Sunday, June 10, 2012

My first attempt at a poncho

I mentioned in my  last post  I was thinking of trying to crochet a poncho...well i have done just that and it is almost finished.  I used a varigated yarn for some of the stripes and a purple and a turquoise I really wanted to use a pink but couldn't find the  right shade so went for the turqoise  . I think it looks better in real life than the pics though.  I am going to put some granny roses on it to and a fringe  to finish it off . I will post a pic of when it's totally finished.
I also crocheted a pretty mandala last night .  I found the pattern on Barbara's blog. I enjoyed making this and will do some more soon.  I would love to try out some different colour combos of this.  Thankyou barbara  for the easy to follow tutorial .
here is a pic of my first attempt.
almost finished
the pretty centre of the mandala


my first mandala
I have not made much progress on cheys quilt  and i don't think i will quite get it finished in time for his birthday ...i'm not sure I will just have to see how things pan out.

Monday, June 04, 2012

Slow cooker meatloaf

Here is the recipe for the slow cooker meat loaf that  some blogger friends wanted to try.  Hope you like it, we do.



Sausages & Mince

Good Old Meat Loaf
You may be surprised to find how well your slow cooker will cook meat loaves. The carrot and zucchini hidden in this meat loaf add extra nutrients and give it a light texture that often appeals to young children. Adults find it particularly delicious when served with a spicy plum sauce.

For 6-8 servings:
500g minced beef
500g sausage meat
1 large carrot, grated
2 medium zucchini, grated
1 x 45g packet tomato and onion soup mix

Turn the slow cooker on to HIGH and coat the bowl with non-stick spray.

Put all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl, then using wet hands, mix everything together (or if you prefer to keep your hands clean, put all the ingredients together in a large, unpunctured plastic bag and knead or squish the bag until well mixed).

Shape the mixture into a loaf or ball that will fit in your slow cooker. For a browner loaf, brush the top and sides with dark soy sauce. Tear off a strip of baking paper, about 10cm longer than twice the height of the bowl, and fold it in half lengthwise (or use a Teflon liner. Put the loaf crosswise on the centre of the baking paper strip or liner and, holding the ends, lower it into the prepared cooker.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes and lightly cooked vegetables or coleslaw. Serve leftovers reheated or cold.

NOTE: To check whether the centre of a loaf is cooked, lift it onto a board and cut it in half crosswise. If the centre looks as if it needs more cooking, replace the loaf in the slow cooker, turning each half 180° so the cut surfaces touch the sides of the cooker. Cook for 30 minutes longer.