on my love of food.

there is just something about food.
to me, even an ordinary dinner can speak volumes.  at least that is my perspective.  i know not everyone can understand this,  but some of my most intimate and involved relationships have revolved around food.  to me, cooking and eating together = love.
i have always taken pride in our family dinners.  as the years have passed the dinners have changed.  we no longer have the chaos of a young family, which was both wonderful and maddening, and it is something i have sorely missed. we still have dinners together just not as routinely as we used to.  but it means a lot to me that i have taught my children how important it is to take some time to enjoy a meal together and i am grateful to have had the opportunity to instill this ritual in our family.

i feel eating connects people in such a good way.  perhaps it goes back to my childhood where my mother always saw to it that we sat down to a proper meal each evening.  we learned a lot about each other around the dinner table. my memory of my own family growing up is that of a full dinner every evening with a million friends, a phone that was always ringing, a lot of plans, dinner parties, coffees, and people stopping by just because.  one of my mother’s many gifts is her immediate and expansive warmth, the genuine way she welcomes everyone into her life.
she taught me you can experience a  whole country through food without ever having been there. cooking has always been my easiest way of understanding the world.  i can relate to food-  it's just that simple.

there are still so many things in life i want to do and experience -  food and travel are at the top of that list. when i have travel thoughts in my head they usually consist of a huge table filled with all sorts of dishes from wherever i am dreaming about traveling to.  when i visited france i was truly amazed at the government decree that children spend a minimum of 30 minutes at the lunch table. meals aren't just about eating but also about socializing with friends.  teaching children to patiently sit thorough meals and enjoy conversations with loved ones is such an important skill in life.
when we visited italy all my dreams came true.  the food, the people, the connections, it was everything
i ever thought it would be. and of course, food was at the center of it all.

so maybe for today you can take some time to plan and enjoy a special meal with someone you love.
i think candles, tablecloths, and special dishes make things magical.

"all great change in america begins at the dinner table."
Ronald Regan

love sent, xo

dear october...

i think i say this every month, but again,  i can not believe we are turning the page on another month.  
october makes me want to wrap myself up in a quilt, eat bowls of soup and burn pumpkin spice candles all over the house.   october has some heart hurting memories for me and i can't look at the month and not remember them.  it's not that i don't think of those memories at other times,  it's just that sometimes my heart is not prepared for some of the feelings that surface at this time of year.  *sigh*

but it's just another confirmation of the balance of easy and hard that we all have to live through.

i guess this week summer is returning, and i must say, i am totally looking forward to it.  sunshine always makes me feel better.

this month i plan to:

stay focused
listen to new music
sing in the shower (be glad you can't hear this)
make lists
take walks
get lots of rest
allow myself to make mistakes
count my blessings
plan a dinner party
burn pumpkin spice candles
be open
read more books
eat cider donuts
take more pictures (this might not be possible)
reflect on the memories.  


love sent, xo

hello october

crunch top apple pie

ingredients

dough and filling:

• dough for a double crust 9-inch pie (homemade, or refrigerated)

 

homemade really flaky pie crust   (or buy pillsbury)

makes enough dough for one double or two single-crust pies.

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks  unsalted butter,  cold
• (keep a cup of ice water on the side)

in a large bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt. dice two sticks cold unsalted butter into 1/2-inch pieces.

sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour and begin working them in with the pastry blender, using it to scoop and redistribute the mixture as needed so all parts are worked evenly. when all of the butter pieces are the size of tiny peas  this won’t take long — stop.  even if it looks uneven.

 

start by drizzling 1/2 cup of the ice-cold water over the butter and flour mixture. using a rubber  spatula, gather the dough together. you’ll probably need an additional 1/4 cup  of cold water to bring it together, but add it a tablespoon as a time. once you’re pulling large clumps with the spatula, take it out and get your hands in there.  gather the clumps together into one mound, kneading them together.

divide the dough in half, and place each half on a large piece of plastic wrap.
let the dough chill in the fridge for one hour, before rolling it out.

dough will keep in the fridge for about a week, and in the freezer longer.

 

filling

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• dash salt
• 4 1/2 cups peeled, chopped cooking apples
• 8 oz apple sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons butter, chopped into small pieces

 

crunch topping:

• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• dash salt
• 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
  

directions

preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

line a 9-inch pie pan with half of dough.  combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. stir in apples, applesauce, and lemon juice. spoon apple mixture into pie plate and dot with butter. cut remaining crust into strips; arrange in a lattice design over top of pie. for crunch topping, combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. using a fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. sprinkle over top of crust. bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for about 50 minutes, or until crust and topping are golden brown.

enjoy, xo

accentuate the positive.

was there something that  happened this week that made you feel a deep appreciation for someone?  or something that really connected you to someone or made you feel energized?  maybe it was a surprise encounter with a person or nature or spirit.  maybe you intentionally changed your thoughts and created feelings of freedom, love, courage, feeling sexy,  or brave.  
perhaps you found beauty or beauty found you and it blew you away.   (via danielle laporte).

remember it and document it. 
it totally helps you see the beauty in your life.

mine was a beautiful necklace received in the mail engraved with a fortune of "magic is something you make" 

 

 magic.

it's everywhere.

 click here to order

love sent, xo

late september...

it's early morning.

i close my eyes and wish for another hour of sleep.
there is a hot shower and coffee.
a chill in the air and a bed to be made.
a buzzing black berry and a chock- full in box.
a desire to just sit and watch the morning light on the grass.
there are your eyes and the safety they harbor.
the lifetime they speak.
a slow ride to work and a reminder of patience.
an unanswered phone call and a txt with some dinner plans.
thoughts of new ideas for the house and a vacation on the horizon.
may i remember today to say yes to laughter.
today is tuesday.  an ordinary day.
filled with everything and nothing.

love sent, xo

happy monday...

some of my favorite things this month

• the beautiful fall weather.  warm days,  cool nights
• my new fall mantle
  
• the promise of wearing cozy socks soon
• long walks
• football
• the new restaurant we have been frequenting
• making homemade pasta
  
  
  
  

• making all sorts of things from the abundance of garden produce
• coconut shampoo and conditioner
• less coffee and more tea with honey

the sky is blue and all is quiet at the moment.

love sent, xo