Poco-Cocoa

Things & Stuff

  • Corners of my home

    This little bench sits in our living room, and it’s usually occupied by Roux. It gets sunlight from the South-facing window, and it’s also a good spot to look for visitors who might be coming up the stairs. Roux likes to sit and watch the squirrels and birds that visit our little deck, but his primary activity is bathing and sleeping (as shown above).

    The bench has two drawers underneath. One is filled with DVDs and XBox games, and the other is filled with junk. Cables and wires, old light fixtures and pliers…I’d say it’s Justin’s drawer more than mine. I rarely even open it.

    We keep my favorite little pillow on the bench…it’s embroidered with gorgeous flowers…a great World Market find. But I think the biggest reason that I love this corner is the kitty cat that sleeps on it.

    In other news, my book club meeting last night went really well. It was a bit awkward at first, since we really didn’t know each other, but the conversation quickly flowed, and before we knew it, two hours had passed. All of the gals seem friendly and intelligent, with strong feminist views and an avid love for reading. Our next meeting is in three weeks, and we’ll be discussing Toni Morrison’s Sula. I’ve never read her work, but I’ve heard she’s a wonderful author. This time I’ll wait until the third week to read the book though…I tend to read fairly quickly, so I had already forgotten many of the details of the last book by the time the meeting came around. Who am I kidding? I’ll probably go get the book today.

    February 2, 2006
    Uncategorized
  • Delicious Dip

    I don’t know why I haven’t experimented with bean dips. I make hummus, and occasionally change it up by adding sun-dried tomatoes, but I never really stray from that. This recipe was a great way to try something new…it’s so yummy! I’m looking forward to blending up other beans, adding in different herbs and veggies, and spreading it on sandwiches or dipping into it with crackers.

    Note: I used less olive oil than this…you can use some of the liquid from the beans to make the puree creamier.

    White Bean Dip

    2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
    1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
    1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
    1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
    2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
    1 garlic clove

    In the bowl of a food processor, combine the beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse on and off until the mixture is coarsely chopped. With the machine running, gradually mix in the remaining 1/4 cup oil until the mixture is creamy. Season the puree with more salt and pepper to taste.

    Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

    Adapted from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis.

    February 1, 2006
    Uncategorized
  • Curried Cauliflower Soup

    When the farmer’s market gives you cauliflower, make cauliflower soup! I found this recipe a long time ago, and then forgot about it. Fortunately, the idea of it remained somewhere in my brain, and I made it last week. It’s really easy to make, and roasting the cauliflower adds a bit more depth of flavor.

    Tonight I joined my crafty gal pals for a night of creativity. I stitched and did other secret projects (to be displayed at a later date), and watched Sex and the City in the background. It’s always so fun to meet up with other women and talk, laugh, and be geeky together. In another display of my geekiness, tomorrow night I’ll go to the first meeting of my new book club. I’m a little nervous about it, because I don’t know anything about any of the women, except that they’ve read the same book I have. I don’t think it’s something I would have had the courage to do in the past, but here I am, older, wiser, and braver. Or, well, maybe just older and braver.

    Curried Cauliflower Soup

    • 1 head cauliflower (about 2 1/4 pounds), cut into florets (about 6 cups)
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • Salt
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
    • 4 cups water
    • 2 cups vegetable broth
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

    Preheat oven to 450ËšF. On a baking sheet, toss cauliflower with oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Spread out and roast until the florets turn brown, about 25 minutes.

    In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, roasted cauliflower, water, and broth; bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 5 minutes.

    Using slotted spoon, transfer 3 cups cauliflower to a bowl, and set aside. Put the remaining florets into a blender or food processor, add 1 teaspoon salt, and process until smooth. (Alternatively, use an immersion blender to blend most of the soup in the pot, leaving some whole florets.) Stir the puree into the broth in the pan, and reheat if necessary. Ladle the soup into bowls, and top with the reserved florets and parsley.

    Makes 4 servings.

    Adapted from Everyday Food magazine.

    January 31, 2006
    Recipes
  • Great Austin Blogger Encounter

    What a wonderful weekend! Saturday evening we had dinner at Mother’s with Lisa, Bdogg, LostInTX, Bearette, Lora, and New Mezger, along with a few significant others. It was nice to put faces, personalities, and voices with each blog. We had a great cake from Sweetish Hill to celebrate Bdogg’s birthday, which Bearette really, really enjoyed. 😉

    Today Justin and I joined LostinTX, Bearette and D (her significant other) for lunch at Kerbey Lane Cafe. Bearette was in love with the butternut squash flautas, and I’m glad she got another dose of them before her flight back to New York. We took this photo after lunch…I’m so sad that I forgot to get a group photo of all of us at Mother’s.

    When I started blogging, I just wanted to keep family and friends updated on what was going on in my part of the world. I never knew that I would make so many new friends, near and far. I’m grateful for the connections I’ve made, and look forward to many more!

    Edited to add this link to my Flickr photos of the event.

    January 29, 2006
    Austin, Random Thoughts
  • Corners of my home

    I think this is generally supposed to be posted on a Thursday, but hey, better late than never. This is the main wall in our tiny living room. All of the photos were taken by Justin, and we’re constantly looking for updated ones to replace the old ones. There are photos of nieces and nephews, parents and grandparents, siblings and friends. I don’t know if you can tell from this photo, but the largest frame is a 20-inch square. These are big photos.

    I love this wall. Not only are the photos wonderful to look at, but the deep orange background has really grown on me. When we first painted it, I freaked out a little…it was so…orange! Now it’s probably my favorite room. It’s so us.

    January 27, 2006
    Random Thoughts
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