Pots and Pins

Quilt Group Friday...

There was nothing on Monday night that we wanted to watch, so I grabbed the remote and tuned into The Bachelor...only my 2nd time seeing the show...but it was riveting!  SO.MUCH.DRAMA!  The kissing, the canoodling, the romantic trysts and turns and then the devastation of Sean having to say good-bye to one of the THREE women he had fallen in love with...and the mister said, "Next year I should be The Bachelor, then there would be REAL entertainment!"  (I'm sure my sister just threw up a little bit in her mouth...)  Let's examine the mister's statement: 

a)  The mister momentarily forgot he was already married and therefore wouldn't qualify as The Bachelor.  (And just how does one forget something like that?!?!?!) 

b) The mister let the cat out of the bag and plans to be a bachelor next year.  (Possibly.  Probably.  Definitely a maybe.  Especially when he says stupid things.  Positively.  Which would make ME a bachelorette!)

c)  The mister is delusional and in need of a lobotomy and/or exorcism.

d)  All of the above in which case the mister has a death wish.

The correct answer is 'd'.

There, now that that's out of the way, let's get to the quilts...what a meeting we had...it was every bit as entertaining as The Bachelor, except no bikini's were worn, there were no moonlit swims and no spit was exchanged...

But we did have beautiful  women and delicious food and fascinating conversation and jaw-dropping bags!!  Our group is having a sew day where we are going to make ourselves some "quilt-toting bags".  Helen brought in some of her bags for inspiration...the bag above was made with "orphan blocks"...I NEVER have orphan blocks lying around!!  It's so bright and happy and we all loved it...but I don't think we'll have time to make this kind of bag at our sew day...maybe just in our dreams!

 

Here are two more of Helen's bags, these aren't as big as the one pictured above, but adorable none-the-less. The bag on the left was made with a charm pack!  The bag on the right was made with pre-quilted fabric - clever, no?

This is one of Helen's creations...she said she wasn't crazy about it, but I think she's crazy!  It's wonderful!  And different!  And just look at all of those colors and her border and binding!  It's all just a little bit of wonderful!

Here's a close-up of the border, binding and the backing fabric.  Now tell me, would you ever pick those fabrics?  I am always in such a "quilting rut" that I wouldn't, but in my next life, when I'm no longer in a rut, I will!!

Another Helen quilt...scrappy and fun and the pic on the right shows her backing for this beautiful quilt - now how cute is that?!?

Denise brought in these little pieced hearts she is making...I think she said she is going to make a table runner with these - but wouldn't an entire quilt be wonderful?!?  There's something about black and red quilts that "speak" to me...Denise is our resident paper-piecer but these are not paper-pieced!  (I personally think Denise should keep making these blocks until she has enough for a big quilt...I LOVE seeing my friends make intricate quilts - because I would never do it!)  We have a new group project...an "honor" project because we are really not accountable for doing it - like having to bring blocks each month for someone, those have to be done, but our project is really just a theme...Where the Heart Is...and we can interpret that any way we want, and make a runner or a quilt or whatever and we are supposed to have it done by June...but without any real motivation I'm wondering how many of us will do it?  Okay, I'll fess up, I'm wondering if I will do it!

Marsha made this darling strip quilt and believe it or not, she said it was really HARD for her!  She likes to sew things that line up nice and even, so sewing by the seat of her pants was not something she is used to...of course, that's how I sew everything so I thought this quilt was great!  I think she made this for her neice?

Marsha made this quilt for her sister, and she is machine-quilting it herself.  I've shown it before but it is definitely worth a 2nd look.  Nicely done!

The quilt above was made by Marsha's dear friend, who passed away two weeks ago after an 8-year long battle with cancer.  Her friend made this quilt for her grandson and she was trying to get it finished to give to him before she passed away.  Marsha saw the quilt when she went to visit the family and told them she would get it finished for her, she just needs to sew the binding on, as the quilting has been done.  It's made from cute cowboy fabric and you just know that little grandson will cherish this quilt!  Marsha, as they say, is always building her mansion in Heaven!  (And her mansion will be one of the nicest one's there, no doubt!)

 

Stephanie brought in her Halloween circle quilt, now finished.  It's such a wonderful quilt - there's something about a circle quilt, no?  She also brought in this scrappy pink quilt, made from teeny-tiny scraps that were left over from something...she is the Queen of Scraps!  I do love the pink - and what a great Valentine quilt it could be!

If I'm not mistaken, this quilt was made from "ugly fabrics."  Not my words!!  All scrappy squares pieced together into one fabulous quilt - and check out her borders, they are great!  I love this quilt - scrappy "speaks" to me, too!

These are two of Stephanie's masterpieces...you've seen them both before, but they were definitely worth a 2nd look - and hopefully even a 3rd!   The quilt on the left is a baby quilt...adorable, fun, contemporary and smart!  The quilt on the right was made from scraps left over from another project - I love the combination of colors and random patterns...Stephanie is a real artist and her quilts always reflect her artistic eye!

Terry is making this Japanese Kimono quilt for a friend - the blocks aren't finished yet, she still has the head part to add, but I wish you could see the workmanship, Terry is just a master!  This is going to be a beautiful quilt!

Another quilt by Terry...an Irish Chain that is as beautifully quilted as it is pieced.  Terry also pieced stars in the borders, Terry is also the queen of "special touches" that personalize her quilts.  Got to love that!  I love the colors of the reds she used, how they go from light to dark...this is a stunning quilt in person!

Terry is so busy with her machine-quilting business (Stitchophrenic -  email her for a quote:  [email protected] - she does incredible work!) that I don't know when she finds the time to quilt for herself!  But she does!!  She made this sweet Valentine quilt, which takes care of her "group project", as this answers the theme question of "Where the Heart Is!"  After piecing this quilt she decided to embellish it - it's very fun!  She's got pom-poms, yo-yos, buttons and bows - very, very girly!

Barbara made this sweet Valentine quilt, which can also go under the group project...so there's at least three of them that met the goal!  I love this quilt, love the hearts and the choice of colors - it's warm and wonderful!  Way to go Barbara!  (Oh, in the background you can see the back of Terry's Valentine quilt!)

Yours truly also had a quilt to show...but the binding is not sewn on yet so I'm going to wait until it's completely finished before I show you, but I LOVE IT!!!  So that's it - wasn't that a great show?!?  Our group is always inspiring and I come home from out meetings just itching to get into my workroom and create something...but then the laundry calls or the kitchen screams or the mister insists that I do some actual work at work...but every now and then I manage to sneak in a few minutes at the machine...and little by little things get done!  The sun is out today...blue skies and no rain...it's a rarity around here so instead of sewing I might have to drive over the bridge and head into the city...there's nothing like a sunny day in Seattle!  Hope it's sunny where you are! 

Chilean Sea Bass...

Similar to Pavlov's Dog...when the boy smelled what was cooking for dinner, he came barreling down the stairs, with the mister right behind...the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, via his nose!  The boy circled the kitchen until I finally called him to dinner...he sat down, inhaled his food, pronounced it great and then disappeared back upstairs.  The mister, as per normal, took one look at his plate and said, "That better not be pepper on my chicken!"  Me:  "Au contraire!  I hate to disappoint but that's not chicken, nor is it pepper...it's Chilean Sea Bass and it's got a little Za'atar on it."  Mister:  "What the hell is zither?"  At this point I was again reminded that what he doesn't know is for the best...Me:  "Nothing, just eat it, you'll like it."  And he did.  He ate it all, and if there had been a hook, line and sinker he would have eaten that, too!

 

 

 

In this post I told you about my first experience with Certified Steak and Seafood Company, it was the best steak we have ever had!  Well, this is my second experience with them, and it definitely won't be my last.  We were sent some beautiful Chilean Sea Bass fillets just last week...they arrived frozen and I put them into my freezer until I was ready to prepare them...it could not be easier!  Even in a city where I can get fresh seafood almost anywhere, I love the convenience of having it delivered to my door.

  

Chilean Sea Bass has a wonderful taste, with a firm texture which flakes easily and since the taste is mild, and not fishy, it lends itself to flavorful sauces or seasonings or, it can easily stand on it's own with just the bare minimum - salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon!

 

The picture above is from Certified Steak and Seafood Company, and you can see just how beautiful this fish is!  Just look at that...imagine the heat from the fish releasing the flavors from the rosemary and capers it's resting on...now that would be a fabulous meal!  But, I have to say, I do love the way our Chilean Sea Bass turned out...with just the right amount of zing!  

Za'atar is used in Middle Eastern cooking and I just recently discovered it...it has a very citrus-y flavor, so it works great with fish, chicken or pork or even mixed with olive oil and vinegar for a delicious vinaigrette.  (I purchased Za'atar at Whole Foods.) I mixed Za'atar with flour, dredged the fish in it and then fried it until it was browned on both sides and then I put it into the oven to finish cooking - the fillets were about an inch and a half thick so they needed a little more time to cook.  Once they came out of the oven, I removed them from the pan and made a quick cream sauce.  I served our fillets with the sauce and...cue the drums...they were amazing!  I will make this again and again...I think this might even have knocked the mighty salmon from my #1 fish spot!  But I probably shouldn't put that in print given where I live, I'm surrounded by salmon lovers at every turn!

Chilean Sea Bass - Pots and Pins

2 Chilean Sea Bass fillets, about 8 oz. each, skinless

2 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons Za'atar

2 tablespoons olive oil

juice from 1 lemon

1/2 cup cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl combine flour and Za'atar and mix well with a whisk.  Dry fish fillets with a paper towel.  In an oven proof skillet (a cast-iron pan works great) heat oil over medium-high heat until hot.  While oil is heating, dredge each fish fillet in flour, coating on all sides, then tap fish gently to remove any excess.  Place fillets in hot oil, cook on one side for about 3 minutes, until browned, then turn and repeat on other side.  Remove pan from heat and put into oven for fillets to finish cooking.  (Our fillets were about 1 1/2-inches thick so they required 15 minutes in the oven to finish cooking.  If you fillets are not as thick, reduce the baking time.)  Bake fillets until they flake easily, about 10 to 15 minutes, be careful not to over bake! 

Remove fillets from oven, set skillet on stove over medium heat, remove fillets to a plate and cover with a lid to keep warm.  Add the lemon juice to the skillet, stirring with a wooden spoon to incorporate all of the flaked off flour/seasonings then stir in the cream.  Bring up to a boil, but do not allow to boil.  Remove from heat.  Spoon a little of the cream sauce over each fillet.  Serve immediately.  Serves 2.

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Hurry!!  Claim this coupon for $25 off until February 28th!!  I'm telling you, you won't be disappointed!

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This is a sponsored post brought to you by Certified Steak & Seafood Company who I have partnered with for this promotion...but the opinions expressed here are my own...I can be bought but not with a piece of fish!

Tablecloth for Sale...

I made this tablecloth as a custom order for someone who decided not to buy it...it fits a standard 6-foot table (6 feet long, 30-inches high, 30-inches wide) and is made from Dacron polyester fabric (so it's washable and durable) and has 5 machine-appliqued "one-sies" on the front and sides.

 

This was made to fit a table that would be pushed up against a wall, so only three sides have the one-sies.  The one-sies are in baby blue and green...if you are having a birthday party for a one year old boy or a celebration party for a baby boy's blessing, then you need this!  I'll make you a deal!

 

The tablecloth presses beautifully, although you can't tell in these pics!  It also has a matching hem around the bottom of the cloth.

The tablecloth has never been used.  Leave me a comment or shoot me an email ([email protected]) if you are interested. 

Puffy Egg Toast...

Is all of America mourning or is it just me?!?  Poor Matthew, happier than he's ever been one minute and dead at the side of the road the next...Julian Fellows...what were you thinking?!?  First Sybil and now Matthew!  May they R.I.P. and may Downtown Abbey not return to the air until we've all had a chance to properly grieve!

 

 

 

 

This is another GREAT recipe from my friend Karon...I don't know if it's a Scottish thing (she lives in Scotland) or if this is something she just whipped up, which it probably is, either way, this recipe is a keeper!  

When the boy asks me how to make something, then I know he loves it...and he asked about these...he downed two of these in nothing flat, as did the mister!  And my future DIL liked it, too, and she pretty much hates everything except cookies!

Fluffy egg whites are spread over buttered toast and the yolk is cracked on top...a little sprinkle of cheese, salt and pepper and these beauties are ready for the oven...they take hardly any time at all to make and bake and would be perfect to serve for a special breakfast...I am so happy I now have this recipe in my repertoire!

Aren't they pretty?!?  As you know, I am not an egg eater, puffy or otherwise, but I did take a teensy bite off a corner and I didn't die, in fact, I thought it was good...cheesy, meringue-y, and crispy...I didn't bite into the yolk...baby steps here, don't want to rush into yolk eating on my first venture into egg-land!  Use a good whole grain/wheat bread...make these, you won't be sorry.  And be sure to pop over and visit Karon and tell her thanks for the recipe!

Puffy Egg Toast - Adapted From Karon Grieve

1 egg per serving

1 slice of bread per serving

butter for bread

1 tablespoon of grated cheddar cheese per serving

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Separate eggs, setting aside the yolks.  Toast and butter bread, set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Place toast onto a rimmed baking sheet.  Spread/pile the fluffy egg whites onto toast.  Using the back of a spoon, make a well in the center of the egg whites, carefully spoon one yolk into the well on each serving.  Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle cheese over top.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on how done you want the yolk.  Remove from oven and serve immediately. 

*Karon covered her yolks with more egg white, so the yolk didn't leak out everywhere and couldn't be seen.  I didn't have a problem with the yolks that "escaped" the well...I have made it both ways, covering the yolk and not covering it and my family prefers seeing the yolk - they like to know it's there I suppose!

Those are fried purple potatoes, not charcoal briquets!  You can see in the above pic that the yolk escaped it's well...but the mister had no problem finding it. 

Thanks Karon - I know I'll be making Puffy Egg Toast a lot from now on!

 

Valentine Tea for the Ladies...

It was so festive and so fun...and I do think all of the ladies enjoyed themselves!  I was lucky enough to have expert help - thanks to Janice who came and helped me pull everything together and Megan who brought over the most wonderful dipped strawberries...I was a bit under the weather and really appreciated their help!  I also had Christy Fletcher come and take pictures for you!  You all know my photography skills are non-existent...I try but I'd be better off with a paint-by-numbers kit!

 

I've known Christy for a long time, since she was but a wee lass...now she is all grown up and married with two kids!  Christy has been a photographer for a long time, shooting mostly weddings, and I think she'll continue to do that but she also wants to get into food photography...so she asked if she could come and shoot my next party...I tried not to blurt out, "Are you kidding me?!?!  Someone with a REAL camera and a REAL eye wants to shoot my food?!?!"  Godfrey!  It was like the skies opened and the angels sang!  So cute Christy came (wish I'd gotten a picture of her!) and she snapped away and made everything look as good as it tasted (Thank you Christy!!)...and really, with all the humility I can muster, I must say, it was dang good food!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The place was all tarted up - I've not ever believed that less was more...ha!  More is more!!  And the more, in all things, the merrier!  I have to tell you about that LOVE mug...I found one in Ross and picked it up to see how much it was and it slipped out of my hands, fell to the floor and shattered into a zillion pieces.  A clerk came running and told me not to worry about it, I felt terrible, even offered to pay but she assured me it happens all the time and I didn't have to pay.  I left Ross and walked next door to Marshalls...where I found the exact same mug!  So this time I gripped it tightly - all the way out the door!  I LOVE my LOVE mug!  Even Steven...that's who I am!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Along with the dipped strawberries, the ladies enjoyed finger sandwiches, Tomato Pasta soup, a green salad with fresh herbs and strawberry vinaigrette, fresh fruit and then we had dessert!  (Links for the recipes below.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let me remind you, no one wants to be invited to this party, as you have to be over a certain age...so I always feel the need to do a little bit more to take the sting out of the invitation...and when I looked around the table at all of those beautiful faces and thought about the wonderful families they have raised and the incredible lives they have lived and the great examples they are, all I could think was I want to be like them!  Getting older is not a bad thing when you've got amazing women blazing the trail for you!

  

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the links for some of the recipes:

Carrot and Ginger Sandwiches - This recipe comes from the Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC - it's excellent!

Egg Salad with Pickled Celery - Pickling the celery makes all the difference - and it's easy, too!  This recipe is from Smitten Kitchen, so you know it's great!

Fresh Frozen Strawberry Pie in a Shot Glass - One of the easiest and lightest desserts ever.

To make the Cherry Brownies:  (and I really hope you do as they are divine) Use your favorite brownie mix and add in one can (21 oz.) of cherry pie filling (drain off about half of the sauce) - mix brownies according to package directions, stir in cherry pie filling and bake as usual...fabulous!

To make the Strawberry Vinaigrette:  1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup good olive oil, 10 large, fresh strawberries, 3 green onions...put all in a blender - that's it - easy and super good.

I will post the rest of the recipes soon...time to go to the movies with the mister, he's all in a snit because he hasn't been to a movie in over a month! 

The mister loves the movies because it's two hours where I can't talk...he's not fooling me! 

Let me leave you with one last pic - I don't normally post pictures of people on here...but this was so cute of the boy that I couldn't resist...he's getting married soon, has already bought a house and is excited about moving out!

I'm very happy for him, and just a little afraid for me...he'll move out, the dog who is 13 will die and then it will just be me and the mister...cue the scary music!

If you live in the Seattle area and are looking for a great photographer to take pictures of YOUR food...you need to contact Christy - just click Here.

 

 

Valentine Meringues...

 

Happy Valentine's Day!      I have one more Valentine recipe to share with you, and guess what?  You still have time to make it for your Valentine!!  Sweet little Valentine Meringues - crunchy on the outside, light and slightly chewy on the inside with a chocolate surprise!  They're the perfect romantic treat!

 

 

 

Whipped egg whites, sweetened with Cherry Jell-O and sugar...and then milk chocolate pieces are added...oh my gosh...little bites of love - that's what they are! Cherry and chocolate go together like hugs and kisses - which is what you'll get if you make these!

 

Scooping the mixture into a Zip-lock style bag makes it easier to "squirt" out the little meringues...all lined up like Cupid's arrows!  I was able to make about 110 of these little beauties, they are about 1-inch or so in diameter, making them perfect for tossing into your mouth in between kisses...wow, did I really just say that?!?  Let me clarify, in between kisses with Caesar Beezer the Wonder Dog...there, that's better!

Valetine Meringues - Adapted From Vicky Hunt, Just A Pinch Recipes

3 egg whites

3 1/2 tablespoons cherry Jell-O, dry, (do not use sugar-free Jell-O)

3/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon white vinegar

6 oz. of good quality milk chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Beat egg whites, gradually adding in Jell-O and sugar until stiff peaks form.  Add in salt and vinegar and mix well.  Stir in chocolate.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets lined with parchment.  (Or scoop mixture into a plastic bag, snip off about a half-inch of one corner and squeeze out little circles onto baking sheet.) Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.  Makes about 110. 

Tomorrow I'll have pictures of my Valentine Tea to show you - I'm so excited about it!  There is an age limit to this tea...meaning you have to be over a certain age, so really, no one likes getting an invitation but I'm hoping the food I have planned will soften the blow of being invited!  I'll be using this beautiful little plate and spreader my friend Bev sent me... the little knife/spreader is stamped with the words, "Spread Love"...how sweet is that?!

Thanks Bev!!  She always finds the perfect gifts!  Please help me blow Bev a kiss today, she just finished two months of chemo and is doing great!!  I couldn't be happier for her!

These Valentine Meringues were so good that I packaged them with some Valentine's Creamy Bon-Bons for my friends...you still have time to make them, too!  They are SO worth it...coconutty balls with chopped cherries and pecans dipped in white chocolate...there's nothing better than a Valentine you can eat!  Have a wonderful, romantic day!

Head Cold Home Remedy...

My sweet little grand-daughter Elsa came to visit last week...and she was teething...and she had a cold...so she was fussy and since her mom was at an all day seminar for three days in a row, Elsa wanted to be held every minute...and now, guess who has a cold, too?!?

 

 

 

Elsa would not let me out of her sight - so the two of us were stuck together, probably by snot...Elsa is watching her mom on the ipad, the girl was on Creative Live last week with some famous photographer from Australia - the girl was picked to be on the show with him and she said it changed her life...and having Elsa here with me changed mine...at least for a week!  I've gone through boxes of Kleenex, and am eating DayQuil like it's Skittles...nothing has helped, except for this - my own Head Cold Home Remedy...it's not for sissies.

 

 

 

 

Here's what's in it...ginger, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice and bourbon...they are brought to a boil in 2 cups of water...then honey is added...once it's strained through a sieve, it's ready to sip...aaaaah...instant relief! 

This really is an old family recipe...from what I remember and I could be wrong...I don't think cinnamon was ever included but the rest of the stuff was...I'm sure my mom will let me know if I'm wrong?  Sipping this elixir with a couple of my Valentine's Creamy Bon-Bons is the best way to get all of the curative properties ingested quickly...you know, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down...and if you slather Vicks Vapor Rub onto the bottom of your feet and then cover your feet with thick socks...you are going to feel better in no time!  Oh, put some Vicks around your neck, too, and then using a really big safety pin, pin a thick mens sock around your neck...that's how my mom always did it and it worked great!  I don't think it necessarily has to be a clean one either!  (You're all stuffed up, can't breathe, can't smell, who's going to know?!?)

Head Cold Home Remedy - Pots and Pins

2 cups water

juice and zest from 2 lemons

1 cup honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon minced ginger, fresh or bottled

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon bourbon

In a small saucepan combine water, lemon juice and zest, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne and bourbon; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and stir in honey, simmer for 3 minutes.  Pour mixture through a sieve into a warmed teapot (fill teapot with hot water to warm it, pour out water before filling) or jar.  Makes 3 cups; 6 servings. 

Caponata with Mini-Eggplants

Two years ago I gave you links to my top Valentine Desserts...and after going over that list again today, they all still deserve to be there!  So if you are in a quandry about what dessert to serve to your loved ones...click here and you'll have plenty to choose from!

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Let's talk Caponata, or as I like to call it, Sicilian Crack.  It's a relish, a side-dish, an appetizer...it's a spoonful on a cracker in the afternoon, say around 3:15-ish, when all you really want to do is grab the chips and hide in the closet, but in a moment of clarity, you reach for the caponata and the Snack Satan disappears in one glorious bite. 

 

 

 

Eggplant is sauteed in olive oil and is mixed with a fabulous line-up of ingredients, including...brace yourself...currants, pine nuts, basil, olives and CHOCOLATE!  OhMyStars!  This is probably one of my top ten recipes...because I like salty and sweet and tart and this has them all.  

 

If you noticed, I used a large eggplant in the caponata, but I used mini-eggplants, which had been fried, to serve the caponata on...it's my all-time favorite appetizer!  (Serving caponata on top of crostini is probably the "normal" way to enjoy caponata.)  I found mini-eggplants at the Indian market by my house, and they call them Indian eggplants...they are also called Chinese eggplants...doesn't matter what you call them, they are different from their larger cousins.  They are sweet so they don't require any "salting" before using them.

 


 

 

While you make the caponata, the mini-eggplants get a quick warming in the oven.  When they are fried, they become crispy on top and creamy in the center - the perfect accompaniment for caponata...salty, sweet, tart, crispy, creamy...what more could you want?!?

This may look like a complicated recipe and it does have a lot of different ingredients, but most of them are probably things you already have in your pantry.  And really, it's easy, if you don't want to fry up little eggplants to serve caponata on, serve it on a good crusty bread or with grilled chicken or fish...dig out a Bocelli or Pavarotti CD and get in touch with your inner Italian...it will do you a world of good.

Caponata with Mini-Eggplants - Adapted from Saveur

1 cup olive oil

1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons tomato paste, thinned with 1/4 cup water

1 cup crushed canned tomatoes

6 oz. green olives, pitted and roughly chopped

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup currants or raisins

1/4 cup salt-packed capers, rinsed and drained

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons finely grated unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup finely shredded basil

2 to 3 tablespoons pine nuts

6 to 8 mini-eggplants, optional

shredded Parmesan cheese for serving, optional

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, add eggplant and fry, tossing occasionally, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggplant to a large bowl; set aside.  Pour off all but 1/4 cup of oil.  Return skillet to heat, add onions and celery, and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium, add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until caramelized and almost evaporated, 1-2 minutes.  Add crushed tomatoes and continue cooking for 10 minutes.  Stir in olives, vinegar, currants or raisins, capers, sugar, and chocolate, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes.  Transfer to bowl with eggplant, then add in basil and pine nuts and mix together.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and let cool to room temperature before serving.

While caponata is cooking, slice mini-eggplants in half lengthwise.  Place cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle olive oil over tops.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Remove and set aside.  Just before serving, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet and place eggplants cut side down.  Fry until lightly browned and crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove.  Top eggplants with a heaping teaspoon or two of caponata, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and serve.  Makes 12 appetizers. 

Caponata recipe makes about 5 cups, enough to serve 6 to 8 people if using as a side dish.  You will have plenty left over after making appetizers to use the next day, or to give as gifts...just make sure whoever you give it to is worthy!!

Bananas Foster...

It's intoxicating, delicious and just a wee bit naughty...of course I'm talking about Downtown Abbey!  Last night's show was as much fun to watch as Bananas Foster is to eat...so we did both!  After licking our BF dessert bowls clean on Super Bowl Sunday, we realized we didn't get our "fix" fixed...so we had to have another round of Bananas Foster last night...simple, fast, and possibly the best dessert there is...certainly worthy of Valentine's Day - or any other special day, like Sunday night with Downtown...and if you're worried about the alcohol, don't be, it's burned off...well almost...what's left can be considered for medicinal purposes...it'll set you right from top to bottom.

 

 

 

 

Nice, firm bananas are needed, so don't use the ones you've been saving for banana bread!  And, you'll need vanilla ice cream...yes, that is a need not a want (I'm always careful to distinguish between the two as the mister told me when we got married that I could always have everything I need, not everything I want - he had no idea I was such a needy person!)  The bananas and their mind-blasting (more extreme than mind-blowing) elixir are scooped/poured over the ice cream and then, for all intents and purposes, the party can begin!

It may not look like much, but let me assure you, it is!  This infamous dessert has been served at Brennan's Restaurant in New Orleans since 1951, when it was created by Chef Paul for one of Brennan's frequent customers, Richard Foster.  Foster was a member of the New Orleans Crime Commission...I'll let you make your own assumptions as to why a chef would name a dessert after a crime commissioner...

Bananas Foster - From Brennan's Restaurant

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup banana liqueur

4 bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved

1/4 cup dark rum

4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambe pan or skillet.  Place the pan over low heat, on top of the stove and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.  Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan.  When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, remove pan from heat and carefully add the rum.  Return pan to heat and continue to cook the sauce until the rum it hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum or use a flame stick over the top of the pan to ignite.  When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream.  Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.

 

Valentine-y Finds...

I've been on several hunts lately...scouring antique shops looking for just the perfect thing for Valentine's Day...and I found just what I was looking for and more!  But first, let me show you what I made last week for a little Valentine luncheon I was invited to...

 

 

 

Valentine cones to hold candy hearts or whatever treats your Valentine would like!  So easy to make...I should have taken pics to give you a step-by-step but really, you don't need one, you just:

1.  Roll up a piece of card stock into a cone, secure in place with tape.  Cut top evenly.

2.  Cover card stock with fabric.  I used Valentine fabric but really, any cute fabric will work just fine.   Roll fabric around cone, glue in place, trim around top.

3.  Decorate your fabric-covered cone with bits and bobs from your sewing stash, using hot glue to hold in place...yo-yo's, heart-shaped buttons, paper flowers, ruffled circles, lace, ribbon, boa pieces!  Whatever you want! Have fun and be creative - you can't make a mistake!

4.  Add a ric-rac handle or a pipe-cleaner handle and you're ready to fill with treats!

So fun to make - I used all kinds of trim and I think they turned out so cute!  I made an even dozen,  packed them into a basket, filled them with candy hearts and pranced my way to the luncheon...

They are so cute, I'm rather obsessed with them right now and might have to make more!  Can you ever have too many Valentine Cones?  Wait, don't answer that!

 

 

 

 

 

Onto the finds!  This book IS the perfect Valentine gift!  It was published in 1904; it is a compilation of verses, poems and stories contributed by "the Amerian Public" in a nation-wide contest!  I could not love it more...and spent the better part of an evening reading through it...and it's called Heart Throbs - how perfect is that!?!

 

 

 

 

 

Next up, this sweet little book, Adventures in Good Eating, published in 1948 by Duncan Hines...thee Duncan Hines!  Haven't you ever wondered if your favorite restaurant from childhood was still there?!?  Well Duncan Hines did!  Every year he would publish this little book which lists all of the great restaurants in every state...it's an antique version of Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives!  And one of my family's very favorite restaurants is listed and is still going strong!  Maddox in Brigham City, Utah!  Woot!

 

 

 

 

 

Porn for Women...how could I resist?!?  I'm sure you've seen these books, they came out a few years ago to the delight of women everywhere!  I found this in the same antique shop where I found the other books...and really, if this doesn't smack of Valentine's Day then what does?!?  I took pics of a few pages to give you a glimpse of the goodness inside...oh, just so you know, this book is rated "G".  (Click on the pics to see a larger version.)

Isn't this a cute little plate?  On the back it's stamped 1975 - coincidentally the same year I was born!  Hahahahaha...

Godiva chocolates, super comfy socks, chocolate hearts and a fabulous smelling, heart-shaped soap, along with the antique Valentine Card I found, round out the Valentine basket I'm sending to my mom!

 

I'm sure my mom will love this basket!  And mom, if you're reading this, please act surprised when the basket arrives.  (Our Max loves for me to tell him what I'm sending him before he gets it, so I figured I'd do the same for you!  Now you can be surprised twice!) 

Hopefully it will be there a day or two before Valentine's Day - so my mom can put the candy on the little plate, set it beside her chair, put on her socks and nibble on the candy while she reads the books!  And not to worry about my dad...mom will share the chocolates...if dad doesn't eat them first!  My parents have this system...mom sits in her chair and reads something, then when she's done she passes it to dad to read or if he's not in his chair, she leaves it there for him.   Before he sits down he picks up whatever papers or books are in his chair and then he reads them...then, when he's finished, he throws them on the floor...it's like Morse Code without the dots.

My kicthen hutch needed a little something for Valentine's Day...I love decorating my hutch, makes me happy and it brightens up the kitchen on these cold, gray February days.

Yes, there's Miss Valentine, holding court...I love her, no matter how scary my friends think she is!  I hung one of the Valentine Cones on the cupboard knob...it's the perfect height to walk by, reach in and grab a candy heart!

How could I resist this?!?!  I didn't find this in an antique shop, as no one in their right mind would ever part with this!  I found it on-line, here, and ordered one for the boy who thought it was funny and said he'd wear it on Valentine's Day for his fiance who hates all holidays but especially hates "Hallmark Holidays"...and I'm going to be her mother-in-law...how funny is that?!?