Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
sunday supper: chicken soup
My cold is still here. I politely asked it to leave several days ago, but it didn't listen. Then, yesterday I thought it had finally heard my request, because I was able to muster up enough energy to attend a workshop I've been looking forward to for months. I was 99% sure that I was healthy again. But, sure enough, I woke up this morning all stuffy and congested and I knew the little trickster was just hiding in that 1%, pretending to leave. So now I mean business- I'm going to knock this cold out today with some homemade chicken soup.
And if chicken soup doesn't work, then I'm going to drown it with a hot toddy, something I probably should have done days ago.
Chicken Noodle Soup with Matzo Balls via the parsley thief
Chicken Noodle Soup with Ginger via The Enchanted Cook
And if chicken soup doesn't work, then I'm going to drown it with a hot toddy, something I probably should have done days ago.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
counting down
I don't know what I'm counting down to, but I feel like I should be counting down to something...something really BIG! So big in fact that I should get a wall calendar to help me keep track of the days. Seems kinda silly to get a calendar when it's almost February. I don't care though because I like this one, a lot!
via Amy Marcella
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
health bubble
During the winter season I have a health bubble that protects me from all the germs, viruses, and ickyness that gets spread around during this time of year. Unfortunately, my health bubble has popped, or sprung a leak, and I'm now sick. Once I start feeling any "sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever" symptoms I do everything I can to get rest so I don't have to take any medicine. I hate taking medicine and I hate going to the doctor.
So most of today will be spent in bed drinking tea, watching this
and reading this
The only thing I'm missing is a bowl of chicken and rice soup with a bag of bagel chips from Jerry's Deli. That would be really good right now!
So most of today will be spent in bed drinking tea, watching this
and reading this
The only thing I'm missing is a bowl of chicken and rice soup with a bag of bagel chips from Jerry's Deli. That would be really good right now!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
happy monday!
Guacamole makes me happy! Especially when it's consumed during an evening spent with Ebert and good friends.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
sunday supper: citrus desserts
This has been a busy baking week for me.
First, I made this wheat-free, gluten free Clementine Cake. It's a very simple recipe and quite tasty. I'm not much of a baker, so you know it must be easy if even I didn't mess it up. I really wanted to try this cake not only because it calls for just 5 ingredients, but also because you use the whole clementine, skin and all. I threw in a blood orange since I had one - a last minute and delicious addition. You could also use a combination of clementines and lemons, which I think would add a nice zing. The only thing I didn't like was that my cake had a bit of a crunchy texture. I think that was because I didn't grind up the almonds enough. Next time I'll just buy ground almond meal from Trader Joe's.
The next dessert I baked was a Lemon Curd Tart with Olive Oil. I served this with a scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and a Cherry Berry Compote. The tart turned out really tart. It had a zip, a zing, and a zang! Good thing I served it with the vanilla bean ice cream. I think the creaminess of the ice cream mellowed out the tartness quite a bit. Even though this dessert made my lips all a pucker it was still good. But, and there's always a but when I try a recipe for the first time, there were a few things about this dessert that didn't come out as well as I would have liked. First, the crust was all crumbly. I hate when the crust crumbles apart. I really need to work on my crust making skills. Second, the curd itself was not as firm as I would have liked. I think you can see this in the picture. My compote wasn't very good either. I didn't follow a recipe, I just winged it. Next time I'll follow a recipe. Also, I don't think I let it cool enough. And since berries and cherries aren't in season I used frozen- fresh fruit would have been better. Good thing I have every intention of making this tart again, hopefully next time it'll turn out better.
Happy Baking! Happy Cooking! And Happy Eating!
First, I made this wheat-free, gluten free Clementine Cake. It's a very simple recipe and quite tasty. I'm not much of a baker, so you know it must be easy if even I didn't mess it up. I really wanted to try this cake not only because it calls for just 5 ingredients, but also because you use the whole clementine, skin and all. I threw in a blood orange since I had one - a last minute and delicious addition. You could also use a combination of clementines and lemons, which I think would add a nice zing. The only thing I didn't like was that my cake had a bit of a crunchy texture. I think that was because I didn't grind up the almonds enough. Next time I'll just buy ground almond meal from Trader Joe's.
The next dessert I baked was a Lemon Curd Tart with Olive Oil. I served this with a scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and a Cherry Berry Compote. The tart turned out really tart. It had a zip, a zing, and a zang! Good thing I served it with the vanilla bean ice cream. I think the creaminess of the ice cream mellowed out the tartness quite a bit. Even though this dessert made my lips all a pucker it was still good. But, and there's always a but when I try a recipe for the first time, there were a few things about this dessert that didn't come out as well as I would have liked. First, the crust was all crumbly. I hate when the crust crumbles apart. I really need to work on my crust making skills. Second, the curd itself was not as firm as I would have liked. I think you can see this in the picture. My compote wasn't very good either. I didn't follow a recipe, I just winged it. Next time I'll follow a recipe. Also, I don't think I let it cool enough. And since berries and cherries aren't in season I used frozen- fresh fruit would have been better. Good thing I have every intention of making this tart again, hopefully next time it'll turn out better.
Lemon Curt Tart with Olive Oil
Happy Baking! Happy Cooking! And Happy Eating!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
weekend manifesto
via aardvark
I love this poster. What a great reminder on how to create your happy! A big thanks to kind over matter for sharing the awesome creativeness of Aardvark today. If you happen to do any of these things this weekend, take a picture and send it my way. I'd love to feature how you create your happy.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
sunday supper: pastaless pasta
After a mass consumption of calories over the holiday season Ebert and I are ready for a detox - at least for a day or so. But, with the 20-something degree weather in Chicago we're still craving warmth. I would happily eat pasta every day, but Ebert convinced me to go pastaless for this dinner. Of course, the vegetables and sauce would be great over pasta, but it was quite delicious on its own and very filling for a low-carb meal.
First, I cooked a pound of ground turkey with fresh garlic, salt and pepper. Then, I added a pinch of red pepper flakes for a nice little kick and a jar of Trader Joe's Arrabiata Sauce to the turkey. I let all those flavors simmer together while I got cooking on the rest of dinner. I boiled the water for the green beans, then sauteed fresh garlic (we love garlic!), a red pepper, button mushrooms, broccoli and kalamata olives with some olive oil. While those vegetables were cooking I made the garlic parmesan green beans, which is one of the easiest and yummiest recipes I've ever tried.
Simple and great tasting, that's what a Sunday Supper is all about.
Happy Cooking!
Sauteed Veggies & Turkey Sauce w/ Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
First, I cooked a pound of ground turkey with fresh garlic, salt and pepper. Then, I added a pinch of red pepper flakes for a nice little kick and a jar of Trader Joe's Arrabiata Sauce to the turkey. I let all those flavors simmer together while I got cooking on the rest of dinner. I boiled the water for the green beans, then sauteed fresh garlic (we love garlic!), a red pepper, button mushrooms, broccoli and kalamata olives with some olive oil. While those vegetables were cooking I made the garlic parmesan green beans, which is one of the easiest and yummiest recipes I've ever tried.
Simple and great tasting, that's what a Sunday Supper is all about.
Happy Cooking!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
signed, sincerely yours
"In writing notes or letters, as in all other forms of social observance, the highest achievement is in giving the appearance of simplicity, naturalness and force. Those who use long periods of flowered prolixity and pretentious phrases—who write in complicated form with meaningless flourishes, do not make an impression of elegance and erudition upon their readers, but flaunt instead unmistakable evidence of vainglory and ignorance. The letter you write, whether you realize it or not, is always a mirror which reflects your appearance, taste and character."
~ Emily Post from her book Etiquette: In Society, In Business, In Politics and At Home, Chapter XXVII: Notes and Shorter Letters
After a less than stellar audition this morning, I've come to the conclusion that I don't just want to give the appearance of "simplicity, naturalness and force", I want to be those things. I want to be direct, convey impressions intensely, and be true. I think I will do much better in auditions, and live a more passionate life, if I can aspire to those states of being.
There is an art to letter writing that I'm not sure I will master throughout the course of next week. If anything, the stationary I'm using can be a work of art. So, here are a few more letter writing supplies inspired by my fondness of bicycles.
~ Emily Post from her book Etiquette: In Society, In Business, In Politics and At Home, Chapter XXVII: Notes and Shorter Letters
After a less than stellar audition this morning, I've come to the conclusion that I don't just want to give the appearance of "simplicity, naturalness and force", I want to be those things. I want to be direct, convey impressions intensely, and be true. I think I will do much better in auditions, and live a more passionate life, if I can aspire to those states of being.
There is an art to letter writing that I'm not sure I will master throughout the course of next week. If anything, the stationary I'm using can be a work of art. So, here are a few more letter writing supplies inspired by my fondness of bicycles.
via ChunkyPineapple
via SilhouetteBlue
via papersheep
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
letters
“Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books written in a foreign language. Do not now look for the answers. They cannot now be given to you because you could not live them. It is a question of experiencing everything. At present you need to live the question. Perhaps you will gradually, without even noticing it, find yourself experiencing the answer, some distant day."
~ Rainer Maria Rilke from Letters to a Young Poet
I can't remember the last time I wrote a letter to someone, especially a heart-felt, inspiring letter. Oh sure, I type out quick emails to friends letting them know I'm thinking about them, but I don't usually bother with punctuation or capitalizing or anything grammatical. I also send out thank you cards, which for the most part I'm very prompt about doing, even if they are the typical, generic canned responses. Not to say that it doesn't come from the heart because it does and I'm very grateful, but I'll admit they lack much creativity.
So, in honor of National Letter Writing Week, which begins on Sunday, I'm gathering my writing supplies and writing a letter every day next week. I'm not sure who I'm going to write to or what I'm going to say, all I know is that I'm going to do it.
And for anyone who wants to join in on the letter writing fun, I'll be sharing some pretty letter writing supplies and inspiration for you. Here's some great Chicago postcards for those who just want to send a quick note.
And here's a fun idea- if you'd like a letter written to you from me, then email me your address.
~ Rainer Maria Rilke from Letters to a Young Poet
I can't remember the last time I wrote a letter to someone, especially a heart-felt, inspiring letter. Oh sure, I type out quick emails to friends letting them know I'm thinking about them, but I don't usually bother with punctuation or capitalizing or anything grammatical. I also send out thank you cards, which for the most part I'm very prompt about doing, even if they are the typical, generic canned responses. Not to say that it doesn't come from the heart because it does and I'm very grateful, but I'll admit they lack much creativity.
So, in honor of National Letter Writing Week, which begins on Sunday, I'm gathering my writing supplies and writing a letter every day next week. I'm not sure who I'm going to write to or what I'm going to say, all I know is that I'm going to do it.
And for anyone who wants to join in on the letter writing fun, I'll be sharing some pretty letter writing supplies and inspiration for you. Here's some great Chicago postcards for those who just want to send a quick note.
Screen Printed Chicago Skyline Postcards via justinnardy
Chicago City Silk Screened Post Cards via gigart
Windy City - Chicago art cards via Allegra Shunk
And here's a fun idea- if you'd like a letter written to you from me, then email me your address.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
happy monday!
Celebrating two years of marriage makes me happy!
For our anniversary we dined at Table 52. I think it's a sign that we chose this restaurant and here are 2 reasons why -
We celebrated 2 years of marriage and hope to celebrate 50 more.
There are 52 weeks in a year and we hope that each one will be as scrumptious as our dinner was.
For our anniversary we dined at Table 52. I think it's a sign that we chose this restaurant and here are 2 reasons why -
We celebrated 2 years of marriage and hope to celebrate 50 more.
There are 52 weeks in a year and we hope that each one will be as scrumptious as our dinner was.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
two years
Mike & Rosa's HD Highlights from Rising Moon on Vimeo.
This was a nice day indeed.Happy Anniversary Ebert! Thank you for two years of making my heart sing!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
1.1.11
Happy New Year!
"At such moments, you realize that you & the other are, in fact, one. It's a big realization. Survival is the second law of life. The first is that we are all one." ~ Joseph Campbell
And the Beckoning of Lovely on 11.11.11 will unite us all as one.
"At such moments, you realize that you & the other are, in fact, one. It's a big realization. Survival is the second law of life. The first is that we are all one." ~ Joseph Campbell
And the Beckoning of Lovely on 11.11.11 will unite us all as one.
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