Today, cooking and planning a painting!

We had extra blueberries which "needed" to be used in a dessert! So, I found this 'best blueberry cobbler" recipe and made it this morning.
I used my gluten free flour mix and so added 1 egg, increasing the baking time to 35 minutes! It is really good...warm with vanilla ice cream?

More kitchen goodness....!.....

Last night a Facebook friend, JeanAnne, showed up on FB in this photo taken of her by her hubby while she was cooking shrimp and grits! So CUTE!
She could inspire a painting!....and I LOVE the red teakettle!

 

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However, I am still enchanted from recently watching the movie "The Hundred Foot Journey", which had lovely French countryside scenery! Here, a scene by a river, she with a bicycle and he a fishing lure....

 

 

I think I will paint her, in a French farm yard with chickens...YES!?

That is the plan for today's art class! Back later with results....maybe on my painting blog!

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[three days later...]. Here is the painting I am working on, I may still make a change or two....will try to glaze and change the shadow on her face.....

 

Tired of cooking on your same old stove?

I found an advert for this company  which will build a retro stove for you...1950's or antique style. Personally, I like the 1950 version.

They will make all the kitchen appliances for you.......you choose the color.  I'm liking the mint green as the turquoise seems a bit dark in some photos.  Now the cost....that is the real issue!

Though the Internet is loaded with recipes, sometimes a cookbook is nice to hold and use!
I think this in my current favorite!

Tonight's dinner, "Nouvelle Chicken Veronique"! It is easy, and delicious. It uses red seedless table grapes instead of the traditional green grapes. I substituted champagne vinegar for the balsamic vinegar (because I had no white wine in the house and didn't want to run out for some...I thought the "white" taste of the champagne would work. It did!)



Here is a link to the recipe....I know you will love it!

P.S.--Wini Maranville, the cookbook's author came by with a comment, recommending a salad with blue cheese to compliment the grapes. [coincidentally, I had served romaine with apples and blue cheese with this dinner!]

Cooler weather and the season of zucchini make it time for baking!

The photo above is of the recipe found here! I'm looking forward to trying this one as it makes one loaf and will be just what we need here, for the 3 of us....it is called a breakfast bread...yummm!

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Supper tonight is Portuguese white bean and kale soup....another cool weather favorite!

When I make soup, I read several recipes and then improvise or play....using what I have on hand. White beans, kale, sausage, chicken broth, carrots, potatoes, onion, fresh thyme, canned chopped tomatoes....and I may serve it with some wonderful bread, or even tortilla chips, as I have a real affinity toward them!

What gifts!
Peaches from a local orchard and fresh basil from the garden of a friend!

Not only do they make a pretty picture together, but, I remember seeing recipes which combine them....

....after reading through several (they use way too much sugar!) I have a plan!

Peaches are chopped and put into a bowl. The basil is chopped and heated in a small saucepan with 3/4 c. water and 3 T. honey. just 'til it simmers.

Pour over the peaches. Cover and let flavors blend for an hour or so.

Serve over pound cake and with vanilla frozen yogurt! Yum! Luscious!

Still staying cool with the old crock pot! Today, a small pork tenderloin roast....

for the Tuscan pork roast recipe (featuring fennel seed, rosemary, balsamic vinegar...I added red pepper flakes and chopped dried figs!) go here.


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"Got yarn?'" [More quiet inside activity to be cool on these record breaking hot days.....]


I have found directions for knitting log cabin blocks....a great way to use some leftovers...????


Directions are available in this book. Or of course, they can be found by doing a Google search! (Search "images" and you'll see lots of inspiration!)

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For another kind of inspiration, I love Ann Voskamp's blog. She writes in a way that gets to the real heart of things.

Today she also shared a link to help those in Africa who have much worse to deal with than a summer heat wave!

This bread was baked in a crock pot by Stephanie at A Year of Slow Cooking. I was encouraged to try this as I don't want to bake in the oven and make my air conditioner work that much harder!

However, I found a more savory recipe than Stephanie's here.
It features green chilies and all in the batter. [there is even a version using broccoli!]
Hooray for slow cookers!!!!
This all started yesterday when I was reading the Pioneer Woman Cooks blog about cooking Spicy Beans. Her photos make the dish look fabulous!
My thoughts on her directions----I would never cook pinto beans without pre-boiling and discarding the first cooking water by draining them and then continuing to cook in fresh water; and no matter how tasty I wanted them to be, I don't add the salt ( or the salty ham, etc) until the beans are tender....otherwise they stay tough!

So that's dinner for tonight...or should I say "supper"??? Pinto beans and cornbread with fresh chopped onion on top and maybe to cool things off even more, some cottage cheese on the side!

It is time to find food for the evening meal. It is also too hot to really cook, so here is an easy recipe which uses fresh from the garden tomatoes and basil!

I'm trying to cook something new today, potstickers! The recipe has a high rating and my mom loves these, SO we will be chopping and mixing this afternoon. [thank goodness for food processors!]

One ingredient in the mix, was "rice wine". So that was the perfect excuse to buy this beautiful blue bottle! And of course, trying a little of the sake will also be a new experience!

Now, I am wondering what else I should have on this menu....off to do some research!

It is very mild and almost muggy today. But I know winter will be here, and I want to be ready.....loving these boots...on sale at Victorias Secret (.com)

The black are so chic and dressy and comfortable ( most inportant, comfort!!!) Even though they will be great with dresses or skirts, they remind me a little of "Puss in Boots" or maybe pirates, or Robin Hood's merry men???

I think I need the brown for a more casual blue jean look, too!
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I am planning to cook this meatloaf recipe tonight. It is my daughter's favorite, she makes it for her family! I think instead of noodles, I'll do some scalloped potatoes!

Cool foods for hot days!
I love quinoa, a little grain with a lot of protein!

It makes a lovely summer salad when cooked, cooled and combined with tasty ingredients!

Like Annie's Roasted Garlic Vinagrette Dressing. Organic of course! We found this quinoa salad in the deli department of Whole Foods and have enjoyed making our own variation....
Directions: Bring 11/4 c. water to boil. Add 1 cup quinoa (rinsed). Cover. Simmer 12-14 minutes until done. Fluff with a fork. Cool quinoa.

Add about 1/3 cup of dressing, bits of sun-dried tomato, and/or fresh tomato, bell pepper (red or green or yellow or orange), red onion, baby spinach leaves. Toss. Refridgerate until chilled, allowing flavors to blend.

Sometimes, I leave the baby spinach out and serve the quinoa on a bed of baby spinach which has been dressed with extra Annie's dressing.....yummm!

Now to find the roasted garlic vinegrette secret recipe...and save more $$$$.

A perfect June Sunday! While Mr. P worked on the front yard, I have spent the afternoon puttering around outside my art studio door where I have 2 chairs and a little retreat garden. I am a little late on getting these pots going this year; simple impatients, blooming vinca and an ornamental sweet potato vine found safe homes for the summer!

I like using broken cups and ornamental tiles as well as this angel statue which has been mended at least twice!

Then for dinner, a friend is coming and we have lots of produce from being at the farmer's market yesterday! Wonderful, tender yellow squash! I wonder what to make???? I also have a pound of ground beef thawed and canned tomatoes in the pantry. Using the Internet, I soon find a recipe for "Mexican Squash and Ground Beef Casserole". Perfect!

I substitute pepper jack cheese for the cheddar and don't even bother to heat the oven, finishing the dish by covering my iron skillet for the last few minutes to melt the cheese!

YUM!

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I also worked in the art studio on the round robin art journal, "ART SAVES"which is so much fun to do!

Such a wonderful warm spring weekend. Yesterday at work I added gold machine embroidery to the neckline of this tunic. Now to add tiny gold beads.....

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I had made some crepes on my day off, Thursday. They were ready when I invited a good friend to join us last night for dinner and an evening of watching British mysteries....Midsomer Mysteries with John Nettles this time!

I quickly made up the chicken crepes while Karen made the salad and sliced strawberries for dessert.

Ingredients
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cooking spray
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1 c thinly sliced onion
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1 (8oz)pkg. presliced mushrooms
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3 c chopped cooked chicken
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1/2 c slice green onions
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3/4 tsp salt (divided)
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1 (10oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeeze dried [ I used fresh!]
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1 tbs butter
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2 tbs flour
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5/4 c 2% reduced fat milk
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1/4 tsp pepper
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10 Basic crepes
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1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded Monterrey jack cheese with jalapeno peppers
Instructions
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sliced onion and mushrooms to pan; saute 5 min or until mushrooms release their moisture and darken. Stir in chicken, green onions., 1/4 tsp salt, and spinach.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour to pan; stir with a whisk until blended. Cool 1 min, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk and stirring constantly cook 5 min or until thick. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining salt and pepper. Pour milk mixture over chicken, stir to combine.

[Note: regarding the instructions in green... I just put some cheese into the white sauce and skipped the broiling...and it was good!]
Preheat boiler
Spoon about 1/2 c chicken mixture in the center of each crepe, fold ends and sides over. Place seam side down in a 13 x9 in baking pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle crepes evenly with cheese. Broil 2 min or until lightly browned

Here is the recipe again! [Choose the format you like for a copy!]

I just heard that one of my donations, the sewing caddy* below, to Haiti by Hand [Etsy shop] has sold! The money goes to a cottage industry in Haiti. I encourage you to look at the things in the shop and/or to donate your handmade art to be listed for this cause!


This is my current watercolor, in progress....I am "warming up" my painting "muscles" and it is lots of fun! This painting will be for sale on my ETSY shop soon. It shows the rainbow chard which I bought from the organic food store next to where I work. I am trying to eat more nutritiously and some of the fruits and vegetables are so beautiful that I love to paint them before dining on them!

Here is a link to the Swiss Chard Saute recipe which I made last night.

Mr. Pear even enjoyed it!

Re: my on-going strained muscle- I overdid it again having so much fun yesterday. There is something quite questionable about the wisdom of lifting heavy Le Creuset cookware from the oven when trying to "rest" one's arm. Today, just watercolor and read...nap???

[Mr. Pear is out shoveling snow....it is so great to have a man around the house!]

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* sewing caddy pattern in Anna Maria Horner's "Seams to Me" sewing book.

I am "handicapped" for the moment....can only type with my right hand today. So this will be a brief post! [I strained my shoulder back and left arm doing several days of machine quilting on a quilt top. Even though I took breaks, I over did it!]

I want to share this delicious salad recipe which I found from Martha Stewart! It tasted so refreshing (but still "filling") after eating the usual comfort foods of winter! [ I tried several times to make a link within the text here...and haven't been able to. Could it be my MEDs???? LOL! Or more likely, Martha has some programing which takes away the link!]

The ingredients are spinach, cooked chicken (sliced thin), avocado slices, almond slices, red grapes cut in half and dressing of your choice. Delicious!

I finally have a copy [from the reserve system at our library] of this book, The Forgotten Garden, by Kate Morton. It is very enjoyable! I've read for hours this weekend and am saving Part Three for the next few days. The mystery is unfolding!



First Sunday in autumn, garden update.

Still lots of green tomatoes, I hope some of them will ripen now that we are having some sunny days!

A bloom and a baby cucumber. I don't know if this one will mature, but maybe.

This is my resident garden assistant. He is helping me figure out were the sunniest location is for next spring's "Lasagna Garden".

Today I harvested what basil I could, leaving the plants still growing and hoping for more in a week or ten days.

It is time to make Ina Garten's pesto ! I freeze it in ice cube trays, then in freezer bags and have pesto for cooking all winter!

This is the weekend for the opening of the movie we've been waiting for..... I've been reading the book, "Julie and Julia" bu Julie Powell. Next, I need to read, "My Life in France" by Julia Child. I understand that it is a movie which parallels the lives of two women being fearless and "overcoming" their circumstances....one of them through BLOGGING (about her cooking)!

I have been enjoying cooking more that usual this summer. Being able to eat well and regularly is not to be taken for granted these days. We are grateful and blessed!

Our local paper had a magazine section called relish yesterday. They have lots of information about and a recipe or two from Julia Child [including a trailer of the new movie!]. They also offer a bi-weekly newsletter on line.

I am hoping to see this movie with several good friends who have fearlessly eaten each others culinary masterpieces for a number of years! LOL!

My RUSTIC CITRUS-SCENTED OLIVE OIL ROSEMARY CAKE

I started with the recipe on p. 52 of this cookbook by Camilla Saulsbury for her "citrus-scented olive oil cake". I cut the recipe in half as I didn't want a large Bundt cake. Then I started making a few other changes. [Recipe below]

I think it came out beautifully and was a great cake for a day when I didn't want to run to the store for butter, the olive oil [EVO] I had on hand!

Adding the rosemary was the first change I thought of. It goes great with the lemon!

RUSTIC CITRUS-SCENTED OLIVE OIL ROSEMARY CAKE

1 c sugar (I used turbinado sugar)

1/2 c. + 2 T. all purpose unbleached flour

3/4 c. fat free milk

1/4 c. cornmeal

2 large eggs

1/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 t. each baking powder and salt

1 T. grated lemon zest

1/4 t. baking soda

1 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice

1/4 t. ground coriander

1 T. fresh rosemary, finely minced

Glaze: 3 T. orange marmalade, 1 T. balsamic vinegar, 2 T. orange juice [stir, and pour evenly over cooled, inverted cake].

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan (9x5) with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk the sugar,milk, egg , olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and rosemary.

In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients, stir until just blended.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake 50-55 minutes or until cake tests done.

Cool on a rack. Spread marmalade glaze over cake.

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Here is another olive oil cake recipe...sounds good! [Hmmm...Do you think olive oil cakes could possibly be a healthy part of the Mediterranean diet????]