Because I wanted a pom pom, I knitted a hat

I had a craving for a pom pom. A big, fluffy pom pom on a hat. So I knitted an Early Morning Beret by Hannah Fettig in Cascade 220 robin egg blue and added a big brown pom pom out of some Biggan that I had on hand (I also cast on and knit a row in the brown, which kind of brings it all together).


It is the most marvelous, simple beret pattern! Just floppy enough, just cosy enough. It was perfect to knit onto my fluffy pom pom. Because the hat is, of course, all about the pom pom.

We had some really frosty nights, so I also whipped up some of my favourite soup. Mum was asking about the recipe, so I promised to post it. It's inspired by a soup Prêt did a while ago - a sausage casserole soup - but I've since discovered that as I've adapted it, it's become remarkably like their Spanish Chorizo and Butterbean Soup. Great minds and all. Anyway, here goes...


Lightly fry one thinly sliced red onion, one chopped stick of celery and one chopped carrot in olive oil. Add chicken stock, a can of chopped tomatoes, three cooked and chopped up chorizo sausages, a chopped up capsicum (I like using the yellow), chopped up zucchini (optional - I just had some to hand), and a can of either cannelloni beans or chick peas (I like the cannelloni beans best, but ran out the other day and chick peas don't do too badly). Sprinkle in a bit of chilli and paprika. Done! I like it with sour cream (Tofutti in my case - dairy free and all). I sort of live on this soup from time to time. This soup and the chilli beef soup, which is a Prêt recipe if you google it (I couldn't get a recipe link).