I have this activity that I like to do at least once a week called Drink Wine. I may not even finish a glass, but I sure do love it. Like tea, I find a nice glass of wine rather comforting. I love how it looks, all pretty and shiny in a glass. I get all wine enthusiast and lift the glass up to my nose to sniff for notes and tanines. I like a fruity wine, nothing too dry, or expensive--I'm the only drinker in the house. My favorite bottle is less than $10 and it's pure heaven: a nice fruity, Australian shiraz by Mad Bay. I also love Layer Cake's shiraz. too.
I'm a red drinker during the winter, and switch to white during the Spring and Summer. I love sharing a glass with a friend at a cozy bar. Nothing beats a glass during a fantastic meal out with my husband, or on a warm summer night on the deck while reading a book, or by the ocean, or at Book Club, or after yoga, or in a closet : ) I channel Julia Child's and pour wine into risottos, chicken dishes, or marinaras that call for a sturdy red. Wine is like a nice, warm internal blanket that unravels the stress and demands for you to be in the moment. I'll do anything to stay warm and present these days, so tomorrow I'm off to the The Wine House for Wine Fridays. Cheers!
Photography is a big, huge part of me, and I take all the photos in my blog. I love how photography, art, and design bring visual magic to many of the blogs I read here.
Beautiful sunflakes fell this morning, which inspired me to go outside with my 4 year old, camera in tow. Typically, I have an aversion to shooting wintery scenes because it's challenging to get the correct white balance to obtain authentic tones. But I let it go and just had fun photographing my son jumping on the ice-crusted snow. I couldn't resist shooting my dog, and a tree in the yard, too.
My son jumping. I love the shadow.
Cracking the icy surface
Winter's Tree
Snowy pup
Black and White Ronan
Due to the ever present snow storm pattern we're experiencing here in New England, both kids are home and I'm having mad cravings for chocolate, so the kids and I are baking Chocolate Chip Cookies. Wahoo! This is not your typical CC cookie; nooo, we're experimenting by adding a little barley flour to the recipe. Risky, indeed!
"Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies"
1/2 Cup flour
1/2 Cup barley flour
1/2 Tsp baking soda
1/2 Tsp salt, I use a tad less
1 stick of butter, softened
1/4 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 Cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375.Combine flours, baking soda and salt in small bowl. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugars 'til fluffy. Add egg and beat until creamy. Carefully add dry mixture to butter mixture and combine until a nice, ball of dough forms. Then stir in chocolate chips. Plop dough by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and space about and inch apart. Bake until you see a few golden spots on top of cookies, about 9 minutes. Cool on rack and enjoy.
Taste Test: Both my kids liked the cool, gray color of the cookies. If you can handle the weird, dog biscuit-like smell, then you're good to go. My daughter picked at her cookie, but my son devoured his. I ate about 3 and enjoyed them. Would I make them again? Maybe, but I'll use less barley flour.
