Madhu Knits and Cooks

Gorgeous Blanket for Baby Giselle

I recently had the honor of completing a baby blanket for baby Giselle, a beautiful, not-so-newborn at this stage, who was born over the summer.  Prior to Giselle's birth, I had been thinking about her blanket for months - baby G has very stylish parents, so I felt there truly was a premium on me getting this blanket done right!  With the input of friends, I settled on the Harvest Moon pattern by Aimee Alexander and a neutral, mid-weight yarn.  I decided on a neutral, off-white color so that the blanket could be an accessory not only in Giselle's nursery, but also when she is on the go.  Full project details follow the image of Giselle loving her blanket!

Blanket for Baby Giselle

Pattern:  Harvest Moon by Aimee Alexander, Stroller Size

Yarn:  Spud and Chloe Sweater in the Ice Cream (7500) color

Needles:  US7

Measurements:  Pre-blocking measurements of 27 inches wide by 31 1/2 inches long, and post-blocking measurements of 26 inches wide by 31 inches long.

Failed First Attempt at Preparing Eggplant - Sichuan Eggplant

I purchased my first eggplant at the local farmers market this summer.  I was excited for the purchase because not only was I looking forward to trying Madhur Jaffrey's Hot and Spicy Sichuan-Style Eggplant recipe from World Vegetarian, but also I recently discovered I actually enjoy eggplant.  I have long disliked eggplant - mostly because of its texture - and I feel that finally eating it is part of the process of me becoming an "adult" eater (though mushrooms continue to escape my fancy).  

So in any case, when I started to prepare the eggplant, for some reason I decided it would be best to forgo the steaming of the eggplant called for in the recipe and instead saute the vegetable instead.  Unfortunately, that step seemed to be the first and most important in leading to a pretty inedible dish (I made some other recipe modifications - e.g., substituting onion, chili garlic sauce, etc. - that I will omit here).  I looked up eggplant sauteing online, and then kept cooking it until it seemed both under and overcooked at the same time.  There was also a slightly charred, unpleasant flavor that developed as I was cooking the eggplant.  Ultimately, I had a few bites of the dish and ended up throwing it away.  So until I learn how to actually saute eggplant, I think I will stick to steaming and roasting it, which seem to be the most common - and most foul-proof - ways to prepare this vegetable :-)  

Very Easy and Very Tasty Crispier Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Cook's Illustrated Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe is incredibly easy (a rarity, sadly, for Cook's Illustrated), uses ingredients that I often have on hand, and makes a decent number of cookies (though not the 4 dozen cookies promised in the recipe!).  I enjoyed the cookies so much after making the recipe a first time that I ended up making them again within a few days.  If you have a bake sale, office potluck or barbeque to bring something to, I would definitely recommend checking out this recipe.  I think it does appeal to all cookie lovers as well, despite the title, because the cookies aren't THAT crispy, especially when serving them the day-of baking.

Summer Corn Soup - Very Light Opening Course

Several weeks ago, when summer corn was at its apex, I decided to use some leftover ears in the fridge to make a corn soup.  I didn't fully know what I was doing, but with a parmesan rind on hand (that is supposed to be a good soup additive, right?), I thought I could figure something out.

The result was pretty good - perhaps a little light for the soup I was trying to achieve, but still pretty flavorful despite its thin consistency.  I think this soup would be an excellent summer meal starter, and is definitely a good way to get through any extra summer corn (which sadly has passed us by this year!).

Summer Corn Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. vegetable/olive oil
• 1 leek, white and light green parts washed and diced
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder (would substitute 2 cloves minced garlic - unfortunately I did not have garlic the day I made this soup)
• 1 piece parmesan rind (I used a 5 inch by 1 inch piece, broken in half)
• Corn kernels from 2 ears of corn
• 3 cups water
• Salt
• Lime or lemon juice (optional)
• Fresh herbs (optional)

Directions:

• Heat oil in soup pot until shiny on medium-high heat.
• Add leeks, garlic powder and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Cook until leeks are tender.
• Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil.
• When boiling, add corn kernels and lower heat to a simmer.  Cook for at least 5 minutes, adding salt, citris juice, and/or fresh herbs to taste.
• Remove rind and serve warm.