Another crafterly weekend came and went. I spent nearly 5 hours in the kitchen last Friday, drove all the food (and favors) down to the bay area for a Saturday baby shower, then drove right back up that same evening. I was pretty pooped (plus I think I just caught a cold), but I was pretty happy with what I made and how things went.
This particular shower was special because it was for a good friend. Here are a couple snapshots of the homemade goodness, both from the needles and the kitchen… (click for a close-up)
Pattern: Mini Sweater Ornament
Yarn: Filatura Di Crosa Zarina in #4000, 1 skein
Needle: US #1 dpn’s, US #4 dpn’s
Time: A couple hours
I’ve made this before, and I was reminded of just how fun and quick this little project is. Plus, it’s super cute!! Perhaps I’ll make a bunch of them for my Christmas tree this year. They would also look really cute on a little tree at a LYS, who knows. =)
Mini Quiche:*
1 tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped green onions
4 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
Dash of freshly ground pepper
Dash of nutmeg
3 pkgs (2.1 oz each) mini-phyllo dough shells
6 slices pre-cooked bacon, crumbled
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium skillet, melt butter. Add the green onions; cook until onions are tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, beat eggs until smooth. Add heavy cream and whisk until smooth. Add cooked green onions, pepper, and nutmeg; stir.
3. Arrange dough shells on ungreased baking sheets. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon each cooked bacon and shredded cheese into the shells. Fill with egg mixture. Bake until filling is firm, about 10 minutes. (Can be made ahead, cooled, covered, and frozen up to 2 weeks. Thaw and then reheat in a 425 degrees F oven for 8 minutes.) Serve warm.
Fluff Fruit Dip:
This stuff is GOOD. It’s especially terrific on grapes, bananas, and strawberries. And just about anything else. The recipe for this dip is here: Fluff Fruit Dip
Tarragon Chicken Salad:*
1 lb. boneless/skinless chicken breast, roasted, cooled and chopped
2/3 cup chopped celery
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or pine nuts
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 cup sour cream
salt
pepper
cilantro for garnish
Combine chicken with the remaining ingredients. Taste for salt and pepper, and chill for several hours or overnight, to let the flavors blend. (For tea sandwiches -picture below- cut bread into small finger sandwich size and place a tablespoon of salad on each. Top with a few cilantro leaves and serve.)
Tea Sandwiches:
The brown sandwiches were from the chicken salad recipe above. The white bread sandwiches were with cucumbers and a savory cream. I cut out flower shapes from my cookie cutter for a nice presentation. =)
*Original source of recipes unknown; I’ve just had them in my files for awhile! =P
19 Comments so far
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The mini sweater is so cute! And WOW, you made a ton of food! It looks delicious!
By caitlyn on 10/17/06 5:32 pm | Permalink
The food looks yummy.
The mini sweater is so cute.
By bluey on 10/17/06 7:31 pm | Permalink
I was just thinking today that I wanted to make some more of those little sweaters. I should go rummage through my stash for something to make one with.
By Kaity on 10/17/06 8:03 pm | Permalink
Yum! Great recipes! Thanks for sharing them.
Sounds like an exhausting weekend, but I’m sure that all your work on the food was greatly appreciated. Who wouldn’t love all that food?
By Cyndi on 10/17/06 10:11 pm | Permalink
I just had lunch an hr ago! And i’m getting hungry again looking at those yummies! :D Great stuff dear! Now, do rest well. Those little sweaters are just so cute huh..:) I’m tempted to make one too.
By lauray on 10/18/06 12:08 am | Permalink
Yum!
We are having customers make mini sweaters for our tree at the shop. It will look so cute!
Amy
By Amy on 10/18/06 4:48 am | Permalink
Those sweater ornaments are adorable and it looks like you had a really great spread. Those mini phyllo shells are awesome. I’ve used them to make little desserts before - I’m gonna have to try the mini quiches.
By Sarah on 10/18/06 7:26 am | Permalink
Yum yum, so delicious and that mini sweaters looks so cute too.
By Doreen on 10/18/06 6:53 pm | Permalink
The teensy sweater is really cute. What a lovely idea for a favour.
You made ALL that? Wow, it looks delicious. Thanks for the recipes too! Now you can rest and recover and hope the cold goes away.
Again..lovely work!
By Rain on 10/18/06 8:54 pm | Permalink
If I ever have a baby shower, can you come cater? ;)
By Martha on 10/19/06 7:26 am | Permalink
Wow! You busy bee! Everything looks tasty. I’m so hungry now ;)
By Jes on 10/19/06 9:18 am | Permalink
That sweater is so darn cute!
By Gracie on 10/19/06 11:39 am | Permalink
The food looks gorgeous. I really love quiches and your recipe looks super easy. Yumm…..
Thanks for the mini sweaters. I think I’m going to make some for our Christmas tree too!
By Ling on 10/19/06 3:11 pm | Permalink
those little sweaters get cuter and cuter. and your food looks sooooo nummmmmy. you are a good friend. :)
By Jen da Purse Ho on 10/19/06 8:36 pm | Permalink
does this mean that your knitting time is shrinking so your knitting projects are shrinking? what a cute little sweater! i love it! i think i’m also very easily distracted and don’t sit still well.
By Lorna on 10/20/06 4:49 pm | Permalink
Everything looks so nice. I’m glad you had time with all the work you did to take these pictures. Your friend must have had a wonderful shower.
By Donna on 10/21/06 6:12 am | Permalink
YUMMY!!! Can I be your friend too? ;)
That chicken salad recipe is something I’ll definitely have to try. Love the little shower gifts in the earlier post, too!
Baby showers don’t exist here in Israel (it’s considered bad luck to buy things for a baby before he/she is born, or even let people know what his/her name will be) and I always get a kick out of seeing things that people make for baby showers abroad. I think pregnancy is something to be celebrated..
Congratulations to your friend!
By Ayelet on 10/21/06 8:51 am | Permalink
Oh wow, the food looks so delicious…I’ll have to try some of your recipes. I’m not the best cook in the world though …for sure. And the darling little sweater ornament is just the cutest thing. I love how you give the pattern….and notes sometimes about the project. btw…did you get that little thank you I sent you? Hope so…smile. I’m still spinning away..only not this past week…things got so busy here. I just got done re-painting the boxed in beam in the new family room. It was supposed to be barn red…but 1st time around it turned out to be cherry red. Out to buy more paint…and its looking pretty good now. thankfully…sigh! Thanks for coming over to my blog and leaving me a comment..just love that..smile. Our chimes at church arent bells…they are long rectangles but sound wonderful together. (this type was more economical for the church budget…know what I mean…smile.)
By Maggie Ann on 10/23/06 4:31 pm | Permalink
That’s great. Good to find your blog.
Maria in the UK
http://www.inhishands.co.uk
By Maria on 10/26/06 12:57 am | Permalink
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