How to make T-Shirt Yarn step-by-step

If you have some old t-shirts (who doesn't?) why not make some t-shirt yarn and turn them into something else.

Lay the shirt out flat and cut below any graphic that might be on the front of your t-shirt. Cut above the hem too.  Note: It would probably be better to lay your shirt on a table.  I put everything on the floor.  Not good for the old back : (
Anyways, to continue

Turn so that the side seams of the shirt are at top and bottom.

Take the shirt at about 1/3 from the bottom and bring a fold up leaving a 1 inch margin at the top.

Cut 1 inch strips, but NOT through the margin.

Unfold strips and find uncut margin.  Your work will look like loops so far.
Do NOT cut the bottom opened.
Lay your work so that the uncut margin is flat.  You will only be able to have 3 or 4 strips flat at a time. Start from the outside edge on the left and make a diagonal cut to the first strip.

You can unravel a bit so you see that you are cutting the right way. Keep cutting diagonally until you have worked through the entire margin.  

Take short sections and give a tug to make the yarn.

Sew ends of each new colour yarn you create together and now you can use it to make a throw, some covered hangers, a rug, beach bags.... recycle, reuse.

I used 20 mm knitting needles here to make a throw.  It's soft and stretchy too.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Dog Cookies

Your dog will love you (even more) after you make these.

2 cups flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tbsps wheat germ
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup milk
2 tbsps olive oil
2 tbsps applesauce

Combine all dry ingredients then mix in the rest of the good stuff.  On a floured waxed or parchment paper roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch in thickness.

Use cookie cutter to cut out cookies and place on parchment lined baking sheet. They don't spread much, if at all, so you can put alot on the sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes in a 350F oven.

Makes 35 cookies (and one happy dog!)

Italian Burgers

The red wine and sundried tomatoes in this recipe give your old burger some oomph !

1  1/4 lbs ground beef
3 oz (1 cup) shredded old cheddar cheese
2 tbsps italian bread crumbs
2 tbsps dried basil
1 tbsps dried oregano
2 tbsps red wine
2 tbsps chopped sundried tomatoes
3-4 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsps of your favourite tomato sauce

Mix everything together and form into patties.  Refrigerate until ready to use.  Most beef recipes tell you to bring the meat to room temperature before cooking, but with ground beef you want to take it from the fridge right to the BBQ.

Turn up the BBQ to high.  You want to cook your burgers on direct heat.  Cook 5-6 minutes until you see juices starting to come out the top.  Resist the urge to squish 'em!
Flip them over and cook for another 3-4 minutes.  Take them off the heat and rest 5 minutes.

Simple Noodles with Roast Beef

If you have leftover roast beef and broccoli from Sunday dinner you can make this on a busy weeknight.

4-5 slices cooked roast beef (this was teriyaki beef)
1 or 2  cups cooked broccoli 
several cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, chopped
250 g Tagliatelle a nido (or plain old egg noodles)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil  (divided)
salt and lemon pepper

Lightly brown garlic in 1/4 cup olive oil.
Add vegetables and meat.  Stir in lemon juice, balsamic and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.
Sprinkle salt and lemon pepper to taste.

Cook noodles, drain and toss with the vegetable/meat mixture.

Serve with parmesan cheese.

Serves 3.

Pickled Mushrooms

If you like pickled mushrooms you'll probably like these. 
I don't like them but my husband tells me they're great.

1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups water
3 cups mushrooms, small, halved or quartered
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup vinegar
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
1-2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves
3/4 cup canola oil

Combine lemon juice and water in a large saucepan.
Add mushrooms and salt and bring to a boil.

Simmer 5 minutes.
Drain and pour vinegar over.  Cover and let stand 5-6 hours.

Drain mushrooms and pack in sterilized jars.  I sterilize them by pouring boiling water in the jars and lids.  The knife prevents the jar from cracking from the heat.

Put bay leaves, oregano, basil and garlic buds in jar and cover with canola oil.  Keep in fridge.

If you want to store them on the shelf, process jars in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.

This recipe makes 1 pint but it can be doubled.
When I tripled it (9 cups mushrooms) I filled 1 quart jar.

Pizza Roll on the BBQ

This could be my new favourite thing!!  

Just take your pizza dough, 
You could use the one from this recipe:

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/03/this-is-best-pizza-ever.html

and stretch it out to make a rectangle of about 8 X 12 inches.
You can make it longer or just use any extra dough to make a regular pizza for the grill like this.

Top your pizza roll as you would any pizza....sauce, veggies, pepperoni, mozzarella.  I didn't put too much stuff on this first attempt because I wasn't sure if too much filling would make it sloppy.  Leave a one inch border around the edge.

Roll it up and pinch the edge and the ends to seal.

Take a piece of foil and coat with olive oil.  Roll the pizza roll onto the foil and drizzle with some more olive oil.

Close up you foil pack and put it in the fridge until you want to BBQ it. 

Preheat the BBQ to about 500F.  I used a pizza stone, but you could probably put it right on the grill.  (Note:  a friend tried not using a pizza stone....wasn't so good.  Use a pizza stone!)

You shouldn't have flames coming up, but I just thought this shot looked way more interesting than the one without flames : - )

Bake your pizza roll for 15 minutes and flip it over baking another 15 minutes.

Cool 10 minutes, cut and enjoy.

If you've made the pizza to go on the grill simply leave the roll wrapped in foil for the 10 or 11 minutes it'll take for the pizza to bake.

Blueberry, Apple, Rhubarb, Lemon (ok let's call it Fruit) Crumble

I was going to make blueberry crumble but found that someone had used some of the berries I was planning on using.  So I substituted half the berries with other fruit.

Start by adding these ingredients to a saucepan.  Heat for a few minutes.

1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 1/4 cups apples, chopped
1/2 cup rhubarb, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup water

Next take 2 tbsps. cornstarch and mix it with 2 tbsps. cold water in a cup.  Take a tbsp. or 2 of the hot mixture and stir it in.  Now pour it into the saucepan stirring well as you pour. 

Simmer 10-15 minutes, uncovered, to thicken.  Cool.

In a large bowl mix:

2 1/2 cups oats
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
(you can also add 2 tbsps. ground flax)

Blend in using a pastry cutter or 2 knives,
3/4 cup margarine or butter

Have an 8 X 8 inch pan greased or lined with parchment.
Press well 2/3 of the oat mixture into the bottom of the pan.

Spread the fruit filling on top then sprinkle on the balance of the dry mixture.  Press lightly.

Bake at 350F for 30-35 mins.
Cool before cutting.

Serve plain or with whipped or ice cream.