You are currently browsing the monthly archive for December 2010.
So let’s just call it what it is – I was way late in getting our Christmas cards out this year. But they did make it before the 25th and didn’t have to be swapped for New Year’s cards, so I guess that counts for something.
But now they should safely be in everyone’s mailboxes, so I figured I could post a pic of them here.
Pretty snazzy if I do say so myself.
I used a picture snapped by the talented Katie Murphy from our NY ‘photo shoot‘ – which I ordered from photoworks.com. They are my fave! It is one of the few places I can still find 3½ x 5″ pics – which I really like for a lot of projects. And definitely the only place at that price (something like 9¢ a photo).
As for the rest of the cards, I used 5 x 7 notecards from Paper Source in gravel, heavy-duty card stock, my own little Lexmark printer and some ribbon from the floral supply store. The red and chartreuse really are fun!
Generally I like to add a little note to each card – or at least the recipient’s name and a ♥ - but it looked a bit junky on this guy. I am marking the hand-tied bows as my ‘personal touch.’
I know it is a bit late for these to be your own holiday cards, but I think that would be super fun for a child’s birthday or other ‘fun‘ soirée. There is something particularly about the added texture that I really love.
Hope you are enjoying this time – where friends and loved one’s pictures and notes pop up in your mailbox daily – you should see me when the mailman comes, it is embarrassing!!
xx
It is no secret that I have auditioned many pizza crust recipes for my homemade standby. It is also no secret that most of them have been okay at best and total duds at worst.
Thankfully, I finally found one that I really like. Granted it didn’t get that charred-crispy-chewy combo that I love from my favorite pizzerias, but since it is a home oven that we are working with, I think this is as good as it gets.
I used this recipe for the crust, and the whipped up a super basic tomato sauce with San Marzano tomatoes, garlic and onion and then cooked up a few toppings. I have to say the lamb sausage and roasted tomato was a definite winner.
And to get the crust as close to charred-crispy-butateenybitchewy as possible, I was assisted by the use of a pizza stone, a hot hot oven, and a few minutes of parbaking the crust. I think next time, I will opt for the last few minutes with the broiler, and maybe I can get a few of those great black spots.
What is great about this dough is you can always pop it in the freezer to have some on hand in a pinch without rising time, although this recipe is one of the quicker ones I have tried.
And in the midst of this hustly-bustly season of cocktail parties and holiday shenanigans, a little casual pizza night may be just what you are looking for. And thankfully now, we have a crust that really works.
If you have ideas on how to get the crust a bit charred at home, feel free to let me know… I have no problem with more pizza nights. Particularly with lamb sausage!
In a few weeks one of my girlfriends is having a birthday cocktail party and I am helping her get it all together. It is not going to be too big, and we both love to cook and entertain, so it seemed natural that we would make all the goodies rather than cater.
A bonus when you do it yourself, you can splurge on better ingredients and better booze, rather than that extra going to someone bringing in the food.
And while the gathering will be intimate, it will be a bit decadent too. It is after all, a “big” birthday and smack in the middle of holiday season. And really, what’s wrong with a bit of simple, comforting decadence? Nothing, if you ask me!
One of the little nibbles we were thinking of is a truffled mushroom toast. My lady lives in Venice, and therefore Gjelina is obviously one of her faves. They have a fab-u-lous mushroom toast with hen of the woods, creme fraîche and truffles. Out of this world. So I wanted to channel that, but as a neat bite-size canape. (The real deal can be a huge, albeit good, mess).
Mushrooms and truffles go together beautifully – both woodsy and earthy, but while mushrooms (especially basic button and cremini) can be humble, a bit of truffle butter takes them over the top. Sliced truffles would add even more to that – but we aren’t going that far. Thankfully, truffle butter has actual bits of truffles, as opposed to the oil, which is just flavoring.
So this past weekend I did a trial run. Sliced the mushrooms super-thinly and sauteed them s-l-o-w-l-y with shallots, butter and oil. Once they were melt-in-your-mouth soft and golden, I took them off the heat and stirred in a touch of cream to make them more velvety and then a (good) bit of truffle butter (maybe a tablespoon).
Heavenly, I tell ya!
For the base, I cut triangles out of a rustic loaf, and baked them until slightly golden. I didn’t add butter or oil because I didn’t want it to compete with the goat cheese that was going to be added, and that may have been a mistake. Something was amiss.
As for the goat cheese, I folded in a bit of cream, to make it more spread-able and to tone down the tanginess of the cheese – to not fight with the silky mushrooms too much. Again – wasn’t quite right.
So – dear readers – please help. I know all the components are there and the truffled mushrooms are just right, but any ideas for the goat cheese crostini? How can it better compliment the mushrooms?
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
xxo
In a departure from my usual manuevers, the house was decorated by December 3. This may be a new record for me.
Being a Thanksgiving baby, I am not one that gets excited when Christmas songs and Santa figurines start popping up mid-Novemeber. I take it as a personal slight. Therefore, I usually don’t get out the Christmas goodies until Thanksgiving has long since past. (At least that is the reason I am claiming – being lazy about it or a slow-poke could never be the real reasons.)
But this year, as a way to continue to make the season last, we decked the halls with plenty of time to enjoy it.
And in another departure from my usual antics, the decor is merry and bright! Glass balls and ornaments in pink, purple, green, blue and red – of course with a few of my old gold and bronze ones tucked in for good measure. And glittery-striped and package-shaped ornaments too.
A little trick to help make sure all the colors are evenly dispersed – start with groupings by color, so you can see what all you have (a la Eddie Ross).
We skipped a traditional tree this year in favor of several small tinsel versions, but added some garland and wreaths – gotta have something that smells good and fresh!
Also in the mix are lots new and vintage candlesticks (some unpolished on purpose, to add more color and depth – I am partial to the almost black tarnish on occasion), silver bowls, a bold-print fabric remnant, dozens of budding paperwhites and those flea-market find milk-glass footed compotes.
I gotta tell you, I’m kind of in love with all the bright colors – it is, dare I say it, bringing out the kid in me. And isn’t that what the season is all about?
How is your decorating going? Are you trying new things, or sticking to your favorites?
xxo
If you can believe it, until yesterday, I had never made latkes.
Eaten plenty, of course, but growing up, the little potato pancakes didn’t feature prominently (or at all, actually) in any of our holiday meals. And so while I thought about making them once or twice, I never did it.
And lo and behold, yesterday, as the web was a flurry with latke recipes for the first day of Hanukkah, I figured I’d give it a go. Plus, it was (kind of) on the Christmas List.
Actually, the item was Make a new Traditional Holiday Dish. And the new really only meant something I had never made and wanted to, and was secretly worried that I was going to end up tacking a Christmas Goose.
Potatoes are much more my speed.
And while sweet potatoes aren’t exactly traditional in Hanukkah latkes, I think I’ll be okay. Plus, I had one on hand. 
To up the ante on tradition, while draining the potatoes, I saw two lonely apples hanging out in the fruit bowl, and I figured that homemade applesauce was in order too! I used this recipe, but quartered it, which was perfect for the 2 lil’ apples.
As for the latke recipe, I turned to my tried-and-true recipe source, Smitten Kitchen. She has serveral versions, but I went with the Potato Pancakes, even better, figuring the best was a good place to start.
Thankfully the one sweet potato chilling on my counter was just 1 pound, so I didn’t have to change the proportions on the recipes. I did however start the flour at 3 tablespoons vs. ¼ cup, as sweet potatoes are much dryer than russets. I ended up adding and additional ½ tablespoon, so I gather the full amount would have been just fine.
Oh, and since this was composed of all things on hand, the were topped with greek yogurt rather than sour cream or creme fraîche. Which was lovely – but I can imagine a creme fraîche and caviar version to be that much better!!
As for the results, I wish they were a touch crispier, but that may have been due to the potato swap or user-error, but pretty darn good for a last minute holiday celebration.
And for this Christmas List, I can really get into it!
Recipes: Read the rest of this entry »
Growing up, we always had advent calendars throuout the house. I ususally had a cardboard one on my dresser – the kind with little squares of chocolate. And sometimes they had Bible verses (which as a kid were even less fun than the stale chocolate I didn’t eat) or other little messages hidden behind the doors. In the kitchen was often a bigger interactive one, where we moved a little stuffed package to a new envelope each morning. I love the traditions and feelings evoked from advent calendars.
So when Jordan {Oh Happy Day!} mentioned how she usually comes up with little activities to do on each of the 24 days preceding Christmas, I immediately wanted to follow suit!
It is the perfect way to savor the holiday season and not have the realization that is is Christmas come crashing on you like a ton of bricks come the 22nd.
So here’s to this form of an advent calendar. And unfortunately, I don’t have a cutesy calendar hanging on my wall, but I will do my best to share everything here.
(Sidenote, I have also been wanting to post more frequent, shorter posts {with the occasional longer recipe too}, so this may just be the ticket to get me started.)
1. Make an old-fashioned paper advent chain, to help count down the days until Christmas.
This one just involved construction paper that I had in my desk, a paper cutter (because I have never been able to cut a straight line with scissors) and double sided tape.
As for the bright colors, well let’s just say that this year’s Christmas decor is a distant cry from my traditional neutrals. More to come during the month.
Are you doing anything fun for any of December’s holidays?
