Pocket Sized Chef

12 Weeks & Onesie Love

2012-02-11T07:36:00.000-08:00

Ok so I'm going to start the pregnancy posts. I probably wouldn't do post but Brandy insisted that I send her belly pictures and I figured this was the best way to do it. My sad camera phone isn't too amazing.

So this is 12 weeks...not much to see. Looks like I just ate too much for dinner.
(excuse my naked dress form)

So I came across these screen printed onesies on Etsy. Adorable!

And, yes, I will have no problem putting this Triumph motorcycle onesie on a girl.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

2012-02-10T12:26:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite soups is Roasted Red Pepper. I rarely make this at home because the cost of red peppers is usually not very cheap and using all of my peppers for soup is a big sacrifice. Last week the grocery store had a whole bag for less than $3.50 so I finally made soup.

First start out with about 5-7 peppers. Cut the peppers lengthwise into sections, remove seeds, and lay skin side up on a foil lined pan.
Next peel a yellow onion and cut crosswise into 4 equal sections. Lay the onion on the tray with the peppers and brush with olive oil.

Roast under the broiler in the oven for 6-8 minutes until the peppers are charred and the onions start to turn black on the edges.

Once they come out of the oven fold up the sides of the foil to form a little pocket. Let everything rest for about 10 minutes.

Peel off the skin of the peppers using a paring knife and discard.

In a pot, stir together about 2-3 cups of chicken stock, peppers and onions, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp. tomato paste, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Bring everything to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until slightly thickened.

Puree the soup in the blender.

Add about 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream and heat through.

Garnish with fresh basil and serve. I made homemade rye rolls to go along with our soup. Perfect for a chilly winter night!

The Drive To NH

2012-02-03T14:38:00.000-08:00

Here are few pictures of the long drive from GA to NH. It was around 1200 miles over 2 days and totaling 24 hours of driving time. We made it though and hopefully I will have apartment and town pictures up soon.

House Update

2012-01-02T09:07:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. We spend Christmas weekend with my family and then celebrate with Nathans family last week. It was the first time that we've had the opportunity to have Christmas with my family since we've been married so it was special.
I have pictures but right now I have no idea were the camera is so they'll have to wait. We're packing up and moving in two weeks so things are misplaced and already packed up. We have accepted a job in New Hampshire! I probably won't have time to post until we're there but I'll have pictures up as soon as I can. Here are a few Nathan took while he was up for his interview.

Old Sheldon Church S.C.

2011-12-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

We stopped by the Old Sheldon Church after picking up Nathan from the airport in Charleston. It's only 2 miles off the main highway and worth the 10 minute stop.

Worth The Wait

2011-12-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

So this year for our anniversary (November 14) we decided to wait and go out to dinner a few weeks late. Nathan had to fly out of Charleston for an interview last week so we decided to spend the night and have dinner the night before. Our restaurant of choice was Husk. Husk has only been open a little over a year and has already been named best new restaurant in Bon Appetite. All the ingredients, wine, beer, and liquor are all from the south. Because of this their menu changes daily and even with a two week reservation on a Wednesday night they only had 2 slots open. Here it is! The best meal we've had yet!

This is the restaurant.
Right next door is a long slender brick building which is the bar. We started out here with a couple beers and a appetizer.

Here was a list of their special beers for the night. Nathan had the Smoking Gun and I had the White Thai. They were about as opposite as two beers could be and both very good.

Pickled pigs feet on the bar.

Nathan and are big fans of fried pickles, especially the chips. Husk had fried bread and butter pickles which were very yummy.

Once they were ready for us we headed over to the house. If you can see the center piece it was dried whole okra in a vase with course ground corn.

Inside they left all of the windows looking out but between on all of the wall space they put up mirrors. We just happened to be seated in the perfect spot for me to spy on the kitchen. I really wish I could have gone back and hung out for a little while.

First Course Nathan:
Clams, creamy shellfish broth, fennel & potato, bacon & crispy garlic bread

First Course Molly:
Roasted butternut squash soup, with turkey confit, & pecan granola

Main Course Nathan:
TX wagyu sirloin with red creamer potatoes, bok choy, smoked tomatoes, roasted cippolinis and mushroom jus

Main Course Molly:
Country fried lamb, Carolina gold rice grits, mixed braised greens, and lamb neck gravy

Unfortunately I cannot remember the specifics of the dessert. It was an apple tart with oatmeal and I'm sure a lot of other amazing ingredients served with ( I think) homemade salted pecan ice cream.

If you're ever planning a trip to Charleston make a reservation and Husk. It is an amazing restaurant and worth ever penny....and believe it or not it's not as many pennies as you might think.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-28T06:23:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was fast. Nathan and I had to work on Friday so we went up to my parents after I got off work on Wednesday and came back Thursday afternoon. There was too much food (as usual) and all the family was there except the eldest brother Logan.

The spread consisted of:
green beans
black eyed peas
chicken & dumplings
turkey
ham
squash casserole
salad
bread

I made a cranberry cherry pie and a chocolate pudding pie. Both were delicious. You can find the recipe for the pudding pie on Smitten Kitchen.

Rarely are all or most of us children at home at the same time so we had to get a family picture.

Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw

2011-11-13T16:23:00.000-08:00

The wonderful thing about this dish besides it being delicious is that it cost lest than $5! I came across the recipe on Smitten Kitchen. It's really easy, really cheap and really yummy.

Serves 2 - 4

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lime juice
2 cups coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 white or yellow corn tortillas
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Hot sauce

Place beans and cumin in small bowl; partially mash. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix 2 teaspoons olive oil and lime juice in medium bowl; add coleslaw, green onions, and cilantro and toss to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in single layer. Spoon 1/4 of bean mixture onto half of each tortilla; cook 1 minute. Fold tacos in half. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Fill tacos with feta and slaw.

2 Crazy Wild Years

2011-11-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

2 years
3 states
6 jobs
6 cars
1 real winter
2 moving trucks
3 churches
a lot of amazing friends
a lot of boxes

It's has been two crazy and amazing years. There is no way I could have dreamed up what God had planned for our first two years of marriage. I am so very thankful for a wonderful husband you keeps me pointed to Christ. It's been a wild ride and I can't wait to see what's next. I love you babe!

A Wedding, Bithday Party, Car Show & Job Interview

2011-11-06T04:48:00.000-08:00

The last weekend in October we spent in Charlotte NC. The main reason we went up was for Jefferey and Amanda's wedding on Saturday. It was a beautiful wedding with crisp fall air and tons of fall colors. We were able to see some of our friends that have also moved away from Charlotte and a some that are still there.

Nathan and Chris (we really missed seeing his wife Amy)

The cake was really cute and delicious!

After the wedding we went by Trader Joe's. I love this store and I really, really miss it.

Sunday just happened to Stephanie's birthday and they had a big party for her Saturday night. Ben and Stephanie were also our hosts for the weekend. It was great to catch up since we haven't seen them in a year.

Sunday after church we went to the GoodGuys car show. Someone just happened to have tickets at the party Saturday and wasn't going to use them.

The search for the perfect wagon continues...

...or bus
Sunday night we went to our favorite restaurant The Crepe Cellar. It was just as amazing as last time.

My crepe was filled with salmon, leeks, tomatoes and Gruyere cheese.

Nathan's pesto and brie fries...

...along with his wild mushroom, spinach and goat cheese crepe.
After dinner we stopped by our favorite french bakery Amelie's. We split a little cake with vanilla chifon layers that were soaked in Grand Marnier and then covered with (real) vanilla buttercream and almonds.

It was a busy weekend but a blast...we'd love to get back to NC one day. Oh and Nathan did have an interview at one of the race shops on Monday. We're still waiting to hear back.

The Fair

2011-10-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

Last week was the Ogeechee Fair. It's tiny compared to the GA National Fair that I've been to a few times. It was a lot of fun though. We don't ride rides so it was just a night of people watching and eating food that is horrible for us.

As soon as we got there it was time for a pig race so we watched. My parents used to take us to the Ga Mountain Fair when we were kids. My favorite part was the pig race.

It can't get more redneck and hilarious than large potbelly pigs racing around and jumping into a pool of water.

We took in the high-wire pirate show...
...and, of course, funnel cake!

Koala's Are The Cutest

2011-10-18T12:59:00.000-07:00

So last Friday, very last minute, I took the day off and went to Colombia, S.C. with my friend Brandy and her 3 children to meet our other friend Alyssa and her 4 children for a visit to the zoo. The weather couldn't haven been more perfect and the kids had a blast as well as us adults. Man was I tired when I got home...7 children is a lot of people to keep up with.

The girls with the lion.

The boys

We tried to get a group picture (-babies) but it wasn't happening.

I hear that Koala's are not very nice but they are so adorable. Everyone of them was sleeping.

Unexpected days off are the best. Great friends are even better!

Painted Pig Farms

2011-10-03T16:39:00.000-07:00

I wanted to put a word out for Painted Pig Farms and their all natural pork and homemade soaps. We first tried some of their soaps because I had expressed an interest in learning how to make my own soap. It turns out that a we loved it so much that we had Joel and Amy pay Nathan in soap for some work he did for them. It is 100% better than the stuff you buy at the store and it smells divine.

Their pork which is their main business is delicious. So far we've tried both the smoked ham and pork chops. Their pigs are born and raised right here in GA.

You can see them at the Statesboro Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. They're just a few tents down from the Sugar Magnolia tent were Nathan is. Please support you're local farmers and businesses!

Savannah Jazz Festival

2011-10-01T03:56:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was the Savannah Jazz Festival. Nathan and I are not huge jazz fans but we enjoy hearing it live. We had never been but it's free and you get to sit outside, eat, and drink a glass of wine or beer. The weather is finally cooling off a bit so we decided to check it out.

It rained on the drive down but we were hoping that it would miss the park. It didn't and it ended up raing half the time we were there. It was worth it and we stayed until about 9.

Our friends the Flemings joined us in the fun...

...and their son enjoyed getting to know the Savannah ladies and playing in the rain.

Next weekend (7-8) is the Folk Festival and I think we're going to try a go. Maybe it won't rain!

Goat Cheese, Green Onion & Garlic Pizza

2011-09-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

This is one of our favorite pizza's at the bakery that I work at (Sugar Magnolia) and a few weeks ago we recreated it at home to save a little money. I used my whole wheat pizza crust recipe that you can find here. I cut the top off the head of garlic, drizzled a little olive oil over the top and roasted it in foil until it was nice and soft. After it had finished roasting I put it in the food processor with a little olive oil to make a spread. I used the garlic as my base added mozzarella and goat cheese. After It was done baking we sprinkled some fresh green onions over the top.

The weather was so amazing that we sat outside on a blanket with a bottle of wine. A perfect meal.

Summer Shirt & Dessert

2011-09-09T15:54:00.001-07:00

I started this post a month ago...just got around to posting it.

About three weeks ago I made this shirt using this pattern that I modified a little bit to fit me. It's probably the last summer item that I will be sewing. I've just started on a vintage vogue pattern that Nathan bought me for my birthday.

I don't have a picture of this amazing ice cream but I have to share it because it is amazing and very easy to make. It's from Nigella Lawson and I've been wanting to make it for a while but finally got around to it last week when I realize that I didn't have my churn to make ice cream.

Nigella Lawson's Bitter Orange Ice Cream

3 Seville oranges (or 1 eating orange and 2 limes)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

wafers, to serve (optional)

If using Seville oranges, grate the zest of 2 of them. Squeeze the juice of all 3 and pour into a bowl with the zest and sugar. If you're going for the sweet orange and lime option, grate the zest of the orange and one of the limes, juice them and add to the sugar as before. Stir to dissolve the sugar and add the heavy cream.

Whip everything until it holds soft peaks, and then turn into a shallow airtight container (of approximately 2 quarts) with a lid. Cover and freeze until firm (from 3 to 5 hours). Remove to ripen for 15 to 20 minutes (or 30 to 40 minutes in the refrigerator) before eating. Serve in a bowl, in cones, with wafers — however you like.

Recipe used with permission, from Nigella Bites by Nigella Lawson.

Fall/Winter Wardrobe

2011-09-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about fall and winter lately. As of right now we won't be living anywhere with a real winter. I have to say that I'm disappointed about being here where the winters are so very mild. I have a great deal of winter clothing and accessories from last winter that I'm afraid if we're here in GA that they won't get used. Of course our situation could change at any moment and we could move somewhere much colder.

So with the thought of temperatures below 90 degree's and possibly wearing something other than linen I'm trying to figure out what items I would like to add to my wardrobe. I have quite a few vintage patterns and will be acquiring even more in a few weeks when we go visit my parents. The plan is to sit down and map out and make a list of items I would like to sew. With all of my many vintage patterns and buttons it could very easily become a strange hodgepodge of a wardrobe if I'm not careful. Once I figure how what my projects will be I'll let ya'll know.

Dilly Bean Review

2011-08-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

So do ya'll remember when I did this post about canning green beans? We opened a can a couple of weeks ago to give them a try. These are by far the most amazing green beans I have ever had. I'm not a canned green bean fan usually but I love these. The dill and garlic is what makes them so amazing. They're the bean version of a dill pickle.

Weekend In Savannah

2011-08-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago Nathan and I headed down to Savannah after we had finished working at the bakery in the morning. We checked into the Marriot and then headed downtown for some window shopping and eating.

Saturday night we ate dinner at Vinnie Van Go Go's in the market district. I think they have the best pizza in Savannah and the best outdoor seating.

Artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes and Italian sausage...yummy!

After walking a few blocks to burn off a little pizza went stopped by The Distillery for a couple craft beers. They have 25 taps and rotate the beer they serve. The atmosphere is very nice and the menu looked really good. We'll have to go back sometime when we haven't already eaten.

Sunday morning we got up and walked down Bay street to B. Matthews Eatery for brunch. I had called ahead because someone told me that we should make resurvations. We showed up right at 9 when they opened and there was already a small line. After we ate we knew why.

Nathan ordered a opened-faced salmon BLT that was topped with a poached egg. It tasted just as amazing as it looked.

I had a crab, atichoke and goat cheese omlette served with fruit and yummy stone ground grits. It was by far the best omlette I've ever had.

I have more pictures but for some reason my computer won't upload them right now. We went to church after eating at B. Matthews and then ate lunch at Blowin Smoke BBQ. Their beer selection was pretty good and they had fried pickles! We've been looking for fried pickles since we left Charlotte so we were pretty excited. After doing some antiqueing we headed back to Statesboro. It was a nice time to get away and just spend time together. Hopefully we can take a trip to Charlotte soon to visit friends and all of our favorite spots.

Savannah Restaurant Reveiw: The Green Truck Pub

2011-07-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

After going to see Harry Potter for my birthday we decided to go out to eat. Statesboro has no venues with wonderful food + amazing beer + being local to the area. So we decided to head to Savannah for a few hours. We had an idea of where we wanted to go but on the way down I remembered some friends telling us about the Green Truck.
After calling up my SIL for directions (we don't own smart phones) we found it without much trouble and were sat in about 20 minutes.

They have mason jar lighting around the bar area and all wooden booths.

We started out with a beer from Wild Heaven in Athens GA. It was the first time I have tried one of Eric Johnsons beers and it was quite tasty.

The burgers were fabulous! I had the Rustico burger with goat cheese, balsamic caramized onions, roasted red peppers and fresh basil. Nahans burger was the Hot Rod Deluxe which was their classic burger topped with bacon, onions, and mushrooms. The fries were just as good as the burgers and their homemade ketchup was so good I wanted to buy it in bulk and bring it home with me.

Our second beer was a Victory Golden Monkey. It's another tasty beer that went great with our burger and fries.

It was so nice to get out of the boro for a few hours and enjoy great food, beer and time together. I really wish Statesboro had more to offer so we didn't have to drive 45 minutes. We can't wait to go back and try some more of their beer selection as well as their
award winning burgers!

4th Of July Dress

2011-07-25T07:50:00.000-07:00

I know this is about a month late but I had to post about my July 4th outfit. I found this amazing fabric at a antique store in Iowa and it was just enough for this pattern. I used an old pattern of my moms from the 60's. The pattern is McCall's number 9700.

This dress was really easy to make and the best thing is that I didn't have to alter the pattern to fit me. I will definitely be makimg more of these!

A Little Bit Of A Party

2011-07-19T15:07:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday was my 25th birthday. My sweet husband and a few close friends planned a little party for me on Thursday night. It was a ton of fun and I even made a special dress for the occation. Here are a few pictures from the celebration.

I had seen in a magazine months ago a cheese, wine and olive party. Three of my most favorite things! Nathan, of course, remembered and made it the theme.

Brandy made the most amazing dessert! Baked merigues floating in lemony custard with raspberries. Lemon just happens to be one of my favorites!

My dress is made from a 1970's maxidress pattern. I was really wanting to make a 1930's dress but could find the pattern I wanted. A couple weeks before I read that the 1970's long maxidress style was adapted from dress styles of the 30's. After reading that I can really see the similarities. Anyway, I remembered an old pattern of my mothers and pulled it out and it looked like it could work. One day I want to make a shorter version without the sleeves.

I had asked Brandy & Charlotte to take a picture of Nathan and I...somehow it turned into a mini photo shoot.

Thanks for making my birthday so wonderful!

Not Suitable For Chubby Girls

2011-07-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

My SIL has this adorable pattern from the 1960's. As we were looking at it last week we notice in parentheses "not suitable for chubby girls" under the pattern description. I'm not sure anyone could get away with printing that now.

Fantastic Figs

2011-07-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

This past week we were house-sitting for friends of ours and they just happen to have 2 fig trees.
Nathan loves figs and so we took advantage of the all the ripe fruit. I made a batch of jam using the same recipe I used last year and we made grilled fig pizza one night.

I used this recipe for the fig pizza but I made a few adjustments of my own. The goat cheese, figs, roasted garlic and balsamic went very well together. I unfortunately didn't have any arugula which would have been divine on top after it came off the grill. I used my usual pizza dough recipe as well.

The Baby Shower

2011-07-06T15:48:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I helped host a baby shower for my old roommate Katie. She and her husband are expecting their first little girl in August. It was a lot of fun and everything turned out really well.

I saw these doily garlands at a bakery in Savannah. They're super easy to make.

My elephant cookies turned out really well.

Brandy and I with Katie.

She's the prettiest pregnant woman ever!

Ruby Faith Drury

2011-06-27T05:24:00.001-07:00

The fourth niece is here! Unfortunately the two times I've gone over to see her have been after work and I didn't have me real camera with me. Her sisters are obsessed with her especially Lucy. She thinks Ruby is her baby to take care of.

June 24
3:30 Am
9.1 oz
21 inches

I hope to have some better pictures up soon.

Happy Fathers Day...

2011-06-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

...to my wonderful Daddy!

We love you!

Zucchini Bread or Muffins

2011-06-16T12:18:00.001-07:00

We have been harvesting a ton of zucchini from our garden in the last week and I've been making all kinds of stir-fry and zucchini chips with it. Last week though I had about 3-4 zucchini and I needed to use them up before they staredt attracting flies. I came across a good recipe on Smitten Kitchen (a blog I like to look at) and adapted it a little.

It turned out really well and it's great because I can freeze or give away the extra loaf since it takes us about a week to eat one.

Here is the recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Zucchini Bread

Yield: 2 loaves or approximately 24 muffins

3 eggs
1 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup dried cranberries, raisins or chocolate chips or a combination thereof (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease and flour two 8×4 inch loaf pans, liberally. (See those pictures of the cakes inside their non-stick pans? Yup, they’re pretty much hanging out in there for the time being.) Alternately, line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla.

Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt, as well as nuts, chocolate chips and/or dried fruit, if using.

Stir this into the egg mixture. Divide the batter into prepared pans.

Bake loaves for 60 minutes, plus or minus ten, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Muffins will bake far more quickly, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Sewing Project

2011-06-08T15:26:00.000-07:00

So lately a lot of friends of ours are having babies. Between last October and this September there will 9 babies born! I have 4 baby gifts to make so I got started last week with a vintage pattern I picked up at a thrift store. The next 4 babies will all be girls and out of the 9 only 2 are boys! Anyway, I tried out a bubble pattern with some vintage pink and white gingham and it turned out pretty well. It was just a trial run so now I'm on to the real deal.

These vintage buttons were some from my grandmothers massive stash.

The pattern is a 1970's Simplicity 8811

Canned Green Beans

2011-06-02T13:47:00.000-07:00

Friends from church & work have parents who for some reason planted 10 rows of green beans this year. As you can imagine there are more greens than all of them could possibly eat or can so we went over last week for some picking. We picked enough for 10 quart jars and I'm hoping we can go back for more so I can freeze some.

I canned them in a brine with garlic, dill seed and paprika for a little kick. If you're interested in the recipe you can find it here at Food In Jars.

We are currently living in the worlds smallest house which makes any sort of cooking a challenge.
This is how you can on a very small stove...I don't recommend it.

Pink Princess Birthday Cake

2011-05-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago my friend Brandy and I made this cake for her daughters 3rd birthday. It was definitively the most fun I've ever had making a cake. It was like we got to be fashion designers and bakers all in one.

We made the cakes and fondant on Friday and assembled everything on Saturday. I am not a huge fan of fondant but Brandy found a new thing called marshmallow fondant. I've never heard of it but it's just melted marshmallows and powdered sugar. It tastes a whole lot better than regular fondant.

The whole thing turned out amazing and Francy's could hardly stand it she was so excited. We can't wait to make another one and try out some other dress designs.

Beach Day

2011-05-18T10:08:00.000-07:00

Last Friday Nathan and I and my brother headed down to the beach for the day. Tybee Island is the closest beach; only an hour away. It's definitely not the nicest beach but when you're in need of a quick beach fix it will do. It was quite windy which didn't make it too hot until about mid afternoon.
It was nice to get out of town for the day. Due to limited funds we don't have the opportunity to get out much so this was a nice break from being cooped up around Statesboro.

Savannah Wedding

2011-05-02T12:38:00.000-07:00

Saturday we went down to Savannah for Nathans childhood friend Josh's wedding. The weather was beautiful (not to hot) and the wedding was lovely. The service was at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church and the reception was at the Savannah Yacht Club.

I just finished this dress last week to wear to the wedding. It's from a vintage 1950's Simplicity pattern. The shoes were Nathans grandmothers.

It was a lot of fun and nice to get of of Statesboro for a little while.

Wheat Free Pancakes

2011-05-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

I've been using different recipes using quinoa flour and I think I like these pancakes better than wheat ones. I love the texture of cornmeal or semolina flour.

1/3 cup quinoa flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp. natural sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg

Mix together dry ingredients. Add milk, egg and oil. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto prepared griddle. Turn cakes as soon as they are puffed and full of bubbles but before the bubbles break.

I cooked some of our strawberries down with a tiny bit of sugar to go on top.

Madison Cruise-In

2011-04-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago Nathan and I and my parents piled into the Blueberry and drove her up to Madison, GA for a cruise-in. It was a lot of fun even though it ended early due to bad weather moving in. Here are a few pictures.

Strawberry Rhubarb Butter

2011-04-27T18:03:00.001-07:00

On of my favorite websites is Food in Jars. I used a lot of her recipes for canning last year and just made Strawberry-Rhubarb Butter using with the strawberries we picked. Butter always takes a lot of time to cook down but it is worth the time.

Sourdough Bread

2011-04-12T05:52:00.000-07:00

I stole a cup of sourdough starter from my mom a couple weeks ago and I've been re-familiarizing myself with feeding and making bread. I forgot how long it takes this stuff to rise because I'm so used to using yeast that only takes 2 hours to rise instead of 8. Anyway it all came back to me after my first attempt last week flopped. This week it turned out perfect! I let it rise all night and baked it off as soon as I got up. There is nothing like warm sourdough with butter.

Picking Strawberries

2011-04-12T05:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we got up and headed over to Bell Farms to pick strawberries with the nieces and the Cook family. Thankfully we got there earlier so it wasn't quite as hot and with all the little helping hands we were done in an hour. I've already frozen 3 gallons and I plan to make strawberry rhubarb butter with my last gallon.

We planted all of our herbs last week and Nathan is going to put our peppers, eggplant, tomatoes in the ground today. We can't wait for summer produce!

We Made It

2011-04-06T15:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of post these past weeks but except for the few minutes on the in-laws computer I've been without internet. We now have web access at our little guest house so I'm finally posting our travel pictures. Some of these will look a little like this post last September just going in the other direction.

We left Sioux City, IA at 4:45 on March 21st.

We stopped in Paducah, KY and I would have stayed forever.

I thought this would be great for outdoor restaurant seating.

The Ohio river...I didn't know it was so big!

Almost there!

Another Bend In The Road

2011-03-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

We'll God has new plans for us down in Ga. We're packing up right now and heading back on Monday.
Nathan already has a couple interviews lined up in Savannah and Macon. Depending on where we get jobs we'll either live in Macon or Statesboro. We are very excited to be close to family and friends again.
We're very sad to be leaving our church family here in Iowa. We have been so welcomed and cared for during our time here. Our fellow believers will be greatly missed. Please keep us in your prayers!

Rye Bread

2011-03-02T14:21:00.000-08:00

I made this bread two weeks ago and it was really yummy but due to limited time I didn't let it rise quite long enough. Yesterday I had the day off and had plenty of time to let it rise so I tried again and it was even better! The pictures are from my first round two weeks ago so they aren't as pretty as my loaves yesterday.

Dark Rye Bread
(recipe from The Cheese Board Collective Works)

1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup medium or dark rye flour
2 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons lukewarm water
1 Tablespoon blackstrap or dark unsulfured molasses

In a small bowl, whisk the yeast into the warm water until dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes.
In the a separate large bowl, combine the flours, salt, and caraway seeds.

Add the yeast mixture, lukewarm water, and molasses to the large bowl with the flour. Mix with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are combined. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 10-15 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and a bit shiny.

Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl. Turn the dough over to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 3/4 hours, or until doubled in size.

Lightly flour a baking sheet. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 pieces. Shape each piece into an oval and place on the prepared pan. Using a spray bottle, mist the loaves with water and sprinkle them with flour. Spread the flour smoothly over the tops. Cover with a floured kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 12/ hours, or until a finger pressed into the dough leaves an impression.

Fifteen minutes before the bread has finished rising, remove all but the middle rack from the oven. Preheat the oven to 375F. Slash the top of each loaf and wait at least 10 minutes for the slashes to begin to open.

Place the loaves in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the baking sheet front to back to ensure even baking. Bake 20-25 minutes longer, for a total baking time of 40-45 minutes, or until the bread is deep brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool.

Happy Birthday Mama!

2011-03-02T14:15:00.000-08:00

Up And Running

2011-02-23T13:12:00.000-08:00

My Etsy shop Molly E. House is up and running. My friend Susie is currently working on a logo and header for me and my photography friend Valerie has been gracious enough to help out with some picture taking. My shop is filled with mostly vintage housewares, patterns, clothing and luggage. Spread the word!

My New BFF...

2011-02-22T16:13:00.000-08:00

...the crock-pot! I've used my crock-pot off and on but the last few weeks I've been working later and coming home at 7 or 7:30 and making dinner from start to finish just takes to long and I don't have the energy.
I've been throwing meat in the crock-pot before I head to work and when I get home all I have to do is fix a vegetable and dinner is done! I thought I'd take a couple posts and share some of my creations.

Blackberry Pork Loin

Sprinkle the pork loin with salt, pepper, dried thyme and rosemary and drizzle 1/2 cup of honey over the top.

Next dump a jar of blackberry jam over the top (I used some I made last year) and cook on low for around 8 hours or 4 on high.

It turned out really well and I sauteed some kale with shallot and white wine to go with it.

If I Had $50,000

2011-02-19T06:52:00.000-08:00

Check it out here. Selling in 6 hours.

Bridal Shoot

2011-02-18T08:23:00.000-08:00

Our amazing wedding photographer just posted our bridal shoot! Check it out here on Jenny Evelyn's blog.

Hominy Grill

2011-02-14T08:53:00.000-08:00

I found an article about the Hominy Grill in a magazine before we went down to Charleston and it was in the top places to eat breakfast in the south. We thankfully had enough time for a romantic breakfast before the wedding on Saturday. It's been in the New York Times, Gourmet magazine, Food & Wine and many more great publications. Thanks to some pouring rain we were seated right away...from what they say that hardly ever happens!

Shrimp sauteed w/ scallions, mushrooms & bacon over cheese grits.

Salmon potato cakes with poached eggs.
Mimosas & Coffee...yummy!

Their little slogan is "grits are good for you". I had to get a t-shirt....especially given where we live now. No one here knows what grits are here!!!

Whirl Wind Weekend

2011-02-10T16:19:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we took a quick trip down to Ga & SC for friends Jonathan & Bonnie's wedding. It was a lot of fun and we managed to squeeze in a few hours with both or our families.

Here are some pictures from the weekend.

With the Nieces in Statesboro

Don't ask me why I've been craving this but we can't get it in Iowa.

My grandparents used to take us out to Krystal on our birthdays when we were young.

The rehearsal dinner...low country broil & oyster roast. Yummy!

Brandy & Houston's sweet Elynore

Nathan with mini Jeremiah
I've never seen a kid that looks so much like one of his parents.

Wedding time!
The chapel was beautiful.

The boys waiting.

Quick picture before we had to return the tux.
(not sure why my shirt was tucked in so tight)

At the reception with my besties!

It finally stopped raining on Sunday....we really miss trees!

Old church in South GA

Had to take a picture of our rental car. We called it our egg yolk.

Most of the brothers.

Wes looking like he stepped out of my dads year book.

I thought the boys were looking very dapper in their wool and tweed.

Daddy and the rabbit...

The trip was short but we're very glad we got to go back and visit. Hopefully next time for a bit longer.

Latest Project

2011-01-31T06:17:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to get this ready for the wedding in Charleston this weekend. All I have left is the hem and clasp on the waste band.

KC

2011-01-26T16:50:00.000-08:00

We finally left Sioux City for the first time two weeks ago. Nathans friends from college live in Kansas City so went down for a weekend visit. We had a lot of fun and it was nice to get to know them a little better since I had only talked to them for a few minutes at our wedding.

They took us to the shop where Chris works (restoring cars) and a couple places around town. We're really looking forward to going back when the weather is warmer and we can all do more.

Chris & Marjory (love her hat!)

Awesome cars!
It was nice to have a female to talk to while the boys talked cars:)

Chris & Marjory's favorite gelato spot...

...pure heaven. I'd drive 4 hours just for this!

City Market
Can't wait to see this during the summer.

Glorious spices!

The City Market also has a little Italian shop. All kinds of wonderful cheese, sausages, olives,
and octopus salad.

Thanks for having us ya'll we had a great weekend.

Butter

2011-01-21T05:32:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to making butter last week because we got snowed in on Monday and couldn't go to work. It turned out really well and it's super easy!

After we skimmed the cream we let it sit in the fridge for about a week. On Monday we pulled it out and let it sit on the counter till it came up to room temperature.
Next we put it in the mixer and beat it at medium-high speed.

After a while it will start to look curdled and separate.

Then all you have to do is scoop the butter into cheese cloth (or clean pantyhose) squeeze the excess buttermilk out and rinse with cool water. We used the buttermilk for pancakes the next day...yummy!

Press it into a mold or dish and store in the refrigerator.

7 Inches & Still Coming Down

2011-01-10T06:20:00.000-08:00

Tried to take Nathan to work this morning....didn't make it. Waiting for the snow plow!

Vintage Pattern Giveaway

2011-01-07T06:58:00.000-08:00

If you love vintage patterns enter this giveaway! I have so much fabric but no patterns!!

Christmas Food

2011-01-01T14:16:00.000-08:00

I'm finally getting around to posting about our Christmas a week later. It's been a crazy busy week and now I'm sick with a cold but at least I'm home with my husband blogging and baking bread.
Unfortunately I failed to take pictures of anything other than food but it was a big part of the day so here is what we ate! All of my recipes I pulled out of my stacks of Cooking Light magazines so I'm just posting links instead of typing out four separate recipes.

Brunch

One of the positives of living in a very cold climate is that if you forget to chill the champagne over night in the fridge it only takes 10 minutes of sitting outside to chill.

I set the table with the finest!

We started out with a Citrus & Kiwi Fruit Salad with Pomegranate Seeds and

Savory Bread pudding with Goat Cheese
I would recommend adding a little salt and more goat cheese to the recipe.

Freshly squeezed mimosas.

Dinner

Candied Walnut, Pear & Leafy Green Salad
By far the best salad I've made...amazing!

Sauteed Carrots with Sage & Pork Loin Stuffed with Herbed Bread Stuffing

I did modify the stuffing by leaving out the mushrooms, sausage and carrot and stuffing it inside the butterflied pork lion instead of in a casserole dish.

Tutu Heaven

2010-12-28T05:44:00.000-08:00

I made this tutu for my niece Lucie and my sister-in-law sent me this picture on Christmas morning. She seems to like it! I'm loving the Christmas pajamas underneath.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T11:03:00.000-08:00

From The House's

Lovely Loveseat

2010-12-19T08:50:00.000-08:00

I finally found and acceptable loveseat for our house. We have limited space and I wanted something somewhat older looking but in good shape. I found this jewel on Craigslist for $25! It's in perfect shape and goes great with the house.

One day I think it would be fun to recover it and maybe take the ruffle off the bottom and let the wooden legs show...or maybe a different type of ruffle. It's in great shape though so nothing now.

Yes, that is clean laundry on the floor that I took off the couch to take the picture...I need more than just one day off a week. I'm blaming it on Chick-fil-a.

Finally Ready!

2010-12-19T08:32:00.000-08:00

We're finally ready for Christmas. It took me longer this year because I'm working a lot more and don't have much time at home. I mailed off the last present to Ga on Friday.

I had great idea's for my Christmas wreath but had to compromise because I didn't have enough silver balls and Target was sold out when I went back. :( The lights came from the Salvation Army thrift store for $1 a strand. I put one up inside too. Thanks to our blizzard last week I need to replace a few bulbs that don't work now due to excess wind.

We bought our tree from Lowe's again this year but got a different kind; Scotch Pine. The limbs are sturdy and it's a lot fuller than the Fraser Fir but unfortunately doesn't smell as nice.

You probably can't tell but it's snowing pretty well right now. Nathans on a walk to the store across the street for a few things. It's really pretty for the first few hours until it gets driven on and turns all gray and dirty.

How did I miss this! So I've never seen Holiday Inn! I love Bing Crosby and White Christmas so I'm very excited to add this to my favorite Christmas movie list. Oh and I wish I could dance like Fred Astaire...

Weather Report

2010-12-12T07:08:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we woke up to howling winds and a couple inches of snow that was blowing around. When Nathan took me to work at 7:30 it was 11 degrees and by the time he picked me up at 2:30 it had snowed another 3-4 inches. The wind was so bad and the snow is so powdery here that you can't see.

This morning when we got up it was -4 but it's warmed up to -2 now.

I sank when I stepped off the back steps.

Nathans new form of exercise.

As I was taking these pictures our neighbor who was shoveling his sidewalk and said "and this is only the beginning". As if we haven't been told this a million times already.

'It's a Wonderful Life

2010-12-12T06:46:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday night we got all dressed up for the free showing of It's A Wonderful Life at the Orpheum Theater here in Sioux City. It's an amazing theater that was built in 1927.

I bought a new hat for the occasion and wore Nathans grandmothers velvet skirt.

There is a huge radiator heater behind this beautiful grate!

We tried to take a picture of ourselves in this mirror...didn't work out to well.
(Nathan bought me the coat at a thrift store here in town when he was visiting for his interview)

Chocolate-Infused Barbecue Sauce

2010-12-09T15:14:00.000-08:00

I made this last week and put it on chicken and baked it. It was really yummy! It makes a pretty good amount so I'm trying it on pork tonight.

Chocolate Infused BBQ Sauce
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

Combine ketchup and next 9 ingredients (through pepper) in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring with a whisk. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
Yield: 3 1/2 cups

Anniversary Dinner

2010-11-29T18:48:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago on our anniversary we went out to dinner here in Sioux City. I had to ask around at work to find a place that was nice since we know nothing about the restaurants here in town. We ended up at a restaurant called Kahill's Chophouse. We were a little hesitant at first since it was in a hotel but it was excellent. I made a list of what we had since I didn't want to disturb the other guests with my camera flash.

Before going out.

Starter
Blue cheese stuffed dates wrapped with
jalapeno bacon and balsamic reduction

Entree
Grilled wrack of lamb with rosemary,
red wine sauce and mushrooms

Mid-rare New York strip with
flash fried green beans

Dessert
Baked Granny Smith apple stuffed with
pecans, raisins, and served with
ice cream and caramel sauce

Wine
Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon

It Begins

2010-11-29T16:40:00.000-08:00

I left work this afternoon to find this...snow blowing across the parking lot. First snow of the season.

Raw Milk Update

2010-11-24T16:18:00.000-08:00

Thank you Fedders! Our family at church that has the chicken houses as well as 2 cows gave us milk and eggs last week. The milk is wonderful and raw so the things I can make with it are endless.

After sitting over night in the refrigerator there was a nice layer of cream on the top.

I skimmed it off and ended up with about 3 cups of glorious cream.

Let the whipping begin!

Homemade hot chocolate with the freshest of cream!

Next: Butter!

Today 1 Year Ago

2010-11-14T15:00:00.000-08:00

Elynore Gray Madson

2010-11-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

My great friend Brandy and her husband Houston just had their 3rd child last night. I am so thankful she arrived safely and without a lot of drama. The only really, really sad thing is that I'm too far away to go see her and her mama.

Elynore Gray Madson
11/11/10
6 pounds 8 ounces.

The Chocolate Cake

2010-11-10T07:34:00.000-08:00

For those of you who really, really need a pieces of Chocolate Fudge Cake here is the recipe.
This is taken from Nigella Lawsons cookbook Nigella Bites.

Chocolate Fudge Cake

for the cake:
2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup best-quality cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup corn oil
1 1/3 cups chilled water

for the fudge icing:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids
1 cup plus 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F.
Butter and line the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans (I made 3 6-inch layers that I then cut in half to make my tall 6 layered cake).
A large bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl or wide-necked measuring cup whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended. Using a stand or electric mixer, beat together the melted butter and corn oil until just blended, then beat in the water. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix together on a slow speed. Add the egg mixture, and mix again until everything is blended and then pour into the prepared tins.
Bake the cakes for 45-50 minutes, or until a cake-tester comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and then turn the cakes out onto the rack to cool completely.
To make the icing, melt the chocolate in the microwave 2-3 minutes on medium or in a bowl sitting over a pan of simmering water, and let it cool slightly.
In another bowl beat the butter until it's soft and creamy (use a hand or stand mixer) and then add the sifted confectioners' sugar and beat again until everything's light and fluffy. Then gently add the vanilla and chocolate and mix together until everything is glossy and smooth.
Sandwich the middle of the cake with about a quarter of the icing, and then ice the top and sides, too, spreading and smoothing with a rubber spatula.

Serves 10

The Party

2010-11-05T13:16:00.001-07:00

So we celebrated Nathans birthday last night. Here are a few pictures...

Packing Up & Moving Out

2010-11-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

I finally found my camera cord yesterday...it was in my computer bag! Exactly where something like that should be. Here are a few pictures of our last day in NC and our long drive to Iowa.

Lunch of leftover pizza on a box

1/2 way done!

Last of the house stuff.

Early Tuesday morning driving through NC mountains.

Rainbow in TN

Kentucky

Lots of rain & wind.

Almost to St. Louis our stop for day 1.

Friends Les & Helen Prouty who put us up on Tuesday night. Thank You!!

Two of their grandson (twins) Caleb & Thomson. Can they get any cuter?

Signs that we were close to Iowa (this was in Nebraska).

Happy Birthday!

2010-11-04T08:02:00.000-07:00

My babe is 28 today! I love you & Happy Birthday!!!

Picture from our last night at the Flying Saucer before we moved. Boohoohoo!

We Heart Farmers

2010-11-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

On our first visit to the grocery store here in Sioux City we discovered hormone free milk from a local dairy in Nebraska. Of course it is 10x better because it comes in a cool glass jar. So far this is the best milk I've ever tasted.
We also have a lot of farmers in the church here. We can buy fresh eggs for 60c a dozen, raw milk for $2 a gallon ($$ money goes to the church since they're not allowed to sell it), and fresh beef which will be donated to us once we find a freezer to put it in.

Just A Un-organized Peak

2010-11-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a little peak at the house. I have a lot to do but most of the boxes are emptied and unpacked. I did take these pictures two days ago so it is even better now! Once I get everything decorated and set up I'll take pictures and post again. But for now...

Front of the house.

Living Room

Dinning Area

Small spare bedroom that will be used mainly as an office.

Our Room

Weird Closet A

Tiny bathroom between bedrooms.

Walking into the kitchen.

Small but it has a gas stove!!! Whoohoo!

Home of our future pantry. Nathan will build shelves under the cabinets.

This weird corner cabinet will be moved and another small shelf will be made to go here.
Stairs to the basement. Our basement is huge but I'll post pictures later of that.

As soon as I find my camera cord I will post pictures from our drive here. I know I packed it...just not sure where.

Happenings of Late

2010-10-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers! Things have been a little busy around here lately. Nathan was offered and accepted the job in Sioux City, Iowa a little over a week ago. We are scheduled to roll out of Charlotte a week from today on the 26th. Of course this means that we have been feverishly packing all of our possessions. I feel as though we won't get it all done in time.

It looks like an explosion went off in our house and a few things made it into boxes.
I'm trying to move all the boxed up items into the spare bedroom but I'm getting tired of moving boxes from one room to the next.

Nathan's been taking things down (like curtains), cleaning out and selling things on craigslist. This is one time that I'm glad Nathan has extra stuff he doesn't need.

Packing has taken precedent over even the clean laundry. It seems weird to fold it and put it in a drawer when it will be taken out and put in a box by Saturday. At least it will be clean when we get there.
Please pray for us as we strike out on our adventure. I can't wait to share pictures of our new town & home when we get there! Stay tuned...

Do I Not Have The Best Husband!

2010-10-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

So Nathan has been away in Iowa for the last week. Before this we had only been apart for 1 night. I have really missed him this past week. Today when I went to get the mail there was a package on the front porch and a postcard in the mailbox. The postcard was of downtown Sioux City, Iowa and he wrote me the sweetest note. In the box was this great jar to go in our vintage fridge and...

...the cutest salt and pepper shakers I have ever seen!!! They are already on my table along with the fantastic vintage tablecloth from my mother-in-law.
2 hours till his plane lands!!!

Boeuf Bourguignon

2010-09-23T14:02:00.001-07:00

I ventured out and made this wonderful classic French recipe last week for dinner on Friday night. It's definitely worth the time and effort! So pop open and bottle of French wine, create a French music channel on Pandora and get cooking. Bon Appetit!

Boeuf Bourguignon

1 whole head of garlic
2 tablespoons plus 2 cups dry red wine

4 thick bacon slices, cut into 1-inch wide strips
3 1/2 pounds boneless beef cross-rib roast, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 large fresh thyme sprigs
3 large fresh sage sprigs
3 large fresh rosemary sprigs
2 bay leaves
3 cups (or more) canned beef broth

12 ounces pearl onions
3 bunches baby carrots, trimmed, peeled

12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, quartered

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Place garlic on large piece of foil. Pour 2 tablespoons wine over garlic. Wrap foil around garlic to enclose. Roast garlic until soft, about 40 minutes. Cool. Press garlic between fingertips to release from skins; set aside.

Cook bacon in large pot over medium heat until brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels. Pour drippings into small bowl. Return 2 tablespoons to same pot; reserve remainder. Increase heat to high. Working in batches, add beef to pot and brown, about 7 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer meat to large bowl.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add chopped onion and chopped carrot to pot; saute 5 minutes. Mix in flour. Return beef and accumulated juices to pot. Stir in tomato paste. Add herb sprigs, bay leaves, roasted garlic and 2 cups wine; simmer 15 minutes. Add 3 cups broth. Cover; simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Uncover; simmer until meat is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaves.

Cook pearl onions in large saucepan of boiling salted water for minutes. Using 4 to 5 inch diameter strainer, transfer onions to medium bowl; cool slightly, then peel. Return water to boil. Add carrots and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Transfer to bowl of ice water to cool. Drain.

Heat 2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; saute until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add pearl onions to mushrooms; saute until onions are golden, about 4 minutes. Add carrots; cook until heated through , about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring stew to simmer, thinning with more broth, if desired. Stir bacon and 2/3 of vegetables into stew. Transfer to large bowl. Top stew with remaining vegetables.

Finished Product

Fall Is In The Air

2010-09-18T12:10:00.000-07:00

Low humidity, cool nights and mornings, nice breezes, pumpkin patches begin in 2 weeks and colors are starting to appear on the trees.

We've been spending a lot of time outside....ahh grilling.

Greek-Style Shrimp With Tomatoes & Feta

2010-09-14T15:09:00.000-07:00

Nathan occasionally surprises me with little things like great cooking magazines. A few weeks ago he bought me the latest issue of Cooks's Illustrated...this is what we tried.

Greek-Style Shrimp With Tomatoes & Feta
Serves 4 to 6
Serve with crusty bread or steamed white rice

1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on, if desired
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp ouzo (substitute: 1 Tbsp. vodka + 1/8 tsp. anise seed = 1 Tbsp ouzo)
5 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press
1 tsp grated zest from 1 lemon
Table salt and ground pepper
1 small onion, diced medium (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 medium red bell pepper, steamed, seeded, and diced medium (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 green bell pepper, steamed seeded, and diced medium (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained, 1/3 cup juices reserved
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill

1. Toss shrimp, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon ouzo, 1 teaspoon garlic, lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in small bowl until well combined. Set aside while preparing sauce.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until simmering. Add onion, red and green bell pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir to combine, Cover skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables release their moisture, 3 to 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until moisture cooks off and vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes longer. Add remaining 4 teaspoons garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and reserved juice, wine and remaining 2 tablespoons ouzo; increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded and sauce is slightly thickened (sauce should not be completely dry), 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add shrimp along with any accumulated liquid to pan; stir to coat and distribute evenly. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are opaque throughout, 6 to 9 minutes for extra-large or 7-10 for jumbo, adjusting heat as needed to maintain bare simmer. Remove pan from heat and sprinkle evenly with feta. Drizzle remaining tablespoon oil evenly over top and sprinkle with dill. Serve immediately.

Growlers Pourhouse

2010-09-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

We've been waiting for about a month for this little place to open and it finally did 2 weeks ago. It is owned by the same people and right next door to the Crepe Cellar (where we ate for my b-day). Growlers centers around great craft beer and wonderful beer food. The menu consists of simple small bites, house-made sausages, oysters, and a few tasty desserts.

The tables were really neat as well as the huge front door.

One Of Those Nights

2010-09-07T15:17:00.000-07:00

It's been way too long since I've had Chinese....so yummy!

Maryland

2010-08-28T06:23:00.001-07:00

Last weekend Nathan and I drove to Maryland to visit some friends of his back from high-school. We had a blast and her are a few pictures from what we did while we were there.

Driving, driving, driving!

Saturday we got up and went to the Amish Market. It was amazing!! I'm so very sad I don't have this available to me all the time.

Chocolates

Bread, bread, and more bread.

Downtown Annapolis

We were able to visit the Naval Academy and it was beautiful. All the students lined up for inspection before lunch.

Officers houses on campus.

Wonderful host: Mike & Chris McKenna

Wonderful purchases from the Amish Market

Blue popcorn

Star Anise

Crushed Red Pepper

Wheat Bulgar

I also bought a big bag of rye flour...can't wait to make bread!

Thank you McKenna's for a wonderful weekend!!!

Blueberrys First Cruise-In

2010-08-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

A couple Saturday's ago Nathan, Wesley (brother), and I drove the blueberry (beetle bug) to it's first cruise-in. She was the prettiest one there!! Check out Nathans blog for more details and pictures.

Just An Idea

2010-08-12T13:18:00.000-07:00

So I'm considering starting a little shop on Etsy selling sugar cookies. Here is some of my work. Unfortunately I always forget to take pictures so I don't have as many I would like.
The question is what do ya'll think? Are they good enough? Do you think people would buy them? Leave a comment and let me know what you think...especially you people that don't know me!!

Glorious Goodwill

2010-08-10T14:09:00.001-07:00

I've been meaning to post a picture of this fabulous vintage chair I got at Goodwill for $13 but in the meantime I found more!

I know that there is probably a proper name for one of these things but I don't know what it is. It's a cabinet record player! Goodwill was originally trying to sell it for $100 but they had marked it down to $40. Way to good to pass up!! I'm thinking about maybe painting it one day but for now the wood looks best in our living room.

Oh, and it works! We need to do a little work on the speakers and get a needle for the record player (lost it in transporting to the house) but other than that it's fine. We even listened to Prairie Home Companion on it Saturday night.

Black-Eyed Pea Patties with Heirloom Tomato & Garlic Salsa

2010-08-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

We do a good bit of meatless dinners around here and so far they've all been great. Last week I made these black-eyed pea patties and used our heirloom tomatoes in the salsa. If you get a chance make sure you plant a Sungold tomato plant next year in your garden. You won't be disappointed.

3 garlic cloves, minced
2 serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped (I used jalapeno's we had from the garden)
2 (16-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and well drained
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
6 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped tomato
2 tsp. fresh lime juice

1. Combine minced garlic and chiles in a large bowl. Place 1 teaspoon garlic mixture into a small bowl; set aside. Add peas to remaining garlic mixture in the large bowl; mash mixture with potato masher. Stir in bell pepper, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cumin and egg, stirring until well blended. Divide into 12 equal portions (I made ours bigger so I think I only got 6). Shape into a 1/2 inch patty.
2. Heat 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil in a large non stick skillet (I used cast iron skillet) over medium high heat. Add patties and cook for 4 minutes on either side or until browned.
3. Add remaining cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, chopped tomato, and lime juice to reserved garlic mixture in the small bowl; stir well. Serve with patties.

I also made tortilla chips with corn tortilla's. Spray or baste both sides with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Quarter and bake on a cookie sheet at 350 until golden and crispy.

Fig Jam

2010-08-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

Last week at the farmers market they had figs and because Nathan loves figs we bought about 3 pounds. I found a recipe online that I modified to make Cinnamon Fig Jam.

Nathan bought me these cute little jars from the tractor supply store. Jam just looks better in tiny jars.
1 1/2 cup of sugar
1 cup water
2 1/2 - 3 pounds figs
1 cinnamon stick

Remove stems from figs and cut in quarters. Throw figs and all other ingredients into a pot and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about an hour until mixture is thick. Make sure you give it a stir often so it doesn't burn.
Remove from heat and spoon into your prepared jars. Wipe rims and place lids and bands on jars. Process for 10 minutes in boiling water.

So far this is the best jam I've made!

Michael Wedding & Robbinsville, NC

2010-08-01T13:44:00.001-07:00

On July 23 Nathan and I got up early (no AC in his car) and drove to Robbinsville, NC for our friends Ben and Stefanie's wedding. It was a pretty drive up through the mountains and it was just starting to heat up by the time we got there. We had thoughts of checking in early to our suite but we found out that we were the only people staying there so apparently they don't even go into the office until check-in time. So we headed to Ingle's Supermarket to look at some magazines and pass time in the AC.
Thankfully we remembered that a few weeks prior we had found an article about a farm close by that produces cheese. We called them up and got directions to their pottery studio & gift shop where they sell the cheese. It was a really neat place and the cheese was amazing! They actually sell to a couple restaurants around Charlotte.

Yellow Branch Pottery & Cheese

After checking into our room and eating an early dinner we were once again bored with nothing to do. Nathan looked at the map and found Andrews which was another town 15 miles down the road. We drove over and found a really great coffee shop/wine bar called The Daily Grind & Wine. We had a glass of wine and listened to some live music and also found a local winery to visit.

Saturday morning after Nathan drove the Tail of the Dragon we headed back to Andrews to check out Calaboose Cellars. Out of the handful of wineries I've been to this was the best. We some great conversations and the wine is great! They do sell their wines online so please buy a bottle or two!

Finally the wedding!! It was in the 90's and sunny all day but thankfully we had cloud cover for the ceremony. The reception was a blast and despite the heat and humidity there was a lot of dancing.

Nathan and I in our "dress up" clothes before we got too sweaty.

Congratulations Ben & Stef!!

Birthday Goodness

2010-07-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful birthday! Thank you all for the well wishes. My day started by waking up at 6 AM...when you get up at 4AM during the week it's hard to sleep past 6 or 7. Despite the early hour Nathan allowed me to open all of my birthday gifts. I received some beautiful jewelry from my in-laws, $$$ from the parents and grandpa and Nathan bought me a wonderful book, The Cheese Board which is all about bread, pastry, cheese & pizza!

After breakfast we headed to Concord for a few hours of antiques and hopes of finding something to spend birthday money on. I was not disappointed as you will see further on in this post.
After many hours of walking around we headed to the house to freshen up and go out for dinner.
We dined at the Crepe Cellar in Noda and it was by far the best meal we've had since I've moved here! It was fabulous!

We began our meal with mussels (sage, garlic, white wine).
(once again I didn't want to be the annoying person with the flash in a dark restaurant)

Nathan had the special swordfish with asparagus and risotto. I can't remember what all was in the risotto or on the sword fish but it was phenomenal.

I had a wild mushroom, spinach and goat cheese crepe with red cabbage slaw. Both were amazing and the slaw was the best I've ever had.

We finished our meal with a sweetened mascarpone & berries crepe and...

a Crepe Suzette (Grand Marnier butter sauce with vanilla bean ice cream).

It was a great birthday and here are my purchases with my birthday money.

Crazy Daisy Pyrex

New Blender (I burned up Nathans making soup)

Vintage shoes from Spain

AND this fabulous hat!!!

Farmers Market Update

2010-07-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

So it just happens that the best farmers market that we've found around Charlotte is only 10 minutes from our house! We knew that there was a market in Harrisburg but we could never figure out when it was. A few weeks a go we were out running errands in town on and a Monday and saw that the farmers market was open. It is amazing!! All items are super local from either Harrisburg or Concord.
Here are a few pics of our Harrisburg Farmers Market purchases a few weeks ago.

Summerberry Farm

2010-07-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we went blackberry picking at Summerberry Farm. I've never seen so many fat blackberries! For some reason whenever you go to pick berries it always ends up being the hottest most humid day of the week. We survived and came home with 2 gallons of massive berries.

I froze a lot but the rest I made into jam. I got my recipe from Food In Jars which is were I got the recipes for my strawberry jam and raspberry.

Blueberries is next on my list. Oh and I made cobbler with some of the blackberries using the Peach Cobbler recipe from my previous post. Yum!

Happy Birthday To Me!

2010-07-17T04:55:00.000-07:00

Eggplant

2010-07-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

We harvested our first eggplant yesterday! Isn't it beautiful? For a full garden update checkout Nathans blog.

Fresh Peach Cobbler With Biscuit Topping

2010-07-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

Last week I bought a huge basket of peaches at the farmers market. We froze almost all of them but I had a few left that were about to go bad if I didn't do anything with them. I found this recipe and it is the BEST peach cobbler I've ever had. I don't like really sweet things and this has less than 1/2 a cup of sugar in it! We topped it with a little tart frozen yogurt...perfect.

Fresh Peach Cobbler With Biscuit Topping
Serves 6

Filling

* 2 1/2 pounds peaches , ripe but firm (6 to 7 medium)
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
* 1 teaspoon cornstarch
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* pinch of salt

Biscuit Topping

* 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
* 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon table salt
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
* 1/3 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
* 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.

2. For the filling: Peel peaches, then halve and pit each. Using small spoon, scoop out and discard dark flesh from pit area. Cut each half into 4 wedges. Gently toss peaches and sugar together in large bowl; let stand for 30 minutes, tossing several times. Drain peaches in colander set over large bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup of drained juice (discard extra), cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt together in small bowl. Toss peach juice mixture with peach slices and transfer to 8-inch-square glass baking dish. Bake until peaches begin to bubble around edges, about 10 minutes.

3. For the topping: While peaches are baking, in food processor, pulse flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Scatter butter over and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl; add yogurt and toss with rubber spatula until cohesive dough is formed. (Don't overmix dough or biscuits will be tough.) Break dough into 6 evenly sized but roughly shaped mounds and set aside.

4. To assemble and bake: After peaches have baked 10 minutes, remove peaches from oven and place dough mounds on top, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart (they should not touch). Sprinkle each mound with portion of remaining 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool cobbler on wire rack until warm, about 20 minutes; serve.

Birthday/4th of July Weekend

2010-07-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

Last Friday we headed down to Ga for my Grandpa's 85th birthday party. I did the cake and also took it upon myself to do sugar cookies too. I thing making sugar cookies is fun because there are so many options as to what shapes and decorating you can do. Unfortunately it is a very time consuming thing to create and half way through I always wonder why I decided to make them. I think I'm slowing getting a little faster because it didn't seem to take as long this time.

On Tuesday I made the dough and Wednesday I cut and baked them. Thursday I decorated the cookies and made the layers for the cake. Towards the tail end of my baking projects Nathan started making dinner and I had to take a picture of the explosion in our kitchen.

Everything turned out well even though the cake wasn't exactly how I had planned it. Oh, and half of the cookies got squashed by the crock pot on the way down but thankfully enough survived so we could still have some at the party.

Getting ready to blow out candles!

After all the birthday festivities ended and it got dark Phillip and Wesley shot off fireworks for us. Phillip has been buying the fireworks for the 4th on his way from Fl to Ga the last few years and this year he went all out. Every year they get a little more organized before they start shooting things off and this year it was the best so far. Thanks Phil!

Hope all of you had a wonderful weekend!!

Things You Find For Sale On Craigslist

2010-06-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

Check this out...very odd.

http://greenville.craigslist.org/atq/1801537823.html

Fresh Mint Ice Cream

2010-06-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

Our mint plant has been growing crazy and we've been using it for all kinds of things. Last week we made real mint ice cream. Words cannot describe how amazing it was.
For those of you who wish to partake of awesomeness here it the recipe.

2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 cup half-and-half
1 (1-ounce) package of fresh mint sprigs
3/4 cup sugar
Dash of salt
2 large egg yolks
Small fresh mint leaves (optional)

1. Combine milk, half & half, and mint sprigs in a medium heavy sauce pan over medium-high heat. Heat milk mixture to 180 or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Pour milk mixture through a fine sieve; pressing slightly with a wooden spoon; discard solids. Return liquid to pan.
3. Place sugar, salt, and egg yolks in a bowl; stir with a whisk until pale. Gradually add half of hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Pour egg yolk mixture into pan with remaining milk mixture; cook over medium-low heat until a thermometer registers 160(about 2 minutes), stirring constantly. Place pan in a large ice filled bowl until custard cools completely, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacture's instructions. Drain ice water from freezer bucket; repack with salt and ice. Cover with kitchen towels, and let stand 1 hour or until firm. Garnish with mint leaves, if desired.
(I did not repack mine with ice after it froze I just put it in a metal bowl, covered it and put in the freezer.)

Oh and the cute Pyrex tea cups I found at Goodwill for 49 cents a piece. :)

Try Some

2010-06-29T12:30:00.000-07:00

I'm sure it's already been discovered but we stumbled upon it last week and it's quite tasty.