down the stairs
granola & tea
bed making
battle
escape
Wishing you a lovely morning.
9/9/13
9/8/13
Sunday - what's for breakfast?
Sunday breakfast at our house is usually a little more special than the weekdays. Chef is home in the morning and the kids are not rushed off to school, so there is a little more time to be. One of our favorites breakfasts are crepes- something I am quite familiar with. Many moons ago I worked in a Swiss restaurant in Park City as a prep cook- the chef gave me the task to make the crepes, they where made in the late afternoon, chilled - ready for the dinner guests to be filled with all kinds of delicious for dessert. It's almost Zen poring the right amount of batter in the pan and swirling it around - seeing the small bubbles emerge and the edges slightly crisping, I could do this for hours....
I grew up eating "pankaker" and " plattar" in Sweden, it is very common in Scandinavian households to eat several times a week- it's quick and affordable. Plattar is just a little difference in size they are much smaller - the pan has several little rounds for the batter- and fun to eat! Crepes are essentially very similar, just less milk in the recipe, easy to make and very versatile- you can either make them sweet for breakfast or dessert or savory for a midday meal or dinner.
I eat mine as simple as they are served in Sweden- simple, with Lingon berries ( if I can find the jam) I like something tart- so the cherry jam works too. Love lemon and sugar- divine. If we are feeling fancy that day we'll add whip cream and maybe fresh berries...that really puts it over the top. Pierre likes to put Maple syrup on every thing (can you blame him- he 's from Quebec) The possibilities are endless- you can really use crepes as a simple neutral palette and add what ever you want to .
Here is the recipe that I use- by Alton Brown-
(I have to admit I do doctor it some- but it is pretty darn great.)
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup flour
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- Butter, for coating the pan
Directions
In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.
Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.
*Savory Variation Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, spinach or sun-dried tomatoes to the egg mixture.
*Sweet Variation Add 21/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur to the egg mixture.
Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.
*Savory Variation Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, spinach or sun-dried tomatoes to the egg mixture.
*Sweet Variation Add 21/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur to the egg mixture.
- Yield: 17 to 22 crepes
"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.”
― A.A. Milne
Enjoy your Sunday!
8/29/13
La Cucina
Any one who knows me...knows that I am always in search of the perfect color. I love to design, decorate and dream up new and really " non important" things to do/add to the house- just because...well, because I love it.
When we moved into our home it was pretty "vanilla " after living here for close to 7 years it has our stamp on it- The kitchen had the most awful blue laminate counters- the walls were painted your standard Navajo white and no back splash. Last year Pierre and I had the tile back splash put in and also the stainless steel counter tops put in- we love to cook and it gets messy- they the counters wipe off easily. I have had several colors on my kitchen wall- lime green (love lime) and currently it is mustard yellow...I don't like how it blends in with the wood trim and cabinets.
This weekend I am rolling up my sleeves and painting again- I found a beautiful paint swatch and had Neil (I am on first name basis with the paint guys in town) match it - he doesn't even blink when I walk thru the doors any longer- he knows that I mean business.
The color I chose is very "unlike" me and I am a bit scared. I am very influenced these days by Scandinavian design and am willing to take more risks after going home and seeing how beautiful they make their dwellings.
I will be back with the reveal next week.
...here goes nothing.......
“Decorate your home. It gives the illusion that your life is more interesting than it really is.”
Charles M. Schultz