Fall to Winter+ a Little Baking

With the frigid temperatures this week, the golden fall leaves from last week seem far away.

I celebrated my 32nd birthday on November 19th! I threw myself a lovely party and invited a medley of friends from different parts of my life. I left it to them to get along, which they did! I baked apple and pear crisp, cupcakes, the sugared cranberries (which have become tradition), Layla's amazingly easy and addictive artichoke spinach dip, and a cake.

Having learned from last years unintentional $76 champagne punch, I tried to tone it down a bit this year (so that I could spend all of my money on baked goods). Tip: try not to pick drinks that require multiple fancy bottles of liquor by accident, though it is a fun way to stock up your bar! I went with a citrus infused champagne punch via Epicurious. I like champagne punches because they're festive and bubbly, and don't seem to leave my friends with a hangover.

It was beautiful with all the oranges, limes and lemons cut up in circles. And there were barely any leftovers (beverage wise). I had to send the troops home with cupcakes and pumpkin bread.

The following week we stayed in the area for Thanksgiving this year. It was a nice change to not travel to Indiana, though we missed seeing family and friends. We headed down to Atlantic City area to spend Thanksgiving with my Uncle, Aunt and cousins. I brought Mike's mom's Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan topping (so good, I can be encouraged to post recipe if anyone is interested), more sugared cranberries, and a blue ribbon dutch apple pie

Other than that, we made our first Black Friday purchase ever, a new MacBook Pro laptop! What a glorious little machine that probably deserves a nickname. I bummed around and spent way too much time watching Arrested Development (yes, I'm a latecomer!) on Netflix on the new laptop and cackling merrily and loudly at their shenanigans.

I may or may not have re-read the last Harry Potter book snuggled up on my couch and watched a couple of the movies.

Until next time,

M

Stamps, Purging + Best Trail Mix Ever

We finally mailed our invitations out. Being the artsy people that we are, we really liked the Abstract Expressionist stamps. I didn't realize until I brought them home how large they were. The Pollock and Motherwell stamps are about a whopping 2" x 3" stamp! I found it hilarious, and made sure to give some of our sillier friends both huge stamps on the front of their invite. It was also fun to pair up some of the stamps with our artist friends, since we have so many of them!



Every time the season changes, I feel the need to purge and donate many of the belongings that I no longer need or want. I like to take advantage of these moods, so I can finally rip my emotions away from a 15 year old tee-shirt with my name in plastic letters back.

My friend Kari used to say that she wanted to own a uniform of 7 outfits, and I thought she was nuts. Some days, that starts to make more sense. I definitely need a bit of a makeover in the clothing department, but that's for another day.

When I was going through clothes and belongings, I finally tackled a box full of projects and research from my Interior Design program in college. I trashed most of it, but it was fun to look at the old projects and sketches. I always loved the beginning of a project, where we could sketch and dream big. I'd sketch quickly and just let a roll of trash paper (or tracing paper) keep going and going so that the ideas would not stop. If it was 2am or time for a chocolate milkshake break after 2 days of not sleeping, we'd use my 11 foot long drawing as a faux wedding veil to tease one of our wedding obsessed pals.

Needless to say, this 11 foot drawing was one of the things I kept. And my final project boards with the original illustrations, I just can't trash those! Plus, it's fun to see how your work and style has evolved over the years.



On the flip side, it's funny to see how some things do not change. I'm looking at this latest recipe card I made, and my handwriting and line quality are about the same. I've gotten a little looser with my line work, but other than that, it's pretty close!

Moving on. Behold, the Best Trail Mix Ever. It's the Pumpkin Seed Dried Cherry Trail Mix by Claire Robinson. My Martha Stewart-like friend in the office gave me a taste of hers, and I asked for the recipe mid-bite. I finally made it on Tuesday, and I am in heaven. Just thinking about it makes me want more.



I followed the instructions, but had to go out and purchase Grade A Maple Syrup on hand (you shouldn't use Aunt Jemima, which I'll admit, I love on pancakes sometimes!), and added pomegranate to the mix.

It is so good. And the colors are lovely too, with a green for the pepitas and a maple brittle that makes everything stick together. It satisfies the sweet, salty and crunchy categories (which is my favorite, probably since I was a biter as a kid).



Why aren't you making this yet?! Go on, and git!!!

Enjoy your weekends, everyone. I'm looking forward to a weekend in D.C. to celebrate my cousin's graduation part deux for her Masters from George Washington University!

Ex-Mullet House Proud Patron

The year I turned 24, I became interested in cooking. Prior to that, "cooking" throughout college consisted of late night, post-party blueberry pancakes, variations on ramen noodles, or Hamburger Helper if we were feeling fancy.

We lived a block away from the Waffle House (lovingly nicknamed the Mullet House), where they'd let us drink unlimited coffee for as many hours as we needed to study. Our record was nine hours. One of my proudest moments during this era was reading Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness in one sitting. That's a lot of coffee, folks.

After many of my cohorts moved out of Bloomington, I got my first apartment and started cooking. Going to the Waffle House alone is a path to self destruction of which I wanted no part.

So I cooked. Mainly, one salmon dish I could make decently over and over, until I couldn't eat it anymore, and then some new ones that I can't remember. Mom was called often, advice and cooking times were given, and some things were not meant to be eaten.



Today, I consider myself a pretty good cook, but I enjoy following recipes. I'd rather trust the experts with their cultured palates and honed skills so that I don't end up with wasted food and half eaten experiments.

I go through phases where I totally dig cooking, or can't bear the thought of heating up soup. Though one thing remains constant, my seven year old love of cookware and kitchen aisle goods. That said, the Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer has been eclipsed by the glossiness that is Staub's 5 Qt. Round La Cocotte in Aubergine. The enamel glows. The rich warm-purple has a depth that has been in my head since I saw it in Smitten Kitchen in December.



Material things have been on our minds alot recently, especially since we registered for our wedding. There are so many things that I don't need. For us, it is a panini press or appliances that we may use once a year, and get irritated with it taking up space the other 364 days. I'm sick of replacing coffee makers and crappy knives. I'd rather take good care of the things that we do get.

I'm trying to be more conscious of buying things that we really like, won't get sick of, and that could possibly last a lifetime. What I love about good design is that you can enjoy something even when you're not using it, just by looking at it. Like this purple object that I obviously have a huge crush on.

I must go before I get a restraining order from Staub.

P.S. La Cocotte sounds much more sophisticated than Dutch Oven. As seen from my Mullet House references above, I believe I can use some more class, and less...

The Bread That Went Awry

I made some bread this weekend. Or it was intended to be bread, but something happened. It shall now be known as The Bread That Went Awry.

I've made it before with no problem. But something with the temperature, flour that had in my freezer and not thoroughly warm, the tendency not to try not to add too much flour...it was a bad mixture.

The dough was surprisingly supple, so it was even more shocking when I found myself the new creator of flour dumbells.

No words can really describe it. So I have drawn you some examples of how these loaves failed on so many levels. However, I have to admit that it was throughly enjoyable dropping the loaf on the table so that my mom could hear just how crappy the bread baking had went over the phone. And scaring my friends who stopped by for a beer, by dropping it on the floor, twice.

THUMP! CRASH!



Next time, I'll be more patient in my baking. Lesson learned!

Creme Brulee French Toast

Ah, the sinfully decadent, Creme Brulee French Toast as promised! This recipe is from Gourmet Magazine's July 1998 Issue. I stumbled upon it via Epicurious when hosting a bridesmaid shower way back, and have been recommending it ever since. I've shown the ingredients below and some quick notes, but please click on the actual link for the exact recipe.

This would be perfect to make for a Sunday brunch. Not for tomorrow morning, because it tastes best if you let the egg mixture soak at least eight hours...overnight is better.



I've made it twice, and both times used brioche or challah bread (my favorite). Just like with regular french toast or bread puddings, it's better if the bread is not fresh, so it can really soak up the mixture.



I did not have Grand Marnier, so I substituted it with Chambord (left over from the $76 Punch), a good amount of orange zest and some orange juice. I don't think you can go wrong with anything, even if you left the alcohol out. I would recommend a touch of orange zest though, to balance out the ultra-sweetness. Believe me, I have a major sweet tooth, so that should give you a hint about this recipe.



You make the "creme brulee" portion by making a caramel mixture of brown sugar, corn syrup and butter, which coats the bottom of the pan. I liked cutting the challah bread into fluffly little clouds, and tucking them in as seen below, before covering with the egg mixture.



It is best if served fresh, so keep this in mind since you'll need about 35-40 minutes of baking in the oven. If you're bringing it to a party, you could even bake it there. It will make the house smell great!



This particular batch was walked to Robin's house in about 12 inches of snow on a lovely Saturday morning, unbaked. That part is completely optional, and not really recommended.

Let me know how it goes!

$76 Champagne Punch

The past few years, my friends Rich and Alice brought a delicious champagne punch to my birthday party. It was lemony, electric blue, and made everyone's teeth and tongue match the punch. Potent is an understatement.

This year, I told them to not worry about the punch. After all, they have a new baby and deserve a break. Their little guy is awesome, he ended up at the party and being one of the last people there!



Since it was time for a new punch, I found a new one from Gourmet Magazine's July 1992 issue on Epicurious. It's refreshing and lighter than the bright blue one. At first, we weren't sure if we liked it. However, the first batch was quickly gone and I had several requests to refill it.

I will warn you, unless you have a stocked bar, this punch is rather expensive. I'm not a huge drinker, so I didn't pay attention to the multiple liquors needed for the recipe. I figured it was an opportunity to add to our tiny bar, and forced myself to get over the price. There's also something in just letting go so that you can get everything done in time and not have to look up a new recipe! Plus, it got rave reviews on Epicurious.com.

The punch is made with champagne, Chambord, Triple Sec, Brandy, pineapple juice and ginger ale. Make sure to follow the directions on the above link and prep the first step of the ingredients the night before your event. This would be perfect for a holiday party or a New Year's Eve bash.

Enjoy!

JC's Beef Bourguignon

Vegetarian friends may want to cast away their eyes. This meal was all about the meat!

Beef Bourguignon was one of those dishes I had heard about, but figured I'd never make it. My good friend Olivia though, being the excellent cook that she is, had been talking of making it for some time now. Then the book came out. You know which one, Julie and Julia. Shortly after, the movie with the phenomenal Streep and Adams. (Though I didn't like how Julie was portrayed as much in the movie, in her book, she's way less whiny, more charming and writes so hysterically, it will bust your gut). Needless to say, my interest was piqued.

This is how I found myself at the farmers market with Olivia to pick up a few ingredients to create this dish yesterday. We used the recipe that can be found here. I believe it's slightly altered, but pretty much the same as in Julia Child's book.



There were a lot of steps, but it was much more manageable with a friend, two sets of hands, and a brewsky each. We followed the recipe step by step, dried the meat off before browning (which really does help), and washed a ton of dishes. Olivia's husband walked in the door and said he could smell it cooking from two blocks away! I kept going on and on when the adorable pearl onions were sauteeing in butter with an herb bouquet. I had to cut myself off from exclaiming, "have you ever smelled anything so wonderful?"

We started at 4 P.M. We cut the cooking time to 2-1/2 hours so that we could eat around 7 P.M. instead of 8 or 9. In between, we made an apple crisp, roasted fingerling potatoes, a light salad with a medly of pink radishes, did a little bit of knitting (me) and piano playing (definitely not me).

The Beef Bourguignon was divine. We felt so accomplished sitting in our aprons after all the cooking, dramatically fake sighing and asking the guys to fawn us with compliments on the meal. We watched a tad bit of football while drinking a beer (in our aprons), which made us feel like quite the well rounded modern day women. Will I make it again? Certainly. Will I be willing to try out a more simplified recipe? Absolutely!

However, I'm more convinced than ever that I will add a Le Creuset 5 quart French Oven (in red) on my wedding registry.

P.S. Susan, this recipe is for you. Have at it, lady.

P.P.S. I forgot to draw the stewing beef. How inappropriate!

Archetypal Stand Mixer in Turquoise

My love of baking probably stemmed from my immense love of baked goods. Or rather, I needed to bake in order to create a layer of cake-like substance from which to eat large quantities of frosting. I love frosting. Or icing. But not the gourmet type. I like the generic Dunkin Hines, Funfetti, and fudgy chocolate from plastic canisters. I'm sure many of you don't approve, but I'm just being honest.

Sometime around third grade, my mom taught me to use the oven myself (with supervision of course). I'd spend an entire Saturday baking and decorating sugar cookies. The recipe was actually from an old Sesame Street book, called Cookie Monster's Cookie Dough. They were delicious, and I can't believe it took me until just this minute to look for it on the internet. Oy!

My brother would help me decorate, we'd roll the dough out with our grubby hands, working the dough into worms, hat cookies (so I could decorate with flowers and rainbows of color), monsters, airplanes, alien starships...you name it, we made it. We'd take over the entire kitchen table and cover it with flour, would get dough smeared everywhere, and frosting in the remote places that the dough hadn't contaminated.

I don't know how that got all cleaned up. I'm sure we did a bit, but I'm sure my mom did a lot more than I remember. Another reason to love that woman...

I'm not a girl who needs a lot, kitchen appliance wise. I use my immersion blender (from Aunt Marty) for everything. So much that I got rid of my hand mixer, blender and a waffle iron for good measure. But the KitchenAid Stand Mixer. I lust after it. When I first started learning to cook, it stood out as an archetype for being a real baker or just knowing my way around the kitchen. Plus I saw one online with flames painted on the side, and you don't forget that too easily.



My mom bought a white one off of a friend, that she says I can have next time I go home to Florida with my car. I may just have to take her up on this! But I wanted to draw the turquoise one that is part of the Martha Stewart collection at Macy's because you know how I love pretty colors.

How about you guys? What's the one material thing that you thought would make you feel like a grown up, or that you want even though you may not need it? Uh, this and the Franklin Covey planner in 2002 are obviously mine!

Goodbye, Summer!

We said our farewells to Summer this weekend with a nighttime walk on the Ocean City boardwalk with my uncle, aunt and favorite 12 year old cousin. We had some Kohr's ice cream with chocolate jimmies, pink cotton candy, and were forced (by my uncle), to bring home a tub of Johnson's Caramel Popcorn.



I made it to the Farmer's Market with Olivia, and got to witness the making of some world famous potato salad, to which I am going to write down in my journal for future use. We attended a barbecue, and enjoyed holding a sweet baby girl and catching up with good friends.

And today, we did the opposite of Labor. Unless you count watching movies with your beau and making a grilled cheese sandwich on Challah bread labor...

I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to crisp air, apple cider and soup making.

Bridal Tea Party

I wanted to share the first creative thing I've done in awhile! I'm so flattered to be the Maid of Honor in one of my dearest friend's weddings next month. This past weekend, I drove down to Virginia to host an English Tea Party for the bride with a few of her friends.

I wanted to create a favor for the guests, and used the Tea Party itself as inspiration. I purchased each girl a jar of local Delaware honey from The Reading Terminal in Philly. Is there anything prettier than the glowing amber shades created by sun shining through honey?



Then I selected three loose teas from Premium Steap, which is my favorite local tea shop. I was going to get a tea ball for all of the ladies, but instead, we stuffed them ourselves with tea bags I already had. Well, Mike stuffed fifty something bags of tea, and I stapled and labeled. He also helped me color hearts and labels! Mainly, because the bride is one of his favorites of my friends, but basically, it's because he's so sweet!



I finished it off with tongue-in-cheek, ultra cheesy rhymes. They were cutesy, but also explained what the teas were. Here's a sampling if you will:

"Let's celebrate the Bride to Be, With a cuppa English Breakfast Tea!"
"Our best wishes that they won't live in a hut, So drink some Black Tea with Coconut!"

It was hard to rhyme with Pineapple, but Lord knows I tried:
"Wishing them a life filled with love and laughter, Enjoy Green Tea with Papaya and Pineapple!" (I know...right?!)



All in all, it went well. Except for the poor gal that was grossed out by the thought of Wildflower Honey. Bless her heart. I told her she had my permission to give it away or throw it out! (wink)

Why I think we'll make it.

Because we're crazy, Mike and I found ourselves baking lasagna. Giada's delicious recipe. But yes, lasagna, on July 3rd. Mike has been jonesing to make it. Me? Not so much. It's summer time. Time for fresh foods, light fare and cereal when we're lazy.

"Do you really want to make lasagna?"

"Yeah. We can eat it for days on end. It's very economical."

"Do you think we're the only people in the history of the world who baked lasagna on July 4th weekend?"

"It is pretty funny. Let's make a tradition to do it every year! But you know we'll probably forget."

"Yeah! But yes, we probably will forget." (recording it via the blog for next year)



And this is reason #341 why I should marry this guy.

We do make a pretty good team. I agreed to make the bechemel sauce while Mike did the prep work. This is how I know we'll make it as a couple. Cooking as a couple requires compromise and cooperation. For example, I smile nicely and don't voice my opinion about the sheer volume of small dishes that he's using for prepwork that will have to be washed. He pretends that I'm the saddest act in the planet for having a slight cold this weekend and does all the dishes. (wink)

Okay, after all that sweetness, here's something tart for you. It looked pretty enough for a picture, until it fell upside down (wrapped in plastic, thank God!) at Olivia's house. It still won the taste contest against the reigning supermarket in New Jersey, the famous Wegmans.



Afterwards, we watched fireworks with thousands of people and I treated myself to a $1 glow in the dark necklace. All in all, a pretty great weekend.

Okay, I must go and choose between cereal or sixth serving of lasagna before Quizzo.

Asian Rotisserie Chicken Salad

Each summer, I find myself standing in front of my refrigerator (not with the door open for too long though!) at a loss of what to cook. Not to mention, that I just spent all this money at the grocery store, and feel like I don't have actual meals to make. We don't have an outdoor space, so grilling isn't really an option. (Insert dramatic and pathetic sigh).

Last week, we planned out some meals to make, and shopped for the ingredients. I've decided to find interesting summery recipes so that I don't have to think of anything. After all, I just follow the directions, I'm no expert! It also goes along with my Make, Bake or Buy project. I cannot stop drawing my food. It is way too much fun.



So for Week one, we made Martha Stewart's Asian Rotisserie Chicken Salad. It was so refreshing, that I'm getting a bit more excited to cook this summer. What meals do you guys make when you're uninspired in the kitchen?

Coffee + Tea

I keep typing and deleting sentences that will explain my obsessive inclinations regarding the two following products, but I give up. You know me by now.



I ride my bike to work. I like to bring my coffee in the morning because I'm realizing that I will never be one of those people who gets up early enough to sit at my kitchen table eating breakfast while drinking said coffee and reading the paper (which we don't even get)... Who are these people, and why do I admire you so much? Speak up, now!

I love practicality, common sense and good design, and hate clutter and things that don't work. I've been looking for a few months for that one coffee mug that would not spill in my bike pannier, would keep the contents hot, and have all parts able to remove so that they wouldn't get moldy and gunky. I thought it did not exist. It does. It is called the Timolino Vacuum iBottle with Infuser. I searched online for specs on this mug but couldn't really find a suitable description. Thankfully, I visited Steap, where I was able to examine it in person, and purchase it on the spot. It's for coffee or tea. There is a removable strainer that is exellent for loose tea, if you prefer. Here's how it works.



When I get home, I like to have a little snack and a cup of organic coconut black tea with vanilla soy milk. In this instance, a travel receptacle does not fit the bill, and I was having a hard time with the tea infuser I did have. I went back to Steap and treated myself to the red mug. It's called the FORLIFE Curve Teacup.



I think I'm set for the next 10 years, and am so glad that I don't have to buy any more mugs! On to the next thing to research extensively...

National Donut Day

This illustration serves three purposes. Illustration Friday's topic this week is "craving". Something I often crave are the fried sweet treats below. Donuts!



Apparently, the first Friday of June is National Doughnut Day. I did not get a free donut, but I treated myself to one Mike purchased for me.

Lastly, this image has been sitting in my head waiting to come out. It's so festive and calorie free! Sounds good to me.

In honor of this day, these are my favorites:
Entennmann's Chocolate Crumb Donuts
Entennmann's Rich Chocolate Frosted Donuts
Glazed Donuts (especially hot from the oven)
Sugar Twisty Donuts from Publix
Chocolate with Glazed
Chocolate Frosted
Anything with sprinkles.

Have I forgotten anything? What are your favorites?

Dyed Eggs and Missing Peeps

It must have started when I was running errands at the drugstore a few weeks ago, surprised at the high volume of Easter paraphernalia I generally don't notice. The mini Cadburry eggs and I have both agreed that it's best if we not meet often. Peeps you ask? I'd rather look at them and imagine enjoying them, or even paint one. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of marshmallows. But I've decided I like them best toasted, in Rocky Road ice cream, or in S'mores, where they belong.

So I was shocked when after 13 years of ambivalence towards Easter, I had the strongest urge to dye Easter eggs at 2:27PM on a Tuesday afternoon. I waited the remaining 153 minutes to ditch my bike at home, get a dozen eggs, and obtain a package of PAWS brand egg dye tablets that my Grandpa used to buy for us.

They still make them! They make special sparkly eggs too, but I actually resisted the glitter. The moment I put the tablets in my hand, I suddenly missed my Grandpa and my brother so much.



I don't know how many times we visited my Grandparents in New Jersey for Easter, but I have strong memories. It was where we saw snow for the first time one year, and made my only snowman ever. Grandpa used to say he would mail us snow in Florida, but no matter how much we pleaded, this never happened!

He took such care in making sure we drew our design with the crayon, and used the special dipper that he adjusted just so, to dye our Easter eggs. He wasn't a talkative man, but you knew how much he loved us through things like that. In fact, he must have bought 2 sets of dye, so that Andrew and I could each have our own dipper. He was a good Grandpa.



Mike needed no persuading for this endeavor. He believed me when I said I was only hard boiling 8 eggs, when I really made 13. I knew he'd want to dye more than his allotted share, and didn't want him taking up mine! Believe me, he was pleasantly surprised when he had fresh canvasses.



Paws no longer includes a crayon, to my mother's dismay. Even though she would have prefer to have a grandchild of her own to dye eggs with (yesterday), she wanted to make sure I was doing it right. In a house full of art supplies, we have not one crayon. After trying to melt candle wax and use pin-heads to draw, we gave up. Plus, we had to make it to Quizzo, and were on a tight schedule.



I was surprised that after all of that urgency, I wasn't that interested in dyeing too many eggs. I think I just wanted to remember good times with my Grandpa and brother. To let them enjoy a piece of life with me, from my heart where they reside.

Retirement: Lace Ribbon Scarfs

Third time is a charm with this pattern. I enjoyed it all three times, and recommend it to anyone, but I am done! I'm sending this to Mike's mom tomorrow morning.

The color is more true here than in the finished result.

Here's a detail of the stitches.

And this baby got much bigger after some wool wash and gentle blocking. The perfect size for a lovely lady. I couldn't ask for a better family to become a part of someday.

I think that this finished project deserves a sweet treat. Don't you think?

P.S. That is half of my caramelized french toast with bananas, cream cheese and vanillabean syrup from Sabrina's. Half.

Bluebird + Snowflakes

I was so busy baking batches of cookies and wrapping up last minute preparations to fly home to Florida, that I didn't get to wish anyone Merry Christmas! So a belated one to all of my pals who celebrate it. I hope you had a good one.



These snowflake cookies are the closest I'll be getting to wintry weather. It is hot and muggy in the low eighties in South Florida. It may sound nice to some of you, but it's kind of a downer for the holidays!



Mike and I kept it simple on the gift giving. We each bought music that we wanted, and made handmade ornaments for each other. Here's the one I made Mike. What fun they are to make!



I'll check in with you all soon!

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Here's a new soup for my bacon loving friends. Sorry to my vegetarian pals, but you're probably better off anyhow. This soup cannot be good for the arteries.

This is The Barefoot Contessa's Cheddar Corn Chowder . It makes a large amount. I halved the recipe and still had a ton left over. The only thing I would recommend is to use low sodium chicken broth and add the salt as you go. I used the amount suggested, and it was a bit too salty for my taste.


I also used red potatoes to add a bit of color and pretend it was healthy...but I didn't really believe myself. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash & Cannellini Soup

Hello, again! It's been awhile, hasn't it? I've been hibernating and trying to focus on studying for the LEED test in December. Hot chocolate and marshmallows are helping.



I've also been l-o-v-i-n-g making soup lately. You must try this recipe for Butternut Squash & Cannellini Soup with Bacon from Bon Appetit. I had some for dinner last night, for lunch today, and still want some more. Just trust me.



I'll admit, it's not the prettiest soup, but it is delicious. I wish you could all stop by and I'd feed you some!

Autumn Minestrone Soup

I used to think that soup was this drawn out cooking event that took days, akin to the archetypal Thanksgiving turkey started at 4 o'clock in the morning. When learning how to cook in my teeny apartment in Bloomington, Indiana (thank you Mom and George Forman), chicken noodle soup was the first thing that made me feel like I was legit. That I could cook.

Raw chicken was scary enough, but a whole raw chicken, egads! I felt empowered and so accomplished after that. Now, that first batch of chicken noodle soup did take me about 4 hours, and I ate it for probably 19 meals straight, but I made it myself!

A little older and wiser, I've grown up (slightly), and realized that soup is impossibly easy and perfect for fall. Really, you can't mess it up, and clean up is ridiculously simple. A knife, a cutting board, a pot, and do yourself a favor and buy some stock from the grocery store. (wink)

After seeing Shona and her soup recipes, I've been inspired to make my own soup again, and more regularly. I found this recipe for Autumn Minestrone Soup on the Martha Stewart Website. It took 20-30 minutes total, including prep time. It was great, but makes a huge batch -- which was promptly shared with some neighbors!

The only things I did differently was add carrots (I love them), use half the amount of fennel (not a huge fan) and add sherry wine vinegar instead of red wine (I was out). I won't even get into scrounging for extra chicken stock while on the phone with Lisa and nearly having to add the extra Coca Cola in my fridge...



I'm looking for other good (and possibly healthy) recipes. Feel free to direct me somewhere if you're so inclined. And the drawing above, well...I just love making lists and drawing food. But I think you knew that if you're here in the first place. (wink)