Margit's & Charley's favorite margaritas by the pitcher

Ingredients:

2 cups Herradura Silver tequila

1 cup Triple Sec

1 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup agave nectar 

Fresh lime wedges

Crushed and cube ice, lime wedges, sea salt, pitcher, cocktail shaker, glasses & a deep plate or similar for salting rims

Directions:

Combine tequila, triple sec, lime juice and agave in a pitcher and stir.

Prep DOF glasses by squeezing lime wedge and running around glass rim, then pressing into sea salt on a plate. Add 3-5 ice cubes.

Combine crushed ice and margarita in cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into prepared salted rim glasses. Add lime garnish as desired and serve.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This one is Frankenstiened together from the top three in a recent google search:

1. Danny Boome's recipe at Food Network
2. Ree Drummond's recipe via her The Pioneer Woman blog
3. Valerie Marie's Amazing Chicken Tortilla Soup! at Genius Kitchen

 INGREDIENTS

• Whole rotisserie chicken
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 medium red onion, diced - reserve half for serving
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapenos, finely diced
• 32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• One 8-ounce can tomato paste
• One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• One 14.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained 
• One 14.5-ounce can yellow corn, rinsed and drained
• 2-3 limes, juiced plus wedges for serving
• 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro, leaves only
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• One tablespoon masa or cornmeal

      GARNISH SUGGESTIONS

• Corn tortilla strips, cut into uniform narrow strips (or tortilla chips)
• Red onion diced (reserved from soup ingredients)
• 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 avocado, pitted, sliced
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 
• Salsa Or Pico De Gallo
• Sour cream

 DIRECTIONS     

1. Sauté onion, garlic and jalapeño with olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until soft (about two minutes)
2. Pour chicken broth, all canned ingredients and salt and pepper into the pot and bring to a boil (may also add chili powder to taste)
3. Once ingredients are well combined, add masa and stir well
4. Over low heat, simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally
5. While soup base simmers, shred chicken in a large bowl and mix with lime juice, cilantro and spices then set aside
6. Once soup has simmered for 45 minutes, add chicken mixture to the pot and simmer for another 15 minutes, then serve and garnish as desired

The best damn Beef Stew I've put in my mouth

*disclaimer: hasty post is hasty. No lifeguard on duty.

Seriously. This one borrows heavily from Damn Delicious' slow cooker method and tips its hat to kitchn's advice on searing the beef.

ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, more as needed
3 pounds stew meat (beef chuck), cut into 1-inch cubes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, cut into 1/2"(ish) thick cubes(ish)
6 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2" thick slices
3 stalks celery, cut diagonally into 1/2" thick slices
small bag frozen green peas
1 medium/large white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (more is always okay)
4c beef broth
6 oz tomato paste
3T Worcestershire sauce plus more, to taste
1t dried thyme
1t dried rosemary
1t smoked paprika
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup all purpose flour
red wine, optional, for delglazing
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, optional, for serving

______________________________________________

 prep 

In a medium sized shallow bowl, roll beef in a mixture of flour, salt and pepper.

Add olive oil to a large preheated frying pan, followed by a single layer of prepared cubed meat. (This step may be done in batches in order to prevent overcrowding. A friendly deglazing swish of a decent red wine between batches is a great move- just be sure to scrape those tasty crusty bits right onto the growing pile of seared meat.) Let cook over medium/medium-high heat for five minutes before turning. As meat browns, add garlic and half the white onion. Continue to cook until the meat is evenly seared on all sides.

In a large pot, over medium heat, add beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme, rosemary, paprika, bay leaves and vegetables* until well combined. Stir in beef, garlic and onions and season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired.Or, you know, more Worcestershire.

Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

May be garnished with parsley and served with crusty bread or egg noodles.

*add them ALL now,  add them all at the hour point, or add half now/half then- it simply depends on your crisp-to-mush veggie texture preference.

Cranberry, Ginger and Orange Chutney recipe

This is a halved, lazy version of a recipe I discovered via Food & Wine.  And it's AMAZING.

ingredients

1 large navel orange
1 bag fresh cranberries
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup turbinado sugar (white or light brown work fine, too)
1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
Salt and freshly ground pepper

2. prep
   

   Using a sharp knife, cut the orange in half and juice. Reserve pulp to add later.

   In a medium non-aluminum saucepan, combine the cranberries and water with orange juice and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

   Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have popped (about 10 minutes). 

   Add vinegar, sugar, ginger and orange pulp and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thick (about 5 minutes).

   Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.

3. *Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for one week. 

Gingersnaps

Less talk, more recipe:

Cookie dough:

3/4 cup coconut oil (or butter, or shortening) 
1 cup dark muscovado sugar (or plain ol' dark brown sugar)
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 t salt
2 t baking soda
1 T ground ginger
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t cardamom
1/2 t ground cloves
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 large egg
1/3  cup molasses

Finishing*:

1/4 c sugar (light brown or white work fine)
1 t ground cinnamon 
1/2 t ground ginger 
1/2 t cardamom 

Directions: 

Set racks to the middle of oven and preheat to 350°F.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Stir well to mix.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and at medium speed, cream together coconut oil and sugar for about 5 minutes.

Add the egg and continue beating until smooth.

Lower speed and beat in half the dry ingredients, then add the molasses.

If necessary, stop the mixer and scrape down bowl and beater with a silicone spatula.

Then add remaining dry ingredients, mixing until well combined.

Remove bowl from mixer and, if necessary, use a large silicone spatula to finish mixing the dough.

In a shallow bowl, combine sugar and spice mixture for cookie coating.

Use a teaspoon or small scoop to scoop out 1-inch diameter pieces of dough. Roll into balls, then roll in the sugar mixture.

Place the balls of dough on parchment lined cookie sheets, leaving about 1 1/2 inches all around to allow for spreading.

Bake for 12 minutes (longer for a crisper cookie- but in my oven on my old school IKEA cookie sheets, 12 mins gives me the perfect crisp outside/chewy inside combo). The cookies will spread and crack on the surface.

Slide the papers from the pans onto cooling racks. Store the cooled cookies between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in an air-tight container.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies, depending on size

*Note: add a pinch (or whatever) of cayenne to the finishing mixture for even MORE kick!

This recipe mash-up borrows heavily from Food Network and King Arthur Flour, with a little help from Brannon. 

Happiness in bakery.

note: I do a little eye-roll whenever I pull up this blog. It's turned out to be not at all what I'd originally planned (light on the DIY/heavier on the recipes/overall pretty quiet). But... it doesn't matter that much in the grand scheme of things. It is a handy resource when I'm out shopping or for having a recipe at arms reach within seconds, regardless of where on earth my arms might be! And now for something completely different:

This weekend I was reminded how wonderful baking for someone you love can be, from beginning to end.

From prep cleaning the stainless steel table, gathering ingredients, measuring and staging them to be ready within reach with intended recipient[s] in mind...

To the production process going smoothly due to the diligent prep work... then the warmth of the oven and setting the timer...

To washing up the prep bowls, measuring cups and spoons... while delicious smells come from the oven...

To smiling at the sight of those good things coming out of the oven and placing them on racks to cool...

To those finishing touches and packing it all up for travel...

To the final clean up, wiping down the stainless steel table again with a cleaning solution I made myself, thinking about the friend who shared that particular recipe and about all the good things that were created upon that very table and the happy times sharing good food/drinks/company around it.

Then... the waiting is the hardest part. This cake is going to be amazing!

The Great Pimento Cheese Experiments Begin!

[Another work in progress- I'm getting it down before I forget what I did! ]

Today I finally got around to the first attempt at making Pimento Cheese. I loathed the stuff until about a year and a half ago I tried some AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS stuff at one of my fave pubs. While I won't go near super mayonnaise-y stuff, I love the chunky, a little on the dry side, very cheese-y Pimento Cheese. A lot. 

Mother's Everyday Pimento Cheese recipe at epicurious sounded quite yum and was declared the winner for the first go.  Of course, I made a few changes:

ingredients:

• 1/2 lb extra-sharp Wisconsin white Cheddar
• 1/2 lb extra-sharp Wisconsin (orange) Cheddar
• 1 (7-oz) jar whole pimiento, drained 
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/3 cup Duke's mayonnaise

prep:

Grate cheeses in food processor. Once complete dump it in a bowl, allowing yourself to toy with the idea you're gonna mix it by hand.

Change food processor blades from grating to chopping blade, then add mayo, black pepper, paprika, and garlic salt. Let the processor take those guys for a spin 'til well blended.

Then add the cheese back to processor bowl, chopping and blending a bit, and finally add pimiento for one last dance.

Once everything is well mixed, spoon into a covered container and chill for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to develop. 

yield: about 3 cups

note: Pimento cheese keeps, tightly covered and chilled, 4 days.

Note: this was ridiculously good, which has prevented me from tweaking it any further!

The Best Carrot Cake You Ever Put In Your Mouth, via Kimberley

Note: the BFF and I routinely use this blog as our shopping list on the go, and we've finally gotten 'round to parking her AMAZING freaking carrot cake recipe here. The following is simply a testament to my copy & paste skills.

I love Margaret and she asked me to make her a carrot cake for her birthday.  Because I wanted to make sure it was good (cuz I luff her like that, and I'd never hear the end of it if I served a crap cake), I made and trashed 3 cakes until I came up with this combination. This recipe is the end result of a reading a few recipes on line and experimenting a bit until I was satisfied.  I have easy access to a farmer's market and I try to buy organic whenever possible.  It really does make a difference in the flavor of the end product.  

The Carrot Cake of Awesomeosity

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon (yes, I grate fresh cinnamon sticks)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (ayup, I grate this fresh, too)
1 tablespoon-ish freshly grated ginger root (I've never measured this, I typically choose a piece roughly the size of my thumb)
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
4 extra large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cup organic, raw, turbinado sugar
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2/3 cups firmly packed organic brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract ( I make my own )
1 pound finely grated organic carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (+ another 1/2 cup for garnish if you want)
1 cup golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Prepare 3 9-inch cake pans, lightly coating with oil and lining with parchment paper.  Seriously, this is important, and makes un-panning your cakes super easy.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together.  Set aside.

Mix the eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl.  Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until Incorporated.  Let the batter sit for about 10 minutes. Stir in carrots, ginger, nuts and raisins just until evenly distributed through the batter.

Divide the batter into the three pans and bake on the center rack for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.  You can bake in 2 pan for deeper layers, adjust baking time to 35-40 minutes.

Cool cakes in their pans for at least 30 minutes before attempting to remove them.  Then peel off the parchment paper and continue to cool the cakes completely before frosting.

Speaking of frosting...

Best f*cking cream cheese frosting. EVAR.

This is my take on the cream cheese frosting typically used on THE Italian Cream Cake.  It's an especially nice twist to the typical cream cheese frosting and not what folks will expect when they take that first bite. 

16 oz of cream cheese, softened (room temperature)
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
2 teaspoons pure almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3-4 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth, add extracts and beat until incorporated.  slowly beat in sugar, 1 cup at a time until frosting has the flavor and consistency you want.

To assemble the cake, place the bottom layer on a cardboard round or other flat cake plate.  Scoop out about 1 cup of frosting and spread evenly.  Add the next layer and repeat. Third layer put the rest of the frosting on top and carefully ease it down the sides. I am not so great at the fancy frosting thing so I use the extra 1/2 cup of nuts to hide that.  Be sure the cake is well chilled before cutting.

Note: This is a really rich cake, it easily serves 10-12 people.

Israeli Couscous with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

This is gonna be a work in progress for a while, but in the meantime, it's already some ridiculous mouth happiness.

the first attempt, which was OMGah delicious!

I borrowed heavily from this couscous recipe and this vinaigrette recipe.

Note: I left the peppers out of the couscous as I was dining with a friend who hates bell peppers, and with whom I share food a lot. I've not seen a bell pepper up-close-&-personal like in YEARS, but have decided I don't miss them at all. 

• 2 cups Israeli couscous, toasted
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced small
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced small
• 1/2 cup cilantro lime dressing

Prepare couscous

1 1/4 c water to 1 c couscous
Bring water to a boil
Add couscous and stir
Bring back to boil
Stir, cover and reduce heat to medium low
Cook for 8 minutes - couscous should have absorbed all water yet remain "al dente"

Transfer to large bowl and set aside until cool

Toss with cilantro lime dressing.

Add diced veggies and tomatoes to the couscous and stir.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

May be garnished with fresh cilantro.

I took a lot of liberties with the vinaigrette recipe linked above, and will probably continue to do so until it's time to stop.  I'll probably tweak the things added to the couscous along the way, but right now I'm absolutely obsessed by that vinaigrette...

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette, a work in progress

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded
1-2 clove(s) garlic
1/4 c freshly squeezed lime juice (can use key lime)
1 t lime zest
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root (peeled and grated, for easier measuring)
1/4 c ginger honey
3 t balsamic vinegar (can sub red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
1/4 t salt, or to taste
one bunch cilantro, leaves only
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil

Place jalapeño, garlic, ginger and lime zest in food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

Pour in lime juice, honey, balsamic vinegar, then add cilantro leaves and pulse to blend.

Drizzle in olive oil while processor runs until oil is fully incorporated into the mixture.

Salt to taste.

Set aside for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together before serving. (I typically let it chill in the fridge while assembling the couscous salad type things.)

Other recipes of note:

• Nordstrom's Lime & Cilantro salad dressing
• Tex-Mex Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

September 2014 Note: updated to strike through "in progress"ness, as (other than not being terribly precise with vinaigrette measurements) I've not changed a thing. 

FruitHoneyWalnut Chix Salad of Deliciousness

Since I'm the most unoriginal preparer of food EVER, this one's my interpretation of that amazing stuff I used to acquire at my beloved Publix deli.  (But as a loyal Publix customer, I typically buy a rotisserie chicken to execute this recipe.)

This is also the only thing I occasionally make without checking the recipe first. I edit to suit whatever I have available, in quantities that just seem right at the moment.

Parts
1 cooked (to your preference) chicken, cooled & dissembled 
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup honey 
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Optional garnish: more chopped walnuts

Assembly

1. Dissemble the chicken, remove bones and shred (or cube) into bits of appropriate size
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, fruit and nuts
3. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, honey, salt and pepper
4. Add honey-mayo mix to chicken and fruit mixture, stirring gently but thoroughly until combined
5. Garnish, if desired

My favoritest cake in the whole wide world: Italian Cream Cake

... AKA The Cake of Awesomeosity.

Since I'm a total poseur in the kitchen, I can't make anything without a recipe.

Since I'm fussy, I can rarely settle on just ONE recipe. Instead, I usually smoosh at least two together and add my own adjustments over time via good old fashioned trial and error.

Italian cream cake is THE cake I always request Mom bake for my birthday. It's a family tradition I've since forced on all my friends! (Not that anyone is complainin'- even my foodiest friends proclaim "this is the best cake I've ever put in my mouth!")

Here's the current state of the  recipe I bake for people I adore, which borrows heavily from both "Aunt Tom" and Paula Deen. 

Italian Cream Cake

Ingredients
cake:                                             
2 cups granulated sugar (I typically use turbinado, which slows down the creaming process)
2 sticks butter, softened
5 large eggs, separated
2 cups all-purpose flour (I typically use an organic, unbleached variety via a nearby farmers market)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flaked coconut (sweetened or non-, either is fine)
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

cream cheese frosting:
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened (I typically use 1 package of regular cream cheese and 1 package of neufchâtel, which has less fat but more moisture... so heads up!)

1 stick butter, softened
2 teaspoons almond extract 

2 pounds confectioners' sugar

Preparation

cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F
Lightly butter three 9" x 2" round cake pans, line with parchment paper, then butter and flour parchment paper-lined pans. Knock out any excess flour and set prepared pans aside.

In a bowl, with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (Bungly not a "real" baker moment: I learned the hard way that doing this properly is key to making a "fluffy" cake, as opposed to a dense cake; the process incorporates air bubbles into the fat. It can take 5-8 minutes, which is almost forever to someone as impatient as I am. Begin beating room temperature butter on slow for about a minute to soften then increase speed to medium and beat until butter is a similar consistency to thick frosting. If butter has crept up the sides of the bowl, scrape it down with a spatula then gradually add sugar until fully combined and continue to mix until a fluffy consistency is achieved.) 

Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each.
Into another bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.

Beat flour mixture into egg mixture in 2 batches alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until combined.

Stir in vanilla, coconut, and chopped walnuts.

Beat room-temperature egg whites in another bowl until they just hold stiff peaks, then fold into batter gently but thoroughly.

Divide batter equally among prepared pans, smooth tops, and bake in upper third of oven for about 30 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.

Cool cake layers in pans on racks 10 minutes before inverting onto wire racks and allow to cool completely before frosting.

frosting: 

In a bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, butter, and almond extract until smooth.

Gradually add confectioners' sugar, and beat until creamy.

Stack cake layers on a cake plate, spreading frosting between each layer, then spread remaining frosting on top and side of cake.

Tada! It's a bit spendy and a little labor intensive, but so, SO worth it. Everyone who's tried it loves it (even my fellow coconut haters)... if you don't love this cake too, something is very, very wrong with you!  

Post-Thanksgiving update: I peeked at the recipe Mom's used for... well, always. That's one well used (and loved) book, I tell ya. (This book is also the source for those crack-laden Congo Bars of deliciousosity.)

We never knew the name of the cookbook, because the cover and a few pages have been missing as long as any one can remember.  After thumbing through it, I deducted it's Favorite Recipes of Alabama Vocational Home Economics Teachers (possibly the Second Edition) by Vocational Home Economics Office. After a quick Google search, I found a few different editions for sale at Amazon and ebay. 

While I always enjoy research detours, I didn't discover anything that made me want to tweak the recipe further. And that's okay! 

In which I do battle with the kitchen faucet & am once again victorious!

Have I mentioned how much I hate plumbing?! Oh, but I so do.

I've been passive-aggressively dealing with the intermittently dripping kitchen faucet for longer than I care to admit. I even tried to trick myself into letting it drip into my watering can so that I wasn't *really* wasting water.

Earlier this week I decided to tackle the tool closet project, so I had a little sense of accomplishment thing going on. That plus deciding to participate in an exercise program with a few friends helped give me a boost to finally decide to deal with that damn drip once and for all.

Silly me, I thought the solution to all things faucet-drippy involved o-rings. I futilely bought two appropriately sized rings and replaced them... only to learn I needed to replace the springs and seats. 

On a Saturday.

On a Saturday that is a gorgeous Spring day.

I somehow managed to brave the trip with a bizillionty other people who were getting their DIY on in the ATL. 

I somehow scored princess parking.

I then somehow then managed to walk to the appropriate aisle, armed with the old part contained in a ziploc bag bearing replacement part info in black Sharpie, where a plumbing associate awaited me and showed me the exact item I needed.

I somehow remembered I'm due to replace the filter in my HVAC unit, and noticed the air filters along the back wall at the end of that particular plumbing aisle. I knew the dimensions I needed because it lives in my BlackBerry's DIY memo. 

I somehow managed to get in a short checkout line and spent less than $15. That NEVER happens!

I somehow managed to avoid gorgeous Saturday in midtown ATL traffic while enjoying the fresh air and sunshine through my open sunroof and windows.  Upon returning home, I immediately installed the new seats and springs, made sure everything functioned properly, and declared myself victorious. 

I'm now pondering my housekeeping plan of attack, new adjustments I need to make to the bathroom vanity and tub faucets, rewiring a couple of lamps and reupholstering some chairs.

I'm sure I'll get around to those things eventually...

'tis the season again! (Hot Spiced Cider Recipe)

After three holiday seasons of tweaking my eggnog recipe, I'm quite pleased with it. 

On to other things!  I need to get around to making cider again...

Recipe for: Hot Spiced Cider

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Christmas

Ingredients

Directions

2 quarts apple cider 15 whole cloves Zest of 1 orange Juice of 1 orange Zest of 1 lemon Juice of 1 lemon a number* of cinnamon sticks Optional: Thinly sliced apples for garnish Cinnamon sticks for garnish Spiced Rum *since cinnamon stick lengths vary, I use up to 24" of cinnamon sticks per 2 quarts of cider

Zest 3/4 of the orange and set aside. Cut the orange into quarters so that one quarter contains all the intact zest. Insert the cloves* into the skin of the quarter that still has zest and put it in a large, non-aluminum saucepan. Squeeze the juice from the remaining orange quarters into the pan. Add the cider, reserved orange zest, lemon zest and juice and cinnamon sticks and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat. Simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the cider and ladle into cups. Serve warm in coffee mugs and garnish with apples and cinnamon sticks. Makes 8-10 servings.  *I find that using the pointy end of a bamboo skewer to "pre-drill" holes makes for easier whole clove insertion.

It's cool enough for CHILI! YAY!

As much as I love chili (while simultaneously being fussy about it), I'm one of those weird people who can only eat chili in the coolest part of the year. Last night was a little rainy and cool, so I jumped at the opportunity to make some! NomNomNom.

So, for posterity and stuff, the recipe follows after the jump.

The guest room: casual luxe for a little

Disclaimer: everything in my house is a work-in-progress.  Since I've been unemployed for several months, my budget is TIGHT... but I have the time and skills to give inexpensive finds the love they may need. Oh, and the pix are phonecam photos I hastily snapped while I was doing something else!

I have a friend who crashes in my guest room rather frequently. He RAVES about my guest room to anyone who will listen. Recently a friend we have in common in Texas requested pics. Upon seeing them she exclaimed "We'll be there tomorrow!"

...except the room had already been reserved by some friends from Arizona for a long weekend visit.

Having friends visit and hearing them coo over thoughtful details, or tell me what a good night's sleep they got in the comfy bed makes me happy.  And I didn't have to break the bank to do it! The furniture items, mainly the bed and the chifferobe were $40 or less each. Granted, they didn't look like they do *now* when I bought them...

The room is filled with odds and ends that have found their way home with me over the last two decades.

The pine sleigh bed was a display bed in the textile department from my first job in Birmingham, purchased at a prop sale.  I picked up the orange lamp and sorta scary sunshine needlework art at thrift stores while I lived there as well- for next to nothing. The shade was a recent freecycle score.The clip-on gooseneck lamp was some 1980-something Spiegel catalog purchase I just can't seem to give up.

The mattress and box springs were a gift from friends who, compliments of Katrina,  evacuated to my little house from New Orleans.  The textiles were bargains from a former employer's liquidation sale at closing.  I have both feather/down and man-made pillows and comforters for the bed that were acquired all over.  In the event I need to accommodate a guest with feather allergies, I am able to dress the bed accordingly.

That power strip probably cost more than the desk ($10) and chair (freebie from another job site) combined. The sad little kidney desk was covered (quite poorly) in craptastical brown paint and riddled with bite marks.  It took me years to get around to it... but it's finally much spiffier with layers of walnut and cherry stain and a few coats of satin polyurethane.  Bath towels, shower poufs and wool/cotton rug ($4) from Target.

The window panels are canvas drop cloths from the paint department at the DIY, after taking a ride in the washer with Rit dye. They're hung with inexpensive closet rod, thrifted wooden curtain rings (.10 for... a whole bunch of 'em), simple nickel finish rod brackets and clip-on rings from Ikea. They're merely a short term solution (reused from a former dwelling and a bit too short or too long), but I love the warm glow they cast into the room in the morning enough to not be in a rush.

The $30 chifferobe. When I bought it the mirrors and drawer pulls were broken/missing, the finish was awful and the trim was missing from the top. Mom didn't understand "why are you wasting your money on this thing?" until she saw the finished product... then she wanted to take it home with her.

It's due for a little more love: it needs some repairs and I've grown tired of the paint job. It'll do for a while longer- I've got several more projects on the horizon!  AND it's finally spring in the south!  I want to get the porch prettification project underway!

The last few rounds of entertaining friends in my home have served as nice reminders that I am indeed making progress. Everyone loves the fact that almost every item in the house has a story, and they enjoy hearing them.

Which reminds me... I need to post about the sideboard that found its way to my house while I was looking for bedroom storage.  It reminded me all the things I'd forgotten over the last few years about furniture refinishing. Reamalgamation, anyone?

I have yet to score fantastic storage furniture for my room, though... but I'm working on it.

The Nomtasticalest Scones EVER!

Lo and behold YDFM has Meyer Lemons! Of course I bought some just because I could. Since I happened to have everything else on hand to make Meyer Lemon Cranberry Scones (inspired by the epicurious recipe found here),I slightly altered the recipe as follows (also because I could).

Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Scones
Zest of 4 Meyer Lemons
2 1/2 c  All-purpose Flour
1/2 c Turbinado Sugar
1 T Baking Powder
1/2 t Sea Salt
6 T unsalted Butter, cold
1 1/4 c Dried Cranberries
2 large Eggs, 1 separated (reserve extra white to brush scones before baking)
1 c Heavy Cream (if your cream is extra thick you may need a touch more)

lemon glaze
juice from 4 Meyer Lemons (@ 1/4c)
1/4 c Turbinado Sugar

Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

1. Combine zest, flour, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt in a bowl.
2. Cut butter into pea sized chunks.  Add to dry ingredients and pinch the butter with the dry ingredients until everything is combined into a crumbly mixture. To mix the last of the flour, place the dough on work surface, and use the the palm of your hand to push small egg sized chunks down and away from you.  Do this just until flour is incorporated. Add the dried cranberries.
3. Whisk the egg and egg yolk in a small bowl.  Add cream and mix to combine.
4. Add cream mix to flour mix just until it all comes together.  Dough should still be fairly rough.

5. Roughly form dough into 2 1/2″ x 1″ discs. Place on the sheet pan and brush with egg white. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes or until pale golden.
6. While scones bake, make lemon glaze.  Combine lemon juice and 1/4 c of sugar in a small sauce pan.  Heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring often.  Set aside to cool.
7. After scones are finished baking, remove from oven to a cooling rack and brush with lemon glaze.

They're light, fluffy & magically delicious!

I fell off the bus.

Well, I *have* been working a temp job and then we had those holidays that tend to halt all other stuff yannow.

I need to complete some projects.  I'm finally in that "let's get organized and get back to working on the little house" mode. Yay! So here's what I'm facing 'round here:

1. complete kidney desk/vanity
2. repair (foot, secure mirrors, find replacement key) and touch up chifferobe -
   
3. repair and paint nightstands
4. reupholster slipper chairs. Finally!
5. refinish porch glider, then hoosh up the porch
   

Once these items are complete, I'll be caught up with the bigger decoraterish stuff. Other projects I need to complete:

1. install peg board in tool closet, then build a shelf, then re-organize closet
2. finish ceiling repair my BR
   
3. replace front door
4. repair hardwood floors (old water damage) in BR and LR (will need assistance at some point... like floor joist_y_ness).

Then there are very specific furniture items I need to complete the house. I'm always on the lookout for these, but I haven't found the perfect pieces for ridiculously next to nothing prices! Damn.

1. server/sideboard/bar for the LR (need to take measurements)
   
2. bed for my BR (found! to be purchased late Jan/sometime in Feb)
   
3. acquire BR storage furniture
   

'Tis the Season!

I just made my first batch of eggnog in my own little house. With my brand new KitchenAid hand mixer just like Mom's.  (Although it's SO much easier with a stand mixer and hand mixer.)

As usual, the recipe was a smashup- this time the sources of inspiration were Alton Brown's recipe and this one, called Diamond Eggnog.  Last year A lot of R&D went into this recipe... but even the batches we didn't love were still FAR better than that stuff they peddle at the supermarket.

Based on my own experiments, I know it's easy to tweak any eggnog recipe to suit your own taste, and plan to continue tweaking this one. I am definitely going to cut the amount of sugar, as I've cut WAY back on my sugar intake since last year and I now find this recipe ridiculously sweet.  (UPDATE: I'm through tweaking, now!) The other day a coworker and I googled lactose free eggnog recipes and they actually sounded yummy as well. Mmmmm, coconut cream...

*Laughs*

Yes- I have, indeed, read the ingredients list in my own recipe.

Watch this space... you never know what I'll end up doing...

Eggnog
Ingredients:
4 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons sugar, plus 1 additional tablespoon
1 pint whole milk
1/2 pint heavy cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 1/2 ounces Myer’s Dark Rum
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for serving

Directions:
In a stand mixer (or large bowl and hand mixer), beat the egg yolks 5-10 minutes until they thicken and lighten in color.

Gradually add the 2 tablespoons sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved.

Slowly add the milk, cream, sweetened condensed milk, rum, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Stir to combine.

In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg whites with a mixer until soft peaks form.  While the mixer is running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. (About 12 minutes.)

Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

Whisk again before serving and top each portion with freshly grated nutmeg.

Yield: approximately one half gallon

The magically delicious stuffed date recipe!

Yesterday I decided, since I clearly didn't already have enough going on, to make stuffed dates for a party I attended last night.  I posted about these elsewhere a while ago, but I never actually wrote up the recipe that came closest to those at Firefly in Las Vegas, the dish that started this whole obsession.

Basically, I altered this recipe to suit since I'm not naturally gifted in the culinary arts.

Bacon Wrapped Dates stuffed with bleu cheese and almonds, with a red wine reduction

1 pound bacon, cut in half lengthwise
1 pound Large Medjool dates, pitted
Whole almonds (I most often use whole raw almonds)
4 ounces bleu cheese, crumbled (I used a raw goat milk Roquefort- it was pretty and smelled like heaven... but am ridiculously inconsistent when selecting cheese for this recipe)

Preheat oven to 400°
Cut length wise slits into dates, remove pits and add almond and bleu cheese
Pinch closed
Wrap with half-slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick (which has been soaked in water)
Place seam side down on a wire rack inside a large parchment paper-lined casserole dish or cake pan
Bake 30-40 minutes, until bacon is crisp. If you don't have a wire rack, they may be cooked directly on parchment, but turn dates over after 20 minutes

May be served warm or at room temperature.

Also, since Firefly's stuffed dates are served in a red wine reduction (and I find them to be a bit "less than" without it):

The red wine reduction I made is really simple:
I use 2 cups of whatever red I have available (this time I used an Argentinian Malbec, because it's my red of the moment and always on hand) and reduce it down to about 3 ounces.

I place the dates on a platter deep enough to contain the liquid, drizzle them with the red wine reduction and crumble additional bleu cheese over them for serving. So, so yum.