tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24762798087837198502024-03-21T20:54:57.284-07:00The Rose & ThistleOne cheese monger knitting, gardening, raising chickens, eating, and drinking her way through life in suburbia.Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-55680032195861704412020-04-07T18:35:00.001-07:002020-04-07T18:38:38.195-07:00Comfort, food, and the apocalypseLooking back at the hope I wrote of a month ago and, like many things in this current pandemic, it seems like that was years ago. There is still hope in the world. My garden is still growing. So many other things have changed though.<br />
<br />
We were on vacation in Florida with family when everything started to go sideways. I'm grateful for the time we did have there. And before anyone jumps down my throat, this was all before all of the stay-at-home orders were in place and just as the majority of the social distancing guidelines were being rolled out. We were staying at a private condo, with a full kitchen, private beach, and plans and supplies to cook the majority of our meals while we were there. It was sort of surreal as the news and situation changed every 12 hours or so when we were there, often coming back from the ocean and sand to a new alert or state issuing guidance. We had a good time overall, mostly due to the joy that Angus had in the pool and ocean every day (pretty sure he's part fish...).<br />
<br />
Coming home it was like stepping into a whole different world. I got the call the day before we left that, due to the developing pandemic, I was going to be furloughed indefinitely. It made more sense given that we didn't know how long this was going to impact the business and I have a pretty firm "expiration" date of being able to work with my due date just 2 months away on June 3rd. Angus no longer had school when we got back and less than 48 hours later we got the announcement from the state that Michigan was officially under a stay-at-home order. After the first few days of scrambling to get a routine figured out and the basics of WTF was going on it started to feel manageable.<br />
<br />
As has been the case throughout most of my life, in times of stress or upheaval, I found myself turning to the kitchen. I felt bad/guilty every time I scrolled through my social media feeds and encountered someone who was panicking about the state of grocery stores in the area. My pantry was not bare, in some sense, this is exactly the scenario that my anxiety has been preparing for. With only a few exceptions, there weren't any staples that I was lacking. Now, this wasn't because of any specific hoarding, but rather because this is how I stock my house and have for many years. I buy a lot of things in bulk when I can - flour, sugar, dried beans are basically always on my shelf and my standard unit of purchase is a 50lb bag. It means that I get a better price overall, and I only have to purchase these 3-4 times per year. We got in the habit a couple of years ago of getting 1/2 a pig at a time from small farmers and stocking the freezer. We also had a good chunk of the 1/4 beef that we got a year and a half ago in there. Except for fresh vegetables, we were in good shape.<br />
<br />
Still, I am cooking intentionally and using the things in my pantry. I'm taking advantage of the fact that I don't have a great need for many things to spend my grocery money intentionally, supporting as many of my local farms and farmers as I can as they begin an uncertain and difficult season. I'm excited that our CSA has started with fresh greens coming in to bring some brightness and crisp flavors to our meals. And last but not least I'm trying to maintain relationships with my local restaurants, having one meal a week that supports my home industry that is struggling just to stay afloat right now, hoping to make my small contribution to their survival.<br />
<br />
Today I made one of my personal comfort foods for dinner and figured with the state of the world at the moment, it would be a good one to share. I'll be back more often I suspect, now that I have a little more time on my hands.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfg8zo5BOXlxMtiH6WMHADL9MnSMAaIadR0LnMc8dXiMH8LtDSCo6v8_c8nRpWMaD_VfjuEM8BCgav90uRP-dlTd8i3ccCAzWIG6Xgtdr-xgk2mPNJ7f-xlcYTZWPeOgTn8zkcEdo8eE/s1600/20200407_182235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfg8zo5BOXlxMtiH6WMHADL9MnSMAaIadR0LnMc8dXiMH8LtDSCo6v8_c8nRpWMaD_VfjuEM8BCgav90uRP-dlTd8i3ccCAzWIG6Xgtdr-xgk2mPNJ7f-xlcYTZWPeOgTn8zkcEdo8eE/s320/20200407_182235.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Haluska - Cabbage & Egg Noodles</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This is a dish that you find varations of throughout the region of the world known as "Eastern Europe". This version is based loosely on the Hungarian tradtion of the dish and is a recipe that I have personalized depending on what is in my cupboard at any given time. My "origianal" comes from one of the early "Intro to Hungarian Foods" that I took from Ari at Zingerman's when Zingerman's Bakehouse was starting to focus on some of the baking traditions of that country. It remains one of my favorite low-key recipes that is both frugal and easy to make.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Serves: 8 (or 4 with leftovers)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Time: 1 hour including ingredient prep</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Ingredients:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>1 medium cabbage (about 2 lbs), shredded (pre-shredded is fine here and saves time!)</li>
<li>1 onion, sliced</li>
<li>3 cloves garlic, minced</li>
<li>1 lb bacon, chopped (a bacon that is smokey and not too sweet works best)</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt </li>
<li>16 oz wide egg noodles</li>
<li>4 tablespoons butter</li>
<li>1 teaspoon caraway seed, crushed or ground</li>
<li>2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paparika</li>
<li>salt & pepper to taste</li>
<li>sour cream for the table</li>
</ul>
<div>
Instructions:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Start a pot of salted water heating to a boil. When it reaches a boil cook the egg noodles according the package directions until al dente.</li>
<li>Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until it begins to render, 3-5 minutes.</li>
<li>Add the sliced onion to the pan and cook until the onion is soft, another 5 minutes or so.</li>
<li>Add the cabbage to the bacon and onion in the pan. Depending on how big your pan is, you may need to add this in 2 batches in order to fit it all in. Add 1/4 tsp of salt over the cabbage and mix. Cook until the cabbage starts to soften and get glossy, for me this generally takes another 8-10 minutes. In the last 1-2 minutes, just before the cabbage is right, add the minced garlic, taking care that it doesn't burn.</li>
<li>Turn the heat down to low and add the butter, paprika, and caraway to the cabbage mixture. Toss until the spices and butter coat the cabbage to create the sauce. </li>
<li>Add cooked and drained egg noodles to the pan (you can do this in a seperate bowl if your pan is too small for the volumn), and mix throughourly. </li>
<li>Serve with sour cream, salt & pepper to taste.</li>
</ol>
</div>
Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-25524552656049986762020-03-04T13:36:00.000-08:002020-03-04T13:36:57.440-08:00Hope in the garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmSkzRLmlJKKDmJtFS89P7y5umgvMAg7V7yHd5y5WUFy4M9EQUlluo_czJ4WTLdUvydgsClSnPzn0rnCrs0qRBV7e06rjHPygk26Ccvj8eKPsH_PSXflx1fn7spnqogTEPNWZ9E3h8ig/s1600/15833402266651082565345029857363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmSkzRLmlJKKDmJtFS89P7y5umgvMAg7V7yHd5y5WUFy4M9EQUlluo_czJ4WTLdUvydgsClSnPzn0rnCrs0qRBV7e06rjHPygk26Ccvj8eKPsH_PSXflx1fn7spnqogTEPNWZ9E3h8ig/s320/15833402266651082565345029857363.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
When we moved into this house about four years ago, the yard was a huge expanse of grass. The previous owners had some small landscaping "gardens" around the house, but nothing in the way of a vegetable garden or even decorative gardens elsewhere on our 3/4 acre site. The first summer we didn't grow much, there was a lot of other work that needed to happen on the property to get things ready to garden, and we focused on the easy projects of the gardens right around the house. Some of that first year was just waiting to see what comes up and figure out what is staying and what needs to be changed. The rest of the year was spent plotting and planning for the following summer.<br />
<br />
The second summer was our most productive at this house so far. We tarpped over a 10x25 section of the backyard and added around 2 yards of compost to that and tilled it all in. The goal was (and still is) to move to mostly no-till beds, but we were starting with relatively sandy soil without much organic matter in it, so we knew that we were going to have to do a fair bit of soil amendments with compost and other organic matter to get some great beds for long-term use. That second summer we grew our pretty standard compliment of veg: collards, kale, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, hot peppers, and rutabaga. Donald did some experimentation with a three-sisters style planting and Angus picked out watermelon as his plant for the year. There were a lot of successes, the greens all did pretty well, and the rutabaga did great. Everything else was a little sad, but that had as much to do with a cold, dry summer that had us struggling with water the entire season. But overall it gave us hope for future endeavors and we knew it was a good site overall, but we really needed to address the lack of water on that part of the property. At the end of the season, we tripled the size of the main garden and put it all to sleep for the winter.<br />
<br />
Year three was the folly of overconfidence. We got our 2 yards of compost that our township taxes give us and dropped it in the middle of the main garden, intending to once again fire up the tiller and get it all mixed in. Except the tiller wouldn't start. And when we dropped it off with the small engine shop they were backed up 2 week's with other jobs. Frustrated by the delays, we took a deep breath and reminded ourselves that a 2 week delay wasn't too bad. Well, 2 weeks stretched into a month, and then longer. We never got anything planted into the main garden last year and the tiller didn't get finished until after the first fall frost. In hindsight, we're could have borrowed or rented a tiller and gotten something, anything in the ground, but we didn't. So year three ended up being another planning year. We did get the rhubarb transplanted into some of our beds by the house and a small strawberry patch by the front door, so it wasn't a total failure, but not a great year.<br />
<br />
We are getting ready for our fourth season at this house and it feels like everything is finally falling into place. We have already checked the tiller, have the compost center opening date on the calendar and our seed order is placed. There is a plan for getting water back to the main garden so we can water if needed. We are also going to put up fencing around the main garden so that the dog and marauding children can't hurt the garden. I'm also excited about putting in my culinary herb garden up near the house this year. I love cooking with fresh herbs but never remember to buy them, or balk at the prices knowing they are things I can grow pretty easily. The herbs are planned to be just outside the back door integrated into our patio space, which should be perfect for easy access.<br />
<br />
There is a plan. There is hope. We just have to nurture it.Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-41555243683435601042020-02-21T08:49:00.000-08:002020-02-21T08:49:05.315-08:00Resurrecting My Voice <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpDri5gJhkcvBSopJghK81YyJamBmCUoAFkUyDhufYDvvmgIqfhVTqWErNwFk5UT0u0NWTAGTJBUb40i0A6L7r2OSxsqRcgrW27G3b1Ra9mxlu0iGHJ6sELin7bFpao9ni3LxyAfnCJw/s1600/20191010_154725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>It's been a really long time since I wrote anything here! That's not to say that I haven't been writing, or that I haven't been doing a ton of things, just that I lost track of this blog in the shuffle.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>I had a baby! Angus Donald roared into the world on August 12th!</li>
<li>Bought a new house!</li>
<li>Started a new job!</li>
<li>Amazing amounts of little victories & losses in life to numerous to detail in this list!</li>
</ul>
<div>
And just to bring this blog full circle, I'm pregnant again! The newest little WhiskeyAndCheese will be joining us in early June. This time around, just like they tell you, has been a totally different experience. Still a pretty easy pregnancy overall, but running around after a VERY active 5-year-old in addition to growing another human has been a lot of work. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I started a project last winter to start baking again. After some really abysmal loaves early on, I powered through though and got pretty good at it overall. I started a sourdough starter back in March 2019 and George and I have been baking every week with great results. The current favorite in the house is <a href="https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-english-muffins-recipe" target="_blank">Sourdough English Muffins</a> which even the kiddo loves (lavishly slathered in <a href="https://www.zingermanscreamery.com/product/cheese/cow/pimento-cheese/" target="_blank">Pimento Cheese</a> of course)! On the non-sour side of the bread world, I've been adding in one of my other loves, beer! The <a href="http://thebeeroness.com/2018/08/24/honey-ale-sandwich-bread/" target="_blank">Honey Ale Sandwich Bread</a> from <a href="http://thebeeroness.com/" target="_blank">The Beeroness</a> is our current favorite for a nice soft sandwich bread that makes amazing PB&J and grilled cheese sandwiches for lunches. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Still knitting, still spinning, still being crafty in general. I'll update on some of my favorite projects one of these days... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpDri5gJhkcvBSopJghK81YyJamBmCUoAFkUyDhufYDvvmgIqfhVTqWErNwFk5UT0u0NWTAGTJBUb40i0A6L7r2OSxsqRcgrW27G3b1Ra9mxlu0iGHJ6sELin7bFpao9ni3LxyAfnCJw/s1600/20191010_154725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-88773005424090774062014-01-15T10:20:00.000-08:002014-01-15T10:20:05.567-08:00Knitting Tiny ThingsOne of the things that I've been enjoying about being pregnant has been the whole new genre of tiny knitted things that I get to enjoy making. After a binge in the first couple of weeks I have a rainbow of tiny hats ready to adorn adorable tiny heads. I have a couple of other things that I have tucked away over the years, as I fell in love with patterns and just made them with the intention of "someday". And now that someday is today, I have been pulling those things out of the corners that they were tucked into and building a whole new kind of hope chest for this kid.<br />
<br />
It's also been really cool to have the whole color palette at my disposal. One of the decisions that D and I made early on was to keep the sex of the baby a surprise. There were a lot of different factors that went into that decision, but one of the fun side effects of that decision is the way that the rainbow opens up when the choosing isn't colored (haha) by boy vs. girl. Another decision that I've been able to play with was the decision that we are going to cloth diaper, so my current project on the needles is a felted diaper cover! I am using a pattern I really love, with the goal that if I knit one and it turns out well, I will probably use it as a pattern to cut out a couple more from recycled sweaters from the thrift store.<br />
<br />
I'll get some pictures up here at some point of all the cute, but for the moment, the laundry is calling!Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-33953642582711532472014-01-12T11:46:00.002-08:002014-01-12T11:46:45.748-08:00Big Changes and Tiny HumansThere have been a lot of changes in my life since I started this blog... I got married, fell in love, bought a house, did make overs in my house and yard, and generally it was an outlet for me to document the process of growing up and finding my way through my mid-20s. So I'm really excited that this blog is going to be with me as I take this next step,<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm Pregnant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I thought long and hard about even telling the internet about this, but in the end, I decided that I would be happier being able to document some of the highlights of these exciting next steps in my life. Per the usual, I'm sure there will be some ramblings and other things that I (not frequently) post about, but this is also an attempt to keep my Facebook page from being all "squee baby" all the time. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I haven't really been doing anything interesting with food lately because of the pregnancy, so not much to report on there, but I will at least leave you with this week's menu at the house!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
M: Grilled Lamb Burgers w/ Marinated Onion, Dill, & Feta</div>
<div>
T: Pork & Hominy Stew</div>
<div>
W: Portabella & Asparagus Pasta</div>
<div>
Th: Leftovers</div>
<div>
F: To be determined</div>
<div>
S: Going to a Burn's Night dinner with family friends</div>
<div>
Su: Stir-fry</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There's a crock-pot full of Mushroom Beef Barley soup cooking away on my counter as I enjoy my quiet day off today, listening to the laundry burble in the corner. Hope everyone has a great week!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-89619144502016493002012-05-14T08:47:00.000-07:002012-05-18T08:47:55.804-07:00Happy Mother's Day!I actually gave my mother's day gift to my mom yesterday because of work schedules, but it's worth saying again. Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there, we wouldn't be here without you.<br />
<br />
There's probably going to be a mid-week post with pictures, because while I've gotten a lot done with the yard and the garden, I haven't had time to take pictures! I have radishes, peas, chard, and beets that are putting up shoots already!! Donald was the first to notice them, saying that I either had radishes, or just freakishly orderly weeds :-) The hops are up and we will be running their strings later this week as they climb up, since they are growing pretty fast already! All three raised beds are finished, we just have to fill the third one with soil and finish the trellis on the north bed for the tomatoes and peas to climb up. Speaking of tomatoes.. I totally thought I had managed to kill one of my tomato plants, but after a bit in time out (and having already gotten a replacement) it perked right back up, so now it's in a pot by itself and doing pretty well.<br />
<br />
This week's menu is pretty straight forward... I'm back to what can affectionately be called my "regular" schedule this coming week so no surprises when it comes to work and such. Game night is Wednesday so I'm cooking for the usual crowd.<br />
<br />
Sunday - Tacos<br />
Monday - Slumgullion<br />
Tuesday - Baked "Fish & Chips"<br />
Wednesday - Farm-stand Chili & Cornbread<br />
Thursday - Bi Bim Bop<br />
Friday - Salads<br />
Saturday - Pasta<br />
<br />
<br />Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-7466566530674625842012-05-08T19:49:00.001-07:002012-05-08T19:49:59.542-07:00Running a Little Behind...This week's menu post ended up being a couple of days later then I originally planned, but I'm on vacation, I get a pass right?<br />
<br />
Sunday - Pasta and Salad<br />
Monday - Dinner at my parent's house<br />
Tuesday - Stir-fry<br />
Wednesday - Thai-spiced Turkey Burgers<br />
Thursday - Loaded Baked Potatoes<br />
Friday - Home-made Pizza<br />
Saturday - Donald is going to grill something<br />
<br />
But I've been productive in the garden when I haven't been here posting. All the plants and seeds are planted in the first garden bed. And as we were planning things out we realized that we wanted to build a third bed. I have no clue what we are putting in the third bed entirely at this point, but it's going in. I'll get some more pictures up here when they are done tomorrow so that all of my posts aren't just the dry ramblings of my slightly neurotic self.<br />
<br />
I get to meet with my personal trainer for the first time this week and I'm super excited!! This came about in part because I work with super awesome people and in part because I have the best mom in the world and she gave me my birthday present early! So I'm sure I'll have more to say about that after our first training session on Thursday. And now I am going to go crash, because it has been a long but enjoyable day!Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-44056642840340810762012-05-04T08:00:00.000-07:002012-05-04T08:00:08.519-07:00The Art of the Cheese PlateAs a professional cheese-monger I am constantly being asked, "I'm putting together a cheese plate for (insert event here), what should I get?" There are any number of ways that you can go about putting together a plate that will wow your guests, but here are a few of my favorite ways to do it.<br />
<br />
* Milk Sampler *<br />
This is one of the classic ways that people will tell you to chose cheeses for a cheese plate, usually consisting of a cow's milk cheese, a goat's milk cheese, and a sheep's milk cheese. This is nice if you don't really know the tastes of the group you are putting together a plate for, as you can get a little bit of everything. I like to make sure that there are a variety of textures represented, but you don't have to. A nice fresh goat's milk (like the Zingerman's Creamery's City Goat), a semi-soft cow's milk (a younger gouda or swiss style usually), and an aged sheep's milk (like Manchego or Vermont Shepherd) is my go-to combination.<br />
<br />
* Regional Grouping *<br />
This is another classic. Choose your cheeses based on country, region, or other geographical grouping. All cheeses from England, or all from Bavaria, or all from countries that your Mediterranean cruise will be stopping in. These cheeses will all likely be of the same milk(s), depending on where in the world you are sourcing from and what animals have traditionally thrived in that environment. Again, I like playing with texture if possible. Different regions in France are particularly easy to find in most cheese shops, one that I'm fond of is the Auvergne region. A cheese plate highlighting this region might have a lovely wedge of Saint Nectaire, a chunk Cantal (or Salers if you can find it), and a slice of Blu d'Auvergne. These are all cow's milk cheeses that for me really highlight each other and bring out flavors in one another that you might not notice enjoying them on their own.<br />
<br />
* Single Producer *<br />
This is one that I really like to do with the many fantastic American producers that are producing whole lines of cheese. Highlighting a single producer can be a great way to introduce your friends to a great cheese maker that you love. Sweet Grass Dairy in Thomasville, GA and Cowgirl Creamery in California/Washington D.C.<br />
<br />
* Single Milk *<br />
This is all about texture. Highlighting the things you can do with the milk from a single kind of animal give you a chance to explore the flavors and textures you get by treating the milk differently in the making and aging stages of cheese making. Cow's milk is obviously going to be the easiest one to find a large variety of cheeses in, but there are more and more great goat and sheep's milk cheeses on the market from small, artisan producers that you can find fairly easily these days. An example of this might be: Kunik from Nettle Meadow Farms (triple-cream, goat's milk base, New York made, very smooth and soft); Lincoln Log from Zingerman's Creamery (slightly aged goat's milk, french style log, Michigan made, just a bit crumbly); Queso de Vare (aged goat's milk, savory, spanish, texture like a medium dry cheddar); Ballerina Goat's Milk Gouda (aged goat's milk, gouda style, sweeter, dutch, dry and crumbly with crystalized protein crunch); and Harborne Blue through Neal's Yard Dairy (goat's milk blue, english, slightly sweet with a nice bite from the blueing).<br />
<br />
With all of these options you will want to make sure that you have your cheeses at room temperature when you serve them. Unless your cheesemonger specifically tells you that a cheese has an ideal serving temperature, all cheeses show best at room temperature. I also like to have some dried or fresh fruit, a condiment (such as mustard or fruit preserves), and some sort of nut out with the cheeses, to be enjoyed alongside. The only other thing you need is a nice cheeseboard or plate to serve it all on and you are ready to break out a bottle of wine and enjoy the party!<br />
<br />
<br />
P.S - If you like this post please leave me a comment here or on facebook and let me know what other cheese/cured meat/delicious food things you would like to see. I love my job and I love being able to share knowledge with people too!Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-12998335132794950212012-04-28T20:58:00.002-07:002012-04-28T20:58:10.394-07:00What's For Dinner - April 29th EditionSo over at <a href="http://hjwaxingmoon.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">HJ Waxing Moon</a> my lovely SIL made a great post about menu planning. While I am not nearly as methodical as she is about it, it's a practice that I enjoy. And so I figured that I would revive the sometimes regular practice of posting up my weekly menu! This week is going to be a nice, regular week, with nothing out of the ordinary going on, so it's pretty straightforward to plan for. Plus, I get the whole weekend off next week (and a couple of days after that too!) which means some nice relaxing time to cook, clean, and garden!<br />
<br />
Sunday - Leftovers/Graduation Party Attendance<br />
Monday - Mac n' Cheese w/ green salad and other veg<br />
Tuesday - Beans with Sausage & Greens<br />
Wednesday - Chicken Curry in the Crock Pot<br />
Thursday - French Onion Soup & Mystery Dish<br />
Friday - Steak Fajitas<br />
Saturday - Pasta<br />
<br />
I hope everyone else is enjoying their weekend, it was kinda grey and drizzly here today for U of M's graduation, but it was better then the snow that they were forecasting! Hopefully I'll be back out in the garden on Tuesday if the rain holds off to get the seeds in the raised bed, with pictures once it's all put together and planted!<br />
<br />Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-68925411806103366202012-04-26T21:07:00.001-07:002012-04-26T21:07:39.473-07:00Garden Building Day 2<div style="text-align: left;">
This was the second day of garden building! After getting the frame built yesterday, today it got filled. We broke up the sod underneath and then laid down a layer of newspapers to help prevent the grass from grown up through the bed. I would have removed it altogether, but our sod is very healthy (and thick!) so it stayed where it was. After 3 trips to our compost center, using recycling bins to get the good stuff, it was full. I laid out a rough grid with a nice bright pink cotton, so it was easy to see against the dirt. Then, since we did get some plants in addition to seed, the plants all went in the ground. Four kinds of tomato, three kinds of peppers, mustard greens, and collards are all happily planted. I'm still about two weeks before the last frost date, but I figured I'd risk it. As luck would have it, we have a frost warning tonight, so all of the pots and other small plants that I have are all fit in around the plants I just put in the ground and covered over with a tarp so they don't get damaged. I figure between the covering and the fact that the compost is still generating a little bit of heat they should be fine.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I also found out last night that plans I had made for next week were changing, so I find myself with 6 days off starting next Friday. So it looks like the twin to this bed is going to be built then and (hopefully) planted as well! So far, the lineup for that bed is: potatoes, squash, onions, kale, and parsnips. And I'm putting in my new herb garden setup. It's going be a modified gutter garden concept, moved closer to the house/kitchen for easy access (because that's mostly the purpose of growing herbs for me - yummy food!). I'm also considering tearing up another part of my lawn on the other side of the driveway and putting in a couple of rows of corn and perhaps getting some asparagus rhizome to anticipate for next year, because somehow, I almost always miss asparagus season at the farmers markets around here... In any case, there are more plans and plots going on here at The Rose & Thistle, who knows what tomorrow will bring!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/6971490942/" title="GridLaid by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="GridLaid" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8151/6971490942_61353559c8_n.jpg" width="180" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/6971490230/" title="BedPlanted by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="BedPlanted" height="180" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/6971490230_9dcea24f41_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/7117567145/" title="HappyPlants by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="HappyPlants" height="180" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7190/7117567145_070a3c1c75_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/7117566513/" title="LonelyCollards by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="LonelyCollards" height="180" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8028/7117566513_e2e193455b_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-55802939987098795862012-04-25T15:50:00.003-07:002012-04-25T15:50:33.324-07:00Garden Building Day 1<br />
<center style="text-align: left;">Today was the construction phase of the garden building! We got out bright and early to Home Depot and got all of our supplies for the bed itself, plants (including some flowers for other beds), and seeds. After a bit of a slow start trying to get a shovel put on a handle, we were off and the building process went pretty smoothly. Towards the end of the project, once we had all the walls built, we brought the new chicks out to hang out in the bed for a bit while we changed the litter in the brooding box. So I give you, our day in pictures :-)</center><center><br /></center><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/6967968674/" title="RaisedBed1 by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="RaisedBed1" height="320" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5117/6967968674_0d629b1334_n.jpg" width="180" /></a> </center><center><br /></center><center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/6967969480/" title="RaisedBed2 by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="RaisedBed2" height="180" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8165/6967969480_9cb5bd308f_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></center><center><br /></center><center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/7114048785/" title="RaisedBed3 by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="RaisedBed3" height="180" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7115/7114048785_d72d56361e_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></center><center> </center><center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/6967970904/" title="RaisedBed4 by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="RaisedBed4" height="180" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7086/6967970904_001b0a57a0_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></center><center> </center><center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/6967965852/" title="PlantsAtHome by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="PlantsAtHome" height="180" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7214/6967965852_9e6bbd9873_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></center><center> </center><center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/7114045273/" title="MorePlants by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="MorePlants" height="180" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5194/7114045273_666b15b42e_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></center><center> </center><center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/6967967820/" title="Seeds by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="Seeds" height="108" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7050/6967967820_dd4c558042_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></center>Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-84122047976319957772012-04-24T21:39:00.000-07:002012-04-24T21:40:09.398-07:00Gardens and Sunshine<span style="text-align: left;">It's been a really long time since I made a blog post. I've been running and working and spring cleaning with a vengeance! I've also been spending a lot of time ogling the gardening that my SIL has been posting about over at </span><a href="http://hjwaxingmoon.blogspot.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">HJ Waxing Moon</a><span style="text-align: left;">. She's out in the Portland, OR area and so they are a bit warmer and a bit further along then we are in the Mitten right now. She and Mr. Moon have been doing a fantastic job at getting their garden spaces cleaned up and ready for the year. </span><br />
<center style="text-align: left;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: left;">But, enough waxing on about my fab SIL, I've got gardening of my own happening! When we moved into our house there was a sad little raised bed in the front yard with a dead potted evergreen stuck on top of it, and two pseudo-beds on either side of the front door that had some scraggly looking bushes in them planted too close to the house. The two beds at the front of the house have since been reformed by taking one set of bushes out and using them along our south property line to form the beginnings of a hedge. This solved the problem of the bushed being planted too closely to the house, and then my MIL planted some beautiful red tulips in front of the remaining bushes. We also moved a very pretty crabapple tree that was planted a bit too close to the house as well. </center><center style="text-align: left;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: left;">The next phase of the project was to reform the raised bed. The first part of this happened a few summers ago when I had my brother down for some <strike>forced labor</strike> help in the garden and we discovered that the reason that the raised bed was there was it was hiding an old tree stump that no one had bothered to remove, they just built up far enough around it to put a 3" layer of dirt over it! So I had my brother help me dig out as much of the stump as we could and added more dirt and compost and it became my herb bed for a couple of years. This is phase two. Donald and I are going to remove the old bed (after transplanting some of the herbs that are still alive after winter) and build two new 4'x8' raised beds for vegetable gardening. Tomorrow we are going to build the first of the two beds and then plant into it on Thursday. The second bed will be constructed after I get back from watching my baby brother graduate from Northern Michigan next weekend. So, here's my to-do list for the next two days and the planned layout of the first bed. Hopefully I remember to take pictures as we go so I can post them here!</center><center style="text-align: left;"><br /></center><center><br /></center><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/6965577032/" title="GardenPlan by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="GardenPlan" height="180" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8017/6965577032_73862fe405_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></center><center><br /></center><center><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/7111653017/" title="GardenToDo by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="GardenToDo" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7077/7111653017_9c976a4b43_n.jpg" width="275" /></a></center>Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-2473213568557538082012-02-07T18:37:00.000-08:002012-04-30T23:25:15.450-07:00Welcome back Ya'll!I had such a blast in Austin! I got to indulge in excellent food, awesome people, and a good healthy dose of doing absolutely nothing at all! And now I am back in the wonderful state of Michigan and getting back into my routine. I spent most of the first day back cleaning my house and reclaiming my kitchen from the dust-bunnies and such that we let to fester while I wasn't around to make sure the usual chores got done. I didn't miss work, but I still found myself in a cheese shop on more then one occasion! I snapped a whole bunch of pictures (they're posted on Facebook if you follow me there), but my favorite is the one that I snapped of my lunch after visiting my friend Paul's shop, and that's what I leave you with here.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/6984813994/" title="AustinLunch by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img alt="AustinLunch" height="180" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/6984813994_7ccce9c55f_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></center>Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-53591792489687364192012-01-21T22:32:00.000-08:002012-01-21T22:32:26.930-08:00Just When You Think Winter is CanceledThis week has been a little up and down for me. I had an open shift at work for the first time in a bit and when I got home all the grand plans that I had for making dinner and such went right out the window. Luckily I have a wonderful husband who can follow a recipe so it was not a complete wash. But I've made it to the gym on schedule and had some good runs this week. And I got to cap the week off with the Burn's Night party given by friends of the family. I got to wear my fantastic new dress that I got last week and Donald piped the haggis in. It was a good time all around, though I could have done without the mid-dinner headache.<br />
I'm getting pretty excited about my vacation. This time next week I will be getting ready to fly down to Austin, TX and visit my good friend Paul! I don't have a really solid schedule for the time that I'm down there yet, so if there is something you think I should be sure to check out, let me know! I will be down there for Paul's birthday and I get to wear fantastic new dress number two and generally have a raucously good time! I'll be gone for a week and it will be so nice to relax and have fun.<br />
<br />
Jan 22 - Jan 28<br />
Sunday - Slumgullion<br />
Monday - Chickpea & Tomato Stew<br />
Tuesday - Chicken Enchiladas<br />
Wednesday - Burn's Night hosted by the Masons<br />
Thursday - Pasta with Garlic Pesto and Tuna<br />
Friday - Venison Shepherd's Pie<br />
Saturday - Sushi (not sure if this is going to be homemade or eating out)<br />
<br />
I probably won't post a menu next week, as I won't be here to be cooking. But there will defiantly be pictures and a lengthly summary post once I get back. I'm not taking my laptop down with me so I'll have some internet access via my phone, but won't be posting much except probably to Twitter (@YarnAndWhiskey). Have a good week everyone, hope you are staying warm with all the crazy weather that's been happening lately!Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-5272088887754770412012-01-16T19:29:00.000-08:002012-01-16T19:29:57.669-08:00Getting back on track...The holidays are finally over and I'm starting to put the pieces of my routine back together. I've done some re-arranging of the storage space in my kitchen and I think that it's going to be a nice change. But I want to get back into the habit of posting my weekly menus. And because it hasn't been that long into the year I'm posting last week as a bonus!<br />
<br />
Jan 8th - Jan 14th<br />
Sunday - Ham & Bean Soup<br />
Monday - Salmon and Couscous Cakes with Tomato, Olive, and Caper Relish<br />
Tuesday - I hit a deer. So we had Chinese.<br />
Wednesday - My friend <a href="http://apineapplesadventure.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Anya</a> made Bigos!<br />
Thursday - Pizza Night (home-made of course)<br />
Friday - Leftovers<br />
Saturday - White Beans with Chorizo and Mustard Greens<br />
<br />
Jan 15th - Jan 21st<br />
Sunday - Venison Stroganoff<br />
Monday - Broccoli & Mushroom Stir-fry<br />
Tuesday - Whiskey/Marmalade Glazed Salmon with Tatties N' Neeps<br />
Wednesday - Venison, Bacon, White Bean Chili<br />
Thursday - Chickpea & Tomato Stew<br />
Friday - Pasta with Homemade Tomato Sauce<br />
Saturday - Burn's Night Dinner hosted by friends<br />
<br />
If you were paying attention to the item above you will note, I hit a deer. In the greater scheme of things it was a little traumatic (I kind of had a 14 hour long panic attack/adrenaline rush that day), but there was minimal damage to the car I was driving, I am alright, and the deer was killed on impact and found pretty quickly by my husband. Donald and I spent most of the afternoon on Wednesday hosting the Amateur Butcher Hour as we broke my deer down into it's edible pieces. All said and done we got about 25 lbs of ground meat, two back loins around 3 lbs total that we cut into medallions and wrapped in bacon, and another 2 lbs of meat that was reserved for this week's menu in the stroganoff and the chili. So between that and the venison that I got as a gift for Christmas (btw, best Christmas gift I get every year!) my freezer is re-stocked for the year!<br />
<br />
Also got to catch up with one of my very old and fabulous friends, Lana over the weekend! She drove down and we went to lunch at one of my favorite places in Ann Arbor - <a href="http://www.jollypumpkin.com/annarbor/" target="_blank">Jolly Pumpkin Cafe & Brewery</a>. They had one of my longtime favorites on tap, the La Roja. It's a Flanders-style amber ale that has never disappointed me in it's slightly sour drinkability. It was so great to see Lana as we haven't been in the same place for the last three years or so and if there was any worry about it being a bit awkward those notions were gone in the first few minutes as we fell right back in where we left off. She summed up the day pretty well (and said some really lovely things about me as well) at her newly minted blog over at <a href="http://martinisandmuscle.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Martinis And Muscles</a>. You should go visit because she's pretty awesome!<br />
<br />
Until next week....Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-34833591619023332662011-10-30T22:02:00.000-07:002011-10-31T09:08:18.792-07:00Fall = Beer Time!So the last year or so Donald and I have been experimenting with homebrewing. We have most consistantly been brewing an English Bitter recipe from the Microbrewed Adventures. We've played around with it a little bit but we both really like the resulting beer so it's defiantly in our standard rotation. A couple of months ago for our anniversary we had a brew day. Most "normal" people go out for a nice dinner or something of the like for their wedding anniversary, but us, we brewed beer! After a marathon trip out to <a href="http://www.homebrewing.org/">Adventures in Homebrewing</a>'s shiny new location on the west side of Ann Arbor we had three batches that we were going to brew that day. A batch of the English Bitter, a English Strong Ale, and a Pumpkin Ale.<br />
<br />
The Strong Ale recipe called for a yeast starter to make sure that there were enough yeast to deal with the massive amounts of sugar that the recipe had. So "we" (this being the non-royal we of mostly just Donald) decided to do a starter for both the Bitter and the Strong. Got everything prepped and in the buckets, put the airlocks in the top of the buckets and put them away in the awesome pantry of doom to bubble away. Welllll so when you make a starter with your yeast, the yeast are already really happy when you put them into the wort - and they get more excited from there. Luckily before he went to bed Donald noticed that the Bitter was throwing foam into it's airlock. So the Strong Ale and the Bitter both got shiny new blowoff tubes and then we went to bed. We both got up the next morning and then went to work. When Donald got home the top of the Strong Ale bucket was a little bit bowed up. So Donald went to move it out and thats when he discovered that the bottom of the bucket was bowed out as well - so much so that the bucket was basically about to blow. So after a careful extraction of the bucket from the closet he switched the blowoff tube for a much larger diameter one and that seemed to do the trick. Beer that isn't blowing up = good!<br />
<br />
The Pumpkin Ale was much more straightforward. I added the optional pie pumpkin to the recipe. We went and got a cute little 2lb pumpkin from the farm stand at the end of the road. After it roasted for about 45 minutes in the oven it got added to the mash and the pulled out with the grain bag so that it added a little bit of pumpkin flavor but not overwhelmingly strong. A touch of pie spices and away we went.<br />
<br />
So after the requisite aging time and then going into kegs for the Strong and the Bitter and into bottles for the Pumpkin Ale. The Strong Ale is still a bit raw after a couple of weeks of aging, so it's in time-out. The Bitter turned out a little bit more "American" then "English", and it's getting a little bit better as it ages, but I still don't know that I really like this batch. The Pumpkin Ale on the other hand, is sooooo delicious! I opened the first bottle tonight and wow. The pumpkin and spice are subtle and balanced, and the mouthfeel is almost creamy. I already grabbed the ingredients for a second batch that I'll be starting some time this week. I am going to be very selfish with this first batch though, no sharing!Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-70815189411698221912011-09-24T19:33:00.000-07:002011-10-08T19:34:21.272-07:00Pasta Sauce and the End of SummerIt's been a while since I posted anything here, but Trase asked nicely and so here it is. I just finished my first big push for the year for canning pasta sauce. The last couple of years I have only done about 30 jars of sauce and inevitably by the time we hit June and July we are rationing sauce because there are only 1 or 2 precious jars left until tomatoes come back in late August. So this year I set out to change that. My goal for this year was 52 quarts of sauce. In the middle of winter it's not that unusual to use 2 or 3 in a week, so when I really got down to it, 52 quarts was not an un-reasonable amount of tomato sauce. A lot of people have asked me for my sauce recipe and so here it is. This is the one that I did this round, every time I make it its a little bit different depending on what I have on hand. That being said, I do not have access to a lab or anything so nothing has been for sure tested as far as safety and such goes. If it is your first time doing any home canning, I highly encourage you to go check out the recipes at www.freshpreserving.com (the Ball Brand website) for canning methods and tested recipes. If you don't want to can it, this is also a sauce that could be stored in the fridge or freezer in portions that make sense for you.
Tomato Sauce a la The Rose & Thistle
6 pounds fresh tomatoes, roughly diced (I leave the skins on because I don't mind them, but you could remove if they bug you)
3 large yellow onions, diced
1 head of garlic, minced (use the food processor if you have one, so much easier!)
2 cups celery, diced
1 cup carrot, diced
4 bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 hungarian wax peppers, minced (omit these if you don't want a spicy sauce)
2 cups summer squash, seeded and diced
Salt & Pepper
15 oz can tomato paste (or take 2 pounds tomatoes and cook down until very thick)
Add tomatoes to large stock pot and bring to a boil (there is no need to add extra liquid - the tomatoes will supply all the liquid you need!). Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about an hour or until they have reduced down by about 1/3. Meanwhile, saute the other veggies in batches. I generally put the batches of sauteed veggies straight into the tomatoes as each batch is soft/brown enough for my taste. In a bowl, combine the can of tomato paste and a ladle or two of the sauce to thin/incorporate and then combine entire contents of the bowl with the rest of the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Using cider vinegar (or another acid at 5% acidity like white vinegar, bottled lemon juice, or wine vinegar - I just like cider vinegar) add 2 Tbsp to each quart halfway though filling the jar. Fill your jars, process, and cool. After all of your seals have established themselves, store until you desire a taste of those fleeting days of summer!Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-54938015545200835292011-04-26T16:25:00.000-07:002011-05-03T21:40:55.424-07:00Out of the Frying Pan & Into the FireWell any delusions that I had about this week being easier then last are right out. I am in the last week of a huge project at work and this weekend is graduation at U of M. <br />
<br />
Sunday: Easter Dinner with the Wilson's<br />
Monday: Leftovers<br />
Tuesday: Split Peas Soup<br />
Wednesday: Anya making Bigos<br />
Thursday: Leftovers<br />
Friday: Pork Roast<br />
Saturday: LeftoversTessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-77047082653231664162011-04-18T16:00:00.000-07:002011-04-26T16:24:49.947-07:00Going to Be a Crazy OneThis week is going to be crazy. Passover and Easter are in the same week so there will be all sorts of stuff going on at work around both. But I do get a couple of nights where I'm home to make dinner so that's a plus! I just about finished the baby sweater that I started last week and I'm still working on the bag for Ash's Taiko sticks. But there should be some good family/car time to work on those and get them off the needles. See you on the flip side!<br />
<br />
Sunday: Leftovers<br />
Monday: Pastrami Ruben<br />
Tuesday: Moroccan Lentil Soup<br />
Wednesday: Grilled Chicken & Potato Salad<br />
Thursday: No one is home.<br />
Friday: Pierogi with family<br />
Saturday: Free For AllTessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-12702757756000526632011-04-11T09:57:00.000-07:002011-04-11T09:57:21.583-07:00Vacation ate my brainThat's really the only excuse I have for not posting the last couple of weeks. I'm super excited about this week though as I am getting a new fridge! The time has come that I finally admitted that my darling Kelvinator just isn't big enough for us. That said, I'm not getting rid of the jolly green giant, it's just retiring a bit into it's new role as beer fridge!<br />
<br />
Sunday: Pizza<br />
Monday: Leftovers<br />
Tuesday: Beans with Sausage & Kale<br />
Wednesday: Baked Potato Buffet<br />
Thursday: Donald will fend for himself<br />
Friday: New Fridge day!<br />
Saturday: Minestrone w/ Fresh Bread from Donald's BAKE classTessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-52658758935188888012011-03-14T21:03:00.000-07:002011-03-14T21:03:00.029-07:00Seeing GreenIt's one of my favorite weeks. It's the week of St. Patrick's Day and I get to break out some of my most loved foods. Plus I got the Feb/Mar issue of Fine Cooking the other day and after drooling a little bit I picked out a couple of things to add to the menu this week. <br />
<br />
Monday: <a href="http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/">Stout & Cheese Meatloaf</a><br />
Tuesday: no one will be home<br />
Wednesday: Corned Beef with all the fixin's<br />
Thursday: <a href="http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/">Quinoa Salad</a><br />
Friday: Potato Leek soup<br />
Saturday: <a href="http://yourutopianmeals.blogspot.com/2011/03/moroccan-lentil-stew.html">Moroccan Lentil Soup</a><br />
Sunday: Leftovers<br />
<br />
We'll see if Friday's meal plan actually happens. We now have a funeral to attend that morning so I might not get a chance to get everything put together. Something will happen, I'm just not guaranteeing that it will be what I said will happen! So with that I leave you with some lovely pictures of the meat loaf that was dinner tonight before I cooked it and after it came out of the oven. Enjoy! <br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/5527829097/" title="pre-cooking meatloaf by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5294/5527829097_c2c26f6f46_m.jpg" width="160" height="240" alt="pre-cooking meatloaf" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21431145@N06/5528419488/" title="post-cooking meatloaf by ypsiyarnpirate, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5098/5528419488_6d9671f057_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="post-cooking meatloaf" /></a></center>Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-54750968890571455852011-03-10T08:42:00.000-08:002011-03-10T08:42:51.029-08:00Knitting is a quiet but powerful thingI was reminded of this today on the bus ride home. When I first got on the gentleman sitting behind me struck up a conversation about my knitting and when I was making etc.. After a couple of other comments he reassured me that he wasn't staring at me, simply glancing over from time to time to make comments. After about 5 minutes of this pretense he finally admitted that ok, now he was watching what I was doing. And for the next 20 minutes of my ride we sat in relative silence, me knitting - him watching. As he was getting off the bus, he thanked me for letting him watch and share the experience. Next was the woman who moved up to the seat behind me and talked about how she had made afghans and such in the past but was a bit baffled by what I was doing with so many needles (I was working on kilt hose knit in the round on 5 DPNs). We had a bit of conversation which reminded her of a girl she had know in grade school in the 50's who had moved to the school from Germany and was teased because everything she wore was hand-knit by the girls mother, right down to her underwear!<br />
<br />
And these little conversations reminded me that knitting might be a quiet and generally solitary practice for me, but is still a powerful thing. Not only does it connect me to the men and women who have come before me and passed the craft along, but it connects me to complete strangers in my everyday life. As a generally introverted person this is huge for me. Many times there are situations where I would never say a word or interact with others around me for any number of reasons, but with my knitting out, I do. It starts conversations and is something I can talk about with practically anyone.<br />
<br />
Knitting is a powerful thing.Tessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-1452873764449581222011-03-09T20:53:00.000-08:002011-03-09T20:53:33.430-08:00Portents of SpringThis week so far has included some of my favorite portents of spring. First was weather warm enough to start tapping the maple trees for sap. Last year Donald and I tapped our trees for the first time and even when imperfect the joy of having home-made waffles with syrup that you boiled down yourself is so special. Second was Fat Tuesday and the beginning of Lent. Though neither of us were raised Catholic both sides of my family have strong Catholic roots and so over the years it just kind of slipped into my personal traditions of observing the period of Lent as a time for reflection and restraint. This year once again I have given up frivolous spending. It means no eating out for the entire 40 days of lent and no big indulgences. The basics of food and bills and such will still get paid for but the rest is set aside in savings. The nice thing is that my new years resolution fits nicely with the "fiscal fast" concept. This week's menu is:<br />
<br />
Monday: Roast Salmon with Green Salad and Carrot-Fennel Rice<br />
Tuesday: Spanish Mushrooms with Rice and Lentils<br />
Wednesday: Pot Pies<br />
Thursday: Roast Chicken with Asparagus and Mashed Potatoes<br />
Friday: Chili<br />
Saturday: Ash will fend for herself<br />
Sunday: LeftoversTessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-16336672360227999832011-02-28T13:03:00.001-08:002011-03-04T18:24:28.991-08:00A Weird OneThe weather is supposed to get better this week. I hope. But we won't be home much to enjoy dinners together this week so I guess I better make the ones I am home for count!<br />
<br />
Monday: Sweet Potato & Chickpea Stew<br />
Tuesday: No One Home<br />
Wednesday: Venison Stew with Dessert Custards<br />
Thursday: No One Home<br />
Friday: Moroccan Glazed Lamb with Green Beans & Mashed Potatoes<br />
Saturday: Pancakes & Bacon for Breakfast<br />
Sunday: LeftoversTessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476279808783719850.post-41704060123200142732011-02-21T12:44:00.000-08:002011-02-28T12:54:39.229-08:00The Weather LiesSo after a couple of days of above 40 degree days with sunshine Mother Nature decided that was enough of spring for the moment. Over a foot of snow later we are digging out again, but that was a really cruel trick. But other then that this should be a good week. Ash got us tickets to see the <a href="http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/index_en.html">Kodo Drummers</a> at Hill Auditorium this Wednesday and I am super excited. When I was in Osaka in 2002 I had a chance to see a traditional drumming performance as part of the musical culture exchange trip that I was on and this should be just as awesome. <br />
<br />
Monday: Pasta with Tomato Sauce<br />
Tuesday: Spanish Braised Lentils with Sausage and Chard<br />
Wednesday: Venison Burgers and Oven Fries<br />
Thursday: Polenta with Taleggio Cheese<br />
Friday: Chickpea and Tomato Stew<br />
Saturday: Corned Beef Hash with Backyard Eggs<br />
Sunday: LeftoversTessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00022312483011594913noreply@blogger.com0