Friday is PIE DAY!

I was reluctant to get my heart set on a peach pie too soon, as the season for really good peaches here seems to get shorter and shorter each year. But, or course, I did it anyway, and ended up finding some peaches that were, well, good enough for a pie. Not ideal, but I'll take 'em.

Once I get the perfect (or as perfect as I can get in Minnesota) peaches, then I'll make a classic all peach two crust pie. For now, a custard pairing should make up for any shortcomings these peaches may have.

My goal was to bake a pie with a big heap of peaches in the middle, and just enough rich custard to cradle the peaches and hold it all together. This meant upping the fruit amount, and cutting the liquid amount a bit  (also using cream instead of milk to make it extra rich!).


Peaches and Cream Custard Pie

9" single pie crust
3 cups peeled and sliced peaches
3 eggs
1/2 cup light cream (half and half)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

-spoon sliced peaches into prepared pie crust

-in a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly
-add remaining ingredients and beat for 2 minutes
-carefully pour the custard over the peaches
(this so wonderfully fills up every little crevice between the peaches. I also like to poke down any peaches that are sticking too far up from the top of the custard)

-bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes
-lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees
-bake for an additional 35 minutes
*the custard may still seem a little jiggly here and there, but it will set up as it cools*

I'm sorry to break it to you that I must keep you in suspense for the weekend. I am just packing up the pies to tote them off to a family event. As this is a new recipe, I definitely want to taste test before setting you off to make it on your own. It smells divine and the little bit that I licked off my finger (this happened accidentally, of course) tasted like fresh peach nirvana. So-hold tight-I'll have lots of taste testers and critics this weekend, so I'll give you the full review on Sunday!

bag lady

Whew-so this is a very late in the day post due to:
1. The fact that I do not sew
2. The fact that I ignore this fact and try my hand at it anyway
3. The fact that I was trying to take a super cute "after" photo of myself modeling something

*this is that attempt.....you don't see a bag in there, do you?*

4. The fact that I then missed the window of opportunity to have S take a super cute "after" photo
of myself modeling something

I still love my new bag, and have been using it all day.

So, here's the story.
Earlier in the week, I decided that all of my bags were rotten and not doing their job,
so I set out to the clearance aisles of Target to remedy that problem.
I ended up bringing home 3 bags.
BUT!
All three only set me back 17.50.

This little cutie was on clearance for 2.48. Ridiculous and irrestistable.

A little flowery for me, perhaps, but it seemed like a good bet to last the rest of the summer.
Here is where my problem #1 comes into play.
I do not sew, but wanted to alter the look a bit.
You fabric artists will look on me with pity and think I'm pathetic,
but I'm rather pleased with my attempt at needle and threading.
First off, I wanted to lengthen the strap so I could sling it over my shoulder.
I really dislike the one shoulder thing.
This spring, I bought a pair of pants that came with  a belt.
Those belts are never actually ones that you want to wear, but I hung onto it for some reason.
Now I know the reason.
It was the perfect color and length for my new strap, and because it had a buckle,
I only had to sew one end!
I just looped the buckle around the existing bag ring (after cutting the old strap off),
then stitched (don't look closely at those) the other end.
For a little dress up and personality, I sewed (yes, again) a big vintage button on the front flap.
Cute. Cute. Cute.
Then I topped it all off with a silly plastic cowgirl in a pink cowgirl hat.
She dangles from the zipper pull and makes me happy.

See-there's hope for you non-sewers out there.

Chive Butter

Oh, such a simple thing that makes me so happy. Herbed butter is one of those super easy things that I never remember to make. We grilled fresh sweet corn this past weekend. Ha. This time I remembered.
Plenty of leftovers were the unforeseen bonus. Chive butter rocks on so many foods. My BLT sandwich for Saturday lunch got a big swath of the stuff. I have never eaten mayo on my BLT's (which has elicited some close to threatening responses from various folks-especially diner servers), so I was delighted to come up with this alternative. Pork chops on the grill? Yup, you guessed it. I brushed on a little chive butter right at the end of grill time and let it melt over the top. Ok, so, I DID NOT put it on my raspberry whole grain pancakes on Sunday morning......but.........my favorite use for chive butter thus far? I fried two eggs in a big gob of it, sliced a garden tomato on the side, then ate it with a fat slice of whole grain bread toasted and spread with, oh yeah, more chive butter.

*this was totally staged for the photo, and might just be a bit more butter than even

I would want to eat on a slice of bread. But, I might try it just to make sure.*

Sweet corn is at it's prime right now, so pick up a bunch, throw it on the grill, and whip up some chive butter.
Then reap the benefits of leftovers.

these pancakes might actually be good for you.

For the past 3 months or so, I have been suffering from a bad case of pancake mania. It just seems that I can't get enough pancakes. I mean, I'm not eating them three meals a day or anything, but every weekend I've got to have some pancakes (ok, maybe a weekday thrown in there too). I do have a friend who ate pancakes every night for dinner for 2 years or so. Now she's switched to popcorn. Weird, I know. I could never live like that. I need more variety......but, I digress. Back to pancakes.

Some people have their favorites when it comes to pancakes, but I do not discriminate. I like them all-puffy, flat, sweet, savory, blue, yellow, fruit filled, nut studded. Yup, all of them. Every kind has it's own merits.

These pancakes, however, have been my pancakes of choice for the past few weekends. They seem to be a great combination of whole grain heft (read: good for you!), a bit of puff and a bit of sweet.

Whole Grain Pancakes

1 cup flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
2 T cornmeal
1 T wheat bran
1 t baking powder
dash of salt
1egg
1 2/3 cup milk
3 T honey
1 t vanilla

-combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix lightly

-add remaining (wet) ingredients to bowl
-mix lightly with a fork until it is combined, but still a bit lumpy
-pour 1/4 cup circles onto heated griddle or pan
-cook until set and light brown on one side, then flip and repeat!
-slather with lots of butter (ok-so much for the good for you part) and syrup

Up until this weekend, I've just cooked these straight up. Yesterday, I tossed in some raspberries fresh from the farmers market-oh yeah. These pancakes are forgiving, so you can experiment a bit and hit on your perfect combo. Sometimes I add more whole wheat flour, or a touch of cinnamon, or some plain yogurt instead of all the milk. Oh-pecans would be good too. Next weekend.

Friday is PIE DAY!

This pie is plum full of goodness and full of plum goodness. I have made many pies and cakes with plums, but I think that this is my favorite thus far. Oh my this is good. We have the grill heating up for brats and sweet corn, but I really just want to dig into another piece of this pie. I will exercise restraint, however, and properly wait until after dinner. Really. I promise.

*this photo is really just a chance to show off the super cool Red Wing pottery piece

that I scored for a dollar last week*

Plum Full Pie

9" double pie crust
5 cups unpeeled, thinly sliced plums
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 T freshly squeezed orange juice
1 T freshly grated orange zest
2 t crystallized ginger, chopped very fine

-prepare bottom crust and fit into pan
-combine sliced plums and remaining ingredients in large bowl
-stir until all is combined and fruit is coated

-spoon into prepared crust
-top with crust, crimp and vent
-bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes, until crust is golden and fruit is bubbly

The ginger and orange are a perfect compliment to the plums. Otherwise, I find that plums can get a bit mushy and underwhelming in a pie. Also, this is one time when you want to select rather firm plums. This way, they retain a bit of their shape and have a nice tartness to them. Try this for a Sunday summer brunch with a chilled, crisp bottle of prosecco, then retire to the hammock for the afternoon.

cafe curtain

Ok, really, you've probably had enough of the new bathroom already. Bear with me.... I've been waiting so long to be rid of my nasty bathroom, that I need to bask in the glow of the new one just a bit more.
This is just a super, super quick project that you could use in any room of the house.
Ok, you're also probably saying, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, dishtowel as a curtain. Seen it a million times."
But, this one looks so sweet and adorable that I couldn't help myself.

I bought these dishtowels in a pack of two at IKEA for 7.99. Being that I don't sew (really, I'm going to learn one of these days), I used my trusty double sided tape trick. I simply stuck a piece of double stick tape all the way across the length of the towel, about 1 1/2 inches from the top. Then I folded the top over onto the tape, and gave it a quick swipe with the iron to set it. And yes, I know they make no sew heat bonding tape, but I didn't have any......

bathroom reno wrap up

Remember that last bathroom post I promised you last Thursday? Um, well, here it is. It's Monday, I know.

S and I talked back and forth and around and round about options for our bathroom. We discussed adding a two story addition, or bumping out into the tiny upstairs hallway or *gasp* into my jewelry room. In the end, either our options didn't gain enough space for the money, or they just got way to pricey. This is a small house in a middle income neighborhood, and we didn't want to overbuild for the house or the area. Staying with the existing footprint was absolutely the best decision in my mind. The bathroom is now stylish and functional, and we didn't have to break the bank to do it. Obviously, it eliminated many design options, as all of the major fixtures had to stay in the same place. But, with some simple changes and customized elements, we managed to completely change the feel of the space.

We only had one option for our tub size, so, decision made. We lucked out by finding our toilet choice on sale for a much lower price.  Classic white subway tile in the tub surround only set us back about $85 at Menards, so we were able to splurge a bit on the fab floor tile.

The wall mount sink opens up the small room a lot, and was a super bargain at the Habitat for Humanity Restore for only $10! Wood wainscot leftover from another job was put up around the lower half of the bathroom. Wainscot is a great way to add character to a room or cover up plaster walls that are less than perfect.

The previous medicine cabinet was ridiculously low. S and I were easily able to tell if our shirts were buttoned, but had to squinch down to check out our hair. In fact, we measured it and a person would have had to be 5'5" tall or shorter to actually see themselves in that mirror. For this reason, the new medicine cabinet might be my favorite thing about the new bathroom. S custom built it for the space and it's huge! Of course, the added bonus is that more mirror=bigger looking room. A few necessities like towel hooks and vent fans finished off the remodel, then I added a few personalized touches.

A wood wall shelf above the toilet holds collections and pretty stuff, and a basket beneath the sink houses extra towels. The only thing I'm still searching for is just the right picture to hang above the window, so let me know if you see one..............

Cost breakdown

demo                                       0
plumbing labor                         1000
tub                                          475
toilet                                        340
sink                                         10
radiator                                    0
tub/sink fixtures                        355
tile/tub                                      85
tile/floor                                    375
tile labor                                   450
light fixture                                100
medicine cabinet materials         50
paint                                         100
fan/electric                                50
shower curtain                          20
rod and hooks                          35
towel bars, hooks, TP holder    30
window treatment                     20
wall shelf                                  20
misc supplies                            25

TOTAL COST!                        3540

Of course, that does not include our own "hourly wage". And.....the fact that I have a ridiculously talented husband.  And.........the fact that we also have talented friends and family willing to help out for a lower rate. But, if you plans things out carefully, shop around, and use great resources like the Restore, your bathroom remodel can be done at a very reasonable cost.

Friday is PIE DAY!

This week I was really in the mood for a summer-y berry filled pie. I popped into the grocery store and checked out what looked good for fruit. Organic raspberries and blackberries were both available at a reasonable price, so I picked up a few cartons. I could have stopped there, but I wanted to mix it up a little bit and experiement with a new combination. A mango had already made it's way into my cart. Hmmmm......mango and raspberry? Yup. So, in went a couple more.

It certainly makes for a stunning color combo!

Mango Berrry Pie

9' double pie crust
1 1/2 cups raspberries
1/2 cup blackberries
3 mangos, peeled, sliced and cut into chunks (about 1 cup total)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
2 T lemon juice
2 T butter

-prepare bottom crust and fit into pan
-mix berries and mango together in bowl
-add sugar, flour and lemon juice
-stir gently until fruit is coated and all is combined
-spoon into pie crust
-dot top with pieces of butter
-top with crust, seal edges and vent
-bake at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes, until crust is browned and filling is bubbly

The resulting pie was heavy on raspberry flavor, with a nice bite of mango from time to time. Very fruity and summery fresh and sweet. Next time I make this pie, I think I will add a bunch of orange zest to zing it up a little bit. Feel free to experiment with your own touches, and report back!

Bathroom reno: the stuff

the tile.

Our new tile is so yummy-it looks like honeycomb, and gives a lovely warm glow to the room.
S found it on line randomly, and it turns out the company is in Wisconsin-cool. These hex tiles come in a whole range of colors, so there is sure to be just the perfect one for your project. Tile floors in older homes often have a very thick layer of cement as a base, even dropping down between the floor joists. To save on time, cost and mess, we decided to lay the new tile right over the old one. We just used a thin set base and fashioned a threshold to account for the slight change in floor level. DIY-ers be warned that they are a bit challenging to install. My generous, talented brother laid them for us, and I feel like I owe him a year of treats for doing so. They cannot be cut on a wet saw because the mesh backing falls apart when you do that. Because of this, he ended up laying in single tiles in the whole last section-told you he was a dear! Grouting was fairly easy (I did that), but, even though these tiles are glazed, I ended up with a lot of haze on the tiles. A grout haze remover and a lot of scrubbing did the job though, and everything ended up looking gorgeous.

Get them at:
Hextile by Tilehaus
http://www.hextile.com/MelangeSeries.shtml

We used the "maize" color. They are only 11.95/SF-bargain!
You can also order 5.00 sample cards so you can check out a few colors before making a decision.

the shower curtain:

This shower curtain is a great combination of sophistication with a comfy, homey feeling. It reminds me of vintage striped tea towels, and I had my eye on it long before we started the bathroom remodel. The best part? It was only 19.95 at Walmart.

the light fixture:

I think this light fixture has the look and feel of a much more expensive model. It came from Home Depot with a price tag of 99.95, but has a great vintage look and seems really well made. I love the heavy shades that are frosted inside with clear glass around the outside. If you pick and choose carefully, big box stores do have a few light fixtures that look great once you get them out of the big box environment and into your home.

OOh-I have so much more to share about this project, but I'm off to a meeting for the Creative Connection.
http://www.thecreativeconnectionevent.com/

Come back tomorrow for more on our bathroom remodel!

Bathroom reno

Except for a few details, our bathroom renovation is complete! Every time I walk in with a sense of disbelief that this is really our bathroom. This is no fancy 'tub in the middle of the room, dual sink, chandalier' sort of remodel. It'a tiny and functional and crisp and beautiful. We replaced everything, but kept the same footprint and did most of the work ourselves, so it was very economical. This means no more bleary eyed, stumbly trips down two flights of stairs to the basement, um, bathroom. Truth be told, though-we still haven't showered in the new shower. We have fallen in love with our outdoor shower (although the blue tarps aren't exactly my ideal look), and will probably continue to use it all summer.  Bonus: the new bathroom is staying reaaallllllly clean!

Here's a look at the before and afters......

I'll give you all the details and cost breakdown in the next couple of days.

I dreaded using or cleaning this bathroom. yuck.

This is actually after a quick facelift that I performed in an act of desperation.

It was even worse than this when we moved in.

*note the lovely sixties vanity

the tear out......and

ta da!

I jumped for joy when we ripped out the nasty plastic tub surround.

It was replaced with crisp white subway tile and a brand new tub. dreamy.

We waffled a lot about the original hex tile floor. Of course I love, love, loved it, but it had a couple of cracks in fairly noticeable places.

Luckily, we found this fab tile online and I love, love, love it even more than the white.

O Pioneer!

The pioneer woman is coming to town! Ree Drummond, blogger extraordinaire, will be a keynote speaker at the Creative Connection here in Minneapolis. She will be hosting a luncheon on the first day of the event, and signing her book, "The Pioneer Woman Cooks." If you're a fan, and are able to make it, you should check it out (I only have one tiny guest room, though, so don't count on bunking with me).

Here are some details:

Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, Keynote Speaker


“Confessions of a Pioneer Woman” Frontier Luncheon”
Thursday, September 16, 11:30am to 1:30pm

Personalized Autographs During the Autograph Party
Thursday, September 16th, 5:30 to 7pm

Handmade Market Book Signing
Friday, September 17, 12 noon to 2pm

visit the Creative Connection website for even more info!
http://www.thecreativeconnectionevent.com/

Friday is PIE DAY!

A single pie crust in the fridge and some slightly too tart to eat out of your hand apricots were the inspiration for this pie. I love it when I have an extra pie crust. It's like finding gold in my refrigerator. Usually, it either tempts me to make a custard pie, or to make a pie like this. I call it a "rustic" pie, because that sounds really lovely. Actually, it is just a lazy way to make a pie. It still requires rolling (although you could probably just press the dough into a circle too), but needs just a cookie sheet and involves no folding and crimping of crust edges. Do I have your attention yet?

Rustic Apricot Pie

single pie crust-any size

enough fruit/nuts etc. to fill the center

a cup or two of sugar

2-3 T flour

1-2 T butter

nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves etc. to taste

How's that for a vague recipe?

-roll out your pie crust and slip it onto a cookie sheet

-load up the center with desired filling.

I had these apricots on hand, but often use this as sort of a "dump" pie, using whatever mixture of odds and ends I have in the kitchen. Maybe you have a few fresh strawberries and half a bag of frozen raspberries. Great-throw that in! Maybe you have a cup of fresh or frozen blueberries, some apricot jam and a handful of pecans. Yup, sure, try it out. This is a chance to have fun and play with combinations.

-now, pour a cup or two of sugar on top of the filling (depending on sweetness of your ingredients)

I used 1 1/2 cups with these tart apricots.

-sprinkle about 2-3 T flour on top

-dot with 1-2 T of butter

-flavor with desired spices

I used a pretty big dusting of cinnamon on these apricots. Again, play with combinations.

-Fold the crust edges up and over the filling.

*You can also brush the folded eges with a bit of beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar. This will make the edges nice and brown-pretty and tasty!

-bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes, until crust is brown and filling is bubbly

Deck chair makeover

Our new deck is mostly done and functioning, but it's not ready for it's close-up just yet. (We've gotten distracted with other projects, like, oh, gutting the bathroom and kitchen) I thought I would give you a peek at one of my deck related projects. These white, chippy chairs were the perfect look on our screened porch at the farm. At our city house, however, they just didn't quite mesh with the new paint colors. I sanded them down (3M paint stripping sanding pads ROCK!), then gave them a nice fresh paint job with a dark orange spray paint. Wow! That shook things up! A 9.00 yard of oilcloth was enough to cover four round seat cushions. Hand staplers are one of my most dreaded tools, and I can never get one to work quite right. I muddled through it though, and you only see my less than perfect stapling job if you lay on the ground and look at the underside of the chair. The total cost for four brand "new" chairs was about 20.00!

Beet it.

I really dig beets. Seriously. I am crazy for them in any shape or form. A recent discussion with a friend (you know who you are) went something like this:
me: "I love beets."
her: "I didn't develop a taste for them until I tasted real beets, not those nasty things in a can."
me: "Hmmmm, nope, I love those too."
Really-canned, pickled, fresh-I am not discriminating when it comes to beets. Just let me at 'em.

Over the weekend, I picked up big bunches of purple and golden beets. Tonight, after boiling the beets and peeling their skins off, I tossed them in a cast iron skillet with their greens. A little olive oil and a little balsamic yielded a dreamy dish for our dinner.

Coincidentally, just after we finished consuming these beauties, the same friend called with this query: "Hey, we went to the farmers' market today and picked up some beets with the greens. Now, how do I cook the greens?" Funny you should ask.......

Here is another one of my "sort've recipes". It goes something like this.

Sauteed Beets and Greens

-slice greens off a bunch of  beets and remove any extra stalk or unsightly greens, then wash them well

-trim ends of roots (that's the beet part)

-place beets in saucepan and cover with water

-bring to boil and simmer until beets are tender (this means you can pierce them easily with a fork)

-when they're cooked, you can just slip their skins right off (do this under cold running water)

*once the beets are prepared like this, they're ready for anything! Toss them cold into a salad, roast them in the oven or add them to a saute*

-now....back to the greens

-pour about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil into a cast iron skillet (or any large saucepan)

-heat on medium until oil starts to warm

-add beet greens and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper

-greens will cook down fairly quickly, just keep tossing them around the pan until they start to wilt

-push the greens to the sides of the pan in a circle, then add halved beets to the center

-saute for 2-3 minutes, then drizzle in a Tablespoon or so of balsamic vinegar

-mix it all together and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the greens are nice and wilty.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Peas and Mint

Here is a super quick and simple summer dinner to toss together.

It can be served warm or cold, and would travel well for a picnic or bag lunch.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Peas and Mint
makes 6 servings

16 oz whole wheat spaghetti (or any whole wheat pasta shape that you have on hand)
4 T olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced onion
12 oz fresh or frozen peas
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (the lime in the photo below was for the gin and tonic that I was sipping while I cooked this...)
1/3 cup fresh parmesan or romano cheese, sliced thin and chopped into chunks
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped

-cook spaghetti and drain
-in the meantime, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil
-add the peas and cook for about 10 minutes
*I like to leave it on medium high heat so the peas get a little browned and toasty-this gives them a great
roasted flavor. Just be sure to stir them so they don't burn!
-add lemon juice and cook another 2 minutes
-toss this mixture into a bowl with the cooked pasta
-let cool slightly
-add cheese and mint and give it all a good toss with some salt and pepper to taste

Serve this with a green salad, or just sliced cukes or tomatoes.......yum yum.

Friday is PIE DAY!

Today's pie post is a little late coming. I sliced the piece for the photos, then called my neighbor over to share the deliciousness. We ended up hanging out in the yard, chatting and eating pie. Then I got distracted decorating my new bathroom. Yes, details will be coming about that. But, for now, I'm sure all you care about is the pie of the day. It's a summer classic, so I don't feel the need to ramble on with any long lead-ups or explanations. Let's just get on with it, shall we?

4th of July Blueberry Pie

double 9" pie crust
4 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 T butter

-in large bowl, combine blueberries, sugar, flour and lemon juice
-stir until berries are coated

-spoon into prepared pie crust
-dot top with pieces of butter
-top with crust, seal and crimp
-bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes

*to make stars for decorating each slice, cut out star shapes from a bit of extra dough. brush them with a bit of whipped egg white, sprinkle them with sugar, then pop them into the oven for the last 10 minutes of your pie baking time. fun and festive!*

White whipped cream and a few fresh red raspberries piled on top of the blueberries create a classic color combo fit for any celebration this weekend. Happy, happy 4th of July to you all.

DIY: table runner

Here is a quick project for adding yet a little more fun to your 4th of July table.

Start with a basic cotton dishtowel

in an appropriately festive color....

then simply attach a few embellishments with fabric glue.

I still had a pile of lei flowers leftover from my

 votive holder project,

and I added some red button centers.

You could cut your own flowers from fabric or felt if you don't have any pre-made ones lying around.

If you'd like a longer runner, just sew a few dishtowels end to end, then add your goodies.

(I, as always, opted for the no sew route)

Easy Peasy!