Resolutions

Umm, no, not that kind.

And not that kind either...although if you would like one like that, go to Galileoscope.  :)

No, you know the kind I mean.  The kind that everyone makes around this time of year and look back a couple of years hence and go, "what the heck was I thinking, making rash promises to myself and anonymous strangers in cyberspace?!"  You can probably surmise that happened to me.

Foolishly (because, really, what other reason is there?), this year, I made another open declaration of my new year's promises to my (slightly drunk, perhaps) dewy-eyed self over at the Soap Queen blog, and also at Eric Maisel's Focus Journal e-list.

Yeah, I will never learn. I didn't realize I was forever the optimist.  I always thought I saw the glass as half-empty and really needed a good scrubbing to get the water spots off.

One of the things I had promised myself this year is that I would complete 6 knitting and 6 sewing projects, allowing myself a couple of months for each of the knitting or sewing projects.

Ok, I cheated a little bit and started on some projects in December, but LATE December so it was almost like January.  I worked on them a little bit every day, like I had promised myself (and the entire world), and I am very happy to report that I finished a couple of projects already...both today!

One is a hat for one of my guys - they'll have to fight over who gets this one.  Blue is a highly popular color among dh and the boys...go figure.

I also made a fleece jacket for ds#1 with the fabric that I bought from EG (of Gassner Custom Soaps).  Check out the ultra-cool Darth Vader fabric!

To top off my unusually productive day, I made my alma mater's famous cheese scones.  Wherever you are, Mark Seymour, know that you have my undying gratitude for introducing me to these delectable goodies.

I'm sure somewhere out there, someone is going to say, I'd like the recipe for that!  Fine, make me do extra work.

UBC Cheese Scones
"Our most popular scone, it has been served daily at UBC as long as the old-timers here can remember.  For best results, be sure the cheese is really nippy"

3 C AP flour (750 mL)
1/2 C sugar (125 mL)
5 t baking powder (25 mL)
1/2 t salt (2 mL)
3/4 C butter (175 mL)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 C milk (250 mL)
1 C grated aged cheddar cheese (250 mL)

1. Preheat oven to 450F (230C).
2. In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
3. Cut in butter to resemble coarse oatmeal.
4. Add milk and cheese to slightly beaten egg and stir unto dry ingredients.
5. Place dough on a floured surface  and knead lightly (about 12 times).  Pat dough into desired thickness and cut with a 2" (5 cm) cookie cutter.
6. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

This recipe supposedly makes 14 scones.  However, I alter it a bit and make about 40 smaller scones.  Firstly, I do steps 2 and 3 in the food processor.  I also don't knead the dough, opting instead for a drop scone, using a tablespoon.  We prefer the rustic free-form shape of drop scones.  If you make tablespoonful drop scones, you should only bake the scones about 10 minutes.

Dh brought these to a morning coffee chat session at his department one time and they were gobbled up in a hurry.

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I discovered a couple of weeks ago that I had forgotten my writing class (Sci-Fi at Gotham Writer's Workshop) lasts for 10 weeks instead of 6. It begins on Wednesday, so I guess I will be hiding out for longer than I thought.

Hope you are all keeping warm and safe - well, those of you in colder climes anyway.  See you in the spring!

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams