The Beairds and the Bessmans... PRICELESS!Tuesday, February 2, 2010
A Work of Heart
I've waited so patiently to post these pictures. This quilt was one of the hardest projects I've ever done and yet still so rewarding.
After Aubrey was born, my good friend, Tracey, gave me a truly thoughtful and meaningful gift that she had been planning for months. I opened the sweet wrapping paper to find a very personal small set of handmade pottery (plate and cup) with Aubrey's name and birthdate hand painted sweetly on both. She explained that, growing up, she had been given her own personal set of china that she used every year on her birthday. A special tradition that she remembered with fondness and wanted to pass on to my daughter. And while she couldn't find a place that made personalized child-sized china, she tracked down a woman who makes and personalizes small pottery (http://www.coloradoriverpottery.com/child/index.htm). It was then that I realized why the gift had been late. The birthdate, the name... of course they had to be definite before she could finish the gift.
So when Tracey got pregnant with her own baby girl, I struggled to come up with a gift just as thoughtful. How could I top such a meaningful gift? I was silly to have overlooked the one talent that would truly be appreciated. And so it came to me. I would make a quilt. A handcrafted, straight from the heart gift. Little did I know the heartache and frustration it would bring me to create. But in the end I was able to see that my perfectionistic attitude was keeping me from seeing the true beauty of what I created. When I saw the look on Tracey's face when she opened it and received the hug of appreciation, I knew I had chosen the perfect gift.
The pictures don't do the colors justice. Tracey chose a combination of colors after I offered up the pattern as my template and they are a beautiful combination, much lighter and softer than the photo portrays.
After Aubrey was born, my good friend, Tracey, gave me a truly thoughtful and meaningful gift that she had been planning for months. I opened the sweet wrapping paper to find a very personal small set of handmade pottery (plate and cup) with Aubrey's name and birthdate hand painted sweetly on both. She explained that, growing up, she had been given her own personal set of china that she used every year on her birthday. A special tradition that she remembered with fondness and wanted to pass on to my daughter. And while she couldn't find a place that made personalized child-sized china, she tracked down a woman who makes and personalizes small pottery (http://www.coloradoriverpottery.com/child/index.htm). It was then that I realized why the gift had been late. The birthdate, the name... of course they had to be definite before she could finish the gift.
So when Tracey got pregnant with her own baby girl, I struggled to come up with a gift just as thoughtful. How could I top such a meaningful gift? I was silly to have overlooked the one talent that would truly be appreciated. And so it came to me. I would make a quilt. A handcrafted, straight from the heart gift. Little did I know the heartache and frustration it would bring me to create. But in the end I was able to see that my perfectionistic attitude was keeping me from seeing the true beauty of what I created. When I saw the look on Tracey's face when she opened it and received the hug of appreciation, I knew I had chosen the perfect gift.
The pictures don't do the colors justice. Tracey chose a combination of colors after I offered up the pattern as my template and they are a beautiful combination, much lighter and softer than the photo portrays.
Yummy Goodness
I absolutely had to post this one since I felt like every bite I took was a small taste of heaven. These cupcakes (Brendan calls them "muffins," which allows me to indulge in one for breakfast...) are an absolute keeper. So "melt-in-your-mouth" moist. And since I've accepted the fact that my critique holds more weight with a picture, here is a photo to start your mouth watering... 
A Winner and a Loser
Winner? Seafood Cakes with Mustard Crema. Absolutely amazing flavor. The hint of cheese (I substituted fresh shredded Parmesan for the Parmigiano-Reggiano) really brought out the flavors. And the mustard crema complimented them well. I used precooked shrimp and canned crabmeat and served them with a side of steamed cauliflower. Even the kids were pleased. 
The "not so much a winner"? I hesitate to call it a loser since I've never really been a "burger" kind of girl. I'm not even sure why I tested this recipe except that it sounded and looked good. And while it had great flavors, I resigned to the fact that I just wasn't into its "burger-ness." So, if you are a burger fan and would like a new take on a timeless meal, I suggest you experiment with this one. I used extra lean ground round instead of ground sirloin (maybe that's where I went wrong?), left out the horseradish from the spread, and replaced regular buns with Oroweat Sandiwch Thins. Final verdict? Good flavor if you like a good burger!
The "not so much a winner"? I hesitate to call it a loser since I've never really been a "burger" kind of girl. I'm not even sure why I tested this recipe except that it sounded and looked good. And while it had great flavors, I resigned to the fact that I just wasn't into its "burger-ness." So, if you are a burger fan and would like a new take on a timeless meal, I suggest you experiment with this one. I used extra lean ground round instead of ground sirloin (maybe that's where I went wrong?), left out the horseradish from the spread, and replaced regular buns with Oroweat Sandiwch Thins. Final verdict? Good flavor if you like a good burger!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Snow Bunnies
The forecast for a "dusting of snow" turned out to be about 3-4 inches of the fluffy white stuff. 20 minutes of preparation (hats, snow pants, jackets, mittens...) for 30 minutes of play time... priceless fun!
He didn't actually help with the assembly. He'd much rather sit back and watch Mommy do all the hard work. It was well worth the smile though.
He didn't actually help with the assembly. He'd much rather sit back and watch Mommy do all the hard work. It was well worth the smile though.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Verdict
No pictures this week but a thumbs up and a thumbs down. The Pork Medallions in Mustard Sauce may have turned out better had I not overcooked the pork and made it dry. But still, this recipe was tossed. I have no room or tolerance for "OK" recipes. :) The Soba Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables, however, was a huge hit with everyone. I couldn't find regular soba noodles in our local grocery store and ended up using pre-cooked Yakisoba noodles (which are NOT made with buckwheat) found in the Asian section of the produce aisles. I also substituted dried ginger for fresh simply because I couldn't find any at Fred Meyer. I served it with steamed sugar snap peas which seemed to compliment the meal well. All in all, the results were fabulous and this was a keeper!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
New Words
A few additions to our baby girl's vocabulary:
"UP"- usually accompanied by a sweet smile, a hand on each of my pant legs and a slight sense of urgency, and when prompted, is followed by "pease"
"boon"- with a point of the finger to emphasize that not only does she SEE the balloon, but she WANTS the balloon
"daddy"- transitioned from "dada" and holds the ability to melt his heart
"nigh night"- to witch she finds her special blanket ("lovey") and gives in to the inevitable
Reactionary words include "whoa", "uh oh", "Ooohh" and "ouch"
"UP"- usually accompanied by a sweet smile, a hand on each of my pant legs and a slight sense of urgency, and when prompted, is followed by "pease"
"boon"- with a point of the finger to emphasize that not only does she SEE the balloon, but she WANTS the balloon
"daddy"- transitioned from "dada" and holds the ability to melt his heart
"nigh night"- to witch she finds her special blanket ("lovey") and gives in to the inevitable
Reactionary words include "whoa", "uh oh", "Ooohh" and "ouch"
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