Monthly Archives: November 2011

Housewarming Tree

30 Wednesday Nov 2011

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I made this paper tree full of birds as a housewarming gift for dear friends who just moved in-state. Something appealed to me about using vintage maps to welcome them, and the colors seemed a good fit for their charming 1920s home. I am often drawn to using books and text in my artwork, a natural tendency I suppose for an English major and bibliophile. I’m among the few shoppers for used books who entirely bypass consideration of subject matter in favor of pretty fonts. :)

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Making the little birds required some patience, but I don’t mind that at all. Whether in the kitchen or the studio, I find great therapeutic value in hours spent on methodical, detailed tasks. It gives me the opportunity to put all my energy into accomplishing one single thing well. That kind of focus is an increasingly rare occurrence among my other daily responsibilities, and I find I need the balance provided by those deliberate, harnessed moments; they result in a beauty of their own, no matter what I create.

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One of the housewarming tree’s layers of texture comes from cashmere wool the color of linen (also the color of book pages). I finished the tree off with a curled paper nest at its base. It probably says more about me than I care to admit that the little paper nest didn’t get added until three weeks after I originally gave the tree away. I planned to put it on there all along, but my life seldom divides neatly into “before” and “after,” so why should my artwork? I kind of like the potential in that.

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Order

29 Tuesday Nov 2011

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Some artistic types thrive on chaos and regularly find the greatest inspiration amidst the biggest mess; I am not one of them. :) I spent the last weekend cleaning up my studio because the piles had started to outnumber the empty surfaces, and I realized anew how important organization and continuity are to me. I love color and texture, and my design sense leans more toward warm eclectic than clean modern. But I crave order; I take comfort in the sorted tubes of beads in my studio and clearly labeled containers in my pantry.

This is no real epiphany to those closest to me. My husband realized it years ago when I pronounced a newly installed shelving unit “the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever given me” — and really meant it. My friends probably got the idea when my tour of our newly remodeled kitchen centered around all the great storage space. And those who saw me so eagerly anticipating the grand opening of our local Container Store might have suspected. :) It’s how I got on this path that might be a bit of a surprise.

The truth is that I spent most of my twenties cleaning up for other people. Anyone who’s lived with toddlers knows that they are capable of a sustained campaign of destruction, seemingly for years at a time. But my problem wasn’t ever who I was cleaning up after, it was who I was cleaning up for. Every time company was coming, I transformed into a temperamental, tidying tornado, shoving toys into closets and dishes off the table. Given a little notice, I could transform any cluttered room into a clean one, but it never lasted. Once the daily business of parenting and homeschooling reclaimed my focus, my cleaning standards inevitably downshifted again. Then one day we were picking up in the living room and my then-eight-year-old son asked, “Who’s coming over?” That stopped me in my tracks.

I realized that I was unwittingly reinforcing the exact opposite of lessons I worked so hard to teach him: that loved ones come first; that we shouldn’t judge others by appearances; that the point of this life is peace, not perfection. I also finally recognized that cleaning for others generated so much stress for me, in part, because I yearned for that same organized, welcoming space every day. I was on a slippery slope that found me valuing others’ opinions above my own heart’s cries. And I believe that whether our souls ask for order or spontaneity, companionship or quiet, our efforts to honor those needs are never wasted.

I wonder sometimes if God gave me a gift for organization — the ability to find and appreciate order — because He knew how unpredictable my life would become. Even as chaos threatens in the form of daily questions about my health, there is a special grace in being able to appreciate a precisely arranged bookshelf or an ordered row of kitchen spices. There is also grace in knowing that there will be times when those books are in disarray and someone else put the groceries away, and that’s okay too. Peace, not perfection. We have chore charts and family rules around here, just as we have days when the dust bunnies outnumber us 10-1. But when we clean, I am confident my children understand it is for us, not about what someone thinks of us. And I am thankful every day for the order in this world, for the things that remind me that there is a purposeful, intentional, loving Plan with a capital P.

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Meyer Lemon Curd

28 Monday Nov 2011

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lemoncurd

I don’t think the name “lemon curd” does justice to this rich, buttery custard; it is the perfect blend of velvety sweetness and citrus tang. This time of year, I like to make it with Meyer lemons, a hybrid cross of lemons and oranges that results in a juicier, more flavorful fruit. Lemon curd is a true culinary multi-tasker and can be used as a filling in tarts and cookies or as a topping on ice cream, meringue, or pancakes. A dollop instantly transforms gingerbread or vanilla pound cake. And in the midst of winter, you can’t go wrong with the gift of a bright yellow jar of lemony sunshine.

Meyer Lemon Curd
Makes about 1 3/4 cups

Zest and juice of 3-4 Meyer lemons (can substitute regular lemons if Meyer unavailable),
about 1/2 c. juice and 2 Tbsp. zest
1 c. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. fine salt
6 large egg yolks
1/2 c. cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into tablespoon-size pats

Whisk zest, juice, sugar, salt, and egg yolks in medium saucepan until smooth. Bring to simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk and cook 10-12 minutes more until thickened to a custard-like consistency. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, then whisk in butter a pat or two at a time, until all butter is melted and incorporated into the thick, glossy curd. Store in a wide-mouth pint mason jar or other airtight container; keeps in refrigerator up to two weeks.

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Since making lemon curd leaves you with a passel of unused egg whites, it only seems logical to make a pavlova, as I did last week for a dear friend’s Thanksgiving birthday. A pavlova is layers of whipped cream, custard or fruit curd, and meringue; in this case, it’s Meyer lemon curd and a vanilla-scented meringue with a crispy exterior and marshmallow-chewy interior. Consider this post a two-fer. :)

Pavlova Meringue
serves 8-10

4 egg whites
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla bean paste or real vanilla extract

Preheat oven 300F. Place egg whites and sugar in bowl of electric mixer and mix on highest speed until glossy white and forming stiff peaks (about 5 minutes). It may be slightly grainy, but if you see lots of undissolved sugar, continue whisking until more incorporated. Add vanilla and whisk until thoroughly combined.

Spread the meringue on a parchment-lined baking sheet using a silicon spatula. I try for an oval, but part of pavlova’s charm is its imprecision. Bake the meringue for about 1 hour, until an even pale brown with the beginning of cracks around the edges. (It will crack a bit more while it cools — that’s okay.)

To serve, break off a wedge of completely cooled meringue and layer on a tablespoon or two of lemon curd and a generous spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream. (I like 1 c. heavy cream + 1 Tbsp. vanilla sugar or regular granulated sugar, whisked until it holds soft, cloudy peaks.)

Note: Meringues cook best in cooler, dry weather, so if it’s hot and humid, consider a lemon tart instead.

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Everything Alice

25 Friday Nov 2011

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“Well!” thought Alice to herself. “After such a fall as this, I shall think nothing of tumbling down stairs! How brave they’ll all think me at home! Why, I wouldn’t say anything about it, even if I fell off the top of the house!” (Which was very likely true.)

I love Lewis Carrol’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. I make a point of re-reading both annually, and they make me smile until my cheeks hurt every time. How can you not love literature that manages to exemplify both scathing political commentary and dry British humor, equal parts insightful observation and complete nonsense?

Alice has inspired multiple art adventures in my own studio, so I was excited to find Everything Alice: The Wonderland Book of Makes and Bakes. The book features 50 different projects based on Carrol’s work, with crafts and recipes ranging from Teacup Candles to Topiary Cupcakes; Duchess Macaroons to Lavender Dormice sachets. It’s clear that authors Hannah Read-Baldrey and Christine Leech are plenty creative and genuine admirers of all things Wonderland.

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I thought I’d give you a sneak peek and share my first project from Everything Alice, a fabric-covered teapot planter. I started with the inexpensive, Japanese-style ceramic teapot pictured above. (thank you, T.J. Maxx) This piece was also the obvious home for some Alice in Wonderland fabric I had squirreled away in my sewing supplies. The only other requirements were scissors, a paintbrush, Mod Podge, and two hours’ time to cut the fabric into strips and glue it on the teapot.

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I decided to finish my teapot planter off with some teabag-style tags made from a vintage playing card and a suitable quote: “It was all very well to say ‘Drink me,’ but the wise little Alice was not going to do that in a hurry.” The final touch was a few resin beads to compliment the colors and shapes of the Queen and her deck of subjects. I’m really pleased with how it turned out.

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If you’re the sort who likes to keep her hands clean, this probably won’t be your favorite craft; however, if you were one of those kids who loved making a second set of fingerprints out of glue, then have I got a project for you! (That’s the first time I ever got Mod Podge on my elbows before. :) My studio will soon have a little Alice-inspired native flora, and I can officially say I’ve upholstered my dishes. What more could I ask for?

P.S. — I can’t post about Alice without plugging my very favorite film version, the 1999 production originally shown as an NBC miniseries. It is true to the books in tone and whimsy, though much more laugh-out-loud funny. The music and special effects are charming without being too pretty, and there are dozens of big-name actors involved. My favorite characters are Martin Short as the Mad Hatter, Miranda Richardson’s Red Queen, and, best of all, Gene Wilder as the Mock Turtle. If you haven’t seen it, you’re missing a real treat. (It’s streamed on Netflix for those of you with a membership, or you can rent/buy it on Amazon.) It is one of my family’s top five “cocooning” movies — the sort of film perfectly suited to cuddling on the couch with a quilt and a mug of hot chocolate.

Thankful

24 Thursday Nov 2011

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Just wanted to take a moment in the quiet hours this morning to say Happy Thanksgiving. I have so many reasons to be thankful every single day. I am especially grateful to be up and moving well enough to cook and share with friends and family. In both 2007 and 2008, I was too sick to celebrate this holiday at all, unable to walk unaided or breathe comfortably. What a beautiful, tender mercy it is that finds me not only alive and mobile, but also awake at 8 AM with a meringue in the oven and bacon sauteing on the stove. No, those things are not what make life worth living, but they are important to me and I am thankful. I am also thankful to all of you who read this blog and comment, who share my days with me and listen to what I have to say. What a blessing you are!

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. If this finds you far away from home or family, please know you are here with me in spirit and I said a prayer of thanks for you. If you’re the one responsible for feeding your loved ones, may your turkey stay moist and your pies never burn. If you have a relative coming that drives you crazy, I hereby pronounce them powerless for the day, unable to disturb the peace and joy of this moment. You are treasured.

Our Thanksgiving Menu
Smoked Turkey
Orange-Mustard-Thyme Butter Roasted Turkey
Apple-Sage Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Roasted Maple-Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Peas with Bacon and Onion
Broccoli with Lemon
Spinach Salad with Apple and Gouda
Custard Cornbread
Parkerhouse Rolls
Fudge Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Meyer Lemon Pavolova

Turkey Stock

22 Tuesday Nov 2011

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It stands to reason that I would love Thanksgiving: I love to cook, I love to have family and friends over, and I have an awful lot to be thankful for. Right now my kitchen smells like Thanksgiving heaven, redolent with smoky turkey, onion and celery, sage and thyme, orange and allspice. My children firmly believe we would make millions if we could just figure out how to capture the smell of turkey stock in candle form.

If you’ve never made homemade stock before, now is the time to try it. You are virtually guaranteed to have access to a turkey in the days ahead, and even if you didn’t cook it yourself, most hosts are happy (if slightly amused) to send their guests home with a carcass care package. Cooking stock is surprisingly simple and makes sense both ethically and economically because you’re getting the most you can out of the animal. I also find it’s a great way to use fruit and veggies that are a bit past their prime; our stock this year includes a few old apples and a rutabaga that were rolling around unwanted in the produce drawer.

The recipe below makes several scented, savory quarts, perfect for soup, stew, and pot pie. It will keep for a week or two in the refrigerator or a few months in the freezer. Feel free to change the seasonings or vegetables to suit your palate and pantry.

Turkey Day Stock
Makes about 5 quarts

1 turkey carcass, including bones, skin, and leftover meat (I use a smoked turkey for Thanksgiving stock)
2 large yellow onions, peeled and cut into quarters
8 carrots, unpeeled and cut/broken in half
4 parsnips, unpeeled and cut into thirds
1 bunch celery (about 10 stalks, no leaves), broken/cut into halves
zest and juice of 2 oranges
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. whole allspice berries
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. crushed brown mustard seed
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh sage
6 sprigs fresh thyme
3 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
1-1/2 Tbsp. whole black peppercorns

Put all the ingredients in your largest stockpot (must hold at least 8 quarts) and cover with water. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for several hours. When liquid reduces by half, fill with water again and simmer for one hour more.

Strain hot stock into large bowl or second pot. To store in refrigerator for use in next two weeks, fill sterilized quart-size mason jars with hot stock, leaving 3/4″ space at top of jar. Put on fresh lids and allow to sit out on counter until you hear the pop of each lid sealing, then refrigerate. (Steam will seal jars well enough to buy you extra time in the fridge.) If you prefer to freeze your stock, allow it to cool completely, then place in quart-size Ziploc freezer bags labeled with date; freeze up to three months.

(If you figure out that whole candle thing, let me know. :)

Easy Homemade Bread (Really)

19 Saturday Nov 2011

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I have a confession: I have murdered so many sourdough starters that I’ve lost count. This is especially sad because I love everything about baking bread — the scent of yeast, the smooth elasticity of kneaded dough, a slice of warm, buttered bread fresh from the oven… honestly, that’s my idea of romance. There is something so satisfyingly wholesome about turning flour, water, salt, and yeast into nourishment to eat and share.

In the past, my well-intentioned resolve to bake bread from scratch has lasted for whole days at a time before real life intervened. I tried again and again, leaving piles of breadcrumbs and jars of century-old starter in my wake. I burned out an electric stand mixer on a batch of leaden whole wheat. I dabbled in bread machines, but I could never quite accept the notion of “homemade” bread that I hadn’t actually touched until each oddly-shaped loaf emerged from its little metal case. Then in 2008, I fractured two vertebrae and a rib while kneading bread dough (my first hint that I had osteoporosis). I don’t give up easily, but even I was a wee bit discouraged after that.

So when a dear foodie friend of mine recommended a book entitled Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, I was skeptical. I’ve made recipes that required more time than that just to proof the yeast, and don’t even get me started on kneading, resting, and rising. But I borrowed his copy, and as I read it, I started to believe it was actually possible. Then I set a timer and made the first batch of dough: four loaves’ worth was rising on the counter before my five minutes were up. When the first loaf came out of the oven looking like something from a bakery in Provence, I was impressed; then my family polished it off in about the same amount of time it took to make it. Only contented sighs and a few smears of butter on the counter proved it ever existed, and I was happily converted to the ranks of Bakers of Bread.

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day was written by a chemist and a pastry chef, and through an extensive research process, they whittled down making bread to its essential steps. There is no proofing, no kneading, and no second rising phase. A recipe makes enough for four 1-lb. loaves, so you can enjoy fresh bread every day, and it’s easy enough to make that both my kids (ages 11 and 14) can do it. The basic recipe for white bread is so tasty, it took me a long while to venture into other combinations, but everything I’ve tried in the cookbook is delicious. My most recent batch was Roasted Garlic Potato Bread, which I used to make open-face meatloaf sandwiches (a play on the traditional side of mashed potatoes) and Turkey BLT’s (pictured above). If you’re a would-be baker or have one in the family, this book is worth every penny. I’d love to hear how it goes if you try it out. :)

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All dressed up

17 Thursday Nov 2011

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I love miniature versions of everyday items, and I can’t resist a good bargain. So when I found this 24″-tall dress form for cheap, there was no question it was coming home with me. What most appealed to me were the classical female curves formed from angular, iron bars.

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I started by piecing together the “heart” with painted canvas, hand-dyed fabric, vintage jewelry, and a snippet of text cut from a vintage 1950s ladies’ magazine advertisement. It reads: Where did you come from and where will you go from here? Have you lived before? Are you afraid to die? (Don’t see a lot of Cosmo ad campaigns that question the very nature of life these days. :) I suspended the heart inside the breast of the dress form and then started work on the outside.

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As with most women, this piece is made of lots of layers, some of which aren’t visible from the outside. First is pale pink Asian rice paper, followed by layered strips of hand-dyed fabric, then more handmade papers, ribbons, and beaded flowers. I stuck with traditional feminine colors and shapes made from materials that supply lots of texture.

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For me, this piece of artwork has special significance. It speaks to the recurring challenge of being both fragile and strong. When you look up “tender” in the thesaurus, its suggested synonyms are “soft” and “weak.” I think it’s just the opposite: being vulnerable, choosing to live and love, takes the most strength of all.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

16 Wednesday Nov 2011

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Remember this?
Hey, you got peanut butter in my chocolate!
Hey, you got chocolate in my peanut butter!
Well, hey, I got peanut butter cups and chocolate in my peanut butter cookies, and I’ve never been happier. :)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Makes about 30 cookies

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (I prefer King Arthur)
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. turbinado or demerara sugar (can substitute light brown sugar)
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
1/4 c. peanut butter (I use creamy Skippy Natural)
1 tsp. real vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. water
1 1/2 c. chopped peanut butter cups (about 14 regular-size cups; I love Justin’s Organic Peanut Butter Cups, see Recipe Notes below)
coarse sugar for dusting cookie tops, optional

Preheat oven to 375F. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In another medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Beat in vanilla, egg, and water until thoroughly mixed, then stir in dry ingredients. Once well-combined, stir in chopped peanut butter cups.

Scoop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Lightly press down tops of cookies with the back of a fork until flattened to about 1/2″ thick, and then sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Bake 7-9 minutes, until dough is set and your kitchen smells like chocolate. Cool on wire rack, but not completely — you have to try these while the peanut butter cups are still melted.

Recipe Notes + Tips:
I discovered Justin’s Nut Butters a few years ago. They are all-natural and scrumptious — Maple Almond Butter is my absolute favorite. Earlier this year, Justin’s debuted their Organic Peanut Butter Cups in milk and dark chocolate. They have half the sugar of Reese’s and much more flavor. They also have about double the chocolate, which automatically earns them brownie points with me. (I mean my “brownie points” very literally. :)

This recipe is my version of one from the King Arthur Flour web site. The original called for mini peanut butter cups, available here. They’re super cute but not all-natural, so not an option for me. If you try them out, let me know how it goes.

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Beauty

14 Monday Nov 2011

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Why, yes, that is a jar of gummy bear vitamins on my counter, thanks for noticing. :) That little jar sums up a lot about what is important to me.

I take those gummy vitamins as part of a regimen designed to give my bones and joints the best chance to get stronger. With severe osteoporosis and four spinal fractures at age 35 (here’s why), stronger bones are a priority for me. Given the choice between capsules the size of small submarines that give me fish breath, and yummy cranberry orange-flavored treats that make me smile, I’m going with a handful of gummy bears every time.

I’m a lot better about remembering to take my vitamins if they’re sitting out where I can see them. And while the gummy bear vitamin industry has my wholehearted approval, their packaging efforts leave a lot to be desired. Vitamins in an industrial-sized plastic bottle make me think about hospitals and bone scans. Translucent orange gummy bears in a mason jar make me think about giggling kids and making jam. Pretty easy choice.

Even taking your vitamins is an opportunity to choose joy and beauty. A lot of life’s challenges are non-negotiable, but the way we receive them is completely in our hands. I choose gummy bears and mason jars because I don’t get a choice about broken bones and sick days. All of us have adult-size problems to deal with, but we don’t have to abandon fun or settle for the status quo while we do it.