Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Miss Elf's Handbag

Dear Miss Elf,
   I made this purse for my friend who just had a birthday.  She turned 26.  I used only fabric and embroidery floss I got from you (there was a lot to choose from).  Do you recognize any of it?



One side is Spring
                                                                       The other side is Fall 

And I used one of my beads as a button


Love, Ann

Book to read:  To Begin Again, stories and memoirs 1908-1926, MFK Fisher
Song to Sing: Blue Motel Room, Joni Mitchell

Friday, August 26, 2011

tomato pie thing

Only because Ms. Ashley took the photo and implored with those lovely blue eyes and dimples, here is the recipe to yester evening's tomato pie.  And a Good Thing should be shared to no end. Ms. Elspeth, are you out there? Here is what we enjoyed last night, with thoughts of you! We missed you!

Tomato Pie Thing (adapted from this recipe here)

Filling:

extra-virgin olive oil
4 small white onions, thinly sliced
2 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 pints of cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper



Biscuit topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Coarse salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup your favorite local cheese, grated, plus a little more for sprinkling
1 cup cold buttermilk
1/2 cup milk or cream

Make the filling: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool.
Toss onion mixture, tomatoes, flour, and red-pepper flakes with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and some pepper.
Preheat oven to 375°F.

Make the biscuit topping: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers until small clumps form. Stir in cheese, then add buttermilk & milk/cream, stirring with a wooden spoon to combine until dough forms. (Dough will be sticky.)
Transfer tomato mixture to a 2-quart baking dish (2 inches deep). Spoon 7 clumps of biscuit dough (about 1/2 cup each) over top in a circle, leaving center open. Brush dough with cream (optional) and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon cheese. Bake until tomatoes are bubbling in the center and biscuits are golden brown, about 45 minutes to an hour. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool & serve.
Mmm. For some reason, I think this dish begs a cold glass of milk.

listen to: "Wreckage" by Jolie Holland
read: The Oxford American Magazine

Thursday, August 11, 2011

While Yall Were Out



Sorry to top this on lovely Laura's post so quickly. If I had done it when I intended to lovely Laura's would have been atop mine.  But alas, I'm running behind.  I didn't even take the photos, our lovely hostess-of-the-night Laurie Vaughen took them all.  She is pictured below with my flinching father.


Last weekend there was a dinner featuring Elspeth's beautiful tea towels (over which there were a few small brawls about who got to take home what; one is brewing in the background of the photo above) and several other nicely made items (such as pottery from the amazing Anderson Bailey).  Jennie helped me (a lot) and Beth A., Daisy, and Ashley were sweet enough to be paying customers to broke-ol-me.  The rest of you....well.... I guess there's a next time.  Here's the menu and a couple recipes on my little own blog





Lounging Ladies


Anderson's beaUtiful vase

That's all for now.... I s'pose.  Elspeth- I've got it figured out.  If you don't know what to do when someone wants to take your picture, just pose with a half-gallon jar of grits.  Then at least you don't have to pretend you're normal.
-Ann

No movies, books or songs to report.  Visit Laura's post below for those....

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

a'sewin away


Well, I've not been to a ladies night in a while, but projects abound nonetheless. Thought I'd share a few tidbits. Ms. Ashley gave me the idea with her pretty pink skirt, so I made a wrap-around kind of similar, and the bits of color in the ties are scraps from Ms. Elspeth.  And while the sewing machine, I should admit, belongs to Mr. Moore, we went rummaging in the WORLD'S LONGEST YARD SALE on Saturday and I found myself a nice old clunker of a Singer, which will hopefully yield many more beloved garments and whatnot.

In keeping with Ms. Ann's ending--

Book to Read: "Singing Family of the Cumberlands"

Music to Hear: "Ida Red" (fiddle tune) & "Across the Blue Mountains" (ballad)