Success!

I did it! I finally got my short rows right for my citrine socks. I truly think that I made at least ten attempts with those socks. I'd completely given up and then I was looking at Moon Tea's blog, and what do you know, she'd just knit some herself. She told me to just take it slow, and that I could do it. I "rested" a few more days, and then gave it a try. Yay! I'm very happy and will cast on my second sock tonight. The toe is especially interesting to me. It was done in short rows too. You use Kitchern'ers Stitch to finish them off. I've never been able to memorize how to do Kitchner's Stitch, but I discovered a helpful "mantra' in a a little reference book I got from the Loopy Ewe. It seems so easy now. I don't know why I did't think of something like that myself.

"knitoff/purl on, purl off/knit on"

I gave my little "pink" rabbit to my cousin's little girl on Easter Sunday. My cousin has four children, teaches school, and is a generally busy person, but guess what I received in the mail on Tuesday? A thank you note from her little girl. They had to have written it on Sunday night!

I already have another bunny finished. "She" started out as a boy since I knit her with blue pants, but I love making the dresses, so she's a girl. She's going to be yet another gift for a co-worker's baby. Keep those babies coming. I need an excuse to knit bunnies. I laughed when I read one of Marit's recent posts because she had knit a cute, little teddy bear and one of her kids had called her childish for doing it. Sounds like my kids. They just don't see the point of a mother of teens knitting little toys.

I had planned to start posting some of my favorite recipes on my blog, but since I wasn't doing much cooking until now, I've been "recipeless." We barbequed almost everyday during Spring Break. I grilled fish to make fish tacos, chicken to make chicken salad, and eggplant to make...baba ghanoush. My son is not an adventuresome eater, but the rest of my family is. We love Greek food, and I make hummus all of the time. Baba ghanoush is a lot like hummus. My daughter's friends love it although I didn't immediately share with them that its main ingredient was eggplant.



Baba Ghanoush (from Cook's Illustrated Best International Recipe Cookbook)

2 pounds eggplant (about 2 large globes)
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
1 tablesppon olive oil
2 tablespoon fresh parsley

Poke each eggplant all over with a fork. Grill eggplant on high until the skin darkens and wrinkles on all sides, about 25 minutes. Remove eggplant from flame, and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut eggplant open and scoop contents into a colander and letthe pulp drain for about three minutes. Spoon pulp into a food processor.

Add tahini, lemon juice, garlic,1/2 tsp. salt, and1/4 tsp. pepper. Process until mixture has a course, chunky texture. Chill for 45 to 60 minutes. To serve, use a spoon to make a trough in the center of the dip and spoon the olive oil into it. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.