Clean Slate

Photos, above, from Crate & Barrel

Have you seen Crate & Barrel's new line called Clean Slate? I've never seen such a beautiful catalog of utilitarian products! The photography makes their cleaning and storage products look almost sexy. They make me want to pull out my rubber gloves and get to work! I mean, no one really enjoys cleaning, right? But Crate and Barrel sure knows how to make housework look stylish.

When I received the Clean Slate catalog in the mail, I was instantly smitten. I had to restrain myself when placing an order (and there was free shipping!). I could have bought one of everything, especially the beautiful German Redecker brushes, above. How cute is that hedgehog crumb brush!

Instead of buying more than I needed, I ordered just a few items: a divided tote to use as a hamper, a Redecker rubber-bristled lint brush, and a bottle of Caldrea hand soap in sea salt neroli. When my package was delivered on a Saturday via FedEx, I was like a kid on Christmas morning. I am very pleased with the hamper and the lint brush, which is ideal for getting pet hair off clothing and upholstered furniture (so handy when you have three dogs!). At first I wasn't crazy about the smell of the hand soap, but it's growing on me. Plus, I like the pretty yellow print on the label (I'm a sucker for well designed packaging).
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While we're talking about cleaning, I have to mention a great product that anyone who has pets in the house should have on hand. Nature's Miracle uses "nature's enzymes" to remove organic stains and odors, including urine and throw-up. So far, I've had good success with this product. 

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Urine odor can be especially hard to get out of a rug or carpet, and Nature's Miracle doesn't use perfume to cover up odors. When our oldest dog, Phoebe, was on chemotherapy, she developed a urinary condition which caused her to have a couple of accidents. Nature's Miracle worked well and removed all traces of odor. We were, however, left with a lighter colored stain on our natural fiber rug, so be sure to test the product on an inconspicuous area first.

Decadent (gluten-free) Pecan Brownies

These decadent, ultra-moist brownies use cornstarch instead of flour to give them structure. Cinnamon adds an exotic flavor, but you can omit it if desired. And if you don't like pecans, then walnuts or hazelnuts would be a good substitution -- but I wouldn't recommend making them without nuts! They help break up the gooeyness of the brownies.

Decadent Pecan Brownies
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8" square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2" overhang on all sides. 
2) Whisk together 1/3 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Set aside.
3) In a large, microwave-safe bowl, microwave 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into pieces) and 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted and smooth (about 2 minutes total). Stir in 3/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Stir in 3 large eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add cornstarch mixture and stir vigorously until mixture is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans. 
4) Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes, rotating pan halfway through (note: my toothpick came out clean - no crumbs). Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Using paper overhang, lift brownies out of pan. Makes 16 squares. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days (they're so good, they won't last more than three days!). 

From Everyday Food.

Lunch Box Idea #3: Lentil Salad

Here is the third in my series of healthy lunch suggestions. After this I'm going to take a break from lunch ideas, at least for a while. What a delicious, healthy salad this is, and so easy to prepare! Just combine small brown lentils with celery, walnuts, feta, red grapes and a slightly sweet vinaigrette dressing. I simplified the recipe by using ready-to-eat lentils from Trader Joe's (featured here). 

A note for those who enjoy collecting kitchen ware: the green glass container above is a vintage refrigerator dish (there is a matching lid). I enjoy searching for these at antiques stores and fairs. I have another green dish that's rectangular (and quite heavy!) and a really pretty square dish in a deep teal color, which I've only seen once. I have many clear dishes as well, both round and square. This small green dish was just right for a lunch serving of lentil salad -- I like the way it made the celery stand out. It's the little things ....

Lentil Salad with Feta, Walnuts and Red Grapes
Directions:
1) In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons honey and 3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. 
2) In a large bowl, combine 3 cups cooked brown lentils (or a 17.6 ounce package of cooked lentils from Trader Joe's), 3/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts, 1-1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved, and 1 celery stalk, sliced. Pour dressing over lentil mixture and stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese and toss gently. Enjoy!

Adapted from Everyday Food

Lunch Box Idea #2: Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Whip up this tasty Mediterranean chickpea salad one evening and you'll have a healthy lunch to take to work the next day. The following recipe makes two servings.

Rinse and drain 1/2 cup canned chickpeas. In a bowl, combine them with 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes, and 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese. In a small bowl, combine 5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, 1- 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If you wish, add 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Whisk dressing to combine and pour over the chickpea mixture; toss lightly. Serve with a rustic white or whole grain bread. Enjoy!

Lunch Box Idea #1: White Bean and Broccoli Salad

I don't know about you, but I think coming up with healthy lunches each day can be challenging. I don't eat fast food, and frozen meals tend to be high in sodium and fat, but when I do stock up on them, I stick with Amy's brand. Everything is vegetarian and delicious. My favorites are the broccoli pot pie and anything Mexican! 

I am so lucky to live just a half mile from work, which means I go home for lunch each day. I'm able to visit with the dogs and let them out before grabbing something to eat. When there are leftovers, lunch is quick and easy. But when there aren't, I have to be creative. For a while I was on a fried egg sandwich kick, then a pimiento cheese sandwich kick, and last summer I was really good and made a lot of salads with the occasional almond butter and jam sandwich thrown in.

I was flipping through an old issue of Everyday Food recently and saw this recipe for white bean and broccoli salad -- minus the celery, which I didn't have on hand. It was a Sunday and I had some time to whip up this very healthy salad, which is quick, easy to make (no cooking required), nutritious and tasty. Plus, it made plenty for both my husband and me. The dressing is nonfat plain yogurt, red wine vinegar, fresh rosemary, salt and pepper. We have a rosemary plant in the yard that has overwintered very nicely, so I just clipped a small sprig for this salad; if you don't like the taste of rosemary (it's quite noticeable in this recipe), you can use another fresh herb such as parsley or thyme. The cannellini beans add protein and the orange gives it a nice sweetness. You can find the recipe here. We had it with whole wheat flatbread, but crackers or a crusty French roll would also go well with it. Enjoy!

Displaying Vintage Costume Jewelry

Years ago, my husband inherited several pieces of vintage costume jewelry from his grandmother, with whom he was very close. Because her jewelry has sentimental value -- and it's pretty to look at -- he chose to display it in an old wooden case. There are several brooches, a pair of earrings and a cocktail ring.

The display case used to sit on a nightstand next to the guest bed, but our dog, Ella, knocked it down one day when she had one of her separation anxiety attacks. In a desperate attempt to see outside, she must have jumped onto the bed and then onto the nightstand, which sits below a window. Fortunately the glass door of the case didn't break. Now it's hanging safely on the wall.

Our bungalow has its original picture molding, from which we hang artwork, photography and mirrors using picture rail hooks and braided wire (fishing leader material). I love the old-timey look of hanging pictures this way, and it means we don't have to put holes in the plaster walls. 

Rejuvenation Hardware sells a nice selection of both plain and fancy picture hooks and picture hanging cord. Here are a couple of ornate examples.

 

I hadn't been to Rejuvenation's website in a while, and I didn't realize they sell home decor items, both reproduction and vintage. I fell for this rustic olive basket from Turkey, and a beautiful undermount nickel-plated sink basin, circa 1895. Fabulous!

 

Spring Vegetable Soup

Isn't this soup pretty? I love the color green. It looks really healthy too, right? Well it is, but it's also really delicious! I made a few adjustments to the Everyday Food recipe to make it vegetarian (vegan, actually). I was pleasantly surprised at just how fantastic this soup is! It will definitely be one of my "go to" recipes from now on. I can even see making it in the summer and letting it cool to room temperature. Give it a try, and let me know what you think.

Vegetarian Spring Vegetable Soup
Directions:
1. In a medium pot, heat 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 medium leeks (white and light green parts only) that have been halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices (be sure to rinse leeks thoroughly to remove all dirt; drain well), and 6 thinly sliced scallions (white and light green parts only). Cook, stirring frequently, until leeks and scallions are soft, about 6 minutes. Season with salt (I used about 1-1/4 teaspoon of coarse salt) and freshly ground pepper.
2. Add 5 cups of vegetable broth and 1-1/2 pounds russet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes); bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are barely tender, about 9 minutes. Taste, and add more salt or pepper, as needed.
3. Add 1/2 pound of fresh green beans (trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces) and cook until crisp-tender, about 7 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the leaves from one bunch of fresh parsley with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and process until finely chopped. Remove soup from heat and stir in parsley puree. 

The Joys of Dog Ownership

"Be warned: Having a dog could take a toll on your home."

I have to chuckle at this quote from the article entitled "So You're Thinking About Getting a Dog," written by Houzz contributor Alison Hodgson. It's true, dogs can be messy. But I wouldn't trade having dogs in the house for anything. Despite the ever-accumulating dog hair and dust, the scratch marks on the wood floors, nose prints on the glass and occasional throw up on the rugs (why can't they get sick on the tile floor?), our dogs are a constant source of laughter and joy. Sure, I wish they could help with the daily housekeeping routine rather than adding to it. But ultimately our dogs are worth the extra work. They're always happy to see us, they stay by our side when we're sick, and they do funny things that make us smile when we've had a bad day. What could be better?

Adding Ella (above) to our pack has ultimately been a very good thing. However, her first week with us was difficult. To be honest, I was beginning to think it wasn't going to work. I even called Ella's foster mom in tears. There were times Ella tried to be the dominant dog over Phoebe and Henry, which worried me. But after a couple of reprimands (from me, not from the dogs), she got the picture and has behaved herself ever since. Ella also had separation anxiety the first two weeks, which resulted in things getting knocked over, scratches on wooden blinds and furniture, and hours of endless barking. It was her pitiful barking that was most upsetting to me. But looking back on it, adding a third dog could have been so much more challenging than it was. 

I'm pleased to say that Ella has settled in nicely. The three dogs get along great. Instead of barking and panicking when we leave, Ella now sleeps during the day, sometimes curled up on the guest bed with Henry (it can be difficult to train an older dog who is used to sleeping on beds and sofas out of the habit, so we conceded. A towel on the bed helps keep hair off the quilt).

Last Thursday, as required by our county shelter, Ella was spayed -- at 10 years of age, poor girl! Additionally she needed to have two mammary gland tumors and a few other growths surgically removed. We also had her teeth cleaned. They were in bad shape; I doubt her previous owner took any interest in preventive care. The vet had to extract 11 teeth, which I thought was a lot. But did you know a dog has 42 teeth and will manage just fine even when many of them have to be removed? The morning after Ella's surgery, she gobbled down her breakfast with no difficulty.

Pet ownership is a big responsibility. It requires a time commitment (our dogs enjoy long walks and hikes nearly every day, thanks to their dedicated dog daddy) and a financial commitment (Ella's day at the vet set us back more than $500), but the payback is great. Read Alison Hodgson's article on Houzz.com for four questions to ask yourself before getting a dog. 

Lastly, I'd like to encourage you to adopt from your local shelter rather than buying from a breeder or pet store. The larger shelters have literally hundreds of animals coming through their doors each month, and there is bound to be one that will make a great addition to your family. And because many people these days are having to surrender their pets due to financial problems or change of residence, there are more purebred dogs (like Ella) showing up at shelters.

Do you have a pet adoption story to share? If so, please leave a comment! 

Thanks for reading this (long) post. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some vacuuming to do.

Stuffed Shells

I've been subscribing to Whole Living magazine for a number of years. Every now and then I'll try one of their recipes, like this one for Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Shells.

There are a lot of steps, but it's not a difficult recipe by any means. I did take a shortcut and used a 28 oz. can of tomato puree instead of processing a can of whole tomatoes -- why drag out the food processor and then have to clean it when I already had tomato puree in the cupboard, right?

In a nutshell, here's what you do: saute chopped onion and garlic in olive oil, add the tomato puree and let it simmer. Meanwhile, prepare some bulgur (pour boiling water over it and let it soak 30 minutes), boil the pasta shells, and steam a large bag of fresh spinach (you could use frozen, but the fresh spinach gives it a nicer flavor). Mix up the ricotta with an egg, the cooked bulgur, steamed spinach, some salt and pepper (I added dried basil). Put a cup of the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish, stuff the shells (I used 23 instead of the 25 called for) with the ricotta mixture and set them in the dish. Add the remaining sauce, cover the dish with foil and bake at 350. After 30 minutes I removed the dish from the oven, added a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, and baked another 10 minutes. Delicious! Here's a link to the recipe. Enjoy!

Easter Table & Menu

Despite waking up in the wee hours of Easter morning with an awful sore throat, I had one of the nicest Easters I can remember. 

I haven't been sick in about a year, even though I've been surrounded by sick people at work and at home (my husband is just getting over his third cold). So I've been pleased at how well my immune system has been warding off illness ... until now. After a hot shower early Sunday morning, I began feeling well enough to attend the first Mass of the day at 7:30. After church, my husband's mother came over for brunch and I felt pretty good until noon, when I crashed and slept for three hours straight. Ugh.

Our brunch was delicious, if I do say so. I served a broccoli-cheddar quiche using this recipe from Everyday Food, a simple salad with blue cheese dressing, mimosas, and, for dessert, a very tasty lemon-ginger Bundt cake, another Everyday Food recipe. As you can tell from the photo below, I did not make my own crust. Rather, I used a pre-made spelt flour crust from Wholly Wholesome, purchased at Whole Foods. I think this crust is my new favorite. It was perfect for a quiche and doesn't contain any preservatives or hydrogenated oils. It stayed crisp and was delicious.

I hope you and your family had a wonderful Easter day, whatever your beliefs may be. Wishing you peace,

Claudia

Happy Easter

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This morning I picked up these daffodils at Whole Foods (just $6 for 30). Nothing says "spring" quite like a bouquet of daffodils. Most of them were closed up tight earlier, but now they are slowly opening to grace us with their cheery yellow blooms!

Tomorrow, to celebrate Easter, we'll attend an early Mass, then have my husband's mother over for brunch. This afternoon I made a broccoli and cheddar quiche and a lemon-ginger Bundt cake, so most of the work is done. We'll serve mimosas with the meal and a spring salad of Bibb lettuce and radicchio dressed with homemade vinaigrette. Nothing fancy, just a simple, but festive, brunch. 

Wishing you and your family a very happy Easter,

Claudia

Super-Quick Lentil Soup

It's spring now and we're welcoming warmer days! But we can still have some chilly nights, and a good bowl of homemade soup is a welcome meal. Here's a recipe for a lentil soup that can be made in a snap thanks to pre-cooked lentils from Trader Joe's.

Super-Quick Lentil Soup

1) In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium. Add 1 small onion, chopped; 2 large carrots, finely chopped; 3 stalks celery, finely chopped; and 3 cloves minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 5 minutes. 
2) Add about 48 ounces of vegetable broth (I used a 32 oz. container of broth plus roughly  half another container); stir in 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes. 
3) Add a 17.6 ounce package of Trader Joe's cooked lentils and cook until soup is slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 4 teaspoons red-wine vinegar. Season as needed with salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread and enjoy.

Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies

It's been a while since I posted a dessert recipe. A friend of mine keeps reminding me of this and asking for more baking recipes, so I made it my mission last weekend to whip up something delicious to share with you.

I don't follow a gluten-free diet, but I know that going gluten-free is becoming more popular for various reasons. This recipe for flourless chocolate-pecan cookies looked and sounded wonderful to me. And trust me, they are as delicious as they look. 

The recipe produces giant-sized cookies. Even though they are made with egg whites and no butter, each cookie has about 380 calories and nearly 21 grams of fat (3.5 g saturated). So they are by no means light. However, if you love chocolate and have enough willpower to eat just one, these cookies are for you!

Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies
Ingredients:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup Dutch processed* cocoa powder, spooned and leveled
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Ghirardelli brand)
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans (or other nut)
4 large egg whites at room temperature

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, cocoa and salt. Stir in chopped chocolate and pecans. Add egg whites and stir until just combined (do not overmix). Mixture will start out very dry and then become sticky.
2) Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls, 3 inches apart, onto parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake until cookie tops are dry and crackled, about 25 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cookies cool completely. To store, keep in an airtight container. Makes 12 - 13 cookies.

*Note: I did not have Dutch processed cocoa so I used a combination of Hershey's natural unsweetened cocoa and Hershey's Special Dark (a blend of natural and Dutch processed cocoas). When cocoa is processed with alkali it is called Dutch process. To learn more about the impact of alkalization on the beneficial properties of cocoa, read this article. It's a bit technical, but interesting.

Polishing Silver

Do you enjoy the process of polishing silver, or do you dread the task? I fall into the first category; I enjoy it. There's something satisfying about seeing a piece of silver go from tarnished to sparkling in a matter of minutes.

Recently I was looking for something in the dining room cabinet and I came across a pair of vintage sterling candlesticks. They belonged to someone in my family, but I'm not sure when they were purchased. The bottoms are marked with "Prelude, International, Sterling, Weighted Reinforced, N212." After doing a little looking online, it appears Prelude is the pattern name, and the company name is International.

Quite honestly, I've hardly used them over the years. Suddenly I had a hankering to shine them up and put them out on the dining table for spring.

Below are the "before" and "after" photos. There's something nice about the tarnished candlestick, don't you think? It almost looks like pewter. Which do you prefer?
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Getting tarnish out of the nooks and crannies of an intricate design can be difficult and frustrating. I just learned a great tip in this Martha Stewart video about polishing silver. Use an old toothbrush to get into the hard to reach areas. Martha's expert says to use a toothbrush with natural bristles, not one with nylon bristles. But all I had was an old, soft nylon toothbrush, so I made sure to use it gently. It worked great! The video is very informative and covers more about silver than just polishing.

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Is there a special product or method you recommend for polishing silver?

Say Hello to Ella

Meet Ella, the newest member of our family. This little dog made my week. I was so excited to bring her home, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning!

Ella was formerly called Bella, but we dropped the "B" to name her after Ella Fitzgerald, one of my favorite jazz singers. 

Ella is a 10-year-old beagle who was surrendered by her owners to our county shelter around six weeks ago, along with her 3-day-old puppies. That's right, Ella was a late-in-life mama. Because the puppies were so young, Ella and her litter were put into foster care with a loving and generous shelter volunteer until the pups were weaned. This week, mama and her four little ones all became available for adoption. 

We learned about Ella when we were at the shelter looking at another dog, an adorable 10-month-old chihuahua/terrier mix. However, since we have two older dogs -- Henry, who's around 6, and Phoebe, who is almost 14 -- we knew a senior dog would be a better fit than a 10-month-old puppy. Phoebe and Henry agreed. The volunteer who was fostering Ella told us about her, and a couple of weeks later we visited her house with Phoebe and Henry in tow. They got along just fine, and we knew Ella would be a great fit.

It seems our house is becoming the retirement home for dogs. And that's okay with me. There's something really sweet about older dogs. They tend to be calm, housebroken (a plus) and very loving. Older dogs don't get adopted as quickly as puppies or younger adult dogs, so I feel it's our calling to adopt older dogs. 

Ella came home with me Thursday evening. She is incredibly sweet-natured and affectionate, and both Henry and Phoebe accepted her with open arms. I took yesterday off from work to spend time with her and to make sure everyone got along well. No worries there. On her first night home, all three were content in their beds!