Holly Blog

110...My Favorite Things...Making a Pit Stop!

I'll spare you all of my not-so-clever racing metaphors today, but we are zooming towards Portland Quilt Market...Between the weather (think snow, snow and more snow) & the work load (11 weeks to go) it feels like I haven't left the house in weeks.

Coming up the stairs today with a cup of tea, it dawned on me that my desktop told my story better than I could...

I'm working on some colorations for one of the new lines...With 30 drawers full of color chips, the mess on the top of my desk is only the tip of an iceberg.  I'm attempting to blend a new idea and colors with some of our LakeHouse Library favorite patterns and colors...Making no predictions yet...fingers, toes and eyes are crossed...

Meanwhile, we've had a lot of drama with the kitties...Jasmine, my "Rescue Remedy Kitty" disappeared over a week ago off the property. Paton and I searched around-the-clock for days.  It's been absolutely heartbreaking, as she had shown such promising signs of accepting us and being indoors this winter.  After spending every night (and a lot of days) in a basket on my desk for the last three months, and accepting a lot of attention, she vanished.

Vickie-Dixie had to have 4 teeth pulled last week.  My guess is that her teeth got bad when fending for herself and her kittens before she got to the shelter where we adopted her.  She has been a model patient these last few days. Here she is enjoying the radiant heating in the (yet unfinished) bathroom.

So now we are caught up a bit...Lots more to show and tell.

Back in two shakes...H2

One more important thing...I had promised three give aways to the first 3 new people visiting the blog after my recent guest posting on the Jolly Jabber.  The winners are Corey, Erin and Babara from Feb 8th.

It looks like two of the first three have no tag back, so I need emails addresses from you  gals  ;)   

My Favorite Things...109...Pink & Blue!

Knowing how popular our Hydrangea & Raspberry fabric has been (for "pert near" a decade!) We re-released it again last fall in two of my favorite colorations...In a little over a month, we'll have a NEW panel fabric that is a sister design to these latest Hydrangeas.  It's LH 07017 Hydrangea Corsage...I just love it!  There are 6 different "corsage styles" in the panel.  Here's a close up of one of the styles in the two colorways.

Many of you know the colors by now of our Fall 2007 intro'd Hydrangea fabrics...But for the newbies, repeat after me:  "Pink and Blue". 

When I say that to myself, I have to chuckle a little bit...As I take a trip down memory lane...

This time it's all the way back to high school..."Back in the day", I a) was very active in Young Life, b) was an avid skier and c) was totally boy crazy and d) had not only a head-to-toe powder blue ski outfit, but a pink ensemble (that I made for myself) as well.  Without giving you every unflattering detail, let's just say there was a lot of mashing aka "making out" on the Prospect High School & the Young Life Ski Trip buses.  "Pink and Blue"  was the jeer that would be bandied about whenever the bus stopped for gas and a pit stop,( and a couple would unlock their lips for a few minutes)...(Translation:  Get any closer with that guy or gal and you might be needing pink or blue booties in nine months.)

Looking back, it's all really funny to me, especially since pink and blue still remain two of my most favorite colors...What's with that?

With that off of my chest ladies, I am yet again in the horns of dilemma, and need your assistance.

We "needs a name" for this new quilt design, (if I can use your quilt name, you win a prize!)

Here's the Heron Blue colorway...

And the Petal Pink...

Looking forward to reading your suggestions, gals.
Have a relaxing weekend.

Back in two shakes...

H2

109...My Favorite Things...Winter Soups, Part One

It's cold here in these parts, and when it's cold, I want to eat soup, soup, and more soup.  Since I'm usually time-challenged, short cuts are the only way to go...I stock up on these Orrington Farms soup bases whenever they are on sale.  The chicken flavor has about 25% less sodium than some of the other brands, and the beef has significantly less sodium.  Admittedly, all soup stocks have some form of multi-syllabic scary sounding chemicals, but better living through chemistry I say...

My soup starts with my version of "Miripoix" or what some call "the Holy Trinity". Standard Miripoix is equal parts chopped carrot, celery & onion.  I don't use the celery that much, primarily because I cook in a style influenced by several ethnic cuisines, where IMHO, cilantro does a much better job.

If you don't like cilantro...oops!

Fair Warning:  Unless I am baking, (where proper chemistry is the key to success) my cooking style is "add a little at a time and correct".  That's one of the reasons I love soup, because it doesn't take a high level of skill or concentration to make it.

I whipped up this soup for everyone in the office for lunch on Friday, and Danielle our new intern almost whined (!) for the recipe, so here goes:

This soup will have a southeast Asian influence, (Yes I know that in most parts of the US it's nothing like Thailand, but this will still satisfy, I promise!)

In a large stock pot or stainless steel wok (It's what I cook in here at Casa No Cucina):

2 T oil of your choice (I cook mostly with EVOO)
"Hollypoix":  3/4 cup each of chopped carrots, cilantro* & onions

*chop a cup's worth and save some for the garnish

Saute until the onions are translucent. (Keep this mixture moving so that it doesn't burn)

Add:
2 T chicken soup base mix (to start)
2 T low sodium beef soup base (to start)

2 quarts of water

Add your vegetables.
Yesterday I added chopped broccoli...but almost anything green will do.
Allow to come to a boil for a minute.

Add rice noodles...
I use Ka Me vermicelli, it's great because it takes only 3 minutes and doesn't get all gummy.
Boil for 3 minutes.

While it's boiling add 1 lb of chopped chicken breast
(It's really much nicer if the chicken isn't cooked until it's like rubber!)

While you're at it, throw in a 1/2 box of frozen baby peas.
(Also prettier and better tasting when not over cooked.)

Once the chicken is cooked, add 1 T of curry powder (McCormick's is good)

Cook for a minute or so and correct your seasonings...more soup base, more curry, etc.
(Like I said, soup is very forgiving.)

At this point, you have a really good and low calorie soup.

But if you are a "petite cochon comme moi", you'll add:

One half to one full 16 oz. can of coconut milk   

Let the soup simmer for 3 or 4 more minutes (hint:  once you add any milk or cream to a soup, try to not let it get back to a full rolling boil!) 

Check & correct your seasonings one last time.

In each person's bowl, throw a little extra chopped cilantro on top to finish her off.

If you have any soup left over from the meal, I'd suggest that you scoop out the noodles and save them in a separate container from the liquid.  That way your next bowl of soup will be every bit as nice as your first.

Makes 4 to 6 meal sized bowls of soup...

It takes about 15 minutes of pre-prep time and 15 minutes to make this soup.  Paton has gotten really good with his knife skills, so we can have soup made in 20 minutes if we work together.

Enjoy!

Back in two shakes...H2

I'll show you pictures of the soup as soon as I can get my flash to work on my camera, it's acting wacky again.  In the M/T, check out my guest post on Kimberly Jolly's blog this coming week...I'll let you know when it's up.