Sea Turtle Quilt

 

There’s a shop in San Diego area called Rosies Calico Cupboard that I have to stop at every time we go to San Diego. They have a great selection of all sorts of fabric genres and other quilting/sewing needs.  It’s a fun treasure hunt.

 

 

Three years ago, my daughter went into the shop with me and found a minky sea turtle fabric that she wanted me to make a quilt with. It was an interesting idea, and when I found it was on sale I couldn’t resist. 

 

 

Unfortunately for my daughter, the project got tabled and while I worked on a bunch of other projects. I hadn’t thought of it until I realized we were about to head to San Diego again! I quickly put together a pattern and figured out how many fabrics we’d need for the top. When we arrived the following year, I had my daughter come with me and pick out some batiks for the top. She narrowed it down to greens and purples and we’d use blues for the background. Perfect!

 

 

This time I started working on it right away and got the blocks finished up, but we needed one more fabric for sashing, so it was back to the shop again. This time I went alone and found the perfect sashing.

 

 

Now that all the blocks were finished, I was able to start piecing everything together. I was trying to mix things up in an unpredictable way to give it an organic feeling like you’d have in the ocean. I also had the turtles swimming in different angles for the same reason.

 

 

Once all of the sashing was complete, I added one more blue border and called the top good. Now I just needed to match it up with the backing we’d gotten all those years ago. It turned out the backing wasn’t quite big enough. I did the best job I could lining up with front with the back and then after quilting, I trimmed the whole thing down to the right size.

 

 

The binding was made with the same blue that’s bordering the top. I wanted to keep it subtle and really focus on the turtles. My daughter is thrilled with it. She especially loves the minky backing. I was worried about working with it but it wasn’t a problem at all.

 

 

My son liked what he saw and asked when I’d start his! I totally forgot I was going to make one or him too. Looks like it’s back to Rosies this year to get everything I need for his. The good thing is that I now know what’s needed and it should go together more smoothly. Here’s hoping!

 

Christmas Lights Quilt

 This top actually dates back to my covid lockdown series, not because it’s when I started it but because it is made of the scraps from a quilt made during that time.

 

 

Back in 2022 I made the Rainbow Cubic Quilt with this beautiful rainbow pack I’d gotten in a raffle.  I was also able to complete a table runner with some of the scraps… and yet I still had more. So what to do with those…

 

 

After sitting on the shelf for a while I finally decided something had to be done with them. Everything was sewn together, I just didn’t know what to do with them. It happened to be Christmas time and I thought they kind of remind me of Christmas lights. Inspiration hits.

 

 

I got to work creating the hexagons and then laid them out randomly so they’d be all spread out among the grey hexagons. I added the white to spread them out, but in hindsight I think I added a little too much white. 

 

 

I got all of the rows together and felt like it really didn’t need a border; it was already a pretty modern-style quilt. I needed a backing though, and found one on my annual trip to Rosies in San Diego. It was the oversized backing fabric, which meant less piecework to get it to the right size.

 

 

My goal with the quilting was to make sure everything had good texture on it, but I felt like there was no 

need for a particular pattern. So I went with a meander and kept it simple.

 

 

Once it was all done, I added my label and completed the binding with some of the backing fabric I still had left. All finished!

 

 

I took a step back and looked at my finished product and realized I accidentally switched the last row, so it’s not in step all of the other rows. Yikes! Oh well, I’ve heard the Amish believe nothing should be perfect so they purposely add flaws to the quilts. I’m sure that’s what this was. I purposeful mistake. It’s curious to see if others notice it.
 

Scrappy Pinwheel Quilt

What do you do with the scraps from a project? I always struggle with this when I use a technique that causes cut pieces that are already sewn together, making it a pre-sewn block. It’s like it’s meant to be in something. I just don’t always have the time or patience if the pieces get too small.

 

 

So, back in 2022 I made my Natural Beauty Garden LatticeQuilt. It turned out awesome, but had a lot of little half-square triangles that were already sewn together. I wasn’t sure if I should try to turn them into something or let them go. While I thought about it, I completed Natures LostFour-Patch quilt with the leftover 10” squares.

 

 

That project gave me time to think about how I wanted to deal with the small pieces. I was finally ready to get to work on this one. I decided it was worth it.  This one is the last of the trio with this set of fabric. I pulled out everything I had and started putting it all together.

 

 

I started with the small pieces that were the original leftovers and made them into pinwheels. Once they were made I had to figure out a plan for them. I had some black with a black floral pattern on it that I really wanted to use in a project, so I decided to use it here even though solid black was used in the pinwheels. It felt like a small enough difference that wasn’t too noticeable and added some character as well.

 

 

Once all the pinwheel blocks were completed, I used the leftover backing fabric to make the sashing. The large flowers are such a great pop of color. I used the black-on-black floral for the cornerstones as well.

 

 

For the backing, I had the blue version of the floral that was used in the sashing. The large print is excellent for a backing.

 

 

I used a basic meander quilting as this quilt was already busy enough, and then I put on my tag and the binding, which was more leftovers from previous projects. I was really working hard to finish up all the fabric.

 

 

I love how this one turned out. It would be a fun baby quilt with a more modern and vibrant feel, or a great sofa blanket that adds color to the room. The colors in the fabric are just so much fun! I’m really glad I decided to use up the small pieces I had left. I feel like I really used every part of the layer cake pack that started all this. And yes, I still have a bit of fabric left but it’s minimal enough that I can save it for a scrappy project. Phew! 

Classic Juicy Meatloaf

When my husband and I first moved in together, we started trying recipes that we were familiar with to figure out what our tastes and styles were. The classic Lipton meatloaf was something we both knew well from childhood.

 

 

As we got older and played with more flavors, I realized this was a recipe that really could use some jazzing up. I wanted to add more texture and moisture with zucchini and fresh onion. Also, I found that combining the bread crumbs with milk first allowed for a more moist loaf as well.

 

 

I’ve never been a fan of sauce on top of a meatloaf. I like the crispy meaty bits that happen when you make it without a topping. I also like to add my own amount of ketchup to my individual piece while I eat.

 

 

 

We always pair this with mashed potatoes. The combination of meat and potatoes is just too classic! It is absolutely comfort food that I’ve been perfecting for years now.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Classic Juicy Meatloaf

 

2 lbs ground beef

1 medium zucchini, finely shredded and drained

¼ c onion, minced

½ c bread crumbs

¼ - ½ c milk

2 eggs

1/3 c ketchup

1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-heat the oven to 350F. In a mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the milk. Use the amount of milk that moistens the bread crumbs to a wet sandy feel, but not soggy. After a few minutes of soaking, add the rest of the ingredients. Mix everything together well.

 

Line a glass baking dish with aluminum foil and spray the bottom with cooking spray. Shape the meatloaf into a loaf shape; it should be long and even a little oval on the ends. You can also make it more rectangular, whatever you prefer.

 

 

Spray the top of the loaf with the cooking spray and then place it in the oven. Leave it in the oven for about 50-60 minutes, when it reaches 165F internal temperature. Pull it out and let it sit to cool for about 10 minutes. Serve with ketchup or barbecue sauce, which ever you prefer, or leave it undressed like me.

Meatball Minestrone

 

Sometimes it’s nice to have a light, savory, and scrumptious soup that comes together fast. It’s also nice to have a soup that can crossover into warmer seasons, or cool seasons that just won’t cool down.

 

 

We have been spending so much of our winter in the 70s and 80s so far, and it’s hard to get into my usual soups when it’s so warm. The rare day that we cool into the 60s I will definitely be pulling out my creamy butternut squash soup, or my warm pasta fagioli, but for now we are hitting the spring-style soups.

 

 

Usually I like to puree my soups to make them creamier without adding the extra fat of heavy cream. This recipe definitely tastes best when you keep it real. Diced veggies mixed with the yummy meatball morsels make the balance perfect. Add the pasta for a little more texture, and the spinach for one more kick of healthy-heartiness and you have a great balance.

 

 

The longer the soup simmers, the better. Sometimes I will make the broth and meatballs part of the soup ahead of time and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Then when it’s closer to dinner time, I heat it back up and add the noodles and spinach to finish it off. Makes for a fast meal, either prepped or not. Enjoyed with some focaccia or crusty sourdough is perfection!

 

 

Meatball Minestrone

 

Meatballs:

1 lb Italian sausage (or you can use ground duroc pork, chicken or turkey)

1/3 c panko crumbs

¼ c freshly grated parmesan

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp salt, more if needed

½ tsp pepper, more if needed

 

Broth:

2 Tbs EVOO

1 yellow onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 ribs celery, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 c chicken broth

2 c water

½ tsp dried oregano and dried thyme

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1 c elbow pasta

1 c baby spinach, chopped

 

In a bowl, mix together all of the meatball ingredients. Roll the meatballs out into small balls, about ¾-1 inch size. Set these aside and continue to prep the rest of the ingredients. I like to have everything chopped, diced, and measured before I start to make things go more smoothly.

 

Heat your dutch oven over med-hi heat. Add your oil and begin browning your meatballs. Make sure to move them around to get all sides nicely browned, and don’t overcrowd the pot. Once they are browned, remove them to a paper towel lined plate and continue with the second batch. Once the second batch is done, remove them and set aside with the others.

 

Add a bit more oil and stir in the onions, carrots, and celery. Let those cook down a bit, until the onions become a bit translucent, and then add the garlic. After about a minute, add the chicken stock and water. Add the meatballs back to the pot, and also add the bay leaves and the dried oregano and thyme. Stir everything together and check for salt and pepper. Now add the pasta and let it cook for about 10 minutes, checking for al dente.

 

Once the pasta is ready, add the spinach and let it wilt for a minute. Your meatballs should be cooked through at this point, but it doesn’t hurt to check one. Pull the soup off the burner to let it cool a bit and then serve. This is amazing with some focaccia or sourdough.  

Grandmas Scraps Christmas Quilt

 

I know this post is a little late, but the holidays went so fast this year that I think I may have blinked, thus missing the whole experience. We had family come to town right before thanksgiving, and then we were able to have more family come to town for Christmas, which hardly ever happens.

 

 

There’s really lots of things that have delayed this quilt post. I can’t blame it all on visitors. I actually started this quilt a couple of years ago. I was trying to clean out old scraps and I came across a bag of Christmas pieces. Some had come from my moms stash during her clean out, and some were in mine.

 

 

I was going to get rid of them, they were even in the sale pile. But one of the fabrics looked familiar. I pulled out Christmas tree pictures and realized they were the scraps from our tree skirt, which was made by my grandmother many, many years ago!

 

 

Well, now I couldn’t get rid of the scraps. I pulled them out and thought about what I could do with them. It occurred to me that my fave block pattern, Granny’s Square, would be a perfect tribute to my grandmother.

 

 

Instead of 2 ½ inch squares, I went with 2 inch squares so I could get more out of the fabric and therefore have more variety in the overall pattern. I picked a simple kona snow white for the background and started sewing things together.

 

 

I didn’t have quite enough, but I wanted to use every scrap so I made a couple of the blocks slightly differently. My intent was to use the outcasts to make a table runner but I needed a couple more blocks to finish my top, so in they go!

 

 

To make the top a little bigger, I added another scrap of red that I had, which is such a nice and simple border. I set the blocks on point for dimension, but also to make the overall quilt size a little bigger. I was trying to think of what size works best for us.

 

 

Because this was a scrappy quilt, I didn’t really have a backing in mind. I had checked my favorite shops for possible sales with no luck. Then I went to our LQS and struck gold with this beautiful fabric of Christmas colors and Christmas trees, and deer; it was perfect! And even better, it was on clearance! Yay!

 

 

I used a basic meander for the quilting, and picked out a green binding that pulled from the green on the back. It worked out perfectly. So many different fabrics I thought I didn’t want that played a huge role in making this finish happen. 

 

 

I am so glad I was finally able to get this one done. It’s a great addition to our holiday décor, and it reminds me of my grandma every time I see it.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

 

I never used to like soups, especially as a kid.  They never felt filling enough and the flavors and textures weren’t pleasing to my kiddo palette. As I’ve gotten older though, I’ve realized I do like soup, its just how their made and what flavors that have in them.

 

 

As I’ve explored and discovered different soups that I like, and opened up my possibilities wider and wider. Most recently, I decided I wanted to try making tortilla soup.

 

 

I don’t want to make it in the traditional way. I want to make it so that matches the textures and flavors that make me happy. It’s mostly the same ingredients, but presented differently.

 

 

I got the idea when I made my version of pasta fagioli. I decided I didn’t need to have all the chunks of veggies in the soup with a thin broth. Instead I can make a thicker, richer saucy broth and then only add a few other ingredients like meats and pastas or beans. It minimizes the number of different textures while still having a great flavor and a rich broth!

 

 

I applied all that to this recipe and fell in love! It has a nice spice level that’s not over the top, but definitely reminiscent of Mexican flavors. It is perfect on a chilly night with some corn bread. Mmm…

 

 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

 

 

1 Tbs EVOO

½ of one onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeño, seeded and diced

1 serrano pepper, sedded and diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

4 c chicken broth

1 c water, if needed

1 8-oz can tomato sauce

1 15-oz can diced tomatoes with juice

2 tsp New Mexico chili powder

1 Tsp Mexican oregano, salt

½ tsp ground cumin, black pepper

1 ½-2 lbs shredded chicken (cooked in broth or pre-cooked, even rotisserie chicken)

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed well and drained

1 15-oz can pinto beans, rinsed well and drained

3-4 corn tortillas, chopped (or 2-3 Tbs masa harina)

 

Heat the oil in a large pot (I use my enameled cast iron pot) at med-hi heat. Add the onion, jalapeño, and bell pepper and allow them to cook for a few minutes, allowing the onion to soften and become translucent without it browning. Add the garlic and give it a minute to soften. Then add the broth, and tomato sauce. As it comes to a boil, add the seasonings.

 

If you’re using whole chicken pieces (including frozen chicken pieces) add them once it has reached a boil. Put the lid on the pot and turn it down to a simmer. Allow the chicken to cook for about 20-25 minutes depending on whether it’s frozen pieces or fresh. Once the chicken is cooked through, pull it out and let it cool. Meanwhile, use an immersion blender to blend the veggie ingredients together for a thicker, smoother broth (if you're using masa harina instead of tortillas, add it to the broth to blend it with the immersion blender).

 

Shred the chicken and return it to the pot. Add the diced tomatoes with juice, black beans and pinto beans and bring the soup back to a simmer. Let them simmer for about 10 minutes. Finally, add the tortilla pieces and allow them to soften in the soup for a few minutes. *

 

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, some radish slices, some avocado slices, and a little chopped cilantro. Whatever toppings you’d like.

 

 

*You can make this ahead and finish it before serving. Just stop after you add the shredded chicken and set it aside on the stovetop or in the refrigerator, if you’ll be serving longer than an hour away. When you’re ready to serve, simply warm it back to a simmer and add the tortilla pieces in. Allow them to soften for a few minutes and dinner is ready.

 

Beef Enchiladas in Rojo Sauce

 

Yes, I already have an enchilada recipe on my blog. But I’ve upped my game with this one. Although it’s nice to have a quick recipe for those busy nights, it’s also nice to have a fresh, from scratch recipe that will blow your mind.

 

 

I had to pull this from a couple different recipes. I wanted to have meat that cooked in the pressure cooker while I did other things on the stove. 

 

 

It’s also easy to make the meat and broth ahead of time and then put it all together a couple days later. 

 

 

It’s also really flexible. The recipe calls for beef, but you can make it with pork or chicken just as easily, you’ll just need to adjust your cooking time for the meat preparation.

 

 

You can make them ahead of time and freeze them, or eat them right away. I love flexible recipes that allow me to prep meals and be ready for anything.

 

 

Beef Enchiladas in Rojo Sauce

 

Beef:

2-3 lbs Country Style Ribs (or other shreddable meat like chuck, etc)

2 Tbs salt

½ onion

5 garlic cloves

3 bay leaves

Water up to the max line of the Instant Pot

1 7oz can green chilis

1 c enchilada sauce

3 c Mexican blend cheese, divided

30 corn tortillas

½ c canola oil

 

 

Enchilada Sauce:

20 dried chili peppers (I like a mix of California and guajillo peppers)

2 dried pasilla peppers

2 chile de arbole

½ onion

2 garlic cloves

3 ½ c broth from meat, divided

¼ tsp cumin

½ tsp Mexican oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

 

In your instant pot, pour about 1 cup of water in. Then add the meat, the onion, the garlic cloves, and the bay leaves. Finally add the salt and add enough water to bring it up to the max line. Put the lid on and seal the pressure seal. Set your cooker to “meat” and set the time for 1 hour 10 minutes. After the time is done, allow natural pressure to drop for at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes. Release the last of the pressure and pull the meat out and place in a bowl. It should fall apart when you shred it. Once it’s all shredded, set it aside.

 

Meanwhile, you can use the broth made by cooking the meat to create the enchilada sauce.

 

Rinse the peppers and remove the stems and seeds. Place them into a saucepan and add enough water to cover the peppers and bring them to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn it off and allow it to cool for just a minute.

 

Add the peppers to the blender and discard the water. Add the onion and garlic and 2 ½ cups of reserved cooking broth. Blend until smooth and then put the sauce through a sieve and back into the saucepan to make it smoother. Use the last 1 cup of broth to clean the blender and get the last of the sauce through the sieve. Once all the sauce is in the pan, add the cumin, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.

 

In a large saute pan, add the canola oil and allow to warm to about 325-350 degrees. Dip each tortilla in the oil and allow it to cook just until it starts to blister. Remove it from the oil, let it drip a minute and then set aside and continue with the rest. Once those are complete, turn back to the meat. Add the chilis and enchilada sauce and mix everything together.

 

Begin assembly of the enchiladas. Place ½ cup of sauce on the bottom of each of two 9x13 baking dishes. Make sure it covers the bottom of the dishes. Take a tortilla and add about ¼ c of filling along with 1Tbs cheese and roll the tortilla like a cigar. Place it in the dish and continue through your tortillas in the same manner. Once all of them are finished, pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas evenly between the two dishes. Finally add cheese about 1 cup of cheese to the top of each dish.

 

Cook in a preheated oven at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until it begins to bubble. Turn the oven to broil on high if you like to crisp your cheese on top a bit. Remove and let it cool a minute before serving. Enjoy!