Tomato Basil Soup with a Kick!

Another busy day of running errands and chores left me wanting to create something. My crochet hooks weren't inspiring me so I got to work in the kitchen to make a fun lunch.

Tomato basil soup with a grilled cheese sandwich in the background. I'll take credit for the soup, but the grilled cheese was all my husband!

I looked in my fridge to find some leftover evaporated milk from a Mac and Cheese recipe and then realized I have a can if tomato sauce AND fresh basil!  So my own version of tomato basil soup was born!

Husband's grilled cheese on whole wheat.

The husband added on a nice grilled cheese sandwich which was wonderful to dip into the soup.

The recipe is as follows:

Tomato Basil Soup with a Kick! 

Serves 4, Cook & Prep 30 minutes

1 can of tomato sauce

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 cup of evaporated milk (or substitute cream for a creamer version)

3 tablespoons of butter

A dozen large basil leafs

6 fresh oregano leafs

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (leave out if you don't want it spicy)

2 teaspoon garlic powder (or one clove fresh)

1 teaspoon onion powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a sauce pan on th stove combine the tomato sauce, evaporated milk, butter and start to heat on medium-low heat while you prep everything else.

Open the can of diced tomatoes and drain the liquid out of them, a strainer might be nice to use. The diced tomatoes I tend to buy are large so I put the tomatoes on a cutting board and chopped them up finely. Next time I'll probably just use a food processor to get them finely chopped. I also tried to strain as much liquid out of them as I could because otherwise it'll make the soup more watery than creamy. At least that's my trick.

Next, I plucked about a dozen large basil leafs from our love basil plant on our kitchen table along with about 6 oregano leafs. Fresh basil really makes this soup shine so try to use fresh basil leafs if you can get them. The oregano on the other hand does not have to be fresh, I just happened to have some. If you use dried oregano I would just use about a teaspoon or so. 

Lastly, toss in the rest of the spices, red pepper flakes, garlic, and onion powder and then salt and paper to taste. 

Heat on medium high till slightly bubbly, then turn heat on low and cover. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes for the spices to blend.

Lastly, I topped the soup with a little bit of mozzarella cheese. Yummy!

Bubbly goodness!

For the grilled cheese we used whole wheat bread, sliced cheddar cheese and a bit of melted butter on the outside of the sandwich. He grilled it up old-school style and it was wonderful to dip into the soup! 

Easy to make and delicious lunch! Enjoy!

Variation on Chunky Crocheted Basket

This week I took two tries at a new pattern: chunky crocheted basket!

My second attempt and I think it turned out very pretty and functional! 

 

I have always wanted to learn how to crochet a basket. I would always giggle seeing crocheted baskets on sale at Target or other home decor stores because I thought, "I could make something like that." Since I'm I between projects I found this cute pattern on (you guessed it!) Pinterest from Crochet in Color's blog.

Chunky Crochet Basket Pattern

http://crochetincolor.blogspot.ca/2012/02/chunky-crocheted-basket-pattern.html

I read the pattern and it called for the super bulky yarn I had just finished using on the afghan blanket I just finished (see previous post). Since I had some of the yarn left over I thought I'd give it a go. However, there were a few things this pattern called for that I didn't have: a size L or 8.00 mm hook. I had an N or 10.00mm and a K or 6.50mm hook. 

I also realized that I didn't have enough yarn because what the pattern asks you to do is to use two strands of the same color as once. 

If you have never used two strands of yarn at once it is really cool. You'll need a slightly bigger hook for it, but it yields results that give you a heathered look. The picture below is a shawl I started making I which I first used this technique. The yarn was red heart soft left over from a previous project and I used a K or 6.50mm hook.

Shawl I started making using two strands at once. A little tiresome for the hands, but pretty results. 


So I had some decisions to make since I didn't have enough yarn for two strands and I didn't have the right size hook. If you read in the pattern you need a smaller hook than the N (10.00mm) I had because the tighter stitch will give the basket the ability to hold shape and stand up stiffly. 

So what I concluded, I would use my super bulky yarn I had left over (Lion's Brand Thick and Quick) and use my K (6.50mm) hook since I was using only on strand. I didn't know if I'd have enough yarn to hold two and I didn't think a K hook could hold two super bulky yarns any way.

For my first try it turned out pretty good! It wasn't ask stiff which I concluded could be fixed with having multiple strands rather than the size of the hook. I rushed when I made the one above and added in a few stitches, but it still turned out pretty and functional.

My first go at it! I like the coloring of this basket too. This yarn is the super bulky lions brand thick and quick.



Since I gave the basket away, I was itching to try to pattern again, but this time I took a different approch. I didn't have enough of the super bulky yarn, so I picked up my cheap yarn.

I keep around a few skeins of cheap yarn like Caron's yarn by the pound. It's not the softest or the best colors, but I use it to practice new stitches or try out a little project. 

I picked up a dark red color, and a grey color I had along with my K (6.50mm) hook and started the pattern again.

Here is a link to the pattern: http://crochetincolor.blogspot.ca/2012/02/chunky-crocheted-basket-pattern.html
I do not want to copy and paste it because it is not my work. But I will share with you some of the changes I made.

What would soon be my new variation on the chunky basket.


For my basket (above) I went seven rounds for the base of the basket (one more than in the pattern) because I wanted a larger basket. Keep in mind, the larger the base of your basket, the longer it will take to make the side of the basket.

After round seven, follow the pattern (her round seven, my round eight).  I thought the way she described this round was interesting and I've interpreted it a few ways, but when I made these baskets I interpreted it as a back post stitch like I did in my previous afghan blanket. So that's what I did and it worked! 

I'm still not 100% certain that's what the pattern says, but it worked for me. I will caution you, that as you do this back post stitch and then start the next few rounds it doesn't look like a basket. It really isn't until you're about four rounds in that it takes shape so be patient. 

In the pattern she trades off with single crochets and half double crochets and works in the back loops (back post stitch). I didn't want to experiment with that yet so I just did a half double crochet all the way around. 

For the side of the basket I did twelve rounds before I made the handles. The handles in the pattern came out a bit smaller than I liked the first time I did the project so I made a few modifications again.

In the original pattern it says to chain 7 and skip 5 spaces. I chained 11 and skipped 9. I also had to do a little math because my basket is one round larger. So I took the number of stitches I had in a round (let's say 58), divided it by two giving you one side of your basket (58 divided by 2 is 29), then subtracted 9 (29 - 9 = 20) then divde that number by two (20 divided by 2 is 10). That's how many stitches I would do, then chain 11 skipping 9 spaces. 

So in the example above I would do 10 hdc, chain 11 skipping 9, hdc 20, chain 11, skip 9, hdc 10.

If I recall correctly my numbers didn't come out all the pretty, but it works more or less. I will probably always be making modifications and improving this pattern to my liking. 

The last thing I changed is in the original pattern she has you do another round after making the handles to make the handles more sturdy. I actually did another two rounds to make them extra sturdy and I think it turned out beautifully. 

I have to say I like the larger handles. 

Sorry if some of the pictures were dark, it's been rainy here, but I'm not complaining! Rainy days are the best days to crochet.

By the way, you may be asking, what do I do with this basket when I'm done? I keep it by my sofa and it's what the remotes and cell phones go into while we're watching a movie. I hate having to relocate cell phones and remotes during a movie at home - now they're all in one place!  

Leave me comments and questions! 

Chunky back post stitch masculine afghan blanket

Back in February I had a friend approach me about making an afghan blanket for her husband's birthday. She had seen some of the afghans I had made since I starting learning how to crochet.

The finished product!

She wanted a blanket in specific colors, orange and green, that had a chunky knit look to it. The back post stitch (directions below) allows for the top of a double crochet stitch to be pushed out giving it the appearance of a cable knit with it's raised ridge. After agreeing to a design it was time to get to work!

The raised stitch can be seen in this picture captured by my amazing husband! 

This is my first commissioned project! I was a little uncertain how to charge her because we're friends! I don't want to take money my friends especially when crocheting is a labor of love. So she agreed to buy the yarn since that tends to be the deciding factor on how pricey the projects gets.  And for those who do not crochet a project can go anywhere from $25 with the by-the-pound super cheap yarn to upwards $100 for nice acrylic yarn to $200 for wool blends or nicer non-acrylic yarn.

Regardless, a beautiful blanket is produced for an individual to use and love for years to come!

Here is the general pattern for this back post stitch (directions for this stitch below) afghan blanket.

Yarn: I used Lion Brand Wool Ese Thick and Quick in Barley (color A), Clinatro (color B), and Pumpkin (color C).

Hook: I used an N or 10.00mm, but you could use as small as a K or 6.50mm. I wouldn't use too small of a hook though because you have to work into the stitch in a unique way for the back post stitch do you don't want things too tight.

Level: beginner.

Time: took me about three months which is the average length of time it takes me to make an afghan blanket of this size.

Foundation chain: using color A there is really no need to count here, however, when doing the foundation chain either go up one hook size or make a loose chain. This is good advice whenever you're making a foundation chain because if they are too tight it can be impossible to works to for your first row. Make your foundation chain as wide as you want your blanket to be. I usually for about 4 feet to about 4.5 feet. 

After you have the desired width for your blanket measured out on your foundation chain, chain two more to turn and flip your work.

Row 1: double crochet in the third chain from the hook, and double crochet into each of the chains will you reach the last chain. Chain two for the turn and flip your work.

*note - normally you would chain three for the height of a double crochet, but because you will be working into the double crochet with the back post stitch it actually makes the double crochet shorter so you only need a height of a chain two. The double crochet is shorter because you are working a double crochet around the post of the double crochet in the row below which pushes the top of it out. Instead of working double crotchets to stack them on top of each other, you are layering the double crochets into each other.

Various Directions on how to do a back post double crochet stitch: 

FiberFlux Blog - http://www.fiberfluxblog.com/2014/04/how-to-work-back-post-double-crochet_3.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+blogspot/OeRXj+(Fiber+Flux...Adventures+in+Stitching)

(It's a front post, but you'll get the idea) ClassyCrochet Blog - http://classycrochet.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/how-to-front-post-double-crochet-fpdc/

Then there are numerous YouTube videos if you just search for the stitch.

Rows 2-10: with the same color you've been using for color A you will stitch do a double crochet back post stitch all the way across, doing a chain two to turn your work at the end of each row. The total of 10 rows will equal about 6 inches 

Rows 11-21: with color B do the same back post stitch for the next 10 rows.

Rows 22-32: with color A do the same back post stitch for the next 10 rows.

Rows 33-43: color C, same back post stitch for the next 10 rows.

Rows 44-54: color A, same back post stitch for the next 10 rows.

Rows 55-65: color B, same back post stitch for the next 10 rows. 

Rows 66-76: color A, same back post stitch for the next 10 rows. 

Rows 77-87: color C, same back post stitch for the next 10 rows.

Rows 88-98: color A, same back post stitch for the next 10 rows.

Rows 99-109: color B, same back post stitch for the next 10 rows.

Rows 110-120: color A, same back post stitch for the next 10 rows. 

That should give you about a five and a half foot blanket which is nice and snugly for one or two people.

Finishing: Before sewing in the tails where you joined yarn or changed colors throw the blanket in the wash on the cold water setting, then tumble dry on medium to low heat. Then sew in the tails.

My only warning with this blanket is that it is HEAVY! After about half way done with the project I could not transport it easily so it had to stay at home.

Here's how much yarn you will need 

Color A (in my case barley): about 15 skeins of yarn (although it might end up closer to 18 depending on how tight you crochet or if you expand your length/width).

Color B (in my case cilantro): about 9 skeins of yarn.

Color C (in my case pumpkin): about 6 skeins of yarn. 

To give you an idea of price the lion brand wool ease thick and quick is abut $5.26 a skein at Walmart.com. For the yarn totals above the project comes out to $173.58 before sales tax. Shocking right?! Thankfully my friend paid for a majority of the yarn and then we bartered for the rest (in true southern style she gave me yummy yummy deer meat!).

This project was fun and a unique challenge. It makes a very thick, chunky, heavy blanket for a cold winter night. I also liked this pattern because it looks masculine blanket which can be hard to pull off. Please leave me a comment if you have any questions!  Enjoy!