Lap Quilts

I have completed and gifted two lap quilts.  Both went to the daughters of my nephew.  Fabrics were selected especially for their color choices and artist of preference.  I used a variation of the "Highlights" pattern.  For each there is one large featured panel and then 2 or three sides high "highlighted" smaller squares.  Selecting the fabrics, planning the layout and then making them was an absolute delight.  And I have enough of both fabric selections to do another, and maybe even 2 more of each.  When completed these will also gifts, who is yet unknown.

Here is the Monet inspired quilt.  The large panel is fabric printed with Monet's Bridge Over Lily Pond.  The center of the surrounding, highlighting, squares are sections from another piece of fabric with more from the same painting. Most of the frames around the squares are Monet inspired prints as is the backing fabric

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The other is a Frida Kahla inspired quilt. The main panel and the centers of the highlight squares are from fabric with motif's from her paintings.  The borders and backing were selected to coordinate and enhance the Kahla prints.

I was taken by surprise at how yummy this turned out.

When I was in Seattle recently I went to Trader Joe's with my lovely, niece-in-law. Among our purchases we got a prepared meal for our lunch, pasta with asparagus and brie.  It was really nice. 

When I go home I decided to try my own variation on that and it came out quite good, smooth, creamy, delicate flavor. 

I don't measure when I cook and my timing is, do it for as long as it needs, the specifics here are my best guesstimate of what I did.

First thing was to get the pasta water onto boil.  And heat the oven to 350.  While that was working  I coarsely chopped 6 or 8 garlic cloves, these were sauteed in olive oil  in my largest skillet.  I used about 1/3 of a bunch of asparagus, snapped off the woody ends and chopped into about 1 1/2 inch chunks.  These were added to the skillet to saute with the garlic.

When the water was at a rolling boil I added about 1/2 pound of linguine and a very small pinch of salt.  When it returned to boil I set the time for 8 minutes, wanting it to be a few minutes shy of al dente.

While the pasta cooked I cut 5 or 6  Campari tomatoes into quarters and add to the skillet.  I also added about 1 cup of sliced Baby Bella mushrooms.

This simmered until the pasta timer went off. and then I reduced the heat to as low as it would go.  I added 2 cups of the pasta water to the skillet and thoroughly mixed it in.  Then all of the pasta was added and again, thoroughly mixed. 

I left the pan on low heat while I sliced a wedge of brie as thin as possible.  The slices were spread over the pasta. The pan was then placed in the oven for about 20 minutes, until all the cheese was melted and oozy.  The pasta finished cooking during this time. 

After removing from then oven added a generous sprinkling of fresh ground black pepper and gave it one final toss to incorporate all ingredients and coat all the the pasta with the cheesy sauce.  It was delicate and yummy.