February 27, 2011

whiskey almond biscotti










When a minute amount of snow (at least relative to the slam the middle and eastern portions of this fine country of ours received) found me unexpectedly free last Thursday I decided to put myself to good use. I decided to finally dive into the pile of recipes I've been accumulating and test my skills at baking, something I usually leave to my dear Brigy.

The end result was a spin on the biscotti recipe from Smitten Kitchen, my favorite cooking blog. It wasn't perfect but nonetheless, still quite pleasing.

Whiskey Almond Biscotti (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Corner Creek Bourbon Whiskey (though any whiskey will do, this is just what I had)
1 cup sliced almonds (I would use more next time, and toast them)

1 large egg white


Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. 
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 
Mix flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. 
Mix sugar, melted butter, 3 eggs, vanilla extract and whiskey in large bowl. 
Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir with wooden spoon until well blended. 
Mix in almonds.
Divide dough in half. 
Using floured hands, shape each dough half into 13 1/2-inch-long, 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. 
Whisk egg white in small bowl until foamy; brush over top and sides of each dough log.
Bake logs until golden brown (logs will spread), about 30 minutes. 
Cool logs completely, about 25 minutes. 
Maintain oven temperature.
Transfer logs to work surface; discard parchment paper. 
Using serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch-wide slices. 
Arrange slices, cut side down, on same baking sheet. 
Bake 12 minutes. 
Turn biscotti over; bake until just beginning to color, about 8 minutes. 
Transfer to rack and cool.

kam-ouflage



Little boy's all ready for rabbit season. Or duck season.

(I could just squeal he is so cute!)

throw your hands up

Oh, yeah, Kamdyn's just raising his hand because he thought someone just asked "Who here can sit up and pull himself up all on his own?"

February 24, 2011

oh, i love it so



More snow pictures from this afternoon! And yes, I made a tiny snowman while my biscotti were baking.
Tomorrow I'll post the recipe and photos of my snow-day-baking-adventure but for now I'm going to dart over to the boys' and make dinner!

win win


Oh. My. Goodness!
You of course remember by love for A Cup Of Jo, yes? Well she routinely teams up with amazing shops to do weekly giveaways for her readers. I don't always enter to win but this past Wednesday I saw that the offering was from Tastes Orangey which, once again, you've heard me go on and on about. 
Well guess what?
I won!
This is so nuts, I don't even know what to do with myself! I literally have bookmarks of pages to her paintings that I've been in love with and am just waiting for my finances to allow me to bring home. Clare's paintings are just so whimsical and lovely. I want to live in them. And the best part is that in my few interactions via Etsy with the artist, she could not be any lovelier. 
This day just keeps getting better and better!

don't know just what to do with myself

Now that I'm on the tail end of this demon head cold, I finally feel like doing something beyond folding myself into the couch. Of course, my project for the day - going to work - has been called off. And now I have no idea what to do with myself (aside from eating snow out of a mug with my favorite spoon) (and yes, I have a favorite spoon). It's too early to go to the movies yet (and I've already seen/have no desire to see the few that start within the next couple hours) and so... 

I've drummed up a few options for the afternoon that don't require too much driving since I'm not exactly what you'd call proficient in all-weather automobiling. You see, this is where Jared's job becomes more frustrating because this is exactly the kind of day I would love to spend with him - curled up on the couch, stomping around Gabriel Park throwing snow at each other, having lunch somewhere new and hoping there's a big window or a fireplace to sit by... Alas. 

Bugger all. Now I'm sad that I can't spend the day with him. Hmmph. 

Anyway, I'm leaning toward tromping over to get coffee in the Village and treating myself to a baked good while I'm at it. Might even stop in to the bookshop and see if the little back cat who lives there is lurking around. 


blanc



Winery's closed today for the snow... OH! THE SNOW! 

I love this. 

hats off to you


...for being prepared for cold weather. 

February 23, 2011

trailer park











All of these... All of these movies I am so excited for... So many movies!

menu planning

In my brief turn as an invalid the past couple days here on the couch I got to skimming through this amazing cookbook Brig gave me for Christmas. I'm bookmarking recipes for March when there is a bevy of company coming our way (Indy's mom, my mom, Dakota, hundreds...) and if my mental notations are any inclination, there will be feasting!

if i had a penguin...

...This is what it'd look like. And what I'd look like. 

(Benita found this picture and I'm still creeped out by how much this chick looks like me!)

February 22, 2011

ill with want



The Avett Brothers are incredible. This song is brutal but honest. Something that reminds us of what we're so susceptible to, whether we admit it or not.

February 21, 2011

remedy



After my Diane Keaton mini-marathon consisting of The First Wives Club followed by Something's Gotta Give I've settled in for one more feature film - The Philadelphia Story. My favorite.

And that darling Indiana boy just brought me a very sweet, very tiny Frosty from Wendy's to soothe my sore throat. What a wonderful, wonderful man he is.

sick day


Stayed home from work today with a wicked head cold. My head feels like there is an industrial strength vice grip around it. But that's fine. And I didn't really like breathing through my nose anyway. I did however find this website which may prove useful. I may indulge in #7 later.

February 18, 2011

i am

Today's the day! Today's the day Tom Shadyac's new film I AM premieres in Portland!

February 17, 2011

travel inspiration

Bedtime? Sure. But after you see this travel blog

OK. Say goodnight, Gracie. 

(photo by Glenn Phillips via Window Seat)

February 16, 2011

tastes orangey





There is a shop on Etsy that I have developed a deep adoration for. TastesOrangey is owned by Clare Elsaesser, a Bay Area artist with a most inviting and whimsical style. I think I'd buy up the whole shop if I could! Until my ship comes in though, these are the four that I'm dreaming of: the top two for my bathroom, the latter pair to accompany the print already hanging in my bedroom. They just make me so happy!

eat more cheese

This is my basic food philosophy. My fabulous friend Jodi posted this a few weeks ago and I've been lusting ever since. I could also be persuaded to give equal thought to a notecard reading "Eat More Brussell Sprouts". 

(photo from funnelcloud on Etsy)

chilly down

Snow day, hail day... What's the difference here, really? The weather must be off its meds or something because schizophrenic barely touches on it. Waking up to a world of white was magical and reminded me of that first snowy morning I experienced here in Portland when Brigette, on the phone with Sean, comes flying into my room telling me to look outside. We then proceeded to dress like Columbia/North Face marshmallows and drop ourselves into the mountains of powder, creating our snow angel alter-egos and basically branding the apartment complex as our own. 

Still, by afternoon the frosting had melted off and the sun shone brightly enough to make even my little cave seem alive with the sound of music. After a couple hours of writing I gently nodded off on the couch only to be woken around three o'clock with a cacophony of hailstones the size of jellybeans (see photo above). And then? Oh, give it some time and it's back to chasing patches of blue skies

It's been a nice day though. And since Jared has class tonight, I'm on my own for dinner so I ventured into that 30 degree sunshine (well, partly cloudy sunshine) that I love so much to get a little steak and brussell sprouts for dinner. As I hiked up my stairs hauling my treats (including strawberries and Tully's coffee) I realized that I had never smelled anything quite a lovely as the air around me. Cold, clean, damp evergreens, a fire burning in someone's fireplace... If I could bottle that scent, let me tell ya. 

spelling test

I found this glaring spelling error on a friend's Facebook.

"Celaberty"? REALLY?! I can't even pretend to understand the false phonetics at work here. "Celebrity" is not exactly a MENSA level word.

I'm going to chew through my coffee table.

snow falling on portland

I know I've mentioned how much I love the camera on the iPhone, but how 'bout that video? A little small but that's just format. That's fine. Well played, Apple. Well played.

hikers


I get this text at work the other day with these photos of the boys modeling their new packs. Now as soon as they find a trail that's open this time of year, they'll be ready to head into the wild for the epic Three Day Backpacking Adventure they've got planned for when Dakota and Nathan visit. 

white

Apparently this is all the snow it takes to get a Snow Day in Oregon. I just got called off work for today... In all fairness, it's still coming down pretty steadily! 

February 15, 2011

the best one yet

"It looks like he's trying to blow himself up through his thumb."
-Jared

baby face





More Facebook pilfering... More cute pictures of baby boy. 

oy.

I feel ill when I realize too late that I've committed my most cardinal sin - when I've let down my good friend Grammar.

I just reread a "professional e-mail" I sent and caught the "to" where I should have written "too". Ugh. I loathe myself.

(the photo is the typo I found in the Oregon DMV Handbook... Oh, oh dear)

winter winds


...And this song just makes my heart swell.

holy trinity



OH! This is a performance of a lifetime.

Mumford & Sons. The Avett Brothers. Bob Dylan.

I die.

February 14, 2011

happy valentine's day


It's a day for love. What do I have to say for myself? I am Lauren. Lover of 30 degree sunshine, leaf shadows on sidewalks, green vegetables, most cheese, London, pinot noir, the promise of optimism, words & letters, the smell of old books, puppies who walk like noodles, enameled cast iron, 35mm photography, climbing up waterfalls, black coffee, snow covered mountains, redeeming faith, happy babies, stargazer lilies, leather boots and last but almost certainly first, Jared.

After all... All you need is love.

still going strong

Michael and Myra Long met in 1938 in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and have been together since.
This is the sweetest thing I've heard all day. Michael and Myra Long have been married for 72 years and "never go to sleep without kissing goodnight."

Folks, this is the way it should be.

the king's speech


If you haven't seen The King's Speech yet, get your hiney up and to the theater immediately, if not sooner. And in the meantime, check out this little bit about the two leading men. I wish I could invite Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth to dinner. I would make something fabulous and pour a good bottle of wine and by the end of the night we would all be the best of friends.

I think this is a completely reasonable goal.

(photo courtesy of Time)

February 11, 2011

laura + john = jack

Chuck was happy to make an appearance

Vince was also glad he could make it... Just as long as we didn't get in his way

This is as close as I could get to giving my new "nephew" a hug!

Carrie measuring the bump

Mama in her element - camera in hand

Ashley getting a little Chuck Love

I promise - somewhere in there is a Jack waiting to happen

First glimpse at that sweet little baby face (3D ultrasounds are amazing!)