Jul
Free knitting techniques ebook
I’ve been knitting since I was about seven, so that’s quite a few knits and purls under the bridge. Consequently, when I received an email this morning announcing a free downloadable ebook on knitting techniques, my pulse didn’t exactly start to race.
However, because I thought it might be a handy resource for less experienced knitters who may read this blog, I thought I’d take a look and let you know if it was worth investing some bandwith in.
And aren’t I glad I did! I found some great knitting techniques I hadn’t come across before and will definitely give a go, and others that I had forgotten, but will definitely re-acquaint myself with in some upcoming knitting projects.
To get the ebook, all you need to do is enter your email address. You’ll also need a program to unzip the downloaded file — you can use the evaluation version of WinZip, which you can get a 45-day free trial of from here (when it expires, you can just delete it and reinstall it) .
Whether you’re a new or experienced knitter, this free downloadable ebook from the Knitting Daily Web site is a great resource to keep on hand.
Knitting Techniques for More Successful Knitting
Tags: ebook, Knitting, Knitting Daily, techniques
Jul
Death by chocolate
If I had to pick my last meal, it would definitely have chocolate as an ingredient — and lots of it. Let’s face it; too much chocolate is barely enough!
One of my favourite winter ‘comfort food’ desserts is chocolate self-saucing pudding; an oldie but a goody. This one is an absolute corker — a coronary in every bowl!
Chocolate self-saucing pudding
Ingredients:
1 cup self-raising flour
1/4 cup cocoa, plus 2 tblspn extra
2/3 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
50g butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/4 cups boiling water
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius (160 degrees Celcius fan-forced).
2. Sift flour and cocoa together into a mixing bowl, then add caster sugar and choc chips and stir through.
3. Mix the melted butter and milk in a jug, then pour into the dry ingredients. Stir until combined and put into a greased ovenproof dish.
4. In a jug, combine boiling water, extra cocoa and brown sugar stir until combined. Pour over the cake batter — if you pour it over the back of a spoon, it won’t disturb the cake layer, giving a better-looking finished pudding.
5. Cook for about 45 minutes, depending on your oven. The pudding is cooked when the surface springs back when pressed lightly.
5. Let the pudding rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Transfer to bowls and top with cream or ice cream.
Jun
Funky recycle shopping bag
Anyone who reads this blog regularly will know that I am a keen recycler. I always carry reusable enviro bags with me when I go shopping — you know, those meshy fabric collapsable numbers — but as noble and useful as they are, there’s no denying they’re a little ho-hum in the style department.
So, I was delighted to find this funky-looking, retro-styled bag while I was at the shops on the weekend. Now I can be virtuous as well as hip!
It’s available for $1.98 from Big W stores.
Tags: reusable shopping bag
Jun
Free patterns for quick and easy quilts
One of the quick and easy quilts
If you’re new to quilting and are looking for some patterns that are uncomplicated, but still have the wow factor, you should check out the US Better Homes and Gardens’ All People Quilt site for its 15 quick and easy quilt patterns.
Many of these quilts are great for using up some of your material stash and they are all particularly good if you need to whip up a quick gift quilt for someone. Great for beginners and more experienced quilters alike.
You’ll find patterns and instructions for these 15 Quick and Easy Quilts here.
Tags: quilts
Jun
Delicious beef massaman curry
I live Thai food — but hold the coriander, please — and one of my favourite dishes is massaman curry (with absolutely any protein product, as long as there’s plenty of that yummy sauce).
What with it being winter and all, I was in dire need of some comfort food, so I decided to have a go at making a massaman curry myself for dinner on the weekend. I’m so good to me!
Anyway, now I’m going to be good to you, because it was delicious and here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 600g diced beef chuck steak
- 440ml can coconut cream
- 440ml can coconut milk
- 1/4 cup massaman curry paste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced into reasonably thin strips
- 300g sebago potatoes, peeled, cut into 2cm cubes
- 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- Steamed rice to serve (see my foolproof microwave rice recipe here)
- And you can add some coriander now as garnish if you absolutely must!
Method:
- Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook beef, stirring, for 4 or 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Spoon the thick top layer from coconut cream and coconut milk into pan. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes or until oil separates and floats to the top.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the curry paste and half of the coconut milk and cream to to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Return the beef to the pan. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, water and remaining coconut cream and coconut milk. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for one hour or until the meat is tender.
- Add the potato, onions and peanuts. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes or until the onion is soft and the potato tender.
- Remove the bay leaf. Stir in thet fish sauce and sugar.
- Serve in a bowl over steamed rice.
The original recipe is from the Taste site, but I made quite a few changes to suit my own tastes.
This dish was so yummy that I got tucked into it before I took a photo of it, so next time it’s on the menu, I’ll post one for you.
Jun
Foolproof steamed rice
Cooking rice is one of those tasks that more people seem to get wrong than right. My mum, for instance, after close to 60 years of cooking family meals, still manages to turn rice into something more suited to hanging wallpaper than a dinner plate.
In the early days of cooking for myself, I will admit to my relationship with cooking rice being a bit hit and miss — that is, until I got my first microwave.
It was an early Sanyo model and a hulking big thing that took up half the kitchen, but boy could it cook rice! I learnt to cook perfect rice with the cookbook that came with it and have never looked back — perfect rice every time.
So, if you’re a rice tragic, here’s how it’s done:
Empty one cup of long grain rice into a large microwave-safe bowl (a large microwave-specific rice cooker is perfect, but not necessary), add two cups of hot water, cover and cook on High for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium (50% power) and cook (covered) for a further 10 to 13 minutes (depending on your microwave) until all liquid is absorbed.
Fluff rice up with a fork and serve immediately. Serves four people.
The beauty of this method is that, besides its foolproof results, you can take the rice straight to the table to serve, so there’s only one dish to wash up — and no sticky saucepan to wash up!
Jun
Free photo collage program for scrapbookers
Photo Collage Maker Pro
If you’re into digital scrapbooking, or you like to create your own calendars and stationery, you might like to add Picture Collage Maker Pro to your software arsenal — and it can be downloaded for free for the next 17 hours from the Giveaway of the Day site (it’s a 92.4M file).
Normally selling for $US29.90, Photo Collage Maker Pro lets you get creative with your photos. You can use the program’s hundreds of pre–designed scrapbook and photo collage templates, create your own design from scratch, and apply image frames, masks, drop shadows and other effects. You can also create calendars, cards and photo books.
The program is easy to use and particularly good for digital scrapbooking newcomers — and hey, you can’t beat the price!
Tags: digital scrapbooking, Giveaway of the Day, Photo Collage Maker Pro
May
Delicious raspberry and buttermilk dessert cake
I recently made this cake when I had to take a dessert to a girls’ lunch, and it turned out to be a big hit. Better still, it was probably one of the easiest cakes I’ve ever made.
The cake has a German-style cake texture and is very moist, and because it contains buttermilk, it is quite moist and keeps well — that is, if there’s any left over at all!
You’ll find the recipe and detailed, illustrated instructions here on the Smitten Kitchen site.
Tags: buttermilk, cake, dessert, raspberry
May
Free bead embroidery ebook
Bead embroidery is a great way to individualise a plain T-shirt or jumper and you can create a decor statement in your home by embellishing items such as cushions and lampshades with beads.
Mixed-media artist Cyndi Lavin from Beading Arts has kindly made a free ebook — Every Bead Has a Story: Bead Emroidery Stitches — available for download that will take you through a range of illustrated bead embroidery techniques you can use in your jewellery making and other crafting projects.
Once you’ve got these techniques under your belt, you’re only limited by your imagination.
You can download Cyndi’s free ebook from here.
Tags: bead embroidery, Beading Arts, Cyndi Lavin, Every Bead Has a Story, free ebook
Apr
Recycle crafting with free ebook
If you’re looking for some cool craft projects that you can make from stuff you’d normally put out for collection in your council recycling bin, you should check out this free ebook from FaveCrafts — there are some great activities in it to do with the kids.
Here’s a peak at what’s inside:
Section 1: Paper
Learn how to use junk mail to make paper beads
Section 2: Paper Making
Use paper, magazines and greeting cards to create different kinds of crafts
Section 3: Metal
Use tins and cans to create little critters and luminaries
Section 4: Plastic
Use those old bottles, cans and containers to create household items and decor
Section 5: Glass
Don’t break those old wine bottles, create coasters out of them
Section 6: Clothing
Sweaters and belts don’t have to be clothing items, they can be made into bracelets
Section 7: Miscellaneous
Take those old CD’s and turn them into ornaments
You can download the Recycling Crafts: 42 Ways to Recycle ebook here.
Tags: Recycling