Burrow House

photoshop is fun

I've been having lots of fun lately with the "posterize" feature in photoshop.

So cool!

I decided to do a series of the chilluns.

I had made some tee shirts a while back for the boy with posterized lacrosse photos on them. They were great!  Until they went through the dryer. fyi, Avery Dark T-shirt transfers should not go through the dryer.

Anyway, I decided I wanted large versions of these.

So I uploaded them to Snapfish and ordered the 20"x30" versions.

Two days later, these were in my mailbox.  I did have to trim them down to fit the frames, but it was super easy.

Snapfish is awesome.  The processing looks great, and man was it FAST.  I LOVE how they turned out.

the neighborhood moron

I HAVE to share this little ditty, because it just has the whole neighborhood laughing and clucking their teeth this morning.

This is one of our haunts, with a darling courtyard and fantastic landscaping.  Amici's. It's right around the corner from us, and we eat there fairly often. The proprietor is a great gal. She and I even worked under the same chef through the years, but at different times.

She's been having a problem the last few weeks of someone stealing her plants.  And not just the ones that were potted and in urns (which they took too), but also the ones right out of the ground. Repeatedly.  I wish I had a picture of the sign that was hanging in the window last week.  I'm ad libbing, but it said something to the effect of, "To the jerk who keeps stealing my plants, I hope you die."

I mean, really.  What kind of cares-about-gardening person is a thief?  I'll tell you what kind.  A really stupid one.

All of her plants were found yesterday.

Planted in the front yard, and sitting on the front porch of a house less than a block away from the restaurant.

ON THE SAME STREET.

He went to jail.

This was the sign that was posted in the restaurant window this morning.

i just couldn't take it anymore

All over my house are random crayons, markers, pencils, and colored pencils.  It's been driving me crazy.

So I grabbed this old Coca Cola crate that was sitting on my front stoop collecting bric-a-brac.

I wiped all the spider webs off, and lined it with poster board.

Then I spent the rest of the day gathering up these.

And these.

And some of these.

Now I have a nifty new centerpiece. Wonder how long it will last.

company

I had an uninvited visitor today.

At first I thought I was imagining things as he scurried across my kitchen floor.  He was t.i.n.y.

I thought for sure I was going to squash him as I was trying to save him.  Really.  I had our big overstuffed chair balancing on 1 leg as I was trying to lure him out into the open.  I just KNEW it was going to land on him. (ick)

I was hard not to keep him.  Just for a little while.  But I knew he'd be happier out by our fountain, frolicking in the fern fronds.  Hope to see you again soon little buddy...outside.

a wee little challenge

A friend sent me a link to this blog today. (tip: look at the video LAST...or not at all)  I LOVED the idea.  Truly, it struck a deep chord with me, and even made my eyes a little misty. The recipients reaction to the letters, well, that's a whole other chapter of sociology.

Anyway.  Here's the challenge.  Sit down, write, and mail 2 letters today.  Not even letters.  Notes. Postcards even.  Less than 10 sentences. No, make that less than 5 sentences.  For no other purpose than the attempt to make someone else smile.  If it happens to be to someone you haven't spoken to in 6 months or more, then that's even better.

Come on.  It'll take you 5 minutes.  I did it.

one local summer, week 6

No matter how it may seem right now, my life is NOT all about cooking.  I swear I have stories to tell!  Somewhere, way down deep I have a tale or two.  I just have to find them.  I have a feeling that as soon as the first school bell rings, they will flow like spring run-off on the first warm day.

Til then, you get food.  Good food. Local, sustainable food.

My contribution this week:  PASTA

Fundamentally, pasta is very simple. Flour, eggs, and a little salt; all kneaded together by hand until the gluten forms.

Then rested, and rolled, and rested, and sliced, and rested, and boiled.

Easy peasy, right?  Right.  It is remarkably simple. And FAR superior to anything you can buy in a store. And people are understandably awed by your greatness when you say, "Yes, I make my own pasta."

First, steal a pasta machine from a good friend.  

Then:

Mound 4 cups of all purpose flour either in a bowl, or directly on the counter.  Then make a well in the center.

Into the well, crack 6 eggs.

Add 1 teaspoon of salt (optional)

Gently beat eggs with a fork until they are slightly frothy, pulling in a bit of the flour as you go.

Then pull in more flour.  And more.  And more.  And more.  Now lose the fork and use your hand.  Squeeze and squish and knead until totally combined and the texture becomes smooth and elastic.

Divide evenly into 4 balls and loosely cover with plastic wrap.  Let rest for 30 minutes.

Lightly flour one of the balls and run it through the rolling machine (set to a wide setting) 3 or 4 times. Lay it on a lightly floured surface.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  Let it all rest/dry for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Now, roll the flour through the cutting side of the roller, and lightly flour the strips so they don't all stick together.

Let them all rest for about an hour.

And they're ready to be dropped in boiling water with a couple of tablespoons of oil in it.  Cook until al dente.  About 5-7 minutes.

I tossed this in a sage/butter infusion and topped with still-warm-tomatoes-right-out-of-my-garden. Alfresco. Fantastico.

Stop and check out some of the other local eating going on here and here

Oh! And I DO have a story! My baby cousin and his wife had their first baby this week. Welcome to the world Liam. I can't wait to get my hands on you.

one local summer, week 5

Wow.  How is it already week 5!?!  

This is a little quickie post.  I've just gotten home from taking the boy to camp.  Again.  It POURED rain the entire way.  I mean, you-can-barely-see-the-road-in-front-of-you rain.  Like, your-wheels-slip-as-you're-trying-to-climb-a-hill-and-scare-the-crap-out-of-you rain.  Slightly frazzling, and I REALLY need a little nap.

Okay, here goes:

Braised Short Ribs

Roasted Potatoes

Sauteed Green Beens

For the ribs:

Preheat oven to 350

3 lbs. trimmed short ribs

rub with oil and season with salt, pepper, and fresh chopped sage

brown and remove from pan (I use a cast iron skillet)

In drippings, cook 2 onions until translucent.  Add 1 1/2 or 2 cups beef stock and bring to a boil.  Place the ribs back in the skillet, cover, and bake until tender.  About 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Pour off the juices, and top with barbeque sauce.  Broil for just a couple of minutes until the sauce crisps a bit.

For the potatoes:

This is my FAVORITE way to have potatoes.

Wash and cube as many potatoes as you will need (I like small red ones).  Toss in oil, then salt and pepper generously.  

Normally I would cook these at 400 for an hour or so, but since I'm making ribs at 350, I'll just stick them in at the same time. I like them pretty crispy!

I'm pulling oodles of green beans off of my bush plants.  WOO HOO!  We've had the first of our own carrots too, by the way.  But those never made it to the pan.

For the beans:

Clean green beens

lightly tossed in butter

and a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup

Saute until tender.

Still haven't made pasta this week.  Soon.  Very soon.

one local summer, week 4

I'm starting to fall into my local rhythm.  It feels good.  I am getting to know some of the people who are helping to provide for my family, and in return, I am helping to provide for theirs.  We chat.  We talk cooking techniques. We offer each other support.  It is good.

I thought today I'd give you a snack option.  Or breakfast.  This my friends, is peach toast.  Now, I need to give you a little background story about my Uncle Pete's peach toast.

See, Pete's mama is a southern belle.  And the lady knows her peaches. When Uncle Pete was growing up, as soon as the peaches started to come on, it was time for peach toast.

Uncle Pete married my aunt later in life and moved to Oregon, her home. He had no biological children of his own (that we know of-sorry Pete, I couldn't resist). But being a big kid himself, he still loves peach toast.  And making it for my kids when we are there.  Now, if you haven't had Oregon peaches in August, well, I'm sorry.  But any locally grown, tree ripened peach is a pretty darn good substitute.

I've adjusted the "traditional" way of making this to local-style...

Sliced No Knead Bread made with local flour.  Toasted and buttered.

Top with fresh, sliced peaches, and drizzle with honey (traditionally, this is brown sugar)

Oh. my.

We are on the go so much, many days I do knock-together meals.  And by knock-together I mean fast and uncomplicated.  That, by NO means, translates to bland and boring.

Carrots are ready!  WOO HOO! I like them very simple.  Thinly sliced and lightly sauteed in butter or olive oil and salt until WELL browned so their sugars come out and caramelize. I barely get any because the kids eat them so quickly.

These, I served with

sausage and cabbage.  My sausage and egg man had bratwurst this week.  Man it was good.  I can't remember if I've ever shared this recipe before, but it's one of my staples.  It was my grandfather's recipe and he made it regularly.  Just the smell of it transports me back to his kitchen.

(local version)

Brown a pound of sausage (whatever kind you want) in a large iron skillet. Do not drain.

Add about 1/2 a head of thinly sliced cabbage 

and 1/2 cup of water.

Cover and cook until cabbage is tender.

(non-local version)

follow above directions, but only cook for about 5 minutes after you add the cabbage.

Then add 8 oz. of thin spaghetti, broken into 1-2 inch pieces.

Add another 1/2 cup of water.

Cover, and cook until pasta is tender, stirring often and adding bits of water as needed. (if you don't add enough water, the pasta will begin to stick to the bottom of the skillet)

On tap for this week:

Homemade pasta.

Exciting local finds:

white flour

whipping cream

makin' butter

So, I went down to the farmer's market today, hoping that TODAY was the day the butter would be back. Um. No. Apparently the sissy-pants cows don't like all this heat, and aren't producing enough milk for my source to feed his family milk, make his own butter, AND bring me mine.

I knew this was a distinct possibility, so I was fully prepared to start skimming so I could make my own. fyi, this is also how I've been getting my cream for ice cream making. It's great, but you only get between 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup per bottle. For some odd reason, it is very difficult to find packaged local cream.

Then today I saw THIS.  (And this is the only size available.)

So I made this.  Oh. my.

If you've never made your own butter before, DO IT.  It's amazingly easy, and takes less than 10 minutes.  Well, if you have a standing mixer that is.

Dump a couple of cups of room temperature whipping cream into the mixer's bowl.  Add a generous amount of salt if you want, or don't. With the whisk attachment, turn on high.  Yes, it's EXACTLY like making whipped cream. But you are going to beat it until the cream turns yellow and "breaks." Meaning, you will see yellow butter, and whitish milk (buttermilk). Butter is really just over-beaten whipped cream.

When it is breaking, switch to the paddle attachment and clean out the whisk. Paddle it for a minute or two, then press the butter together with a rubber spatula on the side of the bowl and pour off the buttermilk to reserve.

Pour about 1 cup super cold water into the butter bowl, and paddle for another minute.  Drain and discard murky water, and repeat rinsing process until water is clear. About 2 more times.  

There you have it!  Shape and refrigerate. Enjoy!

on letting go

I've been making jokes about being glad to be rid of a couple of kids for a while.  Truth is, I'm starting to miss them like crazy. Less than 48 hours in. I'm not an overprotective parent.  Wait, I take that back. I am an overprotective parent who consciously forces herself to allow her children to explore and grow into their own people.  In a safe environment.  I hope. (anxiety sets in)

Anyway, it reminds me of this Nickel Creek song.  It's always been one of my favorites. But on my way home from dropping the boy off in the boonies, with no radio signal, I clicked over to CD.  This was the song that came on, and now it won't leave my head. Pretty appropriate. And just enough to keep my chest completely constricted and my eyes watery.

You've got to leave me now, you've got to go alone.

You've got to chase a dream, one that's all your own.

Before it slips away.

When you're flying high, take my heart along.

I'll be the harmony to every lonely song

that you'll learn to play.

When you're soaring through the air I'll be your solid ground.

Take every chance you dare, I'll still be there

when you come back down.

I'll keep looking up awaiting your return.

My greatest fear will be that you will crash and burn

and I won't feel your fire.

I'll be the other hand that always holds the line.

Connecting in between your sweet heart and mine.

I'm strung out on that wire.

I'll be on the other end to hear you when you call.

Angel you born to fly and if you get to high,

I'll catch you when you fall.

Your memory's the sunshine every new day brings.

I know the sky is calling.

Angel, let me help you with your wings.

When you're soaring through the air, I'll be your solid ground.

Take every chance you dare, I'll still be there

when you come back down.

Geez.  Is it Friday yet?

hear the musical version here.