Space to Live

We have a problem of owning too many cookbooks. While there’s nothing nicer than flipping through an issue of Delicious, when it comes to the post-work munchies time is of the essence. What we needed was a book dedicated to the recipes we use over and over.

The idea. Each time we cook a ‘tried and true’ recipe, we photograph it, clip out the recipe and paste it into the cookbook.

Since our cooking style is similar to four-year olds with an alligator pool, a washable cover and plastic coated pages were essential. The to-be-hubby (TBH) has a flair for splashing.

The solution - an Itoya art portfolio. The 8.5×11 size should cost around $10 (CDN).

A little then and now.

Tomatillos can grow to be 3 or 4 feet tall. Go tomatillos!

May 21: 3 inches tall
June 26: 33 inches tall

3 cups flour
3/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt
4 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

cut in 3/4 cup shortening (I used Fluffo)
1 cup milk

Divide and bake for 15 minutes (approximately) at 325F or until golden. Mmmm.

Has your mint plant taken over? Try this mango salsa recipe from Epicurean:

Ingredients (Pictured above is half recipe):
2 ripe mangos — peeled and chopped
3 green onions — finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped mint
11/2 tablespoons lime juice
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Process until smooth.
Set aside for a minimum of 15 minutes before serving at room temperature.
Keeps well, covered and refrigerated up to a day.
Makes up to 11/2 cups.

We have one “magic” window that gets just the right amount of light. I’ve tried to maximize the space using a quasi “square foot” gardening method (white planter boxes lined up in rows). The overflowing mint on the upper window sill covers a nasty blob of bird poo that we can’t remove (the window is stuck shut).

Visit the Brownstoner to watch the renovations of a New York brownstone. You know how the saying goes, into every heritage conservation project, a few maggots must fall.

Great idea for a DIY trellis.

Space to Live. The vision? Apartment Therapy meets Zellers. Cats, gardens, and Danish-modern furniture. Stay tuned.