inspiration

Inspiration is a hard thing to find in the winter. Here are a few things that get me through the day...

the best yogurt

so many good things start with eggs and chocolate

apple pie...

comfort food

sweet potatoes fries

lemons

sunday mornings

Sunday mornings are my favorite mornings, we sit around, drink tea, make breakfast and read the paper.

My sister was impossible to wake up in the morning. So Em, this is for you...

dreaming

a really good magazine!

Every year about this time I start to get impatient. All I want is spring. Spring dressed in light green with warm sun and little shoots pushing out of the earth. Spring is the season of new dreams, new beginnings and new gardens. Spring is by far my favorite season. Not to say I don't love summer, with lemonade and fresh tomatoes, or fall with crisp days and fresh apple cider, but there is something distinctly different about Spring. Maybe it is the longing for green after the long winter. What ever it is it has me ordering seed catalogs and buying little seed starters.

leeks

For now I will have to make do with potato leek soup, and apple pie.

During the winter there is a need to go back to basics. For me the basics are eggs and vegetables. Because we don't eat that much meet I find myself making chickpea curry and other hearty soups almost every night. Something else that seems to hit the spot is egg and vegetable tarts. They are very easy, you through a whole wheat crust together then scramble a few eggs, saute some veggies (mushrooms, onions, spinach, leafy greens, potatoes, the list goes on and on...), a little grated cheese or goat cheese. Pour it into the crust and put it in the oven until the eggs are cooked. Eat while hot from oven.

I don't know if I told you but my camera died last year. I have been putting off getting a new one but I finally caved and got a new one.  I forgot how much I love taking pictures. One more reason I can't wait to plant my garden...

apples for pie

eggs waiting to be dinner

winter

 It has been uncharacteristically warn here, but today dawned grey and wintry. January always toys with the emotions, giving hints of spring only to turn cold and stormy. 

A cold winter day like this deserves a warm kitchen and reminders of the sun, so I rolled up my sleeves, made a batch of buttermilk biscuits and slathered them with Meyer Lemon Curd. Maybe it is just my inner southern girl but in my books there is nothing better then your house smelling of fresh biscuits. 

I got serious about canning this year, filling our pantry with apple butter, salsa verde, pickled carrots, and beets and of coarse lemon curd. Lemon curd is deceptively simple to make and has become a staple in my fridge along with buttermilk and good cheese. You can spread lemon curd on toast, buttermilk biscuits, pancakes, a spoon, use it to make a little tarts… The list goes on and on.

Here is my recipe, note that you can use regular lemons but if you can find Meyers Lemons the results will be much better!

 Perfect Lemon Curd

6 Meyer lemons

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled

Zest from lemons

1. Wash, zest and juice lemons. Make sure there are no seeds, set aside.

2. Crack the eggs into a non-reactive mettle bowl and beat lightly.

3. Fill a medium saucepan with about 2 inches of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Put the bowl on top of the pan to form a double bowler. Add the sugar, butter, lemon juice and zest. Wisk gently until the sugar dissolves and butter melts.

4. Stir the mixture until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Put in jar, let cool and refrigerate. Use within 2 weeks, or can and use within 2 months.

Enjoy!