Fall, Fog & Food

Deep oranges, burnt browns and golden yellows...Fall your hues are passing by so quickly quickly. 

I have been doing a lot of cooking to savor every minute of your splendors. Butternut soup with roasted sage leaves and Mascrapone cheese...A  Cauliflower  Mac and Cheese and Sockeye Salmon with a stone ground mustard and maple glaze and Super greens wilted with caramelized onions and a sprinkle of Blue cheese and cranberries. Take a look... I promise you will be inspired!

  

 

We have a few foggy mornings too that have been very cozy and great for cuddling up with my morning cappuccino and holiday projects. There are quite a few in the works ...and this is a rarity for me to have such a head start but, I am determined to stay the course this year. I am as well keeping up on my sock knitting too.  As a result I am blogging few and far between because I really want to have finished projects to show you. The picture above is an original pattern I am working on for a crocheted gingerbread doll. He is now stuffed and waiting to be adorned. Once the pattern is solid i will share it with you. 

Now back to the food...Thanksgiving...my favorite holiday...no gifts...no crazy decorating...just food and family... This dish below will be on our table this year...

 Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

• a medium head of cauliflower
• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 4 tbls. butter
• 1/4  cup flour 
• 2 cups milk...more if needed...start with one cup at a time
• 2 cups Italian fontina cheese grated
• 1 cup white cheddar grated
• 1 cup Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese grated 
• salt
• white pepper
• 1 container of baby super greens

Cook pasta ahead of time set aside...cut cauliflower into florets and set aside. In a sauce pan melt the butter and add flower to make a roux...slowly whisk in milk and let it thicken ...then add your cheeses and seasonings. Just like making a basic mac and cheese. Add pasta and cauliflower to the cheese sauce and lastly fold in the abby greens. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish,sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake at 350 for 25-30 min. You can cut down the amount of pasta as you like to make it more carb friendly.

About the baby super greens ... I am not a fan greens as I find them hard to master...which is why I am loving the tender baby greens . They are so easy to add to any dish. I am getting mine at WholeFoods...the Organic Girl brand.

Are you adding any new dishes to your table this year? I would love for you to share them. 

Enjoy your Thanksgiving may it be safe and filled with good times and loved ones.

Be well,

Ming

Pumpkin + Cheese = Happy

A little happy was needed  here...

I have been battling some inner ear issues since August and hasn't allowed much computer or creative time since my head feels like it has been in a vice! But, I think I am rounding a corner now ...hopefully! It has been ridiculously busy here with the little guy, soccer, karate, scouts... I don't now how we did it with the four others way back! Joel Jr. graduated to his yellow belt in karate and is having fun during is first go at soccer. He seems to have this tactic on the field of what I call his "Brave Heart battle cry" which he lets out as he charges down the field  like in the movie (and I cringe) and scares everyone away from the ball. I'm pretty sure the other parents are not appreciating it...we are working on better skills on the field. We did get a little chuckle out of it..that's what happens when your on the 5th kid. The older kids think I should paint his face blue like the Scottish warriors!
However, it has been a lovely fall here in New Jersey. My heirloom dahlias are still blooming and kitty is enjoying the deck and the sunshine. One thing I  could manage was comfort food during my malaise. Hey... I figured it would make me feel better...I'm convincing myself it worked! Note...I doubled the cake mixture...if you choose not too adjust pan size accordingly, you can also you a loaf pan.


Pumpkin Cheese Streusel Cake.
For the cake:

• 1 15 oz.can pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 cup oil 
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 brown sugar
• 1 3/4 cup flour 
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. salt 

For the cream cheese filling

• 1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese softened
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup flour

For the Streusal topping 

• 1 stick melted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• pinch of salt

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl set aside. Mix wet ingredients together in a large bowl and then add the dry ingredients. Spread into a  greased 9 by 13 baking pan. Mix the cream cheese filling ingredients together. Add to cake in dollops and them swirl it in.
Bake at 350 for about for about 50 min. While it is baking make your streusal topping again just mixing it all together. After 50 minutes remove cake from the oven and sprinkle the topping and cook for another 10 minutes. Keep checking as everyone's oven is different. So cook till a toothpick comes out clean when poked into the cake.

I also made some pillows for a bench at the foot of  our drive. I got some outdoor fabric from Jo Ann's on sale. I love them!

I hope you are having a beautiful fall as well. Are you baking? What is your favorite fall baking treat ? Next post I have some projects to share. I am also working on a new crochet pattern to share for the holidays! I am loving it so far!

Be well,
Ming

My visit to Jimy Beans Wool...

There is often a scwabble between us in my weekly knitting group...buying yarn at a local yarn store or LYS and buying online. Most of  them agree that you have to touch it, smell it, salivate over it and pet it before you buy it. One friend will rub it against her face and call it "My Precious". I agree to this usually ... except and it is a big EXCEPT for the one and only...creative genius that is called Jimmy Beans Wool.

 

 I stumbled on  to Jimmy Beans a few years back when I worked at a LYS that was going out of business and I needed a certain yarn. I found Jimmy Beans on line and they had it. Soon it became my "go to" store when the local stores couldn't fill my yarn needs...then it all changed. I saw that they had a newsletter and blog signed up for it. No longer was I only going to JBW when I needed more of something that I already had..I found myself visiting the site to see what was new and upcoming!

On our summer vacation to the west coast I realized we were only an hour way from JBW in Reno, Nevada. My pulsed quickened, I  may have started to sweat, my brain started to race...could I convince the hubby and my seven year old to take the side trip? I began to scheme...I was making sure I wasn't spending a lot on souvenirs or fancy dinners..."Souvenirs/food who needs that when yarn could be part of the equation!" I thought to myself. So when my hubby asked what I wanted to see when we were in Lake Tahoe. I smiled my sweetest smile and said " It would be neat to take the yougin' to Virginia City an old gold mining town". The hubby agreed then I threw in "And by the way there is this yarn store..." and the rest is below...

I walked in the show room and aimlessly wandered around. Warm and inviting, I gazed at all the goodies...
The Cascade wall...

 The table of Madelinetosh...

 The table of Lorna's laces...

 More Lorna's Laces...I was in heaven...yarn heaven that is. I wish I could have a wall like this at home!

 Then I  heard you could get a tour of the warehouse. It started here in the yarn garden. This is where my husband and son left me off and hugged mom goodbye. I am pretty sure they were a bit worried if they would see me again! I  was greeted by the warm, friendly and may I say amazingly cool Jeanne. I was among my own kind, as if I went home to the mother land!

 Jeanne started the tour with telling me the origins of JBW. My brain didn't know which way to go...listen to the amazing story or just stare in awe at the amazing isles of yarn. I regained my composure and listened as guided me through the aisles...aisles of yarn and fiber bliss. Jeanne explained all of their adorable "gift sets" and JBW exclusives. The who,what and why's. How they come about. What was working for them and what was not. So many interesting details about the operation at JBW and not just the ususal details...but the real behind the scenes info .Jeanne explained the staff, how she started at JBW. It was a real up close and personal tour. Not something you would expect from an "online retailer".

 Below is their Rowan Pure Wool Worsted Pickle sampler in these adorable canning jars.

  Rows of their exclusive beautiful Flower Bouquets.

 If I could of and it wouldn't of gotten me thrown out or make me look as if I lost my mind... I would have thrown all sense and caution into the wind and went Yarn Diving!!! Now that they know me a bit maybe next time and oh yes there will be a next time!

 Once again I regained my composure and got to meet these lovely ladies of JBW and "Jimmy" herself. We chatted about the business and the industry for a bit. They were so gracious to take time from their busy day to talk with me...cause all those boxes of yarn were waiting for them. I could have sat all day there with this fun and interesting group of gals. However there was shopping that needed to be done. I was not going home empty handed! Back to the show room I went!

 and decided on these beauties...

Some Lorna's Laces, Madelinetosh and Freia fine hand paints along with these adorable stitch markers cam home with me. There would have been more but we tried something new this trip and only had one suitcase for all of us. Big mistake BIG!! Not to worry ...cause all I have to do is log onto my computer and all the gorgeous fiber is at my fingertips!

 Not only does JBW carry the major yarn companies, they work with a lot of independent artist as well...like these stitch markers from Spark made exclusively for JBW.

Still need more convincing...

Check out the JBW exclusive Lorna's Laces Limited Edition yarns.These are my personal favorites and I have mentioned many times on my blog. They are a monthly treat that I look forward to and am completely addicted to. From colors inspired by the Royal wedding of William and Kate to the new STARZ series Outlander. When these are gone they are gone so what are you waiting for!

The adorable gift sets and samplers...check them out and start making your Holiday wish list!

Their newsletters...warm and friendly filled with all the new yarns and great projects...I get excited like a kid on Christmas when I see them in my Inbox!

So my fiber loving friends it does exist...an amazing on line retailer with the feel of a home grown yarn store. Great Company ...Great people!! Go check out for yourselves...you wont be disappointed!

When I relocate to Tahoe in a few years I will go to JBW and beg for a job and they wont have to even pay me...wink wink.

If you want to read  more about the JBW operation check out these articles in the New York Times written about JBW. Really interesting look into the small business world.

And on a side note...Thank you Ladies for the warning about the road leading you into Virginia City!! Wow that road is a DOOZIE! My stomach was in my throat most of the time!

Thank you ladies for a great visit! It was such fun to meet you all!

Be well, 

Ming

Everything was AWESOME...

when we went on vacation to California for a visit with family in the Bay area...

 five days in the Sierra Nevada's in Tahoe

 

  

a day trip to Virginia City, Nevada...

 

 

a final Lake Tahoe sunset

then an eleven hour drive down the coast to San Diego area...

 

  

for a visit to his Mecca ...

 

 

 Oh Cali, I didn't realize how much I missed you! It's been 30 years since my last time with you (Geez, do I feel old!) How I forgot about all your splendid beauty and how your colors inspired me! We traveled the same route as I did when I was 12. The Bay Area, Tahoe, and then south to the San Diego area for the long awaited visit to Lego Land for the little man. He has been talking about it for three years now. So, we finally decided that this was the year to do it. We don't think we have ever seen him happier! I think the face in the picture above sums it up.. don't you? He never wanted to leave the hotel...we had a pirate themed room, very cool!

Our visit with family in the Bay area was so fun. Four little boys...8 and under...that was a bunch of energy in one house. They played extremely hard all day and night. Us parents just watched in bewilderment thinking

 "oh we are so in for it when they are older!!"  Then we were off to Lake Tahoe, Emerald Bay...gorgeous!! Hikes through the Sierra Nevadas. Hair pin turns on mountain roads...my stomach was in my throat much of the time!! Breath taking views all around us. I think I would definitely relocate to Tahoe someday.  We spent a day as well in Virginia City, Nevada...an old gold mining town about an hours drive from Tahoe. The little guy said to me "This looks like the Old West" ...yes child this actually is the Old West, I had to explain to him! Then we drove eleven hours south. It was a gorgeous ride seeing much of the state...but poor Cali, you are sooo dry! That drought is terrible! We saw some Army maneuvers on our drive down the coast...they were waving to us as they drove by...we saluted them back. And, of course I insisted we see a California Coast sunset. The youngin' wasn't happy about it as it took time away from Lego Land (a whole hour..god forbid!) but, he got into taking some pictures... the blurry one of course. Like any good mom I love it cause he took it! The four older kids you ask?? Where were they? Here, there and everywhere this summer. Yes, we left them behind this time...that was a first for us. We did miss them, 

really we did ;-)!

It was a great summer with lots of good times. Now it is time for school. I am always sad when summer ends. I love my kids home with me<3! Tomorrow we send the youngest daughter off to the other end of the world to New Zealand. Our oldest son moved out this summer to begin his "after college life". The older daughter is heading south to Florida and the middle son has been in Vermont working all summer and started his Junior year of University. So, we almost have an empty nest ...at least for us that is what it seems like. Down to one 2nd grader who can not wait to get to school...he got the "cool teacher" this year!

I hope you all had a wonderful summer too! Make sure you stop back later this week to check out my visit to Jimmy Beans Wool in Nevada! Really, did you think it would be a vacation for me without some sort of fiber or craft involved! As my little guy would say,,,"Seriously!"

Be well,

Ming

**the picture of the Lego bike rider, that is the reception desk...that is a whole wall of Lego Minifigures and the wheels are magnifying glass so you can see them!!!