January
better than kraft dinner

Filed under food

Shocking news!!! According to a recent poll, 3/3 Canadians agree that the following recipe is better than Kraft Dinner.

Pasta Fagioli (recipe courtesy of my Mother In Law)

2-3 teaspoons olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 19oz can white kidney beans
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
water
3 cups dry pasta (something similar in size to the beans, like macaroni or tubetti)

In a medium saucepan, saute garlic in the olive oil until tender, but not brown. Add the whole can of beans, unrinsed, and one almost full can of water. Simmer over medium heat for 20-30 minutes, until sauce is reduced and slightly thickened.

In the meantime, cook pasta according to directions in salted water. Drain.

Combine bean sauce and pasta, and stir in parmesan cheese. Serve.

You win!!!

 ::  Share or discuss  ::  2010-01-31  ::  adrienne

January
Canada’s Next Top Soup- Dill

Filed under Canada's Next Top Soup + food

can you taste the freshness?

 
I love dill, it’s my favourite herbe. This is my Grandma’s recipe- no one can make it like she can, but give it a shot!

Dill Soup

1/2 onion, diced
2 cups fresh dill, chopped fine
large potato, cubed small
1/2 cup rice
salt and pepper, to taste
1 egg
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp vinegar (or a little more. . . )

Soften onion in a little butter or olive oil in a medium-large pot. Add half a pot of water. Add dill, potato, rice and s + p. Cook until tender. Beat egg and add to sour cream and vinegar. Warm this up slowly by adding a bit of the soup in batches until it is hot enough to add to the remaining soup (without cooking the egg). Warm it up a little more. . . serve.

Great with sandwiches.

Fun Fact: As you may know, dill comes in too big bunches. After you’ve used it for what you intended it for, it usually ends up going bad in the fridge, like, “what the fun am I going to do with all this dill? ” (southern accent) One time I bought a bunch to make this soup, and since I had some left over I also made a yogurt-dill type salad dressing. Both the leftover dill soup and dressing were in the fridge. Dom came home from work one day and warmed himself up a bowl of “dill soup”. I walked in on him at the table trying to eat the “soup”, which was actually the salad dressing! Hot yogurt salad dressing! Ew! He wasn’t too happy. So anyway, anytime I mention making dill soup he makes an exaggerated sad face and shakes his head. I don’t know if he will ever enjoy it again.

2 comments  ::  Share or discuss  ::  2010-01-23  ::  adrienne

January
withering away into oblivion

Filed under for fashion's sake

We once saw two tumbleweeds travelling along the 401. It was a super fun moment that I shall never forget.

So I skipped another season. Poof! I started designing fall 2010, sourced fabrics- some really great ones.  I had a tight little 15 piece collection designed and then. . . nothing.

So basically, not having a studio space is killing me. That was the main reason for another skipped season, something that I will hopefully solve in less than 2 months when we move into our new house, which is beginning to seem like a unicorn.  I am aching to make something. Anything. 

What do you do when you can’t sew? You make soup. You shop for tiles. You turn shopping for tiles into a part time job, relishing in the indecision. You design a house in your head and spend way too much time looking online for a modern looking navy blue tufted extra long couch.

I am working on a list of New Year’s resolutions, design wise.  My new year/new decade will start on March 21st, coinciding with being settled in our new home, the spring equinox, and my 30th birthday. I am not that bent out of shape about turning 30, like popular media dictates I’m supposed to be. Drama! I am, however, planning a karaoke/fondue party that is going to be stellar! I hope everybody’s ready for a little Fleetwood Mac, because we all know I’ll be cranking out the hits all night long. I will make a shirt emblazoned with “KARAOKE BOSS” and maybe “WHO STOLE MY FONDUE STICK” on the back. Yeah, fork, I know.

List:

1)  2010 is the year of the purge. I aim to use up as much as I can of what I have in my stash.
2) Make everything myself. Sorry Canada, I am no longer going to be contributing to the economy. Sorry contractors.
3) Invest in a coverstitch machine and a digital SLR so I can make skinny sweats myself, and can be my own photographer.
4) Theme? Spend less money. Pay off debt.
5) Open an Etsy store. Seems like a good idea.
6) Make simple, elegant, seasonless clothes.
7) One offs are okay. So are small runs, and in season collections.
8) Make some clothes for Loenne, finally!
9) Maybe try to actually blog about fashion occasionally.
10) Work on my technique. DRAPE! I never ever drape, since college. I am a lover of flat pattern drafting. I will be a huge failure on Project Runway if I don’t sharpen those draping skills. Whatever.
11) Be excited. And reeeeaaaalllly organized.

The Conclusion: 2010 is going to be a creative year. I am going to just do whatever, explore my options, fall back in love with fashion design. At the end of it, I aim to have a  newly refined simple direction in which to focus my talents. Watch me!!

to be cont’d. . .

4 comments  ::  Share or discuss  ::  2010-01-17  ::  adrienne

January
Canada’s Next Top Soup- Chickpea Chowda

Filed under Canada's Next Top Soup + food

meow

I love soup. It’s such a dynamic food. If I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be soup. I’m eating soup right now. Beet Borscht, yum. Soup is one of my go tos when I need a last minute dinner, because you really can make a delicious home made soup in less than 30 minutes. I’ve decided to share some of my favourite home made soup recipes, starting today with-

Chickpea Chowda (original recipe from cookbook Looneyspoons)

(I made this a lot in college. It’s cheap, hearty, somewhat comforting despite the fact there is next to no fat in it. It’s also vegan if you use vegetable stock. College=people experimenting with veganism.)

little bit of olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
3 or 4 sliced or diced carrots (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 or 4 cubed potatoes (about 3 cups, I leave my skins on)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp each sage and thyme
1/4 tsp each pepper and salt
parsley- 1/4 cup chopped fresh or teaspoon dry

Soften onion and celery in olive oil over medium heat. Add everything else except parsley (if using fresh). Bring to boil, reduce heat and cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are break apart tender.Remove bayleaf and MASH everything with a potato masher until coarsely pureed. Stir in parsley (if using fresh) and serve.

Great with sandwiches.

1 comment  ::  Share or discuss  ::  2010-01-13  ::  adrienne

January
about that movie. . .

Filed under incidentals

The movie that should be made based on Miriam Toews’ book The Flying Troutmans- well I just realized who should play Thebes, the 11 year old prodigous crafter.

Tavi, aka Style Rookie, the 13 year old fashion blog sensation. She should play Thebes.  I realized after seeing a picture of her in the latest issue of FASHION that Tavi is who I’ve been imagining Thebes to look like as I’ve been reading (and rereading) the book. Pretty, quirky, dainty.  Imagine purple hair and a blue terry cloth jumpsuit, faux holster.  SHE’S PERFECT!!!!!! 

Thebes-like randomness xo

 ::  Share or discuss  ::  2010-01-11  ::  adrienne

January
the lazy review

Filed under incidentals

I just finished reading Winnipeg writer Miriam Toews’ book The Flying Troutmans.  Actually, I finished it, stood up in the middle of my bedroom and walked backwards in a figure eight 3 times (uh… rewind?) and now I am reading it again for the second time in a week.

It’s about an aunt and a mom and a son and a daughter, a van,  and eventually, a father, all concerned with a common goal which is saving the mom from herself. The characters and story are depressingly sweet, sad, and funny. The book is short, with an ending that is satisfying. I felt it in my bones and it appealed to my heart, my achey breaky romantic heart.  

Miriam Toews is such a great writer, on point with her cultural references, twisted banter, and compelling humans. The Flying Troutmans came out in 2008 so perhaps this is old news. But anyway, I loved it.  I remember being equally as spellbound by her book A Complicated Kindness (2004), which I think I need to reread. 

Someone should mail a copy to Diablo Cody who should turn it into a screenplay, a la Diablo Cody. It would make a great movie, dare I say, film.

That’s all I’m going to say about that.

What should I read next?

1 comment  ::  Share or discuss  ::  2010-01-08  ::  adrienne

December
easy spirit

Filed under for fashion's sake

THE SHOES!! (well, a few of them anyway)

First of all, the name rocks- if I could change the name of my brand to anything, Easy Spirit is definitely in the top five.

I was randomly looking around the net and came across a pair of Easy Spirit shoes that looked pretty weird so I thought I would look at their website. From a fashion point of view, most Easy Spirit shoes are anything but. . . fashionable. But there is still something that I love about them. Occasionally all the awkward and terrible things about them line up to make something almost cool. I’ve said it before, I enjoy things that are a little ugly.

Check out these boots, style name “the future”. They have a velcro closure, awesome!  These appeal to me because I am getting really annoyed with my lace up Sorels that are way too hard to get on and off. I think I’ll stalk the site to see if they go on sale at the end of the season. Next winter will have convenient footwear.

Easy Spirit also makes those weird ass shoes that look super comfortable, and slightly dangerous.  Anti-Gravity they call it, sign me up! I can imagine them making me feel very springy, like I have elasticky, sinewy legs. I’ve always wanted to try these shoes. I love my Nike Airs, I imagine these are similar (but better because they’re Easy Spirit, not Nike)

And last but not least, from the ‘Classics’ section of their webstore- I love that they have a Classics section- the littlest prancey shoe that is after my heart.  I’ve definitely seen this shoe before, on older ladies surely. The kind of ladies who call their pants ’slacks’. They have so many different colours that I feel I need to add this buffet of prancers, I can’t choose which is my fave. They’re having a deal now too, if you buy 3 pairs of shoes you get and extra %20 off, AND they are on sale for $49.99, which seems reasonable for a comfortable, leather, classic shoe.

Oh dear, stop me.

Hello Princess Prance-A-Lot. This is the kind of shoe that makes your foot look less like a foot and more like a cute little hoof.  A few years ago at a party I would have stuck bottle caps into the soles of these and tapped around all night. That’s how special they are. Easy Spirit, I’ll say!!!

3 comments  ::  Share or discuss  ::  2009-12-31  ::  adrienne

December
what the fun!?

Filed under making it happen

I don’t think anyone has noticed yet, but I am trying to start a word trend! Similar- but a million times better than the notables of the past few years- Paris Hilton’s annoying and vaccuous “That’s hot.” Lame.  Christian Siriano’s combinations of “Fierce tranny hot messes”- not bad, not bad.  And the most recent invention by the insane clown posse that is Tyra Banks- “Smize”. The short form for smiling with your eyes. Crazy.

So anyway, “what the fun!?” It came bubbling out of me about a month ago, right here on this blog. I wanted to use the other ‘what the eff’, but it just seemed tacky, now that I am a mother, especially when it was written right on the page. I’ve been strategically dropping the Fun bomb ever since. Since I can’t help myself from frequently using swears as adjectives, “What the fun!?” is kind of perfect. Friendly, child appropriate, portrays excitement. Everything I could want in a expletive replacement.

Examples for use-

What the fun!?  (you open a Chrismas gift of a Toronto Maple Leafs miniature yet obtusely large replica zamboni)
What the fun is going on in here!?  (you walk in on your cats sleeping)
What the fun is this!? (your Mom makes a delicious dinner)
Who the fun stole my cheeseburger!? (when you’re having lunch with Hamburgler)
How the fun am I supposed to know!? (someone asks you a question you’re too preoccupied to answer)
Where the fun is Maple, Ontario!? (your hubby tells you you’re moving to the suburbs)
As if I give a fun about Tiger Woods!? (you’ve lived on planet Earth for the past couple weeks)

It doesn’t really work for meanness or anger. “Fun you.” “Go fun yourself.” “Fun off.” Which is another reason why it’s great. I would never say those things anyway.

So, dear universe, this is my gift to you,  Christmas 2009. Just putting it out there. 

Try it, you’ll love it! Fingers crossed that it becomes passe and annoying. My life will be complete.

2 comments  ::  Share or discuss  ::  2009-12-15  ::  adrienne

December
cats don’t speak human, unfortunately

Filed under cats

We don’t live in Toronto anymore. We are staying with family north of Toronto while we renovate our new house in Maple. Maple- sounds sweet, cozy, and Canadian, eh? Love it.

My poor cats. We stopped sleeping at our house last Saturday.  All day long the world as Newton and Weasel as they have known it was being taken away. It must have been so confusing. The moving of the cats was probably the saddest part of the move. That evening they were scared and hiding. We finally got them into their carriers after much trouble, and into the car. It was me and my sister in law, and another friend, and a ton of stuff. The car was packed to the gills. We dropped Dave off and started the journey to our new life. You could feel the emotion in the car- excitement, expectation, sadness, regret.  It felt so . . . Christmassy.  A warm car packed with stuff, driving home on a winter evening. Quiet conversation between a couple passangers, the others being sleepily soothed by the voices, occasionally meowing quietly through the darkness, looking for reassurance of some kind.

Newton and Weasel (Newts and Wease) , brothers, were born at that house. I found them under the front porch while we were renovating a few weeks before we moved in. They were only six weeks old. I think they’ve always been pretty happy little fellas.  We let them outside when they wanted- until the streetlights came on- and they basically had the run of the neighbourhood.  We had a tree in our yard that we called “the cat tree”, I’d love to know what kind of tree it was because cats loved it! In our neighbourhood their were a zillion cats, including a feral cat colony up the street. . . Toronto has a serious feral cat problem. All the local cats would come and climb and rub their faces all over that tree. If you looked closely, you could see cat hair all over it.  It provided a lot of interesting action for them and for us. We would see many relatives in amongst the neighbourhood cats and name them accordingly- Old Man Newts, Chunky Newts, Chubby Wease. They had as much of a community as we did.

We’re temporarily living in a house that already has two cats, Tinka and Pepe. We were all nervous about what it would be like bringing the four cats together. So far it has been uneventful, they all avoid each other. True to their personalities, Newton thinks he owns the place and Weasel has been sticking to himself. They think our bedroom is their new house. I was hoping that maybe they would be more friendly and attached to Loenne, as she is from home . . . so far not so much. She however, loves them! Loves all things cat related, whether it’s real or a drawing in a book. She gets really excited, yells, laughs- it’s amazing, and perfect. 

I wish I could tell them what was happening, that we are moving to a bigger house with more cat height windows and places to sleep and hide. I hope our new neighbourhood is as cat friendly as the old one, that they don’t bother the new neighbours too much, that they figure out quick where their home is and continue to come when they are called. I should really figure out what kind of tree that was and plant one.

Our boys.

Weasel and Newton

Newton, big baby and boss of everything

Weasel- Sultan of Sensuality and all around cool guy

Love them!

 ::  Share or discuss  ::  2009-12-12  ::  adrienne

December
Caninja sale complete!

Filed under caninja

I am done with the Caninja blog sale, thanks to everyone who took me up on it!

The remaining dozen or so I am taking to Out Of The Cold,  a charity in Toronto that shelters and provides food and warm clothing for the homeless. I hope they take them, and pass them out to a few folk who would probably really appreciate them.

Winter just hit Toronto a few days ago, and it’s funny as Canadians how we seem to forget what it feels like. Personally, I’m still adjusting. Brrrrrr. Where’s my Caninja?

Hiyaah!

 ::  Share or discuss  ::  2009-12-11  ::  adrienne