leapkate's Profile

1. Sleep in.
2. Putter around in pajamas for several hours while drinking tea and reading magazines.
3. Take hot bath, fall asleep in tub.
4. Walk to park with book, sleep on grass.
5. Glass of wine with dinner.
6. Early to bed, another tough day ahead tomorrow & the day after!

I was out of town for my dad's recent birthday, so I'm having him over for dinner. Smoked gouda stuffed porkchops (he LOVES smoked gouda), a corn & lime saute, celery & parsley salad, and homemade chocolate-cherry sorbet with cherry compote.

The next day I'm taking a 10+ mile walk and bringing a farro salad with cherry tomatoes, summer squash, broccolini, and feta.

I LOVE kohlrabi and recently converted a coworker, too. I love it's taste, it's adorably zany looks, and especially how versatile it is. Eat it raw, yes. Treat it like you would broccoli or cauliflower, that too. Treat it like you would a root vegetable, check!

French toast doesn't take much time. I LOVE it made with challah. That a bit of fruit salad and you're good!

Polenta cooked in the microwave (in mine, 8 minutes and two stirs) + veggies either quickly sauteed (greens) or george-foremanned (eggplant). A quick grating of parmesan or a sprinkle of feta, and boom, dinner's done.

Also a super-quick bean soup. Salsa cooked down, 4-5 minutes, water, canned beans, done. You can fancy it with pureeing or using stock instead or adding lime, cilantro, or avocado, but the basic thing is SUPER quick and easy, assuming you have some salsa and beans on hand.

Cous-cous with chickpeas and dried coriander. Add some greens and herbs if you have 'em. Literally 5 minute dinner.

If you have a spot that gets 4 or 5 hours sun, as opposed to full, all-day sun, greens do really well, I've had terrific luck with mustard greens, chard, and chicory. Also green beans do fine and some herbs. I've grown parsley and green onions successfully. Don't bother with stuff like eggplants or tomatoes, they need a LOT of sun.

Other advice? Well, I'm seriously hoping this ONLY applies to me, but when you're digging up 20+ years of brush from a planter box at your apartment building, and you find a giant penis statue, make sure to photograph it or no-one will believe you.

I'm curious, you had the gorgeous-looking trifle...but no silverware? Was there some kind of platform for it?

I like the World Market chairs a LOT. Like, I might steal them!

You could also go sort of old Hollywood and do canvas director's chairs -- although those wooden legs might be too tempting to your dog!

I always think focusing on where someone's eyes would naturally go helps. So in my place, that means I always make sure to have the coffee table cleared off and clean, because you see it right when you step in the front door, while you're on the couch obviously, and also from certain seats at the dining table....

And I always clean the bathroom mirror, since everyone looks at themselves -- unless you have some of those non-hand-washers around!

I realize it's possible some of these may already be lurking in the archives:

1. A basic cake-frosting tutorial;
2. How to transfer/translate recipes from conventional to slow cooker;
3. How to plan a balanced menu, perhaps with suggestions for various seasons, holidays, or occasions; and
4. Some kohlrabi tips/recipes!