Simple channel quilt project brings midwinter comfort

 Like many, I’ve had a hankering for clearing out closets again. It somehow feels like a good time of year for de-cluttering, because we’re spending a lot more time indoors anyway.

 

Enter the fabric collection.

 My sewing closet is like the poster child of over-accumulation. (I worked my way through graduate school by measuring and cutting and ringing up fabrics for sewing enthusiasts. That included a generous employee discount and early access to the best deals. You can do the math from there.)

 During the pandemic-prompted season/s of mask-making (beginning in March 2020), I used up plenty of piles of fabrics. But I still had lots of remnants. I’d also cut and prepared miles of bias trim in tons of prints and colors. Plus, I had several leftover lengths of jelly-roll fabrics (pre-made bias trims in fun fabrics for quilting and other textile crafts).

 After stowing all the Christmas decorations and tree trims, I was itching to start a new project.

 Here’s how that turned out.

 

 This simple, but wildly colorful channel quilt now covers the bed in my home office/guest room. I really love it.

 Don’t look too closely at the top-stitching. I wrestled the bulky coverlet through my basic sewing machine. And it was a workout.

 But I think it’s worth it. This crazy collection of colorful fabrics makes a cozy covering for midwinter reading and for binging on TV streaming offerings when the weather runs too harsh for outdoor fun.

 

Related Items:

·        Christmas usually has me in stitches

·        Maskmaker, Maskmaker - 1,000+ masks made

·        Quilting makes me calm, except when it doesn’t.

 

Image/s:  Practically at Home photo/s – all rights reserved.

Feel free to follow on Twitter. Like this blog?  Check out Practically at Home on Facebook. You are also invited to visit my author page on Amazon.com.

Recipe: Savory Simple Split Pea Soup

  Split pea soup is a cold-weather favorite. Personally, I enjoy it all year round. A local eatery offers this prime potage every Tuesday, and I became hooked on it several years ago. Then, during the 2020-2021 pandemic closures, I found my split pea soup cravings cropping up.

 But I discovered that most of the store-bought split pea soup options (even the low-sodium ones) contained significant amounts of salt. Many also had MSG. The suggestion of either of those issues is almost enough to bring on a migraine.

 So I tried several recipes at home, tasting and tinkering, till I came up with my own favorite.

 One of the things I like best about this Savory Simple Split Pea Soup recipe (besides the fact that it’s yummy), is that I don’t have to soak the split peas overnight. The crockpot does the work, as the soup is slow-cooked for eight hours. It’s a perfect project for those days when I’m stuck at home with writing projects or babysitting in my proverbial Grandma hat. My souper supper cooks away all day long and it ready to go by dinnertime.

 Savory Simple Split Pea Soup fills the crockpot and happy bellies in midwinter or anytime. Here’s the recipe:

 

First, gather the ingredients for Savory Simple Split Pea Soup:

•  20 ounces dried split peas
• 5 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
• 2 cups water
• 2-3 large carrots (chopped fine)
• 3 celery stalks (chopped fine)
• 1/2 cup onion flakes (or one medium onion, chopped fine)
• 1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 cup bacon (crumbled – or real bacon bits, but not smoky flavor)
• Salt and pepper to taste

 

Follow these instructions to make Savory Simple Split Pea Soup:

 Spray the inside of a crockpot with aerosol cooking oil. (I use olive oil spray.)

 Pour the dried split peas into a colander/strainer. Rinse them thoroughly, and dry them completely (air-drying or with paper towels).

 Pour the rinsed split peas into the crockpot. Add the broth, water, carrots, celery, onion flakes, parsley flakes, bay leaves, garlic, and thyme. (Save the bacon for later.)

 Plug it in the crockpot, and set it for low heat. Cover the soup mixture, and allow it to cook for 8 hours. Stir frequently (at least every 30-60 minutes), scraping the soup from the sides and bottom of the crockpot.

 Unplug the crockpot, and let the soup cool completely.

 Fish out the bay leaves, and toss them away.

• For traditional version (see photo): Blend the soup well with a wooden spoon or silicon spatula scraper.
•  For smooth and creamy version: Scoop about 1/3 of the cooled Savory Simple Split Pea Soup into a blender or food processor. (I use the Magic Bullet, unless I put it all in my Cuisinart Food Processor.) Puree this portion, then pour it into a large glass measuring cup (at least 8-cup size) or glass bowl. Repeat with remaining thirds until all of the soup has been pureed.

 Stir in the bacon. (Diced/cubed ham may be used in place of the bacon, if preferred.)

 Cover and chill Savory Simple Split Pea Soup until ready to use.

 Reheat the soup in a large saucepan or soup kettle, or warm it in the microwave. Top each serving with crunchy croutons (or broken tortilla chips) and crispy bacon bits, if desired.

 NOTE: Feel free to alter this Savory Simple Split Pea Soup recipe (such as omitting the meat or subbing vegetable broth for the chicken broth) for personal dietary restrictions or preferences.  You can even find vegan vegetable broth to make it.

 Image/s: Photo by LAN/PAH. All rights reserved.

 

Feel free to follow on Google Plus and Twitter. Like this blog?  Check out Practically at Home on Facebook. You are invited to visit my author page on Amazon.com.

Roses in December? OK!

 

OUTSIDE – for the 2021 Holiday Photography Challenge (See sidebar for full list.).

 

Here we are, midway through December and just a few days before the Winter Solstice, and I have tea roses blooming in my garden in Wisconsin. At least, they are trying valiantly to bloom.

 

That’s just plain weird, but I love it.

 The sun is shining. The high temperature today is supposed to be 38 (F) degrees. But the wild winds have subsided.

 Maybe it’s time to close out the dozen-plus open windows on my computer screen and step outside for a little fresh air and a mental break. (That sounded better in my head.)

  Ahhhhh.

 

 

Image/s: Personal photo/s. All rights reserved.

Feel free to follow on Google Plus and Twitter. Like this blog?  Check out Practically at Home on Facebook. You are invited to visit my author page on Amazon.com.

Foods of many hues banish midwinter blues

 

COLORFUL - for the 2021 Holiday Photography Challenge (See sidebar for full list.).

 

Winter doesn’t officially begin for another week or two, but it sure feels like the coldest, darkest time of the year is already upon us. The gloomiest days tempt us to hunker down at home and carb up with comfort foods.

 Resisting that urge, I’m off to a holiday gathering. And I’m taking a veritable vegetable rainbow along with me. Check it out: broccoli, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, orange peppers, cucumbers, carrots, and fresh parsley. (Sure, I didn't pick 'em out of my home garden this time. I grabbed these from the produce department. Hey, it's December in the Upper Midwest!)

 “A colorful plate is a healthy plate,” I heard a wise woman say (many times). And she was right. When we eat meals containing plenty of hues, we’re usually hitting multiple nutritional food groups and ingesting various vitamins at the same time.

 So take that, Ole Winter. We’re slugging back with colorful consumption and cordial community.

 Image/s: Personal photo/s. All rights reserved.

Feel free to follow on Google Plus and Twitter. Like this blog?  Check out Practically at Home on Facebook. You are invited to visit my author page on Amazon.com.

Shiny dove to twinkle above

 

TWINKLE - for the 2021 Holiday Photography Challenge (See sidebar for full list.).

 

This sparkly Christmas tree ornament arrived as a gift package tie-on five or six Decembers ago. It’s become a favorite, in part because it reminds me fondly of the gift giver. I also love the way this shiny dove sparkles, as it reflects the lights on my Christmas tree.

  It’s peaceful and sweet and twinkly.

 

Image/s: Personal photo/s. All rights reserved.

Feel free to follow on Google Plus and Twitter. Like this blog?  Check out Practically at Home on Facebook. You are invited to visit my author page on Amazon.com.

What’s in your car this winter?

Winter driving brings lots of extra challenges for drivers in colder climates. OK, we get that.

What do you pack into your car, just in case winter weather brings its worst, while you’re out on the road?

Here’s a handy list of 20 basics for winter drivers, especially on longer trips.

1. Basic tools (or multi-tool/Swiss Army knife)
2. Blanket (at least one per vehicle occupant)
3. Cash stash (a few tucked-away bills)
4. Cell phone charger (to fit the on-board phone)
5. Duct tape
6. Extra boots (suitable for snowy treks)
7. Extra hat and sturdy gloves
8. First-aid kit
9. Flares or reflective cones/markers
10. Flashlight and batteries (the brighter, the better)
11. Food and water (hearty non-perishable snacks)
12. Gas (full tank)
13. Hand sanitizer / wipes
14. Ice scraper / snow brush (perhaps also a compact/folding snow shovel)
15. Jumper cables
16. Maps and compass (in case GPS fails)
17. Medications (as needed)
18. Pencil and paper (for emergency note-taking)
19. Sand or kitty litter (non-clumping)
20. Windshield wiper fluid (at least filled)

While you’re out there, it’s important to keep in mind that several states have official laws (like Wisconsin’s 346.88.4) requiring drivers to clear all window obstructions (such as snow and road-salt) before driving legally on roadways.

 Here’s to safe winter driving – all around.

 

 

Image/s: Public domain image

Feel free to follow on Google Plus and Twitter. Like this blog?  Check out Practically at Home on Facebook. You are invited to visit my author page on Amazon.com.