homemade day

yesterday was 100% mine. i say that not in a greedy manner, but one of a girl who has had very little free time lately. obligations, work, and socializing have been taking over my life, leaving no good chunks of time to make things. so yesterday i woke when i was good and ready. spent most of the day in the kitchen making... making bread, pita chips, hummus, potato soup and rhubarb upside down cake. it was indescribable how relaxing it was to go from one thing to the next, not feeling the least bit rushed. i need more of these day in my life. there were also moments to step outside, plant some flowers and be with our kitty.chips has been having a hay day, since we've started taking him outside. he adored the onion patch.
rhubarb upside down cake. pretty darn tasty. especially with the crumb bottom. recipe from the may issue of martha stewart

weekend away

we spent a lovely weekend in washington d.c. with two dear friends. we hit all the must sees, being that jason has never been to d.c. before. we hope to go back soon and hit up some museums.

we saw a traditional english may day dance, in tacoma park. afterwards they proceeded to picket with the most hilarious picket signs i've seen in awhile . that one being my favorite. happy may!

tortilla soup

Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

Serves 4

• FOR THE SOUP
• 4 (about 1 1/2 pounds) skinless chicken thighs
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 jalapeno chile, diced (with seeds for more heat)
• 6 corn tortillas, (6 inches)
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• salt
• FOR GARNISH
• 1 cup shredded (5 ounces) Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 large scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro sprigs
• lime, cut in wedges

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot, bring chicken, broth, jalapeno, and 8 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; let cool.
2. Brush both sides of tortillas with oil, stacking them as you go. Cut stack in half, and then slice crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. Place strips on a rimmed baking sheet; bake, tossing strips occasionally, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Using a large spoon, skim fat from surface of broth in pot, and strain liquid through a sieve into a clean pot (you should have about 8 cups). Shred chicken with a fork or with your fingers, and return it to the pot. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt. Divide soup among serving bowls, and add tortilla strips. Garnish as desired.

made this soup the other day for lunch. its very fresh tasting. very summery. recipe is from martha stewart food

daisy cake

i leave you with a cheery cake. happy weekend!

making a home

We bought a house, which is slowly becoming a home. porch swings and planting flowers help in that process tremendously. Happy Monday!

catching up

it feels nice to be back here more regularly again. life got pretty crazy there for a while. it actually still is a little crazy. but i have a few more quiet moments to come here and reflect a bit now. these wee little hat and booties are for a dear friend. i made them a couple of months ago, but just realized i hadn't mentioned them here. same patterns as the set i made earlier this year. booties from the purl bee and hat from ravelry . its been a baby booming year. so many friends and acquaintances are expecting children. exciting times. so here's to catching up a bit. having a bit more time for the things that bring me joy!

our melting pot!

on sunday night, we had our first dinner guests at our new place! my brother and sister-in-law came over for a fondue dinner, we had promised them as a christmas present. somehow i managed to pull off a 4 course dinner. its was actually a lot of fun to prepare. not to mention stuff myself with cheese, meat and chocolate. we started out with a cheese fondue, followed by a salad, then onto meat and vegetable course cooked in coq au vin broth . we finished with chocolate amaretto fondue with fruit and cheesecake. yum yum.

in other cake news...

cake hats! how tacky and oh so adorably cute all at the same time. ikea, i love your little random treasures. yes folks, i'm still a cake decorator and yes i did set up this blog to chronicle my adventures in baking and decorating... its just that life and other hobbies have taken a little more priority lately and i have been a little lazy at photographing my cakes. so here we go. two cakes i did recently. enjoy!

things to enjoy...

bright colors... color in general. cheery spots in my home

peach blossoms, that bring promises of fruit to come

finding crazy daffodils in my yard

picnics on the front porch almost every evening

the sereneness of our new surroundings

our home

we are settling in nicely at our new home. busy as bees setting up house, working and trying to find time to be outside as much as possible.