Jam Making 101 @ Blue Chair Fruit

On Sunday I took the Jam Making 101 class at Blue Chair Fruit Company in Oakland! I had a delicious time learning from Rachel Saunders, the woman behind Blue Chair Fruit Company! I’ve had her cookbook for awhile and I’ve wanted to make my own jam, but I lacked the confidence & drive to get going. This class definitely gave me the jump start I needed. I can’t wait to go to the farmer’s market this weekend to pick up some fruit. Also, I should note that I completed another item from my 31 comes before 32 list ! #16. Learn how to do canning!

The goal of the class was not to just follow a recipe and make jam, but to understand the elements of jam, how to test for balance prior to cooking and how to preserve a fruit’s flavor integrity while making a jam. In the class, we made 4 different variations of a Strawberry Raspberry Jam. Two of the jams were original recipes and the other two were based on what we, as a class wanted in a jam. I can’t wait to taste the final results (which should show up in my mailbox soon!).
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Uncategorized

June 1, 2011

Podcast Episode #3 is live!

Hey! This week on the Joy the Baker Podcast over at Homefries, Joy & I discuss:

What to feed boys
Wombats
Silly bands (I know, I know)
Important life tips

You won’t want to miss it! Come check it out!

Also! We want to hear from you! If you want to ask us a question, Email us!

recipes, Uncategorized

May 31, 2011

Chickpea & Raisin Salad

I have a problem reading recipes. When I look at a recipe, I pay close attention to the ingredients and instructions. If there’s a total execution time, well that’s cool too, but I never really pay close attention to the serving size, unless I need to make enough for a crowd. For some reason my brain assumes that most recipes serve enough for 4 which means Casey and I might have leftovers. I know, it’s stupid.

So when I made this Chickpea & Raisin Salad and went to rinse 3 cans of chickpeas, I got a little nervous. Let me spell this out for you- this recipe serves not just two, but EIGHT people.

Throughout the week, I ate this salad and mixed it up in several different ways and am happy to report that it didn’t bore me one bit. It’s perfect on its own, but tastes wonderful with feta, spinach, cucumbers, and Italian parsley. Throw it in a wrap! Add some to your salad! It would be great with couscous and grilled chicken and I’d even try throwing some carrot shreds in. Basically, it’s extremely versatile, so incredibly simple and can be eaten at any temperature! I think you’ll love the subtle hint of cumin mixed with the sweet juicy raisins. Just remember that this recipe makes a lot and if you want to brighten it up, add more vinegar.
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around the home, Uncategorized

May 30, 2011

Memorial Day Weekend 2011

We ventured up north to Calistoga to hang out with Casey’s family this Memorial Day weekend. There was some rain, sunshine & a whole lot of eating and drinking (what else is new?). Cooper got to play with his cousins and we all got to hang out in my sister-in-law’s parent’s gorgeous home. I took a few pictures with my cellphone because my digital SLR proved too heavy to carry when I had a drink in my hand.

Here’s what we saw:
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Photography, Uncategorized

May 28, 2011

365- Week 20

A food related photo everyday until 2012. Here’s Week 20:

148/365 Mushroom pie, butter lettuce salad w/ herbs & WINE!
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recipes, Uncategorized

May 27, 2011

Coconut Lime Semifreddo

Memorial Day Weekend is upon us!! Do you have a BBQ to attend? You should totally bring this Coconut Lime Semifreddo. With the exotic Thai flavor profile of coconut, lime & mango, your friends might think you worked really hard in the kitchen. Truth is– you didn’t. But go ahead, act like you did. My lips are sealed.

One bite of this Coconut Lime Semifreddo and you’re transported to a sunny beach in Thailand…. You’re sitting under a red striped umbrella eating creamy coconut- lime ice cream with a layer of toasted coconut, and fresh mango slices on top…. and when you turn your head, there’s a girl riding an elephant coming up behind you. What? You’re not in Thailand? Oh yeah, that’s right. You’re at a Memorial Day weekend BBQ and your friend with the elephant print shirt is asking you for the recipe. Whoops.
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around the home, Uncategorized

May 25, 2011

Organizing Tip: The Missing Sock

Laundry. It never ends, does it? Just when I think I’m square for the week, another load is waiting in the wings. My least favorite part is digging through our enormous pile of socks to find matches. I’ve actually traded 3 weeks of cat litter clean up with Casey so I didn’t have to do it. That’s how much I can’t stand it. I’d rather clean up cat crap than match socks! The reason why I have so many socks? I keep buying them because I’m too lazy to match the ones I have. I’m also really behind on getting rid of the ones that haven’t had a match in years. It’s a vicious cycle, people. But I’m the first to admit I have a sock problem.

I was complaining about my sock situation to my friend Julie a few weeks ago and she showed me this awesome sorting trick. Let me tell you, it has totally changed my outlook on laundry. It makes sock sorting & folding so easy! No more huge, OVERWHELMING pile of socks to match up. With this tip, you simply pull out a few stacks of socks and you’re ready to get matching.
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