - double the door prises with two of us there! One of the neatest was a cd compilation of ten years worth of King Artur Flour's periodical The Baking Sheet. Ten years of recipes! What fun!

All in all, a great time was had by all and I will be watching the website for next year's demo locations - hopefully there is one nearby!