Soup, Sounds and Summer Fun

Summer is the best, and summer is FULL. Lots of pool days and time with family are healing and wonderful. Beyond that, this summer has also been full of lots of watercolor classes, which bring so many people together for creativity, conversation, and great memories. And to tie it all together, our house has been full of music lately, thanks to this precious piano. I’m so thankful for the gift of music and how it allows my family to process emotion. I started learning music in second grade and felt it to be such a powerful way to express myself. Every time I passed by the piano as a kid, I was temped to play it. And often I would sit down and play something that said what words couldn’t. I hope to give my own kids that same gift. And so the piano moving in is just the start.

But as all summers go, usually we all get that classic summer sickness from all the traveling and change in routine. This past week we had fevers run through our house so a big pot of comfort was in order. Everyone needs an easy go-to pot of soup for those unexpected days when sour throats or lack of appetite happen. Enjoy a peek at my version here.

Mother’s Day Weekend Class: Flowers for Mom in a Frame

Saturday, May 11, 2024

Join me on May 11th for a fun watercolor class: Flowers for Mom. With it being Mother’s Day Weekend, I have some fun things planned. For the first time I’ll be including the option to prepurchase a frame, so you can paint, frame, and have flowers for your mom by Mother’s Day morning. Bring your own mom for a special evening to paint together, treat yourself to a mom’s night out with friends, or surprise your mom with a framed floral watercolor painting the very next day. Whatever the situation, enjoy a spring evening of creativity with me. To join me, message me HERE.

Surprise your mom with a framed floral painting just in time.

Whether you are a mom, have a mom, or know a someone who is a mom, this night is for you!

Painting Subject: Roses & Anemones

Details:

When: Saturday, May 11 at 7pm.

Saturday evening outside (weather permitting).

What: Watercolor Florals: Anemones & Roses

Come and learn everything you need to know to do a step-by-step watercolor floral painting with me.

Cost: $45 per person, $75 with frame

The cost will include all of your supplies for painting a floral watercolor painting, with the option to frame it.

BYOB, light snacks provided.

RSVP by this Thursday, May 9th.

Celebratory Potatoes and Little Gifts

The garden gifts are in full bloom. These fragrant and abundant lilacs are the first taste of true spring. But first, some food:)

Potatoes Au Gratin with Crispy Sage & Prosciutto

Here’s a version of potatoes au gratin that includes my two favorite potato toppings: Sage and prosciutto. The basic makeup of the recipe includes buttery sautéed sage and garlic which then turns into a roux and then turns into a creamy cheese sauce. The thinly sliced Yukon Gold potatoes are layered with the creamy cheese sauce and baked until bubbly and toasty. Then a smattering of sage and prosciutto for the last five minutes makes it feel decadent and celebratory on a whole new level. Yum. Get the full recipe HERE.

The lilacs are in full bloom! First flowers, early gifts of the garden. I didn’t plant these beauties, I didn’t water them. They spontaneously bloomed after years and years of quietly growing behind the garage. Some gifts are like that, a hidden treasure and a sudden reminder of divine grace. Now I’ll drink in their fragrance and put them in the most glorious vases I own. The beauty will quietly remind my heart that, like many things in life, I did nothing but receive them with gratitude. What a joy.

There are more than just lilacs quietly growing and blooming. With an upcoming watercolor florals class, I decided to paint a large-scale step-by-step of roses and anemones one early morning. Florence walked past me a few times, bubbled with a few questions, then disappeared. Several minutes later she returned with this beautiful rose painting. She followed my swirling circular rose pattern and even made all her little supporting flowers radiate from the center like mine. This little painting is so dear to my heart, and such an example of her observant little creative mind. Making art, staying home with my kids, and juggling it all together is such a wonderful gift; and this small work of art reminds me that the time I spend with them is time where they’re always watching, always learning. I hope to nurture them in such a way that they flourish and bloom and keep on growing into the beautiful people they already are. These days are special and these little gifts are all around me.

These days are special and these little gifts are all around me.

Little House Lasagna and Landscape Practice

This week I’m sharing my basic lasagna recipe, many years in the making. Lasagna is a lifelong favorite, and a perfect party food. As always, I use what I have on hand, so feel free to add or subtract veggies, and change up the meat (beef, italian sausage…). Read more about this fun one here.

I’ve also been playing around with painting watercolor landscapes lately. While the dutch landscape painters of old with their big skies and majestic trees have always captivated me, I am working out something a little more along the lines of impressionism, as well as something teachable. That being said, those big skies are always in the back of my mind—and the way you feel so small when looking into the canvas—I love that.

Winter Blue Anemones and Braised Beef Stew

The blue mornings of winter and the chilly overcast days make me want to cozy up, eat warm nourishing food, and take things slow.

I took some time this week to play with watercolor and listen to the surroundings and this was the result. Blue anemones using the wet-on-wet-watercolor-technique that first stole my heart with watercolor.

This week I’m sharing a classic Braised Beef Stew. I love this meal because after about 20 minutes of effort, the rest is up to the oven. Cut the veggies while the meat sears, toss in the veggies and herbs, add broth/stock, bring to a boil and then leave the oven to do all the work. Only TIME can make the beef tender and the broth deep. For those days when it’s too chilly to do much outside the house, give yourself the chance to let this one linger in the oven while you stay warm inside. This one is nourishing and comforting, my two favorite ways to describe me goals in cooking. Get the full details HERE. Enjoy.

A Birthday Cake, a Wonder Bowl and a Wreath of Oranges

It’s birthday week over here, with Mikey’s birthday just a week after mine. To celebrate, here’s a delicious recipe recommendation from Milk Bar NYC: Chocolate Malt Cake. All of Milk Bar’s Famous Recipes are shared publicly on their website, and this is the second time I’ve made a cake of theirs. I didn’t complete all of the elements, for example the cake crumble, which looks absolutely incredible. I simply fizzled out after the homemade cake and frosting, ha. Regardless, Chocolate Malt is a childhood flavor for me, so this cake recipe was a slam dunk. You can find the recipe HERE or by clicking the link below:

Take Me to the Milk Bar Recipe!

A One-Pan Wonder Bowl

And to feel a little balanced after all that decadence and nostalgia, here’s a recipe that’s more of a method than a recipe. It’s my most-cooked meal right now. When we have a busy week, some variation of this recipe shows up at LEAST once a week, sometimes every night. Protein, Veggies, Rice, and FLAVOR, what’s not to love? I love every single little topping and sauce that you can add to this basic meal. It’s amazing what a drizzle of this or that will do to make a meal like this exciting. I even have a quick pink pickled onions recipe. The pickle brine you can actually use for any vegetable you want to pickle, it’s a simple basic pickle recipe. You can read more on this one-pan recipe/method and all its variations HERE.

A Little Orange & Eucalyptus Painting

And to get back into the artsy swing of things after a busy holiday season, what’s not to love about an orange and eucalyptus wreath? This one was inspired by the fragrant garlands that were all over my house for the holidays and I just can’t get rid of them yet. They bring a little brightness to dreary January days.

Happy January Friends:)

A New Year and a Never-the-Same-Granola Recipe

Happy New Year! After taking a few weeks off to travel and cook up a storm for the holidays, I am settling back into routines. This week I’ll share a wonderful and easy little granola recipe and I’ll briefly recap all the delicious food I made over the holidays. With seven guests in our 1300 sq ft house, the home was bustling and full of laughter. Nerfs flew past my head as I stirred creamy polenta and homemade sauce. Code Names game nights left us laughing so hard we cried. NYC called our names as we joined the epic holiday rush in what I would consider to be the best Christmas city in the world. It was a full week and such a joy.

All my Holiday Food:

Day 1 was what I called my Southwestern Feast as everyone shuffled in from the airport, pozole was warm on the stove. Homemade Pico de Gallo was waiting for munching while I finished the feast. Pozole with Green Sauce, Radishes and Cilantro sat beside Tacos Al Pastor with Pink Pickled Onions and Avocado. YUM YUM!

Day 2 started out with making Spanish tortilla for the first time. We had already munched on my homemade granola (recipe below) and so Spanish tortilla was more of a brunch meal. If you’ve never had spanish tortilla, it is a MUST. Its so comforting and homey and a total staple in Spain. Since it was my first time making it, I relied on the NYT to give me a straightforward recipe. By dinner time I decided to warm up Meatballs I had made a few weeks before in a quick and nutrious tomato sauce, along side Swiss Chard and Leeks, and Creamy Polenta. An Italian Feast :)

Day 3 was NYC all the way. We had pizza and hot dogs and bagels and donuts. What blast.

On the final two days, I made a new oatmeal recipe what was like a magical mix between custard and oatmeal with fresh berries on top. Lunch called for my Chickpeas and Hummus recipe, and finally for dinner I made Jamie Oliver’s Pork and Mash Gratin—the most Christmasy Original I’ve ever had. Seared pork tenderloin baked on top of cheesy mashed potatoes with crispy sage and prosciutto. This is hands-down one of my favorite recipes of all time. Thank you Jamie Oliver.

There you have it! A busy week but full of joy. Now how about a new recipe!?!

Never-the-Same Granola

I love making homemade granola. A few basic and inexpensive ingredients come together for a crispity crunchity wonder, and every time I make it I add different mix-ins, changing it up slightly. I love recipes like this, where once you understand the basic makeup, you can adjust it however you want.

Rolled oats, a sweet syrup like honey or maple, a bit of fat like vegetable oil or butter, a pinch of salt, and a joyful handful of shredded coconut.

That’s the basic makeup, and then it’s a free-for-all from there. Read more about this fun recipe HERE.

Merry Christmas Decorating and A Refreshing Post-Feast Snack

It’s after Thanksgiving so all bets are off on decorations. I have been cutting, trimming, hanging, and dreaming up decorations all week long. This year I have the joy of having my Arizona family all here for Christmas so not only am busy making my decorating-dreams a reality, but I’m also busy dreaming up meal plans for a week of festivities and fun. I’m looking forward to spending this month sharing with you my holiday meal plans, but for today, how about something light and refreshing after all of last week’s feasting? These spring rolls only ever make us feel oh so good. They are jam-packed with flavor, yet light and cool and crisp. Absolutely delicious and no doubt what we need before all the Christmas cookies, roasted meat, and cheesy-great carbs coming our way.

Post-Feast Cool & Refreshing Spring Rolls

Read more about this recipe HERE. And don’t forget the takeaway: Every ingredient in this recipe serves a textural and flavorful purpose, so don’t skip any of them! You will love this one. And can’t find those chewy and delicious rice wrappers? No fear, this makes a great pasta salad—just dice up those julienned veggies and toss them in the noodles with that creamy peanut curry sauce. Yum, yum YUM.

Time for all the Christmas-y Things!

Every year, this is my favorite seat in the house. The warm-feeling hearth, the glow of the Christmas tree, and the sunlight through the windows. What’s not to love. I do love handmade Christmas decorations, so bust out the scissors for some homemade snowflakes, preheat the oven for a dreamy citrus garland, and pop that popcorn (a day ahead of time so it can get stale—that’s the key to stringing it).

Dried Orange Garland

I have this orange garland everywhere at Christmas. Here’s a quick little photo-how-to. The details: slice any citrus you want (I like navel oranges, but grapefruit, lemons, blook oranges, anything works! They’ll all be a slightly different hue when dried, but all are magical), then bake flat on parchment at 200F for 6 hours (you’ll know they’re done when they’re crispy:). Then string ‘em. I used an embroidery needle with kitchen twine.

And guess what? They’re sure to be non-toxic if you have toddlers or curious kids like I do, lol.

Next up, Snowflakes!

Channel all your Buddy the Elf enthusiasm for these babies. It’s about to look like Gimbels the morning Santa (I know him!) is coming to town. I’ve been making paper snowflakes, every year since my second-grade teacher showed me how. My mind was blown then, and every year it still is. I love them.

The key to these little beauties is simple printer paper. The thinner, the better. Don’t even think about fancy paper like cardstock or contruction paper. The cheapest, lightest paper you can find is the ticket! Note: After you fold them up as pictured below, be sure that you don’t cut off the entire edge of any folded edge. If you do that, they’ll fall apart. Feel free to cut as much as you want on the “raw” edge, where there aren’t any folds. But the other two edges, keep parts of them intact to hold the snowflake together. It’s like a little festive surprise every time you open one!

Merry Christmas-Decorating!

That’s it for today, friends. Cozy up, eat come delicious food and enjoy these slow, dark, crafty evenings. Merry Christmas-Decorating!