Today I am sharing a "recipe" for hat making and offering a free pattern for a basic beanie. The pattern is sized from newborn to adult and is worked up in an easy and quick half double crochet stitch. It is perfect for beginners, unisex and a great pattern to customize too, so have fun with it. Basic Beanie Scroll down for the free pattern  ~or~ Purchase an ad-free PDF version on Ravelry And don’t forget to Pin It Too Find all my FREE crochet patterns … [Read more...] about Free Crochet Pattern: Basic Beanie
recipe
Recipe: Maria’s Butternut Squash Pasta
Maria's Butternut Squash Pasta Whew! Thanksgiving Day 2016 is behind us! If you are like me you spent the weekend decorating for Christmas, finding super savings in all of the weekend sales and finishing the leftovers from Thanksgiving! So by now, I think we might all be a little tired of the turkey, ham, yams, mashed potatoes and such, right? Well here's an easy and tasty twist on pasta that my family really enjoys. This recipe has a light creamy texture that doesn't sit heavy in your … [Read more...] about Recipe: Maria’s Butternut Squash Pasta
Recipe: Maria’s Apple Pie
Maria's Apple Pie Recipe We are well into summer here in the northeastern United States and the 4th of July holiday is just around the corner. We often host parties at my house to celebrate the holiday and they have ranged from a dozen to 60 guests over the years! The menu consists of traditional American fare featuring juicy hamburgers, hotdogs, side salads and portobello mushroom burgers for the vegetarians! I tweak it a bit every year, but one thing that is a constant is my apple pie -- it … [Read more...] about Recipe: Maria’s Apple Pie
Recipe: Pick Me Up Pasta
This recipe got its name due to a mood! I was having a bad day yesterday. Just a plain old bad day where nothing worked right, nothing felt right and nothing brought a smile to my face. I was also hungry and the mood, combined with the hunger, led me to the kitchen. My mood was such that I couldn't even figure out what I wanted to eat, so I did what I so often do -- I looked in the pantry and refrigerator to see if anything would spark my interest. Hmm, the pasta box seemed to be … [Read more...] about Recipe: Pick Me Up Pasta
Summer Lobster Salad
I love simple, easy to prepare meals in the summer, but I also love flavor - this recipe covers it all. I made it with lobster but you could swap it out for shrimp, scallops and probably even chicken if you prefer! You can even serve this for a dinner party with some pretty table linens, china and simple floral arrangement. Have fun, experiment, but most of all enjoy!  ~Maria~ Serves 6-8 Basic Salad 1-2 lbs of small potatoes, scrubbed and boiled (if they are big … [Read more...] about Summer Lobster Salad
Maria’s Shellfish Delight
My family loves seafood and living on an island we are privileged with an abundance of fresh shellfish year round. I made this tasty dish for my husband's birthday dinner with the fresh seafood we picked up during our trip to the Hamptons on Saturday. Accuracy of quantities and measures are not really important for this recipe, it is more about the method and using ingredients you like and that you have fun making it and eating it. :) Â ~Maria~ Maria's Shellfish Delight Serves 8 2 - 3 … [Read more...] about Maria’s Shellfish Delight
Sundried Tomato Gnocchi & Avocado Salad
Remember my gnocchi making post a few days ago?  Well, I couldn't wait to make a dinner with them, so tonight we had Maria's Sundried Tomato Gnocchi with my son's Avocado & Tomato salad and homemade bread...DELICIOUS! Start to table in 20 minutes and that included setting the table!  The pasta & salad recipes follow: Maria’s Sundried Tomato Gnocchi Serves: 6 – 8 2 Tbs olive oil                         1 cup dry white wine 1 medium onion chopped    … [Read more...] about Sundried Tomato Gnocchi & Avocado Salad