Soup Monday: herbed roasted carrot (and a lesson)

Kitchen mojo is officially back. Making soup these past few weeks has given me a little bit of drunken confidence in the kitchen. I'm realizing that with a few essential seasonings (salt and fresh herbs) it's really hard to mess up a soup of any kind.

I've long been a recipe slave. Diligently reading and re-reading ingredients and steps as if man's survival depended on my accuracy. Let's just say I'm pretty good at following directions and rules are deeply comforting.

But lately, I've been adding butter, omitting dill (gross) and generally making up my own kitchen rules as I go along. And so far, it's all been fairly edible. Here's what I've learned: Daily practice (at anything) = liberating confidence. This would have been life-changing information about 20 years ago when failure was a constant companion.

Next steps will be taking my new knowledge into the studio for a bit of painting and sewing this week...I'll keep you posted on the merriment and mishaps. Happy Soup Monday, friends.

Herbed Roasted Carrot Soup
Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook

Ingredients

2 lbs. carrots
1 medium potato
2 shallots
5 cups water
1 Tbs. butter or oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tsps. thyme (half for roasting and half for saute)
2 tsps. fresh sage (half for roasting and half for saute)
1 to 2 Tbs. lemon juice
(Fresh cream or sour cream is an optional addition at serving time.)


Peel and chop carrots and potato and shallot, place on cookie sheet with thyme and sage and a drizzle of olive oil and roast about 25 to 30 minutes (until tender).


Heat oil or butter in a pan. Add onions and salt and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and herbs and saute another 5 minutes until onions are soft. Stir in lemon juice. Add roasted carrots, potato and shallot and water. Bring to a boil.


Puree everything. Salt and pepper as needed.


Serve with a sprinkling of fresh herbs and a spoonful of cream or sour cream.

A way off the path

A few months ago I left the safety and comfort of my job. Walked away from a retirement plan and benefits, an office and an IT department. No question it was the right decision and probably a bit over due but it was (and still is) a little scary and painful. Not much about freelance life has felt natural to me. I am having to establish new working rituals and routines and good habits for managing myself. For someone who has happily worked for others since high school, this solo mission has presented all sorts of new challenges and no doubt there are more to come. Charting my own course here, friends. So, bare with me and all of my growing pains.

For now, I am so thrilled to be writing and editing for one amazing client. They keep me busy and engaged and I'm proud to have them on my roster. But in my imaginary life, I spend my days and pay my bills in an even more creative way. Making things and sharing them with a community that appreciates handmade and artistic endeavors has been a dream for many years and leaving my established career was the first step in making that a reality. So in the future, lookout for some changes around these parts as I work toward the "someday". There will be a little blog redesign and an online space to offer my goods. Baby steps all the way.

Today I'm so thrilled to unveil a new banner courtesy of my super talented friend, Shari from Little Blue Deer. No surprise to me, she was a complete joy to work with. Thanks, Shari. I'm all for DIY but sometimes it's best to enlist a professional.

Like I'm twelve

It should be noted here that at some point in my youth I bagged up all these teen rags for the trash. Naturally, my mother intervened and hoarded saved them for a later date. Sometimes cooler heads do prevail. She dropped them on my back porch yesterday in anticipation of a little girls get-together this evening. There will be wine and something sweet to eat and hopefully a few make-up and hair styling tips from the likes of Molly Ringwald and Debbie Gibson. 

P.S. If anyone is in the market for a Ricky Schroeder poster circa 1986 I've totally got you covered.

Soup Monday: not exactly white bean

Two weeks into meal planning and Sunday soup making and I've found myself terribly over-confident in the kitchen. I figured I would make a white bean and herb soup puree and just sort of wing the recipe with, you know, a little of this and a little of that. The result was not so much thick, creamy puree and more essence of white bean salty warm water. Odd. Not so much bad but certainly not something I would purposefully repeat. You don't need a photo or a recipe - take my word for it.

Thankfully, Emerson and I spent our morning in San Francisco so dinner was saved with fresh bread from ACME, stinky cheese from Cowgirl Creamery and sweets from Miette. It more than made up for my kitchen mis-adventure.

Any recipe suggestions for regaining my kitchen mojo? I have a bag full of Meyer lemons from dear friends and two browning bananas. I'm thinking banana cupcakes or maybe attempting lemon curd.

Winter garden magic

California had the most amazing splash of sunshine last weekend. It was bliss. And as I type this I do feel bad for my friends and family who live most anywhere else in the States at the moment. I do realize we are blessed and spoiled and soft. The unseasonal warmth has me dreaming of sunflowers and fresh herbs and basically anything garden-y. It's a bit premature to dig in my yard as I'm quite sure we are not past the last frost, so instead we paid a family visit to Hakone Gardens, one of my favorite scenic spots.

Almost nothing was in bloom and the Koi were not eating (apparently they fast through the winter?) but streams of sunshine danced throughout the garden, making for a truly inspired Sunday morning. Anyone else plotting their plans for Spring? Mine involve a planter box overflowing with herbs and another filled with wildflowers. I'll keep you posted if you promise to share with me, too.

On the road; toddler style

Braving multiple hours in a car with a toddler anytime soon? Arm yourself with a copy of Gigi in the Big City. It may buy you 20 minutes of peace.  Emerson loves this book. It's a story of a little girl's adventure in...a big city. Each page is filled with colorful illustrations and dozens of pop-ups, doors to open, wheels to turn and adventures to be had. It's my new go-to gift for the birthday circuit. One reviewer on Amazon said her sons also love the book. I would not exactly call it gender neutral but I can see how any young "reader" would love discovering what is behind each little window or door.

Then download yourself some Elizabeth Mitchell. Her voice is nothing short of lovely and she makes children's music sound soulful - no small achievement there. We all wish our mothers sounded like this. Listening to Emerson sing along at the top of her little lungs to "You are my sunshine" and "This little light of mine" were some of my favorite memories of our road trip. You can listen to all of her songs on her website. I think my favorite is "Little Bird."

Soup Monday: cauliflower

This one is a little something I like to call "marriage in action." Cauliflower is my second least favorite vegetable. (I challenge you to knock eggplant off my least useful vegetable list.) My husband loves cauliflower. So, in an effort to compromise, I try to work cauliflower into our diet at least once each year. I'm nothing if not a giver.

I will say that the act of roasting and combining with really good aged white cheddar did wonders for this veggie. This soup was really good and I'll be making it again. Next time I'll even double the cauliflower. Bonus: Your house will smell like thyme all day from the roasting and that is so good.

P.S. In the interest of full disclosure, I served this with grilled cheese (Havarti) with arugula on olive bread.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with White Cheddar
Adapted from Pioneer Woman.

1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped (if you prefer a thicker soup, double the cauliflower)
2 whole shallots, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups chicken broth (I used half broth and half water)
1-½ cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon coarse salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet, drizzle the cauliflower, shallots and garlic with the olive oil (and a few sprigs of thyme) and season with coarse salt. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork-tender.

Trasfer vegetables in a food processor or blender and roughly puree. Texture is good, large chunks are not so good. Place the vegetables in a pot along with the chicken broth (and water - I did half of each). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about ten minutes. Add the cheese, thyme and black pepper. Season to taste with salt.

Throwing a pity party

And you're all totally invited. As long as one of you brings this cake (please make the inside vanilla) and some sweet little plates to add to my collection.

I'll be wearing this dress and staring out my imaginary window, we won't talk so much as sit quietly amongst all the pretty. I would hope that one of you could fill my kitchen table with an assortment of wildflowers in vintage tins. Honestly, it's the least you could do. (By the way, that collection is doing nothing good for my hoarding instincts. Now I can't ever toss out used spice jars?)

I'm sick (again), Emerson has a double-ear infection, we were supposed to play with Melissa and Crumb today (and there was to be cupcakes and champagne involved. Mostly because I like my friends drunk and my toddlers high) but they're sick as well. Can you imagine the perfect storm of germs?

Happy weekend, friends. Hope yours involves some delicious things to eat, drink, wear and look at.

Images via Pinterest.

Flashing back

How much of a problem is it that I would have happily worn today's outfit in high school? And that was almost 20 years ago. Is it a bigger problem that my eye shadow is almost that old? I'm pretty sure make up is not supposed to be vintage. I think I'm ready to brave a visit to the cosmetics counter. Here's a little inventory:

Eye shadow: MAC circa 1996
Lip gloss: Origins circa 1999
Eye liner and bronzer: MAC circa 2005 (Bonus points for being purchased in the current decade.)

Any suggestions? I would love to hear your thoughts on how to update my, um, face.

Soup Monday: lentil

It's a first for me. I've got meals planned for five consecutive days and all the required ingredients in my possession. I cannot believe how comforting it is to confidently talk about what's for dinner. I totally get it why people do this. It's as if I've gained membership into some sort of grown up club and I actually feel like I belong.

And honestly, I'm only one day in on my 2011 goals, but it feels really manageable. For now, I've decided that Sundays will be for soup and salad (and if I'm being honest, more often that not grilled cheese will make an appearance.) But can you think of a more complete meal than homemade soup and grilled cheese?

My husband and I love soup. There are countless vegetarian options, it's perfect for leftovers on my work-from-home Mondays and it freezes well. Hold on to your seats because this is where it gets really exciting...for the near future I'll share my adventures in soup here on Monday mornings in hopes that maybe it will help you with your own meal planning. Happy Soup Monday, friends!

Lentil Soup (adapted from too many recipes to reference)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence (optional)
3 tablespoons tomato paste (optional, but highly recommended)
3 stalks celery, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
2 bay leaves (optional)
1 1/2 cups French lentils, rinsed and picked over for stones (I used regular green lentils because it's what I had but I much prefer the French for taste and consistency)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

Heat the oil in a soup pot over high heat. Add onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Work tomato paste into the onion, add garlic, celery, carrot, Herbs de Provence and bay leaves. Cook for 5 minutes. Add lentils, about 6 cups of water (sometimes I use 4 cups water and 2 cups chicken or veggie broth), and about a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, partially covered for about 25-35 minutes.

Stir in mustard and vinegar. Taste and add more as needed. I also end up adding a bit more salt and lots of pepper at this point. Remove those bay leaves and serve it up. I love shredded asiago on top or a spoonful of sour cream.

Note: This soup seriously improves with time. Make it in the morning and let it sit on the stove for hours. Occasionally, you may need to add some water or broth because those lentils will continue to absorb the liquid. Just know that if your soup is good for dinner it will be even better for lunch the next day.

Dwelling with dignity; everyone's right

Blog for Digs  is a project launched by Beth and Claudia to raise awareness of Dwell with Dignity, a nonprofit working to eliminate poverty and homelessness through design. In a nutshell, they help provide beautiful living environments for struggling families. This may sound a bit high-minded when you think about the millions of families dealing with sub-par health care and not enough food to eat. And I would agree. Except that I've lived all of that and I can tell you from first-hand experience that our home aesthetics are important. They can inspire creativity and sense of safety and calm or sometimes, and in my case, they triggered anxiety, loneliness and despair.

Throughout my childhood, there were countless empty refrigerators, exactly NO health insurance and close to 20 various living situations. No question that this all contributed to the person I am today and I am happy and relieved to report that I am far from living in fear of homelessness or hunger and at this stage in my journey I'm finally ready to help - in any way I can - those who may need it. So I am honored to be a small part of promoting the Dwell with Dignity mission.

Today I am supposed to share a bit of my childhood bedroom, as part of an ongoing series that promotes Dwell with Dignity's mission. See the complete schedule here. But I had more childhood bedrooms than fingers with which to count them.

It may be helpful to know that my mom considered moving to be an absolute adventure. Although, she didn't think much of unpacking, hanging photos or generally doing much to make a home feel like - a home. To this day, I cannot see a moving truck or a cardboard box used as a coffee table without a rush of sickly anxiety. You do not want my help moving. I'll be the one rocking in the corner while you are emptying your cupboards. 

I had a lot of bedrooms during my childhood. Tiny ones, big ones and shared ones. They were all temporary so covering a wall with paint or wallpaper was never an option. It's the one thing I always wanted. Well, that and matching bed linens. It seems so simple and silly now but I really do not take for granted the fact that underneath my comforter is a complimentary set of sheets and my bedroom walls are a shade of greyish brown that I chose and I love.

So I get the significance of Dwell with Dignity. The transformative power of making a space truly your own can be life-changing. Arranging your belongings just so and feeling pride and comfort in your own personal space is a necessity - not a luxury. Here's how you can help.

Fresh new year

 I won't call them resolutions because that always feels a bit too vague and illusive to me. Goals, on the other hand, are specific and measurable. I've got two and I'm hoping that with a little help from some friends and the accountability I have found here I may actually accomplish them throughout this year. So here we go.

1. Learn to meal plan: I need and want to plan weekly meals for my family. You don't want to hear the story of how we've been eating all these years. It's a tale heavy with carbs and messy with take-out menus. Just know that grocery shopping fewer that five times per week and planning at least four consecutive meals with some regularity would be a huge accomplishment for me.

Fun facts: Complicating this endeavor will be the fact that I am a vegetarian, my husband is an unapologetic carnivore and my daughter exists solely on macaroni and cheese, quesadillas and spite.

 2. Make creativity a priority: I am happier, healthier and so much better when I make time to write, take pictures, play with fabric, draw and paint. And since I'm also believer in the positive power of a creative outlet it's time to practice a bit more of what I preach. My goal is to make something (anything) and share it here once a week. Let's call that photo up there my first start - even though I captured it at the tail-end of 2010. Another fun fact? Ojai is lousy with succulents.

That's it. I'm feeling pretty energized at the moment, but I do realize we are merely four days into this fresh year. Have you set any 2011 goals you'd like to share? I would love to know. Seriously, we are stronger in numbers.

On the road trip

At some point I may have the clarity required to fully recap our road trip to southern California. It's not happening today but I did want to share just a few of the pretties we experienced. News flash: California's cup runneth over with natural beauty. Seriously, I love feeling like a tourist in my home state. Ojai is really quiet, in a slightly unnerving kind of way. We were there less than 24 hours and I'm ready to revisit soon.

Santa Barbara was everything it always is to me and so much more. It's a place that has felt like home since my fist very visit nearly 20 years ago. I've been scheming a family move for more than a week now. Currently, it's my favorite daydream. Below was the view from our hotel. Yeah. So there's that.

There are no suitable photos from Disney. You can imagine it was not nearly as soothing as our toe-dippers to Ojai and SB, but it was it's own kind of fun. I hope you each had some bits of magic over the holidays. I'm fired up for the new year. I'm ready for a fresh, happy and hopeful year. Cheers, friends.

Tomorrow: New Year's goals. I'll be sharing mine and I want to hear yours.