{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.

{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.

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.

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.

holiday {darling things}

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

2. love this simple advent calendar

3. christmas jars

4. valerie confections almond fleur de sel toffee

5. ophelia dress

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

i adore you

6 year ago today... happy anniversary darling. i adore you.

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

Soba Noodles with Sesame Seeds

we've had scallions in our csa share from open hands farm almost every week since the growing season began. i use them in a lot of my cooking, but this recipe has been a favorite of mine.

soba noodles with sesame seeds {adapted from forever summer by nigella lawson}

1/3 cup sesame seeds

salt

8 ounces soba noodles

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

5 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

5 scallions

toast the sesame seed in a dry pan over high heat until they look golden brown and tip them into a bowl.

bring a large pan of water to boil and add some salt. put in the soba noodles and cook for about 6 minutes (or according

to package instructions) until they are tender but not mushy. have a bowl of ice water waiting to plunge them into after draining.

in the bowl you are going to serve them in, mix the vinegar, soy, honey, ginger, and oil. finely slice the scallions and put them into the bowl with the cooled, drained noodles and mix together thoroughly before adding the sesame seeds and tossing again.

leave the noodles for about half an hour to let the flavors develop, although this is not absolutely necessary or sometimes even possible.

{flowers for elisabeth hope}

bridesmaid posy{rununculus, camomile, queen annes lace, tulips}

for the maid of honor emily

throw bouquet {anemone, rununculus, pincushion flower}

for the bride {peonies, rununculus, tulips, delphinium, queen annes lace, camomile}

my darling cousin elisabeth hope got married on saturday and i did her flowers. who's next?