birdsandtrees

Day 15

Most crafters I know have a bag where they keep projects they're working on in it- whether it's cross-stitching, crocheting, embroidery, whatever.  So when you're in a crafty mood, you have your bag and you can pull from it and start working.  I got this bag during my trip to Portland at Knit Purl (which I highly recommend if you're ever in Portland and you need yarn, which will pertain to a lot of people reading this, I'm sure), and I love it.  For me, you have to really like your craft bag if you're going to use it.   I like to bring mine on road trips, but for the most part, it stays in its little nook next to the couch.  And lately I feel like I've abandoned this little guy.  I think my craft bag has turned into a place where all my "work in progress" projects go to die slowly.  I have this horrible habit of starting these projects (see: Granny Square Blanket) and never completing them. 
 But I recently got a new crochet book, Vintage Crochet, and that's given me the crochet kick in the rear that I needed.   I got really excited about making the blanket on the cover, but then quickly remembered, "Oh. Right.  I started a blanket.  A YEAR ago.  And never finished it."  So instead of starting a new project, I'm going to try to finish my granny square blanket.  I'm just going to start crocheting the squares together and see how big the blanket it.  Maybe I can use it for just a calves, ankles, and feet blanket.  Or just drape it over one arm that's colder than the other arm.
Tomorrow this bag will join me on a trip home to New Orleans, where we'll celebrate the 4th and my birthday on the 5th.   I won't be able to post pictures from there, so this "thirty days" thing is going to have to take a mini-vacation until Monday.   But the good news is that I'm taking my cameras and hope to have some pictures to share next week.
 I hope you all have a Happy Fourth of July! 

Day 14

Day 13

James is out of town again, so Molly's taken it upon herself to be the guard dog.  She's pretty ferocious, so if you're in the neighborhood, keep your distance. 

Day 12

Pizza Recap from last night:
Dough: perfect...will definitely use Jamie's recipe again. 
Sauce: bad...will not use Jamie's recipe again. 
Overall pizza: after we change the sauce, I think we'll have a winner.

Even though the pizza didn't come out like we had hoped, I made some delicious Tiramisu Cookies from Martha (I think from the May issue...the very last page of the magazine).  It's a recipe that has several steps and stages, but I think the end product was worth it.  If I make them again, I would keep the cookie part in the oven for a little bit longer...I have a tendency to pull things out too soon.  Basically, you make these coffee flavored cookies (very light, with lots of egg whites), then you make a marscapone cheese mixture with amaretto liquor and confectioner's sugar, and you make a little sandwich with two of the cookies and the cheese mixture in the middle.  And, before you sandwich them together, you spread melted chocolate on the inside of each cookie.  I didn't manage to take a picture of an assembled cookie, but here are the cookies after they come out the oven:
You have to pipe the cookie dough mixture onto your baking sheet- I used a ziploc bag and made a small snip on one of the corners to pipe them onto the parchment paper.  Very easy.  At least one recipe from last night worked! 

Day 11

I love Jamie Oliver. I know I've talked about him before, but I can't help it.  What's not to love?  I've been recording his shows since college and I never get tired of him or his cookbooks.  His new(ish) show, Jamie at Home, comes on every Saturday morning, and his show is one that I always make sure to watch(and he's got a cookbook with the same name coming to the US this fall).  If you haven't watched him before (and you have the Food Network), please find some time and watch him!  This show is all about food that he cooks from his garden in England (in his home in the country, nonetheless).  He picks it outside, brings it into his kitchen, and shows you what to do with it.  And while that's going on, he's saying things like "bog standard," "lil monkey," "lovely jubbly," and "pukka."  That may not sound that fun, but go back and read them out loud in an English accent...now they're fun, right?
Last week he did a show on pizza, and so tonight James and I are following his recipes and making pizza with homemade sauce and fresh mozzarella and basil.  And the basil is from our herb garden- I think Jamie would be proud. 
I realize that I did not take this picture, but it'll have to do for now.  I will post a picture of the pizza tomorrow!

Day 10

Day 9

Four years ago, from today, I married my best friend.  

*photo taken by bryan from abryanphoto

Day 8

Day 7

I know I've got a great husband, but sometimes he just surprises me with his hidden talents.  And this past month, he's perfected a refreshing summer beverage - iced coffee.   It's a whole lot cheaper than going to Starbucks and one batch will last you all week.  And, he was nice enough to write out a recipe!  So take it away James...

Although there are iced coffee purists out there (with whom I agree) that say iced coffee should be made with cold brewed (toddy) coffee, this is a quick and easy way to enjoy this cold treat during these hot summer months.

-Makes about 4-10 servings depending on how much you drink!

Ingredients:

-1 TB of ground coffee per cup of water

-tiny pinch of salt

-water

-2% milk

-sugar

Directions:

1. Brew your coffee. You want strong coffee. You need enough to fill half of whatever pitcher you are using (we use a ½ gallon pitcher.) We use about 8 scoops and fill the water to the “8” on the coffee pot. Put the tiny pinch of salt on top of the grounds before you brew it. (This is an old restaurant trick that takes some of the bitterness out of the coffee.)

2. Put anywhere from ½ C – 1 ½ C of sugar in your pitcher. For our ½ gallon pitcher, we use about ¾ cup sugar. Pour your fresh, hot coffee over your sugar in your pitcher – you want to stop pouring when the pitcher is about ½ full. Use a whisk or spoon to make sure the sugar dissolves.

3. Now, fill the rest of the pitcher with milk. If you don’t want to use 2%, it’s OK to use 1% or skim, but a little fat in the milk helps bring out that coffee flavor…

4. Chill and serve over ice.

5. Fun treat – at night time (or when it’s 5:00 somewhere) put a little Kahlua or Bailey’s Irish crème in your glass. Then add the iced coffee. Yum.

Day 6

from our school garden...happy monday!