Recipe o’ the week: Killer Bruschetta!

I might have a different idea from you of what the world’s greatest bruschetta is, but I have to say that my recipe is AWESOME! I think, anyway. If you don’t like balsamic vinegar (shame!) you might not like it, but if you do? Bliss!! So here goes, a nice summery bruschetta recipe, just as my first tomato turns red!

Danielle’s Killer Bruschetta

• 1 baguette (if you’re in ottawa, try Art-Is-In Bakery: white, full of delicious salt and olive oil and totally terrible for you, and you won’t be able to stop eating it ever. Seriously, they call it crack bread.)
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar (the best you can afford!)
• 1 tsp. fresh basil, chopped finely (In the winter I put in some chopped chives or green onions for colour when I don’t have fresh herbs.)
• 1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese (leave this out for vegan alternative)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit
2. Slice baguette on an angle into 1/2″ to 3/4″ slices, lay out on baking sheet
3. Combine remaining ingredients in small bowl, mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste.
4. Spoon tomato mix onto baguette rounds on pan. Top with a sprinkle of parmesan.
5. Toast in oven 15 minutes or until bread begins to turn golden. Enjoy!!

So thats my contribution for this week – I’ve been busy finishing orders that have come in: a tiny leaf ring for a tiny girl from my jewelry class, a custom parker cap for a girl from Art in the Park, and a custom Ruth cap for a girl in California. My hat is going to California! I am jealous. I am going to Kenora. AGAIN! No, I’m not complaining, Kenora is fabulicious in the summer, and I have many fun wedding-related parties to attend, so I am excited. Sure, there’s no DisneyLand there, but I’ll deal.

OK, back to it. Go make some bruschetta!

why is comic sans the hero at the font conference?

I guess thats a spoiler. This IS a pretty deep plot… It makes me chuckle though. Especially because everyone hates Comic Sans. Comic Sans is the Pauly Shore of the type world. OK, I’m done now.

Anyhoo, I am not quite smart enough to get it to embed, but you can watch it here!

(via Core77)

Other news: First day at Kaizen was fab! A shift from my former routine, but I think it will work well. Learning new acronyms and all that jazz…

Also, we lost the first game of our double-header but won the second, and I had my best hit ever. Yes, it went over the infielders. I am a baseball genius.

Song of the Week! Bishop Allen: Rain

This song is the catchiest song evar. A clap along beat, and a sort of 60’s-cross-eighties synth guitar combo in the back? Also I am always a sucker for boy-girl harmonies. And I don’t have time for digging too deep this week, because I start a new job tomorrow! Exciting. I’ll be doing contract design for Kaizen eBusiness as of tomorrow. Don’t worry – I’ll still have time to make fun things. But here – listen!

Bishop Allen – Rain

Time for beauty sleep. Keep in touch!

dogs for peace!

I don’t know if I’m just having one of those days or what, but I got a little choked up at the end of this one…

Maybe I just have a soft spot for dogs. In any case, this is by Michael Killen, who is the same guy that made the Taco Bell Chihuahua talk. Apparently he also uses his powers for good! (I found this on NOTCOT.)

damn you mother nature!

i’ve been growing a strawberry plant on my balcony, and we’ve had some trouble with squirrels (I think?) eating the flowers and unripe berries and digging in the dirt. I tried the cayenne treatment, and for the last few days it seemed to be working; we had this one beautiful, red strawberry growing. Yesterday Peter said we should eat it, and I said we should wait, since it was still a little white at the top. This morning I went out to check, and the little bastard has been tramping around, knocking over juice glasses, breaking stems on the tomato plants and EATING OUR ONE PERFECT BERRY!! grrr…..

Damn food chain…. Anyhoo, here’s a picture from yesterday… rest in peace, little berry.

Recipe o’ the week: Thin Crust Pizza Dough

I had tried and failed every pizza recipe until I found this one (in the Pellatt Community Club Cookbook!) It seems pretty failure-proof, which is saying something, since I make it at least once a month. Its super easy and delicious – once you try it you’ll never go back to store-bought dough! This is also one of the only recipes I know by heart. Thats how easy it is! TRY IT! : )

Thin Crust Pizza Dough

• 1 packet yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 Tbsp. Sugar
• 2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 cup Unbleached Flour (Also works perfectly with 3 c. regular-type flour)
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
2. In small bowl, mix yeast into warm water, let sit 5 minutes.
3. In large bowl, combine flour(s), salt and olive oil. Mix with fork.
4. Add sugar to water mix and stir until dissolved.
5. Add yeast mixture to flour slowly. You may need to add a little extra water to get your dough smooth and elastic. (This part is easiest if you mix with your hands.)
6. Separate the dough into two balls and place back in bowl, covered with tea towel. Allow to rise on top of warm stove 1/2 hr. (You don’t really need this step if you’re in a rush, but I think it makes the dough better.)
7. Spread into 2 greased or nonstick pizza pans (I only have one pan, so I take turns.) (About 1/4″ thick)
8. Bake 5-8 minutes, just until set, not quite golden.
9. From this point you can top the pizza and bake it for another 10 or 12 minutes. Since this recipe makes two crusts, we freeze one in a couple of shopping bags, and it makes for a super quick dinner the next week.

And the best part – my favourite toppings!

• finely diced onions
• pickled banana peppers
• green olives
• green pepper
• mushrooms, finely chopped
• sundried tomatoes – also finely chopped
• mozzarella

And Peter says the secret is lots of onion, and he also puts salt and pepper on right after the sauce. I like it italian style, with just a little cheese. OK, this is making me hungry. Enjoy!

song of the week: Glorytellers – Awake at the Wheel

another one I found on the hype machine:

“awake at the wheel” by the glorytellers

its sort of dark and haunting but still a beautiful story and I can listen to it again and again. this is a quote from his record company: “Glorytellers is the new main vehicle for Geoff Farina’s (Karate, Secret Stars) songwriting. His distinctive voice panning bittersweet stories over his jazzy guitar work has been a signature style ever since the early 90’s.”

So apparently he’s been doing this for a while… I have listened to a little of his other stuff since… I’ll let you know if I find anymore gems that I can’t get out of my head! And now, back to work. Laters…

why yes, I DO also make cards!

This weekend we had some out of town guests, and one of them bought every “Happy Birthday Douchebag” card I had left in stock. I guess its time to make more! Surprise, surprise, my best-selling card is also my cheekiest. People like cheeky! Lucky for me. Here’s the pic:

a birthday card for that special someone

Also here is the link to  some of my other hand-screened cards, new on etsy!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5010887&section_id=5531548

And now, time to go outside and enjoy this beautiful day. Peace!

little bro is turning twelve

my little brother has a summer birthday. being a september child myself, i am always jealous of summer birthday kids. my stepmom says its actually a disadvantage, since by the time you want to have your birthday party, half of your friends are gone on vacation. but the summer swimming parties you could have, and the sweet summer gifts! for his fourth or fifth birthday we got him a big inflatable tigger, and one year we got him a crab-themed slip and slide. i think it would be worth it.  anyway, since it was his big day a while ago, i made him a birthday card. watercolour crayons are basically my favourite medium – so messy! fantastic.

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so now i should probably get down to some real type work… but there are more birthday gifts to be made! what to do…

Recipe o’ the Week – Roasted Garlic Hummus

This is super easy and so delicious – the roasting takes the edge off of the garlic so you can still have friends after eating it. And its almost garlic season… get ready!

Roasted Garlic Hummus:

• 2 cups canned/cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons Tahini
• 4 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 large head Garlic
• 1 Lemon, Juice of.
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut top off garlic head, making sure you can see every clove. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil and roast for 1 hour.
2. Squeeze soft garlic out of cloves into food processor / blender. Add chickpeas and all other ingredients and blend until smooth. Add olive oil if needed.
3. Garnish with paprika, serve with pita corners, carrot sticks, pretzels or celery sticks.

Enjoy!