Devil's Workshop

Valentine's Cold Process Soap

2011-02-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

This soap used a blend of olive oil (55%), coconut oil (31%) and cocoa butter (14%). I added rhassoul clay (about 1 tablespoon per pound of oil) and a blend of lemon, peppermint and lavender essential oils and a bit of rosemary oleoresin. I used a heart-shaped silicone mold. It smells very nice, but it will need to cure for a few weeks before I can test it out. This is my first batch of soap since moving to California so I'm feeling a bit rusty. I'm looking forward to trying it!

Meet Huntington

2011-02-18T00:08:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve 2010 Tom and I adopted a kitten from our local vet, TLC in South Pasadena. They sometimes have kittens available that staff members have fostered or when shelters have an overflow. We met each of the five kittens they had at the time, and decided to adopt a 6-month old cream tabby male. Because his fur is the color of sand on a California beach, we decided to name him Huntington, largely after Huntington Beach (where all the surfers hang out) but also because when we first met him he was on Huntington Drive. We often shorten his name to Hunter.

As you can see he made himself quite at home.

Because we already had a nearly 5-year-old cat, Rusty, at home, we did a very slow introduction over the course of several weeks. Rusty had been getting lonely as the only cat in the house (up until a few months before Hunter's adoption, we were a three-cat household). Although he doesn't always appreciate Hunter's energy level, Rusty's mood has generally improved since getting another feline companion. Here are a few photos of the two of them together.

Daffodils in February

2011-02-14T17:36:00.001-08:00

These lovely daffodils actually started blooming in our Los Angeles yard in January, but I just got around to taking photos the other day. As a native Midwesterner, it is hard for me to grasp daffodils blooming this early in the year!

Holiday Decorations 2010

2011-01-02T17:33:00.000-08:00

2010 marked the first time we had a Christmas tree. Although Tom and I have now celebrated seven Christmases together, many of them involved travel. This year we celebrated at home with a tree that used to belong to my grandmother.

Since this was our first tree we didn't have too many ornaments. The ones we do have are either hand-made or are souvenirs from places we've visited. Here are two of my favorites that I made this year:

Count Claw

Tom and I (engagement photo)

For these ornaments I used wooden ornaments from Joann Fabrics (about .50 each), acrylic paint, photos, craft glue and gitter. I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out.

Since tinsel is a hazard to cats, we used some purple tulle ribbon that I had to trim the tree. I think it turned out really well. We don't have a tree topper yet so I tied a bow at the top of the tree.

Next year I'm hoping to add some bubble lights to the tree and maybe a vintage-style topper like we had growing up.

What are some of your favorite decorations from this year? Hope you had fantastic holidays!

Handcrafted Christmas: Seashell Ornament

2010-12-09T12:18:00.000-08:00

This ornament was a snap to make. I made it for my step-sister who grew up on an island in Florida. I think it looks pretty and is a nice reminder of a special place. This would also be a nice ornament to commemorate a beach vacation.

Supplies:
-glass ornament ($3.99/4, not on sale at JoAnns)
-two strands of souvenir seashell necklaces
-ribbon

Directions:

Take the lid off the ornament, insert the seashell strands. Replace lid, hang a ribbon on top.

Product Review--Scented Djinn Pink Grapefruit Organic Oil Soap

2010-12-07T18:25:00.000-08:00

Recently I won a contest sponsored by The Scented Djinn over at Oh True Apothecary. The prize was two delicious bars of Justine's Pink Grapefruit Organic Oil Soap. The soap was very strongly and brightly scented. It has a very creamy, smooth lather and is not drying. A lovely soap for the cold winter months! It retails for $6, which is really an excellent price given the quality of the ingredients and the loving care clearly put into the final product. Currently there is an offer for free shipping on orders over $35.

I also received a sample of Parma Natural Botanical Perfume Extrait from the Djinn's Artfire store. It comes in a gorgeous green glass bottle with a glass stopper. The sample was as fantastic as the description sounds.

Definitely shops worth checking out as you go about your holiday shopping.

Fall Leaves Kirigami

2010-12-05T22:25:00.001-08:00

When I saw the beautiful fall leaves kirigami at Zakka Life I had to give it a try. There are four templates available for download and easy instructions to follow. Although I had never heard of kirigami before, it was very similar to making paper snowflake decorations.

For the project I used 12x12 scrapbooking paper that I cut down to the suggested size. I enjoyed the project, and had I found it earlier in the fall, I would have enjoyed making enough of them to decorate our windows or string a garland. Its a project I might return to next year. It definitely helps to have a sharp but small pair of paper scissors on hand for cutting the angles of the leaves.

How to Send Plant Cuttings by Mail

2010-12-04T18:35:00.000-08:00

My mother has a very green thumb. Each year she takes cuttings from one of her wandering jew plants and plants them in the front garden. By the end of the summer, they have gone gangbusters.

Since my mom lives near Chicago, any plants left out after the first frost die off. My mom is always able to grow enough plants indoors to start over outside in the spring, but when possible we like to make cuttings to share with others.

My mother-in-law in New York had been on the hunt for this variety of plant for several months without success. So I decided to send her some cuttings in the mail to transplant.

First, I took the garden clippers and cut some clippings. I wanted to make them reasonably long (sometimes below the first set of leaves) but not too long to fit into a small USPS Priority Mail box.

Then I soaked some paper towels in water and wrapped a soaking wet paper towel around each stem. I then put each stem + paper towel combo in a small plastic baggie (not a ziplock, because I figured they'd need some oxygen).

I then packed them up and shipped them off to upstate New York! I made sure to give each of the ladies at the post office a clipping as well.

They arrived a few days later generally no worse for wear. My mother-in-law repotted and watered them and they have held up nicely.

A few caveats: some states, like California, may have rules against importing cuttings. Also, I sent this during fall when the weather wasn't too hot in any of the states it traveled through, and luckily none of the states had freezing temperatures, but take the weather into consideration before you put plants in the mail.

Photo credit: Final photo courtesy of Margo Downes.

Patch Display Idea--Hat Decoration

2010-11-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

I love collecting decorative patches. They're one of my favorite items to buy as a souvenir when traveling because they are colorful, inexpensive, and don't take up much room in a suitcase. The hardest part for me is deciding how to display my patches.

One of the most common ways to display patches is by affixing them to items such as hats or backpacks. My stepfather had a very old patch with the name of his favorite hangout on it. It originally was on a black hat but the hat wore out a long time ago. When he visited me in the spring, he got a new black hat, and we transferred the patch using fabric glue.

Unfortunately, after about 6 months, the patch started falling off of the hat.

This time I took black embroidery thread and an embroidery needle and sewed the patch to the hat. While you can still see some of the embroidery thread, I think it blends pretty well, and it will be much more secure than it was before.

What is your favorite way to display patches?

Update and Introducing Allergic Gourmet

2010-08-25T18:39:00.000-07:00

Its been very quiet here at the Devil's Workshop over the last year. I've had a number of life changes--including getting married, relocating across country, searching for work in a new location, and others. One of the major changes was being diagnosed with a number of food allergies. This information has been fantastic because I am no longer sick on a daily basis. It has been difficult, however, to transition from a vegetarian diet to one that is free of all dairy, gluten/wheat, soy, legumes, and most nuts. I've started recording my allergy-safe recipes in a new blog, The Allergic Gourmet, hopeful that they will be helpful to others in similar situations.

Meanwhile, I hope to get back to updating Devil's Workshop soon with a refocused emphasis on non-food related topics including crafting and gardening. I've got some fantastic posts in the works. I hope to see you at The Allergic Gourmet and look forward to our continued conversations here!

How To Warm Corn Tortillas

2009-10-06T01:35:00.001-07:00

This summer I made it my quest to find a decent packaged corn tortilla. We tried a number of different brands with varying ingredients, and all of them were disappointing. No matter how fresh the package indicated they were, all of them had a rubbery texture, and many of them crumbled in half when folded for a taco.

Then, my husband suggested we try warming the tortillas. It was as if lighting had struck--I don't know why we hadn't thought of this before!

There are a number of ways you can warm corn tortillas--here are a few in the order of my preference:

1.) Heating in a cast iron skillet. I've had great success with this, and its simple and not very messy. I warm the skillet with a bit of olive oil, and heat each side of the tortilla for 30 seconds - 1 minute depending on how warm it feels and how crispy I want them. As each tortilla is heated, I place them in a stack on a plate, wrapped individually in paper towels to keep the heat in. The paper towels also absorb any excess oil. If you have a tortilla warmer (typically a round burnt-orange plastic container like those seen at restaurants), you can use that as well.

This method greatly improved the taste and texture of the tortillas and they did not fall apart when folded for tacos.

2.) Steaming. This is Chef Rick Bayless' preferred method, and seems like it would be better if you have to heat a large number of tortillas at a time (say, for more than 2 people). Bayless describes the method here.

3.) Toaster Oven. This method is nice if you're warming tortillas for just one person or if you like your tortillas extra crispy.

4.) Microwave. Some cooks like to wrap their tortillas in damp paper towels and then microwave. I have not tried this method but in a pinch I'm sure it would be better than a straight-from-the-fridge tortilla.

In conclusion, if you love corn tortillas but haven't had success with them at home, give warming them a try!

Photo credit: Gringologue

Delicious, Easy Black Beans and Rice Recipe

2009-08-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

Mango Salsa w/Avocado

This is a great weeknight recipe when you want something healthy, cheap, delicious and easy. If you're like me you have most of the ingredients on hand anyways.

Ingredients:
(serves 2-3, can be doubled to serve more)

Beans:

1 can black beans, drained (or can use prepared dry beans)
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 small red chile, diced
1-2 tsp cumin
dash of cayenne pepper
dash of paprika
1 tsp ancho chile powder
fresh or dried cilantro, if desired

Salsa:

2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 mango, diced
spritz of lime juice
diced onion, if desired

Serve with:

avocado wedges
rice or tortillas

Directions: (If you are serving the beans with rice, start the rice first). While the rice is cooking: Mix drained beans with spices and diced peppers. Mash the beans to desired consistency with a potato masher. Heat in a skillet over medium heat. Serve over rice or with tortillas. Enjoy!

Black beans in the pan.

Recipe Review--Pioneer Woman's Stuffed Mushrooms

2009-08-09T16:31:00.001-07:00

Even though I'm not generally a mushroom fan, the Pioneer Woman's Stuffed Mushroom's, Baby recipe called to me. They were quick and easy to make. We didn't have sausage, so I seasoned some carne de soya (dehydrated soy protein crumbles sold at our local grocery, Casa del Pueblo) with fennel and other sausage-like flavors. I enjoyed them, which says something considering I'm not a mushroom fan. My husband enjoyed them as well and finished all the leftovers. They're a bit much for two people, but would make an excellent appetizer for a party or other event. I could see them being a big hit with guys watching football games, for example. Overall, a fantastic recipe.

Recipe Review: Gobi Matar Masala

2009-07-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I tried this recipe for Gobi Matar Masala from Vegan Yum Yum. Gobi Matar Masala is a type of Indian dish with cauliflower, tomatoes and spice. It was inexpensive and relatively easy to follow, but ultimately wasn't very exciting. I don't think I'd make it again.

Pluses:

If you have all the ingredients on hand, you can get dinner on the table relatively quickly.
It is nutritious and inexpensive.
The recipe is not difficult to follow.

Minuses:

The finished product isn't bad, but its not exceptionally tasty either. I much prefer aloo gobi.
The recipe requires a number of spices that novices to Indian cooking may not have on hand (although if you enjoy Indian food, they are worth picking up!).
No real protein source, so may leave you craving something more. Could be OK if served with a hearty grain and a big salad.

Bottom Line:

If it sounds good to you, give it a try! I'll stick with aloo gobi when I get a craving for Indian style cauliflower.

Patty's Favorite Red Beans and Rice

2009-07-16T12:07:00.001-07:00

Earlier this week I made red beans and rice for my Aunt Patty. I knew they'd be safe for her gluten-free diet, but I did not know that they were one of her favorite foods and something she makes nearly every week. She said that our beans were the best, and "better than Popeyes."

I started with this recipe from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen and made a few modifications. Here is the recipe I followed:

Ingredients:

1 pound dry red kidney beans
1 green pepper (chopped)
3 bay leaves
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1-2 tbs freeze dried chopped shallots (fresh are OK too, or can sub onions and/or garlic)
dash of cayenne pepper
2 small red chiles (chopped, seeded)

Directions:
Prepare the beans (either by soaking overnight or by boiling for one minute and then soaking for at least an hour; drain and rinse the beans when done soaking). Put beans in a pot and cover with an additional 2 inches of water, add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer on low for 2-4 hours or longer as needed/desired. Remove bay leaves. If desired, use a stick blender to puree the beans in the pot to a smoother consistency. Serve over rice.

Optional condiments:

fresh cilantro
chopped red onion
tabasco
salt
pepper
chopped fresh tomato

Notes: I really liked the addition of the fresh cilantro. This went really well with a side of homemade vegan/g.f. coleslaw.

Easy Gourmet Trick--Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

2009-07-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite, easy gourmet tricks is to make balsamic vinegar reduction. Its quick, cheap, fun and can really make a difference in your meals. The first time I had balsamic vinegar reduction was served over pumpkin ravioli. Since then, I've used it on roasted root vegetables, and I suspect it would be delicious anywhere you would consider using regular balsamic vinegar (on strawberries, over salad, with avocado, etc.).

To make it, pour some balsamic vinegar into a pot (aim for about twice as much the final volume you would like in syrup), then heat over a medium flame, stirring occasionally, until the vinegar is reduced to a syrup consistency. This doesn't take very long. Some people suggest various additions (brown sugar, salt, butter) as desired, but I like the syrup as-is.

Have you tried making balsamic vinegar reduction before? If so, do you have any tips or favorite variations?

Easy Rhubarb Raspberry Pie Recipe

2009-07-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

I adore rhubarb, and buy it at the Farmer's Market just about every week during its short season. To be sure we have some when its not in season, I like to marinate clean chopped rhubarb in a bit of sugar and keep it in tupperware in the freezer.

This week, I made a delicious, relatively healthy raspberry rhubarb pie with a homemade graham cracker crust.

Ingredients:
Pie:
-1 small package raspberries, rinsed
-1 bunch rhubarb, rinsed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
-1/4 cup white sugar (or more as desired)

Crust:
-approx. 8 oz graham crackers, crushed
-2 tbps butter (or more as desired)

Directions:
To make the crust, I first crushed the graham crackers using the same method that I rely on for Ardelle's Dirt Cake: I place a few graham crackers at a time into a sealed ziplock bag, and smash them either with my hands or a tool such as a rubber mallet. Then, lightly grease the pie dish and arrange the graham cracker crumbles. Melt the butter and drizzle over the graham cracker crust (you may need to mix the crust a little with your fingers to even out the butter distribution).

Then I simply mixed the raspberries, rhubarb and sugar and let them marinate in the fridge for a few hours. I didn't use a lot of sugar, because the berries are sweet and I like the tart tang of rhubarb--but you may prefer more sugar. While the berries/rhubarb were marinating, I also let the crust chill.

Finally, preheat the oven to 375 and bake for 40 mins or so (depending on your oven) until the rhubarb is soft. Enjoy!

Recipe Review: Vegetarian Meatloaf

2009-06-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

My husband recently made this vegetarian meatloaf recipe posted by Flickr's Moonlightbaker. It was fabulous. The only modifications he made were using only 1 kind of veggie crumbles (Boca, I think, whatever our grocer had on hand), and omitting the onion. The green peppers added a really nice flavor/texture, and the glaze on top was outstanding. The leftovers were really terrific as well. Even my omni husband enjoyed it! Definitely a recipe to make again.

How to Make a Dirt Cake

2009-04-30T17:40:00.000-07:00

Dirt cakes were a fixture at just about every birthday party or other celebration my sister and I had growing up. They were hugely popular with us and with our cousins. My grandma, Ardelle, would make them using the recipe below (in her own handwriting).

Recently, I inherited the planter and spade that were dedicated solely to dirt cake. Since my wedding shower was in spring and had a gardening theme (my mother filled about 25 planters with cuttings from her plants as favors!), I decided to try my hand at making a dirt cake to bring to the party.

I have to admit that I didn't follow Ardelle's recipe to the letter. For example, her recipe called for an entire stick of butter and I only used about a tablespoon. I used one package of vanilla pudding and one package of banana because its what my partner brought home from the store--this did give the cake a slight banana flavor but people seemed to really like it. I omitted the Cool Whip (which mysteriously appears in the directions but not the ingredients list) entirely. Also, instead of smashing the Oreos between two sheets of wax paper, I sealed them in a large ziplock bag (a few handfuls at a time) before attacking them with the rolling pin.

Here is the final result:

Complete with gardening spade and flower, exactly as Ardelle would have served it. Although I didn't add any gummy worms, which she liked to do.

While there weren't any children in attendance at the shower, the dirt cake was a universal hit with the guests, and was more popular than any of the other desserts we had. Leftovers, if you have any, hold up well in the fridge for a few days, although you may need to transfer them to a smaller container.

Enjoy, and if you give this recipe a whirl, let me know what you think of it!

In Memory of Ardelle

2009-04-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

Its been quiet for the last few months here at Devil's Workshop Crafts as my grandmother, Ardelle, was ill from a stroke, and much of my free time was spent visiting with her. She passed away just before Easter, at the age of 89.

Here is a eulogy that I wrote and read at her funeral. I think it sums up a lot about who she was and what she meant to me.

This is a pendant I made from the photo above and wore to the wake and the funeral. I purchased the supplies from Collage Stuff if you're interested in making one of your own.

Lastly, here is a link to a recipe I posted a few month's ago for Ardelle's Sweet and Sour Green Beans.

Link Love--Rainbow Swirlz Giveaways

2009-04-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

If you're not familiar with Rainbow Swirlz' Blog, Daily Finds and Giveaways, definitely check them out. Blogger/Etsy store owner Mendy highlights various Etsy store owners through interviews and fabulous giveaways. She also posts tutorials, sales and other items of interest. Through tomorrow you can enter to win a fantastic necklace from Punky Bunny Designs, and there are other contests as well. I've had the good fortune to win a beautiful throw pillow and fun print, so I definitely encourage you to join in the fun!

Recipe Review: Simple Dollar's Homemade Pizza

2009-03-31T19:55:00.000-07:00

When I found Trent's Guide to Making Inexpensive and Delicious Pizza at the Simple Dollar, I had to give it a try. Trent has two young children, and since this is a recipe he makes frequently, I figured that it must really be inexpensive and delicious (as well as hopefully relatively painless).

I am pleased to report that the guide is fantastic, and his recipe is customizable, inexpensive, delicious and easy-to-follow. So far I've made this pizza twice. Each time I've added a number of herbs such as basil, oregano and rosemary to the dough.

Overall, I thought the recipe was terrific. If you are going to use vegetables with a high water content, such as bell peppers, or frozen vegetables, its best to warm them up first in the microwave so you can drain off the water before putting them on the pizza. Also, while Trent recommended pre-baking the crust for about 6 minutes, if you prefer a crisper crust or you oven is difficult to predict, you may wish to pre-bake it a little longer.

As you can tell from the photos, its not imperative that you get the dough rolled out perfectly symmetrically. Once you're done its fairly easy to cut into "normal" looking pieces. Enjoy!

Veggie Side: Asparagus and Brussels Sprouts

2009-03-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

This week I decided to make brussels sprouts for the first time, since I'd never tried them and I generally like related vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. To be safe, I figured that I would mix them with a vegetable I love, asparagus.

First, I halved the sprouts and parboiled them for about 2 minutes. Then, I placed them on a baking sheet and drizzled them with olive oil, salt and pepper. I then roasted them in the toaster oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

While the sprouts were roasting, I washed and chopped the asparagus. I spritzed with olive oil and left to grill on our stove-top grill pan. While the asparagus was grilling, I also chopped a few cloves of garlic, which I quickly sauteed in olive oil.

When all the veggies and garlic were done cooking, I combined in a bowl with some additional salt and pepper. I added 1/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts for protein, crunch and flavor, although you could omit these or substitute another kind of nut if you prefer.

Although the results were definitely edible, I did prefer the asparagus pieces to the brussels sprouts pieces. If you're in the mood to turn this into a main dish instead of a side, add some whole wheat pasta and fresh chopped basil for a veggie-pesto-pasta dish.

Low Fat Crustless Vegetarian Skillet Quiche

2009-03-30T13:13:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Whatever veggies you have on hand (I used broccoli, carrots, tomatoes and red, yellow and green bell peppers).
6 eggs
Cheese if desired (I added a few pieces of pepper jack).

Directions:

Dice veggies and add to lightly greased skillet, saute. Turn on broiler. In a separate container, whip the eggs together (can add milk, cream, chives, salt and/or pepper if desired). Pour eggs over vegetables in skillet. Once the bottom of the eggs has set, add cheese if desired and place under broiler for a few minutes until eggs are cooked to desired consistency. Enjoy!

Recipe pros: Quick, uses up veggies, low-fat/low carb.
Recipe cons: Not as fun as other skillet recipes. Would have been better with some potatoes or a crust!

Ardelle's Sweet and Sour Greenbeans

2009-03-21T07:10:00.000-07:00

As a vegetarian, I've shied away from a number of my German grandmother's favorite foods and recipes. One tried-and-true recipe that I've always adored, however, is her sweet and sour greenbeans. These are a snap to make, and keep well in the fridge.

Ingredients:
-3/4 cup of white vinegar
-3/4 cup of water
-3/4 cup of sugar
-1 can of french cut greenbeans*, drained
-chopped onions, if desired

*Note: Fresh peeled and sliced cucumbers can be substituted for the greenbeans.

Directions:
Combine vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan. Heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Combine with greenbeans (or cucumbers) and onions if desired. Refrigerate, serve chilled. This lasts a long time in the refrigerator and is better if made a day or two ahead of serving.

Recipe Review: Homemade Girl Scout Cookies: Samoas Bars

2009-03-20T18:53:00.000-07:00

Recently, Baking Bites, a fantastic baking blog, has posted a series of recipes for making your own Girl Scout cookies. When I saw a recipe for Samoas bars, I had to give it a whirl. (If you prefer more authentic looking Samoas, there are instructions for that too.)

The recipe was fairly straightforward, and aside from the coconut and caramels did not require anything I wouldn't otherwise have on hand. Unwrapping each individually-wrapped caramel took a long time, and next time I would consider making my own caramel sauce. Toasting the coconut was a snap, and I was able to do it at the same time that the shortbread cookie base was baking.

I liked that the recipe had a number of helpful reminders/tips throughout (stop and stir the chocolate frequently when melting, use parchment paper and a wire cooling rack, a ziplock with a hole in a corner can be used as a pipette, etc.) I think it would have gone more smoothly had I followed the directions more closely and waited for each stage to cool completely, but I was impatient and rushed and the cookies turned out mostly OK (a little crumbly, and not as pretty as the Baking Bites ones, but still delicious.)

I definitely recommend this recipe for Samoas fans and will be making it again. If you've never had a Samoa, but love toasted coconut, caramel, and/or shortbread, I'd give it a whirl.

Make Your Own Caramel Sauce

2009-03-19T07:06:00.000-07:00

If you're a caramel lover, few things are as gratifying as making your own caramel sauce. I like to make mine using part of a recipe for Grandma Ople's Apple Pie.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water

Directions:

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add sugars and water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

While this sauce is fantastic on apple pie, as in the original recipe, it would also be amazing served warm over ice cream or as a dip for fresh cut fruit.

Mulled Wine

2009-03-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

Mulled wine can be a quick and easy treat on a winter evening. Since last Friday was the final Friday of winter, I decided to make some to enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 750 ml bottle red wine (inexpensive wine is OK)
one orange
mulling spices (I used Penzey's mulling spices mix, but you can use a combination of cloves, cinnamon sticks, allspice, cardamom, mace and/or nutmeg.)

Directions: Pour wine into large pot. Squeeze juice of one orange into pot. Add mulling spices (Penzey's: 1 tbs per bottle) to taste. Simmer on low for 25 minutes. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Vegan Pho

2009-03-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

Having never made pho before, I started by reviewing the recipes here and here.

Based on what we had on hand, this is the recipe I followed:

Ingredients:
Broth:
1/4 white onion
8 cloves garlic
dash of dried shallots
dash of ginger
dash of cinnamon
2 pods star anise
5 cloves
8 cups vegetable stock
3 tbs soy sauce

Soup:
1 pkg extra firm tofu, fried
1 pkg rice noodles (I used mung bean noodles)

Toppings:
crushed peanuts
basil
cilantro
lime wedges
chili paste

Directions:
Heat large pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, and spices and dry roast, stirring occasionally until vegetables begin to char. Add stock and soy sauce and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes. Strain solids out with slotted spoon and discard.

While broth is simmering, fry tofu and set aside. Prepare rice noodles according to directions.

When soup is ready, divide tofu and noodles among the bowls. Ladle hot broth into the bowls. Serve with platter of toppings (spices, lime wedges, etc.). Enjoy!

Aloo Gobi

2009-01-25T18:48:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Indian foods is Aloo Gobi, a delicious mix of potatoes, cauliflower and spices. It is delicious served with naan or rice. When searching for an aloo gobi recipe, I was thrilled to come across Manjula's Kitchen. Manjula is a grandmother who relocated to the U.S. from India and who blogs her authentic Indian vegetarian recipes. Her aloo gobi recipe is here, and, like many of her recipes, includes a video.

I followed the recipe as closely as I could, omitting a few ingredients such as mango powder which I didn't have. It turned out delicious and the leftovers held up nicely. Definitely check Manjula out!

In Search of Sweet Potato Pie

2008-12-15T21:51:00.000-08:00

I have fond memories of sweet potato pie from my college days. The ladies at the campus cafeteria downtown made an excellent sweet potato pie that I would treat myself to on dismal winter days. It was thick, rich and substantial. Not too sweet, but definitely not bland. Very satisfying. And way better than pumpkin pie.

Its been awhile since I've made sweet potato pie at home, so I decided to start with what seemed to be a tried and true recipe from All Recipes. Although I followed the basics of the recipe, I made the following modifications:

I used four small sweet potatoes instead of one large one. Using one sweet potato to me is like using a single clove of garlic--why bother?
I used 3/4 a stick of butter instead of a whole stick.
I subbed 1/2 of the white sugar with brown sugar.
I used soy milk instead of regular milk.
I used a store bought graham cracker crust. I love these and almost always prefer them to a "real" crust.

The resulting pie was tasty, but a bit too airy and mushy for my tastes. Even though I had enough filling for each slice of pie to seem substantial, it lacked the heft and weight I was after. I think next time I might try subbing sweetened condensed milk for regular milk. Any other suggestions for baking a killer sweet potato pie?

Herbed Cheese Biscuits

2008-12-13T14:39:00.000-08:00

What's soup without homemade bread? So, after making the split pea soup, I decided to try Herbed Cheese Biscuits as described on Pinch My Salt. I followed the basic recipe, using a combination of parsley and basil for the dry herbs, and I added a chopped green onion. I used cheddar for the cheese and low-fat sour cream for the sour cream. As you can see, I cut the biscuits into triangles using a knife.

The recipe didn't take very long to make, and the dough was very easy to work with. The mustard powder and parsley gave the biscuits a pleasing color, and the texture was what you would want from a biscuit. Overall, I was a bit disappointed with them--I thought they were too bland and would have benefited from some garlic. My partner liked them better than I did, although also commented that the texture was good but the taste was missing something.

Next time, I think I'll stick with Rasa Malaysia's Cheddar Bay Biscuits.

Split Pea Soup

2008-12-12T20:33:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Happy Herbivore's recipe as well as the cold weather, last week I made up a big pot of split pea soup. The recipe I followed is this:

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1/3 white onion, chopped
Salt
Pepper
8 cups water
7 cubes veggie bouillion
1 lb bag split green peas
1 potato, cubed
3 handfuls of baby carrots, cubed

I rinsed and sorted the peas and sauteed the onions, shallots and garlic before adding to the soup pot. Otherwise I just threw everything in the pot and simmered on low for about 1.5 hours. Once it was cooked I blended with a stick blender until the large chunks of potato and carrot had turned more into flecks (but the soup was not completely pureed.). It was very hearty and tasty and the leftovers have been delicious as well. This was also very inexpensive to make (the entire pot cost about $3.00 in new ingredients since I had the bouillion and most of the veggies on hand). Especially nice when served with fresh ground pepper and paprika sprinkled on top.

A Sign You Need to Organize Your Kitchen

2008-12-12T15:56:00.000-08:00

I *just* realized we have a whisk attachment for our stick blender.

We've had said blender since I think *last* Christmas.

Fried Eggs--Its Easier Than You Think!

2008-12-11T18:00:00.000-08:00

Fried eggs were always a bit of a mystery to me. I'd start out with good intentions, but invariably break the yolk and end up with scrambled eggs. Or worse, I'd burn the whites.

Until I was clued in to this really simple method by Cook's Illustrated. The main things I was doing wrong? 1.) Not using a cover! and 2.) Feeling like I had to flip the egg.

Since we're on the topic of fried eggs, I highly recommend the also easy, fun and very delicious egg in a hole. The Pioneer Woman has a mouth-watering pictorial recipe here.

Chicago Craft Fair--DEPART-ment

2008-12-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

DEPART-ment's December show opens tonight at the AV-aerie, 2000 w. fulton. Over 125 artists and craftspeople are participating this month, so its a terrific opportunity to see what's going on and to buy local, hand-made holiday gifts. Visit the DEPART-ment site for a full list of participating craftspeople.

The show is cash only and runs through Sunday.

Vegetarian Peanut Noodles--Sauce Photos

2008-12-04T20:18:00.000-08:00

Here's a pictorial that shows how the peanut sauce in the vegetarian peanut noodles comes together.

Step one: Throw the ingredients in the pan.

Here's the sauce on top of the pasta once everything in the sauce was heated through and combined (although it looks unappetizing at this stage this is what the sauce looks like when its ready):
And lastly, the finished noodles.

Enjoy!

Home Remedies--Eucalyptus Oil for Colds

2008-12-04T19:56:00.000-08:00

After a week and a half battle with a cough, my partner was diagnosed today with pneumonia. Fortunately he's feeling better than he has been, and I haven't caught it from him (knock on wood). Yesterday I diffused a combination of eucalyptus and lemon essential oils into the air to help fight the infection.

Eucalyptus oil is believed to act as an expectorant and a decongestant, so it is particularly beneficial in treating coughs. It is reputed to help generate lung tissue and has been used as a traditional remedy for asthma, bronchitis, colds and other ailments. It is at once antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral. Lemon oil is both refreshing and antiseptic.

Like other essential oils, eucalyptus oil and lemon oil can be applied in a variety of ways, including topical application to the skin if diluted in a carrier oil such as jojoba or sweet almond oil. I chose to diffuse the oil into the air so that it would benefit both of us as well as clean the air in our apartment. However, all three of our cats were staying at my mother's. Had the cats been home I most likely would have chosen a more direct form of application as essential oils which are safe to humans can be toxic to pets. Cats, especially, are sensitive to many components of essential oils. One book I highly recommend to learn more about essential oil safety and pets is Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals.

If you'd rather not subject your entire home to the aroma of eucalyptus, another way to benefit is to put a few drops of the oil in a bowl of steaming water. Cover your head with a towel, and lean over the bowl so that you are effectively in a tent with the water and inhale the steam for 5-10 minutes.

Recipe Review--Post Punk Kitchen Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-11-24T18:53:00.000-08:00

I was drawn in by this recipe for chocolate chip cookies at the Post Punk Kitchen (PPK), and decided to give it a whirl.

I followed the recipe fairly closely--I used olive oil instead of canola because we didn't have canola, and soy milk instead of almond milk. I did not use tapioca flour, again because I didn't have it, although I read later that I could have probably substituted corn starch for it. I may have used slightly more chocolate chips than originally called for, as I was just finishing up a bag.

The cookies turned out pretty well, and looked remarkably like the ones on the PPK blog. The chewy texture was nice and even my partner, who does not like chocolate, enjoyed them. During the baking process, the greasiness of the dough was overwhelming--it was hard to escape just how much oil went into this recipe. If you're looking for a decent vegan chocolate chip recipe, I would recommend this one, but if you're a vegetarian or omnivore, I would recommend a recipe that uses butter and eggs instead. Halfway through the recipe I found myself asking why I was making these vegan cookies when I had butter and eggs in the fridge. Overall, it was nice to have some cookies on hand and the adventure served as a reminder that vegan isn't always better for vegetarians.

College Newspaper Collages

2008-11-17T20:46:00.000-08:00

I worked at the student newspaper throughout college as both a writer and an editor, and have been saving a huge stack of papers from that time period. As part of my ongoing efforts to declutter, I decided to create some collages of some of the papers and get rid of most of the rest (I do have separate photocopies of some of my favorite articles, cartoons, etc.) The collages represent a variety of my favorite articles, headlines, ads, etc., and will hopefully be better appreciated than a stack of papers in the file cabinet.

Weeknight Cheater Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole

2008-11-07T17:52:00.000-08:00

I love a good sweet potato casserole. When else is a vegetable practically a dessert? Plus, I find that its just as delicious as a cold leftover as it is warm fresh out of the oven.

However, the thought of roasting sweet potatoes and spending lots of time on the topping makes them seem an unlikely candidate for a weeknight dinner. Until I decided to try a weeknight cheater version.

Instead of baking the sweet potatoes, I pierced each one a few times with a fork and microwaved until they were done (my microwave has a potato setting, if yours doesn't, you can try 2-3 minutes at a time). While the potatoes were cooling a bit, I preheated the oven and gathered my topping ingredients. I scooped each of the sweet potatoes out of its shell and mashed a bit with a fork before placing in the pie dish. Then, I topped with sweet corn flake cereal (Trader Joe's honey bunches of oats type) which I crushed with my hands and some pre-crushed baking walnuts. I zapped some butter in the microwave to melt it and stirred some brown sugar into the butter before drizzling over the top. Then I baked for 20 mins at 350. Pretty easy, and very worth the minimal effort.

*PS--isn't the spoon rest adorable? I got it from Texas Ceramics on Etsy (texasceramics.etsy.com).

Weeknight Cheater Recipes

2008-11-06T16:44:00.000-08:00

Since I plan on running quite a few of them, I thought I should say a word about what I'm calling "Weeknight Cheater Recipes." These are recipes that are about as healthy as what I'd make on a weekend, but involve a few cut corners. They don't involve all of the steps that I would perform in an ideal world, but they get a decent meal on the table when time is limited. Let me know what you think and if you have suggestions!

Vegetarian Peanut Noodles

2008-10-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
-2/3 cup peanut butter
-2 cloves garlic
-1/2 cup water
-2 tbsp sesame oil (can sub olive oil if needed)
-4 tbs soy sauce
-1 thumb ginger
-1/2 lime juice
-crushed red pepper
-black pepper
-pasta: 1 package udon noodles (10 oz) (can sub rice noodles or linguine)
-1 onion, chopped
-more garlic
-carrots, chopped, shredded or diced
-broccoli, chopped
-red bell pepper, chopped
-1 container extra firm tofu

Optional toppings: chopped peanuts, scallions, sesame seeds

Directions: Boil noodles as directed on package. While noodles are boiling, chop tofu into pieces of desired size and pan fry with olive oil until golden. Set tofu aside, add more oil to pan and sautee the remaining vegetables. Separately, mix peanut butter, chopped garlic, water, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, lime juice, crushed red pepper and black pepper in a sauce pan until heated through. Combine all ingredients. You can play around with the amount of sauce and vegetables to your taste.

Editors notes:

I'm not a tofu person, but I don't mind it at all when fried as above and broken into fairly small pieces. That way I view it as part of the sauce. If the tofu chunks are too big I just eat around them, and that defeats the purpose.
This recipe made fantastic leftovers, but I'd probably omit broccoli next time because the broccoli seems to take much longer to heat than the rest of the dish. And a cold bite of broccoli is no fun. Additional veggies can be added as desired.
If you don't use ginger frequently, you can keep some in your freezer for use in dishes like this.
We were out of lime so I used lemon with no ill effects.
Both the broccoli and peppers I used had been frozen and turned out fine. A nice way to save on chopping/prep time!
I used the same pan for the sauce, tofu and vegetables to minimize clean up time. As the tofu and vegetables finished I put them in my serving dish for tossing later with the pasta and sauce.

Banana Rum Bread Pudding

2008-10-19T19:59:00.000-07:00

I started with Martha Stewart's recipe here. Below is the recipe I actually followed, my own modifications included:

Ingredients:
-2 tbs butter
-1.5 cups soy milk
-3 eggs
-3/4 cup brown sugar (dark)
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 tsp vanilla
-2 tbs dark rum
-3 bananas sliced into approx. 1/4 inch thick rounds
-leftover/"stale" bread (we used both white and wheat, whatever needed to be used up).

Directions:
Heat oven to 325. Fill baking pan with 1/2 inch of water (my ramekins were large so I needed to do this to two baking pans). Whisk together soy milk, eggs, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, salt, vanilla and rum. Butter 4 six-ounce ramekins.

Sprinkle a bit of sugar into each ramekin. Put a single layer of banana slices in each ramekin. Put down a layer of bread. Pour half of the liquid mixture among the ramekins. Divide the remaining banana among the ramekins and sprinkle each with a bit of brown sugar. Top with remaining bread. Pour remaining liquid over ramekins. Press to soak bread. *I used more bread than the original recipe called for so I whipped up about 1/3 of the liquid recipe above extra, not measuring exactly but going by feel to make sure each ramekin was soaked enough. Top with a dab of butter and a sprinkle of sugar.

Cover ramekins loosely with foil, place in baking pans with water and bake for 30 minutes. Bake for another 30 mins. uncovered. Let cool.

Gowumpki/Cabbage Roll Casserole

2008-10-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

I've been craving Polish gowumpki/cabbage rolls, and I happened to have cabbage leftover from making cole slaw earlier in the week. I didn't think I'd have the energy on a weeknight to actually make cabbage rolls, so I was excited to find a recipe for gowumpki casserole here. The recipe I actually followed, including my modifications in italics, is below:

Ingredients:

1 head cabbage, chopped or shredded
1 onion, chopped (I changed this to two onions)
(I added 3 cloves garlic)
1 pound ground beef, browned (I subbed 4 vegetarian beer brats, crumbled, for the beef)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup cooked rice
2 cups tomato sauce
grated cheese

Layer bottom of pan with 1/2 of the cabbage. (I sauteed the onion, garlic, and veggie sausage before constructing the casserole). Add filling of onion, ground beef (veggie sausage), salt, pepper, rice mixed together. Pour 1 c tomato sauce over all. Add another layer of cabbage. Pour remaining tomato sauce over top, and grated cheese, if desired. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F. Serves 4 - 6.

I thought it could have used maybe 1/2 cup more rice. When I put it together I worried that there wasn't enough tomato sauce to keep it moist, so I covered the glass baking pan with some aluminum foil to keep the steam in, and it worked beautifully.

For the tomato sauce, I used up the tomatoes we had on the counter. I chopped them up and then blended with a stick blender until liquified. Then I simmered for about 10 minutes with some green peppers that had been chopped and stuck in the freezer for something like this, and added a bit of crushed red pepper, basil and oregano. Worked like a charm.

Overall, this was a fairly easy dish, and it was delicious and hearty. I was pleased to be able to use up some produce that might otherwise have gone to waste. Definitely would make this again!

Recipe Review--Spanish Slaw (Mary Ann Valdez, Allrecipes.Com)

2008-07-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

Spanish Slaw recipe on Allrecipes.com

I was desperate for a good vegan cole slaw recipe, and this fit the bill. It was tricky to find one without mayonnaise, but I can't stand mayonnaise on hot summer days. This recipe works well either with cabbage chopped by hand or pre-shredded cole slaw mix. I omit the pimientos because I never have them on hand. The resulting slaw is tangy and flavorful without being too sweet. Its so yummy I've been making it once a week (it takes hardly any time at all and makes a terrific side dish). The cabbage is full of vitamins and fiber and there's very little fat or sugar so its a pretty healthy treat. Enjoy the recipe, and comment if you try it or have a slaw recipe you'd like to share!