requies

This weekend, I got to meet a blogging celebrity, Mollie of Wild Olive! I was so happy that I felt well enough to go meet her and other crafty ladies in St. Charles.

Mollie brought lots of goodies to make felt pins.

This is what I made! It's supposed to be a ball of yarn, but it looks like a cute mummy head, to me!

Ack! Sweetness overload!! These get well notes were left in my folder full of stuff to grade. So sweet!

As I was doing chores today (so much! washed dishes, did laundry, baked muffins, prepared a lecture, wrote thank you notes) I watched my favorite movie, Fiddler on the Roof. I've seen it a billion times ever since my college roommate Sarah showed it to me. Most of the songs still gives me goosebumps, I'm not even joking!

This scene always makes me sob like a baby, won't you join me?

I added this lovely new item to my etsy shop today! The e-reader sleeve is knit in the round for the body, but then knit flat for the flap with a button hole. I loooove knitting it. But I love looking at it even more! Do you get a sort of modern mid century scandinavian vibe from it? No, that's just me?

Now I'm working on making a decipherable pattern from my crazy notes!

Remember, 20% off for requies readers is still available! Just click on "Apply shop coupon code" when you are looking at your cart before you complete your purchase. Then type "requies" and click "Apply"

When I first started knitting, I made this scarf that I was very proud of. I worked on it for months. It was my first pattern I created myself and it was a combination of moss stitch and ribbing. 

That was the only time I wore the scarf, posing for a picture! It was too bulky and not very interesting to look at. So, after sitting in a box for almost 3 (!) years I decided that yarn (Cascade 220) was too nice not to use for something more suited to my current tastes. 

So I unraveled the whole thing! It was a lot of fun, because instead of mourning the loss of my first big knitting project, all I could think was "Yay! Free yarn!"

The new pattern, inspired by a sock pattern from Knitted Socks East and West, features subtle lace work, zig zag triangular shaping interrupted by garter stitch columns. I love it!

This is all I have so far, I love the fullness of the zig zag stripes. I plan to knit it until it is normal scarf length and then sew together the ends so it forms an infinity scarf. I'm hoping it will have a full yet airy appearance. We'll see! If it doesn't, I can just unravel it again and try something new.

Have you ever unraveled a project to make something better?

I stayed home from work today with a pretty bad cold. Bummer. But, to cheer myself up, I've been lounging around in my flannel jammies, and treated myself to a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin with coffee. Probably not the best food for recovering, but it did make me happy!

What do you do to cheer yourself up when you're sick?

Yummmmm. We ate this meal to celebrate the last day of summer. That's right, like a month ago. I've been a very bad blogger. Forgive me. But it dawned on me today that part of why I have been feeling so overwhelmed is because I haven't been giving myself time to do what I want to do. So, in an effort to give myself a break, I am writing this post. I hope it inspires you to take a break from your crazy lives and make this delicious dish!

Let's get right to it! Quick! Go buy some corn tortillas, shredded cheese and an onion! Oh, and make that chili gravy I told you about. Now, preheat your oven to 450 and lightly grease a 9X13 baking dish. Spread 1/2 cup of the chili gravy in the baking dish. 

This is where the magic happens people. Yes, frying each tortilla seems a little extravagant, but I'm not joking, it totally makes the dish! It enhances the delicate taste of the corn tortillas (something I've always wondered how to do, my tortillas would always taste bland and dry) as well as makes them pliable for forming enchiladas. I almost skipped this step, erroneously supposing that I was wiser than Lisa Fain (the Homesick Texan). I'm so glad I didn't! 

Ok, now that I've convinced you to fry your tortillas, here's how you do it. Heat 1/2 cup of vegetable oil in a small pan. Heat the tortillas in the oil one at a time, for a couple of seconds per side. Stack them in paper towels and cover them while you heat up the others to keep them warm.

Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup of cheese and 1 tablespoon of chopped onion. Roll it...

and place them seam down in the baking dish on top of the chili gravy.

Pour the rest of the chili gravy over the tortillas.

Sprinkle all the cheese you have left on top.

And the rest of the onion, too.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sauce bubbles. Yummmmm. Even though I made these a month ago, I can still remember exactly how they taste sooo goooooood. I've made many an enchilada, much fancier versions too with homemade tomatillo sauce, but these are truly my favorite. So easy and they remind me of home!

Cheese Enchiladas
adapted from Homesick Texan

1/2 cup vegetable oil
10-12 corn tortillas
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups chili gravy

Preheat the oven to 450 and grease a 9X13 baking dish. Spread 1/2 cup of the chili gravy in the bottom of the baking dish.

Pour the oil in a small pan and warm up the tortillas individually. Wrap them in paper towels to keep them warm while you heat the rest. 

Spoon 1/4 cup of cheese and 1 tablespoon of onion in a tortilla and roll it. Place it seam down in the baking dish. Repeat with each tortilla.

Pour the rest of the chili gravy over the tortillas and spread it to make sure it covers evenly. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese and onion on top too. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce bubbles.

P.S. I'll share the recipe for a fresh, crisp accompanying salad soon!

As a teacher, I appreciate the wonder that is dry erase markers. Especially one that is fresh out of the box, turgid with its magical ink, ready to impart knowledge with brightly colored strokes. These pictures from Windoodles inspires me to be more artistic with my favorite teaching tool.

Many more at Windoodles.

My cozy was paired with such glamorous items in this treasury! What a compliment!

Sorry guys, no twitter Tuesday today. I just got back from vacation and didn't spend that much time on twitter this week. Forgive me?

Are you going?! I'm going!! I've wanted to go for years now and the stars have finally aligned. Soo excited!