Friend of a Friend

"A" for Effort

2009-07-19T08:46:00.005-04:00

This hydrangea bush gets the "A" for effort award today. As Dave said, "it's more flower than bush!" The big bloom on the left is literally the size of a soccer ball. The plant itself is in its third season - the two prior had no blooms at all. That's the great thing about nature and gardening, it's always full of surprise and delight.

Also... it's full of compromise and blight, but that's another post. Today the sun is shining, the skies are clear, and I've got a Sunday ahead of me full of choices.

Anne Lamott, in Bird by Bird wrote: "A messy house is a sign of a life that's being lived." I like Anne Lamott a lot and for many reasons, but today I like her for saying that so that I could adopt it.

After reading my usual suspects of blogs this morning I have come to realize that EVERYONE wants to talk about food. It's the middle of summer and the harvest is coming in fast and furiously. We are all scrambling to figure out how to use the bounty that is filling up the kitchen, garage, basement.

Come back for my zucchini bread and butter pickle recipe and in the mean time, remember to keep your car locked lest someone put a bag of zucchini on the back seat!

Turn the page...

2009-07-16T08:07:00.002-04:00

Greetings Everyone!
Friend of a Friend is moving to a new blog!

Please follow my posts at Make This From That

I'm Kira. I'm trouble. I love you, Daddy. Happy Birthday.

2009-04-23T12:52:00.005-04:00

So I go to bed last night and because it was 11:30, the timer had shut off the livingroom lamp already and the place was pitch black dark. I get to the bedroom and I have my poodle, Rooty (waiting for me in bed) but no Kira. I figure she’s drinking water, or finding a bone to bring to bed, which she does almost every night.
I head into the bathroom to wash my face and take my eyes out. I come out and still no Kira. I call her. No response. I call her a few more times in several different voices, still no Kira.
I’m now thinking she’s been bad and wants to hide from me, so she probably peed or pooped downstairs and is hiding in her bed, so I turn the lights back on and head downstairs to get her so I can go to bed, and so can she.
I find her in between the coffee table and couch, on the floor, completing wrapped up in my knitting – fine, double-stranded blue lace weight yarn along with the three double pointed needles and the 4-inches of knitting I’d started earlier while watching The Devil Wears Prada. Evidently she got caught in the strands of yarn dangling from the coffee table when she jumped off the couch to follow me up to bed.
She just stood there, frozen, in the dark, looking at me with the most sad, pathetic look I’ve ever seen. Like a big, white fly in a spider’s web. It was the funniest thing I've ever seen, but I tried not to laugh because I absolutely think she was embarrassed - maybe humiliated.
So it, took a minute, but I managed to untangle her and carry her upstairs where she bounced like Tigger all over the bed. No knit stitches were lost, no knots were created. All is well.
I sent this as an email to Dave who has to be away today for his birthday. We'll celebrate on Saturday, but today is dedicated to him just the same. Hurry home. We miss you.

Back from Easter Weekend

2009-04-13T14:56:00.004-04:00

No it's not apples, it's radishes.

Nothing says spring like radishes - among other things. I cut some really fresh crusty bread and spread it with really expensive, and delicious French, unsalted butter, and then topped it with thinly sliced radish moons. Then I sprinkled it lightly with one of those finishing salts we're all hearing about from the Foodies and voila. I can't believe how something so incredibly simple can be so unbelievably delicious. You really taste the butter - even though only a little was used, and I must give that radish its credit, because it has a distinct brilliance all its own. Generally a casual after thought, or a passed-over salad item, I think radishes can really hold thier own in a case like this. And in spring they are bright and crisp and peppery tasting. Give it try.

A Bubble Pouch

2009-04-03T09:37:00.010-04:00

The bubble pouch was the object of my affection yesterday afternoon. I hadn't been sewing for awhile - still trying to get over the last bag I made, but it was time.

Of all the sewing tasks involved in making something I have to say that cutting is my least favorite. But this great pattern found from Keyka Lou Patterns here: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=2221&ga_search_query=keykalou&ga_search_type=seller_usernames had just two pieces and was easy peasy. She has several great patterns on Etsy and I am happy to report I own three now. I used Amy Butler fabric, because I had a scrap but I would have to say that a small print fabric would be better - like the lining here - because the purse is quite small. I think it measures 4" at its widest part. But it'll be perfect for a few little items to toss into my beach bag or to give as a gift.

Kicking March to the Curb

2009-04-03T08:39:00.005-04:00

So this was in my driveway yesterday. Just when I thought spring would never come, the daffodils have long shrivelled, and I thought it would just stay gray and cold forEVA, Mother Nature spots me a little hope.

My man comes home tonight after a LOOONG two weeks on the road. He's the rock star of his company and flies in wearing his "Electrical Man" tights - okay no tights, maybe a cape in the shape of a tie - and fixes problems. This one's particularly challenging, but he's coming home and that's all I care about today.

Another Gray March Day

2009-03-30T21:11:00.005-04:00

So how lucky am I! I am just not someone who wins anything - except a great man, but I put my name in on this fabric giveaway, and the universe rewarded me. Great pick-me-up after more gray and icky March weather. I did see a rainbow off to the east last night when I was taking the trash to the curb, but by the time I came back with a camera, it was gone. I should have just said a little thank you to the universe and enjoyed the moment instead of trying to chronicle every thing that ever happens! Oh well. So you can see what I won here:

http://vintagecate.typepad.com/a_charmed_life/2009/03/winners-and-givers.html

So the little felted spring bag is done. I lined it with a hip little cotton and added the vintage dragon fly brooch. I just look at it and look at it some more. I am smitten. Don't know if I can sell this one on Etsy, but I might when I get smitten with the next thing I make. I admit, I'm an accessory slut. What can I say. Especially for bags!

Hey! There's a rainbow on my printer!

2009-03-26T09:47:00.020-04:00

So when is bag too big? I'm not sure, but I thought this one was.

At 20-something inches tall (w/out handle) it is much too big to be a purse, which is what I needed and had in my head. I wanted a nice wide boxy bottom so I overcompensated by making the bag longer in order to fold it up and into the box. WAY overcompensated. So I considered lopping off the bottom or top to shorten it, but then I began to think of the possibilities.

So I decided to keep it for longer trips when I want to bring lots-o-stuff like knitting, books, magazines, knitting, something to drink, a journal, knitting, slippers, and did I mention knitting? It'll be really great when we travel to New England because not only is it a VERY long 11 hour car ride, but we stop half way for a brief overnight and I can keep whatever I need in this VERY big bag, without having to lug my entire suitcase and makeup case into the hotel.

So, by now you've guessed that I'm keeping it big and long - I must say that the long design is very nice against the body and doesn't jut out front to back like many bags do.

It's made from a Salvation Army grey skirt that I bought on half price clothing day for 99 cents (love that!) and then I diluted the bargain by using very expensive designer fabric on it, but only one yard bringing the total cost to under $20 - including a heavy interfacing to add stability, thread, closure, and button. AND of course I made a matching key fob cuz I heart key fobs... Used one of those trendy magnet closure buttons on the tab and added a cool button to finish it. The long strap makes it wearable across the body - easier on the back and since all bags slip off my shoulder I've decided that all my purses from this day forward must have this feature.

So this has kept me pretty darn busy, which is a good thing, but now I'm obsessed, AND I still don't have a spring transitional purse, which this big bad boy was supposed to be in its first place.

Oh well. Back to the drawing board.

So is a bag ever too big? I'm thinking not. I spent the better part of yesterday thinking I was making myself a winter-spring "transition" bag. You know, the one that is still wool - in this case a wrap around skirt from Salvation Army ($.98 ! ) and a yard of high priced designer fabric (we won't talk about the cost of that, but we can look at the over all price of the bag, okay?)

So I'm thinking I want the bag to have a nice wide boxed bottom, therefore made the bag's height extra tall. Extra is where I missed the mark. So when it was done and I realized I could easily score a career as a newspaper carrier, I came close to cutting it down to size, but then I started thinking of all the possibilities for this bag. The long, narrow shape is very comfy on the body when wearing it. The strap is long enough to go across my body, also comfy and it holds a ton of stuff! Shoes, food, knitting, a smaller purse for shopping romps, and purchesed items from said shopping romps! So I changed my mind and kept it just the way it is and I am loving it.

Problem is, I have no winter to spring transition purse, which I really do need. Back to the drawing board with a shorter yard stick.

Can't stop the felting...

2009-03-25T08:00:00.010-04:00

Looks innocent enough, but this first attempt at a pansy sucked up most of my Tuesday morning. And I was so distracted by it all day - wanting to do another, better or different, that I forgot my entire To Do list for the day. Remember in "Under the Tuscan Sun" when Franchesca tells the eccentric lady eating the ice cream (can't remember her name) that buying a run down villa in Tuscany is just a bad idea and the ice cream eating lady says, "Don't you just love those?" Makes me smile every time I hear it. That movie was crappy on many levels, but it's just one of those that I watch over and over again. Maybe I want to buy a villa in Tuscany and cook all day for construction workers in between writing my novel. Hmmmm. The real question is whether or not I can spend a another half day consumed by this felting thing. And should I make this into a brooch or mount it ounto a bag - felted of course. I'm thinking bag as long as it doesn't get torn up from being lugged around - maybe a SPECIAL bag just for church or a date or Easter. And the bigger question is whether or not I can part with my felted items! You learn a lot about yourself when creating artful things. And I am learnig that I become emotionally attached to the things I make. I don't mind sharing photos or recipes or how to's with the world, but to give away one's children...well ask octuplet mom. Just not that simple.

Happy First Day of Spring

2009-03-20T18:05:00.009-04:00

Well, of course EVERY blog is going to have that title today isn't it? Despite the snow showers and very cold temps today, I am determined to be warm. I spent much of the day photographing and posting a few new items - just a teaser really - to my Etsy shop. Times being what they are, I am doing my darndest to try and keep busy and bring in a few extra bucks. Lately I've been shmitten with felting. Actually I'm more than smitten, I'm almost addicted. I go to bed thinking about it and it's the first thing I think about when my dog, Kira wakes me in the early morning. So here's a little teaser of a project I'm working on for the shop. It's not finished inside yet, but it will be shortly. Felting is very easy and the creative options can be as intricate or simple as you please. I love it because I can go to the Salvation Army - my new favorite designer - and pull a sweater off the rack on 50% off Wednesday, pay my $.99 for it and come home ready to challenge it to within an inch of it's life. I start by putting it through a hot, soapy wash with a pair of old jeans, then into the dryer it goes. When it comes out, it's child sized and you think, "Oh, dear, I'm in it now!" Then you take the scissors to it and cut it into shapes for projects. The real fun starts when you take wisps and twists of fiber and adhere them to the felt base (in this case an upcycled sweater) creating beauty and style! This project started out as a size medium Gap sleeve in light blue and is now morphed into a lovely bag. I'm thinking chain strap for it and a simple lining. The real question is whether or not I'll be able to part with it.

Baking and Knitting...Baking and Knitting

2009-02-09T08:40:00.008-05:00

These Oatmeal scones are so good! Not too sweet and have all the good fibery thingies we're supposed to be eating more of. I did sprinkle tops with sanding sugar, but didn't use butter or anything. So nice in the afternoon with a cup of tea and good magazine for a 15 minute "me" break. You can find the recipe at www.Quakeroats.com or at www.MarthaStewart.com - which is where I saw them demonstrated.

This luxurious scarf was created during the Obama inaguration. Details are posted on my Ravelry page - and you should all make one cuz the pattern is so simple, but comes out looking like you're a knitting genius!

Snowdrops are poking their noses up out of the ground outside the back door. A sign of hope that the worst of winter may be over.

And into the new year

2009-01-14T15:59:00.016-05:00

Greetings everyone. I know it's been a ridiculously long time since I've posted and I'm sorry about that. I've started and stopped a number of times, but anyway, I'm back and happy to be here!
Hope you all had a great holiday. Mine was FANTASTIC. Everything I love in a holiday; parties, quality time with family and friends, down time at home for days on end, great foods to sample, sleeping late, knitting, movies, and lots and lots of laughter. BTW, how do you like the ornament idea? Not mine actually, but one I spotted on Etsy and one that you might be getting from me one of these days as a gift!
So it's a new year and with it comes challenges, opportunities, and hope. What am I up to? Everything! As usual I have a ba-jillion projects going on with full days and great plans.
The pictures today (wish I knew how to plant them into the body of my writing better, but so far I don't.) are: my knitting! Yay - gorgeous Harry Potter socks which went to my great friend, Kathy who is learning how to knit FOR REAL and is amazingly good at it! She is VERY sock worthy. Also knit ME a scarf - Yarn Harlot's very easy pattern on Ravelry called "One Row Scarf for Handspun." Made it out of really great yarn (from Salem!) and made it 3 skeins long so it wraps a colorful swirl all about my head - TOASTY! Also pictured: Miss Rooty assisting me with my photography endeavors when I was trying to inventory my stash. Coolest stitch markers EVVA! Flying monkeys - I just love them. Did I NEED more stitch markers - heck no, but they do serve a purpose... And the last pair of socks were actually my FIRST pair of knitted socks which went to my VERY WORTHY sister in law who has to put up with my very high maintenance brother. Happy Birthday Sue! Wear them in good health.
So with winter here to stay for the duration, all I seem to want to eat is soup, tea, and warm things from the oven. I made the most awesome zucchini vichyssoise from Ina Garten's "Barefoot in Paris" book. It's flavorful, creamy, and easy as pie to make. (ooh, maybe I'll make a pie today...or not cuz that wouldn't be politically correct now that everyone's on some sort of diet and I'd be the only one eating it.)
So the soup:
You'll need:
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil (no extra virgin needed here unless that's all you have)
5 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (about 4 good-sized leeks. You can add onions to make up the difference if you don't have enough. (you MUST separate the leaves and wash them well! There are two things that RUIN a dish: sand and burnt and there's no recovery from either.)
4 cups chopped,unpeeled potatoes (I used Yukon Gold. They have a rich, buttery flavor, and thin skins)
3 cups chopped zucchini
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock (homemade if you have it, a good boxed variety if you don't)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp Heavy cream (no big deal here. just 2 tbsp's for the whole darn recipe!)

1. Heat the butter and oil in a soup pot or dutch oven. Add the leeks and and saute over med heat until the leeks soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the potatoes, zucchini, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, then lower the heat and simmer (covered) for 30 minutes.
3. Cool for a few minutes then process with a stick blender, regular blender, food mill or food processor until thick and creamy. Note: Be careful using regular blender as it tends to want to pop out of the top - small batches is the answer.
Return to very low heat and stir in the cream and check for seasoning.

This can be served hot in the winter or cold in the summer!
So darned good and good for you. Feels sinful but is really awesome.

So, you can see what I've been knitting and I'm so excited to have scored some new yarns from cool places like Salem, MA and Etsy and ebay - which you can see many many pictures of at my Flickr page. You'll also catch some other great pics too BTW.

I'll be back soon. In the mean time, please post a comment and say hello to help assuage my cabin fever!

Halloween 2008

2008-11-05T09:38:00.018-05:00

,

After taking inventory of all the candy it would appear we had our biggest Halloween turnout to date. 250+ As you can see from the pics (and they aren't nearly as scary in the daylight as they are after the sun goes down...) we had some great displays this time around. I got inspired by Frodo in the last episode (Return of the King) when he gets captured by the giant spider and wrapped up in web - thus the little girl trick or treater with the M & M candy wrapper in her hand. I warned many of the youngsters who came to the house not to linger on the porch and start eating candy. Dave, of course, stole the show with his very scary mask and outfit - completed by the sinister laugh. I loved the face in the twig wreath (an unexpected last minute do) and of course the spider egg. Many attempts (6 total) yielded just the one egg, so I got lucky. The mouse "hotel" was a Martha inspiration. Nobody does Halloween better than Martha! I don't much go for the knife through the throat horror, but like the very spooky, sinister style of decor.
So now it's on to Thanksgiving and some pretty chilly weather.

The Big Chill

2008-10-18T08:25:00.007-04:00

There's nothing like a long, leisurely escape into the woods to melt all your troubles away. In my case, it was a Columbus Day campout with Dave to Cook Forest State Park in northern PA. The weather was perfect; chilly nights, warm sunny days, and gorgeous folliage. It was just the two of us celebrating our 13th year of marriage - well with the dogs of course. Reading; camp stove toaster bagels (the best! we love our camping toaster, it's the best $1.99 we ever spent and bought it on our honeymoon.); hypnotic fires; bird sounds to wake you in the quiet morning; the Zzzz of tent zippers; and hotdogs with my homemade garden relish cooked over the fire to perfection. Of course, the happiest campers of all are the dogs. Rooty especially loves the woods and knows the camping drill now that she's come with us on many trips. She can hike circles around us despite her short stature and loves going to bed in the tent at night. Little Sister (aka "Me Too) just follows her along and does whatever Rooty does.

Shown above, we are staging our gear near the car to be loaded for travel home on the last day. Rooty, wants to make sure we don't forget her, so positions herself on top of a pile of towels and blankets where she'll be seen.
What a trip.

First Day of October

2008-10-01T08:04:00.008-04:00

Well, we're in it now aren't we? Fall in full throttle. Weather man says the temps are going to plummet, so frost will be on the pumpkin any minute, which means I CAN say goodbye to all my flowers. The herbs in the garden will stay hearty well into November and some, like thyme will be available for Christmas and beyond which is certainly a good thing cuz I use thyme all the THYME. (watch out for flying tomatoes!) I've already decided to focus more on herbs next year and less on annual flowers or veggies. We just don't have the sunny areas needed to keep veggies happy, but the herbs (who, being the masochistic little things that they are, actually like some abuse) can tolerate just about any spot in my meager back yard and do.

Rosemary Clooney (pictured here) has come into the house now for her second winter. Until last year I'd yet to winter over a rosemary plant. With its pine-like smell and popularity at Christmas time, I had always assumed that these herbs wanted a chilly sort of environment - though not being able to tolerate winter should have clued me in that they are actually a tropical plant. Duh. Thanks to Aunt Ann for setting me straight on this. So last year I brought her in and set her in my sunniest window for the winter. She lived there very nicely and went back out onto the Shrimp Shack for a second summer of fun and frolic with the other plants. AND she has doubled in size despite being nipped and pinched all season long. My mother-in-law lives in Delaware where mild winters allow her rosemary plant to live as a bush and it's HUGE. Like five feet around and four feet tall. The fragrant spikes are thick enough to use as skewers for the barbeque, except she doesn't barbeque, so mostly the bush sits there unused. If I had one like that I'd be carting bundles of it down to the Farmer's Market to sell all summer! So here's a poem for kids learning their states: (gchmmm...clearing of the throat getting ready to recite.) When MISSISSIPPI asked MISSOURI, "could DELAWARE your NEW JERSEY?" she replied: IDAHO, ALASKA!

Just a Tuesday in September

2008-09-23T17:53:00.009-04:00

The best thing EVVA is Sunday afternoons in the fall. Chilly air, wood burning smells in the "hood", football on the telly and something amazing in the oven roasting the afternoon away. Last Sunday we invited "the boss" and his wife to dinner. Nothing fancy, no appetizers, just a good meal, elbows on the table after and a long bottle of wine. Although I had lots to do around the house, I just decided to drop it for the day and spend the time in my favorite room of the house - the kitchen playing with my toys and creating something wonderful for people I care about.

I roasted a ham using Ina's glaze from her cookbook, smashed up some earthy mashed potatoes, and sauteed zucchini in a hot hot pan with onions, olive oil and sprinkling of parmesan at the end. Made these great pumpkin muffins (LOVE the leaf shapes - this pan gets used a lot this time of year!) and then...it just keeps getting better...there's a cream cheese center! I know, right? SO GOOD.

So use your favorite pumpkin bread/muffin recipe, and put about 1 1/2 TBSP's of it in the bottom of the muffin pan. Then add the cream cheese mixed with a little sugar and vanilla. I use a mini ice cream scoop for this. So easy. Two tea spoons can be used tho, just scoop with one and push it off the spoon into the dough with the other. Don't over fill! For God's sake, more is not better in this case. One rounded tsp is fine. Then cover the cream cheese with another couple of Tbsp's of pumpkin batter. Make and cool ten minutes or so, then pull from the pan and place in a towel lined bread bowl and get them to the table. Good warm or room temp or the next morning with coffee. I'm telling you...they will steal the show at Thanksgiving!

And we are crafting! I signed up for a little church craft fair in November. Now that the economy is crashing and no one has any money, what better time to try and sell your wares at church right? We'll see. I'm really excited though and will be getting VERY busy putting things together in preparation. Stop back and see what I'll be working on!

Thanks for reading. Now go outside and get inspired!

Where on EARTH have I been !?!?!

2008-09-13T09:41:00.008-04:00

Greetings blogger friends!
After a long, late summer journey, I am happy to report that I am back in the domestic saddle here in "Toontown" and plan to keep my carcass parked here as long as possible. Spent a lovely week at the beach on Ocracoke Island, NC with family and THE most gorgeous weather. No hurricanes dropped by although they certainly were looming south and west of us. Then took my first ever train trip from my home to mother-in-laws to be with her during some surgery. Another week at home to get caught up on mountains of laundry, chores, stocking the pantry and loving the dogs - who have finally forgiven me for abandoning them.
Stopped by the Farmer's Market yesterday - in the POURING rain - to check out more harvest yummies. You know they won't be here much longer, so must eat tomatoes, must eat tomatoes, must eat tomatoes - at every opportunity.

The tomatoes above were part of my score. The green ones are not actually unripe red tomatoes, but one of those cool heirloom varieties you see on TV all the time and in the fancy magazines. I can't wait to try them. One of the best ways to eat a fresh tomato and to get a non-tomato lover on board is this:

SAVORY SUMMER TOMATO MUFFINS

1 Nicely ripened Tomato - summer only please!
2 English Muffins - split and lightly toasted
4 oz (half block) Cream cheese, softened. I use Tofutti with no dairy and no trans fat.
2 Tbsp Mayo - I use Veganaise, which has no saturated fat and is absolutely delicious (no eggs) But your favorite mayo brand is just fine - except Miracle Whip (wha the heck is that stuff anyway?)
3 -4 Fresh Basil leaves

So while the English Muffin is toasting, mix together the cream cheese, mayo and basil. SCHMEAR (highly technical cullinary term) the mixture on the English muffin halves (4.) Top with a nice thick slice of summer tomato. Salt and Pepper. Eat, and start moaning! Cuz it's just so darn good.

Suggestions: I cut the completed muffin halves into 4 pie wedges and set them all out on a plate for a pre-dinner appetizer. These will be DUSTED so make sure you get one before heading back into the kitchen after delivering them to your guests. They will also be hounding you for seconds, so be prepared to beat them down with shouting at them to be patient for dinner. OR, just pour yourself another glass of wine, finish of the rest of the muffins with a second batch of this recipe and call it a day. Ha. Right.

Makes a fabulous lunch with a tall glass of minty iced tea and one or two cookies - just for courage to face the afternoon, right?

Perfect (again cut into quarters) for afternoon tea or a tea party.

Add a cup of delicious soup on the side and you've got a September supper that will be cherished and you - well, heralded as a genius. So pick a date to make this that you'd like named as a national holiday, since that's what's gonna happen. Trust me.

Note: Do not bother with this recipe if you do not have summer tomatoes or fresh basil. Miserable trucked-from-California-and-gassed tomatoes resembling the bathroom soap bar just will not due.

So, it's a kind of gloomy Saturday. Davey is working - good, dedicated working citizen that he is and we have plans to go to State College to shop for hiking boots. This, we've agreed, will be our 13th anniversary gift to each other this year, since both of our boots are worn to the point of ridiculous. I have a glued sole on my beloved treads. This makes them useful but no longer waterproof - and we all know that GUSHY FOOT is not any kind of fun on the trail. And Dave's beloved boots have been temporarily replaced by a cheapy variety to get him through, which are now toast. Besides, he has a weekend hiking trip coming up in October and good boots are VERY important. So in State College we will ALSO find lots of fun to fall into. Like going to WEGMAN'S! OMG, I love this place. Best grocery store EVA - except for Trader Joe's which still ranks #1 with this girl. I will want to spend two hours there (Wegman's.) The man in my party won't. So I must think ahead and plan what I MUST see, and what I can only dream about. With gas prices being so ridiculous, making the hour trek to this place is a luxury I can rarely afford any more. So after that we'll most likely slip into a pub and watch Penn State kick the snot out of Syracuse. Since Penn State is away this weekend (in Syracuse right? I mean, like, that's who they're playing so that's probably where they went. Is Chicken of the Sea CHICKEN or TUNA?) then the traffic won't be bad and it will be so fun to hang out with other Penn State fans, college students so we can just hoot and holler as the game rolls through the afternoon. Can't wait!

So stop reading and go make that Tomato Muffin.

I heart Bento Boxes

2008-08-13T18:09:00.018-04:00

Have you seen these? I HEART BENTO BOXES! They originated in Japan and although I haven't researched its roots yet, I am too excited about it to even go there at the moment. But if anyone wants to go geek on this and make a comment about its origin, please do. Japanese or not, it's come to the US and is getting all Americanized making the possibilities awesome on many levels!I have been browsing around the web to find that many many people are nutso over trying to have no throw away lunches. It's that green living thing don't ya know. Add to that a desire to control eating and lose weight (Bento boxes require portion control) and feeding children at school (school lunches pretty well suck) and there is well, just a whole ton of stuff out there about Bento boxes! Some have freezer packs so you can keep things cold. Some have a tower of containers inside a thermos kinda thing. Check out MR. BENTO! http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mr+bento Many come with napkins and flatware and are carried in a little purse kind of thing - okay so now you know why I like it right? With my gravitational pull to all things container-like I am POWERLESS HERE! Actually I like it on so many levels! I almost wish I were working in an office again, so I'd have an excuse to buy that little laptop set pictured up there, but I'll have to wait on that. Check out Etsy dot com and search for BENTO. Here's one hand made kit that is more for grown ups. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_16&listing_id=13688655 but there are some beautiful bags, kits and even stuffed toy bento's for kids to play with! So very very cool.

Americans are latching on and really making it their own. I'm sure it'll be unhealthy before you know it! haha we're just so clever and modern aren't we? So it's not just about sushi anymore (although a sushi lunch is never a bad thing in my book) but as you can see the Bento thing can be about leftovers, and pasta, and sandwiches. Here's a website with so much info, you're gonna be there all day. http://lunchinabox.net/ There's lots of info and recipes about making this simple and do-able - not to mention affordable! Yikes the money you can save boggles my mind.

And if you want to see the very coolest boxes and accessories for this new way of lunching, be sure to visit http://shop.iloveobento.com/ Many for grown ups.

If I had children in school you can bet your bippy I'd be cutting out little stars from bread slices with cookie cutters and adding little surprises all the time. My son Nick used to ask me to not forget the love notes in his lunch box. As he got older and this practice became "gay" in his estimation, I started putting jokes in there. This was a big hit in the lunch room evidently. The point being that making a little connection with your child during the school day is neat - does anyone say "neat" anymore? Oh well, it is. And did I mention how excited I am about this?

There is a group of ladies up in Minnesota that are all about making these cool Bento kits that even come with 5 days worth of hand made napkins in very cool colors and patterns all to get people to stop buying so much disposable stuff that kids are just throwing away every day after lunch. Check them out. http://mommytsunami.wordpress.com/zero-waste-lunch-inc/

And in case you haven't had enough, check out Amazon for reviews on how these have affected thier lives; kids losing weight, money being saved, earth being save.

Has to Cook; Wants to Sew

2008-08-11T10:00:00.012-04:00

Remember to lock your car...in the summer that is. Otherwise someone is likely to put zucchini in the back seat!

So the produce is coming in like a hurricane. People are stopping me on the street to ask if I want any cucumbers.

Peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, OH MY! So, since I can not say no to free food (Puritan New England ancestors don't ya know) I start cooking and cooking and cooking. This would be all great fun except that at this same time, I have managed to find a lovely little nook in my newly renovated bedroom to set up a sewing table and it is there now, calling to me all day and at night when I'm sleeping. But the vegetables won't wait, so out come the canning jars, freezer boxes, and every recipe known to mankind that has basil in it.

The pictures above are my attempt at food stying in a hurry - ha cuz I have to keep a close eye on the porch in case another shopping bag of cucumbers shows up, but everyone likes pictures right? So the recipe is very Rachel Ray in that you don't have to measure and can adjust in ways that inspire you. It makes a great side dish, but I love it as a vegetarian lunch or dinner, cuz it's so hearty. And I HEART pasta

Italian Stovetop Zucchini

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 large zucchini, peeled and cut into chunks

1 medium onion, sliced or diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tbsp tomato paste

A few leaves of fresh basil

Salt and Pepper

1 cup (more or less) of pasta (use the little bits and leftovers you have in the pantry - see my Martha-esque picture!)

1 cup water (more or less. Too much and you have soup - not necessarily bad, too little and you have paste - bad necessarily bad...)

Okay, so heat the olive oil in a medium pot and sautee the onions, zucchini, and garlic on medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Add tomato paste and stir to coat.

Add pasta, water and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the pasta is done - about 20 minutes.

Add chopped fresh basil to taste.

I serve with parmesan cheese.

You can imagine the possibilities here right? Add peppers, italian sausage, ya da ya da ya da.

But what I really want to talk about is sewing! I haven't done ANY sewing in about 5 years and I have seriously been bitten by the bug - more on why later...

LOOK at that fabric! It's so retro-ey and cool. It came from http://www.blogger.com/www.fabricworm.etsy.com and has rocked my sewing world! So many project ideas, but the only problem (well, one of my many problems) is I can't bear to cut into it at the moment and just need to stare at it and touch it. So soft and plush. The pictures (my bad photo skills) do not do it justice. The colors are amazing. So if anyone has any tips on gathering the courage to cut those suckers, I'd really appreciate it. Fabricworm offers so many cool fabrics that you just can't get around these parts or at any of the big chain stores, and her service is fast, and it's all so cool to buy from a nice person trying to make a living selling wonderful fabric.

Yeah, so it's 10:30 and I'm still not dressed. Typical Monday as I check back in with the world. Dave and I enjoyed yet another late and laughter-filled evening on the Shrimp Shack eating THE BEST corn on the cob EVVA! (thanks Kath) and some really bland chicken - not sure why cuz it was bathed in a really great apricot whiskey glaze. Maybe it just paled next to that corn. Did I mention how flippin awesome it was?

Busy day today with many chores, errands, and to do's as the countdown is on to get ready for yet another week at the beach. Poor me.

Dog days of summer

2008-08-02T09:03:00.004-04:00

Spending more time inside than I care to these days, but this time of year in PA can be sticky and nasty hot. A/C is the only place for this weeny of a princess who doesn't like to perspire unless she's working out. Actually the truth is that I have so many hot flashes, that one more - even a fabricated one due to heat might put me over the edge.

But being indoors a lot doesn't mean I'm on the couch! With the summer produce coming in by the truckload, the food processing plant that is my kitchen is in full swing.

And check out the size of them berries!

My fabric and yarn stashes have reached out of control status so I am staying very focused on producing stuff from them. So many patterns and ideas and so little time. Check out these little Mary Jane's! http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_1&listing_id=15770530There are some really cute sewing, knitting, and crochet patterns on Etsy right now. Must stay focused. Must stay away... Do not look at the light...

Anyhoo, since I wanted to write about summer produce today, I'll post my favorite GoTo blueberry cake recipe. It's a dessert, it's a breakfast cake, it's comforting, it'll clean your floors, well not really, but kinda if some spills and the dogs licks it up...

This recipe was given to me by the awesome, chain-smoking bookkeeper whom I had the pleasure of working with way back in, um, do I have to say it? Well, let's just say the Burroughs bookkeeping machine used yellowish cards and went into a HUGE carriage to be printed with pluses and minuses and the adding machines had cranks. Okay, well hers did cuz that's what she liked, mine didn't. So Kay (her name) loved to cook, but only certain things and mostly Italian stuff that her mom had taught her. I love that I still have the 3 x 5 index card written in her hand (no fru fru cards with cutesy country stuff.)

This blueberry cake is very pantry friendly. The only ahead of time thinking required is softening the butter. You can use frozen blueberries too if you like.

Preheat oven to 350 (note: I like to preheat to 425 and then reduce to 350 when I put the pan in the oven - but if you forget to turn it down...well, let's not go there...)

Butter and flour a 9 x 13 pan.

Tip: Spray release agents (like ones with girl's names) are tempting, but because of their not so nice ingredients they leave a sticky residue behind on the pans that do not scrub off or come off in the dishwasher. So don't be lazy. Use butter. Besides, the gases they release are bad for your lungs.

Where was I...

In one bowl, cream:

1 Stick of softened butter with 2 cups of sugar (I know, but it's a cake!) and whip it, whip it good.

Add 2 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. (So far sounds like every other cake ever invented right?)

While this is going on, multitask and sift together:

(Okay stop right there. Sift? Another step that can be avoided, but be prepared to have your guests look quizically at the strange little white balls in your cake. Again, take a moment, sift onto some wax paper and get over yourself...)

Sift together:

3 Cups flour

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Cream of Tartar (no cream, no tar there, just thickening agents)

So back at the mixer, add dry ingredients ALTERNATELY with 1 cup milk. This can be half the dry, half the milk, half the dry, half the milk.

DO NOT OVER MIX HERE. We want cake, not bread. Just until it's combined, then stop.

Toss your pint of blueberries with a spoonful of flour and mix to coat. This step keeps the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake (which they will, somewhat anyway, but some won't.)

Fold the floured berries into your batter - by hand people. We don't want to pulverize the berries into an unrecognizeable state.

Then pour the whole thing into your prepared pan.

Now the best part: Sprinkle the top with sugar! I know, right? I like to use Turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Nude, or is it Raw?) It gives the finished product a really nice crunchy top that is divine. Nose in air.

Bake for about 45 minutes (did you remember to reduce the oven temp from 425 to 350? Thanks mom.) Enjoy the scent of your home after about 20 minutes...

Check for doneness when the whole cake is lovely, golden brown and a toothpick or knife stuck in the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for about 30 minutes and dive in.

So now that you've read this seemingly long recipe, here's the short list of ingredients for your grocery list:

1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries

1 stick butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup milk

1 tbsp flour for berry dusting

1/4 cup sugar for top dusting

I'm not kidding. Make this.

Just a Monday

2008-07-28T17:49:00.001-04:00

Greetings blog-sibs! To the naked eye it might seem like an ordinary Monday, but it's really a magical day and I got to be Hoodini. Well, not exactly, but it truly was the kind of Monday I'd always dreamed of back when I was a slave in Corp America. Today I got to decide how every moment of it would be spent and it WASN'T in front of the TV! Tempting yes, choice no. I crafted, I cleaned (the good kind that makes you feel good, not abused, I cooked - Ina Garten's Scallops Provencal!, I ran a couple of errands, I decluttered - see, it was an EXCEPTIONAL day!, I exercised, I ate really good things for my body, the list goes on...) Anyhoo, I wanted to chat today about laundry detergent. A necessary evil in everyone's life - well except maybe Hillary Clinton and Oprah, we all buy it, use it, and have somewhat of a relationship with it. For the last 15 years or so I've been a dedicated Tide girl. The cleaning power is unmatched to any other product on the market. When combined with OxyClean, a Tide pen and some baking soda, no stain could match my laundry power sword. So one day, I asked the big question, "So what's in this stuff?" I started doing some research and found that the wonderful things in my stain fighters were really doing a bad number on our lakes and rivers. Many chemicals are not biodegradable and some are considered carcinogens. Nice to have this stuff wrapped around me when I'm sleeping at night right?
So the next thing ya know, I'm making my own laundry detergent. I know, right? Well, it's really not a big deal and it saves a TON of money cuz it's just cheap as all get out and it does a really great job. Now, I will qualify this by saying that I OCCASIONALLY use an Oxy Clean booster if something is really badly stained and at risk of being unwearable - like my favorite white tee shirt that got sloshed by coffee a few days ago. And I do still keep a Tide pen in my purse for the emergency red wine at dinner moment, but over all I feel the change I'm making is one of those small ones and "progress not perfection" kinda things that can make a big difference in the longer run. To find out how to make your own laundry detergent visit: http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm .

And while we're on the subject of homekeeping: STOP USING AIR FRESHENERS! According to Gorgeously Green, by Sophie Uliano, who really did her homework on the subject, these little devils in disguise contain formaldehyde, phenol, and petroleum distillate, just to name a few bad boys to stay clear of. In short they cause the dirtiest air you could possibly breathe. Instead try Citrus Magic or burn some incense. If you don't like smelling like a hippy commune, try simmering some cinnamon and cloves in a pot of water on your kitchen stove for ten minutes (don't leave the room and forget about it!) Then cool the water and use it on your plants!

Rainy Summer Days

2008-07-23T12:04:00.000-04:00

I just love a rainy summer day - especially after a heat spell. The lawn is very happy. Thanks to my new BFF Amy Karol (just got her book, "Bend-the-rules Sewing") who writes a very cool blog, "Angry Chicken" is a domestic diva, interesting writer and all around cool person, yes thanks to Amy I am half a day behind on my list of things to do on this very nice rainy day. I could be in my workshop finishing up a couple of swaps that have looming deadlines (I hate to rush swaps) or cranking out some new items for my Etsy shop. I could be getting all caught up on the laundry so it's not moldy by the weekend. I could be processing and canning all the veggies I got from the Farmer's Market, baking great bread (a good thing to do on a humid, rainy, summer day - yeast plays well in these circumstances.) I could be cleaning the house (well, HIGHLY unlikely I have to say) or even taking a shower. So it's 12:30 and I am still in my PJ's at the computer. All because of Amy Karol!

See, she posted a picture like this:

I think the title of her picture was along the lines of "Messing around when I should be working" or something.

Need I say more? I linked to the website: http://www.photofunia.com/ only to find a whole gallery of fun ways to use your photos in funky ways.

The rest of the morning was history.

So today's post is a short one. Mainly because I'm sure I've lost your attention as you are now long gone having your own fun with your own photos.

See you later.

On the brink of a summer weekend

2008-07-18T18:43:00.001-04:00

Friday means one thing to me in the summer; Farmer's Market. Living in PA you would think they'd be all over the place, but the truth is, they aren't. At least not where I live. I have basically two options, but they run Thurs thru Saturday. Given that I don't have money on Thursday, and Saturday is yard sale day, Friday is when I try and get out to see what's fresh, support the locals, and plan my menus for the coming week based on what's in season.

I am so happy to report that the first corn has arrived. I picked up just a half dozen ears and will pair it with some marinated salmon on the grill and Julia Child's Zucchini Gratin.

There is a wonderful mini Farmer's Market at my favorite health store. Eden View Organics comes out each Friday afternoon with fresh, organic produce, baked spelt goods - a great find for wheat sensitive types like me, and Kombucha. If you don't know about Kombucha, you can find all you want to know and more on the internet, but basically it's a mushroomy kind of fungus that ferments in green or black tea and is a very awesome probiotic (like yogurt.) Since I'm coming off a nasty colon infection whereby all the bacteria in my digestive system has been slain with antibiotics, the probiotics are essential to getting my digestive tract back in balance. One 8 oz glass of this elixir this afternoon and I am feeling great! I can't tell you what an almost immediate calm I felt. The good news is that you can buy your own "culture" on ebay, from a really groovy farmer in Tennessee http://www.stitchingtime.com/ will ship you a great starter with all the instructions and tips you need to make your own Kombucha. Once your batch is ripe, you can flavor it with flavored teas to create a really pleasant drink. Kombucha is now commercially available at some trendy sandwich shops and health food stores. If you are interested, but not sure you want to jump in with both feet, pick one up and give it a try for a few days to see how it makes you feel. Better than yogurt cuz it's not laced with chemicals and saturated fat.

The mushroomy culture has a ba-jillion uses. It is known to be good for acne and burns.

Dave and I spent a lovely evening on the Shrimp Shack the other night. Our favorite summer evening passtime. Had a great meal, chatted, enjoyed some libations, and each other's company.

See you tomorrow.

Let's Get Down to Business

2008-07-14T13:17:00.000-04:00

After a long, languid week at the Jersey shore with nothing in my head but the sounds made by the cleansing surf as it washed away my stress, my to do lists, my errands, my insecurities, and my woes, I began to use the remaining pockets of gray matter to explore how I would like to blog. As with all new endeavors, I believe it's good, if not inevitable, to start with questions. But the one big question for me had to be, "Why did I want to blog?" Blogging will be another thing to do in an already full day with new projects landing at my feet almost daily. Blogging would require resources and research at times. Blogging must be done consistently. yadayadaya DUH. Perhaps the biggest reason I want to blog is that there is so much to say and really no one to say it all to at the moment. My son is grown and gone, no sibblings nearby who are that interested in my teachings, my husband Dave loves me and listens to me, but I really must take pity on him at times and cut him some slack. The other day when we were discussing a jewelry idea I was having he suggested I consider a bead with an "AB" finish. (To those of you who don't bead or know what this means, it refers to the Aurora Borealis finish of a bead giving it a particular gleam on one side.) I looked at him with such a happy connectedness and told him how proud and impressed I was! "I think I need to go camping now," he said and walked out to the garage to start the engine on his motorcycle and hammer something. I also understand that blogs can be incredibly boring, so I want to be sure to include information that readers might find helpful, interesting, or funny. I have a lot to say and I am so excited to say it. If no one reads, that's okay, at least I've had a chance to speak and to practice my writing. Good enough for now eh?

So today is Monday and as I mentioned I'm just back from a week at the beach. The weather was beautiful all week and I spent each day except one Butt-in-Chair either soaking up sun (and vitamin D) or lounging under my tie-dyed umbrella reading Wrack and Ruin - very entertaining book and thank you to my dear friend Tina who loaned it to me. Dave and I go to the beach with his entire family every other year for this one week and so far have chosen several different places to go. There are now 16 of us. Some members have been added, some permanently or temporarily departed. Each time we go we have a great time with a little bit of fun, occasional drama (injury, meltdown, mis-communication, etc.) but always a ton of laughs and an opportunity to catch up on months worth of news since we are spread out all over the east coast and don't get together collectively or often.

Each "unit" of attendees (four brothers and The Queen Mum) takes a night to cook. Mum starts off with her famous meatballs, which are just too good for words, we go out for seafood one night, and order pizza from a good place or do the boardwalk on another. That left four of us to cook at the house and this year, we all brought CHICKEN. (see above drama note regarding mis-communication.) It turned out to be one of those hilarious footnotes on practically every conversation during the week. "What's for dessert? Chicken popsicles?" "Anyone know how to make a chicken omelette with these leftovers?" or at the seafood restaurant to the waitress taking Dave's order, "Do you have any chicken? I'm really in the mood for it."

On my night to cook (and I asked to go first this year to get it out of the way) I did a Mexican menu with the best roll up appetizers I could find. My PA-BFF (Pennsylvania Best Friend Forever) Kathy had them at one of her lovely soirees and shared the recipe with me to try on the "Fam." So now I'll share it with you:

LET'S EAT: South of the Border Spirals. For this recipe you will need: 1 Pkg (8 inch) flour tortillas (I like whole wheat); 1 (8 oz) block Cream Cheese; 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa (fresh is awesome if you haven't yet tried any); 1 Bag fresh baby spinach; 2 avocados; 1 fresh lime; 2 red orange or yellow peppers. Mix the cream cheese with the salsa and set aside. (Note: This is easier and blends better if you soften the cream cheese for a couple or hours ahead) Cut the peppers into strips. Peel and cut the avocado into strips too and sprinkle with fresh lime juice to keep from browning. Spread a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture onto a tortilla to within 1/2" from the edges. Lay the peppers and avocado and about 2/3 cup of spinach leaves across the middle of the tortilla. Tightly roll up into a log shape and place seam side down in a 9 x 13 pan. Continue until all of the ingredients are used up. Chill the whole logs for about 2 hours or overnights. When you are close to serving (up to about an hour ahead is fine) slice each log into 1/2" spirals. Arrange on a pretty plate and cover with plastic wrap. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Very colorful and so flavorful with creaminess and crunch. Makes a great lunch wrap too!

Finder's Keepers Do you hate all the sand stuck to your meticulously lotioned legs, arms and feet when you are ready to leave the beach? Well, if so, take along one of those puffy nylon bath scrubbies that you use in the shower. Keep it in your beach bag along with your ipod, book, and fun snacks and at the end of the day, just use it dry to wipe away all sand. Then use the little chord attached to shake it out back onto the beach. This works like a dream! And they are at every dollar store.

Today's Quote:
"I like my money right where I can see it... hanging in the my closet." Carrie Bradshaw

Feel free to stop by and say hello any time. Try to do something creative today. Remember how fun it was when we were kids?

SweeTart77