Hi everyone!  I'm working on the next episode, which will hopefully be posted sometime this week.  In the meantime, shouldn't you be shopping?  You could always use more yarn, right?  I need your help to clean out my stash!

Here's a few things that I realized I don't need when organizing the other day.  All items are listed for sale on eBay.  Clicking on picture will take you to the auction:

robably a few moreSince the baby has now gotten so big, my lungs don't have a whole lot of room anymore.  Many appologies for the sometimes slow dialog and stops to take a breath.  I hope to get in at least one more show before this baby is born!

Pics of our time in Kaiserslautern.

Online shops mentioned today:
- The Knitter (free shipping, no minimum order!)
- Heather's Etsy shop, Little Peeps, and what she sent me.
- Spinning Bunny in Ithaca, NY
- The Manly Yarn contest is being held over at A Work In Progress.  Win some sock yarn from Katie's shop, Yarn Love!
- Golden Fleece by New World Textiles (discontinued) at Paradise Fibers

Blog spotlight:
Numenna - Nan Annun: Knitting My Way Into The West by Elemmaciltur ("Star Sword Master" in Elvish)

Abigail of the gorgeous stitch markers.

Patterns I talked about:
- Meathead Hat pattern (will only be available until Thursday, March 8th!)
- The Husband Socks, my own (developing) design with the Fleegle's provisional cast-on.
- Inca Snowflake Hat from Itty Bitty Hats by Susan B. Anderson
- Icarus Shawl from Interweave Summer 2006

Sort of new podcasts:
- Unwound with Kelli Robinson
- Ready Set Knit with Steve and Kathy

Knit alongs mentioned in this episode:
- Create-along being hosted by Julia and Marnie
- Wonderful Wallaby flickr gallery
- No End In Sight Ripple Along hosted by Dawn
- No Sheep KAL
- Victorian Lace Along (sign ups are closing out soon!)

Books reviewed:
- No Sheep For You by Amy R. Singer
- Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby

Check out the Victorian Lace Today fashion show on Episode 9 "Stitches East" of Let's Knit2gether.

Upcoming book reviews will include Lace Style and Favorite Socks.

Swap out your stash at the Knitty forum, swap-o-rama, baby!

Listener feedback question(s):
Crumpet recipes?
What's your favorite way to include alchohol in your cooking?

Stick a pin in my Frappr Map!  (And be sure to include some sort of a picture!)



Peas And Carmelized Onions Over Pasta

Today's recipe is very much a "whatever you have in your pantry will be good" kind of pasta dish.  You may not like the way I've written it up, but I assure you, it is to set you free.  =)  Use as much or as little of the following, and trust your instincts.  You really can't go wrong.  It is my very favorite "nothing to eat" meal: Sundried Tomatoes and Peas with Carmelized Onions over pasta. This is my "famous" improv dish, which relies entirely upon grocery staples with a long shelf life. I ALWAYS try to keep on hand: Onions, sun-dried tomatoes, frozen peas, frozen corn, and pasta.

After carmelizing the thinly sliced onions (sprinkle generously with salt, saute over med/high heat until golden, then turn down the heat and cook the hell out of 'em = 20 min to an hour-and-a-half) and soaking the tomatoes in boiling hot water (only needs to be done if they're not packed in oil), I chop the softened tomatoes up, throw them and some sliced garlic into the large saucepan with the onions, add some spices (whatever's on hand and looks good -- today it'll be dried oregano, marjoram red pepper flakes and thyme, and then I just happen to have some "fresh" herbs in the freezer: basil and finely chopped rosemary, possibly some scallions, but that's totally just guilding the lilly.)

The dried herbs are added a little before the tomatoes to soften and release their flavor, the fresh at the very end so they're still, well, fresh. Then just before I'm ready to serve, I throw in about a cup or so of the peas, corn (if I have any), and toss them with the freshly cooked pasta. maybe I'll even throw in a lightly beaten egg or two, for protein.  If I'm going to do that I temper the eggs first by stirring in about half a cup of boiling hot cooking liquid I've saved from the pasta.  Then I just toss that with the hot pasta and the rest of the ingredients, and they cook through while helping the other things to stick, making every bite sure to be full of sweet and savory goodness.

If you try this recipe, please let me know!  I'd love to hear about your improvisational versions of this from your own pantry.

Well.  I've been working on shownotes for Episode 10 through a week of sick small people and slightly sick me, and I'm almost ready to record.  Unfortunately, it won't be today.  Perhaps tomorrow?  Certainly this week.

I've got a great show lined up, including a pasta dish that reminds me of stone soup, some exciting knit alongs, book reviews for two of the hottest new books to hit the shelves, and my new favorite hat pattern.  I can't wait to get it all recorded!

Thanks to everyone for being so patient, and for those who left well-wishes on the last post.  We are all feeling much better, and had a wonderful relaxing weekend, so things are looking up.

Very frustratingly, my fiber blog has been tagged as a possible "spam blog" by Blogger, so I won't be able to post their until they review it and verify me as a real human being.  So now that I actually have a moment to blog there, I can't.  Gaahhh!!!  Can I slap someone?

Completely unrelated, but has anyone ever tried eating reduced, syrupy balsamic vinegar over vanilla ice cream?