Thursday, July 28, 2011

Sunrise, sunset

There is nothing like driving through the night to get to the beach moments before dawn and watch the day come to be.  It is even better when you get to do this with amazing people!  I love the beach for the beauty but mostly and selfishly: it is hot and the ocean doesn't ever get as warm as the pools do here. But a sunrise over the ocean... breath taking.  Next step I got to go to the Pacific and see it set!  We only went for a day trip but since that day trip I don't think I not go in time for sunrise.  So Gussy: I apparently like to watch the sun rise at the beach: who knew... so not a morning person!




Thursday, July 21, 2011

Inspired Inspiration

Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts.
-- William Shakespeare





Love is one of those things that makes you stop and wonder.  Who came up with that concept?  Who put that deeply seated in who we are?  Among other things Love makes me unable to question the existence of God, such design.

Love inspires me to try harder.  Love makes me want to think back over the years and reminisce.  Love makes me want to show affection, be kind and be better than I am.  Love makes moment of the day worth living.  Love take any dull moment and makes it shine.  Love is an evil angry angel waiting to cause pain.

They do not love that do not show their love.
                      The course of true love never did run smooth.Love is a familiar. 
Love is a devil. There is no evil angel but Love.
-- William Shakespeare


Someone I know and love dearly has started down the path that leads to love.  I am excited and scared all at the same time.  Protection is great but it cannot protect against you being alone.

This dive into the unknown, heart in hand waiting for it to be received as a gift or stomped on like a stone.  This courage, this love... this is my inspiration. 

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

I went away...

This weekend I was away in the NC mountains and I learned some things:

These are a few of my favorite things...

Making waffles in mass


Under dog style swing pushes... still awesome




If you put lime juice on tacos they are amazing!


Thanks to the smarts of my sister: black beans pureed with some brown sugar= delectable


If you mix them all together you it is hard to stop eating...


And apparently you can drive with your feet.


What'd you do this weekend?

Friday, July 15, 2011

Carcus smarcus


Do you remember the roasted chicken that we made... do you remember the soup I said I was going to make with the carcus?  Well if you don't you can still appreciate the most amazing soup ever.  

Oh, I am really humble by the way... and not sarcastic ;P

Ok so step one: put carcus in big pot of water, or crockpot (I prefer crockpot because I want to be able to leave the house and I am more comfortable leaving a crockpot running instead of the stove), let it soak and cook on a low temp for a few hours (I did 3 hours).



Step two:  get all the skin, bones, cartalige and all that out of the broth.  I put it in a bowl and scavenge for left over meat to use in the soup.


Step three: add whatever you want into the soup.  I used whatever I had which included: canned peas and green beans, butter beans, rotini noodles, chicken, a potato, corn, a handful of chopped bell pepper, a habenero pepper, a red chilli, fresh sage, parsley and basil, salt, pepper and peprika.  I prefer my chicken soup to be a little spicy... to each their own.  But basically just throw anything in it really.


Step four: leave it alone for an hour or more

Step five: eat it

It is so low maintenence it isn't even funny.  I mean really all you have to do is leave it be.  You can clean the house or, if you were me, mow the yard and you are fine if not better!  It is for this reason: multitasking that I love this soup!   I served it with some fresh whole wheat freshly ground wheat, which you can see how I make it here.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Winner winner

We have a friend who love roasted chicken.  I mean LOVES.  I got  a great deal on this chicken, so we decided we would try our hand at it..  

Easier than I thought it would be and FANTASTIC!

We drained it an pulled out the insides.  Sliced the skin and slid in some butter.  Took some oil to the skin and then topped in with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, crushed habanero pepper and some garlic.



Our oven has a "roast" setting so that's what we used but you could just put in in at 325-375 degrees just till it gets up to temp.



This I had nothing to do with but it was fantastic.  My husband made this from olive oil, fresh sage, basil and parsley, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.


Pink eye beans sauteed with some bacon grease then sprinkled salt and pepper.


This is the dead and sad carcass  that was left but I will make it into a fantastic soup!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Crumpets? Nah. SCONES!

I have a deep pitted love for Scones... don't ask me why but they are amazing to me.

I have made them for a long time but I have yet to make them with my freshly ground whole wheat flour.

So here we goooooo...



Flour, mix of sucanat and demerara sugar (brown and granular sugar), baking powder, baking soda and salt


Out comes the trusty pastry cutter and a bit of butter.... smush, chop, push...


Today's scones are blueberry... I chop mine up... up to you. I put in as much as I think looks like what I would want.


Then comes eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.  Pastry cut yourself away!


So when I finished (all flour absorbed) this is what it looked like


I tried to do small bits so that they would be "personal" size... I "personally" eat a huge amount of scones.


They didn't turn out right.  They were too runny and thus I add more flour and a tinsy bit of sugar.


So this is the what the batch looked like after it was fixed.  Texture when using the pastry cutter is almost crumbly.


Again I made mine pretty small so that it would be "personal" size ;P


And here is the second batch.  I took a brush across the top of the scones with a bit of water and then topped them with demerara (granular sugar)



Next step: eat them and enjoy.  They are fantastic with devonshire cream... but that wasn't in the budget.

The whole thing takes about 25 for you to make it up and cook off one batch.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Leftovers = resources!

So I love re-purposing leftovers.  You know what I mean?  I like taking the vegetables that I made for dinner one night and putting them into a soup the next, or taking roasted potatoes and making them smashed!

Last night: I took leftover BBQ chicken and ripped it up and used it for Southwestern Pot Pie!

Step one: crust!  You can make your pie really simple and buy crust (not too bad priced either) but I like to use my (you are going to think I am on a soap box... but I really just like fresh flour SO much) fresh ground whole wheat flour from The grain mill of wake forest.

Step one: crust
Crust is SUPER easy... you almost can't go wrong.  Take flour, butter/shortening, salt and water... or you got the recipes that have milk and eggs... crust is pretty fantastic.  Main thing: pastry cutter(the thing in the picture... couple bucks at target/walmart) = awesome. 

















Step two: filling I do it SO simple, cream of chicken, cream of celery, frozen mixed vegetables and then spices (mainly make sure to use salt and pepper) you can add whatever you want so long as they smell good together you'll be fine.  I used Chipolte pepper, crushed red pepper, chili powder, tarragon, and of course salt and pepper. 






















Step three: roll out the pie crust!  If it breaks apart... Its OK!  Mine did.  I'll tell you a secret: it tastes the same!


Step four: Pile it all in into the crust
















Step five: put the crust on on the top (like I said: mine broke... still tasted great)



Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Splish splash I was eating a bunch, all on the 4th of July

Though there is heat, burning sun and larger crowds, I love summer for two reason.

1. Water.  I love to swim, sit, bounce, eat, pretty much anything you will allow me to do in water.

2.  Grilling.  Not much beats the taste of grilled... well anything, save for sugar... mmmm baked goods.  Ok, so the first statement was an over statement/exaggeration but you get the idea: I like it!


For our fourth feast I did steak burgers.

Frest basil, parsley and sage chopped pretty finely and then just over a table spoon of Worcestershire sauce (I used "thick" but it was because that's what I had not because it is better).  Smush it around for a little bit, form it and grill it for a little while (I like mine a bit crispy on the outside but a little pink on the inside... but willing to eat pretty much anything so long as there is ketchup ;P)

 = delicious!




What did you do, eat, etc. on your 4th?

Friday, July 1, 2011

Pancakes... pancan'ts

Again, with the freshly ground whole wheat flour I know!

Pancakes... I love pancakes and yet I just can't seem to make the pretty... but they sure do taste good!

Todays: blueberry (get some they are in season and SUPER tasty) pancakes


Flour, baking soda and salt



buttermilk, butter, eggs, bit of sugar


Mixed together and then add the blueberries

I put it pretty low because I like them nice and cooked all the way through.

Like i said not so pretty but man they were good!