Made | Simple winter hat with neon pom pom!

I found this neon yarn when I was home this past Christmas. I had made several of these scarves, and my stepmom wanted me to make her one, too. We went to Michaels so she could pick out the yarn she wanted, and I couldn't help but pick up three skeins of this chunky neon yarn. I got this neon pink, highlighter yellow, and a neon orange. I figured what better way to bring a pop of color to the predominantly white landscape of winter than with neon pom poms, and I was right. I love how soft it is, and it fashions into the poofiest, fluffiest pom I've ever made. 

The hat itself is a simple pattern I came up with, tall enough to fold the brim over for warmer ears, but short enough to wear as a floppy hat, letting that neon pom bounce around in the wind. We're nearing the official start of spring, but I have a feeling we'll be braving 20 degree weather for a while yet, so this hat is my plan on how to transition into spring without freezing to death. 

Want your own simple hat with neon pom? You can find it in the shop here and here.

Made | Red Lentil Stew

I don't have to tell you it's cold. We had another snowstorm yesterday, and after seven+ years of living in Massachusetts, I still get butterflies the night before a big snowstorm. We were expecting Mike to have a snow day, and my boss had already signed off on us working from home, so it felt like a weekend night. I still had to wake up early the next day and work, but something about wearing my pajamas and drinking a homemade latte while I did it made it feel like my own kind of snow day. 

I woke up at 4 AM to use the bathroom and peeked out the window to absolutely no snow on the ground. I gasped, afraid the weather channel had gotten it wrong and that Mike would have to go in after all. A quick check on my phone reminded me that it wasn't set to start for an hour. When I woke up three hours later, the snow was coming down steadily. I made some tea and settled in for the day. 

Even with the increased daylight, I've been finding myself fighting for energy and motivation at the end of the day. Two nights this week I took an hour nap on the couch after work, which is unheard of. To shake things up, I decided to start some new projects and try a new recipe. 

I bought this little bag of red lentils at Trader Joe's last week with no idea how I'd prepare them. A quick Google of "red lentil recipes" found me a promising Indian-style lentil stew. Trust me, this one's a keeper.

Red Lentil Stew adapted from Real Simple

Gather your ingredients: 

Olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
8 scallions, chopped with white ends separated
2 tablespoons curry powder
4 carrots, chopped (I used about 20 baby carrots, chopped)
1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks
1 cup red lentils
4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
naan bread and green part of scallions, for serving

Directions
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and scallion whites and cook, stirring frequently, until softened (about 2-3 minutes). Stir in curry powder, carrots, potato, lentils, broth, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and vegetables are tender (about 15 to 20 minutes).

Sprinkle the curry with the scallion greens and serve with naan (I used Trader Joe's garlic naan).

I meant to take a picture of the bowl, but you know how it is when you're hungry and the garlic naan is ready and you just want to eat dinner. The picture above shows this as it simmers. The liquid will cook down a lot, and you'll be left with a stew-type consistency. This is a hearty meal, and if you're normally a meat-eater, you won't miss it!

Made | Capucine (A Hat, Not a Drink!)

I did it again! I knit an entire hat that fits my gigantic head! I've had this chunky mustard yarn for over a year now; it was one of those yarns I bought because I wanted to curl up next to it, but then I just couldn't find a project that lived up to its snuggliness. I'm glad I waited until I gave knitting a try again because this was worth the wait. This pattern is a mix between a hood and a hat—a hood hat, if you will. Though I'll warn you now that every time I say "hood hat," I think "hood rat." Unfortunate.

I used the Capucine pattern from Ravelry (add me!), and I loved it. I haven't added a pompom or tassels yet, and I'm not sure if I will. Maybe I'll just make a second one to try out those accessories on. 

This little lady knit up pretty fast—all in one Sunday while Mike was at a conference. I watched The Company Men and multiple episodes of How I Met Your Mother. I love how knitting makes me feel productive while I rot my brain with TV. Maybe I should invest in some audiobooks.

And now some strangely lit photos from my living room! 

And then, for some reason, this:

I'm in full-on winter knitting mode, and I have big plans for Christmas presents this year. I highly recommend this pattern if you're looking for something a little different than the usual knit hat. You can't really wear a ponytail or a bun with it, but really, what hat can you successfully wear an updo with? Just put your hair up/arms down when you get there. It's cold; nobody looks good.

The things I learned:

• When you don't have dpns in the right size needles, you can improvise with regular needles. It takes a lot more time and effort, but you can rig up any situation if you're willing enough.
• Knitting needles don't taste that great.
• I'm an awful self-photographer.

But seriously, this was such a simple project that after completing the Vogue trapper hat, this was a piece of cake. What are you knitting up these days? 

Not-so-workspace-Wednesday

This week's been a doozy and it's only Tuesday (hello from the past!). The paperwhites are blooming lovelily (that's a word now), Mike made me dinner tonight (I've been surviving on cereal and hot dogs since his stomach issues began), and I just sent off a project before the deadline. Plus I bought a new bathing suit at Target last night, and I'm in can't-wait-can't-wait mode for the cruise next week. Not much is happening in my little workspace this week, so instead I'll share some more photos from Nemo this past weekend. The blogosphere needs more pictures of that guy.

Things to do in a blizzard.

 1. Take pictures. Even of your blinds.

 

2. When the snow and the winds die down, go for walks. It does good for the soul to see all that brightness after being indoors for so long, especially when half the neighborhood is out helping each other uncover cars and build snow sculptures.

3. Go sledding. At first we laughed at this guy riding his bike, then we realized he was called by a higher purpose when we saw the pink sled on his back. 

4. Make delicious food, like these waffles and this soup.

5. PLAY IN THE SNOW, DUH.

Snow jumping from Melanie Yarbrough on Vimeo.

PS: I just realized that these are all thing to do after a blizzard. You knew what I meant.

Made | Blizzard soup

So this recipe is one of the best kinds because you can customize it and make it different every time. Also, Mike's been having stomach issues lately, and this soup is one of the only things that doesn't bother him. Besides, who doesn't want a big pot of soup when it's blizzarding out? I'll stop trying to convince you to make this soup, and just tell you how it's done.

You'll need:
About 6 cups of broth (I mix veggie and chicken)
Garlic powder
Black pepper
Hot sauce (to taste)
All the veggies you want
Rice or dumplings

Okay, so this is really a non-recipe, but trust me when I say this is the best kind of soup ever.  We make this when we're just cold and tired and ready to eat. The prep involves buying all the ingredients, chopping the veggies, and waiting for it all to heat up together. The longer you let it simmer, the more flavorful the broth becomes. Our favorite veggies are bok choy, celery, carrots, baby bellas, and bean sprouts on top. We usually throw in some kind of starch like frozen dumplings or rice, but you can leave that out just as easily.

This soup goes well with a big blanket, a good book, and a snowy backdrop.

Made | Blizzard waffles

 A couple weekends ago, Mike and I rediscovered that we had a waffle maker, and I've been craving waffles ever since. That same day, we also used the last of our pancake mix and have yet to replace it. We don't make waffles or pancakes that often, so a box of mix usually lasts us right up until (or right after) the sell by date on the box, so we weren't exactly in a hurry to replace it. But there is just something about waking up to this:

and this:

that makes me want this:

So I typed "waffle recipe" into Google and found that making waffles from scratch is just as easy as making it from a box. And it actually tastes better. I'm never going back.

You'll need:
2 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs

I made half the recipe above, and was able to make three waffles yesterday and today.  Extra batter can be covered and stored in the fridge. 

Preheat your waffle iron and spray with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy. Then mix in the other ingredients until combined well. Cook according to your iron's instructions. Top with bananas and these amazing coconut chips from Trader Joe's (they taste like the caramel delight girl scout cookies, but they're just coconut chips!).

Best served with coffee and an episode of Bones.

Photos | Winter cold

I remember I went shopping with an old roommate, and I held up a gray sweater for her to look at, asking her opinion. She laughed and said, "It's as cute as all the other ones you have." Turns out I have a thing for grays and icy blues, for the dead-ish colors of winter, especially after the vibrant and oversaturated colors of fall. Last week, I went for a walk and I picked out all of my favorite colors of winter. The colors you can feel in your fingers, in your toes, that make you crave a hot cup of coffee, a big warm hug.