Great Package Designs

Some great things I've found on the web this week

Wow , I have to say that I have found a lot of great things on the web today ! I want to share with you some of my fun design finds !













First one of my favorite , the hobbit house !

This is the site of the family who made it ( Click Here )
And this is the site of some of the photos ( Click Here )
























I really love why they are doing this ( read more on their site)
I wouldn't mind living in one of these homes, very earthy and relaxed.
It reminds me as well of some of the tree houses that I've seen in the past.

Another great find was this great clock.















Il-Gu Cha's Trace of Time clock incorporates a whiteboard-esque erasable face and an eraser built into the hour hand - See a video of it in action here.

And last but not least
This would go great anywhere ! I'm already considering it for my kitchen ! A penny filed floor !















The entryway of The Standard Grill, in Manhattan, is tiled with thousands of US pennies, set in a black matrix. Looks like between one and two dollar's worth of pennies per square foot, which is comparable to ceramic tile, price-wise, but a whole lot more interesting IMHO

Toast Post

This is a toast post. What is a toast post. Well I love toast, one, and I love the things that go onto toast. So I figured I would share with you some of my fav's on toast. The picture above is one evening, my roommate and I enjoying some toast and tea.

This is a new thing for me and I'm so happy that I've tired it. Its honey comb ! Its a waxiness dripping in honey and its so yummy. Its also one of the best things to eat when you have bad allergies, which I don't have. I got this from my market but I know you can buy it at some food stores. If you love honey , try it and I promise you will like it. It really gives more to the honey.

Speaking of Honey, I got this honey again from another market, a different one in fact. Its favored honey with natural things. These two are cinnamon spice and mint, both of which are very subtel and yummy.

McCutcheons is a brand that is only around the Pa and Md areas , I think, because its made from around here. I love there stuff because they always have fun flavors like strawberry rhubarb, which taste just like the pie, lemonade, which is not only great on toast but great to make a simple glaze sauce for chicken and my favorite , triple crown , which is all berrys. yum !

To more yummy jams , cherry and apple pie !

Here is the taost ready to get eatting . Its on a lovely english toast rack !

Reason

Ok the reason why I have yet to post is because blogger just has a problem uploading my photos right now...I don't understand.

hahaha

so much for getting my post out yesterday. I was in the middle of them and got distracted.

may updates

Get ready for all the may updates all at once and of course all on the last day of may ! As far as an update on life itself , while life has been busy. I've graduated college this month, after finishing up everything and finals. I'm in philly for two weeks now , finishing up my last college requirement so that I can get the good ol' sheep skin. I've also joined a gym in hopes to train for a half marathon in oct. we shall see ! Now for some good ol' food and craft updates.

cream cheese bunt with strawberry coulis

Coulis , what is it you ask ? "Coulis is a French sauce which can be sweet or savory, depending on what it is meant to accompany. The term is also used to refer to the rich juices which flow from meats while they are roasting. As a general rule, coulis is thick and evenly textured, and it can be made from fruits or vegetables. Many stores sell coulis in pre-packed containers, and coulis is also very easy to make at home. Using coulis can enhance the flavor of food, as well as making it look more sophisticated on the plate." ( from some website when typed it in to google)

I got some really great and fresh strawberrys from the market so I wanted to do something new with them. I have to say that this saucey-ness is amazing ! And so easy ! I think I will be using this more on other things

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

The cream cheese doesn’t so much change the flavor profile but adds a bit more depth of flavor and an amazing crackly edge.

If you’re baking this pound cake in advance, as opposed to the day you are serving it, a little basting will go a long way towards keep it (or any other pound cake) moist. You can use a simple syrup (one part sugar dissolved in an equal amount of water), up the water in it if you’re concerned it will be too sweet and/or add a teaspoon of your flavoring of choice to it.

Also note , that this is calling for one large bunt pan , when I used mini bunts. It all works the same, its just all that I had at the time. I didn't feel like spending the money for one large one ...plus i'm limited to my space.

Serves (at least) 10

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 package (8 ounces) Philadelphia brand cream cheese*, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract plus 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (original recipe calls for 2 teaspoons vanilla but I liked this mix better)
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter a 10-inch tube pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper. Alternately, you can use a 12-cup bundt pan, and simply butter and flour it.

2. Place the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar, increase the speed to high, and beat until light and airy, at least five minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the vanilla, almond, then the flour and salt all at once. Beat just until incorporated.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and shake lightly to even out the top. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, 1 1/4 hours.

4. Place the pan on a cake rack and cool for 20 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

* Philadelphia cream cheese is often recommended for baking for consistency purposes, as in, bakers know this brand works, and because it contains less water than other brands.

Smaller cakes: A bundt-volume cake often can be used to make two 8 1/2-by-4 1/4-by-2 1/2-inch loaf cakes, however (caveat!) I have not tested this recipe in loaf pans. I just wanted to throw that out there for those of you feeling adventurous, or interested in a reduced volume of cake.

Strawberry Coulis

2 cups quartered hulled strawberries (about 12 ounces)
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Combine strawberries, water, sugar and lemon juice in blender. Purée until very smooth, then press through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Coulis can be prepared one day ahead.

This is the yummy-ness that you will get , enjoy it !

orange kitchen

Just some images of my very small very orange kitchen , where all the magic happens . haha

Chernobyl Images

In case you haven't looked at some of the random images that I put up on this, I'm very much into the idea of abandonment, for whatever reason. It could be a nuked or just no more money to run it, I don't care. I want to see that people up and left it and over time its become over grown. I have to say, sickly, that images of Chernobyl tend to be my favorite. I think this is because people really just up and left the city and because it was a city there is so much more to look at.

So from time to time I take a deeper look into finding new and exciting images from this happening. This site http://villageofjoy.com/chernobyl-today-a-creepy-story-told-in-pictures/ has the best. I just found this site and it has some of the best looking photo's i've seen. I really love the one with a room full of books , and the room filled witht beds. The pool is great to and of course you got to love the dead park ! Enjoy and let me know what you think.

frame

These are some images of a frame my dad and I made for a client. It was a huge thing ! They wanted this giant poster framed and the hardest part of it all was making as light as we could. We used a foam based siding, and plexi-glass to try and keep it as light as we could.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

This was the first Strawberry rhubarb pie that I've ever made, and it was so good ! I've been looking for a long time for some good rhubarb( and yes I found out that there is bad rhubarb) and I finally found some at my local market. I would make this everyday if it wouldn't make me fat












Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Serves 8

For crust
3 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
10 tablespoons (about) ice water

For filling
3 1/2 cups 1/2-inch-thick slices trimmed rhubarb (1 1/2 pounds untrimmed)
1 16-ounce container strawberries, hulled, halved (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg yolk beaten to blend with 1 teaspoon water (for glaze)

Make crust: Combine flour, sugar and salt in processor. [Alternately, you can use a pastry cutter to make your dough, as I did.] Using on/off turns, cut in shortening and butter until coarse meal forms. Blend in enough ice water 2 tablespoons at a time to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; cut in half. Flatten each half into disk. Wrap separately in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.)

even better you can just buy the pre-made dough and roll it out, don't tell anyone but this is what I do.

Make filling: Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Toss gently to blend.

Assemble Pie: Roll out 1 dough disk on floured work surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter pie dish . Trim excess dough, leaving 3/4-inch overhang.

Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Cut into fourteen 1/2-inch-wide strips. Spoon filling into crust. Arrange 7 dough strips atop filling, spacing evenly. Form lattice by placing remaining dough strips in opposite direction atop filling. Trim ends of dough strips even with overhang of bottom crust. Fold strip ends and overhang under, pressing to seal. Crimp edges decoratively.

Brush glaze over crust. transfer pie to baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pie until golden and filling thickens, about another 25 minutes. I like using the crust covers for my pies. I feel they do a great job from Transfer pie to rack and cool completely.

Apple Pie

I made this simple apple pie the other day. I sometimes find myself with more apples then I know what to do with so I'll just make a pie. I love this pie because of how fast you can make it. Using an apple corer peeler makes life a breeze with this pie. I also love how thin it slices the apples. I personally love putting as many apples in the pie as I can, mounding it like a mountain !

Apple Pie

1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples (about 3 medium)
2 pounds McIntosh apples (about 4 large)
1 tablespoon juice and 1 teaspoon zest from 1 lemon
3/4 cups (5.25 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 egg white, beaten lightly

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat rimmed baking sheet and oven to 500 degrees. Remove one piece of dough from refrigerator (if refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable).

2. Roll dough on lightly floured work surface or between two large sheets of plastic wrap to 12-inch disk. Transfer dough to pie plate by rolling dough around rolling pin and unrolling over 9 1/2-inch pie plate or by folding dough in quarters, then placing dough point in center of pie plate and unfolding. Working around circumference of pie plate, ease dough into pan corners by gently lifting dough edges with one hand while pressing around pan bottom with other hand. Leave dough that overhangs lip of plate in place; refrigerate dough-lined pie plate.

3. Peel, core and cut apples in half, and in half again width-wise; cut quarters into 1/4-inch slices and toss with lemon juice and zest. In a medium bowl, mix 3/4 cup sugar, flour, salt and spices. Toss dry ingredients with apples. Turn fruit mixture, including juices, into chilled pie shell and mound slightly in center.

4. Roll out second piece of dough to 12-inch disk and place over filling. Trim top and bottom edges to 1/2-inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute edging or press with fork tines to seal. Cut four slits on dough top. If pie dough is very soft, place in freezer for 10 minutes. Brush egg white onto top of crust and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

5. Place pie on baking sheet and lower oven temperature to 425 degrees. Bake until top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Rotate pie and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees; continue baking until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, 30-35 minutes longer.

6. Transfer pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours.

Chile Lime Tequila Popcorn

This was a big hit ! If you are looking for something new to do, look no far ! Its a crazy great snack that is really enjoyable even stale.

What you need..

4 quarts freshly popped popcorn*
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon tequila
1/2 small jalapeno, seeds and membrane removes, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin

What you need to do ...

Preheat the oven to 300F degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking mat (hs note: or unbleached parchment paper). Set aside.

Put the popcorn in a large, clean paper bag or a washable muslin bag. In a medium-size bowl whisk together the butter, lime juice and zest, and tequila. Add the jalapeno. In a small bowl combine the black pepper, salt, red pepper, and cumin.

Drizzle half of the butter mixture over the popcorn, fold over the top of the bag, and shake until the popcorn is coated and moist. Taste. Add more of the butter mixture if you like, and give a second shake. Sprinkle (most of) the pepper mixture over the popcorn, fold over the top of the bag, and shake a few times to coat. Taste, and if you'd like more pepper flavor add the rest of it.

Spread the popcorn evenly over the baking sheet and bake until the popcorn is dry, five to seven minutes.

*To pop 4 quarts of popcorn, heat 1/4 cup clarified butter, coconut oil, or olive oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Add a few kernels to the pot. Once they pop, add 3/4 cup popcorn kernels and shake the pot until they cover the pot evenly. Cover the pot and shake intermittently until the popping slows to 5 seconds between pops. Remove the popcorn from heat and transfer it to whatever bag you are going to use for tossing.

As you can see it is a bit of a process, but it makes 4 full popped popcorn bags so you get a big hull from it. Its worth trying I promise !

Key Lime Coconut Cake

So I told you I had limes , now let me show you what I did with them ! First I made this really great Key Lime coconut cake. This cake is amazing ! Its moist , it has flavor and its just refreshing ! The topping is the best part. Its a simple icing, made with confectionery sugar and
lime juice ( normally you use water ) This gives it a lot of flavor ! Then you top it with you toasted coconut. Yum ! This cake makes a great spring cake, for when you want to be somewhere other then the classroom, and somewhere more tropical. This is my spring break gift to you !















What you need to do...

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated Key lime zest ( I used normal limes)
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups self-rising flour*
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup fresh Key lime juice, divided ( I used normal limes )
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon rum (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Generously butter an 8- by 8-inch square or 9- by 2-inch round cake pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper.

Toast coconut in a small baking pan in oven, stirring once or twice, until golden, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool. Leave oven on.

Beat together butter, granulated sugar, and zest with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir together flour and 1/2 cup coconut (reserve remainder for topping). Stir together milk and 2 tablespoons lime juice. At low speed, mix flour and milk mixtures into egg mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour.

Spoon batter into pan and smooth top. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool to warm, then turn out of pan and discard parchment.

Whisk together confectioners sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and rum (if using) and pour over cake. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.

* Make your own: You can make your own self-rising flour — I did, when I realized I had self-rising flour in the pantry but my last known use of it was nearly three years ago. Unfortunately, there are many recipes out there and they don’t all agree. The most common one has you add for each cup of flour 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder but some also suggest 1 teaspoon baking powder instead. I’m going to suggest that you use the 1 teaspoon level because I used the higher one and my cake sunk ever so slightly in the center, a suggestion that it had too much leavening in it. So: For every cup of flour, add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking powder, whisk together very well and sift the mixture. Measure your self-rising flour from there.

Limes !

I bought a bunch of limes at the market ! They are so big and juicy looking , I couldn't help getting a bunch of them. So stay tuned today for a few limey treats ! yum !