homebook: valentine's day

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2/17/14

be mine

Ryan and I went on a mid-morning date over the weekend. We dropped Ralph off at my sister's house, scooted away when he wasn't looking, and drove off just the two of us. It's only the third or fourth time Ralph has been alone without either of us around, and of course I cried a little bit over it, because I'm a big old sentimental wuss. I kept saying, What if he starts to look for me and I'm not there? And Ryan was like, Cool it woman, this is supposed to be fun.

We got brunch at a little place that reminded me of the cute bagel shop I worked at in high school. We sat at a small table decorated with flowers and stringed lights by the front window, and sipped coffee from mismatched mugs. Ryan ordered a french toast sandwich with ham and honey nut cream cheese-- the absolute last thing off the menu I would have expected him to choose-- which, I guess, proves that I don't know as much about the man as I thought. Ham and honey nut cream cheese? Total curve ball, Ryan. Who are you?

After brunch we took a drive down by the lake, the old standby in times of romance. We decided to walk down to the beach, but ended up just running around like fools because it was windy and freezing. Ryan got too close to the churning, icy waters and I scolded him from a safe distance because, though he might switch things up a bit here and there, I'll always be set in my wussy ways. I finally coaxed him back and trapped him into taking some pictures with me. There's totally one of us kissing, but I'll spare you that shot.

When our fingers and toes were nice and numb we headed back to the car, drove through downtown and back to our baby. He hardly missed us, as far as I could tell.

And, I don't know. We had our fun, but I'll always like it best when the three of us are together.

2/6/14

handmade | herbes de provence

Have you ever tried cooking with herbes de provence? My sister put a jar of it in my Christmas stocking a few years ago, and I quickly became hooked on the delicious and fragrant blend of herbs. I love to use it with chicken and potato dishes, but I've found that it goes especially well with beef (beef stew. pot roast. oh man.) And I'll admit, I pretty much just toss it into any soup or casserole or savory dish I happen to be cooking up, because I love it that much. I'm no chef.

I've cooked my way through a few jars of it since that first one from my sister, and when my last jar bit the dust a few weeks ago, I did a bit of research to see exactly what goes into that tasty blend of herbs and try making my own. Turns out there are a lot of versions out there-- some are simple and more authentically French, and others are more Americanized. No matter what you like best, the good news is they're all pretty easy to make.

After reading through a number of versions, I came up with a blend that I thought I'd like best, based on what I've had before. I found all but a few ingredients at my grocery store, and the rest at World Market. If you're interested in making your own, be sure to buy in bulk so you don't have to pay for extra packaging! Here's how to do it:

Herbes de Provence (makes 1 cup)

2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 tablespoon fennel seed
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried marjoram
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried lavender flower
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
1 tablespoon coarse salt

Grind rosemary and fennel seed with a mortar and pestle until slightly crushed; transfer to a bowl. Add thyme, basil, marjoram, parsley, lavender flower, oregano, tarragon, and coarse salt. Stir to combine. Store in an airtight container.

I ended up doubling the recipe in order to have enough to give away as Valentine's day gifts. I put 1/2 cup of the mixture in a jar, made a label, and tied it up with twine. Super easy! Really, the hardest part of all of this is going to be deciding how to pronounce herbes de provence when I present the gifts to their recipients. Do I say it with an obnoxious French accent? Or do I say it normally with my Wisconsin accent, which is equally obnoxious? Wish me luck.

2/4/14

handmade | an herb bouquet

Valentine's Day is just around the corner! Have you all sent your significant others a sly, nonchalant message to their work email containing a link to exactly what you're hoping to receive on the 14th? Just me? Cool.

But okay, as much as I want this necklace, I'd be perfectly pleased with a bouquet of fresh something. Make that bouquet of fresh something pretty and useful, and I'm even happier. If you're the homemade gift-giving type and are hoping to pass out a few Valentines yourself this year, allow me to assist you. This week on the blog I intend to share a few handmade gift ideas that have all the came-straight-from-your-heart charm, and are pretty inexpensive (and easy) to make.

First up, a fresh herb bouquet-- a gift that's as friendly as a bouquet of flowers, but definitely more useful. Because you get to eat it. Start by buying an assortment of fresh herbs next time you're at the grocery store, or pluck them from your own backyard (you lucky duck.) I used oregano, rosemary, sage, and marjoram. Next, bundle the herbs together to form a bouquet, arranging them just as you would a bouquet of flowers (think texture, height, and a little bit of wild imperfection, because that's pretty.) Secure with twine. Then, wrap them up in some brown paper, because that's also pretty and makes it look like you just grabbed them from the market in Paris. Oui, oui! Ooh la la! Etc.

For a little extra touch, you can add a small spice jar, some extra twine for hanging, and instructions on how to dry the herbs. Tuck in a tiny love note, and you're golden.