I finished a somewhat differently styled hat a couple of nights ago.  It didn’t originally start out to be a hat - it started out to be a scarf.  However, when it was about 15” long, it was clear there wasn’t going to be enough yarn to make a scarf long enough for anyone but Barbie!  So I modified my thinking and this is what happened…

It is based on the Harlot’s One Row Handspun Scarf with which I seem to be obsessed this winter.  I knit the pattern over 20 stitches for about 20” and then added a couple more rows (chunky yarn and size 10 US (6 mm) needles).  The ends were folded together and I picked up a cast on stitch and knit it together with the corresponding stitch on the needle and proceeded as with an ordinary bind-off.  Then, without cutting the yarn, I picked up stitches all around the edge and began decreasing them (8 per round, alternating with a plain knit round) eventually ending in about 4” of I-cord for a top knot.  Were I to do this again, I would use a provisional cast-on and do goofy grafting or a three needle bind-off.  Of course, regular kitchener stitch will work too for those of you who’s fingers aren’t all thumbs, like mine :)

On Christmas Eve, dad and I went over to my aunt’s house (his younger sister) for dinner.  It was really nice to see her again as I hadn’t for several years, and to make the acquaintance of my now adult cousin whom I remember being born when I was about 10 years old!

Aunt Ev served a chicken salad for dinner made like a traditional Waldorf Salad, but with chicken added.  She kept it simple, but it was absolutely delicious and, of course, I wanted to try it myself :) 

And, of course, I changed things somewhat in so doing.

The standard recipe for a Waldorf Salad contains celery and (at least in the preponderance of the recipes I checked) red, seedless grapes.  I don’t care for raw celery, so I left that out.  I hadn’t known about the grapes or I might have included them as I do love red grapes :)  Ultimately, this is what I came up with:

Open Faced Tuna Waldorf Salad Sandwiches
Serves 2

2 bulkie rolls (croissants, bagels - whatever you prefer)
1 can (6 oz) solid white albacore tuna, drained and flaked (or an equivalent amount of cooked, chopped chicken breast)
1/2 an apple (I used a Braeburn - exquisite!) - peeled or not as you choose
1/2 c walnut meats, roughly chopped
4 slices of your preferred cheese
Mayonnaise to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Start by making your salad.  Flake your tuna into a bowl.

Chop your apple and walnuts and added them to the tuna.

Add whatever quantity of mayonnaise you need to achieve the consistency you like.

Slice your rolls open and toast gently.  Butter the cut surface very lightly and top with a piece of cheese.  Place all four be-cheesed (is that a word?) roll halves on a microwave-safe plate and stick in the nuker for about 40 seconds - just long enough to melt the cheese.

Top each with one fourth of your salad and generously grind on the pepper.

Serve with a green salad or a cup of soup.  Honestly folks, this seriously rocks!

Have a great weekend :)