Category: Home & Garden Thursday

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Banana Ice Cream

Ice cream is delicious.  I don’t think that there is a flavor that I would say no to.  But the one flavor of ice cream that I am truly obsessed with is banana ice cream.  I just love it.

Surprisingly, it is not that common in your neighborhood super market.  Some stores don’t even carry Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey.  If they do, it is usually the only banana ice cream in the aisle.

I know that there is that easy cheat way to make banana “ice cream” where you freeze bananas and then blend them, but I never really got into that.  Fortunately, there is a new Cuisinart Ice Cream maker in our home (thank you Santa!) and I am now enabled to make banana ice cream any way and any time I want.

My first foray into banana ice cream making was sort-of cheat banana “ice cream”, using the ice cream maker.  I blended the five over-ripe bananas that were sitting on my kitchen counter with a can of sweetened condensed milk and a splash of vanilla, then poured the whole concoction into the ice cream maker.  It smelled divine.  Then I put the mostly firm concoction into the freezer to harden.  We wound up with a very banana-y frozen treat.  It had a lovely smooth texture, but it was a little too sweet.  We ate it all anyway.

Banana Ice Cream – 1st attempt

Mr. Man asked that we make “real” ice cream the next time (not banana flavor).  The booklet that comes with the machine has an easy recipe for vanilla ice cream that does not involve making a custard, so I got some supplies and got to work.  Whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla – I can handle that!  I measured and almost followed the recipe (it called for three cups of heavy cream, but the store sold it in a two-cup container, so I went with a little more milk and a little less cream). It wasn’t Trader Joe’s Super Premium Vanilla, but it was still yummy.

Vanilla Ice Cream – 1st attempt

I made sure that I picked up a good-sized bunch of bananas when I was at the store for ice cream supplies so that I will be set to make banana ice cream again next weekend.  This time I’m going to riff on the vanilla ice cream recipe just using banana (not as many as last time), whole milk, and a splash of vanilla.  I’m thinking that the banana will sort-of be the substitute for the cream, but that I also won’t need to add any sugar.  It’s not that I’m trying to be healthy about it, I’m just lazy.  I will let you know how it turns out!

I’m looking forward to finding the right banana ice cream base and then experimenting with all the other little touches.  Maybe a peanut butter swirl?  Chocolate chips for sure!  Maybe banana pudding style with Nilla wafer crumbles and banana chunks?  The list is long.

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?  I need some suggestions so that I don’t just make banana ice cream every week.

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Kitsch Signature

Kitsch: (noun) art, objects, or design that appeal to popular rather than high art tastes.  Such objects are sometimes appreciated in a knowingly ironic or humorous way.

Wikipedia

Do you have a kitsch signature?  That one, ubiquitous thing that people see and think of you?

I recently sent a friend a cute cactus something-or-other.  It was the second cactus trinket I had given her in a short timeframe.  She said that cactus was becoming her pink flamingo and that gave me the idea for this post.

My kitsch signature is pink flamingos.  I don’t know why I am so enamored of pink flamingos, but I have been since at least high school.  I did go through a ruthless purge of my accumulation of flamingo objects about 20 years ago.  Of course, in 20 years the collection has regrown and then some.  I’m not complaining, it’s fun. I have so many wonderful pink flamingo treasures that were gifts from thoughtful and generous friends, it is a lovely device to remember people.

My other kitsch collection is even more obvious: I also have a deep abiding love of cat trinkets.  So many of these lovely treasures were also gifts from thoughtful friends.  It is always so nice to look at these things and remember where they came from and think about the person who gave it to me.  Of course, I am always on the lookout for a gorgeous cat figurines on my own, especially ones that look like my cats, but who wouldn’t be?

One of my most treasured flamingo objects is a Hallmark ornament from 1994.  I love this guy hanging out in his beach chair, he speaks to my soul.

Some of the categories that my flamingo collection inhabits include:

  • Dishtowels
  • Trinket boxes
  • Mugs and plates and wine glasses and measuring cups and even a butter dish
  • An unusual number of drink stirrers (metal, glass, and plastic)
  • Beach gear – towels, cooler bag, and even clips to hold your towel on your chair
  • Some of the most treasured flamingos are Christmas ornaments or have been repurposed into Christmas ornaments for the flamingo tree
  • So many dishtowels
  • Bottle Opener
  • Cookie Cutter
  • Isn’t this plate GORGEOUS?
  • Blanca and Blanquita (pobrecitas didn’t eat enough shrimp)

I’m part of the problem but my sister has been the biggest enabler historically speaking.  We finally came to an agreement: when she (or my nephews) are out shopping and find something flamingo, instead of buying it, she will take a picture and text it to me. It has been a highly satisfying arrangement.  She lets me know that she (or my nephews) are thinking of me and I don’t have the guilt of trying to find somewhere to put something that she has spent her hard-earned money on.

Sometimes though, it is worth every penny to enable a friend’s kitsch signature (whether or not they want another darling trinket).  And it can be so easy!  You know that you’ve been out shopping and seen something that someone you know just has to have.

Here’s an abbreviated list of things that I have to try really hard to keep myself from buying for someone every time I see one (you know who you are):

  • Cactus
  • Monkeys
  • Turtles
  • Llamas
  • Flowers
  • Octopus
  • Palm trees
  • Pineapples (the international symbol of hospitality)
  • Dragonflies

Do you have a kitsch signature?  When did it begin? Do you remember your first piece and/or the piece that flipped the switch?

Fair warning: your answers may be used against you.

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Holiday Decorating

I’m a big fan of holiday decorating.  I love to spend the day after thanksgiving just holiday-ifying my whole house. There are garlands and vases full of ornaments.  The stockings are hung by the chimney with care.  There is a small collection of nutcrackers and a tree just for cat ornaments. There is a wire wreath just waiting for everyone’s Christmas cards.

And there is the flamingo tree, the best Christmas tree of all.  Oh, the flamingo tree is so beautiful, a white tinsel tree with only pink flamingo ornaments.  Last year I sewed a flamingo Christmas tree skirt for her, it’s reversible.  All the rest of my holiday décor is red and green, but the flamingo tree stands alone, a beautiful pink and white treasure.

A few years ago, my mom sent me a ladder for my birthday.  It is one of those great convertible ladders that goes from step-ladder mode to big-tall mode.  She was sick of listening to me complain about how hard it was to put up my Halloween and Christmas decorations and decided to provide me with the tool to solve my decorating woes.  And it worked!  Ever since I got that ladder, Mr. Man has put up the Christmas lights on our little bungalow every year.

  • Colorful lights to the left
  • It’s like a Jimmy Buffet song
  • Colorful lights to the right

Our neighbors next door on both sides and across the street go with the old-school, large, multi-colored bulbs.  We go with warm white icicle lights.  It’s a nice contrast.

The house on the corner

When Mr. Man put up our lights after Thanksgiving, it was a 75+ degree day.  We decided that it was nice that he put up the Christmas lights so that we would know that it was winter, otherwise, we might not have noticed.

Inside is another story. Because we have these two wonderful treasures living here named Anabel and Sally.  And I am very confident that anything that I put out would be interpreted to be new cat toys.  The fireplace is still filled with boxes so that they can’t get in there (they still are trying), I don’t even know what I think will happen if I try to hang the stockings.  I managed to sneak in my meager collection of nutcrackers and the Christmas card wreath but that is pretty much it.  This year my indoor holiday decorations are on a break.

Even though I miss my flamingo tree, I would be so sad to be cleaning up the aftermath of a kitten attack on it.  Fortunately, I have many photos from last year so that we can all enjoy it virtually.

As much as I like to have my holiday decorations up right away after Thanksgiving, I want everything packed up and put away before the new year.  So, the upside to this indoor decorating minimalism is that my New Year’s Eve cleaning binge is going to be much simpler this year.

I will be taking the next few weeks off and will be back on January 7th.  I will look forward to catching up with you in 2019!

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Another Dinner Experiment

I was looking for recipes on Pinterest for something with sweet potatoes and zucchini.  I didn’t find quite what I wanted, but I did find enough to give me an idea of what I was going to attempt.  It was time for another dinner experiment.

Sweet Potato/Zucchini Concoction

  • Slice (thin-ish) sort-of equal amounts of sweet potato and zucchini
  • Layer in baking dish (cute, right?)
  • Drizzle with garlic butter (I used 4 tbsps of butter, 1 clove of garlic, and a dash of herbs de Provence)
  • Bake covered at 350 for 45 minutes (I would probably try 30 minutes at 400 next time)
  • Uncover, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, bake for another 10 minutes

I did find a recipe for blackened something and I thought that the blackened spice mix sounded like I might like to try it on the salmon that I was making to go with the sweet potato/zucchini concoction.  Of course, I didn’t have all of the ingredients, so this is what I wound up throwing together (I did measure!).

Blackened seasoning:

  • 1tbsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • Dash of cayenne

For the salmon, my goal was to make sure that it came out with crispy skin.  I found a great article on Epicurious about how to get crispy skin.  I had already prepped the filets and they were hanging out in the fridge waiting to meet their fate.

This seemed like another great occasion for my trusty cast iron skillet.  Unfortunately, I did not do a very good job of making sure that the skin was as dry as possible before cooking.  The fish came out delicious, it was a very easy and fast method of cooking, but I did not wind up with the crispy skin that I was dreaming about. I’m looking forward to getting another crack at it, I think that I have learned my lesson and that crispy salmon skin is in my future.

P.S. Today is my 50th post!  Thank you for reading!!!

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Friendly Neighborhood Craft Fair

There was a craft fair in the neighborhood a few weeks ago called the Patchwork Show Long Beach Makers Festival at which my artist friend, MaryBeth Leonard, was hosting a booth.  I generally try to avoid craft fairs.  Mostly because there are too many interesting things that I want to buy.  A secondary problem is that I see all sorts of things that I think I could make myself or that trigger a new project idea and then I get overwhelmed with craftprehension.

*Craftprehension – noun; apprehension brought on by too many craft project ideas; also, a word that I just made up

 

Since MaryBeth was going to be there, I wanted to make a point of showing up so I asked my golf partner if she would be up for a different kind of Sunday walk.  Fortunately, M is generally up for most adventures and away we went!

When we got there, we somehow managed to decide to start at the exact opposite end from where MaryBeth’s booth was.  As we went up and down all the rows looking for her, we found all sorts of other fun treasures.

Sea princess cake pops:

Because, what good is a cake pop without a mermaid tail, really?

Crayon unicorns:

They had these crayon sets in SO MANY fun shapes

A chic bo-ho sundress:

I kind-of want to be the girl on the sailboat in the picture

So many cute plant-themed graphics

I was drawn to the Botanical Bright booth because of the graphic illustrations and t-shirts. My t-shirt drawer is full and really I only ever wear the same few over and over so I’m trying to not buy any more until I can convince myself to get rid of some.  I’ve bookmarked this seller’s website for when I do.  She also had these beautiful succulent arrangements in geodes that the kittens would  be so excited to tear apart, so I abstained from those as well. I did wind up picking up some crystals because you know how I feel about having a little bit of magic in your life.  I think she said the silver one gives you superpowers.

Finally, when we were practically at the end of our adventure, we found MaryBeth!

Isn’t she lovely?

She had a big selection of matted prints from her “A Drawing a Day for a Year” project. But she also had original drawings and paintings.  I found just the perfect thing for someone’s Christmas gift and M found something for her beach-themed room.

Just a smidge of her work

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I fortunately managed to not bring home a bunch of new craft ideas, just a reminder about the succulent projects that I haven’t gotten around to and a sweet little handful of magical rocks.

Success!

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Thanksgiving recap

A few years ago, Mr. Man and I started a “Thanksgiving for Two” tradition.  I was so busy working so much that it was a special treat to spend some time at home cooking.  I would make all the traditional sides: green bean casserole, scalloped potatoes, yams with marshmallows on top, dressing, either pumpkin or apple pie (or both) and then we would get just the turkey breast to roast.  We would have Pillsbury crescent rolls and that delicious cranberry relish from Trader Joes and a nice bottle of wine.  I would set the table with our wedding china and crystal…it was a whole thing.

Now that I’ve been home a lot more and cooking more regularly, spending two days doing all those things lost some of its appeal.

This year, we spent Thanksgiving with our very dear family friends.  They are my second family and it is always fun to get to hang out with them.  Between the cooking and the eating, the catching up and the “remember when”s it was a full evening.

These friends have a lovely hillside house with fantastic views of Los Angeles and Orange County.  It was a beautiful sunset and I spent some time on the deck watching the almost-full moon rising through the trees.

Once the moon was out, the coyotes got to work.  There were a few different packs down the hill a ways braying and howling.  Hopefully all of the neighbors had brought their kitties and little dogs inside.  At one point during the evening, Buddy, their big dog got out.  It certainly wouldn’t be a family get-together without some sort of drama now, would it?  I don’t know if he went out there to run the coyotes off, but it quieted down outside, and he came home before too long.

 

pretty table setting

Dinner was lovely.  The turkey was tender, there were yummy potatoes, two kinds of dressing, brussels sprouts, King’s Hawaiian rolls and of course plenty of good wine.  I made my “famous” spaghetti squash salad. It turned out yummy again which was a relief!

In addition to the usual suspects, a new friend joined us, and it was a treat to get to meet her.  She loves to bake (a good quality to look for in new friends) and brought the pie.  Not just pumpkin pie, it was pumpkin/sweet potato pie.  And it was divine.  She mentioned that in addition to all the meticulous effort she puts into preparing the pumpkin/sweet potato puree, she uses coconut cream instead of dairy cream for the custard.  Ah ha!  Remember when I told you that I thought that my coconut cream came out silkier than regular pastry cream?  It wasn’t just a fluke; other people do the same thing on purpose.  I love spontaneous positive reinforcement!

Almost looks too good to eat

How was your Thanksgiving?  Did you host?  What was your favorite dish?  Was there anything that you didn’t make that you wish you had?

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Coconut Cream Pie

On my Instagram feed the other day, Martha Stewart posted a recipe for coconut cream pie as a great make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert option.  That made me think that this might be the right time for me to share my coconut cream pie recipe with you!

I had been obsessing about coconut cream pie a few months ago and after reading a bunch of different recipes on Pinterest, decided to take matters into my own hands. Now, I am no Martha Stewart, but this did turn out delicious and I’m looking forward to making it again very soon.

For the Filling:

Start with Martha Stewart’s No Fuss Pastry Cream.  BUT, make the following tweaks:

  • Replace 2 cups of whole milk with 1 ½ coconut milk (1 can) and ½ cup whole milk
  • Replace 2 tbsps butter with 2 tbsps coconut oil

This pastry cream recipe comes out extra silky with the coconut milk and coconut oil. I think that I might like the texture more than when I’ve made it with dairy.

After transferring cooked cream to a bowl:

  • Stir in 1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
  • Cover with plastic wrap (press the plastic wrap onto the surface of the cream)
  • Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to overnight

For the crust:

  • 1 box of Trader Joes Cookie Thins in Toasted Coconut flavor
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 6tbsp coconut oil

 

  • Crumble cookies in the food processor
  • Add sugar, pulse to distribute
  • Add the melted butter and coconut oil, pulse to combine
  • Dump into pie plate and use a measuring spoon to pack it down
  • Bake for 7 minutes at 375 degrees

Let cool completely

Assemble the pie:

Fill cooled crust with refrigerated cream filling.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and put it back in the fridge.  Let it sit there for AT LEAST 24 hours (48 hours is even better).  Top with freshly whipped cream and toasted coconut slivers before serving.

bonus points if you serve it on flamingo-themed plates!
Just a note to let you know that I will be taking next week off from the blog but will be back on November 26!  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!!

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Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie

Who doesn’t like chicken pot pie?  I like it enough that I don’t mind making it from scratch.  But, I am not great at winding up with something with the perfect filling-to-crust ratio and at some point, there are just a few too many steps for my liking.  So, I decided to make a “deconstructed” chicken pot pie.  I would make the filling and then make biscuits separately.

I thought about looking for a recipe, but decided to wing it.  Two recipes that I have made before and like are Wolfgang Puck’s Chicken Pot Pie (https://wolfgangpuck.com/recipes/) and Ina Garten’s Seafood Gratin (https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/seafood-gratin-recipe-1953985).  I decided to riff off of both of them for the filling.  For the biscuits, it was mom’s classic biscuit recipe of course.

Here is what I came up with:

Chicken Pot Pie Filling:

  • 2 cups of leeks chopped (about one leek – I got the cleaned, packaged leeks at Trader Joes)
  • 2 cups chopped celery (since the leek was 2 cups, I based the rest of the veggies off of that)
  • 2 cups of chopped carrots
  • 2 chicken breasts, cubed
  • Oil (I used canola, olive oil would work too)
  • White wine (few splashes, maybe ¼ cup?)
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 2 cups milk (I used whole milk this time, you can also use part milk, part chicken broth)
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Herbs de Provence

In a skillet (I used cast iron) heat enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan over medium-ish heat.  Add the leeks, celery, and carrots.  Sauté vegetables until they reduce by approximately half (5 minutes-ish).  Add dash of salt.  Add splash of white wine, continue to cook for a few more minutes.  Once everything looks nicely softened, remove from pan (I just had a mixing bowl on the side to put things in to hang out).

Then throw the cubed chicken in the pan.  Season with salt, pepper, and a dash of herbs de Provence (if you want, I have a thing for thyme these days and like to use it whenever I think I can get away with it).  Once the chicken is cooked, remove from pan (I just stashed it in the same bowl with the veggies).

I had found a zucchini in the refrigerator, so I sliced it up and threw it in the pan to sauté for a few minutes too.  Mushrooms would be good too.  So, if you add any extra veggies, once they’re cooked, remove them to your storage bowl.

Then throw the butter in the pan.  Once it starts to melt, sprinkle in the flour and get your roux going.  This should pick up all the good bits that the sautéed veggies and chicken left in the pan.  Let the flour cook for a few minutes, then add the milk a bit at a time (I did not warm my milk first, which does make the roux seize up, but it will smooth out after it warms up, just keep stirring).  Add some salt and pepper to the sauce (it might have been fun to add some paprika or cayenne here…maybe next time).  Once the sauce is warm and starting to thicken, throw the chicken and veggies back in the pan.  Add fresh peas (1 cup?), stir to combine and let it sit there on low/medium low heat.

Now you can throw the biscuits together.

Mom’s Classic Biscuit Recipe

Preheat oven to 450.

  • 2 cups flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp shortening (I used unsalted butter this time)
  • 2/3 cup milk

Sift dry ingredients together.  Blend in butter or shortening.  Add milk.

Once the dough comes together, turn it out on a floured surface.  Roll it out (I just mashed it out with my hand).  Use a biscuit cutter (or a glass) to cut the biscuits.  Place on baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes (they will be pale, but should be slightly golden on top).

 

 

I served the filling in a bowl with the biscuits on a plate on the side.  I had 2 tablespoons of butter from the stick that I used to make the biscuits with, so I whipped up a little batch of honey butter (yum!).

Overall, I think it came out really yummy.  I could have cooked the vegetables more, they were a little crisp, but I liked the fresh crunch with the creamy sauce.  It certainly is a lot more steps than sheet pan dinner, I don’t think that I would like to go through this much bother every week.

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Shopping, Etcetera…

Disclaimer: this is not a paid endorsement

There is something to be said for a no-nonsense clothes shopping experience. I have become an almost exclusively online shopper because I just can’t be bothered to go to a store anymore.  That being said, there is something wonderful about shopping in-person, you get to discover different things, touch the fabrics, and notice the details of things that you would miss online (I recently ordered and then immediately returned a jacket that I was SURE had ¾ sleeves, it didn’t, the model just had really long arms – oops!).

The main things that I am completely over in terms of in-person shopping are 1) digging through racks to try to find your size in something; and 2) standing in line to make a purchase (really, you expect me to WAIT for the privilege of giving you my money?).  It turns out there is a better way…

My friend Liz McCann is one of the most down-to-earth, fancy ladies I know, and she has found a wonderful way to give busy women a convenient, efficient, and personal shopping experience.  Now, it helps if you have a big enough house to be able to turn your formal living and dining rooms into a showroom for a week or so four times a year…hey, I told you that she’s fancy.

shopping at Chez Liz

pretty scalloped piping on black slacks

Liz sells a clothing line called Etcetera.  To be honest, it is a little pricy.  But the clothes are nicely made, and every piece has some beautiful, surprising details.  Each season’s line is organized and coordinated to create various capsule wardrobe options (it is sort-of like Garanimals for grown-ups). When I shop with her, I am usually looking for just one or two pieces special pieces to give my wardrobe a pick-me-up and I always seem to find a treasure.

 

 

 

this embroidered coat would make leggings and a t-shirt acceptable anywhere

Shopping at Liz’s house is fun.  You get the whole showroom to yourself and can try everything if you wanted to.  Liz will get you to try things that you wouldn’t usually consider. And she will be honest when something just doesn’t work. Even though she has limited sizes in the samples, she knows how the line fits and has never steered me wrong when she’s advised me on what size to order (any of the times that she told me that I need a smaller size).

 

 

This is a trouser jean with racing stripes. The windbreaker has this pretty sleeve detail (it’s cuter on, trust me).

The clothes that I’ve bought from Liz are the pieces that I reach for when I needed to look professional, pulled together, and be comfortable.  I am also going on the record to admit that I have machine washed all sorts of things that I’ve gotten from her that said to dry clean and none of them came out any worse for it.

 

 

 

Liz currently has fall/winter in house until November 5.  If you are feeling the need to shop, shoot her a message at emccann1976@gmail.com and I’m sure she’ll fit you in.  You can also ask her to add you to her list and she will let you know when  she has the spring collection in house (February 2019 sometime).

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The Green Monster

My friend had the day off work and we decided to take ourselves on an adventure.  We headed off to an estate sale that I had seen advertised on the internet.  I love estate sales probably a little too much and really try to avoid them because always wind up finding some treasure that I didn’t know I needed.  But this time, I was sure that I didn’t need anything, and we would find something for my friend’s redecorating project.  Sigh.

In one of the upstairs bedrooms were some very 1960’s hutches.  One caught my eye because it was fairly narrow.  I have this wall in the dining room that I would love to have a hutch of some sort on, but the wall is only 32” wide.  I asked my friend, “does this look like it’s under 30” wide to you?” Of course, she is the most prepared person ever and proceeded to pull a measuring tape out of her purse.  Yup, 30” exactly.  Oh man, should I get it?  $100 later, we had removed the top from the base and shoved both pieces into the back of my car.

top beforebottom being prepped to paint  

Mr. Man was NOT happy when I got home.  “Where is that going!?!”  I explained, first it is going into the garage, then after I paint it, it will go where that bookcase is in the dining room.  “And where is the bookcase going?” I will find it a new home, somewhere else, not in our house.  Hasn’t he learned to trust me by now?

My dream for this monstrosity was glossy, kelly green with gold accents.  Bright colors, shiny finishes, and Chinoiserie are not really part of my decorating scheme.  It’s not something that would necessarily go with anything else in our house.  But that is what it told me that it wanted to be.  A statement piece.

I decided to use spray paint because I figured it would be the easiest (if messiest) way to get the result that I wanted.  I am not a great spray painter. I wish I had gotten a more even finish, but I am still happy with the results.

            

hardware before

The hardware was brass painted white.  I was expecting to have to paint the hardware gold (and ultimately replace it), but after a little soaking in warm, soapy water and a little scrubbing  with a scotch brite pad, the white paint came off and I had exactly the look I wanted.

it fits!

I want to do something else with the backboard accent paper.  This gold leopard print didn’t quite do what I was looking for, but it’ll do for now.  Getting this guy painted and moved in the house was enough of an undertaking that I’m giving myself a little break before I dive back into finding the perfect pattern for the backboard.

I love having these drawers for placemats, napkins, tablecloths, trivets, etc.  There is plenty of space to keep lots of my entertaining things handy yet out of sight and that just makes me so happy.  I love the green color and the bamboo details.  Even though it totally doesn’t “go” with anything else in our house, it works in my crazy lady, eclectic mess decorating aesthetic.  Success!