I've steeked and believe me, it's scary....EZ says, after doing it go to a dark room and lie down, to recuperate! It does work, though. I'd hate to see her ruin the back, and all the yarn in that piece, when she could unknit it and reuse the yarn for a better fitting piece. Is the yarn wool? I'm a big one for blocking to take care of problems...generally it means tugging to the right size, pinning down and then spraying with water and letting dry. 4 inches big would be 2 inches each side. You could try a swatch, measure it, dampen it and see if blocking could reduce the size...and if so, how much.

Donna, If you want something with a little less fat, but still very rich and flavorful, you might want to try this recipe originally featured in Gourmet. I think the key is in the reduction so the sauce is nice and thick. This is great with the chicken or just on pasta. Sue Here is a link that might be useful: Sundried-Tomatoe Cream Sauce

I found this on helium.com: A perfectly pickled watermelon rind is the southern way of bringing summertime to the dinner table all year long. The recipe that makes my family's mouth water goes something like this: Ingredients: 1 large watermelon rind 1 quart water 1/4 cup kosher salt 1 quart cider vinegar 8 cups sugar 8 whole cinnamon sticks - broken up 1 tablespoon whole cloves 1 tablespoon allspice berries Prepare watermelon rind by peeling and removing all green and pink portions from rind. Combine water and kosher sald. Cut prepared rind into 1 inch cubes and soak overnight in salt water. Drain soaked rind and cover with fresh water. Bring rind to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain. Make a syrup of vinegar and sugar. Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag and add to syrup. Boil the mixture for 15 minutes, then let stand spice bag steep for 15 minutes. Remove spice bag and add drained watermelon rind. Bring rind to a boil and cook until rind is almost clear. Pack into sterile jars and seal according to manufacturer's instructions. Chill overnight before serving. Makes 6 pints.

Happy Birthday, Donna. Hope you're planning something special for today!