I read yesterday on someones blog that they finished Madli’s Shawl
in two weeks. I think that makes me a fairly slow knitter! Here she is
at 25 repeats stretched out on Chris’s bed so that I can measure to see
how far off guage I am. The width is fine but the length will be over
the intended size by several inches. As long as I don’t run out of yarn
I’m fine with that. According to the scale I have plenty to finish. She
needs 6 more repeats and then the border is to be done separately and
kitchenered on. Mary Ann at the Woolpack has promised to show me a good
way to weave in ends for lace. I asked about blocking before or after
and she said just go with your preference. I haven’t really got a
preference yet but if I block before then I can really see how it will
look so that’s likely what I’ll do.

When I bought our pumpkins for Halloween I also bought a bag of apples
at the farmstand. They were just a bit bruised but still perfect for
applesauce. It couldn’t be easier- core and chop the apples and cook
over low heat with the juice of a lemon and a pinch of cinnamon until
soft. (Peel them if you like, if you don’t then just cool and transfer
the mixture to a blender and puree.)

Monday
on my way home from an appointment I stopped to order our Thanksgiving
turkey and picked up a nice fresh chicken while I was there which I
roasted for dinner. One of the very first dishes I learned to cook was
pot pie, great for leftover chicken. I started off with a recipe from
the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook which I’d bought for about three dollars at the bookstore.

Chicken Pot Pie

For the crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
cold water as needed

For the filling:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup skim milk
cooked chopped chicken
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup peas, blanched
1/2 cup diced carrots, blanched
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced and browned
1/2 cup green beans, blanched and cut into bite-sized pieces

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

For the crust, combine dry ingredients and butter in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. With the processor running, stream in cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture forms a ball. Remove and place on plastic wrap, flattening into a disc. Refrigerate 1 hour.

For the filling, combine butter and flour in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and cook 60 seconds but do not brown. Add seasonings and stream in liquids while whisking vigorously until well combined. Stir in remaining ingredients and continue to cook with frequent stirring until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.

Divide mixture into 8 oven-proof ramekins and place these on a baking sheet to catch any drippings. Roll out the pastry, divide into 8 rounds and lay these gently over each ramekin. Bake at 425 F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.