Friday, December 30, 2011

{rustic sausage, potatoes, and onions}






{i do realize that this may not be the best transition from my last post {detox}, but hey... there's a time for detox, and there's a time for sausage.}

we were given some amazing homemade sausage from my husband's landlord out at his shop... god bless dennison, minnesota. it was the perfect excuse to make a favorite winter dish... rustic sausage, potatoes and onion. comfort food at it's best.

rustic sausage, potatoes, and onions

{ingredients}
sausage {any kind you like. i've often made this with chorizo}
around 6 potatoes, washed, skin on and cut into thick, half rounds
2 onions quartered
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
cracked pepper
fresh thyme
{sometimes i like to add a handful of garlic cloves (skin on) to roast along with the potatoes and onions}

preheat your oven to 400 degrees. heat olive oil in a skillet on the stove, brown sausage on all sides {this is just to brown, not to cook through}. toss potatoes and onions with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme and transfer to a roasting pan {i tend to mix them in the roasting pan}.
transfer browned sausage to the roasting pan along with pan juices. roast in the oven until onions are caramelized, and potatoes and sausage are golden brown {cooking time will vary, around an hour- hour 1/2. stirring once in awhile to ensure even roasting/browning. you will know when it's done. the best part is all the caramelized bits at the bottom of the roasting pan.


serve with a cold beer, or an earthy red wine and artisan bread. garnish with a sprig of thyme.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

{detox}





you know the days... when you maybe shouldn't have had that last glass of wine the night before. or when your body just needs a break from rich holiday food, or everyday toxins...

let me introduce you to my favorite miso soup. it's magic, and healing and it just feels good.
your body will thank you.

{my favorite miso soup}

ingredients:
olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1 Tablespoon ginger, grated or minced {or to taste}
2-3 Tablespoons red miso paste
water
1 1/2 cups spinach
firm tofu diced {about 1 cup}


heat olive oil/or oil of your choice in a small-medium pot, add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant. add miso paste and water {fill to about 3/4 full in soup pot}. bring up to a slow simmer and toss in spinach and tofu. continue to simmer for around 10-15 minutes. taste to adjust seasonings {sometimes more miso paste is needed}. store in glass jars in the fridge.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

girl crush
















meet pia. i am love with her styling, photography. her images are so dreamy and simple... almost primitive, and evoke a feeling of wanderlust. also, one of her books is called "my heart wanders," and she lived on a houseboat in amsterdam. i'm in love.



{from pia's blog}

Pia Jane Bijkerk is an internationally acclaimed stylist, photographer and author specializing in interiors, still life & food. She continues to use her home as her workshop and her travels as inspiration and delights in stepping off the beaten path to discover the unexpected for her clients and readers. As a stylist she has worked around the world for the likes of Vogue Entertaining + Travel, Gourmet Traveller, Real Simple, Saatchi and Saatchi, Tommy Hilfiger and Philips. Today she is the author and photographer of Paris: Made by Hand, Amsterdam: Made by Hand (June 2010), as well as the much-anticipated My Heart Wanders(2011).

Pia currently divides her time working and living between Sydney, Parisand a houseboat in Amsterdam. This is her blog.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

i've been out walking













i'm in love with the arb. i go there as often as i can, to walk and dream and shake my thoughts loose. there is something about the wind and the wide open space.
it's usually covered in snow this time of year, but today i found the brown landscape had it's own glow.

Friday, December 16, 2011

holiday {darling things}

1. j.crew red plaid coat {for the little ones}



2. love this simple advent calendar





4. valerie confections almond fleur de sel toffee




my little thrift store finds {vintage deer and snow flakes}


6. eileen fisher for garnet hill cashmere robe




7. manhattan fuitier citrus basket




8. matteo home linen napkins

9. tiny toms {for every pair bought, toms will give a pair to a child in need}






10. for the mister whiskey after shave














Saturday, December 10, 2011

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

have yourself a merry little christmas

this is one of my favorite recordings i've ever done. my little christmas ep "decmeber" was recorded mostly live in 2007, and we did a limited edition printing. it is now available for download here along with my "birds" record.
i'm happy to report that my new ep is well underway, and i'm hoping for a spring release, followed by a full length record.
have yourself a merry little christmas,
a