Homemade Potpourri for the Holidays

Homemade Potpourri

The warming spices of winter in an easy potpourri recipe for the holidays.


Aron seemed perfectly calm. He sat in the living room, looking at cartoons in old numbers of the Review of Reviews. From the kitchen the odor of the bursting juices of roasting turkey began to fill the house.
East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

We humans are makers, creators, hands busy creatures, dreamers. We know what motivates us, where we find our joy. All that talk about results oriented, achieving goals can cloud the joy in doing. I find it spilling over from my previous life in management. I track myself with lists, the daily, the goals. The, the, the. Attending the International Food Bloggers Conference really clarified my motivation to blog. I find joy in the making. When lost in the process, the doing is my bliss. I’d bet you’re a creative too, because we all are. This year’s IFBC experience was like having my vision checked and then realizing that my new glasses helped so much. I couldn’t believe I was making do with my old pair. Why did I wait so long to see clearly?

Essentials

Homemade Potpourri for the Holidays is a project that rewards the doing. The best way to start making potpourri is to take a brisk autumn walk. Gather fallen pine cones, seed pods or dried berries. All these autumn things are currently littering every path and sidewalk. The experience of gathering and choosing each item begins the creative process. I like an array of colors, shapes and textures but choosing just one item from outside and bringing inside is all you need. Once in the kitchen the aroma of warming spices, apple and tangerine are a pure jolt of winter bliss. I made a big batch so I would have extra for gifting. Even a small project of one bowl of Homemade Potpourri for the Holidays has its reward. This isn’t an exacting recipe for potpourri, it’s more of a nudge of inspiration to set you on a path of autumn discovery. Make your own joy. READ MORE . . .

Kale Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Kale Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Kale Salad for Autumn


Adam took pleasure in the new life. When autumn touched the trees he had got as far as Omaha, and without question or reason or thought he hurried west and south, fled through the mountains and arrived with relief in Southern California.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Kale wasn’t served, Brussels sprouts were cooked until mushy and sauerkraut came from a can. Don’t get me started on what happened to broccoli. Some childhood food memories are best forgotten. Learning to cook vegetables with strong flavors is worth the effort. Of course brassicas are healthy, paired with the right ingredients they are scrumptious too. I’m on my way to finding the best raw kale salad. Kale Salad with Balsamic Dressing is really good, the best so far.

Kale Salad with Balsamic Dressing is super easy to make. The kale salad comes together quickly in one bowl. Even the balsamic dressing is tossed in with the kale, no separate bowl required. What makes the Kale Salad with Balsamic Dressing special is the layers of flavor and textures. To a base of softened kale the tangy and sweet Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is tossed with olive oil to dress the greens. After that it’s all about adding pops of flavor and texture with persimmon, pecans, dried cranberries and parmesan cheese. Because it’s a kale salad, it can be made ahead of time. I can confirm leftovers make an excellent lunch. READ MORE . . .

Apple Pie Bread

ApplePieBread

IFBC 2017 with a Big Fat Slice of Autumn

I asked what you wanted, and you said, A box. What for? To put things in. What things? Whatever you have, you said. Well, here’s your box. Nearly everything I have is in it, and it is not full. Pain and excitement are in it, and feeling good or bad and evil thoughts and good thoughts —the pleasure of design and some despair and the indescribable joy of creation.

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Somewhere between SEO and avocados I lost my patience. My pen dug deeper into the paper while my heart shattered into a heap of brightly colored sprinkles. Other than the opening remarks at the International Food Bloggers Conference by Nick Papadopoulos of CropMobster, it was all about me, me, me. I found myself wedged between blogging as a business and searching for a way to nurture my creative spirit. We learned the importance of more unique sessions, better SEO, having more followers, all about making money blogging. And yes, I know we need money to live in this time and place. And yes, we all would love to have wildly popular blogs that bring in six figures from advertising. I wanted more. READ MORE . . .

Double Ginger Pear Crisp

Double Ginger Pear Crisp

A Taste of Sacramento

“They do pretty nice things in Sacramento, and Horace told how they did things in Sacramento as they rode along.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Last month I attended the International Food Bloggers Conference, IFBC, in Sacramento. It was my first food blogging conference. Gerlinde, of Sunny Cove Chef, and I traveled and roomed together. It was a whirlwind four days of non-stop activity. The experience was rewarding and I recommend attending next year’s conference in Sacramento. READ MORE . . .