they draw and cook III

Once again I am loving this website! http://www.theydrawandcook.com/
Just click on the pictures to make them larger.

It's hard to find fresh figs in Oklahoma,
but this sounds amazing!

I'm so making this this weekend!

2 prints and 3 sweet recipes

Yesterday I got up early and started to work printing my last piece for the Tulsa show. I successfully made two prints (8 editions each) from start to finish in one day. That's gotta be some kind of record. I'm pretty pleased with the way they turned out...especially the Route 66 one.

Well we have been taking advantage of fresh summer produce and haven't been cooking a lot lately aside from throwing stuff on the grill and lightly seasoning it. That's why there haven't been many new recipes to post. But we have been making some pretty awesome desserts when we aren't just eating berries and melon. So here they are...enjoy!

Fruit Pizza
Ingredients
1 roll of cookie dough (or enough homemade to make 2 dozen cookies)
1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow creme
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese (softened)
assorted sliced fruit (we used kiwis, strawberries, blueberries and nectarines)


Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Roll out dough until about 1/4" thick. I made two so the middle wasn't so doughy, but you can make one big one or minis. Place dough on greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 min or until golden. Let cool completely before icing. Combine marshmallow creme and cream cheese until smooth. Spread on cookies. Arrange fruit on top. Chill in fridge for at least an hour. 


Rocky Road Brownies
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 t. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
4-5 T. marshmallow creme


Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter. Mix in sugar and cocoa powder. Add vanilla and eggs and mix thoroughly. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to mixture. Stir in chips and nuts. I don't really measure the marshmallow. Just spoon on top in big globs and swirl in with a knife. Bake 20-25 min in a greased square baking pan. 


Grilled Peaches with Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients
2 peaches cut in half
vanilla frozen yogurt
drizzle of honey
a few mint sprigs


Directions
Grill peaches cut side down on medium heat until the back feels soft. Set the peaches on top of a couple scoops of yogurt. Drizzle with honey and top with a mint sprig. I can think of countless ways to dress this up...dash of cinnamon and nutmeg, cobbler crumbles. I'm sure there are other ways to eat grilled peaches, but this was so easy and so good!


In other news our garden is doing great! Thanks for reading!

tiny strawberries!

Peppy loves his catnip!

green toes...green grass

artist statements

For all the artists reading this: you know what I mean when I say I hate writing statements. 


For anyone who doesn't know what I 'm talking about: an artist statement usually goes along with a body of work or a piece of art. It is supposed to explain what kind of art you make, why, how, etc. To me it always sounds "hoity-toity" and to some extent I am lying.

This video sums up my feelings about statements. It is funny but so true!

first tulsa print

One down, one more to go. I have loved printing again after doing all the wood stuff. I'm doing two really stripped down simple prints to go with the wood pieces for my Tulsa show. Here is the first one...

Oklahoma Road

cheese 101

I can't believe I forgot to make a post about our cheese tasting class at Forward Foods! It was everything I hoped for and more...and I'm not exaggerating. We tried 8 different cheeses with accompaniments like pistachios, local honey, quince paste, breads and even a pickle. We got a nice white wine with the first 4 cheeses and a shiraz with the last four. Kevin and I both took notes on what we learned about the cheese as well as what our thoughts were about the different ones we tried (mine were much more extensive). I even won a prize at the end of class for answering a cheese question! It was a cheese magazine. Reading through it made me realize I could be a lot crazier about cheese than I already am. I ate everything on my plate and finished what Kevin didn't like...I paid for it later that night, but it was so worth it! 
Here are the cheeses that we tried...


1. Valbreso Feta
We both loved this fresh sheeps cheese from France. I'm actually eating it in my pasta salad as I type this! Mild but tangy at the same time!

2. Tetilla

A Spanish semi-soft cow's milk cheese named for its boob shape..haha! This was a little too mild for me. I won't go as far as to say I didn't like it (that would be blasphemy for a cheese lover like me) but it wasn't my favorite. Kevin agreed.

3.  Haystack Peak

This cheese was super runny. We learned that the riper it is the more runny it is. I loved it! It is a soft-ripened goat cheese from Colorado. Kevin liked it with honey.

4.  Coupole

This American surface-ripened goat cheese was very "goaty". It tasted like I was in a barn...but I liked it! We both liked it better paired with honey and fruity flavors.

5. Quickes Cheddar

A firm cows milk cheddar from England. This was the most "normal" of all the cheese we tried. It was Kev's favorite. He said he would make a grilled cheese with it. It was awesome with the pickle!

6. Alsacian Munster

This washed rind cows milk cheese from France is considered a stinky cheese, but I thought it smelled and tasted wonderful. Kevin liked it better with nuts and I loved the rind!

7. Idiazabal

We both agreed this was our second favorite cheese. It reminded me of manchego. This hard sheeps milk cheese from Spain is smoked for 10 days. The rind was so so good!

8.  Shropshire Blue

A very strong cows milk cheese from England. The weird orange color is from a natural coloring the makers add. We learned that the cows produce more yellow cheese in the spring and summer and people would buy more, so to keep the color year round they just started adding color. Kevin gave it a zero :(  A lot of blue cheeses are described as having a picante flavor which means a sort of spice left on your tongue. This was by far my favorite!

Anniversary '11

6/13/09

We had a great Anniversary weekend! I should have been working on prints, but instead I laid by the pool, went to the farmer's market, out to dinner and a movie, another dinner... it was great! I've been catching up on my printing today, but I also had time to make us an Anniversary cake! Kevin made us an awesome dinner the other night and a delicious breakfast! Here are the recipes...


Kevin's Seared Yellowfin Tuna
Ingredients
2 thick yellowfin tuna fillets
blackened seasoning
2 T. honey
1 T. balsamic vinegar


Directions
Preheat grill on high. Season fish with blackened seasoning to your taste. Sear on first side 4 min. Whisk together honey and balsamic. Brush on fish and flip. Brush other side. Sear only 2-3 min on the other side.


Coconut French Toast with Grilled Pineapple
Ingredients

3 T. coconut milk
1 1/2 T. sugar
1 T. milk
2 eggs
4 slices bread
cooking spray
sliced pineapple
honey
handful toasted coconut (do not leave this out!)


Directions
Combine first 4 ingredients in a shallow dish. Coat both sides of bread in mixture and cook toast over medium/high heat. I just used a cookie sheet to "grill" the pineapple. Broil them in the oven about 5-7 min on each side. Make sure you watch them. Drizzle toasts with honey, top with pineapple and toasted coconut. I also added the coconut in between the toast layers too.


Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Filling and Vanilla Buttercream
Ingredients

1/2 cup choc chips
3 T. butter
1/4 cup+2 T. sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup+2 T. flour
2 T. cocoa powder
1/4 t. baking soda
pinch salt
1/4 cup+2 T. water
6ish strawberries
2 T. strawberry jam
2/3 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 t. water


Directions
Preheat oven to 325. Melt chips and butter slowly in microwave, let cool to room temp. Beat in sugar, egg and vanilla. Combine baking soda, salt, cocoa powder and half the flour. Slowly add to mixture and mix well. Add remaining flour and water and mix well. Pour into a small 6" cake pan and bake 30-45 min. Let cool completely. Meanwhile slice strawberries and mix with jam. Torte the cake (aka:cut in half) and spread the strawberry mixture in between the layers. To make the icing beat cold butter on high until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and water. Beat on high 3-5 min until fluffy. Ice cake. Cool in fridge for at least an hour.


Notes
If you don't have a 6" cake pan you can double this recipe for cupcakes. Just adjust the oven temp to 350 and cooking time to 20-25 min. OR you can quadruple it and make two 9" cakes (that way you don't have to torte them). Temp at 350, 35-50 min. I made this little cake for our Anniversary! 

We like cake!

PS My first sunflower is blooming! How appropriate! 

tulsa wood pieces finished!

I should have posted these a week ago when I finished them, but the wood glue was drying. I'm glad to finally be done with them and I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out. I'm doing 1 (maybe 2) prints to go with it. 

the OKC panel

the Tulsa panel

They'll be displayed like this with 2" frame on the back

I'm starting one print tomorrow. If I have time I'll make that Anniversary post: our cheese tasting class plus some recipes! Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

our summer 2011 garden

I realized I haven't posted any pics of the garden yet. Here are just a few. I can't wait for my sunflowers to bloom! 

the sunflower buds are huge!

Dalias and white Salvia

Pep's catnip guarded by the scarecat, Mr. Barnabee

I'll probably post this weekend about our Anniversary and the cheese tasting class that we took. I'll also have a couple recipes and updates on my prints. Have a good week!

a fun but exhausting weekend

This weekend we babysat our youngest niece, Emma. She will be 2 next month. We played on the slip n' slide and went to the park and wore ourselves out! Here are a few pics...

Uncle FUN!

popsicles!

recipes!!!

Finally getting around to some recipes...only 3 new ones this time. No pictures, but really none of these things are very pretty (except maybe the last one). More to come!


When you're in a hurry or want to make something ahead...


Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Rice Casserole
Ingredients
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 head broccoli steamed and chopped
1 cup cooked cubed chicken
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (plus 1/4 cup for the top)
1 can cream of chicken OR celery soup
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 t. each curry powder and garlic powder
juice of 1/2 a lemon
S&P to taste


Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Stir all ingredients together and pour into a square baking pan. Top with 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 30 min. 


A quick hot weather lunch...


Tuna Salad (with a twist)
Ingredients
3 T. mayo
3 T. plain greek yogurt
1/8 t. dried onion flakes
1/4 t. curry powder
1/4 t. sugar
1 T.  fresh chopped dill
pinch garlic powder
S$P to taste
1 can solid white tuna
2 T. grated parmesan cheese
1 large pickle chopped
1 rib celery chopped


Directions
Whisk together first 8 ingredients. Add tuna and break up with a fork. Stir in remaining ingredients. Serve with crackers or make sandwiches.


And finally a classic summer grill recipe...


Grilled Pineapple Avocado Salsa
Ingredients
1 T. olive oil
1 T. honey
1 pineapple 
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 t. lime juice
S&P to taste
1 chopped chili pepper
1 avocado 


Directions
Whisk together oil and honey. Brush on pineapple slices. Grill on high 2 minutes on each side. Cut into chunks. Combine with all other ingredients. Gently toss in the diced avocado. Serve with chips or on top of tacos. mmmmm!