Be*mused

Do the mashed potato, do the twist...

In the U.S. this week, many of us are planning Thanksgiving meals, making grocery lists and starting on the baking.  As I've written before, I'm usually elbow deep in muffins at this point, but last year I was in a bit of a tizzy because I was going to be hosting the annual Thanksgiving celebration, with family converging from several states.  I needed all the help I could get and when I came across a mashed potato recipe that could be prepared ahead and then served from a crockpot, I decided to take a chance on it.  It was such a hit that everyone wanted the recipe and I have shared it numerous times since.  For all of you in the pre-Thanksgiving day panic, I'm sharing the recipe here.  It's a winner ~ and no peeling, mashing and warming while you're waiting for the turkey to cook.  Enjoy your guests instead!

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Make-Ahead Crockpot Mashed Potatoes

• 15 medium potatoes (5 lbs), peeled and quartered
• 8 ounces cream cheeses, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 egg whites, slightly beaten
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup chopped chives (optional)

One to several days ahead ~

• In a large pot of boiling water over medium-high heat, cook potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork; remove from heat and drain.
• In the same pan, mash potatoes with potato masher, fork, electric mixer or potato ricer until there are no lumps.  *I used a ricer for the first time ~ no lumps!
• Add cream cheese, sour cream, onion powder, salt, pepper, egg whites and chives.  Blend well, dot with butter.
• Cool slightly, cover and refrigerate.

On serving day ~

• Take prepared mashed potatoes out of refrigerator about 3½ hours before serving time.
• Place in crockpot.  Cover and cook on low heat for approximately 3 hours, stirring once or twice.
• After potatoes are cooked, stir and add a few dollops of butter just before serving.

Yield: 12 - 15 servings
Adapted from recipe at whatscookingamerica.net.

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I'm not hosting this year, but I hear my crockpot potatoes will be on the menu at our family gathering.  I'm back in my traditional role and got started on my muffins this afternoon.  Apricot Almond, Milk Chocolate Chip and Blueberry are finished.  Since most of the kids won't be joining us, just a dozen of each.  A couple of new selections, yet to be decided, will be made tomorrow.

Between baking and other holiday prep, I'm hoping to get some handwork readied for the few days away.  Yes, this is still the basket quilt. Trying to keep things interesting!

I may not get to post again until after the holiday, so let me wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!  And safe travels to those of you who will be heading out to join family and friends away from home.

Big stitch, revisited

Sashiko stitched mat, 13" x 22"

I always come home from trips with lots to share, but after a few posts, I often drift away from the subject.  Yesterday while waiting for a flat tire to be repaired, I was catching up on some blogs on my iPad and was reminded of this piece that I brought home from Japan last January. 

For years, I'd wanted to visit the Tokyo shop, Blue & White, established by American, Amy Katoh, 35 years ago.  Her very popular book, Blue and White Japan, a decorating book which celebrates the blue and white Japanese aesthetic, was published in 1996 and from my first thumb-through, her shop was on my bucket list.  For some reason, I'd always seem to forget about it until I got home, when I'd experience a 'doh!' moment and wonder if it was meant to be.  I mentioned it to Molly before my last visit and she told me that I had actually been in that neighborhood on my last trip, killing some time until she had finished her work, not too far away. 

 
I didn't make that mistake in January.  Although it's much smaller than its reputation had led me to believe, it's a charming place that will be on my 'must' list on any future trips.  Chock full of beautiful, handcrafted items, it's one of those places that you must roam through several times to make sure you didn't miss something.  I did lots of that while waiting to meet Molly there and as I pondered possible purchases, this woman who works at the shop was quite engaging.  Once Molly, my translator, arrived, the three of us really had some laughs.  I have since gathered that she is a regular fixture at the shop ~ perhaps the manager? ~ and she's a big part of my good memories of that morning.

Of all of the drool-worthy items in the shop, I couldn't stay away from a small pile of these rough-stitched mats.  Each one had it's unique charms, but in the end, I brought this one home.  And the bowl.  They looked so good together!

The vintage fabric scraps which make up the patchwork top aren't pieced.  Shibori, ikat, aizome ~ all kinds of traditional Japanese fabric scraps, in varying shades of indigo blue ~ have been layered and then stitched through in a rough running stitch. 

Backing (right side of photo, folded over)

The backing is a loose weave fabric, almost a netting.  And the edges of the larger pieces were finished in a rough overcast stitch.

What sealed the deal for me, though, was this small, unexpected patch of pink.  With a kokeshi doll!

Molly left with a small piece, too.

So, what did I read at the car dealership that reminded me of this?  A post on Keiko Goke's blog, featuring many shots at Blue & White, including a window display of gorgeous, large pieces of this style of sashiko. *Hyperventilating a bit*. I've lingered over these shots several times already.  Is that the artist featured stitching in one of the photos?

A Quilter by Night recently wrote a post on sashiko classes she attends at Blue & White.  It's author, Cynthia, is an American quilter, transplanted to Tokyo a year ago.  Her work and observations are always a good read.  Maybe she can add some context to Keiko's post for us.

Blue & White, the shop, also has a blog which regularly offers interesting posts on their goings-on.  If you're a fan of Japanese textiles and handcrafts, I think you'd enjoy it.

Basket case

Election day is finally here and for residents of Ohio, at least, it couldn't come soon enough.  The phone's been ringing off the hook with calls from campaigns, pollsters, special interest groups and the mailbox has been stuffed with political junk mail.  The polls are so close that until the results are announced, I'll be a basket case.  Or maybe I am a little bit anyhow.

I am having a lot of fun with these baskets.  I'm still not sure how they're going to come together, though.  And that caused me some problems this week.  Because it's necessary to decide on pressing directions as you assemble these blocks, I fell back to my standard choice with baskets, pressing in toward the basket body to accomodate outline quilting.  But at some point, it dawned on me that especially considering the small size of these, it was going to result in a lot of bulk if I put them together in 4-patches, like the classic stamps.

So I grabbed a couple of blocks and did a test join.  As carefully as I pinned and adjusted and as slowly as I fed them under the needle, they still jogged off-kilter slightly.  If that wasn't a big deal, the bulk, even after pressing the join seam open, was prohibitive...a big wad of fabric layers at the delicate point.  Hmmm.

I had a few blocks still in pieces, ready to assemble after appliqueing the handles (my evening handwork), so I pressed the side seams on the basket bodies open as I sewed them up.  Despite my reluctance - I'm a traditionalist, I prefer to press one way or the other - I do think this offers a lot more flexibility in final quilt assembly once I decide on a layout as well as quilting ease if I go with an overall pattern vs. an outline. 

And they matched up like a dream.

The downside was that I had to gently pull apart seams on all of the blocks I had already made to re-stitch and press them.  That kept me busy, but I'm back on track now.  What's kept you busy this week?  (Besides trying to stay comfortable ~ *warm* wishes to all of my blog friends who are still suffering without power after the storm!)