Saturday, August 27, 2011

Big Little House

I think this house is lovely, don't you? The proportions are perfect. I love that it still looks big and grand but it's actually a small house in disguise. via

So far, so good today. The banding effect of the storm has been an on again/off again rain. The worst is supposed to be at my cottage tomorrow morning around 7:30. Sometimes I think being ultra prepared keeps things at bay. Be safe and I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight.

Lovely Office for Two

I really love this fabulous desk for two, especially all of the delicious cubbies. I've been organizing my upstairs (third floor) studio getting ready for our town's once yearly trash pickup and auction at the firehouse. Anyone who stops by is given something to take away. Good stuff too. How many laptop bags does one person need? I have at least 3 of every item that was ever produced. What I can't give away or donate goes to the curb at the end of September. via

Yellow Bird at My Cottage | Goldfinch

 
A beautiful goldfinch paid me a visit this morning at the cottage. I woke up at 6:45 to a power outage for no reason. When I called it in on my cell they said a substation was out and 3,000 other customers were having the same problem. Luckily I have a gas stove, matches, and a stovetop coffee maker. Mornings without coffee are not an option. It came back on at 8:45. I would have made a lousy pioneer woman.

I have some giant black flexible piping in the garage that I am going to cut and attach to all of my downspouts to keep Irene's rain away from the house. I have a million other things to do too.

Stay safe.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Mexican Lasagna | Vegan Recipe Gluten Free

Marly’s Mexican Lasagna, Oh My!
via One Green Planet

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 package fajita seasoning
1 package soy crumbles
½ cup water
½ cup corn meal
1 package tofu, firm or extra firm
1 medium avocado, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt to taste
2 – 3 cups salsa
18 corn tortillas (6″)
1 package vegan “cheese”, shredded
Preparation:

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. In cook-speak that means, heat your oven to 350 F.

1. ”Meat(less) Sauce”

Sauté onion and garlic in a skillet with the oil until tender. Add soy crumbles* and fajita seasoning. Next, add 1/2 water and corn meal to the mixture, stir to combine and cook on low for 3 – 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

* You can use vegan soy crumbles from a package or sometimes I will use 2 – 3 Boca burger patties that I break apart using a spatula. If you’d like a non-soy (or gluten-free) ingredient 2 cups of cooked lentils can be used to replace the soy crumbles and will work perfectly!

2. ”Guac Sauce”

Add tofu, avocado, chickpeas, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt to your food processor and mix until well-combined. You may need to add a little bit of water to the food processor to get the Guac Sauce to a desired consistency.

Assembly:

Layer One: Spoon some of the salsa into the bottom of a 9 X 12 baking pan. Place 6 corn tortillas over the enchilada sauce. Spoon half of the “Meat Sauce” over the tortillas, followed by half of the “Guac Sauce.”

Layer Two: Add another layer of corn tortillas followed by half of the grated vegan cheese and a layer of salsa. Follow that by spreading the remaining “Meat Sauce” followed by the remaining “Guac Sauce.”

Topping: Finally, top with one more layer of corn tortillas. Cover with remaining salsa and add remaining shredded vegan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes until cheese melts.

This looks perfect for a hurricane weekend. Yum.

Dogs on Chairs and Birds on the Wall

I scanned this image from a magazine years ago because I have these first edition 1878 Studer bird prints I used to sell on eBay and I love the way they look on a wall. I uploaded all of the antique prints to a Picase web album HERE. You can also view the link as a slideshow. Let me know if you have any interest and maybe we can make a deal.
First Edition Antique Lithographs from
STUDER'S POPULAR ORNITHOLOGY;
THE BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA
published by JACOB H. STUDER and CO.,COLUMBUS, OHIO 1878
Stay safe.

Waiting for Irene

Today is prep day and it is the most beautiful morning ever with cloudless blue skies...what? This really must be the calm before the storm. I've been getting emails right and left sending me real time hurricane tracking software to download free and maps with evacuation routes. Thankfully my county is not even on the list. I am going down with the ship and staying put. I've been told there is no milk in the markets. I shopped 2 days ago so I am fine as long as we have power.
Stay safe and do everything you can to keep Irene from your door.

Thursday, August 25, 2011