Food, Glorious Food

Today is the first time in a long while that I've had a chance to post a proper blog. I've been incredibly busy applying to school for next semester, picking up babysitting jobs (while applying for many other jobs), and knitting like a fanatic for the holiday season. I decided to take a break this morning and upload a bunch of photos , most of which include food shots, that I've had sitting on my desktop for quite a while. Among these photos are dinners I've made recently and desserts, including a pie for Thanksgiving. I promise to post recipes as soon as things settle down a bit. For now, here are the money shots.


Chinese Dumplings



Keith and I made these awesome dumplings using pre-made wonton wrappers and a filling of water chestnuts, spinach, garlic and mushrooms. He was the "wrapper" and I must say, he did an amazing job. We also made a little dipping sauce that consisted of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and scallions.





Ravioli



I made this one night for my dad. I used store bought ravioli (who has time to make them from scratch!?) filled with porcini mushrooms. And I actually used a variation on my mushroom brandy sauce for the sauce. I simply added a bunch of veggie broth to thin out the recipe a little. I did a little spinach sauté for some extra iron and vitamins, topped it with some gorgonzola chunks,and then drizzled a touch of truffle oil over the top for a final touch. It was a little indulgent, but so worth it.







For Sauce:

1. Sauté slivered onions in olive oil, salt and pepper. Combine two tablespoons of tomato paste with about a half cup of warm water, sugar and salt. Set aside.
2. Once onions begin to caramelize, add sliced mushrooms (portabella or crimini), 1-2 cloves of slivered garlic, a handful of pine nuts, and 3-4 chopped sundried tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and add a teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes.
3. Deglaze with a splash of brandy and allow alcohol to cook off. Add the tomato paste mixture and bring up to medium heat.
4. Add a pad of butter and roughly a half-cup of heavy cream. Allow to simmer and reduce.
5. Once sauce begins to thicken, add chopped spinach (optional), fresh herbs (basil, parsley or thyme), and grated Parmesan cheese.
6. Just before the sauce is taken off the heat, add a small handful of diced Gorgonzola or blue cheese and check taste for seasoning. Garnish with a sprig of basil or parsley.

Here's another rendition, if you want to make it with a regular tube pasta, like penne.




For Pasta:

1. Bring water to boil, and then season with salt. Heat olive oil in sauté pan.
2. Add veggies (broccoli, brussel sprouts, peppers) to boiling water. Take them out al dente.” Set veggies aside in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Add penne pasta and salt to reserved boiling water. Cook until al dente and portion into bowls with veggies. Toss to coat pasta with olive oil.

Dress with sauce and garnish with basil and parmesan.

Getting Fabulous

Okay, so Keith is taking the LSAT on Saturday, so we've had kind of a hectic and uneventful week. He's been studying non-stop. I have faith that he'll do well, but this is a high anxiety time nonetheless. Fortunately, I have finally taken my friend, Laura's, advice and ordered Absolutely Fabulous from Netflix. And, well, it's ab-fab. Tonight, I'm going to work on the remnants of an open six pack and make a box of Annie's white cheddar mac 'n cheese. And even more awesome, is that I get to skip the gym because I spent the entire afternoon squatting in the garden, digging holes and burrying tulip bulbs. Ab-Fab, here I come...

3 Reasons Why You Need To Be Listening to the Decemberists Right Now

1. Their Artwork has been turned into embroidery patterns.

Straight from the master's mouth... Embroidery Goddess Jenny Hart, creator of Sublime Stitching, posted this recently on her blog:

"Do you like The Decemberists? Do you like embroidering? Then, I bet you would like embroidering The Decemberists. What the heck do I mean? I mean, the band asked me to create limited-edition, custom embroidery kits and patterns with wondrous illustrations by Carson Ellis. Alas, you can't buy these kits direct from me. I handed the precious lot over to the band, who are currently selling them at their shows while on tour. Don't look at me, I don't have them here! Go see The Decemberists!"

2. The lead singer's sister is a fantastic writer.

Colin Meloy is a self-proclaimed poet and former English Major. He writes beautifully poignant and evocative lyrics, many of which start out as poems. His sister, Maile Meloy, writer of Liars and Saints, is a successful, published author.

Again, I'm just going to do this the easy way, and refer to a more authentic source. " Maile Meloy was born in Helena, Montana, in 1972. Her stories have been published in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Ploughshares, The Ontario Review, Witness, and Best New American Voices 2000, and she won the 2001 Aga Khan Prize for best story in The Paris Review. Half in Love received the 2003 PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction and the 2003 Rosenthal Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. " (from Ploughshares Literary Journal)

So, yeah, read her novels. They're freakin' great. And anyone who has such a prolific sister, gets a vote in my book.

3. Their music is downright awesome. Just listen to it.

Self-Portrait Challenge- Domestic Glam

Here's my glam shot, in keeping with this month's theme. In truth, I'm actually just in a heather colored wife-beater, taking a break from doing the dishes. But hey! I saw it as an opportunity to lean up against a shiny stainless steel fridge, totally glam in my opinion, and snap a few shots. I even put on a shiny blue bracelet that Keith bought for me at a Tibetan Boutique in Brooklyn, Pema . And for those of you who know me, I very rarely wear any makeup. But in keeping with the glam motif, I smeared on a little Burt's Beeswax rhubarb colored lip tint. So, I guess it came full circle... rhubarb in a kitchen.

An Old Find

Birth Announcement Project

Okay, so I'm working on an embroidery piece that's 22 years in the making. It's actually a birth announcement for my 22 year old brother. How is this possible, you might ask?


I guess when my mother was pregnant with Brian, she was working on a piece to hang in the nursery. We're talking vintage, totally eighties, complete with a teddy bear and a sort of spooky clown. I can actually remember her working on the piece, sitting on the couch-- the messy tangle of colored thread hanging off her round belly. I would check her progress every now and again, and as any curious four year old, would take my fingers and gently rub them over the French knots and cut loops.

Apparently, she came so close to finishing the piece (it's complete except for the ball on the clown's hat, and the frame), but once Brian was born, she was too busy to finish it.

Now that I'm living at home again, I have a chance to root through some of my mom's old things: unfinished projects, vintage skirt hemmers, fabrics...

I came across the birth announcement and thought I might finish it and frame it so that I can give to Bri on his next birthday, which will be in January. I think the sentimentality of the gesture will be wonderful, as my mother passed away when he was only 12. Even if it only sits in a box, it will be his.

And speaking of old finds...



I found this embroidered piece that my mom made for me when I was a baby. Yeah, that's a unicorn. A little corny I know, but it's actually quite beautiful, and far better than anything I could do at this stage in the game.



Just look at the detail that went into this! My mom was a true perfectionist and an amazing, crafty lady. She sewed, gardened, wove baskets, and was an amazing cook to boot! The best teacher I ever had, even though it was her job. She taught second grade for twenty years before she passed away. And a little part of me knows that I have chosen to go into teaching because she really inspired me. Okay, enough reminiscing.

Caprese Salad

Caprese Salad

1/2 pound fresh buffalo mozzarella, sliced thinly
1-2 plum tomatoes, depending on size, sliced thinly
1/2 bunch fresh basil, chiffonade, save 3 or 4 leaves whole for garnish
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Arrange sliced tomatoes and cheese on a plate. Either alternate or combine in pairs. Add shredded basil to each pair and drizzle with olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with basil leaves.

Beautiful Days in Autumn

The weather was beautiful today, so I thought I might take a few quick shots in the front yard. In Connecticut we're fortunate enough to get those beautiful, bold colors in the fall foliage. But, I'm sure you've all seen a million pictures of the quintessential New England foliage. So, I thought I'd take a look at some less obvious candidates.

This is the Japanese Maple that sits right outside the family room windows. It's older than I am. My grandparents gave it to my mom and dad as a house warming present when the built the house in 1974. It started out as a little sapling, and now it's over 20 feet tall. The red leaves are amazing when the sun hits them.

This is just the standard female holly bush, with its bright red berries. I just liked the contrast between the red and green.

And this little gem is a Japanese Burberry that Keith and I planted over the summer. It has the most amazing red and purple leaves that develop from younger green leaves. And I didn't even expect the red berries to come out this year, but they just started popping up once the weather got colder. I love this little bush.

Ta-Dah! Finished Knits

I'm really happy to finally post a picture of these lovely legwarmers I just finished knitting for my friend, Laura's birthday (even though they're a bit late)! She still lives in NYC, and for those of you who don't know, it gets mighty damn cold there in the winter. I used a pattern that I found on Glampyre Knits designed by the lovely Stefanie. I was a bit nervous as this was the first wearable project I've ever knitted and it was the first time I had ever followed a "pattern." Here are some photos of Stefanie's handiwork from her website.

Vive la Musique de Roche!

Marie Antoinette The Soundtrack

Okay, okay, so I haven't seen the movie yet, but I've been listening to the Marie Antoinette soundtrack for the past three hours.  It's fantastic.  Sofia Coppola, who also directed The Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation, knows how to pick 'em.  Songs, that is.  The track list contains indie favorites such as The Strokes, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Gang of Four, Aphex Twin, New Order, and, of course, Air.  What would a Sofia Coppola film be without Air? 

Here's the full lineup:

Disc 1
1. "Hong Kong Garden" - Siouxsie & The Banshees
2. "Aphrodisiac" - Bow Wow Wow
3. "What Ever Happened" - The Strokes
4. "Pulling Our Weight" - The Radio Dept.
5. "Ceremony" - New Order
6. "Natural's Not In It" - Gang of Four
7. "I Want Candy (Kevin Shields Remix)" - Bow Wow Wow
8. "Kings Of The Wild Frontier" - Adam & The Ants
9. "Concerto in G" * - Antonio Vivaldi / Reitzell
10. "The Melody Of A Fallen Tree" - Windsor For The Derby
11. "I Don't Like It Like This" - The Radio Dept.
12. "Plainsong" - The Cure

Disc 2
1. "Intro Versailles"* - Reitzell / Beggs
2. "Jynweythek Ylow" - Aphex Twin
3. "Opus 17" - Dustin O'Halloran
4. "Il Secondo Giorno (Instrumental)" - Air
5. "Keen On Boys" - The Radio Dept.
6. "Opus 23" *- Dustin O'Halloran
7. "Les Baricades Misterieuses"* - Francois Couperin / Reitzell
8. "Fools Rush In (Kevin Shields Remix)" - Bow Wow Wow
9. "Avril 14th" - Aphex Twin
10. "K. 213" * - Domenico Scarlatti / Reitzell
11. "Tommib Help Buss" - Squarepusher
12. "Tristes Apprets.." - Jean Philippe Rameau / W. Christie
13. "Opus 36"*- Dustin O'Halloran
14. "All Cat's Are Grey" - The Cure

 

Marie Antoinette (movie website)

Witchy Witch

This pumpkin did take a while to carve, but the result was well worth it. Although I'd love to take credit for the design, I actually based mine off a pattern I found at Martha Stewart Living. I traced the basic outline onto the pumpkin in pencil, and then simplified the details a bit.

Since we moved back home, all of my ceramics tools are still packed away in boxes, so I had to use some of my dad's tools-- an all, a few different types of screwdrivers and even some cool vintage safety glasses.




And here's the close up:



Me in my hot-ass safety glasses:

Busy Week

All last week I worked on projects from my new T-shirt recycling book. I made a nifty pair of legwarmers and a skirt. Who knew I had it in me? In all honesty, these are the most recent clothes I've sewn on the machine since I made this hippie shirt in high school. The skirt, especially, came out awesome. Let's see...

I also finished knitting a pair of really soft mohair legwarmers for my friend, Laura. It was my first project that involved increases, so there are a few blotchy parts, but I'm hoping she won't notice. With all these legwarmers I felt like doing something a bit different, so I started a pair of armwarmers. Can you tell I'm anticipating a cold winter? They're coming along okay so far, and I even left some live stitches to put in a thumb gusset later on. I'm doing them in a really textured off-white wool that has little course pieces of straw-like fiber. I'm super psyched!

To round out the weekend, I watched "The Puffy Chair." Spectacular movie. Anyone who's ever been on a road trip (or been in love) should see it. It has an amazing soundtrack to boot.

Exciting News for Craft Revolutionaries!

While reading one of my favorite blogs written by naughty secretary club founder Jennifer Perkins, I came across this really awesome news. These girls from Milwauke are making a documentary about... you guessed it...CRAFTS! Check out the details here. It's called Indie Craft Documentary.

New Content...Finally!

I've added a few new sections to Non-Nameable Wood. God, it feels like the setup of a site is a never-ending project. It's all structure and settings and the content is slow going. This week I've managed to upload a bunch more recipes (with pictures to come) and there's a new writing section (my own personal drivel) as well as a "where to buy" guide called craft supplies. It's kind of a loose term. I've listed tons of websites for yarn and needle supplies as well as knitting accessories. (I won't use the word "notion" because I really hate that word-- it gives knitting a bad name.)

Here you'll also find some of my favorite Indie designers, many of whom are members of the Austin Craft Mafia. Those girls are truly an awesome bunch. They came to the Renegade Craft Fair held in Williamsburg Brooklyn this past summer. Their booths were quite awesome. I recently ordered this vintage gauze scarf from amet and sasha and I have only good things to say about jesse's craftsmanship and service. Really cute packaging to boot!

So check out some of these sites. They are some of my fav's.

All-Nighter

Can't sleep. Can't sleep. It's 6:35 in the morning and I'm up again, after two hours of tossing and turning. Lots of tension and anxiety in my body. Yuck. My muscles are achey and my breaths are shallow with sleepiness. I've already cleaned the kitchen, made a breakfast of egg-white omellette and veggies. Plus, I greeted my dad and made him coffee for work. We hung out and fed Nora and chatted about school and other things. Now I'm sitting on the couch watching Good Will Hunting watching the sun come up. Hopefully my eyelids will fall heavy with sleep soon.

New Recipes

It's taken me a little while, but I finally got some of my recipes posted in the cooking section. Most are adapted from various cookbook recipes over the years. Some are my own creations. Others are taken straight from cook books (as noted), but are favorites of mine.

Tee-Storm!

I'm super amped about finally having my sewing machine set up. It's been nearly a month and half since Keith and I moved in with my dad and it seems that our things are finally finding homes. Of course, the Singer is set up on the dining room table for the time being...

Last week I bought these two awesome books on reconstructing vintage t-shirts and I'm dying to make a project!

Tease features designs by various members of the Austin Craft Mafia and offers up ideas ranging from recycled t-shirt woven rugs to sushi inspired eye masks. It's really fun and each project pattern is complete with a difficulty level and icons denoting supplies needed. You should definitely check it out.

Generation T is also really cool. To be honest, it was an afterthought: I had the first book in my basket on Amazon, and the second was offered as a reduced rate package. I figured, what the hey!? And I'm so glad I did. It's brilliant. There are endless pattern ideas for revamping old t-shirts and most patterns even come with a variation or two. I've already attacked numerous tees with my Fiskars. Of course, some of those attempts were made late at night, after a few drinks, so they haven't all turned out wonderfully.

I'll try to post a few pics of finished projects in my sewing section once I have some time.