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Back in September, we went home to Utah for my sisters wedding. Early one morning she snuck in to take a picture of Henry & I sleeping. It was a chilly September morning and we were huddled close, keeping each other warm. Henry’s now moved into his own room, but boy, I sure miss co-sleeping. He co-slept with us for 2 1/2 years. We still get snuggle time in when we take naps together, but he’s growing up and these times are now replaced by a new found Independence. A new bed. A new room. He wants to sleep in there now, don’tcha’know?? Where there is an igloo tent, flashlights and hiding under covers. That’s much funner than Mama’s room, anyway. I just weaned him, too after 2 1/2 years of nursing, which I think we were both ready for. I only second guess myself when he see’s me naked and starts jumping up at me like a little puppy, making slurping noises, trying to get to ‘the non-existent milk.’ He thinks it’s pretty funny. A new baby is on the way and it was time (by the way, i LOVED this post on nursing. Brilliant.) Lots of changes going on ’round these parts.

What I also love: An afternoon at the Getty Villa (thanks for hanging out, too Heidi and baby Teddy.) No, it wasn’t raining, but the  big basket of umbrella’s were just too temping for a certain 2 1/2 year old.
There he goes. Mr. Independent.

My brother called to say that he was cleaning out his storage unit and came across a bunch of old high-school art projects of mine. He called to see if I wanted them. Eeek. I didn’t even know what he had and I honestly didn’t want any of them. So, when we met for New Years in St. George he brought them with him. We had a good laugh about the one I had drawn of Chris & I back when I was 16 or so (and an even greater laugh that Chris’ hair was twice the length of mine! ‘Which one is the girl??’) Back in high school, I was reading a lot of fashion magazines and loved Christy Turlington, although I think Linda Evangelista was one of my favorites. This one is done in pencil and I think I did it when I was 16 or so. That was 15 years ago. Gads! I used to do a lot of portraits- but I think the last one I did was 3 or 4 years ago.
I think I mentioned before on the blog, that I went through a major James Dean phase in High School. I actually think it started in Jr. High. James Dean was the subject of many, many art projects.  This one  was done with ink- not ink from a pen but you know that black ink that calligraphers use.. I can’t think of what is called. Clearly it’s been a long time since I’ve used it. Those are the words of a Yaz song scribbled in the background. (You must watch that awesome Yaz clip. Hilarious.) Now I’ve got a hankering for some Yaz and Alison Moyet (her solo stuff is so good.)

This one is done was done in…acrylic? oil? I can’t remember which. More James Dean. So funny.


And the last one- this was done with watercolor and more of that black inky stuff. I honestly don’t really remember doing this one- just vaguely.

Anyway- thanks for the trip down memory lane, Matt. These are being tossed today (I mean really, what on earth am I going to do with them??) So, go and paint something or use that stinky black inky stuff! LOL!

xoxo

On the Upper West Side of New York City, there’s a wonderful little cafe called Popover’s. We used to go there for brunch whenever we were in the city for the weekend.  It was the first time I had ever been introduced to popover’s and I really loved their wonky shape and of course, the strawberry butter that was served with them.  Shortly after, I got my own pan and started making popovers at home.  Popover’s can be a little tricky when making them so I’ve added a few tips at the bottom of the recipe that you’ll want to take a look at (that is if you want to make them.) On a side note, another one of our favorite brunch places in NYC is Sarabeth’s. They are on Amsterdam as well, just south of Popovers. They make fabulous jam that you can also purchase a places like Williama Sonoma. Totally worth checking out.

Popovers
2 C  Flour
1 tsp Salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 C milk, room temperature

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients. Combine, being sure not to over mix. Heat oven to 450. Once the oven is heated, place popover pan (empty) into the oven to heat for 5-10 minutes. Remove, and grease popover cups with butter or oil. Fill 1/2- 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 30 minutes. Yields roughly a dozen popovers.

Some tips to remember: make sure that milk and eggs are room temperature. Don’t open the oven while the popovers are cooking or they’ll come out flat.  If you use skim or fat free milk, decrease the oven temp by 25 degrees and take a few minutes off the cooking time.

A few years ago I remember making some that I think had cheese or something in them. Chris was saying today how good it would be to put some cheese and ham in the middle, which we may have to try. You can also just sprinkle cheese on top of the batter prior to  placing in the oven. Popover pans can be purchased here or here. I’m just now realizing that I think I have the mini-pan (which still makes a good sized popover). I feel like I’ve been living a lie. The ones they serve at the cafe are gynormous so I’m quite sure they use a larger pan. I’ve also heard of people making these in muffin tins, which I’ve never tried so you are on your own on that one.

The ingredients for popovers are pretty basic, which means they aren’t super flavorful, which is why you’ll want to make some yummy raspberry butter to go with (don’t worry there will be no churning involved.) Popovers in NYC serves theirs with strawberry butter which is delicious, but I’m more of a raspberry gal, so I made raspberry instead. Super simple, super easy:

Raspberry Butter
1 stick  (1/4 lb) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 C raspberry preserves
2 Tbsp powdered sugar

Place in mixer and beat until well combined. Return to refrigerator to help set. Try to resist eating by the spoonful.


They are really light and airy inside, perfect for brunch or afternoon tea (not that I do that kind of thing or anything…)


There was challah french toast for breakfast- simply because I could not stop thinking about it since my last post. Chris & Henry were promptly sent to the local bakery this morning to pick up a loaf. You don’t actually think I made that myself, do you? I’m only one woman, you know.

Did anyone catch the new Barefoot Contessa episodes? It looks like she’s moved or purchased another home. She didn’t even call…. I was just left there feeling all sorts of confused (and secretly trying to dream up a way that we could become best friends so she’d invite me to her new digs.)

Happy Weekend!

xoxo

Wow- it’s 2008!! I have to say, towards the end of 2007, I just couldn’t wait for it to be over! It gets to be a bit overwhelming sometimes, doesn’t it? All the holiday mumbo-jumbo. We didn’t get around to sending out our annual Christmas cards, but I’m not allowing myself to feel an ounce of guilt about it. There were other things we didn’t get to, but it was okay and we had a great time with my in-laws.


We decided to high-tail it up to St. George, Utah to ring in the new year with our favorite Boston gal-pal, Jill and my brother who came down from Provo. Chris and I spent the entire drive quoting the "Bowie" episode from Flight of the Conchords. "It’s not Jermaine. It’s 1972 David Bowie from the Ziggy Stardust tour," and "No, I’m David Bowie" (doing both in our very best accents.) ‘Wear the eye patch Bret, wear the funky, funky eye patch.’ I’m crushing on Bret. I digress. So Zion National Park was be-au-ti-ful! I can’t believe that I lived in Utah for 12 years and never made it down there. My Mother later told us that our great-grandfather (??) helped to build this mile-long tunnel and our great-grandmother (??) was the first woman to go through on horseback in the 1920’s. Something like that. I probably should get all the facts right before I go off sounding like a big juicy liar.

New Years Eve was fun, fun, fun. There was Chet Baker on iTunes. There was chili. There was a cheese ball. There was heartburn (me, mostly) and pounds. Pounds were gained. Ticket to ride, Scattergories and a card game whose name has escaped me….Bangladesh?…no Shanghai. Yes- it was Shanghai. Ever played it before? It was heaps of fun. We paused just long enough to turn on the tv, watch the ball drop and get back to the serious game playing. We had a ball. Thanks, Jill (and Souliers- it was so fun to see you, too! Go Boston 2!)
Everytime the new year rolls around, I always get a hankering to make rugelach. I honestly don’t make it any other time of year. The new year just makes me want to invite friends over for  Saturday brunch and get out the spring-time tablecloths (I know, I’m way ahead of myself here but it’s been a ‘balmy’ 70 degrees here in LA.) I just want to make challah french toast and pop-overs and lemon curd (okay thats going to be it’s very own post.) If you haven’t made rugelah, give it a try. It’s a yummy cream-cheese dough that you roll out into a circle, like a pizza. Spread your favorite preserves (raspberry for me) sprinkle some cinnamon sugar and nuts and roll it up starting with the wide end. In general I’m not a big fruit/nut fan but these are good. I want to experiment with maybe putting some nutella down instead of preserves and then sprinkling the cinnamon/sugar stuff and topping with nuts. ".10 cents gets ‘ya nuts." (there was a lot of that over the holiday, too.) So I’ll let you  know how that turns out. When I make it again. In 2009.

One of the things that I wanted to do for the holidays was make Henry some new jammies. 2 days before Christmas, it just wasn’t going to happen. And I guess that since no one keeled over as a direct result, it was a wise choice. We went out on a date Saturday night (it should be noted that I don’t think I’ve been in a movie theater for nearly a year- and Chris and I can’t remember if we went on a date in 2007. Maybe one? Pathetic. We saw ‘Juno‘ which I desperately wanted to love, but meh. It was just ok.) Our good friends said they could watch Henry for us, which he was thrilled about. He was keen on the idea of going over to his best-buddy Shea’s house, but not so keen on the idea of having to go to sleep there, so I decided to make them a matching pair of jammies, you know in hopes of masquerading the ‘you have to go to sleep there’ for the ‘it’s so cool- you have matching jam-jam’s! That’s gonna be so fun!!’ Matchy-matchy, green squared. It worked. To ensure there would be no mix-up’s on said jammies,  I put each of their initials on the bottom of the leg.

I can’t lie, he was so proud and so adorable. I was proud too, and loved how they turned out. I got a little lazy when it came to the hemming-situation. You know the whole ‘press under 1/4" and then fold 1". I hate doing that, so I had Henry try them on, measured, cut and then sewed on a thick binding. I’m all into the zig-zag stitch right now. So easy, easy, easy. I think I’m going to make all his jammies this way, plus I really like the red at the bottom. I threw them in the wash today and the felt initial and binding held up great.

JoAnn was having a killer deal on flannel the weekend before Christmas so I stocked up. Henry has 4 more pair of jammies coming his way. Plus, you know, flannel starts to get all weird in grungy in no time at all, so it will be good to have a few extra pair hanging around.

Well, folks, that’s the last 2 weeks of my life in a nutshell.  Pregnancy is going well. Having a ton of pelvic and tail bone pain thankyouverymuch. Man, isn’t that just. the. worst? I’ve eaten my weight in tums. I should make a heart-shaped tart out of that stuff for Valentines Day. Seriously going to get on that right now.

I just wanted to say thanks for reading this little blog of mine and for being so genuine and helpful and sweet and supportive.  You guys are the best. I’d wrap my arms around you and give you a big squeeze if I could.  Thank you, thank you. 2007 was mostly crappy so thanks for helping me pull my head out.

In the wise, wise words of  my sister, "2008 is going to kick 2007’s trash!"

xoxo

This is Henry’s little Christmas tree which sits on his nightstand next to his bed. The ornaments are a collection of thrifted ones  that are all wooden and folksy. Grandma gave him these and they are my fav’s:
You can’t go wrong with mushroom ornaments, right??
The paper-whites are blooming and I’m in heaven. I‘ve been sniffing them like I’m some sort of coke addict or something. I just love how they smell. They take me right back to our little home in Boston. I eeked out Henry’s gumdrop/gingerbread garland just in time:

It’s draped on his headboard and I guess could double as food storage or a midnight snack should the occasion arise. My in-laws are in town and I’ve just about finished their stockings:
Hmm,…what else?There will most definitely be lots of nog:

The Bing Crosby and Johnny Mathis records are in full rotation and one of our big traditions is to watch "It’s a Wonderful Life" which will be starting soon (while Papa and Grandpa set up the train table.) Christmas breakfast will be quiche and of course, Aebleskiver’s (which are a big tradition ’round these parts, too)

Henry opened up his first present tonight which was an electric train from Grandma and Grandpa that pretty much sent him into cardiac arrest. He’s donning his new dropseat jammies and currently decorating gingerbread houses with Grandma (sure it’s 9 pm but we don’t care.) We are so happy and grateful for these simple joys, and so happy they have come to spend Christmas with us.

Merry Christmas! May all your New Year Dreams come true!

I’ll be back on the blog after the new year.

xoxo

I had to make an executive decision last night to fore-go  cleaning up Henry’s trains or folding laundry or digging out the enormous ‘mallow that somehow wedged itself in Henry’s sleeve when I was taking his shirt off.  Oh yes. That was all gonna wait. I rolled out the dough that I made last week, ignoring the ‘do not refrigerate for longer than 2 days’ recommendation on the recipe and started cutting out little snowmen and reindeer and trees (don’t be fooled- they were a royal pain in the backside to assemble and try to get to stand up). While those were chilling/baking I finally got around to finishing the glittery papery trees.
Only the red & white leaves had been cut and properly dipped in mod podge and then glitter, it was the other two that needed to be started from the beginning.
So I sat, and traced leaves and caught up on about 4 days worth of TiVo. Then there was dipping and glittering and drying. And then the realization there were not enough leaves to finish, so back  to the couch and to my fresca and TiVo and tracing and cutting and later glittering and drying and applying. I really liked the  repetitiveness of it all. Mindless. It wasn’t something that took too much thought or attention. I’m so happy with how they turned out.

This morning a pair of reindeer legs mysteriously broke in half (too close on the counter for inquisitive little hands) so we have 3 reindeer instead of 4- which is fine by me. Henry wanted to eat all of them, so we decided to make some gingerbread boys of our own. It started out so innocently:
A little gingerbread here, a little flour there. And then he asked for his Christmas train.
And then it started snowing. Snowing flour. Everywhere. Until things eventually ended up like this:

We had a fun, fun morning together. It kept us busy for at least a good hour. I highly recommend letting it ‘snow flour’ at your house this holiday season. Everybody’s doing it.

xoxo

I had to make an executive decision last night to fore-go  cleaning up Henry’s trains or folding laundry or digging out the enormous ‘mallow that somehow got stuck in Henry’s sleeve when I was getting him ready for bed. Oh no. That was all gonna wait. I rolled out the dough that I made last week, ignoring the ‘do not refrigerate for longer than 2 days’ recommendation on the recipe and started cutting out little snowmen and reindeer and trees. While those were chilling/baking I finally got around to finishing the glittery papery trees.
Only the red & white leaves had been cut and properly dipped in modge podge and then glitter, it was the other two that needed to be started from the beginning. So I sat, and traced leaves and caught up on about 4 days worth of TiVo. Then there was dipping and glittering and drying. And then the realization there were not enough leaves to finish, so back  to the couch and to my fresca and TiVo and tracing and cutting and later glittering and drying and applying. I really liked the  repetitiveness of it all. Mindless. It was great. Didn’t really have to pay too much attention to exactly what I was doing.
This morning a pair of reindeer legs mysteriously broke in half (too close on the counter for inquisitive little hands) so we have 3 reindeer instead of 4- which is fine by me. Henry wanted to eat all of them, so we decided to make some gingerbread boys of our own.

It all started out so innocently:

A little gingerbread here, a little flour there.

And then it started snowing. Snowing flour. Everywhere.


We had a fun, fun morning together. It kept him busy for at least a good hour. I highly recommend letting it ‘snow flour’ at your house this holiday season. Everybody’s doing it.

xoxo

Wow. We are so totally beyond thrilled! Henry kept saying that he wanted to have a ‘baby Nora’ just like Richard & Betsey’s brand new baby, and now well, it looks like we are going to. Happy, happy, joy, joy!

So umm, rumor around town is that some of you just might be interested in the ancient Chinese secret of the ‘mallows?? First, know this: It isn’t ancient nor Chinese, but I’ll share it with you anyway (I just keep giving until it hurts.) First off, there are a ton of recipes out there. About a month or two ago, I saw the Barefoot Contessa making some toasted coconut ones (which I am going to have to try next)  and  I’ve found that a lot of the recipes online are pretty much the same, with ingredient amounts varying depending on how many each recipe will make. A good one that I like can be found here for basic vanilla marshmallows. The great thing is that she’s formatted the recipe into a .pdf (which is found at the top of her entry just click the link.) So instead of adding vanilla, just add peppermint but wait until the ‘mallows are almost done mixing so you can taste it to see if the flavors are right. Her recipe also calls for rice flour- which we skipped completely- just make sure you have lot’s of confectioners sugar- it does the trick magically! And the swirly-swirls?  It’s as simple as adding drops of red food coloring to the top of the ‘mallows once you’ve put them in the pan. I think I ended up putting 8-12 drops in (less if you want it more pink) and since we had no toothpicks on hand, I used a chopstick to make it all swirly and it worked wonders. Happy Mallow making. I have to go now. My heart hurts from all this giving. 

Mallows? Check. Finished them up last night, but I see another 2 batches in my near future. If you’ve never made  homemade mallows before, you really should give them a try. They only take about 1/2 hour to prepare and then just need to sit at room temperature for a good 10-12 hours before you cut into them.


I bought the gynormous box of gelatin, because well, you know it’s cheaper that way and now 28 extra packets of gelatin are just sitting there. Staring at me. What am I supposed to do with gelatin besides make mallows?  Each recipe calls for 4 packets per batch, so then I reckon I could make 8 more batches. However, each batch makes a ton.  48 ‘mallows to be exact. That’s 384 ‘mallows!! WOW. I guess if we are giving each family  4 or 5, that’s a whole batch right there! Decisions, decisions!!
I know the bag of ‘mallows  look like they are
about to topple over (because they were), but the second I got outside
to take some pictures, my elderly neighbor Joyce magically appeared
(that seems to happen more than you’d guess) and was so curious about
what I had  and what I was doing.  Although she didn’t say it, I just
know she was thinking, "Why are you outside, photographing marshmallows
you weirdo??" Because my apartment is dark. all. the. time. I am forced
to take my little creations outside to photograph for all to stand and
stare and mock. So the bag was about to topple, but I didn’t want to
get all fussy about it- I was just trying to be cool and all
nonchalant about it. ‘Oh you know, I’m just taking  photo’s. Ahem. It’s
really not a big deal. Everyone I know takes pictures of their
marshmallows. You like marshmallows? Great. We’ll be sure to bring some
up to you.’  

I’m all sorts of into red & white for the holidays. I’ve got a felt tree skirt for Henry’s tree in the works and my red & white polka-dotted paper tree (I’m hoping) will be done tonight. I decided to forgo doing aprons for the shop. It was just weighing me down, and I just wanted to make ‘mallows and crafts anyway. So look for some in January, because I just know that after Christmas, people are just itching to buy more stuff.

For the holidays, Trader Joe’s is carrying "Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s" which would be so good made into Oreo Pops. Give ’em a try and let me know if they turn out delish!

On tonights agenda: cocoa mixes to be assembled and Henry’s itching to make some gingerbread cookies. I can’t wait!

xoxo

p.s. On Sat. we get to find out if this baby’s a boy or girl!

  

 
When we moved into our new place, we gave up carpet (mostly) for some great hardwood floors. We love them, but it’s not always so comfy on ye olde feet. The more and more I thought about it- the more I realized slippers are just what we need this holiday season.  I LOVED these from Hanna Andersson and first saw them in the catalog. I wanted them so badly for Henry, but they were sold out in nearly every size.  Boo on that. So in my google search for "nordic slipper socks" I found these cutie patooties from Urban Outfitters (and just for the record, my legs look just. like. that.) And they have those bad boys in black. And are those polkies I see pokin’ out of the back? Why yes, yes they are. They must be mine. I scored a pair of each.  Merry Christmas to me.  Fa la la la la…la la la la. They also had some other cute Mary Jane styles. Go treat yourself- they are a screaming deal. Heck- get one in every color.

I’ve just completed part #1 of our Christmas friend gifts (homemade peppermint ‘mallows) and am starting part #2 (homemade cocoa) tomorrow. I’ll post more about that then.

Happy slipper shopping! Keep those tootsies warm!

xoxo