DIY Silver Sharpie Bowl

If you're a big Pinterest fan (or maybe even if you are not) you may have seen the sharpie on ceramic DIY craze? The projects were quite impressive -- and if you have nice handwriting, this could totally be great giftable! 

I wanted to try my paw hand at it...here's what I came up with:

I'm big on catch-all bowls (and bags!) -- isn't it so much easier to have your rings or necklaces or earrings or keys consistently in the same place?

Directions:

1. Clean and dry a white ceramic plate/bowl/mug
2. With your favorite color sharpie (I used metallic) draw or write on the ceramic piece
3. Let the ink dry, at least 10 minutes 
4. Place ceramics into a cold oven, turn on to 375 and let bake 30 minutes, turn off oven and let your piece cool (do not remove until it's cold)

5. Be sure the ink is set by gently washing the piece  

simple tools, simple project

I found this bowl at a local dollar store, and it fit the bill

freshly baked, cooled and cleaned

piled high

close up 

make it your own! 

I don't trust that this method is food safe, so I would not suggest doing this on a surface that will touch food (like the bottom of a bowl you intend to eat from). But, I have seen this done many times on the outer base of mugs.  Be sure you do not buy a washable sharpie (counterintuitive, I know...but they exist).  

I make it a habit of taking off my rings and necklaces as soon as I get home. This bowl sits on my bedside table -- a perfect resting place for delicate baubles. And I'm thrilled with the whimsical results! Boo was just happy this project didn't involve spray paint...

Do you use catch-all bowls? What color would you pick for this project? I'd love to hear about your bauble related DIY projects, and how you would use a bowl like this!

xx,
Mrs. Wolf

Mediterranean Herb Salad

With the new year upon us, resolutions are everywhere! Some of us are probably feeling ultra virtuous. But even with healthy resolutions, we must eat! And I don't know about you, but come January 1st, I'm still hungry...

Resolution or not: what's better than a delicious recipe you can feel good about eating? Health and taste! Winner winner chicken vegetarian dinner.

Ingredients for 4-6 servings:

1 medium eggplant

2 tomatoes 

1 cucumber 

1 bunch scallions

1 lemon, juiced

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 bunch mint

1 bunch parsley

1 oz feta cheese, crumbled

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Salt + pepper to taste 

Avocado (optional)

Directions:

1. Slice eggplant into rounds and generously salt, place on a cutting board and let sweat about 30 minutes

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

3. Wipe excess salt and liquid from eggplant, dice into similarly sized pieces

4. Place eggplant on a large baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, bake 30-40 minutes or until browned (toss eggplant halfway through baking)

5. Halve and remove seeds from tomatoes and cucumber, dice into bite sized pieces, set aside

6. Whisk remaining tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice until well combined

7. Julienne parsley and mint, set aside

8. Thinly slice scallions, set aside

9. Remove eggplant from oven

10. In a large bowl, mix eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions, chickpeas, feta, lemon vinaigrette and fresh herbs, toss to combine and season to taste

11. Eat immediately or refrigerate, serve alone or with pita chips

what you'll need

peeled cucumber

halved tomatoes 

eggplant awaiting roasting

ingredients to be mixed

into the bowl 

closeup 

my favorite way to serve a side salad: in a ramekin 

a heartier lunch option with pita chips 

If you don't love mint and parsley, swap them any fresh herb you prefer.  Dill or cilantro would bring interesting flavors to this dish.  And for those who wish to add avocado, use it as a garnish for extra buttery flavor. 

As with most vegetable dishes, this recipe does improve with age.  Leftovers are delicious, but the acidity in the lemon will diminish the look of the vegetables.  If you are making for guests, I would suggest serving this fresh, and keeping the leftovers for yourself.  After all...waste not, want not.

What's your favorite way to eat eggplant?  Please let me know how you like this recipe if you try it at home!  Hope you enjoy...

xx,

Mrs. Wolf 

Chocolate Drizzled Caramel Corn

We have been having quite a winter in the northeast as of recent.  On Friday we were cozily snowed in; and it gave me a perfect excuse to make something we don't usually indulge in -- caramel corn.  Can someone please list one thing better than caramel and chocolate? Okay, maybe peanut butter and avocado.  And glitter nails.  And diamonds.  But you get the picture: good things in small packages. 

Ingredients:

4C popcorn, popped*

1/3C granulated sugar

1/3C brown sugar

3 tbsp butter, unsalted 

1/4tsp salt

1/4tsp cinnamon

1/2tsp vanilla extract

1/3C almonds, chopped (optional) 

*air popped with no added flavorings is best (cuts down on calories and fat).  plain microwaved popcorn works fine, too. 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees

2. In a heavy bottomed pot (I used this one) melt butter and sugar over medium heat

3. Add salt and cinnamon to melted sugar mixture, stir gently

4. Let the mixture come to a boil, about 3-5 minutes

5. Spread popcorn (and almonds if you are using them) evenly on a large baking sheet, using two if you do not have one large enough

6. Remove caramel from heat, add vanilla and stir gently

7. Pour caramel over popcorn, mix to incorporate evenly 

8. Bake for 20 minutes, stir well and bake another 20 minutes

9. Remove popcorn from oven, spread on a piece of parchment paper and let cool 

10. Over a double boiler, melt chocolate**

11. Drizzle chocolate over popcorn

12. Enjoy 

** if the chocolate isn't melting well, add a drop or two of vegetable oil and combine.  this should help the chocolate melt more evenly.  

what you'll need

popcorn

caramel bubbles 

caramel in action

tasty without drizzle, too

closeup 

parchment drizzle

 full frontal chocolate drizzled finished product

In the interest of full disclosure, I have made this same recipe many, many times since Friday.  I know you are thinking 'it's only been 3 days?!' But, it's that good.  Most recently without the chocolate drizzle and it was just as delish.  Tastes like cinnamon toffee. YES!

What's your favorite way to eat popcorn?  Sweet or savory?  If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear your thoughts!  Hope you enjoy...

xx,

Mrs. Wolf 

Butternut Squash Chili

Happy New Year!  We celebrated the beginning of 2014 with great friends and good food.  Hope you did the same!  

And on January 1, a very important Wisconsin football game required some hearty fare. While Boo is not (by any stretch of the imagination) a vegetarian, we do often enjoy the same meals at home.   Case in point: this chili.  While it is vegetarian, it's about as stick-to-you-ribs as you can get without any added meat.  The cheddar biscuits don't hurt either...and it was a crowd-pleaser with meat and non-meat eaters alike.  But, if you and your Boo (and friends) are meat eaters, adding ground beef, chicken or turkey would work perfectly.  

Ingredients for 4-6 servings:

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 

1tbsp chili powder

2tsp cumin

1tsp paprika

2tbsp tomato paste or 1C tomato sauce

2c corn

12 oz can chipotles in adobo, diced 

1 28oz can, diced tomatoes

1 15oz can chickpeas, rinsed well and drained

1 15oz can kidney beans, rinsed well and drained

1 15oz can white beans, rinsed well and drained

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, chopped, and steamed for 5 minutes in the microwave 

1c edamame

1c peas

olive oil for sautèing 

salt + pepper to taste 

cilantro, avocado, cheese, sour cream, as desired 

Directions

1. In a large, heavy bottomed pot, sweat onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat

2. Once onions are translucent, about 10 minutes, add dried spices and combine

3. Add tomato paste or tomato sauce, chipotles and corn

4. Combine beans and butternut squash with the onion and tomato mixture

5. Add half of the 28oz can of tomato sauce and reduce heat to low, cook at least one hour, stirring periodically and adding the remaining half can as the chili cooks down

6. If the chili gets too thick, add 1/2 C water and stir well, repeat if necessary 

7. Just before serving, add edamame and peas and stir to combine, cover and let cook 1 minute 

8. Serve with fresh cilantro, grated cheese or sour cream

a portion of the ingredients -- too many to fit in one shot

beans for days

 topped with cheddar biscuits 

 going huge...cheddar biscuits and sour cream 

 a butternut squash closeup 

To make the cheddar biscuits, I sliced leftover biscuits in half and topped with a slice of cheddar cheese, then placed them under the broiler until the cheese melted.    Cornbread would work well too! 

I love how colorful this chili is: red, white, green, orange, yellow, brown!  Not quite ROYGBIV, but getting close.  The adobo adds a lovely smokey hint of heat.  It's a great flavoring, but loaded with salt so you may not have to add any to this chili.  Taste it before serving to be sure it meets your specifications.  Also, don't feel limited by the beans I listed above...go wild! Use what you have or choose your favorites.  I prefer butternut squash to sweet potatoes to cut down on the caloric density of the dish, but sweet potatoes work (and taste great) here! 

What's your favorite chili topping?  I'd love to hear from you if you try this recipe!  Hope you enjoy...

xx,

Mrs. Wolf 

Wedding Recap: Minimoon

Did you know Minimoons were...real things?  Because of our schedules, we weren't able to take a proper honeymoon right after the wedding.  But in the interest of full disclosure, I'm not sure we would have wanted it any other way.  I'm totally unbiased and all, but after celebrating our most amazing weekend, like, ever -- we were...exhausted.  So a relaxing trip with lots of crustaceans and bubbly drinks sounded like the best option for us. 

We headed back to the scene of our engagement on Peaks Island, Maine for a peaceful few days.  If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen a few of these pictures.  Most notably, one of me dressed for the arctic.  Because after all, isn't that where all 'mooners go?

Every morning after the obligatory vanilla hazelnut coffee on the island, we headed into Portland.  

First stop: a gluten free bakery, Bam Bam Bakery-- 

chocolate crinkle cookie...heavy on the crinkle 

Followed by a tour of Shipyard Brewing Company --

everyone brings a celine to a brewery, right? 

And shopping! Matching Barbour jackets --

Bet you didn't know you needed salt and vinegar popcorn from Coastal Maine Popcorn...it's so good -- 

We had lunch one day at El Rayo, a converted gas station!  Really tasty Mexican food -- 

We really loved the Mexican Street Corn --

Lunch another day at Duck Fat --

poached tuna panini

poutine with a fried egg, over indulgent doesn't even come close

eggplant, feta, tomato, tzatziki and mint panini -- only my favorite things pressed between buttery bread

Dinners in the Old Port, including at Fore Street (where we celebrated our engagement with our families and thus began our menu wall) -- 

One of our favorites: lunch at Eventide Oyster Company --

a perfect bloody mary 

grilled razor clams with uni. stop it. right. now.

brown butter lobster roll... #eeeeeats approved

oysters for days, literally

I will leave you with this wedded-bliss quote we happened upon while going for after dinner drinks:

Have you ever been to Portland, Maine?  It's a must for foodies.  Especially those who love lobster.  But then again...that's probably most foodies. 

xx,

Mrs. Wolf