david lebowitz

Back to basics

by Patricia on June 9, 2009 · 3 comments

lady-bug

I went backpacking at Henry Coe State Park this weekend with a couple of friends.  We hiked out five miles, camped overnight and hiked back the next day. There was about a 1200 foot elevation change in less than two miles.  Needless to say, my legs are tired.  But it was a great getaway and I really feel like summer is here. And I want to be outside all the time!
coyote2

This coyote came trotting up the trail toward us until he was about 10-15 feet from our group, then took a short detour through the tall grass to get around us, returned to the trail and continued on his merry way.  I’ve never been that close to a coyote. I think in other circumstances I might have been scared (because I’m a chicken) but this coyote seemed laser focused on getting to wherever he was going and not at all threatening (for a really non-threatening coyote, check out the Daily Coyote from Shreve Stockton.  An amazing story and gorgeous photography).

squirrel

This squirrel’s mission was to get to my yogurt covered pretzels. He spent a good ten minutes trying to get to the snacks without getting too close to us (he’d get close but if anyone made a sudden movement or noise he’d scurry back five feet and start over).

Anyway, it was a fun weekend. My mom arrives on Wednesday night for an extended visit so I will do my best to throw a recipe or two your way when I’m not busy playing tour guide and visiting.  But I do have plans for cupcakes this week! 

I hope you are enjoying the summer as much as I am.  Here for your summery pleasure is an ice cream sundae roundup:

Get out your favorite bowl.  Into the bowl put two scoops of vanilla ice cream from David Lebowitz’s recipe.(I’m planning to make this this weekend and I cannot wait. I love vanilla ice cream because it is a great base for so many toppings and also works well as a topping itself like on pie).

Over one scoop of the ice cream pour hot fudge sauce from Deb at Smitten Kitchen.  And over the other scoop, old fashioned butterscotch sauce from NY Times.  Sprinkle on your favorite nuts, sprinkles, candy, marshmallows, or what-have-you.  A dollop of fresh whipped cream, and top it off with homemade maraschino cherries from Stef at Cupcake Project.  Yum! I want a sundae now!

Last but not least, this is just cute: an ice cream cone plushy from ThreeFive18 on Etsy.

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Pot resurrected (and a roundup)

by Patricia on April 19, 2009 · 2 comments

Last week I told you about my artichoke disaster that ended in a horribly burnt pot.  I am happy to report that after a little vinegar and baking soda magic, it is as good as new:
good as new.

The best part?  It didn’t require elbow grease or harsh chemicals or super-scratchy scrubbers.  Nope, I just followed these instructions on e-how.  Yep, just baking soda, vinegar, and a little patience and all of that char came off easily.  In the e-how instructions it says to bring a pot of water with a bit of dishwashing liquid to a boil, but I didn’t find this to be effective at all.  But soaking it with a baking soda-water paste and then adding a vinegar-water solution and heating it and soaking that overnight was magic.  I’m not sure you need to soak it overnight because the char bits came off just from boiling it.

Anyway, now for a roundup…

* These oatmeal cookie pancakes from Joy the Baker look divine.  I seriously wanted some this morning.  I’m a little unsure about putting raisins in my pancakes but I think that’s just one of my things.  I don’t dislike raisins, I just don’t like the idea of raisins sometimes. shrug.

* I am seriously in a meat mood lately.  I don’t know if it’s because it’s almost summer and summer to me means barbecue and grilling… and ribs.  Mmm.  But these are the things that really jumped out at me this week:

- Lamb barbacoa from the Homesick Texan.  Yum.  That taco looks good enough to eat.  And then eat another.  Maybe wash it down with a little cerveza and then have another.

- So this recipe is from David Lebowitz.  And it’s from 2007.  But I just read it today so it’s new to me.  It is a recipe for carnitas.  Which is my absolute favorite… well, if you’re talking about Mexican food.  A little crunchy crust on the outside and tender pork on the inside.  Mmm.  Burrito.

- And last, but certainly not least… another older post.  This one is from 2008 and Smitten Kitchen.  Dry rub ribs.  Can I tell you how much I miss good ribs?  It’s not that I haven’t had good ribs in California, I just haven’t had good dry rub ribs.  I like the mopped style ribs just fine.  But a good dry rubbed rib… it’s pork nirvana.  I seriously need to stop drooling over these recipes and go make some ribs.

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