All posts tagged: recipe

quick pasta with fresh tomato sauce

Hello there! Ina Garten’s recipe for Summer Garden Pasta was trending on my feed for several days and I wanted to try it, but after reading you had to let the tomatoes rest for four hours, I knew it wasn’t going to happen. If you know me, you know that my favorite recipes are quick and easy to prepare. Waiting four hours? Not for me! But later I found a similar recipe – also by Ina – that could be prepared in just a few minutes. Much better! I’ve made this two times already in the past two weeks, and can see this joining our weekly staples, like Mustard Seed Chicken, Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki, and other favorites. Ultra sweet, summer tomatoes, the kind you can only find at the market during this time of the year, are the best for this recipe. And don’t skimp on the Parmesan cheese, or my own little secret that I learned from my grandmother: adding one (or two) pats of salted butter right before serving! It makes a …

an easy feta, tomato and chickpea appetizer (or lunch!)

Hello! I know it’s been a while since I’ve been here, but I’ve been super busy with visits, trips, birthdays, work, and what seems like all the medical checkups and appointments we didn’t have in two years all squeezed into the last month! My sister came to visit and that is always a treat. We explored a few places in Marin and San Francisco. We went to a trade show and caught up on our lives. It was fun! Then, we celebrated Sarah’s birthday. She turned 18 this year, which is hard to believe. We went down to San Diego to look at the school she might be going to. It was hectic but good. I am in denial of all that’s coming our way when she actually moves away for college. (Deep breaths!) As I said, all the activities this month haven’t left much time for cooking or knitting anything new — but last week, when I saw this recipe on Instagram, I really wanted to try it. The recipe is by @smittenkitchen. Apparently, …

week 6: one finished object, Swedish t.v., & a quick grain salad for your w.f.h. days

Hello, there! I am totally late posting this. It’s been quite chaotic around here the past couple of weeks. At my office, our graphic designer resigned and I suddenly had to switch gears and wear her “hat”. It had been quite a while since I worked in production juggling multiple jobs with tight deadlines, so I am pretty exhausted and can’t wait until we hire a replacement. Sick Doggie Did you know dogs can get pink eye? I had no idea. My little dog had been looking a bit off. She kept squinting like when the light is too bright. It took me a while to notice it, but then it was obvious something wasn’t right with her eyes. I googled a bit and found it could be conjunctivitis, a.k.a. pink eye. So, I took her to the vet on Saturday and have been Nurse Gabi for a few days. Thankfully, she’s feeling much better! Since it’s been so crazy, I was very pleased to actually finish one of my projects in progress — my …

week 50 – a holiday cowl pattern, balaclavas, babka buns, and Tucci’s memoir

New Holiday Cowl Pattern Hello! I’ve finished a new cowl. Every winter, I crave something red to go with my black sweaters, especially during the holidays. So, in an attempt to feel like a real knitwear designer (#goals), I decided to get some yarn (Highland Duo alpaca merino wool blend from Cascade Yarns), chose a stitch pattern I liked and tried something on my own. I cast on 50 stitches and knit until the cowl was about 11 inches deep. This yarn will forever be my favorite for things that are close to my neck. It is so soft! I made a blue cowl with it a few years ago. Interested in the pattern? Check out my new Etsy store (a work in progress). After trying the cowl on, I realized it was snug enough to pull over my head like a cap. This got me thinking about the balaclava craze that’s going on in the knitting world. Have you noticed? I first saw one on Petite Knit’s Instagram account and thought they were adorable …