Over the summer I managed to score a brand new full-size crock pot for $8 (yes $8!) at a friend's garage sale.

Today I have finally pulled it out, plugged it in and am ready to see if this appliance will become my new best friend in the kitchen.

I also thought it'd be smarter to try this out while at home the first time versus plugging it in, going to work and spending the whole day wondering if my meal is indeed cooking or whether I'll even have a place to come home to!)

I opted to try out a simple Beef Stew. It's a crisp and cool Fall day and it seems fitting. Plus, when I hit the farmer's market this morning they seemed to have all the ingredients just waiting for me to take them home and drop them into the crock pot: beef, onions, carrots and potatoes.

Side note: the carrots smelled so fresh and yummy! And I picked the tri-coloured little potatoes, just cuz I think the extra colour will look good on a plate.)

Everything's been chopped, sliced and diced and placed into the pot with some homemade broth (courtesy of my Mom) and spices.

Apparently in six hours I will have a lovely dinner just waiting to be eaten!
(Note, technically everything's already been cooking for two hours. Laundry, cleaning, knitting and the internet will all make lovely distractions til then.)

I love this mitten pattern! (Yes it is based on the ones Bella wears in Twilight - although I must admit, I don't really remember at which point in the movie. I'll just trust designer of the pattern!)

The cuff is nice and long and the fit overall is snug. But that could just be because of the yarn and needle size I'm using.

I finished the left one last night. (I apologize for the quality of the photo - I was quite tired and it was late.)

Now on to the next one!


The pattern is from Subliminal Rabbit.