Friday, August 18, 2006

Grog

Glad the naan provoked the kind of drooling excitement that I felt. (Heh. Wonder what kind of Google searches that's going to catch?) I used this recipe mostly, but of course cooked them in a cast-iron skillet. Tonight's dinner is spinach-feta pies. I use a pastry recipe from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, mostly, then I mix up the filling at will. It usually has minced onion, chopped spinach, either frozen or fresh, cottage cheese, feta cheese, garlic, an egg if it looks runny, ummmm, salt, pepper -- that's about it. Saute the things that need it, mix it all up and put it into circles of pastry. I fold them into half-moons. When the filling doesn't leak out all over, they're great.

Anyone have experience making pastry and some trick to keep the half-moon shaped pie an enclosed phenomenon?

When I'm not swilling down leftover soup (bleah. It's a personal problem, I know. Anyone want some soup?) I'm often drinking water.

In fact, we now each have our own personal Sigg stainless steel water bottle, sized appropriately to the owner. I did the math and figured that over the course of a year we were more likely to spend the same amount on plastic water bottles, even if we reused them, as we would buying those ridiculously priced Sigg ones. No matter how good the intentions, plastic bottles get lost or smashed, or used to transport dirt to the next play areal.

But they're not insulated. My water gets warm. Wool to the rescue! I give you "Grog:"


Knit in Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes, design I made up. It says "Yo ho yo ho and a bottle of. . ." on it. And, best of all, I had cold water all afternoon yesterday.

10 comments:

bfmomma said...

Seriously? Wool keeps water COOL? I had no idea. And I have lots of wool. And lots of bottles. I love the design.

I use phyllo (frozen) for my spinach cheese pies for the exact reason you mention. But folding phyllo with the flag fold works awesome. I also add chopped tomato (small amt.) and dill to mine. Do you drain your cottage cheese and wring out your spinach in a towel first? maybe that would make less 'stuff' to leak out?

I really dig that water cozy.... ;)

Rain said...

That rocks big time!

Samantha said...

That bottle cooler is awesome!! :) I love the "yo ho yo ho and a bottle of ..." Too funny! :)

sewingsuzee said...

Um, yeah. I'm gonna need that pattern.

THANKS for taking J. It was an enormous help. So sorry he was grumpy. Maybe my children just pass that back and forth?

Brittany said...

Grog is rad! And I love leftover soup....because it means I don't have to cook! Yay! :D

Charity said...

Love your Grog! My son is obsessed with anything with a skull on it - he saw this over my shoulder, and now wants one of his own. Won't I be mom of the year at our happy little Montessori preschool sending him off with one of these? :0)

The spinach thingy sounds to die for!

Stefaneener said...

I'll be happy to post the pattern as soon as I chart it up again. Thanks for the interest!

Oh, yes, Thing 1 wants me to point out that she took the picture for this post. I couldn't get one I liked.

I do drain; it's a pastry issue.

allisonmariecat said...

I love Grog! So cute and practical.

On the pastry, I run into that problem when I make samosas or calzones (usually when I overstuff...oops), but you can try moistening the edge with a bit of water, which helps the dough stick to itself. Then just press really firmly.

Elspeth said...

What a great water cover!

aurora said...

Hehehe, the grog cover is cool as! Very brilliant work!

I've wanted to buy one of those bottles, but as you said, they're expensive! I love the one with the space invaders on the side :-)