blizzards, bobbles and beans

I’m sure you all saw how NYC got slammed with snow and wind this past Saturday. It was convenient to be snowed in on a weekend. We were ready for it. I planned to knit, bake and enjoy the beauty of the snow. Which I did. I made another bumpy hat. This one is less slouchy and more bumpy. My daughter modeled for me, much better than those weird angled selfies!

Bean Cake. I found a garbanzo bean cake recipe in an old Mexican cookbook. Folks today are baking with beans for GF and other health reasons, I was surprised to see it as an old  fashioned, traditional cake. 

The basic recipe:

 2  10oz. or 1 19 oz. can garbanzos 

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

Bake at 350 degrees in a loaf pan for about 50 minutes

I have been tweaking and messing around with this. It is very adaptable to all kinds of flavors. You can add a grated apple, banana, vanilla, lemon, coconut, ginger, espresso powder, cocoa, cinnamon...you get the idea!

I also made a chocolate one with black beans instead of garbanzos, it was really good and less “beany”. The garbanzos do have a distinct flavor that some people won’t like. I have tried white beans and they are milder. If you are trying to hide the fact that you are eating beans go with the white or black beans over the chick peas.

freestyle booble hat

After that fussy cabled sweater I had the urge to knit something without a pattern or plan. What began as a wide scarf ended up a slouchy hat! As I was knitting I realized that I have a wide large scarf from last year that looks pretty much the same. 

I ripped it out and started a hat.  I wasn't having enough fun with it, so I started throwing in some random bobbles to make it interesting. As soon as it was finished I tried it on and took this selfie. Which doesn't do the yarn justice at all.

In need of some natural light, I went outside and popped it on the bird feeder. You can see the delicious color and the bumpy bobbles much better.

Birthday Sweater 2016

My birthday falls in December. Each September, I get started knitting my next birthday sweater. I finished this one in time, but couldn't wear it on my birthday because I just couldn't settle on the buttons. I sifted through my extensive button stash. Not satisfied I ordered some pretty abalone buttons. When I laid them out on the sweater I didn't like it. I realized that with all that cable going on up front I really don't need buttons showing off.

* Oh, that deer head in the background was a gift from my husband. Pretty cool! You can stick anything into it to make antlers. 

I finally found buttons that work, simple brown buttons made from coconut shell. The brown is actually the underside of the button, the front is speckled beige. I'm pretty happy with the finish. My thoughts are moving on to the next project. I think it's going to be a very colorful scarf that is much too long and much too wide. Winter temperatures have finally hit NY and I am not used to it!