Within My Means

English Toffee Bars

2011-12-13T15:53:00.000-08:00

For a cookie exchange this month I made a bar cookie that I've had every year but never baked myself: my mom's English Toffee Bars. It's certainly one of our traditional cookies each year, and mixing bar cookies with cutout kinds adds visual contrast. This has a shortbread base, with the layer of chocolate and toppings that would be easy to vary if you want to mix it up each time you make it. I use dark chocolate to suit my personal taste and would use cashews on top if I were making it only for myself.

English Toffee Bars

1 c. Butter
1 c. firmly packed Brown Sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
6 plain Hershey Bars
1 c. finely chopped Pecans

Cream butter and gradually add sugar, creaming until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then vanilla, salt, and flour. Spread cookie mixture on ungreased 10 x 15 inch jelly roll pan and bake 25-30 minutes in 350 degree oven.

When this comes out of the oven, break up the Hershey bars and set them on top of the cookies. Place back in oven a minute or two, just long enough to soften chocolate. Spread chocolate evenly over cookie crust. Sprinkle with pecans. Cut into bars when cool and chocolate has set.

If you're interested in seeing photos from the event itself, go here. The recipes are posted on various blogs with links below.

Plastic Canvas Needlepoint Pen Holders

2011-12-11T16:29:00.000-08:00

I've made about a dozen of these pen/pencil holders for Christmas presents this year--fast, easy, and handy to have in your purse or backpack so you can always find your pen. I used a chenille yarn to make them a bit fancier. The box stitch is goes quickly so this project is fun to do while watching television or relaxing in the evening.

What quick projects are you handcrafting for the holidays this year? Please leave a comment or link on the blog! Happy holidays.

Day of the Week Kitchen Embroidery

2011-12-01T14:30:00.000-08:00

I love the way these embroidered day-of-the-week kitchen towels were recycled as framed artwork! It sets a sunny tone and is a great way to memorialize a relative's handiwork. Whimsical bordering on the kitschy, this is a perfect fit for a dog-walking client of mine.

How do you protect embroidery to make it last through generations? Feel free to leave a comment below, or send your favorite picture to my email!

Customized Pet Carrier Purse

2011-11-06T21:07:00.000-08:00

This cute little guy has a very inventive mom. She couldn't find a travel/carry pet bag that had the pockets she was looking for, so she bought a regular purse from the gap that was roomy enough for her little pup, cut holes, and hand stitched some plastic canvas of the type used for needlepoint or cross stitch.

The purse was lined, so she was able to insert the plastic canvas in between the layers, leaving the sheet whole for added stability. She made multiple windows on several sides and recycled an insert for the bottom from another bag that she didn't like as well. The purse she used had both handle straps and a shoulder strap, so she's able to loop the bag over one shoulder, or carry it freestyle.

I never thought to alter a purse to make it into a pet carrier. And I love the added pockets in her bag! I'll have to keep my eye out for one that would suit our needs.

Halloween Pumpkins 2011

2011-10-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

These are my Halloween pumpkins for the year! They're made from kits I bought when I visited Underwood Family Farms earlier in the month. My house sits away from the street, and past homes have been apartments with really only a personal entrance, so I haven't really tried to decorate my doorway often in the past. I have to say, it's making the season so much fun this year!

Because I'm not carving into the pumpkins, I'm hoping they'll last longer, and draw less "critters"--both bugs and the squirrels/racoons/possums/cats that populate my neighborhood. These will also make great centerpieces if I end up hosting a Thanksgiving gathering. And they're recyclable, so I can use them again next year ~ or send them off to a friend's kids.

I think it's a great idea for a metalworker to sell at craft fairs. The small version (the ones I got) of the kits sold for around $15, with a larger version available for $30.

Recycled Needlepoint Bags

2011-10-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, when my mom was cleaning out her craft cabinet, I took posession of several completed-but-unframed or old and no longer hung cross stitched projects. I pulled them out of their settings and took them to a friend who makes bags, asking her to use them as centerpieces in her creations. I then gave them back to my mom, sister, and aunts as gifts, keeping only these two for myself.

The cross stitched panel on each bag is lined with a protective layer of vinyl. My friend had free reign and picked out cute country prints to line the interior of the bag, as well as choosing the perfect upholstery print for the outside of the bag. She added grosgrain ribbon ties to the top for closure.

The two little dolls were stitched by my mom as an insert for a shelf with a heart shaped cutout, but I like having it in a bag that I can use practically on a daily basis.

The "Eat Dessert First" project is signed by my Aunt Edna, and I asked my friend who designed the bag to keep the signature.

It was fun having something personal and creative to give as gifts that year, and to see the recipients face light up as they realized the history behind the item. My mom uses her purse regularly still.

I've been stealing up finished cross stitches at thrift shops for several years, removing the frames, and setting them aside for my next wave. I'll be including some diaper bags in the mix as I've found lots of cute nursery pictures! I can't wait to see how these recycled items turn out.

Needlework Purse

2011-10-13T13:15:00.000-07:00

I haven't had much time for crafting this year in between all the film jobs I've taken, but I'm feeling the holiday season coming and want to get back to it. My yearn for craft time has led me to look around at handmade things I've done, and soak up the inspiration to make time for myself.

Here's a purse I made a couple years ago. For several years I had a project-a-day needlework calendar that I would enjoy looking at. I finally became frustrated that I'd never made anything out of the over 600 projects I'd admired daily, so I picked one and used the pattern to make this little purse.

The stitch count is quite small, so I was glad the size of the project was limited. It took me several months to complete. And with all the work I put into it, I'm afraid to use it on a daily basis! But I do enjoy having handmade items in my home, and find the colors of this project soothing in my bedroom, where it hangs with my other purses. I'm sure the special occasion will come to break in this bag.

How have you used crafting to make practical items you touch and use daily? Please leave a comment on the blog.

An Awesome Fall Wreath

2011-10-11T22:50:00.000-07:00

I finally took a photo of this fun fall wreath Chance & I have been passing on our walk the last few weeks.

It's delightfully simple--solid colored yarn wrapped around the entirety, with felt diamonds laid atop and held on by twine. Even the hook is handmade, by braided yarn in keeping with the wreath's colors. What a cheery way to welcome fall!

What do the most welcoming doorways you've seen lately look like? Are there any that have impressed you enough to make your own version? Please tell me about it in a comment, or post or send me a photo.

Blog Issues

2011-09-22T17:57:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy this year, and more practical, dealing with life issues like my dog being sick and getting paperwork like taxes up to date. In August I traded in my eleven year old car, another project that required a fair amount of research. With all that going on, my blogging has been at a minimum, and this site has been on autopilot.

In three years of blogging, I've never been hacked. But for some reason, this month Google has decided this website is Satan, and brandished it with a bright red warning. When I finally sit down to get to the bottom of this issue, it seems to have melted away, only to return when I least expect it.

So if you know of a techno-"expert" fluent in Google or in Blogger, please send them my way. And if you notice a warning on my website, please bring it to my attention by dropping me a note at etrets (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks for sticking with me.

More Good Food Pie Contest Inspiration

2011-09-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

Here are a dozen or so fellow contestant's pies from the 3rd Annual Good Food Pie Contest that I thought were unusual, beautiful, or had some inspiring flavor combinations that would be fun to duplicate.

Doesn't this Cherry Pistachio Pie sound like a good old fashioned Depression recipe?

And you know the one with soda pop in it would pique my interest as a Pepsi descendant....

This Mushroom Forest tart was so artfully presented, and I'm sure the herbs in these Mediterranean hand pies were individually placed.

Now don't you want to run into the kitchen to bake? ;o)

What are your favorite savory or sweet baking combinations? Feel free to leave a comment on this post.

See you at next year's contest....

KCRW's 3rd Annual Good Food Pie Contest 2011 at LACMA

2011-09-19T13:54:00.000-07:00

Once again the Annual Good Food Pie Contest has come and gone, with much anticipation and angst on my part.

This year's 3rd Annual competition again had many changes to the structure of the event. It was held at LACMA, with many family-friendly kids activities surrounding the main competition and sampling.

(the check-in line)

I planned to enter both the cream and fruit categories this year; in the cream category, a tried-and-true recipe, my mom's chocolate marble cheesecake, and in the fruit, a more experimental pie inspired by the blackberries that grew in my garden this year. I've never made a fruit pie, let alone one without following a recipe, and I've never made pie crust from scratch, so the whole thing was a risk. I half expected the fruit pie to flop in the kitchen, and thought the cheesecake would be my salvation.

A friend of mine kindly let me borrow her beautiful kitchen in her new home to bake for the competition, as I have no counter space in my tiny apartment. I enjoyed the companionship of baking in a home with my friend and her husband, chatting as I worked. Baking in the unfamiliar kitchen was lovely, and the cheesecakes were beautiful ~ until the very last step, of resting in the oven for one hour with the oven off after baking. I mistakenly turned the dial of my friend's oven over the top, instead of back the way it came, resulting in the oven being turned to broil rather than off! Goodbye went the cheesecake, at least for competition.

On the other hand, the blackberry-toasted pine nut-homegrown rosemary creation I had concocted in my head solidified in real life better than expected. I visited at least three grocery stores to find frozen blackberries, so my fruit entry was very nearly mango-rosemary pie, but emerged triumphant after the whole cheesecake fiasco. On the stovetop I simmered the fruit, water, sugar, rosemary, a touch of vanilla, and cornstarch to create the filling, along with the toasted nuts.

I made cheddar crust from scratch, inspired by one of Evan Kleiman's pie-a-day posts from the first season of pie-mania. I used a Betty Crocker basic recipe, reducing the fat (Crisco) by just a bit and adding a couple cups of grated cheddar cheese. The dough's texture rolled out nicely, but I should have made more--I was unable to get the rolled out crust to cover the entire pie pan, so couldn't properly flute the edge. Instead my pie took a rustic form, with the bottom crust folded over the top like a tart.

I had bought stencils to add an artistic flare to my garnishes on top of the pies, but by the end of the cheesecake fiasco, then having to wing my fruit pie in every way, I had forgotten to save pine nuts for garnish, and had no energy left to be particular. I etched a sand dollar into the top of the pie for venting and left it at that, a bit deflated myself.

The next morning, I was in much better spirits and pretty proud of myself for attempting something new as I headed to LACMA for the competition. I arrived early to be assured of one door prize--an Emile Henry Pie Dish was promised to the first 100 to check in. As it turns out, I was in the wrong place, and way too early besides. So I had some time for some great photographs, and got to watch the crowds entering the museum, which opened about two hours later.

I found the right place in time to be the seventh pie checked in anyway, and this year's process was quite streamlined and smooth! One part I really enjoyed about the first pie contest was everyone was in a congenial mood and there to have fun, so people talked to one another while waiting in line. As the contest has become more organized, it seems to be all business. I was done in five minutes, and really didn't get to meet anyone or see anyone else's pie before it was checked in and cut into.

LACMA was a great choice for resources--they had all the manpower necessary this year for crowd control, and space containment. The judging once again was held in private, except for the five category finalists, which were judged onstage for best in show. Volunteers cut into pies on a private dock area, and judges tasted from only one slice. I wonder if judges got the full aesthetic value of each pie's overall appearance in the judging process. I was lucky enough in the post-press to find a couple shots that showed my pie on the judging table (above, #7), before and after sampling.

However it looked, my pie tasted pretty great! Without practice, I was afraid the interior would be runny, but on sampling day, the pie filling proved to hold up, with an almost gummy-like consistency. Fine-tuning the recipe next time will involve reducing the cornstarch. The cheddar crust was definitely the way to go. More room for experimentation in the crust will be to adjust my fats--I'd like to add some butter in place of a portion of Crisco next time for better flavor.

While the judges were busy on the loading dock, the pies (minus a single piece) were transported to the big tent for display and sampling, and arranged by check-in number. In not being grouped together by class, it was hard to get a sense of how many pies you were actually competing against. I never did hear summaries of the categories. But as usual, it was fun to see the array of combinations.

Because the competition was held at LACMA, the viewing and the tasting were open to all museum patrons. This meant there was no way there could be enough pie for the entire crowd, and the event staff were constantly trying to urge the crowd through the line faster. That was the biggest drawback to this year's contest. I have no problem including friends and family of contestants that come to root on their family members, but including random passerbys made the event unmanageable. After going through all the work to bake and compete, I was dismayed to only get one or two samples so that there would be enough for everyone. And being asked to serve your own pie meant you couldn't taste anything but those immediately around you as you were too busy to roam. Just being pushed for time is an affront; the reason I compete is to get to enjoy everyone else's creation, even if it takes me more than five seconds to read the card.

The apron fashion show was an annual highlight of the competition. This year was fun, with the participants weaving down the long line of the crowd. I've worn a different one of my Grandma Walker's aprons each year, and this year's above is the last I have without repeating. Putting on her apron always makes me feel close to my late grandma; I know she's have so much fun with me at these events.

I'll post my other favorite pie combinations in a separate blog entry. I'll be looking to see what changes are made to the event next year. Hopefully it'll be a more private event. For now I'll share my pie recipe with you, and look forward to making it again next spring with my homegrown fresh blackberries.

"Black Rose" Pie

Blackberry ~ homegrown Rosemary ~ toasted Pine Nuts on Double Cheddar Crust

for Crust:
3/4 cup Crisco
2 cups all-purpose flour
4-5 Tbsp cold water
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

for Filling:
3 bags frozen Blackberries
1 Tbsp finely minced fresh Rosemary
1 bag (about 1/4 cup) Pine Nuts, toasted
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1 1/2 Tbsp Cornstarch

Simmer filling over stove until fruit falls apart and sauce somewhat thickens. If sauce is too runny, strain out fruit, reserving liquid, and use only enough liquid to cover fruit in pie pan. Mix crust and refrigerate till cold; divide dough in half and roll two circles for top and bottom. Lay bottom in greased pie pan. Pour in filling. Cover with top crust and seal the edges. Cut slits in top crust for ventilation. Cook at 325 degrees for approx. 45 minutes or until golden.

Audrey's Chocolate Cream Pie

2011-09-04T20:45:00.000-07:00

The best part of being home is always mom's cooking. Once again the dessert was cooked with so much anticipation that we dug right in, forgetting to take that lovely food stylized photograph. As you can see, the pie didn't suffer for attention.

This recipe comes from my Aunt Audrey via my mom. Mom says she made it often when we kids were growing up, but I didn't remember it--until I tasted it. Memories of scooping the filling out and leaving the crust on the plate flooded back. I've always been a picky eater. Luckily this is still just as good!

A two-step process is called for in the recipe, cooling the mixed ingredients before adding whipped cream. It also requires a double boiler, but my mom says she usually just places one saucepan over another one filled with water (not worrying about a tight seal between the two).

Chocolate Cream Pie

1 9 in. baked crust, regular or graham
16 lg. marshmallows
1/2 cup milk
1 lg. Hershey Bar with Almonds
1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Melt marshmallows and milk on top of double boiler. Add chocolate and stir until melted. Cool. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Chill 6 hours before serving.

Creative Ideas from the Pioneer Park Farmer's Market

2011-09-03T22:39:00.001-07:00

I spent a great day at the farmers' market and craft fair at Pioneer Park. For once I remembered to bring a camera along to record some of my favorite ideas; for me, expos like this are a way to get some creative crafting inspiration.

These recycled~upcycled cake stands are made from vintage plates paired with crystal or brass candle holders as bases. They'd sell like hotcakes in Los Angeles at a place like the Melrose Trading Post, a weekly flea market, but I'd have to have storage space to hold them....

I loved the idea of making a display from a couple of old doors, hinged together, with grosgrain ribbon stretched between them, and clothespins to attach jewelry or cards.

The most creative idea of the day were these "Plumbers Posies" made from faucet handles painted in bright colors, with a wire stem for planting in the ground! They were selling for $10/$12 each. We do have a plumber in the family, so we'll have to experiment with our own version to give him a chuckle.

Chocolate Marble Cheesecake

2011-08-31T12:10:00.001-07:00

The dessert that you would request for every birthday and every special event: in my family, Chocolate Marble Cheesecake is it. My mom clipped this from a newspaper, now so brittle and brown it could crumble, so it's time to reprint it here. The date is clipped off of my mom's copy, but I imagine it's from the early 1960s, when she first married.

It's normally made in a springform pan and comes out at least three inches high. But I was considering submitting it to the Good Food Pie Contest, so I practiced and photographed it in a standard pie pan. It came out wonderfully that way as well.

In the end I brought a fruit pie to the contest, but this is still up my sleeve for next year....Meanwhile, it'll be on my holiday table!

Chocolate Marble Cheesecake

1 Cup Fine Graham Cracker Crumbs
2 Tbsp Sugar
1/3 Cup Melted Butter or Margarine

3 (8 oz) packages Cream Cheese, softened
1 Cup Dairy Sour Cream
2 tsp Vanilla
3 Tbsp all-purpose Flour
3 Eggs
2 Egg yolks
1 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup unsweetened Cocoa
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

Combine first three ingredients and push into springform pan. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. Cool.

In a large mixer bowl, beat together cream cheese, sour cream, and 2 tsp of vanilla until smooth. Add flour, a tablespoon at a time, blending well. Beat eggs and egg yolks in a small mixer bowl on high speed until thick and lemon-colored, about five minutes. Gradually add 1 cup sugar and beat thoroughly.

Add egg-sugar mixture to cheese mixture and blend on low speed just until combined. Reserve 2 cups batter; pour remaining batter into prepared pan. Thoroughly combine cocoa and 1/4 cup sugar. Blend into 2 cups reserved batter. Stir in 1 tsp and spoon dollops of chocolate batter on top of vanilla batter in pan. With spatula or knife, swirl gently to produce a marble effect.

Bake in a preheated 300-degree oven, 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off oven and leave cake in oven 1 hour without opening door. Remove from oven and cool; cover & chill. Yield: about 12 servings.

Garden Update: Hibiscus Hedge

2011-08-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

My garden project of late has been establishing a hibiscus hedge in a particular bed directly ahead of the path leading in from the gate. I've planted seven hibiscus over time, all generic or from the "half-dead" pile. I've now seen each of them bloom, and found I've lucked out with some beautiful varieties! This sunset version is high on the list:

There's a pink with a dark center that looks apricot when backlit by the sunset:

My favorite is this last, a salmon colored bloom that seems to be doubled with almost twisted petals:

When it all grows in the hedge should be easy to maintain with lots of color in all its blooms.

What's your favorite bush or hedge plant that still provides color? Thanks for your comments to this post.

Day Trip to Catalina

2011-08-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

Did you know you can get a free round-trip pass to Catalina on your birthday, courtesy of the Catalina Express? They've even compiled a list of birthday deals and freebies available on the island.

I had a lovely day trip this week, just hanging out in the tiny town of Avalon, shopping, eating and sightseeing. My friend Annie happens to share my birthday, so she was able to join me on the same deal!

The icing on the cake for the day was seeing a seal feeding on flying fish in the water right around the boat as we pulled away.

bronze statue in town--the camera display glared so that I couldn't see the composition till I got home!

(a friendly guy joined me for lunch with a book at a cafe while Annie was off parasailing)

"the Casino" now houses a movie theater and a museum

The wall along the walkway leading to the Casino had several tile frescos depicting local history, including the Cubs Spring Training camp that was originally held on the island.

end-of-day view of Avalon

What are your favorite local daytrips? How do you like to spend your birthday? Please leave a comment on the post.

Pistachio Birthday Cake

2011-08-24T20:41:00.001-07:00

My friend Heather has taken to baking for our friends in lieu of birthday gifts. It's an ideal solution since we all live in tiny apartments with too much "stuff," yet it makes the day special and leaves each feeling celebrated.

For my day, she made this beautiful Pistachio Cake, and enclosed the recipe as a bonus! It comes from her mother, so Heather has fond memories of this cake growing up. But it's sublimely easy to make, as the two main ingredients are a boxed yellow cake mix and a box of pistachio pudding mix.

Pistachio Cake

1 boxed yellow cake mix
1 box pistachio pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup club soda

Mix all ingredients together. Flour/grease a bundt pan and pour in batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done. Ice with a thick royal icing mix of powdered sugar and water.

Hillside Produce Cooperative

2011-08-21T22:28:00.000-07:00

The Hillside Produce Cooperative has made a barterer of me. The group is a community organization that meets monthly to trade produce, flowers, and baked goods from your own backyard. The idea is to avoid waste and spread variety of local produce.

To this weekends coop, I contributed large bunches of garlic chives from my own garden, as well as a couple of squash and a few tomatoes from a friends garden, and a small colander of figs picked (with permission) from a tree around the corner from my house. The above photo shows the bounty that I got in return!

The organizer even makes a checklist, so you know exactly what's in your package when it comes back to you. My score included lemons, oranges, grapefruit, calamondin, cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, chile peppers, kumquat, green chard, chives, grapes, bay, sage, pineapple sage, tarragon, rosemary, oregano, parcel, mint, chocolate mint, lavender, a cut bella donna flower, an iris bulb, a baggie containing an almond dessert and puff guava pastry, and a slice of zucchini bread. The baked goods didn't make it into my photos, because they were eaten before I even made it to my car!

The Hillside Cooperative is just a great group of generous folks. Their website even lays out how to organize a group in your area. They've been the inspiration for groups all over the city, so there's likely to be one in your neighborhood!

(the pack of herbs in my bag)

(the cut flowers: lavender, bella donna, and an iris bulb)

(the checklist of goodness)

MorningStar Farms Meatless Loaf

2011-08-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

I have one friend that I consider a true budget cook. She feeds both meat-eaters (her husband) and vegetarians (herself). A family tendency towards diabetes has encouraged her to educate herself about nutrition. She stretches her grocery budget as far as it can go by relying on staples and keeping a well-stocked pantry, often cooking from scratch. She's great at feeding crowds or families and handles unexpected guests (often myself) with ease.

Today she showed me how to make a vegetarian version of meatloaf, from a recipe off the MorningStar Farms website. Having grown up teaching myself to dislike the smell and taste of meat, long before "meat-like" vegetarian products were available, I'm still trying to stretch my palate to include meat subsitutes like seitan or TVP, textured vegetable protein.

I used an 8x8 dish instead of a loaf pan because it was what I had handy. I like smaller portions anyway so the shallow dish is fine with me. The beauty of this recipe is how easy it is to customize; since Heather's breadcrumbs contained Italian seasonings we left the separate spices out of our dish. And since neither of us care much for celery, we omitted that too. When I make this in my kitchen, I will add sauteed mushrooms and bell pepper.

Meatless Loaf

12 ounces MorningStar Farms® Meal Starters™ Grillers® Recipe Crumbles™

1/2 cup refrigerated egg substitute*

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 cup finely chopped onions

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup ketchup

1. In mixing bowl, combine MORNINGSTAR FARMS MEAL STARTERS GRILLERS RECIPE CRUMBLES, egg substitute, parsley, Italian seasoning and bread crumbs.

2. In small saucepan cook onions and celery in oil until tender. Add to Crumbles mixture, mixing until thoroughly combined. Press into 8 x 4 x 2-inch loaf pan generously coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 350° F for 45 minutes. Spread ketchup over loaf. Bake at 350°F about 15 minutes more or until set.

*Note: If desired, replace egg substitute with 2 lightly beaten eggs.

Weekly Garden Update with Annuals

2011-07-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

I planted a few annuals, mostly Petunias, in the side garden bed this last week. All told I spent $20 at the hardware store with all but one being from the "mostly dead" clearance rack ~ but they'll all do well in my yard! The Petunias were red/pink, white, and blue/purple left over from 4th of July. I usually forgo annuals as I don't like to have to re-plant each year, but these have added so much color that they've made me a convert. I also got a new sage seedling and pulled out the old because it was too woody and no longer producing much leaf; that was the "new" splurge. Then I got a beautiful tea rose that I added to the near end of the bed. I've tried several roses there and it's always been too shady or dry for them to survive, but the bed looks so abbreviated without one I'm hoping to better care for this one.

The garden from the other end, looking down toward the gate/driveway.

I've got a beautiful Amaryllis blooming right now in the center bed near the laundry. Amazing what pops up when it gets water! That bed is not reached by the watering system, so it usually founders, but being home lately I've given it more attention.

This is one of the Hibiscus I planted at the far top of the yard, viewable as you walk in from the gate. I think this will go on a Zazzle card!

Here's the bed where the Amyrillis is and where I put the Dahlia last week. The Dahlia has lots of buds but nothing open at the moment--though there are Persian Daffodils in bloom.

The Tea Rose I just put in. Small but such dainty reddish-pink blooms that I'm in love. A few other cool spots in the garden right now:

The Artichoke has a couple of globes again. I love seeing this go to seed in the summer.

The path along our fenceline has the berries overgrowing and the Canna is in full glory.

My neighbor's Bougainvilla drapes over the fence in our backyard, and my owl statue stands watch.

Tissue Paper Frame

2011-07-10T16:58:00.000-07:00

Isn't this frame darling around this photo? I'm guessing it was made by the little boy in the picture. ;o)

It was at my vet's office. It seems to be a simple project--tissue squares mod podged around a wooden frame, and then accented with a cutout. I'm filing this away as an example for my 4-H kids.

Hesby House Garden ~ An Armstrong Gardens Shopping Spree

2011-07-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

I had a Groupon that I bought way back in March, and its expiration date was yesterday. So I was able to treat myself to a shopping spree at Armstrong Gardens! Amongst my favorite flowers are Dahlias; they began my romance with bulbs. I scored this beautiful Dinnerplate Dahlia called "Cafe Au Lait." What a beauty to wake up to in the mornings!

(The bed the Dahlia was planted in. To the right is my laundry area)

(A Peruvian Daffodil in the same bed as the Dahlia)

(the three Irises right in front of it)

( a small bulb that I keep pulling up, thinking it's a weed--now flowering)

My long standing all-time favorite and personal motif has been Lillies of the Valley. In browsing at Armstrong I came across a bush called Pieris which is known as the "Lily of the Valley Bush." It flourishes in part sun/shade, which is ideal for my front door-walkway. I came away with two varieties: Pieris x "Forest Flame" & Pieris Japonica "Valley Valentine." They're a slow grower but top out as rather large shrubs so it'll be exciting to see how these adapt to my environment. I have bottlebrush trees at my house, so I used the Pieris with red flames closer in, as a transition from the bottlebrush further into the space.

(the Valley Valentine Pieris planted directly beside the front door)

Here are highlights from the rest of the garden that have been gestating for a while:

(my lone Apple)

(my single Nectarine)

(Jaysene's Garden planted back in May is taking hold)

(center in this photo is a spiky Fritillaria.
I planted some of these in Jaysene's
Garden but haven't seen them pop up yet)

(my Daylily "Millie Schlumpf" and Artichoke with two chokes)

(the Hibiscus I planted at the end of the path, to form a hedge looking towards the house from the drive)

(looking down from the back of the lot towards the driveway)

Frugal Festival Food Follow-Up

2011-06-25T21:40:00.000-07:00

I didn't take any pictures today as I'm a bit shaken up by my puppy's back diagnosis and spending a lot of energy toward her care, but I did attend an event today that I wanted to report back on:

The Frugal Festival Food Event sponsored by Julia, the Bargain Babe herself, was a great resource of tips and tricks to help your budget, and a fun place to meet people!

There are two blogs that I found out about today of which I'm an instant follower. Tia, of Tia Saving Cents gave a great presentation on couponing that taught me the bones of the game. Unfortunately, time was short so I don't feel like I absorbed as much of what she was saying. But she plans to put her full powerpoint presentation on her blog, so I'll be linking to it as soon as I see it! Tia's also on Facebook, if you like blog posts to just show up in your daily feed.

Another wonderful resource I discovered was Billy Vasquez, author of The 99 Cent Chef. He did a tasty food demo of veggie wraps, with homemade hummus and organic greens. The friend I'd brought to the event as my guest swears by the produce section and cold cases at 99 cents only, and I found it hilarious that someone blogs about how to cook by shopping only there!

The swag bag was first-rate and the balmy breeze made for a perfect afternoon. I had some nice conversations with other attendees before my friend joined me. I'm definitely looking forward to this event next year! It'll be on my summer calendar in bold.

New Territory in Pet Ownership

2011-06-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

My seven-lb Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, Claire, was a rescue from the Carson shelter in 2006, and has been certified as a therapy dog through Delta society for several years. She has walked with a pretty pronounced curved back for about a year and a half or more. I've taken her to several vets without pinpointing the exact problem. She's had a few incidences of pain, but nothing that lasted more than a day--until last week. She was yelping so much that I took off in a hurry to see any vet who would have me. I was referred to a specialist, a veterinary neurologist, for a spinal consult.

Claire had an MRI on Tues afternoon, which is a story in itself--$2300 just for the test. But it gets worse: she has a herniated disc in her back which requires a $6000.00 surgery. Since I absolutely do not have that, we're treating her conservatively with meds: steroids & pain medications, possible therapy to include hydrotherapy, acupuncture, massage.... that should treat the symptoms for a while & ideally lessen the inflammation, but won't cure the problem. She's still got a good ten years left on her, which means at some point, this degenerative condition will require surgery. So I've got to start now applying to foundations like Actors & Others for Animals, set up a ChipIn page to accept donations, set up a facebook page in her name, whatever I can think of....

I've requested a written estimate of the surgery from the vet & a letter stating her condition. I've never entered this territory before as a pet owner so will be taking it one day at a time....

Do any of you have dogs with back issues? What sort of therapies have you tried? Any resources in the community with pet owners without financial means? Please give me any referrals or leads you may have in the comments to this post.

Cake Pops

2011-06-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

A bridal luncheon I attended recently had the sweetest cake pops as dessert and favors. The bride's aunts had made them themselves after reading an article in the local paper, the Kansas City Star. I was having too much fun with the bride at the event to think of taking a photo, so the ones above are from Starbucks.

I know some bloggers who only print original recipes. One reason I do occasionally reprint, with proper credit, an article I've read or idea I've seen elsewhere is to create my own index of things I want to try. Another, as in this case, is that some webpages can only be found for a limited time. I went to dig this up only to find it had expired on the newspaper's site, and I had to do a fair amount of searching to come across it again.

At Starbucks the cake pop version "Rocky Road" is a chocolate frosting decorated with mini marshmallows and nuts. Since I love the ice cream, that one always jumps out at me visually.

The pops in the recipe re-printed from the newspaper article are decorated with candy corn to look like flowers. I just liked the technical explanation of how to make the pops come together. I think my "cake pop stand" will consist of a cereal box, with holes poked using an ice pick. And I see the recipe states not to freeze--wonder why not, or if you can at least do so once the pops are made....Some kitchen experiments to come soon....

Cake Pop Flowers

Makes 48 cake pops

1 boxed cake mix, baked as directed

¾ can vanilla frosting

3 (1-pound) packages white chocolate candy coating

1 package of 50 cake pop sticks

Multicolored candy corn

1 cake pop stand (available at most craft stores)

1 pastry bag

1 small bag pastel-colored M&Ms

In a large bowl, break up the cake into fine crumbs, eliminating all chunks. Add the frosting, then cream it together with the cake crumbs until the mixture reaches a Play-Doh-like consistency. With your hands (wearing thin, latex gloves) mold the batter into small, cone-shaped balls, then place them on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Cover it with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours in a refrigerator. Do not freeze.

Melt the candy coating, one package at a time, according to package directions. (Tip: if the candy coating is too thick, add 3 tablespoons of solid shortening per package and reheat in the microwave to achieve a thinner consistency).

Taking a few cake balls out of the refrigerator at a time, dip the end of an empty cake-pop stick into the melted candy coating, then pierce the center of the narrowest end of the cone-shaped cake ball, pushing no more than half way through. Holding the stick with the pop facing down, dip the entire pop into the melted candy coating. Remove the pop slowly and lift upward, allowing excess candy coating to drip down toward the stick. Rotate (or spin) the pop as the coating drips down to achieve an even coating and cover all "bald" spots. Set coated pops in the cake pop stand. Add melted candy coating to the pastry bag.

Using coating like glue, squeeze a thin layer on top of the cake pops. Carefully arrange candy corns in desired colors to make the petals of the flowers. Squeeze more candy coating on the middle of the flower petals, and top with an M&M of your choice.

Recipe from Celia Thompson, instructor of the cake pop class at the Culinary Center of Kansas City.

Hesby House Garden 2011

2011-06-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

My garden has gone largely ignored this year, but even without putting energy into it, I'm seeing the progress of the last few years of landscaping.

I've had pictures set aside to post from April, when things were beginning to bloom and promise was everywhere. In fact, I had peaches the size of walnuts! But then I left the house, and most everything shriveled from neglect. The peaches dried up on the branch until they fell off. Luckily the tree is still alive, and next year I resolve to do better. My apple tree has finally developed more than one branch too but still hasn't grown fruit.

I have a yellow rose, and then this red one, that love the spot they're in....

In April, the Amyrillis were just beginning to bloom, and the Bird of Paradise was loving the weather.

I have had a few special surprises in my yard. The Daylily "Millie Schlumpf" that I got at a farmer's market in Salt Lake City in 2009 has taken off....

A few transplanted Irises are doing well....

The major improvements have been twofold: when I house-sat in April and May, I walked all three dogs daily in my friends' neighborhood, where I saw lots of beautiful Amyrillis. With permission from owners, I went back one weekend and dug up starts from several homes in the neighborhood. I planted them into a new garden bed at my own home right near my front door, which I've now christened "Jaysene's Garden" after my friend. Had I bought these plants, I would likely have spent over $80 because Amyrillis bulbs are so expensive. I'm excited to see how they all take root! It also prompted me to do a little cleaning out of my own, as I planted a bag of Fritillaria bulbs that had been in cold storage in my fridge since last fall.

This is what a Fritillaria looks like when not in bloom....

Here's what the side of my building looked like in mid-May.

And the entrance path from outside the gate, on the driveway.....

Just yesterday my landlord cleared the side of the house in front of mine, so now instead of thorny ferns and huge fig leaves blocking my path, I'll have beautiful color in the form of these red Geraniums. They were a favorite of my grandmother too, so I think of her each time I walk past.

I still haven't cataloged my tomatoes and where they're planted this season, so I guess there's another post coming. I got my first couple of ripe ones off the vine in the last week.

Fused Glass Vase Art

2011-06-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

I'm sure I'll get flak for this from several sides, but it's brought smiles to my days this spring, so I couldn't help but share. I bought this thin, small fused glass pocket vase at a Mother's Day craft fair for only $15, then filled it with a wispy silk poppy that was less than $2 at the craft store. It's translucent so it's easy to see through, and tiny. I'm not usually one for silk flowers, but right now I'm loving this. It's about time to trade in my car, and I'll be able to celebrate my new home on the road with this bit of cheer.

My First Giveaway!

2011-06-17T02:01:00.000-07:00

A huge thanks to Julia Scott over at Bargain Babe for donating my first ever giveaway on this blog! I have five tickets to The 3rd Annual Frugal Festival Food to offer to readers! The event is devoted to saving money on food and eating well. The event's organizers expect about 500 guests at the Festival, so RSVP quick!

Frugal Festival Food!

  Saturday, June 25, 11am-2pm

 Canoga Park High School 

6850 Topanga Canyon Blvd. 

Los Angeles, CA 91303  

Event info from Julia:

  Frugal Fest is an yearly event to raise awareness about saving on food in SoCal, with a ton of fun activities planned.

  - A "Coupon Challenge" contest cosponsored by ALBERTSONS and AOL Shortcuts.com: a challenge of couponing skills - who can find the best grocery deals first!? Prize is a gourmet gift basket worth $300 and a donation of $100 in winner's name pledged to LA Regional Foodbank.

- Fresh tastings and cooking demo from Albertsons

- A Recipe Exchange: Submit an original recipe for the Frugal Festival Food! cookbook and get a copy of the $9.95 e-cookbook FREE

- A free Raffle with more than 136 prizes valued at $2,977, including a $300 Albertsons gift card

- Free face painting for kids (and adventurous adults!)

- An interactive quiz to test your frugal food know-how

- A Coupon Clipping Class for beginners

Just after the Frugal Festival coupon class, there's an exciting Coupon Challenge contest to see who can find the best deals using an Albertsons weekly flyer and Shortcuts coupons. I'm guessing the winner will find all the matches in just a few minutes!

The winner gets a $300 gift basket that includes a $100 Albertsons gift card, a CHEFS $50 gift card, gourmet food items from Albertsons, a grocery checklist of special recipes, a Shortcuts apron and travel mug. Plus, a $100 donation from Albertsons and Shortcuts will be made to the LA Regional Food Bank in the name of the winner.

The Coupon Challenge is at 12:30. Are you in?

I'm giving away five single tickets in a raffle closing at 11:59P on Sunday June 19th. Please include your full name in a comment on this post for an entry in the raffle, along with an email address so I can notify you of the win. I'll also offer an extra raffle entry for each retweeting, fb'ing, blogging, and commenting about this offer (post another comment here to let me know that you've re-posted elsewhere). Here's a sample Tweet you could use:

I want to win a tix to #FrugalFest hosted by @bargainbabe on 6/25 in LA! Sweet goodie bags worth $19 and coupon challenge contest! --w/ link to this post at goldenhourglass.blogspot.com--

Purchase additional tickets to the event here.

Can't wait to meet you there!

Blackberries 2011!

2011-06-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

Being away from my home for a good chunk of the spring, housesitting, visiting parents, and just plain working, I thought I'd missed berry season completely by May. But the blackberries waited for me! Here's the first colander of fruit I picked at the end of May.

The berries have been literally dripping off the branches from my neglect, overripe and extra-sweet. I've been freezing them and planning a cobbler for 4th of July. Last year I made a cobbler from a box mix and added my own fruit for extra flavor. It was fast and good but this summer I'm anticipating something made from scratch. I was planning to do a web search for just the right recipe, when I came across this article from Summer Living with a wide selection of 12 Crazy Good Fruit Cobblers.

Tonight I tried the Easy Blackberry Cobbler recipe from MyRecipes, published in the July 2008 issue of Southern Living. The fruit bubbled up tantalizingly through the sweet, crunchy crumb topping. The next one I want to try is this cobbler recipe with Sugared Star Shortcakes. I like the idea of using biscuit dough to make a shortcake sandwich.

Easy Blackberry Cobbler

YIELD: Makes 6 servings
COURSE: Desserts, Pies/Pastries

Ingredients

4 cups fresh blackberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 large egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Whipped cream (optional)
Garnish: fresh mint sprig

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°. Place blackberries in a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish; sprinkle with lemon juice. Stir together egg, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle over fruit. Drizzle melted butter over topping. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired. Garnish with fresh mint sprig, if desired.
For a neat presentation, bake for the same amount of time in 6 (8-oz.) ramekins on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

Southern Living
JULY 2008

The blackberries have been entertaining me in one more way--Claire, my 6 lb dog, loves them! She bounds to a private corner to protect her treat when I hand one over, then bounds right back to me for another after eating one up in one gulp. And because of the thorns, I've had to put the "cone of shame" on her when I leave for work, hoping that a wider head will prevent her from nuzzling into the bushy vines looking for more. I still come home at night to berry juice on white fur, and tons of scratches on her underbelly!

I've planted the berries in a raised bed, and trained them to weave through a fence, but Claire still searches them out. How do you keep pets out of your garden? Please leave comments on this post. And let me know if you have a favorite cobbler or berry recipe too!

Puppy Chow

2011-05-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

"Puppy Chow" has become a standard snack in our holiday traditions. But it's usually made by my aunt, or sometimes my sister.

I went to make it for the first time myself as a movie-night treat, and was surprised to find I don't even have the recipe. A quick google search directed me to the Chex website, but I decided to post it on the blog so I can look it up easily next time I'm craving it.

The ton of powdered sugar in this snack means a little goes a long way, so I like to make it to share--like tonight's movie night potluck.

9	cups Rice Chex®, Corn Chex® or Chocolate Chex® cereal (or combination)
1	cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2	cup peanut butter
1/4	cup butter or margarine
1	teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2	cups powdered sugar

	Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
	In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
	Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

1 Serving: Calories 210 (Calories from Fat 80); Total Fat 9g (Saturated Fat 4g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 5mg; Sodium 170mg; Total Carbohydrate 29g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 16g); Protein 3g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 6%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 6%; Iron 25% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 MyPyramid Servings: 1 tsp Fats & Oils
*% Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Smores Brownies

2011-05-09T20:38:00.000-07:00

I can't take credit for this idea, having read it over at The Big Red Pot, but I am proud of myself for trying something new--and easy. I'm housesitting, and trying to realize the bright side of the logistical negatives. So I'm making a point to enjoy my friend's huge kitchen by trying some new recipes while still on a budget. This one was a no-brainer: line the bottom of a well greased pan with graham crackers, mix up a brownie mix as directed, pour over the grahams, and bake as usual. Top with marshmallows, broil in the oven till brown and bubbly, and enjoy! Indoor smores.

How often do you step out of your culinary comfort zone? Have you tried recipes from this or another blog? Let me know your favorite sources in a comment below.

Pineapple Casserole

2011-05-09T20:28:00.001-07:00

I saw a post online over Easter weekend with a recipe that looked delicious. It inspired me to google for a similar recipe, posted here on my Longaberger blog. But I just had a chance to make it myself. This pineapple casserole smelled even better than it looked. I made mine (pictured above) with a cinnamon-raisin bread that added to the mix. It's definitely going to be added to my potluck repertoir. You'll have to invite me over to get a taste!

Pet Sitting Long-term

2011-04-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

This week I begin pet-sitting my friend's dog for an extended period of time. I've taken care of him before, but not for this long -- three weeks.

This is a trade with a neighbor friend. I'm really glad I have her to depend on when I'm in similar circumstances. We're both familiar with each other's animals and their routines, so there's no one I'm more comfortable leaving my animals with. I'm sure it will be fine, and in fact I'm looking forward to socializing my dogs more, but it will remove myself and my dogs from our usual patterns for quite a while.

Any tips on integrating your own pets into an already existing pack? What do you do or what do you bring along with you to make yourself feel comfortable in another's home?

(Chance and his buddy Gizmo)

Amaryllis Surprise

2011-04-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

So I was at work through the entire daylight today, but thanks to the porch light, I still managed to catch sight of a surprise when I got home! I knew there were buds on my amaryllis, but this is the first blossom of the season.

What's growing in your garden this spring?

Southern CA Spring Garden Show

2011-04-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

The Southern California Spring Garden Show is coming up again at the end of the month--April 28th to May 1st, 2011. I almost thought I'd missed it this year, so am posting this note as a reminder to myself! You'll see me there picking out all kinds of interesting bulbs and plants, and generally getting inspiration for spring.

For more info, follow this link.

Getting up to Speed with Spring

2011-04-13T16:26:00.000-07:00

So, I know it's been forever since I've posted, but big things have been happening and are coming up, so you'll soon hear a lot more from me (if you'd like to check in).

First, I did a movie called Hello Herman. It's an indie feature with a lot of heart and a timely message about today's youth, so please watch for it and tell all your friends to fan the facebook page.

But before that, I did a few weeks on another movie. We shot at an abandoned hospital in East LA called Linda Vista, a popular run-down location for horror films and the like. One of the site staff had witnessed these two sweet small dogs being thrown out of a car towards the park across the street about three weeks before we shot there. The girls later found their way onto the roof of the hospital on their own, but were trapped and couldn't get down.

The site rep was kindly feeding them for about three weeks and had even built them a dog house just a day or two before we'd arrived. But the property wasn't locked, and there was a good likelihood the pups could have been run over in the parking lot of the hospital or on the streets of the neighborhood. The white dog seemed to be the mother of the smaller, darker pup and was clearly pregnant at the time. I collected money from the crew (in the end adding $70 from my own pocket) and took the dogs home that night. After a bath in my tub and a couple of hours rest I took them to a vet the next morning, as a referral from Laura Dash, a stunt woman who has her own rescue, One Dog Rescue. The dogs were christened "Linda" and "Vista" after their former residence. The darker dog was fixed that day and both had an exam. One of the dogs was found to have a parasite, coccidia, treatable with antibiotics, likely picked up from drinking dirty contaminated water while living on the street. I spent a nerve-wracking thirty six hours working facebook and emails to find them a short term foster.

Luckily for all the pups, Melissa Aguilar at Mutt Maniacs & Maniacs to the Rescue stepped in to help. My neighbor Tom helped out by transporting the girls from the vet to the foster. On March 22nd the mom newly renamed "Clover" gave birth to four healthy pups--one tan, one white, and two black.

The pups are now three weeks old and growing stronger under the care of Maniacs to the Rescue, who has decided to foster them long-term until placed in permanent homes. The two older girls will hopefully be placed together.

I referred Dawn Fuller, from the UC Cooperative Extension, to the LA Breakfast Club as a guest speaker in late March, and now 4-H may be getting a grant from the LABC! I don't want to jinx it before it happens, but it's another thing I'm happy about this week.

And my computer crashed and burned, so I now come to you from a new mac. That's been a huge financial concern and time consuming transition but it's coming together. Throw in a car accident and spring coming to my garden, and it's been a busy month or two.

Oh, and I'm doing a Bridal Expo this Sunday at the Grove as a Longaberger Consultant. Maggiano's has put together the event to highlight their space for rehearsal dinners and events. There will be over 20 bridal vendors in one place, and a great complimentary raffle for anyone who stops by. If you're free, I'll be there from 10A to 2P. And with the new Mac, I can walk couples through a Longaberger Bridal Registry on the spot! The newlywed couple can start their new life in style with a Longaberger home....

My tomatoes are in, so there will be a garden update post soon, and lots of events coming up....keep checking back; I hope I haven't lost you. And let me know in a comment what's happening in your world!

Craft Idea: Grapevine Vintage Button Wreath

2011-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

I spent the afternoon lunching with a friend in Santa Monica, and after we wandered through a huge, expensive (Santa Monica beach-side) antique mall. A creative find there that I love was this vintage button grapevine wreath. It would be easy to duplicate in a favorite color and would lend whimsy and femininity to your doorway.

What I thought was great about this wreath was that it wasn't hastily hot glued, but was carefully wire-wrapped, so it will withstand lots of usage without buttons falling off. This would be really easy to do with a grapevine wreath as opposed to a foam core. The gold wire used with the white buttons elevated its sense of formality. I also loved the big finishing bow at the top.

Where do you find inspiration for crafts you make at home? Do you often have a camera with you to photograph great ideas? Please leave a comment on the blog.

The Los Angeles Breakfast Club

2011-01-19T11:12:00.000-08:00

My friend Damian, who has a new law practice, has come up with some creative ways to network in the community. This morning he took me to meet a great group of people at The Los Angeles Breakfast Club.

The Breakfast Club was founded in 1925 as a men's riding group of movie stars and political leaders. Over the past eighty or so years it's evolved into a social fellowship group from all walks of life that sponsors a weekly breakfast with featured speakers on a variety of subjects. Participation in the club's Foundation is encouraged but not mandatory, and networking is encouraged. The Breakfast Club meets each Wednesday morning at 7A just outside Griffith Park on Riverside Dr. in Los Feliz. Breakfast is free to first time visitors, just $6 per person after. For full membership, annual dues are $100 per year.

I found the atmosphere to be comparable to my grandpa's small town IL Lions Club--everyone was truly welcoming. Today's program featured a presentation and sing-along of "Tin Pan Alley Classics" from the great American songbook. The narrator did a great job of setting the time in history and including entretaining anecdotes. Next week will be a presentation on a volunteer organization. The majority of people did seem to be retirees but there was an interesting mix of entrepreneurs as well. I brought along my Longaberger catalogs and was proud of myself for taking a step towards self-promotion. Oh, and the funniest part of today's event? The buffet breakfast caterers were none other than the chefs from Capri Italian Restaurant, who were on Kitchen Nightmares last week....

Do you have a small business or service you offer professionally? How do you network within your community? Please leave a comment on the blog.

Recipe Corner: Couscous with Pineapple & Chestnuts

2011-01-18T22:21:00.000-08:00

I'm on a pantry challenge to use up what I've got. So tonight's dinner was couscous left over from ingredients for a baby shower, made with half apple juice for sweetness, tossed with a can of pineapple, and finished with roasted chestnuts.

The chestnuts were meant as a holiday treat from Trader Joe's, but we never got around to them. Instead, I flew them home to family at Thanksgiving and ended up driving them back to my kitchen after the new year. The directions on the box had two variations, so for convenience I chose the microwave version. They were soft and had a grainy texture. I was expecting the crunch that comes to mind when you hear the phrase "roasted chestunts," but of course that requires an oven. I think I will try them again next year, but follow the more involved side-dish recipe on the box, rather than the simple roasting.

This experiment made a lot more than I had expected--I'll be eating the leftovers all week. I'm out of eggs now, and most cheese, so it's getting harder to come up with nutritious meals from my cupboard, but I'm not willing to give up yet!

What are your go-to recipes from staples when you don't want to go shopping? Please leave me a comment on the blog.

Kitchen Nightmares Taping with Gordon Ramsey

2011-01-13T00:24:00.000-08:00

Wednesday I attended a taping of Chef Gordon Ramsey's show "Kitchen Nightmares," where he remakes a restaurant from top to bottom. I attended the re-launch of Capri Italian Restaurant in Eagle Rock. It's a local, family-run joint adjacent to Occidental College, so it's not haute cuisine. The atmosphere strives to be warm and inviting in a pizza-and-spaghetti kind of way.

I have a lot of respect for restaurants that allow the show into their space, as they can expect to be torn apart by Chef Ramsey. We ended up with an ideal spot, a table of four right next to the kitchen, so had a great view of both Chef Ramsey and the taping in the dining area. I managed to sneak a couple of photos, but wasn't allowed to document much of the evening.

I attended as part of the Meetup "Foodie Connection" group, so we were given an early seating. A friend of mine registered with the group just to RSVP for the event, so I knew one person at the table, but got to meet a few new people with common interests too. It made for a great mix of lively conversation during the long wait for service. I was not in a talkative mood, as I'd just lost my cousin Sue Martin to cancer the night before, but celebrating with a new adventure seemed a fitting way to honor her memory. Sue would have loved to hear all about it, so I'm writing to her here on the blog.

Since they don't want to have the same audience on every episode of the show, you can only attend a Kitchen Nightmares taping once. I was glad that the evening I chose was not one of the first days of taping but was the relaunch night, when the restaurant has been improved by Gordon Ramsey and the bugs have supposedly been worked out. Still, it was the first night with the "new" menu, so service was far from smooth. It took over an hour and a half to get our entrees. The table next to us was served within five minutes.

I loved the new decor of the space, including the way the cash register was painted, and the line-drawing logo of the identical twins who run the restaurant. The tables were crowded in and waitstaff had trouble making it through the restaurant, especially with the camera crew in the way. The serving pieces seemed to overwhelm the table--especially the large oval platters of salad for the group. They didn't have a wine list. When we asked our server directly, she finally named a price-per-glass but neglected to tell us that wine was available by the carafe, which we would have done if we'd known. The appetizer of garlic knots came with five rolls for our table of four, and were doughy on the inside and oily out without much garlic flavor. The chef had a heavy hand with the pepper on our Caesar salad, though I found I was able to pick out edible portions. I ordered a mushroom-"stinky cheese" white pizza that was really yummy. But the best thing on the menu that our table sampled was definitely the apple calzone dessert, filled with warm walnuts and dried fruit.

Chef Ramsey was clearly busy troubleshooting all evening. He called the Chef-Owner out to the street and spoke to him in front of a camera in the middle of the service. While it was easy to see his frustration, there was no shouting match to be heard over the din of the patrons. We'd definitely gone more for the experience of the show than for the food, and it was entertaining to see it all unfold. I'll be looking for the episode to air to see the "before" portions of the restaurant when Chef Ramsey first arrived. There will definitely be publicity as there was a local news station crew taping there before we'd left as well.

If you get the opportunity, Kitchen Nightmares is definitely a fun event to attend. Email me for info on how to contact the show.

Bottle Cap Ornament

2011-01-05T12:19:00.001-08:00

I just got a really nifty craft tool that I'll be using a lot this year! It punches holes in bottlecaps. You might know my grandfather had a local soda company in Southern Illinois from the 1930s-50s. In fact, I've made our logo into an ornament one year. We have a ton of our family label bottlecaps, and I've been wanting to figure out how to make them into jewelry. I can also put the caps onto pull chains for zippers or to mark flash drives, keychains, and....

....ornaments. My late uncle had a tradition of making an ornament for the family each year, and I have had fun taking after him.

I superglued my Grandpa's picture on the inside, covered with a protective silicone-like disc, then left it as a thank-you for my dad when I left town after the holidays. Can't wait to see it on the tree next year. I think I'll be using these as my extended family gift for next year.

What projects do you have in mind to work on for next year? When do you start your handmade gifts--at the last moment, or throughout the year?

For My Dad

2011-01-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

I already posted the framing of card illustrations from my dad's hometown that I gave to my aunt and uncle for the holidays. I liked that one because as a quad framing, it was a single thing to ship and mail, and perfect for a setting such as my uncle's optometry office. For my dad, I wanted to do something a little more formal, with a bit more bling befitting a holiday decoration. I ended up making him this swag decor.

Unfortunately, I didn't have this finished by Christmas day. How many of your well-intentioned homemade gifts do you end up giving late or not at all? I hope I'm not alone in this predicament! I think my dad loved it anyway. My mom had to help out a bit with the bow. If you have any bow-making techniques, please leave me a comment on the blog!

My Present to Myself....

2011-01-01T16:05:00.000-08:00

Now that I finished making everyone else's presents, I had a few moments to finish my own Chance & Claire Adornments! It took a lot of help from my mom to get the painting true to life. I wish I could have taken tole painting classes from my mom in the 1970s when she used to teach. These will be even more special to me because she helped me make them.

What did you give yourself for the holidays this year?

Duggan "Adornment"

2010-12-28T18:00:00.000-08:00

I used a printable template from PetSmart to make the most adorable personalized ornament for my brother featuring his dog, Duggan.

The template allows you to upload your dog or cat's face, choose a fur color and texture, then create a downloadable pdf. Once printed, it's like origami and finished by simple folding and pasting. We did embellish the template with a little more painting to make Duggie's spots true-to-life.

What do you think of our final result? Have any online printables that you've used with success? please leave a comment on the blog with your tips.

Recipe Corner: Ann's Artichoke Spread

2010-12-27T10:11:00.001-08:00

We've made it a family tradition to have appetizers for dinner when we open Christmas gifts. One standard is an artichoke dip that came from my aunt Ann. We usually have this with chips, but I like the leftovers as a sandwich spread too. It's so easy to whip together and bakes in only twenty minutes. It's got just the right zing (though I always add extra cheese, but that goes without saying). It's easy to customize too: if you don't like mushrooms, leave that out and throw in some olives, or whatever your preference.

What are your favorite appetizers? I'd love to see some recipes in the comments thread!

Carlinville Panorama

2010-12-26T12:00:00.000-08:00

This is a much, Much delayed post, because I had to make sure certain family members did not see it before the holidays! To share a bit of my homemade holiday with you, here's a gift I made for my dad's brother and sister.

When I went home last December, there were beautiful art prints of some town landmarks hanging in a coffee shop. They were out of my budget, but there were greeting card sized versions of the same prints, so I was able to get each landmark, and frame them together in a single grouping.

The old movie theater, the gazebo from the center of the square, and the old jailhouse, are all centerpieces of Carlinville, IL. When we would drive to my grandparents' from our home in Chicago, the contest was to see which person could first spot the spire of the county courthouse as we approached town. I love this artists' versions of each.

Easy Photo Ornaments

2010-12-24T16:57:00.001-08:00

I used my mom's die-cutter last holiday season to cut out a bunch of frames, and made some laminated photo ornaments for presents this year. I did about forty of them for less than twenty bucks, and was able to send a token something to extended family to let them know I'd been thinking of them.

Homemade Pizza, Down to the Crust

2010-12-21T00:22:00.001-08:00

My dad was told by his doctor recently that he has to lose weight in order to become a candidate for necessary back surgery, so we're trying to find a balance this season between celebratory foods and healthy eating. I sent him a cookbook last month, and we used it this week to make some avant garde pizzas. It was one I came across at the Culinary Historians of Southern California's annual cookbook sale in the summer, published in 1993.

This was the first time I'd ever made pizza dough from scratch. I doubled the dough recipe so I could leave some in my folks' freezer for next month, when all the visitors have left. I made the dough one evening and the pizzas the next, since I knew there would be a lot of vegetable prep.

We chose one savory pie and one sweet for our first experiment. The savory was an eggplant and olive with tarragon and Jarlsburg pie on whole wheat crust. While I used the cookbook as inspiration and a guide, I was a little too impatient to measure out as I should, so I'm sure my pies weren't as "skinny" as promised.

Still, I'm introducing my dad to more and more whole wheat products, and getting my family to eat more vegetables and less meat. This recipe called for low-fat Alpine Lace cheese, and the closest swiss I could find in the shredded section was a Jarlsburg. I only put olives on half, because I can't stand them. And I dusted the pizza stone liberally with cornmeal for an extra crunchy-textured crust. I used a jarred pasta sauce--Classico's Sundried Tomato Alfredo--on both pies to save a little time and add moisture, though if I wanted to make a "skinny" pie I guess I didn't need any sauce at all since it wasn't called for in the recipe.

I have an eggplant dip that is part of my party/entertaining repertoire, but it's basically a roasted eggplant that is then pureed--there's very little prep to it. So I have minimal experience in working with eggplant generally. That was how I stretched my skills most with this recipe.

(before baking)

(after)

The sweet pie was half inspired by the cookbook and half from one I have often at California Pizza Kitchen, a pear and blue cheese pie with walnuts and Parmesean on whole wheat crust.

Besides adding the tomato/alfredo sauce to this, I added a cup and a half of Parmesean cheese. I wanted something different than the swiss on the savory pie, and I thought a dry aged cheese would pair well with the fruit. I didn't read the recipe once I'd gone shopping, and I forgot about the cinnamon or sauteing the pears. I did drench them in lemon juice after slicing so they wouldn't brown up while waiting as we ate the savory pie first. This made a perfect dessert pie.

(before baking)

(after)

What's your favorite pizza combo? Please leave a comment on the blog.

Whole-Wheat Pizza Crust

From "Skinny Pizzas" by Barbara Grunes

24 servings
makes 2 12-inch round crusts
or 2 9-inch x 12-inch rectangular crusts
or 12 6-inch to 7-inch round crusts

1/2 teaspoon honey
1 cup (scant) warm water (110 degrees F or warm to the touch)
1 package active dry yeast
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon good quality olive oil

Proof yeast by stirring honey into warm water in measuring cup or small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water and stir until yeast dissolves. Let mixture stand in draft-free area about five minutes or until yeast begins to bubble.

Meanwhile, mix flour with salt and oil in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, or in an electric mixer with a dough hook. (To mix dough by hand, use a bowl and a wooden spoon.)

Pour in yeast mixture and process until a soft, almost sticky dough is formed, about 5 to 10 seconds. If using an electric mixer, mix three minutes or until smooth dough is formed. If mixing dough by hand, mix ingredients until a smooth, slightly sticky dough is formed, about three to five minutes.

Knead dough by hand on a lightly floured surface or pastry cloth until smooth. If dough is too sticky, add flour by the tablespoon until it reaches the desired consistency. Put dough in a bowl and cover lightly with oiled plastic wrap and aluminum foil or a kitchen towel.

Let dough rise until it doubles in bulk, about 45 minutes to an hour. Punch dough down and let stand five minutes. Knead for a few minutes more on a lightly floured board or pastry cloth. Dough is now ready to use.

Note: You can add various flavors to the crust to give it an extra special flavor. For example, you can add two tablespoons of honey mustard, lemon rind, curry powder, pesto sauce, and/or dried rosemary.

Eggplant, Black Olive, & Cheese Pizza

12 servings

1 large, well-formed eggplant (about 1 1/2 lbs.), trimmed, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds, unpeeled
1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Basic Pizza Crust (12-inch)
2 tablespoons celery seeds
canola oil or non-stick cooking spray
1/4 cup black olives, sliced, drained
1 cup low-cholesterol Alpine Lace cheese, shredded
3/4 teaspoon tarragon
1/4 teaspoons each: salt, ground black pepper

Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt to remove moisture. Let stand 20 minutes on paper towels. Rinse eggplant slices and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat olive oil and garlic in large fring pan over medium heat. Saute eggplant, covered, gently about 2 minutes on each side. Eggplant will be cooked when golden brown and soft.

Prepare dough according to recipe; when kneading, mix in celery seeds. Use a rolling pin or knead dough by hand on lightly floured board. Shape dough into 12-inch pizza pan that has been lightly oiled or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Arrange eggplant pieces with garlic decoratively on pizza crust. Sprinkle on black olives, cheese, and seasonings.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Pear & Blue Cheese Pizza

12 Servings
(6 individual pizzas)

1 Whole-wheat Pizza Crust
Canola oil or non-stick cooking spray
1 tablespoon margarine
4 large, ripe but firm pears, cored, sliced thin
3 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 oz. blue cheese, crumbled

Shape and stretch dough by hand or with rolling pin on lightly floured pastry board. Divide into 6 individual pizzas, 6 or 7 inches each.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spray frying pan and melt margarine. Toss pear slices with lime juice and cinnamon. Saute pear slices only one minute.

Arrange pear slices on pizza. Sprinkle with blue cheese.

Bake about 10 to 15 minutes or until pizza crusts turn light golden brown. Remove pizzas from oven and cut each in half. Serve hot.

Displays I Love

2010-12-20T23:18:00.000-08:00

Even when I'm not spending, window shopping can be fun--my sense of design and display are stimulated by the holiday season.

I love this department-store display. What have you seen that has struck your fancy this season? Post links in the blog comments to pictures of what's attracted your attention.

Poor Quality Snafish Photo Mugs

2010-12-15T22:04:00.000-08:00

About a week ago I made a photo mug on the website Snapfish for free through an offer from Hershey's, after reading about the offer from The Frugal Girls. I was so excited to make a souvenir from a great pet photo as a present to myself! I chose an image from this past Halloween.

The deal actually only cost me $2.99 total for shipping, and my mug came in today's mail--pretty quickly for a promo, I thought. But I'm so glad I didn't actually order this as a holiday gift for someone else, because the quality of the mug is poor. The image was crooked, and after one washing some of the paint is already chipping off near the top of the photo!

Since it was a "free" offer I won't be complaining or returning the item. But because I know these probably are popular gifts, I wanted to review the product. If you're thinking of getting a mug with the kids' picture on it for grandma or grandpa, you might do better going down the block to your local Walgreens.

What custom photo gifts have you given as gifts, and how/where did you create them? Please leave a comment on the blog if you have an experience to relate.

Food Bloggers LA

2010-12-14T20:36:00.000-08:00

Trolling Facebook does have its benefits. I just discovered a FB group titled Food Bloggers Los Angeles. Uniting the food blogging community of greater Los Angeles, they meet monthly for education, inspiration and good eats. Of course I jumped in with both feet, attending this month's Christmas gathering. Can you imagine the sorts of dishes food bloggers would bring to a potluck?

I was migrating from party to party that night (Did the Christmas season seem extra short to you too this year? I think we were shortened at least one weekend by having the holiday fall on a Saturday this year), so my stop at the FBLA event was an early one. And in Los Angeles, being on time to a party is a *Party Foul*. So, I helped the hosts set up for the event, and about thirty other party guests showed up five minutes before I had to leave.

Despite the circumstances, I met several great people--including having plenty of privacy to get to know the host, Greg of Sippity Sup. Coming from the film industry, far too many of my friends are work contacts bordering on friends. As an escape, I write a blog, and read other online blogs. Introverted? Maybe a little. So I was proud of myself for getting out of my comfort zone to meet some strangers in real life.

And now I'm back in my comfort zone, my living room, reading all the blogs of the wonderful members of FBLA, salivating, bookmarking recipes, and counting down the days till my next culinary adventure.

Have you used your hobbies to meet people and make friends? Do you find most of your friends stem from your work life? Leave me a comment with your experiences on the blog.

Shortbread Reindeer

2010-12-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

These cookies were exhibited at the LA County Fair. They're such darling reindeer I had to share the idea.

Shortbread wedges are decorated using mini pretzels, brown m & m candies for eyes, and of course a red m & m for Rudolph's nose! Too cute.

Let me know if you use this idea this holiday season, and send me your shortbread recipe.

Marina Del Rey Holiday Boat Parade

2010-12-11T23:46:00.000-08:00

I had a great time at this year's Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade. The night opened with a spectacular fireworks display. I have only a small Cannon PowerShot digital camera, and rarely use the video function as it's not really meant for that application--you get what you pay for in that department, I've always thought. But the fireworks reflected in the water over the beautiful boats at the dock took my breath away, and I wanted to share the experience, mostly with my folks. So here's the last half of the (fireworks) show....

And in case the video doesn't import, a still showing my view....

I got a couple decent shots of the boats before the parade. The theme this year was "A Rock 'N Roll Christmas." Most of the boats took off from the theme in some way, but a few were just seasonal or pretty.

The huge green elf on this boat caught my eye, and I thought the wording read "elves rocks." If you watched long enough, you'd see the second "e" in the word "elves" change to an "i." It wasn't till much later that I saw the huge Elvis form lit up, and by then my camera's battery had died. This is the float that won the grand prize in the boat parade contest.

It was fun to watch the crews prepare the boat and take off from the dock. Especially the crews dressed like elves and Elvises.

The atmosphere was enjoyably festive, but the beginning of the parade seemed to have wide gaps between boats. There were a couple of hosts emceeing the night, but they weren't provided with musical accompaniment. To fill the gaps, they kept asking children to come up to the mic and sing Christmas carols, softly and off-key. That got old with nothing to watch on the water.

Chance and Claire enjoyed the atmosphere and crowds. Eventually the crowds grew to the point that I was a bit fearful of the pups getting stepped upon, and with my camera dead anyway, half the fun was gone for me.

So we ditched the parade in favor of dinner at Mendocino Farms. I tried their seasonal Vegan Mushroom Confit Sandwich, with vegan mushroom braised seitan “wheat meat” with pickled Portobellos, almond romesco, and baby spinach on toasted ciabatta. It had a bit of a kick that I didn't expect, not being familiar with a "romesco". I'd eat it again but like it better with half the amount of confit spread and a couple slices of swiss cheese. It was fun to try both a new restaurant and foods that I was unfamiliar with, and the dogs got some practice on their down-stays while I ate. I wouldn't have known about this place but for a daily deal on Living Social. Group buying sites not only save me money but expose me to new experiences.

Did anyone else go to the parade this year? If you have photos to share leave me a comment on the blog so I can check them out!

P.S.

I just uploaded pictures off my iPhone, which I used after my camera battery died (darn video function!). Here's a poor shot of the Elvis, all lit up:

You can see how huge he was, even in comparison to the Elf on that boat (see earlier pictures), and how much fun it was to watch him dance!

This year definitely renewed my enthusiasm for this event. I'll be back for more next December!

Dog & Cat First Aid Course

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

My dog just had his fifth birthday. While I've done lots of reading, gained a ton of experience through vets and over time, I have yet to take a pet first aid course. I can't believe how long I've been a dog owner without getting this done. So for Chance's fifth adoption anniversary I'm planning to take the Dog & Cat First Aid Course offered by the Red Cross in my area.

I just found out how to access their schedule and registration page--here. If you don't know the chapter in your area, there's a search function here. The course I found will be offered on Jan. 27th for just $40, and is a four hour class session, double the class time in other courses I saw listed. I'm not signing up as of yet since I'm not sure what my freelance work schedule will be that far in advance, so once again I'm using the blog to remind myself of something I plan to do in the future.

Have you taken a pet first aid course? Who taught it and how did you find out about it? What was the most useful piece of information you took away from it? Please give me some feedback in the comments section of the blog.

Holiday Fun--Free Workshop from UC Cooperative Extension

2010-12-06T14:18:00.000-08:00

There's a great free holiday event from the UC Cooperative Exchange this Friday morning. Click on the image above to enlarge it to a readable size. The text is reprinted below:

Please join us in discovering more ways for you and your family to have a safer, happier, and healthier holiday season!

The University of California Cooperative Extension, Los Angeles is excited to host:

The Simple Joys of the Holidays

Friday, December 10th
9:30am – 12:00pm
in our demonstration kitchen
4800 E. Cesar E. Chavez Avenue,
Los Angeles CA 90022

FREE Workshops

• Making Every Dollar Count for entertaining and gift giving
• Thoughtful and inexpensive homemade gifts
• Tree and home decorating safety tips
• Top 10 ways to reduce stress during the holidays
• Ways to stay active and have Fun

DOOR PRIZES, LIGHT REFRESHMENTS, and FREE GIFTS for everyone!

For more information contact: Cynthia G. Ávila, 323-260-3345, cgbandera@ucdavis.edu

Let me know if you decide to join in this event!

Free Christmas Music Downloads on Amazon

2010-12-06T11:13:00.001-08:00

Amazon is offering 25 free Christmas songs (one per day) downloadable as mp3s via their site here. There are some impressive contemporary versions of classic songs from people like Chris Isaac and Indigo Girls. I can't wait to start blasting holiday tunes! Here in balmy CA music sets the holiday spirit for me, and with a fourteen hour drive to celebrate with my family, I have a lot of road time to kill.

What is your favorite holiday music? Where do you find free (legal) downloads? Post a link via the comments section of the blog.

Holiday Cookie Exchange 2010

2010-12-03T14:46:00.000-08:00

I did a cookie exchange with My People Connection last year and blogged about it here. It was the first exchange I'd ever participated in. This year My PC also has a meetup group that held the same event. My friend Jen T. is the creator of My PC and host of this event:

And once again today I came away with quite a haul of home-baked goodies:

The ten people who showed up

were a smaller group than last year, but they made such a variety of treats, from biscotti, to potato chip cookies to white chocolate-macadamia goodies. The biggest benefit of participating in an exchange is the amount of different things you'll have to serve afterward, while puting out the same effort as making one kind of cookie. It was also really nice to have the opportunity to make new friends.

I used some of my Longaberger baskets and pottery for the first time to bring my spiced nuts and the chocolate-banana bar cookie I made last year--I was in too much of a rush to experiment this time around.

Jen started off the event by having everyone lay out their goodies next to one another on a long buffet table. We went around the room letting everyone know what we'd brought. After some conversation we took a turn around the table, taking a few of each in our own containers to bring home. When everyone had had a turn there were still goodies left over so we went around about three times before all had been distributed.

Here's a tutorial and recipe on making potato chip cookies like the balls I got today (though these are flattened while the ones today were in a ball-shape). An article from WikiHow describes chocolate covered matzah also similar to something that was at the exchange.

What are the standards that you MUST make every year? Do you participate in any holiday exchanges? With what groups? Or do you take goodies to a specific place, like work, each year? Share your traditions, new and old, with me in a comment on the blog.

Recipe Corner: Easy Appetizer--Cheddar Cheese Balls with Almond

2010-12-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

One easy appetizer to make yourself at home is a simple cheese ball. They're great to take as hostess gifts, can be frozen if made ahead of time, and are so much more economical than bought cheese spreads.

I love to make them myself because I can split the recipe into several smaller balls, better for my small household. Rather than being left with a half-eaten appetizer that gets dried out and unappetizing, I get a smaller serving which leaves me with a fresh appetizer to serve at a separate time. Also they're easily customizable to include your favorite ingredients and leave out whatever doesn't appeal; think: minced dried fruits like apricot, fresh or dried herbs like sage or rosemary, or nuts like pinenut, walnut, or almond.

My friend Heather taught me to make these, and I've passed this along to at least one other friend.

The basic recipe consists of one 8 oz. package cream cheese (I use lower-fat neufchatel), two cups shredded cheddar or other cheese, 1/4 or 1/2 cup chopped nuts or nut meal, and 1/4 tsp. garlic salt. Bring cream cheese to room temperature. In large bowl, mix all ingredients with your hands until completely saturated. Split into two or three (or make one large bowl) and round with the palms of your hands. Roll in shredded nuts or herbs if desired. Wrap in saran wrap and tin foil and refrigerate or freeze till hardened.

I keep one of these in the fridge or freezer at all times for an easy spread for unexpected drop-by guests.

Do you have any recipes you keep on hand for the holidays that are more economical to make at home than to buy already prepared? Please leave a comment on the blog!

Ice Cream Cone Ornament

2010-12-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

Here's one of the ornaments my mom helped us kids to make in the eighties when I was very small....we lived in the house I was first born in, so I was under eight. I remember making them with her in our basement. The base is a Bugle corn chip, and I'm sure we ate more than we made. It's supposed to be an ice cream cone with a cherry on top, so I'm not sure our proportions are in line. But it lives on our tree to this day. One of my favorite holiday memories.

Do you have any ideas for easy homemade ornaments or other handmade gifts? Please leave a comment on the blog.

Grandma Jessie Walker's Coffee Cake

2010-11-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

This was so good I forgot to take a picture of it till the plate was empty. Even better--I have a photo of the recipe in my Grandma Walker's handwriting and shorthand, from a notebook so old it is falling apart. I think this is the coffee cake I remember as my mom's standard whenever we had guests or special events, like a holiday morning casual brunch. Easy, fast, and delicious....

Jessie Walker's Coffee Cake

1 1/2 Cup Flour
3 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
3/4 C. Sugar
1/4 C. Shortening
1 Egg
1/2 C. Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla

Sift dry ingredients & cut in shortening. Add egg, milk, & vanilla.

1/2 C. Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp. Flour
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 Tbsp. Melted Butter

Sprinkle on top before baking at 375 degrees for 20-25 min.

Bite Me Holiday Dessert Demo at Surfas

2010-11-20T22:53:00.000-08:00

I've discovered the demo/test kitchen at Surfas in Culver City, and my life will never be the same again. This past week I attended a cookbook signing of the Bite Me sisters, Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat. They are entertaining, funny, and saucy, in addition to being great teachers. Their demo presentation featured Holiday Desserts and included recipes and tips for everything they had prepared.

Lisa is the trained pastry chef, while Julie is the professional writer/editor of the duo. Lisa stressed the importance of not overmixing, and taught to add eggs one at a time. Julie came prepared with trivia and prizes. Highlights of the evening were a chocolate pecan pie, an apple-butterscotch quickbread, smores cupcakes, and a pumpkin cupcake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. I'll come back to this post to add a recipe when I have the time to type it out, as my scanner's currently broken. I'm definitely adding the book to my PaperbackSwap wish list, but since it's new I'm sure it'll take some time to get ahold of it that way. We left the demo with great schwag giveaways that included reusable bags and various utensils--in my bag was a pizza cutter, while my friend Lisa got a pastry brush.

Bite Me also has a Facebook Page. For future Surfas events, check here, or check out their recipe section here. Surfas offers some free events, such as this one, but more often offers classes given by established chefs and caterers that are expert in a particular area, so be sure to read the event descriptions carefully. My friend Lisa blogs at Epicurean Expressions and is available as a personal chef under the name Chow for Now.

Hollywood Christmas Parade

2010-11-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

Guess what I missed last year? Since I don't get the newspaper, or watch news broadcasts with any regularity at all, I miss a lot of fun activities. So I'm posting this to the blog with the tags "Thanksgiving" and "Christmas" so that next year when I use my archives, I'll remember that this takes place on Thanksgiving weekend every year. I went the year I was a VISTA volunteer, in 1996, and had a great time with all my roomies. For all the details, check out The Hollywood Christmas Parade official website.

SFV 4-H Arts & Crafts October Project Meeting

2010-10-14T22:40:00.001-07:00

SFV 4-H Arts & Crafts October
Project Meeting is all about Halloween!

We'll be "blinging" up our pumpkins with sparkly jewels (like those pictured above) and/or making holiday alligator clip barrettes.

We'll meet Sunday, October 24th from 3-5PM
at the DeYoung's home,
9623 Wystone Ave.,
Northridge, CA 91324.

Bring a six-inch pumpkin if you'd like
or just make barrettes
and bring along a glue gun if you have one.

Materials fee is $5/person
(payable via paypal to "etrets@gmail.com")
Everyone will help clean up in last ten minutes of class.

Please RSVP to "etrets@gmail.com" if you can come.

And remember the barrettes can be shown
at the county fair for a ribbon next summer!

Alligator Clip Barrettes

2010-10-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

I made these darling child's alligator clip barrettes over the weekend. They were so easy! I saw them on a talk show or blog somewhere, and it sat in my brain until I had the time to get to it, so I can't remember to whom I should properly attribute the idea.

I got the steel single prong alligator clips in bulk online here for less than fifteen cents apiece, including the shipping. I priced them out at a couple local beauty supplies, and this was by far the best deal. It was a simple task to then wrap ribbon bought on clearance after last Christmas season around them using a hot glue gun. Okay, I'm not as handy with the glue gun as I would like to admit--they were more time intensive than I expected. But they're a great frugal gift for a new mother or favorite niece.

They make handy hair clips for children or adults, but I can think of some other uses for them too: one of them is to hold pairs of mittens or socks together in a closet or bin. My favorite is to use them to clip holiday cards to twine or rope to make a swag wall decoration. I'll be doing this with incoming Christmas cards this year, and love the idea as a Valentine's Day banner. With an everyday-themed ribbon, I'm planning to make a handful for a friend in the hospital. She can use a card banner that can be easily swapped out to stay current, and is portable when she switches rooms.

Have you ever made hair accessories for your children? Please post a comment to the blog, and send pictures if you have any.

Baby Shower for Chloe

2010-09-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

The date for Cathy Ballenger's baby shower for incubating Chloe finally came this weekend! I had a great time throwing the party along with Cathy's friends Jamie, Ronnell, and Marilyn. There was about a dozen guests to fete the baby. I so enjoyed meeting the special friends in Cathy's life.

(the full spread)

Background music was a channel of lullabies courtesy of Pandora. It was just loud enough to be pleasant without being overwhelming.

Hostess Ronnell made a darling diaper cake that she gifted to the mom and baby. She also made game prizes with Starbucks cards in them!

In honor of the dad's Argentinian citizenship, hostess Jamie made a banner sign reading "Bienvenido Chloe" in the party's colors of brown and dusty rose that was the focal point for the decorations. She then gifted all the onesies to the baby.

I got several copies of The Real Mother Goose off Paperback Swap to use as decorations or placemats. We ended up hanging a couple illustrations from a mirror in the room where we gathered. I also made nametags from Avery labels to coordinate with the nursery rhyme theme decor using a graphic off paperback swap, the cover of the book "The Real Mother Goose" with the black and white checked cover that you remember from childhood.

Couscous with Pineapple, Mango and Maraschino Cherries: Canned pineapple and prepared mango were time-savers for this recipe, though fresh and/or grilled fruit plated atop a bed of the couscous would step up the sophistication for a fancier event. I used half water-half orange juice for the liquid in cooking the couscous to add to the sweet fruit flavor.

Quinoa and Corn salad with Cucumber and Cashews: to cook the quinoa, I used vegetable broth for the liquid rather than water. That added a ton of flavor and turned the dish into more of a savory one.

My cousin Rachel brought this grape salad to a family reunion and is now not allowed to attend without it--it's so yummy! For the party, I simplified by using raw walnuts, not sugared, and mixed the salad rather than layering it in a baking pan.

Rachel Walker Baker's Grape Salad

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place 1 stick of butter and 1 1/2 cup chopped nuts in pan, bake for 10 min, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, add 1/2 cup brown sugar, and cool.

Wash 2-3 lbs red seedless grapes, pat dry and place in 9x13 inch pan.

Mix 8 oz cream cheese, 8 oz sour cream, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a bowl. Recipe calls for pouring this mixture over grapes; I mix it in with the grapes.

Sprinkle nut mixture on top and refrigerate. Enjoy!

Jicama Salad with Mint & Grapefruit Segments: I used prepared grapefruit segments to save time in this dish. The jicama can be peeled pretty quickly using a carrot peeler, then cut into sticks for a different look.

The recipe from a local Salt Lake deli was an inspiration for the Italian Bread Salad pictured above. I simplified, leaving out the cucumbers, capers and olives, and used freshly picked tomatoes straight from my garden. To strech the expensive mozzarella further, I sliced each ball in half.

Caputo's Bread Salad

1 Loaf French bread, in pieces
1-1 1/2 cups Mozarella cheese, in balls or cut into chunks
3 cucumbers, cut in chunks
1 pkg Cherry tomatoes, small or halved
1 jar medium whole green olives (I omit this)
1 Tbsp. Capers
Olive Oil & Vinegar salad dressing

A last minute addition as guests were arriving was a platter of cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches garnished with cherry tomatoes.

Jamie served a lovely chocolate fondue with all kinds of fruit and pound cake as dippers, a couple different kinds of hummus, and a tray of shrimp. Jamie also made a really yummy virgin punch with sherbet in it, and a lovely champagne-cranberry juice spritzer with raspberries dotting the glasses.

Finally got to taste the Pumpkin Cheesecake bars I baked last weekend! The recipe's in this separate post.

(the hostesses, with the mom-to-be in the center
L-R Ronnell, Ellen, Cathy, Jamie, Marilyn)

Jamie and Ronnell had made colorful candy boxes as party favors. Unfortunately I couldn't wait to crack it open, so I don't have a photo.

Thanks again to the rest of the co-hosts. This party wouldn't have happened but for the team effort!

What baby shower ideas have you used in the past, or remember from parties you've attended? Please leave a comment on the blog.

Free Night of Theater

2010-09-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

Free Night of Theater Ovation TV Spot from Theatre Communications Group on Vimeo.

Enjoy a free theater performance during the month of October as part of an arts promotion called Free Night of Theater. Make your reservation now for shows between Oct. 1 and Oct. 31, 2010. Tickets for some shows might not yet be available as release dates vary by region. Start by finding free performances near you.

Free performances are happening across the country. The free performances are a way for theaters to reach out to people who may become regular patrons. It is organized by the Theatre Communications Group, an advocate of not-for-profit professional theaters.

Blogger Prom 2010

2010-09-23T18:00:00.000-07:00

On the scale of glam, Blogger Prom 2010 was at least a twelve out of ten. An invite-only event, I didn't get to go to last year's inaugural. But this year's theme of "Hollywood Confidential, "held high above the Hollywood hills at the infamous Yamashiro restaurant, was my moment to shine. I've been looking forward to meeting and learning from other bloggers in the know about food, Los Angeles events, and lifestyle for weeks.

(myself and Marni Landes of Happy Go Marni)

I had the ideal dress on hand for the event, a backless silk chocolate-brown floor-length number with a scooped neckline in front and a small train at back. I've waited four years for the right event to wear this to, and it fit the period to a "T." My friends from work kindly fixed me up with shoes, a bag, and a wrap, as well as doing my hair and makeup, so I felt like an absolute queen for a day.

(Beryl Cohen of Cinemon Girl,
who graciously joined me as my guest for the evening)

The costume-atmosphere gave me the confidence to make the most of the opportunity, and I mingled for hours, asking other bloggers what they do, and what makes their site work. I met a range of folks, from the serious bloggers with cards to hand out, to those that had an unpublished site in planning stages, and the few who were a guest of someone on the committee. What I took away from the experience: almost all have used twitter to build their blog's followers. Perhaps I should get serious about tweeting more than a forwarded blog post.

(the evening's signature drink, a Pinky Confidential)

(ChocolateBox Cafe's sample table)

The structure of the evening was basically a mini-food and drink fest treating bloggers like Very Important People. There was a signature drink, Yamashiro appetizer trays circulating, a taco bar, a wonderful cheese sampling, Cool Haus ice cream sandwiches, and chocolate.

Door Prize winners were tweeted on a live screen, and the gift bag of Hollywood-schwag was not to be forgotten.

(a Cool Haus special with Chocolate-Choc Chip
Cookies and Salted Caramel Ice Cream)

A big thanks to all the event's sponsors, and especially to the committee who put in so much time planning. Can't wait for next year!

Follow Your Heart Cafe

2010-09-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

One fallish, overcast and misty afternoon this week I used a Living Social deal to try out a new cafe with a friend. We went to the Follow Your Heart Cafe in Canoga Park. They're one of SoCal's oldest natural food eateries and the makers of the original Vegenaise.

We liked the Nutburger Supreme but were most impressed with the Grilled "Chicken" Sandwich made with wheatmeat. The sides were fresh, and everything was both healthy and yummy. I loved the little market too for the variety of products I can't find elsewhere. This market will be a prime source for me in my quest to experiment with veggie meats.

I had no idea this little nugget was nestled in the valley. It'll be a regular stop for me anytime I go through Topanga canyon.

If You Go:
Follow Your Heart
21825 Sherman Way
Canoga Park, CA 91303

818-348-3240

What's your favorite natural foods market? Do they offer a deli as well? Please leave a comment on the blog with your hidden spot.

Recipe Corner: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

2010-09-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

(the finished product)

I'm all about cooking from scratch, but sometimes a little bit of convenience goes a long way. I've heard about The Cake Doctor for years but never had one of her cookbooks. Recently my sister gave me a similar cookbook for my birthday--Taste of Home Cake Mix Creations. Its premise is that each recipe uses a boxed cake mix as part of the ingredients. Today I had to try it out by making Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. I won't get to taste these for a week, as I'm freezing them for next week's baby shower, but I thought I'd share the recipe and pics anyway. Can you smell them in the oven? Mmmm, Fall!

The bars called for pumpkin pie spice as one of the ingredients. Although I had all the components, I was out of that mix. So I looked up a recipe from the internet and broke it down into its parts.

Pumpkin Pie Spice
from About.com

* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dessert
from Taste of Home Cake Mix Creations

1 pkg (16 oz.) pound cake mix
3 eggs
2 Tbsp butter, melted
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
whipped cream, optional

(cake mix, egg, and melted butter)

In large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, butter, and 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice until crumbly. Press into a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish; set aside.

(crust layer, patted into pan)

In a separate large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add remaining eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the pumpkin, milk, cinnamon, salt, and remaining pie spice. Pour into crust; sprinkle with nuts. Place pan on a baking sheet.

(prepared bars just before baking)

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until set. Cool. Refrigerate until serving. Cut into squares; garnish with whipped cream if desired.

My modifications: I used a smaller pan to make deeper bars because I'm going to a small group function and I didn't want a ton of portions left over. Because I had such a deep-set tray I left them in the oven on the long side to make sure they were cooked through. And as I said, I froze the pan for a week before serving, so I hope the consistency will hold up to that. I'll have to let you know in a follow-up.

What's your favorite bar cookie? Do you often use Cake Doctor-type recipes? Please leave a comment on the blog if you try out this recipe.

Car Door Magnets for Longaberger Business

2010-09-19T09:38:00.001-07:00

I designed car door magnets at Vista Print to advertise myself as a Longaberger consultant. It cost less to design myself than to buy the company's version, and I actually like them better. What do you think of the image and design that I chose? Does this type of advertising ever catch your eye just when you're looking for that service, like a handyman or gardener? Would you ever follow up on such a lead if you'd not been looking for that service beforehand? I'm hoping it will be a subtle way to get the word out. Let me know your opinions in a blog comment.

4-H Arts & Crafts for Back to School Month

2010-09-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

SFV 4-H Club is holding the first Arts & Crafts project meeting of the new year!

Since September is Back to School Month we'll be making
Needlepoint Bookmarkers shaped like Cats, Giraffes, or Frogs
(pictured above).

We'll meet Sunday Sept. 26th from 2-4 PM
at the DeYoung's home,
9623 Wystone Ave
Northridge CA 91324

Materials fee this month is $4/person (payable to leader).
All who participate will help clean up the last 15 minutes of work time.

Please RSVP to "etrets@gmail.com" if you can come.

And remember this completed project can be shown
at the next county fair for a ribbon!

BabyCakes NYC Downtown LA Location

2010-09-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

I spent a wonderful afternoon at BabyCakes NYC's downtown LA location with the Los Angeles Cupcake Meetup group. Now I understand all the fuss about the mini desserts!

I've never been a cake fan, but I am a fan of any icing containing cream cheese. BabyCakes is a uniquely vegan bakery that sweetens primarily with agave nectar, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But the Carrot Cake Cupcake with Salted Caramel Icing (pictured here) stole my heart!

And since it was Claire's adoption anniversary, she got to run all my errands with me, including this one. The LA location has a lovely small patio out front that is just in front of but removed from the sidewalk, so it makes for great people watching without feeling like you'll be tripped over, or have your dog trampled by a bike.

The happy pink-and-white interior matches the friendliness of the employees, though the place was constantly packed. I had a great time meeting about five ladies through the meetup group. Tara, the organizer, did a nice job of making everyone feel welcome. This is definitely a great place for those on food-restricted diets.

Do you have a favorite cupcake bakery? Are you a cake person or an icing person? Please leave a comment on the blog!

Hair Bow Holders from Limepetal

2010-09-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a really cute craft idea from a friend I met at the church boutique over the weekend. These adorable hair bow holders from Limepetal's Etsy shop keep your little girl's barrettes organized in one central place. It's like organizational jewelry for your nursery or child's room! There are nicer photos on the Etsy page, but I took a good wide shot that shows how to construct these. They start with a balsa-wood circle (perhaps a xmas ornament form?), with a one-inch wide grosgrain ribbon hanging down, to which the barrettes can be clipped. This is masked by a decorative felt circle at top and bottom. A narrow ribbon at top allows the organizer to be hung in a convenient place.

Sometimes acknowledging when you need help can make you a smart parent. This is one easy craft to make if you have the time, but if you're like me, and would procrastinate endlessly, you might be smarter to purchase from Limepetal. At least it's handmade!

What organizational tools do you find most convenient in a child's room? Please leave a note on my blog.

An Important Day

2010-09-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

Today is Claire's 4th Adoption Anniversary! Here's a little slide show of some of my favorite pictures of her. Can't believe it's been four years since she came into my life and became Chance's sister.

I hope everyone considering bringing a pet into their lives looks seriously into adoption. I know Claire's the best possible addition to my home. Thanks to the Carson shelter here in Los Angeles County.

And Happy 46th Wedding Anniversary to my folks as well.

Church Craft Boutique

2010-09-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

By chance I found out about a one-day craft boutique at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Winnetka. I called within the vendor registration deadline, but it was already full, so I was put on a waiting list. Last night I was rush called on a cancellation, and today I was set up to sell! Here's my table, all set up.

I took my vintage Pyrex, some crafty stuff I had on hand like my zipper pulls, button pins, matchbooks and handmade cards. And since I've officially signed up as a consultant as of this week, I took a Longaberger catalog and business cards, both to solicit orders and to encourage folks to schedule a home demo party.

There were about twenty five booths at the event. They did a good job of diversifying the products--from jewelry, to candles, t-shirts, baby/kid stuff, stained glass, knitters, Mary Kay, to Christmas ornaments, and cards/paper crafters. It was only the second year of the boutique, so they're still adjusting the format. Overall it was well organized. There was a flat table fee, and vendors then kept all their sales.

The day wasn't very successful for me financially, but I did meet a few other crafters I'd like to stay in contact with, and I gave out a lot of my own business cards for the Longaberger idea and for future Pyrex orders. The booth fee went directly to the church, so I'm considering it a donation of sorts. I've heard recently that people are 150% more likely to buy if the item is tangible, so I was testing that theory today vs just selling through my Etsy store, and I have my answer. As research, the experience was productive.

What kind of items are you looking for as a customer at fall boutiques? Please leave a comment on the blog.

LA Greek Fest

2010-09-09T19:02:00.001-07:00

The L.A. Greek Fest is this coming weekend, Friday-Sunday! Follow the link above to their site for details--I just wanted to post a quick reminder as it's a great affair and always a fun time.

Knockoffs: Pro or Con?

2010-09-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

On the left are the pants from Melodia Designs that I have been lusting after for my hula hooping classes. They're available in five sizes, and are priced at $85 per pair. A company based in the U.S., the website doesn't say where they are made.

On the right are the pants I found today on ebay, shipping from Hong Kong, for only $20, including shipping. They come in one-size-fits-all sizing, so I'd expect some alterations to be made, at least in my case in the length.

But for such a deep discount, would you pass up the knock off for the real thing to stay with a local product of possible better quality? I had to test the theory so I ordered just one pair of the Asian pants (instead of one in every color made, which I could have for about the same price as a pair of the Melodia pants). I'll do an update when they arrive, but for now, I'd love to hear your opinion. Please leave a comment on the blog with your reasoning.

Recipe Corner: Mrs. Danbom's Cheeseburger Pie

2010-09-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

My mom is downsizing in a major way, in preparation for their retirement next summer. So I'm occasionally receiving boxes of miscellaneous "stuff" from my former life. It's considerate of my mom to try to spread this out and not overwhelm me with the massiveness of our home all at once, and I'm glad to be doing this with my parents, while they're still alive--but I find it disruptive to have to deal with this in chunks out of the blue. And fun too. The other day I received some cookbooks from my childhood, beginner ones. In Better Homes and Gardens Junior Cookbook were a couple of handwritten recipe cards. One of them, marked "Ellen's from Mrs. Danbom" was from the mother of my best friend. I didn't eat meat as a child, either, so I don't know if she ever got me to eat this--maybe my mom requested it from her. But it'll be fun to try now, with some veggie crumbles substituted for the ground beef. It may even become my entry for next year's Good Food Pie Contest.

Mrs. Danbom's Cheeseburger Pie

1 lb. ground beef or veggie substitute
1/2 cup chopped onion

brown and drain the above together.

1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cups Jiffy Mix or Bisquick
3 eggs

Grease 10 in. pie pan. Cook meat & onions and drain. Spread in pie pan. Add salt and pepper and grated cheese. Beat remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour into pie pan. Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees or till golden brown.

Good Canned Pasta Sauces

2010-09-08T12:00:00.001-07:00

Canned pasta sauces are a great shortcut for a busy cook in making a casserole or other assembled meal. I never turn to this option because so many look similar, but don't taste the same, or even any good! I was grocery shopping today and spent at least ten minutes in this aisle trying to decide which to get. Because I can never remember which ones I liked or didn't, I decided to post a couple that I have enjoyed as a bookmark for next time.

Big Picture Night at the Bowl Featuring 20th Century Fox

2010-09-07T22:17:00.000-07:00

My last night of the season at the Hollywood Bowl was The Big Picture: Films of 20th Century Fox. This is the yearly night where the Bowl orchestra plays along to clips from films of one designated studio.

The opener was a montage of all the great Fox pictures, from the Sound of Music to Big.

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend was my favorite segment of the evening.

There was a dedicated montage to Slumdog Millionaire.

And one set to Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge.

A neat highlight was that of Edward Scissorhands.

The second half of the show had several segments dedicated to sci fi. That's really not my genre, but I appreciated the historic moments.

It was really cool to see the clips from Planet of the Apes. The pace was so quick I had trouble catching a clear frame with my camera.

I had only budgeted for a few concerts this year, but I had a lot of fun at the ones I chose. Hopefully next year I can go to more than I did this summer.

KCRW's Good Food Pie Contest 2010

2010-09-06T11:35:00.000-07:00

(I loved the t-shirts designed for this years' event)

KCRW's 2nd Annual Good Food Pie Contest was back this Labor Day weekend! I participated in the first competition last year with my grandma's Impossible Pie recipe. Having used up the family recipe, this year I had to get more inventive with my entry.

I ended up creating a Peanut Butter Custard with an Apricot Glaze and Spiced Nut Topping, on a Graham Cracker Crust.

The competition was as stiff as ever, and there were lots of changes from last year, both good and bad. The event was moved to be held in conjunction with Taste of Beverly Hills, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. When I heard this, I thought the Taste event would be happening while we had the pie contest, but KCRW was actually utilizing the space before the other event opened for the evening.

One area that was greatly improved was the streamlined check-in process. They'd taken notes from last year, and had lots more volunteers able to handle the crowd at a special pull-in lot with storage racks for the pies.

(my pie in the back, all checked in and

ready to be taken off to judging)

They also added an apron fashion show, which was a lot of fun. Here I am with Evan Kleiman, telling her about my grandma's 1930s apron that I wore that day in her honor.

I made a slide show of all the apron models on flickr. I couldn't figure out how to embed it in this post, so I made a separate post on the blog just for the slide show, or you can click on the link above.

I was disappointed that the judging took place outside of the contestants' presence. Even though I didn't expect to place, it meant a lot to me to see the judges' reaction last year when they tried my pie--after all, it was a big effort to create my entry. For all I know, this year it didn't even get tasted by one of them.

And I didn't get a picture of my pie before it was cut, because they didn't tell me they'd be slicing into my pie. Last year each contestant plated their own entry, so the whole presentation became ceremonial. I was deflated when I entered the contest this year and saw the jagged hole in my pie. We had been told there would be refrigeration for the pies this year between check-in and the competition, but that clearly didn't happen, based on how many of the pies had slid into the cutout piece.

The mall where the competition was held last year not only provided neat birds' eye viewing from the second level, but also gave attendees a place to go during the long hours between check-in and the judging--the main destination being the food court or other restaurants. This year's event had plenty of pie to eat, but not even a water in site to drink. Because the location was all set up for the Taste of Beverly Hills, event organizers didn't want to let anyone in until the pie competition actually started, so there was not even a place to sit in the intervening time.

Lastly, the open tasting portion of the pie contest had turned into quite a mob scene last year, so this year contestants were asked to remain with their pie and serve anyone who wanted to try it. That meant if you'd competed you were not allowed to try anyone else's pies. As I didn't expect to win the competition, my main reason for participating was to meet other people and get inspiration from their creations. It was totally contradictory to miss out on the tasting part of the event! Had I been informed of this change in advance, I would have made an effort to bring along a friend or family member who was willing to serve my pie while I mingled. But all of these changes were sprung upon us without informing the contestants in advance.

Then, after holding participants off from entering until 4P, the tasting was begun almost as soon as the event started. I didn't have long enough to browse before the tasting began. I didn't even make it around the tables once to look at the pies before we were supposed to man our own separate stations! Seeing others' entries is the favorite part of the event for me, and there's no way everyone can try each pie, so the majority are gone before you even get to them. If you haven't seen them before the tasting starts, you're often out of luck.

The parking was also a mess, and expensive. The posted address on the structure did not match what was in the email. And the shuttle took at least 45 minutes to arrive. All in all, I'd rather have the event at a mall farther out on the 101 than try to squeeze it into a larger event like the Taste of LA.

There were lots of people who entered in the Savory or Interpretive categories, after seeing the low entrants in those categories last year having a better chance of winning. I think the contest organizers should decide if those entries are valid--like the squash pie with graham cracker crust that was entered in the interpretive category this year. To me, that's a pretty traditional pie, and fits in several other categories, while "interpretive" should be reserved for pies that don't fit any other category. It would be a lot of fun to see a category next year for restricted diets, like gluten-free, sugar-free or vegan.

I'd been looking forward to seeing my friend and fellow contestant, Marni, of Happy Go Marni. And I met several new friends and bloggers this year too! That's definitely the biggest reward of participating in special events like this. Thanks again to my friend Dave D. for rooting me on and taking lots of pictures! It was nice to have a cheering section. I think next year I'll have stiffer personal competition if my friends Angela and Eric follow through with signing up.

Here are the interesting combinations that inspired me at this year's contest....

This pie had a halvah crust, studded with sesame seeds, and a thick marzipan filling. Its unusual shape set it apart as well.

I loved the beautiful cross-sectioned figs on this pie, as well as the combination of goat cheese, fig, and rosemary.

The savory pies really caught my eye this year. This one tasted strongly of sun dried tomatoes.

Cajeta is an ingredient that was not familiar to me. Turns out it's a Mexican confection of thickened syrup usually made of sweetened caramelized milk.

This Mac & Cheese pie was in line just ahead of me at check-in. I wanted to scarf it down for lunch! A perfect entry for the interpretive category.

Exquisite presentation was everywhere.

(my pie before adding the nut topping)

(my pie post-judging)

Peanut Butter Custard with Apricot Glaze and Spiced Nut Topping
(custard recipe adapted from The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Book of Desserts)

Custard
3 large egg yolks
3 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp margarine or butter
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Topping
1/2 jar (about 6 oz.) Apricot spreadable fruit or jam
1 bag slivered almonds
1/4 cup nut spice mix

1 pie crust (I prefer graham cracker), purchased or homemade

In two quart saucepan, with fork or wire whisk, beat egg yolks, milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until blended; add butter. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens and coats a spoon well, about 15 minutes; boil 1 minute.
Remove saucepan from heat; with whisk, stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour peanut-butter filling into pie crust. Cover and refrigerate pie until set.
Put 1/2 jar apricot jam in bowl and microwave for small batches, 20 seconds at a time, until runny but not boiling hot. This should take less than 30 seconds. Pour over pie and smooth out with spatula; refrigerate till cooled.
Put slivered almonds into ziploc baggie with 1/4 cup nut spice mix and 2 or 3 Tbsp water. Shake bag until mix is dissolved into liquid and nuts are coated well. Pour into greased pan and bake at 350 till dry and roasted, checking frequently, about ten minutes. Allow nuts to cool.
Top pie with spiced slivered almonds.

If you love pie as much as I do, check out Good Food's Pie-a-Day Blog. Or go to the Good Food page to download and listen to the show.

Have you participated in any kind of bake-off, recipe, or foodie event? I'd love to hear your story in a blog comment!

***Update: I received this note from the contest organizer by email this week:

Hi Ellen,

I want to thank you for being so honest about our pie contest in your blog post. I'm sorry the event didn't live up to your expectations.

I wanted to clarify one thing - the judges tasted every single pie. There were several reasons why we did the bulk of the judging away from the eyes of the contestants. Mostly it was more convenient given the number of pies and the space we were given. Also, having the judges taste separately really allowed them honest deliberation. We received many complaints last year that people were offended by the judges reactions to their pies. Unfortunately, that happens. Having the judges separate allowed them to taste all the pies, comfortably (especially a very pregnant Zoe Nathan), and it allowed them to have an open dialogue about the pies.

I hope you understand.

Thanks again for your honest post.

Harriet

Harriet Ells
Supervising Producer, Good Food
KCRW - 89.9, KCRW.com

***I have to say, I still hold to my opinion: it's a contest. If you can't take constructive criticism, you shouldn't be competing. I'd love to have my moment of reaction from a judge, for better or worse. But, that's my opinion and I understand that the radio station and organizers have to deal with 200 opinions after the fact, so I do see where they went in structuring the competition in private this year. I still hope they change it for next year.

KCRW's 2nd Annual Good Food Pie Contest Apron Fashion Slide Show

2010-09-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

Nut Spice Mix

2010-09-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

KCRW's Good Food Pie Contest started for me this year by making some spiced nuts for the pie's topping.

This is a mix that I often jar up for gifts or sale at the holidays. The recipe comes from Oasis Restaurant in Salt Lake City, many years and many executive chefs ago. I wouldn't be surprised though if it it still used there. As such, it's in bulk quantities. I've halved the recipe and it still makes tons. I mix it in a huge tupperware and package it from there, so I always have some around.

It's a powdered-sugar base, so it looks light and fluffy, but the strong spices like paprika, ginger, allspice, cinnamon and cloves make for a sweet-salty delight. They're great as a plain snack, and work with any nut. At the restaurant they're tossed into salads. They added just the right kick to my pie for the contest.

Nut Spice Mix

1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp chile powder
1/8 cup paprika
1 Tbsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp powdered ginger
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/8 cup allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
6 cups powdered sugar
3/8 cup salt

To reconstitute, put one pound of nuts into a ziploc bag with 1/4 cup spice mix and 2 tablespoons water. Shake the bag till the mix is liquid and the nuts are coated. Pour onto a pan. Roast at 350 degrees, watching carefully, till nuts are bubbly, about ten minutes or less.

What's your favorite way to top a pie? Do you have a special recipe that you use for gift-giving? Please leave a comment on the blog.

What I've Planted in the Garden Lately....

2010-09-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

It seems every hardware or greenery-store has a clearance table for those plants that have gone unnoticed and unloved for too long. Last night I came across three Hibiscus variety "Cairo" in 5-gallon tubs for just two dollars and fifty cents apiece. I'm done investing large amounts of cash into my rental property, but at that price I couldn't resist a little long-term landscaping. I put them along the border just in front of my neighbor's (a Vietnam veteran currently in the hospital) front door. That area gets a ton of direct sunlight, and I think these shrubs will grow really bushy and beautiful there. It's also the area directly ahead as one walks up the drive towards my place, so I'll love the huge bright blossoms.

It'll be several years before this area truly comes into being--the starts were only about eight inches tall, but they did have some new green growth. In this picture you can see one right where the shadow cuts across the bed, and there's one about three feet to each side of that.

A few weeks ago I splurged on myself with three single Irises, varieties "Spiced Custard," "Mexican Holiday" and "Devil's Riot." They're all in the golden hues that I"m attracted to, and I planted them in the big rounded bed next to my laundry area.

The Irises are the dead stalks in the lower center--luckily they're bulbs that will come back in full force next spring. The Canna Lilies that I'd transplanted from my old garden were huge and blooming beautifully this spring, but sometime in May they got a blight of some kind that killed off all the stalks and leaves. But the bulbs seem to be intact and they're coming back with new growth in four places.

I also ended up with a past-blooming Daylily off the clearance rack at the hardware store. I put it on the far right of the main bed, next to the composter. Documenting what I plant and where in these posts really helps me to keep track of what I have, what's died, and what's returning from season to season. Just knowing what's doing well helps me make better decisions in what to plant next.

And, finally, here's my artichoke, as it is now. It had so many chokes at one point in June I couldn't keep up (plus I went out of town on vacation for a month) so I let them dry out as flowers. I cut off one stalk recently when it had no leaves, but I was hesitant to cut the entire plant down as I didn't know if it would come back. It is, with a bang! I have three sprouts growing at the base of the one dried-out stalk that still needs to come down. I'm so glad this plant is flourishing as a perennial in my zone. I'm looking forward to the challenge of keeping up with it next year. One of these days I'll get it right and feed my entire neighborhood.

What are you growing right now? What are you doing to your garden to seasonalize it? (I'd say winterize but it seems a bit early for that.) Please leave a comment on the blog to spark a conversation.

Easy Craft Tip for Paints

2010-09-04T12:36:00.000-07:00

Here's an easy organization tip for using and storing paints--when I buy a new color of any paint, acrylic or otherwise, the first thing I do is to take a sponge brush and paint the lid using that paint. This shows me in true color how that shade will come out, as names like "Seafoam," "Sunset," and "Spiced Custard" may be descriptive but not exact.

I do the same thing with house paints and spray paint cans.

I also use a tub meant for cleaning supplies to store my paint, which makes for easy setup and take-down. They're stackable and the acrylic containers seem to be just the right height. The handles are easy for kids to grab and carry. I can then organize the paints by shade to be able to find just what I'm looking for.

Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University

2010-08-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

I finally registered for Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University course. In my area, it's being taught at Our Savior's First Lutheran Church in Granada Hills on Sunday evenings now through the end of November. Today was the first class.

Before attending, I thought the course was meant for married or couples, to get them talking about finances and on the same page. But with or without a spouse, I need to deal with those same issues, and I don't think I would on my own. While I'm not bad with money, I don't save as I should, especially being a freelancer, and living in such a high cost-of-living area as Los Angeles. But I'm happy with the status quo, and need the accountability and forced study of a structured group to make real changes.

At the classes, you watch a video each week of Dave Ramsey presenting--so this could be done as a home study course, using the DVDs. The power of the group classes are the discussion and accountability groups that follow. Hearing and seeing other people's experiences and views can be affirming or lesson providing.

Right now, the first class is free, so you can come and investigate if it's right for you. If you wish to continue after that, you're paying for the materials, whether through the organization hosting the series or through the website online. I'm finding the materials on ebay, but haven't yet won an auction, so I don't know how much that will save me.

Here's what the course covers:

Week 1 Super Saving	The Beginning... A Very Good Place to Start Enough of Anything is Too Much The Basics (A Foundation) Pile Up Plunder
Week 2 Relating with Money	Single As a One-Dollar Bill Tying a Knot in Your Money: Marriage Crumb Snatchers and Money Family, Friends, and Money Carefully Consider Counsel
Week 3 Cash Flow Planning	Why Written? Baby Steps
Week 4 Dumping Debt	Lifestyles of the Rich Dumping Debt
Week 5 Credit Sharks In Suits	Cucumbers, Collectors & Credit Reports The End... Or Just The Beginning?
Week 6 Buyer Beware	Let The Buyer Beware - Caveat Emptor
Week 7 Clause and Effect	“KISS” Your Money: begin with Insurance
Week 8 That's Not Good Enough!	Buy Only Big, Big Bargains
Week 9 Of Mice and Mutual Funds	“KISS” Your Money through Simple Discipline is The Key Of Mice and Mutual Funds through To Load Or Not To Load
Week 10 From Fruition To Tuition	Of Mice And Mutual Funds: begin with Funding Those Golden Rocking Chairs
Week 11 Working In Your Strengths	Career Choice
Week 12 Real Estate and Mortgages	Buy Only Big, Big Bargains: sections Real Estate Bargains and Owner Financing Bonanza
Week 13 The Great Misunderstanding	Understand The Spiritual Aspects Of Money Do It Daily

I'm hoping I will grow a lot through this course. Have you taken it? How do you handle financial decisions in your own life? Please leave a comment on the blog.