Myas 1st Acrylic Painting (at 6 yrs & 10 mths old)

Well this was a long fun adventure... I worked with Mya (note, I have no painting skills...)
I tried to show her the concepts of different textures, blending colors....
She did most of this painting herself. I helped smooth edges & outlines of the more complicated components for her to color in... (wings, wands, bodies...), but in general I tried to have her do as much of it as possible. Also, she controlled all choices of colors and did the more simple components completely alone (sky, bushes, mushrooms, flowers, butterflies....). She did most of the grass with brushes and toothpicks, but got "sick of it so I had to finish a section. The bush was her idea and I taught her how to make it reds in addition to greens with a textured brush.

I am so excited that we were able to enjoy this activity together. Normally she is "done" with a project after minutes. It is neat to see her at an age with an attention span that if I say "are you sure you're done? or would you like to learn how to make the grass look more real by making a pattern with a toothpick" - that she will say "Show me" instead of "no this is good, I'm done" : )  The sunset colors in the sky were her idea after she painted it all 1 plain flat color blue and I showed her on another piece of paper how to blend shades of blues and whites to create a more realistic sky.... It was a blast, even if it did take us way longer (weeks) than I expected.

In the end, CREDIT must go to Aunt Cindy for the facial features. She is a professional artist and we just felt that neither of us could draw mouths or eyes that didn't ruin the whole thing... so Cindy was kind enough to paint very simple features to compliment the rest of Mya's piece - THANKS CINDY

Super spins on Pizza!

CRUST:

Normally I keep my freezer stocked with Greek flat bread (also called pocketless pita). You can get it anywhere, but I have found the best price in a yummy thick soft option at Sam’s Club. They are perfect to pull out of the freezer, toss toppings on & pop in the oven at 400 for personal pizzas on Friday nights. I generally get giant pepperoni from the deli when Boars Head is on sale, it freezes wonderfully as well. (I also use the bread to toast w/ soup, dip in hummus…)

Anyway, since we made traditional pizzas Friday night, I was out of the flat bread Saturday so the photos you see this time are traditional pizza crust (yikes! lucky I found yeast in my fridge!)

Anyway, we made 3 variations this weekend:

PESTO, CARAMELIZED ONIONS, MUSHROOMS & GOAT CHEESE


PREPARATION:
 
-        Warm a couple Tablespoons of Olive Oil in a non stick pan

-        Thinly slice 2 onions

-        Put them in the pan on Medium heat & stir from time to time until caramelized

-        Add a package of diced mushroom and a package of diced portabella mushrooms

-        Cook down a few minutes to reduce juices from mushrooms

 

You can use store bought PESTO, but if you would like to make your own, here is how I did it, just throw these things in a food processor to make a paste.

-        Basil leaves

-        Sun dried tomatoes (if I have them)

-        Pine nuts or walnuts or pecans

-        Olive oil

-        Normally I put parmesan in my pesto, but not always if I know I am putting it on pizza that will have cheese as a topping anyway… 

ASSEMBLY:

-        Mix Pesto with a teaspoon or so of balsamic vinegar

-        Spread pesto/vinegar mixture onto crust

-        Spread the onions & mushrooms that you caramelized evenly over the pizza

-        Sprinkle Goat cheese on the pizza (fresh Mozzarella would go well if you don’t like/have Goat Cheese)

-        Bake at 400

-        (if you have it) garnish with chopped fresh basil

This pizza is great hot, but was also wonderful the next day cold!

Too tired to type the other recipes tonight, so more to come later this week!

Joe's Luminary Lamp with his Photographs - Progress Update

Joe has made SIGNIFICANT progress on his Luminary Lamp project this week. He had this vision of using his photographs to make lamps. He has tried a few options and believes he has come up with the one he wants to move forward with. He did tests this week with the prints on the lamps and they look great. Now we are on to the final step of integrating handmade paper to frame the image and we will have one beautiful finished piece! Can’t wait, but in the meantime, here is a picture of his prototype. It looks so nice whether the light is on or off, I can just see the final product in my head and it is wonderful!

Joe’s Braised Beef Roast

Braised Beef Roast

Well Joe made a WONDERFUL dinner the other night. He also was kind enough to type out the recipe and take a few snapshots of the process for me to share with you all!

2 lbs roast, round steak, or ternderloin
2 cups red wine (3 buck chuck from Trader Joes works good)
1/4 cup olive oil

2 1/2 cups Beef or vegetable stock

1-2 stalks Celery

2 Tblsp minced garlic

2 large carrots or equivalent baby carrots, cut 1/4 inch pieces

1/2 cup red onion

1/2 cup sweet or yellow onion

1 Tsp Thyme

1 Tsp dill

1 bay leaf

1 Tsp ground pepper

1/2 Tsp salt

2 1/2 cups mushrooms any type, a variety works nice.

Make marinade for the roast and marinade for 2-6hours prior to cooking


Combine:
1 cup red wine
1 1/2 cup stock

1/4 cup olive oil

1 stalk celery finely chopped

1/2 Tsp Thyme

1/2 Tsp dill

1/2 Tsp pepper

1/Tsp Salt

1 Tblsp minced garlic

Add to Zip lock bag with the roast. Refridgerate for as long as you can before cooking. 2-6 hours

• Grill -- or - sear the Roast on each side in a HOT skillet with a bit of oil 5 minutes a side or so.
• Reserve the marinade for the sauce.
• Use 1/2 of the reserved marinade for the Braising vessel and 90% of the onions both red and yellow, 90% of the Mushrooms. cover tightly Place in oven at 425 degree F for 45 -75 Minutes or to desired doness

Make the sauce

• add remainder of the reserved marinade just a few carrots, 10% of the onions both red and yellow, 1 Tblsp minced Garlic, remaining thyme, dill, pepper, Bay leaf.
• Add a 1/2-3/4 cup more wine and also Broth. Should start with about 3-4 cups total
• Bring to boil in Sauce pan then reduce heat an simmer to the desired thickness. 45 minutes or so
• Strain to a sauce vessel or bowl.

Remove roast from oven
Let the roast rest covered for15 minutes.

Goes wonderfully with steamed Green Beans & Garlic Smashed Potatoes

SALE OF THE DAY

Myas Muffins & My most recent work of Pearls

Well Mya & I make Blueberry muffins from time to time. We have been close to perfecting a recipe when she said "Let's add Chocolate Chips". I didn't think it sounded right, but we tried it and they are yummy... So here it is!

Myas Muffins: Blueberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

Preheat oven to 400

Beat until smooth:

1 Cup milk - WARM it a few seconds in the micro (just to get to room temp) so it doesn’t make the butter lump up

½ Cup softened butter

½ Cup Canola or Smart Balance Oil

½ Cup Egg White beaters (or 2 eggs)

2 Teaspoons Vanilla

Add these ingredients on top of mixture, but don’t mix them in yet:

4 Cups flour

You can use all purpose, OR here’s what we do to really add some grains & depth of texture/flavors):  1 Cup all purpose, 1 ½ Cup Whole Wheat, 1 ½ Cup Oat Flour (if you don’t have any, toss some oats in the food processor for a while)

1 Cup Granulated sugar

1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Brown sugar

4 Teaspoons of Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Pinch of Nutmeg

Optional, but we like to throw in ½ Cup Flax Seed Meal

Now gently mix the dry ingredients together (this is to get them integrated with each other evenly without having to do it in a separate bowl – save dirty dishes!)

Once dry is mixed, fold the dry mix with the moist batter below just enough to start to integrate the dry with the wet. DON’T Over mix.

Add Blueberries & Chocolate Chips – don’t be shy : ) We normally do about 2 Cups BB & 1 Cup CC (but Mya may add more when I am not looking : )

Fold together

Put in muffin tins

Bake 15-25 min (length depends on size S/M/L) Until toothpick comes out clean.

Also, here is my most recent Pearl designs, which I made my sale of the day today! 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArdentDesigns

Leftovers into AMAZING "Chili"

- mashed potatos

- chicken chirizo (I had left over from taco salad nigth, so you could use other mexican meat if you want)

- salsa (I used my new favorite kind from Trader Joes, the fresh black bean & corn - which I worried wouldnt last another week raw)

- chicken broth

Joelyns Turkey Chili

Boil: diced potatoes, drain set aside

Sauté:

Cumin Seeds

Sun Dried Tomatoes

Minced Garlic

Add & Saute:

Minced Onions

Minced Mushrooms

Minced Celery (opt)

Minced Apple (opt)

Add, Mash & Simmer:

White Wine

Veggie Broth

Basil Leaf

Ground Coriander

Pepper

Lemon Juice

Diced Soft Potatoes

Minced Jalapeño Peppers

Add & Heat through:

Black Beans

Baked Beans

Corn

Spinach

Scallions
Cilantro
Chunks of Turkey (or Chicken)

Serve with tortilla chips to dip in it - yum.
Garnish w/ diced avacados if you have them

PaPas Best Chili (named by Mya : )

Chili perfected over many years by Joe Welch:
16 Oz tomato sauce
16 Oz diced tomatoes
1 Ib - 1.5 Lb sirloin (see marinade recipe) - broiled or grilled - sliced to desired size
Med sized onion - 1 inch cut /sautéed in olive oil
1 red or yellow pepper - 1 inch cut /sautéed in olive oil

2-4 Serrano peppers sautéed in olive oil then chop finely
1 - 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 t chili powder
1/2 t salt
1 t thyme
1 bay Leaf
1 t basil

bring to boil then lower to mild simmer for 1-2 hrs

once simmered add:
8 Oz pinto beans
8 Oz baked beans
additional chili powder to taste

simmer additional 15 minutes
pull out bay leave

Steak Marinade perfected over many years by Joe Welch, based off his moms recipe:

Ketchup

Mustard (dry or jarred)

Olive oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Worcestershire sauce

Minced Garlic

Seasoning salt

Thyme

Basil

Best to marinade steak overnight & then grill or broil it, but good no matter what

Friday night Food w/ a twist! YUM

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes & Blue Cheese

OK, so 1 of our favorite Friday night foods is to make our own twice baked potatoes. Earlier in the week I bake potatoes (this week w/ the meatloaf I already posted).

So then I normally empty the potatoes, mash w/ a little light sour cream/garlic/bacon bites/cheddar. Then I top w/ green onions after baked for the second time.

QUICK & YUMMY. Healthier than getting them from a chain & still yummy enough to feel like a treat.

but, tonight I was out of cheddar AND I needed to use up both plain & sweet potatoes so I came up with a YUMMY SURPRISE NEW RECIPE : )

- Hollow out potatoes & sweet potatoes (equal amounts of each)

- Mash w/ pepper & light sour cream & Blue cheese (I bet goat cheese would be good to, I plan to try that nx wk)

- I add bacon bits from the freezer which I either buy precooked/cut OR make by cooking & breaking up turkey bacon to freeze & pull out as needed.... BUT THIS WOULD BE GOOD W/OUT MEAT TOO

- Top with a little light cheddar or mozzarella blend (if you have it)

- bake to heat through

- Top w/ diced green onions

YYUUMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!

I just made these & posted them to Etsy. Just in time for Valentines day shopping!  They are called Secretly Jaded Valentine because they  have the little sterling silver hearts and the stone I ended up using is called Soochow Jade (which I will tell you more about in the post)

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38621870