My Way, No. 24

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— As mentioned last My Way post, I was going to try to get out and enjoy nature a bit more. So far, I’ve come across adorable quail, jackrabbits, and hummingbirds in my “travels.” The little baby quail are the cutest things ever. I’ve also seen a lot of small lizards with curly black-and-white striped tails (it seems the stripes are on the underside of the tail). As long as I don’t run into any rattlesnakes, I’m good, haha. Here’s a few shots for those of you not familiar with the Tucson, AZ scenery. The first one reminded me of the Leaning Tower, that’s why I snapped a pic:

— At some points in my life, I’ve wondered “Where are all of the caring, loving people at?” The person who wrote this article let me know that there is someone who cares. I need that sometimes. They cared enough to sit down and pen this piece — letting us all know we need to get back to the basics: World Forgets Importance of Caring for Others http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/abetteriowa/2015/06/12/world-forgets-importance–caring–others/71125060/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin=

— Mucho Adventures in Food: I got on a bit of a potato kick with potato chips, the Vegetable Kugel with Caramelized Leeks I posted at Passover, and shepherd’s pie.

I made the chips to continue testing out our new food processor. At the lowest slicing setting, they were nice for thicker-style chips. If I want really thin ones, I will use a mandolin. At that thickness, I like to let them dry out a bit before bake-frying or frying. I made the kugel heavy on the sweet potatoes, and it was delish. Sliced up, it is wonderful to freeze and re-heat for a quick meal. I haven’t made shepherd’s pie in years, but suddenly started craving it. It may be because I had ground beef, and that’s rare for me. It’s just one of those simple, comforting meals that bring good memories. I rarely whip up mashed white potatoes beyond the occasional Holiday meal, but I just felt like having them. I make mashed sweet potatoes all the time, though. WAY back in the day when I worked as a banquet chef, garlic-roasted mashed potatoes with lots of heavy cream and butter were one of our staple sides. That’s still my fave way to prepare them today. Unfortunately, my cream and butter portions now have to be limited, so I just opted to use non-fat milk. I also didn’t have all my normal veggie fixin’s and just used what was in the fridge at the time. It was still a wonderful, comforting meal.

As I did indeed have the ground beef, I decided to make the Chipotle Cheeseburger Flatbread Melts I posted here.

I’m so glad Kevin is Cooking! I almost didn’t take a pic because I was so hungry by the time this was finished. I didn’t even wait for the cheese to melt. The aforementioned blog’s pics look way better than mine, so make sure to check it out! I adjusted the recipe ingredients just a bit using what I had on hand. I also used the homemade farmhouse cheddar from this post, and homemade non-fat Greek-style yogurt (posted here). This was super quick and easy. I didn’t have pizza dough made, but I was making a batch of those hamburg buns I wrote about…so, I saved a bit of the dough for these flatbreads. I Misto’d a little oil in a cast iron pan, then the dough, and was good to go. Just a small portion was quite filling. Really hit the spot & will be making again for sure.

109 degrees in the shade calls for carrot-ginger pops with cilantro! I use whole veg/fruit juice from my blender, as I don’t have just a ‘juicing machine.’

Sale on mesquite flour at my food co-op (yay!) had me making caprese (with homemade mozz), then roasted corn and onion salsa ebelskivers. I just mixed everything in the batter vs. stuffing it in the center.

I found this recipe for a Mung Bean Salad, and it was delightful!

I really enjoyed the dressing. I need to make a big batch, as I think it could go on all sorts of things. It has maple, mustard, cumin, turmeric, coriander, cardamom, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a few other ingredients. Very tasty! I didn’t use the exact measurements, I just eyeballed them. Sometimes I will measure things out, but it looked so good — I wanted to hurry it up. I added pistachios for a little crunch. I think this is a fab go-to recipe for lots of different occasions.

These scrumptious Gorgonzola Grilled Plums with Maple Syrup and Chiles I posted way back inspired me to cook up a version with what I had on hand: Grilled Apricots with Mascarpone, Basil, Pistachios, and Pomegranate Reduction.

I almost thought to use pignoli, but went with pistachios at the last minute. I seriously would have made this recipe just as it was written if I’d had the ingredients. I mixed the mascarpone with a bit of non-fat yogurt. Straight mascarpone would have been my choice if I could have it. It’s so fabulously delicious. I did have maple, but thought pom reduc “molasses” would be nice.

And, last food bit for today…bagel bites, using the New York-Style Bagel recipe. This is really one my best recipe finds in the past few years. It’s so darn quick (I use the food processor). My mom thinks she doesn’t like bagels, but she eats them if I shape them into a loaf or whatever, haha. Sometimes, you gotta be sneaky.

Veggie, Cinnamon Sugar, Everything, Blueberry, Jalapeño Cheddar, Cinnamon Raisin, Sesame, Stuffed Cinnamon Roll. Next time, I might make them smaller. They were really about “two bites.” I got on a cinnamon kick, too, this past week. Not real healthy or anything, but…cinnamon, salt, and fine home-ground sugar of your choice (or you can use packaged powdered sugar) on popcorn for cinnamon toast popcorn. Yums!

— I wanted to share this post on the value of grinding your own grains. It’s from the same blog the Memorial Day Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns recipe came from. You can really see from her post how much can be saved, as well as it being a healthy choice for your family. Purchasing a mill can be an investment, so this post will give you a good break down of what you can expect to get out of it. I tried looking up “best mills” to also post, but many of the articles were not unbiased viewpoints. There are several types to choose from, including stand mixer attachments, hand grinders, stand alone electric grinders, and blenders that also serve as mills. I think you just have to find the one that meets your needs and fits your budget.

— 3 Household Tips: 1) Put stainless steel dish scrubbies in the freezer after each use to prevent rust from forming (been doing this for years as a tip from my aunt, maybe everyone else already knows this…but, just in case you didn’t), 2) Super Glue around the bottom of your rugs to keep them from slipping. Vid: How to Keep Rugs on the Carpet from Moving , and 3) Attach small furniture slides to the bottom of kitchen counter appliances that are hard to get to, or that you need to move about on occasion. I did this to my mom’s coffee pot that sits in kind of a tight spot. She feels more comfortable sliding it out a bit when pouring in the water. The slides keep the counter from being scratched, as well as provide ease of movement.

— Wedding Style Saturday | My Wedding Nigeria.

If this is what they’re wearing for weddings in Nigeria, I wish the trend would come to the US! “My Wedding Nigeria presents valuable wedding guide to couples getting married to an African, in Africa and especially in Nigeria.” Awesome!

— Love this Boho hammock!
42 Stunning Bohemian Inspired Homes | izismile.com.

— Eats & Drinks: I’m sure many of you have made chana masala. I like this post as it gives a lot of terrific nutritional info. I made a soup version of chana last week:

Chana Masala | Garden Fresh Foodie.

What about some easy naan bread to go with it? Naan Bread | Great British Chefs.

Elevated Breakfast BLT | Baker by Nature. Avec smoked duck uncured bacon.

Vanilla Bundtlettes with Cashews and Pistachios | lisbeths.de. Recipe is in German.

Vegetarian Scotch Eggs | Lady Rhubarb. 2nd recipe. Traditional recipe with sausage is listed first.

How to Make Miso at Home | Renegade Health.

The Sherry Cobbler Cocktail | Kitchen Riffs. This blog always has the best stories! Check it out!

Have a fabulous day! ‘Til next time!

My Way, No. 23

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

With the pic links now included, these ‘My Way’ posts are becoming as long as a newsletter. I hope you can hang with me!

— I saw this on my food co-op’s social page, so I thought I would link to it: Who Is Behind Organic Brands. This came as no surprise to me, as I try to steer clear of certain products for this very reason. But, many people assume some of these brands are small (possibly family-owned, or even local) businesses, when they are really just some of the country’s largest food producers. This is also true of natural and organic hygiene/body products, etc. Some of the brands I’ve enjoyed in the past have been taken over by some of these large producers, so I then stop purchasing them. Some brands I have no issues with, though. If you’re one of those who wants to support certain businesses (and not support others), I encourage you to take a look at this list. Or, perhaps take a look for updated info, if this news is already familiar to you. I found several I didn’t know about.

— Did you enjoy the list of coping skills for anger, anxiety and depression? I think everyone can benefit from this list. I have some decent positive ones already in place, but I would like to add a few more. Setting boundaries and learning to say “no” could be improved upon, as well as enjoying more of nature. Also, keeping a positive quote with you seems easy enough. I like, “Ye shall be a blessing.” It’s one thing for others to bless you, but (IMO) empowering others to prosper provides rewards like nothing else (emotional and physical). As far as looking at the negatives went, I tried to not get too down on myself. We can’t change everything at once. I think I have improved in several areas, but still need some work in others. I have been better at not enabling others to take advantage of me. One of the things I despise most at this stage in my life is people attempting to use me for their own selfish ambition. So, I need to make sure I am not just sitting back, allowing those circumstances to occur. Several years ago, I was encouraged by a former football player who said a friend told him (something to the effect of), “Never allow people to use or exploit you for their own profit or gain.” I think as a former ball player, people just assumed they could take advantage of him for their own purposes. Anyway, I’ve carried that bit of advice in my heart since then.

— Speaking of football players, I was really touched by this article concerning Herschel Walker’s mental health advocacy: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/health/os-herschel-walker-mental-health-orlando-20150513-story.html. If you’ve lived in Texas for even a short period of time (as I have), you most likely know who Herschel Walker is — even if you don’t follow the NFL. A very encouraging story.

After posting the latest installment of my Mental Health Series, I found a few articles that made my heart sink. Many of the most disheartening stories come from major news outlets (not all the time, though, as you can see from a variety of pieces I’ve posted). They so often focus on the negative or sensational. Some of the most sensitive and thoughtful pieces I’ve come across are from student newspapers. I thought perhaps profit has something to do with that, or maybe it’s just that the younger generations are starting to leave behind the stigma and discrimination that has plagued our society for so long. I used to laugh at a news station in the Phoenix area that always broadcasted so much positive news. It was the oddest thing to me, haha. It was a nice change.

— Today’s Adventures in Food: Hot diggity dog ziggity, boom…I didn’t have a chance to pick up hard red winter berries yet, so I made my Memorial Day hot dog buns in the same manner as the previously posted burger buns. Really a joy! The wheat blend is such a great idea. I may try sprouting them, as well. The day old buns were great dippers for a low-cal (non-gratinee) onion soup I made. The adjustable slicing blade in our new food processor works like a dream! It easily sliced through mounds of onion. My last processor, while a decent (very old) model, sometimes had slicing issues.

Holiday chocolate chip cookies had to get packaged up and shipped off so I didn’t consume the whole lot, lol. As they keep nice and soft, I think they would be grand for ice cream sandwiches. I couldn’t wait for the Holiday to make the chickpea flour spätzele. So, I made it Sunday, then again on Monday. I subbed some quickly sautéed kale for the collards (it was less expensive at the store) and cooked it in beef broth. I really like the textures in this dish. I think I will be making it a couple more times before the week is up.

As I was already grinding chickpeas for the spätzele, I thought I would also whip up those Cashew-Mint Pakoda I posted. I left the flour with just a slight coarseness. I went for a bake-fry by Misto-ing a little oil in the pan, as well as on the dough. I flipped them over when they were browned on the bottom. They turned out so nice and crunchy! You would not have known they were baked instead of fried. I really would have liked a dipping sauce with them. Maybe a cashew crema or something? I was too busy munching to make one, though.

The roasted curried cauliflower I made for my garlic, herb, & tomato pita was the tail end of a cauliflower party. I enjoyed the Buffalo Cauliflower Bites posted here and Spiced Moroccan Cauliflower Couscous – Tabbouleh (both from the same site). I am not a huge fan of couscous, so I was excited to try a version with cauliflower. I used my homemade skim haloumi, and it was fab. Really easy & delightful. Of course, using the cauliflower slashes the calories considerably, so make sure to take a peek. When I was preparing the Buffalo Bites, I suddenly thought I could also make a few with sesame-honey sauce. So, I did half and half. Otherwise, I only altered them slightly by using whole wheat pastry flour and coating with a bit of panko. I love Buffalo sauce so much, so I put a little extra on the outside, lol.

I found another comfort food use for my pitas. Did you ever have spaghetti and meatball sandwiches when you were younger? I made spaghetti and Italian lentil meatballs (just like the ones here, but with “Italian” seasonings), and the next day had a craving for this sandwich, haha:

We used to slather butter on good Italian bread and stuff it with our leftovers. Good memories!

— How quaint is this?

White Garden Canopy | housetohome.co.uk.

Ahhh…I wish I were there right now. *Sigh*

25 DIY Headboard Ideas | Freshnist.com.

This is a cute idea. Music sheet decoupage on wood: Paper | Valerie Carr | Pinterest.

— In this AZ summer heat, I adore white clothing. Linen is especially lovely. What about your plain white tee? Check out this easy corseting technique that you could apply to a number of items: DIY Corseted White T-Shirt or What to Do with the BF’s Old T-Shirts #2 | Chic Steals.

And, you know I love RE:Fashion: 13 DIY Clothing Refashion Ideas with Picture Instructions | Clicky Pix.

— The FFFF for today (Fab French Food Finds ):

You know my affinity for all things French, so here are several selections from the same site:

Provencal Style Mussels | French Cooking for Dummies.

Beetroot and Goat Cheese Foam | French Cooking for Dummies.

Artichoke, Fig and Parmesan Salad | French Cooking for Dummies.

Strawberry and Peach Salad with Wine Syrup | French Cooking for Dummies.

Parisian Shirred Egg/ Oeuf cocotte à la parisienne | French Cooking for Dummies.

Herbed Mascarpone Stuffed Chicken | French Cooking for Dummies.

Ham and Cheese Crepe/Galete Complete | French Cooking for Dummies.

White Chocolate Molten Cake with Raspberries | French Cooking for Dummies.

‘Til next time!

My Way, No. 22

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Honey gave way to maple this go round for the cherry-vanilla syrup from this previous post: 8 Fruit & Herb Honey Syrups. I still had my gift of bourbon from the December Holidays left, so I finally decided to make that float I was keen on. The syrup + club soda + bourbon + homemade vanilla froyo. Yums!

A beer fairy left a bit of brew for the masses, so I thought a beer bread was in order. I sprouted rye berries for a sourdough and used the beer in place of water. Beer made me think of pretzels, so that was the next step. Stuffed with brown mustard, they were a tasty treat! If I had thought about it, I might have made a homemade beer mustard:

I will admit I usually flake off the salt from most of them, haha. I will have one or two with the coarse salt, but then it becomes too much.

I finally made the Sesame Seed Salmon with my homemade mirin (with actual salmon this time vs. tofu). Delish! Make sure to check it out. Quick & easy.

Cheese, cheese, and more cheese! If you love the cheeses, please, please check out my post on Thrifty Ideas for Home Cheese Making & Homemade Cream Cheese. My mom is the one who requested I delve into the homemade cheese world, and I am so glad she did. When Mother’s Day rolls around, I try to find things I can do to please my mom (I know it should be all the time — I try 😉 ). So, many of those things have kept me from blogging this past couple of weeks. As I said in the cream cheese post, my mom adores fruit crepes (filled with a sweet cream cheese mixture). I have made several batches of cream cheese now, and it couldn’t be easier. I initially started with a buttermilk culture vs. purchasing a freeze-dried. The instructions for making your own cultures can be found in the links from the Thrifty post. I’ve now moved on to using meso & thermophilic cultures, as well as vegetarian rennet from the Cultures for Health site (also linked to in that post.). The Curd-Nerd site is SO informative, and I tried to study as much as possible before attempting too much. I recommend anyone just starting out do the same. There are quite a few things to learn, & you don’t want to waste your time or money. So far, I’ve used the recipes for queso fresco, haloumi, traditional ricotta, farmhouse cheddar (needs to age), and I just made this mozzarella:

Queso fresco and cream cheese (or yogurt cheese) are the easiest to make, IMO, and you can always use a buttermilk meso culture (especially if you are just starting and want to keep your costs low). I’ve made the queso and haloumi with skim milk, and they turned out fine (though not as rich). For small amounts of cheese, I started using thin, thin linen napkins (from my grandmother 🙂 ) to drain the whey from the curds. I just wash them, and they are ready to re-use. For larger batches, I started using a large piece of muslin. I will use cheesecloth to line the molds.

— I am enjoying my stainless lunch tiffin, which I must say was a SQUEAL DEAL at my food co-op, Food Conspiracy. *Sidenote: if you’re in Tucson, the co-op has unbleached cheesecloth for cheesemaking.* I hand-stitched a little insulated bag for it with material leftover from another project. I recycled the drawstring from another bag.

The fabric store I purchased the material at was my fave on my side of town, and I am bummed they have closed down. I keep running into others saying they are also upset. Perhaps the location was an issue. It would be nice if a locally-owned shop opened up. After doing this by hand, I thought, I really need to learn how to sew on a machine. It took far too much time, lol. Often fabric stores hold classes, so I may try to tackle my fear of it being an impossible task for me — just take the plunge.

— Other inexpensive projects I managed this week involved concrete. At less than $3 for a 60 lbs. bag, I feel I made out quite well. First off, I partially filled these small tin buckets:

What did I do with them, you ask? OK, don’t think I’m silly (OK, maybe I am), but I made a set of bed risers. A while back, I saw a set of 4 bed risers (upwards of $20) that were essentially a cup with a lift in them. I thought cement/concrete in my own cups would produce the same effect. I just wanted a few extra inches for under bed storage. You just mix the concrete with water, let dry, and voila! I used more leftover fabric around the frame legs so they wouldn’t shift around. This proved fabulous and provided me with the storage space I desired…with very little cost.

And, until I decide to invest in a full-on cheese press, I filled recycled containers with the concrete to weigh down my cheese molds. So far, so good, and I am sure I can come up with a few other ways to make use of the rest of the bag.

— We did decide to invest in the Cuisinart Elite 12-Cup Processor. 10-year motor warranty, with a limited 3-year warranty, 1000-Watt motor. So sorry, Cuisinart was misspelled in the last post. Sometimes, if a word is incorrect once, it will not change it afterwards (I guess it thinks it’s correct). As I previously stated, it has large and small work bowls, so you get 2 for 1. I’ve whipped up pizza dough for my mom, smooth as silk nut butter, falafel, guacamole, banana “ice cream” (using the recipe from the included cookbook with a bit of honey, vanilla, and fresh coconut milk), and shredded coconut (for chocolate-coconut bon bons for my mom). With my previous processor, I used the metal ‘S’ blade for bread doughs, but this model has a specific yeast dough blade. The metal blade works well for pastry doughs. It also includes an adjustable slicing disk.

Right now, I couldn’t be more pleased! Slow cookers and processors are 2 of my most beloved pieces of kitchen equipment. I also found you can purchase an egg white whipping disc separately. If you are in the market for a new processor, I encourage you to watch the demo video on the Cuisinart site. It would also make a great gift!

— One more thing that might sound silly…Last year, I pulled out some vinyl that didn’t work for a project I had in mind. I happened to be cleaning the fridge around the same time and suddenly thought it would be great to line the fridge shelves/drawers. The backing is kind of a thin, breathable fabric. Well, a year later, this one little thing has saved me tons of clean-up time. It may seem odd at first, but spills, etc. wipe off so easily. Or, you can pull them out and wash them.

— Would love to DIY leather (probably with pleather, though) bracelets such as these:

Newset Fashion DIY Jewelry Copper Leather Bracelet | ebay.es.

Hot Fashion Infinity Leather Music Bracelet | ebay.com.

Racer back DIY just in time for summer:
Tank to Racer Back Tutorial | trashtocouture.com.

— The heat has come, so I started to search for DIY patio blinds/shades. I’ve finally made up my mind about which route to take, but I wanted to share this budget-fab project I came across: No Sew Drop Cloth Patio Curtains | scatteredthoughtsofacraftymom.com.

Blue is not my fave color, but I found this room so soothing and peaceful to look at:
eudecoro.com.br.

— Amazing World of Penguins. Awesome pics, must see!

— Good goodies:

Spinach and White Bean Tacos | theskinnyfork.com.

Found another way to use teff: 5-Ingredients Banana Pancakes with Teff Grains (Gluten Free) | fussfreecooking.com.

Hip Girl’s Buttermilk Cake | ohsweetday.com.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites | lavenderandlovage.com.

Spinach-Stuffed Baked Salmon | Go Red for Women.

Baked Alaska | Great British Chefs. It has a panettone base!

For your retro party: Pineapple Cheese Ball with Pecans | sippitysup.com.

Detox Smoothie | blog.freepeople.com.

Rainbow Sangria | Gimme Some Oven.

Until next time! Have a great day!

My Way, No. 21

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Wow! I am not a big fan of palm oil, as it’s not the healthiest thing for you…but, I hadn’t a clue as to some of the other problems associated with it. For one, “Human rights abuses continue to be reported: child labor, slavery and abuse of palm oil plantation workers (as in some of the workers are locked up at night so they can’t escape.)” Check out the entire post on Mrs. Green’s World website here: Palm Oil vs Rainforests (The Winner Might Surprise You).

—
This week, I had a chance to mingle at a Women Build Happy Hour hosted by Habitat for Humanity Tucson. The pink hard hat women got happy at La Cocina restaurant (one of my faves, perhaps I’ll post a few pics from there soon). Habitat’s National Women Build Week is May 4th – 9th if you would like to volunteer. Habitat has many locations, so you may try to locate one in your area (if you do not reside in Tucson). The builds are, of course, a great way to give and love others. Even if you do not own a home of your own, you can sow a seed of kindness helping families in your community. I know you will reap the benefits in many ways! Volunteering is great fun and provides opportunities for social connection, possibly building relationships along with the homes. Get the scoop here: Habitat for Humanity Tucson Women Build.

— Lots of food goodness updates this time, so I hope you can bear with me 🙂 . I made the Homemade Ketchup I posted (just slightly altered with what I hand on hand: I added onion powder & a bit of salt, used fresh tomatoes and tomato paste, and used the slow cooker). I decided to make a grainy honey mustard, as well.

I’ve found many commercial mustards can contain quite a bit of sodium. So, if you’re interested, here’s a simple homemade mustard recipe without added salt or sugar: Homemade Mustard Condiment Recipe | eatandgetmoving.wordpress.com.

I love the bulk herbs and spices at my local food co-op, so that’s where I purchased my mustard seeds. Great way to get just as much as you need, and your pantry will not become a home for orphaned 1-time-use flights of fancy, lol. I’ve read several bloggers saying they had a problem with that.

Speaking of my food co-op, Food Conspiracy…Spotted: These 2 & 3-tiered stainless food carrier tins and bamboo utensils. Fab & Functional.

Here’s that pic of the Moroccan Tofu w/ Apricots, Olives, & Almonds I wrote about in my last ‘Market‘ post (subbing kumquats for the apricots, pignoli for the almonds).

Served with quinoa, millet, and amaranth (cooked in stock). I added a little balsamic to the sauce and went for a real sweet & tart version (as suggested in the recipe). I didn’t have baked tofu, though, so I had to pan-sear it. A really simple, quick, and delish dish.

Quick, rolled up whole wheat puff pastry dough from this ‘My Way‘ post was a fast, friendly version, indeed. I actually kind of merged the 2 recipes from that post. I became distracted and did not follow the instructions as I should have, though. These things require a lot of concentration for me, lol. Anyway, I tested my less-than-perfect dough on a roasted garlic-black olive tapenade comb (I gave most of it to my mom). It broke in half as I was going to snap a pic. Not a good day, haha!

Even after a few blunders, I think this will work OK for a few recipes. Very flaky! It’s in the freezer for now. I cannot have a lot of butter, so I will have to use it sparingly.

2 Words: Pickled Jalapeños. What? Why have I not made these before? I pickle all sorts of things, but jalapeños were left to be dried or frozen. As I wanted to make the One-Pan Jalapeño Kale & Roasted Garlic Egg Scramble, I got on making a batch. I used vin, water, and just a pinch of something sweet for the pickling.

I’ve prepared this recipe at least 7 or 8 times now and love it. I made it with mozz and mushrooms w/ smoked salt the first couple of times. I am leaving out the cheese now (I need to eat it sparingly, like butter) and am adding a bit of green bell pepper along with the mushrooms. Don’t we all love one-pan dishes!

I think Chocolate Lovers will swoon over this recipe for Chocolate & Cherry Gemelli w/ Orange Creme Anglaise and Brandy-Soaked Cherries (also from the last ‘Market‘ post):

You could even try making your own chocolate or cherry pasta, if you are unable to find any in your area. I improvised a little and used dessert wine-spiked Noosa Honey Yogurt vs. anglaise. As you know, chocolate desserts are not my fave. What made this more acceptable to me was the finish of orange zest alongside the chocolate pasta. That did the trick for me. I also used cacao nibs and frozen cherries (instead of the white choc and dried cherries called for). This was very filling, so I could only eat about half of it in one sitting. Not a terribly terrific presentation, but here’s a pic (I’ll do better next time 🙂 ):

— This is a cute DIY idea, fabric spray painting a silhouette:
spraypaint a t-shirt | SMASHING SILHOUETTES | Pinterest.

This collage illustrates making the most of one piece by switching up the accessories. Great way to stretch your fashion budget dollars:
classy country | Classy vs. Country – polyvore | Clothing I Like | Pinterest.

But, who says you can’t be country and classy at the same time 😉 ?

— I meant to post this a while back and forgot. I found this post Self-Publish with Books from Blurb on the Lavender and Lovage website. Blurb is an independent publishing platform. Turn your hobby into a book! You can create and design a recipe book, craft book, story of your children’s lives, a novella…so many options. Great gift idea for Mother’s or Father’s Day.

— I love little succulents. They are all over the place in Arizona and pretty easy to maintain for most people (though, I did manage to send a few in my office to the sweet by-and-by. I took a vaca for a few days, and they had departed by the time I returned). These copper caps are far more adorable than the generic terra-cotta pots many come in:
MY DIY | Copper Cap Succulent Holder | I SPY DIY.

— Today’s fab recipes:

Prabha’s Cooking: Cashew Pakoda/Pakora. (Besan flour is gram/dried chickpea flour).

Toddler Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Can Enjoy | musthavemom.com.

Chipotle Cheeseburger Flatbread Melts | keviniscooking.com.

Take your pick: Vegetarian Starter Recipes | Great British Chefs.

Whiskey, Caramel, Marshmallow, and Bacon Bark | endlesssimmer.com.

Negronez Cocktail w/ Campari Ice Cubes | 10th Kitchen.

See you next time!

Simple Style: Wall Art

So, I am not the best at creating works of art. But, I can at least glue things together, spray paint, use a staple gun, etc. If you’re in the same boat & like to DIY, here are a few cute wall hangings I found:

Texas License Plate Wall Art | thecraftcaboodle.blogspot.com.

I just fell in love with this! Even though I am a New Yorker, I think Texas has one of the best state “shapes.” Maybe it’s just because it’s big. Feel free to represent your state proudly! Cute, simple, affordable art.

6 Ways to Create Contemporary Wall Art | homedit.com.

This post has several ideas, but what could be easier than painting and gluing together a few pieces of wood? Fab-u-lous!

Ironstone Tarnished Spoons Displays | knickoftime.net.

Be still my heart! Love, love, love this! Great way to show off your vintage or antique pieces. If you haven’t started a collection yet (and would like to), check out yard & estate sales or thrift shops. As we have nearly year-round warm weather, you can always find terrific yard sales in Tucson.

Simple, Thrifty DIY Art | imperfecthomemaking.com.

I made something similar to these for my mom. I recycled a few squares of sheathing foam. Super quick and easy. Just pick out a few coordinating fabrics, cover, and hot glue.

Wood Blocks | merchantdesign.blogspot.com.

Another wood piece that is inexpensive, but eye-catching. And, you can make it as large or as small as you want.

Hope you get a few ideas from these selections, and I will keep my eye out for any more easy DIY projects.

Have a great day!

My Way, No. 20

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— I had a fab indulgence last week with the Fugazetta (Argentine Pizza) recipe. So tasty! The recipe calls for gobs and gobs of cheese, though, which I cannot have. I probably used less than a fourth of what it called for, but it was still quite delightful. I compromised with myself by tossing on a part-skim mozz vs. provolone. If I have dairy with any fat, I just have to limit my portions. Instead of a sheet pan, I made the Fugazetta in a 11.5 inch cast iron pan. My crust was probably a little thicker, but I absolutely loved it. It was pillowy-soft throughout and crispy on the bottom. I pushed the dough around the edges to make an even thicker crust around the rim. It reminded me of a thick-crust pizza from a restaurant in Texas. Even if it’s not my traditional NY-style, this familiarity brought me comfort. I just wished I had one of those neat-o Scizzas to cut it with! I had to make do with my boring pizza wheel. The instructions said to put the pan on the bottom rack to bake, but I was scared it would brown too quickly. My oven temp varies in different parts, so I thought it best to put it on the top rack. I let it go for 10 minutes, then gave it a hit under the broiler. I made a honey-whole wheat dough adapted from the original recipe. Toppings are just cheese (provolone or mozz), caramelized onions, green olives, oregano, and red pepper flakes, so it’s easy peasy. I added a bit of smoked salt (as I did when I made the sriracha-garlic knots) to give it a “brick-oven” appeal. I’m almost mad I found this recipe! You forget how much you love pizza until you have pizza again.

Most of the time, I use my food processor when making bread doughs. I find it to be fairly quick and easy. You just need to make sure your processor is big enough to handle the volume of dough you are making (and that you have a strong motor). Many of the recipes I come across are for stand mixers (or hand mixing/kneading), so I usually use this simple food processor method (for non-sourdough breads) instead:
1) In a warm area (usually the top of my stove while it’s warming up) add sweetener (honey, molasses, etc.) and warm water (whatever temp range is indicated on yeast packaging) to a bowl, stir until sweetener is dissolved; stir in yeast until dissolved and let the yeast activate. Mixture should be bubbly and foaming after several minutes (sometimes, recipes will indicate an allotted activation time). *You can stir all 3 at once, I just find it’s easier for me to get the sticky honey, etc. from the bottom of the bowl when I can see it a bit better (without the yeast).*
2) While the yeast is activating, in the food processor bowl fitted with the metal blade, add flour, vital wheat gluten or xanthan gum (if using), salt, and any other dry ingredients that are OK to be broken up into smaller pieces. (If I have ingredients I want to remain whole — perhaps raisins, nuts, candied peel, etc. — I will incorporate them after the wet ingredients have been added.) Pulse the dry ingredients for a bit (maybe a minute or less) until they are well combined.
3) When the yeast has activated, stir in any other liquid ingredients (eggs, oil, etc.).
4) Add the liquid ingredients to the food processor bowl, and pulse until the dough starts to come together. Some directions might tell you to slowly add the liquid through the chute, but I’ve never had a problem just putting it all in at the beginning. I want to see a recipe one day that says, “Do this fast, as fast as you possibly can!” lol. 😀 The dough will pull away from the sides, and I usually let it go for a bit longer (just to make sure the gluten is well developed). If the dough is too sticky, I add a little flour. Too dry, a little water.
5) If I’m adding any of those dry ingredients I mentioned in step 2, I add them at this stage. I may coat them with a little flour first, to keep them from sticking and/or bleeding. I tip the dough into a bowl, then incorporate them by hand. Otherwise, I just proceed to tip the dough into an oiled bowl, form it into a ball, Misto a little oil on top, and cover the bowl. I then follow the recipe instructions concerning rest periods, rise time(s), and shaping the dough.

This is the method I’ve used for years and years, and I’ve always been pleased with the results. Online, I found you can sub xanthan gum if you run out of vital wheat gluten (useful for doughs made without white flour). From what I’ve been reading, you should use 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum per 1 cup of flour (vs. 1 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten).

— Speaking of food processors, I am on the lookout for a new one soon. I have investigated several models, but haven’t completely made up my mind yet. I like this Cuisanart Elite 12-Cup model with a 1000-Watt Peak Motor | Cuisanart.com.

I’ve had good experiences with Cuisanart products in the past, so they were one of the first brands I scoped. A good processor (with a powerful motor) is an investment, for sure, but it’s a piece of equipment I use multiple times during the week. A quality processor will last for years and years. This one has a smaller work bowl, as well, so you get 2 for 1.

— The 2-Minute Green Spaghetti Sauce from the last ‘My Way’ post saved me quite a bit of time last week. I made batches of my standard ‘red’ the previous few weekends, so a change was in order. Totally simple, but I added a few things like garlic, chives, & hot pepper sauce. You just whizz it right up in the blender. I chose the option of nutritional yeast vs. parm & replaced the milk with the hot pasta water (my milk was frozen!). A couple of times, I added a bit of tinned salmon and finished with ground almonds — a quick and fab meal! I made another batch this past weekend. Make sure to check out the recipe if you get a minute.

— I am making another folding side table, this time a much easier version. I just spray painted the base of an old, beat up table, then staple gunned a DIY waterproof fabric to the top. I found a tip on another site: if your wax is a little white and streaky (from cooling) when applying the oil & wax mixture, use a blowdryer on the fabric for a bit. I tried this, and it worked beautifully. I have updated my How to Waterproof Fabric post with this tip.

— OK, so those are just temp pieces of furniture, not meant to stay up for any length of time — just a quick fold out, then up. But, I am trying to rethink a space to permanently store a few items. I really like this practical wooden boxes approach: DIY: VERSATILE USE OF WOODEN BOXES | Scandinavian Deko.

I have no idea what this says (as it’s in Spanish), but this looks like a fun place to be: Glamourosos y Coloridos Dormitorios de Niñas | Decoracion.IN.

— Love this article on How to Get Healthy Skin: A Natural Approach to Healthy Skin | DIYNatural.com.

“I’ve been asked over and over how old I am. I chuckle quietly to myself while someone tries to guess – often well below my actual age. I have good skin, and although I hit 51 last December, my skin is one of my best features. How do I do it? By using quite a few herbs and supplements that promote healthy, younger looking skin,” she says. Along with other types of oil, I like to use dabs of olive oil on my face (in certain spots) — fab for moisturizing the hair, as well. Also, if you haven’t done so already, check out my previous post: 10 Homemade Facial Scrubs.

— Cute iron-on appliques if you are not a machine sewer:
Hotfix Paris Eiffel Tower Applique Design for Fashion and Home Decor | Etsy.com | KBazaar.

— The Local First Arizona website gives a few tips on ‘keeping it local’ for upcoming graduations (they’ll be here before you know it!). If you’re in Tucson, we have SO many fine restaurants to celebrate at. Check out some of the pics under the Restaurants category of my blog menu.

— Today’s Nommy Treats:

One-Pan Jalapeño Kale & Roasted Garlic Egg Scramble | naturalchow.com.

Cold Sesame Coconut Noodle Salad | internationalrecipes.net.

Chocolate Garam Masala Truffles

Sea Bass in Coconut Cream

Pumpkinseed Butter Goji Cookies | Golubkakitchen.com.

Cherry Whiskey Smash | threadsence.com.

The Perfect Chinese Chicken Salad | toastytalk.com.

Well, I posted the whimsical Fish-Shaped Puff Pastry Entree, but have you ever made puff pastry from scratch? It’s easier than you think, more economical, and you can control the quality of the ingredients. If you can roll out pie crusts, tortillas, etc., then you can make puff pastry! It can take a bit of time, but it is well worth it. If you have little patience for the longer traditional French technique (the horror! lol), check out this quicker version: Homemade Puff Pastry ~ a quicker version | aflockinthecity.com.

Or, this: Quick Whole Wheat Puff Pastry | pinchandswirl.com.

Have a wonderful day, & I’ll see you next time!

My Way, No. 19

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Hope you had a lovely St. Patrick’s Day! This past week, I made the celery juice from this blog post, another batch of the Chunky Corn & Black Bean Falafel, as well as the Crab & Goat Cheese Guacamole posted some time back. All were delish! The falafel will frequently be in my rotation, for sure. After posting the Fruit & Herb Honey Syrups, I made one with fruits and herbs I had in the freezer: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, pom, lime, and purple basil. So far, I’ve just used it to top off a little sparkling water, and it’s very nice.

And, I made the cherry-vanilla. A cherry-vanilla float with my Holiday bourbon sounds good. These syrups are super versatile, easy to make, and do not require any cooking. I am thinking I might do pineapple-mint next. If you haven’t done so already, check out the honey syrups here.

OMGoodness, the Spicy Carrot & Hummus Sandwich from my Healthy Work Lunches post really hit the spot!

I made an open-faced sandwich on whole wheat sourdough toast. I used the No-Knead Whole Grain Sourdough (no herbs or garlic this time). The recipe actually calls for einkorn, but I still need to pick some up. One of the reasons I wanted to make this sandwich was that I had leftover garbanzo bean dip. It wasn’t actually a traditional hummus, but it worked. From the picture posted, I initially thought the carrots were raw, but they are sautéed until just wilted. I opted for the alternative suggested cumin vs. caraway seeds to flavor the carrots (as caraway seeds are not my favorite). I can tolerate caraway, but I have never really loved them. I added toasted sesame seeds on top, and it was quite a lovely sandwich!

Just an update, I made a few more ‘energy bites,’ this time chocolate-peanut butter. I made them in the style of the chocolate-orange, but baked them. So, I guess they were more like ‘granola bites.’ I didn’t have peanut butter, so I blended whole roasted peanuts with the rest of my wet ingredients: cooked sweet potato, egg (I had a bit already beaten I needed to use up), powdered chocolate, raisins, maple, vanilla. The dry ingredients were (I think): Oats, ground oats, ground chia & flax seeds, wheat germ, chopped peanuts, toasted coconut, and salt.

I can see using the sweet potato puree as perhaps a pie filling, maybe a base for a mousse, or just a pudding. The chocolate (and peanut butter) makes the sweet potato pretty much undetectable. Sweet potato puree is a great vehicle if you cannot have dairy, in that respect. You can use dates in place of raisins, but that’s just what I felt like using at the time.

And, the last bit about my eats for this post…I baked a few individual soda breads for St. Pat’s in ramekins on the weekend. I haven’t made another batch of the ‘green muffins‘ yet as I still have a few in the freezer. I think Irish soda bread was my first (non-yeast) bread-making venture. I’ve never made separate portions, though.

I still use the same recipe from way back in the day, but I replaced the AP flour with whole wheat pastry flour and butter with coconut oil. The recipe calls for caraway seeds, but I’ve never included them (as I’ve said, they’re not my fave). I love soda bread for toast. SO good! I wanted a hot cup of Irish coffee to go alongside (I didn’t add too much liquor), but ended up with an Irish coffee frappe/smoothie-type drink. I had a few sips hot, then blended in frozen banana, non-fat homemade yogurt, oats, flax, chia, wheat germ, and almonds. I topped it off with a coconut cream-yogurt whip and blackstrap molasses (I am not really fond of chocolate sauce, so I decided molasses would be nice). I forget how nice Irish coffee is until I’ve had it again!

— I made my folding side table! I wanted this to be a table I could quickly set up when needed, then quietly tuck it away. As it wasn’t meant to be a stable piece of furniture, I just wanted it to be presentable without much expense. To achieve this, I decided to re & up cycle as many items as I could. Pic:

Several years back, I cut down and stowed away a large piece of bamboo. It was meant to be a curtain rod, but I ended up using another (thinner) piece (of bamboo). I decided to pull it out of storage and use it for the table base. I cut it into 4 pieces, and put holes (to join the pieces, with glue) in 2 of them. When I was cutting the holes, I thought, Oh, I should make a flute (even though I don’t play the flute, lol!). I made the holes a little smaller than I wanted, then carved away a little at a time for a snug fit. I drilled a hole to adjoin both legs, put a screw through it, then secured it with a washer and nut. I wish the screw was a little shorter, but I used what I had. I purchased 4 rubber leg tips to keep the base from moving around. I then glued two sides of a pic frame to the top of the legs. The spray paint I used did not have primer, so I primed it first, gave it a coat of (leftover) black then a light coat of (purchased) gold. I tried to allow some of the black to show through. Then, I sprayed alternate wisps of black and gold until it looked the way I wanted it to. I do not care for the finish of a lot of metallic spray paints, so I dulled the shine with leftover frosted glass spray. I’ve used it before for other glossy spray paints as well.
The top: I used a picture covered with one of my many fabric remnants. I was going to use wallpaper (as was suggested in my Using Wallpaper Remnants post), but this fabric seemed to fit the space better. I made it waterproof by brushing on melted oil & wax (method found here). You can use beeswax, paraffin, perhaps soy wax, and any fixed drying oil. Some of these are healthier options than others. More on that in an upcoming post. I staple gunned the fabric to the frame and added decorative nails (originally intended to re-upholster a chair. I did it freehand, so some are a bit wonky. I will go back & fix them later. I just wanted to take the pic while I still had a little sunlight). The top is not attached to the legs, so I added “stoppers” (synthetic corks) on the back of the picture to hold the top of the legs (the frame sides) in place. All in all, I think I made out pretty well with just the purchases of the rubber leg tips and gold spray paint!

— I love macrame! There are tons of vids out there if you want to learn how to craft something for yourself. I think you could totally DIY something like this: Glass & Twine Lantern Set | shopterrain.com.

Here’s a sweet macrame bracelet tutorial: DIY Shamballa Style Macrame Bracelet Tutorial | rings-things.com.

— I have tons of plaid. It’s one of my fave things. This is a cute idea: DIY Clothes DIY Refashion: DIY: Ombre Dip Dyed Plaid Shirt | Pinterest | Lacy Hall.
This dress sort of encompasses several styles. A versatile piece, I think: Streetcar Dress in Black Plaid (with pockets) | trendvee.com.

— After looking at the ‘supoon’ and ‘clongs’ from the last ‘My Way‘ post, I checked out some of the other kitchen products they have available. Some really neat items like jots, onpots, teafus, levoons. I love this Scizza | Dreamfarm Products. 

— I saw that Bibi won the election in Israel. Yay! I am not that political of a person, but I like him because he’s dashing, charming, handsome, suave, and did I mention dashing? 😉

— I read an article that mentioned “fashionable food,” meaning certain food, dishes, etc., should (not just do) go in and out of style. This wasn’t referring to dining out. I thought this an odd concept. I mean, it’s one thing if you want to be “trendy” to sell things….but, common folk usually eat (or prepare for others) what is readily available to them, what is at the market during the time of their visit, and what they can afford (if they can afford to eat at all). The average person doesn’t live in a restaurant or test kitchen. They are not usually concerned if their meat and potatoes, beans on toast, Grandma’s prize dessert, or whatever, is “in style,” haha! Most people do not care that much about their clothing being in style, let alone their everyday (or even special occasion) food. It seemed like the article was targeted at your average person, but perhaps not. Perhaps it was more like people who struggle with dilemmas such as, “Should I take the Bentley or the Benz”? Or, more importantly, “Should I ask Jeeves or Parky to pull the car around when I make my decision between the Bentley and the Benz? lol 😀 Anyway…Here are Today’s Featured Recipes (fashionable or not, I couldn’t say…they just looked darn good to me!):

Breakfast Stuffed Peppers | eatwell101.com.

Fugazetta (Argentine Pizza) | Bourbon and Brown Sugar.

Lemon Meringue Pie with Poached Oranges and Basil | Great British Chefs.com.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Grilled Cheese | wellplated.com. Saw this last year and still thinking about it! Great St. Patrick’s Day leftovers idea.

Great tutorial: How to Ice a Cake | stylesweetca.com.

2-Minute Green Spaghetti Sauce

Shellfish Risotto | ciaoflorentina.com.

Have a fabulous day!

Simple Style: Using Wallpaper Remnants

Что сделать из остатков обоев? | designhomes.ru.

While looking for a DIY folding side table project, I came across this blog post with interesting ways to use wallpaper remnants. Though I do not have wallpaper on my actual walls, I do love to use it for lots of other projects. I have been thinking about using a picture (w/ a frame) for my table top, then adding a folding base to it. I haven’t decided if I want to up-cycle the base, or construct one from the get go.

This post is in Russian, but I am sure you will get the gist from just the pics (if you do not read Russian). Really some beautiful ideas!