Earth Day 2009

For me, Earth Day is more about devotion--a special remembrance to my Creator who formed the planet. And it's a poignant reminder to be a good steward of all the things that have been entrusted to my care, including the land.

To celebrate the day, I decided it was a good time to start my seeds. I headed outside first thing this morning to do the job. I'd rather spill dirt outside, after all! Besides, the sun was shining, the rain has gone, and I assumed that meant the weather would be relatively warm.

Though it turned out to be chillier than I had expected outside, I pressed onward. This year I'm hoping to build a small vegetable garden outside, along with a hanging herb planter indoors at my sunny kitchen window. In order for it to be there, it has to hang and not sit on the shelves currently there. My attempt at herbs last year failed miserably because of one and one thing only: Thundercat. After all, how can a kitty resist a pot of dirt just sitting there, waiting for her paws?


It took a bit of time, but with my trusty bag o' dirt, a paper egg carton, a spoon and chopstick, a small basil plant given me by my bank (an Earth Day gift--how nice!), and several seed envelopes, I got to work.



I planted watermelon, bell pepper and pumpkin seeds in a paper egg carton rescued from the recycle bin.



I also used a coconut-lined hanging basket to hold my small basil plant in the center, surrounded by garlic chives, dill and sage.

Both containers are now safely ensconsed indoors, away from the crazy weather we're still having... one day lots of sun and warmth, the next day dipping around freezing temps with gusty wind and rain. Here they are in my dining room next to a sunny window until (a) Mr.W puts a good hook up at my kitchen window for the herb pot and (b) it's nice enough outdoors to put the egg carton out.

Now I just have to keep Thundercat away.

Happy Earth Day to all!
How are you celebrating the day?

My Cute, Cute Pets

A big hello from the pets! How's that for a dose of cute?

Kinder Egg Surprise

For those of you not familiar with the awesomeness that is the Kinder Egg, behold:

This foil-wrapped goodie is an occasional treat here at Chez W. It's better than any old piece of candy because, well, there's a toy.

And that makes everything better.

I would be remiss to not share with you the chocolaty goodness of the candy itself. The milk-chocolate exterior has a white-chocolate lining is good quality and just plain tasty.

Inside there's a capsule containing the toy parts that require assembly. I'm always amazed by the decent quality of the toy itself all jam-packed into it's wee little housing. There are even pictoral instructions, detail stickers and warning labels--not for children under 3!

Never fear, there are no children here!

I knew you must be dying to know what my toy was, since I only mentioned my egg-shaped prize before. Its a junk to sail along the kinder-wrapper sea, bold in the face of cat-like monsters of the deep.

It's Been a Wild, Wild Few Days

Ever had a weekend that left you exhausted?

Friday I headed to Syracuse to pick up Mr.W from the airport and enjoy a day of leisure. Syracuse is a fun little city, with a great mall, my beloved Christmas Tree Shop and the nearest Moe's. It is also home to my favorite little italian import store, Vince's.

One of my most favorite things to do in Syracuse, too, is stop by a particular store in the mall called Around the World. They sell a fantastic assortment of imported candy that is SO FUN to eat. Dave got a Yorkie, because it's not for girls.

I agree with the packaging. It's one. chunky. candybar. Just thick blocks chocolate. That's it. Very butch, indeed.

I got a kinder egg. My dear friend Nalinee turned me on to this treat in South Africa and I grab them whenever I can. Yum!

We arrive home to unload our many packages. Amid the confusion of bags of amaretti cookies and lady fingers, christmas gifts (yes, we've started already), baking products and seasonings, some wonderful pomegranate juice and some magazines we just can't get locally, Thundercat escaped.

Quick as lightening, she dashed right out the door.

There's something about a cat going outside on Halloween that bothers me. It's not a good night for small pets.

We went outside calling her name periodically. And when I say we, I mean me. She's gotten out occasionally in the past--Thundercat just loves the great outdoors--and normally stays close to the house, climbs a tree, chases a bunny (sorry, Michele!) and comes home. This time, however, she didn't. Come home, I mean.

Saturday night was a friend's annual Halloween party. I brought some goodies: mini mummy dogs (lil smokies wrapped in strips of refrigerated crescent roll dough, dotted with nigella seed 'eyes') and a pumpkin ale fondue that, though yummy, seized up. I think I was a little too anxious to get it out and ready. Someone with fondue experience must share with me this particular kitchen secret. Fondue dippers included roasted potato chunks, slices of chorizo and pepperoni, apple slices and grapes. And the mummy dogs--they were good doused in cheese, too!

Last, but certainly not least, I brought a selection of pretzel rod fingers in a sleeved vase. They were a real hit!

Sunday was another fast & furious day--we had to pack up my Sunday School because we're moving to another building. Fortunately I keep things relatively organized so it didn't take too long.

By Sunday afternoon I was in full distress mode. All that activity and lack of sleep looking for Thundercat. We walked the neighborhood. We called out day and night.

Evening fell and Mr.W ran an errand. He returned home with much activity and, even with the tv on full-blast, I heard something outside. Was it a meow? "Mute the tv!" I yelled as I ran for the kitchen door.

In dashed Thundercat, her coat full of leaves and burdocks, collar still on and none the worse for wear. She's been a lovey-dovey purrbox ever since. I can't tell you how relieved I am. Now I can rest.

Pumpkin Ale Fondue

- 1 cup shredded swiss cheese
- 2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese

- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

- 3/4 cup pumpkin ale (I used Dogfish Head's "Punkin Ale" as recommended by a local shopkeeper. The label says, "A full-bodied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon & nutmeg." It was GOOD. And I don't even like beer.)

- 1 clove garlic, peeled

Toss cheeses with flour; set aside.

In a saucepan, bring ale with whole garlic clove to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low setting. Add cheese, a handful at a time, until melted, stirring often. (This is where my impatience came in.)

Transfer cheese to a fondue pot and keep warm. Enjoy with assorted dippers.

Thundercat Says Hello!

VDay Dinner: Recap

What a fantastic meal. Here are some photos:

The table.


Place setting close-up. Very simple.

I know, not very green of me. But we like paper napkins. And I hate laundry. All cleaning, really.

Centerpiece. I probably should have added a taper. Oh, well. Hindsight.


Appetizer--Roasted Feta recipe I saw on MattBites.

Divine. I served it with thinly sliced tart apples and sliced good italian bread. I forgot to sprinkle it with pepper before serving--and we didn't miss it. I only ate it on the apples and I thought it was a delightful taste--tart, salty, sweet, crispy, creamy.

Chicken and Broccoli Penne Alfredo with Proscuitto and Salad.

I'll post the pasta recipe a bit later today. The recipe and procedure for the polenta triangles will come next week.

Dessert Crepes.

This was my plate--there were several filling and topping options. Our guests seemed to enjoy creating different combinations. Note that these crepes were completely flourless--I'll be posting the recipe for this soon.

After our guests left, we let Thundercat back in the house. She found the balloon.


I'm a little disturbed seeing how high she can actually jump. A good four feet straight into the air.

The Tree is Down

Thundercat helped me take down the Christmas tree this week.

Aah, pets.

Scenes from My Living Room

Have I mentioned that my grandmother's beagle, Meathead, is visiting our house for a while? We're calling it "fat camp." Yep, grama let her eat and eat and eat... now she's too obese. We absconded with her for diet and exercise at our house for a few weeks.

And boy, is she getting some exercise.

Thundercat has established Meathead as her playmate. I took a very short video today. Here they are:




Fortunately I was able to keep my composure. Usually I'm laughing hysterically while they go at it!

Sugar- and Gluten-Free Maple-Pistachio Sandies

I've gone too far.

I have this bag of rice flour just calling to be experimented with... so yesterday was my first try. And you can't win 'em all, can you?

The dough came together nicely, and tasted okay in dough form, though a little 'floury.' When cooked they're even MORE floury. They actually suck all the moisture from your mouth as you chew.

Not good.

Okay, they're not completely horrible, but they are just too... sandy. They explode into a million crumbs as soon as they go into your mouth. And I don't think stevia was the right sweetener for this cookie--there was definitely a slightly bitter taste going on there.

That said, this dough would make an excellent SF/GF pie crust.

I made these for one of the sugar-free treats at my upcoming holiday open house... and I need to figure out how to resurrect them. Coat them in chocolate, perhaps? Any ideas?

And if anyone reading this is a gluten-free guru, can you tell me where I went wrong here?

Sugar- and Gluten-Free Maple-Pistachio Sandies

makes 3 dozen

2 cups rice flour

1 cup salted butter

3/4 teaspoon powdered stevia (or any sweetener to equal 3/4 cup sugar)

2 tablespoons sugar-free maple syrup

salted pistachios

Preheat oven to 350*F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until blended. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Top with a pistachio and press down to flatten lightly. (These cookies do not spread, but puff up slightly while baking.)

Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

The idea was a buttery cookie with a nice salty-sweet balance. I just ate another one with a squeeze of SF maple syrup on it. That was a little better, but I still needed a bottle of water with it.

And here's a sleepy pic of Thundercat... isn't that just adorable?

Brr!

It has been downright cold. And snowing. And sleeting. And freezing rain.

Over the last few days we've been experiencing all forms of cold-weather precipitation, piling one upon the other to make everything very Christmas-y. It's still cold today, but at least the sun has emerged at last.

After 30 energetic minutes of shovelling while the doggies did their outdoor business this morning, I'm laying low in the house. Still safely ensconsed in my pj's, I'm about ready for some hot chocolate.

As you know, I have some special dietary needs, so hot chocolate in my house is a bit of a different affair. So I'll evict Thundercat from her nap on my chest and go make some.

Mrs.W's Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate
serves 1 jumbo serving

2 cups sugar-free chocolate soy milk

1/4 cup sugar-free hazelnut coffee creamer

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Whisk together all ingredients in a saucepan set over low heat. Heat to just below the simmering point, whisking frequently.

Prepare your coffee mug with a metal spoon (for heat distribution) and a splash of your favorite boozy beverage. (Optional, of course.)

Pour in hot chocolate. Keep cat away from mug.

Savor as you watch the snow falling outside.

Perfect. I think I'll go back to bed.

The Cooking Marathon Begins

Mr.W has made it home safe and sound, and is pleased to find the new addition to our household. Here is our sweet kitty, who has been permanently dubbed, "Thundercat."


Now I can concentrate on cooking. I am expecting a crowd of 10 to stroll through at some point during the day. Dinner is scheduled for 4pm, but there are some folks who will arrive for dessert, come by for 2nds later in the day, and so forth. Here is my Thanksgiving Menu:


Appetizer: Hot Spinach-Crab Dip with Multigrain Crackers

Salad: Salad of Baby Spinach, Dried Cranberries, Grape Tomatoes, Crumbled Blue Cheese and Chopped Hazelnuts with a Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette

Entree: Orange-Roasted Turkey with Giblet Gravy, Quinoa-Stuffed Hubbard Squash

Sides: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Pureed White Beans, Sweet n' Spicy Roasted Yams, Carrots and Onions, Macaroni and Cheese

Extras: Dinner Rolls and Butter, Cranberry Compote, Fruit-Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin

Dessert: Sugar-Free Pumpkin Custard, Assorted Pies and Whipped Cream

Beverages: Wine, Coffee, Tea, Bottled Water


Today I'll be making the stuffing, mashed potatoes, pureed white beans, maple-balsamic vinaigrette and the sugar-free pumpkin custard, as well as prepping for the other dishes and setting the table.

When I prepare a menu, I like to also plan what serving dishes and utensils will be used so that everything moves ahead easily. I'll be labelling all the serving containers with small slips of paper so that last-minute frenzies are avoided and any helpers I may be blessed with will know which dish to bring me when it's time to plate things.

Thanksgiving is quite a casual day at my house--paper plates and plastic cups. A little ghetto, maybe, but it makes my life much easier to keep my dish-doing to a minimum. After all, I don't have an automatic dishwasher!

Pitter Patter

I have two dogs. Sandy, a blonde corgie-mix is an aged 13 years, has been my companion for a long time. Now hard of hearing and sight-impaired by cateracts, she is still my beloved little nummy that I brought back from South Korea.

Then came Pickle, the Dog Who Named Herself, who is now a 7 years old seemingly rat-terrier mix. I originally intended to call her Peanut, but every time I'd call her name, Pickle would emerge contrarily from my lips instead. I continue to tell everyone that she brainwashed me and picked her own name. Or pickled her own name. Whatever.

And last night, my brother called me from our local library.

"Do you want a cat?"

"What?"

"It's trying to get into the library, and it doesn't belong to any of the neighbors. It's a sweet little thing."

"Well..."

"Do you hear it meowing? Awwww..."

"Bring it over."

See what a pushover I am?

So here is the little darling in many modes from the last several hours. And oh, what an interesting several hours it has been! She's been all over the place--fiercely curious and bravely challenging the doggies, who, at first, were mostly oblivious to her presence. However since that time she has scared the wits out of poor Pickle, who won't go near her. Quite the little dominatrix. She jumps, she growls and hisses at the dogs, yet is sweet and cuddly with a purr that could bring down the walls of Jericho. Little one had to sleep ON me. Not near me, not beside me, but on me. Especially on my armpit while she made buns in my hair.


Now comes the best part. Naming her.

I've been making a list of the names that appeal to me. Names like Thundercat and Steppenwolf. But she didn't answer to those two. Catzilla would be funny, but I'm afraid of what kind of cat a catzilla would become. Would that be creating a monster?

McLovin'? Toejam? Ginseng? She has answered to Taterbug, Tinkerbell and Pushka. But I'm not sure about those, either. The search continues.

So if you have any suggestions for Miz Thang's name, comment away! My only criteria is that it shouldn't be a human name. I don't like to name my animals human names--and before you go pointing out that Sandy is a human name, she came to me already named after a year with her first family.

And shhhhh... this is a surprise for when Mr.W comes home!