things alauna makes

30 days: final week

2010-06-30T21:56:00.006-04:00

i finished my 30 days of consecutive creativity (with only 1 missed day. but i was with one of my most creative friends that day, so it evens out.) it was fairly easy to be creative at home, but we traveled multiple times and hosted a number of guests during june, so pairing my creativity with housework, baby care, photography (which wasn't always creative) and entertaining and i'll admit there were difficult days. here's the final run down:

june 22/last day of ballet for the summer

june 23/read all my brand new patterns and got thuper excited to sew

june 24/post storm photo (missed the rainbow by thismuch)

june 25/made chicken, veggies, and a mix of noodles into stir fry (no photo here. but no fail, as i had to get creative with my ingredients and then we ate it.)

june 26/floral "macro" (50 mm 1.8 as i didn't have my 100mm macro along)

june 27/trifold brochure help for my aunt ("designed" in word[!])

june 28/worked on yarn hanging lamp

june 29/i hate comic sans

june 30/30days survival badge

creativity: week 3

2010-06-23T21:34:00.007-04:00

week three of creativity and i found it a bit harder due to travel. this week had a few less creative days paired with some pretty goods ones, so i definitely don't feel as great about it.

june 15/laid out invitations for print

june 16/took photo of finn plus basic edit (catch lights in eyes!)

june 17/collected fabric samples for table runner

june 18/met with a creative friend? for real, this day i can't think of a specific thing because i was busy and then we drove 6 hours. i fail...

june 19/took photos of finn and his grandpa

june 20/took photos of finn and his grandma (also got some of him and his daddy)

june 21/milkshake graphic print for fun

i vow to be better this week! andplusalso, i still owe you some ice cream/sorbet recipes and some sewing info. soon!

30 days: week 2

2010-06-16T20:57:00.004-04:00

i am only slightly late here...but my weeks of creativity in june continue to go well. and yes, i promise to blog separately about the ice creams and crafts and such that can be replicated by others. it's just that finding time to be creative is hard on it's own when you have a 15 week old, a house to keep semi-livable, and a busy summer and getting in these creativity recaps is time consuming!

june 8/working on a photobook (lol, screen shot of my desktop)

june 9/edited a photo i took (bw conversion)

june 10/made oreo and chocolate chip cookie dough truffle balls

june 11/painted toes and creatively added (heat backed...) rhinestones and white dots

june 12/coconut cachaca sorbet

june 13/revised invitations for an anniversary party
&
june 14/finished anniversary invites
(they're ready for print, so i added in the off-white background for visual effect for the .jpg file - the lace holes will match in real life)

30 days of creativity: week 1

2010-06-07T23:10:00.007-04:00

week one of my 30 days of creativity is complete! i had no trouble being creative. here's the roundup:

june 1/birth announcement poster for finn (outline added for white background)

june 2/birthday card for someone special (maybe she's not reading...)
june 3/long exposure photos using finn's baby monitor

june 4/edited photos (black & white conversions of my friends little girls)

june 5/coconut saffron ice cream

june 6/photo of my umbrella on the beach

june 7/polka dot baby gear (paci leash, toy leash, burp cloth)

i'll blog about the goods in future posts, but i wanted to be sure to post this week's creative endeavors all in one.

custom address stamp

2010-06-07T19:35:00.002-04:00

upon moving to our current condo, which we plan to stay in for a little while, i decided to design
a custom address stamp. with all of the recent thank you cards and upcoming events, i knew i'd be writing my return address quite a few times, otherwise. i had designed a custom monogram stamp for my wedding so i already knew i would use rubberstamps.net. (they are not paying me anything to recommend them, but their turnaround time, prices, and customer service can't be beat, so i certainly don't mind giving them business!)

i wanted a simple, modern design, so i used the same little dachshund silhouette from the baby onesie thank you card. i am fond of lowercase, so of course i use tiny letters to spell out our last name and full address. i have (hopefully) blurred it out enough on the images so you don't come and stalk me at my home, but rest assured the stamp produces a perfect image.

to send to rubberstamps.net, you need to upload a .jpg file at 300 dpi so they can get a clean image to create the stamp from. i chose the size of my stamp, sent my image, and had my custom return address stamp in less than a week. plus, i paid less than $10 for it. love!

fennel, onion, and pea risotto

2010-06-05T12:02:00.002-04:00

just a few days before we had finn, we celebrated our last valentine's day as a duo. you might remember the little chocolate cheescake tarts we enjoyed for dessert. but before that, we made and ate a meal of italian risotto and crab legs. having never made risotto, i left the stirring and watching to husband after i prepped the ingredients. we used a pretty basic recipe found here.

uploading images to picasa causes them to appear even more underexposed than they are...

fennel, onion, and pea risotto (adapted from new italian recipes)
1 c arborio rice
3 + 3 tbsp e.v. olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large fennel bulb, white part chopped coarsely, plus a few pieces of greens
1 1/2 c peas
1/4 c fresh basil, finely chopped
1/2 c dry white wine (chardonnay, sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio)
6 c chicken stock
1/2 c pecorino romano cheese
2 tbsp butter
1/4 c fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 c grated parmigiano-reggiano

1. bring chicken stock to a slow simmer in a large sauce pan or soup pan, add in basil and fennel greens
2. in a large skillet, heat 3 tbsp olive oil to medium low, then add onions and fennel and cover
3. let the vegetables soften and release their juices for at least ten minutes then remove to a separate bowl
4. add the other 3 tbsp of olive oil to the same pan for 30 seconds, then add arborio rice, tossing in oil
5. add the onions and fennel back in
6. add white wine and let reduce by about 3/4
7. add a ladle or two of the barely simmering stock, stir a little, make sure risotto is completely covered with juices and simmer over low heat
8. when the liquid is absorbed and just below the top of the rice, add more stock
9. repeat these steps for about fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally
10. add peas and let simmer until liquid is reduce by half
11. test for tenderness; when rice reaches a "soft with a small bite" state, add cheese and butter and stir
12. allow to cook until almost all liquid is absorbed, then remove from heat
13. let the dish stand for about 5 minutes, then serve topped with a bit more grated parmigiano-reggiano and chopped parsley

and so we prepared the risotto and in the last few minutes, we steamed the crab legs. we don't, however, have a proper pot in which to steam and the result of our efforts was hilarious. once finished, they barely fit on the serving platter. the one thing we do have for crab legs are tiny little forks. we used knives rather than crackers and because i am a semi-professional crab leg eater, i can get large chunks of meat out in this fashion.

attack of the crab!

back to the risotto. fab.u.lous. the flavors were perfectly mellow, the herbs and vegetables cooked down and blended with the soft rice. and when you add cheese and butter to a slowly simmered dish, you simply cannot go wrong. we both ate large portions for dinner (mixed with warm crab meat) and were able to have fancy leftovers the next day.

i thought risotto was time consuming with constant stirring and lots of effort, but i was wrong. i can't wait to try more! i recently had lobster risotto at a local italian restaurant and can imagine myself making that in the future...and there are plenty of other flavors to test out :)

30 days of creativity

2010-06-02T23:34:00.004-04:00

i came across this website announcing a challenge for 30 days of creativity during the month of june. i decided i could commit to that (baby and all) and am going to try and blog at the end of each week with pictures of the things i made.

i've already gotten started (since yesterday was june 1) and have got ideas ready for the next few days. i'm not participating for real, i guess, because i abhor twitter. i don't write @anyone and using the #hashtagwhateveritis bugs the hashtag right out of me. but, i'll share here and maybe inspire someone else to be creative in their daily life. feel free to join in!

baby thank yous

2010-06-02T12:56:00.001-04:00

i promise not to turn this into a baby only blog, but i can't help but post a few baby-related items because, well, having a baby is rather consuming.

i made these thank you cards for shower gifts and other wonderful items we received along the way. finn has been so lucky and is spoiled beyond belief. i made 50 thank you cards and have one left (and it's ready to be written in and sent)!

in honor of the first born dogsons, i made a card with a simple dachshund onesie. i designed it in illustrator and used my gocco to print in aqua ink on white cardstock. while the ink was till wet i coated it with clear embossing powder and used my heat gun to emboss.

for the safety pin card, i drew a quick classic diaper pin. i again used my gocco and printed in silver ink. i embossed in the same way as the aqua ink, but the silver didn't raise as smooth and glossy. they were still adorable!

i hope the folks that received these thank you cards were pleased to see the little details. a card can hardly express how thoughtful they are and how thankful we are, but the gesture is the least we can do.

i'm baaaack/mobile tutorial

2010-05-31T14:47:00.005-04:00

oh hai. i have been busy :) my baby just turned 3 months and i've had requests (demands?) to get my butt in gear and resume blogging. so i will do my best but i make no promises. before i continue, i'm sure you want to see finn, right?

and since we're talking about finn, i'm going to share a diy mobile i made for above his crib. if you haven't seen, this is what it looks like:

the mobile is based off of a beautiful piece i found at fawn & forest. but i was on a budget for decor items and couldn't spend quite that much on a mobile. this was an experiment and i did it without measuring or planning ahead. as a warning, keep away from baby as there is a risk of tangling from the craft line (i have mine securely hung quite far above the crib).

materials:
colored cardstock (about 5 sheets)
circle punch
paperboard disc (i spray painted mine yellow)
clear craft line
needle

this mobile has 7 strands with 9 circle discs on each strand

1. make circles out of cardstock using punch, 63 in total (more for mistakes)
2. punch a needle hole through the center of each disc
3. cut 7 long strands of craft line and tie a small knot at one end of each
4. thread a disc along the craft line (the knot keeps it in place)
5. about 2 inches up, tie another knot, thread another disc
6. repeat process of knot + disc 9 times per strand
7. repeat threading process for all 7 strands
8. punch 7 holes into edge of paperboard disc, evenly spaced around the perimeter
9. thread each strand through a hole from the bottom and tie a knot in each at the top
10. punch 4 holes into paperboard disc at 12, 3, 6, and 9 (as on a clock)
11. cut 2 long strands of craft line of equal length and tie a knot at the end of each
12. from the bottom, thread a strand up from hole "12" and down into "6", tie a knot to secure
13. repeat from "3" to "9" (these strands should fold in half and cross over at the peak)
14. cut a strand of craft line, tie at the cross point of the two crossed hanging strands
15. hang (i used a 3m command hook to hang from the ceiling)

confused? here's a simple diagram:

as you can see, this is an inexpensive alternative. it took a while to complete because punching 60+ discs (thanks husband!) and needles holes and tying a ton of knots does require some time. but it looks great hanging in the nursery and finley loves to watch it as the air from the ceiling fan blows the discs gently.

the baby has arrived!

2010-03-04T19:08:00.004-05:00

my baby boy arrived exactly one month early at 36 weeks. finley holden was born last friday on 2.26.10, 5lb 14oz and 20 inches. he is the sweetest, most precious being and we are more in love than i ever thought possible. husband and i have spent most of the time since his birth watching him do amazing baby things, just in awe.

as such, posts about crafts and food are on hold. i simply cannot tear myself away for more than this post ;) see you soon!

empty frame wall art

2010-02-25T10:34:00.000-05:00

since we moved into our new condo, we've started to actually decorate our space. some of that comes from big purchases like new living room furniture (and an entire nursery...), but lots of it has come from reusing our old decor and making it new, or searching for budget friendly options to spruce up the walls and surfaces.

i edited my favorite photos into black and white and filled some old frames to display them in the entryway. we've purchased some glassware to decorate the mantle, which now also holds an old mirror that looks so much better there than where we used to use it. obviously, i did the curtains and pin up prints for one of the bathrooms. our guest bath is vintage style too, but mostly because it had royal blue floral wall paper and a shabby chic white shower curtain when we moved it - so i've been finding hobnail milk glass to accent the small but adorable space.

my latest project has been this affordable and fun frame wall.

i found these frames at a thrift store and was so lucky that they were without backing and priced between 50 cents and two dollars. i scooped up a whole bunch and found a matching mirror for a whopping three dollars. i bought a small can of white paint on sale, some picture wire, and a few eye screws.

i skipped the initial sanding step (because i am lazy) and went straight into two coats of paint. i used fine sand paper to clean up the edges and to rub in some wear to various parts of each frame. husband used his strength to screw in the eyes and i strung some picture wire along the back.

the hardest part was deciding on the layout and moving it from the floor version to the wall. i gave up on the measure/math portion and let husband figure that part out.

we hung them in a small hallway where the mirror really brings in some light and the whole arrangement fits perfectly. in a last minute decision, we chose to include the door buzzer within the "art" because ew can't very well take it down.

i love this. it was cheap, easy, and i think it looks fantastic. a perfect way to re-purpose old frames you might have - the more variety and wear and tear, the better it looks.

chocolate cheesecake tarts

2010-02-23T21:45:00.004-05:00

our last valentine's day as a couple without children was spent at home, relaxing and cooking. we decided to do dinner in, similar to last year but without the multi-course meal. i can't stand for that long and can't fit that much food in my already stretched to capacity belly. (as a recap, i am 35 weeks pregnant)

the dinner post is coming after the dessert post because these little tarts are too cute not to share right now. (and already they are late, since valentine's day was over a week ago) i knew i wanted something chocolate and i really wanted to use my tart pans for the first time. i figured little fudgey cheesecakes with chocolate crusts and berries on top fit the festive theme.

(poor teddy graham had no idea what was coming...)

i wasn't concerned about the crust. chocolate grahams, butter, and a touch of sugar. to be honest, i didn't fully measure. plus, the grocery store carries no chocolate graham crackers, so i was forced to chop up teddy grahams for the cause.

chocolate graham crust (for 8-10 mini tart pans)
1 c chocolate grahams, pulsed to crumbs in a food processor
1/8 c melted butter (give or take)
1 tbsp sugar

1. mix together - should stick together slightly and hold shaped when pressed (adjust graham and butter ratios to reach this consistency)
2. scoop into tart pans and press around bottom and up sides
3. bake at 350F for about 5 minutes, cool

for the filling, i found a basic cheesecake recipe on allrecipes.com and adjusted to fit my smaller servings. i used about 1/3 of the original recipe and skipped the sour cream topping.

chocolate cheesecake filling (adapted from mary walker on all recipes)
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp strong brewed coffee
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c baking cocoa
1/3 c semisweet chocolate chips

1. beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth
2. add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined
3. stir in coffee and vanilla then beat in cocoa just until blended
4. stir in chocolate chips
5. using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop filling into prepared tart pans
6. place on a baking sheet and bake at 375F for 12-15 minutes or until center is almost set
7. cool on a wire rack, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill
8. best served with berries

this is an extremely rich little dessert. it really was like cheesecake fudge with a crumbly chocolate crust. it's so rich that the berries were a must - a bit of fresh flavor to cut the chocolate. but oh so good! and everything is better when cutely packaged - these tart pans (the round are from william's sonoma and the ovals are from a local antique shop) are perfect for individual desserts.

as a note, they were best after being in the fridge overnight (day 2), but by day 3 they had hit their max. i can't imagine anyone making it longer than that ;)

blueberry malt pancakes

2010-02-18T16:24:00.003-05:00

in a breakfast for dinner mood, i planned my weekly grocery trip with that in mind. how lucky was i when blueberries were 99 cents a container (vs. $3.99). i bought three packages on the spot and decided blueberry pancakes with breakfast sausage would fit the bill. when i got home, i set out to find a new pancake recipe to try. if you're doing easy dinner, it's always nice to try something new.

i was fresh off a cook's illustrated pancake recipe that is divine, so my expectations were high. when i came across a "simply perfect pancake" recipe from king arthur flour that listed malt powder as an ingredient, i was more than intrigued. apparently the malt replaces the sugar which makes for fluffy, diner-like pancakes.

obviously, i adapted these to make blueberry pancakes, but the recipe stays the same until the berries.

blueberry malt pancakes (adapted from perfect pancakes by king arthur flour)
2 large eggs
1 1/4 c milk
3 tbsp melted butter or vegetable oil
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 c malted milk powder
1 pint blueberries

1. beat eggs and milk until foamy
2. stir in butter or vegetable oil
3. whisk dry ingredients and gently combine with egg and milk mixture
4. let batter rest while griddle or non-stick pan* heats up
5. pour 1/4-1/3 cupfuls of batter onto hot surface, then drop in a few blueberries to each
6. cook until bubbles form, then flip and cook the other side until brown
7. always serve with butter and syrup, side of sausages optional

*just a shout out to my new non-stick pan, the cuisinart green gourmet 10" eco-friendly skillet. and no, this was not free, no one gave me anything to write this little review (but if cuisinart reads this, i'm open for testing!). this is a fabulous pan - things glide right out with no greasing and it's good for the earth. i got the 10" because it's perfect for omelets and small jobs, but honestly it was too small for circular pancakes. i have other non-stick options but i love this pan so much i was ok with crescent shapes. i want to keep it nice, so i have not put it in the dishwasher, instead i promptly hand wash after each use, plus NO metal utensils near the surface.

back to the pancakes. yum! fluffy and diner-like, indeed. and you can't go wrong when adding blueberries. they were super easy to prepare (almost as easy as a box mix) and if you're from the midwest, you already have malt powder in your pantry. i will definitely keep this recipe in my pancake arsenal. (we ate them so quick i didn't even get a good "stack" shot)

vintage ladies

2010-02-17T14:18:00.003-05:00

i've had some requests to show the vintage pin up girls i framed in my bathroom. please note that these are NOT my designs. i have found them from sources around the web and you can, too. to give credit where credit is due, they are from esquire calendars designed by alberto vargas. (some nudity will be found when searching his work) i came across them in my friend's dining room, where she has an original calendar, all 12 months, hanging on her wall. i am very jealous.

here are three ladies that now hang in my bathroom. i love them! june and july from 1946 and january 1947.

my favorite calendar as a whole is the 1945 one. i have it in 19x27, which is just large enough for the small space. i put the images together into one large poster and had it printed at kinkos.

lots of yellow tones to match the bathroom walls, some green to tie in the curtains, and soft pastels to pull in light purple towels. plus, pretty budget friendly. it's a bathroom, after all...

quick and easy curtains

2010-02-15T20:37:00.005-05:00

super simple curtains

our main bathroom in the condo is painted a buttery, slightly sunny yellow. since we didn't feel like repainting, i decided to design around the color. i put up these fantastic vintage vargas calendar prints of pin up ladies (which i fell in love with thanks to my friend amelia...you may remember we made button lollipops in the god awful heat of summer). i found a little white saucer with gold trim to match the gold fixtures in the space (also already there) to use as a hand soap dish. it's full on girly vintage (but the ladies are hot enough to keep it man friendly) and it needed some curtains.

i knew i'd want to make my own out of some floral fabric, so i found some from amy butler and set out to make something simple for the window.

midwest modern 2 sky fresh poppies

i bought 2 yards online from hawthorne threads and cut the piece in half vertically. i sewed the selvages and cut sides with a simple straight stitch, top to bottom, on each piece. to make a rod pocket, i sewed a large fold at the top, then made another seam about an inch above that, just large enough to allow the rod to fit. i measured for the hem and stitched the final bottom edges to finish. i used the scraps from the hem cut to create tie backs (tubes sewn, turned, and pressed).

the project took about an hour and probably would have been faster had i made any plans in advance. instead, i just started cutting and sewing until i got what i wanted. having a degree in clothing design makes you confident enough to sew a rectangle without a pattern, i guess ;)

i really enjoy these curtains. i like the green and the pattern, which plays nicely with our light purple towels and vintage girls on the walls. they are just feminine enough for the small space. a cheap, easy way to dress up an boring wall and textured window.

sausage, spinach, and ricotta stuffed shells

2010-02-11T11:48:00.002-05:00

these photos are blegh. i'm sorry.

i don't bake a lot of dinners. we don't eat very many casseroles, pasta bakes, etc., because i tend to prefer using the stove top for dinners. this might also be because i don't typically enjoy my dinner mixed into one giant pan. of course there are exception, and stuffed shells is one (right up there with lasagna).

the other day, a craving for a warm, pasta based dish hit. not lasagna this time, but shells or rolls, or something. my search led to me to this, and i promptly added the items i didn't already have to my grocery list.

sausage, spinach, and ricotta stuffed shells (adapted from elise at simplyrecipes.com)

1 12 oz package jumbo pasta shells
1 tbsp olive oil
1 c finely chopped yellow onion
1 lb sweet italian sausage (i found this without casings)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 egg
15 oz ricotta cheese (small tub)
10 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, chopped further
1 c grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 c unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 14.5 oz cans tomatoes (herbs, celery/onions, plain, whatever), including the liquid, tomatoes broken up
9x13 and 9x9 pans (1 each)

1. cook pasta shells according to directions, then drain, rinse in cold water, and cool.
2. heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat
3. add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes
4. add sausage, breaking up into smaller bits and cook until cooked through
5. add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then remove pan from heat
6. beat egg in a large bowl, then mix in ricotta, chopped spinach, 1/2 c parmesan, basil, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper
7. add slightly cooled sausage mixture
8. cover bottom of 9x13 and 9x9 pans with a thin layer of tomatoes and liquid
9. fill each cooked pasta shell with some of the ricotta, spinach, sausage mixture, then arrange shells into dishes
10. spread remaining tomatoes and liquid over shells
11. cover pans with foil and bake at 375F for 30 minutes
12. remove foil, cover with remaining 1/2 c parmesan and bake for 10 more minutes uncovered

i had 3-4 shells left without filling when all was said and done, but i like to generously fill the pasta. the original recipe calls for two large pans, but i arranged my shells neatly in rows and was able to fit everything in one large and one small pan.

because we are just two people who enjoy leftovers only once after a meal is served, i froze my small pan of shells (before baking). wrapped in foil, then cling wrap, this will stay for about 4 months. i've got a plan to freeze a number of upcoming dishes before the baby arrives so i have a little less to do around the house those first few weeks.

sorry about the pink/warm plate

this was perfect comfort food. i wasn't sure about the canned tomatoes (rather than sauce), but it was much lighter than typical baked pastas and i enjoyed that. just enough cheese to satisfy and excellent flavors in the filling. i'm looking forward to having my next batch in just a few weeks!

it's february?!

2010-02-05T16:54:00.004-05:00

how did this happen? oh, it happened while i was busy working on the nursery and a variety of projects for the house. i believe they call this "nesting". it leaves little time for blogging with pictures and stories of food and crafts. of course, right when i almost hit a stride!

i've got a few things ready for next week, though. i'm out of town at a baby shower this weekend, so check back on monday!

grapefruit and pomegranate in white tea jelly

2010-01-22T12:35:00.001-05:00

i have loved the blog tartelette for a long time. she makes gorgeous food and takes insanely beautiful photos. when i see her blog, and others of her caliber, i know that my little old thing is just for fun and that i have years of practice (and possibly some schooling and maybe some time, like a childhood's worth, in france...) before i reach that level of either of her talents.

that being said, for as much admiring as i do, i've never once tried a recipe. many because i just don't want to be let down when mine doesn't come out looking like hers. many others because i would be 200 pounds bigger (she posts a lot of delicious desserts and i don't have many people around me with which to share...).

so this white tea jelly appealed to me. it's easy to make with very few steps and i happened to have all ingredients on hand when i read the post.

for the recipe, here is the direct link. i had less grapefruit than she used, but i think the fruit part is a general idea rather than specific amounts. i just layered as much as i had into the little white bowls (more than the picture on the bottom left shows).

this was so refreshing. a perfect, light dessert that i enjoyed at midnight the day i made it. it was so good, in fact, that i made it again while i was home for christmas. my family was pleasantly surprised by this grown-up version of "fruit and jello salad".

and speaking of jello "salad", stay tuned. i have more gelatin up my sleeve...though the next one uses j-e-l-l-o right from the box ;)

salmon with cucumber salad and dill sauce

2010-01-20T21:56:00.003-05:00

my palate has been a bit limited during pregnancy. i haven't really been into chicken lately and i can't stand most asian foods with sweet/sour/spicy sauces. in fact, i pretty much only want beef. but i can't have that everyday, so i've been on a mission to find new recipes to mix into my meal planning that don't include chicken (thats hard to do, you know). i also try to find a few healthy options, as i'm on no diet and eat treats far too often. fish usually seems to come to mind and husband loves it. we've had scallops and salmon and shrimp (no, not all fish) in the past week or so and this recipe topped the pack.

salmon with cucumber salad and dill sauce (adapted from cooking light august 2007)
3 tbsp fat-free sour cream
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp finely chopped fresh dill, divided
2 tbsp rice vinegar, divided
3/4 tbsp finely chopped shallots
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
salt and pepper
1/4 cc dry white wine
1 english cucumber

1. combine sour cream, 1 tbsp dill, 1 tbsp vinegar, shallots, rind, juice, and garlic in a bowl, stirring well; cover and chill
2. season fish with salt and pepper
3. heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add fish to pan, cooking for 3 minutes
4. turn fish and cook 1 additional minute
5. remove from heat, add wine, and cover
6. let stand for 3 minutes or until desired doneness
7. using a vegetable peeler, shave cucumber lengthwise into ribbons
8. combine cucumber, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, and 1 tsp dill in a bowl; toss gently
9. to serve, place cucumber mixture on plates and top with fish and dill sauce

mm, so tasty! it's very summery and fresh. i love the tangy dill sauce (dill and salmon are a match made in heaven and i really don't eat the fish without it) and the crunchy cucumber salad. i didn't even take pictures of the process because it's so fast and easy there just wasn't time between start to finish (eating).

i don't have new year's resolutions this year, but if healthy eating is one of yours, try this easy dinner. or, if you already ate a bag of candy by yourself and you'd like to level the playing field (salads cancel out sweet calories, fyi), this is a great option.

oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies

2010-01-13T23:30:00.002-05:00

i've been searching for these elusive hershey's cinnamon chips for nearly 6 months. i never found any in pittsburgh and i hadn't found any in evanston (3 chain stores checked). but i went to appleton, wi for thanksgiving and wouldn't you know it, a random grocery store had more cinnamon chips than i could ever use. i bought two bags (and not on sale) and practically peed my pants in excitement.

if you haven't heard of them, please go out, find them, and put them in your cart. they aren't spicy cinnamon, more like cinnamon white chocolate, but also not like white chocolate. if you can't find the hershey's brand, i did see that king arthur flower sells mini cinnamon chips - i can't vouch for them, but it might be worth a try. and hello, they have cappuccino baking chips there, too.

i made the cookies from the back of the hershey's bag. i'll include it here in case you get the online kind and don't have access to this basic recipe.

oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies (hershey's)
1 c butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 c packed light brown sugar
1/3 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 c quick cook oats
1 2/3 c cinnamon chips
3/4 c raisins (i had, like, 13 raisins and threw them in - more would be better, but they are fine without)

1. beat butter, brown sugar, and sugar until creamy
2. add eggs and vanilla and combine
3. add flour and baking soda to butter mixture, beating well
4. stir in oats, chips, and raisins
5. drop spoonfuls of batter onto cookie sheet (i used a small cookie scoop), a few inches apart
6. bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned
7. cool 1 minutes, transfer from cookie sheet to wire rack
8. eat 4 dozen

seeeriously. cinnamon chips in oatmeal raisin cookies are amazing. i am pretty sure i had 4 right out of the oven. at once. husband shared with his coworkers and they also raved about them. people like cinnamon chips! you hear that, dominick's...jewel-osco? stock the chips!!

flower hair clips

2010-01-11T17:00:00.003-05:00

while browsing a few stores recently, my friend kristin and i spotted some adorable flower pouf headbands and hair clips. upon checking the price tag, something like $12 for adult version and $8 for the childrens', we decided it was a no go. i told her i'd make some for a fraction of the price. i know you can find these at teen stores for less, but why not just try your hand at it?

supplies:
pack of clips (i found 12 for $2 at walmart)
tulle (1/4 yd for about $1 at joann's)
needle and embroidery thread
hot glue or super glue
flower shapes (free hand or use my templates - after directions)

(sorry i don't have pictures to demonstrate)

1. fold tulle repeatedly in half until it is about 3 inches wide (like making paper dolls)
2. cut to create a stack of 3x3" squares, connected at folds
3. pin in place and cut out a flower shape through all layers of tulle
4. knot thread and sew a few stitches through center of flower, connecting layers
5. bunch flower tips in hand and randomly sew through layers (near center stitches) to create a more 3d shape
6. tie off thread and cut
7. place paper or card stock between hair clip and add a dab of glue to hinged end
8. affix flower to clip at underside stitches, arranging petals to create a uniform pouf
9. allow to dry, then remove paper from clip (tearing off any pieces glued to metal)

the directions make it sound confusing, but i promise i made four of these in about 30 minutes once i figured out the first one. i free handed my flowers as i cut, so each one i made was individual, but using the template takes any guess work out of the process.

in the first photo, you can see i added a small pearl to the center of the flower. you could try other beads of findings in the center, especially if you need to hide stitches (mine matched the purple and brown tulle i used). i imagine drawing a thin line in glitter on the edges of some of the petals would also be cute (though, your hair would be covered in sparkles). layering more tulle or a variety of colors could also change the look. imagine the possibilities!

here's me modeling a brown round flower clip. small enough to wear during the day, but pretty enough to dress up with, too. i liked these so much i gave one each to kristin and my sisters for christmas, just for fun.

peppermint meringues

2010-01-10T14:13:00.004-05:00

happy new year! it's not too late to blog about peppermint things, right? still winter...at least it is here.

and speaking of here, i'm in my new place! after a move at 28 weeks pregnant, across town, i live in my "home" for now, a condo on lake michigan. and after a week without internet, i am connected again and can resume blogging. for once, i've got posts ready to go and am starting the new year fresh. my biggest change, besides actually blogging on a regular basis, is no more rounded corners. did you notice? it just takes too much time to edit every photo and then go in and do the 5 step process of rounding the corners on each one. i have had so many people email me about them so i felt like i had to keep doing it, but it got to be too much...and isn't this interesting? this topic of rounded or square corners? more so than meringues? no.

i love meringues and i make them every december. i wanted peppermint this year and found this simple recipe to try out.

peppermint meringues (slightly adapted from allrecipes.com)
2 egg whites
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 c white sugar
2 peppermint candy canes, crushed

1. preheat oven to 225F and line 2 cookie sheets with foil
2. in a glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar to soft peaks
3. gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until whites form stiff peaks
4. fold in crushed candy canes
5. fill a piping bag (or ziplock bag) with mixture and pipe 3-swirl dollops 1 inch apart onto cookie sheets
6. bake for 1 1/2 hours, until meringues are completely dry on the inside
*do not allow them to brown*
7. turn off oven, keep door ajar, and let meringues sit in the oven until completely cool

yum! these were just as i had hoped. crunchy, light, and airy and full of peppermint flavor. you do need to make sure they are completely cooked, so test one (by peeling it off the foil and checking the under/inside) before shutting off the heat. they'll continue to dry out in the cooling oven, but sometimes the insides stay sticky and you don't want that.

husband brought some of these into work and it seems his coworkers enjoyed them. many had not had meringues before, so it's nice to introduce new foods to people.

happy holidays!

2009-12-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

one project of recent was my holiday cards, which i've been making for a few years now. this year i wanted to gocco again and while i was interested in a multi-color, possible multi-screen design...i decided against it because i like simple and i don't want to waste precious, limited supplies.

outside and inside (sorry for the shallow depth of field)

i created this tree and hanging ornaments design in illustrator using basic shapes and some intricate snowflake cutouts (from my favorite snowflake website, make-a-flake). i flashed the front screen and made a separate inside greeting screen (i made the most of this screen by flashing a few additional design, soon to come). i printed with white ink on moss folded A6 cards and sent them in glass luxe envelopes.

raised print

the color is off in the above photo, but i just had to show off the embossing i did on a few of them. i learned this quick trick from my friend kim: dust super fine, clear embossing powder to the wet gocco ink, tap it off, and heat using an embossing gun. the design will emboss, slightly raised and shiny, and looks so adorable.

unfortunately, these prints were not without some hiccups. for whatever reason, my screen was missing some print areas in the tree and a number of the prints had blank areas. i still got about 50 good prints and was able to send all of my holiday cards to family and friends. i sincerely hope i didn't miss anyone!

happy holidays, season's greetings, merry chirstmas 2009. enjoy this lovely time of year!

shaped bokeh

2009-12-22T09:49:00.002-05:00

i was on a photography board and came across a link with a unique way of manipulating bokeh (the blurry, often background, parts of a photo). here is the tutorial.

after seeing the instructions, i decided to whip up a lens hood and see if it would work. i chose a 1 inch gingerbread man hole punch and made a hood out of black construction paper to fit over my 50 mm 1.8 lens. it took me a bit to figure out how to shoot with it on, but i aimed it at my christmas tree and tested the technique. as long as the subject appears blurry in the viewfinder, the bokeh will work. the lights look like little gingerbread men!

i'd show you a picture of my lens hood but it is one shoddy piece of work. instead, check out my sample images and those in the link. i'm sure there a few random uses for something like this. either way, i found it interesting and am still a bit confused as to how it works.

pork chops and apple slaw

2009-12-20T21:22:00.004-05:00

i know, i've been away. i just haven't had it in me to blog. i make dinner almost every night, but the idea of blogging, with the pictures and editing and writing...i don't know. maybe a new year's resolution for me will be to find something that works for me and blogging. it might help now that we have somewhere to live in january (not a house, but a condo for a year) and that i can focus on the baby and all of the things that are soon to change my life.

but before all of that, there are basics. like simple, good food. that's what i try to make everyday to balance some of the pregnancy cravings and indulgences. this pork chop and slaw recipe is perfect. i've never liked applesauce on my chops, but this is a nice, fresh variation of apples and pork.

pork chops with honey-mustard sauce and apple slaw (adapted from rachelraymag.com)
1 green apple, sliced into matchsticks
juice of 1/2 lemon
4 c shredded red cabbage
4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
4 boneless pork loin chops, pounded 1 inch thick
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 c chicken stock
1/4 c whole grain mustard
1/4 c honey
2 tbsp cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
salt and pepper

1. toss the apple with the lemon juice, then add cabbage and scallions
2. in a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat
3. season the pork chops with salt and pepper and add to pan
4. cook, turning once, until browned, about 8 minutes
5. remove from pan and allow to rest
6. add chicken stock, mustard, honey, and vinegar to the skillet and bring to a boil
7. cook until reduced, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper
8. place a pork chop atop some slaw and pour on sauce

yum! the slaw was tangy and crisp, the pork perfectly cooked, and the sauce sweet and mustard filled. it was a hit with both husband and me and i imagine this would be nice to serve at a throw-together dinner party. it's got great color for a winter meal and was a nice break to all the beef i've been consuming.

simple thank you designs

2009-12-08T16:04:00.003-05:00

these are just digital files, obviously, but i recently had a number of thank you cards to send out. being that we have a baby on the way and we moved, our generous and thoughtful friends deserved a little note in the mail for the nice things they did along the way.

i made two designs, one for baby gifts (the above is in our baby colors of grey, aqua, and yellow) printed on white cover stock, and one for general thanks in a fall theme, printed on ivory cover stock. very simple, but worth the effort of about 30 hand made cards to show our appreciation. i imagine we'll be sending out cards like these (with new designs!) for months to come.

roasted turnips

2009-12-04T12:38:00.001-05:00

now don't go scrunching your nose and saying you don't like turnips. i didn't like them either. growing up my dad was fond of root vegetables and my mom, sister and i were not. what a battle! since my dad did much of the cooking, those root veggies showed up a time or two, much to the dismay of the females of the house (i.e. everyone else). but we were weird, because as a child i remember liking liver and onions, brussel sprouts, and lots of other foods many kids and adults alike do not prefer. and just like my taste for liver has changed (to no, thanks, ugh), so has my taste for root vegetables.

this is simple. it's like roasting anything else, but it turns a vegetable many people don't want into something palatable and, daresay, even tasty.

roasted turnips
3-4 medium turnips
1 small sweet onion, cut into chunks (or some shallots, peeled and whole)
5-7 cloves garlic, peeled
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried parsley (you could do fresh, too)
salt and pepper
pinch of sugar

1. trim and peel the turnips
2. cut into wedges and place into baking pan with onion and garlic
3. generously coat with olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper, and a bit of sugar
4. bake at 375F until edges brown and turnips are soft, about 35 minutes

these are not potatoes, no. they cannot replace, but they can stand in a time or two. they are soft on the inside with a crispy outside and they taste not too strong, like a food you'd want to eat. i promise.

gingerbread pumpkin trifle

2009-12-02T13:20:00.003-05:00

ok, after posting my woeful pity party for one, i'm back. i have lots of posts and i'm going to stop complaining now :)

thanksgiving came and went, but not without mountains of food (many of those mountains consumed by 23 weeks pregnant me...). i had a delightful holiday at my sister's apartment (with it's tiny kitchen and easy bake oven), where husband and i spent quality time with my parents and sister. we all brought a few dishes and i was in charge of snacks, cranberry sauce (i made a simple one with orange segments and orange juice), and the dessert.

i don't like pumpkin pie (and neither does my sister), so i tried to come up with a pumpkin alternative. i had made a version of this trifle a few years ago using paula dean's recipe. because we were on location and my cooking space and supplies were limited, i made the gingerbread in advance and decided to stick to basics for the rest.

supplies and half of the layers (photos on location!)

the big change in the recipe came from homemade gingerbread. paula dean's calls for prepackaged, which is totally fine, but i was craving something at least partially from scratch. after searching, i came across this gramercy tavern gingerbread from gourmet, whih i made in a baking dish rather than a bundt pan.

i'm not posting any of the recipes, since i've linked above and it's pretty simple. yes, i used cool whip, pumpkin pie filling, and boxed pudding mix...but it doesn't matter because the gingerbread is out of this world good (i mean, it has guinness in it). to trifle it up, layer half of the gingerbread (crumbled) into the bowl, top with half the pumpkin mixture, then top with cool whip. lather, rinse, repeat. or just repeat, and you'll be left with an easy, pretty dessert.

and a tasty one, too. the pumpkin seeps around the gingerbread and the cool whip balances all the fall spices. i would prefer whipped cream, but i can't complain too much. if you don't have anywhere to take a trifle, or are done with pumpkin for the season, please go ahead and make the gingerbread. so worth it.

meh

2009-11-29T17:30:00.002-05:00

i know...i've been gone for too long again. i have no excuse. i'm not too busy. i'm making tons of food and have crafts planned and started. i'm just feeling pretty "meh" on blogging. i know part of it comes down to my photos. i feel like they look the same or worse as they have in the past. i don't see improvement anymore and can only pick out flaws. i'm hyper critical, but i know a good picture when i see it, and one hasn't been on my blog in awhile...

so i'm still here. i'm working on getting pictures edited and some posts written. i've just got to get back into this and like it again. it feels like work, not fun...and i don't want to blog unless it's fun. it's not my job and i don't make any money doing it.

stick around for some holiday crafts, foods a plenty, and hopefully a cheerier outlook :)

pumpkin spice cheesecake brownies

2009-11-19T14:04:00.003-05:00

fall brownie spectacular

yes, you read that right. pumpkin+cheesecake+brownie. take it from someone who doesn't like pumpkin pie or plain brownies...these are so worth it. i do enjoy brownies with a twist, like cheesecake, mint, or turtle, so when i saw these i just had to give them a try.

i first saw them from the beantown baker, who adapted a recipe from cara's cravings. i used the adjusted measurements in this batch.

pumpkin spice cheesecake brownies (cara's cravings via beantown baker)

brownie batter:
3/4 c butter, melted
1 c sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c special dark cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon

cheesecake batter:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/2 c sugar
2 tbsp + 2tsp flour
2/3 c pumpkin puree
1/3 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp ground ginger
1/3 tsp ground cloves

1. beat together melted butter, sugar, and vanilla, then beat in eggs one at a time
2. combine dry ingredients, then gradually stir into butter mixture with a wooden spoon
3. in separate bowl, beat together cheesecake batter ingredients
4. spread about 2/3 of chocolate batter into greased 8x8 pan
5. spoon cheesecake batter over top
6. dollop remaining brownie batter over cheesecake batter, then swirl by running a knife back and forth through the pan
7. bake at 350F for 40 minutes, or until center is set
8. cool completely on wire rack and chill before cutting and serving

couldn't wait for pictures...

seriously. seriously! these are so good. i waited as long as i could to cut the brownies for photos (and a sample), but the center was still a bit warm. all was still ok and after being chilled, everything set nicely.

i've made a lot of desserts. i can't remember one being all that bad, but these are memorable for being that good. husband and i polished these off in record time, spoiling ourselves and missing our nightly dessert once they were gone. he has requested them for his coworkers, so i'll be making them at least once more this season.

quick apple cranberry sauce

2009-11-10T22:32:00.003-05:00

quick, simple apple cranberry sauce

in my quest for all things cranberry, one thing i need to have is a lot of cranberry sauce. i don't save this treat for thanksgiving - i make it about once a week during the late fall. before i could get my hands on fresh cranberries, i ate at least one can of whole berry sauce every week for the past few weeks... you could chalk it up to a pregnancy craving, i guess, but really not, because i do this every year :) however, that canned stuff is loaded with preservatives and high fructose corn syrup! i feel guilty about that and really, it's cheaper to make my own and i enjoy it more.

this is a super easy recipe from the november 2009 issue of real simple. just 4 ingredients and about 15-20 minutes of prep and cook time.

apple cranberry sauce (real simple)
1 lb cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 c apple cider
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c brown sugar

1. in a small saucepan, combine all ingredients
2. simmer until berries burst and sauce thickens (12-15 minutes)
3. cool a bit before serving (if you can wait!)

from whole berries to sauce

have i mentioned the time i made cranberry sauce using orange juice (a favorite of mine) and forgot the OJ and sugar were boiling...for like an hour?! i'm pretty sure i blogged about it, but if not, suffice to say i burned the sauce to a blackened crisp and had to practically crawl on the floor to get to the kitchen because the smoke was so thick and strong. it was bad. so don't forget you have something like this on the stove!

luckily, i made no errors while cooking this sauce and it came out delightful. the apple cider is subtle, so much so that i might add some cinnamon next time, but the overall flavor was great. i ate this straight from the bowl, but also used it on some turkey, cranberry, lettuce, and cheese wraps for husband's lunches. who needs leftovers when you can get it fresh whenever you want?

the best chicken enchiladas

2009-11-06T17:02:00.004-05:00

seriously, the best.

i have only had chicken enchiladas once before. i had never made them and have no real way to prove the following information, but i am pretty sure these are the best.

we have mexican food every week (i have it even more) for dinner and this week i decided we should try enchiladas. there are a lot of recipes, a lot with cream cheese and jarred enchilada sauce, and i just wasn't feeling that. so i went in search of a from-scratch version and found it in one from america's test kitchen.

homemade sauce is the way to go

chicken enchiladas with red chili sauce (america's test kitchen)
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
12 ounces bones chicken thighs OR chicken tenderloins, cut into 1/4" strips
2 cans tomato sauce
1/4 c water
1/2 c cilantro, chopped
1/4 c pickled jalapeno pepper, drained and copped
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
10 corn tortillas
vegetable cooking spray
3 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
sour cream, avocado, lettuce, green onion, tomato, salsa, limes, etc.

1. heat oil in a medium saucepan for 2 minutes, then add onion, cook until browning
2. add garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and sugar, cook for 30 seconds, stirring
3. add chicken, stir to coat, and cook for 30 seconds
4. add tomato sauce and water and stir, simmer uncovered for 8 minutes
5. pour mixture through a medium mesh strainer, pressing chicken and onions to extract sauce
6. set sauce aside and transfer chicken mixture to large plate, cool in freezer for 10 minutes
7. combine chicken with cilantro, jalapenos, and 8 oz cheese into a bowl
assembly:
8. coat bottom of 13x9 baking pan with 3/4 c chili sauce
9. place tortillas on baking sheets, coating both sides with cooking spray and warm at 300F for 4 minutes
10. scoop 1/3 c filling into center of each tortilla
11. roll tortillas tightly and place seam-side down in baking dish
12. pour remaining chili sauce over enchiladas, coating fully, and sprinkle cheese over center
13. cover with foil and bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes
14. serve immediately, topping with condiments of your choice

ah-mazing

seriously, please make these. i don't know if it's because i am 20 weeks pregnant (!) or if they really are that good, but these were like heaven on a plate. the sauce was amazing - perfectly spiced and the right consistency. i want to eat these again. worth it to make them yourself, to take the time to strain the sauce, and enjoy how i think enchiladas are supposed to taste.

pumpkin cranberry muffins

2009-11-03T19:10:00.006-05:00

pumpkin cranberry goodness

hello november! it's fall for real now and with it comes my desire to have pumpkin, spices, and cranberries. not always together, but in this case, yes. i love fruit bursts in muffins and cranberries are probably the best for that. i had first wanted cranberry orange muffins...but that doesn't scream fall to me. enter canned pumpkin puree!

i used a simple recipe from cooking light and whipped these up for a week's worth of breakfasts. the recipe says it makes 1 dozen, but i got 12 full size and at least 12 miniatures.

pumpkin cranberry muffins (adapted from cooking light)
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 c sugar
1 c canned pumpkin
1/2 c low-fat buttermilk
1/4 c packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large egg
1 c fresh cranberries, cut in half

1. combine flour, baking soda, and next 5 ingredients, though cloves; stir well
2. beat granulated sugar and next 5 ingredients, through egg, at medium speed until well blended
3. add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until combined
4. fold in cranberries.
5. spoon batter into muffin tin with liners
6. bake at 375°F for 25 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center
7. remove muffins from pan immediately and place on a wire rack to cool

fall muffin bowl

i loved these. so moist, full of pumpkin and spice, tart with fresh baked cranberries...these are good for a snack, dessert (warm with vanilla bean ice cream?), or breakfast. they stay fresh if well contained and last through the week. i treated husband to some mini "cupcake" muffins with the remainder of the batter (no cranberries left, bowl scrapings) and a half of a mini peanut butter cup in the middle. i'm really not sure if he liked the cranberry of the pb version better.

you must try these!

happy halloween!

2009-10-31T17:53:00.002-04:00

husband picked out the pumpkin face (online) and scooped the innards. i carved the scary expression and baked the seeds. the dogsons watched from the floor, confused about the entire process. they can't remember year to year...

they were so in the halloween spirit.

enjoy all the candy and spooky costumes. we're on the lookout for trick or treaters as i write this :)

comfort food: marinara sauce

2009-10-29T12:36:00.003-04:00

spaghetti and meatballs with basic marinara

since i've been pregnant, i've wanted comfort foods. it started with mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. then hamburgers, sometimes 3 times a week. spaghetti and meatballs were next. i just can't get enough of those simple, basic flavors. now that i'm home, i'm loving meal planning and being in the kitchen everyday - plus i decide what we eat, so it's been heavy on (healthy) comfort foods. husband has not objected ;)

my goal is to make as much as i can from scratch, so i decided that making marinara for my spaghetti was a must. plus, i've never made it myself. i rely on ragu (i seriously love ragu). i wanted something simple and satisfying and settled on the first recipe i found: marinara sauce from everyday italian by giada de laurentis. i halved the recipe, but plan to make it again and freeze the extra.

marinara sauce (adapted slightly from everyday italian)
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 32-oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves

1. in a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat
2. add onions and garlic and saute about 10 minutes, until translucent
3. add celery, carrots, salt and pepper and saute 10 minutes
4. add red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute
5. add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer over low heat until thickened, about 1 hour
6. remove bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste

delicious! the flavors of the veggies and tomatoes are very apparent and the subtle spice of the red pepper flakes makes it just interesting enough without being too hot. i of course paired it with homemade meatballs (no recipe - i had no breadcrumbs and resorted to ritz crackers...) and thick spaghetti, topped with fresh basil and shredded parmesan.

soft white bread

2009-10-24T15:05:00.002-04:00

homemade white bread

operation make bread has begun. first on my list was white bread. it's my favorite for sandwiches (like egg salad) and french toast, and it seems like one of the easier, no fail breads. plus, we don't ever buy plain white bread, so it's a treat to have in the house.

i used another recipe from the bread bible and was careful to read through the instructions start to finish. bread takes a while, lots of steps, and you don't want to be baking at 3 am because you didn't plan around rising times.

basic soft white sandwich loaf (the bread bible)
dough starter
2 1/4 c plus 2 1/2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1 3/4 c water, room temp
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp honey
3/4 tsp instant yeast

1. combine ingredients and whisk until very smooth, about 2 minutes
2. cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours
(beyond 1 hour, place in fridge - i did this overnight, resulting in a 2 day process)

dough
2 c plus 3 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 c dry milk
3/4 tsp instant yeast
9 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 tsp salt

1. mix flour, dry milk, and instant yeast
2. sprinkle over sponge and cover with plastic wrap
3. allow to rest from 1-4 hours at room temp (sponge will bubble through flour)
4. add butter and mixture to mixer with dough hook attachment
5. on low speed (#2 on kitchen aid), mix for 1 minute, until moistened
6. cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 2o minutes
7. sprinkle with salt and knead dough on medium speed (#4 on ka) for 7-10 minutes
(dough should come away from bowl at the end and be shiny, smooth, and sticky)
8. turn dough onto a floured surface and cut it in half
9. shape the loaf:

shaping the bread dough (steps 10-15)

10. press or roll dough into a wide rectangle with the long side facing you
11. dimple dough to remove air bubbles
12. fold over right side just past center, then fold left side until just overlapping the right
13. press the center to seal the dough
14. starting at the top edge, roll the dough over and press the seam, repeating to the bottom
15. roll the dough back and forth until it is just longer than the bread ban
(be careful not to break the tight skin on the surface)
16. tuck the edges under and place in a greased loaf pan
17. cover with greased plastic wrap and allow to rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours
(repeat the shaping for the second loaf)
18. preheat the oven at 350F for 45 minutes before baking, with a sheet pan on a rack on the lowest level and a baking pan on the bottom of the oven
19. set the loaves on the hot baking sheet and add 1/2 c ice cubes to the baking pan on the bottom
20. bake at 350F for 50 minutes, until golden brown (rotate halfway through baking)
21. glaze the bread with melted butter, remove from pan, and cool for 1 hour before slicing

bread success! it wasn't hard, just time consuming (hours, not actual work), and it came out with a nice golden crust and a yummy, soft crumb. my first loaf (i have only one bread pan) didn't rise as it should have because it wasn't warm enough in my kitchen, so it came out a little squat and dense. with the time and heat from the baking of the first loaf, the second loaf was able to rise much more and came out domed over the top of the pan. both loaves were excellent, but the second one had a better consistency and looked nicer.

i plan to make this recipe again in the coming weeks and it will probably be my go-to basic bread. it makes great french toast and excellent garlic bread. husband devoured it!

this is the less risen loaf - but you can see the inside

jalapeno cornbread muffins

2009-10-17T17:47:00.005-04:00

buttered jalapeno corn muffins

i love cornbread. but i'm picky about it. i don't like corn kernals in it. i don't like it when it's mushy or soft. i don't want it to be overly sweet or not sweet at all. to be honest, i like jiffy corn bread mix and whole foods jalapeno cornbread and not much else.

but i feel shame in buying a jiffy boxed product when i have free time and the necessary ingredients...and i want to kick whole food's face in. so i've been left searching for a recipe that's not too complicated (remember jiffy?) but fits the taste bill, too.

sorry...blurry pictures...

i found the perfect combo in a recipe from "the bread bible" by rose levy beranbaum. i've been scouring this book for my upcoming bread baking endeavors and can't wait to try other recipes based on the success of these muffins.

quintessential corn muffins with jalapeno (adapted from the bread bible)
1/2 c stone-ground cornmeal
1/2 c plus 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour (recipe calls for bleached, i had unbleached)
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
2/3 c sour cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tbsp canned jalapeno, drained and chopped

1. preheat oven to 400F
2. whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
3. in a small bowl whisk egg and sour cream
4. stir egg mixture into dry ingredients until moistened
5. fold in melted butter until incorporated; batter will be lumpy
6. dredge jalapeno in a bit of flour
7. fill 6 lined muffin tins with a scoop of batter, top with a few jalapenos, and cover with a tablespoon more batter
(each should be filled almost to the top; fill empty muffin tins halfway with water)
8. bake muffins for 15- 18 minutes until tops are golden and toothpick inserted comes out clean
9. cool top side up on a wire rack

now i know it said to cool, but a warm corn muffin with melted butter? yeah, not cooling that opportunity. plus, i needed it for pictures!

and i'm glad i sliced into that muffin. it was perfect! barely sweet, fine crumb that was not too dense or too soft, a perfect domed top, and bits of jalapeno to amp up the flavor. husband and i polished these off in two days, happily. they are quick to make (almost as easy as jiffy) and taste better than whole foods. winner!

1,2,3,4 cookies (snickerdoodles)

2009-10-13T15:40:00.002-04:00

simple snickerdoodles

i'm back in the kitchen! the first thing i unpacked was the boxes with my baking supplies, pots, pans, and the rest of my kitchen. it wasn't long after that i stepped up to my giant butcher block prep station. i had been craving snickerdoodles for this now cooler weather, but without the internet, i had no recipe. luckily i scanned my cookbooks (oh, yeah, that's how people used to get information...books!) and found a similar cookie in "baking in amercia" by greg patent.

in the recipe's original form, the measurements for ingredients included 1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups flour, and 4 eggs. so the cookbook calls them 1,2,3,4 cookies, but they taste like snickerdoodles to me.

oh, and here's my new work table. it's higher than a regular counter top, huge (note the scale of the mixer vs. leftover space), and i can cut and prep right on it. sorry for the blown out picture - i'm still getting used to this thing called light. it's not pittsburgh and we actually have windows that allow bright, fresh light in the kitchen (and every other room).

cookie process

the author divided the original recipe by 4. i doubled that version, so it made half of the original. ha, confusing. i'm including the book (quartered) version which makes 12 large cookies.

1,2,3,4 "snickerdoodle" cookies (baking in america)
2/3 c all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp unsalted butter (1/2 stick), room temp
1/2 c sugar
1 egg, separated

1. sift flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and cinnamon and set aside
2. in a large bowl, cream butter and 1/4 c sugar for 3-4 minutes
3. in a small, beat egg yolk until thickened, gradually add 1/4 c sugar and beat 2-3 minutes
4. add egg yolk mixture to butter mixture
5. in a clean bowl with clean beaters, beat egg yolk until stiff and add to butter mixture
6. stir dry ingredients into batter mixture
*the recipe says the dough will be stiff, mine was not, so instead of following the next few steps, i used a cookie scoop to create balls*
7. dust surface with flour and turn out dough onto flour, dusting with a bit more
8. pat dough into 3x4 inch rectangle and cut into 12 1-inch squares
9. roll each piece into a ball and place them 3 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet
*i dip the top of the ball into cinnamon sugar before putting on the cookie sheet*
10. flatten cookies to about 1/4 inch using the bottom of a glass
11. bake for 12 minutes, until golden with porous tops - do not over bake or they will be too crisp
12. cool on pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack

i have always loved snickerdoodles and these were just as good as i remembered. slightly crispy edge, chewy center with a sugary-cinnamon bite. husband was so excited to come home from work to fresh baked cookies and even though they contain no chocolate, he devoured three of them right after dinner. these really are best warm from the oven, but kept tightly sealed, they're still good a few days later.

i moved!

2009-10-10T16:17:00.002-04:00

first home cooked meal at the new place
(not the candy corn)

husband and i have officially relocated to the chicago area. so far, so good. i really enjoy our new apartment. the kitchen is fantastic - i'll share pictures from daylight ASAP. i'm not working now so i should have more time to craft, bake, cook, and make. i'm also hoping to find something to "do" with my life that interests me and supports my hobbies.

in the mean time, i'm getting hooked back up to the internet (today!), watching much missed good eats on food network and lots of hgtv remodel/design programs (it's been 3+ years since we've had more than 15 channels), and playing in the kitchen with my much tinier pantry supplies.

chops, salad, potatoes.

since husband works and i'm at home now, it is my pleasure to have dinner waiting for him at the end of the day. our first meal at the new place was as basic as can be: salad, boiled potatoes with butter and chives, and pioneer woman's pan-fried pork chops. it wasn't fancy, but it was filling and a good intro meal before i start whipping up culinary masterpieces...

now that i'm connected to life again (internet), i can search for new things to try, make some plans for grocery shopping (round 1 was filler supplies), and maybe write some regular blog posts.

pasta with mixed greens and cannellini

2009-09-27T08:56:00.004-04:00

outdoor modeling shot

the past week or so of cooking has consisted of trying to use up ingredients in the pantry. our move is next weekend and i'd prefer not to drag along 6 half open bags of pasta products and a bomb shelters worth of canned goods.

we've made a point of only buying produce and other perishable goods to complement the selection in the pantry. it's been fun trying to think up ways to use the same ingredients in new ways. a few nights ago, husband and i dined on rice (leftovers from a very large batch in the rice cooker) mixed with salsa, black beans, fresh tomatoes, and cheese wrapped in lettuce leaf "tacos". one can down and a sizable dent in the rice bag.

i made up this pasta recipe after i enjoyed the recent penne with spinach, asparagus, and bacon. it's pretty healthy and i was able to use pantry staples like chicken broth, cannellini beans, and the leftover uncooked wheat penne.

you know it's good when it starts like this

pasta with mixed greens and cannellini
2 pieces bacon (i used nitrate free applewood smoked)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 c colored peppers, diced (red, yellow, orange)
3-4 c mixed southern greens (my bag had collard, spinach, and mustard, i think)
3/4 - 1 c chicken broth
1 chopped tomato
1 can cannellini beans, drained
2 c penne pasta, cooked
parmesan
salt and pepper

1. in a large pan, cook bacon until crispy, remove, cool and chop
2. add onions to bacon grease and cook to soften
3. add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute
4. add peppers and 1 c greens, season generously with salt and pepper, cook until softened
5. add 3/4 broth and 2 c greens, cover and allow to steam for 5 minutes or until greens have wilted
6. uncover and stir in 1/2-1 c greens, cannellini beans, tomato, pasta, and bacon, add 1/4 c broth if necessary
7. cook through, season with salt and pepper, and top with shredded parmesan

operation: reduce pantry

this was delicious! i'm really loving greens in pasta dishes because it not only tastes great, but it add so many nutrients. plus, any dish that starts out with a piece or two of bacon has got to taste good. this type of dinner is definitely going into a more regular rotation (possibly replacing my love affair with israeli couscous, tomato, and artichoke creation).

chocolate cupcakes with white icing

2009-09-20T11:49:00.004-04:00

basic is sometimes best

so i mentioned i'm moving and with child. easy enough to do on here, not quite so much in real life. i mean, announcing you are pregnant is fun and people are generally happy about that. but telling your coworkers you are leaving in less than a month right after you deliver the fun baby news isn't quite as fantastic. i figured i needed some sort of treat to sweeten to news.

i knew i was telling work after husband and i saw the ultrasound, so i had to make the treats the night before. i haven't been cooking, though, at any point of the week, due to morning/afternoon/night sickness, so it was a bit of a challenge to get myself into the kitchen. i figured easy was best and since i started these at 10:30 pm (what is it with me and work treats and late nights??). i quickly decided upon another martha stewart recipe. her one bowl chocolate cake has never steered me wrong, but i think i was missing an ingredient or two. so i found this substitution.

chocolate cupcakes (adapted slightly from martha stewart)

3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 c sour cream
1/4 c yogurt (plain or vanilla)

1. in a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside
2. in a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
3. add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in vanilla
4. on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with sour cream/yogurt, beginning and ending with flour
5. pour batter into cups, filling each 3/4 full
6. bake at 350F until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes
7. cool in pan 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely

easy white icing (martha stewart)

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 lb (3 2/3 c) powdered sugar
1 to 2 tbsp milk

1. cream butter until smooth.
2. gradually add powdered sugar; beat until smooth
3. if too thick to spread, beat in 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
4. spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes

i used a star tip to pipe a bit of icing (i call this buttercream, but i'll let martha have her way this time) on each cupcake, then topped with chocolate crunch bits. the recipe says it makes 12 regular sized cupcakes, but i had a bit extra and made 4-5 mini cupcakes in addition to the 12. some for husband!

you can't resist

so husband and i saw the baby and it was time to deliver the news to my office. cupcakes in hand, i showed ultrasound pictures and got them all excited before telling them i was off to chicago. i think the cupcakes were necessary. while i'm excited ot move and start something new, i really love my coworkers (i call them friends) and it's very bittersweet.

these cupcakes, on the other hand, were not. super sweet and the cake was so good. this recipe might replace the one bowl version. i loved the dense but moist crumb. and honestly, with all the things you can do to cupcakes, sometimes a basic, simple white frosting on chocolate cake is all you need.

i've been busy

2009-09-13T11:28:00.003-04:00

it's true. i've been busy making a tiny human. i haven't been blogging about food and crafts much because 1) looking at food either makes me starving or sick and 2) i sleep instead of doing anything else.

but indeed, i am pregnant. 12 weeks and loving it. this will not turn into a baby blog. i might post a picture or thought or craving, but it will remain the same as it was. hopefully, the same as it was before i stopped blogging frequently...

however, i'll need a few weeks yet, as husband and i are making a big move to chicago. he has just taken a job and everything is happening very quickly. when we're settled in, i have already made a mental commitment to get back to blogging on a more regular basis. i have goals of making homemade bread weekly and testing exciting treats on husband's new coworkers, as i will no longer have any of my own to share goodies with.

please stick around during this transition. good things are on their way :)

12 weeks with the ultrasound pics

crushed cherry-chocolate ice cream

2009-09-06T18:21:00.003-04:00

fresh cherry ice cream with chocolate chunks

on the day i bought my quilt fabric from joann's, i walked by a shelf of $5 cookbooks. there were tons of them and all featured great pictures and basic recipes. i have to hold back on things like this, because for $5 i could have put them all in my cart. i decided to practice restraint and just pick one. i came across delicious ice cream and looked no further. paging through had my mouth watering and i moved toward the quilting supplies satisfied with my choice.

i can't find the book anywhere online but at qvc, so if you're interested and it's not still available at joann's, here's a link. (boo, it's not $5!)

it was hard to choose which recipe to make first, but i had a bbq to attend and a bag of cherries in my fridge...not much decision had to be made.

crushed cherry-chocolate ice cream (adapted from delicious ice cream)
1/2 c sugar
2/3 c water
1 1/4 c fresh cherries, pitted
2 tbsp orange juice
1 1/4 c heavy cream
2/3 c light cream
1/4 c chopped dark chocolate

1. over medium heat, combine sugar and water, stirring until dissolved
2. bring to boil and boil for 3 minutes
3. reduce heat, add cherries, and simmer for 10 minutes
4. cool for one hour
5. place cherry and syrup mixture and orange juice into food processor, process until coarsely chopped
6. pour heavy and light creams into large bowl and whip until mixture holds its shape
7. fold in crushed cherry mixture
8. add to ice cream maker and follow manufacturers instructions
9. before transferring to freezer container, stir in chocolate chunks

chocolate, cherries, ice cream. yes.

this was tasty! it's truly hard to go wrong with fresh cherries, heavy cream, and chocolate. i think people at the bbq really enjoyed this - it was pretty much gone after dessert. personally, i could have added more cherries and been even happier, but i like a high fruit content in my chunky, fruity ice creams.

i'm excited to try out other recipes from this book. i keep leaning toward a honeycomb ice cream and i'm really not sure why i haven't whipped a batch up yet. then there's champagne sorbet that looks dreamy and true to title, delicious. there are also recipes for traditional sauce toppings. even for the qvc price, i'd recommend this yummy cookbook.

vietnamese pork and noodle salad

2009-08-31T10:42:00.002-04:00

delicious.

i'm still here! i promise...i've just got to get back into the swing of things. and much like the cotton candy cupcakes, this salad is worth the wait. plus, with summer winding down, this is the perfect way to get another grilling session in. i heard from my mom that my hometown (in northern wi) was under frost advisory this morning (yes, it is still august). i suppose their grilling season will come to a close well before mine...

i found this salad while looking through old cooking light magazines. i keep them because i love to review and revisit...and since i had not tried this one when the issue came out, it deserved some attention.

vietnamese caramelized pork and rice noodle salad (adapted from cooking light june 2007)

dressing
3/4 c water
4 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp minced peeled ginger
3/4 tsp sriracha sauce
3 minced garlic cloves

1. combine ingredients in a saucepan
2. cook over medium heat 5 minutes or just until sugar dissolves
3. remove from heat and cool

salad
1 (6-ounce) package rice vermicelli
1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sriracha sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 c thinly sliced red leaf lettuce
1 c matchstick-cut peeled English cucumber
1 c matchstick-cut carrot
1 c bean sprouts (i omitted because i had none)
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
3 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1. place vermicelli in a large bowl
2. cover with boiling water and let stand 20 minutes or until tender
3. drain and rinse under cold water
4. prepare grill
5. cut tenderloin in half lengthwise then in half crosswise
6. place each pork piece between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness
7. combine 2 tsp fish sauce and 1 tsp sriracha and drizzle over pork
8. coat pork evenly with garlic powder, salt, and pepper then pat on brown sugar
9. grill 12 minutes or until slightly pink in center, turning pieces occasionally to prevent burning
10. let stand 5 minutes then cut across grain into very thin slices
11. combine vermicelli, lettuce, and next 6 ingredients (through mint) in a large bowl
12. pour dressing over salad, toss, and top with pork

make it today

it seems long and tedious, but it isn't. it's amazing. the grilled pork is caramelized and just slightly spicy. the salad is refreshing and the dressing brings it all together like whoa. both husband and i ate full platefuls like no tomorrow, all the while singing praises. it should have been obvious, though. you just can't go wrong with pork loin. plus, husband's outstanding track record on the mini grill (leave him alone, neighbors!) left me with no doubt. we'll have this salad again before frost hits our neck of the "woods".

cotton candy cupcakes

2009-08-21T18:52:00.004-04:00

blue, please.

when i purchased the teaberry oil to make ice cream, i snuck in some cotton candy and bubble gum flavors as well. i can't help it; i'm a child at heart with an insatiable sweet tooth. i love candy flavored ice creams and figured both flavors would be perfect. but while thinking for little thank you treats to make for a few friends, i realized ice cream just wouldn't work. as a fall back, i decided on cupcakes.

i had a number of people to thank for watching the dogsons (and upstairs neighbors for moving a TV bigger than me) and it's hard to please everyone with just one flavor. i set out to find a basic chocolate based cupcake and wanted to match that with a white cake counterpart. i wasn't feeling any of the fruity options and then i remember the cotton candy oil. the perfect complement to a rich chocolate cupcake? little white cupcakes flavored slightly and topped with cotton candy buttercream and sugar sprinkles.

i used a really basic recipe after searching for white cakes. i made a few changes to it, so i'm calling this one my own.

cotton candy cupcakes
3/4 c self rising flour
5/8 c all purpose flour
1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 milk
few drops cotton candy oil

1. cream butter and sugar
2. add eggs and beat until combined
3. sift together dry ingredients
4. starting and ending with flours, alternate adding dry ingredients and milk

5. add 1-2 drops cotton candy oil
6. scoop into cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes at 350F

i used large and small liners and watched them carefully. they puff up quite nicely. this recipe made about 15 mini cupcakes and 5-6 regular.

cotton candy buttercream
1 c butter
5-6 c powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp milk
few drops cotton candy oil
blue gel dye

1. cream butter
2. add in powdered sugar and mix until completely combined
3. add in milk until desired consistency
4. carefully add a few drops of cotton candy oil - this is strong, taste test between each few drops
5. add gel until desired color is reached

to frost and decorate, pipe a ring around the outside edge of the cake. gently roll into colored sugar crystals. finish by piping a swirl inside the decorated ring.

best cupcakes in a long time

i'm not kidding, these are worth the wait that you had to endure for this post. the cupcake itself was fabulous, even without frosting. it was like vanilla...but better. if you tasted it alone, i don't think you'd guess cotton candy. you'd guess...perfection? and the frosting! it was straight up cotton candy sugar fest.

i seriously loved these cupcakes. i even put one on a stick for the full cotton candy effect. i shall never be without this flavor again. i can't wait to make cotton candy ice cream.

in case you consider never returning

2009-08-13T20:36:00.003-04:00

i know it's been a long time. i swear i've been so busy. i'm going out of town this weekend but next week i'll be back, i promise! and to entice you...

i've got new, tasty things. things you won't be able to resist.

hi august, i'll be back soon.

2009-08-05T14:58:00.002-04:00

i'm taking a mini break, so bear with me if there aren't any posts for a short bit. mostly it's because i'm too busy hyperventilating that it's already august 2009. hopefully i'll have a quilting update for you after this weekend :)

penne with asparagus, spinach, and bacon

2009-07-26T12:00:00.001-04:00

pasta with goodness

i feel like it's been forever since i've posted a tasty, quick dinner recipe. really, i feel like july has not left me feeling motivated to post. sure, i've been making things...but in the summer i like salads, kabobs and chicken on the grill, and easy foods that take little thought to prepare. so july has been sparse, i'm sorry.

i don't write this blog to show you that i make stuff everyday...i write it hoping that some of the things i make might be worth making to someone else. i also try not to post a picture of something just to include a photo...if the dish doesn't look appetizing, that's all you see. it doesn't matter how good it actually tasted. i hold these standards to other blogs i read and while i'm not a perfect photographer or fantastic in the kitchen or craft room, i want what i post to be "worth" it when i look back.

anyway, just pointing out that i'm not going for quantity, here. i had a moment last week were i felt bad for not posting...but this whole endeavor was for me in the first place and i realized feeling guilty was ridiculous. honestly, i doubt my mom, father-in-law, or thomas cares (and that's whose reading this anyway). ;)

cooking up

this recipe is from cooking light magazine, the june 2007 issue. i keep old magazines because i don't tear out recipes when i make them. i like to go back and preruse old but almost new again material, like this.

penne with asparagus, spinach and bacon (cooking light)
8 oz wheat penne pasta, cooked al dente
2 slices bacon
1/2 c chopped sweet onion
2 cloves garlic, minced (i added this to the recipe)
2 1/2 c asparagus, sliced
1 1/2 c chicken broth (fat free, less sodium)
4 c baby spinach leaves
1/2 c parmesan cheese, divided
back pepper

1. cook bacon in large skillet until crisp
2. remove bacon and crumble
3. add onion and garlic to bacon drippings, saute for one minute
4. add asparagus and broth to pan, bring to a boil
5. reduce heat and simmer until asparagus is crip-tender
6. add pasta, spinach, 1/4 c cheese, and pepper to taste, stir to combine
7. top withbacon and remaining cheese

as noted, i added garlic because i can't imagine a hot pasta dish without it (honestly, i don't really make anything without garlic). i also used frozen asparagus because that's what was in the house.

this is a light, summery pasta dish. sure it's hot and savory, but without a heavy sauce, it's simple and perfect for a quick meal. it takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish and would be as great as a side as it was as my main course.

we made it 2 years!

2009-07-25T15:39:00.003-04:00

husband made

this july marks the second year of my marriage to husband. while i'm a few days late in the post (it was july 21), i wanted to show you his craft work again this year.

if you remember, last year he made me a vase from paper - the traditional 1st anniversary gift. he decided to continue the tradition an carefully wrapped cotton fabric to create this year's functional work of art. of course he filled it with some flowers that were in my wedding bouquet because that who he is...he doesn't forget dates or important things.

he also got me these necklaces i've been lusting after. they are "swallowed" and "tree of life" from charmed and dangerous. i know there were some shipping issues due to google check-out and the company, but i'd still recommend them (i would give a glorious review had they ponied up to fix the mistake) because the jewelry is cute and reasonably priced.

traditional and modern

he completed the gift trifecta with the sugar and creamer set to our china, the modern gift for a second anniversary. i love them and can't wait for future tea parties.

i'm not mentioning what i got him because it's so not worthy of a place in this post of wonderful. regardless, happy anniversary husband! we made it two years :)

first quilt: part 1

2009-07-19T12:33:00.002-04:00

fabric!

i've mentioned here that i have a degree in clothing design. so, yes, i know how to sew, i can make my own clothes (i don't), i have experience with textiles of all sorts. i spent a good amount of my time in college and prior just thinking about fabric, clothes, and making stuff. but one thing i've never done? quilt. so i decided that i'd make one this summer.

i love lofty, worn-in, light-weight quilts. i love to cuddle up in them or lay them out at the park; it's a basic comfort that everyone should have...but i don't have any right now. my only remedy to this was to figure out how to put one together and then wash it 10 times to wear it in. i'll write a few posts so you can follow along and see how it goes...

250+ squares cut

when i saw that joann's was having a quarter sale, it was the only push i needed to go pick out some simple fabrics and the rest of the quilting supplies i'd need. they don't have a great selection if you aren't into neon fabrics, so i picked as best i could and ended up with a pink floral, pink polka dots, blue floral, blue stripe, yellow floral, and yellow dots. because it's my very first quilt, i didn't feel like paying the big money for designer fabrics, but if this one tuns out...i'm in trouble.

i'm not following a pattern, a book, or any instructions. i'm making it up as i go based on what i know about sewing and what i've briefly skimmed about quilting.

basic first steps:
1. wash all fabric to shrink and hopefully bleed out
2. iron, iron, and iron (it's a lot of ironing)
3. trim quarters to get straight egdes
4. measure blocks and use a rotary blade to cut uniform squares
5. arrange squares randomly to create rows until desired size

laid out across my floor

this is how far i am. ive got the prep and plans done - the quilt is arranged and i just need to get to sewing. my squares are 5.25 x 5.25" and i think i've got 11 across by 14 down, so it will be about 55 x 70" finished. just seeing it laid out got me excited. i can't wait to drag it outside on the lawn or wrap up on the couch with a good book.

stay tuned for part 2 when i start to sew square after square to complete to quilt top.

pork dumplings

2009-07-14T10:41:00.006-04:00

uncooked pork dumplings

my friend helen makes amazing food. she bakes like nobody's business (like, every night...or mornings before she gets into work) and the lady can cook-lah. she's introduced me, in one way or another, to so many foods, some of which i will never eat again (i'm talking about you, salty sour plum candy of death), some that i will never try (fish eyes come to mind), and some that she is currently teaching me how to make because i liked them so much.

her pork dumplings are one of those things. she's always claimed they are easy and she's even taught mini courses to her residents - asian wrap parties! so we made a play date, husband and me, to go to her house and learn the art of dumpling wrapping.

for those in the blogosphere, we happened to do this on the same weekend that the "daring cooks" brought dumplings to the table...but these do not follow that recipe and i had no idea it was taking place...i was actually a little bummed to see them all over the next day. i've waited for weeks to post, hoping people might actually want to see dumplings again.

helen's hands demonstrating the process

pork dumplings (courtesy of my chicken sister* helen)

2 packages dumpling wrappers (ours came 50 to a pack)
1 lb ground pork ( or a little more)
1 whole head nappa cabbage, finely chopped/water squeezed
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
5-6 reconstituted shitake mushrooms, finely chopped
1 pack glass noodles, softened in hot water/cut
2 inches ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 tbsp sesame oil (about)
1/4 c soy sauce (more, to taste)
1-2 tbsp hot chili paste

salt and pepper to taste

combine all ingredients except wrappers and mix fully (by hand works best - meat should be slighted colored by soy sauce)

assembling dumplings:

1. take one dumpling wrapper and slightly stretch it
2. lay it flat in your palm and using your other hand, drop 1-2 tbsp pork mixture into the center
3. dip your free index finger into a bowl of water and wet the entire edge of the wrapper
4. gently fold the dumpling in half without pressing the seam
5. pinch the center front and fold it down, pressing to close the sides together at the center edge
6. pinch another fold just right of the middle, again pressing to the other side to seal
7. continue pinching, folding and pressing to complete the right side
8. repeat the process, folding in toward the middle, on the left side
9. firmly seal the outside corners and slightly curve the dumpling into a crescent

assembled. note husband's, 4 back in the right row ;)

to boil:
1. drop dumplings into boiling water
2. allow to cook until translucent and floating
3. drain and serve

to fry (pot stickers, literally):
1. heat oil over medium flame in a large saute pan
2. carefully line the pan with dumplings, do not overlap
3. cook until crisp but not burned
4. pour in 1/4- 1/2 c water (this results in lots of spitting and steam, careful!) and cover
5. allow to steam thoroughly, then remove from pan

to freeze:
1. line a baking sheet with parchment
2. place dumplings onto sheet, seperated so they are not touching
3. flash freeze for about 30 minutes, then drop into freezer bags for storage
4. to eat, boil or pan fry from frozen state

boiled, top left. all others fried.

it's good to make just one at first and toss it in to boil. since you can't sample the raw meat to adjust for taste, try a bite cooked and make sure you've got enough soy sauce in the mixture before you go making 100. you'll have dipping sauce, sure, but it's good to have the filling full of flavor. helen mentioned her mom also adds a cracked egg to the meat mixture. we didn't, but you certainly could.

yum. dinner for days.

we actually made double this recipe, so 200. enough for us to eat dinner while we continued to wrap, plus 2 one-gallon bags of frozen dumplings, 1 for both helen's house and mine. we dipped them into bowls of soy sauce and sesame oil. for a spicy version, we had a bowl with chili paste added, as well.

fried are better (of course!), but boiled are excellent too. husband and i have had multiple quick meal nights of asian cucumber salad and dumplings both ways and we have since plowed through our bag of frozen dumplings. they.are.good. it's worth it to make them at home, going the quick route with the pre-made dough, but spending time wrapping and chatting. it's also so inexpensive. it probably costs $10 for 100 dumplings...something a restaurant just cannot offer.

i can't wait until next time...korean sushi is at the top of my list. i eat that stuff roll after roll and helen's is the best!

*helen is my chicken sister because we competed with husband and my boss in a chicken wing eating contest. it was hilarious and horrible and disgusting. i love wings, but not when i'm racing to down dry, cold ones at fast as possible. we did not win...

pink teaberry ice cream

2009-07-06T14:59:00.004-04:00

it's pink!

if there's one thing i've always loved, it's wintergreen. i grew up chewing those leaves from the wild and if i'm picking minty gum or lifesavers, it's wintergreen flavor above all others. it's no surprise to me, then, that i love teaberry ice cream as much as i do. unfortunately, i've never had it from the store and never been able to find a retailer or ice cream shop outside of PA that carries it. truth be told, i've had it only a dozen or so times on childhood drives to my mom's hometown. but it's a lasting flavor and the memory of it keeps me searching the internet for a local source.

i'm not kidding. i've asked my grocers for a special shipment of the hershey's variety - i swear i'd buy it all if they couldn't sell it to others. if you've never had it, i promise you're missing out. it's a magical pink, with wintergreen flavor, cold and weird and slightly like those pink lozenges (you know, they're 2 for $1, cello bag with a red crinkly label...powdery and chalky and so wintergreeny). so imagine my surprise when, in searching for cotton candy and bubblegum ice cream flavorings (these you just can't whip up with regular ingredients), i came across this teaberry candy oil. you better believe i ponied up the cash for shipping (which is more than the oil itself) and placed an order seconds after finding it.

it's teaberry!

i wanted to make the most basic ice cream base to add in the flavoring and after searching, i came up with a very small batch recipe for testing purposes.

teaberry ice cream

3/4 c whole milk

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c heavy cream

2-3 drops teaberry candy oil (this is potent!)
2-3 drops pink gel color

1. stir sugar into milk until dissolved
2. add in heavy cream and whip slightly
3. add flavor and color, stir to combine
4. pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer instructions

the dream that you wish will come true...

and there it was. in my house! my very own homemade teaberry ice cream. i had high, high hopes. full disclosure: i was slightly disappointed. this is not the hershey's teaberry from the roadside shoppe. it's very wintergreeny and possibly a little oily/soapy. maybe i put in too much? it wasn't as though my tongue or throat was on fire that way other strong oils/alcohols tend to cause and i can't imagine that using less would make much of a difference. it wasn't bad and i ate the whole batch, but it was missing something. something that makes it more candy like.

i'm not giving up (i can't, i have an entire bottle to use up) and will continue to adapt this recipe. if only hershey's would release their secret! hershey's...you reading this? there is demand! please supply!

caprese skewers

2009-07-02T14:59:00.002-04:00

quick and easy

we don't have a garden this year and the very worst part about that is not having an unlimited supply of basil and tiny tomatoes (lord knows we didn't get a decent beefsteak out of that garden). turns out, it is much cheaper to use basil at your leisure when you grow it yourself (i, of course, knew this...but maybe someone doesn't?). this is important because it directly relates to me having to purchase baby tomatoes and basil this summer and for this recipe specifically. i don't have a choice, so i do it...but i had to pout just a bit.

for these simple skewers, you're going to need access to (via garden, farmers market, or the grocery store) some basil and tomatoes, plus tiny mozzarella cheese balls called bocconcini and just a bit of balsamic vinegar. you can make them on toothpicks, party picks, bamboo skewers or whatever floats your caprese boat.

to assemble, thread on at least one grape/cherry tomato, one mozz ball, and one basil leaf - you can do patterns or get fancy if you'd like. to finish, drizzle them with balsamic vinegar and a good shake each of salt and pepper.

perfect for a bbq or gathering for the 4th!

"thinking of you" swallow card

2009-06-28T12:40:00.004-04:00

i designed this card to send my dear grandmother a bit over a week ago. i've been thinking about her everyday since my grandpa passed away in early may and this past week would have been his birthday. she is such a strong, inspirational woman and she's doing well despite challenging times. i'm lucky to have her and i'll send a card any day of the week to tell her that.

the details: i drew the blue swallow in illustrator and added a layer with a blurred fill overlay. i added some simple branch inspired scrolls and an anchor of orange dots which both have basic pattern distressing. the card was printed on heavy white stock with a matching envelope lined in goldenrod.

nutella filled ebelskiver

2009-06-25T09:47:00.007-04:00

nutella filled ebelskiver

in addition to my ice cream maker, husband also got me a new pan for my birthday in may. i have wanted this pan for a while and once he saw it, i'm sure he was happy to give it to me. buttery, filled, pancake-like balls of goodness can hardly be considered a bad birthday gift for the giver...even if it mean the recipient has to cook.

to go with my ebelskiver pan, he also included the great scandinavian baking book by beatrice ojakangas . it is filled with traditional recipes and i think you must bathe in butter before making any of them. i'm pretty certain it says that in the foreword.

mini muffin scooper for the assist

so if you haven't figured it out, this pan makes something close to little, round pancakes. they are fluffy and light and it's because the batter starts out with whipped egg white folded into the rest of the ingredients. to be honest, i've never made pancake batter from scratch. i hate bisquick, so i use bob's red mill varieties. it might be possible that all homemade from scratch pancake recipes have a meringue-like base, and in that case, they're probably fluffy, too.

where. it's. at.

nutella filled ebelskiver (adapted slightly from the great scandinavian baking book)

1 c milk

1/2 c melted butter

3 eggs, separated

2 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 c all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

nutella (amount varies by preference, and by how much you sample while assembling)

1. heat milk to lukewarm

2. whisk in the butter, egg yolks, and sugar

3. turn into a bowl and add the flour and baking powder, whisking until blended and no lumps remain

4. whip egg whites until stiff and fold into mixture

5. heat pan over medium high heat until a drop of water sizzles when dripped onto the pan

6. put 1/2 tsp of butter into each indentation (here i used nonstick spray, because that's too much butter)

7. spoon in 1 tablespoon of the batter and let it cook for 30 seconds.

8. drop about 1 teaspoon of nutella into the center and top with more batter to cover

9. when the bottoms are browned, turn the cakes over and cook on that side until browned

10. remove from pan and place on serving plate

flipping

i made the first batch and at first i was all flustered. hot pan, lots of drippy batter, nutella everywhere. but the pan makes things as simple as can be. we used chopsticks to flip and you cannot mess up because once you turn them, the shape is automatic. husband tried his hand at turning and found it to be easy and fun. i believe he was also more generous with the nutella...surprise, surprise.

and oh. mah. gah. this "breakfast" turned into lunch and snack. it made 1 million (or 4 batches) and they were irresistible. somewhere about 12 in, husband removed the plate from my general vicinity because i must have been visibly sick looking. tiny, fluffy pancakes filled with the spread of the gods. they needed no syrup, no powdered sugar, no utensils.

i tagged them here as both "real food" and "dessert" because it's hard to choose. i can see them served at a brunch because they're so easy to make and eat. traditionally, you make them with applesauce, which i can see as somewhat appealing. we tried a few with berries and they required a bit more cooking time, but were tasty. i imagined putting a candy bar or a square of caramel filled chocolate inside and then serving with ice cream for dessert. there is no wrong way.

if this doesn't make you want to rush out and get an ebelskiver pan, then we might have a problem...

orange mango gelato

2009-06-18T14:25:00.007-04:00

creamy, dreamy orange mango gelato

i love mangoes. i love gelato. i love dreamsicles (we called them that, but they are also known as orange creamsicles). i wanted to combine some of these favorites into one tasty dessert and just happened to come across something along those lines at sweet pea patisserie, adapted from a cooking light recipe.

this might not be true gelato, you can read up on that if you'd like...but it's ice cream with fruit and juice, less milky and thus more like gelato than sorbet or even sherbet.

i have further adapted from the recipe linked above and the one listed below is what i used.

orange mango gelato (adapted from cooking light, via sweet pea patisserie)
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c water
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cut
1 c orange juice, pulp free or strained
2 c half and half

1. combine water and sugar over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves to make a simple syrup
2. combine the slightly cooled syrup and cut mango chunks in a blender and blend until smooth
3. into a large bowl, pour through a sieve to remove pulp
4. add orange juice and half and half and chill for a few hours
5. pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturers instructions

so good. and how adorable is that little bowl/measuring cup from anthro?

this was just as i'd hoped. strong mango flavor, slightly sweet and orangey, nice and creamy. i had tsquared over for one last hurrah and we enjoyed this and world of goo on the wii...it was perfect! even better, it still tasted good the next few days thanks to my freezer safe, air tight storage container. i can't wait until i can fit into my pants again; when i do, i'll start this cycle of making a batch ice cream every week until they (the pants) don't zip anymore. and repeat! thanks, husband, for making my life better yet more difficult, one KA attachment at a time.

food, food, food

2009-06-15T16:21:00.004-04:00

it seems like all i do is post about food. where are my crafts? all the fun outside the kitchen? i'm taking time to evaluate that...i miss design and making things with my hands that aren't slimy or sticky... so for now, here are two pictures i took in april at the conservatory.

crockpot carnitas

2009-06-10T17:41:00.004-04:00

tasty pork tacos

i was reading up on paul's blog about all these tasty mexican foods he was eating and i got a little jealous. you just can't find good mexican food in this city. if you want pierogies, salads or sandwiches with french fries in them, or some good kielbasa, then you'll be happy...mediterranean, italian, indian, thai...it's all here. but fresh pulled pork or real, homemade tortillas? none! and i was craving the real deal. i've been to mexico and have had it, and it's not going be on the drive-thru menu at taco bell (which closed down anyway so i can't even get my late night fix of that).

mmm. go meat. (i love hillshire farms commercials)

being that i am not from mexico and know of no authentic recipes or local resources, i searched online at various sites for one that didn't include beer, rootbeer or a variety of other substances i just couldn't get down with. this is an adaptation of many recipes combined and i am calling it my own.

crockpot carnitas
1 pork tenderloin (no idea how much ours weighed, oopsies...i do know it was a third of whole big one)
1 medium sliced onion
2 cloves garlic cut into quarters
3-4 c chicken broth (depending on size of meat)
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp lime juice
salt and pepper

1. rub pork with dry spices
2. make a bed of onions and garlic on the bottom of the crockpot and put pork on top
3. pour in chicken broth and lime juice
4. add pepper and a generous amount of salt
5. cook on low for 8 hours (if it looks dry, add a bit more liquid)
6. when tender, use two forks to pull apart
(i ended up adding a little more salt after i pulled it because i like it juicy and salty)

must-have accompaniments

we used small corn tortillas (store bought, but so much better than wheat), lime wedges, avocado, and cilantro for one dinner...then switched it up with cheese, tomatoes, and avocado another day. this makes a good amount of meat and we were able to eat many plates of tacos before we polished it off a few days later.

extreme closeup

omg. i could eat this everyday for the rest of my life. so easy (husband prepped this in the morning while i was at work and i finished it when i came home), smells amazing, and tastes even better. it's very versatile and good for crowds (bulk meat is cheaper!). it was even better day two when the meat had a chance to sit overnight in its juices. i wish i had better pictures (they were all so blurry, sorry!), but just thinking about it makes me...mmm...i want to go to there.

"three" chile shrimp with corn relish

2009-06-04T14:14:00.002-04:00

spicy, caramelized shrimp atop a sweet corn relish

in my quest to eat better for summer, healthier and with "purpose" (like, planning a meal or two in advance in my spare time), i browsed a bit online for new recipes. my go-to for quick, easy meals is cooking light. i used to get the magazine and loved paging through it every month, flagging a recipe on every few pages. it's not that they have the most flavorful, best recipes out there, but they do a pretty good job of providing healthy alternatives and recipes that don't require too many ingredients. that's nice when i don't feel like spending an arm and a leg on a wide variety of groceries but i want more than cereal or pasta for dinner.

this simple recipe for three-chile shrimp and corn relish was just the ticket. we already had a large bag of frozen, raw shrimp, which is pretty much a staple in our house, as well as most of the pantry ingredients. the only thing i switched was the chipotle chile powder...for $8 a jar, i'll stick with my other two chile powders, thankyouverymuch. i subbed cumin in because i love it and i had it on hand.

three-chile shrimp and corn relish (cooking light)

3 1/2 tsp sugar, divided
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ancho chile powder
1/4 tsp chipotle chile powder (here i used 1 tsp cumin)
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 1/2 lbs peeled and deveined shrimp
5 tsp olive oil, divided
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 c chopped red bell pepper
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced ginger
1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn
1 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 c chopped green onions

1. combine 2 tsp sugar, spices, and 1/4 tsp salt and add shrimp to spice mixture; toss to coat
2. heat 1 tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat
3. add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger to pan and sauté 3 minutes
4. add remaining 1 1/2 tsp sugar and corn to pan and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally
5. stir in vinegar and cook 30 seconds
6. transfer corn mixture to a bowl, stir in remaining 1/4 tsp salt and green onions
7. wipe pan with a paper towel and heat remaining 2 tsp oil in pan over medium-high heat
8. add shrimp to pan and sauté 3 minutes or until done, turning once
9. serve over corn relish

sizzling shrimps

such a nice change from always having a starchy side (and yes, i know what corn is) paired with protein...this was light and fresh. the shrimp was just spicy enough and had caramelized from the sugar. this may be because i used cumin in placed of the third chile powder, but either way it was just right. the corn relish was sweet and tangy, perfect for summer. i imagine the shrimp would be great on skewers over the grill and the relish can be served warm, room temperature, or even cold. delicious!

yum-ski!

amaretti cookies

2009-06-01T16:16:00.003-04:00

who knew PW's 70s action worked for cookies?

if i were to decide to move in with someone, not my husband, and take my friend-la helen along, i know where we would both go. to the tiny (i guess?) kitchen of the smitten variety. i believe helen has made 4 smitten kitchen recipes in the last week, and i've made my share over the course of the year as well. you just can't resist her delicious photos and recipes. i doubt this plug will be much of a traffic push for her because she gets 1000 comments a day it seems, but yeah, here's my tiny blog shout out to the SK :)

the simple process from start to almost finish

on to cookies. i saw these cookies a few months ago and decided that when my mom visited (yes, also a few months ago), we would make them together. i've never made a piped cookie and i have no reason to go gluten free (and, to be technical, my almond paste was not gluten free), but the short list of ingredients and the adorableness that is small sandwich cookies seemed like reason enough.

they really were a cinch to put together. i've linked the recipe above, but the pictures pretty much show how everything works. i piped and mom tamped down each little curl to make flat, even cookies. they were good straight out of the oven, just like that.

but the finishing touch is filling the cookies. mom and i did raspberry preserves and chocolate ganache. some were all raspberry, some were all chocolate, and then, to be daring, we took a cookie with raspberry and sandwiched it with a chocolate covered cookie. the ultimate chewy, fruity, chocolaty cookie sandwich.

oopsies...i ate this one.

they were so tasty! chewy indeed, with amazing almond flavor. i brought them to work and people polished off the whole bag in under an hour. i don't like marzipan (i once was fooled by an adorable piece of miniature candy fruit, i took one bite and gagged it down...but blegh, did.not.want.), but these have a light texture with a flavor even marzipan haters can enjoy.

barely homemade pretzel dogs

2009-05-29T10:53:00.003-04:00

fancy food

i was at the outlet mall a while ago and we got hungry enough to eat at the food court. choices included a $5 footlong, pizza, pretend panda, and a pretzel shop... i wanted a hot dog. when i saw the pretzel dog sign, it was an obvious yes. so good and buttery and salty. i could have eaten two. but i was saving up for fresh kettle corn (mom luckily got the last bag) so i just had one. it left me wanting more. not in the sense that i was hoping for something better, but that literally, i wanted to have them for dinner for the next week, possibly for the rest of my life. (exaggeration, but it was good.)

back at home, weeks later, i was still pining over the pretzel dog. i remembered a bag of pretzel mix my parents had purchased for me and immediately went out for hot dogs. "homemade" pretzel dogs for dinner on a weeknight with no mall walking excuses seemed so wrong, and yet so, so right.

wrapping the franks

i mixed up the dough (cannot remember the ingredients, but you can find mixes in the store or you really can make your own) and let it rise. then i rolled it out into long, thin ropes and wrapped each hot dog from end to end. i coated them with the instructed baking soda/water wash (you'd dip whole pretzels in this, i guess), added the included salt, and baked until golden. sandra lee, watch out.

pretzel shop dogs do not come on a white platter

unfortunately, i did not douse them in 2 lbs of butter and they just didn't have the same taste as the pretzel shop dogs. they weren't bad, but the dough was much thicker and and the hot dog got a litle lost. i still enjoyed this unhealthy, non-nutricious dinner. i'd like to try again because i've been wanting to make my own dough anyway. and when i do it, i'm going to go hog wild and add the butter. it's just not worth it without.

this fancy food post is brought to you by the end of may and my desire to post to summery foods and better pictures...so i have to get up all the wintery/dated stuff before it's too late.

strawberry frozen yogurt

2009-05-24T11:07:00.003-04:00

fruity and refreshing strawberry fro-yo

i don't think i can have ice cream everyday. i've made that decision following a few really excellent recipes that came out of the KA attachment...and that this seems really counterproductive to my goals with the 3o day shred. so my solution to this predicament was to test out a few "healthier" options...things i could tell myself were ok to eat after my workout with jillian.

out came frozen yogurt! it's healthier than ice cream and this particular version has fresh fruit. it's also another recipe from david lebovitz, who i'm guessing is a go-to guy for all things ice cream, among other foods.

strawberry frozen yogurt (david lebovitz)
1 pound strawberries, rinsed and hulled
2/3 c sugar
1 c plain, whole milk yogurt
1 tsp lemon juice

1. slice strawberries into small pieces
2.toss in a bowl with sugar until the sugar begins to dissolve
3. cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, stirring every so often.
4. transfer strawberries and their juice to a blender or food processor
5. add yogurt and lemon juice and pulse machine until the mixture is almost smooth
(if you wish, press mixture through a mesh strainer to remove seeds.)
6. chill for 1 hour, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions

real strawberries + plain yogurt = frozen goodness

and oh my, was it ever delicious. it isn't like store bought frozen yogurt, where you've really got to convince yourself it tastes "just as good" as ice cream. i was surprised by how pink and "strawberry-y" this was. you know when you eat a strawberry candy and the flavor is so strong it seems (is?) fake...well this was similar in a fantastic way. perhaps candy makers have figured out the strawberry flavor. after every bite i had to tell myself, no, no, it was just strawberries, sugar and yogurt...no flavorings, no colorings.

i omitted from the recipe above david lebovitz's suggestion to add a bit of vodka, but i think i'll try this next time. it's not for flavor, but to keep the mixture from freezing solid. this wasn't as soft and creamy days 2 and 3 partly due to my keeping it in a bowl with saran wrap (i have since purchased freezer containers) and partly because it had completely froze and letting it melt a bit only resulted in a somewhat crystallized texture. this was completely my fault and i do not blame the original recipe.

goat cheese and sun-dried tomato stuffed chicken

2009-05-22T11:55:00.004-04:00

it's not easy to make chicken look appetizing in pictures

if you're looking for something quick and easy to make with those recently featured roasted baby artichokes, try this simple chicken recipe. as i had said before, sometimes i have no plans made up for dinner and have to pick around the fridge and pantry until i find compatible ingredients. i'm not much of a casserole person and i don't like using leftovers to make a new dish, so it's hard for me to throw a bunch of things together and eat it for dinner...but i keep a few staples on hand for this reason. things like sun-dried tomatoes in oil, frozen chicken breasts, and panko are always at my disposal and this time, i just happened to have the end of a sleeve of goat cheese, too.

it's been a while since i posted raw meat. 'twas time.

goat cheese and sun-dried tomato stuffed chicken breasts
2 chicken breasts
2 tbsp or so goat cheese
1 tbsp chopped sun-dried tomato
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c panko
salt and pepper

1. mix goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and a bit of salt and pepper
2. pound chicken slightly to even out and make a slice in the side, careful not to break through
3. stuff half the goat cheese mixture inside each breast
4. add salt and pepper to beaten egg and dip chicken in to coat
5. cover all sides with panko
6. bake at 375F for about 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink

could have browned a bit more, but i was starving

simple, easy, and tasty. the flavors really seep into the meat and it's always nice to cut into stuffed chicken and see the goodness. a great throw-together dish when you just can't think of anything more complex.

very hungry caterpillar & 100 cupcake bites

2009-05-19T15:10:00.006-04:00

eric carle's very hungry caterpillar joins 100 cupcake bites for a birthday party!

after bringing my first round of cupcake bites into work a few months ago, one of my coworkers loved them so much she decided to have them at her son's 2nd birthday party. after telling her how easy they were to make, she decided she wanted me to to do them for her. of course i agreed and we started brainstorming about the party and how we could work them in.

her son's favorite book is eric carle's brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? (with bill martin jr.), so she wanted to incorporate that into the theme. i did her invitations (brown bear, brown bear, i see owen's 2nd birthday party!) but didn't figure a bunch of chocolate/chocolate cupcake bites would be all that interesting to a bunch of mini-people...so we broadened the scope and used the colorful book the very hungry caterpillar as inspiration for the smash cake and cupcake bites.

so i made up 2 boxes of cake (technicality alert: husband actually made one of the cakes) and got to work. for the smash cake, i added the batter two small ramekins and i wanted a pure white background on which to decorate, i used a whipped white frosting. everything is easier when it's smaller, and making a layer cake is no exception. ramekin cakes have been the easiest yet for me to stack and frost. i crumb coated and froze until chilled and firm, then added the real frosting layer before setting out on the caterpillar design.

i had no real plan...just looked up a picture, mixed some blue and green frosting and added it to a grass-tipped piping bag. i freehanded the body and used a red candy melt for the head. i finished him with eyes made of yellow candies dipped in green frosting and drew on some feet and antennae with melted chocolate from a squeeze bottle. so adorable!

but the job was not complete. oh no, not at all. i had 100 cupcake bites to work on! thankfully i have a very helpful live-in sous chef (husband) who happily (i'm sure) mixed up the cake and cream cheese frosting, formed the balls, and filled all of the molds for me. rightfully, he can take credit for making half of this project. and as with the last set of cupcake bites, i carefully hand dipped each cupcake into melted colored candy to evenly coat the top. basic, kid-pleasing sprinkles for each one and yay, done!

white & chocolate bases with red, yellow, green and blue tops as far as the eye can see.

so i took 100+ cupcake bites and a smash cake into work and let me tell you. i don't know if i could do this baking for events thing as afull time endeavor. i was so scared the cake would topple and was nervous about the rain melting my cupcake bites...it was stressful. i would definately make this many again but i'll need to have a stiff drink before delivery to calm my nerves.

all was better when i heard that everything was a hit at the party. adults and kids alike devoured bite after bite. i'm not sure the mini cake was smashed, but i'm hoping everyone could recognize the familiar character. happy belated 2nd birthday, owen!

roasted baby artichokes

2009-05-16T15:48:00.004-04:00

little mini roasted artichokes

while recently wandering the produce section of the grocery store, looking for inspiration beyond salad fixings, i came across a package of baby artichokes. you know me and miniature things...i couldn't resist. i had no specific plans for them, so i waited until i had no ideas for dinner that week to make some magic happen.

i thought about boiling or even microwaving them, but decided to try out something new - roasting them. of course i'm not new to roasting...but i hadn't really heard of roasted artichoke before. i'm sure it's been done, but not by me, so i made it up as i went along. as with most roasted vegetables, the recipe is more a guide.

because these were small, i didn't trim them much. normally i'd snip the sharp points of leaves, but this time i only cut the base off and removed the outermost, tougher petals.

roasted baby artichokes
6 small artichokes
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

1. trim the base and outer leaves off each artichoke and slice in half
2. lay halves face up on a baking sheet
3. brush liberally with oil and season generously with salt & pepper
4. roast at 375-400F for about 10 minutes
5. turn halves upside down (leaves up) and return to oven until deep in color
6. to eat, hold the top petals and bite out the heart and softer inside leaves

these didn't take very long to crisp up and i didn't really time them in the oven so much as watch for the right color. i bet they'd be fabulous with parmesan cheese (mmm, and/or a little butter). i served them warm and husband and i devoured all 6 at one meal. a very good, different take on artichokes.

vietnamese coffee ice cream

2009-05-11T19:31:00.008-04:00

vietnamese coffee ice cream with chocolate chunks

well that didn't take long! just one day into owning the kitchen aid ice cream attachment and i had to make something. i had been eying david lebovitz recipes because i hear he knows whats up when it comes to homemade ice cream. when i found one without an egg/custard like base in a coffee flavor, it was decided.

the shiny, frozen new toy

the basic recipe is just like a vietnamese coffee, with thick, syrupy condensed milk and strong coffee flavor. for fun, and because who can resist chocolate?, i added chunks of dark chocolate to the batter.

vietnamese coffee ice cream (david lebovitz "perfect scoop")

1 c sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 c water
1/2 c + 1 tbsp dark roast ground coffee, divided
1/3 c whole milk

1. brew a strong coffee with 1 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of ground coffee - use 1 cup brewed (i used a french press)
2. whisk together condensed milk, brewed coffee, milk and ground coffee
3. chill the mixture thoroughly
4. freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions

whirring and freezing

using the attachment was easy. the instructions show you how to adapt the same freezer bowl for many of the models and i got it set up in no time. after i turned it to stir (STIR, no higher. ok?) i poured in the liquid batter. 10 minutes went by and just the outsides touching the bowl were frozen. 10 more minutes and there was a thicker consistency, but more like a shake than ice cream. 8 minutes later i added the chocolate chunks. after a full 3o minutes at the mixer, i removed the batter-turned-soft serve and put it back into the freezer in a separate bowl to freeze firm.

first batch of ice cream from the birthday gift

i made this to take to a bbq we were attending and unfortunately the frozen mixture was no match for my lap during the ride over. i put it back in the freezer at out hosts' home, but even after 2 hours, it was still only somewhat firm. no matter, we used a tiny scoop and served up spoonfuls to guests. people seemed to enjoy it, even a bit melty.

the next day, having reserved a bit for photos, i got to taste the frozen specimen. delicious! very strong coffee flavor, but sweet just like a vietnamese coffee drink is. i love the crunchy bits of ground coffee (which i know some people would omit due to texture) and of course, coffee+chocolate=heaven. this is a quick, easy recipe and i encourage anyone with an ice cream maker to try it out. i imagine i will make it again this summer as coffee ice cream is one of my favorite flavors. but, oh, there are so many to try...and i've already made another frozen treat. can't wait to show you!

cupcake bites

2009-05-09T16:22:00.003-04:00

cupcake bites

to clear one thing up: i did not make these for my birthday. i don't want anyone thinking husband sat in the kitchen watching me work on my own birthday treats...oh no, these are from before easter, actually! i told you, i've got posts to catch up on.

of course you've seen these on bakerella. if you haven't, then you live under a rock. ok, possibly not, but if you frequent food blogs, you must have seen what that girl can do with cake balls. i've made and posted about them here before, but this was my first attempt at the cupcake bite, a miniature "cupcake" coated with chocolate and candy melts.

necessary supplies.

you start by making a batch of cake balls. simply, that's a baked boxed caked crumbled with 1/2 to 3/4 can of frosting. your choice, but cream cheese frosting seems to work best. (i used a "buttercream" with these ones and i wouldn't recommend it - they leaked a little oil from the "butter" in the frosting.) once incorporated, you roll the mixture into small balls, pop them on a cookie sheet and throw them in the fridge or freezer until firm.

then, melt some chocolate of candy wafers in a plastic squeeze bottle. into a peanut butter cup mold, fill each spot about 1/2 full and place a ball into each one. let them harden and carefully extract them from the mold. then, dip them into melted wafers just to the edge of the molded chocolate bottom. flip them upright and allow the candy coating to smooth out (thanks, gravity!) if you'd like, sprinkle with jimmies or nonpareils like a cupcake.

start to finish

these are quite simple, but labor intensive. not hard, no, but be prepared to spend some time if you're making a whole box of cake's worth. it's between 45 and 55 balls! avoid touching them as much as possible, as the hardened outside will melt if you over handle them. you can find all of the supplies at craft stores the whole thing costs next to nothing to do.

and yeah, they are good. there's a perfect ratio of cake to frosting to reach to keep them from being mushy and they are best, in my opinion, fresh out of the fridge. you can't help but eat one, two, three and oops that was a piece of cake right there. i suggest making them to take somewhere, or you will find yourself consuming a box of cake and a can of frosting quite quickly (because c'mon, even if you didn't use the whole can in the mixture, you have since put it on cookies, waffles, a spoon, etc. and suddenly it's gone..right?). that did not happen here, because i purposely made them to take to work, as i do with many things. don't worry, husband sampled plenty and there was even enough for him to take to his own graduate student cohorts. i hear they enjoyed them, too. :)

happy birthday!

2009-05-07T16:36:00.004-04:00

yep, it's my birthday today! i've already opened something excellent from husband - a kitchen aid ice cream attachment! summer 2009 is going to be filled with homemade frozen treats and i can't wait!

but the peacock card design isn't for me, actually. i drew it for my bffrose and fellow taurus, tsquared, who celebrated his birthday this past weekend. it's so fitting for him and i'm quite please with how it turned out. i printed it on a sheet of stock with an opal iridescent border and stuck the it to a piece of pretty turquoise paper for signatures and well wishes from the coworkers. it's been awhile since i've done any hand "drawing" and man alive do i love my tablet. i've got to get back on that thing!

oh hai. it's may!

2009-05-05T13:01:00.003-04:00

oops. i've been busy and out of town and have neglected my blog. but i've got so many things ready to post, it's unbelievable. plus, i spoiled you in april with 11 posts instead of the normal 7 or 8. but i'm ready to get back on track. starting with, um, this here post of fancy pictures i took. i'm taking liberty with the "alauna makes" title and deem these photos "made" by me.

i took these at the local conservatory in the orchid room. it was a great day for natural light and i like how everything turned out. i did some minor photshop tweaking on them and altered the very last one more significantly. i also tagged them because while they're not fantastic, i wouldn't want to see them used elsewhere without credit. that's not been my style because well, i'm not a photographer and i really can't imagine pictures from this blog ending up anywhere else. but these, maybe.

so yeah. pictures! stay tuned for a variety of adorable and interesting things. promise! andplusalso, happy cinco de mayo, in which margaritas are had by many a folk without the slightest clue as to why. and can you blame them? uh, well, yeah...but margaritas for all!

a winner!

2009-04-26T18:07:00.004-04:00

who won?

the contest is over! thanks so much to the 31 people who responded...i think red velvet was the overall favorite upon first glance. i appreciate all of the kind words - you all are so sweet :)

now...to the winner! i plugged in the 31 entries into the random.org number generator and:

congrats to kelsey from apple a day! she loves red velvet, like so many of you...i hope she loves the package of goodies just as much :) kelsey, please email me at alaunapeterson at gmail dot com to let me know what color magnet set you'd like and where i can ship the prize to.

thank you again, everyone, for entering and for reading my blog. i hope you'll continue to stop by! here's to 100 more posts (picture glass of white sangria in my hand, raised to whatever it is you've got).

100th post giveaway!!

2009-04-23T18:24:00.003-04:00

win me!

you read right...this is my 100th blog post! i was so excited to see the numbers creeping up, i decided to share the fun and give something away to my readers. i know of at least a handful of people checking my blog fairly often...and i see those of you just popping in and out...everyone is welcome!

this fun little set of goodies is part handmade (this is things alauna makes, after all!) and part unique yet useful premade items. keep reading for what's to win and how to win it.

what to win:
a set of 6 handmade marble magnets (your color choice!)
cup-a-cake single cupcake carrier
fabric cupcake for example purposes ;)
set of 12 miniature cookie cutters

how to win:
leave a comment telling me your favorite cupcake flavor...one you couldn't resist eating
1 (one) winner will be picked using random.org number generator
i'll announce the winner here and you'll email me what color magnets you'd like
i'll ship* everything off for you to enjoy!

deadline & rules:
the contest will end on sunday, april 26, 2009 at 5 pm eastern
1 entry per person & you must enter a name/identity (anonymous posts cannot win)
*this contest if for US residents only; sorry to international readers...i know you're out there and i appreciate you!

win me!

it's so much fun and who wouldn't want to get this package in the mail? i hope you'll enter.
good luck and stick around for the next 100 posts!

fabric cupcake!

2009-04-21T10:03:00.001-04:00

beaded satin "cupcake"

this was totally random and silly, but part of something better. stay tuned for my next post which promises to be a good one, i think.

wondering how i made this mini little cupcake? here's the instructions:

1. cut a circle disc from card stock that fits inside a cupcake liner
2. cut a small "x" into the center of the circle
3. cut a circle from fabric that is 2 inches larger than the paper disc
4. lay the fabric circle face down (this is your top) and put the paper circle on top of it
5. using hot glue, attach the fabric to the edge of the disc at 12, 3, 6, and 9 (like a clock!)
6. continue gluing between the halfway points until fabric is neatly tucked and secure (1.5, 4.5, 7.5, 10.5 then halfway between those dots...you with me?)
7. gently push stuffing into the cupcake "frosting" through the "x" cut out until full
8. glue 3 or 4 paper liners together, then glue inside the silver (or outer) liner
9. glue a small amount of stuffing to the inside of the liners

10. carefully attach the top to the liners using hot glue at various points on top of the stuffing "cake" and edges of the "frosting"
11. top with beads or sequins and add a decorative bow if you feel like it

it's pretty easy and i managed to get this mini cupcake after only two trial and error versions. i don't know what you'd use it for...but i know what mine's doing. check back for details!!

light box photos

2009-04-18T20:52:00.008-04:00

blood orange in light box

as promised in my previous post, here are the photos from my first light box photo shoot. i picked random items in my house to take picture in the new "studio" and edited slightly in photoshop (some more than others, you'll see).

a $5.99 vase husband picked out from walmart the day they lied about stocking embroidery floss. it's surprisingly cool and has great detail in the wood. who knew?

Juniperous procumbens 'Nana' (using caps at husbands request for formal name) husband, if i haven't mentioned it, likes plants. mostly he likes small trees and one of his hobbies for the past 10 years or so has been bonsai. the tree above is one of a billion in my house.

here i ran pioneer woman's seventies action (i'm pretty sure). this kind of defeats the white background, but i like it. 70s vibe indeed. same tree as above.

my father-in-law made this santa for me (i think just me...maybe husband and me). he learned how to carve wood and this was his very first piece. it's hand carved and hand painted and i really love it. it came out great in the studio.

so i made up this little card and sent it to him. i mean, i know it's april...but this is still super cute. next year! i used random photoshop actions probably from the pioneer woman.

then i had a photo shoot with the dogs. i took out the base foam core so their nails wouldn't pierce it and used a white sheet instead. it took some coaxing, especially for the scaredy baby, but with some peanut butter training bites, both happily sat in the little white box.

hoss and miles

i like these. hoss (blue eye) did, too. in fact, he liked it so much i came back into the room two hours later to find him curled up inside the light box. the lamps were off, but he didn't care. as i watched tv, he would every so often poke his nose out, sniffing for peanut butter treats. well trained! i would show you a picture but my stupid rounded corners action is giving me trouble. i love that action, though (from coffeeshop), so i'm just ranting a tiny bit.

i've got food photos from the light box as well. my next few recipes will include closeups from the new studio. in all, i'd say this makes getting a clean white background pretty simple and does provide with an even, well lit area to take photos.

making a light box

2009-04-17T09:37:00.007-04:00

highly technical and professional photo studio

i've been thinking about buying some sort of studio stuff to make my pictures look better. but i barely know how to use my camera off the auto setting, so i wasn't sure spending money on collapsible sets, flashes, soft boxes and whatever else was the best way to go about getting better pictures. so i changed my plans. step one: learn more about photography. i'm working on that part. it's a slow process. step two: make a homemade light box and see if it helps.

i searched around and found plenty of cardboard boxes with sheets, duct taped squares, and large pieces of white paper...and then i found this tutorial from drawings in motion for a simple, collapsible light box that seemed pretty inexpensive and easy to do.

making a light box

i was right...it wasn't that hard. i'm a visual person who needs actual objects and hands-on learning to understand concepts (this is my problem with photography from a booklet), so laying out the pieces and seeing them fit together helped. her instructions are easy to follow, so use them. my only change was to exclude the white tag/poster board backdrop. mine also cost a bit more - foam core was $2.99 each (5 pieces), and i went ahead and purchased daylight bulbs and basic lights from home depot. i think i spent around $25 total, but i already had things like exacto knives, ruler, and a cutting mat.

lights!

once the notches were cut, i put everything together and set up the lighting. while the lights do have clips, they were too heavy for the foam core, so i used glass beer bottles. those bottles were tipsy, so i set them on wii games. this is serious stuff. for whatever reason, i've been using this studio on the floor, so this is my standard set up. it allows you to manipulate the lights and change the angles without damaging the actual box. i might move up to a table one of these days and see if i makes it easier.

my first subject

for my first photo from the light box, i went to the kitchen to find a subject. hmm, i mentioned that i have a thing for blood oranges, right? yes, ok. so i got down on the floor and started snapping. and huh, that homemade light box thing makes quite the difference. no, i don't have it perfect. yes, i use photoshop to clean things up. but the sooc photos are much improved!

and the best thing is that i can put this together and take it apart whenever, so it doesn't clutter the table or floor like some of the more permanent boxes. plus, i can take pictures whenever i want no matter what the natural lighting conditions are. and trust me, even in prime daylight hours my kitchen gives me just barely enough.

in my next post, i'll show the photos from this first shoot. you can also see the results in my post about the scotty key chains - the close ups were taken in this lightbox.

blood orange sangria

2009-04-15T14:17:00.004-04:00

up and coming staple

did you know i have a thing for champagne? not the real champagne (though i've had some yummy stuff at husband's uncle's reception in london in which friends of the family hopped on over to france to pick up a few 100 custom bottles for them...), but i do like the sweet, sparkling wines of the world. i tend to pop one open on a saturday morning for mimosas only to have no idea how i'll finish it. husband's not that into the bubbly and there is no reason for me to be imbibing solo whenever the heck i want.

this sangria adaptation comes from the "need" to use half a bottle of champagne and my other current obsession: blood oranges. i look forward to blood orange season every year. this year, TJs had 2lb bags for $2.99 and i bought 2 bags at a time for a few weeks. so i had blood oranges and champagne and quite the conundrum.

but then husband opened a bottle of red to go with dinner and i had myself a little brainstorming session filled with inspiration. this is a quick and easy "sangria" (i use the term loosely because i'm not sure it's entirely correct to call this a true sangria) that you can manipulate to include what you've got on hand.

blood orange sangria
juice of 3-4 blood oranges
2 blood oranges, sliced thinly
about half a bottle of champagne ;)
2 -3 c red wine (husband opened a syrah)
1/4 c sugar
5-10 whole cloves
2-3 cinnamon sticks

combine all ingredients (you can grate a bit the cinnamon, too) in a pitcher and allow to sit. the longer the better, but i was on a self-imposed quick turnaround time and this tasted good enough for me after only 1 hour. i tasted initially and adjusted a bit, because i tend to like the flavor of orange juice, champagne, and sugar more than a strong wine flavor...but i imagine many people would prefer the opposite.

this was so yummy - the blood orange is much better than a plain old navel and the warm spices are great with wine and bubbly. stone fruits and apples would be excellent additions, if you so happened to have them. i bet it would have been even better if i'd had the patience to let it sit for 5 hours or more. next time!

balsamic roasted asparagus

2009-04-12T14:20:00.005-04:00

things that are roasted at 400, alex.

this was a quick veggie side dish for easter dinner a day early while my mom was in town. lucky for me, i had mom in town for a whole week + two days and we had so much fun. but she left on easter sunday and i wanted to be sure we had a good dinner in before she flew back home.

of course we had plans for ham and potatoes (two kinds, because mom and i do not like au gratin and husband specifically requested them), but we needed a basic veggie to keep the balance. i had a costco bag of asparagus and one of baby peppers and couldn't imagine a more fabulously easy side than roasting them with some blasamic vinegar.

from raw to roasted in 20 minutes

so thats what i did! here's the no frills "recipe"...

balsamic roasted asparagus
asparagus (amount to your liking)
2 cloves garlic, sliced
bell peppers, sliced (i used about 5 baby ones)
cherry or grape tomatoes (handful)
olive oil
salt and pepper
balsamic veingar

1. toss asparagus in oil, salt, and pepper and lay flat on a roasting pan
2. put in 400F oven for about 10 minutes, turning once
3. add in garlic, peppers, and tomatoes (tossed in oil) and roast for an additional 10 minutes
4. splash with balsamic vinegar and cook for 2-3 more minutes to sweeten

easter dinner!

mmm, this was so tasty. basic mashed potatoes, au gratin potatoes, glazed ham, and roasted goodness. i was also surprised by how good the ham turned out because i used a new glaze recipe. if you're one of those people that eats ham on days other than easter (which i guess i'm really not), then here's a glaze to try:

1/2 c marsala wine
1/4 c brown sugar
2-3 tbsp honey
dash of all spice
dash of ground cloves

1. heat all ingredients in a small pan and simmer until reduced, about 8 minutes
2. drizzle half over ham before cooking and again mid-way through

this was good the first time around and even better when used as leftovers in ham and bean soup. why now do i not eat ham more often? and how did this post get to be about ham? asparagus!