Bacon Devilled Eggs

Ok, so I guess making food techinically isn't crafting, but oh well. It's my blog & I'll post what I want, lol! ;)

So my most recent go-to for bringing to potlucks are these bacon devilled eggs. They are super yummy, contain no mayo, and have no dill in them. I'm not a dill fan. They're also super yummy because BACON. And Sriracha. Seriously, I have to be sneaky & make these when my husband isn't home, because he will eat so many of them before they ever hit the egg carrier! I almost never get out the door with a full batch in hand!

You can make these with or without avocado. They're just as good, either way. I don't much care for avocado, so I prefer them without it, but the hubster looooooooves avocado & likes them better with it. You'll win either way. (PSA: Some people are allergic to avocado. If making these for a group, you may want to check if anyone cannot have avocado before you include it.)

I meant to make these today for my family's New Year's Eve party, but I got slammed by a pretty nasty head cold. In the interest of not infecting anyone, I'm going to avoid handling food meant for public consumption. Sadly, that means no pics for this post today, but I'll add some the next time I make these.

Here's the recipe:

Bacon Devilled Eggs
(or I like to call em Classy Redneck Devilled Eggs)

You'll need:
12 eggs, hardboiled, peeled, & cut in half lengthwise
6 strips of bacon, crumbled
6 Tablespoons liquid fat (ie bacon fat, olive oil, a combination of these, etc.)
Sea Salt
Paprika
Sriracha (or other hot sauce of your choice)
Optional: 1 avocado, peeled & diced

1. Pop egg yolks into a mixing bowl. Set aside egg whites.
2. Add to the bowl your 6 Tbsp of liquid fat, 2/3 of the bacon crumbles, & the avocado (if using it). Mash, mix, or blend together with your squishing implement of choice (fork, handheld mixer, etc).
3. Fill egg whites with this mixture.
4. Top eggs with remaining 1/3 of bacon crumbles. Sprinkle with salt & paprika to taste. (I like a light touch of salt & a whole lot of paprika.) Finish with a small stripe or dot of Sriracha on each egg. (A little goes a long way!) Serve chilled.

Note: If using avocado, make eggs as close to serving time as possible, as the avocado will brown the longer it is exposed to air.

Amish Puzzle Ball

I made a LOT of crafty projects this holiday season! (And I'm not done yet, either!) Hopefully I'll get most of them up on the blog for you all to enjoy! Here's one of my favorites from the list: a crocheted Amish Puzzle Ball for my 18-month-old niece.

Here's the pattern on Ravelry. The ball is made up of three rings, each of which have 4 wedges. You slip the rings over each other to form the ball.

This was a nice stash buster pattern. But don't be fooled: it EATS both yarn (for the wedges) & stuffing! Overstuffed is best on this one, as it will help the rings interlock better.

Made mine with worsted weight cotton yarn, because I had it already, rather than buying the DK yarn the pattern called for. The yarn deviation made the finished ball delightfully huge--probably about 6 or 7 inches in diameter, I think.

I don't know what brand the mixed-color yarn is. A ball of it was gifted to me. I had no idea how I was going to use it at the time, but this project was perfect for it! I ran out of that yarn just before I finished the last wedge piece of the green ring. Having nothing that blended well with that mixed yarn, I chose to complete the wedge with the green of the ring band. When the ball is put together, you can't even tell!

The blue, purple, & green yarns were harvested from an abandoned project: a hexagon pieced baby blanket I meant to have done before this niece was born. I didn't even get enough of it made to be a decent scarf, so it was all banished for a good long while, until the ball project came up. Still not sure what I'll do with the original blanket, but I don't think I'll be returning to it.

I'll definitely be keeping this ball pattern on hand! Fun to make, only three yarn tails to work in at the end, no batteries required, washable, soft & cuddly, etc. I'm not sure how my niece liked it, since she was pretty distracted by the other toys she'd just unwrapped which blinked & booped & such (we're a whole family of ADOS: Attention Deficit--Oooh Shiney!!!), but the adults were all pretty impressed! ;)

Baby Gift Set

I decided to make a cute, puppy themed gift set for a friend's baby shower. Set includes a lovey/security blanket/blankie buddy, two wash cloths, and a loofa that stretches out flat to dry. Lots of patterns referenced for this project, plus some parts that I came up with on my own. (I wish I had made the puppy ears bigger. If I ever try this one again, I'll revisit my puppy ear pattern, below.)

Everything was made using Lily Sugar'n Cream cotton yarn & a 4.25mm/G hook, ignoring any & all yarn & hook suggestions in all the original patterns linked below.

Puppy Lovey/Blankie Buddy

 

 


Inspired by this Security Blanket Bunny pattern.

Start with a cloth made in your favorite pattern, worked up to approximately 18" x 18". A center-start, in-the-round pattern will be ideal. I used the Baby Granny Three Ways pattern from Ravelry, worked up to round 13. I finished the cloth as follows: Rnd 14: Ch 2 (counts as 1st sc). In back loops only, sc in ea dc across; at corners, work (2sc, ch 1, 2sc) in ch1 sp. Join to beginning of Rnd 14 with sl st. Finish off. Rnd 15: Join contrasting color at any sc. Ch 2 (counts as 1st sc of rnd). Sc in ea sc across; at corners, work (2sc, ch 1, 2sc) in ch 1 sp. Join to beginning of Rnd 15 with sl st. Rnd 16: Ch 2. Work sc in sc to right of your current place (=crab stitch). Continue with 1 crab stitch in ea sc across; at corners, work 1 crab stitch in ch 1 sp. Join to beginning of Rnd 16 with sl st. (You likely won't be able to see an easy spot to join, like you would in normal sc. Just fudge it & sl st wherever it looks best to you.) Finish off.

Puppy Head

Rnd 1: Magic Ring. Ch 2 (counts as 1st sc). 5 scs in ring. Join to 2nd ch w/ sl st. (6 sc)

Rnd 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1st sc). 2 sc in ea sc. Join to 2nd ch w/ sl st. (12 sc)

Rnd 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1st sc). * 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc. Repeat from * around. Join to 2nd ch w/ sl st. (18 sc)

Rnd 4: Ch 2 (counts as 1st sc). 1 sc in next sc. * 2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in ea of next 2 sc. Repeat from * around. Join to 2nd ch w/ sl st. (24 sc)

Rnd 5-8: Repeat Rnd 4.

Rnd 9: Ch 2 (counts as 1st sc). 1 sc in nest sc. * Work dec over next 2 sc. 1 sc in ea of next 2 sc. Repeat from * around. Join to 2nd ch w/ sl st. (18 sc)

Rnd 10: Ch 2 (counts as 1st sc). * Work dec over next 2 sc. 1 sc in next sc. Repeat from * around. Join to 2nd ch w/ sl st. (12 sc)

Rnd 11: Ch1, pull up loop in next sc, yarn over, pull loop through both loops on hook (counts as first dec). * Work dec over next 2 sc. Repeat from * around. Join to beginning of Rnd 11 w/ sl st. Finish off, leaving long tail for sewing later. (6 sc)

Embroider eyes, nose, & mouth in desired position.

Left Ear

Magic Ring. Ch 2 (counts as 1st sc). 3 sc in ring. Ch 2. 2 sc in ring. Join to 2nd ch. Ch 2. Sc in same place of joining. Sc in ea of next 2 sc. Finish off.

Right Ear

Magic Ring. Ch 2 (counts as 1st sc). 4 sc in ring. Ch 2. 1 sc in ring. Join to 2nd ch. Ch 2. Sc in same place of joining. Sc in ea of next 2 sc. Finish off.

Paw Print Applique

I used a pattern for Paw Print Earrings to make the paw print applique for the blankie.

Assembly

Sew ears to opposite sides of head, with points of ears facing forward and down, right sides facing out. 

Stuff head with stuffing or scrap yarn. Sew head to center of blankie.

Sew paw print to one of the front corners of the blankie.

Finish off all ends.

Wash Cloths

    

 

I used two different patterns for the sake of variety. One wash cloth was done in the Oh So Soft Baby Washcloths pattern on Ravelry. I started this one with a row of foundation sc, instead of a base chain. The other wash cloth was done in this Crocheted Square Washcloth pattern. Both were finished with the same 2-row border as the blankie was. Both also got a paw print applique to match the one on the blankie.

Loofa

 

I used this Bath Puff pattern to make the loofa, swapping the hearts at the ends of the ties with more paw prints. My only change to the original pattern was to work the last row as ch 2, sl st, repeat, rather than the pattern's ch3, sl st, repeat.

The gifts were well received! One of the other party goers said I need to make her a set whenever she has a baby shower. :)