holiday Archive

sparrow tracks: recycled journals

If you’re not feeling particularly crafty this holiday season, but still want to support all things thoughtful, handmade, and artistic – then I have the perfect gift idea for you!

My wonderful (and crafty) mother makes journals and notebooks from recycled and repurposed old books. They come in all shapes and sizes, and are just really stinking cute (and are available for purchase on her Sparrow Tracks Etsy site. In addition, all proceeds from December sales will go to Scarlet Cord Ministries here in Portland.

p.s. That darling pink notebook (pictured above) is only four dollars. Four dollars, people!
p.p.s My mom is awesome.

a handmade holiday (and a recipe for spicy brown mustard).

This time of year is just so overwhelming. It seems that every year, the advertisements get louder, the Black Friday lines get longer, and the things I love about Christmas are seemigly lost in the throes of American consumerism. It all just seems so Charlie Brown, if you know what I mean. And I get so discouraged by insanity of it all! I feel like I need my own personal Linus to come remind me what Christmas is all about.

Because, at the end of the day I believe that Christmas is about a Savior who came to earth. Its as simple as that. And whether or not you share my beliefs on Christmas, I do hope that we can all agree that there is something disconcerting about the modern American Christmas. The holiday has become a hallmark of greed, materialism, stress, waste, and so much more. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

For the past few years, my family and I have participated in the phenomenon that is known as The Advent Conspiracy. The Advent Conspiracy is trying to change how we do Christmas. Their motto is simple: Love All. Spend Less. Give More. I was struck by the simplicity of the statement: so much truth in so few words. To expand upon the motto, essentially The Advent Conspiracy challenges people to change their Christmas spending habits. Instead of spending bunches of money on traditional gifts, they challenge people to instead use that money to do good. They do not suggest that you forgo all gifts entirely, rather they encourage people to give thoughtful and handmade gifts, the gift of time (i.e. babysitting for someone, cooking a meal for someone), and other such gifts. (For more info, watch their promo video here)

So my family and I have done just that. We’ve gotten really creative with our gifts – it’s usually a combination of handmade items (food and non-food), second hand items, or things purchased from local businesses. There are no hard and fast rules, we just do the best we can. And maybe I’m crazy, but I take so much joy in the process. For me, this is what Christmas is all about (Ahem…Charlie Brown). It is about taking the time to invest in those that you love, to gift meaningful and thoughtful gifts, and to use your resources in a way that will benefit others.

So, if you’re like me – and you’d like Christmas to be a little bit more meaningful (or just a little more homemade!) — I put together a list of homemade gift ideas. I haven’t made all of the recipes/crafts listed, but I do want to make all of them at some point! I tried to give a wide range of ideas, and most of them are really simple (and cheap) to make! Merry Christmas, and I do hope you find these links helpful! (p.s. if you have any DIY gift ideas you’d like to share, please send me a comment with a link and I will post them here! Thank you!)

A HANDMADE HOLIDAY ROUNDUP: GIFT IDEAS FOR YOU AND YOURS!

*Grapefruit Cranberry Marmelade (Someone make this for my Christmas present, please?! :) )
*Cranberry Liqueur
*Cute Little Marble Magnets
*Homemade Vanilla Extract
*Moss Terrarium | Tiny Terrarium | Hanging Succulent Terrarium
*Chai Tea Mix
*Ina Garten’s Chipotle and Rosemary Spiced Nuts
*Vodka Infusions (Rosemary Lavender & Rhubarb)
*Lemon or Lime Curd (*Made this for gifts last year – so good!)
*Pumpkin Butter
*Basil & Wine Jelly
*Balsamic Fig Thyme Jam
*Hazelnut-Lavender-Coconut Granola
*Maple Cinnamon Granola
*DIY (darling) Teacup Candles (*made a bunch of these in vintage cups for gifts last year.)
*Spice Blend: Herbds De Provence
*Vanilla Salt
*Homemade Curry Powder (!)

And lastly, here is one of my personal favorite homemade holiday gifts: Spicy Brown Mustard. I made a bunch for Christmas gifts last year, and I’ve been requested to make it again this year (I think it was well-received!). It is SO easy to make – essentially you throw all the ingredients in a bowl and let it sit for a few days and then food process it. Done and done. The mustard is spicy, intense, and oh-so-delicious.

Spicy Brown (Jubelale) Mustard
(Adapted from The Taste of Oregon)

12 oz. Jubelale (or other dark winter ale – original recipe called for the Ninkasi Oatmeal Stout)
1 1/2 cup brown mustard seeds (*important! needs to be brown mustard seeds, not yellow. For any of you Portlanders, they sell them at Limbo)
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Mix all ingredients together in a glass container and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to steep at room temperature for 1-2 days until the mustard seeds soften and all the flavors come together.

After the mixture has sat for a day or two (I think two is best), blend all ingredients in a food processor. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Continue processing until the seeds are coarsely ground and the mixture begins to thicken. This should take about 3 minutes.

Transfer the mustard to clean jars with lids. Seal and refrigerate for up to six months. The mustard will mellow with age.

*Oh, and here is a link to the darling labels I used on my jars of mustard (pictured at the top of this post). Canning Printables from Paper Crave

Spiced Cranberry and Pear Compote

This time of year is just so lovely. I am a sucker for all that the Fall brings: the cold weather, the pumpkin goodies, the colorful leaves, and gigantic holiday meals. But beyond that, this is a time of celebration, of thankfulness, and of family. I think my specific love for the Thanksgiving holiday originated during the years I lived far away from my family. No matter how crazy life got or how distant I may have felt, Thanksgiving was the light at the end of the tunnel: it held the promise of seeing my family. It didn’t matter where my parents lived or what city we celebrated Thanksgiving in, somehow it always felt like home. Candyce would spend hours drawing woodland creatures on Thanksgiving placecards, Danielle and my dad would argue over watching the Macy’s parade vs. watching football, while my mom and I would race about the kitchen to get dinner on the table.

These days, Thanksgiving looks a little bit different. I now live in the same city as my parents (and both of my sisters), and I see them all the time. Thanksgiving is no longer an escape from my crazy life; rather, it is a celebration of all that my life has become! My life is really wonderful, and my family seems to be getting larger by the day. In the last couple of years I have gained a (wonderful) husband, an (adorable) niece, two brothers (in-law), and two sets of in-laws. I have a lot to be thankful for.

That being said, for any remaining posts from now until Thanksgiving, I want to share one thing I am thankful for. Tis the season, right? And if you couldn’t tell from everything I just wrote, the first thing I want to say that I am thankful for is my ever-growing family. I am a very lucky gal, to be surrounded by so much love. (Oh, and this is the part where I am supposed to post a recipe, right? I’m getting to it, I promise! Sometimes a gal just needs to let her true colors show. I’m just feeling a little sentimental today. :) )

As for this recipe, it is a simple and elegant twist on the classic Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce. Over the years, I’ve made many variations of cranberry sauce (compotes, chutneys, etc.) Cranberry sauce is delicious in many forms, and thus I try to switch it up every year. I will admit, this is one of the best cranberry sauces I’ve made to date. It is the perfect blend of winter fruits and flavors, it is low in sugar, and is made from whole fresh fruit. And, this cranberry sauce makes the perfect turkey cranberry sandwich. Let’s be honest: cranberry sauce isn’t so much a Thanksgiving dinner necessity as it is a leftover turkey sandwich necessity. For me, nothing beats the a turkey cranberry sandwich the day after Thanksgiving.

So, if you’re looking for a twist on the ole cranberry sauce, I highly suggest you give this one a try. (And did I mention how stinking easy it is to make? And that you can make it ahead of time and freeze it? Yes, this recipe is a winner.)

Spiced Cranberry and Pear Compote

1 12 oz. bag fresh cranberries (3 cups)
1 ripe pear, peeled and diced
2 sticks cinnamon bark
1/4 cup water
1/4 – 1/2 cup brown or muscovado sugar
Zest of one orange
5-6 whole cloves (or 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Place the cranberries, water, and sugar in a small pot over medium heat. As the water and cranberry mixture heats up, stir occasionally (you’ll hear the cranberries start to pop). As the cranberries break down, the mixture will thicken.

Once the mixture starts to thicken (5+ minutes), add in pears, cinnamon, orange zest, nutmeg and cloves. Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer gently until it reaches the desired consistency (another 5-10 minutes).

Allow to cool before serving or freezing. Be sure to remove whole cloves or cinnamon sticks before consumption!

This compote pairs well with a variety of meats, its fantastic on a turkey sandwich, and it is wonderful on its own (by the spoonful). With a little extra sugar added into the recipe, this also worked really nicely as a filling for mini hand pies (like these mini turnovers I made a while back).

Thanksgiving roundup & Meri’s pumpkin pie.

With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, I’ve been scouring the internet, the newspaper, various cookbooks, etc, for new and inspiring dishes for this year’s Thanksgiving menu. For the past number of years, I’ve been the menu planner for my family’s Thanksgiving meal. Usually, my whole family invades my parents place for the entirety of the Thanksgiving day and I cook like a madwoman (with the help of my mom and sisters), as I try my best to bring new and fun recipes to the table each year. This is how it has always been.

But, things are changing. As many of us know, marriage changes many parts of you life – and holiday traditions are no exception. Not only do I have my family and their traditions to take into account – but I have my husband and his family to think of. Thankfully, both of our families are very understanding and we’ve been able to figure out holiday solutions thus far. The last couple of years, Nich’s mom and stepfather have been kind enough to make the driver over from central Oregon to spend Thanksgiving with my family. This year, however, we decided to make the drive to Prineville and spend Thanksgiving just with Nich’s mom and stepdad. I am excited to take part in their holiday traditions, and to help as much as I can with the Thanksgiving perparations.

That being said, I still have no idea what I am making for this year’s meal! I need to call Meri (my mother-in-law) and see what she has planned – and, of course, see what fun things I can make to go alongside her menu. Nich and I did spring for a turkey, as New Seasons Market was offering Certified Organic Heritage birds from Diestel Farms for $3/lb. (Which, if you’ve read anything about the modern turkey industry you would run far, far away from the typical bird that is served on Thanksgiving day. It is gross, to say the least. I also think that $3/lb is a steal for this kind of bird.)

All that to say, I know we’ll be having (delicious) turkey with my in-laws in central Oregon! I look forward to new traditions, and to bringing a few of my own along with me. If you’re in the throes of planning your Thanksgiving meal (as I am), here are a few helpful links that may inspire your menu!

A few of my own holiday recipes:
(Since I started this blog after Christmas of last year, I don’t have many holiday recipes of my own, but I will link to the couple recipes I have!)
*Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Almonds
*Lemon Mascarpone Tart
*Sweet Potato Biscuits

Recipes I’ve used in past years (and loved!).
*“Real” Green Bean Casserole (No cream of mushroom soup here! This recipe is a bit of work, but totally worth it)
*Apricot Glazed Turkey with Herbed Butter rub (*I use this recipe most years for our turkey!)
*Sauteed Sweet Potatoes with Bourbon, Shallots and Cayenne – funny enough, I’ve made this recipe the last two years and I cannot find the recipe anywhere online! I think I can remember how to make it but it any of you happens to know/have this recipe, please feel free to share!

Recipes I am itching try this year:
*Celery Root Mash
*Crack Pie (The famous – and addicting – pie from Momofuku)
*Mark Bittman’s Braised Turkey
*Roasted Brussells Sprouts with Cranberry Pistachio Pesto
*Sweet Potato Pie
*Bourbon Cranberry Compote

And lastly, here is my mother-in-law’s recipe for REAL pumpkin pie. You know, the kind that is made from an actual pumpkin (and not from a can!). Its a bit of work, but is completely worth it. This is the best pumpkin pie ever.

MERI’S PUMPKIN PIE

To prepare the pumpkin:
First, you will need to purchase a small “pie pumpkin”. Most grocery stores will have pie pumpkins, but beware – they are not the same pumpkins you buy to carve! They are smaller and sweeter.

Clean out the pumpkin well. (Save the seeds to toast & eat!)
Cut the pumpkin into 2″ chunks and place in a large pot with just an inch of water. Bring to boil and then reduce to low with lid on. Steam chunks until they can be very easily be poked though with a fork from the skin side.
Take out of pot and blend or process in a food processor until smooth (you may need to add a small amount of the boiling liquid to make sure it blends smoothly. BE CAREFUL, as hot pumpkin puree burns!
Let the puree cool in large open bowl, cover when completely cool and refrigerate until needed. You can make this well ahead of time and save for later use.

For the pie:
1 pie shell
2 cups pumpkin
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger & nutmeg
a sprinkle of cloves & salt

Combine all ingredients, blend well and pour into shell.

Bake 15 min @ 425 degrees, then bake 30 to 40 min @ 350 degrees. Cook until knife poked into center comes out clean. Let cool completely before refrigerating.

tried & true

(Pictured: Olive Oil Rosemary Cake & Truffled Mac N Cheese)

Sometimes you just want to go back and cook the recipes you know and love. And, while there is nothing wrong with that, it doesn’t exactly make for an exciting food blog. I have nothing to post that you haven’t already seen!

But, just because they are old recipes doesn’t mean they aren’t good ones. As we are entering a new season, my cravings are changing. I want food that is warm and comforting, food that cheers the spirits when the sun goes into hibernation. And maybe you’re like me, and you’re in the mood to go back to something that is tried and true. These are two such recipes.

Last night I baked an Olive Oil Rosemary Cake. I originally made (& posted about) this cake in May. It is such a great recipe, and I’ve been meaning to make it again. It is the perfect marriage of sweet and (just slightly) savory. It isn’t too sweet, or too heavy – in fact, it hangs delightfully in the balance between bread and cake. Its just lovely. So lovely, that I might have had a piece of it for breakfast this morning?

And tonight, I’m going out to my parents house for a birthday BBQ for my husband and my brother-in-law. (Side note: does it say something that my sister and I married guys that have birthday’s one day apart from each other?). My mom is making ribs, and there will be fresh veggies from the garden, fresh peaches, bratwursts from Otto’s, and a cake. I was asked to make a side, and I figured – what goes better with ribs than Mac N’ Cheese?

So, then, I’m going to make some version of my Truffled Macaroni and Cheese for tonight’s festivities. I’m really looking forward to eating it again, as nothing beats a good mac and cheese. (Except maybe the ribs my mom is making, as she did purchase a 1/2 a cow from our friend’s farm this weekend. I don’t really know how I can top that with mac and cheese).

That being said, happy last day of summer, everyone. While I’m sad to see it go, I’m looking forward to all that fall brings: scarves, hats, jackets, sweaters, pumpkin pie, eggnog, cappucinos, mulled wine, and more. (I am not, however, looking forward to rainy bike commutes!)

What are your favorite fall recipes? I would love some new fall inspiration, so please share!

garlic confit.

Confit (French, prounounced cone-fee): “Meat cooked and preserved in fat: meat such as goose, duck, or pork that has been cooked and preserved in its own fat.”

Recently, I have had a mild obsession with all things confit. Specifically, duck confit…I could eat it for days. So, whilst planning my Easter Feast for this year, I came across a recipe for a roast leg of lamb that was stuffed with sundried tomatoes, rosemary, and garlic confit (yes, yes, and yes please.). Knowing what I do about the nature of something that is confit, I assumed that garlic confit would be garlic that is slow-cooked in some sort of fat. And I was right.

This recipe is quite simple, and the results are stunning. The garlic – which is slow roasted in olive oil with thyme and peppercorns – becomes rich, fatty, buttery, and wonderfully fragrant. While I made the garlic confit specifically for the roast leg of lamb, I realized quickly that it can be used to add flavor to any number of dishes. With garlic confit, you end up with whole roasted cloves of garlic and an amazing garlic oil (you store the garlic in oil it was roasted in), so you can use either the garlic or the oil to spice up a recipe. I used some of the garlic confit cloves in my roasting pan when I roasted the lamb, and I used some of the oil on the winter vegetables I roasted for Easter dinner. The confit can be pureed and spread on crostini, using in dressings and sauces, roasted with vegetables, etc. The list goes on.

I am still getting back into the swing of things from my vacation, but never fear – the rest of my easter lamb recipe will be posted shortly. For now, go make some garlic confit!

Garlic Confit
Adapted from How to Roast a Lamb by Michael Psilakis
MAKES 3 CUPS

3 cups garlic cloves, peeled (to make your life MUCH easier, you can buy peeled garlic cloves at Trader Joes)
1 fresh bay leaf or 2 dried leaves
8 to 10 sprigs fresh thyme
Kosher salt and whole black peppercorns
About 2 cups blended oil (50 percent canola, 50 percent extra-virgin olive), as needed
Put the garlic cloves in a heavy, covered braising pan or Dutch oven. Add the bay leaf and thyme, a scant tablespoon kosher salt, and 15 or 20 black peppercorns. Barely cover with the oil.

Cover the pan and braise in a 300°F oven until the cloves are pale golden and very tender, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool it to room temperature.

Transfer the garlic and all of the oil to a sterilized jar. Press a square of plastic wrap down directly onto the surface of the oil. Place another square of plastic over the rim of the jar and twist on the lid or secure with a rubber band. With every use, replace the square of plastic that touches the oil and use a perfectly clean fork or tongs each time to prevent cross-contamination from other surfaces in your kitchen. As long as the cloves are covered with oil, they will last for at least 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

lime curd.

For the past few years, my family and I have taken steps to make Christmas more meaningful, and less commercial. We don’t have any hard-and-fast rules as to how this works, but we tend to give gifts that are thoughtful, home-made, or from a thirft store. I was skeptical when we first started, but now I can’t imagine any other kind of Christmas. I absolutely love it! The gifts are thoughtful, unique, and I believe they are in line with what the heart of Christmas really is (stop me if I sound too much like Charlie Brown).

This, however, has posed a problem for me. I am not what I would call a ‘crafty’ person. I can’t draw, I can’t sew, I can’t paint, etc. Making gifts just isn’t my thing. I do cook, but I am tired of giving people shortbread cookies for Christmas every year. I knew I needed to branch out. After all, food gifts need not be limited to mere plates of cookies! The possibilities are endless. Thanks to a few delightful food blogs and my trusty friend Google, I found countless recipes for amazing gifts.

So, this year I decided to try my hand at canning lemon curd. The first batch was delicious – I used a combination of Meyer lemons and regular organic lemons – but I ended up eating most of it and realized that I didn’t have much left for gifting. When I went to the store to get more lemons for batch #2, I noticed that limes and key limes were on sale and thus the idea was born – lime curd!

For this recipe, you can use either lemons or limes. I will admit that limes are easier to juice and have less pulp and seeds, and the Lime Curd seems to be a little bit sweeter than the lemon curd (Nich says he prefers the lime over the lemon).

Lime Curd Recipe

(Makes approx. 2-3 cups)

Supplies needed:
Juicer
Large Sauce Pan
4oz or 8oz canning jars with lids (I use 4oz. They are so cute!)
Whisk
Mesh Strainer or Cheese Cloth

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 Cups of fresh squeezed lime juice (from 8-12 limes)
10 tablespoons of chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
6 eggs, plus the yolk of one egg
Zest of 2 limes (cut into large pieces for easy retrieval)
1 cup of sugar
Green food coloring (**optional. Since lime juice isn’t really green, without coloring the curd is a yellow-ish color. I added a tiny bit of green food coloring to my curd, and I must admit, it makes a prettier curd.)

Instructions:

1. Juice the limes (tip: rolling the limes with your palm on the counter will yield much more juice), taking out any seeds or large bits of pulp.
2. Mix the eggs (and yolk), sugar, and limes together until the sugar is totally dissolved. Pour into a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. Do NOT bring to a boil, as the eggs will curdle. Whisk for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add in a few butter cubes at a time while whisking. Keep adding until all the butter is melted, and whisk for 7-8 minutes, or until the lime curd is the desired consistency (should be thick, almost pudding-like). If you are adding food coloring, now is the time to do so.
4. Remove from heat and pour through a strainer or cheese cloth into a bowl. Cool at room temperature for an hour. I put a piece of plastic wrap over it (so a film doesn’t form on top).
5. Transfer to sterilized jars. These can be stored in the fridge (lasts for 2 weeks or so) or they can be frozen.

Voila! Here’s to homemade Christmas gift #1!