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Arancini

Arancini

In 1997, after graduation, I took a two month trip to Europe. This is where I caught a bad case of wanderlust that has yet to work its way out. I had many amazing experiences and saw a lot of amazing things. Today I was vividly reminded of one of my experiences in Sicily. I was traveling alone and decided while in Europe wouldn’t it be cool to look up my Italian cousins. Can I just tell you that although they had never met me before, they were so wonderful and inviting that a few years later I went to back to visit. Among the many things they introduced me to was arancini. What is arancini? Since I don’t speak Italian, and they didn’t speak much English I just had to trust it would be good. Oh man were they good. Basically an arancini is leftover risotto, breaded with a hunk of mozzarella cheese in the center which then gets fried. YUM! I haven’t had one since that time in Italy but I saw a recipe today and thought that maybe it would be worth a try, although I am going to hunt down a baked version to make them a little more healthy.

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Vintage Silver Garden Markers

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These vintage silver garden markers are wonderful! I love just about anything that has letters stamped into it. At $8 each they would make a lovely gift for the gardener in your life. Personally, I think I am going to grab some of those flea market finds I have been hanging on to and my stamps to bang out (pun intended) a few of my own. I knew that jewelry making degree would come in handy!  via

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Cheap Meals That Seem Expensive

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Calling all chefs, NPR has a great challenge for you. Feed four people for $10 or less with bonus points if you can make your meal seem expensive. There are already 318 comments with some great recipes. Since we are only two people I could get a dinner and two lunches for $10. Sounds good to me. And don’t expect everything to be tuna noodle casserole. There are recipes for Coriander Meatballs with Yoghurt-Mint Sauce, Fresh Crab Spring Rolls and Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce, Sweet Potato Kale Quesadillas, Brined Pork with Chutney over Greens & Rice… you get the idea. If the recipe you post is a favorite you may get a chance to be on All Things Considered.

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Little House in the Big Woods

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This past weekend was a big one up at the property. I feel like I am going to be saying that a lot this summer… Anyway, this weekend Grandpa, Dad and Uncle Joe came up to help M & me and boy did we get a lot done. We built three 4′ x 8′ decks to extend our civilized area. We still have to paint the cabin (we are thinking red because we have a ton of red paint) and stain the deck but we now can go up, have a clean place to sleep and relax! We have a little fridge inside and this weekend we are going to be moving the grill to this area so we can cook out. My next project is to give the alum bench pictured here a little TLC. It is in fairly good shape, but it needs a good cleaning and some cushions. Our little homestead may not be huge (boy is that an understatement) but for now it is wonderful! Who knows, maybe this summer we can even have guests.

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aerieLOFT

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I am coveting the aerieLOFT by breathe architects. This amazing 10′ x 11′ x 17′ tall curved structure has a screened front, sun shade, porch, and a loft big enough to fit a queen size bed. Solar panels, an inverter, and a wood stove allow this structure to be completely off the grid while feeling very civilized. A separate outhouse has built in water catchment, outdoor shower, sink, and composting toilet. It comes as plans or a DIY kit. We have the perfect spot on the property to spend our evenings gazing at Mohonk while the sun sets. You can watch a video of the architect (stick with it until the end to see the beautiful design for the door of the outhouse) over at Treehugger. via

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I Go Walking

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The subway is one of the most stressful parts of NY, in my opinion. People pushing and shoving and taking up more than one seat and flapping their paper in your face. Especially after work things are just too much to handle. In order to delay this torture a bit I have started walking. At first I walked to a subway stop just under 2 miles away, then a stop just over 2 miles away, then to a stop just over 2 1/2 miles away. The next jump was a big one. The stop 2 1/2 miles away is the last in Manhattan so now I am walking across the Brooklyn Bridge! That makes my trip 4.6 miles and although I still have to take the subway for a few stops, it is later in the evening and it isn’t nearly as crowded. Now that the days are longer I would like to get to the point where I walk all the way home, which is almost 8 miles. I will just keep walking one stop further until I get to that point.

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From Scratch

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I would bet that most of us out there, even those of us with jobs, are looking to save a little money these days. Everywhere I look I see recipes to make things I would normally buy with the claim it is cheaper. Bagels, yogurt, cheese, mango lassi, jam, pickles, butter… you get the idea. But is it really cost effective? There is no denying that for the most part making something from scratch with no preservatives to keep it on the shelf for 10 years is going to be better than store bought. But is it more economical? Jennifer Reese set about answering that question in this article on Slate.com. She does a great job of factoring in everything from ingredients to cents per hour to run your oven. Your time is free since as she puts it, “I take it as a given that everyone knows better than to quit their job—any job—to take up cracker-baking.” The bottom line? Try it. You might be as surprised as Jennifer to find that things can be better AND cheaper when you make them at home. Am I going to start making everything from scratch? Probably not everything, but I might try bagels and butter. If you don’t know where to start, The Kitchen has put together a nice long list of recipes.

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My Favorite Herb

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My most favorite herb is rosemary. I have been known to use it in just about everything from pork to potatoes to green beans to popovers to roast chicken…. if it is savory, I have thrown in rosemary. I have to say, I have never used it in a cocktail. This vodka rosemary lemonade fizz sounds like a most delicious, refreshing summer beverage. I drink a lot of seltzer and I am always looking for something to make it a little more exciting. For me this is probably too much sugar so I will have to play with the proportions a bit and maybe even make a simple syrup separate from the lemon rosemary syrup without sugar so that I can adjust as necessary. Vodka will be optional.

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Flat Felt

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I love handbags. You rarely have to worry about if a bag is going to fit right. Since many of us need a bag to carry our wallet, metrocard, lip gloss and whatever else it is women carry in their bags, you might as well have a few so that you don’t get bored. I especially love this bag from Branch. It is felt (we all know how I feel about that) it is grey with orange, and it unzips to lay flat. How cool is that? I have seen similar bags by designer Josh Jakus but I happen to prefer a shoulder bag to a clutch.

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Ork

heart_tanI have long been a fan of the Ork Posters. What is an Ork poster? Only the coolest maps with breakdowns of popular city neighborhoods! I finally got my Brooklyn screenprint last summer and it now displayed prominently in our living room. The newest addition to the lineup isn’t a city, but a map of your heart. Thump thump.