Saturday, April 23, 2016
Fringe Benefits: Free Napkins From Shirts
You can recycle your worn-out flannel shirts to make excellent cloth napkins. They're comfy, absorbent, and free! Here's how to do it.
1. Cut napkin-sized squares from the front and back panels of the shirt. 12" square is what I use, in order to get 4 napkins from one shirt. This makes a smallish napkin (cocktail-sized), but it still works fine for daily meals. If you want them bigger, like 16" square, you'll probably only get one or two from the back panel of a shirt.
2. Once you've cut your squares, fringe the edges. To do this, pull parallel threads off an edge until there's about 1/4" to 1/2" of fringe created by the loose ends of the threads going the other direction.
These napkins wash like a dream. Sometimes an extra thread or two will try to liberate itself from an edge after washing. In that case, just peel it off and throw it away (or compost it if it's a natural fiber).
Friday, April 15, 2016
Cherry Crumble
serves 2
1 cup fruit, cut in bite-sized pieces, fresh or frozen
2 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp rolled oats or 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp walnut halves or pieces
2 Tbsp butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/16 tsp salt
1 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp spice, such as cinnamon or allspice,
only a pinch if using nutmeg
Place fruit in a 2-cup measuring cup or small bowl. Add maple syrup and stir well. Let sit while making the topping.
Spread oats in a microwaveable dish and microwave on High for 1 minute (not needed for wheat flour).
Place walnuts and oats (or flour) in a small blender or food processor and pulse 3 times to finely chop the nuts and oats. Add butter, then sprinkle the salt over the top. Pulse three more times.
In a 3-quart microwaveable bowl, place cornstarch and spice. Drain some of the liquid from the fruit into the bowl and stir until smooth. Add the fruit, and stir to coat all the pieces.
Microwave on High for about 3 minutes. If your crumble comes out too runny, try adding 30 seconds next time.
Fruit Combinations
Apple + 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Peach + 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Pineapple + 1/8 tsp ground allspice