The Art of French Cooking

Apparently the art of fancy cooking and elaborate meals at home is coming back into style... at least movies like Julie & Julia make it seem so. I've always liked to bake and make meals for my family ever since I was a preteen. I remember the first big dinner I made for my family. It was an elaborate colonial style meal that I made using the "Felicity: An American Girl" cookbook. I was so thrilled to present my unique dishes to the hungry souls around the table. Trying a new dish makes cooking much more exciting and satisfying - knowing that you've mastered another recipe.



For my monumental 25th birthday my friend Annick wanted to give me something I would use for my whole life. She decided to give me the same cookbook her mother, grandmother and she all used to learn to cook. It was originally a french cookbook called "Je sais cuisiner." It was such a thoughtful idea and what makes it even better is that is just my kind of cookbook- full of photos and illustrations! Just looking at some of the beautiful pictures makes me want to recreate the delicious morsels.





There are a lot of great recipes I'm looking forward to trying out! But I have to admit there are a few I will never be attempting- such as aspics, head cheese and blood pudding. There is also a whole chapter on game- so unless I move to the country I probably won't be making rabbit or quail! :) My parents are on a vegetarian diet right now so I will have to search through the legumes chapter to find something suitable. Although they do allow themselves seafood once a week too...





There is something so exciting about a new cookbook and all the potential for culinary adventures and dinner parties! I am looking forward to putting this delightful birthday gift to good use! And also, I think an occassional late birthday present is wonderful- you think your birthday is over and then 'BAM!' there is a giant gift box waiting for you on your bed! :)

If you would like to see further images from the book or get a copy for yourself- check out this website- http://www.phaidon.com/store/food-cook/i-know-how-to-cook-9780714848044

Snowflakes That Stay On Your Nose And Eyelashes

I just love snow. I don't know anyone who loves it more than I do! Seeing the lightly falling flakes gives me such a feeling of serenity. I especially love when you can actually see the beautiful intricacies of each flake. It is quite difficult to capture on film however.



Today we took a scenic drive out to New Hampshire. While we were driving we saw a lot of gorgeous snow covered trees. They made me want to take a snowy hike in the woods! My sister thought it was a bad idea but I thought it sounded like a great wintery adventure! We did get to spend a little time outside while it was snowing though. It was the perfect kind of snow for a walk- light enough to be pretty without getting you wet! I think that everyone looks cuter with a light dusting of snow on their hair and eyelashes, don't you? And what walk in the snow would be complete without a steaming mug of hot chocolate waiting for you inside?

Cookies!

This Christmas my sisters and I decided to have a cookie swap! The great thing about having a cookie swap is that you only have to make one kind of cookie but you end up with a whole bunch of different kinds! It was so fun to see all the different kind of cookies that everyone likes to make every year. We had a few repeats but most people brought something unique! We had swedish spritz cookies, peanut butter blossoms, "holly" cookies, italian wedding cakes, chocolate pixies, thumbprint cookies, sugar cookies and the list goes on...! Unfortunately, with an 18 year old brother around the cookies didn't last too long. :)



Since cookie making at Christmastime has always been a tradition in my house, I made cut out sugar cookies with the kids I watch. That was interesting to say the least. They all wanted to do every part of it- rolling the dough, using the cookie cutters, painting on the frosting and putting on more sprinkles than there is sand on the beach. Of course I burnt a whole sheet of cookies (which decorated the garbage can nicely) and when they were done the kids didn't even like them! I give my mom a lot of credit for letting us help her make pepperkakker cookies every year when were kids! Having a whole sheet of cookies to decorate on my own was just so exciting and it instilled in me the desire to make Christmas cookies every year!

Let it Snow

We had our first snowfall of the season!! Although not much is left I thoroughly enjoyed it while it lasted. I went for a little ride while it was snowing to pick up some take-out and it was such a festive drive. The headlights shining on the falling snow, the red and green lights reflecting on the wet streets- it was so Christmasy. I know that most people probably wouldn't have enjoyed those little things the way I did. I am thankful that God gave me the gift of being able to enjoy life's little things- it makes my life brighter and cheerier! :)

Because I love snow so much, I also love making paper snowflakes! I've gotten the technique down to a science. Sometimes I iron the snowflakes with a little starch and hang them from the ceiling, or like this year, I hang them close to the wall. I put up a few in our newly painted kitchen and it looks great against the blue paint! :)



I hope it snows again before Christmas- for some reason it doesn't feel quite like Christmas unless there is snow on the ground. I don't remember it ever actually snowing on Christmas Day, I think that only happens in movies! :) I remember once when I was a little girl it snowed on the night before my birthday (Dec 28th) and I woke up to snow on the window sill and I was elated! Nothing like snow to give your day a fresh beginning!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year! It's just so much fun to get together with your family and friends and relax. Our family does the whole big dinner at the table and we usually all take turns sharing what we are most thankful for. This year I have so much to be grateful for. It feels so wonderful to be living at home with my parents where I am in a loving, stable place and I dont feel stressed out! Even though my job can be tough, I leave it there and I dont spend too much time worrying about it. I am unsure of what my future holds right now but I feel that God has a plan for me and I am feeling at peace. I am so thankful for the way my whole attitude has changed this year too- God has changed my heart and made me want to be a more loving, positive person. I am still a work in progress but I can feel myself changing for the better more and more! I hope you have some wonderful things to be thankful this year too! :)


My ambitious project for this Thanksgiving (besides the usual abundance of pumpkin, apple and mince meat pies) was to make festive cupcakes! I made pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pumpkin-Ginger-Cupcakes/Detail.aspx) The most important part of course though was the decoration! I got the idea from my "Hello, Cupcake!" Cookbook. I made chocolate leaves using meltable chocolate in different colors. The funny part is that you have to collect fresh leaves from outside, wash them and then paint the chocolate onto the leaves and let them dry! Then once they're dry the leaves peel off pretty easily. Then I made acorns with caramels, chocolate and sprinkles. It took me about 5 hours to decorate them from start to finish! But I think it was worth it! :)

Fall Again

This summer was rather short. It didnt get warm until late June and it wasn't that hot for very many weeks. However, I am still getting excited for fall. There are so many delightful things about fall; starting fires in the fireplace, making pumpkin bread, going apple picking, drinking cider. Last year I started making little fall crafts with felt. I figured out how to make adorable little pumpkins with orange and brown felt and a needle and thread. I know these aren't the classiest little things but I think they are cheerful and I had so much fun making them. It may be time to break out the sewing kit again!

Tucked In

I love chilly fall evenings, they make going to bed so much better. One of my favorite feelings is crawling into bed and pulling the crisp cool covers around me and just sinking into the pillows. It feels so comforting, like all the problems of the day will just melt away as my feet kick away the chills and my chin peeks out from my duvet. It's a wonderful feeling when my bed is as welcoming at night as it is when I don't want to leave it in the morning.

Summer Reading

So wow, its been quite a while since I was so delighted by something that I needed to make a post. However my summer has been fairly enjoyable, with some big occasions like my baby brother's high school graduation and a trip to Fenway with my family. Around the 4th of July I had the sudden urge to check my bookshelf for unread treasures and I found a few books I'd bought but hadn't read. So I started reading. And now I'm on my 5th book in a month. Even though the books I am reading are far from literary masterpieces or classics, I still feel better about spending time reading than I do watching tv. Its fun to picture the scenes and characters with your own imagination and when a story is good it keeps you going for hours and hours! Here's to summer reading- the kind without a required list! :)

Spring Flowers

A few months ago I was talking with my aunt and cousin about the seasons and which ones we liked best. I said Fall and Winter were my favorite and then Summer was my next fave because there are barbecues and beach trips and vacations. Then I said I thought Spring was the most boring of the seasons because nothing really happens. WHAT? I guess I forgot about how beautiful all the trees look when they come into bloom and how all the daffodils cheer up the medians along the road.

There is this gorgeous white flowering tree down the street from my house. Every day for the past week I have driven by it and been obsessed with it. The way it is crooked and falling away from the house it sits beside is just so picturesque. Today I tried to snap a quick picture of it while driving very slowly. Thankfully no one was behind me and I was able to get a pretty good shot. If I were a better painter I would love to recreate this setting. It just has such a beautiful, reminiscent feeling about it.



It's safe to say that I no longer think Spring is the most boring season, but now I don't know how to pick it's replacement. I guess I will just have to love all the seasons equally and enjoy them as they come. :)

Giant Strawberries

The kids I work with love all things unhealthy. I try to get them to choose a healthy snack after school, but like most kids they head straight for the pop-tarts and chips. At supper time I make them eat at least 2 bites of vegetables before leaving the table no matter how much they whine. They do however, love one healthy snack- Strawberries. And who is surprised? They are the most stain-inflicting fruit!

When I came into work one day there were two huge cartons of the biggest strawberries I'd ever seen in my life.

They were so big and cute that I just had to take a picture. Now I can barely wait until summer strawberries come out- the sweetest and juiciest!

Power & Fashion

This weekend I went to NY to visit my friend and of course during the trip we made some time to shop around uptown. We visited Bergdorf's and Barney's and just walking through those stores can make you think you have nothing. There are so many beautiful purses, clothes and shoes by every high end designer you can think of. I appreciate the beauty and craftmanship of these pieces, especially this gorgeous black ruffle bag by Prada.



Unfortunately, the price tag is a little high. The good news is that I have a ruffle bag of my very own, I bought it 2 years ago at Target for $8 and I love it. It is unique and pretty, just like the Prada, but a much better price. And while the Target bag is I'm sure a lower quality, the money I saved can go towards much more important things. Fashion is fun and can make you feel so powerful and privledged, but when it comes down to it, it matters very little. And I kinda feel powerful in a different way knowing that I've been able to rise above the temptation of materalism and realize what's more important.

Valentines

I know that a lot of people hate Valentines Day because they either don't have a romantic love or because they say it's a greeting card holiday. And whether or not those things are true, I think that everyone can still enjoy Valentines Day. It is a day to celebrate those you love whether that is your family, your friends or a lover. I like to think of it as an "ALL love" holiday- that makes it more friendly. It's always a great time to say "I love you."

When I was a little girl I only went to public school during 3rd and 4th grade. So I was around 8 years old when I first discovered the tradition of giving your classmates little Valentines. I thought it was a brilliant idea and I had so much fun making little lacy hearts for my friends. Ever since then I've loved making Valentines and try to make at least a few for my friends and family every year. This year I decided to invite my Grandma to join me in my card making fun and we had a great evening creating together. Why not share the love on both ends of the card? :)

So whether you are single, married, involved or alone- I know you can always find at least one person whom you love. Think of them today and tell them you love them- and if you send chocolates- they'll be sure to say it back! :)