A Few of My Favorite Things...

Okay, I haven't cooked in weeks. But these stuffed mushrooms were made during my holiday frenzy of cooking, and I'm flashing back out of guilt over my unused kitchen. This shot is of the hors d'oevres right before they went in the oven. Oddly enough, I don't even like mushrooms that much, but doesn't stuffing, oil, and cheese make just about anything taste amazing? I was surprised at how much they smoked in the oven, even though they didn't appear to be burning. This is a really quick appetizer to make, as long as you have time to prepare right before you serve, since they are best devoured hot.

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Here's a picture of Jason arguing that "we can't possibly fit a cabinet there."  Yes, we chose to spend our Friday night at IKEA, playing with blocks in the Kitchens section of the store. And who says you can never be a kid again? Except this time, you're measuring cabinets and realizing the limitations of real space versus the fantasy kitchens of design magazines everywhere. You know when people say their eyes are bigger than their stomachs? I suffer from this only with home decor. Even so, while planning a move and a kitchen remodel, we found this to be strangely relaxing. It's also cool to see all the eco-friendly options that are aplenty now that it's fashionable to be green. We've heard great things about cork flooring, bamboo countertops, and reclaimed construction materials. And a little blood, sweat, and tears for DIY seems pretty noble too. That is, until I get my finger cut by that first shard of tile...

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We're engaged! And I couldn't be happier with the ring we chose. In fact, I've been gazing into it all morning. I had been sporting the ring that Jason proposed with for about a month and despite the fact that it was intended as a placeholder, I'd gotten completely used to it on my finger. Like a training ring! It actually helped me figure out some things I liked and didn't like about rings you wear every day. For example, I realized I needed a ring close to my finger, since I can be clumsy and like to be able to put my hands in my pockets. We went through the wringer first - hitting the "factory-direct" stores promoted on TV trying to just get a sense of what we wanted. But then we chanced upon an small custom jeweler who didn't try to give us the hard sell and was actually interested in helping us design something that were crazy about. I like that it combines Jason's aesthetic with mine, and white gold with yellow. And that has a warm, antique quality. This is definitely one of my new favorite things.

Posted by plehar at 09:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

My mom has been working on knitting this blanket for 15 years - probably since there were actually babies in the house to make one for! She finally picked it up again recently, after finding it balled up in storage... and, get this, actually finished it! After watching her tie up the loose ends over the holidays, I joked with her that this might be the first blanket that began as a baby blanket and ended as an old biddy blanket!

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I feel like I've been baking all week. But maybe that's because I've accomplished so little on the culinary front lately. Eating a lot, mainly. But the gloves came off and the apron on this past week, as I faced the challenges of gingerbread men, my favorite almond torte cake, and a few other odds and ends for family holiday parties and new year's visits. Despite the nimbleness of my overly floured fingers, though, I did not accomplish the one feat I had hoped to - the task of baking a traditional English Christmas cake - essentially a light fruit cake (think, Panettone) with dense, glossy white icing all around its visible surfaces. In taste, it's a little like a stollen, I think. Though, I couldn't find the time, energy, or, after all the other desserts, the audience for yet another cake, so I contented myself with a close parallel - a new drink I've recently discovered: the Hungarian liquor, Zwack! Like Christmas in a bottle.

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