November 16, 2017

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

After 10 years of blogging, I have compiled all the recipes I need for a good Thanksgiving!

Actually- there’s only one recipe I haven’t blogged. It’s the Mark Bittman’s braised turkey recipe that I’ve been making for the past three years now. IT IS AMAZINGLY moist and flavorful and it makes sooooo much gravy (which my family LOVES). If you are looking to shake up your turkey game this year, try it! It is less daunting than roasting a whole bird in the oven.

One week away from the big day!!!!

This is the start of my list:

Here are a bunch of Thanksgiving Menu Ideas to help inspire your meal planning:

recipes

November 15, 2017

Persimmon Bars with Lemon Glaze

So, your super cute neighbor who reminds you of your late grandfather gives you over 5 lbs. of persimmons… WHAT DO YOU DO???

You look up PERSIMMONS in the back of all of your cookbooks and find a recipe that looks intriguing and doesn’t require a trip to the store because you don’t feel like putting a bra on and your pantry is stocked. That’s when you make these super moist (sorry) and delicious Persimmon Bars with Lemon Glaze.

They taste like carrot cake but there’s no carrot in them…just persimmons. So, there ya go! A recipe to help you dip into that persimmon hoard given to you by a generous neighbor. And OF COURSE, you share the cake (or two!) with said neighbor. This IS the season of giving thanks, after all!

LISTS

November 13, 2017

Intentions for the Week:

Hello hello!

It’s Monday.

We’re about a little over a week away from Thanksgiving and I haven’t given it much thought. Time to remedy that! I’m hoping to post something about how I prep for Thanksgivin this week so stay tuned!

This past weekend was a slow down/no plans except lunch at Zuni weekend around here. I spent most of the time organizing the house, getting my studio space together and researching stuff online. Some weekends are best when you just lay low and recharge. Turns out you can really go down a rabbit hole of youtube tutorials. I also tried my best to not fall asleep while watching Stranger Things 2 this weekend (we are finally on the 2nd season!). It’s not that it’s boring, it’s just that we start so late and I am waking up early these days (sometimes at 5AM!) so I can’t keep my eyes open. Enough about that, let’s dive into Monday with a few Intentions for the Week.

Intentions for the Week:

take dance class & yoga class
LAUNDRY- get it done and don’t leave anything sitting in a basket!
play date/coloring club
make kombucha
make new cookie recipe
test recipe for Nugget
get house in order
clean out car
straighten up inside of garage
build some time in to do leisure reading
start going over holiday card address list
catch up on social media
do some meal prep
clean out fridge
keep the kitchen clean
send out letters
return library books
bring donation into thrift store
sew curtains for office/studio
bank appt?
map out Thanksgiving
bookkeeping
eat better/move body!

Last Week’s Intentions:

~~continue the streak of productivity~~
~~take a dance class~~ (took boxing!)
stay on top of laundry (could have done better)
map out Thanksgiving
~~get outside every day~~
make better food choices (I tried!)
~~setup workspace for~~ photoshoot
~~catch up on social media/figure out~~ coschedule ~~plugin issue~~
research haircuts if I have time (didn’t, just wore a ponytail and forgot about it)
~~try a new recipe or two~~ (persimmon bars soon & these meatballs)
go through ~~my inbox and clean it up~~
~~make something with persimmons~~ – maybe this cake
match all the socks in my house (didn’t do)
~~sort through that paper pile I’ve been saving~~
trip ~~to the salvation army~~
~~return library books~~
~~organize letters/write some~~
bank appointment… still need to go
~~put the summer clothes up on the shelf in~~ closet
~~bring in all the patio cushions/furniture~~
~~drink more water (this helps)~~

Mantra for the Week:

What about you? What do you have going on this week?

Leave some intentions to help hold yourself accountable!

my everyday life, Photography

November 12, 2017

My Everyday Life: Week 45

Here’s what this past week looked like: My Everyday Life Week 45

Ginkgo leaves remind me of my Aunt Marilyn.

They’re all right outside my PO Box and it makes me so happy.

New gouache setup.

I heart art supplies!

Thinking of my Mom while walking downtown.

One of my favorite outfits currently. I am thinking I should challenge myself to another winter capsule this year. If anything, I need to figure out all the outfits I can make out of what I have left in my closet.

I tend to wear the same thing all the dang time.

Coming soon!

It rained off and on this week.

The air smells so clean. Wet redwoods are my favorite.

GET LOW.

Enchanting.

LISTS

November 10, 2017

I LOVE LISTS

I LOVE LISTS:

A backstage pass to history. Some lovely photos in here.
I’m Winona Ryder… oof
Sexual harassment in the food industry. See also Tom Colicchio’s response.
If you’re also obsessed with reading about birthdays, GET LOST HERE.
MARTHA is a beast!
Sometime to watch once you’ve finished Stranger Things Season 2
Very satisfying.
In search of the authentic selfie.
Inspired by: Tammi + Andrea’s November Challenge + Becca
It’s kinda fun to see what people wear to work.
This makes me want to style a tray combo immediately.
This is the future of grocery shopping???? GOD NO.
UNSEND!
How to make the perfect pie crust.
Fingers crossed!
Is Mark Zuckerberg the last believer in Facebook?
If you’re having problems with your iPhone (like I was!)
How often should you take a vacation?
Perfectly framed photos are my favorite.
A photographer recreates a Dali scene. So cool!
From confessional poetry to reality tv….
What is this even?
Weekend reading: The Empath’s Survival Empath

recipes

November 8, 2017

Meatballs Marsala with Egg Noodles

Deb has a new cookbook out! HOOOOOOOORAAAAAAY!!! If you’re trying to work your way out of a food rut (ahem, cough cough cough ME), THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.

Smitten Kitchen Every Day— out now!

So far I have bookmarked the following recipes:

Granola Biscotti, Sticky Toffee Waffles, Bloody Mary Shrimp Cocktail, Sushi Take Out Cobb, Broccoli Melts, Brocolli Cheddar Wild Rice Fritters, Brussels and Three Cheese Pasta Bake, Banana Bread Roll, Blackout Brownie Waffle Sunday and SO MUCH MORE.

The first recipe made was a hit: Meatballs Marsala with Egg Noodles & Chives.

This one is definitely going into the rotation (for Casey and me at least!). They’re light yet decadent. So tender and velvety! Husband asked me to make more next time… and he didn’t even complain that they were chicken and not beef. In other words, VICTORY.

LISTS

November 6, 2017

Intentions for the Week

Here we are! MONDAY. A new week with some time shifting. I spent the extra hour (or 7) cleaning our house yesterday. It feels good to start the week with an (almost) clean house. I worked on my office/studio and cleaned up this corner that was driving me nuts. If you’re on Instagram, sometimes you can watch some of my #highstraightenance when I get in a zone. The internet holds me accountable. Thank you, internet.

Here’s what my finished space looked like.

This week I have a few photoshoots to prep for. People are coming over so I’ll be more motivated to finish cleaning house. If you ever want to clean your house fast, INVITE PEOPLE OVER.

Someone asked me what Cooper wanted for Christmas and I was like…let me get through Thanksgiving first. But in the back of my mind, I’m already thinking about holiday cards and how I am going to move things in our living room to make room for a Christmas tree. This week, I plan on mapping out our Thanksgiving + solidifying who brings what and what we’re going to have for breakfast the next day.

I also need to start eating healthier. Some bad habits have caught up with me…and I need to start making some better choices.

This is the time for me to look back at this post: