"Place, with a trace of humanity" Photography/Photo of the Day/Pittsburgh

Posts tagged “kitchen

Weekly Photo Challenge: Together

Maura and Aunt Laura (otherwise known as Lala to her nieces and nephews) working together on a game or a photo on Laura’s phone.

Dictionary.com defines together - (tuh-geth-er) adverb-

#2  proximity, closeness or collision

#3  into or in relationship, association, business or agreement

#4  to consider collectively

And 99 fellow bloggers have posted their Weekly Photo Challenge: Together photographs.

So many different interpretations for the Weekly Photo Challenge: Together

  1. Orchids, Bromeliads, and Epiphytes « Spirit Lights The Way
  2. Weekly Photo Challenge – Together | Chittle Chattle
  3. Weekly Photo Challenge – Together | Just Snaps
  4. Weekly Photo Challenge: TOGETHER « Ink.
  5. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Pathfinder: MotherWifeStudentWorker
  6. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « My Sardinian Life | La Mia Vita Sarda
  7. Together « Broken Light: A Photography Collective
  8. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « My Daily Posts by Flynn
  9. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | Wind Against Current
  10. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « A year in the Life
  11. Un abrazo de luna llena | La mandrola de la Mandraka
  12. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together – USA « Wanderlustress
  13. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Alice through the Macro Lens
  14. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Fenland Photos
  15. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Form Your Troika
  16. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « AbstractUnknownBoy
  17. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | Creativity Aroused
  18. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « acieartikulasi
  19. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together – Mostly inspirational chit-chat
  20. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Sin Polaris
  21. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Mike Hardisty Photography
  22. Together | Pseu’s Blog
  23. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « The Urge To Wander
  24. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Janet’s Craft
  25. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Cee’s Life Photography Blog
  26. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Colour Me Happy
  27. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Monochrome
  28. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « 3rdculturechildren
  29. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | Because
  30. Weekly Photo Challenge – together « The potato blog
  31. Weekly Photo Challenge – Together | Wanderings of an Elusive Mind
  32. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | colderweather
  33. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Just Fletcher
  34. Shadowy X’s & O’s | Four Deer Oak
  35. Weekly Photo Challenge ~ Together | An Uneducated Palate
  36. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | mothergrogan
  37. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « a hectic life
  38. Weekly Photo Challenge : Together « Mystiic
  39. Weekly photo challenge: Together « The (Urban-Wildlife) Interface
  40. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « The Incredible Lightness of Seeing
  41. WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE : TOGETHER. « 2012 – ON THE BENCH
  42. The More We Get “Together” – the Happier We’ll Be! «
  43. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | The Environmental Rhi-source
  44. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Rhianna’s Guide to Ethical Eating
  45. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together! Sagra del Tordo, Montalcino « Our Italian Table
  46. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | Even A Girl Like Me
  47. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Reflections in a Puddle
  48. Weekly Photo Challenge – Together « Tacts Blog
  49. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | Jaajaabor
  50. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | Ingset’s Blog
  51. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « e-Shibin
  52. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | Heart Renovation
  53. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | Chronicles of Illusions
  54. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Efrata Denny Saputra Yunus
  55. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « scrapydo
  56. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « The Sacred Cave
  57. Weekly Photo Challenge : Together | Twogether « Thoughts Unrestricted
  58. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | Lonely Travelog
  59. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « R Shad
  60. Weekly Photo Challenge : Together « The if’s and when’s
  61. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together… | Mirth and Motivation
  62. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « The Sacred Cave
  63. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | heartfelt images
  64. Weekly photo challenge: Together « Connie’s World
  65. Weekly photo challenge: Together « Connie’s World
  66. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « The Poet Stefan
  67. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together (2) « Fenland Photos
  68. Together (Weekly Photo Challenge) « Cardinal Guzman
  69. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « The World According to Me…
  70. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Misk Cooks
  71. Weekly Photo Challenge: Journey Together | Junior Highschoolers’ Journey | Blog Kemaren Siang
  72. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « « Wilderness Escapades Wilderness Escapades
  73. Can You Spot The Strange~Her? « Spirit Lights The Way
  74. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together «
  75. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together | Blog Kemaren Siang
  76. crossing « yi-ching lin photography
  77. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « rondomtaliedraai
  78. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together #2 « My Sardinian Life | La Mia Vita Sarda
  79. Weekly Photo Challenges – Sun & Together – Just a lil’ lost…
  80. WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE: TOGETHER « Francine In Retirement
  81. Weekly Photo Challenge: TOGETHER (The Ducks at Firwood Lake) « Pictures in living color
  82. Weekly Photo Challenge “Together” | Campanulla Della Anna
  83. [1: 631 of 10,000] Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « It Takes 10K
  84. Weekly Photo Challenge : Together « BananaRunning
  85. Weekly Photo Challenge ~ Together | holistic complications
  86. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Heart’s Home
  87. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Chris Donner, Mystery Writer
  88. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « blastedgoat
  89. What We Can Do Together « Simply Charming
  90. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « bukaningrat ™
  91. Weekly photo challenge: Together | The Eco and the Id
  92. Weekly photo challenge: Together | Where’s my backpack?
  93. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Clever Blogs
  94. doughnut sundae « yi-ching lin photography
  95. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together… | The Blog Farm – A Growing Blog Community
  96. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « Fi’s Mutterings & Mumblings
  97. Weekly Photo Challenge – Together | The Retiring Sort
  98. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together Again « Misk Cooks
  99. Weekly Photo Challenge: Together « John Mullinax’s Blog


How to Revive a Slice of Cake

Place in a bowl and pour some cool fresh milk over it. Eat with a silver spoon. My father used to do this and I'd turn my nose up. Boy, was I wrong about this practice! Delicious


Pyrex Fruit Bowl Levitation in Afternoon Light

When I get home from school I put the kettle on and make a cup of tea. Or a cuppa as some friends say. Unwind.

And I sit at the kitchen table, wait for the water to boil.   I saw the fruit bowl reflected in the diner print.

I am sure it has been there before but today I saw it.


Where’s Noah in the Plateful of Paleo Supper?

The phone rang after six.  My eldest son was on business and saw a sign that said Pittsburgh 35 miles, so he cancelled his hotel reservation and drove to the city.  (So that is why his wife called earlier to see what I was doing)YIKES!  I was boiling a pot of water for some Spinach Ravioli but Mark is on the Paleolithic diet these days. No grain!  The tiredness I felt from a school day dissipated as I got in the car and drove the two miles to the Whole Foods Market where I bought some Grass Fed Beef, Organic Garnet Yams, (I had two zucchini at home and a jar of coconut oil which I hadn’t even tried yet) and got back home to fire up the broiler, pronto! Got out the cast iron skillet for the zucchini slices, chopped up some romaine I had already washed and drained. Pulled it together in no time at all. As I set the dining room table he said he would rather eat in the kitchen so we did.And there we were eating in the kitchen and the house came alive again.  We used his iPad and Face Time to talk with the kids before they went to bed and we had a happy time together.

VOILA- a quick Paleo approved meal- this is the son who baked the Carrot Cake, Paleo Style.

For dessert we had coconut milk frozen Mint Chip with No Sugar Added.

From the Paleo Food website gluten-free, grain-free, bean-free, potato-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free. (they are eating some dairy still)

Ingredients used: meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, tree nuts, vegetables, roots, fruit, berries, mushrooms, herbs and spice seeds.
 
Oh yes,after dinner he showed me the you tube of Derek Redmond and his father from the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.  Tears rolling down my cheeks. Mark said he wants to be that kind of father.   And he also played me a couple of Seekers songs as he remembers my cassette tape of them singing Someday, One Day, 
Right now he is sleeping  in the room across the hall, to get up at 5 AM to get to somewhere in Ohio, early.  I feel fortunate.  

Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted

Reflection in a spoon was my granddaughter’s (8) idea. She went to the kitchen drawer and pulled out a soup spoon and showed me the distortion. We tried the bottom of a stainless mixing bowl, too. She was at her desk, drawing before bed and we tried the spoon one more time and she rolled her eyes. And since she was upside down I am flipping the picture so you can see. Most weeks I am pulling from the archives but this week’s challenge required a set up shot to respond.

To see fellow bloggers’ interpretations there is a list of ping backs if you scroll down

Flat Ruthie got in on the challenge this week, too.

A little creepy but fun!

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « Sin Polaris
  2. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « Sweet Reigh’s Fur Babies
  3. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « The Poet Stefan
  4. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted | Jumbled Contents Of My Head
  5. Weekly photo challenge: Distorted « Connie’s World
  6. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted | phlogged
  7. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted | Wind Against Current
  8. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « The Urge To Wander
  9. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « A year in the Life
  10. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted | Creativity Aroused
  11. Distorted Sexy Lips (Weekly Photo Challenge) « Cardinal Guzman
  12. Weekly Photo Challenge – Distorted | Just Snaps
  13. Photo Challenge: Distorted, Fast and Furious « La mandrola de la Mandraka
  14. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distort | Chronicles of Illusions
  15. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « Changeversations
  16. Weekly Photo Challenge – Distorted | Chittle Chattle
  17. Weekly Photo Challenge – Distorted etc « The View From the Back Door
  18. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « a hectic life
  19. WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE: DISTORTED « 2012 – ON THE BENCH
  20. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « Cee’s Life Photography Blog
  21. Weekly Photo Challenge: DISTORTED « Ink.
  22. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted | My Daily Posts
  23. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « blastedgoat
  24. Weekly Photo Challenge : Distorted « BananaRunning
  25. Weekly Photo Challenge – Distorted | melonpopzdropz …
  26. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « Heart’s Home
  27. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « fluffy flurries
  28. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted- Flat Ruthie Joins the Challenge | Cardboard Me Travels
  29. Weekly Photo Challenge – Distortion « allaboutwordswa
  30. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « Ruth E Hendricks Photography
  31. [1: 568 of 10,000] Beat Up Meter « It Takes 10K
  32. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted II « The Urge To Wander
  33. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted | Lonely Travelog
  34. Distorted are our minds! « MindBlur
  35. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « Missionary IOU 差 情 尋
  36. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted… | Mirth and Motivation
  37. Manmade | Empire of Lights
  38. Manmade | Empire of Lights
  39. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « Thirdhandart’s Weblog
  40. Weekly Photo Challenge: { Distorted } « lifebydmagdalene
  41. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « Monochrome
  42. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « Mike Hardisty Photography
  43. Weekly Photo Challenge: Distorted « acieartikulasi
  44. Weekly Photo Challenge – Distorted – Just a lil’ lost…
  45. distort « yi-ching lin photography

Weekly Photo Challenge: Regret

Regret one has to clean up the results of the cold glass jar from the garage placed onto the room temperature countertop.

No photographs of the things I regret having done, or things I haven’t done that I wish I had….the regret of not sending the birthday card in time, not calling on the phone in time, not leaving early enough in the day to be there to say good bye. The disappointment and sorrow of the human kind not in the archives.  A true challenge to come up with a response to the challenge.

Fellow bloggers responses to the weekly photo challenge entries are here 

Thought this a creative response -you can hear Edith Piaf sing No Regrets on this fellow bloggers WPC: Regret

And Flat Ruthie is 90 miles from Cuba in the Florida Keys if you want to check her out here


My Sister Gave Me This As a Joke But it Adds to the Kitchen Decor

I recently did a photographic session of a Jell-o salad mold.

No kidding.

I don’t think I have a future in food photography and come to think of it, there isn’ t anything of food value in Jell-o.  It was a challenge and I will post the results of that after the photograph is made public at a charity auction.

But I looked up as I sat at the kitchen table and chuckled when I saw The Jell-o Cookbook there on the shelf.  I reciprocated and sent her the Heinz Ketchup Cookbook.  I am sure she hasn’t made anything out of that cookbook either.

 

Laura gave me the RECIPES notebook and it is filled with clippings and family favorites


Weekly Photo Challenge: Simple

SIMPLE-    “Having or composed of only one thing, element, or part.”

Simple sentence.

Simple request.

Simple procedure.

Simple pleasure.

Simple syrup.

Simple recipe.

Simple machine.

Simple life.

” ‘Tis a gift to be simple.”

There’s even the magazine REAL SIMPLE.

A medicinal herb is a simple?

“Don’t act simple.”

I can think of just two words that rhymes with simple …one cute, the other not-

Shot this single egg just a half hour ago in Mark and Erika’s kitchen. Everyone has gone to bed.   The snow didn’t start ’til the last hour of the drive out here.  Erika’s Aunt Georgeann picked me up at school and we came out together which made the 200 miles go by much more quickly.

Appliance repairman scheduled for 7 AM and I’m making the pancakes for breakfast before the swim meet. Sounds like a full day.  More complex than simple but it will be simply wonderful!

Egg

To see other bloggers responses the the Weekly Photo Challenge: Simple click here and click on anyone’s name in the comment section of the post and their entry will come up.


20 Years Old + 3 Repairs- My Cookies Raw Inside!

Time for a new oven…..

And stove. (from Perla’s Appliance Plus Maytag Repairman statue post yesterday)

It was time! Past time.  It actually went kaput the day before the cookie bake off in December.  Fortunately  Erika’s Uncle and Aunt own the appliance store and they came right over to deliver on a SUNDAY!

This model certainly livens up the old kitchen. And matches the range hood.

I felt a little sad about discarding the one my parents had bought when we moved into this house in ’91.  But it wasn’t  reliable anymore.  Who knows how many meals I cooked for the kids on that one.  A lot!

This one looks “high end” to me. But it’s not. (Well, from afar it does to the untrained eye)

The stainless finish is an update from the white enamel and black top. Those burners seem so flimsy compared to these cast iron ones.

My sister had just given me an oven thermometer after her visit here in the fall. She knew something was wrong.  My signature cookies had to be pitched as the insides weren’t baked.

This is my justification for the splurge.  I think it will inspire me to cook more!

Not sure why all the blue reflection but took this with the iPhone as I made breakfast.  Seemed worthy of a post as it is what is happening in my life these days.  Now to learn more about a convection oven.

Made blueberry pancakes for breakfast on the detachable griddle/grill plate.

Reader Appreciation & Anna Entertains Her Siblings With Mr. Sock Monkey

  1. Award your top 6 bloggers who have commented the most ( my frequent commenters don’t all have blogs but are good friends around the world who check out the daily photo and write nice comments on the blog- Thanks you to all readers for following the blog!)
  2. Be thankful. (Thank you Chicago John at fromBartolini Kitchens who nominated me for this award. Wonderful intelligent writing evoking memories of growing up and what was prepared and eaten. He also writes the best comments  but I can’t send this award back to him!)
  3. You cannot award someone who has already been awarded. And you cannot give the award back to me. (Okay, that eliminates Greg and Katherine at Rufus Food and Spirits Guide, as Chicago John awarded them too but they write great comments, too!)
  4. Don’t forget to tell the bloggers you’ve awarded. ( I had better hurry up and do that before I post, YIKES!)
  5. If you don’t want to pass on this award, that’s okay to. Just admire it-
  6. and unable to copy and paste the award symbol I am posting a reasonable facsimile

    My Reader Appreciation Award Shot in Joan's Garden

Six Readers Whom I Appreciate- Be sure to check out their blogs!

1.implicado see the Poinsettias in Mexico and other cool photos shot by Cedric.

2.smilekiddo Spreading happy faces found EVERYWHERE from a swing set to the pavement. Now I  see them, too.  There is so much more than that summation but check out Stef’s blog.

3. watchingnolanature  If you want a walk in the swamp or a hike in the wood with stunning nature photography check out Carla’s blog. If you live in the north and want to feel warmer head to NOLA.

4.  thirdhand art Theresa has a photography blog and is a regular reader and commenter.

5. mark goodwin photography - a photography blogger based in Wales

6. goofy runner my sweet daughter who writes  hundreds of comments on the blog.  You saw her wedding on my blog recently.

Had to keep up with my daily photo post effort as 2011 comes to a close.  Maybe not the clearest shot but I came upon this scene in the kitchen this morning.  I made the sock monkey for Anna when she was small and the arms look like they need a little plastic surgery by the seamstress. Anna asked if I could make a PINK sock monkey and would you believe I found the Rockford, red heel socks in PINK and ordered them today.  If you need a pair you can order here at Supersockmonkey.

It is great when they ignore me with a camera! Jack still sporting his Superman Cape


First Day of Winter Still Life in My Kitchen

Friends joined me for tea, even though they weren’t in Pittsburgh.

You can see out the kitchen back door window to the back porch and garage, the bare trees.  The shortest day of light.  Winter officially here.

Two dear friends in KY sent a shipment of fancy English muffins and the Fed Ex man delivered them Wednesday afternoon.  It seemed a good time to split one, toast it and spread some butter (with my Grandmother’s silver butter knife) and spoon some apricot preserves.

Went to fire up the kettle to brew tea but I’d burned the kettle dry on Monday so boiled a pot of water to make the tea. Pulled out the camera on the phone to capture the scene

Oranges were on sale 10 for $2 today and lately they were almost a dollar apiece.

A faithful  blog reader in Virgina, C, (and  best friend of a my good friend J in Omaha) made me the little quilted mug mat last year and it was  J who gave me the lidded butter dish another year.  The Botanic Garden mug matches my mother’s cereal bowls.

I was home alone but in the presence of friends and family remembered.  Finding the joy of winter.  My neighbor called to report a vibrant rainbow spotting and perhaps I could photograph it.  i went outside and it was still raining and saw the colored arch across the street.  I photographed it but it didn’t make the cut for posting but i appreciate when people see something and I come to mind. There was thunder and lightning, too.

Yes, that is a stack of woven potholders on the left counter top.

"...and she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China......"


My Sister Peeled 40 Cloves of Garlic Today!

Remember the garlic our brother sent from Okanogan WA?  Well, today our friends S and C from FL were in town and schools were closed due to Rosh Hashanah and Mary made us a delicious lunch. Forty Clove Garlic Chicken! There are a ton of different recipes online but she used 4 large chicken breasts with bone-in and then cut them in half.  Rice and steamed green beans with a touch of butter. And her balsamic fruit salad. It was delicious.  We finished the lunch with a scoop of Jeni’s Salty Caramel ice cream (made in Columbus OH but bought in Whole Foods) and a Gingersnap.


Did You Ever Have a Bread Box?

Or watch a TV game show where they had to ask “Is it bigger than a bread box?”  Use a bread box as a gauge. I walked in the kitchen and the afternoon sun came in a spotlight onto the bread box, created some reflection and looked like there was an electric light inside the box.  That is a loaf of Left Coast Sourdough by Allegro Hearth purchased at the Bryant Street Market and a package of hot dog buns for our non-cookout we are scheduling.  98 degrees in the shade here today.chrome-bread-box


My Sister’s NYC Kitchen- 20 for Dinner? No problem!

My friend V says lots of people have designer kitchens and barely cook. The counter is smaller than the top of my dishwasher at home. She has a slab of marble and a wooden board. I have seen her cook for even more people than that. AMAZING! The kids and I had lots of happy trips. Mary used to go to Zito’s and bring home fresh loaves of warm bread which we ate with her homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Jam. Read about another small NYC Kitchen- Mark Bittman

Think boat or galley! She lights the stove, strikes a wooden match.A writing book exercise-describe your first kitchen.Eat-in kitchen, heart of the home.People used to decorate with a theme.Trivets, salt & peppers to match,tea towels and canisters. A pantry.Formica counters, linoleum floors, upgradewith a roll of no-wax Congoleum.Ceramic tile squares. A single or a double sink.Now it's granite and stainlessa glass doored fridge. Fancy lightsspotlight what's cooking.Some people order take-out. Grab a bite, on the fly.


By Special Request- A Tulip Bouquet

Spring for 4.99Seems the perfect follow up
to yesterday’s snow post.
At least the snow isn’t staying too long this time.
Stick to the shovel kind.
So until the bulbs push up from the ground
and bring some blooms,
I took matters into my own hands
at the grocery store.

Opening slowly but surely a sign of Spring!


In My Grandmother’s Hand

I might try to make something from her recipes tomorrow.

The Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe.    My father’s mother’s recipe box. Sitting on my kitchen shelf.   Yellowed newspaper clippings between the file cards..  I was looking around for items to put on my Keep or Pitch blog and the antique radio  from earlier this week reminded me how objects can tell a story. Or two.  There are recipes for pickles and yeast rolls. Illinois cuisine.  The edge of the file card is discolored as well. I am not going to pitch this in the downsizing effort. I sifted through the cards, read her notes, remembered how she made egg noodles and hung them to dry on the broom handle. Mary Alta Kerr Hendricks born Feb 7, 1892.  She taught me how to knit.  I sleep under one of her quilts now and am figuring out how to repair an afghan she knit. In her retirement, she worked in the flower shop in Lincoln, Illinois.  Kept her lunch  (a can of spinach and a hard boiled egg), inside the glass door refrigerator right next to the buckets of gladiolas and carnations for the bouquets.

What did your grandmother bake/cook that you remember?

I chose this recipe card
cause her handwriting
seemed clear and legible
through the camera lens.


My Answer to 9 Degrees Temperature? Homemade French Onion Soup

A bowl of onions on the kitchen table has been talking to me saying “Onion rings in the cast iron skillet, onion rings in the cast iron skillet.” But I came to my senses and sliced them up and sauteed them in butter and olive oil to carmelize them.  Toasted a slice of Allegro Hearth Farmgrain Bread and thin parings of Parmesan. Ladled the hot broth over the toast and cheese. Used my Grandmother Hendricks’ silver soup spoon with just the right bowl of a spoon for the soup. Found a wealth of information and recipes for Onion Soup. Click the link to read the history and simple directions on how to make it perfectly.  And the birthday pasta bowls from V make a lovely soup plate for this winter meal.

the kitchen smelled so inviting. I wouldn't make this in July.


Unexpected Mail

Home after being away for ten days. Steve bought a pizza for us. Found a pile of mail in the front hall; catalogs, bulk mail, a Bed Bath & Beyond coupon, a notice of a tangelos and grapefruit delivery, a bank statement and the water bill. A few Christmas cards and the Barbie scrubs I ordered  for Christmas from Etsy. A nice card with a Starbucks giftcard from Cj. AND a “Mug Rug” with a Norfolk VA postmark from Colleen, a long time friend of Joanne in Omaha.  Joanne insists that Colleen and I have met but we haven’t– yet! Colleen stitched a quilted “mug rug” and sent it to me with a lovely card. (Depending on when you are reading this, I am writing on the 9th Day of Christmas so it is 9 Ladies Dancing, 10 Lords-a-Leaping, Mary.) I love the numbers on the fabric.  There were instructions for a cup of tea and room for two cookies on the side but I didn’t want to cover up the fabric for the photo. What a happy surprise to find a handmade gift in the sea of fliers and junkmail! And how fortunate Steve had some cookies to supply for the shot.  What a great way to end the vacation. And Deb B I like the quote on your handmade card.

“How we choose to think,

Determines what we will see,

And so it is that we,

Create our reality.”

(a quote but no attribution, maybe someone will help find the source)

 

It is a happy 2011 already. Thanks friends.

*If you want to see the Blog Year in Review 2010  and the Top Posts- click here for late post 1/2/2011

 

Thank goodness Steve had some cookies a patient brought him. Delicious with Good Earth tea. (after the photo)


Laura Bakes Barefoot Contessa’s Vegetable Tian

Steve and I went to Laura’s this evening. She baked a vegetable Tian  (click here for Ina Garten’s recipe)t was delicious on a cold winter night. I lay on Laura’s couch under an afghan my Grandmother Hendricks knit .

Baked Vegtable Tian


Leftover Brioche? French Toast- 3 images

Talking to my sister(NYC) Sunday morning I asked her the best way to warm the brioche from Saturday. She responded French Toast!  and so while we talked on speakerphone I made it and it was so good.  Had never made it out of brioche before although have seen it on a menu. Soak.  Saute in heavy pan with a bit of butter and oil.  Eat with  warmed maple syrup or jam.

Slice and soak in egg and milk mixture.


Albóndigas de Pescado in Pittsburgh

You feel fortunate when you receive an invitation to dine in someone’s home.  It doesn’t happen that often these days.  Sharing a meal and conversation is the best.  But when your new neighbors entertain their parents who are visiting Pittsburgh from Spain and the mother cooks for the meal, you are really lucky. The menu was fish balls!  Albondigas de Pescado ( I hope I spelled it correctly). Delicious! Rice and green salad, a crusty bread,  Spanish wine, followed by pie with whipped cream.  Oh my.  You wish your grade school Spanish was more than two sentences.     And a house next door that has sat empty for at least five years, no lights on all this time,  has new life and new friends and it feels good to be home.

Joaquin's mother prepares lunch.

Need scratch and sniff for this photo, too.


Montana Made Coffee in my Pittsburgh Kitchen

I was knitting a shawl in the Spokane airport after a nice vacation with my brother and sister.  A lovely couple from Indiana sat next to me as we waited for planes and we struck up a conversation.  They had just visited their grandchildren and their daughter and son-in-law were opening a business in Lolo Montana.  A coffee business- And proud Dad gave me a card.  Which of course I didn’t find until a month later. And so I ordered a couple of pounds of beans for Erika as it is her birthday coming up and she enjoys fresh coffee.  I got the nicest note and a box with coffee beans for me from amy@hunterbay.com , thanking me for my gift purchase.  Her parents had told her about meeting me in the airport.  So today the blog is a thank you to Amy for her thoughtful gift of delicious coffee from Montana.  Click here for website. Have you heard of Moose Drool, Trout Slayer, Smoke Jumper and Praying Monk?

Fragrant Coffee Beans sent from Lolo Montana

Gourmet coffee sent from Amy K., - Matthew's cowboy hat bought in Okanogan a couple of summers ago and an old German coffee grinder on the kitchen table.


Emmett Kelly/ “Weary Willie” Clown

My sister thinks we got this hand puppet at the circus. It was before I was 5. Some people have a fear of clowns(coulrophobia)

There is an Emmett Kelly Museum in Sedan, Kansas -born there in 1898.  You don’t hear the word “hobo” anymore.

Another find while cleaning out.

How do you feel about clowns?

(more…)


What’s in Your Fridge?

What’s in your fridge?  This is Ellen R.’s fridge.  She bakes delicious cheesecakes.  When the cream cheese goes on sale, she stocks up. Her husband was preparing for guests to watch a big game if I remember it right. I thought I would photograph fridge interiors and exteriors, a kind of portrait. It was a short term project.  I photographed my own fridge inside and out and decided it wasn’t too interesting to look at like Ellen’s.   ( This is her secondary fridge, not the main one in the kitchen! ) I thought the contents an interesting mix.

There used to be a column in a magazine, what three things can you always find in your refrigerator?


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