I’ve begun to take time for tea every day. A little jolt of caffeine is just what I need to rejuvenate in the afternoons. But in instituting the habit for my body, I’ve begun to relish the time for my soul. It is a way for me to say, once a day, this time is mine. Lately I’ve been saying that with a little honey, a little squirt of lemon juice, and a lot of fresh ginger. Added to hot water it is the perfect spring tea, that doesn’t even need a tea bag.

There are little things we can do for ourselves. When our lives or frantic and full of good energy. When they are full of love and excitement these little things keep us grounded. When our lives are cumbersome or awkward or stressed these little things give us time to breathe and remember who we are. I take time for myself a couple of times every day if I can and for me these moments revolve around meals. In the morning I spend ten minutes every day eating my breakfast, reading the paper. Today for lunch I gave myself a whole half hour to make Huevos Rancheros. I baked corn tortillas, simmered black beans, chopped fresh veggies. I sat outside and looked out into the beautiful spring day. There are little things we can do for ourselves that keep us sane.

Fresh Ginger, Lemon, and Honey Tea

This recipe is in a way, a non recipe. Consider it a way to make a cup of tea that doesn’t involve a tea bag. Just as easy as lemon is fresh orange zest and clove. Try rosemary in place of ginger. If you don’t have a taste for honey, try other sweeteners, a little sugar, a dip of agave. Play in your kitchen when you have time for yourself. Discover what you love. A tea like this could become a signature for you, as your home cocktail.

4 to 6 coins ginger
1 large lemon wedge
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon honey

Bring water to boil. Prepare ginger; cut ginger into coins, lay coin on its side, lay the flat side of a knife against the coin and, using your fist, smash the ginger, expelling its juices. (For clarification on this technique, it is the same as smashing garlic, as Three Many Cooks do in their Superbowl Sunday video.) Combine water, ginger, a squirt of lemon and honey. Let cool. Serve, removing ginger coins if desired before sipping.

My room is filled with what some people call tchotchkes and what I call heirloom.  A decaying collection of Jane Austen novels.  A ceramic frog my best friend in Elementary school gave to me.  The same perfume I’ve been wearing for eight years.  It is impossible for me to give anything away.  When I returned home from college I made a decision to revamp.  Clean up. I got through my bedroom after a surprise under the bed and started on the attic.  In unlabeled boxes I discovered my entire life’s collection of soccer jerseys.  All of my overalls from middle school.  My collection of casts (I did break my arm four times).  All things that I was convinced I could never live without as a child.  Little did I know I’d forget they existed.  But that summer after college, in cleaning my room, I discovered my entire life’s worth of memories associated with objects.  Here was the time I kicked the ball too hard trying to make a goal, so hard I fell over and broke my arm.  Here was the corsage I wore to junior year prom.  And letters.  A box full of every birthday card, Christmas card, lost tooth card.

Such is my bedroom.

And so I am sure the rest of my life will go this way.  A pot my sister made for me, a collection of jars that used to reside in our garage, my alligator purse on good display.  It is these things that remind me of who I am and I am glad they reside in my bedroom.  They fill me with joy.

I am dreaming in color lately.  I have built myself a gray-scale, neutral based wardrobe and it is finally hitting me that I can’t wear neutrals for the rest of my life.  I must embrace the bright colors I wore as a child.  I must smile broadly and step into the world in technicolor.  My pinterest page has reflected this need.  Color is everywhere.  The trick is incorporating it into my life.  Staring at my bright blue bedroom walls I imagine bright pink blouses, neon skirts, chartreuse heels.  Springtime is here.  I dream in color.  I shall live in color.

Sources, In Order: Nadia Aboulhosn, A Glamorous Little Side Project, The Year in Food
Siiso, Decorista Daydreams, Casey Keasler,
Electric Mannequins, A Cup of Mai, Merriment Events

Note: I am lucky enough to be posting this recipe on Three Many Cooks tomorrow.  I just couldn’t help sharing it with you first.  Shhhhhh…..

It is inevitable that our holiday traditions change.  When I was young my family and I would spend every Thanksgiving at my aunt Suzanne’s, her house filled to the brim with our large family.  As the youngest of the cousins, my sister and I were always looking up.  How could we not fill our plates with whatever our experienced cousins recommended?  This must have been many of our first introductions to vegetables, finally feeling excited about eating something green.  As we grew our cousins married, our family moved, everything put us in the position to no longer celebrate Thanksgiving where we used to.  We could, however, celebrate it how we used to.  Our food can always stay the same.

At Easter Aunt Suzanne always finds a place at our table through her beautiful Festive Carrot ring.  A recipe that is absolutely gorgeous, soft as a soufflé, and absolutely festive.  Every year my mother pulls this recipe from her box, handwritten on an index card.  I remember first going through my mother’s recipe box when I became truly interested in cooking.  My heart raced as I found the source of our family’s traditions.  Here were Grammie’s chocolate chip cookies, Nanny’s Norwegian pancakes, Suzanne’s Festive Carrot Ring.  I sat down during the course of an entire college break to write these recipes by hand myself.  When beginning my own blog, these were my sources of inspiration, this was how I realized how deep rooted and personal good taste is and how intrinsically linked it is to falling in love with that first bite, repeated year after year.

This Easter, ever changing, we will be celebrating with a family brunch.  With no room for carrot soufflé at the dinner table, I am glad to have tested this recipe in Pam’s kitchen.  How rare and thrilling to share my heritage with someone else, and to share Aunt Suzanne’s recipe with all of you.

Festive Carrot Ring

Serves 8 to 10

1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 onion, cut into small dice
salt
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup plain dried bread crumbs
ground black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 box (10 ounces) frozen green peas

Adjust oven to lower middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place carrots, 2 tablespoons butter, a sprinkling of salt, and 1/2 cup of water in a large skillet. Turn heat to high, put lid on and cook until carrots are just tender and liquid has evaporated, about ten minutes. Remove lid and add onion to the skillet. Cook until tender, two to three minutes.

Meanwhile, beat eggs in a blender. Slowly add the milk and let whirr until blended, about 30 seconds. With blender running, slowly add carrots and onion. Increase speed and puree until smooth. Fold in bread crumbs, cheese, and pepper.

Spoon carrot mixture into a well-greased 1 1/2 quart ring mold. Bake until firm and top is golden, about 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, microwaves peas and remaining tablespoon butter, covered, on high power until steamy hot, about 6 minutes. Serve; filling center with cooked peas.

With spring in full bloom I’m more aware of my bright surroundings.  I’m playing more.  I feel like I can breathe more easily.  I notice things better.  We collect cake stands and adore using them for plants.  They become cute little terrarium atmospheres.  And so I threw this together.  You can try this technique with one larger plant, but a little vignette like this is pretty.  A bird’s nest, a miniature orchid, some violets.  I found the violets over Valentine’s Day and gave one to my mother as a gift, and kept one for myself.  Their containers are vintage cheese makers from France.  Clever what people can do when they’re being creative with what they have around.

So if you’re feeling adventurous over the holidays, or just want a little cheering up, put together your own vignette.  It will put a smile on your face.