Finally Back!

Finally.  About a month ago, my 3 month old computer fatally crashed.  I got it back the other day.  I feel like I should get something out of it beyond them fixing it for free, I mean come on!  3 months and it dies?  *sigh*  Frustrating!

So, I've been busy.  Just a little bit!  I started and finished a baby blanket for a friend's first grandson.  I used the pattern I've already posted, the vertical lattice, but it's yellow this time. 

 

I think it turned out beautifully, if I do say so myself!

 

Our oldest son came home last month, too.  He's been stationed in Hawaii since 2010 and is finally home.  Big adjustment for all of us.  He's planning on going to school next spring, so now it's working on getting a job. 

 

Feeling a bit off with all that's going on, so please bear with me.

Cajun Pasta Alfredo

This work thing takes up way too much of my time!  I've been working on the same afghan for almost a month now and I'm only about 2/3 done!  Granted it's queen sized, but still.  Between now and mid July I have to make a baby blanket for a friend.  Her first grandchild is due in early August...she's my age and her daughter is my son's age...makes me fell soooo old!  Then between now and November, I have this afghan and one for another of my in-laws.  I want it done in time to mail it to Utah and have it there before Christmas.  And when I'm done with this one, I have a cousin who wants one!  Glad I don't have to work in the summer!

I had some of those mini smoked sausages and wanted to make something for dinner with them.  I could really only find recipes for snacks and such, sooo...I got creative.

Cajun Pasta Alfredo

16 oz. rotini pasta
15 oz jar Alfredo sauce (this makes it a little dry, so if you like it saucy, use 2)
1 T. Cajun seasoning (I like Tony Chachere's) (use more if you like a lot of spice)
1 package mini smoked sausages cut into 4 pieces (or sliced and quartered regular sized)
dry bread crumbs

Heat oven to 350.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.
Stir in sauce, sausage, and seasoning.  Mix well.
Spoon pasta into a 9 x 13" baking pan, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and bake for 15-20 minutes.

 

 

Made this again tonight (5/10) but this time I used 2 jars of sauce...we like it saucy and last time was a little dry for our tastes.  Also, there was some pork and chicken Italian sausage on sale that I used instead of smoked sausage and it was AMAZING!!  The chicken in it, kept the sausage from being greasy and the spice in it (it was mild, but still had TONS of flavor!) meant I only needed a little Cajun seasoning.  VERY GOOD!!!

Is Summer Here Yet?

Not that I'm looking forward to the sweltering heat, but as a school bus monitor, I get the summer off!  No, I am not like most people, who love the summer.  I could live in constant spring or fall, but the summer heat kills me.  Especially since we moved to Iowa from Utah.  I grew up in Indiana but never got used to the humidity.  I wanted to move back east from Utah, but I do miss those dry summers!

Summer, for me, means that I can get back to what I really want to do...crochet!!  This work thing has cut into my crochet time terribly!

I have started another afghan, however.  My aunt asked me to make her one to replace one her mother made her years ago and that she lost to a house fire, also quite a while ago.  She wanted it in the same pattern as my last afghan, but in her high school colors as the one she lost was.  Now she went to the same high school as my dad did.  The enemy!!  LOL  That high school was hated by many when I was a teen...because they kicked everyone's butt in basketball!!  This was back in the '80s.  Their colors are purple and gold so, of course, while they were winning, they called it the purple reign.  If you're from the '80s, you'll get it.  So, also of course, I have to tease her. 

So, since I already shared the pattern, I'll share pix of the work in progress.  This one is going to be queen sized, so in addition to adding stitches to make it bigger, I am also using a larger hook...I used an I hook last time and a J hook this time.

 

about 1/6 done!

 

 

Wash Cloths

This whole work thing is seriously cutting into my crochet time!  *sigh*  I haven't gotten nearly as much done in the last couple of weeks as I would have liked, but I did get some great cotton yarn and made 2 wash cloths out of it.  I got some Lion Brand Recycled Cotton, which, from what I gather, is scraps from when they cut pieces for T-shirts mixed with some acrylic fiber so it's 76% cotton and 24% acrylic, but it feels like all cotton and the acrylic gives it a little extra durability.  I used the color Marine and just love the result!

I used a simple single and half double crochet pattern.  I made one about 10" square and one about 8" square.  The pattern was supposed to make a 9" square, but even after using a smaller hook, it was 10".  I used fewer chains for the smaller one.

Mesh Washcloth
worsted weight cotton yarn
H hook (I used an F hook and it was still larger)

Ch. 39.
Row 1:  sc in 3rd ch from hook *ch 1, skip nexr ch, sc in next ch.  Repeat from * across.  Ch. 2, turn.
Row 2:  hdc in 1st ch. 1 sp *ch 1, skip next sc, hdc in next ch 1 sp.  Repeat from * across.  Ch 1, turn
Row 3:  sc in 1st ch 1 sp *ch 1, skip next hdc, sc in next ch 1 a.  Repeat from * across.  Ch 2, turn
Repeat rows 2 & 3 until cloth is square, ending with sc row.  DO NOT FINISH OFF.

Border:
Ch 1, turn.  In same sp as ch, (sc, ch 2, sc).  sc evenly around edge of wash cloth, working (sc, ch 2, sc) in every corner.  Join with sl st to first sc.  Finish off.  Weave in ends.

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