Things We Make

I'm moving!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Just the site, not in real life! I've gone and gotten myself a brand new, real-deal website where I will continue to blog just like I do here, but it will also be the home for my professional portfolio.

Come visit (and update your bookmarks and RSS feeds!):

AMYPALANJIAN.COM

It's still a bit of a work in progress as I transition content over and get everything retagged, but the blog will be up and running any day now!

You'll be redirected automatically in ten seconds...

Easy DIY Apple Chips

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:07:00 +0000

When I was little, we ate a lot of dried apples. At one point we even got a dehydrator to make it easier (I'm pretty sure that was around the time there was an infomercial about them that played repeatedly...). We made all sorts of things for a period of time and it was so much fun to transform regular fruit into its dried version. I never realized that you could do the same thing with an oven—but with the piles of fruit that we have to use up since we don't really have great cold storage for that large of a quantity, I decided to give it a try.

What you see above are the results of my efforts: crunchy, flavorful, and deliciously sweet apple chips. They are 100% apples. I didn't add anything to them because I thought I'd start with the basics. All I did was to slice them thinly using my mandoline, then I placed them on parchment lined baking sheets in a 175 F oven for 4ish hours. If you check them earlier than that you'd get something closer to dried apples. One batch I made went as long as 6 hours and they were still delightfully crispy. (I saw a few recipes that called to leave them in for 10 hours, but that length of time seems unncessary).

I made two sandwich bags full and will probably try to make a few more while we have the apples because I have a feeling that we'll be eating these faster than we can make them!

Farm Anatomy by Julia Rothman: Blog Tour and Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:38:00 +0000

Today I'm delighted to be part of a blog tour for a new book, Farm Anatomy by Julia Rothman, that I absolutely adore. I've known of Julia's illustration work for years (she worked with us at ReadyMade) and I love the subject matter of this book, so in my mind that makes for a perfect combination. If you, like me, are interested in sustainable living and knowing where your food comes from—and yet haven't really spent much time on farms or around folks who really know farms—this book will make you happy. I'm pretty sure it would also make kids happy too.

You can WIN A FREE copy!

How to Enter:

To celebrate the release of the book, Storey Publishing is kindly offering to giveaway a copy of the book to one lucky reader. To enter, post a comment by 8 am central time Monday October 17 saying why you love farms. Or animals. Or tractors. Please use your email address to register so that I can contact you.

I'll choose a random winner and will announce it on Monday.

And now, Julia was kind enough to do a little Q&A so that we could learn more about the making of the book.

Where did the idea for the book come from?

My husband Matt grew up on a farm in Iowa and I grew up in the Bronx in New York. I never experienced farm life and so I've always been intrigued by his childhood. I had already worked with Storey publishing on illustrating some cookbooks and when they approached me to work together again, we came up with the idea of making an illustrated book all about everything farm related. I was excited to get a chance to really learn all about the tools, animals and food my husband grew up with and to have his family farm be the inspiration. The first illustrated spread shows his farm and all the buildings on it. I also grew up looking at the book Living on the Earth which my mother treasured. My idea for hand writing the text definitely came from appreciating those pages.

What was your favorite part of putting it together?

Definitely the drawing part. I love drawing lots of objects so doing the old-fashioned kitchen tools spread, the toolshed spread and all of the vegetable varieties was so much fun. There are 224 pages of drawings in this book, so while I was working on it, there wasn't a moment I wasn't drawing. I carried my sketchbook and research images everywhere I went and drew while watching television, in subway stations and airports, or while hanging out with friends. I remember I drew the barn cuploas page when I was at jury duty because some guy started asking me about it. It was probably the least inspirational place to be drawing something from picturesque farm life...

Was the topic something that you've been interested in for a while?

Before I met Matt, I don't think I really thought about it too much. My parents have friends who have a sheep farm in Maine and we visited them a bunch of times when I was a kid. I've always loved animals and my sister did as well. We grew up with all kinds of pets – from rabbits to parrots. My sister now studies primates in Uganda.

How did you do your research?

Most of my research came from other Storey publications. They have a huge range of books on every topic related to country living that you can think of. There are thick books just on timber frame construction and building chicken coops and raising goats and making maple syrup. It was hard to go through so much information and just pick out what I felt was important. While I merely skimmed the surface on all the topics, I tried to get a bit of general information on everything. Then I added some of the more curious tidbits in between. There was also visits to Matt's farm and advice from Matt's dad ("and you'll need to add water pumping windmills for sure...") and farmer's market shopping for the best looking vegetables to draw. After the book was totally sketched out, Storey had expert Carol Ekarius look everything over. She filled in some blanks for me and corrected anything that was out of order.

What do you hope readers learn or experience from the book?

I hope when they flip through it that it brings to mind the smell of animals or eating fresh apples or laying in hay or riding past endless fields. I want the book to evoke good memories of farm life. I also hope people learn something interesting from reading the text or try some of the recipes or projects.

How much time have you actually spent on farms? Just had to ask!

Not enough, that's for sure! I hope to continue learning and drawing about country life.

What's next for you?

I hope to do more big projects like this book. Some sort of sequel would be fun : )

Thanks so much for sharing with us Julia. Here's the full blog tour schedule so that you can follow along for more chances to win books and to hear more about the project:

10/10 – MintDesign
10/12– Growing with Plants
10/14 – Things we Make
10/15 – Print and Pattern
10/17 – Small Measure
10/19 – SF Girl by the Bay
10/21 – Pikaland
10/23 – The Spunky Coconut
10/24- Pitch Design Union
10/25 – Reading my Tea Leaves
10/27 – Book By Its Cover
10/28– Design for Mankind

Some of the Family Harvest Arrives in Iowa

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:12:00 +0000

My other half was away out west for a whole week, but like the good man he is, he came home bearing treats—lots of treats! His parents have fruit trees of all kinds in Montana and this was the first time that we've gotten to enjoy some of the harvest. There is an assortment of already canned goodies including applesauce, cherry preserves, huckleberry preserves, canned cherries and plum butter. There is even a gallon of freshly pressed apple cider hanging out in the fridge (which I plan to drink as warm cider if it ever cools down again). I am so ridiculously excited for all of these things, especially the cherries. I already have plans to eat them over vanilla ice cream...

But he also brought three whole boxes filled with fruit. There are these lovely apples.

Stunning bosc pears that even the most upscale market would clamor to sell.

And more apples. We haven't decided what to do with it all conclusively yet, but I'd like to try to make some dried fruit, along with (probably) more applesauce and perhaps some pear butter. I've also tossed out the idea of trying to can pie filling, which could be fun later in the cold months.

I am quite sure that I'll have many updates about the fruit as we put it to good use, but until then, I'm just feeling really grateful that all of this came from family—and that Josh made it home safely.

Almond Butter Dark Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 18:00:00 +0000

I was wanting to make trail bars last weekend, but wasn't feeling quite up to shopping for the long ingredient list. So I dug out my battered copy of Cooking the Whole Foods Way by Christina Perillo, which I've had for years and years (and may have stolen from my sister a decade ago...oops, I just looked and it was even signed by Christina for my sis—sorry Katie!). It's one of those classic vegetarian and macrobiotic cookbooks that has recipes for desserts like kantee, in addition to an awesome assortment of nearly everything else you could be in the mood for. I remembered that there was a rice krispie esque treat in there that was rather simple and I decided to tweak it a bit to make it my own.

Almond Butter Dark Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

Makes 12-16 squares depending on how large you cut them
I actually store these in the fridge since I like them when they are slightly chilled.

1 1/4 cups brown rice syrup

1/2 cup almond butter
3 cups crispy rice cereal
1 cup rolled oats (I used gluten free)
2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks

Heat the brown rice syrup and almond butter in a small saucepan over low heat until creamy. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Place the cereal and coconut in a bowl together and gently stir in the warm syrup mixture until well combined. Press into a shallow, square baking dish and allow to set until firm (put it into the fridge to speed things up if you'd like).

Day in My Life: Working in the Test Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:24:00 +0000

Apologies for my absence around here this week. Our home internet has been out and I finally was able to get an appointment yesterday to have it fixed—squirrels had chewed through the exterior cable line! Hopefully they find something else to amuse themselves for a while...

Earlier this week I was able to spend two days working in the Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen as a way for me to see how they work. As part of my job as a food editor, I'm always sending down recipes for them to test and then attending taste panels to try the foods. I figured that it would be good for me to have a solid understanding of how they do their work, and also to see how taste panels for the different magazines vary, so I was entirely ready for my two days in the kitchen.

I made a cornflake crusted chicken (and learned the proper temperature to cook chicken to since Josh is in charge of the meat in our house) that was served with a fire roasted tomato sauce. The photo at the top of the post was my plated serving size, and my amateur attempts at food styling. Here is the table in the middle of the test kitchen where food goes after panel—so other folks can try dishes (and have snacks when they need one!).

My station was all set up for me when I came in in the morning, which I am pretty sure was special treatment.

I've decided that having one of these handy recipe holders in my home kitchen would be super helpful. I'd also like to figure out a way to bring their amazingly helpful assistants who take care of the dirty dishes home with me but that might take a little more effort!

After the chicken, there was a mango and peach salsa, a salad of arugula and various fruits with grilled steak (something else I never ever am in charge of at home) and of course, dessert. These were blondies with a caramel and chocolate drizzle.

I was pretty proud of my drizzling skills! All in all it was a great change of pace from sitting at a desk and I loved getting to know the culinary specialists, as they are known, better. I was trying to figure out a way that I could spend one day a week cooking (instead of doing my actual work) but I'm not sure that will fly with my boss...still, I realized that I have a pretty fun job, even if I stay on the side of just getting to taste the food.

Weekend Highlights: Digging Potatoes at Our CSA Farm

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Over the weekend our CSA farm, Grinnell Heritage Farm, hosted a root digging afternoon and potluck. And for someone who has never dug up a potato—or really had a firm grasp on how they grow—it seemed like the perfect opportunity to learn a bit more about the food that I'm regularly eating. And if you think that potatoes are boring, you should know that the ones we get in our CSA are so delicious—they arrive in shades of purple, red, blue, yellow, and orange and each has a unique flavor. It makes fall that much more exciting.

There was a group of about 10 folks ready to help in the field. Andy, one of the framers, would drive the tractor, running a metal piece (I of course forgot what it's called) under the row of potatoes to turn the dirt over. We'd then squat or kneel and find as many potatoes as possible.

We filled crate after crate and I was amazed at how easy the process was—though I can say that my back is definitely not used to that kind of manual labor and I've been a bit sore ever since!

The potatoes will go into CSA shares, to farmers markets and maybe even to New Pioneer in Iowa City. Along with that lovely butternut squash.

After we dug up two rows of potatoes, we gathered for a potluck in the packing shed as the sun set over the fields outside of the door. I have learned that if you ever have the chance to go to a potluck at a local farm, you definitely should—the food is pretty much guaranteed to be stellar. We had beets and sweet potatoes that were roasted in foil packets on the grill, beef hot dogs (from the farm too), assorted raw peppers and carrots, beef stew, homemade grape juice and komboucha, two kinds of apple pie, and one apple cake.

I made an apple pear pie, using apples from the farmers market and pears that we'd been gifted from a friend. It was the perfect way to spend a Saturday evening (though next time I won't forget the whipped cream!).

Photo Friday: Handstitched Vintage Block Quilt

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:27:00 +0000

I finished this quilt last weekend after just a few short weeks of working on the top. I think I've gotten faster at stitching with all of the wedding dress sewing! The top is made with vintage blocks, so this wasn't actually that much work since I didn't have to piece the top together. And, the best part is that we get to keep this one! It will live in our living room and keep us (me!) warm during the cooler months.

Stay tuned for better photos and a peek at my next quilting project—and have yourself an excellent weekend!

Story Behind the Craft: Wire and Resin Jewelry from Kukla Studio

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:41:00 +0000

Elitsa is a jewelry maker of Kukla Studio who works with silver and copper wire, resins, and enamel. Her work strikes me as being incredibly unique—each piece is so intricate and detailed that it nearly demands to be looked at more closely. Here, a bit more from Elitsa about her work, all of which you can see right here.

Where do you live?

I divide my time between Sofia, Bulgaria and Barcelona, Spain. Maybe at certain moment I'll decide on one city only, but for now I feel good changing every few months.

What sets your work apart?

What sets it apart is the use of the material and also the use of colors I guess. I also like to think my work is more sincere and not a cry to be too modern or extravagant, or too contemporary.

Where do you find inspiration?
I find my inspiration everywhere—in the things I see around, in nature, in my dreams or sudden thoughts. Inspiration is not something to be easily track down but I think it's the combination of what you see, feel, and where you are in life.

How do you balance your creative work with the demands day to day life?

I am careful to always leave some time just to try things out and also some time to turn off and not to work for a while. I've found that this has always helped me. After some time off I'm always with new strengths to work and with new fresh ideas.

If you are a creative person and would like to share your work, email me to be considered.

Green Tomato Salsa

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:11:00 +0000

Green Tomato Salsa

Over the past week, Josh has made two batches of this since we had so many green tomatoes that just weren't getting ripe in our cool fall weather. We love salsa in our house and since it can be pricey, we figured that this could be a great use for all of that fruit—and boy were we right. This stuff is downright delicious, which is surprising since I never knew that you could do so much with green tomatoes. The original recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens, but we increased the spices to give it more flavor. If you are sensitive to heat, seed your peppers. (Also, feel free to fill your pot with green tomatoes if you have that many to put to good use—Josh did that and both of our batches yielded closer to 4 quarts!) We kept a jar in the kitchen after putting all of the others down into the basement for the winter and we've eaten this with chips and spooned on top of vegetarian chili so far. I can't wait to have it with scrambled eggs and with rice and beans.

Makes 5-6 pints

15 cups chopped green tomatoes

2-3 Anaheim or poblano chiles, chopped

2 jalepenos, chopped

2 large onions, chopped

1 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup white vinegar

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoon pepper

1. Chop tomatoes, removing the core and seeds. Let drain in a colander for 30 minutes.

2. Transfer tomatoes to a large pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let simmer, uncovered, for 1 to 1.5 hours, until your tomatoes are thickened (to a salsa-like consistency).

3. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Ladle salsa into hot, sterilized jars with 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe jar lids clean and tighten lids.

5. Process jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (start timing with water is boiling). Remove from pot and place on wire racks to cool.

Photo Friday: Outtake from a Photo Shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:54:00 +0000

Yesterday I had a photo shoot at work, which meant getting to look at pretty pictures of food all day and tweak and adjust until we got each shot just right. I've always loved shoots because they are a huge collaboration, I love seeing recipes and projects come to life in the hands of a stylist and a photographer, and it's a nice break from being at a desk.

But yesterday came with an even sweeter bonus: a barnyard puzzle! One of the food stylists made this over lunch for her grandkids. I find this to be completely adorable and I just have to assume that any kid would love to have this as an activity/snack. So sweet!

Wordless Wednesday: What's Growing (and Eating), Late Sept

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Guest Posting on Ktmade

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:07:00 +0000

If you want to hear the story of my recent culinary adventure making (or trying to!) gluten free ravioli, pop over to Katie's blog for my guest post. It's part recipe, part story, part effort to share the truth of what happens in the kitchens of even professional foodies (hint: it's not all perfectly styled photos!). Enjoy!

End of Summer Vegetable Risotto with Tomatoes and Feta

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Fall is definitely coming (ahem, here), but that doesn't mean that we're quite ready to transition to fall root vegetables and squashes. Despite the recent cold snap, we still have tomatoes and summer squash, which mean that there is still time to make this delicious risotto. The tomatoes are key here. They add a load of flavor (which means you don't have to add a load of butter). So use good fresh ones if you can get them, or experiment with a high quality canned version. Most of all, take the time to stand, stir, and enjoy the smells of the seasons changing.

P.S. I originally posted this on readymade.com last summer, but since the magazine was closed and this is one of my favorite all time recipes, I wanted to be sure to share it with you here. You're welcome!

End of Summer Vegetable Risotto with Tomatoes, Herbs and Feta

This is more a method than a specific recipe—it's highly variable based on the moisture content of the tomatoes—so my best advice is to stay close to the stove during the process and trust your instincts.

Serves 4-6

2 T olive oil

1 T butter

1/2 of an onion, diced

1 lb arborio rice

1/2 of a quart of chicken stock (this may vary- I had a quart box at the ready but only used about half)

3-4 big tomatoes, diced (this depends on the size and how juicy they are- I used three that were about softball sized)

2-3 cups summer squash or zucchini (depending on how much you like veggies)

2 T each fresh thyme and rosemary, finely chopped

1/2 c feta

2 T fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Warm the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a deep saute pan or a stock pot—I used a pasta pot since I knew I was adding lots of veggies and would need space. Add the diced onion and a dash of salt and stir to combine. When the onion is just starting to get translucent (about 2 minutes), add in your rice and stir to coat.

2. Add a few ladles of stock and half of your tomatoes, let cook until liquid is absorbed. Repeat, adding a bit of stock and more tomatoes stirring often, until you've added all of your tomatoes. As the tomatoes cook they will start to release their juices—stay close to make sure this happens before you hear sizzling...that is your cue to add a bit more stock. Keep stirring.

3. Add in your squash and stir frequently to keep your rice from sticking. (I know this seems laborious, but hang in there!) Watch as the veggies continue to cook, adding liquid as you need it (I didn't need the stock except in the beginning since the tomatoes I used were so juicy). When the rice starts to look done—the outside will turn a softer shade of white, which will spread to the entire grain as it cooks—start testing the rice by eating a piece. Keep testing every few minutes...and stirring.

4. When the rice is nearly done, but still a little firm in the middle, stir in the rosemary and thyme. Continue stirring very often as there is likely enough liquid to keep everything simmering, but not enough to prevent it from scorching if you walk away. Don't walk away!

5. When the rice is done (a little al dente, but mostly soft), stir in the basil, feta, and salt and pepper to taste. Turn the stove off, put the lid on the pot, and let it rest for about 10 minutes so that the flavors combine. Serve topped with Parmesan.

2012 Calendars from Leah Duncan

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:22:00 +0000

I've loved Leah Duncan's work for a while now and I have one of her tea towels (hung on a wall for fear of getting it dirty:) and a print in my house.

She just released her 2012 calendars and this 12 Month Calendar is a stunner.

I'm pretty sure that this will be coming to live with me in my home office.

Happiest weekend everyone!

Story Behind the Craft: Whimsical Paintings from Andrea Doss

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:06:00 +0000

I'm so excited and thrilled by both the artwork and the story behind today's post that I'm just going to let the post speak (mostly for itself). Andrea's energy is infectious, so I hope that by hearing a bit about her life and what drives her creativity, you'll find a little more inspiration in your own day. If you have a story and a craft that you'd like to share, email me at thingswemake at gmail dot com!

Name: Andrea Doss

Shop: Andralynn Creative Designs

Where do you live?

Home of cattle drives, stockyards and bumper-to-bumper traffic, we call Fort Worth, Texas home. We love the unusual combination of country and city life that we get here. Where else can you walk out your door and see cow pastures on one side and the sky scraper city line on the other?

Is this your full time work?

Yes, painting is one of my full time jobs. Along with chasing my two-year-old around the house, home schooling my nine-year-old and folding the heaps of never ending laundry that somehow multiply when I'm not looking.

How did you learn to make this style of art?

I've been painting for years and I've tried all kinds of styles, from traditional realism to abstract modern. While I enjoy those styles and can appreciate their beauty, it was something I had to force. Then one day, my daughter wanted me to paint something for her. She helped me with the concept, gave me input on the colors and characters, and before I knew it, I had painted a mermaid. My daughter was more than thrilled and I realized that I really REALLY liked painting in that style. I haven't stopped since.

What sets your work apart?

Storytelling. Every painting has a little story to go with it (usually invented my daughters). The characters in my paintings are all in the middle of some kind of adventure or mischief.

Where do you find your inspiration?

I've been telling stories to my nieces and nephews, and now my daughters, for years. Painting is just an extension of that storytelling. I also get lots of inspiration from my nine-year-old. She has a very active imagination.

How do you make time for your creativity?

I get lots of help. When I'm painting, my girls are doing something crafty, too. My kitchen is filled with crayons, paper, glue and boxes of glitter and paint. I've pretty much given up on having a clean table.

Tell me about the review process that you go through with your work and your kids.
After I finish a painting, they gather around to give it their personal, professional critique. This is the point where they inject story elements that I may not have thought of before. One time, after I finished a painting filled with barnyard animals, my two-year-old gave me the sternest look and demanded to know why there wasn't a hippo in the painting. A hippo? I knew I had forgotten something!

Did you start these after you had kids or before, and why?

Having kids changed my perspective on everything, including the way I view art. Kids look at art and they immediately love it. Or not. There's no analyzing, no trying to interpret deeper meaning, no intellectual debate about its symmetry. I would never have realized before my daughters entered my life how amazing it is to get a child's approval on something I created.

Click here to visit Andrea's shop which comes in a range of prices. Thanks so much for sharing!!

Word Less Wednesday: Early September (With a Few Words)

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:55:00 +0000

There was a picnic by a lake with friends after a football game
.

We ate our ginormous watermelon and then made it into agua frescas the next day.

Josh enjoyed his birthday Huckleberry Cheesecake with huckleberries all the way from Montana.

And of course he also canned more beets. He's been volunteering at our CSA farm and coming home with crates of them, so I'm delighted that he's putting them to good use.

(I thought I might mix up this Wordless Wednesday business by sharing a few words.)

Home Canned Applesauce with Cinnamon and Honey

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0000

One of our goals for the weekend—in addition to finding some friends with whom to eat our enormous watermelon—was to make applesauce. We have quite a stock of canned foods to enjoy this winter and when we realized how inexpensive apples are right now at the farmer's market, we knew this had to happen.

Bright and early Saturday morning we hit the market. We got our eggs from Blue Gate Farm first to make sure that we got there before they ran out (in my opinion, they have the best eggs in all of Iowa), then made our way to the apple vendors that we like. We bought 9 lbs of their baking apple (I was a little sleepy and have no memory of what the apple variety was!) at $1 a pound. And yesterday I set about making applesauce, which looked like this:

I like my applesauce very straightforward—just apples, skins left on, with a cinnamon and honey if needed. I simmered 8 lb of the apples, which I cored and chopped, with 2 cups of water in large pot until they started to break down. I had the lid on and only removed it to stir. When things started looking like applesauce after about 30 minutes, I turned off the heat and tasted it to make sure that there was enough cinnamon and to see about the sweetness. I decided to add 1/2 cup of honey to help balance the flavors.

While all of that was happening, I sterilized and prepped my pint jars. I filled 8 of them, with about 1/2 in an overflow jar that's in the fridge (and I am sure will be gone by the time you read this!). I processed them in a boiling water bath in our trusty and huge Ball canning pot for 15, then removed them and waited for the lovely sound of the lids popping.

The filled jars wound up being about $1 a piece, which I think is a pretty good margin for a relatively low amount of effort on my part. And if you are finding yourself scoffing at what I'm calling minimal effort, know that I rather enjoy leisurely chopping and stirring and compared to my limited experience with jam or pickles, this is a very good entry into canning.

Josh loves applesauce with peanut butter on pancakes. I like it for dessert or on top of oatmeal. Between the two of us, I am sure we're going to go through the jars rather quickly, which is why I'm thinking we'll do another batch before the fall is over.

I've never lived in a house with two shelves filled with home canned goods, or a freezer filled with summer vegetables and pesto, but it's already making me feel a little better about the approaching cooler weather. Because I am realizing that even though I will be freezing in a few months, I will have delicious pickled beets (or pickles, or strawberry rhubarb jam, or green beans) to enjoy, and somehow that makes me feel a little bit better.

This is My Wish from Freya Art & Design

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:13:00 +0000

One of my very first friends that I made when I moved to Des Moines gave us this lovely card—This Is My Wish from Freya Art & Design—for our wedding. It's 5x7 and I love the sentiment and imagery so much that it's become a fixture on my desk. I'm also glad that the card introduced me to Freya's shop as I am sure that much of her work would make perfect gifts for many in my life. Hope on over and take a peak at her full line of cards. prints and gift.

On the subject of happiness, as the card would have it...

For me, sometimes that just means slowing down to realize that I am in fact happy right at this very moment when otherwise I would have been moving too quickly to even acknowledge it. Especially on weekends, when I sometimes get bogged down with housework. Or during the day when there is a lot to multitask. Last week when we were driving in circles trying to find a turn off towards a campground, with a windshield that was continually fogging up from the low-lying fog, and an inability to find a place to buy water, we saw a rainbow. I can't tell you the last time that I saw one. It must have been years and years. But holy cow it amazing. It pulled me right into that moment of feeling that the world, despite all of our day to day frustrations, is always right there to offer up something stunning. And everything felt okay again. I mean who needs to find water when there's a rainbow in the sky!

So with that, I wish you an excellent weekend filled with small moments of happiness.

Wordless Wednesday: Farm Tour and Tomato Tasting at Grinnell Heritage Farm

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Fresh Tomato Salad with Roasted Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 23:39:00 +0000

Fresh Tomato Salad with Roasted Vegetables

A few weeks ago I made this Fresh Tomato Sauce for bhg.com and over the weekend I was inspired to take it up a few notches by turning it into a stand alone salad. You do need to turn the oven on, but with the feeling-like-fall temperatures, that shouldn't be an issue. I recommend making this while you still have some delicious tomatoes on hand—and eating it on a porch with your feet up.

5-6 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped into chunks
1 large handful basil, chopped
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 T olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together into a large bowl and let sit while you prep the roasted veggies. Preheat your oven to 400 F.

2 bell peppers, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 eggplant, chopped into 1-inch pieces

3-4 small to medium potatoes, diced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. Spray a foil-lined baking sheet (or two) with nonstick spray. Spread out your veggies and potatoes and sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until tender, about 20-30 minutes (though this will vary depending on your vegetables—check every 5 minutes after 20, shaking the pan to make sure things don't stick).
2. Remove from the oven when tender and let sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
3. Add the roasted vegetables and potatoes to the fresh tomatoes and stir to combine. Serve as is or with tahini sauce (particularly the kind from Trader Joe's).

4. Enjoy!

Back at It: Starting to Stitch Again

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 13:19:00 +0000

Guess what? After my summer post-wedding hiatus from sewing and general craftiness, I'm happy to report that I'm back at it. I just kept reading books until the urge to pick up the needle struck, and about a week ago, I started working on this guy again. Made with vintage quilt blocks that I found at a local antique mall, it will be the first full size quilt that I make and keep since I started quilting a decade a go.

Did I ever tell you guys about that? I was living in Durham, North Carolina at the time, working for Habitat for Humanity as an AmeriCorps member. I spent my days hammering, building walls, painting, hauling random piles of stuff, working with volunteers, shopping for supplies at Home Depot and Lowes, and even digging holes for trees. It was a fascinating year, but the need for a softer side away from the hammer and nails and trucks was not lost on my friend Hilary and I. She taught me to knit during our lunch hours and we took an intro to quilting class on weekends in a nearby town.

A funny thing happened in that class. When we were given the assignment to choose fabrics and start piecing our design together, my teacher didn't agree with my fabric choices. I am sure that I may have overreacted since I was young (and potentially more stubborn than I am now), but I was completely irritated with her. So I stopped going to the classes. I think I missed the last two as I determined that I'd simply find a good quilting book and figure it out myself.

In some ways, I think that turned out well for me. My style of quilting has always been doing things that make me happy and not paying much attention to design theory or principles. I figure that if I like it enough to spend a year sitting and stitching it, then that means something. My technique has gotten better as I've had more practice, but the decision making and creative control continues to come from gut instinct. Which is rather refreshing and the entire point, if you ask me.

I'm about 1/4 of the way done stitching this guy and I hope to finish it this winter so that we can enjoy it when cuddled up on the couch.

Happy making this long holiday weekend!

Wordless Wednesday: Farmer's Market and Garden Goodies

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Love Maps from Define Design

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:00:00 +0000

One of the most remarkable things about my marriage is the sheer fact that we found each other at all. I grew up in New Jersey, went to school in Los Angeles, spent a year in North Carolina, 6 in NYC, and found my way to Iowa. Josh grew up in Montana, went to school in Tennessee and Nebraska, spent time in Uruguay, and found his way to Iowa. I'd never even been to Montana or Nebraska before I'd met him (much less he to New Jersey). So our world is now this lovely combination of origins, settled firmly in the middle of the country...even though a few of my beloved family members still say my adopted home state as a question—"Iowa?"—which makes me giggle.

And when this print from Define Design arrived as a wedding present from a good friend of ours, I was delighted by it and the ability to hang a symbol of our life travels towards each other on the wall.

Here are a few more of Sandrine's prints which would be great for so many gift giving occasions...

I had to show a little Jersey pride, especially in the week post hurricane!

I adore this one too. Such a simple idea, but so meaningful when seen in this format.

Thank you Colleen for our lovely print!

Preserving Green Beans, Tomatoes, Corn, Sage and Rosemary

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:51:00 +0000

This weekend was all about preservation—food preservation. With the farmer's market, and our garden and CSA, in full swing, we decided to take advantage of the low prices of season veggies and stock some away. We bought 5 lbs of green beans, which I blanched for the freezer.

After filling 5 bags only part full, we're hoping to do this again before the beans are done to have a deeper supply. We love green beans and the great thing is that these babies will cook up in a flash whenever we take them out of the freezer in the winter.

Side note: I realized that the most delicious way to cook green beans involves sauteing them over medium-high heat—it's got to be hot enough that the skin gets a little blistery. With the slightly caramelized flavor, and a bit of butter and salt, I ate two servings (made one, then went back and made another) of these for lunch yesterday with surplus fresh beans.

We shucked and put nearly a dozen ears of sweet corn into freezer bags for a few special meals when it's snowy. I'm already looking forward to them.

I tried to get a handle on the bowls of tomatoes covering the counters in our kitchen by making a jar of peach and green zebra tomato salsa, and also with a sheet pan of slow roasted romas (oil a foil-lined sheet pan, place tomatoes cut side-down, sprinkle with salt, and roast at 175 F for 4 hours).

Both of these were gone yesterday—the salsa with brown rice and black beans and the tomatoes with steak from Ebersole. The tomatoes would be great for a bit in the fridge packed in olive oil (and maybe some basil!).

And I finally got to do something useful with the enormous quantity of sage growing in the garden—this herb rub with sage, rosemary, garlic, and sald has been on my to-make list for a few weeks. And while you need a lot of herbs, this is an excellent way to use them if you've got them—it's a workout to get those herbs chopped down! This pan will hang out for three days until it's dry enough for jars, then into the pantry until we pull it out to use it on meat during the winter.

It's entirely likely that I'll do another batch (or two if we have enough herbs) to get a head of the game on holiday presents.

As you can see, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen this weekend, but it made me feel like I was getting away with something to put all of this lovely produce that is surrounding us to good use. (Plus it helped me to not spend the entire weekend worrying about how my parent's house was faring on the NJ shoreline—and thankfully all is well there).

It doesn't feel like there will be enough of these goodies to satisfy our longings for summer during the winter, but I guess that's part of the joy of eating seasonally. This will be the first year that we've put so much away for the colder months and I'm intrigued to see how things go, and whether these small efforts will lead to a bigger push next year.

What are you putting up this summer for good eating in a few months?