The Pantry Project

I have been mulling over a plan to improve the storage of my pantry items and cookware.  After living here for a full year, the original "move-in" set up was not quite as functional as I wanted. 

I looked around my kitchen, and although small, there was a wall full of possibilities!  I purchased a metal shelving unit, put casters on it and viola, a pantry!!!  All of those lovely glass jars make me so happy!  There are still some refinements to be made and labels to be printed, but WOW, what an improvement!

Another benefit is that it has cleared off my limited counter space, so I have more room to function in my kitchen. (veggie chopping, dough making etc....) Now I am ready to do some serious cooking!

Adventures in Baking: Cheese Danish

I have always had the ambition to bake really amazing pastries.  Combine that with the fact that really authentic bakeries are not easy to find here in the 'burbs (sigh, SF has every kind of authentic; Italian, French; German....) attempting this seems like a worthy and harmless endeavor (aside from the obvious hazard of ingesting too much butter and sugar!)

So, here is  my latest experiment

adding the cheese filling

sealed and egg washed

Baked, Glazed and ready to eat.  These are actually from the second part of the dough, I liked making the open top danishes because I love the cream cheese filling.  Now...where is that cup of tea?

 

wild turkeys?!?

Can you believe this.  I am driving down the street and there in the road, wild turkeys!

Gorgeous Iris Day

Today was the opening day of the Vacaville Iris Farm's 2011 season.  We went to see the farm and enjoyed ourselves so much.
First, I have to say that valley is beautiful.  There were pastures with horses, cows, and sheep.  We saw a free range chicken ranch that sells fresh laid eggs and we also passed many bee hives.  We caught a glimpse of the bee keepers as work.  Everything was lush and green. It would have been most enjoyable just as a drive in the country.  Then we made it to the Iris Farm.

The family that runs the farm was so friendly.  The kids ran up to us to offer help and give us a clipboard so we could write down the ones we liked.  We could have written down each and every one.  I will let the photos below speak for themselves....

 We had so much fun! my battery ran out before we could finish taking photos.  A young girl who was helping us took the photo.  Lavender decided they should be friends, so the walked around looking at the irises holding hand and having a great time.  I have to bring all of my flower loving friends back. I will take some photos of the ones we purchased once they come into bloom!

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Sewing Lesson!

Max wanted to make something and I really need new placemats for the table, so I thought that would be a good beginner project.  We had so much fun...now I need to make one for everyone else in the family!

He has been wanting to use the machine so he could "drive" the foot pedal!

Applique whale & shark for PJ flannel scraps!

Ready to use, complete with personal napkin!

My Kind of Dinner

You know the drill for us Moms...what can I cook that: 1) everyone will eat, 2) is quick and easy. 

With my picky kids (can you believe the twins are not big on potatoes that are not shaped like fries???) this leaves the same old spaghetti which I am tired of too be sure.

Monday, I decided that enough was enough.  I wanted a roasted chicken, following my Julia Child Kitchen Wisdom book.  Simple and tasty.  I checked out a really inspiring book from the library called French Feasts. It had a recipe that I had forgotten about; Tartiflette.  It's like scalloped potatoes, but easier.  I didn't have the Reblochon cheese the recipe called for so I improvised.  I had sliced Havarti cheese.  I also used 1/2 & 1/2 (I don't keep heavy cream around like all of those french recipes call for...)  IT WAS DELICIOUS!

Here is how you make it:

1. thinly slice potatoes: par-boil (cook only about semi-tender) drain

2. thinly slice onion: saute in olive oil or butter (what ever your prefer!)

3. layer potatoes and onion in a parchment lined baking dish.  season with salt and pepper between each layer (don't forget cheese can be salty so don't overdo it!)

4. pour a cup or so of 1/2&1/2 or heavy cream (make sure there is enough milk to see it through the potatoes & onions, this dish should not be too dry!)

5. top with sliced cheese.  Reblochon is not easy to find, I hear that brie or camenbert is a good choice, I used sliced harvarti since that is all I had

6. bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 until melty and golden looking.

7. EAT IT WARM!!! yum.

 Finish the dinner off with steamed Fresh Haricot Verts (french green beans). Perfect!

Someone was eager to dig in....

Snack-in-the-Box

Leave it to little kids to find another way to make a big box fun.  Here we have a Twin Snack-in-the-Box!

It's the little things like this that makes a mama SMILE!

Signs of Spring

Wisteria in Bloom.  The scent was amazing!

Saturday was a special day in the ministry. 

We visited our friends in Martinez and enjoyed the fellowship and beautiful spring weather.  

 

Signs of Spring were everywhere.  Lovely Lady Banks Roses ( one of my favorites!)

Beautiful Yellow Rose on an amazingly large bush.  It was so tall, it was like a tree, with a huge trunk!

Red & Yellow Day Lillies

Purple Blooms (potato bush I think!)

Elegant Simplicity

A Special Breakfast

I love having the time to make my family breakfast.  What says "I love you" like warm muffins from the oven? I love Lavender stirring her cup of tea!  It's one of those little things that make me happy. 

Lavender's Special Spring Dress

Having a daughter named Lavender (after the flower, not the color) it's  hard to resist making her a lavender colored dress.  I found the fabric and just had to give in.  I tried a few new techniques on this one and learned a lot.  This was my first sheer sleeves.  This was also my first bubble skirt.  I lined it with tulle between the lining and fabric.  Afterward, the skirt was overlaid with the sheer organza. I am happy with the results!
I made a floral headband with a netting bow.  I was busy with the hot glue gun only and hour before we were getting ready to leave.   Everything was done just in time!

Can  you resist this smile?

A Spoonful of Sugar

Here is a photo (poor quality...I know) of Max in his Spring Performance for the Vacaville Ballet Academy.  His teacher played Mary Poppins.  His costume was a complete surprise to me.  It  brought tears to my eyes because he used to wear those little hats and short pants when he was a toddler.  He has 3 more nights to perform.  I will try for a clearer photo and some shots from his Peter Pan number.  All I could think about is "How did he grow up so quickly?"  Taking Ballet was totally his idea.  He kept asking me about it over and over for a year and a half and finally,  things worked out so that he could take the class at a really nice school.  The owner was a professional dancer and even danced with the SF Ballet.
Max really loves to dance and it was fun to see him perform in a real theater! We are all tired....I can only imagine how we will feel by the end of the week!

A Rare Treat

William took me out for a wonderful French Meal last week.
In celebration of his retirement, we dined at Chapeau! in San Francisco. http://www.chapeausf.com/
If you like French food, go there!
Every dish was a perfect blend of textures and flavors.   I forgot to photograph the fish course.  It was a giant scallop, grilled to perfection, served on a bed of basil Parmesan Risotto.  DELISH!

I chose fois gras for my 1st course

duck with cheese polenta!

William with his dessert of CHOCOLATE!

I had the Lemon Tart with Raspberry coulis

 The chef was so sweet.  He comes out and gives you kisses ( I forgot, it was a kiss on each cheek!) The staff was great; you can tell they really enjoy the food and wine they were serving. It felt like we were guests at a fine banquet, as the chef would come out and serve some of the "show stopper" dishes and stop by the tables and exchange a few words.  We all watched him carve a prime rib with marrow bones to serve to a party of diners.  He brought out the whole roast, then proceeded to create perfect slices, effortlessly.  Into each slice of bone with marrow, he placed and arrangement of fresh herbs and then added the sauce. I think many of us will hope to order that dish the next time.
  William ordered a treat for himself, Remy Martin.  In this bisto, the tables are very close together on the banquette, so our fellow dining couple next to us was very curious about the Remy.  He was French but was busy drinking the Amaretto.  William offered he and his wife a sample of his Remy. As it is very pricey ($16 a glass I think) the couple surprised us and paid for William's drink!  The wished him a happy retirement and became Remy fans as well.  Just the bouquet of the liquor as it warms in the glass is a satisfying experience. The waiter brought the drink with a glass of hot water.  He balanced the goblet on top to bring out the flavors.....ah, such a simple gesture but truly one that enhanced and already wonderful drink.

I hope to visit Chapeau! again (btw, chapeau means "hat" in French, but with a "!" it's an expression that means "Wow!")

Happy Cookie Jar

My cookie jar was looking so sad and empty, so I finally filled it up!
Full jar, happy kids!

Nice and Full (for now!)

Oatmeal Choc-o  Chip!

Spring Sewing

April 7, 2011

Here is one of the outfits I am working on for Little Girl.  It's not the best photo, but the fabric is adorable.  It has strands of pink gingham ribbon running alongside clusters of pink roses. I am going to make some cute little gingham pantaloons to go underneath.  She likes to play and have fun, so she can be cute and modest at the same time! 

A Muffin Morning!

Thursday April 7, 2011

Yummy!

Soft

Freshly Baked Banana Muffins

A very sweet way to start the day!

(and fun to back too!)

Service Day

A Beautiful Day

Daddy and the Little Ones Together- A Beautiful Sight!

Bright, cool and very windy, it was a beautiful day mostly because we were all together, and doing the most important work!

 There is always time for a bit of fun along the way.  We were in a little court with a hopscotch chalk drawing.  How can the little ones resist?  It was adorable seeing them take a little moment to play!

Lavender takes a turn!

Oliver's turn !

I had never seen Oliver  hop on one foot!  I love little boys in short pants!

Maxwell got to work with one of our elders who has two grown sons who are both fine brothers in our congregation.  I am inspired by the example of any successful parents!






 

Look at those smiles!  You know that had a good time!

 

New QIP=Quilt in Progress

I have finally gotten my inspiration and fabric together to start a quilt for my Lavender Jayne.

First block, all in shades of lavender, pink and light green

My goal is to put together one block a day.

it started as two innocent loaf cakes

I thought I had a great idea

Sadly, I was lacking in the right type of frosting, skills and supplies.  So, my UPS truck cake became an official CAKE WRECK!!!!!

 I decided to just go with it...so I added a logo and a print out of Hubby as a driver and Max added some Lego wheels. 

It was lots of fun in the end....and Daddy sure was surprised!

"Poppa's truck" as Max used to say!