No Pics ATM

I'm almost finished w/my first Cheshire Cat. I think I need to go get more colors of floss. I'm not happy w/his face at all - because of the gray-purple (kind of a heather purple) color I used, he looks like he's got a Homer Simpson muzzle. I also screwed up his grin, but I think I can fix that part easily w/a gray thread, or a thinner black thread, instead of 6-strand black.

Putting the brighter magenta stripes on went a lot easier than the purple stripes, though. I hit on that I could just use the existing thread holes to guide the magenta floss, and as a result, his stripes look 'just' right. His eyes are also freaking great, but I just realized that the cartoon cat's eyes are yellow w/a round pupil, not green with a vertical pupil >,<.

I haven't been driven to blog lately. Between WoW, work & embroidery, it feels like I've got stuff to do.

Rob's sister & her husband (Tania & James for future reference) had their family tree-trimming party yesterday. We lied & said I had to go to work, so Rob went over w/tupperware to pick up food instead.

I don't know exactly what it is about his sister's cooking, but it's not the greatest. Everything just kind of tastes off. She and her husband want to start some kind of party planning/catering business, but... their food just doesn't taste right. I don't know what it is, either. He's from North Carolina but I don't think he ever cooked in his household, and from what Rob says & what I've seen, their mom did all the cooking in their household, so maybe it's just inexperience. Rob's mom doesn't use any seasonings at all - except paprika. Salt is too spicy for her or something. Any way, Tania & James made some cashew brittle, which should be awesome, but it's kind of fizzy. I ate a piece & was vacillating between swallowing it & spitting it out when it started to fizz. I'm like, 'WtF! why is this fizzing? Maybe too much baking soda? Does baking soda even go in nut brittle?'

But the Gods know, when they call later to ask, 'so, how was everything?' ya can't criticize it (even constructively) or it'll start some kind of Butthurt War, because, oh they put so much time into it, and you couldn't even be bothered to be there, and we never see you have a holiday party at your house and on & on & on. For what it's worth, they won't eat my food, either - I brought some citrus rice with peppers & carrots in it last year & James sat and picked at it. I asked what was wrong & he says, "oh, I don't like vegetables". We ended up bringing it back home because it was too spicy for Rob's mom, Rob's dad couldn't chew the peppers because he'd just had a tooth pulled, Tania wouldn't eat it because James wouldn't eat it & Alex and Rose (Tania's son & his dad's - (not James) - mom) were already full from cookies & brownies. Shit, I bring that rice to potlucks at work & people fight over it.

Simple Citrus Pepper Rice

Just in case:

My super-simple Citrus Pepper Rice

2 cups uncooked Rice, whatever kind you use - white, brown, jasmine, Texmani. I like sticky rice, so I don't rinse it much before cooking, just enough to check for rocks & bugs. If you like fluffier rice, rinse it, soak it, rinse it, drain it thoroughly.

Half & half chicken broth & water to cook said rice according to its individual cooking needs, w/a little salt.

2 decent-sized green bell peppers (aka capsicums), diced

1 decent-sized red bell pepper, diced

Shredded carrots, about 1 cup or so, more if you're making more rice

1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger or powdered ginger to taste preferences - I like my rice a little zingy.

1/4 tsp. powdered nutmeg (or 1/8 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg)

Juice of 1/4 medium lemon & 1/2 medium orange

Finely chopped green pepper, about 2 - 3 stalks

I use a rice cooker, so my broth/water, salt, grated carrots & rice all go in the pot at the same time. If you're doing it on the stove top, I think you have to boil the broth/water & then add the rice, so I'd put the carrots in the broth/water & bring to a boil. Shredded carrots don't get mushy/overcooked easily.

When about half of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, add the diced peppers. You can sauté the peppers first in a little oil if desired.

When most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, add the lemon & orange juice, ginger, nutmeg & green onions. Taste & see if you need more ginger.

Let the rice sit off-heat or 'rest' for 5 - 30 min, depending on individual texture preferences.

Nom!