Hearty Food for a Snow Day

Snow Day in the Foothills

Beautiful Snowy Day -- the dogs are exercised and exhausted, formerly sick child is off to school and my facebook page can now accept Baby sleep sack orders online.  Great day (if you're not driving!)

Thought I'd pass on to you my Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe.  Our family loves stew --  any leftovers are in hot demand.  I prefer my Stew with lots of savory broth and crisp vegetables.  The recipe below is large but you can make it smaller.  Bonus:  it's easy!!

Throw into the Crock Pot:
1.3 kg of Beef Stew meat, cut in 1" chunks(about three lbs.)
1 onion chopped
1 1/2 -2 cups Beef Boullion  (I use boullion cubes or envelopes plus water)
2 large cans diced tomatoes
1 Bay Leaf
1tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil.

Set Crockpot on low setting and cook for approx 6-8 hours.

30 minutes before serving add:
2 T Cornstarch mixed with 1.4 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
1.4 tsp. pepper

10 minutes before serving add some chopped parsley.

Cook separately from stew and serve with Stew:
3 Large potatoes, chopped
7-8 carrots chopped3-4 celery stalks, chopped.

The cornstarch and parsley stages are optional.  I've made it without cornstarch and the broth is still delicious though more liquidy.   Also, other vegetables can be used such as sweet potato and green, red or yellow pepper.    We usually serve this with the vegetables and Stew in separate containers, and people put the vegetables in their bowl first and then pour the stew over.

Hope you enjoy!!













   

Wind's a blowing

   Just delivered three baby sleep sacks to two happy Moms.  I love making these sleep sacks!  I love coming up with new designs for the applique and the happy response from the Moms on seeing their new sleep sacks.
    For lack of a photo, I'm attaching one of the two light blue sleep sacks that sold quickly at the Millarville Market.   More colours since then.  One Dad asked if I would make a cat applique.  Ended up doing a cat's face -- and it had to be smiling.  I wasn't totally satisfied with it -- so gave them a discount.  The parents, fortunately, were pleased with the cat and sleep sack -- and the discount!!
   I'm challenged by photography in promoting my work -- one of you TOLD me I would do better with an SLR and you were right.  I can't get the clarity with my current camera and how I miss my 35 mm Nikkon of a by-gone era.
  Our weekend at Millarville went well and just to finish things off well, a huge wind storm came up and...it took days to get rid of all the dust on us and our belongings!!!   More wind today -- but at least we've enough snow on the ground to avoid dust.  Ironically, we had roofers re-doing our roof yesterday (insurance claim after a July hailstorm).  They worked well into the dark but haven't been able to come back because of the wind.  So we make sure we check the driveway for nails before backing out vehicles.
     Ahh, the wind's a blowing and the changes its brought are....delightful!  

Off to the Millarville Christmas Market

The Anita bag has two inside pockets and a large outside one.

 With a strong wind blowing over from the Rockies, my marketing partners and I opted to postpone setting up our tents until tomorrow morning for the annual Millarville Christmas Market.  A few years ago, many a vendor lost their tent in a windstorm the Thursday night
before the market doors even opened.
       So back home to put a few finishing touches on products.  I'll have two new versions of the Anita bag available:  One is a sturdy, green and deep pink bag and the other is made of a luscious brown and gold fabric (unfortunately, the photo doesn't do the latter justice -- though the model, Anita herself, is lovely!).   I also have some newer versions of the baby sleep sack.
      I feel very fortunate to be partnered with friends Pam and Jolene.  There has been much laughter in the preparation and I expect more in

 Jolene at the workbench (aka Pam's dining table)

Four of our 260 plus hand-painted Christmas decorations.  Pam Berrigan can personalize the decorations for you on site.

our three days together.    Besides doing a lot of individual sewing, we've painted up some 260 plus wooden Christmas decorations.    And, thanks to the expertise of Jolene's mechanic husband, we'll stay warm in our outside tent -- as will, hopefully, our customers!

New sleep sack design

Thank you to Chelsea and Baby Capri for testing out the new baby sleep sack.  This was designed with the helpful feedback from Moms of babies.   Capri and Chelsea enjoyed this sack so much they're keeping it.  And now the new ones are under construction:  some deep pink like this one as well as green and blue.  All have applique designs on the front.  They are constructed with safe fleece fabric, a zipper that can open from the top or bottom (for diaper changes). 

      The new sleep sacks will be available at the Love and Comfort booth at Millarville Christmas Market Nov. 11-13th and then afterwards on my etsy shop and facebook page.