Holiday Gift Wrapping
With simple household materials, you can change your “brown paper packages, tied up with string” into the prettiest works of art. My daughter, “Milla Plum,” and I gathered several things that we already had to create unique, one of a kind gift wrap. A lovely, personal touch for that special someone. 1. Wrap your gifts […]
Cutting Techniques
Slice Cut virtually across the food to create thin, flat, even pieces. Dice Slice the food first, then stack the slices and cut crosswise to create cubes. Cutting into small cubesabout ½-inch to ¾-inch creates pieces of the same size, which allows for uniform cooking. Julienne (or matchstick) Square off round foods first, […]
Create Your Own Vision Board
It’s that time again. Time for this overachieving 40-something to set an unrealistic goal she will never meet and to make a fantastic New Year’s resolution she will never keep. Ready. Set. Forget it. Instead, I am giving a shout out to all who have said “no more” to resolutions. Is there room in your […]
Easter Eggs: Flora Inspired & Naturally Dyed
For ingredients to make beautifully colored Easter eggs, look no further than your fridge and pantry. Press on a few sprigs of fresh herbs and not only have you created works of art – you’ve also wisely avoided a rainbow of synthetic colors found in those 99 cent Easter egg coloring kits. Throughout history, plant […]
“Honey, I Got You Flowers!” Making the Most Out of a Grocery Store Bouquet
When that special someone hands you a fistful of stems wrapped in polka-dotted cellophane, thank them sweetly and let this thrifty floral makeover begin. A little bit of this, a little bit of that, and a festival of color – that aptly describes the average grocery store bouquet. For years, I knew nothing better than […]
Homemade Vanilla Extract
To make homemade vanilla extract, you need just two ingredients: alcohol and vanilla beans, plus a few minutes of prep time. You do need a little patience while the flavor of the vanilla beans is extracted, which takes several weeks. But it’s all more than worth it when you end up with the tastiest, most […]