DIY: Antique Crate Shelving

When John and I made over our living room we moved many of the books in our office out into our new living room shelving. We ended up getting rid of the big bookcase we had in our office because it was empty and we didn’t want to keep it if it wasn’t being used.

Here’s the before and after:

 

However the one thing that was leftover with no home were our vacation jars. We were really loving the corner of newfound space in the office and didn’t want to clutter it up so we decided on wall shelving for the jars. We went back and forth about what kind of shelving, the size and placement of new shelves, and where to buy them. We couldn’t find anything we like and we started to get fed up with the process.

On a whim I showed John a few ideas I had found on Pinterest (this and this) and he loved them! I then had the great idea to check out local antique markets to see if we could find some cool old wooden crates. You may have seen my blog on the Cambridge Antique Market which where we ended up finding two amazing yellow United Farmers of Boston dairy crates.

We measured the wall, found the studs, and got to mounting the crates.

We sunk large screws into the studs and hung the crates by the natural spaces in the slats rather than screwing through the crate and into the wall. This created a straighter and more sturdy fit.

Mounting the second crate took my handy husband about 2 seconds.

Once the crates were wall mounted and we tested them to make sure they were sturdy, we loaded them up with our vacation jars. Here is the finished product:

What do you think?! We love them. The end result turned out way better than we imagined. The crates add the perfect pop of color to the room. They are a unique approach to traditional shelving and add a little antique charm to our office.

Recipe: Cucumber Agua Fresca with Lemon and Mint

I dread February; it’s the longest, most painful month of the winter. It’s so far past Christmas with so much winter left to go. Ugh. This particular winter has been super mild for us in New England. I’m not ungrateful for that, I am still just longing for Spring. I can’t wait to get rid of my huge winter coat, enjoy prolonged daylight hours, fire up the grill(s), and sit out on our porch. To that end I’ll do pretty much anything to remind myself of springtime. Last year I wrote about how nail polish was helping me beat the winter blues. This year I think I found an even better cure: Cucumber Agua Fresca.

Agua frescas are fruit/citrus/spice infused waters, popular in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. That description alone should tell you why this drink will help cure your winter blues. It’s refreshing and cool with warm weather flavors.

Domestocrat’s Cucumber Agua Fresca with Lemon and Mint
(yields 2 servings)
1/2 cucumber, peeled (I use English cukes)
2 tsp. lemon zest
3 tbsp. lemon juice
6 mint leaves
3 cups cold water
2 cups ice
2 tsp. Splenda (or sugar)

Garnish:
2 lemon slices, cut into wedges
4 mint leaves

Pulse all of your ingredients together in a food processor or blender until everything is incorporated.

Fill your glasses with ice. Put a small strainer over the top and pour in the agua fresca. I imagine if you increase the recipe (which I plan to do), you can pour the agua fresca into a pitcher and strain with a bigger strainer if you like.

Make sure to press all of the water out of the cucumber pulp with a spoon. Don’t throw away the pulp! You’ll see why below.

Garnish with lemon wedges and mint leaves. Enjoy!!

Going, going, gone!

John and I gulped these down fast. They were refreshing, light, cool, and just taste like spring/summer. The next time I make these I might let the blended mixture sit for longer to infuse more flavor into the water. Still, this recipe is fine to drink immediately.

Pro Tip: I saved my pulp in a plastic baggie, divided into equal sections, and froze as agua fresca ice cubes! I plan to toss them into plain water. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

How are you beating the winter blues this year?

Things I Love: Cambridge Antique Market

John and I have been brainstorming a home project for a week or so and were stuck on which type of materials to use. After going back and forth about it we thought maybe an antique store would have what we were looking for (no spoilers, you’ll see in a follow up post!). It’s so true that everything old is new again.

I searched Yelp for local antique markets thinking I would find the closest one to be in New Hampshire. I was beyond excited when I realized there is one in Cambridge, less than 3 miles from our house!

The whole place was incredible. There are 5 floors all packed with antique treasures.

The basement floor was a bike workshop! So cool. Tons of bikes, accessories, and a whole work area down there for repairs and tune ups.

I could have spent hours here. We found what we were looking for pretty quickly so it was a short trip. We’ll definitely be back though.

It’s so awesome to take a chance on an adventure and find amazing things right in your own backyard.

Here’s a sneak peek on the project I mentioned above. This is what we bought:

Any guesses????

Are you an antique lover? Where are your favorite places to shop for them?

The Domestocrat Guide to Spicy Spices

Let’s talk about spices. Specifically spicy spices. There are a zillion types of non-spicy spices that I love (cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger) but I want to focus on spicy spices because their applications are much more complex and the distinctions between them are sometimes confusing.

Here are the most popular spicy spices:

Let’s break it down, shall we?

Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper, otherwise known as red pepper since that’s what it is in ground form, is a gorgeous burnt orange color which I love. It’s extremely spicy (a little will go a long way) but not hot. It has a lingering tangy flavor. My favorite uses for cayenne are in marinades, dry rubs, and soups.

Red Pepper Flake
Red pepper flake, otherwise known as crushed red pepper (or simply “crushed red” if you’re Anne Burrell), is made from dried hot peppers. It’s slightly sweet, very spicy, and has a lingering hotness. Red pepper flake is my favorite of all of spicy spices however, it’s very easy to overdo and blow your whole dish. There aren’t many foods you can’t add red pepper flake to, in my opinion. I love it in pad thai, pasta dishes, and it’s probably been on every single piece of pizza I’ve eaten in the last 10 years.

Black Pepper
Ah, black pepper. So simple and underappreciated. Black pepper is probably the most versatile of all the spices. Yeah, I said it. If you have any spice in your kitchen it should be ground black pepper (paired with some good kosher salt). Black pepper is not spicy but has a mild bite to it. I add it to literally every single dish I make minus desserts; it’s perfect in everything. My favorite black pepper applications are the simplest ones: on a hot buttered baked potato, over pasta and parmesan cheese, or sprinkled over a freshly boiled ear of corn.

Chili Powder
Chili powder is the most diverse of the bunch as it is usually made from a blend of dried chili peppers. It is said to add piquance to dishes. (PS – Piquance is my new favorite word) I like chili powder because it’s smoky and salty, and that combination always reminds me of BBQ. For that reason I highly recommend chili powder for BBQ rubs or meat marinades. However my favorite use for chili powder is in mac and cheese. It adds huge flavor to the roux that carries throughout the whole dish.

Paprika
Last but not least is paprika. Paprika is the mildest of all the spicy spices because it’s usually made from ground bell peppers (which are not hot at all). Because it’s so mild paprika is often used in recipes just to add color, believe it or not. Paprika is sweet and slightly smoky with a non-lingering flavor. Hungarian Paprika is the best variety, in my opinion. My favorite uses are in risotto and on homemade pita chips.

I mentioned specific uses for each of these spices but I wanted to mention a few recipes where they are interchangeable or where you can use them all. They are chili, tikka masala, BBQ dry rub, and spicy chicken.

One last pro tip on spices: Buy them at Penzey’s. In my opinion their products are of the highest quality, impart the best flavor, and last the longest.

Things I Love Remix: Afternoon Tea at L’Espalier

Last year I wrote a full and comprehensive post about our Valentine’s Day trip to L’Espalier for their afternoon tea service. I recommend reading that for all the details as this post is just an recap about this year’s tea (and because the pictures on that original blog are much better than these iPhone snaps).

This is the 4th year John and I have gotten tea at L’Espalier for Valentine’s Day. I think it’s my favorite tradition that we have. Every tea experience is both different and familiar. The quality of the food is always exquisite but the menu itself changes slightly every time. The ambiance is always sophisticated and classy but a different seat every year has offered us a new take on the dining room. The cheese selection is consistently excellent though regions and flavor profiles change.

Here’s the salon with a full view of the amazing cheese display case:

Here was the view from the corner nook we were seated in:

The newest, and most exciting, addition to our tea experience was the flowering tea. We were each served a blooming tea pod that flowers over the course of 10-15 minutes, releasing a gorgeous confetti of fragrances and flavors. It was so pretty and tasted delicious (ours was lavender and amaranth).

Here was our cheese course and tea sandwiches:

And, finally, the dessert course:

My favorites this year were the Earl Grey trifle (layered with grapefruit preserves, shortbread, and Earl Grey flavored cream) and, as always, the scones.

And, if you’re curious, here’s the outfit I wore for our Valentine’s Date Day (loving this new blouse I got at Macy’s):

The Domestocrat Guide to the Perfect Homemade Pizza

I’ve given pizza a lot of attention on this blog. I’ve dived deep into the world of bread baking, dough, specialty flours, and varieties of yeast. I consider my adventures in pizza to be essential and foundational. Here’s a quick recap:

• My blog about the perfect recipe for one pizza, Peter Reinhart’s Napoletana Pizza Dough
• My blog about adapting the Reinhart/Bread Baker’s Apprentice Pizza Dough for grilling
• My blog about the perfect single serving pizza dough recipe

Recently I realized I need just one go-to pizza dough recipe. It’s not that the above recipes are inadequate in any way, I just desire to commit one really stellar, signature recipe to memory and then, go forth and conquer. I’m happy to report I’ve finally found it.

Domestocrat’s Perfect Homemade Pizza Recipe
(yields one delicious pie)
1 cup King Arthur Sir Lancelot flour
1/2 cup King Arthur bread flour
1/2 cup King Arthur whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. yeast
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. sugar
1 & 1/4 cups warm water

Before going any further let’s talk flour. Here is my triumvirate:

I exclusively use King Arthur flour products (King Arthur Sir Lancelot flour, King Arthur bread flour, and King Arthur whole wheat flour). They are extremely high quality, produce excellent results whether you’re baking pizza, cookies, bread, cakes, etc., and I really believe in the company and want to support it. The Sir Lancelot flour is particularly important in breads because it’s high gluten which adds extra chew and great texture.

Also, using good yeast is a must.

I swear by SAF Red Instant Yeast (also available from King Arthur). It stays good for over a year if kept in the freezer, it doesn’t need to be proofed before baking, and the whole package will make 96 loaves of bread. For under $6, I’d say that’s a no brainer.

The hardest part (procuring good quality ingredients) is over, let’s make some pizza. All you need is time, patience, and to follow these seven steps:

Step 1 – Combine all of your ingredients whether in a bowl or stand mixer. Knead for at least 5 minutes.

Step 2 – Move the dough to a greased glass bowl covered with a kitchen towel.

Step 3 – Proof your dough for at least an hour. Pro tip that I learned from Joy The Baker: Turn your oven on to 200 degrees and set the proofing dough bowl on top of the oven. Proofing dough needs warmth to rise and this works beautifully, especially in the winter. Also, this works best with a gas oven.

Step 4 – When the dough has fully risen, preheat your oven and pizza stone at 500 degrees.

Step 5 – Sprinkle a clean surface liberally with cornmeal, roll out the dough to your desired size, place the dough on your pizza stone, and parbake for 2-5 minutes.

Step 6 – Remove the dough from the oven then add sauce, cheese, and toppings. Bake the pizza for another 10-15 minutes depending on how done you like it.

Step 7 – Cool for 5 minutes. Then enjoy!

Red pepper flake on top is a must. Garlic salt too if you have it. John likes pepperoni. I think simple is best when it comes to pizza but whatever floats your boat.

Do you have a go to pizza recipe? What are your favorite cooking methods? What are your must have toppings?

Recipe: Not Your Grandma’s Twice Baked Potatoes

When I was a single lady I would have a baked potato for a meal all the time. Lunch or dinner, over and over again. I never got sick of them. Then I met John and the baked potato eating stopped. He isn’t a fan (which is crazy – who doesn’t love a buttery, warm, salt and pepper covered baked potato?!) so I rarely have them anymore unless we go out to eat. Compromises people, compromises.

Lately, though, the baked potato craving has been too strong to ignore. So last Saturday night I told John I was making us a nice healthy dinner at home and not to ask questions. Mwahaha! Plus, I don’t always believe him when he says he doesn’t like something. The man will eat anything! Just to be safe though I jazzed this one up to make sure he’d love it.

So, this is my fun twist on classic twice baked potatoes. Giada inspired me but I whipped this up mostly on a whim. This ain’t yer grandma’s twice baked potato; it’s packed with tons of flavor and extra veggies!

Domestocrat’s Not Your Grandma’s Twice Baked Potatoes
(serves 2-4, depending on portions)
2 medium sized white potatoes
1 cup portbella mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup caramelized onions
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tsp. minced garlic
4 tsp. EVOO
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Start by washing, trimming, and poking holes in the potatoes. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 1 hour. It may take a bit less or a bit more time to cook depending on your oven and potatoes. Check on them often and take them out when they feel done to you. I squeeze the sides and when the middle gives easily, I take them out.

When they are done take the potatoes out of the oven, cut them in half, and let them cool for 20-30 minutes.

On to the filling! You can start this 15 minutes before you are ready to use your cooled potatoes.

Chop the mushrooms. I use baby bellas here but you could use any variety you like.

I pre-caramelized a huge batch of onions for the week so I made my filling in the same pot. I highly recommend doing this, so much flavor! In your pot combine onions, mushrooms, garlic, chicken stock, and salt and pepper. Cook for 7-10 minutes over medium heat or until the mushrooms have softened.

Now that the potatoes are cool, scoop the baked potato goodness in the middle into a bowl and set aside.

Pour 1 tsp. of EVOO into each potato half and rub liberally on the inside and outside. This is critical for nice crispy potato skins!

Add your cooked filling to the bowl with the potatoes. Add half the cheese and mix thoroughly.

Scoop equal amounts of the filling into each potato skin.

Top with cheese, place on a wire rack on a baking sheet, and bake on 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

John gobbled up his potatoes faster than I have ever seen him eat anything before. They were the perfect addition to my healthy dinner of roasted chicken and garlicky spinach.

Nutritional Information:
I counted one whole potato (two stuffed halves) as one serving. Calculated with my Lose It app.

470 calories
13.6g fat
301mg sodium
71.2g carbohydrates
8.1g fiber
5.9g sugar
17.6g protein