Countess Arugula

Love and Cooking: New Year's Lentil Soup

2009-11-15T06:04:00.000-08:00

Love and Cooking: New Year's Lentil Soup

How to Collect Vintage Head Vases | eHow.com

2009-11-09T14:11:00.000-08:00

How to Collect Vintage Head Vases | eHow.com

New Recipes-Italian Bacon Potato Salad and More

2009-05-31T09:27:00.001-07:00

New recipes published on my writing blog.

Med Cafe Greek Sampler

2009-02-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

Mediterranean Cafe in Colorado Springs...

Write Content Articles and Make Money

2009-02-06T17:14:00.000-08:00

Writing for eHow

Blackout Poetry

2009-02-05T13:42:00.000-08:00

How to write a blackout poem.

Lentil Soup for Prosperity in the New Year

2008-12-28T07:27:00.000-08:00

I just posted a Greek-inspired lentil soup, many believe that eating lentils on New Year's Day will bring prosperity for the year.
Happy New Year!

How to make hot spiced cider

2008-12-14T09:55:00.000-08:00

Spiced hot apple cider is the perfect beverage for your holiday party. You can add brandy to the mix for your adult guests or keep it non-alcoholic so that everyone can enjoy.

Day after Thanksgiving Sandwich

2008-11-28T11:37:00.000-08:00

Day After Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich

Perfect Hard-Cooked Eggs

2008-11-16T08:02:00.001-08:00

How to hardboil an egg

Cranberry Chutney for your Thanksgiving table

2008-11-16T07:22:00.000-08:00

One of my most requested recipes on Thanksgiving Day and all through the holiday season is this Cranberry Chutney . Much better than the cranberry sauce in the can and almost as easy as a quick fresh cranberry relish.

This flavorful, sweet and spicy chutney tastes great with pork, chicken, turkey and vegetarian entrees. It can also be made in advance which is a great time saver on Thanksgiving Day. Make a large batch of this chutney and you can have impromptu holiday, Christmas gifts ready to go in the pantry.

Kiltomey Cemetery, Co. Kerry, Ireland

2008-10-01T11:40:00.001-07:00

Kiltomey Cemetery, Co. Kerry, Ireland
Originally uploaded by cocoaberg25

31 Reasons I love October-Day 1

2008-10-01T08:20:00.001-07:00

Independent Thought

2008-03-16T06:51:00.000-07:00

O.k. I admit it this is very much a chick-flick but I loved it and may need to watch it again, the play of language and the acting were brilliant. The idea of a woman making a living as an author or "by the pen"...shocking.

My favorite lines "What's she doing?"
"Writing"
"What can be done about that?"

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Calming Orange

2008-03-16T06:39:00.000-07:00

I like buying packets of bath products. They're relatively inexpensive, I'm not stuck with a huge box or bottle of something I don't like and I get to try lots of different products. This is a new one to me but one of my favorites. Although many products claim they are "aromatherapy" this one really was. The fragrance of sweet orange, patchouli, lemongrass and ylang ylang filled the bathroom as soon as the hot water hit the sea salts and lingered long after my bath was done. It didn't dry out my skin which is a rarity in bath products. 100% pure essential oils and it had none of the bad stuff...no synthetic colors, fragrances or preservatives.

the Van Gogh Blues

2008-02-16T08:11:00.001-08:00

Writing Nag interviews Dr. Eric Maisel on the release of the paperback edition of the Van Gogh Blues. READ HERE.

2007-12-14T05:27:00.001-08:00

Writing Nag's Pear and Cranberry Chutney

2007-11-22T04:39:00.000-08:00

Writing Nag's Pear and Cranberry Chutney

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Bartlett pears, peeled and cut into small dice
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into small dice
1 small onion, cut into small dice
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 cups water
1 1/2-2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. allspice
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 12 oz bags whole cranberries
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, optional

Heat the vegetable oil over low heat and add the onion, pears, apples, and garlic. Cook gently for approximately 10 minutes or until the onion has softened. Add all the spices, water, sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil. Add cranberries, bring to a second boil and then turn down the heat. Simmer until cranberries have burst, stirring occasionally for approximately 20 minutes. Take off heat and stir in toasted walnuts. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve chilled. Adjust the spices to your liking. Remove cinnamon sticks before serving.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

U2 - Beautiful Day

2007-11-20T11:56:00.001-08:00

Angry Pasta for the Holiday Table

2007-11-15T07:32:00.000-08:00

ANGRY PASTA

Chris Rea : Driving Home For Christmas

2007-11-15T06:37:00.001-08:00

Travis - Writing To Reach You

2007-11-15T06:36:00.001-08:00

Blog Action Day 2007

2007-10-09T06:38:00.001-07:00

Soups, Wonderful Soups

2007-09-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year, falling leaves, pumpkins, cool evenings and soup, soup, soup!

More to follow. I post daily at my writing site. Visit me at Writing Nag.

Olives-Heart Healthy Friends

2007-08-24T08:30:00.000-07:00

I just wrote a new post about one of my favorite foods! Olives.

24 Boxes

2007-08-21T06:25:00.000-07:00

I found this site, 24 Boxes through Blogger, very cool blog with great recipes and photos, the blogger is eating her way through her boxes of local vegetables. Very interesting concept.

Writing Nag and Live Holistically

2007-08-13T08:09:00.001-07:00

I haven't posted here in awhile, because I'm blogging almost daily at my writing blog. Stop by and visit me here or visit me where I write about healthy eating with some other great bloggers.

Seven Random Things

2007-07-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged by Lauri.

1. Since I can remember I've had an irrational fear of sea turtles.

2. I love pumpkins, the smell, the taste, the look, pumpkin products, everything about them and I've been growing them in my garden...lots of different varieties for the last seven years.

3. I have a Victorian mourning coat in my closet with a red wine colored silk lining. It's too small to fit me but I love it.

4. When I was younger I entertained my mom as she did dishes by standing on a kitchen chair and singing Irish ballads to her that I made up.

5. Athough I love being alone, I'm afraid of dying alone.

6. I think poets are the most underrated writers in the world.

7. I don't know seven other bloggers that I can tag.

Each blogger should list 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to then report this on their own blog with their 7 random facts as well as these rules. They then need to tag 7 others and list their names on their blog. They are also asked to leave a comment for each of the tagged, letting them know they have been tagged and to read the blog.

Kate Nash -Foundations

2007-07-06T07:50:00.001-07:00

for anyone who has held on to a bad relationship.

Italian Cooking

2007-06-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

My column is now online, many more recipes to follow!

Congrats Ron!

2007-06-12T08:06:00.000-07:00

My very talented writer friend Ron Cree had his book signing at Poor Richard's last night. I snuck into the picture. Great young adult summer read!

Ron read us a chapter that got cut from his book, Desert Blood, and it was very interesting to hear about his start from beginning writer to his successful publication. I look forward to hearing more from Ron.

Dinner with the Sopranos

2007-06-12T07:26:00.000-07:00

I'm sad to see the Sopranos go for many reasons... it was a good series, well written, directed and acted and our Sunday Soprano Dinners are over. Not that we can't continue our Sunday tradition of eating Italian but it was fun to think of menus that would work well with our theme. For the finale we decided on:

Herb Crusted Grilled Pork Loin
Creamy Polenta with Sigillo di Garanzia
Sauteed Garden Spinach with Garlic
Quick Marinara Sauce

I'm still not sure what I think about the finale, but the dinner was fantastic.

More Ephemera!!

2007-06-12T07:13:00.000-07:00

Ephemera for $1.99
I was excited this morning to find that one of my favorite sites had redone their website and opened their vintage market.

they also have a poetry portal where I just happened to win 2nd place for my poem, Relics.

Book in a Week!

2007-06-08T05:33:00.000-07:00

Since I've joined Book in a Week, I've really stepped up my word count per day and I'm seeing real progress as a writer.Sometimes it just takes a measure of accountability to make your goals.

Interview at Book in a Week.

Eggs Bennie

2007-05-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

Sunday on the patio...Eggs Benedict with fresh asparagus and summer berries

More Self Help? I need a day off.

2007-05-14T09:01:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here with an unexpected day off and instead of feeling great I'm feeling overwhelmed. There's so much to do where do I start, work on my manuscript, finish my articles for my new website, work on my new company or the books for my other company or figure out why The Secret's not working for me...that and the stack of self help books that are threatening to take over my shelf And then Artella brings me grace in their daily Link Latte.

Freedom.

I love it, I need a day off... enough's enough. I can't relax on the beach because I don't have Secrets of the Millionaire Mind memorized, my vacation isn't complete without three self help books tagging along. I watch tv to relax while reading Jump Start Your Brain and Writing the Breakout Novel... I need to be better, thinner,richer,funnier...make more money, be more successful, influence more people, write a breakout novel or an amazing screenplay all while I am running an award winning restaurant and franchising the concept that will make us millions....

I might celebrate the day and then take the rest of the month off. Thanks Jennifer Louden!

Lemon and Thyme Risotto

2007-04-18T09:22:00.000-07:00

Last night I made a simple risotto for dinner, that was so comforting and easy to make. I notice I tend to make polenta and risotto when I'm feeling overwhelmed with life. Stirring the pot and paying attention to one task slows me down so I can focus on what's important and what's not. Adapted From Viva Italia! cookbook. Not low fat. Very good. Sometimes that's ok.

Serves 3

1/2 stick butter
3 shallots finely chopped
white wine
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/4 cup arborio rice
3 cups approx. veggie stock
1/2 TBSP chopped fresh thyme
2 oz parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 cup frozen peas
salt, pepper, nutmeg

Risotto is not hard to make it just takes practice.
1. Melt half of the butter and cook the shallots in the butter until soft. Add about 1 cup of white wine, and half of the lemon zest. Boil until wine is reduced and pan appears almost empty of liquid.
2. Pour in the rice and coat each piece with butter and shallots. Add hot stock and keep adding stock as each ladleful is absorbed. It should take approx. 20-30 minutes do not rush it. Rice should be tender and creamy but the grains will still be firm.
3. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, remaining butter, thyme, lemon juice and parmesan.
4. Add peas and cover the pan. Let the risotto rest for a few minutes until the peas are heated through.
5. Serve as is or as an accompaniment with grilled meat or veggies.

More Snow in Colorado

2007-04-07T18:22:00.000-07:00

After thoroughly enjoying spring and the beginnings of the garden...we were hit with a late winter storm. I hope the seedlings survive. The apple blossoms are covered in ice and they still look beautiful.

Chives

2007-03-31T07:41:00.000-07:00

Springtime and the very first gift of the garden is chives.

Chicken breasts in chive cream
Baked potatoes with sour cream and chives
Chive Oil on just about everything
Gnocchi with chive butter
Chive Dumplings
Goat Cheese and Chives
Smoked Salmon on dark bread with farmer's cheese and chives

The sweet leaf is always the first to push through the snow and remind us that in a few short months the herb garden will be back in bloom. Two years ago I put in some garlic chives too, a very different taste with beautiful white flowers. The chive plant also had beautiful lavendar flowers and can be grown quite successfully in a sunny window year round.

Shrimp with Soy, Garlic, Ginger, and Lemon

2007-03-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

Another favorite from one of my favorite cookbooks..The Frog Commissary Cookbook-this book was published in 1985 but it's one I find myself recommending over and over again. The authors were working chefs and caterers when published and so the recipes work, unlike many cookbooks also published in the '80's from "celebrity chefs".
Although there aren't any photo's the illustrations are wonderful and the recipes are unique. The commissary carrot cake recipe alone is definately worth the price of the book.

A simple marinade of soy, fresh ginger, lemon juice, garlic, pepper and sherry becomes the sauce when mixed with water and thickened with cornstarch. Shrimp only take about 1 hour to marinate.

Saute the marinated shrimp with more garlic and ginger and fresh red pepper strips, I also add bean sprouts and sugar snap peas. Then add the marinade back to the pan and let cook for 1 minute. Add fresh watercress at the last moment. Spinach works too. Served over brown rice or rice noodles, this is fast, fresh and really simple.

Banana Pecan Muffins

2007-03-14T07:44:00.000-07:00

I am a sucker for buying bananas anytime they are on sale, and then they sit on the counter looking pretty for about a week until I then throw them out. After doing a search for quick banana muffins I came up with this recipe from Cat can cook.I only had 2 bananas so I halved the recipe and it turned out great. I added a 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon and about the same of vanilla and added pecans. They took about 5 minutes to make and 20 minutes to bake. Since I'm not a huge baking fan, this one was simple enough even for me. Thanks Cat!

Celebrating An Early Spring

2007-03-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

Fresh Grilled Halibut with tarragon butter
Steamed Asparagus
New Potatoes with chives

Now that almost all produce is available year round, we can get spoiled and forget to eat seasonally. Asparagus is one vegetable that I chose not to eat except in the spring. Tender, young shoots replace the woody stalks of winter asparagus and with 70 degree weather in Colorado yesterday, it really felt like spring. This time of year the garden seems to wake up and although traditionally there will be another freeze, it's almost time to plant sweet peas (flowers) and sweet peas (vegetable). One of my favorite ways to eat asparagus is simply grilled with olive oil or oven roasted with sweet butter.

Wow it's March!

2007-03-03T19:08:00.000-08:00

I missed the whole month of February and haven't done much in the way of cooking; it's hard to feel creative in the kitchen when most of the food I want to eat is too high in calories, too high in fat and usually doesn't fit in to the rest of my healthy eating plan. In March I'm going to try to find a happy medium, good food that's fairly healthy, I've been looking at lots of different cookbooks and magazines for ideas. I just got Tasty by Roy Finamore; its subtitle is Get Great Food On The Table Every Day. I'm going to try for 3 days this week...what was I thinking with 5 days! I think I set myself up for failure.

Brown rice and veggies

2007-02-09T08:12:00.000-08:00

I'm surprised to see that its been 8 days since my last blog entry. I have been eating really boring foods like brown rice and steamed veggies and writing a lot. I started my chick lit book that has been milling around in my head for years and I'm very excited about it. I intend to have it finished by the end of the summer. Because the character is a former celebrity chef, I will be working out some new recipes and blogging about them.

Lazy persons chicken enchiladas

2007-01-31T16:35:00.000-08:00

Have husband cook black beans at work.
Buy rotisserie chicken.
Buy organic green chile sauce. 3 cups or make your own (a lot of work but much better)
1 small diced onion
1 large can whole green chiles
2 cups shredded cheese
12-14 corn tortillas
1 can diced tomatoes 14 oz

Pick meat off chicken and add to saucepan with onion, green chile sauce, diced tomatoes and 1 cup of water bring to boil and simmer approximately 15 minutes. In a baking dish place 1/3 of the sauce, then 4 corn tortillas, layer of whole green chilis, 1/3 of the cheese repeat until all your ingredients are gone.
Bake at 400F until hot and bubbly.
Serve with black beans. You can top with sour cream, black olives and green onions.

Cooking In January

2007-01-23T06:52:00.000-08:00

When I set out with this personal challenge I was very apprehensive about finding the time to cook. I now know the time is there but I need to organize my days better. I still have not taken Sunday for a planning day which I think is necessary to make this a successful cooking year. Things I learned so far.

1. Making dinner 5 days a week is not fun.
2. Planning in advance is the key.
3. Making dinner for a friend makes cooking more fun.
4. I have a lot more respect for my mom who made it look so easy.
5. When I am in the middle of cooking I still enjoy it.

Chicken Curry

2007-01-23T06:34:00.000-08:00

Although I love Indian food, I usually don't cook it. There are too many good Indian restaurants around and my kitchen is not equipped with all the spices, etc. that make Indian food so good. One exception is this chicken curry I make. It is very Americanized but tastes good. Based on the Silver Palate's recipe for chicken curry soup I slowly cook onions and diced chicken breasts in butter and mild Madras curry spice until chicken is firm. Then I add flour to the curried butter to make a roux. This is cooked for five minutes to bring out more of the curry spice and to cook the flour taste out of the roux. I then add chicken stock. When soup/stew is thickened to your preference finish with cream and fresh vegetables such as thinly sliced zucchini, shredded carrots and peas. A few more minutes to cook the zucchini and carrots and its done. Served with brown rice it makes a very complete meal.It could also be made hotter with the addition of dried hot peppers. I think this could be made very successfully as a vegetarian entree. I might add apples to the onions and curry and definately eggplant for the texture. Great meal for yet another cold Colorado January day.

Gelato

2007-01-19T16:11:00.000-08:00

we just stopped by at a neighborhood coffee house we've been hearing a lot about to discover they also make amazing gelato...oh no...it's really good, so good that I'm nervous about how close they are to the house. The owner was nice enough to let us sample many flavors...In Italy my rule was to not let a day end without eating gelato...my favorite flavors pistachio and cherry.

A Thank You Dinner For A Friend

2007-01-17T09:06:00.000-08:00

Lower in fat AND very good

Ground Turkey Lasagna with Wild Mushrooms
Mesclun Greens with Cassis Vinaigrette, goat cheese and sweet and spicy pecans
Toasted Garlic Baguette with fresh basil and olive oil

I should have taken a picture of this because it was really good and looked good too.
Next time.

Tonight I felt like experimenting and it was a challenge to make this lasagna taste really good with very little fat. I based this on Cook's Country magazines recipe for turkey lasagna. Basically its lean ground turkey slow cooked with lots of diced mushrooms, 2% milk to tenderize the meat, tomatoes, tomato paste, carrots, onions and garlic slow cooked for about an hour, and then layered with whole wheat no boil pasta sheets and topped with a white sauce/no butter and thickened with Parmesan cheese. I think this could easily be made vegetarian subbing the turkey with eggplant. I added lots more herbs, oregano, fresh basil and spiced it up. Also wild mushrooms gave it a lot of depth.

I will definately make this again...experimenting with the veggie version.

managing dinner

2007-01-17T09:02:00.000-08:00

Due to family obligations, I still have not had the Sunday planning day to make dinners easy. So Monday it was again a mad dash to the supermarket after the gym to find something somewhat healthy, cheap and fast.

Ground Lamb (on sale) Burgers with feta, grilled onions and sauteed mushrooms
served on Toasted Baguette with horseradish, dijon mustard spread

Mixed green salad

After eating in Iowa for a week I find that I am craving lots of fresh vegetables so salads will definately play a part in this weeks meals

Spice Rubs

2007-01-09T07:35:00.000-08:00

Even though I accomplished my goal last week of making dinner 5 days, I am finding it difficult to blog while adding shopping, planning and cooking to my day. I'm hoping in the next few weeks to find a format I can stick to. Some highlights of the week were finding these rubs that I used for a quick dinner on Wednesday of Steak and Eggplant Kabobs, the Bengal Masala rub is especially good.

Broiled Salmon with Mustard Glaze

2007-01-03T07:15:00.000-08:00

Day 2 Dinner

Menu: Broiled Salmon with Mustard Glaze
Baked Sweet Potato
Mixed Green Salad with chevre, toasted pine nuts and raspberry vinaigrette

It's only day 2 and I notice I start thinking about dinner in the morning instead of at 7:00 p.m. when I'm leaving the gym. This menu was based on a catering recipe for a many mustards chicken. I believe that recipe was 4 different mustards, whole mustard seeds and some apple cider. I just mixed whole grain mustard with dijon mustard, added some dried herbs, lemon juice,olive oil, salt and pepper. From start to finish the whole dinner took about 25 minutes. Other than the baking time of the potato. I broiled the salmon for 5 minutes with a little olive oil, salt and pepper then topped it with mustard sauce and broiled for about 7 minutes more. I served the salmon over the salad.The contrast of color, flavors and textures was REALLY FANTASTIC. and Heart healthy. I like adding a little bit of fat with chevre and pine nuts, just enough for flavor but not too much to take away the health benefits of the greens, sweet potato and the salmon.

January 1-Dinner

2007-01-02T15:09:00.000-08:00

After recovering from my great New Year's I was not anticipating making dinner even though it's my first day of my personal challenge. It was a really simple dinner but tasted great after the New Year's Eve indulgences.

Menu:Grilled cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Bisque.

The Roasted Red Pepper Bisque was definitely one of the best soups I had ever made. It's really pretty simple too. Not too many ingredients just a lot of cooking time. I simmered shredded carrots, an onion and garlic in a little bit of butter with one large can of drained roasted peppers. I let that cook on low for about 40 minutes and then added vegetable stock, herbs De Provence, thyme and salt and pepper.Let that simmer until reduced in half.On low it took about 1 1/2 hours. Pureed and then finished with 1/2 cup of half and half and some bourbon. This really is a versatile soup it would also be good with pasta as a sauce.

Facing Down Rejection

2006-12-31T10:45:00.000-08:00

because I spent so much time entering my work this year in the form of poetry, short stories, article queries I got a lot more REJECTIONS and although it hurts (this week I got 4), it also means I'm participating in the process and not just sitting on the sidelines. So thanks to my critique group and my writing buddies for putting on the pressure to make my goals. I think next year at the same time I will say I received a lot more ACCEPTANCES! Have a Happy New Year!

Collage Exchange

2006-12-31T10:39:00.000-08:00

O.k. I'm probably not ready to participate in this art exchange but it sure is fun to dream. The Collage Museum has a Baker's Dozen Art Exchange with a deadline of March 21, 2007.Click on the link for International Collage Exchanges from the home page.

another creativity site worth exploring

2006-12-31T10:22:00.000-08:00

Another writing website that explores creativity and writing that I found on Writer's Digest website. Tera Leigh has found her calling.

Altered Art and Writing

2006-12-31T09:24:00.000-08:00

After doing my Artella art piece I was very inspired to continue exploring the altered art medium, I hope to find an online class or one locally that will give me the basics to explore the medium. I just found another website that combines writing and art. This looks like another site that will take up many hours of exploration.Soul Food Cafe.

Baked Brie and a New Year's Eve Menu

2006-12-30T16:07:00.000-08:00

After working at a catering company for more than 10 years, I swore I would never serve a baked brie for a dinner party...but tomorrow being New Year's Eve...and not really having a menu pulled together I heard myself saying "how about a baked Brie?" for an appetizer. Although you can buy them premade they really are much better made yourself. all you need is puff pastry, egg wash,something pretty to put on top of the brie i.e. caramelized nuts or apples or pears or even my favorite a cranberry-pear chutney. Top the brie with something encase it in puff pastry, use a paring knife or small cookie cutters to cut out a decoration on the top; showcasing your nuts,pears, apples or chutney, brush with egg yolk beaten with a tiny bit of cream and bake in a HOT oven until puff is brown and cheese is oozy. Let cool slightly and serve with baguette and grapes... I never met a guest who didn't like the soft cheese with the rich puff pastry. You can also get really artistic with the top of the brie making tiny apples of puff pastry with whole cloves for stems or tiny bunches of puff pastry grapes. Stay tuned for the New Year's Eve menu.

16 Sparrows

2006-12-30T06:48:00.000-08:00

When I saw this companies tagline, I knew they would have products I love. "Where sarcasm is folded in half". I was raised to embrace sarcasm.
Warning some cards are PG 13 rated.But I'm still laughing at their simple graphics and their honest messages.

Mon keys

2006-12-29T16:15:00.000-08:00

This Christmas my sister got a festive sack of monkeys. Sock monkey, plastic hopping monkey, and a bouncing half-ball, half- monkey. Had I seen these they probably would have been her favorite Christmas gift.

Blizzard is Here

2006-12-28T15:42:00.000-08:00

A couple of pictures of the garden in the middle of the December 28th Blizzard in Colorado Springs.

Cookbook Critic's New Recipes

2006-12-28T14:07:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Jene, for sending me this link. Maybe she sent it to inspire me and it did.
An article on NPR by cookbook critic T. Susan Chang also has some great recipes.

I love hearing that people who get paid to write and critique cookbooks can fall into the pattern of the same old dinners too.

Getting Organized

2006-12-28T13:57:00.000-08:00

I love New Year's Day. A new year always means another chance to get it right. I'm always positive the new year will be better than the last. I've been spending about 1 hour a day trying to get my office more organized. Great office supplies help. My sister's present of these amazing Cavallini & Co. file folders inspires me to get my filing under control. But then again I am an office supply junkie. I covet office supplies like most women covet shoes.

Another Blizzard in Colorado?

2006-12-28T13:36:00.000-08:00

I know I used to enjoy the snow a lot more when my business didn't depend on good weather. Missing out on walk by traffic is not favorable for a restaurant or for most retail stores.I was hopeful when the weather report said snow would start at 6 p.m. Unfortunately it started earlier, much earlier and we will probably end up closing early. Hopefully no one will get caught unaware as many did last week.

Poetry Geeks Stop Here

2006-12-27T07:34:00.000-08:00

If you have never been to New England in the fall, it should be on your list of places to visit. Well, that's if you love everything about autumn like I do. Pumpkins, mums, maple syrup at Vermont pancake houses, apple cider, painted leaves, rolling multi-colored hills, antique shops with REAL ANTIQUES not stuff from the 50's. On my trip this year to Massachusetts for my sister's wedding we stopped off in Amherst at the Emily Dickinson Museum. We chose the "This Was A Poet" tour. The highlight for me was getting to read her poems outloud at the end of the tour. Which just happened to be under the only tree on the property that survived since the Dickinson family lived there. Quite an experience for a poetry geek like myself.

Other fun gifts

2006-12-26T13:58:00.000-08:00

I love buying and receiving gifts from Perpetual Kid. I just saw the ABC Cookie Cutters that would have been perfect for my sister who is a baking fanatic. These cutters include a "bite" out of each one. I wonder how many people would take one of your decorated Holiday cookies if there was a bite taken out of each one.

Great gift for a writer-any day

2006-12-26T07:45:00.000-08:00

Two of my favorite Christmas gifts were writing journals from PaperBlanks. I received a small pocketsize one and a larger journal size. They both have magnetic clasps, momento pockets and are beautiful to look at. Paperblanks also carry sketchbooks, address books, dayplanners and other beautiful but quite useful gifts.

Making Dinner

2006-12-26T07:28:00.000-08:00

For as long as I can remember and continuing today my mother has made dinner every night, 7 nights a week. We rarely if ever ate out, the exception being vacations. Being a chef I rarely if ever make planned dinners. After 20+ years of cooking for others I have fallen into some unhealthy and boring meals. Starting January 1, 2007 my personal challenge begins. Here's why I think I need to start making dinner.
1. It's healthier
2. It tastes better
3. I will save money
4. Planning before will save me time, anxiety, stress
5. I have a feeling taking the time to slow down and plan will help me in other areas of my life that need planning, commitment and follow through.
6. As a beginning food writer I need to love food again. As a chef I know the technical stuff, I need to bring back my passion for food.

I plan on designing the menu for the week on Sunday and prepare 5 meals a week. Because my husband is a chef he still enjoys cooking so Sunday is on him and Saturday is my free day. Giving serious thought to this scares me, it is a real challenge. I know most people do this without thinking or actually enjoy making food every night for their family. I want to enjoy this too. I hope to use part of my cookbook collection to find foods I used to love making and use this blog for recommending recipes, foods, easy, good for you dinners and maybe new food products. I will not rely heavily on convenience foods but try to keep dinners as simple as possible. Wish me luck!

Planning a Cook's Garden

2006-12-24T11:57:00.000-08:00

As soon as summer ends the gardening catalogues start arriving in the mail by the bushel basket, I try not to get carried away and only order seeds and plants I know will flourish in our Colorado climate. But I always order seeds from Cook's Garden. I have never been disappointed by their seeds and because they are also cooks they have great varieties of culinary herbs, flowers and vegetables. They also have recipes on the website. My part of the garden is herbs and flowers; after 7 years it is still fascinating to see it come back every spring and summer.

Mystery Muse

2006-12-24T11:44:00.000-08:00

This year I discovered Artella Words and Art and it has become one of my all time favorite websites for creativity. I participated in their Mystery Muse program where you make an art piece for another participating artist and you receive one in return. My gift from a fantastic artist in North Carolina is one of the best gifts I ever received. Kind of like a Secret Santa program in grammar school but without the Life Saver Sweet Storybook.

Food Websites

2006-12-24T11:40:00.000-08:00

Epicurious is still the first website I go to when I am researching recipes, ingredients, food trivia etc. I love their online food dictionary when I find a "new" ingredient in a recipe.

Food Writing

2006-12-24T11:26:00.000-08:00

I took this online class this year and I highly recommend it. Food Writing

If you are wondering if you could be a food writer or have thought about becoming a food critic or just want to have fun with food words this is a good place to start.

Plus there is a money back guarantee if you decide before the second lesson it won't work for you.

Writing Goals and Gratitude

2006-12-24T11:23:00.000-08:00

Author and editor William Arthur Ward writes, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” How many times in 2006 have you thought that you should write a real, handwritten, thank-you note instead of sending another quick email? Have you thanked your writing mentors, your critique group, and your family for their words of encouragement when you felt like giving up? If published, did you remember to thank your editor, your agent, your fans?

Recent studies by Dr. Michael McCollough and Dr. Robert Emmons have found that people who are grateful have “higher reported levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, optimism and energy.” All of these qualities are much admired in a writer, beginning or published. If that’s all it takes, for 2007, my first goal is to express more gratitude.

Vintage Cookbooks

2006-12-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

I love to read vintage cookbooks and they can be found at almost every garage sale, tag sale and thrift store. Putting together a menu from any of them is sure to make for an interesting dinner party. A good website to check out for some very unique books is appropriately named Old Cookbooks . I like using older, bad condition ones for collaging recipe books, recipe boxes and files. Another good source on the Internet is Vintage Cookbooks.

Last Minute Place for Gift Certificates

2006-12-24T11:06:00.000-08:00

I found many of my Christmas presents in this catalogue Uncommon Goods this year. Interesting, fun items that I don't see many other places. Good stocking stuffers too!

Found Stuff

2006-12-24T10:33:00.000-08:00

I thought this website Found Magazine would be a good place for story starters.
They post a different object, piece of ephemera, letter, photo, shopping list every day that people find in their daily travels...there is even a place where people could write in if the found object is their's.

Procrastination?

2006-12-23T08:34:00.000-08:00

How did 20 days go by since my last blog? 36 entries is one of my writing goals for this year and when I made the goal I thought it would be 3 simple entries a month. But this will be the mad dash of blogging until 12/31/06 is over!
Yes, there were many days where I didn't touch the computer, other than to check my email, writers must write...hopefully 2007 will be more together and less frantic towards the end of the year, I can only hope!

Finding Focus

2006-12-07T08:07:00.000-08:00

If I looked over the past year, I'd definately say I had a strong beginning, a waning middle and a strong end. Because of my critique group and Lauri and Jene I've made much more progress on my writing life this year. But there is still a lot of work to do. I'm happy to say I finished an online food writing class that inspired me to concentrate more on my food writing than ever before. Next year, Countess Arugula is going to challenge me to "fall in love" with food again. After 20+ years as a chef, 2 restaurants and countless dinners, I have lost my love of cooking and like any relationship you have to work on it. My challenge is to make dinner 5 nights a week and blog on my feelings, menu's and food finds...right now my frequent dinners are rotisserie chickens, Chinese food and pizza, either homemade or bought I know the relationship is worth saving because when pressed I can still feel the old spark there...

43 Things

2006-12-03T17:02:00.000-08:00

I've always been a list person. Books to read, movies to watch, daily "to do's" so when I found this website 43 Things, I started my list. It's interesting to read other people's things, places to travel or people they want to meet.

Making my writing goals

2006-11-27T07:30:00.000-08:00

As usual, it is down to the wire again this year when it comes to completing my goals. But deadlines do make me a lot more productive and when there's money at stake even more so...putting out more queries means more rejections which even the toughest writer would admit can sting... but if I'm going to do this I have to be open for rejection. I just spent 30 minutes on an email query this morning and was rejected within 5 minutes. OUCH!!

himonkey.net

2006-11-26T09:06:00.001-08:00

This is a great website if you're feeling down or need to find something fun to cook. Hi! Monkey! makes me happy and I'm very impressed with the recipes and films.

Power of Language

2006-11-26T08:54:00.000-08:00

I found this book, One Thousand Beautiful Things at a library sale, its cover torn but intact, its pages clean but brittle. Published in 1947, it is a compilation of prose and poetry from the world’s best literature. Two years after WWII ended, I imagine it was a popular book in many American families bookcases. Patriotism, as it is today, is a familiar subject throughout the 400 pages.

More than one hundred years after Longfellow wrote the passage Indian Summer I read the words and I am there. That is the power of language. Great language makes the sense of place leap from the pages and I am lost in the chapters. A good short story like a good poem is hard to forget.

Short stories are my favorite genre. Authors including Raymond Chandler, Lorrie Moore, Flannery O’Connor, Alice Munro, and Dorothy Parker have inspired me to write in the genre. When I am done reading a good short, I am left with a simplicity and thoroughness that many full-length novels seem to miss. Classic shorts such as Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery and Guy de Maupassant The Necklace seem timeless in their choice of theme.

To study the genre I recommend classic short stories like Ernest Hemingway’s In Another Country or Flannery O’Connor’s Good Country People. Many of the classics can be found online. Poe, Joyce, Hawthorne, Twain and many other early writers all wrote in the short story genre to develop characters, hone their writing, and enchant their fans. They also had a market that supported their craft.

For modern shorts, I like The Best American Short Stories collections that is published every year by Houghton Mifflin Company. These stories are nominated to be in the collection. They are chosen from award winning literary magazines and popular magazines such as The New Yorker, Harper’s and The Atlantic Monthly.

Does your writing have all the elements of a good short story? Conflict, plot, language, insight, character, theme and setting are necessary elements. Will your readers get lost in the pages? Are your characters original and thought out?

I’m putting One Thousand Beautiful Things on my writing reference shelf next to my Writer’s Market, my thesaurus, and my dictionary. I hope that it will inspire me to write short stories that will transport my readers to another place.

Lazy Writer

2006-08-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

I'm procrastinating again about writing so I thought I'd at least do my blog writing so all is not lost...the best comment I ever received about my writing was that I'm a good writer just lazy, that comment was from a very talented poet...my uncle, whom I admire and respect very much.
Sometimes the truth hits you hard between the eyes and it changes the way you look at things. So today is another day to work at it, another step closer to success, another step closer to accomplishing goals.

TUSCAN FOOD

2006-01-25T21:03:00.000-08:00

Tuscan food is of the earth. The food is meant to be an accompaniment to the classic wines of Tuscany. Unlike most of Italy where meat is used for flavoring, the Tuscan diet is heavy with wild game, cured meats, homemade sausages, including ones made with wild boar, and the most famous of Tuscan meats Bistecca alla Fiorenta, or steak Florentine. This is traditionally a three inch Porterhouse, marinated simply in olive oil and garlic, grilled over hot coals, until medium rare and served over a bed of arugula or grilled vegetables.

Another Tuscan favorite is porchetta or roast stuffed suckling pig. This is available in most village butcher shops one day of the week. Find out what day and don’t miss it. Tender suckling pig is flavored with aromatic spices such as rosemary, thyme, sage and pepper and roasted leaving a crisp, crackling crust surrounding the succulent meat. Add a crusty loaf of traditional pane toscano and a wedge of Pecorino Toscana, made with sheep’s milk and you will understand the Tuscan love of simple delicious foods.

Pappardelle, a flat homemade noodle is often served with a rich sauce such as hare, wild boar or duck sauce and will be found on most menus in the Tuscan region. Another restaurant favorite is fritto misto lightly fried foods such as chicken, rabbit, artichokes, cauliflower and mushrooms.

Vegetarians can also find rich, hearty food in the region. The classic bean soup, ribollita, literally meaning re boiled is a flavorful vegetable soup thickened with day old bread. Bruschetta is also a way for a restaurant to showcase their local fresh ingredients. Thick bread is grilled, rubbed with fresh garlic and topped with items such as sautéed wild mushrooms, fresh tomatoes and basil, or cheese.

The desserts of Tuscany use the best of the region in simple ways. Most of them use simple ingredients such as figs, raisins, ricotta cheese and sweet wines such as Marsala. Paneforte di Siena is probably the most famous of all Tuscan desserts; this flat sweet confection dates back to the Middle Ages.

If you really want to experience Tuscany through its food, try a cooking class, such as the one offered by five ladies at www.tutti-a-tavola.com. This is a unique experience in the heart of the Tuscan region, in the town of Radda in Chianti. Olive oil tasting, wine tasting and market visits enhance the classes.

Book Recommendation

2006-01-20T11:15:00.000-08:00

This is one of those simple, straightforward books that makes all of your excuses seem really lame. If you are struggling with writer's block or just want to know what worked for another fellow writer, read this!!

Crested Butte, Colorado

2006-01-20T08:59:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite places to go in the summer. We rent a cabin by the river with no telephones, computers, or television. We cook amazing meals on the grill, venture out to town, take white water rafting trips, write, and relax.

Paris in the Spring....I mean Autumn Time

2006-01-20T08:09:00.000-08:00

I vow to go back to Paris one day, just not in November. Although it was beautiful, it was so cold that we spent a lot of our time walking very fast to keep warm. Just another excuse to sit in a cafe, people watch...and drink chocolat fraud (hot chocolate) there's a good reason why its "I love Paris in the Springtime"

The food was of course, incredible... some noteworthy foods..

All the food in the Jewish quarter. Falafels, gyros, fresh salads, kabobs, pastries. Inexpensive, delicious and filling.

almond croissants...these are hard to find in the afternoon...so get up early to find them at the local patisserie

coquilles, (scallops) bought in the shell at the market

the best I ever had in my life and I've eaten lots of scallops having grown up in New England We brought them back to the apartment and prepared them very simply, in brown butter, shallots, and table cream

Lost in Cyberspace

2006-01-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

I'm back after losing my blog for months, although I guess it wasn't really lost I just couldn't find it. Thanks Lauri for helping me out.

Finding Time

2005-11-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

Finding Time...One of my groups had a very interesting discussion Tuesday about the excuses we use when we have not completed something...we ran out of time, there was no time, not enough hours in the day. We have decided to keep a time journal for a week; just like dieters use for food to see what we are really doing with our days. I guess it will prove what I already know there is plenty of time, what am I choosing to do instead of writing, submitting, working on my creative life? I'll let you know in a week.