apples & cheese

12 Days of Muppets, Day 4: Muppet Show Guest

2011-11-16T17:41:00.000-06:00

I gotta say, if I were a celeb, the high point in my career would be to host the Muppet Show. Seriously, the honor would be the greatest...I'd probably be difficult to be around due to inflated ego, but after a year or two, I'd mellow out and go back to normal.

I'm sure being able to sing and dance was a big perk for the guest host, 'cause we all know, Muppets like to sing and dance. In my fantasy celeb world, I imagine myself on the phone with my agent telling him he's fired if he doesn't get me a Muppet Show guest star spot STAT! I'm kinda a hand full in this dimension.

Here's a perfect example of a guest star singing and dancing with the Muppets. Melissa Manchester performing with those big pink guys.

Sometimes straight up acting was required of the guest stars. Here's Danny Kaye demonstrating an amazing Swedish accent and sporting a sweet mustache. It's also very season appropriate.

And this is the guest star, Buddy Rich doing what he did best - with a twist!

Buddy Rich talked about his experience on the Muppet show in a 1981 interview.

"The thing that's good about it is; I felt like a Muppet myself; I was like a kid, playing with those guys, because that's how they made me feel. Singing the song was a knockout to me: the silly karate thing with Miss Piggy was beautiful, I thought; the playing on the walls, chairs and everything was a great idea of theirs. Then, of course, the battle at the end with Animal; to play opposite Ronnie Verrell—one of my all-time favorite drummers, along with Kenny Clare—was a total gas to me. That one week will go down as one of the most positive weeks in my career. I loved it—and I thank them."

A crazy thing I've learned during Muppet research is that no guest star ever appeared twice. They booked a new guest star every week. That's 120 career highs folks.

12 Days of Muppets, Day 3: Janice - my favorite Muppet hair

2011-11-15T23:49:00.001-06:00

Janice! She kinda looks like Carly Simon, wears hip huggers and a peacock feather in her hat. Most importantly, she's lead guitar in the Electric Mayhem.

Totally bad-ass.

12 Days of Muppets, Day 2: Miss Piggy's Guide to Life

2011-11-14T17:35:00.000-06:00

When I was a kid, my sister and I shared a copy of "Miss Piggy's Guide to Life". It was a large, hard covered book. It was my first coffee table book. I called my sister to see if she still had the copy and sadly, no. I went on Amazon to see if it was still in print and sadly again, no BUT the old copies in good shape are going for around $150. I'm not surprised - the book and it's contents are gold.

I mean - look at that!! She's doing karate in a wedge platform!

The photos were outstanding and the advice worth taking. For sure. My favorite pieces of advice were 'Never powder your tongue' and 'Never buy your cosmetics at a hardware store'. Gold people. Solid gold. AND, advice that I have shared with many a friend through the years. For some reason, it always made me happy to share knowledge learned from this book.

I think "Miss Piggy's Guide to Life" was monumental in helping to shape my sense of humor. It came out in 1981 which made me 11. This was also during the time that I would sneak downstairs and hide in the shadows while watching Saturday Night Live with my parents. In hind sight, I think the reason I liked this book so much was the humor was on par with Saturday Night Live. It wasn't dumbed down like a lot of kids books are. It spent 29 weeks on the New York Bestsellers list along with Cujo and A Light in the Attic. If I were to come across the book today, I would buy it in a heart beat and it would definitely make the coffee table again:)

The 12 Days of Muppets!

2011-11-13T13:13:00.001-06:00

There are a few quirky facts that only those close to me know about.

1) I hate overhead lighting. Just writing that sentence sends shivers down my spine. It's a bit neurotic, this dislike. I've adjusted the lighting at homes at which I am a guest adding a whole new level to the meaning of rude. But really, it's for the best. Get lamps people.

2) I think things are funnier if you have a mouth full of liquids. This is why people shoot beverages out their noses. If they had not taken a drink right before the funny moment happened, it would be an average funny moment. The mouth full of liquids elevates the funny moment to hysterical. I believe science can prove this.

3)I love the Muppets with all my heart.

The Muppets. As you probably know, a new Muppet movie is coming out soon. The sight of the movie poster makes me hyper giddy and weirdly tearful. I find myself singing "Ma Na Ma Na" to myself ALL DAY LONG. So, I've decided to celebrate with a marathon blog posting where I pay homage to the Muppets everyday for 12 days until the movies glorious release. There will be no rhyme or reason to these posts. They will be steeped in my own nostalgia mixed with a bit of Muppet fact. I would like to point out that I have rarely posted twice in one month and NEVER everyday. This undertaking is ground breaking and demonstrates my love and devotion to our foamy friends. I'm not claiming to be an expert on the Muppets or even their #1 fan, but I have buckets of love for dancing chickens and piano playing bears. And, I have YouTube. Bucket loads of YouTube.

So! Let it begin my friends!

THE 12 DAYS OF MUPPETS!!!!

The perfect starting point for this homage is The Muppet Show's iconic opening credits. I've posted one from each season as the format changed with every new year. The person who posted these on YouTube was kind enough to list the Muppet's name and point out interesting facts about each season opener. It's the perfect thing to get us jazzed for the movie!

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Tomorrow: Miss Piggy's Guide to Life

So Salt-isfying!

2011-09-26T18:20:00.002-05:00

Once again, so sorry for the terrible pun. I just can't help myself! Like my amazing abilities as a singer/song writer, these puns just come so naturally and I must share.

Anyone that has ever heard me karaoke is smirking at the singer part of that statement. Not my strongest attribute, but the passion is all there. The song writing part is 100% true. For reals. This post is not about puns, singing or song writing so I'll get to it. It's about salt. I'm immediately mentally transported to the SNL skit about the public radio food show where they talk about rice or squash forever. Actually, this skit is theme appropriate and very "punny" - ha! I strike again!!

So SALT!

The reason that salt in on my mind is because I got some awesome salt in Portland when John and I went there last month. We wondered into The Meadow, a store that sells salt, chocolate, wine and flowers. How delicious is that line up! I had to be dragged out. Seriously, I could have stayed all day plus they were giving out free samples of wine. I bought a set that is a well curated collection of six salts. I've been working my way through all the varieties by roasting batches of tomatoes and using a different salt each time. It's a good way to discover flavor profiles in each salt.

"Where would we be without salt?"
-James Beard

Pickled Pink!

2011-09-19T20:35:00.003-05:00

A few Saturdays ago, I spent the morning in the home of the lovely Marilyn Simmons and did some pickling. We canned okra and it was fun. I met new people, learned about preserving food and gardening in North Texas (hard!). Marilyn keeps her pickled products on the mantel in her living room and I like that. She lives in Waxahachi, Texas which is about an hour south of Plano. Together with her daughter, Donnelle they own and operate Garden Inspirations. They teach gardening classes, canning classes and host community dinners. They also operate a truck farm that teaches local children about gardening, seasons and how to grow their own food. An impressive list of things they "do"! Needless to say, I was blown away by their skills and their passion to promote a sustainable lifestyle. I left the canning class pretty jazzed, as I feel like I've made new friends. Did I mention they started the only CSA in the area? Yes, they've done that too. Seriously, movers and shakers these two.

Marilyn pickling away!

Future pickles

We "can" eat my okra (sorry, worst pun ever!)next weekend, but John and I are going to wait and open these prized pickles on our anniversary next month. NOTHING says romance like sharing a jar of pickles. Plus, I imagine they pair well with Champagne.

When it's hot, make a pop!

2011-08-02T17:44:00.002-05:00

It's hot y'all. John and I just returned from a week in Oregon. While on our trip, I had to go out and buy a pair of shoes because all I brought with me were flip flops and sandals. During July in Texas, the thought of slipping ones toes into a closed toe shoe seems cruel to the feet. I mean, no! Toes got to be out! While packing for Oregon, I checked out the weather report and had a difficult time knowing what 70 degrees meant. I seriously could not recall what cool temps feel like. Except for movie theaters and the occasional trip to the mall, I live in a pretty warm world. Needless to say, my suitcase needed a bit of altering.

Back home in Texas, all I want to do is eat a lettuce leaf or two and drink cucumber water. This might be a good thing since I ate my weight in delicious food every day in Portland. Man, that city knows how to do it. The food in that place is over the top delish, but that' another post - back to the pops.

Mango lime pops seemed to be necessary in this intense summer heat. Along with night time swims and breezy dresses, homemade popsicles of pureed fresh fruit seem about right. I put a few teaspoons of simple syrup in these guys, but I don't think it's totally necessary. I made it up as I went along, but here's the generally idea.

Mango lime pops

4 mangos - peeled and cubed
Juice and zest from 2 or 3 limes
1/4 cup almond milk, yogurt or anything thing to balance the tartness - if you like a really tart pop, skip it!
2 or 3 teaspoons simple syrup (optional, taste it after it's been pureed for sweetness)
Popsicle molds - I found these cool bomb pop molds here

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend to oblivion. Taste and adjust as you go along. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.

Since I made this recipe up as I went along, I had extra fruit puree. I stored it in the fridge and as we eat the pops, I simply refill the molds with the extra puree and freeze. Easy (actually much easier) as pie.

My Adventures at Eat Retreat

2011-04-27T19:06:00.034-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, I spent 2.5 hours in a car with two complete strangers, Emily Dellas and Fiona Tang. We drove up curving winding roads along the pacific coast through a red wood forest. We took in the surreal beauty around us. We talked and got to know each other. We got excited imagining what might be waiting for us at the end of our journey. What we found was even better than anticipated. More jaw dropping beautiful nature, amazing wine, beer and bourbon, and a pig roasting on a spit. A light mist covered all the guest gathered in the court yard for what was the first Eat Retreat.

Eat Retreat is a creative retreat for people in the food industry and lovers of food. It's the collaborative genius of Laura Brunow Miner, Kathryn Tomajan and Emily Morgan and I was lucky enough to be one of the first Eat Retreaters. The guest included chefs, food writers, cooking teachers, photographers, students and stylist (me!). Upon arrival, I was given a mason jar with my name on it. Since this is my favorite drinking vessel, I knew we were off to a good start. Add an incredible micro brew to the jar and things are even better. Perhaps it was the adding of lots of beer and wine to my mason jar that made the words "I can't find my jar" the most repeated sentence in the history of human speech. I was constantly loosing the jar because I was very distracted. Distracted by delicious food coming from the kitchen, talks and demos about food, stunning views and wait, oh yes, more amazing food from the kitchen. And when I was able to locate my mason jar, I drank gorgeous wine and beer. During the eating and/or drinking, I was talking to the finest folks ever assembled in one Northern California retreat. That is a bold sentence, I know, but I'm sticking to it. Sticking to it and feeling strong about it. We talked about places we had eaten, what we liked to cook at home, current food topics, sustainability, and our professions in the food industry.

The first night at Eat Retreat involved the following: pig roast, camp buddy gifts (lime infused olive oil for me from Maggie Rice - yum!), campfire, intros, smores, live bluegrass, five falling stars, heart-to-heart chats, wine, beer, whiskey, midnight snacks and hot tubs. That's the first night people. I went to bed around 3:00, which is 5:00 my time. I haven't done that since Guns and Roses had a song on the radio that was not a classic rock station. Saturday, I showed restraint, or maybe a hangover, because I was determined to watch the sun rise on Sunday and hike down to the most perfect grassy hilly mound on the face of the earth. Did I mention that I saw a deer nibbling grass off in the hazy distance the day before?? See what I mean by distractions! Saturday was a whirlwind of activities. Whole fish into sashimi, the BEST hummus ever demo. The talented photographers Kimberly Hasselbrink, Marc Matsumoto, Pablo Abuliak and myself had some fun photographing all the beautiful dishes and ingredients at Eat Retreat. I also drank the best beer that I've ever had in my life made by Jesse Friedman. Saturday night a lovely group of ladies gathered together in our room and we slumber partied it up. It was a perfect end to a perfect day. As I began to doze, Anna Larsen singing Coal Miner's Daughter made it's way up to my ears and I felt truly blessed.

The next morning, I went on a hike with my new friends, Cia Glover and Kelly Landrieu. We saw mossy trees, grassy knolls,and sun peeking through the clouds. Hawks circled overhead on what I can only imagine was the best air stream wave in the entire world. It was bliss. Then we went back to camp and had breakfast. I loved all the meals before this one, but I gotta say, this breakfast was my favorite. Savory breadpudding, an amazing green salad,bacon and blintz. The blintz were served with sour cream, homemade yogurt and a jam smorgasbord made by jam girl Dafna Kory and Mirit Cohen. I'm not even kidding - it was a jam buffet. We had strawberry jam, carmelized marmelade, strawberry jam foam and blood orange jam. I mean...WHAT?? At this point in the weekend, my brain has completely shut down. My mason jar is long gone and my only objective is to soak up all the goodness around me.

Because, the end was near.

And, it made me sad.

But before Eat Retreat wrapped up, we learned the correct way to butcher a pig. That's right, butcher a pig. Taught to us by Akiko Moorman and Nate Keller. Now, simply put, that's just bad ass. They taught us correct knife technique and where all the yummy cuts of meat come from on a pig. Yip, bad ass. Great way to wrap things up!

In the end, we all said our goodbyes and made our way down the mountain. Again, we talked and shared and got to know each other even more, but it was better because we had Eat Retreat weekend in common. These are experiences that as an adult you don't get often. Maybe it's because we don't have the time or see the importance. Who knows. All I know is, as an adult, you are given the chance to spend a weekend geeking out doing what you love with a bunch of strangers also geeking out and doing what they love - take it. You will learn a lot, relax a ton and laugh the entire weekend. Why would you pass that up?

And, pack a kazoo.

It just might come in handy.

A good day

2011-03-15T15:39:00.001-05:00

My copy of Heartland, The Cookbook by Judith Fertig arrived this morning. It was like seeing the first tulips pop through the ground after a cold winter - a breath of fresh air.

I styled the food for this book and it's just beautiful. One of the great perks of my job is meeting and working with such talented and inspiring people like Judith. We shot the cookbook almost a year ago and it was so much fun. Today I got to relive that time through this book. The images are incredible - beautiful midwest farms, landscapes and markets. Judith recipes are an homage to the wonderful food found throughout the midwest and the people that make it.

The book goes on the shelves at the end of the month. It is a must have for your cookbook collection!

Strawberries on the YouTube

2011-03-15T14:59:00.003-05:00

Michael Haskins made this awesome stop action video of our last shoot. There are no muppets, but a ice cream bomb does make an apperance.

Enjoy!

The Politics of Produce

2011-03-03T12:16:00.003-06:00

Another lifetime ago, after starting my catering business, I had a stand at the Lawrence Farmer's market. I became a farmer's market vendor because I wanted to form relationships with local farmer's, develop an understanding of seasons and reach a cliental that would want to hire a made from scratch, seasonal caterer. It was a lot of work (possibly the hardest that I've ever worked), but mostly, it was a lot of fun. John and I were "floaters" which means we had to set up in a different stall every week, so we always had new neighbors and let me tell you, it's a diverse bunch of purveyors. Farmer's that grew the most beautiful delicate mushrooms and varieties of lettuce that I've never seen before, bee keepers, farmer's with buckets of seasonal flowers, homemade soaps and homemade cheese. It was and still is a shining example of a small and much loved farmer's market. I learned so much from these people.

It had it's not so blissful moments too. Like when we would get the stall next to the hippy farmer who had not bathed since the 80's or the farmer's market child who wore a cap made out of cabbage leaves decided he wanted to hang at our stall while the market was open. LOTS of opinions about what should and should not be allowed at the farmer's market. I got grief more than once because a particular scone did not contain seasonal fruit (I feel an apple scone should always be present in the line-up) or because I did not bake the bread for my sandwiches. They are a tough bunch with very high standards, which leads me to today's topic.

Recently, I visited the Dallas Farmer's market, which is open 364 days a year. Next to the sweet Texas onions were chilies from Mexico and cauliflower from California. Dole pineapple made an appearance several times along with carnations dyed blue. I walked along thinking wrong! Like a farmer's market elitist who after one season as a vendor, gets to decide the standards which all market's should aspire too. Of course, I bought enough veggies to feed all of Lawrence because I have no self control when it comes to produce...it's my chocolate. I have a weakness for green beans, especially when they are artfully arranged in individual one pound bundles.

I came home with cactus paddles...from Mexico.

So I guess I'm experiencing a dilemma of ideals. Do I make the drive into Dallas to shop at the Farmer's Market if they are going to be selling the same produce in the grocery store or do I stay in Plano and hit Whole Foods? Whole Foods is my only option for local or seasonal produce - no co-op in Plano. I want to support the Farmer's Market vendors, but what are they supporting? Obviously themselves, but what else? I realize it's not the height of the growing season and hopefully it will become a more local market as the season is underway. I plan on revisiting next month and will report back.

I did buy a bag of oranges from South Texas that I've been squeezing for juice every morning - amazing!

Are we there yet?

2011-02-07T16:59:00.003-06:00

This is a photo that I took shortly after we moved to Texas. We had finished unpacking and setting up our new household. To reward myself, I spent several days by the pool, reading magazines and relaxing after all the stress and work that comes with moving. It was HOT! So hot and I loved it. The hotter the better.

Several weeks ago while in the corpse pose at the end of yoga class, I remembered a wish I made a year ago. I wished to have a schedule that allowed me to do yoga everyday and to never have to live through another Kansas winter. In that moment, I realized that I had that! I felt a bit smug...sort of like - "look at my powerful brain with it's focused intention everyone!" WhoooHooo my power of thought!

So last week, Texas was hit with one of the worst snow storms in the history of the state. IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE! We were trapped inside for almost a week, John fell down and hurt his neck and hip and poor little Rudy froze his little paws off. It was not the worst storm that I've ever been in...I'm a Kansan! The difference is that Texas does not have the means to deal with such weather so until the temperatures rose, the snow and ice stayed put. Luckily, I had gone to the grocery store the day before so we had plenty of food and more importantly, wine.

Instead of posting photos of the storm, I'm opting for warm pool images and warm thoughts. Several people have told me that I will love Texas in February and March and I'm sticking too that. Come on Texas, don't let me down!

Yummers in my tummers

2011-01-10T19:23:00.001-06:00

I don't know if that's the correct spelling for "yummers" or "tummers", but you get the idea.

Good news - I survived the southern snow storm. Actually, I'm still in it. It's a good time to stay in and bake and John's fellow grad students are always happy to eat the treats. I know it's the time of year when everyone is swearing off sweets, but... well... who cares. They are delicious and are perfect with afternoon tea. The orange peel in the dates is such a lovely addition and I love the crumb. It's a truly delicious sweet and regardless of the time of year, they should be made, eaten and enjoyed.

Make them.

Seven Spoons Oat and Nut Date Squares

Spicy Carrot Cupcakes and Wintery Mix

2011-01-09T12:15:00.010-06:00

It's Sunday morning and I'm still in my robe at 12:23. I had every intention of dressing warmly and heading to the grocery store and doing some baking. I'm craving something warm and gooey and spicy. Seven Spoons Oat and Nut Date Squares is what is going to fit the bill. I had a grocery list and was getting ready to begin getting ready when the "wintery mix" arrived. My friend Jen says wintery mix should only be the title of a cocktail and she is right. Since moving to the Dallas area, I have heard from several sources that people here freak out from the sight of one snow flake. The town shuts down and accidents are plenty. A light dusting of snow will prompt folks to call their employers to see if they are still required to come into work. I can hear sirens off in the distance, which tell me the rumors might be true. So instead of bundling up and risking it (other drivers, not snow), I'm going to make a cup of tea and write about my favorite carrot cake recipe. I made these for John's class on their last day of school before break - John is my husband, not my child. He's in grad school and grad students need baked goods. This version is an adaptation of an Bon Appetite recipe from 2003.

Spicy Carrot Cupcakes
Adapted from Tropical Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting, Bon Appetite, April 2003
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sweetened flake coconut
1 cup toasted nuts like walnuts, pecans or macadamia (the original recipe called for macadamia nuts)
3/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups sugar
1 cup cannola oil
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups finely grated peeled carrots
2 8-oz can crushed pineapple in it's own juices, well drained

Frosting
The original recipe calls for sweetened cream of coconut and a few other ingredients. Since I wanted to pipe the frosting and have it keep it's shape, I made a basic cream cheese frosting. The original recipe can be seen here.

2 8 oz packages cream cheese, room temperature.
1 stick butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350. Line two cupcake pans with liners.

Combine 1/3 cup flour, coconut, nuts and ginger in food processor. Process until nuts are finely chopped. Whisk remaining 2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Beat in flour-spice mixture. Stir in coconut-nut mixture, then carrots and crushed pineapple.

Divide batter between prepared pans, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake pans in over together, rotating top and bottom half way through baking. Bake until tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Move pans to cooling rack and remove from tins after 10 minutes. Cool completely on rack before frosting.

For the Frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla. Beat in powdered sugar one cup at a time until smooth. Frosting can be piped on with a pastry bag or smoothed on using an off-set spatula. Makes 2 dozen cup cakes.

These are a yummy spicy treat - a real crowd pleaser.

The wintery mix does not seem to be letting up. My need for baking might get the best of me. Plus, I'm a Kansas girl who has driven in far worse conditions. This wintery mix is a normal day during a midwest winter. I'll keep you posted!

Wintery Mix on Palms and Magnolia trees outside my kitchen window

Ponder, TX

2010-11-28T13:45:00.010-06:00

John and I celebrated Thanksgiving in Ponder, TX with a feast lovingly prepared by The Ranchman Cafe crew. The cafe opened it's doors on Thanksgiving day in 1948. They served a very traditional meal complete with candied yams, turkey and ham. The owner walked through the restaurant with a big jug of egg nog and a big jug of rum and made boozy cocktails for his guest. He topped these creamy drinks with a tower of whipped cream. It was very sweet...literally. He let me go into the kitchen and take pictures. The food at the Ranchman was only a part of the dinning experience. The majority of the guest there had been coming to The Ranchman for Thanksgiving dinner for years, which gave the place a cozy, family feel.

The food at the Ranchman was very good. It was not revolutionary or experimental - no curried turkey and I'm pretty sure the green beans were from a can, but I loved being there. The owner knew all his customers and was a proud and beaming fella. He took his responsibility for feeding his customers with special care and was a gracious host. At the end of our meal, we were too full for pie, so he packed up two slices of our choosing to go. The pie was amazing!!

Since moving to Texas, I've been on a quest for great and TRUE Texas food. We moved to an area that has lots of restaurants that are beautiful on the inside, but the food does not live up to the interiors. We have found one pub that makes great cheeseburgers and a cajun restaurant that makes delicious po boys, but that is basically pub food. It's not hard. The night before Thanksgiving, it was 80 degrees and we wanted to go sit outside, drink some wine and eat some good food. We selected a restaurant that promoted itself as being seasonal cooking. I like to support local business, especially food and this place has a gorgeous outside patio. Rather than discussing the seasonal produce, our waitress spoke mostly about how each dish is only 480 calories. The food was awful and not seasonally AT ALL! I sent my entree back and we still spent almost $70. We walked home feeling annoyed and taken advantage of. The feelings were still with us in the morning as we headed off for Ponder. The temperatures had dropped 40 degrees and the sky was grey. We were not feeling thankful. The Ranchman changed all that. We were like two kids coming home from college, broken from finals and suffering from hangovers. The Ranchman took us in, fed us and loved us. We left feeling nourished, cared for and for that, I am grateful and thankful to The Ranchman and to true, Texas food and hospitality.

This is a shrine to the original owner of The Ranchman

Ponder that, y'all!

Marfa, Texas

2010-10-28T19:38:00.027-05:00

Oh my.

I mean, seriously.

John and I went to Marfa, TX last month, but I'm just now able to write about it.

Simply put, going to Marfa was life altering. Like visiting another country for the first time. After visiting Marfa, life is not the same - it is better. I believe places like Marfa restored my belief in humankind and what can be accomplished if we surround ourselves with beauty and a community who supports and loves each other. These are real hippie words, I know. I did spend a large part of my youth and adulthood in Lawrence, KS, know for it's large population of aging hippies. One is bound to pick up an ideal or two.

I think I might have had one of my best days EVER in Marfa. It's indescribable. Just like Marfa. All I can say is - Go. Go immediately. It's a haul to get there, but you will quickly forget about the 8 plus hours on the road. You will wish you had more days. It was the architecture, the people, the streets - EVERYTHING! It made me fall in love with Texas!

Here are some photos of the town and where we stayed, but they do not do Marfa justice. It's meant to be seen in person.

Heart-in-daise

2010-10-24T16:22:00.007-05:00

There are two things I have a serious weakness for - Hollandaise Sauce and Mayonnaise.

I have a song that I sing while generously applying mayo to sandwiches. It combines blues and opera and is uniquely mine. I don't know if I've mentioned my singer/song writing abilities, but that's another story for another day. Just know, they do exist and I may be tone deaf, but these songs rock. Back to the mayo - I love it. I love good ol' Hellman's and feel slightly uncomfortable not having a back up jar in my pantry at all times. It's crucial to my mental well being. I must admit, I slightly question the taste of those who ask to "hold the mayo". Why??? It's creamy goodness brings out such loveliness in tender herbs like thyme and tarragon in aioli and don't even get me started on what happens when the tomato layer of a well crafted BLT meets a smear of mayo. Angels sing. Seriously.

And Hollandaise is the ultra eggy sauce. Usually I order eggs benedict when going out for brunch. I know Anthony Bourdain put hollandaise sauce on his list of sketchy items to NEVER order at a restaurant, but whatever Anthony. I've seen you drink the equivalent of a reptile cocktail on your show, so I'm not sure that you are the best judge of what is safe. Notice that I write that sentence like Anthony Bourdain is often checking out my blog.

Back to the hollandaise, which is really what this blog is all about. Lately for Sunday brunch at Casa de Stamos, I've been rocking the hollandaise. The thing that bothers me about the traditional eggs benedict is the ham (usually a small step about sandwich meat) and the english muffin. All salty and white floury food feelings are not good. Since I work freelance, getting to chill and take a nap after my big Sunday brunch isn't really a big treat for me. I don't have weekends. I have Saturdays on Tuesday. I want to have my hollandaise and eat it too people!

I've developed an eggs benedict recipe that is made with a green veggie rather than ham. This morning I made it with spinach so it's sort of an Eggs Florentine, but I've also made it with asparagus. It would be delicious with a big meaty homegrown tomato too. I'm using the hollandaise recipe from my favorite cookbook to date by Jerry Traunfeld called The Herbal Kitchen. I use this cookbook all the time. For the recipes, as a reference and for inspiration when developing recipes of my own. Jerry has a hollandaise sauce that uses half the butter and is tangy dreamyness. I've made a modified version of this recipe two times this month, including this morning. I'm making the recipe for two and using whatever herbs I have on hand so that's where the modifications happen. Here's my version of a healthier eggs benedict.

Tina's Eggs Benedict
Serves 2

Big handful of spinach or 1/3 lbs asparagus

3 or 4 eggs - depends on how many eggs each person wants. John eats two, I eat one.

2 egg yolks
Juice of half a lemon (meyer lemons if possible!)
1/4 cup water
Generous pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon fresh herbs like thyme, Italian Parsley, or tarragon

Two pieces of whole grain bread, or bread of your choice, toasted and lightly buttered

I use the microwave to steam my spinach because it takes 30 seconds and does not require a burner. You can wilt the spinach your favorite way.

Place spinach in a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Cover with a damp paper towel and set aside to continue wilting.

Bring two medium sauce pans of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to one pot - this will be the pan for poaching the eggs.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, water, salt and pepper.

Cover a small plate with a paper towel folded in half. This is where you will drain the freshly poached eggs - they deserve a soft landing.

Once egg poaching water is boiling, carefully crack eggs into boiling water. For a soft boil, cook eggs for about 2 minutes. If you prefer medium set eggs, cook for 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, carefully remove eggs from water and drain on prepared plate. Make hollandaise sauce.

Place bowl of whisk together ingredients over boiling water. Cook for two to three minutes until mixure thickens and is frothy, whisking the entire time. Whisk in butter and herbs and mix until butter is completely melted and sauce is thick and smooth.

Squeeze water out of spinach and place on toasted bread. Carefully top with egg and then sauce. Serve and enjoy!!!!

No need for a nap after this one!!

Direction Smirection

2010-09-17T11:02:00.011-05:00

I was fully prepared to give direction to my blog, but then we moved to Plano, TX.

Oh yes, Plano. It's hot here and just in case you didn't know, Plano means flat in Spanish. Flat and hot, Plano, TX. We moved here so that my husband can attend grad school at SMU. It is the absolute opposite land of charming little Lawrence, KS, but I've adopt the philosophy prescribed to me by my friend Alan, which is to find comfort in the uncomfortable. It hasn't been all bad, actually it's been pretty good...I've eaten the world's BEST cheeseburger, found beautiful vintage cowboy boots, and established a "leafy greens" terrace garden. Probably the greatest accomplishment has been the move itself where not once have John and I discussed divorce or making a "serious mistake". We have settled in, but like all things unsettling, you look for a way to level out and find what was originally you. I feel like finally, after being in Texas for almost two months, I'm making that happen.

But, alas, I'm afraid my last post where I declared DIRECTION! is no longer the case. I'm thinking that I need to have my blog for another 20 years before I declare such things. I've decided to practice something that I have great difficulty with: patience. I will wrap up the "directions" topic and share with you my previous intentions for this blog. As you all know, I love food and I believe very strongly in the power of food. I have seen a grown man suffering from a terribly day transformed by a cookie. Food is my religion and I'm it's loyal follower. My idea was to start creating and giving edible gift kits and then posting the details on this blog. Since I've moved to a place where I don't know anyone, giving edible gift kits isn't really an option and therefore, I've lost my writing material. I have made one friend in Plano whom I have gifted with homemade cookies, but all I could muster up creatively was a brown paper bag and a nice note placed on his door step. For the time being, that might be all I have in me.

The edible gift kit (from now on referred to as EGK) is certainly not a new idea. I believe William Sonoma has an entire web site devoted to such things. My plan for the EGK was to build the theme around a seasonal ingredient, include an item or two that was homemade by me and a small potted herb for planting. So my first EGK was the Strawberry Shortcake Gift Kit. It included freshly picked strawberries, my homemade scones (this batch was orange and basil), vanilla bean infused heavy cream and a tiny mint plant. The receivers were my friends that I've made at Meredith in Des Moines. One friend had just moved into her new house and my other friend was four months along into her first pregnancy. These two ladies are creative and thoughtful so I wanted to give them something that was deserving of such traits, hence EGK.

Here's the kits ingredients:

And here's the completed kit:

I am happy to report that they both loved their gifts and bellies were made happy. I know that someday I will get back into the swing of EGK giving, but these gifts require a different space then where I am right now. So for the time being, I'm returning to the random. I might never leave it. Or maybe I will...or, maybe not...who knows!

Direction!

2010-05-07T15:04:00.016-05:00

I've decided on a theme for my blog. It's taken me a year and a half, but these things take time. Now I've decided on a topic, I shall do my best to stick to it. But, as my mother always says, a woman reserves the right to change her mind. I suppose time shall tell.

Before I switch gears into my new theme, I'm posting one last inspirational moment from my life that moves me to blog. It's spurred by two things. My new shake-it app on my iPhone and a trip to The Lawson Brother's farm yesterday with John. Both have great importance in my life - my iPhone being the medium I will share all photos from here on out (no more swiping web images) and Lawson's farm is where John and I were married. They are a pick your own berry farm and grow the only strawberries that I will eat. They are the best strawberries on the planet and I will gladly wait for their season. We went to check on the upcoming strawberry crop, which still has another week or two. It's going to be a delicious strawberry season folks - get out there and pick berries! We only found a few, but it will be well worth the wait. Here's their web site and directions to the farm.

Here's some pics from "the big day" and the way the farm looks now. It is a special place in both forms and will always be one of my favorite places in Kansas.

Yesterday

4 years ago

Yesterday

4 years ago

Yesterday

That's a good place to end. Stay tuned for my new theme!!!

Bliss it is

2010-03-15T13:42:00.002-05:00

I'm pretty sure that coconut milk could go into any recipe and I would be extremely happy. Recently, I splurged on a pint of Coconut Bliss ice cream and I'm telling you, Bliss is an understatement. A word needs to be invented to describe this amazing substance. Because of it's sexy silky dreaminess, I spent the rest of the evening thinking about coconut milk and how much I love it.

I do have a life, but come on, it's the end of winter. What else am I going to do?

So I spent the evening thinking about coconut milk and the endless eating possibilities and that is exactly what they are - endless. There are the obvious curries and pureed soups, but my mind ventured into some Midwest cooking crazy thoughts that I plan on whipping up in my kitchen. I'm not sure where this vision will take me, but I think my gravy boat is going to be seeing some action real soon.

What started it all.

The end of the road

2010-02-18T11:22:00.002-06:00

A few weekends ago, John and I went to Manhattan to visit my parents. Kansas, not New York. Manhattan is nestled in a little valley in the flint hills and is filled with oodles of quaintness. My folks have recently refurbished a 57 Chevy Bel air, which unfortunately had to stay under it's tarp in the garage due to the sludgy ickiness that covers Kansas roads right now. The Chevy is their precious baby and promises to bring hours, actually days, weeks and years of driving pleasure. And let me tell you folks, my parents like nothing more than to go for a drive, which is what we did on Saturday afternoon of our visit.

For 4 and 1/2 hours. We drove around. In Kansas. In the winter...

It started off good. We listened to the radio (oldies) and sang and chatted. It was very "good old times". We went to Alma and visited the Alma cheese factory and my day bought me $43 worth of cheese and a Alma cheese t-shirt. I don't know what it is, but I feel especially loved when my dad buys me things on a whim. It's like going to a candy store and getting the big lollipop.

See how awesome the Alma cheese factory is! Nibblin' Good! Nibblin good is printed on my t-shirt.

So back in the car. We ate cheese curds and enjoyed the small towniness coming through the windows. I should also mention that my dad has charted our journey and we are taking nothing but country roads, preferably dirt. We saw flocks of wild turkeys, old western looking towns with not a person in site and beautiful old stone barns. It was all going good until hour 3 hit and then we all started shifting in our seats and wondering, when is this going to end. Then quickly, the picturesque small towns become strange places where they made, sold and did crystal meth. Strange looking children ran wild in the streets. My mom got grumpy and we all got a bit quiet. No radio because we are in the middle of GOD KNOWS WHERE with no sign of escape. I'm starting to question my loyalty to my state. I declared that Lawrence is the only decent town in Kansas and began to resort back to bratty kid car behavior. If my sister would have been with us, I probably would have picked a fight with her and yelled that she was on my side of the seat. Finally, FINALLY, we shot off our never ending dirt road and were headed back to Manhattan. We found necessary modern luxuries (gas station bathrooms) and fled back to civilization and most importantly, booze. My mom took over driving with a fierce determination that is generally only seen from athletes and soldiers.

Maybe this would have turned out differently if we were in the 57 Chevy. Could it have been a modern remake of American Graffiti? Maybe the charm of that automobile would have made us giddy for more driving instead of clawing at the windows like mental patients.

SEND CHAPSTICK!!!!

2010-01-04T21:55:00.001-06:00

I do believe that if parents sent there children off to summer camp in Kansas instead of places like Minnesota at Lake Tiki-Tiki, AND that that summer camp became winter camp, all the children would be writing home with desperate pleas for more, much more, maybe cases, of chapstick.

I cannot apply enough to my lips. I realize things are dry, but...what's going on here. I remember urban legend about Carmex, that not only did it not HELP your lips, it actually stole their moisture, therefore creating a carmex dependency. After hearing about this I decided it must be true because ALL my friends had, carried and applied carmex 24/7. One friend going as far as carrying the little pot around in her bootie socks. A sure sign of dependency...and the 80's.

So, if you know the cure, send it over. I've been searching for a long time and obviously have not found the answer. Is there relief? Will I ever be able to say the words "read my lips" and feel confident the viewer is not experiencing ugly flaking and peeling? Did I ruin my pout with carmax?

A very cliche post inspired by media - yes sir!

2009-12-30T13:50:00.001-06:00

While lounging supreme at my in-laws casa over Christmas, I got to indulge in a bit of cable tv. Not a ton, since really, there is nothing on. Not even good movies...people pay for this?? Anyways, I digress. While lounging with my big bucket of topsy's popcorn and watching cable, I watched my fair share of "looking back at 2009" segments on news channels. I've decided that my favorite story of 2009 was about the pilot who saved all the passengers with his amazing flying skills and crashed landed in the Hudson river. My least favorite story is the tragic killing of Dr. Tillman at point blank range while attending church service with his family. These two stories represent to me the extremes that humans are capable of and the lengths one will go to for our passions and beliefs.

So here's the cliche post potion inspired by too much holiday tv watching. A listing of my high and low lights of 2009, listed in chronological order by month.

January: Held Obama Ball at Teller's restaurant. Loads of friends in gorgeous vintage gowns in attendance. John see pictures of himself at ball and realizes the mustache is a big mistake.

February: Contacted by Tom Harper about catering an event at Church. Score catering event and lease to Church! Hallmark magazine, a major client announces it will stop publication.

March: Build web site by myself!! Sign onto Facebook and spend several lost weeks going through all my friends photos and pages. Feel like I'm looking through peoples closets while they are on vacation and install strict restrictions of how much time and energy can be spent Facebooking.

April: Enter last year of 30's. Move into church mid month and beginning setting up house.

Is this getting boring? I'm feeling bored writing it, so I can only imagine reading it. I'm going to go ahead and switch directions.

My resolutions for 2010 in the form of a small, hopefully interesting list.

1)Learn each and every tree variety on my block. I will count them along the way and share this information with as many people as possible

2) Shoot at least three commercials or, actually, video of any sort will be fine.

3)Prepare a Paella completely outside. Either on my fire pit or at a picnic where fire is allowed. This will have to wait until spring because, right now, it's 2 degrees outside.

4)Actually buy a sewing machine and sew instead of just talking about it.

5)Spend an entire week in nature, in a tent, with my hubby.

Five resolutions work. Stopping there. Feeling good about 2010 despite the horrid conditions outside.

Happy 2010 to everyone!!!!!

The Power of Pie

2009-10-06T15:18:00.002-05:00

Lately, I've felt a bit scattered.

It's a combination of things really, but I would say the bulk of my anxieties has been because of work. As a freelancer living in the Midwest, the recession is really starting to sink in. The industry where I aspire to be seems to be dying and I want desperately to save it, but that's a pretty big task that should probably be tackled by a team and not just an individual. The announcement yesterday that Gourmet would stop publication was really the icing on the cake for me. I spent a chunk of my evening dragging out old copies and staring at the beautiful photography. So, so pretty. Such wonderful escapes! You could hear music and smell the food. Gourmet's pages told stories where the food was the star and we were the lucky guests at the party. I will miss Gourmet magazine...terribly. Ultimately, Gourmet was were I wanted to work. Either writing recipes or styling. Getting coffee for those writing recipes or styling would have worked for me too. It was my dream goal, so it's closing feels very personal.

Still in my funky mood today, I was getting ready to leave my house to run errands. I was putting on my mittens, when the door bell rang, which was not so strange because it has a loose wire and rings randomly...especially when it's rainy outside. We also have ding-dong-ditchers in our neighborhood so I'm use to going to the door and no ones there. The door bell sound is Westminster chimes and it's very loud and echos. It's the most appropriate ring for living in the church, but is somewhat unnerving. Also, my dog, Rudy goes CRAZY when the doorbell rings so when it happens, it's a very noisy and chaotic moment and then, nothing but empty sidewalk. So, when I opened the door today, that is what I expected. Nothing, but there was something. Two somethings. A fella who lives in the neighborhood and his girlfriend and a pie...so three somethings. My eyes immediately went to the pie and stayed. It might have been a rude greeting, but I could not help it. It was soooooo pretty and the couple was so pretty! Both in hats and coats and in love. It turns out, the pie was for ME! They had gone apple picking and made a pie for ME!! I was completely floored. I gushed and thanked them repeatedly. It was possibly one of the nicest random things anyone has every done for me. I took the pie inside and immediately ate a piece, I could not help but wonder if a higher power was not involved. The power of Pie. It was like the universe was saying to me don't forgo your dream. Gourmet is gone, but you have Pie. In your real life, you have Gourmet.

Not only is it the prettiest pie, it taste like heaven!

Seasonal Writings

2009-09-23T14:13:00.004-05:00

Or, what I should say is seasonal writer because, apparently, that's what I am. Do not count on me to provide daily, weekly or even monthly blogging musings...I'm on the quarter system which runs in 3 to 4 month cycles. This is especially good information for my four followers. I know you're probably checking in daily and just dying to read about my objects of fascination at the moment, so now you know. Every few months OR SO, I will have new material that promises to be gripping and so, so important.

So the last time I wrote, I was in the throws of a passionate love affair with watermelon. And, as promised, I ate my weight in watermelon. I'm happy to report that melon season was good. I had a cantaloupe a few weeks ago that almost made me cry. And now, I have a new love. One that was discovered at the farmer's market several weeks ago. It was such an exciting discovery because I've never seen this particular veggie at the Lawrence farmer's market. I bought it out of curiosity and now I buy it out of 100% love and total devotion.

It's celery.

Not just celery, but the best celery every grown by man. The bunches are a deep green and the stocks are about half the width of grocery store celery. They are very, very crisp and topped with hearty greens that look a lot like Italian parsley. The looks get an A and the flavor gets an A++. They have that celery taste; cool, crisp and a bit bitter, but this magic farmer's market celery has extras. A bit of lemon and anise is how I would describe it...almost like fennel. The greens are excellent in cold salads or sauteed with squash. My favorite meal to make with the celery stocks is a beef and celery stir fry. It takes 15 minutes to make and deliverers maximum happiness.

I would love to offer a picture of these heavenly stocks, but I only have a few left and they are not at their prime. Instead, I will segue into another favorite topic. Muppets. Here is captain vegetables singing about the goodness of vegetables to little Muppet children. His celery does not represent the magic farmer's market celery, but I feel that his song says it all.

Summer's agenda

2009-06-18T19:06:00.003-05:00

I think I mentioned a few blogs back that I'm a big fan of proclamations. I say stuff daily that I am determined to change about myself or add to my life. These proclamations are generally made after I've eaten something mind blowing and decide I need to incorporate this item into my daily life and share it's awesomeness with others . I've talked about getting t-shirts made with my favorite cheese placed front and center with it's name in huge, baseball letter font - ya know...kinda a sporty bubble letter. I've also considered placing my dog's image on a t-shirt, but that's a road best not traveled.

But here it is. My big proclamation for the day. I plan on eating the bejesus out of watermelon this summer. I plan on eating so much watermelon that I learn to hate watermelon. Ya...right! As if anyone could ever get sick of the worlds most perfect summer time food! I would proclaim a watermelon non-lover a fool and stick to it. With watermelon juice dripping down my chin, I would stand on the nearest picnic table and declare that person to be the new village idiot. It's just to good to not love 100% with all your heart.

This moment of inspirational clarity came while cutting up a watermelon for a picnic that I'm going to this evening. It was my first one of the year and good GOD it is juicy and delicious. I saved all the end pieces for myself and ate them while dripping over the sink. I was home alone so my husband missed the sexy site of me dripping watermelon juice and then using a dish towel to clean myself up. I had to change my clothes due to messiness, but so worth it. So worth it people!

Mellon - dig it!

I'm just saying...

2009-06-01T12:12:00.001-05:00

Summer time. It might be my favorite, that is until you can't go outside because of the 1 million mosquitoes that will swarm every inch of exposed skin within 10 seconds. Last year I tried my best to avoid DEET and other nasty chemicals while picking tomatoes or just being outside, but the mosquito shield I bought at the farmers market did not work even when I would slather so much on I looked like a giant slug girl. By July, I am enjoying a chemical lifestyle and that's that. I feel in these moments one must pose questions like: west niles vs. chemical coating. I vote for chemical coating. I don't like to itch.

Maybe I should say instead: Spring time! It might be my favorite time.

That's more like it.

Today is the first day since moving into the church that I've felt like sitting down and writing. The changes that come with new digs living leaves my brain barely capable of writing a check to the electric company, let alone blogging. Is that how you say it? Blogging? Anyways, I feel like we've finally gotten settled and I can now form sentences in the writing form and have fun with it. I have tried several times to sit down and write, but the experience has felt forced and I've doomed my writings to an eternal life as a draft. I have the power. So now I sit, outside on my church deck and write while looking at the back yard that is still a work in progress, but has come a long, long way due to the labors of me and my hubby. By the time our cantaloupe is loping, we should have one kick-ass back yard, which we will deet-up and hang in.

Here is a recent photo of the church. Until next time....

Slowly but surely

2009-04-06T09:08:00.001-05:00

This is the time of year that all Kansans should get paid a wage for living in their state. Doesn't have to be a huge wage, just something to "stimulate" us. Don't get me wrong, I'm a die hard Kansas loyalist. I have defended my state's honor across the U.S. I have been the strange Kansas girl at New York cocktail parties where people are surprised that I am not in gingham. One summer, I lived on an island off the coast of Rhode Island. All the islanders knew me before I even set foot on it's rocky cliffs, because I'm from Kansas. It was like I was some sort of sea legend come to live on the island. They would all stare at me intensely, like any moment I might sprout hay antennas or say something wonderfully hick that could be mocked later at the bar. It actually made me feel a bit exotic.

But the dredges of winter are not exotic in Kansas. The days are grey, cold and looooooong. The sky is bright enough that you get sleepy from squinting when outside, but generally there is no sun. Just grey, grey, grey. March is always a teaser with a few gorgeous sunny warm days, but those seem far away in the midst of 50 degree grey land. It's like being in middle earth in Lord of the Rings. The feeling of doom and no end can only be cured with heavy meals and too much wine, which often leads to dancing on tables and songs about yesteryear. Just kidding about the dancing on tables part...no one wants to climb up that high. And, usually the songs of yesteryear are 80's high school favorites that are heavy with Duran Duran.

It's hard. Hard being so in love with something that doesn't always love you back. I know I will eat these words as soon as we are knee deep in spring and when not suffering a serious allergy headache, I am outside. In glorious Kansas. Gardening. Drinking season appropriate libations and hanging with friends. When this day comes, angels sing and sun beams shine perfectly on our pasty white skin. We all look like we have just emerged from our winter caves and need LOTS of vitamin D and possibly a few weeks with a personal trainer. Stretchy pants (a staple in middle earth during high winter season) are replaced with summer dresses and the world begins to feel right again. Visits to the farmer's market is therapy and good for you. So is champagne. By mid June, the love affair is in full swing and we've forgotten that our state can be so cruel. Just about that time, Kansas sends in the mosquitos.

Everything a girl could want.

2009-04-02T11:45:00.001-05:00

Today is my birthday. So far, it's been a perfect day. The weather is crappy, but that's expected. It always rains on my birthday. When I was a kid, my parents never realized the weather pattern and always planned outside parties with volleyball nets and croquet. We would look at the soggy net outside while playing board games inside. One year, they loaded us up for a last minute trip to the bowling alley. This was okay by me since the Stockton bowling alley makes the best cheeseburgers I've ever eaten. Super thin patty with crispy edges made on a flat top grill with toasted buns. Yellow mustard, pickles and onions. Only. Since I was a small person, that is how I prefer my burgers. I have changed my mustard preference to Dijon.

So, without the rain, things don't seem right on my birthday. Actually, when I said "it always rains on my birthday", I was fibbing. Occasionally, it has been dry, even nice outside, but it doesn't feel right without the rain. I always associate my birthday with all the outside decorations and people crammed into a small space, but everyone is excited from running inside out of the rain. The best board games have been played under these conditions. I think of a homemade cake on a bowling alley table.

So today is starting out simple and lovely. John brought me coffee in bed and at the time of my birth (9:06 - my Mom reminds me of this hour every birthday) a tiny present wrapped in green paper. Inside was a tiny pair of ginkgo leaf earrings. They were in a tiny green silk bag. They are now my favorite possession. After I get myself dressed (I have a long in-robe period of getting ready) we are heading to flea markets to shop for new church house furniture and then it's off to dinner with John's parents. We are eating at Cafe Provence and I'm having the duck. I always eat duck on my birthday. It's the new cheeseburger.

Crash

2009-03-29T14:19:00.001-05:00

Last Friday, I headed to Wichita to talk to my little niece's 2nd grade class about food styling. The plan was to tell them about food styling, show examples of my work and then turn them loose to style a meal themselves. My sister is a 4th grade teacher at my niece's school and she set everything up. She shopped for the lesson and I was to bring the tools and know-how. I was prepared for a day of styling hot dogs and hanging with the children. It was going to be exciting and fun. I was planning on posting the images on my blog and making everyone proud.

BUT...instead, I'm posting this:

This is not precious little hot dogs with 2nd grade ketchup drizzles. It is not a small child's interpretation of a school lunch. It is not a creative masterpiece guided by me because, I WAS NOT THERE!!!

About 40 miles outside of Wichita, I ran into the start of the devil March blizzard that ripped through the southern part of Kansas. I came within a few feet of slamming into the back of a semi truck after hitting a patch of black ice and instead, slammed into the concrete median strip. There were trucks overturned in the ditch. I saw a truck on fire. It was chaotic and terrifying. I cannot believe this is the only damage done to my car considering how the impact felt and sounded. My Jeep lived up to their rugged reputation and after the experience - I am a big fan. Right after the wreck, I managed to maneuver my way through wrecked semis and fire. A cop told me to keep moving or risk getting slammed into by the approaching traffic that could not be warned to slow down and be careful. I white knuckled it to the nearest rest stop where I could finally turn around and head home. The mile posting said that Wichita was 33 miles away, but I turned and headed the 100 miles home. My body is still feeling that drive, but I feel incredibly blessed and lucky to be alive. Like I walked through a plague filled room and managed to escape with only the sniffles.

Yoga cravings

2009-03-24T12:04:00.003-05:00

For the last year, I have consistently gone to the same yoga class twice a week. Schedule permitting, that is. It's at 9:00 a.m. and generally last a bit over two hours. It's an intense class, but I always look forward to it and I'm especially pleased with myself afterwards. But a strange new sensation has been visiting my after yoga glow that I think is very un-yoga.

Immediately after yoga, I crave a big steak.

Not just a taste, but a big huge t-bone. Medium rare. Seared on the outside and seasoned only with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. I don't need the potato, or the salad. I probably don't even need a plate. I envision myself stabbing this beautiful piece of meat and eating it like a cow popsicle. Is it strange that upon leaving my seat of consciousness, instead of a smoothie, or some sort of Moosewood-y wholesome food, I'm mad for meat? I even announced it one time right after yoga, when everyone was putting on their shoes and feeling post yoga bliss. I announced that I was STARVING and really wanted a steak. Silence. Silence and strange looks. Finally someone was kind enough to say something like "wow, you must really be hungry", but most people had nervously slipped away by then and there was no rescuing me from my self inflicted strangeness.

I've never given into this craving. I generally don't have t-bones just laying around, so usually I DO eat an appropriate after yoga meal. Apples with cheese or peanut butter. Yogurt. Maybe a soft boiled egg and piece of toast. Probably because these are easily eaten foods that I can simply open mouth and insert. After yoga, I don't have the patience to do any real cooking - boiling water is often too complicated. So I doubt I'll ever fire up the grill and toss on a steak. As I write this, I realize this is probably really good and I feel like the universe is looking after me. Me and the cows, that is.

Bloggedy Blog Blu Blay

2009-03-23T11:18:00.001-05:00

John and I are moving into an old church. It's 137 years old and totally cool. The kitchen is where the alter used to be and I've been working on all sorts of church talk for the upcoming move. There are the obvious phrases and sentences like "mass will begin at 7:00" as dinner party invite time and some stuff to do with bake sales, but these will be overused by me quickly. SO I've taken my thoughts to new levels and need to learn some serious quotes for sermon delivery from my kitchen alter. The first one that I plan on learning is Ezekiel 25:17, which was quoted by Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction. I found out that the church spent some time as a Southern Baptist Church so I need to learn some fiery deliveries. Of course, I will serve equally spicy food to complete the theme.

It won't be all fire and brimstone. I plan on rockin' the choir loft/bedroom windows that look down onto the nave/living room for my new hobby: puppetry. I haven't really started this hobby yet, but have every intention of taking it up soon. The strange thing is that I was planning on taking up puppetry before we found the church with it's perfect puppetry windows. John gave me a muppet for Christmas, so it only makes sense that we move into a space where I can practice my new craft.

Here's a little muppet treat for everyone's Monday. I'm thinking of Mr. John's ensemble as my kitchen alter get up.

Enjoy!

This and that

2009-03-13T11:33:00.002-05:00

I have exactly 20 days until I begin the last year of my 30's. It seems strange as most days I feel about 12 and am surprised that I own things like a car and a couch. Overall, 30's have been good. I will miss them, but I do not fear getting old, or, I should say, older. I can only speak for myself, but the perks outweigh the negatives and I'm happily looking forward to the big 4-0. That's not to imply that my bathroom is void of anti aging eye cream and firming lotions. I might change my mind about this aging thing and I believe in preventive preparedness. I also believe in full fat cheese ONLY - by the way.

Like this pretty little guy that came from the farmer's market in Madison, WI. Possibly the best farmer's market that I've ever had the pleasure of dreamily stumbling through. I also bought a tiny ceramic bud vase from a woman who lived 30 miles from where I grew up in Western Kansas.

The deal-e-o

2009-03-12T15:21:00.000-05:00

Hello and welcome to my blog. This is my first posting so please bear with me while I gather my blogging legs and get things figured out. I like the little box that post are written in, it reminds me of the lined notebook paper that I learned to write on...coincidence or blog designer smartness???

I named this blog after my favorite snack. I spent the better part of the afternoon pondering what it's name should be, bugging my husband with ALL possibilities that came through my brain until I decided what I really needed to do was stop and have a snack. Not a snake, a snack. One thing lead to another and here we are. Apples and cheese. I guess I could have gotten specific and called it Alma White Cheddar (so good and from Kansas:) and Braeburn Apples, but that's a bit of a mouth full. Besides, I cannot commit to one specific type of apple or cheese, although I will say, cheddar is my favorite cheese category.