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Monday, December 05, 2016

Music Monday - O Holy Night

A really lovely version....

Monday, November 28, 2016

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope your day was warm and lovely and surrounded by loved ones and good things to eat. xxxx

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Sketchbook Wednesday - Mushroom Soup!

 One of my favorite savory delights is this quick and easy Mushroom Soup. I got the recipe from my mother (I'm not sure where she got it from) and have been making a variation of it for nearly 30 years.

 As I've mentioned before, I pretty much cook to taste, or with what I have on hand. For this batch I started by sauteeing crushed garlic in butter until it is golden. I then added thinly sliced mushrooms (the more the better, IMO. I think I had a couple of cups of mushrooms on hand). If your pan feels too dry, add more butter - I probably used 1/3 cup of butter all told. 

Season your mushrooms as they cook as desired - salt, pepper, chili pepper, until they are savory and delicious. I also tend to saute them until they are well cooked and starting to caramelize. You can stop sooner if you prefer them that way.

By now, you should have cooked mushrooms swimming in liquid. To this I add a Tablespoon or so of flour so that the liquid bubbles and thickens up. When it's thick, turn off the heat and add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice so they are tangy and delicious.

 While your mushrooms are cooking, you can start the broth part of the soup. You'll need about 8 cups of broth of your choice. I used herby homemade chicken stock, but you can use veggie broth or beef or your choice of bouillon. The more flavorful your broth though, the better your soup will taste. To add some extra richness to your broth, you can bring it to a boil and then use some of the hot liquid to temper a couple of eggs to add (if you haven't tempered eggs in soup before, you can see how to do it here). 

When your broth is hot and your mushrooms are done, add your mushrooms to the soup base, stirring until everything is well combined. 

Taste, and adjust your seasonings. Many times I end up adding more lemon at this point. I like it tangy as well as savory. 

Serve with warm, crusty bread and get ready to revel in the yum!

Monday, November 21, 2016

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Sunday Sketching

In the teensy purse Moleskine balanced upon my knee...


Friday, November 18, 2016

Figure Friday

 Long pose life drawing day. Initial block-in...

After about 2 hours. 
Charcoal on newsprint.