zom g.

Seaweed

2012-01-29T19:57:00.001-08:00

Thursday in the Kitchen

2012-01-01T17:28:00.000-08:00

Bright

2011-12-25T12:55:00.000-08:00

Shiny

2011-12-25T12:51:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon

2011-12-25T12:46:00.000-08:00

impersonating river beds

2011-12-07T13:54:00.001-08:00

I was missing half of my watercolor pods.

Found 'em.

They were busy.

Fact

2011-12-04T19:41:00.001-08:00

Fact:

Trees are bigger than they appear under the wide open sky.
No matter. I have excellent disarborists.

We bought a Norway Spruce at an honest price from Sunbrite Christmas Tree Farm.
May they never sell out to what is creeping over the hills.

we miss time

2011-12-02T21:22:00.000-08:00

pencil, after di Chirico's Solitude

" so much for pedantry, to which I sometimes think those of us who work in the contemporary field are more susceptible than anyone else, perhaps because we miss time's healing certainty in our judgments." Soby to Sachs, page 175

This consistent drawing practice is making me better, not only in mimicry, but in small sketches on the fly and in the way I conceive of space.

And isn't that nice?

But what I really love about drawing the book is how much better I see after I've drawn. There is nuance that my eye will miss when it is looking but will delight in when it is reproducing. The puff of chimney smoke is my favorite thing about this drawing. Tell me, tell me, what is yours?

Danish Candlemaking Buffet

2011-12-01T22:29:00.000-08:00

We had pizza and strawberries instead of bread, crackers, tomato soup, and grapes.

And we did make candles.

Happy December 1st. Hello Winter.

p.s. I love Missouri Candle and Wax. Three sheets of beeswax, cotton wicking, and a wonderful guidebook for $3.95. No one has to pay me to be excited about that. Our guide says "...bees fly the equivalent of 11 times around the world to make one pound of honey, and they must sacrifice 12 pounds of honey to make one pound of wax..." Thanks, bees. I love you too.

Unexpected Terrain

2011-11-29T13:33:00.000-08:00

A Winter Celebration

2011-11-27T22:28:00.000-08:00

Winter holidays confuse {me}

so lets diffuse {them}

Recent explication of my (dis)(un)(suspended)(awe) belief to a interested party yielded the following summary, "Oh, so you just celebrate what you like, then?"

Which,

really,

is seasonally adjusted genius.

Dispense with the gnashing of teeth and just celebrate what I like. With the people that I like.

I like candles, trees, cinnamon, kindness to strangers, snow, warm ovens, and surprises.

Friday in the Garden

2011-11-27T13:32:00.000-08:00

Leeky

2011-11-25T13:30:00.001-08:00

2011-11-21T04:23:00.001-08:00

I'm usually a faux-meat enthusiast, but I've lost patience with faking it for the holidays.
No simulated bird on Thanksgiving day this year, thank you very much.

I don't want to substitute similarity for authenticity... again.

A big, beautiful, crispy roasted bird s actually about

Abundant local resources

a warm home, a healthy future,

and

community sustenance

overwinter...

I don't think an expensive, processed, pressed, and painted hunk of soy means as much as all that.

Instead of serving up pseudo-tradition, I'm going to serve up those ideas.

This Thanksgiving, I am unapologetically cooking what grows abundantly and is widely available in our area.

I'm going to avoid excess sugar and cut out meat entirely.

By economizing where possible and donating the difference, I'm going to help support my community.

So when my family gathers together I will feel truly blessed.

A Zom G. Thanksgiving:

Starting: Double Mushroom Soup
Main: Spinach Cake
Sides: Mixed Roasted Veggies, Two Step Garlic Mashed Potatoes, & Quinoa and Wild Rice Muffins
Dessert: Lemon Tart

If wishes were saplings

2011-11-18T03:34:00.001-08:00

pencil, after pencil, after Odilon Redon's The Tree, lithograph

I wish the trees lived inside.

Drawing the book, leaf by leaf.

Onward

2011-11-06T07:46:00.000-08:00

pencil section, after Theodore Gericault's Entrance to Adelphi Wharf

-
steady pace
moving forward

surely

or

is
it
a
well
drawn
illusion

explain the difference per favore
-

I'm drawing the book. Won't you play along?

love,
draft horse Z

Backyard Aliens

2011-10-26T21:42:00.000-07:00

Invaders!


I'd panic, but they're beautiful.

Beauties from quadrant z-987alpha 12
or morning glories in my backyard
see what you'd like

Saturday in the world

2011-10-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

beautiful day

some things I knew

some things I have never seen

or never really looked at

I cannot wait to get back to this place.

Meals: 10.9.11

2011-10-09T19:35:00.000-07:00

Not a painting.

The water looked like glass today. With a little coaxing it started to look like a painting.
This menu looks like a plan. With a little finesse it will start to look like family togetherness.
Neat.

Roasted Fall Vegetable and Ricotta Pizza

Potato Soup

Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage

Salsiccia Fagioli

Ginger Meatballs with Teriyaki Glaze on Cranberry Walnut Quinoa

Hello orgjunkies. You keep me honest.

Unadmired in the Orchard

2011-09-27T03:50:00.000-07:00

2011-09-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

Apples for the ground.

Monday: Black Bean Taquitos; apple cake

Tuesday: Lemon achiote tofu; beet, quinoa, feta salad

Wednesday: Pretty Purple PicnicWraps

Thursday: Mandarin "Chicken" with Spinach Salad (winging it!)

Friday: French Onion Soup and Sage Olive Oil Bread

Hello Meal Plan Monday! I stopped planning and seriously regret it now. I'm back now, please forgive me. I have cake!

Hugs and love,

This time last year:

Ginger is the secret

A Special Request

The Leaves and the Trees

Sunday in the Kitchen

2011-09-25T03:40:00.000-07:00

Broccoli Heart

Saturday in the kitchen

2011-09-24T12:47:00.000-07:00

Garden Confessions: Around the Edges

2011-09-20T05:13:00.000-07:00

Cinemagraphic Backyard

2011-09-15T13:02:00.000-07:00

Garden Confession: Eggplant

2011-09-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

Crushing Peek

2011-09-11T12:34:00.000-07:00


pencil after Theodore Gericault's Two horses, a study for the Adelphi Wharf

Successful visual abbreviations rely on context, on our animal need to complete, to comprehend, to resolve. The not-so-animal needs of hope and belief can make much of almost nothing at all. An improbable crush of bodies, exaggerated muscles, and contorted space are forgiven...all you must do is believe in the realities of ground and movement promised by only a few lines.

That jump from comprehension to belief will be facilitated by a masterful touch. Click on the link above to see the practiced hand in the original. If you know the the whorl in the lower right hand corner in is a horse, then you've already made the leap. And Gericault has filled the void beneath you with a world to believe in, rather than one that doesn't exist.

Mastery isn't yet in my drawings, but at least I know what I'm looking for.

And I'm drawing the book. Won't you play along?

Love,

Garden Confession: Beet Roots

2011-08-27T03:52:00.000-07:00

short

2011-08-22T18:41:00.000-07:00

Monday: Pesto Cream Ravioli with Asparagus

Tuesday: Green Chile Hominy with Chorizo

Wednesday: Not-Skillet-Chicken and Garlic Butter Roasted mushrooms

Thursday: Crispy Sage and Ricotta Salata Pizza

Friday: Quinoa Corn Patties

Happy MPM folks!

I'm short on words, time, and energy.

Full up on watermelon and flowers though.

Decent trade, that.

Love,
Z

Total Flake

2011-08-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

Laundry. Water Plants. Make Breakfast. Drive. Work. Draw. Drive. Make Dinner. Play.

Play. Play. Clean. Clean.

Blog.

Sleep.

Every day.

Wait. Screeeech. Halt.

You mean every day?

For a significant period of time?

What about those days when I feel like being...

a total flake?

Oh. I still have to make dinner then too, huh?

Well, at least I'm in good company.

Monday: Not Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Tuesday: French Onion Soup

Wednesday: Umbrian Lentils with Olive Oil

Thursday: Chickpea of the Sea

Friday: Tomato and Mozzarella Couscous Salad

Love,

FlakaZ

find my paint brush

2011-08-01T03:52:00.000-07:00

and a little bit of time

Best in Show

2011-07-30T04:09:00.000-07:00

The best crop of the garden varies from year to year.

This year, hands down, best in show goes to:

Ground Cherries (Aunt Molly's)

The squirrels like em too.

Love,

Zlockedinbattlewithfurryrodents

Experiment in the garden at 10:13pm

2011-07-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

It reminds me of you

2011-07-28T04:07:00.000-07:00

Technically, this is pencil drawing after Delacroix's charcoal and wash An Arab Praying.

pencil, after Eugene Delacroix, An Arab Praying, 1832

But actually? It looks like my brother.

Look, folks. You get what you pay for.

And not for nothing, but I think my brother is neato-spiffy.

So
maybe
in this case
you get more than you pay for.

Hey, hey, hey. I'm drawing the book and making family portraits. You can't stop me.

Love,

Yuck

2011-07-16T18:29:00.000-07:00

Ugh. Our food situation has been ugly lately. Prepared, frozen, high sodium ugly.
I can feel it.
In my bones.
And my puffy cheeks.

There is no good excuse for this! It is summer and the living is easy! Darn it!

Sentiment captured by flickr user Very Quiet

I'm so peeved at myself that I have to get up and wash and soak some white beans.

***

Sorry to make you wait, dudettes,
but this can't stand. Not in my house.

No more of this box-opening b.s.

I want some soups.

Some salads.

Some fresh.

I want breakfast.
I want lunch.
I want a dinner, together.

Dinner together. NOT microwaved.

I remember being shocked by pre-husband's bachelor eating ways. I loved to cook and I loved to cook for him. And I did. Most of the time. Ok. Not all of the time. Sometimes I did this.

Until not so very long ago I did my best to ignore his stock-up sessions in the frozen aisle because it meant he planned on fending for himself, old school style.

Hey, sometimes a girl doesn't want to make dinner.

Oh how things have changed. Now I am stocking up on frozens because I know I won't be cooking much. And this girl, who - believe it or not - was never a bachelor, very much wants time to make dinner.

I still love to cook. I still love to cook for him. And him! But I have no time. There is just no time.

Look it. We are not the only two job, crazy schedule, child, house & lawn, dreams for the future, and 25-zillion projects -having family.

We are not.

We are going to get our act together.

Out with yuck!

In with a plan:

Monday: Tom Kha Tofu Soup
Tuesday:Slow Cooked Tomato and Herb White Beans
Wednesday: Avocado, Beet, and Arugula Salad
Thursday: Summer Cous Cous Salad
Friday: Umbrian Lentils with Olive Oil Fried Eggs

Love,
Z

Cartoonizer

2011-07-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

Portraits of men have a nasty habit of becoming cartoons under my care.

exhibit 1

exhibit 2

I don't know what that's about, perhaps I should talk to my therapist.

after Jacques Louis David's Le Peletier de Saint Fargeau

Well, it could be worse.

Hey, hey, hey. I'm drawing the book and navel gazing all at the same time. Multi-talented, ain't I?

Love,

bloomsdale

2011-07-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

Outdone. By cheese.

sometimes you start lunch preparations and realize that the artisan, fresh, local cheese you bought yesterday looks better than you do

so you clear your throat

go look in the mirror, fuss with your hair a little

return

take a picture of the cheese

to you remember the moment when you felt outdone by highly sophisticated and well-utilized mold

read this book

and then make this salad

Bloomsdale, Sorrel, and Chocolate Cherry Tomato Salad

2 handfuls of washed, torn sorrel

1/4 cup of crumbled bloomsdale

1 handful of chocolate cherry tomatoes

Toss, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Crush a few chocolate tomatoes making sure to cover everything.

Thank goodness for summertime.

Love, Z

The kind people at Baejte farms make this beautiful cheese. If you are near a market where it is sold, please buy from them. In addition to being gorgeous, this cheese is delicious enough that I'll hawk it for free. I'm just that grateful that they made it.

Progress Report: Happy New Year

2011-07-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

Six months ago I resolved to:

1. Do things that scare me.
A. This includes social situations I would otherwise avoid, taking risks, and presuming I, in fact, do not know best.

2. Remember Everyone's Birthday and send a little something.

3. Finish all projects in Limbo, don't start new ones until all old ones have been completed.
A. This means you, paper of symbolic idiocy.

4. Draw, paint, photograph, or write every day.
A. Extra points for sharing.

And this is how it has gone so far:
1. Yes. I am currently terrified. As the sage Seuss once wrote, "You'll start happening too." I, my dear people, am happening and my begeebers are officially scared out of me.

A. Yes. Yes. Yes. Well, sort of yes. Mostly no. I am mindful of other people's expertise and try to respect it without interjecting my own opinions. I call this "wait and see and shut up" social interaction. The degree to which I am successful at this varies greatly with my mood and the person.

2. This is going pretty well except we did have a serious delay due to a pogo stick recall. TWICE. Otherwise, I have remembered far more birthdays this year over last.

3. Ha! I am trying.

A. Paper is still idiotically symbolic. Perhaps there it will stay.

4. I was doing much better at this until somewhat recently. Things have simmered down a little bit so hopefully I can get back into drawing.

A. I get extra points. Yay!

Sorry for this bit of navel-gazing, folks.

I like to check in every once in awhile.

Hold myself accountable and all that.

Have your New Year's goals panned out?

Happy Half New Year,
Z

Verdure

2011-07-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

Mama always comes back. A photo taken by a little eye that loves little bugs.

I've stepped back a bit from the weekly meal plan.

Cooking has been buried way at the bottom of the priority list.

Frankly, anything not child, husband, family, friend, or work-related has been dropped like a prepackaged, microwaved hot potato.

Problem: I adore vegetables.

Footnote: It is summer.

Double asterisk: There are beautiful farmer's markets nearby and a chef's garden in the backyard.

I have a veritable verdurific bounty. Vegetables don't give two shoots that I'm busy.

So I'm taking the time this week to throw together an easy, amiable, little plan.

And paying a little attention to my greens.

Monday: Fava Beans with Caramelized Onions

Tuesday: Dragonfruit, Macadamia Salad with Creamy Mint Lime Dressing

Wednesday: Homemade Chorizo-Chive Burritos

Thursday: Spinach Artichoke Mozzarella Salad + Cous-Cous

Friday: Creamy Broccoli and White Bean Soup

Hello friends, I've missed you.

Love,

Bloom

2011-07-03T12:36:00.000-07:00

Onions. Who knew?

Love,

Something every day Z

In Sage

2011-07-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

We have a sage bounty.

When I left my sage plant to overwinter, I thought it was cruel.

It turns out

My sage was liberated.

We are now going in-sage.

*wink*

Get it?

What do you do when you just do not know what to do

with all

that

sage?

I found these ideas.

I am cleverly plotting several more.

Just wait and see.

Keep your eyes on this space.

As they say.

Cheddar Sage and Not Pork Sausages

Stained Glass Sage

Sage Biscuits

Love,
Sage Z

Molecular Grab

2011-07-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

Lucky Catch.
For him and for me.

Love,
Z

Revolution

2011-06-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

I will never love 18th century french art.

It is too visceral for me.

You know those moments when the only verdict your brain can render is cruel insanity?

That is what happens when I think about revolutionary art.

It hurts.

My book is falling deep into french territory and I've had a hard time staying with it.

Pencil after Jacque Louis David's Marie Antoinette

There is much to learn. And a lot of book left to draw.

Love,

Choppy Z

Lakes and Circuses

2011-06-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Haven't had much chance to paint lately. Twice in two months.
For shame!

Buoy, I sure had a great time.

Rapid portrait of an imaginary clown

Love,

Chihuly on the water

2011-06-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

I love a challenge.

Do hard things.

That's my philosophy.

Doing hard things well is... more...

like...

a goal.

Nighttime photography with a consumer camera is a challenge i keep falling for

in spite of

my philosophy

getting mud all over the

goalpost.

I'll keep trying.

That's another philosophy. Buy one get one free over here tonight.

Love,

Contemplative Z

Mug Market

2011-06-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

I need a beautiful mug.

A mug that does some serious heavy lifting.

A mug with quirk.

A mug with smirk.

A mug to save my deskscape from its institutional fate.


Porcelain cup with translucent bottom by Stepanka

Orange Slice by Ebenotti

Coffee for a Cloudy Day by Ebenotti

I do adore these.

But I am looking for more than adoration here, I think.

I want something that moves me.

Maybe something that moves itself.

A tempest in a teacup.

Love,

Muggy Z

P.S. If you find a beautiful mug with a penchant for stationary relocation email me post-haste. We can be besties.

Garden Surprises

2011-06-05T13:11:00.000-07:00

ZGarden is surprising me this spring.

Soon, we will have onions forever.

Seasoned gardeners will only nod with a knowing smile

for these unexpected joys

are the reward

Grapes! Moral of the story: Don't give up on your grapevine! It has plans you don't know about.

of letting the plants just be.

Love,

Lazy Gardener Z

The Stock-up

2011-05-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

Picture A Day October 27, 2009 by flickr user mlhradio

New baby? Stock-up.

Weekend Houseguests? Stock-up.

The start of a long-hot-don't-even-think-of-turning-on-that-oven summer? Stock-up.

There are so few home events that can't be bettered by a good stocking-up.

Of course, there are some.

That is really more of a collect all the goodwill you can find, package it up with a bow and a blessing, and send it on its way kind of event.

Home Z has some far less devastating, but nevertheless eventful events that need a little preparing, planning, and stocking up for.

And I'll be grateful that I can.

Hiya, orgjunkies! The recipes this week are great for doubling or tripling into big batches for whatever kind of day lies ahead.

Be it a busy day, a hot day, or way more party-guests than RSVP-ed day it is nice to have some big winners up your sleeve

in your freezer.

Monday: French Onion Soup

Tuesday: Crispy Cajun Chickpea Cakes

Wednesday: Creamy Cheesy Potato Leek Casserole (divided into mini portions)

Thursday: Persian Pasta Sauce with Tomatoes, Walnuts, and Raisins

Friday: Broccoli Garlic Quiche (mini! heart shapes! awww!)

Love,

Fauning

2011-05-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

pencil, after Manet's Faun, woodcut

Faun (noun): men without jobs, fields, obligations, time in particular, or shoes.

Well, sort of.

These lines spilled out like untamed countryside

the quiet stampede of frenzied introspection.

Dashes and zig-zags running a planned course

but

not restrained.

Or maybe it just looks that way.

In which case, Manet has done a tremendous job of coupling representation to evocation.

So well done, you don't see it until you run down every angle and curve. Of course, mine is a mere imitation, so go take a look at this.

I'm drawing the book and discovering that my pencil sees better than my eyes. Won't you draw along?

Love,

Blur

2011-05-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

walking blur: 6th st 2 by flickr user waferboard

Too busy, too fast

only order

keeps

first from

last.

A menu for the perpetuation of order (Howdy, orgjunkies!)

Monday: Linguine with garlic sauce

Tuesday: Perfect Pizza (TBA)

Wednesday: Indian Style Potatoes and Spinach

Thursday: Chickpea Casserole

Friday: Leek and Rice Tart

And

An easy and pretty party appetizer so that you look quite pulled together when you honestly can't tell your shoelace from your headband.

Love,

He came to visit

2011-05-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

and if he had stayed, we would have made him cake.

The record will show that we sang songs in his honor, fell all over ourselves with glee, learned that we cannot, actually, pet him even though, yes, he does look fuzzy, admired his antennae, and, finally, conceded that taking his picture was an acceptable alternative to bringing him inside to stay.

But only by the tiniest margin.

And this is how we play. Come join the games at Childhood 101!

Happy May Anniversary.

2011-05-08T13:34:00.000-07:00

The Beautifully Apt, May Day 3 photograph from Flickr User St0rmz.Happily and thankfully used under a CC by-SA 2.0 license.

Oh my golly orgjunkies, it is May.

Normally, this would pass without mention. May happens every year, you know. Usually.

But this May IS THE THIRD MAY.

THE THIRD MAY of planning and plotting and cooking along with you wonderful people.

I can hardly believe it, but I can believe in the folks who do this week and week again.

Thanks for the community you provide and a reason to keep on planning.

Take a look back:

This is my first May menu.

This was my second.

And this one? This one here?

THIS IS THE THIRD.

True to character, I'll be celebrating with this.

How 'bout you?

Monday: Spicy Roasted Chicken with Fresh Corn

Tuesday: Uova e barba di frate (Eggs and Monk's Beard...TBA!)

Wednesday:Chicken Tikka Masala with Shortcut Naan

Thursday: Lemon Pepper Asparagus Pasta

Friday: Beef Teriyaki Skewers

Love,

Go In

2011-05-07T21:26:00.000-07:00

The next time you pass a place

which you have seen

a hundred times before,

but never once

thought

to enter,

do yourself a favor

and

go in.

Here's to discovering places

you have already found.

Love,

Reflex

2011-05-03T21:28:00.000-07:00

Reflexes are mine, altered background provided by Stillness of Cold under a

Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license from flickr user normalityrelief

Birthday list

2011-05-01T15:37:00.000-07:00

This picture comes with a mask but not the glove but I want the gloves with it the Batman gloves.

Growing Season

2011-05-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen.

Grab onto your hats.

Pull on your work-gloves.

Get ready for some dirt.

Growing season has begun.

Right now we are busying ourselves with seedlings, crisp herbs, hopeful peas, and early greens.

Soon though, soon, we will have everything we've been dreaming about this winter.

Right in our backyard.

Garden, I'm so glad you're back.

Monday: Creamy Green Soup and Foccacia with garden-chives and garden-sage !

Tuesday: Indian Style Potatoes and Spinach

Wednesday: Pretty much Perfect Pizza (TBA)

Thursday: Tuscan Pasta Dinner

Friday: Chicken Florentine and Zesty Tomato Salad

Boy-wants-cookies Cookie of the Week: Anzac Biscuits

Hiya orgjunkies! What are you digging up this week?

Love,

Agretti: An introduction

2011-04-28T14:08:00.000-07:00


Agretti, the edible portion. Profile: Spring Vegetable. Native to Rome.

1) Hello Agretti.

You do go by Agretti, yes?

You have so many names...
roscano, barba di frate, riscolo, barilla, and salsola soda...

you can see why I might be unsure.

You haven't objected, so I'll keep calling you by your market title.

I really am relieved that you decided to grow here.

You are my first exotic. Exotics (of all genera) don't always flourish in my midwest climate.
I was worried you might not like it.

2) How do you take your tea?

I am a good hostess, so I started preparing for your arrival by casting about for your habits and preferences.

My investigations revealed that the internet has done you few favors.

The inevitable first port for digital travellers has spread your information longitudinally, but does not report on the depth of your character.
The information isn't faulty... just limited.

It lacks familiarity, expertise, and (may I say it?) love.

I worry that this rough treatment might stifle future interest and hospitality.

It should not be so.

A few have taken the time to consider you: Mariquita, MasDuDiable, and Serendipity.

Considering your rarity and cost there really ought to be more interest.

Isn't it human habit to become involved in the scarce and the expensive?

3) And how are the children?

In the three months you have lived in my kitchen I have learned so much about you.

I can see that you like my yard. Phew. And that you like the rain too.

I cannot wait to see what you do when the sun shines brightly.

Early Growth Chart

So far, I can tell that:

Your germinate well. Much better than they say. You aren't terribly picky about conditions either, as long as there is water to spare.

You give the illusion of upside-down germination . You emerge from the soil and dance around until you take root. This is a peculiarity that I enjoy.

Sometimes I imagine you are not a plant, but instead a very clever sea creature. When your tendrils emerge, wiggling out at all directions, ends questing for the sun or maybe for the salty sea air thousands of miles off, I sense that you have been misclassified. You are entirely unlike the families of leeks (Alliaceae), kale (Brassica), tomatoes and peppers (Solanaceae) that have flourished in my care. I have grown your alleged Chenopodiaceae relatives beets, spinach, and quinoa too and I find you to be... well... different.

So you grow.

4) And about the outstanding warrants in California?

And so, it surprises me not at all that the State of California is perturbed by your coastal presence. Your contributions to human industry were once prized, but unfortunately we are as fickle as we are greedy. We no longer need you to make cleansers or containers and your growth habits have proven to be more resilient and questing than the natives. This has caused some speculation that you are invasive and potentially threatening.

No matter.

You have been well behaved so far and I expect nothing but the best from you.

5) We will talk again, soon.

A bit further into the season I imagine we will have much more to discuss.

Your growing habits will improve and I cannot wait to invite you to dinner.

Until then, Z

No Power

2011-04-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

Cooking challenges are fun.

Need to feature an ingredient?

Good, you get to explore the broad recipe world in a managable way.

Need to try out a new technique?

Wonderful, you have the opportunity to broaden your skills.

Need to work without the usual tools?

Excellent. You can rid yourself of embellishments and get down to creating honest food.

This is the type of positive thinking that helps you keep calm and steady when
your power is out for the entire weekend.

Flex your problem-solving muscles

and

Use up that cheese before it gets too stinky.

Learn how to grind and percolate coffee without a mechanical intervention.

Figure out what to buy and prepare and when the stove and fridge have taken the day off.

You are strong.
You are a bold captain of your kitchen.
You can handle what nature throws at you.

And when your power comes back on, breathe a sight of relief, clean out your freezer, and count your blessings.

It could always be much, much worse.

And anyway you learned something valuable:

You and the grid are friends

but co-dependent

you ain't.

Monday: Mushroom Risotto

Tuesday: Flat-crust Pizza

Wednesday: Spaghetti with meatballs

Thursday: Torta Espanola

Friday: French Onion Soup

Love,

Hey Manet, nice space

2011-04-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

Space to breathe.

pencil, after Manet's Lithograph Chair

No space at all.

pencil, after Manet's ink Cafe Interior

The same amount of space: 6.5 X 9.5

The more you draw, the more sense space makes.

Love,
Z

P.S. And wouldn't you know it? This is my creative space. Oh Kootoyoo how synchronous.

Some of us

2011-04-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

Here's

aging

gracefully.

Love,

Ask a Botanist

2011-04-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

Dude. I get it.

Botanists are busy people.

They probably don't have much time for the internet.

We all know Ph.Ds of any stripe have more troubles than time and more people with questions than books with answers.

But I've have noticed an unfilled niche in the internet market: an (accessible) online botanical service. A (navigable) place to find the nature and descriptive habits of the green kingdom. It is a field ripe to be sprouted wide open.

{Have time and patience for websites designed and funded by .gov and .edu? You are gonna need both. 404 not found anyone? http://arboretum.harvard.edu/ http://www.botany.org/ http://www.mobot.org/ http://plants.usda.gov/java/}

See, aside from an in-browser personalized haircut preview website that does not preclude natural color, the third dimension, or gravity, what I want most from the web these days is a person to answer my botanical questions with scientific accuracy and intellectual rigor. There are things I want to know about the food I grow and eat.

Most recently, what up with this wheatgrass?

I don't have a macro lense ok? I'm at peace with it.

I'm no slouch.

I can google with the best of them.

I even know how to use academic database sites. Don't be jealous.

Any information I find over the next few days I will gladly pass on to you.

But my instant knowledge source has supplied me only with this answer:

"Condensation, maybe?"

To which I reply:

"On every blade of grass? At noon? Inside?

I need to ask a botanist.

Call me if you know one with a little free time.

Love,

The Lernean Hydra

2011-04-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

Thank you flickr user bitmask. {No seriously, head over and check out her photographs. I'm in love.}
If you know where your hydra is success cannot be far off.

This week is threatening to get away from me and it is only Monday.

The to-do list is out of control, I tell you.

For every item crossed-off TWO MORE demanding chores emerge in its place.

I've got a to-do list Hydra.

Mythological Management Mayhem.

Criminy.

At least I can cross MPM off the list.
{Nice to see you, orgjunkies!}

May your task list
be tamer
and
somewhat less
immortal.

Monday: Potstickers and Lemon Potato & Edamame Salad

Tuesday: Sushi Bowl

Wednesday: Philly cheese steaks (need a veggie version?) and a redeeming vegetable.

Thursday: Cowboy Nachos! These were very, very popular and the leftovers are great in tomorrow's scramble. You won't have any leftovers though. (Unless you sneak a small plate and slyly hide it in the back of fridge behind your yeast, flax, and chia seeds. No one ever looks there. Phew, that was close.)

Friday: My favorite Matzo Ball Soup

Love,

Spinach, Artichoke, and Mozzarella Salad

2011-04-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

I don't like salads.

Yes, they can be scrumptious and nutritious.

Yes, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

You can lay down your talking points, salad lobbyists of the world.

Truth is, I'd rather have almost any other vegetable dish than have a salad.

And if I got to pick my favorites, I'd choose artichokes and spinach every time.

But... of course ....

my family LOVES salad.

So this post here isn't so much about vegetables, but about compromise.

This dish looks like a salad AND is my very favorite vegetables shaken up with some generalized yumminess.

So ehem, let's start again.

I LOVE SALAD.

Spinach, Artichoke, and Mozzarella Salad

Collect:

1 handful walnuts, briefly and attentively toasted

2 cloves of garlic (peeled and crushed)

1 shallot (peeled and chopped)

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup fresh parsley

1 cup artichoke hearts

pinch of cayenne pepper

pinch of salt

Juice of 1/2 lemon

4 cups fresh spinach, skillfully chopped into dodecahedrons, triangles, and parallelagrams. Or you know, smallish pieces.

1/2 ball of fresh mozzarella, diced (Your mozzarella saturation will of course reflect the original size of your mozzarella ball. Mine yielded 1/4 cup.)

1. Warm garlic and shallots in olive oil over a low heat. When they start to sizzle and the air is perfumed with allium remove from heat. This usually takes 2-3 minutes.

2. Combine garlic, shallots, oil, walnuts, parsley, artichoke hearts, cayenne pepper, salt, and lemon juice in your favorite fine-chopping device. Finely chop. The mixture should be crumbly with walnut and flaky with artichoke.

3. Toss together the finely chopped artichoke mixture, the mozzarella, and the spinach. You may need to get your hands dirty on this one. We want well-coated, my dear lobbyists.

You'll probably share this dish with someone and therefore won't know the glory of it the day after. UNLIKE OTHER LAME SALADS this lovely dish keeps beautifully in the fridge and is pretty much perfect for picnics. Just FYI.

Love,

Tiny Things

2011-04-10T14:21:00.000-07:00

I just love small.

I keep joking that I need a fancy-pants camera with a macro lense. I keep it in the realm of humor because I am worried that even a macro will be insufficiently micro.

I think I really need a digital microscope.

This borders onto obsessive territory, so I try to be satisfied with just getting really close.

One of the most disappointing things about adulthood is the incessant focus on the big picture and the push for "professional distance", whatever that really means. Personally, I like to think small once in awhile and look too closely for the adults to take me seriously.

You know, if you lose track of the small things you risk losing track something bigger.

For example, it is a small thing to plan a menu every week. Many people are content to let this detail pass through their lives at a respectable distance. But for me, and these lovely people, tending this small thing helps me tend a bigger thing: our time.

Monday: Quinoa Burger

Tuesday: Spinach, Artichoke, and Mozzarella Salad and Red Pepper Pasta with Feta

Wednesday: Roasted Red Pepper Soup and Asparagus roasted piu rapido.

Thursday: Steak with Horseradish Cream (I love him, yes I do) and super-secret mashed potatoes

Friday: We are about to have a lot of quality time. We are glamping this weekend! Ok, hubby & tot probably just plain old camping, but I feel like a bit of glam. I'm feeling like introducing my favorite indoor things, dresses and civilized food, to my outdoor favorites, bugs and dirt. So I'm still plotting my menu and outfits...but doesn't this look nice? Check back later this week if you are curious. These vagaries will probably be replaced with specifics. {Hmm, maybe pressed sandwiches, a reasonable breakfast, and a respectable dinner. Oh and snacks. I'd better remember to bring my cast iron pot.}

Bonus Treat: Ginger Crunch

Love,

Outside

2011-04-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

So beautiful outside today.

It's ranunculous.

Love,

Trick your brain

2011-04-08T12:47:00.000-07:00


pencil, after Millet's Shepherdess, woodcut. The original would be on page 21 here ,but the scanning is off. Try this.

Spend any amount of time looking at 2D images and you start to notice visual tricks. It doesn't take much experience or sophistication, but, like anything else, if you don't look you can't see.

Drawing helps you see even better. Your vision expands with wonder for Millet's Shepherdess which adeptly expresses of an entire field of hay and grass with bare dashes.

Want more? Count the sheep heads. I'm betting you experience a whole flock. I had to draw it to see to see that there is only one sheep in its entirety.

The trick works, your brain falls for it. You accept this visual world.

The perspective in this print is tricky too. Acres of land are indicated, convincingly, in a 2 inch strip. All of this before modern understanding of vision and perception.

Wonderous, really.

So much to learn out in this world. And a lot of book left to draw.

Trick on, my friends, trick on.

Love,

You can tell

2011-04-04T13:04:00.000-07:00

Did you know my Monday Menu is more than just a planning aid?

You use it for all sorts of things.

Example:

You can use it to derive a formula measuring just how guilty I feel about not cooking specifically for my man.

{You know, like choosing dishes without meat and introducing things like agar-agar and mung beans.}

heat to the power of 8

The equation looks roughly like:

Guilt = (npwr)^ (spu)/(nvr)

where

npwr= number of Pioneer Woman recipes

spu = number of spicy peppers used

nvr= number of vegetarian recipes

This week's guilt is 85.33333 repeating indicating a moderate guilt level. I'll even show my work : 2^8/3

Man. Some weeks I don't feel guilty AT ALL.

Should it be more to your taste, here is a week

that calculates to zero.

Monday: Spinach Balls

Tuesday: Cowboy Nachos (I love him oh I do)

Wednesday: Mushroom Soup

Thursday:Cajun Chicken Pasta

Friday: French Onion Soup with Caramelized onion and Mushroom grilled cheese

The kicker is that he would never, ever complain. Not after weeks of tofu, beans, and vegetables. Not after two failed recipes in a row. What a good man.

Love,

P.S. Hi Org junkies!! How does your menu calculate?

Moss: Apparently A Big Deal

2011-04-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

One of my new favorite blogs, Crow Rooster Crow, showcased the gorgeous tradition of moss garden collecting late last year. It seemed like a beautiful way to celebrate growth in the middle of winter and a remarkably child friendly activity as well. Our garden is a veritable treasure trove of moss in the time between the mild end of winter and the uproarious arrival of spring, so we had ample supplies.

We collected some rocks. We collected some moss.

(The little man is now a moss hunter extraordinaire.)

And we watered it and set it by.

After being generally pretty and mossy for a few months the bowl kicked into reproduction city.

And began building new buildings and growing new gardens.

Lovely to contemplate. Good for the imagination.

Also? There is tons, scientifically speaking, going on.

If you are the type who wants to know exactly what is happening in these tiny forests I can direct you to these sites about moss, bryophyte reproduction, the use of explosive moss cannons as spore-spreading devices, and a video of the phenomenon set to Il Trovatore. (Forsooth without reproduction would we EVEN need opera?)

Moss: A tiny BIG deal

We Play! Visual-Spatial Treasure Hunt

2011-03-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

I've decided to introduce some science/math/logic play activities into my mommy repertoire.

Reading/creating/imagining are my usual go-to ideas. This in part reflects my own inclinations, but also the visual-internet world I splash around in. The bloggy lands are just awash in beautiful and creative play.

I find much less beautiful and logical play (other than natural science.) A little research turned up the idea that mapping image-to-concept-to-location is one way to work on rational thinking without turning playtime into pedagogy.

{If anyone out there has great and easy games to throw the left-brain a little extra stimulation, don't be shy. Please share!}

This brings us to the visual treasure hunt. The idea isn't new under the sun, but it is new to my son. I really enjoyed the giant-gaggle-of-kids-running-all-over-the-neighborhood-for-clues treasure hunts and was pretty sure my guy would like this age-appropriate one geared at the pre-reading set.

It only took 10 minutes to draw and hide 7 sketches and by the second clue my preschooler was running all over the place more and more excited with each discovery. He had blast describing the pictures, what each object does, and where to find it in our house. Empowering his thinking and watching him puzzle it out was just wonderful. (Without frustration, might I add. I chose images that he interacts with regularly right now (potty training, lint trap-clearing, his musical toys are all big for him right now. He would have gotten pretty frustrated had I picked objects that he sees but doesn't interact with much or don't figure into his mental space in a major way.)

I'm pretty sure this activity will be in regular rotation and it will be easy to add locations to the routine as we go. Soon we will have a full, custom treasure hunt deck!

Did I mention he was delighted?

Come over to play at Childhood 101. We had a treasure of a time!

Cardinal De Pressigny works at the hardware store up the street

2011-03-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

Sometimes he gives me a discount on dirt if my child is being charming and I have a smile on my face.


pencil, after Ingres, Cardinal de Pressigny, Etching				{normally this would be a link to Paul Sach's Modern Prints and Drawings and the precise page of the original for comparison's sake however there seems to have been some sloppy scanning, so go find a copy and look on page 7 or look at this}

Oh I kid.

It is only my facially-challenged pencil that makes me think of my happy, independent hardware store-owner when I look at this drawing.

Gabriel Cortois de Pressigny was Archbishop of Besançon and French Ambassador whose main claim to fame (insofar as a cursory internet search has provided, somebody slap my hand, this section may be updated later) was being etched into immortality by Jean August Dominique Ingres. This happens with stunning frequency to administrators and clerics of mid-level power (being historically relevant because of a lingering art-work, not the etching into immortality by Ingres bit.)

Interesting.

Perhaps someone should write a book or at least an article about it. I'm looking at you, me. Note that the decreasing font size is directly related to what should be your declining interest...

It's Ingres for crying out loud. The man chiseled marble out of paper and spun dna with paint.

Me? I'm just drawing the book. And the work continues...

Pita Theories: The Puffing Differential

2011-03-28T20:54:00.000-07:00

Fresh Pitas, defined:

Yummy.

Not always puffy.

This beautiful picture of buoyant mass produced pita after buoyant mass-produced pita might have you suspecting otherwise, but in my kitchen the above definition holds true. A consistent puff is hard to replicate at home. Luckily, unpuffed pitas are as yummy as the bubbly variety and are desirable in their own way. I nevertheless want either unilateral puffiness or to understand why I do not have it.

Witness the following observations & theories:

There is a 50-50 puff-no puff ratio when they are baked in pairs. The first one down on the baking sheet does not puff, but the second one does. Every.single.time.I.slapped them.down. Except the last.
- I would like to conclude that residual heat from the baking sheet is applied to the first one and therefore inhibits puffing. Maybe the yeast is onto my game by the time it hits the oven and takes its vengeance by not puffing. Theory "Vengeful Yeast" holds no water because the puffing phenomenon occurred on the very first set of pitas which were put on a sheet that was, as yet, unbaked and unable to tip off my microscopic frenemies.
- Ok, so not heat on the sheet. Maybe the small difference in resting time between the first and second pita inhibits vigorous oven spring? Yeast at rest prefers to remain at rest? The baker in me knows this is no good either. Witness the very last set, mentioned above.
- Last option: There is a strange vortex of alternating heat density in my oven. I like this theory but like many entertaining ideas it lacks intellectual rigor and so I must let it go.
- Thoughts? What say you pita bakers?

MENU

Monday:Chicken Shwarma (Veggiesaurus in the House?)and home-baked pita

Tuesday: Spinach Feta Pizzas {With flat pitas} Probably like this, but inside out

Wednesday: French Onion Soup

Thursday: Mushroom and Spinach Quiche with Potato Crust {and you know, I feel like using tofu instead of eggs and I don't even know if it will be ok}

Friday: Three Cheese Pasta Penne Bake {lowish in calories, we think}

Love,

We Play! Technicolor Goop

2011-03-22T19:10:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love it when simple works?

When something you do is slightly and easily modified and then vastly improved?

Random objects aid material investigation

Goop play is one of my fall-backs for post-breakfast-kitchen-cleanup distraction.
It's right up there with vinegar and baking soda because the prep work is minimal. Measure 2 parts cornstarch to 1 part water and my kid is occupied with textural exploration for long enough for me to rinse and dry.

Today he asked for yellow goop, which is an easy modification. Just add food coloring to the water before adding it to the cornstarch.

Then, for kicks, I prepared a bowl of blue goop too.

And we poured them together.

{A bit like this. Next time there will be more colors, rest assured.}

It was simple, easy color theory with a bit of down-home chemistry. Not only did it engage him fully for an hour, but he had a color revelation. Not only does 2+2 in fact equal 4, yellow + blue does in fact equal green, my dear boy.

It was incredible to see him get there on his own.

You should try it! Painting with surface tension. Good for grown-ups too.

Textured objects leave quick impressions

I'm not the least bit ashamed to tell you the kitchen didn't get its regular cleanup til this afternoon.

Come over to play at the Childhood 101. We had a technicolor good time.

Go inside

2011-03-21T12:19:00.000-07:00

Oh.

Flowers, Flowers Everywhere by Flickr user saturn, CC 2.0 license

I get so lazy in the kitchen when the sun shines. Do you?

You, see I just want out.

Let's plant! Let's play! Let's run around in circles until we fall over and watch the clouds for half an hour.

But, what? I have to what? What is this word you are trying to say?

Cook?

You mean inside? Pshah.

Spring is on its way. You couldn't stop it with a brick wall.

Before it gets any better out there and any lazier in here, I'm going to stock up my freezer with quick bites.

Because the sunshine is coming.

And you can't make me go inside.

Monday: Vegan Breakfast Sausage

Tuesday: Black Bean Burgers

Wednesday: Spinach Balls | The Comfort is Always Here

Thursday: Bulgarian Stuffed Peppers

Friday: Quinoa Burgers

Bread.I.Want.To.Make.Right.Now. Just look at that dough! Shorgoghal

Desserts I forgot about but clearly were waiting patiently for me: Creamy Sweet Beet Pie.

You heard right.

Love,

Hi MPM, good to see you!

Line and smudge

2011-03-20T14:14:00.000-07:00

pencil and charcoal, after Goya's1797 self portrait etching and aquatint

pencil, after Picasso's Claribel Cone in ink

One of the things I love about drawing through Modern Prints and Drawings is the stylistic variation. It is a riotous encyclopedia of technique. And history. Just love it.

In one drawing I can observe Picasso's shorthand for fabric design or draping and in another try to mimic printmaking effects. By reproducing and aquatint you get a feel for modeling with lines and also get bowled over contemplating the carefully plotted map of pressure, ink, and chemical reaction that is an etching. Supercool.

ok, my heart

2011-03-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

ok, so my heart is broken.

this tends to happen around catastrophic world events

you might say I have an empathy problem

which

at least I have both the time to ruminate about it

and the space and the freedom to do it

I found this thing

Funny what you find on the underside of a juice cap.

A meatless Meal Plan Monday, also perhaps indicative of my empathy problem

Huh, no sympathy for my resident carnivore though. Poor guy.

Monday: Creamy Spinach and Mung Bean Soup

Tuesday: Peanut Curry

Wednesday: Black Bean and Sweet Potato Hash

Thursday: Nutty Pasta with Edamame Pesto

Friday: Tom Kha Tofu Soup

Love,

Igor Stravinsky, accountant

2011-03-09T13:32:00.000-08:00

pencil, after Picasso's Igor Stravinsky

The best unexpected discovery of this third installment of my self-imposed challenge is teeny-tiny.

May I would direct you towards the crease between pinky and ring finger?

It is a small line, just a little crease that describes "hand-in-depth" rather than "hand-in-line. The simple-looking digits were deceptively difficult, as was Igor's nose (incidents which I will not read into, but of course you may.)

I did fail to capture that sniffer and have been so rewarded with a disneyana bean-counter and not a riot-inciting composer...

which is pretty typical of happenings in my creative space.

Howdy Kootoyoo & friends!

Love,

Carnevale

2011-03-06T17:04:00.000-08:00

Meat, meat, meat

I cannot eat

luckily

I don't wanna

So sorry,

dear hubby.

It is pretty seasonal to avoid meat right now .

Well, it will be soon.

I guess it is more appropriate to go on a meat bender this week.

But we all know that isn't in my character.

And your bender has to end sometime.

So for Meal Plan Monday this week I give you

meatless dishes, exotic and reliable, and

really beautiful venetian masks, should this week's revelry take you that far.

Bye-bye, meat.

Monday: Spicy Peanut Noodles

Tuesday: Decadent Spinach and Mung Bean Soup

Wednesday: Khara Bath

Thursday: Baked Potato with Broccoli, Cheddar, and Egg

Friday: Black Bean Burgers with Fresh Salsa

Love,

2011-03-05T12:10:00.000-08:00

Pencil, after Calder's Frog and Mouse in pen

I'm drawing the book! This was fun, all line, no smudge. Quite a battle.

Torrone Tutu

2011-03-04T12:02:00.000-08:00

Like dancing in a tutu through a crowd of people wearing suits, making Torrone requires self-assurance, precision, timing, and a bit of craziness.

It isn't as ridiculous, of course. Although it is a fair bit stickier.

You''d better brush up your candy-wizard skillz too, cuz Torrone will call you on your B.S.

Torrone, however, cannot call you out for posting gratuitous photos of the process.

That would be your job.

Two Textural Torrone Triptychs.

Someone ought to stop me.

Torrone,

found at delicious days

and as edited by the delicious readers, especially Gina

Tips:

*One commenter suggested beating the egg and sugar over simmering water, but the thought of watching one more pot seemed beyond my abilities.Enter the crockpot. I set it up with plain water on high in the morning and it was perfect and ready in the afternoon. Plus, my mixing bowl fit perfectly on the rim.

*Skip the rice paper and use a pillow of powdered sugar instead.

*Olives? Even candied ones? Sounds like a good add-in, no? Especially if you are trying to avoid the traditional nuts associated with the candy. Well, forget it. They keep the candy from setting. Yummy, no doubt, but not set.

Colossus

2011-03-03T12:39:00.000-08:00

charcoal, after Colossus, mezzotint by Goya

I'm drawing the book! This is the first entry. It can only go uphill from here, right?

A Little Wife Magic

2011-03-02T12:38:00.000-08:00

Pomegranate, a zen fruit

Why is planning dinner such a pain in the patootie lately?

I mean please, cooking is fun and goodness knows there are enough recipes to choose from in the great internet yonder.

And I can't just give up...just like that... 82, nay 83, menus in.

Can I?

No.

Laura says no. And she has served me well so far.

So I outsourced it.

To my hubby.

A husband-to-wife gchat (we are SO modern) yielded the following:

Him: heavy sigh? (Um, we gchat from across the room. Don't judge.)

Me : oh, you know,
LE BLOG

it must be updated.

what do you want to eat this week?

Him: Steak

Potato

Spicy Chicken Thursday

Meat soup.

Burger plate

Gyros made from not lamb.

Me: Burger plate?

Which, with a little wife magic, becomes this:

Wednesday: Tom Kha Tofu (Soup) and sauteed spinach

Thursday: Toasted Ravioli and big ole' salad

Friday: A Burger that Makes Men Weep

Saturday: Chicken Shwarma and home-baked pita

Sunday: Steak with Chimichurri sauce and Spicy Roasted Potato

Magic in development:

Poached eggs on crispy polenta with an herbed lime (better for you) hollandaise sauce as seen, but not revealed here.

Love,

Wife Z

Rhode Island

2011-02-27T08:42:00.000-08:00

Google Analytics is a dangerous tool in the hands of a blog-dabbler like myself.

Such powerful tools!

What fabulous reports!

I know in my heart there is a better use for its capabilities than what I'm about to do with it, but...

Rhode Island. Where is the love?

It has been brought to my attention that I get visitors from every state in the USA and all over the world...except for Rhode Island. I get that you are smaller than most states, RI, but you are certainly mighty. A state to be reckoned with and I wish I knew you.

Stop in for a quick hello, won't you?

Love,

{Creamy Green Soup}

2011-02-25T12:21:00.000-08:00

I almost called this velvet green soup.

It is that kind of soft, shimmery, and gorgeous.

Though...

velvet makes me think of the 80s and then also about fussy and uncomfortable dresses.

The connotation just isn't working for me.

A picture might be better than words. Yep.

There isn't a smidgen of cream here. Only the tiniest bit of butter. Smooth and filling soup, not rich.

Flavorful, more than you would expect from the ingredients.

And so easy.

And ohmygoodness. My toddler licked the bowl clean. That is a serious recommendation.

Like the Michelin star of the Zom G. household.

Creamy Green Soup

Easily serves 6 and tastes great the next day if, like us, there happen to be only three of you.

You could just halve the recipe, but then you'd have half as much and why would you do that?

Do you enjoy this portion of recipes, you know, the small advice bits near the top of the title? I feel like it doesn't get the use it deserves. Even people who will never make the recipe usually read this bit.

Inspired by Catalan Potato Lima Soup in the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites Cookbook. I've added a bit more fat than "low" but it certainly isn't "high."

Oh, on with it already.

2 tablespoons veggie oil

1 whole, large, diced onion

1/2 tsp salt

4 medium potatoes, evenly chopped

1 cup fresh or frozen lima beans (I would strongly recommend against canned. Weird texture.)

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp yellow miso paste

4 cups veggie stock

2 cups greens ( I used spinach. Kale or chard would also be A+ great.)

1/4 cup chives

salt and pepper to taste

1. Sprinkle diced onion with salt and let sit while you warm the oil over medium heat.

2. When the oil gets all shimmery, add the onions and cook 5 minutes. Your inattention and infrequent stirring will be rewarded with yummy, crispy onion bits.

3. Add potatoes, lima beans, and butter. Stir to combine.

3. Pour in veggie stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add miso paste.

4. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if you think it will make you happier.

5. Let simmer for 40 minutes. You can't really over-cook this thing. Miso purists will tell you that I am killing the good active nutrients by doing this. I am telling you it will still taste great.

6. When the potatoes are soft enough to fall apart remove the pot from heat and let cool.

7. Strain (and reserve) the remaining liquid. Add spinach and chives to the cooked vegetables. Puree, mush, or generally push around all the solids in the way that suits you best. A blender would be great. An immersion blender would be fancy (and make fewer dishes). A food processor would be really, really thorough. A hand masher would be therapeutic.

8. Return some liquid to the puree and stir. If you are happy with the consistency, stop. If you want a thinner soup, keep going. I used all of my liquid.

Serve.

Love,

The sound of one hand planning

2011-02-20T11:23:00.000-08:00

If one hand plans a menu, does it get written?

Maybe.

If the other hand is too busy to cook does a plan get followed?

Nope.

Oh I'm beyond bashful about last week, which was about as slapdash as it can be. Don't abandon me now, Orgjunkies.

This week doesn't look like it will be much better so I threw together a "greatest hits" of menus for myself and launched it up there in a tab for y'all too. Look! Up!

82 menus and Counting.

Meal Plan Monday

Let's do this thing.

Monday: Chicken Piccata

Tuesday: Unstuffed Peppers

Wednesday: A Burger that Makes Men Weep n' Broccoli

Thursday: Ravioli and a Spicy Green Salad

Friday: Creamy Vegetable Soup (a Zom G. original)

Love,
Z

Love you!

2011-02-13T19:49:00.000-08:00

Love,

Of late

2011-02-09T19:01:00.000-08:00

Ok. So this blog has taken a decidedly foodie turn of late and basically I'm going to run with it. I've got a ton of new painting and planting and playing too but I just can't seem to get that up and posted.

SO.

Candied Olives!

How about some candied olives? I submitted the recipe for consideration over at Food52 (run by a not so independent vendor of fine kitchenwares, methinks, but darn it if they aren't friendly. Also, culinary people of no little fame comment on contributor recipes with regularity. Neat, no? (Check this out! Comment love!)