Dinner and a Magazine

Dinner tonight was really good, and simple. Sauteed garlic in olive oil with white wine and lemon juice, plus some SunGold tomatoes from my little bushes. Added in large prawns, salt & pepper, to cook for 6 mins or so. Meanwhile spaghettini was cooking. Served it up with goat cheese and fresh herbs on top. Salad, bread, wine. Mmmm.

I had a $5 coupon to spend at Borders today. I spied the new Halloween magazine from Martha Stewart. If you know Martha, you know she loves Halloween. I have enjoyed and kept these issues over the years. Very inspiring. This one is terrific. Full of good ideas and instructions. I recently earmarked a number of her Halloween items in the Grandinroad catalog. Well, the section of that catalog with her products is also in this Halloween issue. BUT, while you can buy great products from her, the magazine has the alternative of make-it-yourself crafts. I don't know if it saves money to make rather than buy, however. And her product quality is unbeatable.

OK. This baby owl costume is for my friend Laura. I think it is so cute and original I wanted to give her a preview until her own issue arrives. Laura, check out the ghostly bride, too.

Lastly, we have MARTHA, looking stunning. I dunno...is it her or the horse that is more gorgeous? This is her Rutger, a Fresian. Her costume is boldly wicked. I do hope that Martha doesn't send her flying monkeys after me for making poor photos of her glorious images.

FALLing

The 2009 Fall Etro print ads appeared in the latest Town and Country magazine. Soooo luxurious and autumnal. Etro uses color like no other. Every so often I fall in love with one of their pieces; unrequited love. A few years back it was a wool coat of many colors. I actually tried it on at Neiman Marcus. The saleswoman was ever so accomodating to look for the correct size for me. But at approx. $3,000, it was "No, never mind". There is also a purple leather handbag with colorful accents that appears now and again on eBay that is beautiful. I saw it at Neiman's, too. Purple is not my color, yet, Etro's purple manages to be earthy.

So now it's these paisley scarfs that are speaking to me. What a great way to add panache to an outfit. Of course one needs a certain confidence to pile them on so creatively. And to think to do it before leaving the house. Pants? Check. Sweater? Check. Then it's all I can do to change out of my house shoes and grab a jacket on the way out the door.

30 Minutes

I like to cook. Most nights I would rather stay home and cook dinner than go out. Even if going out didn't involve a 30 minute drive, I think I would prefer to cook (really??). Well, it does require the drive, and putting on something other than my barn wardrobe...so, I cook. And usually I can put together a good meal in 30 minutes. That may not include bake time, but it will surely include prep and hands-on time. Recipes that are involved and go on for over a page of instruction...huh-uh. I have a good selection of cookbooks. Not extensive. Most of these I refer to occasionally. My go-to-book is the vintage Better Homes. I have had this one for decades and use it, or at least refer to it, almost every time I cook something basic that isn't resident in my brain memory bank; like waffles, roasting poultry or meat, cakes, pies, etc. I like Barefoot Contessa, too, because there is no pretense in her recipes. She gives good instructions that produce good results. Now, Martha Stewart, on the other hand, is all about pretense. Still, I have made some good stuff out of her book. One book I've been using this summer is the Weber Big Book of Grilling for suggestions on great marinades and sauces for fish. OK, let's get down to last night.

So cookbooks are lifesavers, yes? But what I rely on more than any book is www.epicurious.com

I know most of you do, too. Last evening I had boneless skinless chicken breasts in the refrig. My usual for these is a stir fry or piccatta. Naw, didn't thrill me. So I found just the ticket at epicurious. I substituted from the recipe...as I often do...using a pouch of Bertolli Pasta Sauce in place of making the simple one described. I liberally seasoned the breasts, browned them on both sides in EVOO, removed to a plate in the oven, sauteed chopped onion and lots of garlic in a little butter added to the same skillet, deglazed with a splash of wine, the pouch of sauce, some fresh herbs, put the chicken back in and simmered, covered, for 10 minutes. Meanwhile I boiled some egg noodles. Plated chicken next to pasta and ladled over the sauce with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Green salad on the side. Glass of chardonnay. Delish.

ps the food pic is from Flickr.com and you know why

Keep Calm...

Keep Calm and Carry On. I love this motto. I'm seeing it all over recently. A tonic for these uncertain, sometimes scary, economic times. This motto originated during WWII, by Britain's King George VI, as a measure to assure the public all measures were being taken to defend the country. For some reason(!?) the posters were never officially issued and remained mostly unseen for 50 years. Then a copy turned up in a pile of dusty old books. So while this has been running through my head it came time to make a birthday card for Cathleen.

And while in my studio, I can't help thinking about my dear friend, Josef, who has triumphed over more challenges than most of us will ever face. This was taken of the two of us at his Dragon Slayers facility around one year ago.

So for Josef, I used an illustration of Alice being attacked by cards, titled "NOW WHAT?" This could be the refrain for his days. Tucked inside the card is the Keep Calm and Carry On motto. Fun for me to do and I hope bring a smile to my two good friends.

Ruby Magnolia Nest

Today's post is a melange of images. I tried to capture some of it in the title. This was our sunset last night. There are only a few nights a year when we are granted this glory...it takes my breath.

We have a small magnolia tree that grows near the house. I can smell the blossoms well in advance of seeing the tree. The fragrance is so unique; lemony, sugary, peppery. Imagine what it must be like surrounded by many of these trees in bloom, as in the Deep South.

Mom brought me this nest from her CA cabin. It was on Mom's property; a neighbor says it belonged to a family of Blue Jays. He retrieved it after the fledglings departed. It is so sturdy and meticulously constructed.

I walked on the beach today, which I always love. Today is one of the last minus low tides of the summer. I ambled along the bottom of the bluff, cruising the blackberry bushes. Isn't it always the case that the most luscious berries are just out of reach?

I watched a kingfisher fish, and catch; then pound his catch into submission on a tree stump. There were 3 great-blue heron fishing; a seal patroling his waters; an osprey resting high up in a tree; a small falcon menacing a bunch of crows. And this moonsnail barely exposed by the low tide. These guys are huge when fully unfolded from their shell. The shell itself is about 5" across. Mother Nature is the supreme artist.

"The Guernsey..."

We've all heard about this book; on the bestseller list for many weeks. I thought "What a silly title; must be a silly book". Then my friend Linda C. sent it to me. Oh, my. It is a very moving story of courage, the ravages of war, and the healing power of friendship. Go to your local library, borrow it from a friend, buy it from eBay or Amazon...but read this book.

Bread and Gravel

Today I wanted to bake bread to go with my tomato soup. I'm making another batch of the soup to take to my mom who returns on Friday after 6 weeks at their cabin in the CA mountains. And it will be our dinner tonight. While Bob went for a load of gravel, I put together the dough for Oatmeal Walnut bread and set it out to proof. This is the dough during the 2nd proofing. Actually, I didn't "set it out", I set it inside my oven which I had preheated to 200 degrees, then turned off. My farrier likes to bake bread and asked me "Do you have a proofing drawer?" Huh? In our cool, humid climate proofing can be a challenge so everyone has their little tricks. Mine is to set the dough outside if it's 70 degrees or warmer. But today was 60 and cool. So in the warm oven it went. Now its time to go outside to rake the path after Bob dumps the gravel. (He is gonna kill me for posting this pic). Bob and his trusty little John Deere. This was a gift from Mom and Herm and Bob loves it. He uses it a great deal around the property. He picked-up the gravel in our 1-ton Ford dually, then when he got home he shoveled it into the little trailer. The least I can do is rake, and supervise.

The path is rustic, but it looks nice; defining a walk way, through this island in our driveway, from the garage to the house. Another project will be to put in low-voltage path lights. Surely we can do that?

By now the bread is ready to bake. I tell ya, shoveling & raking, not to mention the wood stacking we've done, is really good for the stomach muscles. This bread will be great along with the soup.

I must give you this bread recipe. It is on the back of King Arthur's Unbleached Bread Flour sack. Simple to make and really good as morning toast or for sandwiches.

Oatmeal Walnut Bread

3 C's unbleached bread flour

1 C old fashioned oats

2 Tbs butter (warm along with the milk)

1 1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbs brown sugar or honey

2 tsp instant yeast OR 1 packet active dry yeast*

1 1/4 C lukewarm milk

3/4 C finely chopped walnuts

*if you are using active dry yeast, dissolve it in the warm milk before combining with the remaining ingredients.

Stand Mixer method: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all of the dry ingredients, mixing to combine, then pour in the lukewarm milk with the melted butter. Using the dough hook, knead the dough for 5 minutes. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and allow it to rest for 1 hour; it'll become quite puffy, though it may not double in bulk.

Then transfer the dough to a lightly oiled 9"x5" loaf pan and smoosh it to fit inside (be sure to oil up to the rim of the pan). Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hurs, till it is crested 1-2 inches over the rim of the pan.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. If the bread is browning too quickly, tent it with foil for the final 10 minutes of baking. Allow to cool a bit, turn out onto a rack and allow to cool more.

Give Me 1 Hour at TJMaxx

Cathleen and I visited the TJMaxx today in Tacoma. I got bit by the "Maxx" bug a couple of weeks ago when we visited their store in Silverdale. So at the first opportunity...I'm back. The Tacoma store is better organized and FULL of some pretty high end stuff. The first thing that caught my eye were gorgeous leather handbags. But...move on; don't need 1 of those. Next it was kids wear, browsing for things for an 11 and 12 year old starting a new school in Sept. For Jacey I scored a $250 jacket for $40 and a pink Abercrombie & Fitch sweatjacket. For the Big G (Garrett) Phat Farm and Ekco sweatjackets. Plus a really cool backpack. Now for me. Cathleen spotted this lovely Portmarion plate in the clearance section for $7. It is in perfect condition; along with the addition of a batch of homemade cookies will make a charming gift. The honey is creamy Rapeseed from Germany. I can't wait for tomorrow's morning toast. Or maybe a midnight snack.

Oh, and one more thing for moi. This Christian Audigier T. Oh, yeah. You can find Ed Hardy stuff at TJMaxx now. It was not inexpensive, but still less than half of retail. This will be just the thing to wear to "Julia & Julie"...or maybe "The Time Traveler's Wife". I LOVE TJMaxx.

Dinner Party a la Veggies

Foodie alert; if you are NOT a foodie, be advised there may be more information than you care for herein. Shall we proceed? I invited Cathleen, Garry and neighbors Carl and Susan for dinner last night. There are some dietary restrictions, so I decided on an easy approach; veggies and fish. My little mermaids, the dolphin maidens, assisted me with table decor. I love dahlias but don't have any in my garden. So I bought an inexpensive potted plant and cut off the flowers for my vase.

For snacks I indulged in the creamy Camembert Delice de France, served on baguette with a slather of fig jam (from Dalmatia, thank you) along with the local Beecher's Flagship Chedder on Fruit & Nut crostini. Would you care for cabernet, chardonnay or sparkling Italian soda?

Go-urmet or Go-home.

Visiting in my library the men started to drone on, uh, sorry, discuss sports. I made my excuses and fled back to the kitchen. I had spent several hours preparing the food earlier in the day, but serving and clean-up were fairly easy, as these things go, so I enjoyed the evening with friends. The first course was Creamy Tomato Soup with accompanying oatmeal bread and butter. The second course was Salmon Burgers or Black Bean Burgers with Chipotle Crema. Dessert was Sour Cream Angel food cake with Creme Anglaise and Raspberry/Blueberry compote. I made the soup, black bean burgers, crema and berry compote. Everything else came prepared. Hint: the Creme Anglaise is melted Hagan Daaz Vanilla ice cream.

Creamy Tomato Soup (it is very good)

Serves 6

2 Tbs Olive Oil

1 large red onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, chopped

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1/4 C chopped fresh basil

2 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes

1/2 soup can water

1/4 C oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

3 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tsp baking soda (don't leave this out as it neutralizes the acid in the tomatoes)

1 C or less of heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over med heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring often, for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and carrot and saute for another minute.

Add the crushed tomatoes, water, sundried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and herbs. Bring to simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and stir in the baking soda. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the cream, stir well and bring to simmer. Do not boil. Makes 6 generous servings.

ps the tomato soup pic is from Flickr. I just cannot manage to merge food styling with food serving!

I'm Back...And With a New 'Do

O M G. It has been almost 3 weeks without my own PC. I have borrowed time on Bob's, but it is NOT the same: Couldn't download photos, didn't have any of my internet "favorites", didn't have any of my files, or email messages or email addresses. In the midst of all the angst that accompanied my computer-less life, I decided to abandon my quest for longer hair. Here is me a few days before my much anticipated appointment to "take it off". I had let my hair grow for about 1.5 years, with the occasional shape-up trim. Nah, it was too much hair. Afterall, I have been a shorty for 20 years.

Here is the new cut. I know, I know, it doesn't look much different, from the front view. But it is! And it feels terrific. I swear my stylist took 5 years off my face.

Here is me just after a ride, just after taking off my helmet, and the style held up pretty darn good. What, you say you can't take your eyes off that gorgeous horse? Yeah, he's a keeper.

Tristan's 7th Birthday

We celebrated Tristan's 7th birthday eve on Saturday with some beach time. The kids came prepared with swim goggles, beach shoes, towels, snacks and a "let's swim" attitude. It was a hot afternoon so the cool water was refreshing. We missed the low tide, but high tide just meant that the waterline was even closer to us. While the kids, including Mike and Bob, waded in, Kari and I sought shade under the trees.

Kari as always is the photographer (and she does a great job) so she's not in the pic. From left are Bob, his middle son Mike, Peyton, me and the birthday girl, Tristan.

Blackberry Memories

The tall bank upland of our beach shelters large expanses of wild blackberry bushes. This morning I picked a few of the ripe ones (still too early for a full crop) and was reminded of a childhood pleasure. I grew up in a small beach town. Our house was in a semi-rural area with plenty of "forests" for kids to explore. These wild areas weren't large, in retrospect. Just undeveloped portions of lots, really. I recall how I loved to pick the blackberries. This required braving the nasty thorns. Still I would grab a mason jar from the kitchen, fill it with berries and then add in a spoonful of sugar and moosh it all up. Elixir of the Gods.

Another childhood frequent experience was watching and listening to honeybees. They were everywhere. Never bothering me, just going about their business on the flowers and shrubs. Now it is rare for me to see a honeybee. I have plenty of bumble-bees; you know, the big fuzzy yellow and black bees. And occasionally I will see what I think is a mason bee. They look more like a bee-fly cross. Good pollinators, nevertheless. But those work-horse honeybees are gone.

I think it is hard to beat the taste of fresh, unaltered blackberries. But, if you must cook them , then by all means bake up a cobbler. Or, how about a blackberry Pana Cotta. Now that's a cool summer treat.

ps all pics courtesy of Flickr.