Pots and Pins

Tarragon-Cream Chicken and Polenta Pot Pies...

About a year ago I saw Rachel YUM-O Ray make this dish on 30 Minute Meals and I printed out a copy of the recipe because not only did it sound good and look easy to make, Rachel went on and on about how great the taste was and I was hanging on every word....I love tarragon - and cream, so it had to be good!  Then yesterday I was sewing, had on Food Network and there was Rach, as I like to call her, making this dish again...for once I was thrilled to watch a rerun....I had yet to make this recipe and since it was cold and gray outside and I wasn't feeling so great I decided that we would have Tarragon-Cream Chicken and Polenta Pot Pies for dinner....it was the best decision I made during the entire day...maybe even for the entire week!

   

Quickly - that's how this comes together...and the presentation is amazing...it's a killer recipe and definitely "company worthy."  It would also be a great dish to take to someone who is sick...it's so much better than any pot pie you've ever had before...I'm sure it has healing qualities because I instantly felt better after eating this...and if I knew of any sick people I would make this and take it to them tonight ...too bad everyone I know is healthy...sad for them.

    

The polenta topping is the key...it is so creamy and rich and ....pardon me while I wipe my drool...it is truly the best part...but then again, the tarragon cream sauce is just plain heavenly...I only wish I'd doubled the recipe!

 

 

 

 

 

Tarragon-Cream Chicken and Polenta Pot Pies - Rachael Ray, 30 Minute Meals

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil....EVOO....c'mon, say it like Rach!

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, chopped into bite size pieces

2 carrots, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 ribs celery with greens, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

3 cups chicken stock, divided

1 cup cream, divided

1/2 cup quick cooking polenta, (or grits) plus more, if needed *

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

6 sprigs fresh tarragon, stripped and chopped, 3 to 4 tablespoons

1 cup frozen peas (I didn't add these, I forgot, plus I hate peas)

1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

In a deep skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and lightly brown, 3 minutes, then add carrots, onions and celery as your chop.  Season with salt and pepper as you go and cook for 10 to 12 minutes to soften, and just until the veggies and chicken begin to carmelize. 

Preheat broiler.  Set rack in middle of oven.  Bring 1 cup of chicken stock and 1/2 cup of cream to a boil, stir in polenta and whisk for 3 minutes.  Turn heat to low, stir in Gruyere cheese and set aside. 

Scoot meat and veggies off to side, melt butter and combine with flour and stir for 1 minute.  Whisk in 2 cups stock and combine, stir in 1/2 cup cream and bring to a bubble.  Stir in Dijon, tarragon, peas and adjust salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to soup bowls.  Set soup bowls on baking dish.  Form tops to your pot pies with the polenta and cheese mixture.  Set under broiler and brown for 2 to 3 minutes.  Serve hot.  Makes 4 servings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I refuse to spend my life worrying about what I eat.  There is no pleasure worth forgoing just for an extra three years in the geriatric ward."  John Mortimer

Lost Socks Quilt...

Finally!  The top is done!  This started as a group project - we all exchanged fabrics for our socks and backgrounds and got together to sew....the blocks have been sitting for about 4 months now so, being fully ripened, I figured it was time to put them together...and as usual I did my best to muck it up...I first sewed blocks into the corners and then, when I took a picture and saw the quilt in the picture I realized how stupid they looked...see for yourself...

After two hours of "unsewing" and resewing ...I now like the look of the borders - I should have just done this to begin with!

This quilt measures 72-inches x 88-inches - and it's going to be a family quilt...it's just too cute to give away!  Now I've got to quilt it...but how?  Anyone got any suggestions?  Should I stipple it?  Over the socks or around them?  Or should I shadow quilt it?  Or should I just send it off to a long-arm-pro to work her magic so I don't have to work mine?!!  Now that the top is done I'm anxious to get it finished...

"To be wrapped in a quilt is to be wrapped in love." Anonymous

Wool Sewing Caddy...

I saw this little sewing caddy on All People Quilt - if you haven't been to this site then you're missing some great stuff!  They have wonderful tutorials, great patterns and beautiful pictures of quilts  - if you sign up for their weekly email you'll never be without a project! 

I've made many of their projects - my watermelon table runner came from here and so did my carrot table runner - both too cute for words!  This sewing caddy is a kit - I didn't order it  - I just stole their idea and used my own supplies...I have a thing for sewing kits - I love them - and they are all over my house - I can go into any room and sew on a button if need be!  Wow, now there's a worthy goal!  Sometimes it sucks being me!

This took one episode of NCIS to complete...

Ants in my Pants...

Living in the great Northwest is not all fun and games...yes, we have rain, and gray skies and terrible traffic and taxes upon taxes...and we also have ants...carpenter ants, which are huge and easy to spot and they generally live outdoors, eating up tall trees from the inside out until they crash down on a house or car...are you packing your bags to move here yet?  We also have moisture ants...which stands to reason since it is very moist up here....someone I know doesn't like the word moist...can't remember who...but really, it's not a pleasant word, is it?  So these moisture ants live in wet wood and they eat the wet wood until there is no more wood to eat....below is a picture of my living room....we've had the wall ripped out from under the window THREE TIMES in 12 years....THREE TIMES!!  We've done everything possible to keep the moisture out so the ants will stay out...but THEY'RE BACK!!!!!

So the wall has been ripped out yet again...and the ants were everywhere!  Our handyman now assures us that he can fix this problem permanently...he is the same handyman who did the first three fixes...now that should tell you something...actually it should tell US something but call us Mr. and Mrs. Stupid because we're giving him one more go....this time he's going to use treated lumber and he's going to redo the brick on the outside of the house...that sound you hear is our cash flying out from under the window...

Spicy Peanut Slaw...

Normally anything that has the word spicy in it is something I set aside to make when the mister is out of town...because, as you know, he hates spicy anything.  Well, as luck would have it, the mister is not traveling anywhere for quite some time...so that meant either I had to wait for months to make this slaw or just deal with his complaints...I opted for the latter...but I did set out the Pepto Bismol on the kitchen counter - in plain view - for his dessert.   

For fifteen years the mister traveled...he left every Monday morning and returned home every Thursday night...it was great - the kids and I did what we wanted when we wanted.  And then one day he stopped.  Just like that.  Our world's came crashing down around us....no more wall-papering or painting walls the color I wanted while he was gone...no more late night sewing/TV/girl talk/baking marathons....no more walking straight into the house with my purchases!  No more freedom!  Now he would know exactly what I did during the day...he would be there - working out of the house - to WATCH ME!!  The boy and the girl didn't know how to behave either!  One night the mister told the boy he couldn't go out and play and the boy replied, "I can too, you're not my TRUE OWNER, MOM IS!"  And he's still here - MOST of the time - his trips are too few and too far between...I would give HIS eye teeth for a slow boat to take him to China right about now...I've got some re-decorating I want to do and more spicy food to make...so you see, it's really for his own good that he should go!

Love, love, love this slaw...it IS spicy but it doesn't have to be - just decrease the amount of cayenne to your level of hot.  I love the peanuts and how they soak up the dressing - and the dressing is spoonable...as in you'll want to spoon a big tablespoon of it into your mouth!

Spicy Peanut Slaw - Adapted from Family Circle Magazine, June 2000

1/2 head Napa cabbage, shredded

1/2 head red cabbage, shredded

2 large carrots, peeled and grated

1 medium sweet onion, finely diced

1 cup dry roasted peanuts

Dressing:

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons peanut butter, creamy or chunky

2 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger powder

1 teaspoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In large bowl combine cabbage, carrots, onion and peanuts.  Combine dressing ingredients in blender and blend on high until smooth.  Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss to mix.  Cover and refrigerate until chilled.  Serve immediately.  Serves 6 to 8.

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."  Will Rogers

Purses for my Purse...

My dear friend Helen put this idea into my head...little purses for my purse...so quick and easy to make!  I bought this fabric specifically to make little purses with...it goes with nothing but it's so dang happy I couldn't resist!  Cute, no?

Jenny, my sweet friend who got me into blogging, made this beautiful bracelet for me...it's called Pots and Pins....for my blog...see the mini measuring spoons?  And the scissors?   Plus she threw in a few pearls for me, too....I do LOVE pearls!  Thanks Jen, I LOVE it!  Jenny is busy working on all kinds of new things - which I can hardly wait to see, but in the meantime you can see her things in the Super Market.  It's kind of like Etsy...it's an on-line place to shop - or as they like to say, "Great design straight from the Designers" who make everything you can imagine...and things you can't!   

"The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize."  Unknown

Gingersnap Ice Cream Sandwiches...

Since I was baking gingerbread girls for camp I decided to make an extra batch of cookie dough so I could make gingersnap ice cream sandwiches.  These are great cookies by themselves but with ice cream they are incredibly good - and they're a nice change from the usual ice cream sandwich.  I add nutmeg to the cookies, instead of cloves, which gives them a "softer" taste...and these cookies don't get hard, even when frozen.  

The key to making these cookies is to let the dough sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour - or else it's just too sticky to work with and you'll end up adding more and more flour - and then, despite what I said above, the cookies will become hard....so let the dough chill and then you can skip the extra flour.  (I made some of these last week too and I was in a hurry - didn't let the dough chill enough so I had to add extra flour - the cookies were good but they were crispy.)   

Doesn't that look great?!?  I roll the sandwiches in fine sugar before serving (or wrapping in plastic wrap to freezer for later.)  It just makes them extra sweet...not that they need it!

Gingersnap Ice Cream Sandwiches - Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons gound ginger

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

1/3 cup sugar crystals, optional

1/3 cup finely granulated sugar, optional

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg into a bowl.  Beat together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in egg and molasses until well blended.  Add flour mixture all at once and mix on low speed until just combined.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to handle, about 1 hour.  Put racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Roll dough flat, about 1/4 inch thick, and using a round cutter (about 2-inches in diameter), cut out circles, carefully transferring to prepared baking sheets and placing about 1 1/2-inches apart.  Sprinkle cookies with sugar crystals.  Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are browned and tops are cracked, about 13 to 15 minutes.  Let cookies stand on sheet for 1 minute, then transfer with a metal spatual to a rack to cool completely. 

To assemble the sandwich:  Place 1/3 cup ice cream on back side of cookie, top with a second cookie, back side down, and gently press to spread filling to edges.  Roll edge of sandwich in finely granulated sugar.  Wrap in plastic wrap and put in freezer unless eating immediately.   

Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 1 week.  Sandwiches can be frozen for up to 1 week.  Makes 18 sandwiches or 36 cookies.

"In spite of the cost of living, it's still popular."  Kathleen Norris

This and That...

The weekend was a whirlwind!  In between going to a baby shower, seeing Mama Mia (which I loved!) and working in the yard, I also made it to church, helped the boy fumigate his room - otherwise known as cleaning - baked a batch of gingerbread girls and still managed to find some time to sew - here's a peak at what I got done....and what I started:

Cleaning the workroom always turns up some great finds - and this top was one of them!  I made this a while back and decided to finish it for the shower - it seems I'm always going to a shower - first the bridal shower then two years later the baby shower...it's like clockwork around here!  This is made with Aunt Gracie fabric, 6 appliqued blocks and the rest are pieced-it's the perfect size for a newborn but once that baby blossoms I'm afraid it will only be useful to her dolls!    

Girls camp is this week - and I was asked to help with a few things...and since the theme is Gingerbread Girls I baked up some goodies for them.  I attended girls camp when I was young...I don't have fond memories of it...big spiders, long hikes in sweltering heat, burnt hot-dogs for dinner...so baking gingerbread girls for them was a small price to pay for not having to go with them to camp!

This project is still "top secret"....I've been working on it for 4 years now...and this year...this December...it WILL be finished!  It's all appliqued so it's taking a long time but it's going to be great!  I worked on this the other night while we watched Ghostbusters - it was the first time I'd seen the movie since it came out in theaters 24 years ago!   

Just ignore those threads - my design wall is sticky so every little thread finds it's way there....these blocks were meant for the American Hero Quilt project but I cut them too small...these blocks are only 4 x 4-inches and they should have been 4 1/2-  x 4 1/2-inches...that little half inch makes a HUGE difference!  I think they're going to make a wonderful "alphabet" quilt for Max....   

And lastly...these fabrics were the motivation for me to get back into my sewing room...I made a quick trip to Nancy's Sewing Basket on Queen Anne Hill Friday...and these Amy Butler fabrics just screamed at me to buy them!  Of course, I have to "pet them" and fold and refold and stare at them for at least a week before I dare cut into them...mostly because they were $18 a yard and I just don't want to mess them up!  So in the meantime, I'll keep working on the other projects...just hoping to finish one so I can cross it off the list!

Onion Frittata...

If I ate eggs I would LOVE this dish...but since I don't, I only tasted this...to be sure it was okay...and to my surprise it was really, really good...but chickens still don't pee therefore I still don't eat eggs - regardless of how tasty they are.   The mister called me in the middle of the day to TELL ME that I NEEDED to make a "lite" dinner for him as his tummy was giving him fits...(could it have been the fire water he washed down his lunch of Vietnamese Noodles with?!)..so, being the dutiful, kind, devoted and sweet wife that I am...I informed the mister that a) I am not a short-order cook - and therefore do not take requests for what to fix for dinner and... b) I do not like to be told what to cook...no matter what his tummy is doing!  Ha!  I am woman hear me roar!  But then he begged so I caved and this is what he got for dinner...

Making frittata's is easy because everything goes into one dish and then it all goes into the oven - it's the perfect brunch dish,too.  You can put almost anything into a frittata...artichoke hearts, leeks, spinach, peppers, fresh herbs - whatever suits your fancy.  We have had the sweetest onions lately, so they became the star of this frittata.

Onion Frittata by Me

6 eggs

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup grated cheese, I used cheddar

1 green onion, finely chopped

1/2 green pepper, finely chopped

1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl, beat eggs with a whisk and then add the remaining ingredients.  Mix well.  Spray 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.  Pour egg mixture into pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until center is set.  Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Serves 6.

"If you want to earn more than you get, you need to be worth more than you are paid."  Unknown

Brazilian Lemonade...

While waiting for my therapist - my PHYSICAL therapist - I'm not crazy enough to pay someone to LISTEN to me...yet...I picked up their copy of Sunset Magazine, the July issue, and found this recipe...A lady in Rexburg, ID sent the recipe in saying her husand was served this at a Brazilian restaurant and they loved it so much they asked for the recipe...and I can see why, it's refreshing and tart and perfect for a hot summer day...or a cool summer day, depending if you're in Seattle or not!  But before I get to the lemonade, let me show you what I came across on my way home from the therapist...

That's a brand-spanking new Honda Element with a white bow wrapped around it and the sign reads:  "Buy one Get one Free"  One what?  Oh, that would be the townhome on the right that you need to buy  for $450,000.00 to get the free Honda...Too bad it's not the other way around...buy the Honda, get the condo...    

The surprising thing about this lemonade is there are no lemons in it...perhaps it should be called limeade?  But then again, it's Brazilian, and I'm not about to question an entire country over their lemonade and it's obvious lack of lemons...and I suggest you don't either...just make it, drink it and enjoy it.

Brazilian Lemonade - Sunset Magazine, July 2008, Kelley Gee, Rexburg, ID

3 limes, quartered

1/3 cup sugar **

3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

Place all the ingredients in a blender.  Add 4 cups cold water and blend on high speed until limes are slightly chopped.  Strain into a pitcher and then, with the strainer still resting above the pitcher, slowly pour about 1 more cup (depending on how sweet you want the drink) through the strainer over the lime pieces to extract all the residual sugar and juice.  ** The mister thought this was too tart - which is odd because there is not one sweet thing about him...so he added some Equal to his glass and then he was happy, and strangely enough, quite sweet...who knew it would be a "little blue PACKAGE" that would make him happy!  So you might want to sweeten yours a little more too!  Makes about 6 cups.

This is where my Brazilian Lemonade and I ended up - in my "view spot" in my garden...I can watch everyone in the park below stroll by but they can't see me...I dug out that little area myself...which is why I'm now seeing a physical therpist!