Spencer Kate

Roasted Garlic

2011-06-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

I personally can't stand the smell or taste of raw garlic (to the point that it practically turns my stomach - holdovers from morning sickness with my firstborn!), but believe me when I say that there is NOTHING like roasted garlic! :) I love hummus, but only if it's made with roasted garlic, so I always make my own. Yes, I know that heating garlic causes all the good benefits to be lost. But at least it tastes good and doesn't make me nauseous. ;)

Just slice off the pointed end of a whole head of garlic so the tops of the cloves are exposed. Place on a pie plate (or baking dish), drizzle with a little olive oil (but not extra virgin, because it will burn), and top with a little cracked pepper and salt, if desired. Cover with foil and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes, and when it's cooled off a little bit, then you can squeeze the soft, caramel colored cloves out.

I make hummus by blending a can of chickpeas, a tablespoon or two of tahini, several tablespoons lemon juice, about half a head of roasted garlic, and a little salt and pepper in a food processor. I usually add a little water (just a couple teaspoons) to make the texture smoother. It tastes a lot creamier and nuttier than store bought hummus!

Vanilla update

2011-06-07T11:43:00.000-07:00

It's been in the pantry almost four weeks, and I'm thinking it will need to sit for at least another month or two before it's vanilla-y enough. I'm still smelling a little more alcohol than vanilla, and I tried a tsp in one recipe but didn't taste much result, so I'm going to give it plenty of time to "cook". :) It's definitely starting to turn dark, though, and also to smell good! Can't wait till it's fully mature. :)

Vanilla

2011-05-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

I'm finally making a big bottle of homemade vanilla extract! I've wanted to try this for several years and I'm finally doing it. Last night I added 10 vanilla beans (split lengthwise) to a 1-liter bottle of vodka, and it's in the pantry to stay in the dark for a few weeks (I'll shake it once a week). I just bought generic brand Vodka and I purchase my vanilla beans on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Bourbon-Madagascar-Vanilla-Beans-beans/dp/B000ET4SM8/ref=sr_1_cc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305461677&sr=1-1-catcorr

This is by far the cheapest way I have found to buy them! $9.29 for 16 beans + free shipping, or $8 for 2 small, dry beans at Target? That's about how much they cost at the grocery store, at least in my experience. The vanilla beans from this merchant are also very soft, moist and pungent - very nice quality. So, with the cost of 10 beans, plus the bottle of vodka, we'll get a whole liter of vanilla extract for about $13.25. A 1-oz bottle of McCormick pure vanilla is about $8, so that's a clear cost-savings! Supposedly you can also reuse the vanilla beans if it's within a year. I'll update the blog in a few weeks when it's "matured"!

50mm fun

2011-02-19T07:50:00.000-08:00

February randomness

2011-02-16T19:15:00.000-08:00

Something to tide this blog over until I get it together to write a "real" blog post:

Jackson just turned two months old. He is growing like a weed (at the top of the charts for height and weight), and loves snuggling, nursing, smiling, staring at ceiling fans, sleeping (sometimes), and his family. We love him, too! He just laughed for the first time the other day. Sweetness!

Charlotte is becoming such a big girl. Her vocabulary is finally really expanding, and it's fun to hear all of her cute phrases. She adores animals (especially dogs!), is fascinated by trains (definitely her daddy's daughter!) and loves listening to people sing songs. She's also rather a whirlwind of emotions right now. Part of it is just that she's a toddler (and a human being who feels emotion), but I really suspect some of it is just from having to adjust to such a new family routine. I'm sure things will get easier for her soon, but it's hard seeing her get so weepy and emotional about everything all the time. Prayers appreciated both for her, and for us as we try to help her.

I recently bought a new 50mm lens - love, love, love it! I need a lot of practice since it's quite different from what I'm used to, but I'm so pleased with the results so far. It takes such great portraits, and I have two super cute subjects to practice on! Will post some pictures soon.

I am working on venturing back into the world of cooking, but WOW, getting a meal together takes so much longer with two little kids to look after! This has called for some extra creativity as far as meal planning is concerned. I'm open to suggestions/tips for order in the kitchen with little kids! ;)

Another post to come... Eventually. :)

Berry pie

2011-02-07T12:44:00.001-08:00

Made a super yummy blackberry/raspberry pie the other day! Berry pies are my favorite to bake because of how easy they are - no slicing, coring or peeling required. :) I have, however, decided that's its just not worth making a pie unless the crust is also homemade. There is just something about the taste of premade crust that offends my tastebuds... still a tasty pie though, especially topped with vanilla ice cream! I'll post the recipe once I've perfected it a little more.

Why I haven't posted in a while...

2011-01-10T12:58:00.000-08:00

This cutie is keeping me busy. :) Jackson will be four weeks old in two days. I am tired, but in love!

Make way for baby!

2010-11-21T08:28:00.000-08:00

Today I am 37 weeks pregnant - which means I am still 3 weeks away from my due date, but I'm officially 9 months along and "allowed" to go into labor whenever this little babe decides to make his appearance. Which I'm really hoping won't be AFTER his due date... I'm feeling much more impatient this time than I was with Charlotte, and that might have something to do with how sleepless my nights have been with preggo back/hip pain for the past few weeks. I remember the 9th month being difficult last time, but not quite this bad... Hopefully he'll follow his big sister's example and come punctually. :)

Over the past few weeks we've been busy getting things ready for his arrival. Charlotte moved to her new room and toddler bed (which she loves), John installed the infant car seat last week, all the little boy clothes are washed and folded, the home birth supplies are gathered and standing by in our room, and we just got the bassinet ready. Basically all that's left to do is just general house-tidying and organizing (or nesting?).

In all honesty, even with the above things being accomplished, I feel completely unprepared to take care of another baby - if I just did this two years ago, why do I feel like I've forgotten everything about infant care and nursing? And how exactly do you care for a crazy 2-year-old AND a newborn at the same time, all while running on just a couple hours of sleep each night? I know what I need to do now is trust God and remind myself that he will give me enough strength for each day. Prayers for peace (and that Charlotte and I would quickly heal from some bad colds we just caught) are much appreciated.

We're so excited to meet you, baby Jackson! <3

Jam Thumbprints

2010-10-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

First time making jam thumbprint cookies! These are super easy to make. I love that shortbread is only 4 ingredients...and that it's safe to eat "raw." ;) Used Wegmans brand organic strawberry spread for the middle, although raspberry preserves would have been my first choice.

1 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. almond extract (I added 1/2 tsp. vanilla in addition, but you don't have to)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves

Cream butter, sugar and extract. Slowly add flour and blend until dough forms. Form into 1" balls and place on greased cookie sheet, pressing middle down with thumb. Spoon jam/preserves into the middles of the cookies. Bake for 14-18 mins. at 350 degrees. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheets, then transfer to wire rack.

Tomato-fest

2010-07-22T11:00:00.001-07:00

What do you do when your backyard garden is producing this many tomatoes on a weekly basis? Cook LOTS of tomato basil soup and cappellini pomodoro! We're also getting way more cucumbers than we know what to do with - I just have to find some creative ways to use them.

Still Alive!

2010-06-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

Oops! Time slipped through my fingers and I haven't updated the blog in almost three months. That's mostly due to the fact that I spent the last three months dealing with horrible morning sickness and couldn't cook anything except for the occasional mac n' cheese for my toddler. We're delighted about the new little one on the way, and though I'm now four months pregnant and still not out of the woods as far as nausea goes, I'm feeling a little more normal and dying to start cooking again (but only if the recipe doesn't include garlic). I can't muster enough blogging power to write a decent post at the moment (preggers brain), but since I don't want my blog to "die", here are some thoughts. I do have a lot of those!

I've loved using cloth diapers for the past 8 months. I plan on writing a post in the near future about all the reasons why!
I have one vanilla bean in my cabinet and am contemplating what to use it for. Maybe a bottle of homemade extract?
I recently made some dried cherry buttermilk scones and they were scrumptious. Recipe and pictures when I find the time.
No matter how much I wash, fold and iron, the laundry is never really done.
I am ridiculously impatient for my ultrasound, even more so than I was with Charlotte. How can I make the next 3 weeks go faster? Dying to know if it's pink or blue! :>
Watermelons went down in price, but cherries are still ridiculously expensive. Anyone know when they're in season?
We have our first vegetable garden this year! Only casualty thus far is one of the basil plants - devoured by japanese beetles. Thankfully we planted two! Tomatoes are almost ready to harvest, as are some bell peppers. The cucumbers are growing like crazy, but definitely not ready to pick yet. Yum!
You haven't had hummus until you've had it homemade, with ROASTED garlic - not raw.
I still haven't finished Charlotte's baby quilt. *sigh*

Simple card

2010-03-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

Threw a simple blank card together yesterday -- more to come!

Why I Love My Panini Grill: Reason #23

2010-03-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

A better Philly Cheesesteak!

(sandwich steaks, white american cheese, sauteed peppers and onions, little bit of mayonnaise, Italian roll. Even better with mushrooms!)

Why I Love My Toaster Oven: Reason #79

2010-03-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

S'mores without needing a campfire!

Orzo Spinach Salad

2010-03-10T13:10:00.001-08:00

This makes my taste buds do a happy dance! "The Cheese Shop" in Williamsburg's Merchant Square make something similar, and I love it so much I decided to copy it at home. As it turns out, I actually like mine even better. :) Here's how I made it. The amount of spinach I used is just a guesstimate here, it's possible I may have used more. I like it on the spinach-y side -- it adds flavor and it's healthy!

Orzo Spinach Salad

1 box Orzo pasta (cook, drain, and rinse with cold water)

3 cups FRESH baby leaf spinach (stems torn off, chopped one direction into "strips" -- don't chop too finely)

1 package Athenos original Feta cheese

1/4 cup pinenuts

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

*(I forgot! you can also add some fresh basil)

Rinse cooked orzo with plenty of ice-cold water until it's completely cooled off from cooking -- drain off excess cold water. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil to add flavor and keep from sticking. Combine spinach, and gently stir in feta and pinenuts. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Curtain-y stuff!

2010-03-05T12:28:00.000-08:00

I'm getting ready to make some curtains for our in-the-works guest room (I'll cover that in a later post), which will hopefully get done next week (both the room and the curtains!). I decided to make my own instead of buying them this time, and headed over to Ikea for some fabric. If you don't live near an Ikea... I'm sorry. I live just a mile and a half away, so I'm a little addicted. ;) I found this design (seen below) and just love it! I'm a little nervous about using it, only because the design itself it so big -- it repeats every yard, and the two panels will need to line up "just so" to look good next to each other. That may not make sense unless you see the whole, big length of fabric opened up. Hopefully it'll turn out okay. Crossing my fingers!

I'm so in love with this fabric! It's sort of reminiscent of peacock feathers.

These are the fantastic clip-on curtain rings (Ikea Riktig) I got, because I thought they were so awesome (and my time is too precious to do anything else). The curtains are long, and the fabric heavy -- however, these clips feel super strong, so I'll report later on how well they work. I bought a total of 30 clips for just $9.00! Deal, huh?

The most delicious (and ugly) cookies ever

2010-03-05T09:32:00.000-08:00

Don't let the picture fool you -- these are for sure the most ugly cookies ever, but the taste is out of this world! The best part is they are no-bake cookies. The original recipe says to just let them cool on wax paper, but I'm partial to eating them straight out of the freezer. They freeze to just the right chewiness and they are sooo good.

I got this recipe from a friend many years back and have since changed it around to my preferences -- Hershey's Special Dark cocoa, please! :>

Cocoa peanut butter oat cookies

1.5 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 stick butter
2 tsp. vanilla
4 heaping tbsp. DARK cocoa powder (please use dark! I used Hershey's brand)
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (you can also use creamy and just add some peanuts. Or stick with creamy and skip the crunchy stuff altogether)
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

Melt butter, sugar and cocoa. Boil and stir for 1 minute, then remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Stir in milk, then finally the oatmeal. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to scoop mixture onto wax paper, then freeze (or let cool at room temp) until firm (this step goes quickly).

More magazine files!

2010-02-01T11:06:00.000-08:00

Since I recieved some new magazine subscriptions for Christmas (and I like staying organized! :> ), I got a few more blank cardboard magazine files at Ikea and "beautified" them. I think the

blue/red one is my favorite!

Julie and Julia

2010-01-29T06:35:00.000-08:00

After much anticipation and patient waiting, I finally got to see "Julie and Julia." LOVE. I need to own this. The movie tells two stories, one of Julia Child and how she began her cooking career (which was not until she was almost forty -- it's never too late!), the other telling Julie Powell's story -- a woman who blogged her adventures cooking all 524 recipes in Mastering The Art of French Cooking in one year. I enjoyed the movie as a whole, but was particularly moved by the "Julia" half of the story. How inspiring. I loved seeing a portrayal of her relationship with her husband Paul -- it was so sweet. Meryl Streep was amazing.

Anyway, I now have a burning desire to cook new things, especially aspics! (joking) Boeuf bourguignon is nearing the top of my list.

Pesto Mushroom Pizza

2010-01-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

Pesto, mushrooms and cheese are amazing. That is all.

Well, not really. I also want to say that I love the pizza crust I used here. I normally make my own dough in the bread machine, but there's a baker (Kirchoff's Bakery) in Paducah, KY where my in-laws live. They make these pre-made, ultra thin and crispy pizza crusts that practically make me run around in circles and sing. I haven't found anything comparable in my area, and no recipe I've found seems to match. Since I live 850 miles away from said baker, my kind mother-in-law brought me three dozen of these crusts last week. I am happy.

A new spark of creativity...

2009-12-16T13:15:00.000-08:00

...at least for a little while! Really, it's the spark of energy (and maybe a spark of time?) that I need. The creativity is usually there. ;>

I finally put a scoring board to use that my mom gave me last month -- it's become one of my new favorite tools and makes card-making SO much easier. Here are two very simple cards I made during Charlotte's afternoon nap today. I was thinking "autumn" and "summer" with these two. Maybe I'll come up with a "winter" and "spring"!

Past project: Magazine File

2009-12-15T11:10:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd post a couple of pictures for a project I made back in April (I've made several more of these since then). Since I now get several different magazines, I was looking for a cute solution to store them. I dressed up a plain, white cardboard magazine file (these can be purchased in sets of five at Ikea - very inexpensive!) with some paper of my choice. I glued the paper on with matte mod podge glue, then brushed another coat on top of the paper. To cover up the bottom and edges of the file, I used my hot glue gun to attach some ribbon. Very easy!

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

2009-12-15T10:02:00.000-08:00

I truly thought I had posted this recipe way back this summer when I first tried it, but after looking through old posts it appears that I didn't -- so here goes! I based this off another recipe I found while searching online. The idea is to recreate those delicious cheddar bay biscuits from Red Lobster (which, IMHO, is probably the only thing I really like about said restaurant). After trying these, I have to say I might like them a teensy bit more than RL's. Which means I don't have to go buy a meal there just to get the free biscuits anymore! ;>

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

4 cups Bisquick (or comparable baking mix)

4-5 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

1 1/3 cups water

1/2 cup melted butter

3/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp dried parsley (3/4 tsp. if fresh, which is always best -- but not typically most practical)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (however, I think I just used non-stick spray). Combine bisquick, cheese and water in a mixing bowl. Mix until firm -- just make sure not to over-mix it! Use a large cookie scoop (or medium sized spoon) to scoop dough onto cookie sheet, a couple of inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden.

Add the garlic salt and parsley to the melted butter and brush generously over the biscuits as soon as they come out of the oven.

Risotto with Spaghetti Squash and Mushrooms

2009-12-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law (who is an amazing cook) made this dish for Thanksgiving this year -- it's amazingly tasty and rich, as well as easy to make! I scaled the recipe down a little, and here is what I made for dinner the other night.

Risotto with Spaghetti Squash and Mushrooms

1 spaghetti squash (small-ish in size. cut in half, place face down on a cookie sheet, cover with foil and bake at 400 F for about an hour or until soft, then scoop out the flesh).

1 package mushrooms, thinly sliced

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups arborio rice (you can find this in most grocery stores -- Trader Joe's seems to have the best price)

1/2 cup half and half

2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Olive oil, salt, pepper, nutmeg, butter

Saute spaghetti squash and mushrooms in a little butter and olive oil, seasoning with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg.

In a separate pot, saute arborio rice in a little olive oil (stir rice around to coat) for 2 minutes. Slowly add the broth, stirring constantly until absorbed. Only add about 1/2 to 1 cup at a time! When broth is fully incorporated and the rice is cooked (al dente is best), add the sauteed veggies, half and half and cheese until combined and thoroughly heated.

Can be served either as a main dish or side dish. Yum!

Makes about 4-5 entree sized servings

A wedding

2009-12-01T09:12:00.001-08:00

I took a few photos when attending a good friend's wedding in October. Here are a few recent edits!

Time to catch up!

2009-10-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

I've been shamefully remiss with updating this blog! There have been a few time consuming things preventing me from this lately -- first, going on a 10-day vacation to the U.K. (where I picked up several yummy recipe ideas, soon-to-be tried), then most recently caring for my 11-month-old as she had surgery on her kidney.

I have, however, managed to cook up a storm even in the midst of busy times! My plan is to gradually update the blog with recipe/pictorial posts on the things I've made. My latest successes have been Zuppa Toscana (sausage, potato and kale soup), potato/onion/pepper quiche, killer cinnamon rolls, and coconut vanilla tea bread. Shrimp gumbo is next on the list (dinner tonight!), and I'm currently brainstorming to come up with a cinnamon butterscotch twist on muddy buddy chex mix.

Other ideas that I picked up in the U.K.:

- Salami and Bries panini on baguette (Wow. I mean WOW.)

- Shrimp, mango, cucumber and hot salsa salad

- Beef, potato, onion and bean pot pie

Will update again soon!

Kitchen Gadgets: The Sugar Shaker

2009-08-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

I've had this gadget for a while and finally acted on the idea to fill it with confectioners sugar. Turns out it was a very good idea, if I say so myself. I just recently used it to garnish some cake brownies. After all, isn't more sugar the answer to everything?

Kitchen Gadgets: The Tea Strainer

2009-08-02T17:11:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this gadget. Tea with milk and honey makes me so happy. Oh, and I got it at Ikea for less than $2.00. That makes me happy, too.

Kitchen Gadgets: The (glass) Citrus Juicer

2009-08-02T17:04:00.000-07:00

I think I actually favor this juicer over the metal one, purely because it's prettier. Well, I also think it does just as good of a job. I guess it depends on my cooking mood.

Kitchen Gadgets: The Citrus Juicer

2009-08-02T16:51:00.000-07:00

I love cooking. I love my kitchen. I love gadgets. I love . . . kitchen gadgets. I don't think I need say any more.

*(my dear hubby's initials -- this was one of his "school tools" from his culinary days)

Corn Salsa (a la "Chipotle")

2009-08-02T11:21:00.000-07:00

My absolute favorite salsa is the roasted chili corn salsa from Chipotle (along with the black charred tomato salsa -- or whatever it's called -- from Baja Fresh). I just can't get enough of the stuff, so I decided to try it at home. I never found what looked like a good copycat recipe online, but found out which peppers are used (jalapeno and poblano), and decided to take it from there. Here's my "recipe":

2 cans of corn niblets, drained and rinsed

Juice of 1 small lime

Cilantro (chopped finely -- add to taste)

1/4 of a red onion (diced finely)

1 jalapeno pepper (diced finely)

1/2 to 2/3 of a poblano pepper (diced finely)

Combine all ingredients and chill.

I think the formula I used was a little more citrus-y than Chipotle's, but that's the way I like it. I thought it turned out awesomely, but I implore you to WEAR GLOVES while chopping the peppers, and DO NOT keep any leftover onion in the refrigerator overnight. Unless, of course, you like everything else in the fridge to smell like red onion the next day. Yeah, I didn't think so...

Treasure boxes

2009-07-25T13:55:00.001-07:00

Here are two treasure boxes I made recently. I think I'm too in love with them to list them on Etsy, at least for the time being!

In the Kitchen

2009-07-22T18:08:00.001-07:00

Scavenger Hunt

2009-07-17T18:05:00.000-07:00

I had a photo adventure in my living room the other day -- these are a few little things you can find around the house.

I used to think this tassel was really obnoxious (and it probably is), but it's really grown on me over time. It hangs off of a key from what we think is an old liquor chest (but it now stores candles).

You can tell there's a baby in the house! The mobile from Charlotte's swing, which she is too wiggly for at this point.

My beloved writing desk, well stocked with envelopes and stationary of all colors and style, plus a few inkwells and quills.

A black birdcage atop of this fantastic book I got off of eBay -- I tore several pages out and they can be seen, framed, in several different rooms.

This little rascallion seems to follow me around everywhere, too. ;-)

Summer Sweetness

2009-07-01T12:06:00.000-07:00

Melon Coolers

2009-06-26T13:55:00.001-07:00

I just got my July 2009 copy of Southern Living in the mailbox the other day, and the cover featured the most tempting looking refreshments -- melon coolers, or agua fresca. The recipe looked super easy and it didn't hurt that I had half a seedless watermelon waiting to be used in the fridge, so I took a stab at it (no pun intended) and successfully made it! You process 4 cups of seedless watermelon with 1/4 cup of sugar, press the mixture through a mesh strainer into a pitcher (discarding the solid leftovers in the strainer), add two cups of water, and chill until you're ready to serve (over ice -- you must). I actually used about a tablespoon less sugar than the recipe called for, and it was still plentifully sweet due to the fact that the watermelon I used was very ripe and juicy. Southern Living also said you could make it with honeydew or cantaloupe, but really, doesn't watermelon sound the best?

Learning from (cooking) mistakes

2009-06-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

I'm sure this is a no-brainer for most cooks, but I learned a very important fact about slow-cooking on Friday night. If you're making any kind of crock pot stew with pasta, do not add the uncooked pasta at the beginning with the other ingredients! Doing so will result in gelatinous broth and bland, floury, yucky noodle bits (sounds good, right?). You'll need to cook the pasta separately and add it in the last few minutes of cooking.

Here's a bonus cooking tip: When substituting Kikkoman Teriyaki sauce for the more-mild-and-less-salty stir fry sauce, DO NOT OVERUSE. I think I actually felt my body's water content being absorbed away by the sodium while eating. I had no idea it was as salty as soy sauce!

These were two less-than-stellar dinners in a row over this weekend, and they really humbled my cooking ego -- but I will say, being married to a culinary school graduate did the bulk of that job. ;-) I haven't decided what to make tonight, but lets hope I don't mistake the sugar for the salt.

On a sewing-related note: I'm pretty sure that my Viking needs repair work, or at least a good cleaning/tune up. I know that I'm threading everything correctly, but I think that something in the general area of the bobbin case is busted. Since I've tried investigating everything I can think of by myself, I'll work on getting this taken care of by a professional in the coming week.
Then I can make my apron and a baby quilt!

farm-togrophy

2009-06-01T14:33:00.001-07:00

Sweet Tooth Sweet Hearts

2009-05-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to learn how to make fondant for a cake, so I decided to take a stab at it the other day. Used a marshmallow fondant recipe (4 cups mini marshmallows + 2 tbsp. water melted, knead in 4 cups confectioners sugar) which was surprisingly easy -- albeit sticky! It tasted good, but I think I prefer fondant-free cake.

Some of my past Etsy creations

2009-04-26T06:40:00.000-07:00

Spencer Kate on Etsy

I have the sweetest husband who brings me the sweetest flowers.

2009-04-25T16:15:00.001-07:00

Stitchin' time

2009-04-25T16:02:00.000-07:00

It's been 2.5 years since I've sewn anything -- unbelievable! For me, that's just crazy. Since I'm not currently involved in any historic interpreting, I've decided I'm going to branch out a bit and make something for modern-day wear (a first for me). Something easy, like a skirt. So hopefully I'll make it to Jo-Ann's soon (since I think it's now the only local fabric store! sad!) and get some nice colorful cotton. I rarely find skirts that fit me well and have the length that I want, so I'll just have to see what I can come up with. Updates soon, hopefully.

Redbuds in bloom

2009-04-21T13:21:00.000-07:00

Spinach Orzo

2009-04-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

1 (16 oz) box orzo pasta
2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
1 bag fresh baby leaf spinach
2 tbsp. pesto
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup pine nuts (or more -- you really can't overuse pine nuts ;) )
a little olive oil
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese

Cook and drain orzo according to directions.

Heat about 1 tbsp. olive oil in a pan, then add mushrooms, spinach and 1/3 of the lemon juice. Saute until tender, salt and pepper to taste, then drain.

Coat the orzo with a little olive oil, the rest of the lemon juice and the pesto. Add spinach and mushrooms, pinenuts, and a little salt and pepper. Top with parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 large servings.

Can be served hot, or chilled as a salad.