gibknits

Normally when I post on a Saturday morning, there is a sky involved. But not today. Today I’m writing about what’s been rattling around in my brain over the last few weeks, since visiting Norma & the Utah Grrls. Today it’s all about Beauty. Not the beauty of Margene’s mountains, majestic as they are. No, it’s more about the beauty of women, and of friendship. The beauty that you find in places and people who, even when you don’t see them for a year, make you feel as if you’d gotten together only yesterday.

It’s about the beauty of a woman in a well-fitting hand-knit sweater. There she is, standing atop a mountain, the breeze blowing in her hair, surrounded by an air of confidence in who she is, and what she wants out of life. Cheryl epitomizes this beauty with those amazing eyes, her lovely smile and easy laugh. I was so glad to spend time with her and get to know her better. She’s a blast to be around, and that grrl can knit a fitted sweater like nobody’s business. I couldn’t stop admiring a few of the sweater she’s made and wore during my visit. If I remember correctly, the guy standing in the background of this photo was checking out Cheryl’s hand-knit sweater as well. Yeah, she gets *those* kinds of looks everywhere she goes–heh!

The beauty of a woman is generationless (Is that a word? If not, it should be.). All women are beautiful, be they young or old. And while I don’t consider any of us to be “old”, there is in particular one young woman whose beauty always takes my breath away. I had the opportunity to get to know Miriam last fall at the Great Basin Fiber Fair in Salt Lake. Her quiet demeanor and elegance have remained with me, an example of true, authentic beauty and dignity. This last visit provided additional time to get to know Miriam a bit more, and that time has only served to confirm my first impression of the beauty that is Miriam.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone. Hunka and I are taking off for a memorial ride up to McCall, a mountain resort town several hours outside of Boise. Yes, I’m taking my knitting.

This photo shows a combination of two homemade salsas made by a co-worker of mine. This stuff is amazing. Fresh, chunky, with a bit of twang and tang. Dang!

When I asked her for the recipes, she gave me a list of ingredients. A list? “But what about proportions?” I asked. Her reply?

“Don’t need ‘em. I don’t cook with measuring cups.”

Alrightie then. Maybe that’s my problem–I should just toss the measuring cups, eh? Below are the lists of ingredients for the salsas.

The first, which I think would be FABULOUS on fish tacos:

1 whole Cabbage
Radishes
Cucumber
Lemon Juice
Cilantro
Canned Jalapenos
Juice from the canned jalapenos
Salt

The second, hearty and filling–really great with some salty tortilla chips:

Tomato
Onion
Avocado
Can of Corn
Can of Black beans
Lemon juice
Valentina Salsa or Tapatio Salsa
Salt
Cilantro

We’re going to a party Saturday night, and I’m going to have to make these fresh salsas to take with us. If you give one or both a try, let me know—and tell me whether or not you kept track of the amounts that you used. I’m not sure if I’m ready to give up my measuring cups. Enjoy!

In between riding around and going to barbecue parties with Hunka Hunka, I made a cheesecake yesterday from a recipe given to me by fellow Idahoan, friend of Cleo and Ravelry user GrammaJan. This stuff simply rocks.

If it’s a firm cheesecake you’re looking for, this ain’t it. But it’s decadent and quite cheesy, which is what I love. Not too sweet. In fact, the next time I make it, I may cut the amount of sugar in half.

So…..here we go.

Gramma Jan’s Cheesecake

Crust:

2 cups crushed ginger snaps
½ cup chopped pecans
1 T. sugar
½ cup melted butter

Blend together and press onto bottom and barely up the sides of a spring form pan (8 or 9 inch). Set aside.

Filling:

3 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1/3 – ½ cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
2 T. flour
1 t. vanilla
4 beaten eggs
½ t. grated orange peel (or lemon)
Additional sour cream

In large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, 1/3 – ½ c. sour cream, sugar, flour, vanilla until well blended and creamy. Add eggs and orange peel and blend. Pour filling into crust-lined pan. Put the pan on a baking sheet (the butter in the crust melts out a bit and makes a mess in the bottom of the oven) and bake in a 375° oven for 40 minutes or until the outside 2 ½ inch edge appears to be set when gently shaken. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 – 15 minutes. Run a knife between the cheese cake and the pan. Cool to room temperature and then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Spread a light covering of sour cream over the top of the cheesecake.

Raspberry-Huckleberry topping:

In a saucepan, melt ½ cup of raspberry jam. Blend 1 T. cornstarch blended in ¼ c. water. Stir cornstarch mixture into heated jam. Add 1 cup of fresh raspberries and 1 cup huckleberries. Stir constantly until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and refrigerate.
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Enjoy the rest of your weekend, everyone! I’m hoping to meet up with Jocele at some point today or tomorrow for a little prime-time knitting fun, and there is NOTHING else on the schedule. We’ve needed some unscheduled time, and how. Love to you all.

Have been captured by unseen cosmic forces. No time to knit. No time to blog.

Must. Ride. Motorcycle.