365 Photo Friday

I've seen quite a few bloggers talk about Project 365 as a goal for 2010 - take a picture once a day, every day, for the entire year. Its an opportunity to create a comprehensive scrapbook of your life for a year. It can assist you in paying attention to everyday, since time seems to fly by faster every year. And it can help you become a better photographer. I was interested, but daunted. Until I saw Lindsey's 365 Photo Friday post. So, I am going to participate in Project 365 with Lindsey, posting my week's worth of pictures every Friday. And here's the inaugural picture:


I bought myself a tabletop photo studio set to help in one of my goals of becoming a better photographer. I don't get enough natural light in my kitchen for photos, and I'm usually cooking after dark anyway, so I needed a better lighting option. So far, so good. This is a picture using the light tent of a new leaf-shaped plate I also bought for styling, from a set of two.

Merry Christmas!

Getting in the Spirit

Its been a difficult season for me to get into the holiday spirit, which is frustrating me since Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. However, some family issues have prevented a festive feeling, and it looks like I might be spending this holiday alone. In an effort to raise my spirits at this prospect, I'm hitting the bottle!

I saw this recipe for Rosemary Gin Fizz and it sounded like it might do the trick. Christmas in a glass? Yes please! It is very easy, and tasty, and I think I'll have another one tonight! Go on over to Sassy Radish and get the recipe.

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I also knit up this wine bottle cozy last night. Its a great alternative to using a bag or something as a wrapper for a gift. Its also a great stash buster to use up left-over partial skeins you might have. The pattern is from Tara's Knits, her Swirled Wine Bottle Cozy. I used some red and green yarn held double, and instead of doing the swirl pattern I went for plain stockinette since my variegating yarn looked too busy with the pattern as well. I also knit if flat and then seamed it up because I don't have the right size double-pointed needles.

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And my little fiber optic Christmas tree.

On the Side

Here are a few side dishes I've made recently:

I've had the sauteed mushrooms from our Thanksgiving dinner at The Mogul on my mind ever since. I whipped these up to go with Chris' steak one night, and they did not disappoint.

Wine Sauteed Mushrooms
based on this recipe at Easy-Wine.net

1 lb. sliced mushrooms
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 c. dry white wine
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper

In a pan, melt butter over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until browned and soft. Add garlic and wine and continue to stir for 5 minutes. Sprinkle lemon juice and parsley over mushrooms and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

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I made this quinoa salad the other night. I really like quinoa, but only ever make my Quinoa with Black Beans and Sweet Potato, so it was time to branch out. I saw this recipe at Vegetarian Times, and immediately wanted to make it. It makes a lot of salad!

The soup here is potato-leek from "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian"

Spinach-Quinoa Salad with Cherries and Almonds
from Vegetarian Times

1/4 c. sliced almonds
1 1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 c. spinach leaves
1 c. dried cherries, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/3-inch dice (about 1 1/2 c.)
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 c.)
1/4 c. plain low-fat yogurt
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp.)

Preheat oven to 350F. Spread almonds on baking sheet, and toast 7 to 10 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, or until golden brown. Cool.

Bring 3 cups salted water to a boil in pot over medium-high heat. Stir in quinoa. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, or until all liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and cool, covered, in pot.

Lay 5 or 6 spinach leaves flat on top of one another on cutting board. Roll tightly into cylinder, then slice into slivers. Repeat with remaining spinach. (I forgot to buy spinach, so I used about a cup of chopped frozen spinach, which I defrosted and squeezed the excess water out of.)

Toss together quinoa, almonds, spinach, cherries, cucumber, chickpeas and red onion in large serving bowl. Whisk together yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in small bowl. Pour over salad, and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop, then serve.

Warming up the Home

With the cooler weather I've got the bug to bake lately. Not only does the place smell great when something is cooking in the oven, but it warms the entire condo up nicely as well. I saw this recipe for Cherry, Almond, and White Chocolate Biscotti over at gimme some oven and knew I had to make it. The texture is great, as promised - crispy on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside.

Here's the ingredients:

Combine 2-2/3 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Set aside.

Mix 4 large eggs, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon almond extract and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a bowl with an electric mixer.


Add in dry ingredients and mix together until combined. Then add in 6 ounces dried cherries, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup slivered almonds. Either mix by hand with a wooden spoon, or very briefly with the electric mixer.


Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface. Knead lightly a few times to be sure that berries, chocolate and almonds are well-distributed. This dough is very sticky, so I had to add a good amount of flour. Divide dough in half.


Shape each half into long logs, and flatten to 1″ thickness. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.


Remove rolls from baking sheet and cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Then cut each roll diagonally into 1/2″ slices.


Place the slices cut-sides down on a baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove, and turn each slice over, and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove and cool on wire racks.


Remove and cool on wire racks.


Drizzle with melted white chocolate.


Enjoy with your morning coffee, or cup of tea.

Wine Tasting

Last Saturday I went wine tasting at Pride Mountain Winery in St. Helena, again. Same cast of characters, and just as fun. Its interesting to see my tastes change since last year - I said then that I found many of the wines rather dry, but not this time.


This is in the tasting room - a regular bottle of wine, and a mega bottle that holds something like ten bottles and costs about $800!

After tasting a few wines in the tasting room, a Voignier unfiltered and straight from the fermenter, and more wines in the caves, we had a picnic lunch at the lookout area at Pride Mountain. There's such a nice view up there, and plenty more wine to ward off the chill in the air.

I got to use my picnic basket!

So sweet... I think I just got a cavity.

Why yes, I did go wine tasting in stiletto booties and my grandmother's
suede and fur jacket. I felt rather glamorous that day.

A fantastic Merlot, and chocolate, and teeth stained from wine tasting.

I did not go home empty-handed. Oh no! Rich gave me one of his uncle's private label wines, and it is fan-freaking-tastic! I like it more than the Pride wines. And I got a hug from his uncle, who was sweet and funny and all-around great. And Stef and Philip gave me an ice wine. What can I say? I am one lucky girl!

Fini

Loot!

Stephanie over at Dispensing Happiness hosted a Blogging By Mail event, which is sort of like a Secret Santa gift exchange. She matched up bloggers and we were to send a package to our recipient with five of our favorite de-stress indulgences. I sent my package to Arlene in NY, and I received my package from Lindsey of Lindsey's Kitchen. And she sent me a great one!


First up, the chocolate. I think almost everyone probably sent chocolate; I know I did. There's a package of different chocolates from South America, and a dark chocolate orange that you have to whack on something hard to break up into segments. I love those!

Trader Joe's Chocolate Palette, Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Orange

Next up, a big variety of teas. Man did these come in handy, since I've been sick for the past week. I've probably drank more tea recently than I have in my entire life, and I've had a great selection to choose from.

Bigelow Vanilla Chai, Tazo Calm, Tazo Green Ginger, Bigelow Pumpkin Spice, Tazo Zen, Tulsi Sweet Rose, Bigelow Apple Cider, Good Earth Sunset Red, Trader Joe's Pomegranate White

Next, soaps! I've always considered buying "fancy" soaps when I see them, but never do. But now I have some! I'm using the lemon verbena now and it smells wonderful, a real pick-me-up in the shower. I'm looking forward to trying the others out too.

Bisous de Provence Lavender and Lemon Verbena, Trader Joe's Tea Tree Oil

Fancy salt! This is another item I always look at and never buy, usually just sticking with my plain sea salt. This Celtic grey is really good; I've used it in soups and other dishes, and a little goes a long way so this will last me quite a while.

Celtic Sea Salt Light Grey

And finally, wine! I think I love you, Lindsey! This wine comes from a winery near her that she loves, and I can't wait to get together with some friends to open it. Isn't the foil pretty? And check it out, the bottle is numbered!

Lynfred Winery "Fred's White"

Major thank-you's to Stephanie for being the organizing force behind this event. It was a lot of fun planning my package to send out, and so cool to receive a care package in the mail. And kudos to Lindsey for sending such a great box of goodies my way. You have excellent taste!