EASY Knitting Project

Never judge a project half-way through.  This cute potholder almost got thrown out.  Now I kinda love it!
It started out looking like this:
I knitted straight rows -- easy -- for forty stiches across.  I knitted until it reached about 13 inches.  I knew the colors weren't ideal -- I didn't want to buy new yarn but was itching for a project.  So I pulled yarn from the reserves -- hence the ugly colors.  Then I felted it.  Since the yarn was a 80% wool/ 20% mohair blend, it is able to be felted.  That just means aggitating the yarn in very hot water.  It took about 3 cyclces to look like this:

This was the point where I called it the "World's Ugliest Knitted Potholder".  But with some streching and trimming, it turned out pretty darn cute.  Potholders aren't supposed to be color-coordinated to your kitchen, are they?

Honey Crunch

This is easy and good -- great for giving as gifts in cute holiday bags.

4 cups Crispix Cereal

4 cups Quaker Corn Bran Cereal (the only place in CO I could find this is Super Target)

1 stick butter

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup honey

1/2 cup peanuts

Bring butter, sugar and honey to a boil, then simmer for 8 minutes. Pour over cereal/peanut mix. Stir until evenly coated.

Spread on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Continue to stir while it's cooling to break up clumps.

Honey Banana Punch

This punch is perfect for party. It is so delicious I actually ruined my dinner a few nights ago -- because I drank four glasses! Freeze the mixture in four 1-quart containers -- and then pull them out one at a time and mix with a liter of sprite. Yum!

2 cups frozen OJ concentrate

5 ripe bananas, chunked

1 40 oz. can of pineapple juice

3 cups water

3/4 cup honey

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup powdered lemonade mix

4 liters of Sprite

In blender, blend OJ and bananas until smooth. Pour mixture into a large bowl. Add pineapple juice, water, honey, sugar and lemonade. Stir until lemonade has completely dissolved. Pour into 1 quart containers and freeze until slushy. Mix 1 quart with 1 liter of sprite and serve.

Kate's Chippers

These are a delicious "knock-off" version of Paradise Bakery's Chippers. They are delicious!

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter flavored Crisco

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 T milk

2 t vanilla

1 3/4 cups flour

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

3 cups quick oats

1 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup Health Bits of Toffee

1/2 cup coconut

1 cup crushed corn flakes

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream brown sugar, white sugar and crisco. Then, add eggs, milk and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet.

Add oats, chocolate chips, toffee chips, coconut and corn flakes. Mix all together.

Use small ice cream scoop to place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 9 minutes.

Spectacular Homemade Caramels

Oh lordy, do I have a recipe for you! My friend Suanne and I spent a few hours making these for gifts. Time well spent. You have to set aside nearly an hour to stir -- and then cutting and wrapping them is also a chore. But in the end you have special, handmade, delicious caramels.

3 cups sugar

1 stick butter + 1 T

1/2 stick margarine

2 1/4 cup light Karo syrup

1/4 t salt

3 cups "light cream" or half-n-half (reserve 1 1/2 cup to add once boiling)

Boil all ingredients (EXCEPT 1 1/2 cup of half-n-half) at medium heat -- stirring slowly but constantly. Once boiling, add the reserved 1 1/2 cup of half-n-half. Boil until temperature reaches 230 degrees. Immediately remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla -- then pour into a generously greased (PAM works great) jelly roll pan. Cool completely. Turn candy out onto a cutting board and cut into small squares. Wrap in waxed paper. Enjoy!