Changes, changes

Impeccable Knits

So much has been going on in the background — where to start!

First, and most importantly, a rejuvenation of all of the pattern lines that I design — all are coming together under the new Impeccable Knits label. The transition will take a few months, but the new website is up www.impeccableknits.ca and in time all of the patterns will be converted to the new look.  All patterns will still be available through Ravelry.com through the transition phase but you’ll slowly see more and more of them with the new logo and look. We hope you’ll love it as much as we do!

The new year will see quite a few new patterns out — I have been hard at work!!!! Lots and lots of cables!

Happy Holidays, everyone! And in the spirit I thought I’d share my no-bake chocolate macaroon recipe for a quick last minute cookie idea. Since we have people with food allergies, I have adapted the original recipe to also be gluten and dairy free (see below).

Fiddle-Diddles (family name for chocolate macaroons)
Makes 5 – 6 dozen (depending on size) 

Mix and set aside:
3 c oatmeal (quick cooking)
1 c shredded coconut
3 T cocoa
couple of pinches of salt

In a heavy bottom saucepan (to prevent burning) over medium heat:
melt 1/2 c butter

Add to the melted butter:
1/2 c milk
2 c granulated sugar

Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil and boil for 3 minutes.

Take mixture off heat stir in:
1 t vanilla

Stir oatmeal mixture; mix well.

Using a teaspoon, spoon cookie mounds onto wax paper lined cookie sheets (I sometimes just put wax paper on the counter). Allow to cool.

Chocolate Macaroons – Gluten free, dairy free version

Replace the butter with lactose free, gluten free margarine (I use Becel Vegan)

Replace the milk with fruit juice (I’ve tried orange, cranberry, as well as pomegranate - all were delicious!)

 

Red Currant Jelly Recipe = happiness

Red Currant Jelly

Happiness is fresh currant jelly — especially since this is the first year we beat the birds to the currants! We built a netted framework – it’s the only way to win!

Thought I might also share the recipe. Now, this makes a 1/2 batch (2 cups jelly) because I only have 1 red currant bush at the moment.

Red Currant Jelly Recipe
Yield: 2 cups jelly

4 cups red currants (you can leave the stems on)
1 cup water

Later
2 cups sugar

Jelly thermometer

Rinse currants. Add currants and water to heavy-bottomed, stainless steel pan. Crush currants lightly with potato masher (I actually crushed them a lot). Cook over low-moderate heat until currants are soft and become colourless — about 10 minutes.

Pour cooked currant mixture into a cheesecloth lined colander set over a bowl (use 4 layers of cheesecloth; wet and wring out the cheesecloth before lining the colander to keep the cheesecloth from absorbing the juice as it is strained) and allow to drip for about 4 hours. You can squeeze the mixture in the cheesecloth to extract more juice but it may cloud the jelly.

Yield 1 3/4 – 2 cups juice (mine yielded about 1 3/4 c so I topped it up with water to make 2 cups).

Wash pan used to boil currants. Place 2 cups of juice into pan and bring to a boil; boil 3 minutes. Add 2 cups of sugar and continue to boil until mixture reaches jelly stage. I boil mine until the thermometer registers 220 deg. F. For my currants this took 30 minutes.

Remove mixture from heat. Stir and skim off foam. Pour jelly into sterilized jelly jars. Seal. Process in hot water bath according to directions that came with your canner.

Enjoy!!