Sloe Gin Fizz

Pide Lahmajun aka yum

2012-01-27T14:35:00.003-05:00

So I put out the call the other day on Twitter for recipe suggestions for ground emu. We've had a pound of it lurking in the freezer from our meat CSA for a little too long and I was determined to use it this week. I took a cursory look on the interwebs for suggestions, but searches for ground emu recipes turned up endless Kraft era suggestions that drowning it in cream of mushroom soup or smothering it with creamed corn, bottled salsa and cheese. Other suggestions recommended using it however you would ground beef.

I wanted something that would taste good but wouldn't completely mask the taste since I had never tried emu before. I received the perfect suggestion from Ryan who had tried it before and said it was gamier than beef, so lamb recipes might be a better fit. He sent me this link to a recipe for Pide Lahmajun from the blog My Kitchen Moovement. If, like me, you have never heard of lahmajun, you are in for a treat. According to Wikipedia, it is Syrian in origin and is a round thin piece of dough topped with minced meat, most commonly beef or lamb. I completely fell for the Kitchen moovement blog — I really like the style and substance of this fellow in the kitchen. He offers a few other variations on this recipe that I can't wait to try, including one with egg, spinach and cheese. I didn't have time to try his dough recipe so used this really fast one that turned out perfectly. So thank you both to Ryan and My Kitchen Moovement for this tremendous recipe. I made it for a friend for lunch the other day and we both gave it rave reviews. I can't wait to make more pide!

You can see how dark the emu meat is — it has virtually no fat in it,
yet didn't dry out on this recipe.

Pide Lahmajun
via The Kitchen Moovement

1 lb ground lamb
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 jalapeño or serrano pepper
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
feta cheese optional

sesame seeds

Heat a sauce pan with a dollop of butter and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. Don’t forget to season it with salt and pepper early. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Meanwhile, combine the lamb, tomatoes, jalapeno, parsley and spices in a bowl and mix with your hands. Add the cooled onion and garlic mixture to the bowl and combine well. Cut the dough into 6 even sized pieces. Roll each piece flat, making a longish, oval shape.

Shmear the lamb mixture across the dough in a thin layer being careful not to tear it. I couldn't resist sprinkling a little crumbled feta on top.

Fold the edges of the dough over the lamb (as seen in the pictures), brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for about 20 minutes on 425º F.

Serve with a generous squeeze of lemon. Yum.

Garden & Gun love

2012-01-24T12:14:00.004-05:00

I don't know what started it or how I landed there, but I've been combing through the Garden & Gun web site for three days now. I've never seen the print magazine, nor had I even heard of it. But now, I'm hooked. I've had multiple tabs open and keep obsessively returning to them throughout the day. There is a wonderful piece about Wendell Berry, seen above, by Erik Reese. It is a lovely meandering essay that spans six internet pages. Unheard of, right? Most welcome.

And then, in contrast, I skip over and check out the 50 best Southern bars or the 50 best Southern foods—and watch a video on how to make the perfect Rum Swizzle. I'm telling you, Garden & Gun has the best variety of content with excellent writing, photography and design. I'm in love.

And then, just when I thought I'd had enough, I discovered these beautiful Southern-made items:

The Iron Scissor Collection

from The Old Wood Co. in Asheville, NC

Bourbon barrel table and stool

from Jason Cohen Wood Artisan in Louisville, KY

Lawrence Pulley
from Machine Shop Lighting in Austin, TX

Convinced yet?

Chicken couscous

2012-01-19T12:56:00.001-05:00

This is a super cozy meal perfect for snowy winter days. It comes from Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table. I've always shied away from savory dishes that include cinnamon or raisins with meats — it just never seemed my thing. I decided to expand my horizons this time and give it a try—I was not disappointed. I liked that the veggies are just cut into 2-inch pieces — less work! I replaced the turnips with two medium potatoes and used a couple of yellow onions, peeled and quartered in place of the small white ones. I served it with sriracha instead of harissa — not the perfect replacement, but wholly acceptable. The flavors are very subtle and soothing. I'm not sure I understand how these flavors originate in the heat of North Africa as they seem so perfect for Michigan winters.

Chicken Couscous
Adapted from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan

1 Tb grated fresh ginger or 2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp saffron threads, pinched between your fingers (optional)
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2-3 Tb unsalted butter
1 chicken, about 4 pounds, cut into 8 pieces, patted dry, at room temp
5 to 6 cups chicken broth
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, split lengthwise, cut into 2-inch pieces
8 small white onions
2 celery stalks, trimmed, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 carrots, trimmed, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium turnips or potatoes, trimmed, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking couscous
2 slender zucchini, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

For servingHarissa
Golden raisins

Mix ginger and and next five ingredients along with salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl.

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken pieces (working in batches, if necessary) and scatter spice mix over top. Cook, turning pieces so they pick up the seasoning mix, just until they loose their raw texture. They don't have to be browned.

Pour the broth in to the pot, increase the heat and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and add leeks, onions, celery, carrots and turnips/potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Transfer 3 cups of broth to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour in the couscous and simmer for a minute. Turn off heat, cover and let stand for five minutes, or until the broth is fully absorbed.

Add the zucchini and chickpeas to the stew and cook until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.

Fluff the couscous with a fork and serve the stew over the couscous, with harissa and golden raisins and extra broth as necessary.

Book worming

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

I had a good, long two-week visit with my parents for Christmas this year. I had been saving several books to read during this time and dove right in the minute I got on the plane. There's something about having a decent stretch of unscheduled time to read a book in. Yes, we had plenty of holiday prep and planning and cooking to do, but really, when you're away from your own house, that leaves plenty of time to snuggle down in a nook somewhere and get lost in a story.

The book I started on the plane was Swamplandia! by Karen Russell. Yes, the cover got me right away, and then the story quickly followed suit. It is such an original story of a desperate family who runs a gator-wrestling theme park on an island in the South. It's strange and sweet and sad.

The next book I jumped into was The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I had been looking forward to this since the early fall and absolutely loved it. I devoured it over the course of about 36 hours, including middle of the night jaunts and wee early in the morning page-turning. It's a beautifully magical love story that just kept getting better and better. I wanted to live within this world.

And last but not least, Julia Child brought me home again. My Life in France by Julia Child with Alex Prudhomme was a treat. Her upbeat nature and good-heartedness shines through on every page of adventure and eating. I picked up so many pearls of wisdom, not so much about cooking but living life fully. A true joy.

I also spent plenty of time flipping through this gorgeous new cookbook: Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan. I've already tried four of the recipes, each more wonderful and Frenchy than the last.

And this one: For Cod and Country: Simple, Delicious, Sustainable Cooking by Barton Seaver. The book is arranged by season featuring fish available at their peak and includes alternate selections based on regional. Really well-organized and well-written and the two dishes I've tried rocked the house.

But wait! One more: Vera: The Art and Life of an Icon by Susan Seid. I am so inspired by the designs of Vera Neumann but knew little about her as a person. This book is a wonderful balance of storytelling with words and photos. Lovely lovely and springy to get my designer's heart racing.

When I got home, I had a slew of books waiting for me at the library, too, so I've continued my reading spree — hooray for winter! As always, I keep a running list of books I've read here on the blog. It's one of the tabs at the top of my main page. I don't review any of the books there, but sometimes it's just fun to poke through them to get ideas. I hope you find something you might like!

Honey Oat Muffins

2012-01-13T13:02:00.003-05:00

The smell of these muffins baking is powerful stuff. It smells sweet and warm and oh so nice on a snowy winter morning. I seem to bake a lot of muffins this time of year. I think because I feel like baking for the warmth of the oven and the heavenly smells, but am also feeling a little lazy. These muffins will do you right.

Honey Oat Muffins

via Food & Wine

3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or vegetable shortening, or fill with baking liners.

In a large bowl, mix the oats with the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, coriander and salt.

In another bowl, whisk the honey with the buttermilk, canola oil and eggs. Pour the honey mixture into the dry ingredients; mix just until combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups and bake for about 18 minutes, until they're golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: I experimented with half the muffin tray filled with liners and half greased with vegetable shortening. I was worried there wasn't enough oil in the recipe to keep the muffins from sticking to the liners, but both methods worked equally well.

Animated holiday card

2012-01-11T14:36:00.000-05:00

Back in October, I had the opportunity to work with an animator for the first time. We put together a holiday card for Zuckerman Spaeder LLC, a law firm in Washington, D.C. It was so much fun to see my drawings come to life in very simple animated form. It was also an interesting process to think about movement and how the scenes would piece together. Each of seven scenes was tied together by a triangle form that mimics the firm's logo. We also did a printed piece in black and white with just a bit of blue and the triangle die-cut. Here's a look at a few of the stills from the finished piece. You can see it in its entirety here.

METAL fabrication, art, design and more

2012-01-10T09:56:00.000-05:00

Have you heard about or been to METAL in Ann Arbor yet? It opened last April, but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I finally explored its inner workings. The shop deals in all things metal, including everything from fabrication and design to a gallery of artists' works and vintage metal finds. While I didn't tour the workshop areas, I spent well over an hour examining its shop and gallery. It's definitely one of those places where there is so much that more and more and more reveals itself to you as you wander. Have a look…

220 Felch Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Monday – Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Fennel-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Fennel Wedges

2012-01-05T13:20:00.003-05:00

Oh my goodness, this is a good one. I got two new cookbooks for Christmas that have completely rekindled my interest and excitement about cooking and being in the kitchen. This recipe is from neither of the new books — ha! The fennel seeds with the pork is a wonderful combination that smells like sausage while it's cooking, while being quite a bit healthier. And the fennel wedges become nicely caramelized and melt in your mouth. I served this over simple mashed potatoes. I left the skins on and mashed with some skim milk. You don't need to overly season or butter them because the sauce is very rich and flavorful. You could also serve with white or jasmine rice, egg noodles, couscous, or just about any grain.

Before I move on to the recipe, I want to direct your attention to the tabs at the top of the page here under the banner. I've added a recipe index there for your (and my) convenience. I've been wanting to do this forever and took some downtime over the holidays to cut and paste it all there. It still needs a bit of tweaking in terms of categorization, but it's a start. I welcome your suggestions and ideas on its format and hope that it proves useful to you!

Fennel-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Fennel Wedges
Adapted from Epicurious.com

1 tsp fennel seeds
1 lb pork tenderloin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 yellow onion, trimmed and peeled
2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed, reserving 1/4 cup of fronds

2 Tb extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, smashed, then roughly chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 Tb unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Crush fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle (or wrap in a kitchen towel and crush with bottom of a heavy skillet). Add salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Pat pork dry, then sprinkle with crushed fennel seed mixture. Pat mixture gently to make sure the pork is well coated.

Cut onion in half and then into 1/2-inch wedges. Cut fennel bulbs lengthwise into 1/2-inch wedges.

Heat oil in a 12-inch oven-proof heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown pork on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes total, then transfer to a plate. Sauté garlic, onion and fennel wedges in skillet until fennel is golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add wine, stirring and scraping up brown bits, then stir in broth and butter. Put pork on top of fennel and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 145 to 150°F, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, transfer skillet to stovetop (handle will be hot) and boil, stirring occasionally, until much of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in lemon juice and fennel fronds, chopped. Thinly slice pork and serve over fennel with sauce.

Happy New Year! Imagining what's ahead…

2012-01-04T11:12:00.003-05:00

Hello all and happy new year! I've had a nice long visit with my family down in North Carolina over Christmas and after several days settling back in at home, I've gone into full nesting mode.

Since moving into our new house in July, we've had little time to do any major projects. We had a slow drawn out move getting into the place and then seemed to be immediately bombarded with distractions throughout the fall and holiday season. Many good things, for sure, but right now I can't get enough of just being in our space and having a little time to breathe and imagine the possibilities. I've been adding inspiration photos to my Pinterest boards like mad. This seems like a particularly good time of year to dream and scheme, and it's helping recharge my creative juices. I'm very excited for 2012 and look forward to its ups and downs and in and outs. Thanks so much for coming this far with me — I hope you'll join me on the ride into tis next phase! Now, on to the imaginings!

First: The bedroom. It is a long narrow space that just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. We found out from a local antique dealer who grew up on the lake that our house was built to house caddies for the neighboring golf course. (Yes, we live in the Caddyshack!) So I imagine it wasn't designed for lake views, but rather to sleep the greatest number of people at any one time.

I hesitated showing you the room's current state—ack!—but it gives you a sense of the challenge. A previous owner continued the log cabin-y feel in every nook and cranny possible, including the closet along the back wall of the bedroom. I think its log overkill, beside which it is very poorly constructed, holds little and is on the one wall where you could place the bed to have a view of the lake. (Be it a partially obstructed view because a tree grows through the deck right in front of that window!?!? Love that the tree stayed, but…) There are no doors on the closet right now because they were beautiful old doors with great hardware and we used them to replace split louvered doors that had been installed on the bedrooms and bathroom. We still need one more to replace the split doors still on the back bedroom (below right).

I'm pretty sure the room, which is about 10 feet wide by 20 feet long, was two rooms at one time. You can see a seam running horizontally across the room in the above photos. And there are two doors in the center of the interior wall (above left), one of which has been filled in with a handy, though again, poorly constructed "built-in" bookcase facing into the living room.

photo by Bob Travaglione

After much figuring and reconfiguring, the latest solution we've struck on is building a loft. The idea seems to be sticking. My first searches brought up many kids rooms and dorm-style lofts, but I think it can be done in a very simple, yet adult way. With some more digging, I'm turning up lots of inspiration, like this image above from Plattsburgh, Missouri. Or the rustic one below.

via A Beautiful Mess

Pretty dreamy, right? Obviously we have lots of details to figure out, but I'm excited to plan and make it happen. I'm think a rolling/sliding barn door would make the perfect entry, too. We wouldn't lose precious floor space for an inward-swinging door, and it would allow us to add a nice splash of color in the living room. (I absolutely love the feel of the white log walls, but it means we have to be creative about ways to add color.)

via Nordic Rooms

left: via Nestegg right: via Pine Tree Home blog

I love the clean lines and geometry of the photo on the left. And the right shows an interesting idea of having the door slide behind a bookcase when it's open.

A girl and boy can dream, right? You can find more inspiration on my "Home" board on Pinterest. Wait 'til you see what we have planned for the kitchen!

DIYpsi views

2011-12-27T13:40:00.003-05:00

A bit overdue, but here is a look back at DIYpsi from a couple of weeks past. It was a great indie art fair at the Corner Brewery mid-December and drew many familiar faces, both behind and in front of the tables! It was an intensely cold weekend, but the skies were clear and blue and the mood was festive. The top photo shows one of Cre Fuller's amazing Tin Angry Men.

Deets was there with this happy fellow and Nests was just behind me with her perfectly curated vignettes like this little chair.

Chuppy Love was as sweet as ever. Just look at those lil' faces.

It was so great to meet Andy, aka The Foraging Florist, who makes amazing petri dish wonderlands, beautifully crafted wreathes and more.

And it was just perfect rounding out the show season with the Dang Argyle as my neighbor again — hooray for crafty pals!

And a little look at my setup that day. That's it for now, folks! Hope you are enjoying a quiet week of relaxation — I know that's my plan!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T23:44:00.002-05:00

Last chance! shoppers delight!

2011-12-09T09:42:00.001-05:00

Whew! I haven't told you a thing about these shows yet, have I? Not to worry, I will — it's been grand! … but in the meantime, one more final showcase showdown: DIYpsi. Corner Brewery. Ypsilanti. Saturday. Sunday. crafts. arts. galore. do it. be there. shop away. get it on.

DUCF 6

2011-12-02T12:30:00.001-05:00

Detroit Urban Craft Fair this weekend.

Need I say more?!?!

Handmade Holiday Workshop

2011-12-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday, I spent a wonderfully peaceful and crafty afternoon at Maker Works in Ann Arbor with Siobhan from Blue House and a lovely group of crafters for a holiday workshop. It was cold and dark and rainy outside, but inside there was a jolly warm room full of smiling faces eager to make some handmade holiday ornaments and decorations. We had come up with three different projects, but by the end of the day there were many more variations and ideas flowing. Here's a look:

If you want to come and get in on the making, too, Siobhan and I are planning a second workshop session of holiday making at Pot & Box on Thursday, December 15 from 6 to 9 p.m. For more info and to register, email bluehouseannarbor@gmail.com.

First snow

2011-11-30T10:03:00.001-05:00

Pretty, pretty morning.

Thanksgiving favorites

2011-11-28T16:47:00.001-05:00

Amidst all the traditional Thanksgiving favorites on our table last week, there were two unexpected standouts. Unexpected because neither is essential to a Thanksgiving celebration by any means. But that's all the more reason to share them with you here, after the fact. The first is a recipe from Smitten Kitchen for sugar-and-spiced candied nuts. Be warned: These are extremely addictive!

Candied Nuts

1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound walnut or pecan halves or whole peeled hazelnuts or almonds, or some combo
1 egg white, room temperature
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 300º F.

Combine sugars, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon in a small bowl, making sure there are no lumps; set aside.

Beat egg white and water until frothy but not stiff. Add nuts, and stir to coat evenly.

Sprinkle nuts with sugar mixture, and toss until evenly coated.

Spread sugared nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet fitted with parchment paper.

Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, and separate nuts as they cool.

When completely cool, pour the nuts into a bowl, breaking up any that stick together.

Here's a look at the turkey we made on the grill. It came out perfectly! Lovely and brown, super juicy, slightly smoky. We mostly followed these directions from the LA Times with some tweaks from here from Saveur. Mmmmm… we nestled one of those disposable aluminum pans you can buy at the grocery (this one specifically for BBQs) in between coals spread to the outer parts of the grill. This caught lots of lovely juice and drippings for some excellent gravy makings later.

But now, on to the other star: Parker House rolls.

Oh my goodness. I can't describe how intensely good these are. Fluffy, soft, lots of flavor, kind of dense, but in a good way. Brushed with melted butter straight from the over then sprinkled with salt. Ack. Make these, for goodness sake. The recipe makes a LOT, but that's okay. It's from Alex Guarnaschelli for Food Network Magazine and there is a great slideshow here for the step-by-step process. But in the meantime, here's the dirt:

Parker House Rolls
via Food Network

1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
7 1/2 to 8 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus softened butter for brushing
2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

Bloom the yeast:
Measure out 1/2 cup warm water and check the temperature: It should be between 110º F and 120º F (comfortable bathwater temperature). Sprinkle the yeast into a large bowl, add the warm water and whisk in the sugar. Let sit 1 minute (it should bubble and froth slightly), then gently stir in 1 cup flour. Set aside near the stove while you prepare the dough.

Make the dough:
Mix the melted butter and milk in a mixer with the hook attachment on low speed. Add the eggs and mix until blended. Scrape in the yeast mixture and mix until incorporated. Add 6 1/2 cups flour and 1 tablespoon salt; mix until the dough forms a ball, 2 to 3 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup more flour if the dough is too wet and sticky.

Let it rise:
Brush a large bowl with softened butter. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place, 2 hours to 2 hours, 30 minutes. The dough should double in volume.

Shape the dough:
Preheat the oven to 375º F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust a clean flat surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Flour your hands; gently press the dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick (don't use a rolling pin).

Cut the dough:
With the short side in front of you, cut the dough in half lengthwise with a floured knife. (I found a bench/pastry scraper really helpful for this.) Then slice crosswise into 12 strips.

Shape the dough:
One at a time, fold each strip of dough unevenly in half so the top part slightly overlaps the bottom half, then tuck the overhang underneath. Place the rolls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet in 3 tightly packed rows. (If making in advance, wrap the baking sheet tightly in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 weeks.)

Bake the rolls:
Bake until the rolls are bursting at the seams and golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. (If frozen, bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees F, then 10 minutes at 375 degrees F.) Remove from the oven and brush with softened butter. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Eat the rolls.

Special Events and Holiday Shops

2011-11-17T13:49:00.001-05:00

Hi all! With so many things going on this holiday season, I thought I'd share a schedule of special events and holiday shops coming up. The first two events are today and tonight even! Hope to see you out and about at one or more of these… merry, merry, merry!

ANN ARBOR ART CENTER

Celebrate the Season: Shop, Savor, Celebrate

Thursday, November 17

5 – 8 p.m.

Kick off the holiday season in style with a preview of the Art Center's expanded holiday inventory—including a selection from yours truly. I'll be there from 5 to 7 p.m. enjoying some live music and refreshments. Stop by and say hello and merry, merry! The Art Center will continue to stock a variety of SGF cards and calendars throughout the holidays.

POT & BOX

Open Studio and Holiday Happening

Thursday, November 17

11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

pot & box, along with their neighbors at METAL, welcome you to stop down to 220 felch street in Ann Arbor for shopping, nibbles & sips, and creative possibilities. A variety of holiday decor and local artisans' items fill this welcoming space to get you in the seasonal spirit. p&b will continue to carry a selection of SGF items throughout the holiday season.

BLUE HOUSE

Handmade Holiday Workshop

hosted by Maker Works

Sunday, November 27

1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Relax and take a break from the holiday craziness with a festive afternoon of creativity and craft. I'll be teaming up with Blue House to host this afternoon workshop at the Maker Works in Ann Arbor. We'll be leading you through a variety of holiday make-and-take projects to spruce up your home and give as gifts. Pre-registration is required. Visit www.bluehouseannarbor.com for more information and to reserve your spot now!

NAKA

Ornamentacular

Thursday, December 8

Come experience the spirit of the season in Ferndale with a tree decked out in a variety of crafty ornaments made by eleven local artists and crafters, including SGF handmade paper ornaments made from recycled misprints. This is the only venue other than the holiday shows (listed at right) that will carry my paper ornaments. There will be warm drinks, tasty nibbles and plenty of crafty goodness throughout the evening. As always, Naka will stock a variety of SGF items throughout the holiday season and all year long.

TWO TWELVE ARTS CENTER

Holiday Art Sale

Saturday, Dec 10 through Saturday, Dec 17

10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Opening Reception

Friday, December 9

7 – 9 p.m.

Located in the heart of Saline, this is a truly local holiday sale featuring all works handcrafted by local artists. Drop in for the opening reception for snacks and an abundance of liveliness—or any time during the course of the one-week sale.

BIRMINGHAM BLOOMFIELD ARTS CENTER

Holiday Shop

Dec 2 through Dec 17

Shop & Champagne preview

Wednesday, November 30

6:30 – 9 p.m.

Featuring an enticing array of gift-giving creations by more than 100 artists, the BBAC annual holiday shop benefits educational and community programming at the BBAC. Tickets are required for the preview. Visit www.bbac.org for more information.

Ridge Fine Art and Handmade Wares Show

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

This Saturday in Ferndale is the Ridge Fine Art and Handmade Wares Show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Drayton Avenue Church, at 2441 Pinecrest Drive. I'm very excited to be a part of this show: It's a new one to me but has been around for many years with quite a few art/craft world veterans that are sure to bring style, substance and good times. $2 gets you in the door and then it's affordable, locally-crafted wares galore. Come check it out and get in the holiday mood—I've included the list of vendors here so you can make your shopping list in advance!

Gretchen Kramp Ceramic Tiles

Lazy Gal

Folklore Leather Studio

Christl Kindler Photography

Janelle Songer

Perfectly Imperfect Pets

Mary Pritchard Jewelry

Kristin Perkins Glass Jewelry

Laurie Eisenhardt Ceramics

Bit O’Whimsey Design Studio

Marcia Hovland Studio

Sloe Gin Fizz

Barrel of Monkeys

Vintage In Retrospect

Handmade Arcade superstar: Malagueta

2011-11-15T21:18:00.001-05:00

All photos from Malagueata

I spent this past Saturday as a vendor at the Handmade Arcade in Pittsburgh and had a blast. This show brings such a fun and enthusiastic crowd. I was on my own so didn't get to do much shopping, but I was lucky enough to be unloading my car next to the lovely Rachel Sherman of Malagueta. I spied her clothing racks filled to the edges with gorgeously stitched skirts and shirts and dresses. I could hardly keep myself from dropping all my bins and running over to touch them all. Late in the day I had a chance to run away from my table (with one eye over my shoulder the whole time) to get a closer look, but sadly didn't have time to try anything on. Rachel's designs are so right up my alley. The geometric patterns and stitching combined with luscious materials and gorgeous color palette rock. I am coveting…

A little about Malagueta and Rachel Sherman from her web site: Rachel is inspired by foliage, architecture, fruits, vegetables, insects, and machinery. Malagueta, in Portuguese, describes a tiny, hot red pepper that grows in Brazil, where her mother was born and Sherman has spent much time. Her lively interpretations of color and pattern pay homage to her passion for nature and music.

It looks like Rachel has an Etsy shop but doesn't have it stocked yet, but you can see more online here. If you're lucky enough to be anywhere near either of two upcoming events Malagueta will be at — run! Get yourselves there!

Galbraith and Paul Sample Sale

December 3

Philadelphia, PA

SoWa Holiday Market
December 10

Boston, MA

Hail to the Lake

2011-11-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Well, not TO the lake. Just at the lake. We had hail here Thursday afternoon — hail! Pea-sized, it quickly coated our deck later turning to flurries. Pretty. A good way to get me in the right frame of mind for my first holiday craft show of the season. I'm in Pittsburgh this weekend for Handmade Arcade, and now my mind is filled with visions of snowflakes, hot chocolate, mittens and roaring fires! Enjoy your Saturday!

Small Craft Launch

2011-11-11T09:02:00.001-05:00

If you're in the Detroit area this weekend, I really want you to go check out the launch of Small Craft on Saturday and report back to me immediately. I so wish I could be there. Amy Cronkite of Handmade Detroit, along with her family, has started what for now will be a pop-up shop with upcycled craft supplies on a pay-as-you-wish basis and workshops for learning new crafts and helping small businesses. They will be launching the whole endeavor on Saturday — it will continue the second Saturday of each month —inside the Trumbullplex Theatre, located at 4210 Trumbull in Detroit. The hope is that it will one day be a brick and mortar shop in Cass Corridor. The launch Staurday includes a free workshop where you can learn to knit a hat or neckwarmer. Or just bring your own project and hang out. I heard they will even have Avalon goodies on hand. Ack! Please, please go!

Why won't I be there? I'm off today to Pittsburgh for tomorrow's Handmade Arcade. I couldn't be more excited but am sad to miss the launch of Small Craft. So again, please, please, please — go, check it out, make something, bring some supplies to donate and then come back to tell me all about it!!

In other news, I am still without my computer. It is making its return this weekend while I am away, so I'm hoping to be back on a more steady stream next week. Fingers crossed.

Mustard and herb chicken

2011-11-08T11:22:00.000-05:00

I have tried many, many recipes involving chicken, mustard and herbs. Many! These ingredients rank high among my favorites, so any recipe involving them catches my attention. I'm here to tell you today though, that I've found the perfect method for preparing this beloved combo. Perfect! (My continuing disclaimer: I have not figured out at all a decent way to photograph in our new place at night. Working on it, but please be patient with these awfully lit ones!)

My latest trend in recipe sourcing is to search "Staff Favorites" on the Food & Wine recipe search. Their favorites are my favorites. I subscribe to the magazine and turn down corners like mad. But I'm much more likely—especially during these busy days of holiday craft show prep—to scramble onto the site and search just minutes before preparing to cook whatever's brewing (or shall I say, peaking) in the fridge. No, this is not a paid advertisement for F&W, I'm just a legit fan. Anyways… below is the five gold star recipe for a fast, mustard chicken weeknight dinner. And yes, real bread crumbs will make all the difference, though whatever kind of bread you have on hand will be fine—it doesn't have to be country bread (though that's mighty tasty). And be sure to make plenty of extra for leftovers!

Mustard and Herb Chicken
via Food & Wine

Two 1-inch slices of country bread, crusts removed, bread torn
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 boneless skin-on chicken thighs (about 6 ounces each)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
Pinch of sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a food processor, pulse the bread until finely shredded. Add the garlic, rosemary and Parmesan, season with salt and pepper and pulse until combined. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and pulse just until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Transfer to a small bowl.

In a medium, ovenproof skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet, skin side down. Cook over moderately high heat until golden, about 6 minutes. Turn the chicken and spread the skin with the mustard. Carefully spoon the bread crumbs onto the chicken, patting them on with the back of the spoon. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken for about 15 minutes, until the crumbs are golden and crisp and the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion and sugar, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat until softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the lemon juice and cook until the liquid has evaporated, 2 minutes longer. Spoon the onion mixture onto 2 plates, top with the chicken and serve.

New business cards!

2011-11-02T17:30:00.000-04:00

I know you're asking yourself, when is this lady ever going to share a recipe again, right? I do have some tricks up my sleeve for you, but in the meantime, I've finally redesigned my business card for the holiday season. As much as people liked this version of my business card, it was hard to make large quantities of them and I would spend whole days behind my table at shows, hunched over, writing my info out. The imagery may look a little familiar to some of you with elements from this piece. So here it is, bear with me. Cooking will return to this place soon, soon, dearies.

2011 Holiday Show Schedule

2011-11-01T08:59:00.000-04:00

This week brought lots of good news and I'm happy to share with you my holiday show schedule. I love this time of year and look forward to seeing as many of you in person, chattin git up, tons o' shopping and festivities. Stay tuned for one or two additions and special events later in the season, but for now, the main events are:

Handmade Arcade

Pittsburgh, PA

Saturday, November 12 • 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Ridge Fine Art & Handmade Wares Show

Ferndale, MI

Saturday, November 19 • 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Detroit Urban Craft Fair

Detroit, MI

Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4 • 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

DIYpsi

Ypsilanti, MI

Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11

And remember, you can always come back here and check out the schedule in the tab at the top of this page, or follow along with the adventures on Facebook.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T13:16:00.000-04:00

Wishing you a spooky Halloween filled with foggy visions and candied treats!

Charleston in pictures

2011-10-28T14:23:00.000-04:00

Well, hello! It's been longer than I expected and I still don't have my computer back. But thankfully I was able to get my hands on a loaner and so here I am to send you off into the weekend with a little bit of our trip to Charleston. So sit back, and enjoy!

I was on some kind of crazy early-to-bed, early-to-rise schedule just about the whole trip. This is so not me, but I really enjoyed it. I would sneak off to the best, most beautiful coffee shop ever right next door: Hope and Union. Such a great space and wonderful single-origin coffees.

One of the mornings I rode one of the bikes at our rental down to the harbor to take in the early morning light and views. This trip was all about the water.

Oh, right. Who am I kidding? It was all about the food. Boiled peanuts start your meal right at the incredible Hominy Grill. Shrimp and grits? Check.

We had my mom's birthday dinner at McCrady's. I can't even tell you how good the whole meal and experience was. We made our reservation before one of the New York Times critics wrote that this is the best place in the United States to eat outside of New York. This is not a place or dining experience where you take photos, you just sit back, soak it all in and enjoy — which is exactly what we did. You enter through the alleyway door seen above into a dark cave of brick and loveliness. The menu was unique, locally sourced and way interesting enough to satisfy the two foodies at the table while not making our parents feel uncomfortable or dissatisfied with the offerings, And then once the food started arriving, we all gushed and oohed and melted. Divine.

The monarch butterflies agreed that it was a perfect time to visit Charleston.

Other notables? Fabulous menswear store: Indigo & Cotton. Shrimp po boy at Boulevard Dinner. Cinnamon rolls at Bakehouse. Ceviche at Hank's Seafood. Scallops at Sermet's on Daniel Island. Well, now I need a snack just thinking about it all.

Have a great weekend!

Electrical bomb dropped

2011-10-24T17:23:00.000-04:00

I am just returned from dropping my workhorse of a computer at the Apple store. The power supply appears to have been fried during a major electrical storm we had last night. I'm trying my best not to panic, but in the meantime, I'll be a bit slow on the updates. I have photos from Charleston to share, but it will have to wait for another day.

Flown the coop

2011-10-14T13:00:00.005-04:00

These are a couple of my sad attempts to capture the Sandhill cranes that have been hanging around these days. I'm fascinated by their prehistoric cries, red throats and gangly strut.

But what I'm really here to tell you is that I've flown the coop. I'm headed south to surprise my mom for her birthday and, with some of the rest of the family, whisk her off for several fun-filled days in Charleston, SC. I'll be back the week of October 24 filled, I'm quite certain, with tales of eating and adventure!

Reclaimed at River's Edge Gallery

2011-10-13T17:07:00.002-04:00

Curated by Dennis and Christina Jacobs of Perfect Laughter, Reclaimed: A Resurrection of Found Objects is a group show opening at River's Edge Gallery in Wyandotte next Friday, October 21 at 6 p.m. The couple—known for both their outstanding printmaking work and their popular arts blog—have gathered a formidable collection of artists to contribute to the show and I couldn't be more honored to be included in the mix. The opening corresponds with Wyandotte's Third Friday so there will be plenty else to do and see in the area, so please come and show your support for the local art scene!

Above is a little sneak peak at my piece for the show. It has panoramic dimensions making it quite difficult to photograph, so please bear with these less-than-stellar shots. And now a little back story…

As you may already know, we moved into a new house in July. I wanted to do something related to this for the show and handily found this broken down mirror tucked away in a back corner of the basement under a pile of old shutters.

I removed the glass and in doing so managed to mangle what remained of the decorative embellishments on top — and so decided to remove them all.

I used the broken mirror bits as a stencil to trace out the necessary shapes and then cut them out from scraps of sketch paper that had been used in one block printing endeavor or another.

I wanted to build up the surface to a workable thickness on which I could draw. I used bits of pages from a typing manual I picked up at a thrift store recently — I bought it for the cover and then have done nothing with it since! My first layer was bubbly and uneven, so I continued to add layers trying to make it smooth. In the end I added a final layer of newsprint that worked out better than the rest. I then added several layers of gesso and—at last—began to draw…

I knew I wanted the piece to be related to our new house in some way. As I showed you in this "Chandelier Madness" post, the place is filled with multiple chandeliers in every room — including the bathrooms — so it seemed appropriate to focus on those. They give our home such character — plus they're super fun to draw.

You'll have to come down to the show to really see, as these photos are terrible. Plus you'll get to see a show chock full of amazing artists. It runs through November 18.

Liberty Local recap and treasures

2011-10-11T15:00:00.067-04:00

When I said a couple of photos from Liberty Local, I meant just that: two. Yikes! I thought I had taken more, but must have gotten distracted by all the goodies around me. Above is a look at my display and then, below, just one of the many amazing origami designs by my table neighbor, Beth Johnson.

These penguins are from her web site and I strongly encourage you to go visit for more. Beth also has diagrams to learn from and all kinds of useful info. She was super fun to be next to and I enjoyed listening to her talk about her work so passionately.

I made several purchases at the show—I couldn't help myself! I've admired Sarah Place-Minshall's sewn goods for some time now. (She makes them under the name Hip to Piece Squares. Cute, right?!) I hadn't bought anything before because I literally want it all and can never decide. She has such spot on taste in color and fabric design. I've especially wanted a pair of her kimono house shoes and finally got some—and the super cute pencil case— both seen above. I was also extremely tempted by this, this and this. Someone go buy them before I do—please!

I also picked up one of these awesome "Hell Yeah" tees for the boy. I seriously wanted one for myself, too and am regretting not snagging two. They are made by Alisa Bobzien who has a great sense of humor and style. I was also tempted by her sweet Michigan constellation tee:

What did you get up to last weekend? It was great to see those of you who could stop by the show and I look forward to seeing the rest of you somewhere's soon!

Northern water views

2011-10-10T14:09:00.000-04:00

Last weekend the boy and I were headed up to Toronto to visit some friends for several days. I was looking forward to glorious urban wandering, leisurely sipping coffee here and there, maybe taking in some art. But mostly wandering. At the last minute, we got the call that we were being whisked off for a lake retreat instead — and let me tell you, while I was sad to miss the urban wanderings, the weekend, setting and company was perfection! Apologies for not filling you in sooner, but it's been crazy hectic around here these days. I'll have plenty of updates soon, but thought I would start with a few water views and sunsets.

I spent this most recent weekend as a vendor at Liberty Local at the Ann Arbor Art Center and had a wonderful time. I'll have a few photos, highlights and new finds for you tomorrow. Until then…

Whimsical Fiber Birds from Mary Katz

2011-10-03T08:00:00.002-04:00

Isn't this little fellow sweet? He was my favorite in a show full of favorites. Mary Katz's exhibit, Whimsical Nature: Fiber Birds is on display at the University of Michigan's Taubman Health Center through October 10.

I met Mary last fall at the Renegade Craft Show in Chicago. We were neighbors and I fell in love with her beautifully crafted birds made from recycled thrift store finds. She is also a kind, kind soul. I especially love the pieces made from what appears to be suiting material—tweeds and herringbone and the like—such as the killdeer above. Each bird or set of birds is thoughtfully displayed with natural elements—perched on a branch, or marching across a crosscut slice of log.

The show is little bit hard to find, but well worth the hunt. It's open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, so there's plenty of time to take peak. You can also view more of Mary's work in her Etsy shop, Mary's Flora Fauna.

New Schwinn bicycle art in the shop!

2011-09-30T12:12:00.000-04:00

At last! I've been wanting to draw my bicycle for quite some time. It is near and dear to me and comes with a bit of back story. It took a little nudge on Twitter to send me in the right direction… and now I have a fun new print in the shop!

The story: I fell in love with this lovely red Schwinn bicycle on a road trip many years ago. I was in Seattle for an amazing stop that included Bumbershoot, thrifting and lots of coffee drinking. This red beauty was leaning against a chain-link fence at a Seattle flea market and I knew it had to be mine. I bought a cheap, rickety bicycle rack and hauled the dreamy Schwinn all over the U.S. on the back of my little Saturn — unloading it every time I had to get into the trunk.

This included a flat tire in the swamps of Louisiana that I was sure would end with me inside the belly of a large gator. Thankfully, it did not, though it did deter my plans to visit the Tabasco factory. The photo above is the only one I could find with the car and bike — it's a little hard to make out, but I know it's there. I stopped to take this picture because I couldn't believe it was snowing in Texas—or how desolate and depressed it seemed.

So I happily made it back to New York with the Schwinn. When I brought it in for a tune-up, the local shop was super excited about it and told me that the Magic Hat symbol on it meant it was made pre-1964 (I think that's the year?) because Schwinn stopped using that symbol after that.

I cane very close to selling my sweet bike before moving here to Michigan—a dear friend in New York I knew would truly appreciate it and really wanted it — but at the last minute, I couldn't go through with it. And so the Schwinn is still here with me and long overdue for a drawing dedicated to her.

Updates and Lemongrass chicken recipe

2011-09-28T13:54:00.000-04:00

Holy cow! I'm becoming a once a week blogger. Sincere apologies, lovelies. I've been missing you and hyper busy, but wanted to stop in for a quick hello. Oh, and tell you about this tasty chicken recipe. But first a few itty-bitty updates.

1. I had super-fun at the Saline Harvest of the Arts last weekend and met some amazing people from the Two Twelve Arts Center. I can't wait to check out more of their activities and offerings! You might wanna do the same.

2. I'll be at one more craft show this fall: Liberty Local at the Ann Arbor Arts Center, Saturday October 7 and Sunday, October 8. There is an awesome line up of vendors—this promises to be a great show! Check it out here.

3. The Detroit Free Press gave a nice little shout out to my Wellie boot prints here. In honor of this little mention, I've made it super easy (and with a wee discount) to purchase three prints at once in my Etsy shop here.

Okay, okay. You've made it this far. Thanks for playing along. Back to that chicken recipe. Epicurious calls this, "Grilled Lemongrass Chicken with Red Quinoa and Vegetables," but it's really all about the chicken marinade. So we're going to go with that bit—you can find the whole recipe here, but this chicken is SO amazing, you won't even notice what's being served with it as long as it can be slathered with the sauce. Gawd, it's good.

Lemongrass Chicken

Serves 2.

3 medium shallots, roughly chopped
2 stalks fresh lemongrass (tough outer leaves removed)
1 piece ginger (about 1 1/2 inches), peeled
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each)

Puree shallots, lemongrass, ginger, 1/4 cup oil, lime juice, tamari, sugar, sea salt, pepper, and coriander in a blender until smooth. Place chicken in a baking dish and spoon on marinade, rubbing it on all sides. Cover; chill 1/2 to 2 hours.

Heat a grill pan or skillet over high heat; coat with cooking spray. Cook chicken, (reserving the marinade) turning once, for 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, turning once, until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove chicken; let rest two minutes.

Meanwhile, bring marinade to a low boil over medium heat. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes.

Slice each breast on the diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces and spoon sauce over.

*Alternately, you can marinade chicken in half the sauce and reserve the remainder to serve with the chicken at room temperature.

Enjoy!

DIY Street Fair and 2012 Illustrated Wall Calendar

2011-09-21T15:24:00.000-04:00

Here's a look at my tent at this past weekend's amazing DIY Street Fair in Ferndale. I don't have many photos beyond that, because I didn't make my way too much beyond that! It was a super busy, busy successful weekend and I thank everyone who came out and supported all the wonderful vendors.

I had run out of business cards recently, but didn't wan to order more just yet because I want to redesign them a bit. Instead, I punched out circles from some of my misprints and wrote all my info on them — people seemed to dig it. Hmmmm… do I still need traditional cards?!

I also debuted my new 2012 illustrated wall calendar — and it was a hit! I sold out early on Saturday, took orders to ship and then rushed home to bundle up some more for the final day! It is now available in my Etsy shop, too.

This, that and the other…

2011-09-14T23:16:00.000-04:00

Lots of updates for you, so I'm going to keep it short and sweet and assorted. First up, I'm over on the Blue House blog today with a new Eye Candy theme: The Circus! Head on over to have a look at some of the great images I found related to the circus.

Next up: This weekend is the DIY Street Fair in Ferndale. I'll be a vendor there in booth #43 (just about the same spot I was in last year). This is one of my favorite shows of the year and as a special treat, I will be releasing my new — hot-of-the-presses — illustrated 2012 calendar.

And last but not least, I am so pleased to be part of the new Poppytalk Handmade "Mixed Tape" market. This is a stellar virtual craft fair and I am at lucky table number 99. There is an amazing collection of artists in this market, so please do go poke around on the site.

That's it for now, lovely readers — have a great day!

Kerrytown BoookFest

2011-09-13T08:17:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday, I participated in the Kerrytown BookFest for the first time. I was so excited to be there because this was one of the first events I went to when I first moved to Ann Arbor. It helped me fall in love with this town very quickly. With speakers, workshops, book signings, artists and events, there is so much to take at. My favorite part is always the displays of book and letterpress artists. I also got to visit with some of my favorite crafty ladies: Chicalookate, Dang Argyle and Fartsy Arts (yes, they have real names, but why not throw around a little business lingo?!)

I was so crazy happy—and honored—to receive the award for best booth given to the exhibitor who has "the most attractive and engaging presentation," as judged by Lynn Yates, the Exhibitor Coordinator and noted artist, designer and teacher Susan Skarsgard. What?! Yowza! A good day, through and through. Thank you all so much!

Pork Banh Mi: The best sandwich I know

2011-09-12T09:55:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday, everyone! I have so many things to tell you, I wasn't sure where to start. And then I realized that I owe you a recipe, big time. So I am starting there. Banh mi are one of my all-time favorite sandwiches. If you're not familiar, it is a Vietnamese sandwich with many variations but the basics are some kind of meat filling—often a pate of some sort—pickled vegetables, chiles, cilantro all gathered up on a baguette. The banh mi recipe here is with incredibly flavorful pork meatballs and a spicy Sriracha-based mayo spread. The original recipe called for sliced, fresh jalapenos, too, but with the mayo, I didn't think it needed any more spice — feel free to add to yours though! I used cucumbers in the pickled veggies because that's what we had, but I definitely plan on trying it with the daikon, too.

Pork Meatball Banh Mi
Adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2010

Spicy Chili Mayo:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)*

Pickled vegetables:
2 cups carrots, julienned
2 cups daikon or cucumber, julienned
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Meatballs:
1 pound ground pork
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)*
1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
4 10-inch-long individual baguettes or four 10-inch-long pieces French-bread baguette (cut from 2 baguettes)
16 large fresh cilantro sprigs

Stir all ingredients for the spicy mayo in a small bowl. Season with salt. Cover and chill.

Toss the ingredients for the pickled vegetables in a medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature for one hour, tossing occasionally.

Line rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Gently mix all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Using moistened hands and a scant tablespoonful for each, roll meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange on baking sheet. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat sesame oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of meatballs. Sauté until brown and cooked through, turning meatballs often and lowering heat if browning too quickly, about 15 minutes. Transfer meatballs to another rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven. Repeat with remaining meatballs.

Cut each baguette or baguette piece horizontally in half. Pull out enough bread from each bread half to leave 1/2-inch-thick shell. Spread hot chili mayo over each bread shell. Arrange cilantro in bottom halves. Fill each with 1/4 of meatballs. Drain pickled vegetables; place atop meatballs. Press on baguette tops.

This was the boy's reaction to this tasty sandwich. Need I say more?!

Catching up, finding time

2011-09-09T14:01:00.000-04:00

Hello, hello, hello! The August Break somehow transformed itself into the early September break, break. I do apologize, but I have lots to show and tell — and promise to do so next week, including several ridiculously delicious recipes. I've been busy, busy getting ready for a steady stream of local shows that I hope you'll be able to make it to, starting this Sunday with the Kerrytown Bookfest in Ann Arbor. The above is a little peak at one of the new items I have in the works — it's still in process, but I thought you might like to have a taste.

As a little apology for my absence, here's a few links that I really enjoyed this week: (If you follow along on Facebook, you may have already seen some of these)

• Ann Lamott on finding time

• Typewritten wisdom

• Yummers

• I want to go to there

• Amazing DIY project with cowboy boots

• Friday laughter with squirrels

Have a wonderful, wonderful weekend and I hope you'll check back in next week for some tasty treasures.

Banana stand

2011-08-30T22:42:00.000-04:00

Ann Arbor's very own tribute to Arrested Development. Love.

The sun, the sun

2011-08-29T08:50:00.000-04:00

The approaching storm

2011-08-26T09:58:00.004-04:00

We're having gorgeous weather today, but these are few photos from a storm we had Wednesday night. It was incredible. I waded out into the lake up to my thighs with my camera (and my dress tucked into my underwear, thank you very much) and was in awe. It was so cinematic and unreal, living and breathing, large and frothy. Thinking of everyone on the east coast this weekend and the approaching Irene.

Flowers for a gray day

2011-08-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

Close ups

2011-08-24T19:35:00.000-04:00

Hopscotchin' through summer

2011-08-23T19:29:00.000-04:00

Lazy Sunday

2011-08-22T09:25:00.000-04:00

I took a little break from house projects yesterday afternoon to enjoy the glorious weather and lay back in a lounge chair and take in this scene, read a little and doze a little. Ahhhh…

Flowers on Friday

2011-08-19T17:09:00.002-04:00

Refrigerator pickles

2011-08-18T09:54:00.000-04:00

Chandelier Madness

2011-08-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Apparently the previous owner of our house is an antique dealer—we've got the chandeliers to prove it.

Lakeland love

2011-08-16T08:00:00.000-04:00

I love my new post office — isn't it sweet and quaint.
AND, it's in Lakeland. Mmmmm.

DIYpsi Indie Art Fair & Craft Show

2011-08-15T09:27:00.000-04:00

A fun time was had by all at the second DIYpsi event in Depot Town this Saturday. Thanks to everyone who came out — it was so nice to see so many familiar faces and good friends!

happy weekend

2011-08-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

Cool mornings, warm waters.

Food Cart Lunchin'

2011-08-12T09:27:00.000-04:00

Fueling creativity at the food carts with the Dang Argyle. Watermelon Gazpacho from Debajo del Sol, steamed bun trio from San Street Food and ice cream sandwiches from The Lunch Room. The Dang and I will be sharing a table at DIYpsi this Saturday. Come say howdy!

A rainbow of fruit flavors

2011-08-11T08:18:00.001-04:00

Heirloom tomato rainbow from Stone Coop Farm in Brighton, MI.

Big Sky Michigan Day

2011-08-10T19:07:00.000-04:00

The Official August Break

2011-08-09T15:56:00.000-04:00

Hello! What's all that sparkle and shine, you ask?! Well, let me tell you: As of today, I have signed on for The August Break, or TAB, as I think I might like to call it. Launched by photographer Susannah Conway, TAB involves posting one (or more) photographs per day on the blog, Monday to Friday, or every day or just so much as the spirit moves you. So instead of a full-blown post or recipe or inspirational roundup or what have you, I'll be posting some everyday photos from now until the end of August. I may include some text here and there -- then again, I may not. This is meant not only as "a little break from the pressures and expectations of regular blogging," but also as a reminder for me to be more present this summer by gazing at August through the camera lens. What do you think? Are you game? Want to play along? It'll be fun.

DIYpsi preview

2011-08-08T12:27:00.000-04:00

I am super excited to be doing a show close to home this coming weekend. On Saturday I will be one of more than 35 artists and makers at the indie art fair called D.I.Ypsi from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Woodruff's in Ypsilanti. I thought I'd give you a glimpse at some of the crafty goodness that's going to be there. There is such a deep pool of talent for this show that I had a hard time narrowing my preview picks. In the end, I decided to highlight a list of goodies I've never seen in person thinking maybe you haven't either and will be tempted to come on down and check them out.

Cascading Ball Jar Chandelier

BootsnGus

Made in Detroit Belt Buckle

Vintage in Retrospect

Chuppys and Chuplettes

Chuppy Love

Commissioned illustration for Bettula

Kelly Mitchell Fine Art & Illustration

Do you see what I mean? So much goodness. You have all day Saturday to drop by down in Depot Town and check out the wares, grab a beer and a bite and walk away with something handmade by one of your neighbors. Do it!

Corn!!! Can't get enough of it.

2011-08-05T10:45:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday, everyone! Wow, it's so hard to believe it's August, you know? I wanted to share with you this photo of our back door. I am in love with this screen door. Sun pours in in the morning and I can see all kinds of luscious green out through the dappled sunlight. Ahhhh.

Well, actually, the real reason I am sharing this photo, is that I have a tasty soup recipe to show you and—after eating it three times this week—I still haven't been able to take a tasty looking photo of it. Ha! Nonetheless, I will plow ahead…

I know you're also thinking, "Soup? In the summer?… I think I'll pass." But if like me you are obsessed with the fresh corn right now you are probably finding yourself buying more than you can possibly eat while it is still fresh. I'm a wee bit of a corn snob and kinda refuse to eat it if I didn't buy it that day from a local farm — maybe one day later, but that's it. No grocery store corn. Can't do it. Extreme, I know, but there it is. So I keep buying more corn when I have day-old corn waiting at home (or even if I think this corn might be better than the corn I bought just minutes before — yikes! What if I miss out?!?). So last weekend with way too much corn on hand to eat on the cob, I made this yummy recipe from Heidi Swanson. It tastes like summery goodness, so even if you make it and freeze a good bit for a cold December day… you should try it!

Corn Soup
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

6 ears corn, husks removed
7 cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice

4 medium shallots, chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. While it is heating cut the kernels off the cobs, reserving them in a bowl. Place the cobs in the boiling water. Turn down to low and simmer while you're prepping the rest of the ingredients, ideally 15-30 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, stir until well-coated, add a big pinch of salt, and saute until the potatoes are cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. When the potatoes are nearly cooked, add the shallots and garlic.

Remove the cobs from the broth when you're ready and add the potato mixture, along with the corn kernels and salt. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes. For a chunky soup, puree about half of the soup and pour into a separate bowl as you puree it. Pour the puree back into the remaining chunkier soup and stir to combine. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.

Heidi served this with plain yogurt, salted and a swirl of harissa paste. I took one of her other suggestions though and crumbled a little feta on top and sprinkled with fresh, chopped dill. Yummers!

Illustrating a lifestyle…

2011-08-03T13:09:00.002-04:00

Doesn't this look like a terrific spot to while away the hours and conjure up copy? It's a little view of the office of Shannon Darrough—lifestyle journalist, social media guru and style maven extraordinaire. I recently completed these drawings for Shannon's web site and had a blast working on them. I loved imagining and drawing the same scene from different angles and with similar elements in all. Fun!

Free Form Birthday Blueberry Tart

2011-08-01T15:37:00.002-04:00

At last! I've found my way back into the kitchen. It took my birthday for it to happen, but I finally felt the itch to do a little cooking and it was such fun. I spent a good portion of a beautiful Saturday puttering around after a visit to the Brighton Farmer's Market — my new Saturday haunt! We grilled a whole chicken which I can not say enough about. If you have the time, it well worth it because tat's all the effort you need. A little olive oil, salt, pepper and about an hour and a half of cooking time — the taste is just incredible. For dessert I made this blueberry tart which I think you're going to love. (I'm still adjusting to the lighting in the new place so bear with the photography…)

The recipe was part of an article in this month's Food & Wine about the Island Creek oyster farm in Duxbury Bay in Massachusetts. I absolutely love oysters and the photos of a little floating shack out in the bay with people coming out in the evenings to cook together and eat and relax… sigh. It sounded so dreamy. I want to make all the oyster recipes, but for now settled on this tart with blueberries fresh from a Michigan farm. The crust is quite similar to this fall tart I love to make and the taste reminded me that I need to make more tarts! There is a hint of candied ginger in the crust and next time I think I will add even a bit more than the tablespoon called for in the recipe.

Free-Form Blueberry Tart
via Food & Wine

Pastry
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon minced candied ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water

Filling

1/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups blueberries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 egg white, beaten
In a food processor, combine the 1 1/2 cups of flour with the candied ginger and salt and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until it is the size of small peas. Sprinkle on the ice water and pulse just until the pastry starts to come together. Turn the pastry out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat it into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until firm.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a 14-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Fold the pastry in half (I like to fold it over the rolling pin) and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Unfold the pastry and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

While the pastry is chilling, make the filling and preheat the oven to 375°. In a large bowl, mix the 1/4 cup of sugar with the lemon zest and flour. Fold in the blueberries and lemon juice and let stand for 15 minutes. (I added a couple of peaches to the mix but they melted away to almost nothing. The blueberries are the star here.)

Spoon the blueberries in the center of the pastry, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border all around. Fold the pastry border up and over the blueberries, pleating it as necessary. Brush the egg white on the pastry and sprinkle with sugar (raw sugar is lovely if you have it). Bake for about 55 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let the tart cool to warm. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Longshot: The Magazine

2011-07-29T10:16:00.000-04:00

What are you doing this afternoon? In just four short hours, the theme will be announced for Issue Two of Longshot magazine. Then, over the following 48-hour period, creative people from here there and everywhere will come together over the interwebs to make a magazine from start to finish. As it says on the Longshot site:

"We need writers, photographers, illustrators, videographers, information designers, editors, proof readers, fact checkers, baristas, chefs, bartenders, and carpenters. (Especially bartenders). We want submissions ranging from 140 characters to 4,000 words. Please send us your strongly reported narratives, design fictions, interviews, data visualizations, cartoons, family portraits, how-to guides, maps, obscure histories, recipes, war reporting, photo-essays, blueprints, ships’ logs, scientific papers, charticles, wood cuts, curio boxes, product reviews, and box scores.

We want you to make it. We want to publish it first. We don’t want your rights."

Submissions are accepted for twenty-four hours after the theme is announced and then the next 24 hours are used to put together the magazine which is then published at noon on Sunday (PST).

Depending on the theme, I'm considering putting together a drawing to submit. Looking at the past two issues, it seems that writing is the focus and that the art is directly related to articles submitted, so I'm not exactly sure how that all works, but it sounds fun nonetheless. So writers write, photographers photograph, and illustrators illustrate — and then let's all get together and send them in to make a fab mag.

Let's get creative this Friday afternoon!

Necessity is the mother of invention

2011-07-26T12:16:00.000-04:00

I have something funny to tell you: Three weeks to the day that we started moving into our new home, I finally planned to cook a meal. Go to turn on the stove... nothing. That's right, it took me three full weeks to discover that our stove wasn't even plugged in. For someone who more often than not blogs about recipes, this cracks me up. Thankfully one of our best -- and most generous -- housewarming gifts was a grill and we had already planned for the main part of the meal to be cooked on that. One tip I learned is that if you have an electric kettle, you're in steamed veggie business.

In recent years I have changed my corn cooking ways from boiling a huge pot of water to boiling just and inch or so of water in a skillet to steam it. Good fresh corn grown locally really needs very little heat to release its tenderness. I prefer to eat it after the main part of the meal -- kind of like the best summer dessert ever -- and usually steam it and then place it on a platter wrapped in a clean kitchen towel until we're ready to dive in. This time, I boiled water in the electric kettle, poured it into a wide skillet, popped in the corn and let it sit with the lid on while we ate. When we pulled it from the pan it was absolutely perfect! I may just stick with this technique from here on out.

Do you have any great meal ideas that are cooked exclusively on the grill? Let me know in the comments below and I'll let you know what I come up with this week as the stove is gonna need some ruminating and fixin!

Kids Art Fair

2011-07-21T13:17:00.000-04:00

Every year on the Monday night before the start of the Ann Arbor Art Fair, the original Street Fair team puts on the Townie Street Party with live music, food drinks and free hands-on art activities to get the locals in the spirit of the fair. One of the highlights of the Townie Party is the Kids Art Fair. Young artists in grades 1 through 8 from across the county work for months to put together displays and art for the fair. The level of professionalism was incredible this year and I was extremely impressed. I was a bad blogger, forgot my camera and didn't even get the artist's name, but I purchased the above origami piece from a sweet young girl who makes magic with paper.

This next item is a calendar created by Ella Markley. I met Ella a while back at Blue House where she had seen the 2011 calendar I designed. Her version is so well-executed and thoughtful -- great things are in store for this budding artist!

She got all the details right from the Lollipop Designs name to the themed drawings for each month. My particular favorites are the mailbox overflowing with love letters in February and the two girls -- Ella and her best friend -- watching the fireworks in July.

If you didn't make it to this year's Townie Party, don't miss next year to see the next round of Kids art! You're sure to be inspired.

Cobblestone Farm

2011-07-19T13:08:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been to Cobblestone Farm in Ann Arbor? It's like a heavenly slice of nineteenth century rural life right in the middle of town. I recently did this little drawing of the barn to help promote it as a rental property so if you're looking for a place to host your wedding or big family reunion, check it out!

Crafter Love from Chatty Crafty!

2011-07-18T16:49:00.000-04:00

Hello! The boy and I are still in between spaces and shuttling boxes between our apartment and the new place, so my blogging schedule is a bit off — not to mention I haven't cooked a thing in ages! But we're slowly getting there and I hope to be back on track soon with new recipes from a new kitchen and new creative endeavors. In the meantime, a long overdue look at two vendors I was introduced to at Chatty Crafty back in June. The collection of vendors at this show was just stellar. I just loved the booth of Let's Be Friends (above and below).

The creative mastermind behind Let's Be Friends is Felicia and she has such a great eye for creating an environment for her critters. Look at the emotion she manages from that sewed fellow up top — love!

The other booth I swooned over was Ophelia Terrariums. I'm a sucker for the recent explosion of terrarium happiness, but these gals are over the top. There is such detail in each one — a variety of earth layers in different colors, a wide range of plants and plenty of little people and animals and scenes to adore. The images below are all from the super-talented Shashank Shrestha who volunteered his time and energies to take hundreds of remarkable photos at the show.

Eye Candy over at Blue House

2011-07-14T16:48:00.000-04:00

Finca Bellavista, Costa Rica via Adventure Journal

No, that's not my on that zip line headed to my new life, but I am over on the Blue House blog today with another round of Eye Candy. This time we're looking at—no surprise here—cabins! Come on over and play along, why don'tcha?!

North Fork Foodie Tour

2011-07-13T11:32:00.003-04:00

Once again, it's the North Fork Foodie Tour! Here's a look at the design I did for this year's poster. If you're anywhere near the North Fork of Long Island in September, don't miss this fantastic event!

Dream houses

2011-07-07T08:09:00.000-04:00

Several years ago, before I had moved to Michigan, my good friend BE sent me this photo. This is the house she envisioned for me. A dreamy, dreamy fog layered island home with canoes and trees in abundance. I've kept this photo in my email inbox ever since as an enticing vision of what could be.

And now, four years later, this is a little glimpse of where the boy and I have landed. If she had told me that back then, I would have scoffed. Who could be so lucky?!

Bringing it Home: Art in the Park

2011-07-06T10:25:00.001-04:00

At last! A local show. It's been great fun traveling for so many shows this spring, but I miss seeing all my local peeps! Come on out and say hello this weekend in Plymouth where I'll be a vendor at Art in the Park. I was so pleased and honored when they contacted me earlier in the spring to use my drawing for their posters. This is three full days with hundreds of vendors — hooray! I'll be in booth #801 on the northeast corner of Main Street and Penniman Avenue. You can check out the official guidebook for the show here.

p.s. photos of the house to come soon… promise!

Friday's To Do List

2011-07-01T09:14:00.001-04:00

Magic Margin illustration

2011-06-30T08:00:00.014-04:00

Allow me to introduce you to Magic Margin: The Classroom Typewriter Project Blog. I had the pleasure of working with Ryan Adney on a new banner for Magic Margin. Ryan is a high school English teacher in Phoenix using typewriters as a learning tool in his classroom.

The typewriter project, as it says on the blog, "is designed to get children to write without distraction." With about fifteen classic machines in the classroom, Ryan encourages his student to journal using whatever method they choose.

"As you can guess, there are not too many people who use typewriters in their 21st century classrooms," he says. "I try to keep the technology in my classroom democratic; students can use whatever they want. It just so happens that the typewriter is the best. Well, I think that there is magic to be found being outside what is normally expected for an English classroom." Wow! I think these kids are mighty lucky to have a teacher with such vision.

Here's a look at a couple of the student typecasts:

As any of you who have visited my booth or table at a craft show may have noticed, I love typewriters and like to incorporate my grandmothers' typewriters into my display. It is always children who are most intrigued by them and I love the way they stare and hesitate. I stare, too! I just love looking at—and drawing—typewriters. Apparently Ryan has a big old Royal HH on his desk in the classroom, so that seemed the obvious choice for the banner.

The blog is very active and I encourage you to check out more of the student typecasts — and to try your hand at a little old-fashioned typing!

Nashville's Hatch Show Print

2011-06-29T10:31:00.001-04:00

On my recent trip to Chattanooga for Chatty Crafty (more on that soon!), my traveling pals—Courtney Fischer and Laura Berger—and I decided we needed a little taste of Nashville on our trip home. One of the highlights of our stop was visiting Hatch Show Print. Now part of the Country Music Hall of Fame, this letterpress printing shop has been churning out stunning letterpress gig posters and more since 1897. The early years were country music, vaudeville, circus shows and more. Nowadays, everyone from the Beastie Boys and Andrew Bird to Ira Glass and the Trans Siberian Orchestra seek out Hatch for their unique style. You can see a great selection of their more recent posters on gigposters.

The cats of Hatch figure very heavily into some of their designs. We witnessed this little fellow live and in person (in cat?!) mowing down on a little mouse dinner the night before when we walked by the shop after hours.

P.S. Chronicle published a great book about Hatch in 2001.

Massaged Kale Salad

2011-06-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

This is one of those things that I noticed one morning and then seemed to see it everywhere — massaged kale salad. This, of course, means that I had to try it. Basically, you massage sea salt into the kale (preferably dinosaur aka lacinato kale) with your fingertips. This softens the kale and releases its natural moisture and bitterness making it lusciously smooth and tender. This dressing is the perfect pairings of flavors and textures, too, with a nice kick from the ginger and the honey and lemon flavors melding it all together and softening it. I made half a batch for a delicious weekday lunch — mmmm!

Massaged Kale Salad
Adapted from Eating is Art
Serves 2-4

1 bunch kale
1/2-1 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons lemon juice (one whole lemon)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 apple (cored and sliced)
6 radishes (sliced)
1 avocado
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread sunflower seeds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or so. Remove and let cool.

Rinse the kale well and then cut into 1/4 inch wide strips and place in a large bowl. (I prefer to remove the stems, but if you'd like, with the dinosaur kale, it's not really necessary.) Take about a half teaspoon of sea salt and sprinkle it over kale. Then, using your hands, massage and squeeze the kale vigorously, so that the kale softens and moisture begins to sweat out. Taste it to see if you need any more salt, which you probably will. Massage the kale until it’s moist and tender.

Mix together the lemon juice, honey, and ginger. Toss together with the kale. Add the apple, radish, avocado, roasted sunflower seeds and some freshly ground black pepper. Toss again to combine.

Enjoy!

Put a Bird on It!

2011-06-23T16:45:00.000-04:00

Yes, that's right. Put a Bird on It. A handful of birds made their debut on the brand-spanking new Frayed Sew web site this afternoon. I had a great time working on this project with Becky who runs this fantastic little handmade shop in Helena, Montana. I haven't had a chance to visit in person—yet—but the photos show just how charming it must be!To see the birds in their natural habitat, go here now!

And now I'm off to pack the car for my last out-of-town show of the season in Chattanooga for this weekend's Chatty Crafty show. hooray!

Final Taste of Spring: Shaved Asparagus Salad

2011-06-17T15:20:00.000-04:00

Depending where you are, asparagus season may be just about coming to a close. It is here and I've been trying to take full advantage and eat my fill — practically daily. In case you've grown sick of it — gasp — here is a nice variation I had not tried before. It's asparagus in the raw and it's the kind of thing that just can't be done with bland grocery store asparagus. No exact measurements are given — it's all just to taste. You really can't go wrong.

Shaved Asparagus Salad with Lemon and Parmesan
From Smitten Kitchen

1/4 cup pine nuts or sliced almonds 1 pound asparagus, rinsed (No need to snap off the tough ends)
1 lemon, halved
Olive oil
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 ounces Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread nuts on rimmed baking sheet in single layer and toast for 5 to 10 minutes. DO set a timer and keep a close eye on things. They turn golden in a flash and then burn in a jiffy. We've all done it!

To shave asparagus, rest a single stalk on a cutting board while holding onto the tough end. Use a vegetable peeler to shave off thin asparagus ribbons from stalk to tip, peeling away from the tough end in your hand. I'm sure a Y-shaped peeler would make this a breeze, but I used a standard one and it worked just fine. Discard the tough ends once you’re done peeling.

Pile one-third of your ribbons on a medium-sized serving platter. Squeeze some lemon juice over the asparagus, drizzle it with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Toss gently and then use your peeler to shave curls of Parmesan right off the block, over the asparagus. Sprinkle with some toasted nuts.

Repeat with remaining asparagus, a third of the remaining bundle at a time. Serve immediately.

Indieana Handicraft Recap

2011-06-16T08:00:00.006-04:00

First up: Sunday Afternoon Housewife. I met this clever, clever gal—the other Martha—at last December's Bazaar Bizarre in Cleveland and she was kind enough to play hostess for the weekend. She and her husband Mark live in a gorgeous old house with a menagerie of sweet beasties. Martha makes really fun Scrabble Tile pendants, glass tile pendants and silk screened tees. Her blog is a great source for crafty advice, tips and more.

Jess from Paper Acorn was also a guest at Martha's and it was great to have the chance to hang out with this lovely crafter who is a spectacular paper artist. Her display — as are her products — was as refined and beautiful as ever.

Oh my goodness! Aren't these the greatest?! These hand-crafted birds by Carol Davidson aka Davidson Handmade are just magnificent. She does not appear to be online, so all you get are these photos. Sigh…

Last but not least, Detroit's finest were on hand: Perfect Laughter was in the house with their latest in display perfection to showcase their silkscreened beauties. Their name banner was hand stenciled by Dennis — amazing! I am coveting, coveting, coveting their "The Cure for Anything is Salt Water: Sweat, Tears or the Sea" print.

The Nomadic Pickle Project

2011-06-15T10:21:00.000-04:00

Did you happen to notice the pickle in my post a few days back? I hinted at him, but didn't want to reveal too much too soon. You see, the pickle blogs and I wanted to give him time to get his posts together. Yep, that's right: A blogging pickle. Now that he's ready… ahem… I'd like to formally introduce Mr. Pickle, aka the Nomadic Pickle. He was born out of crafty genius by Amanda and now travels the land with whomsoever will have him — friends and strangers alike. And then he blogs about it.

I had the pleasure of Mr. P's company two weekends in a row. You can read about his fishing adventures with my family in South Carolina here and follow his crafty journey with me to Indianapolis for the Indieana Handicraft Exchange here.

So how 'bout it? Wanna have a pickle friend along for your next adventure? Mr. Pickle is quite organized and keeps a tight schedule here. Find out how you can participate and sign on to the pickle project here. Hooray for pickles!

Millet Muffins

2011-06-13T14:45:00.001-04:00

I recently bought a bundle of millet from the bulk section without any clear plan of what to make. I've been interested in trying a wider variety of grains lately — especially as this beautiful book made the blog rounds. Millet is a new one to me and after making this recipe I plan to experiment with it a lot more.

The kitchn has a great page about millet. It explains that it is an ancient seed that's a staple for about one-third of the world population today, though here in the U.S. and much of Western Europe it has been demoted to bird and livestock feed. It's extremely nutritious, great for those with gluten allergies and is easily digestible and soothing to the stomach.

There are many varieties of millet but the kind most often found here is yellow proso, which is what I used for these delicious muffins. I debated between three different recipes. I was particularly keen on trying Heidi Swanson's version, but didn't have enough honey on hand. I liked that the millet was slightly crushed in this version, but was too lazy to take that extra step. And so I landed on this version from the Metropolitan Bakery in Philadelphia. The millet provides a distinct texture and crunch that I just love and the batter has wonderful flavor with a mild sweetness. These are best eaten the day they are made, though slathered with a fresh bit of strawberry jam on the second day is equally worthy.

Crunchy Millet Muffins

Adapted from Slash/Food

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup millet, lightly toasted and cooled
3 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

Preheat over to 350º F with rack in middle of oven. Toast the millet by spreading it out on a cookie sheet and baking it for 10-12 minutes. Every three or four minutes, take the pan out and give it a careful shake, to make sure that every kernel of millet gets toasted evenly.

Raise oven temperature to preheat to 375º F. Butter 12 muffin-pan cups or use paper liners.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir in millet. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla.

In the bowl of a mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar until well-combined and somewhat fluffy. At low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Take care not to over mix.

Spoon batter evenly into the prepared muffin-pan cups. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Cool for five minutes and then remove from pan and continue to cool on a wire rack.

Picnics, petals and planes

2011-06-10T09:38:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday, lovelies. This is just a quick little shout out before I pack up the car and head out today for the Indieana Handicraft Exchange in Indianapolis tomorrow. It was a wee bit late in the day so you might have missed it, but I posted a new Eye Candy over on the Blue House blog yesterday. The theme was picnic and that is something I am looking forward to many of this summer!

Last week, I had the pleasure of doing an interview with Brianne from Petal + Handmade = Love. She has a feature called "Who Is Art" and asks really thoughtful questions. It was fun to reflect on things a bit. You can read it here.

You may think I haven't been thinking of you with these long lapses between posts, but I have — really. I took this photo for you on my way home from work yesterday. See? It was just such a funny thing to see lying by the side of the road — I thought you would enjoy it. I will get back to posting more regularly soon… there is light at the end of my overscheduled schedule and I am determined to slow down a bit and enjoy this summer. I hope you'll be here with me! And now, I'm off to the kitchen for a little quick baking. I'll have a recipe for you next week!

On the road again…

2011-06-07T14:39:00.000-04:00

Where does the time go, I ask you?! Some of you may know that in the spring and summer I take on a couple of gardening clients and that is exactly where most of last week went hence the humming silence of crickets here on the blog. With all the rain we've had this spring, it's been weed and mulch city for me. But I think I'm caught up for the most part and my other excuse was a quick jaunt for a long weekend down in South Carolina for a family fishing trip in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains — gorgeous!

I took a special friend along for the ride and can't wait to share details about that later once it's live elsewhere on the interwebs.

In other crafty news, you can now find a selection of Sloe Gin Fizz prints and cards at Naka in Ferndale.

And, last but not least, I will be back at it this weekend in Indianapolis for the Indieana Handicraft Exchange Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. Come on down and buy some handsome handmade handicrafts. How bout it?

Five States, Seven Days = Twelve Tacos

2011-05-31T08:51:00.002-04:00

Whewie! What a whirlwind. At last, at last — I'm back with a little recap of my road trip to Austin with the lovely Courtney Fischer for the Renegade Craft Fair last weekend. We had an absolute blast, met some terrifically fun people, logged an awful lot of miles on the old Crafter-wagon, saw some fantastic live music, spent some quality porch time Southern style, laughed a lot and, of course, ate some amazing food…

Our first stop was lunch at Hillbilly Tea in Louisville, Kentucky for a super, home-y meal with house made sassafras soda and—what else—road kill stew with a side of corn pone. Ridiculously good food. I wanted everything on the menu. Thank you Designtripper for that tasty tip!

Another lunch time stop in Dallas at Cowboy Chow. Really fun atmosphere — I love the windmill as light fixture idea! That inset is a fried green tomato lollipop. Yup, that's right. It came with a side of house made ranch that was without a doubt the best ranch I've ever had. All for $1. Yowza. They also served watermelon iced tea — try it! Amaaaazing. Like a jolly rancher in your tea, only more subtle.

Here's a glimpse of Austin — in the rain. They kept telling is it never rains… but it did … and then it did some more. But we certainly didn't let that stop us and went on a great thrifting outing… followed by some delish swank cocktails at the Driskill.

Uncommon Objects on South Congress in Austin: This store is the absolute mecca of thrift/vintage. You are not allowed to take photos inside and thank goodness, because that would have easily added three hours to this stop. Every inch of the place is perfectly curated. Whether organized by color or theme or object type, every little nook and cranny is jam-packed with gobs of good stuff. And then more stuff. I'm in awe.

And how about this tee? Michigan is everywhere! And… just in case you tuned in for a glimpse of Renegade Austin, a tiny little look at the show:

The amazing Dowdy Studio Wagon. Love, love, love. Bought, bought, bought.

How's this for a make-and-take set up outside an Airstream?!

Some of the local fashion plates with Public School Portraits going in style in the background.

And here is the combined booth of Sloe Gin Fizz and Courtney Fischer. Whew! That's it, folks. Great trip, huh?! What? No pictures of tacos? I swear I ate twelve of them.

New work, road trippin' and food to go!

2011-05-16T17:56:00.000-04:00

I'm in the final hours of prepping to hit the road for the Austin Renegade Craft Fair. I always go into a last-minute frenzy where I'm cranking out new designs right before a big show. This one was no different and I have several new designs to share. Above is Rex the Reading Dog (if you follow along on Facebook, you've already seen a glimpse of him!) and below, is my Cloud Mobile. I also have some new stickers and a couple of other tricks up my sleeve, but you'll have to either be patient until I return — or if you're in the area, stop on by the show in Austin this Saturday and Sunday.

You won't hear much from me on the blog while I'm away, but I hope to give regular updates via Facebook and Twitter, so join me there if you haven't already! Courtney Fischer and I will be seeing the sites along the way from Michigan to Louisville to Nashville and Memphis to Hot Springs, Arkansas right on down to Austin, Texas. We've got a couple of days to explore when we get there and I am just busting with excitement!

While I'm gone, I encourage you to check out Mark's Carts, the new food cart court right behind Downtown Home and Garden in Ann Arbor. I went twice last week and can't wait for more. The food is amazing, the people are kind and the atmosphere is hip. Go now!!!

That's it for now, peoples! See you back here May 25 or 26 with news from the Deep South — Yeehaw!!

Blue House Picnic

2011-05-12T07:57:00.000-04:00

I'm over on the Blue House blog today and we're goin' on an Eye Candy picnic! Hope you'll tag along!!

Joie No. 4 — Blooming

2011-05-11T07:13:00.000-04:00

A few illustrations I did for an article about meditation in the latest issue of Joie, the online magazine from Indie Fixx.

Spring flurry of activity!

2011-05-10T09:49:00.001-04:00

Hello! I'm in whirlwind spring craft show mode over here. And so, in that vain, I thought I would give you a miscellaneous peak into 'what's the what' these days.

I had great fun at the Blue House Spring Trunk Show a couple of weeks back and the house looks as charming as ever. The shop has moved into a different area and looks just perfect.

This past weekend I headed to Cincinnati with Courtney Fischer Jewelry for the always-amazing Crafty Supermarket. I'm convinced it is a city filled with the most generous, creative, crafty people around because that's all I've met there! Above is Grace Dobush's awesome Indie Craft Trend Engine to let you know that Ibexes are the New Bicycles! You can find out what the new new is online too, here.

I've been obsessing over this piece at the University of Michigan Museum of Art. I keep stopping in to see it — the detail is stunning.

I added this new print called Opening Doors to the shop this morning. You may recognize it from the Eye Candy blog series I've been posting over on the Blue House blog. I'll be posting again this Thursday, so stay tuned!

And, last but not least, spring has finally sprung in southeastern Michigan and it could not be more welcome!

Changing Gears

2011-05-06T09:05:00.000-04:00

I've been a little distracted this week because the boy and I were getting ready to close next week on this cute little A-frame house. We had been through a lot trying to get the house since February and it was all finally coming together — though along the way seemingly everything that could go wrong did. It must have been for a reason because — as some of you may already know from my other online rantings—it fell through earlier in the week. There was a court decision in Michigan that calls into question a certain kind of foreclosure and, of course, this house was that kind. So sadly, this poor little houses will have to sit empty for even longer because now no one can buy it. I may go into more detail next week and explain step-by-step how this whole thing proceeded since we first bid on the house in February because it may be helpful to others in a similar situation.

The MetroShip houseboat

In the meantime though, we're dreaming about new possibilities and adventures, including these amazing houseboats. What do you think? I could be very happy in one of these!

Seattle houseboats from Apartment Therapy

Watervilla De Omval of Amstel River Floating House

Silberfisch in Oldenberg, Germany

So for now, I'm busy getting ready — and getting super excited—for the Crafty Supermarket in Cincinnati this weekend and road trippin' to Renegade Austin in two weeks! Hooray for road trips and houseboats! Have a great weekend!

Crispy, creamy potato puffs

2011-05-03T08:00:00.001-04:00

I have only been cooking as regularly as I do now for a few years. I always liked the idea of it, but would only do so about once a year when I lived in NYC with a mere postage stamp for a kitchen and an enormous wealth of terrific restaurants all around. Once I moved away and had my own space with its own comparatively enormous kitchen, I began to enjoy having people over and cooking for them. And now enough time has passed that I am starting to have recipes that remind me of a certain time and space and of feeding family and friends. I have plenty of memories of the foods of my youth made lovingly by my mom, or aunt or grandmother — even my brothers. But, it's slightly different when the memory is of having made it yourself for others. This is one of those recipes.

The first year I had moved out of New York and rented a little house to myself on the North Fork of Long Island, I had my family over for Easter dinner. I chose an ambitious menu from Food & Wine and was dedicated to cooking every last bit of it as it appeared in the magazine. I slaved away and sweated and puffed and didn't let anyone lift a finger — my stress measurable with each cocktail my family downed while watching me through a haze of flour and steam and mumbled profanities in the kitchen. It may even be the recipe for which I bought a potato ricer.

I have relaxed somewhat in the kitchen since then, but still recognize the beauty of these little puffs of creamy, light, potato puff balls encased in a crispy yet tender crust. I'm glad I sweated through that evening with family so that I can look back now and laugh and make them somewhat more gracefully for the boy — just a half batch — without worrying that I'm missing an ingredient or that they might not be perfect. I am cherishing this feeling and look forward to more of it as the years pass—especially once we get back into a physical space where we can fit a table that will seat more than two!

I made these potato puffs — basically an amped-up tater tot—this year for Easter along with this leg of lamb recipe slightly modified with the addition of a thin layer of dijon mustard on the lamb before coating it with the garlic-herb paste. I was so ready to dig in, that the above is the only photo I bothered to snap. This meal is divine — enjoy!

Crispy, Creamy potato Puffs

From Food & Wine

2 1/4 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
Salt
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Vegetable oil, for frying

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan. Cook for 1 minute over high heat, shaking the pan frequently to dry out the potatoes.

Pass the potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl. Stir in the egg, butter, dry milk, cheese, flour and nutmeg; season with salt. Using floured hands, roll the potato mixture into 1-inch balls; you should have about 60.

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering. Working in batches of about 12, fry the potato balls over moderately high heat until they are browned on 3 sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels, season lightly with salt and transfer the potato balls to a large rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining balls.

When all of the puffs are fried, reheat them in the oven for about 10 minutes. Serve at once.

Note: The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated for a few hours or overnight. Bring the potato balls to room temperature before frying.

Wild Spring Ride limited edition print

2011-05-02T07:00:00.005-04:00

Tada! One of the things I mentioned in my latest newsletter was that I was going to be releasing a few limited edition prints, originals and handprinted items. Some of you may have seen the handprinted giraffe onesies I made for the Handmade Arcade in Pittsburgh or on Saturday at Blue House. I haven't posted those online yet (I'm still trying to figure out the best way to photograph them), but what I do have is my first ever limited edition print. Called Wild Spring Ride, this is an edition of 50 — each signed, titled and numbered and packaged with a Statement of Reproduction to authenticate the edition.

It's a piece that I developed during the Get Your Paint On workshop with Lisa Congdon and Mati McDonough earlier this spring. It is a complete departure in technique for me as it is all painting — no drawing. Using the work of Jennifer Davis as inspiration, this is where my mind flowed—and I have to say I like it! Jennifer's color palette is predominantly pastels, which I usually am not a fan of but she does so in a way that feels menacing and edgy yet oddly appealing. I definitely recommend taking a stroll through her shop or portfolio. And I would also highly recommend the Get Your Paint On course if you are looking to spark your creativity — no experience necessary! I really enjoyed this process and hope to keep up with the painting and develop it more in the coming year or so.

Plans to break a creative slump

2011-04-29T12:17:00.001-04:00

I've been in a bit of a creative rut this week. Often when this happens, I get sucked down into the interwebs and have to claw my way out. In this case I did a bit of that, but happened to run right into this great "Ten Paths to Help You Emerge from a Creative Slump" post from Alyson Stanfield on her ArtBizBlog. Hooray!

I jumped right in with #1 on the list: Wallow. Yes, that's right — wallow in it just a bit. I wallowed while devouring a great book, The Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food and Love by Kristin Kimball, which I would highly, highly recommend.

I tried out #4 and had a lovely lunch with a pal at Earthen Jar with the added feel-good bonus of supporting a great restaurant suffering a bit because of the massive construction on the street where it lives. I also fell for #9 and watched a terrific, yet angering documentary called The Art of the Steal about how a multi-billion dollar collection of art you've never heard of was in essence stolen after the collector's death. Ack!

And so now… having wallowed and read and talked and visited and watched, I'm moving on to #3 on the list: Get out! With so many great things happening this weekend in town, I will be out and about lifting the old spirits:

FRIDAY, April 29: In honor of Arbor Day—today—Arbor Brewing Company is serving up spruce ale and $1 from every pint sold will be donated to Ann Arbor's Adopt-a-Park program! The money will be used to plant trees at local parks. So drink up!

SATURDAY, April 30: Come on down to Blue House for a spring trunk show! Six of us—Courtney Fischer Jewelry, Deid Goods, Brown Joey, Little Sister Jewelry and Tinkerdot Designs—will be hanging out with our wares and soaking in some spring time crafty goodness whilst the UM folks graduate across the street! We'd love to see you there!

SUNDAY, May 1: First — head over to the lovely Pot and Box and sip a little coffee. And then head right up the hill for the Water Hill Music Fest. This one-of-a-kind music festival from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.will feature residents of the Water Hill neighborhood performing on their front porches and yards for other neighbors and anyone who happens to wander by.

Wow!!! If this doesn't perk me up creatively, I don't know what will!! Have a wonderful weekend!

Inspiration: Ben Shahn

2011-04-28T14:57:00.000-04:00

I recently checked out this great book about Lithuanian-born American artists Ben Shahn from the library. I just love his style, line work, colors and composition. Beautiful! I thought you might like a look…

Nutty banana muffins

2011-04-27T14:21:00.000-04:00

Helllooo! Here it is Wednesday and I'm just saying hello to you — I think it must be this grey, grey rainy weather we've been having. But luckily I have just the thing for that — baked goods! These tasty, healthier-than-most muffins have been seeing me through the gloom. Feel free to add chocolate chips or chunks for an added treat — I did!

Banana Espresso Walnut Muffins
Adapted from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups chopped toasted walnuts
1 Tablespoon instant espresso
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 3 large)

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line muffin pans with paper liners.

Combine flours, baking power, salt, espresso and 3/4 cup of the walnuts in a medium bowl, whisking to combine.

In separate large bowl or mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the sugar and then blend in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla and yogurt. Gently stir in the dry ingredients just until combined. Do not over work, or your muffins will be tough.

Spoon into prepared pans all the way to the top of each cup and sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Bake until golden, about 20 - 25 minutes. Cool in tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Chickpea Salad with herbs and parmesan

2011-04-22T11:46:00.000-04:00

We're upping the fiber ante in this household these days and this has been my week for legumes. Tasty lentils on Tuesday and today I wrap up the week with a spectacular chickpea salad recipe. I've really been enjoying Molly Wizenberg's (of Orangette) articles in Bon Appetit these days. Her writing style is so straightforward and down-to-earth with topics that always strike a chord. They each include a recipe that fits into her larger narrative piece in such a thoughtful way and it's always seem to be pure comfort food or an assembly of ingredients I use every day.

My first reaction to this chickpea salad recipe, for example, was that it was made from such familiar ingredients that I must have had them combined in this way at some point in my life. I can assure you, I had not — I would have remembered. The key in something this simple is using the freshest, highest quality ingredients you can manage. So bust out that special olive oil you've been saving. I didn't have basil, so used more parsley and added just a small bit of both mint and cilantro. Perfect!

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs
Bon Appétit | April 2011 | by Molly Wizenberg

1 15-to 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, pressed
1/3 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Coarse kosher salt

Combine rinsed and drained chickpeas, chopped fresh basil, chopped Italian parsley, fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and pressed garlic clove in medium bowl. Add grated Parmesan cheese and toss gently to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Season chickpea salad to taste with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Chickpea salad can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Serve salad chilled or at room temperature.

Raleigh Tornado Fundraiser

2011-04-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

The folks over at Indie NC are organizing an online fundraiser to raise money for the Boys & Girls Club of Raleigh whose locations in Southeast Raleigh were severely damaged during the recent bout of tornadoes that hit the area. The club serves as a hub for that neighborhood's children and 100% of the proceeds from all sales at www.raleightornadofundraiser.com will go to the club. Their goal is to reach $5,000 by May 20. Not only is it a great cause, but there are some mighty fine offerings by some mighty generous artists.

Home Sweet Home Poster Calendar by Michelle Smith

Orbicular Jasper Necklace by Eluna Jewelry Design

Silver Camper Screen Printed Kitchen Towel by Tiny Peepers

Carolyn Reed Barritt

2011-04-20T08:00:00.001-04:00

Beekeeper by Carolyn Reed Barritt

The Ann Arbor Women Artists Spring Exhibition is on view on the third floor of the Downtown branch of the Ann Arbor Public Library. I was at the library on Monday researching a few things and stumbled on this show. I was so happy to discover among the works that of local artist Carolyn Reed Barritt. Working in watercolor and pencil, I like Barritt's quirky yet quiet subject matter, as well as her treatment of everyday objects. The piece above took first place in the juried exhibition. Check out the show if you have a chance. It's well worth the trip and is on view through May 1.

Floral Horse from the Lost and Found Childhood series by Carolyn Reed Barritt

Monkeys Fist from The Essence of Things series by Carolyn Reed Barritt

Herring-Gull from The Essence of Things Series by Carolyn Reed Barritt

Gold Raven by Carolyn Reed Barritt

Red Wine Lentils with Herbs

2011-04-19T09:00:00.004-04:00

This is a big old bowl full of comfort. I absolutely love lentils—the boy, however, does not, so I rarely make them. This lentil recipe filled with greens and packed with flavors made me do it. I made it for lunch one day last week and happily ate it for several days more. It also reminded me how much I adore arugula and I found myself eating it up by the raw handful every time I dipped into the fridge. I hope you'll give it a try. While I really like brown lentils when they turn a bit mushy, French green lentils are really best in this recipe as they're firmer texture melds well with the wilted greens and herbs. I substituted sour cream for the crème fraîche and it worked out just perfectly.

Red Wine Lentils with Herbs

via Food and Wine

1 1/2 cups French green lentils (12 ounces)

Salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 packed cup baby spinach (2 ounces)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
4 lightly packed cups mâche (2 ounces) or arugula
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Freshly ground pepper

In a large saucepan, cover the lentils with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Season with salt and simmer over moderate heat until tender, 40 minutes. Drain the lentils.

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the red onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the lentils and the wine and simmer until the wine has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche. Add the mâche, parsley and cilantro and cook until barely wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.

The City of Bridges

2011-04-18T15:55:00.001-04:00

Hello Monday! It snowed all morning here and actually stuck to the dang ground. Can you believe it? There's a good inch and a half coating the pert little daffodils and other early bloomers. all around the neighborhood. All this after a weekend spent in a city where the flowering trees were already in bloom and the temperatures were in the lovely balmy mid-60s when I left yesterday. Ah well, it makes it feel pretty cozy inside today!

I spent the weekend in Pittsburgh for the Handmade Arcade and had a blast. The city had such a great feel to it and the show was fantastically well-run with a really great turnout. And—to top it all off—I got to spend some quality time hanging out with two super-sweet, extremely talented crafty gals: Sarah of Hip to Piece Squares and Amie of Enamor and Enamor Weddings. Here's a look at my setup, including a little closeup with some of my newer designs.

On Sunday, I braved some super gusty winds and took a little bit of time to explore. I took a quick spin around the Strip District where I had a delicious sweet potato scone from this little bakery at the public market.

And then I wandered the streets of the hipster 'hood of Lawrenceville.

I was a bit early for Wild Card, where I was dying to have a look, but the owner, Rebecca, saw me out front snapping a photo and came out to invite me in though the store didn't open for another hour. How darn nice is that? And I am so glad she did because the place is a goldmine of handmade crafty goodness!

I loved the look of these chairs in the window at a gallery opening on Friday night. I can't wait for another excuse to head to Pittsburgh — there is so much more to explore!

Spring walks

2011-04-15T08:00:00.002-04:00

It's that time of year at last: time for long walks on balmy days with the sun shining and a slight breeze. I love seeing new greenery and flowers popping up each day. Yesterday was the day for daffodils, but earlier in the week, these mini irises were a sweet surprise, as were a few other sights. Here's a look at some things I saw around the neighborhood this week.

And now I must be off — I'm headed out for the Handmade Arcade on Saturday and am really looking forward to exploring Pittsburgh. It's a new city for me and Readymade magazine came just in time with a Place Setting column all about it — hooray! Have a wonderful weekend!

Eye Candy over at Blue House

2011-04-14T12:34:00.002-04:00

I'm over on the Blue House blog today talking about how this little drawing came about. Stop on over and have a peak, why don'tcha? I'd love if you'd join in the fun, too, but you'll have to head on over and have a read through to see what I mean…

Vietnamese Pork Chops

2011-04-12T10:43:00.001-04:00

I have a hard time ordering the same thing twice in a restaurant. I like to try something new each time in case I find something better than what I tried last time. This is the exception. In a Vietnamese restaurant, this is what I order: every time. I always think I'll try something different, but just can't bring myself to miss out on the supreme tastiness of Vietnamese marinated and grilled pork chops. I could never pick out exactly what the flavors were, and I still couldn't say for sure, but I did run across this version from Mark Bittman that is quite delicious. Apparently the real deal has caramelized sugar in it giving it a more complex flavor than the honey called for in this version, but it is a darned good replication that I am happy to now have in my arsenal. If you haven't used lemongrass before, you remove the tough outer stalk until you get to the inner layers that are bit more tender. You should get about one tablespoon of minced lemongrass per stalk.

Vietnamese Style Pork
via Mark Bittman
Makes 4 servings.

2 tablespoons minced lemongrass
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fish sauce, or to taste, or soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork chops or country-style ribs
1 lime, quartered
Thai basil or cilantro, chopped for garnish (optional)

Whisk lemongrass, garlic, honey and fish sauce in large bowl. Add lime juice and pepper. Place pork in the bowl, turning to coat; let stand while you preheat grill or broiler.

Grill or broil pork, spooning marinade over as it cooks, until nicely done, about 10 minutes. Turn only once so that each side browns nicely. Serve with remaining lime and, if you like, the herb garnish.

I served it over this noodle salad, but the pork chops are the star!

Sloe Gin Fizz

Pide Lahmajun aka yum

Garden & Gun love

Chicken couscous

Book worming

Honey Oat Muffins

Animated holiday card

METAL fabrication, art, design and more

Fennel-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Fennel Wedges

Happy New Year! Imagining what's ahead…

DIYpsi views

Merry Christmas!

Last chance! shoppers delight!

DUCF 6

Handmade Holiday Workshop

First snow

Thanksgiving favorites

Special Events and Holiday Shops

Ridge Fine Art and Handmade Wares Show

Handmade Arcade superstar: Malagueta

Hail to the Lake

Small Craft Launch

Mustard and herb chicken

New business cards!

2011 Holiday Show Schedule

Happy Halloween!

Charleston in pictures

Electrical bomb dropped

Flown the coop

Reclaimed at River's Edge Gallery

Liberty Local recap and treasures

Northern water views

Whimsical Fiber Birds from Mary Katz

New Schwinn bicycle art in the shop!

Updates and Lemongrass chicken recipe

DIY Street Fair and 2012 Illustrated Wall Calendar

This, that and the other…

Kerrytown BoookFest

Pork Banh Mi: The best sandwich I know

Catching up, finding time

Banana stand

The sun, the sun

The approaching storm

Flowers for a gray day

Close ups

Hopscotchin' through summer

Lazy Sunday

Flowers on Friday

Refrigerator pickles

Chandelier Madness

Lakeland love

DIYpsi Indie Art Fair & Craft Show

happy weekend

Food Cart Lunchin'

A rainbow of fruit flavors

Big Sky Michigan Day

The *Official* August Break

DIYpsi preview

Corn!!! Can't get enough of it.

Illustrating a lifestyle…

Free Form Birthday Blueberry Tart

Longshot: The Magazine

Necessity is the mother of invention

Kids Art Fair

Cobblestone Farm

Crafter Love from Chatty Crafty!

Eye Candy over at Blue House

North Fork Foodie Tour

Dream houses

Bringing it Home: Art in the Park

Friday's To Do List

Magic Margin illustration

Nashville's Hatch Show Print

Massaged Kale Salad

Put a Bird on It!

Final Taste of Spring: Shaved Asparagus Salad

Indieana Handicraft Recap

The Nomadic Pickle Project

Millet Muffins

Picnics, petals and planes

The Official August Break