THE LOVELY CRAZY
What%u2019s up with dinner rolls? Do people eat them all year round, like on a Tuesday in the middle of March or maybe a nice blue sky sunny day in July? Is that a weird question? But seriously, think about it. Dinner rolls, at least in my world of people, are pretty much only eaten in and around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Huh. Kind of strange seeing that dinner rolls are bread which everyone eats all the time and are basically made specifically for dinner (although can and should be eaten for breakfast and lunch as well) which most people eat. Every. Single. Day. Well, whatever the reason, it%u2019s weird. So yes, I am making these here dinner rolls now at the traditional holiday time but I think as of now, I am going to start making them all the time. It%u2019s going to be my new thing. Fourth of July dinner rolls. Yup.
And so yes, we need dinner rolls right now for the holiday food feasts and these dinner rolls are the perfect accompaniment to any and all dinners. They are nice and fluffy and all dinner roll like, just as any good roll should be, but also slightly more nutty and soft and healthy because oats and wheat flour and homemade which is always the best.
And if you are like, hell yes I am a dinner roll person and hell no I am sticking to store bought cause that is that and how it%u2019s done, well hey, no judgment here. I made these for my people for our family Thanksgiving, (which is happening today at my house. There are going be so many people) and I know that everyone will love and be happy to eat them, but I too also bought some of those super white, take and bake ones that I know if I don%u2019t have on the table next to these gorgeous and amazing rolls, that I will probably get punched in the face. So we will have both. And then at dinner I can bask in the glory of all the comments about how much better my rolls are then the store bought ones. (Secretly why I am having both. Fishing for compliments. HAHA!)
Now to those soft and fluffy dinner rolls!
The stuff. Old fashion oats, all purpose and white whole wheat flour, yeast, oil, water (hot and room temperature), maple syrup, and salt.
First, take the boiling water and pour it over the oats. Mix them and let them soak and cool for 10 or so minutes.
While oats are soaking, add the room temp water to a big bowl with the yeast. Once the oats are soft and cooled off a bit, add them to the yeast mixture along with the oil, and maple. Mix together. The add the flours and mix until combined.
Dump dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 3-5 minutes, adding a little more four as needed to keep from being to sticky, but don%u2019t over flour. The dough is and should be a little tacky.
Soft and supple. Kneaded and ready.
Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with a damp towel. Leave alone and let rise for about an hour or until it doubles in size.
Once the dough doubles, dump out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 12-16 equal sized pieces .
Roll each roll into a roll shape and place them in a lightly greased baking dish. Cover for another 15-20 minutes to let rest and rise a little more.
Rolls risen again, just a little plumper. And now right before you place them in the oven, brush tops with a maple/water mixture and sprinkle with a few oats. To look pretty. And into the oven they go, 30ish minutes, until nice and golden brown.
Baked to golden dinner roll perfection.
And there you have it. Soft and fluffy dinner rolls. Warm out of the oven, looking and smelling like all the good things that you want and need.
And can, and should, be made now and all year round.
-C
makes 12-16 rolls
-
1 1/2 cups old fashion oats
-
2 cups all purpose flour plus more for kneading
-
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
-
2 cups boiling water
-
1 cup room tempature water plus 2 tablespoons for brushing tops
-
2 teaspoons salt
-
2 tablespoons maple or honey
-
2 teaspoons yeast
-
1/4 cup neutral oil
In a bowl, mix oats with boil water and let sit and soak for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, in a large bowl, mix the room temp water with the yeast and 1 tablespoon of maple and mix. Once oats have soaked and cooled to a point that they are not super hot, but still just warm, mix them in with the yeast mixture. Add the salt and oil and mix then and both the white and white wheat flour. Mix until combined. The dough is going to be sticky, but that how is should be. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes, adding a little flour as needed to keep from sticking too much, until dough is nice and uniformed in texture. Place dough back into big bowl (after you clean it out and lily oil it) and cover with a damp towel. Place somewhere warm for about an hour until it doubles in size.
Once dough has doubled, dump out onto a lightly floured surface and with a knife of dough cutter, cut into 12- 16 equal sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, pinching any ends together and place them into a 9×13 inch baking pan. Once all pieces are in, over and let rest for another 15 minutes.
While dough is resting again, preheat oven to 350.
After the dough has rested, and right before you place them in the oven, mix 1tablespoon of maple with about 2 tablespoons warm water and brush the tops of the rolls. Sprinkle with a handful of oats and then place them into the oven to bake. 30-35 minutes, until they are a nice golden brown.
Once baked remove from oven and let cool to a reasonable temperature and serve.
These can certainly be made a few days ahead of time of eating. Just remove baked rolls from pan and let cool completely then place the into an airtight bag. To reheat, just place on a baking sheet and stick in a hot oven until warm.
Let us talk about how winter squash is like one of the best foods ever. Seriously. Hardy, creamy, rich, and full of the nutty, sweet flavors of all the good things. How anyone says they don%u2019t like winter squash is beyond me. I sometimes even feel like I put myself in danger of exploding when I am around enough cooked squash. I can eat and eat it until it%u2019s gone, which is fine if it%u2019s a serving or two, but when you roast up a 10 pound butternut, well, that is when the danger is real. I am getting better at holding back, but man, sometimes I just can’t (or don%u2019t want to?) help myself. ( You might also wonder why I cook 10 pounds of squash at a time. It%u2019s because I will eat it all in a few days and I might as well cook a bunch at once, for efficiency sake.)
Now the delicata squah. If you haven%u2019t had it before, stop what you are doing and go get one. You need to try it because it is amazing. Sweet, nutty, creamy. So good! And another good thing is that they are not giant, so you can buy one and eat the whole thing and not worry about overeating until you can%u2019t move, unless that is the goal. In that case, just buy a bunch. HA.
Anyway, it%u2019s getting to that time of year where salad is still great, it is just great warm. And with winter squash. Don%u2019t you agree? So we cook up the squash, grab the kale and make one heck of a salad to eat all to your face. Because that is what will happen. You will make it , taste it, and not want to share it. It is too good to share. (Yes salads can be too good to share, so if you are planning on feeding others, plan accordingly)
To the salad!
The stuff. Kale, a delicata squash, red onion, some balsamic vinegar, a touch of maple, spicy brown mustard, a handful of toasted seeds, and salt and pepper.
Start with the squash. Cut it in half and scoop seeds from booth sides (these seeds are great roasted). After deseeded, cut both pieces into 1/4-1/2 inch thick rounds. And NO!!!!, do not peel the skin.
Grab the onion and cut into 1/4 inch rounds too.
Place the squash on a very lightly oiled baking sheet so the pieces are not overlapping each other. Then toss on the onion which is fine if it overlaps. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and lots of cracked pepper and pop into a hot oven.
In the meantime, mix the dressing situation together. Mustard, maple, and balsamic in a jar, mix and done.
Chop the kale too. Into mouth sized pieces.
Once squash is cooked all nice and tender, remove pan from oven. Take all the kale and toss on top then take the dressing and drizzle it all over the kale. Pop the pan back into the oven for a minutes or two, just until the kale starts to ever so slightly wilt.
Pull the pan back out and give it a good toss.
Dump it all into a big bowl, toss in the toasted seeds, and call it. Now grab a fork and start eating.
-C
Can be a main dish for 1 or a side for a few
-
1 delicata squash
-
1 bunch of kale (around 3/4 pound)
-
1 smallish red onion
-
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
-
1 -2 teaspoons maple syrup (more for a slightly sweeter, maple-y flavor)
-
2 tablespoons brown or dijon mustard
-
1/4 cup toasted seeds of choice (I used pumpkin and sunflower)
Preheat oven to 400
Cut delicata squash in half and scoop out all the seeds (you can save seeds to toast up later if you want), then slice the squash into 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick rounds. Grab onion and cut into thin slices. Take onion and squash and place them onto a very lightly oiled baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Don%u2019t let the squash overlap, but it is fine for the onion to overlap the squash and itself. Pop the pan into the oven and bake until the squash starts to brown and is fork tender, which should take about 10-15 minutes.
In the meantime, chop kale into small mouth sized pieces and set aside. And mix the balsamic, mustard, and maple together to create the dressing.
Once the squash and onions are cooked, toss the kale onto the pan and drizzle the whole thing with the balsamic mixture. Toss it all around and pop pan back into oven for another minute or two, just to let kale get a touch wilted.
Remove pan from oven, dump everything from pan onto a plate, and toss in the toasted seeds.
Grab a fork. Eat.
I made baked beans last week for a side to dinner with the mr and Barb. They ate them all. I didn%u2019t get more then a spoonful. I was sad for me, but also was like %u201cShit, if I had known you guys were bean fiends, I would be making baked beans like all the time.%u201d
And maybe not all the time, but I made them again this week. And again, they ate a lot, but I got me some this time, and I will probably make them again next week too because they will be perfect for Thanksgiving. See, homemade baked beans are a thing of beauty. Sure you can buy them in a can and be just fine, but these baked beans, well these are waaaayyyy way better. These baked beans are soft (not canned bean soft) and tomatoey and a little spicy with a tang. Not sickly sweet, (not sugar added) and not too salty.. They are just about perfect. You can eat them on their own, toss them into salads or wraps, stick on some toast, serve as as side, or just eat them cold straight from a jar from the fridge right before bed. (your loved one will thank you for that). Plus they are baked in the oven and I love me a good warm oven on a cold day. And the obvious, but all the protein and all around goodness. A great dish to serve if ever you need to feed people like me who don%u2019t eat meat. It%u2019s a win win win win.
Baked beans in all their glory. No cans in sight.
The stuff. White beans that were soaked overnight, strained then added back to a pot with 6 cups of water. Also have crushed tomatoes. an onion, a few cloves of garlic, chili powder, mustard powder, apple cider vinegar, and some salt and pepper.
First step is to start boiling you beans. But while that is happening, mince garlic and chop the onion into really small pieces.
Toss the onion and garlic in a pan and cook on medium low until soften and fragrant.
Cooked beans. All you need to do to cook them is place the pot with soaked beans and water on high, bring to a boil, then turn heat to a medium. Let beans cook until tender. It should take about an hour and a half.
Beans are cooked and the garlic and onion are soften so now all you do is combine everything together. Don%u2019t drain the beans, just toss in the tomatoes, the vinegar, the spices, and a few pinches of pepper and a pinch of salt. Stir in all together,
Looks like soup right? This is right before you stick it into the oven.
Now look at that, oven baked beans. The best part%u2026 The crispy sides. ALL MINE!
Not much left to do but eat them. Straight up with a hunk of bread. That is a good way to start anyway.
Enjoy your beans!
-C
Makes a big pot of beans
-
1 pound (2 cups) white beans soaked in water for at least 8 hours (I used great northern but navy would be good too)
-
6 cups water or veggie stock
-
3 cups (or a 28 oz can) crushed tomatoes
-
1 onion
-
3 cloves garlic
-
1 1/2 tablespoons chili pepper
-
1 tablespoon mustard powder
-
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
-
salt and pepper
Strain soaked beans and place them into large oven safe dutch oven almond with the water and stick on the stove. Bring the beans to a boil then reduce heat to medium and cook util the beans are tender. Should take about 1 1/2 hours.
Sometime while the beans are cooking, mince garlic and chop the onion into very small pieces. Place in a skillet and cook on medium until the onion and garlic are soften and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside until beans are cooked
Preheat oven to 425
One beans are tender, dump in the cooked garlic and onion, the tomatoes, the spices, the vinegar, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir it all together and place into the oven. Bake for about 2 hours, staring about ever 30 minutes, until the bean sauce is nice and thick. If at any point you think they have gotten to dry, just add more water. Pull the beans out of oven once you are happy with the sauce consistency. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
And then eat them. As a meal, as a side, or as a snack. Beans are good anytime.
Any leftovers should be stored in the fridge. Beans can be reheated very easily on the stove top. Just place the pot back on stove, stir in a little water and cook til hot.
Beans are also fantastic eaten cold from the fridge.
You know when you eat something that you haven%u2019t had or haven%u2019t had in a long time and it%u2019s all you want to eat?
I am having a moment with apples and onions. Roasted and raw, it%u2019s on my mind every time I am making food. Weird? I don%u2019t know, but it%u2019s sweet and savory and all fall like and comforting. It%u2019s a good moment.
So now I am passing on my moment in the form of cornbread. Why cornbread? Well I think cornbread is a fine fine vessel for things that could be perceived sweet of savory. This cornbread is in fact not sweet, but not not sweet. It is a little both and suits the the apple and onion moment quite well.
People ate it, at first somewhat suspect that it was not going to be good, but after a bite or two they too appreciated the apple onion combination. And the cornbread. Even got a lady that doesn’t even like cornbread to like this so that is something right?
Embrace the moments.. To the cornbread!
The stuff. A couple apples, an onion, cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking soda. Also soy milk, oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, pepper, Sansa little earth balance.
Start by thinly slicing the onions. Toss them into a oven safe skillet with about a tablespoon of earth balance and place on a medium heat.
Once the onions are cooking, thinly slice the apples too.
Toss the apples in with the onions and stir around wait a few minutes and stir around some more until the stuff all looks like%u2026
This. The apples ans onions are super tender sans soft and amazing and do not eat them all, but maybe have bite or two.
Scoop the mixture out of the skillet ans melt another tablespoon of earth balance into the skillet, trying to evenly coat the bottom.
Now to the cornbread. Mix together all of the dry ingredients.
Then add in all the wet and gently mix until completely incorporated.
Pour the batter into the greased skillet
Top with the apple union mixture then pop into the oven for about 40-45 minutes to bake.
Golden crisp and amazing smelling. Check for donees with a tester stuck in the middle and when its done, its done.
Now the hard part. Let it cool. You can go right at it, but it will crumble and fall apart. This bread really needs a little time to chill.
Then it%u2019s time. Eat what you need. Careful, it might be all of it.
-C
Hey there friends. I hope you are all enjoying yourself a fantastic long weekend full of food, family, friends, or whatever you do that makes you happy. I know I am trying.%u00a0
We have had a busy week. It kicked off with my family Thanksgiving on Sunday. 24 people, a turkey gravy accident on my couch ( I almost flipped out but kept my cool), and a mess that took most of the next day to clean. But it was great, everyone was happy, Lillian brought me flowers,%u00a0%u00a0the food (I made it all beside the turkey my mom brought over already cooked and cut up)%u00a0was on point, and even though everyone forgot to bring drinks, we ended up with 4 pies and survived on a few beers and seltzer water.
After spending nearly all the next day cleaning (ok, maybe it was only a few hours) the mr and I decided we needed to get out of town so we took a drive to see the snow. All was great until the road froze and we almost skidded of the interstate. We ended up driving 5 mph for like a half hour just to get off. But that was ok,%u00a0what wasn’t ok was %u00a0after we got home, the mr had to run to fix a toliet. He jumped into the truck and I got a call 15 minutes later. While he was driving, the %u00a0truck died in the middle of the road. Long story short, we now have AAA and owe my brother in law a big ass thank you cake.%u00a0
We had the littles sleep over on Wednesday so that they could make birthday presents for their mother. Her (as in Erin)%u00a0Birthday landed on Thanksgiving this year so instead of doing dinner and cake, we had a moring cinnamon star birthday breakfast. The littles spent the night making paintings of a squirrel and and glittery octopus (I have glitter everywhere!!) and helping me bake. After the mess was contained, we curled up to popcorn and The Mighty Ducks 3. (then there was popcorn all over with the glitter) On Thanksgiving morning/Erin’s birthday, we listen to all the Christmas music, sang happy birthday, Paul ate half the star, Barb drank all the coffee, and we tried to make the baby walk for cookies. We know how to have us some good times.%u00a0
As usual went the the mr’s family for Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving at their house is the big family holiday so everyone (usually) comes home for it. This year everyone did and it was great for all of us to be together.%u00a0I didn’t bring anything for the actual meal, but %u00a0I brought over a cinnamon star for breakfast the next day, which I am glad because there was so much food already.(Qui and Joanie went all out) so I was more helpful just washing all the dishes. We ate, we laughed, they drank. I left. I love that family so much, but alas I am an old lady and get very tired early.%u00a0We left before things got to crazy as I am sure that they did. All in all, another successful Thanksgiving.
Friday was spent with a social hangover and cleaning the house again (the glitter never stops).%u00a0We managed a good walk on the beach to get some air and nature then it was onto the Christmas decorations!! The mr spent a good chunk of the day being %u00a0amazing and wiring an outlet outside so we can hang up the Christmas lights. which brings me to the Christmas lights… It’s been rough and we (or I) still don’t know what to do. It’s because of the LED’s. I hate them, or very much dislike them. I much prefer the incandescent lights because they are prettier to me. But we need new lights and we really should buy LED, but they are ugly, or most of them are anyway. So The mr and I have bought 5 different colors and brands of LED’s and are currently trying out %u00a0sets on the house. We have some colored ones up now and %u00a0they are ok but I am not sure and might just go white but aaaahhh. I am driving the mr crazy, driving myself crazy, but I want to actually like the lights on my house. I guess I’ll figure it out.%u00a0
Besides getting the dang Christmas lights up, I am not sure whats gong down today. Probably going to listen to Sufjan, Hanson, and Charlie Brown Christmas albums all on repeat. Maybe make a few loaves of bread, start my knitting projects,%u00a0finish reading my book, and just enjoy not having to deal with a house full of people who spill turkey gravy on everything.%u00a0
Internet links from the past week.
–Adult Siblings Can Make Our Lives Healthier And Happier%u00a0This had better be true because I spend a lot of my time with my adult siblings. (love you guys)
–What your Christmas lights will do to your electricity bill. This is part of my problem with the lights. Because I really do like the incandescent so much more.. So annoying, Why can’t the led look better?%u00a0
-Sufjan Christmas has been on all week, but so has this album. So good.%u00a0%u00a0%u00a0First Listen: Sufjan Stevens, ‘The Greatest Gift’
–Don%u2019t Force Young Girls to Hug Their Relatives, the Girl Scouts Say%u00a0Finally!%u00a0It drives me crazy when parents make their kids hug people. If a kid doesn’t want to hug %u00a0you,%u00a0respect that.%u00a0
-Ah, Prince, so beautiful you were.%u00a0Dig, If You Will, Some Never-Before-Seen Pictures Of Prince In ‘A Private View’
-Idaho Dims The Lights For One Of The Best Night Skies Anywhere%u00a0I think camping in Idaho just made my list of things to do.%u00a0
-Terrifying is right, I am allergic to yellow jackets .%u00a0This ‘Granddaddy of Hornet’s Nests Is Terrifying, But Not All Bad
–Good Vegan, Bad Vegan.%u00a0This was a good article. I know a few vegetarians and vegans that eat shit and %u00a0they think they are healthy because they don’t eat meat and those people that think a meal isn’t a meal without meat.%u00a0
–The Sweet Rewards of Bitter Food
–Quirky Cartoon Toys and Vases Carved from Wood by Yen Jui-Lin. I love these and want them for myself
Pictures from the week.
Did you get any snow?%u00a0I was hopping for snow, but got none and am a little disappointed. Call me crazy, but I am just ready for a good dumping, maybe even snowed in for a day or two. Humm, probably not happening for a while, but a dusting would be nice, no?
This past week Shannon turned one year older. We had dinner and cake and Jackson wrote her a rap that made all of us cry.%u00a0Then the littles came over for a dinner/orchestra rehearsal and we got the baby to walk around the kitchen again. The only time he seems to walk is for Oreo cookies… He might be on to something here. I made what seems like a shit ton of bread products to feed the people who stop by for lunch. I found pine cones and turned them into a wall hanging, had a great time catching up with Joanie, and have continued my watching of Stranger Things 2 (taking my time with this season) I was very social this week and give myself 3 stars for not running away to a hole in the ground.%u00a0
Then the basement, The mr and I spent a very long day removing buckets and buckets of heavy ass dirt from down below. We were in respirators which sucked because they suck wearing and we both have this chest congestion so it was just sucky, but we needed them with the amount of dust and dirt we were dealing with. The truck was full by the end and we now have a shoveled out, swept, and vacuumed over and over, clean and empty (we got rid of allll the stuff and tools) basement.%u00a0That was one long day of shit shoveling. But it’s over and never again. And it was all in preparation for the washer and dryer that was to be delivered Thursday.%u00a0
We waited a full day for he washer and dryer to be delivered and it didn’t show. We were not happy put the mr dealt with it.%u00a0We waited another 1/2 day for the washer and dryer and it still didn’t show. And oh boy were we about to flip but the mr dealt with it and yesterday, right at 8ish in the morning, we finally got our washer and dryer!!!!!!!!!! And it is as amazing as I had remembered. Big metal tubs that will do all my washing and drying needs, right here in my house. I am so excited. %u00a0The mr spent the day running water and power and hooking it all up and ever since then, laundry on loop. Clean cloths whenever I want. I guess I have no excuses now.%u00a0%u00a0
The family is all coming over in just a few short hours for the annual Sunday before Thanksgiving, Family Thanksgiving I think we are up to 25 people.. Some are little so they take up less space, but it’s those half sized people that tend to make the biggest mess. %u00a0The house is going to be full by afternoon and I am not going to lie, I am a little stressed out. I think it’s because of the turkey. This is %u00a0a meat free house but Mom is bring a cooked turkey (no way in hell is a turkey being cooked in my oven) and I just have this anxiety that there is going to be meat everywhere, I know I am over reacting but I can’t help my feelings. But other then that it will be great. I am doing all the veggie sides, making some bread and maybe some cookies? I don’t know. My mom bought like 4 pies and I might just skip the cookies because we probably %u00a0don’t need them. So yeah, a full house of all the crazy people and a few extra to bare witness. I got the coloring supplies, grabbing the board games, and trying to set up a long as table to seat everyone at all at once. I hope people don’t mind sitting on mud buckets. %u00a0Wish me luck.
Internet findings from the week
–A Wrinkle in Time. Another one of my favorite books turned movie, but this one, I am so excited about.%u00a0. Mindy and Oprah…It has got to be great.
–Instagram Crowds May Be Ruining Nature%u00a0Be more aware people!
-Life goal (or next year goal) Find land and build and A frame cabin.%u00a0How to Build an A-Frame. Should be simple right?%u00a0
Sign me up, although I don’t make a lot os scrapes, I tend to eat it all.%u00a0This Kickstarter Converts Kitchen Scraps Into Cooking Fuel
–11 Stress Experts on Surviving the Constant Anxiety That Is 2017. Hoping the 2018 isn’t quite so nuts.
–The Bra Ladies of New York. Looking for that “Goldylocks” of bras would drive me crazy.%u00a0
-Potty humor, but seriously, don’t drop butt in toilet.%u00a0.%u00a0Toilet Signs Are Mysterious And Mirth-Inducing
-I think the week of Thanksgiving is the perfect time to start decorating.%u00a0Science Makes the Case For Putting Up Holiday Decorations Early
–Where Does That Rumbling in Your Tummy Really Come From?. I just thought it was my stomach yelling at me to eat (or nat eat)%u00a0
-A great way to use up some trash.%u00a0Giant Exhibition of Animal Assemblages Built with Trash
Pictures from the week.%u00a0
There is something about purple cabbage that makes me feel like I need to share it. It sounds weird , especially because I eat about a head of cabbage a day, but that is green cabbage. I barely buy purple cabbage because it cost twice as much and I really like green , but at farm share when you get to pick what color you want, I alway pick the purple. ( Side note. I used to call it red cabbage but have since stopped because it is very clearly purple and calling red just doesn’t make any sense)%u00a0
I also feel the need to do something a little more the chopping it up and eating it raw. So I make a little fancy. pretty, almond crunchy mustard type thing because that’s what I was feeling and I figure the mr would like it too. Note that I ended up using half a green and half %u00a0the purple because color is nice and also I ended up eating the other half of the purple before I could share it. But I caught myself before eating it all to may face and was proud of myself for thinking of others.%u00a0%u00a0
This dish is good, really really good.%u00a0. It has roasted cabbage which is alway great, but slathered with maple mustard and crunchy almonds.. it’s just freaking fantastic in all the ways. It also happens to be super easy to prepare and with minimal ingredients.%u00a0It makes for a great side dish, a main dish, and is great for sharing during the holidays that are just around the corner. Or if you are like me, not sharing and eating all afternoon long. (I did save some for the m for dinner because I am so nice)%u00a0
The stuff. Cabbage, red or green or a bit of both, stone ground mustard, maple syrup, almonds and pepper.
Easy peasy. Cut the cabbages about an 3/4 inch thick and lay them on a baking sheet. Pop it into the oven once it’s preheated.
While thats going on, mix some maple with the mustard and chop up the almonds.
After about 25 minutes, pull the cabbage out and flip them. Cover the top with maple mustard and sprinkle on the almonds. Stick the cabbage back into the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes, or until it’s roasted to your taste preference (I like it really roasted)%u00a0
Just look how pretty it is.%u00a0
Serves from a baking sheet but would look so lovely on a nice plater, you know, if you want to be extra classy.%u00a0
This cabbage situation is all of it.%u00a0
Have a great weekend and hope the Thanksgiving planning goes smoothly.%u00a0
-C
Makes about 6-8 slabs
- 1 head of cabbage (red or green or half of both)
- 1/4 cup stone ground mustard
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup%u00a0
- 1/3 cup raw almonds%u00a0
- pepper to taste.%u00a0
Preheat oven to 425
Slice cabbage into thick slabs about 3/4 inch thick. Try to get them roughly the same thickness so they roast evenly. %u00a0Lay the cabbage on a baking sheet, not overlapping, and stick into the oven once it’s preheated. Bake for 25 minutes or until the bottoms of the cabbage are crispy.
While cabbage is roasting, mix mustard and maple %u00a0together and roughly chop the almonds. %u00a0
After %u00a0the 25 minutes, grab the cabbage from the oven and flip each piece. Cover the tops with the maple mustard and sprinkle on chopped almonds. Place back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes %u00a0and roast until the cabbage is as crispy as you like it.
Remove from oven, sprinkle with good pepper,%u00a0and serve. Extra maple muastd is welcomed to some. Any left over (but there won’t be any) is great eaten cold before bed %u00a0or tossed onto a salad for lunch the next day.%u00a0
I know it’s early an I know it’s Sunday, but other than that I am having a hard time concentrating on much of anything. All I can think about is paint color, well that and the kitchen stove. (I am getting closer to making that decision. I am secretly hoping Bluestar will just gift me one.) Oh, and how I want to hang some lights on the house because what is the point of having a house without hanging the holiday lights. So I guess I am thinking, just not very clearly.
How was your week? Good I hope. Ours was kind of quite. We spent most of our time at the house working and feeling sick. I might have convinced myself at the beginning of the week that I had listeria due to the fact that I ate a shit ton of some hummus that was recalled due to contamination. But I am alive so I think I am ok. We did get to see lots of family, spend a little time in some woods, and even got to take a afternoon nap .(mostly because I was sick) And it snowed!!!! There is no more snow now, but there was and it was so white and fluffy and great. I am looking forward to having an actual winter this year with some actual snow.
The mr and I are working our butts off, trying to maybe move in soon, like as soon as possible. Yesterday at the house, the mr was downstairs patching up the pantry walls and I was upstairs, painting. The plan was to touch up all the paint and to paint the closet doors. Sounds simple right? Well it wasn’t. Long story short, I spent the entire day painting, hating, remixing, then repainting the closet doors in the bedroom. I didn’t get to anything else. I almost tore my eyes out of my head. I seriously repainted those freaking doors5 times, each time thinking that I likes the color. Then an hour later, after painting front ans back of both doors (they are louved so they take longer) then I would hate the color and start all over again. I was going a little crazy. I blame it on the fumes.
Today I am going to bring over a scented candle (to mask he smell of urethane), put on some Christmas tunes, touch up all the paint in the bedrooms and bathroom upstairs and paint those stupid closet doors one last time, color be damned.%u00a0%u00a0 We are getting there. It’s going to be great
There might even be some time to bust out the Xmas lights!
Internet for the looking.
-My hometown. America%u2019s First All-Renewable-Energy City
–Your Brain Can Barely Handle Conversation and Eye Contact at the Same Time.
–Cool Ass Lamps. The peacock is the best.
-My siblings.. Best friends, worst enemies. Love them all to pieces even when I want to punch them in the face. Give Thanks For Siblings: They Can Make Us Healthier And Happier
-I could spend forever in one of these (Cornell is my favorite). THE 15 MOST BEAUTIFUL COLLEGE LIBRARIES IN AMERICA
-Maybe someday I will sit around and make bird houses, but they have to be this cool. These Modernist Houses Are Literally For the Birds
-Can’t wait to go crazy and cover my life with all the green, it makes me happy. Green and Peaceful
-So I for sure talk to myself, sometimes just saying lists out loud, but sometimes….The mr always thinks I am talking to him. I have to tell him to stop budding in on my conversation. The Running Conversation in Your Head
-The mr always get me purple carrots in my stocking and my birthday. WTF ARE PURPLE CARROTS AND WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?
And photos from the week.
HORRAY, its Saturday!!! I don’t care that I have a bunch of laundry and house work to do, bills to pay, a mangy dog to groom%u2026 I get to do it all at home with the music blasting,(maybe some %u00a0holiday tunes) a lot of coffee, in my comfy sweats and the oven on. Weekends are always a mixed bag of crazy for me but I can usually count on being at home for a chunk of the morning or afternoons and that’s when I jump at the chance to make me some yeasted bread. Give me a couple of hours, my list of chores and watch me go.. I can mix and knead,, set aside to rise and hit up cleaning that toilet. Go back and knead, divided and rise again, then go fold all the laundry. Stick the bread in the oven and watch out, I am mopping the floors. I am nothing if not a fantastic multitasked, much like these rolls. You can serve them as a side for dinner , use them as a sandwich roll, or eat them as the star with a dab of butter and a drizzle of honey. The possibilities are endless. This particular recipe is fantastic for may reasons%u2026. %u00a0Its pretty simple, not to many ingredients and is made with whole wheat flour. If you don’t want 16 rolls, you can make the dough, bake half and freeze %u00a0the rest. You could even bake into loaves of bread instead.Yeah, sounds good right? %u00a0Go ahead, you know you want to. Just do it!
I always gather the ingredients.. I have learned over the years that if I have all my stuff out and measured in front of me, I will almost never forget something and that I make less of a mess. It also helps that I find it pretty. So, flours and salt are whisked together. The yeast and honey in a bowl waiting to be proofed. The butter in need of more melting and an egg.. Pretty.
%u00a0Honey and yeast mixed with a cup of warm water. %u00a0BE CAREFUL with the temperature of the water.. If its to hot, the yeast will kill the yeast and you will have to start over again, but I trust you won’t do that.
Now that the yeast is active, mix in melted butter and egg. (Make sure the butter is not hot, warm is ok) %u00a0Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix.
%u00a0 %u00a0
%u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0
%u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 %u00a0 Little ball of dough turned into big balls of dough. (Yeast is so cool!).Into the oven they go. %u00a0Right before I baked them I gave the tops a little milk wash, just for color. Do it if you want, you could even do an egg wash, but it’s really not necessary.
So lovely! Who wouldn’t want to just tear these beauties apart?
THE LOVELY CRAZY
November 29, 2019 by maximios • Blog
The heat is officially on in the house because well, it got kind of freezing out and also because we got some snow! So awesome and unexpected. Sure, it was only an inch and came at the exact wrong time making for a very sketchy driving situation, and also it froze all the chard in the garden I had left (I harvested it and just tossed it in the freezer for soups), but whatever. I was, and am just so happy to see it. I really do love this time of year, even if everyone else hates it.
The week started off slow. The extra hour was welcomed but also really kind of screwed with my body clock. I have been getting better throughout the week, but the first few days we changed the clock, I was waking up at like 3 am. Yes, I was going to bed at like 630, but when your tired, your tired. Anyway, besides being a little groggy, it was the usual as usual. Work stuff, getting ready for winter weather, dealing with the dealings. We had lunch with Megan, a spaghetti dinner with Judah, and I picked up the first winter farm share of the season. Lots of roots, greens, Brussels sprout, and peppers. All the best food a lady could ask for. I am also feeling like a queen with my new, permanent, gold crown in my mouth. And now I am officially sick of going to the dentist. Going to try really hard to not have to go back ever again, or at least 6 months when I am due for a clean.
Oh, and lets not forget how I busted out the new toilet brushes. Who doesn%u2019t love a fresh toilet brush? Highlight of the week. HA.
Today the mr and don%u2019t have much in the way of plans besides getting the winter tires thrown on the car and getting out of town for the afternoon for a hike. So I am going to the gym and dropping off the library books this morning, we will then deal with the car, and then off we will go, heading out to conquer a mountain. Or a small trail. I am fine with either. Just as long as we are outside.
Links from the internet for your reading and browsing enjoyment.
–Why You Should Find Time to Be Alone With Yourself. Alone time is the best. I cannot stress how important alone time for me is%u2026 I NEED IT!
-I didi%u2019t know how awesome and strong ginkgo trees were. Consider the ginkgo. These ancient trees survived the atomic bomb in Hiroshima.
-First, how is Emma Watson turning 30? Second, Yes lady. Did Emma Watson Just Coin the Next %u201cConscious Uncoupling%u201d?
-Why haven%u2019t I don%u2019t this yet? The Tangy-Sweet Pickled Fruit I Put on Absolutely%u00a0Everything
–Very Generous People Are Way Happier (and Have More Friend)
-Looking for new shoes is the worst. But I found some that are not exactly winter friendly, but maybe I can make them work? Teva%u00a0Voya Infinity Sandals. OR these appropriate footwear. I love them but jeez, I am not paying that much for a shoe.
-Give me roots, all the roots. Root, root, root for rutabaga, turnips and those other unappreciated vegetables
-This is me! %u2018It%u2019s cool to be cold%u2019: Confessions of frigid-weather fanatics
–The Cookie Sculptor. I think I need to spend more time sculpting cookies.
–Scrubbing Your House Of Bacteria Could Clear The Way For Fungus. I am a clean freak, but I don%u2019t use any chemicals whatsoever. Vinegar, water, vacuum. How that keeps the bad fungus away.
And pictures from the week.
I am so happy for spring. It is my favorite season for sure. All the new, green things popping form the ground.. Warmer but not hot days, rain and sun then rain and more sun. No more winter jackets but sweaters are still good. People are in good moods. Flowers are coming out of the ground. The world is just a delight.
The week started off with a bang. I turned all of the garden beds over and did a great big yard rake and cleaning so things are looking pretty good back there right now. I repotted my tomatoes and peppers and started a bunch of greens and peas which makes me feel awesome. I think this might be the first year that I am actually on top of the planting season like I want to be. Yeh me. I also busted out the bike and went for the first ride of the year. Sure it was only a few blocks, but it was still fantastic. Now what I really need to do is give the old gal a tune up cause the chain was grinding and the tires need air and maybe new brakes? Not sure but I need to get to it, like asap because I plan on making the bike my means of transportation for the summer.
aside from all the that stuff, we also did some work, the mr did even more work (he is always working). I finished up a couple clay projects that have been lingering for a while. We went for lots of walks without jackets and I wore sandals all week. We managed a good stop by to see the littles and bring them carrot cookies. They ate all the cookies (2 dozen), beat the shit out of the mr, and managed to clean while they were doing it. We were impressed to say the least. The mr was sore from getting wacked a bunch.
Then Wednesday was Seans birthday. Would have been 30 years old%u2026Whoa. The family, friends, all of Seans friends went to the basketball court for a little pick up basketball game to celebrate and be together. It was fun, and sad, and good to see all the boys, but sad, but good. Never going get used to it. You know what I mean? Life.
Rest of the week came and went with the usual plus lots of rain and gray, but again, I was all about it because it is spring. worked at the studio on Friday where I moved all the clay in the world, got stabbed so hard by a stray pointy tool that was in slop bucket and got blood everywhere. I also managed to get so much clay in my hair and was overly praised for my height by all the studio ladies. They really appreciate my abilities at grabbing things on high shelves.
And the weekend. Yesterday we woke and basically ran out of the house to moms to borrow her truck (still haven%u2019t found a car to buy). We then drove the truck up to the greater north of Vermont and picked up all the cedar wood we need for the porch. Loaded up, drove back to the porch and unloaded all the wood. I came home for a few hours of power cleaning while the mr ran around all over some more and then back to moms for dinner. (Mom made ham, I brought my own dinner) We ate, Mom brushed my hair and then Barb breaded it which I love love and will never be able to do myself. I raided moms books (found nothing I haven%u2019t read already), searched for a missing bowl, made fun of the boys. Then I came home just in time to passed out.
Today, well today is Easter so after the gym and a few Sunday errands I need to do this morning, we are going to be doing a little easter lunch thing and an egg hunt for the littles at moms with the fam. After that I am coming home and continuing my quest for perfection in the yard, maybe tinker with the bike a bit, take a nap, read, drink all the coffee.. Looking at some sunshine and 70 degrees for the afternoon.. It%u2019s going to be a fine fine day.
And I still have not washed my hair so I need to do that. Most of the clay dried and fell out, but there still is some left%u2026.SO yeah, I need to do that today. I really hate washing my hair.
Internet links to check out.
–Fireflies Will Soon Light Up the Skies In Mesmerizing Harmony %u2014 Here’s How to See Them. I love me some fireflies, how cool would it be to see this.
– The Single Most Useful Snacking Rule I Give My Kid. I don%u2019t have my own kids, but when I have other peoples, I go by a rule like this too except my rule is you can eat veggies any time all the time.
-Want to grow your own avocado tree, here is how. Good luck.
–THE VINTAGE ROMANTIC BATH.. All the clawfoot tubs. Can%u2019t go wrong
-I am so ready. The first official %u201cStranger Things%u201d Season 3 trailer
–4 Natural Ways To Fertilize Houseplants. Now is a good time to fertilize!
-Hate the dentist? Read this and you will only hate it that much more. The Truth About Dentistry
-If ever I was to live on a house boat, this boat would be the one. And the floors in this place%u2026 swoon!
–How One Woman’s ‘Magically Delicious’ Pot Brownies Changed%u00a0History. Brownie Mary, what a lady.
-What the freaking f@ck? I am pretty sure I don%u2019t like where this could go. Neuroscientists just brought pig brain cells back to life.
Some pictures from the week
A simple little artsy craft project to get down with%u2026 apple printing. ALmost the same as potato print, except smells better and your apple comes with an interior fun shape to print with. And you have to use apple this time of year cause its apple season and there are apples everywhere!
I usually do things like this with a little or two, but at the time, I had no littles in my possession, so I went it did it all by my lonesome.%u00a0(which was actually a lot of fun)%u00a0I made myself big cup of hot coffee, put on some tunes, and zoned out and did a bunch of prints. It was a great little afternoon project that anyone, little or not so much, can do. And the best part about printing is%u2026 you can’t screw it up
And I know that this is going to be a cold dreary weekend%u2026 so this might just be the perfect indoor project to do!%u00a0
Things you are going to need..
Start by slicing your apple. If you cut in in half, you get the cool star shape in the middle, or just chop it into cool shaped pieces.%u00a0
Apply paint to the apple. I found that if I dipped the apple, then remove to much excess paint with a paint brush to work the best for me.. My suggestion is to play around with what works best for you.
Apple goes paint side down on paper%u2026 and that’s how it goes. Now repeat, either with the same shape, or use a new one. OR change up the color.. it’s all how you want to do it.%u00a0
If%u00a0
. I got a little excited with my fist print turned out a little chaotic(note print above)%u00a0but then I rained myself in.%u00a0
And did a few more simpler designs. %u00a0%u00a0
But do it anyway you want cause it’s going to look cool no matter what.
Have fun!
-C
The mr and I took off for NYC for the weekend to get us in some fun times, to hang with his brother, see some art, and basically just to get out of town.%u00a0
What we do when we go down is pretty much %u00a0always the same. We are big into art, and the mr is especially into street art (or “graffiti” as some may call it), and what better city is there to see amazing art? So when we are there, most of our time consists of walking around and taking in the sense. And walk we did. The second day were were there, we ended up walking from the east village, across to the west, all the way up to central park, and back down again. The little walking guy on google map said that our route (without all the side streets that we weaved through)%u00a0was 11.5 miles. So yeah, we walked our asses off. %u00a0But it felt good cause, well,%u00a0I like to walk and after the past few visits I feel like I am starting to get the hang of where I am and where I am going. (as a friend pointed out, the city is a grid.. but still)
We also got to spend a little quality time hanging with the mr’s little brother. He has been living in NYC for a few years now and has gradually turned unto a cool dude hipster that works like crazy running his own online business, but plays just as nuts. His friends came over for the “pre game” and left us for sleep at around 1 in the am%u2026 and his return home was a bit later.%u00a0%u00a0I mean, 5:30 am is a normal time to come home right? And of course when you get home, you must play some mid 90’s Seal %u00a0before drifting off to sleep. Mind you, he lives in a one room tiny apartment,%u00a0Oh Ev.. you are such a little shit, but I love you.%u00a0
To list a few of the highlights.%u00a0Osgemos street art (the mr has a hug boy crush on these guys) and all the other ssrteet art around the city. Seeing some live action taping of the new Ghost Busters movie which was cool las hell. Walking the high line (again, but I will do it every time I go)%u00a0Strands book store, Dick Blick art store and all the little shops and coffee shops we stopped in along the way. Oh, and shaving the ass of his brothers cat (it needed to be done, the knots were just out of control!)%u00a0
All in all, another successful trip to the city. Nothing was lost, no one was hurt, %u00a0we did what we wanted to do.
Love you New York!
Hopefully.
And hopefully you party people out there will be able to do a little of the same, or at least the chillin part. It is a 3 day weekend after all (not for us, but whatever)
Some internet fun finds.
-Sleeping in a loft that I have to crawl to get to the bed%u2026 this%u00a0%u00a0Gallery of Gorgeous Attic Bedrooms%u00a0makes me so jealous..
-This new startup wants to sell you ugly fruit and veggies. I still don’t get it, it’s not ugly, its awesome.
-So cool and reminds me of my late brother in law.%u00a0Wet Fold Origami Technique Gives Wavy Personality to Paper Animals by Artist Hoang Tien Quyet
-Could this be my new home? And I love a good plant lady.%u00a0BURSTING WITH PLANTS, A 1910 PORTLAND FOURSQUARE FOR A FLORIST AND BARISTA
-Its so weird how try this is.%u00a0Going, Going, Gone: 30+ Items That Are Disappearing from Our Homes
-We are doing this is the humongus pot hole in front of our house(we want to anyway)%u00a0Treats in the Streets: Artist Jim Bachor Fills Potholes with Ice Cream Mosaics
-Holy shit is this the mister. 5 Conditions That Afflict the Reluctant Dishwasher. (1 and 2 %u00a0really hit the nail)
A few photos from the week
Goodbye fiddleheads%u2026. Hello ferns%u00a0
Happy long weekend! (if you are lucky to have one!)
-C
%u00a0%u00a0You ever make dish, completely on the fly, just to use something up (I have a lot of ripe tomatoes) with no real expectation, just because%u2026 Then have it be one of the best freaking things that you have ever made?%u00a0This salad is one of those things.. maybe not the best thing I have ever made, but definitely the best salad I have ever made%u2026. this week.
A salad compiled of all things amazing, taking just a few minutes to make and is the perfect balance of uber fresh with baby spinach, raw kale, and crunchy quick pickled onions. Then adding a touch of warmth with the sweet and juicy seared tomatoes and big chunks of creamy avocado.
I mean, for reals. %u2026…Best Salad Ever !!!! (this week)
Now let’s do this.
%u00a0The Stuff. A big bowl of baby spinach and chopped up kale, a few sliced up roma tomatoes, some super thinly sliced red onion, half an avocado, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper.%u00a0%u00a0Before you do anything, place the sliced onions into bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and add a few glugs of the red wine vinegar. You want the onions to sit in the vinegar for at least 5 minutes on the counter cause the longer they sit the more crispy pickly they get. (after eating onions like this, you will never want to eat them any other way)%u00a0Lightly oil a skillet and preheat to a medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, sprinkle the tomato slices with salt and pepper and %u00a0place tomatoes right on in, snugly, but not overlapping. Let cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until the bottoms start to brown. Flip and cook other side for another few minutes.Once the tomatoes are seared on both sides, remove them gently from skillet and toss them on top of the bowl of greens.
Take the pickled onions and toss those right on top, with any of the residual vinegar, add dice and scoop the half of avocado and toss that on in as well.And now eat the best salad ever (this week).
Make the day good!
-C
Skillet Seared Tomato and Quick Pickled Onion Salad
Serves 2 as a side, 1 for a hungry eater
Thinly slice red onion and place in a bowl. %u00a0Add vinegar into a and sprinkle with salt. Let sit on counter for at least 5 minutes, if not longer,
Slice tomatoes into 1/2 inch thick rounds and sprinkle with a pitch or salt and pepper. %u00a0Lightly oil a skillet and preheat it on medium heat. Once the skillet is preheated, stick the tomatoes on it (watch out for splattering tomato juice) Cook first side for about 3 minutes or until the bottom has browned, then flip and do the same for other side.%u00a0
One tomatoes are seared, place directly onto the greens. Now dump the pickled onions and residual vinegar on top. And %u00a0dice up %u00a0avocado and add that on top too.%u00a0
Now eat your salad, fork or fingers%u2026 %u00a0
And I know, ba-daaaamn. So good.
Oh and I can’t forget%u2026.%u00a0
Happy Mother’s Day ladies!!!!
Here I give you a few thing from the internet this week …
– I didn’t believe they were paintings at first. Hyper-realistic Cactus Paintings that Bristle with Detail by Kwang-Ho Lee
-I’ll take any one of these%u00a0The 5 Fanciest French Press Coffeemakers We Could Find
-Love love the floors in This house.
-Spending a bit of time making summer camping plans here…Vermont State Parks. I can’t wait to get the tent out!
%u00a0-I think this should be happening everywhere.%u00a0Recycled Drinking Water: Getting Past the Yuck Factor
– And there is this.%u00a0ABC Brings Muppets Back To Prime Time As News Emerges About Fall Shows
And that, here are a few pictures from the week.
Have a wonderful day and to all that it applies to…
Happy Moms Day!
-C
Anyways, I am hoping to take it easy today, catch up on my coffee consumption, do a bit of gardening, reading, bike riding, all without pressure or expectations. Everyone should have a day for no expectations.
Some fun internet stuff from the week.
-I need an RV or camper.%u00a0THE BRAVE // vintage rv renovation inspiration
-Who cares if not everyone is pleased, I would be if my lunch bags looked like this.%u00a0These Parents Make Lovely Lunch Bag Art. Not Everyone Is Pleased
-So lovely.%u00a0Urban Jewelry: New Lace Street Art by NeSpoon
-Alternative energy Woo Hoo!%u00a0%u00a0Tesla’s Powerwall Home Battery Wants to Make Fossil Fuels Obsolete
-I am really excited to make this%u2026 I have a feeling that I will be incorporating it into many of my recipes.%u00a0ChefSteps’ Genius Roasted Onion Cream
-Another house that I could get down with.%u00a0
And a few pictures%u2026.
Have a great day!
-C.