A Wee Quilt for the Irish Celebration

Lucky Clover

Just a quick table mat to use up some scraps.  Not many scraps though as the finished size is just 12x15.  A fun little piece to do and as usual I learned some things, lots of setting triangles and more practice with glue and binding.

The postcard in the picture is part of a calendar from Temeculah Quilt Company.  The instructions for the quilt are on the back in a very small font.  

This is a great soup for March and the wearing of the green:
Reuben Soup  (Barefeet in the Kitchen) Yield: 5 servings
2 tablespoons butter

1 medium size onion, diced into 1/2" pieces
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked corned beef, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 cup sauerkraut, drained
3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2" pieces
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon pickling spices
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded

Melt  butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and sauté another minute. Sprinkle with flour, stir to coat and continue stirring while the flour cooks with the onion for about 3 minutes.

Add the broth and stir to scrape up any bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the beef, potatoes, sauerkraut, Worcestershire sauce, pickling spices, caraway seeds and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 12-15 minutes, just until the potatoes are tender.

Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves and any large pieces from the pickling spices. Stir in the cream. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Scoop into bowls and top with cheese.

(I forgot to add the Worcestershire and I left out the caraway.  I used a coffee filter to make a bag for the pickling spices.)