And yet another......

....kitchen

I am trying to convince Micah
to build me storage shelves like this.

Another kitchen....

...that I love.

Kitchens are my favorite
part in a home.

found via: Inside A Black Apple

Galette

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

Micah was having dinner
with some friends
the other night,
so I took advantage
of being able to cook
a "Jenn Meal"

Basically
a "Jenn Meal"
is something that
Micah would
gag at the thought
of eating....
but that I would
enjoy greatly.

So if you like both
Butternut Squash
and
Caramelized Onions...

here is the recipe!

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

For the pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into
pieces
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water

For the filling:
1 small butternut squash (about one pound)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons butter (if you have only non-stick, the smaller amount will do)
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced in half-moons
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1/4 cup fontina cheese, grated
2/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves

1. Make pastry: In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Place the butter in another bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove the bowls from the freezer and make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter to the well and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make another well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add half of this mixture to the well. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Prepare squash: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel squash, then halve and scoop out seeds. Cut into a 1/2-inch dice. Toss pieces with olive oil and a half-teaspoon of the salt and roast on foil lined (for neatness sake) sheet for 30 minutes or until pieces are tender, turning it midway if your oven bakes unevenly. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Caramelize onions: While squash is roasting, melt butter in a heavy skillet and cook onion over low heat with the remaining half-teaspoon of salt and pinch of sugar, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in cayenne.

4. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl.

5. Assemble galette: On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Spread squash, onions, cheese and herb mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the squash, onion and cheese mixture, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.

6. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Serves 6.

Irises

Beautiful flowers...

from my beautiful friend
and sister-in-law to be.

Thank you Danielle.

1930's and a Circus

I finished this book last night.

The story is told through the life of a boy who in 1932, right in the heart of The Depression, joins a "Barnum and Bailey"-like Circus.

When I saw it in the bookstore I was instantly fascinated.

I read it in 4 days.

It is a good book and I very much
recommend it.

1930's

I am loving
these fashion photos....

not to mention the outfits!

via: TeenVogue

Found some more....

amazing vintage books.

These are by
Richard Yates

GInger Chicken and Bok Choy

This is
yummy
yummy
yummy!

And for my
gluten free friends....
its great!

Plus
you get to buy
Bok Choy...
I think they are
the cutest little veggie
in the grocery store.

Ginger Chicken and Bok Choy

Ingredients

1/2 cup soy sauce
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
One 1 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
1 bunch scallions
3 star anise
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast, trimmed and halved
Salt
1/2 pound button mushrooms, halved
1/3 pound broccoli
½ pound baby bok choy, halved lengthwise and rinsed



1. In a shallow baking dish, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and ginger; stir in the 2-inch scallion pieces and the star anise. Season the chicken with salt and add to the marinade, turning to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or longer.

2. Heat sauté pan to a medium heat, add vegetables, chicken, and marinade. Simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Add Bok Choy and cook till chicken and veggies are done.

4. Remove from heat and serve over hot rice, drizzling a little bit of the sauce on top and sprinkling it with scallions.

Zoe Regoczy

I love
this art
by
Zoe Regoczy

Collection

I have had this
"collection of styles",
as I like to call it,
on my desktop
for quite a while now.

Each time I found
an ensemble that
stood out to me,
I would save it
for future
shopping references.

Here is what
I like best
about each outfit...

This whole outfit
is wonderful,
but the bag
is what really makes
it stand out to me.

The pants,
the heals,
the scarf,
the blazer;
I love it all.

These days
I have been obsessed
with the 1930's,
therefore I love
this dress
paired with
this scarf.

This outfit
just screams
Mary Poppins...
I love it!

I love the neutral
sand and gray colors
layered on top of each other...
and those tights are amazing!

I found all of these via:
Garance Dore
and
The Sartorialist

Numbers and Letters

I am in love
with these
simple designs.

(via: anthropologie)

(via: Kay Elliot)



(via: anthropologie)

(via: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)

(via: Lovely Package)

5 Senses Friday

This wonderful

Friday Blogging tradition
comes from

abbytryagain.

It's all about
documenting
the five senses
that you
experience
in the week.

Here are my
5 senses...

see:

St. Patrick's Day Shamrocks

(Picture taken during my last California trip)

smell:

Lemons

(Have you ever tried sticking lemon rinds down the garbage
disposal...it makes your kitchen smell wonderful)

taste:

Irish Soda Bread
(Went beautifully with Corned Beef and Cabbage on St. Patrick's Day)

touch:

Robe

(I could wear this robe everyday for hours and hours)

hear:

Records

(A wonderful gift from Lance. Now I can listen to the many records that my father gave me)

Jacquleen Bleu

I am in love
with this jewelry
by Jacquleen Bleu.

Spoons, Knives, and Pots.

I just thought
this art was neat.

Found via: BibliOdyssey

Summertime Cherries

One of the things
I love about
living on the
Flathead Lake
are the summertime
cherries.

All year
I look forward
to visiting
one of the many
Cherry Orchards
that are within
a few miles
from where
I live.

And with a basket
(and 10 dollars)
I can pick
10 pounds of cherries!

Most of them I eat
when they are fresh.

But this year
I was able to freeze
about 5 pounds.

And now,
as the area
slowly approaches
spring,
I can enjoy
summertime cherries.

Chocolate Cherry Muffins
Makes about 10 large muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
Zest of one lemon
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks
1 cup halved, pitted cherries
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1 large eggs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and orange zest. Add the cubed butter to the bowl and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and the egg. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until incorporated. Stir in the chopped chocolate and dried cherries.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center emerges clean, about 40 minutes.

Cool the muffins in their tins for 5 minutes and then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool some more. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Polaroid

Yesterday I mentioned
that I had a new camera
to play with today.

For my birthday this year
Micah's Dad bought me
a Polaroid camera!

I have wanted one for so long...
and now I finally have one.

So I woke up this morning
excited to take some pictures
in the morning sun.

But unfortunately the sun
had other plans.
I was cloudy all day.

Being determined to
play with my gift.
I improvised.

Here are a few pictures
that I took.

I can't wait to take more!

Warming up.

It is warming up
her in the North.

It is suppose to
be 50 degrees
tomorrow!

So, in light of
Spring approaching,
the weather changing,
and me wanting to
capture the last bit of
Northern winter.

I have decided
that tomorrow,
I am going to spend
some much desired time
using my new camera.

And hopefully
I will get some good
shots to show you.

But for now,
here are some
beach pictures
that I took
a few months ago.

These pictures
make me so excited
for the warm weather
to come.