#recipesworthsharing

Painting Poles

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Vintage Lights
Vintage Signs
Vintage Lights

We don’t just live in a historic home, we live in a historic area.  Our streets have street lights and street signs just like every neighborhood, but our lights are very special. They are typical 1920’s lampposts made from solid cast iron and they’ve been illuminating our homes for over 80 years. Anything that old needs a facelift every so often, so we paint them every two years- north side on even years, south side on odd years. The problem is that we live in a city with very little finances for such up-keep, so the volunteer neighborhood association has to maintain them. We do this just prior to the annual home tour which raises money for our scholarship foundation and neighborhood events. Annually in March on a Saturday morning, a group of about 15-20 neighbors get together and paint the poles. One group cleans, one group paints, another group “manages supplies.” Alex insisted that we get involved in the neighborhood association early on and volunteer for this. I secretly think it’s because he loves to play with his ladder (that’s him below on the top step).

The first year, Alex and I were on a painting team and we were paired with another Alex, who lives on our most elegant street. He and his partner Mason own one of the younger historic homes which was designed by the owner of a Hawaiian hotel chain.  The house looks as if it could be plucked off the Waikiki shore, with waves washing up against the palm trees scattered around the front yard. Naturally his home is full of 1960’s Hawaiian splendor and has a lush tropical garden in back surrounding a huge pool. As a prerequisite to the painting, we got toIMG_0880 work discussing the history of our respective homes. Eventually we got around to painting. You can’t imagine the number of innuendos possible when painting light posts. As if that weren’t fun enough, imagine my delight when the “supply” team arrived with screwdrivers (and I don’t mean the tool type) and doughnuts. Fifty-ish poles later and we had made a notable difference in the appearance of our streets. Our poles were clean and shiny. We were dirty and slightly sauced. Good day.

How to be Neighborly: You have to get a little dirty for some good clean fun.

Bloody Screwdriver

Ingredients- Bloody Screwdriver
Bloody Screwdriver
  • 1 part vodka
  • 1 part orange juice
  • ½ part ginger juice (*)
  • 2 parts blood orange soda

Combine vodka, orange juice and ginger juice in shaker and shake. Put in glass with ice, and top with blood orange soda. Garnish with orange wheel and mint.

(*) See Ginger Juice recipe below

 

Ginger Juice

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This is the perfect mix in for a cocktail, not too sweet and just enough heat.

 

  • 2 Tbsp Honey
  • 4 c water
  • 6 inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped into 1 inch pieces

 

Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend until ginger has been pureed. Strain into 2 mason jars. Remaining ginger pulp can be saved for soups, marinades, or other uses.

Blurred Lines

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Wayne & Merle’s wedding was held at a home just a block from our house. It’s a cute Spanish style home and with a lush backyard fashioned after a beloved time share in Cabo San Lucas. It has a beautiful pool, lots of shade and places to lounge, a built in restaurant grade beer fridge, and it always has a bar set up. That day, however, it was set up for an intimate wedding with 50 guests- and we were lucky enough to be two of them. Family and friends of the happy couple were in attendance, celebrating a lifetime of love and companionship. This was a marriage 20+ years in the making, and was finally possible because the Case Against 8 (Proposition 8, that is) had finally been won (P.S. You must see this documentary). #LoveWins I’d seen a lot of weddings in my time as a wedding coordinator, but I’ve honestly never seen a couple so in love and committed to a union. You couldn’t help but cry over the victory that these two could finally be legally married. They had waited a long time.

In W&M fashion, they were supporting the local community by hiring a local restaurant from DTSA to cater their wedding. Everything was served family style on large platters to share.  The meal began with the most divine sweet and briny olive, cheese and honey appetizer. I will forever love that dish. Dinner was delicious and sharing it with these new friends made it that much sweeter.

It wouldn’t be a wedding without dancing, so tables were moved to make way for the dance floor. The happy couple shared their first dance. This would have been the time for the party to really start, but it was still daylight and it’s hard to get people to dance in daylight. Well, until you play the right music. Enter the magical “Sonos” machine… I made the request for Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines… and Sonos went into action.  “Everybody get up!” instructed Thicke from the speakers.  Yep, that worked. A better party was never had. From then on, I couldn’t hear that song without thinking of joyfulness and that wedding.

How to be Neighborly: Each home has a family and each family is unique. Honor that.

Here’s my attempt to recreate that divine dish we shared.

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Olive Tapenade with Farmer’s Cheese & Honey

  • 1 c ricotta
  • 1/2 c black olives
  • 1/4 c kalamata olives
  • 1/2 green/Spanish olives
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • Honey
  • Bread toasted with olive oil (6 slices, cut in half)

Place the ricotta in cheese cloth in a strainer and let some of the whey drain off.  In a small food processor place the black olives, kalamata olives, and green olives with pepper, garlic powder and nutmeg.  Pulse until a paste forms.

Serve with toasted bread.  Layer toast, then cheese, then tapenade, then honey.  Enjoy!

Yes please!
Olive Tapanade and Farmer’s Cheese
Blurred Lines

 

 

 

 

Martini Night

/ neighborlylife / 3 Comments

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It was April.  I’m a CPA and each year, I go into a work induced “hibernation” called “busy season.” While the rest of the world enjoys winter and gets excited over the first signs of spring, I work. Alex, on the other hand, has a bit more freedom at this time of year to be outdoors, which he loves. One of the ways he passes the “alone time” is to walk Wiley. Wayne and Merle are avid dog walkers. Their dogs, Elzaer and Akiki, are a unique breed- Basenji’s- and are well known throughout the neighborhood. The fact that Wayne refers to them as “Devil Dogs” should not imply that they are mean, but I will admit they do have a mischievous side. Wiley, Elzaer and Akiki began to see each other a lot at this time of year, and Wayne and Merle would constantly invite Alex and I to Martini Night, which apparently happened every Friday that the local Baseball team was at an away game (Wayne & Merle are season ticket holders). I would always be working, or tired, or you name it… Well, eventually Alex, proclaimed, “Summer, they are going to stop inviting us if we don’t go at least once. We have to do this.” So, one April evening, we took on Martini Night. That night, Wayne’s mother Virge was visiting from Canada, and two of their friends Jerry and Kelly were visiting from another neighborhood. We chatted all night, first about the history of the home (of course) and then about each other. We found out that Wayne and Merle were going to get married that summer. Maybe it was the Martini’s, maybe it was the hope of friendship, but after one night of getting to know each other, Wayne had invited us to the wedding.

How to be Neighborly: Being neighborly opens new doors.

A bit about Wayne & Merle: They know everyone. They help with everything. They form the fabric of our community. They are the definition of great neighbors. If you need anything, they will be there for you. Their home is beautiful (also French style) and they love sharing it with others.

As a former wedding coordinator, I’m a sucker for a good wedding. There was no way I could possibly say no to that invitation. It was that wedding that would introduce us to a new family. This is the martini that started it all, or at least my version of it.

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W&M’s Jalapeno Martini

  • 1 inch slice cucumber, plus more for garnish
  • 1 inch slice jalapeno
  • 3 oz vodka
  • 1/3 oz olive juice (or pickled Jalapeno Juice if you like it very spicy)

Place cucumber and jalapeno in cocktail shaker with ice and muddle until cucumber and jalapeno are mashed.  Add vodka and olive juice (or jalapeno juice if using).  Shake until cold.  Serve in martini glass.  Garnish with cucumber and/or jalapeno.

 

The Well Stocked Pantry

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This year, February was unusually warm. We are fortunate to live relatively close to the beach, so we decided on an impromptu Duffy Boat (electric boat) ride with our close friends. The only problem, was that we made the decision at about 11:30 am, and the reservation was at 1 pm. No real time to shop, and certainly no time to cook. We all raided our pantries and ended up with quite the spread. No shopping needed! I had some apples and pears that I sliced up and doused with lemon juice to keep them fresh. I took out some crackers and cheese from the pantry. Grabbed a bottle of wine from the cellar. Our friends brought some kettle corn, honey, nuts, and smoked salmon. Et voila! Lunch!

How to be neighborly: Always be prepared for an impromptu get together.

That’s the benefit of a well-stocked pantry- you will never be hungry, and you can always assemble a meal on the fly. Here’s my list of goods always present, and in general, they keep a long time:

Pantry.jpg

Pantry Items

  • Olive Oil
  • Champagne vinegar
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Canola Oil
  • Shortening
  • Granulated Sugar
  • All Purpose Flour
  • Dried Pasta
  • Rice
  • Grits
  • Vanilla Extract/Paste
  • Canned tomatoes
  • Crackers
  • Honey
  • Beans (dried or canned- I usually have black beans and lentils)
  • Brandy

Refrigerator Items

  • Butter
  • Chunk of fresh parmesan cheese (not grated)
  • Some melting cheese (such as cheddar, comte, gruyere, or fontina etc.)
  • Better than Bouillon – Chicken Base
  • Soy Sauce
  • Rice Wine Vinegar
  • Mirin
  • Ponzu
  • Sriracha
  • Sesame oil
  • Plain Greek Yogurt
  • Lemons/Lemon juice
  • Eggs
  • Onions
  • Garlic (pre-pealed)
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Heavy Cream
  • White & Red wine (for cooking)

Frozen Items

  • Frozen Puff Pastry
  • Ginger (frozen- you can grate it with a micro-plane grater)
  • Good sliced bread (such as sourdough, frozen)
  • Nuts (walnuts or pecans, almonds, pine nuts)
  • Frozen Bacon

Spices

  • Kosher Salt
  • Peppercorns
  • Garlic Powder
  • Cumin
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Dill
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg

Quick & Easy Pantry Recipes

Here’s an example of some the meals you can make from these ingredients.  No measuring needed, just keep tasting:

  • Soup – saute onions and garlic, add chicken bouillon, a little cumin, salt and fresh ground pepper, water, can of tomatoes, throw in any veggies you have, rice or pasta if desired, allow ingredients to cook, and you have dinner. Toast some bread from the freezer for dunking.  If you have leftover rotisserie chicken you could put some of that in too.
  • Quiche– Make a pie crust with flour, salt, butter, and shortening. Slice off some frozen bacon and cook, add in some onions and cook until soft. Drain off bacon fat. Mix eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, melting cheese, bacon and onions. Pour into pie crust. Bake.
  • Easy Peasy Tart– fill puff pastry with any fruits you have on hand, sprinkle with sugar. Bake.
  • Easy Peasy Appetizer– top puff pastry sauted onions and melting cheese and bake.
  • Simple Sauce for Chicken/Salmon– Mix together yogurt, garlic powder, and dill. Serve with baked chicken or salmon. Also good with smoked salmon.
  • Healthy Asian Soup– combine water, Better than Bouillon – Chicken Base, Soy Sauce, Rice Wine Vinegar, Mirin, Ponzu, Sriracha, grated ginger from freezer, grated garlic, and Sesame oil to taste. Throw in any vegetables you have (carrots, cabbage, snap peas, and bok choy work well), noodles (spaghetti like noodles are best- I use soba noodles), and top with cilantro. If you have leftover rotisserie chicken you could put some of that in too.
  • Easy Salad Dressing– Olive Oil, Champagne vinegar or Balsamic Vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. You can add lemon juice, dill or garlic powder to spice things up a bit.

So, that’s my pantry.  What’s in yours?

Welcome Home

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It was November 2012 and I had to get the house set up in time for Thanksgiving, which I host every year. Mission accomplished. My parents, Alex’s parents, my grandma, and our best friends, sat at my Grandpa’s old drafting table (now our dining table), lit by our original hand painted 1930 chandelier, and we shared a delightful French themed Thanksgiving in our new home. It was beautiful and delicious…. and exhausting. A couple weeks later the dust from the move settled, and the dishes from the feast all back in their proper places, I could finally just admire my new home. I relaxed on my living room couch in my PJ’s, glass of red wine in hand, and I was struck by the beauty of this room. The iris stained glass window is a vibrant blue with specks of orange when the morning sun illuminates the small window. The fireplace, with its original Batchelder tiles, glows a golden orange when lit by a cluster of candles. The wood framed windows are a perfect shade of mahogany, the largest of them framing a giant pine tree much older than this home. This home really is beautiful, and it’s ours. Well, it’s ours for now. We are the current a caretakers of this home, and it’s our job to preserve its beauty.

Lost in wonder, I was suddenly awakened by a knock-knock-knock on the door. It was between 8 or 9pm and (remember) I was in my PJ’s. I called to Alex to see if he might spare me the embarrassment of answering the door in said attire. No luck. I cracked the front door open, trying to hide my PJ’s behind the door, and found two smiling men and a welcome bag extended.

How to be Neighborly: Get used to your neighbors seeing you in your PJ’s. It will happen a lot.

Wayne, and Merle behind him, introduced themselves and said “we just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood….” We said our courteous thanks for the bag and I rushed to shut the door and once again hide my PJ’s from view. I looked in the welcome bag, and there was a list of local amenities, newsletter, homegrown tangerines, and some homemade chocolate bark in cute little mason jars. I put the mason jars on the kitchen counter and went back to the blissful solitude of my living room. Little did I know that Wayne and Merle would soon introduce me to what it meant to be neighborly, and would eventually become two very good friends.

Here’s my version of the perfect chocolate bark.

Too Good!
Yum! Chocolate!
Simple ingredients.

 

French Chocolate Bark

  • 1 10 oz bag dark or semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp dried cranberries
  • 2 Tbsp pistachios, unsalted
  • 2 Tbsp cashews, unsalted

Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler. Spread on a silpat or piece of parchment paper with an offset spatula to ¼ inch thickness. Sprinkle on salt, ginger, cranberries, pistachios, and cashews. Gently push the toppings into the chocolate. Put in the refrigerator to set. Once hard (it will snap into pieces), break into pieces and enjoy. If there’s any left, share with your neighbors.

Moving In

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Bubbling sugar… HANDS OFF!
Don’t worry, clumps will dissolve.
4oz Mason Jars are perfect for sharing!

The Creative Community

The dust barely had a chance to settle on my half unpacked boxes when I noticed a bunch of ladies strolling down my street, laughing, pointing (more on this later), and what’s that- are those shopping bags??? My curiosity peeked. I headed to the curb to see where the ladies were going. I noticed the home 4 doors down seemed to be having an open house of some kind, and there was a sign out front. So I moseyed on down just to see what the excitement was all about, and found a sign proclaiming that a holiday craft fair had landed squarely on our street, and just our street. What luck!   Do some holiday shopping AND I get to peek into some of my new neighbors homes? Sign me up!

Five of my crafty neighbors opened their homes and put their artistic and creative talents on display. Jewelry, embellished crosses, purses, etc. and oh yes, Caramel Sauce. I chatted with the home owner/crafters and found that I had entered a creative community. These were not the business people I had expected to be my neighbors. These were creative spirits. These were my people.   Before they even began to tell me about their creative creations for the fair, they first shared the story of their historic home.

How to be Neighborly: Be prepared to share the history of your home. When was it built? What style is it? How many people have lived there? What’s original, what’s not? You must tell this story to everyone who enters your home.

I clearly had some research to do on my own home. I put that on my to do list, which I knew I wouldn’t get to for a while. At least I had the caramel sauce to remind me… this is my version of the craft fair special.  Make, share, enjoy!

Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce

  • 1 c sugar
  • 3 Tbsp water
  • 1 Tbsp corn syrup
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 c heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1.5 Tbsp whiskey (*)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp salt

Combine sugar, water, corn syrup, and vanilla in heavy medium saucepan. Stir ingredients to combine and place on stove top over medium-high heat. DO NOT STIR.   Allow mixture to boil until syrup turns deep amber color, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 10 minutes (time will vary). Remove from heat. Pour in cream (cream will make the sugar solid and mixture will bubble vigorously). Continue to stir to melt the solid sugar into the cream. Mix in butter, bourbon, cinnamon, and salt. Cool sauce completely. Pour into a mason jar. Makes three 4oz mason jars. Seal and refrigerate. (Can be made 2 weeks ahead.)

Serve with hard salty Cheese (like Noord Hollander Aged Gouda). Yes, I said cheese. Try it. You’ll love it. If not, there’s always ice cream.

(*) I keep Evan Williams Whiskey on hand for all my baking and cooking needs. It has a strong Whiskey flavor, and is relatively inexpensive.