Project Diary: Fall Frenzy Magnets

Fall Frenzy Felt Magnets

(yay for alliteration!)

I've been thinking about making these for quite some time now. (I've been a bit busy--and lazy-- lately, but I finally got them done.) Just bits of felt, scrap pieces of yarn for stuffing, some embroidery for detail, felt glue, and left over magnets from when I made these:

I'm quite pleased with how the felt magnets turned out. I like the idea of having soft, plushy creatures hanging out on the fridge. So far, I've decided to make sets for Christmas and Hanukkah, and one with a Sea Creatures theme. I hope to sell them through my etsy shop or at the next Art Murmur in Oakland.

When You Buy 1 Pound of Basil...

I stopped by Berkeley Bowl (an amazing store with just about everything, btw) one day this week with the intention of picking up limes. In addition to the limes, I ended up walking out with acorn squash, whole nutmeg, heirloom tomatoes and a one pound bag of fresh basil. I really only wanted a small bunch of basil for salad dressing and fresh pomodoro sauce making purposes. However, the small bunches were quite wilted and not worth the $1.75. So I ended up buying a huge bag--stocked for restaurant purposes, I'm sure--for $5.

So what does one do with one pound of basil, you ask? Why, one makes pesto and savory tarts, of course! I immediately decided that this excess of fresh basil would give me an excuse to make a ton of basil pesto that I could then freeze and store away for winter. I know that I can very easily purchase fresh basil during the winter, but I have decided to start buying produce that is in season. (Even in California this will most likely mean passing on the fresh basil.) My logic here is that not only will this help decrease the amount of energy and resources put into producing and shipping out-of-season produce, but it will allow me to experience the change in seasons and thereby fully appreciate their respective foods. And now for the basil recipes...

Personal Basil and Tomato Tarts

I started with this recipe for savory basil and tomato tarts. I altered the recipe slightly and they turned out quite tasty.

Start with 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves and 1-2 cloves garlic.

Pulse in a food processor until they are chopped very fine.

Add 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ tsp. kosher salt and 8 tbsp. of unsalted, chilled butter that have been cut into small cubes.

Pulse to combine.

Then add 4-5 tbsp. of ice cold water. I started with 3 tbsp. (left) and then added another 2 tbsp. It still seemed a little dry so I added one more (right), which gave me the perfect consistency.

Using a rubber spatula, turn the dough into the center of a 8x10" piece of plastic wrap.

Fold one edge over so that it covers half of the dough and pat down gently to flatten it out a bit (left). Repeat with the other edge (right). Then, fold in the other edges of the plastic wrap and cup your hands around the dough to form it into an even disk (bottom). Place the dough in the fridge for a few hours. Use this time to prep the filling, or if you have a bunch of basil left over, make pesto! (see below)

Once the dough has hardened in the fridge for a few hours, remove it from the plastic wrap, transfer onto a lightly floured surface (marble works really well) and use a floured rolling pin to flatten it into a 12" circle. Place one of the mini tart pans face down about 1" from the edge of the dough. Using a sharp knife, cut along the the tart pan, about 1" away from the edge.

Lay the dough in the pan (don't forget to insert the removable bottom first!) and use your fingers to gently press the dough along the ridges. Fold over any excess and press firmly until incorporated. Repeat for the remaining (3) tart pans. Cover with foil and place tart pans onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 425° F. Remove tart shells from the oven and discard foil. If the dough has puffed up or peeled away from the sides--like mine did--firmly press back in place with the back of a spoon. Return tart shells to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 375° F.

Fill tart shells with mozzarella cheese, a slice of tomato, a sprinkling of minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. I also added a bit of provolone and feta for some extra flavor.

Return the tarts to the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and the crust has browned along the edges, about 15 minutes (mine could have stayed in for a few more minutes, but they still tasted good!). Remove and add a bit of sliced basil. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve. This tart is quite good on its own, or with a salad that has been dressed with an olive oil and lemon vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

Tasty, Tasty Pesto

I made the pesto using this recipe. However, I altered it a little to accommodate my pantry and pocketbook: the recipe calls for 1/4 cup each of pine nuts and walnuts. As pine nuts can be quite expensive, I used 1/2 cup of walnuts instead.

And with personal taste in mind, I smashed the garlic cloves and pan fried them in a little olive oil over medium-low heat until they were tender and slightly golden. (Cooking the garlic helps mellow it a bit so that it isn't too overpowering). I also decreased the amount of olive oil by 1/2 cup and added about 2 tablespoons lemon juice to the finished pesto.

I then spooned the pesto into an ice cube tray and stuck it in the freezer. Once they were frozen solid (about 2 hours, just to make sure) I popped them out and put them into a ziplock bag and then back in the freezer. Each cube is the perfect portion for pasta for two.

Cupcake Party!

My aunt and I got together this week to make cupcakes. We have a pretty successful symbiotic relationship: I lend my baking skills and cupcake making experience, and she provides the ingredients and access to a spacious, well stocked kitchen. We each picked one cupcake recipe. I chose this Tiramisu Cupcakes recipe and she chose a recipe for Coco Loco Tequila Cupcakes from a Tequila cookbook that she has.

I liked the Tiramisu cupcakes the best...coffee and rum just don't stand a fighting chance next to coconut. (Although the Coco Loco Tequila Cupcakes did make me like dried coconut, one of my least favorite foods.)

Here are some before and after shots for your viewing pleasure:

Tiramisu Cupcakes

One rum-infused white cupcake, baked and ready for surgery.

Working with the knife in a completely vertical position, I inserted it about 3/4 of the way into the cupcake and cut a somewhat large circle. Then, I removed the center piece by gently pushing the blade of the knife against the outer edge. It popped out pretty easily; I just used my fingers to remove it completely once it came loose.

After adding the coffee-rum syrup to the center, filling it with the rum infused cream cheese icing, and replacing the top it looked like this:


And here's another one, a little top heavy with the luscious icing:

Coco Loco Tequila Cupcakes

I followed the recipe pretty closely. The only alteration that I made was that I used about 2 tsp of fresh ginger (instead of 2 tbsp), which I think was just perfect. Any more would have over powered the coconut flavor. In the future I think that I will skip adding the coconut milk in the icing...it made the icing a little too runny for my preference. Besides, the coconut extract and shredded coconut add a lot of coconut flavor. I used a rubber spatula to apply the icing and then sprinkled shredded coconut over the top.

All I can say for both is Yum! Both are excellent choices if you want to make a good impression or indulge in some decadent treats.

Two Pizzas Are Better Than One

Yesterday I posted about The Perfect Pizza Dough recipe that I use whenever I make pizzas. Here are my latest pizza creations: the first was inspired by a zucchini pizza from a local bakery, and the second by the tastiness that is a pizza loaded with lots of veggies.

Zucchini, Red Onion and Feta Pizza

1/2 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced very thin
1/6 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 small/medium tomato, thinly sliced
8 oz crumbled fresh mozzarella cheese
handful of feta cheese
1 - 2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil
freshly grated parmessan cheese

Evenly disperse mozzarella on surface of dough. Add zucchini, red onion and tomato in an even layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and feta to taste. For a little extra flavor and perfect browning, use your fingers to dabble olive oil onto the outer edges of the crust. Bake on 450 degree Fahrenheit preheated pizza/baking stone for 10-16 minutes, depending on preference. Remove from oven and sprinkle hot pizza with sliced basil and parmessan cheese.

Garden Veggie Pizza

1 can marinated artichoke hearts, drained well and cut into quarters
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
1/8 medium red onion, thinly sliced
8 - 10 kalamata olives (optional)
1 - 2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 - 4 brown mushrooms, thinly sliced
8 oz. crumbled fresh mozzarella cheese
handful of feta cheese
1 - 2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh basil
freshly grated parmessan cheese

Evenly disperese mozzarella on surface of dough. Add the veggies and half of the garlic in an even layer. Sprinkle with feta, salt and pepper, to taste. For a little extra flavor and perfect browning, use your fingers to dabble olive oil and garlic onto the outer edges of the crust. Bake on 450 degree Fahrenheit preheated pizza/baking stone for 10-16 minutes, depending on preference. Remove from oven and sprinkle hot pizza with sliced basil and parmessan cheese.

The Perfect Pizza Dough

I recently acquired a baking stone, a stand mixer and an immense sense of satisfaction from making yeast-based doughs. Successfully combining simple ingredients in just the right way so that the wonders of fermentation transform them into bread is just too satisfying for me to forgo.

My first attempts at making pizza dough sans proper preparation (i.e. proofing and resting), equipment (baking stone) and time, resulted in crust that was lacking in flavor, texture and satisfaction. However now that I have all three, I can finally indulge in tasty, crispy homemade pizza--whose crust is good enough to eat without the toppings.

I found the pizza dough recipe through Foodgawker (my new-found and preferred go-to site for recipes) and decided to try it because it was simple, straightforward and relatively quick. I've included said recipe below, but you can also find it here. This recipe produces enough dough to make two medium sized, relatively thin crust pizzas. Accordingly, I take advantage of the opportunity to make two varieties of pizza. Below you will find my latest pizza recipes. Enjoy!

Perfect Pizza Dough

Equipment:

Pizza or baking stone
Pizza paddle
Baking sheet (or second pizza paddle)
Rolling pin
Stand mixer (optional)

Ingredients:

• 1 package (approx. 2 1/4 tsp), active dry yeast
• 1 1/3 cup warm water (I like to use a combination of boiling water that I heated on the stove and cold tap water...cuts down on wasting water while waiting for the tap to heat up.)
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbs salt

Mix the yeast and water in a mixing bowl. I like to use the mixing bowl of my stand mixer, because it reduces waste and the number of dirtied dishes. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes in a warm place, like in a sunny spot.

Ideally the yeast should proof into a nice foam, but I've found that some bubbles and "strands" of yeast when you swirl the mixture are good enough for proper fermentation.

Then add the flour, salt and olive oil.

Mix ingredients by hand or on low speed until thoroughly combined, about a minute. Sprinkle a good amount of flour onto your kneading surface (if using your hands, do this before you mix the dough) and turn the dough onto the surface.



Knead the dough by repeatedly turning and folding the dough in half with the press of the palm of your hand for 7-10 minutes, adding flour in small increments until the dough is soft and no longer sticky.



Next, form the dough into a round, smooth ball and place in a large bowl.



Cover the bowl with a towel, and let rise in a warm area, such as a sunny patch near a window, for one hour. Try your best not to peek.

Take advantage of this hour by prepping the ingredients for the pizzas: cut the veggies and other toppings, shred the cheese, etc.

After about one hour, the dough should double in bulk and look something like this:

Preheat the oven and pizza stone to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Punch the dough (my favorite part) and turn onto a well floured surface.

Knead lightly, but firmly, for about a minute, adding flour to the dough and the surface as needed. Break the dough into two evenly sized portions, and form each into a smooth ball. Beginning with one ball, work the dough into a flat disk using a lightly floured rolling pin. Flip the dough and re-flour your surface periodically in order to prevent the dough from sticking.

Once you have rolled the dough to your preferred thickness or the size of your pizza stone, transfer the dough to a pizza paddle that has been seasoned with a tablespoon of flour and 1 -2 teaspoons of cornmeal.



Add your toppings:

Zucchini, Red Onion and Feta

Greek Veggie

When transfering the pizza to the oven, pull the rack that the hot baking stone is resting on half way out. With the front end of the paddle positioned near the far edge of the stone, angle the paddle slightly and slide the pizza onto the stone using short, jerking forward motions. Bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on dough thickness and crispness preference. While the first pizza is baking, roll out and top the second ball of dough on the pizza paddle.

Remove the baked pizza with a cookie sheet. Feel free to use an ovenmit clad hand to help transfer the pizza to the cookie sheet. Place the second pizza onto the stone and bake until done. Transfer pizzas to a cutting board and let cool for a few minutes. Cut, serve and enjoy.

Handicraft Diary: Double Wrap Cowl

For years I have bought yarn with the good intentions of using every last skein in a timely manner. Sometimes I would buy yarn with a particular project in mind. More often than not however, I found myself being seduced by yarns of various colors, textures and reasonable prices. I've also received quite a bit of yarn as gifts.

As a result, I have collected a massive stockpile of yarn. True, I keep it neatly stored away in plastic bins. But still, I have too much. Earlier this year I banned myself from buying anymore yarn until I use most of it up. I compiled a list of projects that had been swimming in my head and vowed to begin ticking off said projects this summer. Well...moving, job seeking and the catnip toys delayed this grandiose idea, but now I am resolved to see it through.

With that said, I introduce to you my first undertaking in my Handicraft Diary:

Double Wrap Cowl

I wanted something simple and yet elegant. I found the pattern for this cowl at Cocoknits while I was looking for projects that called for chunky alpaca yarn. I received 8 skeins of Misti International Chunky Baby Alpaca yarn for Christmas a few years ago. And, much like with all of my more luxurious yarns, I saved it for the perfect project. I figured that this yarn would be the perfect material for the maiden project for my Handicraft Diary.



You can download the pattern and try it for yourself. Using a 2 x 2 rib stitch, I followed the directions exactly, and am quite pleased with the result. The simple trick of sewing the ends together with the wrong and right sides facing each other gives this cowl an effortless, elegant slouch. Plus alpaca–the warmest, softest natural fiber–makes it beautiful to wear in every way…especially if you don’t mind minor shedding!

My First Post!

Hello Blogosphere!

After weeks of procrastination and general laziness, I've finally done it. I've created a blog. What originally started as an idea for how I could get the word out about my Etsy shop, has evolved into a blog about all things handicraft and cookery related.

I shall begin with my original intention: with a post featuring some items from my Etsy shop,
BoutiqueAliciaMarie:

Brown Bunny

This is Brown Bunny, a catnip filled felt bunny. I used a template from a book titled "The Cute Book" by Aranzi Aronzo. After I graduated from college this past May I found myself with a large quantity of catnip, felt and free time. So I decided to make catnip toys and try my hand at turning a hobby into something more. Not much has come my way in terms of monetary success from my Etsy endeavors, but I remain optimistic and love that people are looking. Here are some other examples of my work:

Catnip Cupcake (sold!)


Catnip Mushrooms

An appropriate (if not somewhat cliche) design choice for catnip toys.

And finally, an example of my knitting:

Knit Catnip Mouse

More posts to come...now that I've actually got this up and running.