All About the Chives

I do not know about you, but I really enjoy Chives.  They give a light, fresh hint of onion to whatever they garnish, and are an integral component of seasoning mixes, as well as being an important element in any garden. I wanted to showcase these beautiful babies in a couple dishes today, but also wanted to keep with ingredients I have on hand.  Martha had this recipe for Barbara Walters' Scrambled Eggs 

 This is Whisky, my trusty egg beater.  My Dad got him for me a few years ago and I since have been on a mission to collect the whole line, they are so cute! I actually am a kitchen gadget junkie and love all of these products, check out the msc-international site and download the 2010 catalog to see all their cute and cool products and ask for them at a kitchen specialty store near you.

At first I thought, Barbara Walters is crazy skinny and I am always skeptical about recipes by super skinny people, but Babs proved me wrong, these were scrumptious!  The shredded swiss really makes a difference mixed with the chives.  This was up there on my list of perfect breakfast foods.

Barbara Walters' Scrambled Eggs 

• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons chopped or shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter

1. In a small bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt, chives, and cheese. Beat ingredients together with a fork and set aside.
2. Heat butter in a small nonstick skillet until melted. Add egg mixture. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, gently pull the eggs from the side of the skillet. As the eggs start to set, stir them gently until curds form, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate; serve immediately.

Cheddar Chive Biscuits
 I had a bunch of cheddar cheese as well so decided to try and whip up a batch of Biscuits to have for dinner tonight. I used a recipe for cheddar and sage biscuits from  Everyday Food and I traded out the sage for chives. These turned out so light and fluffy, not the hockey pucks I was expecting for my first try at biscuits!  Let's hope they stay that way till dinner time!

• 4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for working
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 cups grated sharp white cheddar (5 1/2 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor, pulse flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add cheddar and chives and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture is the texture of coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces butter remaining. Add buttermilk and pulse just until combined, 2 to 3 times. 
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead just until it comes together. With a floured rolling pin, roll dough to a 3/4-inch thickness. With a floured 2 3/4-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out 12 biscuits (reroll and cut scraps).
3. Place biscuits on a baking sheet, 1 1/2 inches apart, and bake until puffed and golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sushine on toast

I woke up this morning craving Marmalade on toast.  It must have been the sun in my face that woke me up that made me think of Oranges because I always link them to sunshine.  I realized I did not have any marmalade, why would I, we never even think of it, but today I wanted it.  I did  have oranges and sugar though and since my Strawberry Jam worked out so fantastic I figure, so would the marmalade.  So off to Martha's site I went to find this recipe for Orange Compote.  The recipe calls for naval or blood oranges, I used navel.  I loved this so much I am going to try it with blood oranges as soon as I run out of this stuff.
Quick and easy and delish, just how I like things!  Now I can start my day, which includes more laundry, spring cleaning and prepping for a delish family dinner tonight.  Enjoy your Sunday!

Orange Compote Recipe
Ingredients
Makes 3/4 cup

• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced blood or navel orange zest (from 1/2 orange)
• 2 to 3 blood or navel oranges (peel and pith removed), quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced, and seeded (2 cups)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• Coarse salt

1. In a medium saucepan, combine orange zest and slices, sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons water; bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until oranges collapse and liquid is syrupy, 12 to 15 minutes.
2. Cool compote to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 2 weeks.

Check out the amazing colour of sunshine in a jar!  It tastes as scrumptious as it looks.  I sent this jar home with my mom and tomorrow I will try it with blood oranges!

I found these jars at Michael's but I am looking for some cool ones so I can make my new found jam talent into gifts.  Any suggestions?

Our New Passion for Beads!

(Basic beading supplies, beads and beading wire, I also used florist tape, not pictured)

One of my Mother's Day gifts was Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts.

There are so many projects in this amazing book that I want to tackle but first on my list was beading.  Beads are fun and pretty and come on, if I can make awesome flowers for Ella's hair, then I am a happy girl.  I really love finding pretty accesories for her, but if I can make them, WOW!  Seriously the thought has never crossed my mind but now I am hooked, or shall I say "WE" are hooked because my husband Jeff enjoys it too.  Perhaps I should not be sharing that but he does!  We put the baby to bed, have a glass or two of wine while we watch our shows and we do beads! LOL 

So my goal was to make these beaded flowers but I will need more practice. The instructions are not as detailed as I would like so instead of these from Martha:

These are what I came up with:

Practice makes perfect so I will continue to try for the more elaborate versions and I will still need to attach these to hair clips and elastics.  Beading is fun, try it you never know what you will come up with!

Laundry Day

When I decided to do this blog it was so I could learn new things every day and make my home better for my family.  I wanted to learn to make better meals, which I am working on daily, I wanted to learn how to make beautiful things, and I wanted to learn how to keep my house as beautiful as Martha does. So far I have a few projects in the works in the craft area,I will post them soon, but I had not tackled any of her fab organizing or housekeeping tips, until today.  Today I tackle "Mount Doom" aka the giant pile of laundry in my teeny laundry room.  With a busy toddler and husband who works outdoors there are bound to be a bunch of stains to tackle and I am thrilled to have these tips to follow and wanted to share them.

Martha's Stain Chart
Combination Solvents 
(Shout, Spray 'n Wash)
All-purpose stain removers, particularly good on greasy stains.

I love my Spray and Wash, I wish they had it in purse size, if they do let me know!  The Tide pens and the Bleach pens are awesome too!

Oil Solvents
(K2r, Afta)
Also called dry-cleaning fluid, these remove oily, greasy stains. Safe on nonwashables. Use only on dry fabric in a well-ventilated area. Air clothes after using.

Only for the hard core!  If you use this I want to know all about it!

Digestants
(Biz, Era Plus, Wisk)
Also called enzyme cleaners, these detergents contain enzymes that "eat" protein stains, like grass, blood, and egg yolk. Apply directly to damp fabric, or dilute in water, and then soak clothes. Use cold water when treating blood stains. Wool and silk are proteins, so digestants should never be used on these fibers.
 

Absorbants 
(cornstarch, talcum powder)
Sprinkle on fresh grease stains, wait 10 to 15 minutes, then scrape off. Then you can treat the stain.
DetergentsA mild, clear-liquid dishwashing detergent is an effective all-purpose cleaner. Apply it straight, wait five minutes, then flush or dab with water.

Bleaches
Remove the color left behind by stains with mild bleaches, such as lemon juice, white vinegar (mixed 1:1 with water), 2 percent or 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, or ammonia (2 parts water to 1 part ammonia; do not use on wool or silk). Use a cotton swab to dab the bleach, or place paper towels under the fabric, and use an eyedropper to flush the area with the proper bleach. Chlorine bleach, diluted with water, is a last resort.

This is sad news for me, I LOVE bleach!

Denatured Alcohol 
Effective at breaking down some stains and evaporates without leaving a residue.

Mineral Spirits
For greasy stains, like tar. Air clothes after using.

Glycerin
Available at drugstores, it is particularly good for ballpoint ink.

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope you all had a wonderful Mothers Day!  I did!  We hosted our Mother's and my sister for brunch and it was a wonderful day. 

I have heard about grilled grapefruit and wanted to try it.  I did not say anything as I handed these warm beauties to the moms and I headed back to the kitchen so I could finish up with the bacon and egg croissant sandwiches and home fries.  My sister and Jeff and I listened in the kitchen to their reactions before we tried ours and they loved it!  Truth be told I loved it too, I may never go back to cold grapefruit for breakfast again!



Grilled Grapefruit
1 grapefruit cut in have and sectioned
1 pinch of sea salt
1tsp brown sugar

cut and section the grapefruit and sprinkle with sugar, and salt.  Set under the broiler till sugar bubbles and done!

 Sprinkle with sea salt and brown sugar...

place in oven under broiler on high for 5-10 minutes or until sugar is bubbling.  Beware of the juice spilling off and burning.

I wanted to use my kitchen torch to finish it off but could not get it going so here it is.  The sweet and salty and tart combo here is fantastic and worth trying on your breakfast rotation.

 I also had to do something Martha so I made Four Berry Salad but adapted it a bit. 


Martha's Four Berry Salad 


My version: Charlie's Four Berry Salad

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and halved, or quartered if large
• 1 cup blueberries
• 3/4 cup raspberries
• 1/2 cup blackberries
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons small mint leaves
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds

Directions

Add strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, maple syrup and mint. Toss to combine. Transfer to serving bowls and sprinkle nuts over top if desired.

Everyone enjoyed this too, especially Ella.  She ate enough for 3 people!

My husband Jeff "borrowed" some lilacs so I thought I would be crafty and I wrapped a jam jar in scrapbook paper.  I have a few of these around the house and it smells wonderful in here!

Mother's Day Prep

Every year I have our Mom's over for brunch.  Brunch is my favorite meal because everything is always so delicious!  This year I have quite the spread up my sleeve.  Today was all about the prep.  I realized when I got home from shopping however that I forgot to buy jam, but I did buy strawberries! After a quick surf over to Martha's site I realized I could whip together Quick Strawberry Jam and so can you, it is soo easy!

Ingredients

Makes 1 3/4 cups

• 1 quart hulled strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

In a food processor, process strawberries until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large skillet and stir in sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium-high, stirring frequently, until jam is thickened and bubbles completely cover surface, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer jam to a jar and let cool to room temperature. (To store, seal jar and refrigerate, up to 10 days).

UPDATE:  Grandma Robins loved this so much I gave it to her to take home!  It was delicious!

Have a Post-Cinco de Mayo Celebration!

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I made our favorite chicken enchilada recipe this week  but I did not post it because it is not from Martha. My husband and I love these so much he insisted I share it, in case readers feel so inspired to have a post-Cinco de Mayo celebration. We are on a Mexican kick this week also because we are heading to Cabo in June with friends and I am booking it this week!  Whoo Hoo!

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas
Ingredients
1 1/2 c Chicken, cooked, finely chopped (I pulse mine in the food processor)
1/4 cup Cream cheese
4 Green onions, sliced
1 ts Ground cumin
1 ts cayenne pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese
8 Corn tortillas
1 1/2 c fresh cut salsa

Preparation
In bowl, combine chicken, cream cheese, half of the green onions, cumin, cayenne pepper; set aside.  Using tongs, arrange first tortilla batch in single layer on work surface. Quickly divide the salsa among tortillas, spreading to edge. Arrange half of the chicken mixture in line down center of each, sprinkle with cheese,  roll up. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Place enchiladas, with sides touching, in 13x9-inch baking dish. Bake in 400F 200C oven for 15 minutes or until heated through.

These are very very yummy!  I make them in the summer when we have guests up to the cottage as it is an easy recipe to make for large groups.   As for refreshments...

I wanted to make Martha's Perfect Margarita's but was out of limes so I substituted lemons.  This was a awesome substitute because we ended up LOVING them!  I may have to make a few more of these to prep for our trip to Cabo in June.

 Martha's Perfect Margarita's

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges
• Coarse salt
• Ice cubes
• 1 3/4 cups tequila
• 1/4 cup Cointreau
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 to 4 tablespoons Lemon Simple Syrup

Directions

1. To salt-rim the glasses, rub a cut lemon around the rim of each glass. Fill a saucer with salt, and dip each glass, upside down, into the salt. Set aside.
2. Fill a blender jar three-quarters full of ice cubes. Pour tequila, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, lemon juice, and simple syrup over the ice. Begin blending on low, then increase the speed to high, until the ice is very finely chopped and the mixture is frothy. Taste for sweetness, adding more simple syrup if necessary. Blend a few seconds more, and pour into the salt-rimmed glasses. Serve immediately.

From Martha Stewart Living Television

I look forward every year to celebrate spring with Ontario rhubarb. It is one of my favorite things, rhubarb pie, rhubarb fool, basically anything with rhubarb is a treat for me.   I bought some beautiful stalks yesterday and decided to make a Rhubarb Crisp, Martha's Rhubarb Crisp to be exact.

Ingredients

Serves 12

• 2 pounds rhubarb, sliced crosswise 3/4 inch thick
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, combine the rhubarb, 1 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup flour; set aside. 
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine remaining 1/2 cup flour and the butter. Pulse until the butter pieces are pea-size. Add brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon. Pulse to combine. Sprinkle over rhubarb.
3. Bake until rhubarb is tender and topping is golden, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

This is not a very pretty dessert but it is delicious!  The tart rhubarb is perfect with the sweet oat topping. I made fresh whipped cream to go with it and it was heaven!

Baby Blanket

I started this Journey into Domesticity  so I can learn from Martha how to make things for my family that they could love and enjoy.  The food is awesome but I really want to learn how to sew and make beautiful things for my daughter, family and friends.  I was not sure where to start as everything seemed so difficult to a beginner like me.  Then I found this Quick Quilt in the February 2000 Martha Stewart Living Magazine.  How much more simple can you get!?  I found this great patchwork fabric and some matching green chenille and bamboo batting, it is this luxurious batting blend that is made of 50%bamboo and 50%cotton. All I did was cut each of the 3 pieces of fabric, pin, and sew.  That's it! The best part is that it is soo soft and cuddly, it is Ella's new favorite and that makes me very happy!  I have officially found my new baby shower gift! If you are my friend and having a baby (Barb, Jamie) I have a blankie with your name on it!

Pizza

Home made pizza is always a treat but mine never turns out as good as when someone else makes it...until now.

I used Martha's Perfect Pizza and it turned out delish!   To me the perfect pizza has a thin crust, fresh tomato & basil sauce, pesto and cheese.  MMMMM  this really is Perfect pizza!