early spring for a few days

Thanks for the sweet comments about all that stuff! I feel very grateful and a bit sheepish and really tired, actually. I have been getting these low-level headaches this week, I can tell I need to rest and veg-out with a movie (or 3.) God, remember the days when you could sit and watch 2 movies in a row? I don't. I wish I could do that now. Man, that would be awesome.

Okay, we went out of town last weekend to the coast and it was amazing! Warmish and so sunny. Oregonians know how rare this is. It's a big deal. This sand worm here has two teeth and is trouble. Watch out.

It was warm, but not hot, about 55 and sunny, but my 2 older girls are no coat wearers and this middle child seems impervious to cold of any kind. I am refusing to believe that running around without enough clothes at the beach on had anything to do with the fevers this week. Of course little miss no pants here didn't even get sick.

a few items from the brain cupboard:

-I am searching for easter chocolate/candy molds now. I am overly excited about this.

-I am no longer buying canned beans (she said confidently) after soaking and cooking batches this week and freezing them, I have had enough of the mushy expensive canned variety. The homemade cooked ones are so much better, firmer, and tasty. I will report back on this new development.

-I am going to start making my own corn tortillas. I need a press, but then I am all over it.  I also have put on hold about 4 Rick Bayless cookbooks from the library. I am excited. Boy, he can do some yoga! I find this freaky and funny and kind of weird.

-The Easter dresses have been cut out.

Comments

[Megan]

Good post. I like the brain cupboard concept. PS. Have been experimenting with your bonnet pattern and bloomers idea. As soon as I figure out Flicker, I will share. Thank you!

[Leslie]

Amy, I got a tortilla press ages ago at Cost Plus. I see that Williams Sonoma has the same one, available online for $19.

It is manual and I put wax paper on each side before pressing out the masa.

Hand made tortillas are the best! Have fun!!

[amber]

Beans! Beans! I have been trying to get all of my friends on the soak-your-own bandwagon, but no luck. I even tried force-feeding some bean dishes to show how superior they are to canned, but they were not well received.
I think I will make sure they see your post, and maybe they will take your word for it...

[DeerDominique]

Heidi over at 101cookbooks mentions these peeps http://ranchogordo.com/
Apparently they are the s**t. I have yet to order, but I'm gonna. Oh, also...homemade beans are the best because you can adulterate them with bacon, aw lawd.
Yer kidlets are super cuties.

[Elizabeth]

Oh how I miss the beach. *Making mental note to visit the beach more often this year*

I love watching Rick Bayless on PBS. So many things to see and interesting things to hear. He does strike me as a bit odd, but you get used to it.

[Samantha]

Candy Mold Central (www.candymoldcentral.com) has quite a lot of Easter molds. I haven't ordered from them yet so I can't vouch for their service but they have a very nice selection.

[Ellie]

Oh, yeah. I love cooking all my beans rather than buying canned ones. Only thing is - I run out of freezer space. (Don't ask - but I have two placenta's in there!!). If you ever decide to cook your own chickpeas make sure they are fresh (well, try to make sure), as old ones seem to never cook enough.
Handmade tortillas sounds fun - must look into it. We have been taco crazy at home lately.

[Mandi]

Your little baby girl is so precious. She makes me want another, sigh...Tell me on the freezing bean thing do you par cook them or go all the way? This seems right up my alley, but I don't want mushy beans.

[carol]

I love MEXICAN EVERYDAY by Rick Bayless- I have made several things from that book which in my mind means I need to purchase it! I did- and love it.

Better yet, his restaurant in Chicago is a dream.

[Ellen]

Brain cupboard...like that description. You are one busy lady and always trying new things, old things, all kinds of things. It's inspiring.

[Julie]

I can relate about the good ol' days of watching a mid-to-crappy movie on a Saturday afternoon - pre-child, of course. Ahhhh, when a Saturday was just meant for lounging.
But in the last couple weeks, I was flipping around at 3pm (Sat), which is rare, when I found Julie Stiles in Save the Last Dance - girlie dance movie. My 5 year old boy and I watched that happily for 90 minutes until he wanted to go outside and play. Damn nature!
:) Still, it was good while it lasted.

[Sara]

The two movies in a row was a loooong time ago for me also. Three kids ago actually. Thanks for posting some beach pics. I'm from the Northwest (currently living in South Carolina) and it's nice to get a glimpse of the Oregon beach.

[Crosspaws]

I second Carol, the Mexican Everyday cookbook is THE BEST. If you didn't order that from the library, you must, and I'll bet you'll want to buy it. The tortilla soup, the pineapple upside-down cake--man, I'm gonna fry out my keyboard 'cause I'm droolin' on it. Each recipe is tastier than the last, the flavors are SO good. It's not vegetarian (as are you and I), but he gives meatless substitutions for almost all of the non-veg recipes, so it's not a problem.
Home-cooked beans are the best, so easy and cheap, but those boil-overs are no fun :0

Lynn

[ileana]

I totally agree, canned beans are for the birds!

[Rebecca]

I love going to the beach in early spring (I say as I see snow piling out the window)...sounds like a lovely day.

Tell more about cooking and freezing homemade beans!!! I have never done this... do you just freeze them cooked and use them like canned beans? How cool! How do they keep in the freezer?

[Tee-Tee]

I am looking forward to your beans and the Easter dresses!

[Heather, whatchabuildin]

Homemade beans...they are the best. I haven't had store bought canned ones in years. I use a crockpot, 1 cup of black beans and 1 cup of pinto. Crushed garlic (3 cloves) and 1 TBS cumin. LEt them cook all day on low. Then I freeze them in 1lb. bags. This is a good portion for family of four. Mmmm, homemade tortillas are the best! Have a good day!

[Catty]

I cut out my one Easter dress yesterday. I now need to get out and get some floss for the smocking. I can't wait to see pictures of yours!

[Amy]

Cans are also lined in plastic so if you, like me, are avoiding plastic it's a doubly good idea to cook your own beans.

[Jennifer]

Oh Oregon Coast! How I miss you! I grew up in the Portland area but I have been surrounded by concrete (in New York) for the last 18 years. We go back with our family and spend a week there every summer. I just posted pics of my first attempt at a "drawing dress" inspired by you. I love your work!

[Tracie]

I too moved away from Oregon and miss that coast dearly! It's great to see those pics especially when it's been spitting sleet, freezing rain, and occasional snow here in St. Louis for the last two days.

[Misty]

Can you please explain more about the soaking and freezing? i'm a poor college student, I love beans, but find it ridiculous to have to buy them in a can.

I also have a hard time knowing when i'll have a chance to eat soaked beans, freezing seems perfect.

thank you. p.s. i love your blog, your book, everything. thank you for it!

[jessica]

you must report back on the tortilla making. it has been on my to-do list for several weeks, but I can't seem to get the guts to experiment because I have so many kitchen helpers.

[hillary]

easter dresses! I need to make one of those this year. woo!

I was just commenting on delia's no pantness on flickr. she should come live with us. she could run around with mr. I'm-never-cold and catch snowflakes on her tongue.

[April]

Go to cincicakeandcandy.com They have every candy mold imaginable.

[Virginia]

Once, on the way home from dinner at Rick Bayless's restaurant Frontera Grill, I burst into tears when I realized that I'd left my leftover bag on the table (duck tacos).

If you ever go to Chicago, go to Frontera Grill and sit at the bar, where you can order from full menus at Frontera and its froufier sister restaurant, Topolobampo. (I prefer the food at Frontera.)

I am a devotee of his book Authentic Mexican: my favorite recipes out of it so far are zucchini with pork, sinaloa-style grilled chicken, and especially the charro beans.

[Valerie]

On the tortilla thing - I bought one of the heavy duty plastic ones (since the metal one had a weird shiny silver paint on it and it was right after the china lead paint thing) and it started to crack after the second round of tortilla making. So if you can find a regular metal one - I recommend that. It's good arm exercise too!!

Also, if you can find a mexican grocery store or tortillaria to buy fresh made masa - they are even better!!

[Kathy]

I am so thrilled there will be a second book! You have me thinking about making my own chocolates, too. I have made my own flour tortillas, but not the corn ones. With the huge hispanic population here, I can't believe I have trouble finding real masa instead of the instant stuff. Good luck with it!

[Wendy]

I love Rick Bayless's cookbooks. So many yummy things! I just wish I could find fresh masa (like Valerie- and Rick- suggests).

And depending on how the beans work out (or don't), my suggestion in a pressure cooker. We cook beans once or twice a week in it. It takes like half an hour. I love it (and it's a new one, so I'm not worried about it exploding). We use it for everything. You can cook an entire chicken in there in under 45 minutes.

Your kids are adorable! I sometimes wish we lived near a beach.

[Melissa H]

I'm adding "brain cupboard" to my list of "words/phrases I should use more often"

Also, even though I didn't comment yesterday, I'm very excited for your new book. I tell everyone who asks me about learning to sew to just buy your book.

[Samantha VanDerPuy]

Hi Amy,
I have been reading your blog for so long (and loving it for that long) and feel bad for never commenting. Leave it to tortillas to bring me out of my shell.
We have been making our own corn tortillas since childhood, and I can assure you, there is nothing better! I recommend looking for your press at an authentic mexican grocery store if you know where one is. They will be cheap there, and generally well made. Also, we've found that masa tends to taste a little yummier when bought at an authentic place, rather than the local Fred Meyer or whatever. Maybe its all in our heads, but it sure makes our tummies believe! Have fun, I am excited to see how you fare! SOOOOOO YUMMY!

[Connie]

Rick Bayless is a personal hero of mine... (though I know what you mean about the yoga!)
One of my favorite books of his is "Rick and Lanie's Excellent Cooking Adventure" All recipes him and his teenage daughter developed together.
The potato taco's made with Charizo and pablano pepper ... is my favorite and we eat it lots in our house.

[Anabell]

In college me and my friends had no tortilla press, our soution, And I bet it will work too if you have little helpers: cover a couple of big books, preferably hard cover (that's where being in college helped) with plastic wrap, put little ball of dought in the middle and press. You'll get tortillas and little fingers won't suffer.

[Nevis]

Wow, making your own tortillas? That's impressive. I buy these delicious fresh ones from a mexican grocery store near where I live.

[Jess]

I want to hear more about the beans...I've been contemplating making that leap...

[Jess]

I'm having trouble remembering when I had time to watch even ONE movie without missing sleep for it!

[pinkpurlhappymamaof3]

I really enjoy your blog! I must tell you we soak and they are much better tasting. As for the no shoes, no coat policy, my three gals are in on that too! Looking forward to the easter dresses!

[Kathryn]

de-lurking, here... love your blog, and I love the oregon coast! my family has a beach house in lincoln city and my husband and i try to stay there for a week every summer, but my favorite time to go is in the fall.

[lynne]

Have you ever looked at this blog? There's a recent tortilla entry. (not sure if they're corn or flour, though.) PS-You've given me beach envy! Snow is falling at about an inch an hour at the moment. (New England Weather!) Here's the site for the tortillas: www.onceuponacookie.blogspotcom

[Ceci]

Ahhh fresh tortillas, takes me back to my great aunt's where she would not only grind her own masa but cook them on her wood burning stove. Delicious! My suggestion...the wooden presses ones work the best.

[Juli]

Canning your own beans is super-easy and doesn't require freezer space. Basically, what you are doing is pressure cooking them in the jars rather than in the cooker itself.

In Portland, Food 4 Less's Mexican section sells dried beans from the prime bean growing region of Washington state.

Also, for a tortilla press, try the big Mexican grocery at SE 162nd and Stark. Don't forget to check out the fabulous bakery while you are there.

[Paula]

We're all over the dry beans situation as well. Too much scary stuff in the can linings + too much money = soak & boil instead. It works pretty well if you plan ahead.

[Heather B.]

We make beans ALL the time - love them - they are a staple of my two year olds diet! My favorites come from a little hispa market, they are petite red beans...so good!! And black beans are good in everything including brownies!!! Shhh...don't tell the kids!
Love the caramel corn...but NO micro here!! Do it in the old oven! Thanks again for a GREAT blog!! I love it!

[Leslie]

Amy, your girls are beautiful, just like you were ... and are! I love reading your blog and following your career ... you are awesome.

[megh.]

oooh. i am dying to know more about the beans. i just made homemade corn tortillas for the first time 2 days ago! i actually cooked them on the frying pan then baked them in the oven with a little oil on top to make tostadas before adding the toppings then broiling for a few minutes. they turned out so great! i have to say, the thinner they were the better, so i am interested in the press. i just rolled them out with a cup between parchement paper :)

[lissilulu]

oh.my.word!
It's time to cut out the Easter dresses already?
Now you got my mind running as fast as yours. LOL!
Thanks for the reminder Amy,
Lori

[acaligurl]

i always enjoy checking in with your blog. you have a feel good blog!!
how cute is your daughter??? enjoy them!! that saying 'they grow up fast' omgawwd they do. mine are 13 & 16, yikes.
****
congrats on your book! i come froma a family of women that can sew...
*ahem* except for me. and now i have decided i want to learn!! so guess what, a book for me and one for my sissie in colorado.

[rebecca]

The trick to the beans is go to the thrift store and find a nice old beanpot that you really love, so that while you are soaking them you can admire your style and thriftyness. ;-)

Oh wait, that's just me.

[Lasso the Moon]

I love that pink outfit on the beach. So BEACH-y!
Anna

[Heidi Kaisand]

Kids are so funny about the temperature. My 3 year-old boy is constantly taking his socks off in the house. We have hard wood floors and it has been a very cold winter in Iowa. And, I'm wearing my thick socks and fluffy slippers!

It sounds like a great trip...sometimes the best medicine for everyone is to get out of the house.