Quick & Easy

I love pumpkin.  At least a few of you know that.  Pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin butter, pumpkin pasta…  Gaylen has been feeding me pumpkin recipes regularly, and one is too quick and easy not to share.   You just take a box of devils food cake mix and a 15 oz. can of pumpkin, mix (and mix, and stir some more… the pumpkin will absorb the dry mix, save a little spot here and there like the white dot in the photo), bake at 350 degrees for about 24 minutes, and you have a dozen, moist, delicious muffins.  

I’m going to try some different cake mixes soon.  As much as I like chocolate, this was a bit too much for a breakfast muffin.

I also failed to note yesterday that I FINALLY got to walk around in a Trader Joe’s on our way home Saturday.  It was all very exciting, what with free wine samples and all.  There’s a rumor we’re getting one here in hicktown, once Whole Foods builds a new, big store.  I’m not holding my breath, because I’m still waiting for my Fresh Market, which a reliable source said was in the works over two years ago.  Hrmph.  Now, if only I could have a Dillard’s… 

At least I finally have a LYS I like.  It doesn’t have a website that works yet, it’s about as far away as it can be and be an LYS, it’s not open when I can shop, but other than that, it’s great!  I’m having withdrawls; this time of year, I should be in Knitting Addiction every few weeks, and it’s been WELL over a month and I don’t know when I’ll get back there. 

I do have a guild meeting on Saturday, and the girl-pups will be at work with me tomorrow and Friday (the inlaws are off), so don’t feel sorry for me just yet. 

Oh – and Gretchen has developed an interest in yarn.  It’s a bit problematic.  Like Sissy before her, my girls seem to gravitate to whatever yarn is my favorite at the time.  Sissy arrived in my Tofutsies passion and made it her own, making it impossible for me to knit with my favorite yarn, resulting in Tofutsies’s loss of said status due to a lack of use. 

Little Gretchie has been with us for three weeks tomorrow, and yesterday, HER yarn passion displayed itself in a rather strong fashion.  You might have gotten photos if we hadn’t been trying to get out of the house to go pick up Asst. (must remember the T!) Chief Knight’s fire department vehicle.  I’ve been working on an Uh-oh for a blogless Ravelry friend, and the second loop is done in Claudia’s Handpainted Yarn, which is my current favorite yarn to knit with.   It’s the perfect mix of soft, sproing and pretty colors.  Add in that it’s almost a local company, and what’s not to love?

Don’t let the sleepy, innocent face fool you.  She is a Jack Russell Terror after all, and most likely a crup too.  In a flash, she shot out of the bedroom, launched her wee, not even four pound self onto the sofa and grabbed the Uh-ohs AND the remaining ball of yarn.  We were none the wiser, until I walked over to shut off my laptop, and noticed the single strand of yarn, and began pulling.  Gretchen had made a nasty mess of the few yards I’d planned to make the ears/feet with.   

About the time I realized the Uh-ohs were missing, the Knight chuckled and dropped to his knees.  Good thing I have plans for washing this superwash project a million times in an effort to “shrink” it (I know it probably won’t work, but I’m going to try!), because it’s now covered in Gretchen mouth juice and dog hair…

I know Sissy’s coaching her, because when I took a potty break late last night and left the Knight to watch the girls, I came back to find them playing tug o’ war with my #3 40″ Addis!