One Red Couch

Levi's First Haircut

2011-11-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

Levi had his first "haircut" last week at Studio 158 in Escondido. It wasn't really an official haircut because he really wouldn't let Kristen get a hold of his hair. He was really interested in her scissors and wanted to take them from her.

Levi's 1st Birthday

2011-10-02T21:06:00.000-07:00

Me with Grandma Oakland.

Yep, that's five kids...one wagon.

Gluten free cookie monster cupcakes!

Love me some frosting!

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Schaffner for my drum kit!

International Baby Shower

2011-09-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

Our good friend's first baby is due any day now and she is all about travel in her professional life as well as personally. We threw her an international baby shower complete with all this yummy food.

Menu

Hawaiian Ribs
Thai Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
Greek Salad
Empanadas
Mediterranean Pinenut, Chicken, Rasin Salad
Spinach Dip
Veggies and Hummus
International Cupcakes with Denise's Frosting

New Obsession

2011-09-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, I look like a freak for posting about peanut butter and honey on bread (even though it is "quite" amazing), but I'm taking a class to learn how to use my camera and am playing around with the manual settings and needed something to take a picture of. Hence the reason you get to hear about todays lunch.

Some of you may know I have a serious weakness for peanut butter, but I think it may have recently gotten worse. I am obsessed with the Alpine Valley bread that Costco carries. I was so sad while the San Marcos location was closed because I didn't know where I could get it. This bread, untoasted so it's still soft, with natural peanut butter and creamed honey from Trader Joe's is to die for. Ah, yeah...

Noah's 2nd Birthday!

2011-08-27T21:54:00.000-07:00

I always say, life is too short enjoy as much as you can. Noah's 2nd birthday was a great example of this. Some may say, "All this for a 2 year old?" I say "All this for everyone". It was such a great time for all of this and something we will all remember. Adriana did an amazing job!

Carnival time...

Here's the birthday boy in his custom shirt.

Cotton candy and party favors

Centerpiece

The party planner...Momma

Popcorn cupcakes made with toasted marshmellows

Cake!

Little Levi, hangin' in the ergo

The was even a balloon lady!

Uf da!

Jessica and Carlos

Gwen and Sean

Movie Night at the Irwin's

2011-08-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we went to the Irwins for a BBQ and backyard movie. I really respect these guys for remembering to enjoy life. They always have fun family events planned.

After an amazing stack of bbq'd ribs we sat down to watch "The Sandlot". I'd actually never seen it before. Such a cute movie.

I was pretty impressed that Levi seemed to be entertained as well.

Their new backyard has turned out so great. Perfect for all the kids running around.

Mike and Levi

2011-08-11T21:35:00.000-07:00

I always run into my brother in the Trader Joe's/Major Market parking lot. He likes to take his dog Charlie for walks there. He's funny, he says he doesn't like babies, but I think the jury's out...

He likes to call him Blue.

Addicted to Lightbox

2011-08-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

Can't believe I'm so behind on this, but I just discovered the awesomeness of Adobe Lightbox. This program makes me feel like a rock star photographer. I also downloaded some "presets" from Pretty Presets which are also fun. Here are a couple of examples of effects that I used on recent photos in my library.

Eating in London

2011-08-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

This was one of the great places we got to visit while we were in the London area last January. We were staying with our friends Gayle and Mal who live in West Wickham and they took us to this little treasure. It was great to go somewhere that was definitely a local spot and not touristy at all. It was damp and cold out and there was a great cozy fireplace inside. Definitely one of those memorable nights out with friends.

The White Bear
Gotta love the "location" as desrcibed on their website. It doesn't get any more "English" than this...

"Close to Warlingham, the White Bear under ten minutes from both Biggin Hill Airport and Junction 6 of the M25. In addition we are just seven miles from Croydon. The White Bear is located in the small hamlet of Fickleshole surrounded by beautiful countryside yet a short drive from the 'city'.

Fickleshole was established in the early sixteenth century; the local area is mainly used for farming and stablling for eighty horses. The roads leading to the White Bear are very narrow as they were 'designed' for use by horse and cart; don't panic, there are numerous passing places."

Jake had the Game Pie and I had the Local Ham.

Game Pie £10.45
A medley of Venison, Wild Boar, Pheasant and Rabbit
simmered in red wine with mushrooms and onion, topped with
a puff pastry lid and served with seasonal vegetables and
creamy mash or chips

Free Range Dry Cured Local Ham £9.25
A generous slice of delicious home-cooked ham served with
chips and two free range eggs direct from the local farm

A photo of the restaurant during the day

Our hosts, Gayle and Mal

Tuesdays with Laurie: Hawaiian Ribs

2011-08-04T10:01:00.000-07:00

I decided it would be fun to systematically go through some of the favorite recipes that my mom makes. She loves to see Levi during the week so I thought it would be fun to pick one day a week to cook with her so we all can have some time to hang out. The plan is to make it a regular Tuesday thing, but this last Tuesday it was a little tricky so we actually got together yesterday instead.

This recipe comes from and old coworker of my mom's when she was working for the bank in Oceanside. With a name like "Hawaiian Ribs" I was skeptical that it was a Better Homes and Gardens recipe that the magazine thought sounded Hawaiian, but apparently her friend was actually from Hawaii, so maybe there's some authenticity to it. Beware these little puppies are addictive...

Hawaiian Ribs

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 cup soy sauce
1 cup broth
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup white wine
1 small ginger root, finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
3 lbs spare ribs, cut lengthwise by butcher
Drizzle of oil

Directions

Cut the ribs into 2-3 rib sections.

Brown ribs in oil with ginger root.

Place browned ribs and ginger in slow cooker. Mix the sugar and mustard in the hot water. Add the rest of the ingredients and pour mixture over ribs in crock pot. Cook for 5-6 hours on low.

Remove ribs from crock pot with a slotted spoon. (Although the cooking liquid is so good, you'll want to eat it like soup.) They should be falling off the bone.

We like it served as an appetizer or with wild rice pilaf and broccoli as a meal.

Three Boys

2011-07-30T17:40:00.000-07:00

While I got to take a trip to the er this morning because I sliced off the tip of my finger, Grandma and Grandpa rescued us by taking care of Levi. Lucky them..they had a house full of boys since they already were babysitting Levi's cousin Ronin. Grandpa sure loves these guys!

Eating in LA

2011-07-27T12:02:00.000-07:00

We had a great time with our friends Kate and Mikel last weekend. They live in Sherman Oaks and they know we love great food and great beer. I thought I'd share the food and drink tour they took us on.

First we stopped at "Tony's Darts Away" for lunch. They serve all Craft, all Draught, all California beers. I was so excited because they had a Kristalweizen (Anderson Valley) on tap. It was my favorite style of beer when I first started getting into beer while I lived in Stuttgart. I have never seen it in the US, so that with their "loaded" sausages and I was pretty happy. (As you can see Levi was impressed too, sleeping in the ergo!)

Jake and I shared Cajan spiced homemade chips, a side salad with really yummy dressing and a chicken fennel-asiago sausage with grilled onions and basil aioli. Can I get an ahhh yeah!

Tony's Darts Away

1710 W. Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 91506

(818) 253-1710

Next on the list was Eagle Rock Brewing. This place was a bit tricky to find, but it made it all the more enticing. We came to fill up our growlers for a bbq later on in the day, but we got there are little early and they don't open on Saturdays until 4pm. We decided to kill some time until then.

Ah, too bad...we were pretty close to Silverlake so I had to jump on the chance to go to Pazzo Gelato! Oh yeah, this place is my absolute fav and I'm kind of obsessed. Jake and I shared half strawberry custard and half mascarpone - gingersnap cookie. The server was nice enough to let me share a taste of the Black Splendor Plum sorbetto with Levi.

Pazzo Gelato
3827 Sunset Bouelevard
Silverlake, CA 90026
(323) 662-1410

We rounded out the tour back at Eagle Rock Brewing. The two guys running the tap room were so welcoming. We new ahead of time that we wouldn't be able to take Levi in with us so we took turns hanging out with him in the car while he napped. My two favs were the Populist and the Revolution XPA.

I've always had a hard time knowing what to do in LA. It's truly a "car culture" kind of place and unless you know where to go, it's hard to happen upon these little gems. But with the help of Kate and Mikel we had such a good time and really felt comfortable. So when did LA get so cool?

Nectarine Amaretto Jam

2011-07-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

So even after friends and family came by to take home nectarines and we made a batch of baby food for Charlie (our friend Gwen is due at the end of September), I still have a pile of nectarines sitting on my kitchen countertop threatening to spoil. This afternoon I made a batch of this "Apricot Amaretto Jam" from Well-Preserved by Eugenia Bone. I substituted nectarines for apricots and it worked out just fine. However, the recipe says that you'll need 4 half pint jars and I only ended up with 3 plus a couple of tablespoons extra that I put in a tupperware for ice cream later. My goodness, the stuff is GOOD, but it's also sticky. I ended up needing to mop the floor when I was done.

All that work and I ended up with these three little beauties.

Recipe follows:

4 cups pitted and chopped apricots (about 3/4 pound)
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon citric acid (I use Fruit Fresh)
1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter
3 to 4 tablespoons amaretto

Combine the apricots, sugar, and citric acid in a large, heavy pot and heat over medium-low heat until sugar melts. Pay attention and stir often, because sugar burns easily. Once the sugar is melted, turn up the heat to medium and bring the apricots to a boil. Add the butter. Apricots tend to foam up as they boi, and if the foam spills over on to your stove youwill have quite a mess on your hands. Butter keeps the foam down. Skim off any foam that does form. Cook the apricots, uncovered, at a brisk but not riotous boil. After the first 5 minutes, you will notice that the apricots look thin and soupy. Keep boiling for 15 minutes longer. They will thicken up.
You are basically boiling off the water in the fruit. Stir periodically to make sure that the apricots don’t stick. Take the apricots off the heat and stir in the amaretto to taste.

Bring 4 half-pint jars and their bands to a boil in a large pot of water fitted with a rack. Boil for 10 minutes. The lids are only simmered in a small pan of hot water, to soften the rubberized flange. Remove the jars with tongs (the tongs don’t need to be sterilized). When the jars are dry but still hot, spoon the apricots into jar with a slotted spoon, leaving 1/2 to 3/4 inch headspace. (If your apricots were very juicy to start wtih, you may have extra juice. You can refrigerate it, or boil it down to a thick syrup and can the syrup the same way you do the jam. It is great poured over ice cream and pancakes.) Wipe the rims, set on the lids, and screw on the bands fingertip tight.

Place the jars in a big pot with a rack in the bottom. Add enough water to cover the jars by 3 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to medium and gently boil the jars for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, allow the jars to rest in the water for 5 minutes or so, and the remove. Allow the jars to cool, untouched, for 6 hours. Right away you will hear the popping sound of the vacuum seal as the jars cool down.

Check the seals. Store in a dark, cool place for up to a year. Refrigerate after opening.

Zucchini, Sundried Tomato, & Kalamata Olive

2011-07-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

Back in April when we were planning the garden, I begged Jake to not plant too many zucchini (or squash or green beans, or eggplant for that matter). I always feel so much pressure to use every last bit of what we grow. So here we are in the middle of July and I'm in a major zucchini glut. I've got a couple the size of my thigh.

On Wednesday I made the obvious choice for when you have too many zucchini, zucchini bread. For the last couple of days I've made this Zucchini, Sundried Tomato, & Kalamata Olive saute. Seriously, I'm pretty sure I had it for lunch and dinner three times each this week. It's not an exact science (like most of the things I cook). Basically, a mix of the following in a saute pan.

Zucchini, sliced very thin on a mandolin
Sundried tomatoes, chopped (Jake's parents gave us a giant jar of these last time we went to visit)
Kalamata Olives, chopped
Garlic, chopped
Olive Oil
Salt
Crushed red pepper
Once it's cooked through, I topped it with Parmesan and a dollop of ricotta cheese.

Levi likes it, especially the sundried tomatoes.

Jake found another good recipe that we had earlier this week. I'd like to try it with pulled pork sandwiches. Zucchini Slaw

Leandra and John

2011-07-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

Married July 10, 2011

Checkin' out the birds

2011-07-06T18:04:00.000-07:00

Levi has learned how to pull himself up and he loves to look out the back french doors. Yesterday he was cracking himself up talking to the birds. He kind of reminds me of our cat Katjia when she's chattering at the birds.

Levi's First Swim

2011-07-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

We went swimming at Auntie Gwen's house yesterday. Gwen and her husband just moved into the most beautiful resort/condo complex in La Jolla. We've been dying to get to go swimming with her. It took a minute for Levi to get comfortable with the water, but he looks pretty relaxed here. :) It's so fun to share all these new experiences with him.

Beets!

2011-06-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

Moroccan Bridal Shower

2011-06-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure no one actually reads this blog and it's more of a way for me to organize my recipes and notes, but the shower we threw for Leandra this last weekend deserves to be shared. Gwen, Maria, Suzanne, Adriana, Gina and I have been planning for months and I am so happy with how everything turned out. Below you'll find the menu with a couple of links to recipes. Leandra's mom did all the desserts so I don't have recipes for those (but maybe I can get them, because the sesame cookies and yogurt cake were amazing!)

Drinks

Champagne and Pommegrante Juice
Pamplemousse Rose Perrier
Moroccan Mint Iced Tea

Dessert

Fruit Salad
Yogurt Cake
Sesame Cookies
Baklava

Invitations by Haley Prints

More Photos

Apricot Tarte Tatin

2011-06-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

My parents' neighbor gave us a giant bag of apricots yesterday so I decided at 9pm last night I should make something with them. (I always seem to feel like cooking something crazy like this when it's too late) I didn't realize the following recipe required so much cooking time when I started. Jake and I finally got to try a slice of this lovely concoction at 10:30pm.

It's a little tricky to get the crust on the top when you're ready to put it in the oven and then again to invert the tart once it's out of the oven. Next time I either need to turn down the flame a little or reduce the cooking time during the caramelization of the apricots as the fruit got a little toasty. We were so excited to eat it that I forgot to take a picture until this morning...after we ate some for breakfast of course.

Here a link to the recipe I used: Apricot Tarte Tatin

I made a second one to take up to Gwen's parents' house the morning of her wedding day...

Vintage Photo Effect

2011-06-08T10:45:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to learn how to use my camera and I really like the muted look of a lot of photos you see today. I came across a this tutorial to give your photos a "vintage" look.

Here's my before and after using the tutorial.

Before

After

A favorite of ours...Inga Swearingen

2011-05-24T07:35:00.001-07:00

Sweet Potato, Sausage, and Kale Soup

2011-05-17T15:38:00.000-07:00

I first started making this soup when we were getting tons on kale in our CSA boxes from Be Wise. It's a rainy day today and my husband is home sick from work so it seemed appropriate to make up a big batch. This recipe always leaves us with tons of leftovers which are great frozen in individual containers as lunches.

This version of a traditional Portuguese soup from Cooking Light (March 2007) uses sweet potatoes in place of white potatoes. I didn't have quite enough sweet potatoes on hand so I threw in a couple of red skinned potatoes as well. I also skipped the beans this time.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chopped onion (about 2 large)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound sweet turkey Italian sausage
8 cups coarsely chopped peeled sweet potato (about 2 1/4 pounds)
5 cups water
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch kale, washed and chopped
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add 1/2
teaspoon salt, pepper, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Remove casings from sausage; add sausage to pan. Cook 5 minutes or until sausage is lightly browned, stirring to crumble. Add potato, 5 cups water, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes. Gradually add kale; cook 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and beans; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Yield: 8 servings

Favorite Children's Books

2011-05-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

I had favorite books as a child and I looked forward to sharing with my own kids someday. Now, I've been having fun exploring new favorites to add to the collection as Levi and I read together. I think my criteria is based on colorful pictures, vocabulary, meter, and somewhat educational.

Charlie Parker Played Be Bop
By Chris Raska

Llama Llama Red Pajama
By Anna Dodney

Noodles Knitting
By Sheryl Webster

Zin Zin Zin, A Violin
By Lloyd Moss

Amazing Machines Series
By Tony Mitton

Eight Animals Bake a Cake

By Susan Middleton Elya

Starting to feel like summer

2011-05-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

Gathered a bunch of lavender for a friends housewarming and it reminds me that summer is on its way.

Cookies!

2011-04-26T15:59:00.000-07:00

My friend Gwen came over today and I finally got the chance to try this chocolate chip cookie recipe. I can't believe how good they turned out!

I'm getting better at this

2011-04-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

This morning Levi started rubbing his eyes at around 9:00, I changed his diaper, laid him in his crib, swaddled him halfway down and left the room. Not a peep more. Ahhh, so nice.

The quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe

2011-03-20T15:53:00.000-07:00

I love to cook and of all things, I have always struggled with chocolate chip cookies. They are supposed to be one of those "go to" things almost anyone can make, but mine have always been less than impressive. Below is a link to a recipe I'd like to try.

http://www.farmgirlfare.com/2011/03/recipe-nigellas-big-chocolate-chip.html

These, I've already made and they're great.
http://chelley325.wordpress.com/2008/06/21/thick-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free Carrot Coconut Oatmeal Muffins

2011-03-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

2 1/4 cups gluten free oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup almond or coconut milk
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup grated carrots
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Combine all ingredients and bake in muffins tins for about 15 mins at 400.

Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free Lemon Layer Cake

2011-03-07T08:38:00.000-08:00

Ronin's First Birthday

I first made this cake for Levi's baptism because I still wasn't eating dairy, soy or gluten. It's become a favorite at family functions because a couple of family members can't eat gluten. This particular recipe is adapted from the a recipe found on epicurious.com

Serves 8
Ingredients

Cake
1 cup canola oil, plus more for greasing
2 1/2 cups brown rice flour mix (See Note)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup coconut or almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs

Lemon Curd
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons sugar
3 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces

Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
Special equipment

Instructions
Cake

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush cake 2 (9- by 2-inch) round cake pans with canola oil. Line bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or wax paper, then oil paper.
Whisk together flour mix, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum until combined well. Stir together milk, canola oil (1 cup), vanilla, and zest in another bowl.
Beat together sugar and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed just until combined, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour and milk mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined.
Divide batter evenly between cake pans, smoothing tops, and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of each cake layer comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
Cool cake layers in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of 1 cake layer and invert rack over cake pan, then invert cake onto rack. Repeat with second layer. Peel off paper and cool layers completely.

Lemon Curd

Whisk together zest, lemon juice, sugar, yolks, a pinch of salt, and guar gum in a 1-quart heavy saucepan. Add butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk and first bubbles appear on surface, about 5 minutes. Whisk in extract.
Immediately pour curd into a bowl, then cover surface with wax paper and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

Frosting

Beat butter with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add confectioners sugar, lemon juice, extract, and zest, then mix until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes.
Frost cake: Put 1 cake on a cake stand or platter and spread lemon curd and place second cake on top. Next place a heaping 1/2 cup frosting over top. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.

Brown Rice Flour Mix

Put 2 cups brown-rice flour (extra finely ground)
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca flour

Cashew Cream

2010-12-31T11:45:00.000-08:00

I wanted to make Penne with Vodka Sauce as a special treat to bring to a friends house for New Year's Eve tonight and realized that all the recipes call for cream. Since I cant have dairy right now I was searching to find an alternative (soy is also out right now) and came across recipes for cashew cream. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with how my turned out. There's still a little graininess to the cream, but in a pasta dish I don't think you'll notice.

To make the cream I took 2 large handfuls of raw cashews and soaked them overnight in water. Then this morning I took the cashews and blended them in my cuisinart with some of the water they were soaking in until the texture was just right. I was looking for something that would drop off the spoon, but coat the back of the spoon, just like real cream.

Karla's Kobbler

2010-12-30T13:29:00.000-08:00

My sister in law, Karla, has the most amazing cobbler recipe. I keep bags of fruit cut up in my freezer so I can make this as a last minute dessert. It's really easy to switch out the ingredients to make it gluten free and/or vegan.

Karla's Kobbler

Set oven to 425° before you do anything.

This first part is the fruit base. Mix together the ingredients in your oven proof dish. I use a 10 inch pyrex that is 2-3 inches deep.

Fruit Base:

6 lrg sliced peaches (or any fruit mix that makes up the same mass of sliced goodness)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbl lemon juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Toss the fruit base in the oven for 10 minutes. While that is baking prepare the topping.

Topping:
Crumb together the following:

1 cup flour or Bob's Red Mill All Pourpose Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3/4 stick Butter or Margarine (6 tbl) firm but not hard and not melted
Crumbing is when you use your hands to squish the butter through the dry ingredients until the topping looks like fine crumbs (3-5 mins). I like to use a pastry cutter.

Once the topping is crumbed, pour in:

1/4 cup boiling water.
Mix as little as necessary to combine the water and crumb.

When the oventimer goes off, pull the fruit base out of the oven and spoon the topping over the fruit. Then put in all back in the oven for 25 minutes or until the top looks golden brown.

Christmas Recipes

2010-12-28T14:08:00.000-08:00

Gluten Free Shortbread
Gluten Free Gingerbread Men
Superlative Swag Bars
Gluten Free Blueberry Coffee Cake - I used the coffee cake recipe with Bob's Red Barn Gluten Free All Purpose Flour and added blueberries and streusel.
Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with Caramelized Onion and Apple Confit - I used apple cider vinegar in place of the apple cider.

Pistachio Gelato

2009-07-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

4 cups milk
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
2 cups shelled unsalted pistachios, Toasted in a dry pan then finely ground in a food
processor
Dash of Salt
Touch of vanilla

1. Bring 3 cups of the milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then remove from heat. Combine remaining 1 cup milk, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl, then stir into hot milk. Return pan to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly, 8–10 minutes.

2. Put pistachios into a large bowl with a dash of salt and touch of vanilla. Stir in hot milk mixture. Refrigerate until cool.

3. Process mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

Results: Way too nutty in texture without enough pistachio flavor. Maybe a bit bitter too.

Seat Wall

2009-03-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

We were excited to see the cement truck pull up the driveway this morning. The footings for our seat wall are going to be poured today. Hopefully tomorrow nacho will have some rock samples for us to look at for the side of the wall.

Tomorrow is our three year anniversary. I’m hoping we can go to the beach for a walk and maybe a drink at Jake’s in Del Mar.

We’re looking forward to the Ottmar Liebert concert this Saturday night at the winery.

Wordle.net

2009-02-19T14:25:00.000-08:00

Winter Planting

2009-01-18T15:09:00.000-08:00

Boysenberries
These were transplanted from my parent's garden.

Royal Blenheim Apricot

Panamint Nectarine

Lavender Lady Hybrid Lilac

Christmas Dinner

2009-01-04T20:55:00.001-08:00

Menu

Rice Pilaf - From Trader Joes (not too impressive, the risotto is better)
Roasted Brussel Sprouts - recipe follows
Fennel Stuffed Pork - I used gluten free glutino crackers for the bread crumbs and it turned out "doughy". I would have rather left them out or try this recipe
Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce I used a combinated of french bread and sourdough bread and added a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Roasted Brussel Spouts

Cut Brussel Spouts in Half
Stick of butter, melted
Granulated Garlic
Handful of Pinenuts
Salt and Pepper

Roast in a 400 degree oven until tender.

Pear Pie with Streusel Topping

2008-11-18T16:49:00.000-08:00

I made this recipe from the November 2008 issue of Cooking Light. We had a stash of Asian pears from our CSA stacking up and this was a great way to get through a lot of fruit. The recipe included a caramel sauce, but it seemed sweet enough all on it's own.

Ingredients

* 3 ounces all-purpose flour, divided (about 2/3 cup)
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 6 medium firm pears, peeled, cored, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
* 1/2 pie crust (From the Joy of Cooking cookbook)
* Cooking spray
* 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. To prepare pie, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 1/2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add juice and pears to flour mixture; toss gently to coat. Roll dough into an 11-inch circle; fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under and flute. Arrange pear mixture in an even layer in prepared crust.

3. Combine remaining 1 1/2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) flour and 1/3 cup brown sugar in a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons cold butter to brown sugar mixture; cut in with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle butter mixture evenly over pears. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.