Monday 16 May 2016

Crochet Cupcake Trinket Box Pattern



 This little cupcake trinket box is a great stash buster. It uses very little yarn, but makes a great gift for a friend, as you can fill it with sweet treats for them to eat, and they can keep the cupcake when they’re done! I designed these to be given as prizes when I hosted a Cake Break for the MS Society. This is my first ever crochet pattern, so please excuse any mistakes! I’ve used American notation, even though I’m British, because I learned to crochet in American terminology and that’s what’s stuck!


The icing “drips” can be free styled a little, you don’t have to follow my stitch count exactly, but you do need a longer drip in the back and the front to hide the button fastening and the join between the lid and base.

Needed: Brown DK yarn, white DK yarn, red DK yarn (for cherry), beads (for sprinkles), yarn needle, needle and thread, button, 4.5mm crochet hook.

Cupcake Base

Begin with a Magic Circle
R1: 6SC in Magic Circle (6)
R2: 2SC in first SC, 1SC in second SC, around (9)
R3: 2SC in first SC, 1SC in second SC, repeated 4 times, then 2SC in last SC (14)
R4: 2SC in first SC, 1SC in second SC, around (22)
R5: 2SC in first SC, 1SC in second SC, around (34)
R6: In back loops only, 1SC in each SC, around (34)
R7 – R11: 1 SC in each SC, around (34)
Slip Stich into next SC to finish off.
Finish off and weave in ends.

Lid/icing

Begin with a Magic Circle
R1: 6SC in Magic Circle (6)
R2: 2SC in each single crochet, around (12)
R3: 1SC in first SC, 2SC in second SC, around (18)
R4: 1SC in first 2 SCs, 2SC in third SC, around (24)
R5: 1SC in first 3 SCs, 2SC in forth SC, around (30)
R6: 1SC in first 4 SCs, 2SC in fifth SC, around (36)
R7 – R10: 1SC in each SC, around (36)

Icing “drips”
Chain 4, SC in second chain from hook, HDC in next chain, DC in next chain, SS in the next SC of round 10
SS in next 3 SC
Chain 2, SC in second chain from hook, SS into next SC of round 10
SS in next 5 SC
Chain 3 SC in 2nd chain from hook, HDC in next chain, SS into next SC of round 10
SS in next 7 SC
Chain 4, SC in second chain from hook, HDC in next chain, DC in next chain, SS in the next SC of round 10
SS in next 3 SC
Chain 2, SC in second chain from hook, SS into next SC of round 10
SS in next 5 SC
Chain 3 SC in 2nd chain from hook, HDC in next chain, SS into next SC of round 10
SS in next 6 SC
Chain 5, SS to other side of first “long drip” to make a button hole, and SS one more time to secure.

Finish off, weave in ends.
Cherry (optional)
Begin with a Magic Circle
R1: 4 SC in Magic Circle (4)
R2: 2SC in each SC (8)
R3: 1SC in each SC around (8)
R4 SC decrease in first 2SC around (4)
Stuff with yarn tails, and using a yarn needle close bottom. Secure to top of lid.


Assembling
Using white yarn and a yarn needle, secure the lid to the base under the “long drip” opposite the button hole.
Using a normal needle and some thread secure a button to the front of the base, so that the chain 5 on the lid fastens in place, keeping the box closed.
Add bead “sprinkles” or a cherry on the top, or both!

Monday 8 February 2016

One Pan Corgetti Carbonara

I received a Tesco Orchard Voucher for £2 off Tesco Fruit and Veg, so I decided to buy something I wouldn't usually buy. I bought some courgetti, a spaghetti substitute made from courgette, because I'd heard a lot of people taking about it.

I decided to make a healthier Carbonara using the courgetti, as I love Carbonara but it's not the healthiest of dishes. My thrown together recipe is found below. I served it with some baby sweetcorn I also got with my vouchers. Both I and the hubby loved it. Suggestions on improvements would be welcome :)



Ingredients (serves 2)
Small amount of cooking oil
Courgetti - Can be bought pre-prepared in Tesco, or made using a spirlizer.
Bacon - fat cut off
Garlic - I use garlic powder as it's easy to store, but fresh garlic does just as well. I used the equivalent of 1 garlic clove.
50ml Milk
1 Large Egg
Handful of Grated Cheese - Traditionally Parmesan is used, but I used extra mature cheddar because that's what we had in!
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
1. Heat oil in frying pan. Cut bacon into small pieces, discarding fat.
2. Fry bacon in oil. When bacon is cooked add the Courgetti and garlic, stirring regularly. Cook for 4 minutes.
3. Whisk together milk, egg and half of the cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. A bit at a time, add the milk/egg mixture to the frying pan, stirring continuously. Allow egg to cook through and reduce for 5 minutes, or until liquid is mostly gone.
5. Serve with cheese sprinkled on top.