fo: a warm hat for a snowy day

There's nothing like being warm and cozy when winter finally hits! I knit Paul a new hat just in time for snowy weather. Most of the other hats I've knit for him have been worsted-weight, and apparently not quite the ticket for truly frigid days. This one, however, apparently does the trick quite nicely.

pattern: Chunkeanie, by Woolly Wormhead

yarn: Cascade 128 Superwash, lichen (no. 867), 3/4 skein

needles: US 7 Clover bamboo 16" circs and DPNs

size: 21"

my Ravelry project page

notes:
Easy, quick pattern! I apparently don't mind purling in the round one bit. Paul says it's very warm, and he has been wearing it a lot, which is the true proof of a handknit hat.

I made the medium size (21"), but did make it a little bit shorter. The yarn is terrific -- soft and squishy, not itchy at all, and comes in some beautiful heather shades. I'll definitely use it again!

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in the kitchen

We love pizza around here. Neapolitan, Chicago deep dish, even Quad Cities style (malty crust!). I often use store-bought sauce (the horror!) or Heidi's five minute tomato sauce when we make pizza at home, but I've recently discovered the simplicity and terrific flavor and texture of roasted plum tomatoes.

roasted plum tomatoes (for pizza)

8 plum tomatoes, quartered

1 T. olive oil

salt & freshly ground pepper

- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

- Line a 9x12 pan with foil for easy clean-up (if desired) and lightly mist with cooking spray.

- Place the quartered tomatoes in the baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste. Bake for 30 min.; do not stir.

- Remove the baking dish from the oven and mash the tomatoes with a fork, removing the skins as you mash.

- Use the roasted tomatoes as a delicious base for homemade pizza! Any leftovers are very versatile. I tossed the rest of them into a smoked salmon frittata, and it was tasty.