Thummprints

A List of Ten: The Ampersand

2012-01-12T11:14:00.002-06:00

1. I have for years and years written my ampersands backwards (unlike the above, which is correct).

2. I know they're backwards and yet the habit does not change. It's a quirk, something that makes me . . . me; like my glasses.

3. People (usually my father) point out that I have written my ampersand backwards.

4. I used to call ampersands "andsigns" because I never fully understood people with they said ampersand.

5. I'm kind of obsessed with the silly symbol and have been searching for the perfect one to hang on my wall.

6. The ampersand is not my favorite punctuation / symbol , that honor lies with the semi-colon.

7. I had a professor in grad school tell me he hated the semi-colon and we weren't allowed to use it in our writing; my quarter was over before it started.

8. Don't try and correct my backwards ampersand. I will ignore your advice and quite possibly give you the evil eye.

9. I'm really good at giving the evil eye. Though I suspect I look more ridiculous than serious.

10. If you're in love with ampersands as much as I am - visit Pica Prints Etsy.com shop - they have lots of unique ampersands (like the Chalkduster Ampersand above).

The Joy of Books

2012-01-10T14:06:00.000-06:00

From the same minds that brought us "Organizing the Bookcase" comes, "The Joy of Books" filmed at Type bookshop in Toronto (883 Queen Street West, (416) 366-8973).

Check it out.

Betcha can't watch it just once.

It's like a Lay's potato chip.

Trust me.

I know books . . . and potato chips.

Cranberry Fool

2011-12-23T21:38:00.001-06:00

I thought with all the cookie recipes I've posted I needed to switch it up and post something else. While I am still in the dessert family, and there are cookies involved, this is so much more than just a cookie.

If you like cranberries (especially tart cranberries) this is one of those things that will make you go: YUM!

Trust me. I know things.

After a long day of baking, and Christmas prepping - this was a much needed delight. The homemade whipped cream really makes this recipe . . . please, please, please make your own. To date I've never really been a "whipped cream" fan (read the stuff in the cans = icky) but this, this I could eat every day and never get tired of it.

The next time I make this I might add more sugar or change the cranberry/whipped cream ratio because when I say the cranberries were tart (and truly delightful) it was almost too much. And this is coming from a girl who loves, loves, loves all things tart.

Cranberry Fool (recipe adapted from 1 Big Bite)

Ingredients:

12 ounce fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon chilled heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4.4 ounce butter shortbread

Directions:

1. Add the washed (wet) cranberries and 1/2 cup sugar to a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, over medium / low heat. After 7-10 minutes the cranberries should have popped open, then remove from heat and let cool.

2. The cranberries thickens even more than cool. Puree with a hand held blender or food processor (I mashed mine) and add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, taste and add more if you like. It should taste tart with a noticeable cinnamon aroma. Cover and refrigerate (this can be made one day ahead).

3. Crumble the cookies into small bites and make sure to reserve some cookies for the decoration and set aside.

4. Combine whipping cream and sugar in mixing bowl. Whip to soft peaks then add vanilla extract and continue to whip stiff peaks (do not over beat!). Refrigerate until needed.

5. In dessert bowls or glasses (whiskey glasses works well) alternate the cream mixture, cranberries and cookie crumbles. Top with the reserved cookies and refrigerate for up to 3 hours or serve immediately.

Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies

2011-12-21T10:10:00.004-06:00

First I would like to say that, at least to me, when these cookies are baking it smells like there's a BBQ going on in the oven. True story.

Second - I've had to guard these cookies with my life to keep some people from eating them *cough-LindaG-cough* as I made them especially for my lovely G'Ma - Edna Mae. She likes to have a cookie with her first cuppa in the morning - before she eats her breakfast. She's a woman after my own heart.

Fact: I cannot keep cookies in the house . . . unless they are Fig Newtons or Biscoff Cookies. Cookies are my weakness. I ♥ cookies. Cookie Monster is my homeboy.

These cookies are soft and chewy - just at the recipe promises them to be. This was my first time making a Martha Stewart recipe. I adore her magazine.

Somewhere around my senior year of college I became a closeted Martha freak. I would actually buy her magazines, read them and then hide them like the contraband they were.

No one could know. It was my hidden secret.

Not so hidden anymore. But I still find it difficult to say I like Martha Stewart, even though I no longer hide her magazines. No matter your feelings on the woman there's at least one thing everyone can agree on: Martha puts out some kick-ass recipes.

Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies (recipe from MarthaStewart.com)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup sugar; set aside.

2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining cup of sugar until combined. Beat in egg and then molasses until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in dry ingredients, just until a dough forms.

3. Pinch off and roll dough into balls, each equal to 1 tablespoon. Roll balls in reserved sugar to coat.

4. Arrange balls on baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges of cookies are just firm, 10 to 15 minutes (cookies can be baked two sheets at a time, but they will not crackle uniformly). Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely.

Mrs BC's Peppermint Kiss Cookies

2011-12-20T12:56:00.003-06:00

This year I once again had my annual holiday party - and I made a pork roast, butternut squash ravioli, salad, french rolls and the Pièce de résistance: cranberry cornmeal upside-down cake featured over on From Me To You. Only the cake wasn't as it should be, I'd left my cornmeal at my folk's house; presto-changeo the cranberry cornmeal upside-down cake became cranberry yellow-cake upside down cake. Make it with the cornmeal - trust me, you'll be wowed.

As usual everyone brought a Toys for Tots gift (thanks Frenchy for taking them to a drop-off location) and a dozen or so cookies to swap. I like cookie swapping . . . it's always fun to see what everyone decides to make from year to year. Plus there's the added bonus of getting all kinds of cookies.

This year Mrs BC made Peppermint Kiss Cookies . . . holy cow, was I smitten. To me they seemed light, but that may have a lot to do with the fact that I tend to make dense or heavy cookies. I also really like the pairing of peppermint and chocolate. It's somehow refreshing. Hello, Andes Mints.

I had a bit of trouble with these cookies. They flattened out more than I wanted them to. I think I might have done something incorrect, or it could just be my normal baking "luck" rearing it's ugly head. The cookies were still delightfully yummy and I think they will be absorbed into my normal baking rotation for the holidays.

Mrs BC's Peppermint Kisses (original recipe found here)

Ingredients:

1 17.5 oz. package sugar cookie mix

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1-3 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. peppermint extract
4-5 drops red food coloring
18-20 dark chocolate Hershey kisses

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Dump cookie mix into a large mixing bowl. Add softened butter, egg and one tablespoon of flour.

3. Using an electric mixer or your hands, mix until it forms a soft dough.

4. Divide dough in half. Add peppermint extract to one half. Knead it into the dough until well-incorporated. Add a tablespoon of flour if dough is too sticky.

5. Add red food coloring to the other half. Start with 4 drops of food coloring, and add more until you get a nice, deep pink color. Add a tablespoon or two of additional flour if the dough is too sticky.

6. Pinch off a teaspoon of pink dough and a teaspoon of white dough. Stick together and form a ball. Important: Don't knead them together, or the dough will all turn pink. You want a nice candy cane stripe.

7. Place balls 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned on the bottom.

8. Remove from oven and immediately press a Hershey kiss in the middle of each cookie.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

2011-12-19T14:45:00.003-06:00

I went on a baking jag this weekend. There were lots of cookies made. Massive amounts of butter, flour, sugar and shortening were used. And I'm not done. There's something about the holidays that brings out my urge to bake and give sweets to all I meet.

Indulge, I say . . . for the resolutions of the New Year are closing in fast. And if you're like me, the same resolution of years past will rear it's head on January 1: Work Out Everyday (and yes, yoga counts). But for now, indulge.

I stumbled upon this recipe last week while trolling the Internet for baking inspiration . . . in fact I think this inspiration may have come from Pinterest. The first thing I noticed about this recipe was, other than how yummy the cookies looked, the sheer number of cookies per batch.

A full batch makes 80 cookies. Uh, what? I was slightly intimidated by that number so I halved the recipe. This is the perfect recipe if you have a lot of people you want to give cookies to . . . or you REALLY like peanut butter. Either way, you can't really go wrong with this classic cookie, just make sure you have some milk on hand because there's nothing worse than eating cookies without a nice tall cold glass of milk to wash everything down.

Peanut Butter Blossoms (original recipe found at My Baking Addiction)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 eggs
1/8 cup milk
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white sugar for decoration
milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, cream together shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, and 1 cup white sugar until smooth. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating until fully incorporated. Mix in milk and vanilla.

3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the peanut butter mixture until well blended.

4. Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into balls, and roll in remaining white sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to12 minutes. Remove from oven, and immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie. Allow to cool completely; the kiss will harden as it cools.

A List of Ten: The Cookie Scoop

2011-12-19T11:16:00.000-06:00

1. This is a Red Wilton Cookie Scoop. I had to have it

2. It was an impulse buy at the grocery store this weekend, I saw it while loading up on flour and sugar.

3. Cookie scoop = uniformed cookies.

4. The cookie scoop reduced the number of dirty spoons I had to wash.

5. I've wanted a cookie scoop for a long time.

6. This cookie scoop is what I think of as a rounded tablespoon. I want a smaller one to make "bite-size" cookies like Artisan's Oven - their cookies are a perfect accompaniment for tea or coffee. If you're ever in Springfield, MO you've got to check them out. You won't be disappointed.

7. During my last batch of cookie making, my cookie scoop began to fail.

8. The last batch of cookies had chocolate chips, pecans and dried cranberries in them. They made lumpy dough. The rest of the cookies I made had smooth dough.

9. I like lumpy cookie dough - I don't, however, like lumpy mashed potatoes.

10. I still want a cookie scoop. A non-plastic, guaranteed to last longer than 48 hours cookie scoop.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary & Garlic

2011-12-14T06:50:00.006-06:00

I'm convinced Paula Deen is some kind of Wizard. Really and truly. Her secrets weapons are butter, butter . . . and, well, butter. Strangely this recipe has no butter. Must be an apparition. But what it lacks in butter it makes up for in FLAVOR.

Yes, flavor did need to be unnecessarily capitalized. At least I didn't bold it too.

Small potatoes, big impact.

I love these potatoes because other than being scrumptious, they're a snap to make. Anything I can more or less throw in the oven and forget about gets a gold star in my book.

They also make your house smell divine as they cook. What more could a gal ask for?

Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary & Garlic (original recipe found here)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds small new red potatoes (about 15), scrubbed and dried

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Pare a narrow strip of peel from the middle of each potato.

3. In a large bowl mix the oil, garlic, and rosemary; add the potatoes and toss well.

4. Transfer the potatoes to a shallow baking pan, sprinkle with salt and roast until potatoes are tender when tested with the tip of a knife.

***side note - I found these potatoes to be a bit garlic-y . . . and I love garlic. I think the next time I make these I might cut the amount of garlic in half.

Things I Covet: Glittens

2011-12-13T07:11:00.001-06:00

I think I'm in love. First of all grey is quickly becoming one of my new favorite colors (car, scarves, handbags and shoes - oh, my!), but the added the splash of color hidden under the mitten - shazzam - Kate Spade has done it again. These Glittens (gloves + mittens) bring a smile to my face and remind me of the innocence of winter's past when all I could hope for was white flakes falling from the sky.

These might be my Christmas gift to myself . . . something my inner child would like, so on those days when I have to get out and drive in the snow and ice I'll still have something to smile about.

Gobble, Gobble!!!!

2011-11-24T09:19:00.001-06:00

Wishing you and yours a tasty and Happy Thanksgiving! I might be a little too excited to consume copious amounts of The Gravy.

Would it be wrong to put it in a mug and slurp it through a straw?

Peace, Love & Gravy . . . er, Turkey.

Things I Covet: Nerd Alert

2011-11-16T09:20:00.000-06:00

I'm not a big fan of perfume - it would be fair to say I hate it. It makes me sneeze. My eyes water - I tend to look like someone hit me in the face. It's bad. And not all together attractive.

All that being said, I think I may have to order some of this:

Perfume that smells like my favorite place on earth - uh, what?

Read the blurb from Shelf Awareness about "In the Library" - The most popular scent in perfumer Christopher Brosius's "I Hate Perfume" collection is "In the Library," which smells like old, dusty books. "My work is really about things that really do smell wonderful, but don't have a lot of the properties that commercial perfumes do," he said. NPR's All Things Considered noted that Brosius "blends and bottles all of his scents by hand in his workshops. The process may be labor-intensive, but it allows him to create singular scents that can't be mass-produced."

I need a bottle of this - stat. Not sure what it says about me that I want to smell like old books; now if Brosius made a perfume that smelled like a freshly sharpened Mirado Classic #2 pencil . . . swoon.

Things I Covet: Sexy Beast

2011-11-12T16:15:00.000-06:00

This mixer right here . . . this mixer is a sexy beast of a machine. It's the Ferrari 308 GTS of kitchen appliances (FYI - a Ferrari 308 GTS is the car Tom Selleck drove in Magnum PI).

Nail polish finish. Candy apple red (yowza!). Traffic stopping. Beautiful glass bowl.

I swoon.

Me thinks I need this mixer. It would bring me endless amounts of joy.

And cookies.

There would be lots and lots of cookies.

Wanderlust

2011-11-04T10:19:00.000-05:00

wan·der·lust (noun)A strong desire to travel.

Example: "I am a woman consumed by wanderlust."

I'm itching to travel and experience other cultures.

To get lost in a cacophony of strange languages & fumble with strange currency.

To LIVE.

I have a bit of trivia for you.

Did you know you could fly to Europe for less than you can fly to D.C.?

It's true.

I swear on my pocket sized German dictionary.

Now if you'll excuse me . . .

I am going to go price stalk Lufthansa, KLM and Air France flights.

Edna Mae's Doctored Up Applesauce

2011-11-02T07:30:00.016-05:00

My glorious grandmother, aka Edna Mae, makes the world's best cheater applesauce.

Only, you wouldn't know it was cheater applesauce.

Unless you do like I do, and ask for the recipe.

To which Edna Mae laughs in an oh, so particular way.

A way letting you know that the "recipe", isn't really a recipe.

But more of a cooking gesture.

Edna Mae's Doctored Up Applesauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

cinnamon

nutmeg

46 ounce jar of natural, unsweetened applesauce (I ♥ Musslemans)

Directions:

1. Dump the jar of applesauce into a pan.

2. Slowly heat, adding the brown sugar and the cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.

3. After the applesauce is warm, remove from heat. When it's completely cool add a teaspoon of lemon juice, stirring well.

4. Dump it back into the jar you bought it in and stash in the fridge to devour later.

Etsy Finds

2011-10-31T13:52:00.001-05:00

My habitual surfing of Etsy.com is well . . . habitual. Everyday it's different and there are always so many fantabulous things to see and want to purchase. It's better than sliced bread.

Words. Fail. Me. I love this light fixture . . . it's just so, so VINTAGE! I'm telling you I was born in the wrong decade and probably the wrong country. Sweden, 1960? Sign me up.

If I had my way all my shekels would be spent purchasing mid-century modern things until my home looked like it fell out of 1962. This of course will never happen; pesky things those bills. But for now I will visit dejavulongbeach's shop and stare at this wondrous creation from the1960s.

'Nuf said. This will be mine. Want your own? Check out PamelaFugateDesigns.

Happy Halloween!!!!

2011-10-31T10:30:00.000-05:00

I hope you have a frightfully fun Halloween my little ghouls! Carve a pumpkin, eat some candy, watch a scary movie or two . . . but most of all make those Trick or Treaters tell a joke or do a trick to get their candy.

Trust me, there's nothing better than listening to a five year old make up a joke on the spot.

ps - are you diggin' my red overalls circa 1986ish?

In Case You Missed It . . .

2011-10-28T09:07:00.000-05:00

pssst - you can watch Freese's walk off homerun here . . . Game 7, here we come!!!!!!!

Scarves!

2011-10-25T09:06:00.000-05:00

This video was featured over on The College Prepster yesterday and I just adore it! As a person who has a lot (really, it's kind of a problem) of scarves I'm always looking for fun new ways to tie / wear them. After watching this clip I have several ideas - not to mention the video is totally fun; very Brady Bunch-esque.

Happy scarf tying!

Andy Says Goodbye

2011-10-03T09:23:00.000-05:00

My inner 80 year old has a case of the blues. Last night Andy Rooney retired. Sort of. Okay, not really. But he really kinda did. Mr. Rooney gave is last "regular" 60 Minutes segment.

But he's not retired, because "writer's don't retire." By all accounts Mr. Rooney is nothing more than an eccentric, disheveled, curmudgeon of an old man (92 and still working!) - - and I love him for it (even though I may not always agree with what he says). I think my particular attachment to Mr. Rooney started as a child; like knee-high to a grasshopper child. Sunday's followed this pattern growing up:

Mema and Great Aunt Helen would come over (Dad would pick up Mema, and Helen would come over after an afternoon on the links if the weather was good), depending on the time of year there would be a roast in the oven or ribs on the grill, whatever major televised tennis or golf tournament would be on, drinks would be served, dinner eaten, 60 Minutes watched, followed by Murder She Wrote (I also adore Angela Lansbury - but that's a different post all together).

See, Andy and I go way back. I was probably the only kid in grade school who could tell you who Andy Rooney was. I also though my kindergarten teacher was married to Peter Jennings . . . I think I baffled poor Mrs. Jennings with that particular question. *shrugs*

Anyway - Mr. Rooney if I ever have the pleasure of seeing you in person I promise not to bother you while you're eating or ask for your autograph . . . but I might ask for a picture with you, because face it, you're kind of a rock star.

Show Stealers

2011-09-20T09:22:00.002-05:00

I watched the season premier of Two and a Half Men out of some perverse need to see how exactly they would work out Ashton replacing Charlie . . . Rose killed Charlie (okay technically he "fell" in front of an oncoming metro train) after they ran off to Paris together and Charlie resumed his womanizing ways; fast forward to a quasi-suicidal Ashton purchases Charlie's house, Alan et al, after a night of Charlie-esque debaucherous fun. At least they didn't pull the whole "Darrin Switchero" from Bewitched . . .

All of the above is really moot because Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson, reprising their roles of Dharma and Greg, stole the show with this scene:

Bravo, Mr. Lorre on bringing back Dharma & Greg even if for just a brief moment in time; they were seriously the best part of the whole episode.

There's a Ghost in My Pie

2011-09-01T09:28:00.000-05:00

Okay, so it's not so much a pie as it is strawberries and whip cream in a cute little bowl. But saying there's a a ghost in my bowl of strawberries doesn't have the same ring. Trust me, I took a poll.

Yesterday was my birthday (just in case the candle wasn't enough of a hint . . . though I guess it could be some eccentricity of mine that I demand birthday candles on everything I eat) and we went out for breakfast/lunch. A new discovery has been made within close proximity to my office - The Original Pancake House - or as it should be known, Mecca for Breakfast.

Anywho - our waitress found out it was my birthday and since they're a pancake house there was no cake, but yummy strawberries with whip cream . . . and a ghost.

Maybe it's a solar flare? An odd flame/camera reaction?

Nope.

I like to think I had a little extra company while enjoying my breakfast/lunch and dessert. After all, Halloween is just around the corner . . .

Asparagus, Mint & Lemon Risotto

2011-08-17T10:10:00.000-05:00

I had this dish for the first time over a year ago when I was visiting family in Germany. We were there during Spargel season. If you haven't experienced Spargel season - well, you just haven't lived. For some clarification, Spargel is the German word for asparagus . . . specifically Spargel season refers to white asparagus. And when I say it's everywhere, I mean it literally. And when I say everyone we visited wanted us to eat Spargel, I'm not lying. We drove about an hour or so outside of the city in Schweinfurt to the country to eat Spargel river side. Spargel is a big deal. Huge. Really, it's GINORMOUS!

Traditionally, Spargel is boiled - with potatoes, I believe, and then served on a large platter. A serving size is a pound. Yes, I said a pound. It's a lot. Then you top it with Hollandaise sauce, and eat it with a side of protein. Not to mention there's potatoes and Spargel Soup if you want it (I didn't - I think it's basically the broth that the Spargel was cooked in).

Spargel is king.

I've never been so happy in my life to see green asparagus as I was when my cousin served this risotto along side the traditional Spargel meal. Green asparagus has a different consistency than Spargel; I missed the crunch. I was expecting the risotto to seem heavy, but nothing could be further from the truth. It's light and summery; the lemon and mint remind the world that it's okay to take some time and relax and enjoy the meal.

I made this for a dinner party I had a few weeks back. It was my first time cooking risotto from scratch by myself. I have a vivid memory of stirring risotto in Auntie Mame's kitchen in Bellingham for . . . a birthday or post-wedding celebration, not sure which. FYI - risotto is a lot of work. Totally worth it, but a lot of work.

Asparagus, Mint & Lemon Risotto (originally found at JamieOliver.com)

Ingredients:

2 bunches of asparagus, woody ends removed and discarded

1 x basic risotto recipe (found here)

1-1⁄4 pints hot vegetable or chicken stock

7 tablespoons butter

1–2 handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus a block for grating

Fresh mint, leaves picked and finely chopped

Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Finely chop your asparagus stalks into tiny discs, keeping the tips whole.

2. Make your basic risotto recipe.

3. Then put a large saucepan on a medium to high heat and pour in half the stock, followed by all your risotto base and the finely sliced asparagus stalks and the tips.

4. Stirring all the time, gently bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer until almost all the stock has been absorbed. Add the rest of the stock a ladleful at a time until the rice and asparagus are cooked. You might not need all your stock.

5. Be careful not to overcook the rice – check it throughout cooking to make sure it’s a pleasure to eat. It should hold its shape but be soft, creamy and oozy, and the overall texture should be slightly looser than you think you want it.

6. Turn off the heat, beat in your butter and Parmesan, mint, almost all the lemon zest and all the juice. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

8. Put a lid on the pan and leave the risotto to rest for a minute.

9. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a scattering of lemon zest and a block of Parmesan on the table.

Note: looking back over the recipe now I realize I probably didn't follow it to the letter of the law. I halved the recipe first off . . . and I threw my asparagus in at the last minute, but I like asparagus with a bit of crunch to it, which is so much better than mushy. Basically if the recipe is more or less followed I think it will turn out - after all cooking is all about having fun.

Asparagus in Blankets

2011-08-11T10:03:00.000-05:00

So a few weekends ago I decided to break in my new place and have my first official dinner party. It was going to be epic - I had everything planned and dinner would go off without a hitch. And then Murphy's Law kicked in. My grand plans to make a peach galette with Frenchy sort of folded in on itself and we made something more akin to a peach pie. The risotto took a lot longer to make than expected. To top the whole thing off the grill wouldn't start so I had to switch gears at the last minute. Not to mention I put my guests to work chopping, slicing, and grating things . . . they volunteered their help (sort of) and I feel kind of bad about making them work so hard for their supper. I promise to be more organized next time.

All I can say is thank goodness Mr & Mrs BC not only brought an appetizer, but they brought this particular appetizer. First off these little rounds of doughy goodness are heavenly delicious (seriously what's not to like) but they helped keep us from resorting to cannibalism as dinner slowly made its way to the table. This recipe could also double as a dinner recipe (which it will sooner or later in Casa de Thummprints) with the simple addition of some protein and a side salad. Trust me, these are totally worth making, especially now with tomatoes and asparagus in season.

Asparagus in Blankets (originally found here)

Ingredients :

1/2 pound uncooked, chilled pizza dough (from a pizzeria or supermarket)

8 to12 asparagus stalks, trimmed and cooked*

1 small tomato, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

2 ounces cheddar or mozzarella cheese, sliced

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface with lightly floured hands, flatten the 4 pieces of dough to about 1/4 inch thick, approximately 2 by 5 inches. Make 4 bundles of asparagus, 2 or 3 stalks to a bundle. Cut them in half crosswise. (You'll have 4 to 6 pieces per bundle.)

2. Lay each asparagus bundle along one side of a piece of dough. Cover asparagus with a tomato slice, then layer cheese over it. Roll dough, starting with side closest to fillings, to form the blanket, ending seam side down.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil lightly coated with olive oil. Let blankets sit on baking sheet about 15 minutes, or until they're room temperature.

4. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

*How to cook it: Boil asparagus in salted water until the stalks are just tender, about 4 minutes, then chill them.

Things I Love: My Precious

2011-08-02T09:36:00.001-05:00

So I finally broke down and purchased a piece of Le Creuset a little over a week ago. After debating what color I wanted, it came down to this: I wanted one, and I wanted to walk out of the store with it. I had a serious case of the "Gimmies" and I wasn't going to be stopped.

I went into Sur La Table on a mission and a short while later I walked out with my precious. Flame won out the toughest decision simply because it was in stock, it's the original, it has a vintage feel to it and it's orange (in case you didn't know, I love orange; it is me; I am it; we are one).

Now if you'll excuse me I need to go and gaze at my precious I will name him George, and I will hug him, and pet him, and squeeze him, and pat him, and pet him, and...

This German Girl's Kitchen Staple

2011-07-28T08:51:00.000-05:00

I love this stuff. Words cannot express how much I really and truly love Altmeister Seasoned Vinegar. It used to be this stuff was insanely difficult to find, and I can remember when I was younger that if anyone in the Thummprints crew stumbled upon it somewhere multiple bottles would be purchased. Now it's a little easier to find, either at the global food market or the neighborhood grocery; though I must admit that I sometimes have to suppress the urge buy multiple bottles and hoard them away like a squirrel does walnuts.

It gets used a lot in all of the different Thummprints homes - for everything from marinading flank steaks to dressing up sliced tomatoes.

Marinade for Flank Steak

Ingredients:

Altmeister Seasoned Vinegar

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Shallots

Flank Steak

Directions:

1. Lightly score flank steak and then place steak into a Ziploc bag.

2. Drizzle in some olive oil and then some vinegar, toss in some shallots and BAM! you're done. (Making a marinade, at least in my home, is all about eyeballing it. I'm sure there's a ration involved - but I just keep adding until it looks right.)

3. Let marinade for at least an hour (the longer the better). Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper before grilling to your preferred level of done-ness (well, medium well, medium rare, rare).

Dressed Up Tomatoes

Ingredients:

Altmeister Seasoned Vinegar

Olive Oil

Ground Pepper

Maggi Wurze (another Thummprints household staple) or Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:

1. Get a little Tupperware container (or a bottle that you mix salad dressing in) with a tight lid. This recipe is all about shaking things up.

2. Reader's choice: you can peel your tomatoes and then slice them, or just slice away at them. They're better without the skin - but I find the whole process of peeling a tomato tedious (but worth the reward). However you slice them make sure the end up in a wide bottom bowl (you want the tomatoes to lie as flat as they can).

3. Pour a little olive oil into your Tupperware container, add some Altmeisters, ground pepper and a two dashes of Wurze (or Worcestershire sauce). Cover with tight lid and shake the heck out of it, until everything is blended.

4. Drizzle over sliced tomatoes - there shouldn't be enough dressing to cover the tomatoes because you still want them to taste like tomatoes . . . just more fancy.

Naked Delight

2011-07-26T10:07:00.002-05:00

How's that for a title? Has everyone out there enjoyed a Naked 100% juice smoothie? If not, I have no idea what you're waiting for. They're fantastic. Beyond fantastic; basically they're "to fantastic and beyond!"

I must admit I do have my favorites, and if I were more brave I'd try some of the ones that make me a little squirmy. I've always been a "try something once" kinda gal when if comes to new food experiences . . . but if I'm honest sometimes it takes quite the wind up for me to succumb and try it. I'd really like to say that I've tried ALL the different smoothies put out by Naked, but there's a HUGE hitch in my plan and it goes by the name Green Machine.

I really think my whole "fear" of this smoothie has everything to do with its color and the scene from the 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair where Catherine Banning pours a green smoothie out of a bottle and it's lumpy. I think it scarred me for life. *shudders* Rationally I know Green Machine will not be lumpy and that more than likely it will be wonderful . . . and yet. One of these days I'll get over it and enjoy all that it has to offer. Just not today. Or tomorrow.

The only thing that Naked doesnt' have going for it is the price per bottle. They're not exactly cheap. It's been on sale as of late at my local grocer - so I've been indulging. It's summer. It's hotter than hot - so cold perfectly blended fruit juice smoothies hit the spot.

I should probably go ahead and make me own smoothies . . . but that would require me to get a better handle on my morning routine. Maybe I'll give it a whirl after I get some pointers from my good buddy Marenarunner about all the different smoothies she makes over on Meredith Eats Weird Stuff. I'm very interested in the coffee/chocolate/banana smoothie she ends the post with. I ♥ me some coffee.

ps - eventually there will be an actual food/recipe post. I'm still getting used to my new kitchen and my lack of natural light (unless I go out on the balcony). My photos have been a little . . . off, but I think I've got it figured out.

Bruschetta ala Julie & Julia

2011-07-25T11:46:00.001-05:00

If you've seen Julie & Julia you know all about the above scene, and more than likely it sparked a need to not only have bruschetta but specifically the bruschetta featured in the movie. It looks mouthwateringly good - not to mention fresh and light. The perfect thing for those of us in United States who are trapped under the "heat dome."

It is oppressively, horribly, sickeningly and outrageously hot outside. The heat index has been in triple digits for days. My air conditioner has been running a lot; this month's bill will be a hard pill to swallow.

It's so hot I can't bear the thought of cooking a hot meal after I get home from work. Heating up the house just to eat seems unnecessary and cruel. My grill has been dormant for days and will remain so until Mother Nature's fever breaks; honestly the thought of grilling in this weather makes me want to weep.

Enter my need for food that doesn't require me to slave over a stove (or grill) all the while heating up my humble abode.

After scouring the web for the "perfect" Julie & Julia bruschetta I stumbled upon an article over at The Atlantic about how to make the bruschetta featured in the movie. My heart sang. Let me tell you - it's as every bit as delicious as the picture makes it out to be. It's juicy, messy, tangy, fresh, crunchy and lovey. It's really the perfect summer meal or appetizer. If you love tomatoes you will absolutely die when you eat this. Trust me. As a former tomato hater (remind me to tell you the story about me, a tomato, and my highchair) this is one fantastic dish.

Bruschetta ala Julie & Juliet (originally found at The Atlantic)

Ingredients:

1 Red heirloom tomato
1 Yellow heirloom tomato
Plenty of fresh basil
Salt
Fresh ground pepper
Garlic clove, peeled
Bread; a rustic loaf with a stretchy, hole-y interior and a crisp crust
Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Cut the tomatoes into chunks, tear basil leaves into medium-small pieces (plenty!), and toss with olive oil. Let marinate for a while, and season with salt and pepper. Only use salt about 1/2 hour before using, as it will make the tomatoes release their juices, which you want, but not too much!

2. Heat olive oil in a skillet and fry the bread, or grill or toast it in a hot oven (400 F). Either way, try to get it crunchy on the outside while retaining some softness in the center.

3. Then rub it lightly or heavily, as you wish, with a whole garlic clove (the garlic will disintegrate into the bread since the coarse bread will act like a grater) and drizzle with the best extra-virgin olive oil (ONLY if you haven't fried it) and sprinkle with good sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

4. Spoon tomatoes over bread (I usually drain the tomatoes in a mesh strainer to reduce the amount of juice, just my personal preference). If the bread is really crunchy, let the tomatoes sit for a few minutes before serving to soften the bread.

The Tale of LindaG and the Wrong Bookcase

2011-07-18T09:46:00.001-05:00

I think this all started because I was in a bad mood. Grumpy. Stressed out. A real Debbie Downer. I'm not really sure what sparked my grump-fest, but I doubt it had much to do with trying to figure out where I wanted to hang some pictures. My lovely, lovely mother was over and other than riding out my mood, she was trying to help me get some things done before she flies off and joins my father out in B-Ham for the rest of the horribly hot summer (here, not there). When it became apparent there would be no hanging of pictures, the subject turned to my stacks (and stacks, and stacks) of books . . . I needed yet another bookcase.

Seriously - it's an issue. I probably should have turned my second bedroom into a library and not a guest room. Who needs guests anyway?

So off we went to Weekends Only (a furniture outlet store) to see if we could by chance purchase a twin to the bookcase I'd purchased there earlier this summer. Somewhere around 45 minutes later (there was a lot of calling around and grumbling by the sales guy that waited on us) we had our answer: the only store in The Lou that had the bookcase I wanted was in Fairview Heights . . . Illinois. So against our better judgment, and racing the clock, we piled into my mother's car and set out across the river. You know, just a typical Sunday
evening drive.

Forty minutes and 34 miles later we were watching the crew in the loading bay open up the box so we could inspect the bookcase before we hauled it home. When it was unveiled my mother, quicker at blurting things out, announced "That's oak . . . it's the wrong shelf." There was some scrambling around, a quick look out on the showroom floor and a check of the computer told us that they only had the floor model (but they had it). My mother and I checked it over and deemed the bookcase in not that great of a condition - the front was pulling away from the sides (biggest concern) and there were some scratches.

Then the bargaining began.

Note: retail businesses aren't good with the idea of haggling. They have a buyer. A captive one. One that really wanted to leave with a bookcase. I gave my terms. It wasn't worth what they were asking - not in the condition it was in. They wanted me to pay the full price and then give me a $30 gift card. Ah, what? No deal. The long and the short of it is I left without a bookcase.

Then, mainly because it was dinner time, and possibly so the whole adventure wasn't a waste of time, LindaG and I had dinner at Casa Gallardo . . . and the saving grace of the whole night was the Avocado Ranch Dressing that came with the Ensalada de Casa. Seriously if you live in The Lou - go and have a salad at Casa, you'll love it! I also recommend the Chunky Chicken Quesadilla Platter.

After dinner we zipped back to The Lou - purposely going by Busch Stadium in the hopes of catching a few notes from the U2 concert; again no dice.

All in all our Sunday night was a bit of a misadventure and as my mother took the turn into my parking lot she said, "You know, we could've spent all that time in the pool."

Moving Announcement

2011-07-12T10:47:00.000-05:00

So - I moved a bit ago (like a few months) and I picked this cute key announcement to, well announce, that I've moved. I love the skeleton key (I used to collect them when I was younger - I have no idea why), but I especially love the fact that not only does this post card have my address, but I can include my phone number, website and email. Genius!

If you like what you see and you're moving sometime in the near future, or you just want to see what else you can find in Snap Pea Imaging & Design's Etsy.com shop, click here.

Star-Spangled Fruit Tart

2011-07-01T09:29:00.001-05:00

My coworkers don't have to twist my arm too hard to get me to bake something and bring it in. Usually it's centered around a holiday (just like the Cinco de Mayo Cupcakes) and this time was no exception, 4th of July is right around the corner you know. Like Monday. Can I just ask - what happened to May and June?

My co-workers really, really, really LOVED this tart, as denoted by the "mmmmm" sounds and the marriage proposal I got. Noreen and Stephanapolis really liked the almondiness of the cream cheese . . . not sure I'm completely sold. I like almonds but for some reason the almond flavor in this reminded me of marzipan - you know the strange German candy that is shaped into fruits, pigs and whatever else you can think of. It is not my favorite. It gives me goosebumps, and not in a good way.

If you're looking for something light and delicious that will sure be a crowd pleaser this weekend, I highly recommend this. You'll bowl people over, not only with the taste but with the presentation (I mean, ain't she a beaut?). It's a snap to make; once you're finished arranging the berries how you want, just pop it in the fridge and forget about it until it's time to serve.

Star-Spangled Fruit Tart (originally found at Taste of Home)

Ingredients:

1 tube (18 ounces) refrigerated sugar cookie dough, softened

1 package (8 ounces) Neufchatel cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup halved fresh strawberries (I had to quarter some of mine)

Directions:

1. Press cookie dough onto an ungreased 12-in. pizza pan (I used a tart pan and it worked wonderfully).

2. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

3. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and extract until smooth. Spread over crust.

4. In center of tart, arrange berries in the shape of a star; add a berry border. Refrigerate until serving.

Things I Love: Summer Edition

2011-06-27T14:24:00.000-05:00

It's a perfectly raining day in the neighborhood . . . but that wouldn't keep me from talking about some of my favorite summer things. Some new, some old - but all rank at the top of my summer fun list.

Repeat after me: Bath & Body Works annual summer sale is dangerous. Great bargains were there for the taking. So I partook in the taking. One of my favorite things that I snagged was this lovely lemon concoction - Summer Vanillas: Lemon. It smells like vanilla/lemon pound cake. It's not overpowering and as far as lotions go (remember I'm crazy picky about lotion) it's not bad. I also picked up the body splash in this same scent. I smell fresh and lemony - perfect for summer.

I am behind in my reading. It's one of my favorite things to do in the world - curl up with a good book and just get utterly lost in the characters and plot for an hour or a day. I'm finally getting around to reading Kim Harrison's latest Pale Demon - I remembered it was on my shelf after watching Disney's Tinkerbell and the Great Faerie Rescue - sad, but true. I will also be finishing The Help in time to go to the theater with my mother. To me summer is all about reading brain candy - and while, for the most part, I don't read trashy romance novels I read plenty of things that are just good old fashioned fun. I can't wait! Oh - and any of you out there have a recommendation for a good book, please let me know.

First let me say this: I have a thing for pineapples. They're cute in that whole "if you pick me up wrong I could hurt you" kind of way. I only have a few pineapple things, because really it's so easy to overdo when collecting. I picked up these wonderfully summery sandals at Target at the beginning of the summer and was stoked to wear them that first day. The thing I love the most about these is that they look like they could have been very expensive, purchased on a tropical resort somewhere. They are really the perfect summer shoe - classic design with something unexpected. I get complements every time I wear them. ♥

I love pudding. A lot. I'm not sure there's anything better than enjoying a pudding cup at then end of the day. Curling up on the couch and spending a few minutes indulging in chocolaty goodness. Especially now. Have you tried Jello Temptations? OMG. They're wunderbar! Now they contain more calories than the normal sugar free pudding I eat . . . and they're more expensive, but totally worth it in the "I want to spoil myself" category. I've tried the Double Chocolate Pie and French Silk Pie varieties. Yum!

Now, as much as I love reading (I am after all, a word nerd) there's something special about summertime TV. The nice thing about these shows is that they are on later (and even if they weren't there's always the trusty DVR) so I can still play outside, hit the gym, cook dinner, read, paint, etc BEFORE I curl up on the couch with a glass of milk (or wine, depending on the day I've had) and watch my summer favorites.

Take Your Dog to Work Day

2011-06-24T16:30:00.003-05:00

This is Milton. He's a 6 pound ball of fluff, also known as a Pomeranian. His bark sounds like a squeaky toy. He was very excited to be at work this afternoon. He made lots of new friends.

He belongs to Noreen.

I think I might steal him and bring him home with me . . .

Yummy Garlic-Butter Mushrooms

2011-06-24T10:56:00.000-05:00

Before I came across this recipe I pretty much had one way that make mushrooms - sauteed in butter with Italian seasoning then simmered in red wine. It is a recipe my father managed to get from the chef at some steak house in Poplar Bluff, MO - I think, or it could have been somewhere else entirely. All I know is he was out of town on a business trip and he came home with a recipe for red wine mushrooms. Not my best story, I know.

I made these lovelies to go with pork chops, wilted lettuce and grilled corn - I had my folks over for dinner (which is really a weekly tradition when they're in town). Apparently they're French mushrooms. I think the French have the market on anything that involves butter. Just saying. And I don't know if these are anything like the mushrooms from Julia Child's cookbook . . . I should pull my copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking down off the shelf and investigate.

ps - I crowd the mushrooms.

Mushrooms Sauteed with Garlic Butter (original recipe found here)

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons unsalted Butter
1 Tablespoon garlic; finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 lbs small white mushrooms; wiped clean and sliced in half
2 Tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley; chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a lidded saute pan or skillet over low heat. Add garlic, salt and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add mushrooms and toss with garlic butter to coat.

3. Cover pan and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, and making sure garlic doesn't burn (if necessary, reduce heat to very low).

4. Just before serving, toss mushrooms with parsley.

Summer Spinach Salad

2011-06-21T07:38:00.000-05:00

Some weeks ago The Lady from Dallas was in town and I met her, her husband, her lovely mother and the Thumprints crew for dinner at a local restaurant - Wild Horse Grill one evening after work. Dinner was lovely - the company even more so.

The best part of my dinner (and really it was all great) was the Side Spinach Salad - a glorious compilation of baby spinach, strawberries, glazed walnuts and Borsin cheese crumbles tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette. I liked the salad so much that I decided I would make it one night to go with a wonderful summer dinner.

Only it wasn't quite the same.

Why is that? Whenever I try and mimic something I had at a restaurant I can't quite get it to come out the right.

It was still a delightful salad, but it was missing something . . . though I must admit that I didn't use a balsamic vinaigrette, I used a Greek vinaigrette. I blame the derivation for the lack of sameness, something I will remedy when I make this again.

In Less Than Two Months . . .

2011-06-13T07:51:00.000-05:00

I will be heading to Des Moines to visit Marenarunner - a buddy from college that I haven't seen since spring 2005 - and she's taking me to the Iowa State Fair. I love fairs. Especially the bovine creatures - but that is a topic best explored later. Possibly with the aid of shadow puppets.

To say I'm excited to head up to Iowa would be a gross understatement of the feeling of sheer exuberance that takes hold when I think about the caffeine fueled awesomeness that will consume one weekend in August. I'd like to think of it as a mini version of our trip to Europe - but with more coffee and fewer creepy guys with thick accents trying to pick us up late a night on the streets of Brussels . . . or was that Paris?

Counting Down the Days,
Thummprints

Edna Mae's Rhubarb Pie

2011-06-06T12:47:00.000-05:00

Today it's one of my favorite pies, I literally salivate at the mere mention rhubarb, but when I was a wee little thing and my G'Ma would make pies (that's multiple folks) at family gatherings - and we have a small family - I wouldn't eat rhubarb pie for anything. No way, no how. Why? I thought it was celery pie. My hand to all that is holy, I thought my family was eating celery pie. In my defense the rhubarb that my G'Pa grew was more green than red and let's face it, rhubarb is vaguely celery shaped.

The days of thinking there's celery pie being eaten are long gone, in fact - on most occasions I'll arm wrestle someone for the last slice of rhubarb pie. And when I win I immediately put my slice in a bowl and drown it in milk. Yes, I said milk. This quirk of mine developed for three reasons:

1. I am a milk fiend.

2. Milk is healthier for you than ice cream.

3. Drowning pie in milk insures no one else will eat it, thus it is MINE, ALL MINE!

So really while the first two things are true, the whole thing developed because of the third thing - it is my one and only move to safely secure one of the last pieces of pie. There are two things where gorilla warfare must be deployed while visiting my grandparents - pie and gravy. Most fruit pies are covered by the milk clause (there is no hope for refrigerator, creme, or strawberry pies . . . ) and gravy is covered by building a moat with mashed potatoes - but I'll cover that some other time.

Edna Mae's Rhubarb Pie

Ingredients:

3 cups Rhubarb

1 cup sugar

½ teaspoon grated orange peel

3 Tablespoons flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.

2. Combine all ingredients in bowl - mix until rhubarb is evenly coated.

3. Fill 9” pastry lined pie pan; dot with 1-2 Tablespoons butter.

4. Add top crust.

5. Bake at 450 F for 10 minutes then lower the temperature to 350 F for about 30 minutes.

**NOTE: If rhubarb is green, add a few drop red food coloring when mixing together ingredients.

A List of Ten

2011-05-30T21:52:00.002-05:00

1. I want a Menu Wasserkraffe (which sounds better than water jug) - and I want it more than I want coffee in the morning.

2. I slept most of my three day weekend away. I've been battling an ear infection . . . I seem to have a natural knack for getting sick on work-sanctioned three day weekends. Fail.

3. I made my first official trip to Soulard Market on Saturday (while apparently running a slight fever) and scored asparagus, tomatoes, apples, and green leaf lettuce for under $11.00 - and I will be going back next weekend to see what lovelies I can bring home and eat.

4. Greek Fest was this weekend - I went. I have leftovers. Be jealous.

5. Applying for things can be tedious . . . but hopefully very rewarding in the end.

6. I made Wilted Lettuce for dinner tonight; this is the second official sign that summer is here. The first is making strawberry preserves. Both were done this weekend.

7. I'm sitting here on my couch watching Law & Order: LA as I type . . . um they killed off Winters weeks ago. Out of order much, NBC? ps - can't decide if T.J. looks better with the 'stache or without it. Thoughts?

8. I have a lot of books to read this summer - I've been collecting faster than I'm reading.

9. Latest addiction: Pinterest. Seriously, check it out. You'll get hooked.

10. I watched Special When Lit last night on Hulu .com . . . it's a documentary about pinball machines. I own a pinball machine. Just one pinball machine. I have no desire to collect them. Remember those three things.

Kuhn Rikon = My Kitchen Style

2011-05-25T09:24:00.001-05:00

If you know me you know I'm a sucker for cute kitchen accessories. Specifically things that are functional and funky - like the newest addition to my kitchen, which was found on an after work shopping excursion with Stephanapolis to heaven on Earth; in this case it means HomeGoods & Marhsalls.

Shamoo here is a Kuhn Rikon safety can opener . . . I have yet to use him because I don't have any cans in my kitchen that need opening; which probably has something to do with the lack of food in my kitchen. This is what happens when you move - there is no food. I'm desperately trying to make it through the week and then I will hit up the grocery store and Costco - spend a million, trillion dollars and finally have a somewhat stocked kitchen and fridge.

Moving sucks (even though it's exciting) - I recommend having a minion to help with the packing, the schlepping and then, finally, the unpacking (which I swear takes the longest of all three).

Still Unpacking Boxes,
Thummprints

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2011-05-20T11:30:00.000-05:00

A special Happy Birthday to my mother, LindaG - you look younger than ever and I can't wait to celebrate your day with you.

ps - I made you something yummy. ♥

Things I Covet: A Tough Decision

2011-05-17T09:18:00.000-05:00

Recently I made up my mind that I was going to spring for a Le Creuset French Oven. Anyone who spends any amount of time in the kitchen slaving over a stove, has seen Julie/Julia (hello boeuf bourguignon ), or has been over to The Pioneer Woman knows what Le Creuset is.

And I want one; specifically a 7.25 quart round French oven. In Kiwi.

Only . . . now I'm torn. Indecisive. Uncertain. Hesitating. Wishy-washy. Hemming and hawing. Undetermined. On the fence - - you get the picture?

All of the sudden I have a lot of green, specifically this color of green, in my life. Don't get me wrong. I love green, but . . .

Maybe I should get my French oven in Flame - the original color (it worked for Julia Child), the whole company was founded on this color because, as the name says - it was the color of the super heated flame they used when casting the pots.

Only everyone I know has / wants all their Le Creuset pieces in Flame . . . and rightly so. It's the original. It's vintage. It's ORANGE for Pete's sake. And yet . . . I have so much orange in my life too. I love orange. It is me. I am it. We are one.

And yet . . .

Maybe I should just get a Dijon and call it a day. Though that attitude doesn't seem fitting for purchasing a coveted piece of Le Creuset either.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Words of wisdom? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Facing a Decision Tougher than Choosing a Car,

Thummprints

Mother's Day: Flora & Fauna

2011-05-16T11:41:00.004-05:00

I was going to post this last week - but with all the issues Blogger was having, I held off . . . re-writing and re-posting posts is never fun.

Anywho, for Mother's Day weekend the Thummprints Crew piled into the car and drove down the interstate to visit my Grandparents: Edna Mae & Mat. I hadn't been down there since the Christmas holiday - too long; I was in need of some G'Ma & Pa time.

It was a hot, hot weekend in Springfield and, of course, I packed ALL the wrong kind of clothes; sweaters are just not comfortable in 90 degree weather. Over the course of the weekend I spent a lot of time outside going to ArtFest and then to Wickman's Garden Village to buy flowers for my G'Ma for Mother's Day.

The real excitement of the weekend was spotting this little lovely:

An Indigo Bunting seems to, for some reason, have taken up resident in my Grandparents' back yard. Quite possibly it could just be hanging around on a stop over during it's migration, or not. Only time will tell.

Next up was this pesky little guy. My G'Pa has taken up war against this fuzzy ball of cuteness, and the rest of his kind. Apparently one got locked in the garage one night and, well, it made a holy mess. It ate along the side door for a couple of feet; got into things that my G'Ma kept stored into the garage . . . basically it did what a trapped chipmunk does - looked for an exit.

My G'Pa took the whole thing personally; the garage, after all is HIS space, he fortified the garage and is currently waiting for the chipmunk to make it's next move in this odd, live action game of chess.

The name of this blog maybe Thummprints - but I am far from having a green thumb; I'm lucky if I can keep my begonias alive all summer (and they're hard to kill) - so I have to share with you a picture I snapped of Edna Mae's amaryllis . . . she has five or six pots of these things (with at least 3 plants in each pot) on the back patio and they are all big, bright and beautiful - like everything my G'Ma grows.

As of today the amaryllis at the Thummprints house has yet to even bud. I think it needs to be returned to Edna Mae for some much needed plant therapy and once it's all big, bright and beautiful again my G'Ma will send it back home with me and the cycle will once again start over.

Waiting for my Amaryllis to bloom,
Thummprints

Vincent Malloy

2011-05-13T07:53:00.001-05:00

In honor of today I share with you a tale of woe; a dark delight narrated by Vincent Price; a tribute to those who possess an overly creative mind; an early work from before Tim was a mastermind; a story of a boy who's seven years old, always polite and does what he’s told.

Happy Friday the 13th!

Summer is Coming

2011-05-11T14:41:00.001-05:00

Which means it's time to start going to Soulard Market and purchase all kinds of lovely local, fabulously fresh produce. I can't wait to get some strawberries from Scharf Farms (the best place for local berries) to make strawberry preserves (though I must admit this is normally something my father does . . . time for me to learn) and Edna Mae's Strawberry Pie; fresh leaf lettuce for wilted lettuce (a summertime staple in the Thummprints house); visit the Soulard Spice Shop (I love the way it smells); enjoy a pastry (or a blueberry muffin) from Soulard Bakery - tucked away in the main foyer of the building - or there might be beignets to be had from one of the many local vendors that grace the halls of the market.

For me a typical summer Saturday morning is spent walking the halls of the open air market, soaking up all there is to see and supporting the local economy one veggie at a time.

Velo Orange

2011-05-06T07:41:00.001-05:00

Velo Orange is a cycling-parts company. It is my understanding that VO sells hard to find, mostly of European origin, gizmo/gadgets/parts/accessories for cyclist to put on, add on, repair or possibly build their own racing bike. I really don't know - so if I'm completely wrong or way off base mea culpa. I'm not a cyclist . . . in fact if I were to go into the garage and look at my bike I'm fairly sure the tires would be flat.

But that's not the point of this post. I really like this poster that Velo Orange has for sale. It's Glorious. Very French. Orange. Lovely. I want it.

I think I shall hang it in the dining room . . . or maybe the bathroom, but probably the dining room. He just seems like more of a dining room kind of guy - what do you think?

Cinco de Mayo & Margarita Cupcakes

2011-05-05T11:14:00.001-05:00

Hola! Como estas? And that pretty much exhausts my knowledge of the Spanish language. Oh - I can count too: uno, dos, tres . . . I could go on but I don't want to show off my super skills in the counting department. I mean I could go on, and on, and on - and make it all the way to 10 (diez); now if we were talking about the German language I could count until the cows come home. But that's here nor there.

In honor of Cinco de Mayo I made Margarita Cupcakes and schlepped them into work; yes I bake for my co-workers (I'm that girl). The cupcakes are very limey - almost key-limey (according to Noreen) and wonderfully moist. I thought the icing might be a bit sweet, so my solution was to sprinkle a bit of salt on the icing before I ate it . . . just like the rim of a margarita glass. I think this recipe would make a awesome cake and can't wait to try it that way.

If you're staying at home and looking for something to make to get your Cinco de Mayo on, try these recipes: Not Quite 7 Layer Dip, Carne Asada Tacos & Mexican Rice, Faux Mexican Villa Enchiladas, and Salsa. If you're going out to the local cantina, order a cerveza for me and remember: Viva el Cinco de Mayo!!!

Margarita Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cake/Cupcake:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

3 limes, zested and juiced
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

Lime Tequila Buttercream Icing:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 to 6 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
1-2 Tablespoons tequila
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lime zest
green food coloring, if desired
small lime slices for garnish, if desired

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Prepare 24 muffin tins with paper liners or baking spray.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. Cream butter and sugar on a high until pale, light, and fluffy (about 5 minutes).

3. Add eggs one at at time, mixing thoroughly before adding the next one.

4. Add lime zest and lime juice.

5. Turn mixer to the low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated.

6. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer shows only moist crumbs attached, rotating the pans at the halfway point. Allow cupcakes to cool completely in the pans before removing.

7. (Optional) While the cupcakes are still warm, brush the tops with tequila or tequila/orange mixture.

8. Prepare icing: Once cupcakes are completely cooled, prepare the icing. Place butter in a large bowl and beat with electric mixer until butter is fluffy. Add 5 cups of powdered sugar, salt, lime juice, and lime zest. Mix until thick and creamy. Add more powdered sugar until the frosting is of a good spreading (or piping) consistency. Mix in a tiny amount of green food coloring or gel paste if you'd like the frosting to have a green tint. Ice cupcakes in whatever manner you prefer . . . spreading or piping the frosting. Use small lime slices as garnish.

My recipe is a melding of Recipe Girl & Confession of a Foodie Bride recipes for Margarita Cupcakes.

Dining Out For Life 2011

2011-05-04T07:42:00.001-05:00

Last Thursday I met Frenchy at one of my favorite place to eat in The Lou - Jimmy's On The Park. We braved the strange mix of sunny/rainy/windy weather and ate outside. It was the first sign of warmish weather to hit The Lou in a long time. It was glorious . . . even with the odd patches of drizzling rain.

First and foremost we ordered the Flash Fried Spinach (with a squeeze of lemon and Parmesan cheese) for our appetizer. It's wonderful. I told Frenchy I wanted to marry it and have it's babies - and it's true. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this appetizer; totally and unconditionally. Like a lot.

Both Frenchy and I ended up eating the same thing for dinner; Porcini Polenta Chicken (marinated chicken breast encrusted in porcini polenta, herbed baby red potato, grilled asparagus, wild mushroom fricassee, grain mustard chicken stock reduction). It was delightful, full of flavor and beautifully arranged on the plate when it came (sorry for the grainy photo - I only had my trusty Blackberry with me).

Dinner out on a Thursday night is rare (though I must admit that I had the next day off) but it was nice to get out, see my friend and give to Dining Out for Life and help those whose lives have been affected by AIDS.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

2011-05-02T07:28:00.000-05:00

Peter Rabbit and some beautiful pink tulips and gloriously yellow daffodils made quite the splash on our Easter table last weekend. There was an Asiago Strata (awesomely good by the way - trust me, you'll love it), some Black Forest Ham and lots of fresh fruit and of course, Bunny Cake for dessert.

Now that it's May that means it will stop raining . . . right?

Right!?

I'm in Love

2011-04-26T15:35:00.001-05:00

I think I must have this pillow. It speaks to me on a deep personal level. It sounds a bit like Walter Cronkite; odd, given that the silhouette isn't his - it belongs to The Myth, The Man, The Legend: Alfred Hitchcock (yes, it is a touch dramatic - but I don't think Alfie will mind).

Like what you see? Feel the need to have one of your very own? Click over to Regan's Brain and get one of your very own . . . psst she also has an Edgar Allan Pillow (ha) in her shop too. ♥

Pineapple Cheesecake

2011-04-22T08:55:00.005-05:00

Last week was one of my best buddy's birthday (yay, KB!) and we all gathered at her home Friday night to celebrate. As usual I decided to bring a sweet, yummy thing, but I had no idea what to make. I wanted something light and easy to make - and most definitely something that I could make the night before because by the time I got off work there wouldn't be time to whip something up.

I hemmed; I hawed; I growled; I frowned; finally I gave up and asked Stephanapolis what in the heck to make. She rattled off a lot of different ideas (including something I'd never heard of - refrigerator cake) and this cake was one of them. One look at the picture and decided that this was the cake for celebrating KB's birthday.

The hardest part about making this cake was most definitely getting the ladyfingers to cooperate as I placed them around the pan . . . if you have the option of having a kitchen assistant while making this - use them! I was able to do it myself but I definitely had to take my time and use my skills as a Jedi Knight to get the cookies to stay in place.

KB's party was wonderfully low key - it was nice to see everyone and catch up . . . and I have at least two more posts to write about the party. One will be about what I gave KB for her gift and the other will be about what Mr & Mrs BC brought to the party; I'll give you a hint: it involved celery (and I ate it).

Pineapple Cheesecake

The original recpie can be found at Taste of Home.

Ingredients:

2 packages (8 ounces each) reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained

1 carton (8 ounces) frozen low fat whipped topping, thawed

2 teaspoons rum (or up to 1 Tablespoon)

1-2 packages of ladyfingers (about 48 cookies total)

Sweetened coconut

1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Stir in pineapple. Fold in whipped topping and the rum.

2. Cut lady fingers to fit the springform pan so they're even with the sides. Grease the pan and then carefully place the ladyfingers around the edge (the recipe says to also place ladyfingers on the bottom of the pan) and sprinkle crushed ladyfinger on the bottom of the pan to create the bottom crust.

3. Spoon filling into pan and level the top.

4. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

5. Carefully remove sides of pan. Sprinkle the sweetened coconut over the top; then cover with strawberries and serve.

Monsters in the Closet

2011-04-19T11:08:00.001-05:00

I don't know if it was specifically monsters that I was afraid of, I think it was just at night the closet became a bad, scary place that was darker than dark. Things could come out of there.

I had to have my closet door closed every night when I was young. And, truth be told, most nights now. There is still something infinitely creepy about a closet at night. It becomes a dark mouth to some other dimension; a portal to a dark place. It could also have something to do with the fact that I watch way too many episodes of Criminal Minds.

During the day a closet is nothing more than a place to house clothes, shoes, books and other things . . . and if you were a very young Thummprints, a place to hide when you were upset. Why? There used to be a mirror in the back corner of my closet. I'd crawl in and watch myself cry in the mirror. I have no idea why. Though now that I think about it what a great premise for a short story . . .

If you need to tell yourself that that are indeed no monsters in your closet - or have a kiddo with an over active imagination who needs a visual reminder pop over to Etsy.com and check out The Big Harumph's shop and get your very own.

Not Quite 7 Layer Dip

2011-04-16T07:11:00.001-05:00

This is a group favorite and we all owe thanks to Mrs. BC for first introducing this to us. I'm not normally a fan of seven layer dip - mainly because of the whole refried bean thing (they are not my favorite thing in the world) but this dip is wunderbar! It can be the focal point of the "meal" just add some margaritas, some lime tortilla chips and then you have a recipe for a wonderful girls night.

Just don't watch Black Swan while trying to eat this . . . or really eat anything at all. Weird movie. Strange. Creepy. Borderline sickening at times. But . . . fantastic from the point of you never know what the heck is going on - like ever. I'm now forever terrified to chew/pull on my cuticles . . . seriously ick!

The recipe in its entirety can be found here. When making this I never use all seven layers - which is why it's called ALMOST seven layer dip . . . it's the almost that counts. Usually the tomatoes, green onions and black olives are removed as the majority of us don't care for most of those things. As you can see in the pic I made mine in a pie pan (because I thought it would look lovely) but it's not really big enough . . . at all. I'm trying to think what Mrs. BC made hers in . . . but I'm thinking that maybe a glass Pyrex dish would work best and most definitely won't be overflowing like mine is.

Ingredients:

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.

2. Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Spread over the refried beans.

3. Top the layers with salsa. Place a layer of red bell pepper and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese.

I ♥ Tulips

2011-04-15T06:53:00.001-05:00

They really are my favorite flower ever. Thanks to Whole Foods for having a sale on tulips a few weeks back - it literally made our work day. While picking up some food for lunch, Stephanapolis and I picked up several bunches for ourselves and our fellow ladies on the first floor. A bright splash of color for the upcoming weekend (it snowed six inches on Saturday that weekend . . . it was crazy).

Coconut Banana Bread with a Lime Glaze

2011-04-14T06:56:00.003-05:00

Say what? Now what would you say if I told you there was rum in the recipe too? I know what I said: yum!

While this lovely was in the oven baking I was on the phone with my dear mother, aka LindaG, and she said it sounded like a drink that should come with a cute little umbrella - not something you bake in the oven. But I did - and boy was it GOOD. The next time I make it I think I'm going to add some toasted pecans (or possibly some English Walnuts) because I think the addition will take this supremely good recipe and send it over the top.

On a side note - isn't my Mema's (my father's mother) wedding china lovely? It's old and delicate and I hold it dear to my heart. I never remember Mema using this china, or even seeing in her house but I'm sure it was there tucked somewhere amidst her Hummel collection.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

3 tablespoons dark rum

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

3. Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut.

4. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut.

5. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.

6. Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread.

7. Cool completely on wire rack.

The original recipe can be found here: MyRecipes.com

Woofies Hot Dogs - Righteous Wieners

2011-04-11T09:47:00.002-05:00

As discussed here, I love hot dogs. Specifically Costco Hot Dogs - but I am not limited to loving just one hot dog. I guess I should rephrase my statement - I love kosher beef hot dogs.

More than the color orange. Which is saying something.

Woofies is more than an overgrown hot dog stand - walk in, drive through and a carhop. It's meant to catch you eye as you drive down the block; I mean look at the place - they had me in the parking lot: hello yellow and orange!

From the instant you walk in you just know - you are on hallowed ground. The air is heated from the griddles behind the counter - there's not much room to sit (or maneuver) but those that go to Woofies don't care - in St. Louis Woofies is the Holy Temple of the Hot Dog, and the only reason people cram themselves inside the super tiny restaurant is to delight in eating a hot dog. Anyway you can imagine a hot dog coming, Woofies has it: plain; mustard; ketchup; sauerkraut; jalapenos; chili; onions. I could go on - but really I'm just making myself hungry.

Every square inch of the walls inside are covered with Woofies Memorabilia. Anyone who's anyone in St. Louis has their head shot hung on the wall - autographed, of course - newspaper articles, magazine features . . . all giving high praise to Woofies. It's an institution in St. Louis.

Then, there's the food. The actual reason for going to Woofies. Classic Americana - hot dogs and chili cheese fries. The dogs aren't Costco cheap ($3.00 and up - - but if compared to the ball park, Woofies is a great buy) and bring cash when you go . . . they'll take credit cards but if memory serves there might be a surcharge for using one. The next time you find your self in The Lou take a quick detour to the Overland neighborhood and have yourself a dog at Woofies.

1919 Woodson Road
Overland, MO 63114-5649
(314) 426-6291

Something to Make You Smile . . .

2011-04-06T07:36:00.003-05:00

A List of Ten

2011-04-04T15:12:00.005-05:00

1. I am in dire need of a ferry ride. It's been a year since my last one. I might self destruct if I don't get one within the next six months. True story.

2. It's spring. I need to travel. This is some basic urge hidden within my DNA. I think I might be part bird. Really. Only instead of migrating in the fall I must do it in the spring.

3. I need to travel on the cheap . . . anyone want to go to Memphis? Not that Memphis is cheap, but it's within driving distance and it's not Chicago. I dislike Chicago. I believe I am the only person on the planet - okay the Midwest - who has a dislike for Chi-Town. The only reason I ever went to Chicago was to go to Marshall Fields - and now that it's closed I don't see a reason to go . . . except maybe the pizza; Gino's East anyone?

4. I am rather enjoying eating my Cherry Fage. Confused? Can't fathom how to pronounce it? Go here: http://www.fageusa.com/

5. My co-worker was telling me she needed to buy one of these for her itty-bitty baby . . . I think I want one, but I'm not sure what that says about me. Thoughts?

6. The Adult Easter Egg Hunt is quickly approaching . . . it's not as dirty as it sounds. It's in a park. In the dark. I won a basketball one time. Some guy (never saw him - so we'll presume he's cute) told me I had I nice dribble . . . of the basketball variety, not the kind where you miss your mouth and spill something down the front of you. Though I have been known to do the latter.

7. I'm starting to feel unloved. Every time my phone chimes and I think I've gotten a text it's just the @BronxZoosCobra updating me on her latest exploits. Twitter texts are a dangerous thing.

8. My mother informed me that I was, in fact, weird. This however is not a revelation. It's been known for years.

9. I have a stye growing in my left eye. It's always my left eye. The right one is feeling neglected.

10. I just need to have something here to have an even ten. It's a compulsion. Like how every time I pump gas the amount has to end in 5 or a 10 cent increments. Honest. The one time I didn't take the time to round up to the next 5 or 10 cents my WHOLE day was messed up. Does this mean I have OCGPD (obsessive compulsive gas pumping disorder)? If so, I blame LindaG (aka my mother) as she's the one who taught me this habit. Now I can't stop. Seriously. Ask someone who has been with me while pumping gas. It's a nightmare.

It Snowed . . . A Lot

2011-03-27T13:11:00.002-05:00

Here's a few photos I snapped around the backyard Saturday evening. Six inches of heavy, wet snow fell from they sky and blanketed The Lou. As you can see, Spring had arrived and things were starting to bloom - and then suddenly green and yellow became splashes of color against a white canvas.

Today the snow has mostly melted - and probably by the time the day is over the only indication that we had snow will be the muddy ground that is left in it's wake. It was pretty while it lasted.

Etsy Finds

2011-03-24T10:02:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things to do is to surf Etsy.com and look at all the pretty things. I find a lot of amazing things - both old and new - tucked away on differnt pages. I daydream about putting the things I find in my imaginary home. It's oddly relaxing and kinda calming - you should try it sometime. Have I ever steered you wrong?

This made it to the Etsy homepage - isn't it precious? I love letters (just in case you didn't know that about me) and I love finding different ways to organize things. I mean - how many of us just stack our magazines on a table and call it a day. M is for Magazine comes in other colors - check out Paper Doll Wood Shop to get your very own.

Cuckoo. Cuckoo. Cuckoo. I grew up in a home with a cuckoo clock from The Black Forest, so my love for the silly clocks runs deep. Truth be told I too have a cuckoo clock . . . but it's got a boo boo and I've yet to find someone to repair it. Other than the fact that there is a cuckoo clock on this tea towel, what else drew me to it you ask? Uh, how about the color? Remember me? The girl who ♥ orange? If you like what you see head over to Pony & Poppy to see all the other fabulous things for sale in the shop.

The minute I saw this I feel in love. And it has everything to do with the red shoes. For as long as I can remember I've had a thing for red shoes. Specifically red patent leather shoes . . . I have a pair of peep toe wedges in my closet that I hold dear. Is it just me - or do all women (and girls - the fascination with red shoes started early) secretly spend their time looking for the perfect pair of red shoes? Pay homage to the classic-ness of red shoes by visiting Kiki & Polly and picking up a print . . . and check out the rest of the wonderful artwork while you're there.

If you haven't ever visited Etsy.com you really should, especially if you like supporting local (and not so local) artisans. I've purchased things from Turkey and England, as well as things from the United States. I like the fact that I'm supporting the artist directly and I like that since it's not available just down the street I am usually the only one with said item

It helps me be even more unique.

Not that I need help.

Ask anyone.

Unique is my middle name.

But really, check out Etsy.com and see what you can find. It's like going on a treasure hunt, but only on-line. It's really fun.

It's Almost Here . . .

2011-03-22T08:19:00.000-05:00

I can't wait. April 5, 2011. It's a Tuesday. I will be rushing somewhere that sells books to purchase the next installment in The Mortal Instruments series, and then impatiently waiting for the weekend so I can devour what will no doubt be another stellar book. I'm so glad - infinitely glad - that the series was expanded upon what was originally supposed to be just a trilogy (especially since the last book didn't really "end" everything).

I know there is a movie being made about this series . . . and I'm not really sure how I feel about it. I think the only successful transition from page to screen (of late) is the Harry Potter franchise. I was never that "in" to Twilight - but most people agreed that the transition wasn't a good one. I think a lot of that has to do with the amount of the author's involvement . . . never, ever sell the rights to YOUR words and give someone else creative license to make it into something - that's where the trouble begins.

I have hopes that The Mortal Instruments transition will be better than most . . . but until the movie comes out I have the books.

Things I Covet & Love: Happy Feet

2011-03-16T07:30:00.001-05:00

We spend a lot of time on our feet. Some of us more than others. And, if you're like me you went from a job at a book store (where I was more or less on my feet the entire time) to a job where I sit in a cube and my feet don't get much action . . . unless I'm at a trade show (anyone else go to Orlando this year for HIMSS) and then I'd give my eye teeth to not be on my feet for five minutes.

So, in honor of my feet and the hard work they put in - here are a few things that I know my feet would love to have and a few of my favorite things (with the sole purpose of making my feet happy):

These Sperry Angelfish shoes are a Nordstrom Exclusive, and I think they're absolutely lovely. These would look great with jeans, khakis and of course when the weather finally warms up (it snowed in The Lou on Monday) shorts! A classic favorite redone with a bit of sparkle - I especially love the tweed detail that runs along the side of the shoe. I think I might end up springing for these before summer shows the first signs of life . . . now only if I had a place (and more than a niggling desire) to go sailing.

Oh, my. That sums up how I feel about one of the newest editions to the Kate Spade shoe family. Normally I am not that big on neon - but, look at these! I love that it looks like the toes were dipped in paint. These are the perfect spring/summer shoe to wear around the office, to the park, on a date and around town. Class with a splash of edge - they also come in neon yellow, but I am partial to the pink - probably because it looks so sassy (but classy).

Love, love, love THESE socks! They come three to a pack - just another way that Little Miss Matched lets those of us who cringe at the thought of wearing matching socks be creative. LindaG picked up a set of these lovelies (though not the ones pictured) for me when she was down hanging with me in Orlando last month. I generally only wear Ralph Lauren Polo Ghost Socks (not because of who makes them but because they are the most comfortable socks EVER and my feet like the squishyness of them) but I will have to add more of these adorable socks into my collection. Also, and I think this is really neat, you can enter designs for socks and they just might get picked as a featured design. To enter the contest, click here (you have until April 5th, 2011 to enter - good luck!).

ps - my love for wearing mismatched socks developed from never putting my socks away matched and then when it came time to wear socks I would just grab two - usually unmatched - and call it a day. I guess you could say it kinda stuck - but now it's more of a compulsion to not wear matched socks. I'm not sure what this says about me. I can wear matching socks and not feel any different . . . the same does not apply to my strange necrosis about pumping gas but that, as they say, is a tale for a different time.

Finally we come to the most important part of having happy feet: a pedicure. It really is a must - even if you do it yourself (which I don't, or rather can't - I mess it up all the time). I try and treat myself once a month (especially in the summer time) to a spa pedi at my local nail salon.

There is nothing better than getting a pedicure on a Friday evening after a long week. My nail salon is right up the plaza from where I used to work, so from time to time I run into old friends/customers and get a chance to catch up - which is the other reason we women folk flock the salon from time to time. It's nice to be pampered - it's nicer to unexpectedly see friends.

My only quirk about getting my nails done is that my toes almost ALWAYS have to be black. Nine times out of ten they're black - or the darkest color you can find that is still a color but basically looks black (dark purple). In the past two plus years the only time my toes weren't black is when I was in a wedding (the first time my toes were grey to match the dress, and the other time my toes were pink to match the flowers) and once in the middle of the summer I went through a day-glow pink phase.

I guess you could say having black toe nails is kinda my thing.

Well I hope you enjoyed this combined edition of "things I love" & "things I covet" - until next time . . .

Organizing the Bookcase

2011-03-11T09:43:00.001-06:00

The Big P

2011-03-07T21:53:00.002-06:00

Yup. That's right, folks. I have a BIG case of pneumonia . . . and it's knocking me flat like nothing else I've ever experienced. So I'll be laying low, resting a lot, eating some of Edna Mae's Noodle Soup and recuperating.

Hoping to be a fully healthy & happy Thummprints soon.

ps - the only interesting thing to come of this is getting to see my chest x-ray . . . the fact that I'm sick didn't keep me from wanting to see what the inside of my chest looks like - lungs (and the pneumonia), heart, ribcage and clavicle (I just love saying that - clavicle, clavicle, clavicle). Okay - I'm going to put my exhausted self to bed now.

Edna Mae's Cheese Log

2011-03-04T07:37:00.002-06:00

FYI - this is another catching up on things that happened (or were made) over Christmas post. This should be the last one . . . I think. Who knows what's still on my camera.

Every year at Christmas my dear grandmother (aka Edna Mae) goes overboard and makes all kinds of good and delightfully yummy things; including but not limited to: fudge, toffee, peanut brittle, Chex party mix and her wildly famous cheese log. This cheese log is . . . there are no words. It's just, yum!

It can be eaten plain or on a cracker - anyway you like cheese. Sorry, I find it kinda difficult to wax poetic about cheese. No matter how good it is.

And really, it is. Garlic, chili powder, pecans and most importantly cheese! If you've ever seen Wallace & Gromit imagine me doing the cute little cheese hand wave.

Make some and see what I'm talking about. You won't be sorry, trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong?

Edna Mae's Famous Cheese Log

Ingredients:

1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup nuts

12 ounces cream cheese

2 Tbsp cream

Directions:

1. Whip room temperature cream cheese until smooth, stir in grated sharp cheddar.

2. Add garlic and nuts.

3. Roll into to logs.

4. Sprinkle with chili powder.

5. Refrigerate at least 24 hours to let flavors settle.

Mini Rye Bread Pizzas

2011-02-26T18:32:00.000-06:00

These little things and heavenly. Growing up I knew Christmas was coming when these showed up. My father would make them and freeze them by the bag full (and then take them to every party my parents attended during the holiday season). The mini pizzas were really big in the 70s and 80s - and have every right to HUGE during this decade (and the next, and the one after that).

We hadn't had them in years and this year, for Christmas, I requested that he make some. And by golly, he did.

Yes, I am finally catching up on blog posts. Yes, these pictures are from December. Yes, it may or may not be true that my Christmas tree is still up (don't judge). Yes, my life has finally slowed down a bit - I'm just working ONE job now . . . the first time since August 2010 that I've only had to work 5 days a week. I kinda like it.

Mini Rye Bread Pizzas

Ingredients:

1 lb Pork Sausage

1 lb Velveeta (please don't use anything else - it won't be the same)

3 Tbsp Catsup

1 loaf Mini Rye Bread (aka Party Rye)

Add the following to taste:

Garlic Powder

Italian Seasoning

Directions:

1. Brown sausage, crumble and drain on a paper towel. Return pork to pan.

2. Add cubed Velveeta cheese, stir until melted.

3. Add 3 Tbsp catsup, garlic powder & Italian seasoning. Stir until mixed thoroughly.

4. Spread on mini rye toast (aka Party Rye).

5. If freezing your mini pizzas - let cool and then put in a Ziploc bag and place in the freezer. If making them to eat that day bake your pizzas at 400 F for 10 minutes.

Adding A Little Cozy to My Cave

2011-02-03T09:16:00.000-06:00

This came in the mail yesterday. It was a wonderful surprise after all the snow and ice. I love the bright color, the mod feeling that radiates from it - but most of all I love the description of the piece:

"Ever the sleuth, Denise quietly surveyed the room's occupants, while pretending to touch up her makeup."

If you haven't checked out Cozy Little Cave (the blog) or Cozy Little Cave (the Etsy store) or Cozy Little Cave (the Envelop store) you really should.

Snopocalypse Fun

2011-02-02T10:30:00.002-06:00

Well, I'm a little disappointed by the "worst storm" The Lou has seen in 29 years. Yes it iced, yes it sleeted BUT it barely snowed. A snopocalypse it was not. Silver lining - corporate snow day! Probably the only one I will ever get, and yes I enjoyed it (a lot).

After I determined I didn't have to drive into work in the middle of an ice/sleet storm I celebrated by making sweet potato pancakes. Specifically, Bruce's Sweet Potato Pancakes. They really are the best things ever. This pancake mix is now in what I lovingly call my family's "Import/Export" business. Basically, we fall it love with things from all around the country that aren't available in The Lou - so we end up bring them home with us in our suitcases . . . and/or haul things in our suitcases to friends and family we go and visit.

Next up in my "I have the day off - now what?" day was making a Nutella Latte. I'd heard of them before, but never had one. I love Nutella (really, what's not to love?) and if you know anything about me you know how much I LOVE coffee. So drinking a Nutella Latte just seemed like a natural evolution of my caffeine intake rituals. Luckily for me The College Prepster, via her roommate Little V, posted something this week about making the perfect Nutella Latte. This friends is what we in the biz call kismet.

All in all I think my corporate snow day went well (though I admit I was a little bored around 3pm - snow days seemed more fun when I was younger). I had lots of fun, rested up, caught up on some DVR'd shows (and guilty pleasures) and made two Nutella Lattes. They're really are wonderfully good and a snap to make (CP had it right - working the espresso machine is really the most difficult thing involved).

***On a side note: I moved the parsley so it would be in the photo - the landscape seemed to be lacking something and I didnt' have any biscotti to stack artistically next to my coffee (doesn't it look wonderful in my Bodum Double Wall Glass which is quickly becoming one of my favorite things to drink coffee from).***

Ice Storm & Thundersnow

2011-02-01T07:35:00.003-06:00

Here in The Lou we're having the Blizzard of '82 (which apparently wasn't really a Blizzard - but was given the name out of respect because it kicked my fair city's tuchus) and the Ice Storm of '06 all in a two day period. Now I really don't remember these two events. I wasn't alive in '82 . . . and the winter of '06 has been blocked from my mind (knee surgery four days into '07 does that to a gal).

As I type this it's still sleeting/freezing raining . . . hopefully it stops soon. I don't like snow and I really hate ice. So far there haven't been many power outages - but the winds haven't gotten here yet. It could be interesting here in the Thummprints House with no power. Crank up the insert and cook food up on the grill (which will probably run out of propane as soon as we turn it on). So, Old Man Winter - could you cut us some slack with the whole ice thing . . . please?

Thundersnow is a different story. I want to see Thundersnow. I want to live Thundersnow. Bring on the Thundersnow!

Now remember I said I wanted Thundersnow because more than likely tomorrow I will announce I am moving to New Mexico where it's warm and I can live next to a cactus in the desert. Snow and I have a love / hate relationship. It's pretty too look at. It makes me smile. But the minute I have to drive anywhere in it I freak out and decide I'm moving closer to the equator.

Just one more of the wacky eccentricities that make up who I am.

Okay - off to eat a warm breakfast. I'm thinking pancakes.

The Tale of LindaG & the Pants Pocket

2011-01-18T09:08:00.002-06:00

There are many things about my mother, aka LindaG, that I love. Admire. Secretly wish that I was more like her in some aspects (don't tell her I said that). Except . . . her ability to misplace things is LEGENDARY. Honestly, she's a master at putting things somewhere and then not remembering where she left them OR the last time she had said object.

Coffee cups.

Glasses.

Name tags for gifts.

Gifts (I've gotten a many - I lost your real gift so here's some coal X-Mas gifts)

And now we can add jewelery to that list. A watch and two rings to be exact.

The search for my mother's watch, wedding ring and diamond band commenced yesterday unbenknownst to me . . . until I got a phone call from my mother asking me if I might know where her watch might be. And oh, yea - her rings too. Now, I was at a swim meet trying to get ready because it was the first time all season that our managers couldn't make it to a meet. This doesn't sound like a big deal. Until you think about the fact that it meant that I was in charge of keeping score (yikes!) and you're talking to a girl who can't ever get her checkbook to balance perfectly . . . I'm always off by a few cents and I can never figure out where they are missing!

Anyway, my mother calls and is quizzing me on if I have a thought as to where her jewelery might be. I don't, so I offer some generic ideas. Purse. Kitchen counter. Desk. Dresser. Night stand. Linen Closet . . . she lost a coffee cup one time (full of coffee) and a few days later I went into the linen closet for something and there it was, sitting on a shelf looking lost and frightened. Apparently she and my father had already torn apart the entire house looking and my ideas were of no help.

After the meet I went home and my mother searched my car because we had gone out Sunday together and well . . . how three things would have fallen off her body together I have no idea, but when in doubt check and check again.

I asked her if she'd looked in her coat pocket - yes she had, several times. Her jeans pocket - she'd looked twice and there was nothing in there save for some lint.

I looked around the house. My father was getting antsy so he started looking again as well. There was several thousand dollars of jewelery floating around our house somewhere - presumably together, though possibly separated.

High and low we searched.

No stone was left unturned.

All the usual (and unusual) places were checked.

I was going over with my mother what she had done when we got home on Sunday trying to get her to re-trace her steps (what - it always works in the movies) when from deep within the bowls of the house we heard my father bellow. It was a roar of triumph. He'd found his wife's precious jewelery. Huzzah!

Where, pray tell, did he find the three items that had caused so much consternation?

In her jeans pocket.

The same pocket that had been searched and deemed full of nothing but lint - TWICE!

So, in closing, if you ever loose something the first place you should check in the linen closet and the second is your pants pocket.

Trust me.

I know things.

Story of My Life

2011-01-06T11:01:00.001-06:00

Treats in a Jar

2011-01-04T10:10:00.003-06:00

For Christmas this year I decided to put all of my old Mason Jars to good use (not to mention all the salsa jars that I've collected as well . . . I eat a lot of salsa). I immediately knew what I wanted to do. It all came down to finding a recipe that would fit in a quart jar . . . and I also needed something to fill all those pint jars (aka salsa jars) I had.

It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. But after much googleing I struck gold - three times over. I found a recipe for cookies in a jar, biscotti in a jar and dog biscuits in a jar (they're family too). And for filling the pint jars I fell in love with a recipe that I found over on Tasty Kitchen.

The one thing I found about layering ingredients in a jar is that well . . . sometimes the layering options that the recipe gives aren't necessarily the most attractive. Play around. I did. Here's the recipe as is (thanks to the lovely Susan O'Dell) and below will be my tweaked version.

Cranberry HootyCreeks in a Jar

Ingredients:

5/8 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed brown sugar + 1/3 cup white sugar blended together

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Layer the ingredients in a quart jar, in the order listed (or play around with the layers if you want to - I did and came up with these layers on my own).

2. Attach a tag with the following instructions:

Cranberry HootyCreeks

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy. Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks.

Best. Pretzels. Ever.

Ingredients:

2 pounds Pretzel Sticks
1 package (1 oz. Packet) Dry Ranch Dressing
1-2 Tablespoons Lemon Pepper seasoning
1 cup Vegetable Oil

Directions:

1. Whisk the non-pretzel ingredients together and then pour them over the pretzels. Mix well.

2. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Mix well again. Let sit for 5 minutes. Mix. Wait another 5 minutes. Mix.

3. Transfer pretzels back into their tub (or Ziploc bags - the pretzels I used came in a nice plastic tub from Costco) and seal them up. Come back later to enjoy!

Note: to see the pretzel recipe go to tastykitchen.com and search with they key words appetizer and snacks. The recipe is provided by: hickspub.

Here's the recipe for the Cranberry Pecan Biscotti and the Dog Treats if you have friends, furry or otherwise, that shouldn't eat or don't like cookies.

Happy jar filling!

Things I Love

2010-12-28T10:06:00.001-06:00

Welcome to this edition of "Things I Love" - and this edition, if you haven't guessed it, is all about something to put on your lips. Which if you're like me, you're incredibly picky about what you may or may not put on your kisser.

For years (and I'm still more or less like this) I wouldn't wear anything other than lip balm. No way. No how. Formal events were the only exception . . . that goes for makeup too. I'm not what you would call a girly-girl when it comes to a beauty regimen. But slowly, in the last few months, I have allowed a few things to slip though my defenses when it comes to lip stuff.

Cover Girl's Outlast Lipstain = the best thing in the world! I don't like lip stick. It goes back to the whole I hate feeling slimy thing. It gives me the willies. Lipstain = vivid color, no slick feeling and it lasts longer than most lipstick (or so I am told). I've got several colors: Pink, Peach, Plum, Red. And I will probably (more than likely) add more to my collection.

You simply can't go wrong with Lip Smacker's Dr. Pepper lip balm. It's a classic. It's sheer with just a hint of color, not to mention that it smells (and tastes) like Dr. Pepper. What could be better? I think even when I'm old and grey I'll be wearing this. I usually have it in my purse (along with Lip Smacker's Pink Lemonade - just in case I want to switch it up). And just in case I want to jump brands I have a tube of Cherry Chap Stick (it's the Disney Nemo special edition).

Okay. First let me say this: Nivea is not Labello. I know they look the same. They're packaged the same. For all I know they are the same. But they're not. Trust me on this. If you've ever had your hands on a tube of Labello I'm sure you agree. Their tag line is: The Lip Balm with Cult Status. 'Nuff said.

When in Europe (the only place I can successfully get my hands on Labello) I tend to purchase a lot and become a squirrel with a walnut - I hoard them. For years it was the only, and I mean the only, thing I would wear on my lips. My poor tube of cherry balm got lots of use. Then Nivea hit the States. I was elated. Thrilled. Then . . . I wasn't. They weren't quite the same. Or, maybe I'm just a snob. If Nivea and Labello are the same, I have one question - why haven't we gotten all the different lines here in the US? What's the hold up?

Hope you enjoyed this edition of "Things I Love."

Merry Christmas (it's a White One)!!!

2010-12-25T10:50:00.007-06:00

From my house to yours, wishing you a safe and wonderful holiday. For the second year in a row, we here in The Lou have some snow on Christmas . . . and by some I mean around five inches (and it's still snowing).

Stay safe and warm today - and I hope Santa brought you everything you could ever have hoped for (and then some).

Merry Christmas!

I Had a Holiday Party . . .

2010-12-22T11:04:00.002-06:00

Earlier this month. It's a tradition I started my freshman year of high school - and it's been happening for eleven years. I'll let you do the math.

This year I was super busy working two jobs and had a heck of a time trying to decide what to cook. Like it was the day before the party and still had no main dish (the sides and dessert had been split up among those coming) and I was starting to panic. I usually have things planned out WAY in advance, so the not knowing was driving me crazy.

It was to the point where I was just going to serve the same thing we ate last year. I finally put out a call via Twitter and Facebook for some help. And boy did I ever get some. A special thanks goes out to my dear friend (sisters from another mother) and European traveling buddy - Marenarunner. She totally came to my rescue with a recipe for White Lasagna (which I've renamed: Alfredo Chicken Spinach Goodness).

White Chicken n Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients:

4 - 6 chicken breasts thawed or fresh

1 packet Alfredo sauce mix, or 1 jar (14oz rough estimate)
1 - 16 oz container of whole milk ricotta
1 egg
1 box lasagna noodles
1 - 2 cup bag of Italian mix shredded cheese (I added some Provel Cheese b/c that's how we roll in STL)
2 cloves fresh garlic
1/2 box frozen spinach thawed and water pressed out
Fresh Spinach
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Nutmeg
Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Saute chicken in olive oil over medium heat, season chicken with salt pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Brown both sides of chicken and cook through. Set aside to rest. Preheat oven 350 F.

2. In a sauce pan mix up or heat the Alfredo sauce, garlic, nutmeg (just a pinch or shaving if using fresh). After the sauce is warm and thick add the spinach (really make sure it's squeezed out), set aside to cool

3. Combine ricotta and egg along with a little salt and pepper.

4. After chicken has cooled enough that the juices won't run out, cut into smaller than bite size cubes (I shredded my chicken - figuring it would layer better that way).

5. Spray a 8x13 pan with cooking spray and get ready to layer!

6. Put a little bit of sauce on the bottom of the pan the layer as follows: noodles; ricotta mixture; chicken; sauce mixture; fresh spinach; mozzarella / Italian mix cheese.

7. The very top layers should be noodles, a little sauce mixture and cheese (pile it on).

8. Cook at 350 for half to full hour or until all brown and bubbly on top (I think I needed to cook mine a little more - it was a touch juicy - I should have covered it with foil and let it go a little longer).

I also wanted to give a special shout out to Mrs. BC - thanks for letting my hi-jack your plate and take photos of it. Yes, it was odd. Yes, you understood. Yes, I didn't end up using that picture. Next time we eat a homemade meal together I promise to let you eat in peace . . . maybe.

What are friends for it not to steal their dinner plate and take photos of it?

One of the highlights of the evening was this glowing masterpiece:

And for those of you who aren't German - this is a Feuerzangenbowle (say that five times fast). It's a traditional Christmas / New Years drink of mulled red wine with orange and lemon slices in it - and the best part (or at least the most fun) is the melting of the sugar cone. One sugar cone, some 150 Proof Rum and a match = one very cool blue flame (extremely hot). After the sugar was all melted we dipped it out into mugs and toasted the holidays. It was pretty darn good. And I don't really like red wine.

My first experience with a Feuerzangenbowle was in Chicago when I was in college at the Christmas Markets. I really does warm you up when it's sub-zero outside. There is also, apparently, a movie called Die Feuerzangenbowle which was made in 1944 in Germany. My German isn't good enough to watch it without subtitles - but I would interested in seeing it.

All in all the evening was a success. It was nice to see everyone and enjoy their company for a night filled with fun. Oh - I forgot to say that this year instead of giving each other gifts we brought in toys for Toys for Tots . . . it was nice knowing that those of us fortunate enough to have all we need this holiday season could put a smile on a child's face at Christmas. It was our first year, and I think it probably will become apart of the annual holiday party tradition.

I've Returned . . .

2010-12-20T09:12:00.002-06:00

. . . from my self-induced blog-cation. Yes that means I took a break from the whole blogging thing (just in case didn't notice I've been quiet for a bit).

To catch up - here's some fun things I made for Thanksgiving:

Turkey Muffin Topper / Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 box cake mix (of your choosing)

1 tub chocolate icing (I used the whipped variety b/c I find it smoother)

Eggs

Water

Veggie oil

Chocolate sprinkles

Mini M&Ms (these were hard to find)

Candy corn

Directions:

1. Preheat oven.

2. Mix up cake as per directions on back of the box. If making muffin toppers you will need to use just under 1/2 cup batter per muffin topper space. It seems like a lot of batter - but trust me, it works out wonderfully. If you are making cupcakes, follow the directions on the box.

3. Follow directions on box for baking. Remove from pan after baked and let cool.

4. Ice the toppers with a thing layer of icing - smooth it out as best you can. Cover the topper with sprinkles (aka - the body feather of your turkey).

5. Add the candy corn feathers that make up the tail. I liked using an odd number (I chose seven) but you can use as many as you like. Remember: skinny point down!

6. Using an icing piper (or a Ziploc bag with one corner cut off) pipe a circle for the face.

7. Add two Mini M&Ms for eyes (as I mention these were super hard to find - I had to call Lady V and ask her where she found them in October when she made her super cute ghostly treats and she sent me to Quick Trip) and then add a candy corn for a beak (skinny point up!).

8. Ta-da you have some super cute and sweet turkey treats! Dig in and enjoy!

Turkey Cheese Ball (or Turkey Shaped Cheesy Wonder)

Ingredients:

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 tub (8 oz) spreadable chive and onion cream cheese
2 cups (8 oz) high quality thinly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6+ oval crackers (I used Town House Bistro Multi Grain Crackers)
Pecan halves
1 Red Bell Pepper
yellow pepper

Directions:

1. Beat cream cheeses until smooth. Stir in the cheddar cheese, paprika and cayenne.

2. Shape into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight to let the flavors develop.

3. The next day remove the cheese ball from plastic wrap and center in the tray / plate you are going to use to serve it on.

4. Insert the six or so oval crackers in the back third of the cheese ball to create tail feathers (use the picture for visual reference). Decorate the middle third with pecan halves for some body feathers.

5. Using the red pepper, form the turkey head, neck and feet. For beak, cut a small triangle from a yellow pepper; attach with cream cheese. Add eyes using peppercorns (or capers); attach with cream cheese.

December:

2010-12-09T09:51:00.001-06:00

Is not my month. As you can see. I've been silent. When winter sets in I want to hibernate. I miss the sun. A lot. And I'd like to think it misses me too.

I've got a post sitting in my queue almost ready to go. It's been almost ready to go for over a week. Minus the pictures I need to pull of my camera. Which isn't all that difficult either, nor does it take much time. I miss the sun - have I mentioned that? I hear Bermuda is nice this time of year . . .

Anywho.

Long days + being sick = lack of blogging.

I promise to get back with the program asap.

Just as soon as I finish my nap . . . and find the sun.

Things I Covet - Christmas Edition

2010-11-26T05:32:00.001-06:00

Christmas is almost here. It's coming. I can feel it in the air. See it in the department stores. And given that today is one of the biggest shopping days of the whole year - it seems fitting to blog about "Things I Covet" - the Christmas edition.

This pillow case is . . . This pillow case is too wonderful for words. It's fantastic. And I want it. Badly. Just in case you haven't happened upon Tess's blog - Cozy Little Cave - I insist you visit it, now. Or after you're done reading this post. I think I first discovered Tess's artwork over on Etsy. Then I started reading her blog - everyday (it's a must read) and then I discovered her artwork came on textiles thanks to Envelop. That's where this pillow case comes in. It's happy. Bright. Cheerful. And it reminds me of Nancy Drew (though the piece is titled Sherlock - - which is totally relevant because of the magnifying glass).

Wellies. Hunter Wellies. Classic rain gear. I'm not sure how much more I can expand upon this. Other than to say when I finally get a set I will immediately invest some of these fun SLUGs found over on Etsy in Those Alaskan Girls shop (I mean if anyone knows something about keeping feet warm and dry it's folks from Ketchikan, Alaska)

I eat a lot of popcorn. I make it myself on the stove with one of these lovely machines. My very colorful china is Waechtersbach - as is this bowl. I love that the Os are pieces of popped corn. I wold love to see what it looks like piled high with white, fluffy, nummy popcorn

Um - how freaking cute is this? Kate Spade is a genius. Me likey. A lot. I commented in an earlier post this month that I think this ski hat would go lovely with these mittens. I need a hat to wear when it's cold and I'm going to log some hours outside. Or a quick jaunt to the market. The point is - my head needs to look very dashing when kept warm.

I discovered these very cool (and retro-ish) plaid storage containers when reading the second issues of Rue Magazine - which if you haven't discovered it you really need to read it (especially if you were a fan of Domino Magazine . . . I'm still sad that Domino is gone & I refuse to get rid of all of my back issues). These remind me of the containers my Grandma (aka Edna Mae) uses. Plus, they're bright and cheery and I like things that make me smile. If you want your own set or think they'll make a good gift head over to French Bull and take a gander.

What is on your "Things I Covet" list this year for the holidays? Anything special? I hope everyone had a great Turkey Day. Now - to burn off some of the food I ate yesterday I will (Lord, help me) be wading out into the Black Friday mess. Weeee!

Happy Thanksgiving & A Preview . . .

2010-11-25T13:26:00.002-06:00

Today is one of the busiest cooking days of the year . . . it's right up there with Christmas Eve for those of us in the Thummprints house.

We've been fighting for kitchen counter space all morning: sweet potatoes, cheese balls, seasoned pretzels and turkey muffin toppers (and cupcakes too) - these things do not mesh well in the space of one kitchen.

If you can't tell by the odd list of things, we aren't in charge of the whole meal . . . just parts. The turkey, mashed potatoes, veggies and gravy (oh, the gravy) are all being made elsewhere.

Here's a quick preview of my special turkey treats that I made for the kiddos (young and old) on this wonderfully soggy Thanksgiving (and I say wonderfully soggy because I really do like the rain - though not the sleet and then the snow that has developed today . . . gotta love the weather in The Lou):

Hopefully everyone out there in the blogosphere is having a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Blueberries & Turkey Day Wishes

2010-11-24T06:28:00.003-06:00

I love this advert (to use the British word . . . and no, I don't know why I decided to do it). There's something about it. I love how everything times up with the music. Especially when the blueberries hit the batter in the skillet. Love!

I hope everyone has a great and safe Turkey Day tomorrow! I'm thankful to be spending the holiday with family (plus a new addition - a retired service dog was adopted by my cousin) and most importantly I am thankful to once again be in the presence of the gravy.

You know, the gravy by which all other gravy is judged. The gravy that haunted my dreams for at least a month after Thanksgiving last year.

Becky, you are making the gravy aren't you?

Please, say yes.

Please?

Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili

2010-11-23T06:25:00.004-06:00

Occasionally at work (okay, maybe more than occasionally) Stephanapolis and I surf for and swap recipes. And as soon as it turned cool outside the conversation and recipe search turned toward all things pumpkin. On one of these forays into non-marketing talk Stephanapolis introduced me to Taste of Home.

O. M. G.

Where have I been?

This website ROCKS! And what rocks even harder is this chili. Seriously. Make it the way it is. Even if you don't think you'll like it. It's AMAZING! The only thing I changed was I used ground turkey (1 pound) instead of chunks of turkey . . . but I imagine this would be a great recipe for after Thanksgiving left over turkey.

Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups Progresso ® Chicken Broth

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained

2-1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

2 teaspoons chili powder

1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, saute the onion, yellow pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

2. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients.

3. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through.

Shake it Like a Sugar Shaker

2010-11-22T06:52:00.003-06:00

On a recent trip to Springfield to visit my Grandparents and my Kappa Delta ladies (reunions are super fun!) I took a quick jaunt down to Branson - it's all of an hour or so down the interstate - to go to the outlet malls.

I mean - a girl's gotta shop. Especially since I X-acto knifed my favorite pair of black pants (long story . . . but suffice it to say that my manager will no longer leave me unsupervised with a sharp instrument for fear of stabbing myself in the leg - true story).

I didn't find any pants. But I did find a piece of Rosenthal (Studio Line - Coffee Cult Sugar Shaker) that I fell in love with. At Tuesday Morning. I got a piece of Rosenthal for $5.00 - I was amazed and thrilled!

I think it goes well with my Waechtersbach china (the orange is only one of several colors I have - there will be a separate post on this someday).

My daily routine of drinking coffee just got a little more snazzy, which I think we can all agree is not a bad thing.

Cranberry Bread/Cake

2010-11-18T06:27:00.000-06:00

As promised - here's the cranberry recipe that will make your mouth water and your tummy growl - and the most important thing, it will put a smile on your face. I had a piece yesterday afternoon and all of the sudden, for a few blissful minutes, my day didn't seem so crazy.

Trust me - make this and whoever you feed it to will love you forever.

Or at least beg for the recipe.

Cranberry Bread/Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup + 2 Tbsp melted/soft butter

3 cups flour

2 Tbsp almond or vanilla extract

4 1/2 cups fresh cranberries

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Cream sugar and eggs, then beat in 1 cup butter. Mix in the flour and the extract.

3. Stir in fresh cranberries.

4. Saute 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts in 1 - 2 Tbsp butter.

5. Add nuts to batter.

6. Bake in two PAM sprayed 8 x 8 pans for 30 minutes.

7. Reduce oven temperature to 325 F and bake for 35 - 40 minutes more.

8. Let cool completely before removing from the pan.

My Stack

2010-11-17T06:55:00.002-06:00

Stacking jewelry isn't something new. It's something that I learned from my mother . . . though for the most of my life I wouldn't stack things on one arm. I didn't like the feel. That and my watch used to take up almost all of my wrist.

Honest.

I was wearing men's style watches back before it was cool. Inspiration struck me one night when I hi-jacked my father's Rolex: big clunky watch + my wrist = awesomeness.

But that ship has sailed. And now I'm back to small, dainty and utterly feminine watches. With sparkles (there must always be sparkles on a watch). And no numbers (which is a first for me).

From left to right I'm wearing:

My Kate Spade "Give it a Whirl" idiom bangle - this reminds me to try take a minute everyday and find something fun to do (or at least something that makes me smile).

A sterling sliver "Tiffany" style bracelet with a heart engraved with 1843 (the number of my Girl Scout troop - I went all the way through) and this reminds me of good friends, good times, lessons learned and, most importantly, there is always a way to help those around you.

A sterling silver cuff (a recent gift from my Auntie Mame via my Mother aka LindaG) that really reminds me of my mother, it looks similar to one she wear a lot, and reminds me that no matter how much a struggle against it . . . I really am a lot like her (just don't tell her I said that).

My new watch - a Danish wonder made by SKAGEN.

And finally my LIVE BLUE wrist band (GO CATS!) which is an easy way for me to show which team I'm pulling for and to remind myself to watch as many games as I can find on the telly.

Of course this is what my stack looks like today - it varies, though I will almost always have on my Kate Spade bangle, my watch and the sterling sliver cuff . . . the other things change out depending on my mood, the season or my outfit.

What does your stack look like?

Genius Bar

2010-11-16T09:38:00.000-06:00

My Mac. My lovable machine. My one and only. Isn't well. It's getting nipped and tucked as we speak. New body, same brains.

Like plastic surgery for computers.

There was a fatal flaw in the old Mac design and when it presented itself (all of the sudden and over night) yesterday morning it was whisked off the the Apple Genius Bar for help.

They took it in with the promise to fix it and have it back to me today.

It's like that episode of Sex & The City - - only without the "Sad Mac" face (thank god) and I didn't wrap my Mac in my pashmina either - so I guess it isn't really anything like that episode of Sex & The City. Ignore the reference.

So as soon as I get the Mac back I will blog something very tasty.

Your mouth will water, and your stomach will growl. You'll be rushing to the store to buy cranberries.

Seriously.

Would I lie to you?

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Crostini

2010-11-15T09:19:00.001-06:00

We had an office Thanksgiving Potluck last week. Yes it was early. Yes it was lots of fun. And yes my photograph is a little yellow (thanks to overhead lighting).

This was my first office potluck. I can say with full certaintly that my desk is not the proper place to assemble food. It was awkward. And a bit messy. But worth it in the end.

I sliced my own baguette this time - and I've decided that from now on I will leave the precision slicing up the the professionals at Panera Bread (or as we in The Lou call it - Bread Co). Their slicing machine makes perfectly thin and uniformed slices (unlike mine) perfect for making crostini with. When in doubt, let the professionals handle it.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Crostini

Ingredients:

Baguette, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing, plus 1 tsp.

1 cloves garlic, peeled

1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped (see note below)

1 Tbsp. slivered almonds

1 ½ Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley

1 Tbsp. finely chopped basil

½ tsp. fresh lemon juice

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

goat cheese

*** Note: when roasting a pepper in the oven here are a few tips I've learned. One - crank up the oven, set the pepper on a metal tray and check on it later. Black splotches are a good thing. Rotate, rotate, rotate. When you are satisfied with the amount of black skin that's developed on the pepper remove from the oven and put in a Ziploc bag to let it sweat. This will make removing the skin easier. Trust me. I know things.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Brush lightly with olive oil (I put my salt, pepper and one minced clove of garlic in the olive oil ahead of time and let it ruminate). Bake until lightly browned and crispy.

3. Spread each baguette slice with a thin layer of goat cheese.

4. In the bowl of a food processor, combine one clove of garlic, the red pepper, slivered almonds, Parmesan, parsley, basil, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Pulse until a coarse puree forms. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Spread a spoonful of the red pepper pesto onto each baguette slice.

Source: adapted from Annie's Eats

I ♥ French Silk

2010-11-11T16:54:00.005-06:00

It all started many moons ago on (or around) my birthday. I was at a dinner party at one of my parents' friends house (he used to own a 31 Flavors (aka Baskin-Robbins), so when I say he knew how to make an ice cream pie . . . the man knew) when I was presented with The Pie - turst me it's worth being capitalized and italicized.

This pie became the pie by which all others are judged: a french silk ice cream pie with an Oreo crust and chocolate ganache lattice work.

I've tried to recreate The Pie to no avail.

This is where Tippin's Pies come in. They make wonderful pies, but truth be told the French Silk is the best (and I am not being biased - at the office Thanksgiving (yes it was early) Party the French Silk Pie disappeared really fast). They used to have restaurants around town . . . but not anymore (at least not that I am aware of) - not that anyone ever went their to really eat the food. It's all about the pies. Seriously.

Anyway - my cubbymate, Stephanapolis, and I gabbed too much and missed out on getting a slice of the oh so wonderful French Silk Pie. I was sad. But I consoled myself with a slice of Pumpkin Cake from Whole Foods (uh - yum!). All was okay in my world.

Well - apparently the gent that brought the pies found out we didn't manage to grab a slice and decided Stephanapolis and I deserved OUR OWN PIE. And he delivered it this morning. (Thanks, Steve!)

I love this pie.

More than the color orange.

You'll have to excuse me - I'm preparing for my third sugar crash of the week.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

2010-11-09T06:39:00.000-06:00

Over Halloween Weekend I was down in Springfield visiting my G'ma & Pa - and as usual when we got their house it was evident my G'ma had spent a chunk of her day in the kitchen whipping up some goodness.

Boy oh boy did her house smell good. It always does.

It should have dawned on me before the next morning, as I squeezed the glaze on the evening before, but it didn't. I guess I just assume that everything Edna Mae makes is homemade. It makes sense, because generally it is - and well, she's of the era when things were made from scratch.

Not out of a box.

My generation (and those before me) totally embraced the "box" phenomenon. Hello Hamburger Helper (though I must admit, I have never had Hamburger Helper - out of a box, homemade - yes).

Anyway. Edna Mae made this bread - Pillsbury Quick Bread Cinnamon Swirl - and when I asked for the recipe, she laughed and told me it was a out of a box (which is when my brain said - hey, silly you put on the glaze - - remember?).

So - upon my return to The Lou I purchased the Cinnamon Swirl version of Pillsbury Quick Bread.

It's really delicious.

You should try it.

Embrace the Box!

Best. Song. Ever.

2010-11-08T06:58:00.000-06:00

A Quick Way to Update a Room

2010-11-05T09:52:00.002-05:00

Is to add new drawer pulls to a dresser, cabinet or any other piece of furniture that requires a handle. I've changed my drawer pulls about three times in the past eight years. I'd swap them out more often in I could find pulls I liked more often. Could it be that I am too picky? I really would rather think of myself as particular (which is just a nicer way of saying picky).

Anyway, I found these lovelies at Anthropolgie on a dinner / shopping trip with a buddy of mine. She's a Super Shopper. Really - power shopper doesn't even begin to cover it. She has pretty darn good taste too - so shopping with her is never boring or dull (it's usually filled with all kinds of interesting finds). Unless my pocket books starts crying hysterically over the amount of money being spent.

Which rarely happens.

Usually.

On the day I purchased these beautiful pulls my pocket book had no reason to cry. Normally these pulls are $12.00 a pop (and I needed seven) - but I got them for $3.00 a piece! I love stumbling upon sale items. It brings I smile to my face.

I ♥ Pimm's Cup

2010-11-03T07:35:00.002-05:00

Things I Love

2010-11-02T09:44:00.007-05:00

It's time for another round of "Things I Love" - I bet you all are super excited, I know I am! Later this month or early next month I think I might do "Things I want for Christmas" post and then just send the link to all my relatives. Is that tacky? Is that taking the whole "embrace social media" thing a step too far?

This is the world's best conditioner. Hands down. Honest. I've tried so many other conditioners out there and most of them my hair rejects. I have fine hair and using conditioner can be tricky - the wrong kind can leave my flaxen locks droopy and sad looking. I, along with every other woman on the planet, want happy upbeat hair full of volume. Enter Bumble & Bumble - this conditioner makes my hair happy. It sings. Honestly - it does a nice rendition of Barbra Streisand's Happy Days Are Here Again.

Next up is the newest member of my morning hair routine. This was one of those impulse buys. You know, like gum? I had seen something about this on the Internet somewhere and thought - huh, wonder if it really works. I tend to have a split end problem. Always have. I used to blame it on hours logged in the pool. Swim caps are just not concussive to having good hair. But given that I don't log a gazillion hours a week in the pool and I still have split ends I have to face a different reality.

Until about a year ago - I really didn't care what I did to my hair - hello: I've been a red head, had a perm, went platinum blonde for three years, then decided brunettes have more fun (and if I have my way I will return to being a brunette again someday) and now I'm back to blonde (though more natural than platinum - though I miss it, my pocket book doesn't).

The jury is still out if this product really does save the user from split ends - but I will say one thing. If you want soft, silky happy hair - use this stuff! Oh and a little goes a heck of a long way.

Yes, I have a pair of Olympic Mittens. And yes, I can't wait until it's cold enough to wear them. I got mine this summer when my folks returned from their summer trek out to B'ham (it's like twelve miles to Canada from the house) - they looked and looked for them last winter but had no luck finding my size. These will literally make my day the first time it's cold enough to wear them - oh and snow, snow will look awesome on against the red. Plus, I think they will look smashing with this (which will be on my Christmas list this year).

Ah, Peet's Coffee. What can I say - I've been a fan ever since I had brunch at the St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM.org) many moons ago. The only catch is - there's no where in The Lou to purchase Peet's Coffee. So, as my family does with so many things, we import it. Meaning - whoever is up in Washington State (okay - so mostly it's my father) buys three pounds of coffee and brings it home in their suitcase. I can't tell you how many things we do this with. It's kind of funny.

Well - that's wraps up this addition of "Things I Love" - hope to see you next time.

NaNoWriMo . . .

2010-11-01T00:01:00.009-05:00

. . . not to be confused with nanaimo bars (a delicous, decideidly Canadian, treat that one can get in PacNorthWest).

I really love this poster - I might have to get it.

NaNoWriMo = Nation Novel Writing Month = 30 Days (and Nights) of Literary Abandon = November.

I've NaNoWriMo'd before - though I'm thinking I am not going to try and do it this year given that today is my first official day at my new job. The fact that I've been there since mid/late August doesn' really mean anything. Today I am official.

But - back to NaNoWriMo: do you think you have what it takes to churne out 50,000 words in 30 days? It's a lot of words strung together into sentences, into scenes into a plot arc, into a novel.

To give you some perspective (authors always count things by words - not pages) 500 words is a page - which is roughly 100 pages in 30 days - so 3.33 pages per day, or roughly 1800 or so words a day. That is a lot. When I was writing my thesis I considered it a good day when I knocked out 1700 words - and it was, more or less, an all day event.

But here's the silver lining with NaNoWriMo - there just needs to be 50,000 words. No one is going to edit it as you go - in fact you shouldn't either.

Of course I really like this one too . . .

Red ink won't touch the snowy white of the paper until you print it out (when you are done).

So - will you NaNoWriMo?

Get on their site and see if there is a writing group near you - it's a challange, but it's a lot of fun!