What’s New?

I’m not much of a shopper, but after months of having access to little more than what is at Wal-Mart and TJ Maxx, it’s a treat to venture into Houston’s retail world. It’s fun to browse and get a feel for what’s new.

In case you’ve haven’t noticed, stripes are everywhere,

in fashion,

in home accessories,

in items just for fun

or for inside and out

It doesn’t matter whether they are straight

or offset

or diagonal.

They work in all kinds of ways.

Did I follow the trend?  You bet.

With new sheets from West Elm

and a spunky tee from Anthropologie, I’m in.

Joining the fun at Seasonal Sundays and Simply Link Party

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Tips on Stir Frying

I recently took a cooking class from Grace Young, said to be one of the world’s great experts on Chinese cooking and often referred to as the poet laureate of the wok.  During the class she emphasized again and again the importance of having the right equipment in order to get good results.

So, what is the right equipment?  It starts with a flat bottomed  wok which Young says has to be carbon steel.  A nonstick wok is a definite no because the surface releases carcinogenic gas, not good for stir frying.

Seasoning the wok is very important, and here are the tips she shared.

1.  Wash the inside and outside of the wok with hot water using a stainless steel scrubber and dishwashing soap.  Rinse with hot water.  Dry the wok on a burner over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until no water droplets remain.

2.  Open the windows and turn the exhaust fan on high.  Heat the wok over hight heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds.  Swirl in 2 tablespoons of canola or grape seed  vegetable oil; add 1/2 cup sliced unpeeled ginger and a bunch of scallions.  Reduce heat to medium and stir fry 15-20 minutes, pushing mixture up sides of the wok to the edge.  If the mixture becomes dry, add an additional tablespoon of oil.  Remove from heat and allow the wok to cool.  Discard scallions and ginger.

3.  Wash the wok with hot water.  Dry on a burner over low heat for 1-2 minutes until the wok is totally dry.

Once the wok is seasoned, you are ready to begin your adventures in stir frying.   At  our house, we like stir fried rice, but until Grace Young made it look so easy, I had never tried it.  Now I’m hooked, and this is one of the favorites so far.

Pineapple Fried Rice

1 c. short or long grain brown rice +  2 c. water

12 oz. sugar snap peas

1 c. carrots, thinly sliced

2 c. bell pepper, sliced

                                                          1 c. bean sprouts

                                       8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained

                                                         2.5-3 T soy sauce

                                                                2 T water

                                                    2 T apple cider vinegar

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 T minced ginger

3-4 T sunflower or coconut oil

2 eggs, beaten

To avoid gumminess, rinse rice in several changes of cold water until water becomes clear.  Drain.  Add 2 c. cold water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until most of the water has evaporated, 4-5 minutes.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed.  Let rice stand 5 minutes, fluff. (Rice may be cooked in advance, refrigerated until needed.)

Heat wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes.  Swirl in 2 t. oil, making sure the bottom of the wok is completely coated.  Add the eggs and cook about 1 minute, tilting the pan so the egg covers the surface as thinly as possible to make a pancake.  When the pancake is just set, flip with a metal spatula and cook for about 5 seconds.  Remove from wok, cool, then cut into bite sized pieces.

Over med-high heat, add 1 T oil to wok.  Once hot, add sugar snap peas, peppers and bean sprouts.  Stir  until crisp and lightly browned, 6-8 minutes.  Reduce heat to med-low, add ginger, garlic, water chestnuts and carrots, stir for 1-2 minutes.  Empty into a large bowl.

Add  2 T oil to wok.  Add the rice, soy sauce, water and vinegar. Stir for about 5-7 minutes.  Stir in the vegetables and egg.  Heat through.  Serve topped with pineapple sauce and chopped green onions.

Pineapple Sauce

                                                     4 c. chopped pineapple
                                                             2 t. soy sauce
                                                      2 t. apple cider vinegar
                                                           1.5 T coconut oil

Heat coconut oil in frying pan.  Add pineapple, soy sauce and vinegar, stirring occasionally, until the pineapple is golden brown.

Using this same technique for stir frying, you can use any number of ingredients for an easy to fix, nutritious and economical meal.  For many other wonderful stir fry dishes, I suggest Grace Young’s Stir Frying to the Sky’s Edge.  In addition to having excellent recipes, it is filled with stories and insight to the tradition of Chinese cooking.Find other tasty recipes at Foodie Friday and Friday Food

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That Something Extra

As confessed before, I love bottles and frequently have them as part of table decor.  Sometimes they are filled with blooms, other times they may be a candleholder or they may  simply add color to the table as they do here.

The runner in shades of purple, orange and green was already in place and provided clues for the colors to be repeated.  With all the shapes, sizes and colors of bottles I have, it was no problem picking the ones that would work.

I hadn’t thought about what dishes to use for dinner, but when I opened the cabinet door, these jumped right out.  They are from Target’s Octavia Hill Collection and have all the right colors.  How lucky is that!

Completing the setting for a week night dinner at home are green Fostoria glasses and a mixed collection of Pier One napkins.  Setting the table is, for me, the fun part of preparing dinner.  The little extra effort to make it attractive communicates positive vibes to the family and, perhaps, makes the food taste better!

Later in the day, the light shining through the glass added an extra sparkle.   Until that moment, I had not noticed that the colors on the table were very much the same as those in the chair behind.   I’ll not confess to that being purposeful!

With the table set, it’s time to move on to dinner.    Since it is the beginning of the Chinese New Year, this will be a good time to try one of Grace Young’s stir fry recipes.  Come back tomorrow and I’ll share some of her tips with you.

Joining Tablescape Thursday which each week features wonderful tablescapes.  Check it out.

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Magical and Mysterious

When I am in Maine during the winter, as soon as my eyes open I look to the harbor in the hope of seeing sea smoke, a phenomenon that is both magical and mysterious.  What causes it?  Sea smoke, or arctic steam fog, is a cloud over the sea, which could otherwise be called fog, and is usually formed when very cold air  moves over warmer water.

In nine years of hoping, I’ve not been lucky enough to witness sea smoke on Rockport Harbor first hand, but thanks to my friend and renowned photographer Peter Ralston I have just experienced it from afar. He was kind enough to send these photos taken a few days ago, and with his permission I am sharing them with you so you can enjoy the wonder of sea smoke.

In the distance you can glimpse Indian Island which can be seen in another season here.

If you are familiar with my postings from Maine, you may remember that Indian Island is at the mouth of Rockport Harbor and is the sight that welcomes me home.

And here are the lobster boats, which recently appeared here, shrouded in sea smoke.

How Peter always happens to be in the right place at the right time with his camera amazes me, and for these photos I’m so glad he was.  I’m betting that with his incredible printing skills, these shots will become beautiful prints available from his Rockport gallery.

Sharing at Seasonal Sundays, Watery Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday

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Character DOES Matter

Ordinarily, my musings are not of a personal nature, but occasionally something gets me riled up, and I can’t resist making a comment.

The recent potential Republican candidate debate in Charleston left me wondering about character.  Whether or not it was appropriate for John King to open the debate asking Newt Gingrich about allegations by his second wife or if Gingrich’s fiery  response was merited is not my call.   What bothered me is that Gingrich had been in a six year affair with his current wife while married to his second, and that got me thinking about character on several levels.

If I understand what I hear, Newt is making a strong push for the conservative vote which includes many an evangelical Christian.  Given their views on family values, I  find it hard to imagine their approving Gingrich’s past behavior.  Furthermore, if he is passing himself off as one, what does that say about the strength of his faith?

Additionally, as hokey as it might be, I think the person serving as president of our country should have strong character and, for me, that excludes inappropriate sexual behavior.  That is not to say he or she should be perfect, but they should respect elected office enough to not bring that baggage into play.  Such is my opinion at least, but sometimes it seems we are willing to overlook a candidate’s, or sometimes a sitting representative’s, flaws so long as he or she associates with the party that most reflects personal philosophy.

It is not my place to judge anyone, and that’s not what I’m trying to do.  Rather I simply raise the question of what is important when it comes to who we choose to lead our country.  Quite honestly, I don’t care what party a candidate chooses to affiliate with, but I do care a great deal about his or her character.  Ultimately, the ability to maintain a consistent morality is what leads one to make decisions that are in the best interest of all the people….at least that is what I hope.

I would love for you to pipe in on this subject.  I’m listening.

Something’s Fishy

Fresh haddock from Maine is the featured menu item for the gourmet group’s dinner this week, so it seems appropriate for the tablescape to reflect something fishy.  With that in mind, I began shopping the house.

The first thing I spot are these fish stemmed goblets sitting on a watery tray.

 They  work great as a focal point, and their height is varied by placing some on glass candle holders.  Filling in the spaces between the goblets are flower filled small vases from the Dollar Store.  I’m thinking it would be nice to have some more of these, but they are probably gone by now.

Continuing the search for something fishy, I find these glass fish plates. Gosh, I haven’t seen these in a while, and they are a perfect fit.

Etched stems from the 30′s and 40′s sit side by side with funky shaped clay glasses that were bought years ago at an outdoor art show.

Brightly colored napkins folded accordion style and fanned out are added to complete  the table.  They may not be fishy, but they do pick up the colors of the vases, flowers and goblets.

With the table all set, it’s time to think about the menu that will feature seared haddock topped with crabmeat and served atop sweet potatoes mashed with butter and maple syrup and surrounded by roasted brussel sprouts.

A word about brussel sprouts.  They are not the hubby’s favorite, and I’ve had to experiment to get him to eat them.  I’ve found that by cutting them in half, blanching in boiling water for a minute or two and then placing them in ice cold water until they are completely cooled takes the bitter taste away. After they are well drained on paper towels, I roast them in olive oil and bacon drippings with diced, cooked bacon or pancetta in a 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  The tasty result is one that not even the hubby complains about.

Joining Tablescape Thursday, Foodie Friday and Friday Food.

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Eating Right….the Challenge

Like most people I know, I like to eat, but as I get older food is doing things to me.  Fact is, my waist is getting thicker despite the fact that over the years I’ve exercised consistently and eaten fairly healthy.  Maybe all that went into my body wasn’t organic and, yes, there was some food coloring,  high fructose corn syrup and preservatives along the way, but until folks like Jamie Oliver started making us more aware of what we eat, that was the way of things.

So, if eating healthy still results in weight gain, what does one do?  I am not one who supports fad diets or likes to count calories, but something’s got to change.  Here’s what I’m thinking:

1.  Cut back on sugar, a no brainer, right?  Not for me because it’s always sugar I have a craving for which means I have it in some form or other every day.  I’ve never met a cookie I didn’t like, so passing them by will be a challenge.  Hmmm, now that I think about it wine with dinner may also have to go because it converts to sugar.  Who said sacrifice is fun!

2.  Eat breakfast, a meal that is very easy to skip, but nutritionists say it’s most important.  Cereal every day isn’t going to cut it, so I’m going to have to find some other easy to fix things, and that doesn’t mean donuts or pancakes or waffles….oh, what am I thinking?

3.  Eat more Greek yogurt.  I’ve heard it reduces belly fat, and mixed with fruit, it just may satisfy some of the sugar craving.  Besides, eating more yogurt would be a lot easier than sit-ups.

 4.  Load up on healthy snacks for those times between meals when the stomach is growling.  Hopefully, that doesn’t mean giving up a fingerful of peanut butter mid afternoon.  My husband wouldn’t know what to think if I didn’t have peanut butter breath when he comes home!

5.  Reduce portion size at dinner which likely means more dinners at home.  With just 2 of us in the house now, that may mean finding creative ways to use leftovers as I find it very hard to prepare small quantities.  Maybe another idea would be to have company each evening so there would be no leftovers.  

Well, that’s about all I can handle for now.  Tell me, what rules do you have for yourself when it comes to food and weight control?

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Never Too Old!

When I am lucky enough to spend time at home alone, nothing suits me more than to have a girls’ night.  You can bet it is always going to be an evening of laughter and fun!

This time around, girlfriends were invited to a pajama party, yes, a pajama party!    We tried to think when we last attended such a gathering and concluded that it was probably in junior high if you discount dorm room gatherings in college.

No Victoria’s Secret or sexy peignoirs here.  It was a cold night, so fleece and flannel were the best choice if one was going to stay warm.  As each gal came in, I had to laugh at how perfectly matched the wearer and the worn were!

What took the cake though was the footwear.

No one in this crowd was going to have cold feet.

Can you guess which slippers go with what pajamas?

As the evening wore on, we laughed until tears ran down our cheeks and this without too much alcohol.  As we thought about how different the evening would be if our husbands were present, we couldn’t help but wonder what kind of goofy get togethers guys have.  Maybe one of you men can fill us in.

Joining Seasonal Sundays

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Along the Dirt Road

Just past my house begins a dirt road.  From morning til dark people–singly, in groups, with dogs–trek the three miles that round Beauchamp Point,

leaving their footprints in the dirt.

This time of year a portion of the road is closed meaning no vehicles interrupt its peacefulness.  The only sounds are the rustling of wind in the
trees, water slapping against the rocks or gulls calling out to each other.

In a couple of places is a path leading to softly rounded rocks where in summer people picnic or sunbathe.  At any time of year, it is not uncommon to see someone there with a camera or a paintbrush and easel.

Today a sea urchin was locked in the ice, but it is likely to be washed away at high tide.

Here and there on the dirt road is a left behind item hanging from a branch or pole waiting to be reclaimed.

Rounding the first turn is the field where for years the donkeys, Martini and Rossi, watched the passersby.  Now, both are buried beneath the apple tree across the way, but in my mind I see them every time I pass this spot.

No walk is complete without a stop at the Children’s Chapel which I think of as my special place.  There I can sit quietly overlooking Penobscot Bay and feel as one with the world.

It may have been given as a sanctuary for youth, but it serves as a place of spiritual and mental refreshment for all who halt there.

The dirt road is a walk for all seasons. Do you have a special place to leave your footprints?

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Finding Inner Peace

Each day I randomly pull from this box of cards.  While inner peace is not something that can be found in words, words are often a helpful place to begin.  Seeing their concreteness, their permanence can open the door to thoughts that quiet the mind and make each day its own special gift.

This is today’s card, and I thought how true.  We are responsible for the content of each of our days, even the ones that aren’t perfect.

On the back of the card is the followup message which made me think about the importance of saying good morning to God rather than the latter.  Somehow that greeting acknowledges the presence of a friend, one who is there helping us make the best of each day no matter what challenges it brings.  How important it is to feel that companionship!

I wonder, what are your tips for finding inner peace?

Joining Seasonal Sunday

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