This way for soup!

Well, it is fall and that means that we've been preparing for our annual open house and soup party. This is a tradition that Dan brought to our relationship from his family, where his mom would make tons of soup and bread bowls to share with all the kids and their friends. So we've carried on with this tradition for the past 10 years of our marriage, with only a few exceptions due to sickness or moving.





This past weekend was the big event. We had 40 or so people at our home to enjoy Dan's culinary expertise in the form of 4 lovely soups. 1- beef stew (2 batches) 2- potato leek (my fav) 3- clam chowder (everyone else's fav) 4- chicken noodle.




While Dan slaves away in the kitchen making soup. I get the house ready with flowers, and prepping the dessert table.



I love this photo. This year we decide to make homemade suckers (root beer and orange cream), bringing one of my family traditions to the party. Growing up we didn't make homemade suckers, but we bought dum dums and decorated them with a white napkin and black yarn bow making little ghosts.



We also did spiced nuts in little orange boxes with stickers. I really enjoyed making the stickers and packaging up all the goodies.





We decorated our yard with our big teracotta pumpkins, tin can pumpkins, owl lanterns and ball jars with tea lights.






I think everyone had a good time.



Plus we just have good friends.
Thanks everybody!

Cayenne Spiced Nuts

We recently had our annual autumn open house. A tradition Holly and I have, is to make some home made party favors for everyone. I've been making this spiced nut recipe for years, based loosely off a recipe I got out of Gourmet Magazine. They have quite a bite.

Cayenne Spiced Nuts:

4 C Mixed Nuts
2 T Butter
3 T Worcestershire Sauce
4 T Honey
1 tsp Salt
1/2-1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Few cracks of black pepper

Melt butter, Worcestershire, sugar, salt, cayenne, black pepper and garlic powder in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and boil for 30 seconds to dissolve the sugar. Pour over nuts and mix thoroughly to combine. Remove nuts with slotted spoon to a baking sheet. You don't want the extra sauce on the nuts, it clumps up rock solid when baked. Roast nuts in a 375 degree oven for 15-25 minutes, or until desired doneness, stirring every 10 minutes. Allow to cool and break up with your hands.

I'm Sold on Multi-V

As I get older, I'm realizing that I can't "chug" lemonade the way I use to. I could drink lemonade everyday, but my body does need to the calories or sugar, or the acid from it. Whenever Holly and I go grocery shopping a treat from time to time for me is lemonade. As I continue to really watch my eating habits and the quality and choice of food or drink I consume, I was pretty happy that Vitamin Water makes a low cal version of lemonade, called "multi-v with zinc." The whole bottle only has 10 calories and only 4g of carbs and 3g of sugar, compared to regular lemonade which typically has in excess of 36g of sugar per one cup serving. I will definitely be picking this up going forward at the grocery store or Costco to have on hand.

Squeak, Oink, Baaah

Okay, I don't really know the noise a hedgehog makes, but I'm going with squeak. Here is the latest batch of onesies I made for my new nephew, complete with hedgehog, pig and sheep.




So I decided I had to come up with some other designs for baby onesies besides the flowers I've done before (see earlier posts here and here) since so many people keep having boys. I found some images online and traced them on the fabric with an erasable marker. For the hedgehog I outlined the face and legs with a split stitch then filled in the body with french knots.



Since piggies are smooth I kept it simple using the split stitch all the way around.



And finally for the sheep (which is my favorite) I used french knots for the body and straight stitches to fill in the face. I had started the face so it had a nose and mouth but it looked lame, and well kind of scary, so I filled it in with straight stitches. Luckily you can't really tell looking at the finished product.

The End Of Our Seasonal Harvest

I think Holly is pretty excited that I have finally decided that I've done enough canning this season, and the canner can be put away until next Summer! I've had a great time making jar after jar of jams, bottled fruit, tomato sauce, fruit butters, salsa, pickles and bbq sauce to name a few. I have definitely learned some new things this year to make. Some great triumphs and a few mishaps all in the name of fun and learning. I've had an enjoyable time doing home food production and storage. We most definitely will enjoy these offering over the next several months.



My last canning project for this season, was prepping and canning some locally grown organic pears.




Prepping for water bath processing with a light sugar syrup.



Post water bath processing yielded 8 pints of fresh fruit for winter to add to our food storage. All I need is some good low fat cottage cheese to enjoy with these pair halves. These will make lots of breakfasts for us.

Candlelight Carols & Chamber Music

I'll admit, if I had my way, the Christmas season would last much longer than just the last few weeks at the end of each calendar year. I love everything that the Christmas season offers. From thinking of others, to recommitting yourself to do good in the communities in which we live and work. But most importantly, to reflect on the memories we have with our families and good friends, with the pivotal purpose of Christmas being the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world and his Atonement for all mankind.

I really, REALLY like the John Rutter Christmas Album with the Cambridge Singers and London Sinfonia that I just ordered. I didn’t realize it, buy my parents have these LP’s with some of these songs. I remember all these songs as a child. The record must have had a different cover, and as a kid I’m sure I didn’t equate that it was John Rutter arrangements. I became acquainted with John Rutter in High School choir concerts when I sang in multiple holiday performances. We sang a lot of his Christmas music.

I’m a little teary eyed listening to this in my office today, thinking about Christmas with my Mom and Dad, the memories and smells of my childhood home and all the numerous amazing things I associate with this time of year. I'm grateful Holly and I have such fond memories of our parents and families during the holidays. As Holly mentioned to me in email, "it makes me long for the day when we can make the same kind of memories for our children." This is why Holly and I love this time of year, and why we love Christmas music so much.

A Pig in Provence

I recently finished up the book, “A Pig in Provence,” by Georgeanne Brennan. I really love food writing and the experiences people have and associate with creating family traditions around food. I would highly recommend this book. My biggest dream would be to have my own [small] farm somewhere, where I could be self sustaining and grow all my own veggies and herbs, chickens etc. Her family stories in Provence are phenomenal, and I can’t wait to try the recipes included in this book.

24 Jars of Yumminess

Friday evening was a labor of love, as I decided to get out my 20qt stock pot out and make a rather *large* batch of homemade marinara sauce.



Heating oil to saute the veggies.



Lots of Walla Walla sweet onions.



Lots of sweet carrots.



Lots of Red and Green bell peppers.



Lots of fresh herbs. Oregano, Parsley and Basil.



Lots and LOTS of tomatoes.



I stewed it all down for about two hours and then started prepping jars for water bath processing.



Prepping one of many batches for the canner.



A mixture of dry spices and herbs get added and I continued to reduce for another hour.



Holly and I, prefer our marinara less chunky and more uniform in texture. I pureed this all down with my immersion blender until it was all consistently dispersed. When it was all said and done, I had 24 jars of homemade marina to enjoy for the next several months until I can again next summer and fall.

I adapted this recipe from my cousin and aunt. I've added a few more seasonings and sugar, and omitted a few ingredients such as olives, mushrooms and zucchini.

Marinara Sauce
Dan Craven

In a large 16-20qt stock pot combine:

2 c Green peppers, chopped
2 c Onion, chopped
2 c Celery, chopped
2 c Carrot, chopped
2 c Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 c Fresh Basil
20 lbs Tomatoes
6 Bay Leaves
4 cloves garlic
½ c Olive Oil, best quality

Simmer vegetables for 1 1/2 hours. After vegetables have simmered add spices.

3 Tbs Chili Powder
3 Tbs Salt
6 Tbs Sugar
2 tsp Oregano
2 tsp Rosemary
2 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Thyme
2 tsp Sage
2 tsp Cumin seed
2 tsp Fennel Seed

Cook and simmer for 2 to 5 hrs on low heat to reduce sauce and evaporate the water; the thicker the sauce, the better the finished product. Pack in sterile jars and water process according to manufacturer’s directions.

Process 35 minutes for half pints
Process 45 minutes for pints
Process 55 minutes for quarts

Suggestions:

I bottle it in pints. You can also finely process everything in the Cuisinart if you don't like large chunks in it at all.

Without God, There Would Be No Mortality or Eternal Life to Embrace.

I really enjoyed the talk Elder Robert D. Hales gave at the recent semi-annual LDS General Conference last weekend. The darkness of secularism and atheism is deep around everyone, and those of us that choose to be religious are often attacked in the world for their various beliefs. So many nations have been founded on religious freedom, and yet, so quickly forget that. How sad to think that your life would end at the grave? And that you would not be with your loved ones forever? I respect individual viewpoints and choices others share.

The promise of eternal life with our loved ones can be ours if we simply follow God's commandments. Making the necessary steps in your life to follow God, obey his teachings and obtain the necessary ordinances and covenants in your life can be obtained to help us return to his presence. As God's children, why would we not want to strive for this in our personal lives? God has loved us throughout all the ages of time. He's always provided us a prophet to be his mouthpiece on the earth. These modern times that we live in, are no different that the meridian of time, or the ancient times surrounding Adam, Noah and Isaac.

I'm grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who has restored his church on the earth, with living prophets and apostles who are his mouth piece to help us along the way. It takes effort for one to exercise faith in God and in the eternities, however we can pray and know for a surety for ourselves. I've prayed and believe this for myself. Knowing I can be with Holly forever and my family and friends who make the same efforts, is the greatest blessing God has given to me, to all of us.

Anxiously Waiting...

For two of my many favorite things! What is this, might you ask? Another Tori Amos CD with traditional and new Christmas music. Who would have thought? Tori Amos Minter Graces will release on 11/10/2009.



CD Release info:

After nearly two decades writing and recording some of her generation’s most emotionally powerful music, Tori Amos will release her first seasonal album, Midwinter Graces, on November 10 via Universal Republic. A follow up to Tori’s critically acclaimed studio album, Abnormally Attracted to Sin, Midwinter Graces will find Tori reworking and expanding on classic carols as well as developing some of her very own seasonal tracks.

Midwinter Graces is an album that has been in the making for the past 40 years. Raised in the Baltimore area under the watchful eye of her Methodist minister father, Tori grew up playing holiday carols at Sunday services and Christmas Day celebrations in her father’s church. These were the songs that gave a young Tori her first taste of music, and now almost 40 years later Tori gets her own chance to reimagine the classics.

Midwinter Graces Tracklist:

What Child, Nowell
Star of Wonder
A Silent Night with You
Candle: Coventry Carol
Holly, Ivy, and Rose
Harps of Gold
Snow Angel
Jeanette, Isabella
Pink and Glitter
Emmanuel
Winter’s Carol
Our New Year

Happy Birthday Mom!

I always thought that with time, it would be easier to get use to not having my Mother around physically any more. Well that isn’t true! I’ve learned to cope with it better as the months and years have gone by. I find myself really missing my Mom at Mother’s Day and the date of her death in July. But I find myself missing her immensely in October at her Birthday on the 9th. The arrival of autumn and the upcoming holiday season was always so important to Mom. She just finished up the canning season, and all the fruits of her labors were squirreled away into storage or the root cellar to feed her eight children during the cold winter months. All while gearing up for the many sewing, confection making, quilting and other homemade projects for the pending Christmas season.



I have amazing memories of autumn and Mom, helping with canning, making trips to Idaho to pick up hundreds of pounds of potatoes and onions for the root cellar. The smells of her cooking and creating in the kitchen will always be a part of my life. The smells of my childhood, the holidays and all the family memories associated with Mom. I have found solace in my own kitchen as I get older creating memories of my own with Holly. This solace primarily because I enjoy cooking, but secondarily because I feel close to my Mom, the lessons she taught me, the good food she created and shared, and the constant laughter we all shared with her and other family members who have passed on. This is the time of year where I miss her so much I selfishly want her to still be around. It is where I rely heavily on my conviction and faith, which I do honestly believe that I will see her again because of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. We will all be united as families, as families do exist beyond the grave. I believe this with all my being!



So this week I want to say "Happy Birthday Mom!" Also to many, known as Grandma, Aunt Sherry, Dear Friend & Sister. While we can’t physically celebrate with you on your birthday, I am thinking about you in a lot of ways. As I finish my own canning season full of projects for my own home, and gear up for candy making this holiday season with your other children, you are at the very forefront of my thoughts. I miss you lots.

I Love You Dearly! Happy Birthday!

Our Traditional Pizza & Movie Night

We had a very nice, and relaxing weekend this past weekend down on the WA State Pacific beaches. We were able to enjoy a condo time share down in Ocean Park, WA with Steve, Kelly & Miles. We futzed around Ocean Park, Oysterville and Long Beach towns. We also were able to enjoy LDS General Conference via podcast. We made it home in record time. After a nap, Holly and I decided that homemade pizza sounded good for dinner. We have a tradition of making pizza and enjoying movies, curled up on the couch in blankets and pajamas.



I caramelized some sweet onions, and cooked that down with smoked ham, sun dried tomatoes, some cremini mushrooms and olives. I seasoned up the mixture liberally with herbs. I love a good combination pizza.



I made some dough, and after a 30 minute rise, patted it down into some oiled cookie sheets. I docked the inside so it wouldn't rise to much. We both like crunchier, thinner style crusts, than thick, bready crusts for the most part.



Prepping the pizzas for a hot oven. Holly is a cheese and herb only girl. She finished her's off with some fresh rosemary clipped from the herb garden and a generous helping of feta cheese to give it some bite. I put feta on mine as well.



The combination pizza, fresh from the oven, and sliced. I'll have ample supply for lunches this week.



The cheese pizza, fresh from the oven. We had an enjoyable evening relaxing after a long drive from the beach. Pizza and pajamas were the perfect accompaniment to watching Coraline last night.

I've adapted this recipe from Cooking Light. I've adjusted mine to include more salt. In fact I include double what it calls for. I've included the basic recipe below. I also use honey instead of sugar for sweetening.

Cooking Light Pizza Dough

Ingredients

1 tablespoon yeast
1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1 1/4 cups cold water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
26.1 ounces (about 5 1/2 cups) unbleached bread flour, divided
Cooking spray

Preparation

Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Combine 1 1/4 cups cold water, oil, sugar, and salt in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.

Weigh or lightly spoon 24.9 ounces (about 5 1/4 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, yeast mixture, and cold water mixture in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low 8 minutes or until dough begins to form. Let rest 2 minutes; mix on low 6 minutes or until dough is smooth. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 2 minutes); add enough of the remaining 1.19 ounces (about 1/4 cup) flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky).

Allow dough to rise 30 minutes. Divide in half and press into two greased cookie sheets. Dock liberally with fork. Partially cook dough in oven for 10 minutes at 385 degrees. Remove from heat and brush a little olive oil onto the heated dough. Arrange sauces and toppings. Cook for 12 minutes and turn pizzas in the oven. Cook for an additional 10 minutes or until desired brownness.

Feeling like a kid again...

Okay, Dan usually packs my lunch for me while I finish getting ready for the day (he is such a good husband). Anyway, today he packed this tiny little can of goodness for me to enjoy as a treat.



I totally felt like a little kid proudly holding my can and showing my co-workers. Of course most of them just looked at me dumbfounded since it wasn't an organic drink :) But I think it's safe to say they could see my inner 8 year old beaming that someone loved me enough to give me something fun!