Favorite Spring Things

We experienced a beautiful Saturday last week, the temperatures were comfortable and the sun was shining. Jack actually mowed the lawns! I bopped around in the garden to weed and prune. As I wandered, I collected a few images of spring emerging for your enjoyment:

A group of bleeding hearts are making an appearance in my front yard. My mom and I love these unusual-looking flowers.

This is a trillium just getting started, I think one of Jack's grass clippings landed on a petal.
And I cliped a Camilla bloom for Jack's mom.

I also have a recipe to share. I have been working on reducing the amount of refined sugar that I consume in an effort to live a little healthier. My friend Becky gave me a Cooking Light recipe for granola that I modified. I love to put this on applesauce and yogurt. It's not a perfect replacement for all of the Girl Scout cookies swarming around the office, but it satisfies my cravings for something sweet. Cast of ingredients with granola.

I couldn't find any dried fruit without added sugar, so I used freeze-dried mango which worked well. I'll be sure to make a special trip to Trader Joe's for fruit and nuts for more variety next time. I replaced the honey and sugar with agave nectar. I've just discovered agave nectar, it is thought to have a low glycemic index.

Behold, my applesauce treat in a fancy dish!

I love the books in the background. There was some organizing going on that day; this picture has a bit of a scholarly look as a result.

Power Granola 2 cups regular oats
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped slivered almonds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 300°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl.

Combine orange juice, honey, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in oil and vanilla.

Pour honey mixture over oat mixture, stirring to coat. Spread mixture in a thin layer onto a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 300° for 10 minutes; stir well. Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Spoon granola into a bowl; stir in dried cranberries. Cool completely.

Note: Store completely cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Yield: About 4 3/4 cups (serving size: about 1/2 cup) CALORIES 196 (31% from fat); FAT 6.8g (sat 0.7g,mono 2.2g,poly 3.3g); IRON 1.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 38mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.5g; SODIUM 5mg; PROTEIN 4.1g; FIBER 3.6g Cooking Light, MAY 2005

The Great Pose-Off of 2009

I have been meaning to write this post for a while.

I took up knitting last March and I've had a wonderful time looking at patterns on Ravelry.com (a knit and crochet community). In June I came across a project by Holli, a fellow member, in which she had altered a hat pattern to fit her husband. I loved it, made it one of my "favorites", and ended up making one for my husband. I also followed Holli's blog and was hooked when I read the s'more cookie post.

I really enjoy seeing what Holli is up to, whether it's cooking or knitting. She is a talented woman! I commented on a blog post featuring some lovely knitting. She emailed me to thank me and we started a little conversation from there. Holli ended up helping me with a yarn suggestion for the hat and encouraging me along the way. Then came the pictures of Jack modeling the hat for my Ravelry projects page and that's when things took an amusing turn. Holli explains it perfectly in her blog.

In 2010, I hope to do more cooking, reading, and knitting.

Homemade Marshmallows = Mmmmmm!

Our friends Aaron and Anner (short for Andrea), had us over to their home last weekend to teach us how to make marshmallows from scratch. I have been wanting to know about this ever since they brought a s'mores kit with homemade marshmallows and graham crackers to our place last year. We are so lucky that our pals were gracious enough to teach us.

Making marshmallows in not difficult, but there is some timing involved and you have to pay attention to temperature. Here are a few tips we picked up from Anner: as easy as marshmallow making is, it's best to have two people involved in the process. Also, a pizza cutter works great to cut the individual marshmallow squares. I have some pictures of this adventure below. I'll post the Aaron & Anner-approved recipes for marshmallows and graham crackers too. We haven't made the graham crackers yet, but I've eaten them and recommend them. They are made with whole wheat flour which gives them a wonderful texture. Thank you Aaron and Anner!

Anner with a sheet of "demonstration" marshmallows:

Anner helps me cut the "demonstration" marshmallows. We are deep in concentration!

And now Jack and I make our own. Bringing sugar to temperature:
Behold the gooey-ness!
Transferring the gooey-ness:
A treat for one of the cooks:
An artistic marshmallow photo arranged and shot by Jack:
And the recipes:

Homemade Marshmallows Bon Appétit | July 2008

by Molly Wizenberg

These can be layered between sheets of parchment and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup cold water, divided
3 1/4-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup potato starch*
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Line 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with foil.

Coat foil lightly with nonstick spray. Pour 1/2 cup cold water into bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Sprinkle gelatin over water. Let stand until gelatin softens and absorbs water, at least 15 minutes.

Combine 2 cups sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup cold water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over mediumlow heat until sugar dissolves, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Attach candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat and bring syrup to boil. Boil, without stirring, until syrup reaches 240°F, about 8 minutes.

With mixer running at low speed, slowly pour hot syrup into gelatin mixture in thin stream down side of bowl (avoid pouring syrup onto whisk, as it may splash). Gradually increase speed to high and beat until mixture is very thick and stiff, about 15 minutes. Add vanilla and beat to blend, about 30 seconds longer.

Scrape marshmallow mixture into prepared pan. Smooth top with wet spatula. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until firm, about 4 hours.

Stir potato starch and powdered sugar in small bowl to blend. Sift generous dusting of starch-sugar mixture onto work surface, forming rectangle slightly larger than 13x9 inches. Turn marshmallow slab out onto starch-sugar mixture; peel off foil. Sift more starch-sugar mixture over marshmallow slab. Coat large sharp knife (or cookie cutters) with nonstick spray. Cut marshmallows into squares or other shapes. Toss each in remaining starch-sugar mixture to coat. Transfer marshmallows to rack, shaking off excess mixture.

*A food thickener made from cooked, dried, ground potatoes, this gluten free flour is also known as potato flour; available at most supermarkets.

And now for the graham crackers:

Homemade Graham Crackers Once you taste one of these sweet whole wheat crackers, you may never go back to the store-bought variety again. Use them as the base for homemade s'mores, sandwich them with peanut butter, or simply enjoy them on their own.

Ingredients Makes 20. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for working 1 cup whole-wheat flour 1/2 cup untoasted wheat germ 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks) 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar 2 tablespoons high-quality honey

Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk flours, wheat germ, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter, brown sugar, and honey into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add the flour mixture, and mix until combined. Turn out dough onto a floured surface, and divide into quarters. Roll out each piece between 2 sheets of floured parchment paper into rectangles a bit larger than 9 by 6 inches, about 1/8 inch thick. Using a fluted pastry wheel, trip the outermost edges or each rectangle, and divide into three 6 by 3-inch rectangles. Pressing lightly, so as not to cut all the way through, score each piece in half lengthwise and crosswise, to form four 3 by 1 1/2-inch crackers. Stack parchment and dough on a baking sheet and chill in freezer until firm, about 20 minutes. Remove two sheets of dough from freezer. Pierce crackers using the tines of a fork. Transfer to large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake, rotating halfway through, until dark golden brown, 8 to 9 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough. Let cool on sheet 5 minutes; transfer crackers to wire racks to cool completely.

Christmas Recap

Jack and I had a wonderful Christmas in Seattle. Jack's sister and mother joined us for dinner and gifts. I prepared a standing rib roast and Jack made a pumpkin tart. I love being married to a man who takes on baking--baking a tart no less. Here are some highlights:

Jack's tart is Vanilla-Bourbon Pumpkin Tart from Cooking Light. I think he was particularly inspired to make this because of the bourbon. Nothing mans up a tart like bourbon! It was very tasty, click here for the recipe.

My Standing Rib Roast turned out well. Roasting is really an easy way to feed a crowd. I based my roast on Paula Dean's recipe: "Foolproof Standing Rib Roast". I had a smaller roast, so I adjusted the roasting time. I learned that, depending on preferred doneness, a rib roast should be in the oven 22 to 25 minutes per pound. And now for some present pictures:


Karen and her new "Hot Firefighter" potholder. I think he can handle her hot dishes.


Annabelle took care of her squeaker toy gift right away. I hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas! In the spirit of the season, I have a link to a post on one of my favorite blogs; Mochimochi. Here are some little random acts of kindness - enjoy!

Summer Food

Ah...Summertime!

It's time for a big food post! Jack and I have had a busy summer. The kitchen is coming along slowly as a result, but Seattle has had such a wonderful, nearly rainless summer, it's hard to stay inside. We spent part of July in Michigan with my family and there was a potluck family reunion involved. Here is what I brought:


Quinoa Tabbouleh

Yield 5 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped seeded tomato
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint or parsley
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped cucumber
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; fluff with a fork. Stir in tomato and remaining ingredients. Cover; let stand 1 hour. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 1999

This recipe is healthy, easy, and filling; perfect for a summer potluck. A few weeks after making it in Michigan, I brought it to my company picnic. (Don't worry, I made a fresh batch.)

While in Michigan, Jack and I were treated to a very delicious French Onion Soup made by my Aunt Mary and Uncle Eric, behold:

I don't have a recipe for this, but I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to track one down. I wish that I had gotten a picture of all of the amazing homemade food we had on the trip. My Aunt Laura specializes in soup and we were lucky enough to have her Lemongrass Chicken Soup with Cilantro our first night in Michigan. My Uncle Joe also has a expertise; pies. Oh, it's good to be a part of this family. Sadly, I have no pictures of these delights, but I did snag a photo of my Aunt Kaye's Blueberry Galette... it tasted like summer.


Are you sick of scrolling yet? There's one more recipe I'd like to share. Saturday night I made a stir fry.

That shrimp is trying to escape!














Jack wasn't sure he liked stir fry, but he's come around. He also isn't sure about sesame, but he didn't mention anything as he ate dinner. He may not know about the sesame oil ingredient until he reads this...we'll see how long it takes for him to mention it to me. Jack, do you read my blog?

Sesame-Orange Shrimp and Chicken Stir-Fry

Rachel Spear, Casper, Wyoming, Cooking Light, JUNE 2009

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup chicken mixture and 1/2 cup rice)

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 
  Stir-fry:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup mushrooms, halved
• 1 cup snow peas, trimmed
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, cooked and peeled
• 3 cups hot cooked long-grain rice

Preparation

1. To prepare sauce, combine the first 11 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Set aside.

2. To prepare stir-fry, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan, and stir-fry for 4 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan, and keep warm. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan. Add chopped broccoli and the next 5 ingredients (through garlic) to the pan; stir-fry for 4 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Return chicken to pan, and stir in shrimp. Add sauce, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Serve over rice.

Thanks for reading!

Progress!

The kitchen remodel is on hold as we wait for the cabinets to arrive, but there is good news on the laundry room! The marmoleum flooring had been installed, a few coats of new paint are on the walls and ceiling (the shade of white we picked is called marshmallow, how fun), a new cabinet is in, and the washer and dryer were moved back into place. Jack was able to install some trim before we left for our Michigan vacation. This little utility room now has a fresh feel which is pretty nice when you are trying to get things clean.

This sign came with the house, pretty classy huh?


Next step, receiving the kitchen cabinets!

One Kitchen Down...

We hope to have our new kitchen up soon, yet I am preparing myself for a long haul. Last week my parents took a break from their retirement to help us demolish the kitchen. My dad then proceeded to put up new drywall and even improved the lighting - Thanks dad! My mom helped clear out some evil weeds in my garden - Thanks mom! Here are a few pictures:

No garden pictures...maybe soon. Here is one of three layers of flooring, it's the ugliest one:

Ugh! How was this ever stylish?!?!?

This weekend we will be working on sanding the drywall seems, getting our cabinet order together, and picking up paint and flooring for the laundry room. (Yup, that's being remodeled too) Our oven is currently hooked up, but it's been pretty hot in Seattle this past week. That means grilling time. Jack cooked up some burgers that other night - summer is here!

I have been so busy lately, I hope I find more time to post soon. We are fostering a new batch of kittens (mom is included), they are 5 weeks old and so sweet. I recently went to New Orleans with my friend Kathryn, plenty of food pictures to share! The music was another highlight, I highly recommend a trip to New Orleans. This Friday and Saturday my buddy Heather and I will be taking part in the Indie Banditas Bazaar on Bainbridge Island. We will be camping overnight. They set up a great blog that features many of the 50 vendors, check it out:
http://www.indiebanditasbazaar.blogspot.com/

I'll try to have more pictures up soon!

Free to a Good Noggin

Just a little Monday post....
Most of us are going through tough times, but there is always something we can do to help others. The smallest act can inspire hope. I came across a story about a man in Grand Rapids, Michigan who crochets hats and gives them away to people in need in a most interesting way. (The way he gives being interesting, not the way in which people are in need - right.) I love that this story comes out of Michigan, the state currently with the highest percentage of unemployment.

One of my aunts sent me a link to an article about a website called WishUponaHero.com. ABC recently covered the back-story of this website. It offers the opportunities to help a neighbor, an example from the article: "Heroes have sent a World War II veteran back to Pearl Harbor for his 90th birthday. Several people chipped in to get a bike for a boy with down syndrome. For a girl whose house burned down, heroes gave her a dress and shoes for her senior prom. A boy with terminal cancer got a chance to meet his basketball idols."

Some people request simple things that might brighten the spirits of a loved one. I found a post from a woman requesting cards or sugar free candy to be sent to her elderly mother. Sometimes the smallest things count in big ways.

I hope this funny picture gave you a smile. I think that dog has a good head deserving of a hat. Actually, it's amazing how contemplative that dog looks as it wears such a funny hat. I'm impressed. You can find this hat and more dog items (even some people items), at BeanTownHandmade's etsy shop.

Have a great week!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A few green things in honor of St. Patrick's Day...

A necklace I made for my etsy shop, but ended up keeping for myself.















My first "real" finished knitting project.


My husband Jack and our dog Annabelle on a green lawn...a stretch I know. It can be hard to get everyone to smile in group pictures.


I am so excited to have finished my first knitted dishcloth! I learned to purl, purl 3 together, and yarn on. The website, www.knittinghelp.com was so very helpful to me! I've also had a few friends help me along the way. I have been addicted to the knitting and crochet community www.ravelry.com, - it's where I found the free pattern for the dishcloth. It's called Little Shells Dishcloth #019.

I did goof up along the way by somehow switching the "right" side with the "wrong" side. I tried to repeat this at the end to create a similar border and make it look symmetrical. I'm constantly learning from mistakes.


Here is the dishcloth in it's natural habitat. Shhhhh, be careful not to disturb it......

In a pizza dough update, we finally got away from calzones and made actual pizza with my home made dough. What a breakthrough! I discovered that spreading the dough to a circular shape is more challenging than I expected. I don't know who first introduced the term rustic to food, but I owe them a big "Thank you!" We used canned pizza sauce, broccoli and mushrooms on my side and sausage and mushrooms on Jack's side. Broccoli on pizza is one of my favorite things!
















I just may make another double batch of dough today. I love that it can be left in the fridge overnight, or frozen for up to a month. I have been trying to get better at meal planning and so far, pizza dough has been very motivating. Those carbs get me every time! The recipe can be found in a previous post and here.