Shepherd's Pie

I can't stomach Corned Beef and Cabbage, but I love me some Shepherd's Pie. And with St. Patrick's Day tomorrow, I thought I would offer up a recipe that is a festive alternative to more traditional Irish fare.

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 lb ground beef or cubed beef (like you would use for stew) - Note: I have used both elk and buffalo meat instead of beef, and it is stupendous!   
• handful mushrooms, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• Marsala Red Wine Sauce (optional - see recipe below)
• mashed potatoes - Here's a recipe from Martha Stewart that I really like if you don't already have a preferred way of making them
• grated sharp cheddar for sprinkling over casserole

Marsala Red Wine Sauce

Saute one finely minced shallot in olive oil until tender. Add one cup red wine and 1/2 cup Marsala. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by 1/3. Add 3/4 cup beef demi glace (the stuff from Williams Sonoma is phenomenal) and 2 T red currant jelly (or whatever jelly you have in the fridge). Lastly, add 1.5 t butter (cut into little cubes), one cube at a time, whisking until fully incorporated. Remove from head and add pepper to taste. 

(This sauce is perfect over filets. I had some left over from Valentine's Day, so I thought I would throw it into the casserole. It was a welcome addition that I will definitely incorporate from now on, although the Shepherd's Pie still tastes delicious without it.)

Shepherd's Pie:

Saute onion and meat in some olive oil until browned. Scatter over the bottom of a casserole dish, like so:

Add mushrooms and zucchini on top: 

Top with Marsala Red Wine Sauce and mix.

Cover mixture evenly with mashed potatoes. 

(I forgot to snap a pic before I began adding cheese. Sorry :) Now smother in cheese.

Pop in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the potato peaks are golden. Enjoy with a green beer!

I will be sharing my recipe for Blue Velvet Cupcakes tomorrow, which can easily be turned into Red or Green Velvet depending on the occasion. We gotta wash that casserole down with something sweet, right? 

Office Progress

It's not much, but I am making some progress on my office. The bookshelf is up and somewhat organized, I snagged some fun hanging file folder boxes, and my desk is (almost) cleared off. Oh, and I shredded my body weight in junk mail and receipts this weekend. Here's the pic if you think I am hyperbolizing.

Okay, so maybe it's not my weight in mail, but it took *forever*!

Here's my cleaned off desk.

It will be a coup if I can keep it looking this way for longer than a couple of days. But I am most proud of getting the bookcase up and somewhat organized.

I am most floored about these punchy hanging file folder boxes that I scored from Target for $9.99 plus an additional 10% off.

I had been eyeing the Bigso Stockholm in the Synchronicity from the Container Store, but they were $20.99 each. So even though I have been eyeing them for awhile, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw them here, I am happy that I got two of the Green Room Eco Target desktop files for less than the price of one Container Store version. Plus, the colors are much more vibrant and fun.

But there is still much work to do. Take this corner of the room, for instance.

First, I need to get that chair uncovered; then I need to move and unpack the box of Ryan's books, which will require bringing over a Ikea bookshelf that we were hoping to leave behind at the old house. Once I wrap up with that corner, I can turn my attention to this pile of boxes on the other side of the room.

It's mostly exercise gear and Christmas decor/gifts. I am hoping to get the place completely set up (and possibly painted) by the end of spring break. T minus 40 days. But who's counting?

Goodbye Sea of Brown, Hello Ocean Trellis

I survived 60 hours on a bus with 42 students, but just barely. I felt like the walking dead on Saturday; I pretty much read or stared off into space in a vegetative state all day. I did, however, see some inspiring architecture at the college campuses we visited, as well as the Getty Museum, which I can't stop dreaming about. I will share some highlight pictures when I can compile them.

On Sunday I managed to be far more productive. I even found a duvet that I have loved for close to a year on ebay, bid on it, and won. Yippee!

Without further ado, meet the previously discontinued Ocean Trellis by Dwell Studio.

I fell in love with this duvet (which is more saturated in person), when I first laid eyes on it back in June at a friend's house (her roommate had it). It's a simple, graphic pattern that catches your eye without being busy. Here's another view.
 

I had spent all summer combing the internet and trying to find it on ebay, but since it was part of Dwell Studio's 2008 line, I couldn't find it anywhere. I have always adored Dwell Studio's modern bedding, but  their prices kept me away. Then lo and behold, a never-used king size duvet with two shams popped up on Saturday; the auction ended the next day. I waited till the last minute, and was the only bidder with a offer of $85 plus shipping. It was meant to be! 

The price beat the heck out of all the other duvets I had been eyeing, including this one that I almost bought from Amazon: the Bliss Living, the Shangri La Reversible Duvet. 

I loved the grey medallion pattern, which I thought would look great with Crystalline, the soft greyish aqua that we will probably paint the bedroom. But here's what I was not so crazy about...

This busy, large, and (too) colorful pattern on the other side. We might be the only one's that knew about it, but this duvet's "underbelly" would always bother me. And at $156.41, it was almost double the price of the duvet I had been coveting for so long. 

Even though it is a simpler design, I know that Ocean Trellis will look great paired with Crystalline, and since it is a more classic geometric print, I hope it will stay in style longer than the other ikat and medallion duvets I had been considering. Either way, it has got to be an improvement over this: 

Now for some paint, sheets, and a headboard...

I also made a little progress on my office this weekend. Stay tuned for a mini-preview tomorrow. 

Happy Monday! 

Taking the Rest of the Week Off

I am headed down to Southern California today with 40 juniors on a whirlwind college tour. We are hitting up UC Santa Barbara this afternoon on our way down to LA, UC San Diego and the University of San Diego tomorrow, and UCLA on Friday. I am excited to visit so many colleges that I haven't seen, and to watch as wide-eyed students negotiate whether or not each school is a good fit for them. It's crunch time for these kiddos; they will be applying to colleges next fall.

Maybe it's the thought of being on a bus for the next 60 or so hours, maybe it's sheer exhaustion after having just guided my students through the CAHSEE (the California High School Exit Exam), or maybe it's just the weather, but I am feeling uninspired this week. Since I will not have internet access on the trip, I will not be posting the rest of the week. (Make sad face here.)

But I am thinking that taking a short blogging break might not be a bad thing. You see, I want to post about things that I am truly excited about, and not just post to post. I am hoping that a healthy dose of So Cal sun, seeing some breathtaking art and architecture at the Getty Museum (our second to last stop on the tour), and actually getting to work on our new house - rather than the old one as Ryan has been doing since we moved - this weekend will have me back on Monday refreshed and ready to blog.

So until then, I leave you with a link to a quirky and creative blog that a student turned me on to yesterday: http://www.kerismith.com/blog. I enjoyed exploring it in the little time I had, and I am looking forward to going back when I have more time and trying out some of Keri's suggested creative endeavors. What a cool chick!

See you on Monday!
 

Outdoor Escapes

The weather is totally moody around here right now. But rather than wanting to curl up with a book like I normally do, I am craving some spring: sunshine, budding flowers, and dewy greenery everywhere. When I ran across these pictures of Trip Haenish's LA home in the latest issue of Lonny, I was instantly smitten.

This pic (kinda) reminds me of our narrow backyard just outside of our double sliding doors. I would love to eventually upgrade them with folding sliding doors like this to really open up the living room to our views. Add it to the wish list. Sigh...

I also fell hard for this secluded outdoor lounge. I almost didn't believe it was the same house until I looked closer at the dramatic modern angles of the wood chairs. The simple cast fire pit is pretty handsome too.

Since our side yard is secluded from the neighbors by a high fence - minus the romantic brick and ivy - and much bigger than the backyard or the other side of the house, I would love to create a cozy fire pit for our chilly summers and amazing Indian summers (which is really fall here in on the Central Coast).

This would require moving the hideous hot tub (I realized that I have never taken a picture of it, and it is currently dark out), which incidentally I am fine with, but I think Ryan feels otherwise. Thank goodness none of this is in the budget, or it could lead to some serious disagreements!

Hopefully these pictures will help me stay motivated this weekend while Ryan is finishing up the fence and I am tearing up visquine where the lava rock used to be. If all goes according to plan, I will also transporting dirt from the front yard to the back yard so we can plant some grass for the pups. If we have any luck, maybe we'll be blessed with some springy weather too!

Quiche Madness and the Art of the Pie Crust

This weekend was an exciting one: we celebrated Megan's bridal shower on Saturday. She and her fiance are so sweetly excited for their wedding, which is shaping up to be heartfelt and personal - full of Matt and Meg touches. I can't imagine a more gracious bride, so it was a joy to spend the day celebrating her!

First we feasted on quiche, which I provided, washed down with lots of Prosecco and cupcakes. Then to top it all off, we took over a salon for manis and pedis. After a crazy month, and before the insanity of the coming week (CAHSEE and a southern California college trip with 40 juniors), it was nice to get some girl time, eat too much yummy food, and be pampered.

My quiche was a surprise hit. The girls asked me to share my recipe, so here it is. There is enough dairy in it that I believe my cooking will make my Danish mother-in-law, Pam, proud. (I really do love butter too, Pam!) You've been warned.

Let's start with my no-fail pie crust. Making a perfectly flaky pie crust truly is an art (for a fun write up about it, check out my friend Anina's article here: http://www.hopedance.org/home/food-news/1836-by-anina-marcus), and this recipe (from Gourmet mag, I think) comes out of the oven buttery and flaky every time.

Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups unbleached All Purpose flour (I always use King Arthur brand or O Organics)
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar (I buy organic evaporated cane juice)
13 Tbsp. cold, unsalted butter
7 Tbsp. vegetable shortening (I like Spectrum Organics)
7-8 Tbsp. ice water

Mix flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Cut cold - not frozen - butter into small chunks and scatter over flour mixture.

Mix butter into flour with five 1 second pulses. Add shortening and continue pulsing until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse corn meal, or until butter is no bigger than the size of small peas.

Add water and pulse until dough *just* comes together. (Here's the crucial step: the dough should come together when you pinch it, not crumble, but you don't want it to feel sticky like pizza dough. I suggest adding one Tbsp. of water at a time until dough has the right consistency.)

Note: This crust was too crumbly, so I had to throw it back in the food processor and add more water. No biggie. Oh, and this is where I stopped taking pics. Sorry. I still have to remind myself to stop and snap...

Turn mixture out onto a flat surface sprinkled with flour. Form dough into two disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 mins or freeze for 5-10 mins before rolling.

A note on the importance of temperature: You want your dough to remain cold in between steps - and definitely before putting it in the oven - so your crust comes out flaky and not chewy. I refrigerate it before and after rolling, and I make sure not to pull my crust out of the fridge until I am absolutely ready to throw my ingredients in the quiche and put it in the oven.

Gently set dough into pie pan. Cut off excess crust and, you got it, stick it back in the fridge while you prepare the quiche filling.

Spinach, Mushroom (and Bacon) Quiche
12 pieces of thick-cut bacon (I like Neiman Ranch)
large handful spinach
handful mushrooms (I like cremini or baby portabellas for a little more flava', but buttons work too)
8 oz creme fraiche (I swear by Bellweather Farms)
6 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
shredded Gruyere cheese (I eyeball it, so I am not sure how much I use, but I am liberal with it!)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook bacon according to preference and crumble. Meanwhile, whisk eggs with salt and creme fraiche until well combined. Take your pie crust out of the fridge and add spinach, mushrooms, and finally bacon (if using), and pour egg mixture on top. (Don't worry, the eggs mixture won't cover your filling, but it will puff up as it cooks.) Sprinkle liberally with Gruyere.

Bake on a cookie sheet (to help the bottom get flaky) at 375 degrees for approximately 1 hour. The filling should not jiggle, the crust should be golden brown, the eggs should have puffed up, and the cheese should have melted and turned golden. (You can always cut into it to make sure the eggs are solid.) Remove from oven, let it set for 5 or so minutes, and enjoy. I make this dish for brunches and dinner. (In fact, we are having it tonight for dinner.) It really is divine any time of day. Happy eating!

P.S. Thanks for all the kind words about our plumbing. It was fixed on Friday, which allowed us to catch up on dirty dishes and three weeks of laundry this weekend. Hallelujah!

Fashion Friday: Oscar Roundup

I know everyone has an opinion about the fashion at this past Sunday's Oscars, and not surprisingly, I do too. Since this is my space to wax poetic and rant, I am giving you my Oscar fashion highlights.

Disclaimer: We still don't have the TV hooked up - and even then, we won't have cable - so I did not see the actual event or how the dresses below move. I am basing my opinions solely on pics from www.guardian.co.uk and www.stylepulse.com. I am disappointed to have missed the Academy Awards; I am always reminding my husband that they are my Superbowl.

That said, here's my pick for best dressed:

I think that Gwyneth Paltrow always looks impeccable; she is a style icon for me. But she really hit the mark here. She looks like liquid gold or maybe a tall glass of bubbly. Her signature stick-straight hair, which sometimes can seem severe, complements the color, sheen, and column cut of her dress. Perfection!

A close second for me was Reese Witherspoon's simple modernized 60's look.

The color and fit of her dress kept the focus on her. (Sometimes I think the dress can take over. A-hem, Cate Blanchett.) I thought her teased ponytail and cat eye worked seamlessly with her gown to keep her looking playful and fresh.

Other successes for me were Michelle Williams (I still think about that Grecian style, nectarine-hued dress she wore to the Oscars the year she and Heath Ledger made Brokeback Mountain and sigh). I am always amazed at her boldness in fashion - witness the short sleeved shirtdress with a Mia Farrow circa Rosemary's Baby cut - or in movie roles, so it's nice to see her get some attention.

I also loved Amy Adams in this sparkling sapphire dress. She has captured the feeling of Old Hollywood with her soft waves, vintage emerald necklace, and ruby red lips, all while still managing to look modern. (Maybe I am just partial since sapphires are my birthstone?)

I also thought Mandy Moore looked so elegant and mature, as always. It's brilliant how you can't really tell when the dress ends and her shoulders begin. She literally glows, and it's nice to see another porcelain girl like myself flaunting her fair skin. Stunning!

Except for Reese, it seems as though glittery, jewel-like dresses really caught my fancy this year. I know many of you loved Mila Kunis' dress, but I was not swooning over all the purple and plum on the red carpet this year. Sorry Mila, Natalie, and Scarlet. You're all talented ladies, but I am just not feeling it.

How about these two for best couple?

 They are positively glowing! Here's hoping your weekend shines even brighter than these dresses.