All posts tagged: recipe

a tree in bloom

delicious lemon cake perfect for spring

Published by fairfaxhill

At times I feel like I’m solar powered. That’s why I love it so much when spring finally arrives in Marin. The sunshine makes me feel happy and energized. Last Saturday, it looked like we were finally going to enjoy a little sunlight and warmth after what has been the rainiest winter I can remember — and just in time for Easter! On my Saturday “to-do” list was making dessert for the family potluck on Sunday. Sarah suggested making lemon bars from Tartine’s cookbook — one of her favorite desserts. Sarah has always made the lemon bars, but I thought it was about time I tried making them myself. Making the lemon bars turned out to be pretty easy; the last step was to place the tray in the fridge to allow the bars to set and cool overnight. I was proud of myself for getting everything everything ready a day early. Time to relax! The next morning, the lemon bars were ready, but Sarah was sick, so we thought it would be best for …

quick pasta with fresh tomato sauce

Published by fairfaxhill

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!)

Published by fairfaxhill

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

Published by fairfaxhill

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 …