Ghosts, Goblins and...Gnomes

Fall has finally arrived in Los Angeles and its residents are celebrating by pulling on their scarves and overcoats.  After months of scorching dry heat, there is a chill in the air, enough to believe that summer weather has finally come to a close.  Fall is my favorite time of year for many reasons, the crisp air, the leaves changing colors, caramel apples, and a certain sense of well-being and we near the Holiday season. 

I knit a bit, nothing fancy, mostly scarves here and there.  Even though I don't knit very often, I love to buy yarn and as a result have baskets of it.  One of my favorite Etsy shops to browse,  Gnome Acres has some of the most colorful yarns I have seen in awhile.  With names like, No Place like Gnome, Candy Mountain and Witches Brew, you can't help but get into the Halloween spirit.  Even though I know I shouldn't, I am tempted to add this, this and this to my yarn collection.  I love that the fibers are hand-spun alpaca and llama wool from local farms, dyed by Denise herself.  Read the blog to learn more and visit the Etsy shop to check out the Gnome-made selections for yourself.

Little Berries

Finally... sewing!  There hasn't been time lately for little projects so I was thrilled when I found myself at home with a whole unscheduled day before me.

My daughter couldn't resist eating the last berries in the kitchen when she lamented that she'd miss them during the winter months of apples, figs and pears.  So to cheer her up, we made these little happy berry (and a tomato) pincushions.

They were simple to do with a paper template, some felt, a needle and thread.  In no time, I found myself with an entire strawberry crop.  They will make nice additions to Birthday and Holiday packages this year.  After all, who can resist a strawberry?

To recipe or not to recipe?

How do you feel about following recipes?  I tend to begin to follow each step with good intentions then find I have drifted off on a tangent, creating another dish that is different, yet equally good.  I like to use what I have on hand, instead of frantically running out for oils and spices that I will never use again.  I am constantly substituting ingredients and cooking by feel to suit my taste, rather than by formula.  Since I hardly ever write my recipes down, I am often stumped when I try to recreate a dish. This tends to frustrate my family to no end. "Make that dish you made last month, it was so good."  "Why didn't you write it down?"  I think I earned this trait from my Grandfather who was always creating the most delicious soups and sauces, and never writing them down.  To this day I still dream of his Tomato Basil soup, forever lost.

I came across this article at Gilt, all about the recipe and how it is not always to best place to begin.  I enjoyed it so much that I decided to forgo a much needed trip to the store for a week to see if we could create dinners using only ingredients on hand.  The experiment was a success and we were able to come up with some delicious and creative dishes that we would have otherwise missed.

While I may not cook by recipe often, I will make an effort for my family and you all to take a little more time to write things down.  With that, enjoy these light Mustard greens with Garlic.

Cooking them is silly simple (hardly a recipe at all).  Wash thoroughly and pat dry with a clean towel.  I stack mine and cut them in a wide chiffonade.  They melt into one another well and soak up more of the delicious garlic flavor.  Heat a wok or pan on medium high and add olive oil.  While this heats, chop, mince or grate your garlic.  I use two huge cloves, or three to four small ones. When the oil is hot, drop your garlic in and cook for about one minute.  Add your greens and stand back.  Once the spattering has died down, turn your greens to cook evenly.  They are done when they have wilted considerably.  Add salt and enjoy with a bowl of pasta, on their own or as a topping on toasted baguette.

Pancake Day

I hope that you all had a nice weekend.  The weather is still brutally hot here, so we headed to the ocean for some kayaking.  Mornings usually begin the same way in our house.  I ask my daughter what she would like for breakfast and she will always ask what her options are.  I dilligently go through the list, even though she knows it as well as I do.  We begin every day this way, except for Sunday.  Sunday she doesn't have to ask because Sunday is Pancake Day.  

Still in pyjamas we whisk, mix and stir our way to happiness.  I have tried many recipes and variations over the years, but this version is hard to beat.  They come out light, fluffy and crisp around the edges, just the way we like them.  Often I'll fill a squeeze bottle with batter and we will "draw" our pancakes in the pan.  My daughter, who dreams of visiting Antarctica, requested a pancake picture of her, in snow gear, exploring the Arctic tundra.  A tall order, but I did my best.

If you do try the squeeze bottle pancakes, I found it helpful to outline the shape first then fill in the rest after that has set for a few seconds.  This will keep your creation tidy.

Here is my version of Perfect Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter (this is key)
1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
Handful of washed blueberries

First beat the eggs with the milk, until light and foamy, then stir in your slightly cooled melted butter.  Whisk in your dry ingredients followed by the ricotta cheese and let the batter stand for about 10 minutes, while you prepare your pan.  The batter will thicken slightly.
A griddle or frying pan on medium heat will work well for cooking.  I like to use a frying pan with a mixture of vegetable oil and butter to coat the hot pan.  The oil keeps the pancakes from sticking and the butter gives them a slightly crispy texture at the edges.
Ladle out cupfuls of batter or use the squeeze bottle to shape your pancakes.  Now is a good time to add blueberries to your pancakes.  Let cook until the batter begins to bubble in the center then flip each one to cook the other side.  Remove when browned and enjoy!

Late Summer Jams

We have been busy in the kitchen devouring every page of the Blue Chair Jam cookbook. So far we have made the Children's Strawberry Jam and the Pluot Jam with Orange blossom and Sloe Gin.  Summer may be over but  you wouldn't know it in Los Angeles

Garden Sweet Garden

We have been living in our house for about three years now. I remember the day we finally found our first house very clearly. We had been house-hunting all day, seeing one dreary prospect after another, and we'd reached the final house on the list. As soon as I stepped inside I felt lighter and happier. This was it!

My Little Green Obsession Part 2

An interesting thing happened when I introduced avocado into my breakfast, I began to crave it all day long. I'd look forward to working one into my lunch and dinners. We are fortunate to have them readily available most of the year here in the local markets and that means I can experiment with plenty of ways to enjoy them.