Not sketti-ohs

I make my kids o-shaped noodles from time to time, and I make a sweet tomato/cheese sauce to give them a taste of one of my old favorites we don't buy because I'm trying to avoid food additives. This is an occasional treat! I don't make it often, and my older boy thinks it's too sweet, even with only one spoon of sugar, at five.

This recipe is easy to modify for various special diets, since you are in control of the ingredients.

12 oz of smooth tomato sauce (or 4 oz tomato paste and 4 oz tomato-based mixed veggie juice)
3/4-1 cup of shredded cheese (we use colby/jack, or you can use a mix of jack and mild cheddar, or even veggie cheese, whatever makes you happiest)
1-2 Tbsp sugar to taste

Heat sauce to a simmer, add cheese. Stir until cheese is mostly melted, then blend with a stick blender and add sugar 1 Tbsp at a time, blending and tasting between them. If you don't have a stick bender, pour into a blender and blend until smooth and the cheese is fairly incorporated.

Pour hot sauce over:
4-6 cups of o-shaped pasta, cooked and cooled.

Stir, and serve.

OH HAI YARN DIET and some actual knitting

I may not have been knitting much at all for months and months (it's been impossible around Mr GiantBaby), but I've continued to buy yarn, slowly, in little bits and bobs. This combination of factors is not good, and after the last infusion of stuff into my stash, I called Yarn Diet until I get some of my many wips and planned projects out of the way. To help with that, I picked up a set of nickel DPNs from Knitpicks during my last bout of frustration induced retail therapy. I thought, maybe, if I spoiled myself with some new tools, I might be more likely to use my ever-multiplying stash of materials.

In aid of this lofty goal, I picked some rescued yarn out of my stash and decided to make my mom's Christmas present, which would be a circular lace shawl. If it's on one needle, in a circle, it'll be harder for the little guy to rip it our of my hands. That's the theory anyway.

I decided to use the 1940's lace tablecloth pattern from knitting-and.com - so far I've gotten through row 57, in two or three after-the-kids-go-to-bed sessions. Including a night in which MrGB did no such thing, and I discovered that he is less interested in pretending to be a cat in relation to my yarn and more interested in trying to sit on my shoulder while turning my work lamp on and off. Different? yes. Better? Maybe.

I'll let you know if I develop any exciting injuries this time. In any case, I've come back to being able to knit and things are going well. I may even get to put up a FO post some time. Perhaps I'll knit a pig with wings or a flaming snowball to commemorate the occasion.

Mindless knitting: a 3x3 rib scarf recipe

I've noticed that my Not A Gryffindor Scarf on Ravelry is marked "pattern not yet published." There's a reason for that. It's not a very interesting pattern, more of a recipe, or a knitting meditation.

Use yarn appropriate to the needle size. Swatch if you are unsure.

Cast on a number of stitches evenly divisible by three. Ideally, the number is also divisible by two, because that means you just reverse the knitting and go. Unless you choose to do something exotic, like stripes, it's a pretty mindless knit.

Knit 3, purl 3, to end of row.
Turn.
Knit all knit stitches and purl all purl stitches, to end of row.
Turn.
Continue to desired length or end of yarn, whichever comes first.
Bind off.

Garnish however you like.

Serves 1.

The Not a Gryffindor Scarf notes are as follows:
*Knitpicks Pallette in Yellow and Red (discontinued colors - use Semolina and Pimento for close match)
*Size 4 needles

As above, except change color with russian join every seven rows.