A Little Warmth for a Cold Day!

What can be more comforting on a cold day than a big bowl or plate of beef stew?

I like a nice helping over some rice for dinner. Here is my recipe for a quick beef stew.

1-1.5 lbs of stew beef
1 bag of frozen stew veggies
4 small red skinned potatoes
1 med onion chopped
2 tbls of minced garlic
1 package of stew seasoning mix
2 bay leaves
3 cups water
1/4 cup flour
1-2 tbls of veggie oil

Dredge the meat in the flour while heating the oil in a dutch oven or soup pot. Brown the meat in batches. Take the last batch out of the pot, and saute the onion and garlic until clear. Add the potatoes and seasoning packet and the meat pack to the pot. Add the water, the frozen veggies, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Let cook for 1 hr to 1.5 hrs. Serve over rice or by itself.

They call me MS. NOT QUITE FIRST YEAR

Participate Participate Participate

Want the experience to be all it can be?  Interaction is the name of the game!
Make friends find out what you have in common.  We already know we have knitting/crochet in common but what else is there?
Get involved:
gym class
food class
house cleaning
find your niche, maybe there is something you can put out there?
Leadership roles - Mentors - Professors
Class Cheerleader (I do this quite often)

last words; make friends and activities outside your house too! Remember a balanced life is your friend!

Feburary Planning~ Episode 20

Astronomy 
A- “finger”less gloves for friend
J- Kina(baby sweater) http://www.ravelry.com/projects/naturallyknitty/baby-kina-2

Charms 
J- baby tam- write pattern
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/naturallyknitty/baby-tam-2
A- spin cotton balls

 Care of Magical Creatures  
J- spin fingering weight(holyhead harpies YY) http://www.ravelry.com/people/naturallyknitty/stash/younger-yarn-bfl-holyhead-harpies
A- spin Blue and green Club fiber merino silk. Lacing the flyer and started already http://www.ravelry.com/people/StarKnits/stash/january-fiber-club-merino-silk 

Defense Against the Dark Arts 
A- spin Firenze Teaches Divination roving from Younger Yarn. http://www.ravelry.com/people/StarKnits/stash/combed-top

Herbology 
J- LavLav cowl
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/naturallyknitty/bandana-cowl


History of Magic 
J- spin, PS the veil is lifting http://www.ravelry.com/people/naturallyknitty/stash/younger-yarn-fiber-ps-the-veil-is-lifting 
A- PS P 42 Wallaby...Faux Cashmere.. for Narcissa Malfoy

Muggle Studies 
 J- roving, dye, spin, knit (Leah's legwarmers) 4 parts

 Potions 
A- Reducio something- needed help but decided on mini couch

End of the Month Madness!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW, Gryffindors!

That's all I've got to say about the AWESOME projects we turned in this month! I've compiled a collection of projects turned in during the last few days of January for demonstration purposes. ;)

Check out the baby blanket Puffygriffinclaw submitted to Muggle Studies!

Look at this GORGEOUS shawl Hazelly made for Arithmancy!

These little rings Pixiewear made for Potions are adorable!

Enk designed this football hat for DADA! How cool!

Look at this PRECIOUS little gnome FlyKytten made for Charms!

SavvyKnits made a Link hat for HoM!

Loveswildflowers spun up the gorgeous yarn to represent the Chinese Fireball Dragon for Transfiguration!

Marthapt made the beautiful socks for CoMC!

Orangebuttercat finished this beautiful Noro scarf for Detention!

NaturallyKnitty dyed up all this gorgeous and fluffly-looking roving for Quidditch!

Autumnleaf77's NEWT is coming along beautifully!

Keep up the INCREDIBLE work, Gryffindor! ROAR!

Tastey Thursday!!!

So this weekend is the BIG  football game and whether you are a Pats or Giants fan pleas know that this week's recipe will satisfy the game day noshers are your party!!!

Killer SuperBowl Nachos (A.K.A. The "Big Ben" Nachos) (no I am not a Steelers fan, why do you ask?)
1lb ground beef
1/2 roasted chicken (or store bought rotisserie)
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 15oz can of black beans
1 15oz can of dark red kidney beans
1 medium onion, chopped
1-3 tbls of chopped green chilies (I use the canned kind.)
4 cups of your favorite shredded cheese blend (I like the Mexican Blend)
1-3 tbls chili powder
1 15oz can of Ro-Tel (use the heat of your choice)

Brown ground beef in a skillet with onion and chili powder. Drain and return to skillet. Shred the chicken and add to the skillet. Add taco seasoning, both beans, chilies, and Ro-Tel heat.
Put the mixture into an oven proof dish and spread the cheese on top and place in the oven at 350F until the cheese is melted and golden.

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips and sour cream.

10 Points to.......Episode 19

Mojo/No Mojo- 
Allena: no knitting or crochet

 Jessica: 

 lemon drop socks (yay 50% of my newt) http://www.ravelry.com/projects/naturallyknitty/wendys-fingering-weight-toe-up-socks-with-gusset-heel

Chloe’s leg warmers (ARITHMANCY) http://www.ravelry.com/projects/naturallyknitty/birthday-leg-warmers

Baby Tam ~Quidditch
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/naturallyknitty/baby-tam


 WIP's-
Allena: 
Cowl for friend who’s moving... http://www.ravelry.com/projects/StarKnits/nordland-morning-mist-cowl
started a baby hat for cure.org.
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/StarKnits/two-colour-infant-hat
Owl of course. dyed up the yarn

 ←tangled mess...

Hitchhiker- OoTP


 Jessica: 
NEWT knitting:
 Truban’s stocking Gryffindor socks http://www.ravelry.com/projects/naturallyknitty/wendys-fingering-weight-toe-up-socks-with-gusset-heel-2
Hitchhiker- OoTP http://www.ravelry.com/projects/naturallyknitty/hitchhiker
baby tam #2 for Feb detention...

 To spin or not to spin- 
Allena:

Finished and turned in for Muggle Studies http://www.ravelry.com/people/StarKnits/stash/handpainted-extra-fine-merino-roving

Finshed and turned in for Transfiguration http://www.ravelry.com/people/StarKnits/stash/combed-top-4

 Jessica: 

 Finished and turned in for CHARMS~ Optimism~ merino from Younger Yarns, http://www.ravelry.com/people/naturallyknitty/stash/younger-yarn-fiber-optimism

Dyed up a ton of roving for Quidditch!


 Wrock Song: 
You Can’t Speak Snake By the Moaning Myrtles http://www.myspace.com/themoaningmyrtles/music/songs/you-can-rsquo-t-speak-snake-25655933


 NOTES: 
the weasley sisters podcast thread

 knit pray love... knit one hat! we are challenging you to just make 1 hat. that’s it! http://cure.org/air1

They call me MS. NOT QUITE FIRST YEAR

Good Morning - Good Afternoon - Good Evening all my NQFY'S

Two Topics today 

First lets talk SORTING
I interviewed one of the long time House Cuppers, Oriocookie and her is what she had to say;
Q. How does Sorting work and how do I improve my chances ?
A. First, make sure you are turning in classes as a NQFY because it gives you a higher priority for sorting. When it comes down to it, being active by turning in classes is the sure way. Also, being active in the houses and other activities help. Bottom line, be active. Also, sometimes how you answer questions on the sorting form may impact your chances… be nice to the hat.

Q.  I am lost about this first year B1 what is all that about?
A.  It goes NQFY, 1st - 7th year, the B1,B2, B3, B4… the B is bachelor. I am not sure what will follow the B, possibly M for Masters, or PhD. The house cup has been going since 2008, so 3 years with 3 “years” each one, so the house cup should have 11 or maybe 12 class years including the current one.

Lets talk CUP HISTORY now.
Q.  Did you great all the houses? 
A.  I did create the Seventh floor, but the other house groups were created by members of their houses…at the time, we all had common room threads in the main group, but it was hard for new players to navigate them as the houses got bigger, so I created the Seventh Floor so we could spread out a bit more and do our planning more easily.


the entire hp knitting/crochet house cup was founded by PrincessOnica in July 2008.
the den was founded by needlesnswiffers in December 2009.
the seventh floor was founded by oriocookie in January 2010.
the tower was founded by isisonearth in August 2010.
the snake pit was founded by GirlyWithATwist in September 2010.
There are currently 2940 members of the House Cup via the stat page and it also has
stats at the Housecup of the most Chatty Cathy's,  this month led by yours truly!

Thank you ORIOCOOKIE for your vast knowledge!!

And of course you will want to know what House Unity is all about. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh866Z4TpX4&feature=youtu.be