Nourish

I have been nesting. 

It happens in the fall. 

Cooking.

Snuggling.

Layering. 

Coffees with foamy milk moustaches.

Last weekend I made some apple crisps.

I have an apple peeler that really does the trick. 

Lots of sugary goodness. Coated with more buttery goodness.

I made it for my Mom's going away dinner. 

She is going to Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam for a month. 

We are going to miss her, but know that she will be having the time of her life.

Be safe Mom. We love you! 

Mr.Man was on table setting duty for the dinner party.

Tried his best to incorporate some ethnic elements. 

Little E was on clean-up duty...

And I was on cooking duty. 

Usually Mr.Man cooks when people come over as he can woo better than me and he loves to cook. 

I am the Monday to Friday cook. 

I think a pretty good one at that.

I make the classic old stand-by meals. 

However...I have decided to take on a new challenge in the kitchen. 

 I want to start cooking out of my "box" of stand-by recipies. 

You know...things I have been making for the last  15 years.

So for this night I chose to make a sage butter butter rub for the pork loin we were serving.   

I picked a Jamie Oliver recipe. 

Dead simple. 

The recipe didn't call for wine. 

That was for me. 

To drink.  Just in case. 

I am a bad food blogger (trying to get better!) so I forgot to take pictures. 

But I got some...

I did get this one of my roasted vegetables. See the beets. I love beets. Especially roasted beets. 

Peel. Cut. Par-boil. Toss in Olive Oil (good oil people). S&P. Roast in HOT oven.

Here my handsome assistant gathers them to serve. 

They and you will be golden. 

After all the prep...and no photos...the pork was overcooked. 

Boo to over cooked pork. 

Lesson learned. 

However...my cream cheese mashed potatoes were AMAZING and the homemade coleslaw was tangy.

Everyone enjoyed themselves and Mom got some good translating apps for her trip. 

The next day I rested and then it was Monday.

I had leftover pumpkin in the fridge from the pancakes Mr.Man made for breakfast and Baby A was busy... 

So I decided to make some soup. Or at least attempt to.

I just yanked from the fridge.

Loosely followed a recipe from a friend. 

I should have roasted fresh pumpkin...I know...but I was just playing.  

Whirl, whirl...

Stir, stir...whisk, whisk...

Prep, prep.

Chop, chop.

Voila!

It was average.  

Would have been better with fresh pumpkin.

But...It was pumpkin soup!

 It was comfort. 

It was yum. 

The week pushed on and so did my desire to create in the kitchen. 

What to cook for these two tonight? Something with mushrooms you say?

Hmmm...

Mommy!!!!

So out came the laptop and up came Jamie Oliver's site for...Cottage Pie. 

Not shepherds pie...Cottage Pie. 

Apparently shepherds pie is made with lamb and cottage pie with ground beef. 

Who knew? Not me...been calling it Shepherds pie forever. 

I highlighted the Russian garlic. From Olympia. 

***GROCERY LIST TIP*** 

People...please...pass on the garlic from China. 

I know...three bulbs for $1...but it is SO tasteless and bland. 

Go for the local garlic if you can (when in season) or the garlic from washington. 

It will rock your world and make any Vampire run.  

All the veggies were cut and sizzling...

The aroma of the cloves and the worcestershire was intoxicating. 

I had a little helper cleaning up after me. She was awesome...

She was rewarded with a kick ass Cottage pie.

 It was so darn awesome that I had two helpings. 

I loaded the top with my leftover cream cheese potatoes. 

Kick ass. 

This one didn't call for the gravy...but it was still SOOOOOOooooooooOOOOO moist. 

The rest of the week involved some playing outside in the sunshine and some much needed runs for Mommy.

I am really beginning to enjoy running.

Yes. I said that. 

Enjoy. 

It is my saving grace. It is my me time.

My push myself time. My I did it time.

It is just me and the trail.

Me and the wind. The leaves. The dirt. The wet. The sun. The rain.

It makes me happy. 

I work off the calories from the food. 

I work off the stress and anxieties of the day. 

Win win. 

Plus I see things like this on the way...

Frozen.

Beautiful. 

Wednesday I saw a recipe for quick baguette bread. Hmmm...I can do this. 

Right?

So I did. 

I DID!!!!

I...made...bread. 

ME. 

I know...all you bread makers out there...laughing at me...I just always found it so intimidating. 

But now...I am a changed person. I am inspired to keep going. 

Here is the yeast and water mixture waiting. Growing. Bonding. 

Heating. Cuddling. Loving. 

Lots of flour...

...kneed until the right texture.

Which is....?

I took and uneducated guess.  

Very important to have an assistant. 

Cut into four.

Stop for picture....

Roll and braid bread. I need to work on my technique...

Worry that it won't work. I mean how can it? It was too easy. 

Pace. Fret. Bend down and peek. 

Pace. 

Check e-mails...

Smell. 

What was that?

Was that the smell of fresh bread baking? 

Ding!

Pray....

Open the oven...

Smile...no...really smile!!

Wow. I made this? 

But how would it taste...

I am sceptical. 

Wait a minute...this is pretty good! 

Dam good! 

Next time I want to let the yeast sit a bit longer to grow a bit more...but I was pleased.

Very pleased. 

Not only did it look good...it tasted good. 

I will do this again.

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It is really raining outside this morning... 

 torrential sounding. 

It is also Remembrance Day. 

Unfortunately the two always seem to go together. 

I don't mind. 

I can stand in it for 1 hour. They stood in it for weeks...

For us. 

Lest we forget. 

E.

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