Last week I was so happy to share that the snow had pulled back from the house just enough to reveal a few tulip tips. This week, we’re under a fresh blanket of snow and have braved some very cold temperatures. But that quick thaw in February gave me so much hope for spring, despite everything we’re seeing on the news. My free time this week has been devoted to knitting, which has helped me get a lot of nervous energy out of my body and into something useful.
I decided to join in on Andrea Mowry’s March to May Knit Along (ravelry forums link) this year. I’ve been wanting to make a Ramble shawl (ravelry link) and decided that, since there are potential prizes, this is the time to get started! I ordered my yarn (Capra DK from KnitPicks in Loganberry Heather and Lilac) on February 22 and it arrived right on time: March 1st! I cast on as soon I got the two youngest into bed and finished my evening chores. It’s a dream! I’ve decided to use the darker shade as the main color, which is the opposite of Andrea’s sample. It’s going to be lovely (and squishy).
I’ve ordered yarn for a DRK Everyday Sweater (ravelry link), which is also eligible for the KAL. If I finish Ramble as quickly as I think I will, then I’m going to be completely crazy and try to finish a sport weight sweater by the end of May as well. Please cheer me on!
I finished a pair of socks earlier this week that needed to be washed and blocked, so I decided to throw a whole basket of dirty socks into the sink. I love seeing all of those colors and patterns all swirled together in the bubbly water! Of course, I have a new pair of socks on the needles. This time I’m knitting up a pair of SOHCAHTOA socks (Ravelry link) by the lovely Sarah at PAKnitWit. This is such a clever pattern! The method for knitting the gusset and turning the heel is the same whether you knit toe up or top down. I’m a toe up knitter myself, but am planning to do one sock my typical way and the second from the top down, just to help prove her theory. I turned my first heel last night; so far, so good!
I took this picture last night. Seconds after snapping it, her paw got caught in my knitting cord and she slipped a needle out of half of the stitches. Between the kids and the cats, I am getting a lot of practice picking up stitches lately!! I fixed it and there’s only a tiny bobble of a mistake that’s visible – whew.
IN MY KITCHEN:
I share our meals here each week because meal planning and cooking are two of my biggest downfalls. I’m the worst at it and would love to pick up takeout every single day of the week. Of course – we can’t do that for a myriad of reasons! So this little space keeps me accountable to being thoughtful about what we prepare and I hope it helps you fill a slot or two in your own calendar. As always, feel free to share your favorite easy or newly found recipes in the comments. I sincerely appreciate the help! (If you want to see all of my meal planning posts, you can visit my meal planning tag.)
It’s been another quick and easy food week for us. It’s school vacation week so that means that Colton doesn’t have any afternoon programs. And if I’m going to prepare a meal and keep him safe, then I have to be quick, quick, quick about it!
Saturday: Roast beef sandwiches + potato chips + salad. We started making these after they made an appearance in one of the Armand Gamache mysteries: fancy rolls of your choice slathered in horseradish aioli, roast beef, and cheddar cheese. Leave them open and put them under the broiler for a few minutes to get the cheese melty and the bread a bit crispy. I swear you’ll feel like you’re at Olivier and Gabri’s bistro in Three Pines. Cap it off with a café au lait and close your eyes. I bet you’ll feel their fireplace.
Sunday: Instant Pot Tandoori Chicken + rice + homemade garlic naan. Matthew prepared this and it was delicious. Highly recomend! (Just a heads up: you’ll want to put the chicken in the marinade the night before, so this one takes a little forethought.)
Monday: Simple sesame noodles. This is a favorite around here. My kids call them “spicy noodles” thanks to the splash of sriracha and raw garlic in the sauce. The sauce is quick: you can have it prepared before the water is boiling for the noodles. We usually use thin spaghetti for the noodles, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
Tuesday: rotisserie chicken + mashed potatoes + salad. It was a Sam’s Club day, which usually means rotisserie chicken day!
Wednesday: Roast beef sandwiches + potato chips + salad. Yes, that’s twice this week. It’s THAT good and we didn’t want to waste any roast beef.
Thursday: Snack plate! Cut up fruits and veggies, pepperoni, cheese, crackers, gherkins. The dinner of champions, my friends.
Friday (today!): Frozen pizza because we definitely don’t have the energy to make them homemade today.
And whew! My family is fed for another week. Thank goodness. If you’d like to help feed Ukrainian families right now, Chef José Andres’ World Central Kitchen is working with local chefs at pedestrian border crossings in Poland and in war-torn Ukraine that are providing people with good food as we sit here together. You can donate to them if you’re able. I have. (If you’re concerned about how your money will be spent, they have a 100% score on Charity Navigator, which encourages people to “give with confidence” to this organization.)
I will be spending the weekend hoping for good news out of Ukraine. The people of that country have been inspiring in the face of such terror; their bravery and resilience will be what future generations study. President Zelenskyy’s dedication to democracy will be the story of legends. Once again, we are watching history unfold and it’s painful and scary to witness. I don’t typically believe in miracles, but I’m praying for one right now.
I hope you all are able to find ways to take care of yourselves this weekend.
The Cozy Burrow 
Your posts are always so inspiring, Katie — and that kind of surprises me, as I’m not a knitter and avoid cooking whenever I can get away with it. But I’m drawn in and thoroughly enjoy these posts. And you’ve made me want to make a visit to Three Pines on my next reading journey. Thank you, too, for the links for helping with the terrible devastation in Ukraine. I will contribute — doing SOMETHING feels so important.
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Love your new colour choices of yarn. Sometimes it really helps to do quick meals. My quick go to is a cheese omelette.
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That new yarn is so pretty. And oh that kitten! Like you, I cook supper—or suppah, as we would call it in Maine—every single night. With a few exceptions, I always make enough for leftovers. Easier for a family of three, maybe, than a family of five. Last night it was chickpea patties and carrot fries. Tonight will also be chickpea patties and maybe roasted kale. Another consideration: We are all adults and that makes a big difference in what you cook.
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Those roast beef sandwiches… divine! And the “mental ambiance” might be the best part! 🙂
I will be cheering you wildly with a shawl and a sweater! You can do it!
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I also enjoy your knitting posts even though I gave it up a few years ago, who knows I may pick it up again but for now it’s just quilting.
Oh the days of feeding my family and finding things everyone enjoyed, now just the two of us and I cook for the least picky person I know! Anyways I tried a recipe last night that got a total thumbs up so shared it with some of our girls. I used ground chicken instead of pork. https://www.budgetbytes.com/teriyaki-meatball-bowls/ my kids always loved meatballs.
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Meal planning is tough for me, too, mainly because I have one very picky eater in the house and one eater who will basically eat anything I put in front of him (but whose tastes are pretty basic), so coming up with ideas that will please everyone is tough. I’d love to make meals with more exotic spices and flavors, but they wouldn’t go over very well. It’s always a challenge!
I’m so excited that you’re knitting my sock pattern and can’t wait to see your socks!
I commented this same thing on someone else’s blog earlier in the week, but I really think Jose Andres should be given the Nobel Peace Prize. I don’t know how he does it, but any time there is a major upheaval in the world, he’s there. I’m donating to WCK this morning!
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ah, Katie, what a lovely post. That Capra does look scrumptious, and I think y’all ate well this week 🙂 The news has been, honestly, overwhelming, which makes it easier to disengage, if that makes sense. Thank you for the focus on feeding the hungry. it helps.
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The roast beef sandwiches sound divine! I’m not slightly kicking myself for all the fabulous sandwich recipes we didn’t take advantage of trying before my husband was diagnosed with celiac, lol — now we can still eat sandwiches, but for them to actually taste good to him, it just takes a whole lot more effort on my part 🙂
I’m ecstatic that we’re finally in March and that the snow here is also finally melting. I still can’t see any tulips poking out yet (which makes me beyond paranoid because they’re something I’m absolutely counting on for the flower farm this spring), but I did see some hyacinths and daffodils finally nosing their way up, so…there’s still hope!
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Such a wonderful post, and I have too say that is an awesome color choice Katie ! I no longer watch the news, and really haven’t watched it for more than two years. The world is falling apart and it makes my heart heavy to see what is happening. Love your menu!
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Thanks for sharing your dinner plans. I love the flexibility you build in! You’re right, the most important thing is that your family is fed! I’m reading this cookbook called Good Enough by Leanne Brown and it’s so so great! It makes the same point, that making and eating food doesn’t always have to be about pleasure and experimenting. Mostly it just has to be about giving your body and family the energy to live your lives. Anyway, something we’ve eaten this week is baked rigatoni. My husband makes it and it looks easy enough! Brown some ground turkey, boil the rigatoni. Combine in a 9×13 pan with pasta sauce (hubby adds a can of tomato sauce) and bake with lots of mozzarella or pizza cheese for about 25 minutes (15 with foil 10 without) till cheese is adequately melty. He will make it for us ahead of time and then I just have to put it in the oven when I get home from work.
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