Peach Cobbler Chat and the Birth of Floral Confetti Cat Part 3

 For the sake of brevity (if three posts can be brief), this is a summarized transcript of an evening long conversation which retains both the my own voice and that of Sol. We work very well together! 

There is no such thing as solitary cross-stitching in a house full of cats.

This is particularly true when beginning a floral cat.

As I started testing a new project, one cat settled behind me on the chair.

Another positioned himself directly under my elbow and repeatedly bumped my arm while I tried to type.

A third supervised from across the room.

At one point my phone began sending messages before I could correct them, resulting in several mysterious fragments of conversation.

I initially blamed the technology.

This was unfair.

The technology had accomplices.

Meanwhile, the actual stitched cat was undergoing evaluation.

The chart was suspicious.

The palette was questionable.

The confetti was outrageous.

The first stitches were so pale they were barely visible.

Still, after only a handful of stitches, the shadow of a leg appeared.

Then the blue tip of a paw.

The household committee did not formally announce its decision, but nobody sat directly on the fabric, which I am choosing to interpret as conditional approval.

This is the thing about stitching with cats around.

They contribute.

Sometimes they contribute fur.

Sometimes they contribute movement at the exact moment one is counting across twenty-count fabric.

Sometimes they contribute an elbow collision that causes a perfectly sensible sentence to become unintelligible.

Occasionally they simply sleep nearby, which is the most useful contribution available to them and the one they seem least interested in making.

And every so often they become part of the history of the piece.

Years later, I may remember the pattern, the artist who inspired it, the colors I changed, and whether I eventually added backstitch.

But I will also remember the night the first forty-five stitches went in.

I will remember the cat under my elbow.

I will remember another asleep behind me.

I will remember looking across the room at the third member of the committee and realizing that Floral Confetti Cat was being brought into existence under peer review.

This is probably why cat hair appears in full-coverage cross-stitch.

It is not contamination.

It is documentation.

Bread Maker Banana

 If your bread machine has a Cake, Quick Bread, or Quick Cake setting, this recipe works well:

Bread Machine Cake Mix Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 1 box yellow cake mix (15.25 oz)

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)

• 3 large eggs

• ⅓ cup melted butter or vegetable oil

• Optional: ¾ cup chocolate chips or 1 cup chopped walnuts (Bread Dad)

Directions

1. Remove the kneading paddle if your machine's manual recommends it for quick breads.

2. Add mashed bananas, eggs, and melted butter/oil to the bread pan.

3. Add the cake mix on top.

4. Select the Cake, Quick Bread, or Quick Cake cycle.

5. After mixing begins, scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula if needed.

6. Add chocolate chips or nuts when the machine beeps for add-ins (or about 5 minutes into mixing).

7. Bake through the cycle. Test with a toothpick; it should come out mostly clean.

8. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely. (Bread Dad)

Tips

• Yellow cake mix gives the most traditional flavor, but butter pecan, spice cake, or vanilla cake mix also work well. (Bread Dad)

• Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots for the best flavor. (Bread Dad)

• If your machine does not have a Cake or Quick Bread setting, use the Dough/Mix cycle to combine ingredients, then bake in a loaf pan in the oven at 325°F for 60–70 minutes. (Allrecipes)

Air Fryer Tips

 

Honey Garlic Chicken with Mushrooms

 Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts (sliced thin)

1 cup mushrooms (sliced)

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp soy sauce

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

Salt & pepper to taste

Crock pot spinach and artichoke dip

 To make a delicious crock pot spinach and artichoke dip, follow these simple steps:

1. Combine 8 oz of chopped spinach and 8 oz of chopped artichokes in the crock pot.
2. Add 16 oz of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of sour cream, and 1/2 cup of mayonnaise.
3. Mix in 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
4. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
5. Cook on low for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally until creamy and heated through.
6. Serve warm with tortilla chips, bread, or veggies for dipping.

Slow Cooker Loaded Chicken and Potatoes

 

• 1/2 cup chicken broth

• 3 1/2 tablespoon ranch dressing mix

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1 1/2 pounds yellow baby new potatoes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 6 ounces cream cheese, cubed at room temperature

• 1/4 cup ranch dressing

• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided, plus more for garnish

• cooked and crumbled bacon to taste

• thinly sliced scallions for garnish

1. Stir together chicken broth and ranch dressing mix in the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker until combined. Add chicken breasts in an even layer over broth mixture, followed by an even layer of potatoes. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are fork tender, about 2 hours and 45 minutes on HIGH or about 3 hours and 45 minutes on LOW.

3. Remove chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place them on a cutting board. Let them cool slightly for 5 minutes. Coarsely shred the chicken using 2 forks.

4. Add cream cheese, ranch dressing, and 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH until cheeses begin to melt and potatoes are fully tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and stir cheese mixture until just about fully combined.

5. Add shredded chicken back to slow cooker and stir until evenly coated in cheese mixture.

6. Divide among 8 shallow bowls. Garnish with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese, top with bacon and scallions. Serve immediately.

Prep Time:

10 mins

Cook Time:

2 hrs 55 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs 5 mins

Servings:

8

Yield:

8 cups

https://www.allrecipes.com/slow-cooker-loaded-chicken-and-potatoes-recipe-8678923

Breakfast Casserole

 

ingredients

• 2lbs sausage, browned and drained
• 2cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded
• 12ounces cream of chicken soup
• 1cup sour cream
• 8ounces French onion dip
• 1⁄8cup onion, chopped (optional)
• 1⁄4cup green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1⁄4cup red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1(16 ounce) bag frozen shredded hash browns
• 2 cup milk

directions

• Combine 1 3/4 cups cheese and next 6 ingredients.
• Fold in potatoes.
• Spread half of the mixture into a baking dish (9x13 inches).
• Top with sausage.
• Top with remaining potato mixture.
• Top with remaining cheese.
• Cover.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes.