Patterns and Recipes

7 Layer Nut Bars | Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Hat Pattern | Scarf Pattern

7 Layer Nut Bars

7 layer nut bars or "Magic Bars" - I make these for our open houses and Kate asked for the recipe so here it is....Crush one cellophane package of graham crackers in a paper bag by jumping up and down on it . Mix with 1 stick melted butter. Press into 9" baking pan. Layer chopped walnuts, shredded sweetened coconut, semi sweet choc. chips and drip one can sweetened condensed milk on each layer. Finish with the condensed milk. I use about a cup of each item. Bake 45 min - 1 hour at 325-350. These are very sweet and compulsive to eat.

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter softened
• Great Big wooden spoonful of organic peanut butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh baking powder
• pinch of baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 organic white flour
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter and big blob of peanut butter (the more the better.) I like the stuff at Berkeley Natural Grocery that you grind yourself. Mix in sugars and beat in egg and vanilla with enthusiasm. Stir together dry ingredients in a separate bowl and mix. Spread thick batter into buttered 9 x 13 pan or 9 x 9 for thicker bars. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Place in oven and hum 2 songs. Remove bars and with a knife, swirl through melted choc. chips and uncooked batter. Return to oven and bake approx. 20-25 minutes until edges are pulling away from the pan. Do not overbake! The bars should be moist.

I like to bake bars for their quickness and because you can stand next to them with a knife and keep whittiling away little slices and no one will know how much you've eaten....Including you.

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Claudia's Beginning Class Hat Pattern

Loosely cast on 77 stitches on to the 20" needle using long tail cast on method. DO NOT use back loop method- it slides apart and you will be doomed. Join the hat by putting the last stitch you cast on next to the first stitch you cast on and knit 2 together.

Make sure you do not twist the cast on! Begin knitting. If in 3 or 4 rows you see you have twisted the cast on give up immediately and tear out. It will only get worse.

Knit on and on up till you have knit approx 7". Change colors for nice stripes if you wish. The hat will be rolling at the bottom.

Using the little tail at the bottom as a reference point begin to decrease:

1. Knit 2 together. Knit 6 stitches straight. Repeat for one row
2. Knit 2-3 rows together straight. No decreases.
3. Knit 2 together. Knit 5 stitches straight. Repeat for one row. Repeat step 2.
4. Knit 2 together. Knit 4 stitches. Repeat step 2.
5. Knit 2 together. Knit 3 stitches. Repeat step 2
6. Knit 2 together. Knit 1 stitch.
7. Knit 2 together with no rows in between until you have 6 stitches left

*Read this!

At approx. 40 stitches left on the needle insert the 24" needle by sliding half of the stitches off purlwise. Close the hat using the 2 circular needle method. If you don't know this method ask Claudia or see Weekend Knitting by Melanie Falick

With 6 stitches remaining break off 7 inches of yarn, thread through the tapestry needle and put thread through the stitches.

Pull tight and poke through to the inside. Darn into the hat. Darn the cast on tail into the cast on. Decorate with pom pom if desired.

Wear the hat!

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Diagonal Garter Scarf Pattern

1. Cast on 12 stitches on a size 10 - 13 needle and purl back
2. Purl one stitch, purl into the front and back of next stitch, purl 8, purl 2 together, purl one.
3. Purl 12 st back
4. Repeat step 2
5. Purl 12 st back. You are making a diagonal scarf. You should have a nice point at each end. which makes the scarf look longer
6. Keep purling until you have about 2 1/2 ft of yarn left. Bind off.
7. You can also do this in more conventional knit garter.

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