Daily Offerings

New Book

2008-03-11T16:11:00.002Z

my new book Getting Started Knitting Socks arrived today. i read through it this morning and i'm looking forward to getting some yarn and needles and knitting my first pair of socks.

More Felted Bags

2008-03-08T14:26:00.002Z

i knit these bags with two strands of patons classic wool held together on US 11 needles. the grey purse and the olive purse are bags i designed myself. the green bag and the beige bag i used a slightly modified design from Fabulous and Flirty Felt: Stylish Handbag and Accessory Patterns to Knit and Felt by darlene bruce.

Sweater

2008-02-19T15:46:00.002Z

i've been working on this sweater for about 3 1/2 weeks and i finally finished it yesterday. today is my first day to wear it. i'm very excited about it because i designed this one myself and it turned out how i wanted it too. i recently bought the book The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes & Gauges by ann budd. i was able to use this book to come up with my own pattern. another thing i did when knitting this sweater was to knit both sleeves at the same time. i just cast on two sleeves onto one needle. it was great because i was knitting them at the same time i didn't have the problem of one sleeve longer than the other.

Blue Baby Sweater

2008-02-18T15:38:00.001Z

i finally finished this sweater today. i had started it sometime this fall when i was in between other projects and needed something simple to work on. i had all the pieces finished and they just needed to be put together. so today i did it. i got the pattern free from lion brand here.

Felted Purse

2008-01-28T12:59:00.000Z

this is the latest purse i have felted. it is the first one i've done that is my own design. i really liked how it turned out. the little string that you see is the closure. it just ties together. it is small, but still roomy.

Merry Christmas!

2008-01-05T18:02:00.001Z

very very late...
as you might have guessed i've been a bit bored with blogging lately, but i thought i'd let you know what the passerellis had to eat for christmas day.

breakfast
cinnamon rolls
spinach artichoke quiche

lunch
a selection of meats and cheeses
fresh fruit platter
hot crab dip

dinner
boston lettuce wedges with vinaigrette, blue cheese, and toasted walnuts
marinated rib roast with wild mushrooms
roasted potatoes

and for dessert tiramisu

my sister amber has been here with us for the holidays and that means we have some great photos of our christmas week. to see them visit her website at www.amber-mckee.com. just click on portfolios and you'll see an option for christmas. go soon i don't think she is going to keep them there for long.

Brown Basmati Rice with Vegetables

2007-10-05T12:01:00.000Z

i made this last night to go with chicken. i came up with this dish to try and use some of the vegetables that came in box delivery. i really liked it because the vegetables still had some crunch to them. here's the recipe...

...recipe my own creation
1 cup brown basmati rice
1 clove garlic, minced
spring onion, sliced
carots, peeled and diced small
radishes, sliced
zucchini, diced small
olive oil

Cook rice according to the package instructions, set aside.

In a large saute pan heat oil. Add garlic and the white parts of the spring onion, cook 3-5 minutes. Add the carots and radishes, cook 3-5 minutes. Add the zucchini, cook 3-5 minutes. Add the cooked rice and stir around. Sprinkle with the green parts of the spring onion.

Fried Cornmeal Shrimp with Butternut Squash Risotto

2007-10-04T19:27:00.000Z

i made this last night for dinner and it was delicious. here's the recipe...

...recipe from the october 2007 issue of Bon Appetit magazine
1 2 pound butternut squash
24 large uncooked shrimp, peeled
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
5 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
4 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cups white wine
vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F. Pierce squash several times. Place on baking sheet and roast until tender, about 1 hour. Cool. Cut squash in half, discard seeds. Scoop flesh into a food processor. Puree until smooth. Measure 1 1/2 cups puree.

Place shrimp, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and 3 smashed garlic cloves in a large resealable bag, turn to coat. Chill 2-3 hours, turning occationally.

Stir cornmeal, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Add shrimp; toss. Arrange in a single layer on a large plate.

Bring broth to simmer in a heavy saucepan, reduce to low and keep warm. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and cook until starting to brown. Add 2 chopped garlic cloves and half the thyme, cook 2 minutes. Add rice and stir 1 minute. Add wine, stir until almost absorbed. Reduce heat. Add 1 cup hot broth and cook until liquid is almost all absorbed, stirring often. Continue adding broth one cup at a time and stirring frequently until rice is almost tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add enough vegetable oil to a large skillet to reach a depth of 1/4 inch. Heat oil over high heat. Working in batches, fry shrimp until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.

Rewarm reserved squash puree in the microwave. Add puree to risott and stir until rice is tender, but firm. Stir in parmesan cheese and remaining 2 teaspoons thyme.

Baby Sweater.

2007-10-04T18:46:00.000Z

i made this sweater for a friend's baby. it was a little bit different, because it was knit in only one piece. i got the patter from Knit Simple magazine.

Organic Fruit and Veg

2007-10-03T15:26:00.000Z

last week i ordered a mixed box of organic fruit and vegetables from abel & cole and today i got my first order delivered to my door. when i left the flat this morning it was sitting outside my door waiting for me! i will be getting delivered every wednesday. abel and cole sends me a box of mixed fruit and vegetables and it changes from week to week depending on what's in season. this week i got potatoes, onions, carrots, celeriac, radishes, zucchini, butternut squash, bananas, apples, and plums. so i've never done anything with radishes so if any of you have any great radish recipes let me know!

Black Bean Pineapple Salsa

2007-09-29T12:19:00.000Z

the saltiness of the tortilla chips goes great with the sweetness of the pineapple.

...recipe my own creation
black beans
finely chopped pineapple
sweet onion, finely chopped
red chili, finely chopped
fresh cilantro, chopped
lime juice
olive oil
salt and pepper
tortilla chips, for serving

Felting

2007-09-27T10:30:00.000Z

i've been learning how to felt. this is my first felted project. felting is knitting something in wool and then purposely shrinking it in the washer. with warm water and agitation the fibers start to cling to one another and end up creating a whole new fabric. sue got me the book Felted Knits for my birthday and it is a great book for first time felters.

this is the bag before felting

Ice Cream Cone Cakes

2007-09-14T17:42:00.001Z

jodie's birthday is sunday. we made these for her to take to school today to share with her class. she had a great time decorating them yesterday. i made white cake batter and then cooked the batter in the cones just like cupcakes. then i added a couple of drops of food coloring to canned vanilla ice cream.

Birthday Present

2007-09-13T13:33:00.000Z

some friends gave me these cool tags for my birthday last week. i finished knitting a vest and sewed my first tag in yesterday! it was so fun! it gives the vest a more finished look.

Trafalgar Square

2007-09-12T13:23:00.000Z

the girls are back in school again, but they had today off for an in service day for teachers. so we made what is becoming our usual no school day trip to trafalgar square, the national gallery, mcdonalds, and starbucks. this picture was taken in front of the fountains at trafalgar. someone offered to take it for us after he saw me trying to give andi instructions on taking a picture of jodie and me.

Orange, Olive, and Onion Salad

2007-08-05T15:27:00.000Z

i recently got a new cookbook on moroccan, turkish, and lebanese food. this orange salad was in it. i really liked it. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon
4 oranges
16 black olives
1 large mild red onion, chopped finely
1/2 lemon, juiced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
pinch ground chilli pepper
bunch flat leat parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Peel the oranges, removing the pith. Cut them into slices and then quarters. Put them on to a flat serving plate with the olives and chopped onion on top.

Make a dressing with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, cumin, paprika, and chilli pepper. Pour dressing over salad. Sprinkle with with chopped parsley.

Italian Summer Pudding

2007-08-02T18:02:00.000Z

so in case you haven't noticed, i've been a little bored with blogging lately. i've been spending my free time knitting and reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. i actually have a few posts that i could do, but i thought i'd start with this one tonight. we were invited to a friends house sunday afternoon for an italian feast. i brought tiramisu and this italian summer pudding, a spin off of tiramisu, for dessert. here's the recipe...

...recipe idea from the july 2007 issue of Delicious Magazine but adapted from my recipe of tiramisu
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
8 ounces dark chocolate, broken into pieces
1 pound raspberries
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 cup Tia Maria
1 pound mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup Tia Maria
1/2 cup strong coffee + more
1/2 pound lady fingers
cocoa powder, for dusting

1. Whip the cream.
2. Melt the chocolate. Leave to cool slightly.
3. Reserve a quarter of the raspberries. Put the rest of the raspberries in a bowl with the powdered sugar and 50 milliliters of Tia Maria. Set aside.
4. Combine coffee, 1/2 cup Tia Maria, and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves.
5. Beat the mascarpone cheese until smooth and creamy. Add about 2/3 cup of the coffee mixture and beat until combined.
6. Stir the melted chocolate into the cheese mixture.
7. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate cheese mixture.
8. Dip the sponge fingers in the remaining coffee mixture and layer into the bottom of a 2-liter glass dish.
9. Spread half of the chocolate cheese mixture on top of the lady fingers.
10. Using a slotted spoon, pile the berries on top.
11. Add the remaining berry juice to the remaining coffee mixture.
12. Dip the rest of the lady fingers into the berry coffee mixture and layer on top of the berries. Drizzle any of the remaining berry coffee mixture on top of the lady fingers.
13. Top with the remaining chocolate cheese mixture. Dust with cocoa powder and decorate with the reserved raspberries.
14. Chill for 4 hours or overnight.

Happy Fourth!

2007-07-05T10:33:00.001Z

our planned picnic in the park got rained out last night. so we moved the party to a neighbor's flat and we still had a really good time together. the girls helped me decorate these brownies for the occasion. we had lots of good food including barbecued pork, grilled hot dogs, grilled portobello mushrooms, coleslaw, potato salad, deviled eggs, watermelon, chips, and flag cake. all washed down by coke and budweiser for the full american experience.

Potato Salad

2007-06-01T18:24:00.000Z

we had this potato salad tonight with barbeque chicken. i think it might be the best potato salad i've ever had. the recipe is here.

Half Term Week...Again

2007-05-31T20:22:00.000Z

the girls are off school this week. i've again been busy coming up with things to do with kids in the city. the weather hasn't been great this week, so it's been a little tricky. today we went to see the national gallery in trafalgar square. the girls enjoyed the fountains in trafalgar again and looking at all the paintings in the gallery. there was a special exhibit called take one picture that displayed some children's artwork that the girls really liked. then we had lunch at mcdonalds, browsed in borders, and sat in starbucks drinking coffee, eating chocolate cake, and reading magazines.

Bacon and Egg Rice

2007-05-29T20:17:00.000Z

i made this for dinner tonight. it's a very simple fried rice to make. here's the recipe...

...recipe from the may 2007 issue of Gourmet magazine
2 cups rice
2 1/2 cups water
8 bacon slices, chopped
6 earge eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, choppped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Bring rice and water to a boil in a saucepan, then reduce to low and cook covered until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Gently stir rice from top to bottom.

Cook bacon in a large skillet. When the bacon is crisp pour into a sieve over a heat proof bowl and reserve bacon and fat separately.

Whisk together eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.

Return 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat to the skillet and saute onions until golden. Add eggs and cook, stirring, until eggs are just set. Make a well in the center of the egg mixture, then pour in vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat.. Add rice, remaining salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add bacon, scallions, and sesame oil and cook mixture, stirring, 1 minute. Serve.

Grilled Haloumi Cheese and Lemons

2007-05-29T20:09:00.000Z

the girls are off of school this week for half term. we went to the park this morning and then had lunch at john and kathy's. after watching a few episodes of paula dean on dvd we made this together for our afternoon snack. it was delish! we don't have a grill so i just used our panini press instead. here's the recipe...

...recipe from the june 2007 issue of Gourmet magazine
2 lemons
1/2 pound haloumi cheese
1 large garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
baguette slices
2 tablespoons fresh dill, choppped

Heat grill.

Cut 8 thin slices from the lemons, then squeeze juice from remainder and put inot a bowl.

Halve cheese diagonally and then slice each triangle into 1/3-inch-thick slices.

Press garlic into the lemon juice and add salt and sugar and 1/4 cup olive oil. Stir. Separately toss the lemons and cheese with a little bit of the dressing.

Brush both sides of the bread slices with olive oil.

Grill bread, cheese, and lemon slices turning once during cooking. Bread 2-3 minutes. Cheese 3-4 minutes. Lemons 4-6 minuts.

Whisk dill into remaining dressing. Divide bread amoung plates and top with cheese and lemon slices. Drizzle with dressing and serve immeadiatly.

Waffles

2007-05-28T20:27:00.000Z

we gave andi a waffle iron for her birthday. we've had fun trying out different waffle recipes. this one so far has been the best by far. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Waffles and Pancakes by kate habershon
285 grams flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon yeast
140 grams butter, melted and cooled
375 milliliters milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs, separated

Start the night before. Stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir in the cooled melted butter, milk, and vanilla to make a smooth mixture. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave at room temperature overnight.

In the morning, turn on the lightly greased waffle iron. Beat the egg yolks into the yeast mixture. Put the egg whites into a clean bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold them into the batter.

Put batter into the hot waffle iron and cook until golden about 3-5 minutes. Serve immeadiatly.

Chicken Couscous Soup

2007-05-28T20:22:00.000Z

the weather got cold this weekend and i was also feeling a little under the weather so i decided to make soup. i kept it really simple because i was making this from what i had on hand. i think the couscous makes a nice change of pace from noodles. here's the recipe...

...recipe my own creation
2 chicken leg quarters
1 onion, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup couscous
spring onions, chopped
olive oil

In a large wide pot heat olive oil. Brown chicken on both sides. Remove chicken from pot. Saute onion until soft. Return chicken to pan. Add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and shred. Return shredded chicken to the pot. Sprinkle in couscous. Serve soup with spring onions sprinkled over the top.

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

2007-05-28T20:16:00.000Z

while i was making the strawberry sorbet i decided to try this ice cream that i had spotted in gourmet magazine. this ice cream was very easy to make and was sooooo good. here's the recipe...

... recipe from the may 2007 issue of Gourmetmagazine
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound dulce de leche (i used carnation brand)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Bring milk and cream just to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, then remove from heat and whisk in dulce de leche until dissolved. Whisk in vanilla. Cool completely.

Freeze mixture in an ice cream maker 25-30 minutes, or until almost firm, then add the pecans.

Transfer ice cream to a container and put in freezer to harden.

Strawberry Sorbet

2007-05-28T20:09:00.000Z

we were having some hot weather last week and i got the itch to pull out the ice cream maker. this is the first time i've made a sorbet. it was delicious! of course by the time i got it done the weather started turning cold again. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Modern Classics Book 2 by donna hay
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 1/2 cups strained strawberry puree (850g/1 3/4lb fresh strawberries)
1/2 cup lime juice

Place sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat and stir without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and bring to the boil for 1 minute. Set aside to cool completely.

Stir together the cooled sugar syrup, strawberry puree, and lime juice. Place in ice cream maker and churn for 25-30 minutes.

Andi's Glasses

2007-05-28T20:02:00.000Z

andi got glasses about 2 weeks ago. she loves wearing them and she looks so cute in them! she says they help her to do her schoolwork better.

Birthday Party

2007-05-21T19:24:00.000Z

here's andi blowing out the candles on her oreo ice cream pie. she helped me make pizzas for her birthday dinner.

Birthday Cupcakes

2007-05-18T09:25:00.000Z

andi and i made these for her to take to school today. she was sooo excited! she went around school yesterday telling everyone that it was her last day being five and that her birthday was tomorrow. so today when we arrived at school lots of the kids were telling her happy birthday. we're having a small party for her tonight. i'll post party pictures later and pictures of the birthday girl.

Parmesan Zucchini

2007-05-18T09:18:00.000Z

i got this recipe from a friend recently. she made them with eggplant slices and they were delicious. our store was out of eggplant so i tried them with zucchini instead and they were equally delicious. here's the recipe...

eggplant or zucchini slices
olive oil
freshly grated parmesan cheese
rosemary
oregano
garlic powder

mix together the cheese with the rosemary, oregano, and garlic. dip the zucchini in the olive oil and them dip them in the cheese mixture to coat them completely on both sides. place on a cookie sheet. bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes or until browned.

A Birthday Is Coming

2007-05-16T13:05:00.000Z

andi's birthday is coming up and the presents have been ariving in the mail. the girls are so excited! sometimes they just stand there and stare at all the presents. and yes there are a few presents there for jodie as well.

Couscous with Prawns

2007-05-08T11:08:00.000Z

i wrote this post several days ago and our internet went down just as i was getting ready to publish it. so here it is...finally.

i made this for dinner last night. the was to create something with what i had in the house so that i could go one day without going to the grocery store. this was the result. i had some couscous in the pantry, some frozen shrimp in the freezer, and a few tomatoes and an onion leftover from other recipes. it would also be good with a variety of other roasted vegetables it you have something different on hand. here's the recipe...

...recipe my own creation
1/2 pound couscous, cooked according to the package directions using chicken stock
1 roasted red onion (cut into chunks, drizzle with olive oil, and cook at 350F 20-30 minutes)
1/2 pound raw prawns, peeled
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup olive oil
fresh thyme leaves
grape tomatoes
lemon wedges

saute the prawns and garlic in olive oil until the prawns turn pink. stir onions, prawns with the oil and garlic, and fresh thyme leaves into the couscous. serve with a few tomatoes sprinkled over the top and a lemon wedge.

Spain

2007-04-23T10:01:00.000Z

this is my long overdue post of pictures from our holiday in spain. we spent two weeks there over easter. we had a great time, but didn't get as much sun as we would have liked. dan and the girls played lots of football on the beach while i did lots of reading. here are the books that i read...Can You Keep a Secret? by sophie kinsella, Anybody Out There? by marian keyes, Gardens of Delight by erica james, Beetlemania by paula clamp, Bad Heir Dayby wendy holden, and Making Your Mind Up by jill mansell.

Thai-Style Halibut with Coconut Curry Broth

2007-03-22T10:24:00.000Z

we had this last night for dinner. it was very good and very easy to make. the recipe is here

Wacky Weather

2007-03-20T09:34:00.000Z

yesterday it rained, snowed, and hailed. and it somehow was still sunny for most of the day.

Wacky Hair Day

2007-03-19T09:25:00.000Z

for red nose day andi's school had wacky hair day. they had to donate one pound to comic relief to wear wacky hair to school on friday. andi had a great time and her spike even lasted the whole day.

Blueberry Cheesecake Gateau

2007-03-14T14:32:00.000Z

andi was given a cookbook recently and this is what she chose to make out of it. she had a great time spreading the filling in and arranging the blueberries on top. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Good Food, 101 Cakes and Bakes
225 grams self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
200 grams sugar
200 grams butter, softened
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
400 grams cream cheese
zest of 2 limes
juice of 1 lime
100 grams icing sugar
200 grams blueberries

Preheat oven to 180 C. Butter a deep 7-inch round cake pan.

Put the flour, baking powder, sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until everything is mixed together. Then increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.

Spoon batter into the prepared cake pan and level the top. Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes or until done. Cool, and then split into 3 layers.

Beat the cheese until soft, then beat in lime zest and juice and icing sugar. Sandwich the cake back together with two thirds of the cheese mixture, and spread the rest on top. Arrange blueberries on top in tight circles around the cake.

Aquarium

2007-03-14T14:21:00.000Z

last week i went with jodie's class to the aquarium. we were supposed to go back in february, but it got cancled because of snow. jodie and her classmates had a great time seeing all the fish and touching some stingrays!

Converter

2007-03-14T14:18:00.000Z

i finally ordered a voltage converter a couple of weeks ago. i can now use my panini press and food processor! i've been enjoying both for a couple weeks now.

Tired Jodie

2007-02-21T11:30:00.000Z

today we went to the science museum. they had lots of hands on stuff for kids to do. the girls had a great time! i think jodie got worn out because she fell asleep on the bus on the way home. it's been a long time since she's done that.

Trafalgar Square

2007-02-21T11:16:00.000Z

so yesterday after having pancakes the girls and i took the bus to the the national portrait gallery in trafalgar square. i think we lasted about 45 minutes in the gallery. andi really got into it and wanted to know the names of all the people in the portraits and was pointing out people who were wearing glasses and people who weren't. jodie on the other hand was not very interested, but was a good sport about walking around. afterwards we made our way to trafalgar square which they both LOVED! there are two huge water fountains in the square and they love fountains. i think they could have stayed there all day if they weren't hungry. we finally went to get some lunch and then we came back after lunch for one more look at the fountains before finally making our way over to starbucks in leicester square for some hot chocolate.

Pancake Day

2007-02-20T08:44:00.000Z

today is pancake day here in the uk. pancake day is the day before lent starts. the girls and i got up this morning and made pancakes. dan even got up early to eat them with us. they were yummy. we even found maple syrup at the grocery store. here's the recipe i used...

...recipe for buttermilk pancakes from Joy of Cooking
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In another bowl whisk the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.

Heat griddle over medium heat. Lightly butter the griddle. Spoon the batter onto the griddle. When the top of the pancakes are speckled with bubbles it is usually ready to flip.

Half Term Week

2007-02-19T20:34:00.000Z

the girls are off school this week. it is half term. they get a one week break in the middle of each term. it is nice not to have to get and make the school run every morning, but i am trying to think of things to do with them all week. it's a bit of a challenge since it's still cold out and so far it looks like it's going to be cloudy and rainy. we might have to hit a museum or two. so today we went to oxford circus (on the c2 bus) this morning and did a bit of shopping with dan. he needed some new trousers. then the girls and i had lunch at mcdonalds, three chicken nugget happy meals. we came home and i gave each of the girls a haircut, which they desperately needed. and i think i managed to do a decent job. after the haircut we made a trip to the library while dan went to the gym for a bit (the library and gym are in the same building). then we came home for dinner. now all i have to do is think of something to do tomorrow.

Camden Town Walk

2007-02-16T10:47:00.000Z

andi's class is learning about camden town as part of a geography unit they are doing. yesterday i went with them on walk to see camden town. we took them to regent's park where they could play on the large playground there. the kids had a great time running around, swinging, sliding, and digging in the sand. on the way back to school some of the kids were pointing out a bus stop and reading what buses stopped there. "the c2 stops there! the c2!" the teacher asked them where the c2 went (i don't think he expected them to know). they immeadiately replied "oxford street!"

Happy Valentines Day!

2007-02-14T10:02:00.000Z

the girls made valentine cookies yesterday. as usual they had a great time rolling the dough and cutting out the cookies and then decorating them. they took them to school today to share with their classes.

Snow

2007-02-09T20:47:00.000Z

Tagliatell with Tricolor Peppers and Basil

2007-02-09T20:32:00.000Z

we had this for dinner a couple of nights ago. it was yummy. thanks linda for the reccomendation. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Patricia Wells' Trattoria: Simple and Robust Fare Inspired by the Small Family Restaurants of Italy
2 red bell peppers
2 green bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
sea salt
12 ounces fresh tagliatelle
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
freshly grated parmesan cheeese

Core the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Slice thinly. Pour the oil into a covered deep 12-inch skillet. Place the sliced peppers and the crushed red pepper flakes in the skillet and toss with the oil; season with salt. Cook, covered, over very low heat for 40 minutes, stirring from time to time. The peppers should not burn or toughen. Be careful not to let the juices cook away.

Meanwhile cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain thoroughly.

Transfer the pasta to the skillet, off the heat, and toss to blend. Cover and let rest for 1-2 minutes. Serve with chopped basil and parmesan cheese.

Mocha Cupcakes

2007-01-29T20:24:00.000Z

dan's birthday is tomorrow. the girls helped me make these cupcakes this afternoon for his party tomorrow night. they are made with chocolate cake and coffee icing. i just used the same chocolate cake recipe that i always use. here's the coffee icing recipe...

...recipe my own creation
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon hot water
1 stick butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
a little bit of milk

Dissolve the espresso powder in the hot water. Set aside.
In a mixer beat the butter until soft. Add the powdered sugar and the espresso mixture a little at a time, alternating back and forth. If needed add a little milk at the end to thin the icing a bit.

Onion Soup Au Gratin

2007-01-29T20:15:00.000Z

during all our cold weather last week i was craving some soup. this hit the spot. this soup was great and was even better the next day. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Bistro Cooking at Home
2 tablespoons butter
3 medium onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1/2 cup Port
5 cups beef stock
1 baguette
2 small cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon olive oil
6 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded

Melt the butter in a wide soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, season them with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occationally, until the onions slowly brown. This will take 30-45 minutes.

When the onions are brown, add the port, the beef stock, and 3 cups water to the pot. Stir, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer for about a half hour to meld the flavors. Taste and season with more salt and pepper.

To serve, heat the broiler. Cut the baguette into slices about 1/8 inch thick. You want enough slices to cover the soup bowls, usually about 2 slices per bowl. Put the slices on a baking sheet and toast each side under the broiler. Mix the garlic and the olive oil together and spread a thin layer over each toasted bread slice.

Set four ovenproof soup bowls on the baking sheet. Ladle the soup into the crocks. Put the slices of baguette on top of the soup. Sprinkle the toast with a handfull of the cheese. Carefully place the baking sheet in the oven and melt cheese under the broiler until it just starts to brown in spots, about 2 minutes. Serve immeadiately.

Snow

2007-01-25T16:14:00.000Z

we had our first snow yesterday! it fell during the night and by the time we woke up it had already melted on the streets and sidewalks. the snow only still clung to cars, and trees and bushes. after i dropped andi off at school dan and jodie and i walked up to regent's park to see the snow. in regent's park it actually looked like it had snowed. it almost covered the grass.

Shrimp with Garlic, Oil, and Hot Peppers

2007-01-25T12:24:00.000Z

this was really yummy. i couldn't find crushed red pepper flakes here so i used a fresh chilli instead. i think it would have been a little better with the crushed red pepper. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Patricia Wells' Trattoria: Simple and Robust Fare Inspired by the Small Family Restaurants of Italy
1 pound large shrimp, in their shells
1/2 cup extra-virgen olive oil
4 fresh plump garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons freshe thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
coarse sea salt
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

In a skillet large enough to hold all the shrimp in a single layer, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, and shrimp. Toss to coat with oil, and cook, stirring occationally, just until the shrimp are pink.

Remove the pan from the heat and , with a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a serving platter. Pour the sauce over the shrimp, sprinkle with coarse salt and shower with parsley.

Tagliatelle with Tomato Sauce and Butter

2007-01-25T11:26:00.000Z

we had this for dinner this week. it's really easy to make. dan and i both thought it had more flavor the next day for lunch. also my grocery store was out of parsley so i used basil instead. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Patricia Wells' Trattoria: Simple and Robust Fare Inspired by the Small Family Restaurants of Italy
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
sea salt
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 pound fresh tagliatelle
4 tablespoons butter, at room temp
1/4 cup flat leat parsley, chopped
freshly grated parmesan cheeese

In an unheated skillet large enough to hold the pasta later on, combine the oil, garlic, and a pinch of salt, stirring to coat with oil. Cook over moderate heat just until the garlic turns golden but does not brown. Add the tomatoes. Stir to blend, and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce begins to thicken, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until tender. Drain thoroughly.

Transfer the pasta to a skillet, off the heat, and toss to blend. Cover and let rest for 1-2 minutes to allow the pasta to thoroughly absorb the sauce. Transfer to shallow soup bowls, placing 1 tablespoon of the butter on thop of each serving. Shower with parsley.

My Dad's Tomato Bisque

2007-01-18T11:31:00.000Z

i got this recipe from my dad. he did a bit of tweaking from another recipe he had and this is the result. it was delicious. we had it for dinner last night with fresh rolls. here's the recipe...

2 tablespoons butter
1 & 1/2 Medium Sweet Onions
4 Gloves Garlic Pressed
15 Ounce Can of Whole Tomatoes
2 Cups Chicken Stock
1/4 Cup White Rice Uncooked
3 Large Leaves Chopped Basil
1/4 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 Cup Half and Half Milk and Cream (or all Cream or just milk)
15 Ounce Can of Tomato Sauce
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Several Dashes Tobasco Sauce
4 Heaping Teaspoons Sour Cream

1. Melt butter in sauce pan and saute onions and garlic soft and golden over a medium heat.

2. Pour in tomatoes, stock, rice, salt, pepper, basil and thyme. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer and partially cover for 30 minutes.

3. Pour the contents of the pan into a blender and puree, then put back into sauce pan.

4. Stir in Half and Half or Cream, sour cream and several dashes of tobasco sauce. Heat just to a boil, then turn off the heat and serve.

Fresh Roasted Salmon with Olive Oil

2007-01-16T15:57:00.000Z

this is another recipe from one of my new cookbooks. it was much better than i thought it would be. the flavors in the sauce went really well with the salmon. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Bistro Cooking
1 2/3 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots. finely chopped
4 tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded, choppped (i used canned)
1/2 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
4 salmon fillets
Salt
1 bunch fresh basil

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot add the shallots and saute until soft. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking until most of the liquid has cooked away. Reduce heat to low and add the creme fraiche. Cook long enough just to heat the cream through. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Brush salmon and skin with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil on all sides. Preheat a 12-inch dry non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Adding no fat, cook the salmon skin side down, for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt. Turn the salmon over and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Season with salt.

Remove the salmon to a roasting pan. Bake about 10 minutes more or until done.

To serve mince the basil and stir it into the sauce. Spoon several tablespoons of sauce in the center of a dinner plate and place the salmon on top.

Tagliatelle with Lemon Sauce

2007-01-13T13:56:00.000Z

this past was very very good! we had people over for dinner when i served it so i forgot to take a picture of it. it was easy to make and doesn't have a long list of ingredients. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Patricia Wells' Trattoria: Simple and Robust Fare Inspired by the Small Family Restaurants of Italy
4 tablespoons butter, at room temp
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
sea salt
1 pound fresh tagliatelle
grated zest of 3 lemons
freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

In a skillet large enough to hold the pasta later on, combine the butter, cream, and lemon juice over low heat. As soon as the butter is melted, remove the skillet from the heat, cover and set aside.

Meanwhile cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until tender. Drain, leaving a few doplets of water clinging to the pasta so that the sauce will adhere.

Transfer the pasta to the skillet, off the heat, and toss to blend. Add the lemon zest, and toss to blend once more. Cover and let rest for 1-2 minutes to allow the pasta to thoroughly absorb the sauce. Transfer to warm shallow bowls, shower with the parsley leaves and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Farfalle with Smoked Pancetta

2007-01-07T20:09:00.000Z

we had this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! it was very easy and simple to make. here's the recipe...

...recipe from The Silver Spoon
1 tablespoon olive oil
100 grams smoked pancetta, diced
1 fresh chilli, seede and diced
250 grams tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or canned)
200 milliliters double cream
350 grams farfalle
parmesan cheese, grated
Salt

Heat the oil in a large skillet, add pancetta and chilli and cook over medium heat until lightly browned. Add the tomatoes and season with salt. Lower heat and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir in cream and cook for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Meanwhile cook the farfalle according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and then add to the sauce and stir. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.

Tasty Fried Prawns

2007-01-05T10:38:00.000Z

these were really good and very easy to make. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Ken Hom's Foolproof Thai Cookery
1 pound raw prawns, shelled and devained
flour, for dusting
1 pint vegetable oil, for frying

for the marinade
1 red chilli, chopped and seeded
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
3 tablespoons garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped
3 tablespoons coriander stalks, chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
50 ml canned coconut milk (2oz)
2 teaspoons water

Briefly process all the marinade ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Pour the marinade over the prawns and mix well. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Drain the marinade from the prawns, scraping off any bits; discard the marinade. Dust the prawns with flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat oil over high heat. When the oil is very hot and slightly smoking add a handful of prawns and fry for 3 minutes or until golden. Drain prawns well on paper towels. Serve immeadiately.

Northern Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

2007-01-05T10:28:00.000Z

we had this last night for dinner. it was a little on the spicy side for the girls and i, but really flavorfull. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Ken Hom's Foolproof Thai Cookery
175 grams fresh or dried egg noodles
2 fresh lemongrass stalks
175 grams boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, coarsley chopped
2 pints chickens stock
1 400 ml can coconut milk (14oz)
2 small red thai chillis, seeded and finely shredded
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons madras curry paste or powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice
handful fresh coriander and basil leaves

Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain thoroughly and set aside.

Peel off the tough outer layers of the lemongrass. Cut it into 3-inch pieces and crush with the flat part of a heavy knife. Thinly slice the chicken into strips.

Heat a large heavy saucepan over high heat add the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and lemongrass and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Stir in stock and coconu milk, turn heat to low, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the chillis, chicken, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, curry paste, salt and pepper and stir well. Add the drained noodles, then cover and simmer 5 mintes.

Remove the lemongrass with a slotted spoon. Stir in the lime juice. Garnish with coriander and basil leaves. Serve at once.

New Cookbooks

2007-01-05T09:58:00.000Z

i got a couple of gift certificates to amazon for christmas, which i've already spent. i ordered several new cookbooks that arrived this week! i'm looking forward to trying them out in the new year.
Ken Hom's Foolproof Thai Cookery
The Silver Spoon
Patricia Wells' Trattoria: Simple and Robust Fare Inspired by the Small Family Restaurants of Italy
Bistro Cooking

Andi Cooks Dinner

2007-01-04T16:35:00.000Z

andi helped me make dinner the other night. she picked out what we made and also helped me shop for all the ingredients. we had oven-barbecued salmon, roasted asparagus with parmesan cheese, onion rings, and ginger shortcakes with blueberries. she had a great time measuring, pouring, separating onion rings, spooning sauce on the salmon, trimming asparagus, zesting an orange, grating parmesan cheese, cutting butter, pressing out dough, and stamping out shortcakes. here's the recipes...

all recipes taken from The Family Kitchen: Easy and Delicious Recipes for Parents and Kids to Make and Enjoy Together

...oven-barbecue salmon
for the sauce
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup champagne or white wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon orange zest
salt and pepper

for the salmon
4-6 salmon fillets
salt and pepper

In a small saucepan mix together the orange juice, both vinegars and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 50-60 minutes, or until thick and syrupy.

In a medium saute pan, heat the olie oil until hot. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, ketchup, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, and mustard and simmer over medium heat for about 25 minutes, or until thickened.

Add the orange juice reduction and the zest to the tomato mixture and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until blended and slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Season salmon with salt and pepper and put the fillets in a lightly greased shallow baking dish. Spoon a generous amount of the barbecue sauce on top of the salmon and bake for 25 minutes or until done.

...roasted asparagus with parmesan cheese
1 pound asparagus sprears, trimmed
2 tablespoons extra-virgen olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

Lay the asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Return to oven for about 5 minutes, or until cheese melts and turns golden brown. Serve immeadiatly.

...buttermilk onion rings
3 cups buttermilk
1 cup flour, plus more for dredging
1 large white onion
4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
salt and pepper

In a shallow pan mix the flour and buttermilk together. Slice the onion into 1/2-inch slices and carefully separate them into rings.

Put the onion rings in the pan and toss together with the buttermilk mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 2-12 hours.

Heat the oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350 F.

Spread some flour on a plate and season it with salt and pepper. Lift the onion rings out of the buttermilk mixture and let the excess drip back into the pan. Dip the onion rings one at a time into the flour mixture to coat evenly. Fry the onion rings 2-3 at a time, turning once, for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Lift from the oil with tongs and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and serve immeadiately.

...ginger shortcakes with blueberries
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup chopped crystalized ginger
1 cup + 2T heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/2 pint blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In the bowl of and electric mixture fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the mixture is the consistancy of cornmeal. Add the buttermilk and crystalized ginger and mix on low just until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and flatten with your hands until the dough is 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter stamp out 4-5 circles. Reroll the dough to cut 1-2 more shortcakes.

Put the shortcakes on and ungreased baking sheet. Brush the tops with 2 tablespoons heavy cream and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until light golden brown.

Meanwhile, whip cream, wash blueberries, and slice nectarines.

Cut shortcakes in half. Put a dollop of cream on each shortcake bottom and a sprinkling of fruit. Top with the other shortcake half.

New Years Day

2007-01-02T16:28:00.000Z

we went to kensington gardens to enjoy the sun today!

Fun Christmas Present

2006-12-31T18:30:00.000Z

Shortest Day

2006-12-21T15:49:00.000Z

the sun rose at 8:04 this morning and will set at 3:53 this afternoon. we will get a little less than 8 hours of daylight today, but it doesn't even feel like that much since we have had heavy fog all day. it has been a pretty gray day. tomorrow we start the upward swing towards longer days!

Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry and Roasted Garlic Sauce

2006-12-19T20:16:00.000Z

i made this for dinner tonight. it was pretty good, but not quite what i thought it would be. i think i was expecting the cranberry sauce to be a bit sweeter. i think next time i'll try this recipe. here's the recipe that i made...

...recipe from the december 2006 issue of Bon Appetitmagazine
1 head of garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups cranberries
1/2 cup orange juice
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 1-pound pork tenderloins
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place garlic in pan and drizzle the olive oil over. Cover with foil and bake about 1 hour. Cool; peel cloves. Reserve garlic oil.

Boil cranberries, orange juice, 3 tablespoons sugar, and orange peel in a small saucepan until berries begin to burst, about 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Whisk flour and spices together in a small bowl. Brush pork with the reserved garlic oil. Rub pork with spiced flour. Heat the rest of the reserved garlic oil in a large ovenproof skillet. Brown pork on all sides. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast pork about 13 minutes or until the pork reaches and internal temperature of 145 F. Transfer pork to a platter and cover with foil.

Add roasted garlic and cranberry mixture to the same skillet over medium-high heat; simmer 1 minute. Add vinegar and remaining one tablespoon sugar, stir until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Cut pork into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange on plates, pour sauce over, and serve.

Peppermint Bark Again

2006-12-19T13:36:00.000Z

i've been making sheet after sheet of peppermint bark again this year. they're going to be presents for the girls' teachers, friends, neighbors, and anybody else i can think of. it is so yummy and so easy to make! i even shared the recipe with the checkout lady at the grocery store today, who was curious why i was buying so much chocolate.

Cranberry Crumb Muffins

2006-12-16T15:01:00.000Z

i made these muffins yesterday morning and they are really really good. i had one again this morning for breakfast reheated and again it was really really good. i got this recipe from a magazine sent to us in a big package from some friends in a sunday school class in texas. thankyou! the girls also got a bunch of stuff that they have been happily playing with all week. here's the recipe...

...recipe slighly adapted from the november 2006 issue of FamilyFun
crumb topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
muffin batter:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Heat oven to 425 F. Grease 12 standard nonstick muffin cups.

For the crumb topping:
Mix flour, both sugars, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in melted butter and then pinch together into clumps.

For the muffin batter:
Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, set aside. In a large bowl mix together the yogurt, egg, and butter, then stir in the flour mixture until just blended. Now use the empty bowl to toss the cranberries and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar together. Fold the fruit into the batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle on the crumb topping and gently press it into the batter. Bake until muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack a cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Peppermint Brownie Christmas Trees

2006-12-14T12:06:00.000Z

jodie and i made these for her class christmas party today. i made a batch of peppermint pattie brownies and cut them into tree shapes with a cookie cutter once they were cool. i thought they turned out really well and they were much easier and quicker than cutting out a bunch of cristmas cookies.

Housewarming Party

2006-12-10T17:29:00.000Z

we had a housewarming party saturday night. we invited some friends and everyone in our building. it was fun to finally get to meet some of our neighbors. we served wine and cheese, an artichoke dip, and a few desserts. here's the recipes...

...recipe from the september 2006 issue of Bon Appetit magazine
le bete noir
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
9 tablespoons butter
18 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 large eggs

for the ganache
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 10-inch spring form pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment paper round and then butter the parchment. Wrap 3 layers of heavy duty foil around the outside of the pan, bringing the foil up to the rim. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring it to the boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Gradually add the chocolate, stirring until it is smooth and melted. Whisk sugar syrup into chocolate, cool slightly. Add eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared plan. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to to roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the pan.

Bake until the center of the cake no longer moves when the pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from water bath, transfer to rack. Cool completely in pan.

For the ganache:
Bring whipping cream to simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour over the top of the cake still in the pan. Gently shake the pan to distribute evenly over the top of the cake. Refrigerate until ganache is set, about 2 hours.

Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake; release sides. Cut cake into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

...recipe from the december 2006 issue of Bon Appetit
chocolate peppermint stars
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped peppermint candy canes

Mix flour, cocoa, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add the dry ingredients; beat until dough holds together. Divide dough in half and shape into discs. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 45 minutes.

Set rack in center of the oven and preheat to 300 F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch star shaped cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer to sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather scraps into ball. Wrap; chill until firm, about 30 minutes

Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until tops feel firm to the touch, about 25 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool completely. Repeat rolling, cutting, and baking until all dough is used.

Melt chocolate. Using a small spoon, drizzle chocolate over cookies in zigzag lines. Sprinkle with crushed candies. Drizzle remaing chocolate over. Let stand until chocolate is set, about 1 hour.

...recipe for the cheesecake is here
i made a few changes and made this one a lemon cheesecake with gingersnap crust. i just used gingersnaps instead of graham cracker crumbs in the crust. i added lemon juice and lemon zest to the cheesecake.

Dining Room

2006-12-08T12:17:00.000Z

this post would be more aptly titled dining area, since our flat is pretty much just one big room. again you can thank my mom for the flat pictures since she keeps asking for more.

Christmas Tree

2006-12-04T21:22:00.000Z

we got our tree this weekend. some friends of ours visiting helped dan carry it home. thanks george and ray! we even have some presents under it already thanks to my parents. thanks mom and dad!

Halloween Thanksgiving

2006-11-27T16:33:00.000Z

the girls celebrated halloween on thanksgiving day this year. their costumes were on the boat with all our stuff and didn't get here until after halloween. so they dressed up for thanksgiving in their bunny costumes. dan hid candy in the hall's back garden and they went "trick-or-treating". it also felt a bit like easter with the girls dressed like bunnies and looking for candy. they had a great time!

later in the evening we had dinner with a few of our new friends in camden and a couple of other americans living in the city. we didn't all know each other, but we had a wonderful time together. we even watched a taped baltimore ravens game so all of our english friends were able to experiance a true american thanksgiving. we ate the usual turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce along with different vegetable dishes. i made the desserts. here are the recipes...

...gingerbread cookies slightly adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Christmas Cookbook
3 1/2 cups flour, plus more for the work surface
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons dark corn sryup

In a medium bowl mix together flour, baking soda, all the spices, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and corn syrup; beat until combined.

Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture; beat on low speed until well combined. Add remaining flour mixture and beat until well combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm; at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F. On a floured work surface roll out the dough to a 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Place cookies on a baking sheet and bake 6-8 minutes. Meanwhile gather the scraps together and roll out the dough again. and cut out more cookies.

i used the Wilton Leaves/Acorns Cookie Cutter set

...chocolate cake recipe is here

...pumpkin pie slightly adapted from the can of Libby's Pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 large eggs
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
6 ounces cream
6 ounces milk
1 unbaked pie shell

Mix together the sugar, salt, and spices in a small bowl. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in cream and milk.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 F. Then reduce the temperature to 350 F and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

...apple pie recipe is here

...pecan pie slightly adapted from Emeril
1 unbaked pie shell
1 3/4 cups pecans
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon flour

Spread the pecans evenly in the bottom of the pie crust. In a bowl whisk the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, salt, butter, and flour together. Pour the mixture over the pecans. Bake for about 1 hour at 375 F or until set.

Tiramisu

2006-11-22T23:04:00.000Z

the halls came over for dinner tonight. we didn't some last minute planning for thanksgiving tomorrow. i needed a quick and easy dessert to make while making the pies for tomorrow. i usually make a big tiramisu in a 9 inch pan, but i didn't have time for all that so i just made four individual servings. these were loosley based on this recipe.

Libby's Pumpkin

2006-11-21T21:16:00.000Z

the grocery stores here don't carry canned pumpkin. so i was very excited to find this small deli that specializes in american products. they import all sorts of things that you can't find here. dan and i stood in the store exclaiming over stuff like two kids in a candy store...hershey bars, nestle chocolate chips, kraft macaroni and cheese, jiff peanut butter, reese's peanut butter cups, canned black beans, karo syrup, stove top stuffing, oreos, teddy grahams...that is until we realized how much everything cost! just to give you an idea the pack of oreos was 5 pounds, about 10 dollars! needless to say we only got a few things.

Primrose Bakery

2006-11-21T11:07:00.000Z

last thursday my friend mary ellen came into the city to hang out for a little bit. i've been wanting to try this bakery for awhile so we went there. dan and i walked by it a few weeks ago and i thought it was so cute. it is very retro looking and they have the cutest cakes and cupcakes. we had tea and i got the mocha cupcake and mary ellen had the crumpets and a peanut butter cookie. everything was delicious! but the most exciting thing about the visit was while we were sitting there drinking tea gwyneth paltrow walked in! this was my first celebrity sighting! and to be honest i probably would have never even noticed her (my back was to the door) if mary ellen hadn't whispered to me "that's gwyneth paltrow!" thanks mary ellen for a fun afternoon!

Kitchen

2006-11-14T14:21:00.000Z

right now i should finish putting away the groceries, organizing my closet, and doing laundry, but i don't feel like doing any of those things. i've decided to blog instead. my mom has been asking for pictures of the flat so she can visualize what it looks like with stuff in it. so here are pictures of the kitchen with everything unpacked and put away and with my knife rack and my pot rack hung. so far it is the only place that is completely unpacked and organized.

Our Stuff Is Here!

2006-11-06T17:12:00.000Z

our stuff finally arrived today! they didn't even have a hard time parking like we thought they would. instead of a big truck, our stuff was delivered in a van and was able to park in the garage for our building. john and kathy showed up soon after everything arrived and helped us unpack this afternoon. we were able to get everything out of the boxes in just a couple of hours this afternoon. as i write this i'm sitting on our sofa. it is so great to have furniture again!

Thai-Spiced Pumpkin Soup

2006-11-06T10:45:00.000Z

i made this soup last night for dinner with some homade bread. it was delicious!

Victoria and Albert Museum

2006-11-04T07:16:00.000Z

yesterday i went with andi's class the the victoria and albert museum in south kensington. we travelled on the tube to get there. someone at the station escorted us down to the platform and then informed the driver that we were getting on and where we were getting off so that he could wait for us to all get on and off again. we had to make one train change and someone met us again when we got off and helped us navigate the station as a group and get on the train again. and when we arrived at our final destination someone met us again and helped us to make our way our of the crowded station, even stopping foor traffic so that the group didn't get separated. it was quite an experiance to travel on the tube with about 25 five year olds, but the museum was interesting too. the year 1 class has been learning about toys from the past and old houses and how people used to live and trying to develope a concept of history. so at the museum we saw some old toys, a dining room that used to be in an old house, an old bed, and some plates. the children had to stop and pick several items along the way to draw a picture of. they really enjoyed doing this and showing all the adults their pictures. i had never been the the v & a before so it was fun to see.

Soup

2006-11-01T19:36:00.000Z

today was our first cold day. we've had some days that have been a little chilly, but today was actually cold. for lumch i was in the mood for some hot soup after a morning of walking and shopping with jodie. i just cooked up some small pasta shells and put them in chicken broth made from a stock cube and hot water. i served it with a large sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese. this soup is very mild tasting and extremely easy to make.

Walking

2006-11-01T19:15:00.000Z

this summer while we were staying with our families i started mall walking in the mornings. for mother's day dan got me an ipod to take with me walking. i even got my mom to go with me some. we would walk towson mall and then meet at the starbucks for an iced americano when we were done. i really enjoyed the routine of walking in the morning and missed it once we moved here. so i've recently started walking in the morning after i drop andi off at school. i usually walk through regents park and listen to my ipod. they have really pretty gardens there. yesterday was the first day that the sun was actually shining while i walked, usually it's cloudy and a little rainy. lately i've been listening to the you've got mail soundtrack, which always evokes images of fall in the city for me. i love that movie!

Tate Modern

2006-10-30T16:33:00.000Z

we took the girls to the tate modern today. it is their last day off of school. they go back tomorrow. we went to see The Unilever Series: Carsten Holler. the sculpture is a series of slides that you can also slide down. the girls went down the smallest slide and had a great time. the slides in the picture are two largest ones.

Banana Pops

2006-10-30T16:19:00.000Z

big cook little cook is one of the girl's favorite shows here. the other day they made these banana pops on tv and jodie has been wanting to make them ever since. yesterday on the way home from her dance class we stopped by the market and bought some bananas and came home and made them. here's the recipe...

half banana
yogurt
sprinkles
popsicle stick (or a coffee stir stick from starbucks)

stick the half banana on a stick and dip it in yogurt and decorate with sprinkles.

Half Term

2006-10-27T17:15:00.000Z

the girls have been off of school this week for their half term break. it has been nice not having to make my usual three trips a day to school, but we've been having a hard time coming up with things to do with them all week. so far we've made lots of trips to starbucks, eaten at the girl's (and mine) favorite restaurant (belgo in covent garden), walk around hampstead heath for an afternoon (a forest area in london), eat lunch at a pub, watch several movies (Yours, Mine and Ours and Mary Poppins) and eat popcorn on a rainy afternoon, visit friends and do a forest walk with them and have dinner together, and play at the regent's park playground. we still have the weekend and monday left. i'll let you know what we end up doing.

andi and jodie at hampstead heath

andi and jodie at starbucks

Bread Making

2006-10-18T18:51:00.000Z

andi's school has been holding cooking workshops for parents this week. they've been fun to go to and good way to meet people. yesterday we made soups and today we made bread. the chef made it look so easy and i even got to try making it there. bread making has always intimidated me before. so this afternoon i went out and bought the ingredients and made rolls for dinner. it was really quick and easy and they turned out really well. the chef also showed us how to make pizza dough, foccacia and pita bread, all from basically the same recipe. here's the recipe for the rolls...

1 kilo bread flour
3 spoonfulls white sugar
3 spoonfulls salt
625 ml tepid water
21 g dried yeast

Put all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Put the yeast in the water and stir until it dissolves. Gradually add the water/yeast mixture to the dry mixture while stirring with a fork. Finish mixing with your hands to bring it all together into a ball. Knead the dough a few times. The dough will be damp. Form the dough into a ball and place in a bowl in a warm place and cover with cling film. Let rise for 20-40 minutes. It should double in size.

After the dough rises, knead again. Shape the dough in to rolls. Place on a well floured baking sheet. Let rise again for about 30 minutes.

Brush the top of the rolls with milk. Bake for about 12-15 minutes @ 200C.

Enjoy!

tonight i'll be having a leftover roll with butter and honey. mmm.....

Crazy Chocolate Cake

2006-10-15T14:39:00.000Z

i made this for dessert for family movie night on friday. for dinner we had our usual french bread pizza and we watched Freaky Friday. this is a recipe that my grandmother always makes. she usually ices it with a simple chocolate icing made from melted butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. it is really great when iced and eaten right out of the oven. i was out of powdered sugar so i made a chocolate sauce from melted dark chocolate, a little milk and a little cocoa powder. you could also serve it with just a little powdered sugar sprinkled over the top. here's the recipe...

...recipe from my grandmother
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/3 cup oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk

Sift the dry ingredints into an 8 x 8 inch pan. Make three wells and put oil, vinegar, and vanilla into each well and then pour milk over all of it. Mix. Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes or @325 for 40-45 minutes.

Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Onions

2006-10-15T08:05:00.000Z

we had this for dinner on wednesday night. i really liked it. it's nice to have a different way to do roast chicken than what i normally do. the mixture that you rub on the outside of this chicken makes really flavorful pan drippings. you can degrease and reduce the drippings into a sauce or if you're lazy like i was, just spoon the drippings over your chicken and potatoes and onions. i served this with sauted asparagus. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Bistro Cooking at Home
olive oil
dijon mustard
salt and pepper
thyme
rosemary
lemon juice

1 small roasting chicken
1 large red onion, cut into thick slices
4 red potatoes, cut in half or in quarters

mix the first six ingredients together and and smear all over the chicken. toss the potatoes and onions in a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. place the chicken in a roasting pan and suround with the potatoes and onions. cook for about 1 1/2 hours at 375 F.

Coq Au Vin

2006-10-06T09:04:00.000Z

this was good. it was a nice change from baking chicken. i served it with mashed potatoes to soak up all the sauce. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Bistro Cooking at Home by gordon hamersley
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 carrot, cut into small dice
12 pearl onions, peeled
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 chicken leg quartes
freshly ground salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups red wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
12 cremini mushrooms, halved
2 tablespoons fresh parley, chopped

In a large high-sided ovenproof saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook until most of the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the bacon fat in the pan. Reserve the bacon.

Add the carrot and the onion to the bacon fat and saute until the onion has a few brown spots. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 more minutes. Take the vegetables out of the pan and put them with the bacon.

Heat the oven to 325 F. Add enough vegetable oil to the bacon fat to cover the bottom of the saute pan. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the pan skin side down and brown well, about 5 minutes. Turn the pieces and brown on the other side. Transfer the chicken to a rimmed plate.

Return the bacon and the vegetables to the pan. Add the flour, lower the heat, and cook for about 3 minutes.

Put the chicken and any accumulated juices back into the pan. Add the red wine and the chicken broth and the bay leaf, thyme, and mushrooms. Bring to a boil on the stove. Cover with a lid or foil, put it in the oven, and cook for 40 minutes. Uncover the pan and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes. Check to see if the chicken is cooked by cutting into a piece, the chicken should be very tender.

Transfer the chicken to a platter and bring the liquid to a boil and cook until the liquid has been reduced slighlty. Spoon the vegetables and the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the parsley.

Seared Duck Breast with Plums and Port

2006-10-05T08:46:00.000Z

this is what i made for dinner last night. it was the first time i've ever cooked duck and i think it was the first time i've ever eaten duck. it was really really good and fairly easy to make. i served it with some roasted potatoes and a green salad tossed with a simple vinaigrette. here's the recipe...

...recipe from Bistro Cooking at Home by gordon hamersley
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/4 cups port
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon cumin
pinch coarsely ground pepper
4 boneless duck breast halves
1 tablespoon butter
2 ripe plums, pits removed, cut into quarters
freshly ground salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups veal stock or chicken broth
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Combine the soy sauce, 1/4 cup of the port, the shallot, ginger, red pepper flakes, cumin, and pepper in a small bowl and stir.

Trim any extra fat from the edges of the duck breast. Score the skin by making diagonal cuts just through the skin at 1/8-inch intervals. Put the duck breasts skin side up in a pan and pour the marinade over them. Marinate at room temperature for about 1 hour, turning them a couple of times.

For the plums and sauce
Heat the butter in a small saute pan over medium high heat until hot. Add the plums and season them with salt and pepper. Cook the plums, tossing occationally, until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the plums and most of the butter to a plate. Add the remaining 1 cup port and the veal stock to the pan that the plums were cooked in. Remove the duck from the marinade and add the marinade into the pan as well. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until reduced by about half. Add the browned plums to the sauce and continue to cook until the plums are tender. (The time it takes for all of this to happen is about the same time as it takes for the duck to cook.)

For the duck
Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels. Heat enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the duck, skin side down. As the meat cooks the fat will render. Pour this fat off and continue to pour off the fat as the duck cooks while keeping the duck breasts in place. (I just used a paper towel to soak up the fat every few minutes.) Adjust the heat if you smell burning. The skin will be blackened from the sugar in the port and the soy sauce, but you should not smell burning.

Turn the over when almost all of the fat has melted away and the skin is dark and crsipy, about 12 minutes. Cook an additional 2-4 minutes on the other side. Take the pan off the heat and let the duck rest in the pan for at least 5 minutes before slicing it.

To serve
Put the duck breast on a cutting board skin side up. Pour any juices (but not the fat) from the saute pan into the pan with the plums. Slice the breasts across the grain into thin pieces, about 6 per breast. Place the duck slices neatly on each plate. Spoon some sauce and plums onto each plate.

My Favorite Pan

2006-10-04T11:39:00.000Z

this is now my all time favorite pan, and right now this is my only pan. we've been living with out our stuff for a month now and it looks like we'll be living without our stuff for about another month. my mom got me this pan for my birthday before we left for london. i've been cooking everything in this pan and in a 9x13 pyrex dish. this pan is great for sauteing large or small amounts of food and i can even boil water in it to cook pasta. and it is really easy to clean!

Angel Hair Pasta with Green Beans

2006-10-03T18:19:00.000Z

this is what we had for dinner tonight. it was simple and easy. here's the recipe...

...recipe my own creation
1/2 pound angel hair pasta, cooked
1/4 pound fine green beans, trimmed
3 cloves garlic, pressed
olive oil
fresh chives, chopped
freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt
truffle flavored olive oil

Blanch the green beans in boiling water for about 2 minutes.

In a large saute pan cook the garlic in the olive oil for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and toss in the pasta and the green beans.

To serve put pasta and green bean mixture on a plate. Sprinkle with salt and parmesan cheese and fresh chives. Drizzle with the truffle flavored olive oil (or just regular olive oil).

Ritz Cracker Crumb Crusted Chicken or Lamb

2006-09-27T19:13:00.000Z

jodie wanted lamb chops for her birthday dinner last week. i made them with this really yummy crust make from ritz crackers. tonight i put it on some chicken thighs and it was also really good. i didn't take any pictures. the chicken didn't look that pretty because the chicken got over browned. i'm still trying to figure out my new oven. here's the recipe...

...recipe my own creation
ritz crackers, crushed
garlic cloves, crushed
olive oil
sea salt
thyme or oregano or anything else you think would be good

Shelves

2006-09-27T19:02:00.000Z

today dan went to ikea and bought some shelves for the girls room. we finally have somewhere to put all the toys! it's great not having them all over the floor. he also got us a set for the living room. i think putting those together is tomorrow morning's project.

Dance Class

2006-09-23T19:56:00.000Z

we signed jodie up for a dance class this week. she had her first class today. when i picked her up from the class she said it was "really fun". half way through the class they have a short break where they can eat a snack if they brought one. everybody else had brought their snack in a lunch box, but jodie did not have a lunch box. guess what we did on the way home? stopped to buy a lunch box. she was thrilled that the woolworths had a princess lunch box. she is now looking forward to using her new lunch box next saturday to bring her snack in.

Reconnected

2006-09-18T06:39:00.000Z

now that we finally have internet access i've also been able to do a few more things along with blogging. today i placed my first online grocery order since being here. my groceries should arrive at my door tomorrow afternoon! no more carryinig! i also finally got to order something from amazon and use my gift certificate that andrew and mark gave me for my birthday! thankyou andrew and mark! i am now anxiously awaiting the arrival of Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table by ruth reichl (dan got me Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise also by ruth reichl for my birthday and i absolutely loved it and didn't want the book to end), Radical Hospitality: Benedict's Way Of Love by daniel homan, and Bistro Cooking at Home by gordon hamersley.

Jodie's Birthday

2006-09-17T19:04:00.000Z

jodie turned 4 yesterday. we had a party at regents park. we brought a picnic lunch of fried chicken and the kids played on the playground. jodie had a great time! instead of cake we brought peppermint brownies that jodie decorated with princess decorations.

London Week 1

2006-09-17T18:37:00.000Z

we're coming to the end of our second week here in london and i'm just now getting a chance to blog. i wrote this last week and never got a chance to post it.

London Week 1
Tuesday
Our first full day in London. Dan and I pick up the keys to our flat and go take a look at it. It seems smaller than we remember, but I discover that we have garbage disposal! Then we go and visit a few schools. It’s a bit disappointing. No one has time to talk to us. A couple schools have no room left. We get some lunch and then pick up a few groceries and some cleaning supplies. We can’t buy too much, only what we’re able to carry. I clean the floors in our flat (they’re really dusty from sitting empty for a couple of months) and Dan and Jeremy go and get our stuff that we have stored in London. While they’re gone I finish cleaning while the girls help. Then the girls watch a dvd and I take a nap. When dan gets back with our stuff we have dinner and then set up our air mattresses.

Tuesday dinner:
Fresh spinach tortellini bought from the store with olive oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Salad
Baguette

Wednesday
Dan calls around to schools today. One school thinks they have one opening in year 1 for andi. We have an appointment to visit tomorrow morning! I go to the grocery store again and get something for lunch and dinner. Dan starts to work on getting phone and internet access, it is going to be a process. Dan buys one more air mattress for Jodie because she was the only one that didn’t have one. This evening we walked to regents park and discovered they have a great playground and sandbox. Dan discovers that our washer is also a drier! One less thing to buy and take up space! Work on upacking some boxes.
Wednesday dinner:

Salmon with Cajun seasoning
Fried potatoes
Salad

Thursday
We all go to the school this morning to talk to the head teacher. They definitely have a spot available in year 1 for andi. We also find out they have a nursery with places available for Jodie. We get a tour of the school and it is really nice. We have lunch at mcdonalds and do a little bit more shopping. We bought hangers and a pillow and looked for a kitchen trash can. Andi and I go back to the school later in the afternoon with all the paper work filled out to sign the girls up. I buy andi’s uniform shirts from the school. They only have one shirt in the smallest size. I’ll guess I’ll be washing it every night. The girls will start school on Monday.

Thursday dinner:
Roasted Chicken
Sauted asparagus

Friday
This afternoon we go to oxford circus to buy andi’s uniform. We get her a navy skirt and a pair of trousers and socks and shoes. Dan takes the standing order for our rent to the estate agent and they make plans to go for a drink later. We have dinner at Camden market.

Saturday
Our estate agent brings us some chairs that we can borrow for a little bit. We’ve just been sitting on the floor and our trunks for the last few days. We go to mcdonald’s for lunch on our way to ikea. We spend all afternoon getting to ikea and waking through ikea and getting home from ikea. The only thing we liked we’re a set of shelves. We didn’t buy anything. We picked up chicken from KFC on our way home for dinner. Our phone finally gets turned on!

Sunday
We went ot church on the corner this morning. It was fun seeing some people we had met last year. After church we have lunch at nando’s. dan checks his e-mail while we’re still in islington, they have free wifi on their main street. The girls and I go sit in borders. They look at the kid books while I look a t a knitting book. For dinner we have leftovers.

Monday
This is the girls first day of school. Andi woke up early this morning ready to go. She helped pack her lunch and was excited about getting to wear her uniform. I walked andi to school and we met her teacher. She seemed to settle right in. when I got back I took Jodie to starbucks for a little bit. Dan and Jodie and I went to order the girls a bunk bed. It will arrive on Thursday. We had lunch at home and then I walked Jodie to school. She had a wonderful time. On the way back from school I went grocery shopping. Then dan and I went to the bank and opened an account. I picked the girls up from school. Both of them seemed to really enjoy their first day and were looking forward to going back tomorrow. After we got home I layed down for a bit and ended up falling asleep until it was time to make dinner.

Monday dinner:
Baked chicken with potatoes
Sauted asparagus

Fried Zucchini

2006-08-05T01:09:00.000Z

...recipe adapted from here
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoon oil
1 pound zucchini, cut into sticks
vegetable oil for frying
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Mix together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together the wet ingredients. Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Heat oil in a pan on the stove. When hot dip the zucchini sticks in the batter and carefully place in the oil and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Serve with garlic aioli.

Frozen Key Lime Pie with Chocolate Sauce

2006-08-04T18:53:00.000Z

i love key lime pie! this is the first time i tried freezing it and serving it with chocolate. i got the idea after watching a program on the food network this week. they were visiting a place in key west that serves frozen key lime pie on a stick dipped in chocolate. i just used my recipe for key lime pie and then froze it and drizzled it with chocolate sauce. here's the recipe...

...recipe for two layer key lime pie slightly adapted from Bon Appétit magazine
for the crust:
1 package graham crackers, crushed into crumbs
1 sitck butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar

for the baked layer:
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice
3 large egg yolks

for the chilled layer:
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup key lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Crust:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar in a medium bowl. Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch deep dish glass pie plate. Bake crust 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Reduce oven to 300 F.

Baked Layer:
Whisk condensed milk, lime juice, and egg yolks in a medium bowl to blend. Pour into pie crust. Bake until set, about 25 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Chilled Layer:
Beat cream cheese, condensed milk, lime juice, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Pour over baked layer; smooth top. Cover and freeze. Serve with chocolate sauce.

for the chocolate sauce:
chop 4 ounces of dark chocolate and put in a small bowl with 1/4 cup whipping cream. microwave in 30 second increments stirring until smooth.

Greek Surf and Turf

2006-08-01T23:51:00.000Z

i made this for dinner tonight. it was really good and great meal to make on a hot day. everything was cooked out on the grill, so the kitchen didn't heat up. here's the recipe...

...recipe slightly adapted from the july/august 2006 issue of Weekend magazine
8 single-rib lamb chops
12 jumbo prawns, peeled and devained (tails left on)
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
2 tablespoon fresh oregano
2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 8 slices
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
balsamic vinegar
freshly ground salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 ounces feta

Place lamb chops in one dish and the prawns in another. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil and half of the lemon juice over each and sprinkle with the rosemary and oregano. Add the minced garlic and season with salt and pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes. Coat the tomato slices with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Heat the grill, then oil it. Grill the lamb about 3-4 minutes on each side. Grill the prawns about 3 minutes per side. Grill the tomato slices for one minute on each side.

On each of four plates, stack tomato, followed by feta, onion, and oregano leaves, repeating once. Drizzle with oil and vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide chops and prawns amoung plates.

Black and White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2006-07-23T18:20:00.000Z

we had another dessert last night to share with people about london. i got to meet dan's second grade teacher and her husband. it was fun to meet them and for dan to get to see them again. i made these cookies for the first time. they were delicious and a nice change of pace from regular chocolate chip cookies. here's the recipe...

...recipe from the august 2006 issue of Bon Appétit magazine
2 cups Flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large Eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray.

Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat both sugars, shortening, and butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; stir. Add white chocolate and stir.

Drop dough by tablespoonsful onto baking sheets. Bake cookies until just set, about 13 minutes. Cool on racks.