a corner for reading and writing

I have yet shared photos of E's room after a year of reflooring, painting, decorating...and I'm still not finished.  Today I would like to share his reading/writing corner, an area which happens to be 100% complete.  Alot of "pinspiration" went into this room and especially this corner.

Reading
After months of stalking IKEA for their BEKVAM spice rack and coming up empty handed, I found myself perusing the random bits and pieces of furniture in the dark corner of a Pottery Barn Outlet.  Hoping I'd find a treasure to match IKEA's spice rack, mainly their price ($3.99), I stumbled upon PB Kids Collector's Shelves.  I paid $15.00 each (not bad) and had to find hardware for one.  They are a tad bit bigger than the spice racks and I am going to guess a little bit sturdier.  They do the job and look great stacked up on the wall.

Writing
Another super idea from Pinterest was the Oil Pan Chalkboard.  Yet again, I ventured into a dark (and dirty) corner of another store.  The oil drip pans I found at Wal-Mart, actually had "Wal-Mart" stamped into the metal.  It was large and smack dab in the middle of the tray and I didn't care for the look; so I found myself stopping in at AutoZone to purchase their galvanized drip pan.  The brand name Blitz is embossed into the metal, but it is circular and I think Blitz is a cool word for a boys room.  Ten dollars for the pan, a good cleaning to remove the greasy film found on it's surface and a nice coat of chalkboard paint made a great writing/drawing/magnetic board.

Can't you tell he is happy!?!

wednesday was...(recipe: spring vegetable pizza with gremolata)

the first day of Spring

and pizza night!

Spring Vegetable Pizza with Gremolata
serves two
resource: Cooking Light April 2013

6oz Quick Beer Pizza Dough
1 half of a large fennel bulb with stalks, thinly sliced; fennel fronds reserved
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup frozen peas, rinsed and drained.
6-8 stalks asparagus, cut in 3-in. pieces and halved lengthwise
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 oz. Parmesan Cheese, grated
pinch of kosher salt
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 small garlic clove, minced

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Flatten dough into a round on a pizza stone or baking sheet.  Par-bake the dough for five minutes and remove from the oven.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, milk and pepper.  Spread mixture evenly over the par-baked pizza crust.  Place pizza back into oven and bake for 5 minutes.
3. To prepare the veggie topping, heat olive oil in a skillet and saute fennel, asparagus and peas for 2 minutes.  Add sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Carefully remove pizza, raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.  Top pizza with the pea mixture and bake for 5 minutes, until crust is brown and crisp.
5. While pizza is baking, prepare gremolata, combining parsley, 1/2 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds, lemon zest and garlic clove.
6. Remove pizza from oven, while pizza is piping hot, sprinkle a pinch of salt and gremolata evenly over the pizza.
7. Cut into 8 wedges.

*

The Best Tuna Salad (slightly adapted)
source:  Cooks Country
yield:  2 cups or four sandwiches

3-(5 ounce) cans solid white albacore tuna packed in water
1 large shallot, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 celery rib, chopped finely

1. Marinate Tuna:  place tuna in a fine-mesh strainer and press dry with paper towels.  Transfer to medium bowl and mash with fork until finely flaked.  Microwave shallot and oil in small bowl until shallot begins to soften, about 2 minutes.  Cool slightly, about 5 minutes.  Combine onion mixture, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and sugar with tuna and let sit 10 minutes.
2. Finish Salad:  Stir mayonnaise and celery into tuna mixture.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve.  (Can be refrigerated in airtight container for 1 day.)

*Note:  We love Wild Planet Tuna and Hellman's Mayonnaise-they are dynamite in this tuna salad

 Spiced Nuts
6 ounces pecan halves
4 ounces whole almonds
4 ounces cashews
4 ounces walnuts
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place nuts on a baking sheet and toast in oven for 10 minutes, or until light brown.
2. Combine cayenne pepper, brown sugar, salt and melted butter in a large bowl.
3. Toss warm nuts into the bowl with melted spiced butter.  Toss until coated.  Serve warm or pack it up in a take-out container and go on a picnic!

**You can find Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread here.  Need something to drink?  This lemonade rocks!!!

around the hive: austin kite festival

I have been hosting Easter brunch for my family ever since we moved into our house four years ago.  This year however, I had changed my plans because we will be attending a wedding on Easter weekend.  So instead of egg hunts and Easter baskets, we ate a small breakfast in my kitchen and picnicked under a kite filled sky.  You can find the menu & recipes here!

Tickled that a dog came to join their picnic

Such a good baby.

After almost five years of being back in Texas I have finally accepted the fact that we will be sticking around for a little while.  With that knowledge and despite the fact that I loathe the Texas heat, I have found a little glimmer of hope within my surroundings.  I love how close I am to Austin, as my dad says, it is right out my backdoor.  I love that I can go to parks, museums, and festivals, and I do love the city.  As E grows older I feel more comfortable bringing him to the city's events.  This was our second visit to the kite festival and this time I brought my parents, sister, nephew and niece.

This is why I'm beginning to *almost* like it here

We found a spot along the rim of the festival and laid down the blanket.  I spread our picnic feast onto the blanket; mom's chicken salad, tuna salad, pumpkin bread, spiced mixed nuts, mini croissants, flatbread, the kid's pb&j fruit & potato chips.  We sat and ate and watched the hundreds upon hundreds of kites fly across the park, slightly battered by the cool wind yet basking in the warmth of the sun.  This may become the new tradition rather than our Easter celebration.  We shall see how my family weighs in on that idea.

Sno-cones...a must have

in the direction of the setting sun

The air had cooled last Thursday just enough for me to open the kitchen door to the backyard and watch the little one play.  My husband, sitting at the small bistro table centered on the patio, was talking about his workday.  Listening, I looked up from my stewing chickpeas and noticed the rosy glow radiating from the outside.  The branches deepened against the sky's glow, thin silhouettes against a veil only Mother Earth & God could create.  The tiny snow white flowers on the pear tree had become a splendid mauve, blushing with delicate beauty.

I gasped and ran toward the door.  I looked to the west and saw a magnificent rose colored sky filled with lavender and orange.  I quickly grabbed my camera and watched the lavender and rose fade to a deep carrot orange.  My heart fluttered, my soul soothed.  Westward, I thought, westward-I craved.  And my heart wanted to follow the direction of the setting sun.  Westward.

a lenten meal: coriander scented alaskan cod with swiss chard

Despite my two previous posts I really have been eating well.  I try to incorporate fish into my diet once or twice a week.  I am a big Pacific salmon fan.  While living in Idaho, I became spoiled with fresh wild salmon (and it didn't hurt that my neighbor was a fisherman-it was his occupation not hobby).  Sometimes though, I like to enjoy a milder flavored fish and that is when I turn to cod (I prefer Alaskan Cod).

When I make cod, I serve it with greens on top.  Because of its mild flavor and seasonings, I find the two together quite complimentary.  The cod is gently seasoned with toasted coriander and cumin, salt and pepper.  The greens (usually Swiss chard) are sauteed, brightened with lemon and have an added kick from crushed red pepper. Served with a wild rice or quinoa, this dish would be a very lovely Lenten meal.

Coriander Scented Cod with Swiss Chard
 serves four

for the fish
4-4 ounce Alaskan Cod fillets, with skin on
1/4 teaspoon whole coriander
1/4 teaspoon whole cumin
Salt & Pepper
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Place coriander and cumin into a dry pan over medium heat.  Toast spices until they are fragrant, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and place into a spice grinder.  Grind spices until coarsely ground.
2. Season fish with the spice mixture, salt and pepper.
3. Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat.  Place fish, skin side down onto skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes.  Turn fish over and cook for 2-4 minutes more, until just opaque in the center.

for the greens
1 bunch Swiss chard, remove the ribs and stems and tear leaves into pieces
1 clove of garlic
pinch of crushed red pepper
1 lemon, zested
2 tablespoon Calamata olives
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt and pepper

1. Wash and dry your greens thoroughly.  Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 20 seconds.
2. Add chard by the handful, letting it wilt between each addition.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Chop olives and mix with lemon zest.  Add to the chard.

Assembling the plate:

1.  Place a fillet onto a plate.  Spoon chard over the fish.  Top with more olives or squeeze lemon over the fish.  Serve with quinoa or wild rice.

Fastest Fudge Cake

Fastest Fudge Cake Instagram Shot

As if you hadn't had enough chocolate indulgence this past week.  Believe it or not, I did not succumb to my dark master (the cocoa bean) this Valentines.  I did make this cake for a little wedding shower though.  My BIL loves ganache, so I made this cake for him.  It seemed to be a hit. 

It is really simple to make (though my instructions below seem extensive).  There is no need to break out the KitchenAide, it is a simple bowl & stir recipe.  Ganache is always simple to make.  Simply bring heavy cream to a boil, pour over chocolate and stir.  This recipe really is representative of simple elegance.

Fastest Fudge Cake
serves 8-10

1 cup flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1//4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) melted butter, warm
1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (extract may be substituted for paste)
1/2 cup hot tap water
 Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)

1. Lightly butter the bottom of  an 8-inch square or 9-inch round cake pan and line it with parchment.  Lightly butter the parchment.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.  Sifting only if the cocoa powder remains lumpy.  Set aside
3. In a large bowl, combine the warm melted butter and brown sugar.  Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until well blended.  Add the flour mixture all at once.  Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir only until all the flour is moistened.  Pour the hot water over the batter all at once.  Stir only until the water is incorporated and the batter is smooth.  Scrape batter into the pan.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes before unmolding.
5. To unmold, slide a paring knife around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan.  Invert the cake and peel off the paper liner  Turn the cake right side up and cool it completely on a rack before glazing it with ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (I use Guittard)

1. Place chocolate into a mixing bowl.  Pour heavy cream into a small saucepan over medium heat.  Once heavy cream begins to boil pour it over the chocolate.  Stir the mixture until it is all incorporated and smooth.
2. Let ganache sit out at room temperature until it has cooled and thickened slightly but is still pourable.

Cake Assembly

1. Spoon a dollop of corn syrup or honey onto a cake board to assure your cake does not slip off of the board.  Place cake on a cake board (my local bakery sells them for $1).  Take a serrated knife and trim the cake board so it will be the exact same size as the cake.
2. Place a small bowl upside down onto a rimmed cookie sheet or large platter (making sure it is larger than your cake).  Place your cake on top of the bowl (you've just made a homemade Lazy Susan).
3. Pour ganache over the cake, starting from the center of the cake and working your way outward in concentric circles.  Glaze will run off onto the cookie sheet and can be used for another use.
4. Place glazed cake onto a cake platter and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until ganache has set.  Decorate with berries.

Happy Valentines Day

I hope your day is lovely