Finery and Progress

I've developed a fascination with linen sheets of late, ever since I discovered their existence -- sadly, that's an expensive fascination, though apparently a good sheet will last many years.

And then, I remembered. In a box under our bed, we had a carefully folded top sheet and set of matching pillowcases, given to me at my bridal shower by a dear family friend. And not just any top sheet -- a snowy, antique French sheet with beautiful embroidery. My recent research made me suspect it might be linen, and my suspicions were quickly confirmed when I pulled it out.

Look at all of that incredible hand stitching!

I'd never used the sheet, considering it too precious and special to be subjected to wear and tear. In fact, it still had the tag from the fancy antique linen shop it had been purchased from. My reasoning, of course, was ridiculous. It was given to us to put on our bed, not under it. And why own something "too nice" to use? I delayed a day or two, then finally washed it and put it on our bed. The verdict? Not only is it beautiful, it's incredibly luxurious. It has a lovely weight and drape, and the way it breathes helps regulate temperature. I'd no idea sheets could be so lovely! I now need a bottom sheet, which I'm considering sewing myself. For now, it's a luxury to have some finery for every-day.

In other news, here's the current project on my needles:

It's a Harriet cardigan, in Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Superwash Worsted. The color is Fjord Heather, and is rather lighter than it shows up in the photo. This little sweater is destined for Rosa once the cooler months arrive -- though it currently seems as though cooler weather will never come! The pattern jumps from 24 months to 4T, so I'm trying to size it in between. So far, so good -- though my ribbing looks untidy, a problem which will hopefully resolve when I block it. But there are a number of rows between now and then...

Key Lime Bars

Lime is one of my new loves -- citrusy, summery, and a tad sweeter than lemon. 

A leftover lime from a homemade sugar scrub inspired me to try a lime bar recipe from my recipe binder. It was a Land o' Lakes recipe snipped from a flyer or magazine ages ago. But after trying the recipe, it's been transcribed and printed in a more readable, permanent format. Because these are keepers:

Fresh, sweet, and deliciously chilled. A perfect summer dessert!

These babies are NOT gluten free, Paleo friendly, low in sugar, or remotely healthy. Which is probably why they taste so good. *wink* Actually, I don't think it would be too difficult to make them gluten free, and if you substituted something healthy for the refined sugar, you could probably come up with something that won't double your blood sugar levels in one bite. But I'll leave that to your discretion, because I like these sugary little confections just the way they are.

Key Lime Bars

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 ¼ C all-purpose flour 
• ½ C Butter, softened 
• ¼ C sugar 
• ¼ C chopped pecans 

Filling: 

• ¾ C sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 2 TBSP all-purpose flour 
• 3 TBSP key lime juice (I used regular lime)
• ¼ tsp baking powder

Frosting:

• 1 ½ C powdered sugar 
• 1 TBSP butter, softened 
• 1 to 2 TBSP key lime juice 
• Freshly grated key lime peel 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚ 
2. Combine all crust ingredients except pecans in small bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (I used my food processor). Stir in pecans. Press onto bottom of ungreased 8 or 9-inch square baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. 
3. Meanwhile, combine all filling ingredients in small bowl. Beat at low speed until well mixed. Pour filling over hot, partially baked crust. Continue baking for 18 to 20 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely. 
4. Combine all frosting ingredients except lime peel in small bowl. Spread over cooled bars. Garnish with grated lime peel. Store refrigerated.