Sunday, March 31, 2013

Rise and Shine


Turning back the clocks, spotting the first robin,
the first day of Spring, dyeing eggs for Easter Sunday - 
 these are some of my favorite benchmarks of 
our transition into a new season, one that 
celebrates a sense of awakening and growth.

Comforting food and soulful sounds are 
helping me ease my way from winter to spring: 
a new (to me) musician and an easy, 
delicious quiche for our Easter dinner.

Joshua James
Coal War


Springtime Quiche
(an adaptation of the Moosewood's 
Mushroom Quiche)

Prepared or homemade pie crust
Sauteed onion, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus tips
(1.5 cups total of any sauteed veg. you have on hand)
Salt, pepper, thyme, parsley, 1 tsp. dry mustard
1.5 cups Shredded Swiss cheese
4 organic eggs 
1.5 cups organic milk
2 Tbsp. organic flour

Oven to 375 degrees.
Sautee onion.
 When soft, add mushrooms and asparagus tips,
herbs and mustard. Stir well.
When mushrooms are browned, 
add spinach, stir to soften and turn the heat off.

Prepare a deep dish pie plate with the pie crust.
Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the bottom of the crust.
Next, evenly spread out the sauteed veggies.
In a separate bowl, whisk well the eggs, milk and flour  
and pour over the veggies.

Bake the quiche for 45-50 minutes,
or until set (not jiggly.)
Cool, then serve warm or at room temperature.


How do you celebrate the arrival of Spring?
I'd love to hear all about it. :)


Sunday, March 24, 2013

Pretty In Pink


Pretty in pink indeed,
and yellow, turquoise, blue, orange....
Using this hand spun to its best advantage:

Recently a plain white gift box was tired and bored 
until pom-poms came to the rescue 
covering the box with FUN!

Click on this beautiful slide show to see Ezra and Big Red 
hatching and raising their 3 chicks in 2012.
the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (in Ithaca NY)  
is on and you can watch this famous couple, live!
Ta-da! I not only finished, but I don't want to take off these 
Mirrored Step socks knit from Lara Smoot's pattern which is
available for sale in her Ravelry shop.
They're everything you want a hand knit sock to be:
easy to knit from tested & reliable instructions with comfy results. 
Get the pattern
Be selfish, knit yourself a pair. ;)

Happy Spring!





Sunday, March 17, 2013

Warming Weekend

Sunrise
Alabama Chanin inspired T-shirt
Homemade Granola
Goodnough cardi, pattern by Bonnie Sennott
Yarn: MadTosh DK, Glazed Pecan


Homemade Granola
(adapted from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day)

1/3 cup local honey
1/4 cup local maple syrup
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
3-1/2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cups whole raw almonds
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cherries

Oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly coat organic butter on a half sheet pan.

In a large bowl, 
mix honey, syrup, oil, water, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.
Dump in the oats, chia seeds, sunflower seeds & almonds.
Mix thoroughly, turn out onto the pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and add the remaining 
ingredients, stirring well. Let cool.
Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 6 cups.
  

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Late Winter Solitude


Blurred blue shadows
Crunchy Crispies on Grandma's china
Knotty gnarled nest
Sublime stitches sinking into silk
Quiet anticipation

Recipe for Crunchy Crispies
(Original recipe: Vanilla Crispies by Doris Brohard)

1 cup sugar
1 cup organic butter
1 farm fresh brown egg
2 teaspoons homemade vanilla
2 cups organic flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Beat sugar, butter, egg and vanilla in (dear friend Tracy's 
Red Cadillac Kitchen Aid Mixer) a large bowl.
Stir in remaining ingredients.
Place on a sheet of plastic wrap, roll into a 3" log.
Refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight.

Oven to 375 degrees F.
Pour some sugar in a shallow dish.
Cut dough into 1/4" thick slices, 
dip each side in the sugar and 
space about 2" apart on cookie sheet.

Bake until light brown, 8-10 minutes.
Cool slightly before lifting to cooling rack.
Makes about 6 dozen.


What do these late winter days look, sound and 
feel like where you are?

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Happy Cake and a Winner!

Friends and family know I'm positively smitten 
with my now 2 year old niece, Breezie.
Here are some of the makings of 
her very happy Birthday party
that took place last Sunday:
There was, as Breezie calls it, Happy Cake!
(This delicious chocolate cake with
a fudgey chocolate filling was made by 
East Side Bakery in Cortland NY.)
 Gifts made with love by Aunt Tierney.
 Using only Castle Peeps fabrics by Lizzy House
(plus a metallic dot fabric for the card backs)
I made Breezie this game of Concentration,
plus a simple storage tote bag.
 Be forewarned, if you decide to make some 
for the special young person in your life 
you may not be able to stop with only one set. 
Two more sets are cut & waiting at my sewing machine!
 Here's a look at some of Lizzy's spunky, funky 
fabric designs from her Castle Peeps collection. 
There are more designs and colorways in the collection
but I used only what I had enough of 
for two exact patterns each.
I hope this game brings Breezie hours of fun.
Puff the Magic Dragon is being celebrated for its 
50th anniversary with an assortment of items.
I chose this hard cover book with CD for Breezie, 
but there's also a pop-up version.
I think she'll like the charming illustrations.
I know I do!
The Star of the Show!
 These paper favors were the BIGGEST hit of her party!
They brought about a great deal of belly laughs from 
all of the party-goers, young and old.
 The final part of my gift was the Odette Hoodie 
(pattern by Carrie Bostick Hoge.)
When I saw this pattern on Ravelry I immediately  
knew I had to knit it for Breezie!
The yarn is Lark (color: Twig) by Quince & Co.
Lark is a springy, cushy, domestic wool 
that I found thoroughly enjoyable to knit.
Totally Breezie.
It's safe to say that a good day was had by all, 
especially the Birthday Girl
(pictured here with her Grandma Ray Ray.) 

Drum roll please!

The winner of last week's Silver Trumpet 
Blogiversary giveaway is 
Clarice of Storybook Woods
Clarice at one of her book signings.
I will contact you Clarice to see which zipper pouch 
you'd like to call your own. I want every one
to know you've been inspiring me for a few years now,
from recipes to family love, to the art of blogging. 
Congratulations Clarice, and thanks for playing along!