Date Nut Recipe and Brunch with Jacques

You may call him Jack. I do. We used to love to go out for brunch but rarely do anymore. There is usually too much food and so often it is not wonderful or not what we should be eating.

I have been quite enthralled with idea of baked eggs - perhaps with spinach. So Google was consulted and there was a recipe for Baked Eggs with Spinach and Tomato from the Daily Meal. It was not loaded with butter or cream (sadly) but actually quite healthy for our Sunday Brunch at home.

You can find the recipe here. We used less spinach and will use two shallots next time. Otherwise, the recipe was pretty closely followed. It was delicious.

The tomatoes and shallots and garlic cook slowly until tomato skins can be peeled off. We cooked the spinach ahead and divided between two au gratin pans.

And off they went to be baked for about 10 minutes.

Jacques, I mean Jack, sprinkled them with shaved parmesan and pepper. Fruit cup and an English muffin completed the meal.

A nice way to start a beautiful day.

The recipe for Gram's Date and Nut Bread is here and below.

Gram’s Date and Nut Bread

1 ½ cups boiling water

8 ounce dates chopped

1 ½ cups sugar

2 T butter, melted

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 t baking soda

3 cups flour

¼ t salt

1 t vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts

Pour water over dates and let the mixture cool. Cream sugar and butter. Add egg and mix. Dissolve baking soda in dates and water mixture.  Add  this mixture, flour, salt and vanilla. Stir in chopped nuts. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 60 minutes. Makes 2 loaves.

I make 4 smaller loaves and bake for about 45-50 minutes. Test center with cake tester for doneness.

The list just seems to get longer

And I am sometimes just overwhelmed. I did get Gram's date and nut bread baked for Thanksgiving.

It is good. We tested it.

 But there are just so many things I want to do and they are competing with what I have to do and then there is the Allergic Contact Dermatitis that has graced my knitting fingers (thumbs and index). I noticed earlier this summer that these fingers were spongy and dry and flakey and cracked. I was also knitting on hand-dyed yarn with metal needles. Yes, I am allergic to nickel and lanolin in wool and most likely some of the dyes. I didn't know. So, I did not knit all summer. I have just started again with alpaca yarn and plastic needles. 5 nights out of seven I soak my hands in warm water, slather on a prescription ointment and put on cotton gloves for the night. An over the counter lotion for the rest of the days and as needed.

I really need to finish this One-Block-Wonder quilt top. Seems a little daunting right now.

I have been playing with my Featherweight sewing machine and did manage to finish a cover for her.

We are looking forward to the holidays and as my fingers get better, I will get back into my "crafty" mode hopefully. In the meantime there is the list of things that need to be done around the house.

Wordless Wednesday

Photo by Serendipity

Yarn

I am back in my routine but

I cannot keep my coffee table uncluttered...

The dish is Enoch Woods. The pattern is English Scenery. This transferware will soon go on the table for Thanksgiving dinner. This meal is probably my favorite meal to prepare and I have wonderful memories of family and friends around the table. I shall start baking next week!

The quilted runner is new. I "borrowed" it from a friend and am not sure when I can return it! The colors are wonderful and batiks are a favorite. The Kaffe Fassett book contains the pictures and directions for a shawl I would like to knit. The pattern is Persian Poppies. The book is out of print but I found it on Amazon from one of their sellers. Between Amazon and Ebay, I don't have to leave the house except for groceries and knitting!

The basket under the table is my downstairs office! It needs some attention.

I am spending a lot of time with my Featherweight 221. Gathering the accessories and attachments has been a challenge. The above is a freestanding pinking machine and it works like a charm.

And then there is the knitting....

This is the Zig and Zag sock yarn pram blanket - almost finished!

So now I need to make a quilt..

There is a lot going on and I think it will be fun. I shall use different fabrics and try to use up some of the stash in the sewing closet.

But today I shall straighten out the basket under the coffee table, knit a little, and count my blessings. I shall plan for the week and possibly take a nap on the sofa. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Back to work!

Enough of this cold. I feel much better and have been working in my studio. The boxes are unpacked and the projects are lined up and ready to go. I did make a mystery bag of "stuff" I just can't deal with now but otherwise all is in order.

We came back early this year. For the first time in many years Halloween is not a traveling day. This means candy. 

Normally my embroidery machine is cranking out Christmas items.

This year I made a picture for Christmas. I will do some tea towels and ornaments soon. 3 years ago I made a Halloween wall hanging from a design pack from Anita Good Design. I favor these designs and the ones from Embroidery Library. 

Halloween lace with spider.

The table is set for fall even thought the temperature outside will be in the 80's today! Jack is making chili and I am getting knitting bag ready for next week.

Hope you are having a wonderful day.