As I’ve mentioned before, the January issue of Martha Stewart Living really was a hit with me. There are just so many things in the issue that strike a chord or just work for me.

On page 88, there is a heart-stoppingly gorgeous section called A Year of Flowers, which shows a flower arrangement for each month of the year. I nearly keeled over with delight. For the past several years, for Christmas, I have asked for membership in one of those flower of the month clubs (but have never gotten it). I want the one that sends you a live flowering plant each month. The problem is they are really, really expensive – $500 a year and up. Eek.

I do occasionally treat myself to something I see at the grocery store. Last weekend I bought a tulip plant. In the spring I often haul home other flowering potted bulbs.

When I have fresh, live flowers in the house it makes me feel so cheerful. I would love to have one delivered to my doorstop every month to enjoy.

If anyone has a recommendation for which “club” to join, I would love to hear about it. Maybe next year I can talk Mr. MarthaAndMe into buying it for me! Or perhaps I will invest in it myself as a mental health necessity!

As I’ve mentioned before, the January issue of Martha Stewart Living really was a hit with me. There are just so many things in the issue that strike a chord or just work for me. On page 88, there is a heart-stoppingly gorgeous section called A Year of Flowers, which shows a flower arrangement for … Read more →

All month long Martha Stewart has been showing us her “must-haves” on The Martha Stewart Show. I’ve enjoyed seeing what she considers essential, even if I find most of it out of my price range! Yesterday though she showed some kitchen tools and I fell off my chair when I realized I had every single one!

I love the microplane and use it for cheese and zest. I just bought the Asian strainer a couple of weeks ago and have not used it yet. The reamer has gotten a lot of use, but Mr. MarthaAndMe bought me an electric juicer for Mother’s Day, so I’ve since retired it. I have to say I was surprised Martha included the reamer since she is always raving about that little plastic juicer tool she uses on the show.

I would have to say that if I were to make a list of my essential kitchen tools it would not include the strainer and the reamer. It would however include a good pair of tongs, a rubber grip to open jars, a thin sturdy spatula, a rubber scraper, a rubber grip veggie peeler and a plastic liquid measuring cup (the ones with the special markings so you can read them from the top, not the side). What are your essentials?

All month long Martha Stewart has been showing us her “must-haves” on The Martha Stewart Show. I’ve enjoyed seeing what she considers essential, even if I find most of it out of my price range! Yesterday though she showed some kitchen tools and I fell off my chair when I realized I had every single … Read more →

All month long Martha Stewart has been showing us her “must-haves” on The Martha Stewart Show. I’ve enjoyed seeing what she considers essential, even if I find most of it out of my price range! Yesterday though she showed some kitchen tools and I fell off my chair when I realized I had every single one!

I love the microplane and use it for cheese and zest. I just bought the Asian strainer a couple of weeks ago and have not used it yet. The reamer has gotten a lot of use, but Mr. MarthaAndMe bought me an electric juicer for Mother’s Day, so I’ve since retired it. I have to say I was surprised Martha included the reamer since she is always raving about that little plastic juicer tool she uses on the show.

I would have to say that if I were to make a list of my essential kitchen tools it would not include the strainer and the reamer. It would however include a good pair of tongs, a rubber grip to open jars, a thin sturdy spatula, a rubber scraper, a rubber grip veggie peeler and a plastic liquid measuring cup (the ones with the special markings so you can read them from the top, not the side). What are your essentials?

All month long Martha Stewart has been showing us her “must-haves” on The Martha Stewart Show. I’ve enjoyed seeing what she considers essential, even if I find most of it out of my price range! Yesterday though she showed some kitchen tools and I fell off my chair when I realized I had every single … Read more →

Martha, you’ve really got me this time. Pages 52-56 of January Living are all about diagnosing problems with houseplants. Oh boy, do I need this! Let me just say this is all a little embarrassing! My grandfather ran a very successful greenhouse business, now owned by my uncle. My father plants the world’s largest garden every summer, and my mom has a house filled with houseplants. Obviously, the green thumb gene was not passed along to me.

I have a long and troubled history with houseplants. I like having them very much – not only because they are pretty but because I firmly believe they are important for air quality. Sigh. Too bad I can’t keep them alive for anything.

Last year Mr. MarthaAndMe bought me a beautiful jasmine plant for my birthday (I actually told him I wanted a jade plant – hey, they both start with J’s I guess). It was dead within 6 months and never flowered again. A friend bought me an orchid for another birthday and I killed that one in a couple of months  – that also never flowered again. I used to have lots of houseplants, but I can’t seem to remember to water them and I never know how much light they need.

At this point I have 4 trusty houseplants, none of which are in the greatest condition.

Please observe specimen #1. I have no idea what this is called. It needed to be watered, which I did. I think this one falls under Martha’s “pot-bound” category. It needs a bigger pot, so I’ll put that on my to-do list. This plant has not changed in size since I got it,  I don’t think.

Plant #2 is a Christmas cactus which was started from a cutting from my mom’s plant. I have managed to keep it alive for many years, but have never been able to figure out how to make it flower. I know there’s something about putting it in a dark cool room for several months. I don’t have a room like that though. Martha has inspired me to read up on this and try to make it work for next Christmas.

Specimen #3 is another unidentified plant. This one has been hanging by a thread for years. It used to get really sick during the summer until I realized it didn’t really like a lot of light, so now I keep it in the living room, which is a darker room.  Earlier this fall I had a record 5 leaves on it, but now I’m down to 3, and one has collapsed.  It did need water, I’ll admit. After I watered it, the droopy stem stood back up. I wish I could get this grow more leaves though and be fuller.

Specimen #4 is my proudest achievement (which is totally embarrassing). This is an air fern. I bought it at Walmart one day on a whim. It has no soil and does not need to be watered.  Therein lies my success! I don’t have to do a darn thing to it. It’s in my office and I think it is fairly happy because the kids’ bathroom is right across the hall and so there is some moist air for it. Frankly, I’m surprised it’s still kicking. I’ve had it a few years.

Martha’s section on plants is a great guide and I’m going to be sure to hang on to it. Maybe it will even give me the courage to try some other plants. I’d love to have them, if only I could keep them alive!

Martha, you’ve really got me this time. Pages 52-56 of January Living are all about diagnosing problems with houseplants. Oh boy, do I need this! Let me just say this is all a little embarrassing! My grandfather ran a very successful greenhouse business, now owned by my uncle. My father plants the world’s largest garden … Read more →

I adore fortune cookies. I think it all started in 7th grade when my best friend Beth and I used to walk to the store at the end of her street and buy them in the bulk department. We would eat through a whole bag in one sitting, ripping into them to see what our fortunes were going to be. Sometimes we found duplicate fortunes, which was always a little disappointing.

Fortune cookies combine the two things I love most in the world – reading and dessert! I also love the silly mysticism of it.

Imagine my exclamation of joy when I got to page 73 of January Living and saw the terrific photo of fortune cookies! Fortune cookies are a fun little inspiration for me.

I thought I would share my collection with you (which also plays off the creative workspaces theme of the Jan issue – something I’ll be talking about later this month – since my collection is kept in my office).

The first photo is my facny fortune cookies – gold, silver or jeweled. These are the only ones not currently in my office. Right now, they stay in a curio cabinet in the living room, but I’m hoping to find some kind of small wall display cabinet to hold my entire collection so they can all be together in my office.

The second photo is the office collection. Some I bought on eBay, the 3 little silver ones I found in a department store, the red leather one we found in a store in Charlottesville, VA and the pink, gold, light blue and silvery blue ones were made by my friend Belle, and I treasure those because she made them just for me. The big blue one in the back right is an electronic fortune cookie. You pull it open and a fortune displays on the LED screen.

The third photo is framed fortunes I’ve received that were meaningful or inspirational to me and two little books people have given me about fortune cookies.

I adore fortune cookies. I think it all started in 7th grade when my best friend Beth and I used to walk to the store at the end of her street and buy them in the bulk department. We would eat through a whole bag in one sitting, ripping into them to see what our … Read more →

One of my brilliant Martha-esque ideas for Christmas was to make Mr. MarthaAndMe a framed map with thumbtacks in it to show all the places we’ve visited. I saw one in a catalog for about $180. I ordered a map of the US for $10 including shipping, then I bought a frame for 40% off at Michael’s for about $20 and a bottle of spray adhesive for $3. Then I bought a big piece of foamboard for $14. I was so proud of my thriftiness. Then I went to assemble it. The map was not the size promised! It was off by about an inch and didn’t fill the frame side to side.

I also was making one for my parents, but with a world map. That map perfectly fit the frame. I searched and searched for another US map the same size, but apparently there is only one company that makes a US map that is 24×36. I ended up giving it to Mr. MarthaAndMe in its slightly imperfect state. We decided to order a new map (the same one) and this time center it on a piece of foamboard that would fit the frame.

That was this morning’s project. Apparently this manufacturer has a little trouble making maps to size. Today’s map is about an inch off, but the other way – up and down! We made it work and had fun putting in all the thumbtacks. We decided to put them only where we have stayed overnight (even though we usually stay in one place and then drive all over hell in the area around it). It turned out pretty nicely and we’re both looking forward to adding more thumbtacks! We hung it over Mr. MarthaAndMe’s desk to inspire him while he is working.

One of my brilliant Martha-esque ideas for Christmas was to make Mr. MarthaAndMe a framed map with thumbtacks in it to show all the places we’ve visited. I saw one in a catalog for about $180. I ordered a map of the US for $10 including shipping, then I bought a frame for 40% off … Read more →

I know the holidays are over for most people, but in my family we are still struggling through it! I was assigned to bring dessert for 12 to a family holiday party last night. I decided to make Martha’s Triple Chocolate Peppermint Trifle from Season’s Eatings, page 114.

I decided I wanted to make it in 12 individual bowls rather than one big trifle bowl. A big trifle bowl looks pretty, but when you serve it, it looks like a pile of mush (which in my opinion is not all that appetizing). So I needed 12 bowls. I have a set of 12 pink goblets that was perfect, but Mr. MarthaandMe felt that there was no way we could safely transport those. I have a set of 8 cute little glass dessert bowls, but I need 12. Off we went to Bed, Bath and Beyond where I bought 12 individual trifle bowls for $30 (the things I do for Martha).

I started cooking this yesterday afternoon. First I made the cake, which was pretty simple. Next I made the syrup. Martha says to mix water and sugar and add chocolate liqueur. I don’t have any liqueur so I cheated and mixed cocoa powder and some cocoa mix with water till it was dark and thick.

Next I made the mousse. You cook cream and melt white chocolate in it.

Then you cool it in an ice bath. Next you fold in whipped cream. At the end you add crushed candy canes.

After that I made the pudding, which was pretty basic, but also requires an ice bath (just call me the ice queen).

All of this needed to chill for at least 4 hours.  This was New Year’s Day and I was tired to the bone from our New Year’s Eve

extravaganza. By the time everything was chilled, I was so tired I almost could not keep my eyes open to fill the bowls.

First I had to wash the bowls. And of course I managed to chip one. Sigh.

This dessert has a back breaking 9 layers:

– mousse

– cake

– syrup

– pudding

-mousse

– cake

– syrup

-pudding

-mousse

It all fit perfectly in the little trifle bowls, although it took a long time to assemble. If you made this in one

big bowl, it would go much more quickly.

Once it’s in the bowls, it needs to set for at least 12 hours.

Transporting this to our destination was a challenge. Mr. MarthaAndMe put them all in a big cardboard box with bubble wrap between the bowls and we got them there without incident.

Before serving, I made whipped cream and put that on top and then

sprinkled with more crushed peppermint. I put the trifle bowls on a dessert plate and stuck one of my Chocolate Peppermint cookies (Dec. Living Cookie of the Month – had exactly 12 left so that worked out perfectly) on the top. They looked very pretty.

As for the taste test? Well, this was a very rich dessert and most people at the table did not finish it. It needs a lot more peppermint than it had. I think I might add some peppermint extract to the cake or the mousse. It just tasted like a mouthful of chocolate and cream and was a bit overwhelming I thought.

I don’t think I would make this dessert again. It was very time-consuming. It’s festive and pretty, but I’d rather eat something else.

This is my last offiicial holiday 2008 post! Tomorrow we’re moving on to January Living. It feels like a breath of fresh air after all the candies, decorations, and desserts December was filled with. I can hardly wait to focus on weight loss, healthy eating, home organizing and simplification. I am soooo holiday’ed out at this point – but we have one more party tonight to get through!

I know the holidays are over for most people, but in my family we are still struggling through it! I was assigned to bring dessert for 12 to a family holiday party last night. I decided to make Martha’s Triple Chocolate Peppermint Trifle from Season’s Eatings, page 114. I decided I wanted to make it … Read more →

It is a tradition at our house to have fondue on New Year’s Eve. It used to be just us and the kids, but over the years, more and more people have joined us. Our dining room table was at capacity this year and the two fondue pots I had going were barely enough. Next year, I think we’ll have to expand to another room and add a pot.

First, the table.  New Year’s started out as a simple thing and has gradually become more complicated. This year we ended up with 9 people (one unexpectedly showed up at the last minute and we had to scramble to add a seat). It’s hard to see in the photo, but I took curling ribbon, curled it,  and ran it the length of the table. Then I made shorter strands and laid them the opposite way along it. In between each place setting, I put another squiggle of curled ribbon. We also have some crazy new year hats and crowns that the guests amuse themselves with before dinner.

This year I used Martha’s fondue recipes. First, the cheese fondue. Let me say here that cheese fondue and I have a long and troubled history. The first few years it went beautifully. Then we entered a period where the fondue did not combine well for a few years – it would be stringy or separate. Last year I cheated and bought some already made, which I just heated. This year I put my trust in Martha. It was touch and go. I had the wine heated and started slowly adding cheese. All it did was clump up in the bottom of the pan. I kept stirring and stirring and slowly adding cheese, with no change. After half an hour, I reached the panic stage and Mr. MarthaAndMe was sent to look online for help while I called my mother. No help from either place. I kept stirring and finally added the cornstarch and lemon juice and POOF it suddenly came together. Miraculous.

With the cheese fondue I served:

– squares of ham

– slices of Italian chicken sausage

-cherry tomatoes

– slices of pear

– chunks of French bread

– chunks of pumpernickel rye bread

– pieces of hot pretzels (a total hit with the guests)

– broccoli

– cauliflower

– zucchini

I also served a honey mustard sauce and a creamy dill sauce. Also on the table was the carmelized onion dip (see yesterday’s post). Martha’s fondue was excellent. It had a nice mix of cheeses which gave it a nice depth of flavor. As always, you’ve got to keep an eye on you fondue pots. If it gets too hot, it starts to overcook. If you cool it too much, it gets clumpy.

Next up was the chocolate fondue. This is easy to make since you just melt chocolate in cream. I used a mix of dark and semi-sweet chocolate. It was fabulous. I also used the same recipe and substituted some white chocolate to make a white chocolate fondue.

With the fondue I served:

– strawberries

– pineapple

– marshmallows

– chocolate chip cookies

– fortune cookies

– chunks of rice krispie treats

– blueberries

– raspberries

– banana

– biscotti

– pound cake

I also served a bowl of chopped peanuts and a bowl of flake coconut (to roll things in after they are dipped in the chocolate). The chocolate fondue is always a big hit and so delicious.

We had a great time, but this party just about kills me every year! It takes so long to chop and prepare the many foods in advance and then there are so many plates, forks, and serving dishes to wash afterwards! Our party is dinner only – guests go elsewhere for the ball drop, so we were in bed by 10:30 and sound asleep from exhaustion.

It is a tradition at our house to have fondue on New Year’s Eve. It used to be just us and the kids, but over the years, more and more people have joined us. Our dining room table was at capacity this year and the two fondue pots I had going were barely enough. Next … Read more →

It is a tradition at our house to have fondue on New Year’s Eve. It used to be just us and the kids, but over the years, more and more people have joined us. Our dining room table was at capacity this year and the two fondue pots I had going were barely enough. Next year, I think we’ll have to expand to another room and add a pot.

First, the table.  New Year’s started out as a simple thing and has gradually become more complicated. This year we ended up with 9 people (one unexpectedly showed up at the last minute and we had to scramble to add a seat). It’s hard to see in the photo, but I took curling ribbon, curled it,  and ran it the length of the table. Then I made shorter strands and laid them the opposite way along it. In between each place setting, I put another squiggle of curled ribbon. We also have some crazy new year hats and crowns that the guests amuse themselves with before dinner.

This year I used Martha’s fondue recipes. First, the cheese fondue. Let me say here that cheese fondue and I have a long and troubled history. The first few years it went beautifully. Then we entered a period where the fondue did not combine well for a few years – it would be stringy or separate. Last year I cheated and bought some already made, which I just heated. This year I put my trust in Martha. It was touch and go. I had the wine heated and started slowly adding cheese. All it did was clump up in the bottom of the pan. I kept stirring and stirring and slowly adding cheese, with no change. After half an hour, I reached the panic stage and Mr. MarthaAndMe was sent to look online for help while I called my mother. No help from either place. I kept stirring and finally added the cornstarch and lemon juice and POOF it suddenly came together. Miraculous.

With the cheese fondue I served:

– squares of ham

– slices of Italian chicken sausage

-cherry tomatoes

– slices of pear

– chunks of French bread

– chunks of pumpernickel rye bread

– pieces of hot pretzels (a total hit with the guests)

– broccoli

– cauliflower

– zucchini

I also served a honey mustard sauce and a creamy dill sauce. Also on the table was the carmelized onion dip (see yesterday’s post). Martha’s fondue was excellent. It had a nice mix of cheeses which gave it a nice depth of flavor. As always, you’ve got to keep an eye on you fondue pots. If it gets too hot, it starts to overcook. If you cool it too much, it gets clumpy.

Next up was the chocolate fondue. This is easy to make since you just melt chocolate in cream. I used a mix of dark and semi-sweet chocolate. It was fabulous. I also used the same recipe and substituted some white chocolate to make a white chocolate fondue.

With the fondue I served:

– strawberries

– pineapple

– marshmallows

– chocolate chip cookies

– fortune cookies

– chunks of rice krispie treats

– blueberries

– raspberries

– banana

– biscotti

– pound cake

I also served a bowl of chopped peanuts and a bowl of flake coconut (to roll things in after they are dipped in the chocolate). The chocolate fondue is always a big hit and so delicious.

We had a great time, but this party just about kills me every year! It takes so long to chop and prepare the many foods in advance and then there are so many plates, forks, and serving dishes to wash afterwards! Our party is dinner only – guests go elsewhere for the ball drop, so we were in bed by 10:30 and sound asleep from exhaustion.

It is a tradition at our house to have fondue on New Year’s Eve. It used to be just us and the kids, but over the years, more and more people have joined us. Our dining room table was at capacity this year and the two fondue pots I had going were barely enough. Next … Read more →

This recipe is from Season’s Eatings. My issue mysteriously disappeared, so please thank my friend Andrew Ritchie for sending it to me by visiting his amazing site, Martha Moments. I think Andrew knows more about Martha Stewart Living than anyone else (and his attempts to replicate Martha are always stunningly beautiful).

I decided to make this for our annual New Year’s Eve party. I always make fondue (which I will post about tomorrow), but I decided to add this to my repertoire as well. Here’s the link to the recipe.

 

 

First you slice and brown onions. Then you cover them and let them cook on low for 40 minutes. This went smoothly. The onions browned nicely. Once they are done, you add salt, thyme, and vinegar and uncover them and cook until the liquid is gone. I did this. Next you’re supposed to chop the onions and mix cream cheese and sour cream with a mixer. Instead, I dumped the onions in the food processor and chopped them in there and threw in the cream cheese and sour cream and whizzed it there. This was easy.

I tasted the dip at this point and was not thrilled. It had a strong vinegar taste. I added a little sugar, more salt and some pepper. It still tasted like vinegar to me but I didn’t have time to do anything else. I put it in the fridge and moved on to other things.

Next, I made the fingerling potatoes to dip in it. I cooked these in the oven with a little olive oil. They came out nicely.

 

 

When I served the dip, the vinegar flavor had disappeared, so I think it just needed to sit a while.

The dip recipe made tons and tons. I’ve got so much left over, I’m taking it to another party Friday. I’ll have to make more potatoes though since those are all gone. Thumbs up on this dish. It had a nice, rich,  sweet flavor and the potatoes were a great thing to dip in it. I would make this again. Our guests scarfed it down quickly and it was a hit.

This recipe is from Season’s Eatings. My issue mysteriously disappeared, so please thank my friend Andrew Ritchie for sending it to me by visiting his amazing site, Martha Moments. I think Andrew knows more about Martha Stewart Living than anyone else (and his attempts to replicate Martha are always stunningly beautiful). I decided to make … Read more →