Keep cool this summer by stocking your freezer with make ahead ice cubes

Here is a recipe roundup for make-ahead ice cubes to keep your summer chill. Save time and refrigerator space by making flavored ice cubes to add to recipes, drinks and more.

Kerekes Bake Deco has Silicon Ice Cream Molds that are on sale for 20% off, which would make these DIY flavored ice cubes a fun project.

Green blocks of goodness

Make "Meatless Monday" even easier with Amanda Cohen’s Secret-Weapon Stir-Fry Sauce. This sauce is made with cilantro, parsley, Thai basil, garlic and ginger - or what ever is in your veggie drawer!

Kitchn's freezer friendly tips for making stock

Get cooking lessons from Kitchn - who shows you how to make basic chicken stock and vegetable stock; which you can keep in your freezer to use later.

Infused ice cube ideas

Martha Stewart infuses ice cubes with fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers to enhance your water and help keep you hydrated throughout the summer.  Here are recipes for Cucumber-Basil Puree, Orange-Lime Mix and Lemonade-Raspberry Cubes.

The Right Cup is a company that is selling flavored cups, really! This goal is to help people drink more water and stay hydrated. The Right Cup™ was founded in May 2015 by a small group of people who came together with one common goal: to create and distribute an innovative product that could truly make a difference in people’s lives throughout the world.  Interesting, check them out.

From freezer to table

Fine Cooking shows you how to make pesto ice cubes and offers ideas on how to use them from tossing with hot pasta to using as a topping for grilled meats.

Here is another tip from Martha

Most recipes use only a small portion of tomato paste and the rest goes to waste. Martha shows you how to freeze and then slice up the paste into smaller portions, brilliant!

Instant cocktail cubes (just add booze)

Supercall keeps making drinks easy! Here are great recipes to for make ahead flavored ice cubes to add to White Russians, Sazerac or Negroni for (almost) instant deconstructed cocktails.

Have fun this summer and stay cool.  Send me your ideas on how to make flavored ice cubes to save time and money.

Here is a fun site to check out:
Make something that means something at Craftsy.com

I inherited cast-iron skillets, what do I do now?

Hello dear readers!

Well, it was my birthday last week and my mother sent me two of her beautiful cast-iron pans that have been in our family for years.  This gift was pre-arranged and discussed (I mentioned that I wanted them).  I patiently waited to see what this "surprise" would be.  Would the cast-iron skillets need to be restored? Will I ruin them?  What meals do I remember my mom making in them?  What should I make in them?

I was so excited that I must have mentioned that I was getting these pans to everyone I met. 

And the people I talked to had stories to tell: from having them ruined by helpful guests who zealously cleaned the pans with soap, to just forgetting about them - only to find them later rusty and ruined, to searching for pans in vintage stores to try and restore them back to their former beauty.

The pans that my mom sent me are beautifully seasoned.  Their patina are perfectly black.  I suspect, knowing my mom, that she probably dressed them up a bit prior to sending them to me, but perhaps not.

Given that my mom was a busy working woman her whole life, I somewhat expected a disaster to arrive in the mail. I expected to need to restore them and not be able to use them right away. Since these are in such good condition the restoration project has been diverted.  Thanks, Mom!

They arrived perfectly seasoned and ready to go.  Now what?  A bit of fear ran through my body.  Most of my cooking experience is with using woks, sheet pans and my Le Creuset Dutch ovens. What do I do now?

I texted my mom - so what do I make with these?  She quickly texted me back several ideas.  I have to admit, I am a little nervous having these heirlooms.

There are online-only classes you can take from Craftsy to teach you cooking tips and more, please take a look at Craftsy. 

Part of the fun of receiving an heirloom cast-iron skillet is to try and look up its history and learn where it might be from. 

Most likely my mom’s skillet on the right was made in the 1960’s or shortly thereafter.  It clearly shows that it was made in the USA. The 1960s was about the time when the there were new trade requirements for manufacturers to identify the country of origin on their pieces.

According to this article, if a pan has one or more notches in the heat ring, it is likely a vintage Lodge.

My kitchen is small and my townhouse has an open loft style.  The smoke alarm is too close to where my stove is and our exhaust system is just what is attached to the microwave hung above the range.  

I have been begging my husband to just remove the microwave (we never use it) so we can put in a hood exhaust system; because when I cook, I like to get things hot and sometimes smoke happens. 

My husband has made some comments about these pans: "So should we expect the smoke alarm to be going off when you use those skillets?" or "Should I be ready and waiting to shut the alarms off?" (Just ignore him! He means well and supports my numerous projects!)

So what to cook? 

Epicurious warns what not to cook, which is pretty much anything with acid.  No tomatoes, no vinegar, nothing sweet (although one of the ladies I discussed skillets with told me she that has two: one for sweet recipes and one for savory, which I thought was a pretty good idea) and nothing too delicate, like a flaky white fish.

There is nothing delicate about these pans!  They are heavy.  When I was asking people about their stories and memories about cast-iron pans and skillets, I heard many colorful, funny and sometimes alarming examples of what not to do with these pans.  Some of these stories didn't involve cooking!

My first attempt to cook with these pans will be simple pan-seared filet mignon, with a side dish using my mini Le Creuset cocottes.  I will toss a salad in my new wooden salad bowl that I bought for my birthday last weekend while we were in Sonoma, Ca.

These days, I am cooking for just two, but one of my daughters will be home soon from college for the summer.  I think she has some meals on her wish list. 

If you are interested in shopping for your next heirloom cast-iron pans to pass on you your future generations, try Milo or  Kerekes kitchen & Restaurant Supplies. 

I will update this blog with the results! Stay tuned and please share your family stories with me. 

Thinking Of You - Greeting card tips and tricks shared with you

My mother’s love for music inspired me to make a piano themed card.

My mom has finally moved off Facebook!
What a relief!  No more gushing over her daughter online! No more excessive “Likes” and reveling embarrassing moments of my childhood.
Whew!
...wait, by not talking to my mom via Facebook, I now have the desire to make greeting cards, so I can send them to her and stay connected with my family and friends.
To make this music-themed card, I cut up pieces of black and white paper to look like piano keys. I chose brown colors to represent the wood typically seen in performance halls.  To dress up the card, I added a black bow to make it a black-tie affair.  The music sheet paper was included to tie the theme together.  This took a lot of glueing, but overall - this card was simple to make.
To inspire you to make cards, I am sharing 3 greeting card sources, with great tips and tricks to you get started.

1. Melissa, from “A Vegas Girl at Heart” shows what you can do with just a simple circle punch.  She even provided a simple sketch to help you figure out where and how to place the circles to make it look good.  Thank you, Melissa for sharing this!
2. Just in time for Easter - learn tips and tricks from Marisa from “Omiyageblogs” who shows you how to use parchment paper and stencils to make perfect Washi Tape cutouts and make Washi Paper Easter eggs cards.  
3. Watch Kristina’s tips on how to fold paper into standard card sizes, she also has other great tips to get your started to make your own greeting cards.
4. Here are easy cards to make using Washi Tape - see my examples below from ideas I found on the Internet.  You can buy Washi Tape from a Bump of Knowledge.

Enjoy, and thank you for visiting my blog.

Visit Scrapbookpal.com for supplies.

One-Pot-Meal: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a simple meat and rice dish from Louisiana.  

Earlier this month, my husband and I flew to New Orleans for the weekend.  We happened to catch the beginning of the Carnival season that officially started on January 6 and continues through Fat Tuesday - marking the last day of the season.

New Orleans is a pleasure-loving city with famed common dishes that are heavily influenced by Spanish and French cuisines.  To put you in the mood for Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), I am sharing my modified version of the classic dish: Jambalaya.

To keep this dish easy, you can use store bought stock.  Since it was the weekend, and I had some extra time, I used a technique I learned from Chef Paul Prudhomme's book "Fork In the Road." 

This cookbook is one of the books I inherited from my mother, and was originally published in 1993.

Chef Prudhomme is a Lousiana chef - known for using fresh ingredients and serving upscale Cajun and Creole dishes.

I used Chef Prudhomme's technique to defat stock by capturing the fat solids with ice. 

I had some frozen stock that I made from our smoked Thanksgiving turkey.  I defrosted my stock in the refrigerator the night before and then I packed a mesh strainer with ice and carefully poured the stock over the ice.

This technique removed a lot of the extra fat and solids from my stock and made my stock rich and clear.

I concentrated my stock by slow cooking it on high heat to reduce it down to about a third of its original size.

The stock made from my smoked turkey gave me the smoky taste I wanted.

Next, I chopped up my vegetables, which included the "holy trinity" - a combination of onion, celery and bell pepper.  This mixture is considered to be a building block for many dishes from Louisiana.

The "holy trinity" is the Cajun and Louisiana Creole version of mirepoix.  Traditional mirepoix is onions, carrots and celery.  The "holy trinity" replaces the carrots with green bell pepper.

Along with my green vegetables, I added some red bell pepper to give my dish more color.

One ingredient that you may notice is missing from my recipe is tomatoes.  I chose to go with more of a Cajun-style version of Jambalaya.

The difference between Cajun Jambalaya and Creole Jambalaya are said to be the use of tomatoes.

Since Creoles tend to be more from the city and Cajuns are more from the country - the thought is that Cajuns might not have had access to tomatoes, making their version of the dish is more brown than red.

If you want to add tomatoes - you may want to reduce the amount of stock or add a few minutes to the cooking time for the rice.

The package of Cajun spice that I bought in New Orleans was approximately 3 tablespoons - the perfect size for this recipe.

While we were in New Orleans, I picked up a Cajun Spice Blend package from The Spice & Tea Exchange on Saint Louis Street.

You could mix your own spice blend by making Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning recipe.

If you do mix your own - be sure to save some to make Jean's Healthy Seafood Soup.  Jean lived in New Orleans for many years, and her recipe is very tasty and healthy and captures the soul of Louisiana cooking.

Zatarain's company is based in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

In New Orleans, there are many cooking shops - where I was able to buy some Zatarain's long grain rice.  This size bag is approximately 3 cups - which is what you need for this recipe.

Cured meats add a smokey flavor to the dish.

In my local grocery store, the pre-cooked meats are found in the freezer section next to the beer.  I was able to find some cajun style andouille from Aidells; along with some linguisa (Portuguese style) sausage.

To make this dish more healthy, you could replace the cured meats with shrimp.

If you have a good quality Dutch Oven - you will be pleased to see how the enamel releases the burned spots.

Another technique I read from Chef Prudhomme's book is the scrape and clear technique.  This technique requires you to push your tolerance for what you may think is near burning to what is actually caramelizing in the pan.  

The idea is that divide up your ingredients (two thirds of your chopped onions and bell peppers and a half of your spice blend and cured meats) and cook them to difference levels of "doneness" to vary the taste and texture to create more flavor out of the same ingredients.

You can use this technique while still using one pot.  For about 10-12 minutes, just brown your divided ingredients until the crust seems in danger of burning and then scrape the bottom of the pan to clear all the brown bits and repeat.

Cooking in one pot is easy and there is less to clean up.

After you are done browning your first batch of ingredients, you throw your remaining ingredients into the pot to create a layered look. Then the pot goes directly into your pre-heated oven with equal parts of rice and broth. 

Cook till the rice is done and the liquid is absorbed. 

Finish the rice in the oven. This also reduces the temptation to peek and let the steam out! 

Yield: 8-10 main-dish servingsAuthor: Tara Verburg

Tara's One-Pot-Meal: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 1 hour and 30 MINStotal time: 1 hours and 45 mins

This one-pot-meal is tasty enough for a Sunday family dinner and simple enough to make on a weeknight - putting "The Big Easy" New Orleans lifestyle right in your own kitchen.

ingredients:

• 12 oz. smoked fully cooked sausage (such as linguiça), halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick semi-circles
• 12 oz. andouille sausages, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 large celery stalks, chopped
• 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
• 6-8 large skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cups turkey broth
• 3 cups (19 to 20 ounces) long-grain white rice
• 8 green onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
• Chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 3 tablespoon of Cajun spice blend

instructions:

1. Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F so your Dutch Oven or heavy pan can be placed inside to finish cooking the rice. 
2. Heat Dutch Oven over medium high heat on your stovetop. 
3. Add 2/3 of your chopped onion and bell peppers, celery and 3 bay leaves to the pan.
4. Add 1/2 of your Cajun spice blend and 1/2 of your cured meats to your pan.
5. Heat and scrape the bottom of the pot every couple minutes (using Chef Paul Prodhommes technique and until the crust seems in danger of burning) for approximately 10-12 minutes.
6. Stir in one cup of stock, scrape the bottom of the pot to clear it of all the brown bits and cook for 10 minutes more. 
7. Add the chicken and green onions
8. Add the remaining andouille, seasoning mix, white onions and peppers and stock.
9. Cook until outside of chicken turns white, stirring often, 5-6 minutes.
10. Mix in rice and bring jambalaya to boil. 
11. Cover pot. Place in oven and bake until rice is tender and liquids are absorbed, approximately 45 to 48 minutes.
12. Uncover pot. Mix chopped green onions into jambalaya; sprinkle jambalaya with chopped parsley and serve.
13. Add your favorite hot sauce - if desired.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Decision making tip to help prioritize your bullet journal lists

Use the Pairwise Comparison technique to help figure out what is at the top on your list!

I discovered Bullet Journaling and now I am obsessed.  I have been creating lists of places I want to go, movies I want to watch and things I need to get done!  Now, I want to reorder my list based on what is the most important.

In my career, I have been a Project Manager, Scrum Master, Business Analyst, and Product Owner - all roles that are faced with the challenge to get decisions made and priorities set. I learned this technique called: Pairwise Comparison.

Basically, you create your wish list of all the things you want, in this case my Places That I Want to Visit list.  Ireland has always been a place I want to visit, so it went first on my list.

Then you create a grid where you have to chose one over the other. This forces you to make your choices by comparing them head-to-head.  After you are done, you can clearly see the order of your preference.  In my case, I learned that Cuba is actually the first place I want to visit.

Choose what you want in a side-by-side comparison.

How to make a pairwise comparison chart:

1. List all your choices on the left.
2. List all your choices across the top in the same order.
3. Cross off all the boxes where the item on the left side matches the item on the top.  You don't need to fill out the redundant choices.
4. Work your way through the grid to decide which you prefer over the other.  For example: The first box I had to choose if I wanted to go to Ireland (IR) over China (CH).
5. After you are done making all your decisions, then count up the selections and reorder the list.  In my case, I wrote down my top three: Cuba, Ireland and then Peru.

Use the pairwise comparison technique to help you focus on your true wants and desires. If you are interested in more ideas for bullet journaling, please visit my Pinterest Board.

Bullet Journaling for Lefties: Achieve Smudge-Free Lists in the New Year!

A daily reminder to "Live A Life You Love."

Happy New Years! This is the time of year, where I try to slow down, reflect and organize my thoughts.  It is also the time of year when I like to make a lot of lists.  I create lists for movies I want to watch (the Oscars are coming), places I want to visit, what I hope to achieve in the new year, restaurants I want to try, and the lists go on.

I heard about Bullet Journal (BuJo for short); which is an "analog system for the digital age" that was created by Ryder Carroll, who is a digital product designer.  I was instantly turned off to this idea.

Check out these cute journals sold at Darn Good Yarn.

The idea of going analog and putting down the laptop intrigues me, but being a lefty who can barely read my own writing, the idea of writing things down outright scares me.

Writing makes me nervous. Not the act of expressing myself with words, but physically writing.  I am left-handed, so my handwriting is terrible and I am subject to the lefty smudge. I am the last person to volunteer to be the scribe or write on a chalkboard.

Lefties make up 10% of the population

A fellow co-worker mentioned the company Jet Pens. They offer a sampler kit of pens for lefties.  Is this true?  Are there pens that are better for lefties?

Jet Pens wrote an article "Pens & Writing Supplies for the Left-Handed, where I learned about fast drying notepads that have rings on the top and other options for left-handed people. I ordered a sample of pens from Jet Pens and I have to say these pens are great.  Where have they been all my life?  They dry fast so it helps prevent the smear. I highly recommend these pens for any lefties out there and I plan to order more writing supplies soon.

Putting the pens to the test

I wanted to see which of these pens worked the best and which I liked the best.  I did a pen test in my journal.  First I drew a line with each pen and quickly tried to smear it.  Then I wrote the name of the pen on the line.  Here are the results:

The Pilot FriXion Ball Knock Retractable Gel Pen - 0.5 mm is my favorite, my apologies for the name!

The Pilot FriXion worked the best, but just by a hair over the others in the sampler kit.

I am so excited!  Now, I am armed with pens that actually work for me. I am looking forward to Bullet Journaling and writing things down.  For a few moments of my digitally charged day, I will go "offline" and write in my journal. This journal will not be about work. I will just be a book of ideas to help me organize my thoughts.

Warning: Making lists can be addictive! 

Places I want to go, while I am visiting New Orleans next weekend.

A list of movies that may be Oscar contenders. 

I made a list of lists that you can make yourself:

• Places you want to go
• Savings log
• Healthy snack ideas
• Bucket list
• 2018 goals
• Hydration tracker
• Date night ideas
• Restaurants to try
• Meal planning ideas
• Meals they liked
• Housework, one thing a day
• Daily grateful thoughts
• Seasonal produce for January or the current month
• Movies to watch
• Dream Journal - my first thoughts in the morning

I hope you enjoyed reading my blog!  If you are interested in more ideas for bullet journaling, please visit my Pinterest Board.

Happy 2018!  I hope it is a great year ~ and please live a life you love.

Last Minute Holiday Ideas To Keep Your Season Sane

Need something quick for a Holiday Exchange?  Would you like to stop by the neighbors to say hello and drop off a thoughtful and tasty gift?  Want to offer a small treat to thank your co-workers? In need of a quick host or hostess gift?

Here are some ideas I gathered. Cheers!

Rum and Coke! This cost me about $20 and that includes our Washington state liquor tax.

Bring Holiday Cheer!

Wine and beer are gifts that can make a party festive and fun!

A little booze can be a great ice-breaker for the season. Dress up bottles for a quick gift idea to add something special under the tree or to take to a party.  Please check out my alcohol themed ideas to get the holidays started.

Bark, The Herald Angels Sing! Fa La La La etc...

Holiday bark is a quick and easy treat to give to your friends and family.

The trick to making bark is to not make them too thick. They break easier and are less "fudgie" tasting. You also need to watch when you are melting white chocolate, because it melts at a different time and temperature than dark chocolate.  Here is a link about how to melt white chocolate that you can read before trying these recipes that have a bigger bark than their bite.

Quick Ideas for the Host or Hostess

Keeping things simple is smart when hosting during the holidays.

Holiday are a busy time and calendars fill up fast with all the parties and get-togethers.  Here are some ideas for appetizers and gifts that are easy to make, so you don't show up empty-handed.

Mason Jar Gift Ideas

Mason jars are a pretty way to present gifts to all your Jar Heads.

Homemade gifts can be put in a mason jar or recycled glass to look nostalgic and crafty.  Every year, my mom makes sugar nuts, she can just put them in a jar, tie a ribbon tied around it - and call it good.  You can also make caramel sauce, which is nice to have on hand.  Warm caramel sauce can be drizzled over pancakes or poffertjes (Dutch pancakes) to please kiddos on Christmas morning. Get gift ideas that you can put a lid on.

It's Starting to Look like Christmas!

Simple ideas can add a festive flair.

I love the holidays, but my job keeps me busy and I have to keep my decorating and shopping to a minimum.  Next time you are at the grocery store, pick up holly, cinnamon and other ingredients to make your home festive and smell nice.

Let's Wrap It Up!

Items found in nature are an inexpensive resource to make environmental friendly packaging.

Why do mummies like Christmas so much?  Because it is all about the wrapping.  I tend to love the wrapping more than the gifts, however, as the season carries on, wrapping gifts can start to feel overwhelming.  Don't get too wrapped up and keep it simple.  Here are some quick and easy ideas to wrap the season up!

Dear readers, please send me your ideas on ways to keep the holidays sane and simple.

Happy Holidays!