paint whisperer cont.

painted rocks


via nytimes

The last of the tomaties

A roasted tomato and thyme soup from the show "Delicious Miss Dahl"

 For the soup 4½lbs large ripe plum tomatoes,
halved 1 garlic bulb,
cut in half horizontally 2 large red onions, peeled,
quartered few sprigs fresh thyme
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 9fl oz vegetable stock (optional)
3½fl oz single cream (optional)
few drops Worcestershire sauce (optional)
few drops balsamic vinegar (optional)

 Preheat the oven to 375F
 place the tomatoes, garlic, onions and thyme into a large roasting tin and season, to taste, with salt, sugar, and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with the oil, and roast in the oven for 90 minutes.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. Mash the garlic with the back of a fork, and discard the skin.

 Tip the roasted tomatoes and onions into a food processor along with the mashed garlic, and pulse until smooth.
If the soup is too thick, pour into a large saucepan and loosen the mixture with either vegetable stock, or single cream. Add a little Worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar, to season, if you like.

 To serve, reheat the soup and divide among four bowls, with two potato halves each on the side.

love this plaster finish

To plaster over painted walls first use Plaster Weld. Plus how to overdue your own wool rug: http://akindoflove.blogspot.com/2011/05/over-dye-diy.html via nytimes the color doctor

solar power

Nice grass and flower combo

nice ideas for monoprints or paintings

colorful kitch

via thekitchendesigner.org

A September afternoon

pink!

via http://4.bp.blogspot.com

Curry noodle pot

kale salad
1 large bunch kale chopped
2 or 3 carrots shredded
1 red pepper
1 cup sliced almonds dressing
3/4 cup olive oil
1 small shallot minced
3 tbs fresh ginger root, peeled then minced
1 clove garlic sliced
3 tbs fresh lime juice
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
2 tbs toasted sesame oil
3 tbs chopped cilantro
zest of 1 lime black pepper
and salt to taste combine,

dress and let sit for at least an hour

via tend

via teenangster

via from the right bank

Panzanella

Made this tonight and it was summery and good

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
• 20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons capers, drained

For the vinaigrette:

• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.

For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.
In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

Mushroom Risotto with Caramelized Onions
serves 4 to 6 1/2 ounce dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms, finely chopped
2 cups boiling water
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
4 yellow onions (about 2 pounds)
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
1 cup Arborio or short-grain white rice
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc (make sure it's vegan!)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups vegetable broth (see how to make your own)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to garnish
Heat the oven to 300°F. Rinse the dried mushrooms lightly, to remove any dust or grit. Place the mushrooms in a ceramic bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Set them aside to steep while you cook the onions.
Chop one of the onions into a fine dice. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 3-quart (or larger) ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until soft and golden. Push the onions to the side of the pot, and turn the heat up to medium-high. Add all the sliced cremini mushrooms and let them cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Flip the mushrooms and cook for another five minutes, or until they are quite brown and a crust is developing on the bottom of the pan.
Drain the dried mushrooms, reserving the liquid. Add the mushrooms and rosemary sprig to the pan and sauté briefly, mixing with the onion and the rest of the mushrooms. Add the rice and cook, stirring once or twice, for about 4 minutes, or until the rice begins to turn transparent.
Turn the heat to high and add the white wine, vinegar, broth, and reserved mushroom steeping liquid. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan as you add the liquid to deglaze any yummy mushroomy bits sticking to the pan. Stir in the salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and put it in the oven to bake for 35 minutes.
While the rice is baking, make the caramelized onions. Heat the remaining olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Cut the remaining three onions in half, and then slice them into thin half moons. Add them to the oil and sprinkle liberally with salt. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn a dark mahogany brown. Let them go as long as you can; I usually cook mine for at least 30 minutes.
When the risotto has finished baking, let it stand uncovered for 5 minutes before serving. Dish it up and top each bowl with a spoonful of caramelized onions, a little extra pepper, and, if desired, a scoop of sour cream, whipped mascarpone, or whipped Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese.
(Adapted from Not Your Mother's Casseroles, Harvard Common Press)

• Faith Durand
• January 13, 2011 05:30PM

Alice Waters' Ratatouille via food52
Alice Waters' Ratatouille A genius recipe from Alice Waters' 2007 cookbook The Art of Simple Food: ratatouille that fusses only where it needs to fuss (over the eggplant), and adds a few smart, modern details -- red chile flakes, a basil bouquet -- that improve on a well-worn classic. Note: All vegetables conveniently work out to about a pound. Serves 6 to 8 * 1 medium or 2 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch dice * 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more to taste * 2 medium onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice * 4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped * 1/2 bunch of basil, tied in a bouquet with kitchen twine + 6 basil leaves, chopped * pinch of dried chile flakes * 2 sweet peppers, cut into 1/2-inch dice * 3 medium summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice * 3 ripe medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice * Salt to taste 1. Toss the eggplant cubes with a teaspoon or so of salt. Set the cubes in a colander to drain for about 20 minutes. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Pat the eggplant dry, add to the pan, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden. Add a bit more oil if the eggplant absorbs all the oil and sticks to the bottom of the pan. Remove the eggplant when done and set aside. 3. In the same pot, pour in 2 more tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and cook for about 7 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, basil bouquet, dried chile flakes, and a bit more salt. 4. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir in peppers. Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in summer squash. Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in tomatoes. 5. Cook for 10 minutes longer, then stir in eggplant and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, until all the vegetables are soft. Remove the bouquet of basil, pressing on it to extract all its flavors, and adjust the seasoning with salt. 6. Stir in the chopped basil leaves and more extra virgin olive oil, to taste. Serve warm or cold.

bedroom

via myscandinavian retreat

blue bathroom

Brewster Gray by Benjamin Moore via apartment therapy

bottle trees

via http://www.felderrushing.net/BottleTreeImagess.htm

Quesadillas stuffed with greens and feta

Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 to 6 Our recipes, your kitchen: If you try any of the L.A. Times Test Kitchen recipes from this week's Food section, please share it with us: Click here to upload pictures of the finished dish. Oil 1/3 cup minced onion 1 pound mixed cooking greens, such as kale, mustard and collard 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 cup diced feta cheese 12 corn tortillas 1/4 pound low-moisture mozzarella, cut in small dice 1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook until it softens and begins to color, 3 to 5 minutes. 2. While the onion is cooking, rinse the greens in a colander, but don't dry them. When the onion is ready, add the greens along with any water that clings to the leaves to the skillet. Season with salt and red pepper, sprinkle with garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the greens are quite tender, about 15 minutes. 3. Remove from the heat and stir in the feta. 4. Heat 2 teaspoons oil on a griddle over medium heat; use a spatula to distribute it so the surface is evenly covered. If you don't have a large griddle, you can use a skillet, but you'll have to cook the quesadillas in more than one batch. Add the tortillas and cook on one side until they have softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip them to the other side and spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the greens in the center. Sprinkle over some of the diced mozzarella and use a spatula to fold the tortilla in half around the filling. 5. Cook until the tortilla begins to brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes, and then flip onto the other side and cook until the tortilla browns on that side and the mozzarella is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes more. If some of the melting cheese oozes onto the griddle, that's even better. Repeat if necessary to use up all of the tortillas and filling. 6. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a 250-degree oven until all of the quesadillas have been made. via LA times

Harissa

Guajillo and New Mexico chiles, according to cookbook author Paula Wolfert, are the closest to the peppers of Nabeul and Gabès in Tunisia. Use one or both, or add a few chipotle chiles into the mix: The smokiness of the chipotles adds a terrific earthy note. Or, if you like more heat, add a generous handful of chiles de árbol or even some red-hot Thai chiles -- the flavors will mellow a bit, though not that much. Put the dried chiles into a bowl, cover with boiling water and allow them to soften for half an hour. Though many recipes call for warm or even tepid water, rehydrating chiles in boiling water softens up their papery skin and allows them to blend more easily, resulting in a smoother paste. Then blend the chiles, spices, garlic and salt in a food processor with some olive oil and maybe a little water. Resist the urge to add too much oil; harissa, once finished, is stored with a layer of oil covering the top, so some of that will get mixed in over the course of its use. (Covered like this, it will keep for months in your refrigerator.) -- Basic harissa Total time: 40 minutes Servings: Makes 1 cup Note: You can grind the spices in a spice grinder, a coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle. 4 ounces dried chiles (equal amounts of New Mexico, guajillo and chipotle chiles) 5 cloves garlic, peeled 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds, freshly ground 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds, freshly ground 2 tablespoons best-quality olive oil, plus extra for storage 1. Place the chiles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let rest until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain, then remove the seeds and stems from the chiles. Wear latex or rubber gloves when you do this to avoid irritating your skin. 2. Place the seeded and stemmed chiles into the bowl of a food processor with the garlic and pulse a couple of times. Add the salt, caraway and coriander. Process until smooth, pouring the olive oil into the feeding tube on top as you blend. Add a little water if necessary to achieve the right consistency: The harissa should be a thick paste. To store, top off with a thin layer of olive oil and refrigerate. via LA times

A drive by chinatown

Flower wall

Who grows there?! 
Tuscan kale :)