damn good.

our wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with dear friends was so amazingly yummy. to quote his mother-in-law..."you're a damn good cook john".










of course the table was beautiful.  and the  apertif, wine, and digestif well chosen.

(good food with wonderful beverage pairings is something our hosts are famous for.)

the pies turned out very well too. so good we are finishing them up with our morning coffee.



no shopping for us today. (though i'll admit to some early morning perusing over at the apple site.)

just reveling in another quiet day at home.

so very much to be thankful for.

Giving Thanks

we are in full prep mode. we are in charge of desserts this year and the girls and i are busy. we made pumpkin puree with the beautiful long island cheese pumpkins we had been saving from our CSA deliveries. we threw in some candied pecans to nibble on while we work.



rosemary and thyme candied pecans

on the menu:

chocolate pecan pie


pumpkin banana mousse tart




and of course... pumpkin pie decorated with pastry leaves and served with fresh whipped cream.



Happy Thanksgiving!

::

the unexpected thing about discord and upheaval, is that it offers perspective. it serves as a reminder that we are not alone. we have built something around us that protects us. we have a support system in place to bolster us up when we need it the most. to give us strength. we are reminded of what is truly important.

i feel so very blessed.

(don't worry - nothing earth-shattering going on. saddened by a misunderstanding. life. having d out of town for a few days.)

loving this song...

long road to the old place

we celebrated eleven years today. eleven years since our wedding on a rooftop with those nearest and dearest to us dancing under the stars. eleven years of ups and downs and to-s and fro-s and long walks together. eleven years of defining "home" and "family" and "friend".

we celebrated at a new old favourite place. with our girls. such a part of our eleven years.

yep. i love you cowboy.

back on the farm...

we returned to "our farm" today. the girls had the day off for the holiday so we decided to lend a hand and drive out to pick-up all our neighborhood subscribers boxes and save the farm staff a trip. while we were there we weeded. for two hours.

they love it there.

we love it there.

looking up

obligations have me running around a lot lately. i am really enjoying it. it hasn't been an easy adjustment for d and the girls, though i think they are getting the hang of it. it doesn't happen very often that i'm not home for dinner. last night was an exception.

i prepped everything for chicken hand-pies before i headed out - d and the girls assembled and baked - and even made dessert: chocolate coconut hand-pies!

we are all growing in wonderful ways. i am enjoying this next stage of all our lives - and am so very grateful for my amazing family.

Chicken Hand-pies

This recipe came via a friend up in Portland, and is based on one in Mad Hungry by Lucinda Scala Quinn

It was a favourite last winter - and with cold temps returning we pulled it out again last night. Paired with a salad of fresh redleaf lettuce, K declared it "the best dinner ever!"



Chicken Hand-pies

Filling:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped green shallot
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 heaping cup shredded chicken (I used leftover roast chicken)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a skillet and add the vegetables. Saute over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the salt and flour. Add the chicken broth and stir until thickened (a few minutes). Stir in the cheese and chicken. Cool in the refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Pastry:
8 tablespoons (1 stick unsalted butter) at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup milk (or heavy cream)
1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix butter, cream cheese and milk thoroughly. Add flour and salt and mix until combined and a ball forms. Divide the dough into two disks and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.


Assembly:
Roll out dough in two batches and cut 5-inch circles - we use a small mixing bowl as cutter. Place 1/4 cup filling on half of each circle. Moisten edges of circle with water and fold dough over to form a half-circle. Crimp edges with fork.

Place pies on a buttered cookie sheet and chill for a few minutes.

Prick tops with a fork. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, until lightly-browned.

Cool 5 minutes before serving.



I prepared the dough and filling earlier in the day - then while I was at a meeting D and the girls assembled (decorated!) and baked. And surprised me by using the left over pastry to make dessert hand-pies: dark chocolate and coconut!

"Best dinner ever!"

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Mmmmmm

On our visit to the farm John and I overheard a conversation around spaghetti squash being substituted for noodles in lasagna. We asked for details. When John mentioned to me he tried it and it was a huge hit with the kids, I thought I would too...




we call it:

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Mmmmm
(based on Mark Bittman's Vegetable Lasagna from How To Cook Everything Vegetarian)

makes 6-8 servings

1 cooked spaghetti squash skin removed
3 cups cooked greens (we used our beet greens and another bunch I'm not what they were!) squeezed and chopped
2 tbs olive oil
2 cups tomato sauce (I simply sauteed an onion with some garlic then added tomato and spices and cooked down)
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
(I mixed all the cheese together and added a tiny bit of nutmeg)
a few dried lasagna noodles for the bottom (I used the precooked TJs ones)

Preheat the oven to 400. Grease rectangular baking dish with olive oil, add a dollop of tomato sauce and spread it around. Put a layer of noodles down (John suggested this was helpful in provided a base when serving); top with a layer of tomato sauce, a layer of greens, a layer of cheeses and a layer of spaghetti squash - repeat - finishing with tomato sauce, greens and cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to three days. I am curious how this would freeze? None left to try this time, but next I will make extra, as it was a hit!

i like it too.

while we struggle with keeping our practice sessions on track. while we sometimes grumble about those long workshop sessions. while the dog starts to howl just seeing the violins come out of their cases. i know the girls are getting so much out of this experience.
we are coming on to a one year anniversary of suzuki violin lessons and workshop participation. we were evaluating how we feel about the program. and k presented this drawing.





yes, i like it too.

november garden

it has taken me a long time to really understand that fall sort of equals spring in socal. it is my favourite time of year in the garden. our drought tolerant plants start to look alive again!

the pic on the top is of ornamental gourds. i had hoped they would be grown, dried and ready to transform into bird houses by the holidays. (i have carried this image in my memory bank since i first saw it.) we will see.

Happy Hallowe'en!

a visit to the farm...

watch when you receive sunflowers a few months down the road. they may have been planted by these young farmhands.

a perfect moment.

we spent the afternoon at our CSA farm. it was a perfect afternoon. and watching these kids plant sunflower seeds into this perfect soil under a perfectly blue sky was, well, perfect.

ready. or not.

the festivities begin tomorrow...

Happy Hallowe'en! (See you Sunday!)

these days

i'm not getting things done the way i'd like.
i feel like i left my groove someplace else.
time is slipping by too quickly.

and then it rains. and then the sun comes out. and then this song (or this song, or this one, or this one*) comes on the radio and we all start to dance. and there are pancakes with lemon zest and walnuts. mmmmm.




and i am so happy. and so grateful.

sewing marathon ahead. see you soon!




*this video kills me. i told d i am going to get an andy samberg tattoo. if he knew how to handle a chainsaw our marriage would be in trouble.

Yum!

Pasta with Butternut Squash, Sage and Pine Nuts... here.

home again home again :: soup's on

we are home. it was a fabulous trip.

it is cold and rainy. the days feel short. darkness arrives early.

i love it.



we are in full soup mode.

our favourite winter squash soup recipe includes apples and apple cider vinegar - but with E's newly diagnosed allergy to apples we had to make a few changes.



here is what I came up with:

Feel's like Winter Winter Squash Soup
about 40 minutes. serves 8.

we used the acorn squash we had on hand from the last of the summer CSA boxes! butternut would be really yummy too.

1/4 cup olive oil
2 acorn squash peeled and diced
1 large onion chopped
3 carrots peeled and diced
1 1/4 pint homemade chicken stock (it's what I had on hand - veg stock would be good too)
1 1/4 teaspoons thyme
1 1/4 teaspoons sage
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
salt and pepper as you like it

Pour olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add squash, carrot, and herbs and sauté until squash begins to soften. Add stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.

Working carefully, puree soup with immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)

served with a freshly baked loaf of soda bread. yum.

Soup's On!

We are in soup mode over here as well. Must be the cooler weather.

Our favourite winter squash soup recipe includes apples and apple cider vinegar - but with E's newly diagnosed allergy to apples we had to make a few changes.



Here is what I came up with:

Feel's like Winter Winter Squash Soup
about 40 minutes. serves 8.

We used the acorn squash we had on hand from the last of the summer boxes! Butternut would be really yummy too.

1/4 cup olive oil
2 acorn squash peeled and diced
1 large onion chopped
3 carrots peeled and diced
1 1/4 pint homemade chicken stock (it's what I had on hand - veg stock would be good too)
1 1/4 teaspoons thyme
1 1/4 teaspoons sage
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
salt and pepper as you like it

Pour olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add squash, carrot, and herbs and saute until squash begins to soften. Add stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.

Working carefully puree soup with immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)

Perfect for after soccer on a grey day - served with a freshly baked loaf of Soda Bread. Yum.

Gratuitous pic of Calvert's Girls Under 7 West Valley Soccer Team - Go Koala Kixx!

sunrise over the pacific

spoiled by sunsets over the pacific thought it would be a real treat to watch the sun rise over the same. i was not disappointed. i am so enjoying the morning light at the beach - so reminiscent of late afternoon light in SoCal. but fresher. if that makes sense.

north beach (wollongong NSW)

{last shot saltwater pool of my dreams - note the ladder - i'm going swimming here tomorrow.}

a day with the 'roos

Symbio Wildlife Park

par usual

you can find us at the sea...







we are south of sydney for the week. visiting my dear (14 year old!) nephew in wollongong.


we keep talking about how daddy is waaaaay over on the other side of the water. we wave. and blow kisses. we miss him. xo (and miss moxie too.)

down under

it's been four years since we've been here. so very good to be back.

blessings

temps in the triple digits drove us to the beach this weekend. as i sat amongst my neighbours and watched our kids play in the surf i silently said goodbye to summer. the girls and i are headed to australia. i am thinking by the time we return our beach days will be over. at least beach days like this. i am so grateful to live close to the sea. so grateful to have these friends as my neighbours. so grateful for these summer memories.





today would have been my dad's 69th birthday. i thank him daily for teaching me the value of community. and for leaving me so many wonderful memories.