Pumpkin Apple Oatmeal in the Instant Pot

 

• 2 cups steel cut oats
• ▢4 cups coconut milk
• ▢1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢2 teaspoons vanilla
• ▢1 can pumpkin
• ▢2-3 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup butter
• ▢1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (with allspice)
• 2 green apples

I spray the pot and put it in for 8 minutes on manual and do a quick release for stirring.  I reseal and the steam will build back up and I let it sit until natural release.

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Blueprint Update

I don't yet have an opinion on the update here that Bluprint posted today.

Bluprint Shutting Down

Just letting anyone who has classes in Bluprint, that NBCU has made the decision to close the Bluprint business over the next few months.  I have searched and have not yet found a way to download the 'own forever' classes that have been paid for.  I will post any further information as I find it out.
https://craftindustryalliance.org/nbcuniversal-to-close-bluprint/?fbclid=IwAR0HYg31jojQviR9KYpVLVquiMvj4ihjVOE4fAtqwV-97YisPw4M9QAbz8Y

Teacher Bags

This year has started with a great deal of sewing.  I've made 12 of my reversible bags for teachers' Christmas gifts that I will be giving out tomorrow morning.  I've made a ton of them and posted a few times.  Here is the tutorial, and you can find three other posts here, here, and here.  I am still using the bag from that last link for library books and it is showing little sign of wear.  I've had to make so many bags this time since we have four girls in school this year (the grandbabies have been living with me since June).

On to the pics.  The inside here is just like the straps.

I made two of these and they are identical.

I made two of these too, and they just have different red batiks inside.

I really like the patterns on both sides of this bag.

The inside of this one is a beautiful burnt orange.

 This one is intended for my granddaughter's choir teacher.  She is also the music teacher for all the girls. 

 Q thinks this one is the best and prettiest.  I love this peacock fabric so much.

 I really like the fabrics with patterns like stones, bricks, and water.

 I know it isn't exactly en vogue to be patriotic right now but I'm a military brat and will likely always be fan of our country even when politics are not making me happy.

 I really like this outside and I bought it in multiple colors when it was released.

I always think that the current batch of bags is my favorite and this batch is no exception.  I'm so pleased and was tempted to make a few more so I could keep some of these.  I hope the teachers like them at least half as much.

Local Restaurants

I'm grateful for our local restaurants, like Sea Island and Fat Tummy Empanadas and Gogi Street and Dough.  There are so many that I still want to try, too.  San Antonio has so many restaurant choices that if a place isn't good, it usually doesn't last long. 

Lip balm

Seriously, in this cold weather, lip balm is something my whole family is grateful for.  I'm going to make it with my girls in the very near future using the recipe from the Farmer's Almanac.

Dog training

The new puppy is named Thunder.  She is amazing.  I'm training her to be a working dog and she is a natural.  My nerdlet is on the spectrum and we have had elopement scares twice since she has moved to the middle school, (STEM Academy) that she is attending, so my plan was basically to teach the puppy to behave in public and to track and find the girls (mostly the nerdlet and the bear cub), but she is such a natural that I have bigger plans for her now. 

One of the things that I often misplace is my phone.  I always know where it is when I am home, but I pick it up when leaving the house and inevitably something or someone distracts me and I put it down in some unstandard place.  At that point, I use the computer to call it and then listen for the ring to find it.  Today when I called it, Thunder ran to the phone (in the bathroom) and barked at it.  She is going to be very, very helpful if she can find and retrieve things.