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Friday, May 20, 2011

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Graveyard on Muslin

Linking to Show and Tell Friday. Not sure my graveyard fits the theme..
but I like it and it has roses!

I finally got started on my Graveyard picture I've been wanting to make, why is there so few hours in the day?

There's two graveyards I pass on my way to work everyday, very old, one with a weeping cherry tree and the other with old gates and roses....


so I'm combining them both because I couldn't decide!


I've started on the background, painting on muslin...

Soon as it dries I can start doing some free hand work on it!

Too much fun!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Pomegranate Dressing Recipe!

                                


The promised recipe for the Pomegranate dressing.
This was so easy even I could make it!
Thank you for posting it Sam!



You will need:

For the vinaigrette:
1 cup pomegranate juice reduced to about 1/4 cup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey
1 cup oil, preferably olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper

For the warmed goat cheese garnish:
Goat cheese (Chevre was the brand I used )
3-4 Tablespoons chopped herbs (I used chives, but parsley, chervil, dill, thyme or an assortment thereof would work just as well)


You will start by adding the pomegranate juice, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper to a bowl and whisking everything together.




Then, slowly at first, begin to add the oil while whisking. You should see the mixture thicken slightly.


Next, you will slice a log of goat cheese into rounds and press each side of the goat cheese into the herbs. It helps to put the goat cheese in the freezer for a few mins (approximately 10 mins) before slicing, it will be firmer and easier to slice.

Then lay the goat cheese in a lightly oiled pan and bake at 400 degrees F for 5-7 mins or until warmed, but not melted.





I used mixed spring greens, oranges, raspberry's and pecans, but you can use any seasonal fruit or nuts that you like.







And you know I had some questions for Chef Sam!


What is reducing and why did you do it for this recipe?

Reducing is just bringing a liquid to a boil and letting the water evaporate so you're left with a more concentrated flavor. I did it in this recipe because the other ingredients will dilute the taste of the pomegranate and I wanted that flavor to be very prominent in the finished vinaigrette.

Can I leave that part out?

Sure.

Can I substitute another cheese for the goat cheese? What kind?

Absolutely. I like the slight tartness of goat cheese, but Brie or Camembert would also be excellent choices!

Why did you heat the goat cheese?

When Chevre is cold it's a little bit crumbly, but as you heat it, it becomes almost creamy. By heating it, it provides not only a contrast in temperature, but also creates a pleasant textural contrast between the rest of the salad.

What can I do with this recipe besides using it as a dressing?


It also makes an tasty, unusual sauce. If I plan to reuse the vinaigrette, I will double or triple the recipe above and then whisk together an egg yolk with a splash of water or, better yet, more pomegranate juice. Then I'll whisk the egg yolk mixture while slowly pour the vinaigrette into the egg. It makes a creamy sauce that goes surprisingly with game (lamb, squab, quail, etc...), as a condiment, or even as an accompaniment to desert!


This was fabulous dipped in fresh baked bread! Greg and I ate the whole loaf before we could get a picture. Whoops!  Ah well...next time...

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Over on my other blog....we're cooking!

OK, Sam is cooking...I'm drinking wine, watching and eating!

 A Tongue in Cheek look behind the kitchen door in restaurants! Bring your sense of humor and see the view from a server's perspective.

 

Chef Sam's First Post - Pomegranate Dressing Recipe


 My fabulous friend Chef Sam graciously agreed to be my first guest blogger!  Not quite sure he knew how much work it was going to be...but he does now....poor thing...

We worked together years ago in a Mediterranean restaurant (not saying how MANY years ago!), he went on to graduate from Cordon Blue School in Atlanta and I have to say my birthday dinners have greatly improved since then!

Although, he did laugh when I told him what I wanted for my birthday dinner this year...
fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans!  I'm such a country girl.
(If I don't ask for something simple, Sam won't sit down and eat, he just keeps cooking and creating!)


I asked nicely for a re-creation of the pomegranate dressing I loved so much and got way more than I asked for!


 

 A mixed green salad with oranges, raspberries and warm chive goat cheese.
Isn't that GORGEOUS???

A platter of assorted tea sandwiches...oh just wait till you get the recipes for THOSE...I wish I had snatched some to bring home!  A glass of White Merlot wine, some antique roses and Homer Laughlin china and a gourmet picnic on the cliff over looking the river.


Can you tell what's missing from this picture???
Oh nooooo....we forgot the dressing!

No worries...we just had to keep smacking Greg's hand (our photographer) who was starving after taking tons of pictures and pop it back in the picture!


I'm assuming everyone knows who drank the wine? Somebody had to do it....

So much fun you guys!
Huge thanks to Chef Sam and Greg for a fabulous evening with friends and food.

Sam is working on posting the recipe for the dressing, so check back!



I'm linking to
The House in the Roses

Monday, May 9, 2011

Spring, coffee and roses...


Nothing makes me happier than sitting in the swing, drinking coffee and breathing the antique roses on either side.....


Friday, May 6, 2011

Show and Tell Friday!


It's been such a busy week!  My computer has almost died...I'm humming the funeral march for it as I type...

I'm still working on getting the booth at the antique mall stocked...washing and packing and pricing...


Found a luscious new lilac color of lace for my leggings....


Worked my day off at my regular job...really?

And finally just wore myself out, sat down and enjoyed my first roses of the year in a pitcher that a friend just gave me....whew.

Y'all can just see the edge of my bulletin board that I made from bark-cloth. I love it!

I'm linking this back to the blog for show and tell Friday at My Romantic Home!