Hot Buttered Rum

This is an old classic that we just recently tried. It is perfect for a chilly evening. It is one of those amazing drinks that spreads warmth throughout your body from the first sip. My favorite part of making it was hearing my friend say "Did you just put a tablespoon of butter in my drink?"

I buy my cinnamon in large sticks from the Chinese market. For about three dollars you get the equivalent of over a dozen of those little jars and by breaking off pieces as you need it it keeps for a very long time.

Recipe
2 oz. spiced rum
Twist of lemon peel
1 stick cinnamon
2 cloves
Boiling cider
Butter, cut into tablespoon pieces

For the cider, I find an open top tea kettle or stove top percolator without the insert is the perfect way to heat it. It will fill your house with a wonderful aroma while you keep it at a simmer for serving throughout the evening. I use Simply Apple Juice, a stick of cinnamon, 4 cloves, and a twist of lemon. If you don't use all that you have prepared, strain it and it will keep very well in the refrigerator until the next cold night.

In a heavy mug, add rum, lemon peel, cinnamon and cloves. Top off with cider and float a pat of butter on the top. Serve with a spoon for stirring.

Be prepared, everyone will want seconds.

The Perfect Roast Chicken

To me there is nothing as simple or impressive to bring to the table than a perfectly roasted chicken. It is an easy main dish to prepare and can be left unchecked for an hour while you do other things.

I don't use a roasting rack for my bird and I do not truss. If serving the chicken as is, I will use some stale bread in the bottom of the pan to elevate the bird. If I want to make gravy, I will line the pan with some weak celery or some coarsely chopped onions. I have even used apples as the base; this is a great way to clean out anything that is a little too "aged" from your fridge. I do not truss my bird because I want every inch of crispy skin possible. When finished the meat will be super juicy, infused with fresh herb flavor, and will fall off the bone.

Recipe
One whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry
One half cup butter, softened
Salt and Pepper
One quarter onion
Mixed fresh herbs (In this picture I have used tarragon, marjoram, and rosemary)
Something to line the pan

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line your roasting pan, or 9 x 13 baking pan, with something to elevate the bird. Rub every inch of the bird with softened butter, pretend you are massaging it. You want a complete coating so the juices are sealed in. Put herbs and onion into the cavity of the chicken. Set chicken in pan, trussed or untrussed, breast up and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
Put in oven and set timer for 55 minutes. Check your bird at 55 minutes. When the chicken is a beautiful golden brown it is done, no basting necessary. You can check it with a thermometer, but if your oven is properly calibrated I guarantee your chicken is ready.

Let the chicken rest for about ten minutes before carving. I prefer to carve my chicken in six pieces, keeping the thigh and leg attached.

Mojito

In these trying economic times I am finding that making fancy drinks at home is a great way to save money. Then when you do go out to the bar you can just sip on a two dollar beer.

This is a fun drink to make and impresses everyone you serve it to. Find fresh mint at your local farmers market (I pay $1.50 for a huge bunch), cut off the bottom of the stems and store it in the fridge in a plastic container with an inch of water in the bottom. It will keep for over a week.

Simple syrup is easy to make, but for such a small quantity I find it much easier to buy it premade at Trader Joe's. I've been working off the same bottle in my refrigerator for more than a month.

Recipe

2 oz. gold rum

1 spoonful simple syrup (two cups sugar, one cup water)

Juice of 1 lime (must be fresh to preserve flavor of the drink)

Soda water

Mint leaves

Muddle about 20 leaves with simple syrup in the bottom of a highball glass. Add rum and lime juice, fill glass with ice and top off with soda water. Serve with a straw .

Enjoy!

Collecting Sets

I am a collector. I love "sets"! Although an olio of one offs can be a sublime decor, I prefer displays of sets. I think maybe it is because you can spend some time and be thoughtful with each group, rather than just be over run by object after object after object. Does that make sense? In a way, it is making your space like an onion. If someone wants they can look at it as a bulb, but if they prefer they can peel away the layers to reveal more. Whereas if nothing goes with anything else they are just simply looking at a pile of minced.

Anyway, I also love nostalgia so I was so happy when my mother discovered these wonderful old spices in my grandmothers kitchen. FYI, if this is what your spice cabinet looks like naturally, you need to throw out and start over because you are seasoning your food with old bits of plant dust at this point. Actually, don't throw them out, but repurpose them into a fun nostalgic vignette in your kitchen. That's what I did with my grandmothers, and I think the addition of the Commemorative Andy Warhol soup cans really turns it into quite the little display asking the question "Art/Food, Food/Art?"

So the next time you are out at the goodwill store or down the street at a garage sale, consider buying all of the egg plates or ceramic vegetables or salt and pepper shakers rather than just one. They will be so much more dynamic as a team on display than as a lonely single.

Planning For Last Minute Guests

I love to entertain. It is definitely in the top three of things I like doing, just after reading and pet keeping. I will more often than not beg off on an invitation to go out to the latest hotspot nightclub, or even to the movies, but ask to come over and I will pull together something to eat and give the house a quick "sprucing" and be happy as a clam all the while. I never say no to someone coming over. What could be greater than getting to enjoy the pleasure of the company of a friend without ever having to leave your house.

Anyway, Jackie and her husband Henry came over for dinner the other day. It was fairly last minute, so I did not have days to plan a menu or theme for the evening. I work at Target, so when presented with needing to feed people at the last minute, it takes some creativity to come up with a cohesive menu based on the few raw ingredients I sell at the store and what I know I have in my fridge and pantry.

Thankfully, I have two guinea pigs who eat nothing but fresh veggies so I knew I had a whole head of romaine in the fridge. Also, I had just read the latest issue of Everyday Food from Martha Stewart so I knew I could cobble together a Penne Bolognese substituting ground beef for ground turkey. The menu in the magazine included a recipe for a feta cheese salad dressing, and I had feta left over from my last dinner party. I grabbed a package of Alexia frozen dinner rolls (there was a time and day when I used to bake my own breads, but unless I have serious time on my hands these days I "get real" with myself and go for high quality store bought breads), and created a garlic butter spread which Jackie flipped for.

Garlic Butter Spread

4 to 5 cloves pressed garlic

1 tbsp dried parsely (or fresh, but remember, we are cooking on the fly here)
1 stick real butter (use the real thing and live every once in a while damn it!)

Before you prepare the rest of your meal, put the stick of butter, parsely, and garlic in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set on the stove top near where you are cooking so the butter can soften. Towards the end of your prep, mash the softened butter with the garlic and parsely, transfer to a pretty bowl or ramekin and pop into the fridge until you are ready to serve the meal. The butter will have set back up just enough to give you a wonderfully flavorful spread for your hot bread and your friend, who normally doesn't eat that much, will have finished four rolls before she even knows what happened.

As for the table, I first picked out my placemats, because if you are like me they are not all immediately accessible. So I grabbed some fun, light and springy yellow and green Vera placemats and then began to set the table. Now I have an eclectic collection of Fiestaware so as I started to set the table, I realized I could do something resembling a theme using just my yellow and green pieces and my large yellow Pyrex mixing bowl to serve the salad. It was an easy table to set, but by putting just a little thought into it it looked like I had spent quite a while fussing over it.

So that is my process for throwing a last minute dinner party. I hope my thought patterns can help you plan your menu and your limited time the next time you have friends agree to drop by without multiple days warning.

Plugging Away - Purex Complete 3-in-1

So the Federal Trade Commission announced Monday that they would begin fining bloggers who do not disclose if they are being paid for products or services they are endorsing "in a conspicuous manner within the frame of the blog". The new rules roll out December 1st and could result in fines of up to $11,000 per incident.

Anyway, I can assure you that I am not being paid to endorse this product. I am simply an average joe customer who has fallen in love with the ease and effectiveness of Purex 3-in-1 sheets. If you haven't seen them yet, they are a sheet that contains your laundry detergent, fabric softener, and dryer sheet all in one. You simply throw the sheet in with your wash and transfer it to your dryer. They are amazing, reasonably priced, come in two varieties, Regular and Allergen Free, and after you try them you will never, ever lug around a hulking bottle of laundry detergent ever again.

Oh, and by the way, why do they still make powdered laundry detergent? It is less effective and builds up in your washer. The only thing it is good for is scrubbing oil spots off of driveways (like how I tossed that little nugget of helpfulness in there?). Are there really that many people who need to fly with laundry detergent that we still need to sell it in powdered form? If you are out there and still using a powder, Stop! Save the lugging, spills, and general nuisance for something else. Go buy Purex 3-in-1 sheets.

Road Trips - Hiking Guide

I'm going to wrap up the Road Trip theme posts now with my favorite must haves from this last trip out to Utah.

1. Camelbak Hydration Pack – this pack holds 100 ounces of water, perfect for those long hikes and mountain bike rides. It expands as well so you can put in that extra waterproof jacket as well as your keys, wallet or mobile phone.

2. Adidas Response Sleevless Tee - $26 – I packed three of these tanks for the trip and they are great since they wick and absorb sweat like nobody’s business (I also use them for long distance running). You can also launder them in the hotel room with cold water and Woolite™ so no need to pack a lot of cotton tees that will prevent proper cooling.

3. Vasque Women's Mantra Hiking Shoe - $89.95 – BEST HIKING SHOES EVER. I’ve put so many miles on these shoes and they are still in great condition. No blisters or bruised toes. Breathable, comfortable and cushioned soles with every step. And more importantly, they are not pink or purple.

4. Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 55 - $38– This is one of the few sunscreens that doesn’t cause me to break out. It’s light and not terribly greasy.

5. Ray Ban - Original Wayfarer Sunglasses - $109 – Great coverage and they come in all colors.

Lists and Notes

I know that in this day and age of Blackberries, PDA's, notebook computers, and cell phones, a paper list might seem a bit old fashioned. But I love them! The picture above is a grouping of lists I collected from around my house that I am currently ticking off. There is something wonderful in the tangibility of a list that you can work through, and then toss when complete. It gives a finality to chores, shopping, tasks, etc.

Every man I have ever dated has laughed at my lists. But talk to my friends and ask them when the last time was that I forgot a birthday or was out of a key ingredient while preparing for a party.

I can ignore a beep from my phone without even thinking about it, but at the end of the day when I feel the cool smooth of that piece of paper in my pocket I remember that there is something I need to do!

An Elegant Drink For A Hot Day

When I think of summer I think of cool, refreshing, and light drinks. But of course, I also want whatever I serve to have just a little twist to it to give it something extra.

This is my "I'm inoculating myself from Malaria" vodka and diet tonic. What gives it the "little something extra" is that I squeeze fresh lemon juice, freeze it in ice cube trays, and use one of these ice cubes in the drink instead of a twist. When served in a tall clear glass I feel it has a very sleek and sophisticated look about it. If you want to go a step further, add a sprig of mint for garnish.

The great thing about this drink is because the tonic is diet, the drink is very lo-cal. Of course the amount of calories depends on the amount of booze. One and a half ounces of vodka has 100 calories. My vodka and diet tonic has 250 calories; I'll let you do the math.

Cheers!

Road Trips: Retro Postcards

During my week exploring Zion and Bryce National Parks, I came upon these fantastic retro postcards of the national parks. I already have a few of these framed and hanging in my home. Ranger Doug produces these prints and I am just so happy to see them promoting these beautiful national parks.

You can purchase these postcards at Ranger Doug. Best of all, 1% of gross proceeds go back to the national parks.

Set of 24 Postcards/$14

Posters/$40

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus: An Easy but Impressive Finger Food

I love to have people drop by and I love to provide easy little gems for nibbling on that preferably don't require utensils.

This prosciutto wrapped asparagus is fun and easy to make, presents well, and can be served at room temperature with no worries of spoilage.

Take a bunch of asparagus, snap off the bottoms where the asparagus naturally gives. Drop into a pot of boiling water and blanche. Have a bowl of ice water ready to stop cooking. When the green of the asparagus becomes vibrant, remove from water and drop in ice bath. Drain on a paper towel and let air dry.

Buy a very thin sliced prosciutto, available at most markets in the prepared meat section. Wrap each spear in a slice of prosciutto. If the slices are overly large, cut them in half lengthwise. The curing process of the prosciutto makes it naturally adhere to itself. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and brown the outside of the wrapped asparagus, turning twice.

Let cooked wrapped asparagus rest on a paper towel for a moment to remove any residule grease.

I like to display these neatly lined up on an oblong bamboo cutting board. People can eat them with their fingers and they are the perfect two or three bite appetizer.

Enjoy!

Road Trips: Zion National Park

Though the temperatures are hovering around the low 100's, this is the perfect time to hike The Narrows at Zion National Park. The cool 65 degree water temperature is a perfect when that warm breeze comes through the canyon. Just be sure to carry a walking stick to give you a bit more stability when walking over the rocks along the Virgin river.

Zion National Park

Springdale, Utah 84767

Fee: $25/vehicle

The Perfect Guacamole

The perfect guacamole is quick and easy to make. The only variable to perfect guac is making sure you have ripe avocados at the time that you need the guacamole. (Hint: Once avocados have reached the perfect ripeness they can be stored in the fridge for a few days before use.)

Many of you may have seen those "Guacamole Kits" at the market. They include avocados, a tomato, an onion, a pepper, maybe some garlic. Well, there is a much easier way to achieve guacamole nirvana.

Recipe
Avocados (approx. one per two people)

Refrigerated Salsa (Santa Barbara in the heat zone if you prefer for the end product)

Salt and pepper

One lime

1. Cut avocados in half, remove pit. Score avocados and squeeze the now cubed avocado out of it's skin into a shallow bowl large enough to hold all of the avocados.

2. Add a heaping tablespoon of salsa per each avocado used.

3. Dust with salt and pepper (don't over do it, there is no cure for too much salt except more avocados, you can add more later.)

4. Squeeze as much juice as you can get from the lime with just your hand.

5. Mash together with fork. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper as needed. If there is not enough "bite" to your guacamole, add a few dashes of cayenne.

P.S. If by some chance you have any leftover guacamole, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly to the top. This will keep out air and allow you to store for up to three days.

Old fashioned but wonderfully utile

One of my favorite storage containers in the kitchen is the old fashioned mason jar. It is a wonderfully cheap and airtight way to store the little bits of all of those things you don't use very often.

I label my jars with a strip of medical tape and a sharpie. The tape is waterproof and the marker is permanent to weather spills and usage in the kitchen and yet it can easily be peeled off and replaced when the contents of the jar change.

If you look closely, you will see I use 3 different kinds of labels. The standard, tells me what is in the jar, the instructional, tells me what is in the jar and how to use it, and the blank, things like split peas, pinto beans, and popcorn which need no explaining. (The silver balls are dragees, I will submit an entire post devoted to them later.)

The jars keep ingredients fresh, close at hand, have wide mouths to accommodate measuring utensils, and keep out weevils (every kitchens nightmare). Pop them in the dishwasher when empty or simply hand wash and air dry and you have a safe and hygenic way to store all of those things you hate to keep buying at the store just to end up using one or two tablespoons of.

Sight and Smell

I love wall pockets. What a treat to have "living" art hanging on the wall.

These are hanging on the wall of my bathroom. The humidity of the room is great for the flowers and the scent of the flowers is great for the purpose of the room.

I have four vases hanging in a row above my towel racks. (I got mine from Pottery Barn.) I pick up a pretty bunch of a single flower whenever I stumble across them. This week was tuberose, last week were amazing peonies from Trader Joe's.

The wall pockets are so easy to use. No arranging neccessary as the positioning on the wall naturally lines the flowers up for best presentation. I make it a point to not go overboard buying for these vases. It is just when something catches my eye. You'll notice I actually have four hanging up, but only two with flowers. The other two are filled with cinnamon bark that I use as a fragrant "placeholder". You can find that at your local asian supermarket for a few dollars, and it lasts forever.

So before you pick up that seascape that's on sale for $7 at TJMaxx, think about creating a living work of art that excites the eyes and the nose.

Back to my roots

So I spent many years of my life working as a floral designer in Beverly Hills. I have done every awards show and been in every house in the flats and the hills. Flowers are a wonderful treat that last longer than a meal and give enjoyment to everyone around.

When shopping for flowers, simple is better, cheaper, and more pleasing to the eye.

Here, I have used a six dollar bunch of dahlias and a three dollar bunch of tuberose in a vase I had around the house. I let the beauty of the flowers carry the arrangement. A simple burst of one or two flowers will always have more impact than one of those "bouquets" you buy at the supermarket. Plus, when you buy single flower "growers" bunches, you are getting beautiful blooms straight from the field. Those "bouquets" that you buy are made up of all the junk that the wholesalers have left over after there selling day has ended. If you go down to the flower market you can see them being assembled at the end of the selling day.

So go simple. It will always give you beautiful results.

Oh to never schlep again.

So I just finished another move. This will hopefully be the last for quite a few years; I've moved an average of once a year for about a decade.

I've learned a few things in all of these moves and I'd like to share one that I find particularly helpful.

When packing cupboards and closets, I carry a tablet of sticky flags in my pocket and each time I have cleared a cupboard out, I put a flag on it. This saves the endless reopening and closing of cupboard doors while thinking, "Did I pack that one?"

It also serves as a visual sign of progress in the seemingly endless task of packing up a life to move it to a new residence.

A couple more moving tips:

1) Even if you are moving just a short distance, pack. You don't realize how many armloads each box holds.

2) Utilize your dish towels and linen in your packing to preserve breakables. You're packing two things at once!

3) Buy some damn boxes! I am able to pack a one bedroom apartment with about forty dollars worth of boxes from the local Public Storage. Think of it this way. You are possibly moving into a house that you paid $400,000 dollars for. You are paying movers a few hundred more to move everything for you. Don't cheap out and harass the innocent sales associates at your local mass market retailer by hounding them for boxes. You want your move to go smoothly so you don't need the negative karma of them cursing you under their breath following you around. If you do decide to go the "free box" route, be nice, patient, and remember that you are putting these people out. It also helps ease the burden if you ask for boxes while standing next to a heaping cart of things you actually plan to purchase from them because this is what they are there to do, sell, not dig boxes out of the dumpster for you.

Happy moving!

Etsy Love: Vintage Milk Bottles

I'm going to piggy back off Eric's post on flower arranging with my latest Etsy finds. I could spend all day and totally forgo actual work to browse Etsy. I am currently obsessed with vintage milk and ceramic milk bottles. I think they would make a simple and sweet housewarming or birthday gifts.

mysunshinevintage - $12.00

sweetlovevintage - $16.00

yesstreen - $10.25

Hello Summer Cocktails

Last summer, Eric and I spent an awesome weekend at his parent's very fabulous vacation home in Palm Springs. With the weekend meals already planned to a T, cocktails were of course, at the top of the list. Eric usually prefers the refreshing vodka tonic and I prefer a fruit-filled sangria. This year we are planning to make the trek again, however, I've been tasked to come up with a white wine sangria. I'm still experimenting with a variety of white wines but still attempting to narrow down the specific fruits and flavored brandies to include.

In the meantime, I stumbled upon this fantastic recipe for Prosecco. And really, how charming is this illustration?


image and recipe via Yvette van Boven

Welcome Aboard

Jackie and Eric first met in the 7th grade in Mrs. Armstrong’s Spanish class where they both marveled at the shrunken head brought back from her trip to the Amazon. They have been friends ever since.

This site is about all the things we love – home, design, eating and cooking great food, cocktails, gardening, mini lop bunnies, flip flops, alfresco dining, quests for the best chili dogs (so far, it’s Pinks in LA), Palm Springs, road trips, farmer’s market and the idiot savant produce manager at Eric’s local Albertsons market.

We’d love to hear from you! Drop us a line at somethingverygood@gmail.com