Monday, September 26, 2011

Compartir



Spending the whole day packing- enjoy this rainy day jam!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

23. Peach and Blackberry UpsideDown Cobbler

I've come to appreciate this fall like weather quite a bit so to kick off the start of the season JJ and I made a trip to Cedarburg, WI. We did a little antiquing, smelled some pumpkin spiced candles, had hot apple cider and wore sweaters...too early you say? I think not, especially considering that fall happens to be one of the shortest seasons and one of the BEST!
 I also found some time to make a cobbler with fruit the summer brought that just so happened to be fall-colorfilled. I took this recipe from Guilty Kitchen- A hearty whole wheat crust infused with thyme, filled with peach wedges and whole blackberries-- definitely a favorite!



Peach and Blackberry Upside Down Cobbler

Yield: 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
For the Filling:
2 cups fresh blackberries
3 peaches, pitted and sliced into wedges
1/2 cup suagr
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tsp corn starch
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1. In a large bowl, combine the peaches, blackberries and sugar. Let stand 30 minutes.
2. Drain the juices from the fruit through a colander into a small saucepan. Stir the lemon juice, cornstarch, vanilla and salt into the juices.
3. Allow the sauce to come to a boil, turn to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until thickened.
4. Return juices to fruit and toss to combine. Set aside.
For the Biscuit Dough:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup pastry flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp fresh thyme
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown butter, cold and cubed**
3/4 cup buttermilk
**How to make brown butter: In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium high. Allow to come to a boil, but do not stir. Swirl the butter around every minute or so. When the butter begins to foam up and there is a nutty smell and a brown tinge to the butter, remove from heat and cool in refrigerator.
1. In a large bowl, stir all dry ingredients to combine.
2. Cut in the cold brown butter with a pastry cutter until small crumbs form.
3.  Pour in the buttermilk and stir until a dough is formed. Do not over mix. Pat the dough into a WELL greased 9″ cast iron pan, making sure to push the dough up the sides about halfway (it will rise a bit).
4. Pour fruit over crust and top with crumble topping (recipe follows).
For the Crumble Topping:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup oats
1 tsp vanilla
1. Cream butter and sugar together in a small bowl. Add flour, oats and vanilla and mix well.
2. Using your fingertips, break the mixture apart into the top of the cobbler.
3. Bake in a 375°F oven for 50-55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature and serve with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
-recipe taken from Guilty Kitchen!!

 






Happy Fall!

Monday, September 5, 2011

fall(ing)

Thursday, August 18, 2011

dylan cover

A friend of mine told me about this bluesy duo from Colorado- The Wood Brothers. I liked them right off the bat and then I extra liked them when I saw they covered one of my favorite Dylan songs!



Here is the same song covered again at a show I was fortunate enough to attend--Beautifully done. 


note: Kris is perfect for curling up on a chair with a brand new blanket sipping Jamo on the rocks and smoking cigarettes in a dimly lit room with Aveda candles going- right before bed.


post baby note: Kris is perfect for- background music when reading your toddler potty books before bed- also good for scratching backs and rocking while sipping on chocolate milk







Squash2Ways

I'm proud to be from WISCONSIN- that's right I like my beer, I love my cheese and I like the whole midwest attitude- laid back and friendly! This week Journie and I made a conscious effort to keep things local- we spent the "weekend" playing out doors soaking up sun, drinking Alterra (coffee for me/ chocolate milk for her) visiting local boutiques, eating at local restaurants, and we did a little produce shopping at the West Allis farmer's market. Although I was a bit bummed that my schedule this year wasn't going to allow me to participate in what used to be my Saturday morning ritual in Madsion- attending their over abundant farmers market- I was so happy to come across the one here- on a Tuesday at noon! With $30 cash I was able to make a super fresh dinner for six! WOOOHOO cheers to that!




SQUASH 2 WAYS- JUSTINE ORIGINALS.


Habanero/ Turkey Stuffed squash:
Ingredients
Squash- like the ones pictured above
Cheese- I used a mixture of cheese- pick your fav!
1lb of ground turkey
Habanero peppers
Onion
Olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 400.
Cut the tops off the squash about 1/4 of the way down- keep the tops! you put them back on again. De-gut squash with making sure not to cut through it.
Saute turkey, 1/3 of a yellow onion and enough habaneros that will make you sweat but wont kill you in olive oil-- until turkey is thoroughly cooked. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stuff squash with turkey and top with cheese.
Put the hats back on the squash and brush with olive oil. Bake for about an hour. EAT immediately!

Goat Cheese and Spicy Pesto Stuffed Babies aka Squash blossoms:
I know eating flowers sound gross but not when they are deep fried-- oohh no, then they are quite tasty... and did I mention they are stuffed with cheese? (Sorry my vegan friends-you can veganize this anyway you want!) 

Ingredients:
goat cheese
Pesto ingredients:
1/4 cup pine nuts 
olive oil 
milk 
1 jalapeno 
fresh basil ( 1/3 of a fresh bunch?) 
fresh parsley ( use less parsley than basil) 
2 garlic cloves 
1/2 a cup of grated parm cheese
salt

Frying ingredients: 
2 eggs 
1 cup flour
vegetable oil 

Combine all "pesto ingredients" in a blender- note add olive oil and milk to determine consistency and flavor of your pesto ( if you want it really creamy add half and half. less creamy? milk. paste? just the olive oil...)
Clean blossoms and cut off stems. Pull petals back and stuff with goat cheese and pesto using a small spoon/ fingers-whatever fits. Twist ends with fingers to seal in stuffing.
Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan- oil should be about an inch deep.
Dip flowers into whisked egg mixture and then coat with flower.
Fry until golden  on both sides.

I served these on top a very basic garlic Orzo ( orzo is just a rice shaped pasta) I was also contemplating making a risotto with these blossoms- both would be delish!






ENJOY!
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T shirts purchased at the cutest boutique on Downer. Organic cotton, locally made and baby cute -you can find these T's at Olive. Also at Olive- Simple Shoes a Journie favorite!!


Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Boerner Botanical Gardens.








tree huggin'



Click on the link to check out the gardens then pack a lunch and take a trip!


Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Crayola

So I decided to hire my daughter to make me some artwork to hang on my walls. She has it pretty easy. The supplies are paid for, the space is allocated, the mess is taken care of, she gets paid in hugs and kisses, get's to sleep in mommy's bed and I even take her out to lunch-- no starving artists here!! 

I had to get some painting of my own done and there is no better way to entertain a baby for hours than handing them some messy paint that they can splatter everywhere (washable crayola paints). 




 

Journie likes to draw concepts like fast, slow, tired, loud and quiet-- along with trees, fishes, lines circles and sneezes? She's very creative.