Beach day

Welcome to Washington where the beaches are rocky, grey and cold… it’s pretty much a paradise.

The above photos were taken on the rocky shores of Gig Harbor, Washington.

Have a woodsy weekend!

Photo by Kim Høltermand.

Apple, potato and onion gratin

I enjoy going to my parents’ house to cook with my mom.  On one of the beautiful spring days we’ve had recently, we chose to make an apple, potato, and onion gratin.  And, since my parents live on the water, we decided to go with a fish theme.  We used a fish shaped cookie cutter to cut our potatoes into little fish.  Don’t worry, no fish were harmed in the making of this dish.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

2 Tart apples (Honeycrisp, Pink Lady or Granny Smith)

1 Sweet onion

3 Medium red potatoes, peeled and sliced

Salt and Pepper

6 Ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

1/2 Cup heavy cream

1/4 Cup of chopped herbs (sage, thyme, basil, parsley, oregano and/or rosemary)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel the onion and slice into 1/4″ thick slices and then cut those slices into quarters.

Trim both ends from the apples and using a corer, remove the core. Slice the apple into 1/4″ slices and cut these slices into quarters.

Peel the potatoes and slice them into 1/4″ pieces. Cut these slices in half. In the above photos, we used a cookie cutter to get the fish shape. Soak in water for a few minutes.

Arrange the slices in a circular pattern in a cast iron skillet or round Dutch oven or baking dish. Keep filling your pan until it is filled.

Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle the cheese on top. Pour the cream evenly over the pan and sprinkle with herbs.

Cover the pan with a lid or foil. Bake for 30 minutes then remove the cover. Place the pan back in the oven for 10 minutes more or until the cheese is bubbled and browned. Eat while still hot.

Bear hugs

I really wish I had a bear friend who I could go camping with, or go on secret, cave adventures with, or go flying with, or cuddle up with on a rainy, spring day. But until then, I guess my husband will have to do…

These adorable prints are by Hillary Bird.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to my friends, Derek and Shaela, on their engagement!

These engagement snippets were taken at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA.

Sweet sweets

Here are some sweet treats that I am currently craving. Anything that contains caramel, s’mores or ice cream sandwiches automatically makes my blood sugar rise. Sugar rush, here I come!

1. William-Sonoma’s s’mores kit. 2. Homemade snickers bar. 3. Caramel filled brownies. 4. Chocolate wafers ice cream sandwich cookies. 5. S’mores shots in chocolate glasses. 6. Caramel trio by Süss Sweets. 7. Dean and Deluca ice cream. 8. Red velvet ice cream.

La Mamacita

Happy Mother’s / Birthday to the most wonderful woman that I know.

Note: If you google “best mother in the entire universe” my mother’s picture will come up.

On another note:  If you google “cheesiest person in the entire universe” my picture will come up.

How to: Birthday cards

Cut card stock for the stamped plaque portion. I cut my card stock to 1.25″ x 3.25″.

Using your ink pad, stamp each card stock plaque with your chosen stamp.

Cut your cardstock to the size you want your cards to be (mine are 4.5″ x 6.5″), then fold in half.

Sew your fabric square onto your card. Tuck the strings to the inside of the card, knot and cut off ends.

Sew the stamped plaque on top of the fabric card. Tuck the strings to the inside of the card, knot and cut off ends.

Repeat these last two steps for all of your cards and you are finished and prepared for all the up and coming birthday celebrations!

Mother’s Day cards

I love these pretty, pink and floral Mother’s Day cards from Rifle Paper Co.

Check out their website here.

Have a woodsy weekend!

Photo by Jin X3.