Morgan Made It

Corn Pesto with Bacon, Tomatoes and Asparagus

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 08:47:00 +0000

Hmm…yeah, so about this blog. It’s obviously been neglected lately. I have lots of excuses. I’ve been perpetually sick due to the little carrier monkeys (AKA 6th graders) I spend my days with. I’ve been going to happy hour more than is prudent. I’ve been fixing up my place. It all takes time, ya know?

But I did make this pasta with corn pesto and I want to share it with you because it is really, really good. It’s based on this recipe from epicurious. In my mind pestos are green but apparently epicurious considers anything blended up with olive oil pesto and, since they’re the food experts, I’ll take their word for it.

In my version, bacon is browned until it’s crispy and then corn and onions are caramelized in the bacon fat. Everything gets pureed with lots of parmesan, broth and olive oil. Sautéed grape tomatoes and asparagus are stirred in at the end. The bacon and cheese are salty, the corn and onions are sweet and the tomatoes are tangy and just a little acidic.

Ingredients:

1 lb of pasta (capatavi is my favorite, but use what you like)

6 slices of bacon, cut into 1/2” pieces

1 medium onion, diced

4 cups of corn, from frozen that’s been thawed or from 5-6 fresh ears

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

2 cups grape tomatoes

1 bunch asparagus, tough ends trimmed and cut into 1” pieces

1/2 cup grated parmesan

2 Tbs olive oil

1/4 – 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy. Remove from pan to a paper towel to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.

Add onion to pan. Cook until translucent. Add corn, garlic, pepper and salt. Cook until corn is tender and onions are golden. Place corn mixture in a bowl and set aside.

Add a bit of olive oil to the skillet and increase heat to medium high. Cook tomatoes and asparagus until tomatoes are softened and asparagus is bright green. Remove from heat.

Place 3/4 of the corn mixture and parmesan into a food processor. Pulse a few times. With food processor going, slowing drizzle in olive oil. Drizzle in broth until pesto reaches the desired thickness and is smooth and creamy.

Add bacon, pesto and remaining corn mixture back into the skillet with the vegetables. Stir in pasta. Serve with additional parmesan.

Chocolate Caramel Pretzels

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 02:19:00 +0000

These are all over Blogland right now, but if you haven’t seen them yet here’s a quick and easy recipe. They take maybe 5 minutes to prep and another 5 minutes to heat them up and then top them with pecans. They travel well and they are delicious.

Ingredients:

A bag of Rolos (about 50 candies)

50 small square pretzels

50 pecan halves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Spread pretzels out in a single layer on sheet pan. Unwrap Rolos and place one, wide side down, on each pretzel.

Bake pretzels for 3-4 minutes until the chocolate barely starts to melt.

Press a pecan into each Rolo and let them cool. That’s it!

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Three Ways

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 05:56:00 +0000

If you’ve been carving some of these:

Then maybe you should make some of these:

Cinnamon Sugar

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 egg white

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp clove

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

Salt and Pepper

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 egg white

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tsp coarse sea salt

BBQ

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 egg white

3 Tbs brown sugar

1 Tbs chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp onion powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a few tablespoons of salt. Boil pumpkins seeds for 10 minutes – similar to pasta. Drain seeds and let cool a bit.

In a small bowl, beat egg white until slightly frothy. Beat in spices. Mix in seeds until well coated.

Drain excess egg mixture off of seeds and spread onto parchment.

Bake Cinnamon Sugar seeds for 12-15 minutes (careful, these burn fast) and Salt & Pepper and BBQ for 17-20 minutes until crispy and barely browned.

Quick and Easy Thank You Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 05:41:00 +0000

I’m horrible about writing thank you cards. It’s not that I’m ungrateful but making, writing and sending a stack of cards can take a LONG time. So I opted for the quick version – a postcard with a stamped sentiment on the front and a short note on the back. You don’t even have to stuff it in an envelope if you don’t want to.

If you would like to whip up some postcards of your own, you will need: coordinating scrap paper, a postcard size rectangle of cardstock, sentiment stamp, ink, a square of cardstock for the stamp, a square for the border and adhesive.

Tear a strip of paper that is a little over half of the width of the postcard. Adhere it to the bottom half of the card and trim the edges.

Tear a strip of coordinating paper that is about 1” wide. Adhere it over the torn edge of the other paper. Stamp and mount the sentiment. Attach it to the card with adhesive. I turned my cards horizontal but you could also keep them vertical.

Here is a “Thinking of You” version:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 01:36:00 +0000

Bread pudding might be the ugliest dessert ever. Especially when it’s pumpkin orange and dotted with chocolate chips.

It tastes good though. I promise.

Ingredients:

1 loaf of sturdy, day old bread, cut into 1” slices

2-3 Tbs unsalted butter

3 eggs + 3 yokes

2 cups milk

1 cup cream

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

Directions:

Preheat oven to broil and position top rack 5-6” from element. Butter a 13x9 baking dish.

Butter both sides of bread. Cut into 1” cubes. Spread bread on a sheet pan and toast under broiler until edges of cubes start to brown. Turn cubes over and toast the other side. Reduce oven to 325.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk and cream until combined. Stir in pumpkin, sugar, vanilla, salt and spices. Add bread to egg mixture and let stand for 3o minutes, stirring occasionally.

Spoon bread into prepared baking dish. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until custard is set and top is slightly browned. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 21:29:00 +0000

I’m sure there are a ton of recipes for “the best” chocolate chip cookies but this might really be it. These cookies are soft and chewy in the middle and slightly crispy on the outside. They taste like rich, buttery toffee. But in a cookie. And with chocolate. Mmm!

And these cookies are perfect for ice cream sandwiches.

What makes these chocolate chip cookies so good is browning the butter. Melting the butter makes a chewier cookie and browning it provides a deep toffee flavor. I used a recipe from Cooks Illustrated and tweaked it a little.

Ingredients:

14 Tbs unsalted butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups AP flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 (or you can wait to crank up the oven and just let it heat while the dough chills). Make some room in your freezer or fridge for pans of cookies. Line two large sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large skillet, melt 10 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat. Cook the butter, stirring frequently, until browned and nutty smelling. It helps to use a stainless steel pan so you can see the color of the butter better. Stir in remaining butter. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, salt and vanilla. Whisk in butter. Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes and wisk again. Repeat two more times. This helps to dissolve the sugar in the butter, making a chewier cookie.

Stir flour and baking soda into batter. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spoon dough in large mounds (about 3 Tbs) onto parchment lined sheet pans, at least two inches apart. Place cookies in fridge or freezer until firm and cool to the touch. Last time I made these it was hot as heck in my kitchen and it took about 10 minutes to cool them down in the freezer.

Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, for 12-14 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Load them up with ice cream and enjoy.

Sparkly Straight Pins

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 18:58:00 +0000

I’ve been using the same pins for years and they’re pretty dull so when I saw these pins on No Big Dill I had to make some.

You can make dozens of them in just a few minutes. All it takes is glue (E6000), small beads that have small holes and extra long straight pins.

I used a skewer to apply a little bit of glue to the end of the pin.

Then I slid a bead on and wiped off the excess glue.

I covered an overturned basket with a piece of paper and poked all of the pins into it to dry.

Pretty and useful. I think they would make a great gift for a seamstress or tucked into a little purse-sized mending kit.

Pin Cushion from a Pimiento Jar

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 21:53:00 +0000

I made these sparkly pins the other day (tutorial coming soon) and needed a place to stick them. I have an old school tomato pin cushion but it rolls all over the table. It usually ends up on the floor prompting some choice words as pins start to pile up in my mouth, beside my sewing machine and other places they shouldn’t be while I search for it.

This guy has a heavy, flat base so hopefully it will stay put.

I started with a pimiento jar (baby food jars would be perfect), paint, a little batting, some barley and few scraps of fabric.

I squirted some paint into the jar, put the lid on it, shook it up and then let it dry upside down. If your jar doesn’t have a lid, you can use a brush to smooth out the paint like I did here.

To make the top, I stacked up circles of batting and then gathered up the edges to form a spherical shape. The poof should be a little bigger than the opening to the jar. I ran a few stitches through the gathered part and cut off the “tail”.

Then I cut a circle of fabric about 3 times wider then the jar and wrapped it around the batting. I gathered up the loose edges and ran 3-4 stiches through the middle to secure it. Then I cut off the excess fabric.

I filled the bottom of the jar with barley (because that it was I had) and hot glued the cushion into the mouth of the jar.

I top-stitched a strip of fabric to cover the jar threads but ribbon would work just as well. I hot glued the fabric around the mouth of the jar and inserted the pins.

Painted Wooden Bowl Fail

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:54:00 +0000

I have a habit of seeing something for sale and thinking to myself, “I’m not going to buy that. I’m going to make it.” Point in case: dot bowls from The Bocket Store spotted by Erin at Host-It Notes while perusing the Renegade Craft Fair. Sarah Bocket’s bowls are stunning. Mine are wrinkled. I should have shelled out the change for one of hers.

However, I think I’ve fixed the problem, so if you want to try your hand at painting some bowls, you will need:

a wooden bowl, thoroughly scrubbed and dried

sand paper

a damp cloth

masking tape

primer

paint

paint brushes

sealer

Sand the bowl really well. Sand it some more. Wipe off the dust with a damp cloth and let it dry.

Tape off the part of the bowl you don’t want painted. I used a kazillion little pieces of tape to go around the lip of the bowl. I’m sure there’s an easier way to do it, though. Maybe using contact paper and just cutting a bowl-sized circle out of it and sticking it onto the rim?

See how the bowl is still a little glossy? I should have sanded it more.

Ok, prime and paint the bowl, letting it dry between coats. I didn’t prime mine, which according to my friend, the painter, was my big mistake.

It’s helps to paint little stuff like this in a box. Then there isn’t paint flying all over your garage or driveway.

Paint on the dots by dipping a small paint brush straight down into your paint (I used acrylic) and barely touching the tip of the brush to the bowl.

Before I sprayed on the sealer (which I have used many times before with the same exact paint and without any problems) the paint looked perfect and smooth. I let the bowls dry over night and then hosed them down with sealer. The paint immediately wrinkled. I wanted to cry. Apparently this was mistake number 2 (3?). The previously mentioned painter friend said I should have let them dry longer. They seemed completely dry but it was raining out side and chilly so I probably should have given them some more time. Ugh.

I’m using them anyway, but I’m bitter about it. If you decide to paint some bowls let me know how it goes. Or if you have any tips for keeping paint from wrinkling, I would love to hear them.

It is Finally Too Hot to Bake

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:29:00 +0000

I live in Portland. Have I mentioned that? And that all winter while it’s cold and rainy we tell everyone, “We don’t mind this crappy gray weather because our summers are beautiful!”? This year the rain just kept coming though. It rained pretty much up until last week when it finally reached 80 and the sun came out. With this kind of summer and another rainy winter just around the corner, an Oregon girl needs to take advantage of the sun while she can.

I visited my grandpa in Eastern Oregon.

Then I went camping with friends here:

And did a little rafting.

But no worries because the half-finished projects are piled up on my sewing table and eventually I’ll have to come inside to nurse my whopping sunburn and finish them.

Caramelized Onion Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:03:00 +0000

It’s summer! Go make yourself some onion dip. Not the salty, fake onion flavored one made out of soup mix, but one made from cooking loads of onions in butter and olive oil until they are sweet and caramelized and then swirling them into sour cream and cream cheese.

I made this onion dip when I had some friends over the other day and served it with crackers, cut up vegetables and smoked salmon. Everyone kept scooping up the dip and salmon on the same cracker (Yup, right out of the bowl. We’re classy like that.). I would have never thought of mixing the two but it was really good. I think next time I might make the dip with some smoked salmon mixed in as a variation on the typical cream cheese based smoked salmon dip.

What makes this dip so good is the deeply caramelized onions. It takes a bit of time but it’s worth it.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs butter

1 Tbs olive oil

2 large yellow or sweet onions, finely diced

1 tsp black pepper (I like this dip with a peppery kick. Use less if pepper isn’t your thing)

1/2 tsp salt

a pinch of red chili flakes

8 oz cream cheese

16 oz sour cream

1 Tbs fresh lemon juice

1 tsp soy sauce

Directions:

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, salt, pepper and chili flakes and sauté until onions are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let onions cool completely.

Puree 1/2 of the onion mixture in a food processor. Add cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice and soy sauce and process until combined and smooth. You can also use an electric hand mixer but the dip won’t be as smooth.

Spoon dip into a container. Stir in remaining onions and taste for salt and pepper. Chill for at least an hour but over night is better.

Tear Off Cleaning Checklist Tablets

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 07:05:00 +0000

A friend of mine is struggling to get his roommates to clean up after themselves. This seems to be a common problem, whether it’s with roommates, a significant other or kids. I once had a roommate that hosed everything down with Lysol and called it clean.

I made some tablets of cleaning checklists for my friend to try. One version is a little more sarcastic and pushy and the other is more cordial (the one above). I sewed across the top of the tablet pages which worked well because it holds everything together but perforates each page so it can be easily torn out if needed.

If you want to make your own cleaning checklist tablets click here . Then click on export and select Word.
Open the document once it has downloaded and edit it to fit your needs. (I haven’t used this particular program before so if you have any issues please email me or let me know in the comments and I will fix it)

The pages print four to a sheet. I printed two sheets so each tablet would have eight pages. Make sure when you cut them out that you leave room at the top for binding.

Line up the pages and then sew across the top with a an 1/8” seam allowance. Backstitch on the ends.

Cut a 3/4”x4” (or the width of the pages, depending on how small you cut them) of scrapbook paper. Fold it in half and glue it over the top of the tablet, making sure the tablet is tucked all the way into the fold.

Buy some candy bars to use for ~~bribing~~ rewards and you’re all set.

Blueberry, Lemon and Ginger Bread Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 01:36:00 +0000

Lest you think I’m completely crazy for baking in the middle of July, this is what the sky currently looks like here in Portland:

I’m actually wearing a sweater and jeans at the moment and I’m still a little cold. It’s ridiculous. However, it’s been great for baking with all of the berries that are still going strong in this wet, cool summer.

I picked a bag full of huge, super sweet blueberries at my friend’s house the other day and whipped up a citrusy blueberry bread pudding.

I think the key to good bread pudding is to start with high-quality, day old bread, butter it liberally and then toast it so it absorbs all of the creamy custard.

I used a French batard this time but have also had good luck with regular French bread and ciabatta. If you like a softer, more custard-like bread pudding use a softer bread.

Ingredients:
6-7 large, thick slices of bread
3 Tbs butter + more for pan, softened
3 whole eggs + 3 egg yokes
2 cups milk
1 cup cream
1/2 cup sugar + 1 Tbs for sprinkling
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs lemon zest
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup blueberry jam
1/4 cup candied ginger, finely chopped

Instructions:
Preheat broiler. Butter a 9”x13” baking dish.

Butter both sides of bread slices. Cut into 1” cubes and broil until barely toasted, turning occasionally. Watch them. They burn fast. Reduce oven to 325.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat eggs, yokes, milk, cream, vanilla, salt, lemon and grated ginger.
Let bread cool for a few minutes and then stir into egg mixture. Let the bread and egg rest for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour 1/2 of the bread mixture into buttered dish and top with half of the blueberries. Spoon the jam over the bread in teaspoon sized dollops. Add the rest of the bread and blueberries. Gently press bread into the dish. Sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon of sugar and the candied ginger.

Bake for 50-55 minutes or until custard is set and top is brown. You can broil it for a few additional minutes to caramelize the sugar and ginger if you like.

Serve warm with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Serger Cover

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 06:39:00 +0000

My mom got me a serger for Christmas last year and, so far, it’s been amazing. However, it didn’t come with any kind of cover and I noticed today that it was looking pretty dusty. So I made a cover for it out of two placemats and two cloth napkins that I found on clearance at Target.

Unlike my regular sewing machine that is a nice uniform rectangle, my serger has all sorts of wonky corners and whatnot jutting out of it. I wanted the cover to be as streamlined as possible so I opted for a rectangular front and back and trapezoids for the sides.

I also created an opening in the top for the handle since I’m constantly moving it to make way for other projects.

Jump Ring Necklace

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 23:38:00 +0000

The theme for this summer seems to be quick and simple projects. There are just too many other fun things to do that don’t involve staying inside. This necklace, made from jump rings, is no exception.

The other day my friend Rachel took a break from unpacking so we could spend a lazy afternoon making jewelry.

I made this jump ring necklace, along with a couple of other pieces. It’s always more fun to craft with friends.

I used a bag of large jump rings (50?), a length of chain long enough to go around my neck, a clasp, small jump rings (20), head pins (20) and assorted glass and stone beads (20).

I strung the jump rings onto the chain, attaching one to a link in the chain every 10 jump rings so that when I put it on my neck all of the jump rings wouldn’t sink into the middle.

I made an eye loop through each bead by threading it onto a head pin, cutting it off about 1/3” from the bead, bending the head pin at a right angle and then looping the head pin in the opposite direction around round-nosed pliers. I realize that’s a bit unclear and I didn’t take any pictures, so here's a video.

I attached the beads to the large jump rings with small jump rings at random intervals, added a clasp and that’s it.

As I was making this necklace I was thinking that it would be the perfect project for a jewelry making get together. It requires minimal skill and supplies. Plus it’s the kind of project that can easily be finished in a evening even with ample breaks for wine and chatting.

Apple Crisp

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:27:00 +0000

Mmm…apple crisp. Yes, I’m aware it’s July. But I had a bunch of apples (and a couple of pears) left over from camping that needed to be used pronto. And, really, apple crisp is always good. Right?

Ingredients:
Filling -
6 or so medium apples, peeled and sliced (I used 4 apples and 2 pears)
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp clove
2 Tbs cold unsalted butter, cut into tiny cubes
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
Topping -
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Butter an 8”x8” baking dish.
Mix apples, lemon juice, sugar, flour, spices, salt and butter. Gently mix in pecans. Scoop apples into prepared pan.

Make topping by mixing flour, sugar and butter with your fingers until it resembles wet sand. Spoon mixture onto apples, pressing it in a bit.

Bake 45-50 minutes, or until the top is crispy and caramelized and the apples are bubbling and cooked through. Keep in mind that different apples cook faster than others.

Semi-patriotic Turquoise and Red Necklace

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 01:30:00 +0000

It was more happenstance than planning that led to the color scheme of this necklace. However, since it is the 4th of July and it is red, silver and blue, I can say it was on purpose, right?

Honestly, though, I fell in love with the red bone flowers as soon as I saw them. They’re bright, light weight, hand-carved, and they were on sale!

I added some turquoise carved wood beads and some tiny silver filigrees. The whole shebang took about 10 minutes.

To those of you living in the states, Happy Independence Day!

Vegetable Green Curry

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 01:27:00 +0000

I love curry. All curries. Last night I opted for Thai green curry cut with rich coconut milk and covering pan-browned tofu and loads of summer vegetables.

I used super firm, high protein tofu. I like it better than regular extra firm tofu because it comes vacuum packed as opposed to swimming in a container of water so it’s less messy to deal with. Also, it has a great, non-squishy texture that holds up well when cooked. If you’re not into tofu you could use fish or shrimp, chicken, beef, or just vegetables – really anything. On that note, you can use any veggies as well. This a great “clean out the fridge” recipe.

Ingredients:

Marinade for tofu -

1 Tbs fresh lime juice

1 Tbs brown sugar

1 Tbs rice wine vinegar

1 Tbs soy sauce

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or finely minced

1 tsp chili flakes (or to taste)

1 clove garlic, minced

Curry -

2 Tbs canola oil, divided

10 oz super firm tofu, cut into 1” x 1/2” strips

1 small onion, sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1” pieces

1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 1” pieces

4 scallions, cut into 1” pieces

1 small crown of broccoli, cut into florets

5 spears of asparagus, cut into 1” pieces

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2-3 Tbs green curry paste (taste and then add more if needed)

1 can coconut milk

1 cup water

the juice of 1 lime

1 Tbs brown sugar

1 tsp chili flakes (or to taste)

salt to taste

Directions:

Note: Curry paste varies greatly in heat and salt content, even within the same brand. Start with a little and add more to taste.

Mix all marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Add tofu, stir and set aside for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove tofu from marinade and cook in hot oil until browned on both sides. Remove tofu from pan.

Add second tablespoon of oil to pan. Add vegetables to pan and cook until onions are barely translucent, 3-4 minutes.

Add curry and garlic to pan. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in coconut, water, lime juice, brown sugar, chili flakes and salt. Add tofu back to pan. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce to simmer. Taste for salt and spiciness. Add salt or curry as needed. Cook until vegetables are cooked through and sauce has thickened slightly. Serve over jasmine rice.

Simple Skirt from a Thrifted Sheet

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 01:31:00 +0000

I live in Portland, where the summer so far has been wet and cold. I had a sweater on a couple of days ago and was still cold. However, the weatherman assures me that it will be sunny and warm for at least the next week. So, after sweltering at the farmer’s market this afternoon in jeans, I decided it was time for some new skirts.

This is the first time I made a skirt without a pattern and it is far from perfect. I learned a lot about what not to do.

The fabric is one of the stack of flat sheets I picked up at a thrift store the other day. I think sheets are probably the cheapest way to buy fabric.

I traced a skirt that I already have and like.

See how this skirt is cut on the bias? And the hem curves up on the sides? Mistakes 1 and 2! Find yourself a skirt that is cut parallel to the grain of the fabric and straighten out the bottom because that curve made hemming the new skirt a serious pain.

I added 2” to each side of the pattern for the seam allowance and because the model skirt might be just a tad tight after all of the summertime margaritas I’ve been consuming. I didn’t need to add length for the hem because the model skirt is a little long for me.

I cut out two pieces from the pattern (front and back), making sure the print was straight.

I made a waistband pattern by tracing the curve of the top of the skirt pattern and then adding 3” to it. The waistband piece should look like a smile.

I cut out 4 waistband pieces, making sure the pattern would line up with the skirt.

Then I sewed the two front waistband pieces together along the top curve, right sides together. I turned them right side out, pressed the seam and top stitched it.

I sewed the waistband to the skirt, lining up the curve. Then I pressed the seam and top stitched. I repeated this for the back of the skirt.

Um, yeah, the print only lined up in the middle of the waistband. I realized the print itself is not totally straight. What the heck?

I turned the skirt right sides together and sewed in the zipper. I kind of winged the whole zipper install but Sew Mama Sew has a great tutorial here. Then I sewed the side seams and hemmed the bottom.

A few final notes if you’re thinking of embarking on skirt making without a pattern:

There a kazillion tutorials. Check them out first.

Don’t use a printed fabric until you’ve tried your pattern out on a solid.

Use a skirt with very simple lines to make your pattern from.

If you try making a skirt, let me know in the comments what you found helpful or learned from the process.

Vodka Infused With All Sorts of Good Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 01:38:00 +0000

I’ve been horrible about posting. I know. I moved. It’s summer. There’s a lot going on. I have been sewing and doing a ton of baking and cooking, I just haven’t been telling you about it. Maybe you’ve enjoyed the break from my blathering?

The other day some friends and I got together and made a dozen quart jars of infused vodka. It’s ridiculously easy, although we all agreed it’s a little anticlimactic since you spend all of this time cutting and mixing and then have to wait a couple weeks for the actual cocktail.

To make infused vodka, simply gather the ingredients.

Cut the ingredients into manageable pieces and stuff them into the jars.

Fill each jar with vodka and screw the lids on. Let them sit for a few days (spicy mixes) or a couple of weeks (everything else).

Some of the flavors we chose were:

pineapple habanero

jalapeno

strawberry basil

bay

ginger

cucumber basil

lemon lime

ginger orange

peach

peach mint

Gluten Free Black Forest Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 01:41:00 +0000

Tomorrow is my boyfriend’s birthday! Yay! He requested a black forest cake but like any baked goods he gets a hankering for they have to be adapted to a gluten free version.

The frosting looks all wonky because I couldn’t find my decorating tips and had to use a plastic bag with the corner cut off. Don’t judge.

I opted for a dark chocolate cupcake filled with cherry and topped some with cherry mousse and some with whipped cream.

I only had 4 eggs and the recipe requires 5 (Okay, so I know I said before that I detest using a recipe but since I’m putting it out here for you guys I followed the recipe. I’m nice like that). On the way back from the egg run I had to get some of this:

You know, so I wouldn’t be tempted to down a bunch of cupcakes while they’re still hot and have another finger burning incident. Don’t worry that’s fat-free yogurt under all that candy. Ha!

Ok, on to the cupcakes. I tweaked this recipe a bit and they are scrumptious.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour

1 cup cocoa

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

3 eggs

2 egg yolks

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

1 large can cherry pie filling (or homemade if you’re feeling ambitious)

2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbs sugar, more if you like your whipped cream sweeter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 muffin pans with paper liners (24 cupcakes).

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum. Set aside.

In a large bowl beat butter and sugars with electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and yogurt.

Mix dry ingredients into wet in 3 batches. Beat until well combined.

Fill each paper liner 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when touched. Let cupcakes cool on a wire rack.

Drain as much syrup as possible off of cherries. Reserve the syrup.

Use a wooden spoon handle to poke a hole in each cupcake.

Fill each hole with cherries.

Beat the cream, vanilla and sugar until stiff peaks form. For cherry mousse-like frosting, mix the reserved syrup into the whipped cream. Or leave it plain. Or just eat it right out of the bowl with a spoon.

Veggie Pizza with Sea Salt and Olive Oil Crust

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 01:46:00 +0000

I make homemade pizza at least once a week, usually a regular version and a gluten free version. Accommodating dietary restrictions can be a pain in the keister but it means I can have whatever toppings I want on my pizza. This means a pile of veggies and just a bit of mozzarella.

I don’t use a recipe for the crust but if you’re looking for one there are good ones here and here. If I’m being totally honest, I never use recipes for anything except for sometimes as a reference when I’m baking. I don’t like using patterns when I sew. I don’t like using lesson plans when I teach. I’m more of a wing it kind of girl. Sometimes this is good and sometimes it’s a dismal failure.

Anyway, what I will say about making pizza is it takes a bit of practice but it’s really pretty easy. I start with about a cup and a half of warm water, stir in a package of yeast and a bit of sugar and let it get all foamy. Then I work in a pinch of salt, a big glug of olive oil and enough flour to make a moist but not sticky dough. I knead it until it’s stretchy and smooth, about 2 minutes and then coat it with olive oil and let it hang out in a warm place for awhile until it remains indented when I poke it, about 15 minutes.

Then I roll it out on a hot pizza stone and top it with whatever veggies I have in the fridge.

Ok, so this is the super secret best part. Once the crust is topped, roll the edges of the crust over and pinch it a little so it stays crimped. Drizzle olive oil over the edge of the crust and then sprinkle with coarse, flaky sea salt.

The oil and salt make the crust extra crispy with little bits of salty crunch. It’s so good. I’ve been know to pull off just the crust and leave the rest.

Gone Camping

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 01:49:00 +0000

Man, I was doing so well keeping up with posts and then the craziness known as Outdoor School happened. The funding for Outdoor School has been cut in our district which means the teachers are in charge of making sure it happens. It’s totally worth it, but it means that there isn’t a lot of time for crafting and whatnot. So, I’ll leave you with some of the lovely pictures from this year’s adventure until I have time for a real post.

Felt Food: Ravioli, Green Beans and Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 01:53:00 +0000

Now that I started making felt food, I keep thinking of more dishes I want to try to create. Most recently I made felt ravioli with marinara, salad and green beans.

Cold Sesame Noodles

noreply@blogger.com (Morgan) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 01:52:00 +0000

Cold sesame noodles are one of my all-time favorite dishes. They take just minutes to make and you can toss any leftovers you have hanging around on top for a substantial lunch (or late night, post bar snack).

For this batch of noodles, I sautéed some asparagus and zucchini with ginger, lime and garlic and then tossed in some finely sliced cabbage, carrots, scallions and cilantro. I topped the bowl with toasted sesame seeds and red chili flakes. Sometimes I add grilled shrimp, leftover chicken or little cubes of pan fried tofu for extra protein.

Because they can be served at room temperature and cheaply made in large quantities, cold sesame noodles make the perfect dish to take to a summer BBQ.

Ingredients:

1 8oz pkg soba noodles (look in the Asian Foods section)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 Tbs tamari or soy sauce, not low-sodium

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

the juice of one lime

a few drops of Sriracha, or more if you like your food spicy

garlic, one small clove, crushed

veggies or meat

toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Cook noodles according to directions on package until barely al dente. Drain well.

Meanwhile mix sugar, vinegar, tamari, sesame oil, ginger, lime juice, Sriracha and garlic until sugar is dissolved.

Stir sauce into warm noodles and place in fridge until chilled through, about 2 hours.

Top noodles with veggies and/or meat and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.