Finishing touches

Hubby and I started dating when I was 19 and he was 18. I hated that I was older and when I found out his age I even tried to break up with him over it. Well, you know who won. We met at the Honda dealership where we both worked. He sold cars and I was a receptionist. He was tall and handsome and after he asked me out for about three months (and shaved off that silly mustache) I finally said okay. He lived with his parents, but made a bunch of money, so in my eyes he was rich, and just about spent it all on me! What was not to like about him? Why am I telling you all this? Isn’t this a blog about knitting and cooking and gardening? Bear with me a bit longer. One of our favorite ways to hang out was to go shopping. He looked good in anything (remember tall and handsome) – especially a suit. I recall one occasion at Off 5th where he purchased his “legendary” Hugo Boss suit, strutting out when he tried it on (giggle, giggle). He looked amazing! Sure, it had a European cut, which his broad shoulders filled out perfectly, but that waist of his was still slimmer than those slim Europeans! Of course, he was fit back then (weren’t we all?), so all his suits had to be taken in. (Really, I’m gonna get to the point of this story.) I adore a man in uniform – and isn’t a suit basically just a uniform? Okay, fast forward 13 years. That fabulous Hugo Boss suit no longer fits (it’s not that he got taller, lol). Having fun afternoons of shopping and spending silly amounts of money are long over. However, he still needs something to where to our meetings. I think June Bug was barely born the last time he got a brand new suit. So, tomorrow we are going to mall (big family outing, lol). I doubt the suit he chooses will need to be taken in. Maybe he’s finally grown into the man he was meant to be, who I love. :)

The real reason you’re here.

Cookies that June bug and I made yesterday. 

Neon food coloring is way cool! Not natural, but it’s not like we eat it every day. I forgot I had it until it fell out of the cupboard at me the other day.

And the first loaf of “white” bread I’ve made in a while. Even all those delicious whole grains get a little boring. Couldn’t just make it all plain though, I threw in some herbs, garlic and minced onion – yum!

And finally the knitting. Before my last post, I got into a major knitting groove. I finished the baby romper for Leslie’s baby. 

I’ve only made one attempt to give it to her, so better try a bit harder, since she might see this post and wonder if she’ll ever get it!

Then, what next? It’s funny how when I finish a knitting project, I immediately want to start another one. However, those finishing touches are what really slow me down! I’m not alone. Many knitters hate the finishing part of knitting. All the weaving in of ends and seaming things up – we just want to knit! And, knitting is something to just pick up to de-stress for me, so if there’s nothing there to pick up and knit, then what, chocolate, bread, chips? So many calories!

So, right after I finished the romper, I grabbed my shrug and I actually finished the last 14 of the 15 rows in record time (remember there were over 250 stitches in each row). I realized I was going to be about 3 ½ rows short and I didn’t want to purchase another ball of yarn, but I really wasn’t sure if it would be okay, so I procrastinated – a bunch. But, I was determined to finish. I’d come all this way, I’d hate for it to sit in my knitting drawers with all those other abandoned projects! So, I brought my project with me everywhere: to my moms, to my sisters, to watch TV, to the coffee shop. I even weaved in all the ends and seamed the arms together so that the second I was done knitting, I could be done with the project and just put it on! However, it sat (right next to me), unfinished for the last two weeks. Last Friday I visited my grandmother, who, in her heyday used to make all my grandpa’s socks! She’s actually quite proud that I’ve taken such a liking to knitting. I showed her my nearly finished shrug (yes, it was right in the car with me) and that purple shirt that’s been about half done for about 6 months (yes, it’s been in my knitting bag sitting underneath the shrug all along). She loved them. She realizes that she’s likely not going to be making all the little doll clothes she used to make for my sister and my cousins and I, so she gave me a bunch of knitting books. Oo, fresh inspiration! I tried to start a project for one of June Bug’s dolls, but couldn’t get the gage right, probably because the shrug was calling out to me to be finished! So, tonight I sat down and about 15 minutes later, it was done. 

I tried it on, spun around and yes, wondered, what next?

No Pity, Please

Well, it finally happened. A couple days after my last post, the folks with the Wi-Fi we’ve been snagging in our neighborhood, locked their Wi-Fi. And since I live about 25 minutes from the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot, I haven’t been too eager to make the trek just to write about my cooking, knitting or gardening. The garden is pretty much closed for the winter, so no news there anyway.

On the other hand, my cooking adventures have become more like an episode of “Iron Chef’ with loads of unexpected ingredients all the time. Seems even the very capable Hubby can’t sell much when there aren’t many customers. No pity, please. I’ve always bragged that I could whip up practically anything from just the ingredients in my fridge and pantry. So with the checkbook being squeezed for life’s other expenses I told my hubby I wasn’t going grocery shopping for a whole month! I had a couple containers of milk and a couple pounds of butter in the fridge as well as two 5 lb bags of apples my mother-in-law had given us a week before. I was set. Well, as you might suspect, I didn’t quite last a month before we needed more milk, some eggs, a block of cheese, a head of lettuce, two onions and some apples (I’m a firm believer in the ‘an apple a day..." mantra). But honestly, I haven’t purchase anything else. I think if I wouldn’t have told Hubby about the “no shopping thing” he might not have noticed (besides that weird pasta dish I made from canned salmon, tomatoes, zucchini and red peppers - it was gross). We’ve had spaghetti with meatballs, halibut with rice pilaf, chicken fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli, home made apple turnovers and an apple tart, homemade tortillas, raisin muffins, homemade hot chocolate (see recipe below), really delicious chocolate banana bars,

apple pancakes, soups (of course lonies), chile verde, Spanish rice, lots of beans, a pot roast, mashed potatoes, warm potato salad, potato pancakes, several different kinds of cheesey and artisan breads

and even some freebies - Baskin Robbins ice cream (thanks to my dad for the “pint for a pint” coupon) and a free medium fries from the coupon for McDonalds thanks to Monopoly last month!

When I started this blog, my BFF mentioned I should inventory my pantry as a testament to the variety of foods I constantly stock. But who wants to read about ingredients, when you can read about the yummy food which they create?! Needless to say my pantry and fridge are gradually getting emptied (BFF said she’d come clean the fridge when it’s even emptier – woohoo!). But the month isn’t over yet. I’m already making my grocery shopping list (and checking it twice). And, man, am I eager to get to Winco for some real grocery shopping. I know the economy isn’t going to turn around just yet, so don’t worry I won’t be going wild or anything. However, I’ve gotten a little wiser about what I really need – no canned salmon!

Homemade Hot Cocoa

1 mug milk

1 small handful of chocolate chips

Gently heat a mugs worth of milk on the stove. As it heats up, add a small handful of chocolate chips (maybe 10-20, depending how chocolaty you like it).  Stir rapidly with a whisk until the chips are melted. Pour into a mug and enjoy! It's even better if you can find the new "gourmet" chocolate chips.

The Take-Over

There has been so much going on since the week of the wedding cake. But actually my neglecting the blog is mostly due to the fact that we have discovered that we can stream movies from Netflix (I know horrible excuse). Don’t worry, I have lots of pics of recent goodies from the kitchen and even an update on two of my knitting projects.First, the fun little cookies that June Bug and I made last week.

In case you didn’t know, my favorite thing to make is bread. I bake it about once a week in the summer (in the evening only after I can open the windows) and probably twice or more per week as soon as the weather gets the least bit chilly. I love the warmth the oven brings to the house and that intoxicating smell wafting out too. I admit, the bread machine is my tool of choice 90% of the time since June Bug came along (doughy hands can't help blow runny noses, or help with other dainty tasks). However, I do prefer the shape of the any loaf pan but the one in my machine, so I always do the final rise in a regular pan, or in rolls. Then, it’s all I can do to wait until my bread is cool enough to slice through without crushing it. No matter what time of day-morning, noon or night, after dinner, before dinner, after dessert- if there’s fresh bread coming from the oven, I have to have a slice. Slathered with butter and usually a tiny sprinkling of salt (I buy unsalted butter, but I think the better excuse is I’m also a pretzel lover at heart, probably from my childhood of having pretzels packed in my lunch box just about every day and nibbling those tiny granules off first - I love the cruchiness!). Anyway, last week I made this rye bread.

It’s a light rye, with only a ¼ rye flour, the rest (1/4) whole wheat, and ½ white bread flour. I had to crush the dill seeds, celery seeds and poppy seeds in a mortar and pestle before adding to the dough. It’s got the classic caraway too.

My BFF left for a 3-week visit to London, her hometown, yesterday (miss you already) and after she gave me some pastrami she couldn’t finish before she left, I made myself a Reuben. I am a devote Reuben fan, so with tons of pastrami left over and the Rye on its last slice, I had to make another loaf of Rye. Turns out Hubby likes Reubens now too, so we had them for dinner last night. Then mom came over today and I had to split one with her! I immediately stashed the rest of the pastrami in the freezer before I had a heart attack! Don’t worry it’ll be there for another rainy day. And the sauerkraut in the fridge-I think that stuff lasts forever, right?

Bread isn’t the only thing that gets my oven turned on. Pizza is usually on the dinner menu at least twice a month. Homemade dough, rarely with red sauce and never any pepperoni (Hubby's choice). Here’s the latest. Some final tomatoes from garden with homemade basil-arugula pesto dressing as the sauce - yum!

 

Oh, there was also some pumpkin from the garden. What a cinch to puree with my handy-dandy food mill (sorry, there will be a whole nerdy blog on this new favorite kitchen gadget of mine, but not tonight). 

The puree made its way into some really good Browned-Butter Sage Pumpkin Loaves from Martha Stewart and also some Pumpkin Praline Waffles and Pumpkin Pancakes, both from King Arthur Flour cookbooks. Who says Pumpkins have to be carved into Jack-O-Lanterns? I grow mine to eat!!

The garden is mostly in winter mode with just a few greens and some carrots (for Lilly to pull and snack on later). However, after three plantings and many raids by aphids and their buddies, the ants, I was finally the proud recipient of these four little beauties. 

Next year, I think I will once again just buy those 5/$1 corns at the store (ten years ago when I planted corn it was the same story of four baby corns)!

Speaking of aphids. After the corn got raided by aphids, they invaded my broccoli and then my Russian Kale and as of today, my turnip greens. Ahhhh they're taking over. I was so angry I just pulled it all up today. Summer's over anyway, so I can't be that mad. I managed to salvage a few turnips greens for a Barley, White Bean, and Kale soup (using the Turnips greens instead of Kale) only to later find in my soup way too many floating "bugs". I washed those greens three times leaving the leaves in the water the last time for nearly a half-hour. Don't aphids ever drown? I've now read a bit more online about defending my turf and hopefully next year I'll beat them.

On the knitting front, I’ve seamed up the little romper for Leslie’s baby, but it has now been so long since I worked on it, I can’t find the pattern – bummer. I’ll keep looking. Good thing the pattern is for a 1-year-old. She’s almost 3 months already!

My shrug is coming along okay, but 33 rnds of 242 stitches is exactly why I never knit scarves! 

I’m about halfway through those rounds, so getting a bit more excited to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I think I still have time to stream a movie :)

The Cake part II

With only two hits to the snooze button, it was 5:42 AM when I stumbled into the kitchen. I left the windows open to my house thinking the cakes could “keep cool” as they traveled in and out of the fridge as I frosted them the next morning. But, being early fall, this proved to be a horrible idea. At 66 degrees in my house, there was no way the icing was ever going to reach it’s “initial volume” as the recipe promises it will after letting it warm to room temperature. They probably never guessed that someone's room would be 66 degrees! So, with very clumpy icing (remember all that fanfare I promised, yeah, not happening with over 2 lbs of butter in it in a cold room). So, I turned on the heat (for the first time this season, pee-u) and the oven just to get things cookin’. Fortunately I picked the sheet cake to fill and frost first, so no one was really going to see the clumpy frosting. Besides I had to do a crumb coat – that would use up all the flop icing, right? Well, a lot of it. I decided I better whip up a fresh batch to do the final coat. When that one behaved about the same, I started to panic that everyone would think I lied about this “beautiful” icing. I stopped the mixer and proceeded with crumb coating on the 14 and 10 inch cakes. About 40 minutes later when I was about to run out of icing, I flipped back on that mixer and hoped for the best. It’s finally about 70 on the thermostat and with periodic openig and closing of the oven door, my kitchen must be at least 75. Hah, the frosting is finally looking like the regal stuff I know it can be! Hallelujah!

I had told Hubby the night before that I wanted to be in the car and ready to go at 9:00 AM, since I said I would deliver the cake at 10:30. Well, I think we both knew that was never going to happen, when he was still in bed at 9:05 and the cakes were barely iced. I decided I would stack the three layers before I left the house (you’ll see why this could prove fatal for the cake in a moment) and attach the gardenias when we got there. Hubby couldn’t believe that was plan after he proceeded to shake vigorously the car of mine that needs new struts! He thought for sure we would get a cake-filled trunk by just the end of our driveway! So fortunately I had picked up a long dowel from the hardware store the day before after reading of some who had used one to protect the cake from sliding over. I ran up to my make-up bag and got the only pencil sharpener I knew I could easily locate (the dowel was the perfect diameter). After making a nice sharp point and cutting it to size with my bread knife, I shoved that dowel straight down through the three cakes and their cardboard dividers. Wait don’t forget the other cake! Almost did. Alright it’s finally 11:11 AM and we are leaving the house.

The first 15 minutes was about the most nerve-wracking of the next 78-minute drive to Elk Grove. You see, we live at the bottom of a 2.5 mile steep, bumpy, barely-paved road and then about 400 feet down an even bumpier dirt road. So at the top of that hill, we both hopped out of the car to check on everything (lots of hopping in this blog!). All there--and in one piece, phew. The rest of the ride proved pretty uneventful except that even with all the pulling over to let cars pass, we still beat Google maps estimated drive time to the location by 2 minutes. Who does those calculations anyway?!

When we arrived I quickly stuck the gardenias in the cake 

and fixed a few cracks it had suffered on the way down – nothing major. The we stashed it in the fridge

where it got it's first completed photo and we hopped in the car and went to my mother-in-laws to get ourselves ready. The worst critic was Hubby who wondered why it was not smooth and how it didn’t look very professional. (Remember this isn't fondant). Well, what can I say, I cried. But after his mom saw the picture, he put him in his place. lol

Shortly before the wedding they put the cake on the cake table with all the decoration. I really didn’t think it looked so bad now and Hubby finally agreed. Just before the wedding I heard that the bride had just seen the cake. She loved it! I knew this is all that mattered and I could now relax.

After they cut the cake,

the bride and groom wrangled me over and told everyone that I made it “from scratch”.  I got lots of compliments, not on the look (which is fine with me), but on the taste. I even had two pieces myself, why not, I think I earned an extra slice. Good thing for that extra sheet cake (I put the sole "handmade"gardenia on it.)

I’m pretty sure my mother-in law took the last four pieces home after the wedding and Hubby said to her, “You’d better since she won’t be doing that again!” What does he know! Anyone need a cake?

The cake part 1

Almost a year ago when my niece asked me to make her wedding cake I think I had forgotten the work I put in two years before when I did a wedding cake for some friends.  That was my first cake and this would now be my second. Naturally, I said, “I’d love to!” As the months went by, she picked out a design and we sampled a few recipes and we did a tasting. All seemed to be going the same as before. I even felt so organized when about a month ago, I set up my schedule for the week when the cake was to be done—moved my ministry, bought the ingredients and started practicing making what I’d hoped would be the flowers for the cake (more on that later).

A three-tiered cake was requested but after consulting a few experts (my aunt being one, whose done cakes for about 30 years), we decided I’d need to add another half-sheet to feed the 215 guests. No problem.

I used the 1-2-3-4 Yellow cake recipe from Joy of Cooking. It’s a butter cake where lots of creaming of the butter and sugar is done then flour, milk, flour, milk, flour is mixed in then finally whipped eggs are folded in. (I absolutely love that because of all the butter in the batter, it bakes a perfectly flat cake round – almost no dome to have to slice off.)

I was going to use the Cake Bible recipe for yellow cake, but when we sampled the cakes side by side, even I was surprised at how much more delicious the Joy of Cooking cake was. With the advice of those “experts” I know, I started baking the cakes 11 days before wedding and put them in my freezer in the garage and had them all complete by 5 days before. It was certainly more relaxing than making them all the day before wedding like I’d originally wanted.

Next a filling of pastry cream (from Baking with Julia) made with egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and then gently warmed with boiled milk then all heated together until super thick with a splash of vanilla at the end. Chill completely (although quite tasty warm too). Unfortunately when I mixed it up for filling the cake (recipe sextupled), I forgot how many cups are in a gallon and basically made a vat of crème anglaise instead –oops (I still might make it into some vanilla ice cream tomorrow, basically the same recipe). Fortunately that mistake came two days before the cake was due so I hopped in the car at 8:30 PM for some extra ingredients.

We all agreed at the tasting that we love the look of fondant but hate the taste. So, frosting was what I would make, instead. I did remind them that since I wasn’t a professional, the cake would not have that “perfectly smooth” look, but they certainly didn’t mind. And I knew I had the perfect one. I used it for the last wedding cake I made and oh, is it the best - taste, texture, spreadability, pipeability - everything!! It’s the Buttercream 2 from Dessert Circus by Jacque Torres (see recipe below). The day before the wedding, I literally “whipped up” three batches of buttercream, set my alarm for 5:30 AM and turned in early.

To be continued...

Basic Buttercream 2 (Dessert Circus by Jacque Torres)

Makes 6 cups (enough to fill and frost two eight inch rounds)

Scant 1/2 cup water

2 1/4 cups plus 3 Tbs Sugar (17 oz)

5 Large Egg Whites

2 1/4 cups plus 1 Tbs Cold Unsalted Butter, Cubed (18.5 oz)

The first step is to start cooking the sugar. Put the water and sugar into a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium-high heat. When bubbles start to form around the edge of pan, insert a candy thermometer in the mixture (careful not to touch bottom of pan). When sugar reaches 245 degrees F, begin to whip egg whites.

Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until foamy and slightly soft.

The sugar is ready when it reaches 250 degrees F, what is know as the soft ball stage. Make an Italian meringue by pouring the cooked sugar down the side of the bowl while you continue to whip the egg whites (this will kill any bacteria). Do not pour the hot sugar onto the beaters, or it will splatter. Continue whipping the meringue on medium-high speed until the outside of the bowl is warm but not hot, about 5-7 minutes. Add the butter all at once and beat on medium speed until incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip until the buttecream is thick, smooth, and shiny, about 10 minutes. At this stage, you can add flavoring, if desired. If you are not going to use all the buttercream for your recipe, flavor only the amount you will use.

The butter cream can be used immediately or can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days or in the freezer for several weeks if held in an airtight container. If it has been chilled or frozen, allow the buttercream to come to room temperature before using, then whip it with an electric mixer on medium speed until it returns to its initial volume and is once again thick, smooth and shiny. [Let June Bug lick the whisk]

Delicious pillows

Before I got married, I had cooked very few times and probably baked even fewer. When I got engaged my future mother-in-law talked endlessly about the cookbooks she had stacked next to her bed, which she read religiously before bed each and every night. All I could think is who “reads” cookbooks, especially every night?! My own mother rarely used cookbooks (although, everyone knows she’s a great cook), so this was all pretty foreign to me. My fiancé elaborated on the dishes she used to prepare and how he hoped I would do the same. Well, although I was hopeful, I also knew those were some big shoes to fill. My mother-in-law is a completely “from scratch” person – in a good way, so they said. I think she was just trying to make sure I fed her little boy as well as she had. So, once Hubby and I were married, very quickly those cookbooks started traveling on to my nightstand, and man was I hooked! Fortunately, I’ve always been a HUGE fan of food, so since I really had never made much, I was a blank canvas and poured over every detail of every recipe and I could finally understand what Alice meant by “read” a cookbook. Hubby was a car salesman at the time and often came home late after a sale and I’d have produced a meal fit for a king. Yes, he gained about 30 lbs the first year (he could handle it since he’s 6’1” and was about 155 when we got married).

Over the years, my mother-in-law has continued to give me an endless supply of her old cookbooks (especially after we lost Hubby’s father) and ones from all the thrifts stores on her “route”. For five years before we had June Bug, cooking became my favorite hobby, with many desserts, breads, pastas, candies (all the best carbs you know), and of course roasts, veggies, sauces, soups, stews and casseroles. As a salesman, Hubby worked weekends.  This left me alone at home, which often involved a whole day or whole weekend in the kitchen! I think I’ve mentioned before that grocery shopping is one of my favorite things to do as well, and you can only image why. I love to just walk down the aisles dreaming and thinking of all the incredible things I can create. Hubby never minded the grocery bill too much since he knew he’d be the beneficiary! And when we had too much to feed ourselves, we invited our buddies over, or better yet, go to HOS and feed them (I miss those days most)!

So, what does this have to do with delicious pillows or Gnocchi? Well, Gnocchi’s one thing I have never made! When the October issue of Bon Appetit arrived and I saw their recipe, I knew I had to make it. I even had a half a pumpkin from our garden just waiting in the fridge to be cooked and pureed for it. Hubby and June Bug needed to go to the hardware store Sunday morning and for a moment I felt like old Sarah, alone with my thoughts in the kitchen – bliss. I set to work on the bread (Garlic Bread or Pain d'Ail from the Bread Lovers' Bread Machine Cookbook, just four crushed cloves kneaded into a French Bread dough – simple, but the smell was amazing), then the gnocchi. After an hour and a half of work and they still weren’t done, I looked again at the recipe and saw prep work was 1 hour 45 minutes. E-gads! That doesn’t even include chilling and cooking! It was truly a labor of love.

I sautéed up some sausage with peppers and onions and literally “whipped up” some herb butter with herbs from the garden. This was certainly a meal for the records.  Let me know if you’d like to be on the guest list next time. :)

All that work didn’t keep me out of the kitchen tonight – I had another practice run of the cake for the wedding that’s in 12 days!! Hubby insisted a little batter be made into cupcakes, but I insisted on a little frosting and made the Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting from Joy of Cooking. Yummo.

P.S. My internet wasn't working so this post is delayed by one day

My dog did it

As I posted a few days ago, knitting has been on the back burner with vacationing, working and field ministry, lately. I tried to get it (the sexy shrug) out to work on it and even had it right next to me in the front yard on Sunday but ran in to catch the timer going off for the pearsauce (applesauce - only from pears - delicious) simmering on the stove. Good thing I set that timer, or we would've had burntsauce. Anyway, I never made it back out to the patio and when I got home from work on Monday afternoon, I found my knitting strewn across the front yard. I dusted it off and brought it upstairs without much more thought (knowing it was my fault for leaving it there) BTW, I still have not even touched it today (isn't this blog supposed to include some knitting?!). Then, Wednesday I had some serious craving for some chocolate and all at once it hit me - I had eight double chocolate cookies in a baggie in that bag I had brought to Tahoe, which we never ate (remember all the other goodies we ate, who wanted homemade stuff?!). Ah-ha the Suki (our dog) must have spun that lovely web that I found on Monday in the front yard - while she foraged for and ate those eight cookies!! Well, she didn't die (in fact I don't even think she got sick - if you knew her history for "scrounging", you'd understand while she has an iron-clad tummy) and I made brownies instead. The worst looking brownies I've ever seen.

Actually they tasted fine (BFF, what'd you think?) I ate a few and so did the family, but the rest I threw in a zip-top bag and plan to make some Brownies Fudge Ice Cream later this week (or sometime).

Finally, I had some real time to venture out to my almost "forgotten" garden (poor thing hardly ever gets watered anymore, sorry my mind is somehow moving to indoor "autumn" mode already, I'm not sure how with the over-century temperatures). Anyway, I'm glad I did, June Bug and I scored!

Needless to say, the bounty from the garden inspired some cooking. June Bug was her hungry little self and wanted to "just eat this" and "just eat that" and pretty soon I was down to one broccoli, a lot fewer tomatoes and no carrots! I love her appetite for fresh veggies, but what about dinner?! I decided a stir-fry was the best application, however about 30-second into defrost on the chicken the power went out. Of course, this is somewhat normal for us at least once a summer (and many times during winter) and I should have known it'd be any day. So, the chicken went into the fridge and when Hubby got home we went out to dinner. Fortunately, all my veggies were stood by and I still felt enthusiastic after work the next day, so with the chicken perfectly half-frozen (which BTW is the perfect way to very-thinly slice chicken, or any meat, for a stir-fry). I went to work, chopping and slicing (another of my favorite things to do - so much so that Hubby got me a Wustof knife set for our 1st year wedding anniversary).

I just realized I never took a picture of the finished product, oh well, you can't taste it anyway. I don't use a recipe, so I can't give you that either. I usually just stir-fry the chicken first, set aside, stir-fry the veggies, starting with the firmest first then adding soft things like broccoli or spinach last, adding a little water to "steam" as I go. Then throw the meat back in with some sort of slurry I've made from 1/3 soy sauce, 1/3 water and 1/3 white wine (or Vermouth, or Marsala, or whatever I had on hand like that) along with a couple teaspoons of cornstarch and a couple teaspoons of toasted sesame oil. Don't forget to stir one last time for you add since the cornstarch will have inevitably sunk to the bottom after a minute. Works every time. Oh, and don't forget to add some chopped ginger, garlic and green onions to the hot oil after you've removed the cooked meat and before you add the veggies. If your wok is super hot (I use the "full-whack" setting on my electric stove), you shouldn't leave your garlic in there longer than 30 seconds before adding all those big veggies or you'll get "bitter garlic" stir-fry, never good eats.








Hope you try it.

Back to Reality

I think we have finally finished celebrating our 10-year anniversary. The party with our friends, the dinner at Sequoia, four days in Tahoe and even the final day just relaxing at home before heading back to reality was all so wonderful.

We stayed at the Montbleu in South Lake Tahoe and Hubby felt like even the booking was a nice present to him, with the Lagoon-style pool including a waterfall and spa that fit about 40! (We didn't miss a day there.) Our room even had a jacuzzi next to the bed, where I basted for an hour one night, just watching TV (it's a rarity for me since we postpone our satellite for six months every year - to save money and because we honestly don't watch that much in the summer anyway).

Most of our vacation funds went to eating and shopping - only missed one of the six thrift stores we found (yes, that's the kind of shopping we like to do - time consuming, but cheap). We did try to find a wedding ring for Hubby at a pawn shop, but he picked out a chainsaw instead - lol. The eating (more like feasting) was awesome. When the power went out at Ross and they made everyone leave, we headed across the parking lot to the Cork & More to grab some snacks. I'd say we bought out the place since it took the guy so long to ring us up (not his fault though, yes, their power was out too, so he had to do it all by hand), and by the final receipt I'd say we did, but actually they have plenty to go around: cheeses, wines, specialty beers, coffees, teas, olives, a thousand and one pastas, sauces and spices, lots of hand-made stuff like gourmet salads and sandwiches - even a cookbook I'll check out later on Amazon - Cooking with Pumpkins and Squash (read most of it while we were being rung up!)

We did do one hike down to Vikingsholm Castle in Emerald Bay. Unfortunately it was closed for renovation, but the picnic with the goodies was delicious.

I stopped by the Wool Tree (the LYS) and found that they sell my favorite knitting magazine - Verena Knitting. Yippee. I resisted buying any yarn - although hubby was in such a generous mood that I nearly did - wow was he the noble-looking one to the gals in the shop as he kept urging me to buy something. If I ever get my yarn stash organized enough for a photo, you'll see why I must resist!

Needless-to-say not much knitting or cooking going on while on vacation, but plenty of time for it now that it's back to real life.

It's not over yet

That is, my anniversary. Officially it began at midnight I guess, but for me it began Friday afternoon when I dropped off June Bug at an overnight sitter (BFF's house). Hubby needed some razors, so I headed to store and spent almost an hour just reading magazines - a real treat with no distractions. Reading included the latest Rolling Stone with an article about Chelsea Handler (strange cat). I don't think I've even read a Rolling Stone, but I guess I was feeling wild (I know, who cares). Anyway, finally I got hungry and decided to ditch the diet and celebrate (it's my anniversary, right?), so I grabbed a medium fry from McDonald's and enjoyed it as I hurried home - yum! Hubby was already home (he got half the day off) and I anxiously wanted to "open presents" since I had already spotted mine on the couch early this morning as I was running out the door. My "coveted" pressure cooker was not in its box, however lots of other goodies were - strange, but good. Hmmmm. After the presents, a nap ensued and we awoke in time to get ready and go out to the Sequoia for dinner. We were surprised to get the first "round" of drinks on Jeff's sister and husband. Later, Hubby made small talk with the husband at the table next to us (something I hate and love, that he does ALL THE TIME - I could write a whole blog about his never-ending "networking"! What can I say he's a salesman). Nevertheless, this new "contact" handed us a whole bottle of wine, feeling festive as well (it was their 22nd anniversary), just as we were going to place our orders - more free drinks! Dinner was amazing but after 12 days on a diet and complimentary anniversary desserts, I admit I overindulged and paid for it later when getting to sleep was all but comfortable (maybe my stomach actually shrank).

The next morning Hubby went off to work and I picked up June Bug. Next, my favorite - grocery shopping (I'm not joking, I love it! I am the type of person that likes to just wander the aisles dreaming of all the goodies I could make with every ingredient imaginable.) Tonight though, my BFF was throwing a little gathering that included our friends to celebrate our anniversary - she's so cool. I asked if I could bring something and she allowed it. Mmmm, Loch Arthur Tart (I swear it was the only good recipe in that whole issue of Bon Appetit - it was their travel edition and it featured Scotland, I mean, really, Scottish Food?! Oh well if it took a whole issue to produce such a yummy dish, so be it). Anyway, I also needed to "practice" making the cake for my niece's upcoming wedding (I'm not a professional) so I also asked my BFF if I could make cupcakes for the party too. She laughed and said sure! So glad I practiced again - I'll have to work on making sure the pastry cream doesn't clump, less cornstarch I think. Topped them with chocolate ganache and call them "Boston Cream Cupcakes". Everything was ready and June bug awoke from her nap and we were out the door.

BFF had a surprise up her sleeve and had us all move locations just as the guests arrived. She had decorated the backyard of a friends vacant house just a few doors down with the perfect summertime atmosphere including streamers, candles, linens, champagne, a cake from Nugget (my favorite place at which I rarely get to shop since I live nearly an hour away). Actually, I have no pictures of the event except a funny one of Hubby posing in someones sunglasses. Don't worry, I'll get some. One very cute thing about the evening is that June Bug had helped decorate the night before and actually never told me about the big "party" all day. What a girl! The party was great and I think I'll have to do more than just make BFF a "little cake" for their annivsery next year.

Not much on the knitting front. Got an arm done on the shrug and haven't "un-blocked" the romper. Maybe tomorrow.

Hubby gave me the new pressure cooking and I made two dishes in it today. Not sure if will keep it. It works fine, but I guess I really should have requested a pressure canner if I had planned to can things in it. Oh well. Canned six pints of pears on the stovetop and dried the rest before the fruit flies could get them!

And the anniversary continues...Only three days until the rest of our anniversary celebration in Lake Tahoe. Woohoo. This is horrible to say, but I better get back on that diet tomorrow, our hotel has an indoor pool!

Yesterdays' Joy

This was the dinner from day 10-Wave 1 (of the Sonoma Diet). Herb marinated steaks with oven roasted ratatouille. I served it atop the homemade "spent-grain" bread I made a few days ago. The flowers are from the garden - Zinnias, Sunflowers, Bachelor Buttons, Oregano, Dahlias, and today we added sweat peas.

It's now day 11, which means wine tasting after work in Fairplay (it's a local town), since I'm now "allowed" to have wine - 6 oz with dinner!! Just two tastes since I had to pick up June Bug shortly thereafter. ZinMan at Perry Creek Winery is tasting better than ever and their Barbera was nice too.

On a knitting note, or should I say a knitting needle :), I visited my sister yesterday, who, if one thinks I live in the middle of nowhere, should see where she lives (it's call Rail Road Flat - I'm not kidding)! Nevertheless, she does live a nice 15-minute mountain-road ride to a quaint little yarn shop - Joy's Yarns. You could almost not notice it unless you had a trained eye in yarn shop "spotting" (we are pros). I just promised a few days back that I would not buy yarn for the cute new project I'm contemplating until I get to my goal weight, however I never said I couldn't buy for another project (sorry BFF)! lol Anyway Joy's is not quite the "joy" of my own local yarn shop (lys) - Lofty Lou's, but she's got a few gems and boy did I score. First of all, I brought my sister. (Let's just say she could not sport the bumper sticker "driver carries no cash"). Joy's doesn't take a card, so Sister came to the rescue  (I love you and I'll pay you back, don't worry) and I picked up three balls of Cascade 220 Superwash Wool in color 908 (Sexy Fuchsia would be how I'd say it). We headed back home and I searched for patterns...and I searched...and I searched. This is the problem with putting the cart before the horse. All those great patterns I've always wanted to make out of some "awesome wool" were nowhere to be found. So after almost an hour I gave up and went back to the scarf I'd started earlier. When our kids awoke from their nap (or lack thereof) I released them out to the front yard sat down on the patio and set back to work on the great project search on my iPhone and found one almost immediately at Lion Brand - the Textured Circle Shrug. I set right to work. Sadly play day was over just a short while later.

After preparing the delicious dinner (above), housework could no longer be avoided (remember, I was out in Rail Road Flat all day), my project had to wait until almost 11 for any more progress. Oh, I did block the little romper for Leslie's little one. Will probably sew it up tomorrow - actually finishing a project! Yippee!!

I finally snuck off to bed to continue my affair with the yarn, suddenly Hubby walked in! He immediately spotted the new yarn and new project - I was caught, red-handed (actually Sexy Fuchsia-handed). Oh well it's our 10-year anniversary in two days so he's in a good mood.

Sexy Shrug is calling to me - keep knitting.

Gotta start somewhere

Hello and welcome. This is the first post of my very first blog. I've read a few blogs and am now intrigued at telling cyberspace about me (I'm humble enough to know that nobody may ever read this). On Friday I will celebrate my 10-year anniversary with my husband, let's call him Hubby (are you supposed to use real names on blogs?). We have a four-year-old, daughter and I'm going to adopt the name we gave her even before we were pregnant - June Bug (it's a long story that I'll get to another time). My BFF, whose blog I just reviewed tonight, inspired my creating this blog since her last post simply stated that even if no one is reading, it's still a diary of past moments of life. I've never been too good at keeping a diary, but in case my typing might someday inspire someone - even if its just me, I'll write.

I like to cook (and mostly bake), knit, work in the garden and now blog about it all!

Happy reading.