making electricity

Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with Bahn Cam!

2012-01-23T17:36:00.004-06:00

hi friends, remember me? it's been awhile and i'm happy to be back! and what a better day for a come back then Tet (vietnamese new year). i hope the year of the dragon brings happiness and prosperity to you all. i have two dragons in my family even - my dad and older brother!lets talk about bahn cam. they are balls made with rice flour, filled with mung beans, rolled in sesame seeds and deep

spicy & incredible gingerbread cookies

2011-12-27T13:51:00.004-06:00

last year i made gingerbread men from a random recipe off all-recipes. they were...fine. with enough royal icing anything could be okay, right? so this year, i did a little more research and of course, marth stewart saved the day. these cookies are spicy and delightful. the lemon in the icing is a perfect complimenting flavor. if you are a non-believer, this recipe will make you seriously

sugar cookies 2 ways + a GIVEAWAY (winner announced)

2011-12-19T19:21:00.006-06:00

congrats, lynne!!! you're the winner of the holiday recipe book+gift card!!!i have been baking A LOT of cookies and other goodies this holiday season, but sometimes nothing hits the spot like a really good sugar cookie. iced sugar cookies are kind of the ultimate christmas treat. there are many recipes out there and after going through the good, the bad and the ugly - i do believe i have found a

lunch this week

2011-11-10T20:56:00.003-06:00

crock pot season is in full swing and i celebrated this week with a big batch of stew that took care of some lunches AND dinners for the week. i was inspired by the great crock pot officiando, stephanie, of the crockpot365 blog. i spiced up a basic sausage and lentil stew with a cajun adouille sausage and spicy red pepper tomatoes. so perfect for warming your insides from the brisk windy

save the date

2011-10-31T13:09:00.002-05:00

we'll be saying our "i do's" on 9/15/2012. i wish it was happening tomorrow - the venue looked amazing 3 weeks ago at the height of the fall colors.(source)

one intense cake

2011-10-17T20:09:00.003-05:00

(recipe: a farmgirl's dabbles)my friend zac's lovely wife, kelly asked me to make a cake for her friend's birthday that was inspired by a peanut butter cup. the peanut butter cup is one of the greatest things created by man so i was happy to oblige. there's chocolate cake. with peanut butter frosting in the middle and on the outside. that chocolate fudgy topping over the top. and of course,

fall time is apple crisp time

2011-10-16T22:23:00.002-05:00

sometimes you want a warm apple dessert. and sometimes you're too lazy to make a pie crust. and you don't want flour all over your kitchen counters. those times are the times when you call on apple crisp. i made this during a cold spell we had in early september and the mister and i were practically crouched in front of the oven, drooling and waiting for the timer to go off.(delectable and divine

dreamy carrot cake

2011-10-08T23:49:00.002-05:00

it's impossible these days to find a carrot cake this is not full of raisins, pineapple, nuts or a myriad of other ingredients that are just fine, but DO NOT belong in a carrot cake. after scouring the internet for just the right recipe, i remembered my trusty baking illustrated book hanging out on the kitchen shelf. ding ding ding! we have a winner. a fragrant spiced carrot cake without any of

spinach quinoa and cheese (no mac here, folks)

2011-09-26T20:32:00.002-05:00

who else out there gets the daily 2pm wave of the "i want a nap" feeling? and what brings that on more than a heavy lunch, right? well, have no fear - this quinoa dish hits the spot AND won't put you in a carb coma.SPINACH QUINOA AND CHEESE1 cup quinoa2 (or more) cups spinach1 - 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded1/3 - 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds (depending on how much crunch you want)2-3 cloves

spiced almonds

2011-09-20T15:42:00.002-05:00

when i'm at work i am all about the snacking. my packed lunches have always consisted of a substantial (but still light) item with 2-3 graze-able things. these spiced almonds are perfect for that. i bet they'd make a good party snack too. i love the combo of the maple syrup and curry. not to mention, they'll make your kitchen smell like fall.SPICED ALMONDS2 cups raw almonds (or a combination of

raspberry compote for two!

2011-08-25T12:34:00.006-05:00

raspberries are one of my favorite fruits. our house growing up had about a 40 feet stretch of raspberry bushes wrapping around the garage and every summer my mom and i would pick bowl after bowl after bowl of lush red berries. the best treat that came from them? lightly sprinkle a small bowlful with some sugar, take a spoon and gently press down on the berries (only smushing partially), chill in

vacation food pt. II - Portland

2011-08-20T21:59:00.011-05:00

i bet you've all been on pins and needles waiting to see the second half of my vacation food, right? i just knew it ;) here it is! pok pok - thai (and some vietnamese inspired) menu. it came highly recommended by the internet and many other people, but i did not love it. southeast asian flood is spicy and tart and sweet and so many flavors at once. i found almost none of those things in my food

vacation food pt. I - Seattle

2011-07-27T19:59:00.010-05:00

earlier this month we went to portland for a wedding and decided to fly into seattle first so we could visit one of my st. olaf friends for a couple days and then take the amtrak down to portland (the mister had never been on a train before). although we only had 2 days we made the most of our eating!brunch at Coastal Kitchen - i had a salmon scramble with spicy hashbrowns. you can see the

lovely words. sigh.

2011-07-27T15:23:00.001-05:00

onethirtyfive

lunch munch

2011-06-28T18:58:00.004-05:00

i am one of those people who can eat the same thing for lunch every day, for weeks at a time. that's why i love making a big batch of something delicious on sunday or monday and then doling it out one serving at a time for the rest of the week. i truly believe i hit the jackpot with my lunch choice for this week - smitten kitchen's spinach and chickpeas - YES.my only modifications - i used whole

the newest member of the banana house

2011-06-21T22:13:00.002-05:00

there was previously a lovely embroidered gold vintage couch sitting in this spot - it got promoted to a sunny spot on the porch when the future hubs and i ran across this table set at a garage sale a couple weeks ago. i'm insanely excited that we have this amazing yellow formica table now - only $25! the chairs have a couple rips in them but will be a pretty easy to re-upholster. the staple gun

vietnamese coffee pudding

2011-06-09T16:50:00.005-05:00

you know what's better than coffee? vietnamese coffee. if you have never had it, you are truly missing out, my friend. when i saw ashley's (from not without salt) post on coffee pudding, my brain instantly revamped it to vietnamese coffee pudding.i know i say this with almost every thing it seems, but this pudding is an absolute wonder. the pudding has a brown sugar in it, but because of the

bright it, summer heat - i'm ready!

2011-06-03T18:22:00.005-05:00

i never gave passion fruit any real thought until the mister and i went to puerto rico last year. there aren't many things more pleasing than laying on a hot beach, all salty from swimming in the ocean, while munching on a passion fruit shaved ice. or walking around san juan on a heavy and humid january (january!) night and cooling off with a passion fruit sorbet. how about going to brunch and

my apologies...

2011-06-02T18:20:00.002-05:00

...it's been nuts around here. and then i got sick. and then it was still nuts. i have an amazingly cool treat post on the docket for tomorrow though. summer (or even just spring) decided to finally show it's face around here, so i'm getting into warm weather desserts and farmer's market foods - can't wait to share them with you!in the meantime, here is an amazing photo of our puppy for you

i said yes

2011-05-20T17:03:00.002-05:00

"yes, of course!" to be exact.

it's peanut butter jelly time!

2011-05-19T20:59:00.005-05:00

originally i had planned on making peanut butter and fudge oatmeal cookies for the bake sale, but at the last minute changed my mind to these peanut butter and jelly bars - hooo boy, am i glad i did. the first bite made me feel like a kid again, these bars taste just like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but, you know...more party friendly :)i stayed almost entirely true to the recipe. i only

lovely blueberry crumb bars

2011-05-16T11:04:00.005-05:00

i have two favorite ways to eat blueberries - 1) fresh, straight up and 2) in muffin form. now, i guess i have to add a number 3 to that because these blueberry crumb bars are perfect for a summer dessert, a little chewy and slightly tart from the berry and lemon combo - these will brighten up any backyard bbq.BLUEBERRY CRUMB BARS (recipe from smitten kitchen)*i live in a 2 person + dog

bake sale photos

2011-05-15T18:54:00.010-05:00

the share our strength bake sale took place at midtown global market yesterday. i wasn't able to stick around for very long, but snapped a few photos with my phone so i could share all the goodies with my internet friends :) 30 local bloggers participated and the sale raised over $600 - big big thanks to kate from kate in the kitchen for organizing us all!muffins and pumpkin bread (sorry, i don't

Share Our Strength

2011-05-13T13:48:00.003-05:00

Come to Midtown Global Market this Saturday, May 14th for a bake sale supporting Share Our Strength's campaign to end childhood hunger. The sale goes from 11-4pm. There will be donated baked goods by ME (among many, many other fabulous bakers) - if that sweetens the deal for you even more (pun intended) - please check it out if you can!

CLAP

2011-05-10T14:14:00.004-05:00

i am participating in the CLAP project (Creative Ladies Are Powerful). my friend holly and with some other ladies started the group a few years ago and recently it has morphed into a zine with all sorts of submissions from various awesome ladies. the first issue just came out last month and the next one is scheduled for late june.check out the CLAP blog to read about the group, learn about

happy cake!

2011-05-02T13:28:00.006-05:00

everyone and their mom is making rainbow cakes these days - and they are so cool looking that i couldn't help jumping on the wagon myself. the mister's second cousin turned 3 a couple weeks ago and i thought it was the perfect opportunity for this fun and whimsical cake. also, there is something about eating colored cake, makes it taste extra good :)you can tell i didn't bother leveling the

(oatmeal, buttermilk) biscuits and (mushroom) gravy

2011-04-28T11:15:00.003-05:00

breakfast is pretty much my favorite meal of the day. in our household there is a lot of breakfast for breakfast, lunch and dinner. last month the mister and i went to cake eater bakery for breakfast and i had really fantastic biscuits and gravy. i almost never order biscuits and gravy but had heard such rave reviews from so many friends that i had to try it. and it was really great. go check it

MNFoodBloggers #3 - The Local & Green Ox

2011-04-25T09:37:00.009-05:00

you know it's going to be a fun night when you're handed a big ol' sample of 2 Gingers whiskey upon arriving at a get-together, before you've even managed to take your coat off. i have been to the local many times before, but other than indulging in too many big gingers, i'd never eaten any of the food.enter the gang at the local and mike philips of green ox (here's a little profile of green ox

opening night at Masu in northeast

2011-04-19T21:53:00.008-05:00

unless you've been living under a rock or have been experimenting with being amish, you may have heard there is a new japanese food game in town - Masu, in northeast minneapolis (by lund's). normally i am not one of those people who rushes out to try a brand new restaurant right away, but masu hosted a few days worth of preview dinners and after hearing the raves and seeing other people's

sunday breakfast

2011-04-17T20:05:00.004-05:00

you may remember my mentioning going to the corner table for a food blogger event and learning about their CSK program. well, the mister and i signed up for 4 weeks of boxes and are really loving it so far. the quality of the meat is excellent and you can't really beat farm fresh eggs and bread from sun street breads. you can sign up on a rolling basis, so we will probably renew our membership

cute finds

2011-04-16T22:08:00.002-05:00

on monday i went shopping for some new food styling props and found lots of really terrific things at the value village in richfield (one of my personal favorites for thrifting). i got five little plates, five doiles and a few candlesticks that are to be turned into cupcake stands, for only $8. what a steal. picture above is one of the new plates with a gingerbread cupcake (vanilla frosting with

crab cakes

2011-04-11T20:23:00.003-05:00

i love seafood. i could eat, eat, eat it all day long. i usually prefer it in its purest form - broiled, steamed, lightly fried - without a lot of filler or breading, etc, but i have to say, i love me a good crab cake, and the little bit of heat i added to these babies. these are pretty quick and you most likely have the ingredients already hanging out in your fridge/pantry.CHIPOTLE CRAB CAKES8

cookie cookie cookies (are a sometimes food)

2011-04-07T12:52:00.002-05:00

not too many things get me more excited than the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. i made these to send in a care package and was REALLY happy the recipe made so many cookies because after i tried the first one, i didn't want to part with more than i had to (please don't judge me). the best part? if any of them last after the first couple days, they get EVEN BETTER after they've

the mysteriously appearing pepper mill

2011-04-06T22:51:00.005-05:00

one afternoon, last month, the mister sent me an email while i was at work (he works from home) saying that a package came in the mail for me. i wasn't expecting anything and the return address was from PSP LLC. i told him to open it - i couldn't handle the suspense - and inside was the following pepper mill:made by Peugot - a french company that makes cars. and bicycles. and salt and pepper

birthday week

2011-04-01T14:06:00.006-05:00

birthday week has included:-dim sum with my parents-date night at cafe lurcat-a new umbrella that i love!-a massage and spa mani/pedi-doggy play date with friends - 3 dogs romping in the living room is a sight to see-homemade, by the mister, brioche on my actual birthday (wednesday)-we went jogging together every day (except thursday because he had class)-joint birthday dinner with t. hoffthe

sunday night: date night at cafe lurcat

2011-03-28T11:24:00.003-05:00

about a year and a half ago, during restaurant week, the mister and i visited cafe lurcat for the first time and were so impressed. maybe i need to pay more attention, but there is not enough buzz about this place, in my opinion. there is a lot of asian fusion happening on the menu, which i am normally not a big fan of, but it's done really well in this case and we've loved everything we've eaten

trying to conjure up spring. with blackberries & lemon.

2011-03-24T18:12:00.005-05:00

last saturday the mister and i went to caribe bistro for brunch. i had the tortilla espanola - a fluffy omelette with potatoes, chorizo and lots of spices. oh, and bottomless mimosas for $7! we plan to go back and check out dinner sometime. afterward, we went around the corner to st. paul classic cookie - both of us wanted muffins to snack on later, but when we got there, the woman in front

mama's curry (as close as i can get)

2011-03-23T19:58:00.005-05:00

have you ever had vietnamese curry? it's very similar to thai massaman curry - very hearty and stew-like. i recently had some dental work done and need to eat soft food, so we've been eating it with rice this week, but normally this thick, rich curry would get scooped up with pieces of crusty baguette torn from the loaf (baked fresh by the mister!).if anyone asked, i would definitely say this is

food bloggers let loose

2011-03-21T19:59:00.002-05:00

last wednesday, Scott Pampuch of Corner Table and his fabulous staff hosted a group of us MN Food Bloggers at Corner Table to fill us in on (very exciting) upcoming happenings he is involved in. i stupidly did not bring my camera, so - i'm going to direct you to, the ever-glamorous, Stephanie Meyer's blog - Fresh Tart. She has great photos and sums up the night pretty perfectly.pictured below -

rainy day comfort food (spring has sprung!)

2011-03-20T15:45:00.006-05:00

i hope it's safe to say that spring is officially here in minnesota (knock on wood). last night there was thunder and lightning for the first time in months - though, unfortunate because it covered up the super moon - and today is one of those quiet gray early spring days. a perfect day for soup!SAUSAGE, BEAN & KALE SOUP with PASTA (adapted from bon appetit - makes a big batch)1 tablespoon olive

hummingbird cake

2011-03-15T20:25:00.005-05:00

overripe bananas? check. crushed pineapple? check. cream cheese frosting? CHECK. i made a hummingbird cake for the first time last week and am now a fan for life.recipe notes: i halved the amounts of sugar and probably could have used even less. i can't even imagine how sugary this cake would have been had the whole amount of sugar been added. also, i only used about half as much frosting and did

it's pi(e) day!

2011-03-14T20:56:00.002-05:00

so why not celebrate with some (apple) pi in a jar?! cute, practical for freezing and delicious - you can't ask for much more than that.

candied bacon (pancakes)

2011-03-10T15:19:00.003-06:00

have you ever had candied bacon before? it's kind of amazing. i had it on a salad from a restaurant once and ever since it's all i can think about.how to make candied bacon - you'll need: 1 package thick cut bacon, 1/2 cup packed brown sugarpreheat the oven to 350. line a cookie sheet with tin foil and lay out the strips of bacon. sprinkle brown sugar over all the strips. bake for about 20

boule, boule, boule, boule!

2011-03-09T21:02:00.005-06:00

have you ever read Zoe Bakes? it's a terrific blog with amazing recipes. the mister loves baking bread so i suggested zoe's bread book "artisan bread in five minutes a day" - he took my suggestion, added a baking stone and peel to his amazon shopping cart, and now 3 days later, just took his first loaf of bread (a boule) out of the oven!we both have flipped through and he's already decided to

happy friday (i love this photo)!

2011-03-04T15:30:00.000-06:00

You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients. - Julia Child

justice for lemons

2011-03-03T16:53:00.004-06:00

i may go on and on about chocolate and peanut butter and whathaveyou, but citrus, oh, citrus - you are my secret love. these lemon bars by david lebovitz really do the fruit justice. i was skeptical of using the whole lemon, peel and all, but the "filling" was smooth and bright, not too sugary and the exact right amount of tart. bravo, sir!oh, you're so lovely, don't go changing a thing.RECIPE:

eggy goodness with kale

2011-02-28T12:17:00.004-06:00

i love eating breakfast food. eggs, in particular - over medium, softly scrambled, fried, it's all good. i also love a fluffy egg bake. or add a pie crust and make it quiche. i could eat quiche all day long. i'm sharing with you a never fail, go-to quiche recipe that i've made for years. you can thank me later.KALE AND CHEDDAR QUICHE1 store bought pie crust or your favorite crust recipe for a 9"

pappa al pomodoro

2011-02-23T20:18:00.004-06:00

pappa al pomodoro, a tuscan tomato bread soup, is one of my favorite italian foods around. i had it my first night in florence (in 2004) and we've been in love ever since. so amazingly simple, but also flavorful and hearty. i love soup and bread's take with the mussels, but since i wasn't making 20 servings, i also consulted mario batali - and the final product came from a mash-up of the two

chile lime shrimp with spinach & couscous

2011-02-22T21:03:00.004-06:00

on any given week i'll typically cook 2 big dinner items (lasagna, pulled pork, etc) and the mister and i will alternate those 2-3 things for dinner all week. though we haven't gotten sick of any of the foods we normally eat, i want to start throwing in some quick, one-pan type meals to add a little more variety, so this week i'm planning to cook a different dinner meal every night. except

tiny getaway

2011-02-21T19:07:00.003-06:00

the mister and i went up to duluth yesterday, for the night - to celebrate an anniversary of sorts. we missed the entire snow storm here and not a flake of snow fell up in duluth last night or this morning! we stayed at the inn on lake superior and i'm convinced our bed was made of marshmallows and angel wing feathers - sooooooooo comfortable.i took this at dinner last night - at JJ Astor. the

bahn xeo!

2011-02-18T12:08:00.003-06:00

bahn xeo, a vietnamese savory crepe - one of my #1 all-time favorite vietnamese dishes. i introduced the mister to them a long time ago and he is totally addicted. my mom is a master at these crepes. she is like a one woman crepe making machine when we have these for dinner, with huge bowl of batter and at least 3 frying pans going at once. and let me tell you, hers are THE BEST. we even went out

soup du jour

2011-02-17T14:56:00.002-06:00

happy thursday! just wanted to share an easy and yummy lunch (or dinner!) for those of us who are bored with sandwiches and salads, but don't have the time to think about it TOO much and just want to make something quick :)these are just jazzed up noodles, but they are flavorful and hearty - perfect for a work lunch. you'll need:1 pack of Udon noodles or Bahn Cahn (the vietnamese equivalent,

happy ballentyme's day!

2011-02-14T15:37:00.010-06:00

i'm not ashamed to admit that i love valentine's day. i don't love it in the "spend hundreds of dollars on dinner and jewelry and red roses" kind of way. for one, i hate red roses. and for another, that's not what the day should be about. i enjoy valentine's in the "make homemade cards, put up cute decorations, eat heart shaped sweets and be generally giggly over all the sugar you've just

1st birthday

2011-02-09T16:59:00.003-06:00

i swear to you that i have been doing things other than making food/treats for my dog in recent weeks. i can also swear to you that i have been eating up all of that people food with no motivation to style, light and photograph any of it. oops. i'm making a come back soon, i think.anyway. pineapple's 1st birthday was on monday and what kind of responsible dog parent would i be if i didn't

bacon and cheese doggy treats

2011-01-27T12:14:00.003-06:00

we got back from our mega vacation last week, but it has been REALLY hard to want to do much of anything after coming home! i'm excited to really get back into the kitchen and my desire to learn to cook as well as my mother has been renewed, BUT, then winter gets in the way. between gray cold days and jet lag - i'm not ashamed to admit i have spent most non-working hours in my pajamas.on monday,

vacation mode

2011-01-03T02:39:00.002-06:00

see ya in a couple weeks, blog friends. the mister and i will be in the southern hemisphere, near the equator, where it is summer right now :)p.s. that's a photo of vietnam

my last meal of 2010

2011-01-01T16:20:00.004-06:00

a couple weeks ago, i had brussel sprouts with my meal at the dakota that left me with a craving for more. i've never really cooked them before, so after looking up some brussel sprout hash recipes, i decided just to wing and see what happened. i'm really glad that what happened turned out to really good and hearty!BRUSSEL SPROUT HASH1 lb fresh brussel sprouts, quartered3 medium new potatoes,

so long, 2010

2010-12-31T17:17:00.003-06:00

what's new year's eve without some sparkle? i had a ratty pair of black flats that were about to meet their demise in the garbage until i saw THIS tutorial from the ladies at we are not martha. ummm...can we just say love love love! i'm pretty picky when it comes to glitter and sequins, but boy, if i'm not a sucker for the perfect amount of flair added to an outfit. i haven't decided on the rest

lemon-limoncello cupcakes for christmas

2010-12-30T10:41:00.006-06:00

traditionally, the week between christmas and new years is a pretty lazy time - you hang out, you play with all your presents, you visit with friends who are in town, you hang out some more, this time in your pajamas. so even when you need to be productive and get ready for a 2 week trip, which you are leaving for next week, you somehow find yourself playing 2 hours of beatles rock band (in your

happy holidays, friends!

2010-12-25T21:28:00.002-06:00

it's our little puppy guy's first christmas and he made out like a bandit :) his puppy presents included - a pop out tunnel for him to run through, an assortment of squeaky rubber toys and a "dinner plate" made up of stuffed toys shaped like food - he loves it all!we spent the day with the mister's family and are now home regrouping before going out for the night with friends. it's an annual

chocolate mice (that definitely don't stir)

2010-12-23T10:46:00.002-06:00

how cute are these? this is my absolute favorite holiday treat to make - i've made them every christmas for 6 or 7 years now. not only are they delicious, but they make great hostess gifts. i have yet to meet anyone, man or woman, who has not completely fawned over these chocolately little guys. and though a bit time consuming, they are easy peasy to make.CHOCOLATE HOLIDAY MICE1 jar maraschino

raspberry chocolate birthday cake

2010-12-19T16:54:00.004-06:00

my wonderful friend jack's birthday was this week. he had a party last night and i volunteered to make a cake. can you believe this is the first real cake i've ever made? as in, not a sheet cake, just one layer straight from the pan with frosting on top. i didn't get a photo of the whole cake because as soon as it was done, we had to rush out the door to a holiday party BEFORE the birthday party.

snowmaggedon (or some other cutesy name)

2010-12-12T21:13:00.004-06:00

we were snowed in this weekend and it was AWESOME. the blizzard was forecasted to begin late friday night, so friday after work we went christmas shopping, got take out for dinner and went to the grocery store to stock up on snacks and dinner fixings for the next day. up to 20 inches fell in some places - apparently saturday was the 5th biggest snowstorm in twin cities history.other than the 2

guest blogging

2010-12-10T17:42:00.002-06:00

hey folks, i am the guest blogger today over at High Plains Thrifter - go check it out and give my girl, Meghan (and me, by default) some love!also, while you're at it, check out this event going on this weekend, Mighty Swell. it'll be worth it to brave the snow - I PROMISE.happy friday!

i win stuff & linzer cookies

2010-12-09T21:58:00.004-06:00

last week i won this fab little treat cookbook from Dara & Co.'s blog giveaway on Minnesota Monthly's website. this is a great cookbook for making some very stylish looking desserts. i was really excited to win and the timing is perfect for me to have some new recipes to try for holiday baking. thanks, Minnesota Monthly!after reading through the whole thing, i let the mister browse and pick which

red wine pot roast

2010-12-08T09:10:00.003-06:00

(the meat looks/tastes MUCH better than this photo captures - i'm still learning how to make meat look appealing in a picture!)the mister loves pot roast. i mean, i do too, just not as much as he does. i've been seeing red wine slow cooker recipes floating around, so i thought i'd wing it myself and see how it went. results: pret-tay, pret-tay good (i hope you watch curb your enthusiasm).RED WINE

shopping online

2010-12-02T21:45:00.004-06:00

every time i go online to browse for christmas presents, i mostly find things that i really (really) want. how many presents can i buy myself before it is considered a problem?check out 20x200 if you never have - it is an excellent source of wonderful affordable art.(WANT)

sending holiday cheer the old-fashioned way

2010-12-01T22:45:00.005-06:00

because i'm so picky, i've been agonizing over finding the perfect holiday card for the past few weeks - looking at a bunch of different photo card sites. but then today, i saw that shutterfly was doing a 50 free christmas cards promotion, and, well, my decision was made for me!last year was my first time ever mailing out christmas cards. the mister and i had recently moved into a new house, so

thanksgiving desserts, etc!

2010-11-28T18:08:00.008-06:00

i didn't make these for thanksgiving, but wanted to include them anyway because they are delicious - olive oil and chive fantail rolls. this is the second time i've made them and they are great! i didn't have fresh chives this time, so used dried instead and they still tasted good.MY PIES. i felt like the queen of pies this year because everyone went nuts over these and made me feel really good

i am thankful for...

2010-11-25T11:31:00.004-06:00

my family: dad, me, nephew, mom, brotheralso my family: me, the mister and our little puppy guyHAPPY THANKSGIVING!

chicken noodle soup

2010-11-21T12:07:00.004-06:00

snow, ice, freezing rain - winter is upon us here in the midwest in full force and i'll take any excuse to eat soup and stews all day long. here's a fantastic recipe that smelled (and tasted!) so good i wanted to swim around in the pot.CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP (adapted from The Pioneer Woman)1 whole chicken6 whole carrots, diced4 stalks celery, diced½ medium white onion, dicedsalt to taste (I used a

(the best ever) chocolate peanut butter cupcakes

2010-11-17T20:13:00.003-06:00

i have found my new go to chocolate cake recipe. so dark, chocolatey and ridiculously moist - the important qualities in a chocolate cake. i made these chocolate peanut butter cupcakes from Joy the Baker for an engagement party i went to on sunday (congratulations again chris & holly!) and WOW, this is a serious dessert. buckle your seatbelts for this one, kids.CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES (

sunflower sesame crackers

2010-11-15T14:33:00.003-06:00

one of the things i love about living in the twin cities is that we have a really fantastic local food scene here. and through the wonders of the internet, i have been lucky to find local food bloggers that have quickly become some of my favorite blogs to read and learn from. today's recipe comes from one of those blogs, Stephanie at Fresh Tart. i often drool over the lovely photos of the things

ice cream bread

2010-11-13T23:47:00.003-06:00

last week i came down with a bad cold that promptly evolved into a bronchial infection. that wasn't fun. but a trip to urgent care resulted in a round with my trusty friend, the nebulizer and prescriptions for an inhaler and some pills - now - one week later, i'm ALMOST fit as a fiddle again. i don't imagine that anyone wants me making them food while coughing all over the place, so the past week

the hunger games trilogy

2010-11-07T18:15:00.002-06:00

add these books to your reading queue immediately. if you are a fan of ender's game/battle royale type young adult post-apocalyptic stories (and i am) this is right up your alley. i'm not going to say much about it, because i don't want to give anything away, but i cried twice and got teary-eyed probably like 6 times. i flew threw all three books in three days. i could not put them down - i just

hello out there!

2010-11-02T18:00:00.005-05:00

i made these for my friend nathalie's birthday at the beginning of october and totally forgot to post this picture i took of them. they were as delicious as they look, trust me. this is one of my all-time favorite cupcake recipes. i'd highly advise you trying it out.i hit the mother of all sales at urban outfitters last week. the sale racks were actually FULL of decent stuff (rare, i know). i got

adore

2010-10-28T14:35:00.002-05:00

(source)

SIGH

2010-10-20T10:28:00.003-05:00

suuuuuuuper bummed i missed lucero at first ave last night. but after about 6 years of going to their shows, paying $35 to see them as an opener just wouldn't do (they are touring with social distortion). i was hoping my extreme internet luck would result in the winning of tickets, but alas, i'll have to wait until next time, ben nichols.(photo)

fall squash with pasta recipe

2010-10-19T14:38:00.005-05:00

i love when recipes i encounter come at a time when all the same ingredients happen to already be in my kitchen. for this pasta dish - the only thing i had to pick up was the pasta. and of course, i had to add some good bacony salty goodness in there to compliment the sweet squash. this was great for a dinner and even better for lunch the next couple of days. i revived it with a tiny drizzle of

astonishingly accurate homemade oreos

2010-10-14T18:15:00.002-05:00

when i saw a recipe for homemade oreos, i had two thoughts. the first one was, "whoa, those look good" and the second, "there is no way you can replicate a factory made cookie filling." let me tell you, my friend, this filling is DEAD ON. make these and be amazed. the cookie part is close too, especially if you lessen the amount of sugar like the original recipe note suggests.also, i don't know

re-purposed

2010-10-12T17:35:00.006-05:00

i love thrifting. you know what i love more than thrifting? finding new uses for all the random thrifty items i bring home. i'm thinking about starting an etsy store for just my vintage and re-purposed things. seriously, i am super awesome at finding super great house things :)homemade cake stands. so far i've only invested in black and white paint, but eventually i plan to branch out to other

mini apple galettes

2010-10-11T20:14:00.008-05:00

you've probably guessed from all my blah blah blahing about it, that fall is one of my favorite seasons. when you live in minnesota, fall is the most perfect time of year - changing leaves, bonfires every weekend, sunny and crisp smelling days, sweet breezy nights and APPLES. i may be a little biased, but if you have not had a minnesota honeycrisp, you have not had an apple.a couple weeks

playing catch up

2010-10-08T11:46:00.002-05:00

this morning, pineapple came upstairs with me when i was getting ready for work. he plopped right down on the bed and made himself comfy - it was too cute and i couldn't resist squeezing in some cuddle time (even though i was already running late for work).sorey for my lack of relevant posts lately. i've been cooking and baking up a storm, but have yet to have time to photograph anything in

anthropologie love

2010-10-07T10:58:00.005-05:00

i completely adore the styling for the furniture/housewares section of the latest anthropologie catalog. and i actually would LOVE to own that sofette in the first image. anyone have $4,000 they would like to lavish on me? well, $3,898, to be exact.

curried red kuri squash & potato soup

2010-10-05T11:50:00.003-05:00

i received one of these guys in my CSA box recently and thought it came at the perfect time since the weather had kind of turned and i was ready to make/eat soup again. so here is my thrown together recipe for a red kuri and potato soup. unfortunately, i ate almost all of it and still never took a photo of the final product. but if you've ever seen a squash soup - you can imagine what it looks

breakfast remix

2010-09-30T11:58:00.003-05:00

(black beans, scrambled egg+cholula, whole wheat toast+peanut butter)i'm sure you've all seen "breakfast remix" photos floating around in blogland. i love looking at them but had yet to do any of my own - so here we go. this is my favorite go to breakfast. eggs + hot sauce = best combo ever.

homemade pizza roll party

2010-09-26T17:14:00.005-05:00

several weeks ago, i saw this post on the kitchn, showed it to dave and of course, we had to do it. what's better than pizza? homemade pizza (rolls)!first section of dough divided, with filling - waiting to be formed. and a blurry puppy in the corner scavenging for fallen food.dave forming pockets.ready for the oven! we also made whole wheat dough for a second batch - they are not pictured.warm

random inspiration

2010-09-22T21:10:00.004-05:00

(source)i drool over letterpress drawers any time i encounter them, so this picture practically makes me want to weep it's so lovely. someday i want a giant wall nailed floor to ceiling with letterpress drawers. love love love.

one of my faves: pumpkin cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting

2010-09-21T20:48:00.004-05:00

my friend keane's birthday was last week and to celebrate the occasion, i made one of my favorite cupcake recipes - smitten kitchen's pumpkin cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting. i made regular sized cupcakes to bring to the party, but used little souffle cups to make mini ones to keep at home for myself. so yummy AND cute!you can find the recipe here. apparently there is a canned pumpkin

sunday dinner out: Bar la Grassa

2010-09-20T14:17:00.008-05:00

we had some out of town artists from the gallery in town this past weekend, and last night, my bosslady and i wrapped up their visit by taking everyone to bar la grassa for dinner. once we were all seated our server broke all of our hearts by saying they were out of the soft eggs and lobster bruschetta - dave and i had been dreaming about it allllll week. however, once we started eating, all was

comfort food: baked macaroni & cheese

2010-09-19T11:45:00.005-05:00

with the fall weather upon us, i'm getting pretty excited to start making/eating soup/stews and using the crock pot and oven on a regular basis for slow-cooking and roasting. last week i had a super craving for baked macaroni and cheese (one of mine and dave's favorite things), but am trying to count calories right now, so found a lighter recipe from my favorite low-fat food blog, skinnytaste -

favorite thing i've seen this week

2010-09-15T21:14:00.006-05:00

yesterday poppytalk posted photos of douglas coupland's wonderful 2nd home and it inspired my friend and i to talk about authors' homes that we are in love with - which lead to my searching for photos of edward gorey's home. and i found this. and it's amazing. so may i present - edward gorey and his cats. and a lot of books <3 p.s. sorry for the brief random posts the last few days. i've been a

jack is back!

2010-09-13T21:35:00.002-05:00

i'm so very much looking forward to this week because our dear friend, jack, is home from portland for the week. cannot wait to hang out with him and dance and sing and eat great food! hooray jack :)

saying farewell to summer: nectarine cobbler

2010-09-12T20:17:00.004-05:00

last week i had a craving for a fruity dessert that was not pie and after looking at various cooking blogs - nectarine cobbler seemed to be the one that would hit the spot. and wow, this recipe is SO great. i want to make it for every dinner party dessert for the next 6 months pretty much.i followed this recipe exactly - except i did not make the cream and ate it with ice cream - YUMMY.

a chair dipped in gold

2010-09-11T18:36:00.004-05:00

after work today, i hiked it out to eden prairie to pick up this adorable chair. it's a tiny bit tall for the desk, but i love that it has wheels so i'll just deal with it for now. the gold and white is so lovely. <3 thank you, craigslist. also pictured: an apple clipboard that i could not say no to and my first letter that arrived from the pen pal project! happy saturday - it's such a

quotables

2010-09-10T19:56:00.003-05:00

i'm reading this book right now. it's a bit of a junk food book but it's totally riveting and good in the way that only junk food books can be. a quote that resonates with me:"Love only the people who deserve you"

cozy happy stuff

2010-09-09T18:45:00.004-05:00

a typical day this week has been: get home from work, run an errand or two, put on pajamas and make dinner. post dinner there as been relaxing time and dessert. tonight i am going to start a new book. HAPPY AND PLEASED SIGHS.me and the mister - and my new slippers! i'm getting all prepared to bunker down for the winter :)

lasagna cupcakes

2010-09-08T18:24:00.002-05:00

doesn't that look so great? not too much cheese, not too much sauce and nice crunchy edges on the wonton wrappers. LASAGNA CUPCAKES (adapted from here)36 wonton wrappers (3 per cupcake slot)8-12 ounces fat-free ricotta1-2 cups tomato sauce + meat (i used this)1-2 tablespoons italian spicesblack pepper (to taste)shredded mozzarellagrated parmesanpreheat oven to 375 - spray cupcake tin with a

just in time for fall: tomato sauce

2010-09-07T18:43:00.007-05:00

the last couple weeks we were inundated with tomatoes from our CSA, driftless organics and from another farm we sometimes get vegetables delivered from, vasa gardens. neither dave nor i are huge fans of tomatoes, but we LOVE tomato based products which meant i was going to use up all the tomatoes making tomato sauce - just in time for the cooler weather!except the mushrooms and ground beef, all

labor day!

2010-09-06T16:24:00.003-05:00

(yarn. organized for fall/winter knitting)happy labor day everyone. the mister and i were out late last night enjoying a bonfire with some friends, so today has been amazingly lazy. i feel pretty good about it. hope everyone had a fun long weekend. we're getting ready to get the grill going for dinner. stay tuned for some yummy food posts coming up this week.goodnight!