On a Creative Roll

In all, 17 people got their gift on in the yellow house for the annual kitchen gifts class last month. Since the second class was rather large, I modified my typical format and set up stations, tastings, examples and mini demonstrations.

One of the best parts of kitchen gifts is the creative wrapping process. I do my best to buy only brown paper and doll it up. A blank canvas to be made hip, sparkly,  rustic or traditional. To that end, I also try to corner the market with every possible cool bit to make conservatively wrapped gifts especially fun. When possible, I like everything to be reusable.

The problem in these classes has historically been how to display the goods without looking like JoAnne and Michael barfed on the table. The answer? Brown paper.

Isn't she clever?

A cohesive display and much inspiration.

Disclaimer:

This post was written well before Christmas and abandon as many of my forthcoming posts were.

I must apologize for unearthing Christmas. It's past, it's done, it's packed away. But since I didn't get this posted in a timely fashion and really wanted to share this idea, here it is. To save myself, I wondered about other applications of this little display and come up with some others....

Gather your goodies and host a winter craft party. Use it to show step-by-step directions for the scout meeting or birthday party craft. Roll out a brown paper table runner at your Superbowl party. Draw out your plays, root for your team, label the snacks, never hear "what is this?" every again.

That alone, is worth it.

Cake in a Can

Cake is my favorite food. In any shape. In any flavor. Cakes me supremely happy. Supremely. Now that's happy.

When working on my kitchen gifts class for nourish I came across some inspiration via Martha. Big surprise. Cake in a can. Come on.

I also love to recycle tin cans. Remember? How does she get into my head?

Could cake in a can get any better as a sweet gift? Yes. There is beer in it. We're so in tune - Martha and I.

Simple would be an understatement. An easily  tossed together quick cake full of pantry spicy goodness...and stout. Generously buttered 19oz. cans are the baking vessel.

 

In my excitement to do this project, I grabbed 4 pop-top cans of soup. Without thinking, the proper size was procured but see that little rim? Trouble.

When I explained my situation to my dear in-need-of-distraction-friend Kelli, she directly asked, "Will they come out?" My direct response was "I have no idea."  Long story short they did not and it didn't matter much because I dug them out and ate them anyway. Call it a purposeful illustration for class attendees. Call it an unthinking oversight. Whatever. It's cake.

Per Martha the cakes are removed from the cans, the cans washed and dried and then the cakes are returned to the can for giving. The show must go on and I made my tasty cakes darling for giving. A simple parchment circle punched with a $1 star stamp with a bright green rubber band to secure it. The other can I wrapped in scrapbook paper and placed in a cello bag with a cute handmade tag.

Let's return to the issue of cake. This cake tastes like Christmas. If there were an official taste of Christmas this is it. Really. Plus it's cake. AND it's baked in a can.

First, buy the right kind of can.

Then, read this great blog by a baker with cans of the right size.

Happy Christmas Cake!

Gifts of Love with a Vintage Twist

I love to make kitchen gifts and with every passing year, I buy less and make more. My gifts are anxiously anticipated and make it even more enjoyable to create and package them. This year17 talented people looking for inspiration attended two nourish classes and came away with (I hope) many ideas and the confidence to feed those they love delicious holiday treats.

Though I hope to share lots of my ideas in the coming weeks, I have chosen to start with one of my favorites.
Every year I include a simple chocolate bark recipe. A gift everyone loves and super easy for anyone-regardless of skill level-to make. This year's is dark chocolate, toasted almonds and dried apricots with a sprinkling of smoked sea salt. Sharing this simple yet addictive treat was not the high point, at least not for me.

In this case it's all about the packaging. Rooting through the books at Goodwill, I came across an overly loved copy of Frosty the Snowman and ran to Michael's for a 99 cent half-sized white pencil box. Add to this pairing rubber cement, an Exacto-Knife and a piece of mylar. With some careful cutting the image was dry mounted the lid and covered with mylar to create a frosty (pun intended) look. A few wispy swirls of rubber cement lightly sprinkled with sparkling glitter and Frosty comes to life.

This was my favorite presentation of the year. Combining vintage book images and a decoupage-ish technique - does crafting get any better?

In the end, the recipient has a beautiful keepsake box to enjoy long after the chocolate has affixed itself to the hips. I am sure they'll be especially grateful for the New Year's resolution incentive.

Apple-Ginger-Cranberry Pie - Two Ways

Last week I taught a pie making class. I love pie and never make them often enough. In my head it becomes this lengthy process and mess. It's not. It never is. My show/tasting pie was this one...

It's is a William-Sonoma recipe for an Apple, Ginger, Cranberry Pie made for a William-Sonoma class. Can you say Thanksgiving? The recipe can be found here. At class's end there were apples and cranberries leftover. Since I don't like to waste food I decided to make pie at home, too.

And then I thought - since there are many of us why not make two pies? I already had a double crust made, so it was immediately easy to get a case of lazy and not make two more crusts. I didn't have much crystallized ginger left either but always have lots and lots of cinnamon of all types. (if the world is truly ending I am your cinnamon source). I added a sprinkle of ground ginger, too just...because.

A crumb or streusel top pie seemed to be the ticket to pie land. It screams dessert AND breakfast. Some flour, grated butter and brown sugar rubbed together was lovely. More cinnamon and ginger. Some of the ginger was crystallized.

About an hour later I had dessert (to accompany this beef stew) and the next day's breakfast.

The moral (or morals) of the story? Recipes aren't always necessary. Necessity is the mother of invention and can force you to think outside the recipe box. Additionally, crumb toppings are an easy way to throw a pie together quickly. And finally, note that with the addition of vanilla ice cream this pie is pretty much like eating a super healthy breakfast cereal.

Remember this: make pie, be creative, enjoy the process and Wheaties are not the only healthy way to start your day.

Thrift Shop + Wool Sweaters = Inspired Gift Wrap

I love to haunt thrift stores. They are so inspiring for projects and finding that kitchy little something you didn't know you needed. One of the things I love to search for are wool sweaters. I love wool - its feel, its smell and the way it looks after being washed in really hot water. The process of felting wool is unusually gratifying. It's as easy as a load of laundry and creates material with endless possibilities.

I am not one to sew. For years my mother told me someday I would wish I had let her teach me how. Of course, she was right. Someday I will learn but for now felted wool fulfills my desire to create with textiles bug. It also appeals to my desire for a math-less world. (sewing seems like a lot of math)

While preparing for the annual Nourish kitchen gifts class, I was in a quandary for a fresh way to doll-up a mason jar. What would make this jar of deliciousness look as good as it tastes? An epiphany. Why not slide on a felted wool wrap in the style of the coffee cup cozies I've made?

For the non-sewing set, this is perfect. I dug out a red cable knit sweater found amongst the beautiful argyle, pale yellow, red-orange and funky striped sweaters I had bought and felted for....I don't know what. Using my super sharp sewing scissors (a gift from my mother) I cut off the cuff just less than half the height (sort of math) of my 1/2 pint canning jar of goodness.

Because I hadn't the forethought (or patience) to cut the sweater apart prior to washing, the seam was a bit bulky. Buttons were the answer. (I love buttons) But sadly, I suck at sewing them on (Doug has to do his own) so I had to rely on Gorilla Glue. Okay, a bit tacky but it worked. I love immediate crafting gratification.

Super cute and potentially even cuter when the buttons are sewn on in a criss-cross fashion with brightly colored, unmatched thread.

Damn. I wish I could sew.

To find amazing inspiration for your felting projects (before you start to accumulate sweaters) read the blog Resweater. For a detailed how-to check out this tutorial.

Happy Thrifting!

The Hippest of Yellow House Parties

We in the yellow house were super excited to announce Kate Payne, author of, The Hip Girls' Guide to Homemaking would be visiting. On October 8th the big day finally arrived. We hosted the consummately cool Kate and her wonderful friend Wana for a house party and book signing.

Very book signing-ish looking, right? When it came time for signing, Kate didn't sit behind the table, she sat with each of our guests and made friends - then she signed their books. Told you she was cool.

We were blessed with an absolutely gorgeous week in Chicago so her fermented green tomato pickle demonstration took place in the yard near the garden.

Many hip homemakers came out for this event including...

...Wana's lovely dog, Lucy and...

....the ladies of the yellow hen house.

Afterward, treats made from my home-canned stash, mini fritattas, truffle popcorn and a fave sangria were served. There was mingling, conversation and lots of laughter. It never ceases to amaze me how people come together as strangers and depart as friends. How exciting to find those with similar beliefs, desires and passions though times and places are vastly different. That was the best part. It was a really special evening enjoyed by no one as much as I.

Did I take enough pictures to document this day? No, of course not.
Was I inspired? Tremendously!
Will I always remember the warm fuzzy feeling of connection? Forever.
Am I counting the days 'til Kate's next book is released and Chicago makes the book tour? Absolutely!

I am hip as Kate?

Okay. I'll stop there.

Thanks so much for coming Kate!

XOXO,

ALL of us in The Yellow House

CRAVE - Chicago

It's all done. My question and answer portion submitted. The photo shoots finished.

How thrilled am I to be included in the 2nd edition of CRAVE-Chicago?

Let me count the ways....

1. It's a book. I love books.

2. I am considered an entrepreneur. Really?

3. It's full of cool woman doing cool things. It makes me feel like a cool woman doing cool things.

4. I had my picture taken (or made as my friend Kelli says) by a real photographer while doing things I love. The picture part was painful but it was really wonderful to work with the incredibly talented people of Bum Bul Bee Photography. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. They made me look pretty.

5. It's introduced me to a terrific network of people I am honored to join and look forward to knowing.

6. Sometimes when I look at soon-to-be cover I allow myself to gloat. (only sometimes)

7. It's solidified the thought that what I do is needed and important.

8. The support of dear friends (during the painful parts) has made me realize they are the best of what I've gained from my pursuits.

9. The release party will be a reason to get dressed like a sophisticated adult. Or at least like I used to in the pre-child professional days. (wonder if I can still pull it off?)

10. My family is so very proud. That's the best part.

Time, Time, Time...

..isn't not on my side.

One of these years I am going to remember the beginning of school is H*LL. Time is too short. I feel as though I spend my days buying food, making food, driving to XC meets, picking up from XC practice, collecting more school supplies, signing things and writing checks. Then I buy more food.....

There are so many things going on the yellow house that I really want to share and yes, lots of them have to do with food. It's been made, photographed and consumed. Now snaps sit in my computer and words circle my brain. Some have to do with Kate Payne's exciting visit and words on paper -rather than just a screen.

Never fear, stick with me and I'll have a few fun things chat up...party plans, uses for the piles of tomatoes usurping the counter and techniques for those tender herbs living on borrowed time.

While on the subject of time, if you are really short on it, too, these homemade sloppy joes are perfect for a post-practice dinner. If the blight is winning and so is the every growing pile of cherry tomatoes (and fruit flies)beat it with a super easy fresh tomato sauce. The have this delicious cheesiness on the table tout de suite.

Of course if all else fails this can be your go-to.

Once the driving is done.

The Basil Chronicles - Part 3 - Infused Sea Salt

And the basil continues to grow...

A couple years ago I made an Rosemary-Orange Salt as part of a kitchen gifts class. It was a highlight and loved by all. It seemed like a natural direction to go in with the basil.

Start with a chiffonade of basil. What's that you may ask? Simply roll the stacked leaves tightly - like a teeny, tiny jelly roll made of basil.

Run your well-honed knife through and you have chiffonade of basil. Fancy.

For infused salts like this I prefer(red) to use the lovely coarse sea salt from Trader Joe's. Alas, they no longer carry it. I hate it when that happens but I am happy I have this one jar left. You can substitute any nice coarse sea salt for the one shown.

Chop the basil further with your knife perpendicular to your initial cuts and let it sit for about 30 minutes. While you wait - zest a lemon or two.

Toss everything into a food processor, blender or mini prep. I like to use the attachment for my immersion blender. It's the prefect size and easy to clean. Give it a few pulses...

...and you have Basil-Lemon Infused Sea Salt.  I chose to keep this one very simply flavored, for tomatoes or fish. Of course you can add anything you like in any quantity you prefer. Peppercorn? Seeds or cumin or fennel? A touch of freshly grated ginger? Basil of different flavors and colors, oregan, dill, sage. Need I go on?

Now is the time to grind up a bunch in all the flavors of the garden. I think a trio of 1/2 pint jars would make a thoughtful gift from your garden. Take a peak at this post for a bit of packaging inspiration from a real dork....I mean, pro.


The hardest part of this project will be giving them away.

Making Probiotic Soda

Once again, Rebecca was kind enough to share one of her many skills and teach in the Nourish kitchen. This time - pro biotic sodas. My new favorite thing and current beverage addiction. (though those peach-rosemary rose spritzers were a pretty good sweltering day drink.)

Again, I got to sit on the opposite side of the counter and learn from a pro how to make my own natural soda. Full of 40 pro biotics, this fizzy beverage is not only good for your gut but tasty and really, really refreshing on a hot day.

The method is really easy and she shared three different ways to flavor your drinks. We also experimented with some of the many (many, many) fruit and herbal syrups I've been cranking out.

The fresh fruit version was made with wild blackberries Rebecca foraged herself. Love this woman.

And now we wait.

A few days later we are able to bottle it. This is a good way to recycle Grolsch and other clamp top bottles. Another few days on the counter then into the fridge.
 

Slightly sweet, bubbly refreshment on a ridiculously oppressive July day.

And then, I begin again.

A Nourish Food Swap

Inspired by Hip Girl Kate Payne, I decided to host a food swap. Wanting to do something special for the wonderful people who attend my cooking classes it seemed like the perfect way to say thank you.

With a background in catering and event planning, I love to plan parties. I especially love staging and adding nice touches to make things extra special. Jake and Max kindly carried the half Hoosier cabinet from the basement for an extra swap and food table. Cute vignette by the garden, too.
 

 

My Grandmother's Maytag washing machine is perfect for icing down drinks. The ALL detergent bucket is a perfect kitchy accent when planted with flowers.

 

Also finding a home in the washing machine, sodas made with fruit and herbal syrups. I there is flavored simple syrups and soda water in the fridge you'll always have a spur of the moment signature drink. Add a splash of vodka or gin and it's a cocktail. The rosemary-lemon is my favorite.

 

It's not a summer party without sangria. This one was made with my favorite summer wine - a French rose - lemons, and frozen local strawberries and raspberries. It was served into jelly jars from a giant vintage pickle jar.

I was so pleased there were so many interested in this event. The backyard was pleasantly full and there was lots of mingling.

 

Handsome servers passed hors d'oeuvres....and cocktail napkins.

  

Grilled Pork and Red Pepper Skewers with Mango Dipping Sauce were a favorite.

The most important part of the night? The swapping! My great grandmother's kitchen table (also carried up the stairs) was covered with an estate sale score and then piled with many offerings of enthusiastic swappers.

The selection was huge - just pulled beets, cookies, cakes, jams, salsas, eggs.....

... Limoncello, pro-biotic natural sodas and a huge basket of  homegrown herbs.

I wanted to give a special party favor to my guests. "The little lady on my website", a photo from yet another estate sale, was a perfect messenger. A quick trip to Ritz and I was able to personalize the front (only 7 cents on Tuesday and Wednesday!) A sticker offering a $5 savings was stuck to the back.

 

The evening drew to a close and I finally had a chance to sit with a few guests. A good time was had by all and this is just the first of many more to come.

It's a super fun and different way to entertain - especially the foodies in your life. If you'd like to host your own, follow the link to Kate's food swap page for a more detailed explanation.


I can't wait to throw another one and in the meantime, I'd gladly come to yours.

Fermenting with Rebecca

In case you haven't realized, the internet is an amazing thing. Earlier this summer, I met Rebecca via a meet-up group connection and a shared interested in cheese making. Through conversation and email, Rebecca assisted a cheese making class I taught for Slow Food and then graciously agreed to teach a fermentation class for Nourish. Neat, huh?

I have always wanted to learn this art but was a bit intimidated to work with live foods. To have an expert teach me was just what I needed to encourage me.
 

It was fun to be on the other side of the counter for this class. I just had to collect the ingredients and equipment.

And prepare many mason jars.

Rebecca is a delight and just as passionate about all things food as I am. We could talk all day!

Many ferments start with whey and for our class, she made raw milk yogurt and drained the whey - away. (ha!)

 

Above, Mary is hiding behind her straight pin turned cabbage pounder.

We added caraway to our sauerkaut before pressing it into jars. The trick to a no-mold fermentation? Weighting the product with a ziploc bag of water during the week long process. I love tips from a pro.

After tasting we made ginger-carrots, beet kvass and sauerkraut. They were all delicious foods that make you feel like you're doing something really wonderful for your health. Bonus-they are delicious!

It was so wonderful of Rebecca to share her knowledge with me. In addition to being a fermented foodie, she is a compulsive food preserver, cheese maker, farm girl, beekeeper and soap maker. A woman after my own heart. You really must check out Rebecca's website to purchase her products. Follow the blog and read all about forays in her many, many other passions.

Thank you world wide web for bringing me Rebecca!