Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Monday, January 5, 2015
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Sssucculentsss
Yeah, I speak Parseltongue. Team Slytherin. What of it?
Just kidding, Gryffindor all the way. Except Bellatrix is totally my favorite character from the movies. She's horrid in the books but all la-la-la, skipping around tossing out unforgivable curses in the movies. In the books, it's Hermione 4 lyfe.
Either way, I clearly slept through Professor Sprouts classes because I cannot keep succulents alive. Remember my cool hanging succulent terrariums from LA? Yeah, they aren't doing so great.
And I tried again with some potted ones recently. Two out of three are already dying/dead and I don't expect the third to make it much longer.
I suppose it makes sense. They thrive on low water and lots of light. I have to keep them inside to keep them from being saturated with rain (east coast problems) and I have barely any natural light in my home (condo problems).
I found some succulents that work in my house though. In the basement no less! They will never die.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Radishes That Don't Suck!
Ok, you guys. I love radishes now. I hated them up until about two hours ago.
Pro tip for those that hate raw radishes and love baked potatoes. ROAST THEM.
High heat, like 450, for 10-20 minutes. It varies, so check them.
And you can put anything else in the pan that you like (within reason, folks). I do not recommend whole eggs or uncooked rice or meth, among other bad ideas.
No-Recipe Recipe
Rinse the radishes and cut off all but a centimeter of the green top bits.
Cut the radishes in half lengthwise.
Chop up a friend for the radishes. Parsnips, leeks, carrots, onions, apples (??), whatever you have and think might work.
I chopped up some of the CSA walking onions. I had never heard of those either but they were leek-y in taste but small like scallions.
These are the bits I used.
Put the veggies in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and some seasoning. I used pink salt, fresh ground pepper, and dried thyme.
Roast in a preheated 450 oven for 10-20 minutes. (Not pictured. These went about 17 minutes but I like things extra done.)
Voila!
The radishes were really yummy with the onions and seasoning, and very reminiscent of red potatoes. Maybe some chives, bacon, and cheese next time for a low carb loaded potato?
Monday, May 26, 2014
YAY CSA
We finally got around to joining a CSA this year. I've loved the idea for a while, but it definitely involves some pre-planning, a trait at which I do not excel. For those of you that don't know, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and it means you buy a share in some farmer's bounty but you have to pay the farmer way before harvest time. You know, when they need the money to plant things, and fertilize the soil, and buy new boots or something. Now for twenty-five weeks we'll receive a surprise mix of fresh local crops. We picked up the first edition last Thursday. Behold.
Our food comes from the Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative (www.lancasterfarmfresh.com). They have a drop off at Sean's church which is our sole reason for choosing this particular CSA. No research required but great recommendations from Sean's peeps.
I'm excited to play this personal version of Iron Chef (is that the cooking show with the secret ingredients?) for the next several months.
Fun fact: I've never cooked or even liked radishes before. Probably because my only radish experiences are raw radishes in salads or on tiny fancy sandwiches. My biggest challenge this week will be finding a yummy way to make these into a side dish this week. A little internet research tells me I can roast or braise them, so I'll let you know how that goes.
The asparagus (SPARGELFEST!) is gone already, grilled and consumed with Monrovia Farm steak last Friday. It was super delicious, but how could asparagus in May suck?
Anyone want to play CSA-along? Like Iron Chef but less Bobby Flay and everyone wins?
Our food comes from the Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative (www.lancasterfarmfresh.com). They have a drop off at Sean's church which is our sole reason for choosing this particular CSA. No research required but great recommendations from Sean's peeps.
I'm excited to play this personal version of Iron Chef (is that the cooking show with the secret ingredients?) for the next several months.
Fun fact: I've never cooked or even liked radishes before. Probably because my only radish experiences are raw radishes in salads or on tiny fancy sandwiches. My biggest challenge this week will be finding a yummy way to make these into a side dish this week. A little internet research tells me I can roast or braise them, so I'll let you know how that goes.
The asparagus (SPARGELFEST!) is gone already, grilled and consumed with Monrovia Farm steak last Friday. It was super delicious, but how could asparagus in May suck?
Anyone want to play CSA-along? Like Iron Chef but less Bobby Flay and everyone wins?
Monday, April 21, 2014
Retro as Hell
I finally got around to hemming and hanging my 2014 Spoinflower tea towel calendar. Best thing on the internet (Spoonflower tea towel calendar artists). This year's was by mrshervi.
I know it's April. Dude, I HAVE a calendar. But my sewing machine broke last year and I just haven't invested in a new one.
The in-laws moved recently and one of the treasures in their magic basement was a 1910 Singer sewing machine retro-fitted with electricity and a (stubborn) pedal.
Holy bananas, it worked.
I checked Singer's site but the manual is not available online (surprise?). I'll call them tomorrow.
After some investigation, I found the bobbin. It was tricky.
Couldn't figure it from there.
It lifted up! But that wasn't helpful at all.
But then I figured out through fifty trials and fifty errors that the silver panel SLIDES. I CAN reach the bobbin. Hopefully someone at the Singer 800 number can help me thread it tomorrow when they open.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Real Talk
For realz, this is what my bedroom looks like right now.
I sold all the furniture. Well, most of the furniture. The bed is on the floor, and unmade because I am lazy. And also because I work from home at 9:00 each day and today I woke up at 8:50. Clothes are in laundry baskets and bins because Husband has no dresser. I have a dresser because mine is hidden in the closet, so it made the cut. However, I'd like to sell it to get one just slightly bigger to maximize the space. I don't think he would understand my desire to sell an Ikea dresser for like $20 just to go buy another almost identical slightly wider one for $100. It's a matter of inches.
Or maybe he would. He's a man, after all. #PG13
And I promised to wait until after the holidays to start putting it all back together. I want to paint becuase it turns out I'm not super into neon green walls. I need new curtains or blinds or something because I left the lights on one night and I now know that my neighbors can totally see into our bedroom. Since I live in a townhouse, the neighbors are like three feet away. Show's over, people. The furniture I sold was absolutely lovely, late 50s, and I totally saw one of the dressers on the cancelled show Vegas. (Pretty sure that's not why it was cancelled.) But the furniture was way too big for the room. As you can see, I haven't sold the nightstands. I love them too much so asked more money for them than for the two dressers. They still won't fit, but I like them enough to save them for years. Unless someone wants to give me $400 for them but they probably don't. I have evidence that nobody does.
What did Mary Poppins say about promises? (I know what she would say about the state of my bedroom.) Promises are like pie crusts -- easily made, easily broken. Pretty sure that's it, based on the five hundred times I watched that movie as a child. Because, um, I logged onto Joss & Main last week and the PERFECT BED was there for a great price and I bought it. It's being delivered on Wednesday. Whoops. I want to at least paint before it gets here. Did you notice that patch of pastel green on the wall? I bought a tester of what I thought I wanted. But it's too light. So I tacked up some options and am diving in sans-tester. Gonna wake up and paint. Can you guess which one I chose?
I sold all the furniture. Well, most of the furniture. The bed is on the floor, and unmade because I am lazy. And also because I work from home at 9:00 each day and today I woke up at 8:50. Clothes are in laundry baskets and bins because Husband has no dresser. I have a dresser because mine is hidden in the closet, so it made the cut. However, I'd like to sell it to get one just slightly bigger to maximize the space. I don't think he would understand my desire to sell an Ikea dresser for like $20 just to go buy another almost identical slightly wider one for $100. It's a matter of inches.
Or maybe he would. He's a man, after all. #PG13
And I promised to wait until after the holidays to start putting it all back together. I want to paint becuase it turns out I'm not super into neon green walls. I need new curtains or blinds or something because I left the lights on one night and I now know that my neighbors can totally see into our bedroom. Since I live in a townhouse, the neighbors are like three feet away. Show's over, people. The furniture I sold was absolutely lovely, late 50s, and I totally saw one of the dressers on the cancelled show Vegas. (Pretty sure that's not why it was cancelled.) But the furniture was way too big for the room. As you can see, I haven't sold the nightstands. I love them too much so asked more money for them than for the two dressers. They still won't fit, but I like them enough to save them for years. Unless someone wants to give me $400 for them but they probably don't. I have evidence that nobody does.
What did Mary Poppins say about promises? (I know what she would say about the state of my bedroom.) Promises are like pie crusts -- easily made, easily broken. Pretty sure that's it, based on the five hundred times I watched that movie as a child. Because, um, I logged onto Joss & Main last week and the PERFECT BED was there for a great price and I bought it. It's being delivered on Wednesday. Whoops. I want to at least paint before it gets here. Did you notice that patch of pastel green on the wall? I bought a tester of what I thought I wanted. But it's too light. So I tacked up some options and am diving in sans-tester. Gonna wake up and paint. Can you guess which one I chose?
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Corner Chair
Meet the chair in the corner of my office:
I kind of love the lines of the back, but that gray vinyl was not doing this chair any favors. So yesterday I decided to recover the poor thing. Wait, that's a lie. I actually decided to recover this chair when I bought it over six years ago for $75 at a flea market with three of it's friends and the wooden table that now poses as additional counterspace in the kitchen (and I would like to keep this sentence going as long as possible). Since then, I've sold two of the chairs, and the fourth is in a basement somewhere. I think. BUT. This little guy was hanging out in my office and in need of a makeover.
I didn't want errands or money to be involved in this spur-of-the-moment, after work project. Luckily, I have a bin of fabric in the craft closet because doesn't everybody?
How about this one?
No. How about this one?
No. Wait, maybe. It's reversible!
Perfect.
So I set about removing the staples in the gray vinyl. All 52 of them. And surprise! There's another horrid seat cover under that one.
I then removed 55 more staples to discover, YEP, another awful seat cover under that one.
I suddenly realize I'm dealing with the Russian matryoshka doll of chairs here. I start to get really worried about what is under this layer. And then really excited. What if it's a treasure map! Will Nicholas Cage help me!? Will he even take my call?!?
After 49 more staples, it turned out to be just a nice, clean cushion. I must have sold the one with the map. Those lucky unsuspecting Craigslisters!
The cushion was stapled nicely around the edge and didn't smell bad or anything. Yes, I checked. Since I didn't really go into this project with any upholstery foam lying around, I thought it best to use it as is. My original half-formed plan was to triple up on batting; this was way better. I then just cut some batting and fabric, lay the naked seat upside down on top, and started stapling everything to the bottom of the seat. After a few staples to secure the batting and fabric, I cut away the extra. Then I stapled and stapled and stapled. Staple guns are super fun, by the way. I totally get the staple overkill. I did it myself.
Voila!
I kind of love the lines of the back, but that gray vinyl was not doing this chair any favors. So yesterday I decided to recover the poor thing. Wait, that's a lie. I actually decided to recover this chair when I bought it over six years ago for $75 at a flea market with three of it's friends and the wooden table that now poses as additional counterspace in the kitchen (and I would like to keep this sentence going as long as possible). Since then, I've sold two of the chairs, and the fourth is in a basement somewhere. I think. BUT. This little guy was hanging out in my office and in need of a makeover.
I didn't want errands or money to be involved in this spur-of-the-moment, after work project. Luckily, I have a bin of fabric in the craft closet because doesn't everybody?
How about this one?
No. How about this one?
No. Wait, maybe. It's reversible!
Perfect.
So I set about removing the staples in the gray vinyl. All 52 of them. And surprise! There's another horrid seat cover under that one.
I then removed 55 more staples to discover, YEP, another awful seat cover under that one.
I suddenly realize I'm dealing with the Russian matryoshka doll of chairs here. I start to get really worried about what is under this layer. And then really excited. What if it's a treasure map! Will Nicholas Cage help me!? Will he even take my call?!?
After 49 more staples, it turned out to be just a nice, clean cushion. I must have sold the one with the map. Those lucky unsuspecting Craigslisters!
The cushion was stapled nicely around the edge and didn't smell bad or anything. Yes, I checked. Since I didn't really go into this project with any upholstery foam lying around, I thought it best to use it as is. My original half-formed plan was to triple up on batting; this was way better. I then just cut some batting and fabric, lay the naked seat upside down on top, and started stapling everything to the bottom of the seat. After a few staples to secure the batting and fabric, I cut away the extra. Then I stapled and stapled and stapled. Staple guns are super fun, by the way. I totally get the staple overkill. I did it myself.
Voila!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
From Scratch: Canned Pears
Last night I continued my Adventures in Canning with mixed success canning the pears from our trip to the orchard last weekend. Here you go, step by step.
Rinse the pears.
Peel the pears.
Put them in a bowl of cold water and a teensy bit of vinegar to keep them pretty while you finish.
Do you have any rounded measuring spoons like this?
Use one to scoop out the seed bits.
Meanwhile, boil some water and add however much sugar you are comfortable with. I am not comfortable with lots of sugar so I made a very light simple syrup. You can add more for a heavier syrup and you're still eating whole foods you made yourself so go ahead and feel great about it.
Do the lid simmer thing.
Put the pears in the jars. Add the simple syrup to the jars, so that the pears and liquid come to just below the glass thready bit.
Wipe the tops of the jars with a clean, dry cloth.
Put on the metal lids, screw on the metal screwy part, and get them in the canning pot. Just like with the applesauce, cover, wait for it to boil, and set timer for twenty minutes. Then take them out and let cool on a towel lined counter.
Like I said, mixed success.
About half of the jars looked like this.
But the other half looked like this!
I blame the wide mouth mason jars. Next year I will try again with regular jars. And this week I will eat a lot of pears.
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