I'm a Quilter!

I am so excited because I started and finished my first quilt yesterday!  It is a small quilt- only 21"x21" so it was a good one to start with. It took me about 9 hours to finish the whole thing.  I had a great time sewing it and even enjoyed the hand finishing part of putting the binding on the edges. I did prick my hands about a dozen times during that process though. :-) Here are some pictures of the finished quilt and the walking foot that I used to do the final quilting (stitching all the layers together)

A kid in a sewing machine shop

The final piece of my quilting puzzle arrived in my hands yesterday. A brand new Viking Emerald 118. The Viking brand comes highly recommended by several quilting and sewing friends and there just happened to be a Viking Dealer 2 blocks from my office. The dealer is called the Sewing Arts Center and everyone there sews on Vikings. They also offer a free class to learn the machine, and an extended warranty. It didn't take long for them to show me several in my price range, and I decided on the 118 because of the extra stitch features, needle threader (which is awesome by the way), and the height that the foot lifts up to (to fit quilts under it). The sales person gave me a discount so I paid the price that the 116 (one step down) would normally go for. The box had been opened at the factory so that's why I got the discount. But the salesperson explained that it was probably to teach someone how to thread the machine.

Anyway, I am so excited to start sewing on it and spent the evening learning the machine, threading it, and experimenting with stitch length and tension. I can't wait to work on my project!

A New Adventure

In a quest to find a new hobby that I can do in the evenings, I decided to embark on some uncharted territory for me and learn to quilt.  eeek! :-)  I'm very excited about the prospect of being able to make functional artistic items for my family and friends, and I hope that I'm able to produce some fun things.  I picked up "Quilting For Dummies" and read that yesterday and today and found it to be very informative.  It describes everything in a simple way that non-sewing people like myself can understand.   The extent of my sewing is two sets of curtains and some shoe bags in Jr High. :-)  After reading that I headed for Joann's to get supplies and fabric. I had picked out a design from the dummies book called "Pastel Nine-Patch Wall Hanging". Doesn't sound so exciting but it's pretty and small enough for my first try at quilting. I've included some pictures of the fabric I picked out after I had washed and ironed it like a good quilter. 

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

One of the most tasty things I have ever cooked is Giada De Laurentiis' "Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables". I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys italian food and is looking for something on the healthier side that is also great for leftovers. My husband Chad thought it was fantastic too so I will more than likely be cooking this as one of our "staple" foods in the coming year. 

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables
2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cremini mushrooms, halved (large brown mushrooms)
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
1 pound penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
1 cup grated fontina cheese (you can sub grated gouda or provolone)
1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.

Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.


Enjoy!

Happy Retirement!

Last week we took a whirlwind trip to Hawaii for my dad's last flight with American Airlines. It worked out wonderfully because my brother and his wife were able to come and so we had the whole family together! We flew to Hawaii early in the morning on Tuesday and were able to enjoy the day there to the fullest. We had a great lunch, played on the beach and partied the night away in Waikiki. :-) The trip home was great too. The weather was fabulous and clear and we even had two rainbows greeting us before takeoff. Once we got home it felt funny that we had just gone to Hawaii for a day, but it was one of the best trips ever because we were all together celebrating my dad's great career. Here are some pics from the fun.

The retirement party that evening

Mom and Dad on the balcony

Steve and Liesl on the balcony

Chad and I on the balcony